April 13 - 26, 2011
www.southasianstar.com
France bans burqa in public France has officially banned women from wearing full-face veils in public places. Though other European countries have drawn up bans on the burqa, France is the first to risk stirring social tensions by putting one into practice. French officials estimate that only around 2,000 women, from a total Muslim population between four and six million, wear the full-face veils that are traditional in parts of Arabia and South Asia. But many Muslims and rights watchdogs accuse French President Nicolas Sarkozy of targeting one of France’s most vulnerable groups to signal to anti-immigration voters that he shares their fear of Islam being a threat to French culture. Some critics worry the law may be hard to enforce, since it had to be drawn up without reference to religion to ban any kind of face covering in public,
and since police officers will not be allowed to remove women’s head coverings. Anyone refusing to lift his or her veil to submit to an identity check can be taken to a police station. There, officers must try to persuade them to remove the garment, and can threaten fines. A woman, who repeatedly insists on appearing veiled in public, can be fined 150 euros and ordered to attend re-education classes. Anyone found guilty of forcing someone else to hide his or her face “through threats, violence, constraint, abuse of authority or power for reason of their gender”, the law imposes a fine of 30,000 euros and a year in jail. Among other European countries, Belgium’s parliament has approved a similar law, but is yet to enforce it.
Ph: 905 487 1320
Key man behind Kandahar hijack held in Chile In a major breakthrough, Abdul Rauf, one of the masterminds of the 1999 Kandahar hijack and a brother-in-law of dreaded terrorist Maulana Masood Azhar, has been arrested in Chile. Masood Azhar, the boss of the Jaishe-Mohammed was one of the three persons released from a jail in Jammu in exchange of more than 150 passengers held hostage at Kandahar on board the hijacked Indian Airlines flight IC-814. The flight had taken off from Kathmandu on December 24 1999 and the hostage crisis lasted some six days. The Central Bureau of
Investigation, in its chargesheet in the case had named Rauf, a Pakistan national, as one of the key financiers and plotters of the hijack. (Continued on page 3)
Slightly higher radiation found in Ontario
Canadian officials say slightly higherthan-normal radiation levels have been detected in Ontario since last month’s earthquake and tsunami created huge problems at one of Japan’s nuclear reactor plants. Health Canada has been monitoring radiation levels daily at locations across the country, including Toronto, Ottawa and south of Windsor, Ont. The agency said its data shows a slight increase in radiation in Ontario. Energy Minister Brad Duguid, who didn’t
provide any details — including whether the higher radiation levels were found in water, air or food — described the increase as “very minor.” However, the New Democrats say they can’t believe the Ontario government knows so little about radiation levels in the province a full month after Japan’s nuclear crisis began. (Continued on page 3)
Ontario seatbelt laws turn 35 years old Give yourself the gift of survival by buckling up every time
It’s been 35 years since seat belt laws came into effect in Ontario (1976), and the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) are as committed as ever to seat belt compliance as they get set to launch the 2011 Spring Seatbelt Campaign. The province-wide campaign will run from April 13 - 23, 2011. During that time, the OPP will be stepping up
enforcement throughout the province to ensure that motorists and passengers buckle up. Using a seat belt is the single most effective way to reduce the chance of injury or death in a motor vehicle collision. Yet tragically, countless fatalities and injuries relating to seat belt use have continued to occur needlessly each year over the past 35 years. Last year (2010) on OPP patrolled roadways, 89 people lost their lives in collisions in which lack of seatbelt use was a causal factor and 4,200 people were injured for the same reason. So far this year (2011), 7 people have died in collisions in which lack of seatbelt use was a causal factor and 855
have been seriously injured. Compared to this same time last year, 13 died and 913 were injured. The OPP will be focusing their efforts on child restraints during this campaign to raise awareness about the need to properly restrain children in a vehicle. A properly used child seat reduces a child’s risk of injury in a crash by as much as 75 per cent, yet many child car seats are incorrectly used or improperly installed. When used correctly, a booster seat provides 60 per cent more protection than a seatbelt alone. In a collision, children using seatbelts instead of booster seats are three and a half times more likely to suffer significant injury, and four times more likely to suffer head injury. OPP detachments regularly run child car-seat safety clinics and the OPP are encouraging everyone to contact their local OPP Detachment or their local police service for more
information. “In 1976 Ontario became the first province to require all drivers and passengers to wear a seat belt. After all these years OPP officers across this province are just as committed to ensuring that occupants buckle up”, said OPP Deputy Commissioner Larry Beechey, Provincial Commander, Traffic Safety & Operational Support. Make sure you do your part as a driver. Buckle up first and then make sure all your passengers and children are properly secured. The annual Spring Seatbelt Campaign is a partnership between the OPP, Ontario Police Services, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation and other road safety partners. A driver who is not wearing a seatbelt is over 40 times more likely to be killed in a crash than one who is properly buckled.