The 7000 Year Old Master

Courtesy:Higher Balance Institute//YouTube
08-04-2014 पर प्रकाशित

Eric Pepin breaks down philosophical writing he did on the Handbook of the Navigator FB page. Click the following link to read the post: http://cultivate.higherbalance.com/ha...

SRI LANKA: Court orders to silence two human rights activists

Mon, Mar 24, 2014 at 1:56 PM

A Statement from the Asian Human Rights Commission

We reproduce below copies of the court orders.

The first order states that, as the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) is conducting an investigation into the terrorist activities of the LTTE and that if the information gathered during this investigation is given to local or international persons there will be great damage to this investigation, and by so providing this information there is a possibility that acts of terrorism or conflicts among races or religions can take place. Therefore the OIC of the TID has requested me to make such order for the persons named not to make any such statements. And the Magistrate has made the order accordingly.

In the second order, also made at the request of the OIC of the TID an order has been made to the effect to arrest and produce before court the above named persons if they come for the purpose of travel abroad without the permission of the court.

Copies of this order has been sent to the directors of Immigration and Emigration at international airports at Katunayake and Mattala, the director of the State Intelligence Service, and the director of the Criminal Investigation Department.

The Asian Human Rights Commission states that there was no reason in any way to connect these two human rights activists, who have merely done their duty to extend support to any victims or perceived victims of human rights abuses. In fact, the very mandate of a human rights defender is to provide assistance to anyone who is going through such circumstances. The United Nations Human Rights Council Resolution entitled, Protecting Human Rights Defenders, (April 12, 2013) among other things: "Urges the States to acknowledge publically the important and legitimate role of human rights defenders in the promotion of human rights, democracy and rule of law as an essential component of ensuring their protection, including by respecting the independence of their organisations and by stigmatisation of their work". It was after the TID found them to be innocent of any unlawful activity that both of them were released. The international interventions and those by local agencies were made on the basis of the justification of their interventions as human rights activists. The government responded positively to the massive protest and created the impression of having resolved the problem. The actions which are now being taken to restrict their freedom of speech and to travel have therefore no legitimate basis.

Sri Lankan law protects the freedom of speech as well as the freedom for travel. Both of these rights are considered fundamental rights. Merely tagging on an accusation of some connection to the LTTE without sufficient evidence in order to create the impression of some illegal activity is not becoming of a legitimate government. Unfortunately the long period of violence that prevailed in the country for several decades left room for such arrests without the strict criterion relating to the law. A situation arose when, by the mere signature of an official, the most terrible accusations can be made and these led to the issuing of orders which have enormous consequences.

The resort to such orders now endangers everyone. An officer without providing any reliable evidence to the court may make such requests by which the freedom of any person can be jeopardised.

This action on the part of the TID itself is one more justification for the resolution which is now before the Human Rights Council. When the domestic legal system is blatantly abused the only recourse that a citizen will have is to turn to the United Nations human rights agencies. So far, the belief that the domestic system may still be utilised creates the illusion that justice is still possible in Sri Lanka. However, when the powers of arrest, detention are abused and other severe restrictions of the freedom of speech and movement are being made in this manner it is glaring proof of the justification for the resolution which is to be debated this week in Geneva.

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About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation that monitors human rights in Asia, documents violations and advocates for justice and institutional reform to ensure the protection and promotion of these rights. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.

Our SAD-BJP Govt. has made several efforts-Grewal

Sat, Jan 4, 2014 at 2:02 PM
Now several Industrial houses are keen to invest in Pb.
Ludhiana ( Bhukhari Kalan ) , 4 January 2013: (Seven Seas News Nettwork):

Sukhminderpal Singh Grewal Former Vice Chairman Punjab Small Industry and Export Corporation ( PSIEC ) said that our SAD-BJP Government has made several efforts to boost the industrial sector in Punjab state. Grewal said that due to these efforts of SAD-BJP Government as result several business houses are keen to invest in our Punjab. In a press conference here with local media persons at induction furnace (CI and SG casting mills) Grewal Alloys Bhukhari Kalan Ludhiana, he said that no one other state in India can compete the Industry and people of Punjab in Industry for their good efforts of Fine quality , Finely furnished , High luster , High durability , High performance , High efficiency , High tensile strength , Corrosion resistant , Dimensionally accurate , Long life , Low maintenance , Reliable , Competitive prices , Competitive prices , Longer life  with Pocket friendly prices in Punjab. Grewal said that punjabi's are enlisted as leading manufacturer and supplier of a wide array of industrial CI casting products. These CI Casting Products are widely applicable in various automobile industries as well as in other locomotives industries. He said that Punjab's industrial CI castings product are precisely engineered to meet the exact demand and requirement of our huge clients. He said that Punjab Industry is offering the clients a comprehensive array of CI Casting Products. These are used in a large number of projects of town planning and renovation. The range of products of Punjab Industry is corrosive resistant material and is completely defect free as punjabi's culture. Grewal said that our Industry in Punjab amongst the prominent industries that manufacture and supplier CI Casting Products that are sturdily constructed in our industry using high grade raw material. These are very cost-effective and have a long functional life. CI castings are in conformation with industry standards and are highly resistant to corrosion. Apart from this, these castings can easily be availed at industrial leading rates. Grewal said that our Punjab Industry with the help of our finest expertise we are able to offer CI Casting Products to our valuable clients. These are very cost effective and have a long functional life. CI Casting Products are in conformation with industry standards and are highly resistant to corrosion. He said that Punjab Industry is offering the customers high quality CI Casting Products, which are highly appreciated by our customers. These CI Casting Products are manufactured by fine quality material, which ensures its best quality. Our range of Steel Castings are available at market leading prices. Grewal said that Punjab has years of experience in manufacturing of world class CI Casting Products which are made up with genuine raw material in order to ensure long lasting performance and durability. It is our consistent hard work of years that has proven our capability to meet the requirements of special purpose CI Casting Products, these are high production and reliability. Grewal said that the investments in Punjab in the new year 2014 would provide a fillip to the industrial sector. He stated that adding the infrastructure in the state would be developed for benefit of the existing and new industries in the state. He said that for the better traffic movement in state all highways in Punjab would be of four or six lane. He said that the better infrastructure will also help in increasing business activities in our State. Grewal said that the big industrial business houses from other states and abroad are now prepared to make huge investments in our Punjab state.

A Statement from the Asian Human Rights Commission

Fri, Jan 3, 2014 at 2:09 PM

PAKISTAN: The religious hate campaign 

Prevented the burial of a one-and-a-half year-old child

                                                   Courtesy Photo

A one-and-a-half-year-old infant was buried four days after she died from pneumonia in Toba Tek Singh, Punjab province. The girl, who was from an Ahmadi family, died on December 19, and was taken for burial the following day. At the cemetery the local clerics gathered with approximately fifty men who were armed with sticks and batons. The girl belonged to the Ahmadiyya sect of Islam, declared non Islamic through constitutional amendments. The men refused to let the Ahmadis bury the girl in the common graveyard and prevented them from digging the grave.

In Chak 312-JB Kathowali, Gojra, Toba Tek Singh, the Ahmadi and local Muslim population have lived together for six decades after the creation of Pakistan and the graveyard was used by both communities without dispute. However, from the last year the Muslim fundamentalist tried to introduce some families, particularly unmarried persons, who became busy instigating the people to agitate against the Ahmadis in order to dislodge them. Their campaign was not successful and the burial of the child gave them the reason they needed to punish the Ahmadis.

The family of the infant said that Muslim residents of the area had refused to let them bury their child in the neighbourhood graveyard because she was born to an Ahmadi family.

The child was finally buried on a piece of land donated by a non-Ahmadi Muslim resident of the village, some 300 metres away from the graveyard. The settlement was reached after the family of the deceased child staged a protest demonstration.

While persecution against Ahmadis is nothing new, it is appropriate to suggest that the increasing attacks against graves, graveyards and now the family of the dead child facing such inhuman treatment calls for serious concern from the civil society.

A woman was also denied the right to be buried

The prevention of the burial of Ahmadis in graveyards has become a campaign in Punjab province after the formation of the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as during the election campaign the ruling party made an electoral alliance with Muslim fundamentalists groups.

A woman who was married to a member of the Ahmadi community was also barred from burial in the city of Faisalabad, Punjab province. The wife of Iqbal Ranhja, a resident of Faisalabad district, died on December 27. When Ranhja and members of the Ahmadi community took the body for burial at the graveyard in Kathowali, a group of Muslims led by a local cleric intercepted them and asked them to bury the dead woman at some other place.

The situation became ugly but before the two groups entered into a brawl the police arrived and persuaded the Ahmadis to bury the lady elsewhere. The woman was buried far away from their home in order to avoid a sectarian riot.

The roll of the police in these cases is biased and they played into the hands of the religious fundamentalists. Instead of arresting the perpetrators and persons spreading religious hatred in society they sided with them, purportedly to preserve order. However, it was their sworn duty to ensure that the family members of every religious group enjoy their right to perform rituals.

The government of Punjab is fully aware that in the province a systematic campaign against the religious minorities, including Christians and Hindus, is about to boil over. The situation is not far from turning into full blown sectarian and communal violence. The behaviour of the government of Punjab is similar to that of the country in general, which is to turn a blind eye to religious intolerance and persecution in order to appease the fundamentalists. In doing so the government is denying the minority religious groups of their constitutional rights of equal citizenship (Article 25) and freedom to profess the religion of their choice and to manage religious institutions according to Article 20 of the Constitution of Pakistan.

A death in any family is a sad and traumatic affair and it is at such times when all sympathy and patience should be extended to the survivors. To use religious hatred to prevent the deceased's family from performing this basic act of reverence for their family members is unconscionable. By allowing the fundamentalists to take the law into their own hands the government is to failing in its duty to ensure that the society is balanced and that every citizen can have freedom according to their faith.

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About AHRC: The Asian Human Rights Commission is a regional non-governmental organisation that monitors human rights in Asia, documents violations and advocates for justice and institutional reform to ensure the protection and promotion of these rights. The Hong Kong-based group was founded in 1984.