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Wednesday, April 9, 2008

[chottala.com] Meritocracy vs. Democracy : From the present context of Bangladesh

Meritocracy vs. Democracy : From the present context of Bangladesh

Are the democracies around the world really democracy? Is meritocracy absent in the established democracies?


Answer is not knowing the answer!

There was a time when systems, organizations were designed so that the answer is known. But that philosophy is age old . Off course, I am talking about designing a system with known answer - to make sure the answer is good. But the those days are gone. It is an era of communication when you can not design a system whose answer is known. Rather you have to make sure that the elements are in good shape, communication channel is open and the supporting infrastructure is there. All of these will eventually help in the evolution of an answer that is good for all. In other words, do not design for a result, rather design the elements, connections and structures as best as you can. If you do that you can be assured that you will get as best an answer as was possible within the constraints present in the system.

Commissions, Media, Judiciary - Three branches are the pillars of meritocracy. This works when the majority stakeholders are honest and competent.

However, so far, we in Bangladesh has depended on one form of meritocracy. The student politics. The major component of this stakeholder that can be said with confidence was honesty. The honesty is still there in the general members of the group. However the leadership lost that honesty.

This loss started when Zia started meddling into the student politics. Many of you may say that Zia had good intention in his heart - but that is not the point of this article. The point is its that time when the only meritocracy that we had were lost!

The loss that started with Zia reached in its pick during the time of Mass Upheaval in 1990 when Ershad was thrown away. Those of you who were kids at that time might be thinking - how come? Wasn't it the case that the students were the main force who contributed to topple the Ershad government? Yes, it is true. Yet, that was the lowest ebb of our student movement.

Those who are informed knows that - at the same time Ershad was preparing to go jail, our student leadership (e.g. Ducsu members) were working behind the scene to earn crores of taka from the business man who were known to be attached with Ershad.

Those who are informed also knows that it was the students movement who forced both Hasina and Khaleda to join hands so that Ershad is forced out of power. It was also known that the students' movement forced the political leadership to accept a list of demands.

However, the meritocracy (i.e. students) did not do their job. They were busy with earning money, benefiting from their newly earned stature that they gained during 1990 movement. For the same reason, Hasina and Khaleda could move away from their commitments that they made.

Now, when thinking back, it seems too much to ask from the students to hold the political leadership accountable so that they behave. Its true that students had their role. However, those were different times which goes back to the tradition of opposing the Brits and Pakis. But we are now a sovereign nation. We should not be wasting our youth by depending on them to do our job. Its really is not suited to a responsible, grown up nation.

Other kinds of meritocracy should take over. The base is already there. Different commissions are being established. There is a free and vibrant media. Also, the judiciary is free and independent. Now, the question is whether the members of these meritocracies will be competent enough to assert their role on the politicians - who have a tradition of going out of track - not only in our country, but in all countries and in all times.

We can spend day after day in blaming or even punishing politicians, but they are always that kind of animals who loves to go out of the track. It is the job of the other branches of the society that put on breaks on the politicians. Until that happens, until our commissions, media and judiciary starts discharging their job with responsibility and courage, the benefits of democracy will remain out of touch of the millions.

If you thought some of the ideas are worth of your reading time, please forward it to others. If you have an ear to the columnists in regular traditional media, please forward it to them. If you have an ear to the journalists and news editors of the electronic media, discuss it with them. Hope they would look at the suggestions and give due diligence. 
 
Thanks for your time,
Innovation Line
 
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Note: This is a freelance column, published mainly in different internet based forums. This column is open for contribution by the members of new generation, sometimes referred to as Gen 71. If you identify yourself as someone from that age-group and want to contribute to this column, please feel free to contact. Thanks to the group moderator for publishing the article.
 
Dear readers, also, if you thought the article was important enough so it should come under attention of the head of the government please forward the message to them. Email address for the Chief Advisor: feeedback@pmo.gov.bd_ or at http://www.cao.gov.bd/feedback/comments.php . The more of you forward it to them, the less will be the need to go back to street agitation. Use ICT to practice democracy. It is already proven that this government responds to the feedback.

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[chottala.com] Only the fool are well now

একমাত্র আহাম্মক ছাড়া কেউ ভাল নেই।

১০ ই এপ্রিল, ২০০৮ রাত ৩:৪৮

                       
কেউ ভাল নেই
*আমীর খসরু*

পশ্চিমি দুনিয়ায় টেক কেয়ার বা সাবধানে থাকুন কথাটা বলা হয় বিদায় বেলায়। এখন বাংলাদেশে ভাল থাকুন না বলে বেঁচে থাকুন এ কথাটি বলাই মনে হয় যুক্তিযুক্ত হয়ে পড়েছে। কারণ, বেঁচে থাকাটাই এখন একটা বিরাট সমস্যা হয়ে দাঁড়িয়েছে। [/sb

এ সমস্যা শুধু হতদরিদ্র কিংবা দরিদ্র মানুষের জন্যই নয়, মধ্যবিত্তের জন্যও। আর বেঁচে থাকার সীমাহীন সংগ্রামের আঁচড় উপরের দিকেও লাগতে শুরু করেছে। আমি স¤প্রতি খুলনা, বাগেরহাট, গোপালগঞ্জ ঘুরে এসেছি। গিয়েছি একেবারে প্রত্যন্ত অঞ্চলে। সে সব অঞ্চলের মানুষের যে সীমাহীন দুঃখ-কষ্ট তা ঢাকায় বসে আঁচ করা খুবই কঠিন। যদিও ঢাকায়ও এ সঙ্কটের সামান্যই বোঝা যাচ্ছে। মোড়েলগঞ্জের সিডর আক্রান্ত অসংখ্য মানুষের গত নভেম্বর থেকে যে সঙ্কট তা এ দ্রব্যমূল্য হাজার গুণে বাড়িয়ে দিয়েছে। সিডর আক্রান্ত হয়নি এমন এলাকায়ও মানুষ এখন সীমাহীন দুঃখ-কষ্টের মধ্যে জীবন-যাপন করছে। অসংখ্য সাধারণ মানুষের সঙ্গে আমি কথা বলেছি এবং কথা বলে একটি বিষয় বুঝেছি যে, তাদের এখন মূল সমস্যা খাদ্যদ্রব্যের ক্রয়ক্ষমতা।

চাল কিংবা অন্য যে কোন খাদ্যদ্রব্যই হোক তা কেনার সক্ষমতা, যাকে অমর্ত্য সেন বারবার তার দুর্ভিক্ষ বিষয়ক রচনাবলিতে ঊহঃরঃষবসবহঃ তত্ত্ব হিসেবে উল্লেখ করেছেন। গ্রামে কোন কাজ নেই। এমন অনেক মধ্যবিত্তকে বিদেশী দাতা সংস্থার রিলিফের লাইনে দেখেছি যা ওই অঞ্চলে অবিশ্বাস্য। তাদের সঙ্গে কথা বলার সময় তারা বলেছেন, এই জীবনে প্রথম কোন রিলিফের লাইনে তারা দাঁড়িয়েছেন।

একই অবস্থা ঢাকার বিডিআরের চালের লাইনেও। আমি নিজে কলাবাগান, খেজুরবাগান, গ্রিন রোডের বিডিআরের চালের দোকানের দীর্ঘ লাইনে অনেক মধ্যবিত্তকে দেখেছিÑ যারা জীবনে এই প্রথম চালের জন্য লাইনে দাঁড়িয়েছেন। আমি যখন এদের কয়েকজনের সঙ্গে কথা বলে তাদের বক্তব্য রেকর্ড করে চলে আসি তখন তাদের একজন এসে আমাকে বারবার অনুরোধ করছিলেনÑ তার বক্তব্য যেন আমি না ব্যবহার করি। জিজ্ঞেস করতেই তিনি বললেন তার লজ্জার কথা। এরকমটা অসংখ্য মানুষের ক্ষেত্রে হয়েছে। একটি বিষয় আমার মনে হচ্ছে, বাংলাদেশে মধ্যবিত্ত শ্রেণীর যে একটি বিকাশমান ধারা ছিল তা এখন লণ্ডভণ্ড হয়ে গেছে।

বগুড়ায় কথা বলেছি উত্তরাঞ্চলের প্রবীণ সাংবাদিক আমিনুল ইসলাম চৌধুরীর সঙ্গে। তিনি বললেন, মানুষ এখন চালের বদলে সস্তার বেগুন, আলু এবং লাউ খাচ্ছে বিকল্প খাদ্য হিসেবে। কিন্তু তা যোগাড় করাও এখন অসংখ্য মানুষের জন্য কষ্টসাধ্য হয়ে গেছে।

বাংলাদেশের খাদ্য পরিস্থিতি সম্পর্কে জাতিসংঘের বিশ্ব খাদ্য কর্মসূচির ভারপ্রাপ্ত কান্ট্রি ডিরেক্টর এডওয়ার্ড ক্যালনের আমি সাক্ষাৎকার নিয়েছিলাম। তিনি পুরো সাক্ষাৎকার জুড়েই একটি মেসেজ দেয়ার চেষ্টা করলেন, আর তা হলোÑ বাংলাদেশের খাদ্য পরিস্থিতি সঙ্কটজনক এবং গুরুতর। তিনি ওই সাক্ষাৎকারে বলেছেন, মানুষের ক্রয়ক্ষমতা কমে গেছে এবং কর্মসংস্থানের তীব্র অভাবের কারণে পরিস্থিতি আরও জটিল রূপ নিয়েছে।

সরকারের শীর্ষ ব্যক্তিরা বাজার ঘুরতে গিয়ে বলছেন, কোন সঙ্কট নেই। এখানে একটি কথা বলতে চাই, দুর্ভিক্ষ নিয়ে যারা সামান্য চিন্তা-ভাবনা করেন বা জানেন, তারা এ কথাটি ভালই জানেন যে, দুর্ভিক্ষ শুধু খাদ্যদ্রব্যের মজুত কম থাকলেই যে হবে তা নয়, আসল বিষয়টি হচ্ছেÑ মানুষের সেই খাদ্য কেনার সক্ষমতা আছে কিনা। মানুষ সেই সক্ষমতা হারিয়ে ফেলেছে। খুলনা, বাগেরহাট, গোপালগঞ্জ কিংবা উত্তরাঞ্চলÑ সব জায়গা থেকেই একটিই খবর পাওয়া যাচ্ছে, মানুষের হাতে কোন কাজ নেই, মানুষের ক্রয়ক্ষমতা নেই, মানুষ না খেয়ে আছে। এটাকে নীরব দুর্ভিক্ষ কিংবা হিডেন হাঙ্গার যে নামেই ডাকা হোক, কথা একটি: মানুষ না খেয়ে আছে। তবে আমার মতে, দুর্ভিক্ষ কেউ যদি না বলতে চান, তাহলে তারা অন্তত বলুন এটা গণখাদ্যাভাব।

অমর্ত্য সেনসহ দুর্ভিক্ষ নিয়ে যারা কাজ করেছেন গভীরভাবে, তারা বারবারই মানুষের খাদ্য ক্রয়ের ক্ষমতা আছে কিনা সে কথাটির ওপরেই জোর দিয়েছেন। ১৯৪৩ এবং '৭৪-এ এ অঞ্চলের দুর্ভিক্ষ কিংবা ভারতের বিভিন্ন সময়ের দুর্ভিক্ষ বিশ্লেষণে যে সত্যটি বেরিয়ে এসেছে তা হলোÑ মানুষের খাদ্য ক্রয়ের সক্ষমতার অভাবই ছিল সে সময়ের দুর্ভিক্ষের কারণ, খাদ্য মজুত নয়। এবারে বাংলাদেশে খাদ্যদ্রব্যের মজুতে সঙ্কট আছে, আবার মূলত মানুষের হাতে কোন কাজও নেই।

খাদ্যাভ্যাসে পরিবর্তন আনার কথা এ সরকারের সবাই বলছেন। তারা আলু খেতে বলেছেন। সিরাজগঞ্জের মানুষকে কিংবা অন্যত্র যারা না খেয়ে আছেন, তাদের বলে দেয়ার প্রয়োজন হয়নি। তারা নিজেরাই জীবন বাঁচানোর তাগিদে খাদ্যাভ্যাসে পরিবর্তন এনেছেন। বাগেরহাটের মোড়েলগঞ্জসহ ওই অঞ্চলের অতিশয় সাধারণ মানুষের সঙ্গে কথা বলে জেনেছি, যারা আগে তিন বেলা খেতেন, তারা এখন অতি কষ্টেসৃষ্টে দু'বেলা কিংবা এক বেলা খান। আর যারা আগে দু'বেলা খেতেন তারা এখন বলছেন, জীবন তাদের আল্লাহ চালান। আল্লাহ চালানোর অর্থ কি জানতে চেয়েছিলাম তাদের কাছেÑ তাদের জবাব, তারা অনিয়মিত খাচ্ছেন বা না খেয়ে থাকছেন।

বর্তমান সরকার ক্ষমতায় আসার পর রাজনীতিতে সংস্কার, অর্থনীতিতে সংস্কারসহ নানা সংস্কার কর্মসূচি চালু করেছিলেন। এসব সংস্কারের কি হাল হয়েছেÑ তা আমরা এখন বুঝতে পারছি। এমনকি টিআইবি'র ট্রাস্টি বোর্ডের চেয়ারম্যান অধ্যাপক মোজাফ্ফর আহমদ বলেছেন, বর্তমান সরকারের বিভিন্ন দুর্নীতিবিরোধী অভিযানের পরও ২০০৭ সালে মাঠপর্যায়ে দুর্নীতি কমেনি, বরং বেড়েছে। মানুষ এখন সংস্কার শব্দটি শুনলে ভয়ে থরকম্প হয়ে যায়। সরকার এখন খাদ্যাভ্যাসে সংস্কারের কথা বলছেন। আল্লাহ জানেন, এই সংস্কারের পরিণতি কি? একজন পাঠক টেলিফোন করে বলেছেন, তার এক বন্ধু এখন একটি রবীন্দ্র সংগীত নিজের মতো করে গাইতে শুরু করেছেনÑ আলু আমার আলু ওগো আলুই কিচেন ভরা/আলু আমার আলু জীবন আলু এখন সেরা/আছে আলু আছে ও ভাই আমার মুখের কাছে/দিনে আলু রাতে আলু জীবন না আর বাঁচে।

এই অবস্থায় একটি কথাই শুধু বলতে হয়Ñ কোন সুস্থ-স্বাভাবিক মানুষ এখন বলতে পারবেন না, তারা ভাল আছেন। একমাত্র আহাম্মক ছাড়া কেউ ভাল নেই। আমীর খসরু (বিশ্লেষক)
 



Is this CTG better than Ershad  in case of political party reform and anti corruption drive and dealings with teachers and Students ?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sobhan Allah-  Only Allah flawless 
           Alhamdulillah - All praise to be of Allah 
                   Allah hu Akbar - Allah, the Greatest
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Would Be Mahathir of BD
 

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[chottala.com] publication terms

A recent posting on the group caught my attention. The posting titled:
'Consul General on Bangladesh Day Parade-2008' looked like some
private correspondence meant for the person who posted it in this
group. Such messages are often published on different net-group
forums. I wonder if these are published with the knowledge of the
other correspondent. In other words, if the author of the original
message was notified before composing the message that the
correspondence would be posted in other (and specified) electronic
media. These days, it is getting more difficult to continue
correspondences due to ethical breaches. I plead the members of this
particular group to pay attention to such ethical issues before
posting anything on the net.

Thank you, Subi


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[chottala.com] A Sector Commander (Hamidulla Khan)'s Interview

I have read a great piece of very timely and courageous interview of a Sector Commander in Nayadiganta:
http://www.dailynayadiganta.com/2008/04/07/fullnews.asp?News_ID=75787&sec=4
 
It unmasks the evil motive of so called sector commanders forum's objective. They are not doing anything for our beloved country rather they are trying to find ways of power sharing.
NK

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[chottala.com] Scientists find a fingerprint of evolution across the human genome

Published: 17 hours ago, 17:10 EST, April 08, 2008
 

Scientists find a fingerprint of evolution across the human genome

The Human Genome Project revealed that only a small fraction of the 3 billion "letter" DNA code actually instructs cells to manufacture proteins, the workhorses of most life processes. This has raised the question of what the remaining part of the human genome does. How much of the rest performs other biological functions, and how much is merely residue of prior genetic events?

Scientists from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) and the University of Chicago now report that one of the steps in turning genetic information into proteins leaves genetic fingerprints, even on regions of the DNA that are not involved in coding for the final protein. They estimate that such fingerprints affect at least a third of the genome, suggesting that while most DNA does not code for proteins, much of it is nonetheless biologically important – important enough, that is, to persist during evolution.

 
Conservation of genetic information

To gauge how critical a particular stretch of DNA is, biologists often look at the detailed sequence of "letters" it consists of, and compare it with a corresponding stretch in related creatures like mice. If the stretch serves no purpose, the thinking goes, the two sequences will differ because of numerous mutations since the two species last shared an ancestor. In contrast, it's believed that the sequences of important genes will be similar, or "conserved," in different species, because animals with mutations in these genes did not survive. Biologists therefore regard conserved sequences as a sign of biological importance.
To test for conservation, researchers need to find matching stretches in the two species. This is relatively easy for stretches that "code" for proteins, where scientists long ago learned the meaning of the sequence. For "noncoding" regions, however, the comparison is often ambiguous. Even within a gene, stretches of DNA that code for pieces of the target protein are usually interspersed with much larger noncoding stretches, called introns, that are removed from the RNA working copy of the DNA before the protein is made.

Signs of splicing

Previous researchers assumed that mutations in the middle of introns do not affect the final protein, so they simply accumulate. In the new work, however, the researchers found signs that evolution rejects some types of mutations even in these regions of the genome. Although the selection is weak, "introns are not neutral," in their effect on survival, says CSHL professor Michael Zhang, a bioinformatics expert who headed the research team.

To look for selection, CSHL researcher Chaolin Zhang, a doctoral candidate at Stony Brook University, looked in the human genome for a subtle statistical imbalance in how often various "letters" appear. The researchers attribute this imbalance to special short stretches of DNA that mark regions to be removed. Unless these signal sequences are sprinkled throughout an intron, the data suggest, it may not be properly spliced out, with potentially fatal consequences. Other sequences must likewise be preserved in the regions to be retained.

The scientists found a preference for some "letters" across intron regions, and the opposite preference in coding regions. Together, these regions make up at least a third of the genome, which is thus under selective pressure during evolution. The result supports other recent studies that suggest that, although most DNA does not code for proteins, much of it is nonetheless biologically important.

In addition to demonstrating how splicing affects genetic evolution, the statistical analysis identified possible signaling sequences, some that were already known and others that are new. According to co-author Adrian Krainer, a CSHL professor and splicing expert, "the exciting thing will be to experimentally test whether these predicted elements are really true."

"RNA landscape of evolution for optimal exon and intron discrimination" appears in the April 15, 2008 edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The paper is available online at
http://www.pnas.org_cgi_doi_10.1073_pnas.0801692105.

Source: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
 
» Next Article in General Science - Biology: Fungus fight: Researchers battle against dangerous corn toxin
 
 
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[chottala.com] Pakistan : "The Land of Religious Apartheid and Jackboot Justice"

 
Pakistan :  "The Land of Religious Apartheid and Jackboot Justice"
 
 
Pakistan : The Land of Religious Apartheid and Jackboot Justice.
A Report to the UN Committee Against Racial Discrimination. First published August 2007 ...
 
 

Pakistan:
The Land of Religious Apartheid and Jackboot Justice


Executive summary and recommendations

On 14 August 2007, the United Nations Committee on the International Convention Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD Committee) is tentatively scheduled to examine the situation of Pakistan without the report of the government of Pakistan. The government Pakistan has failed to submit its five periodic reports since January 1998. It is highly regrettable that Pakistan has chosen not to cooperate with the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. The last periodic report (CERD/C/299/Add.6) submitted by the government of Pakistan on 13 June 1996 also failed to provide adequate information relevant to the ICERD.

The key issues of concerns which are of relevant to the UN CERD Committee are summarised below:

Legalisation of religious apartheid:

Pakistan government in its policies, programmes and laws only recognises the religious minorities but not the ethnic, linguistic or racial minorities living in the country.

The Constitution of Pakistan segregates its citizens on the basis of religion; and provides preferential treatment to the Muslims. While Article 2 of the Constitution declares Islam as "the State religion of Pakistan" and the Holy Quran and Sunnah to be "the supreme law and source of guidance for legislation to be administered through laws enacted by the Parliament and Provincial Assemblies, and for policy making by the Government", under Article 41(2) only a Muslim can become President. Further, Article 260 of the Constitution differentiates "Muslim" and "Non-Muslim" thereby facilitating and encouraging discrimination on the basis of religion.

The Constitution is so glued to providing preferential treatment to the majority Muslims that even a Hindu judge has to take oath of office in the name of "Allah". On 24 March 2007,  Justice Rana Bhagwandas, a Hindu, while being sworn in as Acting Chief Justice of Pakistan, being the senior most judge after the suspension of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, had to take oath with a Quranic prayer - "May Allah Almighty help and guide me, (A'meen)". [1]

 

Provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code, in particular, Section 295-A, Section 295-B, Section 295-C, Section 298-A, Section 298-B provide harsh punishment for alleged blasphemy. These blasphemy laws undermine some of the major provisions of the Constitution of Pakistan such as the fundamental right to "profess, practice and propagate his religion" (Article 20), equality before the law and equal protection of law to all citizens (Article 25), and safeguard the "legitimate rights and interests of minorities" (Article 36). The Apostasy Bill 2006 introduced by the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) in the National Assembly in May 2007 seeks, among others, to provide death sentence to any Muslim converting to other religions and imposes life imprisonment for women apostates. [2]

 

Teaching hatred in schools:

 

The Hindus and Hinduism have been allegedly maligned and hatred against them are propagated in the text books approved by the National Curriculum Wing of the Federal Ministry of Education. Among others, Hindus have been stated as "enemy of Islam" in the textbooks of Class V. [3]

 

Persecution under blasphemy laws:

 

Since Ahmadis have been declared as heretic, practicing their faith in public can be described as blasphemous and therefore, the dagger of blasphemy laws perennially hang over their heads. Blasphemy laws have been widely abused and mis-used to target the minorities and sometimes, to settle personal vendetta even among the Muslims. Between 1 January to 1 June 2007, at least 25 persons out of which 16 were Christians including 9 women were victimised under the blasphemy laws. [4] In 2006, 90 cases of blasphemy were reported. Out of these, only 48 were registered with the police in which 27 accused were Muslims, 10 Christians and 11 Ahmadis. [5] Considering that Christians, Hindus and Ahmadis constitute only slightly more than four percent of the total population of Pakistan, they have been disproportionate victims of the blasphemy laws. On 30 May 2007, Younis Masih, a Christian, was sentenced to death on charges of blasphemy by the Sessions Court in Lahore. He was charged on 10 September 2005 under Section 295-C of Pakistan Penal Code. [6]

 

Even the anti-terror laws are invoked against those accused of blasphemy and often the judiciary sanctifies the charges. On 8 June 2007, Mr. Saeed Ahmad, an Ahmadi, was arrested under Section 298-C of Pakistan Penal Code at Nakdar Police Station in Sargodha district (FIR No 73/2007). Later, the police added Clause 9 of the Anti-Terrorism Act to the charge sheet. [7] Earlier on 25 November 2006, an Anti-Terrorism Court sentenced two Christians - James Masih (65) and Buta Masih (70) - to 10 years imprisonment in addition to a fine of Rupees 25,000 for committing "blasphemy" against the Quran in October 2006 in Faisalabad district. [8]

 

Even children were not spared. On 26 January 2007, police reportedly registered cases against five Ahmadi children identified as 11-year-old Nusrat Jahan, daughter of Hakim Muhammad Sadiq of Ahmadabad Janoobi; 8-year-old Umair Ahmad, son of Ghulam Ahmad of Ahmadabad Janoobi; Ashfaq Ahmad, son of Muhammad Mumtaz of Khai Kalan; Rafi Ahmad, son of Muhammad Yousaf of Omerabad Majoka; and Abdul Sattar, son of Ahmad Hasan of Thathi Omerabad under Section 17 of the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance in Chora Kalan police station in Khushab district for subscribing to Jamaat-e-Ahmadiya's monthly children's magazine Tasheezul Azhan. [9]

 

Those who faced blasphemy charges continued to live in fear even after acquittal by the courts. A Christian identified as Shahid Masih of Faisalabad had to go into hiding although he was released on bail on 17 January 2007 in a blasphemy case. Judge Muhammad Tanveer Akbar granted Shahid Masih bail on the ground that evidence against him was only "circumstantial". Yet, he faced threats from the fundamentalists and had to go into hiding. [10]

 

Denial of government jobs:

 

The religious minorities have been denied proportional representation in government jobs. According to the 13th census of civil servants-2006, an overwhelming majority (97.51 per cent) of the federal civil servants are Muslims while only 250 civil servants (0.11 per cent) are Ahmadis, 499 civil servants (0.21 per cent) are Hindus, 23 civil servants are Buddhists, 4,731 (2.01 per cent) civil servants are Christians and 22 civil servants of "other' religions and 0.14 per cent whose religions have not been disclosed. [11] Minorities are often discriminated in government jobs on the basis of religious belief. On 15 May 2007, Mr. Amjad Mahmud was fired from service in the Atomic Energy Commission while 40 of his colleagues who were Muslims, were regularised in August 2006. He was allegedly fired for being an Ahmadi follower. [12] Earlier in April 2007, Mushtaq Masih, a Christian, who was employed as a sweeper by the municipal administration, was suspended from his job because of his arrest under suspicion of blasphemy. [13]

 

Denial of freedom of movement:

 

Since July 2003, Ahmadis travelling to Mecca for the Hajj must officially denounce in writing the founder of the Ahmadi faith, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as a "cunning person and an imposter". [14] In March 2005, the government of Pakistan restored the discriminatory practice of making it mandatory to include religious identity of individuals in all new passports. That requirement was earlier withdrawn in November 2004. [15] On 12 February 2007, the daily Khabrain reported that the government made it necessary for an applicant to certify his/her faith in the 'End of Prophethood' in the application form for national identity card. The newly printed forms for the national identity card reportedly included the attestation concerning the End of Prophethood. [16]

 

Denial of freedom of expression:

 

The Ahmadis in particular have been denied freedom of expression and assembly. Since 1983 the Ahmadis have been denied permission to hold their religious annual conference. [17] On 15 December 1989, the authorities booked the entire Ahmadi population of Rabwah (the headquarters of Ahmadis in Pakistan) in FIR 367/89 under Section 298C of Pakistan Penal Code. The FIR remains active to-date. [18] Ahmadis are prohibited from holding any public conference or gathering. [19]

 

Ahmadi publications are banned from public sale. On 22 January 2007, the police raided the printing press of an Ahmadi proprietor, Tariq Mahmud Panipati at Lower Mall in Lahore and sealed the press. [20] Earlier, on 9 September 2006, the police raided the office of the daily Alfazl – published by the Ahmadiya community - at Chenab Nagar (Rabwah) in Punjab. Mr. Sultan Ahmad Dogar of Alfazl was arrested under Sections 298B and 298C of Pakistan Penal Code, Section 16 of Maintenance of Public Order and clause 9 of the Anti-Terrorism Act. Mr. Dogar was later released on bail. [21]

 

Violations of ESCR rights:

 

The minorities have been systematically denied economic, social and cultural rights. Their lands and properties including places of worship have been forcibly grabbed. Since July 2006 Hindus had been forcibly evicted from Panwal Das Compound area in Lyari in Karachi and Muslim butchers turned the Shiv Mandir of the Hindus into a slaughter house in connivance with the police. [22] In another incident, following a notification from the Evacuee Trust Property Board of 9 March 2006, Krishna temple in Lahore was demolished to pave the way for construction of a commercial complex. [23] On 18 June 2006, the Lahore High Court stayed the construction of the commercial complex following a writ petition challenging the demolition of the temple. [24]

 

The Christians' lands were illegally transferred to Muslims in Chawk Munda under Muzzafargarh district. On 1 November 2006, four Christian farmers namely Khurshid Mangta, Hadayat Masih, Gulzar and Nazir Pirandita were forcibly evicted from their lands and their crops were destroyed. Each person lost 10 acres of cultivable land which was their only source of livelihood. The land was reportedly transferred through Revenue department by Mr. Haider Shah. [25]

 

The Ahmadis too have not been allowed to maintain their own graveyards. On 22 April 2007, the Lahore police bulldozed the boundary wall of a 6-acre piece of land legally procured by the Ahamdi community to extend their graveyard. The hardliners opposed the extension. [26]  

 

Denial of equal treatment before the organs administering justice:

 

The minorities have been denied the right to equal treatment and protection by the law enforcement personnel. Often, the police refused to register cases filed by the non-Muslims.  In the case of abduction and gang rape of a minor Christian girl identified as Cheena Bibi (12 years) on 8 April 2007 in Punjab, police did not act despite providing the details of one of the accused to the police by the brother of the victim, Munir Masih. [27] In the cases where the police arrested the Muslim accused, they are often let off without investigation. [28]

 

Denial of protection against bodily harm:

 

The minorities are not provided security by the State against bodily harm and violation of the right to life. In March 2007, the Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC) appealed to President Musharraf to direct the authorities to provide protection and take measures to recover kidnapped Hindus from Sakrand, Kashmore and Jacobabad. [29] The Hindus reportedly have to pay "protection money" to the local Muslim gangs or influential persons in order to avoid getting kidnapped for ransom. [30] On 6 February 2007, kidnapped Hindu engineer Garish Kumar was found dead in the premises of a madrassa in industrial area of Kotri in Sindh. [31] The deceased's father, Saspal Das alleged that Garish was killed for being a Hindu. [32]

 

It is a crime for the Hindus to have land and beautiful daughters. Kidnapping, raping and forcible marriage of Hindu girls is a common practice in Pakistan. In case of arrest, the accused produce a certificate issued by any Muslim seminary that the kidnapped girls have voluntarily adopted Islam and the accused have married the girls. The courts generally do not consider the fact that the most of the girls are minor and simply accept the certificate of conversion without any investigation. [33] On 31 December 2006, a Hindu girl named Deepa (17 years) was abducted by her tuition teacher, Ashraf Khaskheli, a Muslim in Madhwani Mohala in Tharparkar district and forcibly married and converted her to Islam. A certificate of marriage and conversion to Islam was reportedly issued by Ayube Jan Sarhandi, the head of the seminary and the police allegedly refused to register the complaint filed by the girl's parents. [34]

 

Many Christian families reportedly fled from their homes following a threatening letter received from Islamic militants at Charsada of North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) on 8 May 2007 asking them to convert to Islam within 10 days or face dire consequences. [35] In June 2007, Christians of Shantinagar village of Khanewal district in Punjab received similar threats to embrace Islam. [36] The police often failed to provide adequate protection.

 

Denial of the right to vote:

 

The religious minorities have been systematically excluded from the voters' list. On 12 June 2007, the Election Commission of Pakistan released a new voters' list for the upcoming general elections.  Instead of a joint voter list, the  Ahmadis were placed in a separate voters' list. [37] The Secretary of the Election Commission, Kunwar Dilshad Ahmed reportedly justified the separate list for the Ahmadis on the ground that a separate list for the community could help its members in checking the names and information of their members. [38]

 

In July 2007, the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance claimed that 20 per cent of non-Muslim voters have been excluded from the new voters' list. [39] About 18 per cent eligible voters belonging to minorities have been struck out in the new voters' list in North West Frontier Province. [40] On 26 July 2007, the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission of Pakistan to ensure registration of all eligible voters in the new electoral rolls. [41]

 

Discrimination against the Balochis:

 

There have been reports of indiscriminate use of fire-arms and bombs by the Pakistan Army and Pakistan Air Force against the civilians while confronting the Baloch armed opposition groups. On the morning of 30 March 2007, thousands of Pakistan army soldiers entered and cordoned the Baloch villages of Lanju and Sagari in Sui area near Mazari goot on Balochistan-Punjab border from Punjab while fighter jets and gunship helicopters bombarded the villages in turns for several hours.  At least 18 women, children and elderly persons were reportedly killed in the military action. [42] Earlier on 14 June 2006, four members of a family including two women and two children aged 7 and 3 years reportedly died in bombings by Pakistani Air Force jet planes in Gazital areas, 20 Km east of Marri tribal capital Kahan. [43]

 

On 1 August 2007, the Supreme Court issued suo motu notices to Chief Secretary and Provincial Police Officer of Balochistan on the rising number of disappearances. [44] Hundreds of Balochis have been arrested and disappeared. While the Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) claimed that around 4,000 Baloch youths, mainly political activists, were still in the custody of Pakistani intelligence agencies, [45] Human Rights Commission of Pakistan stated that out of 242 persons who were still missing as of 10 December 2006, 110 were from Balochistan, 70 from Sindh, 42 from Punjab and 20 from the North West Frontier Province. [46]

 

Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) of Balochistan have been living in inhospitable situations and the government created further obstacles.  According to the United Nations agencies there were 84,000 IDPs in Balochistan of which 26,000 were women and 33,000 were children as of December 2006. [47]   The government  deliberately created the humanitarian crisis by not even recognizing the presence of IDPs in the province. When the government sought the intervention of the United Nations to avert the humanitarian crisis on 21 December 2006, it was too late. [48] Due to total blockade of Marri and Bugti areas by the Pakistani army, about 8,000 to 10,000 allegedly died due to malnourishment, lack of shelter and disease. The makeshift camps had no access to potable water, food, and other basic necessities. No medicine and medical facility, doctor and electricity or even fuel to run water pumps were not provided to these areas. [49] The  government prevented journalists and aid groups to reach the affected areas [50] and therefore, the extent of the man made disaster could not be reported. Even the assistance from the UN was sought only for three districts of Naseerabad, Jaffarabad and Quetta and not for Sibi and Bolan districts. Besides, the UN was asked to carry out its relief operation under the supervision of local authorities. [51]

 

The Federally Administered Tribal Areas: The Dark, Dark Region 

 

FATA remains the DARK, DARK region where there is no rule of law. It is not only because Taleban inspired armed groups seek to impose medieval practices but effectively Pakistan too practices the similar medieval legal practices under the Frontier Crime Regulation (FCR) of 1901. The entire region has been deprived of any semblance of legal reforms that took place elsewhere in Pakistan and these repressive measures have further strengthened the Al-Queda type practices.

 

People of FATA live at the mercy of the President of Pakistan. Under Article 247(3), no act of the Parliament shall apply to FATA or any part thereof unless the President so directs. As the FCR, which is antithetical to due process of law, governs the administration of justice and Pakistan kept the region in legal darkness.

 

First, the FCR provides for collective punishment to the family members or blood relatives instead of punishing only the guilty. [52]

 

Second, under Section 21 of the FCR, the political authorities like the Political Agents and Assistant Political Agents of the government enjoy unbridled powers [53]   including the powers of a) seizure, wherever they may be found, of all or any of the members of such tribe and of all or any property belonging to them or any of them; b) detention in safe custody of any person or property so seized; c) confiscation of any such property and, with like sanction, by public proclamation; d) debarring all or any member of the tribe from all access into the (country); and e) prohibiting all or any person within the limits of British India from all interaction or communication of any kind whatsoever, or of any specified kind or kinds, with such tribe or any section or members thereof. [54]

 

Third, FCR does not provide any fair trial. People suspected of having committed a criminal offence are tried by the tribal jirga or council which submits its recommendations regarding conviction or acquittal to the Political Agent who makes a decision regarding conviction or acquittal but is not bound by the jirga's recommendations. [55] Moreover, the suspects are tried without legal representation. [56] There is no provision of appeal against conviction or punishment order by the Political Agents as the jurisdiction of Pakistan's higher judiciary is barred under Article 247(7) of the constitution from exercising its jurisdiction in the FATA. [57]

 

Tribal prisoners in FATA regions reportedly served two or more sentences for the same crime. While hearing a jail writ petition of Rahimullah, a division bench of Peshawar High Court consisting of Chief Justice Tariq Pervaz Khan and Justice Qaim Jan Khan directed the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) security secretary to check the "unbridled" powers of political authorities and the human rights violations carried out by them. The Assistant Political Agent (APA) of Bara had sentenced Rahimullah under section 40 of the FCR on 15 December 2003 but before the completion of Rahimullah's first jail term, the APA passed another order on 14 January 2005 against him in the same crime. As if that was not enough, before the completion of Rahimullah's second illegal jail term, the APA passed a third conviction order on 25 May 2006, for another three years for the same crime. [58]  

 

In the war against Taleban and Al-Queda, the tribals of FATA have become   victims of indiscriminate attacks by the Pakistani military. On 30 October 2006, 82 people including at least 12 children were reportedly killed in an air strike at a madrassa (Islamic religious school) in Damadola in Bajaur agency (bordering Afghanistan) in FATA. [59] The locals claimed that all those killed were Islamic teachers and students.

 

Recommendations:

 

In the light of the concerns expressed above, Asian Centre for Human Rights makes the following recommendations for consideration by the CERD Committee.

 

The Pakistan government should be urged to:

 

  • Submit 15th to 20th periodic reports within one year and that it should provide comprehensive reports including about the concerns to be expressed by the CERD Committee;
  • Provide equal rights to the religious minorities in all spheres of life;
  • Religious freedom of those serving with the organs of the State be ensured and necessary measures be taken to enable them to take oath of office in the name of their own belief or religion;
  • Remove all propaganda of hatred, religious superiority and defamation of religion from the text books approved by the National Curriculum Wing of the Federal Ministry of Education;
  • Repeal all the blasphemy laws, in particular Section 295-A, Section 295-B, Section 295-C, Section 298-A and Section 298-B of the Pakistan Penal Code and that the State party be asked to provide information on the Apostasy Bill of 2006;
  • Ensure that with regard to the alleged blasphemy cases against children, laws on juvenile justice prevail and children are not charged or tried under the laws applicable to the adults;
  • Take affirmative action programmes and ensure proportional representation of the minorities in government jobs;
  • Abolish the administrative measures which promote hatred including reference to any particular faith in the passport or national identity card and that Ahmadis be allowed to undertake religious pilgrimages to places of their choice;
  • Ensure the right to freedom of expression of the religious minorities and withdraw ban on the Ahmadi publications;
  • Ensure the economic, social and cultural rights of the religious minorities including the right to land and protect their places of worship from appropriation by the private individuals or groups and/or forcible evictions;
  • Launch special programmes to sensitise the law enforcement personnel on the rights of the minorities to ensure that the minorities have access to equal treatment and protection of the organs administering justice;
  • Develop technical cooperation programmes with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for capacity building of the law enforcement personnel on the rights of the minorities;
  • Take effective measures against the abduction and kidnapping of the minorities, in particular girls and women and their forcible conversion to Islam;
  • Fully implement the judgment of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to ensure registration of all eligible voters, in particular minorities, in the new electoral rolls;
  • Prohibit indiscriminate use of fire-arms and bombs against the civilians while confronting the armed opposition groups;
  • Respond to the suo motu notice issued by the Supreme Court on 1 August 2007 on the rising number of disappearances in Balochistan, establish a judicial commisison of inquiry into disappearances in Pakistan by a sitting judge of the Supreme Court and establish accountability for disappearances;
  • Invite the UN Working Group on Enforced Disappearances to visit Pakistan;
  • Ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance;
  • Provide unrestricted access to the United Nations and humanitarian agencies to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Balochistan and elsewhere;
  • Repeal the Frontier Crime Regulation of 1901 from the statute books; and
  • Take effective measures to extend constitutional reforms to the FATA region.


[1] . Pak's Hindu CJ took oath with a Quranic prayer, Times of India, 26 March 2007, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1824483.cms

[2] . Pak Considers Bill Condemning Muslim Converts to Death, Minorities' Concerns of Pakistan, E-Newsletter of Religious Minorities for peace and harmony in Pakistan, June 2007, Issue No. 15

[3] . "Hindus in South Asia and the Diaspora: A Survey of Human Rights – 2006", Hindu American Foundation, 11 July 2007 available at: http://www.hinduamericanfoundation.org/pdf/HHR2006.pdf

[4] . Press Release of National Commission for Justice and Peace dated 1 June 2007

[5] . Minorities' Concerns of Pakistan, E-Newsletter of Religious Minorities for peace and harmony in Pakistan, June 2007, Issue No. 15

[6] . Younis Masih Sentenced To Death For "Blasphemy", Minorities' Concerns of Pakistan, E-Newsletter of Religious Minorities for peace and harmony in Pakistan, June 2007, Issue No. 15

[7] . Ahmadi arrested under Ahmadi-specific law, and maliciously subjected to the anti-terrorism law, 8 June 2007, http://www.thepersecution.org/nr/2007/june.html

[8] . Two elderly Blasphemers sentenced to 10 years, Pakistan Christian Post, http://www.pakistanchristianpost.com/newsdetails.php?archives=1&newsid=916

[9] . Hate material in children's magazine?: Cases registered against Ahmadi kids over magazine subscription, Daily Times, 2 February 2007

[10] . Released Christian In Danger, Minorities' Concern of Pakistan, Monthly E-Newsletter of Religious Minorities for peace and harmony in Pakistan, February 2007, Issue No. 13  

[11] . Minorities Have Less Share In  Civil Services Of Pakistan, Minorities' Concern of Pakistan, Monthly E-Newsletter of Religious Minorities for peace and harmony in Pakistan, February 2007, Issue No. 13  

[12] . Loss of job for being an Ahmadi, 15 May 2007, http://www.thepersecution.org/nr/2007/june.html

[13] . Mob and police torture Catholic man accused of blasphemy, Pakistan Christian Post, http://www.pakistanchristianpost.com/newsdetails.php?archives=1&newsid=966 

[20] . Attack on Ahmadiyya Freedom of expression, belief and press, http://www.thepersecution.org/nr/2007/january.html

[22] . State of Human Rights in 2006, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan

[23] . Temple demolished, says Pakistan council, Times of India, 17 June 2006, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1655965.cms

[24] . No construction on temple site: Pak court, Times of India, 18 June 2006, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1656554.cms

[25] . Communication from National Commission for Justice and Peace Pakistan, 7 February2007 

[26] . Ahmadi cemetery fence razed in pre-dawn operation, Daily Times, 23 April 2007

[27] . Cheena Bibi, a teen age Christian girl gang raped by Muslims on Easter Day in Punjab, Pakistan Christian Post, available at http://www.pakistanchristianpost.com/newsdetails.php?archives=1&newsid=962

[28] . Runaway Christian couple became easy prey of Muslim gang rapists, Pakistan Christian Post, http://www.pakistanchristianpost.com/newsdetails.php?archives=1&newsid=983

[29] .  'Hindus in Pakistan are insecure', The Times of India, 30 March 2007, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1833721.cms

[30] . Hindus feel the heat in Pakistan, BBC News, 2 March 2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6367773.stm

[31] . Kidnapped Hindu engineer beheaded, buried by militants in seminary, Daily Times, 8 February 2007

[32] . Hindus feel the heat in Pakistan, BBC News, 2 March 2007, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6367773.stm

[33] . UA-008-2006: PAKISTAN: Another Hindu girl forcibly converted to Islam after being abducted, Asian Human Rights Commmission, 9 January 2007, http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2007/2158/

[34] . UA-008-2006: PAKISTAN: Another Hindu girl forcibly converted to Islam after being abducted, Asian Human Rights Commmission, 9 January 2007, http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2007/2158/

[35] . Militants Ask Christians To Convert To Islam, Minorities' Concerns of Pakistan, E-Newsletter of Religious Minorities for peace and harmony in Pakistan, June 2007, Issue No. 15

[36] . Email communication from Minorities' Concern of Pakistan, 23 June 2007

[37] . Ahmadis set to boycott general elections again, The Daily Times, 29 June 2007

[38] . Ahmadis set to boycott general elections again, The Daily Times, 29 June 2007

[39] . Questionable voters' lists, Dawn, 28 July 2007, http://www.dawn.com/2007/06/28/ed.htm

[40] . 18 per cent minority voters' name missing from NWFP electoral list, Malaysia Sun 27 July 2007, http://story.malaysiasun.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/303b19022816233b/id/268625/cs/1/

[41] . Disenfranchise no eligible voters, SC tells ECP, Daily Times, 27 July 2007, http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\07\27\story_27-7-2007_pg1_1

[42] . Breaking News: Eighteen Baloch women and children killed, 28 Punjabi army soldiers killed 37 injured, http://www.balochvoice.com/Law_and_Order/2007/Laworder_in_Balochistan_1st_Quarter_
2007.html#07-03-30%20Breaking%20News:%20Eighteen%20Baloch%20women%20
and%20children%20killed, %2028%20Punjabi%20army%20soldiers%20killed%2037%20injured

[43] . Two women and two children killed in Jet bombing near Kahan, Baloch Voice, 15 June 2006, http://www.balochvoice.com/Marri_files/Two_women_and_two_children_killed_in_Jet_bombing-15-6-06.html

[44] . CJP takes notice of disappearances in Balochistan, The Daily Times, 2 August 2007, available at: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\08\02\story_2-8-2007_pg7_23

[45] . 4,000 Baloch youths detained illegally: BNP-M, Daily Times, 13 December 2006

[46] . Govt urged to come clean on 'enforced disappearances', Dawn, 10 December 2006, http://www.dawn.com/2006/12/10/top3.htm

[47] . UN help sought to save IDPs from starvation: Balochistan instability displaces 84,000, The Dawn, 22 December 2006

[48] . UN help sought to save IDPs from starvation: Balochistan instability displaces 84,000, The Dawn, 22 December 2006

[49] . Two women and two children killed in Jet bombing near Kahan, Baloch Voice, 15 June 2006, available at: http://www.balochvoice.com/Marri_files/Two_women_and_two_children_killed_in_Jet_bombing-15-6-06.html

[50] . Thousands displaced in Waziristan, Balochistan, The Post, 11 October 2006

[51] . UN help sought to save IDPs from starvation: Balochistan instability displaces 84,000, The Dawn, 22 December 2006

[53] . PHC asks FATA security secy to check admin's powers, The Daily Times, 13 April 2007

[57] . See Article 247

[58] . PHC asks FATA security secy to check admin's powers, The Daily Times, 13 April 2007

[59] . 82 die as missiles rain on Bajaur: Pakistan owns up to strike; locals blame US drones, The Dawn, 31 October 2006

[PDF]

pak report new.qxd

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Pakistan : The Land of Religious Apartheid and Jackboot Justice. A Report to the UN Committee Against Racial Discrimination. First published August 2007 ...
www.achrweb.org/reports/cerd/Pakistan-CERD2007.pdf - Similar pages
 
 

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