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Asia’s expanding illicit market: Brides
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guest editorial
FEBRUARY 2019
Why cutting Australia’s migrant intake would do more harm than good, at least for the next decade
By Peter McDonald*
A
ustralia’s population is among the fastest growing in the OECD with an increase of 1.7 per cent in 2016-17. In Sydney and Melbourne traffic congestion has become so intolerable many believe a cut to migration would provide time for infrastructure such as roads and trains to catch up. Net Overseas Migration was 262,000 in 2016-17, one of the highest levels on record. They are all compelling reasons to cut the size of the migration program, right? No, not right. Not at all. Our migration program is no bigger than it was Including the humanitarian movement, the government migration program has been set at a near-constant level of a little over 200,000 since 2011-12. In 2017-18, although the level set in the budget remained above 200,000, the actual intake was 179,000, including an unusually large intake of refugees mainly from Syria and Iraq. The combined Skilled and Family Streams fell short of the levels set in the budget by 28,000. The reasons for this shortfall are unclear. ‘Net overseas migration’ is different to migration Net Overseas Migration includes the government program but also other movements in to and out of Australia which both add to and subtract from it. New Zealand citizens are allowed to enter Australia without restriction. Many people such as international students enter Australia on temporary visas. Permanent and temporary Australian residents are allowed to leave without restriction. The net effect of all of these movements can change the recorded “net overseas migration” in ways that are inconsistent with what’s been happening to the migration program. If, for instance, the Australian economy picked up and fewer Australians decided to leave for better prospects overseas, recorded “net overseas migration” would increase even if the migration
program hadn’t. The two have been moving increasingly independently since mid 2006 when the Australian Bureau of Statistics changed its definition of “resident”, making temporary residents more likely to be counted in the population and their movements counted in net overseas migration. Over the past five years, the number of international students arriving has increased every year but there have been few international student departures. Inevitably, the departures of students will increase in future years and recorded net overseas migration will fall sharply again. So, forget the nearrecord official net overseas migration figure of 262,000 – the underlying level of net overseas migration is more likely to be around 200,000. The underlying level of population growth is about 1.4%, and falling. We’ll need strong migration for at least a decade A new study by Shah and
Dixon finds there will be 4.1 million new job openings in Australia over the eight years between 2017 and 2024. Over two million of these new openings will be due to “replacement demand”, effectively replacing the retirements from the labour force of baby boomers. There will not be enough younger workers arriving to fill the gap. In the absence of international migration and assuming constant agespecific employment rates, the number of workers under the age of 35 will fall by over half a million between 2016 and 2026, essentially because of the small number of births in the 1990s. It means that without migration Australia would face a labour supply crunch unlike anything it has ever faced before. Slowing or redirecting it won’t slow congestion The mismatch of labour demand and supply makes this an extraordinarily bad time to cut migration.
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The labour market is at its hottest in Sydney and Melbourne. Investment contracts involving new employment are signed and the construction of the new transport infrastructure promised in these cities will only increase the demand. Logic and economic theory tell us that workers move to where the jobs are, and jobs move to where the investors invest. If, in some way, official migration into Sydney and Melbourne was restricted, the jobs in Sydney and Melbourne would still have to be filled and would go instead to workers moving from the rest of Australia or New Zealand or temporary skilled migrants. As a result, the restriction would do little to reduce population growth in these cities. It would however, strip other states and territories of the workers they need. It would make the flow of the best and brightest from Adelaide and Perth to Melbourne even bigger. Contd. on pg 6
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FEBRUARY 2019
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Asia’s expanding illicit market: Brides By Tharanga Yakupitiyage
u
NITED NATIONS, Jan 25 2019 (IPS) - Paradoxically, the world’s most populated countries are facing a population crisis: a woman shortage. And its women who are paying a brutal price for it. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the natural sex ratio at birth is approximately 105 boys to every 100 girls. However, decades of gender discrimination, which favoured having boys over girls, has left India and China with 80 million more men than women. “When women lack equal rights and patriarchy is deeply engrained, it is no surprise that parents choose to not to have daughters,” said Human Rights Watch’s (HRW) Senior Researcher in the Women’s Rights Division Heather Barr. Now that there is a shortage of women doesn’t mean that women become more treasured or valued, she noted. Instead, there are very harmful consequences. “[Women have] become a commodity which is in demand, so in demand that people will use violence to acquire it,” Barr told IPS. “The stories we heard were really unbelievably shocking
even after having spent many, many years on human rights issues,” she added. The “bride shortage” has triggered trafficking as women are lured under false pretences and sold as brides. Bordering China is Myanmar’s Kachin and northern Shan states which has seen iterations of conflicts over the last decade. HRW found that traffickers often prey on women and girls in those regions, offering jobs in and transport to China. The women are then sold for 3,000 to 13,000 dollars to Chinese families struggling to find a bride for their sons. Once purchased, women and girls are often locked in
room and raped so that they can quickly provide a baby for the family. Often times, women and girls are even sold by people they know—sometimes even by family members. “The idea that there is a situation, a set of social pressures, a sense of lawlessness that is so extreme that it is causing people to sell their own relatives…it is shocking,” Barr said. In India, bride trafficking has become common in the northern states such as Haryana which has only 830 girls to every 1,000 boys. In a study, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) found in over
10,000 households, over 9,000 married women in Haryana were brought from other States. Most of those women came from poor villages in Assam, West Bengal, and Bihar where their families, desperate for money, struck deals with traffickers. There are also cases of girls being resold to other people after living a married life for a few years. According to the 2016 National Crimes Records Bureau, almost 34,000 were kidnapped or abducted for the purpose of marriage across India, half of whom were under the age of 18. While the immediate consequences for women are clear, there may also be long-
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The “bride shortage” in India and China has triggered trafficking as women are lured under false pretences and sold as brides.
term consequences of the distorted sex ratio. “Part of the reason that we should be worrying about it is that we simply don’t know what the longterm consequences of this are. We don’t know how this might change societies, but this is something that is going to have an effect through generations,” Barr told IPS, highlighting the need for action including better prevention efforts and law enforcement on trafficking and violence against women. But at the end of the day, governments must do more to address the root cause of the imbalance—gender discrimination. Though sex-selective abortion is illegal in India, it is still a widespread practice in the country. In fact, approximately five to seven million sex-selective abortions are estimated to be carried out in the South Asian country every year. China’s now two-child policy may also continue to pose a threat to women and girls, as well as the future stability of the country’s population. “The most fundamental problem is gender inequality and most fundamental solution to this is that you have to change the dynamics in society that makes sons valued and daughters not valued,” Barr concluded.
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By SAT News Desk
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ELBOURNE: Melbourne Indians expressed
solidarity with India and mourned for those who lost their lives in the Pulwama (J-K) terror attack killing more than
COMMUNITY
40 CRPF jawans. Hundreds of emotional Australian-Indians belonging to different organisations gathered at the steps of the
FEBRUARY 2019
Victorian parliament and observed a two minutes’ silence to remember the departed jawans. Community leaders and members
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addressed the gathering and asked the Indian government to take appropriate steps to meet the challenge. Photos: SAT/NN.
FEBRUARY 2019
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community
FEBRUARY 2019
A Kantha Garden for Her
My art engages with time here & relates to my tradition: Natasha Narain By Neeraj Nanda
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ELBOURNE, 9 February: Walker Street Art Gallery’s first exhibition for 2019 – “A Kantha Garden for Her” - features Indian artist Natasha Narain. Natasha's paintings depict Kantha textile and embroidery tradition, an intergenerational form of storytelling common in the eastern region of the Indian subcontinent. In the paintings, Natasha who now lives in Australia attempts to re-assert the essential qualities of story and community back to the Kantha tradition as a self-reflexive, interdisciplinary and accessible medium. “I would consider myself a contemporary artist and my works engage with time here and now, they are from the heritage of the place I come from. My works aim to make peace with the tradition I come from and the way I work with the medium. Inside I put collage of
images, I can relate to. It takes not a Bharaminical world view, but a woman centric one, attached to the Earth as we were in Shantiniketan, “she told SAT. Natasha feels she does not fit in any style and says, “I cannot do what I cannot relate to. I am honest to my-self.” “My art is neither Indian or Australian. It’s blended,” she asserts.
Opening Thursday 7 February to Saturday 2 March Opening times: The exhibition is open to the public Tuesday to Friday, 11am–5pm and Saturday, 11am–3pm. Walker Street Gallery and Arts Centre is closed during public holidays. Location: Walker Street Gallery and Arts Centre, Corner of Walker and Robinson streets, Dandenong Ph. 9706 8441
Why cutting Australia’s migrant... Contd. FROM pg 2 Diverting, say, 15,000 permanent skilled immigrants away from each of Sydney and Melbourne in 2019-20 would have no impact on transport congestion. Indeed, it might make it harder to build the required infrastructure, making congestion worse. We’ll need it to ease a painful transition Migrants will be needed in order to smooth the looming dramatic and uncomfortable changes in the age structure of our population. Migrants don’t only do this because they are young; they also do it because, before they themselves grow old, they have had children and grandchildren. Net overseas migration of 200,000 per annum would give us 6.8 million more people of traditional working age by 2051 than would no net migration, but only 400,000 more people aged 65 years and over. It would place Australia in a better position to support its aged population than any
other country in the OECD. Official studies by the International Monetary Fund, the Productivity Commission and the Treasury find that migration significantly increases income per capita and the government’s budget position. It does put pressure on Sydney and Melbourne, but some of it can be relieved through diversion of population and investment to the satellites of these cities. This has already been happening in Victoria. Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo have each jumped into the list of Australia’s top ten urban growth centres. The growth of Wollongong and Newcastle has been more sluggish but the NSW Premier has recently announced that NSW will be pursuing a strategy of better linkages between Sydney and its satellites. *Prof. of Demography, Centre of Health Policy, University of Melbourne. Source: The Conversation, 13 Dec., 2018. (Under Creative Commons licence) www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9884 8096, 0421 677 082
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FEBRUARY 2019
TA L K S FOOD MUSIC BLESSINGS M E D I TAT I O N
AUSTRALIAN TOUR
MELBOURNE 16-20 April 2019
Ladbrokes Park (Sandown) 591-659 Princes Hwy, Springvale FREE Public Programs 16 April 11am-5pm 17 April 10am & 7.30pm 20 April 7pm Devi Bhava (World Peace Program) Retreat 18-20 April (by pre-registration only)
“The sense of being welcomed and loved, despite being a complete stranger, was amazing.” BBC News
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community
FEBRUARY 2019
Many reasons behind people experiencing homelessness People experiencing homelessness are entitled to welfare payments and the Council of Homeless Persons.
By SAT News Desk
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ELBOURNE, 25 January: The Australian Bureau of Statistics (quoted by ABC News) says there were 116,000 people homeless on census night in
2016. Homeless means one who does not have a home and there could be many related situations. According to Inspector Crieg Peel (Melbourne East) in 2016 Victoria had 24,000 homeless and the city has about 200 plus such
people. They might not have a home or with complex mental or old age issues. They include; families with children, young people, older people, single adults, people with disabilities, people in regional and rural Victoria and people in urban
neighbourhoods. Inspector Peel says these people should not be given money and with about 903,000 weekly visitors to the city, the work with the homeless is a 24/7 operation. These people are not our enemy but the
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streets have to be kept clean and wrong doings are not accepted, he says. Enquiries reveal many community organisations (many getting hefty funding from the state government) have no role or don’t play a role in ending homelessness. People experiencing homelessness are entitled to welfare payments and the Council of Homeless Persons and the Salvation Army among others give a helping hand to these people passing difficult times without a home.
FEBRUARY 2019
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community
FEBRUARY 2019
New cultural centre for Berwick By Johann Jayasinha
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ELBOURNE: Berwick residents will soon have a place to spend good time at a centre with all the modern facilities to host cultural or other events. This will be possible with the Morrison Government backing a new state-of-theart Multicultural Education and Resource Centre here with a $500,000 grant. Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the centre would feature its own library and be used as a place for the community
to meet and spend quality time with each other. “Our government is focused on keeping Australians together and this new centre will be a boost for Berwick and communities across Melbourne,” the Prime Minister said. “Our $500,000 investment in the new centre is about giving people a place to meet friends and run cultural events. “Backing local culture breathes life into a community, lifts local pride and boosts the morale of the people who live there.”
The Minister representing the Prime Minister, Hon. Alan Tudge MP, Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population , made the announcement at the Sakyamuni Sambuddha Buddhist Vihara . Federal Member for La Trobe Jason Wood said the new centre would showcase the community’s history and personality by bringing diverse members of the community together to share knowledge and skills. “Whether young or old, this project will provide a place for Berwick residents
to relax and socialise and enjoy the benefits of community life and culture.” “A new facility like the Multicultural Education and Resource Centre will encourage people to come along and enjoy common experiences and reflect on what it means to belong.” The estimated cost of the development is $1 million with the Australian Government providing $500,000, the Victorian Government $240,000 and Sakyamuni Sambuddha Buddhist Vihara Victoria Incorporated $260,000. - SAT/SNNI Australia
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Our $500,000 investment in the new centre is about giving people a place to meet friends and run cultural events.
FEBRUARY 2019
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COMMUNITY
FEBRUARY 2019
Celebration of the 71st anniversary of the independence of Sri Lanka
By Johann Jayasinha
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ELBOURNE: The Office of the Consulate General of Sri Lanka here with the assistance of the Sri Lankan expatriate community and the Victorian government organised the celebration of the 71st Anniversary of the Independence of Sri Lanka in the evening of 4 February 2019 at the Box Hill Town Hall. The official flag hoisting ceremony was held at the Office of the Consulate General in the morning. The celebration commenced with the singing of the national anthem in Sinhala and Tamil and the observance of two minutes silence in memory of those who sacrificed their lives for the sake of the nation, lighting of the traditional oil lamp followed by multi faith religious observances
The official flag hoisting ceremony was held at the Office of the Consulate General in the morning. conducted by the clergy of all four religions who blessed Sri Lanka and its people. CONTD. ON PG 14
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asia times COMMUNITY roundup southSouth 13 Asia Times
FEBRUARY 2019
A-Day at the Governor's House
Indian Summer Fest at the MCG
Indian cuisine at the MCG
At the MCG
Australia-Day at the G-House
Book release at the Sathiya Sandhya
India's R-Day at the Indian Consulate
Subash Sharma addresses the Sathiya Sandhya
R-Day at Indian Consulate
At the Hindi Niketan R-day celebration
Natasha Narain at her paintings exhibition
Hindi Niketan ceelebrates R-Day
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Dr. Amitendu Palit speakes about loan wavers at AII event.
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community
FEBRUARY 2019
Celebration of the 71st... CONTD. FROM PG 12
Hon. Josh Bull, Member of Legislative Assembly and Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs represented the Premier of Victoria while Hon. Craig Ondarchie, Member of Legislative Council (Upper House of the State Parliament), represented the Leader of the Opposition of the Victorian Parliament who roffered felicitations of the Government and the Opposition to Sri Lanka and its people. Hon. Bruce Atkinson, Member of the Legislative Council of Victoria, Hon.
Jason Wood and Hon. Julian Hill, both Members of Australian Federal Parliament and number of other political dignitaries of Victoria, Mayors and City Councillors, Senior Government Officials, Commissioners of the Victorian Multicultural Commission, University Academics and members of the Consular Corps were in attendance at the event. One of the highlights of the event was the splendid cultural performances, presented before 600 strong audience, which depicted rich cultural heritage of Sri
Lanka and performed by children of Sri Lankan origin. One of the most significant items of the event was the felicitation of group of 12 brilliant students of Sri Lankan origin who achieved highest academic excellence in their Victoria Certificate of Education Examination of last year. Political Dignitaries of Victoria and several academics of Sri Lankan origin who hold very senior academic positions in the best universities in Melbourne joined the Consul General in felicitating these students. —SAT/SNNI Australia
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FEBRUARY 2019
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community
FEBRUARY 2019
Gems at the Melbourne Cricket Club Library at the MCG By Neeraj Nanda
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ELBOURNE: As the third Australia vs India ODI (18 January 2019) progressed at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), I visited the MCC library (on the third floor) which turned out to be full of vintage gems in the form of books, magazines and sports related stuff. A member of the library staff eagerly helped me and a friend cruise through the library. Covering sports played by the MCC and at the MCG, the collection’s strengths are Cricket, Australian football and the Olympic Games, with substantial holdings in a number of other sports. The primary collecting focus is on historical and biographical works. As a reference library it does not lend collection items. The Library founded in 1873, has been described as one of the best sport-related collections in the world. The collection consists of some 100,000 monographs, periodicals, newspapers, programs and ephemera, and microfilms, videotapes/ DVDs and CD-ROMs.We are also told there are around 30,000 books and all are not on display. I could see many books on Tandulkar displayed and some rare documents related to India’s Cricket tours to Australia. We see a hefty vintage volume of the ‘The Official Report of the Organizing Committee for the games of the 16 Olympiad Melbourne 1956. This volume has all the details and records of the games including the details (page 510) of the Hockey tournament in which India won the Gold medal. The rather nostalgic and historic details of the Hockey tournament are as follows: There were three groups – Group A – India, Singapore, Afghanistan and USA, Group B- GT. Britain & N. Ireland, Australia, Malaya and Kenya and the last Group C had Pakistan, Germany, New Zealand and Belgium. The winner of Groups A & B, and the 1st & 2nd team in Group C qualified for the Semifinals. In the Semi-finals India defeated Germany 1-0 and Pakistan defeated Great Britain & N. Ireland 3-2. And, in the final India defeated Pakistan 1-0 (Halftime – 0-0). The Indian team consisted of – S. Laxman, Baksish
Singh, R. S. Gentle (Captain), L. W. Claudius, Amir Kumar, G. Perumal, Raghbir Lal, Gaurdev Singh, Balbir Singh and R. S. Bhola. The Pakistan team consisted of – H. Zakir, A. Munir, M. H. Atif, Gulam Rasul, A Anwar, H. Mussarat, Noor Alam, A Hamid, R. Habib, A Nasir and Ullah Muti. Refrees: M. G. Cowlishaw (Gt. Britan & N. Ireland) and J. McDowell (Australia). FINAL PLACINGS: 1. India, 2. Pakistan, 3. Germany, 4. GT Britain and N. Ireland, 5. Australia and 6. New Zealand. Lastly, India scored 36 goals in the tournament and no goal was scored against it. Pakistan scored 7 goals and 1 goal was scored against it. Germany scored 5 goals and 4 were scored against it. Well, there is much more in this library which needs to be told. One can research endless topics here. This vintage stuff, I feel, needs to be digitalised for posterity. Hope the MCC/MCG management looks into this need. Meanwhile, we could hear the noise from the MCG stands as India was moving towards victory. Reluctantly, me and my friend moved back to the media room.
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FEBRUARY 2019
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community
FEBRUARY 2019
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AIBC celebrates A-Day & India's R-Day
By SAT News Desk
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ELBOURNE: Australia India Business Council (AIBC)-Vic celebrated Australia Day & India's R-Day on 14 Feb 2019 at the RACV Club, city. Those who attended were HE Dr. A. M. Gondane, HC for India, India's GG in Melb Mr. Rakesh Malhotra, Jayakumar Janakraj, CEO Adani Global, Chris Mooney, President AIBC Victoria, Keynote speaker Prof. Geoffery Blainey, many corporate leaders, and the media among others. Addressing the gathering HE Dr. A. M. Gondane, detailing the relations between India and Australia emphasised the importance of rising India’s economic might and the democratic traditions. “Political transitions, In India, he said, “happen smoothly.” In his speech, Jayakumar said, "We have been through testing times in recent years and invested $ 3.3 b in the Q'land Carmichael Coal mine and the connecting rail line." " This mine will not harm the Great Barrier Reef', he said. Prof. Geoffery Blainey
detailed the early years of Australia's engagement with India. He also said the mine and related development will not hit the farmers. Historian Prof. Geoffery Blainey talked about early connections between Australia and India during the colonial times and during a limited Q-A session admitted he opposed Asian immigration. Supporting Coal and its mining, he said, Coal from this mine when exported to India will generate electricity cutting its shortage there. Mr. Geoffery also said, “Mabo laws did not help” Australia.
Others present included Jenny Bloomfield – State Director DFAT, Abhay Mehta CII representative, Stephanie Fahey CEO, Austrade , Premiers Department – Michael Lemieszek, Lord Mayor Sally Capp, CEO VECCI – Mark Stone, Mukund Narayanamurti, CEO – Asialink Business, Jeyakumar Janakaraj – CEO & Country Head – Adani Australia, Samir Vohra – COO Adani Australia, Rajesh Gupta – Head of Finance Adani Australia, Kate Campbell – Head of Media & Communications Adani Australia, Damon Kitney,
The Australian – Senior Business Editor, Duncan Harris, Harish Rao Head of Asia Pacific Sundaram Business Services, Sammy Kumar, PWC, Hon. Ted Baillieu: Former Premier of Victoria and Mr. Gurpal Singh, prominent lawyer. The afternoon lunch-event was sponsored by Adani Australia. National Platinum partners were Lawyers McCullough, and Deloitte. And, National Gold partners were nib iman Australian Health Plans and Australian Super. Photos: Guruswamy Perumal.
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We have been through testing times in recent years and invested $ 3.3 b in the Q'land Carmichael Coal mine and the connecting rail line.
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community
FEBRUARY 2019
Australia's first EthnoSpecific Indian Aged Care with 108 beds announced in Melbourne M By SAT News Desk
ELBOURNE: Australian first 'Indian Ethno Specific Aged Care Facility' (Noble Park) announced in Victoria at a function adjacent to the Indian Museum, Little India, Dandenong. Those present
included Alan Tudge MP, Federal Minister, Matt Fregon MP, ALP MP from Mt. Waverley, Dandenong Mayor, Mr. Malhotra, Indian Consul Melbourne, Vasan Srinivasan, Australian Multicultural Council and members of the community. The facility will be setup by the Micare (Formaly
Dutch Care) and guided by the AICC Trust (setup in 2014) consisting of Vasan Srinivasan, Karan Gainder, Dr. Dinesh Parekh, Ashok Ashwani, Himanshu Lakhani, Dr. Santosh Kumar, Dr. Sharad Gupta and Peter Vlahos, former Mayor of Monash. The gathering was addressed by Vasan
Srinivasan, Alan Tudge, Matt Fregon, Dinesh Parekh, Sharad Gupta among others. The facility which will have 108 beds has now been approved by the Dandenong Council and has a grant of $ one million from the federal government. “The process to have the facility has started with staff recruitment and
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a 60 member Friends of the facility body from the community being formed,” Vasan Srinivasan told SAT. He added: “The facility will have access and availability to Indian linguistic and cultural needs, will have social activities, food choices, 4 prayer rooms, a vege kitchen and a 300 seat community hall.”
counterview
FEBRUARY 2019
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Debunking those branding Gandhi racist, South African official, says, Mahatma influenced Mandela
By Neeraj Nanda
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senior South African official has debunked the view currently being held by several African academics, particularly Ghana and South Africa, that Mahatma Gandhi was antiblack, saying, the country’s tallest leader Nelson Mandela as also Ghana’s anti-colonial leader Kwame Nkrumah were “influenced” by Gandhi.
Anil Sooklal, an ethnic Indian, who is deputy director-general of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), which is the foreign ministry of the South African government, said, Mandela was “aware” of the limitations of Gandhi’s views and had insisted that one shouldn’t go by what he may have said at a particular moment by his action. Sookalal, who delivered a public lecture at the Gujarat
Vidyapeeth, Ahmedabad, on Gandhi Mandela Legacy, criticized the decision of the University of Legon, Ghana, for removing Gandhi’s statue because he was allegedly a racist, saying, Mandela, who stood for a violent revolution, was ultimately influenced by Gandhi’s non-violence, which alone made South Africa apartheid free. Sookalal's lecture was jointly organised by Gujarat Vidyapith, Research
Information System for Developing Countries and Gujarat Institute of Development Research. Pointing out that Gandhi’s Natal Indian Congress, formed in 1894 for nonviolent protests against the oppressive treatment of the white people towards the native Africans and Indians, was the first antiracist organization in South Africa, Sookalal said, it was a precursor for the formation of the African National
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Mandela was “aware” of the limitations of Gandhi’s views and had insisted that one shouldn’t go by what he may have said at a particular moment by his action. Congress, which led the anti-apartheid struggle for the decades that followed. —CV News, February 02, 2019
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by Rashid Sultan
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irst, Karnataka and, now, 5 other states, three of them from Hindi heartland, where BJP had to eat dust. Commentators both pro and anti Modi are trying to analyse the caus-es of the BJP defeat and all are converging, invariably, on Prime Minis-ter Narendra Modi. Arrogance: You have to see some videos to believe how he has been behaving, publicly, with past BJP leaders, including L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi, let alone party’s foot soldiers, since becoming the PM. Even if you are not a fan of these leaders (the two most responsible for hatred between Hindus and Muslims after the Rath Yatra and Babri Masjid’s demolition) you would feel sorry for their humiliation. Sometimes, I do wonder why these leaders are still stick-ing to the party. Not keeping up to promises: during 2014 elections : Lakhs of crores of black money would be brought back in the country and every citizen would be entitled to15 lakh rupees from this wind-fall; no black money has come back in the country. 2 crores of new jobs
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IS THE END NIGH? to be created every year: unemployment , particularly, among the youth has rushed to the south of 15% in the last 5 months; the jobless rate is the highest in the last 45 years; 74 lakhjobs are vacant since 2014 in central and state governments while he claims that pakoda selling is also a job. Sabka saath sabka vikaas: look no further than mob lynching, mainly Muslims, while our foppish prime minister has been busy with his haute couture involving huge sums of money (do prime ministers get clothing allowance?) and going overseas on the flimsiest grounds (1487 crores, no question asked!).
100 smart cities: where are they? Make in India: the PM himself sacrificed the HAL at the altar of Anil Ambani. Demonetisation: The aim was professed to eliminate all the black money afloat in the market and also annihilate terrorism by starving terrorists of their funds. According to the RBI, 99.5% of the money in circulation, then, has been returned to banks, and the counting is still on. So, where has the black money gone? It was a one man’s decision despite opposition from the, then, RBI governor whose
tenure was not renewed, as a penalty. And, now, his successor has also been shown the exit door for not being obedient to unheard of orders in the RBI history. By the way, have we seen any lessening in terror activities, particularly in the valley? There were more than hundred deaths of people in the queues; lakhs of small scale businesses had to close and more than a crore of labourers had to return to their villages due to paucity of work; majority of them have not yet returned. The informal sector, the mainstay of Indian economy, is, totally, lying in tatters. GST: Narendra Modi opposed the introduction of GST while in opposi-tion but launched it with great fanfare at midnight as if India was once again gaining her independence. No less than two dozen GST rates were being announced day in day out in the first month, in all 367 amendments. Even today, a businessman is not certain of the ac-curacy of the rates he is selling at nor sure of refunds at the time of tax returns. There are more than 10 rates of GST currently in action, unheard of in a modern- day economy. Has to be first in the world! Now, let’s come to the election bandwagon of
2019: Things which may go against Modi in May 2019 All the issues discussed above responsible for losing 6 states plus
Corruption: BJP has left behind UPA in this field by leaps and bounds: The escapes of Vijay Mallaya ( with 10,000 crores of public money) ,Nirbhav Modi (33,ooo crores), Mehul Choksy (20,000 crores) ; Lalit Modi who escaped with active help from BJP leaders, even when in opposition, still lurking in the background . The Rafale deal where Anil Ambani gets 30,000 crores for literally having done nothing and Hin-dustan Aeronautics (HAL) being thrown on the roadside. So much for Make in India! No infrastructure project yet completed in the last 5 years. The only projects he performed opening ceremonies for were all started by the previous central or state governments but the embedded media gave credit to Modi. The usurpation of autonomous agencies: The CBI, RBI, CVC, ECI, FTI. It is nothing less than a mockery of Indian federalism. The allegedly internal battle between Modi and Gatkari, the blue eyed boy of the RSS.
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The alliances (Mahagathbandhan) of 2 dozen political parties. Things which may go in favour of Modi: He is still the most popular leader among the Hindutva faction which is quite large. The recent passage of the amendment bill giving reservation of 10% to higher castes. Nothing less than a master stroke! Will be challenged in the Supreme Court, definitely, and is likely to be ruled unconstitution-al given previous judgements, unless? The recent petition by the government in the Supreme Court for 64 acres of undisputed land around Babri Masjid to be released so con-struction of the Ram Mandir may begin. Another master stroke to ap-pease sadhus who have no large followings but are a great public irri-tant. Any communal eruption, before the election, between Hindus and Muslims will benefit the BJP. And it is quite likely. Don’t be surprised. The IT cell which has been active right from 2012 till now. It would go into higher gear spewing hatred against Congress and the minori-ties. Lastly the EVM (the electoral voting machines) These are author’s personal views
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Kashmir: Back to square one?
CRPF jawans who lost their lives in the Pulwama terror attack. Photo: CRPF By K M Seethi
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he terror attack on the CRPF convoy in Pulwama (Jammu and Kashmir), which killed more than 40 soldiers of the paramilitary forces, sent shock waves across the country and the world. The attack came in a crucial time of political uncertainty in J&K, the forthcoming general elections in India, and the meetings planned in connection with the opening of Kartarpur corridor for the facilitation of pilgrims with the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. The attack was claimed by the Pakistanbased Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), which unleashed similar terror campaigns before in several places like Uri, and is believed to have been an associate of the Indian Parliament attack in 2001. The mastermind of these attacks is Maulana Masood Azhar, who was arrested by India in the 1990s but, later, released as part of a hostage exchange in the wake of the high jacking an Indian Airlines
flight to Kabul in 1999. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that “perpetrators of Pulwama terror attack act will be punished” and that “they will have to pay a heavy price.” Stating that free hand has been given to the security forces to act, Modi “dared Pakistan not to live in illusion that it can destabilize India. Our neighbour which is already isolated by the global community is in a state of illusion, if it thinks that it can demoralize India with its dastardly acts and nefarious designs.” He continued: “Let me state categorically that it should stop day dreaming to destabilize India. This neighbour of ours which is in a state of economic despair must know that any such attempt is destined to fail and will be foiled” (PMIndia 2019). The Ministry of External Affairs in its statement said that Jaish-e-Mohammed, a Pakistan-based terrorist organization proscribed by the UN and other countries “has been given full freedom by
Government of Pakistan to operate and expand his terror infrastructure in territories under the control of Pakistan and to carry out attacks in India and elsewhere with impunity.” The Ministry strongly reiterated its “appeal to all members of the international community to support the proposal to list terrorists, including JeM Chief Masood Azhar, as a designated terrorist under the 1267 Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council and to ban terrorist organisations operating from territories controlled by Pakistan” ” (India, Ministry of External Affairs” 2019b). Later, rejecting Pakistan Foreign Secretary’s statement on the non involvement the country, India’s foreign affairs ministry said that the “demand for an investigation is preposterous when there is a video of the suicide bomber declaring himself a member of the JeM. There are also other audio-visual and print material linking
JeM to the terrorist attack. We have therefore no doubt that the claim is firmly established. The ministry demanded that “Pakistan take immediate and verifiable action against terrorists and terror groups operating from territories under its control to create a conducive atmosphere in the region free of terror”(India, Ministry of External Affairs” 2019b). The Union Home Minister said “the country is fighting a decisive battle against terrorism unitedly and will certainly emerge victorious.” He said “the world stands with India and the morale of the security forces is very high.” Reiterating that “only a miniscule numbers of misguided youth have joined hands with those across the border in their evil design to spread terrorism” Rajnath Singh said “these elements are enemies of the people of Jammu & Kashmir. The Home Minister also appealed the people “to maintain communal harmony “(India, Ministry
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of Home 2019). The all-party meeting on the Pulwama terror attack, chaired by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Parliament on 16 February, also resolved to stand united in solidarity with security forces in fighting terrorism and defending the unity and integrity of India. The Government of India has apparently taken a series of decisions to offset the damage done. It has already withdrawn the MFN status granted to Pakistan in 1996, registered its official position through diplomatic channels, and launched an international campaign to draw the attention of world to the emerging situation. India may not risk an open war with Pakistan at this stage given the geopolitical complexities of the situation. However, given enormous political payoffs in the background of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, the BJP may use Pulwama episode as a rallying point for its own electoral advantage. CONTD. ON PG 24
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Kashmir: Back to square one? CONTD. FROM PG 23
There are criticisms of lapses in respect of the ‘intelligence failure’ and many tend to believe that we could have saved the lives of jawans had the security apparatus taken appropriate measures in a convoy of military vehicles involving more than 2000 soldiers. The opposition parties have taken a strategic stand in support of the Government (as reflected in the all-party meeting), at least until the dusts are settled, even as their criticism of lapses in respect of defence deals and compromises on national security continued. The BJP-led NDA Government had undertaken “surgical strikes” on Pakistani military targets and terrorist camps across the Line of Control (LoC) in 2016 following JeM attacks on Indian military facilities. Defence experts conceded that emergency plans were afoot for retaliatory action against Pakistan in the event of a devastating terrorist attack. But all such options carry the risk of retaliation and uninhibited escalation given the fact that both countries have stockpiled nuclear weapons and advanced missile systems. What is more critical is the internal situation in Kashmir. Already the state had entered a cycle of uncertainty following BJP’s decision to pull out of the coalition with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Interestingly, the reason put across by the BJP for its withdrawal is still important for the Modi government– that the alliance with PDP had become unsustainable in the background of mounting violence! (Seethi 2018). BJP’s withdrawal came hardly a day after the suspension of ceasefire in the Kashmir Valley ordered by the Centre. Mehbooba Mufti was reported to have asked for continuance of ceasefire in the Valley. But the Centre declined this request in the background of BJP’s rethinking on its alliance with the PDP. Before these things happened, a prominent journalist and editor of Rising Kashmir, Shujaat Bukhari, was murdered outside his office by gunmen. The murder had raised a very serious credibility crisis for the Mufti government because Bukhari’s brother was a member of her cabinet. Incidentally, it was on the same day that the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights released its Report on the Human Rights in J&K
and Azad Kashmir which catalogued the human rights abuses and violations over the last two years (UN, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights 2018; Seethi 2018). The Report, which called for independent inquiry into human rights violations in both in J&K and Azad Kashmir, was rejected by India—calling it as an interference in the country’s national sovereignty and security. India called it “fallacious, tendentious and motivated.” India questioned the credibility of the report calling it “selective compilation of largely unverified information” (India, Ministry of External Affairs 2018). This was not the first time that New Delhi had rejected such reports and statements of international human rights agencies (Seethi 1999; Seethi 2005/2009; Seethi 2016). There were already issues emerging from different corners of State, over years and months. The Army’s indiscriminate use of pellet guns on the protesting people had generated widespread condemnation. The number of civilians who suffered injuries, including loss of vision, was very high. Indian army’s response was again aggravating the situation which led to more and more casualties and increasing incidents of human rights violations throughout the summer of 2016 and into 2018 (Seethi 2018). Meanwhile, the militants in the Valley continued to gain strength. There were a large number of attacks on schools also during this period. The Union Government told the Parliament that as many as 32 schools were damaged in such attacks by militants. India accused Pakistan of actively supporting such armed groups based in territories controlled by Pakistan. It was reported that from the late 1980s, a number of militant groups have been actively operating in J&K, and they were responsible for unleashing human rights abuses, including kidnappings, killings of civilians and sexual violence(Ibid). The UN Report noted that the site of intervention by groups operating in J&K has shifted over the years. “In the 1990s, around a dozen significant armed groups were operating in the region; currently, less than half that number remain active. The main groups today include Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, Jaishe-Mohammed, Hizbul
Mujahideen and Harakat Ul-Mujahidin; they are believed to be based in Pakistan-Administered Kashmir. Hizbul Mujahideen is also part of the United Jihad Council, which began as a coalition of 14 armed groups in 1994, claiming to be fighting Indian rule… ”(UN, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights 2018:3839). Though Pakistan denied of any support to these groups, the UN Report recorded experts’ opinion that “Pakistan’s military continues to support their operations across the Line of Control.” Three of them— Lashkar-e-Tayyiba,Jaish-eMohammed and Harakat Ul-Mujahidin—are listed on the Security Council “ISIL (Da’esh) & Al-Qaida Sanctions List”303 for their activities in J&K (Ibid). Since the state of J&K has been placed under the Governor’s rule—the eighth in its political history— the Modi government has enormous freedom to control the State politics by using the security situation in the Valley. But JeM terror strike came as a big blow to its Kashmir policy as well as its strategy vis-à-vis Pakistan. It’s hardly a week for the twentieth anniversary of the Lahore Declaration, signed between India and Pakistan during the BJPled Government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, way back in February 1999, in the background of the rising tensions followed by nuclear tests conducted by the two countries. Among the major commitments made in the Declaration include their resolve to “intensify their efforts to resolve all issues, including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.” They committed themselves to “refrain from intervention and interference in each other’s internal affairs.” While undertaking the task of promoting and protecting human rights, the two countries also reaffirmed “their condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and their determination to combat this menace,” while agreeing to “intensify their composite and integrated dialogue process for an early and positive outcome of the agreed bilateral agenda” (India, Ministry of External Affairs 1999). Before the ink dried of the signing of the Lahore Declaration, there were reports of Pakistani intrusion into Kashmir which, eventually, resulted a major war in the Kargil sector in 1999. However, the latest terror episode shows that India has not learnt the lessons of the Kargil war
which in fact had called for multi-level intelligence gathering and pre-emptive measures in respect of the intrusion and operation of non-state actors in the Valley.
References India, Ministry of Home, Press Information Bureau (2019): “Union Home Minister reviews security scenario in J&K at a high-level meeting in Srinagar,” http://pib. nic.in/PressReleseDetail. aspx?PRID=1564834 India, Ministry of External Affairs (1999): “Lahore Declaration February, 1999,” https://mea.gov.in/in-focusarticle.htm?18997/Lahore+D eclaration+February+1999 India, Ministry of External Affairs (2018): “Official Spokesperson’s response to a question on the Report by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on “The human rights situation in Kashmir,” 14 June, http:// www.mea.gov.in/mediabriefings.htm?dtl/29978/ Official_Spokespersons_ response_to_a_question_ on_the_Report_by_the_ Office_of_the_High_ Commissioner_for_Human_ Rights_on_The_human_ rights_situation_in_K India, Ministry of External Affairs (2019a): India strongly condemns the cowardly terrorist attack on our security forces in Pulwama, Jammu & Kashmir, https:// www.mea.gov.in/pressreleases.htm?dtl/31053/ India_strongly_condemns_ the_cowardly_terrorist_ attack_on_our_security_ forces_in_Pulwama_ Jammu_amp_Kashmir India, Ministry of External Affairs (2019b): “Official Spokesperson’s response on Pakistan Foreign Secretary’s briefing rejecting Pakistan’s involvement in the Pulwama attack and Pakistan following a constructive approach, February 15, 2019,” https://www.mea. gov.in/media-briefings. htm?dtl/31056/Official+Sp okespersons+response+o n+Pakistan+Foreign+Secr etarys+briefing+rejecting +Pakistans+involvement+i n+the+Pulwama+attack+a nd+Pakistan+following+a+ constructive+approach PMIndia(2019): “PM’s statement on terror attack in Pulwama, 15 Feb, 2019,” http://www. pmindia.gov.in/en/news_ updates/pms-statementon-terror-attack-inpulwama/?comment=disable Seethi, K.M. (2018): “Kashmir in a Dense Cauldron of Uncertainty,” Countercurrents, 20 June https://countercurrents.
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perpetrators of Pulwama terror attack act will be punished” and that “they will have to pay a heavy price.” Stating that free hand has been given to the security forces to act, Modi “dared Pakistan not to live in illusion that it can destabilize India. org/2018/06/20/kashmirin-a-dense-cauldron-ofuncertainty/ Seethi, K.M. (2016): “Still Across the Line of Control and the ‘Unfinished Innings in Kashmir,” Countercurrents.org, 21 July. Seethi, K.M. (2005/2009): “Kashmir: Rethinking Security beyond the Line of Control,” in Rajen Harshe and K.M. Seethi (eds.), Engaging with the World: Critical Reflections on India’s Foreign Policy, New Delhi: Orient Longman/ Orient Blackswan. Seethi, K.M. (1999): “A Tragedy of Betrayals: Questions Beyond the LoC in Kashmir,” Economic and Political Weekly, Vol.34, No.37, September 11. UN, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (2018): Report on the Situation of Human Rights in Kashmir: Developments in the Indian State of Jammu and Kashmir from June 2016 to April 2018, and General Human Rights Concerns in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit – Baltista, https://www.ohchr.org/ Documents/Countries/PK/ DevelopmentsInKashmir June2016ToApril2018.pdf The author is Dean of Social Sciences and Professor, School of International Relations and Politics, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala. He can be reached at kmseethimgu@gmail.com Source: Counter Currents, !6 February, 2019.
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Deep Rooted Islamic Radicalism Remains a Challenge to Imran’s “Naya Pakistan”
By P.K. Balachandaran
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OLOMBO: The Pakistan Prime Minister, Imran Khan, has been making visible and notable efforts to rein in Islamic radicals and give his concept of a ‘Naya or New Pakistan’ the stamp of religious moderation and interreligious tolerance. He has contained the latest violent agitation by the extremist Tehreeki-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) against the Supreme Court’s reaffirmation of the acquittal of the Christian lady, Aasia Bibi, in the now internationally known “blasphemy” case. Over 70 activists of the TLP were arrested after pitched street battles in Karachi on Friday. Perhaps because of the government’s manifest determination to see that its writ was not challenged by mobs, there were no reports of Islamic extremist-led violence or even peaceful demonstrations against the January 29 acquittal of Aasia Bibi. However, the build-up to the violence on the streets of Karachi had held out frightening possibilities. It was reported that gangs of activists were on a search of places in which the released Aasia Bibi and her beleaguered family could be hiding. The declared intention was to kill them. And the threat could not be taken lightly. When the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz ) was in power, Salman Taseer, the Governor of Punjab, and the Christian cabinet minister, Shahbaz Bhatti, were killed for speaking up for Aasia Bibi. Mashal Khan, a Muslim university student in the Khyber Pakhtunkwah province, was shot and actually beaten to death by a mob of fellow students and university staff for alleged blasphemy. Imran’s Radical Islamist Past Unfortunately, before he became Prime Minister, Imran had played to the radical Islamist gallery with gusto, supporting all their demands made to the PML (N) government. On November 5, 2017, radicals led by TLP chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi, started a protest against a change of wording in the official declaration of allegiance to the Prophet. As leader of the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-iInsaf (PTI), Imran publicly conveyed his best wishes to the protesters and advised his supporters to join the sitin on the streets of Islamabad. In his August 2018 National Assembly election campaign, he sided with the fundamentalist Barelvi Sunnis against the moderate PML (N). Strengthening blasphemy laws, establishing Pakistan as an Islamic welfare state, and supporting seminaries or madrassas were part of Imran Khan’s election manifesto. As one commentator wrote: “He (Imran) mainstreamed fundamentalism, supported religious extremists, encouraged the militant narrative in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa, funded the ‘Oxford of Jihad’, Haqqania Madrassa, offered to establish offices for the Taliban in Peshawar, and kept on visiting shrines to secure the fundamentalist vote bank across the country.” Post-Election Avatar However, after winning the August 2018 National Assembly elections, Imran reversed his policy. As Prime Minister, he swore that he would make Pakistan a nondiscriminatory and just society as envisioned by its founding father, Mohd.Ali Jinnah. Prime Minister Imran allowed Christmas to be celebrated openly, perhaps for the first time since the Zia-ul-Haq era in the 198os. He saw to it that no public event connected with Christmas was attacked by fanatics. He started the process of building a corridor between a historic Sikh shrine in Kartarpur and a Sikh shrine across the border in India to ease the flow of Sikh pilgrims between India and Pakistan. His government appointed Sikhs and Hindus to important offices which not previously opened to the minorities. However, a month after assuming office, Imran found to his dismay that he could not accommodate Ahmadiyyas, however qualified they might be. He had to sack his economic advisor, Dr.Atif Mian, an Ahmadiyya, due to objections from fundamentalist Sunnis who consider Ahmadiyyas to be heretics. Dr.Atif had been rated as one of the world’s top 40 young economists. But fundamentalist forces in Pakistan had no use for such people if they were Ahmadiyyas. And Imran had to follow their diktat. In October 2018, the Pakistan Supreme Court acquitted a Christian farm laborer, Aasia Bibi, who, had been sentenced to death by a High Court in 2010 for “blasphemy”. Judge Asif Khosa ruled that the accusation was based on vague, unsubstantiated and motivated charges made in violation of established Islamic principles. As soon as the acquittal
was announced, TLP leader Pir Afzal Qadri and Maulana Khadim Hussein issued a fatwa to kill three Supreme Court judges, including the Chief Justice, who had ordered Asia Bibi’s release. But with ambitious plans to usher in a ‘Naya Pakistan’, Prime Minister Imran Khan found the threat issued to the judges to be totally repugnant and sternly warned the TLP. Engaged in rescuing Pakistan from the financial mess it has been in, with fresh financial inputs and investments from abroad, Imran had to provide the international community conditions favorable for investment. Assassination of Supreme Court judges would have scuttled all investment plans. The Pakistani military, anxious to curb extremism within the country and also friendly to Imran, backed his tough policy against the TLP. Root Cause Needs to Addressed But while this has paid off and the TLP has been put in its place, Imran has to look deeply into the problem of Islamic radicalism and weaken it at the root. If that is not done, it could raise its ugly head again to thwart his plans for a New Pakistan. While everyone agrees that the blasphemy law cannot be repealed, given its political and social importance in a conservative Muslim country like Pakistan, the law can be made more rational and humane with safeguards in tune with internationally recognized notions of human rights and jurisprudence. The blasphemy law, brought into being by President Zia-ul-Haq in the 1980s, has so far led to the incarceration of 633 Muslims, 494 Ahmadiyyas, 187 Christians and 21 Hindus. The invoked parts of the Pakistani Penal Code are Sections 295-A (outraging religious feelings), 295-B (desecrating the Quran), 295C (defiling the name of the Prophet Muhammad) and 298-A (defiling the names of the family of the Prophet Muhammad, his companion or any of the caliphs). Under the Pakistan Penal Code relating to blasphemy, police have the authority to arrest the alleged offender without a warrant and can commence investigations without orders from a magistrate’s court. During General Zia-ul-Haq’s rule the Federal Shariat Court was established in 1980. Its rulings are binding. In 1990, the Federal Shariat Court had ruled that death penalty is mandatory under Section 295-C. Flaws Galore According to a study done by Amnesty International, in most cases, accusations of blasphemy were made not because of any blasphemous act or speech, but because of professional rivalry, personal or religious disputes, hostility towards religious minorities, or greed for money and land.
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Amnesty found that persons with mental disabilities were at a particular risk of being accused of blasphemy. A wide range of people can register complaints with the police, including those who were not direct witnesses. In some cases, the gap between the alleged incident and the filing of the case, could be several years. The police would rarely question the credibility of such accusations. In some cases, police have arbitrarily detained family members to pressurize them to reveal the whereabouts of the alleged blasphemer if he or she is absconding. As in the Aasia Bibi case, Islamic clerics wield significant power in the registration of blasphemy cases. Their opinions are often sought by complainants and the police. Unsubstantial evidence is accepted if a cleric backs a charge of blasphemy. Blasphemy case trials often go on and on because of the judges’ reluctance to convict the accused as the only punishment for blasphemy is death. Judges are unable to make up their minds because of insufficiency of evidence. Threats from lawyers, clerics and other supporters of the complainants also adversely affect the justice system. Lawyers pleading for the accused are sometimes threatened with death. Amnesty mentions the case of the murdered lawyer Rashid Rehman, who was defending a university lecturer accused of blasphemy, in illustration. Rehman was warned by fellow lawyers in front of the judge in a Multan court, that he will be killed if he continued to appear for the accused. The blasphemy law is a convenient instrument in the hands of people who can mobilize a mob to get their rivals arrested, lynched or convicted. Agitators find it easy to mobilize a murderous mob if the accusation against a person is blasphemy. The majority of those accused of blasphemy are Muslims themselves. But minorities like Christians, Ahmadiyyas and Hindus feel more vulnerable. Amnesty mentions cases in which the police had asked Christian residents of a locality, threatened with arson and murder, to flee for their own safety. None Executed for Blasphemy Yet Mercifully, Pakistan has not executed anyone for blasphemy so far. But vigilante mobs have killed at least 65 people for alleged blasphemy since 1990, according to the Centre for Research and Security Studies. Prime Minister Imran Khan would go down in Pakistan’s history as a humane ruler if he is able to modernize and humanize the blasphemy law, if it is not possible to repeal it. Source: The Citizen, 3 Feb, 2019.
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Beginning of the End of Reservation? By Anuraj Ennai
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magine a pool of 100 candidates. You have 10 vacancies to appoint them. Now tell them that 9 will be appointed on merit and 1 will be under reservation, but all 100 are eligible to apply for the 1 reserved seat. Conduct a written test and select 10 who scored most. First 9 gets in the merit list and the 10th in the reservation list. Now imagine – there was no resrevation list. Still the first 10 gets in. This reservation has no effect whatsoever! This is exactly the wool Modi government pulled on people when it got 10% economic reservation for general category passed. By putting income ceiling at 8 lakhs/annum – Modi just ensured 99% of general category indians shall be eligible for the 10% reservation announced(<1% Indians earn more than 10 lakhs/annum). Effectively 1/5th was carved out of 50% open merit as economic quota with zero effect! Evidently this is an exercise aimed at reaping electoral dividend through propaganda on something that is ephemeral. But
there can be more than what meets the eye. RSS and Hindu right wing has been known to be against reservations from the very beginning. SC/ST reservation was the bitter pill they had to swallow in order to procure a country of their own. The Mandal movement and OBC reservations of 1990s is something they never acclimatised to. That was the first real challenge to their supremacy in
corridors of power. For the first time – Dalits and Bahujans of India had a claim to power through representation. So what is this fake economic reservation about? RSS evidently wants to remove reservations. The first step is to change the criteria to economic from socio – educational backwardness and then ensure everybody is eligible which means there is no
reservation. But there is a catch – India’s constitution which professes equality only allows positive discrimination on the basis of socio-economic backwardness. Supreme court reiterated the same in Indra Sawhney case of 1992 and also put a 50% rider to reservations. To remove reservations – Modi’s universal reservation idea has to pass muster at constitutional court.
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That is where we have to view the petition filed by Youth for Equality challenging economic reservation with trepidation. Youth for Equality has been advocating 100% merit for long like RSS. Their genesis owes to Govt’s attempt to introduce OBC quota in central educational institutions of eminence. Can they be an RSS decoy? File a petition citing correct reasons, but then argue feebly and make the court give verdict in favor of economic reservation paving way for aboloition of historic reservation for Dalit Bahujans. Dalit Bahujan organisations of the country should rise up to the occasion and vigorously resist any attempt at diluting existing reservation that is their only opportunity to get representation in the power structures of this country. They have everything to lose. There is only little time before caste yoke falls back in place! Anuraj Ennai is an entrepreneur based in Bangalore Source: Counter Currents, 12 January, 2019.
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AFL India – 7th Annual National Championship of Footy in India Footy catching up in India By Sudip Chakraborty*
T
he seventh annual National Championship of Australian Rules Football in India, organised by Australian Rules Football Association of India (ARFAI / AFL India) between 4th to 6th January 2019 resulted in the West Bengal Tigers winning the senior grand final in style by defeating the defending champions - the Jharkhand Crows, by 09-0660 to 01-02-08. The junior division saw a successful title defence once again by the Jharkhand Crows. Junior Crows won against the Bengal Tigers by 05-02-32 to 02-01-13. The Jharkhand Crows (Jr) domination over the National Championship continued – five time champions in a row!! ARFAI National Championship 2019 was organised at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan School ground in Salt Lake, West Bengal, one of India’s oldest and biggest educational trusts. Each year, the tournament witnesses an increase in the level of competition, interest and development of the sport. The organising committee was responsible for the planning of the smooth running across the three-day carnival that involved participation of the best Footy players from across India. A crucial touchpoint for the tournament’s success is the strong support displayed by the Australian delegation that flies over every year from Victoria to help organise the National Championship’19. The delegation included Paul Byrne - reputed accountant from Bendigo, Bruce Claridge – AFL Chaplain from Bendigo and Bruce’s granddaughter Azhia Claridge – rising soccer star playing for South Melbourne FC among others. Added to the group above, ARFAI had the privilege to host Xavier Moloney, AFL’s Head of Diversity who had flown over from Melbourne and helped identify talent and the individual award winners at the tournament. “Fantastic to be here finally and very much enjoyed it and fantastic to see the great participation and some really good competitive football” Xavier said. ARFAI also had AFL
Community Ambassador and Berwick North FC committee member Nagarjuna Vajrala travel over from Narre Warren, Victoria to support the Telangana Saints making their debut and to get a feel of the development of Australian Football in India. Mr. Nagarjuna had travelled over to India earlier in 2018 to help start Footy in his native part of India – Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and guided the local leaders through the process. While Telangana made its debut in their first year itself, Andhra Pradesh Footy Association was represented by their Secretary General Jayaram Kadiyam who participated in the official workshops organised on the 4th January and looks forward to Andhra Magpies making debut in the national championship in 2020. A testament to the success of Footy in India is that almost every year, there is a debutant state in the National Championship. A senior division debut was made by the Telangana state team - Telangana Saints alongside Jharkhand Crows, Bengal Tigers, Maharashtra Giants, Kerala Bombers, Rajasthan Eagles, Odisha Swans and Bihar Bulldogs. All though the Saints failed to register a win, their efforts were loved and appreciated by all. A major highlight for ARFAI is the increasing media attention being received by the tournament every year. Before the tournament started this year, a press conference was held at the Calcutta Sports Journalists’ Club and the tournament was covered by multiple media houses across India including the national channel of India DD News along with The Telegraph as the official media partner for 4 years in a row. AFL India has been able to achieve these milestones due to the constant efforts made by all the support staff and the backing of the community development partners. The Bengal Tigers juniors put on a valiant effort in the Grand Final to face arch nemesis Jharkhand Crows. The Jharkhand boys led by their captain Sachin Kachhap and coached by Ravi Samuel Minj emerged victorious for a mind
blowing fifth time in a row. The Senior Division Grand Final saw these two powerhouses of Indian footy facing off each other again. The Tigers led by captain Sudip Rajbanshi and coached by former Indian team player Biswajit Das capitalised on all their chances and emerged victorious by thumping the Crows. Like every year, ARFAI handed out numerous prizes for the players and officials after the tournament. The prizes were handed over by Xavier Moloney from AFL, Mr. G.V. Subramanian – Director for Eastern India - Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Melissa Wicks from the Australian High Commission in India and Mr. Dhruba Mukherjee – Vice President, The Telegraph. The following participants were recognised and rewarded for their individual excellence along with 25 players each who made it to the All Stars teams in both junior and senior divisions Player of the Tournament - Banshi Nayak, Jharkhand Crows (Jr) & Sudip Rajbanshi, Bengal Tigers (Sr) Best Goal - Abhishek Dhanapandian, Tamil Kangaroos (Jr) & Abu Bakir, Bengal Tigers (Sr) Best Mark - Senthil Kumar, Tamil Kangaroos (Jr) & Wilson Nadar, Maharashtra Giants (Sr) Best Defender - Sachin Kachhap, Jharkhand Crows
(Jr) & Arun Rai, Bihar Bulldogs (Sr) Best Development – Footy Association of Odisha (FAO) – development in 10 districts of the state Best Official – Amit Roy, Umpire from West Bengal AFL India would like to thank all the sponsors who made the tournament a success including Essendon Football Club, Victorian Government, SRK Transport, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Hume Bombers FC, Peregrine Accountants, Digitory Labs and Golden Square FNC along with the AFL, North Melbourne FC,
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Western Bulldogs FC, St. Kilda Saints FC, Richmond FC, Sydney Swans FC and Adelaide FC for their support for the tournament. AFL India would also like to thank the Indian Australians who love Aussie Rules and have been supporting the development of the sport back in India and encourage more and more Indian Footy fans based in Australia to join the effort. * The author is Founder & General Secretary, Australian Rules Football Association of India (ARFAI)
south asia 28 South Asia Timestimes
technology
FEBRUARY 2019
Migrant women are particularly vulnerable to technology-facilitated domestic abuse By Heather Douglas, Bridget Harris & Molly Draglewicz*
M
elbourne, 25 October: Labour leader and leader of opposition in Victoria, Hon. Daniel Andrews, today announced Labour will build an, ‘Indian Precinct’ in Melbourne, if elected to govern Victoria on 29 October, when Victoria goes to polls to elect a new government. The surprise Diwali gift was announced by Hon. Daniel Andrews at the Federation Square Diwali event, organised by the Celebrate India. Migrant women with temporary visa status are particularly vulnerable when it comes to domestic and family violence. That vulnerability is intensified when you add technology to the mix. Technology-facilitated abuse has been recognised as a new breed of domestic violence. Technologyfacilitated abuse refers to controlling, monitoring and harassing behaviours using tools such as mobile phones, SMS, email, tracking apps and social media. In our recent study, we analysed interviews with migrant women who had experienced domestic abuse about their experiences with technology-facilitated abuse. We found while technology can help women to reduce their isolation in a new country, a partner’s control of technology may increase isolation for migrant women, which can heighten the risk of abuse. Why migrant women are particularly vulnerable A number of temporary visas – including partner and prospective marriage visas – require sponsorship by partners with Australian citizenship. Women who come to Australia on these visas are often separated from family and friends, have limited access to money, and hold fears of deportation and losing custody of their children. They are often also ineligible to access key resources, such
as Centrelink and long term housing, that could help them leave violent relationships. Technology can make a difference, but without independent income, securing a personal mobile or internet connection is challenging. The control of devices and digital media by abusers restricts women’s opportunities to connect with support networks, to identify their situation as abusive and to seek help. These factors contribute to and compound entrapment in abusive relationships.
friends overseas, but her partner intermittently disabled Skype as “a tactic to pressurise” her. He would grant access to the internet when she ceded to his demands, such as when she agreed to make him breakfast. He restricted her access to the internet as a way to control her. She said: it was just to make me […] do something […] Like, if I don’t listen to him he would just switch off the internet.
Listening to migrant women’s’ experiences. We reported on women’s experiences of these harms in our study. Analysis of interviews one of us (Heather Douglas) conducted with 65 women who had experienced domestic and family violence showed that most had experienced technology-facilitated abuse as part of their partner’s coercive and controlling behaviour. Here’s what some of the women on temporary visas told us.
Celina’s story Celina met her partner online, and arrived in Australia to live with him on a partner visa. She was given only enough money to catch public transport. He used a mobile phone to monitor her throughout the day. She said: I was still new to this country and I didn’t have anything. I was using his personal mobile […] He was carrying the office mobile with him all the time […] he could call me and tell me OK you do this and that during the day […] Every day after work he came home, he took the personal mobile that was with me and went to the toilet and browsed the history and everything.
Radha’s story Radha came to Australia after her marriage to an Australian citizen was arranged. She used Skype to maintain contact with parents, siblings, and
Dara’s story Dara described how her abuser severed her connections to resources and her social circle, which were facilitated by technology. She said:
He totally destroyed […] my laptop. My email accounts, password, he changed, that’s why I can’t access my bank. I can’t see my bank account, anything, he changed everything […] He steal my mobile […] It’s my life this is just […] my contact point. Angelina’s story Angelina highlights how her abuser monitored her use of technology. She said: [he] checks [the] phone but I never hide nothing. I had a password on his computer, like guest. He always can go and check history on internet. A key area for development As these women’s experiences show, lack of access to technology and a partner’s control of devices can heighten geographic and social isolation. This causes particular problems for migrant women who rely on technology to maintain supportive connections with family and friends in their home country. While programs have been developed to assist domestic violence survivors to safely use technology, there are no programs targeting migrant women who are new arrivals. Specialised services for migrant women are limited, and rely on a small number of staff to serve large geographic areas. So, what can be done?
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WESNET’s Safe Connections program works with Telstra to provide smartphones with prepaid credit to survivors of domestic and family violence, but this program relies on women seeking help. Given barriers facing those on temporary visas, it would be helpful if their sponsors were required to provide a smartphone, with credit, as part of their sponsorship. Sponsors of prospective marriage visas are currently required to provide an Australian and foreign police check. It’s important, too, that technology-facilitated abuse is highlighted in programs targeting new arrivals. Women on temporary visas are often required to attend English language courses – information about technology-facilitated abuse should also be offered in this context. Survivors could also be better protected and empowered by amendments to the Migration Regulations to expand eligibility provisions for permanent residency and to expand eligibility for government support to those on temporary visas. More specialised support services are also needed for survivors on temporary visas. • Queensland University of technology Source: The Conversation (Under the Creative Commons licence)
finance
FEBRUARY 2019
southSouth asia times 29 Asia Times
What is SMSF – Part I BY Balki Balakrishnan
S
elf-managed Superannuation Fund (SMSF) has been the flavor of the past few years. We have all heard about it and may even discussed it and in fact may even have one of our own. In this and the next series of articles in this newspaper I will endeavor to demystify what SMSF is all about and present enough information for you to understand and administer SMSF if you decide to commence one. You need to know the superannuation industry landscape before you begin to understand the structure of SMSF and whether it is right for you. Superannuation is something almost every working Australian is exposed to at some point in their life time. For most of us, super is the most important and significant asset just after our own home. Your super is the money that is put aside and saved while you are working. If you work for an organisation or a company the employer is mandated to contribute to a super fund of your choice. Currently the employer super guarantee contribution is set at 9.5% of ordinary earnings. You can also make additional contributions to your super through salary sacrifice contributions from your before tax income. The new simplified super rules allow you to make lump sum additional contributions as well. The contributions mentioned so far are before-tax contributions and are called Concessional Contributions (CC). You can also top up super with contributions from after-tax money,
called Non-concessional Contribution (NCC). You have to be mindful of the contribution caps and the rules surrounding these contributions before you make any contribution. The money in super is there for you to use during the retirement phase. Considering the fact that on an average a typical Australian will spend 20 years in retirement the money in superannuation becomes critical in determining the life style you will have in retirement. The superannuation monies of Australians are held mainly in super funds classified as Corporate Funds, Industry Funds, Public Sector Funds, Retail Funds and SMSFs. Depending on your employment and other conditions your money may be in one or more of the first four funds. Each fund is different and has different features, fee structures, investment choices, member eligibility to join the fund etc. Australians hold roughly 2.759 trillion dollars in their super as at January 2019^. Nearly 2.706 trillion dollars
are managed by the funds mentioned above. Corporate funds are arranged by employers to manage the superannuation money of their employees. Larger corporate funds may operate under a board of trustees appointed by the employer and employees. Smaller corporate funds may operate as a separate part of a large industry or retail super fund. Funds run by employers and industry funds will usually return all profits to the members of the fund while those run by retail funds will retain some profits for their shareholders. As of Jan 2019, there were 24 corporate funds with funds under management of 57 billion dollars over 0.3 million accounts. Industry funds were predominantly developed by trade unions and industry bodies to manage the super money of their members in their industry. They were originally developed exclusively for their members in the industry, but super choices have opened up these funds to anyone eligible for superannuation. These funds are ‘not-for-profit’ funds meaning they return
the profits to their members. As of Jan 2019, there were 38 industry funds with funds under management of 653 billion dollars over 11.6 million accounts. Public sector funds as the name suggest are meant to manage the super money of Federal and State government employees. They are open only to government employees. The profits are put back in to the fund for the benefit of members. As of Jan 2019, there were 37 public sector funds with funds under management of 611 billion dollars over 11.4 million accounts. Retail funds in the main are run by banks and investment companies. They are open to anybody who is eligible for superannuation. These funds are operated to generate profits for their shareholders, not superannuation members. As of Jan 2019, there were 118 retail funds with funds under management of 628 billion dollars over 11.4 million accounts. An SMSF is a private superannuation fund that you manage yourself. SMSFs are regulated by Australian Taxation Office. Unlike the other funds mentioned
above, in an SMSF structure the members of the SMSF are also trustees of the fund. It means that the members run it for their own benefit. The trustees of the SMSF are responsible to manage the fund. We will look at the roles, responsibilities and obligations of SMSF trustees in the next few articles. An SMSF can have between one and four members. As of Jan 2019, there were roughly 598,000 SMSFs with funds under management of 757 billion dollars over 1.1 million accounts. Therefore, SMSFs manage 28% of super money in Australia which is the largest among all the funds managing our super money. SMSFs are the largest and fastest growing super sector in Australia and for many good reasons. However, before you start, you should weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of an SMSF. You should seek professional advice from a Financial Advisor to make sure that you understand the implications of commencing an SMSF. We will look in to these and other aspects of an SMSF in the next few articles in this newspaper. Be wise, Be Prepared, Be Safe!
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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South Asia Times south asia community cinema 32 South Asia Timestimes
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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/ 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 Shirdi Sai Sansthan 32 Hailey Avenue, Camberwell Vic 3124;Ph: (03) 9889 2974; Site: shirdisai.net.au Sai Baba Temple, 50 Camberwell Road Aum Sai Sansthan Temple 76 Albert Street (Enter From : Bear Street) MORDIALLOC VIC - 3195 Website : www.aumsai.org.au Contact : 0468 362 644
SIKH BLACKBURN Sri Guru Nanak Satsang Sabha 127 Whitehorse Road, Blackburn VICTORIA 3130, Ph: (03) 9894 1800 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 SHEPPARTON Gurdwara Sahib Shepparton 240 Doyles Road, Shepparton VICTORIA 3603 PH: (03) 5821 9309
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MUSLIM Melbourne West Mosque 66-68 Jeffcott Street, Melbourne Ph: 03 9328 2067 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 Australian Islamic Cultural Centre 46-48 Mason Street, Campbellfield Ph: 03 9309 7605 Coburg ISNA Mosque 995 Sydney Road, Coburg North 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 Glenroy Musala 1st Floor, 92 Wheatsheaf Road, Glenroy Heidelberg Mosque Corner Lloyd & Elloits Streets, West Heidelberg 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 Al Nur Mosque 34-36 Studley Street, Maidstone Meadow Heights Mosque Hudson Circuit, Meadow Heights Springvale Mosque 68 Garnworthy Street, Springvale
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FEBRUARY 2019
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quick community guide VIEW POINT
South Asia Times
FEBRUARY 2019
contd from previous page Suite 536, No 1 Queens Road,
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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
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south asia 34 South Asia Timestimes
focus
FEBRUARY 2019
TAINTED GARMENTS: Study reveals 99.3 % of India’s home-based garment workers (95.5 % female) facing modern slavery are Muslim and Scheduled Caste
U
niversity of California, Berkeley—Tainted Garments: The Exploitation of Women and Girls in India’s Homebased Garment Sector, by modern slavery expert Siddharth Kara*, offers the most comprehensive investigation yet into the conditions of work for women and girls in India’s home-based garment sector. Approximately 85 percent of the home-based garment workers documented for the report work exclusively in supply chains of major apparel brands in the United States and European Union.
The most important findings of Kara’s research are: • Home-based garment workers in India consist almost entirely of women and girls from historically oppressed ethnic communities who earn approximately $0.15 per hour. • 99.3% of the workers were either Muslims or belonged to a heavily subordinated community, called a “Scheduled Caste.” • 99.2% work in conditions of forced labour under Indian law, which means they do not receive the statestipulated minimum wage. • 95.5% of workers were female. • Almost none of the workers received any sort of medical care when injured at work. • None of the workers belonged to a trade union and none had a written work agreement. The Indian garment industry is the second largest manufacturer and exporter in the world after China. The sector directly employs 12.9 million in formal factory settings, and it indirectly employs millions more in informal, home-based settings. The primary destinations of India’s garment exports are the United States and the European Union, which receive almost half (47%) of the country’s total apparel exports. Scores of major brands and boutique retailers
source garments from the areas documented in the study. Many companies do a reasonable job at promoting decent conditions in the first-tier factories of their suppliers in India; however, they largely have inadequate visibility into sub-contracted work from their suppliers to home-based workers. Given the size and brand recognition of some of the companies that source garments from India, they are best positioned to address the findings of this report on a meaningful scale and thereby substantially improve conditions for home-based garment workers in India. “The aim of this investigation is to provide insights into the lives of these workers in the hope that governments, companies, and nonprofits will be able to coordinate on solutions to address the exploitation we documented,” said Kara. “We welcome the report by Mr. Kara, which sheds light on informal workers— predominately women and girls—in the home-based garment sector in India, who face a range of abuses,” said Good Weave CEO Nina Smith. “Bringing greater visibility and rights to them re-defines the traditional
concept of global apparel supply chain responsibility and requires action by governments, companies, NGOs, and consumers.” “In order to fundamentally transform fashion into a fair and sustainable industry, we need to have hard data
and research that leads to evidence-based solutions. This study is the first ever attempt to analyse the details of conditions of women and girls in India’s home-based garment sector in India and to find solutions for the problems. We
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believe, that this research will inform the development of strong solutions that will address forced and child labour in the sector,” said C&A Foundation Labour Rights Programme Manager Anindit Roy-Chowdhury. Tainted Garments offers 10 recommendations to help address the exploitation of women and girls in India’s home-based garment sector, including developing a high level public-private partnership focused on ensuring that labour exploitation and child labour are eliminated from India’s garment sector, forming a home-based garment worker union, and increasing and enforcing minimum wages. *Siddharth Kara is a research fellow at UC Berkeley’s Blum Center for Developing Economies**. Kara is the author of three books on modern slavery: Sex Trafficking: Inside the Business of Modern Slavery (co-winner of the 2010 Frederick Douglass Award); Bonded Labor: Tackling the System of Slavery in South Asia; and Modern Slavery: A Global Perspective. He advises the United Nations, International Labour Organisation, several governments, and charitable foundations on anti-slavery efforts. Kara has appeared extensively in the media as an expert on modern slavery, including on CNN, the BBC, the Guardian, CNBC, and National Geographic, and in numerous documentary films. For more information: http://siddharthkara.com. **The Blum Center for Developing Economies leverages the talent, enthusiasm, and energy of the University of California, Berkeley community to address global poverty. The center’s interdisciplinary problem-solving approach draws on students and faculty dedicated to facing this challenge through innovative technologies, services, research, and education. For more information: https:// blumcenter.berkeley.edu. Source: UC Berkeley Blum Center for Developing Economies Press Release, January 13, 2019.
FEBRUARY 2019
southSouth asia times 35 Asia Times
CINEMA
Sangeet Sandhya Open forum for music lovers – classical, semi-classical & film music
Saturday 2.2.19 -
Gia Pndit (vocal)
Saturday 6.4.19 Saturday 1.6.19 Saturday 3.8.19 -
TBA Shraddhanand Reddy (vocal) Hashmat (vocal)
Saturday 5.10.19 - Radhey Shyam Gupta (sitar) Saturday 7.12.19 - Shubhangi Pandey (vocal)
Swar Sandhya Open forum for music lovers; Karaoke – Popular Indian Music Bring your own music, perform and enjoy
Saturday 5.1.19 Saturday 4.5.19 Saturday 7.9.19
Saturday 2.3.19 Saturday 6.7.19 Saturday 2.11.19
Venue: Brandon Park Primary School,
Time: 8.00pm
1-5 Ninevah Cr Wheelers Hill Free Entry, with ample parking, Free tea, coffee and biscuits Contact: Phone- 0402 074 208 or 0407 559 113 email- sangeetswarsandhya@gmail.com www.facebook.com/sangeetsandhya
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south asia 36 South Asia Timestimes
litrature
FEBRUARY 2019
Firebrand Hindi fiction writer Krishna Sobti no more
M
he acclaimed author was known for writing about issues of female identity and sexuality. She was born in Gujrat region of prePartition Punjab in 1925 and liberally used Punjabi dialect and terminologies even while writing in Hindi. New Delhi: Acclaimed Hindi fiction writer and essayist Krishna Sobti passed away on Friday at the age of 93 due to prolonged illness, her family said. "She died at a hospital here today. Her health had deteriorated in the last few months and she had been in and out of the hospital," actress Ekavali Khanna, her grandniece, told IANS. "She launched her new book in the hospital last month. Despite her ill health, she was always discussing arts, creative processes and life," Khanna added. Sobti, best known for her 1966 novel Mitro Marjani, won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1980 for her novel Zindaginama. Some of her other novels are Daar Se Bichhuri, Surajmukhi Andhere Ke and Yaaron Ke Yaar. Sobti was born in Gujrat region of pre-Partition Punjab in 1925 and liberally used Punjabi dialect and terminologies even while writing in Hindi. The acclaimed author and essayist died at a Delhi hospital, where she admitted for the last two months. Her condition was
critical and she was in the ICU from the last one week. The author was known for her work on female sexuality, partition, relationships between man and woman, changing
dynamics of Indian society and the issues of female identity. She filed a suit against novelist Amrita Pritam in 1984 for publishing a book titled Hardatt Ka
Zindaginama. Sobti claimed that Pritam had violated copyright laws by using a title similar to her book. The suit was decided in her favour in 2011, six years after Pritam’s death.
Woman Riding Two Brahman Bulls By Gopikumar Gopi
T
his remarkable object is the oldest bronze object in the Museum’s Indian collections, and is a rare survivor of the early bronze culture associated with the late Harappan civilization shared across northern India and the Indus Valley (Pakistan) in the second millennium B.C. Two humped (‘Brahman’) bulls support a platform on which is a woman is kneeling. Her hands rest on the bulls’ humps. The ensemble is on a rectangular platform, which has been separately cast. The woman has a slender physique, pointed breasts, and hair that extends to her shoulders. She wears a small
circular crown-like fitting atop her head, has deep eye sockets and an incised mouth. The symmetry of the female figure is mirrored in standing female clay figurines from this period and later. Period:late Harrapan period Date:2000–1750 B.C. Culture:India (Kausambi) Medium:Bronze Dimensions:H. 5 1/2 in. (14 cm); W. 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm); D. 4 1/2 in. (11.4 cm) Classification:Sculpture Credit Line:Gift of Jonathan and Jeannette Rosen, 2015 Accession Number:2015.505 Source: The Met Fifth Avenue, New York (Under CC licensing). www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9884 8096, 0421 677 082
Sobti also won the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, the highest award given by the Akademi, in 1996. The writer was honoured with the Jnanpith Award in 2017 for her contribution to Indian literature. She was also offered Padma Bhushan, which she had declined. Her last rites will be performed at 4 pm on Friday at the Nigam Bodh ghat in Delhi. Her latest book Channa was launched at New Delhi World Book Fair on January 11. Author-poet Ashok Vajpeyi said she was the "trustee of Indian democracy" through her contribution to literature. "What she has done for Indian literature is unmatched. Her social message was very clear through her work, if we can call an author a trustee of democracy and constitution, she was it. "She fought for equality and justice throughout her life. She was not just an eminent author of Hindi, but the entire Indian literature," Mr Vajpeyi said. Terming her demise as a "loss for world literature", poet Ashok Chakradhar said she was the "pioneer of writing for women's honour". "Her Mitro Marjani established a new type of writing style in Indian literature. I was lucky to have known her. And her demise is not just a loss for our country but the entire world," Mr Chakradhar said. —Sabrangindia
Netflix story
FEBRUARY 2019
southSouth asia times 37 Asia Times
Delhi Crime Story -on NETFLIX from March 22
By SAT News Desk
D
elhi Crime Story" â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a seven-part series inspired by a notorious 2012 rape investigation by the Delhi Police that reverberated across India and the world, written and directed by the IndoCanadian filmmaker RichieMehta â&#x20AC;&#x201D; will premiere March 22 on Netflix. "Delhi Crime Story is based on real events from 2012. The series begins with the discovery of a naked man and woman in a ditch. He was beaten. She was beaten and gangraped in ways that are detailed in the dialogue and, thankfully, less so visually. The crime took place on a city bus", says Bollywood Reporter. Delhi Crime stars Shefali Shah (Monsoon Wedding) as police officer Vartika Chaturvedi, alongside Adil Hussain (Life of Pi, Hotel Salvation), Denzil Smith (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), Rasika Dugal (Mirzapur, Manto), Rajesh Tailang (Siddharth, Selection Day), and Yashaswini Dayama (Dear Zindagi, The Odds). It has been produced by Mumbai-based, digital-focused Golden Karavan and Crazy Rich Asians' Ivanhoe Pictures.
Golden Karavan's Aaron Kaplan, Jeff Sagansky, Florence Sloan, Apoorva Bakshi, Pooja Kohli, and Sanjay Bachani served as executive producers, alongside John Penotti, Kilian Kerwin, and Michael Hogan for Ivanhoe Pictures, with Robert Friedland, Sidney Kimmel, and Brian Kornreich as producers. The series had its world premiere at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival.
www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9884 8096, 0421 677 082
south asia 38 South Asia Timestimes
sports
FEBRUARY 2019
ICC T20 World Cup 2020 Fixtures revealed
finals will both be played at Australia’s biggest stadium, the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). The women’s final is scheduled for Sunday 8th March 2020, International Women’s Day, presenting an opportunity for Australia to set a new world record for the highest ever attendance at a women’s sporting fixture. Fans can register for early access to tickets and more information by visiting t20worldcup.com. —SAT/SNNI Australia
By Johann Jayasinha
S
YDNEY: The ICC T20 World Cup Australia 2020 fixtures for both the women’s and men’s tournaments was revealed at a media event at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday29th January 2019. Representatives from the NSW Government, the International Cricket Council, Cricket Australia and the ICC T20 World Cup 2020 Local Organising Committee, current and former Australian and international players, along with key stakeholders, attended the event.
Two ICC T20 World Cups will be played in Australia in 2020, with the men's and women's tournaments to be held as standalone events. The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will comprise 10 teams playing 23 matches from 21 February – 8 March 2020. Later in the year the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, involving 16 teams playing 45 matches, will be played from 18 October – 15 November 2020. Eight host cities and 13 venues throughout Australia will host matches, with both competitions having broad national footprints. The women’s and men’s
www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9884 8096, 0421 677 082
Two ICC T20 World Cups will be played in Australia in 2020, with the men's and women's tournaments to be held as standalone events.
southSouth asia times 39 Asia Times
FEBRUARY 2019
PAYS TRIBUTE TO THE
Fantastic 50S | Swinging 60S | Smashing 70S
Bollywood Rewind 2019 SATURDAY, MAR 30th
Kel Watson Theatre, Forest Hill
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
TICKETS: $35 pp (incl. dinner box) Tickets: Special Guests
Rinita
Suyog
Sneha
Vinay
Shilpa
Manasi
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south asia 40 South Asia Timestimes
www.southasiatimes.com.au - (03) 9884 8096, 0421 677 082
FEBRUARY 2019