JAIPUR: A 22-member team of a Jaipur-based NGO that provides artificial limbs to the disabled has returned from Baghdad after holding a month-long artificial limb fitment camp there.
The Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayta Samiti (BMVSS) provided 882 Iraqis artificial limbs during the camp while 75 people were given crutches free of cost.
The founder-chief patron of BMVSS DR Mehta led the team. Two technicians were from Pakistan where BMVSS is also running a rehabilitation centre. The team returned to Jaipur earlier this week.
The camp was organised in association with a charitable body of Baghdad's Abdul Hadi Chalabi Foundation.
"In all, 882 persons were equipped with artificial limbs of whom 42 were provided artificial limbs on both their legs," Mehta said.
Mehta said the Iraqi amputees accepted and adopted the 'Jaipur Foot and the Stanford Jaipur Knee' artificial limbs because of its simple technology and its light weight. The 'Stanford Jaipur Knee' was developed by the engineering students of the prestigious US Stanford University in association with BMVSS.
Mehta said there are about 50,000 amputees in Iraq who had lost their limbs in the wars and also because of terrorist attacks, diabetes and because of various road accidents.
Mehta said Chalabi Foundation was keen to run the camp round the year to enable more people to benefit.
"We at BMVSS suggested that a few technicians from Iraq should be sent to Jaipur for training in our centre here," he said.
The BMVSS, Mehta said, would set up the centre in association with Chalabi Foundation.
He also urged the central government to bear the cost of training the Iraqi technicians. He said the camp would go a long way in strengthening India-Iraq ties.
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Jaipur court reserves ruling on complaint against Lalit Modi in Haveli case
Jaipur: A city court today reserved its ruling on a criminal complaint seeking police investigation into the alleged fraudulent purchase of heritage 'havelis' of Amber by Lailt Modi, who is embroiled in the IPL controversy.
The court heard both the counsel for the complainant and Modi and his wife Minal, who were named along with seven others in the complaint by NGO Nagrik Morcha which was filed on April 23.
Modi's counsel argued that the anti-corruption bureau of the state had investigated the matter and filed an FIR but all investigations have already been stayed by the Rajasthan high court.
As the entire matter is already under the scanner of the high court, no fresh FIR in the same matter can be entertained, the counsel argued.
The complainant Sandeep Bhatra, district president of the NGO, alleged that that the havelis or mansions situated near the Amber fort form part of the protected area and are government properties but Modi and his wife managed to purchase them through a bogus company Heritage City Construction Pvt. Ltd. in 2007 and later became its directors.
"There is no such company existing at Sanaganer on the site which has been shown to be the registered office of the company," he said.
After hearing both the the sides, the court reserved the judgement on the issue.
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NGO urges Hajj Hassan to look into botched parrot-smuggling operation
BEIRUT: Lebanon should investigate how smugglers were able to transport hundreds of endangered parrots to Bulgaria last week, animal-welfare campaigners said Monday.
In a letter addressed to Agriculture Minister Hussein al-Hajj Hassan, the non-governmental organization (NGO) Animals Lebanon warned the shipment suggested Lebanon was being used as a “hub” for the smuggling of endangered wildlife.
Bulgarian customs officials at Sofia airport seized an illegal shipment of 108 grey parrots on Friday. The African grey parrots, one of which died during the journey, are considered “near threatened” species and are restricted from trade by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
The birds, which could have fetched up to $266,735 on the European black market, were shipped to Sofia by a Bulgarian man of Lebanese origin lacking the necessary paperwork, according to a statement from the customs agency. “Officials in the cargo department confirm seeing the parrots and state they witnessed an argument between the owner of the animals and the customs officials,” Animals Lebanon said in the letter, seen by The Daily Star.
The organization added that the seizure was a “serious violation of CITES,” and voiced alarm at the inhumane crates used to transport the parrots. It remains unclear which airline brought the parrots, which have been temporarily housed in Sofia Zoo, to Bulgaria. The NGO called on Hajj Hassan to launch a probe into the botched smuggling operation and to take steps “to prevent these cases from happening again.”
Other than a law fining those who intentionally harm animals up to $15, Lebanon has practically no conservation or animal-welfare legislation. Elephants, big cats and chimpanzees are just some of the endangered species that have been found smuggled in and out of the country. “The shipment of these parrots further highlights the likelihood that Lebanon is being used as a hub for wildlife smuggling,” said Lana Al-Khalil, president of Animals Lebanon. Last year, the NGO documented several cases of parrots being transported out of Rafiq Hariri International Airport, on one occasion finding dead animals in crates.
But Lebanon does appear to be moving toward enacting greater conservation legislation.
Last month, Hajj Hassan traveled to Qatar to discuss with CITES secretary general Willem Wijnstekers the possibility of signing up to the convention. Lebanon and Bahrain are the only Arab states that have not yet signed the 1975 deal.
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Nigeria: NGO to Drag 11 PDP Members of Edo Assembly to Court
Benin — Activists for Good Governance, a non-governmental organisation, has concluded plans to drag the 11 members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State House of Assembly to court over alleged refusal to attend sittings in the past two months, following the controversial removal of the former Speaker, Zakawanu Garuba.
It would be recalled that the 13 members of Action Congress, AC, in the state House of Assembly impeached Garuba and installed Mr. Bright Omokhodion as the new speaker after they claimed that 16 lawmakers signed the impeachment of the ex-speaker.
Ever since the incident, the 11 PDP lawmakers absented themselves from sittings and relocated to Abuja after raising an alarm that their lives were being threatened in the state.
However, leader of the NGO, Mr Morris Ovia, who briefed newsmen, yesterday, in Benin City, condemned the continued absence of the lawmakers from proceedings, despite the fact that they were being paid with tax payers' money.
Ovia, who incidentally is aspiring to represent Ovia South-West Constituency in the House of Assembly under the platform of AC, recalled that with his experience as a former aide to the former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, and Mr Ehioge West-Idahosa, who has represen-ted his constituency for the past twelve years, the action of the 11 lawmakers was illegal and an attempt to cause anarchy in the state.
His words: "We have resolved to go to court to challenge the 11 PDP legislators who have refused to resume duties because they have exceeded the number of days they are supposed to stay away.
"If they are not interested in coming back to work, they should leave so that their various constituencies will bring in fresh people who will represent them. This is not the first time a speaker has been impeached and unfortunately, the PDP is very good in impeaching themselves from history in this state.
"It is not because you feel you are no longer in power that you will now decide to make the state ungover-nable. We will resist such actions and because we are law-abiding citizens, the best way we can seek for peace is for some of us to go to court to challenge their continued absence because they are being paid their salaries through tax payers' money.
"We will not continue to keep quite. When we elect our lawmakers, they are not elected speakers or principal officers. So why will they want to stay away because the leadership has changed?"
He said when the PDP was in charge, AC members were attending proceedings, wondering why the PDP members were feeling a huge sense of loss. "Their action is unacceptable and we want the court to declare their seats vacant so that we can move forward," he added.
Edo state is bigger than any group or individual and we must all learn to pursue the collective interest of our people and not our political interest," he said.
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NGO starts HIV project in project
THE African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes, has launched a 12-month HIV and reproductive health project.
The focal person, Jacinta Akwero, said the project would be carried out in Awach and Layibi sub-counties.
Opening a one-day workshop at their offices in Layibi division, Akwero said they would focus on the youth who dropped out of school.
This followed a research that revealed that school drop-outs have less chances of getting information on HIV and sexual reproductive health. The research was carried out by Comas Onen, a Makerere University researcher.
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Tragedy at Kalutara – Need to get organized and campaign for Human rights for all
It was a shocking story of a young mother allegedly trying to kill her son of two and a half years by throwing him into a river, as she could not support the boy. This shows the level of poverty in Sri Lanka and the inability of some citizens to cope with a free market economy. The Tamils have NGO’s, Indians, rich relatives and GOSL helping them. At least they have refugee camps, where they are provided with food, water and shelter. I myself have seen old and disabled people begging in the streets of Colombo and nowhere to go, or no one taking care of them. This is indeed sad and shocking to see people suffering in this manner. Clearly there is a need to protect the human rights of all citizens, not just that of Tamils. There are lessons that we can learn such as networking and campaigning , from Tamils [1]
It is time for those who are in a position to help others, to actually do something practical to help poor citizens, irrespective of ethnicity or beliefs. We should not be indifferent when fellow humans suffer any where in the world. There is a need for well organised groups, that develop community spirit amongst themselves, arrange get togethers, events, meetings outings etc that encourage bonding and communication. This will help to develop a community spirit to help each other in difficult times.
What could be done is to provide training and skills [2] so that the weakest and the poorest people can survive. If this is not possible, then these unfortunate people should be provided with basic food water and shelter. This is where Sri Lanka, a Buddhist country, religious organizations and individuals can help. It is hoped that some who read this article can get themselves organized and take practical measures to help the poor. These orgs or individuals can even approach GOSL, such as the ministry of Social services or Human rights for help.
It is also known that children of dead soldiers are living in extreme poverty. It is the duty of the nation to care for welfare of the children of dead soldiers. Further, shocking news is that people living in border villages such as the Abbassa Village are facing extreme poverty ref: http://www.infolanka.com/news/IL/1348.htm
After thirty years in the grip of Tamil Tiger terrorism, these farmer families have forgotten how to lead a normal life, and is in need of counselling and training. The cases mentioned above need immediate attention of the social services department of GOSL.
I wish to thank Shanika SRIYANANDA and Lankaweb for highlighting the tragedy.
source from:news.google.com
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