Discussion: Identity Politics, Nationality Issue and Human Rights Response

People's Union for Civil Liberties – Tamil Nadu & Puducherry
42 (Old No. 85). I Floor, Opp. Syndicate Bank, Armenian Street, Chennai
600 001
Ph.: 25352459; rightstn@yahoo.com

President
General Secretary

Dr. V. Suresh (94442-31497)
S. Balamurugan (9443213501)

Invitation to a Panel Discussion

On

15th November, 2008 (Saturday), 2.30 to 5.30 pm at

Venue

AICUF House, 125, Sterling Road, (near Loyola College), Nungambakkam,
Chennai 600034

Panelists

Mr. Rajinder Sachar, former CJ, Delhi High Court, former President, National
PUCL

Mr. Inquilab, eminent Poet

Mr. Bhagwan Singh, Senior Journalist

The Context

Violence against Biharis in Maharashtra, attacks against Maharashtrians in Haryana, UP and other northern states; attacks against Biharis in Assam; the bomb strikes across Assam killing scores of people; the Amarnath temple controversy in Kashmir; the Orissa attacks against minorities; the mass deaths of Tamils in Sri Lanka…The violence and death toll continues; and the situation is turning grimmer by the day.

In this dismal scenario, suddenly there are some changes in both the nature of politics and the political discourse. Arrest of members of majority community fundamentalist groups in terror attacks in Malegaon in Maharashtra and their dubbing as terrorists has suddenly broken the smug and complacent superiority of Hindutva groups dubbing all minority groups as terrorist. Suddenly finding themselves dubbed as `terrorist' is not comfortable.

The debate as to whether the Sri Lankan issue is one of 'civil war' and not 'terrorism' has suddenly changed the political discourse on violence. The proposal of Barack Obama of the appointment of former US president Bill Clinton as Special Envoy for Kashmir, has raised the hackles of the Indian state establishment decrying the move as interference in a bilateral issue. Political parties in Tamil Nadu, however want the international community to intervene in Sri Lanka.

Issues of identity politics and nationality struggles are changing character. How do we, as members of the human rights movement, understand these changes? What stand should we take?

We invite you to the beginnings of a new discussion on these
issues.

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Dr. V. Suresh, S. Balamurugan