NEWSLETTER NO. 48 OF 16 JUNE 2007

1. NEWS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS
1.1 Taj Mahal
Mr Godbole's book - Taj Mahal: Simple Analysis of a Great Deception was first published in 1986.
His booklet Why Rewrite Indian History? was first published in 1993.
2nd editions of both books are now available.

1.2 CD on Taj Mahal
Godbole has now produced 2 CDs. 1st is on historical arguments, 2nd is called Unseen Taj Mahal.
Godbole has some slides which need to be transferred onto CD. Apart from the ones he normally uses for slide shows he had forgotten about two important ones.
* Dome and Pinnacle on the Regent's Park Mosque, London. This can be easily compared with Taj Mahal.

* Cenotaph in London.
This was erected in the middle of Whitehall, a busy road after end of the First World War in November 1918. It was a memorial to all the British and Commonwealth soldiers who died during that War. Later it served as a memorial to members of the three wings of Armed Forces who died in Second World War and other conflicts. The surprising thing is that it has no handrail for protection. Why was it necessary to erect a golden handrail around Mumtaz's coffin?

This question was never asked. We just had taken whatever we were told by the British as granted.

Godbole is also going to produce a 3rd Cd called - How the Taj legend grew

1.3 Website
Dr Bedekar has agreed to put all of Godbole's research on the web-site of his Institute. The site is www.satyashodh.com. Some of Godbole's research papers are already on this web site.

1.4 Prof Marvin Mills.
Some of you may remember Prof Marvin Mills of America. He worked as a Professor of Architecture in New York. He had read Prof P N Oak's books, met him, visited Taj Mahal and out of curiosity, took some samples from wooden doors on exit from basement of so called Mosque (or Jawab). He sent the samples for analysis by using C14 dating and was surprised that the date of the wooden samples came to several centuries before Shahjahan.

Prof Mills then turned his attention to so called Muslim (Moorish) monuments in Spain. He was surprised to find that that their mosques faced Algeria and NOT Mecca. At first he thought that these were built by Romans usurped by the Moors when they invaded Spain in 711 A.D. Later he took C14 samples all over Spain. As the Spaniards are not afraid of Muslims he officially obtained those samples. He has published his latest findings in his book The origin of the Mosque of Cordoba. He now concludes that it was a structure built by the Phoenicians. It remains to be seen if this book is accepted as a Ph. D thesis.

1.5 Issues of old Newsletters.
Godbole has again scanned all the newsletters he had issued since June 1980. They would all be put on the web-site. www.satyashodh.com

1.6 Visit to Hindusthan
In January, Mr and Mrs Godbole visited Pune. They travelled from Pune to Chennai by train and then by plane to Andaman. There they made a pilgrimage to Andaman Islands where Veer Savarkar was jailed during 1911-1921. The Sound and Light show in Cellular jail depicts the horror of jail life. However, it creates an impression that the terrible prison conditions did not change even after death of the tyrant Irish officer named Barrie. This is not correct. Conditions improved due to constant agitation by Veer Savarkar. Godbole has written a detailed letter to the relevant manager pointing this out.

1.6.1In and around Andaman
Science Museum - much information is in English. It should be in Hindi and English

Beaches - After Psunami, trees are standing erect, even though their roots are exposed. There are no coconuts on them.

Tea supplied in plastic cups. No dustbins provided, people simply throw them on the beaches. We always took them back to our hotel room.

Cellular Jail.
At the entrance, there is a Memorial column dedicated to all the freedom fighters who once suffered in this jail.

There is also a couplet by Babarao Savarkar (elder brother of Veer Savarkar)

There is an eternal flame with words Vande Mataram written on the enclosure.

The jail looks ordinary and small from outside. It is only once you enter through the gates that you get frightened.

Prisoners had no privacy at all. Their cell doors are grilled. It is like animals kept in cages.
There is a museum dedicated to Savarkar.

The shed where prisoners used to work, including the dreaded KOLU is preserved.

Execution chamber, where, at one time 3 prisoners could be executed is preserved.

Cellular jail was inaugurated as a National Monument by Indian Prime Minister Morarji Desai on 11 February 1979.

Please allow plenty of time to visit the Cellular Jail. Tell your Tourist that if need be any subsequent programme can be cancelled, e.g. visit to a Park, Khadi and Gramodyog Bhandar

Outside the jail is Savarkar Park. Here, statues of Savarkar, Ram Rakha, Indubhushan Roy, Mahavir Singh, Baba Bhan Singh and Mohil Moina are erected...
It must be stressed that no eatables should be allowed inside this park. It spoils the gravity / solemnity of the park.

Trees are generally tall.

Island - coral reef

Tourist centre for Boat tours
Badly needs dustbins and toilets, especially for ladies.

Rubbish was everywhere, even though dustbins were provided. Tea cups, water bottles, plastic wrappers were just thrown away.

There is a Lighthouse, but no opening times are shown. There are 160 steps. It is absurd that no shoes are allowed. At the end one has to climb 12 steps of a ladder, but these are just iron bars - very painful to climb.

Return journey by boat
Sad to see that people were throwing waste in sea, empty bottles, plastic wrappers, cups were just thrown in the sea. One must respect nature.

Ross Island
This was built as Paris of the East. Chief Commissioner of Andaman and Nicobar islands lived here. He lived like a king. There are photographs of his house and dinner parties, which show their life style. Floor tiles were imported from Italy.
There was a swimming pool - sea water was used. During low tide the water would be drained, fresh water would rush in during high tide. No need for maintenance staff
Saw remains of a Boiler House.

Presbyterian Church was built on top of a hill. In ruins but still impressive.
Cemetery - disused for a long time, but stone masonry was impressive.

There is a 500 year old Banyan tree.

Bakery - house is preserved, but not in use as a Bakery. It is used as a lecture room/ museum. Many photos are displayed. It is clear that once there was a tram service on this island. There was Tennis Court, Hospital, and School - Miss Barrie, daughter of jail officer Barrie, was once a teacher here. She is mentioned by Savarkar in his book - My Transportation for Life. There was also a printing press.

Sinking island - originally the area was 213 acres, now only 71 acres remain, rest has sunk into sea.
There was an Earthquake in 1941 and In 1942 British evacuated their staff as Japanese advanced. During their occupation, the Japanese treated the locals very badly.
The Japanese surrendered in 1845, but the British never returned.

(English) East India Company was trying since 1788 if this island was suitable for human settlement.

It is difficult to walk with chappals (sandals) on sand. But with shoes it is too hot.

Museum on this island was opened in 1993, but when you see the information displayed one wonders if the British still rule over us, e.g. words like 'undesirables in the Indian Mutiny of 1857' were sent here.

There was an establishment of some 500. British and Indian soldiers and their Officers were stationed here.

There used to be an Indian Bazar.

Havelock Island
This has beautiful beach. Unfortunately our vessel m.v.Ramanujam was just repaired and on its first voyage it took 5 ¼ hours to reach this island. In addition, there was a bus journey of 12 Km. By the time we reached; it was mid-day and therefore too hot.

It was astonishing that the main notice board was in English only.

Observed the same old indiscipline while entering and leaving the ship.
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Population
In a museum we saw population make up of Andaman and Nicobar.
Hindus 67%
Christians 24%
Muslims 8%

This is alarming.

1.6.2 Visit to Pondcherry
As Godboles and their relatives had to go to Chennai they decided to pay a visit to Pondecherry. It was astonishing that the signs of former French rule are in tact. The street names are unchanged. The police wear French uniform. We should be ashamed of this slavish mentality.

1.6.3 Contacts
Godbole met the Editors of magazines Dharmabhaskar (in Marathi), and Hindu Voice (in English), both are published in Mumbai.

Godbole also paid a visit to Savarkar Smarak in Mumbai and met painter Suhas Bahulkar, and a dedicated worker Smt Anuradha Khot. They had long discussions about the development of the Smarak.

Godbole also met some high ranking Military officers.

1.6.4 What is the fate of Hindus?
In Pune it was encouraging to know that there is a group of Hindus who are alarmed by current events. There is also a similar group in America. Godbole is trying to bring them together.

1.5.5 Here are some of the observations made during the visit to Hindusthan in January 2007

* Airports at Mumbai and Chennai are good and are properly maintained.

* Safety during construction
In Pune one man was working on road close to kerb. There was no protection for him. At least some markers (bollards) should have been placed around him.
With the rash traffic, he would have been killed.

At Pune Railway station welding was being carried on platform. No protection was provided for passengers passing by.

While travelling from Mumbai to Pune, noticed that Lorries had no rear lights. This foolish saving causes accidents as the drivers can't see the Lorries in front.

* Indian Railways
European Railways have 8 carriages plus Engines at front and back. Indian railways have more than 12 carriages (may be 18). This calls for long platforms. But the platform numbers are located only at either end. If two/three additional number plates are placed, it will make life lot easier. Same goes for Train -Indicators. Godbole and his other relatives were separated at the station. He did NOT know that he was on platform 5 till he reached the end.

There are no lifts from platform level to the pedestrian bridges over the Railways, as in England.

Station names are also placed at the end of platforms and these are at right angle to platform, making it very difficult for passengers in train to read and find out what station had passed.

On some carriages saw - symbols for disabled passengers. Did not have time to see what facilities they are provided.

Exit from carriages - very uncomfortable to get down.

* Chennai station.
Taxi stand not located near exit from station. It is long distance away. No ramps provided for carrying luggage.

Other matters
* Problem with Tea and coffee. Always served with sugar. No awareness of Diabetes.

* Hotels - for some reason the owners are reluctant to provide soap for hand wash. One tablet only costs 10 rupees.

* Fans in hotels will work either at full speed or not at all. This is very uncomfortable.

* They would supply one bath towel for a double bedroom. That would be changed once in 2 days - not very hygienic.

* At Andaman we always visited Annapurna restaurant. The food was good, but there was no soap to wash hands in the washbasins.

* Disabled people
There is no consideration for disabled people.
(1) Lack of handrails. In our hotel in Andaman, the owner had put up plants at the edge of steps, and no handrails. So, an old person could not get any support even from a wall.

(2) Steps onto main road from hotels.
Last step is very inconvenient. There is no excuse, as there is plenty of space to provide proper steps. There is room for ramps if required.

(3) Buses / Coaches / Land-rovers - steps are too steep for women and short people.

Hygiene

During travel, one should keep soap or soap solution was washing hands. This facility is almost non-existent. It is very annoying. So, be prepared.

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* There is increased awareness about AIDS and HIV. It is no longer swept under carpet.

* There is also awareness of Autism.

1.6.4 Dangers ahead
>> Disastrous consequences of Globalisation / transfer of U.K. jobs to Call centres In India.

These events have created havoc in India. I.T graduates are now offered Rs 100,000 per month, and those working in Call centres are offered Rs 35,000 per month.

I remember an advertisement by Union Public Service Commission for Professors at National Defence Academy, Kharakwasla near Pune.
What are the requirements?
1st class Degree + a Ph.D in relevant subject + 5 years experience.
Salary? Rs 18,000 to 22,000 per month.

If the 'call centre staff' are getting Rs 35,000 per month, why would you want to become a Professor at half the salary? Even if you do become a Professor, would you do your job sincerely?

By chance Godbole met the Commandant of NDA which trains recruits to become Officers in the Armed Forces. He said that to become an Officer in the armed forces is the last priority for youngsters. If they cannot do other things, they would come to NDA. One shudders to think what kind of Armed Forces India is going to have. The figures were staggering, Army is short of 16,000 officers, Navy and Air Force are short of 1,000 officers each. This dark picture was depicted in the Financial Times (London) at the time of Kargill war in Kashmir

>> End of corner shops and street vendors.
There is yet another sign of danger from Multi-National companies. Likes of Wall Mart who have created havoc in USA and France and Germany are taking steps to prevent their spread in their countries. But as usual, Indians are gullible. There is real danger that with spread of MALLS, the corner shops and street vendors will disappear. This turn of events will lead to mass unemployment and surge in crime. The trouble is that the newly rich middle class are blind to reality. Already
kidnappings and extortions are on the increase.

Already there is danger that foreign companies will control supply of food grains and vegetables.

>> Farmers face a bleak future. Thousands have committed suicide. In Maharashtra many would like to come out of Farming if possible.

>> China is physically encroaching in Arunachal Pradesh. And as usual, Government of India is doing nothing. In addition, Chinese are demanding more and more access to Indian markets. And the left-wing Government of India will accept the Chinese economic demands too.

>> One wonders if we are seeing the repeat of the events of the 19th century when the English East India Company annexed our states one by one, and our forefathers watched helplessly.

1.7 Might is right
On 15 December 2006, Serious Fraud Office dropped its investigation into B Ae Systems bribing Saudi Arabian officials to gain defence contracts there. British government announced that this was being done in the interest of nation, security and Foreign Relations. The case is simple. Investigation would have shown corrupt practices. Saudis would have cancelled its Defence Contracts, a huge blow to British economy, thousands of British workers would have become redundant. Britain cannot bear that cost.

Some 10 years ago, Robin Cook the British Foreign Secretary proclaimed that the British Government wanted to pursue an Ethical Foreign policy. Very soon, Britain realised that it could not afford such a policy and the slogan was soon dropped.

That is reality of life, and we must agree that the British are realists

1.8 Great Ganesha! An Indian art bonanza

On 7 November 2006, London Line, the free paper of London reported on page 13

SOME of India's finest sculptures, never seen before in the UK, will go on display at the Royal Academy later this week. A blockbuster exhibition devoted to the Chola dynasty of Southern India showcases bronze sculptures from the ninth to the 13th century The depictions of Hindu deities, including elephant god Ganesha; above, and the mischievous Shiva right, are considered to be among the finest works of Indian sculptural art. The pieces have been loaned by a variety of institutions and private collectors.

o royalacademy.org. uk

Note - How can a God be mischievous? But Hindus are stateless people. Government of India is secular. So, western mass media will get away with any derogatory remarks about Hindu deities.

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2. AROUND LONDON TOUR OF PLACES ASSOCIATED WITH INDIAN FREEDOM FIGHTERS
* In February, a slide show on the subject by Godbole was arranged in Hindu Mandir in Nottingham. Strength of audience was about 60.

10th May 2007 marked 150th anniversary of the 1857 war of Independence in India against the rule of English East India Company .Just 3 days later i.e. on 13 May Godbole conducted his Special Tour. It was organised for 14 students who had come from Mumbai / Thane region with Dr Bedekar / Agarkar. Dr Mrs Sathe of Pune also joined.

CD of the Tour
While tidying up his Study Godbole discovered that in the past he had taken some slides and forgotten all about it. For example - Brixton Prison, where Dhingra and Savarkar were once kept.
Godbole has realised that the information on CDs is fragmented. He is trying to put all the shots together.

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3. Islam and the West

3.1. Events in Holland

3.1.1 The case of Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Metro, the free London paper, has a column called 60 second interview. On
5 February 2007 it published an interview with Ayaan Hirsi Ali by Andrew Williams.

o Former Dutch politician Ayaan Hirsi Ali wrote the film Submission: Part 1, that led a Muslim extremist to shoot its producer, Theo van Gogh. Ali was born in Somalia and claimed refugee status in Holland in the early 1990s. Some see her as a heroine of free speech, others condemn her All's new book, The Infidel, explores her troubled childhood

o You were brought up a devout Muslim. What made you turn against the religion?

I knew no better than to follow the path my parents had laid out for me. I didn't question it seriously until after 9/11. Bin Laden defined the world into Muslims and non-Muslims, and these had to either be converted or killed. I asked myself where I stood after I saw the pictures of people jumping out of the World Trade Center. As a Muslim I had to ask if I agreed with that. I was saddened to see Bin Laden's citations were from the Koran and were consistent with the Islam I grew up with. It is just that we were passive until then. Now we had to take sides. I completed a political science degree and could no longer use ignorance as an excuse. I had to make my own path.

o The 9/11 attacks made you renounce your faith but radicalised other Muslims. Why?

The 74 per cent of Muslims under 24 who said in a survey that women should wear the veil and want Sharia law to be introduced have gone for the consistency that Bin Laden offers. Others have taken my path.

Liberal society hasn't paid attention to what has been happening. Radical Islam was dismissed as a fringe movement but what starts small can grow. When you look at some Arab Islamic countries, radical Islamists are in the majority. Why do we kid ourselves it can't happen in Europe?

o Do you think multiculturalism has failed?

Yes, we can put it in the history books and be glad we've realised that now rather than in years ahead. We need to understand radical Islam's ideology, its agents, the strategies it uses and the groups it targets. European and American leaders desperately want to disconnect the ideology from the religion of Islam, which is a mistake. Islam is a set of beliefs on which the ideology of Bin Laden is based. We need to appeal to Muslims and show them their faith has traits that aren't reconcilable with human progress and liberal society. In the United States, agents of radical Islam are targeting prison populations. In Europe, it's universities; the kind of people who once flirted with communism. The biggest mistake we've made is regarding Islam as an ethnic thing. It's not. It's a set of beliefs that can be scrutinised. Instead of exposing the fallacies in those beliefs, we've told ourselves that every criticism of Islam is some sort of racism - but Islam is not a race.

o Are you playing into the hands of Right-wing extremists?

If there is Right-wing extremism in Europe today, it's radical Islamic extremism. It's the agents of radical Islam who propose a future for women that is truly horrifying - as we saw with the Taliban in Afghanistan and in Somalia today.

o Do you see any positive sides to Islam?

That's like asking if I see positive sides to Nazism, communism, Catholicism. Of course Islam preaches generosity and kindness and taking care of the poor and elderly and so on - but these values aren't limited to Islam. If you weigh what is provided in terms of kindness and humanity against the evil that can come from a society built on radical Islam, you will see that liberals must stand up to this like they've stood up to other ideologies.

o You're inundated with death threats. Don't you worry about it?

Not any more. It's something you become used to because you can't do
anything about it. I have permanent protection from the Dutch government so I can do my work.

o Do you have any regrets about the work you've done?

I regret that Theo van Gogh was killed but I don't regret making the film. I would do it again, only be more careful. I'm working on the follow-up to Submission: Part 1. One of the individuals in the film will be a gay man. I currently live in the U.S and work at a think-tank, and have all the intellectual freedom I need. Things are alright for me.

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3.1.2 Life of a politician in danger

On 20 November 2006, The Wall Street Journal in its Editorials and Opinion section on page 15 reported -

Geer Wilders lives under 24-hour police protection. His countrymen don't seem to care much

When Geert Wilders rose from his desk, his head almost touched the narrow ceiling. The tiny comer office underneath the parliament's roof wasn't selected for space but security. Possible assassins can only come from one direction, making life easier for the two bodyguards outside.

Mr. Wilders has been living under 24-hour police protection ever since the assassination of Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh two years ago. The Dutch-Moroccan who stabbed and shot Van Gogh in Amsterdam left death threats behind against him and the Netherlands' other, more famous critic of Islam: Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Like the Somali-born politician, Mr. Wilders has had to take refuge in army barracks, safe houses, even a prison cell.

The lawmaker's life is in danger because of his criticism of radical, or, as he calls it, "mainstream" Islam. In Mr. Wilders's view, Islam hasn't been "hijacked" by radicals. Rather, radicalism is embedded in the faith. "It's a violent religion, an intolerant religion," he said matter-of-factly in an interview.

This Wednesday, the Dutch go to the polls and Mr. Wilders's Party for Freedom is expected to pick up about six seats in the 150-seat parliament. His provocative thesis and calls for a five-year moratorium on non-Western immigration make it easy for his political opponents to dismiss him as a racist. But he will have none of that. "I make a distinction between the religion and the people. I believe in the people, I believe that Muslims can integrate in society. But I don't believe in a European, moderate Islam to come in the next 10,000 years."

Thus accused of violent tendencies, radical Muslims are calling for his head.
"Videos on Islamic Web sites show my picture and name to the sound of what appears to be knives cutting through flesh while a voiceover says I will be beheaded," Mr. Wilders said calmly. "You never get used to it but you learn to live with it." Harder to accept is that his wife is suffering as well. "Everything I do, even if people strongly disagree with me, I do within the boundaries of democracy. And even though I know that I'm not responsible [for this situation],
I know ifs the result of the things I say, the things I do. It's not, though, the result of what my wife does. She often even doesn't agree and still she is in the same situation. I find it difficult to bear that everything is happening to her as well,"

Is there outrage in the Netherlands about his situation? He first avoids a direct answer. "This is now, today, my problem but in a larger sense it is also a problem for democracy, the rule of law," he said. When pressed on the point his response paints a troubling picture.

"Real outrage?
No. There was more outrage when a major paper once wrote how much the security for Ayaan and me costs," he said. "There were times when Ayaan and I said to one another and sometimes to the public, 'In what country do we live that things that are clearly not normal are almost being seen as normal or more or less ignored in public discussion and public life?'

You don't have to share Mr. Wilders's views to realize that the threats against his life also threaten Dutch democracy. And yet the Dutch seem indifferent to his plight.

Wednesday's elections in the Netherlands will choose the first new parliament since Van Gogh's murder and the start of Mr Wilders's ordeal. You'd expect these events to feature high on the national agenda. But the most remarkable aspect about the major parties' campaign is the absence of any serious discussion of terrorism, Muslim integration, or the Dutch troops in Afghanistan. It's mostly about tax breaks, pensions and health care. Quite rightly, the economy is always on voters' minds-but to the near-exclusion of national security? According to a survey from this summer, terrorism is only the fifth most important issue for the Dutch. The country's anti-terror co-ordinators recently warned of the continuing radicalization of young Dutch Muslims. Just two weeks ago, six people were arrested on terrorism charges.

Any sense of urgency Dutch may have had after Van Gogh's murder is lost. Back then, Deputy Prime Minister Gen-it Zahn declared "war" on radical Islam. Van Gogh's murder was even referred to as "our Sept 11" Visitors to the Dutch
"Ground Zero" will search in vain, though, for even a simple sign indicating the spot of Van Gogh's near-decapitation. The second anniversary of his murder a couple of weeks ago passed without any official ceremony.

Anti-terrorism and immigration laws may be tightened, but the latter measures in particular often lack the necessary finesse to address the country's real threats. A point in case is Saturday's decision by the center-right cabinet to ban the burqa. Only between 50-100 women are believed to wear the face veil in the Netherlands, so it's a largely symbolic measure. But even that is too much for the opposition. "This is a right-wing move to say our norms and values are of a higher order and Muslims have to behave the way we do," said Jeroen Dijsselbloem, a Labor parliamentarian.

Understandably, the Dutch long for the days when their small country only consumed international news without making any. The rest of the Continent is not much different. Each terror attack or death threat briefly fills the airwaves before Europeans again pretend everything is normal. Meanwhile, the list of dissidents like Mr. Wilders is growing. Recent additions include Robert Redeker, a French philosophy teacher, in hiding since his September op-ed criticizing Islam, and Ekin Deligoz, a German member of parliament of Turkish descent. She has been put under police protection last month after receiving death threats for suggesting that Muslim women abandon the veil.

Europeans can keep pretending, all this is normal. But only until the day they find their names on that dissident list as well.
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3.2 Islamic kids aged five are given lessons in hate
On 5 February 2007 Tim Stewart reported for the London paper Metro (p7)

AN ISLAMIC school in London is poisoning the minds of pupils with lessons in hate, a former teacher claimed today. Colln Cook, 57, says textbooks used by children at the King Fahd Academy in Acton describe Jews as "repugnant" and Christians as "pigs". Pupils have allegedly been heard saying they want to "kill Americans", praising 9/11 and idolising Osama bin Laden. There are fears it could become a breeding ground for terrorists. Its sister school in Bonn has been singled out by German intelligence services as a meeting place for activists. Mr Cook, a Muslim convert, taught English at the school for 19 years until he was sacked last year. He claims he was fired after blowing the whistle on the school for covering up cheating by children in GCSE exams and is bringing a tribunal claim for unfair dismissal and race discrimination. He also alleges that when he questioned whether the school's curriculum complied with British laws, he was told: "This is not England. It is Saudi Arabia." The school denies all claims.

oA Muslim group is to help fund a school's legal battle with the father of a child it banned from wearing a veil. The Muslim Educational Centre of Oxford said it will help the Buckinghamshire school, which cannot be named, to fight "this largely Saudi-driven campaign to make the niqab compulsory for Muslim women".

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3.3 Muslims demand Sharia Law for them in Britain.
On 15th August, 2006, Daily Mail printed above news on its front page. Muslims are saying to the British Government, " If you want peace, give us the Shariah law, we do not accept your laws. After all, during the British Raj, you gave us a Personal Law. So, why not now in U.K?"
They had already demanded a Fundamental Human right for each Muslim to marry 4 wives (which means 14 children, as the wives have human right to have children too),

3.4 Genocide of Africans in Sudan
On 20 November 2006 Herald Tribune International carried a report on horrors in Darfur region of Sudan by Nicholas D Kristof. He reported from GOZBEIDA in Chad.

The face of genocide
A woman named Marguerite H. wrote to me recently to complain bout my columns on Darfur. "While the situation there is dreadful, we have plenty of needs to be filled at home," she wrote. "You would be better off putting our energy into making a difference here at home."

So, Marguerite, meet Halima Abdelkarim. Her life is partly in your hands. Listen to her story, and see if you still think we should put off helping her until we have solved our own problems.

Halima, 20, belongs to the Dajo tribe, one of the black African tribes being slaughtered by Sudanese- sponsored Arab militias called the janjaweed. The
attacks began three years ago, but the world largely shared your view, Marguerite, that Darfur was a tragedy but not of strategic significance. And so we have fussed a bit but allowed the genocide to spread.

This March, Darfur's slaughter crossed the border and reached Halima's hometown in Chad. The janjaweed killed many men and seized 10 women and girls, including Halima and her little sister, Sadia.
Halima says that the janjaweed, many of them wearing Sudanese military uniforms, mocked the women with racial epithets against blacks, beat them with sticks, and gang-raped them all Halima, who was then four months pregnant, says she was raped by three men and saw two rape Sadia - who was just 10 years old.

After two days of torment, the janjaweed released them. "But Sadia refused to give up her donkey, and so they shot her," Halima recalled. "I was with her. She died right away."

The survivors trekked to a shantytown outside Goz Beida. At first they were safe, and Halima gave birth to a baby daughter. But a couple of months ago the janjaweed began to attack them when they left the camp to get firewood.

Still, the world shared your attitude, Marguerite: It's sad but a long way off, and we have our own problems.

So last month, the janjaweed caught Halima again - in effect, we allowed the janjaweed to capture her again. Halima was gathering firewood with a large group of women, who were hoping for safety in numbers. But raiders with guns suddenly appeared and caught seven of them.

The men asked what tribe they belonged to, and upon learning that they were Dajo who had already fled their villages, said, "We're looking for you." Halima was carrying her infant girl, Noorelayn, and she says the janjaweed threw the baby to the ground.

"You blacks are not human," she quoted them as yelling. "We can do anything we want to you. You cannot live here."

Finally, she says, three men raped her, beat her and stole her clothes. Another of the seven who were caught, Aziza Yakub, 17, confirmed Halima's story, and added that the janjaweed told her while raping her: "You blacks are like monkeys. You are not human."

The only way for these women to survive is to gather firewood to sell or exchange for food. Only women collect firewood, because, as they them-selves say: "The men are killed; the women are 'only' raped."

Halima's husband doesn't know about the latest attack. She didn't tell him about the first one, but he figured out what must have happened during the two days she disappeared. Although he didn't blame her, he left her for a few months partly to work out his anger at the janjaweed, and partly to cultivate crops to feed his family. The area he went to was attacked this month, with the janjaweed killing many men or occasionally gouging out their eyes with bayonets. There has been no word from him.
So, Marguerite, Halima's future is up to us. In the last few days, Sudan has bowed to outside pressure and reluctantly agreed in principle to accept some UN peacekeepers in Darfur. That's a reminder that pressure can work, but we haven't applied nearly enough. For the peacekeepers to save lives and the killings to stop, much greater effort will be essential If you didn't find yourself too preoccupied, Marguerite, maybe you could make a phone call to the White House or write a letter to your member of Congress.

You have other priorities, I know, and so do we all. But our indifference has already allowed Halima to be gang-raped twice and her sister murdered in the first genocide of the 21st century. So, Marguerite, decide if you're willing to turn away as Hahmi is slaughtered, or how many more times you're willing to allow her to be raped.

Note - Why is this genocide being ignored? Those who are carrying it out are Arab Muslims and those who are being killed are African blacks.
China wants oil from Sudan and therefore could not care less for the fate of Africans.

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3.5 Plight of women in Pakistan
Look is a new girlie magazine dealing with High Street fashions and gossip about well known public figures. In its issue of 4 February 2007, it produced an Exclusive International Report on plight of women in Pakistan (pp 56-59)

It reported the case of Mukhtar Mali, 33 who is seeking justice for being gang-raped for her brother's indiscretion when he was only 12.

Mukhtar says,
"To tell you my story, I have to describe the day I was gang raped by my neighbours - men my family had known all their lives."

"My life changed forever in June 2002 when I was 29.1 was ordered to a council meeting in my village, Meerwala, in Pakistan, after my brother, Shakur, who was only 12, had been accused of simply talking to a girl from another clan."

"In Pakistani society men are not allowed to approach women under any circumstances. As a punishment, the girl's powerful clan, called the Mastois, insisted I go to see them. As Shakur's sister, they said I must beg forgiveness from all the men of the village."

A vicious attack
"But when I stood in front of the village elders, the Mastois refused to let me plead my family's case. Instead, a gang of men assaulted me by grabbing at my breasts in front of the crowd. Then they dragged me into an empty stable. I remember feeling faint and thinking I wanted the ground to swallow me up."

"I was passed around from one man to another. Fourteen men raped me on the floor of the stable. I never even got the chance to scream. I've no idea how long the torture lasted -I was so numb it was like I'd lost consciousness. But I'll never forget those men's faces - they were like animals. When they'd finished with me, I was forced to walk naked through their village. I can't begin to describe how ashamed I felt. I couldn't think or speak - it was as if I was walking in fog."

Seeking justice
"In Pakistan, the victims of rape face three terrible options - marriage to one of her rapists to prevent shame being cast on her family; suicide to relieve the pain and suffering; or, although I didn't know this at the time, prison if she dares to report the men who attacked her, because our strict religious laws forbid women to have sex outside marriage. The men who raped me knew that a woman who has been humiliated like this will usually choose to commit suicide."

"At first, I wanted to kill myself. I knew it wasn't my fault, but I still felt guilty for being raped and bringing shame on my family. But then I became angry. The rapists didn't feel guilty I wanted them to suffer and I wanted justice, so I decided to fight. A few days later, with my family's backing, I told the police what had happened, as well as some reporters, who'd perhaps arrived because it's unusual to accuse such an influential clan as the Mastois."

"I did not know how to read or write so I didn't know anything about Pakistan's laws, or what the consequences of filing charges would be. I wasn't frightened because nothing could be worse than what I'd been through."

"The police warned me I could be putting myself and my family in danger-I felt they were trying to scare me into dropping the charges. They were right - from then on, I received death threats every single day."

"Over the next few months, my story made headlines both in Pakistan and abroad, and even Amnesty International got involved. I learned about other women who had been gang raped and then killed so they couldn't testify against their attackers. Strangely, I wasn't scared, it just made me more determined to carry on."

On trial
"When it came to facing my rapists in court in July, I looked calm but inside my heart was racing. Luckily, the government decided my case should take place before an anti-terrorism tribunal instead of a religious court, which meant I didn't have to provide four male eyewitnesses to the attack-as would normally happen in a rape case in Pakistan. Also, it took place outside my community, so I would get a fair trial. On 31 August, eight of the 14 men who raped me were released. But six were found guilty and given death sentences."
"But I didn't have time to be relieved, because the men immediately decided to appeal to the High Court. The appeal process took almost two years and, in March 2005, unbelievably, five of the guilty men were released."

"I was so angry - it felt like I was being raped all over again. I refused to give up and appealed to the Pakistani Prime Minister, Shaukat Aziz, to re-open my case. He agreed and now all 14 are back in prison, awaiting a new trial."

The fight continues
"Since then, I've been to America and France to meet powerful politicians and leading diplomats in the United Nations. I want the world to know what's happening to young women in Pakistan under our religious laws. Using 'organised rape' as a form of punishment needs to stop."

"I often dream about finding an honest, decent man who will love and respect me. I'd like someone who can understand what I've been through, and what I go through each night when I try to sleep through my nightmares."

"But I refuse to feel sorry for myself- my aim in life now is to help others. I've raised enough money to set up a school in my village to help other women learn to read and write, so they can learn about their rights."

"I've also set up a crisis relief centre in the village where every day, five or six women who have been raped or are victims of domestic violence show up seeking refuge."

"I'm glad that I've fought for myself and for all the women affected by violence in my country All I want is to let people know what's going on in Pakistan, and to encourage foreign governments to do something about the terrible injustices carried out against women in my country every minute of everyday."
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oMukhtar's book, In The Name of Honour by Mukhtar Mai (Virago, £10.99) is on sale now.
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In the same issue we found

The woman jailed for being gang raped.
Last year, HusnaAhmad,21, was gang raped. "My father had taken a landlord to court over a land dispute, so in revenge, the landlord and some other men kidnapped me," she remembers. "They took me to the home of a policeman and the men - including the policeman - raped me repeatedly for two days. After, I was kept in an outhouse for four days, without food or water. When I was released, I walked home in terrible pain. I was bleeding between my legs and my clothes were torn. My father was too scared to report the kidnap, so I went to the police." But the police accused Husna of lying. "The village council told my father
I must be punished fornication -sex outside marriage. I was given 12 months in prison."

Great courage
In deciding to seek justice, both Husna and Mukhtar Mai took an incredibly brave step because in Pakistan thousands of female victims of sex crimes, including girls as young as 12, are subject to harsh Islamic laws known as the Hudood ordinance.

For a rapist to be found guilty, he must either confess, or four respectable men must have witnessed the act of penetration. If the rape victim fails to produce these witnesses, she is prosecuted for having sex outside marriage and alleging a false crime. Penalties include lashings, sometimes given by the rapists themselves, prison or being stoned to death.

A report just published by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan estimates 1,050 women are gang raped every month. But social taboos, discriminatory laws and the tough treatment of victims by police means the true figure could be much higher.

A sad regret
Fareeda Khalil, 19, regrets reporting her gang rape. In spring 2005, after being assaulted by a neighbour and his son from her isolated village, Fareeda fell pregnant - which was held against her as proof of her 'guilt', even though she miscarried. "My body didn't want the baby," she explains.

Under the Hudood ordinance, Fareeda received 25 lashes and four months in prison. "I made a mistake by reporting it," she says.

It seems the publicity surrounding Mukhtar's case may have helped keep her out of prison. Women's rights groups claim up to 80 per cent of the women in Pakistan's jails today face charges related to the Hudood ordinance- introduced in 1979 by the former dictator General Zia ul-Haq. "There are tens or even hundreds of thousands of rape victims in Pakistan, and few come close to getting justice," says Kamila Hyat of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. "Simply bringing a rape case to court is considered in itself a confession of unlawful sexual intercourse"
A ray of hope?
Yet a glimmer of hope appeared two months ago. After international pressure, Pakistan's president, Pervez Musharraf, finally pushed through legislation to change the way rape is investigated. Under a new Women's Protection Bill, cases will now be tried in civil, not religious courts, and four witnesses won't be necessary. However, many hardliners claim they'll continue to follow the strict Hudood laws. Dr Mirajul Huda, from jamaat-e-lslami, one of Pakistan's largest Islamic political parties, says: "The laws are a deterrent. They help prevent all types of obscenity. They protect society and will remain in place."

Ambreen Fatima, from the Pakistani charity War Against Rape, which gives shelter and Legal support to victims, welcomes the changes in the law, but thinks any improvements will take a long time. "Lawless and sadistic local courts will undermine any changes the Government may make. But women's rights are not negotiable, and never should be."

o Help campaign for justice for Pakistan's rape victims at http://hrw.org/campaigns/pakistan

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The LOOK issue also reported conditions in other Islamic countries, under the heading - Where being raped is a crime
Pakistan isn't the only country where female rape victims are treated like criminals ….
Saudi Arabia and Iran
Married women who are raped can be punished by imprisonment, stoning or whipping.

Sudan
Many rape vistims are imprisoned and, in some cases, branded with irons.

The Yemen and Iraq
Victims have been murdered by relatives to restore family honour.

Bangladesh
Acid attacks on women who report rape or sexual assaults are common.

The Congo
Rape victims can be shunned by communities and forced to live in poverty.

Chechanya and Afghanistan
Women risk being expelled or killed once their families discover they have been raped.

Our comments - (1) This report just goes to show how ignorant we are about the situations in Muslim countries.
(2) If this is how Muslim men behave with Muslim women, how would they behave with Hindu women? One shudders to think.

4 Book Review
On 21 June 2004 Evening Standard carried a Book Review by Robert Fox.
Who are we? America's great debate by Samuel P Huntington

Should Uncle Sam look to the past?

EIGHT years ago Samuel Huntingdon published The Clash of Civilisations, which raised the roof with its prediction that for much of this century the liberal West would be locked in mortal conflict with militant Islam and, at a later and unspecified date, the "confucian" Chinese.

With his new book he takes the thesis a step further. America, he says, must establish a clear and coherent identity based on Western Christian values to stand a chance of winning its trial by combat with its Islamicist and Chinese enemies.

The enduring success of The Clash of Civilisations is that it appeared prophetic of the events of 11 September 2001, and the asymmetric campaigns of Osama bin Laden, al Qaeda and their allies. For many conservatives on both sides of the Atlantic it has become a self-fulfilling argument that war with Islamic terrorist groups and nations is as inevitable as the train heading towards the maiden tied to the railway track in silent movies.

Similarly, Who Are We? appears to be a tract timed to bring comfort to the neo-Conservatives of the Bush administration in their hour of difficulty over the mess in Iraq, pursuing Bin Laden and his pals and managing the tar baby of homeland defence.

From the conflict between civilisations, we have moved to the conflict within civilisations. Huntingdon warns that if America wants to discharge its global obligation as the world's unique super-power, it must get its ideological act together and forge anew a sense of identity and unity based on the old core cultural and religious values of its founders.

These values are enshrined in the American Creed, values articulated by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence as "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness", the respect for property, the law and individualism. To this Huntingdon adds religion, in the form of the ethics and beliefs of Protestantism. He rejects the process of "deconstruction" of American identity under Bill Clinton, who moved America away from European cultural values and eroded national identity by his indulgence of minority rights - sexual, religious, ethnic and ideological.

The argument is more subtle than it may first appear. The questions the book poses about the future of civilised communities, and the organism of the state itself, will be debated long after the Neo-Cons and Bush's Vulcans have left office.

Though deeply suspicious of inter-national institutes from Nato and the UN to the big NGOs, Huntingdon realises that America has to work with them and cannot go it alone. The globalised economy means greater integration. The intriguing question now raised by Iraq and the Gulf crisis is that globalisation may not evolve on America's terms. Furthermore, the process is likely to produce global conflicts not envisaged by the neat formula of the West v Islam cup-tie of the Clash of Civilisations thesis.

Curiously, some of the most powerful advocates of the Clash of Civilisations thesis are in Western Europe, a feature the new book appears to miss. In France, Spain and Italy, politicians and commentators of Right and Left claim that their society is threatened by a rising tide of Islamic fundamentalism. In Spain and Italy it is the novelty of large numbers of Muslim migrants which has produced the trauma; in France it is the intractability of relations with the North African minorities.

Huntingdon says he writes as "a patriot and scholar". For all the warnings about the growing conflict with Islam and the new wars of religion, they are not the focus of his preoccupations. This time round it is the Hispanics, whose rise threatens to create a "bifurcated nation". To paraphrase Abraham Lincoln, a nation bifurcated cannot stand.

This book raises crucial questions about how communities can define themselves by good governance and ethical values, rather than by violence, fear and hatred towards their enemies, real and imagined. But in his prescription, that America needs to recover the Protestant values of its 18th century founders, the author sometimes sounds like an old academic prophet whistling in the dark.

Note - Interesting reading.

5. Looking back
Mr Godbole has collected vast data over the last 30 years. His findings will be given from time to time.

5.1 In 1969 Prof Ram Nath of Agra University was awarded a Ph D for re-hatching the usual Taj legend. He had published many of his works. The first book was The Immortal Taj Mahal, published by Taraporewala Sons & Co of Mumbai. In the Preface Ram Nath says, "Many unknown features regarding the Mughal tombs, e.g., the tomb of Akbar and the Taj Mahal, have come to light. Controversies have been examined in the minutest detail and an attempt has been made to establish the maximum historical truth in each case. Some new features of great interest and importance have been added to the study."

"However, I do not claim to have said the last word on the subject; the most I can claim is to have opened up a new channel into which the scholars, now and in future, would find their inquisitiveness flowing with profit. The study of history, as of any other science, is a continuous growth, an accretion and an unending process to which fresh facts and figures continuously add. My contribution to this study is a modest instalment, not the total sum."

R Nath
105, Nehrunagar
AGRA-2
September 30, 1972

Our comments -
(1) If we look at the bibliography we find Latif, but Ram Nath has not read what Latif has said.

(2) Ram Nath also conveniently forgets Pelsaert - the Dutch merchant, whose report describes the Agra city of 1626. He states that 10 ½ mile stretch of the bank of river Jumna was full of palaces. He names some important ones, including Late Raja Mansingh. And Badshahnama states clearly that Shahjahan grabbed Late raja Mansingh's Palace for burial of Mumtaz.
Pelsaert's report in Dutch was translated into English and published by W H Moreland in 1925, but even after 50 years Ram Nath just does not want to know because it is not convenient for him.

(3) Ram Nath also does not explain why we had English translations of chronicles of Babur, Humayun, Akbar and Jahangir but NOT of Shahjahan.

Agra University awarded a Ph D to Ram Nath. He became a Professor and must have guided more Ph D students!! What a disaster.

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5.2 We also came across review by Satish Grover of the book Taj Mahal - The Illuminated Tomb by W E Begley & Z A Desai, published in 1989 by The Aga Khan Programme for Islamic Architecture.

Mr Grover says - " … while the European sources are the travelogues of Mundy, Manrique, Bernier, Manucci, Tavernier and Thevenot. " BUT NOT PELSAERT. How convenient.

It is even stranger that Z A Desai (a Muslim) was co-author of the booklet -
Taj Museum published by Archaeological Survey of India, in 1982. In it he clearly states - On that site until then stood Late Raja Mansingh's Palace.
Common sense tells us that that Palace is the same as Taj Mahal. But just 7 years later, with inducement from the Aga Khan, Desai made a U turn.

Our friend Dr N K Bhide of Pune discovered that W E Begley was a Professor at the School of Art & Art History, University of Iowa. Accordingly on 19 February 1993 he wrote to Prof Begley and received no reply. He sent reminders on 27 April 1993 and on 11 February 1995. He received a reply from the University of Iowa that Begley retired on 1 January 1995 and he has moved to New York at the following address
427 N Geneva St, Apt 3
Ithaca
N.Y 14850.
The University of Iowa forwarded Dr Bhide's letter to Prof Begley, but he never replied.

Prof Marvin Mills of New York 's review of the book by Begley and Desai is circulated among our friends. But when Godbole asked Prof Mills for details, he replied, "I believe it was never published! I submitted it to the prestigious Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians. The editor had promised to publish it. But at the last minute, the editor-in-chief refused to publish it. So much for freedom of the press. His intervention was unprecedented. I don't believe it was published anywhere. In disgust I put it aside except for a few copies that I distributed to my Indian friends."

5.3 Pelsaert's report is dated 1626, Raja Mansingh died in 1614. According to Tazuk-e-Jahangiri, Jay Singh 12 years old was promoted to mansab of 1,000 persons and horse.

6 Obituary
We deeply regret to announce the death of our beloved friend Pandit Ramakrishnayya of Cricklewood, London. He had always spared time to read Godbole's writings thoroughly and make suggestions for improvement. He and Godbole were friends for 40 years. He died of heart attack on 20 May while on holiday in Mumbai.