Indian Overseas Congress invites Khalistan supporters in USA and Canada for talks

Vancouver - Prime Minister Stephan Harper on his last trip to India, assured the India Govt., no terror activity will be allowed from the Canadian Soil, especially from Anti-India Lobby and organizations with the belief of creating a Territory within the borders of Punjab, India. Indian Overseas Congress has always opposed such NRI Organizations, individuals, but wish to take a Fresh approach to the mindset and Thoughts of Khalistan supporters.

IOC in the Summer meeting in Whistler, B.C., was advised by their Lawyer Heidi Vaughn, to invite such Organizations and individuals for a roundtable discussion to support the integrity of India and Punjab. IOC President Vikram Bajwa, agrees to hold theses talks, since the ” Freedom of Right of speech”, cannot be violated in Canada or United States and ” if we sitting at a roundtable with Khalistanis, can improve the political thoughts which promote goodwill and integrity of India, we’re most willing to hold such a conference”.

General Secretary Sunil Malhotra, sends an “Open Invitation”, to Khalistan Affairs Council, Dashmesh Darbar, Sikhs For Justice, World Sikh Council, Canadian Sikh Council, to agree to IOC Invitation and then a date and Time can be arranged, for the meeting, to be held in Seattle, Washington. USA. All Khalistan supporters can call 604-617-8711 in Canada and 415-573-5234 in USA, or log into www.indianoverseascongress.us, for their response. ” It is high time somebody talks openly about our thoughts”, said Harpal Sidhu, a Khalistani activist of Toronto.

Federation of India, also supports such an initiative to bring Unity among Sikh and Hindus, across Canada and United States, which has been divided and has no relevance in politics of Punjab, back home or here in Canada and USA.

Even though there is a Registered Sikh Political Party in England, but none of the NRI’s have contested any Election on the platform of Khalistan, ” let us burry this issue”, where Pakistan does not encourage undercover operations in Punjab India, said Mohinder Singh, retired Police Officer of Punjab

Nelson Mandela's condition improves

Nelson Mandela's condition has improved and he "remains critical but is now stable", South African officials said on Thursday.

President Jacob Zuma visited Mandela in hospital in Pretoria after abandoning a planned trip to a summit in Mozambique. Mandela's medical team advised him of a slight improvement in the former president's health.

"I cancelled my visit to Mozambique today so that I can see him and confer with the doctors," Zuma said. "He is much better today than he was when I saw him last night. The medical team continues to do a sterling job. We must pray for Tata's health and wish him well. We must also continue with our work and daily activities while Madiba remains hospitalised."

The presidency added that it was disturbed by rumours being spread about Mandela's health and appealed for his privacy to be respected.

Mandela's eldest daughter has given a rare insight into his condition and accused foreign journalists of behaving like vultures.

Makaziwe Mandela said Zuma's decision to scrap his travel plans showed that "anything is imminent. I can also state that God only knows when it is the time to go".

In an interview with the public broadcaster SABC, she said Mandela was still opening his eyes and still reactive to touch.

"We will live with hope until the final end comes. I don't want to lie. He doesn't look good. But he's still opening his eyes. He might be waning off, but he's still there. I think for us as his children and grandchildren, as long as he's still there, we want to give him the positive support, the positive energy."

Makaziwe also vented family frustration at the intense media scrutiny that has followed their every move.

"There is sort of a racist element with the foreign media, where they just cross boundaries," she said.

"You have no idea what is happening at the hospital. In the middle of Park Street they just stand. You can't even get into the hospital. Truly, like vultures, it is like they are waiting for the last carcasses. That is what we feel as a family."

It was understandable that journalists were interested in Mandela's health, she added, "but they are going overboard".

She contrasted the situation with the death of Margaret Thatcher earlier this year. "Is it just because we're an African country that they feel they don't have to respect this? I just think it's crass. If people think they really care about Nelson Mandela, they should respect that. Part of him should be respected, not everything of him should be out in the public."

Zuma visited Mandela at about 10pm on Wednesday and found he remained in a critical condition. Doctors "are still doing everything they can to ensure his wellbeing," the presidency said.

Officials did not deny claims that he was on a life-support machine. "Yes, he is using machines to breathe," Napilisi Mandela was quoted as saying in media reports after visiting the hospital on Wednesday. "It is bad, but what can we do?"

Mandela's grandchildren gathered up cards, flowers and stuffed animals outside the hospital on Thursday and took them inside. They gave thanks for the public's support.

Members of a South African Salvation Army choir prayed and sang outside the hospital and the African National Congress (ANC) youth league spoke about Mandela's achievements.

Hundreds of people from South Africa and around the continent and the world gathered at the site along with numerous international TV crews.

Mandela has already spent 20 days in the hospital with a recurring lung infection, his fourth admission in six months. Many South Africans appear to be slowly coming to terms with the prospect of losing the father of the nation.

The US president, Barack Obama, is due to arrive South Africa on Friday as part of a three-nation Africa tour he has already started in Senegal. Officials said it was too early to say whether Obama's schedule in Johannesburg and Cape Town on Saturday and Sunday might be affected by Mandela's worsening condition.

Meanwhile an Australian politician apologised on Thursday to South Africa's high commissioner for incorrectly announcing that Mandela had died.

The resources minister, Gary Gray, acknowledged he wrongly told guests attending a dinner at Parliament House on Wednesday that the anti-apartheid leader was dead. "I apologise unreservedly and am deeply sorry to have relayed what I thought was reliable advice," Gray said.

US assures India's concerns over proposed talks with Afghan Taliban

New Delhi, June 26

In a move to reassure India and assuage its concern over plans by the Barack Obama administration to open talks with the Taliban, Special Representative on Afghanistan and Pakistan James Dobbins arrived in Delhi to discuss issues, including the “Afghan-led reconciliation process” initiated by Washington.

After visiting Qatar, Afghanistan and Pakistan over the course of four days, Dobbins today met Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai with another discussion scheduled with Prime Minister’s Special Envoy Satinder Lambah.

The decision to send Dobbins to New Delhi was announced by US Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday after he assured New Delhi that its apprehensions on the issue would neither be undermined nor overlooked.

Ahead of Kerry’s arrival in India on Sunday, India made it clear that any effort to resolve the problem in Afghanistan should be Afghan-led and nothing should be done that appeared to give either legitimacy to the insurgent group or show it on the same footing as the elected government there.

Secretary Kerry stated that the talks with the Taliban would be held not by the US but the Afghan High Peace Council and emphasised that the conditions for it had not been met. The conditions included respect for the Afghan Constitution, rights for women and minorities and no links with the Al-Qaida or violence.

A news report published in a Washington daily, however, said officials in the Obama administration stated last week that two conditions — eschewing international terrorism and recognising Afghan democracy — had been met.

Kerry also said any final outcome from discussions with the Taliban would be decided by the people of Afghanistan through this negotiation or when elections were held next year without the Taliban.

The move by the Taliban to open an office in Qatar last week under a flag and a plaque identifying itself as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan stirred a controversy with Karzai reacting strongly by pulling out from the scheduled talks with the US over exit plans for NATO forces there.

International wire services reported from Pakistan that Dobbins told Islamabad that Washington was “enraged” over the manner in which the Taliban opened its office, which was not quite in line with an agreement.

New Delhi’s concern

• India has expressed its concern over lending credence to the Taliban by involving it in Afghanistan peace talks;
• US Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday assured New Delhi that its apprehensions will not be overlooked;
• US Special Representative on Afghanistan and Pakistan James Dobbins has arrived in Delhi to assuage India’s concerns.