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NSS: Greek Mandatory Declaration of Religion is Human Rights Violation

Scott Douglas Jacobsen
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NSS: Greek Mandatory Declaration of Religion is Human Rights Violation

A mandatory declaration of religion is being challenged by the National Secular Society as a breach of human rights.

In Greece, there is a claimed requirement for parents having to declare religion on the child’s birth certificate. This has been challenged by the National Secular Society (NSS) at the European Court of Human Rights.

NSS reported, “In Papanikolaou v Greece, the ECHR is considering whether the obligation violates article nine of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects the right to freedom of religion and belief.”

Based on the submission to the ECHR, it has been argued by the NSS the obligation goes against Article 8 and Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights. They deal with the right to respect for private and family life and the freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and state:

ARTICLE 8

Right to respect for private and family life

1. Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.

2. There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

ARTICLE 9

Freedom of thought, conscience and religion

1. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief, in worship, teaching, practice and observance.

2. Freedom to manifest one’s religion or beliefs shall be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of public safety, for the protection of public order, health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

The NSS submission complained the obligation stands as contrary to the convention and unnecessarily divulges sensitive personal data in violation of the rights of the child and of the rights of the parent.

The complaint continued to remark on the nature of treating members of a particular faith as somehow a bloc or a “cohesive group”; whereas, the reality with every belief or social attitudinal group remains statistical and distributed more than anything. People differ.

With the freedom of religion or belief, as per the European Convention on Human Rights and the complaint from the NSS, it is an individual right, not a group right and, therefore, cannot be treated as a singular right of a group.

“The [NSS] argued that the requirement goes against both the plain words of the relevant articles of the ECHR and relevant case law. In previous cases the ECHR has ruled that requiring individuals to reveal their personal beliefs violates article nine,” the NSS reported, “It has also established that disclosure of information about personal religious and philosophical convictions may engage article eight, as such convictions concern some of the most intimate aspects of private life.”

Panayote Dimitras of the Greek Helsinki Monitor “greatly appreciated” the efforts of intervention of the NSS at the ECHR. The issues raised by the NSS will be ‘adding crucial arguments’ to the points raised by the Greek Helsinki Monitor too.

NSS chief executive Stephen Evans stated:

We’ve intervened in this case to uphold the principle that nobody should be required to reveal their personal beliefs, which can often be a very sensitive issue, without very good reason.

There’s no good reason why the Greek state should need to know the religion of a newborn child’s parents, so the court should ensure it upholds the right to freedom of belief and the right to privacy.

With files from the National Secular Society.

Photo by Ricky Turner on Unsplash

India cannot resolve every dispute by dialogues, it’s time for defensive-offence

Prof. K.N. Pandita
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India cannot resolve every dispute by dialogues, it’s time for defensive-offence

Chinese intrusion in Eastern Ladakh is a pre-meditated plan with close relevance to the ominous situation developing in South Asia. China’s threatening postures and dubious moves are a threat to peace in the region. China’s ambition is to dominate the Asian Continent militarily and economically. Nibbling at the borders of her neighbours is China’s history. India is facing this menace along 7,000 km Himalayan border with China just because of Nehru putting an end to the strategic buffer of Tibet.

Pressure from the international community is growing in China for an investigation into the leakage and global spread of Coronavirus. World leaders have begun to concede that President Trump did not guffaw against the WHO. The US is not alone in demanding a balance of trade with China. Japan, Australia and India are equally serious. But the withdrawal of production units from China has to be undertaken under technical advice.

Indo-Pacific region is again in focus. Sporadic movement of Chinese naval ships in the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea and Beijing’s recent warnings to Australia against supporting an inquiry into the origins and spread out of the pandemic, demand that the Far Eastern strategy of the American policy planners and also of the major democracies of the world might necessitate upgrading of respective strategies.

China understands that stable democracies will ultimately insist on and work towards just and equitable economic order. Intermittent show of Chinese warships in the Chinese Sea, Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean and the sinking of a Vietnamese vessel is a loud message.

China seems to have slowed down the pace of its Belt and Road narrative. It will impact the overall strategy of China regarding the Gilgit-Baltistan region where Beijing wants to have a strong military base in Skardu. Islamabad is reported to have agreed to facilitate it. Kargil is not too far away from Skardu and the road link did exist during the days of the Maharajas of J&K. 

Knowledgeable sources reported that China has been eyeing a foothold in the Wakhan corridor also close to the Afghan mainland. At the same time, Beijing has been impressing upon Pakistan to formalize the legal status of Gilgit-Baltistan region because the area is disputed. That is what made Pakistan Supreme Court recommend annexation of the region to the Pakistan mainland. The Supreme Court took no cognizance of the anti-Pakistan struggle undertaken by the nationalist elements in Gilgit and Baltistan.

After India scrapped the special status of Jammu and Kashmir State on August 5, 2019 owing to increase in sedition activities of separatists in Kashmir and their blatant camaraderie with Pakistani agencies, Pakistan embarked on a virulent anti-Hindu and anti-India propaganda on a large scale. It tried to influence even the UN subsidiaries like the UNHRC. The Chairman of UNHRC Session 42 and the Chairman of the UNHRC both issued statements criticizing India. They did not say a word about the vast terrorist network spread out by such Pakistan-based terrorist groups as have been designated by the UN itself and are active in Kashmir. India rejected the report as biased and based on false reports. It is to be noted that the US has already withdrawn from the membership of the UN Human Rights Council alleging that it has been politicized and has lost its sanctity.

With Pakistan ganging up with some of the non-Semitic Islamic states like Turkey, Malaysia and Iran, the group began criticizing liberal and pragmatic Arab states friendly towards India for not making OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) an effective tool to take some strong anti-India position on Kashmir. They are struggling to remove Saudi Arabia from its pivotal position among the Islamic countries and bring in a new structure that would work against democracy and liberalism in Islam.

In the background of these developments in which China and Pakistan have been working in tandem, India demanded Pakistan to vacate its illegal occupation of Gilgit-Baltistan areas. Indian media gave a big hype to India’s intention of retrieving the part of the original State of Jammu and Kashmir illegally occupied by Pakistan since 1947.

Pakistani media played up the threat and the opposition parties in Pakistan questioned the rationality of Pakistan Army and intelligence agencies abetting insurgency in Kashmir but negligent about the impending threat of India planning to recover the lost territory in PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan. Rawalpindi felt rattled and the Prime Minister Imran Khan, to save his skin, went about crying wolf. “We will give India a befitting reply if she makes any adventure of attacking Pakistan” became the refrain of Imran Khan’s lifeless vitriolic. China and Pakistan both had a reason to feel frustrated on being informed by respective intelligence sources that Indian military brass was working on some plan.

Raising and legitimizing the jihadist legions as the frontline of its defence strategy against India, relentlessly facilitating infiltration into Kashmir of armed jihadists, massively brainwashing ordinary Kashmiris and propagating through electronic media, barrages of anti-India hatred among them on the religious count and the Kashmir separatists and ambivalent Kashmiri Muslim leadership not missing any opportunity of subversion, and the tailpiece of Gupkar Memorandum, forced the NDA government to meet the situation according to its merits. The roots of the State Reorganization Act of 2019 have to be searched in this emerging scenario.

China thrice vetoed Security Council’s attempt of designating Masood Azhar, the Chief of the Pakistani terrorist organization Jaish-e-Muhammad. China was lending outright support to Pakistani terrorists carrying out subversion in Kashmir.

For India, the time has come to act and liberate the part of the original State of Jammu and Kashmir from the illegal occupation of Pakistan since 1947. Pakistan had turned down the Security Council’s two important resolutions on J&K which left India free to follow a course of its choice. Hence is born the idea of exploiting the strategic importance of Gilgit and Baltistan in the new scheme of Inner Asian strategy.

Alarmed by India’s plan of retaking the territory illegally occupied by  Pakistan and also nearly 5,000 sq km of Shaksgam region in Chilas ceded by Pakistan to China, the two adversaries jointly planned the double-pronged strategy of PLA making an incursion into the Eastern Ladakh and Pakistani Rangers intensifying firing and shelling on Indian posts along the LoC including civilian habitats. As the situation in Ladakh became grim, Pakistan called a crucial meeting of her Corps Commanders presided over by the army chief and attended, among others, by the three services chiefs and the ISI chief. Dawn of 17th June reported, “Services chiefs on Tuesday expressed satisfaction over the preparedness of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to counter India’s sinister designs after receiving a rarely combined briefing on occupied Kashmir and other regional issues at the headquarters of the premier intelligence agency.” PM Imran Khan twice visited the ISI headquarters for intelligence briefings on the security threats. The paper disclosed that the Pakistani foreign minister was scheduled to visit Beijing in a couple of days obviously to brief the Chinese about the ground situation. Tension along the LoC in J&K has escalated with Pakistani Rangers opening more fronts for pounding Indian posts.

Now we find that Ladakh standoff has implications far beyond the shadow of the Himalayas. We need to change the discourse of resolving issues with two arch-rivals through only dialogue. It is not a bilateral issue that India is confronted with. What is in the throes of danger is not just the Indian nation but the very concept of democracy, freedom and human dignity. Therefore, for India, it is of utmost importance to depart from the traditional policy of running after an elusive peace. Our security narrative must change and we must accept the eternal truth that power flows through the barrel of the gun.

Imran Khan’s ‘reverse swing’ on Osama bin Laden’s death reveals his love for terrorists

Nilesh Kunwar
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Imran Khan’s ‘reverse swing’ on Osama bin Laden’s death reveals his love for terrorists

Since an occasional slip of the tongue is unavoidable, inadvertent mistakes don’t usually stir up a controversy as long the mistake is corrected immediately. But rather than clearing the air, when such amendments create more confusion, then to perceive it as a ‘Freudian Slip’ is but natural. Readers would be aware that this term denotes a verbal or memory mistake believed to be linked to the unconscious mind that supposedly reveals the real secret thoughts and feelings held by people. This is exactly what happened when Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, after initially saying that al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden had been “killed” by US troops but then immediately corrected himself by saying that the World Trade Center attack mastermind had been “martyred.”

Though a humungous faux pas, the same could still have been overlooked had it been made during an, interview, media event or an informal address (like his remark of Germany and Japan being neighbours and having fought against each other during the World War-II). Yet to declare Osama bin Laden a martyr on the floor of the National Assembly makes it all the more embarrassing for Pakistan, and that too at a time when it’s desperately trying to convince terror financing watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) that it has no appetite for terrorists or terrorism. But this isn’t the first time Imran Khan has betrayed Pakistan’s eternal love for terrorist groups. While speaking at the US Institute of Peace in Washington during last July, didn’t he himself admit that “when you talk about militant groups, we still have about 30,000 to 40,000 armed people who have been trained and fought in some part of Afghanistan or Kashmir”?

Khan waxes eloquent on his government’s ‘zero tolerance’ for terrorism and keeps blaming previous governments, which (according to him), “did not have the political will,” to tackle terrorism due to which Pakistan is plagued with the current crisis and stands placed in the FATF ‘grey-list’ for financing terrorism. But would Mr Khan please elucidate that when (again according to him) his government and the army are “on the same page,” why haven’t the “30,000 to 40,000 “militants” who are moving freely on Pakistani soil not been disarmed as yet? Don’t these “armed people” pose a threat to the people of Pakistan? Or is Rawalpindi absolutely certain that unlike former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s prognosis, the “snakes” that Pakistan is keeping in its backyard will only bite Pakistan’s neighbours? Lastly, if Pakistan is really serious about tackling terrorism, then how come it has the third highest number of people (146) on the UNSC proscribed list?

The fact that the al-Qaeda founder considered Pakistan as the safest place on earth where he could live incognito along with his large two dozen strong member family and attendants; and opt to stay in an Abbottabad compound barely a stone’s throw from Pakistan Military Academy clearly indicates that Osama bin Laden was being hosted by Pakistan’s deep state. Furthermore, Washington’s decision not to either inform Islamabad or Rawalpindi about the plan to takeout Osama bin Laden or incorporate Pakistan Army in the conduct of ‘Operation Geronimo’ leaves no doubt that Pentagon was absolutely certain about Rawalpindi’s complicity in providing a safe sanctuary to the al-Qaeda chief. Surprisingly, this was the issue that Khan raked up during his speech in the National Assembly and one must admire his gall for portraying the Americans as the ‘bad guys’.

For Khan, it wasn’t Osama bin Laden being found holed up safely in Pakistan that “embarrassed” Pakistan, it was only when “the Americans came and killed Osama bin Laden at Abbottabad… martyred him, the whole world started abusing us after that.” In cricket, ‘reverse swing’ is the art of so delivering a ball that it turns in towards the batsman, rather than moving away from him, thereby limiting the batsman’s shot-making ability due to lack of momentum and the former cricketer turned PM’s ‘reverse swing’ delivery came moments later when he claimed that “70,000 Pakistanis died because of US’s war on terror.” This is the second Freudian slip which confirms that Imran Khan has no doubt whatsoever that ‘Uncle Sam’ is the real villain and that Osama bin Laden wasn’t killed but “martyred” by Americans. It’s this mindset that earned him the ‘Taliban Khan’ moniker. Readers would recall that before he became Prime Minister, Imran Khan’s great fascination with terrorist groups was well known. He was the one who in 2013, described the US ‘droning’ of dreaded Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander Wali-ur-Rehman as “totally unacceptable” because Khan considered him to be a person who was “pro-peace.”

A few months later, Khan even went to the extent of mooting the idea of
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) being permitted to open an office in Pakistan and in a shocking statement said that “If the government is serious about pursuing the dialogue process with the TTP, it should allow them to have their own office like the one opened by the Afghan Taliban in Qatar.” Imran Khan was again quite upset after TTP leader Hakimullah Mehsud was killed in a US drone strike in November 2013, as he perceived this as “a deliberate targeting of the peace process.” That the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan chose him to represent them in mediation talks with the government in February 2014 proves that Imran Khan was held in very high esteem by the TTP and considered to be a genuine well-wisher of this terrorist organisation.

Even though he refused to represent Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, such implicit faith being reposed on the PTI chief by TTP justified him being nicknamed ‘Taliban Khan’. But with former TTP spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan who purportedly ‘surrendered’ to Pakistan Army in 2017 revealing in a ‘confessional’ video that spy agencies of India (RAW) and Afghanistan (NDS) “supported (TTP), extending financial assistance and they also gave targets, and for each attack (TTP) charged a price,” Khan’s infatuation with TTP is more of a blackeye than an adulatory sobriquet. But having become Prime Minister thanks to the army’s blessings, Khan knows that as long as he remains in Rawalpindi’s good books by toeing its line, he’s got nothing to fear because the army will ensure every irritant and threat to ‘Taliban’ Khan is removed-like former TTP spokesperson Ehsan, who alongwith his family, has now mysteriously disappeared from the military’s custody!

So next time when the Pakistani delegation presents its case before the FATF, representatives of member countries should carefully consider that with Prime Minister Imran Khan bowling a ‘reverse swing’ by hailing Osama bin Laden’s death as ‘martyrdom’, can Islamabad’s assurances on wiping out terrorism from its soil still be taken on its face value?

I still hope my Baba will be released one day: Mehlab-Deen Baloch

Mehlab-Deen Baloch
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I still hope my Baba will be released one day: Mehlab-Deen Baloch

I want to escape from all of what I have around me, from my home, from friends and from my birth place and also I want to escape from this world. I want to escape from my home because I cannot bear the pain my family is experiencing on a daily basis. I cannot see my Mom’s sorrowful eyes nor do I have enough courage to tolerate the heart wrenching feelings of my elder sister Sammi. It is heart breaking when I see my elder brother as he is also helpless in doing something for our consolation.

I want to escape Balochistan because I do not have a heart to see people who are desperately waiting for their loved ones. Children of Balochistan, instead of living their childhood peacefully and playing with toys, are chanting slogans for the release of their disappeared family members. Almost every child of Balochistan is a “Sammi” waiting for her “Deen Mohammad”. Every mother is a “Khadija” waiting for “Zakir Majeed”. Every sister is “Seema Baloch” waiting for “Shabeer”.

I want to escape the land which has been bathing with the blood of innocents. Killers of humanity have complete immunity here, they can kill the mother of four year old Bramsh before her eyes and they can freely stab to death Kulsooms. No one is here to stop this brutality nor anyone pays heed to the “missing” persons’ grievances. The families are roaming from one city to another city to register their protest, but their never-ending struggle do not seem to bear any fruit.

Mehlab-Deen Baloch: My Baba will come

I have spent my entire childhood in these worries. At that time when friends of my age were playing with their toys, I was at protest sites and knocking every door of justice for the safe recovery of my Baba. Eleven (11) long years have passed, but still I and my family are in a distressful situation. The situation in which we are spending our lives has been our fate since June 28, 2009 when we heard the devastating news of abduction of my Father, Dr Deen Mohammad. I recall those days when we had a happy family with my father among us. My father was a medical officer in district Khuzdar. He used to come to Mashkai, our home town, after every four months. I vividly remember how I could not wait even for 4-5 hours from the moment my father informed us that he was coming to Mashkai. Baba always used to bring toys for me. We used to lovingly protest with our father that we cannot wait for four (4) long months. At that time we were living at Nali Mashkai. Nali is a beautiful place surrounded by date palms. River Mashkai also flows across the village. On the southern side of the village there is a Pakistan Army camp. Whenever Baba came home, security personnel asked him where he was and why he always goes out of Mashkai. This happened despite the Army personnel knowing the fact that Baba was a medical doctor and his duty was in Khuzdar, the security personnel always used to torture us and my father by asking irrelevant questions.

When Baba was with us, all our relatives used to be so nice to us. They came to our home to visit us and always asked us if we need any favor from them. But ever since Baba has gone “missing”, all their artificial love has also faded down.

But the person who was and continues to raise us through all these difficulties is my mother. My mother has given us the reason to live. She motivated us to search and struggle for my Father. She put all her efforts to educate us. She gave us courage to go out and struggle for “Missing” Baloch people.

My mother also spent her childhood in difficult conditions like all the Baloch people of that time did. She used to go a long way to bring water for household use. She wanted to study in schools but there were no schools available for girls at that time. Because of not having schools, my mother did not study in schools. But after marrying my father, Dr Deen Mohammed, my mother had learnt so much from him. It was my father’s company that made my mother strong enough, and even after his abduction my mother has fought all difficulties alone. When my father was abducted, my mother has been all for us. I cannot even imagine how my mother faced difficulties for us. In front of us she pretended to be brave, but we know that there is a limit of patience. Perhaps sorrow can be hidden for one or two days, but it is not possible to hide it for 11 long years. Now we are passive toward one another’s feeling, because we are out of words, there are no words for our consolation. Distress of my father’s disappearance is unbearable, but we are still living with it. I still hope my father will come out one day, this hope is the reason I am still alive. All courts and Human Rights groups have disappointed me. But I will never give up the hope of getting justice.

International Day in Support of the Victims of Torture in Balochistan

Kachkol Ali
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International Day in Support of the Victims of Torture in Balochistan

There are thousands of innocent Baloch including women, girls, lawyers, doctors, students, teachers, human rights activists and ordinary persons who are in illegal custody in the concentration and internment camps of the Pakistani security forces. Torture, ‘enforced disappearances‘ and extra-legal executions in Balochistan is the order of the day. We have raised the vital issue of torture before the Committee against Torture and the committee reprimanded the representatives of Pakistan and warned them that to eradicate the imprescriptible crimes, practice of torture and this impunity must to put an end.

It’s imperative to point out here that Pakistan ratified the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading or Punishment on June 23, 2010. After an inordinate delay Pakistan submitted its report before the Committee against Torture. According to established mechanism of United Nations Council the Committee against Torture has provided opportunity to the International NGOs to submit their shadow or additional reports in the progress report of Pakistan. We, therefore, availed the opportunity as the others NGOs, and then we prepared a comprehensive additional report wherein we exposed Pakistan with correct facts and figures and cogent reasons, therefore our additional report was approved and we were invited to come to Geneva and shed light verbally on it on April 18, 2017. We did the needful with perfect preparation and the Committee was further convinced by our argument and the other NGOs and particularly Reema Omar, the legal advisor of South Asia of International Commission of Jurists, endorsed our version.

Chairman of the Committee rebuked the representative of Pakistan saying that the paramilitary forces of Pakistan with all kinds of impunity are involved in widespread and systematic ‘enforced disappearances’ of the innocent people which is a serious issue. But unfortunately this abominable and unconscionable practice is extremely prevalent and continues unabated. Rather than submit the report and have a discussion on it, the security forces of Pakistan are not bothered to take cognizance of the recommendations of the Committee and are exacerbating and increasing tortures on one hand, and the Committee against Torture is not monitoring the conscience shocking situation of Pakistan, in particular Balochistan.

Pakistani security forces are committing these elements of unimaginable atrocities across Balochistan. Torture, enforced disappearances, summary and custodial executions are inherent to government by terror. They are part and parcel of Pakistan government’s security strategy, which are their effective instruments and are being widely used political tools to control the population, especially the Baloch nation that is struggling for its right for self-determination in toto according to the Articles 1 and 55 of the United Nation Charter.

Unfortunately human rights organizations without applying the peremptory norms of general law (Jus Cogens) particularly Article 4 (2 and 3) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Right and they endorse the national security and national interests blindly, which encouraged the deep state as such Pakistan’s State agencies are justified or can be condoned, the condemnation and impunity the security forces of Pakistan are enjoying, in fact destroying the fabric of democratic institutions.

Whereas Article 2 of the Convention Against Torture clearly says that no exceptional circumstances whatsoever, even if these be of a state of war or a threat of war, internal political instability or any other public emergency, may be invoked as justification of cases of torture. Article 2(3) of the Convention further warns that an order from a superior officer or a Public Authority may not be invoked as a justification for for torture.

Regrettably the security forces of Pakistan are seriously violating the great Covenant Article 4(2&3) and Article 2 and 2(3) of the CAT, but the United Nations and its sister organizations, in particular the Committee against Torture are silent.

Keeping in view the aforesaid prevailing conscience shocking situation of Pakistan and especially Balochistan, June 26 is the Day Against Torture. I being a human rights lawyer appeal to International States Community , UNO, Committee against Torture and International Human Rights organizations to initiate appropriate measures to put an end to the impunity of Torture, enforced disappearances, summary and custodial executions in Pakistan at the hands of security forces and law enforcement agencies, on humanitarian grounds.

What To Do In Orlando With Kids

News Intervention Bureau
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What To Do In Orlando With Kids

Kids can sure be a handful; however, with enough to keep them busy, you should have little to worry. One of the best places to entertain your kids is Orlando in central Florida. Home to some of the most famous theme parks and amusement centers, the city is a significant destination for travelers looking to have fun with their kids. If you are planning a trip to Orlando, bringing your kids along could be like taking them to Santa early. Below are some fun things you can do in Orlando with kids. 

Things To Do With Teens In Orlando

1.Gatorland
The 110-acre home to crocodiles and alligators is one of the best adventures to give your teens in Orlando. Besides the alligators, the off-road experience, sudden turns, off-road car excursion, and funny tour guides are guaranteed a full star rating by your teens.

2. Kennedy Space Center
More than having fun, the Kennedy Space Center represents the Country’s commitment to outer space exploration. It provides an opportunity for your teens to learn while on the trip and have something to take back from your visit.

3. Seaworld
Seaworld provides up-close sea life fascination for your teens. Swarming with wildlife exhibits, Seaworld brings your teens closer to the animals they love and balances it with thrill rides on epic rollercoasters. You can extend the visit by heading to the Discovery Cove adjacent to the Seaworld.

4. Universal Orlando resort
Universal Studios and Island of adventure are two of the destinations for teenagers seeking thrill and immersion into TV. There is also the Marvel Superhero Island for their favorite superhero.

5. Shopping
Let your teenagers feel chic by taking them shopping. The Mall at Millenia, for example, has more than 145 shops. Enough to keep your fashionista busy throughout the day.

Best Playgrounds In Orlando 

1.The Walt Disney
The four parts of the Walt Disney World seem a bit larger than life itself. The World houses the Disney World water parks, Hollywood Studios, Toy story land, the new starwars land, and Pandora, the World of Avatar.

2. Legoland
Legoland is another massive amusement park that features character greetings, attractions, and lego-theme rides. The Lego Ninjago World, where your kids can try to destroy ghosts and skeletons.

3. Camp Jurassic
Hidden pathways, rope bridges, raised walkways, interactive dinosaur footprints, slides, and canopies in the Jurassic camp promises loads of fun for your kids.

4. The Boneyard
The Boneyard is another playground that your kids will love so much; it will be hard to get them to leave. Fossils and Bones in the structure and walls, climbing frames, and slides are few of the sights in the Boneyard.

Can I sneak my 3-year old into Disney world?

There is little need to attempt to sneak in your 3-year old into Disney World. The ground itself is a big as San Francisco with more than 20 resorts, two water parks, four golf courses, and four theme parks. Instead, you should get him a ticket. All you have to do is go to Disney World and purchase an entry ticket for yourself and your 3-year old. You can have free entry if your kid is below three, however, for a three-year-old, you need a ticket. Besides, trying to sneak in a 3-year old could attract a lifetime ban from ever coming back to Disney World. 

Can an International Traveler Sneak Into Orlando? 

Attempting to sneak into the United States is a criminal offense. If you are from a visa waiver country (VWC), you can apply via ESTA online application for access to Orlando. This is an application open to nationalities of countries that are covered under VWC. Although the final decision to allow you into the Country is determined at the point of entry, the ESTA authorizes you to board a ship or aircraft to the USA. First, you need to fill an application, confirm your data, make a payment, and receive your ESTA authorization via email. If you intend to travel to Orlando as a tourist with your kids, the visit must be less than 90 days with the ESTA. Between filling application and the final approval, you should check status of ESTA for an immediate status update.

Things to Do Around Orlando Airport?

1.Disney’s EarPort
The Earport is an excellent place to check what you might have forgotten to purchase during your visit to Orlando.

2. Kennedy Space Center Shop
A tour of the Kennedy Space Center shop about 55 minutes from the airport is the right place for last-minute shopping in Orlando. Plus, there is also an educative bus tour of the site.

3. The Club at MCO
The club is an excellent place to relax and wait before boarding your flight. There is a small playroom for kids, excellent food, and a bar with unlimited drinks for the adults.

The city of Orlando, Florida, has a lot to offer international travelers and their kids. A little fun during your visit won’t hurt.

Militants sexually assault Kashmiri women in the name of Jihad

Kashmiri Nechu
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Militants sexually assault Kashmiri women in the name of Jihad

The self-described Islamic State (IS) uses violation of women as a tool to govern, hold territory and fund its operation. Women are captured by this militant group and auctioned off or promised to upcoming recruits. In some rare cases they are rescued by a heroic group of lawyers and activists, but by and large, this system of sex slavery is a gruesome reality for thousands of young women. This malaise has spread across regions that were in control of the Islamic State (IS). The exploitation of Yazidi women by IS that has now comes to world’s notice has emerged as an ultimate example of barbarism.

ISIS or the IS has implemented a deeply rooted system of sex slavery involving the women of Yazidi religious minority that continues even today. Many of these unfortunate and hapless women who were captured while trying to flee Sinjar Mountain last August were shipped off on a fleet of buses to a set of holding pens in the city of Mosul and other areas within Iraq. It was in these enclosures where many of the captured Yazidi women heard the word “Sabaya” for the first time. Sabaya refers to a “Theology of Rape” created by Islamic State (IS) on the premise that Islamic faith gives a right to devout Muslims to rape women practicing a religion other than Islam. According to Sabaya it is condoned and encouraged.

Slain Lashkar-e-Taiba member Abu Dujana was just one of the many militants in Jammu & Kashmir who did not hesitate from taking take a break from the violence to indulge in amorous affairs and force himself on innocent Kashmiris.

The objects of affection or lust are not always women, there are several recorded incidents where these militants were found in a relationship with men. One such incident was recorded in Tral where the militants belonged to the Hizbul Mujahedeen. Another militant from Anantnag, Aadil Ahmed Reshi, killed on January 15, this year, was involved with a married woman from Srinagar. The lovers pleaded earnestly not to reveal their true identities for fear of a social backlash.

Many Kashmiri girls have been victims of the sexual lust of these militants. These hapless girls had been forcibly kidnapped from their homes and sexually assaulted for several days and months before being set free. Several others who had resisted were killed mercilessly, some others died because of the violent nature of sexual assaults.

Lately, Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir has emerged as the hotbed of Islamic militants. In the past two weeks, about 22 militants, including six top “commanders”, have been neutralised in nine different operations in the region. Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh claimed that a total of 88 militants had been killed since January in 36 different operations.

In a shocking revelation, cartons of condom, Viagra, contraceptive pills and porn videos were recovered from a hideout in Shopian. It exposes the fact that the militants active in Jammu and Kashmir who profess to be waging Jihad (holy war) in the name of Islam, have been, all along, involved in sexual exploitation of innocent Kashmiri women. The recovery of materials such as sexual potency enhancing drugs, contraceptive pills to avoid complications later on, pornographic material and condoms from the hideouts draws a sharp similarity between the rampant sexual abuse of women in Jammu and Kashmir with that of subjugation of women as sex slaves by the ISIS in Syria. It reveals that the militants were not averse to creation of their own version of Sabaya in Kashmir thus bringing to light yet another element in their brutality and depravity under the guise of a holy war for the ‘liberation’ of the Union Territory.

“I was forcibly abducted and married after the Jaish militants barged in my house and thrashed my family members. I was already married to Tanveer Ahmad. He too was beaten and forced to divorce me. When I refused to go with the militant, he forcibly abducted me,” said a young woman, crying inconsolably. This woman was kidnapped from her house by the Jais-e-Muhammad militants and subjected to repeated gang rapes by Jaish militants. Her testimony reveals the nature of sexual exploitation by Jasih-e-Muhammad militants.

The woman’s father and family had no option but to concur with the pervasive sexual depravity perpetrated by the militants in Jammu and Kashmir. “We had married off our daughter to Tanveer but then Dawood (Jaish militant) forcibly abducted our daughter after mercilessly thrashing us. We ran pillar to post to free her but he threatened us with a gun. What could we do then? We were helpless, he took away our daughter,” said the woman’s father.

This is not Jihad by any means. There is no theological sanction for it. It is the product of a depraved lust and goes against all tenets of humanity. With militancy in Kashmir on its last breath, families are now gathering courage to report such incidents and also assist the security forces in neutralising such militants, who have brought shame to their families.

We Kashmiris pray that these sordid matters soon become a thing of the past and everyone gets an opportunity to apply balm to their wounds while starting life afresh.

CPEC– Project for Development OR Destruction of Gwadar ?

Vivek Sinha
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CPEC– Project for Development OR Destruction of Gwadar ?

The CPEC — China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, has been branded as a game changer for Gwadar. CPEC is also talked about as a “project” that will transform Balochistan’s Gwadar sea port into a developed coastal metropolis like the Dubai or Singapore. But is this true? Click on the YouTube link below to watch the detailed news report on Gwadar.

Click on the YouTube link to watch this comprehensive news report about Gwadar

Bharati Ghosh, Vice President BJP (West Bengal) talks about ground realities in Bengal

Vivek Sinha
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Bharati Ghosh, Vice President BJP (West Bengal) talks about ground realities in Bengal

What are the ground realities in West Bengal? West Bengal is passing through a turbulent phase. COVID-19, Amphan, electoral deaths, rise in “cut money” biz etc etc…..and this list goes on and on. Bharati Ghosh, former IPS & Vice President BJP (West Bengal) talks about the ground realities of Bengal with Vivek Sinha, Editor-in-Chief News Intervention.

Click on this link to watch full interview on News Intervention’s YouTube channel

Dr Deen Mohammad abducted 11 yrs ago by Pakistan is still ‘Missing’

News Intervention Bureau
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Dr Deen Mohammad abducted 11 yrs ago by Pakistan is still ‘Missing’

Sammi Baloch is sad, very sad. Eleven years ago her father, Dr Deen Mohammad, was abducted by the Pakistani security forces and he remains “missing” even today. “I made every possible effort for the safe recovery of my father but couldn’t attain justice, as he is still missing. We have grown up in this VBMP (Voice for Baloch Missing Persons) hunger strike camp, but justice couldn’t be obtained,” said Sammi Baloch, daughter of missing Dr Deen Mohammad.

Mehlab Deen Mohammad, Sammi’s sister also accompanied her in the VBMP camp. Dr Deen Mohammad was taken into custody on 28th June, 2009 from the Khuzdar district of Balochistan and transferred to an unknown location, after which he continues to be “missing”.

“Only my family can understand the pain that we have been going through after the enforced disappearance of my father. We have knocked all the doors for justice, but I have to say with regret that 11 years have passed but we are still to get justice. Once again I am sitting in this (VBMP) camp. I appeal to Human Rights Organizations to play their role for providing me justice,” Sammi Baloch added.

Sammi Baloch demanded that she too be treated as a citizen of this country and provided justice.

Daughters of Dr Deen Mohammad Baloch, Sammi Baloch and Mehlab Baloch have continued to protest in front of Quetta and Karachi Press Club for years. The sisters have raised their voice on different forums for Dr Deen Mohammad’s recovery. They also took part in the long “March of Voice for Missing Persons” from Quetta to Karachi and to Islamabad.

Dr Deen Mohammad was affiliated with the political party BNM (Baloch National Movement). He was a Central Committee member of the party when he went missing. According to his family and BNM, the Pakistani forces and intelligence agencies abducted him while he was on duty.

On the 11th anniversary of Dr Deen’s disappearance BNM announced that a global protest programme would be organized for him and to acquaint the issue to the world an online campaign on social media will be launched on June 27 with a hashtag #SaveDrDeenMohdBaloch.

It is pertinent to mention that such abductions have been carried out innumerable times in Balochistan. Leaders, activists and vocal members of various student organizations have been allegedly detained by the security forces and kept incommunicado.

VBMP (Voice for Baloch Missing Persons) has been protesting nonstop for almost 4000 days. As per VBMP, as many as 45,000 Baloch men, women and children have been disappeared, who are languishing in torture cells.

VBMP also says that at least 5,000 missing persons have been killed and dumped by the Pakistani security forces over the last decade.

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