CPJ urges Advani to ensure fair treatment to Journalist under police custody

LG Targeting one million GSM Mobile sales in Middle East Africa

Global Investors Meet is a conspiracy to convert black money into white : Dileep Cheriyan

Dileep Cheriyan, the firebrand rebel Youth Congress leader has accused that the real purpose of a global investors meet is to convert multi crore black money earned by Kerala politicians and their business pimps into white money. In a public statement issued yesterday, he said there are certain politicians who have benefited from the multicrore hawala transaction from the Gulf countries to Kerala through Mumbai. Through one of the branches of Lord Krishna branch, Rs.360 crore was transferred by unidentified sources to Kerala. CBI is likely to investigate the hawala case.

Earlier, he had asked the state Chief Minister to disclose the property of all the Ministers. This was in the background of serious corruption charges against K.V.Thomas Fisheries and Tourism Minister. According to Cheriyan, some of the Kerala politicians have amassed huge amount of money through corruption and the intention of the so called global investors meet is to convert this wealth earned through dubious means into white money and invest the same in new projects.

Dubai Administration to introduce automated entry service at Dubai Airport

Colonel Saeed Matter Bin Belailah, Director DNRD.

Electronic gates to speed up registration process and ensure greater security
June 16, 2002

Dubai: keralamonitor.com Under the directives of General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Crown Prince of Dubai and the UAE Defence Minister and as a consequence of the active follow up by Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Department of Civil Aviation and Chairman of Emirates Airline, the Ministry of Interior, Naturalization & Residency Administration Dubai (DNRD), plans to introduce a radical and innovative system of automated entry and exit gates at Dubai International Airport to regulate the process of arrivals and departures. The new system, which is expected to go live at the airport from the middle of July, leverages best of breed technologies to ensure greater accuracy and further development of internal human resources. The DNRD, which will launch the pilot project by the middle of next month, has also launched a major campaign to generate awareness of the system amongst residents and visitors alike and to encourage greater use of the automated entry procedure.

Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum said, "Dubai International Airport is ranked as the Middle East's busiest airport and one of the fastest growing airports in the world. Despite the impact of global events, it registered a 10 per cent growth in passenger throughput in the year 2001 to total 13.5 million. This trend has continued through the first quarter of 2002, which registered passenger movement at 3.8 million showing a growth of 8.5 per cent over the same period last year. Future projections anticipate a continuing growth to touch 30 million passengers by 2010. It is imperative that we take adequate measures to direct this growth in an organized manner. This new initiative by the Naturalization & Residency Administration Dubai to automate the passenger registration process by the introduction of electronic gates, will be a revolutionary step in this direction and we would like to congratulate the DNRD for formulating and developing such a pioneering concept."

"Dubai and indeed the UAE attract millions of business visitors and expatriate recruits from different parts of the world all of whom have to undergo detailed visa procedures to enter and leave the country. In addition, the strategic location and fast growing business scenario of the emirate, makes Dubai International Airport one of the busiest airports in the world. This enormous volume of passenger throughput and the resultant documentation procedures would become increasingly difficult to handle unless an organized system is in place to oversee all aspects of passenger movement," said Colonel Saeed Matter Bin Belailah, Director DNRD. "We have been seriously concerned with this matter and that is why we have devised this system of automated electronic gates that will not only speed up the registration of travellers through the airport but will also act as a significant barrier for illegal entrants into the emirate."

"The initiative is also in keeping with the vision of General Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and UAE Defence Minister to leverage the benefits of technology to ease the lives of citizens. The use of electronic gates at the airport is only one more in a long line of e-initiatives from the various government departments and is also in keeping with the objectives of Dubai e-Government," he added.

The electronic gates utilise the concepts of smart card identification and finger print identification to automate the registration process. The information system that manages the whole process including the electronic gate control, fingerprints and card issue has been completely devised and developed in-house by the IT department at the DNRD. The electronic gates, which are the first of their kind in the Middle East and a relatively new global concept, are expected to speed up the entire process of registration in addition to providing the DNRD with an improved control of the inbound and outbound travellers. The fingerprint identification is a very significant aspect of the system, which ensures that each person can only enrol once in the system.

The new multi modular system has separate modules for enrolment, card printing, electronic gate and monitoring. First time users of the system can register at the enrolment office set up at the airport to be enrolled to the database. This enables the system to check the validity of the document submitted. The enrolment system also includes finger print enrolment and photo enrolment. Once registered, users of the system are supplied with a smart card that contains relevant identification information. In order to ensure maximum security and efficiency, the system is linked to a central monitoring unit that controls all operations.

"The electronic gate system is the result of over 10 months of concerted effort by the staff of our in-house IT department and has been devised using enhanced technologies which ensure that the service rendered is extremely accurate. It is also a very important move to curb fraud and impersonation at the entry and exit level as the gate will only allow those passengers into the system whose fingerprints match the enrolled identifications," said Major Khalid Majid Lootah, Head IT Section, DNRD. "The fact that we have not outsourced the information management system has also saved the DNRD over 70 per cent of the initial costs in addition to 60 per cent per gate. The only components of the equipment that have been outsourced are the gates, the fingerprint system, the ID cards."

The electronic gates will be introduced in tandem with the existing manual ones, giving travellers the option to choose either form of entry or exit. Users can activate the automatic gates with the use of a pre-programmed smart card followed by finger print identification. Detailed instructions on procedures will be offered to the travellers at every step via the gates. The DNRD eventually plans to introduce the system at all entry and exit points in the emirate.(keralamonitor.com)

Arrest of Jammu Newspaper Bureau Chief

CPJ urges Advani to ensure fair treatment to Journalist under police custody

New Delhi: June 15, 2002. The Committee to Protect Journalists has expressed its deep concern about the arrest of Iftikhar Gilani, the New Delhi bureau chief for the Jammu-based newspaper Kashmir Times and a regular contributor to the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, as well as to the Pakistani newspapers The Friday Times and The Nation.

'At around 5 a.m. on June 9, officers from various agencies, including the Intelligence Bureau, the Special Branch of Police, and the Income Tax Department, raided Gilani's house in New Delhi. Authorities confiscated Gilani's computer and several documents, including bank statements," according to his wife. Gilani was arrested at his home around 9:30 p.m., said CPJ Executive Director Ann Cooper in a written complaint to L.K.Advani, Indian Home Minister.

"Police accused Gilani of possessing classified documents and arrested him under the provisions of India's Official Secrets Act, a draconian law that is a legacy of British colonial rule. On June 10, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sangita Dhingra Sehgal ordered Gilani back to police custody for five days," CPJ said.

"The only evidence against Gilani cited by the government so far is a public document released in 1995 by Pakistan's Foreign Ministry that includes information about alleged human rights abuses committed by Indian troops in Kashmir," according to R.M. Tufail, Gilani's lawyer. India and Pakistan have competing claims of sovereignty over the disputed territory of Kashmir.

Gilani's detention coincided with the arrest the same day of his father-in-law, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, a senior separatist leader in Kashmir. Iftikhar Gilani's colleagues say the journalist has a reputation for balanced and independent reporting and fear that he has been targeted unfairly. A petition signed by many leading journalists in New Delhi urges the government "to ensure that the investigation is fair and that Gilani does not face any harassment or ill-treatment at the hands of the authorities" and notes that, "Any information in his possession must also be evaluated in the light of his professional requirements as a journalist."

"As a nonpartisan organization of journalists dedicated to the defense of our colleagues worldwide, CPJ condemns the use of the Official Secrets Act to harass journalists who may collect sensitive information in the course of their professional work,' CPJ said in a statement. "We call on your government to make public the findings of the investigation into Iftikhar Gilani's case. If he has been arrested on the basis of his reporting, CPJ demands his prompt and unconditional release,' Cooper said.

LG Targeting one million GSM Mobile sales in Middle East Africa

June 16, 2002 keralamonitor.com

Dubai: LG Electronics has unveiled an ambitious target to be among the leading GSM mobile suppliers throughout the Middle East and Africa by the end of next year with projected 2003 regional sales of one million phones.

The bullish projection comes just four months after the Korean giant boldly entered the UAE's fiercely competitive GSM market with two cutting-edge phones - the LG-600 and LG510W. Subsequent launches followed in a number of strategic markets while two months ago LG boosted its regional range with a bright red, lightweight version of the award-winning LG-510 handset.

"Following a highly encouraging response in these existing markets, moves are now underway to spread our regional GSM product network to Oman and Bahrain, with plans to bring Saudi Arabia on line within the next quarter," said Mr M.B. Shin, President, LG Electronics, Middle East & Africa Operations.

"LGE enjoys premium brand image throughout the Middle East and Africa and we will leverage this positioning to ensure the trust delivered through LG's superior product and service offerings is extended to the GSM mobile segment."LG's regional sales targets and strategies were thrashed out at a special GSM Sales Undertaking Ceremony staged in Nairobi's Safari Park City Hotel. The dazzling ceremony was attended by around 30 top LGE executives from throughout the Middle East, Africa and Korea. Guests of honour included Mr S. T. Hong, President of LGE GSM Mobile Terminal Division and Mr J.K. Ham, Marketing Director.

Together with LGE branch managers, subsidiary managing directors and GSM product managers, the meeting reviewed performances and reiterated confidence in the strength of LGE's GSM product.

ETHIOPIA: Pledge to boost ties with Arab world

ADDIS ABABA, 17 June (IRIN) - Ethiopia is determined to strengthen its ties with the Arab world, the government said on Monday.A statement issued by the information ministry said there were numerous economic opportunities that could be exploited by investors and the governments of Ethiopia and the Arab world.

“These relations are no doubt essential to promote our national interest of peace, democratisation and rapid sustainable development,” the statement said. “It is a fact that Ethiopia has a vast investment potential for Arab investors. On the other hand, the Arab world has an extensive market for Ethiopian agricultural products.”

“The potential to forge an even stronger relationship between the peoples and the government of Ethiopia and the Arab world are not yet fully exploited to the full."

The statement noted that relations between Ethiopia and the Arab world were entrenched in history, dating back thousands of years. Previous government policies “on both sides” had hindered development between the nations, said the statement, released at the end of an Ethio-Arab cultural week in Addis Ababa.

Speaking during the cultural week, Dr Hassen Meki, Director of the Institute of Africa in Khartoum, urged Ethiopia to sign up to the Arab League. And Dr Kinfe Abraham, President of the Ethiopian International Institute for Peace and Development, said the Nile River was one of the most important links between Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia.