text:
Q: What is Foster Care?
Foster care volunteers provide temporary care for kittens, puppies, dogs and cats. The Foster Care Program serves as a lifeline for those animals who come in under eight-weeks-old, very sick, injured, or needing some extra socialization or training. Our Foster Families provide quiet, stress-free, and loving environments, allowing every pet that is fostered through our program a better chance at a happier and healthier life with a forever family.
Some animals may only need a home for several days if they need to gain weight before surgery, while others may need several weeks of care in the case of a broken bone. By offering your time, energy and home to an animal in need, you prepare the animal for adoption into a permanent home as well as prevent overcrowding in our adoption center. The Maryland SPCA is always looking for foster parents to help save more animals’ lives.
Q: Do I get to choose what types of pets I foster?
Yes. In your initial interview our program coordinator will ask what types of pets you are interested in fostering. During this time, the coordinator will also go over in detail all the types of fostering situations. Together you will discuss the best fit for you and your family. If you begin your fostering journey with dogs, you may always switch to cats (and vice versa) in the future. Switching is as easy as a discussion with the program coordinator when that time comes.
Q: What if the foster in my home is not fitting into my lifestyle and/or not getting along with my pets?
We do our best to make a good match from the beginning by providing foster parents with all of the information we know about a pet before pick up. We ask that you try to make it work but we understand that sometimes it is just not a good fit. There is a “two-week shut down period” where you will not have the foster and your pet together under any circumstance. If after that time it is too difficult to keep them separate and/or they are not getting along the program coordinator will assist you in returning the pet back to the shelter.
Q: What if I need to unexpectedly leave town while I have a foster in my home?
We understand that things come up! If you unexpectedly need to leave town you will be expected to inform the program coordinator and return your foster animal to the shelter.
Q: How often does a foster animal need to be brought in for check-ups?
Foster parent volunteers need to transport animals to the MD SPCA on a regular basis for vaccinations, vet checks, weight checks and spay and neuter surgeries. Vaccination appointments and weigh-ins for kittens and puppies are scheduled every two weeks. Veterinarian appointments are scheduled as needed for each animal.
Q: What if I’m unavailable to foster an animal when you call?
Q: Will a foster animal have accidents or cause damage?
Q: Do I need to keep foster animals separate from my pets?
As mentioned above there is a “two-week shutdown period” during which you will need to keep the foster animal separate from your pets. The shutdown period is meant to give the new animal time to adjust to you and your family and new environment, and to prevent the spread of illnesses. It may seem complicated but trust us, it’s best for you, your pets and your foster!
Q: Will the MD SPCA treat my personal pet if he is injured or becomes sick because of a foster animal?
Q: I love the idea of fostering, but I’m worried about how I’ll feel when it’s time for the animal to be brought back to the shelter for adoption.
It can be difficult to let go once you have become emotionally attached to a foster animal. Be prepared for tears and some heartache when you bring your foster animals back to the MD SPCA. But remember, foster care volunteers play a crucial part in helping unwanted animals get to permanent, loving homes they deserve.
Q: What if a friend or family member wants to adopt my foster animal?
Thank you for helping find homes for your foster animals! Please keep in mind however, that the animals will not be available until their medical work, including spay or neuter surgery, is completed. Please refer interested adopters to the MD SPCA Foster Care Program at 410-235-8826 x167 or foster@mdspca.org to start the adoption conversation.
Q: What if I want to adopt the animal I’m fostering?
This can happen when foster parents fall in love with the animals. If you wish to adopt a foster animal, please call the program coordinator to start the adoption conversation. Having available foster homes is crucial for saving lives, so we ask foster parents to consider how adopting a foster animal may affect their ability to continue fostering other animals in the future.
If you are interested in fostering for the Maryland SPCA, you can begin the application process by completing our foster care application online. The questions asked in the application are to ensure that your foster experience is positive for both you and the animals. When completed, please send your application to the MD SPCA by email to foster@mdspca.org, by fax to (410) 235-1053 or by mail to Maryland SPCA c/o Kaitlyn Thomas, 3300 Falls Rd., Baltimore, MD 21211.

lowercased:
q: what is foster care?
foster care volunteers provide temporary care for kittens, puppies, dogs and cats. the foster care program serves as a lifeline for those animals who come in under eight-weeks-old, very sick, injured, or needing some extra socialization or training. our foster families provide quiet, stress-free, and loving environments, allowing every pet that is fostered through our program a better chance at a happier and healthier life with a forever family.
some animals may only need a home for several days if they need to gain weight before surgery, while others may need several weeks of care in the case of a broken bone. by offering your time, energy and home to an animal in need, you prepare the animal for adoption into a permanent home as well as prevent overcrowding in our adoption center. the maryland spca is always looking for foster parents to help save more animals’ lives.
q: do i get to choose what types of pets i foster?
yes. in your initial interview our program coordinator will ask what types of pets you are interested in fostering. during this time, the coordinator will also go over in detail all the types of fostering situations. together you will discuss the best fit for you and your family. if you begin your fostering journey with dogs, you may always switch to cats (and vice versa) in the future. switching is as easy as a discussion with the program coordinator when that time comes.
q: what if the foster in my home is not fitting into my lifestyle and/or not getting along with my pets?
we do our best to make a good match from the beginning by providing foster parents with all of the information we know about a pet before pick up. we ask that you try to make it work but we understand that sometimes it is just not a good fit. there is a “two-week shut down period” where you will not have the foster and your pet together under any circumstance. if after that time it is too difficult to keep them separate and/or they are not getting along the program coordinator will assist you in returning the pet back to the shelter.
q: what if i need to unexpectedly leave town while i have a foster in my home?
we understand that things come up! if you unexpectedly need to leave town you will be expected to inform the program coordinator and return your foster animal to the shelter.
q: how often does a foster animal need to be brought in for check-ups?
foster parent volunteers need to transport animals to the md spca on a regular basis for vaccinations, vet checks, weight checks and spay and neuter surgeries. vaccination appointments and weigh-ins for kittens and puppies are scheduled every two weeks. veterinarian appointments are scheduled as needed for each animal.
q: what if i’m unavailable to foster an animal when you call?
q: will a foster animal have accidents or cause damage?
q: do i need to keep foster animals separate from my pets?
as mentioned above there is a “two-week shutdown period” during which you will need to keep the foster animal separate from your pets. the shutdown period is meant to give the new animal time to adjust to you and your family and new environment, and to prevent the spread of illnesses. it may seem complicated but trust us, it’s best for you, your pets and your foster!
q: will the md spca treat my personal pet if he is injured or becomes sick because of a foster animal?
q: i love the idea of fostering, but i’m worried about how i’ll feel when it’s time for the animal to be brought back to the shelter for adoption.
it can be difficult to let go once you have become emotionally attached to a foster animal. be prepared for tears and some heartache when you bring your foster animals back to the md spca. but remember, foster care volunteers play a crucial part in helping unwanted animals get to permanent, loving homes they deserve.
q: what if a friend or family member wants to adopt my foster animal?
thank you for helping find homes for your foster animals! please keep in mind however, that the animals will not be available until their medical work, including spay or neuter surgery, is completed. please refer interested adopters to the md spca foster care program at 410-235-8826 x167 or foster@mdspca.org to start the adoption conversation.
q: what if i want to adopt the animal i’m fostering?
this can happen when foster parents fall in love with the animals. if you wish to adopt a foster animal, please call the program coordinator to start the adoption conversation. having available foster homes is crucial for saving lives, so we ask foster parents to consider how adopting a foster animal may affect their ability to continue fostering other animals in the future.
if you are interested in fostering for the maryland spca, you can begin the application process by completing our foster care application online. the questions asked in the application are to ensure that your foster experience is positive for both you and the animals. when completed, please send your application to the md spca by email to foster@mdspca.org, by fax to (410) 235-1053 or by mail to maryland spca c/o kaitlyn thomas, 3300 falls rd., baltimore, md 21211.


text:
Curriculum leads ensure the increased achievement of all students through the alignment, monitoring, and evaluation of curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
Curriculum leads ensure the increased achievement of all students through the alignment, monitoring, and evaluation of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Three resources that may be of value in this work are Curriculum Alignment: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement by David A. Squires, The Curriculum Bridge - from Standards to Actual Classroom Practices by Pearl G. Soloman, and From Mandate to Achievement - 5 Steps to a Curriculum System that Works! by Elaine Makas.
Iowa ASCD board members who demonstrate expertise and mentoring in this function include the following. Please contact them with your questions.
Curriculum leads assure all educators' ability to use data to inform, implement, monitor, and evaluate results-based decisions.
Curriculum leads assure all educators' ability to use data to inform, implement, monitor, and evaluate results-based decisions. Resources that could be of value include Using Date to Improve Learning for All, A Collaborative Inquiry Approach edited by Nancy Love and Getting Excited about Data - Combining People, Passion, and Proof to Maximize Student Achievement by Edie L. Holcomb.
Curriculum leads establish and monitor common practices and procedures to assure alignment and achievement of initiatives and plans with district and building goals.
Curriculum leads establish and monitor common practices and procedures to assure alignment and achievement of initiatives and plans with district and building goals. Resources to assist leads in this work include The Data Coach's Guide to Improving Learning for All Students: Unleashing the Power of Collaborative Inquiry by Nancy Love, Katherine E. Stiles, Susan Mundry, and Kathryn DiRanne; and Advancing the Three-Minute Walk-Through - Mastering Reflective Practice by Carolyn J. Downey, Betty E. Steffy, Wuilliam K. Poston, Jr., and Fenwick W. English.
Curriculum leads model, expect, monitor, and evaluate continuous learning of all students and staff members.
Curriculum leads model, expect, monitor, and evaluate continuous learning of all students and staff members. Resources that may assist the leads in this work include Leading Learning: Change Student Achievement Today! by Rosemary T. Taylor and Leading Adult Learning - Supporting Adult Development in Our Schools by Eleanor Drago-Severson.
Curriculum leads ensure meaningful, two-way communication among all stakeholders for increased student learning.
Curriculum leads ensure meaningful, two-way communication among all stakeholders for increased student learning. Two resources to assist in this work are Creative Strategies to Transform School Culture by John F. Eller and Sheila Eller and Building Strong School Cultures: A Guide to Leading Change by Sharon D. Kruse and Karen Seashore Louis.
Curriculum leads assure the development, implementation, management, monitoring, communication, evaluation, and achievement of results-based goals and data-informed initiatives. Resources to assist in this work include Failure Is Not an Option: 6 Principles for Making Student Success the ONLY Option by Alan M. Blankstein and Assessing Educational Leaders: Evaluating Performance for Improved Individual and Organizational Results by Douglas B. Reeves.
Curriculum leads organize and assure equitable and adequate resources (e.g., time, people, money, expertise), processes, and systems to achieve student success. Resources to support this work are The Principal's Guide to Managing School Personnel by Richard D. Sorenson and Floyd M. Goldsmith and Align the Design: A Blueprint for School Improvement by Nancy J. Mooney and Ann T. Mausbach.
Curriculum leads nurture schools, educators, and stakeholders through the change process to achieve desired results. Resources to support this work include Beyond School Improvement: The Journey to Innovative Leadership by Robert Davidovich, Pauli Nikolay, Bonnie Laugerman, and Carol Commodore; The Fourth Way: The Inspiring Future for Educational Change by Andy Hargreaves and Dennis Shirley; and Motion Leadership: The Skinny on Becoming Change Savvy by Michael Fullan.
See webpage on Standards-Based Grading, including additional resources and podcasts.
This page is underdevelopment and was last updated on June 21, 2016.

lowercased:
curriculum leads ensure the increased achievement of all students through the alignment, monitoring, and evaluation of curriculum, instruction, and assessment.
curriculum leads ensure the increased achievement of all students through the alignment, monitoring, and evaluation of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. three resources that may be of value in this work are curriculum alignment: research-based strategies for increasing student achievement by david a. squires, the curriculum bridge - from standards to actual classroom practices by pearl g. soloman, and from mandate to achievement - 5 steps to a curriculum system that works! by elaine makas.
iowa ascd board members who demonstrate expertise and mentoring in this function include the following. please contact them with your questions.
curriculum leads assure all educators' ability to use data to inform, implement, monitor, and evaluate results-based decisions.
curriculum leads assure all educators' ability to use data to inform, implement, monitor, and evaluate results-based decisions. resources that could be of value include using date to improve learning for all, a collaborative inquiry approach edited by nancy love and getting excited about data - combining people, passion, and proof to maximize student achievement by edie l. holcomb.
curriculum leads establish and monitor common practices and procedures to assure alignment and achievement of initiatives and plans with district and building goals.
curriculum leads establish and monitor common practices and procedures to assure alignment and achievement of initiatives and plans with district and building goals. resources to assist leads in this work include the data coach's guide to improving learning for all students: unleashing the power of collaborative inquiry by nancy love, katherine e. stiles, susan mundry, and kathryn diranne; and advancing the three-minute walk-through - mastering reflective practice by carolyn j. downey, betty e. steffy, wuilliam k. poston, jr., and fenwick w. english.
curriculum leads model, expect, monitor, and evaluate continuous learning of all students and staff members.
curriculum leads model, expect, monitor, and evaluate continuous learning of all students and staff members. resources that may assist the leads in this work include leading learning: change student achievement today! by rosemary t. taylor and leading adult learning - supporting adult development in our schools by eleanor drago-severson.
curriculum leads ensure meaningful, two-way communication among all stakeholders for increased student learning.
curriculum leads ensure meaningful, two-way communication among all stakeholders for increased student learning. two resources to assist in this work are creative strategies to transform school culture by john f. eller and sheila eller and building strong school cultures: a guide to leading change by sharon d. kruse and karen seashore louis.
curriculum leads assure the development, implementation, management, monitoring, communication, evaluation, and achievement of results-based goals and data-informed initiatives. resources to assist in this work include failure is not an option: 6 principles for making student success the only option by alan m. blankstein and assessing educational leaders: evaluating performance for improved individual and organizational results by douglas b. reeves.
curriculum leads organize and assure equitable and adequate resources (e.g., time, people, money, expertise), processes, and systems to achieve student success. resources to support this work are the principal's guide to managing school personnel by richard d. sorenson and floyd m. goldsmith and align the design: a blueprint for school improvement by nancy j. mooney and ann t. mausbach.
curriculum leads nurture schools, educators, and stakeholders through the change process to achieve desired results. resources to support this work include beyond school improvement: the journey to innovative leadership by robert davidovich, pauli nikolay, bonnie laugerman, and carol commodore; the fourth way: the inspiring future for educational change by andy hargreaves and dennis shirley; and motion leadership: the skinny on becoming change savvy by michael fullan.
see webpage on standards-based grading, including additional resources and podcasts.
this page is underdevelopment and was last updated on june 21, 2016.


text:
Well it’s officially 2015 and that only means one thing… CHANGE. As we all try to fulfill our New Year’s Resolutions, don’t forget to become a better YOU!. This New Year allows you to start fresh and to put everything behind you. Whatever may have been holding you back or bringing you down, say no more.
My goal for 2015 is to live an overall healthier and fit lifestyle. Why I choose fitness? Because it makes me feel whole. I love being able to hit the gym each day and relieve stress that I carry throughout the week. Working out allows me to clear my mind and to just do me. When you are in love with fitness, you make it a priority. A lot of people make excuses about not having enough time to work out but, I believe that if you cared about it so much then you will make time for whatever you love. In this life, I make fitness a top priority because it makes me feel better and I love helping others develop healthier lifestyles.
When you head into this New Year, don’t forget to challenge yourself. For me, I challenge myself and my teammates in the gym. Last year, I had a chance to compete in my first Figure competition after prepping for about 8 months. It was one of the best decisions of my life. I met some great people and I have never felt better about myself and who I have become. Whatever it is you love to do, make sure to commit wholeheartedly. What’s it worth if you’re not giving it 100%? For me, I plan to make 2015 another year that I get to step on stage and compete as a physique competitor. Whatever hand you’re dealt, make something of it and never give up. Never let anyone tell you different. If they aren’t laughing at your goals, then you didn’t set them high enough.

lowercased:
well it’s officially 2015 and that only means one thing… change. as we all try to fulfill our new year’s resolutions, don’t forget to become a better you!. this new year allows you to start fresh and to put everything behind you. whatever may have been holding you back or bringing you down, say no more.
my goal for 2015 is to live an overall healthier and fit lifestyle. why i choose fitness? because it makes me feel whole. i love being able to hit the gym each day and relieve stress that i carry throughout the week. working out allows me to clear my mind and to just do me. when you are in love with fitness, you make it a priority. a lot of people make excuses about not having enough time to work out but, i believe that if you cared about it so much then you will make time for whatever you love. in this life, i make fitness a top priority because it makes me feel better and i love helping others develop healthier lifestyles.
when you head into this new year, don’t forget to challenge yourself. for me, i challenge myself and my teammates in the gym. last year, i had a chance to compete in my first figure competition after prepping for about 8 months. it was one of the best decisions of my life. i met some great people and i have never felt better about myself and who i have become. whatever it is you love to do, make sure to commit wholeheartedly. what’s it worth if you’re not giving it 100%? for me, i plan to make 2015 another year that i get to step on stage and compete as a physique competitor. whatever hand you’re dealt, make something of it and never give up. never let anyone tell you different. if they aren’t laughing at your goals, then you didn’t set them high enough.


text:
A Full Reserve Study includes a Physical Analysis, which not only lists each individual component forming the basis of the study, but also includes the quantity, estimated replacement cost and estimated remaining useful life for each component. This then provides you with a basis for determining how much money your Association should be setting aside to repair or replace these items in future years.
One of the keys to the Full Reserve Study is the Financial Analysis, which includes a review of a 20-30 year projection giving the Association a true picture of their financial well being. By looking at both the immediate and long term, it is possible to establish a reserve funding policy which most accurately fits your specific needs. This projection gives the Association the necessary information to develop its yearly contributions based on an average over a number of years, and assists its investment strategy for the funds, because it identifies when they will actually be needed.
A review of the documents for the Community Association to determine which components make up the common elements and the limited common elements as well as their quantities. This is also known as the Component Inventory.
A site visit to establish the current condition of all common elements in order to assign an estimated remaining useful life.
Preparation of a Full Reserve Study, which includes the physical analysis as well as the financial analysis, including a 20-30 year funding plan and a threshold-funding plan.

lowercased:
a full reserve study includes a physical analysis, which not only lists each individual component forming the basis of the study, but also includes the quantity, estimated replacement cost and estimated remaining useful life for each component. this then provides you with a basis for determining how much money your association should be setting aside to repair or replace these items in future years.
one of the keys to the full reserve study is the financial analysis, which includes a review of a 20-30 year projection giving the association a true picture of their financial well being. by looking at both the immediate and long term, it is possible to establish a reserve funding policy which most accurately fits your specific needs. this projection gives the association the necessary information to develop its yearly contributions based on an average over a number of years, and assists its investment strategy for the funds, because it identifies when they will actually be needed.
a review of the documents for the community association to determine which components make up the common elements and the limited common elements as well as their quantities. this is also known as the component inventory.
a site visit to establish the current condition of all common elements in order to assign an estimated remaining useful life.
preparation of a full reserve study, which includes the physical analysis as well as the financial analysis, including a 20-30 year funding plan and a threshold-funding plan.


text: A detailed scale model of the New Holland L218 in scale 1:50. A quality die cast scale model with realistic and accurately replicated features and details just like the real machine. A collectors item, not suitable for children under 14 years of age.

lowercased: a detailed scale model of the new holland l218 in scale 1:50. a quality die cast scale model with realistic and accurately replicated features and details just like the real machine. a collectors item, not suitable for children under 14 years of age.


text:
India’s frontline fighter Sukhoi-30MKI is set to get a lethal edge with the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) tonight clearing a Rs 6,000-crore plan to acquire the air-launched version of the BrahMos missile, a joint Indo-Russian production, for the warplanes. The IAF will get 200 of these missiles.
The BrahMos, a supersonic missile with the capability of travelling at 2.8 mach, has already been inducted into the Indian Navy and the Indian Army.
Some modifications are needed to enable Sukhoi-30 carry the missile and deliver it. The missiles need some miniaturisation and Sukhoi-30 needs special under-the-wing pods to carry it.
Some of the fighter aircraft are being modified indigenously by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) at its Nasik facility and fitted with an integrated aerial launcher developed by the BrahMos.
The first live test of the missile using a Sukhoi-30 is expected in December. Once inducted, the missile will complete a sort of triad of supersonic missiles available with India on land, in air and at sea. The IAF warplane will be able to hit a target 300 km away.
The Rs 6,000-crore outgo will involve purchase of BrahMos missiles, its integration onto the warplanes and testing, sources said.
Halwara, near Ludhiana, will be the second base of Sukhoi-30s in North India. The warplanes are currently based at Bareilly in western UP. The deployment of Sukhoi-30s at Halwara will complete in July 2013.
Sources said the CCS also cleared a Rs 2,000-crore proposal to tide over the crippling shortage of tank ammunition.
The Invar Missile, which can be fired from the barrel of the T-90 tanks, has also been okayed. The Army had projected its demand for 20,000 Invar missiles at a cost of Rs 2,000 crore.
Under the Army proposal, 10,000 Invar missiles would be procured from Russian manufacturers whereas the remaining would be license-produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) under the transfer of technology (ToT) agreement.
Defence Minister AK Antony today joined the growing tribe of optimists who believe it was impossible to have a repeat of the humiliating military defeat of 1962 Sino-India war.
Over the past four weeks, Army Chief General Bikram Singh and Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne have assured the nation of the prowess of the armed forces. General Bikram Singh had said a repeat of 1962 was not possible while the IAF boss pointed out that the outcome of the 1962 war would have been different had the IAF warplanes been used.
Antony, talking to the media on the sidelines of the Navy Commanders Conference today, said, "India of 2012 is not the India of that (1962) period. We are now capable of defending every inch of our country." He was replying to a question on India vis-a-vis China 50 years after the 1962 war in which India had suffered a defeat.
Antony quickly added a caveat to his words by talking about the abysmal infrastructure saying "infrastructure in the North-East is not up to our satisfaction, but it has improved a lot as compared to the past". Earlier, India, as per its policy, had not focused on enhancing infrastructure in border areas of northeastern states fearing the road could be used by an ingressing army.
"Now we have moved very fast. Our infrastructure, assets and manpower have substantially improved," he added. He said India would continue to build infrastructure.
In the increasingly networked world of today, cyber security is a vital national need. It is indeed heartening that the government has taken steps to enrol the private sector as an ally in its battle to defend the nation from cyber attacks — both within and from outside.
The world over, governments and the private sector work together to patrol the increasingly chaotic cyber space, and it’s high time the Government of India did so too. The ‘Recommendations of Joint Working Group on Engagement With Private Sector On Cyber Security’ prepared by the government lays down the parameters on which both sectors can work together.
The government is reacting to the misuse of cyberspace facilities that had triggered the mass movement of people from the Northeast who were working or studying in other parts of the country. The government is doing well in setting up various groups and committees that will enable it to move swiftly as and when the need arises. However, fire-fighting is only one aspect of the problem. What is needed is to train personnel and build expertise. The nation needs to develop expertise in dealing with cyber security. Private enterprise will help cut the red tape, and add the necessary verve as well as cutting-edge technology/training needed to combat cyber threats. It has been estimated that India needs over five lakh cyber security professionals, something that is simply not available right now. To fulfil this need, cyber security needs to be immediately introduced in the academic curricula of professional colleges.
The government must also take effective steps in training the police and other law enforcement agencies in the various aspects of cyber security. Only then would they be equipped to deal with cyber-crime investigation and cyber forensics. A world of caution is in order here, as in any such endeavour: the government must ensure that the democratic rights of freedom of speech and privacy of the citizens are not violated. India is a leading provider of IT talent to the world; it needs to secure itself even as it continues to embrace cyberspace.
Flaws in India's 'forward policy' of locating troops north of the disputed MacMahon line, were exposed in Kameng frontier division of Arunachal Pradesh. Within days of the attack, the well-prepared Chinese had overrun the Indian defences. Thousands of Indian Army soldiers and officers were killed, captured or wounded while some even shame-facedly took refuge in neighbouring Bhutan. Interspersed in this mayhem, some units showed flashes of military, bravado and tenacity. However, over all, the largely unhindered Chinese advance and India's retreat remains one of the saddest chapters in military history.
The debacle in the Kameng sector aptly illustrates the confusion and lack of planning. It was in August 1962 when the Chinese crossed the MacMahon line to counter the Indian moves and occupied the Thag La ridge north of Tawang. The lone Indian post at Dhola, created as part of the Forward Policy, was attacked. It signalled the Chinese were not averse to crossing the MacMahon Line -- a thing which they had not done since the 1914 Simla conference with the British and Tibetans.
The Indian leadership took a stand "Chinese must be evicted by force". The Eastern Army Command sent a message asking Indian troops "to engage Chinese patrols that came within the range of their weapons". Brig John Dalvi, Brigade Commander of the 7th Infantry Brigade, asked for logistics to support his troops. Eastern Army Commander, Lt Gen LP Sen, shared his opinion that eviction of the Chinese was not possible with existing logistics.
Brig Dalvi wanted logistics in place. The top echelons were keen to press ahead. The differences are aptly summed up by Maj Gen DK Palit in his well-documented book 'War in the Himalaya'. Palit, then the Director Military Operations, says "Senior commanders were ignorant of both the terrain and logistical difficulties." Bringing in supplies and ammunition was not easy. Only a jeep track existed only till Bomdilla located some 160 kms north of Tezpur in Assam, further north the journey was on foot and the mountains tracks were unsuitable for load carrying soldiers.
Indian troops had made a strong beginning on October 10 when the Chinese attacked Tseng Jong just north of the river Namkha Chu. A single company, about 120 men, from 9 Punjab, retaliated. Some 77 Chinese died (as reported by the Peking press at that time). The Punjabi's won three Mahavir Chakra (MVC) and two Vir Chakra (VrC). The Company Commander, Maj MS Chaudhary, died of wounds, his sepoy Kanshi Ram overpowered a Chinese with bare hands and snatched his automatic rifle. Despite a good start, the Punjabis were asked to withdraw from Tseng Jong. The Chinese stepped in and started probing around Tsangle and 'Bridge 5'.
At the first light of October 20 Chinese opened up a full attack all along the Namka Chu. Within the first few minutes Indian telephone lines broke down, leaving the units to act on their own. The Chinese had used the gaps in the Indian defences and occupied positions at the rear of the Indians, sandwiching them. Resultantly, an entire company of 2 Rajput was wiped out while the 1/9 Gorkha Rifles (GR) had been overrun within the first few hours. The enemy guns now turned towards "Tsangle" and "Bridge 5", while the Indian radio frequencies had been jammed so the gunners did not even get a signal from their superiors to fire.
The Rajputs suffered the worst. A total 282 of were killed. The 'History of the conflict with China' produced some thirty years after the war by the Historical Division of the Ministry of Defence, says "The unit fought a heroic battle, literally to the last round". All officers excepting Maj Gurdial Singh were killed. He led another charge, was taken prisoner of war (POW), and later awarded an MVC.
The Gorkhas, like the Rajputs, were also attacked from the rear. By then the 7 Infantry Brigade lost links with its units. Brig John Dalvi was taken prisoner on the afternoon of October 21 -- and entire Brigade had disintegrated. Elsewhere, the Chinese had attacked the Assam Rifles-held post at Khinzemane. A five-hour battle ensued following which Col Rattan Singh and 24 others were taken prisoner. Some miles away Second Lieutenant GVP Rao of Artillery was fighting a losing battle, Chinese had attacked in huge numbers. Rao and his men fought on till the last bullet. He died and got an MVC.
On the night of October 20, Maj Gen Niranjan Prasad, GOC, 4 Infantry Division, told his superiors that the Indian frontline had been wiped out. The next morning the Division's tactical headquarters was asked to withdraw from Zimithang and locate South, at Tawang. The Chinese broke up their force into two. One headed to Tawang and the other to get the Lumpo ridge vacated. Zimithang was taken over on the night of October 22-23 and Lumpo was under Chinese control by 9 am on October 23.
Elsewhere the Chinese targeted Bum-La before they entered Tawang, here the 1 Sikh covered itself in glory. Subedar Joginder Singh held back the invaders. With no ammunition left, Joginder Singh was asked to withdraw. He and his men responded by advancing with only the bayonets fixed to their guns. The Subedar was wounded and taken POW. He died in enemy custody. "Subedar Joginder Singh and his men mowed down the first wave, and the enemy was temporarily halted by the heavy losses it suffered. Within a few minutes, a second wave came over and was dealt with similarly", read the citation for the Param Vir Chakra - the highest war-time gallantry honour -- awarded to him. Another company of 1 Sikh led by Capt Haripal Kaushak stood firm. They "proved to be an iron curtain for the enemy", says the 'History of the Conflict with China'.
The Chinese had moved into Tawang unopposed on October 23. Lt Gen Sen, ordered withdrawal of troops to Bomdila located further south. Lt Gen BM Kaul was appointed the new IV Corps Commander on October 29 while Maj Gen AS Pathania replaced Maj Gen Niranjan Prasad as the GOC 4 Infantry Division.
Yet again the Chinese sneaked in south of the Se La pass and cut lines of communication of the 4 Infantry Division. Indian field units reporting rapid road construction and Chinese movement were admonished for 'exaggerated' reports about enemy movements. On November 17 the second attack commenced at Nuranang. The 4 Garhwal Rifles held positions with tenacity and won two MVC -- Lt Col BM Bhattacharjea and Rifleman Jaswant Singh, besides seven VrC. The 62 briagde had been withdrawn to south of the Se La. By now the Indians were virtually being pushed down the Himalayas with the Chinese in hot pursuit.
Strangely the Indian side wanted to be north of Bomdila. Strategically, the Indians could have just dug themselves in at Bomdila located at 10,000 feet and stopped the enemy. South of Bomdilla was a steep downward gradient that led to the Assam plains. The Chinese had no means to transport its guns across Se La and their supply lines were getting affected. By now the Chinese were not pursuing the retreating Indian Army, the indication was they were regrouping, a tactic they used in the 1952 Korean war. Indians had taken defensive positions at Se La (14,600 feet), Dirang and Bomdila. At Dirang the 7 cavalry was holding fort with its Stuart tanks which deterred the Chinese. The task was to stop the advance on the Bomdilla-Dirang road. The 7 cavalry provided covering fire to the troops to extricate themselves. On November 18 Bomdila had fallen without much of fightback.
On November 23, the Chinese announced a ceasefire. The Rajputs, headed by Lt Col Bhramanand Avasthy, did not know of this and were retreating with 300 odd men when they came under attack. More than a hundred Chinese were killed and the entire lot of the Rajputs was wiped out at battle now known as the 'Last stand at Lha-Gyala Gompa'. Baring a lone shepherd not a single man survived to cite the valour of Lt Col Avasthi and his men, hence no battle honours. His daughter Neeharika Naidu, who was only nine years in 1962, says, "A shrine has come up at the place where people come and worship and pay homage to my father".
Maj Gen DK Palit writes in his book, War in the High Himalay "The civilians set the pace, but the Army went along, beguiled by the conviction that the Chinese would not call our bluff."
Such was the confusion that 2 Sikh Light Infantry was withdrawing when it met with the frontline defences of 1 Sikh who did not even known about the withdrawal. With communication lines snapped, 4 Sikh LI and a section of 7 Mahar MMG unit were left to fend for themselves. When attacked these two small units were butchered. Some of them managed to save themselves by escaping into Bhutan. It was decided to pull out of Bomdila. There was little the brigade commander could do. There were no mines and just a handful of troops to defend Bomdila, which the Chinese took over on November 18. Elsewhere the 62 Brigade commander Brig Hoshiar Singh was ambushed and killed on November 27. Such was the condition that on December 1 -- a good fortnight after the withdrawal -- some 2,291 ranks were still missing.
New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), the highest decision making body for security issues headed by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, today cleared the acquisition of air-launched version of BrahMos missiles for the Russian-made Su-30 MKi air planes and Russian made Invar anti-tank missiles. The acquisition is estimated to cost the Indian exchequer Rs. 8000 crore.
Earlier, in March, 2012, in a letter to the Prime Minister and Defence Minister A K Antony, former Army Chief General V K Singh had highlighted severe shortfalls in ammunitions and missiles and had pointed out the Indian Army had tank ammunition for three-four days only.
Sources told NDTV that the CCS cleared the Rs. 6,000 crore plan to acquire the air-launched version of the BrahMos missile for India's main stay fighter plane Su-30 MKi.
BrahMos, a super-sonic missile that can travel at about 3 mach speed, is already being used by the Indian Navy and the Indian Army. It is a joint venture between India and Russia.
The Indian Air Force is expected to get about 200 of these missiles. Su-30 MKi will have to be modified to enable them to carry the air version of the BrahMos. In its current form only a single BrahMos can be fitted in the underbelly of the Su-30 MKi. There is, however, an effort to miniaturise the missiles and also modify the Sukhoi-30 under-the-wing-pods so that more than one missile can be fitted into a single aircraft. Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is currently working on the modifications.
The first test launch of the air version of the BrahMos is expected to be conducted in December 2012. The BrahMos air version missiles will have range of about 290 kilometres and will enable the Indian Air Force to hit targets deep inside Pakistan while flying within Indian air space.
The CCS also cleared the acquisition of Invar anti-tank missiles for T-90 tanks at a total estimated cost of Rs. 2,000 crore to tide over crippling shortage of tank ammunition. The Invar Missile are fired from the barrel of the T-90 tanks. The Army wants about 20,000 Invar missiles. Source said that about 10,000 of these missiles would be brought from Russian whereas the remaining would be produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) under Transfer of Technology (ToT).
New Delhi, Oct 18 — India's armed forces will Friday make a joint pitch before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and members of the cabinet committee on security (CCS) on setting up three new commands to meet the threats to space assets and cyber infrastructure and for controlling commando operations.
The three new commands - special operations, aerospace and cyber security - will draw elements, assets and manpower from all the three services, as well as from other relevant government departments, a top commander said.
A presentation, laying out the modalities and feasibility of the separate formations for carrying out these specialist tasks, will be made when the commanders of the army, navy and air force meet with the prime minister and the CCS members at the combined commanders conference, the officer told IANS on condition of anonymity.
The proposals have been prepared by the Chiefs Of Staff Committee (COSC) headed by Indian Air Force (IAF) chief Air Chief Marshal N.A.K. Browne. This followed threadbare discussions with the other two COSC members - Indian Army chief General Bikram Singh and Indian Navy chief Admiral D.K. Joshi.
Browne will take lead in making the presentation. There will also be deliberations on the proposals at the daylong conference, where the heads of the sword arms of the three services will also express their views.
The idea behind the three separate commands has evolved from a suggestion made by a task force on national security headed by former cabinet secretary Naresh Chandra which submitted its report earlier this year.
The report of the task force is currently being studied by all relevant departments of the government, including the three armed forces.
The three services are of the view that each of the three new commands should be headed by a three-star officer while they synergise efforts and assets in these key areas of security.
Their opinion is that a lieutenant general should head the special operations command, which will pool in the commando forces of the army, navy and air force in a single formation, while the aerospace command should be headed by an air marshal and the cyber command by a vice admiral.
The army has been the pioneer in India in operations by special forces, the air force is the first among the three services to create a space cell and the navy is the first to raise a dedicated cyber security cadre.
At present, the Indian armed forces have two joint tri-services commands - the Port Blair-based Andaman and Nicobar Command and the New Delhi-based Strategic Forces Command that handles all nuclear weapons assets. The chiefs of these two commands are drawn by rotation from the three services.
Through the chief of integrated defence staff (IDS), the heads of these commands report to the COSC, as will the heads of the three new formations.
The decision on the three new commands will rest with the government, though the tri-services commanders will impress upon the nation's top security leadership the necessity for such formations in the wake of threats and trends in these sectors.
The special operations command has been successfully implemented by the US armed forces. Also, China has separate formations in the People's Liberation Army in the field of cyber security to carry out both offensive and defensive operations against threats to the country's information technology infrastructure.
Both these nations already have highly advanced space security programmes. China had in early 2007 demonstrated its anti-satellite capability, raising concerns among all space-faring nations on the security of their assets in space.
THE INTRODUCTION to the Henderson-Brooks report by Gen J.N. Choudhary, a former chief of the Indian army, exposes the failure of political leadership and the wrongly appointed army commanders that led to India’s defeat in the 1962 war with China.
It is claimed in the report that India had no shortage of arms and stores. But the report cannot deny that Indian soldiers without acclimatisation and adequate winter clothing were pushed into the mountain snows. Many researched and informative articles have been published in newspapers.
Recently Air Chief Marshal N.A.K. Browne stated that the use of the Indian air force, proposed by the military and disallowed by the government, would have changed the course of the conflict. He is right.
(The Henderson Brooks report is an analysis (operations review) of the Sino-Indian war of 1962. Its authors, Lt Gen Henderson Brooks and Brig P. S. Bhagat, are former officers of the Indian army). The report has been kept classified by the Indian government because its contents “are not only extremely sensitive but are of current operational value”).
The Chinese media have dismissed these claims by asserting that their air force was much too powerful then. Indian commentators have echoed the Chinese view. It is wrong. At that time even the US view was that due to logistics, the terrain and poor refueling facilities, the Chinese air force would have been ineffective.
The strident criticism in Indian parliament by Acharya Kripalani, Minoo Masani, Atal Behari Vajpayee and others has been recalled by commentators as the reason that forced the government into ill-prepared hostility to China. Implicitly a chauvinistic opposition is blamed for the government’s follies.
What the writers have omitted is the fact that there was also a sustained demand by critics to purchase arms from the West for immediate need and not to persist with the plodding, time-consuming official policy of building self-reliance in armaments inspired by the Soviet model.
The opposition leaders were not leading the charge against the government’s China policy. It was the media. The opposition was too weak at that time. Mainly it was Sri Mulgaokar, Frank Moraes and, later, Prem Bhatia who led the charge. These editors were not inspired by the politicians. The politicians were led by them.
Mulgaokar was my editor. I was around 25 and had returned after a two-year stint in Britain, dividing my time there between journalism and dish-washing in cafes. I think a flavour of those times based purely on memory would not be out of order for critics today.
The truth is that Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Defence Minister Krishna Menon were not only woefully ignorant about strategy, about realpolitik and security, but were also besotted with misplaced notions about the Soviet Union. Both were mentored by liberal Brits.
For years while Nehru foolishly kept chanting Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai (India and China are brothers), the Chinese were steadily preparing for war. Nehru’s advisers in Britain were as silly as their Indian protégés that included an entire Indian intellectual class conditioned by the British.
VILIFICATION OF CRITICS: Those who rightly criticised India’s China policy were in those Cold War days described as CIA agents. The Economist of London in its intelligence report, restrictedly distributed to subscribers, wrote that Mulgaokar who was leading the charge against the government’s blind spot on China was inspired by the CIA.
Mulgaokar wrote a sharp letter of protest to the weekly’s editor, Donald Tyerman. The latter wrote a profuse letter of apology which I read. In those days my brother Rakshat Puri, very recently deceased, was the India correspondent of London’s New Statesman and Nation, which was a Bible for Indian intellectuals. He wrote an expose about the road being clandestinely built by the Chinese in disputed border territory.
The Indian government was aware of course, but kept parliament and the nation in the dark. The New Statesman editorially echoed the Nehru-Menon approach. After the 1962 war, the weekly’s legendary Editor, Kingsley Martin, visited India. He was god to most Indian intellectuals. He visited the India Coffee House on Delhi’s Janpath and shared a chat with a few of us. As a brash youngster I hauled him over the coals. I asked him whether or not he owed an apology to those of us in India who had been warning of the catastrophe India would suffer and had been rubbished by the likes of him.
I think he was not used to such criticism, particularly from an Indian. He mumbled, hummed and hawed and could give no reply. That was the mood of that time.
Now it is galling to read about chauvinistic critics who pushed Nehru into the Sino-Indian conflict and no recognition is given to those who accurately foresaw the defeat.
I guess it required a brash 25-year-old to say that the Emperor wore no clothes.
I subsequently had the article published in a small weekly, Thought, edited by Ram Singh. In that article I wrote: “This is therefore as good as a time as any for Nehru to resign from the prime ministership. Propriety demands it, wisdom counsels it and sympathy pleads for it.
Nehru should resign primarily because his China policy of high stakes has not succeeded. It has contained omissions which have facilitated an infringement of our sovereignty by the Chinese.
“This is no place to go into the whole depressing record of honest mistakes, dire circumstances, crass negligence and political naivete which has brought us to our present situation, where we have to sit round a table and argue with aggressors the legal validity of our claims matched against theirs on territory in their possession and control…that chunks of our territory were occupied by the Chinese and neither Parliament nor people were informed at Nehru’s sole instance, but instead led at that very time into the soporific bhai-bhainess of Panch Sheel, was an unpardonable lack of the sense of responsibility.
With India embarking on a massive defence modernisation programme, orders worth `100,000 crore is expected to be placed during the 12th Five Year plan period.
Defence and Aerospace experts participating in a panel discussion on ‘Making India the ESDM hub focus on telecom, aerospace & defence and automobiles’ at the Bangalore IT.biz on Wednesday said that with all the three armed and para-military forces set to procure latest weapons and military systems, abundant opportunities are in store for private companies.
Participating in the discussion Lt Gen AKS Chandele, former DG, Electronics and Mechanical Engineers, Indian Army said that orders worth `100,000 crore is expected to be placed during the 12th Five Year plan period (between 2012-2017) providing ample opportunities to the private companies.
He said that the Army will be embarking on big modernisation programme, which include acquiring tactical communication system, network centric warfare system, future infantry soldier as a system (F-INSAS) and procurement of radars, sensors and night vision devices.
He said the navy, apart from ordering about 40 vessels, will also be acquiring six diesel and nuclear submarines. Similarly the air force will be undertaking many upgrade and refurbishments.
NC Agarwal, chief executive officer of the Multi-Role Transport Aircraft Limited (MTAL), a joint venture between Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Russia United Aircraft Corporation, said that many opportunities lay in the field of avionics. Apart from India developing its own aircraft, it will also be upgrading a significant number of its existing fleet. India’s First medium multi role combat aircraft (MMRCA) will roll out in four years.
Agarwal, who has been HAL’s Director (Design and Development), said the defence procurement process in India was very complicated, which led to delays in the armed forces getting the required product. Citing the example of Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) Hawk, he said that aircraft was inducted into the airforce 21 years after India began negotiations with BAE Systems.
On the 126 MMRCA programme, he said that though the request for proposal was put out to vendors in 2005 the contract has still not been finalised and that the first aircraft will manufactured in India in about four years from now.
As per the MMRCA programme, 18 aircraft will be provided in a flyaway condition by Dassault Aviation, the remaining 108 will be produced locally by HAL.
New Delhi: An MP from Karnataka has allegedly constructed an engineering college on a field firing range in Belgaum belonging to the army, which is already facing shortage of these practice fields for training its personnel. Sources said Angadi Institute of Technology and Management has not got 'No Objection Certificate' (NOC) from civil or military authorities.
Defence Minister AK Antony has also sent two letters to the MP who has been demanding de-notification of the firing range which is available with the army till 2020, they said. Belgaum is an important military base of the army and houses the Commando school and the regimental centre of the Maratha Light Infantry regiment.
About 10 years back, the Army had 104 ranges but the numbers have come down to 66 including 12 acquired and 54 notified ranges. Thirty-eight field firing ranges have been taken away from the army and re-notified in this period, they said.
The issue of shortage of these ranges also came up for discussion during the ongoing Army Commanders' Conference. There are ranges in the Kargil and Srinagar areas also where demands have come from the local representatives for denotifying them for public use, sources said. However, the Army has been able to get a new firing range in Rewa in Madhya Pradesh which will be ready for use in next few years.

lowercased:
india’s frontline fighter sukhoi-30mki is set to get a lethal edge with the cabinet committee on security (ccs) tonight clearing a rs 6,000-crore plan to acquire the air-launched version of the brahmos missile, a joint indo-russian production, for the warplanes. the iaf will get 200 of these missiles.
the brahmos, a supersonic missile with the capability of travelling at 2.8 mach, has already been inducted into the indian navy and the indian army.
some modifications are needed to enable sukhoi-30 carry the missile and deliver it. the missiles need some miniaturisation and sukhoi-30 needs special under-the-wing pods to carry it.
some of the fighter aircraft are being modified indigenously by hindustan aeronautics limited (hal) at its nasik facility and fitted with an integrated aerial launcher developed by the brahmos.
the first live test of the missile using a sukhoi-30 is expected in december. once inducted, the missile will complete a sort of triad of supersonic missiles available with india on land, in air and at sea. the iaf warplane will be able to hit a target 300 km away.
the rs 6,000-crore outgo will involve purchase of brahmos missiles, its integration onto the warplanes and testing, sources said.
halwara, near ludhiana, will be the second base of sukhoi-30s in north india. the warplanes are currently based at bareilly in western up. the deployment of sukhoi-30s at halwara will complete in july 2013.
sources said the ccs also cleared a rs 2,000-crore proposal to tide over the crippling shortage of tank ammunition.
the invar missile, which can be fired from the barrel of the t-90 tanks, has also been okayed. the army had projected its demand for 20,000 invar missiles at a cost of rs 2,000 crore.
under the army proposal, 10,000 invar missiles would be procured from russian manufacturers whereas the remaining would be license-produced by bharat dynamics limited (bdl) under the transfer of technology (tot) agreement.
defence minister ak antony today joined the growing tribe of optimists who believe it was impossible to have a repeat of the humiliating military defeat of 1962 sino-india war.
over the past four weeks, army chief general bikram singh and air force chief air chief marshal nak browne have assured the nation of the prowess of the armed forces. general bikram singh had said a repeat of 1962 was not possible while the iaf boss pointed out that the outcome of the 1962 war would have been different had the iaf warplanes been used.
antony, talking to the media on the sidelines of the navy commanders conference today, said, "india of 2012 is not the india of that (1962) period. we are now capable of defending every inch of our country." he was replying to a question on india vis-a-vis china 50 years after the 1962 war in which india had suffered a defeat.
antony quickly added a caveat to his words by talking about the abysmal infrastructure saying "infrastructure in the north-east is not up to our satisfaction, but it has improved a lot as compared to the past". earlier, india, as per its policy, had not focused on enhancing infrastructure in border areas of northeastern states fearing the road could be used by an ingressing army.
"now we have moved very fast. our infrastructure, assets and manpower have substantially improved," he added. he said india would continue to build infrastructure.
in the increasingly networked world of today, cyber security is a vital national need. it is indeed heartening that the government has taken steps to enrol the private sector as an ally in its battle to defend the nation from cyber attacks — both within and from outside.
the world over, governments and the private sector work together to patrol the increasingly chaotic cyber space, and it’s high time the government of india did so too. the ‘recommendations of joint working group on engagement with private sector on cyber security’ prepared by the government lays down the parameters on which both sectors can work together.
the government is reacting to the misuse of cyberspace facilities that had triggered the mass movement of people from the northeast who were working or studying in other parts of the country. the government is doing well in setting up various groups and committees that will enable it to move swiftly as and when the need arises. however, fire-fighting is only one aspect of the problem. what is needed is to train personnel and build expertise. the nation needs to develop expertise in dealing with cyber security. private enterprise will help cut the red tape, and add the necessary verve as well as cutting-edge technology/training needed to combat cyber threats. it has been estimated that india needs over five lakh cyber security professionals, something that is simply not available right now. to fulfil this need, cyber security needs to be immediately introduced in the academic curricula of professional colleges.
the government must also take effective steps in training the police and other law enforcement agencies in the various aspects of cyber security. only then would they be equipped to deal with cyber-crime investigation and cyber forensics. a world of caution is in order here, as in any such endeavour: the government must ensure that the democratic rights of freedom of speech and privacy of the citizens are not violated. india is a leading provider of it talent to the world; it needs to secure itself even as it continues to embrace cyberspace.
flaws in india's 'forward policy' of locating troops north of the disputed macmahon line, were exposed in kameng frontier division of arunachal pradesh. within days of the attack, the well-prepared chinese had overrun the indian defences. thousands of indian army soldiers and officers were killed, captured or wounded while some even shame-facedly took refuge in neighbouring bhutan. interspersed in this mayhem, some units showed flashes of military, bravado and tenacity. however, over all, the largely unhindered chinese advance and india's retreat remains one of the saddest chapters in military history.
the debacle in the kameng sector aptly illustrates the confusion and lack of planning. it was in august 1962 when the chinese crossed the macmahon line to counter the indian moves and occupied the thag la ridge north of tawang. the lone indian post at dhola, created as part of the forward policy, was attacked. it signalled the chinese were not averse to crossing the macmahon line -- a thing which they had not done since the 1914 simla conference with the british and tibetans.
the indian leadership took a stand "chinese must be evicted by force". the eastern army command sent a message asking indian troops "to engage chinese patrols that came within the range of their weapons". brig john dalvi, brigade commander of the 7th infantry brigade, asked for logistics to support his troops. eastern army commander, lt gen lp sen, shared his opinion that eviction of the chinese was not possible with existing logistics.
brig dalvi wanted logistics in place. the top echelons were keen to press ahead. the differences are aptly summed up by maj gen dk palit in his well-documented book 'war in the himalaya'. palit, then the director military operations, says "senior commanders were ignorant of both the terrain and logistical difficulties." bringing in supplies and ammunition was not easy. only a jeep track existed only till bomdilla located some 160 kms north of tezpur in assam, further north the journey was on foot and the mountains tracks were unsuitable for load carrying soldiers.
indian troops had made a strong beginning on october 10 when the chinese attacked tseng jong just north of the river namkha chu. a single company, about 120 men, from 9 punjab, retaliated. some 77 chinese died (as reported by the peking press at that time). the punjabi's won three mahavir chakra (mvc) and two vir chakra (vrc). the company commander, maj ms chaudhary, died of wounds, his sepoy kanshi ram overpowered a chinese with bare hands and snatched his automatic rifle. despite a good start, the punjabis were asked to withdraw from tseng jong. the chinese stepped in and started probing around tsangle and 'bridge 5'.
at the first light of october 20 chinese opened up a full attack all along the namka chu. within the first few minutes indian telephone lines broke down, leaving the units to act on their own. the chinese had used the gaps in the indian defences and occupied positions at the rear of the indians, sandwiching them. resultantly, an entire company of 2 rajput was wiped out while the 1/9 gorkha rifles (gr) had been overrun within the first few hours. the enemy guns now turned towards "tsangle" and "bridge 5", while the indian radio frequencies had been jammed so the gunners did not even get a signal from their superiors to fire.
the rajputs suffered the worst. a total 282 of were killed. the 'history of the conflict with china' produced some thirty years after the war by the historical division of the ministry of defence, says "the unit fought a heroic battle, literally to the last round". all officers excepting maj gurdial singh were killed. he led another charge, was taken prisoner of war (pow), and later awarded an mvc.
the gorkhas, like the rajputs, were also attacked from the rear. by then the 7 infantry brigade lost links with its units. brig john dalvi was taken prisoner on the afternoon of october 21 -- and entire brigade had disintegrated. elsewhere, the chinese had attacked the assam rifles-held post at khinzemane. a five-hour battle ensued following which col rattan singh and 24 others were taken prisoner. some miles away second lieutenant gvp rao of artillery was fighting a losing battle, chinese had attacked in huge numbers. rao and his men fought on till the last bullet. he died and got an mvc.
on the night of october 20, maj gen niranjan prasad, goc, 4 infantry division, told his superiors that the indian frontline had been wiped out. the next morning the division's tactical headquarters was asked to withdraw from zimithang and locate south, at tawang. the chinese broke up their force into two. one headed to tawang and the other to get the lumpo ridge vacated. zimithang was taken over on the night of october 22-23 and lumpo was under chinese control by 9 am on october 23.
elsewhere the chinese targeted bum-la before they entered tawang, here the 1 sikh covered itself in glory. subedar joginder singh held back the invaders. with no ammunition left, joginder singh was asked to withdraw. he and his men responded by advancing with only the bayonets fixed to their guns. the subedar was wounded and taken pow. he died in enemy custody. "subedar joginder singh and his men mowed down the first wave, and the enemy was temporarily halted by the heavy losses it suffered. within a few minutes, a second wave came over and was dealt with similarly", read the citation for the param vir chakra - the highest war-time gallantry honour -- awarded to him. another company of 1 sikh led by capt haripal kaushak stood firm. they "proved to be an iron curtain for the enemy", says the 'history of the conflict with china'.
the chinese had moved into tawang unopposed on october 23. lt gen sen, ordered withdrawal of troops to bomdila located further south. lt gen bm kaul was appointed the new iv corps commander on october 29 while maj gen as pathania replaced maj gen niranjan prasad as the goc 4 infantry division.
yet again the chinese sneaked in south of the se la pass and cut lines of communication of the 4 infantry division. indian field units reporting rapid road construction and chinese movement were admonished for 'exaggerated' reports about enemy movements. on november 17 the second attack commenced at nuranang. the 4 garhwal rifles held positions with tenacity and won two mvc -- lt col bm bhattacharjea and rifleman jaswant singh, besides seven vrc. the 62 briagde had been withdrawn to south of the se la. by now the indians were virtually being pushed down the himalayas with the chinese in hot pursuit.
strangely the indian side wanted to be north of bomdila. strategically, the indians could have just dug themselves in at bomdila located at 10,000 feet and stopped the enemy. south of bomdilla was a steep downward gradient that led to the assam plains. the chinese had no means to transport its guns across se la and their supply lines were getting affected. by now the chinese were not pursuing the retreating indian army, the indication was they were regrouping, a tactic they used in the 1952 korean war. indians had taken defensive positions at se la (14,600 feet), dirang and bomdila. at dirang the 7 cavalry was holding fort with its stuart tanks which deterred the chinese. the task was to stop the advance on the bomdilla-dirang road. the 7 cavalry provided covering fire to the troops to extricate themselves. on november 18 bomdila had fallen without much of fightback.
on november 23, the chinese announced a ceasefire. the rajputs, headed by lt col bhramanand avasthy, did not know of this and were retreating with 300 odd men when they came under attack. more than a hundred chinese were killed and the entire lot of the rajputs was wiped out at battle now known as the 'last stand at lha-gyala gompa'. baring a lone shepherd not a single man survived to cite the valour of lt col avasthi and his men, hence no battle honours. his daughter neeharika naidu, who was only nine years in 1962, says, "a shrine has come up at the place where people come and worship and pay homage to my father".
maj gen dk palit writes in his book, war in the high himalay "the civilians set the pace, but the army went along, beguiled by the conviction that the chinese would not call our bluff."
such was the confusion that 2 sikh light infantry was withdrawing when it met with the frontline defences of 1 sikh who did not even known about the withdrawal. with communication lines snapped, 4 sikh li and a section of 7 mahar mmg unit were left to fend for themselves. when attacked these two small units were butchered. some of them managed to save themselves by escaping into bhutan. it was decided to pull out of bomdila. there was little the brigade commander could do. there were no mines and just a handful of troops to defend bomdila, which the chinese took over on november 18. elsewhere the 62 brigade commander brig hoshiar singh was ambushed and killed on november 27. such was the condition that on december 1 -- a good fortnight after the withdrawal -- some 2,291 ranks were still missing.
new delhi: the cabinet committee on security (ccs), the highest decision making body for security issues headed by prime minister dr manmohan singh, today cleared the acquisition of air-launched version of brahmos missiles for the russian-made su-30 mki air planes and russian made invar anti-tank missiles. the acquisition is estimated to cost the indian exchequer rs. 8000 crore.
earlier, in march, 2012, in a letter to the prime minister and defence minister a k antony, former army chief general v k singh had highlighted severe shortfalls in ammunitions and missiles and had pointed out the indian army had tank ammunition for three-four days only.
sources told ndtv that the ccs cleared the rs. 6,000 crore plan to acquire the air-launched version of the brahmos missile for india's main stay fighter plane su-30 mki.
brahmos, a super-sonic missile that can travel at about 3 mach speed, is already being used by the indian navy and the indian army. it is a joint venture between india and russia.
the indian air force is expected to get about 200 of these missiles. su-30 mki will have to be modified to enable them to carry the air version of the brahmos. in its current form only a single brahmos can be fitted in the underbelly of the su-30 mki. there is, however, an effort to miniaturise the missiles and also modify the sukhoi-30 under-the-wing-pods so that more than one missile can be fitted into a single aircraft. hindustan aeronautics limited (hal) is currently working on the modifications.
the first test launch of the air version of the brahmos is expected to be conducted in december 2012. the brahmos air version missiles will have range of about 290 kilometres and will enable the indian air force to hit targets deep inside pakistan while flying within indian air space.
the ccs also cleared the acquisition of invar anti-tank missiles for t-90 tanks at a total estimated cost of rs. 2,000 crore to tide over crippling shortage of tank ammunition. the invar missile are fired from the barrel of the t-90 tanks. the army wants about 20,000 invar missiles. source said that about 10,000 of these missiles would be brought from russian whereas the remaining would be produced by bharat dynamics limited (bdl) under transfer of technology (tot).
new delhi, oct 18 — india's armed forces will friday make a joint pitch before prime minister manmohan singh and members of the cabinet committee on security (ccs) on setting up three new commands to meet the threats to space assets and cyber infrastructure and for controlling commando operations.
the three new commands - special operations, aerospace and cyber security - will draw elements, assets and manpower from all the three services, as well as from other relevant government departments, a top commander said.
a presentation, laying out the modalities and feasibility of the separate formations for carrying out these specialist tasks, will be made when the commanders of the army, navy and air force meet with the prime minister and the ccs members at the combined commanders conference, the officer told ians on condition of anonymity.
the proposals have been prepared by the chiefs of staff committee (cosc) headed by indian air force (iaf) chief air chief marshal n.a.k. browne. this followed threadbare discussions with the other two cosc members - indian army chief general bikram singh and indian navy chief admiral d.k. joshi.
browne will take lead in making the presentation. there will also be deliberations on the proposals at the daylong conference, where the heads of the sword arms of the three services will also express their views.
the idea behind the three separate commands has evolved from a suggestion made by a task force on national security headed by former cabinet secretary naresh chandra which submitted its report earlier this year.
the report of the task force is currently being studied by all relevant departments of the government, including the three armed forces.
the three services are of the view that each of the three new commands should be headed by a three-star officer while they synergise efforts and assets in these key areas of security.
their opinion is that a lieutenant general should head the special operations command, which will pool in the commando forces of the army, navy and air force in a single formation, while the aerospace command should be headed by an air marshal and the cyber command by a vice admiral.
the army has been the pioneer in india in operations by special forces, the air force is the first among the three services to create a space cell and the navy is the first to raise a dedicated cyber security cadre.
at present, the indian armed forces have two joint tri-services commands - the port blair-based andaman and nicobar command and the new delhi-based strategic forces command that handles all nuclear weapons assets. the chiefs of these two commands are drawn by rotation from the three services.
through the chief of integrated defence staff (ids), the heads of these commands report to the cosc, as will the heads of the three new formations.
the decision on the three new commands will rest with the government, though the tri-services commanders will impress upon the nation's top security leadership the necessity for such formations in the wake of threats and trends in these sectors.
the special operations command has been successfully implemented by the us armed forces. also, china has separate formations in the people's liberation army in the field of cyber security to carry out both offensive and defensive operations against threats to the country's information technology infrastructure.
both these nations already have highly advanced space security programmes. china had in early 2007 demonstrated its anti-satellite capability, raising concerns among all space-faring nations on the security of their assets in space.
the introduction to the henderson-brooks report by gen j.n. choudhary, a former chief of the indian army, exposes the failure of political leadership and the wrongly appointed army commanders that led to india’s defeat in the 1962 war with china.
it is claimed in the report that india had no shortage of arms and stores. but the report cannot deny that indian soldiers without acclimatisation and adequate winter clothing were pushed into the mountain snows. many researched and informative articles have been published in newspapers.
recently air chief marshal n.a.k. browne stated that the use of the indian air force, proposed by the military and disallowed by the government, would have changed the course of the conflict. he is right.
(the henderson brooks report is an analysis (operations review) of the sino-indian war of 1962. its authors, lt gen henderson brooks and brig p. s. bhagat, are former officers of the indian army). the report has been kept classified by the indian government because its contents “are not only extremely sensitive but are of current operational value”).
the chinese media have dismissed these claims by asserting that their air force was much too powerful then. indian commentators have echoed the chinese view. it is wrong. at that time even the us view was that due to logistics, the terrain and poor refueling facilities, the chinese air force would have been ineffective.
the strident criticism in indian parliament by acharya kripalani, minoo masani, atal behari vajpayee and others has been recalled by commentators as the reason that forced the government into ill-prepared hostility to china. implicitly a chauvinistic opposition is blamed for the government’s follies.
what the writers have omitted is the fact that there was also a sustained demand by critics to purchase arms from the west for immediate need and not to persist with the plodding, time-consuming official policy of building self-reliance in armaments inspired by the soviet model.
the opposition leaders were not leading the charge against the government’s china policy. it was the media. the opposition was too weak at that time. mainly it was sri mulgaokar, frank moraes and, later, prem bhatia who led the charge. these editors were not inspired by the politicians. the politicians were led by them.
mulgaokar was my editor. i was around 25 and had returned after a two-year stint in britain, dividing my time there between journalism and dish-washing in cafes. i think a flavour of those times based purely on memory would not be out of order for critics today.
the truth is that prime minister jawaharlal nehru and defence minister krishna menon were not only woefully ignorant about strategy, about realpolitik and security, but were also besotted with misplaced notions about the soviet union. both were mentored by liberal brits.
for years while nehru foolishly kept chanting hindi-chini bhai bhai (india and china are brothers), the chinese were steadily preparing for war. nehru’s advisers in britain were as silly as their indian protégés that included an entire indian intellectual class conditioned by the british.
vilification of critics: those who rightly criticised india’s china policy were in those cold war days described as cia agents. the economist of london in its intelligence report, restrictedly distributed to subscribers, wrote that mulgaokar who was leading the charge against the government’s blind spot on china was inspired by the cia.
mulgaokar wrote a sharp letter of protest to the weekly’s editor, donald tyerman. the latter wrote a profuse letter of apology which i read. in those days my brother rakshat puri, very recently deceased, was the india correspondent of london’s new statesman and nation, which was a bible for indian intellectuals. he wrote an expose about the road being clandestinely built by the chinese in disputed border territory.
the indian government was aware of course, but kept parliament and the nation in the dark. the new statesman editorially echoed the nehru-menon approach. after the 1962 war, the weekly’s legendary editor, kingsley martin, visited india. he was god to most indian intellectuals. he visited the india coffee house on delhi’s janpath and shared a chat with a few of us. as a brash youngster i hauled him over the coals. i asked him whether or not he owed an apology to those of us in india who had been warning of the catastrophe india would suffer and had been rubbished by the likes of him.
i think he was not used to such criticism, particularly from an indian. he mumbled, hummed and hawed and could give no reply. that was the mood of that time.
now it is galling to read about chauvinistic critics who pushed nehru into the sino-indian conflict and no recognition is given to those who accurately foresaw the defeat.
i guess it required a brash 25-year-old to say that the emperor wore no clothes.
i subsequently had the article published in a small weekly, thought, edited by ram singh. in that article i wrote: “this is therefore as good as a time as any for nehru to resign from the prime ministership. propriety demands it, wisdom counsels it and sympathy pleads for it.
nehru should resign primarily because his china policy of high stakes has not succeeded. it has contained omissions which have facilitated an infringement of our sovereignty by the chinese.
“this is no place to go into the whole depressing record of honest mistakes, dire circumstances, crass negligence and political naivete which has brought us to our present situation, where we have to sit round a table and argue with aggressors the legal validity of our claims matched against theirs on territory in their possession and control…that chunks of our territory were occupied by the chinese and neither parliament nor people were informed at nehru’s sole instance, but instead led at that very time into the soporific bhai-bhainess of panch sheel, was an unpardonable lack of the sense of responsibility.
with india embarking on a massive defence modernisation programme, orders worth `100,000 crore is expected to be placed during the 12th five year plan period.
defence and aerospace experts participating in a panel discussion on ‘making india the esdm hub focus on telecom, aerospace & defence and automobiles’ at the bangalore it.biz on wednesday said that with all the three armed and para-military forces set to procure latest weapons and military systems, abundant opportunities are in store for private companies.
participating in the discussion lt gen aks chandele, former dg, electronics and mechanical engineers, indian army said that orders worth `100,000 crore is expected to be placed during the 12th five year plan period (between 2012-2017) providing ample opportunities to the private companies.
he said that the army will be embarking on big modernisation programme, which include acquiring tactical communication system, network centric warfare system, future infantry soldier as a system (f-insas) and procurement of radars, sensors and night vision devices.
he said the navy, apart from ordering about 40 vessels, will also be acquiring six diesel and nuclear submarines. similarly the air force will be undertaking many upgrade and refurbishments.
nc agarwal, chief executive officer of the multi-role transport aircraft limited (mtal), a joint venture between hindustan aeronautics limited and russia united aircraft corporation, said that many opportunities lay in the field of avionics. apart from india developing its own aircraft, it will also be upgrading a significant number of its existing fleet. india’s first medium multi role combat aircraft (mmrca) will roll out in four years.
agarwal, who has been hal’s director (design and development), said the defence procurement process in india was very complicated, which led to delays in the armed forces getting the required product. citing the example of advanced jet trainer (ajt) hawk, he said that aircraft was inducted into the airforce 21 years after india began negotiations with bae systems.
on the 126 mmrca programme, he said that though the request for proposal was put out to vendors in 2005 the contract has still not been finalised and that the first aircraft will manufactured in india in about four years from now.
as per the mmrca programme, 18 aircraft will be provided in a flyaway condition by dassault aviation, the remaining 108 will be produced locally by hal.
new delhi: an mp from karnataka has allegedly constructed an engineering college on a field firing range in belgaum belonging to the army, which is already facing shortage of these practice fields for training its personnel. sources said angadi institute of technology and management has not got 'no objection certificate' (noc) from civil or military authorities.
defence minister ak antony has also sent two letters to the mp who has been demanding de-notification of the firing range which is available with the army till 2020, they said. belgaum is an important military base of the army and houses the commando school and the regimental centre of the maratha light infantry regiment.
about 10 years back, the army had 104 ranges but the numbers have come down to 66 including 12 acquired and 54 notified ranges. thirty-eight field firing ranges have been taken away from the army and re-notified in this period, they said.
the issue of shortage of these ranges also came up for discussion during the ongoing army commanders' conference. there are ranges in the kargil and srinagar areas also where demands have come from the local representatives for denotifying them for public use, sources said. however, the army has been able to get a new firing range in rewa in madhya pradesh which will be ready for use in next few years.


text:
Advice / Guidance Desperately Needed.
Would it be completely out of line for me to ask if someone in our community might be able to say a prayer for me, or send a little good energy my way?
I really could use some.
where I have been targeted for severe anti-Pagan hatred.
Deity teaches through every creature, every element and force, Deity forever creating through Her ever present creations.
Wicca holds transformational teachings which returns every human’s power back to them, returning, everyone’s value fulfillment. Returning everyone’s understanding so a human can lean on their own understanding.
~ You are destined to see Deity today, confirming nothing stands between Deity and you, no person, no group, no dogma, stands between you and your loving Source.
The CNT Fundraising Office is pleased to announce the start of our Semi-annual Silent Auction.
We have received many wonderful items from fellow Correllians and Witch School members from all over. For this auction we have a wide assortment of items that will likely reach out to you. There are handcrafted items made by our members and friends for you to consider, as well as books, jewelry, divination resources along with many other items.
For those of you who are Keepers and Heads of Temples, Proto Temples, Witan Shrines, Stand Alone Formal Shrines and Orders it is now time to submit your Annual Lustration Reports.
I wanted to get to know the wonderful people in the Witchschool family, to be social, discuss, learn, and have fun. It's a bit lonely here in Australia and I hopefully I can give back too!
An independent Pagan news service, with full digital reach of text, audio and video of the Pagan and Wiccan community. The Daily Spell Network combines Blogs, Photos, along with Pagans Tonight Radio and Magick TV video channels, they offer a deep look into our community.
Global Wiccan Summit - Rank in the Craft - Do they Help us or Hurt us?
Greetings! My name is Lola Stardust. I am a 4th year student here at WSTS, the SIM manager and Events Coordinator for the Sacred Cauldron, I facilitate the Threads of Wisdom discussions, and I am the High Priestess of the Children of the Crossroads in Spokane, Wa. I am so very honored to be here!
Daily Reading for Monday, 21 February, Year 11 Aq.
My Answer; How do I KNOW my spell worked, will work, or wont work?

lowercased:
advice / guidance desperately needed.
would it be completely out of line for me to ask if someone in our community might be able to say a prayer for me, or send a little good energy my way?
i really could use some.
where i have been targeted for severe anti-pagan hatred.
deity teaches through every creature, every element and force, deity forever creating through her ever present creations.
wicca holds transformational teachings which returns every human’s power back to them, returning, everyone’s value fulfillment. returning everyone’s understanding so a human can lean on their own understanding.
~ you are destined to see deity today, confirming nothing stands between deity and you, no person, no group, no dogma, stands between you and your loving source.
the cnt fundraising office is pleased to announce the start of our semi-annual silent auction.
we have received many wonderful items from fellow correllians and witch school members from all over. for this auction we have a wide assortment of items that will likely reach out to you. there are handcrafted items made by our members and friends for you to consider, as well as books, jewelry, divination resources along with many other items.
for those of you who are keepers and heads of temples, proto temples, witan shrines, stand alone formal shrines and orders it is now time to submit your annual lustration reports.
i wanted to get to know the wonderful people in the witchschool family, to be social, discuss, learn, and have fun. it's a bit lonely here in australia and i hopefully i can give back too!
an independent pagan news service, with full digital reach of text, audio and video of the pagan and wiccan community. the daily spell network combines blogs, photos, along with pagans tonight radio and magick tv video channels, they offer a deep look into our community.
global wiccan summit - rank in the craft - do they help us or hurt us?
greetings! my name is lola stardust. i am a 4th year student here at wsts, the sim manager and events coordinator for the sacred cauldron, i facilitate the threads of wisdom discussions, and i am the high priestess of the children of the crossroads in spokane, wa. i am so very honored to be here!
daily reading for monday, 21 february, year 11 aq.
my answer; how do i know my spell worked, will work, or wont work?


text:
HARRISBURG – Rep. Ryan Mackenzie (R-Berks/Lehigh) invites area seniors to attend his annual Senior Expo, which will be held on Friday, Sept. 19, at Luther Crest, 800 Hausman Road, Allentown. The expo is co-sponsored by St. Luke’s University Health Network.
The facility will open for bingo starting at 9 a.m., and Mackenzie will call the numbers. The expo itself will begin at 10 a.m. and continue to 1 p.m. The event is free, and a lunch that includes complimentary Potts’ hot dogs will be served while supplies last.
It is the intention of expo organizers to offer free flu shots to attendees, pending on an available supply of vaccine. The free shots will be offered to all adults wishing to receive one, though seniors who are on Medicare should bring their cards with them if they wish to be vaccinated.
For more information about the expo, individuals may call Mackenzie’s district office at (610) 965-9933. People may also visit www.RepMackenzie.com or www.Facebook.com/RepMackenzie.

lowercased:
harrisburg – rep. ryan mackenzie (r-berks/lehigh) invites area seniors to attend his annual senior expo, which will be held on friday, sept. 19, at luther crest, 800 hausman road, allentown. the expo is co-sponsored by st. luke’s university health network.
the facility will open for bingo starting at 9 a.m., and mackenzie will call the numbers. the expo itself will begin at 10 a.m. and continue to 1 p.m. the event is free, and a lunch that includes complimentary potts’ hot dogs will be served while supplies last.
it is the intention of expo organizers to offer free flu shots to attendees, pending on an available supply of vaccine. the free shots will be offered to all adults wishing to receive one, though seniors who are on medicare should bring their cards with them if they wish to be vaccinated.
for more information about the expo, individuals may call mackenzie’s district office at (610) 965-9933. people may also visit www.repmackenzie.com or www.facebook.com/repmackenzie.


text:
The Vienna-based South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in South East Europe and an affiliate of the International Press Institute (IPI), is deeply concerned at several anonymous death threats made to Robert Valdec, the anchor and journalist of the investigative television programme, "Istraga," shown on Nova TV in Croatia.
Based on information provided to SEEMO, Valdec received several threats during 2006, but they became more serious in December 2006 when he received numerous death threats by telephone and email.
The television show "Istraga", which has been broadcast since September 2005, is a weekly criminal investigation programme. The programme shows a compilation of dozens of crime stories involving organized crime, violence against children or women, drug dealers, war crimes, and corruption, among others.
SEEMO supports the HND (Croatian Journalists' Association), which has asked Croatian officials to fully investigate the death threats made to Valdec. SEEMO also supports HND's assertion that those with legitimate complaints against the media have a range of different mechanisms to pursue these complaints. Death threats represent a serious attempt to pressure the media and they should be condemned whenever and wherever they occur.
SEEMO has also been informed that the police have started an investigation. With this in mind, we call on Your Excellencies to do everything in your power to protect Valdec's life and those of his family members, and to take all necessary steps against the person or persons responsible for these threats.
We would also like to remind you that, on numerous occasions in 2006, SEEMO has been informed of threats made to other investigative journalists in Croatia. SEEMO is deeply concerned about the safety of Croatian journalists and asks Your Excellencies to do everything in your power to urgently investigate these cases.
SEEMO views all of these threats as a serious violation of press freedom and the rights of journalists and would also point out that, around the world, the issue of a death threat is often the precursor to murder. Therefore, the authorities must take them seriously.

lowercased:
the vienna-based south east europe media organisation (seemo), a network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in south east europe and an affiliate of the international press institute (ipi), is deeply concerned at several anonymous death threats made to robert valdec, the anchor and journalist of the investigative television programme, "istraga," shown on nova tv in croatia.
based on information provided to seemo, valdec received several threats during 2006, but they became more serious in december 2006 when he received numerous death threats by telephone and email.
the television show "istraga", which has been broadcast since september 2005, is a weekly criminal investigation programme. the programme shows a compilation of dozens of crime stories involving organized crime, violence against children or women, drug dealers, war crimes, and corruption, among others.
seemo supports the hnd (croatian journalists' association), which has asked croatian officials to fully investigate the death threats made to valdec. seemo also supports hnd's assertion that those with legitimate complaints against the media have a range of different mechanisms to pursue these complaints. death threats represent a serious attempt to pressure the media and they should be condemned whenever and wherever they occur.
seemo has also been informed that the police have started an investigation. with this in mind, we call on your excellencies to do everything in your power to protect valdec's life and those of his family members, and to take all necessary steps against the person or persons responsible for these threats.
we would also like to remind you that, on numerous occasions in 2006, seemo has been informed of threats made to other investigative journalists in croatia. seemo is deeply concerned about the safety of croatian journalists and asks your excellencies to do everything in your power to urgently investigate these cases.
seemo views all of these threats as a serious violation of press freedom and the rights of journalists and would also point out that, around the world, the issue of a death threat is often the precursor to murder. therefore, the authorities must take them seriously.


text: Having been occupied by a family for over 40 years this spacious family home offers an abundance of potential and charm. Offering 3 bedrooms, 2 reception rooms, a kitchen, bathroom and separate WC the property would benefit from modernisation throughout and is ready for someone to put their own stamp on. With a driveway suitable to park a number of vehicles, a carport and detached garage/workshop, and with a garden large enough for a budding footballer or trampoline this fantastic home offers something for everyone.

lowercased: having been occupied by a family for over 40 years this spacious family home offers an abundance of potential and charm. offering 3 bedrooms, 2 reception rooms, a kitchen, bathroom and separate wc the property would benefit from modernisation throughout and is ready for someone to put their own stamp on. with a driveway suitable to park a number of vehicles, a carport and detached garage/workshop, and with a garden large enough for a budding footballer or trampoline this fantastic home offers something for everyone.