Sat september issue 2017

SAT

S E P T E M B E R

South Asia Times

Vol.15 I No. 2 I SEPTEMBER 2017 I FREE s o u t hasiatim es.com .au Editor: Neeraj Nanda

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CELEBRATING 15TH YEAR OF PUBLICATION

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READ INSIDE EDIT PAGE PG 3 COMMUNITY PG4 MUSINGS PG 19 SOUTH ASIA PG 20 HINDI PUSHP PGS 30-31 FILM REVIEW PG 38

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See page 2

Add: PO Box 465, Brentford Square, Victoria 3131

THE MOVIE THAT SHAKES THE TABOO GENERATION ROHINGYA: A PEOPLE CONDEMNED!

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Read review on page 38

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Our new Red Plans.

No lock-in contracts. and 12, 24 or 36 month interest free phones.

ENDEAVOUR HILLS Endeavour Hills Shopping Centre 03 9700 2413 (opp Woolworths)

KEYSBOROUGH Parkmore Shopping Centre 03 9798 8081 (opp Bank of Melbourne)

RINGWOOD Eastland Shopping Centre 03 9847 0433 (opp Shaver Shop)

MELBOURNE CITY Southern Cross Railway Station 03 9642 2617 (collins St end)

CLAYTON 312a Clayton Road 03 9544 4950 (opposite ANZ Bank)

FOOTSCRAY 42 Leeds Street 03 9687 0327 (Next to Westpac)

NARRE WARREN Casey Central SC 03 9705 6965 (opp Commonwealth Bank)

WANTIRNA 03 9801 1956 (Level 2 near Target)

MELBOURNE CITY Melb Central Shopping Centre 03 9654 8335 (next to breadtop)

DANDENONG 18 Princes Hwy 03 9791 7525 (opp KFC)

FOREST HILL Shop 111, 270 Canterbury Rd 03 9877 0944 (opp Gloria Jeans)

POINT COOK Point Cook Town Centre 03 9395 3310 (opp Woolworths)

WHEELERS HILL Brandon Park Shopping Centre 0451 009 500 (near Coles and Bank of Melb)

MELBOURNE CITY 239 Lonsdale Street 03 9654 8966 (Opp NAB, QV Building)

CHELTENHAM Shop 2102 Southland 04 0404 0066 (next to Bonds)

Vodafone Power to you No lock-in contract on selected new Red Plans – if you don’t love us, you can leave your plan and keep your phone, just pay us what’s left.

The nitty gritty: Devices may be purchased on a Mobile Payment Plan (‘MPP’) of 12, 24 or 36 months duration (“Commitment Period”). The outright price of your chosen device (as set by Vodafone at your time of purchase) will be spread in equal instalments over your chosen Commitment Period. Once chosen, your Commitment Period is fixed (unless you elect to pay your total remaining balance in full in one installment). MPP is only available to customers who simultaneously connect (and remain connected to) an active and eligible Vodafone Red Plan (‘Eligible Plan’). If you cancel your Eligible Plan, your MPP will also automatically cancel and 100% of remaining MPP instalments plus any outstanding charges on your voice plan will be applied to your next bill. Minimum monthly spend and terms and conditions apply for Eligible Plan.

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EDITORIAL

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SAT

South Asia Times

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

EDITOR (Hindi Pushp) Dr. Dinesh Srivastava dsrivastava@optusnet.com.au

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

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

SAT ADVERTISING (Melbourne) M: 0421 677 082 & E: satimes@gmail.com PHOTO SECTION (Melbourne) AP Guruswamy apgfoto@yahoo.com M: 0431 482 258 Kulbir Photographer creativeartmedia.au@gmail.com M: 0430 306 255

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WEBSITE www.southasiatimes.com.au

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Lamb video campaign backfires on Meat & Livestock Australia

By SAT News Desk

M

elbourne, 6 September: A video campaign available on the social media and the You Tube by the Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) with the headline ‘You Never Lamb Alone” has boomeranged on it after there were complaints to the Advertising Standards Bureau against it that it offended the Australian Hindu community.

The video ad also available on MLA’s website (www.mla.com.au) along with text says, “The new integrated campaign continues with the theme that Lamb is the dish that brings everyone together, with the creative content for online, social and TV showing the Gods, Goddesses and Prophets of different faiths and beliefs coming together over Lamb at a modern day spring barbecue.”

The Indian High Commission, Canberra has in a media release dated 8 September and emailed to the South Asia Times (SAT) said the MLA video ad showing Lord Ganesha 'toasting Lamb'. The High Commission has urged the MLA to withdraw the advertisement as it hurts the religious sentiments of the Indian community. (See Press Release).

SBS Punjabi says: “Among those complaining against the ad is Shadow Minister for Communications NSW, Michelle Rowland who says the campaign is particularly distasteful due to the approaching Diwali- the biggest festival of the Hindu

The issue is being hotly debated in social media with demands for the withdrawal of the video ad and an apology from the MLA.

community.

By depicting Ganesha as consuming lamb, the advertisement may give unfair or less favourable treatment to Hindu Australians, by suggesting that Ganesha and/or Hindu Australians eat meat and do not take religious observances seriously,” Ms. Rowland said in a statement.”

Victorian Multicultural Minister, Robin Scott has in a Facebook post said, “I will be writing to Meat and Livestock Australia on behalf of Victoria's Hindu community in support of their views.”

Along with his post the Minister Robin Scott has

uploaded an article (We really need to address the ‘elephant in the room’: MLA’s lamb ad goes too far)

by Shiva Kumar, LinkedIn’s Australia and New Zealand head of brand and communications in which he says, “MLA's latest lamb ad suggests lamb is 'the meat we can all eat', while ignoring the fact that Hindu deity Ganesha, one of the ad's stars, is vegetarian.”

“MLA has a long history of stirring controversy with its marketing campaigns, including upsetting the Indigenous community with its 2017 Australia Day promotion and attracting complaints for depicting violence towards a vegan in

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

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a 2016 ad, says the Sydney Morning Herald.

Talking to South Asia Times (SAT) on the sidelines of a media briefing in the Parliament House recently, Hon. Robin Scott said, “I'm disappointed this commercial has aired and caused offence to many Victorian Hindus. We are a proudly multicultural state, where all Victorians have the freedom to be who they are and celebrate their culture and traditions with pride.”

He also added, “will also be writing to the organisation to express my concerns.”

An email was sent to the MLA to get their response to the issue on 14 September 2017 but no response was received.

The issue is being hotly debated in social media with demands for the withdrawal of the video ad and an apology from the MLA.

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Hindi road signage possible along the Great Ocean Road

By Neeraj Nanda

M

elbourne,7 September: The Victorian Minister for Roads & Road Safety Luke Donnellan today said an Indian language (possibly Hindi) might follow Mandarin and English, to alert international drivers to changed traffic conditions on the Great Ocean Road

(GOR). The Minister was addressing a media conference at the Victorian Parliament along with Multicultural Minister Robin Scott.

New multilingual signs are being rolled out along the GOR to help international tourists safely navigate one of Victoria’s most popular tourist routes. About 25 different messages can be displayed and will be used

during peak road work periods.

The innovative idea came from a road worker who was using his phone and Google Translate to communicate to some overseas tourists.

“The decision to start off with Mandarin was purely based on the fact that the largest number of tourists visiting the GOR were from China”, Robin Scott said answering to a question by

the South Asia Times (SAT).

“The Andrews Labor Government has invested $53 million to make the Great Ocean Road safer, with roadside remediation works such as rock netting and retaining walls. This investment is on top of the $ 50 million State and Federal program of capital works and maintenance on the Great Ocean Road,” says a media release.

The innovative idea came from a road worker who was using his phone and Google Translate to communicate to some overseas tourists.

Victoria Police podcasts Each episode on sexual crimes explores a

BY SAT News Desk

M

Melbourne, 4 September: Victoria Police has launched the first episode of a new six-part podcast to help improve the community’s understanding of sexual crime as part of National Child Protection Week.

With a new episode released weekly, the podcast series titled Unspeakable: Understanding Sexual Crime challenges preconceived ideas of sexual offending through interviews with victims, their loved ones and the Victoria Police detectives who managed their investigations.

While the latest statistics showed that more than 3000 children were victims of sexual offences last year, Family Violence Assistant Commissioner Dean McWhirter said sexual violence is often underreported.

“Sexual offences and child abuse are often poorly understood, which has a negative impact on the

willingness of victims to come forward and seek help,” AC McWhirter said.

“Through this podcast series, I hope we can encourage more victims to report to police, let them know the support available to them around the

process, and to challenge some common myths and misconceptions about sexual offences and child abuse.”

Each episode explores a key theme – reporting, investigating, victim reactions, offender

behaviour, online grooming and future directions.

All episodes feature a victim-survivor of child sexual abuse or a family member who has bravely shared their story.

AC McWhirter said Victoria Police has a come a long way in its responses to sexual offences and child abuse over the past 10 years.

“Through the establishment of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Teams (SOCIT), Multidisciplinary Centres and the whole story investigative framework, we now provide a specialist, victim-centric response,” AC McWhirter said.

“The podcasts highlight the important and challenging work our passionate SOCIT members do to support victims every day.

“The bringing together of victim, detective and specialist voices in this podcast series is very powerful as it demonstrates our commitment to providing a response to

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key theme – reporting, investigating, victim reactions, offender behaviour, online grooming and future directions.

sexual offences and child abuse that is evidence based and victim focused.”

The free episodes will be released weekly on SoundCloud and iTunes.

Make sure you subscribe so you get notified each time a new podcast is available.

In addition to the podcast, Victoria Police will be sharing a range of information to help increase the community’s awareness of child sexual abuse throughout National Child Protection Week.

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International travellers urged to declare excess of $10,000

By SAT News Desk

M

Melbourne, 12 September: International travellers into and out of Australia are being reminded of the need to declare any cash they are carrying in excess of AUD $10,000 or more, to help make travel at airports smoother.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) and the Australian Border Force (ABF) are continuing to observe international travellers with undeclared currency – particularly at the Sydney International Airport, says a Australian Federal Police (AFP) media release.

Under Australian law travellers can carry an unlimited amount of cash into and out of Australia – however, amounts of $10,000 or more Australian dollars (or foreign currency equivalent) must be declared first by completing an online form.

Travellers can download the Cross-Border Movement – Physical Currency form

from AUSTRAC’s website, or get a copy prior to their overseas departure at any international airport or seaport.

Completed forms can then be handed to an ABF officer, located at all international departure points, before leaving the country.

AFP acting Sydney Airport Police Commander Simone O’Mahony said once a form has been completed travellers can carry unlimited amounts of cash.

“These laws exist to stop money laundering by organised crime syndicates, or to prevent the offshore

funding of terrorist groups – and we need your help to make these work. All it takes is to fill out the simple form online and you can save yourself and your family stress and a potential fine at the airport,” Detective acting Superintendent O’Mahony said.

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ABF Regional Commander NSW Tim Fitzgerald said undeclared currency can be the result of many factors such as a misunderstanding by travellers or mistrust in financial institutions.

“ABF officers assist travellers at international airports to do the right thing and declare sums over $10,000, however if the cash is not declared our officers have various means of detecting cash using x-ray, detector dogs and physical inspections,” Commander Fitzgerald said.

Acting AUSTRAC National Manager Intelligence, Lynne Walker, said declaring currency over the threshold amount is a legal obligation.

“Navigating through an airport can be an overwhelming experience.

As part of your travel preparation, remember that if you’re carrying $10,000 or more it needs to be declared. Doing this ahead of time will save you the stress of filling out a form at the airport,” Ms Walker said.

Further information for travellers can be found on AUSTRAC’s website.

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SBS Radio brings listeners an enhanced mobile app experience

By SAT News Desk

M

elbourne, 21 August: As one of the world’s most multilingual broadcasters, SBS Radio is now more accessible than ever. Offering listeners an enriched experience, SBS Radio’s new mobile app features 70 language programs and four 24/7 digital radio stations: SBS Arabic24, SBS PopAsia, SBS PopDesi and SBS Chill.

The new SBS Radio app is available to download now at the iTunes App Store and Google Play, to listen anytime, anywhere for free.

The updated design puts on demand content at the forefront and the new interface makes the SBS Radio app easy to use to discover live streams, podcasts, music, news and information. Other key features include: • Checking the language setting in a user’s phone and presenting navigation and text in language • Users can now pick their favourite content

and display it in their own tailored playlist • Switching stations is now easier in the live radio menu • In-app alerts to notify about new podcast episodes or any favourite content about to expire • Use the new ‘Explore’ screen to find any new shows to add to the favourite list

• Set a sleep-timer for automatic switch-off after a period of time or when a program ends SBS Director of Audio and Language Content, Mandi Wicks said, “SBS Radio recognises that our audiences expect a more on demand content experience, on the device of their choice. With the new and improved functionality, the

SBS Radio app caters to our listeners with a personalised experience tailored to their content and language preferences.”

Existing users of the SBS PopDesi and SBS Chill app will be directed to download the new SBS Radio app to continue listening to their favourite channels. As a new feature, listeners of SBS PopDesi, SBS Chill and SBS

The free SBS Radio App is now available at the iTunes App Store and Google Play.

PopAsia can now see a track list played in the past 7 days and purchase them for offline listening.

The free SBS Radio App is now available at the iTunes App Store and Google Play.

Source: SBS media release

Governor of Victoria visits Dandenong’s Indian cultural precinct

By SAT News Desk

M

elbourne, 8 September: Recently the Victorian Governor visited Dandenong to learn more aboutMelbourne’s premier Indian Cultural Precinct.

The Honourable Ms Linda Dessau AC and her husband Mr Anthony Howard QC met with members of the Indian Taskforce including Greater Dandenong Mayor Cr Jim Memeti and State Member for Dandenong Gabrielle Williams.

The taskforce was established in the City of Greater Dandenong to help drive and promote Indian culture in Dandenong.

Cr Jim Memeti said the aim of the taskforce was to create a shared community-lead vision for the precinct.He said Council will receive $500,000 from the State Government’s Cultural PrecinctFund to develop the precinct.

“The aim of this taskforce is to provide advice and

Having the opportunity to meet with Ms Dessau is further confirmation of the State Government’s commitment to Dandenong and the growth and development of this precinct. strategic input to Greater Dandenong Council and State Government about the precinct moving forward,” Cr Memeti said.

“Having the opportunity to meet with Ms Dessau is further confirmation of the State Government’s commitment to Dandenong and the growth and

development of this precinct.”

More than 85,000 people of Indian origin live within 20km of Dandenong’s Little India Precinct and more than

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17,000 people from the Indian subcontinent choose to call the City of Greater Dandenong home.

Source: Supplied.

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Better protection for workers as new Fair Work law passes Parliament

BY SAT News Desk

M

elbourne, 6 September: The Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James has welcomed the passing of new laws that will significantly enhance its capacity to take action in cases of exploitation of vulnerable workers.

The Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Vulnerable Workers) Bill 2017 passed the Parliament on 5 September.

It includes a range of measures including an increase in the maximum penalties for employers who deliberately flaunt the minimum wage and other entitlements under the Fair Work Act 2009.

The new laws will apply from the day after the Bill receives royal assent, except for the new franchisor and holding company liability which will start six weeks later.

The new law will hold certain franchisors and holding companies responsible for underpayments by their franchisees where they knew, or reasonably should have known, about the contraventions and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent them.

The laws will apply to franchisors that have a significant degree of influence or control over the franchisee’s affairs.

The laws apply new, higher financial penalties to ‘serious contraventions’ which are 10 times the current maximum penalties.

A court could impose these higher penalties where an employer knew they were breaching their obligations and this conduct is part of a systematic pattern of behaviour. In such cases maximum penalties of $630,000 and $126,000 per contravention could apply to corporations and individuals respectively.

The new laws will double the maximum penalties for record-keeping and pay slip breaches, to $12,600 per contravention for individuals and $63,000 for companies, and triple existing penalties in cases where employers give false

or misleading pay slips to workers, or provide the Fair Work Ombudsman with false information or documents. Last financial year two-thirds of the FWO’s court cases involved alleged record-keeping or payslip contraventions with nearly one third involving allegations of false or misleading records being provided to the FWO. Amendments moved by the Senate will also provide that where an employer has not met their record-keeping or pay slip obligations, the employer will have to disprove a wage claim put before a Court unless the employer has a reasonable excuse for not keeping records or issuing pay slips.

Ms James also welcomed the strengthening of laws governing “cashback”

New penalties for providing Fair Work inspectors with false or misleading information or records, and new prohibitions for hindering or obstructing them. arrangements with the legislation specifically prohibiting unreasonable requirements for an employee to pay money to their employer or another person. These protections will now also extend to prospective employees unreasonably required to pay their own money to get a job.

“New evidence gathering powers contained in the legislation will allow the Fair Work Ombudsman to require a person to provide information or documents to the FWO or to attend before senior FWO officials to answer questions on

Summary of key changes

Certain franchisors and holding companies become responsible for underpayments by their franchisees or subsidiaries where they knew, or reasonably ought to have known, about the contraventions and failed to take reasonable steps to prevent them.

A new category of serious contraventions has been introduced, with penalties that are ten times the current maximum where employers knowingly contravene and it is part of a systematic pattern of contravening conduct.

New penalties for providing Fair Work inspectors with false or misleading information or records, and new prohibitions for hindering or obstructing them.

The prohibitions against unreasonably requiring employees to make payments, commonly seen as cashback arrangements, have been strengthened and extended to prospective employees.

Maximum penalties for record-keeping and pay slip breaches have been doubled, and the maximum penalty for false or misleading employment records has been tripled. New penalties apply for giving false or misleading pay slips.

Employers who do not meet record keeping or pay slip obligations and cannot show a reasonable excuse, will need to disprove wage claims made in a court.

The Fair Work Ombudsman’s evidence-gathering powers have been strengthened oath or affirmation that relate to underpayment of workers,” Ms James said.

There are strong protections for individuals in relation to these evidence gathering powers including; supervision by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal and the Commonwealth Ombudsman, rules preventing the evidence a person gives from being used against them personally, the right to have a lawyer present if they attend to answer questions and the right to claim reimbursement of reasonable expenses.

Ms James reiterated previous statements that this power will be deployed as a last resort – while most employers work with the FWO to address concerns that may have arisen about an employee’s entitlements and provide FWO with the information it needs to resolve such matters, those engaging in deliberate breaches of the law often do not cooperate.

“We will always welcome new tools, resources or powers that will help the agency address serious cases of non-compliance and exploitation in the workplace, especially when

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Employers who do not meet record keeping or pay slip obligations and cannot show a reasonable excuse, will need to disprove wage claims made in a court. it comes to protecting the most vulnerable members of our community,” Ms James said.

“My Agency will continue to be fair and balanced in its approach and will to operate in accordance with our compliance and enforcement policy.

“However, employers who know their obligations and systematically fail to meet their workplace obligations should be on notice that we will use all the powers at our disposal,” Ms James said.

Ms James said she looked forward to working with the community, including franchisors and their advocates and advisers, to help them understand the new laws and the ways they can contribute to building a culture of compliance with them.

“Now is the time for franchise systems that care about their reputation to take steps to ensure their employees receive their lawful entitlements,” Ms James said.

"The Fair Work Ombudsman will work with any franchise that is serious about doing the right thing by its workers."

Employers and employees can seek assistance at www. fairwork.gov.au or contact the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94. A free interpreter service is available on 13 14 50.

Source: medianet

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Bollywood diva Jaqualine Fardinandez rocks Melbourne

By Virosh Perera

M

elbourne: The Disco King rocked Melbourne in a once in lifetime event at The Grand on Princess on the 9th of September. It was the journey of Alston Koch and his hand-picked celebrity guest. Another highlight of the night was the gastronomic feast by the Grand at Princess.

The highlight of the night was the Bollywood Queen Jaqualine Ferdinandez who was rocking to the beat of the Disco in Melbourne.

Present at the event were Jaqualine's mum and dad which made it all the more fun.

Overall it was a musical concert of Alston Koch and his friends.

It was a great show by the venue The Grand. Hats off to Jude Desilva and his team for the fantastic hospitality.

It was a night of selfies, photos and videos all the way with Jaqualine. She didn't even get time to eat!

The audience was so thrilled with her charming and down to earth personality. Live streaming pics was on top of the agenda.

Fredrick James Koch was the big hit. He was the MC and sang too. I've got to say,

it was fantastic!

The event was partly sponsored by Sri Lankan Air Lines. Ajith Dias the CEO personally attended the event as well.

Great Media Coverage by the Aus News Lanka team.

The sound and lighting was handled by the Pioneer in the industry Warren Jay. Chandran Ratnam was also present at the night.

Overall the event of a life time I witnessed was something different.

4.7 million Australians to benefit from September indexation

By SAT News Desk

M

elbourne, 11 September: 4.7 million pensioners and allowance recipients will receive an increase to their welfare payments from 20 September 2017.

Minister for Social Services, Christian Porter, said that as a result of the regular twice-yearly indexation, pension payments including Age Pension and Disability Support Pension will rise by $6.10 a fortnight to $894.40

for singles and $4.60 a fortnight to $674.20 for each member of a couple.

People receiving Newstart Allowance whilst they look for work will also benefit from the increases of $3.20 per fortnight for singles with no children and $2.90 a fortnight each for members of a couple.

Recipients of Parenting Payment Single will receive an increase of $4.50 a fortnight.

Payment rates for pensions are allowances are adjusted twice a year, in March and September.

Pension increases are linked to prices and wages, whilst allowances are linked to the Consumer Price Index.

“These increases help pensioners and allowance recipients keep up with increases in living costs,” Minister Porter said.

“Rent Assistance rates also increase from next week and a range of income and assets limits for pensions and allowances will also increase as a result of indexation. This includes higher to the income and assets test limits for age pensioners before their

payments are affected.

“The amount self-funded retirees can earn to qualify for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, which provides access to cheaper medicines and a range of state/territory government and local government concessions increases by $1,003 annually for singles and $802 annually for each member of a couple.”

Details of new rates, free areas and limits can be found at https:// www.dss.gov.au/benefitspayments/indexation-ratesseptember-2017

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Payment rates for pensions are allowances are adjusted twice a year, in March and September.

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Property driving rise in over-indebted households

BY SAT News Desk

M

Melbourne, 13 September: Average household debt has almost doubled since 2003-04 according to the latest figures from the Survey of Income and Housing, released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

ABS Chief Economist Bruce Hockman said average household debt had risen to $169,000 in 2015-16, an increase of $75,000 on the 2003-04 average of $94,000.

“Around one-in-four households with debt – 27 per cent – had debt equal to three or more years’ worth of their disposable household income in 201516,” Mr Hockman said.

“A further two per cent of households held debt equal to three-quarters or more of the value of their households’ assets.

Based on either of these comparisons, around three-in-ten of households with a debt (29 per cent) in Australia are considered to be ‘over-indebted’.”

Growth in debt has outpaced income and asset growth since 200304. Rising property values, low interest rates and a growing appetite for larger debts have all contributed to increased over-indebtedness. The proportion of overindebted households has climbed to 29 per cent of all households with debt in 2015-16, up from 21 per cent in 2003-04.

Just under half of all households with a mortgage were over-indebted in 2015-16. Younger property owners in particular have taken on greater debt.

Three-in-five households (62 per cent) headed by a 25-34 year-old, and one-intwo (51 per cent) of 35-44 year-old households who held a property loan were over-indebted.

“Nearly half of our most wealthy households (47 per cent) who have a property debt are overindebted, holding an average property debt of $924,000. This makes them particularly susceptible

if market conditions or household economic circumstances change,” explained Mr Hockman.

Perth was one of our most over-indebted capital cities. Over half (55 per cent) of Perth property owners were over-indebted, and owed on average $574,000 per household in property debt.

However, Darwin was the capital city with the highest rate of overindebtedness among property owners at 69 per cent. Darwin households held on average $581,000 in total property debt.

Sydney and Melbourne had the highest actual number of property owners who were overindebted. Over-indebted households with a property in Sydney owed an average of $765,000, which was $269,000 more than the average property debt of their Melburnian counterparts.

Households spending more on the basics More than half the money Australian households spend on goods and services per week goes on basics on average, $846 out of $1,425 spent – according to the 2015-16 Household Expenditure Survey (HES), released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

“We can broadly think about household spending as either being for ‘basics’

or for ‘discretionary’ purchases – with basics covering essentials such as housing, food, energy, health care and transport,” ABS Chief Economist, Bruce Hockman said.

Today’s release shows that a growing portion of weekly outlays is spent on basics. Spending on basics accounted for 56 per cent of weekly household spending in 1984, growing to 59 per cent in 2015-16.

“The survey also shows that since 1984, the pattern of household spending has changed considerably,” explained Mr Hockman.

“In 1984, the largest contributors to household spending were food (20 per cent), then transport (16 per cent) and housing (13 per cent).”

"Jump forward to 201516, and housing is now the largest contributor (20 per cent), followed by food (17 per cent), and transport costs (15 per cent).”

More recently, since the last survey in 200910, the biggest increases in spending on goods and services by households have been in education (44 per cent), household services and operations, such as cleaning products and pest control services (30 per cent), energy (26 per cent), health care (26 per cent) and housing (25 per cent).

On the other hand, spending on alcohol, tobacco, clothing and footwear and household furnishings have not

In 2015-16, the wealthiest 20 per cent of households held more than 60 per cent of all household wealth, now averaging $2.9 million per household. changed significantly from six years ago.

Mr Hockman added that, in 2015-16, 1.3 million Australian households (15 per cent) reported 4 or more markers of financial stress, down from 16 per cent in 2009-10. In addition, the proportion of Australian households who did not report experiencing any markers of financial stress has steadily increased, from 54 per cent in 2009-10, to 59 per cent in 2015-16.

Inequality stable since 2013-14 A report released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveals that income and wealth inequality have remained stable since 2013-14.

The Survey of Income and Housing is Australia’s largest survey of income and wealth and provides an important measure of inequality.

Income “In the lead up to the Global Financial Crisis, income inequality increased from 0.306 in 2003-04 to 0.336 in 200708, as measured by the Gini coefficient,” ABS Chief Economist, Bruce Hockman said.

“Since 2007-08, inequality has varied within a relatively narrow range, from 0.320 (201112) to 0.333 (2013-14). In

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2015-16, income inequality remains within that range, at 0.323.”

In the four years between 2003-04 and 2007-08, average weekly household income grew by $213 in real terms to $982.

In the following eight years to 2015-16, it grew by only $27 to $1,009.

Wealth Wealth is less equally distributed than income amongst Australians.

Wealth inequality, as measured by the Gini coefficient, is the same now as it was in 2013-14 (0.605), but higher than when it was first comprehensively measured in 2003-04 (0.573).

"The share of wealth between households in Australia has remained stable since 2013-14”, Mr Hockman said.

“In 2015-16, the wealthiest 20 per cent of households held more than 60 per cent of all household wealth, now averaging $2.9 million per household.

“By comparison, those in the middle 20 per cent held 11 per cent of all household wealth, averaging $528,400 per household in 2015-16.

The lowest 20 per cent controlled less than 1 per cent of all household wealth, with average wealth currently at $36,500."

Average household wealth has increased between 2013-14 and 2015-16, up 11 per cent from $835,300 to $929,400, in real terms. Rising property values are the main contributor to this increase. The average total value of property assets owned by households increased from $548,500 in 2013–14 to $626,700 in 2015–16.

After property, superannuation is the next largest contributor to household wealth and it has also increased over time. The average household superannuation balance is up from $164,900 in 2013-14 to $188,400 in 2015-16.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

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community

COMMUNITY ROUNDUP Ganesh Festival at Warrebee Racecourse

G

anesh Festival was held at the Werribee Racecourse on 2 Sept 2017 and was attended by devotees from all over Melbourne. The whole day program had mahaarti, kids rides, food stalls, dances and laddoo auction. Entry was free and the event was well organized.

India @ 70 celebrated by the FIAV-AISV

T

he Federation of Indian Association of Victoria (FIAV) and the Australia India Society of Victoria (AISV) jointly celebrated India’s 70th Independence Day on 19thAugust at the Hungarian Community Centre. The event was attended by community leaders, leaders from different parties and activits.

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COMMUNITY ROUNDUP

ALP members visit Blackburn Gurudwara

A

large number of local Australian Labour Party members visited the Gurudwara (Sikh Temple) in Blackburn recently. The group was led by Manoj Kumar, ALP leader and others from the temple administration joined them. The group was taken to the library, music room, Punjabi school and the main prayer hall. The group showed keen interest in the temple and its various activities. Short speeches were also given and later the ALP group had ‘Langar’ (Community food distribution) along with devotees present.

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finance

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How to Organize Insurance Covers – Part II

BY Balki Balakrishnan

I

In the last article we saw how you can organize personal risk insurance covers within your super environment.

In this article we will explain the types of covers you can organize outside your super environment.

Total & Permanent Disability with ‘own occupation definition’ and Trauma (or Crisis Recovery) Insurance covers can only be organized outside of super environment. This is because superannuation funds are not allowed to offer these types of covers under the current superannuation laws.

Insuring yourself under TPD ‘own occupation’ definition offers more certainty of a favorable outcome compared to TPD ‘any occupation’ definition coverwhen you make a claim. Therefore, you should consider insuring yourself under TPD ‘own occupation’ definition.

However, you should also be mindful that insurers offer cover under the TPD ‘own occupation’ definition only to individuals in certain occupations. You will need to consult a professional to get this right.

Income Protection can be organized within the super environment. We saw the pros and cons of such a strategy in the previous article. Income Protection cover can also be organized outside of super environment. In general, insurers offer better features for Income Protection cover organized outside of super environment. When this cover is organized within the super environment, the benefit payment is paid to the superannuation fund and the trustee of the fund has to make a determination as

to whether the benefit can be paid to the member or not. It may so happen that the Trustee may be unable to release this money to you because you do not meet the conditions of the Trust Deed and/or the superannuation law even though the insurer has paid on your claim.When this cover is organized outside of super environment, the benefit payment is paid directly to the life insured and thus offers more certainty of a benefit payment on a successful claim. This is an important

aspect to consider when organizing this type of cover.

You do not receive any tax offsets for the premiums paid on TPD & Trauma covers organized outside super environment. Therefore, the premiums are paid from after tax dollars. You can claim tax deduction for the Income protection premium paid when you file your annual tax return.

The premiums are paid either monthly or annually.

Normally there will be a discount available when the

insurance premium is paid on an annual basis. You should note that the premiums paid will reduce your cash flow as they are paid from your personal income. The premiums paid are therefore not available to you for any other investment and thus have an opportunity cost.

These disadvantages have to be weighed against the protection offered by insuring yourself.

Most of the insurers nowadays offer super link policies where the covers organized within and outside of super environment are linked in such a way that the overall cost of insurance is reduced. You should be aware of the implications of such arrangements before committing yourself.

A Financial Advisor will recommend the best way to organize your covers and will also demonstrate how you can meet your financial goals and objectives after factoring in the cost of insurance.

Thus far, we saw the types of covers you can organize outside your super environment and also the benefits of such an arrangement. The article also touched upon a few of the things you should be aware of when organizing insurance outside super.

Any insurance arrangement should be ‘fit for purpose’, that is, it should have the features to suit your purpose for taking out insurance and ‘fit for use’, that is, it should produce the expected financial outcome when you make a claim on your insurance policy. It will be worth your while to consult a Financial Advisor who can assist you in identifying your needs, recommend the most appropriate way of organizing insurance and suggest suitable products such that the financial outcomes on a claim protect you and your loved ones.

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

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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 560if you want more information or need to review your insurance covers.

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southSouth asia times 19 Asia Times

Demonetisation & intolerance revisited D

By Rashid Sultan

emonitesation The year 2016 Your’s sincerely is in India on a 3-month- odyssey, a sort of reconnaissance to organise our grand daughter’s wedding; others will come later. The funds have already been transferred from Melbourne and cashed at the local banks. Everything has been thought over: wedding venue and guests’ accommodation booked; catering, decoration of the pandal, flowers and transportation of overseas guests all arranged for, and the list goes on.

And, one fine evening in November, suddenly, the Prime Minister, in his national address, announces the demonetisation of Rs 500 and 1000 currency notes from the midnight. The jewellery shops remain open the whole night to transform black into white.

I am wringing my hands in despair as I do not know what jewellery to buy (myhomefolks do not like my taste). One opportunity is lost. In a minute my brief case full of Indian currency is obsolete.

Next morning, newspapers and TV channels are crying hoarse. The Finance Minister makes a statement that he has had no prior knowledge of this demonetisation. The political pundits surmise that the planning must have been done by the PM and the Reserve Bank experts, in secret.

We are told that there were 15.44 lac crore in circulation in these two denominations, out of which 3 lac crore (20%) were in the black and would never be returned to the banks and thus the evil of black money would be eradicated in days if not hours.

An individual would be allowed to withdraw Rs 2000 once a week and a business 10,000, we are told.

I need funds to carry out my day-to-day expenses so I proceed to ATMs at 3 banks around where I am staying. My God! Hundreds of thousands are lining the queues and police are lathi charging them. I also stand in the queue. After 2 hours I decide to retire and come home empty handed because as per my calculation I would never be able to reach the ATM by 6 PM- the closing time. My domestic help informs me that all the ATMs

ran out of cash immediately after I left. I continue this exercise for another 6 days but, no luck.

Finally, I have no money left even to buy Pan Masala because my coffers containedonly Rs 500 and 1000 notes which had become useless. My Australian passport, now, has become my enemy.

I have to ask my children for help. They come to my rescue. Every day rules keep changing regarding deposits and withdrawals. About 50 regulations in as many days.

No one knows what is going on. The papers are now full of deaths occurring of mainly elderly people while waiting in queues at the banks (final tally- 150 people in 3 months when I leave; some solace, I did not become the 151st ).

The newspapers are also fullabout umpteen marriages being either postponed or cancelled due to paucity of funds.

Former Prime Minister Mr Manmohan Singh,at last, opens his mouth in the RajyaSabhaLok Sabha and calls the whole thing ‘nothing but an organised loot, monumental mismanagement, and legalised plunder’ and that at least 2% GDP would wipe off the face of the Indian economy as a resultof this blunder.The current PM Mr Narendra Modi, has only a smirk on his face as if saying that one of the most respected economists in the world does not know what he is talking about.

The chaos, the frustration and the frenzy in those 3 months is a spectacle the kind of which I have never seen in my life. It has also attracted international attention and papers like New York Times have started questioning the wisdom behind this drastic action.

By some estimates, crores of workers in the organised as well as unorganised sectors have been sacked and trains are full of migrant workers from Maharashtra, Gujarat and Punjab, returning to their homes in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Medium and small factories have been closed because employers have no money to pay their employees. Even Kanpur, where I am staying, has 3 lakh workers out of jobs.

The daily reports in the press keep informing us how much money has been deposited in banks till the Reserve Bank announces that their note- counting

machines are broken and tenders for new machines are afloat. By that time it is claimed about 80% circulated money has been deposited in banks, rest will be known once new machines are in full swing though this logic doesn’t go down the throats of many critics.

The aim of demonetisation was three fold: to make black money ineffectual, to confiscate fake currency and starve terrorism and Maoism of funds.

Nine months have now elapsed. The new figures suggest that 99% of the currency is now in banks.

Where has the black money gone?

The seizure of fake currency is also at par with previous years. So? The recent episodes of terrorist and Maoist attacks haven’t seen any reduction either.

One more eye opener.

Raghu Ram Rajan, the then governor of Reserve Bank, in his latest book ‘I do what I do’ says he didn’t favour demonetisation and nor was he a part of the decision or execution.

If the finance minister was not a part of this plan, nor the reserve Bank governor, then, who was the architect of this fiasco? Just an uneducated economist who likes to shock and awe?

And how Mr Manmohan Singh was prophetic!

The GDP which was hovering between 7 and 8% when UPA left, has now come down to 5.7%. Please note that a 1% GDP in current monetary terms is 1 lac 30,000 crores.

AND, NOW, INTOLERANCE After demonetisation I thought I had seen or heard whatever was needed to be seen or heard. But, no. I have been naïve and stupid as well.

Now, the cow vigilantism is the new zeitgeist. We are being told what we can and cannot eat. The cow is out, the bullock is out, the calf is out and even the buffalo is out. Soon, I suspect, we will be dictated what to wear and what sort of beard we should grow. Why do you think Junaid was killed in a Delhi Metro? Was he eating beef in the train? His sin was he was trying to grab a seat which the mob didn’t like because he was wearing a Muslim beard and a skull cap and thus was labelled as a beef- eater.

Afaque, Pehlu Khan,

Nine months have now elapsed.

The new figures suggest that 99% of the currency is now in banks.

Where has the black money gone?

have now become merely numbers. The list of Muslims being lynched on the streets, on the suspicion of eating beef, is very long.

The number has grown outrageously since the BJP came into power and more so in states,intheir control.

Even the Dalits are not exempt. Their sin? They were skinning cows after their natural deaths, a profession, demanded of them in the Manusmiriti, which they have been carrying on for more than 2000 years.

Why is it happening?

The answer is the hatred and hostility propagated by so-called nationalists who have polarised the whole society into two groupsHindus (readBrahminsl ) and the ‘others’. And their means of communication?

Social media. The fake and false news, in an organised way ( call centres in the USA ) which helped the BJP and the RSS to win election in 2014 is now so strong and effective that the Russian network, the master, par excellence, of fake news internationally, would be better off to take a leaf from the BJP network.

Our network of fake and false news does not discriminate between a common man and intellectuals. The lynchings happen on the street level and the blatantly naked murders of intellectuals occur outside their houses or inside the sanctuary of their homes.

Lest we forgot the murders of intellectualsNarendra Dabholkar, Professor Kalburgi and Govind Pansare, this hatred has now killed another journalist, Gauri Lankesh, shot at point blank range,

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four days ago in her house.

Her sin? She was writing against the Hindutwa forces in her weekly Lankesh.

She was popular, she was respected, but hated by the Saffron brigade. She never asked for security nor was given any, though, she was continually threatened by the fanatics of Hindutva forces.

Should journalists need security? She believed in none. No one has been arrested. But, have any arrests come across for murders of Dabholkar, Pansare and Kalburgi?

She was asking questions through her editorials/ columns. And questions are never relished by fanatics.

They cannot tolerate any dissent. It is against their ideology (remember Hitler’s Nazis?).

An absolutelynew thing which has followewd the tragic death of this writer is frightening – the public comments by adherents of the Sangh brigade. from Jagriti Shukla, a woman( a woman!) who has hailed her murder and the other,Didhich. His comment : “ ekkutyakutteykimautmaree and pilleybilbilaraheinhain”.

And this man claims the Prime Minister Modi as one of his followers.

Where have we come from? Is this ourcountry?Is this our culture?Our culture never said a bad word for a dead person let alone calling her ‘a kutiya’. The only fault of hers was that she dissented from the extremist views of the Hindutva Parivar.

Amol Paleker, in his address at the Savitri Bai Phule University, in August, has this to say: “Our long-held belief in pluralism is being neutered and rendered impotent through an institutionally sanctioned process. History is being rewritten to echo the dictates of new power centres; an undefined fear of the other ensured that all would stay within the fold; spurious self-serving leaders got promoted as popular heroes; sensibilities were sacrificed at the altar of the fear factory; the mass media was used to systematically quell vulnerable minorities by constructing narratives of doubt and distrust against them. A divisive ideology fed on suspicion and hate wasdisseminated far and wide”.

These are author’s personal views.

South Asia Times south asia 20 South Asia Timestimes

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Modi’s reshuffle

The Indian President, Mr. Ram Nath Kovind, the Vice President, Mr. M. Venkaiah Naidu and the Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi with the newly inducted Ministers after the Swearing-in Ceremony, at theRashtrapati Bhavan, in New Delhi on September 03, 2017. Photo: PIB, New Delhi.

By FA

N

ew Delhi: With just 19 months to go for the 2019 general elections, it is imperative that the coming elections were uppermost in the mind of Prime Minister Narendra Modi when he effected a minor reshuffle of his council of ministers Sunday.

But what was the criterion in his mind or the mind of his Alma Mater the force behind the throne that is the RashtriyaSwayamsevakSangh (RSS) in making the choice of candidates to be inducted/elevated?

What for instance is the secret of Nirmala Sitharaman’s or for that matter SmritiIrani’s swift rise to phenomenal heights in the Modi dispensation—Combat, I dare say. As a BJP spokesperson in the crucial period when the party was in the Opposition, Nirmala as once upon a time M Venkaiah Naidu was, in front of the camera, combative when faced with a tricky or critical question concerning her party. Instead of a direct reply, she would throw back a question to your question, implicitly accusing the questioning journalist to be an agent of the rival political forces, say the Congress party. Significantly though both she and earlier Naidu were most amiable and amenable to answering all your questions sincerely in the off the record briefings. It was as though they were aware that the Big Brother was watching and they had to put up a show to impress someone up there. Sure enough Sitharaman has succeeded in this endeavor as did Naidu earlier.

Anyway returning to the subject

of Modi’s choice making, he chose for instance one more Ananth Kumar from Karnataka, Ananth Kumar Hegde, a congenital, vituperative and demonstrative Muslim baiter. His much publicized public conduct of assaulting three doctors at the Bangaluru hospital because he felt his mother was not being given the VIP treatment befitting a ruling party MP’s mother, actually added to his esteem to join Modi’s team, never mind if he has no apparent qualifications to head the ministry of Skill development and entrepreneurship. His predecessor in this ministry Rajiv Pratap Rudy at least had been in the government earlier and if he supposedly failed to generate the much promised two crore jobs annually, one wonders what magic wand this street fighter has, to perform this miracle. Maybe he could hand over swords and guns to Bajrang Dal, ABVP and other affiliated Sangh outfits to attack Muslims for that is the only thing he has learnt over the years of his political apprenticeship. Sure he is a combat.

Then there is HardipPuri, who missed the opportunity to be India’s Foreign Secretary, because his turn came during the UPA government and his proximity to the Sangh was well known. In fact he played a crucial role while posted in London those days along with our Finance Minister ArunJaitley in pushing L K Advani’s ex daughter-in-law Gauri Advani to agree to an out of court settlement in separating from Jayant Advani . BJP insiders used to say with some degree of pride how thanks to Hardip’s aid they managed to secure some private correspondence of Gauri locked in

a safe in her London home, putting her on the defensive. In effect Hardip engineered a burglary in Gauri’s house. Actually he deserved a more meaty ministry than his current portfolio of Housing and Urban Development.

Then there is that former Union Home Secretary Rajkumar Singh who won the Lok Sabha on BJP ticket from Maoist den Arrah in Bihar. He is a true bureaucrat, an established time server. His claim to fame is that as the District Magistrate of Samastipur in 1991 he promptly implemented the then Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad’s orders to arrest L K Advani and terminate his rathyatra, which he did. He is a true weathercock who in UPA good times as Union Home Secretary released the names of RSS men allegedly involved in Samjhauta Express blast but as the tide seemed to be turning against UPA blamed the then Home Minister P Chidambaram for changing the IshratJehan affidavit and once out of government with retirement, accused another UPA Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde of interfering in postings and transfers of Police officers. Naturally then he drifted towards the BJPP well in time and got elected to the Lok Sabha in 2014 riding a Modi wave. With life long stint in the bureaucracy Singh is adept at manipulating data and figures much needed to exaggerate their achievements in the runup to the next general elections.

The Modi dispensation had totally marginalized Brahmins, in particular the north Indian meaning UP/Bihar Brahmins. The elevation of Yogi Adityanath a die-hard pahadi Thakur as the UP chief minister

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further disappointed the Brahmins of UP, whose votes maybe crucial in the coming elections. Rubbing further salt into their wounds two Brahmins in Modi’s cabinet Kalraj Mishra and MahendraNath Pandey have been dropped in this reshuffle.

So we have Shiv Pratap Shukla from Gorakhpur, AshwaniChaubey from Bihar and AnanthHegde from Karnataka, three new Brahmin faces in the Union government. None, however with any significant clout or power in this government to carry any weight.

Modi’s kept media has gone to town of how the BJP is pandering to Shias, citing Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi’s elevation. True there is an attempt by the Sanghis to coopt sections of Shia clerics and this was evident on how the likes of Kalbe Jawwad sold themselves to this Government, but after serving the BJP faithfully all these years Naqvi has been given a cabinet berth no doubt but has remained confined to his Minority, meaning Muslim affairs only. We had a joke in Aligarh about the Unani medicine students from Aligarh’s Tibbiya College. Their degree was abbreviated as BUMMS, expanded to Bachelor of Unani Medicine and Modern Surgery, which we had distorted to “Muslim surgery, bracket meinKhatna (circumcision),” meaning the Hakims of Tibbiya College were not capable of anything more than performing Sunnat or circumcision on Muslim children. Similarly, the Muslims in Modi’s eyes are capable of only looking after Minority Affairs. Actually the position was vacant ever since Najma Heptullah was sent off as a Governor to North East.

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southSouth asia times 21 Asia Times

Sri Lanka: The way forward after war crimes charges

By Jehan Perera

C

OLOMBO: The war crimes cases registered against former army commander General Jagath Jayasuriya in five South American countries would alert the government that it needs to take remedial action without further delay. It seems that General Jayasuriya was fortunate that the cases were only registered after he left Brazil where he was Sri Lanka’s ambassador for the last two years. Although the former army commander had diplomatic immunity, international law also states that those accused of war crimes are subject to universal jurisdiction. This means that any country that subscribes to the Rome Statute that set up the International Criminal Court can detain a suspect in a war crime case.

General Jayasuriya has refuted media reports that he fled Brazil. The close proximity of dates on which he left Brazil and the war crimes cases were registered suggests a connection between the two. The former army commander has also strongly denied that one of the army camps he was in overall charge of was also a place where torture of LTTE prisoners took place. In his defense, he has said that was not in charge of offensive military operations but only of defensive ones. This is unlikely to convince those who accuse him as those in charge of defense would be obliged to elicit information from prisoners about the future plans of the LTTE. Recently US President Donald Trump has been making statements that seem to justify the use of torture in extreme cases such as when terrorists or those suspected of such activities and who attack the United States are apprehended. This has caused great consternation worldwide as this open defiance of international norms will be a setback to the development of international human rights and humanitarian law related to war. It has been said that the worst peace is better than the best war.

This is because in war, where life is at stake, the desire for self-preservation will invariably come first, and rules that protect

The international law on war crimes has the concept of “command responsibility” that can be used to target anyone in the chain of command, even if they were far from the actual theatre of action.

prisoners with information from being tortured are likely to be broken.

The allegations of war crimes against General Jayasuriya have become more complicated because his superior officer during the war, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka has publicly stated that General Jayasuriya was under a cloud during the time of war. The Field Marshal has bitter memories about the shabby way he was treated by the former government when he was the army commander and was succeeded by General Jayasuriya . He said that there were allegations of offenses against those held in captivity against General Jayasuriya which he had wished to investigate before he was relieved of his post. Field Marshal Fonseka has also said that he is prepared to come forward and give evidence to this effect if a properly constituted war crimes court is set up.

The possibility now exists that the cases registered against General Jayasuriya, and the international publicity it has generated, will encourage human rights activists and Diaspora groups to also take action in foreign courts against

members of the Sri Lankan state who were engaged in the military operations against the LTTE. This could include not only military personnel, but also political leaders and public service officials who had significant roles to play in the war. The international law on war crimes has the concept of “command responsibility” that can be used to target anyone in the chain of command, even if they were far from the actual theatre of action. As ranking officers, they can be held liable to be punished under international law for war crimes committed by troops on the ground.

However, there is a way forward for Sri Lanka.

The Geneva resolution that was co-sponsored by the government in October 2015 states that the government will setup four special mechanisms to deal with the aftermath of the war. These are a truth commission, office of missing persons, office of reparations and special court for accountability purposes. Although the government’s initial promise was to set these up in full or at least in part

by March 2017, it failed to do so. As a result, the government requested a further two-year extension

which it obtained. None of the four mechanisms has been established in full or in part. Only the Office of Missing Persons has been legislated, but has still not been established.

Those who are working within the government’s reconciliation process have unofficially confirmed that the legislation for all four reconciliation mechanisms to which the government committed itself have been prepared. The lack of progress in establishing them may be attributed to apprehension within the government that these mechanisms will start to generate information that can be used as evidence in future cases of war crimes.

The level of apprehension is increased by the fact that the international community will also be keenly observing how these four mechanisms will operate. Therefore, the level of independence of the reconciliation mechanisms from partisan political control is also likely to be high.

If it is the desire to keep the truth about the past submerged that has led to the continuing delay in implementing the four mechanisms to which the government committed itself in Geneva, then the cases registered in South

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America show that Sri Lankans who have been involved in the war effort can become vulnerable to international legal processes. International law comes into operation when the national (or domestic) law is not properly implemented. This suggests that instead of continuing to delay setting up the four mechanisms promised to the world in Geneva, the government should start operationalising them.

It is in the national interest to establish mechanisms, including a special court, that is under Sri Lankan jurisdiction rather than leave Sri Lankans to be vulnerable to sudden arrest by foreign courts in distant countries. Those who once blamed the government for agreeing to co-sponsor the UNHRC resolutions in Geneva may now see that radical decision from another perspective. It is the Geneva process that shows the way forward to Sri Lanka. If the Sri Lankan government is able to show that it has a credible domestic legal process underway in the special court and accountability mechanism it sets up, the requirement of international legal processes will diminish.

This is the message that government leaders need to communicate to the Sri Lankan people and begin to implement instead of procrastinating any further.

Source: The Citizen, 13 September 2017.

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Rohingya: A People Condemned!

By Ram Puniyani

M

assive protests are being witnessed in many countries, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India among others against the persecution of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar (September 2017). This time around violence seems to have been triggered due to the attack by militants (Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army) on police and military posts.

United Nations has said that the extent of violence indicates that it is crime against humanity. His Holiness Pope Francis said that he is following the “sad news of the religious persecution of Rohingya community… he asked that the members of the ethnic group be given full rights.”

The suppression of the Muslims of Rakhine province of Myanmar has created grave situation.

What seems to be going on is a sort of slow genocide, ethnic cleansing. India has also witnessed the protests against this suppression in many cities in India.

Here in India there is an added problem as there are thousands of Rohingya Muslims living in different parts of the country and there is a demand from the Hindu right wingers to expel them from the country.

These Rohingya Muslims

are mainly concentrated in the Rakhine Province of Myanmar. The Government says that they are illegal immigrants while their history in Mynmar is very old. As such the Muslims in Myanmar are very diverse as most of them have come from different parts of India, when Myanmar was part of India. In particular Rakhine province earlier had a Muslim ruler, which fact attracted many Muslims to settle there.

It is after the military dictatorship that they have been deprived of their citizenship rights and have been the target of persecution and atrocities, particular after 1982 Law, which does not recognize their citizenship rights.

Earlier they even had a minister at the Cabinet level apart from many elected representatives.

The problems related to communalism have so many parallels in different South Asian countries. We see in South Asia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India that religious minorities are subject to persecution and the pretexts are very similar. After the military dictatorship came to Myanmar, the fleeing of Muslims went up in large numbers and many of them came to India also.

These reasons are purely humanitarian, but here in India it is being presented

as if it is a security threat.

Indian laws permit giving shelter to persecuted communities. As per that Tamils from Sri Lanka, Buddhists from Tibet and Hindus from Pakistan have been given shelter here.

Since Rohingya happen to be Muslims the Hindu right wing is opposing them and has stepped up campaigns through media to expel them.

As such in India the communalists have been harping on Bangladeshi immigrants, while the fact is that most of the Muslims being accused of being Bangladeshis have migrated earlier through Human plantation policy of British, which encouraged Bangladeshis (then Bengal) to settle in Assam. In the aftermath of 1971 war also many Hindus and Muslims fled Bangladesh to settle in different parts of India, depending on where they can get some opportunities to survive.

In the aftermath of 199292 violence, the campaign to step up the expelling of Bangldeshis from Mumbai and other cities picked up. In one of the studies done in Mumbai

by ShamaDalwai and Irfan Engineer, it was found that most of the immigrants (Bengali speaking Muslims) have been engaged in low end employment, as maid servants, as jari

workers(artisans) etc., who had been putting long hours for mere survival.

In popular perceptions the issue is presented as nationalist one related to security and this has been one of the major propaganda plank around which BJP has been making inroads in the North Eastern states, particularly Assam.

In Myanmar, the process of democratization is very slow and painful. The military takeover in 1962 worsened the process. The military had the strong backing of feudal elements and the many Buddhist sanghas (organized priesthood). The hold of feudal powers in Myanmar is a great obstacle for democracy to deepen itself.

As in Pakistan (MilitaryMullah), the hold of Sanghas and military is strong here also. In Pakistan we witness that irrespective of democratically elected Prime Minister the military wields great power and Military-Mullah complex keeps asserting itself, affecting the policies even of the elected representatives.

In Myanmar while the major Buddhist organization ‘Sangha MahaNayaka Committee’, has called for humane approach; Buddhist monks like Ashin Wirathu, very much like Sadhvis and SakshiMaharaj’s in India, is the major figure spreading hate against the Muslims.

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In Myanmar, the battle between these two tendencies, (military and section of Buddhist Sangha) is strong and Prime Minister, Suu Kyi is part of the military decision of genocide. Suu Kyi is hankering for power rather than upholding principles of human rights which a Nobel laureate should do. At places campaigns are on to take back her Nobel Prize.

In India, with the high communal polarization, Rohigya being Muslims is reason enough to attribute to them the motives of militancy, and to try to link them with terrorism. Major humanitarian agencies are asking for justice for these persecuted people in Myanmar.

In India, this is an ‘add on’ issue for Hindu communalists who have been baking their political bread in the name of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. The latest in this is to try to formulate the law where the Hindu immigrants will be granted shelter while Muslim immigrants will be expelled by the state. PM Narendra Modi in his visit to Myanmar has been silent on this crucial issue of violation of human rights for tactical and ideological reasons i.e. due to his political ideology.

Source: The Citizen, September 12,2017.

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Indian journalist’s murder: The ultimate form of Press censorship?

By Manipadma Jena

B

HUBANESWAR, India, Sep 7 2017 (IPS) - Dauntlessly crusading against curbs on freedom of speech, fifty-five-year-old Indian journalist Gauri Lankesh was gunned down at her very doorstep in Bengaluru city on the evening of Sep. 5, taking three bullets of the seven fired in her lungs and heart. She was shot from just three feet away.

Known for her vocal stand against India’s growing rightwing ideology, communal politics and majoritian policies, Lankesh ran bold and forthright antiestablishment reports on the eponymous Gauri LankeshPatrike, a regional language tabloid published, owned and edited by her since 2005.

She ran the paper only on subscriptions from loyal readers from across remote villages of Karnataka State. The paper carried no advertisements, following in the tradition of her socialist poet, playwright and journalist father who started the original tabloid.

Gauri Lankesh described herself on her Twitter handle as a journalist-activist. Fluent in both English and the regional Kannada language, she fearlessly broadcast her far-left of centre and pro-Dalit ideologies against religious fundamentalism and the caste system, reaching a huge mass grassroots population.

Speaking at her funeral, Karnataka’s chief minister M Siddaramaiah said, “Gauri brokered deals with Naxalites (Left-wing extremists) in Karnataka.

She helped them enter the mainstream and played a vital role of a negotiator between the State and the extremists.” An activity which extremists cadres may have wanted to halt, Lankesh’s brother IndrajitLankesh said today.

Known as a sympathizer of left-wing extremists, Lankesh was among the few who could empathise with the poverty, oppression and injustices that had pushed these people to pick up arms against the government.

In November, Lankesh was convicted in two libel suits filed by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentarians for her

2008 article alleging that they had criminal dealings. She was, however, granted bail and was planning to appeal to a higher court.

Majority of journalists killed wrote on politics and corruption Lankesh’s voice being silenced once again highlights that journalists covering politics and corruption in India are most at risk of being silenced by killing.

Over half of the 27 journalists murdered in the country since 1992 were covering politics and corruption – the two beats most likely to provoke violent repercussions, finds the Committee to Protect Journalist (CPJ). The threat from these seems to be rising.

India continues to languish in the bottom third of the 2017 World Press Freedom Index, ranking 136th of 180 countries.

Among India’s neighbours, most fare better, including conflict-torn Afghanistan at 120, Pakistan at 139, Sri Lanka at 141, , Bangladesh at 146, Nepal at 100, Bhutan at 84 and China at 176. Norway leads while North Korea is at the bottom.

The Index ranks countries according to the level of freedom available to journalists. It is a snapshot of the media freedom situation based on an evaluation of pluralism, independence of the media, quality of legislative framework and safety of journalists in each country.

‘It is not what you said, but why you said it’ A friend of the slain journalist who was also from the media fraternity is quoted as saying that Lankesh was very “in your face” in her brand of progressive activism against radical Hinduism.

“In my frequent interactions with her, I would tell her that her whole rhetoric should be more subtle,” her friend says. “She was very naive and she was politically incorrect. She was very bold, but indulged in sloganeering of a certain kind which I said would not achieve anything. She needed to strategize.”

“Our right to dissent is being threatened,” the intrepid journalist said instead.

Bold red placards at her

Gauri Lankesh funeral read, “It is not what you said, but why you said it.”

“Given the ways in which speech is being stifled, dire days lie ahead,” Lankesh told an online portal a few months before her death, in an intuitive foretelling of her violent end.

She installed two closed circuit surveillance systems a fortnight before the fatal attack.

No link has yet been established between her death and her ideology or writing by police investigations, but because she so fiercely fought for freedom of speech and freedom of thought, large sections of Indian media protesting her killing are expressing concern over what they described as a growing intolerance of dissenting political voices.

A senior journalist sums up the current sentiment saying, “Gauri Lankesh’s death is another stark reminder of how violence is the new normal (in India). Alternate opinion is no longer debated, it is silenced.”

The Reporters without Borders (RSF) 2017 index report too blames the rise of Hindu nationalism for India’s drop in ranking.

“The three-year-old (federal) administration has been trying to banish all “anti-nationalist” discourse from the Indian press.

Journalists who refuse to censor themselves are the targets of defamation suits or are prosecuted under section 124A of the penal code, under which “sedition” is punishable by life imprisonment, the organization reiterated today.”

Getting away with murder Hundreds of journalists

are murdered, but in nine out of 10 cases their killers go free.

India’s unsolved journalist murders rose by 24 percent within just one year, finds CPJ’s latest Global Impunity Index 2016 which documents the top countries where the killers of journalists go unpunished and where cases of journalists killed remain unsolved. In comparison, Syria is up 85 percent and Brazil 36 CPJ finds it is most often criminal and political groups, government officials in India who get away with journalist murders. Rural and smalltown journalists reporting on local corruption, crime, and politics are targeted most. Worse, in addition to failing to solve any journalist murder, India has never responded to UNESCO’s requests for the judicial status of journalist killings in the country.

Impunity is widely recognized as one of the greatest threats to press freedom. The Impunity Index finds globally, 95 percent of victims were local reporters.

More of them covered politics and corruption than any other beat. Also in 40 percent of cases, the victims reported receiving threats before they were killed.

Threats however are rarely investigated by authorities and in only a handful of cases is adequate protection provided. Of serious concern is CPJ’s finding that only 3 percent of total murder cases over the 2006 – 2016 decade have been brought to justice, including the prosecution of the masterminds.

No data on the murder of journalists is maintained separately, according to India’s home ministry, which administers law and crime.

Since 2014 the national crime records bureau (NCRB) has

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however started collecting data only on grievously injurious attacks on media persons.

The federal or any of the State governments is yet to act on RSF’s 2015 call to the Indian government to launch a national safety plan for journalists, or at least establish alert and rescue mechanisms that would also send a strong message of support for media freedom.

India’s information and broadcasting ministry rejected RSF’s index ranking earlier this year, saying it found the sampling random in nature and it does not portray a proper and comprehensive picture of freedom of the press in India.

Earlier in February U.N. Secretary General AntónioGuterres agreed to take steps to address the safety of journalists, at a meeting where RSF and CPJ called for the appointment of a special representative to the UNSG to end impunity, ensure safety.

Attacks on Asia Pacific’s free press escalates: Cambodia’s clampdown via huge back tax With 34 countries and more than half the world’s population, the Asia-Pacific region holds all the records including the biggest number of “Predators of Press Freedom,” according to RSF. Earlier this week, the English-language Cambodia Daily newspaper published its last issue on Sep. 4 after fighting for the right to report the news freely and independently for 24 years.

It was forced to close by an unprecedented form of government pressure – a sudden demand to pay 6.3 million dollars in alleged back taxes, according to RSF. The newspaper’s editor, Jodie DeJonge regards it as arbitrary and politically motivated, pointing out that no tax audit had been carried out, according to RSF, which also says that the Cambodia Daily has been one of the relatively few independent media outlets to cover corruption, deforestation and other stories that are embarrassing for the government. This clampdown on independent media outlets has come as Cambodia prepares to hold elections next year.

“But this is not a tax issue, it is a free press issue,” DeJonge told RSF.

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Children on a boat come to their two-storey tin-roofed house half of which is submerged in flood water, in Shibaloy, Manikganj district, Bangladesh. Credit: Farid Ahmed/IPS

South Asia faces fury of floods

By Farid Ahmed

D

HAKA, Aug 20 2017 (IPS) - Aid agencies warn of a serious unfolding humanitarian crisis as floodwaters continue to inundate new areas of three South Asian countries, forcing millions of people to flee their homes for shelters.

The death toll from drowning, snakebite, house collapse and landslide triggered by monsoon rains and floods rose to over 600 people, officials said on Aug. 19.

More than 16 million have been affected by monsoon floods in Nepal, Bangladesh and India, with many of them either displaced or marooned without food or electricity.

In many areas, although the floodwater has started receding, rivers are still swelling.

A large number of displaced have taken refuge in squalid makeshift camps and are staying in extremely unhygienic conditions, according to aid agencies.

Road and rail communications in the affected areas have been also severely disrupted.

Thousands of educational institutions have been forced to close, while submerged hospitals are unable to assist flood victims even as water-borne diseases are spreading.

“This is fast becoming one of the most serious humanitarian crises this region has seen in many years and urgent action is needed to meet the growing needs of millions of people affected by these devastating floods,” said Martin Faller, Deputy Regional Director for Asia Pacific, International Federation of Red Cross

Women with goats come out of their submerged house, in Shibaloy, Manikganj district, Bangladesh.

Credit: Farid Ahmed/IPS and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

“Millions of people across Nepal, Bangladesh and India face severe food shortages and disease caused by polluted flood waters,” Faller said in a statement.

The aid agency Oxfam said there was urgent need for supplies like drinking water, food, shelter, blankets, hygiene kits and solar lights.

Bangladesh authorities said more than a third of the country was submerged, and water levels in major rivers were still rising, inundating new areas every day.

In Bangladesh, flooding by major rivers has surpassed the levels set in 1988, the deadliest floods the country had seen to date.

According to the disaster management department control room of the Bangladesh government, at least 98 people died in August.

The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief estimated that more than half a million people in Bangladesh were affected by flooding.

In Bangladesh, farmers are bearing the brunt of

the ongoing flooding as the country’s agriculture department estimated rice and other crops cultivated in half a million hectares of land in 34 districts were washed away.

Abdul Hamid, a farmer in Rangpur district, said he had cultivated rice in 10 bighas of land, but it was completely ruined by floods. “I don’t know how to recover the loss,” he said, adding that his house was also destroyed.

In India, over 11 million people have been affected by floods in four states across the north of the country.

India’s meteorological department is forecasting more heavy rain for the region in the coming days.

The flood situation in parts of India’s northern West Bengal remained grim until August 18, with many rivers still flowing well above the extreme danger level despite improvement in the overall situation in the region, Rajib Banerjee, West Bengal’s minister for irrigation and waterways, told IPS on Aug. 19.

“The situation in Malda still looks grim and remains as a matter of concern

as the water of the River Mahananda continues to rise,” he said.

The situation in villages in the Indian state of Assam is very serious, as embankments of rivers in many areas have been breached, forcing hundreds of families to flee their houses. Poor people, mostly farmers, were the chief victims and many took refuge on roadsides and embankments.

Thousands of people in northern Uttar Pradesh in India, where the authorities sought military help, were also badly affected and many of them still remained marooned.

Bihar, the worst-hit district in India, also estimated over 150 dead and half a million displaced in the past couple of weeks.

“In Nepal, government recorded 134 dead and 30 missing in flood-affected areas,” a senior journalist and director of news and current affairs of Nepal’s ABC News TV, Dr. Suresh Achaya, told IPS. Some 14 districts out of 75, mostly located along the border with India, were badly

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affected, Acharya said.

In Nepal, many areas remain cut off after the most recent destructive floods and landslides on Aug. 11 and 12.

Villagers and communities are stranded without food, water and electricity though the government said it had been providing the victims with foods and other support.

In the flood-hit areas, thousands of people had taken shelter in schools, temples and sides of roads and embankments.

The Nepalese ministry of agricultural development estimated that floodwaters had washed away rice and other crops worth Rs. 8.11 billion (77 million dollars) and feared the crop damage could cast a long shadow on the economy.

The Nepalese government, at a meeting with chief secretary Rajendra Kishore in the chair on Aug. 18, decided to accept foreign support and aid to meet the need.

Scientists attribute the deadly floods in South Asia to a changing climate, which they believe increased the magnitude of the current flooding many-fold.

“The untimely floods being experienced in Nepal, India and Bangladesh can definitely be attributed to climate change-induced changes in the South Asian monsoon system,” Dr SaleemulHuq, director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD), told IPS. The countries in the region have already been taking the brunt of changing climate that caused extreme weather patterns increasing the daily rainfall amount, droughts, untimely flooding and frequent tropical storms.

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Robots: A solution to declining and aging populations?

By Joseph Chamie*

N

EW YORK, Sep 4 2017 (IPS) - Are humanoid robots or androids a solution to declining and aging populations?

Given the prospects of demographic decline and population aging coupled with growing opposition to immigration, countries are increasingly turning to and investing in advanced robotics and androids to address shrinking workforces and rising numbers of elderly.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, for example, has called for a more rapid development of advanced robotics. He believes that robotics “could help the country overcome the handicap of a fast-aging populace and a declining workforce and to help the country to use robotics from large-scale factories to every corner of our economy and society”.

More than 80 countries,

representing 46 percent of world population, are experiencing fertility below the replacement level of about two births per woman (Figure 1). In many of those countries, including Canada, Germany, Hungary, Japan, Italy, South Korea, Spain and the United Kingdom, fertility levels have remained below replacement for several decades.

Largely as a consequence of sustained levels low fertility about 50 countries or areas are projected to have smaller populations by midcentury.

Some of those countries, including Bulgaria, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine, will likely see their populations decline by more than 15 percent by midcentury.

In addition, many countries are also experiencing rapid population aging. Due to low fertility rates and

Source: United Nations Population Division. increased longevity, population age structures are becoming older than ever before. The median age of developed countries, for example, is now more than 40 years, an increase of 13 years since 1950. By mid-century the median age of about a dozen countries will be 50 years or more, including Japan (53 years), Spain (52), Italy (51) and Germany (50).

Also, in some countries,

such as Greece Italy, Japan, Portugal and Spain, one in three people is expected to be 65 years and older by 2050. Consequently, potential support ratios in those countries are projected to decline to less than two people in the working ages 15 to 64 years per one elderly person aged 65 years and older (Figure 2).

At the same time that many countries

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are facing demographic decline and population aging, opposition to immigration is increasing among most migrantreceiving countries.

Opinion surveys report that majorities in dozens of countries, including Germany, Russia, South Africa, Turkey and the United States, consider immigration to have a “very or fairly negative impact”. In addition to rising public opposition to immigration, governments in a growing number of countries are tightening border controls, erecting fences, walls and barricades, and adopting policies to significantly restrict immigration.

Facing declining and aging populations coupled with resistance to immigration, countries are increasingly turning to and investing in advanced robotic technology to meet their laborneeds and also increase productivity, reduce labor costs and improve goods and

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Robots: A solution...

Source: United Nations Population Division. services. Recent examples of robotic technology include: a self-driving pizza delivery car; a robotic bricklayer that can lay 1,000 standard bricks in one hour, which typically takes two men about a day; and a robotic barista that can serve 120 coffees in an hour.

High robot-to-worker ratios are found in South Korea, Japan and Germany (Figure 3). While more than half of the top ten countries in robot-toworker ratios belong to the European Union, 75 percent of the world’s robots are geographically concentrated in five countries: China, Germany, Japan, South Korea and the United States. The International Federation of Robotics forecasts that the number of industrial robots deployed worldwide will increase to around 2.6 million by 2019, which is nearly a doubling since 2015.

Advances in robot technology and artificial intelligence are contributing to the humanization of robots and the emergence of androids that look, move and act like a human being, even having a humanlike body with a flesh-like appearance. In addition to being a solution to shrinking workforces, some believe that androids will be able to provide valuable services, including being personal companions for the growing numbers of elderly living alone, providing a platform for basic healthcare services and doing the dirty, dangerous and difficult work that many eschew.

Although still under development, first stage androids are becoming more apparent in warehouses, retail stores,

Source: United Nations Population Division.

reception/information centers, hospitals, military installations, industrial parks and television.

Several years ago scientists in Japan developed the world’s first news-reading android that not only had perfect language skills, but also possessed a sense of humor. Another recent example is an android developed at a research institute in Singapore that works as a university receptionist.

In the past the possibility of androids existing within human societies was limited mainly to science-fiction writers, moviemakers and futurists. More recently, scientists, innovators and industrial leaders are addressing the emergence of the transformative era of humanoid robots with artificial intelligence.

The benefits and advantages of androids or human-like robots are widely recognized by governments, businesses, the military and research centers. In addition to performing repetitive manual tasks, androids are able to converse and interact with people, provide customer service and artificial companionship, undertake dangerous assignments, potentially saving human lives, and even have sex. Also, in contrast to humans, androids don’t need food or financial compensation, don’t tire or require sleep, follow instructions explicitly and automatically, work without perks, and do not have feelings of fear, anger, pain or depression.

Others, however, have voiced serious concerns about the possible negative and even dangerous consequences of androids with enhanced artificial

intelligence. As androids become increasingly humanlike, they are believed pose a potential threat to societies.

Advanced machine learning algorithms, for example, are permitting robots to self-learn and replicate themselves.

and encountering difficulties finding suitable employment.

One economic study found that since 1990, each robot added to an American factory reduced employment in the surrounding areas by 6.2 workers.

Some have also warned that advanced robotics threatens the prospect of mass unemployment, affecting everyone from drivers to sex workers.

Others have also raised concerns about people getting emotionally attached to androids that provide artificial companionship. In contrast to rudimentary robotic devices, studies have reported people relating to androids as though they were human. A recent example of such emotional attachment is the Japanese male who decided to “marry” his robot.

In response to those concerns, some have recommended a robot tax to raise revenues to retrain those workers displaced by robots or provide them with a universal basic income if they remain unemployed.

Another suggestion is that governments may be pressured by their constituents to legislate quotas for human workers.

Regarding mass unemployment, some argue that as has been the case in the past – for example, when Luddites were proved wrong – the emerging android and robotic technologies will eventually lead to more jobs and prosperity as well as improved and less costly goods and services.

While many human jobs will be taken over by robots, recent evidence from Germany and the United States suggests that automation programs with robots have a positive effect on employment opportunities.

However, others counter that the development of androids and robots are coming up so rapidly and across such a broad spectrum of jobs that large numbers of workers, especially those lacking technical training and skills, are being displaced

Such suggestions, however, do not address the needs of the millions of young people seeking employment in developing countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, for example, the population aged 15 to 24 years is expected to more than double by mid-century, exceeding more than 400 million youths. Seeking employment and a better life, many young men and women are deciding to migrate illegally to the industrialized countries.

Another worrying dimension is that governments have not yet devised a body of laws, standards and regulations regarding the use of androids. Issues of android registration, taxation, liability, application and safety are just a few of the practical concerns.

More serious matters are protections against hackers, cybercriminals, terrorists, and others getting control of androids and robots that could cause disruption and harm to people, property and the environment.

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some have also warned that advanced robotics threatens the prospect of mass unemployment, affecting everyone from drivers to sex workers.

More than 40 countries already have robotic programs with developed unmanned aerial bombers.

In many countries the military is a prime driver in robotic and android development as it seeks to reduce risks to soldiers and acquire enhanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

The International Committee for Robot Arms Control fears that advances in robotics will lead to more countries involved in war, as androids and armed robot combatants replace human soldiers on the battlefield.

Recently, 116 founders of robotics and AI companies from 26 countries signed a petition calling for a ban of killer robots, or lethal autonomous weapons systems, arguing that only humans should be permitted to kill humans.

While some see androids as one solution to declining and aging populations, others view it as a worrisome development that poses a potential threat to human societies.

Given the profound implications of the emerging transformative era of androids, the international community of nations should address and seek to establish a global agreement or protocol on the use of androids. * Joseph Chamie is an independent consulting demographer and a former director of the United Nations Population Division.

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

Daily TUESDAY 5 PM Hindi.....................................

6 am to 8 am – 97.7 FM Hindi....................................

2 pm to 4 pm – 97.7 FM kannada Sydney SBS Radio 3

Melbourne SBS Radio 3 WEDNESDAY Tuesday 3-4 PM Hindi.................................... .6 am to 8 am – 97.7 FM Hindi.........................................

12 to 1 pm – 93.1 FM Nepali Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS1Radio 2 12 pm - 92.3 FM Punjabi............................

1 am to Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBS Radio Hindi................................... .8 pm to 92pm – 97.7 FM Saturday & Sunday 4-5 PM

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5.30 am to 7 am – 97.7 FM Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 9 pm – 92.3 FM Tamil....................................

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9 pm to 10 pm – 93.1 FM 9-10 PM SINHALESE FRIDAY Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 Indian.................................. .8 am to 92am – 88.3 FM Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBS Radio Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri

11AM-12 PM SATURDAY Sinhalese............................ 7 am to 8 am – 92.3 FM TAMIL TSydney amil.....................................

12-12.30 97.7 FM & SBS Radio 2 pm – 88.3 FM Indian....................................

5 am to 62am - 92.3 FM Melbourne 93.1 FM & SBS Radio Sun, Mon, Wed, Sat Punjabi..........................................

12-2 am – 92.3 FM 8-9 PM Indian................................

9 pm to 10 pm – 92.3 FM Punjabi..................................................

11 pm to 1 am urdu Sydney 97.7 FM & SBS Radio24/7 2 Radio stations Melbourne FM & SBS Radio (Subscription) 2 Indian Link93.1 Radio Wednesday & Sunday 18000 15 8 47 6-7 PM Radio Santa Banta (Internet) Santabanta.com.au WORLD NEWS AUSTRALIA RADIO SydneyJhankar 1107AM88.6 & SBSFM; Radio 1 Thursday; 8 to Radio Every Melbourne 1224AM & SBS Radio 1 10 pm; Contact: 94668900 or 0411247320 or Monday & Friday 9404 2111 6-7 am & 6-7 PM

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

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

S E P T E M B E R

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

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

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

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

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

Indian Consulate Consular services are handled by VFS Global Visa / Passport / PCC / IDLV / PIO / OCI services contact VFS +61 2 8223 9909.

Address: Part 4 Suite, Level 12, 55 Swanston Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 Site : www.vfsglobal.com/india/australia/

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

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

Coburg Mosque (Fatih Mosque) 31 Nicholson Street, Coburg Ph 03 9386 5324 Deer Park Mosque 283 Station Road, Deer Park Ph 03 9310 8811 United Migrant Muslim Assn.

72 George Road, Doncaster Ph 03 9842 6491, Footscray West Mosque 294 Essex Street, Footscray

SIKH

Heidelberg Mosque Corner Lloyd & Elloits Streets, West Heidelberg

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

Gas escape...........................................

132 771 Poisons information........................

13 11 26 Maternal and Child Line................

13 22 29 Parentline...........................................

13 22 89 Kids Help Line.........................

1800 551 800 Lifeline (provides confidential telephone counselling).................

13 11 14 Suicide Help Line....................

1300 651 251 Animal Emergencies..................

9224 2222

INDIAN CONSULATE

MUSLIM

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

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

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Glenroy Musala 1st Floor, 92 Wheatsheaf Road, Glenroy

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

HIGH COMMISSION FOR PAKISTAN,CANBERRA

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

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

Springvale Mosque 68 Garnworthy Street, Springvale

EMERGENCY CONTACTS EMERGENCY CONTACTS Police, Fire & Abulance ........................

Victoria State Emergency Service (SES).......................................

Traffic hazards and freeway conditions..........................

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

Sri Lanka Consulate 000

132 500 13 11 70

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

southSouth asia times 33 Asia Times

quick community guide

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VIEW POINT

South Asia Times

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

Fax : (61-2) 6290-0544 E-Mail :hoc@bhcanberra.com

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

TV GUIDE SBS1 – Daily NDTV News - 11:05 am - Monday to Saturday. (From New Delhi, India).

Urdu news SBS1 - PTV News – 9.30 am - Every Sunday – (From Pakistan).

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

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

lAWYERS

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

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

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

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

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south asia 34 South Asia Timestimes

HERITAGE

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Silk route trade helped spread Buddhism in India, China and other countries

By Hemang Desai

J

unagadh, Vadnagar and Devni Mori are three jewels of the crown of Buddhism in Gujarat. Indeed, Gujarat was Buddhist during a large chunk of the historical period. How did Buddhism arrive in Gujarat? The religion arrived in Gujarat through Emperor Asok’s reign; Gujarat was a part of the Mauryan Empire.

Asok had converted to Buddhism after his perilous war on Kalinga. Numerous literary traditions claim that Buddhism reached Gujarat within the lifetime of the Buddha.

Junagadh is famous for its Asokan edicts and for the exquisite Buddhist architecture of Uperkot caves. Vadnagar is an example of historical Indian urbanity and an ancient centre of Buddhism. Devni Mori is the site of a great stupa (a container for holy relics of the Buddha). This stupa had adorned the breathtaking landscape of the Meshvo River, enveloped by the Aravalli hills in northern Gujarat.

The earliest archaeological evidence of Buddhism in Gujarat dates from the Asok period

of Girnar rock edicts and Sopara fragments. Hundreds of rock-cut caves have been found in Gujarat. The

greatest period of Buddhism in Gujarat was during the Maitraka dynasty (470-788 AD).

Records of the Chinese pilgrims, HiuenTsiang, I-Tsing and Huei-Chao have described a thriving Buddhist community in Gujarat. According to HiuenTsiang and I-Tsing, the University of Valabhi (near modern Bhavnagar) rivalled that at Nalanda. I-Tsing notes that learned scholars would find it necessary to study at both institutions.

HiuenTsiang says that Gujarat was divided into several principalities which included hundreds of Buddhists monasteries full of monks. Huei-Chao, in 755 AD, records a vast and prosperous country where both Mahayana and Hinayana flourished.

The Tibetan historian, Taranatha, in his 17th century work– The History of Buddhism in India– notes that art of Gujarat had influenced the art of Pala, Kashmir, and, Nepal.

Gautam Buddha had first preached at Sarnath which was adopted by the Mauryan emperors

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as their dynastic shrine.

The cult of the chaityas was about respecting the sacred spots like groves of trees or a single tree on village outskirts. It was this cult, prevalent prior to the emergence of Buddhism, was adopted by the Mauryans as their own and started building stupas over the ashes of the Buddha. Asok unearthed the ashes of the Buddha from the original resting place and further divided them all over India and built stupas. Devni Mori is one such site of a Buddhist stupa. This stupa, a major fourth century AD Buddhist settlement, was unearthed by the archaeologists, B. Subbarao, R.N. Mehta and S.N. Chowdhury in 1960-63.

Devnimori is 2 kilometers south of Shamalaji, in Sabarkantha district of Gujarat. The area is hilly, and Devnimori sits amidst a breathtaking landscape of the valley formed by the Meshvo River flowing nearby. An important Buddhist monastic centre had thrived here 1600 years ago is not surprising; the place is close to major

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southSouth asia times 35 Asia Times

Silk route trade helped spread Buddhism in India...

trade routes to Mewar and Dungarpur.

Trade and trade routes were primarily responsible for spreading Buddhism, both within India and to China and other countries.

Indeed, Buddhism was the first religion that travelled on the ‘Silk Road’, carrying the message of ‘World Peace’ from Asok, who had renounced organized war. Of course, there was never only one ‘Silk Route.’ The name is a 19th century invention of a German geographer and has a whiff of intense European colonial rivalries prevalent at the time. The ‘Silk Route’ consisted of land and ocean trade routes criss-crossing a vast area of the ancient world. It wove a magic carpet of a trading mechanism; Rome, Ethiopia, Cambodia, Patliputra and Gujarat were various threads of that magic carpet.

Devnimori, called the

Sharira Stupa, contained the holy relics of the Great Teacher. Of the two caskets found here, the first was an unfinished one of schist filled with ash. The second casket, also of schist, had a circular lid and a cylindrical body. It is similar to the casket, found at GazDheri in North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Both caskets were placed in ceramic pots. Mehta and Chowdhary opine that the monks associated with this stupa belonged to the Sammatiya Hinayana sect of Buddhism.

The inscription on the casket, in Brahmi script, reveals that the contents were the holy relics of the Buddha. It also mentions that the Maha Stupa was built during the reign of king Rudrasena. According to the excavators, the core of the stupa was never disturbed once built. The inscription

also says that two Buddhist monks, Agnivarma and Sudarshana played a prominent role in the planning and construction of this Stupa.

Decorative motifs such as acanthus, laurel and olive leaves, stilted arches, medallions, grotesque face mouldings, all point to the influence of the Gandhara School of art.

The art historian, Sompura has noted that “the Buddhist terracotta art of Devnimori is delicate, well proportioned and beautiful.

The Buddha is shown in padmasana with hands resting on the lap and palms facing upwards. The face is well proportioned and serene with a smile. The nose is straight, eyes half closed and long earlobes”.

Vadnagar (23˚ 48, N; 72˚ 36, E) is located in Mehsana district of Gujarat. Other names of Vadnagar used

in the past were: Nagara, Camatkarapura, Anandapura and Vrddhanagar, The town sits on the edge of a large lake called Sarmistha; it is fortified with high walls.

Vadnagar was an important centre of trade, connecting North Gujarat to Rajputana, Malwa, Saurashtra and the Deccan.

Hieung Tsang visited Vadnagar in 641 AD and called it Anandapura. He noted 1000 Sammatiya monks in residence at 10 monasteries: “From here, going 700 li we come to O-nan-to-pu-lo (Anandapura or modern Vadnagar). Anandapur is 20 li in circuit, there is no chief ruler and is under Malava. 10 Sangharamanas exist with less than 1000 priests of the Sammatiya School or Little Vehicle.”

Vadnagar is a key to the understanding of ‘North Gujarat Settlement Pattern’,

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Trade and trade routes were primarily responsible for spreading Buddhism, both within India and to China and other countries. and it is an example of how that settlement pattern gave birth to historical SOURCE: Counterview.org, August 21, 2017/PHOTOS: VatsalVekaria

South Asia Times south asia 36 South Asia Timestimes

Business

cinema

S E P T E M B E R

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Marketing strategy through the Ages

BY SHRIRAM IYER

M

elbourne: I have met many business owners who have been frustrated with today’s marketing conundrums.

While I admit that there are some unique marketing challenges in today’s world, it is not really that different to how it has always been.

The basic principles have not changed. A business has a product or a service that they wish to sell and they need to find buyers who are willing to pay them when they want. This little concept of business has been in play for over 400 years and more.

Let us understand this a bit more.

1700s Back then the business was conducted typically in a bazaar. Vendors would occupy shop space and display their products and attract buyers whose sole purpose to come to that bazaar is to buy what they need. Someone selling almonds would have to shout out their specials, while their competition also did the same. A lot of noise and you had to stand out in order to make some money. Sound familiar?

1800s This is where things started becoming really interesting. Towards the end of the century Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. Now, imagine the shock for business owners who were now told that they could conduct business over the telephone. And that they needed to invest in some

strange looking black device where buyer and seller did not need to meet in person.

This would have been an extremely challenging time for a business owner and called for a significant shift in mindset.

1900s This decade did something that hadn’t been done before. Media began to be used as a viable business channel. It gave rise to the term ‘passive advertising’. With the popularity of TV, Radio and Newspapers, businesses began to get other ways to reach their desired customers. Consumption of these mediums were so high that it really was a nobrainer. Except, no body consumed them with the purpose of buying a product / service. It was all in the hope of a future need, the seeds of awareness were being sowed first. The advent of the yellow pages was the closet thing to a bazaar or a marketplace.

Their sole purpose was so a buyer could find what they needed.

Similar to the bazaar or the Yellow Pages is the concept of search engines, monopolized by Google.

Buyers search when they have a specific need in mind. So as you can see, the concept has not changed at all. What has changed is that none of the options from the previous eras have gone away, resulting in a multitude of options for a business.

2000s With the advent of the internet, once again things changed dramatically.

Search and Social media became big things.

Social Media became the equivalent of the media from the 1990s. People consume it like there is no tomorrow and it is for that reason that businesses find

opportunities. Nobody is on Facebook to buy, just like nobody opens up a newspaper or tunes into a radio station to buy.

Facebook is no different to television which became a popular choice for advertising. But they differ in the targeting options available today, which can make marketing highly efficient for businesses.

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In Summary Every era has had its fair share of business challenges, while the barebones principles of business remain the same. Sellers and Buyers need to come together fpr business to happen. What sets apart this era is number of options available. If you are a business owner who is grappling with where to allocate your marketing budget to, call me and I can help you. Remember you don’t have to open every marketing channel. You just need to pick the ones your target market primarily uses.

S E P T E M B E R

sports

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Melbourne: The ultimate sports city

By SAT News Desk

M

elbourne,13 September: The ultimate sports city, Melbourne, to deliver blockbuster end to calendar year Melbourne will prove itself as the world’s ultimate sports city in the months ahead, with the city to play host to an impressive line-up of blockbuster sporting events between now and the New Year.

As the Australian Football League (AFL) Final Series, featuring Australian Rules Football, builds toward a crescendo at the AFL Grand Final at the end of September, Melbourne continues preparations for a plethora of highlights in October including the Melbourne Marathon, the 2017 Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, the opening match of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup featuring Australia and England, the FIM Speedway Grand Prix and the Fast5 Netball World Series.

The glamour and excitement of the Melbourne

Cup Carnival leads the action in November, with Flemington Racecourse hosting Melbourne Cup Day, Victoria Derby Day, Oaks Day and Stakes Day. Melbourne and Bendigo will also welcome Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Japan, Pakistan and the United States of America for the Festival of Hockey before the Rugby League World Cup returns to the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium for its Quarter Final.

Melbourne will celebrate the New Year in December, as Australian and English cricket fanatics converge on the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the Boxing Day Test, the penultimate match of the Ashes series.

The Volvo Ocean Race closes out the calendar, with a family friendly atmosphere expected at Docklands as the sailing event returns to the waterfront for the first time in more than a decade.

Melbourne is one of 12 host cities for the prestigious event, which sees teams sail 45,000 nautical miles around the world.

SAVE THE DATE:

Melbourne's enviable sporting calendar for 2017 Saturday 30 September: AFL Grand Final, Melbourne Cricket Ground Sunday 15 October: Melbourne Marathon, Melbourne Cricket Ground Friday 20 - Sunday 22 October: 2017 Australian Motorcycle Grand Prix, Phillip Island Friday 27 October: 2017 Rugby League World Cup - Australia v England, Melbourne Rectangular

southSouth asia times 37 Asia Times

Stadium (AAMI Park) Saturday 28 October: FIM Speedway Grand Prix, Etihad Stadium - Melbourne Saturday 28 - Sunday 29 October: Fast5 Netball World Series, Hisense Arena - Melbourne Saturday 4 - Saturday 11 November: Melbourne Cup Carnival, Flemington Racecourse Sunday 5 - Sunday 12 November: International Festival of Hockey, Melbourne & Bendigo Sunday 19 November:

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2017 Rugby League World Cup - Quarter Final, Melbourne Rectangular Stadium (AAMI Park) Tuesday 26 - Saturday 30 December: The Ashes Boxing Day Test, Melbourne Cricket Ground Wednesday 27 December - Tuesday 2 January: Volvo Ocean Race, Docklands For more information on where to stay and what else to do when visiting Melbourne and Victoria, go to visitmelbourne.com.au.

-Supplied.

south asia 38 South Asia Timestimes

movie review

S E P T E M B E R

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Lipstick Under My Burka: The movie that shakes the taboo generation

By Neeraj Nanda

M

elbourne, 14 September: It was the opening movie of the IFFM-2017 and the audience was a bit confused about the ‘Lady oriented’ movie’s content, though the presence of the leading ladies and the director Alankarita Srivastava gave some idea of the coming cinematic social storm.

Little did the predominantly desi audience know that much of the controversial movie then facing censorship problems in India would leave them rather shocked with a lot to think later what for them is taboo – Indian females asserting their freedom.

A young two-timing beautician, seeks to escape the claustrophobia of her small town. An oppressed housewife and mother of three, lives the alternate life of an enterprising saleswoman. And a 55-yearold widow rediscovers her sexuality through a phone romance. Trapped in their worlds, they claim their desires through secret acts of rebellion.

Yes, years of living in a western country has not altered their mindset despite the internet revolution and the siblings changing fast. How far this goes remains to be seen.

Anyway, Lipstick Under My

Burka’s female protagonists Rosy ‘Buaji” (Ratna Pathak), Rehana (PlabitaBorthakur), Shireen (Konkona Sen Sharma) and Leela’s (AahanaKumra) stories reflect the brewing revolt in the rigid patriarchal system.

The small town setting gives the movie a typical slant. Though the theme is

equally good for big cities.

Every character faces prejudice in a different way but, I am sure, identifying with them would not be tough. One can always remain quiet about gender issues and look well contended. It is this that is contested by the characters of this movie. Their

emotions and frustrations explode into freedom. The movie’s bold content laced with reality speaks for itself.

The movie does not give lectures of feminism or gender equality. It’s simple upfront episodes of daily lives reflect the universal urge to live with freedom and dignity. Well done,

celebrateindia.org.au

Arena, Melbourne.

Tickets-Ticketek; www. arrahmanlive.com.au; satya@arrahmanlive.com. au.

Director Alankrita and everyone in and behind the movie. Incredible!

Lipstick Under My Burkha (Hindi with English Subtitles) is releasing all over Australia and New Zealand on September 29 2017. For all information – www.mindblowingfilms. com

UPCOMING EVENTS HINDI NIKETAN DIWALI: 11 November @ Clayton Town Hall; 6 pm.; Email: hindi.niketan.inc@gmail. com; Mobile : 0431 700 646 CONCERTS

Festivals SRI DURGA TEMPLE DUSSEHRA: 1 October Sunday; 705-715 Neale Road Rockbank; 11am to 8 pm. Email: marketing@ sridurgatemple,com; Mobile: 0401 638 250.

AIII DIWALI: 15 October Sunday @

Tatterson Park, attached to Springers Leisure Centre, 400 Cheltenham Road, Keysboroug. 11.30 am to 8.30 pm CELEBRATE INDIA DIWALI: 14 October Saturday @ Federation Square (opp.

Flinders Street Station). www.celebrateindia. org.au; Email : contact@

A R RAHAMAN LIVE: 7 October@ Hisense

SONU NIGAM LIVE: 22 October Sunday @ Melbourne Convention Centre, 1 Convention Centre Place, South Wharf; 7 pm to 11 pm; drytickets. com.au

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EVENTS SANGEET SNADHYA: 7 October; 7.30 pm for 8 pm start @ Brandon Park Primary School, 1-5 Ninevah Cres, Wheelers Hill; Entry free; Enquiries0452 669 305.

Mayoral Family Fun Day Come along to the Springvale Town Hall and enjoy the Mayoral Family Fun Day on Sunday 8 October, 12pm-4pm; Mayor Jim Memeti invites family and friends to an afternoon of carnival fun with lots of free activities, rides and roving performances! For more information visit www. greaterdandenong.com/ mayoralfunday2017 or contact Council on 8571 1000.

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southSouth asia times 39 Asia Times

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south asia 40 South Asia Timestimes

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