International Jahajee Journal (IJJ), January 6th, 2008

International Jahajee Journal (IJJ), January 6th, 2008
Voice of the International Jahajee Diaspora
http://www.jahajeedesi.com/


Home of the International Jahajee Diaspora

Editor:
Deosaran Bisnath
deobisnath@xxxxxxxxx
http://www.jahajeedesi.com/forums/index.php?act=idx
http://deosaranbisnath.wordpress.com/
http://jahajeedesi.blogspot.com/
http://trinidad-tobago.blogspot.com/
http://trinidadtobago.wordpress.com/
http://hinducouncilofthecaribbean.wordpress.com
http://caribbean-talk.blogspot.com/



PRESS STATEMENT : Urgent Reforms for disadvantaged Indian
Malaysians




Spokesperson : Datuk A Vaithilingam as chairman of the organisations
listed in the attachment at a Press Conference on Thursday, 3rd
January 2008.

I am here today as chairman of a group of more than 120 Indian based
non
governmental organisations.
All of us acknowledge that there are issues of very grave concern
facing the
Indian community in Malaysia. Socio-economic woes, the constant
attacks
on freedom of religion and the unfeeling manner in which Hindu temples
have been demolished of late have left the Indian community in
Malaysia
feeling depressed and fearful. There is, without doubt, a serious
problem. It
is one that we are committed to overcoming. We hear the pleas of
those
who were forced by their circumstances to protest recently. We are
anxious to work together with all Malaysians to build a better home
for all of us.
To that end, I would like to thank our Prime Minister for having shown
his
caring attitude and acted very quickly on some of the issues raised
by Indian
NGOs at our meeting with him on 14th December 2007.
In that regard, we take note the release of 5 students unconditionally
and of
26 others on bail, and the dropping of the attempted murder charges.
In
tandem with the above we hope the 5 persons detained under the
Internal
Security Act would be immediately released and if at all their actions
are
criminal in nature, they should be charged in Court and allowed to
defend
themselves.
We are confident that the Prime Minister will give due consideration
to the
aspirations and views of NGOs who deal with the grassroots. We are
also pleased to hear that temples to be demolished due to development
would be allocated acceptable alternate sites before such action is
taken and that the Government has decided to allocate payments for
the construction of such temples.
The NGOs who have come together are some of the most influential and
hardworking who have deep roots within the community. Some of them
have independently submitted numerous Memorandums to the government
citing the plight of the Indians and proposed objectives remedies
which
was not fully acted upon.
The non action of the government has led to one of the major
discontentments which is the feeling of alienation. In this respect we
request
the government to immediately initiate a "Policy of Inclusion" which
must ensure the participation of Indians in all levels of decision
making process.
Looking forward we have come to a consensus on some specific ... MORE
AT:
http://www.hindusangam.org.my/news/?id=70







Ramleela returns to Guyana
The epic Ramayan, and its annual re-enactment, the Ramleela, were
brought to the
Caribbean by the indentured labourers. It was, and still is today, a
popular activity in the
area of North India, from which most of the indentured labourers were
brought to the
Caribbean . Once vibrant in Guyana , the Ramleela groups gradually
dispersed until they
stopped their activities almost thirty years ago.
However, in sister nation, Trinidad and Tobago , the tradition
sustained and evolved for over a
century into an unassailable dynamic. At the behest of a Trinidad-
based Guyanese lawyer,
Mr. Randy Depoo, a Guyanese delegation, led by Pt Hardesh Tewari,
attended a conference
on Ramleela in Trinidad in November of 2006, which was organized by
the Academy at the
University of Trinidad and Tobago .
Subsequently, in early 2007, a group of 14 students chosen from seven
Mandirs nationwide
attended a summer vacation course at The Kendra in Trinidad . The
Kendra organizes this
course with a syllabus that includes theory to practical for youths.
The Ramdila 2007 - The Guyana Initiative', a group of Guyanese who are
taking initiative to
reclaim the Ramleela heritage, has organized a workshop in Ramleela.
Over fifty (50)
students attend weekly workshops at the Gopal Mandir in Lusignan.
The Ramdila 2007 - Guyana Initiative group will be holding its first
major Ramleela
production at the Starlite Drive-in Cinema from January 4-6, 2008,
beginning 6:30 p.m. each
evening. It will be a two-hour programme with no entry charges.



If you think Indian names are complicated.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU70qAfQAo8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU70qAfQAo8



South African Indian Arrival Day: 147th Anniversary
Historic giant leap must not be forgotten

FRIDAY November 16, 2007 marked a historic day for the Indian
community in South Africa. For it was on November 16, 1860, that our
forefathers landed at Addington
Beach, Durban, as indentured labourers, 147 years ago.
Our turban, dhoti and sari-clad ancestors, sowed the first powerful
seeds for economic
growth and enlightened thinking in a country stifled by the
destructive forces of an
entrenched, restrictive colonial order. Their arrival ushered in our
rich cultural heritage,
germinating in strong branches of impeccable sets of values, cultural
norms and work
ethics. Their unstinting resilience to survive the adversities and
oppressive practices of that
order resulted in the hallmarks of success, and, to an extent,
leadership, as currently
witnessed in almost all segments of Indian life.
As they tilled the soil with their blood, sweat and tears to enrich
the capitalist sugar barons,
they used their pittance income to build schools and educate their
children.
The lessons of the liberation struggles of our forefathers serve as
powerful sources of
inspiration to self-sacrifice and peaceful co-existence in a country
that should be rightfully
united in its diversity and strength.
The historical significance of their arduous and painful liberation
struggle is often least
.. MORE AT:
http://proudlyindian.co.za/?q=historyindian

Proudly Indian, is not a religious site, but a site that celebrates
Indian culture, so whether
you Christian, Hindi, Tamil, Muslim or any other religion or race, as
long as you like your
curry hot then, this is the place for you to be.
http://proudlyindian.co.za/



Jahajee Bahen planting rice, Guyana




BUDDHA
by Ram Mehta
Staring for a while at a handkerchief,
Buddha started making small knots on it.
He asked his disciples the difference
Between the plain one and with knots.
It is the same but not the look of it.
Mind of a person is just like that.
We must know how the knots took place
Then only we know how to untie them.
If the knot is that of infatuation,
To untie that knot be steady in desire
If the knot is that of anger,
To untie the knot be in peace.
If the knot is made of enmity,
To untie the knot be compassionate.
If the knot is that of miserliness,
To untie the knot be generous.
At all times, in pain or pleasure,
To prosper is the only measure.




Subprime' Is Linguists' Word of Year
Even the American Dialect Society knows how risky home mortgages are
these days. The
group of wordsmiths chose ''subprime'' as 2007's Word of the Year at
its annual convention
Friday.
''`Subprime' has been around with bankers for awhile, but now everyone
is talking about
`subprime,''' said Wayne Glowka, a spokesman for the group and a dean
at Reinhardt
College in Waleska, Ga. ''It's affecting all kinds of people in all
kinds of places.''
About 80 members of the organization spent two days debating the
merits of runners-up
''Facebook,'' ''green,'' ''Googleganger'' and ''waterboarding'' before
voting for an adjective that
means ''a risky or less than ideal loan, mortgage or investment.''
The choice signifies the public's concern for a ''deepening mortgage
crisis,'' the society said
in a statement.
''Facebook,'' as a noun, verb or adjective, was popular with younger
linguists, Glowka said.
Several people lobbied for ''green,'' which ''designates environmental
concern,'' but the term
has been around for years, he said. The word topped the 2007 ''Most
Useful'' category, one
of numerous subgroups the society choses.
The group also decided that although ''waterboarding,'' an
interrogation technique that
simulates drowning, gained a lot of attention during recent attorney
general confirmation
hearings, it was a bigger deal in 2004, Glowka said.
But what's a ''Googleganger?''
A play on ''doppelganger,'' the word is ''a person with your name who
shows up when you
Google yourself,'' according to the society.
Glowka said he assessed many Google-related words.
''Just Google `Google' and you'll turn them up,'' he said. The ghostly
double of a word won
the 2007 ''Most Creative'' designation.
As for ''subprime,'' Glowka said it is an odd word -- at least as far
as linguists are
concerned.
The prefix ''sub'' translates roughly to ''below the standard,'' while
''prime'' means something
close to ''the best.''
So, according to Glowka, the word really means ''far below the best.''
''People were saying that students were referring to their tests, `I'm
going to subprime this;
I'm going to mess it up,''' he said.
The American Dialect Society, founded in 1889, comprises linguists,
grammarians,
historians and scholars, among others. The society began choosing
words of the year in
1990 for fun, not in an official capacity to induct words into the
English language.
In 2006, the organization chose ''plutoed,'' which means ''to be
demoted or devalued.''



The key to responsibility is self-respect.
When anything goes wrong, an individual is not willing to take the
responsibility for his own
choice. Instead it becomes very convenient for him to blame others for
the mistake. Lack of
self-respect abstains one to take the responsibility for the choice
that he has made. So his
words and actions reflect excuses and justifications. When we have
self-respect and are
able to maintain our inner positive consciousness, we are able to
continue having this
consciousness wherever we are, and are able to feel the ease of
accepting the
consequences of our actions. We are able to learn from everything that
happens in our life,
having taken the responsibility of our actions.
www.brahmakumaris.com



Jahajee Bhai preparing rice land for planting



The 50 greatest British writers since 1945

NAIPAUL at 7, WALCOTT at 31
What better way to start the year than with an argument? The Times has
decided to present you with a ranking of whom they consider the
best postwar British writers, and are awaiting your responses
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article3130859.ece
1. Philip Larkin
2. George Orwell
3. William Golding
4. Ted Hughes
5. Doris Lessing
6. J. R. R. Tolkien
7. V. S. Naipaul
8. Muriel Spark
9. Kingsley Amis
10. Angela Carter
11. C. S. Lewis
12. Iris Murdoch
13. Salman Rusdie
14. Ian Fleming
15. Jan Morris
16. Roald Dahl
17. Anthony Burgess
18. Mervyn Peake
19. Martin Amis
20. Anthony Powell
21. Alan Sillitoe
22. John Le Carré
23. Penelope Fitzgerald
24. Philippa Pearce
25. Barbara Pym
MORE AT:
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article3127837.ece




ANECDOTES
A. LIFE ON TIE OCEAN BEING A PORTION OF THE EXPERIENCES OF
TWENTY- SEVEN YEARS' SERVICE IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD.
BY DAVID COWANS.
PRINTED BY JOHN LOVELL, ST. NICHOLAS STEEET.
MONTREAL 1871
http://www.esnips.com/web/lharradansWebResearch/

THE COOLIE TRADE AND ITS HORRORS.
THERE are many of the readers of these anecdotes who have heard of
the traffic
between the East and West Indies in Coolie emigrants who are sent to
the West Indies
in vast numbers to take the place of the now liberated negroes on the
plantations in the
cultivation of sugar. To those, as well as to such as have not heard
of this traffic, the
following account of a trip with these people on board may be
acceptable, as showing,
to some extent, how the emigrants are treated, as well as the
terrible effects of that
scourge Cholera on board ship. During the winter of 1859 the ship
Thomas Hamlin, of
which I was then master, was engaged in Calcutta to convey four
hundred mea, women
and children to Demerara, in the colony of British Guiana . These
natives of India are
mostly from the interior, and consist chiefly of Hindoos of all
castes, from the proud but
poor Brahmin to the lowest grades of Coolie and Pariah. The Mussulmen
are also poor
people of the labouring class, who are glad to get away to this land
of promise, perfectly
in ignorance of the long sea-voyage and its effects as well as of the
work which they are
required to do on their arrival. Agents are employed to go up country,
and by all sorts
of seductive stories allure these poor people to Calcutta with
promises of future fortune
when they reach this Eldorado of their hopes, where there is but
little to do and only a
life of luxury and indolence before them.
These agents are employed by the agent of the Colonial Government of
Demerara in
Calcutta to procure emigrants for the colony, and are paid so much per
head for each
man, woman and child so procured and brought down to the depot in
Calcutta , where
as many as twelve hundred at a time are sometimes collected waiting
shipment. The
emigrants are located in long rows of sheds at the depot, and are well
cared for and well
fed, having medical aid when it ia needed. Qualified surgeons, both
European and native,
are attached to each depot, so that no blame rests with the government
of India or
Demerara in providing for the wants of those poor people while under
their supervision ;
the blame, if any, being more with the unprincipled native agents
already spoken of who
wilfully misrepresent and colour much too highly the....... MORE AT:
http://www.esnips.com/web/lharradansWebResearch/



In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a
shame,
two is a law firm, and three or more is a congress -- John Adams



Britain to Tighten Immigration Laws
British Government plans to announce new rules on immigration to the
country. Visitors to
Britain from outside the European Union will not be allowed to stay in
the country for more
than three months, instead of the current six months, according to a
plan likely to be
announced soon. The plan tightening immigration laws, which will
affect thousands of
Indians, also includes revival of an old scheme that makes it
mandatory for families with
temporary visas sponsoring relatives to visit Britain to deposit
£1,000 per head. The cash
bond would be forfeited if the relatives overstayed.
A few years ago, when such a deposit was suggested, it led to an
uproar in the Indian
community, which ensured that it was dropped. Every year, thousands of
Indians visit their
relatives in the UK, many of them to attend marriages and family
functions, the community
had said against the scheme.
The measures will be part of a consultation document to be introduced
by Immigration
Minister Liam Byrne. The government has already announced several
other changes to the
visa rules, which Byrne described as the "biggest shake-up of the
immigration system in
history". It includes a points-based system for economic migrants and
the tightening of
norms for people bringing their spouses to Britain.



These faces tell thousands of stories
Joy....


...and pain




CARIBBEAN TALK - the most active Caribbean Online Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CaribbeanTalk/
CARIBBEAN TALK: The newest and most popular Caribbean Online
Group ...
Free ... unrestricted ... uncensored .... JOIN NOW!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CaribbeanTalk/
Or send mail to : CCDSJ@xxxxxxxxx


JahajeeDesi's Blogs:
http://www.jahajeedesi.com/forums/index.php?act=idx
http://deosaranbisnath.wordpress.com/
http://jahajeedesi.blogspot.com/
http://trinidad-tobago.blogspot.com/
http://trinidadtobago.wordpress.com/
http://hinducouncilofthecaribbean.wordpress.com
http://caribbean-talk.blogspot.com/



Severe Vitamin D Deficiency among South Asians in North America
A study of vitamin D levels in more than 100 University of Toronto
students has found a
much higher proportion of South Asians had insufficient levels of the
vitamin in their blood
compared to white students. The pilot study, which hasn't been
published in a peer-reviewed
medical journal yet, was conducted in February and March at the
university's Mississauga
campus.
Jodi Lynn Barta, a postdoctoral fellow in anthropology and one of the
co-authors, said the
researchers wanted to look at wintertime vitamin D levels. The blood
of participants was
tested, and dietary intake was studied as well.
All seven students of African origin had insufficient levels of
vitamin D, along with 93.5 per
cent of 31 South Asians, 85 per cent of the 27 East Asians and 34 per
cent of the 32
students of European ancestry, Barta said. There were also some mixed-
race participants.
The researchers chose to do the tests in winter because that's when
there are fewer UV-B
rays from the sun available to Canadians to actually synthesize
vitamin D in our skin.
"So the only way that we're getting vitamin D intake in the winter is
through dietary intake
and also through any supplementation," Barta said in an interview
Wednesday.
Oily fish, organ meats, fortified milk and margarine are a few of the
dietary sources of
vitamin D. "Vitamin D status was actually linked very closely with
dietary intake, as one
would imagine, but the other significant finding was that it was also
correlated with skin
pigmentation levels because we measured the amount of melanin in each
of the participants'
skin," Barta said. "People who had more melanin tended also to have
less vitamin D."
The researchers also found differences in diet among the groups. "We
found that people who
are of European background had the highest daily intake of vitamin D
in their diet, and
subsequently they also had the highest levels of vitamin D," Barta
said. Supplementation
should be encouraged, she said, noting that the Canadian Cancer
Society has suggested
that everyone in the winter months should take supplements of 1,000
international units per
day. "Those who are at risk - people with darker skin, people who are
older because as you
get older your skin actually synthesizes less vitamin D - so all of
these groups should be
paying extra attention, and really supplementing their diet with
vitamin D," Barta said.


INDOCARIBBEAN TIMES - Current issue is available here:
http://www.esnips.com/web/Indo-CaribbeanTimes



Women empowerment, child welfare, healthcare, education the focus on
PBD 2008
Shri. Vayalar Ravi, Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs said that we
want to engage the
diaspora at every level through the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. He was
addressing a curtain-
raiser press conference for the 6th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas to be held
New Delhi from 7-9
January 2008. The theme of the convention is engaging the Diaspora:
the way forward. He
said that Education and healthcare are major issues to be focused in
the PBD-2008. The
PBD will project these social issues and enable overseas Indians to
express their ideas and
ways of possible participation. A single window system will allow
concrete participation from
persons of Indian origin and non-resident Indians with the block level
as the basic unit for
philanthropy and investment. While thousands of NRIs are working today
in the social
space, more organized efforts are needed and the single window system
will provide this,
said Mr Ravi.
Other issues that will be addressed during the conference are women
empowerment through
microfinance and child welfare. Investments and business engagement
sessions are also
part of the program, briefed the Minister. As the issues of overseas
Indians differ from region
to region, working sessions for Gulf, Asia-Pacific, Africa, Europe,
and Americas will be held.
Mr Ravi also stressed that the problems of womens marriages to NRIs
will be addressed. 12
Union Ministers and six Ministers from overseas will take part in the
proceedings. The state
governments will be fully involved in the sessions so that
participants can directly interact
with government representatives and address their concerns and have
exposure to the
government programmes for the common man and how they could be
involved in these.
Chief Ministers from Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Maharashtra, Jharkhand
have confirmed their
participation in the PBD.
The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas is the annual flagship event of the
Ministry of Overseas Indian
Affairs. The 6th PBD will focus on development of the common man and
rural women. The
Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh, will inaugurate the
convention, and it will
culminate with valedictory address and conferment of Pravasi Bharatiya
Samman Award by
President of India. The Chief Guest is Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam,
Prime Minister of
Mauritius.



FREE ONLINE RADIO from TRINIDAD
RADIO SHAKTI & MASSALA Radio
http://www.HotLikePepperRadio.com

Thousands of Indians fly out of riot-hit Kenya
New Delhi: The Indian community in Kenya is organising chartered
flights so that
they can leave Kisumu where thousands of people have taken shelter to
escape the
violence that has engulfed the country following the presidential
elections.
More than 1,000 ethnic Indian have already left Kisumu while about 400
Gujaratis
have taken shelter in a Swaminarayan temple in the town, which is
located in
western part of Kenya.
Most of those who fled from Kisumu have gone to Nairobi and Kampala,
which is
the capital of Uganda.
Hindu Council of Kenya's Dhanraj Sarvayya said that though there is a
great
sense of insecurity among the Indians but he was quick to add that
ethnic
Indians have not been targeted.
"Kenya is not Uganda and Indians have not been attacked. Only their
shops were
looted. The Hindu Council has asked the community to take shelter in
religious
places, be they temples, mosques, gurudwaras," Sarvayya said.
He also added that they are also in touch with the British and the
Indian High
Commissions and have asked them to prepare for any emergency.
The Council also reiterated that there has been no loss of life or
injury to any
Asian in Kenya. It specifically mentioned that reports appearing in
the Indian
media about Gujaratis being targeted or an Asian being killed were
untrue.
Meanwhile the Indian government, too, has said that there are no
reports of any
attack on the Indians though some properties belonging to the
community have
been damaged.
''All PIOs are safe and unharmed...There have been no reports of any
Person of
Indian Origin subjected to violence or physical harm. The violence is
not
directed against the Asian community or Persons of Indian Origin,'' an
External
Affairs Ministry spokesman was quoted as saying by UNI in New Delhi on
Wednesday.
The spokesman said India was actively watching the situation in the
country and
the High Commissioner to Kenya, PS Randhawa, was in touch with the
Indian
community leaders.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, too, has expressed his concern
over
attacks on Gujarati expatriates in Kenya.
Modi wrote a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urging him to
ensure their
safety in that country and asked the PM to take up the issue with the
Kenyan
Government to ensure safety of Gujaratis in Kenya.


FREE ONLINE RADIO from FIJI

Radio Fiji Two
Radio Mirchi
http://www.radiofiji.com.fj


From: norman tewarie <tewarienormy@xxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu Jan 3, 2008 3:10 pm
Subject: happy New year
My Resolution for 2008

I wish in 2008 I had a magic wand
Wave it and let others understand
Only love can stop the bleeding
To stave off war and suffering

I wave it at the despots
And the army crackpots
To stop the darn raping of mothers
And send home the child soldiers

Wave it over some very loose screws
To halt child labour and female abuse
And eradicate child prostitution
Save the poor from exploitation

Let the rich share their wealth
For most got it all by stealth
For after all how many more millions
You want for you and your minions

Thanks
Naraine Datt
A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and
culture is like
a tree without roots."

Navtarang Sargam
http://www.fijivillage.com.fj


SAFO - South Asians for Obama
South Asian American volunteers played an active and important role
in
canvassing and get-out-the-vote efforts that led to Senator Barack
Obama's
(D-IL) decisive and historic victory in last night's Democratic
presidential caucus in Iowa. The record turnout of over 230,000
people
in the Democratic caucus included many first-time caucus-goers from
the
South Asian American community.
"SAFO has been hosting monthly phone banking nights since August,
calling South Asian Americans in Iowa to encourage them to participate
in
the caucuses," said Priya Bhatia, a SAFO co-founder. "Our goal was to
have real conversations with Iowans to explain why we support Senator
Obama - and why we hoped they would, too." In the closing weeks of
the
campaign in Iowa, South Asian American volunteers - including Asim
Mishra and Palak Shah - braved the cold weather in Iowa to ensure
that
Obama's rising poll numbers translated into actual participation in
the
caucuses. Preeta Bansal, former Solicitor General of New York State
and
currently a partner at a major New York City law firm, also offered
her
personal testimonials on behalf of Obama to families and community
groups
in Iowa. And South Asian American actor Kal Penn made multiple
appearances in Iowa throughout December to speak in support of
Senator
Obama.


RADIO JAAGRATI
Free Online Radio from Trinidad
http://www.Jaagriti.com



Sat Maharaj: Trinidad is a 'Bogus democracy '
Rights only for the rich in T&T
Trinidad and Tobago is a "bogus democracy" where only people with
money can
enjoy constitutional rights, according to Satnarayan Maharaj,
secretary general
of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS).
He delivered the stinging criticism on the first day of the year
yesterday,
during a satsang (Hindu religious prayer meeting) at the Sanatan
Dharma Maha
Sabha headquarters in St Augustine.
In an emotionally charged speech, Maharaj slammed the Government for
the
pressing problems that plague this land.
"I say to you and I say to the nation, don't congratulate yourself
that we are a
democracy.We're a bogus democracy, we're a sham democracy, only if you
have
millions and political power you enjoy democracy," Maharaj said.
He said all over the world there is unrest and battle for democracy,
as in
Pakistan and Kenya, but right here at home, even though we had a
peaceful
general elections, we revert to living in a place where our rights are
suppressed.
"We see on a daily basis our leaders going to court and coming from
court,
judges are being threatened, the senior judge in the land, the Chief
Justice,
for two years was tormented and almost destroyed," he said.
He added, "We see the rise in crime. There is more blood flowing on
the streets
of Trinidad than water through the pipes of WASA. The cost of food has
now
become a problem. We as a nation, we are starving in midst of
prosperity, our
health care is in disarray and as a people we cannot access proper
health
services.
"Yes you may say we have survived, but we have survived in a bogus
democracy.
Trinidad and Tobago is a bogus democracy."
Maharaj said because of this bogus democracy, the children of this
nation were
migrating.
"The brainpower in this land is moving away and I am saying 'yes move
out',
because there is a glass ceiling, only the preferred should cross that
glass
ceiling."
Adding there was no reason for our children to remain here, because
they would
only be denied the right to expand their mind and do the things they
are
qualified to do, he said, "The biggest hypocrite ... in denying the
people their
freedom and rights, is always the Government and the State."



Indeed one's faith in one's plans and methods is truly tested when the
horizon before one is the blackest.
-Mahatma Gandhi, 1924


TRINIDAD, GUYANA, US, UK, FIJI, JAMAICA, SURINAME,
INTERNATIONAL INDIAN DIASPORA at:
http://www.jahajeedesi.com/forums/index.php?showforum=9

~~~~~~~
HINDU WISDOM


Freedom is that triumphant state of consciousness that is beyond the
influence of desire. The mind ceases to thirst for anything it has
seen or
heard of; even what is promised in the scriptures.

And supreme freedom is that complete liberation from the world of
change that comes of knowing the unbound Self.
-The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, 1:15-16

As for those who seek the transcendental Reality, without name,
without form, contemplating the Unmanifested, beyond the reach of
thought and
of feeling, with their senses subdued and mind serene and striving for
the good of all beings, they too will verily come unto me.
-Bhagavad Gita

"When a spiritual guest enters the house,
Like a bright flame, he must be received well,
With water to wash his feet. Far from wise
Are those who are not hospitable
To such a guest. They will lose all their hopes,
The religious merit they have acquired,
Their sons and their cattle."
-Katha Upanishad


Mauritian cyber island dream
was as surprised as the next holidaymaker to learn that Mauritius is
striving to become the world's first fully-fledged cyber island.

The 12-storey Cyber Tower dominates the Cybercity
But aspiring it is - and for a country which has built its wealth
largely on tourism and sugar cane, it is a radical change of
direction.
The kind of silicon found here is more of the sand variety than the
highly-refined elements which make up the building blocks of your PC.
Nevertheless, Mauritius does have its own Silicon Valley - of a sort.
In the shadow of history lies what Mauritius sees as the key to its
future.
The Cybercity is very much a work in progress. but for the past four
years the 12-
storey Cyber Tower has been home to a cluster of tech-oriented
companies - in one
corner software developers, in another remote data storage facilities
for companies
and even countries making sure their data is in safe hands.
As you might imagine, Mauritius is not exactly public enemy number one
for cyber
terrorists.
Data transmission
If the Cybercity is the physical embodiment of the cyber island
vision, its soul lies in
the idea of coast-to-coast connectivity. Its internet gateway to the
rest of the world
More at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/click_online/7169467.stm


V S NAIPAUL: A Tribute
http://www.jahajeedesi.com/forums/index.php?showforum=56

Webpages and Forum dedicated to the NOBLE LAUREATE
http://www.jahajeedesi.com/index.php?page=laureatevsnaipaul

Indian sues Malaysia on terror taint
Kuala Lumpur, Jan. 4: A Malaysian ethnic Indian, who recently led the
community's biggest anti-government street protest, sued the state
today for 100
million ringgit ($30.5 million) for defamation after it linked him to
terrorists.
P. Uthayakumar, a leader of the Hindu Rights Action Force, also named
attorney-
general Abdul Gani Patail and national police chief Musa Hassan in the
claim,
Uthayakumar's lawyer said. Hassan had accused the group of seeking aid
from
terrorist groups after it led more than 10,000 protesters to complain
that the
government had marginalised the community.
Uthayakumar and four other ethnic Indian leaders are being held at the
Kamunting
centre since December 13 under the draconian Internal Security Act,
which
allows detention without trial. The government claimed that they were
a threat to
national security.
"This shocking piece of libel on the character and reputation of
Uthayakumar has
been disseminated not only widely in this country, but also
internationally," said
Uthayakumar's lawyer N. Surendran. "It is an attempt to blacken and
ruin his
reputation globally," he said. A Malaysian court has allowed a joint
trial for 54
ethnic Indians who took part in the "illegal" assembly on November 25
last year.


Trinidad National Archives Online
Indian Immigration Page:
http://www.natt.gov.tt/ViewArchiveSearchResults.aspx?ArchiveID=TT+NATT+IM+2


Flashback: 1968: Kenyan Asians flee to Britain

Britain brought Asians to Kenya in the 19th century to work as manual
labour
Another 96 Indians and Pakistanis from Kenya have arrived in Britain
today, the
latest in a growing exodus of Kenyan Asians fleeing from laws which
prevent them
making a living.
The party included nine children under two, and all flew in on cut-
price one-way
tickets costing about £60 - less than half the normal single fare.
Omar Sharmar, an Indian who was forced to close his haulage business
in
Mombasa when the government refused to grant him a licence, estimates
he has
lost £2,000.
"Only Kenyan citizens are being allowed work permits," he said. "I was
forced to
sell my fleet of lorries and come to Britain to look for a new life."
An airline official in Nairobi estimated that the charter flights had
taken between
1,200 and 1,500 Kenyan Asians in to Britain.
"We did find some difficulty filling the planes until last week," he
said.
"But in the last two or three days that attitude has changed, and
there doesn't
seem to be any difficulty at all now. At the present rate I think this
will continue
for at least a year, if not more."
Immigration laws in Kenya are becoming increasingly draconian.
Foreigners can
only hold a job until a Kenyan national can be found to replace them:
and more
and more cities, including Nairobi, are demanding that the government
bans non-
Kenyans from owning a shop or trading in municipal markets.


Fiji announces major Cabinet shake-up ahead of election to return to
democracy

SUVA, Fiji (AP) - Fiji's interim government announced a major Cabinet
reshuffle Friday, dropping nine ministers 14 months ahead of proposed
national elections that would return the South Pacific nation to
democracy
after a 2006 military coup.
Military chief Frank Bainimarama, the interim prime minister, brought
in four
new ministers and cut his ministry to 12 ministers from 18 in what he
called a
compact and streamlined Cabinet.
We cannot please everyone, but we must have ministers who have the
best
interest of the nation to serve the people. This cabinet will deliver
basic
services to the people, he said.
The reshuffle comes a year after Bainimarama seized power and 14
months
ahead of promised elections to return the coup-prone nation to
democratic
rule.
Among the new ministers is the head of Fiji's peacekeeping contingent
in Iraq,
Commander Timoci Lesikivatukoula, who will take the transportation
and
public works portfolio.
Fiji has some 500 troops in Iraq, most guarding the United Nations
headquarters in Baghdad.
Senior sources within Fiji's ruling military council, speaking on
condition of
anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media, said
Fiji's
land force commander, Col. Pita Driti, will replace Commander
Lesikivatukoula
in Iraq.
Earlier this week Malaysia rejected Driti as Fiji's next ambassador to
the
Southeast Asian state.
Former Fijian Affairs Minister Ratu Epeli Ganilau has taken over the
strategic
defense, national security and immigration posts from Bainimarama.
http://www.pr-inside.com/fiji-announces-major-cabinet-shake-up-ahead-r370761..htm



Inspiration

http://www.jahajeedesi.com/forums/index.php?showforum=10
BECOME DYNAMIC
If a man feels even a little bit for his present deplorable
condition; if he attempts even to show a slight improvement; if there
is a little receptive attitude; then he can be corrected and he can
make progress on the path of yoga. If he is obstinate and pigheaded,
if he is absolutely self-willed, if he deliberately shuts his eyes or
hardens his heart against the truth or divine light - then no one can
help him.
You cannot claim freedom for your petty mind and little ego if you
want to become a yogi. The lower nature with its retinue of
arrogance, ignorance, and turbulence, stands in the way of the
descent of divine light.
Know the truth, the absolute. Then you are saved, you are liberated,
you are enlightened, you are free. You can know Brahman only by
becoming Brahman. To become Brahman is to identify yourself with the
supreme soul which constitutes your divine nature. The river joins
the ocean and becomes one with it. The drop mixes with the sea and
becomes one with the sea.
- SWAMI SIVANANDA READINGS
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CaribbeanHindus/
http://www.jahajeedesi.com/forums/index.php?showforum=10

'She Was So Happy'
Neena Gopal talks to Benazir's political secretary, with her then

Naheed Khan was Benazir Bhutto's alter ego, her factotum who organised
political rallies, her shadow who was expected to act as her human
shield. A former member of the National Assembly and Benazir's
political secretary, Naheed was at the PPP leader's side at the time
she was assassinated. Here is her account of the leader's last
moments.
"She was so happy, so thrilled that the rally had gone so well that
she got into the car, turned to me and kissed me on my left cheek,
then on my right cheek and said--'all credit goes to Naheed'. Bibi gave
me a huge hug, and we were both laughing, which is when my husband
Safdar (Dr Safdar Hashmi) said--'come on bibi, even I should get some
credit'--but bibi said, 'No, it's all Naheed's doing'. Then she looked
out of the window and said, 'There are so many people waving, please
open the sunroof so I can wave back.' The next thing, I heard what I
thought was a firecracker. I had no idea she had been shot.
But she fell back into the car and I thought as she sat down and
slumped on to me without saying a single word that she was exhausted,
that she had fallen back in because she had lost her balance. And then
I felt something warm dripping on to me, which is when I started
screaming. I realised it was her blood and that the silence meant she
had died, perhaps instantly, and I hope painlessly. Amin Fahim saab
(PPP vice-president) was in the car, so was her servant Laiq, and
despite the mayhem of the attack, we raced to Rawalpindi General
Hospital but I knew it was too late. We had lost her."


MAIN FORUM PAGE:
http://www.jahajeedesi.com/forums/index.php?act=idx


'You Can Name Musharraf As My Assassin If I Am Killed': Benazir
Her exchange of e-mails with a confidant shows Benazir was on the
verge of
exposing an ISI operation to rig the January 8 election

In November 13, 2007, I had a one-to-one meeting with former prime
minister Benazir
Bhutto at the Lahore residence of Senator Latif Khosa. She said she
had no doubt about the
people who had masterminded the attack on her on October 18, the day
she had returned to
Pakistan from exile. Benazir told me, "I have come to know after
investigations by my own
sources that the October 18 bombing was masterminded by some highly-
placed officials in
the Pakistani security and intelligence establishments who had hired
an Al Qaeda-linked
militant--Maulvi Abdul Rehman Otho alias Abdul Rehman Sindhi--to execute
the attack."
She said three local militants were hired to carry out the attack
under the supervision of
Abdul Rehman Sindhi, an Al Qaeda-linked Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ)
militant from the Dadu
district of Sindh.
Before Benazir arrived in Pakistan, Sindhi had been mysteriously
released from prison,
where he had been incarcerated for his role in the May '04 bombing of
the US Cultural
Centre in Karachi. She said she subsequently wrote a letter naming her
would-be
assassins. When I asked her who the recipient of the letter was and
whether she had
named Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf as well, she had smiled and
said, "Mind one
thing, all those in the establishment who stand to lose power and
influence in the post-
election set-up are after me, including the General. I can't give you
further details at this
stage. However, you can name Musharraf as my assassin if I am
killed."

Twenty-four hours after Benazir was assassinated, Asia Times Online, a
Hong Kong-based
web newspaper, reported that Al Qaeda had claimed responsibility for
her killing, further
adding that the death squad consisted of Punjabi associates of the
underground anti-Shi'ite
militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, operating under Al Qaeda orders. "We
terminated the
most precious American asset who had vowed to defeat the mujahideen."
These were the
words of one Mustafa Abu al-Yazid, a top Al Qaeda commander for the
Afghanistan
operations as well as an Al Qaeda spokesperson. "This is our first
major victory against
those (Benazir and Musharraf) who have been siding with infidels (the
West) in the fight
against Al Qaeda..." Interestingly enough, Sindhi--the person whom
Benazir had named in
our conversation--is an LeJ member.
But few here believe LeJ could have managed to carry out the attack
without assistance
from sections in the establishment. Analysts believe Al Qaeda has
become a convenient
smokescreen to explain motivated attacks on political rivals. The
question people are asking
is: What motive could the establishment have in killing Benazir?
Top political sources told Outlook that hours before Benazir was
assassinated, she was on
the verge of exposing an ISI operation to rig the January 8 general
election. They say she
had been collecting incontrovertible proof about a rigging cell
allegedly established at an ISI
safe house in Islamabad. The cell was tasked with changing the
election results in favour of
the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) on the day of the
polling. Sources say
a close confidant of Benazir had sent an e-mail message on December 25
to her address--
sazdubai@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx her that Brigadier Riazullah Khan
Chib was working
in tandem with Intelligence Bureau director Brigadier General (retd)
Ejaz Hussain Shah to
manipulate election results. by Amir Mir



The Caribbean lost in the negotiations with Europe - Jagdeo



The Caribbean region did not win anything out of the negotiations
with Europe over the
Economic Partnership Agree-ment (EPA) concluded in December, and the
departure from
the principle of preferential access to one of reciprocity will be at
the core of the problems
the Cariforum countries will now face.
Addressing the media at State House yesterday on last year's high and
low points,
President Bharrat Jagdeo of Guyana said that the problems might not
surface immediately
but would be seen in reduced revenue earnings, since goods from Europe
would now enter
the markets of Cariforum countries duty free affecting the revenue
base of those countries
which depended on the duties. Cariforum countries comprise Caricom
countries and the
Dominican Republic.
Jagdeo said that the EPA would affect the economies of the region in
several ways but
some of the impact may be deferred because its provisions would be
executed in a
phased manner.
He said there would be more problems negotiating similar agreements
with countries such
as Canada and the United States which would want the same thing.





JahajeeDesi's Blogs:
http://www.jahajeedesi.com/forums/index.php?act=idx

http://deosaranbisnath.wordpress.com/

http://jahajeedesi.blogspot.com/

http://trinidad-tobago.blogspot.com/

http://trinidadtobago.wordpress.com/

http://hinducouncilofthecaribbean.wordpress.com

.

Relevant Pages