American to be released by Iran

 

Sarah Shourd has been held by Iran for more than a year; 

her mother says she is suffering poor health [Epa]

Iran has announced it will free Sarah Shourd, one of the three Americans it has held in prison for more than a year on accusations of spying.

An Iranian government official said on Thursday that Shourd will be released as an act of clemency to mark the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Shourd, along with Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal, were arrested in July 2009 after straying into Iranian territory from Iraq. The three said that they became lost on a hike in Iraqi Kurdistan. US authorities insist that they are innocent and say they should be released immediately.

Bak Sahraei, the second counselor of Iran's UN mission, sent an e-mail confirming the release of Shourd, following up on an earlier text message from the culture ministry telling reporters to come to a Tehran hotel on Saturday morning to witness the release.

In the brief text message, the Iranian Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance announced the "freedom of one of the American detainees on Saturday 20th of (Iranian month of) Shahrivar at 9:00 (0430 GMT) at Hotel Esteghal" in the capital, Tehran.

Medical problems

The 31-year-old Shourd has told her mother that she is suffering from serious medical problems, including a breast lump and precancerous cervical cells.

The US state department said it was aware of reports that one of the prisoners would be released, but could not confirm them. America has no official presence in Iran, and the official said that the US government had heard nothing from the Swiss embassy in Tehran, which represents US interests in the country.

The hotel named in the text message is where the three Americans' mothers were allowed to visit them in May on a high-profile trip to Iran. In a joint statement, the mothers of the three prisoners said that they were hoping the reports were true.

"We have seen the news reports and are urgently seeking further information. We hope and pray that the reports are true and that this signals the end of all three of our children's long and difficult detention.

"Shane, Sarah and Josh are all innocent and we continue to call for their immediate release, so that they can return home together and be reunited with our families."

'Unjust detention'

Their detention has added further strain to the already fractious relationship between Iran and the US, with Iranian leaders repeatedly attempting to link their fate to that of several Iranians being held by US authorities.

Barack Obama, the US president, and Hillary Clinton, the secretary of state, have both called for the release of the hikers over the past year. Obama said the trio were "simply open-minded and adventurous young people who represent the best of America, and of the human spirit".

"I call on the Iranian government to immediately release Sarah, Shane and Josh," he said, adding that their "unjust detention has nothing to do with the issues that continue to divide the United States and the international community from the Iranian government."

Ghanbar Naderi, a journalist for the Iran Daily newspaper, said that the other prisoners would be released shortly. "The female prisoner is going to be released," he said. "I can assure you that the other two will also be released on compassionate grounds."

He insisted that there had been no deal between the US and Iranian governments on the fate of the hikers.

"There is no backroom deal," he said. "Of course the government listens to international opinion."

Source:Al Jazeera and agencies

Boycott Perkasa events, Umno leaders told

(Malaysiakini) Penang-based Parti Cinta Malaysia has thrown its support behind Umno for disassociating the party from ultra-Malay rights group Perkasa.

Its vice-president Huan Cheng Guan said that all right-minded persons and groups should distance themselves from the organisation led by Pasir Mas parliamentarian Ibrahim Ali.

“Barisan Nasional, especially the Umno leadership, have to make it clear that Perkasa and Ibrahim do not have the backing of Umno if they want the support of the Chinese and other communities,” he told Malaysiakini.

“The Umno leadership must direct its assemblypersons, parliamentarians and division leaders not to participate in activities organised by Perkasa or sit in its committees,” added the former Gerakan vice-president.

“There should be a direct order from Umno's top management to the grassroots pertaining to their involvement in Perkasa,” he stressed.

Perkasa, which now claims to have 50,000 members, was formed in the aftermath of the 2008 general elections in a bid to protect the constitutional rights of the Malays. Many of its members are from Umno.

On Wednesday, the BN meeting in Putrajaya resolved that the coalition would cut ties with Perkasa as the activities of the right-wing group could be detrimental to the ruling coaltion's effort to win non-Malay support.

A number of top coalition leaders who attended the meeting had expressed reservations about Perkasa and urged Umno to state its position on the movement.

Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan Mansor subsequently promised his BN counterparts that his party will neither back Perkasa nor Ibrahim.

Najib, Dr M at Perkasa meetings

However, Ibrahim had scoffed at Umno's rebuff, claiming that he required no support from the party.

He said that Perkasa has solid backing of its thousands of members throughout the country and many other sympathisers who support its cause.

Umno leaders have previously given tacit support to Perkasa with both Prime Minister Najib Razak and former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad speaking at its events.

Huan said Umno should not be overly worried about losing support from the pro-Perkasa Malays.

“Like it or not, Umno has to make a firm decision; you cannot be neither here nor there,” he said.

“We should go all out to fight against elements of chauvinism, extremism and racism as espoused by Perkasa and other radical groups, whose policies are diametrically opposed to the philosophy of Najib's 1Malaysia,” he stressed.

UMNO denies Birth Certificate to Indian babies born in prison, Malay-sian Court jails for 11 months a sixth generation Malaysian born Indian for being an “illegal immigrant”.

Chitra Dorai (15) was born at the Alor Setar Prison while Rajeswari’s daughter was born at the Lenggang Detention Centre.
All because the racist UMNO National Registration Department denied them their innate right to birth certificates and identity cards.
When Chitra Devi was born at the Alor Setar Prison for whatever reason why didn’t the racist UMNO Prison Director or the Prison Welfare officer make the necessary arrangements for the Birth Certificate to be issued to Chitra Devi. Why?
Because she is a poor and politically powerless Indian.
Similarly Rajeswari was six months pregnant when she was arrested on 30/8/2007 in Brickfields for being a suspected illegal immigrant from India. When she could not produce her Identity Card that got lost and was then 6 months pregnant.
When HRP met En. Mohd Azmin bin Hassan the Director of Births, Deaths and Adoptions at his Putrajaya office on 13/8/2010, P.Uthayakumar had specifically questioned as to why Rajeswari Murugaiah had to be imprisoned when the simplest thing to do was to take her thumb print and the National Registration Department could have easily verified that she was a Malaysian and Rajeswari should have been released from police detention within 24 hours!
Instead perhaps being the sixth generation Malaysian born Rajeswari was forced to plead guilty for being an illegal immigrant and was thrown into jail for one month. The UMNO Magistrate, Police, Attorney General, Welfare Department, National Registration Department and the Prime Minister’s Department all ganged up and cared a damn to do their very simple duty ie get Rajeswari’s thumbprint and forthwith release her from police custody.
These UMNO authorities have zero respect for Rajeswari’s Constitutional right to freedom of the person further to Article 5 of the Federal Constitution.
Luckily for Rajeswari she managed to tip off to a stranger when she was brought to a clinic when her jail born daughter was sick.
This stranger brought Rajeswari’s plight to the attention of Andrew Raju, a former student of Uthayakumar on whom public interest thoughts perhaps rubbed off on the student.
As an ordinary civilian Andrew Raju did a very simple thing. He took the pains and located Rajeswari’s Tamil primary school, got her birth certificate number and armed with this got Rajeswari released from prison. Some thing the authorities could have easily done.
If not for Andrew Raju Rajeswari and her baby daughter would perhaps be serving their “life sentence” in the UMNO jail as no country would accept her as she is a sixth generation Malaysian born ethnic minority Indian.
This yet again is just the tip of the iceberg of UMNO’s atrocities against the poor and politically powerless Indians in Malaysia.
P.Uthayakumar

Anwar asks Umno to explain love-hate ties with Perkasa

The Malaysian Insider,

SHAH ALAM, Sept 10 — Opposition leaders, including Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, have expressed  scepticism over Umno’s move to distance itself from Perkasa. “Umno needs to explain.  Is this policy or is this political expediency,” Anwar said today.
The PKR adviser and Opposition leader pointed out that it was Umno which built up the Malay rights group to what it is.
“They endorsed, they gave facilities and they gave support to Perkasa,” he said.
Top Umno leaders earlier today spoke up against the Perkasa and its controversial president Datuk Ibrahim Ali.
Among those speaking out against Ibrahim,  who has been seen as a thorn in the side of the Najib Administration was Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz and Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin.
Umno secretary-general Datuk Seri Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor reportedly also told his counterparts in Barisan Nasional that Umno would not back Perkasa or its president Ibrahim in the next general election.
Anwar said he did not understand the inconsistencies but doubted the move was a prelude to snap elections.
He also noted that the prime minister himself had remained silent on the issue.
Anwar said Najib has allowed Perkasa to continue inciting racial hatred all this while.
While Umno moved to distance itself, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has declared his support for Perkasa which he described as a crutch for a weak Umno.
The former PM, who is also Perkasa patron, said that members of the Malay rights group are Umno supporters and it would not help the party’s cause to turn them away.
“He is trying to make himself relevant,” said Anwar while dismissing Dr Mahathir’s comments.
PKR Batu MP Chua Tian Chang today also expressed disbelieve at Umno’ move.
“It’s not for real,” said PKR strategy chief.
His view is that Perkasa was allowed to run its course so that Umno could look more appealing to non-Malays.
“This is a game and Perkasa is irrelevant,” he said.
Chua said it would have been better for the BN federal government to concentrate on solving issues without looking at the race card.
Tan Sri Khalid Ibrahim described the move by Umno as the “usual drama” which is being repeated.
The Selangor Mentri Besar advised Umno to take a page from Pakatan Rakayat’s (PR) administration of Selangor for the last two and half years.
He said that PR had managed to avoid using the race card and focused on governing the state fairly.
Khalid pointed out that help was extended to those who needed it regardless of race.

Too much Anwarism may be bad for Pakatan

By Stanley Koh - Free Malaysia Today

COMMENT Politicians, unlike temperamental film directors, cannot simply force their unilateral decisions down others’ throats, ignoring agreements they have entered into and dismissing the protestations of the other side simply because they happen to be complicated.

Many observers are wondering whether Anwar Ibrahim was thinking rationally in his recent decisions on Sabah PKR.

Indeed, hiccups within PKR over the past year are worrying some supporters, particularly from the Chinese community. Ardent supporters are inclined to see the party as undergoing the natural process of growing up, but apolitical sympathisers are beginning to compare the leadership maturity of PKR unfavourably with those of its coalition partners, DAP and PAS.

And feedback from the public on the latest leadership developments in PKR is unsurprisingly getting less favourable.

Many are even asking whether Anwar’s political capital from the Chinese is starting to show signs of depleting.

Those brought up on Confucian philosophy point out that if Anwar as a leader wants to continue to enjoy electoral support, he must cultivate his own personal character (leadership qualities) and put his own house (PKR) in order before serving the community and nation.

Doubts and scepticism are sprouting in many peoples’ minds whether PKR can play an effective role within PR on the treacherous march to Putrajaya.

In short, PKR is perceived as a cumbersome partner and a possible spoiler to Pakatan Rakyat’s larger political objective. Is the dominating Anwar factor fast becoming a counter-productive element within the Pakatan coalition?

Even staunch supporters in the public domain are questioning whether leadership complacency is taking its toll on Anwar. Many within the Chinese community are saying that Anwar should not take their support for granted. They see the spilling of bad blood and thirst for power within the party as a distraction from the objectives of Reformasi.

Bad publicity
Insiders may dismiss the apparent disarray within the PKR leadership as trivial or accuse political rivals of deliberately playing it up. But bad publicity can inflict real harm even if Anwar is still able to draw large crowds to his “political ceramah”, which for long have been regarded as an unreliable indicator in delivering the hard votes.

Goh, 58, a retired accountant and an ardent PKR supporter, summed up the sentiments of many when he remarked, “Many like me are not really in the know about the truth of the happenings within PKR.

“Who is in the right or in the wrong? There is awareness that the mainstream media may be distorting news on the squabbling within PKR. For the truth, we source from portal news and blogs.”

Should Anwar alone be taking the blame for the weaknesses in the PKR leadership?

Tour operator Frankie Lee, 59, frankly told FMT: “I have been giving Anwar a chance to show that he has changed from his old Umno ways. To me, the old Anwar (of Umno) was just another political opportunist.

“Sometimes I wonder whether he would have changed if he had not been fixed up with the sodomy case and eventually sacked from Umno.

“I have no more confidence in PKR because Anwar does not seem to be able to control his own party. How is he going to rule the nation?”

In the past, Anwar earned much respect from the Chinese community for his immeasurable endurance and will in overcoming pain and adversity when he was sacked as deputy prime minister and beaten up in custody.

Evil plot
Many still believe that he was politically crucified in an evil plot. But this goodwill and sympathy from the hearts of the Chinese community will not last forever.

It would be unwise to think that the Chinese community’s endearment can be taken for granted although their support for Anwar did not grow overnight.

Increasingly, there are tell-tale signs within the Chinese community of a growing perception that PKR is not as strong as it seemed. It is the weakest link in the Pakatan chain.

On the other hand, there is growing respect towards DAP and PAS.

“PAS is better organised and strategised compared to PKR. PKR leaders are less disciplined, especially with Anwar showing a lack of leadership competency,” businessman Cheong, 58, told FMT.

Echoing similar sentiments, building contractor Steven, 55, said, “There is hope for PKR as long as the Pakatan coalition is united, similar to component parties within BN. Otherwise, there little hope of PKR surviving.”

Although Anwar is still noted for his charisma and his mediating role within the Pakatan coalition, there are increasing criticisms against his approaches and style in handling internal party problems.

Within the Chinese community, especially among the older generation, there is a kind of bewilderment over Anwar’s political maturity.

Sabahan Wong YY, 51, said that any political leader who had tasted the bitter of the bitter should become the man above men. “The personal agony and reformasi years should have moulded Anwar into a better and wiser leader.

“But his recent actions against allies in Sabah is disappointing. Anwar should allow a Sabahan to determine Sabah’s own destiny,” Wong remarked.

As author of The Asian Renaissance, Anwar should be reminded of the tone of pragmatic wisdom in the voice of Confucius.

Confucius said, “By three methods, we may learn wisdom. First, by reflection, which is noblest.  Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third, by experience, which is the bitterest.”

Anwar must transcend or cast away his old Umno mindset to achieve the great feat of transforming the nation into a true democracy.

In the philosophy of the Chinese, there are two choices in life, with two outcomes: either a sweet beginning towards a bitter end or a bitter start to a sweet ending. The ball is now at Anwar’s feet.

---

Stanley Koh is the former head of research unit at MCA

Each country has own university standards, says mininster

By Rohani Maswari, The Malay Mail

PETALING JAYA: Each country has its own university standards, says Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin when commenting on University Malaya (UM) slipping to 207th spot in the 2010 QS World University Rankings, a drop of 27 places from the previous year when it was ranked at 180.
"It's not fair to compare local universities with universities from other countries as each country has its own standards and requirements that their own universities have to fulfil," he said when contacted by The Malay Mail yesterday.

He said the rankings were just based on perception and there was no data to clarify the rankings and this made the whole exercise subjective.

"My ministry has its own strategic plan based on the nation's development needs, and as far we are concerned, UM has shown many improvements in that area," said Mohamed Khalid.

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) also dropped from its 320th placing last year to 360th now.

However, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) showed improvements from their rankings last year.

UKM is now ranked at number 263 compared with 291 in 2009, while UPM and USM are now at numbers 319 (previously 345) and 309 (previously 314) respectively.

The QS World University Rankings are a league table of the world’s top universities embracing aspects of research quality, teaching quality, graduate employability and internationalisation to give students a better perspective of the shortlisted universities in which they may be interested to enroll.

The overall rankings are based on six indicators: academic peer review, employer review, faculty student ratio, citations per faculty, and proportions of international students and international faculties.

Attention swivels from racial politicking to national plunder

Wong Choon Mei, Malaysia Chronicle

Pakatan Rakyat dismissed speculation of a widening rift between Prime Minister Najib Razak and his predecessor Mahathir Mohamad over ultra-Malay rights group Perkasa, pointing out it was a smokescreen and both men were likely to be more concerned about how to suppress a slew of huge corruption scandals from becoming public.

“Let them talk, say what they want to hide the real issue but a lot information is already out in the open and more is going to be revealed soon,” PAS vice president Salahuddin Ayub told Malaysia Chronicle.

Mahathir and Tajudin in their glory days

Salahuddin was referring to RM8 billion in losses incurred by national airline MAS, which so far appears to be the biggest financial debacle arising out of the BN's 53-year rule.
 
Large-scale plunder

Not only is Mahathir and his immediate successor Abdullah Badawi accused of having plundered the airline, Najib has also been caught helping himself to a new mega-project – the double-track national railway.

Badawi - 'Mr Clean'

“They are all holding pistols to each other’s throat but nobody will be so silly as to pull the trigger because this is within Umno. If it involves Pakatan, that is a different story. But now as it is, they will give into negotiations with money the most important factor and how to settle with everyone more or less happy,” a political watcher told Malaysia Chronicle.

“Perkasa, Ibrahim Ali, all these are nonsense. They are just Umno gimmicks. What you can tell though is Mahathir will have to give up more ground because the Malaysian public is no longer with him. He cannot rally enough support to overthrow Najib because he has destroyed his own popularity with his racism and Perkasa’s. Najib will get stronger but even so all three PMs will be vulnerable to further revelations of corruption because their deals were all so huge, the public backlash will be fantastic.”

Daim

Najib's new cash cow

It does appear that the graft accusations swirling around town have hit a raw nerve. Raja Petra Kamaruddin, the operator the Malaysia Today website, has been at forefront of a series of articles exposing the ramifications behind several huge privatization deals. His website has been blocked and is down for a third straight day.

Not only has he accused Mahathir, Badawi and former finance minister Daim Zainuddin of helping Tajudin pilfer from MAS, Raja Petra also alleged that Najib was now using the national railway company as his new cash cow.

Najib inked a controversial railway deal with S'pore

"A deal to supply coaches worth RM1.4 billion went to a company involving Najib's wife Rosmah and two other women. The coaches were said to be worth only RM300 million and do not function,” Raja Petra wrote in a recent article.

On Friday, Mahathir – who is the patron of Perkasa – defended the group after Umno secretary-general Tengku Adnan disavowed links with it. His comments generated talk that his rift with Najib might widen as result of this dispute.

“Perkasa members are Umno supporters. It would not help Umno’s cause to turn them away,” Dr Mahathir told the New Straits Times.

Indian Maoists Turn Plunderers

(Asia Sentinel) A long-simmering rebellion gathers steam

Maoist-linked violence has killed 10,000 people in India over the past two decades. New Delhi calls it the biggest threat to India's internal security, worse than terrorism.

The insurrection has percolated at a relatively low for decades in the poorest of India's central and eastern states. But in recent years, driven by public outrage at government corruption and illegal exploitation of natural resources, it has grown exponentially. Recent events underline that the rebel movement has moved on from being just a reaction against socio-economic exploitation of the poor, to turning plunderers themselves.

Maoist rebels are spread over the northeastern and central eastern states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Orissa, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh are the worst impacted. India's valuable coal and mineral industry is focused in these states, which have large tribal concentrations.

Illegal mining has grown into a multi-million dollar scam, often done at night, a consequence of poor governance in the affected states. Official data suggest that 182,000 cases of illegal mining have occurred across 17 states in the last five years. But, far from continuing to seek to protect the environment and the poor, the Naxalites now appear to want a share of this big business pie.

In one sign of the seething anger against the Maoist "exploiters," in August, about 500 residents of a village in Jharkhand, one of the worst affected areas, lynched a Naxalite for seeking extortion money from contractors of construction companies.

"The rebels also extort money from the contractors of firms engaged in the conversion of broad gauge line of the Indian Railways in the Koderma-Hazaribag-Barkakana- Ranchi section of the East Central Railway,'' said a draft prospectus by the state owned Coal India Limited (CIL), which produces more than 80 percent of India's coal output. CIL also warned that "There can be no assurance that illegal mining activities or pilferage of coal from our mines or stockpiles will not increase in the future."

Yet, such incidents as the lynching do not appear likely to change the bigger picture. The insurgents are very well armed and omnipotent in the region. Their weapons are mostly procured by raiding police and paramilitary posts. There are some reports of smuggling of arms from Nepal, Burma and China.

There are also reports of links with other rebel outfits in Assam and the now- defunct Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam in Sri Lanka. Security officials say that LTTE cadres have been involved in training the Naxalite rebels in guerilla attack hit and run and sabotage tactics against armed security forces. Some Maoist leaders are known to espouse the cause of a Pan-Indian front of insurgent groups involving rebels especially from the unstable northeast.

In one of the deadliest attacks on security forces in India earlier this year, Maoist rebels killed 76 members of a central paramilitary force involved in flushing out operations in the region. The strike took place in the thick forests of Dantewada, near the remote village of Chintalnar-Tarmetla in the state of Chhattisgarh.

In October 2009 Maoists killed the son of Jharkhand Vikas Morcha Party chief Babulal Marandi and 19 others. The rebels are known to particularly target symbols of state authority (state and federal paramilitary) seen as exploiters, landlords and the rich. Civilians, including passenger trains have also been attacked.

According to estimates by CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets, Maoist activity threatens seven eastern and central states and nearly US$80 billion worth of natural-resource projects.

Security Action

In August-September 2009 New Delhi launched its biggest and most organized offensive (called Operation Green Hunt) to root out the four-decade-old communist rebel insurgency. The ongoing operations have involved more than 100,000 federal paramilitary forces which have even being withdrawn from terror hit states such as Indian Kashmir.

India has roped in defense forces (for non-combat strategic and intelligence inputs, with some operational involvement such as helicopters) and sought inputs from American security officials in order to take on the rebels. Army Special Services have been being readied for strikes if required.

Certainly, given the wide dispersal of the extremists, various security arms, including intelligence units, need to be involved. The main action has been focused in the central and eastern parts of the country, considered to be Naxalite strongholds, with officials saying this is going to be a "battle to the finish."

Federal Home Minister P Chidambaram is pushing all states to quickly implement the ongoing Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and System (CCTNS) to increase nationwide coordination in investigation, crime prevention and emergency response.

New Delhi is also seeking inputs from American counter-insurgency personnel who have been involved in taking out Taliban and jehadi elements in North Western Pakistan and Afghanistan that employ similar "hit and run" attack tactics as the Naxals. US assistance is being sought in neutralizing cadres that mingle with local tribal populations or hideouts in deep jungles.

New Delhi has been building on improved strategic ties with America that has now extended beyond the civilian nuclear deal to defense and co-operation in taking on terror. Last September, Chidambaram went on a four-day official visit to America that focused on Indo-US anti-terror cooperation and taking on the Leftist rebels in India, with the result that US involvement in Indian security has deepened, especially following the Mumbai terror strikes in November 2008.

US teams are interacting closely with Indian security agencies to develop intelligence networks and protect soft terror targets such as crowded markets, malls, airports, rail stations and places of worship.

The Future

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has spoken about a two-pronged strategy of development and law and order to fight the violence. The areas of Maoist operation score very poorly on human development as the local population has not benefited from rich mining activities that have instead filled state coffers, enriched politicians and the bureaucracy and a few outsider businessmen.

Tribals constitute no more than 8 percent of the country's population but account for 40 percent of the 50-60 million displaced since independence due to land diversion, particularly by state firms for mining. India has a big challenge to overcome.

(Siddharth Srivastava is a New Delhi-based journalist. He can be reached at sidsri@yahoo.comThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it )

State-wise Left Wing Extremism violence from 2008 to 2009 (Source: Ministry of Home Affairs)
 
States              2008                           2009
 
                  Incidents Deaths Incidents Deaths
 
Andhra            92           46          66           18
Pradesh
Bihar             164          73         232           72
Chhattisgarh  620         242        529          290
Jharkhand      484        207         742          208
Madhya           7             -            1                -
Pradesh
Maharashtra    68           22         154           93
Orissa            103          101        266           67
Uttar Pradesh  4               -            8              2
West Bengal   35            26         255          158
Others           14            4             5              -    
Total            1591        721       2258         908

Not too late to suspend Musa Hassan as IGP with his honourable discharge subject to full investigations into his dereliction of duties and serious allegations of corruption and abuses of power against him

By Lim Kit Siang,

A war of words have broken out between the outgoing Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan one the one hand and the Ministry of Home Affairs represented by the Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein and the Home Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Seri Mahmood Adam on the other.

Since Hishammuddin’s announcement that there will not be another extension as IGP for him, Musa has been hitting out at “excessive interference from third parties” against the police force, zeroing in particular on the Home Ministry.

Yesterday, he told police officers and personnel not to be “yes men” or the entire force would “rot and collapse”.

It would appear that Musa was content to be a “yes man” to the political “powers-that-be” so long as he continues to be IGP, which was why the police under his leadership reached the bottom of its “rot and collapse” of public confidence and support in the history of the Malaysian police force, despite the blueprint formulated by the Dzaiddin Police Royal Commission in 2005 to restore plummeting public confidence by transforming itself into an efficient, incorruptible, professional world-class police service.

Musa was the foremost antagonist to the full acceptance and implementation of the recommendations of the Police Royal Commission of Inquiry– particularly the key proposal for the establishment of the Independent Police Complaints and Misconduct Commission (IPCMC) – at one stage even threatening police revolt against the elected government of the day.

Musa has now confessed that there was “excessive interference by “third parties”, naming the Home Ministry, outsiders and people with vested interest “who want to do things that are not right”, in the work of the police.

Musa failed in his duties as IGP when he did not lodge official reports to initiate investigations to halt such “excessive interference” with the police.

As Musa’s term as IGP will not expire until Sept. 13, it is not too late for him to be suspended as IGP with his honourable discharge subject to full investigations into his dereliction of duties as IGP as well as serious allegations of corruption and abuses of power which have been against him.

The ball is in the court of the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak and Hishammuddin.

GM mozzies … now, GM fish? What’s next?

By Anil Netto,

Genetically modified salmon could be next on your menu.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is soon going to decide whether to approve GM salmon as food. See the story on Natural News here. (Prior to this, we have seen ‘genetically improved’ fish tilapia. See WorldFish Centre website here.)

Aedes Aegypti – Image via Wikipedia

A GM goat and GM pig could be next on the cards. See the Telegraph story here.
At the end of the day, it’s all about business interests and profits. Notice that one of the main concerns in the GM salmon centres on the supposed sterility of the male:

But Lord Melchett, policy director at the Soil Association, said the new technology is not worth the risk.
“Once you have bombarded an animal with other genes, the DNA is unstable, and there is no guarantee these fish remain sterile. It poses far too great a risk to wild salmon. A fish that grows that quickly is likely to lose some of its environmental benefits. There is no such thing as a free salmon lunch and we will pay the price,” he said.
It will be a huge victory for the biotechnology industry if a GM animal becomes available for human consumption.
But in the UK, the public remains suspicious of ‘Frankenfoods’. A Food Standards Agency survey to find out what the public think of the new technology is currently stalling after two leading academics resigned in protest at the government body’s ‘pro-GM’ stance.

In the case of GM mosquitoes due for release in sites in Pahang and Malacca pending approval by the National Biosafety Board, the male mosquitoes are also supposed to be sterile. Pesticide Action Network Asia Pacific (PAN AP) has issued a letter expressing its concerns about these ‘Frankenmozzies’:

PROPOSED RELEASE OF GM MOSQUITOES ILL ADVISED
We refer to the public announcement by the National Biosafety Board of Malaysia about the application by the Institute for Medical Research (IMR) for the release of genetically modified male Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in Pahang and Melaka (referred to as Living Modified Organisms or LMOs of the OX513A strain) (Reference No. NRE(S) 609-2/1). We have serious concerns and objections.
First of all, there is a lack of transparency and information about the genes involved in the genetic engineering of the mosquito. For example, how is this male LMO ‘created’? Is there not the risk of a margin of error that might allow female LMOs to be selected in the process? What are the sources of the molecular marker and the ‘lethal’ gene that will make the offspring of the LMO and a female Aedes aegypti die? This is very critical.
The technique apparently employed in this IMR project seems to be the one called “Released Insects with a Dominant Lethal” (RIDL) which is a tetracycline-repressible lethal system, utilizing the piggyBac transposon. If the key gene that confers the dominant lethal trait is tTAV, a protein, — and we do not know this for sure since the IMR refuses to release the information — then in the absence of tetracycline, the mosquito offspring of the LMO will likely die from the toxic effects of the over-production of tTAV. If such a gene is the one causing fatality to the offspring of the LMO, then what is the precise mode of action of the tTAV protein? Its mode of action and how it leads to the death of the mosquito offspring/organism exactly appear unclear and little understood. This should be clarified and investigated before any open releases are considered, as it may have environmental or health consequences as well as carry risks arising from horizontal gene transfer.
The public announcement and fact sheet do not look at the possibility of new health risks to humans and animals arising from the genetically modified mosquitoes, in particular if female LMOs are released accidentally or female progenies from the released male LMOs somehow survive. In relation to the latter, Phuc et al. [1] state that 3-4% of the first larval instar of OX513A do survive to adulthood. Thus the IMR fact sheet is not quite accurate in stating that the presence of the “conditional lethality trait” in OX513A progenies is fatal; “resulting in the death of the progenies in the absence of tetracycline”. The figure for 3-4% is given for laboratory experiments. What is the figure for field cage trials? Different conditions (biotic and abiotic stresses) need to be tested for changes in (a) the survival rate of OX513A mosquitoes and (b) phenotypic and behavioral characteristics.
Please let us briefly explain our concern regarding the use of a seemingly untested protein. As an example, Bt crops like cotton and corn are genetically engineered with the Bt-toxin gene from the soil-bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). There are many different forms of and genes for Bt toxins—the most commonly used are Cry1Ab and Cry1Ac. Cry1Ac has been found to be a potent immunogen. It binds to gut cells and is capable of causing changes in the permeability of the gut (e.g. [2-5]). Other examples of unpredicted immunogenicity or toxicity are two food products. In the 1990s, in feeding trials with rats (and mice), genetically engineered (GE) tomatoes in the US (Clagene) as well as GE potatoes in the UK [6,7] were found to cause damage to the gut and its mucosal cell lining. In both cases, the transgenes used were coding for proteins regarded as harmless when ingested by mammals.
Another major risk in the IMR project is horizontal gene transfer of the piggyBac insert, which contains the two transgenes. According to a paper by Ho and Cummins [9], the risk of the transgenes being transferred horizontally to other species is highly increased due to their combination with the piggyBac transposon. The risks of such transposons transferring to the genomes of the mammalian hosts should be investigated, including the possible transfer to laboratory animals used as blood meal donors for female LMO mosquitoes.
This is relevant at this present stage as there will potentially be females amongst the released LMO mosquitoes. The male LMOs have to be sorted from the females, and this takes place at the pupae stage, when males are generally smaller than females. This, however, is unlikely to be 100 per cent accurate. It is obvious that transgene escape can readily occur, whether horizontally or vertically (via sexual reproduction).
The enhanced possibility of horizontal gene transfer is only one possible effect of genetic engineering. Transgenes as well as the insertion of transgenes via genetic engineering are known to give rise to other unexpected, unintended, positional, synergistical, or pleiotropic effects [10]. As an example, one study in 2005 looked at GE peas that had been genetically engineered with a bean gene. Unexpectedly, the protein product from the bean gene changed its characteristics when produced in peas and caused immune reactions and inflammation in mice, not seen with the bean [11]. This provides evidence that a gene may behave differently when transferred from one organism to another, even if the two organisms are very close from an evolutionary standpoint.
The relevance of this for the given situation is that there are likely to be changes in the GE mosquito other than the intended or expected ones. These would include changes in genoptypic, phenotypic or metabolic levels as well as behavioural levels. Genetically engineering a mosquito, which is a vector of disease, may give rise to unexpected effects that may include negative impacts on human and animal health, for example, the insect may become more virulent, aggressive or its bite might have different effects on the host.
The proposal by the IMR to do fogging after the release is also fraught with contention. Fogging with resigen (active ingredients: S-bioallethrin and permethrin) means spraying communities and the environment with poisonous pesticides. Both are pyrethroids which have been linked to toxicity in humans including carcinogenicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity, and neurotoxicity as well as acute toxic effects such as coughing, redness, burning sensation/pain in the eyes and skin, dizziness, headache, fatigue, nausea, listlessness, vomiting, epigastric pain, muscular fasciculation [12,13]. These pyrethroids can be inhaled or ingested (directly or through water). Permethrin has also been found to have potential to be an endocrine disrupter [14]. Besides this, fogging is ineffective in controlling mosquitoes because it is not targeted but simply sprayed all over the area, allowing a large proportion of mosquitoes to escape.
Last but not least, involving the communities that will be affected by the release as well as the public at large is a matter of public trust. The effects of the genetically engineered mosquito including its molecular marker and the ‘lethal’ gene (assumed to be tTAV) on fish, frogs or other organisms present in the environment that might feed on it, and its possible effects on humans or other mammals have not been tested. Before any open release, this information must be determined, especially since there is risk of survival of the GE mosquito offspring.
Ample time should be given for public debate, information sharing and discussion before any decision is taken. The authorities should not make such decisions unilaterally; instead the free prior informed consent of the people should be first ensured. This is especially so in cases involving transgenics as it is recognised internationally that transgenic insects, especially mosquitoes (on which there are no agreed or finalised guidelines for biosafety assessment) are a particular challenge to risk assessors because they have very little information and guidelines to go on.
The objective of the Biosafety Act is to protect human, plant and animal health; the environment; and biological diversity. In this respect, the National Biosafety Board simply cannot approve the IMR application because it presents a risk in all respects.
SAROJENI V. RENGAM
Executive Director
4 September 2010

Gurmit Singh has also expressed concern: GM mosquitoes to be released in a trial (nowpublic.com)

Malaysian Christians protest burning of Al-Quran

Here’s a good story in the spirit of Raya:

Representatives of the Youth Wing of the Council of Churches Malaysia (CCM Youth) handed a memorandum of protest to the United States Embassy today calling on the US government to stop a church in Florida from burning the Quran this 11 Sept 2010.
The group of five people were led by Bangsar Lutheran Church pastor Rev. Sivin Kit, and CCM Youth Moderator and Executive Council member Chrisanne Chin, who handed the memorandum to Jeremy Nathan, the Deputy Political Counselor of the US Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.
CCM Youth is strongly against threats by Dr Terry Jones of The Dove World Outreach Centre, a small congregation of 50 people in Gainesville, Florida, to burn the Muslim holy text, the Quran, on the anniversary of the World Trade Center attacks, condemning attempts to ban or burn another faith’s holy text as tantamount to a form of hate crime that must be dealt with utmost severity.
CCM Youth reiterates that The Dove World Outreach Center’s intentions do not represent the sentiments of Christians in Malaysia, and considers the act of burning the holy scriptures of any faith a disrespectful, provocative, insulting and harmful act that is contrary to the fundamental Christian belief to love our neighbours as ourselves and to be peacemakers.

I believe Lim Guan Eng recently released a statement in the same spirit, condemning this extremely disrespectful act.
I have often said that our hope for Malaysia lies in the day when different communities speak up for one another, not just for “their own people” – when Muslims speak up for Christians (like when churches were being fire-bombed), or when Indians speak up for Malays.
Anyway, thanks CCM Youth for a heartwarming tale going into the joyous month of Syawal :)

Hindu Americans Join Chorus Against Religious Intolerance

By Hindu American Foundation,

Washington, D.C. (September 9, 2010) - The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) added its own voice today against what it described as mounting evidence of religious intolerance in the United States. While Sikhs and Hindus have recently faced their share of hate attacks, the Muslim community is being singled out as 9/11 approaches, Foundation leaders asserted.  HAF pointed to the slashing of a Muslim taxi driver, vandalism of mosques and the threatened burning of their holy book, the Quran, as attacks on this country’s religious pluralism that must be countered.

 

“No religious community should ever be subjected to the hate and intolerance Muslims are facing today in the United States,” said Suhag Shukla, Esq, the Foundation’s Managing Director. “It may be legal to burn any book, but holding a public rally to burn another religion’s holy text is the epitome of bigotry.  We join Muslim Americans in standing strongly against such terrorism and violence and should join together in promoting a pluralistic society where we all can worship and share ideas freely."

 

Shukla added that the Florida pastor’s threat to burn Qurans should not be seen as reflective of the majority of Americans and more importantly, as provocation. “Any violent reaction will only legitimize this one man’s ignorance.  We must see it for what it is -- a crass display that reminds all of us of the long road we must travel together to eradicate prejudice and promote understanding.”

 

Just last week, the HAF expressed similar concern over the vandalism to a mosque in Madera, California and other similar incidents directed towards Muslim Americans.

 

“The recent hate crimes signal an alarming trend towards a divided America,” said Jay Kansara, HAF’s Associate Director. “We stand with all Americans, regardless of faith or no faith, who want to prosper in this country and contribute to the greater good of their communities. We need to reevaluate our beliefs so they encompass understanding, tolerance and pluralism, values that are necessary to build a better America.”

Florida pastor calls off burning of Qurans

 

(CNN) -- A Florida pastor Thursday called off his controversial plan to burn copies of the Quran on the ninth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack.

The Rev. Terry Jones of the Gainesville, Florida-based Dove World Outreach Center, standing with a Florida Muslim leader, also said the imam who planned a mosque and Islamic center near ground zero in New York has agreed to move it to another location. But the imam who appeared with him said that Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf in New York agreed to speak with Jones about possibly moving the center.

A spokesman from Soho Properties told CNN producer Vivienne Foley that "the Muslim community center called Park51 in lower Manhattan is not being moved."

Jones, meanwhile, said he will travel to New York on Saturday to meet with Rauf.

The pastor appeared at an afternoon press conference with Imam Muhammad Musri of the Islamic Society of Central Florida, who said he will make the trip with Jones.

"I think the location of the mosque next to the ground zero location is unnecessary," Musri said.

Jones told reporters that he took a phone call from Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who "was very gracious and encouraged us not to continue." That conversation could not be confirmed.

Real estate mogul Donald Trump has offered to buy the lower Manhattan site where the Muslim group plans to build an Islamic community center for 25 percent more than the current owners paid for it.

Trump made the offer Thursday in a letter to Hisham Elzanaty, an investor in the Islamic center site.

"I am making this offer as a resident of New York and citizen of the United States, not because I think the location is a spectacular one (because it is not), but because it will end a very serious, inflammatory, and highly divisive situation that is destined, in my opinion, to only get worse," he wrote.

Earlier Thursday, President Barack Obama called the plan by Jones to burn the Qurans on Saturday a "recruitment bonanza for al Qaeda."

"You could have serious violence in places like Pakistan or Afghanistan" as a result of the burning, Obama said on ABC's "Good Morning America." "This could increase the recruitment of individuals who'd be willing to blow themselves up in American cities, or European cities."

Jones previously had said he would proceed with the plan Saturday -- the ninth anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks -- despite increased pressure to abandon the proposal and warnings that going ahead could endanger U.S. troops and Americans worldwide.

Interpol on Thursday issued a global alert to its 188 member countries, warning of a "strong likelihood" of violent attacks if the Quran burning proceeded.

The FBI visited Jones at the Dove Center on Thursday, according to Jeffrey Westcott, special agent in charge of the Jacksonville, Florida, bureau. The FBI also visited him a few weeks ago, he said, but would not say what was discussed.

Earlier Thurday, discussions were taking place within the Obama administration about the possibility of intervening, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters.

Earlier this week, the top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan, Gen. David Petraeus, warned that the plan "could cause significant problems" for American troops overseas.

Jones had rejected the pleas, saying his message targets radical Islamists. "The general needs to point his finger to radical Islam and tell them to shut up, tell them to stop, tell them that we will not bow our knees to them," Jones said on CNN's "AC360." "We are burning the book. We are not killing someone. We are not murdering people."

Meanwhile, two websites associated with Jones and his church were down Thursday.

Rackspace Hosting took down the two sites because the church "violated the hate speech provision of our acceptable use policy," said spokesman Dan Goodgame.

The company investigated a complaint in the past couple days and made the determination after reviewing both sites, said Goodgame, adding that Rackspace was under no pressure to act.

"This is not a constitutional issue. This is a contract issue," he said.

Rackspace gave Jones until midnight Wednesday to migrate content and find another host. Goodgame said he did not know how long Rackspace had hosted the websites, but he said it did not handle design or content.

"We have about 100,000 customers," Goodgame said. "We don't even know what all the sites are."

Jones and Dove World had agreed to terms on the Rackspace Cloud service, Goodgame said. The policy dictates the suspension or termination of service for offensive content, including material that is "excessively violent, incites violence, threatens violence or contains harassing content or hate speech."

"We would have taken the same position if it was hate speech against Christians or other groups," he added.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg was one of the few public officials who had defended Jones' right to go ahead with the burning, even as he condemned the idea as "distasteful."

"The First Amendment protects everybody, and you can't say that we are going to apply the First Amendment to only those cases where we are in agreement," Bloomberg said, citing the section of the Constitution that promises freedom of speech.

A Christian congregation in Germany on Thursday distanced itself from Jones, its founder and former pastor. Stephan Baar, one of the leaders of the Christian Community of Cologne, said the congregation split with Jones in 2008 over differences in the way the church was run.

The U.S. State Department issued a global travel alert because of the potential for anti-American demonstrations if the Quran burning was carried out.

CNN's Paul Courson, Carol Cratty, Tristan Smith, Marylynn Ryan, Phil Gast and Rich Phillips contributed to this report.

Forum: What it's like to be Malaysian

Why Puteri Reformasi opted out of PKR Youth contest

Uthaya: Release ISA detainees for Hari Raya

(Malaysiakini) In the spirit of Hari Raya, Human Rights Party Malaysia (HRP) pro-tem secretary general P Uthayakumar called for the release of all ISA detainees, the ISA abolished, and the Kamunting detention camp closed down.

He said this in an open letter to Home Minister Hisahammuddin Hussein yesterday,

Uthayakumar said that the rule of law is for every person to be given the right to be heard and a fair hearing.

He added that under the law, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty and therefore no one should be arbitrarily detained under the ISA.

Instead, they should be given a full hearing and tried in an independent and fair court of law, if a genuine case exists.

The former ISA detainee said the pain of detention under the ISA is far worse than that of ordinary prisoners who know when they will be set free.

ISA detainees undergo indefinite detention and suffer mental torture in not knowing when they will be released, he pointed out.

However, he claimed that the 1Malaysia spirit truly exists behind the walls of the camp, as everyone was treated equally irrespective of their race or religion.

Even though Hindraf lawyers were labelled Hindu extremists by Umno, the detainees had no problem with the Jemaah Islamiah (JI) members, who are regarded as Islamic extremists, at the Kamunting camp.

On the eve of Hari Raya celebrations, Uthayakumar recalled how he had fasted along with the JI group and other Muslim detainees during the whole month of the Ramadan month in 2008.

He expressed relief at the release of the longest serving JI detainee Shamsuddin Sulaiman who was freed after eight years on Sept 2.

Likewise, the other ISA detainees should also be released, he added.

Malay-sian police aid Malay mob in beating up Indian youths

Goodbye Musa Hassan. Welcome Tan Sri Ismail Omar to continue UMNO brute police racism and religious supremacy against Indians. Almost zero action against Malay policemen and Malay criminals.

By Human Right Party

For 53 years UMNO has been using the brute police force against the Indians.Just two weeks ago a mob of 15-20 malay muslims attacked Nithananthan a few Indian youths who were at the compound of their Vista Damansara flats after accusing them of trying to steal motorcycles. The police patrol car unit which arrived arrested instead the injured youths and let off the hook the Malay mob despite police reports against the said mob and the police for the inaction. The Indian victims were prosecuted for rioting and the Malay muslim mob gets away scot free.
Even as late as two months ago a Malay muslim mob of about 100 attacked an Indian family in Nilai, N. Sembilan. In broad daylight they beat up an Indian youth, seriously injuring him right before the eyes of the Malay muslim policemen. Three car windscreens of the Indians were smashed up. Instead nine Indian victims of the Malay muslim mob were arrested. One of them was actually beaten up by the police right in the centre of the Nilai police station.
Two months ago, Mugilan, a 16 year old youth and his friends were accused of disturbing an 8 year old Malay girl at a swimming pool in Pantai Hill. The police which was called in slapped Mugilan straight away and arrested him and his 5 friends, one of whom was dangerously handcuffed to the police motorcycle rear seat bar and taken to the police station. Mugilan was again beaten up in the police station by the very same policeman.
In another case, A. Kugan was brutally beaten up and killed in police custody. The rest of the 10 Malay policemen who were suspended after 3,000 Indian rallied at a  mass funeral procession. but was eventually let off the hook. When police reports were lodged one policeman and that too an Indian policeman was prosecuted to make it appear as an Indian and Indian problem. The rest of the 10 suspended Malay policemen were let off the hook.
In the 2001 Kg Medan racial attacks against the working class Indians where a Malay muslim mob from outside Kg. Medan killed five Indians and grievously injuring 100 over Indians.It is 10 years now and zero action has been taken against the malay muslim mob despite scores of police reports against the police for their inaction.
95% of the Malaysian victims killed in police lock-ups and shot dead by the police for merely being “suspects” are the Indians.
80% of the detainees without trial for alleged gangsteriem at Simpang Rengam are Indians when they form only 8% of the population. Police summary justice, arbitrary action and expediency. Why not prosecute them in a court of law.
In fact almost every day we receive phone calls from nationwide of Indians being unlawfully arrested, beaten up, maliciously prosecuted by Attorney General Gani Patail. 99% of them being forced to plead guilty as they cannot afford to raise the bail or pay their lawyer legal fees.
This is just the tip of the iceberg of the racial and religious supremacist agenda and police enforcement of the law led by Tan Sri Musa Hassan of the Malay-sian police brute force, abuse of powers, high handedness, above the law mindset and police crime against in particular the most vulnerable and soft target poor Indian community who are politically powerless against the racist and religious supremacist.
And now the baton of command is passed on to Tan Sri Ismail Omar. Old wine in new bottle.
Only with a four star army general assuming the top leadership of the police force will we see some significant changes.
Selamat Hari Raya PRDM. Eat well!
P. Uthayakumar

Malay-sian Police even shoot dead and murder a deformed and visually impaired and five others in their shoot to kill Indian policy.

No police gunshot wound on legs of suspects. Almost all gunshot wounds on the head and chest of six Indians shot dead by the police.

And their Inquest begins only 15 months later.

HRP and Hindraf has way back in 2006 stopped attending and in fact have boycotted any of these Inquests because the police, attorney general, judiciary chemist and the hospital all work hand in glove in a full scale cover up of all cases of death by police shooting dead and death in police custody.

And the outcome is so predictable, ie “Open Verdict” and the police criminals get away scot free from their police murders.

95% or some 8,000% of the victims of these police killings are disproportionately the Indians when they only form 8% of the Malaysian population.
All these possible only in One Malay-sian.
Selamat Hari Raya.
P. Uthayakumar

Jihad in Bengal: Muslims say they will enjoy Hindu women tonight – Soumya Kumari

Deganga still tense, army flag marches in violence-hit areas

Kolkata, Sep 8 (PTI) Army jawans staged flag marches at Deganga in North 24 Parganas district even as stray clashes were reported from elsewhere in the district today. Two columns of army jawans, deployed last night to restore peace at the request of civil administration, staged flag marches this morning in some areas of Deganga after police and paramilitary failed to contain violence, police said. “Army is still at Deganga and they staged flag marches,” District Magistrate Vinod Kumar told PTI over phone. One person was killed and 25 others, including a DSP and seven policemen, were injured in the violence yesterday after several places of worship were desecrated following clashes between two groups, police said.Several houses, shops were ransacked while four vehicles and two police vans also torched. “The situation is still tense, but under control,” official sources said, adding that EFR personnel were still deployed in the area. District Superintendent of Police (DSP) Rahul Srivastava is still camping at Deganga. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC were still in force in the area. However curfew was not imposed, they said.

The Hindu newspaper reports;

Parts of North 24—Parganas district were today brought under curfew and the army was requisitioned to assist paramilitary forces in restoring peace after several places of worship were desecrated following clashes between two groups.

North 24—Parganas District Magistrate Vinod Kumar said curfew has been imposed in Deganga area in the wake of violence that left a deputy superintendent of police and a civilian injured. The DSP was injured in brickbatting, while the civilian received bullet injury.
“The Army has been requisitioned for enforcing peace at Deganga. Around 200 personnel have been sent to the area to stage a flag march to instill confidence in the people,” a Defence official said.

CRPF and BSF were moved in earlier in the day to contain violence that erupted last night after clashes between two groups on the issue of taking out a procession in front of a place of worship, a senior police officer said.

Kumar said all precautionary measures have been taken to check the spread of violence. “The situation is now under control,” he said.

Clashes broke out last night between two groups on the issue of taking out a procession in front of a place of worship and later spread to other areas, a senior police officer said.
The area witnessed widespread rampage and loot. A vehicle was also torched this morning by mobs which had set up road blocks and burnt four vehicles yesterday.

Hindu Samhati reports:

September 8, 2010: NO RESPITE DESPITE ARMY PRESENCE. TODAY MORNING AGAIN MUSLIMS ARE ATTACKING DIFFERENT HINDU VILLAGES AROUND KARTICKPUR AWAY FROM THE MAIN ROAD.

HINDU WOMEN ARE FLEEING FROM BISWANATHPUR TOWARDS KARTICKPUR AS A LARGE MUSLIM MOB IS PROCEEDING FROM DOGACHHIA SIDE. POLICE IS TOTALLY HELPLESS. SEVERAL RAF PERSONNEL HAVE BEEN SEVERELY BEATEN UP BY THE MUSLIMS. EVEN ARMY IS UNABLE TO STOP THE MUSLIM MOB.
“KHEJURDANGA KARMAKAR PARA” VILLAGE JUST NOW BURNT. IT IS 2 KM. INSIDE FROM THE MAIN ROAD. ARMY IS NOT GOING THERE.

WOMEN ARE SCARED. ARMY IS NOT GOING INSIDE AS THEIR NUMBER IS TOO SMALL, ONLY ABOUT 200

SITUATION EXTREMELY WORSE. HINDUS ARE WAITING FOR MASSACRE. ALL SIDES ARE BLOCKED BY THE MUSLIMS. NO ROUTE TO ESCAPE.

Earlier reports

Deganga, North 24 Parganas District, W. Bengal
September 7, 2010: The situation has been worsened today morning, Muslims again attacked the Hindus at Beliaghata and Kartickpur.

Temple destruction and looting of Hindu houses and shops are going on in massive scale.
Today morning Muslims destroyed Khejurdanga Durgamandap, Changdana Shiv Temple, Kartickpur Kali Temple and several other Hindu temples.

The Hindu shops of Beliaghata market have been looted. Grocery shop of Jhantu Biswas at Kartickpur bus stand has been looted totally.

Houses of Tarun Bhowmik, Kuntal Das, Kalyan Dutta and many others have been looted and ransacked.

Muslims are threatening that tonight they will enjoy all Hindu women.
All these happened in front of police and RAF (Rapid Action Force).

It is reported that RAF fled from the area leaving the hapless Hindus at the mercy of the rampaging Muslims. So, Muslims are looting and destroying unhindered.
In another report it is learnt that thousands of Muslims from Falti Anchal attacked Beliaghata market. 10-12 RAF personnel has taken shelter in a shop, they closed the shutter from inside to save their lives and the Muslims poured petrol outside the shop.

Even the District Superintendent of Police is unable to enter the area, or may be he is afraid of. He is standing at Golaghata, 6 kms. away from the hot spot.
Hindus started to remove the women elderly and the children of their families to safer areas. But it is being extremely difficult for them because Muslims encircled them in all directions. Frantic calls are coming to HS workers to rescue them. HS workers are trying to enter the area from any side.

The situation is totally out of control. Administration totally failed. Now it is considering to deploy army.

First reports from Hindu Samhati

HINDU TEMPLES DESECRATED, MARKETS LOOTED, POLICE OFFICER INJURED AT DEGANGA

September 6, 2010 : Today evening after Iftar, Muslims assembled in the Deganga Mosque (Basirhat SD, North 24 Parganas) and proceeded to a number of Hindu areas, looted and ransacked many Hindu shops and Hindu temples, severely beat up many Hindus, torched 4 public buses. The life of the whole stretch from Berachapa to Kadamgachi has been frozen.
Shani Temple of Kartickpur and Kali Temple of Deganga Biplabi Colony desecrated and ransacked by the rioting Muslims.

Arup Ghosh, Officer in Charge of Deganga police station is seriously injured by the rampaging Muslims. His head and hand have been fractured. Several other policemen also injured. Police had to fire to control the Muslim mob, but with no effect.

Today at 11 am, the dispute started when some fanatic Muslims started to dig the passage of a Durga Temple in Chattal Pally village which is situated just beside the Deganga Police Station. This Durga Temple is at least 25 year old. In past, Muslims tried many times to stop the Durgapuja. Hindus resisted their ill effort. This Chattal Pally and Deganga P.S. come under the district of North 24 Parganas, and its Parliamentary constituency is Basirhat. In 2009 election, Hazi Nurul Islam of T.M.C. won this constituency defeating long time Communist M.P. Ajay Chakraborty (C.P.I). After this change of power, Hindus of the whole area are facing all types of threat, humiliation, torture and their religious practices are in danger.
When Hindus objected the digging of the Temple passage, Muslims gathered there in large number and started mayhem. Hindus informed the police. Police came and they had to face the jihadi enthusiasm of the Muslims. Officer in Charge injured at that time. Then Muslims threatened that now Roja is going on. After the end of Roja and taking Iftar, they will teach stern lesson to the Hindus. So, after afternoon, Hindus dared not to open their shops on the stretch between Berachapa to Kadamgachhi on the Barasat – Basirhat Road. By this time, large contingent of police and RAF took position. Defying their presence, Muslims gathered in large number in the Deganga Mosque and started looting and destroying the Hindu shops, not in Chattal Pally, but in the big markets of Beliaghata, Deganga and Kartickpur. A big shop of Anil Bangal, a Hindu, has been looted fully among many other shops. Anil Bangal has been seriously injured. More than 25 people have been injured.

Latest position is that Police is not allowing the Hindus to come out of their homes so that they can enquire the damage done by the Muslims and Muslims are roaming freely in front of police force. Overall situation has been worsened. It is alleged that Maqbur Rehman, Mintu Sahaji led the Muslim rioters. It is also alleged that one TMC Hindu leader Ms. Ratna Chowdhury is trying to pressurize police not to take strong steps to stop the Muslim rampaging mob. The new TMC M.P. Hazi Nurul Islam allegedly influenced the police to remain inactive.

The Muslims are majority in number in the Deganga Block as well as in Basirhat Sub division of North 24 Parganas district. According to 2001 Census report, Muslims were 69.51 percent in Deganga Block. Naturally after nine years, their percentage increased a lot and Hindus in that Block are living a life almost like Pakistan. This North 24 Parganas district, is the largest border district where the highest number of Hindu refugees took shelter after being persecuted in erstwhile East Pakistan and present Bangladesh. In spite of that, the eight Blocks among total 29 of this districts became Muslim majority blocks in 2001 census.

Today’s violence in Deganga has been reported only in the NE Bangla channel of electronic media of West Bengal. All other channels including Star Anand, as always they do, are mum and suppressing the misdeeds of the fanatic Muslims.

Reports compiled by Hindu Samhati International team.
http://bharatabharati.wordpress.com/2010/09/08/jihad-in-bengal-muslims-say-they-will-enjoy-hindu-women-tonight/