Experts doubt Al Qaeda link in Mumbai attacks…

The men came wearing black hoods, firing automatic weapons and throwing grenades, taking hostages, attacking two hotels, a cinema, a café, a train station and other popular and undefended “soft targets.”

An e-mail message to Indian media outlets that claimed responsibility for the bloody attacks in Mumbai on Wednesday night said the militants were from the Deccan Mujahideen.

Global terrorism experts said Thursday they had never heard of the group. And based on its tactics, they said, it was probably not a cell or group linked to Al Qaeda.

“It’s even unclear whether it’s a real group or not,” said Bruce Hoffman, a professor at the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and the author of the book “Inside Terrorism.” “It could be a cover name for another group, or a name adopted just for this particular incident.”

Chrtistine Fair, senior political scientist and a South Asia expert at the RAND Corporation, was careful to say that the identity of the terrorists could not yet be known. But she insisted the style of the attacks and the targets in Mumbai suggested that the militants were likely to be Indian Muslims – and not linked to Al Qaeda or the violent South Asian terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba.

“There’s absolutely nothing Al Qaeda-like about it,” she said of the attack. “Did you see any suicide bombers? And there are no fingerprints of Lashkar. They don’t do hostage taking, and they don’t do grenades.”

Hoffman agreed that the assault was “not exactly Al Qaeda’s modus operandi, which is suicide attacks.” But he said the timed attacks, which he called “tactical, sophisticated and coordinated,” perhaps pointed to a broader organization behind the perpetrators. Fair also noted that the fact the group had not proclaimed its ideology in a manifesto was “not at all unusual.”
“You don’t see these types of terrorist operations very often, if at all,” Hoffman said. “These aren’t just a bunch of radical guys coming together to cause mayhem.

“This takes a different skill set. It doesn’t take much skill to make a bomb. This is not just pressing a button as a suicide bomber and dying. You don’t learn this over the Internet.”
The word Deccan describes the middle and south of India, which is dominated by the Deccan Plateau. Mujahideen, of course, is the commonly used Arabic word for holy fighters. The very name – if it is a real group – suggests a domestic agenda.

“It’s maybe not so much a group as a cell that will take on a name for a specific operation,” said Fair. “In India you hear these unusual names.”
Fair did not agree that the attacks on Wednesday necessarily required deep planning and training.

“This wasn’t something that required a logistical mastermind,” she said. “These were not hardened targets. A huge train station with zero security. Two hotels with no security, both owned by Indians. Leopold’s Café. How hard is it, really? It’s not rocket science.”
Fair believes the attacks could be “yet another manifestation of domestic terrorism” that has its genesis in a longstanding institutional discrimination against Muslims.

“There are a lot of very, very angry Muslims in India,” she said, “The economic disparities are startling, and India has been very slow to publicly embrace its rising Muslim problem. You cannot put lipstick on this pig. This is a major domestic political challenge for India.”
The CIA puts the population of India at 1.15 billion, with Hindus making up about 80 percent of the total and Muslims 13.4 percent.

Fair said one incident – “a watershed event” – that continues to anger Muslims were the riots that swept nearby Gujarat State in 2002. The violence killed between 1,000 and 2,000 people, most of them Muslims.

“The public political face of India says, ‘Our Muslims have not been radicalized.’ But the Indian intelligence apparatus knows that’s not true. India’s Muslim communities are being sucked into the global landscape of Islamist jihad.

“Indians will have a strong incentive to link this to Al Qaeda. ‘Al Qaeda’s in your toilet!’ But this is a domestic issue. This is not India’s 9/11.”

For Hoffman, who has studied terrorism for more than 30 years, the Mumbai attacks are “alarming on a number of levels.”

“It’s not often that things in terrorism alarm me. So much is a repeat of what we see almost every day, like suicide bombings. There’s no real innovation in terrorism, which is why 9/11 was so terrifying, because it was so innovative and heinously clever.

“But these attacks show how a handful of men, basically using weapons off the shelf, can paralyze a city and frustrate highly trained security forces. These attacks were calculated to spread alarm and anxiety – to put it quite frankly, to unhinge things – and that’s exactly what they’ve done.”

100 Groups In A War Against India…

 

Mumbai’s night of terror underscores a phenomenon concealed by the Indian government and intelligence agencies and deliberately ignored by a biased Anglo-American media for a long time: The rise of a virulent form of Hindu terrorism that begets violence from other minorities.  Here is a list of almost one hundred groups that are fighting the Indian government. All of them thrive in India. The context for what has happened in Mumbai is stunning only for those unaware how a cocktail mix of wrong policies, official patronage to extremism, and separatist movements have come together to destabilize India.

By AHMED QURAISHI

 

     The night of Nov. 26, 2008, will go down in history as the day when India’s homegrown terrorism reared its head after years of silent mushroom growth. 

 

     This terrorism in Mumbai is not surprising, unlike the reactions in most of the western media.  India’s terrorist underground has been flourishing for many years.  While the U.S. media was busy last year likening Pakistan to Iraq in a politically motivated campaign aligned with U.S. military objectives, experts were ranking India only second to Iraq in the number of people who died as a result of terrorist attacks between 2004 and 2007, according to one survey by an American think tank.

 

     The Indian government has been artfully concealing a worrying development for at least sixteen years under an organized hype centered on economic growth and military power projection with a focus on China and Pakistan.

 

     Indian terrorism is a confusing mix. Journalists and observers outside the region often miss the simmering tensions beneath the surface that occasionally burst into the open, surprising many and raising questions like how could there be so much violence in what is supposed to be a secular democracy and a rising economy where such things should not happen.

 

     In India, there is a cocktail mix of wrong policies, official patronage to extremism, and separatist movements, all coming together to destabilize India.  At least 600 Christians, churches, nuns and priests were targeted by Hindu mobs in eastern India in August this year. Almost the entire Muslim population of Kashmir is up in arms against the excesses, arrests, murders and rapes by the Indian army.  For years there has been a media trial of Indian Muslims for real and imaginary involvement in violence.  News such as the arrest this month of two serving Indian army officers involved in crimes that were attributed to Indian Muslims has served to increase disgruntlement among minorities.  In 2002, close to 2,500 Indian Muslim men, women and children were burned alive in the first religious genocide of 21^st century. In 1984, Sikhs were hauled off buses in New Delhi and beaten or burned to death following the assassination of Indian prime minister Indra Gandhi at the hands of Sikh bodyguards. And finally, between 12 to 14 separatist insurgencies currently rage across India’s north and northeast.

 

     All of this makes for a dangerous combination that simmers quietly under the surface. The Indian media’s self-imposed ban on discussing these problems helps keep the lid on them.  But when the pressure becomes unbearable, things occasionally burst into the open in the shape of terrorist acts.  This only surprises those who do no know how India has been gradually relapsing into religious extremism in the period between 1990 and 2008.  This history is important in order to understand why the Indian claims of Pakistani complicity in the attacks have often sought to simplify a complex situation.

 

     Hindu militant groups have mushroomed in the past few years. This month, the arrest of two serving Indian army officers has confirmed speculation that Hindu terrorist groups have infiltrated Indian military and political establishments.

 

     1992 was the definite year that saw Hindu fundamentalism express itself politically. Hundreds of religious terrorists descended on a north Indian city with tools in hand. They climbed on top of a majestic, 500-year-old mosque built by the same Muslim rulers who built the famous Taj Mahal.  Imbibed with religious hatred, the Hindu mobs razed the building to the ground.  Indian government authorities did nothing to stop it.

 

     This Indian betrayal of a carefully crafted secular image would prove fatal later. In 1999, a Hindu mob surrounded the car of Graham Staines, an Australian priest, and his underage boy and girl and burned them alive.

 

     Australia maintained an unusual quiet till this day about this major act of terrorism. The bias is easily detectable when compared to Australia’s reaction and statements to ‘Muslim terrorism’, especially in Indonesia and later in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

 

     In this sense, countries like United States, Britain and Australia are partially responsible for letting the growth of India terrorism – with its mix of Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian and ethnic insurgencies – go unnoticed for so many years. These western countries have done this in order not to disturb the Anglo-Saxon project of grooming India as a bulwark against China and Russia and other regional powers.

 

     Following is a list of various indigenous separatist, militant and terrorist organizations operating in India against the Indian federal government.  This list has been compiled using information available in the public domain, news reports and specialized publications. During any given incident in India, a combination of some or all of these organizations is a suspect, including in the Mumbai blasts and in any other militant activity.  Blaming Kashmiris or Pakistanis for Indian internal problems would be a factual misrepresentation that must be countered with full force by Pakistan.

 

     It should also be noted that the Indian establishment is cracking down on Tamil separatists due to violence in Sri Lanka as Tamils are regrouping in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nado.  Tamils have to their credit the last significant political assassination in India, the blowing up of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1984. They continue to be the most ruthless terror outfit in India.  Mumbai blasts carry the fingerprints of many terror groups operating inside India, each with a long list of grievances against the Indian government and enough motivation to carry out such terrorist acts.

 

     Not all groups in this list are necessarily terrorist organizations.  But all of them are active against the Indian government.

 

Hindu Terror Groups

1.      Shiv Sena – Army of Shiva

2.      Bajrang Dal

3.      Durga Vahini-Women militants

4.      BJP

5.      A ragtag, government-armed Hindu militant groups have

         been raised in Kashmir and northern India during this decade

Indian Occupied Kashmir

1. Hizbul Mujahideen
2. Harkat-ul-Ansar or Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami
3. Lashkar-e-Toiba
4.  Jaish-e-MohammadMujahideen E-Tanzeem
5.  Jammu & KashmirLiberation Front
6.  Tehrik-ul-Mujahideen
7.  Al Badr
8.  Dukhtaran-e-Millat
9.  Al Barq
10.   Al Jehad
11.   Jamait-ul-Mujahideen
12.  Jammu & Kashir National Liberation Army
13.  People’s League 
14.  Muslim JanbazForce
15.  Kashmir Jehad Force
16.   Al JehadForce (combines Muslim Janbaz Force and Kashmir  
17.  Jehad Force
18.  Al Umar Mujahideen
19.  Mahaz-e-Azadi
20. Islami Jamaat-e-Tulba
21. Jammu & Kashmir StudentsLiebration Front
22. Ikhwan-ul-Mujahideen
23. Islamic Students League
24. Tehrik-e-Hurriat-e-Kashmir
25. Mutahida Jehad Council
26. Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Fiqar Jafaria
27. Jamait-ul-Mujahideen  
28. Al Mustafa Liberation Fighters
29. Tehrik-e-Jehad-e-Islami
30. Therik-ul-Mujahideen
31. Muslim Mujahideen
32. Al MujahidForce
33. Tehrik-e-Jehad
34. Islami Inquilabi Mahaz

 ASSAM

40. Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT)

41. Dima Halom Daogah (DHD)

42. Karbi National Volunteers (KNV)

43. Rabha National Security Force (RNSF)

44. Koch-RajbongshiLiberation Organisation (KRLO)

45. Adivasi Cobra Force(ACF)

46. Karbi People’s Front(KPF)

47. Tiwa National Revolutionary Force (TNRF)

48. Bircha Commando Force(BCF)

49. Bengali Tiger Force (BTF)

50. Adivasi Security Force(ASF)

51. All Assam Adivasi Suraksha Samiti (AAASS)

52. Gorkha Tiger Force(GTF)

53. Barak Valley YouthLiberation Front (BVYLF)

54. Muslim United LiberationTigers of Assam (MULTA)

55. Muslim United LiberationFront of Assam (MULFA)

56. Muslim Security Council of Assam (MSCA)

57. United Liberation Militia ofAssam (ULMA)

58. Islamic Liberation Army of Assam (ILAA)

59. Muslim Volunteer Force (MVF)

60. Muslim Liberation Army (MLA)

61. Muslim Security Force (MSF)

62. Islamic SevakSangh (ISS)

63. Islamic United ReformationProtest of India (IURPI)

64. United Muslim LiberationFront of Assam (UMLFA)

65. Revolutionary MuslimCommandos (RMC)

66. Muslim Tiger Force (MTF)

67. People’s UnitedLiberation Front (PULF)

68. Adam Sena(AS)

69. Harkat-ul-Mujahideen

70. Harkat-ul-Jehad

NAGALAND

71. National Socialist Councilof Nagaland (Isak-Muivah)– NSCN(IM)

72. National Socialist Councilof Nagaland (Khaplang)– NSCN (K)

73. Naga NationalCouncil (Adino) – NNC (Adino)

74. Tripura Liberation OrganisationFront (TLOF)

75. United Bengali LiberationFront (UBLF)

76. Tripura TribalVolunteer Force (TTVF)

77. Tripura Armed TribalCommando Force (TATCF)

78. Tripura TribalDemocratic Force (TTDF)

79. Tripura Tribal YouthForce (TTYF)

80. Tripura LiberationForce (TLF)

81. Tripura Defence Force (TDF)

82. All TripuraVolunteer Force (ATVF)

83. Tribal Commando Force (TCF)

84. Tripura Tribal YouthForce (TTYF)

85. All TripuraBharat Suraksha Force(ATBSF)

86. Tripura Tribal ActionCommittee Force (TTACF)

87. Socialist Democratic Frontof Tripura (SDFT)

88. All TripuraNational Force (ATNF)

89. Tripura Tribal Sengkrak Force (TTSF)

90. Tiger Commando Force (TCF)

91. Tripura Mukti Police (TMP)

Meghalaya 

92. Hynniewtrep NationalLiberation Council (HNLC)

93. Achik NationalVolunteer Council (ANVC)

94. People’s LiberationFront of Meghalaya (PLF-M)

95. Left-wing Extremists

96. People’s Guerrilla Army

  Here are quick references that can help understand the India story:

 

 Hindu Al-Qaeda: Asia’s New ‘Terror Central’ : Here is the hottest Indian story, neatly tucked under the well constructed –and expensive- veneer of ‘Incredible India’ advertisements on international television news channels: The fast rise of Indian religious terrorist organizations that have penetrated India’s military and politics.  The movement is so strong, resourceful and organized that it warrants the label India’s Hindu al-Qaeda. India is quietly emerging as a new ‘terror central’. Since the start of this century, almost nine years ago, India has seen the targeted murder of over 700 Christians, 2500 Muslims, and the unaccounted hundreds of ‘untouchables’. That’s not all. India is now grooming its own ‘Hindu al Qaeda,’ terrorist militias tasked with guarding India’s dreams of becoming the next superpower. Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka beware. India is already grooming rebels to stir trouble in China’s Tibet and Xingjian. The problem with this thinking is that expensive showoff space shuttles to Moon –when almost no one else in the world is doing it for now- won’t reduce poverty among the world’s largest single concentration of poor people on earth.

 

The Face Of India Hidden From The World:  There is a distinct lobby in United States and Britain that played a criminal role in fostering Indian terrorism. It did this by covering up Hindu terrorism against Christians, Muslims, Sikhs and low-caste Indians. Have you seen any of the above pictures published by any American or British newspaper or news service? See [left] the charred bodies of Indian Muslims burned alive by Hindu mobs in 2002, in the 21^st century’s first genocide.

 

 Why Hindu Extremists Invaded Taj Mahal? A group of 10 Hindutva activists-cum-militants belonging to Shiv Sena, a core fundamentalist political outfit, sneaked into the Taj Mahal at Agra on July 24 and performed prayers (puja) within the precincts on Thursday. They were taken into custody and later released without any hurdles.  This is a routine matter for Indian governments when Hindus perform illegal activities. Had Muslims enter the temples and remove the idols and clean up the structure to be able to offer prayers to God, the matter would be different. Hindu outfits, who consider themselves above law and have every right to do anything they please with Muslims and their mosques, have been on a rampage for political reasons with concocted stories against Islam.

 

Kashmir Shakes India: Something stunning is happening in Indian controlled Kashmir. World media is not giving it projection, Indians are hiding it and Pakistani media is too busy focusing on political turmoil within. The fact is that the Indian federation has been shaken to the core over the developments in Indian held Kashmir in the last few weeks.

New Iran – New Intentions

Ishaal Zehra

 The attack which killed the national Deputy Commander of the ground forces of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (RG), General Noor Ali Shooshtari and the provincial commander for Sistan-Baluchistan, Rajab Ali Mohammadzadeh along with some senior officers and 42 others in a homicide bombing inflicted Iran’s worst military casualties in years. Quick after the mishap, an Iranian military official went as far as to raise the prospect of a possible military offensive into Pakistan against the group blamed for the attack. “There is even unanimity that these operations (could) take place in Pakistan territory,” the ISNA news agency quoted MP Payman Forouzesh as saying. While the headquarters of Iran’s armed forces blamed the bombing on “terrorists” backed by “the Great Satan America and its ally Britain,” Fars News Agency said Sunday.

Islamabad strongly denied the allegations and said the attack was an attempt to “spoil ties” with Iran. “There are forces which are out to spoil our relations with Iran. But our ties are strong enough to counter these machinations,” said the Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Basit while dismissing the allegations.

The point to ponder is that, how come Pakistan would be wishing to create unrest in some neighbour while its own house is burning. Pakistan has been the victim of worst type of terror since many years. The war which initially started in Afghanistan was purposely shifted to Balochistan province of ours as a part of the Great Game. Amid the GWOT the active involvement of many countries intelligence agencies in Balochistan was observed. These agencies, while playing with the internal conflicts of the center and the Baloch people, are subversively involved in provision of funds and arms to different armed groups. This has been proved many a times that the outlawed armed groups of Balochistan, BLA and BRA are funded and trained by Indian RAW. Even the websites of BLA and greater Balochistan are updated from India. The role of Indian consulate offices in Afghanistan is suspected since their origin.

Keeping in view the sensitivity of the problem, it is difficult for India to openly support the Baluch insurgency because it may harm her relations with Iran (never bother about Pakistan). If the Indians will come out openly in support of the BLA, anti-Indian elements in Pakistan will quickly bracket New Delhi with the alleged Great Game of the US against Iran.

Indian relation with Iran have generally been viewed by observers as a tightrope walking to balance out her interests in Iran as well with the US. India, knowingly, that sidestepping the international community’s efforts to thwart Iran’s so-called drive for nuclear weapons would only devalue her credibility in the eyes of global power, New Delhi is fast trying to convey an unambiguous message that a nuclear armed Iran is as unacceptable to India as it is to the US, the U.K. or France. Hence, India (a good time’s friend) seems to be all set to dump Tehran to seek new alliances and please her new friends.

Iran is a regional power and an aspiring nuclear state which poses a threat to Israeli expansionism in Middle East. There is no denying the fact that Iran’s nuclear programme has been a persistent worry for both, US and Israel. And the choice between new allies and old friend is getting tough on India. To understand India’s dilemma, it requires a critical view of her relation with both Israel and Iran. There has been a steady strengthening of the India’s relationship with Israel ever since India established full diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992. Ever since then, the flourishing Indo- Israel relationship has gained much potential to make a significant impact on the global politics, by altering the balance of power not only in South Asia but the Middle East as well. Today, India has become the biggest market for Israeli arms with their strategic, defence and intelligence cooperation growing at a rapid pace. Where as, on the other hand, the vast oil and gas reserves of Iran serve magnetic affiliation to the quenching India’s long term thirst for energy. And yet another attraction in Iran’s case is that she offers India access to Afghanistan and Central Asia, side-lining Pakistan.

Given the scenario, India is more likely to tilt towards Israel in future. As regardless of her important ties with Arab countries and Iran, her lure for intelligence consultations with Israel seems a durable one. Until now, India has veered between cooperation and altercation in case of Iran yet in the time to come we may expect India to go along with Israel and US in destroying Iran, one of the country in Bush’s war against his self-selected axis of evil. A nuclear Iran suspected of supporting Palestinians and organizations sympathetic to them, faces a great threat of attack on its nuclear installations. And India would support such an operation clandestinely, while opposing in front of the world, not to annoy Iran because of economic reasons. Amusingly, India’s interest in the proposed IPI gas line project diminished sharply from the time the US-India nuclear deal began to take shape. Probably, the US wants to undermine India-Iran economic relations to such an extent that New Delhi becomes a stakeholder in its plan against Iran.

The geopolitical implications of the collaborations between India, US and Israel are grave and manifold. Despite the denials, India is playing a secret role in US strategy against Iran for past many years. India regardless of having close ties with Iran stabbed her in the back by joining EU-3 on Iran’s nuclear issue. It is no more a secret that EU-3 is no longer acting independently, but as a surrogate of the US. How piteous that a democracy ended up as a deputy of a surrogate. History has witnessed how India once used the friendly ties with Tehran as a ladder to achieve US and European community’s support to secure permanent seat in Security Council. Thanks to her mean and wanton nature which made her vote twice against the same Iran in the IAEA governing board, thus endorsing the US agenda for confrontation with Iran. Nevertheless, the Indian vote against Iran has extensively lowered her global structure and credibility. Despite her close economic and political relations, if India could stab a friendly country like Iran in the back, then she could not be considered trustworthy by other developing countries.

The thriving indo-Israeli relations are posing a direct threat to Iran. Their trade has grown exceptionally over the years, especially after the launch of Israeli spy satellite from the Indian Space center, the tie got even stronger. The launch of TecSAR has considerably enhanced Israel’s intelligence-gathering capability. The satellite is clearly affecting the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, as its ability to produce image in adverse weather and even at night allowed Israel to obtain more information about the Iranian nuclear programme. Though India officially argues that she has commercially utilized her advanced technological capacity but the act brought to light India’s full cooperation to dissuade, isolate and if necessary sanction and contain Iran. Nevertheless, Iran should realize that a friend of your enemy can never be your friend and India has already established herself as Israel’s friend and Iran’s foe at many instances.

It is time that India’s credibility as a friendly democracy should be weighed by other developing countries of the world. The Indo-Israel nexus, under the US patronage, is posing a threat to the Muslim world. All their ambitions revolve around targeting particularly Muslim states that are energy rich and either nuclear or threshold nuclear states. It is high time that the Islamic countries take a unified and concrete step to cater this ghastly menace, or else it might become too late.

Where is my Buddy – Hemant Karkarey?

Ishaal Zehra

 It seems that investigation to the Mumbai tragedy is re-opened. And so are the queries in my mind. Some unanswered questions that still haunt the investigation authenticity are laying bared open with no one serious enough, or more preciously, daring enough to search for the answers. Death of Hemant Karkery who was about to expose the Hindu-Israeli terrorism in India and the long-forgotten lethal case of Colonol Prohit are two of those serious questions. All this remembers me of a joke which was circulated widely condemning the absurdity of Iraq war. It went like this… On a campaign the (former) US President George Bush visits a school and explains his political actions. Afterwards he invites the children to ask him questions. One little boy raises his hand and say, “Mr. President my name is Joe and I have three questions from you. 1- How come you invaded Iraq without the support of the United Nations? 2- Where is Osama bin Laden actually hiding? And 3- Don’t you think that the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima was the biggest terrorist attack of all times?” Just as the President Bush begins to answer, the recess bell rings and he says they’ll continue afterward. 25 minutes later the kids come back to class. “Where were we?” says Bush. “Oh, yes… do you kids have any questions?” Another boy raises his hand and says, “sir my name is John and I have 5 questions: First, why did you invade Iraq without support from the U.N.? Second, where is Osama bin Laden actually hiding? Third, don’t you think that the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima was the biggest terrorist attack of all times? Fourth, how come the recess bell went off 30 minutes early? And last where is my buddy Joe?!!” Similarly, the number of times the Mumbai case will be re-opened, the questions will increase with the same magnitude. Who benefited from Mumbai carnage? How come Hemant Karkery died? Why his death is not being investigated properly specially from the point of view that he died just after unearthing rich and credible material about the involvement of a section of Hinduised army officers in the Malegaon and Modasa blasts? Why the case has not been investigated as a “False-Flag Operation” rather simply putting the blame on Pakistan? Why BJP Inclusion in the whole drama is being missed out? What has happened to the case of Col. Prohit, who is a Symbol of Hindu Terrorism? Why the findings are not being made public? The real motives behind this terror act and the actual beneficiaries are still not apprehended by the authorities. The case is being mishandled intentionally. These dilly-dally tactics regarding the Mumbai incident investigations simply cannot hide the reality. Keeping own eyes shut doesn’t mean that every one else is blind as well. Some serious questions have to be investigated and answered if fair trail is to be done. How is it that ATS Chief Hemant Karkare, his associates Ashok Kamte, Vijay Salaskar and his entire team of about seven, who were tracking the case of Col Prohit, were gunned down in a narrow lane near Cama hospital about 12.5 miles away from the Taj Hotel? The Marathi papers in Mumbai have reported that the killers of Hemant Karkare and his associates spoke to them in Marathi before killing him and the others. The connection between Hemant Karkarey death and the Col Prohit case must be deeply probed, as there is much more underneath than what is present at the surface. The death of ATS squad during the carnage has remained controversial as there are many loop ends in this regard. The wives of killed Policeman keep issuing statements suspecting hands of some vested interest Hindu organization in killing their husbands. Vinita Kamte, wife of slain police officer Ashok Kamte who was killed during the operation, wanted to depose some points before the Ram Pradhan committee panel but was not allowed to do so. She alleged that certain portions of the call records of the police control room on November 26 were deleted. “There are at least 10 minutes of conversation that has been deleted. I have sought call records of my husband, Ashok Kamte through RTI,” Vinita said but was ignored completely. Again, Quoting his captors’ conversation in his interview with Aaj Tak, a TV news channel, one of the hostages who escaped from room # 630 following his brief captivity said “One terrorist asks the other: How much amount of money these Indian politicians have?” The other terrorist answers, “You have received your payment isn’t it, then why are you worried?” why not this lead was taken forward? The election in India is over. The new government has taken the charge well and we all now expect fair trail of Mumbai carnage from them, evaluating all the leads which were left earlier. The loopholes must be probed properly. One thing for sure, whether today or tomorrow, every time the case will be proceeded further the same question will haunt the court; where is our buddy Hemant Karkarey? And how was he and his whole team was cold bloodedly gunned down at a distant place from the main terror venue before he could proceed further the case of Col Prohit with some concrete proof about which he gave a hint in his interview to a TV channel before his tragic death? Surely, the case will only solve when this mystery will be cracked.

You Asked fir It Col. Harish Puri

A majority of Indian authors including this Col (R) Harish Puri, are always keen to convey their loaded messages from across the border with laden sarcasm. Indian writers have a convincing way to convey the message in a very subtle manner which appeals to the sensibilities of the liberal class and pro-Indian segment in Pakistan and hence cook stories quite well to defame Pakistan internationally. Even here how tactfully he incited the sentiments of people of Bangladesh by blaming that Bengalis were never considered as Pakistanis and he makes a fake story of how Pak army had inflicted immense atrocities on the Bengalis without any remorse or inhibitions. Pardon me… but what happened in 71 is a published and established fact now. What was done by the Indian army is revealed to the world… Even the best army under best General would not have done any better at that time. The catastrophe was a foregone conclusion since it was an international conspiracy to detach East Pakistan from the rest of Pakistan. Indians are real masters when it comes to false propaganda or cook stories. This article gives an absolute idea of how astounded and disgusted the Indians are feeling after seeing their sinister scheme of pitching Pak army against its own people failed which they had successfully implemented in former East Pakistan in 1971 (where it had worked strenuously in creating bad blood between the Bengalis and West Pakistanis) and today, is keen to repeat the same story to dismember Pakistan. India has been investing heavily in stoking insurgencies in Balochistan, FATA and Swat and is now eager to reap the harvest it had been sowing since 2002. And the peace deals in Swat and Bajaur have actually disillusioned them having tried various means to disrupt peace. In desperation the said video clip of flogging was flashed and drum beaten all over the world by their some friends (if not them – I wonder) so much so that our friend colonel also got affected and is shedding tears of sympathy. This letter was initiated after the so-called victim Chand Bibi poured cold water on the sinister designs of vested groups by stating that she wasn’t flogged. Despite her statement and that of the Swat Taliban, Commissioner Malakand and Chief Minister NWFP stating that no such incident took place in Swat and it was a fake video, the mischievous people are not appeased. They have no love for Chand Bibi but their sole interest is to get the peace deal derailed and to discredit Islam and Taliban. The sole purpose of this piece of writing is to stimulate the liberal brigade within Pakistan, tarnish the image of the army and overturn Swat peace deal which would never happen Mr. Col…. Not before dismemberence of India at least where dozens of liberation movements and insurgencies are creating havoc. Just try n do something for your own country if u really want to save the region than tittle-tattle about some fantasy of degrading Pak Army or Pakistan.

The neighbour next door – a persistent pain in Bengal’s neck

Ishaal Zehra

          Bangladesh Premier Sheikh Hasina has said that the recent mutiny in the paramilitary force Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) which killed 73 army officers was aimed at triggering a civil war and warned that the masterminds behind the bloody revolt still wanted to achieve their goal. The 33-hour mutiny by the rebel BDR soldiers on February 25-26, 2009 was initially believed to have been caused by disputes over pay and command structure.

Commerce Minister Lt Col (Retd) Faruq Khan, who heads a high-power committee to coordinate the foreign and local investigations into the February 25-26 carnage, said “a dangerous conspiracy is going on to destroy the development of the country”. Whereas the State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hassan Mahmoud admitted that terrorist outfits with alleged cross-border links still existed in the country despite years of massive anti-terrorism campaigns.

At a glance, Bangladesh’s 37-year history has been a turbulent one, with many incidents of political turmoil and violence, where most of the time cross-border linkage was confirmed at the public level (even if not acknowledged at government level). This recent mutiny reminded me of the tempest that rocked Dhaka University and other educational institutes of Bangladesh, in August 2007 which ended up in the imposition of curfew like situation in the country. At that time too the sole purpose of the tempest creators (master minds), seemingly, was to start a civil war by bringing the people face to face with the armed forces through the so-called student movement. The Bengali media reports later disclosed that the havoc was actually masterminded by the Indian Intelligence Research and Analysis Wing – RAW. In an exclusive interview with VOA Bangla service, the first elected mayor of Rajshahi City, Mr. Md. Mizanur Rahman Minu said that he feels that India is behind the terrorist activities in Bangladesh. Minu said that because of the Indo-Bangladesh porous border, it has not been possible for the government to apprehend the terrorists.

Yet today the same situation is again being sensed in the country. “Foreign hands” had been detected by the new Chief of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) Brigadier General Mohammed Mainul Islam who revealed the involvement of outsiders wearing BDR uniform in the mutiny. Ironically, had there been no revelation from General Mainul Islam, people would have believed that BDR personnel targeted Army officers on account resentment over biased treatment as well as difference in their pay, allowances and other benefits. Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh, Matiur Rahman Nizami, in the same regard, also claimed that the killing mission was executed from Indian intelligence headquarters through close monitoring. Analytically, Mr. Nizami might be true as the increasing frenzy in Bangladesh is only paving an easy way for India to increase her hegemony in political, economical and cultural arenas.

The story is quite simple if considered logically. Bangladesh, having the population of more than 140 million – 40% of whom are below the poverty line – and it is dependent on foreign aid and investment, seems a soft target to digest. And by initiating a civil war in the country many disrupted plans could have been fulfilled like crippling the economy of Bangladesh, disrupting and destroying the road communications and infrastructures thus proving Bangladesh a dysfunctional and failed state and finally paving the way for Indian military invasion.

To achieve the objective, the people of Bangladesh were being targeted in an ingenious way and from all dimensions of life. RAW is exploiting this civil force to meet its own evil objectives. India’s agenda does not obviously end in creating and keeping Bangladesh as a nominally independent country. Since 1972, India has been pouring in huge material and intellectual support to Indianise the mind and psyche of Bangladeshi people. The so-called modern school educational curriculum, in general, and the social sciences, in particular, have been said to be shaped and oriented to Vedic philosophy rather than to Islamic values and virtues. Besides the promotion of narcotics in the society RAW is said to be supplementing terrorism via educational institutes in Bangladesh and the recent BDR mutiny exhibits the reach of Indian tentacles.

There lies a real dilemma for Bangladesh in forging some form of much needed unity to stand concrete against constant onslaught of Indian hegemony. Indian policy makers are well aware that the traditional method of occupying a country by force is neither appreciable nor acceptable in the recent scenario. Today, to run over a country, an aggressor cripples psychologically of the civil force of the nation and reduces its economy to shambles and creates such a situation that its citizens no longer possess mental strength and inspiration to be self- reliant. And RAW is persistently attempting to create such a situation in Bangladesh. It is known to all that Indian intelligence agency is engaged in disruptive activities in Bangladesh since it came into being in 1971 to create the demand for Indian intervention from within the country. As a matter of fact, India has a condemnable history of swallowing Hyderabad, Manvadhar, Goa, Dumn, Deue and Kashmir and of course not forgetting the illegal and conspiratorial annexation of Sikkim, a tiny and rocky mountainous kingdom of Himalayas. Recalling all this it would be quite naive to believe that India is not interested in capturing a strategically important country like Bangladesh as this annexation seems necessary for them to suppress the on-going liberation struggles in North-Eastern Indian states bordering Bangladesh.

It wasn’t surprising at all when General Mainul Islam said that the BDR mutiny was a conspiracy by outside forces. Even history is evident that India’s assistance in the liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971, did not originate from their sense of humanity for the people of Bangladesh, but to dismember Pakistan and finally merge them to ‘greater Bharat, what Nehru termed as ‘Aakhand Bharat’. At that time probably the Indian leaders thought that dismemberment of Pakistan would lead to the accession of Bangladesh to India but unfortunately this dream of them could not materialize even after the lapse of 38 years but hats off to the consistent nature of India that she has still kept her dream alive and is still working for its establishment.

Indian Elections and the Muslim Factor

Momin Iftikhar

The elections for the 15th Lok Sabha in India are at hand and as the billion plus public gears up to go to hustings, the Indian Muslims are only prominent on the tumultuous scene through their conspicuous absence.

In a changing political scenario in which the mainstream parties (Indian National Congress, Bhartya Janata Party) are loosing their clout to an empowerment of regional players (Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party, Rashtrya Janata Dal etc), it is disconcerting that despite constituting a solid 14% chunk of the Indian population, Muslims as a community appear comatose, confused and directionless.

The most striking aspect is the absence of a unifying strategy seeking to uplift the community from the social morass and squalor that it finds itself in. It is a reason for major concern that Muslims in India neither have a leader to represent them nor a party of their own to articulate their aspirations. It is a measure of the prevailing drift that Muslims remain outside of the core constituency of any mainstream or regional party in India; leaving them at the mercy of political mavericks who are ruthlessly exploiting them for realizing partisan agendas, more often than not at unbearable cost to their interest.

Having been disillusioned by the supposedly secularist Congress Party and bruised and battered by the BJP, the Muslims in India find themselves at the mercy of exploitative regional parties whose interest in their welfare barely extends beyond a malicious purloining of votes. It is ironic that instead of producing and supporting a leader from among their own ranks, Muslims in India are turning to the likes of Lalu Prasad Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadev and Mayavati for political leadership and emancipation. The situation need not have been so dismal. Notwithstanding that the Indian state and the political process tends to leave them outside the mainstream of politics yet in term of numbers, which determine the thrust of matters in a democracy, Muslim presence in India is in no way insignificant. Their clout, if suitably exploited, becomes particularly potent in a scenario whereby the major political parties are shrinking in influence and the regional parties are becoming ascendant. It is a measure of their latent potential that in at least 140 constituencies where they constitute more than 20% (including 14 constituencies where they are in majority and 28 other where they are above 30%), all political parties, including the BJP, are bending backwards to woo Muslim votes.

The formation of the Central Government in India largely depends upon the number of seats secured by political parties in Bihar and UP and in both states the Muslim constituencies can play a major role in deciding who reaches the pinnacle of political power in India. It is a different matter though that the supposed friends of Muslims, boasting claims of their leadership, are playing games with them. In Bihar, during 15 year’s rule of Lalu Prasad Yadav, the Muslims have suffered the maximum, particularly on the education front. Lalu never cared to implement reforms that would benefit Muslim; only administering to the interests of his own clan of Yadavs. Once asked as to why there was no Muslim in the top leadership of his Rashtrya Janatadal Party, Lalu replied jokingly that he himself was the leader of the Muslims of Bihar.

Situation is no different in UP, where the Muslim votes have been instrumental in the rise of Bahujan Samaj Party’s Mayawati , who after winning the UP state elections a year ago, appointed only one Muslim minister and that too in the insignificant department of environments. In another unkind cut she ordered the abandoning of construction of the Mohammad Ali Johar Minority University in Rampur that was much needed in spreading the light of education among Muslim youngsters who presently lack badly in this vital field. As for Mulayam Singh Yadav, claiming to be the rock solid friend of Muslims of UP, in the run up to the elections, has taken into his party’s folds Kalyan Singh, who during his stint as the Chief Minister of UP was instrumental in demolition of Babri Mosque on 6 December 1992.

It doesn’t require exceptional political acumen to identify the well known Muslim grievances that have reduced a significant community to the level of the proverbial slumdogs. The Sachar Committee report starkly outlines the despicable conditions of the Indian Muslims who are sliding miserably on account of all socio – economic indicators. It also exposes a state sponsored culture of institutionalized insensitivity that has seen Muslims in India descending to the bottom of the pit, even below the scheduled castes(SC) / tribes (ST) and other backward classes (OBC) whose sponsorship by the Government is facilitating these neglected communities’ upward social mobility.

The absence of a political clout to voice the concern of the Muslim community over racial profiling, that has made the Muslim youth a target of police and agencies, is another area that requires immediate emphasis. Muslim community also needs to underscore the need for implementing recommendations made by the Mishra Commission to provide 15% reservations for the minorities in the government jobs, provision of higher education opportunities, developmental benefits and availability of credit flow with 10% assured quota for Muslims. These recommendations are pertinent but in a joint electorate system where Muslims political and economic interests are totally overshadowed, given the obtaining state of affairs, hold no promise. Unless Muslims acquire a voice in the political system of India and secure dedicated quotas, guaranteed by legislative guarantees, there can be no empowerment of the community enabling them to benefit from the high pace of economical growth so proudly brandished by the Indian leaders and economists.

Muslims exclusion in Indian politics, irrespective of who takes the reins of the government, seems to have made the community resigned to a life of second rate citizens in perpetuity. It is instructive to note that in dealing with Muslims’ welfare and matters of advancement, the secular Congress Party has not been much different to BJP once their performance is viewed even superficially. In violation of its manifesto and charter, UPA in direct political competition with BJP, tried to sidetrack the Muslim community’s interests in a bid to vie for the Hindu votes. Congress made its lack of concern for the Muslim welfare glaringly obvious once it trashed the recommendations made by Sachar commission, refusing to even table it in the Parliament. Congress led UPA even refused to acknowledge the constitutional and legal recommendations made by the Mishra Commission in the wake of the Sachar findings. The reason behind this inertia is the stark realization that any relief to the Muslims is cross grained to the run of the democracy practiced in India where Muslims are destined to remain eternal losers under the crippling weight of a strident Hindu majority.

Can US be Clean on Iran?

Mashaal Javed

It has now been thirty years that Americans efforts to pacify Iran through coercive measures have gone wane.

The US administration having reconciled to the fact, is trying to court Iran in its bid to achieve some positives out of its prolonged wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and work towards a graceful exit from both the theatres. What renewed interests have prompted the United States to change the tack and engage Iran even though the Iranian general elections are around the corner? The failure in combating terrorism in Afghanistan, not so encouraging results in stabilizing of Iraq, loosing out on tremendous economic opportunities that the region as a whole offers, are some of the main compulsions. The other important ones being the US failure in stopping Iran’s nuclear and WMD programme, restricting Iran over its opposition to the state of Israel and the peace formula for an independent state of Palestine, loss of economic opportunities in development of Iran itself and a share in the oil and gas pipelines from the Caspian sea that will run through Iran.

The responsibilities of Iran to exercise its authority as a sole custodian of Persian Gulf interests has always been subverted by the US interests in the region as the latter has always worked to secure the Persian Gulf’s vast petroleum resources as part of its national security aims. However, the great Iranian Revolution put the US on tenterhooks and between the times now and then, US continuously worked to undermine the revolution and its custodians in connivance with Arabs and the state of Israel. Despite all the ill designs of the US towards Iranian conservatives’ regime, the former on more than one occasion tried to engage US yet, every time they were let down due to the Jewish and hardliners influence within the US administration. Even, Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hoseyni Khamenei’s unconditional support for the US in ‘Operation enduring Freedom’ launched on 7 October, 2001 wherein he fully collaborated with the US military in bringing down the Taliban regime, did not get enough respect. It was exactly four months after the joint Bush-Khamenei operation that eventually brought the Taliban down, US placed Iran into its ‘Axis of Evil’. Another notable conservative figure, Hashmi Ali Akbar Rafsanjani, went out the way in 1991 to ensure the release of US hostages in Lebanon, a sincere gesture that was also overlooked.

Having failed to pacify Iran over its anti – Israel policy through political and economic isolation from the comity of nations, US now acknowledges the need to engage Iran. It has always considered Iran’s persistent anti – Israeli policies as against its national security interests. A major deviation from its policy with respect to Israel to earn Iranian friendship would create upheaval in the power corridors of US establishment and as such it would try to make Iran understand that it has much to loose if it continues to vilify Israel. One purpose of courting Iran is to work on changing Iran’s policy towards Israel. Many in the US establishment support reformists in the forthcoming presidential elections in Iran, though former president Khatami has withdrawn his nomination from the up-coming elections, as it is thought that dynamics of Iranian domestic politics can only be changed by reformist regime through take over of key instruments of power in Iran. The nuclear issue between US and Iran has been taken over by the urgency of tackling terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq. The US wants to involve itself in Iran’s western frontier, where the Iranian security forces have been unable to weaken or eliminate drug running cartels and drug smugglers who it says are working in tandem with Al-Qaeda to the detriment of US, Iran and Pakistan’s interests. In Iraq, where Iran has invested massively, US wants Iran to cease its support to Shia militants as it dents the American efforts to stabilize Iraq. US appears to be prepared to offer big trade offs to Iran for its support in Iraq should it decide to seriously interact with it.

Sequel to the new administration’s set up in the United States; greater consensus has appeared on the need to engage Iran. However, with the treatment meted out earlier to Iran on its rapprochement efforts, it remains skeptical of any move that would let the conservatives down in the up-coming elections. Obama’s U-turn from the election campaign promises on positive engagement with Iran wherein he said that ‘Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons is unacceptable,’ has simply added to the mistrust. The US is definitely not sure of which strategy it should follow. Some US think tanks are recommending engagement with Iran at low level initially and then gradually increase to official levels. However, this would tantamount to undermine the conservative regime’s legitimacy and strengthen the independence of Iranian economic and political groups. Some suggest government to government interaction through direct talks, a move for which Iran does not find itself ready for due to American indifferences. The supreme Iranian leader Ayatullah Khameni has asked the US to take concrete measures to show its sincerity before serious talks can be held. However, several realities on ground have conditioned the US ego in the face of resolute Iranian moral and regional beliefs on various issues. It still remains a dilemma for President Obama of how to take Iran into its fold and turn Iran into a partner especially in Afghanistan without establishing diplomatic relations. It also desperately needs Iran to transform Iraq from terror infected country into a progressive democratic country. For its eventual exit from Iraq, it has no option but to deal with Iran as a peer state since the former has ultimately come out as the greatest beneficiary of the American adventurism in Iraq.

For a much desired thaw in bilateral relations by US, Iran would like US to respect its fierce sense of political independence and territorial integrity and that the presence of US troops in its backyard is a security threat for the Iranian people. It also wants the US to acknowledge its strategic importance and its status of being a major player in the Middle East affairs, particularly in the Persian Gulf region. If US want to engage Iran it must do it from the position of equal partner and demonstrate empathy towards Iranian people for what the US and its allies have done to Iran in the last thirty years. Besides its right to acquire nuclear technology, Iran also wants to be accepted as an indispensable member of the gulf security structure. Iran wants guarantees from the United States that Israel’s militarism will be permanently contained so that it does not indulge into barbarism in Lebanon and Palestine and that Israel is made to agree for the creation of an independent state of Palestine in a specified time period. Meeting these requirements is a doable act. Would US show its sincerity towards engagement with Iran by coming to terms with Iran’s necessities.

MY BLOOD IS NOT FOR SALE

ALI SUKHANVER alisukhanver@hotmail.com

What else could innocent Marry do? She lost her parents, her brothers, her Barbie-doll and even her small wooden house in Tsunami. So one day, standing along the beach, she pricked her finger with a pen knife, took a white piece of paper and wrote a line with her dripping blood, “Sea! I will never forgive you even if your waves touch my foot a million times.” The next moment the paper was hovering away some where towards an unknown destination along with the helpless Marry on merciless torrents. The people of Pakistan are never going to forget the reward of joining the American war against terror because this war has snatched away all their peace and prosperity and pushed them into an unfathomable dark sea of distress and destruction.

 

Obama, the Black Prince of USA has recently announced his new policy regarding Afghanistan and Pakistan. He seems sterner, more determined and more inflexible in his approach towards the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It is also in the air that in near future the US drones might be searching for the militants in Baluchistan.President Obama has also stated that Pakistan is no more going to get blank cheques. The freshly announced US policy has given birth to so many apprehension fears and anxieties among the Pakistani nation. In the junk of their memories the people of Pakistan are searching for the day when Obama was taking oath as the newly elected president; they were celebrating the occasion in their own way; so many welcoming statements, so many well-wishes, all for Obama. They were dreaming Obama as their savior. Might be their dreams were their expectations, their hopes and desires but the most significant was their belief that Obama would surely take care of them. The tone and the words used in the recently announced US policy have shattered and scattered their confidence regarding president Obama.Their lips are silently asking Obama ; did you ever give us a blank cheque—–do you think you can pay for the passions—-can you buy sincerity???

 

In his statement on the 29^th of March the US defense minister Robert Gates has blamed the ISI of having close cordial relationship with the terrorist groups in Afghanistan. He said that the ISI would have to break its ties with the extremist groups in Afghanistan. Such a ridiculous statement from a responsible US authority has surely widened the already growing distances between the people of Pakistan and the USA..  It is certainly not a gentle way to treat a true friend, to reward a time- tested ally. Pakistan has always been the most sincere supporter and promoter of the US policies in the South Asian region. Without the moral and military support of Pakistan, the USA would never have been able to fight against the menace of terrorism. It is only Pakistan who remained the most consistent ally of the USA in the war against terror since the very first day. As a result of this support Pakistan had to face very grievous consequences. It had to sacrifice hundreds of it soldiers in the northern tribal areas, its economy had to bear serious setbacks and its innocent people had to face the reaction of the extremists in form of horrible suicidal attacks. The most important is the fact that in spite of all these trials and tribulations, Pakistan never backed out of its support to the US mission against terrorism. How strange; America has forgotten all that assistance and comforting support! The US fingers are astonishingly pointing towards the ISI and the Pakistan army in suspicion. The American think-tanks are calling in question the honesty of both these sacred institutions with a particular reference to the US struggle in Afghanistan. What would be the out come of these groundless and childish allegations? Why don’t the Americans judge the commitment of Pakistan in fighting terrorism from the sacrifices rendered by its security forces including Intelligence Organizations? Such an attitude is nothing but   a part of a malicious campaign supported by the hidden Indian elements in the US society. The only aim of all this propaganda is to discredit and bring disrepute to the security organizations of Pakistan.

 

The intelligence agencies of every country are considered the front defense line. Their role is same as that of an OP, the Observational Post or of the Observer in the battlefield. Posted at a high point, the task of an observer is to keep an eye on the position of the enemy and inform his fighting corps. Be it the CIA or the MOSSAD or any other intelligence agency, the role never changes; then why all guns targeting the ISI. The Inter Services Intelligence is doing nothing new or different. It is simply doing what it is meant for. If RAW is financing and supporting the foreign militant groups in FATA and the Non-Pakistani separatist elements in Baluchistan; what does the Western world expect from the ISI; should it just sit quietly and wait for the successful achievements of RAW?

 

The ISI is not a terrorist organization as usually portrayed by the Indian influenced Western media sections and Indian patronized think tanks. It has never been involved in any objectionable commotion regarding the human rights violation or in any terrorist activity. The only work assigned to this organization is to look after the purely national interests of Pakistan. This organization is constantly pinching in the eyes of those who are afraid of a strong Pakistan, who fear that a prosperous Pakistan could give them a tough time. The ISI is simply the name of a very patriotic mechanization which is very true to its salt. Those are living in a fool’s paradise who expect from the ISI, the role of rubber-stamp. The US authorities should try to understand that the ISI is not playing a different role from the other intelligence agencies of the world. However, luckily or unluckily, this organization does not have the ability of doing what RAW is doing in the South Asian region. The recent mutiny in the Bangladesh Riffles, the continuous disturbance in the border areas of China, the nefarious activities of LTTE in Sri Lanka, the Maoist movement in Nepal, the brutal slaughtering of the Muslim and the Christian minorities in India, the maltreatment with the Sikhs, the human rights violations in Kashmir and above all the poisonous flames of terrorism blazing in the tribal areas of Pakistan; RAW is always behind the scene. Moreover   the involvement and support of the Indian army in all these terrorist activities adds salt to the injuries. The ISI and the Pakistan Army can never behave like that.

 

The blameful statement of Mr. Gates seems something very strange .It is quite hard to believe that a country itself facing the worst outcome of terrorism is held responsible for supporting the terrorist activities in another country. All this is nothing but a biased, prejudiced and hostile propaganda against Pakistan. It is just an attempt to keep the fake accusation vibrant and provide false information to key communicators and world opinion makers. Pakistan is a peace loving country. It has nothing to do with terrorism. If Pakistan were a terrorist country, it would never have been the US ally in the war against terror. Before blaming Pakistan Army and the ISI, the US hi-ups should cast a look at the past when the US authorities were very much thankful to the ISI and the government of Pakistan for giving them a helping hand against the Russian invasion in Afghanistan.

 

Now it would be much better to end up the blame game against Pakistan. No attempt for the US supremacy in Afghanistan and no effort for the reign of peace in the South Asian region could be lucrative if Pakistan is not treated honorably and trustfully. We the Pakistanis are not the innocent and helpless Marry. We are never going to push ourselves into the unfathomable dark sea of distress and destruction. We are a very passionate friend as well as a very zealous enemy. We can donate even the last drop of our blood to a friend but we never sell it to anyone at any cost.

THE OTHER FACE OF INDIA

Amjed Jaaved

 

            India shows the world its shiny face, a throbbing secular democracy dedicated to protection of human rights, particularly of minorities and downtrodden strata of society. The World Report 2009, prepared by Human Watch has exposed the other, the ugly face, of Indian democracy.  The Report is not up-to-date, as it takes into account human-rights violations of only the past year (2008).

            India like several other countries has signed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  But it takes no pains to abide by its articles. The Report laments that several states, including India, `boast strong institutional guarantees protecting rights despite committing some ongoing violations’.   It alleges that `India’s current foreign policy often would make a confirmed dictator proud’. The Report calls India’s performance on human-rights’ front as `disappointing’.  The Report focuses on rights’ abuses in various Indian states by state-sponsored groups, and government’s own forces.

The report observes that serious rights’ abuses are being committed in treatment of Naxalite insurgents, and their supporters. The Indian government and security forces have raised an anti-Naxalite, anti-Maoist force.  The vigilantes of this force, called the salwa judum are responsible for attacking, killing, and forcibly displacing tens of thousands of people in armed operations against Maoist rebels in Chhattisgarh.  The Chhattisgarh state police admit that they did recruit children under age 18 as special police. These children were used to launch violent attacks against villages as part of the anti-insurgent campaign.

Based on a large number of verified-incidents reports, the Human Rights’ Watch has inferred that `there is a pattern of denial of justice and impunity’.  This pattern is well pronounced in cases of human rights violations by security forces, or the failure to protect women, children, and marginalised groups such dalits, tribal groups, and religious minorities. The failure to properly investigate and prosecute those responsible has led to continuing abuses.

The Report makes a scathing attack on India’s claim that `its national and state human rights commissions ensure protection of human rights’. It points out that `these commissions are not fully independent—their members and chair are appointed by the government—they lack sufficient resources to conduct their own investigations, and they are not empowered to investigate violations by the army’.

The Report alleges that `Indian security forces are responsible for extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detention, due-process violations, and ill-treatment in custody. According to the Report, `laws such as the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act sanction impunity’. `Failure to investigate human-rights violations transparently and prosecute those responsible remains a strong reason for public anger’.

The Report confirms that thousands of Kashmiris, “disappeared” over the last two decades, have been dumped into unmarked graves. The government has ignored calls for an independent investigation by human rights groups to determine the fate of the victims through fair investigations.

The Report has also highlighted atrocities committed by Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal since August 2008.  The supporters of the Hindu militant groups in Orissa attacked Christians, many of them tribal minorities or dalits. The militants burned churches, beat priests, raped nuns, and destroyed property. The Report drew attention to Indian government’s failure to secure justice for victims of the 2002 Gujarat riots.  Over 2,000 Muslims were killed owing to misunderstanding that an attack on a train carrying Hindu pilgrims was engineered by Muslims.

            In the 1990s, Pakistan had raised the issue of human’s rights violations in occupied Kashmir at various fora, the United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement, Commonwealth Heads of Government, and Organisation of Islamic Countries.  Under International pressure, India opened the Valley to diplomats and foreign press, and engaged in talks with Pakistan.  But, as of now, India has used Mumbai incident as a ploy to run away from the negotiating table.

The international community should do more than merely express sympathy with the Kashmiris.  It should pressurise India to stop human-rights violations in Kashmir and other Indian states.

I am Israel…

I am Israel - I came to a land without a people for a people without a land. Those people who happened to be here, had no right to be here, and my people showed them they had to leave or die, razing 480 Palestinian villages to the ground, erasing their history.

I am Israel – some of my people committed massacres and later became Prime Ministers to represent me. In 1948, Menachem Begin was in charge of the unit that slaughtered the inhabitants of Deir Yassin, including 100 men, women, and children. In 1953, Ariel Sharon led the slaughter of the inhabitants of Qibya, and in 1982 arranged for our allies to butcher around 2,000 in the refugee camps
of Sabra and Shatilla.

I am Israel

– carved in 1948 out of 78% of the land of Palestine, dispossessing its inhabitants and replacing them with Jews from Europe and other parts of the world. While the natives whose families lived on this land for thousands of years are not allowed to return, Jews from all over the world are welcome to instant citizenship.

I am Israel

– in 1967, I swallowed the remaining lands of Palestine – the West Bank and Gaza – and placed their inhabitants under an oppressive military rule, controlling and humiliating every aspect of their daily lives.
Eventually, they should get the message that they are not welcome to stay, and join the millions of Palestinian refugees in the shanty camps of Lebanon and Jordan.

I am Israel

– I have the power to control American policy. My American Israel Public Affairs Committee can make or break any politician of its choosing, and as you see, they all compete to please me. All the forces of the world are powerless against me, including the UN as I have the American veto to block any condemnation of my war crimes. As Sharon so eloquently phrased it, “We control America “.

I am Israel

– I influence American mainstream media too, and you will always find the news tailored to my favor. I have invested millions of dollars into PR representation, and CNN, New York Times, and others have been doing an excellent job of promoting my propaganda. Look at other international news sources and you will see the difference.

I am Israel

– and you Palestinians want to negotiate “peace!?” But you are not as smart as me; I will negotiate, but will only let you have your municipalities while I control your borders, your water, your airspace, and anything else of importance.
While we “negotiate,” I will swallow your hilltops and fill them with settlements, populated by the most extremist of my extremists, armed to the teeth. These settlements will be connected with roads you cannot use, and you will be imprisoned in your little Bantustans between them, surrounded by checkpoints in every direction.

I am Israel

– with the fourth strongest army in the world, possessing nuclear weapons. How dare your children confront my oppression with stones, don’t you know my soldiers won’t hesitate to blow their heads off? In 17 months, I have killed 900 of you and injured 17,000, mostly civilians, and have the mandate to continue since the international community remains silent.
Ignore, as I do, the hundreds of Israeli soldiers who are now refusing to carry out my control over your lands and people; their voices of conscience will not protect you.

I am Israel – and you want freedom? I have bullets, tanks, missiles, Apaches, and F-16’s, to obliterate you. I have placed your towns under siege, confiscated your lands, uprooted your trees, demolished your homes, and you still demand freedom? Don’t you get the message? You will never have peace or freedom, because I am Israel…