A day after authorities in the Andaman Islands claimed that a video of Jarawa tribals being paid to dance for tourists was several years old, there appears to be fresh evidence that this continues to this day. The group Survival International has released hidden audio recordings of a conversation between a British journalist and a tour operator apparently recorded just a month back, where the journalist is offered access to the Jarawa tribe for a price.
Thursday 12 January 2012
Fresh audio recordings reveal Jarawa tribal women still exploited
A day after authorities in the Andaman Islands claimed that a video of Jarawa tribals being paid to dance for tourists was several years old, there appears to be fresh evidence that this continues to this day. The group Survival International has released hidden audio recordings of a conversation between a British journalist and a tour operator apparently recorded just a month back, where the journalist is offered access to the Jarawa tribe for a price.
Pakistan government isolated against army, courts
Islamabad: Pakistan's
President left the country on Thursday for what was described as a
one-day private visit to Dubai, amid a deepening confrontation between
the government and the powerful military, which has left the government
looking dangerously isolated. Analysts say, at the very least, early
elections seem a distinct possibility.
Early last month, President Asif Ali Zardari went to Dubai for medical treatment, triggering rumors that he was either being pushed out by the army or was fleeing a potential coup. He returned after a few weeks, but tensions have continued to soar in the country, with critics predicting the government's imminent downfall.
Officials said that the President would attend a wedding in Dubai and would be back in Pakistan on Friday morning, in a trip unconnected to the current crisis.
As Zardari left, military chief Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kayani met with top commanders, media reports and a military officer said, fueling speculation about the army's next move in the political crisis. On the other side, the Pakistani Parliament will sit in an emergency session later today, called by the government in the wake of a warning from the country's Supreme Court that action could be taken against the President and Prime Minister for failing to reopen high-profile corruption cases. Political analysts believe the government would try and use this session to display that it enjoys majority support.
Most analysts say that Army chief Gen Kayani doesn't want a coup because the army is fighting Islamist militants, the country is facing economic ruin and seizing power would trigger domestic and international criticism. But they say the generals may be happy to allow a Supreme Court hostile to the government to dismiss Zardari if it can find a "constitutional" way to do so.
"Better sense will prevail. There will be no coup," said analyst Imtiaz Gul. "The centre of gravity basically is the Supreme Court right now and if anything at all (is carried out) against the government it will move from within the Supreme Court, it will not come from within the army." He said all "the indicators are for early elections."
The army erupted in fury on Wednesday over criticism from Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani concerning a commission probing the "Memogate" scandal - the bizarre and highly controversial case of an unsigned memo sent to the US military to seek its help in weakening Pakistan's military after the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.
The memo has pitted the army against President Asif Ali Zardari's weak civilian administration, and the Supreme Court is now tasked with deciding if the government endorsed the note, and if so, if it can remain in power.
But the accusation by the prime minister in Chinese media this week that the chiefs of the army and main intelligence agency had failed to make their submissions to the court through government channels was bluntly denied by top brass and set the embattled civilian leaders further along a rocky path.
The army warned the comments could have "grievous consequences for the country", triggering the immediate sacking of the defence secretary - a top government bureaucrat considered too close to the generals.
"They are on a collision course. They have hardened their positions," political analyst Talat Masood said of the dangerous brinkmanship.
Pakistan has been under military dictatorships for about half its history since independence in 1947, its civilian leaders thrown out in three coups.
Speculation over the possibility of another coup filled social media sites on Wednesday, but analysts said it was unlikely, with early elections a more plausible outcome.
"Better sense will prevail. There will be no coup," said analyst Imtiaz Gul. "The centre of gravity basically is the Supreme Court right now and if anything at all (is carried out) against the government it will move from within the Supreme Court, it will not come from within the army."
"All the indicators are for early elections," he said.
General elections had been expected in early 2013, but the predicted date has crept forward as the memo scandal has rumbled on and are now tipped for 2012, with some saying they could take place in the first half of the year.
Gilani sought to minimise confrontation in the immediate aftermath of Wednesday's row, but analysts believe the government could see its real test come in court.
Zardari has had difficult relations with the courts since he initially refused to reinstate the chief justice on coming to power in 2008 elections held a month after the assassination of his wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
That relationship has only worsened as his civilian administration has clung to power through repeated crises, with the judiciary bent on pursuing a host of long-running corruption cases against Zardari and other government figures.
The government is due to set out its position to the commission on Monday and its findings are expected to be presented by the end of the month.
"I have the feeling that the Supreme Court will be encouraged by the military's statement to get them (the government) out, and the army may support it," said Masood. "The government is isolated."
The curious memo, made public in October, was allegedly delivered to then chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen in May.
Allegedly written by one of President Asif Ali Zardari's aides, the note asked for US intervention to stave off a feared military coup in May last year after US Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in May.
The Supreme Court two weeks ago set up the judicial commission to investigate. Top intelligence chief Ahmed Shuja Pasha has called for a "forensic examination" of the memo.
Political analyst Hasan Askari warned that cooler heads must prevail to avert serious consequences in the nuclear-armed country of 174 million people already battling Islamist militancy, separatist insurgency and crippling resource shortages.
"No single institution can manage the affairs (of Pakistan). The situation is so difficult in terrorism, with politics, which is unmanageable," he said.
"The civilians cannot do without military support... and the military all by itself will not be able to handle the situation because of the complexity of the problems.
"Pakistan is on the brink of a major internal crisis."
Early last month, President Asif Ali Zardari went to Dubai for medical treatment, triggering rumors that he was either being pushed out by the army or was fleeing a potential coup. He returned after a few weeks, but tensions have continued to soar in the country, with critics predicting the government's imminent downfall.
Officials said that the President would attend a wedding in Dubai and would be back in Pakistan on Friday morning, in a trip unconnected to the current crisis.
As Zardari left, military chief Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kayani met with top commanders, media reports and a military officer said, fueling speculation about the army's next move in the political crisis. On the other side, the Pakistani Parliament will sit in an emergency session later today, called by the government in the wake of a warning from the country's Supreme Court that action could be taken against the President and Prime Minister for failing to reopen high-profile corruption cases. Political analysts believe the government would try and use this session to display that it enjoys majority support.
Most analysts say that Army chief Gen Kayani doesn't want a coup because the army is fighting Islamist militants, the country is facing economic ruin and seizing power would trigger domestic and international criticism. But they say the generals may be happy to allow a Supreme Court hostile to the government to dismiss Zardari if it can find a "constitutional" way to do so.
"Better sense will prevail. There will be no coup," said analyst Imtiaz Gul. "The centre of gravity basically is the Supreme Court right now and if anything at all (is carried out) against the government it will move from within the Supreme Court, it will not come from within the army." He said all "the indicators are for early elections."
The army erupted in fury on Wednesday over criticism from Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani concerning a commission probing the "Memogate" scandal - the bizarre and highly controversial case of an unsigned memo sent to the US military to seek its help in weakening Pakistan's military after the raid that killed Osama bin Laden.
The memo has pitted the army against President Asif Ali Zardari's weak civilian administration, and the Supreme Court is now tasked with deciding if the government endorsed the note, and if so, if it can remain in power.
But the accusation by the prime minister in Chinese media this week that the chiefs of the army and main intelligence agency had failed to make their submissions to the court through government channels was bluntly denied by top brass and set the embattled civilian leaders further along a rocky path.
The army warned the comments could have "grievous consequences for the country", triggering the immediate sacking of the defence secretary - a top government bureaucrat considered too close to the generals.
"They are on a collision course. They have hardened their positions," political analyst Talat Masood said of the dangerous brinkmanship.
Pakistan has been under military dictatorships for about half its history since independence in 1947, its civilian leaders thrown out in three coups.
Speculation over the possibility of another coup filled social media sites on Wednesday, but analysts said it was unlikely, with early elections a more plausible outcome.
"Better sense will prevail. There will be no coup," said analyst Imtiaz Gul. "The centre of gravity basically is the Supreme Court right now and if anything at all (is carried out) against the government it will move from within the Supreme Court, it will not come from within the army."
"All the indicators are for early elections," he said.
General elections had been expected in early 2013, but the predicted date has crept forward as the memo scandal has rumbled on and are now tipped for 2012, with some saying they could take place in the first half of the year.
Gilani sought to minimise confrontation in the immediate aftermath of Wednesday's row, but analysts believe the government could see its real test come in court.
Zardari has had difficult relations with the courts since he initially refused to reinstate the chief justice on coming to power in 2008 elections held a month after the assassination of his wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
That relationship has only worsened as his civilian administration has clung to power through repeated crises, with the judiciary bent on pursuing a host of long-running corruption cases against Zardari and other government figures.
The government is due to set out its position to the commission on Monday and its findings are expected to be presented by the end of the month.
"I have the feeling that the Supreme Court will be encouraged by the military's statement to get them (the government) out, and the army may support it," said Masood. "The government is isolated."
The curious memo, made public in October, was allegedly delivered to then chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen in May.
Allegedly written by one of President Asif Ali Zardari's aides, the note asked for US intervention to stave off a feared military coup in May last year after US Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in May.
The Supreme Court two weeks ago set up the judicial commission to investigate. Top intelligence chief Ahmed Shuja Pasha has called for a "forensic examination" of the memo.
Political analyst Hasan Askari warned that cooler heads must prevail to avert serious consequences in the nuclear-armed country of 174 million people already battling Islamist militancy, separatist insurgency and crippling resource shortages.
"No single institution can manage the affairs (of Pakistan). The situation is so difficult in terrorism, with politics, which is unmanageable," he said.
"The civilians cannot do without military support... and the military all by itself will not be able to handle the situation because of the complexity of the problems.
"Pakistan is on the brink of a major internal crisis."
Monday 2 January 2012
Child-like enthusiasm secret of Sachin's longevity: Dravid
"Sachin's longevity comes down to the joy that he still gets from playing. After 20 years of international cricket he still has a child-like enthusiasm. That's not an easy thing to do when you have been travelling and playing so much and your body has taken a pounding," Dravid said in the latest edition of 'Wisden Cricketer' magazine.
Sunday 1 January 2012
Devotees throng Vaishno Devi temple on New Year Eve
Katra (Jammu and Kashmir), Jan 1 : Thousands of devotees converged in Katra town here to visit Vaishno Devi during the lunar eclipse and commencement of Magh.The shrine, which is located 12 kilometers from Katra, is located at an altitude of 5200 feet above sea level.
Besides pilgrims, tourists from all over the country and even abroad have poured in here to celebrate this day.
Deepak, a devotee from Amritsar said that they chose to visit Vaishno Devi because they wanted to celebrate the New Year in a different way.
"We thought that every year we go to clubs or discos and celebrate New Year there and this year we thought of doing something different. Every year we come to revered Hindu shrine, Vaishno Devi during the months of September or October. This year we have decided that we will go to Vaishno Devi to celebrate December 31," said Deepak.
Aishwarya, a devotee from New Delhi said that she has come here for a blissful married life with the blessings of Vaishno Devi.
"This is the first time that I am visiting Vaishno Devi and I am here because we are newly married couple and I need to take blessings for a healthy married life," said Aishwarya. (ANI)
New record at veshno devi
Jammu: The cave shrine of Mata Vaishnodevisituated at the Trikuta Hills in Jammu and Kashmir hasachieved a historic milestone by recording the visit of onecrore pilgrims so far this year.
The number of visitors this year is 12.5 lakh more thanthe previous tear, a shrine board official said. "Today, Mata Vaishnodevi shrine has created a newmilestone as it has crossed arrival of one crore pilgrims thisyear. We are very happy over the new record," additional chiefexecutive officer (ACEO) of Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board(SMVSB) Mandeep K Bhandari said.
The milestone was achieved in the silver jubilee year ofconstitution of Mata Vaishnodevi board, he said, adding thatthe pilgrimage went up from 13.96 lakh in 1986, the year whenthe board was set up. From then, the traffic of pilgrims hasincreased almost nearly five times till now.
Bhandari said in year 2010, 87,49,326 pilgrims visitedthe shrine, over 5,14,430 lakh more than 2009's figures of82,34,896 and over 20 lakh more than total pilgrims arrival of67,92,223 in 2008.
As many as 74.17 lakh pilgrims visited the cave shrinein 2007, rising from previous marks of 69.5 lakh and 67.83lakh in years 2006 and 2005 respectively, Bhandari furthersaid, noting that during past one decade, Mata Vaishnodevi hasbecome second busiest shrine in the country after TriputiTemple in Andhra Pradesh.
Giving further break-up of the figures, Bhandari saidrecorded visit of pilgrims include 21.69 lakh in 1990, 31.16lakh in 1991, 35.16 lakh in 1992, 33.68 lakh in 1993, 37.05lakh in 1994, 40.11 lakh in 1995, 44.09 lakh in 1996, 47.19lakh in 1997, 48.30 lakh in 1998, 49.10 lakh in 1999 andrecord 52.31 lakh in 2000, 51 lakh in 2004.
The number ofpilgrims rose from 3 lakh in 1970 to 52 lakh in 2000. Bhandari said SMVSB will take all steps to cater therequirements of the pilgrims arriving in future and expressedhope that the shrine will continue to achieve new targets.
Ever since its takeover, the board takes care of allbasic amenities en-route to the shrine from Katra base camp,which include hospitals, accommodations, 650 water-points, 35shelters-cum-sheds, 13 cafeterias apart from several shopsserving eatables and beverages.
The board also provides transportation facility in the13-km track through ponies, dandi, puthoos and horses besideslooking after the arrangement of lighting facilities en-route. The sacred shrine among Hindus holds a belief thatanybody who walks the Himalayan trail, gets his wish fulfilledand never returns disappointed.
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