Miru Kim: Making art of New York's urban ruins

Editorial, 'THEY NEED ALL PROTECTION' in LAW ANIMATED WORLD, 15 June 2011 issue

They need all protection

possible; this, of course, doesn’t mean that other citizens do not. But whistleblowers who take much pains and run great risks in exposing various scams, oppressions and atrocities, etc. in public interest are in real danger of their lives and limbs from the corrupt and cruel lawbreakers and anti-social elements within or outside the government. Perhaps the life of Satyendra Kumar Dubey, a conscientious engineer, could have been saved if there were to be some legal mechanism at the relevant point of time to protect his anonymity and provide security. Likewise the precious life of a Satish Shetty would also not have been lost if the police were to be alert to the dangers posed to him by his land scams-exposures. More recently, Ramesh Agarwal, a social activist advocate of Chattisgarh, would not be suffering arrest, handcuffing and continuance in custody, were his revelations in a public hearing not to carry any legal risk of incrimination. Scores of RTI activists all over the country, several investigative journalists, and umpteen citizens from various walks of life fighting against corruption and malpractices are today facing grave dangers to their lives, and murders of intrepid and outspoken citizens and journalists are not infrequent either. Former Central Vigilance Commissioner, Sri N. Vittal, reveals that Satyendra Dubey’s murder and subsequent proceedings to bring the murderers to book had resulted in the Supreme Court issuing a directive to CVC to take necessary action to protect whistleblowers whereupon he had moved the Law Commission of India in the matter, which drafted a Public Interest Disclosures (Protection of Informers) Bill, 2002, but it never saw the light. And now, the Public Interest Disclosure and Protection to Persons making the disclosure Bill, 2010, reported to have been cleared by the Cabinet in August 2010 itself, has also not been moved in the parliament so far. Statutorily guaranteed effective protection for whistleblowers is certainly the desideratum and so a good beginning needs to be made by getting it enacted forthwith §§§

Editorial "Ati Sarvatra Varjayet" in LAW ANIMATED WORLD, 31 May 2011 [Vol. 7, Part 1, No. 10] issue

Ati Sarvatra Varjayet

is a golden axiom of Hindu philosophy applicable to all human streams, which applies to the strivings for good and noble ends too. In an exquisite verse attributed to Chanakya we are enlightened: “Ati daanaat Balirbaddhoh - atimaanaat Suyodhanah, vinashto Ravano laulyat - Ati sarvatra varjayet” {Excess of giving tied up Bali; excess of pride hurt Duryodhana; excess of lust (for women) destroyed Ravana; [hence] excess everywhere is [bad and is] to be discarded}. Unfortunately what we are witnessing today in our country is an excess of excesses of various sorts. We have seen and are yet able to see poverty and destitution in excess, corruption in utmost excess, social repression and police atrocities in excess, various types of governmental excesses and what not. Add to that, we have counter movements in excess, pressure groups, caste and religious and, in some spheres, regional and local chauvinistic movements all leading to anarchy in excess, etc. And sadly it seems even the anti-corruption movements are flowing into an excess. May be the Jan Lok Pal desired by social reformists like Anna Hazare is different from the various ombudsmen in developed democracies but then there is no point in stretching its powers or jurisdiction to an excess (while, strangely, not vesting in it any adjudicatory powers which we feel to be a default in excess). If the government at the helm has come down to include parliament members and ministers also in its compass, then, we feel there is no need to go on pressurizing for inclusion of the Prime Minister too. After all, in our setup, it is the Prime Minister who acts as the real head of state though not so designated in the constitution, and his privileged position ought not to be disturbed too easily. Also we see the strange spectacle of a modern yoga guru, selling that art/skill to gullible persons at high prices, jumping into the fray to bring another wave of popular rising with excessive demands like ‘hang the corrupt!’ – more easily said than ever can or ought to be done. We also see money in excess spent in such a spree, know not from where accessed. And, as usual, the government applies its lathi yoga in excess and we know not what next will be the reaction in excess §§§

Brochure with some details regarding the journal 'LAW ANIMATED WORLD'.

A world law fortnightly published from Hyderabad, India.

Owner, Printer and Publisher: I. Balamani
Editor: I. Mallikarjuna Sharma

ADVISORY BOARD: Dr. Lakshmi Sahgal (INA Colonel), V.R. Krishna Iyer, O. Chinnappa Reddy,
B.P. Jeevan Reddy (Former Judges, SC), P.A. Choudary (Former Judge, APHC),
Prof. R.V.R. Chandrasekhara Rao (Politics), Umesh Chandra (Senior Advocate, Lucknow),
Ravi Kiran Jain (Senior Advocate, Allahabad), Colin Gonsalves (Senior Advocate, Delhi),
K. Subba Rao (Senior Advocate, Bangalore) & Ms. Chandan Ramamurthi (Advocate, Delhi).

This is a journal meant to inform the public about the necessary details regarding important developments of law all over the world thus contributing in general to the cause of human progress and welfare. We are all members of one great human species and it is the grand noble ideal always projected in our country since very ancient times to view the entire world as one family - vasudhaiva kutumbakam. This law fortnightly has been formally started in March 2005 but prior to that for one year it appeared in almost regular fortnightly bulletins. We are committed to the ideals and causes of progress, democracy, liberty, equality, fraternity and human welfare in consonance with environmental improvement and universal harmony. Politically we are dedicated to and so would like to project the virtues of scientific socialism but at the same time we refrain from being closed-minded and try to be in the know of and also report about the various other streams of thought and analysis abounding all over the world. As the title of this journal indicates we largely confine its scope to law-reporting with, of course, occasional and necessary incursions into the fields of economics, sociology, history, politics and culture. This is no ordinary law reporter but a unique journal of its type in our country. We will be making, as and when necessary, some ‘ruthless criticism of all existing conditions’ in the columns of this paper in addition to reporting valuable judgments and decisions by various international and foreign courts and forums including, of course and occasionally, our own courts. The goal of scientific socialism we will never forget but it will be enriched and modified as needed by considerations of liberty, democracy and humanity. Hope the readers would understand and appreciate our ideals and intentions and wholeheartedly encourage and assist us in our endeavours.

We are grateful to the many friends and well-wishers who have so far extended their moral and monetary support. But there is great need to rapidly increase the circulation of the journal and also augment its lean coffers. We request and hope that many more friends and well-wishers would come to our aid and appeal to one and all to publicize this journal, enroll more subscribers, enlist liberal donors and also try securing some advertisements at least.

The annual subscription for this law fortnightly is fixed at Rs. 900/- (Rupees Eight hundred only) for the year 2011.* Life subscription is fixed at Rs. 10,000/- (Rupees Ten thousand only). Advertisement tariffs: Inner cover page: Rs. 10,000/-; Full page: Rs. 8000/-; Half page: Rs. 4000/- as of now. Subscriptions/Donations/Advertisement charges may be sent by Cheque/ DD/MO in favour of: LAW ANIMATED WORLD to I. Balamani, , 6-3-1243/156, M.S. Makta, Opposite Raj Bhavan, HYDERABAD-500082 {Ph: 040 - 2330 0284; E-mail: mani.bal44@gmail.com} – Rs. 75/- to be added towards bank charges for outstation cheques.

[I. MALLIKARJUNA SHARMA], Editor [I. BALAMANI], Publisher

---

* Subscriptions whenever paid will count from January to December of the year (back-numbers of that year will be
supplied to the subscribers). Rs. 100/- binding and service charges will be levied for sending back numbers. Annual
subscription $ 150 abroad (postage extra - $30).

Editorial, 'GERONIMO EKIA' in LAW ANIMATED WORLD, 15 May 2011 issue

GERONIMO EKIA

The American President, watching it live from the White House, along with Hillary Clinton et al, with a ‘stony face’, beamed with joy on hearing this message by the Navy Seals: ‘Geronimo EKIA (Enemy Killed In Action)’ and exclaimed ‘We got him!’ Soon thereafter he broadcast to the entire world that the most dreaded terrorist of the era has been found and killed and ‘justice has been done’. Astonishingly, the most wanted Islamic terrorist was not found in any inhospitable terrains of Afghanistan or Pakistan but in the star cantonment city of Abbottabad. This but confirms the general suspicions current, especially in India, that Pakistan is acting as a rogue state aiding/promoting international terrorism. Public opinion in Pakistan itself seems to be divided with fundamentalists on the rise in many parts and demonstrating against the ‘invasion’ of their territory by the USA and also paying homage to the great ‘jihadi shaheed’. Op Geronimo was kept highly secret without a hint to the Pakistanis lest it be spoilt at the last minute and it does raise some questions of international law, also on whether it was justified to kill an unarmed enemy who could have been captured. Osama’s son has already complained to the UN requesting ‘justice to be done’ on this issue. The naming the target after a highly respected fighter-leader (1829-1909) of the American native Indians, is also widely condemned, with his great grand-son, Harlyn Geronimo, protesting to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs that “… to equate Geronimo with bin Laden is an unpardonable slander of Native America and its most famous leader in history. … also a subversion of history that defames a great human spirit…” and certainly not expected from the office of a half-black half-Muslim Yankee President. Then there is the intricate question of whether the world has become a bit safer or rendered more insecure now. All indications are towards a spate of revenge killings the world over by the jihadi terrorists and in our opinion no meaningful and successful anti-terror struggle can be waged unless the state terror and imperialist interventions of the super-power and its allies are also countered and overcome §§§

On Madras City

History_of_Chennai

The end of Osama bin Laden - Inside Story - Al Jazeera English

The end of Osama bin Laden - Inside Story - Al Jazeera English