#Bangladesh Violence Peaks

[pniindia]

Bangladesh Violence Peaks: बांग्लादेश में अल्पसंख्यकों की सुरक्षा को लेकर अंतरिम सरकार का बड़ा कदम

Bangladesh Violence Peaks: बांग्लादेश की अंतरिम सरकार ने बांग्लादेश में हो रही हिंसा को देखते हुए एक हॉटलाइन स्थापित की है, और इसमें लोगों से गिरजाघरों, हिंदू मंदिरों या फिर किसी अन्य धार्मिक स्थल पर हमलों के बारे में सुचना देने के लिए कहा गया है. दरअसल, यह कदम बांग्लादेश की प्रधानमंत्री शेख हसीना के प्रधानमंत्री पद से इस्तीफा देने व देश को छोड़कर भारत चले जाने के बाद जो अल्पसंख्यकों के व्यापारिक प्रतिष्ठानों, धार्मिक स्थलों और संपत्तियों में तोड़फोड़ की खबरों आ रही हैं उन सभी को ध्यान में रखते हुए उठाया गया है.

[beardedmrbean]

Continuing with the crackdown against the deposed Sheikh Hasina regime, the interim government of Bangladesh on Tuesday (August 20, 2024) sent former Education and Foreign Affairs Minister Dipu Moni for four days remand. This is part of the widespread reconfiguring of the police department in a bid to instil confidence into the law enforcement departments.

Ms. Moni who became the first female Foreign Minister of Bangladesh in 2009 is being investigated for alleged involvement in a case of murder in Mohammadpur neighbourhood of Dhaka. She was arrested from the diplomatic zone of Dhaka on Monday (August 19, 2024).

For several years, Ms. Moni was the face of Bangladesh’s diplomacy and global interactions and was known to be close to Sheikh Hasina.

The administration led by Nobel laureate Prof. Mohammed Yunus also responded to growing public demand and announced that the families of those killed or injured in the anti-quota protests that led to the removal of the Awami League government on August 5, 2024 will receive financial support.

“The government has decided to set up a foundation to take care of the wounded and the families of the deceased and wounded who participated in the student-led revolution in July-August 2024,” Chief Adviser Prof. Yunus said on Tuesday (August 20, 2024) announcing the relief measure for those affected by the violence by law enforcement agencies under the Hasina-led government.

Two weeks after being sworn-in, the caretaker set up consisting of “advisers” has been grabbing headlines for the widespread action that it is pursuing for cornering the notable figures that were part of the Hasina government.

The law and order situation in the capital and nearby areas continue to remain uncertain because of the evident absence of police forces in the crowded areas. A large number of police officials are yet to report to work after they played a visible role in the violent crackdown against the protesters. This week, 73 police officers have been promoted with additional responsibilities. On Tuesday (August 20, 2024), 25 Deputy Commissioners, the chief administrative officers of the districts, were transferred. The administrative and police-related changes are expected to remain on track for the coming days.

The interim administration is under visible public pressure to take action against the Hasina-led administration’s top officials who are mostly in hiding. According to available information, at least 41 former Ministers and Deputy Ministers of the Awami League government are being investigated at the moment while the administration here has declared that Hasina and several of her top members of her law and order team would face charges of crimes against humanity.

Three cases lodged in the capital’s Jatrabari area on Tuesday (August 20, 2024) have levelled murder charges against Ms. Hasina, her sister Rehana, son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and daughter Sayma Wazed. Jatrabari and Uttara neighbourhoods of Dhaka witnessed some of the most intense protests by the students and civil society which was met with police action. Demand for action is high against the former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan who has been seen in viral social media videos inspecting video recordings of police action against the protesters.

The capital of Bangladesh is yet to fully recover from the strife that reached its peak when Ms. Hasina had to flee to India on August 5, 2024. The metro rail network, parts of which faced the brunt of the protesters as it emerged as a symbol of Hasina government, is yet to resume. Similarly portions of the elevated highway, that had made traffic within Dhaka easier is yet to be fully operational as cautionary measures remain in place.

In the meanwhile, the U.K.-based acting chairman of the opposition BNP has called upon his supporters and the media to describe Ms. Hasina as an absconder from justice. In a video message issued from London, Tarique Rahman called upon the people to avoid the “trap laid by the defeated dark forces” and said, “Do not hurt the weak, do not break the law. Let us build a new Bangladesh that will be based on non-discrimination and avoid the cycle of revenge and vengeance.”

[samacharapp]

Attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh Not Communal, Issue 'Exaggerated': Yunus

During student-led violence after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ouster, the minority Hindu population faced vandalism of businesses, property damage, and temple destruction.

Dhaka: Chief Adviser to Bangladesh's interim government, Muhammad Yunus, has said the issue of attacks on minority Hindus in his country is “exaggerated” and questioned the manner in which India projected it. In an interview with PTI at his official residence here, Yunus said the attacks on minorities in Bangladesh are more political than communal.

He suggested that the attacks were not communal, but a fallout of a political upheaval as there is a perception that most Hindus supported the now-deposed Awami League regime.

“I have said this to (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi also that this is exaggerated. This issue has several dimensions. When the country went through an upheaval following the atrocities by (Sheikh) Hasina and the Awami League, those who were with them also faced attacks,” the Nobel laureate told PTI.

The minority Hindu population faced vandalism of their businesses and properties, as well as the destruction of Hindu temples, during the student-led violence that erupted following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

After unprecedented anti-government protests that peaked on August 5, Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled to India.

“Now, while beating up Awami League cadres, they had beaten up Hindus as there is a perception that Hindus in Bangladesh mean Awami League supporters. I am not saying that what has happened is right, but some people are using it as an excuse to seize property. So, there is no clear distinction between Awami League supporters and Hindus,” he said.

In his first direct contact with New Delhi last month, shortly after becoming the head of Bangladesh's interim government, Yunus conveyed to Prime Minister Modi that Dhaka would prioritise the protection and safety of Hindus and all other minority groups.

During the conversation, Modi reaffirmed India's support for a democratic, stable, peaceful, and progressive Bangladesh and emphasised the importance of ensuring the safety of Hindus and other minority communities in the violence-hit country.

Hindus, who made up 22 per cent of Bangladesh's population at the time of the 1971 Liberation War, now constitute about 8 per cent of 170 million and have predominantly supported the Awami League, known for its secular stance.

Describing the attacks as more political than communal, Yunus questioned the manner in which India is “propagating” them.

“These attacks are political in nature and not communal. And India is propagating these incidents in a big way. We have not said that we can’t do anything; we have said that we are doing everything,” the Chief Adviser said.

Prime Minister Modi, in his Independence Day address from the Red Fort on August 15, expressed hope that the situation in violence-hit Bangladesh would return to normal soon and said 1.4 billion Indians are concerned about the safety of Hindus and minorities in the neighbouring country.

Discussing the future of India-Bangladesh relations, Yunus expressed a desire for good ties with India but insisted that New Delhi must abandon the narrative that Bangladesh will turn into another Afghanistan without Sheikh Hasina at the helm.

“The way forward is for India to come out of the narrative. The narrative is that everybody is Islamist, BNP is Islamist, and everyone else is Islamist and will make this country into Afghanistan. And Bangladesh is in safe hands with Sheikh Hasina at the helm only.

“India is captivated by this narrative. India needs to come out of this narrative. Bangladesh, like any other nation, is just another neighbour,” he said.

The noted economist added, “The issue of trying to portray the conditions of minorities in such a big way is just an excuse.” Yunus said that when he met leaders of the minority community, he urged them to protest as citizens of the country with equal rights and not merely as Hindus.

“Even when I met members of the Hindu community, I had requested them: please don’t identify yourselves as Hindus; rather, you should say you are citizens of this country and you have equal rights. If someone tries to snatch your legal rights as citizens, then there are remedies,” he said.

The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC), a prominent Hindu minority group in Bangladesh, had also reported attacks on minorities, especially Hindus, following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government on August 5.

Thousands of Hindus staged protest rallies in Bangladesh's capital and the northeastern port city of Chattogram on August 10-11, demanding protection amid nationwide vandalism that saw attacks on temples and their homes and businesses.

Earlier in August, the Bangladesh National Hindu Grand Alliance said that the minority Hindu community faced attacks and threats in 278 locations across 48 districts since the fall of the Hasina-led government and termed it as an “assault on the Hindu religion."

News is originally taken from: https://bit.ly/47hejrg Samachar App: watch the live latest news of India and the world, business updates, cricket scores, etc. Download the Samachar App now to keep up with daily breaking news. Like and Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

[southeastasianhistories]

Myanmar’s military seized power from the democratically elected government yesterday, declaring a state of emergency and detaining leader Aung San Suu Kyi and several of her allies.  

The coup comes after allegations of voter fraud in the 2020 elections as the ruling NLD secured a landslide victory. The country is now back under military rule after a decade, tanks and soldiers are positioned in major cities, and leaders have urged the people to reject the coup.

The southeast Asian nation is no stranger to military rule which previously lasted for over four decades. The military’s involvement in politics also remained high even after it began ceding power a little over a decade ago.

Here’s a timeline of the key events in Myanmar’s power tussle:

1948

The nation then known as Burma gained independence from British rule on 4 January and became an independent republic. A constitutional government was formed and politician U Nu was nominated as the first prime minister of independent Myanmar. However, a year before, Aung San, who led the movement of independence, was assassinated. Aung San Suu Kyi is his only daughter and youngest child.

1962

Democracy was first suspended in the country following a coup in 1962, marking the beginning of the four decade long direct military rule. Military leader Ne Win, who staged the coup, ruled the country for the coming years. Pro-democracy protests against the junta, also known as “8888 Uprising”, peaked following years of economic stagnation and were met with a bloody military crackdown which led to thousands of deaths, according to rights groups. However, the official figures only attribute a figure of 350 deaths.

1988

Aung San Suu Kyi returned to Myanmar during the pro-democracy protests and emerged as a national icon.  

...

1989

Ms Suu Kyi, who established herself as an outspoken critic of the junta, was put under house arrest for the first time as elections approached. She founded her party, the National League for Democracy, in 1988.

1990

The military government called for elections in which Ms Suu Kyi’s party contested and won a landslide victory. Ms Suu Kyi was being pitched as a prime ministerial candidate by some as her party secured 80 per cent of the seats, but the government could never be formed as the military government nullified the results and refused to concede, resulting in a global outcry.

Ms Suu Kyi was again placed under house arrest at her home in capital Rangoon, now known as Yangon. She won the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 1990, and the Nobel Peace Prize one year later in 1991.

1996

Ms Suu Kyi was released from house arrest in 1995. A year later, her convoy was attacked by 200 men, who attacked her car with metal batons, chains, stones and other weapons, breaking the rear window and doors. The NLD filed a complaint with the police, forcing the government to launch an investigation. However, according to reports, no action was taken.

2003

Ms Suu Kyi was again lodged in house arrest, which the government claimed was for her own safety.

2008

After several protests, the military framed a constitution and carried out a referendum; soon after, Cyclone Nargis wreaked havoc in the country, leaving thousands dead.

That same year, the constitution was approved by the people with 92 per cent voting in its favour. This was the first time the people of Myanmar had voted since 1990, marking the beginning of the process of democratisation.

...

2010

The election was held but Ms Suu Kyi’s NLD, which wasn’t allowed to take power in 1990, did not participate. Over 40 parties contested the elections and the pro-junta USDP declared victory. The elections were called fraudulent by the United Nations and many western countries.

Ms Suu Kyi was released from house arrest six days after the elections in November. Until that time, she had spent a long part of a 21 year period in detention.

2012

For the first time, Ms Suu Kyi held a public office after winning a by-election seat. She officially became the leader of the opposition party as her party secured 43 of the 45 contested seats.

She began campaigning for reforms in the constitution to include basic rights of the citizens and demanded an independent judiciary.

2015

Myanmar’s first openly held general elections took place in November 2015 where Ms Suu Kyi’s NLD won by a landslide victory, securing a majority in both houses. The party formed the government for the first time, however, Ms Suu Kyi was constitutionally barred from becoming the prime minister because her husband and both sons were British.  

However, she took over as the head of the state with a newly formed role of state councillor, a position with the similar powers of a prime minister. The military also retained significant power in the government.

2017

A brutal military crackdown followed in Rakhine after an insurgent attack left several dead. Violent clashes had been ongoing in the area for over a year. Sectarian violence erupted against the Rohingya Muslim population in the area which was termed  “ethnic cleansing” by UN high commissioner for human rights.

The situation worsened in August 2017, when over five million Rohingyas fled Myanmar to reach neighbouring countries like Bangladesh. The ethnic minority community had been facing persecution for years.

According to the UN, the campaign of mass killing, rape, and arson was carried out with “genocidal intent”, which Myanmar denied. Ms Suu Kyi later defended Myanmar against genocide charges brought at the Hague.

Rohingya refugees gather in 'no man's land’ behind Myanmar's border

2020

Elections took place after five years when Ms Suu Kyi’s NLD again secured an outright majority with more votes than before, giving Ms Suu Kyi a second term as state councillor. However, the military-backed USDP alleged irregularities in the vote, demanding the military to intervene.

2021

On 26 January, army military spokesperson Zaw Min Tun warned the army will “take action” their concerns were not addressed, hinting at staging a coup.

However, the claims of voter fraud were rejected by the election commission which said there was no proof of fraud or rigging.  

Soon after its statement of protecting the constitution, Myanmar’s military staged a coup and took control of the country once again. They also declared an emergency for one year, citing the government’s failure to act against its claims of voter fraud.

Now, Ms Suu Kyi has been put under house arrest once again, along with other senior government officials detained during the series of early morning raids.

[soundsof71]

So, considering you are a passionate fan of music released in 1971, I feel justifiably obligated to ask you what you think of Buffy Sainte-Marie's 'She Used to Wanna Be a Ballerina' album. 😂 (Also, it would make me beyond happy if you could post more about Buffy, my friend! Thank you! ❣)

Buffy Sainte-Marie + Crazy Horse - what’s not to love? LOL I confess that it was the Crazy Horse connection that caught my attention first. I had a general idea who Buffy was, had seen her on TV a few times, but I was a big Crazy Horse fan. News that they were her backing band for this album was easily enough for me to scoop it up.

They weren’t doing anything much with Neil Young in 1971 (other than this album, on which Neil also appeared!), but they had released a tasty solo album in February 71, produced by Jack Nitzsche (who also produced this, and would later marry Buffy), and featuring Ry Cooder (also featured here, although did not marry Buffy). 

(btw, the first place that Buffy, Ry, and Jack worked together was on the Nic Roeg film Performance, starring Mick Jagger. People obviously remember Mick in that, but musically, Buffy was the best part!) 

She Used To Wanna... also features Jesse Ed Davis, a Native American guitarist and singer who was a frequent “usual suspect” at these sort of “sure, invite everyone!” jam albums of the era, and played a prominent role at 1971′s biggest concert (at least in the US), The Concert for Bangladesh on August 1.

(I know you know  RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked The World, the documentary about indigenous music’s influence on rock and roll, which has chapters on both Buffy and Jesse Ed. I just watched it again recently, and love it! A reminder of Buffy’s pivotal role in classic rock history. Not mentioned in the film: she relentlessly championed the work of her fellow Canadians Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen, helping them get their first record deals.)

I haven’t listened to She Used To Wanna Be A Ballerina for a while, so I definitely need to do that, along with posting more pictures of Buffy.  (I can’t believe I’ve only posted two!) 

But I’ll tell you what still stands out to me about that record years later. “Smack Water Jack” is an underrated track from Carole King’s Tapestry that got a ton of airplay at the time. Quincy Jones did an instrumental cover as the title track for his terrific 1971 album, too, but it has somehow faded to obscurity since then. Buffy takes a playful trifle, and turns it into a powerful fable of men of color who explode into violence in response to the violence visited upon them, and self-satisfaction of whites in authority who answer their demands for better living conditions by killing them on the spot. 

No need for a trial when you can murder them in the streets, right? “You can't talk to a man when he don't wanna understand / And he don't wanna understand” hits different when Buffy sings it, and in 2020 for that matter. 

It’s also just a terrific performance whose combination of soul and rock and roll and driving piano in a sort of Old West-sounding context would have made this sound right at home on a record like Elton John’s Tumbleweed Connection  or something by The Band. I’m limited to five video embeds per post so I can’t embed it here, so I'm linking instead: anyone who hasn’t heard this definitely needs to.

Her cover of Neil’s CSNY track “Helpless” has things I like even better than Neil’s original, including Merry Clayton standing in for CSN. Buffy’s version is more muscular (thanks again to Crazy Horse), and taps even more deeply into the isolation of the song that the star power of CSNY somewhat obscured. 

Buffy’s version also made a brief but memorable appearance in the 2018 film Hotel Artemis, starring Jodie Foster. A weird little movie that I loved maybe more than it deserved LOL but I recommend nonetheless:

I know that this album gets attention because of the unusual number of covers, including one by Leonard Cohen, and a cover of a cover that Leonard had made famous on top of that, called "Song of the French Partisan” (hers is the far superior version imo, a song of French resistance to Nazi occupation from the perspective of a woman hiding a resister), but there are a couple of standout originals too. 

I love the title of this record, and the title track is a delightful little stomper that playfully cautions against equating the intentions of grown women with the childhood fantasies they’ve grown out of. More Merry Clayton goodness here on backing vocals too. 

“Soldier Blue” is a powerful song first written for the 1970 film of the same name, billed at the time as “The most savage film in history” -- and maybe it was. It used the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre as a metaphor for Vietnam, and it's still shockingly brutal. It was the third-highest grossing movie in the UK in 1971, though, and the single became a top-10 hit for Buffy there. 

It didn’t do as well here, either the song or the movie. Perhaps not shockingly in retrospect, Soldier Blue was pulled from American theaters after a few days, the Vietnam metaphor not at all lost on the Nixon administration. 

As horrifying as it was, this is about when I was reading Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee (first published in 1970), and Soldier Blue resonated with me in a whole lot of ways. Here’s the song in the opening credits of the movie.

I was also really struck by “Moratorium”, which is the story of “Universal Soldier” (from her 1963 debut, but a bigger hit for Donovan in 1965), coming from the opposite direction. In the earlier song, she blamed war on the soldiers who think that fighting is honorable, but here, she has empathizes with the young men, boys really in many cases, who’ve been lied to by their countries, their parents, and even their friends. They’re not vainglorious. They’ve been duped by people they trusted. 

(I don't think she takes enough into account how many men sign up to fight because they want to embrace and celebrate their worst, most violent impulses, which was of course an undercurrent of “Universal Soldier”, but I appreciate her empathy here. More than one thing is true at a time.)

Buffy goes even farther, though, calling on soldiers to support and validate demands for peace as explicitly supporting them, summed up in the unforgettable cry, "Fuck the war and bring our brothers home!" 

1971 was the peak of antiwar demonstrations in the US, with the biggest crowds ever seen in this country until the 2017 Women’s March. The May 1971 demonstrations pretty much shut down Washington, culminating with Vietnam Veterans Against The War throwing back their medals on the steps of the US Capitol, incredibly powerful stuff to see on TV in my formative years, and Buffy was right there in it. Anti-war songs were a cottage industry for sure, but nobody was writing with the nuance and empathy that Buffy was.

Here’s a 1972 performance of “Moratorium”, Buffy and a piano, and more emotionally bare than that:

There’s obviously lots more to say about Buffy, far outside the realm of protest music that was actually just a small part of her musical palette -- her pioneering experiments with electronic music, her educational philanthropy starting in her 20s, Sesame Street, you name it. Her commercial peak was still in front of her, and while I can’t say that this is my favorite of her records, it does have some of my favorite songs of hers, and 1971 and She Used to Wanna Be A Ballerina is definitely where I went from knowing who Buffy Sainte-Marie was to being a fan. 

I'll also note as I do now and again that while this blog started as an offshoot of a book on 1971 that I’d started but abandoned, I mostly listen to music released now. That’s always been my policy, including in 1971. When 1972 rolled up, I was mostly listening to music from 1972, music from ‘80 in ‘80, ‘91 in ‘91, 2018 in 2018, etc., to name just a few other favorites. (Plus The Beatles, okay? LOL I still listen to The Beatles every day. No apologies.) Honestly? It took me until 2011, in my fifties, when a whole bunch of 40th anniversary editions of 1971 albums got released all at once that made me think, “Wait a minute, this was maybe THE pivotal year in classic rock history!” 

So yeah, the historian in me dug into 1971, but even though I happened to be alive and enthralled by music in that year, what I’m doing here has nothing to do with nostalgia, or any idea that that was the *best* year in music, even if for the narrow slice of music that is classic rock, yeah, it absolutely is. For soul/R&B too, and for the explosion of women artists outside the even narrower confines of pop as well. This is not subject to debate. No year like it, before or since. It's just that classic rock is a such a narrow slice, and I like my slices wide. LOL Which is also why my blog has less and less 1971 content as I go along. 

While my general policy is that my favorite year for music is THIS year, this particular year hasn’t left me as much energy as usual for listening to music. Some of it is These Trying Times™, some of it is my bipolarity and schizophrenia getting the better of me in waves, as is the way with these, uhm, things. (Keep taking those meds, kids!) I listen to music and post about the people making it as a creative act, not a passive or reflexive one, and I just haven’t felt as creative as usual.

(This is also has everything to do with why so many Asks have been piling up unanswered. I apologize if you’re one of the many kind and indulgent souls who’s gotten in touch, but I swear I’m gonna get to ‘em all!)

To get an idea of what I’m ACTUALLY passionate about right now, my “to be edited later” running list of 2020 favorites randomly added to a playlist as I encounter them, to be properly curated later, is at Spotify, cleverly entitled “2020″ -- 94% women, which is about right. LOL 

But since I do in fact listen to old stuff (by which I mean 2019 LOL), I made a list of mostly 2020 bangers from women rockers with some tasty treats from 2019 that I haven’t been able to let go of just yet, inspired by a post I saw at tumblr saying that punk music by women is just plain better (also beyond debate), called “Women Bangers: A Tumblr New Classics Jam”. I’ll be posting an essay with a YouTube playlist soon, because god forbid that I only talk briefly about anything LOL and most of these women need to be heard AND seen.

Like Buffy Sainte-Marie, whom you'll both see and hear more often on my blog soon. Thanks for the reminder! Always a pleasure to hear from you and be challenged by you. :-)

Peace, Tim 

[redofthewestcountry]

MARCH: THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE WEIRD AND THE WONDERFUL.

Well, folks we passed level 3 of Jumanji, with just...

March

1st Mar: Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy sentenced to prison for corruption.

1st Mar: Arrests at Camp Nou for financial crimes

1st Mar: Meteor seen over UK

1st Mar: Japan asks China to stop conducting rectal covid tests on Japanese citizens

1st Mar: Perseverance Rover being controlled from flat above hairdressers in London, because Covid forced him to work from home

1st Mar: Zimbabwe Vice President resigns over voice cloning sex scandal

2nd Mar: Former Liverpool player Ian St John passes away aged 82

2nd Mar: Hundreds of kidnapped Nigerian girls released

3rd Mar: 6.2 magnitude Earthquake in Greece

3rd Mar: Thai Navy rescue four cats from burning ship

3rd Mar: Cat rescued from train roof

4th Mar: ICC opens war crimes investigation in Gaza and The West Bank

5th Mar: Illusion of ship floating in mid air photographed of Cornish Coast

5th Mar: Nun stands up against Myanmar military

6th Mar: Pope Francis meets Iraq's top Shia Cleric, in a private meeting in his home - the first between senior Christian and Muslim leaders

7th Mar: Bata, Equatorial Guinea explosions

7th Mar: Yemen migrant detention Centre fire

7th Mar: Myanmar political official dies in custody

7th Mar: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Oprah interview

8th Mar: German MP resigns over face mask sale, firm earned €250,000 euros from sales

8th Mar: Switzerland votes to ban religious face coverings in public

8th Mar: Syrian President and wife test positive for covid

8th March: South Africa student protests

9th Mar: Piers Morgan quits Good Morning Britain

9th Mar: UK to return £4.2 million stolen loot to Nigeria

9th Mar: Bangladesh's first transgender news reader makes debut

9th Mar: Trevor Peacock, Vicar of Dibley passes away

9th Mar: Met Police Officer arrested on suspicion of kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard

10th Mar: Tanzanian President in Kenyan hospital with Covid - asking for prayers and herbal infused steam therapy

10th Mar: Myanmar police defecting to India after orders from military to shoot protesters

10th Mar: Second ship floating in mid air illusion photographed off British coast

10th Mar: Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill 2021 - protest powers outlined

11th Mar: 13 killed in Nigerian school attack

11th Mar: Egyptian clothing factory fire

11th Mar: Ivorian Coast PM dies in German hospital

11th Mar: China approves plans to control Hong Kong elections

11th Mar: Lou Ottens, inventor of the cassette tape dies aged 94

11th Mar: EU declared LGBT Freedom Zone

12th Mar: George Floyd family given $27 million settlement prior to murder trial

13th Mar: Met Police officer charged with kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard

13th Mar: Spanish police seize home made submarine in drugs raid

13th Mar: Amazon announces refusal to sell books that frame sexual identity as mental illness

14th Mar: Spanish police arrest biggest cocaine gang in Madrid

14th Mar: Minibus carrying Argentine President attacked by anti open pit mining protests

14th Mar: Women detained at vigil for Sarah Everard

15th Mar: Australian sexual assault protests

15th Mar: Beijing sandstorm

15th Mar: Niger-Mali border attacks

16th Mar: Dinamo Zagreb manager given five year jail sentence for fraud

16th Mar: Bulgarian Police seize millions in counterfeit during operation with US

16th Mar: Rare ancient scroll, circa 2nd century a.d. found in Isreal Cave of Horror

16th Mar: Atalanta massage parlour shootings

17th Mar: Japan finds same sex marriage ban unconstitutional

17th Mar: Sabine Schmidtz passes away aged 51

17th Mar: Iceland records fifty thousand earthquakes in three weeks

17th Mar: Reddit investors adopt 3,500 gorillas in six days

17th Mar: First Sound recording of a Mars rover driving released by Nasa

18th Mar: Man arrested outside Kamala Harris' residence with rifle and ammunition

19th Mar: Salia Suluhu Hassan becomes first female Tanzanian President

19th Mar: 2,500 year old bull figurine found at ancient site of Olympia

19th Mar: Drugs worth over a million euros seized by French police turned out to be ground up strawberry haribo

20th Mar: Turkey withdraws from Istanbul convention to combat violence against women

21st Mar: Australia sees worst flooding in sixty years

21st Mar: 'Kill the Bill' protests turn violent in Bristol

22nd Mar: BBC and Sky announce deal to broadcast live women's football

22nd Mar: Boulder, Colarado ten killed in mass shooting, seventh in seven days in US

22nd Mar: Canada, EU, UK, and US impose sanctions against Chinese officials over Uighur detention camps and human rights abuses

23rd Mar: Container ship runs aground in Suez Canal

24th Mar: Virginia becomes first Southern state to abolish death penalty

24th Mar: Norwegian football team wears human rights t-shirts in protests over Qatar World Cup human rights abuses of migrant workers

25th Mar: Protests outside West Midlands school over Prophet Mohammed cartoon

25th Mar: German team follow Norwegian team in wearing t-shirts to support migrant workers in Qatar

25th Mar: North Korea tests ballistic missiles

25th Mar: Japan begins Olympic torch relay

26th Mar: Egyptian train crash

26th Mar: Dominion voting sues Fox News for $1.6 billion over election fraud claims

26th Mar: Western brands boycott cotton produced in China's Xinziang provence

27th Mar: Walrus spotted in Tenby

27th Mar: World Anti-Doping Agency launches investigation over British cycling allegations

27th Mar: 114 killed by security forces in Myanmar

28th Mar: 6 year old boy finds 488 million year old fossil in garden

28th Mar: Militant attack in Palma, Mozambique

29th Mar: Stern of grounded ship in Suez Canal freed, and position corrected by 80%

29th Mar: Derek Chauvin trial begins for the death of George Floyd

29th Mar: Ever Given freed from Suez Canal and on the move, after six days

29th Mar: Indonesian oil refinery fire

29th Mar: Mafia fugitive captured after posting cooking video to you tube

30th Mar: Rebecca Welch becomes first female ref appointed to English Football League game

30th Mar: Teen who called himself 'Hitler' jailed for terror offences

30th Mar: Japan's cherry blossom earliest peak since 812 ad.

30th Mar: Child tweets gibberish from US nuclear agency account

30th Mar: Police bust World's biggest video game cheat operation, with a revenue of £55 million

31st Mar: Attempted coup foiled in Niger before inauguration

31st Mar: Italian Naval Officer caught selling secrets to Russia

31st Mar: North Macedonia beat Germany in 2022 World Cup qualifier

[topfygad]

20 appealing specifics about Pakistan

From savage mountains to political firsts, we share probably the most fascinating particulars about Pakistan.

I not way back visited Pakistan for the to start out with time to complete the K2 basis camp trek. I’d be mendacity if I defined that I skilled booked my flights with out having a hint of trepidation. Pakistan has lengthy endured from horrible press, exacerbated by years of political instability. As a majority of these, there are nonetheless areas of Pakistan the place journey just isn’t really helpful. 

All through my take a look at, even so, I not when felt in peril or concerned for my primary security. I felt extra comfortable going for walks the streets in Pakistan than I’ve in most South-Asian nations around the globe – whereas I ought to incorporate that that is anecdotal and arrives from my experience as a white man.

Pakistan is a beautiful place, dwelling to magical mountains and fascinating heritage. For a few years, the nation has been off the radar for all however probably the most hardened of travellers, however there are indicators that that is reworking.

I expended most of my time in Pakistan testing the wild Karakoram mountains within the northeast. Alongside the best way, I collected myriad thrilling details about Pakistan. Listed right here, I share the best of them.

 Attention-grabbing details about Pakistan

1. Pakistan is a Muslim-vast majority level out. In reality, its full determine is the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. (Provide: BBC Data)

2. Pakistan was at first two states of East and West Pakistan made in the midst of the partition of India on the cease of British rule in 1947. Simply after a struggle, East Pakistan in some unspecified time in the future broke away to return to be Bangladesh in 1971. (Useful resource: BBC Information)

3. The partition of India resulted within the greatest mass migration in human background: near 10 million people. As a number of as a million civilians died within the accompanying riots and fashionable violence. (Provide: BBC Historical past)

4. An independence activist coined the title of the area in 1933. Pakistan nearly interprets as ‘Land of the Spiritually Completely clear and Pure’. Nevertheless it was additionally conceived as an acronym standing for Punjab, Afghania (North-West Frontier Province), Okayashmir, Sindh and Balochistan. (Supply: Singh, Sarina. (2004) Pakistan & the Karakoram Freeway. London: Lonely Earth)

5. Pakistan’s funds metropolis, Islamabad, was designed in 1960. It’s positioned simply 14km from the historic and former capital city of Rawalpindi. (Supply: Britannica.com)

Atlas & Boots A few of the most fascinating factors about Pakistan may be sourced from its mountains

6. Mountains account for a number of interesting factors about Pakistan. The area is property to among the world’s finest peaks equivalent to K2, the world’s 2nd optimum mountain (nicknamed ‘Savage Mountain’), together with 5 of the 8-thousanders – the one mountains on the planet over 8,000m (26,247ft). (Provide: NASA Earth Observatory)

7. In easy truth, the Karakoram Choice is home to the world’s biggest focus of upper mountains. The standard elevation of mountains within the Karakoram is throughout 6,100m (20,000ft). (Useful resource: Britannica)

8. Pakistan has had two Nobel Prize winners. Abdus Salam gained the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1979 and Malala Yousafzai obtained the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. She was simply 17 on the time, producing her the youngest-at any time laureate. (Supply: Nobel Prize)

JStone/Shutterstock Malala Yousafzai obtained the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014

9. In 1989, Benazir Bhutto turned the initially feminine elected to information an Islamic state when she grew to change into key minister of Pakistan. She was assassinated by the Pakistani Taliban in 2007. (Useful resource: New York Intervals)

10. The metropolis of Sialkot in Pakistan generates 40% of the world’s footballs (soccer balls). Output dates again to 1889 when a British colonialist sergeant didn’t wish to wait round for shipments of footballs to reach by sea, so requested a regional saddle maker to revive his punctured ball. Proud of the results, he requested a batch to be constructed. (Supply: The Atlantic)

11. The world’s most {dollars} machine (ATM) is situated on the Khunjerab Transfer on the border of Pakistan and China at a peak of 4,693m (15,397ft). It was designed to endure temperatures as little as -40°C. (Useful resource: The Telegraph)

Sulo Letta/Shutterstock The ATM is situated on the the Khunjerab Move at 4,693m (15,397ft)

12. The mountainous area of Kashmir, a the huge majority-Muslim location within the northernmost part of India, is claimed by every Pakistan and India. The dispute across the location has been functioning as a result of 1947 and has resulted in a very long time of violence, equivalent to wars in 1947, 1965 and 1971. (Provide: Nationwide Geographic)

13. The Indus Valley in modern-day-working day Pakistan and Northern India is believed to be the world’s oldest civilisation, predating Egypt and Mesopotamia. In 2016, authorities found proof that it might be as earlier as 8,000 many years – 2,500 a very long time extra mature than beforehand imagined. (Useful resource: Mom nature Journal)

14. In 2018, former intercontinental cricket star Imran Khan received the election to return to be Pakistan’s prime minister. Imran Khan received the Cricket Earth Cup in 1992 as captain of Pakistan after beating England within the final. (Useful resource: The Guardian)

Shutterstock Imran Khan obtained the Cricket Whole world Cup in 1992

15. The Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS), unfold concerning the flat plains of the Indus Valley, is the world’s biggest contiguous irrigation course of. (Useful resource: United Nations Foodstuff and Agriculture Group (FAO))

16. Pakistan has the world’s third biggest Muslim inhabitants and is the 2nd most vital Muslim-the overwhelming majority nation. (Supply: Pew Examine Centre)

17. Pakistan is a single of simply 9 nations around the globe which have nuclear weapons. The opposite nations who handle some type of nuclear weaponry are the Usa, Russia, Uk, France, China, North Korea, India and Israel. As a majority of these, Pakistan can also be the one Muslim-the larger half nuclear nation. (Supply: The Unbiased)

Pawika Tongtavee/Shutterstock The Karakoram Freeway is one specific of the best paved streets within the earth

18. Additionally considered the China-Pakistan Friendship Freeway, the Karakoram Freeway (KKH) is the world’s highest transnational freeway, one of many optimum paved streets within the surroundings and one of many excellent freeway outings within the earth. The 1,300km freeway connects China and Pakistan all through the Karakoram mountain array and took two a few years and excess of 1,000 life to assemble. Its optimum degree is at 4,714m (15,466ft) close to the Khunjerab Transfer. (Supply: The Guardian)

19. The Kutiah Glacier in Pakistan holds the historical past for the quickest glacial surge. In 1953, it surged forwards greater than 12km in simply three months, averaging near 112m per working day. (Useful resource: Nationwide Snow and Ice Information Heart)

UmairHaider/shutterstock A polo participant on the Shandur Polo Competitors

20. Pakistan has the world’s most polo flooring. The Shandur Polo Competitors at Shandur Transfer hosts the once-a-year match in between the Chitral and Gilgit districts. The match began within the 1930s when a British officer formalised a tons of of years-outdated sporting rivalry.  (Useful resource: The Guardian)

Direct image: UmairHaider/Shutterstock

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[sidhiroy]

MEGHALAYA TRIP – Best time to visit Meghalaya?

It is not a secret that Meghalaya is among our top destinations. It is located in the highlands of the sub-Himalayas eastern part; Meghalaya Trip is one of the most beautiful states in India. According to Sanskrit, Meghalaya translates into "abode of clouds" and is rightfully named as such. The place is said to be among the world's wettest spots; Meghalaya sees the hide and seeks games played between the sun and the rain.

Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills surround it; Meghalaya offers simple and unspoiled beauty for its guests. Meghalaya boasts stunning natural beauty, waterfalls that cascade, sparkling clear rivers, natural caves, and an enthralling cultural heritage. From the gorgeous waterfalls of Cherrapunjee to the crystal clear streams in Umngot, Meghalaya is an area halfway between the heavens and the earth.

We are awestruck by the idea of visiting Meghalaya repeatedly and would like you to explore the state too. Find out more about this state and the best way to create a memorable Meghalaya trip.

Is it in Meghalaya?

 Meghalaya is situated in northeastern India. Trip to Meghalaya was created from the Assam state. Assam shares boundaries with Assam and Bangladesh in the south and west.

 Meghalaya Trip: Is it safe to visit Meghalaya?

Meghalaya is one of the most secure states we've visited. People are welcoming and always ready to assist you.

Meghalaya is also among the most secure places for women to travel in. Since it is a matrilineal society, violence against women is not as common in the Meghalayan. I've travelled on my own throughout Meghalaya in remote locations such as Tura with no anxiety. Meghalaya is among the states that I feel comfortable in solo travel, too.

How do I Reach Meghalaya?

Similar to the other states of the northeast, Guwahati forms the entry point for Meghalaya and Meghalaya. However, Shillong is the largest and capital city of Meghalaya. Therefore, your Meghalaya journey will likely begin at Shillong in Shillong itself.

Shillong is home to an international airport linked by flights to Kolkata, Guwahati and New Delhi. However, the most efficient way to travel to Meghalaya is to land in Guwahati before heading to Shillong.

The closest railway station is Guwahati. There are shared jeeps, taxis and shared jeeps in front of Guwahati Railway Station. Guwahati Railway Station at Paltan Bazar. There are also shared jeeps as well as cabs that depart from Khanapara located in Guwahati. Buses can also be found at the ASTC Bus Stand outside the railway station. Regular buses are also accessible via ISBT, Beltola in Guwahati.

 What is the ideal time to go to Meghalaya?

Meghalaya is a tropical region with a humid climate. The ideal timing to travel to Meghalaya is during the winter months that run from October through March. However, if you wish to view the waterfalls in all their beauty, make sure you visit them towards the close of the rain season or shortly following it, i.e. between August to the start of October.

Meghalaya is one such location in India that is stunning during all seasons. Although our favourite season to go is the month of monsoon season, other seasons are also captivating. The time you decide to embark on a Meghalaya trip is based on the kind of trip you wish to experience.

From April to June (Summer)

The weather is generally pleasant at this time of year, and temperatures remain cool. It is undoubtedly a prime season to go on the Meghalaya excursion. It is the best opportunity to be outdoors and explore. It's also a great time to caving. The waterfalls, however, will be less flooded. The Seven Sister Waterfalls in Cherrapunjee are not visible during this period. Instead, it appears like tiny strips of water flowing down the mountain cliffs during summer.

From July to September (Monsoon)

The monsoon begins in Meghalaya in June. But, after July, it's the peak monsoon. Because Meghalaya is among the most humid areas on the planet, It receives plenty of rain. The monsoon that occurs at Meghalaya is simply stunning. The landscape is lush and green, and the waterfalls take on a life of their own. The fog and clouds add an aura of mystery and beauty to the spot.

Cherrapunjee Mawsynram and Cherrapunjee are incredibly gorgeous at this time of year. But, you'll not experience the crystal-clear waters of the Umngot River at Dawki during this period. So, it is also not advised to go for a swim during this period.

If you are a fan of travelling during the rainy season, we would certainly recommend the Meghalaya trip. But be ready to deal with showers at times. So be sure to wear your raincoat at all times.

October through November (Autumn)

It is among the most beautiful seasons to visit Meghalaya. The rains have ceased. However, the effects of the rain are visible with lush greenery all over and vibrant waterfalls. The temperatures are cool and sunny, which is ideal for hikes and outdoor activities.

December through February (Winter)

The temperature remains moderately cold. However, the days can be a little warm. Mornings can be a bit fog-like. Winter is also a great time to get out and explore any outdoor activity such as caving and trekking. It is also an excellent time to go to Dawki. It is possible to see the crystal clear water of the river that Dawki is so well-known for.

For more information about Top tourist attraction in meghalaya. Also direct contact Capture A Trip.

[sexydeathparty]

I’m A Muslim Burial Expert. Two Years Of Covid Have Changed Me Forever

This essay is part of Survive. Thrive. Evolve: How Two Years of the Pandemic Impacted Us Around the World, a global HuffPost project featuring individuals writing about how their lives were affected after two years of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

As a burial expert, I’m confronted by grief all the time. The pandemic, however, was a whole new ball game. And it changed me.

My mother, who was my best friend, died in 2013, and it had a profound effect on me and the work I do.

I didn’t have the best childhood. I was naughty in school and, after experiencing some racist violence, I even meddled with gang life. But my mother helped ground me. She believed I could do more with my life. At the age of 27, I went to university and I turned my life around.

I became a social worker, doing gang mediation and working with vulnerable young people in the London borough of Tower Hamlets. I left the organisation after 12 years of service and in 2013 joined the 13 Rivers Trust charity and its programs: the Muslim Burial Fund and Eden Care UK, a service led by Black, Asian and minority ethnic folks that supports and empowers the terminally ill and those at the end of their lives.

Our objective is to work with communities, both young people who have been left behind, and older, terminally ill people without loved ones. The work is inspired by how our parents – first-generation Bangladeshis – had limited language and resources, but always supported their families and friends in Bangladesh as well as our community here in the UK.

But when COVID-19 hit, we found ourselves facing an unprecedented challenge. As part of my work with the Muslim Burial Fund, I began performing Islamic rituals and burial rites. My team and I assisted in the burial of 152 people during the peak of pandemic deaths.

Normally, the team would attend to 30 deaths a year, but in the pandemic, we saw that same figure in a month.

Some days, I was burying up to eight bodies a day. 

We were inundated with referrals from all walks of life. The Muslim community suffered disproportionate deaths and illness in the UK at the beginning of the Covid crisis. So many people were dying.

There were so many restrictions on social contact, too. There were a couple of cases we saw where children who had said goodbye to their dad, who went to the hospital to be treated for Covid and they never saw him again.

Only a few people were allowed in the burial ground, including us. We had to use Facebook Live so that people could be part of the Janazah, or Muslim funeral.

It was difficult. Normally, I’m a fun-loving, soft-centred man. But this job makes you hard. You’ve got to be hard, internally, to cope with death every day.

After work, I’d usually spend time with loved ones, joking and laughing away the stresses of life. But being so involved with grief every day, it took away a part me. I would come home, shower and go to bed immediately. Sometimes I would break into tears. Imagine a 50-year-old man bawling. It was draining burying people every day.

Before Covid, the last time I remember having to put aside my own emotions and just get on with helping other people was the Grenfell Tower disaster.

When that fire broke out in the early hours of June 14, 2017, many Muslim worshippers like myself were still awake due to Ramadan. In a way, it was a good thing because my team and I were able to mobilise quickly and we became some of the first responders to come to the aid of Grenfell victims and families, many of whom were Muslim.

By April 2020, the number of Muslims dying of Covid was so high that burial space in London began to run out. So we had to start doing Saff burials.

Saff burials allowed 10 graves on the same plot of land but in different chambers, with the deceased laid out in a dignified way. At the time, the waiting list for Muslim burials was six to 10 days, but this reduced the waiting list and helped families. Waiting to bury a loved one can be really tough and families shouldn’t need to chase people to lay their loved ones to rest.

I saw so many grieving families and many of their stories stayed with me. I saw a widowed mom-of-four who struggled to afford the funeral of her late husband; a student in Saudi Arabia who couldn’t get to his dad’s funeral in England due to COVID; a Muslim convert who had no one to help with his burial.

But it’s not just the dead I deal with and it’s not just burial support we offer. We try to help the living who find themselves in precarious and disadvantaged situations, too. Between November 2020 and June 2021, we were able to deliver 7,665 hot meals to those without access to food.

I’ve also been fortunate enough to forge wonderful friendships with some patients at the end of their lives. At Eden Care, we provide a weekly befriending session, and that person really does become a friend to me.

We also support that person by granting them a wish list of things they want to do. If it’s going to a place they’re fond of, we organize transportation. If there are relationship conflicts they want to resolve, we help mediate. Or they might want a gathering or party, which we can plan – for Muslim reverts (as we call converts), the request is usually for a Janazah, where we’ll perform all the Islamic rituals.

Covid changed the wish lists we could help with, of course. We couldn’t visit hospitals or arrange gatherings. So we offered telephone befriending instead and we opened that up to everybody, not just Muslims, because it was a national crisis and a global crisis, and we didn’t want people to be alone.

This whole situation has been both an ordeal and a lifeline, a way of living to honor the dead. And I think I’m getting stronger. I’ve been through so much grief: my mother’s death, Grenfell, friends and family I’ve lost, COVID victims.

I say to my children, “I’m Gandalf the White now.”

As told to Faima Bakar.

Abu Mumin is a founder of the charity 13 Rivers Trust, which runs the Muslim Burial Fund, Eden Care UK, Sylhet Aid and Rescue Orphans programs. He is also a proud Muslim and Bangladeshi dad.

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[polixy]

Government restrictions on religion around the world reached new record in 2018

Government restrictions on religion around the world reached new record in 2018;

Border guard police in Burma (Myanmar) patrol the fence in the “no-man’s land” at the country’s border with Bangladesh in August 2018. More than 14,500 Rohingya Muslims were reported to have fled to Bangladesh in 2018 to escape abuses, and at least 4,500 Rohingya were stuck in the border area. (Phyo Hein Kyaw/AFP via Getty Images)

Government restrictions on religion rose to a record high in 2018, while religion-related social hostilities fell slightly but remained near peak levels, according to Pew Research Center’s 11th annual study of restrictions on religion.

Restrictions by governments include official laws and actions that curtail religious beliefs and practices, while social hostilities encompass everything from religion-related armed conflict to harassment over clothing. The analysis covers policies that were in place and events that occurred in 198 countries and territories in 2018, the most recent year for which data was available.

Here are key findings from the report.

This is the 11th in a series of annual reports by Pew Research Center analyzing the extent to which governments and societies around the world impinge on religious beliefs and practices. The studies are part of the Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures project, which analyzes religious change and its impact on societies around the world.

To measure global restrictions on religion in 2018 – the most recent year for which data is available – the study rates 198 countries and territories by their levels of government restrictions on religion and social hostilities involving religion. The new study is based on the same 10-point indexes used in the previous studies.

The Government Restrictions Index measures government laws, policies and actions that restrict religious beliefs and practices. The GRI comprises 20 measures of restrictions, including efforts by government to ban particular faiths, prohibit conversion, limit preaching or give preferential treatment to one or more religious groups.

The Social Hostilities Index measures acts of religious hostility by private individuals, organizations or groups in society. This includes religion-related armed conflict or terrorism, mob or sectarian violence, harassment over attire for religious reasons, or other religion-related intimidation or abuse. The SHI includes 13 measures of social hostilities.

To track these indicators of government restrictions and social hostilities, researchers combed through more than a dozen publicly available, widely cited sources of information, including the U.S. State Department’s annual reports on international religious freedom and annual reports from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, as well as reports from a variety of European and United Nations bodies and several independent, nongovernmental organizations. Classification of regime types comes from the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Democracy Index and is reused with permission of the Economist Intelligence Unit. (See Methodology for more details on sources used in the study.)

Government restrictions in 2018 were at their highest level since 2007, when Pew Research Center began tracking these trends. The global median score on the Government Restrictions Index (a 10-point scale based on 20 indicators) rose to 2.9 in 2018 from 2.8 a year earlier. That was partly due to an increase in the number of governments using force – such as detentions and physical abuse – to coerce religious groups.

While the index increase in 2018 was relatively small, government restrictions have grown substantially from a median score of 1.8 in 2007. At the same time, the number of countries with “high” or “very high” levels of government restrictions has also been climbing. Most recently, 56 countries – or 28% of all 198 countries and territories in the study – fell into one of those two categories.

Asia and the Pacific had the largest increase in government restrictions, while the Middle East and North Africa region continued to have the highest median level of restrictions. The median score among the Asia Pacific region’s 50 countries rose to 4.4 in 2018 from 3.8 a year earlier. In 2018, roughly six-in-ten countries in the region (62%) experienced some level of government force related to religion, up from about half (52%) in 2017. In Burma, also known as Myanmar, thousands of people from religious minorities continued to be displaced. And in Uzbekistan, at least 1,500 Muslims remained in prison on charges of extremism or membership in banned groups.

As in past years, the median government restrictions score in the Middle East and North Africa remains high (6.2 out of 10). Most countries in the region had reports of governments harassing religious groups, interfering in worship, favoring some religious groups and using force against others. In Algeria, for example, authorities detained several Christians for violating a ban on proselytizing by non-Muslims. Separately, authorities in the country also prosecuted 26 Ahmadi Muslims for “insulting the precepts of Islam.”

Social hostilities fell slightly in 2018 but remained near the 2017 peak. The median level of religion-related hostilities by private individuals, organizations or groups in society fell to 2.0 from 2.1 on the 10-point Social Hostilities Index. While this index has doubled in the past decade, it has seen more year-to-year fluctuations compared with government restrictions. The decline in 2018 is partly due to fewer reports of incidents in which some religious groups (usually of a majority faith in a country) attempted to prevent other religious groups (usually of minority faiths) from expressing their beliefs. Globally, the number of countries with “high” or “very high” levels of social hostilities involving religion stood at 53 in 2018, or 27% of all countries studied.

Among the 25 most populous countries, India, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan and Russia had the highest overall levels of restrictions involving religion, according to an analysis that combines government restrictions and social hostilities. China had the highest levels of government restrictions, and India had the highest levels of social hostilities – not just among the most populous countries, but among all 198 countries in the study. The Government Restrictions Index score for China – whose government restricts religion in a variety of ways, including banning entire religious groups – was the highest ever for any country (9.3 out of 10). India’s score on the Social Hostilities Index was 9.6 out of 10, near its peak score of 9.7 in 2016, in part due to mob violence related to religion and hostilities over conversions. India also ranks high on government restrictions and reached an all-time high in its government restrictions score (5.9 out of 10).

Among the five regions included in the study, only the Americas experienced an increase in social hostilities levels. The largest increase within the Americas occurred in El Salvador, where in March, during Catholic Holy Week, armed men robbed a priest and his companions on their way to Mass and killed the priest. Still, the Americas continued to have the lowest overall median level of social hostilities of the five geographic regions analyzed in the study. Social hostilities scores in Asia and the Pacific remained stable, and three other regions – sub-Saharan Africa, Europe and the Middle East-North Africa – experienced declines.

Authoritarian governments are more likely to restrict religion. For the first time, Pew Research Center included in its study a classification of regime types published in a Democracy Index by the Economist Intelligence Unit. According to the new analysis, roughly two-thirds (65%) of countries with “very high” government restrictions are classified as authoritarian. Meanwhile, only 7% of countries with “low” government restrictions are authoritarian. In terms of social hostilities involving religion, the picture is more mixed. Nevertheless, many authoritarian countries had “low” or “moderate” levels of social hostilities. No country that was classified as a full democracy had “very high” government restrictions or social hostilities.

Christians and Muslims continue to be harassed in the most countries. Harassment against religious groups, both by governments and individuals or social groups, was reported in 185 out of the 198 countries in 2018. That figure, which includes any country that had at least one incident of harassment reported against a religious group, was down slightly from 187 a year earlier. Christians and Muslims – who make up the largest faith groups globally and are more geographically dispersed than other groups – experienced harassment in the highest number of countries (145 and 139 countries, respectively). Jews are only 0.2% of the global population but were harassed in the third-highest number of countries (88). Religiously unaffiliated people – defined as atheists, agnostics and those who don’t identify with any religion – saw the largest decline in harassment of any group. These “nones” were harassed in 18 countries in 2018, down from 23 countries a year earlier.

Samirah Majumdar  is a research associate focusing on religion research at Pew Research Center.

; Blog (Fact Tank) – Pew Research Center; https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/11/10/government-restrictions-on-religion-around-the-world-reached-new-record-in-2018/; https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/FT_20.11.10_keyfindingsRestrictions_featured.jpg?w=1200&h=628&crop=1; November 10, 2020 at 10:16AM

[rionlove]

Sheikh Hasina was born in Tungipara, East Pakistan on 28 September 1947. Her father was Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the 'father' of the Bengali Nation, and the first President of Bangladesh. Her mother was Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib.[14] She has said in many interviews that she had grown up in fear due to her father's' political works.[15] She married physicist M. A. Wazed Miah in 1968, who was chosen for her by her father.[16] During the peak of violence in the 1970 Pakistani general election, as well as her father's arrest, she had lived in refuge with her grandmother.[15] She was active in the student politics of the University of Dhaka.[17]

Hasina was not in Bangladesh when her father, and most of her family, were assassinated on 15 August 1975 during a military coup d'état by members of the Bangladesh Army. She was in West Germany where her husband, M. A. Wazed Miah, was working as a nuclear physicist. She moved to Delhi in late 1975 and was provided asylum by India. Her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, studied at Indian boarding schools. During her time in India Hasina was not involved in politics, but became close friends with Suvra Mukherjee, wife of the future Indian President Pranab Mukherjee.[16][18]

Hasina was not allowed to return to Pakistan until after she was elected to lead the Awami League Party on 16 February 1981, and arrived home on 17 May 1981.[15] She is the aunt of British MP Tulip Siddiq.[19][20]

Early political career

[web4study-net-blog]

THE LAND OF PURE (PAKISTAN) | Essay for CSS and PMS

THE LAND OF PURE (PAKISTAN) | Essay for CSS and PMS

The name Pakistan means Land of (the) Pure in Urdu and Persian. It was coined in 1934 as Pakistan by Choudhary Rahmat Ali, a Pakistan movement activist, who published it in his pamphlet 'Now or Never'. The name is an acronym representing the "thirty million Muslim brethren who live in Pakistan-by which we mean the five Northern units of India viz: Punjab, North-West Frontier Province (Afghan Province), Kashmir, Sind, and Balochistan". The letter 'i' was later added to ease pronunciation. Pakistan was created, and achieved its independence, on 14 August 1947 as the result of a partition of British India. It consisted of the former provinces of Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa together with the east of Bengal and the west of Punjab. These were all regions with a Muslim-majority population. M. A. Jinnah, the leader of the Muslim League, was the principal advocate of Pakistan. Chaotic conditions at the time of partition also led to at least half a million people being killed in ferocious 'communal' violence. Since independence Pakistan has enjoyed a chequered history. Tensions with India have remained high and have led to three wars. East Pakistan seceded in 1971, amidst much bloodshed, to form the independent state of Bangladesh. Full general elections were not held until 1970 and democratic institutions have remained at risk from military coups. Pakistan is bordered by India on the east, the Arabian Sea on the south, Iran on the southwest, and Afghanistan on the west and north; in the northeast is the disputed territory (with India) of Kashmir, of which the part occupied by Pakistan borders on Chins. Islamabad is the capital and Karachi is the largest city. Pakistan may be divided into four geographic regions-the plateaux of W Pakistan, the plains of the Indus and Punjab rivers, the hills of NW Pakistan, and the mountains of N Pakistan. The plateau region of W Pakistan, which is roughly coextensive with Baluchistan province, is an arid region with relatively wetter conditions in its northern sections. Numerous low mountain ranges rise from the plateau, and the Hingol and Dasht rivers are among the largest streams. Large portions of the region are unfit for agriculture, and although some cotton is raised, nomadic sheep grazing is the principal activity. Coal, chromite, and natural gas are found in this area, and fishing and salt trading are carried on along the rugged Maler.an coast. Quetta, the chief city, is an important railroad centre on the line between Afghanistan and the Indus valley. East of the plateau region is extensive alluvial plains, through which flow the Indus and its tributaries. The region, closely coinciding with Sindh and Punjab provinces, is hot and dry and is occupied in its eastern border by the Thar Desert. Extensive irrigation facilities, fed by the waters of the Indus system, make the Indus basin the agricultural heartland of Pakistan. A variety of crops (especially wheat, rice, and cotton) are raised there. Advances in agricultural engineering have countered the salinity problems involved in farming the Indus delta. The irrigated portions of the plain are densely populated, being the site of many of Pakistan's principal cities, including Lahore, Faisalabad (formerly Lyallpur), Hyderabad, and Multan. Karachi, the nation's chief port, is located west of the irrigated land at a site accessible to oceangoing vessels. The higher parts of the plain, in the north, as in the vicinity of Lahore, have a more humid subtropical climate. In NW Pakistan, occupying about two-thirds of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is a region of low hills and plateaus interspersed with fertile valleys. The elevation of the region tempers the arid climate. It is a predominantly agricultural area, with wheat the chief crop; fruit trees and livestock are also raised Peshawar and Rawalpindi, the largest cities of this area, are the only major manufacturing centres. In the northern section of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and in the Pakistani-occupied sector of Kashmir are the rugged ranges and the high, snowcapped peaks of the Hindu Kush, Himalaya, and Karakorum mountains; Tirich Mir is the highest point in the country outside Kashmir. Pakistan has one of the world's most rapidly growing populations. Its people are a mixture of many ethnic groups, a result of the occupation of the region by groups passing through on their way to India. The Pathans (Pashtuns) of the northwest are a large, indigenous group that has long resisted advances by invaders and that has at times sought to establish an autonomous state within Pakistan. Baluchis, who live mainly in the southwest, have also pressed for the creation of a state that would incorporate parts of Afghanistan and Iran. Punjabis reside mainly in the northeast, and Sindhis in the southeast. Pakistan is an overwhelmingly (about 97%) Muslim country; about three-fourths of the Muslims are Sunnis (largely Sufis) and the rest Shiites. Urdu is the official language, but Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Baluchi, Hindko, and Brahui are also spoken; English is common among the upper classes and in the government. Read the full article

[rightsinexile]

Publications

“Many refugees seek out the anonymity of the city because it allows them to escape capture by authorities and provides a means for survival. The city is a place of promise as well as danger and a space that refugees often have to learn to navigate.” - Urban refugees: Challenges in protection, services and policy. Koichi Koizumi and Gerhard Hoffstaedter (eds.). 2015.

“While international law and Israel’s obligations as a signatory to different human rights treaties effectively protect asylum seekers from outright deportation to Sudan and Eritrea – at least for now – they live in perpetual legal limbo and their futures remain uncertain.” - The story of Yaser Abdulla, Darfuri asylum seeker who was tortured in the Sinai desert only to face imprisonment in Israel and a life without refugee status. Mya Guarnieri Jaradat. Torture and Migration Journal. Ca’Foscari University Press. December 2019.

“The current immigration debate in many countries is heavily influenced by hyper-securitization of refugees that is grounded in two pillars – the (re)territorialization of politics and the binary conceptualization of Self.” - Bordering and identity-making in Europe after the 2015 refugee crisis. Andrey Makarychev. Geopolitics. October 2018. 

“Building ‘resilience’ to insecurity and crisis is high on the European Union (EU) agenda. EU uptake of this buzzword is especially significant with regard to migration and forced displacement. For the EU, resilience-building is primarily a refugee containment strategy that could jeopardize the stability of refugee-hosting states.” - Under the guise of resilience: The EU approach to migration and forced displacement in Jordan and Lebanon. Rosanne Anholt and Giulia Sinatti. Contemporary Security Policy. December 2019.

“This report examines the social, economic, and demographic determinants of detention of refugees and migrants in Libya. Drawing on surveys of 5,144 refugees, migrants, and asylum-seekers, it compares the profiles and characteristics of those who reported being detained and those who did not in order to identify what factors make people on the move more likely to end up in detention.” - What makes refugees and migrants vulnerable to detention in Libya? A microlevel study of the determinants of detention. Mixed Migration Centre. December 2019.

“It is precisely because of this political dimension that negative attitudes toward immigrants can reach extreme peaks of intensity and thus lead, in a climate of perceived political legitimation, to out-group discrimination and possible inter-group conflict.” - When ethnic prejudice is political: An experiment in beliefs and hostility toward immigration out-groups in Italy. Mauro Barisione. Italian Political Science Review. 2019. 

“The first reintroduction of internal border controls dates back to September 2015 when Germany reestablished checks at its land border with Austria, following large arrival numbers of asylum seekers via that route.” - From Tampere 20 to Tampere 2.0: Towards a new European consensus on migration. Philippe De Bruycker, Marie De Somer, Jean-Louis De Brouwer (eds.). December 2019.

“The challenging context of the Rohingya crisis makes evident weaknesses in the GCR, including a lack of clarity on its scope, character and purpose, alongside unresolved questions around leadership and accountability.” - The Global Compact on Refugees: Lessons from Bangladesh. Karen Hargrave and Veronique Barbelet. December 2019. 

“As the climate crisis intensifies, however, the paradigm gets complicated, as the drivers of the climate crisis—including methane released from landfills, natural gas and petroleum industries, agriculture and livestock, and deforestation—are not necessarily where one’s safety or well-being are most threatened due to the effects of the climate crisis. Thus, required is a new understanding of “persecution” that could account for the severe nature of the climate crisis and climate-induced displacement, and serve as the basis for a normative framing of ‘climate refugee’ protection.” - Climate refugees: The climate crisis and rights denied. Hossein Ayazi and Elsadig Elsheikh. 10 December 2019.

“Asylum inflows from poor countries are significantly and negatively associated with aid in the short run, with mixed evidence of more lasting effects, while inflows from less poor economies show a positive but non-robust relationship to aid. Moreover, aid leads to negative cross-donor spillovers. Applications linearly decrease with humanitarian aid.” - Foreign aid, bilateral asylum immigration and development. Marina Murat. Journal of Population Economics. January 2020.

“In many cases mainstream mental health care is inconsistent with the values, expectations, and patterns of immigrants and refugee populations. Although mental illnesses have similar symptoms across cultures, the ways people manifest, describe, and interpret symptoms vary across cultures. Similarly, culture influences where people seek help and which treatments they prefer.” - Immigrant, refugee, ethnocultural and racialized populations and the social determinants of health. Mental Health Commission of Canada. February 2019.

“Refugees are too-often an abstract group in political discussion, and panelists in this session demonstrated the deleterious impact that can have on individual and social potential.” - Good decisions: Achieving fairness in refugee law, policy and practice. Andrew and Renata Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law. 2019.

“Decision-making on LGBTQI+ claims is inconsistent. There is often inadequate knowledge about the situation of LGBTQI+ people in the respective countries of origin resulting, for instance, in decisions where ‘internal relocation’ is suggested. There is often a disconnect in recognizing gender-based and other forms of violence against LGBTQI+ people rendering invisible the intersectional experience of LGBTQI+ people seeking asylum. Poor decision-making results in long waiting periods and thus exacerbates social isolation and the strain on mental health.” - Queer asylum in Germany: Better visibility and access to legal and social support needed for LGBTQI+ people seeking asylum in Germany. Mengia Tschalaer and Nina Held. October 2019.

“Decision makers must establish whether or not an LGBTI person, if returned to their country of origin, will live freely and openly as such. This involves a wide spectrum of conduct which goes beyond merely attracting partners and maintaining relationships with them. Even if LGBT persons who lived openly would not be generally be at risk, decision makers must consider whether there are reasons why the particular person would be at risk.” - HJ (Iran) and HT (Cameroon) in country policy information notes on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. UK Lesbian and Gay Immigration Group. December 2019.

“Not only are LGBTIQ+ people fleeing from persecution inflicted by various actors in their countries of origin, but they are also experiencing further violence: en route, in camps, detention centres and even in countries that promised a safe harbour. The truth about their sex, gender identity, sexual orientation and sex characteristics is questioned and scrutinised, very often not believed by immigration officials. They are subjected to harmful and unnecessary tests to prove who they are.” - Queer displacements: Sexuality, migration and exile. Tina Dixson and Renee Dixson. 2019.

“Hundreds of people have been detained in Turkey in the days following the launch of the military offensive. These include members of the Kurdish-rooted leftist opposition People’s Democratic Party (HDP), including members of Parliament, party activists and local government representatives, as well as journalists and others. While some individuals expressing views on the military offensive interpreted as opposition to the government were among those detained, in other cases of detention, the absence of any reference to the ‘Operation Peace Spring’ suggests that the military offensive was also used as a pretext to escalate an ongoing crackdown on dissent that had continued despite the end of the two-year state of emergency in July 2018.” - “We can’t complain”: Turkey’s continuing crackdown on dissent over its military operation “Peace Spring” in northeast Syria. Amnesty International. November 2019.

“The election contributions, combined with the associated extortion and other abuses by Imbonerakure members and local officials, have significantly impacted the lives of many Burundians, including over 70 percent of the population of 11 million living below the poverty line. Although President Nkurunziza said he would not run again, tensions are likely to continue to escalate ahead of the May 2020 presidential and legislative elections. Many Burundians suspected of being political opposition supporters have been killed, disappeared, arbitrarily arrested, and beaten.” - “We let our children go hungry to pay”: Abuses related to the 2020 election levy in Burundi. Human Rights Watch. 6 December 2019. 

“The majority of adjudicators agree that family-based particular social groups meet the requirements for cognizability. In Matter of Acosta, the first decision to define particular social group membership, the Board explicitly mentioned ‘kinship ties’ as a characteristic that can comprise a cognizable social group. The Board went on to repeatedly refer to families as the paradigmatic example of a particular social group. Most of the Circuit Courts have joined the Board in accepting family-based groups as cognizable. There is widespread consensus that nuclear families can constitute a cognizable social group and many adjudicators have also recognized groups that encompass more extended family members.” - Families fleeing: Family membership as a basis for asylum. Christine Natoli. UC Hastings Research Paper No. 369. 24 October 2019. 

“The Attorney General and the Secretary believe that fraudulent document offenses pose such a significant affront to government integrity that even misdemeanor fraudulent document offenses should disqualify aliens from eligibility for asylum.” - Procedures for asylum and bars to asylum eligibility. Executive Office for Immigration Review. 19 December 2019.

“This briefing assesses the impact of the law on refugee women’s right to work and access economic opportunities in high refugee hosting countries. We find that laws governing women’s opportunities to get a job or start a business are far from gender equal.” - Ruled out of work: Refugee women’s legal right to work. International Rescue Committee. December 2019.

“Previously, the agency’s surveillance role has been restricted to the external borders and the “pre-frontier area” – for example, the high seas or ‘selected third-country ports.’ New legal provisions mean it will now be able to gather data on the movement of people within the EU. While this is only supposed to deal with ‘trends, volumes and routes,’ rather than personal data, it is intended to inform operational activity within the EU.” - Monitoring “secondary movements” and “hotspots”: Frontex is now an internal surveillance agency. Chris Jones. Statewatch. December 2019. 

“Since the EU-Turkey deal of March 2016, different procedures apply depending on the asylum seeker’s nationality and vulnerability status. This means that each applicant needs to have a detailed understanding of the procedure as it applies to them individually in order to be able to present their application in a full and accurate way and for the procedure to be fair and robust. Coupled with the frequently changing, opaque and inconsistently applied policies and practices, this means that it is very difficult for asylum seekers to understand the asylum process and criteria, as well as their rights and obligations, without meaningful access to information and legal assistance, provided in a language they understand.” - No-rights zone: How people in need of protection are being denied crucial access to legal information and assistance in the Greek islands’ EU “hotspot” camps. Marion Bouchetel. Oxfam and Greek Council for Refugees. December 2019.

“The [Asylum Act] stipulates that ‘restrictive measures’ can be imposed ‘to limit abuse of the asylum procedure’ or if the asylum seeker poses a threat to national security. Possible restrictive measures include imposition of a designated place of residence, reporting duties, and detention. However, like the [Aliens Ordinance], the [Asylum Act] does not explicitly refer to detention, instead speaking of ‘placement in specially designed closed spaces’ (plasarea în spaţii închise special amenajate) or, like the [Aliens Ordinance], of ‘taking into public custody’ (menţinerea în custodie publică) (Article 19^2(1)).” - Romania immigration detention profile. Global Detention Project. November 2019.

“This report aims to be not only a presentation of information, but a critical analysis of the mechanisms that govern and shape the lives of young people on the move in Brussels. It is divided into three parts, analysing the physical, legal and psycho-social l aspects of life as a young person seeking international protection in Brussels.” - Young refugees living in reception and accommodation centres in Brussels: A critical examination of the psychosocial, legal and living conditions for young people seeking international protection. SB OverSeas. 12 December 2019.

“This report also follows expulsions from Greece to Turkey, chain pushbacks from Italy, heightened transit into Bosnia-Herzegovina, and squat evictions occurring in western Serbia. In summary, the information collated by BVMN in the field, combined with developments in the region, paints a disturbing picture of EU border practice on the West Balkan Route in the early winter months of 2019.” - Illegal push-backs and border violence reports: Balkan region. Border Violence Monitoring Network. November 2019.

“As sponsorship schemes proliferate - from Canada and Europe to Latin America and Oceania - now is a critical moment to make sure that new programmes get it right and that long-running schemes have the support they need to continue to exist, and perhaps to grow. While government investment and buy-in are essential to the long-term sustainability of any protection pathway, philanthropic investments can catalyze the creation of new programmes and support the longevity and quality of existing ones.” - Refugee sponsorship programmes: A global state of play and opportunities for investment. Migration Policy Institute. December 2019.

“The refugee perception of Malta is gradually shifting from it being a transit country on the way to Europe to one offering the possibility of employment and a new life. At the same time, the government, employers and other intermediaries involved in the labour market have repeatedly expressed that workers with skills and experience are a needed resource for Malta to retain its competitive edge and fill labour shortages.” - Working together: A UNHCR report on the employment of refugees and asylum seekers in Malta. UNHCR. December 2019.

“Thus, Frontex safeguards the EU’s structures and discourses of violence, distancing it from policies that defend human rights, peaceful co-existence, equality, protection and more equal relations between territories.” - Guarding the fortress: The role of Frontex in the militarisation and securitisation of migration flows in the European Union. Centre Delàs d’Estudis per la Pau. November 2019.

[atlanticinfocus]

From Southeast Asia's Rohingya Refugee Crisis Reaches A Terrible Peak, one of 33 photos. Rohingya refugees wait to receive aid in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, on September 21, 2017. More than 420,000 people have fled the violence in Burma since August 24, according to the United Nations. (Cathal McNaughton / Reuters)

[creepingsharia]

Reporting on the Rohingya: “The Tip of a Huge Iceberg of Misinformation”

Here’s the follow-up to a post earlier this week, Award-winning journalists call out pro-Muslim bias in AP, Reuters, BBC Myanmar coverage.

Source: Reporting on the Rohingya: “The Tip of a Huge Iceberg of Misinformation” > New English Review

…

Let’s refresh our memories of what has been going on in Myanmar this last month. All the news reports coming from Myanmar (Burma) tell the same story: tens of thousands of the Rohingya, a Muslim minority, have been fleeing into Bangladesh, to avoid the sudden upsurge in violence from both Burmese military and civilians. The Rohingya are presented as the innocent and long-suffering victims of “racist” Burmese Buddhists (Islam being, for propaganda purposes, a “race”). Only a handful of the reports mention, and only briefly, as if in passing, that the current violence began when, in mid-August, Rohingya fighters attacked 30 different police stations and an army base, as part of their campaign to stake their claim to Rakhine State, in western Myanmar, and showing themselves able “to strike terror in the hearts” of the Infidels to get it. The attacks left more than 70 dead, Muslims and Buddhists.

The Rohingyas unleashed still other attacks, and the Burmese army then retaliated, and the Rohingya continued to strike back during the last two weeks in August, and then there was more retaliation from the Buddhists. Many Rohingya have fled the retaliatory violence — a violence which they began — for Bangladesh, but it is their flight, and that retaliation by the Buddhists, which is getting almost all of the attention in the Western press, complete with photographs of victims of other conflicts who are presented as Rohingya (the “fake news” of which Aung San Suu Kyi complained), rather than what prompted it.

Seldom mentioned is that the August attack by the Rohingyas was preceded by a similar attack, last October, by the Rohingyas on the Burmese (Buddhist) police, and again, it was not their initial attack, but almost exclusively the retaliation by the Buddhist army, that was the focus of reports in the foreign press last fall. Reports of Rohingya villages being burnt down are reported uncritically. The Myanmar authorities have claimed that Islamic militants, having infiltrated Rohingya communities, have themselves been setting fire to houses in Muslim villages in order to get the world even more on their side. Instead of assuming these claims must be false, why not investigate them?

…

The Western media have uncritically repeated the Rohingya claim that they have inhabited Arakan for many centuries or “since time immemorial.” Others beg to differ, among them a well-known historian, and author of many works on Burma, Professor Andrew Selth of Griffith University in Australia. He has stated categorically that the name “Rohingya” was taken by “Bengali Muslims who live in Arakan State…most Rohingyas arrived with the British colonialists in the 19th and 20th centuries.” It is true that a handful of Bengali Muslims drifted down to Burma over the centuries, but Professor Selth makes the important point — unknown to Western reporters — that the vast majority of Rohingyas are recent arrivals, their great migration made possible by the fact that Burma was administratively part of British India until 1937, which meant there was no formal border to cross.

Particularly disappointing for many in the West (not to speak of the reactions of Pakistan, Al Jazeera, and Tariq Ramadan) has been what they regard as the unforgivable silence of Aung San Suu Kyi, currently the head of the Myanmar government. For Aung San Suu Kyi was formerly the leader of the nonviolent opposition to the Burmese military, placed under house arrest by the generals, then freed, and awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. For more than two decades she was, for her continued defiance of the generals, and willingness to endure that house arrest, a darling of the international media. Since the end of military rule, which she helped to bring about, she has held a number of important government posts, and is now the State Counsellor (equivalent to Prime Minister) in Myanmar.

But in her continuing refusal to condemn outright the attacks on the Rohingya, and in her insistence that in Myanmar there has been “violence on both sides” — for which there is ample evidence — Aung San Suu Kyi is now seen by many outside Myanmar in quite another light. Many have criticized Aung San Suu Kyi for her silence on the 2012 Rakhine State riots, when, after the rape and killing of a Buddhist woman by three Rohingyas, Buddhists retaliated, and then the violence escalated when hundreds of Rohingyas went on a rampage following Friday prayers at a mosque, throwing rocks and setting fire to houses and buildings. Four Buddhists, among them a doctor and an elderly man, died of multiple knife wounds. Recent accounts in the foreign media ignore all that. For the Western media, the narrative remains the same; the Rohingya are always the victims, and the Buddhist violence against them is always unwarranted.

If we examine the last 150 years of Burmese history, we may find that Madame Suu Kyi has more of a point than her foreign critics think. It is that history that is in the minds of, and explains the behavior today of, the Buddhists of Myanmar. In 1826, after the Anglo-Burmese War, the British annexed Arakan (Rakhine State), where almost all of the 1.1 million Rohingyas now in Myanmar still live, to British India. And they began to encourage Indians, mainly Muslims, to move into Arakan from Bengal as cheap farm labor. They continued to encourage this migration throughout the nineteenth-century. The numbers of Bengali Muslim migrants is impressive. In Akyab District, the capital of Arakan, according to the British censuses of 1872 and 1911, there was an increase in the Muslim population from 58,255 to 178,647, a tripling within forty years. At the beginning of the 20th century, migrants from Bengal were still arriving in Burma at the rate of a quarter million per year. In the peak year of 1927, 480,000 people arrived in Burma, with Rangoon in that year surpassing New York City as the greatest migration port in the world.  And many of these migrants were Bengali Muslims who joined the Muslims already in Rakhine State, renaming themselves the Rohingyas. The Buddhists continued to call them, as they still do today, “Bengalis.” And the immigration of Bengali Muslims continued for decades. In a 1955 study published by Stanford University, the authors Virginia Thompson and Richard Adloff concluded that “’the post-war (World War II) illegal immigration of Chittagonians [i.e., Bengali Muslims from Chittagong in East Pakistan] into that area [Arakan state] was on a vast scale, and in the Maungdaw and Buthidaung areas they replaced the [Buddhist] Arakanese.”

The Buddhist Burmese looked on helplessly at the arrival of these hundreds of thousands of Muslims, but there was nothing they could do against the policy of their British colonial masters. During World War II, the British retreat in the face of the Japanese led to a power vacuum, and simmering inter-communal tensions erupted, with the Arakanese Massacres of 1942, when 50,000 Buddhist Rakhines were killed by the Rohingyas in Rakhine (Arakan) state. In retaliation, the Buddhists then killed as many as 40,000 Rohingyas. (In another account, with much lower figures, the Rohingyas killed 20,000 of the Buddhists, who then killed 5,000 of the Rohingyas.) The origins of the mass killing instigated by the Rohingya Muslims in 1942 have a simple explanation: they had been left weapons by the retreating British, who had been assured that the Rohingyas would use the weapons against the Japanese. Instead, as soon as they acquired these arms, the Rohingyas attacked the Buddhists, mainly Arakanese, in Rakhine State, And after World War II, illegal immigration by Bengali Muslims “was on a vast scale.” For the Western media, none of this matters. History doesn’t count. For the Buddhists of Burma, this history matters a great deal.

And what the Rohingya did next also matters. In May, 1946 Rohingya leaders met with Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the Muslim leader who founded modern Pakistan, and asked that the northern part of Rakhine state be annexed by East Pakistan. Then, when Jinnah refused to interfere in Burmese affairs, they founded the Mujahid Party in northern Arakan in 1947. The aim of the Mujahid Party was initially to create an autonomous Muslim state in Arakan. The local mujahideen – that’s what the Rohingya warriors proudly called themselves — fought government forces in an attempt to have the mostly Rohingya-populated Mayu peninsula in northern Rakhine State secede from Myanmar (then Burma), and after that secession, the Rohingyas hoped that territory would be annexed by East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh). Fighting between the Rohingya and the Burmese state, then, is not a new thing; it has been going on intermittently since 1947, and it was started by the Rohingya. The Rohingya revolt eventually lost momentum in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and many of the Rohingyas surrendered to government forces.

The Muslim insurrection by the Rohingya did not end, but was revived in the 1970s, which in turn led to the Burmese government mounting, in 1978, a huge military operation (Operation King Dragon) that inflicted great damage on the mujahideen, and bought a decade of relative calm. But again the Rohingya rose up against the Burmese state, and in the 1990s the “Rohingya Solidarity Organisation” attacked Burmese authorities near the border with Bangladesh. In other words, this war on the Buddhist Burmese conducted by the Muslim Rohingya has been going on – waxing and waning – ever since that massacre of Buddhist Rakhins in 1942. It  is by keeping in mind that  history,, and the memory, too, of how the Rohingya tried on several occasions to secede from Burma and become part of East Pakistan, that Buddhist fears of a Muslim takeover of northern Myanmar should be taken seriously, and viewed sympathetically. The Burmese monks who have recently been whipping up anti-Rohingya sentiment are not behaving out of motiveless malignity; they are keenly aware of all this history. The current reports by journalists are singularly one-sided, and lacking in any historical context. Not a single Western reporter has mentioned that 1942 massacre of the Buddhists by the Rohingya; not a single Western reporter has mentioned the attempts by the Rohingya to join Arakan state to East Pakistan. Not a single Western reporter has noted the Rohingya insurrections of the 1970s and 1990s. Not a single Western reporter has provided the data that shows just how many Bengali Muslims poured into Burma in the late 19th and early 20th century, that certainly calls into question their claim that “Rohingya have been living in Arakan from time immemorial.”  Not a single Western reporter has noted, either, that the Hui Panthays — a Muslim Chinese people — live in perfect security, free to practice Islam, in Myanmar, perhaps because that doesn’t fit the narrative of anti-Muslim mad monks that has been so successfully peddled in the West. Unlike the Rohingya, the Hui Panthay have not attacked and displaced Buddhists, as the Rohingya, Bengali Muslims, attacked and displaced the Buddhist Rakhine people in parts of Rakhine state.

…

For the Burmese — and not just a handful of monks — the Rohingyas are not a true indigenous people of Myanmar, but the descendants of the Muslims who began arriving from East Bengal in the 19th century.  Today’s Rohingyas, for the Buddhists in present-day Myanmar who are leading the anti-Rohingya campaign, are the same people who attacked Buddhists in Rakhine State in 1942, who tried to secede and join Pakistan in 1946, who, as self-described Jihadist warriors (“mujahideen”) conducted a violent insurrection against Burmese authorities that began in 1948 and lasted to the 1950s, in order to make Rakhine an autonomous state under Muslim control, and then, in a second attempt,  to possibly have it annexed by Pakistan. These are the same Jihad warriors who conducted an insurrection against the Buddhist government in the 1970s and again in the 1990s. For the Buddhist monks of Myanmar, the Rohingyas are  Bengali Muslims– the Buddhists have never called them “Rohingyas” but, rather, “Bengalis” — who migrated south to Burma, and are the local branch of the world-wide Muslim umma that has been in continuous warfare against Buddhists and Buddhism for centuries, and is again becoming more aggressive and violent all over the world.

…

Should the history of Muslim-Buddhist relations in Myanmar be better known, with journalists taking it upon themselves to learn about, and then to transmit, this history, it is possible that the “international community” would address the current violence differently. Imagine the effect on Myanmar’s anxious Buddhists if those now lecturing them so unsympathetically instead demonstrated by their statements that they were well aware of the flood into Myanmar of Muslim migrants over a half-century, recognized that the inter-communal violence in 1942 had started with massacres by the Muslim side against unsuspecting Buddhists, conceded that the Rohingyas had tried for many years, as self-described mujahideen, to seize part of Myanmar, and to make it an autonomous Muslim state, and that it is this past, as well as the actions over many centuries of Muslims against  Buddhists (and Hindus) in south Asia, that has deeply affected how the Burmese Buddhists view their own situation.

That might help calm the Burmese Buddhists, make them feel less anxious, now that their fears were not being cavalierly dismissed, but given a sympathetic hearing. And they, in turn, might ratchet down their own violence if they no longer feel quite so alone. It should be possible for the West to come to its senses about the Rohingyas and the Buddhists of Myanmar. What is needed is for the Western media to study the history of the Rohingyas in Myanmar, when they arrived, and from where, and what has been the nature of their interactions with the Buddhists. And the Western journalists on whom we rely will learn that beginning in the 1940s it was the Rohingyas who struck first against the Buddhists, militarily with the massacre of 50,000 in 1942, and diplomatically with the appeal to Pakistan’s president in 1947 to make Arakan (Rakhine State) part of Pakistan, and continued to strike against the Buddhist authorities in Myanmar intermittently, over several decades of conflict. That history can’t be restated often enough.

Read it all.

Also watch the video of the 2012 Muslim attacks. Click the link if it doesn’t embed.

https://vid.me/q9YWE

Below is a separate, rare, and likely short-lived video on Youtube that is not pro-Rohingya Muslim propaganda.

[Click here to scroll archive and watch video at end]

Muslims from Bangladesh and Myanmar, so-called Rohingya’s, are being imported to the U.S. Just yesterday we posted on one of them: New Hampshire: Muslim refugee sexually assaults 4 girls, including a 7-year-old.

Please Share & Help Wake America Up

[sidhiroy]

MEGHALAYA TRIP – Best time to visit Meghalaya?

It is not a secret that Meghalaya is among our top destinations. It is located in the highlands of the sub-Himalayas eastern part; Meghalaya Trip is one of the most beautiful states in India. According to Sanskrit, Meghalaya translates into "abode of clouds" and is rightfully named as such. The place is said to be among the world's wettest spots; Meghalaya sees the hide and seeks games played between the sun and the rain.

Khasi, Jaintia and Garo Hills surround it; Meghalaya offers simple and unspoiled beauty for its guests. Meghalaya boasts stunning natural beauty, waterfalls that cascade, sparkling clear rivers, natural caves, and an enthralling cultural heritage. From the gorgeous waterfalls of Cherrapunjee to the crystal clear streams in Umngot, Meghalaya is an area halfway between the heavens and the earth.

We are awestruck by the idea of visiting Meghalaya repeatedly and would like you to explore the state too. Find out more about this state and the best way to create a memorable Meghalaya trip.

Is it in Meghalaya?

 Meghalaya is situated in northeastern India. Trip to Meghalaya was created from the Assam state. Assam shares boundaries with Assam and Bangladesh in the south and west.

 Meghalaya Trip: Is it safe to visit Meghalaya?

Meghalaya is one of the most secure states we've visited. People are welcoming and always ready to assist you.

Meghalaya is also among the most secure places for women to travel in. Since it is a matrilineal society, violence against women is not as common in the Meghalayan. I've travelled on my own throughout Meghalaya in remote locations such as Tura with no anxiety. Meghalaya is among the states that I feel comfortable in solo travel, too.

How do I Reach Meghalaya?

Similar to the other states of the northeast, Guwahati forms the entry point for Meghalaya and Meghalaya. However, Shillong is the largest and capital city of Meghalaya. Therefore, your Meghalaya journey will likely begin at Shillong in Shillong itself.

Shillong is home to an international airport linked by flights to Kolkata, Guwahati and New Delhi. However, the most efficient way to travel to Meghalaya is to land in Guwahati before heading to Shillong.

The closest railway station is Guwahati. There are shared jeeps, taxis and shared jeeps in front of Guwahati Railway Station. Guwahati Railway Station at Paltan Bazar. There are also shared jeeps as well as cabs that depart from Khanapara located in Guwahati. Buses can also be found at the ASTC Bus Stand outside the railway station. Regular buses are also accessible via ISBT, Beltola in Guwahati.

 What is the ideal time to go to Meghalaya?

Meghalaya is a tropical region with a humid climate. The ideal timing to travel to Meghalaya is during the winter months that run from October through March. However, if you wish to view the waterfalls in all their beauty, make sure you visit them towards the close of the rain season or shortly following it, i.e. between August to the start of October.

Meghalaya is one such location in India that is stunning during all seasons. Although our favourite season to go is the month of monsoon season, other seasons are also captivating. The time you decide to embark on a Meghalaya trip is based on the kind of trip you wish to experience.

From April to June (Summer)

The weather is generally pleasant at this time of year, and temperatures remain cool. It is undoubtedly a prime season to go on the Meghalaya excursion. It is the best opportunity to be outdoors and explore. It's also a great time to caving. The waterfalls, however, will be less flooded. The Seven Sister Waterfalls in Cherrapunjee are not visible during this period. Instead, it appears like tiny strips of water flowing down the mountain cliffs during summer.

From July to September (Monsoon)

The monsoon begins in Meghalaya in June. But, after July, it's the peak monsoon. Because Meghalaya is among the most humid areas on the planet, It receives plenty of rain. The monsoon that occurs at Meghalaya is simply stunning. The landscape is lush and green, and the waterfalls take on a life of their own. The fog and clouds add an aura of mystery and beauty to the spot.

Cherrapunjee Mawsynram and Cherrapunjee are incredibly gorgeous at this time of year. But, you'll not experience the crystal-clear waters of the Umngot River at Dawki during this period. So, it is also not advised to go for a swim during this period.

If you are a fan of travelling during the rainy season, we would certainly recommend the Meghalaya trip. But be ready to deal with showers at times. So be sure to wear your raincoat at all times.

October through November (Autumn)

It is among the most beautiful seasons to visit Meghalaya. The rains have ceased. However, the effects of the rain are visible with lush greenery all over and vibrant waterfalls. The temperatures are cool and sunny, which is ideal for hikes and outdoor activities.

December through February (Winter)

The temperature remains moderately cold. However, the days can be a little warm. Mornings can be a bit fog-like. Winter is also a great time to get out and explore any outdoor activity such as caving and trekking. It is also an excellent time to go to Dawki. It is possible to see the crystal clear water of the river that Dawki is so well-known for.

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