Full MOON Looks like a BURNT Chapati!Hunger SOS to a Billion!

Indian Holocaust My Father`s Life and Time -Two Hundred Ten

Palash Biswas

http://indianholocaustmyfatherslifeandtime.blogspot.com/

Can the US stock market rally last?

15 Nov 2009, 1912 hrs IST, AGENCIES

Dow is trading above 10K for first time since Oct 2008, it is still 27% below its peak. Good news could be bad news for the bull. 'US not threatened by emerging China'

* Commercial real estate woes imperil US recovery
* Yuan as new global currency? It can bode well for India
* China-US discord on currencies clouds Obama visit

Stocks in News

* HDFC to buy stake in Credila Financial
* Market headed to 5400-5500 level: Quantum
* 'Market to head northwards in the long run'
* 'Next breakout on Nifty will be above 5050'
* WWIL to gain from HITS system; stock up

More >>

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/
Hunger SOS to a billion
- UN body issues first call for cash to people
REUTERS AND OUR BUREAU

Nov. 14: One billion hungry people, the largest such cluster in history, are depending on another one billion to donate small amounts of cash to find food.

The World Food Programme, facing a funding shortfall with donor governments hit by the financial crisis, has issued its first direct appeal to one billion individuals to stump up what they can to help others beat hunger.

Josette Sheeran, head of the UN food aid body, said the aim of the Internet appeal launched today was to get people in wealthy nations to give just 1 euro ($1.50 or Rs 69) a week, which would be enough to end hunger for another billion people in the developing world.

An official at the WFP's Delhi office said anyone, including Indians, could contribute. The website payment field does not have a rupee option but the amount can be entered in dollars, the equivalent of which will be deducted in the Indian currency from the credit card. A cross-border fee may apply, depending on the policy of the credit card company or bank.

The WFP, the world's largest food aid organisation, runs projects in 10 states in India and has spent around $1 billion in the country.

"We now have hunger galloping ahead — over a billion people now for the first time in history — and because of the financial pressure on governments we think it's really important now to call on the citizens of the world to help solve this problem directly," Sheeran said.

It is the first time the WFP, which is mainly funded by national governments, has launched such an appeal.

"We are cutting rations, but we would rather send a message to the citizens of the world to help us fill this food cup," said Sheeran, holding a red food cup taken from a WFP programme in Rwanda. "Because it's just not an acceptable choice to not stand with those hungry right now."

If even a fraction of the number of people targeted donates, it will provide a massive boost to the organisation's revenues, which are entirely funded by donations — unlike some other UN agencies that draw revenues from the world body's budget.

Speaking ahead of a World Food Summit that starts on Monday in Rome, Sheeran said the WFP was on track to raise only around half the $6.7 billion it had targeted for this year, with most of it coming from national governments.

While this year's forecast $3.7 billion in donations would be the WFP's second highest ever, it was still not enough to tackle the humanitarian crises around the globe, she said.

Sheeran said the WFP faced "a year of tough choices" as drought in the Horn of Africa, floods in the Philippines and conflict in northern Pakistan stretched its ability to cope with emergencies.

This came against a backdrop of tens of millions more people being forced into hunger by stubbornly high food prices in the developing world after the 2007-2008 food crisis.

"The problem at the moment is that the WFP probably has 10 or 12 acute emergencies on its hands, each one complex, each one with its own compelling situation and none that can really afford to be neglected," Sheeran said.

The WFP expects to feed around 100 million people this year in 72 different countries, providing an estimated 28 billion meals. Only 7 per cent of funds are spent on paying overheads, with the rest going to food aid, Sheeran said.

"We are saying to people... if they contribute, it will go to the intended purpose," said the former US trade official. "Of the 25 cents it costs to get a cup of food to a child, 93 per cent is for food and logistics."
হে মহাজীবন

সুকান্ত ভট্টাচার্য

হে মহাজীবন,আর এ কাব্য নয়

এবার কঠিন,কঠোর গদ্য আনো,

পদ-লালিত্য ঝংকার মুছে যাক

গদ্যের কড়া হাতুড়িতে আজ হানো।

প্রয়োজন নেই কবিতার স্নিগ্ধতা-

কবিতা তোমায় দিলাম আজকে ছুটি,

ক্ষুধার রাজ্যে পৃথিবী গদ্যময়;
পূণির্মা-চাঁদ যেন ঝলসানো রুটি।
http://hummingbird.wordpress.com/category/sukanta-bhattacharya/
Full Moon looks like a BURNT Chapati, typical Indian Bread.It is written by Bengali Evolutionary Poet Sukanta Bhattacharya in the Context of Bengal Famine during World War Two just after the Recovery in America and Europe.Meanwhile, Stimulus spending and other emergency measures have set the stage for global economic recovery, but nations must push ahead with free trade and investment to ensure growth, President Barack Obama and fellow Asia-Pacific leaders said Sunday.

Sukanta Bhattacharya (August 15, 1926 – May 13, 1947) was one of the most honored poets of Bangla literature. He was called 'Young Nazrul' and 'Kishore Bidrohi Kobi'.Sukanta was born at his uncle's house in Kolkata. His ancestral home in the village Unshiya in Kotalipara, Gopalganj, Bengal (now part of Bangladesh). His father, Nibaran Bhattacharya, was in the book selling business in Kolkata.

He died of tuberculosis at Jadavpur (Kolkata) at a very young age of 21. He was a communist and was a worker of the party.His work is deeply marked and influenced by his communist experience. One of his shorter poems compares the moon with a burnt roti, a prosaicness born of hunger:

"Poetry, we do not need you anymore. A world devastated by hunger is too prosaic, The full moon now reminds us of toasted bread"

It is quite amusing that in modern context as Recovery from current recession in America and Europe strike the headlines, Famine , Food insecurity, Man Made Calamities, Global Warming, Climate Change and Pandemic Clouds loom large all over the Third world Sky including India despite the claims of Shining, Glittering, Resilience and growth rate, foreign capital Inflow and Investment spree! The NASA related Scientists are Planning to colonise the Moon amidst the reports of abundant Water Resources but the Earth is struck by Unprecedented DROUGHT. We may not indulge in War with China in near Future but the Water war is IMMINENT between India and China.We must realise the meaning of the Poem written by Sukanta right in forties. Provided you may get it, just see the reporting of the great famine by SOMNATH Hore or just go through the Short stories written by Manik Bandopaddhyaya. Tragedy is that the SCENARIO has not changed at all. We have been amid Food Riots in Bengal enveloped by Singur, Nandigram, lalgarh and Gorkhaland Insurrections. Entire Indo Bangla Border is Inflicted with Hunger, Job Loss, human Trafficking and Drug addiction.Death Processions never stop in tea gardens.Indian Peasants commit suicide anywhere anytime in any part of India. Victims of Development, the Aboriginal Indigenous Communities of central India have been selected for Ethnic Cleansing. Glaciers are melting and Hunger looms large in the Himalayas.

It is very hot in Kolkata.past November.The Metro has Turned a Boiling Biryani pot with Humidity and suffocation. Sabita was indisposed late in the Night. her stomach revolted and we had to get medical help. It has been quite Uneasy to travel in Local trains and stranded anywhere. Warm cloths have no use in Kolkata these days. last day , some parts of the Metro got some showers but it enhanced Humidity unbearable.

I have been writing about the Grave Yards in Industrial belts all over. The Rural India face the unprecedented EXODUS and the MIGRATION makes the Greatest SLUM Dog world all over the Urban and suburban Geopolitics not only in India, but even in Americas and Europe, south east Asia.

I am told that my mother Basanti Debi and my Grand Mother Shanti Debi had visited West Bengal just after the Dhimri Block Peasant Uprising in 1958. I was an Infant and my father had been in Jail in east Pakistan where he participated in BHASHA Andolan. The ladies had to beg for sustenance in Kolkata while I was in their lap as an INFANT. i do not remember but any Mother and child inflicted with Poverty and Hunger reminds me that UNSEEN Scene afresh.We are Resettled Bengali refugees. My father started his life in India before the Partition as a Light man in a Picture Hall in Dutt Pukur. My Grand Ma Shanti Debi and my Jethamoshai and Jethima landed in Sealdah station just after partition. Though Chhotokaka was working as a police man in East Bengal and my Chhotokaka served as a police man in Kolkata and faced the Direct action in 1946.According to my Jethamosahai, CHHOTOKAKA fired on Miscreants indulged in Riots on kokata street without waiting the Order of the Magistrate. Finally he left the Police service and Joined Army which he deserted very soon. My Father joined the family in Sealdah and then they got admission in Ranaghat Coopers camp. Later in Sixties, seventies and Eighties, I have been regular Visitor in refugee camps and witnessed the Self Destruction, Arson, Genocides all over India and saw the Resultant hunger very close.

We also witnessed the Agrarian Crisis after the demise of Green revolution. I myself burnt Acres of sugar cane field just because we could not get the Labour Cost. Since we discontinues to harvest Paddy and wheat, we had to get Credit for Food Security. I saw the Western Uttar Pradesh , perhaps most Rich in Agrarian crisis and had been an Eye witness to Peasant uprising led by Mahendra Singh Tikait during Eighties until it was overlapped by the Babri Mosque Dispute and khalistan Insurgency as the Indian Peasants were DISILLUSIONED by Green Revolution and they had to be SUBVERTED thus. The Subversion continues.

In tribal belt, Jharkhand, Orissa, Bihar, Maharashtra, Chhattishgarh, MP and Andhra, it was always HUNGER looming large on landscape and Human scape. Though Personally I have Never Been Well to do or that successful in my career, but we Never faced FOOD Insecurity. But My family had Never Been so NUCLEUS and we had to SHARE the Plight of Our people, their Persecution, exodus, hunger and Unemployment!

Shukanta was born in Calcutta in 1926. By the time he grew up Second World War was going on and the heat of the war was also felt in the British ruled Bengal. It was a crucial time in the history of Bengal. The anti British movement was going on and also the economy of Bengal was in a very bad condition which resulted in a man made famine in 1943. Sukanto was born, observed and depicted the problems of society and suffering of people of that time. Sukanta during his school life became involved into leftist political movement. He was deeply influenced by Marxist thoughts and ideals.

In his poems he described the contemporary social problems such as famine, war, suffering of poor people especially farmers and day laborers. During the famine of 1943 he became a relief worker for the peasants who came to calcutta. He also worked with jute mill trade organizations. Sukanta died of tuberculosis when he was only twenty one years old. Within such a short span of time he wrote many poets and plays. Some of his works are Chhadpatra (1947), Purbabhas (1950), Mithekada (1951), Abhiyan (1953), Ghum Nei (1954), Hartal (1962), Gitiguchchha (1965).

"Chhadpatra," is a famous Sukanta Bhattacharya poem where the poet talks about an infant who has just taken birth and declaring his arrival through crying. The poet says that the baby has come to this world and now we have to make place for this baby. The poet says that some times the baby is crying, sometimes laughing and making noise but nobody understands it. The people are getting irritated but the poet understands his language. It is the hope of a new world, a new place. The people will die and this new born baby will take their place and in this way the cycle of human life will move forward. Here the poet is actually referring to the contemporary condition of his time war, piece, famine and instability in life. The poet did not lose his faith on human being. He hopes that the next generation will learn from the faults of their elders and try to make the world a better place. The new born baby is that sign of hope.

The State of Food Insecurity in the World

Economic crises - impacts and lessons learned
2009 has been a devastating year for the world's hungry, marking a significant worsening of an already disappointing trend in global food security since 1996. The global economic slowdown, following on the heels of the food crisis in 2006–08, has deprived an additional 100 million people of access to adequate food. There have been marked increases in hunger in all of the world's major regions, and more than one billion people are now estimated to be undernourished.
About the series

The State of Food Insecurity in the World raises awareness about global hunger issues, discusses underlying causes of hunger and malnutrition and monitors progress towards hunger reduction targets established at the 1996 World Food Summit and the Millennium Summit. The publication is targeted at a wide audience, including policy-makers, international organizations, academic institutions and the general public with a general interest in linkages between food security, human and economic development.

* Foreword
* Full publication
* Order a copy of the book
* Press release
* SOFI Flyer

For more information, contact: David.Dawe@fao.org from FAO's Economic and Social Development Department

Key messages

* Even before the food and economic crises, hunger was on the rise.

* FAO estimates that 1.02 billion people are undernourished worldwide in 2009.

* In trying to cope with the burden of consecutive food and economic crises, poor people reduce their dietary diversity and spending on essential items such as education and health care.

* A healthy agriculture sector can provide an economic and employment buffer in times of crisis, especially in poorer countries.

* Safety-net interventions should address the immediate impact on the vulnerable while also providing sustainable solutions to the underlying problems.

* The fact that hunger was increasing even before the food and economic crises suggests that present solutions are insufficient and that a right-to-food approach has an important role to play in eradicating food insecurity.

Video

FAO's David Dawe presents the new hunger report.

Full MOON Looks like a BURNT Chapati!Hunger SOS to a Billion!

0 Comments to Full MOON Looks like a BURNT Chapati!Hunger SOS to a Billion!

Leave a comment (Login)