China, vehemently opposes American interference and charges about abuses, imprisonment, repression and harassment against minority religions and spiritual leaders. China chagrins over U.S. criticism: The Chinese response came after a U.S. advisory panel took potshots and accused China of torturing people of minorities groups form practicing their religion in the country. The prominent leaders of the other religions meted out ill treatment, torture, and are under strict state control. China denounced the U.S. potshots on the religious situation in China. China: A duel face: On one hand, China deems it a bias, chauvinism and U.S. ignorance – of the Chinese policy to deal with the other religious convictions and ethnic minorities. On the other, China officially an atheist country but still allows the Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and Taoists to worship in their respective worship places run by the state monitored groups only. China should delineate a framework to protect the religious aspirations of the minorities and abstain from dualism of contradictory statements about religion.
Afghan govt. calls NATO to cease operations against Taliban
The Afghan senate in a formal vote yesterday, urged the government to open talks with the Taliban and other opposition forces and also asked for restraining NATO forces in hunting them. The bill passed by the Afghan senate: The Afghan senate passed a bill in this regard yesterday that will now go in the lower house, if passed, will go to President Hamid Karzai thereafter for the final assent. The motion is a result of the growing distrust among the Afghans owing to the civilian casualties resulting due to the NATO attacks on the terrorist outfits and the inability of the government to provide security and ample developmental measures for improving the lives of citizens. The bill delineates the conditions: The bill also delineates the conditions that the operations against Taliban will be carried out only if necessary, with the coordination of Afghan army and police, while NATO forces should consult the government before any such move. The bill also said that when Afghan army will attain full strength and efficiency, a timetable for the withdrawal of the coalition forces would be drafted. The bill aimed to placate the civilian wrath: The bill, I think, is to sooth the civilian wrath and to placate the grief that is resulting due to mounting civilian violence in Afghanistan. The Taliban rebels, however, ruled out peace talks in the past and Karzai govt. failed to bring them to the negotiating table. How successfully the new proposal will lure the Taliban to join the government for bringing the peace and stability in the country- only time will reveal.
21 Civilians Killed In Afghan Airstrike
At least 21 civilians died when U.S. Special Forces carried out airstrikes in retaliation to the militant attacks in southern Afghanistan Wednesday. Reports say more than 200 rebels attacked the US-led coalition force with gunfire and mortars in Sangin of Helmand province. The ensuing fighting killed several militants and also scores of civilians as the militants took shelter in villagers’ homes. Women and children were among those killed in village. The US-led coalition said they had no reports of civilian casualties but said a significant number of militants had been killed. Helmand governor Assadullah Wafa said: Last night, NATO forces carried out an operation in Sangin and as a result of its bombing, 21 civilians, including women and children and men, have been killed. The latest incident brings the number of civilian deaths blamed on NATO foces to 90 in the last two weeks. About 13,000 coalition troops and 37,000 ISAF soldiers are deployed in Afghanistan to fight militants and facilitate reconstruction. The Taliban use to take refuge in civilian areas, resulting in civilian casualties, and it is also difficult to determine if people killed in such air strikes are militants or civilians.
British high commissioner apprehensive of Al -Qaeda presence in Pak
British high commissioner to Pakistan, Robert Brinkley, expressed serious apprehensions of Al Qaeda’s presence in the northwestern tribal region of Pakistan. Pakistan made efforts to curb terrorists Pakistan, though the biggest ally of U.S for war on terror, has been pin pointed by Afghanistan and India repeatedly for supporting terrorism and providing shelter to Taliban rebels to carry out its nefarious operations in neighboring countries. Pakistan on the other hand always defied the charges, reiterates its commitment for war against terrorism, and reminds the support it has rendered to U.S. forces to annihilate Taliban in Afghanistan. Robert Brinkley concerned about terrorist activities in p Robert Brinkley Pak Robert Brinkley was particularly concerned about the communication between the British extremists and the terrorist leaders in tribal region of Pakistan. These contacts and consultations were responsible for the deadly London transit bombings in July 2005. Pak need stern actions to curb terrorism Robert Brinkley also acclaimed Pakistan for its praiseworthy efforts to curb the terrorists but insisted that lot more remains incomplete. Pak should encapsulate the access of ISI to render its support to Taliban insurgents. Pakistan, though lost thousands of its soldiers in Waziristan operations against terrorists but it remains accused of providing safe heavens to the terrorist within its territory. Pakistan should eschew intransigence and should minimize the difference between its words and deeds. Terrorism is a big problem and requires more, better, effective and audacious steps from Pakistan.
A President in boots: Pakistan sans democracy
The longstanding stake of President Musharraf to save his military uniform and arbitrarily putting everything off that poses a threat to his sovereignty has repeatedly proved fatal to Pakistan and its people in particular. The increasing distrust, protests and lethal violence is just because of one man’s overweening ambition to rule like an eagle over the doves. After sixty years of freedom, Pakistan saw the recurrent military domination over decadent democracy that still searches a messiah for its rapprochement and rejuvenation to attain fully independent and democratic government, has to wait a little longer. The recent event that shows Musharraf’s impetus to centralize the power in his hand is the removal of Pakistan’s Chief Justice Iftikhar M Chaudhry. This is an attempt to docile the judiciary, as M Chaudhry, now a judicially free mind, can be a threat to Musharraf who covertly looming his web to secure his coveted presidential post. The situation in Karachi is tense, as Chief Justice Iftikhar M Chaudhry has arrived there to address an anti-government rally. The Judges and lawyers are protesting against president for his unconstitutional decision to remove the Chief Justice and are demanding his reinstatement simultaneously. Musharraf has put question mark many times on the independent existence of Judiciary, as in 2000 alone he dismissed 18 judges. Moreover, this time even he ward off the Chief Justice only with the intent to instate a person favoring him and to avert any constitutional challenge for his presidential campaign. Musharraf’s supporters and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) have decided to hold huge counter-demonstrations in Karachi at the same time. The Intelligence is apprehensive of security as terrorist groups may exploit the present situation however, twelve supporters of CJ have already been shot dead while more than fifty are seriously injured. The growing distrust against president Musharraf in Pakistan is evident. India, Afghanistan, and U.S. lawmakers have repeatedly accused him for not doing enough to crackdown Taliban and al Qaeda outfits in the country. For Musharraf, the time still doesn’t seems ripe to relinquish the post of President. However, keeping in mind the present scenario, he should stand down on moral grounds owing the responsibility for the violence that is resulting because of his strife to attain the next term as president while at the same time remaining the army chief. However, a shrewd person of Musharraf’s stature who can cheat the whole world especially USA, India and Afghanistan for its commitment to render compliance on war against terror while at the same time providing safe heavens to terrorists is not going to shed his ambitions soon. Pakistan needs democracy desperately and Musharraf should quit in favor of nation thus paving the way for democracy.
Violence as Musharraf’s power fades
Pakistan’s president, Gen Pervez Musharraf, was facing a political crisis last night after violence claimed the lives of at least 40 people when pro-government militants opened fire on an opposition rally at the weekend.
Musharraf on back foot as new riots break out in Pakistan
Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf may have ruled out any need to impose emergency in the nation, bloody clashes between pro-government and opposition activists continue to play the havoc for the second day in Karachi, the country’s largest city, leaving about 40 people dead and over 150 injured. The clashes were provoked by a judicial crisis on March 9, after president Musharraf suspended Pakistani chief justice, Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, for alleged abuses of his post and authority. After the critical decision, which protesters have discarded as an immoral attempt by president to knock the democracy and ease his way to another term, the crisis has occupied the nation and protesters laden with banners, roads and arms have taken to the streets to rally against Musharraf. On Sunday, gunfires were exchanged between the supporters of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), a coalition partner of president Musharraf, and anti-Musharraf protesters, killing above five people and wounding 58 others. Apart from waging gun-battles, infuriated demonstrators flamed vehicles and ignited many shops and stores. According to the Pakistani Bar Council and legal experts, Musharraf does not have the constitutional power to remove the chief justice. Over the controversial dismissal of Justice Iftikhar, 14 higher and civil court judges and two deputy attorney generals have resigned by now. Due to the boycott by the judges and lawyers across Pakistan, all civil and higher courts remain closed nationwide. Police used tear gas and batons in to disperse the crowd and banned public gatherings, of more than five people, in and around the volatile Karachi city. To suppress the political clashes Pakistani authorities have given the orders of shoot at sight to the police and paramilitary forces in the southern port city. Growing support in favor of Iftikhar Chaudhry and allegations of not putting adequate efforts to stop the protest and killings has put renewed pressure on President Musharraf and placed him on the back foot over the issue.
NATO knocks down top Taliban commander in Afghanistan
In a major setback to the Taliban, Afghan forces and NATO troops on Saturday night knocked down the top Taliban commander Mullah Dadullah in an US-led military operation in the southern province of Helmand, a region that has underwent heavy fighting in recent past and where air strikes killed about 40 civilians, Afghanistan. It is a major victory for the Afghan government and NATO troops, as one-legged Dadullah was one of the most wanted terrorists in Afghanistan. He was responsible for some of the Taliban’s most tarnished brutalities in the region. He had coordinated the training of suicide bombers, and was even believed to be the mastermind behind the kidnappings of foreigners and Afghans in Afghanistan. Governor of Kandahar Asadullah Khalid, asserted, Mullah Dadullah was the backbone of the Taliban. He was a brutal and cruel commander who killed and beheaded Afghan civilians. Mullah Dadullah’s death will certainly be a major blow to the Taleban, as he was one of the top-ranked Taliban leaders to be killed since the US led ‘war on terror’ embarked on in 2001. But there are many more Dadullah’s waiting in the wings to replace him. Mustafa Alani, director of security and terrorism studies at the Dubai-based Gulf Research Center, asserted, In this sort of organization, people are replaceable, and always there is a second layer, third layer. They will graduate to the leadership. He is important, no doubt about it. Yes, it is a moral victory, but he’s replaceable. Afghan government and the foreign troops have largely struggled to restrain insurgency in the south and eastern part of the country. This success will work as a much need boaster for the US ‘war on terror’ at a time of deteriorating Afghan support over civilian killings. In another combat, Afghan and NATO forces in a joint venture killed 55 alleged Taliban insurgents in two different operations close to the border with Pakistan.
Philippine elections amid violence
Violence hit election campaign in Philippine ended woefully with death toll touching to 130 because of politically motivated murders of party workers and activists forcing politicians and activists canceling their rallies and curtail their movements at once. On Monday, eight people lost their lives in a bid to elect the entire House of Representatives wherein 17,500 Governors, mayors and half of senate were to be elected. Elections in the Philippines have a violent notoriety and are often marred by bloodshed as rival groups use private militias to intimidate voters and political opponents. Army has been deployed in some areas to curb the bloodshed. Philippine has 45 million registered voters out of which the vote turnout was nearly 75 percent. Votes are counted with hands so the results of the elections may hopefully be packed in ballot boxes for weeks altogether. Philippine-recorded more than 800 politically motivated killings since President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, a strong supporter of the U.S.-led war on terrorism, took office in 2001. The young Asian democracy is facing the political turmoil with unprecedented violence resulting due to the political intend while human rights at stake. Is this violence is due to the prolonged-simmering Muslim and communist insurgencies or politically motivated? Amid such questions, Philippine has given its verdict against surmounting violence, which, will finally result in the favor of the people- putting an end to the violence and starting economic growth.
Sri Lankan troops kill 15 LTTE fighters
The Sri Lanka civil war has intensified further with the BBC reporting that 15 rebels have been killed in the last two days by the Sri Lankan army in different incidents in northern and eastern parts of the strife torn island country. The Norwegian brokered cease fire of 2002 between the government and LTTE is in tatters. In the air of increasing suspicion, none of the parties trust the Norwegian peacemakers. It is increasingly becoming clear that none of the warring parties had any real desire for peace. The LTTE used the truce as a breather to recoup for future fighting. The Sri Lankan government had agreed under international pressure. The creation of the LTTE air force acted as the proverbial last straw. The LTTE light airplanes have struck several times since end March, leading to the closure of the Bandaranaike International airport till June. The renewed fighting has hurt the Sri Lamka government in more ways. The US government, after the visit by assistant Secretary of state Mark Boucher recently, has suspended further aid from the Millennium Challenge Corp. Britain has drawn back on $3 million debt relief citing the spirally violence in the country. According to a London based Tamil human rights group both the government and the rebels are equally culpable for human rights violence. It has recorded more than 100 abductions and disappearances this year. Last year, 1,000 people were reported missing. Things have become more complicated by the rise of the Karuna group – a breakaway faction of the LTTE led by Colonel Karuna. It initially held sway in the east Sri Lanka part of LTTE held territory. It suffered heavy losses at the hands of the LTTE but still wields influence in Eastern parts of the country. It has been accused of kidnapping children to use as soldiers. The Karuna group has formed a political party – TamilEela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) and intends to fight elections in the future. It has been accused by the LTTE of turning government collaborators. The Karuna group has been involved in Kidnapping and extortion of businessmen.