Friday, October 08, 2010
At Naval Weapons Station Yorktown
Tactical movements
(DoD photo by Airman Allen Stokes, U.S. Air Force/Released)
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
Shakes hands in New London
Friday, October 01, 2010
Amnesty International USA Appalled by Internet Video Showing Killings Possibly by Pakistani Forces
Posted on:Thu, Sep 30, 2010 at 10:22 PM
Washington, D.C.:– T. Kumar, Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) director for international advocacy, issued the following statement in response to the Internet video showing men in Pakistani military uniforms executing six young men in civilian clothes:
“Amnesty International USA is extremely disturbed by this video that shows men in Pakistani military uniforms killing young civilian men. The Obama administration should urge the Pakistani authorities to immediately investigate this video and make any findings public. If the images in the video are verified, the investigation should also focus on whether any Pakistani senior military and civilian officials were involved in either ordering or covering up these killings. All those responsible should be held accountable for their actions."
“AIUSA has been urging the Obama administration to fully enforce U.S. law restricting military assistance to any Pakistani military units that are involved in human rights violations.”
###
Washington, D.C.:– T. Kumar, Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) director for international advocacy, issued the following statement in response to the Internet video showing men in Pakistani military uniforms executing six young men in civilian clothes:
“Amnesty International USA is extremely disturbed by this video that shows men in Pakistani military uniforms killing young civilian men. The Obama administration should urge the Pakistani authorities to immediately investigate this video and make any findings public. If the images in the video are verified, the investigation should also focus on whether any Pakistani senior military and civilian officials were involved in either ordering or covering up these killings. All those responsible should be held accountable for their actions."
“AIUSA has been urging the Obama administration to fully enforce U.S. law restricting military assistance to any Pakistani military units that are involved in human rights violations.”
Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 2.8 million supporters, activists and volunteers who campaign for universal human rights from more than 150 countries. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.
###
Monday, September 27, 2010
Beginning with a Sikh
 |
| Pictured here (L-R) after their swearing-in ceremony are newly appointed Commissioners, Sunil Puri, President, Rockford Group Inc.; Amardeep Singh; Kamuela Enos, Director of Community Resource Development at MA`O Organic Farms; Daphe Kwok, Commission Chair and Executive Director of Asians and Pacific Islanders with Disabilities; and Sefa Aina, Director of the Asian American Resource Center at Pomona College. Courtesy:Sikh Coalition |
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Amnesty International Calls for Protection of Thousands Displaced after Yemeni Assault on Suspected Militants
Posted on: Thu, Sep 23, 2010 at 12:58 AM
“Whatever the nature of the ongoing operations, the Yemeni authorities must ensure as a matter of urgency that what amounts to a shocking number of people displaced in the space of a few days are adequately provided for,” said Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa.
The Yemen Red Crescent Society has said more than 12,000 local residents have fled the assault, in the southern region of Shabwa, but reports indicate they are yet to receive any humanitarian aid.
“The authorities have a duty to ensure public safety and must immediately fulfill the needs of the displaced in terms of food, water, shelter and medical care, particularly for those who may have been injured during their escape," said Luther.
Government officials state that the operation is against up to 100 Al-Qaeda fighters taking refuge in the town, while several inhabitants of neighboring areas have told Amnesty International that the suspected militants are actually armed tribesmen with grievances against the government.
Media reports suggest that at least one local resident has been killed and others wounded while trying to flee, while dozens of government soldiers and suspected militants are said to have died in the fighting. The exact circumstances of the deaths remain unclear.
Families fleeing the scene have described how government forces began shelling al-Hutah on Sunday, followed by tanks and armored vehicles descending on the town, leading to clashes between government troops and suspected militants.
Amnesty International said it is concerned that the nature of the assault may be – for a law-enforcement operation – grossly disproportionate..
Amnesty International has documented previous occasions when the government has failed to provide for the needs of people displaced by conflict or other violence in Yemen, most recently during the intermittent conflict between government forces and armed Huthi rebels in the northern region of Sa’dah, which began in 2004.
In August 2009 the Yemeni government launched a military offensive against the Huthis code-named “Scorched Earth” which included aerial bombing and the deployment of tanks and ground troops. In November 2009 Saudi Arabian forces began to launch air strikes in Sa’dah after fighting spilled over onto their territory.
The ferocity of these bombardments, particularly in the three or so months before a ceasefire was declared on February 11 led to mass displacement of Yemeni civilians; almost the entire population of some cities and villages fled to camps for the displaced in the nearby regions of Hajjah and ‘Amran, as well as to the capital Sana’a and elsewhere.
A total of over 300,000 people have been driven from their homes in Sa’dah since 2004, according to the UNHCR, the United Nations refugee agency.
Amnesty International published a report on August 25, entitled Yemen: Cracking Down Under Pressure, which documented a catalogue of human rights violations including unlawful killings of those accused of links to Al-Qaeda and Southern Movement activists, and arbitrary arrests, torture and unfair trials, occurring in the name of security.
Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 2.8 million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.
The Yemen Red Crescent Society has said more than 12,000 local residents have fled the assault, in the southern region of Shabwa, but reports indicate they are yet to receive any humanitarian aid.
“The authorities have a duty to ensure public safety and must immediately fulfill the needs of the displaced in terms of food, water, shelter and medical care, particularly for those who may have been injured during their escape," said Luther.
Government officials state that the operation is against up to 100 Al-Qaeda fighters taking refuge in the town, while several inhabitants of neighboring areas have told Amnesty International that the suspected militants are actually armed tribesmen with grievances against the government.
Media reports suggest that at least one local resident has been killed and others wounded while trying to flee, while dozens of government soldiers and suspected militants are said to have died in the fighting. The exact circumstances of the deaths remain unclear.
Families fleeing the scene have described how government forces began shelling al-Hutah on Sunday, followed by tanks and armored vehicles descending on the town, leading to clashes between government troops and suspected militants.
Amnesty International said it is concerned that the nature of the assault may be – for a law-enforcement operation – grossly disproportionate..
Amnesty International has documented previous occasions when the government has failed to provide for the needs of people displaced by conflict or other violence in Yemen, most recently during the intermittent conflict between government forces and armed Huthi rebels in the northern region of Sa’dah, which began in 2004.
In August 2009 the Yemeni government launched a military offensive against the Huthis code-named “Scorched Earth” which included aerial bombing and the deployment of tanks and ground troops. In November 2009 Saudi Arabian forces began to launch air strikes in Sa’dah after fighting spilled over onto their territory.
The ferocity of these bombardments, particularly in the three or so months before a ceasefire was declared on February 11 led to mass displacement of Yemeni civilians; almost the entire population of some cities and villages fled to camps for the displaced in the nearby regions of Hajjah and ‘Amran, as well as to the capital Sana’a and elsewhere.
A total of over 300,000 people have been driven from their homes in Sa’dah since 2004, according to the UNHCR, the United Nations refugee agency.
Amnesty International published a report on August 25, entitled Yemen: Cracking Down Under Pressure, which documented a catalogue of human rights violations including unlawful killings of those accused of links to Al-Qaeda and Southern Movement activists, and arbitrary arrests, torture and unfair trials, occurring in the name of security.
Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 2.8 million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.
# # #
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
You Should Hear These Stories
Wed, Sep 22, 2010 at 9:23 PM
| ||||||
| ||||||
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Communist Party Conference on the "We Generation"
Posted on: Tue, Sep 21, 2010 at 9:45 PM
Share This:  | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Torture Cases in Senegal Police Custody-from Amnesty International
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL REPORT SHOWS ONGOING OPEN DISREGARD FOR RULE OF LAW IN SENEGAL
Posted on:Wed, Sep 15, 2010 at 8:10 PM
Suspects Are Routinely Tortured in Custody to Extract Confessions; Perpetrators Are Rarely Held Accountable
London : Senegal’s security forces routinely torture suspects in custody to extract confessions -- sometimes causing death -- and the practice is openly condoned in court while perpetrators are seldom held to account, Amnesty International said in a report released today.
Senegal: Land of Impunity shows an appalling contempt for t he rule of law and violations of human rights at every step in the justice system.
Men and women are routinely subjected to beatings, electrocution and other forms of torture in custody and efforts to hold authorities accountable are blocked by political and legal tactics, the report stated.
In the last three years, at least six people arrested for common law crimes have died in custody, apparently from the effects of torture.
In at least four of these cases, investigations were not opened or completed and the police officers and gendarmes implicated in these acts of torture were not brought to justice.
Salvatore Saguès, West Africa researcher at Amnesty International, said: “Senegal does not even apply the human rights guarantees set out in its own national legislation.”
“Victims find their way blocked by a wall of impunity,” said Saguès. “Until that wall is broken down, the people of Senegal can have no confidence in the country’s police, judiciary or government.”
On July 14, Abdoulaye Wade Yinghou, 19, was arrested as he walked past a demonstration in a Dakar suburb on his way to buy animal feed. Witnesses saw police beat Yinghou with rifle butts when he was arrested and again on arrival at the police station.
The following day, Yinghou’s family was told by police officers that his body was in the hospital morgue because he had died following a seizure or illness. However an autopsy revealed facial injuries, broken ribs and a death aggravated by “assault with a (several) hard and blunt object(s).”
Amnesty International’s report pulls together comprehensive research conducted periodically over a decade, most recently in May, and contains testimonies from individuals including civilians victims of the past Casamance conflict, common law detainees or groups of people arrested because of their political opinions or sexual behavior. The individuals describe being electrocuted, burned and asphyxiated while being held by security forces.
The report demonstrates that the Senegalese authorities rarely investigate cases of deaths in custody, and where investigations take place, they are seldom conducted independently, impartially or promptly.
In order to ensure immunity from prosecution for Senegalese security forces, the authorities have used various political and legal tactics to avoid accountability.
For example, Senegalese authorities employ general amnesties for crimes that amount to serious human rights violations in violation of international law.
Another major obstacle to justice is the use of prosecution orders, which are required to call a member of the security forces before a court of law. The prosecution order must be obtained typically either from the Ministry of the Interior or the Ministry of Defense.
The order effectively grants de facto power of veto to the interested Ministry, leaving the judiciary helpless and depriving the victim’s families of any hope of justice.
At the highest level, Senegal’s contempt for the rule of law is demonstrated by its failure to bring former Chadian dictator Hissene Habre to trial.
Habre fled to Senegal after being forced from power in 1990. Up to 40,000 Chadians are estimated to have been killed during his eight-year rule. Despite repeated injunctions from the U.N. Committee against Torture and a call by the African Union, Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade continues to make excuses for not bringing Habre to justice.
Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 2.8 million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.
# # #
Posted on:Wed, Sep 15, 2010 at 8:10 PM
Suspects Are Routinely Tortured in Custody to Extract Confessions; Perpetrators Are Rarely Held Accountable London : Senegal’s security forces routinely torture suspects in custody to extract confessions -- sometimes causing death -- and the practice is openly condoned in court while perpetrators are seldom held to account, Amnesty International said in a report released today.
Senegal: Land of Impunity shows an appalling contempt for t he rule of law and violations of human rights at every step in the justice system.
Men and women are routinely subjected to beatings, electrocution and other forms of torture in custody and efforts to hold authorities accountable are blocked by political and legal tactics, the report stated.
In the last three years, at least six people arrested for common law crimes have died in custody, apparently from the effects of torture.
In at least four of these cases, investigations were not opened or completed and the police officers and gendarmes implicated in these acts of torture were not brought to justice.
Salvatore Saguès, West Africa researcher at Amnesty International, said: “Senegal does not even apply the human rights guarantees set out in its own national legislation.”
“Victims find their way blocked by a wall of impunity,” said Saguès. “Until that wall is broken down, the people of Senegal can have no confidence in the country’s police, judiciary or government.”
On July 14, Abdoulaye Wade Yinghou, 19, was arrested as he walked past a demonstration in a Dakar suburb on his way to buy animal feed. Witnesses saw police beat Yinghou with rifle butts when he was arrested and again on arrival at the police station.
The following day, Yinghou’s family was told by police officers that his body was in the hospital morgue because he had died following a seizure or illness. However an autopsy revealed facial injuries, broken ribs and a death aggravated by “assault with a (several) hard and blunt object(s).”
Amnesty International’s report pulls together comprehensive research conducted periodically over a decade, most recently in May, and contains testimonies from individuals including civilians victims of the past Casamance conflict, common law detainees or groups of people arrested because of their political opinions or sexual behavior. The individuals describe being electrocuted, burned and asphyxiated while being held by security forces.
The report demonstrates that the Senegalese authorities rarely investigate cases of deaths in custody, and where investigations take place, they are seldom conducted independently, impartially or promptly.
In order to ensure immunity from prosecution for Senegalese security forces, the authorities have used various political and legal tactics to avoid accountability.
For example, Senegalese authorities employ general amnesties for crimes that amount to serious human rights violations in violation of international law.
Another major obstacle to justice is the use of prosecution orders, which are required to call a member of the security forces before a court of law. The prosecution order must be obtained typically either from the Ministry of the Interior or the Ministry of Defense.
The order effectively grants de facto power of veto to the interested Ministry, leaving the judiciary helpless and depriving the victim’s families of any hope of justice.
At the highest level, Senegal’s contempt for the rule of law is demonstrated by its failure to bring former Chadian dictator Hissene Habre to trial.
Habre fled to Senegal after being forced from power in 1990. Up to 40,000 Chadians are estimated to have been killed during his eight-year rule. Despite repeated injunctions from the U.N. Committee against Torture and a call by the African Union, Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade continues to make excuses for not bringing Habre to justice.
Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 2.8 million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.
# # #
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Common Man Theatre Festival 11th September to 26th September
Street plays are a major part of this festival. Theatre actors are going to present many street plays in this festival raising current issues related to common man. Dilemma of street vendors, crises of domestic help are the major concern of our street shows.Asmita Theatre Group presents Common Man Theatre Festival from 11th September to 26th September 2010 at various venues of Delhi. This includes proscenium as well as street performances on socio political issues related to common man.Common Man Theatre Festival’s premier show is Ramkali starring well known Personality Mallika Sarabhai directed by veteran theatre activist Arvind Gaur.This festival is showcasing well known Indian and International playwright’s works like Mahesh Dattani, Swadesh Deepak, Dario Fo, Bertolt Brecht, Ashok Lal, Munshi Premchand, G P Deshpande, Harsh Mander.These Plays are contemporary, socio-political and raise the voice of common man Thereby addressing their issues. The festival is unique and different in its nature.Some of the milestone productions of Indian theatre will be part of this festival like Court Martial, Final Solutions, Ek Mamooli aadmi, Operation Three Star, Ramkali -The most popular plays among Indian audience.
| |||||||||||
11th & 12th Sept Opening with " Ramkali " staring Mallika Sarabhai at Sri Ram Centre, 7pm. Adaptaion by Amitabha Srivastava, lyrics-Piyush Mishra, Music by Sangeeta Gaur 17th Sept- based on Harsh Mandar’s book " Unsuni "Scripting by Malika Sarabhai at Muktadhara,Gole Market at 7pm. 19th Sept - Mahesh Dattani's " Final Solutions " at 3.30pm Translation by Shahid Anwar & Ashok Lal's Ek Mamooli Aadmi " at 7 pm at Sri ram Centre, Mandi House. 24th Sept- " Mote Ram ka Satyagrha "Based on Munsi Premchand's story ,Adaptaion by Habib Tanvir & Safdar Hashmi at 7.3opm at India Habitat Centre, Amphi theatre. 25th Sept- G.P. Despande's " Raaste " at 3.30pm & Swadesh Deepak's " Court Martial "at 7pm at Sri ram Centre. 26th Sept- Dario Fo's " Operation Three Star " based on accidental death of an anarchist , Adaptaion by Amitabha Srivastava lyrics Piyush Mishra at 7pm at Alliance Francaise. All Plays Directed By Arvind Gaur For details pls contact- 9711188856, 9999692525,9540656537 ,9958793683 9899650509 (Arvind Gaur) asmitatheatre@gmail.com __________________________ http://indiantheatre.blogs Asmita Theatre- Celebrating 18th year of theatre movement | |||||||||||
Family Matters Blog: Blogger Remembers the Tragedy of 9/11
Fri, 10 Sep 2010 15:21:00 -0500
By Heather Forsgren Weaver of American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON : Heather Forsgren Weaver of American Forces Press Service is a regular contributor to Family Matters. Heather's been heavily involved in this blog from the start. She edits, helps write and posts content on a daily basis.
In this blog, Heather remembers Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorists flew planes into the Pentagon, the World Trade Center in New York and heroes on Flight 93 crashed their plane rather than risk it being flown into the United States Capitol.
The Sky Was So Blue
I'll always remember how blue the sky was that September morning. The pictures on TV don't do it justice.
I was a reporter covering the mobile-phone industry and there was a big press conference on Capitol Hill about funding 9-1-1 service, timed for Sept. 11 – 9-1-1. About midway through the press conference, all of the lawmakers' cell phones started ringing. Everyone laughed and the phones were quickly turned off. It would be another 30 minutes before we would be evacuated and told that planes had hit the World Trade Center in New York.
Arriving outside, it was chaos, with rumors circulating wildly: a bomb had gone off at the State Department, a bomb had gone off in nearby Crystal City, Va., and a plane had hit the Pentagon.
Unfortunately, that last one was true, and I still remember the shock of seeing the smoke, which I would later learn was from the Pentagon as I – and several others – started to walk downtown
I remember the rest of the day in slow motion – walking a mile to my office only to be told that the National Press Building had also been evacuated, riding a Metro train that changed destinations three times and finally ended up at the stop closest to my house, and waiting for my husband to walk the seven miles from Crystal City to our home because although no bomb had exploded, no one was allowed to get their cars out of the garage.
Last year, Elaine Wilson blogged in "Taking Time to Remember" about how the events of 9/11 changed the direction of her life.
I can't say the same, but as the days, weeks, months and now years have passed, I have often been reminded of that day, when more people lost their lives at the Pentagon than had been killed in the Oklahoma City bombing.
Reading the stories of those who were killed that day, I remember feeling a sense of loss that I would never get to meet these people.
Since then, I have walked on the hill in Arlington Cemetery overlooking the Pentagon and said a prayer for those lost. And I have visited the Pentagon 9/11 memorial and grieved anew for the loss of that seemingly perfect day when the sky was so beautiful and it looked as if nothing bad could happen.
I remember gaping at the hole in the Pentagon during a Unity Walk a few weeks after the attacks and celebrating less than a year later when repairs were completed.
Now, I take time to personally thank every servicemember I see in uniform and I pray for those currently serving to keep us safe.
I'm also mindful that since I was on Capitol Hill that dreadful day, the heroes of Flight 93 probably saved my life. How do you repay such a sacrifice?
My neighborhood has its own 9/11 Memorial Garden. I will visit it tomorrow and remember knowing that whatever I do, it will never be enough.(Issued on :
By Heather Forsgren Weaver of American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON : Heather Forsgren Weaver of American Forces Press Service is a regular contributor to Family Matters. Heather's been heavily involved in this blog from the start. She edits, helps write and posts content on a daily basis.
|
The Sky Was So Blue
I'll always remember how blue the sky was that September morning. The pictures on TV don't do it justice.
I was a reporter covering the mobile-phone industry and there was a big press conference on Capitol Hill about funding 9-1-1 service, timed for Sept. 11 – 9-1-1. About midway through the press conference, all of the lawmakers' cell phones started ringing. Everyone laughed and the phones were quickly turned off. It would be another 30 minutes before we would be evacuated and told that planes had hit the World Trade Center in New York.
Arriving outside, it was chaos, with rumors circulating wildly: a bomb had gone off at the State Department, a bomb had gone off in nearby Crystal City, Va., and a plane had hit the Pentagon.
Unfortunately, that last one was true, and I still remember the shock of seeing the smoke, which I would later learn was from the Pentagon as I – and several others – started to walk downtown
I remember the rest of the day in slow motion – walking a mile to my office only to be told that the National Press Building had also been evacuated, riding a Metro train that changed destinations three times and finally ended up at the stop closest to my house, and waiting for my husband to walk the seven miles from Crystal City to our home because although no bomb had exploded, no one was allowed to get their cars out of the garage.
Last year, Elaine Wilson blogged in "Taking Time to Remember" about how the events of 9/11 changed the direction of her life.
I can't say the same, but as the days, weeks, months and now years have passed, I have often been reminded of that day, when more people lost their lives at the Pentagon than had been killed in the Oklahoma City bombing.
Reading the stories of those who were killed that day, I remember feeling a sense of loss that I would never get to meet these people.
Since then, I have walked on the hill in Arlington Cemetery overlooking the Pentagon and said a prayer for those lost. And I have visited the Pentagon 9/11 memorial and grieved anew for the loss of that seemingly perfect day when the sky was so beautiful and it looked as if nothing bad could happen.
I remember gaping at the hole in the Pentagon during a Unity Walk a few weeks after the attacks and celebrating less than a year later when repairs were completed.
Now, I take time to personally thank every servicemember I see in uniform and I pray for those currently serving to keep us safe.
I'm also mindful that since I was on Capitol Hill that dreadful day, the heroes of Flight 93 probably saved my life. How do you repay such a sacrifice?
My neighborhood has its own 9/11 Memorial Garden. I will visit it tomorrow and remember knowing that whatever I do, it will never be enough.(Issued on :
Sept. 10, 2010)
Sunday, September 05, 2010
J I P Condemns Torture to Journalist Omer Cheema
Journalists For International Peace Condemns Torture to Journalist Omer Cheema. A letter to this purpose has been sent as under.
Most Urgent
Mr Asif Ali Zardari
President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan
President’s Secritariat
Islamabad, Pakistan
Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani
Prime Minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Prime Minister’s Secretariat
Islamabad, Pakistan
NO: 786/A-2/OPS
Dated: 5 Sep 2010
Subject: Kidnapping and torture to Journalist Omer Cheema
I hope that letter of mine will find you in the best of health and prosperity. I expressed with grave concern that an investigative journalist , Omer Cheema was, reportedly, kidnapped by some personnel of intelligence agency from I/8 sector , Islamabad. He was allegedly taken a secret place. Cheema was resorted to severe torture and third degree methods were applied on him. It Is believed that some of Omer Cheema’s blatant reports , have infuriated and attracted the anger of some state institution. Journalists For International Peace strongly condemned the kidnapping and severe torture to the working journalist of Daily The News.
Mr President and Mr Prime Minister , Journalists For International appreciated the prompt reaction of the government , especially Federal Minister for Information,Mr Qamar uz Zaman Kaira, in which he pledged to identify the criminals and ensure exemplary punishment , as a “TEST CASE’.
Pakistan is considered as one of the most dangerous country for the working journalists , more than 40 journalists are killed in the recent past years. The alleged involvement of any state agency in kidnapping and torture of media people , tarnishes the image of that country in the international circles. The countries , where Freedom of expression is curtailed by force, can never grow economically and their progress is checked. It is observed that intolerance against Media and journalists in the present government is increased manifold . Media has strong reservations about federal and provincial governments. Such incident of harassment and torture may remain unchecked , if any practical step is not undertaken to curb the menace.
I think that Parliament may take stern action against the culprits. Three chiefs :ISI, MI and IB may be called infront of the parliament under the aegis of the Chief of Army Staff , General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kiyani. They may be directed to identify the criminals from their ranks, if the torture is conducted by the intelligence personnel. It is also believed that such torture incident is aimed at tarnish the positive role of Pak Army, which is deployed in flood affected areas to rescue and provide immediate relief to wretched people of Pakistan. The whole nation supported General Kiyani in the war against the terrorists , in Swat and Waziristan . To open war against own journalists, by a state or segment of state machinery, may always prove counter productive. Omer Cheema maintained that there is a possibility that the incident is provoke by his news report on Military Commandos, who refused to attack Lal Masjid and subjected to be court-marshaled , without giving any right of appeal.
It is in the national interest, to take immediate action against the culprits, to avoid a permanent tussle between state institutions. It is also proposed that respective intelligence agencies or their spokesman, may start briefing sessions for the journalists on variety of such matters which are taken as secret under the garb of national security. I hope that both the leaders may take strict punitive action against the culprits, to save the sanctity of Freedom of Expression, which is a constitutional obligation too.
Regards
Iftikhar Chaudri
President
Journalists For International Peace
Islamabad, Pakistan
president@j4http://www.
President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan
President’s Secritariat
Islamabad, Pakistan
Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani
Prime Minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Prime Minister’s Secretariat
Islamabad, Pakistan
NO: 786/A-2/OPS
Dated: 5 Sep 2010
Subject: Kidnapping and torture to Journalist Omer Cheema
I hope that letter of mine will find you in the best of health and prosperity. I expressed with grave concern that an investigative journalist , Omer Cheema was, reportedly, kidnapped by some personnel of intelligence agency from I/8 sector , Islamabad. He was allegedly taken a secret place. Cheema was resorted to severe torture and third degree methods were applied on him. It Is believed that some of Omer Cheema’s blatant reports , have infuriated and attracted the anger of some state institution. Journalists For International Peace strongly condemned the kidnapping and severe torture to the working journalist of Daily The News.
Mr President and Mr Prime Minister , Journalists For International appreciated the prompt reaction of the government , especially Federal Minister for Information,Mr Qamar uz Zaman Kaira, in which he pledged to identify the criminals and ensure exemplary punishment , as a “TEST CASE’.
Pakistan is considered as one of the most dangerous country for the working journalists , more than 40 journalists are killed in the recent past years. The alleged involvement of any state agency in kidnapping and torture of media people , tarnishes the image of that country in the international circles. The countries , where Freedom of expression is curtailed by force, can never grow economically and their progress is checked. It is observed that intolerance against Media and journalists in the present government is increased manifold . Media has strong reservations about federal and provincial governments. Such incident of harassment and torture may remain unchecked , if any practical step is not undertaken to curb the menace.
I think that Parliament may take stern action against the culprits. Three chiefs :ISI, MI and IB may be called infront of the parliament under the aegis of the Chief of Army Staff , General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kiyani. They may be directed to identify the criminals from their ranks, if the torture is conducted by the intelligence personnel. It is also believed that such torture incident is aimed at tarnish the positive role of Pak Army, which is deployed in flood affected areas to rescue and provide immediate relief to wretched people of Pakistan. The whole nation supported General Kiyani in the war against the terrorists , in Swat and Waziristan . To open war against own journalists, by a state or segment of state machinery, may always prove counter productive. Omer Cheema maintained that there is a possibility that the incident is provoke by his news report on Military Commandos, who refused to attack Lal Masjid and subjected to be court-marshaled , without giving any right of appeal.
It is in the national interest, to take immediate action against the culprits, to avoid a permanent tussle between state institutions. It is also proposed that respective intelligence agencies or their spokesman, may start briefing sessions for the journalists on variety of such matters which are taken as secret under the garb of national security. I hope that both the leaders may take strict punitive action against the culprits, to save the sanctity of Freedom of Expression, which is a constitutional obligation too.
Regards
Iftikhar Chaudri
President
Journalists For International Peace
Islamabad, Pakistan
president@j4http://www.
If you like this post; please come, support and join this web movement. You may connect with facebook also.
Afghanistan Gains Come at High Price, General Says
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:44:00 -0500
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden American Forces Press Service WASHINGTON: U.S. and coalition troops in southwestern Afghanistan have made significant gains in recent months, but not without sacrifice, the commander of NATO’s regional command southwest there said today.  Video"None of these advances have come easy. A steep price has been paid in coalition blood – not only in U.S. and U.K. blood, but in the blood of all of our coalition partners," Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Richard P. Mills told Pentagon reporters here during a video news conference from his headquarters in Afghanistan. Mills highlighted security improvements, increased capabilities of Afghan security forces, and the disdain local Afghans show for the Taliban and other extremists.  Troops from 47 nations make up NATO's International Security Assistance Force. Nearly 100,000 U.S. troops are operating in Afghanistan, including almost all of the additional 30,000 troops President Barack Obama ordered in December 2009. Coalition contributions are just short of 50,000.This year, Mills said, is panning out to be the deadliest for international forces in Afghanistan. There have been 493 coalition deaths through today - 30 fewer than last year's total, he said. U.S. troops, he added, accounted for 326 deaths this year in Afghanistan, nine more than the previous year. The Afghan populace also has paid a heavy price, Mills said. Afghan civilians, he said, have been caught in between coalition and militant crossfire. Taliban and other insurgent forces in Helmand province, he added, have planted roadside bombs and launched attacks without regard for potential civilian deaths or injuries. "That takes a large, tragic toll on [the Afghan population], on the innocent children, the innocent women and the innocent men who live here in the province." However, morale among Mill's troops and the population seems to be on the rise, he said. Today, bazaars, markets, schools and other projects are operational in towns throughout Helmand province, Mills said, as increased security has fanned the Afghan populace's distain for Taliban edicts and criminal activity. Only months ago, he said, many of the province's cities were hotbeds for the drug trade and weapons trafficking. Meanwhile, Afghan soldiers and police are becoming more capable each day, Mills said, and coalition troops are noticing signs of wear and tear among the Taliban. Months of hard work and patience are paying off in Marja and Helmand province, he noted. "I can tell you that the morale of the troops remains high," Mills said. "They remain focused on the mission. They remain committed to the task at hand. "[But] I'd be remiss not to recognize the sacrifice of our Afghan partners as well," he continued. "Their security forces pay a high price each day, but each day they become more capable and more skilled and more ready to take on the security responsibilities for themselves in the months ahead."
| ||||
| Biographies: Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Richard P. Mills Related Sites: 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Forward NATO International Security Assistance Force NATO |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)