January 17, 2003

Training academy for Civil Aviation Security to be Set up in Delhi

New Delhi -A specialised academy for the training of personnel responsible for civil aviation security is to be set up in New Delhi. This was announced by the Civil Aviation Minister Shri Syed Shahnawaz Hussain here today. He was speaking after inaugurating the new building of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security’s Delhi Regional Office. The Minister said, work on the training academy will start in the next couple of months. Describing Civil Aviation security in the country as one of the best in the world, the Minister said, Central Industrial Security Force has been deployed at 45 airports in the country and they will be deployed in rest of the operational airports shortly. The Minister said, sky marshals are being deployed on all the routes on random basis in all the domestic airlines.

Emphasising the need for vigilance to prevent any untoward incident, the Minister said airport security audit is being conducted on regular basis. He said foolproof security of the airports can be provided by a regular security audit. Shri Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said a new photo identity card is being introduced for access to the airports, tampering of which will be next to impossible The Minister said there will not be any dearth of resources for ensuring security to the sector.

Three Officers of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security were honoured by the Minister, with the presentation of police medals. While Shri Munindra Nath Chaturvedi was presented the President’s Police Medal, Shri Sishu Pal Singh and Shri Om Prakash Yadav were presented Indian Police Medals.

The Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Shri Sripad Yesso Naik, Secretary Civil Shri K. Roy Paul and the Commissioner of Civil Aviation Security Shri T.K. Mitra were present on the occasion.

Transparency in the capital Market to promote Investor Confidence and Awarenesss: Jaswant Sing

The Union Minister of Finance and Company Affairs, Shri Jaswant Singh has said that the Government is committed to promoting better investor awareness and bringing about greater investor confidence in the capital market. In his key note address at the inauguration of _Securities Market Awareness Campaign_ to be launched by SEBI today, he said, the investor is a key player in the system and needs to be aware of his rights and obligations, duties of the brokers and mechanism of the market. The Minister said that the Campaign is a pioneering effort in addressing the issues that cause investor concern.

Shri Jaswant Singh said that the revival of capital market is integral to the economic liberalisation and a vibrant capital market is an alternative source of fund for crucial sectors of the economy. Adoption of new technology with automated trading leading to increased transparency and lower transaction costs has provided a fillip to the capital market. Risk containment measures such as setting up of clearing corporations and strict margin requirements have further enhanced the safety of the market, he added. The Minister said that the stronger regulator and enhanced provisions for punishment would deter potential offenders and bolster the confidence of investors.

Insurance Scheme for Journalists on the Anvil

The Government is formulating a scheme for providing insurance cover and pension to the journalists. The Information and Broadcasting Minister, Smt. Sushma Swaraj announced this while inaugurating the 5th National Conference of Regional Newsmedia organized by the Indian Society for Advancement of Regional Newsmedia, here today. The aim is to provide group insurance cover of Rs.10 lakhs to a journalist who dies in harness. A couple of meetings in this regard had already been held with the Insurance authorities and the scheme is being finalized. The government will make a major contribution to the scheme on its own, she said.

The Minister has also announced to increase the minimum number of advertisements issued to small and medium newspapers from 6 to 9 every year. The Registrar of Newspapers of India will hold Adalats at 6 big cities in the country to sort out the circulation check problem of newspaper.

COMMITTEE ON CIVIL CASE MANAGEMENT FORMULA RELEASES CONSULTATION PAPERS

The Committee, headed by the Chairman, Law Commission of India, Shri Justice M. Jagannadha Rao, constituted by the Supreme Court of India on Case Management Formula and Alternative Disputes Resolution (ADR) and Mediation Rules following its judgement on the recent amendments in the Civil Procedure Code, has prepared two Consultation papers on Case Management and ADR and Mediation Rules.

The two Consultation Papers have been sent by e-mails to all the Chief Justices of High Courts seeking their views, with a request to circulate the papers to all the subordinate courts which could also send their responses. The Committee has also sent the two Consultation Papers to the Bar Council of India with a request to circulate them to the State Bar Councils which would circulate them again to all Bar Associations in the State and to the High Court Bar Associations.

The Committee has requested their response be sent to the Chairman at 1 Janpath, New Delhi or by e-mail at vnathan@nic.in within four weeks.

The two Consultation Papers have also been placed on the Law Commission’s website at lawcommissionofindia@nic.in .

Following the Supreme Court of India judgement in Salem Bar Association Vs Union of India on October 28, 2002, the apex court having upheld the constitutional and legal validity of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act, 1999 and the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) Act, 2002, which have since been implemented with effect from July 1, 2002, the apex court appointed Justice M.J.Rao Committee. The Committee is expected to suggest case management formula to assuage the Bar and ease out the problems faced by the litigants in contesting civil suits.

PM INAUGURATES SECURITIES MARKET AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

PRIME MINISTER’S INAUGURAL ADDRESS

The Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee launched the Securities Market Awareness Campaign, organised by the Securities and Exchange Board of India, here today. The Prime Minister emphasised the need for concerted efforts to motivate and educate savers and investors to put their money into shares and bonds so that the economy benefits through a vigorous and dynamic capital market. The Finance Minister Shri Jaswant Singh, Governor, Reserve Bank of India, Shri Bimal Jalan were also present on the occasion.

Bangladesh: Impunity for the army unacceptable

Amnesty International is deeply concerned that the Bangladeshi Government's recent decision to issue an "indemnity ordinance" will lead to a climate of impunity in the country. The ordinance gives immunity from prosecution to armed forces for their involvement in "any casualty, damage to life and property, violation of rights, physical or mental damage" between 16 October 2002 and 9 January 2003. "These are serious human rights violations which must not under any circumstances be condoned," Amnesty International said today.

"Between October and January at least 40 people died after their arrest and alleged torture in army custody. The ordinance means that no army personnel can be investigated or brought to justice for these deaths. This is unacceptable," the international human rights organization added. "Torture goes against the best aspects of the country's culture. It tarnishes the country's image," Amnesty International said.

With this ordinance, the Government of Bangladesh has indicated that it is not willing to respect its obligations under the Convention against Torture and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to respect and ensure the rights of the people in Bangladesh. This ordinance denies the victims of torture and unlawful killings, and their families, the right to a remedy, to truth and justice, to which they are entitled.

Amnesty International urges all Governments to repeal any legal provision that afford impunity to human rights violators. Torture is universally condemned and prohibited under international law in all circumstances.

The Government of Bangladesh should withdraw the ordinance and should not put it before Parliament for debate. If the ordinance is brought before Parliament for debate on 26 January, Amnesty International hopes that all Members of Parliament will rise to this human rights challenge and refrain from enacting it as law. Amnesty International continues to call on the Bangladeshi Government to establish and independent, impartial and competent authority to investigate all deaths reportedly resulting from torture and other allegations of torture in custody and bring to justice all those responsible whatever their rank or position.

Background

Operation "Clean Heart" started on 17 October as a campaign against crime carried out by the army. It was the government's response to growing concern within Bangladesh and the international community about the continuing deterioration in law and order, including a rise in criminal activity, murder, rape and acid throwing.

However, there were mounting allegations of torture in army custody during this operation. At least 40 men died after being arrested by the army. The government announced that the deaths were from heart failure but families said victims had been tortured to death. On 9 January, the President issued "The Joint Drive Indemnity Ordinance 2003" which provides impunity to "members of the joint forces and any person designated to carry out responsibilities in aid of civil administration during the period between 16 October 2002 and 9 January 2003". Under the ordinance, no civil or criminal procedures can be invoked against "disciplinary forces" or any government official for "arrests, raid, interrogation and [other] steps taken" during this period.

The Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs was cited on 9 January in media reports as telling journalists that "the government regretted the deaths, but they had no alternative to rewarding the soldiers who had helped the authorities to restore law and order." The Government is apparently seeking to put the ordinance before Parliament on 26 January in the form of a bill.

Libya’s Human Rights Record in Spotlight U.N. Commission Needs Membership Criteria

(Geneva, January 17, 2003) – The likely election of Libya to a key
United Nations post on Monday will put a spotlight on its human rights
record and on efforts by abusive governments to undermine the
international human rights system, Human Rights Watch said today.

Libya looks certain to be elected chairman of the U.N. Commission on
Human Rights, the world’s top human rights forum whose annual six-week
session will take place in Geneva in March and April. The Africa
regional group has nominated Libya to chair the commission on a
rotational basis. Some governments, including the United States, have
opposed Libya's nomination and may call for a vote to signal their
indignation, but no alternative candidate is likely to emerge by January
20, when the commission holds its preparatory meeting in Geneva.

The commission, which “names and shames” abusive governments, has grown
more timid in recent years as countries with poor human rights records
have vied to become members so they can block their own censure.

“Libya’s election poses a real test for the commission,” said Joanna
Weschler, U.N. representative of Human Rights Watch. “Repressive
governments must not be allowed to hijack the U.N. human rights system.”

Weschler urged that countries seeking election to the commission should
meet the following minimum criteria:

* ratify the main human rights treaties,
* fulfill obligations to provide reports on their compliance with
conventions already ratified,
* issue a standing invitation to U.N. investigators, and
* not have been condemned by the commission in the recent past.

“No country has a perfect human rights record,” said Weschler, “but
every member should at least show a real commitment to cooperating with
United Nations on human rights.”

Over the past three decades, Libya’s human rights record has been
appalling. It has included the abduction, forced disappearance or
assassination of political opponents; torture and mistreatment of
detainees; and long-term detention without charge or trial or after
grossly unfair trials. Today hundreds of people remain arbitrarily
detained, some for over a decade, and there are serious concerns about
treatment in detention and the fairness of procedures in several
on-going high profile trials before the Peoples’ Courts. Libya has been
a closed country for United Nations and non-governmental human rights
investigators.

Since its nomination by the African Union, Libya has indicated that it
would invite U.N. investigators and international human rights groups to
visit Libya. It has declared its intention to review the role of the
grossly unfair Peoples’ Courts, with a view to abolishing them, and
announced several amnesties for prisoners.

While welcoming those initiatives as important indicators of Libya’s
intentions, Human Rights Watch called on Libya to formally issue a
standing invitation to all the U.N. human rights monitoring bodies,
following in the footsteps of forty member states that have done so
already, and to promptly submit its outstanding reports to the U.N.
treaty bodies.

“The Libyans have made some positive commitments in their election bid,
but these should be put into practice before they take over the
chairmanship,” Weschler said.

Critical issues at this year’s session will include the impact of the
war against terrorism on human rights and the continuing grave human
rights situations in Chechnya, China, Israel and the Occupied
Territories, and Iran.

PM RECONSTITUTES THE NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISORY BOARD (NSAB)

The Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee has reconstituted the National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) for the year 2003-2004. The members of the newly reconstituted NSAB are as follows:

1. Shri C.V. Ranganathan, Convenor

2. Shri S.T. Devare

3. General (Retd) V.P. Malik

4. Air Marshal (Retd) Vinod Patney

5. Vice Admiral (Retd) K.K. Nayyar

6. Dr.(Ms) Leena Srivastava

7. Dr. Charan Wadhwa

8. Dr. Amitav Mallik

9. Dr. M.R. Srinivasan

10. Shri B.K.R. Rao

11. Shri Arun Bhagat

12. Prof. K.M. Warikoo

13. Prof. Amitabh Mattoo

14. Shri Nikhil Kumar

15. Shri R.K. Ahooja

As in the past, the term of the NSAB will be for a period of one year from the date of its first meeting.