Founding Editor: Daya Varma (1929-2015)
Editors: Vinod Mubayi (New York) and Raza Mir (New Jersey).
Editorial Board: Ram Puniyani and Irfan Engineer (Mumbai); Pervez Hoodbhoy (Islamabad); Dolores Chew (Montreal); Vamsi Vakulabharanam (Amherst); Ajay Bhardwaj (Vancouver).
Circulation/website: Feroz Mehdi (On behalf of Alternatives, Montreal).
LALGARH, MAOIST MOVEMENT, AND THE LEFT IN INDIA
Vinod Mubayi and Daya Varma
The Lalgarh episode in West Bengal again brought into prominence the Communist Party of India (Maoist), or CPI (Maoist) which claimed leadership of the widespread insurrection that erupted in the district over the last several months. Different forces including the Maoists and the Trinamool Congress exploited the resentment of local tribal population to launch a bloody attack on the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPM; the outcome may be bad for CPM and for India and both need introspection.
DEMILITARIZE AND DEMOCRATIZE: THE WAY FORWARD IN SRI LANKA
Rohini Hensman
The way forward in Sri Lanka requires demilitarization and the restoration of the rule of law; the two are interlinked. However, their fulfillment is tied to the political future and economic survival of Sri Lanka.
NEPAL: ‘WE STILL FIGHT, BUT WITH WORDS, NO LONGER WITH GUNS’
Hisila Yami alias Comrade Parvati, whom INSAF Bulletin had the honor of hosting at a public meeting in Montreal in 2008 frankly speaks to New Delhi-based Tehelka Magazine. She explains why Nepal Maoists launched an armed struggle and why they entered the mainstream politics in keeping with the vibrant left tradition of Nepal. She elaborated on the democratic culture within the Maoist Party somewhat at odds with Lenin’s vision of a monolithic party and expressed optimism about her Party, the status of women and Nepal despite numerous roadblocks.
PAKISTAN’S IDEOLOGICAL BLOWBACK
Shibil Siddiqi
Talibans who controlled the Swat valley, destroyed state institutions and were dreaming of implementing their version of Sharia to all of Pakistan have been defeated at great cost and unprecedented internal displacement. But is the threat of the fundamentalist take over of Pakistan over? The following article discusses in detail what lies ahead in Pakistan and what need be done.
LIBERHAN COMMISSION; PAINFUL WAIT FOR JUSTICE
Ram Puniyani
Babri Mosque was destroyed on December 6, 1992. Enquiry into what led to this shameful act in India was finished in 2004; why did Liberhan commission take 5 years to submit its four volume report to the Government on 30 of June 2009. The zealot Uma Bharati still justifies the demolition but what about Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and other crooks who masterminded the demolition and tasted power as a reward?
RESERVED PAST: DE-RESERVING FUTURE
Ram Puniyani
Important social ills of Indian society have kept a significant section of its population deprived of their legitimate rights; the government policy of reservation for them in educational institutions and jobs has been one step to redress this issue. How far it has helped, who opposes such a policy and what is there for a significant Muslim minority?
HINDURASHTRA IN DELHI
Subhash Gatade
Hindu bigots are violently preventing the construction of a Mosque in Delhi on a legally acquired land for that purpose. Delhi is not ruled by the Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) but that does not seem to stop it from implementing its agenda of building India into a Hindu kingdom.
INDIA FACES COLONIALISM CLAIMS OVER ‘LAND-GRAB’ IN AFRICA
Dean Nelson in New Delhi India and many other countries like China, Saudi Arabia, South Korea are acquiring huge tracts of farm land in Africa. Is it the beginning of colonization by former colonies?
ANNUAL SADBHAV MISSION CONVENTION ON EDUCATION AND HARMONY
Report of the Convention held in Washington, DC was sent by Zafar Iqbal,
Dr. Vipin Tripathi, Professor at IIT Delhi organized as before a successful Sadbhav Mission Convention in Washington area on June 27, 2009 to promote inter-communal harmony.
STATEMENT ON THE NHRC REPORT ON THE ALLEGED ENCOUNTER AT BATLA HOUSE
Citizens demand independent enquiry to determine the cause of death of two Muslim youth by the police in Batla house, Delhi.
AIMMM CONDEMNS THE ARREST OF FEROZE MITHIBORWALA AND KISHORE JAGTAP
All India Muslim Majlis-e Mushawarat President Dr Zafarul-Islam Khan condemned the overnight arrest in Mumbai of political activists Feroze Mithiborwala and Kishore Jagtap in Mumbai which seemingly took place in the context of the visit of the US Secretary of State to the city.
CONCORD AT SHARM EL-SHEIKH
(Editorial, the Economic and Political Weekly, 25 July 2009)
On the occasion of the recent Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Egypt, Indian and Pakistani Prime Ministers agreed to resume talks which were cancelled after the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack. Indian opposition parties are dead opposed to any talks with Pakistan; how immature is their role is discussed in the Editorial of a prestigious Indian weekly.
PEACE ACTIVISTS WELCOME INDO-PAK JOINT STATEMENT
The joint statement by the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan on the occasion of the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Egypt has been welcomed by prominent citizens.
PUCL DEPLORES DEATHS OF POLICEMEN IN MAOIST ATTACK AT RAJNANGAON
The killing of 30 policemen in Chhattisgarh by the Indian Maoists has been deplored by the local unit of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties.
LETTER
CPM VERSUS MAOISTS: HOW TO ASSESS IT? Comments by Ranabir Samaddar and the responses by INSAF Bulletin editors.
OBITUARIES: Gangubai Hangal & Ali Akbar Khan
One of the few achievements of Independent India has been the popularization of India’s great musical traditions within India and abroad. The outward journey of Indian cultural artists started with Pandit Ravi Shankar, which was followed by such stalwarts as Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Gangubai Hangal , Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and Pandit Jasraj and others.
Two of these greats, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Gangubai Hangal, passed away in June and July 2009, respectively. INSAF Bulletin pays its homage to these two legendry artists, Khansahib the Sarod maestro and Gangubai, the doyen of Hindustani classical music.
OBITUARY: RAM NARAYAN KUMAR (1953-2009)
Pritam Singh
Ram Narayan Kumar, one of the finest human rights researcher, activist and campaigner in South Asia, passed away on June 28, 2009 at his house in Kathmandu (Nepal). His death at a relatively young age of 56 has sent shock waves among all those struggling for justice and fairness in South Asia.
HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST KUMAR NO MORE
Anuradha Bhasin Jamwal
Srinagar, June 29: Prominent human rights activist Ram Narayan Kumar, well known for his extensive work on custodial torture and disappearances particularly in Punjab, passed away yesterday in Kathmandu due to sudden illness. He was 56.