Monthly Archives: June 2005

Stand up for Mukhtaran Mai TOMORROW in DC

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mukhtaran-bibi.jpgIf reading Vinod’s update on the tale of Mukhtaran Mai got you fired up, I’ve got the raita for what ails you. Heed this post, DC-area mutineers– a real live brown uprising is going down TOMORROW:

Please join NAPAWF-DC and ANAA for a rally
THURSDAY, June 23rd at 4:30 PM
EMBASSY OF PAKISTAN-WASHINGTON DC
3517 International Court, NW
Washington DC, 20008

Can’t this woman ever get just treatment? It’s nice that Condi got involved, but I’m a St. Thomas Christian to the bone– until Mukhtaran bibi is in this country, speaking freely, I won’t believe the Pakistani Government’s position that she has “permission” to travel. It’s unbelievable that we have to remind them not to be stupid about this in the first place (PR disaster much?).

Rallying might interest you for other reasons too, as a member of NAPAWF reminded me earlier this evening, when I mentioned the Secretary of State’s intervention

It doesnÂ’t mean anything beyond that she got her passport back. Globally, wherever there is injustice against Asian women and girls there is injustice against all of us.

Remember how you felt the first time you read this story? And how your gut clenched again when we covered the inexcusable punishment meted out to a woman who had been raped by her father-in-law and then ordered to marry him after “purification”? Some of you almost cheered when other groups intervened, when a higher authority decreed that her rapist might actually qualify for the death penalty. That’s because justice feels good. Let’s get Mukhtaran Mai some, shall we?

I know what you are thinking…”4:30 in the afternoon? There’s no way I can make it…” Of course you can. I’m told that this event should go on for a few hours. Any other excuses, objections or obstacles?

Look. This woman was assaulted repeatedly in public and then put through the worst judicial roller coaster I’ve ever followed. She can’t express herself. You can. Continue reading →

Mukhtar Mai Update

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A happy development in the on-going saga of Mukhtar Mai – the US Government has stepped in to ensure Ms. Mai’s passage outside of the country –

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice secured a personal pledge from Pakistan that gang-rape victim Mukhtaran Mai will be allowed to visit the United States, officials said Tuesday. The State Department revealed Rice’s personal intervention in the now famous case, after The New York Times reported that the Pakistani government still had Mai’s passport, despite lifting a ban on her travelling last week. …State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said the issue was raised last Thursday by Rice, in a telephone call with Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri. “Secretary Rice made it clear that Mrs. Mai was welcome to come to the United States at any time and that we were looking to the government of Pakistan to ensure that she was free to travel whenever she wanted,” he said. “The government of Pakistan has committed itself to that and therefore it is our expectation that should Mrs Mai want to travel, to come to the United States, there will be no obstacles presented to her to do so,” Ereli said.

Of course, the Pakistani’s felt obliged to make a face-saving “no, we’re really in charge” statement –

Top Pakistani officials maintained there had been no US pressure in the case of Mai, who was ordered gang raped by a tribal council in 2002, and emerged as a cause celebre for international human rights campaigners.

(Previous SM coverage here). Continue reading →

Jagdish Bauer

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I watched the FOX series “24” during its first season. I stopped cold after that. EVERYONE watches that show, but I am no longer allowed to follow Jack Bauer and his exploits. You see, I began having paranoid delusions and kept trying to save the world an hour at a time. Even when I did something as ordinary as go to the grocery store, I could hear this clock ticking in my ears. I once freaked out at 6:58 p.m. when there were only two minutes left in the hour and nobody was around to bag the groceries I had just purchased. I swear the guy in front of me in the checkout line was a Muslim terrorist just trying to slow me down. I feel sorry for my friends who still watch the show (now in its third season). They are totally paranoid. If I am talking to them and its like 8:55p.m., all of a sudden they’ll ask me if my phone is tapped and will insist they have to go. ZEE TV is trying to cash in on the paranoia and anxiety with their own rip-off of 24 titled, “Time Bomb 9/11.” FOX isn’t happy. From the FinancialExpress.com:

Zee Telefilms Ltd can go ahead with the release of its Ketan Mehta-produced thriller Time Bomb 9/11 as scheduled tonight [Tuesday night] at 10 pm as the Delhi High Court on Monday adjourned the matter for Wednesday. Hollywood producer Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation had sued Zee for infringement of its copyright on its ongoing TV serial 24 starring Emmy award nominee Keifer Sutherland.

[Fox Lawyers] alleged that concept of Time Bomb 9/11 was based on TV serial 24 and explained how the act of Zee Telefilms amounted to infringement of copyright.

On the other hand, senior advocate Arun Jaitely appearing for Zee refuted the allegations, saying that Time Bomb 9/11 was its original concept and a sequel to its earlier serial Pradhan Mantri, launched in 2001. “Nobody could monopolise on the concept of terrorism,” he said. Senior advocate Gopal Subramanian will be appearing for the producer.

“Nobody could monopolise on the concept of terrorism.” Indeed, I say. Where would society be without the concept of terrorism? The show even has an actor who portrays Osama Bin Laden. Jack Bauer never had to tango with such a malevolent adversary. Mid-day.com reports:

osamafication.jpg

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Posted in TV

Yoda syndrome

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Let’s face it, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi suffers from a severe case of Yoda syndrome. On one hand, he was the moral leader of a subcontinent and delivered a large can of whoop-ass to an evil empire. On the other, he was short, wizened and, in the eyes of many Westerners, just plain funny-lookin’.

Which image will win out in the end? One Aussie fast food chain has cast its vote (via Saheli and Age of Gold). Its logo references Gandhi, the Taj Mahal, ‘curry,’ and a name which is both misspelled and rhymes only when pronounced badly:

On learning that Mahatma Gandhi’s image was being used to sell Indian takeaway food by a franchisee in Australia, his great grandson, Tushar Gandhi, urged the Central Government to take action against the “exploitation” of Gandhi’s image, which “is protected under the Indian Constitution and the National Emblems Act… “I am against such irreverent use of the Mahatma’s image…” [The Hindu]

The chain’s radio ad starts with a Middle Eastern tune. It has some guy doing a supposedly desi accent which lands somewhere between strangled Vietnamese dowager and fuckup. Listen to the ad.

After Tushar Gandhi’s statement, the chain said it now sees the light, doesn’t want to be offensive and has completely revamped its branding. So here’s their new, corrected, stereotype-free logo. Take a look:

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High aspirations

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Sajit posted earlier about a remarkable Spanish-Hindi fusion track called ‘Mírame’ (Look at Me). It’s by Daddy Yankee, who sings reggaeton, a popular genre of Latino hip-hop:

Daddy Yankee is reggaeton’s biggest crossover contender: He has already rhymed alongside Nas, Lil Jon and Terror Squad, and his brassy, slogan-strewn flow suggests both a quick-tongued thug and a Latin crunkster.

This pounding reggaeton song leads off with ‘Eli Re Eli’ from Yaadein, covered by Hindi singer Deevani. But not only is this a rare Hindi-Spanish mix, Deevani also sings in Spanish. Well.

>> Listen to a clip

The song innovates on several levels by merging similar sounds rather than contrasting ones. A lot of desi fusion has a low hip-hop beat, bass-heavy and distinct from a high-pitched tumbi or bhangra track which soars above. But in this song, the male reggaetonero is almost higher-pitched than the female Hindi singer. Which, to state the obvious, is insane. It’s playing chicken by shriekiness.

Desi remixes often use a smooth-voiced rapper or reggae artist; the rough edges are provided by the Hindi/Punjabi singer. In this song, the roles are flipped. Daddy Yankee’s style is aggressive and cants forward against the honey-voiced Hindi singer.

Remixes usually highlight the differences in pronunciation between the German-influenced English, with its hard, aspirated consonants, and the much softer Hindi/Punjabi. But in this track, Spanish and Hindi flow seamlessly into one another. It’s the same reason why Spanish teachers would always go nuts over desi kids’ Spanish accents. Years of trying to teach a soft language to American kids left them putty in my Hindi-speaking hands.

Remixes often mock the foreignness of the tweeter track. ‘Indian Flute’ by Timbaland & Magoo with Raje Shwari says, ‘Sing it to me, but I can’t understand a word you’re sayin’.’ ‘Rock The Party’ by Bombay Rockers says, ‘I don’t know what you’re sayin’, all I know’s that I came to party.’ But this song doesn’t take the easy out. Deevani sings in Spanish and pulls it off respectably.

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Some kids compete in Karate Tourney’s after school…

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…and others go to summer band camp. I and probably at least 1 on other mutineer did some time at Debate camp (I’m a geek and I’m at peace with it, so back off). Bela Karolyi’s gymnastics school and Nick Bollettieri’s tennis camp have almost legendary records of producing champions. Well, for a new generation of Desi overachievers, it’s now the after-school spelling circuit–

An immigrant from Andhra Pradesh, India, Chitturi noticed that language barriers and a traditional cultural emphasis on science and engineering were limiting Indian success to the field of mathematics, neglecting the reading and writing skills that compose a large portion of standardized tests that are crucial to college admission. Concerned that lower results in these areas were impeding immigrant success in the United States, Chitturi expanded the North South Foundation – an organization he founded in 1989 to fund scholarships for students in India – to include small competitions in spelling and vocabulary for Indian children in the United States. Since its expansion in 1993, the foundation has spawned 60 volunteer-run chapters across the country that each host annual regional spelling competitions for Indians. The regional winners compete in the foundation’s national spelling bee, gaining experience that contributes heavily to their success in the Scripps competition. Chitturi estimated that half of the Indian competitors in the Scripps bee, the nation’s largest and longest-running spelling contest, have passed through NSF, including 2003 champion Sai Gunturi of Dallas.

Now, I dunno about you, but I sorta visualize that underground tournament scene in just about all martial arts flix. The one where fighters from across the country gather while surrounded by hoards of half-drunk Chinese / Thai / Korean day laborers clutching their bets in hand and screaming at the top of their lungs – “Spell! Spell! Spell!” After the contenders duke it out, they present themselves before the previous year’s champion who occupies a seat of honor in the center next to his white-haired sansei. With a silent nod and raise of his eyebrow, he assigns the fates of the challengers. But that could just be me.

My Sunday afternoon desi youth program back in the day was a bunch of kids, half of whom managed to get injured in the lowest intensity, uncle-supervised tug-of-war match on the planet. The other group of kids were out behind our toolshed-cum-community center talking smack like they grew up in the projects, splitting 6-packs they smuggled in under their jackets (why else would you wear a friggin’ parka in Houston?) and swapping Tupac bootlegs – and that was just the girls.

Perhaps there is hope for the future afterall. Continue reading →

Air bubble (updated)

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A startup Indian airline backed by the former CEO of U.S. Airways startled the industry with a mammoth, $6B order for 100 planes at the Paris Air Show last week:

The order for 100 Airbus aircraft… is the biggest single order from India and the biggest, as well, for a single Airbus model (A320)… [Rahul] Bhatia may have been emboldened to take the plunge, backed by former US Airways head Rakesh Gangwal, who he has known for 20 years…

… the biggest advantage his IndiGo, designed to be a budget carrier, has, is size. With 100 aircraft, it will be able to touch all airports in the country with multiple connections… IndiGo will be able to connect the lucrative metro routes with flights every half-an-hour… “We will connect every possible destination in India.” [Business Standard]

Gangwal apparently took the phrase ‘aviator frames’ literally 🙂 I love the airline name but am skeptical of the cash-rich naïf story. A high-profile team, unproven in a new market, drums up massive startup funding and makes confident proclamations about dominating the sector. Webvan, anyone?

Even before IndiGo’s buy, India had ordered almost half the world’s output of airliners in the last few months:

In the last nine months, India alone has booked 250 aircraft, nearly half of the orders for the entire industry worldwide. [Deccan Herald]

Besides the budget carriers, a new category of premium airlines is arising. In typical desi style, they don’t want an efficient shortcut, they want the whole experience: a high cost structure, bankruptcy and then a belated turn to the budget carrier model 😉

Paramount, from the Coimbatore-based textile company of the same name, will be a different kind of airline. While all the new airlines starting in the country are no-frills, low cost carriers… Its 70-seater aircraft from Brazil’s [Embraer], will be a business class airline — contrary to the all-economy class budget carriers. Paramount, which plans to take to the skies in August next, believes that there is enough premium traffic to be targeted in the country. [Deccan Herald]

I still question the wisdom of painting on airplanes a name which evokes ‘mountain.’ Those are two things which never should meet.

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Tips for turbans

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This one’s for all my keshdhari friends:

[Iranian President Mohammad] Khatami’s friends say he wraps his natty turban by himself, tying one end of a 12-foot-long cloth to a door knob… “It is important in Islam to be elegant,” he said. “In fact, being chic is a religious duty and there are many sayings from Prophet Muhammad, who encouraged his followers to look good and smell fresh.” [NYT]

Are y’all following the edict of the prophet, PBUH, in the interests of ecumenical harmony? Be chic, look good and smell fresh — it’s Muslim Eye for the Sikh Guy. I wonder whether there’s anything in the Sikh canon about waxing the muchha and sharply creasing the pug 😉

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Protecting Florida’s children

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The Tampa Tribune has been reporting (thanks to Chaina Turna for the tip) on the case of 22 year old Parita Patel who has been visiting the U.S. and is reportedly staying with some friends (while her husband and family remain in India).

paritapatel.jpg

Tears streamed down her face, a few falling to her lime green punjabi before she could wipe them away. Her friends tried to comfort her, patting her back and whispering condolences in Gujarati outside the courtroom at the 13th Judicial Circuit Court.

Parita Patel, 22, just wanted her baby daughter. And she thought Friday she’d walk out holding little Krinna in her arms. She just had to get past a dependency hearing.

A visit with Krinna on Monday, arranged at a Florida Department of Children and Families office, may have given her false hope.

“I have not been sleeping,” she said. “I say to myself, `Tomorrow my baby may come with me.’ I wonder why this situation?”

In a matter of minutes, the hearing was over. Krinna wasn’t there. They weren’t going home together.

So what’s up? Why did the 13th order her baby into the system? Florida’s Department of Children and Families (DCF) accused her of putting her baby in harms way.

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Posted in Law

Sun, sand and surf

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Wiki WiFi: The desi-heavy island of Mauritius is turning into even more of a hot spot. It plans to be the first island with blanket wireless Internet (via Slashdot):

From his office window in Mauritius’ new Cybertower–a sleek blue glass and gray stone tower that is the heart of the country’s first high-tech park–Rahim can point out one of five new radio transmission antennas his company has installed in the last month perched beside a Hindu temple on a nearby green mountainside… The antennas now beam his wireless Internet service over about 60 percent of the island and within range of 70 percent of its population… Getting to every last corner, he said, might take a little longer. “We have so many sugar cane fields,” he lamented, tracing the island’s outline on a map.

An undersea broadband fiber-optic cable, completed three years ago, gives the island fast and reliable phone and Internet links… Many of the country’s 1.2 million people–a mix of French, Indian, Chinese and African descendants–are bilingual or trilingual, speaking French, English and either Chinese or Hindi. The country is democratic, peaceful and stable…

But the government’s telecom monopoly made it reluctant to issue the permits:

Because the government makes so much money from the company and its cable, it has been reluctant to open the market to competitors that might reduce Telecom’s profits, even though the country’s National Telecommunications Policy, passed in 2004, calls for “positive discrimination” by regulators in favor of start-up companies facing off against established firms like Telecom.

Mauritius really does sound like India 😉

Related post here.

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