IPIP Blog

History is an unkind keeper of secrets. They are preserved only to be thrown up when sought and often with a force that one hadnt bargained for.

With the apex court seeking a report on the necessity of an independent probe on the alleged fake encounters in Gujarat between 2003 and 2006, and the CBI beginning to probe the fake encounter of Ishrat Jehan and three others, the stench of a conspiracy entailing macabre machination is all set to fill the air in Gujarat as it gears up for yet another assembly election later this year.

So far, the encounters have been treated as isolated cases tied by one common thread – DG Vanzara – the IPS officer under whose directions they were carried out.

However, scratch the surface a little and one comes across documents which suggest that the killings were, at best, deliberate and perhaps even a systematic execution of a policy.

Former Gujarat Director General of Police RB Shreekumar had made similar allegations way back in 2005, when he submitted his third affidavit before the Nanavati Shah Commission probing the 2002 Gujarat riots.

The 274-page affidavit containing the quasi-official diary of the top cop, mentioned how the senior bureaucrats and the then DGP were gearing up for killing Muslim miscreants in the name of law and order.

Shreekumars entry dated May 1, 2002, when he was posted as the ADGP (Intelligence) reads: The DGP, in a person to person discussion, told me that the Chief Secretary Shri Subba Rao was persuaded by Cabinet Secretary Shri Prasad (IAS), belonging to the Andhra Pradesh cadre, to eliminate those Muslim extremists who are disturbing communal peace in Ahmedabad.

I responded that we (police) should not do anything illegal because it will be a cold-blooded premeditated murder, if we kill anybody without justification in the form of exercise of right to private defence or as a part of police action to control riots. Shreekumar wrote.

The DGP, Shri Chakravarthy, has fully agreed to my suggestion in this matter, the entry concluded.

In a subsequent entry dated June 28, 2002, which mentioned a meeting of senior officers convened by the then Chief Secretary G. Subbarao to review the situation in Ahmedabad city ahead of the Rath Yatra celebrations, Shreekumar mentioned how the Chief Secretary had suggested that elimination should be resorted to as a matter of policy.

After the formal meeting, the CS spoke to me personally and suggested that if someone is trying to disturb the Rath Yatra or planning to spoil the same, that PERSON BE ELIMINATED. He added that this is the policy and well considered decision of Chief Minister Narendra Modi, read the entry.

Thereafter, the CS observed that such action can be taken on the basis of SITUATIONAL LOGIC.

Vanzara had allegedly planted country-made weapons on 18 Muslim men in Ahmedabads Dariapur area before the Rath Yatra in 2002. Shreekumar had written a letter to the then Ahmedabad Police Commissioner KR Kaushik stating that the weapons found on the 18 Muslim youths were allegedly manufactured at Vadgam in Sabarkantha District at Hindustan Pipe Factory, owned by a Vishwa Hindu Parishad worker.

However, the government initiated an inquiry against Shreekumar for writing the letter instead of DG Vanzara, who should have been probed.

As Narendra Modi embarked on his Sadbhavana Mission on September 17 last year, which also happened to be his birthday, Shreekumar resurrected the old demon in an open letter to the Gujarat Chief Minister.

Sir, had you checked Sh.Vanzara and monitored his work, accepting my report, he would not have indulged in alleged extra-judicial killings of innocent people, Shreekumar wrote.

Now with the investigation in this connection gathering momentum, one can only expect more muck to emerge in the days to come. It appears that history is in no mood to forgive.

Health Minister is not quite healthy

Being a minister in Gujarat can be hazardous to your health, even if you are the minister of health.

As the chief minister was on a marathon mode in spreading Sadbhavana across the state, holding a fast at Anand on Tuesday, the minister of health and government spokesperson Jay Narayan Vyas had to be rushed to a hospital after he complained of uneasiness while on the dais.

According to the doctors, Vyas had developed low blood pressure.

Goldrush Resources Ltd. (GOD.V) was digging sharp gains in the
afternoon, jumps 10% to 16 cents, after announcing the results of
the Rotary Air Blast drilling program on its Pompoi permit.

Len Brownlie, President and CEO of Goldrush, said: The initial
RAB program on the southwest quadrant of the Pompoi permit has been
successful in demonstrating the presence of gold mineralization in
a similar setting to that encountered by Roxgold at Bagassi
Central.

More than 396,000 GOD shares have changed hands so far.

Photographer Amy Stein is a city girl. Primarily, she has lived in Washington, DC, and New York, where encounters between humans and wildlife usually involve squirrels.

So when she went to the country to work on a project about women and guns, she was surprised to hear about more serious encounters, including a girl seeing a bear on the other side of the chain-link fence that separated her home from the mountains.

I just became fascinated with these stories and so I set out to re-create these stories, Stein said by phone from Parsons The New School of Design in New York, where she teaches photography.

The project is Domesticated, on exhibit at The Art Museum at the University of Kentucky as part of the Robert C. May Photography Endowment Lecture Series. She will talk about the project at 4 pm Friday in a free lecture at the UK Student Centers Worsham Theatre.

Domesticated started at Dave Clarks taxidermy shop in Matamoras, Pa., which became the setting for the series.

He was kind of open-minded to working with an artist like myself, Stein says. Through spending time in his store and spending time in the town, I became very interested in the location of the town, which is between the Delaware River and a big mountain park. Its a small town sort of sandwiched between two natural spaces.

As I spent more time at Dave Clarks local taxidermy shop, I was hearing more and more about these human-animal encounters that happened at night.

She tried to wait out some naturally occurring images. For the most part, though, she quickly came to realize that she needed to stage the shots.

We set out every weekend to create images related to specific stories, Stein says of herself and her husband, John, who made regular trips from New York to Matamoras, about 80 miles northwest of the city.

It turned out to be a really good thing to know a taxidermist. Clark or his customers would lend Stein the animals that would be posed in a variety of looks: a wolf howling at a floodlight in a Target parking lot, a deer lounging in a greenhouse, that big black bear startling the little girl at her swimming pool.

The bears face had this ridiculous expression, this open-mouth, aggressive expression, Stein says of the animal, which eventually was photographed from behind. It took me a while to realize I need to get behind the bear and show the form of the bear without showing the face because that will have more power and also camouflage this ridiculous expression.

Stein says she usually had to take some time to talk with the people whom she asked to be in the photos, to help them understand what she was doing and that this wasnt a smile for the camera type of portrait.

One thing I would always do is bring examples of images that are already made, that are in the style of what I wanted to make, Stein says. I was lucky at this point that there were some images in Oprah magazine and some pretty big magazines that had published some of the images. That gives you immediate credibility in a sense.

Some photographs were spontaneous, including Threat, which shows a little boy in the woods with a deer, and Fast Food, which depicts seagulls swooping in to eat a discarded burger and fries in a parking lot.

Its a lot easier for animals to eat our refuse and scraps, because they have calories and protein and they dont have to hunt it, Stein says.

Animals eating humans discards was one of several themes in the series, along with fences that people build to put up barriers between themselves and the natural world, even though the barriers dont always hold.

In Predator, a little girl stands in a flowery pink dress at the open gate of her fence as a coyote walks menacingly by. Stein says that sometime later, she heard that the same family had trouble with a bear that wanted to hibernate under their house.

Stein says that despite such annoyances, she found that most of the people knew what they were getting into, living where they live.

Theyre lovely people who want to share the beauty and wonder of their surroundings, Stein says.

And they have, through her lens.

Casey Horgan, Staff Writer
February 3, 2012
Filed under Opinion

Michael Mellinger first chose Guilford College for the school’s outstanding German department and its new track and field program. He also picked it for its proximity to a host Reserved Officers’ Training Corps program that he could attend down the road at NC Aamp;T University.

He became a cadet because he wanted to join the military after college in a leadership-based role. ROTC allowed him the opportunity to get an education “while being protected in school from deployment,” as he put it.

Despite Guilford’s academic and extracurricular opportunities that seemed to fit so well with Mellinger’s needs, he left after only a year.

He transferred his sophomore year due to several incidents of students shouting offensive slurs and a couple of incidents of people spitting at him while he was in uniform.

“I made sure to not react (because) I represented not only myself, but the United States as well,” he said.

So, to whom it may concern:

You’re anti-war? Fine. That’s your belief and I won’t judge you for it. I certainly won’t spit on you. I will, however, judge you for your actions. You’re disrespectful, you’re immature and you haven’t learned that your narrow-mindedness can profoundly impact your peers.

Your fellow student transferred because of you. You drove away a student from Guilford because you didn’t like what his uniform stood for.

Don’t hide behind your faith. That’s cowardly. I understand that Quakerism denounces warfare. I’m not asking you to support it. Though Guilford is a Quaker school, students are not required to adhere to the Quaker faith and anyone who differs in opinion or action has the right to do just that. You cannot justify your actions through faith, because no faith, not a single one, condones acting in this manner towards a fellow human.

It’s intolerance, plain and simple.

“Let it be known that I did not let these students get the best of me,” said Mellinger. “The administration was equally as bad, and that bothered me. My goal was to stay at Guilford for as long as possible to prove that I would not succumb to those who had a difference of opinion.

“I made a ton of good friends who accepted me for who I was. Some of my friends were Quakers. During my time there, they became my brothers — my family away from home.”

One of the main reasons that Mellinger finally transferred was that “most people (at Guilford) had no interest in anything but their beliefs,” which, he added, included professors.

At no point, said Mellinger, did the administration or student body carry out the values of equality and acceptance that Guilford touts, with the exception of a select few.

“The servicemen and women put themselves in harm’s way to defend a nation that has provided them with an opportunity to excel as human beings,” he said.

Guilford made him question this principle.

“I questioned the fact that if people treat me like this, what am I really defending? In the end, I would be defending my fellow soldiers, for they would be the only ones who would understand,” said Mellinger. “I would be defending my family and my friends, and that is more than enough reason to stand on the front line.”

Mellinger is currently a sophomore at Appalachian State University majoring in psychology, and he intends to study clinical abnormal psychology to help soldiers who suffer from PTSD.

He embodies the core values of our school. Someone who would treat a man in uniform as a second-class citizen, and who would go so far as to insult and intimidate him, does not embody these principles.

According to our school’s website, “Guilford’s longstanding mission is clear and distinctive: to provide a transformative, practical and excellent liberal arts education for every student.”

The “timeless” core values of community, diversity, equality, excellence, integrity, justice and stewardship that Guilford so proudly publicizes evidently fall short sometimes.

So, to whom it may concern: remember that you’re a part of the whole. You cannot expect that everyone you’ll meet in life will share your opinions and you cannot react to those who stand in opposition to your ideals by sinking so low that you would spit at another human being.

Classic Hollywood: A week of honors for Douglas Trumbull

The visual effects pioneer on such films as 2001 and Close Encounters will be saluted by the film academy and the Visual Effects Society.

Klara Lidens art materials are the stuff of life. I mean, the stuff — accumulations of no-longer-useful objects that crowd our closets and cabinets and finally end up given away, sold on eBay or dumped in the trash, where they probably belong. Once they hit the streets, Liden goes to work, picking up those articles she can turn into makeshift shelters, give the brunt of her rage or embrace to allay a private grief. Theres a fetching intimacy to all of her work, even when it is performed in public.

I came home from work one night last week to find my husband Dan singing.

This might be business as usual in many homes with many husbands, but in my house Mr. Grumpy-pants doesnt sing. Ever.

Theres no Christmas caroling, no campfire sing-a-longs, karaoke is out and hes definitely not breaking into song for random happiness.

The only thing I could figure is that he finally snapped. Id been waiting for it for a while now.

Dan gets really stressed when the bills pile up and since Christmas the pile seems endless.

Besides presents bought on credit cards, medical deductibles have started over – not to mention whats not covered and unfortunately weve had an inordinate amount of medical and dental bills.

Weve also had a special visitor staying at our house. Someone from my childhood. An Italian fellow who would visit my dad from time-to-time: Mr. Ma-funds-a-low.

Since our unwanted guest has been with us I havent even seen Dan smile, let alone sing.

I found him in his office standing over his computer and as I approached him from behind he whipped around – and like a scene from, Glee he crooned out a familiar tune, changing most of the words:

Hey baby lets go to Vegas.

Kiss all these bills goodbye.

Well eat cheap at a buffet,

You get veggies and Ill have pie.

I had to laugh. Of course he was kidding. I mean why would someone who gambled

A resident spotted a mountain lion Sunday morning near a creek in an unincorporated part of San Mateo County next to La Honda, emergency officials said.

The mountain lion was spotted in the vicinity of Alpine Road near Pescadero Creek Road at about 7:05 am, officials said.

Residents are advised to never approach a mountain lion.

Anyone who encounters a mountain lion should face the animal, make noise, and try to appear larger by waving arms and throwing rocks, emergency officials said.

More information about mountain lions is available at www.keepmewild.org.

Amazing things have been happening in recent days in the national discussion of the scientific and technical labor force. As Science Careers has reported,the National Institutes of Healthissued a reportstating that oversupply of scientists is a chief concern among those working in the biomedical job market, and even suggesting that supporting fewer students and postdocs could help alleviate the problem.

Its Halloween weekend! Set aside the North Royalton purple and gold and focus instead on the orange and black. Its time for the three Cs: costumes, candy and creepy stories.

In my Oct. 13 column, I invited you to share your supernatural stories with me. You responded with tales of spooky occurrences that have stuck with you for years.

Historic places can be a hotspot, just ask North Royalton resident Jan Futhey, who was working late one night in Brecksvilles Old Town Hall painting scenery for a community theater production.

The theatre was eerily quiet and dark except for the glow of the lights on the stage where I was working, Futhey writes. I was alone and keenly aware of the stories about ghost sightings in the old building.

The midnight hour was approaching when out of the corner of my eye I perceived a bit of movement a small flash of white. I looked up and saw a figure sitting in the first row of the balcony! I froze momentarily, blinked hard and looked again. The seat was empty.

It could have been the late hour or the tedious work of set painting, but Futhey didnt wait around to find out if her theater guest would return for an encore performance.

I hurriedly stowed my painting supplies and left on the double, Futhey said. After that ghostly experience, I resolved never to be alone in Brecksvilles Old Town Hall after dark!

Sometimes our ghostly encounters arent scary they provide a sense of familiar comfort.

Resident Shirley Marcinko shared her experience with the death of her son.

Many years ago, as my adult disabled son lay dying, I was telling him it was ok to go and that he should go to his grandmother, who was also deceased, Marcinko writes. In life, he liked to do little tricks on people. Unfortunately we believe he went to the wrong grandmother, who was still living.

After her son died, strange things happened at the grandmothers apartment, including a friend being locked in the bathroom unable to open the door.

She blamed my son and after a while told him enough was enough and to go bother his mother for a change, Marcinko writes.

So he did:

I had misplaced my expensive to replace car key somewhere at home. I searched endlessly including emptying my purse several times and even turning it upside down and shaking it, Marcinko said. One Saturday I told him to quit fooling around; I would like to have my key back.

The next day, Mothers Day, she met with family for breakfast.

When I returned home, I drove my car into the garage and was going up the steps to the door of the house when something fell on the ground in front of me. It was my car key, Marcinko said. I looked in my hand and I was still holding the spare key. I looked heavenward and thanked my son for his gift to me and told him he was not forgotten and with us all that day.

Thank you for sharing your stories with me and readers. Have a wonderful Halloween weekend and happy hauntings!

THE WRITE STUFF: The North Royalton Branch of Cuyahoga County Public Library, 14600 State Road, will have a pair of writing themed workshops. Learn the skills that get funding results: Proposal Writing 101 is set for 7 pm Nov. 3. Participants will learn how to compose effective and powerful grant proposals.

If youve always wanted to write a novel, consider attending the National Novel Writing Month Write-In Workshop at 2 pm Nov. 5 conducted by NaNoWriMo, a national nonprofit organization that encourages writing.

Register by calling (440) 237-3800.

YOU GOT SKILLS: Older adults are invited to learn computer basics from North Royalton High School Computer Club members. Classes are free and meet from 2:30-4 pm Nov. 3, 10, 15 and 17. The four workshops will center around using Photo Story and creating holiday cards. To register and for more information, call Kathy Adams, (440) 582-7801, or Jackie Arendt, (440) 230-1567.

Have a bit of news from North Royalton? There is nothing too big or too small for Royalton Revue. Send items to smacho@sunnews.com.

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