novanews

By Sajjad Shaukat

Diplomacy which is defined as an art of negotiations to resolve an issue has many meanings, if a single word is added with it. For example, shrewd diplomacy, sham diplomacy, power diplomacy, peace diplomacy etc. might be cited as example. In this regard, a Pakistani prisoner, Sanaullah Haq who received serious injuries, and died on May 9, this year because he was badly beaten by an ex-Indian army man who was supported by the Indian concerned officials. It was open retaliation of New Delhi for an assault on Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh who died in a Pakistani jail in Lahore due to an attack by his fellow prisoner.

As the assault on Sanaullah Haq came a day after the death of Sarabjit Singh, which clearly shows that it was conducted deliberately as part of Indian killing diplomacy.

In this context, Hindustan Times revealed on May 5, 2013 that Sarabjit Singh, an Indian spy had gone to Pakistan for an operation managed by a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) official who later became the intelligence agency’s chief. It further pointed out, “A former intelligence official disclosed, “Sarabjit managed to accomplish the task given to him…still the agency [RAW] had executed many such missions in Pakistan in the early and mid1990s…Sarabjit had been awarded because his case was highlighted due to his sister. His family is also being compensated. But there are many cases in which the spies came back from Pakistan knocked the doors of courts to get their dues.”

On the other hand, India’s External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid stated that Sarabjit Singh’s death would cause a setback to the efforts to build relations with Pakistan and that there would be a pause in the engagement with it. In fact, by showing lethargy approach towards Sanaullah Haq, Indian government is making Sarabjit episode as another pretext to put the Pak-Indian peace process on the back-burner. In the past too, New Delhi has always used some unjustified occasions to delay the solution of various issues, especially the Kashmir dispute. Notably, on the one side, India has been emphasising to strengthen the Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) with Pakistan to normalise relations, but on the other, it has been giving a greater blow to the CBMs.

While, in his lecture on terrorism, delivered at the International Centre in Panaji, Indian former special secretary of RAW Amber Sen said, “The Indian state appeared to have over-reacted over the death of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh in Pakistan.”

However, Sarabjit Singh was sentenced to death by the Supreme Court of Pakistan for spying and deadly bombings which killed 14 innocent people in Pakistan’s cities of Faisalabad, Multan and Lahore in 1990. But Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari commuted his death sentence into life imprisonment on June 26, 2012.

It is mentionable that Pakistan’s top officials and members of the civil society strongly condemned attack on Indian prisoner, Sarabjit and expressed sorrow on his death. But, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh condemned Sarabjit incident, calling it ‘barbaric and murderous attack, but remained silence over Sanaullah. It is another display of New Delhi’s selective morality which Indian rulers employ, while dealing with Islamabad.

Last year, Pakistani government released Indian spy, Surjeet Singh who was handed over to the Indian authorities. He was given death sentence in 1991. But President Asif Ali Zardari commuted his death sentence into life imprisonment.

Surjeet openly admitted that he was in Pakistan to spy when he was arrested in 1982. In this regard, he disclosed before Indian reporters that he was sent to Pakistan by Indian secret agency RAW for espionage purposes.

Quite opposite to the admission of Surjeet, on June 29, 2012, Indian Home Secretary RK Singh told a news conference in New Delhi, saying, “We do not accept this that Singh was Indian spy…it is completely wrong.” However, it shows Indian illogical approach as New Delhi denies facts in order to conceal the presence of other Indian spies in Pakistan.

Surjeet Singh also revealed, “Sarabjit Singh is a terrorist and terrorists are not released.” On the other side, Indian External Affairs Minister SM Krishna stated on June 25, 2012 that it was now “time for Sarabjit Singh to be freed.” Like Indian home secretary, even external affairs minister defended the Indian agent. It indicates that Indian high officials are deliberately and officially supporting RAW agents to destabilise Pakistan which is the only nuclear country in the Islamic World.

Besides, Indian spy also pointed out, “All Indian prisoners are treated well in Pakistani jails. Sarabjit Singh is also doing well there…I was treated well by prison officials and I am thankful to them.”

Despite the fact that Sarabjit was Indian spy, but He was given a state funeral in the Indian Punjab.

It is notable that India has arrested hundreds of Pakistan’s citizens, often accusing them of being spies after they have strayed across the land or maritime border due to unconscious mistake. It also includes some tourists who went to India. Quite contrary to the well-treatment of Indian spies in Pakistani jails, RAW and other security agencies employ various techniques of torture on the so-called Pakistan’s suspected persons. Most of the Pakistani nationals have also been killed in Indian jails, while a majority of them have been killed by Indian security agencies in fake encounters.

Nonetheless, both Surjeet Singh and Sarabjit Singh were responsible for the string of blasts in various cities of Pakistan in which several innocent persons were killed. They were also behind other terror-activities in Pakistan.

On June 28, 2012, BBC reported, “in recent years, several Indians returning from Pakistani jails have admitted to spying for Indian intelligence agency RAW” and some have criticised India’s government for abandoning them.”

It is mentionable that in April 2011, Gopal Das, one of Pakistan’s longest-serving Indian prisoners, was released after President Asif Ali Zardari intervened in his case.

Upon his release, Das also acknowledged that he was an Indian spy. Similarly, Kashmir Singh, sentenced to death in Pakistan in 1973 for spying, was released in March 2008. Afterwards, he also confessed that he was spying for RAW.

As a matter of fact, the recent statements of RAW officials and admission of the Indian spy-prisoners clearly prove that with the tactical assistance of American CIA and Israeli Mossad, RAW has set up its espionage network in Afghanistan, which is in contact with its spy-network in Pakistan.

Apart from it, India’s several secret training camps are present in Afghanistan from where highly-trained militants, equipped with sophisticated weapons are being sent to Pakistan’s various places to conduct suicide attacks, target killings, bomb blasts, assaults on civil and military installations, forced abductions and sectarian violence regularly.

Indian RAW, CIA and Mossad have also been supporting the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and another separatist group, Jundollah (God’s soldiers) including other militant groups which have been committing various subversive acts in the province of Balochistan. The main aim behind to fulfill secret strategic designs of US, India and Israel. On a number of occasions, BLA and Jundollah claimed responsibility for terror-attacks which killed a number of innocent people.

Some Indian Muslims and foreign insurgents who are particularly backed by RAW have joined the ranks and files of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Sipah-e-Sahaba, BLA and other religious sects. They have also got the membership of MQM, ANP and PPP. Besides killing the leaders and persons of the rival religious parties, and attacking the offices of the political parties so as to sabotage the elections which were held in time— these miscreants also target the Pushtuns, Urdu-speaking people and even the people, belonging to the interior Sindh in order to fuel ethnic violence so as to weaken Pakistan.

Meanwhile, some reliable sources suggest that India has planned judicial murders of almost all Pakistani prisoners who are in Indian jails. While indicating New Delhi’s designs, Pakistani Government, media and politicians must denounce Indian Government and media for celebrating death of a convicted terrorist Sarabjit Singh as their national hero.

No doubt, new revelations of RAW officials and Indian released prisoners in wake of continued acts of sabotage in Pakistan have exposed Indian killing diplomacy.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

NOVANEWS

By Sajjad Shaukat

China rejected Indian allegations on April 12, this year that its troops crossed into Indian area and erected a camp in Ladakh at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) as well as the build-up of Chinese military forces along the disputed border. In fact, Indian army set up its own camp just near the LAC. Similarly, Indian soldiers crossed the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir on January 6, 2012 and attacked a Pakistani check post, killing one Pakistani soldier. Afterwards, Indian troops shot dead more Pakistani soldiers on the LoC. In order to justify its open aggression, New Delhi concocted a fabricated story of accusing Pakistan of beheading its two soldiers in the same area. But Pakistan’s civil and army spokesmen denied Indian baseless allegations.

It is notable that under the Pak-China pretext, the then Indian Army Chief, Gen. Deepak Kapoor had vocally revealed on December 29, 2010 that the Indian army “is now revising its five-year old doctrine” and is preparing for a “possible two-front war with China and Pakistan.” On October 15, 2010, the ex-Indian Army Chief Gen. VK Singh, while explaining same concept had openly blamed that China and Pakistan posed a major threat to India’s security, while calling for a need to upgrade country’s defence.

Defence experts opine that taking the concept of a two-front war, New Delhi has launched an ambitious military buildup plan, along the disputed LAC with China in state of Arunachal Pradesh and LoC in Kashmir near Pakistan.

Reliable sources disclosed that India has launched a major plan to construct underground shelters for storing missiles, rockets and ammunition close to the borders with Pakistan and China. Indian Army Chief Gen. Bikram Singh is keen that at least 2,000-2,500 metric tones of ammunition that is expensive and operationally important should be stored in such shelters.

In October, 2011 as part of its second phase of military expansion along the China front, Indian government has given the go-ahead for the deployment of BrahMos cruise missiles near the Chinese border. The three BrahMos missile regiments raised so far have also been deployed in the western sector to counter the presumed Pakistan’s threat.

However, India has once again raised the bogey of false threats from Beijing and Islamabad to get support and hi-tech military hardware from the United States and other Western countries. In this regard, Indian Defence Minister A K Antony at a military brass conclave said on April 9, 2013 that it was essential to modernise the armed forces.

Notably, in its report, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) disclosed on March 20, 2012, “India is the world’s largest recipient of arms…India’s imports of major weapons increased by 38 percent between 2002-06 and 2007-11.”

New Delhi’s military is acquiring a slew of new equipments from combat aircraft to submarines and artillery. It is currently finalising a deal with France’s Dassault Aviation to buy 126 Rafale fighter jets in a contract worth an estimated $12 billion.

On November 2, 2010, US agreed to sell India the most expensive—the new F-35 fighter jets. In a report to the US Congress, the Pentagon said, “We believe US aircraft such as the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)…to be the best in the world”, referring to the radar-evading F-35 jet. India also decided a major purchase of US F-16 and F-18 fighters. The Pentagon’s sales to India included C-17 and C-130 aircraft, radar systems, Harpoon weapons and specialised tactical equipments. Besides acquisition of arms and weapons from other western countries—especially Israel, America is a potential military supplier to India. It signed a deal of civil energy technology with India in 2008, and lifted sanctions on New Delhi to import nuclear technology. Besides, New Delhi is also working with Russia on developing a fifth-generation fighter aircraft.

In recent years, India has bought reconnaissance aircraft from US aerospace major Boeing worth 2.1 billion-dollars, medium range missiles for 1.4 billion dollars from Israeli Aerospace Industries, and signed an upgrade service contract with the Russian Aircraft Corporation to upgrade its MiG 29 squadrons for 965 million dollars. Several deals are planned for the near future including one of the largest arms contracts of recent times—11 billion-dollar project to acquire 126 multi-role combat aircraft.

It is mentionable that after 9/11, both India and Israel which had openly jumped on Bush’s anti-terrorism enterprise are acting upon a secret diplomacy, targeting Pakistan and China. With the support of Israel, New Delhi has been acquiring an element of strategic depth by setting up logistical bases in the Indian Ocean for its navy.

Nevertheless, Indian defence expenditures have no bounds. India is expected to spend $80 billion over the next 10 years to upgrade its military.

It is noteworthy that in May 1998, India detonated five nuclear tests, and also compelled Pakistan to follow the suit. The then Defense Minister George Fernandes had also declared publicly that “China is India’s potential threat No. 1.” New Delhi which successfully tested missile, Agni-111in May 2007, has been extending its range to target all Chinese cities. Now by ignoring peace-offers of China and Pakistan, New Delhi has entangled the latter in a deadly arms race.

On the one hand, India has been emphasising to strengthen the Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) with Pakistan to normalise relations, but on the other, it has continuously been giving a greater setback to the CBMs. Similarly, China is India’s biggest trading partner with which New Delhi has signed a number of agreements in various fields, but the latter is acting upon anti-China policies. In fact, with the tactical support of the US, it is playing a double game both with Islamabad and Beijing.

Overtly, Indian rulers state that they do not have any belligerent policy against Islamabad and Beijing, but covertly, by setting aside the resolution of Indo-Pak issues, especially thorny dispute of Kashmir, and border dispute with China, India has been preparing itself for the two-front war against China and Pakistan.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

NOVANEWS

By Sajjad Shaukat

Although peace and brinksmanship cannot co-exist in the modern era, yet India seeks to destabilise South Asia through its aggressive designs.

In this regard, in its report, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) disclosed on March 20, 2012, “India is the world’s largest recipient of arms…India’s imports of major weapons increased by 38 percent between 2002-06 and 2007-11.”

New Delhi’s military is acquiring a slew of new equipments from combat aircraft to submarines and artillery. It is currently finalising a deal with France’s Dassault Aviation to buy 126 Rafale fighter jets in a contract worth an estimated $12 billion.

On November 2, 2010, US agreed to sell India the most expensive—the new F-35 fighter jets. In a report to the US Congress, the Pentagon said, “We believe US aircraft such as the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)…to be the best in the world”, referring to the radar-evading F-35 jet. India also decided a major purchase of US F-16 and F-18 fighters. The Pentagon’s sales to India included C-17 and C-130 aircraft, radar systems, Harpoon weapons and specialized tactical equipments. Besides acquisition of arms and weapons from other western countries—especially Israel, America is a potential military supplier to India. It signed a deal of civil energy technology with India in 2008, and lifted sanctions on New Delhi to import nuclear technology. Besides, New Delhi is also working with Russia on developing a fifth-generation fighter aircraft.

In recent years, India has bought reconnaissance aircraft from US aerospace major Boeing worth 2.1 billion-dollars, medium range missiles for 1.4 billion dollars from Israeli Aerospace Industries, and signed an upgrade service contract with the Russian Aircraft Corporation to upgrade its MiG 29 squadrons for 965 million dollars. Several deals are planned for the near future including one of the largest arms contracts of recent times—11 billion-dollar project to acquire 126 multi-role combat aircraft.

It is mentionable that after 9/11, both India and Israel which had openly jumped on Bush’s anti-terrorism enterprise are acting upon a secret diplomacy, targeting Pakistan China and Iran. In this context, Indo-Israeli secret diplomacy could be assessed from the interview of Israel’s ambassador to India, Mark Sofer published in the Indian weekly Outlook on February 18, 2008. Regarding India’s defence arrangements with Tel Aviv, Sofer had surprisingly disclosed “We do have a defence relationship with India, which is no secret” and “with all due respect, the secret part will remain a secret.” With the support of Israel, New Delhi has been acquiring an element of strategic depth by setting up logistical bases in the Indian Ocean for its navy.

It notable that on October 15, 2010, under the Pak-China pretext, the then Indian Army Chief Gen. VK Singh had openly blamed that China and Pakistan posed a major threat to India’s security, while calling for a need to upgrade country’s defence. Indian former Army Chief Gen. Deepak Kapoor had also expressed similar thoughts.

Defence experts opine that taking the concept of a two front war, India has launched an ambitious military buildup plan, along the disputed Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China in state of Arunachal Pradesh and Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir near Pakistan.

On the one hand, India has been emphasising the Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) to normalise its relations with Pakistan, but on the other, Indian soldiers crossed over the Line of Control in Kashmir on January 6, 2012 and attacked a Pakistani check post, killing one Pakistani soldier and injuring many troops. Besides, Indian troops shot dead two Pakistani soldiers on the LoC on January 10 and 15.

In this respect, the Pakistani Foreign Office summoned the Indian High Commissioner and lodged a strong protest on the repeated and unprovoked attacks on Pakistani soldiers. The Pakistani foreign secretary also asked India to “thoroughly investigate the repeated ceasefire violations along the LoC by Indian troops”, reiterating the offer to hold an independent inquiry through the United Nations Military Observers Group for India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), which India flatly refused.

In order to justify its open aggression, India concocted a fabricated story of accusing Pakistan of killing and beheading its two soldiers in the same area of the LoC. Despite the fact that Pakistan’s civil and army spokesmen have denied Indian baseless allegations, but, Indian top officials, the opposition party and media have perennially been launching a blame game to distort the image of Pak Army and Pakistan. In this context, on January 14, Indian Army Chief Gen. Bikram Singh threatened to retaliate against Pakistan for the beheaded soldiers. While, recently, there have been blatant violations by Indian troops, targeting some other Pakistani soldiers, which have given a blow to the ceasefire of 2003 along the LoC.

Meanwhile, some Kashmiri freedom fighters attacked the camp of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Srinagar on March 13, 2013, and killed five Indian soldiers. Two freedom fighters also lost their lives in the incident. Next day, Pakistan rejected the statement of Indian Home Secretary RK Singh who allegedly said, “Prime facie evidence suggests that the militants who attacked the members of the Central Reserve Police Force were from across the border, and were probably from Pakistan.”

However, Indian defence expenditures have no bounds. India is expected to spend $80 billion over the next 10 years to upgrade its military. Arms deals in India have often been mired in controversy with allegations that companies have paid millions of dollars in kickbacks to Indian top military officials. In this respect, media disclosed on March 14, this year that India’s former Air Force Chief SP Tyagi has been booked on charges of corruption and conspiracy in a VVIP chopper deal. Detectives raided his home on March 12 as part of an investigation about bribery paid to secure a $748 million contract for 12 Italian helicopters.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in its FIR revealed that Tyagi and his three cousins were bribed 4, 26 000 euros to swing the contract for Anglo-Italian firm, Augusta Westland. The FIR shows as evidence a letter written by the retired air chief marshal in 2005, in which he approved scaling down the flying height of the helicopters from 18,000 feet to 15,000 feet. The concerned Italians admitted that the Tyagi family was paid 100,000 euros in cash for the 12-helicopter deal, and the CBI claims almost half a million euros were paid to the Tyagi brothers.

The CBI also indicated that in addition to the 100,000 euros in cash, it has tracked two payments, one of 1, 26 000 euros between August and October in 2004 and another of 200,000 euros in February 2005.

In 1980s, the government of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi collapsed over charges that the Swedish gun manufacturer Bofors paid bribes to supply Howitzer field guns to the Indian army. Following the Bofors scandal, India banned middlemen in all defense deals. Nonetheless, the case is a major embarrassment for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government which has been buffeted over the past year by a string of corruption scandals ahead of national elections scheduled in the first half of next year.

It is mentionable that in May 1998, India detonated five nuclear tests, and also compelled Pakistan to follow the suit. The then Defense Minister George Fernandes had also declared publicly that “China is India’s potential threat No. 1.” New Delhi which successfully tested missile, Agni-111in May 2007, has been extending its range to target all Chinese cities. Now by setting aside peace-offers of China and Pakistan, New Delhi has entangled the latter in a deadly arms race.

While international community has been making strenuous efforts for world peace in wake of global financial crisis and war against terrorism, but India has initiated deadly nuclear arms race in South Asia where people are already facing multiple problems of grave nature. Majority of South Asian people are living below the poverty level, lacking basic facilities like fresh food and clean water. While yielding to acute poverty, every day, some persons commit suicide.

By ignoring regional problems and resolution of Indo-Pak issues, especially thorny dispute of Kashmir, Indian rulers state that they do not have any belligerent policy. But, it becomes a big joke of the 21st century, reminding a maxim, “armed to the teeth, but no enemy”, if we take cognisance of Indian aggressive designs, aimed at destroying South Asian peace and stability, giving a wake up call to other regional powers.

Sajjad Shaukat writes on international affairs and is author of the book: US vs Islamic Militants, Invisible Balance of Power: Dangerous Shift in International Relations

NOVANEWS

by Asif Haroon Raja

India has a long history of aggressions against Pakistan since its inception in August 1947. Soon after partition, India burdened Pakistan with plethora of unsettling problems and then forced a war on newly born Pakistan in October 1947 by making illegal intrusion in princely state of Kashmir that was to become part of Pakistan in accordance with the aspirations of Kashmiris and laws framed for princely states by outgoing British rulers. India then closed water canals and imposed trade war to suffocate Pakistan economically. In 1951, Indian military carried out huge deployment all along Pakistan’s border to coerce Pakistan and force it to withdraw its support for Kashmir. Between 1948 and 1954, umpteen proposals made by the UN to solve Kashmir dispute were rejected by India on one plea or another while Pakistan accepted all the proposals. In 1954, Nehru took a sudden u-turn on his pledge he made to allow right of self determination to the people of Kashmir and started claiming that Kashmir was integral part of India. Pakistan’s alliance with the US was touted as a threat to India and a reason to backpedal from the commitment.

During 1962 Indo-China border conflict when Pakistan had a golden chance to free two-thirds Kashmir under Indian control, Nehru had it conveyed through President Kennedy that if Pakistan didn’t exploit the situation he would fulfill his promise of plebiscite under UN supervision. But once India got out of trouble, Nehru once again backtracked and Bhutto-Swaran Singh several rounds of talks proved inconclusive. Indian forces encroached in Rann of Katch in Sindh in April 1965 forcing Pakistan to retaliate and push back the encroachers but left behind Sir Creek issue. Indian Army then made incursions in Azad Kashmir in July 1965 forcing Pakistan to launch its stealthy Operation Gibraltar in August, which led to an all-out war in September. India’s high-flying plans to overwhelm Pakistan failed in the face of extraordinary steely resistance put up by heavily outnumbered Pakistan armed forces in the 17 days high intensity war.

Thereon, India changed its tactics and started subverting East Pakistan through psychological operations to soften the target from within and then launch the hammer. After truncating Pakistan in 1971, India kept 93000 civilian and military prisoners of war till May 1974. India signed Simla Treaty with Pakistan in 1972 to convert ceasefire line in Kashmir into Line of Control (LoC) and to enforce policy of bilateralism designed to keep outside powers from interfering in Kashmir issue. LoC was to be respected by both sides but Indian forces in violation of the agreement occupied important heights across the LoC in Chorbat La sector in 1972.

From 1973 till 1978, India extended support to Balochistan insurgency. In 1974, India carried out overt nuclear test at Pokhran to overawe Pakistan and other South Asian countries. In 1982, Indian forces again violated LoC and captured a post in Kashmir’s Qamar sector. In 1983, India supported Sindhi nationalist movement led by PPP. India also got aligned with Israel to strike Pakistan’s nuclear plant. In April 1984 Indian forces quietly sneaked into Siachin and occupied important heights on Soltoro Range. Indian military carried out inter-service Brass-tacks Exercise in 1986/87 perilously close to Pakistan’s desert belt in Sindh with clear intention of provoking a war. Besides these anti-Pakistan activities, RAW joined hands with KGB and KHAD and indulged in clandestine operations to harm Pakistan throughout the Afghan war in 1980s. RAW imparted training to al-Zulfiqar terrorists in India and launched them for sabotage and subversion purposes in Pakistan till as late as 1993-4.

In 1990, Indian forces heated up Kashmir front in reaction to armed uprising in occupied Kashmir and threatened to annex AJK. India agreed to become a strategic partner of USA on the condition that it distanced itself from Pakistan and stopped supporting Kashmir cause. In connivance with USA, India accused Pakistan of aiding terrorism in occupied Kashmir. Theme of cross border terrorism was hyped so profusely that the US put Pakistan on the watch list of countries abetting terrorism. In May 1998, BJP government in India carried out five nuclear tests and deployed surface-to-surface nuclear tipped Prithvi missiles along the LoC which could strike any city of Pakistan. Jingoistic BJP leaders continued to hurl threats to annex AJK till Pakistan gave a tit-for-tat response, which put sense into their agitating minds and calmed them down. In September 1998, Pak Navy Atlanta aircraft was callously shot down by Indian air force.

Forgetting its several incursions in disputed Kashmir, Indian military over reacted to a small incursion in Dras-Kargil sector in occupied Kashmir in 1999 by using up its entire infantry formations as well as its airpower using Israeli made precision guided missiles to recapture lost heights and also raising hue and cry in the world. Although Pakistan vacated the heights under US pressure, Indian media continued to deprecate Pakistan military by describing Pak Army as a rogue Army and Kashmir freedom movement as terrorism.

In reaction to a terrorist attack on Indian Parliament on December 13, 2001, India carried out massive deployment all along Pakistan’s border and remained in highly offensive mood for ten months. From 2002 onwards, RAW married up with CIA, Mosad, MI-6, BND, RAAM at Kabul and collectively undertook massive covert war to destabilize, denuclearize, de-Islamize and Balkanize Pakistan and is still deeply involved in Balochistan, FATA and Karachi. In order to dupe Pakistan by showing its soft face, India signed peace treaty with Pakistan in January 2004 and agreed to resume stalled composite dialogue and work towards resolution of disputes. However, since it had no intention of resolving any of the issues and wanted to keep the issues in pending tray for times to come, it gave priority to confidence building measures (CBMs).

India has been trying to build confidence through CBMs since 1997 as a prerequisite for solving chronic issues. These were given impetus from 2004 onwards but got nowhere near the core issues. It was like circling around the pole star. Even the first hurdle of lack of trust was not crossed. With trust deficit remaining at the same old level, CBMs couldn’t make any headway and often led to breakdown of talks and at times came close to a clash.

In reaction to terrorist attacks in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, Lashkar-e-Taiba and ISI were blamed and drums of war sounded. In December 2008, Indian forces once again carried out forward deployment of troops and remained in battle locations till July/August 2009. Composite dialogue was stalled and exerted extreme pressure on Pakistan to hand over accused persons.

In addition to covert war from Afghan soil, India is also involved in cultural invasion to loosen the morals of the youth and to dilute their warrior spirit. India also undertook water terrorism as a tool to coerce Pakistan and restrain her from raising Kashmir issue on international forums. India has resorted to water terrorism. She has already built over 40 small and big dams including Baglihar and Kishanganga dams over Indus, Jhelum and Chenab Rivers despite the fact that Pakistan has exclusive rights over these rivers in accordance with Indus Water Treaty signed in 1960.

India wants to negotiate and settle disputes with Pakistan and is desirous of peace and friendly relations but strictly on its terms. It negotiates only when it finds itself in a difficult position diplomatically or militarily but not when it is on a stronger wicket. Indian leaders must understand that amicable solution of Kashmir dispute acceptable to the people of Kashmir will help in enhancing the respect and prestige of India and in fulfilling its wish of becoming a world power. Non-resolution of the dispute would not only keep South Asia destabilized and impoverished, but would lead to fragmentation of India.

NOVANEWS

By Graham Peebles

The “new” India is racing towards the altar of materialism and market fundamentalism, abandoning its hallmark of spirituality, its philosophical treasures and any notion of unity, justice and service.

Under the careful guidance of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund the Indian government has for the last 20 years or so – during which time inequality has doubled – embraced market liberalization and the global market, garlanded corporations with all manner of subsidies and damned the poor to greater poverty, destitution, suffering and suicide.

In a country of 1.2 billion people and counting, all the numbers are mega. Seen through corporate-tinted spectacles, India is a marketplace unlike any other and, provided business doors stay open 24/7, the international community – meaning the USA and its bedmates – will allow India to occupy Kashmir, murder, rape and displace the needy, and further marginalize the already marginalized.

Have-nots and billionaires

There are, according to Arundhati Roy, around 450 million Indians living in dire poverty, the equivalent of the combined poor of all the countries of Africa. Dire poverty means surviving on just 12 rupees (30 US cents) a day or less and does not allow for anything other than bare survival.

Is it possible to be healthy on such a sum – to eat nutritiously or to eat at all, to drink clean water, sleep in clean clothes on a clean bed, brush your teeth with toothpaste, wear shoes while working or retain ones dignity? All “normal”, recognizable requirements of living are regarded as luxuries, the divine seen as a fresh loaf of bread, and men, women and children shrouded in anxiety and despair, condemned to a life of drudgery and exploitation.

But among the ugliness and agony of such widespread poverty there is “good” news – billions of it: the fabulous Forbes list of money-men places India fourth in the world league table of the largest number of billionaires – 61 at the last count with a combined wealth of 250 billion US dollars. These are, incidentally, “rich billionaires”, unlike the German or Japanese ones, who are “poor” by comparison. In addition to these billionaires, there are around 200,000 dollar-millionaires, and between them they run the massive Indian corporations that in turn run India.

Middlemen and women

While half a billion men, women and children crawl through life on their 30 cents a day, a river of rupees flows ceaselessly into the judiciary, the body politic and the corporate lakes. As Arandhati Roy says, wealth is concentrated “onto the tip of a shinning pin on which our billionaires pirouette”. Indeed, in a nation of 1.2 billion, India’s 100 richest people own assets equivalent to a quarter of the GDP.

Power and rupees move unceasingly into the pockets of the wealthy and mega rich, who are boosted by an “economic system that ensures the flow of wealth goes upwards via what academic David Harvey calls “accumulation by dispossession”. This flow feeds a new middle class, estimated to be between 30 and 50 million people – professionals and semi-professionals who have adapted to hallowed capitalist values.

To the delight of Western corporations, there is “a huge market being created for the white goods and automobile makers, [and] huge demand for the products”, Rajesh Shukla of the Centre for Macro Consumer Research excitedly proclaims. Mention of such “demand” sends tremors of excitement and anticipation through businesses small and large, while the people of Orissa and Kashmir, Jharkhand and West Bengal starve and are displaced, raped and persecuted.

In an economic world that sees everything through the simplistic prism of markets and profits, nation states are recognized as vast department stores, markets to be exploited until exhausted and returns maximized, the natural environment stripped of all that is of value. As for the ordinary people – the rural poor who make up 70 per cent of the population and those who crowd into the glowing, overcrowded filthy cities – it’s survival for the fittest

Growing inequality, deepening poverty

Hailed as an economic miracle, India is ranked by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) 129th out of 146 countries on the Human Development Index. The number of poor people in the country has barely fallen over a 30-year period. According to India Today, the poor in rural India were better fed 30 years ago. By the government’s own figures, 50 per cent of the rural population (836 million people) live in poverty, surviving somehow on less than 50 US cents a day – that is, 20 cents more than those in “dire poverty” but still not what one would call comfortable. Furthermore, according to Indian government figures, child malnutrition stands at 46 per cent – the highest in the world. In fact, India comes 73rd out of 88 countries in the annual Global Hunger Index – six places lower than the previous year. The 2010 Multidimensional Poverty Index showed that Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal have 421 million poor people.

According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, India has the “the highest number of poor in the world”, with the top 10 per cent earning 12 times that of the bottom 10 per cent compared to six times 20 years ago, i.e. inequality under the economic miracle is growing apace. There are sub-divisions within the divisions as inequality stalks the land – for example, with the urban wealthy spending 221 per cent more than their rural rich cousins, a chasm between the city comfortable and the rural desperate that is approaching cosmic proportions.

Such are the contradictions – and we have barely scratched the surface – in a country where a mere 1-3 per cent, according to Palagummi Sainath, have enjoyed “unprecedented success due to economic reforms”. The big growth story, he maintains, is inequality, which has “grown faster than any time in the last 50 years”, promising to cause the eath of democracy.

Still it’s not all bad news: the richest billionaires in the world are Indian and the world’s most expensive “house” – Antilla, a 27-story residential abomination, is in Mumbai. It is built for India’s richest man, Mukesh Ambani, whose personal wealth is said to be 20 billion dollars. He holds a controlling share in Reliance Industries Ltd, which has interests in businesses ranging from oil to stem cell storage, supermarkets to schools and, of course, the media.

Everything, everyone, everywhere

Throughout India there is systematic movement towards the commercialization of the countryside, the raping of the land for its bounty and the commoditization of each and every part of human existence. All of this is impelled by the government, which is happy to channel corporate propaganda and instil it in every mind and in every village in India.

The inevitable and unfortunate consequence is the death and destitution of obstacles to market fundamentalism – mainly the Adivasi and Dalit people who are demonized as Maoist terrorists by a government waging war not on terror but on its own marginalized and disadvantaged citizens. In this situation, to talk of human rights, social justice or environmental concerns is to talk humbug in the face of a capitalist crusade that has might on its side.

To its advocates, this is a model that is unchallengeable and beyond alternatives ideas of sharing and justice. It is a model that is bathed in a misty glow of polished yet polluted uniformity, one where the individual is absorbed into the consumer collective and told where to shop, what to buy, how to love and in which colour, what to think and when to think it and, if in doubt, tune into your local multinational media outlet for an update on corporate global acceptability.

NOVANEWS

well usurp your resources,and here you can receive a sample of the high-nutritional meals from US Charge’d Affaires

The following appeared on the website Last Real Indians. This is truly an exciting development in so-called Guyana and Onkwehón:we Rising echoes LRI’s comments that this emerging movement is sure to “have an unprecedented effect on the map of indigenous history and the struggle for sovereignty on this hemisphere of the “Americas.” Like the mayan Zapatistas in southern Mexico fighting for self governance and against oblivion, to the Ashuar and Shuar in Ecuador fighting Chevron-Texaco for irreparable damages which have contaminated the soil and water system to the kayapo in the amazon stopping the damming of the Amazon river to IdleNoMore at our own door step, and all the mining and water control troubles across Indian country today.” THE FOLLOWING ARE DECLARATIONS TO THE WORLD BY THE AMERINDIAN PEOPLES LIBERATION FRONT (APLF): DECLARATION #1

In Solidarity with the IdleNoMore movement of North America, the Zapatista Army of National Liberation of Central America, the Movimento Xingu Vivo of South America, and the Siwa Lima Front of the Pacific:We the 9 Amerindian Peoples of Guyana, in Order to better serve our Creator, protect mother Earth, honor our ancestors, establish Justice, insure our domestic peace, provide for our common defence, promote our general welfare, preserve our cultural and biological identities, and secure the blessings of liberty that our ancestors once knew for ourselves and for our future generations yet unborn, do ordain and establish the Amerindian Peoples Liberation Front. DECLARATION #5 ALL mineral and natural resources found on, above, or below Amerindian lands and territories – including water – belong to the Amerindians who occupy or traditionally use those lands & territories IN ACCORDANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL INDIGENOUS RIGHTS LAWS & CONVENTIONS, we REJECT the illegal and imagined authority of the Government of Guyana to grant permission to ANYONE to extract ANY mineral or natural resource from Amerindian occupied or traditionally used lands and territories.

ONLY the Amerindian peoples have the authority to decide what to do with our mineral and natural resources; and if we decide to sell our mineral and natural resources WE will decide whom we shall do business with at fair market prices and in the most low-impact environmentally sustainable manner possible. “We seek a redress of long-standing imbalances and grievances and we want to create an honest and equitable dialogue between the oppressor and the oppressed, neither do we see armed struggle and guerrilla war as the ONLY way to achieve this solution – but if the Government of Guyana ignores our peaceful and legitimate INTERNATIONAL LAW SUPPORTED demands then it SHALL become our LAST resort! In war the decisive factor is not the military confrontation but the politics at stake in the confrontation.

We will not go to war merely to kill or be killed, but we WILL go to war in order to achieve justice and stop our rights being denied and trampled underfoot by the non-indigenous majority who have become deaf to our long standing grievances and drunk with their own illegally exercised and imposed power. The future of our unborn Amerindian generations depends on US the generation of today – to take a final and decisive stand for OUR rights once and for all! The current unjust status quo that relegates us Amerindians to the level of being mere captive onlookers and beggars living with the surface rights of animals only – on gold and diamond rich occupied lands that the Creator saw fit to give to US – that uninvited foreigners have been stealing from under our feet with impunity for over 500 years HAS NOW COME TO AN END!

We call on all who stand for Justice and Indigenous rights to support us in our struggle, the ‘frontier’ has been lost almost everywhere else in the world – help us to keep ours – one of the last on God’s green Earth – from the hands of destruction that are desecrating mother Earth! Ours is not the cause of ‘Capitalism’ or ‘Communism’ – we fight for INDIGENISM, a code of honor and harmony with all of creation that ALL of humanity once lived by – for ALL races of men have ancestral roots in an indigenous people somewhere….most have just forgotten this inner truth for technology gradually numbs the soul to unseen realities, do not write in praise of our actions this day after we have become a lifeless example of urbanized mans sad history of inhumanity to native peoples, help us now whilst we yet live – for we are all children of the one God above!

[ed notes:just cited two declarations,click link for all of them.I should note,that recently  a Guyana high court ruled that mining corporations have the right to exploit these peoples land,basically trampling over the international recognized right of the indigenous communities to be consulted in prior and allowed to voice their opposition.. A judge in Guyana's high court ruled Jan. 17 that indigenous groups do not have the right to expel "legal" miners from their lands. The judge, Diana Insanally, found that if the miners in question held a government-approved license then the local community had no right to dispute the operations. The ruling has sparked protests by indigenous groups and is expected to be appealed.

 "We are deeply disappointed and worried with this ruling and what it means to our village and to Amerindian communities in general," read a press release from the indigenous community Isseneru. "[I]t has serious environmental and social impacts for us. The miners have, for example, brought with them problems related to drugs and prostitution.” “We feel that when the high court tells us that we have no rights to decide and control what takes place on our land, then the land is not ours,” said the Isseneru statement on the ruling. “Just Friday [Jan. 11], when inquiring at the office of the GGMC [Guyana Geology and Mines Commission], we learnt that our whole land is covered with mining concessions. Yet, the government has not informed us about this.” On Jan. 25, some 80 indigenous people protested the ruling outside the office of the president. “If this ruling goes forward then it will be a huge step backwards and will threaten indigenous peoples’ rights to land and to self-determination throughout the country,” said Jean La Rose of Guyana’s Amerindian Peoples Association (APA). (Mongabay, Jan. 29; Forest Peoples Program, Jan. 28; Demerara Waves, Guyana, Jan. 22; Kaieteur News, Jan. 21)

Posted by Nysoulcontrolla aka Ali

NOVANEWS

Terming the hanging of Afzal Guru as “travesty of justice and democracy”, the CPI(ML) on Saturday said it was carried out to “appease the communal fascist forces who want to make Narendra Modi India’s prime minister.”“Faced with growing popular opposition and resistance on every front, the Congress party and the UPA government are desperately trying to appease the BJP and the communal-fascist brigade,” General Secretary of CPI(ML) Liberation, Dipankar Bhattacharya, said in a statement in New Delhi.Claiming that Guru was a surrendered Kashmiri militant who had given himself up to the BSF in 1993 and had since been working in the shadow of the Special Task Force of Kashmir Police, he said Guru was implicated in the December 13, 2001, Parliament attack case.

“He had no lawyer to represent him when the trial court convicted him without any direct evidence and yet the Supreme Court upheld the death penalty in the name of satisfying ‘the collective conscience of society’ even as the high court and the Supreme Court passed adverse remarks on the shoddy nature of investigation and dubious quality of evidence produced by the police,” the Left leader said.“Nobody has ever been hanged in this country for the 1984 anti-Sikh pogrom, for all the anti-Muslim violence including the horrific Mumbai and Surat riots of 1992 and the 2002 Gujarat genocide, or for the massacres of dalits, adivasis and other oppressed sections by private armies or the state.”“Far from satisfying the ‘collective conscience’ of the Indian society, the hanging of Afzal Guru only exposes the double standards of justice,” Bhattacharya said, adding that the democratic movement in the country “will reject and resist this Congress-BJP collusion and intensify the battle for justice and democratic rights”.

Posted by Nysoulcontrolla aka Ali

Police, Doctors, Courts Need to Change Policies and Mindset to Support Victims