Boy with massive tumour growing from his neck

A nine-year-old boy with a massive tumor was whisked from a dangerous neighborhood in Mexico in an armored vehicle by U.S. federal agents and taken across the border for treatment in New Mexico, his family said.

The boy and his parents were snatched on Thursday from the gang-infested neighborhood in Ciudad Juarez — one of the deadliest cities in the world — after members of a New Mexico Baptist church saw him near an orphanage and sought help.

The parents of the child, identified by officials only as Jose to protect his family, said the tumor on his shoulder and neck has grown so large that it affects his eyesight and could move into his heart.

With no money for medical care, the family sought treatment in Juarez and El Paso, but did not receive any help removing the tumor, which has afflicted Jose since birth.

Si Budagher, pastor of First Baptist Church of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, said the church members spotted the boy while doing missionary work and felt compelled to do something to help him.

Church members only recently resumed missionary work in the border city after suspending visits there due to the deadly violence between competing drug cartels. The violence has claimed thousands of lives.

Denise Gutierrez, a victim assistance coordinator for Homeland Security Investigations, said she felt compelled to help as soon as she saw photos of Jose.

Gutierrez said the boy and his parents were granted a 45-day humanitarian visa for treatment in New Mexico, and a coalition of U.S. federal agencies began working to get them into the United States.

The U.S. Border Patrol helped the family enter the country.

Budagher said the church has set up a fund for private donations and is helping with the cost of the family's stay in the U.S. The church is also seeking help from doctors to examine Jose.

It's still unclear, however, what treatment is needed or if he'll need to return for follow-up visits.

'Vanakkam' London 2012

London, the English capital and the host of Olympic 2012, begins with 'Vanakkam'! In an advertisement to represent and celebrate London's diverse ethnicity, it has touched the hearts of over a million Tamils most of whom are of Eezham origin. On the contrary, India insists on 'Namaste'. Ilayaraja's music and the performance of a British Tamil M.I.A in the opening ceremony is considered as a great honour by the Tamil community world over. The world criticises the UK for asserting the English and British identity, but one fails to notice the subtle gestures by the same society that recognises, values and celebrates the presence of numerous languages and cultures in the UK particularly in England. It is estimated that over 300 languages are spoken in London. On this august occasion, the British society chose to begin with the Tamil word 'Vanakkam' which indeed is an honour and proves that it distinctly recognises the Tamil identity because the next word uttered by a young girl is 'Namaste'!

Tamil genocide and potential future Indian President

It is hard to deny that the Sri Lanka Government recieved the Indian Government's assistance during the last stages of the war. The DMK and Congress have earned a dubious reputation in Tamil Nadu particularly after the self proclaimed victory over LTTE by the Sri Lankan Government. Today, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee is at the mercy of the Tamil people to get to one of the most respected position in any country. If we were to request an impartial investigation into the alleged war crimes of Sri Lanka, the Indian Government must also be included in the list as the Indian Government also bears blood in its hand. Its a shame that leaders with dubious reputation are allowed to contest for the highest position of the country and the concern is that the sanctity of the President's post would be lost. The Tamil society which claims to have a high self-respect and concern for its kith and kin must ensure that only clean politicians are allowed to contest in any election at any level. One can never forget the Tamil genocide in Sri Lanka and at the same time, people who were in responsible position during that stage must be punished by the people. Although Mr. Mukherjee is hopeful to get support from his Tamil counterpart, it will be a National shame if they extend their support, for the sins of the Union Government is unpardonable.

The Royal Tamil 2012

The Royal Tamil 2012
Promoting Tamil pride

'Autonomy for Tamil Nadu'

Tamil Nadu or Tamil country, as the name implies is the most urbanised state in the country. In a federal set up, every state does have autonomy to certain extent however, the state is dependent on the Union Government on its decision for various issues to a great extent. As the second largest economy of the country, Tamil Nadu today struggles to settle disputes - be it TN fishermen, Eezham Tamils, Mullaiperiyar, Hindi imposition or Cauvery water- to protect the Tamils interest. Is not time for the Tamils to have an autonomous state to fulfill their aspirations and at the same time retain the Indian tag?

Autonomy may be defined as:

1. (of a country or region) The right or condition of self-government.
2. A self-governing country or region.

In not more than 3000 words, tell us if this objective is feasible, and if the answer is yes, then how it could be realised, its pros and cons and the role that Tamils ought to play to accomplish this mission.

Hints to help you:
1. You could use any country's example.
2. You could conduct a session to educate your fellow citizens and use their feedback as an evidence in support of your argument.
3. You could also think of conducting a random poll in support of your essay.
4. Any other work that you think would be helpful not just for this competition but to the Tamil society in order to accomplish the task.

We will be judging you on:
1. Creativity
2. The depth of research and evidence to prove the same
3. Originality
4. Presentation
5. Ability to provide unbiased view

Two best essays would be awarded and honoured. Remember that your work must be original and they would be registered with the UKCS (United Kingdom Copyright Services)

Who can participate?
Anyone who is over the age of 18. We will treat all applicants equally.

Registration and queries
Please e-mail us at news@tamilswave.com for any questions you may have or to request a registration form. We strongly recommend you to do this as soon as possible.

Important dates
Registration deadline : July 10 2012 1800 GMT, 2230 Madras Time
Submission of drafts : August 24 2012 2359 GMT, 0429 Madras Time
You will then recieve feedback on your work (if it doesnt meet the expected standard). This is to help you progress to the next stage.
Submission of final essay: September 21 2012 2359 GMT, 0429 Madras Time
Declaration of results: November 05 2012

Award ceremony titled 'Royal Tamil Mega Maalai' is being planned. Please watch this space for further updates.

Venue: Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Date and Time: To be advised

Please note that the editor's decision would be final and binding.

** We wish you good luck with your application! Please watch this section to check for updates**

PDK warns: Hindi will be defaced across TN

The destination board in Hindi in a Coimbatore bus is perhaps a move to please the North Indian community of Coimbatore. If you carefully look at the picture, Podanur and Ukkadam are in Hindi and English and not in Tamil. Are Hindi speaking Indians any different to Sinhala speaking Sri Lankans in terms of imposition of Hindi? While it may appeal a Hindi speaking Indian, it is unfair to Non Tamil linguistic groups living in the city particularly Malayalees, Kerala being close to Coimbatore. Tamil Nadu must resort to either Tamil only sign boards or bilingual (Tamil and English) sign boards. This initiative of a private bus company was protested by the members of Periyar Dravida Kazhagam. The party warned that if the Government failed to issue notice to the owner of the private bus compay, it would deface Hindi signs across.

Google ups challenge to iPad, Kindle with debut of $199 Nexus 7

The worst-kept secret in Googleland is now official.

The Nexus 7 tablet was unveiled today at the Google I/O Conference. As previously reported, the device was built by Asus and comes with a 7-inch 1,280-by-800 HD display. According to Google, it's running the Tegra 3 processor and has a front-facing camera for video chatting.

Wi-Fi connectivity, as well as Bluetooth and near-field communication support are also included in the device. Rumors had been swirling for months that Google would offer the tablet. Earlier this morning, the company mistakenly let slip a banner image of the device on its Google Play store.

With the announcement, Google is making a play for a piece of a hard-fought market where its entry will compete against Amazon.com's Kindle Fire -- which the Nexus 7 approximates in size and price -- as well as Apple's iPad.

The Nexus 7 comes in 8GB and 16GB models. The 8GB option retails for $199, while the 16GB version will go on sale at $249. The device will start shipping in two to three weeks, Google said. However, interested customers can start preordering the tablet today.

Rounding out the specs are a Micro-USB port, 1GB of RAM, a 1.2-megapixel front camera (no back camera included), a gyroscope, GPS, an accelerometer, a microphone, and 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi.

The device measures 10.45mm thick, weighs 0.7 pounds, and, from the looks of the first pictures released, has a textured, grippy backside and appears to be about the same size as the Kindle Fire.

The Nexus 7 will be the first device to run the latest version of the Android 4.1 OS, also known as Jelly Bean. Google says to expect 9 hours of 720p HD video battery life.

The Silent and Telling Emergency in India - by S. P. Udayakumar

The Silent and Telling Emergency in IndiaS. P. Udayakumar Anti-Nuclear Activist 

Idinthakarai

June 26, 2012

 

Today is the 37the anniversary of the infamous emergency that Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed on the people of India. While some people were quite happy that the bureaucrats came to offices on time, shopkeepers kept price lists outside their shops, trains were punctual and so forth, many people were worried and concerned about the curtailment of our freedoms and entitlements. As a 15-year-old boy, I was worried about my father’s safety (as he was active in the DMK party), the complete absence of freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom of assembly, and most importantly, freedom from fear. People were afraid to speak their minds out, the newspapers were full of blank spaces because of censorship, and the society was enveloped by a thin layer of fear and suspicion. That was not the India I had grown up to love and cherish. Never did I imagine even in my wildest nightmares that I would find myself in a similar but silent emergency after some 37 years of liberty and freedom.

 

Today is the 100^th day of my and Pushparayan’s self-exile here at Idinthakarai. On March 18, 2012 at 4:45 PM the Personal Assistant (General) of the Tirunelveli Collector called me and asked me and Fr. F. Jayakumar, the Parish Priest of Idinthakarai, to go and meet the Collector in his office the next morning at 10 am. The Collector, Dr. R. Selvaraj, himself called me later that night and the next day morning asking us to go and meet him. A warning bell rang in my mind and I told my friends that we were all going to be arrested. My intuition proved to be right; some 200 of our friends from Koodankulam, Koottapuli, Chettikulam and Erode were arrested. Rayan and I and 13 others embarked on an indefinite hunger strike demanding our friends’ immediate and unconditional release.

 

The Superintendent of Police, Mr. Vijayendra Bidari, called me on my mobile on March 19^th evening and asked me to surrender. With him still on the phone, I asked the thousands of people who had gathered there for their permission to surrender and they all shouted down the idea. I asked the SP to send enough vehicles and two officers with the arrest warrants so that we all would get arrested en masse. He did not like that idea and hung up by saying, “This is the last time I speak to you.” We used to speak to each other quite often as I got his oral permission for all our rallies, campaigns and public meetings.

 

Ever since March 18^th, Rayan and I never left this small coastal village (except two short visits to the nearby Kuthenkuzhi village by sea). Thousands of people including women and children from all the neighboring villages were keeping a constant round-the-clock vigil to protect us from police action. The Tamil Nadu government imposed 144 prohibitory orders in our area and blocked our access to food, water, electricity and other essentials such as baby food, vegetables and fruits. Young mothers were forced to feed their babies sugar water; pregnant women could not go to hospital; and men could not leave or enter the village. We were surrounded by a massive deployment of police personnel from all over Tamil Nadu and paramilitary forces. We rightly called the situation another ‘Mullivaikal.’ Indeed, it was!

 

Pushparayan, Jesuraj and I are not afraid of police arrest or incarceration; we just do not want the struggle to be folded up by the Tamil Nadu police, the Government of India and its intelligence agencies. This is the reason why we have decided not to venture out of Idinthakarai. This self-exile has not been easy or smooth-going. But the singular achievement of our self-exile is keeping the struggle alive and active with several hunger strikes, public meetings, campaigns, planning meetings and other assorted activities.

 

So far, more than 300 false cases have been filed against us, the leaders of the People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE), and the struggling people of southern Tamil Nadu. Up until December 31, 2011 some 170 FIRs were filed against us. A friend tabulated these cases and had this to say: “Just between September and December 2011, …109 FIRs (First Investigation Report) have been filed against 55,795 people and an undisclosed number of "others." At least 21 sections of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) have been used, include Section 121 (Waging War against the Government of India) against 3600 people, and Section 124A (Sedition) against 3200 people. The Koodankulam police station has the dubious distinction, perhaps, of being the station where the largest number of "sedition" and "waging war" cases have been filed in the shortest time in the history of colonial and independent India.” Here is a partial list of cases that were filed against us just in October and November of 2011:

 

Cr. No. 299/11     D.O. 13.10.11

Sec. 121, 143, 188, 153(A), 341, 506(1), 505(1)(b) & 7(1)(a) CLA Act R/W 120(b)

S P. Udayakumar and 19 others (including 4 women)

 

Cr. No. 301/11     D.O. 14.10.11

Sec. 143, 147, 188 R/W 34

S. P. Udayakumar and 13 others (including one woman) as well as 2,000 people

 

Cr. No. 303/11     D.O. 14.10.11

Sec. 147, 148, 341, 294(b), 353, 506(ii) IPC R/W 34.

S. P. Udayakumar and 13 others (including one woman) as well as 1,000 people.

 

Cr. No. 304/11     D.O. 14.10.11

Sec. 147, 148, 452, 121, 506(I) IPC R/W 34 IPC

S. P. Udayakaumr and 2 others as well as 15 supporters.

 

Cr. No. 305/11     D.O. 14.10.11

Sec. 147, 148, 452, 121, 506(I) IPC R/W 34 IPC

S. P. Udayakumar and two others as well as many people.

 

Cr. No. 306/11     D.O. 14.10.11

Sec. 147, 148, 452, 121, 506(I) IPC R/W 34 IPC.

Allwyn and four others as well as many people.

 

Cr. No. 307/11     D.O. 14.10.11

Sec. 147, 148, 452, 121, 506(II) IPC R/W 34 IPC.

S. P. Udayakumar and three others as well as many.

 

Cr. No. 315/11     D.O. 15.10.11

Sec. 109, 121, 124 (A), 125, 143, 153(A), 341, 353, 505(1)(b), 506(i) IPC & Sec 3 of PDDL Act & 7(1)(a) CLA Act. R/W 120 IPC.

S. P. Udayakumar and 16 others (including 6 priests, 2 doctors, 2 women)

 

Cr. No. 316/11     D.O. 16.10.11

Sec. 147, 188, 353, 341 R/W 34 IPC.

S. P. Udayakumar and 13 others.

 

Cr. No. 372/11     D.O. 21.11.11

Sec. 121, 124A, 143, 153(A), 447, 505(1)(b) & 7(1)(a) CLA Act, 120(B).

S. P. Udayakumar and 14 others as well as 3,000 people.

 

Cr. No. 373/11     D.O. 21.11.11

Sec. 143, 188, 147, 124(A), 153(A)

S. P. Udayakumar and 19 others as well as 450 people.

 

As you can see, some of the above cases carry the charges of ‘sedition’ and ‘waging war against the Indian State’. But what is interesting is the fact that the Prime Minister of India, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, the Tirunelveli District Collector, the Tirunelveli Superintendent of Police (SP) and many other officials have been meeting with us on a regular basis as the diary below establishes. The question here is if we are guilty of ‘sedition’ and of ‘waging war against the Indian State’ and so forth, don’t these officials become co-conspirators in our crimes and stand accused of abetting us, the dangerous criminals? Shouldn’t the same charges be brought against them also?

September 15, 2011

Tamil Nadu Ministers Mr. Chellapandian, Mr. Chenthur Pandian, Mr. Shanmuganathan, Mr. Nainar Nagendran, MLA, and Mr. Rajendran, MLA came along with the District Collector, Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Superintendent of Police (SP), Revenue Divisional Officer (RDO) and a few other officials to Radhapuram to meet with the Struggle Committee members.

 

September 21, 2011

The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu met with us in her office and passed a cabinet resolution the next day asking the central government to halt all the work until the fears and concerns of the local people were allayed. The Catholic Bishops of Kottar and Thoothukudi and the CSI Bishops of Tirunelvei and Thoothukudi and several other prominent citizens were with us. The CM talked to us for some 45 minutes.

 

October 7, 2011

A large delegation of the Struggle Committee members, the Catholic Bishops of Kottar and Thoothukudi and the CSI Bishops of Tirunelvei and Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu politicians, MPs and Tamil Nadu ministers met with the Prime Minister of India under the leadership of Tamil Nadu Finance Minister, Mr. O. Panneerselvam. Minister of State Mr. V. Narayanaswamy, Dr. Sreekumar Banerjee, the head of the Department of Atomic Energy, Dr. S. K. Jain, the head of the NPCIL, Mr. Shivsankar Menon, National Security Advisor, were also with us during the meeting.

 

October 10, 2011

Some of the Struggle Committee members had talks with the RDO and Additional Deputy SP (ADSP) from 12:30 to 3:00 PM; we insisted on their honoring the Tamil Nadu Cabinet resolution and stopping work at the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP).

 

October 20, 2011

Some of the Struggle Committee members met with Kerala Minister Mr. P. J. Joseph, Chief Minister Mr. Oomen Chandi, and the opposition leader Mr. V.S. Achuthanandan in their homes and/or offices.

 

November 1, 2011

Some of the Struggle Committee members were at the Collector’s office talking to the Collector from 11:00 am to 2:30 pm.

 

November 7, 2011

Some members of the Struggle Committee spent several hours talking to the Collector in his office.

 

November 8, 2011

M. Pushparayan and Mi. Pa. Jesuraj met with the Central Government’s Expert Group and held talks at the Collector’s office; the Collector and the SP also participated in the meeting.

 

November 16, 2011

Some of the Struggle Committee members met the SP in his office at 3:00 pm; then we met with the District Revenue Officer (DRO) and the Collector’s Personal Assistance (General) at the Collector Office.

 

November 18, 2011

In the second meeting of the team, M. Pushparayan and Mi. Pa. Jesuraj met with the Central Government’s Expert Group and held talks at the Collector’s office; the Collector and the SP also participated in the meeting.

 

November 30, 2011

Some of the Struggle Committee members went to the Collector’s office and met with the PA(G) at 5:00 pm; waited for the Collector who came only at 6:30 pm. Complained to him about more people entering the KKNPP, Dinamalar’s criminal activities, and the Tamil Nadu government’s slapping severe cases on us. He promised to look into all these issues and to send the RDO and the Deputy SP (DSP) to the KKNPP premises.

 

December 13, 2011

S. Sivasubramanian, Mi. Pa. Jesuraj, Muhilan and S. P. Udayakumar went to see the Collector at 5 PM. We had a long discussion with the Collector, the Planning Officer, RDO, ASP, one other official, and the PA(G) about the inflow of workers and vehicles into the KKNPP.

 

December 15, 2011

In the third meeting of the team, M. Pushparayan and Mi. Pa. Jesuraj met with the Central Government’s Expert Group and held talks at the Collector’s office; the Collector and the SP also participated in the meeting.

 

January 3, 2012

Some Struggle Committee members met the PA(G) at 5:30 pm as the Collector wasn’t there in his office. We gave him a memo for the Chief Minister.

 

January 6, 2012

Met with the ASP, ADSP and Inspectors of Koodankulam and Radhapuram police stations and discussed the people’s siege issue at length. The officials agreed to go and check the presence of workers at the KKNPP tomorrow.

 

January 12, 2012

Mi. Pa. Jesuraj, Muhilan and S. P. Udayakumar gave a memorandum to the BSNL officer at Radhapuram and the Tahsildar of Radhapuram. Then some of the Struggle Committee members went to Cheranmahadevi to meet the Sub-Collector, Ms. Rohini Ramdas Bidari at her office.

 

January 20, 2012

S. Sivasubramanian, Mi. Pa. Jesuraj, Muhilan and S. P. Udayakumar went to Tirunelveli to meet the SP and handed over a complaint about the Dinamalar newspaper. Then met with the PA(G) of Collector about the same issue. Later met with the Collector in his office and discussed about the Jan 31^st meeting.

 

January 31, 2012

The fourth meeting with the Central government’s Expert Group did not take place. As our car entered the compound and approached the main office, a small group of some 15 men (both Congress and Hindu Munnani thugs) came rushing towards our car and pelted stones and attacked the vehicle. We drove out of the Collector office compound and refused to participate in the talks. Talked to the press and left the scene. Police escort came and took us to the Muntradaippu police station; The SP also came and met us there. In the meantime, some 10,000 people had gathered in front of the KKNPP front gate. We rushed to Koodankulam and talked to the people for almost an hour and asked them to disperse peacefully. The DIG, SP, RDO and several hundred policemen were there at Koodankulam. Took some people to meet the DIG at the Koodankulam police station and had a dialogue with him. Took the injured women to Radhapuram govt. hospital for treatment and they were all admitted as in-patients.

 

February 18, 2012

People laid a siege in front of the KKNPP from 12 pm till 9 pm. The Tamil Nadu government’s expert panel visited the KKNPP site at around 5:30 pm. They were there for hardly an hour. We held talks with the DIG and the Collector at the Koodankulam police station with two demands: reducing the work force at KKNPP to 20 and the Tamil Nadu panel should come to our villages to meet with the people.

 

February 19, 2012

Some of the Struggle Committee members went to the Collectorate in the afternoon.  We had a long meeting with the team, Dr. Iniyan, Dr. M.R. Sreenivasan, Mr. Vijayaraghavan and Dr. Arivu Oli. The Collector, SP, DRO, RDO and PA(G) were also there.

 

February 29, 2012

We met the AIADMK MP Mr. Manoj Pandian as we were waiting to meet with the Chief Minister and talked to him about the struggle. M. Pushparayan, S. Sivasubramanian, Dr. R. Ramesh and S. P. Udayakumar met with the CM. She stood up, smiled and received us. I gave her some of my books. I spoke for some 15 minutes which she listened to very carefully and attentively. When I paused, she said, “Have you finished?” Then Dr. Ramesh spoke for 5 minutes and gave some of his reports. She said, “I’ll go through them carefully.” We thanked her and left.

 

More than 300 cases including ‘sedition’ and ‘waging war against the State’ charges and life in self exile in a remote coastal village without any mobility, family, access to health care, and other essentials of life make me remember the ‘Emergency’ and MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act) days. Yes, there is a silent emergency prevailing in India today. The State that accuses us of waging war against it is indeed waging a war against its own people. Also we have to ask what is seditious today in India. The Manmohan Singh government has scores of ministers who are accused of serious corruption and fraudulence charges but it is the common people like us who struggle for the safety and betterment of our people stand accused of sedition.

 

The Manmohan Singh government, the most controversial government independent India has ever had, has tried all kinds of dirty tricks to put down our struggle and the movement. They have been accusing us of receiving foreign money, acting at the behest of foreign powers, conspiring with the Catholic Church, conniving with opposition parties and so on. They have damaged my school, destroyed the poor little children’s library books, vandalized the children’s water taps, intimidated the family members, and indulged in all kinds of inhuman, devious and criminal behavior. The Indian government and the Department of Atomic Energy have refused to give any information to the public and are speaking half-truths, non-truths and complete nonsense just to mislead the country and enhance their own self interests.

 

Having exhausted all options to end opposition to the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant, the Government of India now plans to take a peek into all our minds and remove any fears with the help of psychiatrists from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) in Bangalore. The government is getting sicker and sillier. Besides the prevailing ‘silent emergency,’ there is also a telling emergency in the country, viz. we are stuck with a government that works for foreign governments, foreign corporations, foreign interests, and cannot for a second accept the simple fact that ‘Ordinary Indians’ can think through policy issues, take a stand on them, and stand up for their rights. We have got an emergency situation indeed.

 

S. P. Udayakumar is the Coordinator of People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) and the opinions expressed here are his own. For contact,spudayakumar@gmail.com.

High time for Tamil Nadu to push for a Total Autonomy !

Definition: Tamils- Refer only to people who have their mother tongue as Tamil. Tamil Nadu was home to Tamil people since 500 BCE. In 1969 Madras state was renamed Tamil Nadu which literally means Tamils country. It's official language Tamil has been used inscription and literature for over 2000 years now. In 2012 Tamil Nadu becomes the second largest economy of the country. 

The Tamils can be proud of the fact that they live in the most urbanised state of the country. With moderate cost of living and high literacy, Tamil Nadu is viewed as one of the most progressive states in India. The question that we need to answer is : 

Is India doing justice to its 70 million Tamil population? Perhaps the answer may not be a straightforward yes. Although Tamil Nadu is able to fight for its rights in a federal structure, is it worth spending precious time in getting what I would term as a 'fair deal' for its Tamil population? The world has witnessed the stance of Indian Government in the last stages of war against the Sri Lankan state. It's immediate neighbour India was more or less a spectator. As soon as the Eelam Tamils reach the TN shores, they feel a sigh of relief not because they are in world's second most populated country but because they are in Tamil Nadu-the state that was formed in 1969, with the slogan 'Tamil Nadu for Tamils' and today this is seen as a reassurance by the world Tamils. Of the many issues, the prominent ones that sprouts up every now and then are TN fishermen, Cauvery water, Mullaiperiyar dam, Electricity sharing and occasionally, the Indian Governments various initiative to thrust Hindi on Tamil people in various forms. 

Of course the people are also to be blamed to an extent- Non Tamils for promoting their language and Tamils for accepting them at the cost of their own language. I feel that we, as Tamils and Tamil Nadu as a state ought to focus on further development on par with leading nations of the world like Singapore, UK, to name a few. Under the Indian Governments rule, it took us 65 years to get to a point where we have something to talk about. On the other hand inter state disputes take decades to resolve and in a few cases, only the Union Government changes and nothing else. 

Keeping the past in mind, and safeguarding the Tamils interest in the future, its crucial for TN to push for a constitutional amendment for a total autonomy and prevent any foreign influence in terms of imposition of language or policies. Once accomplished, the people of TN must then be sensible in electing their leaders. It may also be wise to elect the sane Government as a token of thanks giving and at the same time giving a chance to translate plans into action. 

This could be done via signature campaigns, educating the Tamil citizens by providing unbiased views on autonomy, highlighting its benefits and shortcomings. Politics in TN must not be viewed as a subject to study for board exams nor an affair of the corrupted leaders but a participation from people from every walk of life to lay a foundation for a promising Tamil Nadu. 

 I welcome your comments, opinion and suggestion on the article. 

 Vignesh Raj 

 United Kingdom

Indian rupee symbol promotes Hindi. Should Tamils follow ?

Indian rupee symbol promotes Hindi. Should Tamils follow ?

The Indian Government accepted the symbol to represent the Rupee symbol. The credit goes to Mr. D Uday Kumar, an Indian citizen of Tamil origin who designed this symbol. It is said that the symbol is a combination of the Devnagari script and the Latin letter ‘R’. During the 2010 Union budget, the Finance Minister of India Mr. Pranab Mukherjee said that the proposed Indian Rupee sign would reflect and capture the Indian ethos and culture. This symbol was short listed from around 3331 responses. Guideline number 5 of the contest stated that “submitted symbols were required to be in the Indian National Language Script or a visual representation". Apparently this violates the Constitution of India as it does not specify any script as a ‘National language script’.

While the need of a currency symbol for a country like India to stand out in the global market is appreciated. What irks is that the symbol does not represent or capture the complete Indian ethos and culture. It has apparently ignored the South India particularly the Tamil culture which is often referred to as the ‘last surviving classical civilization’. It has on the other hand promoted the Devnagari script and the symbol in my opinion, fails to represent the diversity of India.

It may not be possible to make both ends meet however, it could have been possible to select an old or perhaps the oldest living Indian language which is Tamil. It appears that the Union Government has taken the states into confidence without approaching the state government for its comment while introducing the new rupee symbol which is unacceptable in a federal set up. Recognizing a language or civilization based on its antiquity in my opinion would only enhance India’s image. Indian Government’s various initiatives to thrust Hindi on Tamil Nadu could actually lead to a loss of a treasure. Today Hindi in Tamil Nadu could be seen in the form of an anglicised version for instance :‘Jiyo life bindaas’. On one hand, there is a civilization that is trying to preserve its identity, culture, language and tradition and on the other hand, we have not just Government but also people trying to promote Hindi in the pretext of ‘National language’.

I think, the Tamils of Tamil Nadu must learn from the Mauritius Tamils where Tamil numbering is used in the currency. It is time to revive our own language and learn the missed lessons and encourage the use of Tamil where ever possible within Tamil Nadu and Puducherry including the currency notes. If the Government intends to use a language as a medium of expression to reach out to the common mass, then I would want to see it in my mother tongue when I am in my home state, Tamil Nadu. Perhaps it would be a nice idea to use ௹ symbol in Tamil Nadu to represent the Indian rupee as my concerns are that the next generation could mistake it for a non-existing Tamil letter from the 10th century!

I welcome your comments.

Vignesh Raj

United Kingdom

e-mail: vickey_24@yahoo.com

Conjoined twin sisters set to get separated by surgery.

Madhya Pradesh: They were born into a poor family in Betul in Madhya Pradesh. Their father, a farmer with barely two acres of land and their mother, abandoned them immediately in the hospital where they were born, unable to figure out how to treat their twin daughters, who were joined at the chest.

The girls were named by the doctors who run the hospital in Betul located 200 kilometres from Bhopal. For the last 11 months, the ward where they lie in a single bed in Padhar Hospital has been home for Aradhana and Stuti. The babies have been looked after by the nurses and doctors here. Later this month, they will go through a major operation that will hopefully separate them, and allow them to really enter the world.

This historic operation is about to take place tomorrow while millions of people pray for a successful surgery.

Serious safety concerns. Anti- Nuclear activists demand to halt Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project

Anti- Nuclear activists demand to halt Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project. In a letter they sent to the Atomic Regulatory Board , anti-nuke activists demanded to stop the Koodankulam power project immediately for safety concerns.

The letter states...

From,

The People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) Idinthakarai & P.O - 627 104 Tirunelveli District Tamil Nadu koodankulam@yahoo.com

To,

The Chairman Atomic Energy Regulatory Board

Niyamak Bhavan

Anushaktinagar

Mumbai 400 094

Dear Sir: Greetings!

We, the members of the People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy and people of southern districts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, write to demand immediate halt of the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) at Koodankulam in Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, and a thorough scrutiny of the following issues before AERB (Atomic Energy Regulatory Board) gives a green signal to the commissioning of the Koodankulam project.

The KKNPP reactors from Russia are being set up without sharing the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Site Evaluation Study and Safety Analysis Report with the people, people’s representatives or the press. After a 23-year-long struggle, we obtained a copy of the outdated, incomplete and erroneous EIA only a few months back. No public hearing has been conducted for the first two reactors either.

The KKNPP project has been imposed on an uninformed and unwilling population throwing all democratic precepts and values of our country to the wind. The Central Information Commissioner (CIC) has ordered “to provide an attested photocopy of the Safety Analysis Report and Site Evaluation Report after severing any proprietary details of designs provided by the suppliers to the appellant before 25 May, 2012.”

But the NPCIL refuses to share these two public safety reports by arguing that the Safety Analysis Report (SAR) “is a ‘third party document’ and therefore, without the prior consent of the third party, the same cannot be shared with anyone.” Obviously, the NPCIL is more interested in the safety of the Russian company and the Russian benefactors but not in the safety of the people of India. NPCIL has informed the CIC in their recent letter dated May 18, 2012 that “the ‘Site Evaluation Report’ for Reactor I & II at Koodankulam could be made available to the Appellant.

Accordingly, a copy of the said ‘Site Evaluation Report’ has been sent to the Appellant.” On May 17, 2012 we received a letter and a bunch of 12 lose papers without any head or tail as the ‘Site Evaluation Report.’ When we questioned the validity and integrity of this so called SER, Dr. S. K. Jain, the chief of the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. (NPCIL), claimed that it was the executive summary and not the whole report.

The KKNPP and the NPCIL officials have not conducted any mock drills and evacuation drills in the 30 km or even the 16 km radius of the project.

On June 9, 2012, the Tirunelveli district administration and the NPCIL officials conducted a haphazard safety drill in a remote hamlet called Nakkaneri of hardly 300 people and claimed that the mock drill was a great success. If we organize fire drills in all the schools and movie theatres all over the country, should we not conduct nuclear safety drills in all villages and towns in the project area?

More than 1.5 million people live within the 30 km radius of the KKNPP which far exceeds the AERB stipulations. It is quite impossible to evacuate this many people quickly and efficiently in case of a nuclear disaster at KKNPP. According to AERB instructions of 1998, the Koodankulam project requires two sources of water from the reservoirs of Pechiparai and Upper Kodayar in Kanyakumari district to ensure adequate supply in the event of a loss-of-coolant accident. Since water from Pechiparai and Kodyar is ruled out, four desalination units, each producing 106,000 litres of water an hour, are provided for the first two units of KKNPP. The desalination plants that are close to each other and vulnerable to accidents and terror attacks cannot be the reliable sources of fresh water.

However, the Site Evaluation Report clarifies that Pechiparai dam water will be taken for the KKNPP reactors. There are so many conflicting and contradictory reports about the fresh water needs of KKNPP and its fulfillment. The issue of liability for the Russian plants has also not been settled yet. Defying the Indian nuclear liability law, Russia insists that the Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA), secretly signed in 2008 by the Indian and Russian governments, precedes the liability law and that Article 13 of the IGA clearly establishes that NPCIL is solely responsible for all claims of damage.

If the Russian reactors are the best in the world, as claimed by Russians, why do they refuse to offer any liability? Most importantly, the VVER reactor under commissioning at Koodankulam nuclear power project differs from the one featured in the inter-governmental agreement between Russia and India. According to documents published in 2006, there was no weld on the beltline (middle portion) of the reactor pressure vessel (RPV).

NowAERB says that there are two welds on the beltline of the RPV installed at KKNPP. This is a breach of the contract by the supplier in Russia. NPCIL officers who have known this are guilty of installing an unsafe machine with high risk of RPV failure leading to offsite radiological contamination besides causing financial loss to the company in case of premature retirement of the reactors.

By consenting to its erection, AERB has also reneged on its responsibilities. If the reactor is hot-commissioned, it will be virtually impossible to subject the vessel to a detailed inspection. This will lead to destruction of evidences of the crimes.

From a safety perspective, the IAEA-mandated study of pressurized thermal shock (PTS) has to be done before commissioning the reactors at Kudankulam.

The people of Tamil Nadu and Kerala are deeply concerned about our safety and wellbeing as the KKNPP reactors pose grave and serious threats. The actual siting of the reactors, the quality of construction and the pipe work and the overall integrity of the KKNPP structures have been called into question by the very workers and contractors who work there in Koodankulam.

Our own Expert Team has identified several serious safety issues with regards to the geology, hydrology, oceanography and seismology issues of the KKNPP project such as Karst, geysers and sub-volcanic intrusions in our locality; slumps in our sea and possible tsunamis; recurrent huge earthquakes in the Indian Ocean and so forth.

Our Expert Team’s findings and our long struggle against the KKNPP are completely ignored by the concerned authorities and the governments ignoring our safety and wellbeing completely. In the light of the above situation, we would very much like to request you to intervene in the KKNPP matter, halt its commissioning immediately and order a thorough enquiry into all of the above issues.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon, we send you our best regards and all peaceful wishes.

Cordially,

S.P.Udayakuamr, Ph.D.

M. Pushparayan

M. P. Jesuraj

Fr. F. Jayakumar

Coordinator

Why Tamils simply cannot accept Hindi imposition?

We have now completed 65 years of Independence. A cartoon which claims it depicts the Anti- Hindi agitation has shaken the whole country and the Tamil community world over.

It may well be that Hindi is spoken by over 40% of the Indians but that is not a good reason for a democratic government to impose the language in any form (directly or indirectly) in a region like Tamil Nadu which has existed thousands of years with Tamil as the language.

Had the Tamils not agitated in 1965 against the imposition of Hindi, India might have lost English today.

The problem with Tamils and Tamil Nadu is not with the language Hindi, but with its imposition. The myth of Hindi is the National language is still prevailing in many parts of the country. Today, Hindi imposition in Tamil Nadu continues in many forms.

I remember a time when I could see ‘Paasi paruppu’ written in English or Tamil. Today, I could see it as ‘Moong Daal’. What has Moong daal and Toor daal got to do in a place where it is not understood by over 98%?

If I were to go by the 2001 statistics, Hindi is spoken by around 0.30% of the people in Tamil Nadu. Perhaps the most disgusting and ridiculous factor is trying to satisfy the 0.30% of the population in the name of ‘National language’.

I remember seeing a notice board in TN airport which says ‘We feel happy when you speak Hindi. Think, speak and write in Rajbhasha Hindi’.

My question is the necessity to promote Hindi in TN when the Union Government has clearly specified in its department of official languages states “In exercise of the powers conferred by section 8, read with sub-section(4) of section 3 of the Official Languages Act, 1963 (19 of 1963), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules, namely

1. Short title, extent and commencement -

(i) These rules may be called the Official Languages (Use for Official Purposes of the Union) Rules, 1976.

(ii) They shall extend to the whole of India, except the State of Tamilnadu.

(iii) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.

My concern is not just ignoring the passion and love of the Tamils for their mother tongue and their Tamil identity but also mocking at them.

India is a beautiful country with diverse ethnicity and cultures. In my opinion, it is not hard to accept them as they are. Promoting Hindi and other languages in a region where it shouldn’t be particularly in Tamil Nadu could have adverse consequences.

I wish to reiterate that India has no National language and Tamil is the only official language of Tamil Nadu.The imposition of Hindi in Tamil Nadu is already sorted as the rule clearly exempts Tamil Nadu.

It is up to the leaders of Tamil Nadu to ensure that the rule is fully implemented in the state. I welcome readers point of view. Please feel free to e-mail your comments to me in either Tamil or English.

Long live classical Divine Tamil!

- Raj Vignesh (United Kingdom)

email: vickey_24@yahoo.com

The American reggae band ‘Big Mountain’ boycotts Sri Lanka musical tour. Upholds justice.

The American reggae band ‘Big Mountain’ have refused an invitation to perform at a reggae festival in Sri Lanka, citing concerns over “systemic violence” towards “indigenous populations” in the country.

The band stated that whilst they were keen to spread their message of peace, a performance in the country at such a time would serve to “gloss over or legitimate” their concerns of violence that transpired during the war in the country.

In a statement published on their Facebook site yesterday, the group said: "We are declining this invitation, however, due to our concern with the violence that has transpired there as of late and that has been described as part of Sri Lanka’s “civil war.”

"Whilst we would be honored to help convey a message of peace and reconciliation, we also feel that to play a concert of this type, at this moment in time, would help to gloss over or legitimate conditions of systemic violence that have transpired in that region and towards indigenous populations in particular."

See the full statement released by lead vocalist Joaquin Quino McWhinney below.

The name of our band, Big Mountain, derives from a struggle that pitted two Native American communities against one another in a struggle over a sacred piece of land. That struggle was being manipulated by a large and powerful mining corporation in search of profit and at the expense of all native peoples of the region. Troubled by that manipulation and inspired by the struggles of our own Native American ancestors to resist the oppression of European colonizers and wealthy corporations, we recorded a song of the same name and that contained the chorus of “on top of Big Mountain, there is no room for Babylon.”

By that, we meant that there is another way, a de-colonial ethic, a way to live that is not entangled within the perpetual war, violence, exploitation, and environmental degradation that was introduced in the western hemisphere by European colonizers. We were recently invited to perform songs like Big Mountain at a reggae festival in Sri Lanka.

We were encouraged by this invitation as it provided yet another opportunity for us to share our de-colonial message with our brothers and sisters in humanity.

We are declining this invitation, however, due to our concern with the violence that has transpired there as of late and that has been described as part of Sri Lanka’s “civil war.” Whilst we would be honored to help convey a message of peace and reconciliation, we also feel that to play a concert of this type, at this moment in time, would help to gloss over or legitimate conditions of systemic violence that have transpired in that region and towards indigenous populations in particular.

Joaquin Quino McWhinney Lead Vocalist for Big Mountain

Facebook Link - Big Mountain

https://www.facebook.com/rebelinkgroup