The Unsung Heroes
In situations of deep crisis it is the poor and marginalised who take risks for the country. During the Kerala deluge of 2018 it was the coastal fishermen from Latin Catholic community who were the saviours. The Khalasis, a clan of weight lifting Muslims from Malappuaram are the ultimate rescuers in accidents.
And in Silkayara it was the poor, marginalised miners who are the heroes.
Faizi S

US Veto for Continuing Genocide
The US has vetoed a UN Security Council resolution demanding immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza.

The resolution, drafted by the UAE and backed by more than 100 countries, gained support from 13 of the 15 Security Council members, with Britain abstaining on December 8.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter to urge the organisation's most powerful body to call for a ceasefire.

Article 99 states, "The Secretary General may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security."

The text of the resolution called for an immediate halt of fighting between Hamas and Israel, and the protection of both Israeli and Palestinian civilians under international humanitarian law. It also demanded the "immediate and unconditional release of all hostages".

Palestine's ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour, told the council that the result of the vote was "disastrous," adding: "Millions of Palestinian lives hang in the balance. Every single one of them is sacred, worth saving."

Rather than enabling the council to execute its charge by at least issuing a definitive appeal, after two months of mass killings and atrocities, "the war criminals are given more time to perpetrate their crimes.

"How can this be justified? How can anyone justify the slaughter of an entire people?" The US is responsible for the continuing bloodshed. What Israel is doing in Gaza is war crime. As per UN report, half of Palestinian people are starving because of Israeli blockade of aid trucks. Jews faced genocide in Nazi Germany but they are now recreating the same scenario in the Middle East against Palestinians.
A Reader

Human Rights Day
It has come to our organisation's (Progressive Lawyers Association) notice that Police has cancelled the permission for holding peaceful protest gathering on the occasion of International Human Rights Day at Jantar Mantar at 1 PM by Campaign Against State Repression (CASR). ‘International Human Rights Day’ is celebrated worldwide on 10’th of December every year since the adoption of ‘Universal Declaration Of Human Rights (UNDHR)’ by the United Nations. It is pertinent to mention that the Indian state is not only transgressing from its duties to uphold international humanitarian law, as a signatory to UNDHR but also violating fundamental rights of the citizens through this arbitrary decision.

It is quite ironic that on the day of celebration of human rights, gross violation of human rights is being done in broad daylight by Delhi Police in the name of ‘law & order’. Law & order is being used as a subterfuge for the state to suppress the human rights of the citizenry. It is needless to say that it goes against the ethos of article 19 of Indian constitution which guarantees the fundamental right of peaceful assembly to its citizens. State always fears the collective might of citizens and it never leaves any chance to suppress the collective spirit of citizenry. In the past also, multiple democratic gatherings and in-door gatherings have been cancelled on the very pretext of ‘law and order. There are a number of legal ways through which Delhi police has controlled the people’s voice of their democratic rights. Delhi has been witnessing a rampant imposition of section 144 IPC to create an atmosphere of “so-called disturbance in public order”. For the last one year, more than 300 times, Delhi police has used sec. 144 IPC on different places and occasions.

This is a concerning process of stifling democratic assertion and having grave ramifications for democratic aspirations of the people. Therefore, must oppose the unconstitutional cancellation of peaceful protest gathering by the Delhi Police in the name of ‘Law & Order’.
Progressive Lawyers
Association (PLA), December 10

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Frontier
Vol 56, No. 26, Dec 24 - 30, 2023