Global News Post: Violence

Huts of 285 Dalits Set On Fire by Mob in Tamil Nadu

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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">DHARMAPURI (TN) (NNN-PTI) --
Angered by a man committing suicide over his daughter marrying a Dalit boy, a
mob torched 285 huts in three Dalit colonies in the district, but there were no
casualties as all the people had fled to neighbouring areas, police said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">They said the crowd first
targeted Natham, the boy's village and two other Dalit colonies Kondampatty and
Anna Nagar on November 7 night, using petrol bombs to set ablaze the huts. The
villagers had got wind of the impending attack beforehand and fled, they said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">The couple had got married on
October 14.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Sanjay Kumar, DIG (<st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Salem</st1:place></st1:city>), said 90 persons
have so far been arrested in connection with the violence and that armed police
personnel had been posted in the villages.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">He said the couple is now in a
safe area under police protection.<br />
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Collector Lily said the situation was now under control and that the
administration had made all arrangements to provide those affected with food
and water. The villagers would also be provided ration cards, she said. --NNN-PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Huts of 285 Dalits Set On Fire by Mob in Tamil Nadu

DHARMAPURI (TN) (NNN-PTI) -- Angered by a man committing suicide over his daughter marrying a Dalit boy, a mob torched 285 huts in thre...

At Least 130 Dead in Syria Fighting

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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">At
least 130 people died Tuesday in <st1:country-region w:st="on">Syria</st1:country-region>,
in a wave of air strikes, bombings, ground battles and assassinations, as
violence between government forces and rebels escalated in <st1:city w:st="on">Damascus</st1:city>
and <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Aleppo</st1:place></st1:city>.  The brother of the country's parliamentary
speaker was shot dead as he drove to work in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Damascus</st1:place></st1:city>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Syrian warplanes killed 19
civilians and wounded more than 60 others in the Idib town of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Saraqeb</st1:place></st1:city>. 
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
killing of Mohammed Osama Laham, brother to parliament speaker Jihad Laham, is
the latest in a wave of assassinations targeting Syrian officials, army
officers and other prominent supporters of President Bashar al-Assad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Four
of the president's top security aides were killed in July, in a rebel bombing
of state security headquarters in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Damascus</st1:place></st1:city>,
including the defense minister and Assad's brother-in-law.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">More
than 200 people died Monday, in the country's worst 24 hours of violence in
weeks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">On
the diplomatic front, British Prime Minister David Cameron suggested that Assad
could be allowed safe passage out of the country if that option would guarantee
an end to the nation's civil war.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">In
an interview with Al Arabiya television, Cameron said the international
community should consider anything "to get that man out of the country and
to have a safe transition in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">Meanwhile,
the opposition continued to meet in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Qatar</st1:place></st1:country-region> under pressure to form a
truly representative government-in-exile. 
No progress was reported.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS";">The
Syrian conflict, which began as a protest movement against the rule of
President Assad, is entering its 20th month. 
An estimated 36,000 people have died as the protests erupted earlier
this year into full-blown civil war. ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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At Least 130 Dead in Syria Fighting

At least 130 people died Tuesday in Syria , in a wave of air strikes, bombings, ground battles and assassinations, as violence between go...

INDIA: Buses Carrying Sri Lankan Pilgrims Attacked in Tamil Nadu

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<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">NAGAPATTINAM (INDIA) (NNN-TNN/PTI) -- A batch of 178 Sri Lankan nationals on a pilgrimage in Tamil Nadu faced protests for the second day on Tuesday with a pro-Tamil outfit trying to block their vehicles when they were returning after offering worship at the famous Velankanni Christain shrine near here. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">According to TV reports, buses carrying Lankan pilgrims were attacked but no passenger suffered any major injury. However, windowpanes of some buses were shattered in the attack.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Police, however, intervened and arrested nine activists of the Naam Tamizhar Iyakkam with pro-LTTE leanings, who tried to block the seven buses carrying the pilgrims.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The Lankan nationals were meted out similar treatment during their pilgrimage to the Poondi Madha Christian shrine near Thanjavur on Monday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The pilgrims, including 75 women and 36 children, had arrived at Velankanni on Tuesday morning to offer worship at the Shrine Basilica, police said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">As the activists protested, police personnel on security duty for the ongoing annual festival rushed to the spot, arrested them and brought the situation under control within a few minutes, sources said.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The pilgrims later proceeded to Tiruchirappalli safely from where they are expected to leave for Sri Lanka.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The Sri Lankan nationals had worshipped at the Poondi Matha shrine on Monday evening as part of their annual pilgrimage when activists of Naam Tamizhar Iyakkam headed by film director Seeman, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and P Nedumaran-led Tamizhar Desiya Poduvudamai Katchi, staged a demonstration asking them to go back.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The incident comes a day after Sri Lanka issued a travel advisory asking its citizens not to visit Tamil Nadu until further notice in the wake of "increasing number of instances of intimidation" of Sri Lankans in the state.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">While, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had on Sunday ordered sending back home a football team from Royal College of Sri Lanka which played a friendly match against Customs Department in Chennai on Friday.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Jayalalithaa, who slammed the Centre for allowing the Lankan football team into India, had also directed that eight students of a Lankan school who had come for a tournament with a city-based school and their coach be sent back.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The ruling AIADMK and key UPA ally DMK and other political parties in Tamil Nadu have all joined the chorus of opposing India training Lankan military personnel, alleging the island republic's forces had committed war crimes against Tamils during the last phase of 2009 war against LTTE. -- NNN-TNN/PTI<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>

INDIA: Buses Carrying Sri Lankan Pilgrims Attacked in Tamil Nadu

NAGAPATTINAM (INDIA) (NNN-TNN/PTI) -- A batch of 178 Sri Lankan nationals on a pilgrimage in Tamil Nadu faced protests for the second day...

Death Toll Mounts as Syria Marks Uprising Anniversary

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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_48wJar9t06HJJF-BQ8h6NGTbzhYZik1RbuoKsAdB8mTobMzJyLFpCBw6LgHv0P1ACCy4D_UVxg2u2XEFH5Lr1GL79Kn9sFtE8m20hEm9cOSXpUzAPZ3Tgut187TPJAGr6atc_F4dP2o/s1600/syriadeath300-March12-final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_48wJar9t06HJJF-BQ8h6NGTbzhYZik1RbuoKsAdB8mTobMzJyLFpCBw6LgHv0P1ACCy4D_UVxg2u2XEFH5Lr1GL79Kn9sFtE8m20hEm9cOSXpUzAPZ3Tgut187TPJAGr6atc_F4dP2o/s400/syriadeath300-March12-final.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Photo © VOA News VOA has revised its figures based on<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;">information complied by UNOSAT via death toll figures from<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Syrianshuhada.com and the Violations Documenting Center. This change<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;">reflects a shift in the numbers. Because of the difficulty<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;">of monitoring and reporting, these numbers can<o:p></o:p></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS"; font-size: 10.0pt;">not be independently verified or confirmed.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">At least 23 people are reported dead as Syrian forces continue a crackdown on dissent Thursday, the first anniversary of the uprising, while state television showed rallies in support of President Bashar al-Assad in a number of cities. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says 23 bodies were dumped in the northwestern Idlib region and some of the dead showed signs of torture.  A state media report says government forces clashed with "remnants of armed terrorist groups" in the Idlib countryside, killing a number of "terrorists." <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">With international efforts to end the crackdown stalled, Syrian government forces have overrun most of Idlib and launched their biggest raid in months on the southern city of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Daraa</st1:place></st1:city> - a town rebels call "the birthplace of our revolution."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">Rebel fighters have been in retreat throughout <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region> and a movement of opposition activists has been fragmented with dissent. French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Thursday his country opposes arming the Syrian opposition, fearing the situation could become a "bigger catastrophe."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="background: white;">Search for solution <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">In a new effort, a group of 200 non-governmental organizations is teaming with celebrities and activists in a campaign to stop <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>'s violence.  The initiative called Unite for <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region> is using Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to highlight calls for international help.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">United Nations-Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan is scheduled to brief the U.N. Security Council Friday on his mediation efforts. Annan was in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Damascus</st1:place></st1:city> last weekend meeting with Syrian authorities.  <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">U.N. council diplomats say Annan's assessment will be crucial to a bid by the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">United   States</st1:place></st1:country-region> and European allies to pass a resolution that would ensure humanitarian aid workers have access to besieged towns across the country. <st1:country-region w:st="on">Russia</st1:country-region> and <st1:country-region w:st="on">China</st1:country-region> have twice vetoed resolutions condemning <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">Amin Saikal, the director of the <st1:placetype w:st="on">Center</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Arab</st1:placename> and Islamic Studies at the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Australian</st1:placename> <st1:placename w:st="on">National</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place>, told VOA he does not expect swift U.N. action.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">"The international community, and more specifically the United Nations Security Council, is paralyzed on the basis of the Russian and Chinese opposition to adopt a position whereby greater pressure could be exerted on Assad's regime," said Saikal.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><b><span style="background: white;">Outcry <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">New York-based Human Rights Watch called Thursday for the Syrian government to stop "indiscriminate shelling" of cities. It said witnesses described pro-Assad forces using machine guns, tanks and mortars to attack buildings and people in Idlib during the assault that began March 10.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">As the government assault continues, <st1:country-region w:st="on">Turkey</st1:country-region> said Thursday that 1,000 refugees had crossed into the country from <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region> in the span of 24 hours, bringing the total number of Syrian refugees there to 14,000. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">U.N. officials estimate that 8,000 people have died in the year-long series of protests and government crackdown. The Syrian government blames the unrest on "terrorists" and outside agitators.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="background: white;">Syrian state television showed crowds gathered for pro-Assad rallies across <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Syria</st1:place></st1:country-region> Thursday. In <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Damascus</st1:city></st1:place>, people waved flags and photos of Assad. ---VOA News<o:p></o:p></span></span></div></div>

Death Toll Mounts as Syria Marks Uprising Anniversary

Photo © VOA News VOA has revised its figures based on information complied by UNOSAT via death toll figures from Syrianshuhada.com and th...