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Content editor R S Priya
Middle East: World Bank Announces Global Learning Conference
Development experiences from four countries in Middle East and North Africa to be showcased
Washington Mar 23: As part of a global learning process that aims to step up efforts in reducing poverty by assessing best practices and sharing valuable knowledge among developing countries, officials from the World Bank and the Government of China today announced a conference to be held in Shanghai next May 25-27. The World Bank, along with its partners, is sponsoring this conference because it is critical to "unlock" knowledge in order to expand or "scale-up" development results across regions and countries. For the first time developing country practitioners and policymakers from around the world will share their expertise about what works, what doesn't, and why, analyzing 70 cases of poverty reduction, and identifying key success factors throughout those efforts. More News
South Asia Features 11 Cases in Global Learning Process for Poverty Reduction Conference
Beijing March 23: The World Bank and the Government of China announced today the global learning process leading up to a conference about poverty reduction to be held next May in China. The South Asia Region will feature 11 case studies at the Shanghai poverty conference, aimed at sharing knowledge and learning from both successful and less successful attempts to reduce poverty in all its dimensions. More News
Iraqi Governing Council Launches Own Oil-For-Food Probe
Mar 24: In addition to the U.N.-backed investigation into allegations that Saddam Hussein and his associates misused funds through the U.N.-sponsored oil-for-food program, the Iraqi Governing Council has decided to launch its own investigation, Reuters reported yesterday.More
Regional Trade Deals Good For Nations If Well Done, Study Says
Mar 24: Regional trade agreements can increase development and reduce poverty in developing countries as long as the parties use the accords to foster competition in domestic markets, improve the credibility of their own economic reforms and facilitate access to rich-country markets, says a new study released yesterday by the World Bank during the Future of Trade Liberalization in the Americas conference in Santiago.More
Historical victory for Indian team
Lahore Mar 24: Firecrackers were bursted with the historical victory of Indian team in the Samsung One-day international match held at Gaddafi stadium. India defeated Pakistan by 40 runs in the finals of the series 3-2, thus bagging the Samsung Cup tonight at the Gaddafi Stadium. India won the toss and was in the field batting and finally scored a sizeable 294 runs. Initially Indian side looked a bit staggered when Sachin and Sehwag were out. V.V.S Lakshman scored a cool 107 runs, followed by Sourav Ganguly with 45 runs. This is Lakshman's 5th ODI century of the season. Though Ganguly exited early, Lakshman helped to slowly pick up the run rate. Unable to reach the victory target of 294, Pakistan were bowled out for 253 in 47.5 overs. Irfan Pathan and L Balaji's fiery bowling taking three wickets each, set the path to the declining in the chances of victory for the Pak team. The top scorers in Pak side were Moin Khan with 72 runs and Shoaib Malik with 65 runs. -Keralamonitor.com
HC dismisses writ plea to avoid conducting Entrance exam on Easter Day
Kochi, Mar 25: High Court on Wednesday dismissed a public interest writ plea requesting to direct the Union Ministry of Human Resources and the Controller of Examinations of the Central Board of Secondary Education not to conduct the All India Pre-medical/Pre-dental Entrance Examination on April 11, 2004, Easter Sunday. Christians all over the world observe Easter Sunday with the midnight Holy Mass on April 10 with various religious ceremonies, which would extend up to 11 a.m. on April 11. If the examination is held on April 11, Christian candidates will be forced to forego the religious ceremonies of Easter Sunday.
The petitioner, Christian Service Society represented by its general secretary Antony M Ambat, had contended that the action of the respondents infringed on the religious rights of the Christian community guaranteed under Article 25 of the Constitution.
The CBSE, however, filed a counter-affidavit saying that the entrance examination had been fixed on April 11 as per the orders of the Supreme Court. Moreover, 2,30,000 students all over the country have registered their names for the examination which is conducted in 924 centres in 31 cities. Postponing of the examination in Kerala would cause great confusion. Easter day is not a gazetted or restricted holiday justifying postponement of the examination. The division bench consisting of Acting Chief Justice N K Sodhi and Justice G Sivarajan said that since the date of the examination had been fixed by the Supreme Court, the High Court could not interfere in the matter. -Keralamonitor.com
Rajmohan Unnithan and T Saratchandra Prasad suspended
Thiruvananthapuram Mar 25: KPCC General Secretaries Rajmohan Unnithan and T Saratchandra Prasad were today suspended from the party for violation of party discipline. They were suspended for making ''baseless allegations'' against senior Congress leader K Karunakaran, Electricity Minister K Muraleedharan and PCC executive member Padmaja Venugopal said congress party acting President P P Thankachan in a statement here today.According to him, the PCC Disciplinary Action Committee had been asked to conduct a detailed inquiry into the issues that led to the suspension. Mr Unnithan and Mr Prasad had raised the charge that money transfer had taken place in the allotment of tickets for certain Lok Sabha constituencies in the State. Rajmohan Unnithan responding to the decision, pointed out that the present situation where he has been suspended from the party can best be likened to first meting out the punishment, which is then to be followed by trial. This kind of a situation is ridiculous and hence, for the very same reason, entirely unacceptable. -Keralamonitor.com
Info2cell launches MMS greeting card service for Jordan’s Fastlink subscribers
Dubai March 27, 2004. Info2cell.com, the leading wireless application service provider and multimedia service integrator in the Middle East , has announced the launch of three new services in Jordan through a tie-up with Fastlink , Jordan ’s GSM service operator. The new services launched include a MMS (multi-media messaging service) greeting card service, the facility to download polyphonic ring tones, and a java games service.
Through the new MMS greeting card service, Fastlink subscribers will be able to request an MMS card through Info2cell’s WAP portal and select a card from the portal’s library in Arabic or English. The java games service allows mobile phone users to play and exchange java games with other subscribers of the service.
This announcement follows Info2cell’s international partner, Acotel Group’s recent tie-up with Fastlink Jordan to supply a Multimedia Message Service Centre (MMSC), WAP Gateway and several innovative MMS applications.
“We have seen a growing trend among Middle East consumers in using the mobile phone for a variety of communication needs, from conducting business meetings to sending greeting messages. There were more than 23 million mobile phone subscribers in the Arab world at the end of 2002 and the growth rate for the whole year was about 50 per cent” said Bashar Dahabra, Founder and CEO, Info2cell.com.
“After SMS (short message service), MMS is currently the popular trend among mobile phone users in the Middle East . Following the popularity of sending MMS messages, we have decided to launch a greeting services that will enable Jordan’s Fastlink subscribers to send MMS greetings to MMS enabled phones of other Jordanian subscribers as well as MTC-Vodafone subscribers in Kuwait”, a dded Dahabra.
“While print cards have faced stiff competition from online greeting cards, MMS cards will soon replace online greeting cards, as they are easy to access and send from anywhere. Moreover the card is received and thus viewed immediately, creating a quicker channel of communication. Subscribers wishing to send an MMS card can request for it using the WAP facility on their mobiles, and browse through the online MMS library to select a suitable card.” The greeting cards are available in a variety of style and designs and in a number of categories including Eid, birthdays or ‘Get well soon’ cards.
Bashar Arafeh, Director of Marketing, Roaming & Mobile Data Services , Fastlink said, “We are certain that Fastlink subscribers will welcome this innovative service, as it will enable them to keep in touch with friends and family across the world at the touch of a button. We were the first operators in the Middle East to provide an MMS service back in August 2002, and we are committed to providing our customers with the latest messaging services".
Coco Colonisation of Kerala, Kairali Channel CPM leaders kneeling under NRI Business tycoons!!!
Workers Leave Muscat without anything!!!
The Indian Ambassador and his subordinates in Muscat and the social associations should be rewarded with a special award for letting the 54 Indian workers leave the Sultanate without getting their due payment from the Omani sponsor belonging to an influential business family. The Indian Ambassador Talmiz Ahmed, his supporters in the social clubs and social organizations wanted the workers to leave without even train fare from Mumbai to Kerala but thanks to some “illegal” associations, they were given helping hands. “The Indian Ambassador finally gave RO 10 each to the workers as they did not have money to reach home from Mumbai.” It may be recalled that the Kerala media including Kairali channel reported that workers problem is resolved.
ROP Hunting Illegal Expatriate Workers.
The Royal Oman Police is conducting a massive manhunt for illegal workers and people who are living in the Sultanate without proper documents. The police are harassing many innocent expatriate families and their children too, alleged a Muscat resident. All over the Gulf region, there is a manhunt as Pakistani and Afghan illegal migrants have allegedly committed some crime. A school child was taken in custody and questioned for two hours before releasing him, said a source in Muscat. Expatriate residences from Seeb to Muscat are searched in late night on weekends. While unconfirmed reports said some expatriate crime involving woman doing immoral business and the recent cases involving Malaysian criminals crime to rob Automatic Teller Machines using very high sophisticated electronic instruments. Hundreds are arrested and detained in custody. Anybody willing to produce a ticket to India is send back as the prison is almost full. According to KM sources there are more than 60,000 illegal workers living in different parts of Oman. This is a direct fallout of the rampant visa racket which involves high profile officials and policemen. Mostly visit visas and tourist visas are issued by higher ups in the concerned ministries.
Coco Colonisation of Kerala, Kairali?
Veteran actor Mamootty, Chairman of the prestigious Kairali channel, is in the midst of a controversy after he reportedly signed up a multicrore agreemetn to become the brand ambassador of Coco Cola, the largest US multinational company in the world, which represents neocolonisation of the 21st century. The company's dubious role in precipitating drought in the Plachimada area is an open secret and the popular actor's decision to embrace and promote cocola culture is as an unwelcome step. Is he a man who will make money by any means and was only exhibiting a populist face to promote his career as an actor. The latest action thrill from Mamootty negates the hero image that he has cultivated over three decades of reel life. It also reflects badly on Kairali channel, headed by the superstar and thousands of its viewers. Mamootty, three time winner of India's most prestigious Bharat National Award for best actor, is the chairman of Kairali TV. He is also honoured with a Padmasree by the Indian Government. We hope that the superstar, our ideal hero, will not show a colonised face.
CPM leaders kneel before NRI tycoons!!!
Industrialist P V Abdul Wahab, another prominent NRI and Kairali Channel director has emerged victorious as a Rajyasabha member because even the CPM leaders maintained a studied silence over his candidature despite having an NRI status. It is a fact that he was not eligible to stand as a Rajya Sabha member because being an NRI he cannot be in the voters list. How did he manage to get in the electroal roll is another matter.
While V S Achuthananthan was murmering about his candidature, Pinaryi Vijayan, who is now controlling the party and the channel was fully supporting Wahab for unknown reasons. It is an open secret that many so called Keralite businessmen in the Gulf are also acting benamis of prominent Kerala politicians - irrespective of the colour of flag. Despite being a workers party which was developed over the years due to the dedication and hard work of true leaders, the CPM leaders appear to be witnessing a moral and intellectual degradation due to the unholy influence wielded by corrupt elements with vested interests. Continuing the Manichan influence which tarnished the party's image among supporters and well wishers, the trend is continued without any change.
While CPM leaders are vocal about opposing privatisation of Centaur Hotels in Mumbai as the Sangh Parival supporters made a dubious role, the party, especially its Kerala leaders remain silent about a similar deal with a Kerala businessman. It is an open secret that some CPM leaders visit the Gulf region occasionally to wine and dine with the big business here and raise party fund. It is another matter that some of the local comrades help them to make the right links with meet the right businessman. In such a scenario how can the party oppose Wahab? or question Galfar Mohammed Alis dubious hotel deals? While many sincere leaders like Govindapillai and others are subjected to harassment and punishment, the CPM leadership appears to be kneeling before a few NRI businessmen. is any one holding benami shares in the Kairali channel for a prominent CPM leader?. (keralamonitor.com)
India-Bangladesh Joint Working Group on Trade held
Revised Bilateral Trade Agreement soon
Mar 25: The second meeting of the India-Bangladesh Joint Working Group on Trade was held here on 23-24 March, 2004. The Indian side was led by Shri S. Ramasundaram, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, Govt. of India and the Bangladesh side was led by Mr. Elias Ahmed, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Govt. of Bangladesh. More News
Chancellor orders asset freezing action against two terrorist groups
Mar 24: Chancellor Gordon Brown today instructed the Bank of England, as agent for Her Majesty's Treasury, to direct financial institutions that any funds which they hold for or on behalf of five senior members of Hamas must be frozen. The individuals are; Musa Abu Marzouk, Imad Khalil Al-Alami, Usama Hamdan, Khalid Mishaal and Abdel Aziz Rantisi. More News
World Bank News
World Bank Praises Forward-Looking Agenda For Afghanistan
US$9 annually for every Afghan will provide basic health services over next seven years
Kabul March 24: World Bank President James D. Wolfensohn today congratulated the Government of Afghanistan on the release of a report outlining a comprehensive development agenda for the next seven years, a plan designed to lift the living conditions of all citizens as their nation emerges from conflict. Mr. Wolfensohn said the Afghan Government’s latest report, Securing Afghanistan's Future: Accomplishments and the Strategic Path Forward, sets out the needs of the country for the next seven years “clearly and realistically”. More News
" People who are great winners in the world are also great losers " "Dont afraid of failures "Rise Of A God Woman And The Right To Expression
By Sidharth
18 March, 2004 countercurrents.org
The Kerala Chief Minister Mr. A. K. Antony is at it again. Antony, who had been toeing the Sangh Parivar line ever since he came to power has ordered the prosecution of Sreeni Pattathanam , author of the controversial book, "Matha Amruthananthamayi - Mysteries And Realities" on a God Woman, Matha Amruthananthamayi, who collected a
huge number of followers in Kerala, all over India and abroad, including top government functionaries like Chief Ministers, Ministers, Governors, top bureaucrats and leading business persons. Mr.Sreeni Pattathanam is being prosecuted under section 295 A of the
Indian Penal code. Section 295 A is the legal code providing protection against deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs. To give this issue a sense of history, this is the first time in the history of independent India, an author is prosecuted under section 295 A of the Indian Penal code.
It would be interesting to find out why the Kerala Government is resorting to such an obscure rule, which, not even the infamous Narendra Modi government did not find fit to use in their crude definition of democracy. Section 295 A is safeguards against "outraging of religious feelings". No one has ever heard of a religion founded by
Amruthanantha Mayi. "Amruthanantha Mayi Math" is a charitable organisation registered under the charitable societies act. By the math's own admission, it is a non religious organisation where people of all religion are welcome. Moreover, a "Universal Mother" as
Amruthanantha Mayi claims herself, cannot be the mother of a particular religion, cast or creed. in his zest to please the Math authorities and the large train of the militant Matha devotees , Antony has looked over all these obvious facts. In this election year, may be he is hoping to win the support of the RSS, who are the patrons of the Matha and the Math, which came under under cloud of suspision following the mysterious death of a string of devotees and the dubiousness of financial deals, including untraceable foreign
funds. The RSS has found the Matha a prop to get its foot hold for Hindutwa politics, in a slippery Kerala political climate.
It was in 1933 that Section 295 A was last used . But the case was dismissed unfounded. Now, the author Sreeni Pattathanom who is also the general secretary of the Indian Rationalists Association,the publisher P.S. Kumar and the owner of the printing press S. Saji will be prosecuted under this obscure act. To understand why A.K. Antony resorted to such an extreme step to please the Matha, her devotees, the Math and the RSS, we need to understand the phenomenon called Amruthanantha Mayi, her past and
present, the political clout she (with her cronies) holds in Kerala society, and the political leanings and ambitions of Chief Minister Mr. A.K. Antony.
Matha Amruthananthamayi's real life name is Sudhamani. She was born in 1953, in the small village - Parayakadavu near Kollam to a family of fisher folks. She did not have much of an education to talk about as she dropped out in the primary school itself. At the age of 17 she went to a bhajan, and during bhajan the she broke into a frenzied
dance claiming , she was Krishna . The next day she danced and said she was Kali (Durga). And that was the beginning of the journey of a young fisher woman on the path of universal Motherhood, that took her even to the UN general assembly where she addressed the world. The Matha's growth was phenomenal. The little girl who danced to the small community of villagers grew virtually into an industry worth hundreds of crores of rupees. Politicians and bureaucrats poured in from all parts of the world and fell upon her feet. Donations flew from everywhere, and the political connections made sure that none of this was accounted for. Charity institutions and educational
institutions sprouted all around the country in her name. It makes sense to spend a portion of money on charity!!!!! The charity worked as bait to rope in potential devotess. Those who need charity had to get certified by the net work of Amruthananthamayi Math branches sprouting in every nook and corner of Kerala. And the "Amma" had no shortage of devotees from a state economically ravaged by a failing
agro economy, accentuated by the arrival of globalisation and stressed to the limits by a rampant consumerist lifestyle. People were ready to fall upon any shoulder that was offered to cry. And she had able managers to run the show exceptionally well. The "Universal Mother" was packaged and marketed using the latest management
techniques.
The Matha's 50th birthday celebration in , "Amruthavarsham 2003", was a show of might. It was designed to show the world the reach and power of the Matha Amruthananda Mayi industry. The president and the Vice President of India, the Deputy Prime Minister, Chief Ministers and governors of several states, high court and supreme court judges and several high ranking bureaucrats, top businessmen and several
artists attended the celebrations. The Jawaharalal Nehru International stadium in Kochi was rented several months in advance and the four day show was attended by as per the organisers claim by one lakh devotees everyday.
Sudhamani's growth to "Universal Motherhood" was not a smooth ride though. It was mired in deceit and violence. A path strewn with dead bodies as the law of the land and the state machinery looked away. Someone had to track down this path and count the bodies. This is exactly what Sreeni Pattathanam has done in his book. Mr. Sreeni
diligently trace the trail of Amma and digs out the dead bodies. He reproduces the police records, FIRs, and press records which directly link the deaths of several adversaries and devotees with the Amritananthamayi Math. He records nine such deaths in this book
including that of the Matha's elder brother who vehemently opposed the young Sudhamani's hysterical dances. The book raises question marks against the conduct of the Matha's father Sugunananthan as well. The book brings out several incidents
where Sugunanathan threatens to kill his adversaries, boasting that the law won't touch him as all the government functionaries are the devotees of his daughter.
Mr. Sreeni reproduces in the book a complaint filed to the Superintendent of Police, Kollam district by A.K. Manimallika, a former devotee of Amruthananthamayi. She was living with the Matha's parents and Sugunanathan approached her for sexual gratification, on being refused she was beaten up and thrown out of the ashram. In the
complaint Manimallika accuses Sugunananthan of threatening to kill her by saying, ââ,¬Å" Even the Prime Minister , and the ministers come and fall upon the feet of my daughter. No one is going to raise a finger against us. Even if we kill you, no one is going to take action.(Page 139) In June, 1998 she filed a complaint to state
women's commission as well, but no action was taken so far.
Mr. Sreeni, who is a rationalist himself, also tears apart the mysteries and miracles associated with the Matha. It is the nature of these kind of findings that have infuriated devotees of Matha, including Chief Minister Antony himself, who rushes off to hug the
Matha whenever she comes visiting the state capital Trivandrum , or to goes off to her ashram at Vallikkavu whenever there is an election in the offing. It is not the first time that the devotees of Matha turned against those who questioned her divinity and the misdeeds of her followers. Last year, eminent writer Paul Zakaria was issued a death threat for criticising the godliness of Amruthananthamayi.
The racket has virtually made the local media the kitchen servants of the Math, with a combination of collective bargaining, abuse and even threat. The news coverage received for "Amruthavarsham 2003" has to be seen to be believed. Almost all main stream papers brought out special supplements and editions to please the Math, television channel's devoted hours of airtime to show the gala affair. In a public show of arrogance one Swami tore away a leading daily, which he perceived was not up to his mark in coverage as all the scribes looked on. All this in a state known for its secular and literary
traditions. It is not just the issue of religious obscurantism associated with public celebration of magic and miracles, and the marketing of nirvana that is worrying us but the hijacking of such massive gatherings and sometimes innocent devotion of thousands of devotees by fascist forces. The "Amruthavarsham 2003" was a show run
exclusively by RSS volunteers. It is not a secret that the Math is a brand by which the RSS is trying to market its Hindutwa in Kerala.
This book does not shed light into the secret society of Amruthananthamayi Math nor the financial empire which runs into hundreds of crones of rupees. This book also does not shed light on the flow of funds from inside the country and abroad. The chief Minister A.K.Antony who became the darling of the Sangh Parivar by accusing the Minorities of the state of misusing their minority status to gain undue privileges found it a good opportunity to please the Hindutwa camp again, as another election is close at
hand. But by doing so he is threatening the basic democratic values ingrained in our constitution. And in the process he has put Mr. Narendra Modi to shame.
Wali of Sur and Indian Ambassador will be the Chief Guests of Indian School Sur 15th Annual Day Celebrations
by Madhu Nambiar.
Sur , Oman ; March 20: His Excellency Sheikh Majid Bin Khalifa Ali Al Harthy, Wali of Sur, Sultanate of Oman will be the Chief Guest and His Excellency Shri. Talmiz Ahmed, Ambassador of India and Patron, Indian Schools in Sultanate of Oman will be the Guest of honour of Indian School Sur 15 th Annual Day celebrations to be held on 24th March 2004 , Wednesday at 6.00 p.m. in the school premises.
The annual day celebration of the school is scheduled on 23rd and 24 th March 2004 . The prize distribution ceremony for co-curricular activities and other competitions held during academic session 2003-2004 will be conducted on 23rd March 2004 Tuesday at 07.00 p.m. Chief guests for the programme of 23rd March 2004 will be H.E. Abdulla Bin Salem Bin Nassir Al-Mukhaini,
Representative of Wilayat Sur at A’Shura Council, and Mr. Ali Bin Hameed Al-Jhwary, Director General of Education, Sharqhiya Region. The most important part of the annual day programme consisting of Academic Excellence Awards distribution and Cultural fiesta will be held on 24thMarch 2004, Wednesday. Indian School Sur is one of the important community schools in the Sultanate of Oman. Duboats to expand network in the Gulf region with new offices in Qatar , Kuwait and Saudi Arabia
First anniversary celebrations marked by winning the President's Trophy in the Dubai-Muscat Passage Sailing Regatta 2004
March 25, 2004
dent recruitment from the Middle East at the Gulf Education and Training Exhibition 2004 More News 
