SAT April issue 2018 by South Asia Times

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CELEBRATING 15TH YEAR OF PUBLICATION

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South Asia Times Vol.15 I No. 9 I APRIL 2018 I FREE

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DISCLAIMER South Asia Times (SAT) is a monthly newspaper published in English (2 pages in Hindi) from Melbourne, Australia. Contributors supply material to SAT at their own risk and any errors will be corrected as quickly as possible. SAT does not accept responsibility for the authenticity of any advertisement, text content or a picture in the publication. No material, including text or advertisements designed by the SAT or pictures may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the editor/publisher. Opinions/stories/ reports or any text content are those of the writers/contributors and not necessarily endorsed by the SAT.

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The horror of Kathua, Unnao, and now Surat fill us with fury and fear

hat is left to say? In an age when everyone writes and posts on social networks, all day, non-stop, what words are left unspoken? Is there anyone who could possibly say, “I think it’s okay”? And how can anyone imagine that to condemn one incident is to condone a hundred others? What can I say about these two rapes that have the whole country talking and marching in outrage, that I have not said before and that I will not say about the many new incidents that come to light everyday even as we write about this? Will we now make more progress through silence, I wonder? Except that we must speak today. Like social reformers and activists before us for two centuries and thousands around us, my organisation works year-round to raise consciousness about inequality, violence and patriarchy and therefore, sexual and gender-based violence. Whatever it takes, whatever we can do, we do. If this is possible, two centuries of this work have been pointless. A dreadful feeling. The horror of what happened to the girls in Kathua and Unnao, and now Surat, fills us with fury and fear. A glimmer of hope rises that this could be the tipping point. That this moment needs everything we have to give, and that if we can take this shared shame and put our shoulder to it, together, we can push back these forces of hatred and casual cruelty that seem to have overtaken us. But maybe we will fail to push hard enough. Maybe nothing will change. Maybe there is worse to come. We oscillate between hope and despair, and the latter pulls harder. At the Chennai protest to demand justice in these two cases, a young mother said to me, “I cannot believe people can be this bad.” My response was, “I am afraid to say that in case I find out it could be worse.” Perhaps it is the horrible possibility that things could get worse and that in fact, there is no limit to human depravity, and the corollary that all our efforts will never make a dent in this truth, that make me wonder: What could I possibly write about this that goes beyond my one compulsion to write, which is not to be silent at this time? ***

gang-rape.

How do you respond to this? Reading, trying to wrap my mind around what is going on and keep up with unfolding events, waiting for the bile and spleen to settle, I have not reacted immediately. My job is not to state the obvious: That these are vicious, awful, depraved, inhumane, ghastly, cruel acts that deserve many more negative adjectives. My job is to understand where we have failed, at two levels. As humans, as a human society, how have we managed to raise people who thought it was acceptable to plot and plan such vicious violence against helpless girls and who then walked around with a sense of normalcy and impunity? What is wrong with us? I can barely fathom the question. So at the second level, I look at two centuries of social reform and activism and wonder why we have failed to make a dent in patriarchy. Why is it possible for people to organise a gang-rape as if it is a family function and to initiate friends and family as if it is a rite of passage? Why do Indian men still regard misogynistic and violent behaviour as an entitlement on par with an extra gulabjamun? Why are Indian women not pushing this back every single day and if we are, why is this still not amounting to change? I have said little, left it till late; because I don’t even understand what the right questions are any more. Including how those who claim to be religious can desecrate with violence a place held holy. *** Having opposed capital punishment all my life, I must admit that the sight of the smug MLA in Unnao giving television interviews tempts me to change my position. And as I read the Kathua charge-sheet, this temptation grows. I listen to people ask

for summary execution and death for child rape, I and I relate to the anger. But capital punishment sits on the books now, and it still does not deter rapists or other perpetrators of violence because they do not believe anyone will punish them so severely for rape. They seem to think we will dismiss it as “what men get up to.” Moreover, is that who we want to be: a society of men and others doing what they want and the rest of us endorsing summary justice by death and vigilante citizenship? After all, in a sense, in their choice of victims, this is exactly what the rapists were doing. And what is the nature of the state to which we will entrust this power? Can we trust those who exercise the power of the state to be fair and even-handed? Are they trustees of our values or agents of specific interests and custodians of particular sections of society? As a citizen, I do not trust anyone with that kind of power. I like the idea of ‘due process’ that takes a little longer to unfold than our emotions to cool, so that we do not become those we revile. But yes, of course, I agree that justice delayed— especially deliberately delayed—is justice denied, not just to the victim but all of us. However, setting that system right also begins with us and capital punishment sounds like a good remedy but is merely a strong reaction. It fixes nothing that is fundamentally wrong with us, including us. Not only must we comply with laws and regulations but we must stop seeking those loopholes and adjustments, those special favours and privileged interventions that grant us impunity. Like violence, impunity also escalates. ‘Chaltahai’ for a rigged power line becomes ‘chaltahai’ for

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*** There are calls for protest that are framed in familial terms—mothers, daughters, fathers, brothers, arise! I am saddened by their premise that we can only relate to another person’s suffering if we are related to them or someone like them. I am equally disturbed by the call to keep protests apolitical. Violence is made possible by inequality and inequality is profoundly political. In Kathua and Unnao, the perpetrators targeted girls from disadvantaged homes and from marginal communities. Those who hurt them were men who were powerful socially, economically and politically and who knew they could count on the backing of other powerful men. The inaction of the police and the silence of the government only underscore the politics of these rapes. To examine each layer of privilege that protected the perpetrators would be to map the interface between every kind of oppression in our society and the ways in which state power now comes to enable this interface. A politics of exclusion creates new categories of privilege. For every category you seek to exclude, you create one that is special, and especially immune to prosecution. Democracy is not compatible with expanding exclusion and deepening impunity. That’s a simple fact. Pretending that violence, especially when it targets the already vulnerable, is apolitical, is to close our eyes to the political transformation underway that will leave most of us marginalised or alienated—for being, for eating, for doing, for seeing, for speaking, for not disappearing conveniently. *** “Does the road wind up-hill all the way? Yes, to the very end.” Christina Rossetti’s words, learnt in school, remind me that this is not easy but one must continue the journey. The Gita reminds me that the journey is about doing my work as best I can, without worrying about impact or consequences. And that work is to write and speak even when it seems there is nothing new to be said. —SwarnaRajagopalan, 17 April 2018 Source: The Citizen.

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Treat Facebook and Google like media companies: MEAA BBy SAT News Desk

ELBOURNE, 11 April: Digital giants like Google, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube should be regulated like other media companies and forced to contribute a percentage of their revenue towards public interest journalism, says the union for Australian media workers. In a submission to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s digital platforms inquiry, the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance says Google and Facebook can no longer pretend to not be media companies, and their impact on traditional publishers and broadcasters needs to be curbed. Facebook and Google mimic media companies by acting as a network to distribute news content, and a platform for advertising, says MEAA. Digital platforms draw audiences through the free use of content generated by media organisations, while the migration of advertising to the two digital giants has undermined the viability of established publishers and

broadcasters. Nor are they bound by the same regulations as media companies in ensuring that offensive, false, defamatory and other harmful content is not displayed. “Facebook and Google can no longer maintain the pretence that they are not media companies, and they should be treated as such,”

said MEAA chief executive Paul Murphy. “News media companies now have a dependence on digital platforms to drive traffic to their websites, yet the relationship is severely imbalanced. “The digital platforms deny they are media companies, yet have managed to monetise

the carriage of news items in ways that have created despair across the Australian media sector. “Quite clearly, without access to that content for free, the business models of digital platforms would not work. “In the absence of Australian publishers and content creators being reasonably compensated for the use of their content, either an access-per-user charge or a percentage of revenue charge should be levied on Facebook and Google. “This revenue could then be retained in a contestable fund that could be used to support public interest journalism.” Growing concerns about the prevalence of fake news and propaganda, the inappropriate leaking of individual consumer’s data, and failure to curb online bullying and offensive content all lead to the conclusion that Facebook and Google should be regulated similarly to broadcasters by the Australian Communications and Media Authority, says MEAA. Other recommendations

Facebook and Google mimic media companies by acting as a network to distribute news content, and a platform for advertising, says MEAA. in the MEAA submission include that the government should consider increasing maximum penalties for mass privacy/data breaches, and that consumers be provided with plain language information about how algorithms are used to determine what news content they see on digital platforms like Facebook.

Victoria wants India’s tariff on lentils removed By Neeraj Nanda

ELBOURNE,19 March: Thirty percent Indian tariffs on chickpea and lentils imposed in January this year and later increased to 60 % are hurting farmers in Victoria and Australia. The issue came up during an update the Victorian Minister for Trade and Investment Hon. Philip Dalidakis gave today relating to his recent visit to India and Sri Lanka at the Victoria Investment Centre. Talking to SAT, the Minister said,” The issue of tariffs was not raised at the political level but I have asked our High Commissioner in New Delhi to deal with the issue.” Addressing a select gathering of business and community persons the Minister said “There are huge opportunities for Australia in India. We want to look and grab all the opportunities” In an obvious indirect reference to Indian tariffs on chickpea and lentils the Minister said,

“Trade is not one way. It is two ways.” The Minister welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to introduce a new entrepreneur visa which he said will help in business and trade. The gathering was also addressed by President Australia India Business Council (AIBC), Sheba Nandkeolyar. She explained the role played by the different chapters of AIBC in enhancing business ties between the two countries. Rashi Kapoor, President AIBC also addressed those gathered and thanked them for attending the event.

Addressing a select gathering of business and community persons the Minister said “There are huge opportunities for Australia in India. We want to look and grab all the opportunities”

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China, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka dominate in international student numbers By SAT News Desk

ELBOURNE, 26 march: International students are choosing to study in Victoria in record numbers, with more than 200,000 people from 170 countries coming to the state last year. These record numbers follow five years of steady sector growth for an industry that supports more than 58,000 local jobs. Victoria’s reputation as a premium higher education and research destination has seen Victoria’s total international student numbers grow by 15.2 per cent since 2016, outstripping the national average growth rate of 13 per cent. Minister for Trade and Investment Philip Dalidakis says, “International students not only bring culture and innovation to Victoria, they support our economy and support tens of thousands of local jobs.

We understand that it can be both exciting and daunting to move to a new city as a student, so we want to help international students overcome any challenges they may face.” While Chinese and Indian students continue to be the most ubiquitous in Victoria, other countries are also sending more and more students to Victoria. New growth countries that emerged in 2017 were Nepal, which saw an increase of more than 50 per cent, and Columbia and Sri Lanka, which both saw increases of more than 30 per cent. Over the weekend international students from a diverse range of nationalities gathered to celebrate the start of the 2017 academic year and launch Unlock Melbourne, an app that will help international students safely explore and enjoy all that Melbourne has to offer during their studies. The app is currently available

for iPhone and Android. Victoria’s new International Student Ambassadors have also been announced. The ambassadors are 22 current or former international students who will use their own experiences to support current and prospective students. With a 32 per cent share of Australia’s international student enrolments the Andrews Labor Government recognises the importance of student welfare. We have invested in the $4 million International Student Welfare Program and the Study Melbourne student centre which provides 24/7 support, counselling, legal services and social events. Victoria is the only state in Australia to offer a comprehensive ‘one stop shop’ where international students can go to receive assistance ranging from legal advice and counselling to help finding a social club to get involved with.

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Labor Govt. ensures AFL final remains in Melbourne for another 40 years By SAT News Desk

ELBOURNE, 16 April: The AFL Grand Final will stay in Melbourne for the next 40 years in a landmark announcement that paves the way for major redevelopments of the Etihad Stadium Precinct and the MCG, and delivers a better deal for fans and clubs across Victoria. Premier Daniel Andrews joined Minister for Sport John Eren today to unveil details of the agreement between the AFL and the Andrews Labor Government that guarantees the AFL Grand Final will be held at the 'G – where it belongs – until at least 2057. The long-term security provided by the deal will

enable the Melbourne Cricket Ground Trust to undertake a major redevelopment of the MCG – keeping it in its rightful place as one of the most iconic stadiums in the world. The deal includes redevelopment of the Etihad Stadium Sports and Entertainment Precinct, which will deliver upgrades for rectangular sports like soccer and rugby, improve women's change facilities and guarantees access for other codes and major events. Premier Daniel Andrews says, “This is for the fans – giving them the best venues, better access to the sports they love, and keeping the Grand Final where it belongs – at the MCG – for the next 40 years."

"This landmark deal will bring more footy to the regions, boost AFLW facilities and make sure Victoria stays the sporting capital of Australia." Tenant clubs at both the MCG and Etihad Stadium will get a fairer deal under the agreement, which will provide clubs with a better financial outcome from all matches. The deal will also bring more footy to regional Victoria – with two matches in Ballarat every year for the next decade and at least eight matches in Geelong for the next 30 years – and see the Brownlow Medal ceremony in Victoria for the next 10 years. The Minister for Sport John Eren says, "It gives Victorian fans and clubs a better deal and access

to the best facilities, while sealing our place as the home of the biggest blockbuster events in the country." Ikon Park will be redeveloped into the home of women's footy in Victoria and other AFLW and suburban grounds will be upgraded, including Whitten Oval, Victoria Park and Casey Fields. Stage 2 of the Moorabbin Oval redevelopment will also be delivered, allowing the Saints' AFLW team to play there from 2020. “The Labor Government has invested $225 million in the Victorian Budget 2018/19 to secure this landmark deal as part of a nearly half-a-billion-dollar boost to sport across Victoria, which includes a masterplan for the State

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This is for the fans – giving them the best venues, better access to the sports they love, and keeping the Grand Final where it belongs – at the MCG – for the next 40 years. Basketball Centre and the biggest investment to women’s and community sport in the state’s history,” says a media release.

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AAP Australia supports party’s stand on Majithia issue BY SAT News Desk

ELBOURNE, 19 March: AAP Australia has supported party chief Arvind Kejriwal’s decision to tender apology to former Punjab Minister in the Akali-BJP government Bikram Singh Majithia alleged to be responsible for Punjab’s drug menace. In a statement signed by office bearers Rakesh Prajapati, Amarjit Singh Brar and Alamjit Singh Boparai and emaild to South Asia Times (SAT) the AAP Australia unit has said, “On behalf of AAP AUSTRALIA we acknowledge and support the party's decision to tender apology by the party chief Mr Arvind Kejriwalji. We understand that the party's core committee has done enoughbrainstorming and made such decision so that our leadership could concentrate on the doing the prime jobthey have been elected for, that is to serve

the people. In the last 3 years of governance, unlike any otherpolitical parties, our leadership has proved that their intention is to

deliver on their promises.” “We request all our honest volunteers and the Punjab AAP unit to stand strong in these tough times,

as theyhave always done in the past. The decisions made by the leadership are always for the best interest of theparty leading to the

bigger goal of delivering clean governance for the much deserving people of our country, the statement said.

SBS Radio says “Welcome Home” to multilingual Australians BY SAT News Desk

ew multichannel brand campaign and refreshed SBS Radio app invites multilingual Australians to feel at home wherever they are. SBS Radio has launched “Welcome Home”, a new marketing campaign to encourage Australians who speak a language other than English (LOTE) to feel at home wherever they are. The exciting digital first, radio brand campaign has the dual objectives of building brand awareness for SBS Radio and directing people to download the refreshed SBS Radio app. Over 1.3 million people migrated to Australia during the past five years and nearly five million people speak a language other than English at home, reinforcing the importance of SBS Radio’s services. Listeners will be able to access Australian news and current

affairs, music, podcasts and community updates in 68 languages, reflecting today’s contemporary multicultural Australia. Internally developed and conceptualised by SBS, the campaign features SBS employees from the Punjabi, Korean, Vietnamese, Arabic, Cantonese and

NITV programs. The word ‘home’ features prominently throughout, in languages including Italian, Mandarin, Greek, Hindi, Somali and Samoan. SBS Chief Content Officer (acting), Mandi Wicks said: “SBS remains the world’s most linguistically diverse public broadcaster. The

refreshed SBS Radio app provides audio content on demand and on the go to our listeners in 68 languages. Accessible anywhere, at any time on the device of their choice, downloading the free SBS Radio app helps our audiences ‘feel at home’ wherever they are.”

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SBS Radio has launched “Welcome Home”, a new marketing campaign to encourage Australians who speak a language other than English (LOTE) to feel at home wherever they are. Watch the promo at: https://youtu.be/ jp9rovtZdJI. One can download the free SBS Radio App available now at the iTunes App Store and Google Play.

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A new major town centre site for Melbourne By SAT News Desk

ELBOURNE, April 2018: Biggin& Scott Land have announced their appointment to offer for sale via a Public Expression of Interest campaign, probably the most strategic undeveloped Major Town Centre site in Metropolitan Melbourne. Mr Frank Nagle and Mr Andrew Egan of Biggin& Scott Land said the property was located within the Rockbank North PSP, which comprises 700 ha’s of developable land that will eventually provide 7000 housing lots and accommodate some 20,000 residents. Mr Egan commented further that “being alongside Caroline Springs, and adjoining the burgeoning Plumpton corridor and only 29 kilometres for the city, with established rail, and road networks at the doorstep all that was missing was a fully integrated shopping experience, which this site will eventually provide….” The major owner of the site is the wellknown Wyndham City Councillor and portfolio of Urban Futures Intaj Khan and Chairman of Countryland Australia Limited of which is whilst the principal developer of the Rockbank North PSP is the Vic Property/Mirvac joint venture who have combined to create the 7000 lot Woodlea Master Planned Community that was launched into the Melbourne market in 2016.

Cr Intaj Khan is also Major land holder in the Rockbank area. Construction has commenced at the WoodleaEstatewhich has developed rapidly since its release, with over 70 lots per month being regularly sold and ballot systems being adopted prior to the release of stages due to its success. “Eventually the Woodlea Estate, together with Stockland’s JV with

the Scalzo Family at Mt Atkinson will provide a fully integrated Master Planned community with all the ancillary public and private facilities needed to accommodate the 40,000 people who will live and work within the corridor of Plumpton, Rockbank and?”., says a media release. The media release further says, “The Aintree Major Town Centre to be developed on this site

has the ability to produce up to 200,000 metres of developable floor space which will accommodate two Discount Department Stores, two full sized Supermarkets, two Mini Majors and approximately 100 specialty shopsand food courts. In addition to these there will be further ancillary uses including a Hotel Complex and Cinema’s,Office Accommodation, Bulky

the property was located within the Rockbank North PSP, which comprises 700 ha’s of developable land that will eventually provide 7000 housing lots and accommodate some 20,000 residents. Goods, together with some high density residential fronting parklands and waterways.” “All of these uses form part of a detailed “space analysis” undertaken by The Buchan Group, and accord with the guidelines set out in the PSP Document commented Mr Andrew McKenzie Managing Partner at The Buchan Group, he further commented that the very rapid population growth in the corridor had elevated the need for the construction of a new shopping centre in the corridor. Mr Egan commented that Mr Khan recognized that the development of the land now required the expertise of a major retail developer and or user and as such now that development is quickly reaching the site they were prepared to sell.

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New smart phone ID system approved By SAT News Desk

ELBOURNE, 17 MARCH: The Andrews Labor government has approved a new Australia Post App to use mobile phones as proof of age. The new system, the digital Keypass, an Australian first, can be used as evidence of age document in all licensed venues across Victoria. The digital keypass was trialled at more than 50 licensed venues in Fitzroy between October 2017 and

January this year. The free Australia Post smartphone app includes an on-screen animation that prevents the replication of the digitalKeypass on a nonapproved app or format. Minister for Gaming and Liquor Regulation Marlene Kairouz says, “This is a win for Victorians who enjoy our wonderful nightlife and a win for venue operators. This new smartphone form of ID will mean Victorians can leave their passport, driver’s license

or proof-of-age cardat home before heading out for the night – and help venues ensure the patrons they’re serving are above age.” The app generates a temporary Quick Response (QR) code that can be scanned by a liquor venue as an extra layerof security using Australia Post’s Digital iDTM smartphone app or a third party ID scanner (such as a Scantek IDscanner). Identification verification checks take

place at Australia Post using the same methods as those used for physicalkeypasses. Australia Post General Manager Digital iDTM Cameron Gough says, “Keypass in Digital IDTM was developed here in Melbourne, so we are delighted that Victoria has become the first state to approve it as an acceptable proof-of-age identity document.” “Keypass has been a popular proof-of-age card in Australia for more than 25 years. Incorporating

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Keypass into Digital IDTM will deliver a more convenient way for young people to enjoy a night out together, furthering our 200-plus year commitment to better connect Australians with their communities,” he said. The initiative is supported by the Australian Hotels Association and other industry bodies, and will make it easier for pubs, clubs and other licenced venues to comply with Victoria’s strict liquor laws.

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VICTORIAN PREMIER HON. DANIEL ANDREWS VISITS BLACKBURN GURUDWARA

DR. JAI MADAN (THE LADY OF FORTUNE) IN MELBOURNE

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Opening more doors for you Find out how the Australian Government is helping Australians at all stages of life find the right home. Visit homeownership.gov.au

Save towards a home deposit up to 30% faster

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The First Home Super Saver Scheme helps you save faster through voluntary super contributions. You can now take advantage of generous tax concessions and contribute up to $15,000 in any one financial year, and up to $30,000 in total.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve committed $1 billion to accelerate the supply of new housing and ensuring underutilised Commonwealth land is put to better use, including land that is suitable for new homes.

If you are 65 and over and want to sell your current home, you can now put up to $300,000 from the sale, per person, into your super account. This offers greater flexibility and extra tax advantages to older Australians.

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House committee seeks feedback on migration and education agents By SAT News Desk

ELBOURNE, 9 April: Individuals or organisations who have engaged the services of an Australian migration agent or education agent are encouraged to share their experiences as part of the Federal Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Migration’s inquiry into the efficacy of current regulation of Australian

migration agents. While the Committee is unable to intervene or provide advice or assistance in relation to individual circumstances,

it wants to ensure that its findings are informed by those with personal experience as such, the Committee has launched two anonymous online questionnaires. The first questionnaire enables people who have engaged the services of a migration agent or education agent to make a personal contribution to the inquiry, and will assist the Committee to understand the individual

experiences of a broad range of people. The second questionnaire enables Australian migration agents to put forward their views on the current migration agent regulatory regime. Organisations are encouraged to share the questionnaire with their clients and members. You must be over 18 years old to complete the questionnaires, and it will take up to 15

minutes of your time. The questionnaires will close on Friday 1 June 2018. The questionnaire for individuals who have engaged an Australian migration or education agent is available at: https://www. surveymonkey.com/r/ migrationclientsurvey The questionnaire for Australian migration agents is available at: https:// www.surveymonkey.com/r/ migrationagents.

Gujarati film ‘Dhh’ at Children’s International Film Festival (CHIFF) By SAT News Desk

ELBOURNE, 26 March: Films beyond the regular blockbusters can be a good experience. Young film buffs here will be treated with an exclusive Children’s International Film Festival (CHIFF), the very first film festival of its kind in Australia for children aged 4-16. An Indian movie in Gujarati ‘Dhh’ will be part of the festival apart from others. Dhh (English subtitles)

is about three best friends Gungun, Bajrang, and Vakil prefer to spend their time in school cracking jokes rather than focusing on their studies. One afternoon, the boys skip school to go and see a magician performing in a nearby town. With midterms around the corner, the boys write to the magician asking him for a trick to ace their exams. Days go by and times get tougher with punishments at school and warnings at home. All hope is lost, until one day, the magician replies! His letter arrives

with a parcel that claims to hold the key to cracking their exams. Will the magic work? Dhh is a clever story about perseverance and challenging oneself to exceed expectations. It is directed by Manish Saini and stars Naseeruddin Shah, Kahaan, Karan Patel, KuldeepSodha etc. Music is by Sagardesai and cinematography by Prahlad Gopakumar. The CHIFF will take place from April 27 to May 6 in Melbourne. All details at – www.chiff.com.au

Dhh is a clever story about perseverance and challenging oneself to exceed expectations. It is directed by Manish Saini and stars Naseeruddin Shah, Kahaan, Karan Patel, Kuldeep Sodha etc. Music is by Sagardesai and cinematography by Prahlad Gopakumar.

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SAPAC Literary/Poetry Evening 2018 By SAT News Desk

ELBOURNE, 24 March: There is nothing like poets reciting their poems and that is what happened at the South Asian Public Affairs Council (SAPAC) Literary/Poetry Evening 2018 at the Glen Waverley Community Centre today.

different South Asian countries (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh etc.) recited their poems in Hindi, Urdu and Bengali. While Chief Guest Hon. Jukian Hill MP recited a poem in English. A few books by local writers were also released.

Poets living here from

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A fresh look at the controversial Mughal emperor Aurangzeb By Rashid Sultan

Aurangzeb, The Man and The Myth; By Audrey Truschke; Penguin Random House.

urangzeb, is the most controversial and hated Mughal monarch. So much so that the Indian government changed the name of the road in his name in Lutyen’s Delhi, recently. Sad but, not surprised. In the era of denying our history, let us wait when we change the nomenclature of Ahmedabad and Allahabad. He ruled the Mughal Empire for almost 50 years; the boundaries of his empire extended so far and wide that no ruler before him, Mughal or non- Mughal could even dream of. He was the first Mughal to conquer the whole Deccan and reached the present day Tamil Nadu. He was pious and earned his personal income by sewing skull caps and calligraphying the holy Quran. He did not take any money from the treasury for his personal household expenses. But, he is a vile figure, particularly, in the present- day India. The author of ‘Aurangzeb, the man and the myth’ is Audrey Truschke, assistant professor of South Asian history at Rutgers University in Newark. She has previously published ‘Culture of Encounters: Sanskrit at the Mughal Court’. According to her ‘while many continue to accept the storyline peddled by colonial- era thinkers that Aurangzeb, a Muslim, was a Hindu –loathing bigot, there is an untold side to him as a man who strove to be a just, worthy Indian king.’ She has attempted a fresh look at the controversial Mughal emperor. Let us see some of the charges levelled against him: 1. He hated Hindus 2. He desecrated and demolished Hindu temples 3. He murdered his brothers and imprisoned his father, Shah Jehan According to Truschke, “underAkbar, Hindus constituted 22.5% of all Mughal nobles. Aurangzeb increased Hindu participation at the elite levels of the Mughal nobility to 31.6%. The dramatic rise featured a substantial influx of Marathas as a strategic aspect of expanding Mughal sovereignty across the Deccan.” “Raja Raghunatha was Aurangzeb’s Diwani (chief finance minister of the whole empire) and his religious beliefs were irrelevant to Aurangzeb” Aurangzeb’s quotes-’what connections have earthly affairs with religion’ and ‘For you it’s your religion and for me it’s mine’ Again, Aurangzeb to his son,Azimushaan ‘you should

consider the protection of the subjects as the source of happiness in this world and the next’. And then, what about hundreds of Hindu military leaders and thousands of Hindu soldiers working in his army throughout his reign? Reg. Hindu Temples. Aurangzeb’s own comment would not be out of place: “(Ellora) is one of the finely crafted marvels of the real, transcendent Artisan (i.e., God). The accusations of harming Hindu temples are derived directly from British colonial era’s philosophy of ‘divide and rule’ and just assert that the British rule was benevolent and intended to make Indians indebted to the ‘just’ British Empire. According to Truschke, Indo Muslim rulers counted Hindus as ‘dhimmis’. So it was their duty, under Islamic law, to protect them and their shrines and other customs and thus they were entitled to

certain rights and state defences. Aurangzeb “counted thousands of Hindu templeswithin his domains and yet destroyed, at most, a few dozen.” He gave leases and granted thousands of acres of land to hundreds of temples and priests throughout his domains. So why, demolish a few? Let us take temples of Benaras and Mathura, for example. All the intelligence to Aurangzeb pointed to their collusion to aid and abet escape of Shiva Ji from the Mughal prison – a crime against the Imperial court. Hence their demolition. Trushcke: “Aurangzeb’s notion of justice included a certain measure of freedom of religion which led him to protect most places of Hindu worship. Mughal rulers in general allowed their subjects great leewayshockingly so, compared to the draconian measures instituted by many European sovereigns of the era….. and Aurangzeb did not hesitate to strike hard against

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religious institutions and leaders that he thought were seditious or immoral. But in the absence of such concerns, Aurangzeb’s vision of himself as an even-handed ruler of all Indians prompted him to extend state security to temples.” Another quote from the author: “in the case of precolonial temple destruction in India, it is a fool’s errand to get ‘swept up in a numbers game’, as Eaton has put it. We stand on firmer ground in reconstructing the reasons that prompted Aurangzeb to target specific Hindu temples while leaving the vast majority untouched.” But, in the present scenario of political conditions, prevailing now, who would bother to remove cobwebs of disinformation around Aurangzeb? Not many people cite examples when he raised mosques in the Deccan. As they had amassed large wealth, in basements,and this wealth was being used to oppose in his wars, he ordered their demolition.Which Muslim fanatic ruler would do it? “Aragzeb also went after nonpolitical Muslim communities deemed aberrant. He targeted Ismaili Bohras, a shia community, and ordered Bohra mosques to hold five prayers daily, in the Sunni style.” Reg. murder of his brothers and imprisonment of his father. Let us first remember that under Mughals there was no custom or protocol that only the first born was entitled to the throne. Humayun and Akbar were lucky as they had no siblings. Jehangir and Shah Jehan had committed the same act during their reign vis- a- vis their siblings. Aurangzeb was not the eldest but ablest among all his four brothers. He spent most of his life fighting on the battlefields to arrest revolts and expanding the empire. Yet Shah Jehan preferred the first borne Dara Shukoh who was always with him in the household. Yes, Dara Shukoh was more attracted towards religious and mystical mattersbut, empires require something more – power, strength and pragmatism. We should not forget that Dara Shukoh faced Aurangzeb in battlefield twice but was defeated. Interestingly, before heordered Dara Shukoh’s execution, Aurangzeb asked him what he would do if their roles were reversed. Dara sneered that he would have Aurangzeb’ s body quartered and displayed onDehi’s four main gates. So, those were the times when people acted, exactly,what they were required to do. The problem arises when we judge history as per our contemporary standards and values. The author has so many issues where she has shed light on Aurangzeb to convince that he was neither a bigot nor a hater. Indeed, a book which is a breath of fresh air. These are the author's personal views.

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Melbourne Afghan community celebrates ‘Nawroz’ By SAT News Desk

ELBOURNE. 24 March: The Afghan community under the leadership of the Afghan Australian Philanthropic

Association led by President Dur Aschna today evening celebrated the Afghan New Year – Navroz at the Springvale Town Hall. The event was full of music, songs, food and traditional dances. Afghan

dresses were visible all around. The highlight of the evening were traditional dances by Bangladesh female dancers reflecting the true nature of multicultural Australia. The gathering was

welcomed by Mahmood Noori and Shagofa followed by the national anthems of Australia and Afghanistan. Yaar Mohammad gave a musical touch and then Afghan traditional dances entertained the audience.

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The gathering was addressed by Hon. Luke Donnellan MP and Hon. Julian Hill MP among others. Tasty Afghan food was served laced with traditional music.

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SriLankan Airlines scores a hat-trick at Golden City Gate Awards 2018 By SAT News Desk

OLOMBO, April 5:SriLankan Airlines, the National Carrier of Sri Lanka and a member of the one world alliance, reaffirmed the global appeal and innovativeness of its marketing communications endeavours yet again, by winning three awards at Golden City Gate Awards 2018 at ITB Berlin, the world’s largest tourism trade fair. The 18th edition of the awards saw a jury 40 members judging 157 submissions sent by over 30 countries. SriLankan Airlines was awarded the ‘First Star’ in the campaign category for its Melbourne launch campaign “Two Cities, One Spirit.” It also bagged the ‘Second Star’ in the same category for its brand campaign in China themed “The Spirit of China, the Story of Sri Lanka.” The third, another ‘Second Star’, was bestowed upon SriLankan for its video “The Largest Carrier to India” in the TV Cinema Spot category. “We are honoured to receive these three prestigious awards at this year’s Golden City Gate Awards. This is the second consecutive time that we have been commended at these Awards and this proves the universal appeal of our marketing communications endeavours. These awards will certainly inspire us further to explore new avenues in creative conceptualization and creation of unique content to take Sri Lanka to the world”, said SriLankan Airlines General Manager Marketing, Mr. SamindaPerera. The ‘First Star’ winning submission, the “Two Cities, One Spirit” campaign was created for the launch of new Melbourne to Colombo flights and celebrates the kinship between Melbourne and Sri Lanka. This was aimed to appeal to the Sri Lankan Diaspora in Melbourne and the Australians who are attracted to exploring new destinations and adventure on the island. The creative executions were inspired by the

SriLankan Airlines, General Manager Marketing, Mr. SamindaPerera with Mr. Wolfgang Jo Huschert, President of The Golden City Gate Awards at ITB Berlin 2018. similarities that exist in both Sri Lankan and Australian cultures, expressed through visuals that celebrate the vivacity and passion deeply rooted in food, art, cricket, surfing and the iconic wildlife that are inherent to both destinations. The use of a location pin as a stylistic element widely recognized by the contemporary traveler was aimed to emphasize on the nonstop connectivity (the point-to-point quality) and that the connections can be extended to onward destinations across the Airline’s network. The Airline’s direct daily services between Colombo and Melbourne was well received by passengers, and has been a commercial success. The Airline envisages that this momentous entry to Australia will pave the way for further expansion in the region.

The ‘Second Star’ winning entry “The Spirit of China, the Story of Sri Lanka” is an attempt to reach out to the Chinese travelers through a medium which is familiar to them. The visuals that depict the Chinese traditional painting styles portraying prominent icons of Sri Lanka, was a pictorial translation of a destination through a visual dialect which is close to their hearts. This campaign was a brand building initiative and an effective way to direct travelers and potential travelers to the language specific content created on Sri Lanka for their perusal. SriLankan Airlines’ presence in China accounts for 20 flights per week to four destinations (Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Hong Kong) from Colombo. Given that Sri Lanka has been progressively

witnessing an increase in tourism from China, as the National Carrier of Sri Lanka, SriLankan will continue to explore potential expansion opportunities such as frequency enhancements and induction of new cities. The third award was received in recognition of its video titled ‘The Largest Carrier to India’ which captures the vibrancy, liveliness and the diversity of India through attractive visuals and a captivating soundtrack. It portrays everything that embodies India as an extraordinary destination worth exploring. Currently, SriLankan Airlines is the largest international carrier connecting India with the world with 135 flights a week from 14 prominent cities of India. This visual depiction, whilst touching upon the inherent features

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of India, highlights the Airline’s extensive connectivity. SriLankan Airlines has been aptly supported by its creative agency, J Walter Thompson Sri Lanka in all these creative endeavors. The agency’s creative expertise and the understanding to align with global trends have made its association with an international airline truly remarkable and award-winning. Every year the Golden City Gate Awards recognise and reward the creative efforts of the global tourism industry, expressed through various mediums. The campaigns are judged by an international jury based on a point system and each submission is evaluated for its creativity, innovativeness, design, structure, authenticity and whether it encourages the audience to visit the destination.

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Indian Precinct in Dendenong to take off with new injection of colour and vibrancy on the streets By Neeraj Nanda

ELBOURNE, 11 April: The Indian Cultural Precinct in Dandenong’s (Little India) Foster Street, is all set to move into a new format with the ‘Indian Cultural Precinct Framework’ being endorsed by the Task Force setup by the Victorian government to oversee the project. To kick off the new Framework, through the first projects in Little India, visitors to the Little India Cultural Precinct will soon notice a big injection of colour and vibrancy on the streets at key locations. Street art emerged as a highly popular idea through the development ofthe Framework. It was widely considered as a positive way to add colour, vibrancy, life & spice –matching the feelings and experiences you have inside the shops on the street. Three experienced artists Rowena Martinich, Geoffrey Carran and Mike Eleven will be creating new

artworks in the precinct in April. They will bring to life the many narratives that underpin Little India,and will add to the experience of being in the precinct. The contemporary artworks are expected tospeak to old and new audiences alike creating great photo opportunities for sharing and promotingthe precinct. Two large sites near the parking behind the main shops and another on the corner of Mason Street

and Foster Street will be transformed from drab to fab in April! “The Framework captures community aspirations and will assist in guiding future development of theIndian offer in Dandenong. It includes a shared vision for Melbourne’s Premier Indian Precinct andidentifies 140 initiatives categorised under the six Precinct Objectives:Presentation and Curation, Trade Experience, Marketing

and Partnerships, Festivals and Events, Community Hub and Development,” says the Dandenong Activity Centre – Indian Cultural Precinct Bulletin (April 2018). The Indian Cultural Precinct Taskforce met on six occasions in 2017 and will meet every two months throughout 2018. The Taskforce is chaired by Gabrielle Williams MP and consists of 10 communityrepresentatives and 5 government staff

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from the state and local council. The Taskforce will continueto oversee implementation of the Indian Cultural Precinct Framework and provide advice andstrategic input on Melbourne’s first Indian Cultural Precinct, including monitoring the $500,000 grantexpenditure which has now been made available, in part to Council, to commence priority works inthe precinct.

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Aussie actress Lauren Lofberg first Australian in a Nepali movie

By Neeraj Nanda

ELBOURNE, 22 March: It’s no mean achievement for surging Australian actress Lauren Lofberg to become the first Australian to act in a Nepali-Australian movie

Sunkesari produced here. Shot wholly in Sydney, Sunkesari (with English subtitles) is all set to release in Nepal and Australia on 25 May 2018. Directed by Arpan Thapa Sunkesari tells the story of an Australian palace constructed around 1880

AD and how it is converted into a boutique hotel, and the strange tale of the supernatural beings that live among the hotel's corridors. Lauren is excited about it and told SAT, “It was fun, fast-paced, long hours and night shifts. I had a great time.”

I love new cultures,” she said. The Sunkesari team had today assembled at the Nirankar Restaurant, city for the launch of the movie’s trailer. The horror movie was shot continuous for 19 days. Lauren is now busy shooting for an Aussie

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movie ‘Outback’ produced by In The Thicket. The producer of Sunkesari, Bhim spoke about the journey of the films making and the challenges it posed.

$1.6 million India NSW partnership to create tech jobs of the future By SAT News Desk

UMBAI: Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced a two-year $1.58 million partnership between NSW and India to enhance the State’s startup, technology and advanced manufacturing sectors. Ms Berejiklian made the announcement in Mumbai at accelerator Zone Startups and said it will allow NSW entrepreneurs and technology businesses access to new markets, talent and knowledge. The funds will be used to send NSW young entrepreneurs and startups to India to learn from the country’s best and brightest, to support commercial connections between startups in NSW and India and on fostering collaboration on advanced technology projects. “NSW is Australia’s startup and technology

Announcing a two-year $1.6 million partnership between NSW and India to allow NSW entrepreneurs and technology businesses access to new markets, talent and knowledge.

NSW Premier meets Chief Minister of Maharashtra. capital and this partnership will ensure our industries grow alongside one of the

world’s most dynamic technology markets,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“Our state is home to 44 per cent of the nation’s startup founders and 40 per cent of the Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) industry. “This important partnership will allow us to learn from India’s best and brightest so that we can create the smart jobs of the future. “This partnership will

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provide NSW businesses with incredible access to some of the best entrepreneurs and technology experts in the world and I look forward to seeing the results over the next two years.” The Premier was in India on a trade mission visiting Mumbai and New Delhi between April 16 and 19.

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Message of peace, truth and non-violence at the ‘Mahatma Gandhi: An Immigrant exhibition’

By Neeraj Nanda

ELBOURNE, 5 March: The world’s most famous immigrant, Mahatma Gandhi and India’s father of the nation today made history here at the Immigration Museum, Melbourne with his story in digital, interactive (you can take your photo with the Mahatma) and the man’s journey that finally confronted the Empire where the sun never set. The incredible spate of events in photos and multimedia portray the Mahatma’s segments of life in a format laced with technology. Welcomed by drinks and snacks the exhibition (2nd floor) curated by BairadRajaramYajnik (from Hyderabad), opened its doors after lots of networking and an unusual drink ‘Alcohol Lassi’ including the routine stuff. The ground floor of the Museum was lit with sparkling lights amidst the ambiance of live Indian music by Vinod Pasanna& Jay Dabgar followed by speeches by Lynley Marshall, CEO, Museums Victoria, RohiniKappadath, Manager Immigration Museum, BiradRajaramYajnik, Curator. Mahatma Gandhi Digital Museum and Emily Siddons, Exhibition

producer, Museums Victoria. Before the speeches representatives from the Woi Wurrung and the Boonwurrung Foundation addressed those present and thanked them for their interest and presence at the exhibition opening. The mingling crowd then moved to the 2nd floor and went around the exhibition with so many photos, a small printing machine (or press), colorful displays, huge portraits of Gandhi’s early life, letters and lots of interactive technology. One just has to see them join phases of Gandhi’s life. Talking to SAT, exhibition Curator BiradRajaramYajnik said, “technology is just an enabler. The exhibition gives you the experience of Gandhi. With one of the exhibit, you can replicate yourself with a bioscope like Gandhi when he was

14 years old. The exhibition has a small printing press, newspaper, interactive wall, short films, one can travel to four different locations where Gandhi went. Finally, you can take a photograph with Gandhi.” “I want people to take away three concepts from the exhibition, namely, peace, truth and ‘ahimsa’,”

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he said. Challenging the myth that Gandhi was against technology Baird said,” Gandhi said modernisation and mechanisation can be a danger to jobs. But if Gandhi was here today he would have used modern technology. He would have used the internet. He was far ahead of his times.”

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Jubilee Concerts - SalimSulaiman live in Melbourne By SAT News Desk

ELBOURNE, 9 April: Bolloywood music lovers got a big treat with the sibling

duo Salim and Sulaiman Merchant hitting the stage performing live here on Sunday 15 April at the Melbourne Recital centre’s Elisabeth Murdoch Hall at 7 pm with their entertaining

music. Salim–Sulaiman performed in Australia for the Jubilee Concerts series, in commemoration of His Highness the Aga Khan’s Diamond Jubilee. The brothers are among

India’s most respected composers, having scored more than 100 films including Kurbaan, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, Fashion, Band BaajaBaaraat, AajaNachle, and Heroine, plus many

Photo: DJ Baba

TV shows and records that incorporate cinematic, folk, electronica and Sufi influences. The show is presented by Social Development Inc. and Vision Consultants. Photo: DJ Baba

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Dowry death or murder? By GeetikaDang , Vani S. Kulkarni and RaghavGaiha*

EW DELHI, Mar 19 2018 (IPS) - Dowry deaths rose from about 19 per day in 2001 to 21 per day in 2016. It is indeed alarming that the rise in dowry deaths is unabated despite greater stringency of anti-dowry laws. In 1961, the Dowry Prohibition Act made giving and taking of dowry, its abetment or the demand for it an offence punishable with imprisonment and fine or without the latter. This was an abysmal failure as dowries became a nationwide phenomenon, replacing bride price. More stringent laws followed. The Criminal Law Amendment Act in 1983 inserted a new section (498A) to deal with persistent and grave instances of dowry demand and such offences were punishable with imprisonment extendable to three years. As cases of brutal harassment and dowry deaths continued to rise, another Act was passed in 1986, relating specifically to the offence of dowry death. Such deaths were punishable with imprisonment for a period not less than seven years, but may extend to life imprisonment. The Supreme

Court bench comprising Justices AltamasKabir and H.L. Gokhale, in their judgement (Durga Prasad &Anr vs State of MP) on 14 May 2010, rejected an appeal for dowry death on the grounds that, apart from the fact that the woman had died on account of burn or bodily injury, otherwise than under normal circumstances, within seven years of her marriage, it had also to be shown that soon before her death, she was subjected to cruelty or harassment by her husband or any relative of her husband for, or in connection with, any demand for dowry. Only then would such death be called a “dowry death” and such husband or relative shall be deemed to have caused the death of the woman concerned. It is of course arguable that establishing priority in time of cruelty against the female spouse before her death or “suicide”— alleged or otherwise—is yet another major and nearly insurmountable hurdle in punishing the perpetrators of dowry deaths. Conviction rates for dowry deaths at all-India level have hovered around a low of one-third of registered cases. In fact, the conviction rate was about

32% in 2001 and fell to about 30% in 2016, pointing to growing inefficiency of the judicial and police systems. Besides, in several states (notably Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Telangana), the conviction rates were abysmally low (10% or lower). Worse, in some of these states (notably, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh), there were sharp reductions from already low levels in 2001. The variation across states remained high in both years, suggesting that the gaps between high and low conviction rates were large. Media reports abound in bestiality towards a bride, with the natal family failing to comply with hugely inflated dowry demands and subsequent extortionary demands. As if daily humiliation, wife beating, torture, threats of bodily harm, and forced sex with male relatives were not ghastly enough, often brutal killings through wifeburning, or asphyxiation, and not infrequently through hired assassins follow in quick succession. The natal family is left a silent spectator constrained by tradition, custom, lack of resources for legal redressal and not least by perceived difficulty of marrying

another daughter. It is thus not an exaggeration that the distinction between dowry death and murder is blurry. New insights emerge from our econometric analysis of panel data of dowry deaths at the state level, constructed from the National Crime Records Bureau for the period 2001-2016, and other supplementary data from the RBI and the Census. This allows us to isolate the contributions of several factors including marriage squeeze (age adjusted ratio of females to males), state affluence, conviction rates, nature of political regime, and the Supreme Court judgement of 2010 to the variation in the incidence of dowry deaths (or ratio of dowry deaths to women’s population in a state). Marriage squeeze is used as a proxy for surplus of marriageable women over marriageable men or scarcity of the latter in a stylized marriage market. If there is a growing scarcity of such men in the marriage market, higher dowries are likely and so more dowry deaths may occur. Thus higher sex ratios result in more dowry deaths. The greater the affluence of a state, the higher was the incidence of dowry deaths. The effect of conviction is

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negative and significant, pointing to the important role of speedy convictions in lowering dowry deaths. We also examined whether coalitions of BJP and Congress governments at the state level were associated with dowry deaths. We find that both political regimes lowered dowry deaths, but with a larger reduction in BJP coalitions. Why coalition governments are more effective than regimes with one party needs further investigation. Finally, as dowry deaths are embedded in archaic community and family norms, and in a corrupt and ineffective judicial and police system, curbing of this heinous crime remains a daunting challenge. Whether the BetiBachaoBetiPadhao campaign is a likely solution is over-optimistic, if not reductionist. This story was originally published by Sunday Guardian * Geetika Dang is Independent Researcher, India; Vani S. Kulkarni is Lecturer in Sociology, University of Pennsylvania, USA; RaghavGaiha is (Hon) Professorial Research Fellow, Global Development Institute, University of Manchester, England.

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Pakistani film examines mindset of a dictator By SaroopIjaz

his morning a friend messaged me, worried that Human Rights Watch will be screening a documentary featuring Gen. Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan’s former military dictator, at its London film festival. “You might end up glorifying a criminal,” my friend warned. I assured my friend that Human Rights Watch’s position on Musharraf is clear – far from celebrating him, we want him to be prosecuted for the serious human rights violations that he both committed and was complicit in during his rule. Under Musharraf’s watch, the Pakistan government arbitrarily detained hundreds of critics and tortured alleged terrorism suspects. A number of opposition politicians were exiled, jailed, tortured, and murdered to enable his military rule from 1999 to 2008. Musharraf persistently undermined the right to free expression, attacking critical

media. He is also named as a primary suspect in the assassination of former

Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in 2007. The film, Insha’Allah

Democracy, was selected in part to remind people about Musharraf’s abuses and jumpstart a conversation about addressing them. The film follows its director, Mohammed Naqvi, as he votes during Pakistan’s past elections and has exclusive access to Musharraf. Musharraf’s answers to Naqvi’s questions provide a rare insight into the dictator’s mind. But it should not be confused with glorifying Musharraf. The film explores Pakistan’s history of military dictatorship and its fraught democratic experience. While Human Rights Watch does not endorse the contents of any of the films being screened, as Naqvi said, Insha’Allah Democracy is “critical of military rule and actually advocates Pakistan’s journey towards democracy.” For Pakistan to become a rights-respecting democracy it needs to face its past – including its military dictators. Investigating and fairly prosecuting Musharraf

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Musharraf’s answers to Naqvi’s questions provide a rare insight into the dictator’s mind. But it should not be confused with glorifying Musharraf. for his alleged crimes will send a clear message to Pakistan’s present and future leaders – that no matter how powerful you become, if you commit serious abuses you cannot escape accountability. Source: Human Rights Watch, March 7, 2018

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Bangladesh migrants in Italy

I am a migrant and I work in Rome

By Jordan McCord

OME, Mar 2 2018 (IPS) - – Mika, age 35, arrived in Italy five years ago from Bangladesh, and actually came to Rome on a flight in search of work for a better life. He now works alongside other Romans in the outdoor food market in Piazza San Cosimato in Trastevere, selling food products, such as pasta, olive oil, spices and after dinner liquors, mostly from southern Italy. He is well versed in their ingredients, origins in Puglia and preparation process. He is there every day and feels good about the life he has created here. Migrants from Bangladesh are on nearly on every corner in the center of Rome. They work in alimentari (small grocery shops), trinket shops, restaurants or in outdoor markets like Mika does. Some walk around the city selling hand held gadgets, umbrellas or jewelry. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) the stabilization of the Bangladeshi population is ongoing and as of 2016, nearly 54 percent of the 142,403 Bangladeshi migrants in the country hold EU long term residence permits. “Although my name is Mika, in Italy my name is Michele,” he says, adding “ I am a migrant and I work in Rome”. He attended Italian language school when he first arrived and lives near the Piazza with several other workers from Bangladesh in a three-bedroom apartment. One stall away is one of his compatriots who is still learning Italian. His Roman co-worker corrects his grammar as he loads mandarins into a basket. They take turns serving customers from all angles of the open stall as the market fills up during its late morning rush. “There is no work for me in Bangladesh, but here there is,” Mika says. Uddin, 33 has found it too, at a Korean restaurant near Piazza Vittorio where he works six days a week. He has been in Rome for nearly four years and hopes to move his wife and two young

A stall selling regional food specialties on a Piazza in Rome. Photo: Jordan McCord children here from Comilla, Bangladesh, within the next few years. He manages to put aside about 500 euros per month from the money he earns at his job to send to them at the end of each month. “I came to Italy for a better future and I plan to stay,” he said. Before relocating to Rome, Uddin lived in South Korea where he studied, and then in England where he worked for a short time. He recently obtained his stay permit in Italy. The communities of these migrants are especially tightly knit at the outdoor market in one of the most vibrant and historically important areas of the city, Campo de Fiori square. Some migrants work for other Italians, managing the stalls for them. Many mentioned having tight working relationships with the Italian owners who entrust them with a great deal of responsibility in running their business. This is a well-known characteristic of Italian culture, the importance of interpersonal relationships in work life. This interdependence between migrants and Italians favors both parties and might not prove as easy to find in other European cultures. Here, Romano, also from

Bangladesh, has lived in Rome for 19 years. Now in his fifties, he runs his own stall where he sells Italian food products that arrive from Milan and Torino. He has studied these products meticulously over the years which has been the key to his success. Romano lives just outside of the Italian capital and likes the day to day life in the city. I like Italy, especially Rome, not so much for the history but for its culture, habits and its people. Life and the people in Rome are just fine” he says. Being here for nearly two decades, he is able to follow the Italian model in entrusting another close friend to work for him, Jewel, 30. He arrived in Rome just two years ago and works at Romano’s stall, pouring samples of oils and liquors for tourists to taste. His daily work and interaction with customers is steadily improving his knowledge of the Italian language and his expertise on the products he sells. Jewel came to Italy alone from the town of Brahmanbaria in eastern Bangladesh. His parents as well as sister and brother are still living there. Working at the market he earns 35 euros per day, six days a week.

Known as ‘angels’, the migrants from Bangladesh spring to action to protect Romans from the first drops of rain. Photo: Jordan McCord Many migrants from Bangladesh also take on unusual working shifts that wouldn’t normally attract Italian workers. These migrants occupy shifts on Sundays or throughout the whole month of August when locals go on vacation for the Italian holiday of Ferragosto. Arif, who arrived in Rome six years ago works in a tourist shop in the centre of the city, Trastevere. The shop sells postcards, figurines and other trinkets. Although he claims to earn less than seven euros an hour, which is the standard minimum salary determined by unions in Italy, he works daily just to keep an income coming to him. “I felt very good and happy when I arrived in Rome, he said. “I always see the light in the city, along the streets which is different than in my country. Even if there is chaos with trams, buses and traffic, I always see the light.” He doesn’t have any family back in Bangladesh and plans to continue building his life here. He lives with several roommates nearby in an apartment in the Monteverde area. While Arif is an employee in the shop, just down the street, Tanzil owns a stall that sells Italian and Roman items. His parents

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Many migrants from Bangladesh also take on unusual working shifts that wouldn’t normally attract Italian workers. helped him to purchase the stall nearly 20 years ago where they now sell items like handbags and t-shirts, marketing these in areas with a lot of pedestrians like Via Lungaretta in Trastevere. Like Tanzil, long term residence in Italy have helped other migrants to be independent of their Italian employers and facilitated intra-EU mobility (IOM) which is a bonus that these migrants seek. “We are open every day until about 10p.m., even on Sundays,” he said. “I’ve been here since I was little, so now Rome is my home.”

south asia 28 South Asia Timestimes

finance

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Which Insurance Policy Is Best For You? – Part 2 BY Balki Balakrishnan

ontinuing on from the March 2018 article in this newspaper, we will explore the advantages and disadvantages of Retail Risk Insurance compared to Group Risk Insurance. ‘Retail’ insurance is a product offered by an insurer, often designated as retail insurers, to the life insured. The policies are channeled via Financial Advisors and are obtained after receiving proper insurance advice, and after a comprehensive underwriting (medicals) process. You thus purchase a product after due diligence. As a Financial Advisor I speak to a lot of clients who believe they have adequate and the right types of insurance in their super. What they do not realize is that the Group Insurance offered through a super fund may not provide adequate, and appropriate types, and levels of cover to an individual. So, what is the best insurance policy for you? Is group insurance you have within your super fund enough for your needs? Should you need to seriously consider retail insurance or a combination of both group and retail insurance policies? These questions are best answered by a Financial Advisor as the needs and requirements differ from individual to individual. Here are a few advantages of insuring yourself with retail insurers. Under retail insurance, the Life & Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) cover amounts are fixed at the time of taking the insurance. You can then opt to increase the sum insured every year without having to undergo

medicals. In group insurance, especially when the cover is unit based, the sum insured decreases as you age and therefore will not keep with inflation. The cover amounts therefore could become irrelevant to your particular situation. In general, with Life & TPD, the covers will cease at the age of 99 or more when you are insured with retail insurers whereas the covers will cease at 70 with group insurance. With retail insurers, the Life, TPD & Income Protection cover definitions and features are not tied to your employment and your balance in super, as long as the premiums are paid. With group insurance though, your covers may be tied to your current employment with an employer and also you may need to maintain a minimum super balance and contributions to keep the covers in force. This is a significant disadvantage with group insurance for people who move from one employer to another often. What if you have preexisting medical conditions at the time of applying for cover? When you are insured by a retail insurer you need to go through a thorough under writing (medicals and financials) process. Any preexisting medicals

conditions found during this process may be excluded or you may be charged higher premiums for the covers. Therefore, your chances of a successful claim is very high when you make a claim on your insurance with the retail insurer because the insurer has entered into an insurance contract with you after checking all the relevant facts. In contrast, with group insurance, the outcome on a claim will be uncertain as you do not normally go through such a thorough underwriting process and therefore your claim may be rejected because of a pre-existing condition. This is a significant factor you should consider when choosing between group and retail insurances. We have seen in the previous articles that TPD covers are offered under ‘any occupation’ and ‘own occupation’ definitions. TPD cover under ‘own occupation’ definition can be offered only outside super environment and by retail insurers. Most of the retail insurers link these two definitions such that your personal cash outflow is minimized. TPD ‘own occupation’ definition offers better certainty of favorable outcome on a claim compared to ‘any occupation’ definition cover and is highly recommended for professionals. In regards to Life & linked

TPD covers, typically the life cover will be reduced by the payout amount on a TPD payout. Most of the retail insurers offer a buy-back feature which ensure that the original Life sum insured is restored automatically after a defined number of days have elapsed from the date of disability. You don’t have to go through another underwriting process. This automatic buy-back feature is not generally available with group insurance. Typically the definition under which TPD is paid out on a claim when you are unemployed does not change with retail insurance. Mostly the TPD definition will change under group insurance if you are unemployed for a certain period of time at the time you make a claim. The definitions will become stricter and thus reduce your odds of receiving the benefit. In regards to Income Protection, you may opt for a benefit period to age 70 if due to illness or injury you are unable to work in your occupation under a retail insurance policy. This feature will become critical to have when you are afflicted by a permanent disability which will make you unable to do your job. A group insurance policy may not offer a benefit period of this length. A claim under retail income protection insurance

will be paid out if you are totally disabled for a certain number of days consecutively anytime during the waiting period and totally or partially disabled the reminder of the waiting period. The total and partial disability definitions are normally stricter under group insurance policies thus making it that much harder to make a successful claim. What are the disadvantages of retail insurance? Mostly retail covers are more expensive than group covers albeit with better features. You have to go through a more detailed advice, application and underwriting (medical and financial) process which could take anywhere between 4-6 weeks to finalize. The purpose however here is that ultimately you and your family have the appropriate types and levels of cover with features you deem important in insurance covers. You also increase the chances for a successful outcome on a claim in the future which is absolutely critical and is the very purpose of insuring yourself. There are myriad of advantages when you insure yourself with retail insurers. Each and every one of your situations and needs will be unique in nature. There are also numerous retail insurers with niche products and unique features. The purpose of personal risk insurance is to secure peace of mind and increase certainty of financial outcomes when making a claim. Therefore, you should seriously consider taking expert adviceto deal with the complexity involved in taking insurance covers. As a result of an expert advice, you will have appropriate insurance covers that protect you and your loved ones and help you to secure your financial future. Be wise, be prepared!

Opes Financial Solutions Pty Ltd trading as Opes Financial Planning ACN618 122 795 is an Authorised Representative of Merit Wealth Pty Ltd AFSL 409361. Balki Balakrishnan

Director | Financial Advisor Authorised Representative Number: 409415 Merit Wealth Pty Ltd. AFSL No: 409361 M: 0419 506 560

This article contains information that is general in nature. It does not take into account the objectives, financial situation or needs of any particular person. You need to consider your financial situation and needs before making any decisions based on this information. Please contact us at 0419 506 560 if you want more information or need to review your insurance covers.

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southSouth asia times 29 Asia Times

Bangladesh: The riptides underlying the students' antireservation protests By Ziauddin Choudhury

HAKA: A looming crisis of a countrywide political movement started by university students over the service quota system seems to have been averted by a bold move by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She has taken the wind out of the sail of the movement by declaring her decision to end the quota system altogether, albeit in a sentimental but effective way. Her decision may have taken everyone by surprise, even the protesting students, as the decision went above and beyond their call. They wanted reform of the system, not an end to it. The system benefited not just the freedom fighters and their descendants, but also women and under-privileged classes. It remains to be seen how a total termination of a system that has been around for four decades would impact the country, and how the decision will be implemented. The decision may halt a potentially bigger political outburst of a national scale ignited by an issue that affects a small segment of the population (people seeking government jobs), but it still does not answer the question why such marginal issues morph into national movements. An immediate reason for the student protests is the perceived unfairness of the quota system in government service that favours highly disproportionate reservation for the freedom fighters and their descendants. But this may not be enough to explain the ability of the students to attract thousands of protesters to their cause in a matter of hours all across the country, unless there are deeper undercurrents. These undercurrents do not happen overnight. The countrywide unrest over this issue is just the tip of the iceberg. There are riptides that may lie deep under these currents. A history of protest Historically, mass movements have been caused by seething anger and unrest over political

rights such as freedom of speech, voting rights, and resistance to autocratic powers. Many times such resentments lie dormant but can surface only when triggered by some mistaken policies or missteps by the government. Such missteps may occur from neglecting early signs of trouble, or inability to handle an incident that affects general public. The people movement, and later revolution, in Tunisia in 2011 were triggered by the symbolic suicide of a small shopkeeper. In an effort to escape the suffocating unemployment that was rampant in Tunisia, this young man had started a shop, which was raided and destroyed by the police on charges of a lack of license. In protest, the young man committed suicide by burning himself in the public square. His death by burning spread like wildfire which was simmering from galloping economic disparity, uncontrolled corruption, and graft among politicians. Soon, the political storm would engulf the whole country. The rest, as we know, is history. Next came the well-known Tahrir Square protests in Egypt and the birth of the so-called Arab Spring. The Arab Spring may have wound up as the Arab Winter, but it is worthwhile

to remember how a small group of students assembled via social media grew into a massive national movement. It was able to mobilize not only students but also people from all strata of the social spectrum, including the mighty army that threw its lot with the people in the streets. The movement was able to not only dislodge the Hosni Mubarak powerhouse, but also dismantle a political coterie characterized by rampant corruption that Hosni Mubarak and his predecessors had built in the name of national integrity over four decades. Pity the old army-backed politics is seemingly poised for a rerun, but it does not alter the historical turnaround of 2011 in Egypt which was triggered initially by a small group of people. There are several other such incidents that occurred in the last decade in several parts of the world that were started by seemingly innocuous gathering of people There are several other such incidents that occurred in the last decade in several parts of the world that were started by seemingly innocuous gathering of people after an incident or some form of protest that gained strength to make a wider impact and develop into national movement. The incidents initiated by small groups brought together other larger groups

and galvanized them into action by providing them a common platform of protests and nationwide campaign. The incidents helped to bring into fore grievances against authority that were not addressed before and people felt neglected. These grievances may be economic, political, social, or simply personal. There is no reason to draw any parallel between the student protests which took place recently in Bangladesh and those which happened in the Middle East nearly a decade ago. But there are lessons that our government may take from previous unrests among the youth elsewhere. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the economy The students who wanted a reform of the quota system wanted so because they felt marginalized in an economy where job prospects had become elusive with a system not allowing fair competition. According to a report of Economist Intelligence Unit of the Economist (2015) nearly 50% of college graduates in Bangladesh remained unemployed. A quota system turns job prospect further into an illusion. Added to this is the frustration of the common man to be able to access services in the country which are supposed to help him. Be this in law enforcement, recourse to justice, education, or

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health. A pervasive system of graft, political favours, and nepotism has kept these away from the reach of the common man. And this happens when the authorities who control these institutions that provide the services remain unaccountable to people. When the politics of a country becomes difficult because changes cannot be brought about in a transparent manner, people take extreme recourse. These extreme measures are sudden upsurge of sporadic movements from apparently simple or even non-political issues which appeal to a broader swath of public opinion and morph into bigger movement of a political change. The issue of quota-based services may die down for now because of a bold political move by the PM, but it may not immune the country from other political movements in the future demanding redress of the grievances. In a democratic country, such grievances are better addressed by elections where people participate freely to send those to the legislature who they think understand their problems and are well suited to serve them. We will not require a patchwork solution of our problems and solve them on a retail basis if we have a parliament of legislators who are truly representative of our people. By removing the quota system, we may remove only one obstacle for your youth. A more fundamental approach would be to build an economy that attracts investment and creates opportunities of employment. This investment will come from more transparency in our governance, restoration of rule of law, and establishing democratic practices. We hope the upcoming elections will lead us that way. Only the promise of fair elections can remove the perils of any riptide underlying the latest student protests. Ziauddin Choudhury has worked in the higher civil service of Bangladesh early in his career, and later for the World Bank in the US. Courtesy: Dhaka Tribune, April 16, 2018.

South Asia Times south asia community 32 South Asia Timestimes

quick community guide Radio GUIDE

www.ekantipur.com/en THE RISING NEPAL: www.nepalnews.com.np

SBS Radio's South Asian

SUNDAY Language Programs Hindi..................................9 am to 10 am – 93.1 FM BANGLA Urdu................................10 am to 11 am – 93.1 FM Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 Tamil...............................11 am to 12 pm – 93.1 FM Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBS Radio 2 Hindi.................................8 pm to 10 pm – 88.3 FM Monday & Saturday Singhalese.......................8 pm to 11 pm –97.7 FM 6-7 PM GUJARATI MONDA Y Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 Hindi....................................3 to 4 pm – 93.1 FM Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBSPm Radio Bengali...............................4 pm to 5 pm – 93.1 FM Wednesday & Friday 4-5 PM Hindi...................................6 pm to 8 pm – 88.3 FM Indian (Fiji)..................................6 pm to 8 pm 88.3 HINDI Punjabi........................1 1 am to 12 Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 noon 92.3 FM Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBS Radio 2

Daily TUESDAY 5 PM Hindi..................................... 6 am to 8 am – 97.7 FM Hindi.................................... 2 pm to 4 pm – 97.7 FM kannada Sydney SBS Radio 3

Melbourne SBS Radio 3 WEDNESDAY Tuesday 3-4 PM Hindi.................................... .6 am to 8 am – 97.7 FM Hindi......................................... 12 to 1 pm – 93.1 FM Nepali Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS1Radio 2 12 pm - 92.3 FM Punjabi............................ 1 am to Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBS Radio Hindi................................... .8 pm to 92pm – 97.7 FM Saturday & Sunday 4-5 PM

THURSDAY PUNJABI Hindi............................... 5.30 am to 7 am – 97.7 FM Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 9 pm – 92.3 FM Tamil.................................... 8 pm to Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBS Radio 2 Sinhalese.......................... Monday & Saturday 1 1 pm to 3 am –92.3 FM Punjabi............................. 9 pm to 10 pm – 93.1 FM 9-10 PM SINHALESE FRIDAY Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 Indian.................................. .8 am to 92am – 88.3 FM Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBS Radio Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri

11AM-12 PM SATURDAY Sinhalese............................ 7 am to 8 am – 92.3 FM TAMIL TSydney amil..................................... 12-12.30 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 pm – 88.3 FM Indian.................................... 5 am to 62am - 92.3 FM Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBS Radio Sun, Mon, Wed, Sat Punjabi.......................................... 12-2 am – 92.3 FM 8-9 PM Indian................................ 9 pm to 10 pm – 92.3 FM Punjabi.................................................. 11 pm to 1 am urdu Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio24/7 2 Radio stations Melbourne FM & SBS Radio (Subscription) 2 Indian Link93.1 Radio Wednesday & Sunday 18000 15 8 47 6-7 PM Radio Santa Banta (Internet) Santabanta.com.au WORLD NEWS AUSTRALIA RADIO SydneyJhankar 1107AM88.6 & SBSFM; Radio 1 Thursday; 8 to Radio Every Melbourne 1224AM & SBS Radio 1 10 pm; Contact: 94668900 or 0411247320 or Monday & Friday 9404 2111 6-7 am & 6-7 PM

South Asian websiteS India TEHELKA – www.tehelka.com OUTLOOK – www.outlookindia.com FRONTLINE- www.flonnet.com THE HINDU: www.hinduonnet.com TIMES OF INDIA: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com HINDUSTAN TIMES: www.hindustantimes.com Pakistan DAWN: www.dawn.com THE FRIDAY TIMES: www.thefridaytimes.com THE NEWS INTERENATIONAL: www.thenews.com.pk Sri Lanka DAILY MIRROR: www.dailymirror.lk DAILY NEWS: www.dailynews.lk THE ISLAND: www.island.lk Nepal THE HIMALAYAN TIMES: www.thehimalayantimes.com KANTIPUR NATIONAL DAILY:

PLACES OF WORSHIP HINDU Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple 57 Boundary Rd, Carrum Downs, Melbourne, Vic 3201, Ph: 03 9782 0878; Fax: 03 9782 0001 Website: www.hsvshivavishnu.org.au Sri Vakratunda Vinayaka Temple 1292 - 1294, The Mountain Highway, The Basin, Vic 3154, Ph: 03 9792 1835 Melbourne Murugan Temple 17-19 Knight Ave., Sunshine VIC 3020 Ph: 03 9310 9026 Durga Temple (Durga Bhajan Mandali) Neales Road, Rockbank, Vic 3335 Ph: 03 9747 1628 or Mobile: 0401 333 738 Hare Krishna (ISKCON) Temple 197 Danks Street, Middle Park Vic 3206 Ph: (03) 9699 5122 Email: 100237.354@compuserve.com Hare Krishna New Nandagram Rural Community Oak Hill, Dean’s Marsh Rd., Bambra VIC 3241, Ph: (052) 887383 Fax: (052) 887309 Kundrathu Kumaran Temple 139 Gray Court, ROCKBANK Victoria 3335 Ph: 03-9747 1135 or M: 0450 979 023 http://www.kumarantemple.org.au/

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SHEPPARTON Gurdwara Sahib Shepparton 240 Doyles Road, Shepparton VICTORIA 3603 PH: (03) 5821 9309

JAIN Melbourne Shwetambar Jain Sangh Inc 3 Rice Street, Moorabbin, Vic - 3189, Australia. Phone: +61 3 9555 2439 info@melbournejainsangh.org http://www.melbournejainsangh.org

Melbourne West Mosque 66-68 Jeffcott Street, Melbourne Ph: 03 9328 2067

Indian Consulate Address: 344, St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia P.O. Box No: 33247 Domain LPO Vic 3004 Consular Enquiries: +61-3-9682 5800 (9.30am-12.30noon only) General Enquiries (other than Consular): +61-3- 9682 7836 Fax No:+ 61-3- 9696 8251 Email: consular@cgimelb.org Web site: www.cgimelb.org

Broadmeadows Mosque 45-55 King Street, Broadmeadows Ph 03 9359 0054 Islamic Call Society 19 Michael Street, Brunswick Ph: 03 9387 7100 Islamic Centre of Australia 660 Sydney Road, Brunswick Ph 03 9385 8423

Indian Consulate Consular services are handled by VFS Global Visa / Passport / PCC / IDLV / PIO / OCI services contact VFS +61 2 8223 9909. Address: Part 4 Suite, Level 12, 55 Swanston Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Site : www.vfsglobal.com/india/australia/

Australian Islamic Cultural Centre 46-48 Mason Street, Campbellfield Ph: 03 9309 7605 Coburg ISNA Mosque 995 Sydney Road, Coburg North

Services handled by Indian Consulate Melbourne itself: OCI Misc. services, Registration of Birth, Birth Certificate, Renunciation of Indian Citizenship, Surrender of Indian Passport, New Passport Details on PIO, Transfer of Valid Visas, Marriage Certificate, Affidavit for Applying Child’s Passport in India, Documents Attestation.)

Coburg Mosque (Fatih Mosque) 31 Nicholson Street, Coburg Ph 03 9386 5324 Deer Park Mosque 283 Station Road, Deer Park Ph 03 9310 8811 United Migrant Muslim Assn. 72 George Road, Doncaster Ph 03 9842 6491, Footscray West Mosque 294 Essex Street, Footscray

SIKH

Heidelberg Mosque Corner Lloyd & Elloits Streets, West Heidelberg

CRAIGIEBURN Sri Guru Singh Sabha 344 Hume Highway, Craigieburn VICTORIA 3164 (see map), Ph: (03) 9305 6511 KEYSBOROUGH Gurdwara Sri Guru Granth Sahib 198 -206 Perry Road, Keysborough VICTORIA 3073 (see map) LYNBROOK Nanaksar Taath, 430 Evans Road, Lynbrook VICTORIA 3975, (03) 9799 1081 HOPPERS CROSSING Sri Guru Nanak Satsang Sabha 417 Sayers Road, Hoppers Crossing VICTORIA 3029, Ph: (03) 9749 2639 WERRIBEE Gurdwara Sahib Werribee 560 Davis Road, Tarneit VICTORIA 3029 PH: (03) 8015 4707

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INDIAN CONSULATE

MUSLIM

Sankat Mochan Temple 1289 A North Road. Huntingdale Morning: 10.30 am – 12.30 pm daily Evening: 4:30 pm – 8.00 pm daily Site: http: www.sankatmochan.org.au Contact: 0427 274 462

BLACKBURN Sri Guru Nanak Satsang Sabha 127 Whitehorse Road, Blackburn VICTORIA 3130, Ph: (03) 9894 1800

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Glenroy Musala 1st Floor, 92 Wheatsheaf Road, Glenroy

Islamic College of Victoria (Mosque) 201 Sayers Road, Hoppers Crossing Ph 03 9369 6010 Huntingdale Mosque 320-324 Huntingdale Road, Huntingdale Ph 03 9543 8037

HIGH COMMISSION FOR PAKISTAN,CANBERRA

Al Nur Mosque 34-36 Studley Street, Maidstone Meadow Heights Mosque Hudson Circuit, Meadow Heights

4 Timbarra Crescent, O’Malley ACT 2606 (Australia), Tel: 61-2-62901676, 61-2-62901676, 62902769, 62901879 & 62901031, Fax: 61-262901073 Email: parepcanberra@internode. on.net, Postal Address: PO Box 684, Mawson ACT 2607 (Australia)

Springvale Mosque 68 Garnworthy Street, Springvale

EMERGENCY CONTACTS EMERGENCY CONTACTS Police, Fire & Abulance ........................ Victoria State Emergency Service (SES)....................................... Traffic hazards and freeway conditions..........................

Student Welfare Officer in the Indian Consulate Melbourne Consulate General of India, Melbourne Address: 344, St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC – 3000 Phone: 03-96826203 Fax: 03-96968251 Email: cgo@cgimelb.org Website: www.cgimelb.orgExternal website that opens in a new window Contact person for Students welfare: Mr. Nirmal K. Chawdhary Designation: Deputy Consul General Mobile: 0430020828

Sri Lanka Consulate 000

132 500 13 11 70

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Suite 536, No 1 Queens Road, Melbourne VIC 3004 Telephone: +61 3 9290 4200 Fax: +61 3 9867 4873 Email:mail@slcgmel.org Web: http://www.slcgmel.org

southSouth asia times 33 Asia Times

quick community guide

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VIEW POINT

South Asia Times

contd from previous page Bangladesh High Commission, Canberra 43, Culgoa Circuit, O’Malley, ACT-2606 Canberra, Australia, Ph: (61-2) 6290-0511, (61-2) 6290-0522, (61-2)6290-0533 (Auto hunting). Fax : (61-2) 6290-0544 E-Mail :hoc@bhcanberra.com

Consulate of Nepal, Melbourne Email: cyonzon@nepalconsulate.net.au Level 7, 28-32 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, Ph: (03) 9650 8338 Email: info@nepalconsulate.net.au

TV GUIDE SBS1 – Daily NDTV News - 11:05 am - Monday to Saturday. (From New Delhi, India). Urdu news SBS1 - PTV News – 9.30 am - Every Sunday – (From Pakistan).

SOUTH ASIAN Garments Roshan’s Fashions 68-71 Foster Street, Dandenong, Vic 3175 Ph: (03) 9792 5688

Travel Agents Gaura Travels 1300 FLY INDIA or 1300 359 463 info@gauratravel.com.au Travel House 284 Clayton Road, Clayton 3168 Ph: (03) 95435123, Mobile: 0425803071 mail@travelhouse.com.au

lAWYERS

MLG Lawyers Ronny Randhawa 144 Sydney Road, Coburg Vic Ph 9386 0204 & 138 Walker Street, Dandenong Vic Ph: 9793 9917 Mobile : 0402 256 712 Vera Lawyers Kusum Vaghela Level 1, Suite 2, 373 Lonsdale Street, Dandenong Vic, Mobile: 0433 827 124

Jewellery Bhadra Laxman Jewellers 22ct Gold Jewellery / Silver Pooja (03) 9846 7661

Raj Rani Creations 83-A Foster Street, Dandenong, Vic 3175 Ph: (03) 9794 9398 desi estyle 76 Foster St., Dandenong 3175 (03) 87744853; 0413707685 Heritage India 54-56 Foster Street, Dandenong, Vic 3175, Ph: (03) 9791 9227 Site: heritageindia.net.au

DVDs, Music CDs & Film Stuff Baba Home Entertainment 52C Foster St., Dandenong 3175, (03) 97067252

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south asia LETTER FROM SYDNEY 34 South Asia Timestimes

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Sydney celebrates its first Vaisakhi of 2018 amid great fanfare

By Ashok Kumar*

YDNEY, 13 April: The city celebrated its first Vaisakhi function of 2018 onSunday April 8 at Ryde Civic Hall amid a galaxy of Ministers, MPs and invitees. The celebration was led by National Sikh Council of Australia President Mr. Ajmer Singh Gill and Secretary Mr. Bawa Singh Jagdev. The attendance was by invitations only and the hall was still packed to its capacity. The event was organised with the support of Federation of Indian Associations of NSW, Mr. AmrinderBajwa,

Mr. GurcharanKahlon and Mr.Baljinder Singh. Mr. Bawa presented a brief on the Vaisakhi and talked about the events that led to the creation of KhalsaPanth in 1699. Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb was at his peak and continued to commit atrocities on the Hindu population, He ordered them to either convert to Islam or pay tax (jazzia). A lot of them agreed to convert but one saint Guru Teg Bahadur prefered death to converting to Islam. He was beheaded and later died at Chandni Chowk in Delhi after carrying his head on a platter. Gurudwara Sis

Ganj has been erected in his honour at the place. His son Guru Gobind Singh then asked Hindu families to send their eldest son to join his army in order t0 fight Mughal forces. Thus, the KhalsaPanth was born. The handful Army thus formed succeeded in overpowering Aurangzebâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s large army led by Nawab Wazir Khan atChamkaur, thereby weakening the Mughal empire. The harvesting festival used to be celebrated with gaiety and fervour all over Punjab and the Indian Sub-continent. With the creation of KhalsaPanth on Vaisakhi Day it added

a new dimension to the festival. On Vaisakhi day in 1699, Guru Gobind Singh summoned Sikhs from all over India to the city of Anandpur Sahib. At this gathering, the Guru called upon Sikhs to uphold their faith and preserve the Sikh religion. Guru Gobind Singh then lifted his sword and asked that anyone prepared to give his life for his faith to come forward. There was a big silence, but the Guru went on repeating his demand. One Sikh finally came forward and followed the Guru into a tent. Shortly after, the Guru reappeared alone with his sword covered in blood, and asked for a second volunteer. Another Sikh stepped forward and again the Guru took him into the tent, and re-appeared alone with his sword covered with blood. This was repeated until five Sikhs had offered their heads for the Guru. Finally, the Guru emerged from the tent with all five men dressed piously in blue. Guru Gobind Singh called the five Sikhs the PanjPyare, the Five Beloved Ones. There is another dimension to the festival. On this day, Gen. Reginald Dyer massacred peaceful people gathered to celebrate the festival in the JallianwalaBagh, Amritsar. This marked the beginning of the end of British Raj in India. For people of Punjab, the festival is their traditional solar new year, a harvest festival and they may visit temples, meet friends and party over festive foods.

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On Vaisakhi, Gurdwaras are decorated and hold satsangs Sikhs visit and bathe in lakes or rivers before visiting local Gurdwaras, community fairs and nagarkirtan processions are held, and people gather to socialise and share festive foods. The Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s event saw colourful, energetic tip toeing folk dances by various groups, especially, the fusion dance of South Indian and Punjabi folk. Even the MPs could be seen gyrating to the music. The MPs led by Federal MP Julie Owens from Parramatta and Ms. Michelle Rowland from Greenway. The NSW Mps led by Minister Victor Dominello, who became nostalgic and recounted how as a child he learnt from his father about the culture and today I am seeing a different culture and learning about it. Jodi McKay, MP for Strathfield said everybody was in their colourful best and Dr.Yadu Singh was not recognisable in a Pagri. Geoff Lee, MP for Parramatta paid glowing tributes to the young dancers. Michelle Rowland mentioned about a book on Guru Gobind Singh that was presented to her and she read the book thoroughly. Ms. Julia Finn, MP from Granville said she loved the celebrations. Dr.Yadu Singh presented the vote of Thanks, appreciating the presence of guests and thanked all VIPs, Media and special guests. Pure vegetarian Punjabi food was served by Shandar caterers. *The Editor, The Indian Subcontinent Times, Sydney.

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LITERATURE

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southSouth asia times 35 Asia Times

Penguin India announce the publicationof ‘The Runaways’ by Fatima Bhutto in Oct. 2018 By SAT News Desk

EW DELHI: After her bestselling memoir Songs of Blood and Sword, and her highly acclaimed debut novel The Shadow of the Crescent Moon (which was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction), Fatima Bhutto is back with an explosive new work of fiction: The Runaways. ‘Fatima Bhutto’s new novel is born out of very contemporary concerns, and her characters are absorbingly complex—from a young woman struggling to better her prospects to a young man tormented by homosexual urges he strives

to suppress. Readers are going to be shocked and moved by what she has to say.’ Ambar Sahil Chatterjee, Commissioning Editor, Penguin Random House India. ‘Fatima’s new novel does not shy away from disturbing truths about the world we live in today, and her skills as a storyteller are at their peak. To say I am excited about The Runaways is a huge understatement!’ Meru Gokhale, Editor-inChief, Literary Publishing, Penguin Random House India. From the slums of Karachi to the nightlife of London, from the dockyards of Portsmouth to the deserts

of Mosul, this sweeping novel delves into burning questions about modern Muslim identity in a world aflame with violence. Anita Rose lives in a concrete block in one of Karachi’s biggest slums, languishing in poverty with her mother and older brother. Determined to escape her stifling circumstances, she struggles to educate herself, scribbling down English words—gleaned from watching TV or taught by her elderly neighbour—in her most prized possession: a glossy red notebook. All the while she is aware that a larger destiny awaits her. On the other side of

Karachi lives Monty, whose father owns half the city. But Monty wants more than fast cars and easy girls. When the rebellious Layla joins his school, he knows his life will never be the same again. And far away in

Portsmouth, Sunny fits in nowhere. It is only when he meets his charismatic, suntanned cousin Oz— whose smile makes Sunny feel found—that that he realizes his true purpose. These three disparate lives will cross paths in the middle of a desert, a place where life and death walk hand-in-hand, and where their closely guarded secrets will force them to make a terrible choice. Fatima Bhutto says, “‘Penguin India has been my home for the past ten years and I am thrilled that my new novel—a book very close to my heart—will be published by them this October.”

digital world

Is there data privacy & protection to poor customers?

By Matthew Soursourian and Michael Joyce*

ASHINGTON DC, Apr 9 2018 (IPS) - Research increasingly demonstrates that poor customers, just like other customers, value their privacy and care deeply about the protection of their personal data. But what do providers think about obtaining, using, storing and sharing personally identifiable information? Last year, CGAP interviewed 26 innovative and data-centric financial services providers in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa, including banks, mobile money providers and companies that provide credit scoring and merchant services. We asked them what role customer data plays in their businesses and what they are doing to ensure the privacy and security of the data they collect. Here’s what we learned. Data are a guarded asset Providers often regard their data as a valuable competitive asset, and they take steps to protect it. Data regulations, where they exist, often drive these protective measures. But all providers have reason to invest in security due to the possibility of a data breach and the desire to preserve their competitive advantages. These drivers of business practices provide an opportunity for regulators to act because it means that incentives are aligned between providers and their

customers. For example, providers might be willing to accept more robust and potentially expensive data governance standards imposed by regulators if the benefits to them — safer digital assets — are emphasized. Data sharing is not as widespread as often assumed Despite the hype around big data’s potential to transform finance, we found that getting access to transactional, phone use or demographic information held by third parties (especially mobile network operators) remains a frustration for many young businesses. When mobile network operators do sell access, the prices may not be commercially feasible for startups. Some of the providers we spoke with have changed their business models due to pricing issues, decreasing their reliance on third-party data. Many firms also recognize that relying on a third-party source for data creates a risk for their business. The rise of smartphones represents

an opportunity to bypass reliance on the large datasets of established providers and obtain data directly from consumers. Communicating about privacy is not a priority Providers told us that communicating to customers about privacy does not rank highly on their list of priorities. Given customers’ limited attention span and the relative importance of communicating product value, instructions and pricing, privacy does not always rise to the top. Moreover, low literacy levels and mobile delivery already make it difficult to explain how a user’s data will be used. These findings support the idea of moving beyond a notice and consent model, which is based on the assumption that users understand how the provider intends to use their data. Limited data retention is not being considered Most of the providers we interviewed were not thinking about limiting data retention. In part, this may reflect the

fact that many of them are young companies. But it may also be because regulations are not always in place to force providers to develop official policies. Where data regulations do exist, some mandate that data be retained for only as long as necessary for the associated service. At the expiration of the retention period, firms must delete or anonymize the data. With the expansion of increasingly cheap data storage, firms may be less concerned about holding data longer than necessary unless regulations force them to destroy or anonymize. However, retention of data presents privacy and security risks. Many firms are start-ups and may be angling for acquisition by larger companies. In this case, customer records could be transferred to a separate business entity without the consent or even awareness of customers. Providers may need to think more carefully about data retention and the handling of data throughout the lifecycle of their businesses. Cross-sector data governance principles could provide value Although existing principles such as the GSMA Code of Conduct for Mobile Money Providers, the Smart Campaign and the Better Than Cash Alliance’s Responsible Digital Payments Guidelines cover elements of privacy, providers said they could benefit from a more focused set of voluntary standards related to privacy and data protection.

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Due to the growing trend of bundling financial services with other products, it may be more effective to develop standards that could apply to and be adopted by all types of data-centric service providers. These standards could also include principles related to data sharing and data standardization, which would enable new business models based on third-party data to operate responsibly. Some firms also emphasized the need for guidance on best practices in information security and privacy, including data retention. In sum, we see some disconnects between how strongly customers feel about their data and the way providers weigh privacy and protection concerns against other commercial objectives. At the same time, there are opportunities to improve data security by leveraging the motivation of providers to guard their competitive assets. As regulators develop stronger data protection frameworks, listening to providers’ perspectives can help them to identify potential “win-wins” and areas where stricter rules and principles are necessary to protect consumers. *The Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) is a global partnership of over 30 leading organizations, that develops innovative solutions through practical research and active engagement with financial service providers, policy makers, and funders; Matthew Soursourian and Michael Joyce, CGAP.

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MIGRATION

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For Many Migrants, No Land Is Sweeter Than Home By Rafiqul Islam Sarker

ANGPUR, Bangladesh, Apr 9 2018 (IPS) - Most migrants to Europe, Australia and the United States from Rangpur in northern Bangladesh leave home at a young age and return when they have just passed middle age. Intensely connected and immersed in family bonds and Bangladeshi cultural values, they tend to return to their birthplace despite obtaining citizenship from a second country. For them, going to these far flung places is about working hard to save money. And in the end, they want to come back home. Many are now well off and have enough funds to invest in business ventures in Rangpur and in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. This IPS correspondent recently met two such returnees – Rakibuzzaman and Golam Sarwar Habib. Both had migrated to Belgium in their youth and have now returned to Bangladesh in their middle age. Both of them enjoy dual citizenship of Bangladesh and Belgium. The stories of Rakibuzzaman and Habib tell us that wherever migrants go, they are looking for better incomes mainly to look after their families back home. Many return with newly acquired skills and invest in the economies of their home countries. Their contributions to host and home countries are immense and help economies on both sides. Rakibuzzaman, 54, of Senpara area in Rangpur city, 300 km north of the capital, now runs a large restaurant and a readymade garments shop in Dhap area of the city. Rakibuzzaman spoke to IPS about how he passed his days in anguish and agony in Belgium without his parents and relatives who he left behind in Bangladesh for more than twenty years. The third of six siblings, Rakib was brought up in an extended family. His father was an inspector in the Bangladesh police force. He completed a Secondary School Certificate (equivalent to O levels) from Rangpur Zila School in 1982. From early childhood, he dreamt about going to a European country with a view to earning money.

Golam Sarwar Habib left Bangladesh for Belgium in 1991 after graduating from university when he was 27. He now owns this shopping mall in the Jahaj Company area of Rangpur, among other investments. Credit: Rafiqul Islam Sarker/IPS “To go to a European country was not as difficult in the 1990s as it is nowadays,” Rakib told IPS. He left Bangladesh for Germany in 1986 with a visit visa and stayed there for one year. Then in 1987, he moved to Belgium and worked at a chemical factory in Ghent, a port city in the northwest, for almost four years. “I found business to be more profitable than the job in Ghent and therefore opened up a shop in the city and ran the business profitably for about 17 years,” said Rakib. “There was hardly a day in Belgium that passed without recalling my sweet memories in Bangladesh,” he said, adding, “We had no telephone connection with my home in Bangladesh and communication with my relatives in Bangladesh from Belgium was very expensive. I could talk to my mother over the phone only once a week.” Rakib’s mother eagerly waited for him to call at the house of a neighbor every weekend. “I felt the absence of my parents and relatives badly during my stay in Belgium,” Rakib said, adding that he was always anxious to get some news on Bangladesh every day but Bangladeshi newspapers were not available in Belgium. The Belgian government confirmed his citizenship after four years of living there. After getting his passport, he traveled to Bangladesh to meet his parents and relatives. “I can’t explain how I felt on the day I arrived in Bangladesh from Belgium in 1996. On arrival at Saidpur airport, I wished I could kiss its soil,” said Rakib. “I spent one month with

my family and having me at home, my family’s joy was endless. It was a festive period for one month. As soon as I left Bangladesh for Belgium, my parents and family members fell back into deep pathos. Departure from Bangladesh for me was painful too. Despite the pain I never lost sight of what I had as a life in Belgium.” Rakib could not bury his mother nor his father after their deaths within a span of ten years. In both cases, he arrived at his home in Rangpur city a week following their deaths. And in Bangladesh, like in many countries, those of Islamic faith must bury the departed within 24 hours. It is his greatest sadness in life that he could not be there to bury his parents and Rakib says he still haunted by guilt. “My elder sister who was a lawyer in Rangpur court also died during my stay in Belgium,” he said. “I could not attend her funeral in the country because I was heavily engaged in the business in Ghent in those days.” In 1998, he married Momotaz Zaman of Rangpur and managed to organize her travel to Belgium after three months. They now have two children, Sayeduzzaman Rayan and Raina. Though the children are citizens of Belgium, they have been brought up in Bangladesh. “My son Rayan completed A-level with grade A in three subjects from North-West International School (English medium of instruction) under British Council in Rangpur this year and daughter, Raina is doing her O levels from the same institution,” Rakib said. Rayan is now looking for a university in Europe for

graduate school. Rakib said Belgium is one of the best countries in Europe, adding, “Although being citizens of Belgium, Rayan and Raina should not forget the culture and values of Bangladesh.” “My wish is that they should come back to Bangladesh after getting higher education from abroad. Because Bangladesh has progressed economically. If the government keeps the national growth at the same rate, the country will be upgraded to a rich country in the next 20 years. What we need now is good policies and good governance from the government side,” Rakib concludes. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), about 500,000 people migrate from Bangladesh to work abroad each year. Migrant workers collectively contribute about 7 to 8 percent to the country’s total GDP in the form of remittances, a significant contribution to the nation’s growth and development. An IOM study in 2016 found that on average, only 31 percent of those who leave the country obtain employment in skilled occupations. Most migrants lack training and very few have qualifications recognized by host nations. IOM says Bangladesh’s National Skills Development Policy 2011 addressed many of the problems faced by migrant workers by encouraging training institutes to be labour market responsive, assure quality training, provide standardized assessments and certification and to adopt a National Technical and Vocational

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Qualifications Framework with clear levels which translate into recognized qualifications in foreign countries. Golam Sarwar Habib, 56, of Khalipara in Rangpur left Bangladesh in 1991 after graduating from university when he was 27. He went to Belgium directly. “In the early years, for almost five years I used to do odd jobs,” he said. “Later, I set up a shop at Ghent.” At 35, Habib married a Belgian woman and became a citizen of Belgium by dint of marriage. Habib chose not to disclose his wife and son’s names to IPS. “My wife and two sons often visit Bangladesh but do not stay here for more than two weeks at a stretch,” he said. Habib purchased a shopping mall named Jahaj Company Complex in 2007 in the middle of Rangpur City. There are 120 small shops in the three-storey mall. He leased the shops to some businessmen of Rangpur. In return, he gets a handsome amount of rental money. Habib said, “The shopping mall is not a profitable concern compared with the investment. But I can be busy with the work here when I come to Bangladesh.” Habib spends six months in Bangladesh each year and six months in Belgium. He still runs his business in Ghent. “The information technology has advanced so far that I can oversee my business in Belgium even from Bangladesh,” he said. Like Rakib, Habib says the well-being of his parents and relatives is very important. He said he is deeply saddened when he learns of deaths of his near and dear ones while he is not living in Bangladesh.

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SPECIAL ARTICLE

southSouth asia times 37 Asia Times

Premarital sex: Increasing worldwide

By Joseph Chamie*

EW YORK, Apr 5 2018 (IPS) - Premarital sex, defined as voluntary sexual intercourse between unmarried persons, is increasing worldwide. While traditional values, religious instructions and the laws of some countries continue to prescribe abstinence until marriage, the rapid societal changes that have occurred across all regions during the past halfcentury have resulted in the growing prevalence and acceptability of premarital sex. A global survey conducted several years ago involving 40 countries, covering three-fourths of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s population, found a minority, 46 percent, saying that sex between unmarried adults was morally unacceptable. However, a distinct split in attitudes concerning the acceptability of premarital sex was observed between developed and developing countries. Among developed countries minorities considered sex between unmarried adults to be morally unacceptable. In France, Germany and Spain, for example, less than 10 percent said that sex between unmarried adults is unacceptable. And in Japan, Russia and the United States the proportions of those who said premarital sex is morally unacceptable were less than one third. In contrast to the views indeveloped countries, large majorities in most developing countries said that sex between unmarried adults is morally unacceptable. Among those countries were some of the most populous, including China (58 percent), Egypt (90 percent), India (67 percent), Indonesia (97 percent), Nigeria (77 percent), Pakistan (94 percent) and the Philippines (71 percent). The attitudes of most developed countries concerning premarital sex in the recent past were likely not dissimilar from the current views of the less developed countries. In the United States, for example, whereas the proportion of those who viewed premarital sex as unacceptable was nearly universal at the

start of the 20th century, it declined to about 70 percent by midcentury, 40 percent by the 1970s and is approximately 25 percent today. While surveying the publicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s views on the moral acceptability of premarital sex can be challenging at times, arriving at reliable estimates of premarital sexual behavior is a far more difficult undertaking. In addition to social disapproval, moral sensitivities and the desire for personal privacy, premarital sex is unlawful in a number of countries, including Iran, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Sudan, and was unlawful in some developed countries in the recent past. Consequently, reported estimates of premarital sexare likely to underestimate actual levels. Survey data for many developed countries found that at the beginning of the 21st century more than two thirds of young people had premarital sex while still in their teens. The proportion was over 80 percent in Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States. Available survey data for various developing countries in Africa, Asia and

Latin America also report increased prevalence of premarital sex. The rise in premarital sex in China is particularly noteworthy. Whereas a generation ago, 15 percent of Chinese reported having premarital sex, recent surveys find that about 70 percent admit to having sex before marriage. Even in countries where premarital sex is still a taboo, such as India, Indonesia and Iran, studies report its increasing prevalence. A major factor in the worldwide increase in premarital sex is the improvement in contraceptive technology that occurred over the past half-century.The use of modern contraception, such as the oral pill and the intrauterine contraceptive device (IUD), has virtually eliminated the fear of an unintended pregnancy. According to recent surveys, more than 90 percent of women aged 15 to 24 years know about at least one contraceptive and most are familiar with more than one. In addition, the percent of adolescent women using contraceptives has increased markedly in many countries over the past several decades. The movement

away from marriage to cohabitation, especially evident in developed western countries, has also contributed to the rise in premarital sex. Among the 28 members of OECD, for example, the average percent of young couples aged 20 to 34 years who were cohabiting in 2011 was more than 40 percent (Figure 2). In some of those countries, including Denmark, France, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom, the majority of young couples were not married, but cohabiting. Increased levels of cohabitation have also been reported among Latin American countries. Among men aged 25 to 29 years in 2010, for example, more than half were cohabiting in Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Panama, Peru and Venezuela. Even in traditional Asian societies, such as China, India, Iran and Japan, increasing numbers of young couples, especially in urban areas, are choosing to live together before deciding whether or not to marry. Among the explanations for the rapid rise of cohabitation is that it allows individuals to assess compatibility with a partner while keeping future options open. The trend towards later marriage in many countries is another factor that has contributed to the rise in the prevalence of premarital sex. Delaying marriage to older ages increases the temporal opportunities for premarital sex. The gaps between ages at first sexual intercourse and first marriage have become substantial, especially for men (Figure 3).For example, the gaps between median ages at first sexual intercourse and first marriage for men and women born between 1965 and 1969 are11 and 7 years in the United States and 8 and 5 years in Great Britain. Modern urban life styles, including more years of schooling, career development, independent living, tolerance of diversity and greater degree of anonymity, have also contributed to the rise in premarital sex. The migration to urban centershas rapidly transformed many historically rural developing

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countries, such as China, Indonesia, Iran and Turkey, to predominantly urban societies. The globalization of mass media, most recently through the Internet, has also contributed to transforming traditional normative values regarding sexual behavior, including premarital sex. The strong relationship between themedia and the sexual expression of teenagers may be due to the mediaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s role as an important source of socialization for young men and women. Traditional attitudes and behavior of men and women with respect to premarital sex have changed relatively rapidly worldwide over the past half-century. Large majorities of the populations in developed countries no longer view premarital sex as morally unacceptable. In addition, young men and women are increasingly having sex prior to marriage as well as cohabiting before deciding whether to marry or not. In developing countries, in contrast, large majorities continue to consider premarital sex morally unacceptable. However, the prevalence of premarital sex in those countries is increasing, especially in urban centers. The dichotomy between attitudes and behavior with respect to premarital sex observed in many developing countries poses serious challenges to traditional practices, religious values and cultural norms requiring abstinence until marriage. While governments, religious groups and social conservatives may continue to insist on abstinence until marriage, global trends of premarital sex over the past half-century suggest otherwise. In sum, based on the available evidence attempts to regulate the premarital sexual behavior of young men and women in hopes of returning to the abstinence-untilmarriage era are unlikely to succeed, which will consequently necessitate adjusting to the realities of the sexual revolution that is continuing to spread worldwide.

*Joseph Chamie is an independent consulting demographer and a former director of the United Nations Population Division.

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TECHNOLOGY

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Blockchain technology – it’s a new internet-1

By Rajesh Yogi

lockchain technology is like the internet in that it has a builtin robustness. By storing blocks of information that are identical across its network, the blockchain cannot: 1. Be controlled by any single entity. 2. Has no single point of failure. A blockchain is a peerto-peer distributed ledger, forged by consensus, combined with a system for smart contracts and other assistive technologies. Together, these can be

used to build a new generation of transactional applications that establish trust, accountability, and transparency at their core,while streamlining business processes and legal constraints. With all distributed ledgers, there's an initial record or, in this case, a block, or a genesis block. Each block will include one or more transactions. A distributed ledger is a type of data structure which resides across multiple computer devices, generally spread across locations or regions. Connecting to a blockchain involves people connecting to this distributed ledger via, typically, an application. Blockchain is appealing Because of two important properties: 1. Transparency data is embedded within the network as a whole, by definition it is public. 2. It cannot be corrupted altering any

unit of information on the blockchain would mean using a huge amount of computing power to override the entire network. Blockchain is actually not Bitcoin, or vice versa. Blockchain is a distributed ledger. The blockchain then tracks various assets, other than cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin. Those transactions are grouped into blocks, and there can be any number of transactions per block.Turns out, nodes or machines on a blockchain network group up these transactions and they send them throughout the network. Nodes construct blockchain Blockchain is a network of nodes. A network of so-called computing “nodes” makes up

the blockchain. A Node is defined as computer connected to the blockchain network using a client that performs the task of validating and relaying transactions) gets a copy of the blockchain, which gets downloaded automatically upon joining the blockchain network

Trust is inbuilt in blockchain Blockchain is decentralized, open & cryptographic nature allows people to trust each other and transact peer to peer, making the need for intermediaries obsolete. Above all it is tamper proof and literally a block is immortal. Hacking a blockchain is impossible Hacking attacks that commonly impact large centralized intermediaries like banks would be virtually impossible to pull off on the blockchain. For example — if someone wanted to hack

into a particular block in a blockchain, a hacker would not only need to hack into that specific block, but all of the proceeding blocks going back the entire history of that blockchain. And they would need to do it on every ledger in the network, which could be millions, simultaneously. Blockchain is transforming the Internet & the global economy Blockchain will profoundly disrupt hundreds of industries that rely on intermediaries, including banking, finance, academia, real estate, and insurance, legal, health care and the public sector — amongst many others. The potential impacts of blockchain technology on society and the global economy are hugely significant. With an ever growing list of realworld uses, blockchain technology promises to have a massive impact. This is just the beginning. To be continued………

SENIORS CORNER

Staying connected using social media By Gerard Mansour*

ELBOURNE, 5 April: Digital technology is now part of our daily lives and central to how we communicate and stay connected to each other socially and as a community. It’s hard to believe that it was only in 1993 at a conference in Switzerland that the World Wide Web was officially launched by its inventor Sir Timothy Berners-Lee. I wonder if even the forward thinking Sir Timothy – who had invented it in 1989 – imagined on that day the possibilities his invention would have in the years ahead and the reach it would have into our daily lives. Could he have imagined we would be shopping from the comfort of our lounge rooms, be connected in seconds to family and friends across the world on Skype, be banking online, studying courses online at institutions we have never physically visited and have access to information at the click of a mouse? Of course since 1989

Gerard Mansour, Commissioner for Senior Victorians our language has changed too. A mouse is no longer restricted to the four-legged kind, tweeting is no longer just the communication of birds and an apple is also a phone. New words and acronyms have also joined our daily vernacular; internet, LOL, Skype, Facebook, texting, Google, email, broadband, to name some. Of course, just as with the rest of our lives, there are

some risks to be managed. We get worried when we think of some of the negatives technology has helped facilitate, such as online bullying and rip-off scams or privacy concerns, but for many Victorian seniors the digital world offers the opportunity for engagement, to stay connected with loved ones, to obtain information, do banking or shopping from home and so on.

As Commissioner for Senior Victorians my objective is to continue to find the most effective ways to communicate with as many seniors as possible, and I am very pleased to say that for those seniors who are already actively engaged with digital or social media, or would like to do so, my Facebook page is now up and running – helping me to connect with you and send you much more regular

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information. For those who are not active users of digital technology, I will continue to use a variety of methods to communicate with you to ensure you have the latest information on healthy and meaningful ageing, as well as the latest information on all the many activities, services, support and programs for senior Victorians. And if like me when I first started, you need a few simple tips on how to get in to social media or use Facebook there are a variety of options available. Many local libraries offer technology training courses, as well as neighbourhood houses, U3As, Men’s Sheds, Life Activities Clubs, seniors citizens groups and so on. There are also Tech Savvy Seniors self-teach video guides on Seniors Online: Social Networking Overview, Facebook Creating an account and of course connect with me on Facebook. * Commissioner for Senior Victorians Source: Seniors Online Victoria

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