News Wrap
AGD

By a notification of February 2013, India’s Union Ministry of Environment and Forests had exempted promoters of so-called linear projects such as roads, pipelines, canals and power transmission lines in forest areas, from seeking the consent of village councils of the forest areas. There has been inordinate delay in several infrastructure projects, for want of environmental approvals. The measure by the MoEF does not have any constitutional validity, until the Forest Rights Act (FRA) is amended. The rights of the forest dwelling scheduled tribes and other traditional forest dwellers on forest land proposed to be diverted are required to be recognized and vested under the FRA. A group of states and non-governmental organizations have raised the issue of the dilution of tribal rights. Clearance of development projects is governed by the recommendations of the ‘gram sabhas’ and village councils.

Former Militants
Over the past two years, the Union Government of India has supported the Jammu and Kashmir State Government’s announcement of a rehabilitation policy for the former militants who wished to return to their homeland after shunning violence, and furnishing an undertaking that they would lead a peaceful life. Cases of ex-militants who have returned from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir are under focus, after the recent arrest of Syed Liyaqat Shah, a former Kashmir militant who was returning to Kashmir through Nepal, but was arrested by Delhi Police who claim that he was planning terrorist attacks. Shah was returning with his wife and children, after receiving green signal from authorities in J and K. Around 350 families have returned from PoK, almost all of them via Nepal, as the Indian Army refuses entry through Uri. The rehabilitation policy for the former militants is weak. Procedural hassles encompass finance, school admission for relevant class levels, ration cards, state subject certificates for government jobs, and purchase of immovable property in J and K state.

Maoist Factions
Factional clashes have been occurring among Maoists in Bihar-Jharkhand-North Chattisgarh areas. Protesting against the domination of the Yadavs in the district of Aurangabad, Gaya and Chatra, the Tritiya Prastuti Committee, a left-wing extremist organization, broke away form the then proposed formation of the CPI (Maoist) in 2002. The Jharkhand Police actively encouraged a section of dalits and tribals to form the TPC. The cadres of the TPC are frequently clashing with CPI (Maoist) and other left-wing organizations in Palamu, Chatra and Latehar of Jharkhand state. Around fifteen cadres of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), including those occupying senior positions in Special area Committees, were killed in Chatra district, in a gunfight with break away group TPC, in the last week of March 2013. Those who were killed were part of a 40-member Maoist team, which entered Jharkhand state from Bihar, and were having meetings with Maoist Central Committee member Arvind Singh. Occasional shooting of CPI (Maoist) cadres in Jharkhand is weakening the CPI (Maoist) influence, and strengthening the TPC. The People’s Liberation Guerilla Army has ambushed CRPF personnel in Latehar district, since Jan 2013, in order to protect Arvind Singh and other area commanders.

Cyprus Bank Hurricane
For two weeks in March 2013, banks in Cyprus were shut, as the Cypriot Government negotiated a 10 billion euro bailout package, the first in Europe’s single currency zone to impose losses on bank depositors. The exchange control measures and the emergency rules impose a limit on withdrawals and prevent a bank run, reminiscent of Latin America or Africa. Unless there has been a withdrawal of less than 300 euros the previous day, individuals cannot withdraw more than 300 euros per day from any bank branch. Cheques cannot be encashed, unless they were issued by a bank in another country. People leaving Cyprus can take only 1000 euros with them. Cyprus Popular Bank is closed, and its guaranteed deposits of up to 100,000 euros transferred to the biggest bank, Bank of Cyprus. While big depositors will lose money, deposits upto 100,000 euros are protected. Deposits of more than 100,000 euros have been frozen. The EU and the IMF believe that Cyprus cannot afford a rescue, unless it imposes losses on depositors. Cyprus has about 860,000 population, and around 68 billion euros in its banks. The vastly outsized financial system attracted deposits from foreigners as an off shore haven, but foundered after investments in neighbouring Greece went sour. The ‘Cyprus euro’ funds trapped in the island are less valuable than euros which could be freely spent abroad. Financial difficulties in Cyprus have sent tremors through the already fragile single European currency.

25 billion euros of deposits in Cyprist banks are controlled by Cyprus based Russian companies, almost one third of Cyprist banking deposits. Along with huge two way flows of ‘hot money’ between Russia and Cyprus, the scale of Russian owned deposits have triggered suspicions of money laundering and tax evasion. This has promoted the IMF to push for a ‘haircut’ on deposits. Russian companies dominate the financial services sector, which has doubled in size to 40% of national output, since Cyprus joined the euro in 2008. In order to reduce the size of the 17 billion euro bailout and make the Cyprus island’s debt sustainable, the International Monetary Fund and Germany aim to force losses on bank depositors.

Muslim Women Attacked

Frontier
Vol. 45, No. 42, Apr 28- -May 4, 2013

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