Pepper Spray Campaign To The Rescue Of Women

New Delhi, Dec 29 : Amid increasing crime against women in the capital, a civil society group is all set to launch a cheap pepper spray to ensure safety of women under a campaign called 'mirchi jhonk'.

Led by a doctor, Seema Malik, the campaign aims to form a human chain across the capital to ensure that immediate help is rushed to the victims by volunteers and members of that area.

"Over the last few months cases of rapes and assault have made it to the headlines with alarming frequency in Delhi. Instead of criticising police and the politicians, the public also needs to do something," says Malik.

ccording to police records, more than 400 rapes have been committed against the women in the capital.

The campaign gives and trains women for self-defence.

The steps include carrying a pepper spray or a pack of red chillies in the bag to temporarily blind the attacker, walking on the pavements facing the traffic and keeping important telephone numbers on emergency dial.

The campaign also includes introducing a cheap variant of pepper sprays currently available in the market.

"The sprays in market are priced between Rs 150 to Rs 400. A woman living say in the slums cannot afford to spend that much that is where our spray will come in handy," says Malik.

team of martial arts volunteers have also been roped in to teach women basic self-defence techniques in times of crisis. Also, there are street plays being conducted in various localities and colleges to spread the word.

"We are also contacting the RWAs in different areas to keep a vigil in their areas and install lights where there are long stretches of darkness which can be used by criminals against women," says Malik.

The group also runs a helpline for the women which it says has received 163 calls so far.

"We have not received a call till now where we need to rush immediate help for the victim. Counselling is being provided to women who have called the helpline as these are domestic and personal issues," she adds.

The initiative has been appreciated by the police and leaders, says Malik adding that all the police stations have promised their help to us.

There is a plan to launch a cab service exclusively for women, which is going to be driven by women drivers. It aims to secure women who reach home late at night.

"We are working on the modalities and depending upon the response, we will decide further on this," says Malik.

On January 2, the group is scheduled to demonstrate self-defence techniques for women in the capital.

Indian Media Ignoring Scribes Facing Hurdles

New Delhi, Dec 29 : The media in India has gone far in pursuit of commercialization, ignoring the hurdles faced by journalists in the North-east and Jammu and Kashmir, amidst insurgencies and allegation of human right abuses.

At least 19 journalists and one media worker have been killed this year in the region, according to a Review of South Asia.

The report released at a meeting of the South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) that was attended by Union Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, former union minister, Mani Shankar Aiyar and BJP leader Yashwant Sinha here today, presented a savoury scenario for newsmen working in South Asia.

The Indian media has gone far in pursuit of commercialism, in the process forgetting, for instance, the real issues that journalists in the north and North-east are facing in the midst of insurgencies and human rights abuses by the security forces. Indeed, a powerful corporate culture has almost isolated and blacked out those real heroes, who are still facing censorship and death threats by state and non-state actors, the report said.

In India, the media has always been vibrant although a little vulnerable to nationalism, but it was by and large free of unethical conduct. On the other hand, unrest and turmoil in certain regions has exposed journalists to violence and there have been casualties, which could be avoided, if the state would refuse to allow impunity to powerful elements.

The Media Commission, India, expressed shock and anguish at the Radia tape disclosures and suggested certain remedial measures.

In Afghanistan the news media Persons were vulnerable to conditions of mis-governance and terrorism, and was presided over by a government not yet ready to show a sense of responsibility to the function of accountability performed by the mainly donor-funded ‘free’ media.

In Bhutan and Maldives, journalism is passing through a phase of rudimentary development, but with a clear promise to sink roots which can supplement institutions that stand for responsibility and accountability. In the case of Nepal and Sri Lanka, where the media is more firmly established, conditions of rebellion and authoritarianism severely curtailed its ability to face up to the odds facing any journalist devoted to the function of honest reporting.

The Bangladeshi media has been described as bipartisan as the political system itself, which was seen by many, as a polarisation of an institution that should be committed to non-partisan scrutiny of the political scene.

Indian Baptist Educator Breaks Stained-Glass Ceiling

By Robert Marus

AIZAWL, India (ABP) -- A Baptist leader and educator is poised to break barriers as the first woman ordained as a pastor by a Christian denomination in her northeast Indian state.
The Telegraph of Calcutta reported that leaders in the Baptist Church of Mizoram will ordain 65-year-old R.L. Hnuni as a pastor next month. Hnuni is principal of the regional convention’s Bible school, the Academy of Integrated Christian Studies in the state capital of Aizawl.

Mizoram is a small state in far northeastern India, bordering Myanmar. Its population is 90 percent Christian, with Presbyterians and Baptists comprising the largest denominational groups. British missionaries introduced Christianity in the area in the 1890s, and the faith grew rapidly. The Baptist Church of Mizoram claims about 130,000 members -- nearly a sixth of the state’s population. The group retains close ties to the Baptist Union of Great Britain and its missions arm, BMS World Mission.

Protestant denominations in other parts of India -- the largest of which were formed from unions of Anglican churches with other Protestant denominations following India’s independence from the United Kingdom -- have ordained women for decades. But conditions are different among the many ethnic tribal groups in the country’s mountainous northeastern corner.

According to The Telegraph, no other denominational group in Mizoram has ordained a woman to church leadership. “The entry of a woman pastor in the strictly patriarchal society of the Mizos is a notable event,” the paper said.

Hnuni has served as head of the institute since 2001. Previously, she was a theology professor at Eastern Theological College, a Baptist school in Jorhat in the nearby state of Assam.

Robert Marus is managing editor and Washington bureau chief for Associated Baptist Press.

Assam School Textbook Goes Red With Errors

A page from the computer textbook marked with mistakes. Telegraph picture

Guwahati, Dec 29 : How many spelling mistakes can you expect in a school textbook supposedly prepared by a body of experts and released to the students after several rounds of revision?

If you go through a computer textbook, provided under the Rajiv Gandhi Computer Literacy Programme and being read by thousands of students in the government schools of Assam, you will find an average of six to 12 mistakes on a page.

These books, written in Assamese and distributed to students from Classes V to XII, have been prepared by NIIT, a well-known institute of the country.

Thousands of students have been reading these books since 2004, the year the programme was introduced in the state.

The errors include misspelt words, missing symbol and letters, wrongly and unnecessarily placed symbols and strange words and phrases inserted in sentences.

For example, instead of the symbol used for the vowel “o”, one will find recurrent use of the symbol meant for “hraswa u”. Again, instead of the letter “mudhoinnya ta” one will find “kha”. The textbooks are a storehouse of hundreds of misspelt words. Incorrectly used personal pronouns make some sentences extremely funny.

The All Assam Computer Teachers’ Association (AACTA), which brought the problem to light this afternoon, has appealed to organisations like the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) and the Asom Sahitya Sabha to take steps against such “distortion of the Assamese language”.

The association alleged that the state education department was turning a blind to this “extremely important aspect” and by distributing these books among the students the state government would ruin their future.

“The misspelt translations of computer technical terms confuse the students. They often cannot make out the head or tail of the sentences,” a teacher, who is a member of the association, said.

The association said Dispur’s entire effort to impart computer education to students had become practically useless because of mismanagement, lack of infrastructure and negligence.

It also alleged “misutilisation” and “siphoning” of money sanctioned by the Centre for the project.

“The Rajiv Gandhi Computer Literacy Programme has failed to serve the students properly as the state government has entrusted profit-oriented private companies to implement the task. Instead of concentrating on providing proper education, these companies are only concerned with churning out maximum profit,” the association’s general secretary, Hiranya Kumar Bora, said.

He said neither were the computer textbooks distributed on time this year not could the examinations be conducted on time because of numerous problems.

“Moreover, as the supply of electricity remains disrupted for days in most of the rural areas, we cannot teach the students,” he added.

Bora said the 3,500 teachers appointed under the Rajiv Gandhi Computer Literacy Programme would start a statewide agitation from January 1 to press for removal of these problems.

My Dream is to Win Davis Cup For India, Says Somdev

Agartala, Dec 28 :

Somdev Devvarman grabbed eyeballs in the tennis arena by winning a Singles gold at Delhi Games and...

India's No 1 Somdev Devvarman on Monday said his dream is to lead India to a Davis Cup title win. "India have entered in the World Group of tennis. My dream is to bring the Davis Cup title for my country," Somdev said during a felicitation organised by the Tripura government, where he was given a

standing ovation.

"The future of Tripura's sports is bright as hundreds of talented players are coming up. My parents' all out support helped me a lot to became a tennis player," said Somdev, who won two gold medals at the Guangzhou Asian Games last month and a record breaking gold medal in the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

The tennis sensation, who belongs to the Tripura's erstwhile royal family, came to Agartala on Saturday after a month's practice in Texas in the US.

Thrilled by the huge reception in the presence of hundreds of sports-loving people, Somdev said : "I loved to play tennis and fly the tricolour abroad. I enjoy playing on behalf of my country."

Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar, sports minister Tapan Chakraborty, their cabinet colleagues, assembly speaker Ramendra Chandra Debnath, Somdev's father Pravanjan Kishore Devvarman and mother Ranjana were also present at the felicitation.

Sarkar said : "You (Somdev) have become an immense source of inspiration for all the sportspersons in India as well as Tripura. The people of Tripura, along with the rest of the country, would be happy to see your upcoming successes and feats in the international arena."

"Somdev's success proves beyond doubt that there is no dearth of talent in northeast India and that all these bright youngsters need a platform or an opening to prove their capability. We strongly believe that Somdev would win gold medals in the Olympic games too," he said.

At the felicitation, a gold medal bearing the likeness of Rabindranath Tagore, a tennis racket made of silver, Rs 500,000 in cash, a plaque and other mementoes were given to Somdev.

Bru Groups to Begin Talks

Guwahati, Dec 28 : Talks between pro and anti-repatriation factions of the Brus, displaced from Mizoram, will start at Kanchanpur in Tripura on Wednesday.

The outcome of the talks will decide the fate of the stalled repatriation process of the displaced community.

The director of the Asian Centre for Human Rights, Suhas Chakma, will be on a three-day tour to Kanchanpur starting tomorrow for the purpose.

Chakma was earlier appointed the Centre’s interlocutor on the displaced Brus from Mizoram.

“Although we have received information that the interlocutor will arrive here tomorrow, the actual talks will be held on Wednesday,” said a source while adding that if the talks go smoothly then the stalled process of repatriation of the community will start after the New Year.

The Centre had already directed the Mizoram and Tripura governments to provide security cover after requests made by the Repatriation Implementation Committee, a pro-repatriation group.

The Brus fled from Mizoram in 1997 and in November 2009.

After the failure of several rounds of talks as well as agreement with the Bru National Liberation Front and the Bru Liberation Front — the repatriation of the community — however, started on May 21 this year after a gap of 13 years when the Union home ministry intervened.

The repatriation process that started in May was disrupted once again with the arrival of monsoon.

Differences cropped up within the Bru leader- ship with the expulsion of Bru leader and president of the Mizoram Bru Displaced Peoples Forum Elvis Chorkhy.

The repatriation of Brus resumed on November 3.

However, it was again stalled following the protests of the Forum demanding among others a written agreement for the repatriation and resettlement.

The Tripura government had to deploy security forces to deal with the protests by the Forum.

Chakma is visiting Kanchanpur tomorrow with the aim to start the repatriation of the Brus.

The Union home ministry had sanctioned Rs 80,000 per family and one year free rations for those who were displaced in 1997 while providing housing assistance of Rs 38,500 per Bru family whose huts were burnt in November 2009 apart from free ration for a period of 9 months.

2010 Not a Memorable Year For Mizoram

By H C Vanlalruata

Aizawl, Dec 28 : Mizoram was plagued by drought, jhum fires, landslides and flash floods during the year with scarcity of food and blockades adding to the woes of the people in the northeastern state.

The year began on a sad note as nine people were killed in jhum fires ignited by hunters that also caused massive damage to the wildlife. Smoke from the fires often led to cancellation of flights.

The spreading fires subsided due to the onset of pre-monsoons from early April but the showers triggered landslides and flash floods that claimed 13 lives, destroyed agriculture produce and rendered over 30,000 people homeless.

People of the state also struggled to cope with rising inflation.

Scarcity of rice, staple food of the Mizos, and other essential items like cooking gas and oil also hit the state almost throughout the year due to frequent bandhs, road blockades and sabotage by insurgent groups in neighbouring states.

Diversion of petrol and diesel to Manipur by unscrupulous traders and drivers during the severe crisis in that state during the Naga blockade of highway caused extreme hardship to the people.

A unique problem arose when enumerators of the Census 2011 were thwarted by religious sects in the Christian- dominated state. People refused to enroll themselves in the Census as they were afraid that they would be identified with the Biblical number of the beast or the devil if they were given the UID.

The superstitious belief stemmed from the fact that the Bible's revelation prophesised that only those given the number of the beast would be able buy and sell properties which the UID authority also said. Many were persuaded to enroll their names in the Census and the UID, but some still refused even after being warned of legal action many times.

Another issue that was in news was homosexuality as the Mizoram Presbyterian Church termed it as against the tenets of Christianity and threatened to excommunicate and suspend its gay members if they were found living together.

Roadblocks over repatriation of Bru refugees also made news. The refugees are lodged in six relief camps in North Tripura district since 1997.

Efforts to repatriate them in November were derailed by the murder of a 17-year-old Mizo boy, triggering another wave of exodus.

When Nature Yelled in 2010

2010 was yet another unusual year when weather played havoc around the globe. From the present chill that is sweeping across most parts of Europe to one of the worst floods to hit Pakistan, the weather ran amok in 2010. Scientists have blamed the unusual weather patterns to global warming and the shift in sea temperatures.A new study says that the shifting weather patterns are due to the receding shifting ice blocks in the Arctics. Scientists say that a string of freezing European winters scattered over the last decade has been driven in large part by global warming.But one may wonder how global warming will lead to freezing temperatures. Here is the explanation:

Rising temperatures in the Arctic have resulted in the peeling of the floating ice in the Arctic by over 20% in the last three decades. This has given a window of the sun's radiation to come in and get absorbed by the dark blue sea. If the peeling had not happened, the deadly radiation would have been bounced back into space by the reflective ice and snow.

This phenomenon has led to the creation of a massive source of heat during the winter months, especially in the oceans. The waters become warmer than the overlying air in the Polar area in winter resulting in a major heat flow heating up the atmosphere from below which you don't have when it is covered by ice.

The result, according to a modelling study published earlier this month in the Journal of Geophysical Research, is a strong high-pressure system over the newly-exposed sea which brings cold Polar air, swirling counter-clockwise, into Europe.

The mechanism triples the chances that future winters in Europe and north Asia will be similarly inclement, the study reports. Researchers have also attributed global warming to the number of severe floods and storms.

Here is a look at the floods and storms that brought misery in 2010:

A tree is seen surounded by snow covered vineyards in the Alsacian countryside in Scharrachbergheim after snow fell on North-Eastern France. REUTERS

A young girl looks at a snowman made by her father in Vancouver's Stanley Park January 10, 2007. The 14th storm in the last couple months blew into the lower mainland area of Canada's west coast packing strong winds followed by snow and cold temperatures.

Snow is cleared from the southern runway at Heathrow airport in west London December 21, 2010. Snow and freezing temperatures continued to ground flights to and from Britain on Tuesday, with travellers hoping to get away for Christmas likely to suffer delays and cancellations for several more days.

Snow is cleared from the southern runway at Heathrow airport in west London December 21, 2010. Snow and freezing temperatures continued to ground flights to and from Britain on Tuesday, with travellers hoping to get away for Christmas likely to suffer delays and cancellations for several more days.

A damaged car is pictured after flash floods on the outskirts of Leh, east of Srinagar August 9, 2010. More than 300 foreign tourists are stranded in Himalayan region of Ladakh, three days after flash floods killed at least 150 people and ravaged the main town of Leh, officials said on Monday.

Rescue workers in a boat pass by a crashed U.N. relief helicopter in Manchar Lake by Lakha village, in a flood-affected area near Dadu district, Pakistan's Sindh province October 2, 2010. The helicopter crashed early Friday morning, injuring seven people, a U.N. official said.

A woman displaced by flooding carries her children as she approaches a boat while returning to her flooded town of Bobak, about 300 kilometres (186 miles) from Karachi on September 20, 2010.