காபிர்கள் மீது காபிர் என்று பச்சை குத்தவேண்டும் என்று மலேசிய இஸ்லாமிய தீவிரவாதிகள் கோரிக்கை விடுத்துள்ளனர்
Islamic Fascists suggest that non-Malays be tattooed like Jews in Nazi Germany
Posted by Raja Petra
Thursday, 31 January 2008
by FFT
Some disturbing content has recently been discovered in a video posting by two Malaysian Muslim bloggers, Mahaguru58 and MENJ.
These two individuals are also behind the outfit known as the Muslim Bloggers Alliance (readers should recall this outfit as the one that threw a hissy fit at one of RPK's recent installments of the "No Holds Barred" column, threatening to consult PEMBELA on the issue).
Here is the video link in question:
http://mahaguru58.blogspot.com/2008/01/menj-mahaguru58-dialogue-part-2-final.html
Backup here:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4474858428888866992
While discussing the recent controversy over the issue of corpse snatching by Islamic authorities, these two Islamofascists go into a little diatribe trivializing the agony and stress that family members face at the hands of the menacing Shariah authorities.
If that weren't bad enough, Mahaguru58 then ominously suggests the following at time 12:50 on the video, with regard to how non-Muslims can prevent themselves from being buried as Muslims.......and I quote:
"Those who feel very strongly about it, this is going to offend some people I don't give a damn, they should have it tattooed on their chest like what Adolf Hitler did, you know, this is a Jew right?, and they had tattoos. So those who are now so adamant on not wanting to be buried as a Muslim, or whatever, for whatever reason, they should have it tattooed on their chest."
These two Nazi wannabes then go on further, referring to non-Muslims as being recalcitrant about not wanting their loved ones buried as a Muslim, completely ignoring the suspicious circumstances in which corpses were snatched.
At time 14:00 on the video, Mahaguru58 reaffirms his Nazi leanings with the following, and I quote:
"I think they should tattoo it on their chest or forehead 'I am a kafir'."
As shocking as these suggestions may be, it is hardly surprising as radical Islam has been reliably documented as having cordial ties with the Fuhrer and Nazi Germany, as is reported here:
http://www.tellthechildrenthetruth.com/gallery/index.html#hitler
In any case, this howler by two Nazi wannabes needs to be brought to public attention, be given a broad viewing, and preferably, a strong and forceful admonishment.
Should the videos mysteriously "disappear" at the above links, please feel free to post a comment under this letter and I can arrange to have this video available to you...I have it downloaded on my iPod.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
மௌரிட்டானியாவிலிருந்து அரபுகளால் துரத்தப்பட்ட கருப்பினத்தவர் மீண்டும் மௌரிட்டானியாவுக்கு..
மௌரிட்டானியாவிலிருந்து அந்த நாட்டின் சொந்த குடிகளான கருப்பினத்தவர்கள் வந்தேறி அரபுக்களால் துரத்தப்பட்டு செனகல் நாட்டில் தஞ்சம் புகுந்திருந்தனர்.
தற்போது மௌரிட்டானியாவில் அடிமை முறை ஒழிக்கப்பட்டிருப்பதாலும், இவர்களுக்கு பாதுகாப்பு கிடைக்கும் என்று உறுதி கொடுக்கப்பட்டிருப்பதாலும், இந்த கருப்பினத்தவர்கள்மீண்ட்டும் மௌரிட்டானியாவுக்கு திரும்புகின்றனர்
Mauritania refugees return home after long exile
Tue 29 Jan 2008, 15:47 GMT
[-] Text [+] By Daniel Flynn
ROSSO, Senegal (Reuters) - The first of thousands of black Mauritanian refugees returned home from exile in Senegal on Tuesday, nearly two decades after they fled bloody ethnic purges in their Arab-dominated Saharan nation.
Their brightly coloured robes billowing in the wind, 101 refugees crossed the Senegal River in a ferry to the Mauritanian side of the border town of Rosso, their goods and livestock packed on white trucks of the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR.
The repatriation of 24,000 of the long-forgotten refugees is a test of the pledge by Mauritanian President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, who took office in April, to improve human rights in the Islamic republic after decades of dictatorship.
Many children among those returning had never seen their homeland, while for others it was their first time on Mauritanian soil since they were driven from their homes by the regime of former dictator Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya in 1989.
"I'm so happy to be returning home," said Kumba Moussa Sow, 45, a widow with three children. "There are people living now in my old house, so I don't know where I will live - but I have taken my decision and I'm going back," she added.
Hundreds of people were killed and some 80,000 expelled when Taya's government took advantage of border disputes with Senegal over grazing and fishing rights to drive black Africans, many of them pastoralists from the Fula tribe, across the border.
Roughly half of the Mauritanian refugees remaining in Senegal have already registered to return, despite concerns over lingering racism in the Islamic state and unanswered calls for compensation and the trial of those responsible for the purges.
"If there is racism there, it should end. We are all Muslims, so there should be no racism," said refugee Mamadou Keita. "We can forgive but we cannot forget," he added.
"MAKING PEACE"
Mauritania has undergone a democratic revolution since Taya was toppled in a bloodless coup in 2005.
Abdallahi has promised to welcome back the refugees and promote racial harmony. His government approved last year tough penalties for slavery, which persists in the vast desert state of 3 million people.
As they walked off the ferry onto Mauritanian soil, many waving tiny green national flags of their homeland, the refugees were greeted by hundreds of well-wishers who shouted "Welcome Refugees."
"This is a day of celebration for all Mauritanians because we have re-established our national unity," said Mauritanian ambassador to Dakar, Mohamed Vall Ould Bellal. "Mauritania is making peace with itself."
UNHCR, which is providing transport and three months of food rations plus tents and cooking utensils, expects more than 60 percent of the refugees to have returned home by the end of the year-long repatriation programme.
With many of their children unable to speak Mauritania's Hassaniya tongue, they will face problems in adapting.
"I will have to start from zero," said 30-year-old Ousmane Sow, who says he still feels Mauritanian despite spending most of his life in Senegal. "My father's house where I used to live has been completely destroyed. I will have to rebuild it."
Like millions in Africa's arid Sahel belt just south of the Sahara, the refugees will face competition for land, water and resources when they return. Many were waiting anxiously in Senegal to see the result of the pilot repatriations.
"I'm going to stay here for now," said Amadou Moussa Sow, a refugee leader in the Senegalese town of Richard Toll. "If those who remain behind see it's going well, then others will follow."
தற்போது மௌரிட்டானியாவில் அடிமை முறை ஒழிக்கப்பட்டிருப்பதாலும், இவர்களுக்கு பாதுகாப்பு கிடைக்கும் என்று உறுதி கொடுக்கப்பட்டிருப்பதாலும், இந்த கருப்பினத்தவர்கள்மீண்ட்டும் மௌரிட்டானியாவுக்கு திரும்புகின்றனர்
Mauritania refugees return home after long exile
Tue 29 Jan 2008, 15:47 GMT
[-] Text [+] By Daniel Flynn
ROSSO, Senegal (Reuters) - The first of thousands of black Mauritanian refugees returned home from exile in Senegal on Tuesday, nearly two decades after they fled bloody ethnic purges in their Arab-dominated Saharan nation.
Their brightly coloured robes billowing in the wind, 101 refugees crossed the Senegal River in a ferry to the Mauritanian side of the border town of Rosso, their goods and livestock packed on white trucks of the U.N. refugee agency UNHCR.
The repatriation of 24,000 of the long-forgotten refugees is a test of the pledge by Mauritanian President Sidi Mohamed Ould Cheikh Abdallahi, who took office in April, to improve human rights in the Islamic republic after decades of dictatorship.
Many children among those returning had never seen their homeland, while for others it was their first time on Mauritanian soil since they were driven from their homes by the regime of former dictator Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya in 1989.
"I'm so happy to be returning home," said Kumba Moussa Sow, 45, a widow with three children. "There are people living now in my old house, so I don't know where I will live - but I have taken my decision and I'm going back," she added.
Hundreds of people were killed and some 80,000 expelled when Taya's government took advantage of border disputes with Senegal over grazing and fishing rights to drive black Africans, many of them pastoralists from the Fula tribe, across the border.
Roughly half of the Mauritanian refugees remaining in Senegal have already registered to return, despite concerns over lingering racism in the Islamic state and unanswered calls for compensation and the trial of those responsible for the purges.
"If there is racism there, it should end. We are all Muslims, so there should be no racism," said refugee Mamadou Keita. "We can forgive but we cannot forget," he added.
"MAKING PEACE"
Mauritania has undergone a democratic revolution since Taya was toppled in a bloodless coup in 2005.
Abdallahi has promised to welcome back the refugees and promote racial harmony. His government approved last year tough penalties for slavery, which persists in the vast desert state of 3 million people.
As they walked off the ferry onto Mauritanian soil, many waving tiny green national flags of their homeland, the refugees were greeted by hundreds of well-wishers who shouted "Welcome Refugees."
"This is a day of celebration for all Mauritanians because we have re-established our national unity," said Mauritanian ambassador to Dakar, Mohamed Vall Ould Bellal. "Mauritania is making peace with itself."
UNHCR, which is providing transport and three months of food rations plus tents and cooking utensils, expects more than 60 percent of the refugees to have returned home by the end of the year-long repatriation programme.
With many of their children unable to speak Mauritania's Hassaniya tongue, they will face problems in adapting.
"I will have to start from zero," said 30-year-old Ousmane Sow, who says he still feels Mauritanian despite spending most of his life in Senegal. "My father's house where I used to live has been completely destroyed. I will have to rebuild it."
Like millions in Africa's arid Sahel belt just south of the Sahara, the refugees will face competition for land, water and resources when they return. Many were waiting anxiously in Senegal to see the result of the pilot repatriations.
"I'm going to stay here for now," said Amadou Moussa Sow, a refugee leader in the Senegalese town of Richard Toll. "If those who remain behind see it's going well, then others will follow."
இஸ்லாமிய ஜாதிவெறி: வேறு ஜாதி ஆணை காதலித்ததற்காக 30 வய்து பெண் அவரது தந்தையால் கொலை
ஜோர்டானில் ஒருவர் தன் மகள் வேறு ஜாதி ஆணை காதலித்ததற்காக அவரை துப்பாக்கியால் சுட்டு கொலை செய்திருக்கிறார்.
ஜோர்டானில் இருக்கும் பெடோவின் ஜாதிகளிடையே கடுமையான ஜாதிமுறை நிலவுகிறது. அங்கு வேறொரு ஜாதியை சார்ந்தவரையோ கீழ்ஜாதியையோ காதலிப்பது தடுக்கப்படுகிறது
Jordanian Charged in Honor Killing of Dating Daughter
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
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AMMAN, Jordan — A Jordanian man was charged Tuesday with premeditated murder for allegedly killing his 30-year-old daughter because she was dating, government officials said.
The man was arrested near the Israeli border after Monday's killing, and will be detained for 14 days for questioning, said an official close to the investigation. He spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing.
The suspect, whose name was not released, confessed to the crime and told authorities he had "cleansed" his family's honor, according to a police official who requested anonymity in line with police regulations.
The father suspected his unmarried daughter was dating, because she went out frequently but told her parents that she was socializing with female friends, the police official said.
"Her father refused to allow her to step a foot outside the house," he said. "In the evening they had an argument, so he grabbed his gun and sprayed her with several bullets, killing her instantly," the official said.
The killing occurred in Shuneh, a town in western Jordan inhabited by conservative Bedouin tribes. According to local Bedouin custom, women are not permitted to speak to male strangers, and men have strict control over female relatives.
Monday's killing was the first suspected "honor killing" in Jordan this year.
The kingdom sees an average of 20 women killed by male relatives each year.
Like in other tribal-oriented societies across the Mideast and Muslim world, many Jordanians consider sex out of wedlock an indelible stain on a family's reputation.
International human rights groups have condemned such killings in Jordan and appealed to the country's ruler, King Abdullah II, to do more to quell the practice.
Subsequently, the government abolished a section in the penal code that allowed suspects convicted in honor killings to get sentences as lenient as six months. Judges often commute sentences in honor killing cases, especially if family members drop the charges.
ஜோர்டானில் இருக்கும் பெடோவின் ஜாதிகளிடையே கடுமையான ஜாதிமுறை நிலவுகிறது. அங்கு வேறொரு ஜாதியை சார்ந்தவரையோ கீழ்ஜாதியையோ காதலிப்பது தடுக்கப்படுகிறது
Jordanian Charged in Honor Killing of Dating Daughter
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
E-Mail Print Digg This! del.icio.us
AMMAN, Jordan — A Jordanian man was charged Tuesday with premeditated murder for allegedly killing his 30-year-old daughter because she was dating, government officials said.
The man was arrested near the Israeli border after Monday's killing, and will be detained for 14 days for questioning, said an official close to the investigation. He spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing.
The suspect, whose name was not released, confessed to the crime and told authorities he had "cleansed" his family's honor, according to a police official who requested anonymity in line with police regulations.
The father suspected his unmarried daughter was dating, because she went out frequently but told her parents that she was socializing with female friends, the police official said.
"Her father refused to allow her to step a foot outside the house," he said. "In the evening they had an argument, so he grabbed his gun and sprayed her with several bullets, killing her instantly," the official said.
The killing occurred in Shuneh, a town in western Jordan inhabited by conservative Bedouin tribes. According to local Bedouin custom, women are not permitted to speak to male strangers, and men have strict control over female relatives.
Monday's killing was the first suspected "honor killing" in Jordan this year.
The kingdom sees an average of 20 women killed by male relatives each year.
Like in other tribal-oriented societies across the Mideast and Muslim world, many Jordanians consider sex out of wedlock an indelible stain on a family's reputation.
International human rights groups have condemned such killings in Jordan and appealed to the country's ruler, King Abdullah II, to do more to quell the practice.
Subsequently, the government abolished a section in the penal code that allowed suspects convicted in honor killings to get sentences as lenient as six months. Judges often commute sentences in honor killing cases, especially if family members drop the charges.
புத்ததேவே தஸ்லிமாவுக்கு எதிரான ஊர்வலத்தை தூண்டி அவரை துரத்தியவர்- மஹாஸ்வேதா தேவி குற்றச்சாட்டு
எழுத்தாளர் மஹாஸ்வேதா தேவி அவர்கள், புத்ததேவ பட்டாச்சாரியாரே தஸ்லிமாவுக்கு எதிரான ஊர்வலத்தையும் கலவரத்தையும் தூண்டி அவரை கல்கத்தாவிலிருந்து துரத்தியவர். பஞ்சாயதது தேர்தலில் முஸ்லீம்களின் ஓட்டுகளை வாங்குவதற்காக இப்படிப்பட்ட கேவலமான செயலை செய்துள்ளார் என்று குற்றம் சாட்டியுள்ளார்.
எல்லா முஸ்லீம்களும் அடிப்படைவாதிகள் என்ற அடிப்படையில் இவ்வாறு புத்ததேவ் பட்டாச்சாரியார் செய்துள்ளார். அது உண்மையல்ல, எல்லா முஸ்லீம்களும் அடிப்படைவாதிகள் அல்ல என்றும் அவர் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.
Buddhadeb a greater fundamentalist: Mahasweta Devi
January 31, 2008 00:26 IST
Eminent writer Mahasweta Devi has accused West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee of being a 'greater fundamentalist' who 'had conspired to throw Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen [Images] out of the state' and demanded his resignation.
"Bhattacharjee has said his Gujarat counterpart Narendra Modi [Images] is a fundamentalist, but what is he doing here? He hounded Taslima out of the city to get Muslim votes in the coming Panchayat polls in the state," the Magsaysay award winning writer told a press conference in Kolkata on Wednesday.
"The chief minister is a greater fundamentalist. He hatched a conspiracy to hound her (Taslima) out of the state. He should resign," she charged, demanding that Taslima be allowed to return to Kolkata.
She said she had spoken to Taslima, who is staying at undisclosed destination in Delhi, on Tuesday night.
"She is ill. Proper treatment was not given to her. As a writer, I demand that she be allowed to return to Kolkata," she said flanked by noted Hindi poet Kedar Nath Singh and Bengali poet Joy Goswami.
Virtually accusing Bhattacharjee of organising the violent protests by Muslims on November 21 demanding Taslima's ouster from the metropolis, Mahasweta Devi said the chief minister perhaps thought that all Muslims were fundamentalists, which was not true.
She wanted to know where Taslima was lodged and said writers in Delhi wanted to be by her side. She also asked Booker prize winner writer Arundhati Roy to talk to social activist Medha Patkar on the issue.
"We will take the issue to the international forum," she said, adding the Amnesty International had been informed.
எல்லா முஸ்லீம்களும் அடிப்படைவாதிகள் என்ற அடிப்படையில் இவ்வாறு புத்ததேவ் பட்டாச்சாரியார் செய்துள்ளார். அது உண்மையல்ல, எல்லா முஸ்லீம்களும் அடிப்படைவாதிகள் அல்ல என்றும் அவர் தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.
Buddhadeb a greater fundamentalist: Mahasweta Devi
January 31, 2008 00:26 IST
Eminent writer Mahasweta Devi has accused West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee of being a 'greater fundamentalist' who 'had conspired to throw Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen [Images] out of the state' and demanded his resignation.
"Bhattacharjee has said his Gujarat counterpart Narendra Modi [Images] is a fundamentalist, but what is he doing here? He hounded Taslima out of the city to get Muslim votes in the coming Panchayat polls in the state," the Magsaysay award winning writer told a press conference in Kolkata on Wednesday.
"The chief minister is a greater fundamentalist. He hatched a conspiracy to hound her (Taslima) out of the state. He should resign," she charged, demanding that Taslima be allowed to return to Kolkata.
She said she had spoken to Taslima, who is staying at undisclosed destination in Delhi, on Tuesday night.
"She is ill. Proper treatment was not given to her. As a writer, I demand that she be allowed to return to Kolkata," she said flanked by noted Hindi poet Kedar Nath Singh and Bengali poet Joy Goswami.
Virtually accusing Bhattacharjee of organising the violent protests by Muslims on November 21 demanding Taslima's ouster from the metropolis, Mahasweta Devi said the chief minister perhaps thought that all Muslims were fundamentalists, which was not true.
She wanted to know where Taslima was lodged and said writers in Delhi wanted to be by her side. She also asked Booker prize winner writer Arundhati Roy to talk to social activist Medha Patkar on the issue.
"We will take the issue to the international forum," she said, adding the Amnesty International had been informed.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
நேபாளத்தில் கம்யூனிஸ பயங்கரவாதத்தில் இதுவரை 13000 பேர் பலி
கம்யூனிஸ பயங்கரவாதத்தால் இதுவரை நேபாளத்தில் 13000 பேர் பலியாகியுள்ளனர். அரசியல் கட்சிகள் நடத்திய பொதுக்கூட்டத்தில் தற்போது தொடர்ச்சியாக பல வெடிகுண்டுகள் வெடித்துள்ளன
Bombs Explode Ahead of Rally in Nepal
By BINAJ GURUBACHARYA – 7 hours ago
KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) — A series of explosions rocked a southern Nepalese city on Wednesday where the nation's main political parties planned to hold a mass election rally, officials said.
One man on a bicycle was injured by a blast in the main market of Birgunj, about 100 miles south of Katmandu, said the chief government administrator in the area, Bhola Siwakoti. He was hospitalized in stable condition.
No one was injured in several other minor explosions aimed at disrupting the rally, Siwakoti said.
Three suspects were arrested, he said, adding that security had been stepped up in the area.
"We have policemen guarding every corner of the city and all the entry points," he said.
Senior leaders of the seven-party ruling alliance were to address the rally later Wednesday.
Several ethnic rights groups earlier called a general strike in the area to try to disrupt the rally and were suspected of involvement in the explosions, Siwakoti said.
The groups are demanding greater autonomy in southern Nepal, more seats in the national legislature and a guaranteed number of representatives in the administration.
Since early last year, minority groups have been organizing strikes, transportation shutdowns and demonstrations in the south to demand greater recognition of their rights. Some of the protests have turned violent, leaving at least 80 people dead.
Many southerners say their region has been neglected in favor of the more populated north.
The government announced earlier this month that an election to create a Constituent Assembly to map the country's political future will be held April 10. The election is a key part of Nepal's peace process, in which communist rebels gave up a decade-long armed revolt.
The assembly is to rewrite the constitution and determine the Himalayan nation's future political system.
More than 13,000 people were killed in the decade-long communist insurgency.
Bombs Explode Ahead of Rally in Nepal
By BINAJ GURUBACHARYA – 7 hours ago
KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) — A series of explosions rocked a southern Nepalese city on Wednesday where the nation's main political parties planned to hold a mass election rally, officials said.
One man on a bicycle was injured by a blast in the main market of Birgunj, about 100 miles south of Katmandu, said the chief government administrator in the area, Bhola Siwakoti. He was hospitalized in stable condition.
No one was injured in several other minor explosions aimed at disrupting the rally, Siwakoti said.
Three suspects were arrested, he said, adding that security had been stepped up in the area.
"We have policemen guarding every corner of the city and all the entry points," he said.
Senior leaders of the seven-party ruling alliance were to address the rally later Wednesday.
Several ethnic rights groups earlier called a general strike in the area to try to disrupt the rally and were suspected of involvement in the explosions, Siwakoti said.
The groups are demanding greater autonomy in southern Nepal, more seats in the national legislature and a guaranteed number of representatives in the administration.
Since early last year, minority groups have been organizing strikes, transportation shutdowns and demonstrations in the south to demand greater recognition of their rights. Some of the protests have turned violent, leaving at least 80 people dead.
Many southerners say their region has been neglected in favor of the more populated north.
The government announced earlier this month that an election to create a Constituent Assembly to map the country's political future will be held April 10. The election is a key part of Nepal's peace process, in which communist rebels gave up a decade-long armed revolt.
The assembly is to rewrite the constitution and determine the Himalayan nation's future political system.
More than 13,000 people were killed in the decade-long communist insurgency.
மீண்டும் தென்காசியில் இஸ்லாமிய பயங்கரவாதிகள் வெறியாட்டம் - பாஜக தலைவ கொலை
தென்காசியில் பாஜக தலைவர் படுகொலை
நெல்லை மாவட்ட பாஜக வர்த்தகப் பிரிவு தலைவர் ராஜபாண்டி, அடையாளம் தெரியாத நபர்களால் தென்காசியில் திங்களன்று காலை வெட்டி கொலை செய்யப்பட்டார்.
தென்காசியில் வசித்து வந்த ராஜபாண்டி (50), தனது வியாபார விஷயமாக இரு சக்கர வாகனத்தில் ஆலங்குளத்திற்குச் சென்று கொண்டிருந்தார்.
காலை 7 மணியளவில் கல்லூத்து சாலையில் அவர் சென்று கொண்டிருந்தபோது, மர்ம நபர்கள் ராஜபாண்டியை அரிவாளால சரமாரியாக தாக்கினர். வெட்டுக் காயங்களுடன் ரத்த வெள்ளதில் அதே இடத்தில் உயிரிழந்தார்.
பின்னர் அவ்வழியாக வந்தவர்கள் இச்சம்பவம் குறித்து காவல்துறையினருக்கு தகவல் அளித்தனர். இதுகுறித்து காவல்துறையினர் விசாரணை நடத்தி வருகின்றனர்.
ஏற்கனவே இந்து முன்னணி தலைவர் குமார் பாண்டியன் படுகொலை செய்யப்பட்டார். சில தினங்களுக்கு முன் தென்காசி நகரில் ஆர்எஸ்எஸ் அலுவலகம் மீது குண்டு வீசப்பட்டது.
தற்போது பாஜக தலைவர் படுகொலை செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது தென்காசி நகரில் பதற்றத்தை ஏற்படுத்தியுள்ளது.
நெல்லை மாவட்ட பாஜக வர்த்தகப் பிரிவு தலைவர் ராஜபாண்டி, அடையாளம் தெரியாத நபர்களால் தென்காசியில் திங்களன்று காலை வெட்டி கொலை செய்யப்பட்டார்.
தென்காசியில் வசித்து வந்த ராஜபாண்டி (50), தனது வியாபார விஷயமாக இரு சக்கர வாகனத்தில் ஆலங்குளத்திற்குச் சென்று கொண்டிருந்தார்.
காலை 7 மணியளவில் கல்லூத்து சாலையில் அவர் சென்று கொண்டிருந்தபோது, மர்ம நபர்கள் ராஜபாண்டியை அரிவாளால சரமாரியாக தாக்கினர். வெட்டுக் காயங்களுடன் ரத்த வெள்ளதில் அதே இடத்தில் உயிரிழந்தார்.
பின்னர் அவ்வழியாக வந்தவர்கள் இச்சம்பவம் குறித்து காவல்துறையினருக்கு தகவல் அளித்தனர். இதுகுறித்து காவல்துறையினர் விசாரணை நடத்தி வருகின்றனர்.
ஏற்கனவே இந்து முன்னணி தலைவர் குமார் பாண்டியன் படுகொலை செய்யப்பட்டார். சில தினங்களுக்கு முன் தென்காசி நகரில் ஆர்எஸ்எஸ் அலுவலகம் மீது குண்டு வீசப்பட்டது.
தற்போது பாஜக தலைவர் படுகொலை செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது தென்காசி நகரில் பதற்றத்தை ஏற்படுத்தியுள்ளது.
வேறு ஜாதி பையனை திருமணம் செய்ததற்காக 17 வயது பெண் அண்ணனால் கொலை
வேறு ஜாதி பையனை திருமணம் செய்ததற்காக அந்த பெண்ணின் அண்ணன் அந்த பெண்ணின் வாயில் கைக்குட்டையை வைத்து மூடி எலட்ரிக் ஷாக் கொடுத்து கொன்றிருக்கிறான்.
குடும்ப மானம் கப்பலேறிவிட்டதாம்.
Teenage girl strangled in 'honour killing'
Agencies
Published: January 28, 2008, 11:12
ordan: A 17-year-old girl died after being strangled to death by her brother in a Palestinian refugee camp near the Jordanian town of Jerash .
He was apparently angered by her absence from home.
The woman, who had been married for eight months, was accused of shaming her family and killed in a so-called "honour" crime.
This is the second murder of its kind in a month.
A Jordanian prosecutor has charged the victim’s brother, a 20-year-old man, with premeditated murder.
Local newspapers reported that he had stuffed a scarf in his sister's mouth, choked her with an electric cable and smoked a pack of cigarettes before turning himself in.
குடும்ப மானம் கப்பலேறிவிட்டதாம்.
Teenage girl strangled in 'honour killing'
Agencies
Published: January 28, 2008, 11:12
ordan: A 17-year-old girl died after being strangled to death by her brother in a Palestinian refugee camp near the Jordanian town of Jerash .
He was apparently angered by her absence from home.
The woman, who had been married for eight months, was accused of shaming her family and killed in a so-called "honour" crime.
This is the second murder of its kind in a month.
A Jordanian prosecutor has charged the victim’s brother, a 20-year-old man, with premeditated murder.
Local newspapers reported that he had stuffed a scarf in his sister's mouth, choked her with an electric cable and smoked a pack of cigarettes before turning himself in.
இஸ்லாம் பற்றிய 11 புத்தகங்களை மலேசியா தடை செய்துள்ளது
மலேசிய இஸ்லாமிய அரசாங்கம், இஸ்லாம் பற்றிய 11 ஆய்வு புத்தகங்களை தடை செய்துள்ளது.
January 29, 2008 17:07 PM
Ministry Bans 11 Books About Islam
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 (Bernama) -- The Internal Security Ministry has banned 11 books -- eight in English and three in Bahasa Malaysia -- about Islam whose contents have been found to be deviating from the teaching of the religion.
According to the ministry's Quran Publication Control and Text Division Secretary Che Din Yusoh, the ban order was gazetted on Jan 17 under Section 7(1) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.
The books banned are:
* Secrets Of The Koran: Revealing Insights Into Islam's Holy Book by Don Richardson (Regal Books From Gospel Light, Ventura, Calfornia, USA);
* Qur'an and Women Rereading the Secrets Text From Woman's Perspective by Amina Wadud (Oxford University Press, New York);
* The Two Faces Of Islam: Saudi Fundamentalism and It's Role in Terrorism by Stephen Schwartz (Anchor Books, New York);
* Woman In Islam by Margaret Speaker Yuan (Greenhaven Press Farmington Hills);
* Islam Unveiled: Disturbing Questions About The World's Fastest-Growing Faith by Robert Spencer (Encounter Books Califonia);
* What Makes Me A Muslim by Catherine M. Petrini (KidHaven Press Farmington Hills);
* The Importance Of Muhammad by Marilyn Tower Oliver (Lucent Books, Farmington Hills);
* Faiths Islam Worship, Festival and Ceremonies From Around The World by Trevor Barnes (Kingfisher, Massachusets);
* Amalan Kemurahan Rezeki by Lifa Karimah (Jasmin Enterprise);
* Rahsia Jalan Yang Lurus (Al-Mustaqim, Johor Bahru); and
* Islam & Pluralisme by Al-Mustaqeem Mahmood Radhi (Middle Eastern Gruaduate Centre, Damansara Kuala Lumpur).
-- BERNAMA
January 29, 2008 17:07 PM
Ministry Bans 11 Books About Islam
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 (Bernama) -- The Internal Security Ministry has banned 11 books -- eight in English and three in Bahasa Malaysia -- about Islam whose contents have been found to be deviating from the teaching of the religion.
According to the ministry's Quran Publication Control and Text Division Secretary Che Din Yusoh, the ban order was gazetted on Jan 17 under Section 7(1) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.
The books banned are:
* Secrets Of The Koran: Revealing Insights Into Islam's Holy Book by Don Richardson (Regal Books From Gospel Light, Ventura, Calfornia, USA);
* Qur'an and Women Rereading the Secrets Text From Woman's Perspective by Amina Wadud (Oxford University Press, New York);
* The Two Faces Of Islam: Saudi Fundamentalism and It's Role in Terrorism by Stephen Schwartz (Anchor Books, New York);
* Woman In Islam by Margaret Speaker Yuan (Greenhaven Press Farmington Hills);
* Islam Unveiled: Disturbing Questions About The World's Fastest-Growing Faith by Robert Spencer (Encounter Books Califonia);
* What Makes Me A Muslim by Catherine M. Petrini (KidHaven Press Farmington Hills);
* The Importance Of Muhammad by Marilyn Tower Oliver (Lucent Books, Farmington Hills);
* Faiths Islam Worship, Festival and Ceremonies From Around The World by Trevor Barnes (Kingfisher, Massachusets);
* Amalan Kemurahan Rezeki by Lifa Karimah (Jasmin Enterprise);
* Rahsia Jalan Yang Lurus (Al-Mustaqim, Johor Bahru); and
* Islam & Pluralisme by Al-Mustaqeem Mahmood Radhi (Middle Eastern Gruaduate Centre, Damansara Kuala Lumpur).
-- BERNAMA
லட்சக்கணக்கான கம்யூனிஸ்டுகளை கொன்ற இஸ்லாமிய பயங்கரவாதி சுகர்தோ மறைவு
1965இல் கம்யூனிஸ்டு பயங்கரவாதிகள் இந்தோனேஷியாவை கைப்பற்ற கிளம்பினார்கள். ஆட்சி கவிழ்ப்பு முயற்சியில் ஈடுபட்டனர். அதனை எதிர்த்து இஸ்லாமிய பயங்கரவாதிகள் ராணுவ உதவியுடன் லட்சக்கணக்கான கம்யூனிஸ்டுகளை கொன்று தள்ளினர்.
அந்த ராணுவ தலைவராக இருந்த சுகர்த்தொ மறைந்தார்
Pogroms in East Java 1965-66
January 10th, 2006, in News, by Patung
The nature of the 1965-66 pogroms in Indonesia as they occurred in East Java province.
Background. On September 30, 1965, a coup attempt took place in Jakarta which involved the murder of six generals. The exact playout of the coup, or even whether what took place constituted a coup attempt at all, is hotly disputed to this day, and we will concern ourselves with how the events were perceived in the country and what flowed from these perceptions, rather than deal with the coup itself.
The said coup attempt was blamed on the PKI, the Communist Party of Indonesia. It failed and in the subsequent months the PKI was systematically destroyed, by a combination of military and civilian forces. In some areas of Indonesia the campaign against the PKI widened into a more general pogrom against certain groups in society, in the main Javanese peasantry, Hindu peasantry, and perhaps, but to a much lesser extent, ethnic Chinese, in general all people who were thought to be connected to the PKI, in that they were believed to be the party’s main supporters, but animosity against whom went much deeper than recent party affiliations, and had much older, sectarian and class causes.
The numbers of killed in these pogroms is believed to have been between 500,000 and 2 million persons, typically for Indonesia there is much like this that is not agreed upon. Here we will look at one of the primary sources used to study the killings in East Java province, “Report from East Java”, available for viewing at Cornell (PDF).
The work constitutes a field report by an military intelligence officer on the progress of the liquidation of the Communist Party in the towns and villages of East Java. East Java, along with Bali and north Sumatra saw the greatest number of “crushing actions” by both military and civilian groups. The province was held to be a stronghold of the Communist Party.
Organisers
First the author deals with formal, semi-official plans for the destruction of the Communist Party. He notes that a “United Action Command” was formed to oversee the process, after there had been some outbursts of spontaneous popular violence.
The phase of people’s spontaneity was followed by efforts at more organization, and by formation of a United Action Command. This Action Command was comprised of the parties and their Mass Organizations: the Nahdatul Ulama [NU], the Catholic Party, the PSH [Partai Sarekat Islam Indonesia, Indonesian Islamic Union Party], Parkindo [Partai Keristen Indonesia, the Protestant Party], the IPKI [Ikatan Pendukung Kemerdekaan Indonesia, League of Upholders of Indonesian Independence, an army-affiliated party], and the PNI-Hardi.
At the outset we have a fairly broad range of political interests involved.
Nahdatul Ulama, the largest Muslim political group. (18% share of 1955 election.)
Catholics, aggressively anti-communist.
Partai Sarekat Islam Indonesia, a small Islamic party.
Protestants, although the author later states they were “confused” about their position.
Military, no surprises there.
PNI-Hardi, the right-wing faction of the PNI, a nationalist-secular party which had won the ‘55 election with 22% of the vote.
One important absence is the Masyumi party (21%, 1955), a modernist Islamic group which had been banned for its involvement in a rebellion in west Sumatra after the 1955 election. Masyumi in any event had only weak support in east Java, the powerbase of the Nahdatul Ulama, and an important source of votes for the nationalist-secular parties.
The author mentions that Nahdatul Ulama took the lead in the Action Command while other parties were slow to act. In some strongly anti-communist areas it appears social groups such as Nahdatul Ulama took the lead early on in the massacres and dissolution of the Communist Party, while in other areas the Army was the main agent.
Alongside this Action Command which organized the “open” [E] actions, there exists a committee consisting of the NU, IPKI, the Catholics, the Protestants, Muhammadiyah, and the PNI-Hardi, for the purpose of forming a “brain trust” [E] for the crushing of the PKI.
Clearly again there is broad-based, inter-faith cooperation.
Victims
So who were the victims? To the author of the report there is no question, the targets are communist cadres, leaders and officials of the Communist Party in east Java. However in several places he voices concern that some among the participants in the “crushing” were over-enthusiastic and killed people who were merely vague supporters of the Party, its voters.
Some of his examples.
Karangasem. This village is a center for “gun-slingers” and robbers. … it became a hideout for the PKI and PR [Communist youth]. This was discovered by the Pemuda Ansor [NU Youth], and, with spirits ablaze and insufficient calculations, they made an attack on Karangasem from Muncar and Banyuwangi with four trucks, three cars, and four motorcycles. The PKI got wind of their plan and made preparations.
and
In the area of Rogojampi, many PKI figures were kidnapped and murdered by religious groups.
and in Bondowoso
The community, especially the Religious groups, were very active in reporting PKI elements to those in authority, who would then take action. Only in ODM [Military Sub-Districts] and 139 BODM [Military Sub-District Bodies] were many PKI elements found….
in Jember
..the Religious groups that were present wanted to burn down the HQ of the PKI..
At a mass rally of the Religious groups, resolutions were passed demanding the banning of the PKI…
in Madura
In Sampang, as is known, the Police chief, Sutarjo, was murdered at a large rally.
Recently anti-Javanese sentiment has arisen, because people think that it was Javanese who brought the PKI into Madura. But the NU leadership took action quickly in order to prevent [anti-Javanese] excesses.
in the provincial capital Surabaya
After the large rally in Surabaya, purges were finally organized against Gestapu and PKI elements, as well as against workers who had taken over the enterprises (the Ngagel Complex and State Trading Enterprises) on October 1, 1965.
The mass concentration of the PKI in Surabaya is in the southern part of the City (primarily in Gubeng-trowongan, Patemen, and Pakis). There have already been purges in these areas.
Mojokerto
In Mojokerto almost all the PKI leaders, activists, and executioners have been finished off.
Kediri
In the Paree (Kediri) area there is a village in which the lurah [village headman] and Ansor together took the initiative to protect the [PKI] peasant farmers—who were only taggers-on—by giving them badges as members of Ansor or NU. They were gathered together, and coincidentally, there happened to be an operation by the military and Ansor going on. Seeing many people gathered together, the soldiers and Ansor asked the lurah who all these people were. The lurah, nervous and panicked, responded that they were PKI.
Before he had finished speaking, every one of the approximately 300 people was killed, and their families were not permitted to remove their bodies so that they were buried where they lay.
This last example is quite instructive. Undoubtedly it is the tip of the iceberg in terms of wider occurrences of the same type. The main victims, apart from PKI cadres, were ordinary, poor peasants who had made the mistake of voting for the PKI, or were associated with it. Many of these peasants had heeded the calls of the PKI leadership in the early sixties for unilateral land redistribution.
In other places he makes mention of attacks on Chinese-owned stores and there was an obvious connection in some minds between the Indonesian Communist Party, Red China, and the local Chinese population.
In Situbondo he says
The people are very anti-Chinese, as many of them are Arabs.
In Madura
Arrests of PKI leaders and cadres were undertaken, and in several places (tobacco storage) warehouses were burned down, most of them owned by Chinese considered to be financiers of the PKI. Also the contents of several Chinese-owned stores were brought out on the street and burned.
In the capital
In addition, the contents of several Chinese stores were taken out onto the streets and burned.
No mention is made of any killings or massacres of Chinese.
Perpetrators
The NU forms the vanguard of the movement to crush the PKI and its mass organizations.
The Nahdatul Ulama is very strong in east Java and hence their leadership role is to be expected. The writer mentions factional disputes within the NU.
Within the NU forces there are two groups, one of which used to cooperate with the PKI. This group has been geisoleerd [D: isolated].
The Catholics are seen as reliable.
Two groups can also be found in the Catholic Party, and, as in the case of NU, the domineerend [D: dominant] one is now anti-PKI. Their mass following is more gedίsplineerd [sic] [D: disciplined] and organized, and their key strength lies in their youth, especially college students. Their leader is Rusmo, a member of the Kasimo group.
Mention is also made of a small group:
Aside from these parties, there is also the HMI [Islamic Student Organization of Indonesia], which has better organization, complete with “planning” [E] and has many exponent en [D: exponents] in the ranks of the Army (formerly Hizbullah) and the Navy.
Other groups are regarded as less valuable, or too conflicted by past cooperation with the Communist Party.
Finally the writer deals with the role of the armed forces and the civil service. It was…
…the Regional Commanders in East Java who took actions and initiatives, leading the extermination.
…not their superiors at Territorial (provincical) level. Some regional commands are called out for being slack, or for having been infiltrated by communists.
By way of some conclusion there is
The wave of killings is still continuing, and many of those who are being killed are followers who did not know much. Many excesses have emerged…
It is these “excesses” that the events of the day are most famous for today.
Former Indonesian dictator Suharto dead
28 Jan 2008, 0000 hrs IST,AP
JAKARTA: Former dictator Suharto, an army general who crushed Indonesia’s communist movement and pushed aside the country’s founding father to usher in 32 years of tough rule that saw up to a million political opponents killed, died Sunday. He was 86. Suharto had been ailing in a hospital in the capital since January 4 when he was admitted with failing kidneys, heart and lungs.
Doctors prolonged his life for three weeks through dialysis and a ventilator, but he lost consciousness and stopped breathing on his own overnight before slipping into a coma on Sunday.
Chief presidential doctor Marjo Subiandono said he was declared dead at 1:10 pm. The cause of death was given as multi-organ failure. Doctors did not try to revive him because his heart was too weak, said Dr Joko Raharjo, adding that "all his children were at his bedside."
"My father passed away peacefully," sobbed Suharto’s eldest daughter, Tutut. "May God bless him and forgive all of his mistakes."
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced a week of national mourning for "the country’s best son," calling for flags to be lowered to half-staff. Suharto’s body will be flown in a fleet of seven Air Force planes to be buried in a state funeral.
அந்த ராணுவ தலைவராக இருந்த சுகர்த்தொ மறைந்தார்
Pogroms in East Java 1965-66
January 10th, 2006, in News, by Patung
The nature of the 1965-66 pogroms in Indonesia as they occurred in East Java province.
Background. On September 30, 1965, a coup attempt took place in Jakarta which involved the murder of six generals. The exact playout of the coup, or even whether what took place constituted a coup attempt at all, is hotly disputed to this day, and we will concern ourselves with how the events were perceived in the country and what flowed from these perceptions, rather than deal with the coup itself.
The said coup attempt was blamed on the PKI, the Communist Party of Indonesia. It failed and in the subsequent months the PKI was systematically destroyed, by a combination of military and civilian forces. In some areas of Indonesia the campaign against the PKI widened into a more general pogrom against certain groups in society, in the main Javanese peasantry, Hindu peasantry, and perhaps, but to a much lesser extent, ethnic Chinese, in general all people who were thought to be connected to the PKI, in that they were believed to be the party’s main supporters, but animosity against whom went much deeper than recent party affiliations, and had much older, sectarian and class causes.
The numbers of killed in these pogroms is believed to have been between 500,000 and 2 million persons, typically for Indonesia there is much like this that is not agreed upon. Here we will look at one of the primary sources used to study the killings in East Java province, “Report from East Java”, available for viewing at Cornell (PDF).
The work constitutes a field report by an military intelligence officer on the progress of the liquidation of the Communist Party in the towns and villages of East Java. East Java, along with Bali and north Sumatra saw the greatest number of “crushing actions” by both military and civilian groups. The province was held to be a stronghold of the Communist Party.
Organisers
First the author deals with formal, semi-official plans for the destruction of the Communist Party. He notes that a “United Action Command” was formed to oversee the process, after there had been some outbursts of spontaneous popular violence.
The phase of people’s spontaneity was followed by efforts at more organization, and by formation of a United Action Command. This Action Command was comprised of the parties and their Mass Organizations: the Nahdatul Ulama [NU], the Catholic Party, the PSH [Partai Sarekat Islam Indonesia, Indonesian Islamic Union Party], Parkindo [Partai Keristen Indonesia, the Protestant Party], the IPKI [Ikatan Pendukung Kemerdekaan Indonesia, League of Upholders of Indonesian Independence, an army-affiliated party], and the PNI-Hardi.
At the outset we have a fairly broad range of political interests involved.
Nahdatul Ulama, the largest Muslim political group. (18% share of 1955 election.)
Catholics, aggressively anti-communist.
Partai Sarekat Islam Indonesia, a small Islamic party.
Protestants, although the author later states they were “confused” about their position.
Military, no surprises there.
PNI-Hardi, the right-wing faction of the PNI, a nationalist-secular party which had won the ‘55 election with 22% of the vote.
One important absence is the Masyumi party (21%, 1955), a modernist Islamic group which had been banned for its involvement in a rebellion in west Sumatra after the 1955 election. Masyumi in any event had only weak support in east Java, the powerbase of the Nahdatul Ulama, and an important source of votes for the nationalist-secular parties.
The author mentions that Nahdatul Ulama took the lead in the Action Command while other parties were slow to act. In some strongly anti-communist areas it appears social groups such as Nahdatul Ulama took the lead early on in the massacres and dissolution of the Communist Party, while in other areas the Army was the main agent.
Alongside this Action Command which organized the “open” [E] actions, there exists a committee consisting of the NU, IPKI, the Catholics, the Protestants, Muhammadiyah, and the PNI-Hardi, for the purpose of forming a “brain trust” [E] for the crushing of the PKI.
Clearly again there is broad-based, inter-faith cooperation.
Victims
So who were the victims? To the author of the report there is no question, the targets are communist cadres, leaders and officials of the Communist Party in east Java. However in several places he voices concern that some among the participants in the “crushing” were over-enthusiastic and killed people who were merely vague supporters of the Party, its voters.
Some of his examples.
Karangasem. This village is a center for “gun-slingers” and robbers. … it became a hideout for the PKI and PR [Communist youth]. This was discovered by the Pemuda Ansor [NU Youth], and, with spirits ablaze and insufficient calculations, they made an attack on Karangasem from Muncar and Banyuwangi with four trucks, three cars, and four motorcycles. The PKI got wind of their plan and made preparations.
and
In the area of Rogojampi, many PKI figures were kidnapped and murdered by religious groups.
and in Bondowoso
The community, especially the Religious groups, were very active in reporting PKI elements to those in authority, who would then take action. Only in ODM [Military Sub-Districts] and 139 BODM [Military Sub-District Bodies] were many PKI elements found….
in Jember
..the Religious groups that were present wanted to burn down the HQ of the PKI..
At a mass rally of the Religious groups, resolutions were passed demanding the banning of the PKI…
in Madura
In Sampang, as is known, the Police chief, Sutarjo, was murdered at a large rally.
Recently anti-Javanese sentiment has arisen, because people think that it was Javanese who brought the PKI into Madura. But the NU leadership took action quickly in order to prevent [anti-Javanese] excesses.
in the provincial capital Surabaya
After the large rally in Surabaya, purges were finally organized against Gestapu and PKI elements, as well as against workers who had taken over the enterprises (the Ngagel Complex and State Trading Enterprises) on October 1, 1965.
The mass concentration of the PKI in Surabaya is in the southern part of the City (primarily in Gubeng-trowongan, Patemen, and Pakis). There have already been purges in these areas.
Mojokerto
In Mojokerto almost all the PKI leaders, activists, and executioners have been finished off.
Kediri
In the Paree (Kediri) area there is a village in which the lurah [village headman] and Ansor together took the initiative to protect the [PKI] peasant farmers—who were only taggers-on—by giving them badges as members of Ansor or NU. They were gathered together, and coincidentally, there happened to be an operation by the military and Ansor going on. Seeing many people gathered together, the soldiers and Ansor asked the lurah who all these people were. The lurah, nervous and panicked, responded that they were PKI.
Before he had finished speaking, every one of the approximately 300 people was killed, and their families were not permitted to remove their bodies so that they were buried where they lay.
This last example is quite instructive. Undoubtedly it is the tip of the iceberg in terms of wider occurrences of the same type. The main victims, apart from PKI cadres, were ordinary, poor peasants who had made the mistake of voting for the PKI, or were associated with it. Many of these peasants had heeded the calls of the PKI leadership in the early sixties for unilateral land redistribution.
In other places he makes mention of attacks on Chinese-owned stores and there was an obvious connection in some minds between the Indonesian Communist Party, Red China, and the local Chinese population.
In Situbondo he says
The people are very anti-Chinese, as many of them are Arabs.
In Madura
Arrests of PKI leaders and cadres were undertaken, and in several places (tobacco storage) warehouses were burned down, most of them owned by Chinese considered to be financiers of the PKI. Also the contents of several Chinese-owned stores were brought out on the street and burned.
In the capital
In addition, the contents of several Chinese stores were taken out onto the streets and burned.
No mention is made of any killings or massacres of Chinese.
Perpetrators
The NU forms the vanguard of the movement to crush the PKI and its mass organizations.
The Nahdatul Ulama is very strong in east Java and hence their leadership role is to be expected. The writer mentions factional disputes within the NU.
Within the NU forces there are two groups, one of which used to cooperate with the PKI. This group has been geisoleerd [D: isolated].
The Catholics are seen as reliable.
Two groups can also be found in the Catholic Party, and, as in the case of NU, the domineerend [D: dominant] one is now anti-PKI. Their mass following is more gedίsplineerd [sic] [D: disciplined] and organized, and their key strength lies in their youth, especially college students. Their leader is Rusmo, a member of the Kasimo group.
Mention is also made of a small group:
Aside from these parties, there is also the HMI [Islamic Student Organization of Indonesia], which has better organization, complete with “planning” [E] and has many exponent en [D: exponents] in the ranks of the Army (formerly Hizbullah) and the Navy.
Other groups are regarded as less valuable, or too conflicted by past cooperation with the Communist Party.
Finally the writer deals with the role of the armed forces and the civil service. It was…
…the Regional Commanders in East Java who took actions and initiatives, leading the extermination.
…not their superiors at Territorial (provincical) level. Some regional commands are called out for being slack, or for having been infiltrated by communists.
By way of some conclusion there is
The wave of killings is still continuing, and many of those who are being killed are followers who did not know much. Many excesses have emerged…
It is these “excesses” that the events of the day are most famous for today.
Former Indonesian dictator Suharto dead
28 Jan 2008, 0000 hrs IST,AP
JAKARTA: Former dictator Suharto, an army general who crushed Indonesia’s communist movement and pushed aside the country’s founding father to usher in 32 years of tough rule that saw up to a million political opponents killed, died Sunday. He was 86. Suharto had been ailing in a hospital in the capital since January 4 when he was admitted with failing kidneys, heart and lungs.
Doctors prolonged his life for three weeks through dialysis and a ventilator, but he lost consciousness and stopped breathing on his own overnight before slipping into a coma on Sunday.
Chief presidential doctor Marjo Subiandono said he was declared dead at 1:10 pm. The cause of death was given as multi-organ failure. Doctors did not try to revive him because his heart was too weak, said Dr Joko Raharjo, adding that "all his children were at his bedside."
"My father passed away peacefully," sobbed Suharto’s eldest daughter, Tutut. "May God bless him and forgive all of his mistakes."
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced a week of national mourning for "the country’s best son," calling for flags to be lowered to half-staff. Suharto’s body will be flown in a fleet of seven Air Force planes to be buried in a state funeral.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
எல்லா இஸ்லாமிய பயங்கரவாதிகள் குடும்பத்தினருக்கும் இந்திய அரசு பணமுடிப்பு விருது
ஆமாம், சரியாகத்தான் எழுதியிருக்கிறேன்.
இனிமேல் உங்கள் குடும்பத்தினருக்கு மாத சம்பளம் வேண்டுமென்றால் நீங்கள் செய்யவேண்டியது ஒரே விஷயம்தான். (அதிமுக திமுக கட்சிக்காக தீக்குளித்தால் ஒரே ஒருதடவை 10000 ரூபாயும் வீரவசனமும்தான் மிஞ்சும்) ஆனால், இந்திய மக்கள் மீது குண்டு வைத்து எத்தனை பேரை வேண்டுமானாலும் கொல்லலாம். பஸ்கள், ரயில்கள் மீது குண்டு வீசலாம், இந்திய ராணுவத்தினரை கொல்லலாம்.
அப்படி கொல்லும்போது நீங்கள் இறந்துவிட்டால், உங்கள் குடும்பத்தினர் நலமாக வாழ, இந்திய அரசு மாதாமாதம் பணம் அளிக்கும். இந்திய சுதந்திர போராட்ட தியாகிகள் குடும்பங்களுக்கு கிடைக்கும் பணத்தை விட அதிகம் கிடைக்கலாம்.
பொய்யல்ல. இது உண்மை. கீழே வெளிவந்திருக்கும் இந்து செய்தித்தாள் செய்தியை படியுங்கள்.
வாழ்க மன்மோகன் சிங் அரசு. வாழ்க சோனியா காந்தி அரசு. வாழ்க இளவரசர் ராகுல்காந்தி..
ஏன் காத்திருக்கிறீர்கள் கிளம்புங்கள்...
Slew of measures for J&K finalised
New Delhi (PTI): A relief package for Kashmiri pandits and support for dependents of militants killed in police encounters were among a slew of measures finalised at a meeting convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on wednesday to evolve a "blue print for a new future" in Jammu and Kashmir.
The high-level meeting also firmed up steps for easing travel between the two parts of Kashmir and decided to take up the matter with Pakistan at the earliest, official sources said.
Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and National Security Advisor M K Narayanan were present at the meeting.
A decision on providing a relief package to Kashmiri pundits, who had migrated from the valley after the onset of militancy, and providing them with job opportunities in Government was also taken.
The package would be in place soon after holding consultations with other central ministries including finance ministry, the sources said.
With 2008 being the election year in militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir, an announcement of people-friendly packages is likely to be made by the Prime Minister at a later date when he was expected to travel to the border state.
Singh reviewed the recommendations of the Standing Committee and a Monitoring Mechanism set up after the third roundtable conference on Kashmir last year for ensuring implementation of suggestions made by the working groups on Kashmir.
The Prime Minister, while setting the two committees last year, had said that his government was keenly working for a "blue print for new future" for the state.
இனிமேல் உங்கள் குடும்பத்தினருக்கு மாத சம்பளம் வேண்டுமென்றால் நீங்கள் செய்யவேண்டியது ஒரே விஷயம்தான். (அதிமுக திமுக கட்சிக்காக தீக்குளித்தால் ஒரே ஒருதடவை 10000 ரூபாயும் வீரவசனமும்தான் மிஞ்சும்) ஆனால், இந்திய மக்கள் மீது குண்டு வைத்து எத்தனை பேரை வேண்டுமானாலும் கொல்லலாம். பஸ்கள், ரயில்கள் மீது குண்டு வீசலாம், இந்திய ராணுவத்தினரை கொல்லலாம்.
அப்படி கொல்லும்போது நீங்கள் இறந்துவிட்டால், உங்கள் குடும்பத்தினர் நலமாக வாழ, இந்திய அரசு மாதாமாதம் பணம் அளிக்கும். இந்திய சுதந்திர போராட்ட தியாகிகள் குடும்பங்களுக்கு கிடைக்கும் பணத்தை விட அதிகம் கிடைக்கலாம்.
பொய்யல்ல. இது உண்மை. கீழே வெளிவந்திருக்கும் இந்து செய்தித்தாள் செய்தியை படியுங்கள்.
வாழ்க மன்மோகன் சிங் அரசு. வாழ்க சோனியா காந்தி அரசு. வாழ்க இளவரசர் ராகுல்காந்தி..
ஏன் காத்திருக்கிறீர்கள் கிளம்புங்கள்...
Slew of measures for J&K finalised
New Delhi (PTI): A relief package for Kashmiri pandits and support for dependents of militants killed in police encounters were among a slew of measures finalised at a meeting convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on wednesday to evolve a "blue print for a new future" in Jammu and Kashmir.
The high-level meeting also firmed up steps for easing travel between the two parts of Kashmir and decided to take up the matter with Pakistan at the earliest, official sources said.
Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and National Security Advisor M K Narayanan were present at the meeting.
A decision on providing a relief package to Kashmiri pundits, who had migrated from the valley after the onset of militancy, and providing them with job opportunities in Government was also taken.
The package would be in place soon after holding consultations with other central ministries including finance ministry, the sources said.
With 2008 being the election year in militancy-hit Jammu and Kashmir, an announcement of people-friendly packages is likely to be made by the Prime Minister at a later date when he was expected to travel to the border state.
Singh reviewed the recommendations of the Standing Committee and a Monitoring Mechanism set up after the third roundtable conference on Kashmir last year for ensuring implementation of suggestions made by the working groups on Kashmir.
The Prime Minister, while setting the two committees last year, had said that his government was keenly working for a "blue print for new future" for the state.
Monday, January 28, 2008
மாவோயிஸ்டுகள் சிபிஎம் தலைவரின் தலையை அறுத்து துண்டித்தனர்
சுசிர் சட்டர்ஜி என்ற 62 வயது முதியவரான சிபிஎம் தலைவரின் தலையை மாவோயிஸ்டு கம்யூனிஸ்டுகள் துண்டித்துள்ளனர்.
Maoists kill two CPM men in West Bengal
Wednesday, 02 January , 2008, 17:04
Kolkata: The New Year began on a violent note for the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) in West Bengal as suspected Maoists struck in two southern districts killing two party members.
The leftist guerrillas shot dead Pahalan Kumar Majhi in Purulia district. The headless body of Sisir Chatterjee, a CPM zonal committee member, was recovered from Burdwan. The Maoist link was being probed into the second incident too. Both incidents occurred on Tuesday.
Majhi, a CPM worker in Purulia's Balarampur area, was shot dead after the insurgents dragged him out of his home, the police said. The CPM has called a six-hour shutdown in the area to protest the killing.
In Burdwan a group of assailants, suspected of having connections with the Maoists, killed the 52-year-old Chatterjee on Tuesday afternoon in Mangalkot area.
Chatterjee, a primary schoolteacher, was on his way back from a party meeting in Koichor village, around 170 km from Kolkata, when he was attacked.
The group, reportedly armed with sharp weapons and rods, intercepted his cycle. They slashed Chatterjee's throat, possibly with a chopper and then beheaded him, according to the police.
The police have zeroed in on a few suspects and have detained four people in connection with the murder.
"We came to know that two of them (assailants) have a strong Maoist bent of mind," said Piyush Pande, superintendent of police in Burdwan.
"As we could not find the victim's head, we suspect the gang carried it with them," Pande said, adding that Sisir had set up a resistance group to prevent criminal activities in the area.
"Both the incidents trigger an alarm that the Maoist rebels are consolidating their attacks on the CPM men in the rural belts of West Bengal. We are conducting big drives in the areas where the incidents are taking place," Raj Kanojia, West Bengal inspector general of police (law and order), told IANS.
He said in December 2007 the State police conducted a massive search operation in Maoist-affected districts including Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore.
Reacting to the increasing incident of Maoist attacks on party workers, CPM central committee member Shyamal Chakraborty held the media responsible for the incidents.
"The media reports are constantly coming in favour of these Maoists. The media representatives don't want the CPM to be in power and thus they are supporting the Maoist rebels by not writing anything against them," Chakraborty told IANS.
Maoists kill two CPM men in West Bengal
Wednesday, 02 January , 2008, 17:04
Kolkata: The New Year began on a violent note for the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) in West Bengal as suspected Maoists struck in two southern districts killing two party members.
The leftist guerrillas shot dead Pahalan Kumar Majhi in Purulia district. The headless body of Sisir Chatterjee, a CPM zonal committee member, was recovered from Burdwan. The Maoist link was being probed into the second incident too. Both incidents occurred on Tuesday.
Majhi, a CPM worker in Purulia's Balarampur area, was shot dead after the insurgents dragged him out of his home, the police said. The CPM has called a six-hour shutdown in the area to protest the killing.
In Burdwan a group of assailants, suspected of having connections with the Maoists, killed the 52-year-old Chatterjee on Tuesday afternoon in Mangalkot area.
Chatterjee, a primary schoolteacher, was on his way back from a party meeting in Koichor village, around 170 km from Kolkata, when he was attacked.
The group, reportedly armed with sharp weapons and rods, intercepted his cycle. They slashed Chatterjee's throat, possibly with a chopper and then beheaded him, according to the police.
The police have zeroed in on a few suspects and have detained four people in connection with the murder.
"We came to know that two of them (assailants) have a strong Maoist bent of mind," said Piyush Pande, superintendent of police in Burdwan.
"As we could not find the victim's head, we suspect the gang carried it with them," Pande said, adding that Sisir had set up a resistance group to prevent criminal activities in the area.
"Both the incidents trigger an alarm that the Maoist rebels are consolidating their attacks on the CPM men in the rural belts of West Bengal. We are conducting big drives in the areas where the incidents are taking place," Raj Kanojia, West Bengal inspector general of police (law and order), told IANS.
He said in December 2007 the State police conducted a massive search operation in Maoist-affected districts including Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore.
Reacting to the increasing incident of Maoist attacks on party workers, CPM central committee member Shyamal Chakraborty held the media responsible for the incidents.
"The media reports are constantly coming in favour of these Maoists. The media representatives don't want the CPM to be in power and thus they are supporting the Maoist rebels by not writing anything against them," Chakraborty told IANS.
கென்யாவில் 800க்கும் மேற்பட்டவர்கள் இஸ்லாமிய ஷாரியா சண்டையில் பலி
எதிர்கட்சி தலைவராக இருக்கும் ஒடிங்கா கென்யாவில் இஸ்லாமிய ஷாரியாவை அறிமுகப்படுத்துவேன் என்று சொல்லி ஓட்டு சேகரித்தார். ஆனால், ஆளும் கட்சியை சேர்ந்தவரே வெற்றி பெற்றார். தோல்வியை ஒப்புக்கொள்ளமுடியாத எதிர்கட்சி ஆட்களும், விட்டுக்கொடுக்க விரும்பாத ஆளும்கட்சி ஆட்களும் கொலைவெறி கொண்டு ஒருவரை ஒருவர் அடித்துக்கொள்வதில் இதுவரை 800 பேர்கள் பலியாகி உள்ளனர்.
இது போன்றதொரு நிலை இந்தியாவுக்கும் தமிழகத்துக்கும் நடக்காமல் இருக்க இறையை இறைஞ்சுவோம்
KENYA: A Wrong Display of Anger, But Who is to Blame?
Saturday 12 January 2008 04:30. Printer-Friendly version Comments...
By Panther Alier
January 11, 2008 — On December 27th—I was waiting with great anxiety; the kind of feeling one has when waiting for a clean bill of health from a doctor, to see who won the Kenya’s presidential election. I had heard that the opposition leader, Raila Odinga, had promised Muslims in North Eastern Kenya a rule of their own belief: the Sharia law (religious law) in the region once elected president of Kenya. That just turned me right off. He was already bringing trouble to Kenya, since this meant a two competing laws in a country much smaller than its northern-bordering country: Sudan. Sudan has been a victim of this evil law for decades and I would hate to see the country I love, second to my country of birth, go down the same pass.
By now, you should know who I am on their side. So the tallying began and the results were disappointing; the then incumbent president Mwai Kibaki was trailing by about 400,000 votes and it was 75% reporting. At this stage I got naïve and thought no magic would do president Kibaki any good any more. I would like to give you some references, but the sensitivity of the issue has made it even harder to obtain hand-on staff so I hope you can just bear with me. Besides, I am sure many of you were all also watching and following the Kenya’s election so carefully.
But, the next thing you know was president Mwai Kibaki closing the gap and declared the winner and, in no time, was sworn in as the next president of Kenya. In fact, before these sequences of events, the presidents’ constituency was held back to save him from the grave he was about to enter in. At this point if you were “a political detective” you would have a genuine reason to file a report!
Few hours later, there were claims of votes rigging; followed by violence Kenya has never seen. No one anticipated the scale of this violence, not even the president himself. The guilt of having destroyed their beloved country can be inferred from the chairman of the Electoral Commission of Kenya, Mr. Samuel Kivuitu, when he said "‘I wish to say I did not submit this report or authorise my name to be used for its publication. The use of my name is a falsification,’" http://allafrica.com/stories/200801101134.html
Nevertheless, things got to a point of no return. There were calls of ethnic cleansing by the media and the opposing parties were calling it genocide. The churchgoers where hellgoers at this point: always a good reason to keep God away from politics. The spirit of African communality was broken, not once, but many times. Kikuyus became Kikuyus and Luos became Luos and so many other uncounted tribes became them. But, my own analysis to the dead in Kenya does not spare Kenya’s police and the army. On what side were they? This is a question that only the Kenyans can answer. And this is a reason why I do not believe entirely on politics of tribalism being portrayed. I wish I have a courage to say what happened in Kenya was a right anger displayed wrongly and fell on wrong individuals victims, being Kikuyu or Luo or any other different ethnics people that go hurt by the aftermath of the Kenya’s election.
The author is a graduate student studying Masters’ degree in Sustainable International Development at Brandeis University. He can be reached at pantheralier@gmail.com
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இது போன்றதொரு நிலை இந்தியாவுக்கும் தமிழகத்துக்கும் நடக்காமல் இருக்க இறையை இறைஞ்சுவோம்
KENYA: A Wrong Display of Anger, But Who is to Blame?
Saturday 12 January 2008 04:30. Printer-Friendly version Comments...
By Panther Alier
January 11, 2008 — On December 27th—I was waiting with great anxiety; the kind of feeling one has when waiting for a clean bill of health from a doctor, to see who won the Kenya’s presidential election. I had heard that the opposition leader, Raila Odinga, had promised Muslims in North Eastern Kenya a rule of their own belief: the Sharia law (religious law) in the region once elected president of Kenya. That just turned me right off. He was already bringing trouble to Kenya, since this meant a two competing laws in a country much smaller than its northern-bordering country: Sudan. Sudan has been a victim of this evil law for decades and I would hate to see the country I love, second to my country of birth, go down the same pass.
By now, you should know who I am on their side. So the tallying began and the results were disappointing; the then incumbent president Mwai Kibaki was trailing by about 400,000 votes and it was 75% reporting. At this stage I got naïve and thought no magic would do president Kibaki any good any more. I would like to give you some references, but the sensitivity of the issue has made it even harder to obtain hand-on staff so I hope you can just bear with me. Besides, I am sure many of you were all also watching and following the Kenya’s election so carefully.
But, the next thing you know was president Mwai Kibaki closing the gap and declared the winner and, in no time, was sworn in as the next president of Kenya. In fact, before these sequences of events, the presidents’ constituency was held back to save him from the grave he was about to enter in. At this point if you were “a political detective” you would have a genuine reason to file a report!
Few hours later, there were claims of votes rigging; followed by violence Kenya has never seen. No one anticipated the scale of this violence, not even the president himself. The guilt of having destroyed their beloved country can be inferred from the chairman of the Electoral Commission of Kenya, Mr. Samuel Kivuitu, when he said "‘I wish to say I did not submit this report or authorise my name to be used for its publication. The use of my name is a falsification,’" http://allafrica.com/stories/200801101134.html
Nevertheless, things got to a point of no return. There were calls of ethnic cleansing by the media and the opposing parties were calling it genocide. The churchgoers where hellgoers at this point: always a good reason to keep God away from politics. The spirit of African communality was broken, not once, but many times. Kikuyus became Kikuyus and Luos became Luos and so many other uncounted tribes became them. But, my own analysis to the dead in Kenya does not spare Kenya’s police and the army. On what side were they? This is a question that only the Kenyans can answer. And this is a reason why I do not believe entirely on politics of tribalism being portrayed. I wish I have a courage to say what happened in Kenya was a right anger displayed wrongly and fell on wrong individuals victims, being Kikuyu or Luo or any other different ethnics people that go hurt by the aftermath of the Kenya’s election.
The author is a graduate student studying Masters’ degree in Sustainable International Development at Brandeis University. He can be reached at pantheralier@gmail.com
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Sunday, January 27, 2008
நாகாலாந்து ராணி மா கைடின்லியூ - இந்து சமூகத்தின் தூண்
நாகாலாந்து ராணி மா கைடின்லியூ இந்து சமூகத்தின் தூணாக விளங்கியவர். கிறிஸ்துவ மிஷனரிகளால் நாகாலாந்து சமூகம் மதம் மாற்றப்பட்டு, அவர்கள் காட்டுமிராண்டிகள் என்று கிறிஸ்துவ மிஷனரிகள் பிரச்சாரம் செய்ததை தாண்டி, நேர்மை, ஒழுக்கம், அன்பு இரக்கம் ஆகிய தர்ம குணங்களுக்கு பிறப்பிடமாய் வாழ்ந்து இந்தியாவின் மூலை முடிக்கெல்லாம் சென்று நாகாலாந்து மக்களின் வாழ்வை சிறப்பித்தவர்.
அவருக்கு நாகாலாந்து போஸ்டில் வந்த அஞ்சலி
Rani Ma Gaidinliu - The legend-
The projected image of Naga society was that cent-percent Nagas had been converted to Christianity by American and British missionaries, they were made to fight against Bharatiya government and they are anti-Hindu and anti-Hindi. My uncle late Ram Pyare Mall and my brother in law (Jijaji) Ram Chandra Singh and my elder sister have been doing business in Kohima from 1965 along with hundreds of people from my area.
I had been hearing similar opinion from them about Naga folk. I had been bearing several more myths which I find uneasy to put in media. With this Naga image in my mind I landed in Kohima immediately after declaration of national emergency by Indira Gandhi in June 1975. From day one, I started looking for such 'wild' Nagas as described by them. I read several books on Nagas written by J.P Mill, Hutton and Christian missionaries where Nagas were described as wild, savage, heathen and Satan worshippers.
In Kohima, my eyes were looking for such 'savage' Nagas but I have not found any such person so far. Instead, I found honest, hospitable, self-contended and hard working Nagas, of course, with immense anti-Indian and anti-Hindu hatred with very few exceptions.
It was during those days I saw a lady in full customary attire with two girls on left and right side holding her arms with police patrol with VVIsP honor on the occasions of republic Day and independence day celebrations in Kohima local ground. I got myself drawn towards her. I developed curiosity to know more about her. In the process, I met Ramkui Newmei, Abuan Kamei-her private secretaries and through them, I established intimacy with Rani Ma and Pou N.C Zeliang
In 1978, freedom of religion bill was to be presented by Om Prakash Tyagi MP for debate in parliament. The church was dead against this bill. A national protest day was observed by Churches on May 3' 1978 in Nagaland, a very volatile and hostile situation was created and even Hindus were compelled to join the protest march. I was also one of them unwillingly holding a placard-"Pass the bill and divide the country". But Rani Ma decided to write a letter to President and Prime Minister of Bharatvarsh in support of Tyagi's freedom of religion. And she did this; this has been annexed in Asoso Yunuo's book on Rani Maa. The national media highlighted this letter. During those days, the local weeklies like Nagaland times. (Editor-Kalu Datta), Ura Mail (Editor-Chalie Kevichusa), Kohima weakly and platform were published from Dimapur and Kohima. These weeklies criticized Rani Maa for supporting that anti-conversion bill. The Church was also criticizing her. The security was tightened. Haipou N.C Zeliang was worried for her safety and security. After fifteen days of publication of her letter to president and Prime Minister, the appreciation letters from different part of country started pouring in. During all those turbulent times, I found Rani Ma very calm and quiet. No worry, nothing of that sort, she successfully ventured to establish solidarity with the nation. She gave a message to the nation that all Nagas do not subscribe the secessionist demand of underground section, and that all Nagas were not Christian and not anti-Hindu
Again on second occasion, she was successful as emissary of Naga society in second world Hindu conference at Prayag (Allahabad) in January 1979, wherein five lakh Hindus Parishad (VHP). Rani Maa attended this conference. She was chief guest of women meet while Vijaya Raje Scindia, vice president of then Jana Sangh, Maha Devi Verma noted Hindi poetess, Anutai Baag-Veteran social worker and several other women were the dignitaries on the dals, RSS chief, VHP chief, Jana Sangh chief and world renowned Hindu leaders were sitting in VVIP gallery. Rani Maa told the five lakh strong Hindu assembly on the Sangam of river Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati, "We Nagas uphold our Heraka (Hindu) faith and are for unity, integrity and sovereignty of the nation. The situation in Nagaland was very hostile and people were living in fear. Hindu society should come forward to redress the woes of Naga society". After this, she traveled length and breadth of the country and addressed scores of meetings wherein she presented glorious history of Nagas. She also informed the nation about Angami braves of Khonoma and Haipou Jadonang who fought against British invasion for the freedom of Bharatvarsh. This inspired Hindu society to know more about Nagas and developed respect for Naga leaders like J. B. Jasokie, Vizol, Suisa, T. Sakhrie, Dr. Imkongliba, Dr. Hokishe Sema, Dr. S.C Jamir and others who stood for the sovereignty of the country. She bridged the gulf between Nagas and non-Nagas Hindus. She cleared many distorted picture of Naga society projected by hostiles with a view to wean away Nagas from Hindu society. There lies her greatness.
Jagdamba Mall, Kohima.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
திரிபுராவில் இடது முன்னணி உடைந்தது!!!
திரிபுராவில் இடது முன்னணி 30 வருடங்களுக்கு பின்னர் உடைந்தது. அதில் முக்கிய அங்கமாக இருந்த பார்வர்ட் பிளாக் இடதுமுன்னணியிலிருந்து விலகுவதாக அறிவித்துள்ளது.
மேற்குவங்க பார்வர்ட் பிளாக்கும் இடதுமுன்னணியிலிருந்து விலக் யோசித்துக்கொண்டிருப்பதாக அறிவித்துள்ளது
Forward Bloc quits Tripura Left Front
26 Jan, 2008, 0141 hrs IST, TNN
KOLKATA: The Forward Bloc has finally parted ways with the CPM in Tripura. The party quit the Left Front in the state on Friday and announced that it would field its candidates in 15 constituencies in the assembly elections. It’s the first time in 30 years that the Left Front is splitting in Tripura.
“We are no longer in the Left Front. We have snapped our ties with the Front to protest the autocratic attitude of the CPM. The CPM should not call the ruling coalition here a front now,” Forward Bloc Tripura state secretary Shyamal Roy told ET.
The sudden development does not bode well for the Left Front in the state, which is going to assembly polls on February 23. The Bloc does not have any representative in the 60-member Tripura assembly, but this development may possibly damage the Left’s image. The Bloc had demanded three seats from the CPM, but the latter refused to allot seats to the Bloc.
Bijan Dhar, member of CPM central committee and state secretariat, told ET that his party would not hold any talks with the local Bloc leadership over seat-sharing. “We have already informed them on Thursday that it would not be possible for us to offer three seats,” Mr Dhar said.
The Tripura CPM does not seem perturbed at all, although the central leadership seems to be still interested, at least on paper, to preserve the unity of the Left Front. However, cracks surfaced in the Front long back, and there have been bickerings between the CPM and its Left allies on several issues, especially in West Bengal.
The Bloc leadership in West Bengal has often been talking about quitting the coalition.
The Left Front had secured 235 seats in the 294-seat West Bengal assembly, and the Forward Bloc’s strength is 23 seats. The Bloc leadership in West Bengal has often been talking about quitting the coalition. Observers are not sure whether the developments in Tripura will now induce West Bengal Bloc secretary Ashok Ghosh to take such a step in the state too.
The Bloc in West Bengal has already announced that it will contest the panchayat elections in May independently.
மேற்குவங்க பார்வர்ட் பிளாக்கும் இடதுமுன்னணியிலிருந்து விலக் யோசித்துக்கொண்டிருப்பதாக அறிவித்துள்ளது
Forward Bloc quits Tripura Left Front
26 Jan, 2008, 0141 hrs IST, TNN
KOLKATA: The Forward Bloc has finally parted ways with the CPM in Tripura. The party quit the Left Front in the state on Friday and announced that it would field its candidates in 15 constituencies in the assembly elections. It’s the first time in 30 years that the Left Front is splitting in Tripura.
“We are no longer in the Left Front. We have snapped our ties with the Front to protest the autocratic attitude of the CPM. The CPM should not call the ruling coalition here a front now,” Forward Bloc Tripura state secretary Shyamal Roy told ET.
The sudden development does not bode well for the Left Front in the state, which is going to assembly polls on February 23. The Bloc does not have any representative in the 60-member Tripura assembly, but this development may possibly damage the Left’s image. The Bloc had demanded three seats from the CPM, but the latter refused to allot seats to the Bloc.
Bijan Dhar, member of CPM central committee and state secretariat, told ET that his party would not hold any talks with the local Bloc leadership over seat-sharing. “We have already informed them on Thursday that it would not be possible for us to offer three seats,” Mr Dhar said.
The Tripura CPM does not seem perturbed at all, although the central leadership seems to be still interested, at least on paper, to preserve the unity of the Left Front. However, cracks surfaced in the Front long back, and there have been bickerings between the CPM and its Left allies on several issues, especially in West Bengal.
The Bloc leadership in West Bengal has often been talking about quitting the coalition.
The Left Front had secured 235 seats in the 294-seat West Bengal assembly, and the Forward Bloc’s strength is 23 seats. The Bloc leadership in West Bengal has often been talking about quitting the coalition. Observers are not sure whether the developments in Tripura will now induce West Bengal Bloc secretary Ashok Ghosh to take such a step in the state too.
The Bloc in West Bengal has already announced that it will contest the panchayat elections in May independently.
Friday, January 25, 2008
முன்னாள் ஜனாதிபதி நாராயணன் அவர்களின் மனைவி உஷா நாராயணன் மறைந்தார்
முன்னாள் ஜனாதிபதி நாராயணன் அவர்களின் மனைவி உஷா நாராயணன் மறைந்தார்
அன்னாருக்கு இதயபூர்வமான அஞ்சலிகள்
Former Prez Narayanan's wife Usha Narayanan passes away
Agencies
Posted online: Thursday , January 24, 2008 at 06:49:15
New Delhi, January 24: Former President K R Narayanan's wife Usha Narayanan died at a hospital in New Delhi on Thursday.
The only person of foreign origin to have become India's First Lady, had carved a niche for herself as a champion of social and women's issues and a prolific writer.
Usha always believed that women can be the determining force in taking sustainable development to a new high.
"Reserving 33 per cent seats at the grassroots democratic bodies and election of almost one million women to such bodies is a good example of empowering women," she had once told a global conference.
Born as Ma Tint Tint in 1923 in Burma, now Myanmar, she adopted the name Usha and became an Indian citizen after marrying Narayanan on June 8, 1951.
Their marriage needed a special clearance from Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru because Narayanan was in the Indian Foreign Service and Usha was a foreigner.
Usha's husband died on November 9, 2005.
Usha took her BA Hons. degree from Rangoon University and worked as a Lecturing Tutor in the Department of Burmese Language and Literature of the University.
She came to India on scholarship and took her M A Degree from the Delhi School of Social Work, specialising in juvenile delinquency.
Usha worked with the All India Radio for many years, translating and broadcasting news and also moderating discussions in its external services.
She also translated many Burmese short stories into English, most of which have been published in a national fortnightly journal.
Usha's translation of short stories by influential Burmese politician-writer Thein Pe Myint was published as a book titled Sweet and Sour in 1998.
These stories were later translated into Malayalam, Tamil, Oriya, Hindi and Chinese.
Usha also had keen interest in landscaping, gardening, orchid cultivation, Ikebana and Bonsai.
She was a member of International Women's Clubs, University Women's Associations and associated with a number of women's and cultural organisations.
She attended the Conference of First Ladies of Asia and Pacific in Kuala Lumpur in 1997 that discussed the relevance of micro credit for economic empowerment of poor women in villages.
அன்னாருக்கு இதயபூர்வமான அஞ்சலிகள்
Former Prez Narayanan's wife Usha Narayanan passes away
Agencies
Posted online: Thursday , January 24, 2008 at 06:49:15
New Delhi, January 24: Former President K R Narayanan's wife Usha Narayanan died at a hospital in New Delhi on Thursday.
The only person of foreign origin to have become India's First Lady, had carved a niche for herself as a champion of social and women's issues and a prolific writer.
Usha always believed that women can be the determining force in taking sustainable development to a new high.
"Reserving 33 per cent seats at the grassroots democratic bodies and election of almost one million women to such bodies is a good example of empowering women," she had once told a global conference.
Born as Ma Tint Tint in 1923 in Burma, now Myanmar, she adopted the name Usha and became an Indian citizen after marrying Narayanan on June 8, 1951.
Their marriage needed a special clearance from Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru because Narayanan was in the Indian Foreign Service and Usha was a foreigner.
Usha's husband died on November 9, 2005.
Usha took her BA Hons. degree from Rangoon University and worked as a Lecturing Tutor in the Department of Burmese Language and Literature of the University.
She came to India on scholarship and took her M A Degree from the Delhi School of Social Work, specialising in juvenile delinquency.
Usha worked with the All India Radio for many years, translating and broadcasting news and also moderating discussions in its external services.
She also translated many Burmese short stories into English, most of which have been published in a national fortnightly journal.
Usha's translation of short stories by influential Burmese politician-writer Thein Pe Myint was published as a book titled Sweet and Sour in 1998.
These stories were later translated into Malayalam, Tamil, Oriya, Hindi and Chinese.
Usha also had keen interest in landscaping, gardening, orchid cultivation, Ikebana and Bonsai.
She was a member of International Women's Clubs, University Women's Associations and associated with a number of women's and cultural organisations.
She attended the Conference of First Ladies of Asia and Pacific in Kuala Lumpur in 1997 that discussed the relevance of micro credit for economic empowerment of poor women in villages.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
சிறையில் வாடும் HINDRAF மலேசிய தலைவர் உதயமூர்த்தி மருத்துவமனையில் அனுமதி
சிறையில் இருந்ததால், டயபடிக்கான உதயமூர்த்தி தற்போது மருத்துவமனையில் அனுமதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளார்
Detained ethnic Indian leader hospitalised in Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, Jan 24: An ethnic Indian leader in Malaysia, who was on a hunger strike to protest against the detention of himself and four others under a draconian security law, was hospitalised after complaining of weakness, his wife said on Thursday.
47-year-old P Uthayakumar, a member of non-governmental Hindu Rights Action Forum (Hindraf), which spearheaded protests against alleged marginalisation of ethnic Indians, was hospitalised this afternoon following the hunger strike, which the five men began on Monday.
"My husband is a diabetic and I suspect his sugar level might have gone down following the fast," his wife Indira Uthayakumar said.
The five Hindraf activists were detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for having organised a massive rally, declared illegal by the government, on November 25 last year demanding better treatment of ethnic Indians in the Muslim-dominated Malaysia. The rally was attended by over 20,000 people.
The ISA, which allows indefinite detention without trial, has come in for criticism by the human rights groups.
Uthahyakumar, a lawyer and brother Hindraf Chairman Waytha Moorthy, was put on a drip in hospital in northern Perak state after he complained of weakness.
Ethnic Indians, mostly Hindus from Tamil Nadu, comprise 8 per cent of Malaysia`s population of 27 million people.
Bureau Report
Detained ethnic Indian leader hospitalised in Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur, Jan 24: An ethnic Indian leader in Malaysia, who was on a hunger strike to protest against the detention of himself and four others under a draconian security law, was hospitalised after complaining of weakness, his wife said on Thursday.
47-year-old P Uthayakumar, a member of non-governmental Hindu Rights Action Forum (Hindraf), which spearheaded protests against alleged marginalisation of ethnic Indians, was hospitalised this afternoon following the hunger strike, which the five men began on Monday.
"My husband is a diabetic and I suspect his sugar level might have gone down following the fast," his wife Indira Uthayakumar said.
The five Hindraf activists were detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for having organised a massive rally, declared illegal by the government, on November 25 last year demanding better treatment of ethnic Indians in the Muslim-dominated Malaysia. The rally was attended by over 20,000 people.
The ISA, which allows indefinite detention without trial, has come in for criticism by the human rights groups.
Uthahyakumar, a lawyer and brother Hindraf Chairman Waytha Moorthy, was put on a drip in hospital in northern Perak state after he complained of weakness.
Ethnic Indians, mostly Hindus from Tamil Nadu, comprise 8 per cent of Malaysia`s population of 27 million people.
Bureau Report
தையில் புத்தாண்டு, கிறிஸ்துவ மிஷனரிகளின் சதி!
சித்திரையில்தான் புத்தாண்டு
எஸ். ராமச்சந்திரன்
இக் கட்டுரை முற்ற முழுக்க ஒரு வரலாற்று ஆய்வே. சித்திரை மாதம் முதல் தேதியன்று பிறக்கின்ற புத்தாண்டைத் தமிழ்ப் புத்தாண்டு என்று குறிப்பிடுவது சரியா என்ற ஒரு விவாதம், கடந்த நூற்றாண்டில் தமிழறிஞர்களிடையே எழுந்தது. சித்திரையை முதல் மாதமாகக் கொள்ளும் காலக்கணக்கீடோ, அறுபது தமிழ் வருடப் பெயர்களாகக் குறிப்பிடப்படும் பிரபவாதி ஆண்டுகளின் பெயர்களோ தமிழ் மரபைச் சார்ந்தவையல்ல என்று முடிவு செய்யப்பட்டதாகத் தெரிகிறது.
சங்க இலக்கியங்களில் "தைந்நீராடல்' எனப்பட்ட பாவை நோன்பு சிறப்பாகக் குறிப்பிடப்படுகிறது என்பது உண்மையே. ஆனால் அதனைச் சூரிய வழிபாட்டுடன் தொடர்புபடுத்துவதற்குரிய குறிப்போ, புத்தாண்டு தொடங்குகிறது என்று அனுமானிப்பதற்கு அடிப்படையான சூரியனின் வடக்கு நோக்கிய நகர்வு (உத்தராயனத் தொடக்கம்) தை மாதம் முதல் தேதியன்றுதான் நிகழ்கிறது என்பது பற்றிய குறிப்போ சங்க இலக்கியங்களில் காணப்படவில்லை. எனவே சங்க இலக்கியங்கள் குறிப்பிடும் தைந்நீராடலுக்கும் புத்தாண்டுப் பிறப்பிற்கும் தொடர்பில்லை என்பது வெளிப்படை.
அவ்வாறாயின், தை மாதப் பிறப்பினைத் தமிழ்ப் புத்தாண்டாகத் தமிழறிஞர்கள் சிலர் முடிவு செய்ததற்கு என்ன அடிப்படை இருக்கக்கூடும் என யோசித்தால், ஆங்கில வருடப் பிறப்புக் காலமாகிய ஜனவரி மாதத்தினையொட்டித் தை மாதம் வருவதாலும், விக்ரம சகாப்தம், சாலிவாகன சகாப்தம் முதலியனவெல்லாம் காலாவதியாகிப் போய் ஐரோப்பிய சகாப்தம் - சொல்லப்போனால் கிறிஸ்துவ யுகம் - அகிலத்தையே ஆக்கிரமித்துவிட்டதாலும், அதற்கு ஒத்து வருகிற வகையில் நமது பழம் மரபுகளுக்குப் புதிய விளக்கமளிக்கிற ஓர் ஒத்திசைவே இதற்கு அடிப்படையாக இருந்திருக்க வேண்டும் எனத் தோன்றுகிறது.
இந்தச் சிந்தனைப் போக்கு, 16ஆம் நூற்றாண்டிலேயே தொடங்கிவிட்டதெனத் தெரிகிறது. தமிழில் வெளிவந்த முதல் அச்சு நூலான தம்பிரான் வணக்கத்தில், கிறிஸ்துவ அப்தம் 1578ஆம் ஆண்டு அக்டோபர் மாதம் 20ஆம் தேதி அன்று அச்சிடப்பட்டதாகப் போர்ச்சுக்கீசிய மொழியிலும், அற்பிகை மாதம் 20ஆம் தேதி அச்சிடப்பட்டதாகத் தமிழிலும் குறிப்பிடப்பட்டுள்ளன. அக்டோபர் மாதத்துக்கு நேரான தமிழ் மாதம் அற்பிகை (ஐப்பசி) எனக் கருதப்பட்டுள்ளது.
கி.பி. 18ஆம் நூற்றாண்டின் தொடக்கத்தில் தமிழகத்தில் சமயப் பணிபுரிந்த இத்தாலி நாட்டைச் சேர்ந்த கத்தோலிக்கத் துறவியான வீரமாமுனிவர், தமது தேம்பாவணியில் (மகவருள் படலம், பா. 96) ஏசுநாதர் மார்கழி 25ஆம் தேதியன்று பிறந்தார் எனக் குறிப்பிடுகிறார். ஐரோப்பியக் காலண்டர் மாதங்களையும் தமிழ் மாதங்களையும் ஒன்றுபடுத்திப் பார்க்கும் போக்கின் தொடர்ச்சியாகவும், தைத்திங்களில் தமிழ்ப் புத்தாண்டு தொடங்குவதாகக் கருதும் மனப்போக்கின் ஆரம்பமாகவும் இதனைக் கருதலாம்.
2000 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு கிரேக்கர்கள் Spring எனப்படும் வசந்த காலத்தைத்தான் புத்தாண்டுத் தொடக்கமாகக் கருதினர். கிரேக்க ரோமானிய நாகரிகங்களில், மார்ச் மாதம் முதல் நாளன்று வசந்த காலம் தொடங்குவதன் அறிகுறியாக ஒருவர் மேல் ஒருவர் சாய நீரைத் தெளித்துக் கொண்டும் குறும்புகள் செய்தும் சிரித்து விளையாடியும் மகிழ்வர். மேலைநாடுகளில் உறைய வைக்கும் குளிர்காலம் முடிந்து வெயிற்காலம் தோன்றுவது மிகவும் மகிழ்ச்சியுடன் வரவேற்கப்பட்டது. வணிகர்களும் அரசாங்கமும் தமது வரவு செலவுக் கணக்கை அன்றுதான் தொடங்குவர். இம்மரபுகள்தாம், ஏப்ரல் மாதம் முதல் நாளுக்கு மாற்றப்பட்டுத் தற்போது உலகளவில் பின்பற்றப்படுகின்றன. இவ்வாறு மாற்றப்பட்டதற்குப் பல காரணங்கள் உள்ளன.
கிரேக்கக் காலக் கணக்கீட்டின்படி, செவ்வாய்க் கிரகத்தை அதிபதியாகக் கொண்ட "ஏரீஸ்' வீட்டில் சூரியன் இருக்கின்ற மாதமே மார்ச் மாதமாகும். ரோமானிய (லத்தீன்) காலக் கணக்கீட்டின்படி, ஏரீஸ் எனப்படும் முதல் மாதம், மார்ச் 21ஆம் தேதி முதல் ஏப்ரல் 20ஆம் தேதி வரையிலும் நீடிக்கும். பிசஸ் எனப்படும் இறுதி மாதம், மார்ச் 20ஆம் தேதி முடிவடையும்.
இந்திய ஜோதிட அறிவியலில் பூர்ணிமாந்தக் கணக்கீட்டின்படி, மாசி மகத்துடன் முடிவடையும் மாசி மாதத்துக்குப் பின்னர் பங்குனி மாதம், மார்ச் 14 தேதியளவில் பிறக்கும். பாரசீக சமயமான ஜெராஸ்ட்ரிய சமய நூல்களில் மாசி மாதம் (பிர்தௌஸ்) என்பதே ஓர் ஆண்டின் இறுதி மாதமாகும். இவ்வாறு பங்குனி - சித்திரை ஆகிய மாதங்களுள் ஒன்றே, அவ்வப் பிரதேச வேறுபாடுகளுக்கேற்ப ஆண்டின் தொடக்க மாதமாகக் கருதப்பட்டுள்ளது. காலக்கணக்கீட்டில் மீன (பங்குனி) மாதமும், மேஷ (சித்திரை) மாதமுமே முதன்மை பெற்று வந்துள்ளன என்பது ""மீன மேஷம் பார்த்தல்'' என்ற பேச்சு வழக்காலும் தெளிவாகும்.
இப்போது தை மாதத்தைத் தமிழ்ப் புத்தாண்டின் தொடக்கமாகக் கொள்வதற்குச் சங்க காலத் தமிழ் இலக்கியங்களில் மறைமுகமாகவாகிலும் ஏதேனும் குறிப்பு காணப்படுகிறதா?
கி.பி. 7ஆம் நூற்றாண்டில் தொடங்கிய பக்தி இலக்கியக் காலகட்டத்தில் மார்கழி நீராடல் நோன்பாகப் பரிணமித்த தை மாதப் பாவை நோன்புக்கும், உழவர் திருநாளாகக் கருதிக் கொண்டாடப்படுகின்ற பொங்கல் திருநாளுக்கும் இடையே உள்ள தொடர்பு என்ன என்று நாம் புரிந்துகொள்வது அவசியம்.
மார்கழி நீராடல் மரபு வைணவ சம்பிரதாயத்தில் கண்ணன் வழிபாட்டோடு தொடர்புபடுத்தி முதன்மைப்படுத்தப்படுகிறது. மார்கழி நீராடல் மரபில் கண்ணனுடைய அண்ணனாகிய பலராமனுக்கும் ஓர் இடம் உண்டு. பலராமன் சங்க இலக்கியங்களில் வாலியோன் (வெள்ளையன்) என்ற பெயரில் குறிப்பிடப்படுகிறான். அவனுடைய ஆயுதம் ஏர்க்கலப்பை ஆகும். (""நாஞ்சிற்பனைக் கொடியோன்'' - புறநானூறு 56:4) அதாவது அவனே சங்ககால விவசாயக் கடவுள் ஆவான்.
பலராமனை "புஜங்கம புரஸ்ஸர போகி' எனக் கி.பி. 9ஆம் நூற்றாண்டைச் சேர்ந்த பராந்தக வீர நாராயண பாண்டிய மன்னனின் தளவாய்புரச் செப்பேடு' குறிப்பிடுகிறது. எனவே, போகிப் பண்டிகை என நாம் குறிப்பிடுவது பலராமனுக்கு உரிய விழாவே தவிர பரவலாகக் கருதப்படுவது போல இந்திரனுக்கு உரிய விழா அன்று. இந்திர விழா சித்திரை மாதப் பூர்ணிமையன்று நிகழ்ந்தது என்பது சிலப்பதிகாரத்தில் தெளிவுபடக் குறிப்பிடப்படுகிறது. எனவே, மார்கழித் திங்களின் இறுதி நாளன்று கொண்டாடப்படும் போகிப் பண்டிகை விவசாயக் கடவுளான பலராமனுக்கு உரிய விழாவே.
பூம்புகாரில் இந்திர விழாவின்போது ""சித்திரைச் சித்திரைத் திங்கள் சேர்ந்தெனக் காவற் பூதத்துக் கடை கெழு பீடிகை புழுக்கலும் நோலையும் விழுக்குடை மடையும் பூவும் புகையும் பொங்கலும் சொரிந்து'' மூதிற் பெண்டிர் வழிபட்டனர் எனச் சிலப்பதிகாரம், இந்திர விழவூரெடுத்த காதை வரி 64 - 69களில் குறிப்பிடப்படுகிறது.
பிற்காலச் சோழராட்சியின்போது தைப் பொங்கல் விழா என்பது தமிழர் திருநாளாகக் கருதப்பட்டதா; தமிழ்ப் புத்தாண்டு என்பது தைப் பொங்கலன்று தொடங்கிற்றா? இவை இரண்டிற்குமே தெளிவான விடை ""அல்ல'' என்பதுதான்.
சூரியன் தட்சிணாயனத்திலிருந்து உத்தராயனத்திற்குத் திரும்புகின்ற நாள் என்ற காலக்கணக்கீட்டின் அடிப்படையில் தை மாதம் முதல் தேதிக்கு முக்கியத்துவம் வழங்கப்படுவது பிற்காலச் சோழர் ஆட்சியில் நடைமுறைக்கு வந்துவிட்டது என்பது உண்மையே.
ஆட்டைவட்டம் எனப்படும் ஓர் ஆண்டின் சுழற்சியை - 360 பாகைகளை - 90 பாகைகள் கொண்ட நான்கு பிரிவுகளாகப் பிரித்து, சித்திரை விஷு, தக்ஷிண அயனம், ஐப்பசி விஷு, உத்தர அயனம் எனக் குறிப்பிடும் வழக்கம், கி.பி. 998ஆம் ஆண்டைச் சேர்ந்த தஞ்சை மாவட்டம் திருவலஞ்சுழி சேத்ரபால தேவர் கோயிற் கல்வெட்டில் பதிவு செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது. இருப்பினும் இந்நாள் புத்தாண்டுத் தொடக்கமாகவோ தமிழர்க்கு மட்டுமேயுரிய திருநாளாகவோ கருதப்படவில்லை.
சூரிய குலத்தைச் சேர்ந்தவர்களாகச் சொல்லப்படும் சோழர்களின் ஆட்சியில் முதன்மையான நிர்வாகப் பதவியை வகித்த சேக்கிழார் நாக தெய்வத்தைத் தமது குல தெய்வமாகக் கொண்டவர் ஆவார். அப்படி இருக்க சேக்கிழார் தம் பெரிய புராணத்தில் ஓரிடத்தில்கூடத் தைப் பொங்கல் விழாவை முதன்மைப்படுத்தியோ, தமிழகத்தின் நெற்களஞ்சியமான தஞ்சைப் பகுதியின் உழவர்கள் கொண்டாடிய முதன்மையான ஒரு விழாவாகவோ குறிப்பிடவில்லை என்பது எண்ணிப் பார்க்கத்தக்கது.
சோழ நாட்டு மள்ளர்களைக் (பள்ளர்களை) குறிப்பிடுகையில் ""இழுது செய்யினுள் இந்திரத் தெய்வதம் தொழுது நாற்று நடுவார் தொகுதியே பழுதில் காவிரி நாட்டின் பரப்பெல்லாம்'' என்றே சேக்கிழார் வருணிக்கிறார். (திருத்தொண்டர் புராணம், திருநாட்டுச் சிறப்பு, பா. 10, 12).
தமிழக வரலாற்றில் மருத நில உழவர்களான தேவேந்திர குல மள்ளர்களின் இடத்தையும், மழைக் கடவுளாகிய இந்திரனுக்குரிய இடத்தையும், நிர்ணயிக்க உதவும் பல குறிப்புகளுள் இதுவும் ஒன்றாகும். இங்கும் வேளாண்மை தொடர்பான விழாவாகத் தைப் பொங்கலோ, வேளாண்மைக்குரிய கடவுளாக பலதேவனோ முதன்மைப்படுத்தப்படவில்லை.
பிற்காலச் சோழர்களின் ஆட்சிக்காலத்தில்கூட இந்திர விழாவைவிட பலராமன் விழாவாகிய போகி - பொங்கல் விழா முதன்மை பெற்றுவிடவில்லை என்பது தெளிவாகத் தெரிய வருகிறது. பூம்புகாரில் சித்திரைத் திங்களில் இந்திர விழா கொண்டாடப்பட்டதைப் பற்றிய இலக்கியச் செய்திகளின் அடிப்படையில் பார்த்தாலும் தேவர்களின் தலைவனாகிய இந்திரனுக்கு ஆண்டின் தொடக்க காலத்தில் விழா எடுக்கின்ற மரபு நீண்ட நெடுங்காலமாகச் சோழ நாட்டில் தொடர்ந்து வந்திருக்கின்றது என்பதும் பலராமன் விழாவாகிய தைப்பொங்கலைவிட இந்திர விழா பழைமையானது என்பதும் புலனாகின்றன.
பருவங்களின் தலைவன் பிரஜாபதி என வேதங்கள் கூறுகின்றன. மகாபிரஜாபதி என இந்திரனைக் குறிப்பிடுவர். எனவேதான், பருவங்களின் தலைமைப் பருவம் தொடங்கும் சித்திரை மாதத்தில் இந்திரவிழா கொண்டாடப்பட்டிருக்க வேண்டும். மருத நிலத்தின் தெய்வமாக இந்திரனையும், அந்நிலத்துக்குரிய பெரும் பொழுதாக இளவேனில் பருவத்தையும் குறிப்பிடுவதே தமிழிலக்கிய மரபாகும்.
வரலாற்று உண்மைகளிலிருந்து நாம் சற்று கவனத்தைத் திருப்பிப் பருவங்களின் சுழற்சியை அடிப்படையாகக் கொண்ட இயற்கையின் காலக்கணக்கீட்டுக்கு வருவோம்.
""திண்ணிலை மருப்பின் ஆடு தலையாக விண்ணூர்பு திரிதரும் வீங்கு செலல் மண்டிலம்'' என்பது சங்க இலக்கியமாகிய நெடுநல்வாடையில் இடம்பெறும் தொடராகும். (வரி 160 - 161) மேஷ ராசியே தலையான (முதல்) ராசி என்பது இதன் பொருள். மேஷ ராசியில் சூரியன் பிரவேசிக்கின்ற மாதத் தொடக்கமே புத்தாண்டின் தொடக்கமாகும். ரோமானிய நாகரிகத்தில் முதல் மாதமாகக் கருதப்பட்ட "ஏரீஸ்' என்பது ஆடு (மேஷம்) என்றே பொருள்படும்.
இக்ஷ்வாகு மன்னர்களின் கி.பி. 3 - 4ஆம் நூற்றாண்டுக் கல்வெட்டுகளில் கிம்ஹ (கிரீஷ்ம), வஸ்ஸ (வர்ஷ), சரத் என்ற மூன்று காலங்கள் குறிப்பிடப்படுகின்றன. அதாவது கோடை, மழை, பனிக் காலங்களே இவ்வாறு குறிப்பிடப்பட்டன. இந்த வரிசையே தமிழ் இலக்கண மரபிலும் இளவேனில் - முதுவேனில், கார் - கூதிர், முன்பனி - பின்பனி என்று சற்று விரிவாகக் குறிப்பிடப்படுகிறது. எனவே வானநூல் - ஜோதிட அடிப்படையிலும் கோடைக்காலமே ஆண்டின் தொடக்கமாகும்.
சீவக சிந்தாமணியில் முக்தியிலம்பகத்தில் (3070 - 72) சீவகன் ஓராண்டுக் காலம் தவம் செய்தது வர்ணிக்கப்படுகிறது. நந்நான்கு மாதங்கள் கொண்ட மூன்று பருவங்களாக, ""தீயுமிழ் திங்கள் நான்கு, வானம் நீர்த்திரள் சொரிந்திடு திங்கள் நான்கு, பனிவரை உருவி வீசும் மங்குல் சூழ் வாடை நான்காய திங்கள்'' என ஓராண்டுக்காலம் குறிப்பிடப்படுகிறது. இங்கெல்லாம் கோடைக்காலமே முதலாவது பருவமாகக் குறிப்பிடப்படுவதைக் கவனிக்க வேண்டும்.
இனி, 60 ஆண்டுக் கணக்கீட்டினைப் பற்றி ஆராய்வோம். தமிழ் வருடப் பெயர்கள் எனக் குறிப்பிடப்படும் ""பிரபவ'' தொடக்கமாக அமைகிற 60 பெயர்களும் தமிழ்ப் பெயர்கள் அல்ல என்பது உண்மையே. 60 ஆண்டுகள் கொண்ட பிரபவாதி சுழற்சிமுறை ""வியாழ வட்டம்'' (Jovian Circle) எனப்படும். 12 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு ஒருமுறை தனது பழைய இடத்துக்கு வருகிற குருவும் 30 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு ஒருமுறை தனது பழைய இடத்துக்கு வருகிற சனியும், ஒரே நேரத்தில் தாம்தாமிருந்த பழைய இடங்களுக்கே வருவது 60 ஆண்டுக்கு ஒருமுறைதான் நிகழும். எனவேதான் 60 ஆண்டுச் சுழற்சி முறை முதன்மை பெறுகிறது. ஆயினும் இந்த வியாழ வட்டத்திற்கும் சித்திரை மாதத்தில் புத்தாண்டு பிறப்பதற்கும் அடிப்படையான தொடர்பு ஏதுமில்லை.
சித்திரை மாதத்தில் புத்தாண்டு தொடங்குவது என்பது வானநூலையும் பருவங்களின் சுழற்சியையும் அடிப்படையாகக் கொண்டது. எனவே, பருவங்களின் சுழற்சியை அடிப்படையாகக் கொண்டு இயற்கையை ஒட்டி, சித்திரை மாதத்தைத் தொடக்க மாதமாகக் கொண்டமைந்த ஆண்டுக் கணக்கீடுதான் பூர்விகத் தமிழ் மரபாகவும் இருக்க முடியும்.
கி.பி. 16ஆம் நூற்றாண்டில் போர்ச்சுகீசியரின் ஆதிக்கத்தைத் தொடர்ந்து ரோமன் கத்தோலிக்க சமயக் கண்ணோட்டத்தில் ஏசுநாதர் பிறந்த கேப்ரிகார்ன் (மகர) மாதம் முதன்மைப்படுத்தப்பட்டு, ஜனவரியே கிறிஸ்து சகாப்தத்தின் முதல் மாதம் என்ற நிலை உருவாகிவிட்டது. 16ஆம் நூற்றாண்டுக்குப் பின் நிகழ்ந்த ஐரோப்பியக் காலனி ஆதிக்கம், "இனம் புரிந்த', இனம் புரியாத வகைகளிலெல்லாம் இந்தியச் சிந்தனையாளர் வர்க்கத்தை ஈர்த்து அடிமைப்படுத்திற்று. அதன் விளைவாக ஐரோப்பியர்கள் கைகாட்டுகிற திசையில் தமது தனித்த அடையாளத்தைத் தேடிக் காண்கிற முயற்சிகள் தொடங்கின.
இந்தியா ""தாழ்வுற்று வறுமை மிஞ்சி விடுதலை தவறிக் கெட்டுப் பாழ்பட்டு நின்ற'' காலகட்டத்தில், ""நேரங் கெட்ட நேரத்தில்'' மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்ட காலங்கள் பற்றிய கணக்கீட்டில் ""தை மாதம்தான் தமிழர்களின் புத்தாண்டுப் பிறப்பு'' என்ற தவறான முடிவு விடையாகக் கிடைத்ததில் வியப்பில்லை. சார்பு நிலையால் ஏற்படும் மனமயக்கங்களில் ஆழ்ந்துவிடாமல் "சுதந்திர'மாக ஆராய்ந்தால் கிடைக்கும் விடை: ""சித்திரையில்தான் புத்தாண்டு''.
(கட்டுரையாளர்: தொல்லியல் ஆராய்ச்சியாளர்)
நன்றி தினமணி
எஸ். ராமச்சந்திரன்
இக் கட்டுரை முற்ற முழுக்க ஒரு வரலாற்று ஆய்வே. சித்திரை மாதம் முதல் தேதியன்று பிறக்கின்ற புத்தாண்டைத் தமிழ்ப் புத்தாண்டு என்று குறிப்பிடுவது சரியா என்ற ஒரு விவாதம், கடந்த நூற்றாண்டில் தமிழறிஞர்களிடையே எழுந்தது. சித்திரையை முதல் மாதமாகக் கொள்ளும் காலக்கணக்கீடோ, அறுபது தமிழ் வருடப் பெயர்களாகக் குறிப்பிடப்படும் பிரபவாதி ஆண்டுகளின் பெயர்களோ தமிழ் மரபைச் சார்ந்தவையல்ல என்று முடிவு செய்யப்பட்டதாகத் தெரிகிறது.
சங்க இலக்கியங்களில் "தைந்நீராடல்' எனப்பட்ட பாவை நோன்பு சிறப்பாகக் குறிப்பிடப்படுகிறது என்பது உண்மையே. ஆனால் அதனைச் சூரிய வழிபாட்டுடன் தொடர்புபடுத்துவதற்குரிய குறிப்போ, புத்தாண்டு தொடங்குகிறது என்று அனுமானிப்பதற்கு அடிப்படையான சூரியனின் வடக்கு நோக்கிய நகர்வு (உத்தராயனத் தொடக்கம்) தை மாதம் முதல் தேதியன்றுதான் நிகழ்கிறது என்பது பற்றிய குறிப்போ சங்க இலக்கியங்களில் காணப்படவில்லை. எனவே சங்க இலக்கியங்கள் குறிப்பிடும் தைந்நீராடலுக்கும் புத்தாண்டுப் பிறப்பிற்கும் தொடர்பில்லை என்பது வெளிப்படை.
அவ்வாறாயின், தை மாதப் பிறப்பினைத் தமிழ்ப் புத்தாண்டாகத் தமிழறிஞர்கள் சிலர் முடிவு செய்ததற்கு என்ன அடிப்படை இருக்கக்கூடும் என யோசித்தால், ஆங்கில வருடப் பிறப்புக் காலமாகிய ஜனவரி மாதத்தினையொட்டித் தை மாதம் வருவதாலும், விக்ரம சகாப்தம், சாலிவாகன சகாப்தம் முதலியனவெல்லாம் காலாவதியாகிப் போய் ஐரோப்பிய சகாப்தம் - சொல்லப்போனால் கிறிஸ்துவ யுகம் - அகிலத்தையே ஆக்கிரமித்துவிட்டதாலும், அதற்கு ஒத்து வருகிற வகையில் நமது பழம் மரபுகளுக்குப் புதிய விளக்கமளிக்கிற ஓர் ஒத்திசைவே இதற்கு அடிப்படையாக இருந்திருக்க வேண்டும் எனத் தோன்றுகிறது.
இந்தச் சிந்தனைப் போக்கு, 16ஆம் நூற்றாண்டிலேயே தொடங்கிவிட்டதெனத் தெரிகிறது. தமிழில் வெளிவந்த முதல் அச்சு நூலான தம்பிரான் வணக்கத்தில், கிறிஸ்துவ அப்தம் 1578ஆம் ஆண்டு அக்டோபர் மாதம் 20ஆம் தேதி அன்று அச்சிடப்பட்டதாகப் போர்ச்சுக்கீசிய மொழியிலும், அற்பிகை மாதம் 20ஆம் தேதி அச்சிடப்பட்டதாகத் தமிழிலும் குறிப்பிடப்பட்டுள்ளன. அக்டோபர் மாதத்துக்கு நேரான தமிழ் மாதம் அற்பிகை (ஐப்பசி) எனக் கருதப்பட்டுள்ளது.
கி.பி. 18ஆம் நூற்றாண்டின் தொடக்கத்தில் தமிழகத்தில் சமயப் பணிபுரிந்த இத்தாலி நாட்டைச் சேர்ந்த கத்தோலிக்கத் துறவியான வீரமாமுனிவர், தமது தேம்பாவணியில் (மகவருள் படலம், பா. 96) ஏசுநாதர் மார்கழி 25ஆம் தேதியன்று பிறந்தார் எனக் குறிப்பிடுகிறார். ஐரோப்பியக் காலண்டர் மாதங்களையும் தமிழ் மாதங்களையும் ஒன்றுபடுத்திப் பார்க்கும் போக்கின் தொடர்ச்சியாகவும், தைத்திங்களில் தமிழ்ப் புத்தாண்டு தொடங்குவதாகக் கருதும் மனப்போக்கின் ஆரம்பமாகவும் இதனைக் கருதலாம்.
2000 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு கிரேக்கர்கள் Spring எனப்படும் வசந்த காலத்தைத்தான் புத்தாண்டுத் தொடக்கமாகக் கருதினர். கிரேக்க ரோமானிய நாகரிகங்களில், மார்ச் மாதம் முதல் நாளன்று வசந்த காலம் தொடங்குவதன் அறிகுறியாக ஒருவர் மேல் ஒருவர் சாய நீரைத் தெளித்துக் கொண்டும் குறும்புகள் செய்தும் சிரித்து விளையாடியும் மகிழ்வர். மேலைநாடுகளில் உறைய வைக்கும் குளிர்காலம் முடிந்து வெயிற்காலம் தோன்றுவது மிகவும் மகிழ்ச்சியுடன் வரவேற்கப்பட்டது. வணிகர்களும் அரசாங்கமும் தமது வரவு செலவுக் கணக்கை அன்றுதான் தொடங்குவர். இம்மரபுகள்தாம், ஏப்ரல் மாதம் முதல் நாளுக்கு மாற்றப்பட்டுத் தற்போது உலகளவில் பின்பற்றப்படுகின்றன. இவ்வாறு மாற்றப்பட்டதற்குப் பல காரணங்கள் உள்ளன.
கிரேக்கக் காலக் கணக்கீட்டின்படி, செவ்வாய்க் கிரகத்தை அதிபதியாகக் கொண்ட "ஏரீஸ்' வீட்டில் சூரியன் இருக்கின்ற மாதமே மார்ச் மாதமாகும். ரோமானிய (லத்தீன்) காலக் கணக்கீட்டின்படி, ஏரீஸ் எனப்படும் முதல் மாதம், மார்ச் 21ஆம் தேதி முதல் ஏப்ரல் 20ஆம் தேதி வரையிலும் நீடிக்கும். பிசஸ் எனப்படும் இறுதி மாதம், மார்ச் 20ஆம் தேதி முடிவடையும்.
இந்திய ஜோதிட அறிவியலில் பூர்ணிமாந்தக் கணக்கீட்டின்படி, மாசி மகத்துடன் முடிவடையும் மாசி மாதத்துக்குப் பின்னர் பங்குனி மாதம், மார்ச் 14 தேதியளவில் பிறக்கும். பாரசீக சமயமான ஜெராஸ்ட்ரிய சமய நூல்களில் மாசி மாதம் (பிர்தௌஸ்) என்பதே ஓர் ஆண்டின் இறுதி மாதமாகும். இவ்வாறு பங்குனி - சித்திரை ஆகிய மாதங்களுள் ஒன்றே, அவ்வப் பிரதேச வேறுபாடுகளுக்கேற்ப ஆண்டின் தொடக்க மாதமாகக் கருதப்பட்டுள்ளது. காலக்கணக்கீட்டில் மீன (பங்குனி) மாதமும், மேஷ (சித்திரை) மாதமுமே முதன்மை பெற்று வந்துள்ளன என்பது ""மீன மேஷம் பார்த்தல்'' என்ற பேச்சு வழக்காலும் தெளிவாகும்.
இப்போது தை மாதத்தைத் தமிழ்ப் புத்தாண்டின் தொடக்கமாகக் கொள்வதற்குச் சங்க காலத் தமிழ் இலக்கியங்களில் மறைமுகமாகவாகிலும் ஏதேனும் குறிப்பு காணப்படுகிறதா?
கி.பி. 7ஆம் நூற்றாண்டில் தொடங்கிய பக்தி இலக்கியக் காலகட்டத்தில் மார்கழி நீராடல் நோன்பாகப் பரிணமித்த தை மாதப் பாவை நோன்புக்கும், உழவர் திருநாளாகக் கருதிக் கொண்டாடப்படுகின்ற பொங்கல் திருநாளுக்கும் இடையே உள்ள தொடர்பு என்ன என்று நாம் புரிந்துகொள்வது அவசியம்.
மார்கழி நீராடல் மரபு வைணவ சம்பிரதாயத்தில் கண்ணன் வழிபாட்டோடு தொடர்புபடுத்தி முதன்மைப்படுத்தப்படுகிறது. மார்கழி நீராடல் மரபில் கண்ணனுடைய அண்ணனாகிய பலராமனுக்கும் ஓர் இடம் உண்டு. பலராமன் சங்க இலக்கியங்களில் வாலியோன் (வெள்ளையன்) என்ற பெயரில் குறிப்பிடப்படுகிறான். அவனுடைய ஆயுதம் ஏர்க்கலப்பை ஆகும். (""நாஞ்சிற்பனைக் கொடியோன்'' - புறநானூறு 56:4) அதாவது அவனே சங்ககால விவசாயக் கடவுள் ஆவான்.
பலராமனை "புஜங்கம புரஸ்ஸர போகி' எனக் கி.பி. 9ஆம் நூற்றாண்டைச் சேர்ந்த பராந்தக வீர நாராயண பாண்டிய மன்னனின் தளவாய்புரச் செப்பேடு' குறிப்பிடுகிறது. எனவே, போகிப் பண்டிகை என நாம் குறிப்பிடுவது பலராமனுக்கு உரிய விழாவே தவிர பரவலாகக் கருதப்படுவது போல இந்திரனுக்கு உரிய விழா அன்று. இந்திர விழா சித்திரை மாதப் பூர்ணிமையன்று நிகழ்ந்தது என்பது சிலப்பதிகாரத்தில் தெளிவுபடக் குறிப்பிடப்படுகிறது. எனவே, மார்கழித் திங்களின் இறுதி நாளன்று கொண்டாடப்படும் போகிப் பண்டிகை விவசாயக் கடவுளான பலராமனுக்கு உரிய விழாவே.
பூம்புகாரில் இந்திர விழாவின்போது ""சித்திரைச் சித்திரைத் திங்கள் சேர்ந்தெனக் காவற் பூதத்துக் கடை கெழு பீடிகை புழுக்கலும் நோலையும் விழுக்குடை மடையும் பூவும் புகையும் பொங்கலும் சொரிந்து'' மூதிற் பெண்டிர் வழிபட்டனர் எனச் சிலப்பதிகாரம், இந்திர விழவூரெடுத்த காதை வரி 64 - 69களில் குறிப்பிடப்படுகிறது.
பிற்காலச் சோழராட்சியின்போது தைப் பொங்கல் விழா என்பது தமிழர் திருநாளாகக் கருதப்பட்டதா; தமிழ்ப் புத்தாண்டு என்பது தைப் பொங்கலன்று தொடங்கிற்றா? இவை இரண்டிற்குமே தெளிவான விடை ""அல்ல'' என்பதுதான்.
சூரியன் தட்சிணாயனத்திலிருந்து உத்தராயனத்திற்குத் திரும்புகின்ற நாள் என்ற காலக்கணக்கீட்டின் அடிப்படையில் தை மாதம் முதல் தேதிக்கு முக்கியத்துவம் வழங்கப்படுவது பிற்காலச் சோழர் ஆட்சியில் நடைமுறைக்கு வந்துவிட்டது என்பது உண்மையே.
ஆட்டைவட்டம் எனப்படும் ஓர் ஆண்டின் சுழற்சியை - 360 பாகைகளை - 90 பாகைகள் கொண்ட நான்கு பிரிவுகளாகப் பிரித்து, சித்திரை விஷு, தக்ஷிண அயனம், ஐப்பசி விஷு, உத்தர அயனம் எனக் குறிப்பிடும் வழக்கம், கி.பி. 998ஆம் ஆண்டைச் சேர்ந்த தஞ்சை மாவட்டம் திருவலஞ்சுழி சேத்ரபால தேவர் கோயிற் கல்வெட்டில் பதிவு செய்யப்பட்டுள்ளது. இருப்பினும் இந்நாள் புத்தாண்டுத் தொடக்கமாகவோ தமிழர்க்கு மட்டுமேயுரிய திருநாளாகவோ கருதப்படவில்லை.
சூரிய குலத்தைச் சேர்ந்தவர்களாகச் சொல்லப்படும் சோழர்களின் ஆட்சியில் முதன்மையான நிர்வாகப் பதவியை வகித்த சேக்கிழார் நாக தெய்வத்தைத் தமது குல தெய்வமாகக் கொண்டவர் ஆவார். அப்படி இருக்க சேக்கிழார் தம் பெரிய புராணத்தில் ஓரிடத்தில்கூடத் தைப் பொங்கல் விழாவை முதன்மைப்படுத்தியோ, தமிழகத்தின் நெற்களஞ்சியமான தஞ்சைப் பகுதியின் உழவர்கள் கொண்டாடிய முதன்மையான ஒரு விழாவாகவோ குறிப்பிடவில்லை என்பது எண்ணிப் பார்க்கத்தக்கது.
சோழ நாட்டு மள்ளர்களைக் (பள்ளர்களை) குறிப்பிடுகையில் ""இழுது செய்யினுள் இந்திரத் தெய்வதம் தொழுது நாற்று நடுவார் தொகுதியே பழுதில் காவிரி நாட்டின் பரப்பெல்லாம்'' என்றே சேக்கிழார் வருணிக்கிறார். (திருத்தொண்டர் புராணம், திருநாட்டுச் சிறப்பு, பா. 10, 12).
தமிழக வரலாற்றில் மருத நில உழவர்களான தேவேந்திர குல மள்ளர்களின் இடத்தையும், மழைக் கடவுளாகிய இந்திரனுக்குரிய இடத்தையும், நிர்ணயிக்க உதவும் பல குறிப்புகளுள் இதுவும் ஒன்றாகும். இங்கும் வேளாண்மை தொடர்பான விழாவாகத் தைப் பொங்கலோ, வேளாண்மைக்குரிய கடவுளாக பலதேவனோ முதன்மைப்படுத்தப்படவில்லை.
பிற்காலச் சோழர்களின் ஆட்சிக்காலத்தில்கூட இந்திர விழாவைவிட பலராமன் விழாவாகிய போகி - பொங்கல் விழா முதன்மை பெற்றுவிடவில்லை என்பது தெளிவாகத் தெரிய வருகிறது. பூம்புகாரில் சித்திரைத் திங்களில் இந்திர விழா கொண்டாடப்பட்டதைப் பற்றிய இலக்கியச் செய்திகளின் அடிப்படையில் பார்த்தாலும் தேவர்களின் தலைவனாகிய இந்திரனுக்கு ஆண்டின் தொடக்க காலத்தில் விழா எடுக்கின்ற மரபு நீண்ட நெடுங்காலமாகச் சோழ நாட்டில் தொடர்ந்து வந்திருக்கின்றது என்பதும் பலராமன் விழாவாகிய தைப்பொங்கலைவிட இந்திர விழா பழைமையானது என்பதும் புலனாகின்றன.
பருவங்களின் தலைவன் பிரஜாபதி என வேதங்கள் கூறுகின்றன. மகாபிரஜாபதி என இந்திரனைக் குறிப்பிடுவர். எனவேதான், பருவங்களின் தலைமைப் பருவம் தொடங்கும் சித்திரை மாதத்தில் இந்திரவிழா கொண்டாடப்பட்டிருக்க வேண்டும். மருத நிலத்தின் தெய்வமாக இந்திரனையும், அந்நிலத்துக்குரிய பெரும் பொழுதாக இளவேனில் பருவத்தையும் குறிப்பிடுவதே தமிழிலக்கிய மரபாகும்.
வரலாற்று உண்மைகளிலிருந்து நாம் சற்று கவனத்தைத் திருப்பிப் பருவங்களின் சுழற்சியை அடிப்படையாகக் கொண்ட இயற்கையின் காலக்கணக்கீட்டுக்கு வருவோம்.
""திண்ணிலை மருப்பின் ஆடு தலையாக விண்ணூர்பு திரிதரும் வீங்கு செலல் மண்டிலம்'' என்பது சங்க இலக்கியமாகிய நெடுநல்வாடையில் இடம்பெறும் தொடராகும். (வரி 160 - 161) மேஷ ராசியே தலையான (முதல்) ராசி என்பது இதன் பொருள். மேஷ ராசியில் சூரியன் பிரவேசிக்கின்ற மாதத் தொடக்கமே புத்தாண்டின் தொடக்கமாகும். ரோமானிய நாகரிகத்தில் முதல் மாதமாகக் கருதப்பட்ட "ஏரீஸ்' என்பது ஆடு (மேஷம்) என்றே பொருள்படும்.
இக்ஷ்வாகு மன்னர்களின் கி.பி. 3 - 4ஆம் நூற்றாண்டுக் கல்வெட்டுகளில் கிம்ஹ (கிரீஷ்ம), வஸ்ஸ (வர்ஷ), சரத் என்ற மூன்று காலங்கள் குறிப்பிடப்படுகின்றன. அதாவது கோடை, மழை, பனிக் காலங்களே இவ்வாறு குறிப்பிடப்பட்டன. இந்த வரிசையே தமிழ் இலக்கண மரபிலும் இளவேனில் - முதுவேனில், கார் - கூதிர், முன்பனி - பின்பனி என்று சற்று விரிவாகக் குறிப்பிடப்படுகிறது. எனவே வானநூல் - ஜோதிட அடிப்படையிலும் கோடைக்காலமே ஆண்டின் தொடக்கமாகும்.
சீவக சிந்தாமணியில் முக்தியிலம்பகத்தில் (3070 - 72) சீவகன் ஓராண்டுக் காலம் தவம் செய்தது வர்ணிக்கப்படுகிறது. நந்நான்கு மாதங்கள் கொண்ட மூன்று பருவங்களாக, ""தீயுமிழ் திங்கள் நான்கு, வானம் நீர்த்திரள் சொரிந்திடு திங்கள் நான்கு, பனிவரை உருவி வீசும் மங்குல் சூழ் வாடை நான்காய திங்கள்'' என ஓராண்டுக்காலம் குறிப்பிடப்படுகிறது. இங்கெல்லாம் கோடைக்காலமே முதலாவது பருவமாகக் குறிப்பிடப்படுவதைக் கவனிக்க வேண்டும்.
இனி, 60 ஆண்டுக் கணக்கீட்டினைப் பற்றி ஆராய்வோம். தமிழ் வருடப் பெயர்கள் எனக் குறிப்பிடப்படும் ""பிரபவ'' தொடக்கமாக அமைகிற 60 பெயர்களும் தமிழ்ப் பெயர்கள் அல்ல என்பது உண்மையே. 60 ஆண்டுகள் கொண்ட பிரபவாதி சுழற்சிமுறை ""வியாழ வட்டம்'' (Jovian Circle) எனப்படும். 12 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு ஒருமுறை தனது பழைய இடத்துக்கு வருகிற குருவும் 30 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு ஒருமுறை தனது பழைய இடத்துக்கு வருகிற சனியும், ஒரே நேரத்தில் தாம்தாமிருந்த பழைய இடங்களுக்கே வருவது 60 ஆண்டுக்கு ஒருமுறைதான் நிகழும். எனவேதான் 60 ஆண்டுச் சுழற்சி முறை முதன்மை பெறுகிறது. ஆயினும் இந்த வியாழ வட்டத்திற்கும் சித்திரை மாதத்தில் புத்தாண்டு பிறப்பதற்கும் அடிப்படையான தொடர்பு ஏதுமில்லை.
சித்திரை மாதத்தில் புத்தாண்டு தொடங்குவது என்பது வானநூலையும் பருவங்களின் சுழற்சியையும் அடிப்படையாகக் கொண்டது. எனவே, பருவங்களின் சுழற்சியை அடிப்படையாகக் கொண்டு இயற்கையை ஒட்டி, சித்திரை மாதத்தைத் தொடக்க மாதமாகக் கொண்டமைந்த ஆண்டுக் கணக்கீடுதான் பூர்விகத் தமிழ் மரபாகவும் இருக்க முடியும்.
கி.பி. 16ஆம் நூற்றாண்டில் போர்ச்சுகீசியரின் ஆதிக்கத்தைத் தொடர்ந்து ரோமன் கத்தோலிக்க சமயக் கண்ணோட்டத்தில் ஏசுநாதர் பிறந்த கேப்ரிகார்ன் (மகர) மாதம் முதன்மைப்படுத்தப்பட்டு, ஜனவரியே கிறிஸ்து சகாப்தத்தின் முதல் மாதம் என்ற நிலை உருவாகிவிட்டது. 16ஆம் நூற்றாண்டுக்குப் பின் நிகழ்ந்த ஐரோப்பியக் காலனி ஆதிக்கம், "இனம் புரிந்த', இனம் புரியாத வகைகளிலெல்லாம் இந்தியச் சிந்தனையாளர் வர்க்கத்தை ஈர்த்து அடிமைப்படுத்திற்று. அதன் விளைவாக ஐரோப்பியர்கள் கைகாட்டுகிற திசையில் தமது தனித்த அடையாளத்தைத் தேடிக் காண்கிற முயற்சிகள் தொடங்கின.
இந்தியா ""தாழ்வுற்று வறுமை மிஞ்சி விடுதலை தவறிக் கெட்டுப் பாழ்பட்டு நின்ற'' காலகட்டத்தில், ""நேரங் கெட்ட நேரத்தில்'' மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்ட காலங்கள் பற்றிய கணக்கீட்டில் ""தை மாதம்தான் தமிழர்களின் புத்தாண்டுப் பிறப்பு'' என்ற தவறான முடிவு விடையாகக் கிடைத்ததில் வியப்பில்லை. சார்பு நிலையால் ஏற்படும் மனமயக்கங்களில் ஆழ்ந்துவிடாமல் "சுதந்திர'மாக ஆராய்ந்தால் கிடைக்கும் விடை: ""சித்திரையில்தான் புத்தாண்டு''.
(கட்டுரையாளர்: தொல்லியல் ஆராய்ச்சியாளர்)
நன்றி தினமணி
சுப்ரீம்கோர்ட்டே சொன்னாலும் முஸ்லீம் திருமணத்தை பதிவு செய்யமுடியாது- இமாம்கள் மறுப்பு
முஸ்லீம் திருமணங்களாக இருந்தாலும் அனைத்தையும் அரசாங்க பதிவேடுகளில் பதிவு செய்யவேண்டும் என்று சுப்ரீம் கோர்ட் கூறியதை செய்யமுடியாது என்று இஸ்லாமிய இமாம்கள் மறுத்துள்ளார்கள்.
உண்மையில் குழந்தைகளை திருமணம் செய்வதை பதிவு செய்தால் பிரச்னையாகும் என்பதால் இஸ்லாமியர்கள் பதிவு செய்வதை எதிர்க்கிறார்கள் என்று கூறப்படுகிறது.
Marriage registration not Islamic, says Muslim board
January 24, 2008 00:14 IST
Opposing the recent Supreme Court order making marriage registration certificates mandatory, the New All-India Muslim Personal Law Board on Wednesday said the community would not accept the directive, as it was an infringement of the Muslim personal law.
Mohammed Hashmi Kanpuri, a member of the board, stated that each and every Muslim was bound with Shariat laws, given by Islam and guaranteed by the country's Constitution.
"Any marriage in Islam is certified by three people including a Kazi, and there is no need for any other certification," he said.
"Muslims are governed by their own rules which are different from the rules of other communities," said Mr Hashmi.
He stated that according to Shariat law, a girl can marry once she attains the age of 16 years, whereas the Constitution allows marriage only after the girl reaches the age of 18.
Taking a swipe at the government's anti-terrorism policies, another board member, Tauqeer Raza, said the community was being victimised in the name of curbing terrorism.
"Every time, a terrorist act takes place, Muslim youth are blamed and taken into custody on mere suspicion, whereas the real culprits are never caught," he said.
The board members were of the view that all the governments in power have adopted the policy of 'use and dump' whenever the issues relating to Muslims have come up.
UNI
உண்மையில் குழந்தைகளை திருமணம் செய்வதை பதிவு செய்தால் பிரச்னையாகும் என்பதால் இஸ்லாமியர்கள் பதிவு செய்வதை எதிர்க்கிறார்கள் என்று கூறப்படுகிறது.
Marriage registration not Islamic, says Muslim board
January 24, 2008 00:14 IST
Opposing the recent Supreme Court order making marriage registration certificates mandatory, the New All-India Muslim Personal Law Board on Wednesday said the community would not accept the directive, as it was an infringement of the Muslim personal law.
Mohammed Hashmi Kanpuri, a member of the board, stated that each and every Muslim was bound with Shariat laws, given by Islam and guaranteed by the country's Constitution.
"Any marriage in Islam is certified by three people including a Kazi, and there is no need for any other certification," he said.
"Muslims are governed by their own rules which are different from the rules of other communities," said Mr Hashmi.
He stated that according to Shariat law, a girl can marry once she attains the age of 16 years, whereas the Constitution allows marriage only after the girl reaches the age of 18.
Taking a swipe at the government's anti-terrorism policies, another board member, Tauqeer Raza, said the community was being victimised in the name of curbing terrorism.
"Every time, a terrorist act takes place, Muslim youth are blamed and taken into custody on mere suspicion, whereas the real culprits are never caught," he said.
The board members were of the view that all the governments in power have adopted the policy of 'use and dump' whenever the issues relating to Muslims have come up.
UNI
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
குரானுக்கு எத்தனை மனைவிகள்?
பாகிஸ்தானில் ஏராளமான பெண்கள் இவ்வாறு குரானுக்கு திருமணம் செய்விக்கப்படுகிறார்கள்.
செய்யது ஜாதி ஆண்கள் தங்கள் ஜாதி பெண்களை வேறு ஜாதியில் திருமணம்செய்து வைக்க மாட்டார்கள். அதனால், அந்த பெண்களுக்கு தங்கள் ஜாதியிலேயே வரன் கிட்டவில்லை என்றால், குரானுக்கு திருமணம் செய்துவைத்துவிடுகிறார்கள்.
‘Prominent families in Sindh and marriage to the Holy Quran’
KARACHI: Seven years ago, Zubaida Ali witnessed a bizarre ceremony in her ancestral village in Sindh where her cousin Fareeba was married to the Holy Quran.
“It was extremely odd and, of course, very tragic. Fareeba, who is a very pretty girl and was then around 25 years old, was dressed as a typical bride, with red, sequined clothes, jewellery and mehndi patterns on her hands and feet but over all this she was draped in an enveloping dark chaddor. There was music and lots of guests but no groom,’’ Zubaida, 33, was quoted as saying by IRIN, the UN information unit in a report.
The tradition under which Fareeba was `wed’ is known as `Haq Bakshish’, which literally translates into giving up the right to marry. Families use Haq Bakshish to prevent property leaving the family when a girl weds someone who is not a relative.
Fareeba, who can now never wed a man, spends most of her time studying the Holy Quran or stitching. She is a `Hafiza’, or one who knows the Holy Quran by heart.
The Haq Bakshish tradition, most common in Sindh, but also followed in parts of the Punjab, is most often practiced by feudal families, often `Syeds’. Syed families are often reluctant to allow women to marry into non-Syed families, in a kind of a caste system that sees such families as being lower in status.
Moreover, in cases when no match deemed suitable exists within the family for a young woman of marriageable age, rather than have property leave the family when a woman weds outside it and takes her share of the property with her, it may be decided to preserve it by marrying her to the Holy Quran.
But the practice, frowned upon by almost all religious scholars and much of mainstream Islam, is generally practiced in secret. It has been reported that even the families of prominent political leaders from Sindh have engaged in the custom, but this is usually denied by the persons concerned.
“It is not at all Islamic and in fact violates religion. We are moving to ban this cruel practice,’’ Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, the president of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League, said. Hussain has recently introduced a bill in the 342-member National Assembly under which such marriages, as well as other forms of enforced marriage, would be banned. The bill is currently being studied by a parliamentary committee and is likely to be debated in the National Assembly over the coming few weeks.
For similar reasons, the marriage of women to trees, or sometimes to small boys or old men, has also been reported as a means to protect property. Many of these practices, however, remain shrouded in secrecy within families and it is difficult to determine precise details or the exact numbers.
But writers and researchers on cultural practices in Sindh believe that such marriages are not uncommon. The tradition, which is thought to have existed for centuries, gained greater prominence after a novel, `The Holy Woman’, based on the practice was published nearly six years ago. Written by Pakistan-based British writer Qasira Shahraz, the novel narrates the story of a young woman married in this fashion.
Despite this and other campaigns, many of Pakistan’s 160 million inhabitants remain unaware that such traditions even exist at all. “I did not believe this happened here. I had heard in my village that some women devoted their lives to religion, but I did not know it was forced upon them in this manner,’’ said Zubaida Ali, who like most other women and many men, fiercely opposes the practice.
Many provisions of the repressive Hudood ordinances, a set of Islamic laws brought in under former President General Zia ul-Haq in 1979 under which many women were jailed as punishment for alleged adultery or other `moral’ crimes, were finally changed late last year. But even in Pakistan’s current climate of change, it remains to be seen how successful the struggle to end traditions such as Haq Bakshish will prove. ppi
செய்யது ஜாதி ஆண்கள் தங்கள் ஜாதி பெண்களை வேறு ஜாதியில் திருமணம்செய்து வைக்க மாட்டார்கள். அதனால், அந்த பெண்களுக்கு தங்கள் ஜாதியிலேயே வரன் கிட்டவில்லை என்றால், குரானுக்கு திருமணம் செய்துவைத்துவிடுகிறார்கள்.
‘Prominent families in Sindh and marriage to the Holy Quran’
KARACHI: Seven years ago, Zubaida Ali witnessed a bizarre ceremony in her ancestral village in Sindh where her cousin Fareeba was married to the Holy Quran.
“It was extremely odd and, of course, very tragic. Fareeba, who is a very pretty girl and was then around 25 years old, was dressed as a typical bride, with red, sequined clothes, jewellery and mehndi patterns on her hands and feet but over all this she was draped in an enveloping dark chaddor. There was music and lots of guests but no groom,’’ Zubaida, 33, was quoted as saying by IRIN, the UN information unit in a report.
The tradition under which Fareeba was `wed’ is known as `Haq Bakshish’, which literally translates into giving up the right to marry. Families use Haq Bakshish to prevent property leaving the family when a girl weds someone who is not a relative.
Fareeba, who can now never wed a man, spends most of her time studying the Holy Quran or stitching. She is a `Hafiza’, or one who knows the Holy Quran by heart.
The Haq Bakshish tradition, most common in Sindh, but also followed in parts of the Punjab, is most often practiced by feudal families, often `Syeds’. Syed families are often reluctant to allow women to marry into non-Syed families, in a kind of a caste system that sees such families as being lower in status.
Moreover, in cases when no match deemed suitable exists within the family for a young woman of marriageable age, rather than have property leave the family when a woman weds outside it and takes her share of the property with her, it may be decided to preserve it by marrying her to the Holy Quran.
But the practice, frowned upon by almost all religious scholars and much of mainstream Islam, is generally practiced in secret. It has been reported that even the families of prominent political leaders from Sindh have engaged in the custom, but this is usually denied by the persons concerned.
“It is not at all Islamic and in fact violates religion. We are moving to ban this cruel practice,’’ Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, the president of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League, said. Hussain has recently introduced a bill in the 342-member National Assembly under which such marriages, as well as other forms of enforced marriage, would be banned. The bill is currently being studied by a parliamentary committee and is likely to be debated in the National Assembly over the coming few weeks.
For similar reasons, the marriage of women to trees, or sometimes to small boys or old men, has also been reported as a means to protect property. Many of these practices, however, remain shrouded in secrecy within families and it is difficult to determine precise details or the exact numbers.
But writers and researchers on cultural practices in Sindh believe that such marriages are not uncommon. The tradition, which is thought to have existed for centuries, gained greater prominence after a novel, `The Holy Woman’, based on the practice was published nearly six years ago. Written by Pakistan-based British writer Qasira Shahraz, the novel narrates the story of a young woman married in this fashion.
Despite this and other campaigns, many of Pakistan’s 160 million inhabitants remain unaware that such traditions even exist at all. “I did not believe this happened here. I had heard in my village that some women devoted their lives to religion, but I did not know it was forced upon them in this manner,’’ said Zubaida Ali, who like most other women and many men, fiercely opposes the practice.
Many provisions of the repressive Hudood ordinances, a set of Islamic laws brought in under former President General Zia ul-Haq in 1979 under which many women were jailed as punishment for alleged adultery or other `moral’ crimes, were finally changed late last year. But even in Pakistan’s current climate of change, it remains to be seen how successful the struggle to end traditions such as Haq Bakshish will prove. ppi
இஸ்லாமுக்கு எதிரான இணைய கட்டுரையை வினியோகித்ததற்காக ஆப்கானிய மாணவருக்கு மரணதண்டனை
இஸ்லாமிய ஷாரியாவின் படி, இஸ்லாமுக்கு எதிராக கருத்துக்களை படிக்கவோ வினியோகிக்கவோ கூடாது என்று தெரிகிறது.
இஸ்லாமுக்கு எதிரான் கருத்துக்களை விமர்சிக்கவோ அல்லது கண்டிக்கவோ வேண்டுமென்றால்கூட அவற்றை படிக்கவேண்டுமே?
Afghan Student Sentenced to Death for Downloading Paper Against Islam
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
KABUL, Afghanistan — An Afghan court on Tuesday sentenced a 23-year-old journalism student to death for distributing a paper he printed off the Internet that three judges said violated the tenets of Islam, an official said.
The three-judge panel sentenced Sayad Parwez Kambaksh to death for distributing a paper that humiliated Islam, said Fazel Wahab, the chief judge in the northern province of Balkh, where the trial took place. Wahab did not preside over the trial.
Kambaksh's family and the head of a journalists group denounced the verdict and said Kambaksh was not represented by a lawyer at trial. Members of a clerics council had been pushing for Kambaksh to be punished.
The case now goes to the first of two appeals courts, Wahab said. Kambaksh, who has been jailed since October, will remain in custody during appeal.
Wahab said he did not immediately have the details of the paper that Kambaksh circulated, other than that it was against Islam. Kambaksh discussed the paper with his teacher and classmates at Balkh University and several students complained to the government, Wahab said.
Kambaksh's brother, Yacoubi Brahimi, described Tuesday's proceeding as a "secret trial," saying the family did not know it had been scheduled. Some have accused Kambaksh of writing the paper in question, but Brahimi said that his brother printed it off the Internet.
"He told them he didn't write this article," said Brahimi. "It was written by an Iranian."
Wahab said that Kambaksh told the court that he could defend himself and did not need a lawyer. But Kambaksh's brother said his brother should have had an attorney.
Wahab said that only President Hamid Karzai can forgive Kambaksh because he had confessed to violating the tenets of Islam.
Rhimullah Samandar, the head of the Kabul-based National Journalists Union of Afghanistan, said Kambaksh had been sentenced to death under Article 130 of the Afghan constitution. That article says that if no law exists regarding an issue than a court's decision should be in accord with Hanafi jurisprudence.
Hanafi is an orthodox school of Sunni Muslim jurisprudence followed in southern and central Asia.
Samandar called for Karzai to intervene.
"We completely condemn this trial," Samandar said. "It goes against the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press."
Clerics in Balkh and Kunduz province arranged a demonstration in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif last week against Kambaksh, calling on the government not to release him.
Kambaksh also works as a journalist at the Jahan-i-Naw newspaper in Mazar-i-Sharif.
இஸ்லாமுக்கு எதிரான் கருத்துக்களை விமர்சிக்கவோ அல்லது கண்டிக்கவோ வேண்டுமென்றால்கூட அவற்றை படிக்கவேண்டுமே?
Afghan Student Sentenced to Death for Downloading Paper Against Islam
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
KABUL, Afghanistan — An Afghan court on Tuesday sentenced a 23-year-old journalism student to death for distributing a paper he printed off the Internet that three judges said violated the tenets of Islam, an official said.
The three-judge panel sentenced Sayad Parwez Kambaksh to death for distributing a paper that humiliated Islam, said Fazel Wahab, the chief judge in the northern province of Balkh, where the trial took place. Wahab did not preside over the trial.
Kambaksh's family and the head of a journalists group denounced the verdict and said Kambaksh was not represented by a lawyer at trial. Members of a clerics council had been pushing for Kambaksh to be punished.
The case now goes to the first of two appeals courts, Wahab said. Kambaksh, who has been jailed since October, will remain in custody during appeal.
Wahab said he did not immediately have the details of the paper that Kambaksh circulated, other than that it was against Islam. Kambaksh discussed the paper with his teacher and classmates at Balkh University and several students complained to the government, Wahab said.
Kambaksh's brother, Yacoubi Brahimi, described Tuesday's proceeding as a "secret trial," saying the family did not know it had been scheduled. Some have accused Kambaksh of writing the paper in question, but Brahimi said that his brother printed it off the Internet.
"He told them he didn't write this article," said Brahimi. "It was written by an Iranian."
Wahab said that Kambaksh told the court that he could defend himself and did not need a lawyer. But Kambaksh's brother said his brother should have had an attorney.
Wahab said that only President Hamid Karzai can forgive Kambaksh because he had confessed to violating the tenets of Islam.
Rhimullah Samandar, the head of the Kabul-based National Journalists Union of Afghanistan, said Kambaksh had been sentenced to death under Article 130 of the Afghan constitution. That article says that if no law exists regarding an issue than a court's decision should be in accord with Hanafi jurisprudence.
Hanafi is an orthodox school of Sunni Muslim jurisprudence followed in southern and central Asia.
Samandar called for Karzai to intervene.
"We completely condemn this trial," Samandar said. "It goes against the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press."
Clerics in Balkh and Kunduz province arranged a demonstration in the city of Mazar-i-Sharif last week against Kambaksh, calling on the government not to release him.
Kambaksh also works as a journalist at the Jahan-i-Naw newspaper in Mazar-i-Sharif.
ஹிஜ்புல் தாஹ்ரிர் என்ற பயங்கரவாத குழுவுக்கு சவுதி அரேபியா பணப்பட்டுவாடா
பயங்கரவாத பிரச்சாரம் செய்து பயங்கரவாத செயல்களுக்கு ஆட்களை பிடிக்கும் ஹிஜ்புல் தாஹ்ரிர் என்ற அமைப்பு உலகெங்கும் (ஆமாம் இந்தியாவிலும் உண்டு) பரந்து இருக்கிறது. நெதர்லாந்தில் உள்ள கிளைக்கு சவுதி அரேபியா பணப்பட்டுவாடா செய்திருப்பது வெளிச்சத்துக்கு வந்திருக்கிறது.
வெளியே வன்முறையை தாங்கள் எதிர்ப்பதாக கூறிக்கொண்டாலும், உள்ளே உறுப்பினர்களிடம் வன்முறையையே போதிக்கிறார்கள் என்பதை நெதர்லாந்து உளவுத்துறை கண்டறிந்து கூறியுள்ளது.
இந்தியாவில் என்ன நடக்கிறது? தெரிந்தவர்கள் கூறலாம்.
Saudi Arabia investing in Hizb ut-Tahrir
Anders Wellebeeke 20 januari 2008
What do we need freedom of speech for, if we can just as well have Islam?
'Saudi Arabia is funding a number of European departments of Hizb ut-Tahrir,' the Dutch Intelligence Service (AIVD) revealed at a conference of the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington. According to a staff member 'the Saudis are still poised to play an active role in radically Islamic movements. They have great sums of money at their disposal, and it is difficult to refuse the Saudi dollars.'
Hizb ut-Tahrir is continuously monitored by the Dutch Intelligence Service. According to a 2004 report on Islamic radicalization, From Dawa to Jihad, the organization has a strategy of secretive jihad. 'Officially, Hizb ut-Tahrir claims to reject violent jihad, but its supporters have been involved in anti-semitic incidents and incitement to acts of violence in a number of European countries' (p. 46). In other words, Hizb ut-Tahrir's strategy falls within the (popular) definition of taqiyya, the licence to lie to non-Muslims. The AIVD calls the organization 'a threat', because it seeks 'to secretly promote violence through the cultivation of a radical and puritan form of Islam' (p. 45).
According to the AIVD, the Hizb ut-Tahrir considers itself not yet strong enough to actually use violence. In the mean time, it seems to use those Saudi dollars to boost Islamic consciousness amongst Dutch Muslims. In Dutch cities with concentrated populations of Muslims, Hizb ut-Tahrir regularly spreads pamphlets regarding the creation of a global caliphate. More recently, it organized an internet petition against 'the slandering of Islam' by Geert Wilders, leader of the Freedom Party.
The petition, by the way, is exemplary of the monstrous alliance between Muslim extremists and Dutch progressives in the battle against 'Islamophobia'. So, on 20 January, we have Abdelaziz calling for the victory of Islam over the infidels, and Rik raging against Geert Wilders' opposition to Islam:
Abdelaziz (7:10 CET): 'Islam will prevail, and we, with the help of the New Prophet, will defeat the Impostor and the disbelievers. Inshallah. My life and death truely belong to Allah. Subhanellahthala.'
Rik (8:42 CET): 'I am against the raking up of differences that in reality aren't that big, and that have nothing to do with Islam as a faith. Someone so deranged to see Islam as a problem is unworthy of freedom of speech. Unnecessary extremists such as Wilders must be stopped to prevent things from getting worse. He is a threat to our peaceful society.'
Note that Rik's stance is remarkably close to the statement by Okay Pala, the Dutch leader of Hizb ut-Tahrir, that 'we reject freedom of speech, because we reject democracy'. And in this political climate, there seem to be plenty of opportunities for Saudi investors indeed.
Reageer op The Dutch Daily of mail naar anderswellebeeke@hotmail.com.
வெளியே வன்முறையை தாங்கள் எதிர்ப்பதாக கூறிக்கொண்டாலும், உள்ளே உறுப்பினர்களிடம் வன்முறையையே போதிக்கிறார்கள் என்பதை நெதர்லாந்து உளவுத்துறை கண்டறிந்து கூறியுள்ளது.
இந்தியாவில் என்ன நடக்கிறது? தெரிந்தவர்கள் கூறலாம்.
Saudi Arabia investing in Hizb ut-Tahrir
Anders Wellebeeke 20 januari 2008
What do we need freedom of speech for, if we can just as well have Islam?
'Saudi Arabia is funding a number of European departments of Hizb ut-Tahrir,' the Dutch Intelligence Service (AIVD) revealed at a conference of the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington. According to a staff member 'the Saudis are still poised to play an active role in radically Islamic movements. They have great sums of money at their disposal, and it is difficult to refuse the Saudi dollars.'
Hizb ut-Tahrir is continuously monitored by the Dutch Intelligence Service. According to a 2004 report on Islamic radicalization, From Dawa to Jihad, the organization has a strategy of secretive jihad. 'Officially, Hizb ut-Tahrir claims to reject violent jihad, but its supporters have been involved in anti-semitic incidents and incitement to acts of violence in a number of European countries' (p. 46). In other words, Hizb ut-Tahrir's strategy falls within the (popular) definition of taqiyya, the licence to lie to non-Muslims. The AIVD calls the organization 'a threat', because it seeks 'to secretly promote violence through the cultivation of a radical and puritan form of Islam' (p. 45).
According to the AIVD, the Hizb ut-Tahrir considers itself not yet strong enough to actually use violence. In the mean time, it seems to use those Saudi dollars to boost Islamic consciousness amongst Dutch Muslims. In Dutch cities with concentrated populations of Muslims, Hizb ut-Tahrir regularly spreads pamphlets regarding the creation of a global caliphate. More recently, it organized an internet petition against 'the slandering of Islam' by Geert Wilders, leader of the Freedom Party.
The petition, by the way, is exemplary of the monstrous alliance between Muslim extremists and Dutch progressives in the battle against 'Islamophobia'. So, on 20 January, we have Abdelaziz calling for the victory of Islam over the infidels, and Rik raging against Geert Wilders' opposition to Islam:
Abdelaziz (7:10 CET): 'Islam will prevail, and we, with the help of the New Prophet, will defeat the Impostor and the disbelievers. Inshallah. My life and death truely belong to Allah. Subhanellahthala.'
Rik (8:42 CET): 'I am against the raking up of differences that in reality aren't that big, and that have nothing to do with Islam as a faith. Someone so deranged to see Islam as a problem is unworthy of freedom of speech. Unnecessary extremists such as Wilders must be stopped to prevent things from getting worse. He is a threat to our peaceful society.'
Note that Rik's stance is remarkably close to the statement by Okay Pala, the Dutch leader of Hizb ut-Tahrir, that 'we reject freedom of speech, because we reject democracy'. And in this political climate, there seem to be plenty of opportunities for Saudi investors indeed.
Reageer op The Dutch Daily of mail naar anderswellebeeke@hotmail.com.
மெழுகுப்பொம்மைக்கு எதிராக இஸ்லாமிய பத்வா!
சல்மானுக்கு மேடம் டுஸ்ஸாட் காட்சியகத்தில் மெழுகுப்பொம்மை வைத்திருக்கிறார்கள். இது சல்மான் ருஷ்டி அல்ல சல்மான் கான். இந்திய திரைப்பட நடிகர்.
இவருக்கு மெழுகுப்பொம்மை வைத்தது இஸ்லாமிய இமாம்களின் கோபத்தை தூண்டியுள்ளது.
இஸ்லாமிய ஷாரியாவின் படி, உருவச்சிலைகள் வைக்கக்கூடாதாம். அதனால், இந்த மெழுகுப்பொம்மைக்கு எதிராக பத்வா கொடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.
ஷாருக்க்கானுக்கும் மேடம் டுஸ்ஸாடில் மெழுகுப்பொம்மை உள்ளது. அது தெரிந்திருந்தால், அதற்கும் பத்வா கொடுத்திருப்பேன் என்று கூறியுள்ளார் இந்த பட்வா மன்னர்.
Fatwa against Salman for Tussauds statue
Dehradun, January 22, 2008
First Published: 15:13 IST(22/1/2008)
Last Updated: 17:36 IST(22/1/2008)
Controversies and Salman Khan are never far apart. The Bollywood superstar who is known for his antics on and off the screen has found himself in another problem less than a week after unveiling his wax statue at Madame Tussaud's in London.
A fatwa has been issued against the actor by Dehradun-based Mufti Darul Ifta Salim Ahmad Kasmi for going against provisions of Shariat, which terms installation of statue of a living person as haram or forbidden.
The ruling was given on a query by Dehradun resident Dr Sakhawat Khan, who asked for directions whether Islamic laws, which forbids idol worship, allows creation of a statue of Salman and installing it for public viewing.
"I came to know about the wax statue of the actor at Madame Tussauds after seeing newspaper reports. As Islam doesn't allow idol worship, I wanted to know if Salman had done the right thing by agreeing to the London firm's offer," said Khan.
On Sunday, five days after the actor unveiled his statue, Mufti Kasmi issued the fatwa citing the Shariat and Hadis and clarified that Islam forbids construction and demonstration of statues or paintings of living beings.
It is worth noting that apart from Salman, the popular museum also has wax figures of other Bollywood biggies like his former girlfriend Aishwarya Rai, fellow Muslim Shahrukh Khan and superstar Amitabh Bachchan.
"I had no idea that Shahrukh Khan's statue is also present at Madame Tussauds. If I had known it, I would have also included his name along with Salman's in my query to the Mufti," said Dr Khan.
In September last year, Bareilly-based Darul Ifta Manzar-e-Islam had issued fatwa against Salman for attending a Ganesh puja at the Lalbaugcha Raja Mandal in Mumbai where singer Sonu Nigam had performed aarti.
The fatwa had said that unless Salman reads the kalmas all over again, he would not be considered Muslim. The kalmas are the Islamic credo, constituting a declaration of belief that God is one and Mohammed is his prophet.
இவருக்கு மெழுகுப்பொம்மை வைத்தது இஸ்லாமிய இமாம்களின் கோபத்தை தூண்டியுள்ளது.
இஸ்லாமிய ஷாரியாவின் படி, உருவச்சிலைகள் வைக்கக்கூடாதாம். அதனால், இந்த மெழுகுப்பொம்மைக்கு எதிராக பத்வா கொடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது.
ஷாருக்க்கானுக்கும் மேடம் டுஸ்ஸாடில் மெழுகுப்பொம்மை உள்ளது. அது தெரிந்திருந்தால், அதற்கும் பத்வா கொடுத்திருப்பேன் என்று கூறியுள்ளார் இந்த பட்வா மன்னர்.
Fatwa against Salman for Tussauds statue
Dehradun, January 22, 2008
First Published: 15:13 IST(22/1/2008)
Last Updated: 17:36 IST(22/1/2008)
Controversies and Salman Khan are never far apart. The Bollywood superstar who is known for his antics on and off the screen has found himself in another problem less than a week after unveiling his wax statue at Madame Tussaud's in London.
A fatwa has been issued against the actor by Dehradun-based Mufti Darul Ifta Salim Ahmad Kasmi for going against provisions of Shariat, which terms installation of statue of a living person as haram or forbidden.
The ruling was given on a query by Dehradun resident Dr Sakhawat Khan, who asked for directions whether Islamic laws, which forbids idol worship, allows creation of a statue of Salman and installing it for public viewing.
"I came to know about the wax statue of the actor at Madame Tussauds after seeing newspaper reports. As Islam doesn't allow idol worship, I wanted to know if Salman had done the right thing by agreeing to the London firm's offer," said Khan.
On Sunday, five days after the actor unveiled his statue, Mufti Kasmi issued the fatwa citing the Shariat and Hadis and clarified that Islam forbids construction and demonstration of statues or paintings of living beings.
It is worth noting that apart from Salman, the popular museum also has wax figures of other Bollywood biggies like his former girlfriend Aishwarya Rai, fellow Muslim Shahrukh Khan and superstar Amitabh Bachchan.
"I had no idea that Shahrukh Khan's statue is also present at Madame Tussauds. If I had known it, I would have also included his name along with Salman's in my query to the Mufti," said Dr Khan.
In September last year, Bareilly-based Darul Ifta Manzar-e-Islam had issued fatwa against Salman for attending a Ganesh puja at the Lalbaugcha Raja Mandal in Mumbai where singer Sonu Nigam had performed aarti.
The fatwa had said that unless Salman reads the kalmas all over again, he would not be considered Muslim. The kalmas are the Islamic credo, constituting a declaration of belief that God is one and Mohammed is his prophet.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
இந்தோனேஷியாவில் பெண் குழந்தைகளின் பெண்குறியை வெட்டும் விழா
A Cutting Tradition
Stephanie Sinclair
Female circumcisers and their attendants waiting in an elementary-school classroom, where they do their work. More Photos >
By SARA CORBETT
Published: January 20, 2008
A Cutting Tradition
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Inside a Female-Circumcision Ceremony When a girl is taken — usually by her mother — to a free circumcision event held each spring in Bandung, Indonesia, she is handed over to a small group of women who, swiftly and yet with apparent affection, cut off a small piece of her genitals. Sponsored by the Assalaam Foundation, an Islamic educational and social-services organization, circumcisions take place in a prayer center or an emptied-out elementary-school classroom where desks are pushed together and covered with sheets and a pillow to serve as makeshift beds. The procedure takes several minutes. There is little blood involved. Afterward, the girl’s genital area is swabbed with the antiseptic Betadine. She is then helped back into her underwear and returned to a waiting area, where she’s given a small, celebratory gift — some fruit or a donated piece of clothing — and offered a cup of milk for refreshment. She has now joined a quiet majority in Indonesia, where, according to a 2003 study by the Population Council, an international research group, 96 percent of families surveyed reported that their daughters had undergone some form of circumcision by the time they reached 14.
These photos were taken in April 2006, at the foundation’s annual mass circumcision, which is free and open to the public and held during the lunar month marking the birth of the prophet Muhammad. The Assalaam Foundation runs several schools and a mosque in Bandung, Indonesia’s third-largest city and the capital of West Java. The photographer Stephanie Sinclair was taken to the circumcision event by a reproductive-health observer from Jakarta and allowed to spend several hours there. Over the course of that Sunday morning, more than 200 girls were circumcised, many of them appearing to be under the age of 5. Meanwhile, in a nearby building, more than 100 boys underwent a traditional circumcision as well.
According to Lukman Hakim, the foundation’s chairman of social services, there are three “benefits” to circumcising girls.
“One, it will stabilize her libido,” he said through an interpreter. “Two, it will make a woman look more beautiful in the eyes of her husband. And three, it will balance her psychology.”
Female genital cutting — commonly identified among international human rights groups as female genital mutilation — has been outlawed in 15 African countries. Many industrialized countries also have similar laws. Both France and the U.S. have prosecuted immigrant residents for performing female circumcisions.
In Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population, a debate over whether to ban female circumcision is in its early stages. The Ministry of Health has issued a decree forbidding medical personnel to practice it, but the decree which has yet to be backed by legislation does not affect traditional circumcisers and birth attendants, who are thought to do most female circumcisions. Many agree that a full ban is unlikely without strong support from the country’s religious leaders. According to the Population Council study, many Indonesians view circumcision for boys and girls as a religious duty.
Female circumcision in Indonesia is reported to be less extreme than the kind practiced in other parts of the globe — Africa, particularly. Worldwide, female genital cutting affects up to 140 million women and girls in varying degrees of severity, according to estimates from the World Health Organization. The most common form of female genital cutting, representing about 80 percent of cases around the world, includes the excision of the clitoris and the labia minora. A more extreme version of the practice, known as Pharaonic circumcision or infibulation, accounts for 15 percent of cases globally and involves the removal of all external genitalia and a stitching up of the vaginal opening.
Studies have shown that in some parts of Indonesia, female circumcision is more ritualistic — a rite of passage meant to purify the genitals and bestow gender identity on a female child — with a practitioner rubbing turmeric on the genitals or pricking the clitoris once with a needle to draw a symbolic drop of blood. In other instances, the procedure is more invasive, involving what WHO classifies as “Type I” female genital mutilation, defined as excision of the clitoral hood, called the prepuce, with or without incision of the clitoris itself. The Population Council’s 2003 study said that 82 percent of Indonesian mothers who witnessed their daughters’ circumcision reported that it involved “cutting.” The women most often identified the clitoris as the affected body part. The amount of flesh removed, if any, was alternately described by circumcisers as being the size of a quarter-grain of rice, a guava seed, a bean, the tip of a leaf, the head of a needle.
At the Assalaam Foundation, traditional circumcisers say they learn the practice from other women during several years of apprenticing. Siti Rukasitta, who has been a circumciser at the foundation for 20 years, said through an interpreter that they use a small pair of sterilized scissors to cut a piece of the clitoral prepuce about the size of a nail clipping. Population Council observers who visited the event before the 2003 study, however, reported that they also witnessed some cases of circumcisers cutting the clitoris itself.
Any distinction between injuring the clitoris or the clitoral hood is irrelevant, says Laura Guarenti, an obstetrician and WHO’s medical officer for child and maternal health in Jakarta. “The fact is there is absolutely no medical value in circumcising girls,” she says. “It is 100 percent the wrong thing to be doing.” The circumcision of boys, she adds, has demonstrated health benefits, namely reduced risk of infection and some protection against H.I.V.
Nonetheless, as Western awareness of female genital cutting has grown, anthropologists, policy makers and health officials have warned against blindly judging those who practice it, saying that progress is best made by working with local leaders and opinion-makers to gradually shift the public discussion of female circumcision from what it’s believed to bestow upon a girl toward what it takes away. “These mothers believe they are doing something good for their children,” Guarenti, a native of Italy, told me. “For our culture that is not easily understandable. To judge them harshly is to isolate them. You cannot make change that way.”
Stephanie Sinclair
Female circumcisers and their attendants waiting in an elementary-school classroom, where they do their work. More Photos >
By SARA CORBETT
Published: January 20, 2008
A Cutting Tradition
Inside a Female-Circumcision Ceremony When a girl is taken — usually by her mother — to a free circumcision event held each spring in Bandung, Indonesia, she is handed over to a small group of women who, swiftly and yet with apparent affection, cut off a small piece of her genitals. Sponsored by the Assalaam Foundation, an Islamic educational and social-services organization, circumcisions take place in a prayer center or an emptied-out elementary-school classroom where desks are pushed together and covered with sheets and a pillow to serve as makeshift beds. The procedure takes several minutes. There is little blood involved. Afterward, the girl’s genital area is swabbed with the antiseptic Betadine. She is then helped back into her underwear and returned to a waiting area, where she’s given a small, celebratory gift — some fruit or a donated piece of clothing — and offered a cup of milk for refreshment. She has now joined a quiet majority in Indonesia, where, according to a 2003 study by the Population Council, an international research group, 96 percent of families surveyed reported that their daughters had undergone some form of circumcision by the time they reached 14.
These photos were taken in April 2006, at the foundation’s annual mass circumcision, which is free and open to the public and held during the lunar month marking the birth of the prophet Muhammad. The Assalaam Foundation runs several schools and a mosque in Bandung, Indonesia’s third-largest city and the capital of West Java. The photographer Stephanie Sinclair was taken to the circumcision event by a reproductive-health observer from Jakarta and allowed to spend several hours there. Over the course of that Sunday morning, more than 200 girls were circumcised, many of them appearing to be under the age of 5. Meanwhile, in a nearby building, more than 100 boys underwent a traditional circumcision as well.
According to Lukman Hakim, the foundation’s chairman of social services, there are three “benefits” to circumcising girls.
“One, it will stabilize her libido,” he said through an interpreter. “Two, it will make a woman look more beautiful in the eyes of her husband. And three, it will balance her psychology.”
Female genital cutting — commonly identified among international human rights groups as female genital mutilation — has been outlawed in 15 African countries. Many industrialized countries also have similar laws. Both France and the U.S. have prosecuted immigrant residents for performing female circumcisions.
In Indonesia, home to the world’s largest Muslim population, a debate over whether to ban female circumcision is in its early stages. The Ministry of Health has issued a decree forbidding medical personnel to practice it, but the decree which has yet to be backed by legislation does not affect traditional circumcisers and birth attendants, who are thought to do most female circumcisions. Many agree that a full ban is unlikely without strong support from the country’s religious leaders. According to the Population Council study, many Indonesians view circumcision for boys and girls as a religious duty.
Female circumcision in Indonesia is reported to be less extreme than the kind practiced in other parts of the globe — Africa, particularly. Worldwide, female genital cutting affects up to 140 million women and girls in varying degrees of severity, according to estimates from the World Health Organization. The most common form of female genital cutting, representing about 80 percent of cases around the world, includes the excision of the clitoris and the labia minora. A more extreme version of the practice, known as Pharaonic circumcision or infibulation, accounts for 15 percent of cases globally and involves the removal of all external genitalia and a stitching up of the vaginal opening.
Studies have shown that in some parts of Indonesia, female circumcision is more ritualistic — a rite of passage meant to purify the genitals and bestow gender identity on a female child — with a practitioner rubbing turmeric on the genitals or pricking the clitoris once with a needle to draw a symbolic drop of blood. In other instances, the procedure is more invasive, involving what WHO classifies as “Type I” female genital mutilation, defined as excision of the clitoral hood, called the prepuce, with or without incision of the clitoris itself. The Population Council’s 2003 study said that 82 percent of Indonesian mothers who witnessed their daughters’ circumcision reported that it involved “cutting.” The women most often identified the clitoris as the affected body part. The amount of flesh removed, if any, was alternately described by circumcisers as being the size of a quarter-grain of rice, a guava seed, a bean, the tip of a leaf, the head of a needle.
At the Assalaam Foundation, traditional circumcisers say they learn the practice from other women during several years of apprenticing. Siti Rukasitta, who has been a circumciser at the foundation for 20 years, said through an interpreter that they use a small pair of sterilized scissors to cut a piece of the clitoral prepuce about the size of a nail clipping. Population Council observers who visited the event before the 2003 study, however, reported that they also witnessed some cases of circumcisers cutting the clitoris itself.
Any distinction between injuring the clitoris or the clitoral hood is irrelevant, says Laura Guarenti, an obstetrician and WHO’s medical officer for child and maternal health in Jakarta. “The fact is there is absolutely no medical value in circumcising girls,” she says. “It is 100 percent the wrong thing to be doing.” The circumcision of boys, she adds, has demonstrated health benefits, namely reduced risk of infection and some protection against H.I.V.
Nonetheless, as Western awareness of female genital cutting has grown, anthropologists, policy makers and health officials have warned against blindly judging those who practice it, saying that progress is best made by working with local leaders and opinion-makers to gradually shift the public discussion of female circumcision from what it’s believed to bestow upon a girl toward what it takes away. “These mothers believe they are doing something good for their children,” Guarenti, a native of Italy, told me. “For our culture that is not easily understandable. To judge them harshly is to isolate them. You cannot make change that way.”
கீழ்ஜாதி பையனை திருமணம் செய்ததற்காக கட்டாய விவாகரத்து!
பாத்திமா அல் திமானி என்ற பெண்மணி கீழ் ஜாதியான மன்சூர் அல் திமானியை திருமணம் செய்ததை தவறு என்று சொல்லி சவுதி அரேபிய ஷாரியா கோர்ட் விவாகரத்து செய்துவிட்டது தெரிந்ததே.
சவுதி அரேபிய மன்னர் தங்களை மன்னித்து மீண்டும் சேர்ந்துவாழ அனுமதிப்பார் என்று இன்னமும் நம்புவதாக பாத்திமா தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.
BC-ME-GEN--Saudi-Forced Divorce,0941
Print article
Refer to a friend
© AP
2008-01-20 14:12:07 -
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) - Two years ago, a knock on Fatima and Mansour al-Timani's door shattered the life they had built together.
It was the police, delivering news that a judge had annulled their marriage in absentia after some of Fatima's relatives sought the divorce on grounds she had married beneath her.
That was just
the beginning of an ordeal for a couple who _ under Saudi Arabia's strict segregation rules _ can no longer live together. They sued to reverse the ruling, publicized their story and sought help from a Saudi human rights group.
But the two remain apart and Fatima is considering suicide, she said, if her recent appeal to King Abdullah doesn't reunite her with the man she still considers her husband.
«Only the king can resolve my case,» Fatima told The Associated Press by telephone in a rare interview. «I want to return to my husband, but if that is not possible, I need to know so I can put an end to my life.
Fatima's case underscores shortcomings in the kingdom's Islamic legal system _ in which rules of evidence are shaky, lawyers are not always present and sentences often depend on the whim of judges.
Those rules' most frequent _ and recently, most high-profile _ victims are women, who already suffer severe restrictions on daily life in Saudi Arabia: They cannot drive, appear before a judge without a male representative, or travel abroad without a male guardian's permission.
Recently, the king did intervene and pardon another high-profile defendant _ a rape victim who was sentenced to lashes and jail time for being in a car with a man who was not her relative.
The two cases have brought Saudi human rights once again into the international spotlight _ revealing not only the weakness of the kingdom's justice system, but the scant rights Saudi women have here.
«When I heard that the (rape victim) was pardoned, I couldn't believe it. My case is so much simpler than hers, since my divorce is invalid,» Fatima said.
Fatima said her husband, a hospital administrator, followed Saudi tradition in asking her father for permission to marry her in 2003.
«My brother reported good things about him, so my dad accepted his proposal,» said Fatima, a computer specialist who was 29 when she married.
She said her father knew that Mansour came from a less prominent tribe than hers, but that he didn't mind because he «cared about the man himself.
A few months after the wedding, several of Fatima's relatives persuaded her father to give them power of attorney to file a lawsuit demanding an annulment, she said.
Then her father died, and Fatima said she'd hoped the case would be dropped.
But on Feb. 25, 2006, police knocked on the couple's door to serve Mansour with divorce papers _ which said his marriage had been annulled nine months earlier.
«We were shattered. How did this happen? Why?» Fatima asked.
Fatima took the couple's 2-year-old daughter and 4-month-old son to live with her mother, who had persuaded her to let Mansour deal with the legal issues on his own.
But after three months without her husband, Fatima and the children sneaked out of her mother's house and flew with Mansour to the western seaside city of Jiddah, where they sought to live in anonymity.
Saudi police soon discovered them and imprisoned the family for living together illegally.
«The police told me I either return to my (mother's) family or go to jail,» Fatima said. «I chose jail.
«My children and I were thrown in a cell with women sentenced for pushing drugs, practicing witchcraft and behaving immorally,» Fatima said. Authorities allowed her to send her daughter back to live with her father, but the infant stayed with Fatima in jail.
«He learned to speak in jail, he learned to walk in jail and his teeth came out in jail,» she said.
Meanwhile, Mansour went to court to appeal the divorce ruling, but a Riyadh appeals court upheld the decision in 2007.
Last September, the head of a prominent Saudi human rights group reportedly asked the kingdom's highest court to review the case.
Bandar al-Hajjar, head of the National Society of Human Rights, submitted two Islamic studies concluding that the divorce was invalid, according to the Arab News, a Saudi English-language daily.
The studies, conducted by Islamic researcher Adnan Al-Zahrani and Bassam Al-Bassam, a counselor at the Court of Cassation in Mecca, said that if a woman's legal guardian represented her at the original wedding, then other relatives have no right to object to the marriage based on compatibility.
Both studies concluded that Fatima married Mansour with her father's permission, and that only the wife can decide whether she wants her marriage annulled, the paper reported.
Despite their legal fight, Fatima and Mansour remain apart.
After nine months in jail, Fatima moved to an orphanage where she and her son share an apartment with several other women.
Fatima said she is holding out hope the king might pardon her, and recognize her as «married to Mansour, before God.
«I love him more than ever. He's the only one who has stood by me,» she said.
சவுதி அரேபிய மன்னர் தங்களை மன்னித்து மீண்டும் சேர்ந்துவாழ அனுமதிப்பார் என்று இன்னமும் நம்புவதாக பாத்திமா தெரிவித்துள்ளார்.
BC-ME-GEN--Saudi-Forced Divorce,0941
Print article
Refer to a friend
© AP
2008-01-20 14:12:07 -
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) - Two years ago, a knock on Fatima and Mansour al-Timani's door shattered the life they had built together.
It was the police, delivering news that a judge had annulled their marriage in absentia after some of Fatima's relatives sought the divorce on grounds she had married beneath her.
That was just
the beginning of an ordeal for a couple who _ under Saudi Arabia's strict segregation rules _ can no longer live together. They sued to reverse the ruling, publicized their story and sought help from a Saudi human rights group.
But the two remain apart and Fatima is considering suicide, she said, if her recent appeal to King Abdullah doesn't reunite her with the man she still considers her husband.
«Only the king can resolve my case,» Fatima told The Associated Press by telephone in a rare interview. «I want to return to my husband, but if that is not possible, I need to know so I can put an end to my life.
Fatima's case underscores shortcomings in the kingdom's Islamic legal system _ in which rules of evidence are shaky, lawyers are not always present and sentences often depend on the whim of judges.
Those rules' most frequent _ and recently, most high-profile _ victims are women, who already suffer severe restrictions on daily life in Saudi Arabia: They cannot drive, appear before a judge without a male representative, or travel abroad without a male guardian's permission.
Recently, the king did intervene and pardon another high-profile defendant _ a rape victim who was sentenced to lashes and jail time for being in a car with a man who was not her relative.
The two cases have brought Saudi human rights once again into the international spotlight _ revealing not only the weakness of the kingdom's justice system, but the scant rights Saudi women have here.
«When I heard that the (rape victim) was pardoned, I couldn't believe it. My case is so much simpler than hers, since my divorce is invalid,» Fatima said.
Fatima said her husband, a hospital administrator, followed Saudi tradition in asking her father for permission to marry her in 2003.
«My brother reported good things about him, so my dad accepted his proposal,» said Fatima, a computer specialist who was 29 when she married.
She said her father knew that Mansour came from a less prominent tribe than hers, but that he didn't mind because he «cared about the man himself.
A few months after the wedding, several of Fatima's relatives persuaded her father to give them power of attorney to file a lawsuit demanding an annulment, she said.
Then her father died, and Fatima said she'd hoped the case would be dropped.
But on Feb. 25, 2006, police knocked on the couple's door to serve Mansour with divorce papers _ which said his marriage had been annulled nine months earlier.
«We were shattered. How did this happen? Why?» Fatima asked.
Fatima took the couple's 2-year-old daughter and 4-month-old son to live with her mother, who had persuaded her to let Mansour deal with the legal issues on his own.
But after three months without her husband, Fatima and the children sneaked out of her mother's house and flew with Mansour to the western seaside city of Jiddah, where they sought to live in anonymity.
Saudi police soon discovered them and imprisoned the family for living together illegally.
«The police told me I either return to my (mother's) family or go to jail,» Fatima said. «I chose jail.
«My children and I were thrown in a cell with women sentenced for pushing drugs, practicing witchcraft and behaving immorally,» Fatima said. Authorities allowed her to send her daughter back to live with her father, but the infant stayed with Fatima in jail.
«He learned to speak in jail, he learned to walk in jail and his teeth came out in jail,» she said.
Meanwhile, Mansour went to court to appeal the divorce ruling, but a Riyadh appeals court upheld the decision in 2007.
Last September, the head of a prominent Saudi human rights group reportedly asked the kingdom's highest court to review the case.
Bandar al-Hajjar, head of the National Society of Human Rights, submitted two Islamic studies concluding that the divorce was invalid, according to the Arab News, a Saudi English-language daily.
The studies, conducted by Islamic researcher Adnan Al-Zahrani and Bassam Al-Bassam, a counselor at the Court of Cassation in Mecca, said that if a woman's legal guardian represented her at the original wedding, then other relatives have no right to object to the marriage based on compatibility.
Both studies concluded that Fatima married Mansour with her father's permission, and that only the wife can decide whether she wants her marriage annulled, the paper reported.
Despite their legal fight, Fatima and Mansour remain apart.
After nine months in jail, Fatima moved to an orphanage where she and her son share an apartment with several other women.
Fatima said she is holding out hope the king might pardon her, and recognize her as «married to Mansour, before God.
«I love him more than ever. He's the only one who has stood by me,» she said.
ஸ்விட்ஜர்லாந்து கத்தோலிக்க சர்ச் சிறுவர்களை பாலுறவு பலாத்காரம் செய்யும் பாதிரிகளை பொலீஸிடம் சொல்லாமல் மறைத்ததை ஒப்புக்கொண்டுள்ளது
ஸ்விட்ஜர்லாந்து கத்தோலிக்க சர்ச் சிறுவர்களை பாலுறவு பலாத்காரம் செய்யும் பாதிரிகளை பொலீஸிடம் சொல்லாமல் மறைத்ததை ஒப்புக்கொண்டுள்ளது
Church admits "complicity" in sex abuse case
Image caption: Covering up a nasty smell? The Swiss Catholic Church has admitted not reporting paedophile priests to the authorities (Keystone)Related stories
04.09.2007
The case of a Swiss priest who was moved to France by superiors who knew he had already sexually abused at least one child is rocking the Swiss Catholic Church.
On Monday the Swiss Bishops Conference announced it would review its directives for handling suspected cases of paedophile crimes by priests.
It comes after a high-ranking church official described as "complicit" the Church's failure to denounce the priest to civil authorities when it became aware as early as 1989 that he was a paedophile.
In an interview with Le Matin newspaper on Sunday, Nicolas Betticher of the diocese of Lausanne, Geneva and Fribourg, explained how the Church moved the priest from Switzerland to Grenoble in France, where he admits sexually touching at least one child, his then 12-year-old nephew, in 1992.
French authorities are now investigating the 67-year-old Capuchin priest, who has lived in the Montcroix monastery in Delémont, northern Switzerland, for two years. He has not yet been arrested.
The Swiss authorities in canton Jura are also looking into whether they can still prosecute the priest for other crimes he is suspected of committing in Switzerland.
He is not the only paedophile priest identified in French-speaking Switzerland. Betticher said there were three other cases "to our knowledge".
In December the diocese made three of them public, including the current case, and paid compensation to the victims. It is believed the victim in the fourth case never made a formal claim for compensation.
The latest case is just one of a long series of accusations of child sexual abuse made against Roman Catholic priests and related Church cover-ups made around the world (see box).
"Swept under the carpet"
"We have to reassess the situation," Walter Müller, spokesman for the Swiss Bishops Conference, told swissinfo on Monday.
"The current guidelines involve a thorough selection process for those who want to be counsellors, keeping suspicious people away from pastoral care and better monitoring throughout the apprenticeship. This was not the case previously."
He added: "At the time we thought [paedophilia] was a question of education, of conscience. That was probably somewhat naive. We now know that paedophilia is hard to treat with therapy and the level of recidivism is high."
Müller admitted the Church simply had swept the assaults "under the carpet".
"We accepted a promise from those involved [not to repeat the offence] and just moved them elsewhere – as in the current case."
He said the Swiss Bishops Conference intended to re-examine its guidelines and adapt them if necessary.
Zero tolerance
Colette Marti, responsible for the "No sexual violence against children" campaign at the Swiss association for the protection of children, welcomed the Church's comments.
"This admission of guilt is definitely a positive gesture. It is a signal to the public – an institution such as the Church is saying, 'We do not accept such behaviour'," she told swissinfo.
"Having zero tolerance of sexual abuse against children and of cover-ups – that is one of the most important preventive measures."
She acknowledged that work in this area was just beginning. "It is important that everyone who works in the Church is made aware of the problem."
swissinfo
Church admits "complicity" in sex abuse case
Image caption: Covering up a nasty smell? The Swiss Catholic Church has admitted not reporting paedophile priests to the authorities (Keystone)Related stories
04.09.2007
The case of a Swiss priest who was moved to France by superiors who knew he had already sexually abused at least one child is rocking the Swiss Catholic Church.
On Monday the Swiss Bishops Conference announced it would review its directives for handling suspected cases of paedophile crimes by priests.
It comes after a high-ranking church official described as "complicit" the Church's failure to denounce the priest to civil authorities when it became aware as early as 1989 that he was a paedophile.
In an interview with Le Matin newspaper on Sunday, Nicolas Betticher of the diocese of Lausanne, Geneva and Fribourg, explained how the Church moved the priest from Switzerland to Grenoble in France, where he admits sexually touching at least one child, his then 12-year-old nephew, in 1992.
French authorities are now investigating the 67-year-old Capuchin priest, who has lived in the Montcroix monastery in Delémont, northern Switzerland, for two years. He has not yet been arrested.
The Swiss authorities in canton Jura are also looking into whether they can still prosecute the priest for other crimes he is suspected of committing in Switzerland.
He is not the only paedophile priest identified in French-speaking Switzerland. Betticher said there were three other cases "to our knowledge".
In December the diocese made three of them public, including the current case, and paid compensation to the victims. It is believed the victim in the fourth case never made a formal claim for compensation.
The latest case is just one of a long series of accusations of child sexual abuse made against Roman Catholic priests and related Church cover-ups made around the world (see box).
"Swept under the carpet"
"We have to reassess the situation," Walter Müller, spokesman for the Swiss Bishops Conference, told swissinfo on Monday.
"The current guidelines involve a thorough selection process for those who want to be counsellors, keeping suspicious people away from pastoral care and better monitoring throughout the apprenticeship. This was not the case previously."
He added: "At the time we thought [paedophilia] was a question of education, of conscience. That was probably somewhat naive. We now know that paedophilia is hard to treat with therapy and the level of recidivism is high."
Müller admitted the Church simply had swept the assaults "under the carpet".
"We accepted a promise from those involved [not to repeat the offence] and just moved them elsewhere – as in the current case."
He said the Swiss Bishops Conference intended to re-examine its guidelines and adapt them if necessary.
Zero tolerance
Colette Marti, responsible for the "No sexual violence against children" campaign at the Swiss association for the protection of children, welcomed the Church's comments.
"This admission of guilt is definitely a positive gesture. It is a signal to the public – an institution such as the Church is saying, 'We do not accept such behaviour'," she told swissinfo.
"Having zero tolerance of sexual abuse against children and of cover-ups – that is one of the most important preventive measures."
She acknowledged that work in this area was just beginning. "It is important that everyone who works in the Church is made aware of the problem."
swissinfo
பஸ் பயணிகள் முன்பாகவே போலீஸ்காரரின் குரல்வளையை காஷ்மீர் ஜிகாதிகள் அறுத்தனர்.
முகமது அஷ்ரப் கான் என்ற போலீஸ்காரர் பஸ்ஸில் பயணம் செய்துகொண்டிருந்தபோது அவரை பிடித்து அங்கேயே எல்லா பஸ் பயணிகளுக்கும் முன்னால், அவரது தொண்டையை அறுத்துள்ளனர் ஜிகாதி வெறியர்கள்.
இந்த வீரமிக்க போலீஸ்காரருக்கு என் அஞ்சலிகள்.
கோழைகளான இந்த ஜிகாதிகள் மனம் திருந்தி அமைதி மார்க்கம் வர இறையை இறைஞ்சுவோம்.
JK: Militants slit cop's throat
By Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar
January 21, 2008 20:18 IST
In a shocking incident, militants slit the throat of a special police officer (SPO) while he was travelling in a public transport vehicle in Kupwara, even as six militants were killed in three separate encounters in Kashmir on Monday.
The police said militants slit the throat of an SPO, identified as Mohammad Ashraf Khan, working for counter-insurgency, special operations group (SOG) at Zachaldara, 85 km from Srinagar [Images] on Monday afternoon.
This is the first such incident, where militants overpowered, and knived the throat of the SPO in vehicle in front of shocked passengers.
As the two militants jumped off the vehicle, after slaying the SPO, his colleague fired upon them, killing one of the two militants on the spot.
Meanwhile, five militants belonging to Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit were gunned down by the security forces in two separate encounters at Mandigam in north Kashmir Kupwara district, and at Alyalpora in the south Kashmir Shopian district on Monday.
The police said Mandigam encounter, which had started on Sunday, after security forces surrounded a house with holed-up militants ended on Monday.
"Bodies of three militants were recovered from under the debris of the house, which was destroyed in the exchange of fire between the militants and the troops of 30 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and SOG," a senior police officer said.
One army captain and a soldier were also injured in the encounter.
Two more militants of LeT holed up inside a house in south Kashmir, Alyalpora village, were gunned down by the troops of 44 RR and SOG.
இந்த வீரமிக்க போலீஸ்காரருக்கு என் அஞ்சலிகள்.
கோழைகளான இந்த ஜிகாதிகள் மனம் திருந்தி அமைதி மார்க்கம் வர இறையை இறைஞ்சுவோம்.
JK: Militants slit cop's throat
By Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar
January 21, 2008 20:18 IST
In a shocking incident, militants slit the throat of a special police officer (SPO) while he was travelling in a public transport vehicle in Kupwara, even as six militants were killed in three separate encounters in Kashmir on Monday.
The police said militants slit the throat of an SPO, identified as Mohammad Ashraf Khan, working for counter-insurgency, special operations group (SOG) at Zachaldara, 85 km from Srinagar [Images] on Monday afternoon.
This is the first such incident, where militants overpowered, and knived the throat of the SPO in vehicle in front of shocked passengers.
As the two militants jumped off the vehicle, after slaying the SPO, his colleague fired upon them, killing one of the two militants on the spot.
Meanwhile, five militants belonging to Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit were gunned down by the security forces in two separate encounters at Mandigam in north Kashmir Kupwara district, and at Alyalpora in the south Kashmir Shopian district on Monday.
The police said Mandigam encounter, which had started on Sunday, after security forces surrounded a house with holed-up militants ended on Monday.
"Bodies of three militants were recovered from under the debris of the house, which was destroyed in the exchange of fire between the militants and the troops of 30 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and SOG," a senior police officer said.
One army captain and a soldier were also injured in the encounter.
Two more militants of LeT holed up inside a house in south Kashmir, Alyalpora village, were gunned down by the troops of 44 RR and SOG.
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