Archives for March 2015

Mangaluru: Blasphemous content about Islam, Prophet on Facebook – Complaint filed

March 7, 2015 by Nasheman

Mangaluru: A complaint has been filed in Pandeshwar police station here on behalf of Popular Front of India, alleging that a person had posted objectional comments about Islam and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that are blasphemous in nature.

Mr. Safwan, city unit secretary of Popular Front of India, has said in his complaint that a person named Nityananda Naik from Kundapur had uploaded certain contents in Facebook which deride Islam, Muslims, Quran, and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

The complainant has mentioned that the above contents have the potential of creating tensions between Hindus and Muslims on religious grounds. He has therefore, requested the police to take immediate action against the culprit. The police have begun investigation.

World Cup 2015: Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq completes 5000 ODI runs without a century

March 7, 2015 by Nasheman

Misbah-ul-Haq needed just seven more runs at the start of Pakistan’s World Cup match against South Africa. The veteran player now is the only batsman to score 5000 runs but not have a single century in his career.

Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq in action during the match against South Africa. ©Getty Images

by Agence France-Presse

Auckland: Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq became the first batsman to score 5,000 one-day international runs without any individual century when he reached the landmark against South Africa in a World Cup match in Auckland on Saturday.

The 40-year-old Misbah was only seven runs shy of 5,000 before the start of the Pool B clash at Eden Park.

A single steered through midwicket off Pakistan-born leg-spinner Imran Tahir saw Misbah, batting at number four, go to 5,000 ODI runs in his 147th innings in 160 matches at this level.

Misbah, often criticised for slow scoring, came into this match averaging over 43 in ODIs with a highest score of 96 not out against the West Indies at The Oval during the 2013 Champions Trophy in England.

However, he belied his reputation by equalling West Indies’ great Vivian Richards’s all-time record for the fastest Test century with a 56-ball ton against Australia in Abu Dhabi in November last year.

Indian fishermen will be shot if they venture into Sri Lankan waters: Ranil Wickramasinghe

March 7, 2015 by Nasheman

Colombo: Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe has justified Lankan Navy’s actions against Indian fishermen saying that that the law creates provisions for a man to ‘shoot’ an intruder in his home.

In an interview to Thanthi TV, a Chennai based news channel, Wickremasinghe said his government was willing to make a ‘reasonable deal’ with India with respect to the fishing rights.

“If someone tries to break into my house, I can shoot. If he gets killed…Law allows me to do that… On the fishermen issue, As far as I’m concerned, I have very very strong lines. These are our waters…Fishermen of Jaffna should be allowed to fish. We stopped them from fishing, which is why the Indian fishermen came in. They are willing to have a deal…Let’s have a reasonable deal… But not at the expense of the income of the Northern Fishermen,” the Sri Lankan PM said.

Wickremasinghe further said that the issue was between the fishermen of both nations and thus had to be worked out between the two parties. He, however, was adamant that Indian fishermen could not be allowed to trawl.

“It’s an issue between Tamil Nadu fishermen and Sri Lankan fishermen…They have got to sit down and we have to work this out. There can be no bottom trawling. There can be no solution that permits the Indian fishermen to do bottom trawling. These are basically Sri Lanka waters…What would you have done if all our fishermen went into the Indian waters and started fishing there…? Now what you are claiming is, we want to come there, we want to fish in your water and we want to bottom trawl in your waters,” he said.

The Sri Lankan Prime Minister further conceded that have been instances of the Sri Lankan Navy shooting innocent fishermen, but denied that it was a violation of human rights.

“At that time, LTTE was running arms… Whether Sri Lankan Fishermen or Indian fishermen, they had to stop, when the Navy asks them to stop. There also have been instances of the Sri Lankan Navy shooting innocent fishermen. We have not said no to it. In some instance they have to shoot because they were poaching on Sri Lankan Waters. Why are you coming into our waters? Why are you fishing in our waters…? Stay on the Indian side… There will be no issue…No one will shoot anyone else…You stay on the Indian side, Let our fishermen stay on the Sri Lankan side… Otherwise don’t make accusations of Human rights violation by the Navy. You came in there,” he said.

“You be on to that side, we be on that side. Why do you all pick up the Italian sailors…? You say you are friendly with Italy, show that same magnanimity to Italy that you want us to show. If you want us to show that magnanimity to your fishermen, India should show the same magnanimity to Italian sailors,” he added.

Wickremasinghe’s statements comes at a time when External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is visiting the neighbouring country to strengthen the relations between the two countries.

Swaraj on Friday called on Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on the first day of her trip to set the stage for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the country, the first bilateral tour by an Indian premier in over 25 years.

PM Modi’s visit from March 13-14 will be the first bilateral trip by an Indian prime minister since Rajiv Gandhi visited the island in 1987 to sign the Indo-Lanka Accord.

PM Modi will be the first Indian prime minister to travel to war-ravaged Jaffna in Tamil-dominated Northern Province and Trincomalee in the Eastern Province.

India-Sri Lanka relations had seen tensions during last few years of the rule of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was voted out of power, as China had expanded its footprint in the country by building ports, highways and participating in other infrastructure projects.

(Agencies)

HRD panel to probe funds 'misuse' by Teesta NGO

March 6, 2015 by Nasheman

New Delhi: The HRD Ministry has set up a committee to probe alleged misappropriation of funds received under the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan by an NGO run by activist Teesta Setalvad, who is facing heat along with her husband in a separate case of embezzlement.

The three-member committee is to be headed by Supreme Court lawyer Abhijit Bhattacharjee and comprise Gujarat Central University Vice Chancellor SA Bari and senior HR Ministry official Gaya Prasad as its members.

The panel will look into allegations against the NGO Sabrang Trust based on a complaint received by the ministry about “mis-utilisation” of funds by it, officials in the HRD Ministry said, confirming the setting up of the committee.

The two members of the committee, however, said they were yet to receive any communication in this regard.

Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand are also involved in the Gulbarg society embezzlement case.

Supreme Court recently directed Gujarat Police not to arrest the duo in the case while asking them to cooperate in the probe.

The case pertains to funds for a museum in Ahmedabad’s Gulbarg Society, which was devastated in the 2002 riots.

Meanwhile, sources in the ministry said that Setalvad could also be dropped from the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE), which is being reconstituted after NDA government came to power.

CABE is the highest decision-making body on education in the country.

(PTI)

Revoke Ban on Nirbhaya Documentary: Editors Guild of India

March 6, 2015 by Nasheman

New Delhi: The Editors Guild of India today slammed the government’s move to ban ‘India’s Daughter,’ the documentary about the brutal gang-rape and murder of a 23-year-old medical student in a moving bus in Delhi in December 2012, and appealed for the ban to be revoked.

Calling the ban wholly unwarranted, the Editors Guild said it is based on misunderstanding of the power and the message behind the film.

Following is the full statement by the Editors Guild:

The Government of India’s move in banning the telecast of the BBC documentary ‘India’s Daughter’ depicting the aftermath of the brutal gang rape and murder of Nirbhaya is wholly unwarranted, based as it is on a misunderstanding of the power and the message behind it. The documentary portrays the courage, sensitivity and liberal outlook of a family traumatised by the brutality inflicted on the daughter, the continuing shameful attitudes towards women among the convict as well as the educated including lawyers and multiple voices in support of women’s freedom and dignity including students, former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Justice Leila Seth, Oxford academic Maria Misra and senior advocate and former Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam. While the Supreme Court has declared that there should be the broadest freedom to express even the most unacceptable of views, the message that emerges from the documentary is wholly positive and its power is such as to make people re-examine their own attitudes and the attitudes of people around them.

The Nirbhaya incident has been an obvious matter of public interest and has through all the stages of the investigation, trial and confirmation by the high court, been subject to a widespread public debate and discussion, protests and demonstrations and enquiry by the Justice Verma Commission that suggested reform of the law. To raise the issue of sub judice now at the stage of final appeal in the Supreme Court and seek to still discussion is absurd. Judges, particularly in the Supreme Court, are by training and temperament immune to the happenings in the public sphere outside the court, and it is an insult to the Supreme Court to suggest that the airing of the convict’s perverted views would tend to interfere with the course of justice.

Prompted by initial expressions of outrage, including by members of Parliament, over the views of the convict included in the documentary, the Government seems to have decided on the ban without viewing the documentary in its entirety. The rationale that the ban was in the interests of justice and public order as the film “created a situation of tension and fear amongst women” and as that the convict would use the media to further his case in the appeal that was sub-judice seems to be an afterthought.

The Editors Guild of India appeals to the Government of India to revoke the ban forthwith and enable the people to view what is a positive and powerful documentary touching on the freedom, dignity and safety of women.

US ground troops in Syria? Top military official doesn't rule it out

March 6, 2015 by Nasheman

Gen. Martin Dempsey’s comments highlight openness allowed by vague language included in Obama’s proposed AUMF.

Gen. Martin Dempsey testifying at the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday. (Photo: DoD/Ash Carter)

by Andrea Germanos, Common Dreams

The nation’s top military officer told a House subcommittee Wednesday that U.S. troops could potentially hit the ground in Syria to fight Islamic militants, offering another sign the operation is headed towards expansion.

Speaking to the House Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey said, “If the commander on the ground approaches either me or the secretary of defense and believes that the introduction of special operations forces to accompany Iraqis or the new Syrian forces, or JTACS (joint tactical-air controllers), these skilled folks who can call in close-air support, if we believe that’s necessary to achieve our objectives, we will make that recommendation.”

Dempsey’s comment was played down by Air Force Col. Ed Thomas, a spokesman for the Joint Staff, who stressed that the comment was in response to a “hypothetical” situation, and that U.S. troops would be there only for troop rescue operations, the Military Times reports. An anonymous defense official made the same point to Agence-France Presse.

AFP adds that the official said Dempsey was addressing “flexibility and preservation of options.”

Despite the downplay of the ground troop scenario, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry last week also indicated the door was open for ground troops in Syria in the context of the the proposed authorization for the use of military force (AUMF).

In his comments to the Senate Appropriations Committee, Kerry highlighted the vagueness of the “enduring offensive ground combat operations” language in the AUMF. As Common Dreams reported last week:

“If you’re going in for weeks and weeks of combat, that’s enduring,” he said. “If you’re going in to assist somebody and fire control and you’re embedded in an overnight deal, or you’re in a rescue operation or whatever, that is not enduring.”

According to Kerry, the White House believes that the language “left the president the appropriate level of discretion with respect to how he might need to do, without [any] room for interpretation that this was somehow being interpreted to be a new license for a new Afghanistan or a new Iraq.”

Kerry’s statements follow remarks by White House Press Secretary Joshua Earnest, made immediately following the mid-February release of the proposal, that the AUMF’s language was intentionally vague because “we believe it’s important that there aren’t overly burdensome constraints that are placed on the commander in chief.”

Though, as Politico reports, the proposed AUMF “appears to have pleased nobody on Capitol Hill,” and while it has yet to face a vote, thousands of troops have already been deployed to Iraq, and U.S. and coalition forces are continuing a months-long campaign of airstrikes in Iraq and Syria.

'YouKnow' app: Palestine's voice of the voiceless

March 6, 2015 by Nasheman

A new app advocates for Palestine’s need for progressive access-to-information legislation.

‘The government needs to know how the people feel. They need to know what concerns them, what angers them’ [Getty]

by Creede Newton, Al Jazeera

Ramallah: An online platform that aims to open up access to information for citizens and increase accountability for politicians, was launched in the occupied West Bank on March 1.

The YouKnow Initiative is designed to bring activists, journalists, bloggers and citizens together with decision-makers, including the Palestinian Authority (PA), healthcare providers, telecommunications, and businesses.

The platform “resembles Facebook, Twitter; any number of social media sites,” said Saed Karzoun, the founder of YouKnow. Once they register, Palestinians “can post anything they want, without limits”, Karzoun told Al Jazeera. Currently, the application is available only via web browsers, but Karzoun hopes to build a smartphone application in the future.

Complaints, documented through videos and photos, about unpaved roads or unfinished infrastructure, for example, can be posted along with 300 characters of text. The user selects the official to whom the report will be sent from a list of officials and ministries. It then becomes available for all users to read.

After the complaint is posted, a “change” button allows for the official to respond. They can show that the issue has been addressed, or explain that it’s not within their domain.

“We hope to address people’s anger and frustration against decision-makers,” Karzoun explained. “The more information [officials] provide, the more understanding there will be between Palestinians and their leaders.”

Currently, there is no legislation guaranteeing freedom of access to information for Palestinians. The issue, however, has been hotly debated for years.

In 2005, a freedom of information bill was introduced for the first time, but since the suspension of the Palestinian Legislative Council in 2007, and due to Israel’s systematic targeting and detention of elected representatives as well as the internal Palestinian split, the motion has made no headway.

In December 2012, a committee of four legal experts, established by the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA), revised and amended the 2005 draft law on the right to access information.

A public campaign was also organised to bring together civil society activists, parliamentarians, access-to-information experts, journalists and Palestinian government officials to improve the draft law and advocate for its approval.

The campaign titled “Information is Power” advocated for Palestine’s need for progressive access-to-information legislation.

The result, according to analysts, has been a much-improved draft law and a decision by then-Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to ensure that the law is scheduled in the 2014 legislative calendar of the Palestinian government.

The amended draft law has been given positive assessment by independent international organisations like article 19 which pointed out that the draft law “contains many positive features such as; all public and private bodies receiving state funding or performing public work are obliged to provide information and setting up [an] information commissioner that will monitor the implementation of the law and examines complaints against denials of requests of information”.

In February 2014, the then new prime minister, Rami Hamdallah, showed support for the access-to-information initiative by publishing the draft, as amended by MADA, on his official website.

“We support the freedom of access to information,” Nida Younis, head of the Ministry of Information’s public relations told Al Jazeera. Younis added that “the draft law is currently awaiting approval”.

Younis also said the ministry supports YouKnow, and looks forward to collaborating with Karzoun. In Younis’ view, the platform will allow for all Palestinians to “have their say”, and pave the way for increased accountability.

“High-ranking personnel will no longer be able to say, ‘I didn’t know about this problem, I didn’t hear about it,'” she said.

A few months ago, Karzoun was informed by government officials that the same 2012 draft law on access to information was being considered, but it soon died out. “This is the problem, they (officials) begin discussing something, and then they stop.”

“The government needs to know how the people feel. They need to know what concerns them, what angers them. Hopefully it will motivate the government to introduce the law,” Karzoun concluded.

ISIL fighters bulldoze ancient Assyrian palace in Iraq

March 6, 2015 by Nasheman

Reported demolition at Nimrud comes less than a week after video was released showing destruction at Mosul museum.

Winged-bull statues were placed at the gates of Assyrian palaces as protective spirits [Getty Images]

by Jane Arraf, Al Jazeera

Baghdad: Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) fighters have used a bulldozer to start destroying a 3,000-year-old Assyrian city near Mosul in Iraq, archaeologists and other sources have told Al Jazeera.

The demolition at Nimrud on Thursday comes less than a week after video was released showing ISIL fighters destroying ancient artefacts in a Mosul museum.

“They came at midday with a bulldozer and started destroying the palace,” said an Iraqi official in touch with antiquities staff in Mosul.

She said the winged-bull statues known as lamassu at the gates of the palace of Ashurnasirpal II had been smashed. It was not clear what else had been destroyed on the site, about 20km southeast of Mosul.

In last week’s ISIL video , fighters were shown using power drills and sledgehammers to try to destroy similar statues at the ancient site of Nineveh, within Mosul.

The mutli-tonne figures were placed at the palaces’ gates as protective spirits.

One source told Al Jazeera the fighters warned Mosul residents last week that they would move on to Nimrud next. Hatra, a World Heritage Site, is also believed to be in danger.

Since 2002, the World Monuments Fund has listed Nimrud as one of the world’s most endangered sites. The intricate stone reliefs, exposed to the elements, have been decaying. Without security around the site, it has been exposed to looters.

The palace belonged to King Ashurnasirpal II, who ruled a powerful empire that included Iraq, the Levant, lower Egypt and parts of Turkey and the Levant. The palace was built with precious wood, marble and other materials brought from the furthest reaches of his kingdom.

Nimrud, known as biblical Calah, is believed to have first been settled 7,000 years ago. At its height, up to 60,000 people lived in the walled city, which contained lush gardens and sprawling parks.

Mostly excavated by the British, with the finds taken to the British Museum, the most spectacular discovery was an Iraqi one.

In the late 1980s Iraqi archaeologist Muzahim Mahmood discovered a royal tomb containing one of the biggest finds of the last century – hundreds of pieces of golden jewelry and other objects belonging to an Assyrian queen.

Iraq’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities on Thursday condemned the destruction at Nimrud, stating that ISIL “continues to defy the will of world”.

Obama names Indian American investor as IMF director

March 6, 2015 by Nasheman

Washington: President Barack Obama has nominated Sunil Sabharwal, an independent Indian American investor in the payments sector, as US Alternate Executive Director at International Monetary Fund for a term of two years.

The White House sent Sabharwal’s nomination to the Senate on Wednesday. At over two dozen, Obama administration boasts of having the highest number of Indian Americans in key jobs than any previous administrations in the US.

Sabharwal, who has been an independent investor since 2006, was the chairman of the Board of Ogone, a European ecommerce payment services company, from 2011 to 2013, according to the White House.

He advised Warburg Pincus on its acquisition of Easycash, a German network services company, subsequently becoming a board advisor from 2006 to 2009.

From 2003 to 2006, Sabharwal was senior vice president of strategic investments at First Data Corporation/Western Union.

From 1997 to 2003, he held several positions at GE Capital, including managing director.

From 1992 to 1996 he worked at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Sabharwal received a BS from The Ohio State University and an MS from the London Business School.

(Agencies)

Hate rant: Case filed against Balika Saraswati

March 6, 2015 by Nasheman

Mangaluru: Four days after she addressed the massive Virat Hindu Samajotsava at Nehru Maidan, a case has been registered against Sadhvi Balika Saraswati for allegedly making a provocative speech.

The complaint has been filed by Suresh Bhat Bakrabail, president of Dakshina Kannada unit of Karnataka Komu Souharda Vedike.

The complaint alleges that Sadhvi Balika Saraswati made provocative statements by saying that love Jihad should be countered by chopping off the heads of Muslim boys who look at Hindu girls.

The complaint urged for suitable action against Sadhvi Balika Saraswati and the organizers of the Samajotsava.

Based on the complaint, Pandeshwar police registered a case under Sections 153 (A) and 295 of the IPC.

World Cup 2015: Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq completes 5000 ODI runs without a century

Indian fishermen will be shot if they venture into Sri Lankan waters: Ranil Wickramasinghe

HRD panel to probe funds 'misuse' by Teesta NGO

Revoke Ban on Nirbhaya Documentary: Editors Guild of India

US ground troops in Syria? Top military official doesn't rule it out

'YouKnow' app: Palestine's voice of the voiceless

ISIL fighters bulldoze ancient Assyrian palace in Iraq

Obama names Indian American investor as IMF director

Hate rant: Case filed against Balika Saraswati

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