This Bulletin is being relayed to you as a part of ACHA's South Asian community service program.  It is sent out on the first Wednesday of each month. It goes to individuals in Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, U.K., and USA, and Zimbabwe. Please let us know (pritamr@open.org),  if you want to have your name removed from our email distribution list. Also, please let us know if someone should be added to the list. Comments, letters to editor, and short articles are also welcome and can be sent to the same address.

The Bulletin consists primarily of material selected from the printed and the electronic media. It aims  to highlight the news of peace and harmony in the world, to shed light on issues of concern to South Asians, and to provide them information of general interest. 

The Bulletin is edited by Pritam K. Rohila, Ph.D. Its editorials and the selection of its material are his sole responsibility and do not necessarily represent the views of or an endorsement by any other Director, or member of ACHA or Dr. Ingrid H. Shafer, who has graciously donated space for it on her server and is volunteering her time to maintain our Web Page. 

ACHA is a non-profit, non-political organization. It is dedicated to promote peace and harmony among South Asians regardless of where they live. ACHA Board of Directors appreciates people's goodwill and support for this cause. 

For more information about ACHA and comments about ACHA Bulletin, please contact us at by telephone at 503.362.4635, or 503.251.0070, or by email at pritamr@open.org, or visit our Web Page at http://ecumene.org/ACHA/ACHA.htm.

Greetings
Prayer
 *Thought by thought, I am helping create a new vision for a new world. (From Daily Word)
Peace & Harmony News
Peace Organizations
 Pakistan for Peace and Alternative Development
Feature
 * New year prayer by Ambubhai Rawal
 * The best New Year resolutions ever for a splendid start to the rest of your life! by Ali Hassan
Opinion
 *Understand the importance of economic development and promote 'human security' as  opposed to 'national security',  by Admiral L. Ramdas, former Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Navy
 * Bilateral contacts at government and non-government levels: Top agenda for the new millennium, a talk by Gen.(retd) Jehangir Karamat, former Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army 
Books
 * Development as freedom by Amartya Sen
 * Emerging Voices. South Asian American Women Redefine Self, Family and Community, by Sangeeta Gupta
  * Ethnicity and constitutional reform in South Asia edited by Iftekharuzzaman
 * Freedom in the world: The annual survey of political rights and civil liberties, the 1999-2000 yearbook, by Adrian Karatnycky
 * India's worlds and U.S. scholars 1947-1997 edited by Joseph W. Elder
 * Indian modernity: Contradictions, paradoxes and possibilities by Dr. Avijit Pathak 
 * Indian Muslims: Precepts and practices edited by Noor Mohammad
Announcements
Arts & Entertainment
Did You Know 
Employment
Events
Holidays
People
Scholarships
Useful Websites

GREETINGS: *Y2K, A-OK!    *HAPPY NEW YEAR!   *EID MUBARAK!   *HAPPY 50TH  REPUBLIC DAY OF INDIA!

PRAYER
*Thought by thought, I am helping create a new vision for a new world. (From Daily Word 1/1/00 <http://www.dailyword.org>)

We are living in a brand new millennium - a time when we will experience a new world of blessings as we join together in thought and prayer. We will have unique opportunities for learning and growth that will affect our own individual lives and the lives of others - perhaps for years to come. 

Thought by thought, prayer by prayer, we are creating a new vision for the future - one in which we are united in a sprit of love and joy and renewed hope for all humankind. How privileged we are to be living in a world that we help create day by day! Everyday is a new opportunity to discover the wonder of God in our world and the wonder of God in each of us.

PEACE & HARMONY NEWS
* November 20,  New Delhi, India: In a talk sponsored by the Indian Council for Gandhian Studies 
at the India International Centre here Prof. Glenn D. Paige, Chairman, Centre for Global Nonviolence, Hawaii, has proposed that Chiefs of the Army, Navy and the Air Force of India and Pakistan sit across the table and jointly declare that they would not use WEAPONS, conventional or nuclear. "I am not trying to dissolve the armed forces of the two  countries, and take away millions of jobs. All I want is that India and Pakistan become the first countries in the world to respond to the universally desired hunger for complete abolition of genocidal-suicidal nuclear weapons," he explained. 
* November 21, Kursi, Golan Heights: From the remains of a 5th century Byzantine monastery, where according to Christian tradition, Jesus exorcized demons from a possessed man, the DALAI LAMA and fellow religious leaders called today for peace in the next century. "The desire for peace now really comes from the heart," he said addressing leaders of the world's major religions at the 3-day interfaith conference held here to discuss how to make religion an instrument of peace - not of war and conflict - in the next century (Statesman Journal <www.statesmanjournal.com>). 
* November 28 New Delhi, India: All-India MUSLIM PERSONAL LAW Board, the apex body of Shia, Sunni and other Muslim groups in India, till now a male preserve, for the first time, has women occupy 15 out of its 49 positions. Significantly, the initiative to draft women into the board has come from conservative clerics. The "empowerment of women" has finally broken the most difficult barrier, indicating the community leaders' desire to bring about sweeping reforms in Islamic society in areas such as marriage, maintenance and inheritance rights.  (By Rasheed Kidwai via South Asia Citizens Web <http://www.mnet.fr/aiindex>) 
*November 30, Dublin, Ireland: Foreseeing a future of permanent PEACE in Ireland, prime minister Bertie Ahern declared here today his state's "irrevocable" commitment to dropping its territorial claim to the British-linked north. "All sides have to take risks for peace," he said. "This is the risk we are taking." He announced that Ireland's 1937 constitution will be amended in keeping with the Good Friday peace accord of 1998 (Statesman Journal <www.statesmanjournal.com>).
* December 8, Nairobi, Kenya: The leaders of SUDAN and UGANDA, two of Africa's most bitter antagonists, signed on 12/8 a surprise peace deal. Brokered by former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, the agreement calls for restoration of diplomatic ties and stopping of support to rebel groups along their 250-mile border trying to topple the government of the other (Statesman Journal <ww.statesmanjournal.com>).
* December 8, Moscow, Russia: Russian president Boris Yeltsin and BELARUSIAN leader Alexander Lukashenko signed on 12/8 a third agreement in as many days. The agreement proposes combining the two countries' currencies by 2005 and the introduction of a joint tax system in 2001 <Statesman Journal <ww.statesmanjournal.com>). 
* December 8, Cape Town, South Africa: Addressing nearly 7,000 people from all over the world at the meeting of the Parliament of the World's Religions, the DALAI LAMA urged  the spiritually minded to get off their knees and become directly involved in solving conflicts.  "Change  only takes place through action," the exiled Buddhist leader of Tibet said. "Frankly speaking, not through prayer or meditation, bu through action," he added (Statesman Journal <ww.statesmanjournal.com>).
* December 8, Jerusalem: Israel and SYRIA have agreed to resume the land-for-peace negotiations they broke off in 1996, starting next week in Washington, announced 2/8, U.S. president Clinton. The announcement came after U.S. secretary of sate Madeleine Albright's meeting Wednesday with Israeli  prime minister Ehud Barak, and a day earlier with Syrian president Hafez Assad (Statesman Journal <ww.statesmanjournal.com>).
* December 9, Jerusalem: Commenting on an announcement today by Nabih Beri, speaker of the Lebanese  parliament that LEBANON would join the Syrian-Israeli peace talks, Israeli prime minister  Ehud Barak told a Labor Party gathering here that his election promise to withdraw Israeli troops from Lebanon within a year of taking office looked within reach. "Conditions have ripened to be able to open discussions with Syria," he said. "If they develop in a positive manner, I expect they will lead to a renewal of talks with Lebanon, and there is a very real possibility that in the upcoming months  we will reach agreements with both these countries" (Statesman Journal <ww.statesmanjournal. com>).
*December 9, Washington, D.C., USA:  President Bill Clinton has sent his "warm greetings to Muslims throughout the United States and around the world for the holy month of  RAMADAN. "Sadly, there are still places in the world where Muslims and members of other religions are not free to openly pursue their beliefs. We look forward to the day when followers of all religions can worship in an environment of freedom and tolerance, when we can celebrate and gain strength from our differences. We also pray for a new era of peace. Ramadan brings a promise of renewal and hope for a more harmonious world. If we work together, we can build a world where, as it is written in the Koran, the people will ‘hear only salutations of peace, and they will have therein their sustenance, morning and evening,'" he added.  (From the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State, Via Information Times: <www.informationtimes.com>).
* December 10, New Delhi, India: For the first time since the outbreak of militancy in Kashmir, leaders of the majority Muslim and the minority PANDITS held a direct informal dialog here aimed at clearing misunderstanding between them. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq acting chairman of the separatist Hurriyat conference assured C.L. Gadoo, president of Kashmiri Samiti they wer a part and parcel of the state, but stressed that the decade-long communication between the communities needed to be bridged. Kshmiri Pandit leaders asked the Hurriyat to take "constructive measures" to revive the centuries old ethos of amity and brotherhood in the militancy-wrecked state.  "When communal fire raged during partition, Kashmir was the only place where both communities lived in harmony," Gadoo pointed out. The two sides were brought together by the mediation of Bhushan Bazaz, president of Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Forum (India West <www.indiawest.com>). 
* December 13, Jerusalem: As Israeli peace activists at a rally here today waved signs ("Peace is the way," "Peace with SYRIA now"), the parliament voted 47-31, with 24 abstentions in favor of talks about peace with Damascus. Before the vote prime minister Ehud Barak had told them that the negotiation was a milestone in the "painful historic process toward a comprehensive peace" between Israel and its neighbors. "Our supreme responsibility is to act today so that we will not dig new rows of graves tomorrow in a conflict that could have been ended," he said (Statesman Journal <ww. statesmanjournal.com>).
* December 14, Panama City, Panama: With the words, "It is yours," former president Jimmy Carter symbolically turned over the Panama CANAL to Panama, on behalf of USA, at a gathering at Miraflores Locks here today of dignitaries that included six Latin American presidents and King Juan Carlos of Spain. The ceremony marked the end of American control of the 51-mile waterway that for nearly a century represented the projection of U.S. power in Latin America. At this conclusion of a process he had started in 1977, Carter said that the original canal accords signed at the birth of Panama as an independent country in 1903 were unjust and that the United States "did not understand clearly enough that the arrangement defined a certain element of colonialism" (Statesman Journal <ww.statesmanjournal.com>).
December 16, Washington, D.C., USA: ISRAEL & SYRIA capped two days of historic talks today with agreement to meet again near here in less than three weeks and make "every effort to rach peace" president Clinton announced. During the talks led by Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak and Syrian foreign minister and Syrian president Hafez Assad's right-hand man, Farouk al-Sharaa, they spoke "very movingly about peace, the importance of peace to their people, " Secretary of state Madeleine Albright said. "They spoke about each other  as partners and neighbors. Despite the difficulties which we all know exist, it makes me believe that this can be done," she continued. Four days earlier, after his meeting with the Egyptian foreign minister Amr Moussa, Al-Sharaa had told reporters in Cairo, "I am so optimistic (about forthcoming talks in Washington, D.C.) as to say that a few months could be enough to reach agreement, and also that Lebanon in parallel would resume the peace talks soon." He had called the talks "a very important moment in the history of peace process."  (Statesman Journal <ww.statesmanjournal.com>).
*December 17, Thimphu, Bhutan: Tek Nath Rizal, former Royal Advisory Councilor, and the prominent leader of the human rights and democracy movement in the country, was released from Chemgang Jail today on the occasion of the National Day of Bhutan. His Majesty the King Jigme Singye Wangchuck granted him clemency after 10 years in prison. He is now waiting for an audience with the King. It is widely speculated now that the Royal Government would take him into confidence to address the issue of Bhutanese REFUGEES in Nepal.  The problem has adversely affected Nepal-Bhutan relations, and has involved expenditure by the international community of close to 100 million US$on the upkeep of the refugees (From CJPsa <cjep_sa@yahoo.com, Via Communalism Watch and Governance Monitor http://www.saccer.org). 
* December 17, London, U.K.: On a day already redolent with symbolism, British prime minister Tony Blair offered his first public handshake to Bairbre de Brun, a member of Sinn Fein, the Irish Republic Army-linked party, as the BRITISH-IRISH COUNCIL held its first meeting. The meeting was overseen by Tony Blair and Ireland's prime minister Bertie Ahern. Embracing the dreams of the Belfast peace accord, lawmakers from throughout Britain and Ireland launched a formal partnership that foresees a new millennium built on friendship and close cooperation (Statesman Journal <ww.statesmanjournal. com>).
* December 18, Macau: Preparing to hand Portugal's oldest and last Asian possession back to China, president Jorge Sampaio said that the gambling enclave is ready for a bright future.  He and other dignitaries shielded themselves with burgundy-colored umbrellas from the wind-whipped downpours at the ceremonial events organized here to mark the end of 442 years of PORTUGESE RULE (Statesman Journal <ww.statesmanjournal. com>).
* December 19, New Delhi, India: HUMAN CHAINS were formed by men, women and children across India today in a campaign by women for peace that organizers said was the most compelling agenda for the next century. The action "Peace for empowerment and empowerment for peace," was organized by the National Commission for Women and the Guild of Service, which said women all over the world suffered the worst consequences of war. At noon, eight-year-old Medha Khanna, a student of Delhi Public School, administered a peace pledge for legal, political and economical empowerment to the gathering of activists at India Gate, a World War I memorial (From India Abroad).
*December 21: Rakesh Sharma, Director, Lighthouse Films and Avinash Shankar, head of Horizons Advertising have a touching tale to tell. They have just returned from Australia after shooting three tech commercials for an Internet client...One evening, Avinash and Rakesh took a cab and the driver looked Indian. Turned out he was Pakistani. Conversation flowed. Music, movies, cricket, war, peace. Quite a range for a 30 minute cab ride. At the end of it, the cabbie thanked them for riding in the cab and refused to charge. Avinash insisted. The CABBIE said he was doing his bit for friendly relations between the two countries. First, our PM takes a friendship bus to Pakistan. Then Wasimbhai Akram stands up for Sachin and says he wasn't out to McGrath last week. Now, this cabbie. The Indo-Pak friendship club, it would seem, has a million members (From a story by Vivek Kamath <vivek@tgindia.com> in the Times of India).
* December 21, Washington, DC, USA: U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright hosted this evening"IFTAR," the first-ever Ramadan dinner organized by the U.S. Department of State, after sunset, in accordance with Islamic practices. Muslim participants broke their fast with traditional water and dates before performing their sunset prayers. Those in attendance at the dinner included representatives from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), American Muslim Council (AMC), Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), Muslim American Society (MAS), North American Council for Muslim Women, and many other local and national Muslim leaders such as Imam Siraj Wahhaj of New York (From the Information Times Newsletter <www.informationtimes.com>).
*December 22, Calcutta, West Bengal, India: Addressing a  seminar organized by the Pakistan-India Peoples' Forum for Peace and Democracy Delhi-based ANTI-NUKE campaigners Achin Vanayak and  Praful Bidwai made a passionate plea for the forces of peace to come together to save South Asia from the impending disaster. Drawing attention to protests held in different corners of both  countries ever since the explosions at Pokhran and Chaghai, they pointed out that common people of India and Pakistan have no  interest in this destructive game. The seminar initiated a move to bring the Indian  anti-nuclear activists together in a democratically organized national  convention and subsequently join hands with those across the border (From South Asians Against Nukes Dispatch act@egroups.com).
* December 22, Colombo, Sri Lanka: "There is no individual on this earth more determined than I am to end this country's wretched and mindless bloodshed and destruction" said Chandrika Kumaratunga in an emotional speech after being sworn as president following a win by 51- 43 percent in yesterday's election. Wounded on December 18 in suicide-bombing attack at an election rally, she was talking about the conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam regarding their demand for an independent HOMELAND. The conflict has cost 61,000 lives since 1983 (Statesman Journal <ww.statesmanjournal.com>).
* December 24, Bethlehem, West Bank: Filled with the anticipation of 2000, thousands of Christian pilgrims and Palestinian families flocked to the traditional birthplace of Jesus and heard calls for tolerance and peace as they witnessed the dawn of CHRISTMAS early today. "For our Holy Land an dfor the whole region, we wish and pray that the peace that has begun will find a just conclusion for all, Palestinians and Israelis," Michael Sabbhah, the region's senior Catholic prelate said at the multilingual midnight Mass at the 4th century Church of nativity. Palestinian Authority president Yasser Arafat shared the center stage with a smattering of world leaders and choirs from three continents, in the day long celebrations in Manger Square. Calls to Muslim prayer on this Ramadan Friday mingled with the frequent tolling of church bells and a Palestinian bagpipe band played Christmas carols, while white lights sparkled from the trees around the square and a huge "Merry Christmas" sign hung from City Hall, next to the main mosque (Statesman Journal <www. statesmanjournal.com>).
December 24, New Delhi, India: "Let CHRISTMAS candles glow with the ideas of oneness of humanity, the holiness of the individual and the perfectibility of man, kindling peace and goodwill in our midst," said president of India K.R. Narayanan, on the occasion of Christmas (India West <www.indiawest.com>). 
* December 25, New Delhi, India: Christmas "has to be an occasion to rededicate ourselves for the ideals that Christ and many other godly men lived for," prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said while releasing a postal STAMP commemorating the 2000 years of Jesus Christ. Those ideals, he added, were "more relevant for our world and our times" than perhaps when were alive.  Referring to the belief that Saint Thomas came to India in 52 A.D., he pointed out that  "Christianity in India is as old as in Rome, if not older" (India West <www.indiawest.com>).
* December 25, Vatican City: Fulfilling his much cherished ream of leading his church into a third millennium, Pope John Paul II called on mankind to abandon weapons, violence and hatred in his Christmas Day address from the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to tens of thousands of pilgrims. (Statesman Journal <ww.statesmanjournal. com>).

PEACE ORGANIZATIONS (Beginning with this issue, we will presents information in this section about one organization that is engaged in promotion of peace in South Asia and harmony among South Asians. Please send us information about such organizations that you are aware of at <pritamr@open.or>).
*Pakistanis for Peace and Alternative Development Organizer: Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed, Associate Professor (Reader), Department of Political Science, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden, Email: <ishtiaq.ahmed@statsvet.su.se>
In June, 1998, many concerned Pakistanis from around the world responded favorably to Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed's   attempts to gather support through electronic mail for a statement he had prepared against the nuclear test by Pakistan and India. Most of them shared a principled belief in peace, tolerance, justice and democracy within Pakistan and amicable and friendly relations between Pakistan and India. They discussed various issues, not always agreeing with one another, but managing to exchange views in a civilized and respectful manner. The experience led some of them  to suggest the establishment of a more lasting forum for future co-operation and co-ordination of activities on issues related to peace and development in Pakistan and in the South Asian region. They realized that a responsibility devolved upon Pakistani intellectuals and academics to suggest alternatives to the current state of affairs in Pakistan. Thus Pakistanis for Peace and Alternative Development (PPAD) was born.
Aims and Objectives: 1. To formulate enlightened positions on issues of human rights, tolerance, social justice, and balanced economic and human development. 2. To uphold the equality of all human beings irrespective of their class, caste, creed, ethnic affiliation or gender. 3. To achieve the abolition of all forms of exploitation of one person by another. 4. To combat religious and sectarian intolerance and violence. 5. To achieve the ideal of universal literacy, and abolition of child labour, bonded labour and economic exploitation of women and depressed and marginalized groups. 6. To take an unequivocal stand against militarization in general and nuclearization in particular. 7. To promote peace between Pakistan and India, and encourage the two countries to solve their differences and disputes though discussion and mutual accommodation. 8. To concentrate efforts on promoting alternative strategies of development and change based on principles of social justice, participatory democracy and environmental protection. 9. To further such civil society, which can resist pressure both of tyrannical government and transnational companies which exploit the resources of Pakistan. 
10. To participate in international initiatives related to peace and alternative development.
PPAD has no office-holders. All final decisions on various initiatives are taken through open discussion and consultation with all members. Sangat (website) provides facilities for update of activities, announcements and discussions. Ishtiaq Ahmed continues to act as the organizer as long as he enjoys the members' trust.
Memorial at Wagah: Now they have proposed the building of an appropriate memorial along the road in the no-man-land between Pakistan and India at Wagah, as a permanent symbol of the common suffering of Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs during the Partition of British India in 1947. Two million people were killed and countless women and children abducted and raped at that time on both sides of the border. They have also suggest that a similar memorial is built at a suitable location along the border between Bangladesh and India.
The organizational Core Group includes the following (in alphabetical order):  Dr. Ishtiaq Ahmed (Organizer, political science, Sweden), Prof. Susan Mussarat Akram (law, USA), 3. Dr. Ghazala Anwar (Islamic theology, New Zealand), 4. Shahbano Aliani (human rights, USA), 5. Cassandra Balchin (journalist, Pakistan), 6. Prof. Dr. Hassan Gardezi (sociology, Canada), 7. Faisal A. Gilani (company executive, Pakistan), 8. Prof Emeritus Dr. Bilal Hashmi (sociology, USA), 9. Professor Riffat Hassan (Islamic theology, USA), 10. Amar Mahboob (writer and editor, USA), 11 Ayyub Malik (architect, UK), 12. Saeed Minhas (journalist, Pakistan and currently in the UK), 13. Prof. Amin Mughul (literature, literature critic, UK), 14. Dr Babar Mumtaz (reader, UK), 15. Dr. Saghir A. Shaikh (VSLI engineer, human rights,  USA), 16. Dr. Ahmed Shibli (science, technology and development, UK), 17. Ijaz Syed (researcher, USA), 18. Dr. Mohammad Tanveer (journalism, Pakistan), 19. Nadeem Omar Tarar (lecturer of anthropology, Pakistan), 20. Mujahid Tirmizey (barrister, UK), 21. Ayesha Y. Vawda (education researcher, USA).

FEATURE
* New year prayer by Ambubhai Rawal <ACRAWAL@aol.com>
For peace and prosperity,  for health and happiness,
For kindness and compassion,  shown to others by each of us.
That the children will cease to be afraid, of being abused or feeling neglect;
That parents will show them only their love, and before they act, take time to reflect.
All Nations will finally learn to dwell, in peace and harmony,
Will show respect for one another, and learn they can live compatible.
That racial differences will have no place, to dwell in the hearts of ourselves;
That we can learn together, by letting in first, in ourselves begin.
That we'll put our trust in Gd once more, who is the creator of this Universe.
That we as a whole World will turn back to God, by giving our hearts and our lives to Almighty God;
We know God will show us compassion and mercy, forgive our transgressions and bring peace once again.
God Bless You and Those Whom You love!

* The best New Year resolutions ever for a splendid start to the rest of your life! by Ali Hassan, Journalist, 48-Circular Bldg, Hyderabad-71000, Sindh, Pakistan. Email: <alihassan@starmail.com>

Another year has drawn to a close and a new one dawned – a good enough occasion for people to become reflective of what was and what could have been. Time to think about mistakes that were made or loved ones who passed away. People may feel depression, frustration or emptiness in their lives.
These things are common enough, but the difference this time round is that the New Year will ring in with it the beginning of the end of the second millennium. Apparently the dawning of a 1,000-year epoch is widening the gulf between the way we wish things were and the way they really are.
Tradition has it that with the coming of each New Year, one stops to reflect on past accomplishments and future hopes and dreams. Others make New Year resolutions or resolve to do something special for others.
The top 10 most common New Year resolutions that people make are: 1) Lose weight, 2) Stop smoking, 3) Stick to a budget, 4) Save more money, 5) Find a better job, 6) Become more organised, 7) Exercise more, 8) Be more patient at work and with others, 9) Eat better and 10) Become a better person.
If you have stopped making New Year resolutions because you find yourself making the same ones year after year, you may need to change your approach. People tend to set unreachable or ‘fantasy' goals. You must set realistic, attainable goals. When you start small, you can build up to handle bigger goals. Then build on your success.
While the ones mentioned above do not hold true for everyone, here are some perpetual New Year resolutions that can help you improve your life and fill it with hope and prosperity.Let this coming year be better than all the others. Vow to do some of the things you've always wanted to do but couldn't find the time.
Call up a forgotten friend. Drop an old grudge, and replace it with some pleasant memories. Share a funny story with someone whose sprits are dragging. A good laugh can be very good medicine.
Vow not to make a promise you don't think you can keep. Pay a debt. Give a soft answer. Free yourself of envy and malice. Encourage some youth to do his or her best. Share your experience, and offer support. Young people need role models.
Make a genuine effort to stay in closer touch with family and good friends. Resolve to stop magnifying small problems and shooting from the lip. Words that you have to eat can be hard to digest.
Find the time to be kind and thoughtful. All of us have the same allotment: 24 hours a day. Give a compliment. It might give someone a badly needed lift. Thing things though. Forgive an injustice. Listen more. Be kind.
Apologise when you realise you are wrong. An apology never diminishes a person. It elevates him. Don't blow your own horn. If you've done something praiseworthy, someone will notice eventually.
Try to understand a point of view that is different from your own. Few things are 100 percent one way or another. Examine the demands you make on others.
Lighten up. When you feel like blowing your top, ask yourself, "Will it matter in a week from today?" Laugh the loudest when the joke is on you. 

The sure way to have a friend is to be one. We are all connected by our humanity, and we need each other. Avoid malcontents and pessimists. They drag you down and contribute nothing.
Don't discourage a beginner from trying something risky. Nothing ventured means nothing gained. Be optimistic. The can-do spirit is the fuel that makes things go.
Read something uplifting. Deep-six the trash. You won't eat garbage – why put it in your head? Don't abandon your old-fashioned principles. They never go out of style. When courage is needed, ask yourself, "If not me, who? If not now, when?"
Walk tall, and smile more. You'll look 10 years younger. Don't be afraid to say, "I love you." Say it again. They are the sweetest words in the world.
The best way to make fulfilling these commitments easier is to take a good look at yourself and ask yourself about the meaning of life and what ideas and things you hold precious. Then go for it.
Every one of us may be unique in our own way but there is inherent good in all of us. The New Year (not to forget the New Millennium!) is as good a time as any, if not better, to make a good new start to the rest of your life. Happy New Year!

OPINION
*Understand the importance of economic development and promote 'human security' as opposed to 'national security',  keynote address by Admiral L. Ramdas, former Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Navy, to 'South Asia Facing the New Millennium' RCSS Conference in Sri-Lanka Sept 21-23, 1999

As we near the sunset of this century one cannot but admire the tremendous achievements made by humankind in the areas of science and technology, especially in the last fifty years. Moonwalk, the information explosion, the green revolution, robotics and a host of other spectacular events, are certainly caused for pride. By the same token the horrific and unpardonable act of bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki has etched itself permanently in peoples minds. The world cannot ignore the terrible tragedies, which have accounted for over forty million lives due to wars and conflict over the same period. Apart from World War II, The world has been a witness to over 275 wars and conflicts of varying types during the second half of this century.
The United States of America: During the coming decade the United States is still likely to retain its lead position in all spheres of activity especially in the technological field. However its share of the world markets, and economy in comparison to the anticipated growth of the economies of China, European Union, Russia and possibly India is likely to fall in relative terms in the coming decade. Let us for a moment look at the overall global product-Market Exchange Rate (MER) trends. This was 50 percent in 1947, 30 percent in 1960, and 2 l percent in 1997 indicating a steady downward trend. Its share is likely to come down to about 17 percent by 2010. This will benefit China, Russia and India who are expected to make a corresponding gain in their respective MER during the same period. USA's continued interest in Gulf oil and the gas reserves of central Asia will dominate its moves and actions in the Indian Ocean Region. It can be expected to flex its economic and military muscle to protect this vital interest.
China: China's economic growth at nearly eight percent annually over the past twenty years has been most impressive. During this period it has alsosteadily improved and modernised its military capability. There is very little doubt in anyone's mind about China's final destination as a 'superpower'. The Chinese have many unresolved issues in their neighbourhood including the outstanding boundary question with India. China's immediate and foreseeable security concerns are related to the development of the strategic scene in its neighbourhood. She has to contend with nuclear Russia to the north, Japan in the east, United States in the Western Pacific, and a resurgent nuclear India to the south.
The Military Industrial Complex: The largest single multinational with an overarching reach, which is going to influence the trajectories of the Southern Asian nations, is the one called the "Military Industrial Complex" (M I C). The impact of this seven hundred billion dollar industry on the developing nations is a case worth discussing. The principal exporters of arms also happen to be the leading Industrialised countries, namely the P 5 and Israel. The share of the exports to the world's armament market in percentage terms is roughly as follows, USA 51%, U.K 13%, Russia 12%,France 10% Israel 7% China 5% Others 2%. Since weapons are the main ingredients for waging war and other forms of conflict, any attempt to reduce the weapons or steps taken to demilitarize, is bound to attract serious opposition from the MIC lobby.
The Nuclear Imbroglio: The acquisition of nuclear weapons by both India and Pakistan has created new challenges which is not addressed frontally is fraught with danger. Notwithstanding the traditional logic doled out by the champions of 'the Nukes' like political leverage, power, deterrence, savings in spending on conventional weapons, as justification for their possession, the sheer economics of this and its adverse effect on human development should force the leadership to call a halt to this madness. Civil societies in both India and Pakistan have their work cut out to influence their political leadership to heed this call for sanity.
India and Pakistan: The political scene in both India and Pakistan is likely to develop on slightly different lines. Whilst there seems to be a convergence in some areas especially the growing influence of fundamentalist forces-the Taliban and Mujahideen in Pakistan and the RSS and VHP in India, the influence of the military and the clergy in Pakistan is likely to continue being the dominant factor in its politics. In India on the other hand the military is likely to remain apolitical as hitherto. The situation of the minorities in both these countries will be dependent on the quality of the political managers that emerge in these countries.
We need to create a "Culture of Peace" before any meaningful talks can take place. India and China have managed to keep peace along their Line of Control for nearly ten years, whilst trying to resolve the boundary question through dialogue. There is no reason why this approach cannot be applied to Kashmir between India and Pakistan.
It is unlikely that one will see any dramatic changes in Indo-Pak relations except that both seem to be determined on coming closer to the edge of the precipice. Ways and means must be found for defusing the situation and to find a political solution to the problems.
Challenges and Opportunities: The challenges that confront the South Asia nations as we have seen are a combination of political, economic and security issues. The principal players from the region who can either make or break the system are India and Pakistan. Extra regional actors include China and the USA. The 'China factor' is relevant in the context of the nuclear weaponisation of South Asia and India's security concerns. The continuing presence of units of the U.S seventh fleet in the North Arabian Sea needs also to be noted. Like all difficult situations, this one also offers many opportunities to the member states of South Asia, to come together and evolve a recovery, resurgence and peace initiative within the framework of SAARC.
Whilst there are a lot of reasons for the countries in the South Asia to be worried and concerned, there is a ray of hope, if the political and bureaucratic managers-especially those in India and Pakistan- understand the importance of economic development, promote 'human security' as opposed
to 'national security', and shed their hatred and mistrust of each other. Nuclear weapons and rhetoric is not going to get these countries anywhere. A drastic change of attitudes is required. 'The Line of Control' in Kashmir needs to become 'the Line of Peace' certainly till such time as a final solution is found. China and India have managed to keep their existing Line of Control as a Line of Peace, there is no reason why Pakistan and India cannot do likewise.
For evolving any meaningful and lasting security arrangements, as also nuclear confidence building measures in this region, we need to associate China, together with India and Pakistan in this process. Hopefully a new 'triad of destiny' shall emerge. This may appear as a pipe dream at present, but so did the Berlin wall, Palestinian-Israeli reproachment, abolition of Apartheid and the abolition of Chemical and Biological weapons.
Conclusion: Soon the world will leave behind the twentieth century and usher in the next millennium. One hopes that the new millennium can become a century of Peace and Justice unlike the one that we have lived through. If we were to draw up a balance sheet of the overall performance of the International community till now, we will show up poorly. It was not the lack of ideas, conventions, strategies or treaties, but the lack of political will to implement anything that has been agreed upon which caused this. Will humankind change or continue to procrastinate as always? Perhaps time alone will tell.
The emergence of China as a super power, and the growing economic power of the European Union, Russia and India and corresponding waning of economic power of the USA and Japan in the coming decade is going to make a significant impact on the existing unipolar world order. It is more likely
to look like a multi polar configuration with shared interests and economies. The strategic environment in the South Asian scene in the next millennium is going to be troublesome but not unmanageable. The real danger from nuclear weapons must be understood and the new millennium must usher in the total abolition of nuclear weapons. Most countries in this region will be on an upward economic curve provided politics is managed well. Strong nationalistic feelings must give way for good neighbourliness, and regional cooperation. Hopefully wisdom and maturity will guide the thoughts and actions of leaders of this region to ensure peace and justice in the coming century. This is the challenge before the South Asian Community today.

* Bilateral contacts at government and non-government levels: Top agenda for the new millennium, a talk by Gen.(retd) Jehangir Karamat, former Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army delivered to 'South Asia Facing the New Millenium' RCSS Conference in Sri-Lanka Sept 21-23, 1999. (Via South Asia Citizens Web Dispatch <www.mnet.fr/aiindex>).

Let me start by quoting from an article by Admiral L. Ramdas, former Navy Chief of India published in the newspaper 'Hindu' of 31" August 1999. In the concluding paragraph he writes, 'When are we ever going to learn to become good neighbors and avoid such shenanigans again'? We need to do much more with many other things, which are staring us in the face like providing drinking water, food, housing, education and healthcare. How many more sons and daughters are both our countries going to sacrifice to pander to the warmongers'? With the newfound Indian Nuclear Doctrine we have once again opened the Pandoras box only to frighten our entire neighborhood. Maturity and wisdom demand that we call an immediate halt to all this hostility and jingoism, lest it be too late'.
As a South Asian and a Pakistani I am in total agreement with this frank and courageous point of view. It is because of our inability to implement such ideas that South Asia is perceived to be a volatile part of the world and the India-Pakistan relationship is seen as one of chronic mutual animosity and instability. Also the South Asian sub continent is being assessed as an explosive flashpoint and the most probable area where deterrence breakdown might lead to nuclear use. This is a pity because I believe that some irresponsible utterances notwithstanding, there are responsible leaders and institutional restraints on both sides, which will not plunge the region into such a catastrophe.
The risk is however there and I fully reciprocate Admiral Ramdas' view that there is a need to call a halt to the madness of nuclear weaponisation and that the advent of the new millennium is a great opportunity to shed old mindsets by focusing on the more important issues of human development.
There is no doubt that India is the largest country and the primary military power is South Asia. What India does to resolve its internal problems and in pursuit of its national interests conditions the regional environment and sets the trend for actions and reactions by others. Pakistan, as a slowly stabilizing democracy, and confronted with the blow-back from Afghanistan as well as serious economic and internal challenges looks to India to show the flexibility which can lead to creative and pragmatic solutions for settling the outstanding disputes.
In this context I think bilateral contacts at government and non-government levels, without preconditions, should be on top of our agenda for the next millennium. These contacts need to be continued so that they become a peace process and cease to be pressured by the glare of publicity, political expediency or public opinion. By addressing all the outstanding issues including Kashmir perhaps some headway can be made over a period of time. However an immediate effect may be a reduction in levels of tension and the threat perceptions.
Consider the fact that we started with a militarised Line of Control (LOC) in Kashmir where there is a UN presence. We ended up with a militarised Line of Contact in Siachen and then a militarised boundary in the Sialkot-Samba area and now after the aircraft incident we will have a militarised Sir Creek sector in the south. This encourages militarism, creates opportunities for exploitation and increases the chances of incidents, which can trigger reactions leading to major crises situations. A total reversal of the situation may not be possible but through bilateral negotiations we can tackle the disputes which are the root cause of this state of affairs and which lead us into the 'one step forward and two backwards syndrome' in our interactions. We need to move our bilateral negotiations onto a stable track, which cannot be derailed, by incidents or episodes. We have chalked up some successes in the past as far as high level meetings and confidence building measures are concerned.
Pakistan is fully conscious of the need for political stability and a viable economy. It is unlikely to compete in an arms race beyond its capacity to sustain but it will ensure through all means that its defence capability remains at deterrent level. It is also unlikely that any regime can take power without the electoral process. In this environment a political settlement, which alters threat scenarios, is something that both India and Pakistan should focus on in the next millennium to resist exploitation
by the Military Industrial Complex of which Admiral Ramdas spoke.
Right now Pakistan is in the process of stabilising its recent democracy. It faces serious governance problems compounded by economic weakness. It is coping with the situation across its borders regarding Afghanistan and Kashmir as well as the internal fallout from these events. Contrary to what is being said these events are not of Pakistan's making and, therefore Pakistan should not be expected to wield the kind of influence, which will solve these problems instantly. In countries where state power has been used ruthlessly there has been horrendous violence later. These situations are a part of worldwide trends and need to be tackled with patience, vision and an understanding of the emotions of the people involved. Hopefully this will happen in the coming years.
The biggest challenge confronting India and Pakistan is the currently evolving nuclear weaponisation controversy. It is futile to discuss the pros and cons of the tests in May ‘98 but we do need to consider whether weaponisation is an inevitable sequel to those tests. The regional environment and our interaction with the rest of the world depend on our ability to meet this challenge. We have the option to learn from the US-USSR arms race which was fueled by mis-perceptions stemming from a lack of contact and understanding of capabilities and intentions. We must not forego the chance for a restraint regime, which stops us at zero level, or the least distance up the ladder.
As far as the extra regional powers are concerned, I think that they will, of course, continue to act in pursuit of their interests. I agree that the US will continue to work in pursuit of its non proliferation goals in our region and world wide. I also agree that China will focus on its economy and act positively to promote good relations with its neighbours. China should not be seen as a threat to South Asia and , increased interaction with her can lead to understandings and reassurances. Russia too is likely to remain involved with its internal and immediate neighborhood situations.
Admiral Ramdas gave an excellent overview of the other South Asian countries and I agree that Indo- Pakistan relations dominate the scene. I fully endorse his view that we need to consider ASEAN success and make SAARC and SAPTA effective.
To conclude I would like to quote from the late Dr Mahbub ul Haq's book 'Human development in South Asia 1998'. He writes that "despite the fact that South Asia has emerged as the most illiterate region in the world, universal primary education is an achievable reality". He goes on to say that "South Asia, containing one fourth of humanity has already emerged as the most malnourished, the poorest, the most illiterate and the least gender sensitive region in the world." This should indicate where our priorities should lie.
I think that in the coming years there is no chance of a major conflict in South Asia. There will be some kind of a balance perhaps after a period of instability. We should see greater Chinese interaction with South Asia and US interest will also increase especially economic interests and security interests in west and central Asia. 

BOOKS
 * Development as Freedom by Amartya Sen. 366 pp.New York: Alfred A. Knopf. $27.50. Review by FAREED ZAKARIA, the managing editor of Foreign Affairs, published in 11/28/99 issue of The New York Times (Via South Asia Citizens Web Dispatch <aiindex@mnet.fr>)
Amartya Sen was an odd choice for the Nobel in economic science in 1998. In a field increasingly obsessed with narrow technical virtuosity, Sen has persisted in asking big, messy questions, mixing ethics with his equations.
The choice was also unusual because, unlike most Nobel laureates, he was not associated with a single grand idea - a ''killer theorem,'' in the language of the field - having written across a range of topics, even disciplines. But with his new book, ''Development as Freedom,'' Sen, who is Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, has brought together many of his ideas and put them under one theoretical umbrella. The result is a somewhat disjointed work, part collected essays, part magnum opus.
If there is an underlying theme in Sen's work - and it takes up a few chapters here - it is skepticism that money is the measure of all things. He has persistently posed this question: What do we mean when we say that a person or a group or a country is better off? The conventional answer - higher incomes - is not enough for Sen. He points out that many places with low per capita incomes, like Sri Lanka, China and the Indian state of Kerala, have achieved higher life expectancies and literacy rates than much richer lands like Brazil, South Africa and Namibia. In fact the people of these poor countries (and there are others, like Costa Rica and Gabon) can expect to live longer than some groups in industrial countries, like American black men, who in monetary terms are much richer. Sen recognizes that in most countries higher incomes do produce improvements across most measures of the quality of life. But in looking at the exceptions he forces us to examine the connection between income and well-being, between money and happiness.
Some of the other chapters contain reprises of Sen's justly famous studies. Perhaps his best-known paper argues that democracy is crucial to the prevention of famine and points out the striking fact that there has never been a famine in a functioning multiparty democracy. Another makes vivid the neglect of women's health in Asia and North Africa by calculating the number who are ''missing'' - that is, who would have lived if given the same care and attention as men; it is close to 100 million.
Another chapter, more polemical than scholarly, rejects claims made by Singapore's founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, and others that development in poor countries often requires tough decisions and the ability to delay gratification, both of which generally require ignoring popular pressures. Sen observes that this analysis rests on the success of a few East Asian countries, not the full range of autocracies, many of which have proved to be disastrous at economic development. He correctly notes that more complete studies are inconclusive as to whether, on average, dictatorships outperform democracies. To put it simply, if a country gets an autocrat there's no way of ensuring that the autocrat will be Lee Kuan Yew and not Mobutu Sese Seko. 
But Sen is much too dismissive of the interesting case of East Asia's  ''tigers.'' They are, after all, the only third world countries to move from poverty to near plenty - and in one generation! It might be worth considering, for instance, that these countries adopted more free-market-oriented policies than other third world countries did, policies that were wildly unpopular until very recently. The easiest way to win an election in South Asia or Africa during the 1960's and 1970's was to brand your opponent a capitalist.
Sen lauds the East Asians for investing in human capital through health care and education because these policies not only produced growth but also improved people's quality of life. But again, in most third world countries organized political and labor groups insisted on a very different course. They demanded large-scale employment projects, often through nationalization; huge subsidies; and tariff protection for local industries. Politically powerful farmers prevented land reform and other interest groups still block cuts in subsidies and deregulation. In Chile, for example, it was Pinochet's military government that pushed through the land reform policies of the socialist Salvador Allende. Today central planning is in disfavor and capitalism seems irresistible, so perhaps good economics also makes for good politics. But this has not always been so and may not be so in the future.
Sen's claims for democracy, however, are not really about economic performance. He argues that democratic government is an end in and of itself because it furthers human freedom. This is a powerful, well-established statement that few would disagree with. Sen places it at the center of his overall theoretical framework. But this governing idea, which takes up several chapters, has neither the originality nor the power of Sen's more specific insights.
Development, for Sen, is the process of expanding human freedom - hence his book's title. Raising peoples' incomes is important, he says, but so is giving them political rights like the ability to choose their governments and express themselves without fear. Fair enough. But freedom for Sen goes well beyond providing people with basic political and civil rights. True freedom - ''substantive freedom'' is his term - requires ''economic facilities,'' ''social opportunities'' and ''protective security'' - in other words, state-funded jobs, services and income subsidies for the less successful in society.
Now this might strike many as a familiar argument for redistribution, and one that has been accepted by most industrial societies - they all underwrite some version of the welfare system Sen seems to be advocating. The philosophical rationale for this setup was also made, comprehensively and brilliantly, almost 30 years ago by John Rawls in ''A Theory of Justice.'' Sen believes he is different from Rawls, and more radical, but in ways that strike me as quibbles. Sen considers his theoretical innovation to be his expansive definition of substantive freedom as whatever helps human beings fully exercise their capabilities - ''or, less formally put, the freedom to achieve various lifestyles.'' He criticizes Rawls for giving priority to the narrower, traditional conception of liberty - freedom from physical or mental coercion. ''Why should the status of intense economic needs,'' Sen asks, ''which can be matters of life and death, be lower than that of personal liberties?''
But Sen's is hardly an original definition. T. H. Green wrote of ''true freedom,'' in 1881, as ''the maximum power for all members of human society alike to make the best of themselves.'' And he was far from the first to propose this kind of broad conception of liberty. But if one seeks the redistribution of wealth or the promotion of egalitarianism or any other such value, why call it freedom? At the very least it confounds plain discourse. And at worst, it can lead to the neglect of basic liberties in the search for more extravagant ones. Philosophers like Rawls and Isaiah Berlin, hardly libertarians, give priority to personal liberties for good historical reasons; over the centuries, governments have routinely abused them, often justifying coercion by claiming to be fulfilling some positive vision of freedom.
In awarding Sen his prize, the Swedish Academy of Sciences noted that he had ''restored an ethical dimension to the discussion of vital economic problems.'' He has done this and more. His book is rich in insight and moral imagination. Sen raises more questions than he answers. He almost always handles thorny choices by declaring that we must balance values, even when they are, as they often are, competing. So much of his high intelligence is devoted to moving between subjects and fields - a little public choice theory here and a little moral philosophy there - that the book has a discursive and diffuse quality. ''Development As Freedom'' has neither the comprehensiveness of the best political philosophy nor the elegance of the best economics. It makes one long for a killer theorem.
 
* Emerging Voices. South Asian American Women Redefine Self, Family and Community, by Sangeeta Gupta,  published by Sage (www.sagepub.com), 1999.

The book begins by tracing the history of South Asian immigration to the United States. Then come articles about South Asian adolescent girls growing in a Western country; gender roles among graduate students from India at an American university; the relevance of the cultural environment as they redefine issues of interpersonal relationships: dating, sexuality, marriage, and divorce; and problems confronting working South Asian wives and mothers. The volume lets South Asian women living in the United States speak out as they redefine themselves, their families, and their communities in their search for a bicultural identity. It gives deep insights about women who are caught between two realities. "These women are struggling to find a way of life that merges the world outside the home with the world within the home," Gupta says. "The various voices, spanning different generational, religious, and regional points of view, emerge in this collection to reflect their struggle" (From Rediff on the NeT <www.Rediff.com>)

* Ethnicity and constitutional reform in South Asia edited by Iftekharuzzaman (Executive Director, Regional Centre for Strategic Studies) and published by Manohar, New Delhi, 1998. 

The book examines the possibility of constitutional reform as an alternate peaceful solution to ethnic conflicts (By S.M. Taqi, Via Interaction, <hmiis@hd1.vsnl.net.in>).

* Freedom in the world: The annual survey of political rights and civil liberties, the 1999-2000 yearbook, by Adrian Karatnycky, to be published in April 2000, by Freedom House (120 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005, <www.freedomhouse.org>, Phone  (212) 514-8040, Fax, 514-8055). Excerpts from a review by A P Kamath in New York in Rediff on the NeT  <www.rediff.com>.
The survey is an evaluation of political rights and civil liberties in the world. It assesses a country's freedom by examining its record in two areas-political rights and civil liberties. A country grants its citizens political rights when it permits them to form political parties that represent a significant range of voter choice and whose leaders can openly compete for and be elected to positions of power in government. A country upholds its citizens's civil liberties when it respects and protects their religious, ethnic, economic, linguistic, and other rights, including gender and family rights, personal freedoms, and freedoms of the press, belief, and association, as per the Freedom House criteria. 
The momentum towards freedom around the world was sustained during 1999, according to The 1999-2000 Freedom House Survey. It indicated that freedom gained ground in 26 countries, while setbacks were recorded in 18 countries. 
Despite the persistence of civil strife in a number of countries and growing problems with corruption in societies emerging from authoritarian rule, the survey found that 85 countries, representing 44 per cent of the world, were "free" and their inhabitants enjoy a broad range of political rights and civil liberties. Fifty-nine countries, (31 per cent) rank as "partly free," a category which indicates human rights problems, some restrictions on liberty and a weak rule of law. The survey also found that 48 countries (representing 25 per cent of the world) are "not free," indicating systematic human rights violations and the absence of democratic institutions. 
The end of century Survey of Freedom found that 2.34 billion people (39 per cent of the world's population) now live in "free societies", 1.5 billion (25 per cent) live in countries that are "partly free," and 2.1 billion (36 per cent) live in countries that are "not free". 
"There is also a strong correlation between electoral democracy and Hinduism (India, Mauritius, and Nepal)," it continued, "and there is a significant number of free countries among traditionally Buddhist societies and those in which Buddhism is the most widespread faith (Japan, Mongolia, Taiwan, and Thailand)." "If we factor in the Muslims living in the electoral democracies of Europe, the Americas, and India, a majority of the world's Muslims (roughly 600 million out of 1.15 billion) live under democratically elected governments," the survey said. Thirteen of the 63 countries with the poorest record in terms of political rights and civil liberties are predominantly Christian, the survey said. 
"The growth of crony capitalism, money-laundering, bribery, and other forms of corruption continues even as concern about corruption became more acute," the survey said. "Corruption ranks as the number one obstacle to democratic consolidation in many countries struggling against the legacy of dictatorship." 
"Our findings for 1999 show the further momentum of the march towards freedom and democracy that has been a notable feature of the twentieth century," declared Karatnycky. "At the beginning of the century, not one country granted its citizens universal suffrage. Today, three-fifths of the globe's population lives under democratically-elected governments. 
"Despite the horrors of global war and genocide, in the end, this has been democracy's century," declared Bette Bao Lord, chairman of Freedom House. "If the world's community of established democracies embraces freedom as a major goal, the next century will be freedom's century as well." 
* India's worlds and U.S. scholars 1947-1997 edited by Joseph W. Elder, and associates, published by Manohar, Delhi, 1998. 
Prepared by American Institute of Indian Studies (AIIS), its part I gives the history of the study of India in the USA. Part II includes contributions from US scholars , who identify the ways in which studying in India has led them and others to reconsider western-based theories and analyse how, during the past 50 years, scholarship throughout the world has been affected by interchange with India (By S.M. Taqi, Via Interaction, <hmiis@hd1.vsnl.net.in>).
* Indian modernity: Contradictions, paradoxes and possibilities by Dr. Avijit Pathak (Professor of Sociology, Centre for the Study of Social Systems, Jawaharlal Nehru University), and published by Gyan Publishing House, New Delhi, 1998. 
The book examines issues like secularism, hindutva, gender and Dalit rights in the context of India's changing intellectual climate (By S.M. Taqi, Via Interaction, <hmiis@hd1.vsnl.net.in>).
* Indian Muslims: Precepts and practices edited by Noor Mohammad (Professor of Sociology and Chairman of Department of Sociology and Social Work, Aligarh Muslim University), and published by Rawat Publication, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, 1999 (Via Interaction, <hmiis@hd1.vsnl.net.in>).

ANNOUNCEMENTS
* February 18-20, Dhaka, Bangladesh: South Asian & Southeast Asian PEACE AND DISARMAMENT ACTIVISTS' CONFERENCE will be held to develop a collective critique of nuclearization as a desperate, strategically irrational and immoral search for security; to analyze the impact of nuclearization on Indian and Pakistani societies, economies and politics and on those of the smaller countries of the region; to help disarmament and peace activists develop sharp analytical perspectives and strategies for the struggle for complete nuclear weapons abolition; and to create a durable Asia Pacific forum for nuclear disarmament activism. More info from <act@egroups.com>.
* February 25 is the last date for receipt of nominations for INTERNATIONAL GREEN PEN AWARDS being organized by the Asia-Pacific Forum of Environmental Journalists. Aimed to recognize the leadership of individuals in the field of environmental journalism, who help, inspire and support others, the award is open to all full-time or freelance journalists in the world working in all forms of media, the environment, government agencies, UN and NGOs. The results will be announced on April 22. This year the award will be presented to the winner on World Environment Day, June 5, in Suva- Fiji. Moe info from <www.oneworld.org/slejf>. (Via South Asia Citizens Web Dispatch <www.mnet.fr/aiindex>).
* March 25, Corvallis, OR, USA: SRI THYGARAJA ARADHANA & MUSIC FESTIVAL 2000, including Pooja, Pancharatna, and performances by individuasl, groups and children will be held here. More info from <www.proaxis.com/~suchetab> or <suchetab@proaxis.com>. 
* May 6-7, Los Angeles, CA, USA: THIRD SOUTH ASIAN WOMEN'S CONFERENCE, sponsored by the University of California, Los Angeles, and California State University, Northridge.  More inforfrom <www.Indianmall.com/sawc>.
* May, Ottawa, Canada: The Canadian Museum of Civilization here has announced plans, starting in May, for a 10-month exhibition on INDIA called, " The Living Arts." It promises to transport visitors to the heart of one of the world's most enduring cultures, according to Stephen Inglis, the Museum's director-general of Research and Collections. It will include fashion shows, and music and dance performances, lectures, craft demonstrations, and a lush, exotic Indian garden (India West <www.indiawest.com). 
* Through mid-2000: TRAVELING FILM SOUTH ASIA (TFSA)'99: Fifteen outstanding documentaries from  Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka made between 1997 and 1999 are about to start their journey to venues around the Subcontinent and  the world. The documentaries have been selected from 52 films screened at a film  festival organized by Himal Association and Himal magazine, in Kathmandu from  30 September- 3 October 1999. Requests for more information about the TFSA package(for non-commercial) including VHS tapes, TFSA posters,  festival catalogues, display material, and other support material can be requested from the festival director Manesh Shrestha at fax + 977-1-541196 or email <fsa@mos.com.np> or <www.himalmag.com/fsa>

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
*Until January 24, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA: TEMPLE & VILLAGE: PATTERNS & PRINTS OF INDIA, an exhibition featuring more than 50 traditional textiles of vibrant patterns and colors that reflect the country's customs, rituals, and everyday life, at Charleston Heights Arts Center, 800 South Brush Street. More info from 702.229.6383. 
*Until April 16, Pasadena, CA, USA: CULTURAL PORTRAITS OF INDIA, an exhibition by Lindsay Hebberd, sponsored by Air India, Government of India Tourist Office, and California State Bank of India at Pacific Asia Museum, 46 North Los Robles Ave. More info from 626.449.2742 x12
*Until September 4, Los Angeles, CA, USA: PORTRAITS OF POWER, PORTRAYALS OF PIETY, an exhibition of 47 Indian opaque watercolor paintings (c. 1600-1850) of South Asian royals  and holy men from its permanent collection at Los Angeles County Museum of Art. More info from 323.6000. 
*January 8, San Jose, CA, USA: REFLECTIONS 2000, a presentation of Shri Krupa Dance Foundation of San Jose, with original music composition, live music, and guest dancers from the Kunshin Chinese gallery, at 6:30 p.m., at Montgomery Theater, W. San Carlos & S. Market St. More info from <www.shrikrupa.org>.
*January 12, New York, NY, USA: CHUTNEY POPCORN, a 1999, 35 mm, 90 minute film by Nisha Ganatra will be screened at 6:30 p.m., Cantor Film Center Screening Room, New York University (@ 36 East 8th Street. Simmering with humor, pathos, and street savvy smarts, it is a touching tale of three compelling women at the intersection of American society, Indian values, sexuality, interracial love and motherhood. Q & A with the actors Madhur Jaffrey and Sakhina Jaffrey, and the director. Reception follows. Cosponsored by New York Women in Film and Television. Tickets at $15 and info from NYWIFT at 212-679-0870. 
* January 22 - March 15, Pasadena, CA, USA: First International exhibition of MINIATURE PAINTINGS by students of Bashir Ahmed, Pakistan's foremost miniature painter, 10 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. at Pacific Asia Museum, 46 North Los Robles Ave. Tickets $5 ($3 students, seniors and children). More info from 626.449.2742. 

DID YOU KNOW 
* India's first indigenous nuclear- powered DESALINATION  plant at Kalpakkam in southern state of Tamil Nadu would become operational in March 2000. The 6.3 million  liter capacity plant, using both thermal and membrane processes, would be linked to both the units of Kalpakkam atomic power stations, according to Dr B. Bhattacharjee, head, desalination division of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC). The plant would process water for the power station and provide quality drinking water to  people in and around Kalpakkam. (Via aiindex@mnet.fr)
* Demand for gold rose in Pakistan more than 100 percent to 32 tons and in India 38 percent to 241 tons in the third quarter of 1999, according to the World Gold Council in London (India West <www.indiwest.com).
* India will have a minimum of 530,000 INTERNET connections by the end of current fiscal year and over 1.3 million connections by 2001, according to IDC India research agency press release (Press Trust of India).
* A South Africa-based team of Indian businessmen toured Egypt, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Turkey and Zanzibar to educate people there about ground-breaking self-help techniques for treatment of TUBERCULOSIS developed by the World Health Organization, according to the team leader, Afzel Jaffer Hargey (Press Trust of India).
* Kaziranga National Park in Assam, India, has been selected for the second consecutive year by the World Wildlife Fund's TIGER Conservation Program for this year's award for exemplary contribution to tiger conservation (Press Trust of India).
* India occupies fourth position in wind POWER generation after USA, Germany and Denmark, harnessing 990 MW of wind energy, though it has potential of 20,000 MW, according to a recent report from Third World Network Features <twnfeatures@vsnl.com>. With 719 MW, the highest wind power generation is in Tamil Nadu. Efforts are afoot in the country to not only generate more wind power but also to develop small hydroelectric power projects and to harness solar power. Anandpur Sahib in Punjab will soon be developed as the first solar city of India.
* India is among the top 10 countries from where Americans choose to ADOPT babies, according to the data available from U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. The number of children adopted  from India in 1998 was 478, down from 648 in 1989, but higher than 300 to 400 a year adopted in  1991-1997 (India West <www.indiwest.com). 
* ENGLISH has been made compulsory from class 1 in Maharashtra, India. Earlier, students in Marathi-medium schools began studying English only from class 5 (Rediff on the NeT  <www.rediff.com>.
* Wipro Infotech today launched India's first line matrix and dot matrix printers that can simultaneously print in English and Tamil. The Wipro dot matrix printer is the only multilingual printer in India capable of printing in eight languages - Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Gujarati, Marathi, Hindi and English. It can also print three languages at a time. Two languages, English and Hindi, are built into the printer, the third can be downloaded into it (Rediff on the NeT  <www.rediff.com). 
* Microsoft Corp's Windows 2000 software platform, due to be launched in February, will be able to carry programing applications in HINDI and eventually in other Indian languages, according to a December 21 announcement by the company officials.  Windows 2000 will include Hindi version of its popular MS Word word processing application. With Devanagari fonts it will be able to think and talk in Hindi (India West<www.indiawest.com>).
* India is enjoying at once a remarkable period of economic growth in many sectors, yet at the same time trying to cope with more than 300 million people living below the poverty line - the highest concentration of poverty in the world, according to recent study by the International Food Policy Research Institute (India West <www.indiwest.com).

EMPLOYMENT
* Paid TELEPHONE INTERPRETERS are sought by the Portland Oregon company Pacific Interpreters. More info from Tayana Davis at 503.445.5580, or <tatyana@pacinterp.com>. 
* The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking LANGUAGE SPECIALISTS AND CONTRACT LINGUISTS in Arabic, Farsi, Hindi, Pashtu, and Urdu. Applicants must be able to translate written documents and communicate orally in the language of specialty.  Some travel may be required.  Salary range $27,148-$62,610 depending on educational level, language proficiency and work experience.
For information/to send resumes, write: U.S. Department of Justice, Language Services Unit - 24th Floor, 26 Federal Plaza, New York, NY 10278.
*Applications are invited by February 15, 2000,  by the University of British Columbia, Canada, for a newly-endowed Chair in INDIA RESEARCH. The appointment, beginning July 1, 2000, will be made jointly by the Institute of Asian Research and the Department of Anthropology and Sociology. The successful applicant will have a Ph.D., a substantial publication record, an ongoing program of research and >publication, demonstrated excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching and supervision in social/cultural anthropology. She or he should have conducted ethnographic research  in India and have full competence in at least one of the languages of India apart from English. More info from Patti Berg, Secretary to the Appointment Committee, Dept. of Anthropology & Sociology, The University of British Columbia, 6303 N.W.. Marine Dr., Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z1.(Via rom: South Asia Program <sascuw@u.washington.ed)

EVENTS
*January 15 & 16, Los Angeles, CA, USA: INDIAN-AMERICANS AND U.S. POLITICAL HERITAGE AND DESTINY, a conference presented by the UCLA History Department and the Doshi Chair in Indian History, at UCLA Faculty Center. Distinguished speakers including Consul General Abhyankar, Amitabh Bose, Radha Chanderraj, Indra Gandhi, Dr. Rakesh Kadian, Dr. Subroto Kundu, Dr. Raj Mathur, Dr. Viren Mehta, Manish Patel, Dr. C. Kumar Patel, Dr. Krishna Reddy, Kapil Sharma, and Dr. Pravn Syal will identify the political needs and aspirations of Indian-Americans.  More info from Dr. Sar Desia <sardesai@ucla.edu>. 
*January 19, Calcutta, West Bengal, India: A good number of senior army officials of Pakistan are expected to join their Indian counterparts at a 100,000 strong  peace march to be held in Calcutta on the occasion of the 12th South Asian annual peace meet being organized by the Akhil  Bharat Rachanatmak Samaj, a forum of Gandhian constructive workers and  Harijan Sevak Sangha,  January 18- 20. Participants from Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan are also expected (From Calcutta on net <www.calonline.com> Via South Asia Citizens Web Dispatch aiindex@mnet.fr).
*January 21-23, Atlanta, GA, USA: ONE WORLD, ONE FUTURE, Southeast Regional Conference, being organized by the Hindu Students Council,  at Emory University for an exploration of Hindu identity in the diaspora to Hindu-Christian dialogue, from the discussion about the abuse of human rights in Punjab to the importance of Sanskrit in the present day. Also offered will be  a slew of cultural activities, including a garba on its opening night. Speakers will include Dr K L Seshagiri Rao (a renowned scholar and an expert on interfaith dialogue), Swami Sharanananda (the leader of the Chinmaya Mission in Chicago), Dr Purushottama Bilimoria (an experienced interfaith discussion advocate), Dr Rakesh Ranjan, Parimal Patil, Dr Thomas Thangaraj , Dr Brian Axel, Dr Renuka Sharma. More info from <www.emory.edu/STUDENTS/HSC> 
*January 22, Artesia, CA, USA: VISA CAMP, hosted by the Consualte General of India at United Methodist Church, 18523 S. Airline Ave. More info from 415.668.0683, 415.668.0662.
*February 18-21, India: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE 21ST CENTURY, a conference organized by TER Institute to celebrate its silver jubilee. It will focus on sustainability of natural resources and protection of the environment. A distinguished galaxy of individuals as speakers including Nobel laureates, former Prime Ministers, CEOs of major multinational corporations, media personalities, and eminent academics and researchers are expected to participate. More info from www.teriin.org/25years/ or by e-mail to program@teri.res.in.

HOLIDAYS: * January: 1 New Year's Day, 7/8 Eid, 14 Makar Sankranti, 17 Martin Luther King Birthday, 26 India's Republic Day & Australia Day. 

PEOPLE
*Four South Asians - NISHA AGARWAL of Harvard University, CHAVI KEENEY NANA of Wellesley College, SUJIT RAMAN of Harvard College, and JACOB CHACKO of the University of Southern California - were among 40 US students chosen for Marshall Scholarships for study a British university of their choice (India West <www.indiawest.com). . 
* DHIRUBHAI AMBANI was voted 'Indian Businessman of the Century' in a poll conducted by the business magazine. According to the magzine  Ambani represents "Asian business at its best: bold, visionary, technology-minded and entrepreneuially daring" ( Rediff on the NeT <www.rediff. com>.
* SHEKHAR BORKAR, director of circuit research in Intel's Microprocessor Products Group is the first Indian to get Intel Fellow Award, which is the highest award given to individuals who have achieved extraordinary levels of technical perfection and have contributed technically for the growth of Intel. Born in Mumbai, India in 1957, and an alumnus of the University of Bombay in 1979, he did his M.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Notre Dame and joined Intel in 1981 (Via Vardhana, Ananda <ananda.vardhana@intel.com>).
* Dr. FLORA BROVINA, a Kosovo pediatrician, who is revered among ethnic Albanians for founding a women's rights organization and for providing desperately needed health care to women during the recent conflict there was  convicted on December 9 and sentenced to a 12-year prison term  by a Serb court on a charge of abetting terrorism during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia (Statesman Journal <www.statesmanjournal.com>).
* "I am from a Hindu family, I went to a Muslim school, I was brought up in the Sikh tradition, and I love Jesus," said RAM GIDOOMAL of Christian People's Alliance.  He plans to run for the position of Mayor of London, next year (India West <www.indiawest.com>). 
*Bangladeshi prime minister SHEIKH HASINA and Nobel Laureate AMARTYA SEN were awarded December 18 honorary doctorate degrees by Dhaka University (India West <www.indiawest.com>).
* DARBARI SETH, a key adviser of J R D Tata has passed away.  He guided Tata Chemicals to glory and set up the Tata Energy Research Institute (Rediff on the NeT <www.rediff.com>.
* Former president of India, SHANKAR DAYAL SHARMA  died December 28 of a heart attack. 
*A list created at the behest of the Vancouver Sun newspaper of 100 British Columbians, who have shaped the history of the province includes 13 South Asian including MAYO SINGH  (1899-1955, who from a lumberyard worker went on to own timber mills and become one of the most successful Indian businessmen in British Columbia, was remembered for his civic activities and his efforts in getting voting rights for Indian Canadians), DUARI PAL PANDIA (1904-99, another voting right activist) and HERB DHALIWAL (a millionaire businessman in Vancouver who became the first Indian Canadian cabinet minister at the federal level and is currently Canada's fisheries minister).
* B.V. SUBBARAYAPPA, a scientist at the National Institute of Science, Technology and Development Studies, New Delhi, will be honored by Bologna University of Italy in recognition of his work on the history of science (Press Trust of India).
*NEELAKASH VARSHNEY of the University of Alabama, Birmingham, and JASDIP KHARBHANDA of the University of Chicago are two Indians among 32 US Rhodes Scholars were chosen for the honor  (Rediff on the NeT <www.rediff.com>.

SCHOLARSHIPS
* February 15 is the deadline for applications by Supporting Excellence in Education Foundation (SEED) for its eight college scholarships totaling $12,000 from Asian Indian high school students in USA from the class of 2000 with minimum GPA of 3.0. More info from Samir Mehta 281.277.7547.

USEFUL WEBSITES
* "Money2India" is the ICICI bank's (<www.icici.com>) new web-based facility for Non-Resident Indians for easy remittance of funds to 173 locations in India (India West <www.indiawest.com). 
* <www.artsindia.com> is the only American online ART GALLERY devoted exclusively to contemporary Indian art and high-end craft (Rediff on the NeT <www.rediff.com>
* <www.Homeindia.com> offers FREE MAIL service between  non-resident Indians and their relatives and friends in their home country.Non-resident Indians can type a letter and the postal address in India on the website, and its printout is mailed to the company's office in Mumbai. People in India also can send their letters to the company's office in Mumbai, where they are scanned and emailed to overseas Indians  (India West <www.indiawest.com). 
* <www.MathStories.com> is a website that helps children develop critical thinking and learn analytical MATH using nursery rhymes, and material from literature, geography, history and science.  The material was originally developed by Ashok Bansal, an electronics marketing director at NEC in Santa Clara, CA to help his 1st  and 5th grade daughters (India West <www.indiawest.com). 
*<www.VayaooMall.com>, which offers Indian expatriates ways to send cash gifts and greeting cards to friends and relatives in India, plans to expand its services to Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. 
* <www.namaste.com> offers a wide range of Indian groceries and consumer products including music, snacks, books and health and beauty products. 
* <www.SearchAMovie.com> and www.wupper.de?sites/unnet> offers information about Hindi movies, including the actors, director, music director and producer of each, while one can listen to a variety of Hindi film songs from the 1950's in MP3 format at <www.InianSceen.com>.