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India has over 14 million people trapped in slavery, says survey

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Photo: Jodi Cobb

Photo: Jodi Cobb

New Delhi: India has nearly 14.3 million people, including children, “trapped” in modern-day slavery, ranking fifth in a list of countries brought out by the Global Slavery Index 2014, followed by Pakistan and with Mauritania topping the list.

According to the survey by anti-slavery campaign group Walk Free, 1.1409 percent of the people in India are in some form of slavery — forced labour or victims of trafficking, debt bondage, sexual exploitation for money and forced or servile marriage.

The survey says India has the most slaves overall and Mauritania has the highest percentage at four percent of the population.

The Walk Free Foundation in Perth in Australia says that India and Pakistan account for 45 percent of the global total, which is an estimated 35.8 million people enslaved.

Walk Free says it found evidence of slavery in all 167 countries it surveyed.

The report says Africa and Asia face the biggest challenges in eradicating slavery, while the practice is least prevalent in Europe.

(IANS)

India, Australia ink five agreements

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india_australia_deal

Canberra: India and Australia Tuesday signed five agreements, including on exchange of sentenced prisoners and on tourism, as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott held bilateral talks here.

The agreements are on social security, to “strengthen people-to-people contacts and facilitate and regulate the regulations between the two countries with respect to social security benefits and coverage”.

“It will provide for social security and superannuation benefits for those who have been residents of the other country on basis of equality of benefit, export of benefits and avoidance of double coverage.” an official statement said.

“It will lead to greater economies and promote the flow of professionals,” the statement said.

The agreement on transfer of sentenced prisoners is to “enhance cooperative efforts in law enforcement and administration of justice and to cooperate in the enforcement of penal sentences”.

“It will facilitate, regulate and lay down procedures for the transfer of sentenced persons and enable rehabilitation and reintegration of sentenced persons into society,” the statement said.

The MoU on Combating Narcotics Trafficking and Developing Police Cooperation, is to “address concerns regarding illicit trafficking and drug abuse”.

The fourth agreement is on Cooperation in the Field of Arts and Culture, and “will promote cooperation through exchange of information, professional expertise, training and exhibitions in the field of culture”.

The fifth agreement is in the field of tourism, to encourage “interaction between tourism stakeholders, training and investments in hospitality sector and promote the importance of the tourism sector in economic development and employment generation”, the statement added.

(IANS)

Religious heads demand anti-superstition bill

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superstition

Bengaluru: More than 150 heads of various maths from of Karnataka, along with writers, intellectuals and social activists, staged a demonstration at Freedom Park in Bengaluru, supporting the Anti-Superstition Bill and demanding an end to social discrimination.

The protest led by Pragathipara Matadeeshara Vedike will go on till Wednesday.

Shivanubhava Mahaswami of Beli Math, Bengaluru, said: “In the form of Made Snana, people of the lower castes are being harassed. Supporting superstition in the name of religion is wrong. Such practices should be banned.”

Veerabhadra Chennamalla Swami, the head of Nidumamidi Math, Kolar, said: “Even after the courts showing displeasure over Made Snana, people are promoting this practice. It is wrong to believe that people will become clean from all sins by practising it. The government should have introduced the law against superstition last year itself.”

The other demands of the seers include banning discriminatory practices such as Made Snana, Pankti Bheda and customs observed in some communities against women.

Activists of the Karnataka Jnana Vijnana Samiti, Dalit Sangharsha Samiti (Samatavada) and Pourakarmika unions gathered at Freedom Park to express their support.

Eminent persons who lent their support included K Marulasiddappa, K Allama Prabhu Bettadur, C S Dwarakanath and N. Prabha.

Volunteers of the Dalit Sangharsha Samithi joined the protest after taking out a procession.

Baba Rampal's supporters clash with police, turn ashram into a war zone

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baba-rampal

Hisar: The scenes outside self-styled ‘godman’ Baba Rampal’s Satlok Ashram in Haryana’s Hisar town resemble a war zone as his supporters have indulged in clashes with police.

There are indications that hundreds of people have been detained by Baba Rampal’s ‘private army’ in the ashram. They have been using women and children as human shields.

With the situation worsening, Ministry of Home Affairs stepped in and sought a report from the state government.

In wake of the rising tension in Hisar, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has called an emergency meet to discuss the situation. Security has been beefed up in capital Chandigarh where Haryana Police and CRPF troops are guarding the Secretariat and High Court.

“We are committed to follow the orders of High Court,” said Shrinivas Vashisht, DGP, Haryana. He refuted charges that the media persons were heckled with, adding that the police has been fully co-operating with them. “We do not want to stop media from covering. We have cooperated with media. I have been informed that a media person has been attacked by police, once the operation is over, we will act on that,” said Shrinivas.

With Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday giving the government time till Friday to produce Rampal in contempt of court case, authorities have been asking the devotees in and around the Satlok Ashram to disperse and help them comply with court order.

Some disciples who managed to come out from the ashram premises on Tuesday claimed that “thousands” of people were inside and most of them wanted to leave but were being prevented by lathi-wielding supporters of the ‘godman’ from leaving. A large number of women and children, are among those who are still inside the Satlok Ashram, they claimed.

A woman follower, aged around 40, who identified herself as Kusum from Uttar Pradesh, said she somehow managed to come out from inside the Ashram today. “I forced my way out. There are scores of people still inside,” she said.

Another middle-aged woman follower, who came out from the Ashram, said “I am from Dadri. There are so many people still inside and vast majority of them want to leave. But they are not being allowed to leave.”

When asked who was putting pressure on them to stay back, a woman follower from Aligarh told reporters that, “I forced my way out. People are facing difficulty in getting food and water. But some men carrying lathis told us to stay back and tried to prevent us from leaving. They told us that the (court) decision will soon come and everything will be alright. We persisted that we wanted to leave and then we came out in a group”.

Rampal has been charged with interfering in judicial proceedings during the hearing of a case in the Hisar sessions court. On July 15, his supporters had marched inside the district court complex in Hisar and tried to create trouble in the court proceedings.

The HC took cognisance of the case and issued notices to Rampal and the state government.

(With inputs from PTI)

Ten cases under AFSPA you should know about

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Photo: V. Sudershan, The Hindu

Photo: V. Sudershan, The Hindu

by Ravi Nitesh

As recently, a court martial awarded life term to 7 persons of Indian army after a court of inquiry in Machil encounter case. The infamous draconian act Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and the impunity that it grants to security forces under which no prosecution can be held in any civil court without a prior sanction from Government of India has made the security forces a big hub for human rights violations. Besides Machil, there are many more cases, named and unnamed that need attention of government and judiciary because these cases are infamous for the atrocities performed by security forces.

Here are few infamous cases, listed about which we all should know, in view of our sensitization towards human rights and how there are difficulties in ascertaining the punishment to security personals who are surviving with impunity. It is also evident that these atrocities are still continued. Though here are the selected cases only, there are hundreds and thousands of cases like these where human rights violations reported in areas where AFSPA is imposed (North East region and J&K).

Operation Blue Bird (Oinam, Bishunpur District, Manipur): Operation Blue Bird was launched in 11 th July 1987 at Oinam of Manipur, where more than 30 naga villages covered and human rights violations including torture and even extrajudicial killings were done in addition to sexual harassment, theft and loot by security personals. In a petition filed by NPMHR, it was reported that many houses were burnt and dismantled, many women were tortured and people got killed in fake encounters. This operation was done for many days, whole area was kept isolated and in jailed condition where even civil administrative authorities were not permitted to move in. Cases were filed in courts, even registrar of a high court was denied to move in to record the statements, but so far nothing happened.

Kunan Poshpora (Kupwara District, J&K): On 23 rd February 1991, a search operation was conducted by Indian army in Kunan Poshpora village of Kupwara district. During this search operation, around 100 women including pregnant women were allegedly raped by army persons in front of villagers. No clear inquiry was made by government. Later in the year 2014, the police officer who first visited the village to record testimony told that he was threatened many times to not to make report public. Government tried its best to make this case as ‘baseless’ and on the other hand, Chief Justice of J&K high court in his findings told that he never saw such a case where even normal investigative procedures were ignored. A case is still running in Supreme Court of India on this issue.

Bijbehra firing (Anantnag district, J&K): On 22 October 1993, approximate 35 civilians got killed when BSF fired upon crowd during a protest. It was alleged that firing was unprovoked and done while the protest was peaceful. Magistrate inquiry and NHRC findings marked that the firing was unprovoked. J&K High Court also accepted the reports and findings and ordered for compensation to victims and their families. It is not clear if the case against BSF personals was sent to grant sanction for prosecution, but till now no such prosecution was done.

Malom (Imphal District, Manipur): It was 2 nd November 2000, when at Malom, a place near Imphal, Assam Rifles fired upon 10 persons at a bus stand and they got killed. In these persons, even a 60 year old lady and 18 year old bravery award winner also got killed. This case sparked the anger in Manipur. Protest was organized. Irom Sharmila started her fast with demand to repeal the act AFSPA. However, still nothing happened.

Pathribal (Anantnag district, J&K): On 25 th March 2000, at Pathribal in J&K, 5 civilians were picked up by Rashtriya Rifles and allegedly made as ‘foreign militants’ and as the main accused persons who were responsible for Chhatisinghpura case. Local people protest against this and calimed that these were civilians and were not involved in any such activity. Initially, no case was lodged as defined with the impunity granted under AFSPA but later when protest erupts, CBI was asked to investigate the case. CBI in its investigation submitted report and found guilty a Brigadier, a Lt Col, two majors and a subedar of 7 Rashtriya Rifles for a staged encounter where civilians were picked up from Anantnag district . These encounters were told as ‘cold blooded murders’. Supreme Court of India, with findings of CBI told Indian army in the year 2011 for court martial, (as sanction for prosecution under civilian law could not be provided under AFSPA) , however after two years army closed the case with no actions on accused personals.

Manorama Killing (Imphal Distrcit, Manipur): It was the night of 10 th July 2004, when Assam Rifles went to house of Manorama at Imphal, Manipur at night, tortured her at her house before her brother and mother, then picked her up. In the morning, dead body was found at Ngariyan Yairipok road with bullets injuries in her private parts. Massive protest was organized by people, even the infamous naked protest also happened but case under criminal charges could not be lodged. A local judicial inquiry was done but report was not made public. A PIL in Supreme Court of India is still going on but no verdict has been awarded yet.

Shopian Case (Shopian district, J&K): on 29 th May 2009 in Shopian (J&K), two women named Aasia (age approx 17) and Neelofar (age approx 22) went missing from their orchard on their way back to home. Their dead bodies found on next day morning. People alleged it as murder and rape by security forces who were camped nearby. Initially, no FIR was lodged and police told that postmortem report cleared injuries over private parts. However people believed that police report about postmortem is fake, protests were continued by people and later J&K govt formed a judicial panel. Under judicial inquiry, Forensic lab report established the gang rape of both the women. Besides few suspension and transfers from police department, nothing has happened in this case.

Mass Graves in J&K: In the year 2008-09, mass graves of approximate 3000 unmarked persons were found in Bandipora, Baramulla, Kupwara and other districts. It was believed that most of these graves may belong to people who has been killed and buried by security personals without any accountability under AFSPA. It was also believed that there may be persons who are reported as ‘disappeared’, as thousands of cases of disappearances are recorded. State Human Rights Commission confirmed that thousands of bullet ridden bodies buried in unmarked graves. Some 500 bodies are identified as ‘locals’ and not the ‘foreign militants’ as it was told by security agencies. In spite of all cry and hue by human rights organizations and local people, no concrete action has been taken yet from the side of government.

Machil Encounter (Kupwara district, J&K): On 30 th April 2010, three civilians of Baramulla (J&K) were shot by Indian army at Machil sector in Kupwara district of J&K and were framed as ‘foreign militants’. However, later with the protest and inquiry, it was established that these persons were civilians and were called by army to provide them jobs of porters and later were killed in a staged encounter. With the protest that erupted all over J&K as an anger of people and force used to suppress the protests, as many as 110 lives of civilians lost in the whole summer unrest of the year 2010. Indian army in its inquiry found them guilty and in November 2014 sentenced life imprisonment to two officers and five soldiers in the court martial for being guilty. It was told that these army personals murdered these civilians, painted their face black, had put the guns and told them ‘foreign militants’ to get rewards and remunerations under ‘anti-militancy operations.’

1528 cases of extra judicial killings: In a write petition filed in Supreme Court of India (SCI), it was told that during May 1979 to May 2012 , approximate 1528 cases belongs to extra judicial killings. Supreme Court picked 6 random cases from the list and formed a high power commission under Justice (retd) Santosh Hegde and two others members to inquire about these 6 cases. Commission submitted its report to SCI stated that all 6 cases are found cases of fake encounters where no criminal records found for these persons who got killed. Case is still in SCI.

Ravi Nitesh is a Petroleum Engineer, Founder- Mission Bhartiyam, Core Member- Save Sharmila Solidarity Campaign. Follow on twitter: www.twitter.com/ravinitesh Blog: www.ravinitesh.blogspot.com

Indian journalist wins global award, wants media to bridge rural, urban divide

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After a couple of experiments in public discussion forums and the community radio space, CGNet Swara was founded in 2008 by Choudhary, who was later joined by MIT student Bill Thies. Photo: Mujeeb Faruqui/Hindustan Times

After a couple of experiments in public discussion forums and the community radio space, CGNet Swara was founded in 2008 by Choudhary, who was later joined by MIT student Bill Thies. Photo: Mujeeb Faruqui/Hindustan Times

by Arun Kumar

Washington: An Indian journalist honoured by Foreign Policy magazine as one of 100 Leading Global Thinkers “for giving rural Indians a megaphone” would like the 21st century to become the century of democratisation of media.

Shubhrangshu Choudhury, who left his job as a BBC producer in 2010 to launch a unique mobile news service called “CGNet Swara” in Maoist insurgency-hit Chhattisgarh was honoured here Monday as one of the Chroniclers or “the masters of storytelling”.

“These international honours are always good to give attention to the remotest parts of India,” he told IANS in an interview as “there is more of India between Delhi and Bangalore and beyond Gurgaon”.

“So it’s good that these voices are heard in those platforms,” Choudhury said calling for the coming together of the rural or poorer India and urban India divided into three new castes – “internet, mobile and radio” – to complement each other’s strengths.

“If we can come together, we can make a better world, a better future, a better tomorrow,” he said suggesting big problems in central India – called as India’s biggest threat by former prime minister Manmohan Singh – were nothing but an accumulation of small problems.

“If we use communication technology a bit creatively” by connecting internet, mobile and radio to “hear these voices and solve these little problems” Choudhury said, “there will be less wars, less problems”.

His CGNet Swara, which has now expanded from Chhattisgarh to the Central Gondwana adivasi areas of Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, was a platform to connect rural and urban India, he said.

“We are concentrating in Adivasi areas because they are the poorest of the poor people – farthest from the mainstream – who have taken up guns and challenged the government of India, challenged the democratic notion of governance,” Choudhary said.

Describing his service as a “Facebook for the poor people, where somebody posts, others listen, then they react and then everybody joins in”, he said the linking of rural and urban “activists” – anyone with five minutes to do some good work – brings hope back in society.

The working of the service is pretty simple, he explains. A woman living in a remote village picks up a phone and calls a computer to either record a message or listen. At the other end “we translate, crosscheck, verify and take it to a person who can solve the problem”.

“There is no dialogue between mainstream India and adivasis in Central India, with a population close to 100 million, much bigger than any European country,” he said, adding that “middle India is revolting” because it is difficult to understand its aspirations.

Yet, the problem can be solved by simply linking people using technology a bit creatively, Choudhury said.

Asked about his future plans, Choudhury said: “More than expansion, we want to create a model of democratic and independent communication platform.”

“Instead of making it very big, we want to make it as easy as possible, as cheap as possible,” and one which does not require outside support like a temple or a church funded by the people themselves, he said.

Choudhury lamented that his service was unable to use the radio at present because the Indian government does not allow its use in medium and short wave.

“If you have all the technologies freed – mobile, internet and radio – you can create an independent and replicable democratic model of communication, where we call it ‘journalism of concern’,” he said.

“If communication and flow of information goes in the hands of vested interests, then many voices do not come out – as it’s happening in central India – and then they revolt,” Choudhury said.

“Our whole objective is to see can we create a free, independent and democratic media,” he said suggesting, “the 21st century should be the century of democratisation of communication, media and journalism as the last centuries were of political democracy.”

“That will strengthen our political democracy.”

(IANS)

Most news channels are "noise channels": Prasar Bharti Chairman A. Surya Prakash

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From L-R: Rizwan Asad (Editor Nasheman), A. Surya Prakash, S. Shivprakash, K. Sadashiv Shenoy.

From L-R: S. Sridhar, Rizwan Asad (Editor Nasheman), A. Surya Prakash, S. Shivprakash, K. Sadashiv Shenoy.

Bengaluru: Newly appointed Prasar Bharti Chairman A. Surya Prakash said the public broadcaster is autonomous, and the government has no control over it.

Speaking after being felicitated by the Press Club of Bangalore and Bangalore Reporters’ Guild here, he said we must proceed in the direction to maintain autonomy and there was no question of going back on it.

Mr. Prakash reminiscenced his early days in journalism in Bengaluru and later in New Delhi before discussing the issues pertaining to Prasar Bharati.

“We have to professionalise in terms of quality. We can do it and we must attempt to do it,” he said responding to questions about Doordarshan and All India Radio.

On the question of private TV channels, he said most news channels and become “noise channels.”

“What you get these days is noise, there is no news; ….what you see in prime time band today in news channels, not just Hindi or English even regional channels is there is ‘maramari’ going on….this is not good for anybody, this is not good for viewers.”

“…so there is a great opportunity for us. I have started discussions with colleagues in DD News and I’m telling them that this opportunity which we must use. We must become credible news channel giving top class news…” he said.

Mr. Prakash said he has become Chairman of Prasar Bharati at a time which is very positive for Doordarshan.

When asked why Doordarshan (DD) had aired RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s annual Dussehra speech, he replied saying Bhagwat constitutes news, and that’s the reason news channels broadcasted it.

Modi faces protest in Sydney over Kashmir

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Narendra-Modi-Australia

Srinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday faced protests in Australian city Sydney over the issue of Kashmir.

A group of protesters called Modi to end conflict in the disputed Himalayan region. The protesters from Kashmir Council of Australia assembled outside New South Wales Parliament to register their protest.

“We want a peaceful settlement of the dispute so that both nations – India and Pakistan, can progress,” ABC News (link is external) quoted council’s founder Mumtaz Mian as saying.

The region has been a bone of contention between India and Pakistan since 1947. More than 65,000 people have lost their lives during the conflict.

Modi was in Australian to attend G20 summit.

India and Australia agree to collaborate on rejuvenating Ganga

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A devotee taking a dip in the polluted waters of river Ganga in Allahabad. Photo: The Hindu

A devotee taking a dip in the polluted waters of river Ganga in Allahabad. Photo: The Hindu

Canberra/ANI: India and Australia on Tuesday announced plans to collaborate on rejuvenating the River Ganga during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi here.

In a joint statement issued during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Australia, both sides welcomed the two-way exchanges and cooperation in river basin planning under the water partnership, and a new program of joint research on agricultural water management.

Both sides also welcomed co-operation between Australian and Indian universities, and in particular, the joint PhD programmes to encourage research.

During his visit here, Prime Minister Modi renewed his invitation to Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott to visit India again at his convenience. They also agreed that high-level visits played a key role in enhancing the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Prime Minister Modi kickstarted his day’s engagements with a visit to the War Memorial here, where he paid his tributes to those Australians who had died at war while serving their country.

He was also accompanied by his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott, where he laid a wreath in the Hall of Memory . Prime Minister Modi observed few minutes of silence at the memorial as a mark of respect and signed the visitor’s book here before he left.

Later, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was given a warm ceremonial reception here at the forecourt of the Australian Parliament and offered a gun salute.

He also inspected a guard of honour during his visit here.

During his opening statement at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Prime Minister Modi said that both nations were seeking early closure to a civil nuclear agreement that will give Australia a chance to participate in one of the world’s most safe and secure nuclear energy programmes. Besides, the two nations also decided to sign five pacts on several areas.

While addressing the joint session of the Australian Parliament, he placed Australia at the centre of India’s vision of a prosperous and regional order, at the juncture of the Indian and Pacific oceans, at a time when security and maritime navigation were valued more highly than ever before.

After addressing the Australian Parliament here, Prime Minister Modi has arrived in Melbourne where he is scheduled to address expatriate Indians at the the 161-year-old Melbourne Cricket Ground and attend two other events hosted by Prime Minister Tony Abbott, before departing for Fiji for the third leg of his three-nation, 10-day trip.

(ANI)

RJD, JD-U likely merge ahead of Bihar assembly polls

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RJD JD-U

Patna: Bihar will witness the biggest political realignment of the decade ahead of the assembly polls in 2015 with likely merger of Lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the ruling Janata Dal-United to counter the surging BJP.

“After results of Haryana and Maharashtra assembly polls, Lalu Prasad and JD-U president Sharad Yadav and former chief minister Nitish Kumar have agreed in principle to merge the two parties to take on the BJP,” a RJD leader close to Lalu Prasad said Monday.

This development has come nearly four months after Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar joined hands in Bihar and 10 days after leaders of the Samajwadi Party, the JD-U, the RJD and the Janata Dal-Secular announced a united front to counter the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

A JD-U leader said: “Merger of the RJD and the JD-U is on cards to strengthen secular forces…”

He said none other than Nitish Kumar himself said that “we resolved to work together and in the near future there is a strong possibility we might merge and form one party”.

According to the JD-U and the RJD leaders here, if both parties contest next state assembly polls as an alliance, there will be serious problem of seat sharing.

The JD-U, which has 118 legislators in the house, will bargain for more seats and the RJD, which has 23 legislators, will put its claim for more seats on the basis of its performance in the last Lok Sabha polls.

In August, Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar jointly campaigned during the by-elections in Bihar. The JD-U, the RJD and the Congress won six of the 10 assembly seats.

That was the first time the two leaders came together after a gap of 20 years. It was in the 1991 Lok Sabha polls that Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar last campaigned together.

Lalu Prasad then said he and Nitish Kumar wanted to send a strong message across the country to unite non-BJP forces.

Nitish Kumar, who quit as Bihar’s chief minister in May after his party was routed in the general elections, has been repeatedly targeting Modi.

He said Modi has failed to bring back black money stashed abroad by Indians within 100 days of taking power.

In a bid to expose Modi’s double speak, Nitish Kumar said: “Modi had promised to bring back black money after being elected to power. But he has failed to do that even after 150 days.”

The JD-U ended a 17-year alliance with the BJP last year after Modi was declared the prime ministerial candidate of the party.

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