Genocide is about economic crippling as much as death and humiliation. The Concerned Citizens Tribunal — Crimes Against Humanity 2002 called the happenings in Gujarat a genocide, because of the systematic singling out of a group through widely distributed hate writing and demonisation, the economic destruction, the sexual violence and also because over 270 masjids and dargahs were razed to the ground. The bandh calls on February 28 and March 1 by rabid outfits and supported by the party in power enabled mobs free access to the streets while successfully warding off the ordinary citizen.
Eight years on, it is this level and extent of complicity that is under high-level scrutiny. The involvement of high functionaries of the state in Gujarat did not begin, and has not stopped, with the violence. It has extended to destruction of evidence that continues until today, the faulty registration of criminal complaints, the deliberate exclusion of powerful accused and, worst of all, the utter and complete subversion of the criminal justice system by appointment of public prosecutors who were not wedded to fair play, justice and the Constitution — but were and are lapdogs of the ruling party and its raid affiliates. The proceedings in the Best Bakery case in the Supreme Court and the judgment of April 12, 2004 strips our legal system, especially lawyers, of the dignity of their office. Full Article
In Conversation with Anthony Barnett, founder of openDemocracy.net
"In the UK when Labour came to power, the party started delivering what I call corporate populism. It was taking the corporations as a model of how to govern . ... If you want to have more democracy you have to democratize the existing power and power is now international... The media is international, the issues are becoming international. So it seemed to me that we needed to use the web to start a discussion about how the world was governed. And out of those discussions the proposal to start Open Democracy came about." – Anthony Barnett, openDemocracy.net in conversation with CfP.
The escalation of hostilities between Naxal/Maoist insurgents and government para-military forces has put millions of lives in deep peril. While the conflict seems to be in the hinterland it has grave implications for both rural and urban India, its democracy, society, security, economy and foreign policy.
The complexity of the issue means that no one entity – neither government, human rights groups, armed forces or business – can create a solution alone. A multi-stakeholder discussion, study and solution must be found.
Students of Burhani College listened spell-bound to Himanshu Kumar of Vanvasi Chetna Ashram, Bastar, Chhattisgarh, when he addressed them on the issue of Naxal insurgency, police atrocities and the ground realities faced by the people of Bastar. Himanshuji, whose Gandhian Ashram was demolished by police security guards, explained the daily problems faced by the Adivasis in the region, their struggle for survival and some of the underlying causes for violence in the region.
This talk was organized by Citizens for Peace, as part of our on-going initiative to create awareness and understanding amongst the youth with a view to orient them to issues and work for justice and peace in their own spheres
Citizens Initiative for Peace Meeting : New Delhi, 20th October 2009CfP statement
Rajni Bakshi, trustee at CfP, reports in Mint .
One, we must acknowledge that there are bitter class conflicts in our society. Accepting this will not willy-nilly force us into the company of those who believe that class war is both inevitable and desirable. There are other ways to ensure equity, greater fairness and justice.
Two, we need to stand up against opposite forms of debilitating political correctness. Many human rights groups treat the Maoist insurgency as an inevitable.They ignore the successes of other kinds of mass movements.This approach suits those in government and the private sector, who want to paint all resistance on the ground with the same brush.
Certainly, silent withdrawal is not a solution. And the trigger-happy “enough is enough” approach, with its unconditional support of the government, is lethal for both democracy and shared prosperity. Full article
September 24 2009: As part of the process of engaging with the youth on issues of peace and harmony, Citizens for Peace collaborated with students of Burhani College for an Extempore Speech Contest.
Citizens for Peace mourns the passing away of Prabhash Joshi, noted journalist and a great champion of communal harmony. Shri Joshi, 72, passed away on November 6th, in New Delhi.
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