India's National Human Rights Commission Investigates Gujarat Riots
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AHMEDABAD, INDIA, March 24, 2002: An outpouring of emotions greeted the National Human Rights Commission team that visited the state three weeks after the communal violence began. While a jittery officialdom tried to explain to the NHRC that it did all it could to contain the riots, the victims of the riots narrated quite another story -- that of collusion among the political leadership, the rioters and the police. Led by retired chief justice of Supreme Court J S Verma, the commission's secretary general PC Sen and special rapporteur Chaman Lal held extensive talks with top government officials. "The message was conveyed very clearly. Senior bureaucrats and police officials were asked as to what they were doing during the riots, what steps and measures they took to control the situation, whose failure it was, what was the state of alertness and whose responsibility it was," an official said on terms of anonymity. The commission also met the women victims subjugated to sexual abuse and rape. Representations were then made by the survivors who lost their family members and households.

Hindu Human Rights Group Gets BBC to Change
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HATFIELD, UNITED KINGDOM, March 24, 2002: Mahendra Joshi of the human rights organization, "Cause We Care," reports that they have successfully gotten the BBC to replace the word "militant" with the word "activist" when describing the Hindus attacked on the train in Godhra. At first, the BBC said, "Hundreds of people have died in India in the past two weeks after Muslim activists attacked a train carrying Hindu militants back from Ayodhya." Many other reports used the term "militant Hindus" when describing the Hindus killed, who were almost all women and children. Cause We Care lodged an official complaint with the BBC, backed by hundreds of e-mails from supporters. They received a reply from the BBC Newsonline stating, "We recognize that the use of the words referred to in your e-mail was not appropriate. Accordingly, we have changed the sentence concerned." Since then the BBC has been using "Hindu activists" in their reports on the train attack. The details are available at "source" above. They are next approaching the New York Times on the same issue.

Fiji Bans Corporal Punishment in Schools
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SUVA, FIJI, March 22, 2002: Fiji's High Court has banned corporal punishment, saying it's a breach of their constitution. In a landmark ruling, judge Jayant Prekash said the provisions of corporal punishment in the criminal procedure code and in the Ministry of Education guidelines contravene the constitution. The ruling follows a submission from the Human Rights Commission challenging the handing out of corporal punishment.

Sudarshan Kriya Can Help Treat Depression
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NEW DELHI, INDIA, March 21, 2002: Researchers at the premier mental health institution, The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-sciences (NIMHANS) in Bangalore, say that yogic breathing exercises, such as Sudarshan Kriya, has been found to achieve results as good as the best drugs in treating depression patients and alcoholics. Presenting the results at a recently concluded international symposium, professor of psychiatry, B.N. Gangadhar said the results of this exercise compare favorably with Imipramine, an established anti-depressant drug. Sudarshan Kriya is part of the stress management package offered by the Art of Living Foundation of Shri Ravi Shankar. Another researcher at this institute, Dr A Vedamurthachar, found this exercise proving effective at the de-addiction unit as well. The 30 alcoholics in the study were found to have reduced levels of depression and anxiety, he said.

Mata Amritanandamayi Visit Malaysia
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KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, March 23, 2002: Hindu spiritual guru Mata Amritanandamayi Devi will be making her first visit to Malaysia early next week. Ammah, as she is popularly known, is committed to demonstrating love and compassion for the poor and teaches that spirituality is the science and art of harmonious living. She is reported to have hugged over 20 million people worldwide since 1975 and has established orphanages for 600 children, a hospice centre, a home for battered women, a hospital providing free treatment for the poor and 19 schools and colleges. It is said that when Ammah embraces someone, it is a process of purification and inner healing. Ammah, who is from Kerala, India, served as one of the three Hindu "presidents," or principle representatives, of the Centenary Parliament of World Religions in Chicago in 1993 and was a speaker at the United Nations Millenium Peace Summit in August, 2000. Amma will offer darshan (blessings) via her hugs and will hold a spiritual discourse and meditation at Dewan Wawasan, Level 4 Menara PGRM, Parti Gerakan Rakyat Malaysia, No 8 Jalan Pudu Ulu, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur from 7.30 pm onwards on Monday. For details, contact Murali at 012-207 0790 or Siva at 012-205 0760.

US Faces Criticism Over Schoolbooks Given to Afghans
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AFGHANISTAN, March 24, 2002: After the Cold War, the United States spent millions of dollar to supply Afghan schoolchildren with textbooks filled with violent images and militant Islamic teachings, part of covert attempts to spur resistance to the Soviet occupation. The primers, which were filled with talk of jihad and featured drawings of guns, bullets, soldiers and mines, have served since then as the Afghan school system's core curriculum. As Afghan schools reopen today, the United States is back in the business of providing schoolbooks, wrestling with the unintended consequences of its successful strategy of stirring Islamic fervor to fight communism. What seemed like a good idea in the context of the Cold War is being criticized by humanitarian workers. The White House defends the religious content, saying that Islamic principles permeate Afghan culture and that the books "are fully in compliance with U.S. law and policy." Others challenge the government's right to promote any religion in any circumstance. The issue of textbook content reflects growing concern among U.S. policymakers about school teachings in some Muslim countries in which Islamic militancy and anti-Americanism are on the rise.

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