South Asia Times - August 2021

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august 2021

South Asia Times Vol.19 I No. 1 I AUGUST 2021 I FREE s o u t hasiat im es.com .au

CELEBRATiNG 19TH YEAR OF PUBLICATION

READ INSIDE EDIT PAGE

PG 2

IFFM GUIDE

PG 4-8

SOUTH ASIA

PG 10

CYBER SPYING

PG 15

HINDI PUSHP

PGS 16-17

travel

PGS 18-19

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Editor: Neeraj Nanda I M: 0421 677 082 I Add: PO Box 465, Brentford Square, Victoria 3131

IFFM 2021 GUIDE IFFM.COM.AU

OVER 100 FILMS IN 26 LANGUAGES

IN CINEMAS - AUGUST 12 TO 21, 2021 ONLINE AUSTRALIA WIDE - AUGUST 15 TO 30, 2021 Read on pageS 4-8

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EDITORIAl PAGE

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South Asia Times

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UNDISPUTED LEADER IN AUSTRALIA

PUBLISHER/EDITOR Neeraj Nanda M: 0421 677 082 satimes@gmail.com

EDITOR (Hindi Pushp) Mridula Kakkar kakkar@optusnet.com.au

SAT NEWS BUREAU/Australia (Melbourne) Neeraj Nanda satimes@gmail.com

SAT NEWS BUREAU/South Asia (New Delhi, India) RAJIV SHARMA rajeev.anchor@gmail.com

SAT ADVERTISING (Melbourne) M: 0421 677 082 & E: satimes@gmail.com PHOTO SECTION (Melbourne) JOHN KUMAR kumarsphotos.com

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ELBOURNE, 2 August 2021: South Asia Times’s 19th year begins with this month’s issue.

This journey has been full of interesting episodes each year and the world is a different place today. Little did we know the devastating COVID-19 pandemic will change the face of the planet and our life in a different mode. So much human loss and suffering speak for itself.

The fact that it is still on in many parts of the world and politics of denial rubs shoulders with sincere efforts to curb it are a hard reality.

The digital revolution, meanwhile, has spread in leaps and bounds. The spread of the internet has connected the world and so

has it disconnected people from the natural world. We hold virtual zoom meetings, and our mobile phones are spied with military-grade malware. No doubt, an IT friend, a few years back, rightly said all privacy is lost. Global bigtech is as powerful as some countries are. We are just small fries.

Mainstream media stands eroded by the power of the online news portals. And, digital reading habits keep growing. South Asia Times is also now, fully digital.

It’s presence on the social media along with its monthly E-paper and website are examples of how the life of print media is fading.

Though, all systems have their charms, digital news has its own benefits and challenges. It’s 24/7 operations could be

anybody’s nightmare with financial implications.

Added to this the internet’s empowering power to the people has thrown up writers and influencers creating unique alternatives to traditional news.

Videos, Podcasts, Blogs, multimedia and what not are all news. Nothing remains unreported.

Such reporting has also opened unreported subjects that stir the minds of the deprived and the voiceless.

The world is seeing people demanding more and more.

For many, new information technologies are their weapon against oppression and exploitation. It is raising the issue of environmental degradation, though, an ugly form of cancel culture and nationalism has raised its head. The deprived and

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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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minorities are facing the heat. New global economic powers are emerging. The world looks so different.

It is in this scenario that our nineteenth year starts. We were just in Melbourne, but now we are read and appreciated all over Australia. In fact, our material is accessed in many countries. Our focus on South Asia remains, though, we have every subject on the table. No one can be an island. A Robinson Crusoe is impossible these days.

We remain firmly linked to the community. It is our blood stream. Being professional, independent, voice of the voiceless, multicultural, democratic, secular, inclusive and commitment to social justice are our articles of faith.

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august 2021

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IFFM Guide

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IFFM 2021 promises a cinematic fiesta

By Neeraj Nanda

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ELBOURNE, 22 July 2021: MELBOURNE, 22 July 2021: The show has to go on.

The COVID-19 pandemic and frequent lockdowns have not dampened the spirits of the iconic annual Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. This year the festival is premiering two thought-provoking films ‘Bittu’ by Karishma Dube and ‘WOMB-Women of My Billion’ by Ajitesh Sharma as a part of its Opening Night Gala. Hosted on August 12, 8 pm onward at Hoyts Melbourne Central, the celebration will be joined by patrons of the festival, to ring in the film fiesta of everything cinematic.

Announcing the festival program at a largely attended online event, director Mitu Bhowmick Lange while talking about the variety of movies at the festival said ” most will push you out of the comfort zone.

Bittu, 16 minutes, Hindi is set in a forgotten Himalayan community, this film follows eightyear-old Bittu. Unlike most girls in her village, Bittu is a streetwise charmer with a brilliantly foul

tongue. Chand is Bittu’s best friend and young protege; Polar opposites but always a team- they play, steal, fight and hustle together – reciting dirty jokes for quick money in crowded bus stops.

The natural performer Bittu excels at all things street level. But at school things are different.

Chand outperforms Bittu in every way – a keen student in a pristine uniform, she is naturally everybody’s favorite at school. Meanwhile, Bittu resents the rote and attends school for her free lunch. On this day, events escalate quickly between the two friends, bringing them to an end they never imagined.

The cast is Saurabh Saraswat, Krishna Devi, Monu Uniyal, Salma Khartoum, and director Karishma Dev Dube.

Womb, 102 minutes English, Hindi, Tamil, Telegu,- Women of My Billion – is a heart-warming documentary about Srishti Bakshi who embarks on a monumental journey, walking almost 4000km over 240 days, from Kanyakumari to Kashmir exploring the social and political issues faced by women of today’s India.

Srishti Bakshi embarks

on a 3,800-kilometer on-foot journey from Kanyakumari to Srinagar over 230 days to raise awareness of the rising tide of violence against women in India. The cast is Pragya Prasun Singh, Neha Rai, Sangeeta Tiwari, Srishti Bakshi, and director Ajitesh Sharma.

This opening night film can be seen on Thursday, August 12, at 7 pm at Hoyts Melbourne Central.

Apart from the Short Film Competition and the Bollywood Dance Competition (Federation Square, 15 August 12 pm onwards). The last date of entries for it is 30 July 2021. The theme of the Short Film Competition is ‘Modern Slavery and Equality’ and the judges are actress Richa Chadha and Director Onir.

Two online panel discussions South Asian Representation in Australian Media and Spirituality, Sexuality, Gender Diversity & Love will take place respectively on August 14.

The festival in collaboration with the Consulate General of India, Melbourne, Australia will commemorate the 75th Independence Day of India on August 15, 2021, at the Federation Square,

Bittu, 16 minutes, Hindi is set in a forgotten Himalayan community, this film follows eight-yearold Bittu. Unlike most girls in her village, Bittu is a streetwise charmer with a brilliantly foul tongue.

Melbourne 11 am onwards.

The tri-color will be unfurled in all its glory against the picturesque cityscape of Melbourne.

We welcome you to join us as we ring in the spirit of patriotism and echo ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ as we pay our tribute to this iconic moment, unanimously singing the National Anthem of India.

In the wake of the current Australian

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border lockdown, the award ceremony will be hosted virtually, but the fun nevertheless will be amplified. The jury members for this year will include names like global award-winning film editor Jill Bilcock, one of Australia’s renowned actors Vince Colosimo, and more.

With an aim to celebrate community spirit beyond the pandemic, IFFM recognizes and honors Victorians, who fostered the spirit of giving back, especially during the onset of Covid-19. We received an overwhelming response to our digital campaign called #IFFMHero, where each of you nominated an individual for their outstanding contribution to society during the unprecedented year of 2020.

The IFFM Heroes will be facilitated on August 15, 2021, at Federation Square.

There are about 100 films, short films, and documentaries in Indian and South Asian languages which will be shown on the big screen in Hoyts cinema across Melbourne and online (12-30 August 2021).

A full list of all films, films in cinemas, and Films online can be accessed at the IFFM-2021 website.

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IFFM Guide

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Principal Partner

Online films at IFFM 2021 Free to watch at iffm.com.au | August 15 to 30

2021

Gondi, Madiya, Hindi

1232 KMS Hindi

Agan Pankhudi (Rashmi's Tale) Gujarati

Boroxun (Songs for Rain)

A Rifle and a Bag

A Period Piece English

Abhijaan

Gondi, Madiya, Hindi

Avijatrik

(The Wanderlust of Apu) Bengali

Bread and Belonging

Awakash Marathi

Bengali

Barah By Barah (12X12 Untitled) Hindi

About Mumma English

Borderlands

Bengali, Hindi, Nepali, Punjabi

Bridge

Bullet-Proof Anand

CatDog

Assamese

Hindi

Hindi

Assamese

English, Konkani, Kannada

Chachan, A Day

Custody

Dhummas

Donut

Dusk

Malayalam

Hindi, English, Bengali, Marathi

Gujarati

Kannada

Bengali, Hindi

Dwitiyo Purush (The Other One)

Ek Tha Gaon (Once Upon a Village)

Bengali

Garhwali, Hindi

Ghazaal

Ghongo / Boogeyman

Gosht Eka Kaavlyachi

Jharokh (Ventilator)

Konkani

Marathi

Silent

Kayamai Kadakka (Parallel Lines)

Koli Taal (The Chicken Curry)

Tamil

Kannada

Dari

Kalira Atita Odia

Faree

Four Fifty Five mL

Dhivehi

Dhivehi

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Kosa

Hindi, Gondi

Ghar Ka Pata (Home Address)

English, Kashmiri, Hindi

Jhat Aayi Basant (An Early Spring) Hindi, Pahari

Kumkumarchan (Holy Ritual) Marathi

IFFM Guide

august 2021

South Asia Times

Principal Partner

Online films at IFFM 2021 Free to watch at iffm.com.au | August 15 to 30

2021

Laali

Hindi

Lomad (The Fox)

Meal

Bengali, Hindi

Hindi

Meri Pyari Bakri (My Dearest Goat)

My Mirror Tamil

Silent

Hindi

Naap

No Beloved

Hindi

Urdu

Pilibhit Hindi

Shei Shomoy (Those Days)

Orangu Marangalude Veedu (House of Orange Trees)

Punarudaya (Resurgence) Hindi

Pahal (An Initiative)

Malayalam

English

Rettai Jadai (The Girl with the Red Ribbons)

Sad Truth English

Tamil

Sijou

Smrisha

Tamil

Bodo

Bengali

The Booth Hindi

The Case

Hindi, Urdu

The Loyal Man

The Tainted Mirror (Motsillaba Mingsel)

The Tenant

Watch Over Me

Hindi, Malayalam

Santhoshathinte Onnam Rahasyam (Joyful Mystery) Malayalam

Shimul Palash Katha (A Story of the Silenced)

English, Hindi

Papa

English

Sunday Hindi

Bengali

English, Hindi

Tamil, French

The Porter

Hindi, English

The Song We Sang

Udiaando Sindook (The Flying Trunk)

Uljhan (The Knot)

Vrutti (Human Nature)

Hindi

Marathi

Pahari

We Make Film

Bangla, English, Hindi, Marathi

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English, Hindi

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community

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NSW Greens MP criticises exemptions for 75 foreign nationals to enter Australia and members in their community can’t see loved ones who are very ill, can’t have those pressing personal needs to travel satisfied because of the COVID measures.

We need to be all in this together, we need to look after each other and I can tell you now, we are doing everything to ensure that those safe quarantine numbers increase so that we can keep those connections, keep families connected even in the middle of this crisis.”, Mr Shoebridge added.

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YDNEY, 31 July 2021: The New South Wales Greens MLC David Shoebridge has criticised the decision to allow religious groups to travel internationally and take the spots of citizens who may have “pressing personal needs”.

The Australian Government’s decision to grant exemptions for 75 foreign nationals with ‘critical skills in religion or theology’ to enter the country in the first half of this year, while the Australian border remains shut due to Covid-19, has drawn flak from NSW Member of Parliament David Shoebridge.

The Department of Home Affairs issued the travel exemptions under the critical skills category, using the codes for minister of religion or religious assistant.

Anyone who is not a citizen or permanent resident requires a travel exemption to enter Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Australian Government issued about 20,000 permits between January and June this year overall, a majority under the ‘critical skills’ category. This was after expertise in “religious or theology fields” was added to the list of critical skills in August last year.

Despite the Australian border being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Sydney-based cofounders of the global Pentecostal Christian church Hillsong preached in person at a service in Mexico.

This was confirmed in images and messages shared on Instagram which confirmed that they took part in a service at the Hillsong Monterrey congregation in Mexico on Monday.

Brian and Bobbie Houston, the husband and wife team who are coglobal senior pastors at Hillsong Church, have been based in the United States for several months, despite the Australian border being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A church spokesperson confirmed the Houstons also gained an exemption to travel to the US for several months last year.

“I know it’s a particular kick in the guts for many people particularly in multicultural Australia to see some of their permissions being given to Hillsong preachers to travel internationally on those scarce spots when they know that their family members and members in their community can’t see loved ones who are very ill, can’t have those pressing personal needs to travel satisfied because of the COVID measures.” – David Shoebridge, NSW MLC (Greens)

Source: nriaffairs.com

David Shoebridge said, ““Right across Greater Sydney, there’s real anxiety as we’re seeing COVID numbers increasing. That anxiety is being particularly felt in Southwest and Western Sydney where the lockdown is even more intense. That’s part of the heart of multicultural Sydney and we know that those communities have multiple pressures at the moment and one of those is the long-standing inability to go and visit relatives overseas and have relatives come back because of the lockdown measures. I can tell you now that the Greens are working at every level we can to increase the number of safe returns, to increase the number of quarantine services available, so that we can have those family reunions and family connections return as rapidly as possible.”

“I know it’s a particular kick in the guts for many people particularly in multicultural Australia to see some of their permissions being given to Hillsong preachers to travel internationally on those scarce spots when they know that their family members www.southasiatimes.com.au - 0421 677 082

Australian Government issued about 20,000 permits between January and June this year overall, a majority under the ‘critical skills’ category. This was after expertise in “religious or theology fields” was added to the list of critical skills in August last year.

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Taliban ‘has not changed,’ say women facing subjugation in areas of Afghanistan under its extremist rule

By Homa Hoodfar* & Mona Tajali**

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he Taliban insurgents continue their deadly war to seize control of Afghanistan after the departure of United States and NATO forces.

As they close in on major cities that were once government strongholds, like Badakhshan and Kandahar, many Afghans – and the world – fear a total takeover.

Afghan women may have the most to fear from these Islamic militants.

We are academics who interviewed 15 Afghan women activists, community leaders and politicians over the past year as part of an international effort to ensure that women’s human rights are defended and constitutionally protected in Afghanistan.

For the safety of our research participants, we use no names or first names only here.

“Reform of the Taliban is not really possible,” one 40-year-old women’s rights activist from Kabul told us. “Their core ideology is fundamentalist, particularly towards women.”

From subjugation to Parliament The Taliban ruled all of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. Everyone faced restrictions under their conservative interpretation of Islam, but those imposed on women were the most stringent.

Women couldn’t leave their homes without a male guardian, and were required to cover their bodies from head to toe in a long robe called a burqa.

They could not visit health centers, attend school or work.

In 2001, the U.S. invaded Afghanistan, toppled the Taliban regime and worked with Afghans to establish a democratic government.

Officially, the U.S. war

in Afghanistan was about hunting down Osama bin Laden, mastermind of the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks. The Taliban had sheltered bin Laden in Afghanistan. But the U.S. invoked women’s rights as a justification for the occupation, too.

After the Taliban was driven out, women entered public life in Afghanistan in droves. That includes the fields of law, medicine and politics. Women make up more than a quarter of parliamentarians, and by 2016 more than 150,000 women had been elected to local offices.

Rhetoric versus reality Last year, after 20 years in Afghanistan, the U.S. signed an accord with the Taliban agreeing to withdraw American troops if the Taliban severed ties with al-Qaida and entered into peace talks with the government.

Officially, in these talks, Taliban leaders emphasize that they wish to grant women’s rights “according to Islam.”

But the women we interviewed say they believe the Taliban still reject the notion of gender equality.

“The Taliban may have learned to appreciate Twitter and social media for propaganda, but their actions on the ground tells us that they have not changed,” Meetra, a lawyer, shared with us recently.

The Taliban included no women in its own negotiating team, and as their local fighters are taking over districts, women’s rights are being rolled back.

A schoolteacher whose district in northern Mazare-Sharif province recently fell to the Taliban told us that, “In the beginning, when we saw the Taliban interviews on TV, we hoped for peace, as if the Taliban had changed. But when I saw the Taliban up close, they have not changed at all.”

Using mosque loudspeakers, Taliban fighters in areas under their control often announce that women must now wear the burqa

and have a male chaperone in public. They burn public schools, libraries and computer labs.

“We destroy them [and] put in place our own religious schools, in order to train future Taliban,” a local fighter from Herat told the channel France 24 in June 2021.

In Taliban-run religious schools for girls, students learn the “appropriate” Islamic role of women, according to the Taliban’s harsh interpretation of the faith. That consists largely of domestic duties.

Such actions demonstrate to many in Afghanistan that the Taliban disagree with the basic principles of democracy, including gender equality and free expression. Taliban negotiators are demanding Afghanistan adopt a new Constitution that would turn it into an “emirate” – an Islamic state ruled by a small group of religious leaders with absolute power.

That’s an impossible demand for the Afghan government, and peace

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talks have stalled.

A history of equality Many Muslim countries have steadily increasing gender equality. That includes Afghanistan, where women have been struggling for and gaining new rights for a century.

In the 1920s, Queen Soraya of Afghanistan participated in the political development of her country alongside her husband, King Amanullah Khan. An advocate for women’s rights, Soraya introduced a modern education for women, one that included sciences, history and other subjects alongside traditional home economics-style training and religious topics.

In the 1960s women were among the drafters of Afghanistan’s first comprehensive Constitution, ratified in 1964. It recognized the equal rights of men and women as citizens and established democratic elections. In 1965, four women were elected to the Afghan Parliament; several CONTD. ON PG 13

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Immunity in Marital Rape Brazen Violation of Constitution

Sexual violence against women in India manifests itself in various forms, including marital rape, which shockingly is not considered a criminal offence unless the wife is a minor.

By Keerthana Unni

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exual violence against women in India manifests itself in various forms, including marital rape, which shockingly is not considered a criminal offence unless the wife is a minor.

Ironically, The Protection of Women against Domestic Violence Act, 2005, which aims to “provide for more effective protection of the rights of women, guaranteed under the Constitution, who are victims of violence of any kind occurring within the family”, excludes spousal rape from its definition of ‘domestic violence’.

SECTION 375 AND ISSUE OF CONSENT In India, marriage is seen as direct consent for intercourse between the partners despite nonconsensual sex constituting marital rape.

The National Family Health Survey (NFHS), 2015-16, pointed out that 31% of married women between 15-49 years faced physical, sexual or emotional abuse by their spouses with 5.4 per forced to have sex at some point.

Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860, states that rape includes all forms of nonconsensual sex with a woman with the exception of intercourse by a man with his wife aged 15 years or above.

Also Read: Only 36 countries have not criminalised marital rape, India is one of them Subsequently, Section 375, which ‘safeguarded’ the husband in incidents

of marital rape, was amended by the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2013, by raising the age of consent to intercourse to 18. However, Exception 2 to Section 375, which creates an exception to marital rape if the wife is of 15 years of age or above, was not amended. The Act resulted in an anomaly where forced sex by a husband with a minor wife, between 15 and 18 years of age, was permitted.

Later, in Independent Thought vs Union of India, 2017, the Supreme Court (SC) ruled that sex with a girl below 18 years of age, even by the husband, would constitute rape.

In a historic verdict while reading down Exception 2, the apex court amended the wordings of the particular clause, which now read: “Sexual

intercourse or sexual acts by a man with his own wife, the wife not being under 18 years of age, is not rape.”

Though the SC clearly stated that it had not “dealt with the larger issue of marital rape of adult women”, it rapped the Centre for not criminalising sex with a girl under 18 years of age even if the exploiter was her husband.

Therefore, the scourge of men forcing their wives aged 18 years or above to have sex remained uncurbed. With neither the judiciary nor the legislature intervening to address the problem, married women have lost their individuality and the right to autonomy over their bodies.

Anita Menon, a Canadabased social worker

fighting domestic violence, told The Leaflet, “Consent is not given importance in a marriage, which shows the lack of gender equity in the relationship. It is used as a licence to violate the body and rights of the partner, which is a clear form of abuse.”

“Marital rape is difficult to prove because, according to society, consent is obvious in a relationship. We fail to see the boundaries and rights of the individual,” Menon said.

SC DISMISSES PLEAS ON MARITAL RAPE For the second time, in 2019, the top court refused to entertain a PIL that sought a direction to the Centre to frame guidelines for registration of FIRs in cases of marital rape and make laws for making it a

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ground for divorce.

Dismissing the plea, the SC asked petitioner advocate Anuja Kapur to approach the Delhi High Court for relief. Eventually, she withdrew the plea, which had stated that “marital rape is no less an offence than murder, culpable homicide or rape per se… It reduces a woman to a corpse living under the constant fear of hurt or injury.”

Contending that since marital rape is not considered a crime, the plea stated that there is no FIR registered by a wife against her husband in any police station. “Rather, it is being compromised by the police authorities to maintain the sanctity of the marriage between the victim and the husband.”

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Immunity in Marital Rape Brazen Violation of Constitution CONTD. FROM PG 11 In 2015, the SC had dismissed a Delhi-based woman’s plea seeking to make marital rape a criminal offence on the grounds that she was “espousing a personal cause and not a public cause”.

In Sreekumar vs Pearly Karun, the Kerala High Court ruled that an offence under Section 376A of the IPC [intercourse by a man with his wife during separation] will be “attracted only when sexual intercourse is conducted by a man with his wife who is living separately from him under a decree of separation or under any custom or usage without her consent”.

MARITAL RAPE AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE Not criminalising marital rape traps married women in the cycle of violence and forces them to stay in abusive households, which affects their mental and physical health.

The legal immunity provided to spousal rape is not only regressive but also shameful especially when compared to laws on domestic violence and even dowry.

against her husband for unnatural sex under Section 377 of the IPC and believed that this was a clear case where the accused had endangered the modesty of his wife.

For example, any conduct of a sexual nature that abuses, humiliates, degrades or otherwise violates the dignity of woman is considered sexual abuse under the Domestic Violence Act. Since forced intercourse, or marital rape, is not considered a sexual abuse under the Act, it indirectly accords immunity to a man who ‘rapes’ his wife.

Admitting that “marital rape is in existence in India”, the court termed it as a “disgraceful offence that has scarred the trust and confidence in the institution of marriage”. “A large population of women has faced the brunt of the non-criminalisation of the practice and lives in abject fear for their lives due to such non-criminalisation,” the court observed.

Even the anti-dowry law, Section 498A of the IPC, prescribes a maximum threeyear prison term for “the husband or the relative of the husband of a woman” who subjects her to cruelty.

In Nimeshbhai Bharatbhai Desai vs State of Gujarat, the Gujarat High Court condemned marital rape while examining whether a wife can initiate legal proceedings

“Victims of marital rape have often reported longterm psychological distress, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, or other anxieties, which could adversely affect their children as well,” Linda Mathew, a psychology student from Christ University, Bengaluru, told The Leaflet.

A study titled, ‘Masculinity, Intimate Partner Violence

and Son Preference in India’, jointly conducted by the United Nations Population Fund (UNPF) and the International Centre for Research on Women, showed that 75% of the men surveyed expected their partners to agree to sex.

The study also revealed that 60 per cent of men admitted to using violence to dominate and control their partners. More than half of the women surveyed, 52%, experienced some form of violence with 38% suffering physical violence and 35% emotional abuse.

“The study reaffirms and demonstrates that addressing inequitable gender norms and masculinity issues are at the heart of tackling the root causes of intimate partner violence and son preference,” the UNFPA said.

VICTIMS RELUCTANT TO SEEK HELP The NFHS also showed that only a very small percentage of married women subjected to spousal rape sought police help. Besides, most victims were turned away by the police. A victim who tried to register a police complaint was asked by cops to ‘adjust’ to her husband’s needs.

“Indian women are conditioned to place their husbands on a pedestal, which holds them back from confiding [about marital rape] in anyone,” Beena Nair, a teacher from Palakkad, Kerala, told The Leaflet.

Most victims confide about sexual violence committed by their husbands in another family member rather than the police or courts.

MARITAL RAPE VIOLATES WOMEN’S RIGHTS Sexual violence committed by men against their wives and the immunity provided under Section 375 violate Article 21 and Article 14 of the Constitution. While Article 21 guarantees life and personal liberty, Article 14 ensures equality before the law without discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.

In Suchita Srivastava vs Chandigarh Administration, the SC observed that “a woman’s right to make reproductive choices is also a

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dimension of ‘personal liberty’ as understood under Article 21”.

Stressing that a woman’s right to privacy, dignity and bodily integrity should be respected, the Supreme Court observed that there “should be no restriction whatsoever on the exercise of reproductive choices, such as a woman’s right to refuse participation in sexual activity or alternatively the insistence on use of contraceptive methods”.

In another case, the SC observed that privacy also connoted a right to be left alone. “Privacy safeguards individual autonomy and recognises the ability of the individual to control vital aspects of his or her life,” the court observed in Justice K.S.Puttaswamy (Retd) vs Union Of India.

Observing that privacy is the ultimate expression of the sanctity of the individual,” the court further observed: “The ability to make choices is at the core of the human personality. Its inviolable nature is manifested in the ability to make intimate decisions about oneself with a legitimate expectation of privacy.”

Both the Articles clearly state that every citizen has the right to live with dignity and be treated equally before the law without discrimination. Therefore, marital rape and Section 375 are a brazen violation of the Constitution and rights of women.

“The non-criminalisation of marital rape is another example of how the law denies rights to women even today,” the executive director of Delhi-based NGO Sakshi, which fights domestic violence and child sexual abuse, told The Leaflet. “Women have been reduced to mere objects with blanket consent for sexual gratification of their legally entitled partners,” the survivor of domestic violence added.

(Keerthana Unni is a student of Symbiosis Centre for Media and Communication, Pune, and is an intern at The Leaflet.)

Courtesy: The Leaflet Source- newsclick.in, 27 Jul 2021.

SOUTH ASIA

august 2021

South Asia Times

13

Right to freedom of religion or belief under sustained attack in Pakistan: Report

t

he Government of Pakistan must urgently respond to serious and ongoing persecution of individuals from religious minority groups by State and non-State actors, the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) said in a new briefing paper (available at icj.org) released recently.

“The Pakistani authorities have shamefully failed to address repeated calls to curb the longstanding violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief, including many instances of persecution of religious minority groups,” said Sam Zarifi, ICJ’s Secretary General.

The ICJ’s briefing paper analyses and makes recommendations about violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief in Pakistan in the following contexts: Offences against religion – so-called blasphemy laws – and their implementation in practice.

The persecution of Ahmadis, including as a result of the criminalization of the public manifestation and practice of their faith; and Reports of forced conversions of girls belonging to minority religions, often followed by their marriage to Muslim men.

“It is time the Pakistani authorities take these human rights abuses seriously – dismissing the truth about the persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan and calling them ‘isolated incidents’ that are used to give a bad name to the country only emphasizes the failures of the Pakistani Government,” said Zarifi.

These failures, in addition to the ones identified above, include: the State’s ineffective prevention of and response to violence and discrimination by non-State actors against religious minorities, in particular the Shia Muslim community, which has been the target

of violence throughout the country; inadequate protection and application of personal laws of religious minority communities; and compelling individuals from religious minority communities to receive Islamic religious instruction in public schools.

For years now, UN human rights mechanisms and experts, including the UN Human Rights Committee and the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, have expressed concern regarding violations of freedom of religion or belief in Pakistan, including the ones in focus in the ICJ’s briefing paper. Both the Human Rights Committee and the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief have previously recommended that Pakistan should repeal or amend its so-called blasphemy laws, in accordance with the country’s human rights obligations.

The Constitution of Pakistan provides that Islam

shall be the State religion, but it also acknowledges the rights of people to practise other religions.

Pakistan is also a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which provides that “everyone shall have the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.”

In a landmark 2014 judgment, Pakistan’s Supreme Court clarified and expanded the scope of the right to freedom of religion or belief in the Constitution in light of international human rights law. The Court explained that “religion” cannot be defined in rigid terms, and held that freedom of religion includes freedom of conscience, thought, expression, belief and faith, and that each citizen of Pakistan is free to exercise the right to profess, practise and propagate their religious views, even against the prevailing or dominant views of their own religious denomination or sect.

Nonetheless, such interpretation is often not implemented by courts and other authorities in individual cases regarding the right to freedom of religion or belief.

Considering international human rights law and standards on freedom of religion or belief, the ICJ’s briefing paper provides a series of recommendations to the Pakistani authorities focusing on, among other things, the need to repeal the country’s so-called blasphemy laws and preventing their misuse.

The ICJ also called on Pakistan to repeal all legislative provisions criminalizing the public practice of the religious beliefs of Ahmadis and ensure allegations of “forced conversion” and “forced marriage” of girls from religious minorities are independently, impartially and promptly investigated.

Source- icj.org, July 29, 2021

Taliban ‘has not changed,’ say women facing subjugation in areas of Afghanistan under its extremist rule CONTD. FROM PG 10 others became government ministers.

Afghan women protested any attacks on their rights. For instance, when religious conservatives in 1968 tried to pass a bill banning women from studying abroad, hundreds of schoolgirls organized a demonstration in Kabul and other cities.

Afghan women’s status continued to improve under Soviet-backed socialist regimes of the late 1970s and 1980s.

In this era, Parliament further strengthened girls’ education and outlawed practices that were harmful to women, such as offering them as brides to settle feuds between two tribes or forcing widows to marry the brother of their deceased husband.

By the end of the socialist regime in 1992, women were full participants in public life in Afghanistan.

In 1996 the rise of the Taliban interrupted this

progress – temporarily.

Resilient republic The post-Taliban era demonstrated Afghan women’s resilience after a grueling setback. It

also highlighted the public’s desire for a more democratic, responsive government.

That political project is still in its infancy today.

The U.S. withdrawal now

www.southasiatimes.com.au - 0421 677 082

threatens the survival of Aghanistan’s fragile democratic institutions.

The Taliban cannot win power at the ballot box. Only around 13.4% of respondents in a 2019 survey by The Asia Foundation expressed some sympathy with the group.

So the Taliban are forcing their authority over the Afghan people using warfare, much as they did in the 1990s. Many women hope what comes next won’t repeat that history. *Professor of Anthropology, Emerita, Concordia University **Associate Professor of International Relations and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Agnes Scott College Source- The Conversation, July 27, 2021 (Under Creative Commons Licence)

14

AUSTRALIA

South Asia Times

august 2021

Australia’s NGV to return 14 stolen artifacts to India The NGV has introduced a new provenance assessment framework that considers available evidence about both the legal and ethical aspects of a work of art’s history. decision-making principles and considerations,” he said.

“As the first outcome of this change, the Gallery will be returning 14 objects from the Indian art collection to their country of origin.

By SAT News Desk

M

elbourne, 29 January 2021: The Canberrabased National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) has announced it will return 14 works of art from its Asian art collection to the Indian Government.

The works of art being repatriated include 13 objects connected to art dealer Subhash Kapoor through Art of the Past and one acquired from art dealer William Wolff. The works include six bronze or stone sculptures, a brass processional standard, a painted scroll, and six photographs.

The NGV spent millions on these purchases and the issue was also the subject of an ABC Four Corners program some years back. “The NGA spent $10.7 million on 22 works from Mr. Kapoor’s “Art of the Past” gallery over several years, including a stunning 11th century Chola bronze sculpture, Shiva Nataraja, which the NGA purchased for more than $5 million in 2008,” says an ABC report.

Another three sculptures sourced from Art of the Past have also been removed from the collection. Further

The works being returned are: Chola dynasty (9th-13th centuries), The child-saint Sambandar, 12th century, purchased 1989 Chola dynasty (9th-13th centuries), The dancing child-saint Sambandar, 12th century, purchased 2005 Hyderabad, Telangana, India, Processional standard [‘alam], 1851, purchased 2008 Mount Abu region, Rajasthan, India, Arch for a Jain shrine, 11th-12th century, purchased 2003 Mount Abu region, Rajasthan, India, Seated Jina, 1163, purchased 2003 Rajasthan or Uttar Pradesh, India, The divine research will be undertaken to identify their place of origin before they are repatriated. Following this action, along with the repatriation of works in 2014, 2016, and 2019, the National Gallery will no longer hold any works acquired through Subhash Kapoor in its collection.

The decision to return the works is the culmination of years of research, due diligence, and an evolving framework for decisionmaking that includes both

couple Lakshmi and Vishnu [Lakshmi Narayana], 10th11th century, purchased 2006 Gujarat, India, Goddess Durga slaying the buffalo demon [Durga Mahisasuramardini], 12th13th century, purchased 2002 Rajasthan, India, Letter of invitation to Jain monks; picture scroll [vijnaptipatra], c. 1835, purchased 2009 Lala D. Dayal, India, Maharaja Sir Kishen Pershad Yamin, 1903, purchased 2010 Udaipur, Rajasthan, India, not titled ['Manorath' legal principles and ethical considerations.

The NGV has introduced a new provenance assessment framework that considers available evidence about both the legal and ethical aspects of a work of art’s history. If, on the balance of probability, it is considered likely that an item was stolen, illegally excavated, exported in contravention of the law of a foreign country, or unethically acquired, the National Gallery will take steps to deaccession and repatriate.

portrait of donor and priests before Shri Nathji, Udaipur, Rajasthan], unknown date, purchased 2009 Guru Das Studio, not titled [Gujarati family group portrait], purchased 2009 Shanti C. Shah, Hiralal A Gandhi memorial portrait, 1941, purchased 2009 Venus Studio, India, not titled [Portrait of a man], 1954, purchased 2009 Udaipur, Rajasthan, India, not titled [Portrait of a woman], unknown date, purchased 2009

A media release says, ” National Gallery of Australia Director Nick Mitzevich said these actions demonstrated the National Gallery’s commitment to being a leader in the ethical management of collections.

“With these developments, provenance decision-making at the National Gallery will be determined by an evidence-based approach evaluated on the balance of probabilities, anchored in robust legal and ethical

www.southasiatimes.com.au - 0421 677 082

“This is the right thing to do, it’s culturally responsible and the result of collaboration between Australia and India.

We are grateful to the Indian Government for their support and are pleased we can now return these culturally significant objects.”

Mr. Mitzevich said the Gallery would continue its provenance research, including for the Asian art collection, and resolve the status of any works of concern.

The Indian High Commissioner to Australia, Manpreet Vohra, welcomed the decision by the Australian Government and the National Gallery to return the works.

“The Government of India is grateful for this extraordinary act of goodwill and gesture of friendship from Australia,” Mr. Vohra said. “These are outstanding pieces: their return will be extremely well-received by the Government and people of India.”

This latest move follows years of significant research to determine the provenance of works in the Asian art collection, including two independent reviews conducted by former High Court Justice Susan Crennan AC QC.

Cyber Spying

august 2021

South Asia Times

15

How does the Pegasus spyware work, and is my phone at risk?

By Paul Haskell Dowland* & Robereto Musotto**

are, however, simple steps you can take to minimise your potential exposure — not only to Pegasus but to other malicious attacks too.

A

major journalistic investigation has found evidence of malicious software being used by governments around the world, including allegations of spying on prominent individuals.

From a list of more 50,000 phone numbers, journalists identified more than 1,000 people in 50 countries reportedly under surveillance using the Pegasus spyware. The software was developed by the Israeli company NSO Group and sold to government clients.

Among the reported targets of the spyware are journalists, politicians, government officials, chief executives and human rights activists.

Reports thus far allude to a surveillance effort reminiscent of an Orwellian nightmare, in which the spyware can capture keystrokes, intercept communications, track the device and use the camera and microphone to spy on the user.

How did they do it?

The Pegasus spyware can infect the phones of victims through a variety of mechanisms. Some approaches may involve an SMS or iMessage that provides a link to a website.

If clicked, this link delivers malicious software that compromises the device.

Others use the more concerning “zero-click” attack where vulnerabilities in the iMessage service in iPhones allows for infection by simply receiving a message, and no user interaction is required.

The aim is to seize full control of the mobile device’s operating system, either by rooting (on Android devices) or jailbreaking (on Apple iOS devices).

Usually, rooting on an Android device is done by the user to install applications and games from non-supported app stores, or re-enable a functionality that was disabled by the manufacturer.

Similarly, a jailbreak

1) Only open links from known and trusted contacts and sources when using your device. Pegasus is deployed to Apple devices through an iMessage link. And this is the same technique used by many cybercriminals for both malware distribution and less technical scams. The same advice applies to links sent via email or other messaging applications.

can be deployed on Apple devices to allow the installation of apps not available on the Apple App Store, or to unlock the phone for use on alternative cellular networks. Many jailbreak approaches require the phone to be connected to a computer each time it’s turned on (referred to as a “tethered jailbreak”).

Rooting and jailbreaking both remove the security controls embedded in Android or iOS operating systems. They are typically a combination of configuration changes and a “hack” of core elements of the operating system to run modified code.

In the case of spyware, once a device is unlocked, the perpetrator can deploy further software to secure remote access to the device’s data and functions.

This user is likely to remain completely unaware.

Most media reports on Pegasus relate to the compromise of Apple devices. The spyware infects Android devices too but isn’t as effective as it relies on a rooting technique that isn’t 100% reliable. When the initial infection attempt fails, the spyware supposedly prompts the user to grant relevant permissions so it can be deployed effectively.

But aren’t Apple devices more secure?

Apple devices are generally considered more secure than their Android equivalents, but neither type of device is 100% secure.

Apple applies a high level of control to the code of its operating system, as well

as apps offered through its app store. This creates a closed system often referred to as “security by obscurity”. Apple also exercises complete control over when updates are rolled out, which are then quickly adopted by users.

Apple devices are frequently updated to the latest iOS version via automatic patch installation. This helps improve security and increases the value of finding a workable compromise to the latest iOS version, as the new one will be used on a large proportion of devices globally.

On the other hand, Android devices are based on open-source concepts, so hardware manufacturers can adapt the operating system to add additional features or optimise performance. We typically see a large number of Android devices running a variety of versions — inevitably resulting in some unpatched and insecure devices (which is advantageous for cybercriminals).

Ultimately, both platforms are vulnerable to compromise. The key factors are convenience and motivation. While developing an iOS malware tool requires greater investment in time, effort and money, having many devices running an identical environment means there is a greater chance of success at a significant scale.

While many Android devices will likely be vulnerable to compromise, the diversity of hardware and software makes it more

difficult to deploy a single malicious tool to a wide user base.

How can I tell if I’m being monitored?

While the leak of more than 50,000 allegedly monitored phone numbers seems like a lot, it’s unlikely the Pegasus spyware has been used to monitor anyone who isn’t publicly prominent or politically active.

It is in the very nature of spyware to remain covert and undetected on a device. That said, there are mechanisms in place to show whether your device has been compromised.

The (relatively) easy way to determine this is to use the Amnesty International Mobile Verification Toolkit (MVT). This tool can run under either Linux or MacOS and can examine the files and configuration of your mobile device by analysing a backup taken from the phone.

2) Make sure your device is updated with any relevant patches and upgrades. While having a standardised version of an operating system creates a stable base for attackers to target, it’s still your best defence.

If you use Android, don’t rely on notifications for new versions of the operating system. Check for the latest version yourself, as your device’s manufacturer may not be providing updates.

3) Although it may sound obvious, you should limit physical access to your phone. Do this by enabling pin, finger or face-locking on the device. The eSafety Commissioner’s website has a range of videos explaining how to configure your device securely.

4) Avoid public and free WiFi services (including hotels), especially when accessing sensitive information. The use of a VPN is a good solution when you need to use such networks.

While the analysis won’t confirm or disprove whether a device is compromised, it detects “indicators of compromise” which can provide evidence of infection.

5) Encrypt your device data and enable remote wipe features where available. If your device is lost or stolen, you will have some reassurance your data can remain safe.

In particular, the tool can detect the presence of specific software (processes) running on the device, as well as a range of domains used as part of the global infrastructure supporting a spyware network.

What can I do to be better protected?

Correction: this article was changed to reflect reports iPhone users targeted with the Pegasus spyware seem to have been targeted specifically with zero-click attacks. **Associate Dean (Computing and Security), Edith Cowan University ** Research fellow, Edith Cowan Univeresity

Unfortunately, there is no current solution for the zero-click attack. There

Source- theconversation. com, July 21, 2021 (Under Creative Commons Licence)

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18

THE WORLD

South Asia Times

august 2021

Blinken’s single-point

agenda in Delhi – China The Biden Administration is worried that without India, the QUAD would unravel and the containment strategy against China wouldn’t gain traction in Asia.

By M.K. Bhadrakumar

T

he overnight visit by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to New Delhi has been an eye-opener in many ways.

It highlighted how much India has changed through the searing pain and suffering it underwent in the past oneyear period and how that tumultuous period also led to a reset in the government’s calculus.

A rethink in the foreign policies became inevitable. The ‘body language’ of the joint press conference by Blinken and his Indian host External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday testifies to it.

The US-Indian relationship remains fundamentally strong insofar it enjoys bipartisan support in both countries that it is a consequential relationship. But beneath that threshold, fault lines have appeared.

First and foremost, the Biden administration’s neoconservative ideology obliges it to adopt intrusive policies on issues of democracy, human rights and rule of law, which grates on the Modi government’s sensitivities.

Paradoxically, some of the most pro-American sections of Indian opinion also happen to be the harshest critics of the Modi government today. Their alienation is so deep that they won’t even mind joining hands with the Indian left in berating the Modi government.

Blinken’s move to hold a ‘civil society roundtable’ discussion with a group of Indians conveyed a powerful message to the Modi Government that things may not be as bad as in Belarus or Myanmar, but India is being perceived by the Biden Administration more or less the same way as Recep Erdogan’s Turkey — an ally who is straying toward postmodern authoritarianism.

An AFP dispatch from Delhi reported that at the discussion, Blinken “issued a veiled warning… about Indian democracy backsliding.” read more No amount of wordplay

home. It only shows how testy the Blinken administration is nowadays when it comes to China.

by Blinken could cover up the reality that he had no word of praise for the Modi Government. Nor did Jaishankar appear particularly perturbed by that.

But Blinken underestimated the fault lines in the US-Indian relationship and the widening chasm between the two countries over the range of issues concerning Afghanistan, vaccine distribution and human rights issues. This was a rare India-US high-level exchange where there was hardly any rhetoric directed against China.

Estimating correctly that the Biden Administration is unlikely to easily abandon the goals it has been pursuing, Jaishankar was in no mood to apologise, either.

And at one point, he interjected at the press conference to defiantly point out that “the quest for a more perfect union applies as much to the Indian democracy as it does to the American one.”

Jaishankar asserted that “it is the moral obligation of all polities to right wrongs when they have been done, including historically. And many of the decisions and policies you’ve seen in the last few years fall in that category.”

He held the ground that “freedoms are important, we value them, but never equate freedom with non-governance or lack of governance or poor governance. They are two completely different things.” It is difficult to recall an Indian minister in modern times pushing back at the US publicly. read more The press conference also highlighted the deep disillusionment in Delhi over the irresponsible manner in which the US cut loose and exited Afghanistan, leaving that country in shambles and jeopardising regional security — and stability and billions of dollars worth Indian investment in that country, both in financial support and technical assistance and in engineering projects.

Jaishankar noted bitterly that outcomes are being decided in the battlefield in Afghanistan and alluded to continuing Pakistani interference. He didn’t take Blinken’s easy route to put the blame on the Taliban and instead underscored the “broad consensus, deep consensus” among most of the neighbours of Afghanistan that there should be a political settlement.

Certainly, Washington’s clumsy rearguard action

to create another QUAD (Quadrilateral Diplomatic Platform) comprising the US, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan with a view to remaining embedded in the region even after the humiliating defeat in the 20year war would have come as a nasty surprise to Delhi and prompted it to slam the door shut on any form of bandwagoning with America in the Hindu Kush. The dryness in Jaishankar’s tone had a tinge of contempt.

As regards the all-important Covid-19 vaccines, Blinken didn’t say a word about TRIPS waiver, which was an Indian initiative. Quite obviously, Biden who initially supported the initiative since quietly backtracked under pressure from the powerful Pharma companies and their political lobby and is now accepting their argument that the real solution lies in quickly relieving the global COVID-19 vaccine imbalance by pushing a package of interventions, including limiting export CONTD. ON PG 19 CONTD. FROM PG 18 restrictions, improving vaccine manufacturing in the global south, and issuing voluntary licenses that would allow specific manufacturers to avoid intellectual property restrictions, but without instituting a universal waiver.

So, at the end of the day, Blinken made a grand announcement that US will supply 25 million doses of

vaccine to India! From past experience, India is unsure whether even this paltry donation isn’t another empty promise. Jaishankar didn’t react.

Blinken also avoided making any assurances to give India full access to the raw materials for vaccine production. Did Blinken make any trade concessions to ease India’s post-pandemic economy recovery? Will the US help us to avoid another apocalyptic scenario when the 3rd Wave arrives? Did he promise to invest in India to create jobs?

Did he have any advice how Indian Army can resume patrolling on Depsang Plains?

No, none of that.

Having said that, the strong likelihood is that India may take part in the face-toface meet to discuss QUAD, which President Biden plans to convene. That will be a defining moment, as the US intention is to create a regional mechanism to strategically contain and exert pressure on China — simply put, to institutionalise the QUAD, where all four countries have their own reasons to address the perceived pressures and challenges posed by China’s rise.

The Quad’s record so far is dismal — be it on Covid vaccines, supply chains on rare earths or as counter to China’s Belt and Road. Yet, the way forward in US-China relations is expected to be rocky and the Biden Administration hopes to suppress China.

Blinken’s real mission was without doubt to stop India from drifting away from the US-led anti-China coalition.

The Biden Administration is worried that without India, the QUAD would unravel and the containment strategy against China wouldn’t gain traction in Asia.

Indeed, the strategic contradictions are self-evident insofar as all the QUAD countries, including the US, also have need for bilateral economic cooperation and even regional cooperation with China. When the top dog in the QUAD slyly keeps the door open for cooperation, the choice for the three subalterns couldn’t be clearer.

Thus, in the typical American way to hustle difficult partners, Blinken began with a bang by meeting Tibetan representatives — the first of its kind in India or in a third country by US officials — which was a calculated move to create misleading optics that would queer the pitch of India-China tensions.

This is no way to treat a hospitable friend — undercutting his standing while enjoying his hospitality at his

India needs to continue to walk the fine line both to avoid collateral damage from the Biden administration’s zigzagging policies on China as well as to keep its own autonomy to negotiate with China bilaterally. Biden is a highly experienced politician and if he gets to realise the futility of trying to suppress China, a pattern of co-existence may well emerge.

Source- newsclick.in, 30 Jul 2021

www.southasiatimes.com.au - 0421 677 082

TOURISM

august 2021

South Asia Times

19

Explore the Victorian Goldfields Railway in Castlemaine By bollyoz.com/ SAT News Desk

M

ELBOURNE, 30 July 2021: One never forgets the famous Bollywood song from ‘Aradhana’ “mere sapno ki rani”… yes, Rajesh Khanna in his jeep, following Sharmila Tagore travelling in the Baby Sivok steam locomotive train, which is also well-known as the Darjeeling toy train!

Well, we have something similar here, in our backyard in Castlemaine Victoria, which is the home of the Victorian Goldfields Railway! Castlemaine is approx. One hour and 30 minutes drive up the Calder Freeway (M79) from Melbourne.

This authentic steam heritage train links the historic gold mining towns of Castlemaine and Maldon in Central Victoria.

There are two different experiences offered: One is the Excursion class ticket, which is great for a family outing, this is great for the kids to experience authentic steam-era carriages and experience living history firsthand.

You can open the windows, spot the kangaroos, listen to the engine huff, and puff up the hills!

The other is the posh First Class, but this is reserved only for adults, and no children are allowed in this carriage. You can choose the Edwardian elegance in the parlour car or art deco sophistication in the Pullman club car which is air-conditioned for your comfort.

This certainly provides you with an experience of the Golden Age of rail travel when the journey was as important as the destination.

The best part is that you can step outside and admire the scenery from the end viewing platform of the parlour car…

Of course, what is better than being able to sample some of the wine and beer of the region in this plush carriage! Another thing to note is that Disabled access is available on all regular VGR trains.

If you are of a bit adventurous spirit, then you should try riding on the engine with the train driver! The view and the experience will simply amaze you! On the way to Maldon, there is a brief stop at Muckleford, the only intermediate station on the line… and it provides a nice photo op session for the tourists!

Once you reach Maldon station – you can hang on to see the incredible engine turntable that moves the rail engine back in the direction to Castlemaine.

The Victoria Goldmines Railways (VGRs) courtesy bus is available to take you into the

town centre and bring you back in time for the departing train.

The two and half hour stop at Maldon provides a chance to explore the historic village, which has some interesting Victorian-era buildings, and eclectic food and dining spaces.

Bollyoz’s Kirti Sehrawat chatted with Andrew Reynolds from VGR:

down in Melbourne, and that should be back here soon. We have access to another couple of steam engines from time to time. We also have several diesel locomotives and they’re quite historic in their own right. the diesel locomotives we’ve got was built in 1960 and it’s a very typical early diesels used on the railways.

Kirti Sehrawat (Bollyoz): Hi Andrew, would you be able to share the history of VGR? Andrew Reynolds (VGR): Certainly the railroad was built in 1884, 127 years ago and it was one of the many branch lines through Victoria to open up the countryside for farming, but in particular Maldon are very gold mining a very rich gold mining area there were some incredibly valuable mines in Maldon and also Castlemaine so to join from the mainline at Castlemaine which is in central Victoria to Maldon was very important to bring in mining machinery and take out the gold, and the railway flourished for doing that for a while but of course as always the gold runs out and so Maldon reverted back to being a very sleepy country. By the time 1978 came along the railway was closed it was uneconomic it just wasn’t worth running trains and at that time the preservation society took over which was us, and I was one of the very early members, and we within 10 years started running trains and finally in 2004 we reopened the railway into Castlemaine the full 16 kilometres from Maldon to Castlemaine.

Kirti Sehrawat (Bollyoz): Tell us about the train route from Castlemaine to Maldon?

Andrew Reynolds (VGR): We share the platform at Castlemaine with V-line, so the V-line trains come up from Melbourne takes about an hour and 20 minutes and all you’ve got to do is step off the V-line train and step onto our train. We have a branch line from Castlemaine, the mainline trains continue to Bendigo.

We’ve got ample car parking at Castlemaine station, and so when you board our train you go back in time! There’s no doubt about it, you come off a train that does 100 miles an hour, in my language 160 kilometres an hour, and you step onto our steam train which does maybe 40 kilometres an hour if you’re lucky, so it’s a step back in time. From Castlemaine we go through some quite steep hills, in the early days it was a very difficult line to build and there’s lots of sharp curves, lots of steep hills, and it runs for 16 kilometres, probably about half of it is through bushland that has been mined. We go through the bushland, which is pretty typical of Australian bush, but then down in the valley at Muckleford, we go through beautiful farmlands. The steam trains did serve a purpose for the rural community, taking in raw materials, and taking out produce. The trainline is incredibly attractive and the engines works hard, so you can hear the steam engine huffing and puffing.

Kirti Sehrawat (Bollyoz): So what are the main attractions here that visitors can experience?

Andrew Reynolds (VGR): In this railway we link two important places – Castlemaine and Maldon. Castlemaine is an incredibly rich gold mining area and a very wealthy town it’s now become very popular; it’s referred to as north Northcote.

A lot of people commute from Castlemaine to Melbourne, it’s about an hour and 20 minutes on the train. Maldon itself is a very sleepy town, but it’s vibrant,

there’s so much happening here! In 1966 the national trust classified Maldon as the first notable town in Australia because of its old 1880s, 1890s architecture and the fact that the town was basically original, so now it’s become very much a tourist town. But interestingly it keeps that old flavour of what it was back in the days.

Our trains leave from Castlemaine and take people to Maldon, they have a couple of hours in Maldon – two and a half hours to have lunch, walk around town, explore the town. The old gold mines are very close to town. There are some wonderful shops in town, one of the most famous is the lolly shop which everybody knows about. There’s a couple of really good pubs, lots of cafes, beautiful gardens and two museums. There’s plenty to do in town for that two and a half hours, and then we take people back.

Kirti Sehrawat (Bollyoz): What kind of train engines you do have here?

Andrew Reynolds (VGR): We’ve got several steam engines, and we’ve got several diesel locomotives. Our steam engines are mostly very modern, it was built in 1953 by a company called Vulcan in Lancashire in England. Vulcan were also notable for building thousands of steam engines for India for the Indian railways.

Our engine is the youngest steam engine still surviving in Victoria and we use it on most of our trains, we also have one other steam engine that is undergoing a major rebuild

Kirti Sehrawat (Bollyoz): So, what would you recommend for visitors from the subcontinent?

Andrew Reynolds (VGR): It’s a great place for visitors

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to come here, it’s so close to Melbourne, and an absolute taste of rural Australia it is such a quintessential Australian experience to come here.

You’ve got gold… Australia was founded on gold; this town owes its prosperity in everything to gold. So, you’ve got the gold mining relics all around town there are old mines, there’s a big chimney just out of the station, which was part of a processing plant. You’ve got the gold history which I think people from the subcontinent will enjoy, having a fascination for gold, which I totally understand.

One can also get a taste of the Australian way of life of last century; the late 1800s the early 1900s, there’s so much to do, there are wonderful shops like the lolly shop, unique pubs, fabulous cafes, gardens that you can go and sit in.

Kirti Sehrawat (Bollyoz): Do you also organize special trains, that can people hire for a specific occasion?

Andrew Reynolds (VGR): Absolutely that’s one of our specialties, we do hire the train for occasions we do run a few specialty trains of our own. We run one that’s Ales on Rails which is where we do craft beer tasting from central Victorian breweries as we’re traveling along and traveling back, and we have lunch in Maldon. We have a Murder on the Orient Express movie train, where we show the movie, and the theme of the train is based around that. We do other special trains for birthdays anniversaries and things, and one of the most memorable we did was only just before COVID, there’s a very big engineering works up in Bendigo and a lot of their engineers are from the subcontinent and particularly from India. They decided to have their outing on our train, they charted the train one evening and they made it a Bollywood theme, they did the decorations inside the club carriages, and we had a couple of our excursion cars and we played Bollywood music throughout our sound system, and everybody had such a fabulous time. It was so lively, I loved it, I really enjoyed doing it. Then when we got here to Maldon, we had some local Indian caterers had set up food on the platform. It was a wonderful experience, and we look forward to hosting such events on our special steam trains.

Kirti Sehrawat (Bollyoz): Many thanks Andrew for all your help with organising this tour, and showing us around.

We certainly had a great time in the Victorian Goldfields Railway roundtrip from Castle Maine to Maldon.

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South Asia Times

august 2021

Screen time can make you feel sick – here are ways to manage cybersickness

By Angelica Jasper*

d

o you ever feel like the light of your computer screen is burrowing into your eyes and making your head pulse? Or feel dizzy or nauseous after looking at your phone?

While you might think these sensations are just eye strain or fatigue from looking at your screen for too long, they’re symptoms of a condition called cybersickness.

These issues may seem like a necessary evil with the rise of work from home, remote learning and days spent endlessly scrolling online. But I can assure you as a researcher in human computer interaction specializing in cybersickness that there are ways to anticipate and avoid feeling sick from your screens.

What is cybersickness?

Cybersickness refers to a cluster of symptoms that occur in the absence of physical motion, similar to motion sickness.

These symptoms fall into three categories: nausea, oculomotor issues and general disorientation.

Oculomotor symptoms, like eye strain, fatigue and headaches, involve overworking the nerve that controls eye movement.

Disorientation can manifest as dizziness and vertigo.

And several cybersickness symptoms, such as difficulty concentrating and blurred vision, overlap categories. These issues can persist for hours and

affect sleep quality.

People can experience symptoms of cybersickness through everyday devices like computers, phones and TV. For instance, Apple released a parallax effect on iPhone lock screens in 2013 that made the background image seem like it floated or shifted when a user moved their phone around, which many people found extremely uncomfortable. As it turns out, this was because it triggered cybersickness symptoms. Parallax scrolling on websites, where a background image remains static while foreground content moves as you scroll, can also elicit these symptoms.

There isn’t total agreement among researchers about why people experience cybersickness. One prevailing idea, sensory conflict theory, hypothesizes that it’s from a mismatch of information perceived by the parts of the body that regulate vision and balance. Your eyes receive information that tells them you’re moving even though your body isn’t. Everyday technology design can trigger this conflict between visual perception and physical experience.

Cybersickness in virtual and augmented reality VR refers to technology that entirely blocks your view of the real world and replaces it with an immersive, artificial environment. It’s widely

commercially available through popular gaming platforms like Facebook’s Oculus devices and Sony PlayStation VR. VR can result in severe levels of nausea that increase with duration of use. This can make certain applications and games unusable for many individuals.

AR, on the other hand, overlays a simulated environment onto the real world. These could include head-mounted devices that still allow you to see what’s in front of you or something like Pokémon Go on your phone or tablet. AR tends toward more severe oculomotor strain.

Even if you haven’t used VR or AR devices before, chances are you will within the next 10 years. A rise in the popularity of AR and VR use will likely trigger a rise in cybersickness symptoms. Market research firm Research and Markets estimates that adoption of these technologies for work, education and entertainment may grow over 60% and reach over US$900 billion by 2027.

Cybersickness symptoms could be dangerous While cybersickness symptoms may initially appear benign, they can have enduring effects lasting up to 24 hours after device use. This may not seem like a big deal at first. But these lingering symptoms could affect your ability to function in ways that could prove dangerous.

For instance, symptoms

like severe headache, eye strain or dizziness could affect your coordination and attention. If these side effects persist while you’re operating a vehicle, it could lead to a car accident. It’s unclear whether the user, software company or some other party would be responsible for injuries potentially caused by device use and cybersickness symptoms.

Not much is currently known about how chronic cybersickness affects daily life. Just as there is extreme variability on who is more prone to motion sickness, with some up to 10,000 times more at risk, some people may be more prone to cybersickness than others. Evidence suggests that women, those who don’t play video games often and people with poor balance may experience more severe cybersickness.

Dealing with cybersickness symptoms If you are struggling with cybersickness symptoms because you’re using your computer or phone for longer periods, there are ways to help relieve the discomfort. Blue light glasses are designed to block out some of the blue light waves emitted by your device screen that can lead to eye strain and sleep irregularities.

Zooming in on a screen or using larger font sizes may also help reduce eye strain and make daily work more sustainable.

If you’re interested in trying VR and AR

www.southasiatimes.com.au - 0421 677 082

applications but are prone to motion sickness, warning indicators, like Oculus Comfort Ratings, can help you know what to expect. Always make sure to visually calibrate devices so your eyes are as comfortable as possible, and use devices only in open spaces to minimize the risk of injury if you get dizzy and lose your balance. Take breaks if you start to feel any discomfort.

Using new technology safely The work-from-home movement has grown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many people have replaced 9-to-5’s and commutes with sweatpants, bedhead and Zoom meetings.

Though the convenience is undeniable, it has also come with an increasing awareness of how difficult it can be to stare at a screen for 40-plus hours a week.

But don’t let cybersickness get you down. As researchers continue to find ways to mitigate and prevent cybersickness across all devices, people may one day be able to enjoy advancements in innovative technologies without feeling dizzy. *PhD Student in Human Computer Interaction (Industrial and Manufacturing Systems Engineering), Iowa State University Source- theconversation. com, July 22. 2021. (Under Creative Commons Licence)