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| NEWS ANALYSIS Taliban are out but threat remains From B L Kak NEW DELHI, Dec 10: The fall of Kandahar, spiritual capital of the Taliban, has marked a welcome end to the rule of the Islamic militia in Afghanistan. But it has left quite .....more NEW DELHI, Dec 10: The reported "secret" meeting on Ram Temple construction attended by five Union Ministers last week rocked the Lok ...more 6000
CRPF men NEW DELHI, Dec 10: More than 64000 personnel of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were trained in ...more Laloo’s
judicial RANCHI, Dec 10: The judicial remand of RJD chief Laloo Prasad Yadav, incarcerated on November 26 in a fodder....more |
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Trees ‘wedded’
for COIMBATORE, Dec 10: A theatre owner today performed a unique ‘wedding’ between a babool and neem tree in a temple here, in typical Hindu tradition, for promoting world peace. ....more Asha Bhosle queen of versatility gets highest award in cinema NEW DELHI, Dec 10: Perhaps it is an uncanny coincidence, but intriguing all the same: The last woman to win the Dada Saheb Phalke Award, the ...more Need
to build up NEW DELHI, Dec 10: President K R Narayanan today said there was a need to build up a human rights conscience in every individual in the country, .......more Afghan FM visiting India NEW DELHI, Dec 10: Attaching importance to forging closer relations with India, the new Afghan regime is......more |
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NEWS
ANALYSIS From B L Kak NEW DELHI, Dec 10: The fall of Kandahar, spiritual capital of the Taliban, has marked a welcome end to the rule of the Islamic militia in Afghanistan. But it has left quite a few questions unanswered, raising doubts and speculation of sorts about what went on behind the scenes to culiminate in the much-awaited surrender by the Taliban. A set of reports suggested that the surrender of Kandahar followed some sort of an amnesty deal. The new Afghan leader, Mr Hamid Karazi, as well as the US Administration have strongly rejected these reports. This notwithstanding, some quarters, particularly in Pakistan, insist that the surrender was ‘negotiated’ in the course of a series of ‘secret’ meetings. The city of Kandahar for long had been under siege from anti-Taliban Afghan forces backed by the US military. And at one stage, Mullah Omar had ordered his troops to fight to the death. However, the Taliban’s leading figure in Pakistan, Mr Saleem Zaeef, was, in the wake of fast moving developments in Afghanistan, left with no alternative but to make public that Mullah Omar had decided to surrender in Kandahar to "save the lift and dignity of Afghans". It is quite a major change from the earlier stand of Mullah Omar. This has, in fact, given rise to speculation vis-a-vis the possibility of an amnestry for the Taliban leader. The speculation also arises from the fact that Afghanistan’s interim Prime Minister, Mr Hamid Karzai, has told the BBC that there may be an amnesty for Omar if he denounced terrorism and foreign Islamic militants based in Afghanistan. This was, significantly, followed by another statement by Mr Karzai saying that Mullah Omar will have to ‘face justice’ if evidence was found against him. The denial by Mr Karzai that the United States had put him under pressure to refuse Mullah Omar amnesty notwithstanding, the sudden disappearance of Omar at this juncture is surprising. The possibility of Mullah Omar and Osama bin Laden having been provided ‘safe passage’ cannot, therefore, be ruled out, particularly in the context of the statement of US Defence Secretary, Mr Donald Rumsfeld. Mr Rumsfeld had stated: "US custody of Taliban leader Omar and Saudi rebel Laden might not be necessary to being them to justice if arrangements could be worked out with other Governments willing to put them on trial and ensure punishment". And just last week Mr Rumsfeld had told opposition commanders that it wanted any captured leaders turned over for interrogation by US personnel and possible trial by a US military tribunal. The statement marks a clear shift in Bush Administration’s position on how to deal with Taliban leaders or members of the Al Qaeda terrorist network captured in Afghanistan. A mere denial by Washington may not be enough to clarify America’s stand in the matter, which, not many would disagree, does require clarification at this stage. Because either way, the war against terrorism could well up as an exercise in futility unless taken to its logical conclusion—that is, the end of the terror network of Osama bin Laden and his protector, Mullah Omar. Whether that is done through the elimination of the two or their trial in any part of the world is something that the United States has to decide and act upon without further delay. Otherwise, the risk of Osama bin Laden once again consolidating his forces, now in disarray, is high. |
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NEW DELHI, Dec 10: The reported "secret" meeting on Ram Temple construction attended by five Union Ministers last week rocked the Lok Sabha today with an agitated opposition charging the Government with threatening the country’s secular fabric forcing adjournment of the house for 75 minutes. The opposition members, many of whom raised anti-Government slogans and demanded sacking of the five ministers, sought a statement from Home Minister L K Advani saying they had "defied" Government’s assurance that status quo at the disputed site in Ayodhya would not be violated. Quoting media reports about the meeting attended by ministers — Ved Prakash Goel, Sripad Naik, Jayawanti Mehta, Annasaheb Patil and Balasaheb Vikhe Patil, some BJP MPs and VHP leader Ashok Singhal, Congress leader P R Dasmunsi said the ministers should also be present in the house to explain whether they shared Singhal’s views on start of construction of the temple anytime after March 12 next. Dasmunsi wanted to know what transpired at the reported meeting and whether the ministers were permitted by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to attend it. As advani was not present in the Lok Sabha, the congress member accused the Home Minister of "running away" from the house. Dasmunsi, Ajoy Chakraborty (CPI) , Ramjilal Suman and Akhilesh Singh (both Samajwadi Party) and Rashid Alvi (BSP) maintained that a "conspiracy " was being hatched for temple construction with an eye on the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections scheduled early next year. Terming the presence of the ministers at the meeting as "shameful and shocking", the opposition members during zero hour wanted to know whom the Prime Minister was talking to in order to resolve the dispute, especially when VHP leaders were openly saying they would not be bound by Government orders. As his repeated appeals to restore order went unheeded, Deputy Speaker P M Sayeed, who was in the chair, adjourned the house till 1400 hours ahead of the lunch recess. Ignoring Sayeed’s requests that the members should not raise slogans, Akhilesh Singh backed by Samajwadi Party members, Alvi, Raghuvansh Prasad Singh (RJD) and several other opposition members continued their vociferous protests. Many of them were heard saying there had been no official clarification on the presence of the ministers and BJP MPs at the VHP meeting. Suman said while the ministers had denied in a communication to Speaker GMC Balayogi that they were present at the meeting, they must clarify their position in the house to which they were accountable. Dasmunsi said even DMK chief M Karunanidhi, an ally of the ruling NDA, had warned that the status quo at the disputed site should be maintained at all costs. The Congress MP said despite Vajpayee’s assurance that status quo would not be violated and court orders would be implemented, VHP and the five ministers were attempting to threaten the country’s secular fabric. In the din, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan once rose to make a statement but could not do so. Soon after, the house was adjoured by the Deputy Speaker. (PTI) |
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6000 CRPF men trained in human rights NEW DELHI, Dec 10: More than 64000 personnel of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were trained in human rights during the current year. "The objectives of the capsule course are to develop concern for human rights among the rank and file, foster higher standards of professional conduct and make them appreciate and internalise instruments on human and fundamental rights," the CRPF spokesperson said. He said a total of 64,694 officers and men had been trained on the three-day capsule course module during the year. Besides the capsule course, the force is also conducting a ten-day "human rights sensitivity course" as prescribed by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). More than 90 CRPF officers attended three-day training programme on international humanitarian law and human righs, organised in collaboration with International Red Cross Society (ICRC). (UNI) |
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Need to build up human rights conscience: Narayanan NEW DELHI, Dec 10: President K R Narayanan today said there was a need to build up a human rights conscience in every individual in the country, including those in authority, in the light of new challenges due to the transformation in the society and modern influences. Identifying women as the "largest deprived and excluded group" the world over, Narayanan, who was addressing a function to mark the `International Human Rights Day’ said "it is important to remember and reiterate that women’s rights are human rights." Pointing out that "of the many human rights failures today, those in economic, social and cultural areas were particularly widespread across the world’s nations and people", Narayanan said in fact weaker sections of the society suffer the most from such failures, which were at the root of serious social and economic problems. Lauding the role of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in promoting and protecting human rights, the president said its recommendations regarding the amendment in Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA) including the permission to make its annual reports public in case the Government did not lay them in Parliament within three months of their submission, needed to be considered seriously. Addressing the gathering, NHRC Chairman J S Verma said efforts should be made to bridge the gap between the various segments of the society irrespective of their caste, creed and religion. "The Commission has received about 47,000 cases till November this year as compared to 71,000 cases reported last year," Verma said adding the Commission was making consistent efforts to tackle the incidents of human rights violation such as trafficking in women and children. Referring to Commission’s differences with the Government on two major issues, that of racism and POTO recently, Verma regretted that ignorance of various recommendations by the Government were leading to serious human rights violations. "It is regrettable that the Commission’s recommendations submitted early this year regarding rights of mentally disabled persons were not followed up by the Government irrespective of various reminders by NHRC. The implementation of those recommendations could have averted the recent tragedy in Tamil Nadu in which many mentally disabled were burnt to death," he said adding even the recommendations on phra have not seen the light of the day. Narayanan also released a poster carrying a picture and quotation of Mahatma Gandhi on human rights and inaugurated the complaint management system module for assistance to complainants on the occasion. (PTI) |
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Afghan FM visiting India to forge closer ties NEW DELHI, Dec 10: Attaching importance to forging closer relations with India, the new Afghan regime is sending Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah here for discussions with Indian leaders on a two-day visit from Wednesday. Abdullah’s visit, coming close on the heels of the visit by Interior Minister Younuos Qanooni, is also aimed at conveying to New Delhi the new interim administration’s appreciation of India’s consistent support for the Northern Alliance, officials said. The Afghan minister is expected to call on Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and have talks with External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh and Home Minister L K Advani during his stay here. Abdullah, who has been in the forefront of the Northern Alliance’s long struggle against the Taliban, has maintained close contacts with Indian leaders over the years. A physician, Abdullah has also been instrumental in allaying doubts among other leaders of the alliance to maintain friendly ties with New Delhi. Officials said Abdullah’s discussions with Indian leaders would also focus on economic reconstruction in the war-ravaged country. New Delhi is attaching considerable significance to the visits of the two Afghan ministers who had made India their first stop after the power-sharing accord among Afghan factions at the US-sponsored talks in Bonn last week. Abdullah is likely to utilise the opportunity to dispel doubts over the stability of the interim set up. Warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum and former President Burhanuddin Rabbani have struck a discordant note and so have some others who feel ignored in the new dispensation, officials said. Qanooni, who extended his stay in the capital by two days, will in all probability fly back to Kabul on Wednesday by a special Indian flight which will be the second mission by the Indian Government to Afghanistan. Government’s Special Envoy on Afghanistan S K Lambah, a team of doctors and medical personnel besides a liason officer had flown to Kabul last month with medicines. Lambah had met Rabbani, Abdullah and other Afghan leaders extending India’s full support for the reconstruction of Afghanistan. The liason officer has since stayed back to oversee repair work of the Indian chancery and the Ambassador’s residence paving the way for reopening of the Indian mission which was closed in 1996. Officials said Government was in touch with various sections of the Afghan society, both in and outside Afghanistan. New Delhi has already announced humanitarian assistance of one million tonnes of wheat as well as medicines for the Afghan people and a line of credit of 100 million US dollars for the economic reconstruction of that country. (PTI) |
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