CRPF jawans retaliate after landmine blasts

KOLKATA: Suspected Maoists triggered three simultaneous landmine blasts, targeting a motorbike convoy of Central Reserve Police Force jawans near Kantapahari, seven km from Lalgarh in West Bengal on Saturday.

The rebels opened fire on the jawans immediately after the explosions. A gun battle ensued when the jawans retaliated. The Maoists finally fled the scene. None was injured.

Paschim Medinipur Superintendent of Police Manoj Kumar Verma said six CRPF jawans were on their way to the Kantapahari camp when the landmines went off. The exchange of fire continued for a few minutes. Combing operations have been launched. 

http://www.hindu.com/2009/10/25/stories/2009102556400900.htm

Fake certificate and growing attraction to CRPF : trouble for Army

Fake certificates of class X and XII being furnished by youths for recruitment in the Army have become a big problem even as the Army struggles to understand the growing interest of the youngsters towards a career in the CRPF.

About 40 fake certificates were detected in the last Army recruitment rally held in Samba forcing the officials to carry “fake notes detecting machines” at a rally underway in Jammu these days. The machines are being used to verify the certificates, disclosed a senior Army officer.

The rally for the recruitment of soldiers on general, technical and clerical duties, besides as nursing assistants under process since October 20 at the Sanjuwan military station has attracted around 15,000 candidates from 10 districts of the Jammu division.

This is too low compared to near 35,000 candidates who had queued up at an Army recruitment rally in Samba in January this year. The Army is deliberating on the causes that are attracting youths towards the CRPF.

“The CRPF is also in the process of recruiting constables in the state. We have noticed youngsters prefer the CRPF more as it may offer them more postings near home or in urban areas than the Army, where every two years the place of posting is changed,” said Col Sanjeev Dubey, Director, Zonal recruiting office, Jalandhar. The directorate recruits youths from Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir.

CRPF spokesman Prabhakar Tripathi, while talking to The Tribune over the phone, confirmed the growing interest of youngsters towards the CRPF. “I don’t have ready data available, but we have received a overwhelming response to the recruitment rally in the state,” he said.

While the Army in a bid to attract youths pasted posters regarding the recruitment rally in civil areas instead of the usual practise of displaying them near Amry offices this time, the detection of fake certificates is giving the officials quite a headache.

“We have written to the Board of School Education (BOSE) to take necessary action against students faking certificates, check the hologram on the certificates and take some steps,” said Dubey.

Dubey revealed the Army had already spread awareness against agents who claimed they could manage recruitment. “We conduct tests before all candidates and invite the media also. Agents just cheat youths by taking money from them and claim credit if any of them is selected,” he added.

The basic education qualification for recruitment as soldiers is class XII. “But we get youths with higher qualification. There are many studying in graduation classes while a few are even science graduates.”

Psychological test

In order to check suicide incidents, the Army is for the first time conducting psychology tests on the youths at the time of recruitment as soldiers. Till now, only psychology tests at officer level was being conducted.

Col Dubey revealed a trial run of psychology test was conducted. “However, it was found that the test was tough for students of class X and XII. Now, the written psychology test for soldiers would have about 15 questions.”

He cautioned no psychological tests were foolproof. “Our studies reveal most of the soldiers committing suicide were confronting domestic problems.”

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091025/j&k.htm#6

IIT faculty relents for now, accepts govt pay scales

Disappointed by the outcome of the IIT Council meeting that failed to even discuss the outstanding concerns of the faculty, the IIT Federation today decided to lower its guard for now in the interest of the institutes at large.

Meeting in the capital today to discuss the future course of action, the federation for the first time asked the IIT faculty across India to accept government pay scales for the time being and wait for HRD Minister Kapil Sibal to fulfil the assurances made on the fronts of autonomy and salary appraisal.

“We are hugely disappointed by the fact that the IIT Council did not even discuss our concerns. We will now wait for the individual boards of governors of IITs to take up our issues at the earliest. In the meantime, we have asked the IIT faculty to accept the sixth Pay Commission recommendations that come into effect from 2006. The decision is meant to secure the larger interest of the faculty and IIT system,” Prof M Thenmozhi, federation president, told The Tribune. However, they were keeping all options open, he added.

The federation would wait for some more time for the government to act on its promises. “The HRD Minister gave us several assurances. We hope he fulfils them at the earliest. But that is not to say that we have given up our struggle for better pay scales. We will wait and watch, but we do wish that the government had treated us better,” said Thenmozhi.

The federation is keen that the government should put all its verbal assurances into writing. Meanwhile, its appeal to the IIT faculty to accept the sixth Pay Commission salary is extremely significant as it reflects the federation’s willingness to relent from the path of agitation, at least for now.

It may be recalled that the federation had called off its two-month strike for autonomy and better pay scales following Sibal’s assurances. Though the minister said his promises should be deemed to have been “minuted”, the IIT faculty wants him to make a written commitment.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091025/nation.htm#7http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091025/nation.htm#7

Swap decision was exceptional: Buddhadeb

Just three days after the “shameful” swapping of Maoist prisoners in lieu of the release of West Bengal police officer Atindranath Dutta, state Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee today termed the exchange as an exception and he promised to teach the Maoists “a lesson in the future”.

The Chief Minister was addressing a press conference at Banga Bhawan in the Capital here today, a day after he met Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram to discuss the law and order situation in the state. Yesterday, he had refused to comment on the issue.

He refuted the charge that the state government turned soft in releasing tribal women and men on bail to secure freedom of the abducted police officer.

Bhattacharjee said the decision was taken on humanitarian grounds and the judicial process against the 14 tribal women and nine men, whose bail was not opposed by the state, will go on. Replying to the question if Maoists now knew that abducting the police was a certain way to secure release of its people, the Chief Minister shot back: “If they have assumed this, they are wrong. I will teach them a lesson in the future”.

The Chief Minister rubbished suggestions that the decision of the state government did not go down well with the party. He said the exchange of prisoners with the cop took place after the Maoists offered mediation, and maintained that barring the brief period when Dutta was released, the police and Maoists continued to exchange fire.

As for Maoist leader Kishanji, who was in frequent touch with media, he said the state government was trying to locate and catch him.

Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister P Chidambbaram firmly refused to respond to the comments of Maoist leader Kishanji, who had laid down certain conditions for a dialogue with the government. “He is the leader of an organisation declared as unlawful,” said the Home Minister.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091025/nation.htm#2

PC: Maoists get arms from abroad

Disclosing that the Maoists were acquiring arms through Bangladesh, Myanmar and possibly Nepal, Home Minister P Chidambaram today nonetheless told them to "simply halt the violence" so that the government could start talks with them.

There was no evidence of any money flowing in from abroad to the Maoists but "there is certainly evidence of weapons being smuggled from abroad through Myanmar or Bangladesh" and possibly Nepal, he said.

During a wide-ranging interview, Chidambaram firmly refused to respond to the comments made by Maoist leader Kishenji, who had laid down certain conditions for a dialogue with the government.

"He is the leader of an organisation declared as unlawful." The Home Minister affirmed that the government was not insisting on the Maoists laying down arms as a pre-condition for talks.

"I have not used these words. Besides I am too practical to know they will not lay down arms.They have to halt violence, which means halt the wanton destruction of railway track, roads, telephone towers, school buildings, bridges," he said.

Chidambaram said violence must be stopped and then with the help of well-meaning people, "we can find a way in which the state governments primarily can talk to the groups in that state and the Central government will afford any assistance it can to facilitate such talks".

Referring to a statement issued by former Lok Sabha Speaker Rabi Ray and his friends for a halt to violence and holding of talks, he said he felt it was his duty to write to Ray making clear the government's policy.

"Let me state it in carefully chosen words that if any group abjures violence we are willing to talk to that group about any genuine grievances.

"This is what the Prime Minister has said. This is what I have said. We have not asked them to do anything more. We simply say halt the violence and then we can talk," the minister said.

Hitting out at "intellectuals" who voice support for the Maoists, he referred to the statement of the Maoists earlier this week that their objective of the attack on Sankhrail police station in West Bengal was weapons and money.

"Even after this statement, if people romanticise the Naxalites, all I can say is that only God can help them." — PTI

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2009/20091025/main3.htm

Pakistan: A country divided against itself

PAKISTAN IS at war. It is not a declared war but everyone, one and all, both the natives and the foreigners know that a war is going on. The Pakistan Army is dead serious on eliminating the menace of terrorism. However, other citizens like teachers, bureaucrats and ordinary citizens are not convinced that the Army is serious about its business vis-a-vis terrorism. Nevertheless, in the heart and mind, a guide escorting some brave foreign tourists is convinced that this is not the best of times to see Taxila’s Buddhist university of yore or the Anarkali Bazar of Lahore today. But he has to earn his daily bread and this is the cleanest way of doing so.

 

Where is the enemy

 

It is an undeclared war. No unit has identified an enemy. A circular floated by General Headquarters has just arrived. It defines the enemy and asks all ranks not to have any dealings with the defined enemy. A person, male or female of any age, who challenges the concept and formation of Pakistan and is waging a war against Pakistan or is prepared to wage a war, and with this common intent assembles and organises them to go on a raid to destabilise the country, will be called an enemy of the state of Pakistan and will be brought before a court of law to stand trial. On conviction, such a person will be hanged till death. The body will be handed over to the next of kin for performance of last rites.

Who runs the government of Pakistan? It is a sensitive issue and is never discussed in an open space. In the lighter vein, one may say that three A’s run the show –America, Army and Allah –and in the same order of importance. America has loosened its purse strings and gives a soft loan to Pakistan to the tune of 1.25 billion dollars per year. He who pays the piper, dictates the tune – the age old saying is true to situation even today. Army has run the government most of the time since independence and knows the finer nuances of administration.

 

One of the major reasons why the Pakistan army lost the 1971 war and surrendered unconditionally to India was their distaste for the devilish business of fighting and their penchant for a cushy job like governance of the country. Be that as it may, the Pakistan Army still runs the show by using remote control. There is a civil administration with a President, a Prime Minister and an elected legislature. They know their limitations and do not wish to cross the Lakshman Rekha. No one in his senses expects a powerful Army Chief like General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani to take orders from a President, Asif Ali Zardari. In any case, the two are not on talking terms.

Thus here is a government where the right hand does not know what the left is doing. Here is a country where the people are badly divided on sectarian lines like the Shiite, the Sunni, the Ahmediyas and what have you. The residents of the tribal belt come under a separate administration called the FATA or Federally Administered Tribal Areas. The British in India had kept them divided so that they gain no political strength. Since Independence on August 14, 1947, the government of Pakistan made no endeavour to improve their educational, economic or political condition and they are where they were more than 62 years ago.

 

Since no effort was made for their integration, the process of disintegration gained momentum. The tribes like Mehsuds, Waziri, Yusufzai, Tadjiks and what have you who were fiercely independent by nature gained more momentum through the barrel of the gun. The British Indian Army of the undivided India had found it difficult to control what is now called FATA through force and they bought their silence through hard cash. The situation is no better now; rather it is worse. The invisible enemy lies in wait for the regular army in the hills and dales, jungles and ravines of the unforgiving terrain of Waziristan.

 

Waterloo of foreign forces

Alexander’s invincible phalanxes had found it difficult to hold the ground in the areas called FATA today. The mighty Mughals ruling from Delhi lost the humorist general, Raja Birbal in the process of suppressing the revolt of these tribal people. The tribal loyalties are strong and the entire tribe goes out to the rescue of an individual or a family in distress. Even Tadjiks and Waziris come to the active aid of Mehsuds, notwithstanding tribal rivalries.

 

Of late, Pakistan had been trying hard to play one tribe against the other but had no appreciable success. With modern system of surveillance, an organised regular army has gained more strength. Baitullah Mehsud, the tribal chief and head of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan was thus killed by a missile fired from an American drone while sleeping in the open terrace with his young second wife. While making an attempt to sire a son, he lost his life. His place is now taken over by Hakimullah Mehsud who has vowed a revenge for loss of his predecessor.

As is well known to those who have been following the strategy of the Taliban and the Pakistan Army, it is the United States of America that had been pressurising the Pakistan government to make a decision to eliminate the Taliban leadership and proceed against Islamist terrorism with determination. The Americans increased the aid money to Pakistan but kept an eye on the recipients ’budgeting. It is an open secret that General Kayani is unhappy with the strings attached to the US aid and was in favour of declining to accept it. President Zardari, however, did not wish to alienate the Americans and has accepted both the aid and strings.

 

The US pressure on Pakistan worked and in June 2009, a firm decision was taken to fight it out with a one-time brothers-in-arms, the Taliban. However, it took time to mobilise two divisions of 28000 men and deploy them in the battle zone. Thus it was not until October 16, 09 that a ground attack code named “Rahe Nijaat”or Road of Deliverance, was launched. The air attacks by helicopter gunships and fighter jets had been going on for quite some time. The troops were needed to hold the ground snatched from the Taliban. Should the Pakistan Army make a decision to penetrate deep into the jungles or the hills and dry ravines, they will have to constantly keep an eye on the Terrain, the Weather and the attitude of non-Mehsud tribes towards the ongoing armed confrontation. The winter is not far behind and a snowfall may be expected in November-December 2009.

Progress of battle

Let us admit right at the beginning that there is no transparency in the battle procedure and progress of battle. The whole process is opaque. The press briefing by the PRO confuses the scribes more and removes doubts less. Whatever little information comes out of the battle zone is rather scanty and paints only the army in good light. The Taliban is shown as the losing force. However, the press corps know that had the Army been so efficient and powerful, the Taliban would have been exterminated long ago. But they are still alive and kicking. The government spokesman says that only 17 soldiers lost their life but more than 90 Taliban were killed in a fierce fire fight. Anyway, the media has no means of checking the truth or otherwise of this report.

Some refugees who came out of the dense jungles and ravines did mention that most of the residential areas have been vacated by the local tribesmen. At the same time they did not confirm any large scale movement of army officers and soldiers on footpaths or cart roads leading into the ravines and broken terrain. One may safely surmise that the fierce hand to hand battle between the army men and the tribesmen has not yet begun. It may be mentioned that in 2004 and twice thereafter the Pakistan army had closed in on the tribal people but they were beaten back by the tribal fighters. The Army Headquarters was forced to negotiate and propitiate the tribal fighters every time. Naturally, the Pakistan army officers and soldiers did not cover themselves with glory in these face offs. No wonder, the Army is still testing the waters before taking a plunge. The million dollar question is; how long?

 

Since the Wajiristan warfront is getting more and more opaque, we have little choice but to sign off for now. We promise to return when there is some worthwhile report to bring to our readers who are real connoisseurs of news and views.

http://www.merinews.com/article/pakistan-a-country-divided-against-itself/15786794.shtml

Protests in Kashmir town after man killed for barging into army camp

Srinagar: A 25-year-old man was killed Saturday when a soldier opened fire at him after he ignored a warning to stop near a security picket in a north Kashmir village, police said.
The killing triggered massive protests in Handwara town.

 A police officer said a sentry manning an army bunker at the Dangiwachi camp in north Kashmir's Baramulla district in the morning asked Sajad Ahmed Ganai to stop.

 "The man did not heed the warning of the guard who opened fire. He died on the spot and the body has now been handed over to the relatives for burial," the police officer said.

 The relatives refused to bury the body and have been demanding an inquiry into the "murder".

 A spokesman of the army's 15 Corps said the soldier opened fire in self defence when the man attacked him with an axe.

"A suspicious movement by an individual was observed near the camp this morning. On being challenged by the sentry, the man charged at the sentry with an axe and hit him on his head and right shoulder, injuring him seriously.

 "He then jumped inside the camp gate and tried to charge at the other sentries in the camp. In the retaliatory gunfire, he was shot dead inside the camp. An inquiry has been ordered into the incident and FIR (First Information Report) lodged," Lt. Col. J.S. Brar said.

Police have registered an FIR accusing the soldier of murder.

Local lawmaker Abdul Rashid was leading the protesters demanding a judicial probe into the incident.

http://www.samaylive.com/news/protests-in-kashmir-town-after-man-killed-for-barging-into-army-camp/664083.html

Indian soldier injured in firing across LoC

Jammu: An Indian Army soldier was injured in firing from across the Line of Control (LoC) which divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan, military officials said Saturday.

The incident took place at Kranti post in Poonch sector, about 200 km northwest of Jammu.

 Official sources said that in violation of ceasefire a sudden burst of fire from across the LoC left a soldier of 28 Grenadiers injured.

Indian troops retaliated and the exchange of fire lasted for half an hour.

The Indian Army believes that these incidents of firing from Pakistani side of the LoC are meant to facilitate infiltration of militants into Kashmir.

http://www.samaylive.com/news/indian-soldier-injured-in-firing-across-loc/664046.html