US embassy cable - 05NEWDELHI7725

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 13 NEW DELHI 007725 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR R, P, S/CT, AND SA, PLEASE PASS TO USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2015 
TAGS: PREL, KDEM, KPAO, EAID, PHUM, KMPI, PGOV, IN, Counter-Terrorism 
SUBJECT: COMBATING EXTREMISM - MISSION INDIA RESPONSE 
 
REF: A. STATE 159129 
     B. NEW DELHI 7469 
     C. NEW DELHI 7400 
     D. NEW DELHI 7082 
     E. NEW DELHI 6311 
     F. NEW DELHI 5165 
     G. NEW DELHI 4760 
     H. NEW DELHI 4449 
     I. 04 NEW DELHI 4668 
     J. 03 NEW DELHI 6872 
 
Classified By: DCM Robert Blake for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) 
 
1.  (C) Summary: India enjoys a democratic, multi-religious, 
multi-cultural, heterogeneous, multi-ethnic society where all 
major world religions are practiced freely.  Isolated 
elements of religious extremism of many varieties 
have, however, occurred in India -- notably among Hindus, 
Muslims, and Sikhs -- although extremists as a whole are by 
far outnumbered by "secular" moderates.  In the Indian 
context, "secularism" is synonymous with tolerance for all 
faiths, and does not imply life devoid of religion, although 
religious freedom -- including atheism -- is absolutely 
protected and guaranteed by the Constitution and a long 
history of court precedent.  At a time when many nations 
appear to be losing ground to extremist movements, India's 
trendlines are pointing in the right direction, bolstered by 
strong indigenous traditions of communal co-habitation, 
non-violent political protest, a free press, and a 
realization by politicians that religious hatred is not a 
vote getter among the increasingly savvy, globalized, and 
prosperous Indian electorate.  Nevertheless, the risk always 
remains of isolated outbreaks of sectarian violence, 
especially in response to the terrorism that has plagued 
India for decades, or when provoked by regional politicians 
for their narrow political purposes. 
 
2.  (C) Mission India provides numerous exchange, 
educational, and outreach programs to counter extremism, 
primarily through the Front Office, PA, POL, 
and USAID.  Front Office, PA, and POL officers provide 
critical personal and media interaction to perpetuate the USG 
message of moderation and tolerance.  Our outreach ranges 
from one-on-one engagement with elites to press interviews to 
mass-audience interaction to overcome misperceptions and 
stereotypes.  We also monitor and report trends in religious 
extremism.  This cable includes a catalogue of Mission India 
programs since mid-2004 that are geared to combat religious 
extremism.  End Summary 
 
Assessment of Hindu Chauvinism in India 
--------------------------------------- 
 
3.  (S) Hindu chauvinist groups in India include the 
Rashtriya Shyamsevak Sangh (RSS), Bajrang Dal, and Vishwa 
Hindu Parishad.  Many of their members participate in 
politics through membership in the center-right Bharatiya 
Janata Party (BJP).  These groups propound a belief that 
India needs to return to its Hindu roots as a reaction to 
successive historical waves of non-Hindu invasions.  Their 
ideology is summed up as "Hindutva," and has been abused by a 
few extremist Hindus to justify acts of violence against 
non-Hindus, although these groups officially reject the use 
of violence to achieve their social and cultural aim of 
ensuring equal treatment for Hindus.  The worst recent 
episode of Hindu violence against minority religions occurred 
in 2002, due to the failure of Gujarat's BJP-run government 
to protect Muslims from rioting Hindus following an incident 
in which Hindus died in a train fire which some alleged had 
been set by Muslims.  Hundreds, if not thousands, of Muslims 
died as a result of the Gujarat government's failure to 
protect them.  As an example of  US opposition to extremism , 
on 21 March 2005, the Ambassador delivered a statement to 
Indian TV media defending the 18 March decision to revoke the 
entry visa of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who had 
overseen state officials' failure to protect Muslims.  The 
statement was prepared by the Embassy's Information Officer 
in conjunction with the Political Section, the DCM and the 
Ambassador.  To prepare for drafting our official statement, 
the Political Counselor and IO spoke extensively with media 
outlets including numerous "live" phone-ins with Indian 
television stations.  The Mission received numerous letters, 
editorials, and verbal messages supporting this decision, 
even though the GOI officially sought its retraction. 
 
Assessment of Islamic Fundamentalism in India 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
4.  (C) Indian Muslim fundamentalist groups include members 
of India's Sunni Deobandi sect, which is philosophically 
linked with Wahabhis such as the Taliban and Usama bin Ladin, 
and some unaffiliated maulvis (clerics) who have expressed 
support for Al-Qa'ida and other brands of Islamic terrorism. 
We do not have access to the more extreme Wahabhi clerics and 
supporters of Al-Qa'ida, or to members of the banned Students 
Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), which has committed acts of 
terrorism in the past.  The number of extreme Wahabhi clerics 
is believed to be small, but growing and closely watched by 
the GOI (see Para 8).  (NOTE: The last alleged SIMI terrorist 
acts were committed in early 2003.  End Note.) 
 
5.  (C) Our GOI and Indian NGO interlocutors take pride that 
India possesses the world's largest minority Muslim community 
while enjoying a near zero rate of indigenous Islamic 
terrorism.  Almost none of India's approximately 130 million 
Muslims -- a population on par with that of its neighbors 
Pakistan and Bangladesh -- have been identified as Al-Qa'ida 
members or affiliates.  A small number, however, have 
provided shelter, intelligence, and/or facilitated 
cross-border terrorist groups; one recent example was the 
July 5 attack on the Hindu temple at Ayodhya (Ref F).  A 
larger number hold and publicly espouse extremist views, 
often to gain political mileage, but stop far short of 
perpetuating violence to achieve political change. 
 
6.  (C) There are any number of theories on how India evolved 
to have such a large Muslim minority with such a low 
incidence of extremism.  Salman Rushdie, for example, noted 
that India's secular Constitution affords Muslims legal 
protection from, and political equality with, the country's 
large Hindu majority.  Furthermore, India's democratic system 
allows for Muslim participation at all levels (including, at 
present, President APJ Kalam), and in parts of the country 
the "Muslim vote bank" is actively courted as a swing 
electorate.  Many Indian Muslims also undoubtedly remember 
past communal violence, such as in Gujarat in 2002 and during 
Partition, and steer away from extremism for pragmatic 
reasons.  Moreover, a free and healthy press and a viable, 
albeit creaky, court system have given ordinary Muslims 
recourse to broader public opinion whenever intolerant 
elements or leaders have attempted to sway Muslims toward 
extremism.  Cases in point include the broad outcry after 
clerics issued fatwas condemning Muslim female tennis star 
Sania Mirza for playing in normal tennis togs (Ref B) and 
when religious scholars tried to impose the wearing of the 
burqa on Muslim women campaigning for elected office. 
7.  (C) Islamic extremism is by far a minority view even in 
Jammu & Kashmir, India's only Muslim-majority state. 
Political moderates -- including "moderate separatists" -- 
are ascendant in J&K, and the tide has clearly been moving 
against political violence for at least a year.  Moderate 
separatists have moved from wanting independence or 
association with Pakistan, to seeking limited autonomy, "soft 
borders", and progress on human rights (Ref D).  The 
Political Section has made repeated visits to Kashmir to 
encourage movement toward moderation in Kashmiri politics. 
 
8.  (S) A new area of concern, especially in West Bengal 
(another state with a proportionately larger Muslim 
population), is that illegal Bangladeshi migrants are 
bringing with them to India a radicalized form of Islam that 
is out of touch with India's primarily moderate religious 
practices (Ref C).  Our contacts there tell us there are a 
surprising number of Wahabhi-influenced madrassas and mosques 
in the border areas that appear to have foreign funding. 
 
9.  (C) Consulate Mumbai contacts report that there have been 
increased efforts by both local and foreign groups that are 
deeply conservative or fundamentalist to strengthen their 
presence in Mumbai's mosques, schools and social 
organizations.  Most of our contacts tell us that these 
groups have not made much headway on account of the 
community's moderate instincts and leanings. 
 
Assessment of Sikh Radicalism in India 
------------------------------------- 
 
10.  (C) Although the Pakistan-supported Sikh separatist 
movement produced some of India's worst political violence, 
Sikh radicalism in India is largely a spent force and Punjabi 
Sikhs are now more interested in economic success and social 
development than they are in separatism (Ref E).  The spurt 
in purported Sikh violence last spring (Ref H) appears to 
have been a last gasp by a group which ultimately had to hire 
non-Sikhs to conduct operations for cash, because it could 
not command sufficient support from within the Sikh 
community.  Police forensics rolled up the conspirators and 
several caches of arms and explosives.  Sikhs remain for the 
most part a law-abiding, service-oriented community.  Sikhs 
serve in the Armed Forces and Police in numbers far out of 
proportion to their numbers in the overall community.  Army 
Chief General JJ Singh and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh are 
both observant Sikhs.  Sikhs remain a respected and admired 
minority community for their devotion and their charity. 
 
Mission Outreach 
---------------- 
 
11.  (SBU) Senior Mission officers, POL, ECON, PA staff, and 
senior FSNs in all four India posts meet regularly with a 
wide spectrum of religious leaders and groups to offer 
support to moderate thinkers and to help dispel negative, 
media-driven rumors that attempt to paint the US as an 
intolerant or even anti-Muslim society.  (NOTE: Critics and 
scare-mongerers sometimes try to portray the US as 
anti-Hindu, but this strain is largely contained to 
allegations of US-supported missionaries trying to convert 
Hindus to Christianity.  End Note.) 
12.  (SBU) The Internal Political Reporting Unit in the 
Political Section in New Delhi is an active participant in 
the mission's Muslim outreach program and works regularly 
with USAID and PA in Muslim-oriented programs.  We identify 
moderate Muslim clerics for participation in International 
Visitor programs, visit madrassas regularly, and provide 
textbooks and instructional material.  Posts sponsor Iftar 
celebrations during Ramzan (Ramadan) that bring together 
Muslims with a wide variety of orientations and non-Muslims, 
who may not otherwise interact on their own -- in each of the 
past several years the DCM and several CGs among other 
Mission officers have hosted Iftars. 
 
13.  (SBU) In addition, we provide Muslim clerics, political 
leaders and scholars, including Muslim extremists, with 
cutting edge research on the growth of a moderate Islamic 
reform movement.  When we engage extremist Muslims in 
dialogue on a wide variety of issues, we have in some cases 
won their trust and, as a result, they have approached us for 
more information or requests on Muslim outreach activities. 
We have worked with the Front Office to draft speeches on 
Islamic themes and to refute allegations that the USG is 
anti-Muslim.  When certain Muslim leaders have made 
statements that appear sympathetic to terrorism, we have 
called on them and asked them to clarify or withdraw such 
statements. 
 
14.  (SBU) In instances when Hindu extremist groups have 
published material or made speeches alleging ties between the 
USG and Christian missionaries or alleging that the USG has a 
covert program to convert Hindus to Christianity, we have met 
with their top leadership to refute the allegations and ask 
that they be withdrawn; POL and PA have also worked together 
on press releases and editorials refuting these allegations. 
In our meetings with Hindu extremists we condemn hate speech 
and violence against minorities.  We also refute their 
attempts to paint Islam as a terrorist religion and our 
anti-terrorism efforts as anti-Muslim.  We categorically 
reject their attempts to paint the USG as a member of a 
Hindu/Jewish/Christian alliance against Islam. 
 
Promoting Economic Reform to Combat Extremism 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
15.  (SBU) In November 2003, the Mission submitted a 
Medium-term Economic and Commercial Strategy for promoting 
economic liberalization, developing closer trade and 
investment ties with the US, and catalyzing regional 
integration, a five-year strategy which was approved by 
Washington and which boosted our successful engagement with 
India on terrorism (Ref J).  We have made excellent progress 
in implementing the strategy over the ensuing two years. 
USAID economic growth and social development programs have 
been a key element of our success because of the link between 
economics and extremism.  There is a growing recognition that 
successful economic reform and sustained growth and job 
creation are necessary conditions to maintain stable 
democratic development and regional stability in the medium 
term. 
 
Mission Publications Reach Wide, Multi-Lingual Audiences 
--------------------------------------------- ----------- 
16.  (SBU) The Mission has successfully used numerous 
publications in English, Hindi, Urdu, and regional languages, 
to inform and shape public perception of USG anti-terrorism 
policy and activities.  This approach allows us to repeatedly 
combat anti-US perceptions among large and geographically 
diverse populations.  We support the continued and expanded 
funding of these projects, such as: 
 
-- A grant to the Centre for Study of Society and Secularism 
(CSSS) in Mumbai allowed them to translate 134,000 copies of 
the Secular Perspective publications into four regional 
languages for general distribution. 
 
-- "People, Progress, Partnership: The Transformation of 
US-India Relations" was a one-time (2004), Mission-wide 
publication targeting 50,000 elite individuals and 
institutions, including key Muslim contacts, and was assessed 
to be highly effective. 
 
-- "Muslim Life in America" was a one-time, Mission-wide 
publication targeted at a general audience.  This publication 
has been widely distributed to show how Muslims are an 
integral part of America's plural society. 
 
17.  (SBU) In addition, the Mission has supported the 
translation and placement of relevant articles from American 
Press in Hindi and Urdu.  For example, on August 11, PA New 
Delhi's Press Office translated into Hindi the Washington 
File byliner "Iraq's Compact With America" by US Ambassador 
to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad.  It was used in its entirety in 
Delhi's leading tabloid "Veer Arjun".  On May 13, another 
Washington File article,  "Rice Condemns Alleged Disrespect 
of Quran at Guantanamo Base," was translated and widely 
distributed to the Indian media.  Five Hindi and five Urdu 
publications used it.  Each article has a short shelf-life, 
but the effects are long-term when viewed as a regular and 
ongoing PA program. 
 
18.  (SBU) An Urdu edition of PA,s SPAN magazine has been in 
existence since March 2003 and targets Indian Muslims -- 
13,000 copies are printed bi-monthly.  It is considered a 
highly effective project and continues to win plaudits and 
gain subscribers.  Magazine content covers themes showing 
tolerance, pluralism, and multi-culturalism in the US. 
Reprinted SPAN articles in the Urdu media have had a 
multiplier effect. 
 
19.  (SBU) PA's highly effective book reprint program has, in 
the past year, allowed us to distribute titles including: "A 
New Religious America -- How a 'Christian Country' Has Now 
Become the World,s Most Religiously Diverse Nation" by 
Harvard Professor Diana Eck (who visited India as a US 
Speaker in 2002); "On Toleration" by Princeton,s Michael 
Walzer; and "Diversity in America" by Yale Law Professor and 
Fulbright India alumnus Peter H. Schuck.  Copies of these and 
other books have been presented to key Embassy contacts. 
 
20.  (SBU) PA in 2005 also participated in the 
widely-attended Delhi Book Fair (20,000 visitors) and the 
Urdu Book Fair (targeting Jamia Millia Islamia, India's most 
prestigious Muslim university, in New Delhi).  Both these 
events promoted the PA products listed above, and we consider 
them highly effective outreach venues. 
 
IVL and Other Exchange Programs Cement Strong Messages 
--------------------------------------------- --------- 
 
21.  (SBU) We have used many of our IVL programs to reinforce 
and solidify messages of tolerance and moderation by giving 
Indian elites and up-and-comers an up-close view of US values 
and living.  Multi-week engagements make lasting impressions 
on participants; we view these as highly effective long-term 
programs, and they almost always have long-term impact on 
participants and a multiplier effect among participants' 
audiences (students, newspaper readers, etc.).  These 
programs should be continued, and, where feasible, expanded. 
Some of the IVL programs we have supported in the past year 
include (participation figures are for 2004-05 program cycle): 
 
-- Indo-Pak Sub Regional IVL Programs (on a variety of themes) 
Participation: 4 on 3 programs; Indian and Pakistani 
participants visit the US together. 
 
-- Religious Education in the US IVL Program for Madrassa 
Leaders 
Participation: 3 in two programs in 2005. Total all-Mission 
Indian Muslims participants in this program since 2003: 67. 
 
-- Freedom of the Press IVL Program 
Participation: 5 Kashmiri Journalists (4 Muslims, 1 Hindu) 
 
-- Multi-Culturalism in US Society IVL Program 
Participation: 1 (Muslim) 
 
-- IVL Program on Religious Diversity In America 
Participation: 1 
 
-- Preventive Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution IVL Program 
Participation: 1 (Muslim) 
 
-- Combating Terrorist Financial Networks and Money 
Laundering IVL Program 
Participation: 2 
 
22.  (SBU) We also over the past year have promoted other 
successful exchange programs -- which should also be 
continued or expanded where possible, including: 
 
-- Summer Institute Program On Religious Pluralism 
Participation: 1 
 
-- Summer Institute Student Leaders Program: Joint 
Indo-Pak-Bangladesh Program 
Participation: 4 (all Muslims) 
 
-- Fulbright Summer Institute Program on American Politics 
and Political Thought 
Participation: 1 (Muslim) 
 
-- Fulbright Summer Institute Program on US Political Economy 
and Global Economic System 
Participation: 1 (Muslim) 
 
-- Fulbright Visiting Specialist Program 
Participation: 1 (Muslim) 
-- PLUS: Department of State's Partnerships in Learning 
Undergraduate Studies program (administered by USEFI, the 
Indian Fulbright Commission) for young representatives of 
India's Muslim and other disadvantaged communities 
Participation: 2 (Muslims) 
 
-- Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistantship Program 
(for countries with significant Muslim populations) 
Participation: 4 
 
-- South Asia Teacher Training Project (6-week program at 
George Washington University for secondary school English 
language teachers from India and Pakistan) 
Participation: 13 
 
-- YES Program (10 months) 
Participation: 35, including Muslims, all from non-elite 
schools. 
 
-- SIFE Program 
Participation: 16 
 
-- Youth American Summer Institute 
Participation: 1 participant 
 
-- Madrassa Programs 
Participation: 4-10 
 
-- P4L (Partnerships for Learning) Program 
Participation: 3 
 
-- Seeds of Peace 
Participation: Twelve 13-to-15-year old participants each 
year for the last 5 years.  Indian and Pakistani students 
spent 3 weeks in Maine and follow-up sessions every two weeks 
till they enroll for their undergraduate programs.  Also, 
there have been 3 cross-border home-stays so far.  The 
participants and their parents describe the experience as 
"life-changing" and said that it forever altered the way they 
perceive people from the other country 
 
-- South Asia Student Leader Conference in Kathmandu 
Participation: 2 
 
-- ASI Alumni Conference in Dhaka 
Participation: 6 
 
-- Islamic Life In The US/University of Louisville 
Participation: 7.  Last year's Indian alumnus, Dr. Zafar 
Mahmood, is Officer on Special Duty with the Prime Minister's 
Committee looking into the social, economic and educational 
status of the Muslim community in India. 
 
-- Indian Journalists Sent to Afghanistan 
Participation: 10 Indian journalists.  Resulting coverage was 
positive and helped Indian audiences understand Afghanistan's 
progress towards democracy. 
 
Education- and Madrassa-Specific Programs 
----------------------------------------- 
 
23.  (SBU) The Mission promotes several programs that target 
educational institutions, including Indian madrassas.  These 
programs reach educators -- many of whom are themselves 
politically influential -- as well as students, who are 
otherwise exposed to numerous ideologies, including extremist 
messages, and are bombarded with conflicting images and 
impressions of the US.  We address their questions -- largely 
focused on  Iraq, Iran, and  the status of Muslims in America 
-- and reiterate America,s commitment to religious freedom. 
Madrassas  and Islamic universities continue to welcome FSOs 
and other American speakers, which indicates to us that the 
interaction is working. 
 
24.  (SBU) Chennai's ACCESS Microscholarship Program funds 
two years of English language training for 60 Muslim students 
at the Anjuman-e-Himayath-e-Islam School (all destitute 
and/or orphaned).  After eight months, the students' language 
ability and overall academic confidence have risen markedly. 
In mid-September, a State Department ACCESS consultant said 
it was the most successful ACCESS program she had seen. 
Consulate Chennai has hosted these students at Post library, 
film screenings, and a local art gallery.  This school is 
held up as a model for the ACCESS program.  The New Delhi 
ACCESS Microscholarship Program targets 100 high school 
students at the Jamia Millia Islamia.  During the mid-point 
certificate ceremony, the Charg also announced the expansion 
of the program in the coming months and the donation of 65 
books and audiocassettes on English Language Teaching. 
 
25.  (SBU) USAID's Madrassa Quality Education Improvement 
Program reaches approximately 1,000 students in 18 madrassas 
in Andhara Pradesh state.  (NOTE: The program started with 
three madrassas.  End Note)  A Hyderabad-based secular NGO 
implements this program to introduce secular education in 
these Madrassas consistent with state school curricula.  A 
new contract is being negotiated to provide life skills, 
academic, career, and English language training to Muslim 
adolescent school drop-outs.  Recent visits show high 
attendance, good participation, and rising enrollment rates, 
especially for girls. 
 
26.  (SBU) The DCM during his July 2004 visit to the Jamiah 
Salafiah Madrassa, one of the most important madrassas in 
Varanasi, address hundreds of students and faculty on the 
topic of America's multi-religious and multi-cutural 
population.  He also donated an English as a Second Language 
book collection to the madrassa, the first of a series of 
book donations to be made to Indian madrassas, and was 
interviewed on a popular Urdu television channel with a 
primarily Muslim viewership of approximately one million 
people (Ref I).  The DCM and Poloff visited the Darul-Uloom 
Seminary in Deoband in September 2004 to engage the 
seminarians on issues of concern and donate a US book 
collection to their library.  (NOTE: The seminary is one of 
India's premier Islamic institutions and the center of 
Deobandi Islam.  End Note.)  The visit was covered by two 
television networks and eight print journalists, and 
concluded with a press conference. 
 
27.  (SBU) English language training helps students and 
drop-outs develop job-related skills, which can redirect 
otherwise marginalized individuals into the mainstream.  The 
Senior English Language Fellow for North India (Lucknow) has 
been selected and awaits her visa to begin her program here. 
In July, the Regional English Language Officer joined Post, 
giving South Asia its first RELO. 
28.  (SBU) Other Mission-wide madrassa outreach programs 
include seminars, lectures and exchanges on aspects of 
madrassa education -- including introducing modern curricula 
-- and on Islam and religious education in the US. 
 
29.  (SBU) Book donations garner goodwill and help us shape 
political messages and impressions.  Among frequent book 
donations to universities and schools, with special emphasis 
on Muslim institutions, the Mission in 2005 donated books 
worth $30,000 to Jammu University's central library and to 
the Center for Strategic and Regional Studies in Jammu. 
Separately, Consulate Mumbai distributed educational books to 
eight Madrassas and Urdu academies in 2004-5, including ESL 
books. 
 
Promoting Tolerance Through Lectures, DVCs, Conferences 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
30.  (SBU) Speaker programs at universities and other venues, 
including Muslim universities, have covered MPP themes 
including counter-terrorism, bilateral relations, American 
art and literature, environmental issues, political 
processes, women,s equity, human rights, the role of the 
media, and HIV/AIDS.   Speakers at undergraduate schools have 
talked on art and literature, tolerance and multi-culturalism 
in the US.  Although individual speakers only visit India for 
a few weeks at a time, taken as a whole, they represent a 
long-term investment in educating important segments of the 
Indian population on how America's multi-cultural, 
multi-religious society functions.  Prominent lectures, DVCs, 
conferences, and other direct, two-way interactions include: 
 
-- USAID Administrator Andrew Natsios's October 2004 Lucknow 
Visit included a roundtable meeting with Muslim leaders and 
academics. 
 
-- The DCM talked to Urdu editors on Muslim issues regarding 
detainees at Guantanamo Bay in New Delhi and with Muslim 
leaders in Mumbai. 
 
-- PAO Mumbai conducted lectures on Muslim life in America. 
 
-- PA Mumbai held book discussions at University of Pune "On 
Toleration" (a title under the PA Book Reprint Program, see 
above). 
 
-- A DVC discussion on US policy in Iran and IAEA concerns 
over proliferation, featured US Ambassador to the UN in 
Vienna Greg Schulte and eight Indian security analysts. 
 
-- Dr. Christine Fair, a researcher at the US Institute of 
Peace, conducted a two-week program on aspects of terrorism 
and extremism. 
 
-- Davison College Professor Brenda Flanagan talked with 
faculty and students at Jamila Millia Islamia on 
"Multi-Culturalism in American Literature." 
 
-- Arizona State University Professor Robin Haarr talked with 
students and faculty at universities in Chandigarh and 
Kurukshetra and to police officers, activists and grassroots 
workers on the topic of "Gender Justice and Violence Against 
Women." 
 
-- Boston University Professor Hillel Levine spoke with 
Madrassa leaders in Varanasi and at Jamia Millia Islamia on 
non-violent conflict resolution. 
 
-- Culture Connect Ambassador Daniel Libeskind presented a 
program to Jamia Millia Islamia students and faculty on 
9/11-related issues, achieving success in America as an 
immigrant, and his conceptualization of a new building for 
the WTC site. 
 
-- Senior Indian journalist M.J. Akbar participated in our 
book reading and panel discussion on Pamela Constable,s book 
"Fragments of Grace: My Search for Humanity from Kashmir to 
Kabul." 
 
-- We held conferences on "Civil Society, Multi-Cultural 
Democracies, and the Media" at Islamic institutions in 
Lucknow and Jaipur. 
 
-- Mary Washington College Professor Stephen Farnsworth gave 
a lecture on American Muslims in US Presidential Elections to 
Jamia Millia Islamia and the Institute of Objective Studies, 
a Muslim think-tank. 
 
-- Consulate Mumbai held well-recieved DVC programs on Cyber 
Terrorism and plans to do so in the future. 
 
Other Programs 
-------------- 
 
31.  (SBU) USAID, through American NGO IFES, has since May 
2005 conducted the Muslim Women's Initiative.  The program, 
part of the Mission's gender and law program, will extend at 
least to September 2007 (and possibly beyond) in selected 
districts of Karnataka state, including Bangalore.  The 
program goal is to increase Muslim women's awareness and 
assertion of their rights under Islam and Indian law; the 
first phase targets 7,500 primary beneficiaries and 22,500 
indirect beneficiaries.  The program also enlists Indian NGOs 
to provide legal aid and counseling services.  Muslim 
Personal Law Boards in nearby districts are asking the NGOs 
to provide similar services in their areas.  This initiative 
will branch out into Rajasthan state in November, and is 
expected to grow to other states if Mission expands its 
overall gender and law program after FY2007.  IFES will help 
Muslim women's groups coordinate advocacy to reform harmful 
interpretations of religious law (including aspects of 
divorce law) starting this autumn.  Empowering women by 
educating them on their legal rights will create a bulwark 
against their potential abuse from authority figures, 
including their husbands. 
 
32.  (SBU) USAID, through a USAID contractor, is conducting a 
Cross-Cutting Agra Program (CAP, August 2005 - March 2007). 
Agra's 1.2 million people and significant Muslim population 
are growing at twice the national average.  This program 
targets young people from poor and marginalized communities 
who are at risk to be both victims and perpetrators of 
violence.  CAP's goal is to empower Agra youth into taking an 
active role in city development, slum upgrading, reviving 
lesser-known monuments, and employing youth (especially 
girls) in local tourism and other economic sectors. 
 
33.  (SBU) USAID is also conducting a major assessment of 
workforce development needs for the most vulnerable segments 
of society, especially adolescent school drop-outs, and 
within that Muslim youth will be a particular focus. 
 
34.  (SBU) PA,s small grant to an Indian think-tank, the 
Institute of Social Sciences (ISS), fostered a cross-border 
exchange between Indians and Pakistanis and prompted 
meaningful discussions on local governance and democracy. 
The institute's report entitled "Indian Local Government 
Delegation in Pakistan - Ambassadors of Peace" details the 
March 2005 visit to Pakistan of 33 local government 
representatives from 18 Indian states (Ref G).  Both the 
15-day visit and the published report were funded in large 
part by PA in cooperation with ISS and a partner NGO in 
Pakistan. 
 
35.  (SBU) CAO held a ground-breaking visit to Jammu in June 
2005, effectively opening Jammu's door to future programming 
and making the task of East Carolina University 
representatives easier for their September visit to 
University of Jammu to promote a web-based virtual classroom 
project funded by ECA. 
 
36.  (SBU) Culture Connect envoys and former Georgetown 
University basketball players Omari Faulkner and Courtland 
Freeman gave workshops in schools and participated in the 
sports week of Jamia Hamdard, one of Delhi,s largest Muslim 
universities, in October 2004. 
 
37.  (SBU) SPAN Magazine (see above) ushered traditional 
Hindi and Urdu poetry gatherings into the digital age with 
the American Center,s first ever Mushaira (Urdu) and Kavi 
Sammelan (Hindi) held via digital video conference in June 
2005 before a live audience.  The DVC, which featured Indian 
poets in New Delhi and American poets in Washington, 
highlighted the cultural diversity that is enjoyed by both 
the United States and India. 
 
38.  (SBU) IO regularly organizes video and film screenings 
at the American Center. Recent videos have included "Thomas 
L. Friedman Reporting: Searching for the Roots of 9/11" and 
"Covering Catastrophe," which were shown to several groups in 
2004 and 2005. 
 
39.  (SBU) Honoring the fourth anniversary of the 9/11 
attacks, PA in September 2005 hosted a 9/11 paper show and 
book display in the American Center, New Delhi. The paper 
show was also shown at the New Delhi "World Anti-Terrorism 
Day" event, where the Embassy's speaker outlined how the US 
assists and supports other countries in combating terrorism 
and extremism. 
 
40.  (SBU) Pol/Econ Chennai holds an annual roundtable where 
Hindu, Muslim, and Christian religious leaders meet to 
discuss issues of mutual interest. 
 
41.  (SBU) An Urdu-language panel discussion on "Urdu in the 
American Media,"  held in New Delhi in March 2005, featured 
CAO as moderator for three US "target of opportunity" 
speakers who were in India to attend an earlier conference: 
Ms. Naiyara Jahan (fiction writer and head of "Urdu Markaz" 
newspaper in Los Angeles); Mr. Khalil-ur-Rahman (editor for 
"Daily Urdu Times" in New York); and Dr. Wakil Ansari (New 
York-based physician and columnist for "Daily Urdu Times"). 
 
42.  (SBU) Poloff in New Delhi met frequently over the past 
year with a group of high school students who were creating 
an Internet site --  www.effortsunited.com -- on the causes 
and consequences of global violence.  The site won the State 
Department's "Doorways to Diplomacy" contest in June 2005. 
After the winner was announced, the DCM held a media event 
with the students, to encourage and publicize their efforts. 
 
Outreach to Other Minority Groups 
--------------------------------- 
 
43.  (SBU) CAO inaugurated the first International Summer 
School for Jain Studies, a new summer school for American 
college students on the Jain religion, in June 2005.  ACAO 
served as the Chief Guest at the valedictory of the school on 
July 31, 2005.  PA,s presence at these events underlined US 
support for freedom of religion, expression, tolerance and 
scholarly endeavor. 
 
44.  (SBU) On September 11, 2005, CPAO visited New Delhi,s 
historic and revered Bangla Sahib Gurdwara (Sikh place of 
worship)  to address a special Sikh prayer service in memory 
of the victims of Hurricane Katrina and the September 11, 
2001 terrorist attacks in the US.  Addressing a gathering of 
over 1,000 Sikh devotees, he thanked the Sikh community for 
its prayers, moral support and contributions. This 
interaction and outreach took on special significance in the 
context of the misinformed and unfortunate backlash against 
Sikhs after 9/11 in some American cities. 
 
Indian NGOs: Partners and Resources 
----------------------------------- 
 
45.  (SBU) We interact regularly with a cross-section of 
NGOs, both religious and secular, that encourage inter-faith 
dialogue, secularism, and actively counter religious 
extremism of all kinds, as well as providing material comfort 
to victims of hate crimes.  We ensure these NGO leaders 
participate in the IV program; USAID and PA ensure that they 
have access to USG funding.  We express our support by 
visibly attending their public events.  We make sure that 
their information on the activities of extremists is included 
in the Human Rights Report and the Religious Freedom Report. 
 
46.  (C) State and local governments in western India have a 
complicated relationship with NGOs working on human rights 
issues and on religious tolerance.  NGOs often criticize 
state bodies for not doing enough to deal with extremism.  In 
Gujarat in particular, NGOs have pointed out just how 
widespread the state was involved in the fueling of the 2002 
riots and how it has failed to bring those responsible to 
justice.  We tend to support such NGO views on Gujarat.  NGOs 
also report that the Gujarat state government is actively 
working against them, using a variety of legal means such as 
tax laws as well as political harassment.  The state 
government's activities in Gujarat have not contributed to a 
healing of communal wounds that were incurred in 2002, and in 
fact may be making extremist views more popular among 
frustrated and scared Muslims in Gujarat, if many of our 
contacts are to be believed.  Still, in our view the vast 
majority of Gujarat Muslims are as tolerant and moderate as 
most Muslims elsewhere in India. 
 
47.  (SBU) We interact with many NGOs that focus on combating 
extremism.  Among those we meet with on a regular basis are 
the following: 
 
-- South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre: a network of 
individuals that investigates, documents, and disseminates 
information on human rights protections and violations 
(www.hrdc.net/sahrdc) 
 
-- Asian Centre for Human Rights: promotes human rights 
throughout Asia (www.achrweb.org) 
 
-- Centre for Social Research: leading women's rights 
organization (www.csrindia.org) 
 
-- Druk National Congress: promotes human rights in Bhutan 
(www.bhutandnc.com) 
 
-- Institute for Conflict Management Studies: leading 
think-tank on the causes and ideologies of terrorism and 
extremism (www.satp.org) 
 
-- Center for Study of Society and Secularism:  promotes 
secularism and inter-faith dialogue (www.csss-isla.com) 
 
-- Citizens for Justice and Peace: uses the Indian legal 
system to enforce India's laws on secular tolerance and 
anti-communalism (www.sabrang.com) 
 
-- Society for the Promotion of Rational Thinking: promotes 
communal harmony in a state that was rocked by communal 
violence in 2002 and where reconciliation and justice have 
still not been achieved (www.mysprat.org) 
 
48.  (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website: 
(http//www.state.sgov/p/sa/newdelhi) 
Mulford