Christian Council condemns Saudi Grand Mufti Call For Destruction Of Churches In West Asia

Christian Council condemns Saudi Grand Mufti Call For Destruction Of Churches In West Asia

Joseph D’souza, President, All India Christian Council Dr John Dayal, Secretary General, All India Christian Council For further detail, please contact Dr. John Dayal +919811021072 New Delhi, March 30, 2012
The All India Christian Council has condemned the call by Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti, Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah that it is “necessary to destroy all the churches of the region.” Christian Council President Dr Joseph D’ Souza, said the Mufti’s controversial statement placed Christian churches throughout the Arabian peninsula in jeopardy and could have repercussions for religious minorities in other countries. Council secretary General Dr John Dayal called upon the government of India and other civilised countries to use their good offices to ensure that the nations in the Arabian peninsula rebuffed the Wahabi Imam’s bigoted statement, and assured the safety and security of churches in the Yemen, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates. Christianity is already forbidden in Saudi Arabia which has no churches. West Asian media had reported the controversial statement in the context of another statement by a Kuwaiti member of parliament who reportedly called for the ‘removal’ of churches in his country. Legislation was also recently introduced in Kuwait’s parliament that would mandate the removal of Christian churches from the country and impose strict Shariah laws. Kuwait has later clarified the legislation would not remove the churches, but prohibit further construction of Christian churches and non-Muslim places of worship in the country. The Saudi Grand Mufti emphasized that because Kuwait is part of the Arabian Peninsula, it would be necessary to destroy all churches in the country. There are a large number of Christians living in Saudi Arabia and the other countries of the Arabian gulf, many of them from India and the Philippines, with their population estimated at over 3.5 million, over 800,000 of them in Saudi Arabia alone. The All India Christian Council has been following developments in the region with growing alarm and concern as Christians continue to be coerced and harassed at various times. It is particularly disturbing because India has a large number of its citizens, mostly labour but also businessmen, engineers and medical personnel, in the region. A large number of migrant from the states of South India are Christians.
The All India Christian Council said the Mufti’s statement flew in the face of the United Nations Charter and the UN Declaration On The Elimination Of All Forms Of Intolerance And Of Discrimination Based On Religion Or Belief. The All India Christian Council (www.christiancouncil.in), birthed in 1998, exists to protect and serve the Christian community, minorities, and the oppressed castes. The aicc is a coalition of thousands of Indian denominations, organizations, and lay leaders.

Reaction to the Union Budget 2012-13

Reaction to Union Budget 2012-13
Lack Lustre Budget says Mr. Vijay Kalantri Vice Chairman – World Trade Centre Mumbai (WTC) President – All India Association of Industries (AIAI)
World Trade Centre Mumbai (WTC) and All India Association of Industries (AIAI) welcome the decision to implement Goods and Service Tax (GST) from August 2012 which will simplify and rationalize the tax structure. We further welcomes the much needed increase in viability gap funding for the infrastructure sectors like roads, port. Power and further inclusion of Oil and Gas and Tank farm will boost the growth of the Infra sector.
WTC & AIAI welcomes the introduction of much needed Mutual fund for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector to tune of Rs. 5,000 Crores which will meet the need for seed capital of this vibrant sector, even the Excise exemption limit should have been increased in view of inflation.
The allowing of External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) for sector like Aviation and low cost housing introduction of doubling the amount of tax free bonds for infrastructure sector such as Ports, Power, and Road etc will give the much needed impetus to achieve over 7% of GDP growth.
However increase in the Excise duties and Service Tax by 2% will adversely impact the automobile, engineering and manufacturing industry and various provision and alteration made in rules of Service Tax, Excise and Customs duty will make the procedure more cumbersome for the assesses and increase harassment.
The Hon’ble Finance Minister, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee should have initiated measures and incentives to boost the infrastructure related industries. However the Budget will add to the inflationary trend and in turn could have a ascending effect on the economic/manufacturing growth.
AIAI feels that the negative list on the Service Tax may be re-looked into. The fiscal deficiency of 5.1% is matter of concern and various leakages in regard with subsidies and popular schemes need to be implemented transparently to avoid further increase of fiscal deficit and misuse of schemes.

ISAT Press Release, March 15, 2012

ISAT Press Release, March 15, 2012 “ISAT” International Sports Academy Trust - (an integral youth preparation) Football Development Program Subj. Answers to the Accusations of JKFA from November 2011 After the press conference of ISAT where was announced the sending of six kashmiries to Brazil and the JKFA react to the Minister of Sports Mr. R.S. Chib and start to relies accusation and abused about ISAT and Marcos work in J&K, we decide to wait for the reconsideration of such accusations and decision for the past 3 and half month. But seen that nothing have change and most over steps of discrimination and prohibiting ISAT Programs to be run in any District of J&K we have decide to announce our defense before take any last decision about the permanence of this international and professional football program in J&K. Even so ISAT as a Professional Football Development Program has much more to gives to the youth of J&K and we are at disposition of the Authorities to work in collaboration and in totally armory as we had done for the past 5 years with JKFA. 1. In the letter of JKFA to AIFF against Mr. Marcos they mention the follow accusations points. • Marcos claiming to be football coach / himself as a Director of ISAT. • Confine his coaching to boys of his area – Wanbal, Coaching only to who opted for ISAT. • Open Unites by luring Officials and seniors football players. • Marcos had created chaotic situation since he came to Kashmir. • Make tournaments and others activities beyond his mandate. • Using media influence. Just to gain media attention sent youth to Brazil. • Have triggered resentment among 20 thousands footballers, who are genuine affiliated with the JKFA. • Got youth detained at various police stations by Marcos complained to the Police. • Interfering in the internal work of JKFA by sending boys abroad without the permission of JKFA and organize unregistered tournaments in the Valley is cut Violation of the Constitution. a. Players have no background; b. Returned after 3 and half month; c. Not become part of any Academy even not receives particular coaching; d. Six boys to Brazil that came back after 1 week or ten days; e. Selection only sports council and JKFA can do it. • Ask for his financial resources, he didn’t respond. • Hold events for which the founding agency isn’t know, we left with no genuine option than disaffiliated him from our activities. • Marcos has failed to produce any good footballer. • We had accepted Marco’s voluntary services for a specified tenure, which has already passed. • Communal hatred against him. Close Marcos programs and Clubs to maintain discipline. • ISAT management shall not be permitted to organize football & football related activities. • No government recognized body would allow anyone to hold events for with the funding agencies aren’t known – can be against the interest of the Nation. • Just in one meeting all members of JKFA unanimously decide to close three official registered Clubs and an organization working completely under the law and norms of the state and register in central government. 2. Answers from ISAT a. Accusation against our license, an official organization registered and recognized by government cannot be closed by local Football Association, when have the approval of all government office to work and stay in full activities in the state just for professional insecurity and for never prove such quantity and quality of Professionalism. I’m Juan Marcos Troia, Argentinean and graduated Professional and International Football Coach, affiliated to the Syndicate of Professional Football Coaches of Sao Paulo State in Brazil (SITREPFESP) for more than 10 years, recognized by University of Ibirapuera, the Secretariat of Sports of Sao Paulo State, Sao Paulo Football Federation (FPF), Brazilian Football Federation (CBF), Ministry of Sports of Brazil and Certify FIFA Coach, I have been coaching in Delhi in the past and now in J&K. I'm in India since 2002 under ISAT (International Sports Academy Trust) “Football Development Program”, and we are registered since 2003 in New Delhi, from that time I had been working in the promotion of Football. Till 2006, I had worked in Delhi in different places and at the last I was coaching in DDA Sports Complex of Sarita Vihar and Jamia Milia Islamia University football field. My wife Priscila Barros Pedroso, Brazilian, had worked in the linguistic and cultural field in Brazilian Embassy and Jamia Milia Islamia University as a lecture of Portuguese Language, today she is also graduated Professional Football Coach by SITREPFESP in Brazil and Co-Founder of ISAT (International Sports Academy Trust), She is working in the Marketing and Communication at the same. We had been sent to India in 2002 as commercial representatives of Sports Network International, from Brazil for sports matters in India. And in 2005 the Club America from Brazil approaches me (Juan Marcos Troia) as a permanent representative for the club in India. International Sports Academy Trust (ISAT), registered on 8th October 2003 at New Delhi, registration No. 8,730 in Book no. 4 vol No. 2,006 (see trust deed of ISAT) ISAT “An integral Youth Preparation”, is a sports entity which includes the main physical disciplines registered and professionally recognized by the Government of India for the last 10 ten years. ISAT has as objective to provide an integral assistance in education way to help in a professional future. We invite professionals in sports, health, nutrition, communication and administration to work with us. We also work in collaboration with sports companies, professionals clubs, nationals and state association, federations, sports syndicates, schools and athletes. This means that we want to be a bridge between Latin America, India and Asia. b. Three registered Clubs cannot be banned for life without a proper way, with probes, just making allegations and spread rumors they should present the arguments and give the opportunity for appeal for defense otherwise is dictatorship, this is totally arbitrary and unconstitutional that the three clubs will bring insecurity and instability to 497 others clubs in Kashmir. JKFA doesn’t have right to close ISAT program by saying that they don’t need it any more so we should go. c. They had mentioned that my contract had already concluded, when the truth is that still is one year and one month more before reach to the end till December 2012. d. Regards Official Cultural and Sports interchange program • The selected boys were the best of Kashmir at the time to be selected. • They had joined Professional Football Club in Sao Paulo and Rio the Janeiro in Brazil • The two first Kashmiries left India on 25th March 2010 and return back on 1st February 2011 • The second group of six Kashmiries left India on 14th November 2011 and return on 15th December 2011 and they got official certificate from Ministry of Sports of Brazil and the Sao Paulo Football Federation as a Professional Football Coaches. The only reason for such accusations maybe can be the ignorance for who never went abroad who knows that through the passports you can got the dates from where you go and came and for the 2 boys specific which went for a one year of training program they have got for their fulfill documentation the resident card in Brazil. e. ISAT is an official organization and has two registered clubs in AIFF for international transferences that a club at this level is legible to transfer, send and receive professionals, coaches, trainers, players etc. from anywhere and to anywhere, when the contracts, visas and government permissions from both countries involved had been token for such activities. f. The documentation filed by Marcos to JKSC, SSP Srinagar, DC, Srinagar and AIFF proves that. • Nobody had been detained at various police stations. • Marcos had created chaotic situation – How he can created insecurity when he was himself facing insecurity issues, when boys have been removed from several Police station under ISAT responsibilities. • Tournaments, sports activities and Cultural and Sports interchange program had been welcome by every government authority even JKFA, and every each event organized and sponsored by ISAT were in collaboration and approval of JKFA. • My financials resources and others activities are the concern of CID and NFRO that take care to investigate and monitored the activities of the foreigners to grant or not their stay by extend their visas • All Winter Tournaments Organize and sponsored by ISAT was sponsored from the same founds mentioned above. • We had filed many document proving the success not only of some players but two entire teams that were showed the performance by been champions and get promoted every year. But even so 14 fourteen players had emerged from our Academies and Club List of the Players. 1. Sheikh Umer Jan -from District Ganderbal - to ISAT FC from ISAT to JK Bank (Super-Div.) 2. Ayman Rashid - from ISAT to JK Bank (Super-Div.) 3. Sameer Khan - from ISAT to JK PDC (Super-Div.) 4. Sahil Nabi Bhat - from ISAT FC to JK PDC (Super-Div.) 5. Ozair Farooq - from ISAT FC to JK PDC (Super-Div.) 6. Ubaid Haroon - from ISAT FC to JK Forest (Super-Div.) 7. Liyakat Ahmed - from ISAT Academy to JK PDC (Super-Div.) 8. Tahir Bhat - from ISAT FC to JK F&S (Super-Div.) 9. Arshid Ayoub - from ISAT FC to Maharaja FC (Super-Div.) 10. Ahmad Lone - from ISAT FC to Maharaja FC (Super-Div.) 11. Mohad. Fasil - from ISAT FC “C” to JK Police “B” (Super- Div.) 12. Basit Ahmed - from ISAT FC “C” to Young Maharaja (Super – Div.) 13. Sohail Ah. - from ISAT FC “C” to Young Lalchock (A- Div.) 14. Abrar Ah. - from ISAT FC “C” to Young Lalchok (A-Div.) JKFA said that we had not provide one player, we had worked from April 2007 to November 2011, when we got the ban and in 2010 full season was compromised because of unrest where 110 youth were killed only in one summer, even so we can said that in only less than 4 years we produces this a. 14 players in among others that had come and go from our programs b. Three winter tournaments in 3 years in 5 Districts, 100 teams, 1000 players c. ISAT Teams 1 Super Division Team (Srinagar) 1 “A” Division Team (Srinagar) 1 “B” Division Teams (Srinagar) 1 “B” Division Team (Budgam) 1 “B” Division Team (Ganderbal) 1 “B” Division Team (Bandipora) Team (Gurez) 6 teams U-14 Division in all Districts 6 teams U-17 Division in all Districts d. ISAT Academies in J&K 1. Srinagar Central 2. Budgam ( a.Gopal Pora, b. Nagam, c. Danger Pora) 3. Nowgam (a. By Pass b. Kenhema (Rail Way Station) 4. Raniwary ( working without inauguration) 5. Ganderbal 6. Bandipora 7. Gurez (LOC) (a. Dawar, d. Izmar) 8. Pulwama, Pampore. (working without Inauguration) e. ISAT had participated near about 50 football events from Jan 2011 to September 2011with our (ISAT) 20 teams Organized by different Authorities 1. JK Football Association 2. Sports Council and Youth Services Participation. 3. District Football Associations (Pulwama, Anatnag, Budgam, Bandipora, Ganderbal) 4. J&K Police 5. CRPF 6. Army 7. Collages (SP Collage) 8. Privates Clubs 9. ISAT Winter 7-A side Football Tournaments in all Districts. 10. Turun Dull – Calcutta f. Communal hatred against me and unanimously JKFA decide to close three official registered Clubs of ISAT. At the light of the documents is easy to identify where the lie is and those who are violating the rules. FIFA Statute Article No. 3 Non –Discrimination and stance against racism. Discrimination of any kind against a country, private person or group of people on account of ethnic Origen, gender, language, religion politics or any other reason, is strictly prohibited and punishable by suspension or expulsion. This is completely an arbitrary decision, and I as Director and founder of ISAT and Professional Football Coach, affiliated to an official Syndicate, recognize by FIFA I request and demand from the authorities, been police officer, been from civil administration or even from others members of JKFA and AIFFA,. To take actions a not leave the responsible with their lie, permitting the destruction of five years of hard work, investment and dedication, just to fulfill somebody personal selfish interest. I’m Juan Marcos Troia Director and Founder of ISAT declares that the information above have the documentation support from each topic explained.

Mr. Mangi - The Innovator of Kakching Mat Weaving Machine, An Interview

Mr. Mangi - The Innovator of Kakching Mat Weaving Machine

By Madhu Chandra

March 10, 2012

The National Innovation Foundation – India honoured Mr. Yengkhom Mangi Singh, a Dalit belong to Lois community of Kakching, Manipur, a 70 years old physically challenged, with the state award for his innovative in manufacturing Kouna Mat Weaving Machine at sixth National Grassroots Innovation Award ceremony and exhibition held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi on March 9. Smt. Pratibha Patil, the President of India distributed to awards to 15 National and Life time achievers and inaugurated five days exhibition. Over hundred innovators from all over the country took part in the award distribution ceremony and displayed their innovative products in the exhibition. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article2979163.ece?homepage=true&css=print

What struck me the most about the grassroots level innovation is Mr. Mangi himself - physically challenged, 70% disability suffered from paraplegia at the age of 14, a husband of a mentally challenged wife, a father of three sons – two mentally challenged, yet a man who become one of hundreds and thousands of innovator that the nation has recognised.

Mr. Mangi received award of Rs. 50,000 from Nation Innovation Foundation – India honouring his lifetime achievement. He wants to invest this amount to develop into move advanced machine.

He used managed walking by limping though the help of a bamboo stick all these years, until he was gifted a wheel chair by Students from Kakching studying in Delhi when he attended a National Grassroots Innovation exhibition in New Delhi last year. He still faces the challenged as the wheel chair he has now depends on another person to push him around. He will perhaps become more independent on his innovative if he has one automatic wheel chair.

His achievement of innovation would have remained in a corner of his home without the initiative of Mr. Surjit Kshetriymayum, the secretary of Alliance for Development Alternatives- Manipur (ADAM), Kakching, Manipur.

Madhu Chandra, Spokesperson of North East Support Centre & Helpline and Regional Co-ordinator of GS/OM India Ministry for North East India branch, interviewed Mr. Mangi after he received State Award.

Madhu Chandra: What is Kakching Mat Weaving Machine?

Mangi: Kakching Mat Weaving Machine is made of wood, a kind of handloom to make Kouna and Chumthang Phak (Mat). Kouna or Chumthang Phak is a must-have household item in every Manipuri home. The Kouna and Chumthang phak is eco friendly production.

What is Kouna Mat?

Kouna (local name) is a class of water reed, a firm stemmed water or marsh plant grown perennially in the wetlands of the valley areas of the Manipur. Manipuri traditional mat is also made by another material known as Chumthang, which is also a classic reed grown in dry land. Kouna is soft, stems are bigger while Chumthang is harder and smaller stems.

How Did You Become Physically Challenged?

I suffered paraplegia at the age of 14, which has caused 70% disability of my body. I used to walk limping with a bamboo stick until last year I got wheel chair after attending the National Grassroots Innovative Exhibition in New Delhi. Now I am wheel chair, but I cannot function myself without another person helps me.

What is Your Family Looks Like?

I got married to Maipakpi Devi at the age of 30 as physically challenged man. Unfortunately my wife has become mentally challenged after we got married. I have three sons; one is married, living with his family. Two of my sons are also mentally challenged. They are living with me. It is a huge challenge for me to manage and maintain the need of my family as physically challenged person.

What Innovates You to Make Kouna Mat Weaving Machine?

From my childhood, I used to be interested in making any creativity items such as electrical work etc. I learned to repair radio, electric stabilisers, car battery chargers my own without any formal training. I used to earn my family livelihood from these works and it was not enough to run the cost of the family.

Twenty years ago, I realised that the Kouna Phak is the household items of Manipur, which are made by normal men. I had an innovative idea of making a wooden mat-weaving machine similar to handlooms, which are used by women in Manipur to weave clothes. I wanted to make such a mat-weaving machine that a disable person like me, can also used.

I could not sleep for three months when I was thinking of making the machine. I never gave up the idea and begun manufacturing in early 1992. Within a month I completed making one wooden Kouna Phak Weaving machine, it was one feet high, five feet length, and four feet breadth. I have been using it for last twenty years until I developed the advanced model recently.

What Advantages with Mat Weaving Machine Compare to Traditional one?

The traditional is suitable only for normal people, not for people like me. The traditional mat weaving machine, which is stretch on floor, limited with size, occupied more space, you need to bend you head down, which hurts your back, it was not possible for me. It takes minimum two weeks to make one mat with traditional model. Now with the mat weaving machine, which I have developed, can make two mats in a day.

What were the Challenges You Faced While Making Kouna Mat Weaving Machine?

My family was the biggest challenge in my life. My wife and my two sons were completely dependent on me. My eldest son got married and lives with his family separately. I did not have any single person to motivate, I was alone as a source of motivation for the innovating in making the mat weaving machine. In spite of constant demand to earn more money on regular basis to maintain my family needs, I never gave up my innovation to make Kouna mat weaving machine.

Why Does It Take So Long for People to Know about Your Innovative Machine?

The machine I made twenty years ago was kept just in a corner of my house, which nobody knew except those who came to purchase the Kouna mat. It came to know to the public of Manipur when my machine was introduced to handicraft exhibition in Manipur through the help of Mr. Surjit Kshetrimayum, the secretary of Alliance for Development Alternatives – Manipur (ADAM) two year ago. Then it was also displayed at National Grassroots Innovation Exhibition organised by National Innovation Foundation – India at New Delhi, the month of March 2010, where the President of India witnessed for the first time.

What Is Your Vision?

I have three visions: One is to develop more advanced machine, so that the weaving can be faster and produce more products. I have some innovative idea for developing them. I hope in next few months, I will be able to develop it.

Secondly, I want to manufacture more this machine, so that it can be sold at reasonable price for traditional mat weavers. This will help them to make more mats with less effort and faster.

Thirdly, the Mat Weaving Machine can be further developed to weave carpets and other weaving items.

Who Much the Machine Cost?

The present model is sold at Rs 15,000 each. This machine can produced two Kouna mats and one Chumthang mat in a day. One Kouna mat cost Rs 350 and Chumthang Rs 600. This is suitable for semi skill and home based business.

What is Your Biggest Need?

I am in need of an automatic battery run wheel chair so that my movement can be operated myself. This will enable me to move around without help of another person so that my innovative could be passed on to others.

What Message Do You Want to Give to the People of Manipur?

Your innovative idea does not limit by whatever, whoever and wherever you are. Never give you what ignites you. Manipur needs people who are innovative, particularly for the purpose of self employment, where the lack of employment under Government schemes.

The irony of Women's day in India

A Statement from the Asian Human Rights Commission

INDIA: WOMEN'S DAY -- Rhetoric guarantees no equality Today, the world's largest democracy along with the rest of the world would celebrate international women's day. The media will reproduce public statements and the promises made. Institutions like the National Commission for Women would reiterate its mandate to protect, promote and guarantee women's rights and thus ensure gender equality in the country. The President Her Excellency Pratibha Patil, would address the nation on the topic. Perhaps union and state ministers would follow and the governments would advertise in the media enumerating what they have done to ensure gender parity. The debt-ridden and limping with corruption national carrier, Air India, would takeoff from Mumbai and New Delhi to distant destinations with a complete women crew, as a showcase of what the women in India have achieved and are now capable of. (Photo: Girl scavenging at Belagachia dumping ground in Kolkata. Courtesy: Nick Cheesman, AHRC) For most of India however, it would be an uneventful day. Women in Manipur and Jammu and Kashmir would continue fearing the uniformed officers deputed to protect them; most mothers living in the rural backdrops of the country would continue to worry how to feed their children and when their family would be saved from the slow and certain death from starvation and malnutrition; girls and women would continue to be raped in hundreds at Budhwar Peth, G. B. Road, Kamathipura, Shivdaspur and Sonagachi; girls will continue working as bonded child labourers across the country - in the rat mines of Jaintia hills in Meghalaya, in middleclass houses in cities like New Delhi and in the granite quarries and paper cracker manufacturing units in Tamil Nadu; and Dalit women will continue sweeping open sewers and clean dry latrines. Equality is one of the fundamental quotients to guarantee gender rights. It is one of the foundation stones of all rights. Unfortunately in India, equality - legal or cultural - is not the norm. In a country where its justice apparatus is in a dysfunctional state where manipulation is possible at all levels, rights - gender included - do not make any sense. A right that cannot be sought and realized, translated into quantifiable and achievable guarantees in life is no right at all. Engendering equality is impossible without the architecture of justice. Today, the country's justice machinery, particularly the police, prosecution and the judiciary are a far cry of what such institutions ought to be in a democratic framework. So much so, getting posted at what is called a 'women's cell' in the police is considered to be punishment since the possibilities of demanding and accepting bribes is the least in such positions. Not because that the parties who approach the women's cell would not pay bribe. It is because there is hardly any complaint at all. Approaching the police by a woman is considered to be a life-threatening affair in India. Police stations, yes that very institution maintained by the public exchequer to assist a citizen to seek and obtain her right is one of the unsafe places in the country to be. Perhaps veteran women's rights activists in the country would agree with this conclusion. Yet there is hardly any concern about this in India. The gender rights movement that has lobbied and worked to bring about commendable legislative changes in the country with a view to ensure gender parity has avoided debating about the despicable nature of the justice institutions. They have however taken law unto their own hands, though on occasions. The so-called mainstream gender rights movement in the country has ignored the singular and unique protest of Ms. Irom Chanu Sharmila of Manipur. For the past 11 years, Sharmila's fight to ensure equality has found hardly any assuring resonance from the equal rights activists of the country. One cannot find fault with those who allege that for the majority of the equal rights activists in the country, equality is interpreted as an analogous continuum of racial and regional discrimination practiced for the past 64 years against the people of the northeast. Those who speak about Elizabeth Smith Miller and Lucy Stone in India would not even know who Sharmila is and what she is protesting against. In countries where equality is protected and cherished as a norm gender based discrimination is today considered an exception. In a country like India where inequality is the norm - read caste based discrimination as one example - gender rights speak is mere empty rhetoric. Rhetoric though would assure no rights. Read this statement online
---------- For information and comments contact: In Hong Kong: Bijo Francis Telephone: +852 - 26986339 Email: india@ahrc.asia, southasia@ahrc.asia # # # 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. Visit our new website with more features at www.humanrights.asia.