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Mukundan C. Menon

 Envosy Present Credential to President

The envoys of nine countries presented their credentials to the President of India, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan here today. The envoys who presented their credentials were:- Her Excellency Mrs. Jutta Stefan-Bastl, the Ambassador of the Republic of Austria, Mr. Oteng Jenamo Tebape, the High Commissioner of the Republic of Botswana, Mr. Pierre Passi, the Ambassador of the Republic of Congo, Mr. Dominique Girard, the Ambassador of the Republic of France, Mr. Jean-Christian Obame, the Ambassador of the Republic of Gabon, Mr. Siavash Zargar Yaghoubi, the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mr. Lefa Joseph Mokotjo, the High Commissioner of the Kingdom of Lesotho, Mr. Jantsan Gulgou, the Ambassador of Mongolia, and Her Excellency Haja Mrs. Alari Cole, the High Commissioner of the Republic of Sierra Leone.

The credential presentation ceremony was attended by the senior members of the missions, senior officials of the Ministry of External Affairs and Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Indo-Bangladesh Joint Working Group to DIscuss Security Related Issues

The 8th meeting of the Indo-Bangladesh Joint Working Group (JWG) will be held on January 22-23, 2003 in capital Dhaka. The main focus of discussion will be on security related issues, trans-border crime and illegal immigration. Greater cooperation in matters relating to border trade through setting up of border haats for improved border management is likely to figure in the deliberations. Shri A.K. Jain, Joint Secretary (North-East) in the Ministry of Home Affairs will lead the Indian Delegation for the talks.

 http://www.indiancurrents.com/ic4/mukundan.htm

Missionary Blood on their Hands : A Gujarat Model in Kerala

-- Mukundan C. Menon

"I have no ill will or hatred against my attackers. I would be glad to invite them for a lunch, instead. Of course, initially I was angry. But, later I realized that whatever had happened was according to God?s will", said Pennsylvania-based U.S. missionary, Bishop Joseph W. Cooper (67), while convalescing at Kerala Institute of Medical Science (KIMS) hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, a day after he was attacked reportedly by RSS activists on January 13 night at Koppam near Kilimannor in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala. He had gone there to attend a Gospel Convention at Friends of Bible Church...........

........Notably, the January 13 attack on Cooper and other missionaries came within weeks after President Dr. A. P. J. Kalam inaugurated the 1950th anniversary of the arrival of St. Thomas to Kerala at massive convention of Christians at Kochi last month. The attack took place five days before the Kerala Government?s prestigious Global Investment Meet (GIM) to be held at Kochi on January 18-19, which was to be attended by major foreign investor delegates from USA, Europe and Middle-East region. It also came a week before the International Pentecostal Convention to be held at Kumbanad near Thiruvalla in which around 100,000 believers and 3,000 pastors from various countries are scheduled to attend. And, more significantly, the Sangh Parivar onslaught was carried out when top RSS functionaries like RSS Sarsanghchalak, K. S. Sudarshan, and Akhil Bharatiya Vanavasi Kalyan Ashram president, Jagadev Ram Orone, was in Kerala making wanton statements on conversions and foreign missionaries.

The attack took place amidst the Sangh Parivar leaders taking strong exceptions to President Dr. Kalam accepting the invitation to attend a jubilee function of Jesuits to be held at Calcutta soon. The incident, therefore, cannot be treated either as a coincidence or isolated case, although Chief Minister A. K. Antony wanted the world to believe so in an apparent attempt to dilute its seriousness on the eve of the GIM.

for CHRO
Mukundan C. Menon
Secretary General

CHRO
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