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Leading News
PM terms India mission cent
percent successful
Bangladesh will be benefited more, she says
UNB, Dhaka
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wednesday returned home from
India boasting cent-percent success of her Delhi mission
as she said a new horizon of friendship and economic
development now opened up through accords on many major
matters.
Talking to her party senior leaders and journalists on her
arrival at the airport, she said it has been proved that
if democratic system is in place, many things can be done
very easily.
"We have reached understanding on many subjects for
socioeconomic development," said Hasina, who came back to
a hearty reception by her party faithful and admirers
after striking a number of agreements with India-ranging
from trade and transit to terrorism and cross-border
crime.
Referring to the three agreements related to crimes and
terrorism, Hasina stressed establishment of peace in South
Asia and said: "Our position against terrorism is crystal
clear."
The Prime Minister said women and children trafficking,
arms smuggling must be stopped-and it needs more
understanding.
She noted that if democratic process continues, poor
people will come out of the cycle of poverty in this
region.
About her visit to Ajmer Sharif shrines, Hasina said she
prayed for the wellbeing of the people.
Earlier, in New Delhi Sheikh Hasina defended Mongla and
Chittagong seaport facilities for India, saying "we cannot
keep sitting with our doors shut in the present-day
world".
"Mongla and Chittagong seaports are two resources. We're
not giving this connectivity unilaterally to India. This
will be given on regional basis," she told a pre-departure
press conference at Maurya Sheraton Hotel Wednesday.
In exchange, Hasina said, India is giving Bangladesh
transit to Nepal and Bhutan. "We're doing all this by
ensuring the country's interests."
The Prime Minister said, "We cannot sit idle by putting
nails in all rooms."
On the outcome of her much-discussed visit to India-which
yielded some surprises in terms of some landmark accords-Hasina
said it has opened up new avenues and a new era in the
Bangladesh-India relations.
"I am returning home with friendship and cooperation from
India," she said, adding: "I think Bangladesh will be
benefited more through this visit."
About India's offer for one-billion-dollar loan for
development of Bangladesh's railway sector and river
dredging, the Prime Minister said this easy-term credit
will be useful for Bangladesh.
Asked about extradition treaty between the two countries,
Hasina said she thinks those agreements signed during her
visit are enough. "If we want to work under these
agreements, I think, it is possible to work together."
However, she said discussions continued on the extradition
treaty. Asked if Bangladesh will repatriate ULFA leader
Anup Chetia under the treaty, Hasina retorted: "I did not
come here to discuss a single name. In India many
Bangladeshi offenders are hiding. This is a problem of the
two countries."
She categorically said Bangladesh would not allow her
territory to be used for any type of terrorist activities.
"We will cooperate with each other on this subject. We
will look into if any such activities are there in
Bangladesh and, similarly, India will control such
activities in their country."
"At this point of time democracy prevails in all countries
of South Asia and no country will tolerate terrorist
activities," she said.
Hasina noted that terrorists have no religion or country.
Islam is a religion of peace and there is no room for
terrorism in Islam.
In reply to a question, the Prime Minister said she had
discussions with the President and the Prime Minister of
Pakistan and they also hold similar view about terrorism.
BNP
discusses probable adverse effects of agreements with
India
UNB, Dhaka
BNP standing committee meeting Wednesday night discussed
probable adverse effects of the agreements signed with
India during the just concluded visit of Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina to New Delhi and the course of action.
The committee, highest decision making body of BNP meeting
for the first time since reformed after the December 8
national council, began at 9-30 pm with Khaleda Zia in the
cahir at Gulshan office continued till 11pm.
Sources close to the meeting said they were discussing the
next course of action over the outcome of the Prime
Minister's visit, especially accord allowing India to use
Chittagong and Mongla ports and road and railway
facilities.
Details of the meeting will be briefed to the newsmen at
12 noon tomorrow (Thursday) at BNP Naya Paltan central
office, sources said.
Khandaker Delwar Hossain, Dr RA Gani, Dr Khandaker
Mosharraf Hossain, Barrister Moudud Ahmed, Lt Gen (Retd)
Mahbubur Rahman, Brig Gen (Retd) Hannan Shah, MK Anwar,
Begum Sarwari Rahman, Barrister Zamiruddin Sircar, Mirza
Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan,
Barrister Rafiqul Islam Mia and Salahuddin Quader
Chowdhury attended the meeting
Earlier Khaleda Zia had a meeting with a group of
intellectuals and professionals including Prof Moniruzzman
Mia, Prof Emajuddin Ahmed, Farhad Majhar, Shafique Rehman
and Mahmudur Rahman.
Thousands
feared dead as major quake strikes Haiti
AFP,
Port-Au-Prince
A major earthquake rocked Haiti, killing possibly
thousands of people as it toppled the presidential palace
and hillside shanties alike and leaving the poor Caribbean
nation appealing for international help.
A five-story UN building was also brought down Tuesday by
the 7.0 magnitude quake, the most powerful to hit Haiti in
more than 200 years according to the US Geological Survey.
Reuters television footage from the capital,
Port-au-Prince, showed scenes of chaos on the streets with
people sobbing and appearing dazed amid the rubble.
The quake's epicenter was only 10 miles (16 km) from
Port-au-Prince, which has a population of about 1 million,
and aftershocks as powerful as 5.9 rattled the city
throughout the night and into Wednesday.
Reports on casualties and damage were slow to get out of
Haiti due to communication problems.
As the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti is
ill-equipped to respond to such a disaster.
"I am appealing to the world, especially the United
States, to do what they did for us back in 2008 when four
hurricanes hit Haiti," Raymond Alcide Joseph, Haiti's
ambassador to Washington, said in a CNN interview.
US President Barack Obama said his "thoughts and prayers"
were with the people of Haiti and pledged immediate aid. A
late-night White House meeting involving various arms of
the government was held to coordinate the US response.
The Inter-American Development Bank said it would provide
$200,000 in immediate emergency aid. The World Bank, which
said its local offices were destroyed but that most staff
were accounted for, plans to send a team to help Haiti
assess damage and plan a recovery. The US Coast Guard in
Miami said it had mobilized cutters and aircraft to
positions close to Haiti to give humanitarian assistance
as needed.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy's office said in a
statement on Wednesday France was sending rescue services
to help operations in Haiti and find French citizens
there.
Why the port agreements were kept hidden: Delwar
National interest sacrificed, he says
TBT Report
BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain alleged
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sacrificed country's
national interest during her four-day-long visit as
overall interests of the accords have gone in favour of
India.
He made the comments while newsmen sought his remarks over
Prime Minister's just concluded visit to India at party's
Naya Paltan central office on Wednesday.
Delwar Hossain said incumbent Prime Minister's father
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had gave all sorts of facilities to
India during his tenure and she (Sheikh Hasina) has done
the same work following her father's path. So the
countrymen have not been benefited from her India visit as
all sorts of facilities have already been sacrificed.
UNB adds: BNP secretary general Khandaker Delwar Hossain
on Wednesday said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's just
concluded visit to New Delhi proved the present government
was prepared to give everything to India.
"What have we got? Everything has been given to India," he
told UNB over telephone when asked to comment on allowing
India to use Chittagong and Mongla ports as well other
communication facilities.
Delwar said discussion could have been held on the use of
ports, but why the deal now. He wondered why the Foreign
Minister did not mention anything earlier about the
impending agreement on allowing India to use the two
Bangladesh ports except three other agreements. The BNP
secretary general also criticized the proposed bridge to
bridge linkage between the two countries, as it concerns
sovereignty of Bangladesh. He said: "The present
government has sacrificed national interests to India who
installed them in power."
Delwar said they will have a meeting this (Wednesday)
night over the outcome of the Prime Minister's visit to
India and later give a formal reaction. BNP national
standing committee, the highest policymaking body of the
party, would meet at the party chairperson Khaleda Zia's
Gulshan office, he said.
Committee formed to form Industrial Police
UNB, Dhaka
The government Wednesday formed a seven-member
high-profile committee for the formation of a new police
force styled Industrial Police accommodating firefighters
and Ansar members for policing problems of industries in
the country's four industrial zones.
Headed by Golam Hossain, additional secretary of the Home
Ministry, the committee has been asked to submit a
complete report on raising the special police by February
28, Home Minister Sahara Khatun told reporters after an
inter-ministerial meeting at the Secretariat.
She said the meeting discussed elaborately the formation
of the Industrial Police with inclusion of firefighters
and Ansars for effective function of the force.
"We have decided in principle to deploy industrial police
as soon as possible to check unpleasant incidents in the
sector, especially in garment factories," said the
minister for homeland security.
She said earlier, the Home Ministry had put forward a
proposal to Finance Ministry explaining the necessity of a
separate specialized force for maintaining law and order
in industrial belts.
The Home Ministry in the proposal sought 3,000 members for
deployment of the force and 2,200 members for initial
function, she said. But the Establishment Ministry
approved 1,580 members for manning the industrial police,
Sahara told the journalists.
According to the Home Ministry's proposal, the industrial
police would consist of four separate units to be
primarily deployed in four major industrial zones-Ashulia,
Savar, Gazipur, and Narayanganj at an expenditure of Tk
20.3 crore.
State Minister for Home Shamsul Haq Tuku, additional home
secretary Golam Hossain and inspector general of police
Noor Mohammad attended the meeting.
In the wake of repeated outbreaks of violence in the
garment factories last year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
made an announcement in parliament about the formation of
industrial police.
Apparel entrepreneurs have long demanded creation of a
separate police wing to protect the export-oriented
garment industry, which sees labour unrest more often than
not, resulting in substantial financial losses.
Country faces intolerable cold
5 die in Nilphamari, one in Gopalganj
BSS, Dhaka
After few days break, the shivering cold spell sweeping
over different parts of the country these days has near
paralyzed normal life.
Dense fog forming larger as well as thicker canopies in
the morning and evening hours appear as real troubles for
the commuters, day laborers and vehicles, bringing a
prolonged laxity in daily works in a number of districts.
Met office sources told BSS here on Wednesday that
prevailing severe cold wave over Ishurday, Jessore and
Chuadanga regions and moderate cold wave over Srimangal,
Rajshahi and Bogra regions.
Mild cold wave over Dhaka division, rest of the Khulna
division and the region of Comilla, Chandpur, Feni, Hatiya,
Syedpur, Dinajpur, Barisal, and Bhola may continue. Night
temperature may rise slightly over the country the sources
said.
On Wednesday's lowest temperature at 6.3 degrees Celsius
was recorded in Ishurdi while the highest at 28.5 degrees
in Cox's Bazar.
In Nilphamari, five persons died due to severe cold in
different places of Nilphamari district in the last two
days.
The victims were identified as Wahed Ali, 80, of Dhakkin
Kharibari village of Dimla upazila, Jasiran Bewya, 70,
Monir Uddin, 95, of Chatnai Balapara Village, Jhaiya Mamud,
80 of Dhakkin Balpara village and Khitish Chandra,90, of
Jhuna Gachh Capani uion.
In Gopalganj, one person died due to severe cold in the
district on Tuesday. The victim was identified as Bagan
Sheikh, 60 of Sahaber Char of Kashiani upazila of the
district.
In Rajshahi, the intensity of biting cold has been further
increased in the city and the adjacent northwestern
districts as well as the minimum temperature dipped
further due to the intensified blowing of cooler winds for
the last consecutive couple of days.
Back Page
PM’s India visit
Business leaders, researchers express mixed reactions
UNB, Dhaka
Business leaders and researchers came up with a mixed bag
of reactions over Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Delhi
trip as some of them saw greater gain for India than that
for Bangl-adesh while some found positive achievements
through the major accords between the two neighbors.
Some of them said the decisions on some business issues
would create ground for continuing discussion to address
more issues in the future. They felt the urgency of
implementation of the decisions which they beli-eve will
open up new avenues of opportunities.
They observed that the issues which are mostly important
for India received due importance while Bangladesh's
important and burning issues were sidelined at the
bilateral summit talks and resultant deals.
Former president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers
of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Abdul Awal Mintoo said
the settlement of maritime boundary, water sharing of
different rivers, including the Teesta, and also the
Tipaimukh Dam were the most important issues for
Bangladesh as these are key to resolving all the problems
the country has been facing and would continue to face in
future if not resolved. "But achievement on the key issues
is very negligible, which frustrates the nation," Mintoo,
who is associated with the opposition BNP, told UNB. "They
(India) fulfilled their targets, but we couldn't", he
added.
Echoing his critical voice, eminent economist and former
chairman of Economics Department of Dhaka University Prof
Abu Ahmed said the gains from the PM's just-concluded tour
went mostly in favour of India as the neighbouring country
has been able to realize commitment and deals on its own
issues like terrorism, use of seaports. "But there was no
written agreement or commitment made during the visit on
those issues which are a question of our existence, like
river-water sharing, Tipaimukh Dam, maritime boundary," he
said.
The Economics professor also observed that allowing the
two seaports before carrying out any economic study is an
unwise move which may invite further complications instead
of any benefit for the nations. "Many questions like
royalty of port use, its financial benefit and taxation
still remained unanswered."
According to Abu Ahmed, India has been successful in
getting its own interest served while Bangladesh "failed"
to realize its own demands.
Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue Prof
Mustafizur Rahman saw the achievements made in the PM's
visit with a positive outlook. He said this visit has done
the spadework for further progress on many outstanding
issues between the two neighbours.
"From economic point of view, I see some important
decisions made regarding trade and business on which basis
new ground will be opened in the future," he said, adding
that the offer for zero-rated access of 40 new items to
the Indian market is a major achievement.
Sri Lanka wins Idea Cup title
TBT Report
Sri Lanka clinched the title of Idea Cup Tri-Nation
cricket defeating India by four wickets at Sher-e-Bangla
National Cricket Stadium, Dhaka on Wednesday.
Needing 246 runs to win, Sri Lanka scored 249 for six with
nine balls remaining to capture the tri-nation cup that
also involved the host Bangladesh as the third team.
Earlier, India scored 245 in 48.2 overs after being asked
to bat first.
Sri Lanka suffered an early jolt when opener Upul Tharanga
returned to the pavilion giving a catch to Virat Kohli to
the third ball of the innings from Ashish Nehra before the
winners had opened their account.
Shrugged off the early setback, Tillakaratne Dilshan
combined together with skipper Kumar Sangakkara to repair
the early damage. The duo scored 93 runs off 97 balls to
steady the innings before Dilshan was caught by Mahendra
Sing Dhoni behind the wicket off Yuvraj Singh. Dilshan
scored 49 runs off 54 balls, while Sangakkara scored 55,
facing 51 deliveries.
Harbhajan Singh claimed the prized wicket of Sangakkara,
having him caught by Virender Sehwag to leave the Lankans
at 109 for three. But the highest 71 runs, made of 81
balls, came off the blade of Mahela Jayawardene, who
remained unbeaten when Sri Lanka reached the mark.
Cricinfo adds: Upul Tharanga's dismissal in the first over
raised flutters of India extending their recovery into the
second half of the match, and a spin-induced double strike
to dismiss two valuable players left the final poised for
a tight finish. Chasing 246, all Sri Lanka needed were
partnerships and Kumar Sangakkara and Tillakaratne Dilshan
set the ball rolling with a 93-run stand.
However, their dismissals to spin in the space of 14
deliveries on a rare evening where the dew wasn't a
massive factor allowed India make their total seem about
40 runs more than it actually was.
Ashish Nehra delivered a top opening over, hitting a
testing length each time. With his third delivery he drew
a thick outer edge to send back Tharanga for his second
duck in a row, and with his fifth he belted out a very
confident lbw shout against Dilshan. But that was as good
as it got for India for nearly 16 overs, not least because
Nehra hobbled off with an irritant groin after bowling
eight deliveries.
Zaheer Khan and Sreesanth, especially, struggled with
their bearings and Sangakkara, with very good use of the
wrists, latched on readily. He was away with two expertly
placed boundaries, just using the pace and putting width
away through the off-side arc, and followed those up with
two glorious drives past extra cover and point.
Clouds over apparel
sector disappearing
Int’l buyers keen to place orders as recession getting
over: BGMEA
BSS, Dhaka
Clouds over the apparel sector, Bangl-adesh's largest
foreign currency earner, is now gradually disappearing as
the international buyers are coming up with their keen
interest to place orders for Readymade Garments (RMGs)
from the country.
"Bangladesh is now getting huge export orders of apparel
items mostly from the USA and the UK buyers as the global
financial recession is gradually improving," acting
president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and
Exporters Association (BGMEA) Faruque Hasan told BSS here
Wednesday.
He said the global economic recession brought a kind of
uncertainty in the sector globally inviting troubles for
countries like Bangladesh. "As the situation is now
improving worldwide, the European buyers are now giving
orders for the exclusive apparel items from Bangladesh,"
he added.
BGMEA officials said the RMGs export value was $12.34
billion in 2009 and the association fixed a target of
exporting apparel items worth up to US$15 billion this
year.
While visiting the four-day 9th Garme-ntech Int'l Fabrics
and Accessories at Bangabandhu International Conference
Centre (BICC) here, Faruque urged the government and the
media to play more realistic roles to further raise the
country's image abroad to create a sustainable market for
Bangladeshi products including RMGs in the global arena.
ASK Trade and Exhibition Ptv Ltd and Zakaria Trade and
Fair Int. of India are jointly organizing the apparel tech
display. Acting president of Bangladesh Knitwear
Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) MA Baset
also visited exhibition.
As many as 200 companies of 20 countries are showcasing
RMG accessories and machinery in the fair. Organizers have
dubbed the fair a record RMG tech display, breaking all
previous records. The Ministry of Textiles and Jute of
India set up a pavilion at the fringe of the apparel
display, first of its kind in the country. A seven-member
Indian trade delegation is now visiting Dhaka in
connection with the fair.
Govt seeks
Netherlands assistance for dredging, water management
UNB, Dhaka
The government Wednesday requested the Netherlands to
provide technical and financial assistance for water
management and river dredging, which is essential for
Bangladesh's socioe-conomic development, as most rivers
have silted up-and some of them already dead.
"We request the Nethe-rlands to extend their cooperation
in this regard," said Abdur Razzak MP, chairman of the
standing committee on the Ministry of Water Resources,
while addressing the inaugural session of a seminar on
'Dredging Seminar' at the Sheraton Hotel as chief guest.
IHC Merwede, a leading dredger-building company, organized
the seminar where Ambassador of the Neth-erlands Alphons
Hennekins was special guest. Many dredging experts,
consultants, and representatives of local banks, shipyards
and local media were present at the meet.
Abdur Razzak, also the former water resources minister of
the previous Awami Lea-gue government, mentioned that the
present government headed by Sheikh Hasina has already
chalked out a plan of Capital Dre-dging for the country's
all big and small rivers to remove the deposition
sediments carried down by the rivers from upstream.
"The Prime Minister is very interested in this regard and
she has already given directives for working out how it
can proceed," he told the function.
Describing water management as a very important issue as
Bangladesh is the largest delta in the world, he said
dredging the rivers is an imperative for facilitating the
flow of river-water with a view to protecting people,
agriculture and ecology from salinity.
For lake of water-flow, silts are gradually deposited in
the rivers, saline water intrusion is increasing, damaging
agriculture and causing climate change, he said. So, it's
essential to immediately remove silts from the riverbeds
for socioeconomic development. "There are some 230 rivers,
57 of those trans-boundary, flowing over the country."
Govt warns
applicants
Cheating over primary teacher recruitment alleged
UNB, Dhaka
As allegations of swindling are rife, government
authorities asked the applicants for Primary Headmaster
and Assistant Teacher posts not to be cheated by giving
money to anyone to get job.
An official note of warning Wednesday said there are
allegations that a "corrupt vested quarter" is making
money from the innocent job-seekers on false promise of
giving them jobs.
"The teacher-employment process is fully transparent and
there is no scope for nepotism or corruption as well as
influencing or interfering into it," it said.
The release said the results of the written test will be
published after examining the answer sheets through
optical mark-reader system. Later, a merit list will be
made with the successful candidates after taking viva voce
exam.
"And then headmasters and assistant teachers will be
appointed against the vacant posts following relevant
rules and regulations."
The authorities also urged the persons concerned to inform
the director-general of Primary Education Department or
the secretary of the Primary and Mass Education Ministry
either in writing or on phone - 8057877 and 7162484 or fax
- 8016499 and 7168871 respectively if anyone demands money
from them in the name of giving jobs.
"Stern actions will be taken against the responsible after
investigating the allegations," the government warned.
Police-public clash
injures 60 at Rangpur trade fair
UNB, Rangpur
Around 60 people were injured, 10 of them policemen, in a
clash over raffle draw at the trade fair at the District
Govt High School ground on Tuesday midnight.
The authorities closed the trade fair Tuesday with an
announcement that raffle draw would be held on the day but
prizes be given later on.
Hearing about the decision, people from different areas
started gathering on the fair premises.
"At one stage, they became agitated and set ablaze the
fair office and four stalls," says a spot account of the
arson attack.
The marauders also started looting goods from different
stalls, letting loose chaos. Trouble erupted at about 11pm
as police tried to prevent the unruly mob from plundering
the trade fair.
At least 60 people were injured during the
two-and-a-half-hour-long attack and counter-attack between
police and the rioting people. Later, police charged baton
to bring the situation under control.
They also arrested 18 persons, including the town unit
president of Swechchha-sebak League, Saidul Islam Alamgir.
Editorial
Killings by BSF
We
are constrained to write repeatedly on the atrocities of the
Indian Border Security Force (BSF) as it has assumed the shape
of a spectre and is showing its might by killing Bangladeshis
along the border. The killing spree of BSF on Bangladesh
border continues unabated despite India's repeated pledges to
stop such killings. In the latest incident, one more
Bangladeshi citizen was killed along Daulatpur border in
Benapole early Tuesday. With this four Bangladeshis were
killed by BSF in first 12 days of 2010 taking the total number
of deaths from January 1, 2009 to January 12, 2010 to 90. The
number of Bangladeshis killed by BSF during the nine years
period from January 1, 2000 to January 12, 2010 stands at 815.
BSF also injured 857 and abducted 897 Bangladeshis in the same
period.
The killings of unarmed Bangladeshis by the BSF on the border
are continuing in clear violation of the spirit of good
neighborliness as well as international law and despite
repeated pledges by the Indian authorities to stop it. In
every meeting between BSF and BDR and also between the higher
level officials of the two countries, the Indian side assures
that killing of Bangladeshis by its forces on the border would
come to an end immediately. But this pledge is seldom
implemented.
Indian BSF had pledged on many occasions to stop killings of
Bangladeshi citizens on the border. Such assurance was given
by BSF Chief Mahendra Lal Kumawat at a joint press briefing on
conclusion of the three-day high level BDR-BSF conference in
Dhaka on July 14 last year. Again, India assured Bangladesh of
exercising 'utmost restraint' when the issue of killing of
Bangladeshi civilians along the border was raised at the Delhi
talks in late September last. "There is no reason for
killing", Foreign Secretary Majarul Quayes told a press
briefing on September 22. He said "if any trespass occurred it
could be tackled in a different way. This cannot be addressed
by force or bullet".But the Indian side seems guided by whims
instead of reason, norms and international law. Worse still,
it shows utter disregard to its own oft-repeated commitments
relating to the killings of Bangladeshis on the border by the
BSF. It appears that BSF does not mean what it says and hence
it continues to kill Bangladeshis on the border.
According to statistics projected by human rights body 'Odhikar'
some 62 Bangladeshi civilians were killed by BSF during the
period from January 1 to 11 July last year. However, according
to the statistics maintained by The Bangladesh Today with the
latest killing of one Bangladeshi by BSF on December 12 the
number of killings of Bangladeshis by BSF stands at 90 from
January 1, 2009 to January 12, 2010. This is unfortunate and
unwarranted. India must be true to its words and the killings
of Bangladeshis by BSF must be stopped forthwith. The people
had expected that the issue would be discussed at the highest
level by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during her visit to
India. But there is no report that any thing fruitful has
taken place in this regard.
With the rest of the nation we are profoundly shocked and
aggrieved at the killings by BSF and we find no words strong
enough to condemn this atrocity. Although India speaks loudly
of friendly relations with its neighbors, it acts with a
tendency of hegemony. We strongly protest the killings by BSF
and urge the Indian government to behave properly if it really
wants good relations with neighbors. We like to remind India
that the BSF atrocities perpetrated on Bangladeshis is
unbecoming of a democratic country like India and are destined
to damage the relations between the two neighbors seriously.
Shackles of
foreign debt
Every
one is born free, but everyone in Bangladesh is now in
shackles of foreign debt. The Finance Minister Abul Mal Abdul
Muhit on Tuesday said that the foreign debt of each
Bangladeshi citizen is now $150 or Bangladeshi Taka 10500. The
per capita foreign debt is now 149.54 dollars, the minister
told parliament in reply to a question. The amount is based on
the population of 142.4 million in the 2007-08 financial year,
a figure provided by the Bureau of Statistics.
It is an open secret that the entire process of foreign
assistance is conditional. In order to get aid or loan, on
most occasions we have to surrender our national programmes
and priorities in the face of donors' pressure. According to
experts, after the independence about 68 percent of the total
foreign assistance has been spent for foreign machineries,
apparatus and other goods, 4 percent for foreign experts and 2
percent for other related sectors. In fact, the lion's share
of the aid and loan has gone back to donor countries in
different ways while the people of the country have been left
with a huge debt burden. And the debt burden and debt service
liability have created a serious situation in our economy.
Because, the aid and loan did not strengthen our economy,
enhance the production capacity and eradicate poverty or
illiteracy.
The inherent paradox is that we can not do without foreign
assistance which is falling now and we can not ensure the
desired national progress even when we get it. Since
independence huge assistance has come from abroad. But poverty
alleviation and economic stability still remain a distant
goal. Foreign assistance is very essential for a poor,
developing country, but is no panacea. And so, we shall have
to try sincerely to reduce dependence on foreign aid and loan,
mobilize domestic resources, create job opportunities,
increase production in the fields and the factories and boost
export for attaining self reliance.
Analysis
The Battle for Karachi
Rahman Malik's rhetoric simply camouflages a
glaring lack of ability, the man has a recurring penchant for
doing everything else but his own job.
Ikram Sehgal
The
Ashura Procession on the 10th of Moharram in Karachi was
odds-on favourite to be targetted, yet this was more than just
a terrorist attack. The deliberately motivated rioting that
engulfed the Boulton Market is extremely suspicious, the rush
to judgment to a "suicide bomber" was unprofessional. The
forensic investigation into the arson and looting in the
aftermath of the bomb explosion is yet not complete, the
reasons need to be uncovered from those arrested as they may
be far more complex. Prima facie this was collateral damage in
the battle for Karachi's turf raging between PPP and MQM.
The enormity of the security task covering the entire route
notwithstanding, the time gap between the explosion and
remedial reaction thereof highlights a failure in law
enforcement at the highest levels of leadership. Everyone and
his uncle was braced that something would likely happen, the
lack of adequate and easily available reserves and the
systemic breakdown of command communication is unacceptable.
The enthusiastic dumping of blame on each other was pathetic,
everyone responsible in any way for security on that day was
culpable for sheer dereliction of duty. Rahman Malik's
rhetoric simply camouflages a glaring lack of ability, the man
has a recurring penchant for doing everything else but his own
job. There were experienced and able law enforcement officials
on or near the spot, why did they freeze on the job? Hampered
by political intercession, in the face of looming disaster
they should still have done their bounden duty in enforcing
the laws of the land without hesitation, even if it meant
going against their political bosses.
The population of Karachi is best estimated about 15-16
million. The largest segment (approximate figures) of Mohajirs
(6 million plus new Sindhis) is followed by Pathans (3
million), Punjabis (2 million), Sindhs and Baloch about 2
million together. Immigrants from other areas include those of
Bangladesh origin (1.6 million), Afghan (0.3 million),
Iranians (0.1 million), Burmese (0.1 million) etc. On our
"winner take all" democracy, MQM has undeniably the right of
rule but must co-exist with ANP representing the second
largest Pakhtoon community. With a solid constituency in the
Sindhi/Baloch population of Lyari and Malir, and a large
following among the other communities, PPP must be part of the
city coalition. Spread geographically over the city, Punjabis
are divided politically, PPP garnering most of their support.
Ethnic tension between Pashtuns and Mohajirs has existed in
the city for decades. The Baloch, gang wars in Lyari because
of drug smuggling, narcotics peddling etc notwithstanding, are
relative newcomers to the overall city fracas. "Gutter Begiha",
is now a real focal point of contention. The MQM wants a
crackdown on the Pashtun population on the one hand and the
PPP's power base in Lyari on the other, the Federal Government
is stuck somewhere in between the need for MQM support and
satisfying the hard-core ethnic Baloch and Sindhis of the PPP.
Rahman Malik made an absurd statement about "non-state" actors
(more recently he referred to them as "gangsters") wanting to
create divide between the PPP and MQM when both are clearly
engaged in trying to gain ascendancy in Karachi. The PPP
hard-core are up in arms, literally and figuratively. Faced
with rebellion from within his own party the Federal Interior
Minister as usual went off on a tangent, threatening
"immigrants" in Karachi to leave the city within 30 days or
face deportation. Seeing that ethnic Pashtuns from Swat, other
districts of NWFP and FATA are all Pakistani citizens, one
wonders how anyone can justify deporting them? A vast majority
of Bangladeshis, Iranian, Burmese, etc, are legal, none has
ever been involved in a terrorist incident. At the rate of
1000 per day, deporting 1.6 million Bangladeshis will take
some doing, not 30 days but more like 3000, ie about 10 years.
Hopefully Rahman Malik will arrange to get back the stranded
Pakistanis (about 300000) back from Bangladesh!
The city Nazim of Karachi did not engage in rhetoric or get
bogged down by photo opportunities (photo-ops). A quick survey
showed 29 buildings affected, of different sizes they housed
29 different merchant associations, also of different sizes.
13 buildings were declared safe by the Karachi Building
Control Authority (KBCA), 16 had to be (or were already)
demolished. Mostafa Kamal got hold of all his contractors
engaged in road building, underpasses, overheads, water
pipelines, sewerage, etc for the past four years. On
"self-help" basis they pooled their resources to start work
immediately on the 13 buildings declared safe. The "Quetta
Market", housing 400 shops, was the largest of the 16 to be
demolished, the Nazim got the Association of Builders and
Developers (ABAD) to commit to its construction, again at
their cost. Within one week some renovated shops of the 13
buildings are already functioning, in another week all will
be! Without relying on govt or donated money, at least 40-45 %
of those affected by the man-made calamity will be humming
with business in less than 20 days since the disaster. Putting
people back on their feet to energise the economic cycle was
the first phase. That's a job very well done, Karachi
resilience at its very best!
The Rs 3 billion that the Federal Govt pledged alongwith Rs
500 million promised by the Sindh Govt is still somewhere on
its way, bureaucracy willing it may one day give relief to the
affectees. The American Business Council (ABC) has meantime
tapped US AID, which has immediately made US$ 12.5 million
available (ie Pak Rs 1 billion) to be disbursed through ABC on
an emergency basis after due verification of claimants. All
this recalls the spirit of Earthquake 2005, more importantly
the city coming together at the grassroots level to help its
own is extremely good for community morale. Mostafa Kamal can
have my solitary vote on a permanent basis, and I am not a
member of MQM, and am not likely to be of any political party!
Targetted killings are not new to Karachi, that they have
again surfaced after a distinct hiatus is a matter of great
concern. Don't we have enough on our hands because of
terrorism? Every time one sees reasons for hope in Karachi, we
become mired in another bout of violence, on the surface they
sometimes seem to have religious overtones, but mostly ethnic,
unfortunately the people of Karachi are dying because of the
resulting crossfire. The city confrontation has its basis in
mostly greed and the acquisition of power, the underlying
reality behind both is land. Militants among the MQM, ANP and
PPP are all armed to the teeth, they may well prevent this
vast metropolis from being economically and socially
emancipated as was the distinct hope because of the relative
peace and progress of the past few years.
Setting aside race, religion and/or political considerations
the real battle should not be for land but for the hearts and
minds of the populace. Instead of being left to pray for their
souls, PPP and MQM have to get their act together and take a
step back from the land craze driving their political
ambitions in the battle for Karachi.
Ikram Sehgal is an internationally renowned columnist and
the Editor of the Pakistan Defence Journal
From Orwell’s
World to Obama’s Oceania
The war is a fraud. Only the terminally gormless remain
true to the Obama brand of “world peace”.
John Pilger
In
Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell described a superstate
called Oceania, whose language of war inverted lies that
"passed into history and became truth.
'Who controls the past', ran the Party slogan, 'controls
the future: who controls the present controls the past'."
Barack Obama is the leader of a contemporary Oceania. In
two speeches at the close of the decade, the Nobel Peace
Prize winner affirmed that peace was no longer peace, but
rather a permanent war that "extends well beyond
Afghanistan and Pakistan" to "disorderly regions and
diffuse enemies".
He called this "global security" and invited our
gratitude. To the people of Afghanistan, which America has
invaded and occupied, he said wittily: "We have no
interest in occupying ?your country."
In Oceania, truth and lies are indivisible. According to
Obama, the American attack on Afghanistan in 2001 was
authorised by the United Nations Security Council. There
was no UN authority. He said the "the world" supported the
invasion in the wake of 9/11 when, in truth, all but three
of 37 countries surveyed by Gallup expressed overwhelming
opposition. He said that America invaded Afghanistan "only
after the Taleban refused to turn over [Osama] bin Laden".
In 2001, the Taleban tried three times to hand over bin
Laden for trial, reported Pakistan's military regime, and
were ignored. Even Obama's mystification of 9/11 as
justification for his war is false. More than two months
before the Twin Towers were attacked, the Pakistani
foreign minister, Niaz Naik, was told by the Bush
administration that an American military assault would
take place by mid-October.
The Taleban regime in Kabul, which the Clinton
administration had secretly supported, was no longer
regarded as "stable" enough to ensure America's control
over oil and gas pipelines to the Caspian Sea. It had to
go. Obama's most audacious lie is that Afghanistan today
is a "safe haven" for Al Qaeda's attacks on the West. His
own national security adviser, General James Jones, said
in October that there were "fewer than 100" Al Qaeda in
Afghanistan.
According to US intelligence, 90 per cent of the Taleban
are hardly Taleban at all, but "a tribal localised
insurgency [who] see themselves as opposing the US because
it is an occupying power". The war is a fraud. Only the
terminally gormless remain true to the Obama brand of
"world peace".
Beneath the surface, however, there is serious purpose.
Under the disturbing General Stanley McCrystal, who gained
distinction for his assassination squads in Iraq, the
occupation of one of the most impoverished countries is a
model for those "disorderly regions" of the world still
beyond Oceania's reach. This is a known as COIN, or
counter-insurgency network, which draws together the
military, aid organisations, psychologists,
anthropologists, the media and public relations hirelings.
Covered in jargon about winning hearts and minds, its aim
is to pit one ethnic group against another and incite
civil war: Tajiks and Uzbeks against Pashtuns.
The Americans did this in Iraq and destroyed a
multi-ethnic society. They bribed and built walls between
communities who had once inter-married, ethnically
cleansing the Sunni and driving millions out of the
country. The embedded media reported this as "peace", and
American academics bought by Washington and "security
experts" briefed by the Pentagon appeared on the BBC to
spread the good news. As in Nineteen Eighty-Four, the
opposite was true.
Something similar is planned for Afghanistan. People are
to be forced into "target areas" controlled by warlords
bankrolled by the Americans and the opium trade. That
these warlords are infamous for their barbarism is
irrelevant. "We can live with that," a Clinton-era
diplomat said of the persecution of women in a "stable"
Taleban-run Afghanistan. Favoured western relief agencies,
engineers and agricultural specialists will attend to the
"humanitarian crisis" and so "secure" the subjugated
tribal lands.
That is the theory. It worked after a fashion in
Yugoslavia where the ethnic-sectarian partition wiped out
a once peaceful society, but it failed in Vietnam where
the CIA's "strategic hamlet program" was designed to
corral and divide the southern population and so defeat
the Viet Cong - the Americans' catch-all term for the
resistance, similar to "Taleban".
Behind much of this are the Israelis, who have long
advised the Americans in both the Iraq and Afghanistan
adventures. Ethnic-cleansing, wall-building, checkpoints,
collective punishment and constant surveillance - these
are claimed as Israeli innovations that have succeeded in
stealing most of Palestine from its native people. And yet
for all their suffering, the Palestinians have not been
divided irrevocably and they endure as a nation against
all odds.
The most telling forerunners of the Obama Plan, which the
Nobel Peace Prize winner and his strange general and his
PR men prefer we forget, are those that failed in
Afghanistan itself. The British in the 19th century and
the Soviets in the 20th century attempted to conquer that
wild country by ethnic cleansing and were seen off, though
after terrible bloodshed. Imperial cemeteries are their
memorials. People power, sometimes baffling, often heroic,
remains the seed beneath the snow, and invaders fear it.
"It was curious," wrote Orwell in Nineteen Eighty-Four,
"to think that the sky was the same for everybody, in
Eurasia or Eastasia as well as here. And the people under
the sky were also very much the same, everywhere, all over
the world … people ignorant of one another's existence,
held apart by walls of hatred and lies, and yet almost
exactly the same people who … were storing up in their
hearts and bellies and muscles the power that would one
day overturn the world."
John Pilger is a journalist, author, and documentary
filmmaker based in London. Visit his blog at
www.johnpilger.com
Afghanistan
problem
S Ishfaq
The
international community's failure against the insurgency
in Afghanistan is breeding violence and instability in the
region. The US involvement in Afghanistan is pushing
radical elements across the border into Pakistan, and is
destabilising this nuclear-armed country. The US should
change its policy on the global war against terrorism and
try to bring peace by adopting a policy that must stress
on economic, educational, food, healthcare and security
assistance. Only the deployment of troops throughout
Afghanistan will not defeat Al-Qaeda or the Taliban.
India's participation in this global peace effort against
terror and extremism remains eyewash. Countless complaints
against Indian troops and intelligence operators in
Afghanistan substantiate the fact that there is an Indian
hand behind the recent troubles inside Balochistan and
FATA. It is an open secret now that the Balochistan
Liberation Army, a well-organised Kabul-based movement
inside Pakistan, receives monetary and other assistant
from Indian defence and intelligence circles.
It is astonishing that when stability in Afghanistan is
vital and the stakes high for the US and India, both
countries have implausible strategies and ideas. At this
critical juncture, the US direly needs to understand that
the military surge is not a solution to the Afghan
problem. Rather, it will add more violence and in turn
result in further influx of militants and refugees from
Afghanistan into Pakistan. On the other hand, India's
current Afghan policy is highly flawed and is hardly able
to deal with a wide range of hard security matters. It
requires a larger strategic vision, not a blueprint for
town and country planning for Afghanistan. The Indians are
intent on punishing Pakistan, without realising the
implications of their covert operations in Afghanistan.
They are in fact destabilising the whole region.
America and its western allies must know that in the
Afghan factor India is an unnatural partner whose
partnership will not last long. Their decision to make
India the regional boss is a farce. India has a history of
meddling in the internal affairs of neighbouring states
and supporting dissident elements there to create chaos.
India is doing the same in Afghanistan in the name of
reconstruction and development. It is supporting and
financing the Taliban to unleash terror in Pakistan, but
India forgets that by doing so it is actually making
itself more vulnerable to terrorism.
Just like every group which was created and supported by
India eventually turned against it, such as the Nepali
Maoists and Sri Lankan Tamils. Nowadays Nepali Maoist
claims to support Indian Maoists, who are the biggest
internal security problem of India. And the Tamils, who
had been supported by the Indian Congress, later
assassinated Rajiv Gandhi. Similarly, the possibility
cannot be ruled out that one day these Indian-supported
fake Taliban will turn their guns on India. It is crystal
clear that Afghanistan is slipping away from the US and
NATO and billions of dollars and sacrifices of young
Americans are being wasted in Afghanistan because of
Indian help to the Taliban.
Afghanistan needs development, not troops. The past eight
years have shown that foreign forces equipped with modern
weaponry could not establish their control beyond Kabul.
The Americans could have learned from the British, who
avoided direct control of the tribal areas after assessing
that the people of the tribal belt cannot be tamed or
subjugated. Thus, in those times too Afghanistan was used
as a buffer zone. Since force is not a solution to any
problem, the US and its allies must adopt a developmental
approach and also ask India to stop its anti-peace
activities at once. Or else, Afghanistan will prove to be
another Vietnam for America.
Viewpoints
India’s Military Doctrine
The notion
of limited war will push the subcontinent on to a slippery
slope and heighten the danger of escalation.
Dr Maleeha Lodhi
In
remarks reported last week, the Indian army chief General
Deepak Kapoor reaffirmed that India was evolving a new
military doctrine and he outlined some of its key elements.
The changes in the strategic environment held out by this
pronouncement have significant implications for Pakistan and
should give the country's security managers much food for
thought. In November 2009, Indian army chief spoke of the
likelihood of a limited war "under a nuclear overhang" in the
subcontinent. His latest remarks go further to indicate that
first, the Indian army is revising its five-year old doctrine
to meet the challenge of war with China and Pakistan. Second,
the development of the 'cold start' strategy is progressing
"successfully".
Five 'thrust areas' will determine the new doctrine: (1)
Dealing with the eventuality of a "two-front" war. (2)
Countering "both military and non military facets of
asymmetric and sub-conventional threats."(3)Enhancing
"strategic reach and out-of-area capabilities" to protect
India's interests from the Persian Gulf to the Malacca Strait.
(4) Attaining "operational synergy" between the three
services.(5) Achieving a technological edge ?over adversaries.
The emerging doctrine appears to be both aspirational and
emulative. Aspirational because its breadth and sweep reflects
a mindset that seeks to create 'big power' dynamics by
projecting India as a rival to China and aiming to develop a
capacity to act in two combat theatres simultaneously. How and
whether this can actually be attained is another matter. The
doctrine also emulates the US Pentagon's Quadrennial Defense
Review undertaken every four years and borrows superpower
language to assert the need to build "out of area"
capabilities and acquire "strategic reach". This is the most
presumptuous tenet of the doctrine which employs the idiom of
big powers without however the capability to back it. It
raises other questions. What exactly are the interests that
these capabilities are intended to defend? Protecting the
littoral states of the Indian Ocean against whom? Will the
pursuit of "strategic reach" not run up against the strategic
interests of other powers in the Arabian Gulf?
For Pakistan several aspects of the doctrine have serious
implications that need to be assessed. The 'cold start'
doctrine seeks to counter the Pakistani argument that however
'limited' a war is not possible between two nuclear weapon
states - an argument that was validated by the 2001-02
military standoff between the neighbours. First announced in
2004, after the failure of India's coercive diplomacy and
military mobilisation (Operation Parakram) of 2001-02, the
doctrine tries to build the case that India does have a
war-fighting option - 'cold start' under a WMD overhead. This
seeks to convey to Pakistan and the world that the capability
being developed to wage 'limited war' will enable India to
operationalise its forces within 96 hours to strike against
Pakistan without crossing the nuclear threshold.
The concept of limited war in the 'cold start' strategy is
dangerous strategic thinking. As Pakistan army chief General
Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has pointed out proponents of the use of
conventional force in "a nuclear overhang" are charting a
course of dangerous adventurism whose consequences can be both
unintended and uncontrollable. The notion of limited war will
push the subcontinent on to a slippery slope and heighten the
danger of escalation. India's strategy aims to achieve
surprise and speed in a conventional strike against Pakistan.
It overlooks the fact that in a crisis the nuclear threshold
will be indeterminate. The threshold cannot be wished away by
speed in mobilisation.
In fact, the shorter the duration needed for a mobilisation
the greater the risk of escalation and the likely lowering of
Pakistan's nuclear red lines. The long fuse in a crisis
provided by the time required for assembly and deployment of
forces has so far helped to avoid a catastrophic war. If
operationalised the 'cold start' doctrine will force Pakistan
to reevaluate its policy of keeping its nuclear arsenal in
"separated" form and move towards placing its strategic
capability in a higher state of readiness, including mating
warheads to delivery systems. The action-reaction cycle will
move the subcontinent to a perilous state of hair-trigger
alert.
Similarly, destabilising would be the espoused goal to secure
a "technological edge" by India's effort to acquire a missile
defense shield and build its PAD (Prithvi air defence)
capabilities. India may feel that the acquisition of
anti-ballistic missile (ABM) systems will give it the
capability to neutralise Pakistan's missile capabilities. This
would be a dangerous presumption.
The deployment of Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) capabilities
is likely to enhance fears that an offensive preemptive
strike, conventional or nuclear, could be undertaken behind
the BMD shield. This would enhance the incentive for Pakistan
to multiply the numbers of missiles and increase operational
readiness to avoid the destruction of these assets in a
preemptive strike. Pakistan will likely be obliged to take a
series of other counter measures to break through the BMD
system. This is a recipe for a costly and unnecessary arms
race. A much better option is to pursue the strategic
stability regime offered by Islamabad to Delhi that would
stabilise nuclear deterrence by, among other steps, the mutual
commitment not to develop or induct BMD systems into the
region. But this does not seem to fit in with India's
ambitions.
As for the 'threat from China', the Cold war-like language of
the Indian doctrine seems out of sync with the times. It
indicates Delhi's continuing desire to play the role of a
balancer or strategic counterweight to China and employ its
burgeoning relationship with Washington to counteract
Beijing's rising influence.
Unlike its predecessor, the Obama administration seems not to
buy into fanciful schemes to contain China by promoting
countervailing power centres. Instead it is more interested in
deepening the engagement with Beijing in an era being referred
to as the G2 partnership, an alliance of overlapping US and
Chinese interests. The Indian doctrine seems to overreach in
seeking a capability to deal with a two-front war. This
becomes even more apparent when seen from the perspective of
the experience of the world's most powerful military. The US
has been struggling to simultaneously pursue two protracted
wars.
It is therefore rather rich for Delhi to claim that it can
acquire the capability to deal simultaneously with two fronts
and that too against two nuclear powers. This is reckless
translation of rhetoric into doctrine. Once the full
dimensions of India's military doctrine have been evaluated
Islamabad will need to review its own options and reassess its
operational plans and assumptions. Its strategic calculations
should entail a careful reading of Indian capabilities and
intentions while also making a distinction between ambition
and reality. General Kapoor's doctrine is one more reason why
Pakistan cannot ignore the more enduring challenge to its
security even as it confronts the urgent internal threat posed
by terrorism and militancy.
Maleeha Lodhi served as Pakistan's ambassador to the United
States and the United Kingdom.
An odyssey
for justice
The valiant
peace warriors of Viva Palestina have truly set new
standards for how far a peace and justice activist is
willing to go to back up his/her words with actions.
Ramzy Baroud
The
recent actions of people from around the world in support
of the Palestinian people in Gaza have arguably
represented the closest manifestation of international
solidarity since the International Brigades against
fascism during the Spanish Civil War. A bold assertion?
Admittedly, I may not be as in tune with reality as I
should be. Born and raised in a Gaza refugee camp where
most refugees felt that no one cared about their plight,
it was easy to believe that nothing could possibly break
away from the ever tenuous and redundant stances by Arab
and other countries - whose acts of solidarity went no
further than hollow words of condemnation. The recent
noble stances by activists from all over the world
therefore seem like an unprecedented act of solidarity
which, dare I believe, indicates the direct mass
involvement of civil society as a real party in the
ongoing Palestinian struggle for political and human
rights.
During the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), when various
European powers were turning blind eye to the atrocities
committed in Spain, almost 40,000 men and women,
representing 52 countries, made the decision to fight
fascism. The global consciousness culminating in such a
direct, unprecedented action was absolutely baffling
considering the lack of powerful communication technology
available at the time.
The 2,800 American volunteers included a black man -
Canute Frankson - who was a member of the Abraham Lincoln
Brigade. He wrote to a friend from Madrid in 1937: "Why am
I, a Negro who have fought through these years for the
rights of my people, here in Spain today? Because we are
no longer an isolated minority group fighting hopelessly
against an immense giant. Because ... we have joined with,
and become an active part of, a great progressive force,
on whose shoulders rest the responsibility of saving human
civilization from the planned destruction of a small group
of degenerates ... Because if we crush fascism here we'll
save our people in America, and in other parts of the
world from the vicious persecution, wholesale
imprisonment, and slaughter which the Jewish people
suffered and are suffering under Hitler's fascist heels."
How pertinent these words are, as one reads with
anxiousness, pride and exhilaration the notes and messages
that have come in from Cairo, El Arish and Gaza. They
convey the support of countless people, who have
demonstrated with blood and tears their commitment to
humanity in Palestine, and indeed everywhere.
The Gaza Freedom March, a coalition of several groups,
consisted of 1,362 activists from more than 40 countries
who were on a mission to cross to Gaza and, along with
Israeli, Palestinian and international peace activists, to
march simultaneously to the Israeli Erez checkpoint. That
border point, along with a few others, has completely cut
off Palestinians in Gaza from the outside world, leaving
1.5 million people in a frightening state of siege. Gaza
has been embroiled in the world's worst humanitarian
catastrophe for years due to the Palestinian people's
exercise of their democratic rights. The people of Gaza
have endured one-sided wars, and have been left to exist
in a state of near starvation.
The valiant peace warriors of Viva Palestina have truly
set new standards for how far a peace and justice activist
is willing to go to back up his/her words with actions.
Many millions around the world watched - despite the
mainstream media's shameless disregard of the unfolding
drama - as nearly 500 activists and their 200 vehicles,
laden with badly needed medical supplies for besieged
Gaza, took off on a historic odyssey to break the siege.
Just as they neared Gaza, they were forced by the Egyptian
government to backtrack due to a technicality, and then
began an arduous journey across the desert and sea and
several countries. And as they approached Gaza again, in
the Egyptian port of El Arish, they were blocked and
dozens were left injured.
The Gaza Freedom March was similarly met with
intimidation, assaults and violence.
These are not Palestinians, but internationals. From
Malaysia to South Africa, from the UK to the US, men,
women, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, people of different
cultural and political backgrounds showed themselves as
unified in their belief in justice and human rights. While
Palestine has always enjoyed universal solidarity, with
many fearless activists - who can forget Rachel Corrie? -
a collective action of this magnitude and of this level of
commitment is a new addition to a conflict that has been
reduced over time to that of beleaguered Palestinians and
a militarily powerful Israel.
The Gaza Freedom March, Viva Palestina, the Free Gaza
Movement, and others are redefining the conventional
discourse pertaining to the Middle East's most intricate
and protracted conflict. Civil society is not a group of
NGOs to be strategically funded and manipulated by Western
governments, but encompasses powerful, self-assured and
truly representative communities from all over the world;
people can be united beyond religion and ideology, and
collectively cross continents, seas and deserts to put
their beliefs into action.
The activists' ability to overcome the shameful silence of
the mainstream media also highlights the importance of
alternative media as the single most important tool in
achieving camaraderie. "Throughout the Gaza Freedom March
presence in Cairo, our brothers and sisters from the South
African delegation dynamically articulated the connections
between injuries that indigenous Africans suffered under
the white supremacist regime in Pretoria and the
inequalities that Palestinians now face at the hands of
the Israeli government," wrote Joshua Brollier, a
co-coordinator for Voices For Creative Non-Violence, in
the Palestine Chronicle.
Many heroes and heroines emerged from the activists'
action-packed journey to Gaza. Hedy Epstein, an
85-year-old Holocaust survivor whose parents both perished
in Auschwitz, deserves a special mention. She went on a
hunger strike when she, along with many others were
blocked from entering Gaza. Epstein didn't stand in
solidarity with the Palestinians despite the Holocaust,
but because of the Holocaust. Similarly many activists
drew their solidarity from their specific experiences and
have fought for democracy and justice back at home.
Maybe I am in tune with reality after all. Maybe the words
and actions of our African America hero Canute Frankson
weren't in vain. Maybe the quest for justice can in fact
cross all physical and psychological boundaries. One thing
is for sure, though. Gaza is not alone; in fact, it never
was.
Ramzy Baroud is a columnist and the editor of
PalestineChronicle.com; ramzybaroud@hotmail.com
Job crisis in the Arab world
The region entered the new decade already carrying a heavy
burden of high unemployment and massive poverty, a
solution for which is long overdue.
Jumana Al Tamimi
Many
believe in making new resolutions in the new year. They do
so willingly and happily.
But apparently there are others who only make critical
decisions when forced to do so by circumstance. Among
those in this category, it seems, are Arab countries.
The Arab region entered the new decade already carrying a
heavy burden - high unemployment and massive poverty.
It is becoming clear that both problems are no longer
issues that can be put on hold. Although unemployment is a
global problem, it takes a more acute form in the Arab
region. Some argue that Arab countries have already taken
too long in discussing how to tackle unemployment. They
were supposed to be already engaged in the implementation
of a plan of action, as these are old and long-known
problems.
At the same time, some analysts and economic experts say
the solution rests in dealing with the problem from a
wider prism rather than from an individual perspective.
"It [unemployment] should be looked at from a purely
nationalistic perspective, and not a regional one," Fat'hi
Al Arouri, a Jordanian professor of demography and
manpower planning, said. "There should be a central [Arab]
committee specially to deal with unemployment and
coordinate among Arab countries," he added.
Common problem
Unemployment, he says, is a common problem among all Arab
states, although with variations. While it is lowest in
rich countries such as the oil and gas producing Gulf
states, it reaches higher levels in less wealthy nations,
or countries with lower incomes, such as Egypt, Jordan and
Syria.
According to a report titled Development Challenges for
the Arab Region: a Human Development Approach,
unemployment among youths in Arab countries is "the
highest in the world".
The situation is only going to get worse unless action is
taken. Arab countries must provide 51 million new jobs
over the next 10 years, according to a report by the
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Arab
League.
The required millions of job opportunities are not
expected to reduce the high unemployment rate, but rather
will "contribute to preventing its increase and
maintaining it at current levels until 2020," said the
report, which was released late last year.
The report goes on to say that "the proportion of young
people of the total unemployed population is more than 50
per cent for most Arab countries."
At the same time, nearly 40 per cent of Arabs, about 140
million people, live below the poverty line. As poverty
goes hand in hand with unemployment, economists say a
rapid Arab unified strategy aimed at controlling
spiralling unemployment rates is needed.
"Attracting investments should be the core of such a
strategy," Al Arouri said.
"It is supposed that each country should work on directing
these investments towards the most productive sectors in
that country's economy."
Again, even the economic productive sectors differ from
country to country, economists say. Therefore, diversity
is required, and it will not necessarily be the same
sectors that produce job opportunities among the Arab
countries.
The agricultural sector has great potential for some
countries, including Egypt, which has nearly a quarter of
the Arab population. The industrial sector, including
petrochemical and manufacturing industries, has a
promising future in other countries, such as Saudi Arabia.
Other countries including the UAE excel in the field of
the travel trade. And while tourism constitutes a backbone
for some Arab countries, like Lebanon, other countries,
including Jordan, stand out in students graduating in
certain fields including nursing and IT studies.
But Arab countries face the issue of choosing between
labour intensive projects and capital intensive projects.
Labour intensive projects are capable of creating more
jobs, but will limit the technological advancement of the
Arab world, making it incapable of competition in
international markets, which creates a marketing problem.
On the other hand, capital intensive projects have high
costs but help increase competitiveness in the market
place. However, they do not create job opportunities in
the short term. Instead, they accelerate the economy's
wheel, which in turn will create more jobs in the future.
Meanwhile, strategies to deal with unemployment among the
young lies in improving the quality of education in Arab
countries, which need to tailor the skills of these young
graduates to match the needs of the market.
Developing the private sector, improving domestic labour
market institutions, achieving a stable macroeconomic
environment and sustained high economic growth rates are
also among the main goals of any strategy to deal with
unemployment and eradicating poverty.
Brain drain
Furthermore, achieving high and sustainable rates of Gross
Domestic Product (GDP) are also needed in the medium and
long term to allow governments to increase public
expenditure on health, education and other basic social
services. Poor labour conditions in some places have
created another employment problem, where people are
employed but not productive.
Researchers noted during a conference on Arab development
held late last year in Dubai that some Arab countries also
face a serious "brain drain" as many young educated people
leave their home countries due to a lack of career
opportunities.
"Money alone is not enough to improve the product of the
education sector in the Arab countries," said Dr Ziad
Abdullah Al Drees, permanent delegate of Saudi Arabia to
Unesco (United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organisation.)
"We should pay more attention to the quality of offered
programmes and the cadre supervising the development of
the education programmes to assure us that our education
is fine."
International
NCA takes serious
view of Indian statement; describes it reflective of
‘hegemonic mindset’
APP, Islamabad
The National Command Authority (NCA) of Pakistan on
Wednesday took a serious view of recent Indian statements
to conduct conventional military strikes under a nuclear
umbrella, saying these reflected a "hegemonic
mindset."Vowing not to compromise on its security
interests the NCA said "such irresponsible statements
reflected a hegemonic mindset, oblivious of dangerous
implications of adventurism in a nuclearized context."
The National Command Authority (NCA) that met here to
review matters of strategic importance to Pakistan was the
first, chaired by Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani
since he assumed command of the authority President Asif
Ali Zardari divested himself of the powers of Chairman
National Command Authority on Dec 27 and transferred the
powers of Chairman to the Prime Minister, through
repromulgation and amendment of the National Command
Authority Ordinance, 2009.
The NCA noted the India-specific exemption made by the
Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and subsequent nuclear fuel
supply agreements with several countries saying it would
enable India to produce substantial quantities of fissile
material for nuclear weapons by freeing up its domestic
resources, a statement issued after the meeting said.
"While continuing to act with responsibility and avoiding
an arms race, Pakistan will not compromise on its security
interests, the imperative of maintaining a credible
minimum deterrence, the NCA reiterated.
The authority expressed satisfaction on the safety and
security of Pakistan's strategic assets and the
effectiveness of THE country's strategic deterrence.
The NCA reaffirmed Pakistan's policy of restraint and
responsibility and its resolve to continue efforts to
promote peace and stability in South Asia. It underscored
the need for prevention of conflict and avoidance of
nuclear and conventional arms race in the region.
The NCA took note of the developments detrimental to the
objectives of strategic stability in the region. It
observed that instead of responding positively to
Pakistan's proposal for a Strategic Restraint Regime in
South Asia, India continues to pursue an ambitious
militarization programme and offensive military doctrines.
"Massive inductions of advanced weapon systems, including
installation of ABMs, build-up of nuclear arsenal and
delivery systems through ongoing and new programmes,
assisted by some external quarters, offensive doctrines
like "Cold Start" and similar accumulations in the
conventional realm, tend to destabilize the regional
balance," the statement released from the PM House said.
"This relentless pursuit of military preponderance will
have severe consequences for peace and security in South
Asia as well as for the Indian Ocean region, the statement
noted and pointed that "Pakistan cannot be oblivious to
these developments."
US envoy tries to calm
tensions with Pakistan
AFP, Islamabad
Visiting US envoy Richard Holbrooke tried to calm tensions
with Pakistan on Wednesday, with Islamabad bristling at
increased US drone strikes in the northwest and new air
passenger screening measures.
Washington has put Pakistan at the heart of its fight
against Islamist extremists and US officials say success
in the war against the Taliban in neighbouring Afghanistan
cannot succeed without Islamabad's support.
But the US drone missile programme in Pakistan's lawless
northwest tribal belt along the Afghan border fuels
anti-American sentiment in the Muslim nation, with six
such strikes hitting the area so far this year.
"People are worried that we see Pakistan only in a
regional context, let me assure all our listeners here
that that is simply not the case," Holbrooke, the top US
troubleshooter for Pakistan and Afghanistan, told
reporters.
"Relations between the United States and Pakistan are
better today than they were a year ago. On the other hand
there are some obvious and very public issues between the
two countries. That's natural. Friends can disagree."
Speaking at the same press conference, Pakistan's foreign
minister again raised concerns about the drone strikes,
which have killed nearly 700 people in Pakistan since
August 2008, and which Islamabad publicly condemns.
"Pakistan feels it will undermine our relations if there
are drone attacks," Shah Mehmood Qureshi said, also
querying new US air travel procedures launched after a
failed bomb plot on Christmas Day.
The US has introduced extra security screening for
citizens travelling to the US from 14 nations including
Pakistan after a Nigerian tried to bring down a Northwest
Airlines flight by detonating explosives hidden in his
underwear.
UN says Afghan civilian
deaths rose in 2009
BBC Online
Civilian casualties in Afghanistan rose by 14% in 2009
compared with 2008, the UN Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA)
has reported.
It said that the "vast majority" of the deaths were caused
by Taliban attacks.
The rise makes 2009 the worst year for Afghan civilians
since the war began when the Taliban were overthrown in a
US-led invasion in late 2001.
The UNAMA says that there were 2,412 civilians killed in
2009 compared with 2,118 killed in 2008.
"The intensification and spread of the armed conflict in
Afghanistan continued to take a heavy toll on civilians
throughout 2009," the report said.
Civilian casualties are a sensitive subject in
Afghanistan, with US forces frequently accused of killing
non-combatants in airstrikes.
The UN report said that deaths attributed to allied forces
dropped by nearly 30% in 2009 - a statistic which
correspondents say will be welcomed by the US military.
'Reducing risk'
In recent months it has made repeated assurances to the
Afghan government that it will lower civilian casualties
as part of it key goal of gaining support on the ground
among Afghan people.
"This decrease reflects measures taken by international
military forces to conduct operations in a manner that
reduces the risk posed to civilians," the UNAMA report
said.
But it said that violence throughout 2009 was unrelenting,
defying the usual winter lull.
Obama wants $33 b more for
war expenses
AP/ UNB,
Washington
The Obama administration plans to ask Congress for an
additional $33 billion to fight unpopular wars in
Afghanistan and Iraq on top of a record request for $708
billion for the Defense Department next year, The
Associated Press has learned.
The administration also plans to tell Congress next month
that its central military objectives for the next four
years will include winning the current wars while
preventing new ones, and its core missions will include
both counterinsurgency and counterterror operations.
The administration's Quadrennial Defense Review, the main
articulation of U.S. military doctrine, is due in Congress
on Feb. 1. Top military commanders were briefed on the
document at the Pentagon on Monday and Tuesday. They also
received a preview of the administration's budget plans
through 2015.
The four-year review outlines six crucial mission areas
and spells out capabilities and goals the Pentagon wants
to develop. The pilotless drones used for surveillance and
attack missions in Afghanistan and Pakistan are a
priority, with a goal of speeding up the purchase of new
Reaper drones and expansion of Predator and Reaper drone
flights through 2013.
The extra $33 billion in 2010 would go mostly toward
expansion of the war in Afghanistan. Obama ordered an
extra 30,000 troops for that war as part of an overhaul of
the war strategy late last year. The request for that
additional funding will be sent to Congress at the same
time as the record spending request for next year, making
financing the war an especially difficult pill for some of
Obama's Democratic allies to swallow. Military officials
have suggested that the 2011 request would top $700
billion for the first time, but the precise figure has not
been made public.
Philippines massacre
victims ‘for lives’
BBC Online
The first witness to testify against the chief suspect in
a massacre in the southern Philippines has described how
he saw victims beg for their lives.
Ampatuan town Vice-Mayor Rasul Sangki said he had seen
Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr shoot people at close range.
Mr Ampatuan denies multiple charges of murder over the
attack, which killed members of a rival political family,
as well as reporters travelling with them.
Mr Sangki said Mr Ampatuan asked him to keep quiet about
what he had seen.
The national police headquarters in Manila, where the
trial is being held, was under heavy security as Mr
Ampatuan was escorted in.
The bodies of 57 people were found in a mass grave in a
secluded mountainous part of Maguindanao last November.
Some had been brutalised - many of them were women.
Among the victims was the wife of a rival political family
member, Toto Mangudadatu. She had been on her way to file
his candidacy papers for a local election, with 30
journalists and media workers.
Mr Sangki said a roadblock had been set up, the victims
loaded on to a lorry at gunpoint and taken to a
mountainside, where they had been killed by Mr Ampatuan
and his men.
According to the BBC's Asia correspondent, Alastair
Leithead, it was an act of violence that profoundly
shocked people - even in an area of the country used to
executions and killings by rival groups.
Armed militia acting like private armies are common in
Maguindanao, where family rivalries and overlapping
insurgencies make for a complex picture of violent
clashes, our correspondent says.
Sri Lanka election violence
escalates after killing
AFP, Colombo
Sri Lankan police Wednesday broke up clashes between
political activists as violence linked to looming
presidential polls escalated after gunmen shot dead an
opposition party worker.
Tear-gas was fired to disperse thousands of party workers
in the eastern town of Polonnaruwa, local officials said
by telephone.
About 3,000 opposition supporters destroyed a ruling party
office in the town after posters of their favoured
presidential candidate, Sarath Fonseka, were destroyed
overnight, a police official said. "It was a mini-war
between rival groups," said the official, who declined to
be named. At least five people were seriously wounded in
the clashes.
The violence came as the government vowed to step up
security in the run up to the January 26 election at which
President Mahinda Raj-apakse is seeking re-election.
Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe accused Rajapakse's
People's Alliance of inciting violence and using
intimidation to swing voters.
"People linked to the government were behind yesterday's
killing," Wickremesinghe told reporters in Colombo.
Opposition activist Kusuma Kuruppuarachchi, 60, was gunned
down Tuesday as she was travelling in a bus to attend
Fonseka's election rally in the southern town of Hungama.
Local politician Mangala Samaraweera said the victim had
been warned several times by ruling party activists
against campaigning for Fonseka in an area which is
considered Rajapakse's home constituency.
Russia to lease nuclear
submarine to India for decade
Xinhua, Moscow
Russia will lease a multifunctional nuclear submarine to
India for a decade in the second half of this year, the
Itar-Tass news agency reported Tuesday, quoting a Russian
Defense Ministry official.
The Nerpa nuclear submarine, which successfully concluded
tests last December, will be handed over to India this
summer or autumn, the unidentified official told Itar-Tass.
The official said Indian crew would come to Russia's
military base near the far eastern port of Vladivostok to
take the Nerpa on trial. "After the signing of an act of
acceptance, the Nerpa will head for India," the source
said.
Mikhail Dmitriev, director of the Federal Service of
Military and Technical Cooperation, said in December 2008
that Russia might lease a nuclear submarine to India for
10 years.
The Nerpa, one of Russia's newest nuclear-powered
submarines, had an accident during trials in the Sea of
Japan in November 2008,killing 20 people and injuring 21
others. The submarine passed successfully several rounds
of tests and was transferred to the Russian navy on Dec.
28, 2009.
Iran
knew Israel, US planned ‘terrorist acts’ : Speaker
Reuters, Tehran
Iran received information days ago that Israeli and U.S.
intelligence intended to carry out terrorist acts in
Tehran, its parliament speaker said on Wednesday, after
the killing of a university scientist.
Washington has rejected Iran's allegations of U.S.
involvement in Tuesday's bombing that killed professor
Massoud Ali-Mohammadi near his home in the Iranian capital
as absurd.
Iranian officials and state media described the slain man
as a nuclear scientist, but a spokesman said he did not
work for the Atomic Energy Organisation at the centre of
Iran's disputed nuclear programme.
Iran's influential parliament speaker, Ali Larijani, said
a U.S.-based pro-monarchy group had claimed responsibility
for the attack, adding it was controlled by the CIA.
Iran's Fars News Agency on Tuesday said such an exile
group had claimed the bombing in a statement, without
saying how it obtained it.
"An American-based monarchy group ... claimed
responsibility for this terrorist act," Larijani said, the
state broadcaster reported. "Maybe the CIA and the Zionist
regime (Israel) thought they can mislead us with such an
absurd statement."
"We had clear information several days ago that the
intelligence apparatus of the Zionist regime and the CIA
wanted to implement terrorist acts in Tehran," he said.
Using such a "rootless group" as a cover was a new
"disgrace" for U.S. President Barack Obama, Larijani said.
"Why do you host this terrorist group in America?" he
asked.
Saudi troops retake village
from Yemen Houthi rebels
BBC Online
Saudi troops have regained control of a border village
occupied by Yemeni Shia rebels since November, the
kingdom's deputy defence minister has said.
Prince Khaled bin Sultan told state TV that four Saudi
soldiers and "hundreds" of rebels were killed in the
clashes.
He said the overall death toll of Saudi soldiers in the
border conflict with Yemen's Houthi rebels now stood at
82.
Riyadh began operations against the rebels in November
after a Saudi soldier was killed along the border.
Regional threat
Prince Khaled bin Sultan said Yemeni rebels had "inflicted
upon themselves hundreds of deaths" in the border village
of al-Jabiri after ignoring a 48-hour deadline to quit
their positions, the Reuters news agency reports.
"The infiltrators have been eliminated from al-Jabiri and
the whole district has been taken under control," he told
state-owned al-Ekhbariya television, adding that 21 Saudi
soldiers were missing.
The rebels have repeatedly accused Saudi forces of
targeting their villages and killing civilians, but Riyadh
says its military operations have been confined to Saudi
territory.
While the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis
began recently, fighting between the rebels from the
minority Shia Zaidi sect and the Yemeni government has
occurred sporadically since 2004.
The rebels accuse the government of social, economic and
religious marginalisation.
Also on Tuesday, Yemen's interior ministry said Yemeni
forces killed at least 19 rebels in the northern city of
Saada and arrested another 20.
Suicide blast kills seven
in Iraq’s Anbar
Internet
A suicide bomber blew up a truck near a police station in
Iraq's western Anbar province on Wednesday, killing seven
people and wounding six, police said.
The bomber struck in the centre of the town of Saqlawiya,
just north of Falluja, 50 km west of Baghdad. A water
tanker truck exploded near the gates of the police
station, near a municipal government building, police
spokesman Mohammed Jassim said.
Two of those killed and four of the wounded were police
officers and the rest were civilians, police said.
Authorities immediately imposed a curfew on the town.
Anbar, Iraq's Sunni Arab heartland, has been struck by a
series of deadly attacks in recent weeks.
A string of bombs exploded in the town of Hit six days
ago, killing seven people. The explosives were planted at
night at the home of an Iraqi army anti-terrorist
commander and others.
Suicide bombers killed more than two dozen people in
Ramadi on December 30, in attacks that targeted Anbar's
governor, Qassim Mohammed, who was seriously wounded.
Meanwhile, Iraqi security forces detained 25 insurgent
suspects and seized explosives and mortar bombs during
massive operations in Baghdad early on Tuesday, a military
spokesman said.
Qassim Atta, spokesman for Baghdad Operations Command,
said in a statement that his troops confiscated 200 kg of
C4 explosives, 200 kg of TNT, 60 mortar rounds and some
250 litre of ammonium nitrate which is used for making
bombs during the search operations conducted early Tuesday
morning.
Tense relations with Egypt
threaten Hamas’s Gaza lifeline
AFP, Gaza City
The construction of a new underground wall and recent
border clashes have frayed relations between Hamas and
Egypt and could threaten the Islamist movement's main
lifeline in Gaza, analysts say.
Since Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007 it has relied on
smuggling tunnels under the border with Egypt to defy
Israeli sanctions and its leaders have used frequent trips
to Cairo to escape international isolation.
But the group's refusal to sign a reconciliation agreement
with its secular Fatah rivals or agree to a prisoner swap
with Israel through Egyptian mediation now appear to be
endangering relations.
After years of largely ignoring the tunnel smuggling-which
primarily brings in much-needed household goods but is
also used by Hamas to import weapons and money-Egypt has
begun building a massive underground wall.
"Egypt decided to build the steel wall in order to punish
Hamas, which irritated Cairo by refusing to sign the
reconciliation agreement," says Emad Gad of Cairo's Al-Ahram
Centre for Political and Strategic Studies.
"From now on, Hamas is in a tight spot. It is under a full
blockade, the tunnels used to smuggle funding from Iran
will be shut down and the population will only have the
bare minimum needed to survive," he adds.
Until now Egypt has been Hamas's primary diplomatic
intermediary and key to its plan to one day permanently
reopen the Rafah border crossing, the only Gaza terminal
not controlled by Israel.
Radical Muslim cleric
deported from France talks to FRANCE24
France24
Watch FRANCE 24's exclusive interview with Ali Ibrahim el-Soudany,
the radical Muslim cleric who was deported from France to
Egypt on Thursday for religious extremism and inciting his
followers to rise up against the West.
Ali Ibrahim el-Soudany, a Muslim preacher, was deported
from France to Egypt last week for inciting followers in
Paris area mosques to rise up against the West, according
to government officials. FRANCE24 spoke exclusively to the
iman, and he defended himself vehemently against the
charges.
Al-Soudany told FRANCE24, "We have never opposed the
West,"
However, Brice Hortefeux - France's interior minister for
overseas territories - who made the emergency expulsion
order, branded Al-Soudany a "dangerous individual".
The French authorities claim his speeches, delivered at a
mosque in the suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis, were often
laced with hate and incited violence non-Muslims.
The self-declared Imam said, "I lived in the West for
several years. My wife was born in the West and I married
her there! What's happened is not fair. It's already
happened to other Imams and it's not fair. What right do
they have to deprive a woman of her husband? What right to
stop someone from speaking freely? I hope I'll go back and
that justice will prevail."
However, at the time of the deportation order, Hortefeux
said the cleric "showed contempt for our society's
values." Furthermore, an official close to the case said
that French security agencies had been tracking Sudani
since 2008 and found his Jihadist teachings to be "quite
hardline."
Al-Soudany's deportation comes at a sensitive time for
international security after the failed Christmas bomb
attack on a Detroit bound flight, and amid rising concern
across Europe about radical Muslims inciting religious
tension.
Blood pressure drug
offers fresh hope for dementia
BBC Online
Researchers believe a drug used to lower blood pressure
could be even more effective against Alzheimer's disease
than they previously thought.
People taking angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) were up
to 50% less likely to develop dementia than those taking
other blood pressure drugs. Combined with another drug,
ARBs also protected against further deterioration among
those already with the disease. The study of more than
800,000 men appears in the British Medical Journal.
The team from the Boston University School of Medicine
presented initial results from the study two years ago,
but further work suggests that ARBs - normally prescribed
only to patients who cannot tolerate the more standard ACE
inhibitors - confer greater protection than had been
thought.
The search is on for an effective means to guard against
Alzheimer's - and delay deterioration - as the number of
people worldwide with the condition is set to soar as life
expectancy grows.
Latest calculations suggest more than 115 million people
across the globe will suffer from dementia by 2050.
High blood pressure over long periods can lead to damaged
blood vessels, and this is known to increase the risk of
not only strokes and heart disease, but dementia as well.
Some types of dementia are directly related to the
condition of the arteries supplying the brain, but blood
pressure is also thought to play a role in Alzheimer's
disease, which is linked to the appearance of protein
deposits in brain tissue.
Staying at home
Researchers looked at records of more than 800,000 people
- 98% of whom were men - treated for high blood pressure
between 2002 and 2006. Those who took angiotensin receptor
blockers (ARBs) were up to 50% less likely, over that
period, to be diagnosed with dementia compared with those
on other blood pressure medication.
Yemen forces ‘kill al-Qaeda
chief’
BBC Online
The alleged leader of an al-Qaeda cell in Yemen has been
killed in an exchange of fire with security forces,
according to a provincial governor.
Abdullah Mehdar is said to have been the leader of an
al-Qaeda group in the province of Shabwa, 375 miles
(600km) east of the capital, Sanaa.
Reports said four other members of the same cell had been
arrested.
In another incident, two soldiers were reportedly killed
in an ambush near Ataq, the provincial capital.
The governor of Shabwa, Ali Hassan al-Ahmadi, said:
"Abdullah Mehdar was killed last night by security forces,
which had besieged the house he hid in."
Under pressure
Security officials said Yemeni forces had surrounded the
house, in a mountainous region, and exchanged fire with
some 20 militants inside.
The remaining militants escaped. The Spanish news agency,
EFE, said one member of the security forces had been
killed in the operation.
It quoted local news agencies saying the dead militant had
been one of the top al-Qaeda leaders in Yemen.
But a local tribal leader told Associated Press news
agency Mehdar and the arrested men were not "active
members" of al-Qaeda.
"They were young men who went astray, but I don't think
they were really members of al-Qaeda," Sheik Atiq Baadha
said.
He said local leaders could have handed over the men if
they had been approached, and warned that sympathy for
al-Qaeda could increase if government forces continued
with their current tactics.
On Tuesday, Yemen's foreign minister renewed a call for
dialogue with al-Qaeda militants, provided they downed
weapons and renounced violence.
Business/Economy
26 govt
companies directed to offload shares in 6 months: Muhith
UNB, Dhaka
Finance Minister AMA Muhith on Wednesday directed 26 state
owned companies and corporations to prepare for off
loading shares in the capital market within next six
months.
The companies and corporations included Bangladesh
Shipping Corporation, Bangladesh Telecommunications
Company Limited, Bangabandhu Bridge, Sonargaon Hotel,
Essential Drugs Company Ltd, Padma Oil Company Ltd,
Bangladesh Gas Fields Company Ltd, Sylhet Gas Fields
Company Ltd and BTCL. "They all will be securitized in the
next six months. They may not turn into Private Limited
companies but are to be statutory bodies with denominator
shares," said the Finance Minister after a lengthy meeting
with senior officials of the companies and corporations
under different ministries.
Briefing the reporters, Muhith said evaluation of assets
of most of the companies have already been completed. He
noted with satisfaction that the stock market has expanded
over the last few years. "Around 30% of our national
income comes to the capital market and it has become
necessary to utilize the money for productive purpose," he
said.
For this, there is a necessity for new listings. New IPOs
entered the stock market and more are on the way, he
added.
Muhith said more and more companies should be listed with
the stock exchange to improve the economic health of the
country. He viewed the share prices tend to increase
unnecessarily in the absence of adequate scripts.
He said the plan for offloading shares of the state-owned
companies and corporations began in 2005. So far six
companies were able to offload shares. Those are Arab
Bangladesh Bank, IFIC Bank, Eastern Lubricants Blenders,
Jamuna Oil Company, Meghna Petroleum and Titas Gas
Transmission and Distribution Company. Replying to a
question the Finance Minister said a company or
corporation should off load 40 percent of the paid up
capital as IPO. "We are reviewing it."
He declined to make any comment on the allegation of
market manipulation against the Securities Exchange
Commission. He however admitted that our share market has
become 'overheated'.
About the offload of shares of multinational company
Unilever Bangladesh Limited in which is husbanded by the
Industries Ministry, the Minister said it required prior
consultations with the partners. If they are not
interested to buy the shares, those can be floated in the
market.
High officials from the Finance, Energy, Power,
Industries, Bridges Division, Post and Telecommunications,
Shipping, Health and Family Planning Ministries and SEC
Chairman Ziaul Haque Khandaker were, among others, took
part in the meeting.
India
takes steps to curb soaring food prices
AFP, New Delhi
India on Wednesday announced a slew of measures to ease
mounting pressure over spiralling food prices, including
the release of millions of tonnes of rice and wheat
reserves.
After a special meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar told reporters
between two and three million tonnes of wheat and rice
will be put on the open market over the next two months.
He also announced that duty on imports of refined sugar
would be reduced to zero percent for the whole of 2010.
"The impact of these decisions will be seen in seven to 10
days," Pawar predicted.
A weak monsoon pushed up food prices by 19 percent in
2009, putting household budgets under strain.
Sugar prices have almost doubled since January last year
and are still rising because of a production shortfall,
according to government data.
Potato prices rose 110 percent in January year-on-year,
followed by pulses-a crucial source of protein for
low-income Indians-which jumped 42.21 percent.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, at a separate meeting
with state finance ministers in New Delhi, voiced concern
over the price rises but added that India had enough food
stocks to tide it over difficult times.
"The Finance Minister highlighted the need to address the
problem of distribution to arrest the price rise," a
government statement said.
"He said that there is a need to properly monitor not only
the release of food stocks but also the sale of such food
stocks in open markets," the statement added.
Obama to unveil bank fee to cover
bailout losses
AFP, Washington
President Barack Obama will Thursday unveil a fee on top
finance firms to recoup billions of taxpayers' dollars
used rescuing the sector during the economic crisis, a
senior official said.
The scheme will be unveiled as many of the firms rescued
by public funds gear up to announce huge bonus payouts to
top executives while the rest of the United States remains
mired in economic woe and high unemployment.
The Obama administration has repeatedly said it will try
to recoup the full cost of the 700-billion-dollar Troubled
Asset Relief Program (TARP).
"President Obama will announce Thursday the
administration's plan to recoup expected losses from TARP
in the form of a fee on the country's biggest financial
firms," the senior official said on condition of
anonymity.
"The President and the economic team felt it was important
to discuss ways to recoup every dime for the American
people more quickly than the law required," the official
said.
Some reports had said the money raised by the new levy
could go as high as 120 billion dollars, but the official
said that figure was likely too high.
It was not immediately clear how the fee would be
calculated but reports have suggested it could be levied
only on "high risk" transactions carried out by leading
banks and finance firms, not on small commercial
institutions.
A bank fee may help the White House channel public anger
over big bonus payments on Wall Street, as Americans face
the reality of 10 percent unemployment and a slow economic
recovery.
According to a Treasury report to Congress published on
Monday, the government had committed 545 billion dollars
in TARP funds as of January 6.
‘China, India could reshape global
auto industry’
AFP, Detroit, Michigan
China and India could reshape the global auto industry and
pose a significant competitive threat in coming years,
executives from the world's top carmakers said at the
Detroit auto show.
"They are a very credible threat and we discount anyone at
our peril," John Mendel, vice president in charge of sales
at American Honda Motor, said Tuesday. While the globally
competitive nature of the automotive industry requires
mass economies of scale, the relatively young Chinese and
Indian manufacturers are ramping up quickly, Mendel noted.
And the Chinese automakers buying brands like Hummer and
Volvo are gaining access to a valuable distribution
network, critical technology and "instant credibility," he
told AFP.
India's Tata Motors will take its opening shot at the US
market Thursday, when it brings the Nano minicar to the
Detroit science center to show Motor City what the world's
cheapest car looks like.
Build Your Dreams Motor (BYD) brought its four-door
electric e6 straight to the floor of the auto show where
it vowed Tuesday to become the first Chinese automaker to
enter the United States at the end of this year.
Meanwhile, both countries are becoming increasingly
important markets in the global sales strategy of top
automakers with China surpassing the United States in
total sales volume last year and Indian sales expected to
double by 2016.
Toyota's chief of US automotive operations expressed
skepticism that either BYD or Tata would make a
significant mark here in the short term. "It's not so easy
to come walking into a market and develop a product and
distribution network," Don Esmond said in an interview on
the sidelines of the auto show. "A lot of it's going to
depend on who does the best job of listening to the
customer and has the ability technically to deliver the
product," he said. "Whether it be Toyota, GM, Ford or
Chrysler, we have more resources, more manufacturing
capacities and more technical development available here
so we should be able to deliver a better product." Carlos
Tavares, Nissan's executive vice president in charge of
the Americas, disagreed.
"I think it's a mid-term prospective... not 10 years," he
said, noting the success of Korean automakers Hyundai and
Kia in breaking into the US market, overcoming quality
concerns and becoming major players. Affordability will be
a key driver in the industry in the coming years and China
and India will offer automakers an important testing
ground for pushing the boundaries, Tavares said. "What we
can learn from China and from India is not so complex," he
said in an interview. "It's about determining the level of
quality the consumer expects. It's then about reducing
operating costs which will bring you to fuel efficiency."
Ford chief executive officer Alan Mulally said that while
"China's going to be a force going forward" and India is
not too far behind, the real competitive threat could come
from unfair trade practices.
"We expect the auto world industry to continue to evolve,"
Mulally told a conference hosted by Automotive News.
"There is no reason that if we get to global trade rules
that we can't compete with the best of the world."
Rocky ride for Asian airlines
AFP, Singapore
Asia's airlines should ride a fledgling pickup in travel
demand this year, but higher oil prices, hesitant economic
growth and increased airport security costs may stall
momentum, analysts said. The debacle at Asia's largest
carrier Japan Airlines (JAL), which is on the brink of
bankruptcy, is considered unlikely to weigh on the
industry as a whole, although other airlines could be in
line for government bailouts.
Asia's low-fare carriers have been less affected than
their premium counterparts by the global economic downturn
and continue to expand.
"There have been tentative signs of a pickup in demand for
both passenger and cargo traffic in recent months," said
Andrew Herdman, director-general of industry group the
Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA).
"Nevertheless, yields remain weak, and fuel costs are
still stubbornly high with oil trading above 80 dollars
per barrel," he said in an email reply to AFP.
"Airlines are still struggling to reduce losses and move
towards restoring profitability."
Yields refer to the revenue an airline makes on each
passenger for every kilometre (mile) travelled. In 2008
and 2009, regional carriers suffered total annual losses
of more than four billion US dollars as the global
economic slump eroded travel demand, Herdman said.
Passenger demand is estimated to have shrank 8.0 percent
in 2009 from the year before, while cargo demand was 14
percent lower, he said.
Singapore Airlines posted its first quarterly loss in six
years during the June 2009 quarter and deferred the
delivery of eight A380 superjumbos. Australia's Qantas and
Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific also saw earnings slump.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) said it
expects Asia-Pacific carriers to lose 700 million dollars
this year, which is still an improvement from the 3.4
billion dollars scythed away last year. Globally, IATA is
forecasting a loss of 5.6 billion dollars for the industry
this year. Asia-Pacific airlines are perking up in line
with stronger economies, IATA spokesman Albert Tjoeng
said.
But he said that while passenger and cargo demand are
rising, "there is still a lot of growth to recover" and
that "we cannot anticipate any significant improvement in
yields in the coming months". "So conserving cash,
controlling costs and carefully matching capacity to
demand will be key to survival," he said. Shukor Yusof, an
aviation analyst with Standard and Poor's Equity Research,
said JAL's woes were not endemic to the industry. "JAL has
been having these difficulties for a very long time," he
said, noting that rival Japanese carrier All Nippon
Airways is surviving the downturn.
But the Sydney-based Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation said
several Asian carriers faced a similar predicament to JAL.
China Eastern Airlines, Air India, Garuda Indonesia, Thai
Airways and Malaysia Airlines all needed government help
to stay flying, it said. Shukor cited rising oil prices,
overcapacity in some airlines and the effect on costs of
stricter aviation security measures following the
Christmas Day attempt to blow up a US-bound flight from
Amsterdam as among the industry's challenges this year.
However, Asia's budget airlines have managed to fly above
the gloom with at least 45 low-fare carriers based across
the region from Japan to Pakistan.
"Budget carriers which focused on serving the short-haul
regional leisure market were less impacted by the global
economic downturn," compared to global carriers serving
long-haul and business passengers, said Herdman.
Small operator Zest Air plans to become the latest budget
airline to launch services between Manila and Singapore.
National
BADC gets bumper production of
jute seed through contractual growers
BSS, Dhaka
Bangladesh Agriculture Development Corporation (BADC)
achieved bumper production of jute seed though its
contractual growers in three districts in Jessore region
this year.
BADC Jessore Regional Deputy Director Agriculturist M
Rokanuzzaman told BSS that the corporation's jute seed
division usually offers quality jute seeds to contractual
farmers for cultivation, and purchases new seeds from them
after the harvest. Later, the BADC refines the collected
seeds and sells those among the growers in packets after
certification. Rokanuzzaman said there will remain surplus
jute seeds for the next year after distribution among the
farmers, as the production was high this year.
The jute production zone in Jessore comprises Jessore,
Jhinaidah and Magura districts. A total of 907 acres of
land came under jute seed cultivation this year. Of the
total land, 387 acres was in Jessore, 495 acres in
Jhinaidah and 25 acres in Magura districts. A total of
4,212 kilograms of jute seed was distributed among 1,761
farmers for cultivation. The BADC fixed the target of
getting 268 metric tons of certified jute seeds, including
140 tonnes of local variety and 128 tonnes of tosha
variety, this year.
The BADC has already procured 210 tonnes of local variety
jute seed which is 70 tonnes more than the target. The
seed of tosha variety is yet to be harvested. It is also
expected to cross the target. As the BADC seed is of good
quality it has high demand among the farmers. A section of
unscrupulous traders are purchasing the seeds from the
farmers paying them more than the BADC fixed price of Taka
90 per kg. Then they are adulterating the seed with low
quality Indian seeds and selling it in the market. Thus
the farmers are being deceived and jute production is
being hampered.
BADC officials said the contractual growers can not sell
their seeds to the traders. But the BADC is unable to take
any actions, if any unscrupulous traders purchase seeds
from
them. The concerned people have urged the government to
look into the matter and take actions to stop the unholy
practices.
Homestead chewing-sugarcane farming can help reduce
protein deficiency
BSS, Rajshahi
Wide-ranging expansion and popularization of homestead
chewing-sugarcane farming can help reduce family level
protein deficiency. Sugarcane scientists revealed this at
a workshop and program launching ceremony of chewing-
sugarcane seedling distribution among the city dwellers
here Wednesday. They mentioned that regular in-taking of
sugar or molasses side by side with rice and other
nutritious foods is very essential for human being
especially the growing children for developing their
intelligence power.
Local Substation of Bangladesh Sugarcane Research
Institute (BSRI) organized the ceremony at the conference
hall of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI).
Mayor of Rajshahi AHM Khairuzzaman Liton graced the
occasion as the chief guest and launched the seedling
distribution program with BSRI Director General Dr Abdus
Samad Mian in the chair. Mayor Liton called for ensuring a
balanced atmosphere in the crop farming system for food
security.
He underscored the need for surviving of all the potential
crops including the cereals and sugarcane for the sake of
surviving the sugar mills and said all the 10 sugarcane
mills in the country's northwestern region are incurring
huge loss due to lack of adequate sugarcane. He
recommended crop-rationing system so that the conventional
crop diversification could be sustained.
BSRI Director General Dr Abdus Samad Mian termed the
sugarcane farming as most vulnerable due massive farming
of cereal crops and vegetables as their gradually
increasing demand with rising of population.
BSRI Chief Scientific Officer Dr Iqbal said per 100 ml
sugarcane juice contain 90.2g water, 0.1g protein, 0.2g
fat, 9.1g carbohydrate, 0.4g mineral, 10mg calcium, 10mg
phosphorus, 1.1mg iron, 6microgram carotene, 0.04mg
riboflavin and 39kilocalorie food energy. "We have
enormous prospect of getting the protein elements through
substantial promotion of the homestead sugarcane
gardening," Dr Iqbal added.
Principal Scientific Officer and Station-in-charge of BSRI
Dr Samajit Kumar Pal mentioned that 40 high yielding
sugarcane verities along with other necessary modern
technologies have so far been innovated.
In addition to this, importance is being given on
disseminating and transferring those among the farmers.
He said the chewing variety is one of the latest and added
that it could be cultivated on the homestead land with
small care and nursing. BSRI Principal Scientific Officer
Dr Khalilur Rahman also presented another scientific paper
highlighting various aspects of sugarcane farming and its
contribution to the national economy. Later, the mayor
distributed some sugarcane seedlings among some of the
city dwellers.
12
indigenous children rescued; three held in Bandarban
UNB, Bandarban
Police on Wednesday rescued 12 indigenous children and
arrested three alleged traffickers at Ruma bus Station
here.
The rescued children are: Wainpru,11, Matyawa, 10,
Debosree Tripura, 10, Usashing,12, Umongsingh, 9,
Umyasaing, 6, Unupru, 7, Hamethui, 6, Anjali Tripura, 10,
Shankar Tripura, 7, and Agasthing Tripura, 15. They all
hail from Balipara area in Thanchi upazila.
Police said the traffickers were taking the children to
Dhaka from their parents few days ago with the promise of
getting them admitted to a school at Rayer Bazar in the
capital.
The children were kept at a residential hotel in the
district town till Tuesday night. As the traffickers'
movements were suspicious, an indigenous youth, Jewel
Tripura, with the help of local people caught Gorden
Tripura and two others from the bus station and handed
them over to police.
Acting on their statement, police, later, rescued the
children from Hotel Atithi.
The accused identified themselves as the students of Darul
Ihsan University in Dhaka.
Shafique asks officials to complete projects on
schedule
BSS, Dhaka
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Barrister
Shafique Ahmed Wednesday asked the concerned officials to
complete the works of different projects of the ministry
within the stipulated time.
He warned that any irregularity and negligence of duties
would not be tolerated, an official handout said.
Shafique said this while presiding over a review meeting
at the secretariat here.
State Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs
Advocate Md Kamrul Islam, senior officials of the ministry
and directors of the projects, among others, attended the
meeting.
The progress of different projects and hindrances on way
to implementation of the projects were also discussed at
the meeting.
Shafique directed the concerned officials to submit
reports within one week on the problems on way to
implementation of different construction projects.
Bangladeshi cabbie in NY returns cash left in
taxi
BSS, Dhaka
A Bangladeshi taxi driver in New York City has gone out of
his way to track down the person who left thousands of
dollars in cash in the back of his cab. According to BBC
online Wednesday Mukul Asadujjaman, a medical student,
drove nearly 80kms (50 miles) to an address he found with
the money. He left his phone number when he found no one
at home. The money belonged to an Italian grandmother
visiting the US. Asadujjaman was offered a reward, but he
turned it down saying that as a devout Muslim he could not
accept it. Felicia Lettieri, of Pompeii, Italy, and six
relatives had taken two cabs on Christmas Eve, Newsday
newspaper reported. Lettieri, 72, left her purse behind,
with more than $21,000 of the group's travelling money,
jewellery worth thousands more, and some of their
passports. Her sister, Francesca Lettieri, 79, of Long
Island, said the honest driver had saved her family's
vacation. "We really love what he did," she said.
A gracious Asadujjaman was quoted by the newspaper as
saying that he may be broke, but he was also honest.
"My mother is my inspiration. She always said to be honest
and work hard." Asadujjaman called a friend with a car and
drove some 80km to a long island address in the purse.
No one was at home, so he left his phone number and a
note, the report said. His phone rang a short time later
and he drove back to return the bag. "They were so, so, so
happy," Asadujjaman told the paper. Asked if he was
tempted to keep the cash, Asadujjaman said the money would
have allowed him more time to study, "but my heart said
this is not good". He also turned down a reward, saying he
could not accept it as a devout Muslim, Newsday reported.
Sports
Kabaddi players gear up for SAG
TBT Report
Bangla-desh kab-addi team is set for giving
its best in the forthcoming 11th South Asian Games (SAG).
Bangladesh men's kabaddi team, which comprises 12 players and
four officials, underwent long-term preparations in Bangladesh
Krira Shikkha Protishthan (BKSP), Din-ajpur, the coach of
Bang-ladesh men's kabaddi team Abdul Jalil said at a media
conference at Olympic Bha-ban on Wednesday.
However, he also de-plored for not playing practice matches
before the SAG. "Practice matches are very necessary before
taking part in an international event. We needed to play some
practice matches before the competition to assess the team's
strength, find out and rectify the shortcomings in the team,"
Jalil said.
He also rued the absence of the main attacker of Bangladesh
men's kabaddi team Ziaur Rahman, who is going to miss the SAG
for injury. "We're going to play in the SAG without a world
class player like Zia. It is a blow for us ahead of the Games.
Though he is ninety percent fit and carrying on practice with
the team to inspire his colleagues, he'll not be able to play
in the SAG," Jalil added.
Replying to a query, the coach said their target is to win the
silver ahead of Pakistan. Bangladesh finished runners-up in
the last SAG in 2006. "Pakistan will be the main rival in the
run of silver. Hopefully we'll reach the final beating
Pakistan."
Five teams are contesting in men's kabaddi competition on a
league format, while the top two teams will play in the final
for gold. The teams are: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and
the host Bangladesh.
Four teams will play in the women's kabaddi - India, Sri
Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh.
"Going into the he SAG for the first time in 2006, Bangladesh
women kabaddi team won bronze medal behind India and Sri
Lanka. This time we've taken good preparations. Hopefully the
girls will put up better performance," Manager of Bangladesh
women kab-addi team Kamrunn-ahar Dana said.
Bangladesh men's team: Al Mamun, Kamal Hossain (Sr.), Kamal
Hossain (Jr.), Enamul Haque, Abu Saleh Musa, Mozammel Haque,
Mosharraf Hossain, Raju Ahmed, Maftun Haque, Sadekul Islam,
Mohammad Araduzzaman, Tipu Sultan, (players), Abdul Jalil
(Head Coach), Badshah Mia (Assistant Coach), Chow-dhury
Emdadul Haque (Manager) and Amzad Hossain Mojnu (Assistant
manager).
Bangladesh women's team: Shahnaz Parvin Maleka, Maleka Parvin,
Kazi Shahin Ara, Juni Chakma, Farzana Akhter Baby, Fatema
Akhter Shila, Hasna Mariam Borna, Fatema Akhter Polly, Rupali
Akhter, Dolly Shephali, Sharmin Sultana Rima, Hena Akhter
(Players), Abdul Hakim (Coach), Jahirul Haque (Assistant
Coach), Kamrunnahar Dana (Manager) and Mahmuda Begum (Assi-stant
Manager).
Raina
boosts flagging India
AFP, Dhaka
Suresh Raina smashed a gutsy century as India recovered from a
horror start to reach a competitive 245 against Sri Lanka in
the triangular one-day series final in Dhaka on Wednesday.
India were wobbling at 60-5 following incisive opening spells
from pacemen Nuwan Kulasekara and Chanaka Welegedara, but
left-handed Raina came to his team's rescue with a superb 106
for his third one-day hundred.
Kulasekara finished with 4-48 and left-arm seamer Welegedara
grabbed 3-53.
Raina steadied the innings with a 106-run stand for the sixth
wicket with Ravindra Jadeja, who made a useful 64-ball 38.
Raina went for big shots in the latter stages, once hoisting
spinner Suraj Randiv over long-on for a six.
He completed his century in the 44th over when he flicked
seamer Thissara Perera for two runs but fell soon after,
bowled by Welegedara after cracking one six and 10 fours in
his 115-ball knock.
India were earlier undone by a combination of poor shot
selection and Sri Lanka's disciplined pace bowling, losing
wickets at regular intervals after being put in to bat in the
day-night match. Virender Sehwag kept playing shots despite
the fall of wickets from the other end, hammering three fours
in a Kulasekara over. His flourish did not last long though as
he became the bowler's third victim. Sehwag was caught behind
after hitting seven fours in his 27-ball cameo. He also became
the sixth Indian to complete 7,000 one-day runs after Sachin
Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Mohammad Azharuddin
and Yuvraj Singh.
The Indian batting woes began with the match's third delivery
when Gautam Gambhir was bowled for a duck by Kulasekara.
Welegedara had in-form Virat Kohli caught behind for two and
then Yuvraj Singh was caught at first slip by Thilan
Samaraweera in successive overs to send India reeling at 16-3
in four overs.
Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni briefly defied the Sri Lankan
attack when he shared a 31-run stand for the fourth wicket
with Sehwag before being caught behind off Kulasekara.
Scorecard
India:
V. Sehwag c Sangakkara
b Kulasekara 42
G. Gambhir b Kulasekara 0
V. Kohli c Sangakkara
b Welegedara 2
Yuvraj Singh
c Samaraweera
b Welegedara 0
MS Dhoni c Sangakkara
b Kulasekara 14
S. Raina b Welegedara 106
R. Jadeja lbw b Dilshan 38
Harbhajan Singh
lbw b Randiv 11
Zaheer Khan c Samaraweera b Kulasekara 16
A. Nehra not out 2
S. Sreesanth b Perera 4
Extras: (lb4, w6) 10
Total: (for all
out; 48.2 overs) 245
Falls: 1-1 (Gambhir), 2-4 (Kohli), 3-16 (Yuvraj), 4-47 (Dhoni),
5-60 (Sehwag), 6-166 (Jadeja), 7-213 (Harbhajan), 8-233 (Zaheer),
9-237 (Raina), 10-245 (Sreesanth).
Bowling: Kulasekara 10-0-48-4 (w1), Welegedara 10-1-53-3,
Thushara 6-1-26-0 (w2), Randiv 9-0-47-1 (w1), Perera
8.2-0-49-1 (w1), Dilshan 5-0-18-1 (w1).
Toss: Sri Lanka
Umpires: Enamul Haque (BAN) and Ian Gould (ENG)
TV umpire: Sharfuddoula Shahid (BAN)
Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)
Indian hockey players end pay row
AFP, New Delhi
India's field hockey squad ended a week-long strike on
Wednesday and agreed to resume training for the World Cup
starting next month after top sports officials stepped in
to settle a pay dispute.
"The camp will start again from Thursday. The crisis is
over," Indian Olympic Association president Suresh Kalmadi
told reporters after meeting the players at their training
camp in Pune.
"Hockey is our national game, it cannot be a national
shame. I am grateful for everyone who came forward to
resolve the crisis."
Kalmadi said the 22-man squad's demand of 450,000 rupees
(10,000 dollars) each for outstanding dues and
performance-related bonuses, besides graded contracts, had
been accepted.
"We will immediately distribute around 10 million rupees
(around 200,000 dollars) to settle the players' dues," he
said.
"The graded contracts will be done after the Hockey India
elections on February 7." On Tuesday Hockey India's
interim president Ashok Mattoo had said his federation did
not have sufficient funds to meet the players' demands and
gave the squad a 48-hour deadline to return to training.
But as the row snowballed into a major controversy, Team
India sponsors Sahara on Wednesday released an ad hoc
amount of 10 million rupees to tide over the crisis.
Sahara's move followed an appeal to the players by federal
sports minister Manohar Singh Gill to resume training,
with a promise to look into their grievances. "I wish to
appeal to the players to immediately join training and
focus on winning the tournament," Gill said earlier on
Wednesday.
"I am clear that after the tournament I will do everything
possible to give the players a fair deal."
Deepak Thakur, a senior member of the squad, confirmed the
players will resume their World Cup preparations from
Thursday.
South Africa looks to save face in
final test
AFP, Johannesburg
South Africa's reputation as one of the leading Test
nations will be at stake when it tries to stop England
from clinching a series win in the fourth and final Test
starting at Wanderers Stadium today.
After away series wins against both Australia and England
in 2008, South Africa briefly topped the International
Cricket Council's Test rankings.
But they suffered a home series defeat against Australia
last year and trail the current series 1-0 to face the
prospect of another failure on home soil.
England won the second Test in Durban by an innings and 98
runs, although in both the first and third Tests the
tourists had narrow escapes, hanging on with nine wickets
down in the final innings.
South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis said it had been
frustrating because his side felt they were the better
team - 'although the England players might disagree' - but
said South Africa had only themselves to blame for being
in a must-win situation. The left-armed Parnell, 20, has
shown rich promise in taking 22 wickets at an average of
21.00 in nine one-day internationals and 11 in eight
Twenty20 internationals at 17.45.
But his first-class record is mediocre, with 51 wickets in
20 matches at 34.60. Although he has taken five wickets in
an innings twice in one-day internationals he has yet to
achieve the feat in a first-class game.
Steyn and Morkel both produced fiery spells during the
third Test in Cape Town but South Africa were a bowler
short because of an injury to Friedel de Wet which has
ruled him out for the rest of the season.
England took two days off at a luxury resort after their
Cape Town escape but Paul Collingwood, who played crucial
rearguard innings in both draws - as well as making 91 to
help set up the Durban win - said England were determined
to produce one more big performance. "The last two days in
training, we've shown a lot of energy," said Collingwood.
Egypt off to winning start
AFP, Benguela
Defending champion Egypt defeated Nigeria 3-1 in its
opening Africa Cup of Nations Group C match at Ombaka
Stadium here on Tuesday.
Nigeria coach, Shuaibu Amodu, said his team paid the price
for some schoolboy errors.
"We played well and controlled the game especially in the
first half but somehow we made some silly mistakes and we
were punished," said a miserable Amodu.
Skipper Joseph Yobo said had they sustained their first
half performance, they would have recorded maximum points.
"We started well and got a goal but they came at us and
equalised, they also scored early in the second half to
unsettle us.
"Had we come out in the second half as we did in the first
half, we would have won this very difficult game," said
the Everton defender.
The six-time champions brought to an end a 23-year-old
winless run they have endured against the west Africans
and, most importantly, gave them a head start to progress
to the knockout stage of the tournament.
Against the run of play, Nigeria took the lead after 12
minutes through the exciting Chinedu Obasi, who powered
home a left-footed rocket of a shot from outside the box
beyond a diving goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary.
Emad Motaeb drew Egypt level in the 34th minute when he
got to the end of a quick counter attack initiated by Wael
Gomaa and skipper Ahmed Hassan to round goalkeeper Vincent
Enyeama and slot the ball into an empty net.
Skipper Hassan gave the champions the lead in the 54th
minute when he thundered home a blinder past Enyeama from
outside the 18-yard box. Substitute Mohamed Nagi completed
the demolition job on Nigeria in the 87th minute when he
drove home a pile driver for the third goal to the delight
of the noisy, 32,000-strong crowd.
Before that Mohamed Zidan should have extended Egypt's
lead on the hour mark when all alone with Enyeama inside
the box, but he blasted wide.
Hoffenheim striker Obasi, a late inclusion in the Super
Eagles squad to Angola, was at the heart of several
Nigerian attacks against an Eyptian team missing key stars
like Mohamed Aboutrika, Mohamed Barakat and Amr Zaki
through injury.
Zidan would have put the defending champions in front
after seven minutes but his final shot sailed over the bar
with goalkeeper Enyeama beaten.
And immediately after Obasi's stunning opening goal, Said
Moawad would have drawn Egypt level but he sliced his
final effort off target. On 23 minutes, Borussia Dortmund
striker Zidan again threatened the Nigerian goal but his
low shot screamed into touch to the relief of Enyeama.
Yakubu Aiyegbeni had a penalty appeal refused by the
referee from Mauritius, Rajindraparsad Seechurn, in the
20th minute after Egyptian defender Mahmoud Fathalla
handled the ball inside the box.
And moments later, Kalu Uche fired wide from inside the
area.
In the 33rd minute, leftback Taye Taiwo launched an
ambitious attack down the left wing before pulling back
for Kalu Uche, who failed to hit the target. It was a miss
Nigeria would rue as, moments later, Egypt countered for
Al Ahly striker Motaeb to score the equaliser as the
Pharaohs finished the first half the stronger of the two
teams.
In the second half, Egypt continued to create chances with
Zidan troubling the Nigerian back four again and again,
while at the other end, goalkeeper El Hadary kept out
whatever Nigeria could produce as the champions showed
they cannot be taken lightly in Angola.
Hewitt storms into
quarters
AFP, Sydney
Lleyton Hewitt spectacularly launched his bid for a fifth
Sydney International title with the loss of just two games
in his opening match of the tournament on Wednesday.
The Australian two-time Grand Slam champion rattled past
Italian Andreas Seppi 6-0, 6-2 in just under an hour to
set up an enticing quarter-final with Marcos Bag-hdatis on
Thursday.
The fourth seed, who claimed the title here in 2000, 2001,
2004 and 2005, raced out of the blocks, clinching the
first set in just 21 minutes and going on with the job
despite an early service break in the final set.
Hewitt, who had a first-round bye, will now take on
Baghdatis for the first time since their epic third round
encounter at the 2008 Australian Open, which started just
before midnight and ran for four hours 43 minutes.
Hewitt prevailed 4-6, 7-5, 7-5, 6-7 (7/4), 6-3 but was a
spent force for his next match against eventual champion
Novak Djokovic.
"Hopefully, it never happens again to anyone," Hewitt said
of his last meeting with the 2006 Australian Open finalist
Baghdatis.
"I would have wanted to wipe it out of my memory box if
I'd lost the match in five sets.
"But obviously winning an epic match in your home Grand
Slam, yeah, stuff like that always stays in the back of
your mind." Hewitt, fighting his way back up the rankings
to a current 22 after hip surgery in August 2008, has a
healthy respect for the Cypriot crowd-pleaser.
"He's always a class player," Hewitt said.
"He's a great ball striker and moves well from the back of
the court. He's had a couple wins this week."
Hewitt, who played in last week's Hopman Cup mixed teams
event in Perth, effortlessly adjusted to the different
playing conditions against Seppi.
Shiv Sena targets Australian stars
AFP, New Delhi
An influential right-wing Hindu party in Mumbai warned
Wednesday that it would try and stop Austr-alian
cricketers playing in parts of India because of attacks on
Indians living Down Under.
Bal Thackeray, who heads the radical Shiv Sena party, said
activists planned to disrupt matches involving
Australians, like they did ahead of a Test match against
Pakistan in 1999, when they dug up the pitch.
"We will not allow kangaroo cricketers to play in Mumbai
and Maha-rashtra till the attacks on Indians are stopped,"
the ageing Thackeray wrote in Shiv Sena mouthpiece 'Saamna.'
"Our boys are being stabbed, burnt and shot at in that
country and still our cricketers have no qualms in playing
with them. Do they have any national pride?"
The murder of Nitin Garg, 21, in Melbourne earlier this
month caused anger among Indians in Australia and
overseas, and prompted India's foreign minister S. M.
Krishna to suggest it would hurt ties.
The murder followed a spate of violence against Indian
students in Melbourne over the past 18 months that has
included beatings, robberies and stabbings and has
threa-tened Australia's education industry.
Top Australian stars such as captain Ricky Ponting, Andrew
Symonds, Matthew Hayden and Shane Watson are star
attractions in the third edition of the lucrative Indian
Premier League in March-April.
Two major cities in Maharashtra, Mumbai and Nagpur, are
due to host IPL matches and Shiv Sena is particularly
influential in the state. The party's north Indian chapter
also threatened to disrupt matches involving Australians
in New Delhi, another IPL venue.
"We will do our best to ensure the matches in New Delhi
are also cancelled," the chapter's head Sandeep Kulkarni
told AFP. "We have very strong units across this region."
Shiv Sena has in the past prevented Pakistan's natio-nal
team from playing in Maharashtra for what it says is
Islamabad's backing of militant activities in India.
Dementieva downs Safina to reach semis
AFP, Sydney
Elena Dementieva remained on course to defend her Sydney
International title with a convincing 6-2, 6-3 win over
world number two Dinara Safina in an all-Russian
quarter-final on Wednesday.
In a night match delayed by rain, fifth seed Dementieva
continued her dominance over Safina with wins in their
last four encounters, inclu-ding last year's Sydney final.
Dementieva will now face sixth seed Victoria Azarenka of
Belarus in Thursday's semis.
"Tonight Dinara had a slow start, but I was ready for the
game and ready for the fight," Dementieva said.
"She's a big girl, so she's a big hitter. You have to be
ready for her to be very aggressive on the court.
Sometimes you have to play defensive. "She never gives up
and she was pretty tough in the second set after losing
such an easy first set."
Earlier, world number one Serena Williams tossed aside
Russian Vera Dushevina 6-2, 6-2, making it just seven
games she has dropped on her way to the last four of the
Sydney tournament. Williams, strong favourite to lift her
fifth Australian Open crown and her 12th Grand Slam, takes
on world number 27 Aravane Rezai of France in the other
semi-final. Rezai won her third match of the tournament
against Italian Flavia Pennetta, 6-3, 6-0 on Wednesday.
In the bottom half of the draw, Azarenka went through to
the semi-finals after beating Slovak Dominika Cibulkova
6-2, 7-5.
"I definitely enjoy playing in the heat," Williams said of
Melbourne, home to the Open. "I usually enjoy playing in
the heat. I live in Florida, so it's all about hot weather
there. "So I think maybe that's one of the reasons why I
do so well down here.
"The past couple of times I won it's been extremely hot,
so I expect the same temperatures again."
Asked during her post-match press conference how close she
was to her best form, Williams said: "I always try to get
there usually around the semi-finals and finals of the
Grand Slams.
"I'm just doing the best that I can now to get there.
Hopefully I have a long way to go, which I think is always
good."
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