Sunday, November 09, 2008
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LBS Prize
The award of the London Bach Society's Bach Singers' Prize, at St George's Hanover Square (the church where my parents were married 82 years ago). The winner, Jolanta Kowalska, a Polish soprano, sang the Laudamus Te from the Mass in B Minor among other favourites, an the whole concert was a fantastic birthday treat. Patrick Matthiesen, who donated the prize, is on my left, and Ian Partridge, chairman of the judges, on my right.
Victoria's speech
The problem with eulogies is that they are more commonly encountered at funerals. And also, as you all know, my father is a modest individual, more used to giving speeches than finding himself the subject of one.
But I didn’t want to let the opportunity pass, or miss the moment when I could add my love and best wishes for Eric’s 80th.
The risks he has taken have often put his life on the line, and his health problems, so vividly and graphically documented on his blog (www.ericavebury.blogspot.com) have also proved somewhat challenging. However, his attitude and approach to life has always been, variously, inspirational, incredibly tenacious, occasionally eccentric, generous, and embarrassing at times!
Virtually all his life has been spent either representing or fighting for the rights of others. For over 50 years, he has campaigned and highlighted the unheard voices of those less fortunate.
Since his famous ‘Orpington by-election victory’ in 1962, he has dedicated himself to trying to improving the democratic process – although perhaps in his position as an elected hereditary peer, this is somewhat of anathema! But before he is finally ‘abolished’, I have no doubt, he will continue to identify and address issues of injustice, with his tremendous wisdom, experience and unbounding energy.
The same cannot be said for his filing system, which I have been attempting to get to grips with recently, which runs from Azerbaijan and the Ahmadis through alcohol, pneumococal disease, through to Georgia, Zambia, freedoms and rights. In the last week alone, those that follow his blog will have been able to follow his meetings with the President of the Turks & Caicos Islands, the Armenian Foreign Minister, speeches on immigration and chairing a meeting on self-determination for Kashmiri’s. And some of you may not know that only a few weeks ago, he was hurtling around on the back of a motorcycle in his role as a member of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission.
But what about Eric, the father?
• Scribbling in my school history and geography textbooks, correcting erroneous ‘colonial errors’ and re-drawing world boundaries. This invariably resulting in him being summonsed to my school and having to pay for the ‘wilful damage’.
• Days out visiting stately homes, when Eric would stick a piece of gum to the end of a stick and attempt, in full public view, to extract coins tossed in by members of the public to the ‘wishing well’ fountain!
• Or there was the time he was charged and prosecuted with “resisting arrest and trying to injure a police officer with his ball-point pen” – around his neck on a strap at the time. Unfortunately, the T-shirts I had printed to proclaim his innocence were mis-printed, reading instead “Lord Avebury is indecent”
• Inspite of his rebellious nature, he is always an example of energy, passion and commitment - a brilliant role model and we are all incredibly proud of him and his achievements. Along the way, he has made many friends, as well as quite a few enemies exposing political hypocrisy and dirty dealings – from the arms to Sierra Leone to Blair’s secret meetings with Murdoch.
• So, to sum up, We urge you to keep up the good work as long as you are able and willing, but also, like tonight, continue to make time for “3 F’s”: Fun, friends and family. and we are all very happy to be able to share your 80th birthday celebrations!
But I didn’t want to let the opportunity pass, or miss the moment when I could add my love and best wishes for Eric’s 80th.
The risks he has taken have often put his life on the line, and his health problems, so vividly and graphically documented on his blog (www.ericavebury.blogspot.com) have also proved somewhat challenging. However, his attitude and approach to life has always been, variously, inspirational, incredibly tenacious, occasionally eccentric, generous, and embarrassing at times!
Virtually all his life has been spent either representing or fighting for the rights of others. For over 50 years, he has campaigned and highlighted the unheard voices of those less fortunate.
Since his famous ‘Orpington by-election victory’ in 1962, he has dedicated himself to trying to improving the democratic process – although perhaps in his position as an elected hereditary peer, this is somewhat of anathema! But before he is finally ‘abolished’, I have no doubt, he will continue to identify and address issues of injustice, with his tremendous wisdom, experience and unbounding energy.
The same cannot be said for his filing system, which I have been attempting to get to grips with recently, which runs from Azerbaijan and the Ahmadis through alcohol, pneumococal disease, through to Georgia, Zambia, freedoms and rights. In the last week alone, those that follow his blog will have been able to follow his meetings with the President of the Turks & Caicos Islands, the Armenian Foreign Minister, speeches on immigration and chairing a meeting on self-determination for Kashmiri’s. And some of you may not know that only a few weeks ago, he was hurtling around on the back of a motorcycle in his role as a member of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission.
But what about Eric, the father?
• Scribbling in my school history and geography textbooks, correcting erroneous ‘colonial errors’ and re-drawing world boundaries. This invariably resulting in him being summonsed to my school and having to pay for the ‘wilful damage’.
• Days out visiting stately homes, when Eric would stick a piece of gum to the end of a stick and attempt, in full public view, to extract coins tossed in by members of the public to the ‘wishing well’ fountain!
• Or there was the time he was charged and prosecuted with “resisting arrest and trying to injure a police officer with his ball-point pen” – around his neck on a strap at the time. Unfortunately, the T-shirts I had printed to proclaim his innocence were mis-printed, reading instead “Lord Avebury is indecent”
• Inspite of his rebellious nature, he is always an example of energy, passion and commitment - a brilliant role model and we are all incredibly proud of him and his achievements. Along the way, he has made many friends, as well as quite a few enemies exposing political hypocrisy and dirty dealings – from the arms to Sierra Leone to Blair’s secret meetings with Murdoch.
• So, to sum up, We urge you to keep up the good work as long as you are able and willing, but also, like tonight, continue to make time for “3 F’s”: Fun, friends and family. and we are all very happy to be able to share your 80th birthday celebrations!
Thursday, November 06, 2008
NO: 00880 2 8113243
TO:
Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed
Chief Advisor
Office of the Chief Advisor, Bangladesh
October 27, 2008
Dear Chief Advisor,
On behalf of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission we would like to express our deep concern regarding the alleged torture of and denial of effective medical treatment to Mr. Ranglai Mro, an Adivasi leader, the elected Chairperson of Sualok Union Parishad, and head of the local NGO Mrochet of Bandarban, Chittagong Hill Tracts.
On 23 February 2007, Mr Ranglai Mro, aged 38, was forcefully taken away from his residence in Bandarban town by army led-security forces. He was allegedly subject to torture in Bandarban Cantonment and then handed over to the police station of Bandarban Sadar Thana. He was accused of illegal possession of weapons. Mr Ranglai Mro was admitted to the Bandarban Sadar Hospital on the same day, and was subsequently transferred to the Chittagong Medical College Hospital.
Four months after his arrest, Mr. Ranglai Mro was convicted of illegal possession of weapons under the Arms Act 1878, and sentenced to 17 years' imprisonment. An appeal was filed before the High Court against the conviction and sentence and has been pending for over a year.
In October 2007 Mr Ranglai Mro’s health further deteriorated, and he was admitted to the Chittagong Medical College Hospital. There, doctors said he needed treatment in a hospital with better equipment, but he was once more sent back to jail without any improvement in his health. He still has not received appropriate treatment for his heart condition and other medical complications, and his health remains at grave risk.
We strongly urge the authorities to provide Mr. Ranglai Mro with immediate and sustained medical treatment in a hospital, if necessary abroad, which is equipped to provide specialist treatment for his critical heart condition.
The Commission earnestly requests the authorities to order an investigation by an independent, impartial and competent body on the torture of Mr. Ranglai Mro with a view to bringing those responsible to justice.
Eric Avebury Sultana Kamal Ida Nicolaisen
Co-chair of the Co-chair of the Co-chair of the
CHT Commission CHT Commission CHT Commission
TO:
Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmed
Chief Advisor
Office of the Chief Advisor, Bangladesh
October 27, 2008
Dear Chief Advisor,
On behalf of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Commission we would like to express our deep concern regarding the alleged torture of and denial of effective medical treatment to Mr. Ranglai Mro, an Adivasi leader, the elected Chairperson of Sualok Union Parishad, and head of the local NGO Mrochet of Bandarban, Chittagong Hill Tracts.
On 23 February 2007, Mr Ranglai Mro, aged 38, was forcefully taken away from his residence in Bandarban town by army led-security forces. He was allegedly subject to torture in Bandarban Cantonment and then handed over to the police station of Bandarban Sadar Thana. He was accused of illegal possession of weapons. Mr Ranglai Mro was admitted to the Bandarban Sadar Hospital on the same day, and was subsequently transferred to the Chittagong Medical College Hospital.
Four months after his arrest, Mr. Ranglai Mro was convicted of illegal possession of weapons under the Arms Act 1878, and sentenced to 17 years' imprisonment. An appeal was filed before the High Court against the conviction and sentence and has been pending for over a year.
In October 2007 Mr Ranglai Mro’s health further deteriorated, and he was admitted to the Chittagong Medical College Hospital. There, doctors said he needed treatment in a hospital with better equipment, but he was once more sent back to jail without any improvement in his health. He still has not received appropriate treatment for his heart condition and other medical complications, and his health remains at grave risk.
We strongly urge the authorities to provide Mr. Ranglai Mro with immediate and sustained medical treatment in a hospital, if necessary abroad, which is equipped to provide specialist treatment for his critical heart condition.
The Commission earnestly requests the authorities to order an investigation by an independent, impartial and competent body on the torture of Mr. Ranglai Mro with a view to bringing those responsible to justice.
Eric Avebury Sultana Kamal Ida Nicolaisen
Co-chair of the Co-chair of the Co-chair of the
CHT Commission CHT Commission CHT Commission
Monday, November 03, 2008
Kashmir
Chairing a meeting on self-determination for the people of Kashmir on October 14 in the Moses Room of the House of Lords. Zafar Khan is speaking, and Lord Ahmed is on my other side.
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Saturday, November 01, 2008
This week
Maurice arrived from Auckland this afternoon for a short visit. He had a little sleep on the 26-hour journey and seems in very good shape.
Monday, lunch with the Armenian Foreign Minister. Then fielded a question by Lord Naseby on security and business aviation, and in the evening, attended the presentation by Mr Speaker of the Mr Speaker Abbott Awards, for which I am one of the judges. This year there were joint winners: Michel Kilo, a Syrian journalist who is serving a three-year prison sentence,presented in absentia to his son, and Jonathan Paye-Layleh, who reports from Liberia for the BBC.
Tuesday, hosted a Silbury Fund lunch for Jonathan Paye-Layleh, then chaired a Parliamentary Human Rights Group meeting for him to meet NGOs. Attended a meeting of the Parliamentary Drugs and Alcohol Harm Group.
Wednesday, fielded a question by Lord Greaves on the statement by the new Minister for Immigration, Phil Woolas, that the Government would prevent the UK population from rising to 70 million. Then spoke on two Orders; on the next phase of the Points Based System of immigration control, and on remands by the English courts of persons indicted by the International Criminal Court. In the evening, attended the joint 80th birthday party of Bill Rodgers and Dick Taverne.
Thursday, meeting with the Prime Minister of the Turks and Caicos Islands; then fielded a question by the Bishop of Winchester on the situation in the eastern DRC, and at the end of business, moved an amendment to the Education & Skills Bill on the education of GRT children - mainly in order to get a progress report from the new Minister, Baroness Morgan, on assurances given by her predecessor Lord Adonis before the summer recess.
Monday, lunch with the Armenian Foreign Minister. Then fielded a question by Lord Naseby on security and business aviation, and in the evening, attended the presentation by Mr Speaker of the Mr Speaker Abbott Awards, for which I am one of the judges. This year there were joint winners: Michel Kilo, a Syrian journalist who is serving a three-year prison sentence,presented in absentia to his son, and Jonathan Paye-Layleh, who reports from Liberia for the BBC.
Tuesday, hosted a Silbury Fund lunch for Jonathan Paye-Layleh, then chaired a Parliamentary Human Rights Group meeting for him to meet NGOs. Attended a meeting of the Parliamentary Drugs and Alcohol Harm Group.
Wednesday, fielded a question by Lord Greaves on the statement by the new Minister for Immigration, Phil Woolas, that the Government would prevent the UK population from rising to 70 million. Then spoke on two Orders; on the next phase of the Points Based System of immigration control, and on remands by the English courts of persons indicted by the International Criminal Court. In the evening, attended the joint 80th birthday party of Bill Rodgers and Dick Taverne.
Thursday, meeting with the Prime Minister of the Turks and Caicos Islands; then fielded a question by the Bishop of Winchester on the situation in the eastern DRC, and at the end of business, moved an amendment to the Education & Skills Bill on the education of GRT children - mainly in order to get a progress report from the new Minister, Baroness Morgan, on assurances given by her predecessor Lord Adonis before the summer recess.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Magraret Owen
On the back of this picture are the following two labels:
Margaret Owen Lady Stanley of Alderley when an old woman
Blanche Airlie
Margaret Owen Lady Stanley of Alderley
a water colour drawing from an oil painting at Penrhôs Wales
This Lady was heiress of Penrhos
a beauty painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds
the Earl of Airlie
Margaret Owen was born in 1742 and died February 1, 1816. The de Witt archive has images of three Reynolds portraits of her, all before her marriage to Sir John Stanley o April 29, 1763. One of these is noted as sold to Harvard in Christie's Guinness sale of July 10, 1953, but the Harvard archivist, who tells me they have about 60 works by Sir Joshua Reynolds, could find no trace of it on their database
It isn't clear from Airlie's note whether the Penrhos picture was itself by Reynolds.
Margaret Owen Lady Stanley of Alderley when an old woman
Blanche Airlie
Margaret Owen Lady Stanley of Alderley
a water colour drawing from an oil painting at Penrhôs Wales
This Lady was heiress of Penrhos
a beauty painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds
the Earl of Airlie
Margaret Owen was born in 1742 and died February 1, 1816. The de Witt archive has images of three Reynolds portraits of her, all before her marriage to Sir John Stanley o April 29, 1763. One of these is noted as sold to Harvard in Christie's Guinness sale of July 10, 1953, but the Harvard archivist, who tells me they have about 60 works by Sir Joshua Reynolds, could find no trace of it on their database
It isn't clear from Airlie's note whether the Penrhos picture was itself by Reynolds.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Margaret Owen
Not a very good photograph, but it was getting dark and the camera needed the flash.
This is a watercolour by Blanche Airlie, nee Stanley,who died January 5, 1921. She was the sister of my great grandfather Edward Lyulph Stanley and Katherine Bell, daughter of Edward John Stanley and Henrietta Maria Dillon, granddaughter of John Thomas Stanley and Maria Josepha Holroyd and great granddaughter of John Thomas Stanley and Margaret Owen.
The original, by Joshua Reynolds, I think I remember as a child at Lowndes Square. Dudi thinks it was in the drawing room at Penrhos. Maybe with a little detective work I can find out where it is now.
This is a watercolour by Blanche Airlie, nee Stanley,who died January 5, 1921. She was the sister of my great grandfather Edward Lyulph Stanley and Katherine Bell, daughter of Edward John Stanley and Henrietta Maria Dillon, granddaughter of John Thomas Stanley and Maria Josepha Holroyd and great granddaughter of John Thomas Stanley and Margaret Owen.
The original, by Joshua Reynolds, I think I remember as a child at Lowndes Square. Dudi thinks it was in the drawing room at Penrhos. Maybe with a little detective work I can find out where it is now.
Obama supporters
If UK voters had a say in the American elections, Obama would have much larger majority, to judge by the people I know When I wear my Obama badge in the House I get favourable comments from colleagues in all parties.
JW is in Denver helping the Democrats there, as are others from Britain, and I suppose the situation would be the same in other swing states.
JW is in Denver helping the Democrats there, as are others from Britain, and I suppose the situation would be the same in other swing states.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Resolution from last Sunday's Hannover conference on Bangladesh
Resolution of the 9th Bangladesh-Conference, Hannover/Germany
This Conference, held as part of the “European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008”,
aware that Bangladeshi communities in European countries fervently hope for agreement between the stakeholders on the necessary steps to be taken for an orderly democratic process leading to peaceful elections on December 18;
noting that the European Union is sending an observer mission to monitor the elections, and that EU help may be needed to consolidate the transition to democracy
1. Respectfully calls on the caretaker government and the political parties to reach agreement without further delay on the conditions for registration of the parties;
2. Further requests the government and the political parties to reach agreement on the lifting of the state of emergency to allow freedom of expression and of movement, coupled with a prohibition on incitement to violence or communal hatred;
3. Calls on the parties to discuss a review of the constitution, to reduce the power of the political parties over the choice of candidates, and to amend Article 70, which deprives MPs of freedom to exercise their own judgement;
4. Welcomes the public discussion of the necessity of bringing to justice the perpetrators of the war crimes of 1971, and
5. Respectfully hopes that the incoming democratic government will implement the Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord in full
This Conference, held as part of the “European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008”,
aware that Bangladeshi communities in European countries fervently hope for agreement between the stakeholders on the necessary steps to be taken for an orderly democratic process leading to peaceful elections on December 18;
noting that the European Union is sending an observer mission to monitor the elections, and that EU help may be needed to consolidate the transition to democracy
1. Respectfully calls on the caretaker government and the political parties to reach agreement without further delay on the conditions for registration of the parties;
2. Further requests the government and the political parties to reach agreement on the lifting of the state of emergency to allow freedom of expression and of movement, coupled with a prohibition on incitement to violence or communal hatred;
3. Calls on the parties to discuss a review of the constitution, to reduce the power of the political parties over the choice of candidates, and to amend Article 70, which deprives MPs of freedom to exercise their own judgement;
4. Welcomes the public discussion of the necessity of bringing to justice the perpetrators of the war crimes of 1971, and
5. Respectfully hopes that the incoming democratic government will implement the Chittagong Hill Tracts Accord in full
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Recommendations of Pneumococcal Disease Group
Recommendations of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Pneumococcal Disease (full report, www.appg-preventpneumo.org/download/appg_report.pdf)
Recomendation 1
Recognised international health funding mechanisms such as the Global Fund and IFFIm fund immunisations and the management of diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. As a result, UK Government statements, policies and strategies specifically recognise and focus on these diseases, as the UK Government is a major driver and financial contributor to both mechanisms. The AMC funds prevention of pneumococcal disease, including pneumonia, through a similarly recognised mechanism.
We recommend that the UK Government give equal prominence and standing to pneumococcal disease and pneumonia in its statements, policies and strategies as with malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS . We also recommend that world governments give
equal prominence and standing to pneumonia and pneumococcal disease as they ascribe to other conditions.
Recomendation 2
The lack of a standard message around pneumococcal disease, technical factors and poor surveillance, have exacerbated the pervasive underappreciation of pneumococcal disease as a public health priority.
We recommend that the governments of developing countries increase their commitments, where possible, to prevent and treat pneumonia and meningitis, the two most common manifestations of serious pneumococcal disease.
R ecomendation 3
We believe that ongoing monitoring and evaluation is essential to secure public trust in the use of the large sums of public funding committed to the pneumococcal AMC. Public scrutiny of spend, transparency of management and robust evidence-based statistics are essential to
maintain this trust.
We recommend that the Department for International Development (DFID) and the AMC partners publish regular updates on the progress of the pneumococcal AMC programme.
We recommend that the UK Government and all AMC donors continue to monitor and evaluate the pilot AMC and work to assure that future AMC s benefit from the lessons learned.
R ecomendation 4
We believe that continued research into pneumococcal disease and vaccination is vital for improved epidemiology, more accurate diagnosis and monitoring of changes in serotype. Current PCVs are not effective against all serotypes of pneumococcal disease, particularly some strains that are common in adults and the elderly, (S. pneumoniae kills about
800,000 adults annually).208 In addition to this, herd immunity should ensure that adult mortality declines following the introduction of vaccination in children. AMC donors should engage with pharmaceutical companies to discuss developing vaccines effective against a larger variety of S. pneumoniae serotypes.
We recommend that AMC donors and other international governments consider supporting further research initiatives to discover and develop novel vaccines for the developing world and for adults who are also affected by pneumococcal disease.
R ecomendation 5
AMC donor nations and organisations, as well as other key stakeholders should encourage other governments to contribute to supporting and backing further efforts to strengthen health systems including the areas of education, prevention, treatment and management of pneumococcal disease and pneumonia and other diseases that affect the developing world.
We recommend that the UK Government and other organisations, such as GAV I, support ongoing international efforts to strengthen health systems in the developing world, including through the International Health Partnership.
R ecomendation 6
Educational, environmental and cultural factors increase the risk of pneumococcal disease. For example, parents may not recognise the symptoms in their children and might not appreciate the importance of seeking medical help.209 Overcrowding, poor domestic air quality and
malnutrition also increase the likelihood of exposure, transmission and the development of the disease.210 The MRF stated in their written evidence that “…it is particularly important to engage with the public. Effective communication about disease burden and the importance of vaccination plays a vital role.”
We recommend that governments and agencies take this opportunity to educate people on the signs, symptoms and risk factors for pneumococcal disease.
Recomendation 1
Recognised international health funding mechanisms such as the Global Fund and IFFIm fund immunisations and the management of diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. As a result, UK Government statements, policies and strategies specifically recognise and focus on these diseases, as the UK Government is a major driver and financial contributor to both mechanisms. The AMC funds prevention of pneumococcal disease, including pneumonia, through a similarly recognised mechanism.
We recommend that the UK Government give equal prominence and standing to pneumococcal disease and pneumonia in its statements, policies and strategies as with malaria, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS . We also recommend that world governments give
equal prominence and standing to pneumonia and pneumococcal disease as they ascribe to other conditions.
Recomendation 2
The lack of a standard message around pneumococcal disease, technical factors and poor surveillance, have exacerbated the pervasive underappreciation of pneumococcal disease as a public health priority.
We recommend that the governments of developing countries increase their commitments, where possible, to prevent and treat pneumonia and meningitis, the two most common manifestations of serious pneumococcal disease.
R ecomendation 3
We believe that ongoing monitoring and evaluation is essential to secure public trust in the use of the large sums of public funding committed to the pneumococcal AMC. Public scrutiny of spend, transparency of management and robust evidence-based statistics are essential to
maintain this trust.
We recommend that the Department for International Development (DFID) and the AMC partners publish regular updates on the progress of the pneumococcal AMC programme.
We recommend that the UK Government and all AMC donors continue to monitor and evaluate the pilot AMC and work to assure that future AMC s benefit from the lessons learned.
R ecomendation 4
We believe that continued research into pneumococcal disease and vaccination is vital for improved epidemiology, more accurate diagnosis and monitoring of changes in serotype. Current PCVs are not effective against all serotypes of pneumococcal disease, particularly some strains that are common in adults and the elderly, (S. pneumoniae kills about
800,000 adults annually).208 In addition to this, herd immunity should ensure that adult mortality declines following the introduction of vaccination in children. AMC donors should engage with pharmaceutical companies to discuss developing vaccines effective against a larger variety of S. pneumoniae serotypes.
We recommend that AMC donors and other international governments consider supporting further research initiatives to discover and develop novel vaccines for the developing world and for adults who are also affected by pneumococcal disease.
R ecomendation 5
AMC donor nations and organisations, as well as other key stakeholders should encourage other governments to contribute to supporting and backing further efforts to strengthen health systems including the areas of education, prevention, treatment and management of pneumococcal disease and pneumonia and other diseases that affect the developing world.
We recommend that the UK Government and other organisations, such as GAV I, support ongoing international efforts to strengthen health systems in the developing world, including through the International Health Partnership.
R ecomendation 6
Educational, environmental and cultural factors increase the risk of pneumococcal disease. For example, parents may not recognise the symptoms in their children and might not appreciate the importance of seeking medical help.209 Overcrowding, poor domestic air quality and
malnutrition also increase the likelihood of exposure, transmission and the development of the disease.210 The MRF stated in their written evidence that “…it is particularly important to engage with the public. Effective communication about disease burden and the importance of vaccination plays a vital role.”
We recommend that governments and agencies take this opportunity to educate people on the signs, symptoms and risk factors for pneumococcal disease.
Last week
Peccavi! I'm not keeping up with events on my blog, as Hugh reminded me this evening. Briefly:
October 13, fielded a Parliamentary question on Burma. Then, a meeting with two distinguished visitors from Bangladesh, and later, helped defet the Government on their infamous proposal to allow a person to be detained for up to 42 days before being charged.
October 14, attended and spoke at a meeting to protest about the American intention to hand over control of Camp Ashraf in Iraq, where there are several thousand members of the People's Mojahedin of Iran, to the Iraqi authorities. Later, attended the celebration of the 300th Anniversary of the inauguration of the Sikh faith (from the date when the holy book, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, was made the permanent Guru, following the previous nine living Gurus. In the evening, spoke at a meeting on self-determination for Kashmir in the Moses Room.
October 15, lunch with Ursula; spoke at a meeting on West Papua, then at the launch of the Report of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Pneumococcal Disease (having played an active role on the Committee's inquiry), then a meeting with Fernanda Borges of East Timor.
October 16, visit to the Vascular Laboratory at King's to have a Doppler scan of my aorta, which is still 4.75 cm, as it was a year ago. Then, a meeting with two Iranians, who were lobbying against the decision to deproscribe the PMOI as no longer satisfying the criteria to be treated as terrorists. They gave me some literature containing general allegations, but when I asked them to name one 'terrorist' offence committee by the PMOI since the assassination of the Governor of Evin Prison in 1999 or 2000 they were at a loss. In the early evening, attended the first showing of Shahriar Kabir's film on the 1971 war crimes in Bangladesh, hen allegedly three million people were murdered, and spoke as one of a panel discussing the film.
October 17, chaired a meeting of the Traveller Law Reform Unit.
October 18, to Hannover, attended a weekend meeting on Bangladesh there and spoke on the Sunday.
October 13, fielded a Parliamentary question on Burma. Then, a meeting with two distinguished visitors from Bangladesh, and later, helped defet the Government on their infamous proposal to allow a person to be detained for up to 42 days before being charged.
October 14, attended and spoke at a meeting to protest about the American intention to hand over control of Camp Ashraf in Iraq, where there are several thousand members of the People's Mojahedin of Iran, to the Iraqi authorities. Later, attended the celebration of the 300th Anniversary of the inauguration of the Sikh faith (from the date when the holy book, Sri Guru Granth Sahib, was made the permanent Guru, following the previous nine living Gurus. In the evening, spoke at a meeting on self-determination for Kashmir in the Moses Room.
October 15, lunch with Ursula; spoke at a meeting on West Papua, then at the launch of the Report of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Pneumococcal Disease (having played an active role on the Committee's inquiry), then a meeting with Fernanda Borges of East Timor.
October 16, visit to the Vascular Laboratory at King's to have a Doppler scan of my aorta, which is still 4.75 cm, as it was a year ago. Then, a meeting with two Iranians, who were lobbying against the decision to deproscribe the PMOI as no longer satisfying the criteria to be treated as terrorists. They gave me some literature containing general allegations, but when I asked them to name one 'terrorist' offence committee by the PMOI since the assassination of the Governor of Evin Prison in 1999 or 2000 they were at a loss. In the early evening, attended the first showing of Shahriar Kabir's film on the 1971 war crimes in Bangladesh, hen allegedly three million people were murdered, and spoke as one of a panel discussing the film.
October 17, chaired a meeting of the Traveller Law Reform Unit.
October 18, to Hannover, attended a weekend meeting on Bangladesh there and spoke on the Sunday.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
SOAS - the Bangladesh war crimes of 1971
At SOAS this evening there was the premiere of Shahriar Kabir's film on the Bangladesh war crimes of 1971, after which there was a panel discussion and questions by the audience. Kabir has recorded a large number of testimonies on the atrocities by the Pakistan army and their collaborators, but there still needs to be a systematic collection of the witness statements in a form that could be presented as evidence in a court of law. The revival of war crimes prosecutions, initiated by Sheikh Mujib ur Rahman after independence, but terminated abruptly at the point of the military coup in 1975, is likely to be debated in the General Election campaign in Bangladesh, and it would be useful if the diaspora could also express their views.
Friday, October 10, 2008
First week back
Fairly busy, first week back in Parliament. Monday I spoke in a debate on Pakistan, Wednesday, a question on Zimbabwe, Thursday, a question on Iraqi refugees, and chaired a meeting for Sheikh Hasina, Leader of the Awami League in Bangladesh. She spoke about the forthcoming elections, due on December 18, and criticised the caretaker government's decision to continue emergency rule up to polling day. But she pointed out also that the only time in the history of Bangladesh that power has been handed over peacefully at a democratic election was in 2001, when she was defeated by the BNP.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Sunday lunch
There wasn't much to report last week, hence the gap in entries. Friday evening we attended a dinner to mark the centenary of engineering at Oxford, and Saturday I addressed a neeting at the London Buddhist Vihara, on Buddhism and International Relations.
Monday, October 06, 2008
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