GOPIO NEWS BULLETIN

August, 2003

CONTENTS

v Can the Indian Diaspora Help India to Overtake China?

v GOPIO Hails Fiji Supreme Court Decision to Include Indo-Fijians in the Fiji Cabinet

v NRIs/PIOs Urged to Participate in Indias Growth with $56,000 Independence Day Challenge

v Dual Nationality Bill Faces Hurdle

v GOPIO.Connect Info on Water Management

v PIO Human Rights Perspectives and Experiences

v GOPIO CHAPTER NEWS

- GOPIO-Belgium Calls Upon MEP Deva to Seek His Support

v GOPIO Chapter Initiation

v GOPIOs Business and Professional Service Bulletin Board

CAN THE INDIAN DIASPORA HELP INDIA OVERTAKE CHINA ?

Last month the Indo-Asian News Service quoted a Report in the Foreign Policy Journal that the Non Resident Indians could help India to increase its economic growth thus overtaking China in a near future. This research report is based on economic facts and joins many economists who share similar views. What makes this report important is the fact that the strength and the importance of the Indian Diaspora in building Indias economy have been highlighted. Going by simple economic facts, new fond attraction of the Diaspora to India and the developments that are taking place in India, the report seems logical. Going by Indias economic reforms programme, its basic economic parameters and its achievements, it can be expected that India will overtake China in few years. The Indian Diasporas emotional determination can help India to become a developed nation by 2020.

The Non Resident Indians have played an important role in foreign investment but its contribution to the Indian economy has only lately been recognized. When India faced its worst balance of payments crisis in the early nineties it was NRI deposits that helped India to come out of this crisis. In Indias 55 years of history this was the first imprint of the important role the Indian Diaspora can play in building Indian economy. When India conducted nuclear tests in 1998, the Indian Diaspora stood by India and played an important role in influencing policy makers in the US against any sanction.

Although official FDI figures point to $47 billion investment to China in 2001 with India only $3 billion, the race could be actually closer.
According to the international Finance Corporation the whole issue of FDI in China could be overestimated due to round-tripping where mainland funds leaving China return as foreign investment to gain tax and other incentives.
The World Bank thinks that as much as 50% of Chinas FDI could actually be domestic cash cutting its 2001 total to about 2% of the GDP.
India, according to the IFC, underestimates FDI because of incomplete data and may have received up to $8 billion; 1.7 per cent of the GDP in 2001. (Far Eastern Economic Review, December 2002). Venture capitalism is leading the way investing serious money in India against much hyped China.

Despite Chinas phenomenal growth, the per capita annual income is still about US$ 750 per person.

India has been achieving steady annual economic growth at 6 per cent.

India is not dependent on tourism and exports for foreign exchange earnings as China is. In spite of this Indias export account will reach about one per cent of the global trade in three years and by 2025 to 13 per cent making it the worlds third largest economy.

The market capitalization of the Indian software industry has climbed steeply to from $4 billion in 1999 to about $50 billion to-day. Indias software exports are about $10 billion.

India has a resource pool of 350,000 high-level software professionals compared with estimated 30,000-35,000 in China.

China and India have pursued radically different development strategies. India is not outperforming China overall, but it is doing better in certain key areas. That success may enable it to catch up with and perhaps even overtake China. Should that prove to be the case, it will not only demonstrate the importance of homegrown entrepreneurship to long-term economic development; but it will show the limits of the foreign direct investment (FDI) dependent approach China is pursuing.

India may well have paid an economic price for democracy and may do so for some time, but that is the only political system that can define Indian Republic. India is India because it is a pluralistic, secular democracy.

Contributed by Sunil Prasad, Brussels, Belgium

GOPIO Hails Fiji Supreme Court Decision to Include Indo-Fijians in the Cabinet

Fiji Court rules that the dismissal of Mahendra Chaudhary as Prime Minister was unlawful

The Fiji Supreme Court on July 18^th, 2003 ruled that the sacking of the Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhary in 2001 was unlawful and ordered the government of the Prime Minster Laisenia Qarase to accept up to eight opposition lawmakers into the Cabinet. Justice Anthony Gates while handing down the 50-pages judgment circumventing around Section 99 of the 1997 Constitution, came down heavily on the President Ratu Josefa Iioilo for his unconstitutional dismissal of Chaudhary and asked the Prime Minister Qarase to consult Mahendra Chaudhary to reconstitute the Cabinet. The Section 99 of the Fijis multiracial Constitution requires the establishment of a multi-party Cabinet. The GOPIO International has welcomed the ruling making it obligatory for the Fijian government to establish a multi-party Cabinet

Mr. Mahendra Chaudhary while welcoming the judgment called on the Prime Minister Qarase to quickly move with the Supreme Court ruling and take the country forward. Mr. Chaudhary has asked for proportional representation in the government. While the ruling SDL has 32 seats the opposition Labour Party has 28 seats.

Chaudhary's is an epic story of an Indian migrant family. Mr. Chaudhary became the first ethnic Indian Prime Minister of Fiji. On May 19, 2000, after a year in power, he was ousted in a coup and was held hostage for more than 50 days. However, he refused to buckle under pressure, saying that he would continue his struggle for democracy and freedom in his country. When the coup leaders, under pressure of world opinion, asked for his voluntary resignation, he refused to oblige. The installation of the new premier came after deposed Prime Minister Chaudhary was formally dismissed by Iloilo as the first step in the country's return to constitutional rule. Chaudhary flayed his dismissal as unconstitutional and kept fighting for his rights.

The GOPIO International had condemned the dismissal of Chaudhary as unlawful and asked the Fijian government to restore democracy and reinstate Chaudhary as the Prime Minister. The GOPIO Convention in Switzerland in June 2000 urged the Fijian President to restore the democracy. Again on January 8, 2003, the GOPIO Conference in New Delhi had passed a resolution urging the Govt. of India to continue to support the struggle of the Fiji Indians to achieve and maintain their just political, social and economic rights in the country consistent with the provisions of the 1997 Fiji Constitution and UNs Universal Declaration of Human rights.

The GOPIO International has been in the forefront of helping the Indian community in Fiji. When Fiji was laced with hurricane devastation in January, the GOPIO had set up Fiji Cyclone Rehabilitation Fund and raised funds to support the people of Fiji.

Indian community in developing countries like Fiji, who constitute a sizeable segment of the local population and are major participant in the political process, are subject to resentments by the local ethnic populations. This is because the Indians community has proved to be more enterprising, more hard-working, more prosperous and the events in Fiji are illustrative of this phenomenon. India still grapples with the problems of playing a positive and effective role in relation to Indian communities in the developing world like Fiji.

Contributed by Sunil Prasad, Brussels, Belgium

NRIs/PIOs Urged to Participate in Indias Growth with $56,000 Independence Day Challenge

Nearly four million people in India are infected with the HIV virus, and the country has 85 percent of the worlds polio cases. Nearly half the countrys total population still cannot read and write.

In contrast, Indians in the United States are among the countrys most affluent ethnic groups, with a median income of over $60,000 a year at least $20,000 more than the average American. More than half the Indians over 25 living here have college degrees.

On Indias 56^th Independence Day, one Washington-based non-profit is trying to narrow this gap between Indians here and back in India by offering itself as a bridge. Mr. R.E. Ted Turners United Nations Foundation has issued a $56,000 Pride in India challenge to Indians and Indophiles around the world. The Foundation is offering a matching dollar for every dollar contributed to its United Nations projects in support of Indias advancement, up to $56,000. Every dollar contributed to the UN Foundation could generate 25 cents in tax savings for the donor, and would mushroom to $2 for India through the Pride in India challenge. The UN Foundation is an excellent partnership platform for all those who wish to make a difference in India, says Seema Paul, an Indian national and Senior Program Officer at the UN Foundation spearheading this effort, We provide access to 50 years of UN expertise in development, charge absolutely no overheads and magnify our partners contribution with our own resources.

The entire $112,000 generated through the challenge grants would go to UN Foundation supported UN projects in India. The UN Foundation has funded several projects in India over the past five years, committing $50 million in support of initiatives ranging from polio eradication to micro credit schemes, conserving natural heritage and promoting access of rural people and enterprises to renewable energy. Mr. Turner established the UN Foundation in 1998 with a $1 billion commitment to the United Nations work around the globe. UN Foundation projects are implemented by the United Nations agencies working in partnership with non-governmental organizations and local and national governments.

To date, the UN Foundation has committed $600 million worldwide to projects in support of childrens health, environment, women and population, and peace, security and human rights. Of this, more than $50 million is going to UN projects in India, making it one of the major focuses of the Foundations work.

UN Foundation and its partner United Nations agencies have a vision to level the playing field for all Indians by improving the health of children, especially girls, empowering women with livelihoods, alleviating poverty and reducing the scourge of HIV/AIDS.

Donations can be made through the UN Foundations India website, which has been launched to coincide with Independence Day, www.PrideInIndia.org. Also visit the UN Foundations home page at www.unfoundation.org

Alternately, checks can be mailed to: The United Nations Foundation, Attn: Pride of India, 1225 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20036

DUAL NATIONALITY BILL FACES HURDLE

A parliamentary panel studying the draft dual citizenship bill appears to be in two minds about the oath of allegiance clause following objections from the High Power committee on Indian diaspora that had recommended dual citizenship.

The Issue has been raised by the former Law Minister Hansraj Bhardwaj, a Congress Member of the Parliament, who is a member of the Parliamentary Committee. Mr Bhardwaj said the committee was seized of the provision that those seeking Indian citizenship would have to sign an oath of affirmation of loyalty to India.

GOPIO does not agree with Mr. Bharadwaj. A person will naturally have primary allegiance to the country he/she has made his/her home, where he/she enjoys domicile and makes a living.

GOPIO.CONNECT WATER MANAGEMENT

Water Management

Water as a resource is under relentless pressure in India. Due to population growth, economic development, rapid urbanization, large-scale industrialization and environmental concerns water stress has emerged as a real threat. The scarcity of water for human and ecosystem uses and the deteriorating water quality leads to "water stress" and intense socio-political pressures. Many areas are already under severe water stress. Any addition to the intensity of water stress in the existing water scarcity areas, or addition of new areas to water stressed list, will only further push the problem in to the realm of a disaster.

Key Water Problems are:

Distribution Anomalies
Leakages /Obvious Wastes
Profligate Consumption
Chemical Pollution

The main focus of the current project is to explore & find low-cost deployment of advanced techniques for decentralized Water Collection, Filtration & Storage depending upon urban & rural settings:

I. Find best Reverse Osmosis (RO) techniques to manage water in India:

1. Non-electric utilize natural resources of energy

2. Remove lead, aluminum and arsenic, fluorides or nitrates

3. Low cost

Some Companies looking into such techniques:

1. Pure Water Products: http://www.pwgazette.com/

2. Kinetco Quality Water Systems: http://www.kwater.com/

3. Dime Water Inc. : http://www.dimewater.com/

4. Veolia Water Systems: http://www.vivendiwatersystems.com/

5. Edstorm Industries: http://www.edstrom.com

Some Research work in RO techniques:

1. US Environment Protection Agency: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/

2. Michigan State University: http://www.gem.msu.edu/pubs/msue/wq24p1.html

3. Research group on Sustainable Development: http://www.lasef.ist.utl.pt/

II. Analyze Freshwater Storage methods:

1. Groundwater storage

2. Small surface water reservoirs

3. Large dam reservoirs

For more information, please contact:

Prashant Gupta

Facilitator, GOPIO.Connect - www.gopio.net/india_development

Location: Chicago, USA

Email: p-gupta3@kellogg.northwestern.edu

Phone: 847.571.0703

PIO HUMAN RIGHTS PERSPECTIVES & EXPERIENCES

GOPIO CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT - Seeking Speakers from Different Countries to Share Experience

Human Rights Perspectives and Experience: People of Indian Origin in the Caribbean, Americas, Asia, Africa, Europe
In-Depth Reports, Discussions and Analyses. Experiences of People of Indian Origin Living Outside of India in Countries with Significant PIO Population. Reports on Fiji, the Caribbean, USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Africa, Guyana, Trinidad, Surname, and others.

Sponsored By
St. Johns Universitys
Center on Latin American & Caribbean Studies

on Saturday, October 25, 2003 @ 9:00am
at
St. Johns University
Bent Hall Auditorium
Jamaica New York

Co-Sponsored By
Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO), Inc.

Supported By
The Guyanese East Indian Civic Association (GEICA)
And Several Other Institutions & Organizations

Contact:
GOPIO, Web: www.gopio.net,

Ashook Ramsaran    718-969-8206, E-mail: ramsaran@aol.com
Sudha Acharya        718-523-7668 eMail: sacharya@netzero.net

GEICA - Prakash Singh           718-939-8194 eMail: geica@aol.com

St. Johns. Univ. Dr. Camacho-Gingerich 718-990-1932 eMail: clacs@sju.edu

Admission is Free    *****     Attendance Confirmation Requested

PROGRAM OUTLINE

Friday, October 24, 2003
7:00pm           Reception        Off-Premise

Saturday, October 25, 2003
Conference Venue - St Johns University
8:30am            Registration
9:00am            Opening Remarks (SJU/CLACS, GOPIO)
9:15am            General Remarks (with Speaker)
9:30am             Keynote Address (On: Violations in General)
10:15am            Refreshments
10:30am            Session I Country Reports -- Region   I
11:30am            Discussion
12:00pm             LUNCH (with Speaker)
1:00pm              Session II Country Reports -- Region II
3:45pm              Refreshments
4:00pm              Session III Country Reports -- Region III
8::00pm               Dinner

Sunday, October 26, 2003
Working Session       Off-Premise
(Selected 1015 persons)
9:30am               Introductory Remarks
9:15am               Discussion
12:15pm              Closing Remarks
12:30pm              Lunch

Region   I                The Caribbean, Guyana, Malaysia, Trinidad,
                                         Suriname, Fiji, Bangladesh
Region II                 Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe,
                                         Other Africa, Mauritius
Region III                Australia, Canada, Europe, United Kingdom, United States,
                                         Other Americas

SPEAK AT THE CONFERECE OR PRESENT A SCHOLARLY PAPER

Please send an abstract to Secretary General Ashook Ramsaran at ramsaran@aol.com or call 718-969-8206.

GOPIO CHAPTER NEWS

GOPIO Belgium Calls Upon MEP Deva to Seek His Support

Brussels, 10 July, 2003: A three member delegation from GOPIO Belgium called on Mr. Nirj Deva, Member of the European Parliament on 10^th. July in Brussels and apprised him of the activities of GOPIO Belgium. This was second in the series of Parliamentary Contact Programme the GOPIO Belgium is making with the Members of the European Parliament of PIO origin to brief them of the activities of GOPIO Belgium on behalf of 14,000 people of Indian origin in Belgium. Mr. Deva, a PIO from Sri Lanka origin, is the Spokesman for Overseas Development and Co-operation and belongs to the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom. One particular issue, which attracted the attention of the MEP most, was the denial of the pension to those people of Indian origin whose governments do not have bilateral agreement with the government of Belgium.

Mr. Deva supports unifying the power and influence of the Indian Diaspora and is the Vice President of the Friends of India Society in the European Parliament in Brussels.

The MEP Deva was very astonished to learn about this and assured the delegation that he will use his parliamentary powers to bring the attention of the Belgium government to this discriminatory law and also raise the issue in various Parliamentary Committees too. The delegation was comprised of Mr. Sunil Prasad, President, Ms. Kamalam, Vice President and Mr. V. Hassamal, Senior Executive Committee member. The President briefed the MEP about the history of the GOPIO International, its objectives, achievements and its activities and presented to him a set of dossier on GOPIO International as well as on GOPIO Belgium. The MEP assured the delegation that he would ask the representatives of the Indian diamond community in Antwerp to co-operate with GOPIO activities. In course of the discussion, the President also mentioned to Mr. Deva that he would raise with the President of the GOPIO International Dr. Thomas Abraham the possibility of organizing an Entrepreneurs Conference on Sri Lanka by the GOPIO International. Mr. Deva assured his support to GOPIO International and his participation too in such event.

GOPIO Chapter Initiation

GOPIO is looking for community activists in major cities of the world to initiate chapters. One can initiate a chapter and become part of this global network of people of Indian origin by visiting GOPIOs Chapter Initiative website www.gopio.net/chapter_initiative.htm to get a copy of the guidelines governing GOPIO chapters. Alternately, call GOPIOs International coordinator Dr. Jagat Motwani at 631-421-4688 in USA.

Business and Professional Services Bulletin Board

NRIs/PIOs and businessmen from India are encouraged to publicize businesses and services though GOPIO Business Council Bulletin Board free of charge. Please visit www.gopio.net/wboard/bulletin.htm

Editorial Board

Dr. Thomas Abraham (Stamford, CT, USA)

Prashant Gupta (Chicago, IL, USA)

Sunil Prasad (Brussles, Belgium)

Visit GOPIOs Official site at www.gopio.net