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May 01, 2006
"The Hindu" Censoring Tibet?

The Friends of Tibet protests the policy of The Hindu group of publications and its editorial board led by N. Ram in censoring stories about Tibet, Dalai Lama and Falun Gong.

The Hindu, one of the most credible and trusted newspapers in the country has many things to its credit. Chief among them is the appointment of an Ombudsman or a Readers' Editor in a newspaper for the first time in the history of Indian journalism. This 127-year-old newspaper with 3.8 million readers has a different story to tell ever since N Ram, who describes himself as "An Indian who has no sympathy for the Dalai Lama's separatist and backward looking agenda", took charge as the editor-in-chief of the newspaper on July 1, 2003.

Friends of Tibet has learned (see www.friendsoftibet.org/save/) that the editorial board of The Hindu led by N Ram has instructed their centres not to carry any 'Tibet', 'Dalai Lama' and 'Falun Gong' stories criticising the policies of the Chinese government.

Instead of depending on reliable news agencies like PTI, UNI, IANS,
Reuters, AP and AFP, The Hindu has found a Beijing-based news-agency to fetch stories - The Xinhua - world's biggest propaganda agency belonging to the Chinese Communist Party. Probably The Hindu is the only newspaper in the country to reproduce Xinhua reports. Today The Hindu has virtually become a mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party.

Perhaps unique in the world because of its role, size, and reach, Xinhua reports directly to the Chinese Communist Party's Propaganda Department and employs more than 10,000 people. The head of the Xinhua has the rank of a minister. Successor to the agency, Red China that was founded by Mao Zedong, Xinhua adopted its current name in January 1937. Since October 1949, this state-run news-agency has been completely subordinate to the Chinese Communist Party and remains the voice of the sole party.

A card-holding member of the Communist Party in India who had been to
China and occupied-Tibet at least fifteen times in junkets mostly arranged by the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi, N Ram is also the mastermind behind 'India-China Association of Journalists', an embassy-sponsored organisation specialising in arranging pleasure trips for Indian journalists. This new strategy of Beijing has already won the hearts of some of our best journalists. Ironically it is only when the Tamil Nadu Police entered The Hindu office premises in Chennai, N Ram who calls the killing of a million Tibetans by China's occupying forces 'a myth', got enlightened about freedom.

We believe that it is immoral from the side of an Editor to drag some of the eminent journalists to do ethically-wrong reporting for The Hindu and Frontline and also to use a democratic forum - freedom of the press - to advance the cause of an autocratic regime.

'Save The Hindu' Campaign is an attempt to save the newspaper and also to expose Xinhua - Chinese government's propaganda agency to its readers. Let us use the opportunity to write to the newly-appointed Readers' Editor about our concerns on The Hindu policies on various issues including Tibet.

For a case study and to sign a petition online, go to: www.friendsoftibet.org/save/

(The Petition will to be submitted to the newly-appointed Readers'
Editor of The Hindu.)

Friends of Tibet is a global movement to keep alive the issue of Tibet through direct action. Our activities are aimed at ending China's occupation of Tibet and the suffering of the Tibetan people. Friends of Tibet supports the continued struggle of the Tibetan people for independence.

Friends of Tibet, PO Box: 16674, Bombay 400050, India.
Tel: +91.22.26409612 / Mobile: +91.9388465953 / +91.9418079832
Email: support@friendsoftibet.org Web: www.friendsoftibet.org

The SouthAsian is committed to the voice of groups working on issues of human rights, peace and sustainability through non-violent processes. thesouthasian has not checked for the authenticity of these notes.

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Posted by collective at May 01, 2006 12:54 PM
Comments

HARE RAM VERSUS HINDU RAM

The anti SriLankan Tamil stance of Hindu's Ram with all its ramifications, finally comes down to in effect encouraging the Srilankan government in it's uninhibited killing of Tamil civilians. Hindu's Ram is the foremost among the Tamil Nadu media that has by its policy and conduct emboldened the Srilankan governmentis to kill in heaps, not only Srilankan Tamils but also hundreds of Indian fisherman.The fear of Indian naval establishment has been corroded from Srilankan government's establishment by Indian media ingratiating itself to Srilanka. When protests were made on this continued killing of Tamil Nadu fishermen by Navy, it appears that some Tamil Nadu journalists have assured Colombo authorities that they need not worry about the fall outs.That the said journalists would ensure that the news will be contained and will not grow out of hand.I was shocked when I heard this.
I no doubt that Mr Ram is an Indian patriot. But nationalism or patriotsm alone does not always serve in the best interests of a nation.some times. Even Mussolini was a patriot in that sense. Many a time, the nationalism of people like Mr Ram whose grandioseness becomes the sorrow of their nations.


Mr Ram in the initial stages, had the distinction of poineer journalist who actively supported the Tamil Tigers and Mr V. Pirabhakaran. This brought the Tamil rebel leader into the center stage of Indian media. There have been other notable journalists, in particular Ms. Anita Pratap,A.S.Paneer selvan etal. But they were playing the role of a professional journalists and stayed within those bounds. These journalists have not black mailed any one nor have they conspired to destroy any one in an effort to prove themselves to be modern India's Chanakya.
The self proclaimed the King maker in Indian ocean, Mr Ram considered two persons as the key levers in his regional politics.One is Mr V.Pirabhakaran and the other Mr Rajeev Gandhi.He thought and acted without any foundation, that he could move them as pawns in political chess game. In this believe he was involved in conspiratorial moves in the mid 1980's.Mr Pirabhakaran is a freedom fighter who is prepared to die for his cause - a tiger who can eats one elephant after another and yet has room for a thousand lions.Mr Gandhi is naive about politics and people, but a romantic lost in a dream world.

The irony of fate is Mr Ram unwittingly became a pawn himself in the hands of the anti Indian mastero J R Jayawardenne.Yet another quirk of irony is that not only India and Eelam Tamils but he himself had to pay a heavy price for his own conspiracy. Well known for their sprit of Independence and good heart, in the footsteps of Ibsen`s Nora ,the ladies of Scandinavia,will scorn and discard as dirty clothes, the unprincipled conspirators even though they may be lordships personified.

Mr Ram has recently accepted that, he without the knowledge of either the Foreign ministry or the Indian intelligence, has arranged for secrets talks between Rajeev Gandhi and J R Jayawardene. There are many things he has not acknowledged to himself or publicly. One of it is that in the end he became a pawn in J R's hand.


It has been rumoured that some venomous blackadder in 1987 had adviced Rajeev Gandhi; to engage LTTE and destroy them; and to kill Pirabhakaran and Mathaiya (No 2 in LTTE).The recent Rediff interviews with IPKF General Hakrit Singh, J N Dixit etal confirms these stories. Inevitably - a day will dawn when it will become clear as to who on behalf of J R had adviced Mr Gandhi.

Thus with all his boats overturned, he was later trying to make the CPI (M) and Dr Neelan Thiruchelvam as new pawns in a fresh round of political chess. The new irony of fate is he has now become a pawn of Madam Chandrika.

The shocking truth is that he carried on his own agenda in the name of Indian Government. He continued to compromise the Indian interests and was not shy of sending Indian troops to be killed again.Notwithstanding the fact that Sinhala governments has refused to erect even a nominal memorial to honour the IPKF soldiers, who died in the interests of Sinhala nation.

Mr Ram's efforts of creating King makers of Indian ocean has left a trail of destruction, like a cyclone levelling forests and valleys. Mrs Chandrika had been conditioned to belief that in a crisis She will get the assistance of Indian forces.She was banking on this fall back support when she started the "Jayasikuru" operations on a scale that can not be sustained by the Army.

There has to come a time, when world should realize that India is not in the hands of few individuals.India for Indians is a godess with many faces like Hindi, Tamil, Marati,Bengal, Telugu. ­India for Eelam Tamils is the foundation for their own culture. India is the protective great wall of China for South Asia.It is unwise of Mrs Chandrika to have believed that India is Hindu Ram.

Mr Ram's conspiracy has sacrificed 1200 soldiers of Indian Army in war that is not a concern of India and what is worse it is against India's long term interests. This conspiracy of Mr Ram ended disastrously in killing in heaps Eelam Tamils, who are the natural allies of India­, and worse in sexual assaults on many hundreds of Eelam women.

The other twist in fate is that when disagreement arose,Mr Ram turned the Bofors gun on Rajeev's reputation. This conspiracy ultimately led to the assasination of a young leader Gandhi. Dr Neelan Thiruchelvam was an intellectual who was minding his own business doing his research. Fate has to intervene in his life too, due to his association with evil friends.It is not clear how many more lives are required to propitiate his unsatiable thurst for glory.But even he is a man who has lost in his life. I do not think that it is now possible to get India entangled in the conspiracies hatched in Colombo.

The Rama bhakta, Mr Vajpayee's government is firm on safeguarding the interests of India,of Indian Tamil Nadu and in ensuring that the mighty Indian armed forces are not belittled as mere mercenaries of Srilanka. The Rama Bhakta that he is, Mr Vajpayee has an unabdicateable national responsiblity in protecting the fishermen of Rameshwaram, who are killed like dogs for the only reason that they happen to be Tamils.

The sacred bhoomi of Rameshwaram is being bathed by the Srilankan government - in the blood of Tamil fishermen and the welling tears of their widows.That India has to demonstrate unambigiously its presence is a challenge of the times, which is awaited. The Honorable Prime minister is clear on these issues. Because unlike Mr Ram or unlike Mr Pappa Umanath who pretends to be the guardian of the Tamil Nadu workers kisans and fisherman, Vajpayee is not fake man without principles.He is aware that what matters is the righteous aspirations of Tamilians in Tamil Nadu and the security of India, not the adharmic interests of Srilanka.

Posted by: ravi on July 13, 2006 10:32 PM
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