Different types of bullying and the potential effects on children Essay

Explain different types of bullying and the potential effects on children and young people. Bullying is a very serious issue and has a major effect on and lots of children and young people. Many children feel depressed, I’m happy and sometimes suicidal and have no self esteem. there are different types of bullying these are;- physical bullying, this includes pushing, kicking, hitting, pinching and other forms of violence or threats. Verbal bullying, this includes name calling, insults, sarcasm, spreading rumours and persistent teasing. Emotional bullying, this includes not speaking to and excluding someone, tormenting, ridicule and humiliation. Cyber bullying, this includes the use of information and Communications technology particularly mobile phones and the internet deliberately to upset someone else. Bullying can be carried out by one person against another or by groups of others ganging up on a person, bullying can have many consequences. The potential affects bullying can cause are, Running away. Poor academic achievement. Shyness. Depression. Isolation. Low self esteem. Threatened of attempted suicide.

Brazilian Literature Essay

For a long duration, Dom Casmurro, Machado de Assis’s novel has moved its readers to opening a debate on if Santiago’s wife, Capitolina, had been faithful to Santiago. The narrator was believed to have loved his wife since their childhood. His mother, who later passed on had wanted the narrator to become a priest thus avoid getting married to his girlfriend. They later got married but later starts to suspect the wife of an affair with Escobar, a close buddy of his. Escobar later on perishes in an accident and the narrator’s wife got a baby boy, Ezekiel. The conflict of the narrator reaches climax as the people around him indicates that the born child resembles Escobar. The narrator is left sad with this as he accuses his wife of infidelity and longs for revenge while on the other hand trying to prevent himself. The supposed infidelity of the narrators wife is not the main issue, but the most debated issue in this novel is the manner in which reader is positioned by the novel in asking or deciding the himself question or just his version of the issue. In order to respond to such questions, one is expected to view the events in the novel in order to take position. The whole narration comes out from the narrators view point as he converts the subjectivity into mere fiction. In the novel, the reader of the novel is enticed by the narrator, Casmurro into his confidence as well as being manipulated to condemn Capitu, his wife. This makes the reader perceive him as a person who took the responsibility of his wife’s death and the other reprehensible behaviors of the life he lived there after (Joaquim, Maria). There are several clues in the presumed eyewitness’s account of truthfulness. But closely looking at the clues given by the narrator leaves one to finalize that the narrator is living a lie and the way in which the desire he expresses in trying to fill in the central existence of his, fails since the fact of the life he is living is in a lacunae which he is not in a position to have it in the story of his life. Casmurro, right from start, portrays himself as the figure with authority in the story and starts to manipulate the audience. The insight into Casmurros personal traits is portrayed in the first chapter as in â€Å"DO titulo† (the title) he tries to link to audience with the way in which he got his nickname Dom Casmurro. He goes ahead to inform the reader not to find the meaning of the word Casmurro in the dictionary, however, he indicates that it implies tight-lipped person who is withdrawn within himself. On the other hand, the name is a old fashioned Portuguese word defined by the dictionary as obstinate, bull-headed or fearful, withdrawn, aloof, dour and gloomy(Scott). The narrator is believed to have gotten his nick name from a young gentleman within his neighborhood who was feeling being insulted by Casmurro. This name, Dom Casmurro was given to the narrator during one of his journeys by train to Engenho Novo. On the way, he met the young man who was reading some poems for him. Tired, Casmurro fell asleep even without getting what the young man was reading for him in his poems. The following day, the man whop felt ignored stated calling the narrator ‘Dom Casmurro’. Because of the narrator’s humble nature, Dom was used in a belittling manner. The entire neighborhood saw the name Casmurro as being fitting to him so much that it got stuck. Casmurro makes the nickname the title of his story after giving it definition for the audience as well as discrediting it with a lot of humor. He goes ahead to portray himself as a real gentleman and an honest man. Looking at the meaning of the name in the dictionary leaves on to start questioning the truthfulness of the narrator (Assis and Gledson 246). The narrator, who just refers to himself as Dom Casmurro, is reluctant in identifying his true identity. The audience only learns later on that Casmurro’s real name is Bento Santiago. The narrator does not want to assume this identity but prefers to remain just as Dom Casmurro. He later tries to recall all the happenings of his earlier life hoping to go on with reorganizing his life the way it used to be. As he gives introduction of his memoirs, he talks of some recollections which he refers to as charming and sweet. As the narrator promises to provide a faithful narration of his earlier life, he also posses the expectations of having the reader taking his story as true but not consider issue outside the meaning of his narration. The question the reader is left asking himself or herself is whether he or she can believe whatever the narrator is saying. With this said it is clear that Casmurro wants to relinquish the influence of the story as well as leaving the whole story in the reader’s hands. He does this by inviting the audience to have the gaps in the story filled. But the reader is left with little chance to do so since he is making sure that the reader adopts to his views and ignores the questions out side this. But the reader can condone the narrator’s behaviors if he decides to expose them. In trying to tell the story from his own point of view, the narrator wants to create a link of trust as well as establish confidence with the audience. But he has indicated to the reader a number of his fault as well as discounting the sternness with unwarranted explanations for behaving in that manner. Casmurro comes out to be unable to keep the needed control over the audience in the chapter. In order to fill in this gaps the reader, can do so by taking the case of the narrator has been in long defense of himself. By misleading the reader in the initial narration, Casmurro conflates Bento Santiago with Dom Casmurro. The narrator is sufficient distinct from bento Santiago and needs to be another character. As in the events which follow this, the narrator used the name Casmurro as the persona in the narrative to give picture of his life and allow him to relinquish the responsibilities that could be associated with Santiago wants life. The real truth of the story lies in the gaps left for the reader to fill which appears to be the responsibilities of the reader, thus the reader has to choose the role to play. The name Casmurro does not appear as the most suitable title for this story since it does not flow with the ideas of the story. The slum This is a novel which takes one back to the history of a naturalistic movement of Brazil, in which the major characters are slum residents in the Botafogo neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro which contributed to a great part of the social problems experienced in the society. This kind of live has disordered the slums growth and development for many years. One of the main characters, Joao Romao arrives in a scene of the slum yarning for money and more power. This indicates how the powerful have concentrated resources to them selves forgetting the poor ones in the slum. The rich and powerful society of Brazilian as alienated from the Brazilian culture leaving the poor to struggle on their own. Many people, in the initial setting are exposed to the harsh slum live. The rich are depicted as being greedy merchants who like associating them selves with the Portuguese (Joaquim 254). The roles of the women in the slum include being submissive family heads, prostitutes, subjects to the rich and objects. There is a lot of racism exhibited considering the way the blacks are treated by the Portuguese and the Italians. Bertoleza, a slave grocer living in the ghetto, represents the many people fighting to make survival. She sells ox baits and fried fish. She is a symbol of the many slum dwellers who are in their situation because of being black which is seen as the cost of working all day long for the masters. She works hard despite the low wages she raises from her job. Development in the slum is indicated when she intents to use some of the money she earns to purchase an earth strip for expansion of her business and built a house for herself as she is tired of the informal house she lives in the centre of the Rio de Janeiro slum. The slum people have created a social macrocosm. Very early in the morning the slum live starts, the residents open not their eyes but their infinity of doors and allied windows. The characters exhibited to in the slum as fighting, working, copulating, singing or even singing. The slum comes out as a place where the blacks as well as the mulattos are ever engaged in scrambles with the Portuguese and Italian in order to move up from the bottom line of the social food chain. This indicates a live that lack social pathologies, violence, sordid betrayals, illicit sexual relationships, lesbians and homosexuals as well as cheap prostitution business, illicit liquor, increased drug abuse and small organized crimes associated with increasing juvenile delinquency. The Portuguese civilians in the slum represented by Jeronimo and his wife find a group of people represented by Rita Baiana and Firmino who are the poor residents of the slum in the normal slum social groups. The story of the slum is also concerned with the love affair of Romao, a land owner in the slum who gives out everything as well as his Brazilian wife in order to win a white lady and those of his land tenants ending up destroying several lives including those of spitfire Rita Bahiana and Jeronimo and his own too. He had risen from being a proprietor of a small business to a slum dog lord. This represents the urban discontent, is portrayed to have its people having some personal traits which exhibit rampant materialism as well as souls which are restlessly shaped and influenced by great ambition and desire to gain power and immediacy. The social vices exhibited in the slum are as a result of the poverty associated with the slum which has driven its people to desire for more than what the society they are living in can offer. These are exhibited as the characters of most slum dwellers who survive at any opportunity, given the chance to find their breakthrough. The people with money in this society have taken the advantage of the situation to get cheap sexual satisfaction from the Poor’s wives. The near by neighborhood of Portuguese is seen as being rich one. The interaction of the Portuguese with the slum dwellers starts is believed to bring some changes to the slum. It is due to this that the slum dwellers start to have closer relationships with the Portuguese who employ them in better jobs. Others get into personal relationships or even marriage with the Portuguese attracting better packs for their lives as the presence of the Portuguese increases in the slum. They start get interest of developing the slum into a better environment where they would invest. Some developments are portrayed when some of the rich slum people like Romao establishes a quarry and goes ahead to in invite Jeronimo to help in its management. With so much rivalry developing in the slum due to hatred and envy of some Brazilian getting associated with the Portuguese, the slum is burned down at some point. Later on, it is built up with some improvement in the building structure by the middle class society thus eliminating the initial state of poverty and disorganization experienced by the slum dwellers before. This changes the former kind of live style that the slum dwellers had adapted. As the intermingling of the Brazilians with the Portuguese increase, the level and standard of living went up. The former slum dwellers started to live in better houses. The number of marriages between the two societies increased and more investments were started in the former slum area which had developed into better residential area. After the slum is burnt and some new houses are developed by the middle class, most of the vices exhibited initial by the slum society are not any more. The cases of illicit sexual relationships, fights and poor housing are replaced by a society which has burning desire for development, as the middle class society starts to put their interest for investment which turns the once unhealthy society into a meaningful livelihood suitable for human settlement. Other characters exhibited by the Brazilian slum live include the people’s despair, the slum excitement, and the perfumes. The dwellers of the slum always have the ever burning desire to live the lives of the neighborhood which is full of luxury. The slum itself is perceived as an organic unit, with all sorts of live present there. After the development, the slum starts to fills with urban college students and artists who also contribute to its gentrification. The slum life was initially portrayed as full of sadness and tragedy as seen in its naturalism but with these developments some sense of lively hoods have started to be seen. Another major development of the slum is the manner of ownership that is shown before and after the burning and housing of the land. Initially, the bigger percentage of the slum land was owned by some few individuals such as the slum lord, Joao Pomao who is seen as one of the big hypocrites and who exhibited a lot of control over the slum many landless. After the recreation of new houses most of the land was owned by several middle class people. Work Cited Caldwell, Hellen. The Brazilian Othello of Machado de Assis. Berkeley: University of California Press. 1953. Joaquim, Maria. Machado de Assis. Dom Casmurro, Berkeley: University of California Press. 1953. Scott, Infanger. Living a Lie: the Silence of Truth in Dom Casmuro, Vanderbilt University, 2002, viewed on 13 July 2009 from < http://www. umassd. edu/cas/portuguese/lyinginportuguese-texts/scott-livingalie. doc > Assis, Machado and Gledson, Joao. Dom Casmurro. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998, p. 246.

African American vs. Caucasian Americans Essay Example for Free

African American vs. Caucasian Americans Essay African (466) , White American (21) company About StudyMoose Contact Careers Help Center Donate a Paper Legal Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Complaints ? At first glance some people might consider this paper to be on the racial side, however it was all written by observations made. There are many differences between African Americans and Caucasians, some people don’t see the differences because of ignorance . You must read the paper with an open mind and take none of this to heart. African American and Caucasians function differently in public surroundings. When you see a young African American you usually see them in groups of four of more. However, when one of them gets into a disagreement five to ten more show up in their defense. They are a very close knit group of individuals. I have also noticed that when you see a young African American walking around they are usually singing, talking very loud or running around. Also when they are in groups they are very loud and take over the area that they occupy. On the other hand when you see Caucasians they are rarely in groups of three or more. To top it off when someone in one of their groups gets in trouble the rest of the group is nowhere to be found. Most times when you see young Caucasian people in a group they are for the most part within a normal speaking level. These two groups tend to act differently in the public due to their cultural differences. There are a number of differences between the churches of African Americans and Caucasians. At most typical African American churches there are no true sermons. The African American churches tend to do more entertaining rather than teaching. They also do a great deal of singing and dancing involved in there praising of God. They emphasize fellowship in their churches especially after church when they all gather and close the celebration with a meal together. However at a typical Caucasian church there are a few differences. To start it off when you first walk in you get a program detailing what will be happening through the service. They tend to structure the whole service around a sermon or story. The service every week is very predictable as to what will happen. The Caucasian churches are more there to teach the ways of the lord as they have interpreted it. Although not all the African American and Caucasian churches are along this line a majority of the main stream ones are. African American vs. Caucasian Americans. (2016, Dec 16).

Japanese America Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Japanese America - Coursework Example Furthermore, no citizen showed any betrayal to their nation. As the procedure to send Japanese Americans to camps began, many lost all their materialistic needs since they had little or no time to gather their belongings. In addition, several people took advantage of that as the citizens were required short sell their possessions. At the time of World War II, Americans drastically feared attacks from foreign enemies. The attack on Pearl Harbor was just another incident that â€Å"fueled the fire.† Hence, for many Americans, detaining Japanese Americans and throwing them into camps seemed justifiable. Ironically enough, history has a strange way of repeating itself. After the attacks in September 11, many Muslims faced a similar situation as many were deported, arrested, and tried for crimes they did not commit. Obviously, my view is different since the modern society is propagating for civil rights. Consequently, during the WWII era,. Although Truman had a tough decision to ma ke, I do not agree with his decision for several reasons. First and foremost, the bomb killed 70,000 people and another 70000 died from radiation. The bomb flattened the city killing tens of thousands of civilians and left the city in chaos with big clouds of smoke and decay. From Truman’s perspective, it was a different thought as he wanted the war to end as soon as possible.

How Tesco dominates the Supermarket industry in the uk Research Proposal

How Tesco dominates the Supermarket industry in the uk - Research Proposal Example analysis of different studies related to the identified research statement that will facilitate the researcher in taking a stand after the research on the utilization of different approaches in the supermarket industry. Furthermore, the proposed research will endeavor to identify any drawbacks in the supermarket industry and Tesco’s competitors that result in inefficiencies and limit their domination against Tesco. Lastly, the proposed research expects to acquire understanding of possible prospects and future developments in Tesco, as well as the UK’s supermarket industry in a valuable manner. Tesco, established as a private company 90 years ago, is undoubtedly the most prominent and the leading food retailer of the United Kingdom today. Jack Cohen put the foundation of Tesco, by selling grocery surpluses from a booth in East End of London. The first product Jack sold was Tesco Tea, after which the company got its name, TESCO, TE from the initials of TE Stockwell, a tea-supplier from a tea-importing company, and Co from Cohen, Jack’s last name. (Tesco, 2009) Cohen moved on to open stalls in Tooting in 1930, then in Becontree and Edmonton in the year 1931 and went on further to establish Tesco Stores as a private limited company in 1932 with the underlying idea of â€Å"always keep your hand over the money and be ready to run† (Seth & Randall, pp.23-24, 2001). Later led by Ian MacLaurin, it became the second most reputed in the market of United Kingdom during the 1980s. Since onwards, many factors contributed and then there was no stopping and Tesco today has marked itself to be the number one retailer in the UK. Irrespective of the medium customers choose to shop at Tesco, be it online or in-store, they receive an equal treatment. The launch of Clubcard in 1995 with a data-mining partner Dunn Humby, led Tesco handle colossal customer data thus enhancing value to their customer base (Rogers, 2001). The theme of Clubcard for its launch was the world’s

Read Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley and compare the advantages Essay

Read Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley and compare the advantages and disadvantages of first person point of view to point - Essay Example 2. Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley Every work of fiction is an amalgamation of fiction and reality where reality acts as a source of inspiration for the writer to enter the realm of fiction and twist the harsh veracity of life into a less brutal and bearable depiction of this world. â€Å"Devil in a Blue Dress† is a novel about the tale of Easy Rawlins who is a black American and is a self-made detective by profession. After fighting in World War 2 the protagonist of the novel settles in segregated Los Angeles and he is shown to be an individual who is haunted by his memories of the trauma of the war although he is fiercely proud of his home and overall achievement in life. The novel portrays the corrupt human existence and the degeneration that is gradually engulfing human beings and is turning them into robots that are channelized to attain monetary security, the more the better. The novel is narrated in first person narration which presents the readers with a myopic view of the whole situation i.e. the narrator Easy is the guide for the readers to understand the whole situation. ... This explanation about Albright might be true yet the readers do not have any evidence about this piece of information to be true or false because it is Easy’s personal point of view rather than an objective fact. However it cannot be denied that this form of narrative style establishes a close relation between the protagonist and the reader as it gives a chance for the audience to closely examine the protagonist’s actions and understand him well, as compared to rest of the characters who are introduced and described by the protagonist rather than an unbiased portrayal of every other character in the novel. The reader’s perception of Easy’s character can also be figuratively interpreted as the situation of majority of his fellow black men in real life i.e. his character is easily relatable to the hardships and problems that were faced by most of the American Blacks during and after World War 2 as it is stated in the novel, â€Å"I always tried to speak pr oper English in my life, the kind of English they taught in school, but I found over the years that I could only truly express myself in the natural, 'uneducated' dialect of my upbringing† (Mosley 10). It is such a common and heartfelt problem that has been faced by most of the Black Americans which not only makes such descriptions autobiographical but also help in forming a close bonding between the reader and the protagonist as Mosley rather than depicting farfetched or intangible ideas focusses on the mundane daily life of a black man and the problems he faced while growing up as well as an adult. At another place in the text it is stated, â€Å"A job in a factory is an awful lot like working on a plantation in the South. The bosses see all the

The Dark Ages and Some of the Challenges Paople Faced during the Essay

The Dark Ages and Some of the Challenges Paople Faced during the Period - Essay Example Famine came about because of the breakdown of societal order which the Romans had maintained. The system of trade and tribute had been regulated by the Romans, and the network had been maintained across vast distances to ensure that the Empire could move troops around at will, and sustain mobile armies in the case of any rebellions or invasions. When these networks faltered, communities became more isolated, and the consequences of bad harvests were more severe, since no help was at hand. Plagues arrived from the East and spread through the region, but there were few people who had the knowledge and the wealth that would have enabled them to heal the sick or avoid infection. Aside from these physical threats from famine and disease, there was also an increase in violent conflict between rival tribes. In the absence of a single overlord, such as the Romans had been, the smaller tribes jostled for position, and engaged in many skirmishes and boundary disputes in an effort to gain contr ol of wealth and resources. This made life very dangerous for ordinary people, since many were slaves, or bound by oath to the service of a chieftain, and they were obliged to take up arms if commanded to do so. The strict Roman laws gave way to the more fragmented social order of competing tribes. Many leaders were cruel, and there was considerable injustice and chaos. Another factor which presented a huge challenge in the Dark Ages was that of religion. Under Roman rule, Christians and pagans had co-existed, and as time went on, more and more of the Empire adopted Christianity. In the Dark Ages, however, Islam emerged from the East and advanced across North Africa, heading up through Spain and into Gaul, bringing bitter religious warfare to the continent. Religious persecution increased, and minorities were often robbed and killed in the name of religion. Christianity brought some advantages, in so far as the monasteries served as educational institutions and places where the poor and the sick could hope for some relief. Once again, however, this benefited the wealthy who sent their children there to be educated, but it meant servitude and exploitation for the poorest members of society, who had to labor in the fields or work as lowly tradesmen to provide the raw materials that were needed to sustain monastic communities. The lack of an effective legal system meant that disputes were solved by violence, and when coupled with the devastating effects of plagues, and poor nutrition, the consequences for population size were very serious. In this period infant mortality was very high, life expectancy was short, and huge numbers of citizens were wiped out due to infection. It would have been very hard for a poor family to bring up children to healthy adulthood. Depopulation meant that communities could no longer find enough workers to take in the harvest, and maintain basic infrastructure. Skills were lost, and architectural masterpieces just crumbled out of negl ect, or were looted to enable poor people to build their own rustic dwellings. In many ways it seemed that civilization was taking a backwards step, and the former glories of Europe were

The leading health indicator as defined by Health People 2020 Essay

The leading health indicator as defined by Health People 2020 - Essay Example The indicators are useful in assessing the health rate of the nation, to facilitate collaboration in different sectors and in motivation of action in different levels to ensure there is improvement of health in the American population. The ability of an individual to have access to health services has effect on many aspect of life. However, there are many Americans who lack primary care providers to receive medical services. This is an issue addressed by leading health indicators as defined by Health People 2020. People who do not have medical insurance are more likely to lack medical care as a result of high costs. It is important that these people receive medical insurance or medical care at affordable costs. To improve the nation’s health there are things that are key such as routine screens and immunizations. The services prevent and detect illnesses to provide treatment (Healthy people,

Political scandals and media (Moshe Katsav scandal) Research Paper

Political scandals and media (Moshe Katsav scandal) - Research Paper Example The researcher will then move into analyzing how the media covered this scandal. This paper will then give a comparison of the media coverage of political scandals in other democratic countries, such as France, US, UK, Italy, and Germany. The researcher will then identify the actions that the government took during this period, and the reasons, after which the researcher will give some resolutions on how the government would have made this situation better. Moshe Katzav is an Israeli politician, and he was born in 1945, December. The country of the birth of Moshe Katzav is Iran, but he travelled to Israel in 1951, and lived under an immigrant tent. Mose Katzav was the first born in his family that comprised of eight children. Mose Katzav is a highly educated individual, holding a post graduate qualification from the University of Hebrew (East and Thomas, 2003). At the age of 24 years, Mose Katzav married Gila Katzav, and together they have produced five children. In the same year, he was able to join the Likud party, and there after becoming a mayor of Kiryat Mal’akhi. In 1977, Moshe Katzav become a member of the Knesset, and in 2000, he became the president of Israel, holding office between 2000, to 2007. It is important to understand that Moshe Katzav was the 8th president of Israel. It is important to understand that Israel has a president, who is ceremonial in nature and a prime ministers who holds executive power in Israel (East and Thomas, 2003). The governance structure of Israel is democratic in nature. It is important to denote that the prime minister of Israel is elected by Knesset, and it is this institution that holds legislative power in Israel (East and Thomas, 2003). Israel is one of the few countries in the world that does not have a constitution, but it relies on basic laws, initiated by Knesset for governance. On this basis, the Knesset is a very important institution in Israel, since it determines the

Physics of sports Essay Example for Free

Physics of sports Essay Instructions: One of the best (and most fun) ways to explore physics and how it relates to the real-world is through sports. Every sport utilizes multiple physics principles. For this project you will chose a sport and study the physics principles involved. The sport you choose must be an actual sport, not a computer simulation or animation You will create a short PowerPoint presentation (5 slides max) summarizing your project. The following outline is designed to walk you though what you need to include in your project presentation. You will get more out of this project if you pick a sport you play or are interested in. And who knows, it may even improve your game! Project Outline: Be sure to include the following information in your presentation: Your name Sport Selected (include several illustrative images) Why did you choose this sport? List the physics principles that apply to your sport, and give specific examples of each. For example, all sports involve some sort of collision or impact. Thus the physics of momentum conservation and impulse apply. Include at least 3 relevant physics equations in your examples. Use a few images to illustrate your examples. Include at least 2 calculations in your presentation. To obtain data for your calculations you may (1) make measurements if possible, (2) make reasonable estimations, (3) do a bit of searching to find sample data. Be sure to explain how and/or where you obtained data for your calculations. All of your equations should be included in your PowerPoint presentation (not handwritten on board as you present). List the top athletes in your chosen sport. Identify what physical characteristics make them uniquely suited to your sport. Use physics to support your answer. Most sports have an upper limit on the possible athletic performance of the participants. This may be reflected by a world record or an obstacle of some sort. Discuss any such limitations in your sport and how physics may place such limitations on the athletes. For example, do you think it is physically possible for a sprinter to run 100 meters in under 9 seconds? What sort of trends do the world records suggest, and what physics principles apply? Upon completion email your presentation to Professor Brooks. Give your presentation a filename that includes your name and class in the following format: â€Å"John Doe phys1401. ppt† For examples of good past student projects you may download these SAMPLES.

Farakka Barrage And The Ganges Dispute Environmental Sciences Essay

Farakka Barrage And The Ganges Dispute Environmental Sciences Essay In January 1961, the Government of India announced its decsision to go ahead with a plan to build a barrage across the river Ganges at Farakka. This decision reflected Indias concerns to solve the problems being experienced at the port of Calcutta with the build up of silt on the river Hooghly. But the decision initiated a conflict with Pakistan (and later Bangladesh) over the much bigger issue of water utilization in the whole of the Ganges basin. When Bangladesh came into existence in 1971, it was felt that the Farakka issue would be solved affably. In May 1974 , when Sheikh Mujibur Rehman came to India ,Indira Gandhi gave a assurance not to commission the Farakka project before an agreement on the sharing of the Ganga water was reached. Therefore an interim agreement was signed in April 1975 ,covering the flow of the Ganga during the lean period ,21 April to 31 May , by whichmain portion of the water was given to Bangladesh. The two countries also agreed to operate the feeder cana l with India taking her share in the following manner :- Month Ten-day Period (Dates) Withdrawl (cusecs) 11. It was also agreed that teams consisting of experts from both countries would survey at the suitable places in both the countries the effects of the Farakka withdrawal in Bangladesh and on the Hoogly river. A joint team was also to be placed at the barrage to record the discharge into the feeder canal and residual flow into Bangladesh. However after the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rehman in August 1975 , the military government started to malign India at every possible opportunity accusing her of taking all the water of the river . Bangladesh lodged an official protest with India on 15 January 1976 against the operation of the barrage. It also raised the issue globally , in the Islamic Foreign Ministers Conference in Islamabad in May 1976, at the Colombo Summit of the NAM in August 1976. The UN Secretary General was also apprised of the situation in April 1976. 12. After the Janata Government came to power in March 1977, negotiations were resumed. Talks were held covering various aspects of both long term and short term agreements on water sharing. In consequence the two governments signed an agreement on 5th November 1977 as a short term solution , while a feasibility study of a long term solution was left to the Indo-Bangladesh Joint Rivers Commission which was to submit its recommendation within three years. The data collected over time indicated that flow during the lean season was as low as 55,000 cusecs at Farakka. The expert opinion was that the minimum requirement to keep the Calcutta port navigable in the lean season of April-May was 40,000 cusecs. The remaining 15,000 cusecs was more than what Bangladesh needed during the lean season. Prime Minister Moraji Desai , however agreed to a much smaller share and give the larger quantity to Bangladesh. This noble gesture was considered a small sacrifice for a weaker and smaller neighbour for improving understanding and goodwill. The period of implementation was five years. However it came with criticism. Some called it a sell-out while several believed India had masked much with little in return. The protest of the West Bengal Government were ignored and it was not even consulted before the agreement . 13 . The Congress Government which came to power in 1980 was critical of the agreement and considered it negative to the interests of the Calcutta port. Both governments decided to terminate the the 1977 accord and commence fresh attempts to achieve a permanent solution. This was to be completed within eighteen months by the Joint Rivers Commission. The new sharing agreements agreed upon were to be imposed for the next two dry seasons i.e. 1983 and 1984. The discharges agreed upon for the first 10 days of January were 40,000 cusecs for India and 50,000 cusecs for Bangladesh. This would be reduced progressively until the ten days of April , when the individual shares for the two countries would be 20,000 and 34,500 cusecs respectively. By setting time limit both counties intended to express their serious intentions to consider each others proposal and reach a final solution . 14. With Rajiv Gandhis visit to Bangladesh hopes rose again ,when on the conclusion of his visit on 2nd June 1985 , he expressed a keen desire and readiness to settle all bilateral disputes including the Ganga issue. The Indo-Bangladesh Memorandum of Understanding was signed on 22nd November 1985 on the sharing of Ganges dry season flow for the next three years (1986-88). Bangladesh would get 35,000 cusecs of water and India somewhat less than 40,000 cusecs during the dry season. It was also agreed that the Joint Committee of experts would look for a long term scheme , a study to be done within one year. The Joint Committee of experts and the JRC met at regular intervals throughout 1986 . Nepal was also incorporated for a possible co-operation and contribution in the Ganges water development. However the one year time limit passed and the Joint Committee study was inconclusive. The only achievement of the Rajiv-Ershad talks was the setting up of a task force co-chaired by the concern ed secretaries of water resources in the two countries to deliberate upon short and long term measures. The 1985 MoU expired in November 1988 with the Indian government deciding against extension of the agreement on sharing of waters during the lean period . 12 15. In 1991 some informal discussions took place between Bangladesh and India. In May 1992, 1993 and 1995 it was discussed at summit level. For various reasons, mainly since the situation had become more complicated with the passage of time, the negotiations failed to achieve any impetus, unfortunately to Bangladeshs detriment. This situation dragged on further, until 1995 with increasingly adverse consequences for Bangladesh. During the SAARC summit at New Delhi in May 1995, the then Prime Ministers of Bangladesh and India, directed their respective foreign secretaries to commence talks immediately and break the impasse in the resolution of this long festering problem. During the Indian Foreign Secretarys visit to Bangladesh in June 1995, it was agreed that a permanent sharing deal on the basis of existing dry season flow in the Ganges without involving it to the augmentation factor, may be worked out. It was further decided upon that sharing of other common rivers may also be delib erated upon on long term basis. However, no progress was made thereafter due to political uncertainties in both countries and a period of deadlock ensured virtually no high-level contacts between the two countries. The political swing in both the countries in mid-1996 seemed to have paved the way for a permanent solution. 16. In May 1996 the United Front-led coalition government came to power in India with Mr HD Deve Gowda as Prime Minister. In Bangladesh a month later the Awami League was voted back to power with Sheikh Hasina becoming the Prime Minister. These two developments, happening almost simultaneously, was the turning point for both the countries. Serious discussions for arriving at a solution began only after this change of governments. Both the sides realised the exigency of the matter and conveyed to each other their political obligation to address and resolve the issue. Both governments also shared the perception that it was necessary to come to an agreement within the year before the commencement of the next dry season. During the Bangladesh Foreign Secretarys visit to India in August 1996, the Indian Prime Minister said that his government was very keen to see the problem resolved within the shortest possible time. In September 1996 when the Indian External Affairs Minister visited Ban gladesh, the two sides had detailed talks on sharing of the Ganges water. This was followed soon by the visit of the Bangladesh Minister for Water Resources from October 28 to 1st November 1996. Later, from 9th to 13th November 1996 the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh visited India for working out the final modalities. The joint efforts of the governments of Bangladesh and India to reach at an agreeable resolution of the difficult issue of Ganges water sharing received a boost during the visit of Mr Jyoti Basu ,Chief Minister of West Bengal to Bangladesh. This round of talks was of vital importance as they narrowed the differences to bridgeable extent . THE GANGES RIVER WATER TREATY 17. After a great deal of political negotiations and numerous rounds of high level talks Bangladesh and India signed a historic 30-year accord on sharing the Ganges water on 12 December 1996 opening a new era in relations between the two neighbours. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Indian Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda at New Delhi signed the landmark treaty. The treaty was based on the values of equality and fairplay, taking into account the interests of both nations. Major features of the treaty are :- (a) It will be open to both parties to seek the first review after two years to asses the impact and working of the sharing arrangement as contained in the treaty. (b) The quantum of water to be released by India to Bangladesh will be at Farakka. (c) The sharing will be in ten-day periods from January 1 to May 31 every year. (d) The sharing of the waters will be on 50-50 basis when availability at Farakka is 70,000 cusecs or less. (e) Bangladesh will get 35,000 cusecs and India the balance of flow if the availability at Farakka is between 70,000 and 75,000 cusecs. (f) In case of availability of 75,000 cusecs or more, India will receive 40,000 cusecs and Bangladesh the rest. (g) During the most critical month of April, Bangladesh to get a guaranteed flow of 35,000 cusecs in the first and last ten days of April and 27,633 cusecs during the period 11-20 April. (h) If water flow at Farakka falls below 50,000 cusecs in any 10-day period, the two governments will enter into immediate consultations to make necessary adjustments on an emergency basis. (j) India shall release downstream of Farakka Barrage water at a rate not less than 90 percent of Bangladeshs share till such time the mutually agreed flows are decided upon. (k) The water released to Bangladesh at Farakka shall not be reduced below Farakka except for reasonable uses of water, not exceeding 200 cusecs, by India between Farakka and the point on the Ganges where both its banks are in Bangladesh. (l) A Joint Committee consisting of equal number of representatives of the two countries shall set up suitable teams at Farakka and Hardinge Bridge to observe and record at Farakka Barrage, the Feeder Canal, the Navigation Lock, and at the Hardinge Bridge. (m) The Joint Committee shall submit to the two governments all data collected by it and shall also submit a yearly report to both the governments. Following the submission of the reports the two governments will meet at the appropriate levels to decide upon such further actions as may be needed. (n) The sharing agreement under this treaty shall be reviewed by the two governments at five years interval or earlier, as required by either party. 18. Under the treaty Indias total share during the lean season (1st Jan to 31st May) amounts to about 48% of the total availability, as against 52% for Bangladesh. The schedule also specifies the three ten-day periods during which 35,000 cusecs shall be provided, alternately, to each of the two countries. For Bangladesh it was March 11-20, April1-10 and 21 to 30, and for India the dates were March 21 to 30, April 11 to 20 and May 1 to 10. The period from March 11 to May 10 is considered the critical period of the lean season as the flow of the Ganges is usually the lowest of the lean season. The agreement was arrived on the basis of the average availability of water between 1949 and 1988. India has guaranteed in the treaty that every effort would be made to protect flow availability. The major aspects of the treaty are:- Availability at Farakka Share of India Share of Bangladesh 70,000 cusecs or less 50 % 50 % 70,000 75,000 cusecs Balance of flow 35,000 cusecs 75,000 cusecs or more 40,000 cusecs Balance of flow 19. The discrepancy over augmentation, which had led to an impasse in the past, has been side stepped as the treaty is in essence regarding the sharing of lean-season flows. Though the present treaty does not include a minimum guarantee but has several scattered provisions which provide a measure of security to Bangladesh. The water treaty has already improved the bilateral relations radically. However the effects of construction of the barrage and diversion of water was felt by both countries. Some of the major effects in Bangladesh were :- (a) Reduction in surface and ground water levels. The reduction of dry season (January-May) natural flows in the Ganges in Bangladesh reduced the hydraulic efficiency of the channel to such a degree that even during high flows in monsoons the progressive degradation of the channel and its hydraulic characteristics remains unchecked. An inevitable consequence of water reduction in the river channels is decrease in the amount of soil moisture and ground water resources. (b) Channel morphology of the river. The channel morphology of the Ganges and its distributaries has also been affected since the commissioning of the Farakka Barrage. The Farakka Barrage included several high velocity sluices, known as silt excluders, which were intended to allow silt to flow down the Ganges. The barrage was designed so that silt-free water would be diverted down the Bhagirothi-Hooghly and the sediment load would be carried by the remaining flow on that river into Bangladesh and the sea. This deposition of silt has changed the flow of the river in Bangladesh. (c) Navigation aspects. Since the commissioning of the Farakka Barrage, in 1975, several waterways, which are dependent on the Ganges, flows have been severely affected. A total of 685 km of waterways that were negotiable during the pre-diversion period have been affected. In little more than a decade, several important routes open to mechanized vessels had to be abandoned. Farakka did have a damaging effect and that serious interruption of the inland navigation was caused by withdrawal of Ganges water by India. (d) Incr in levels of salinity of ground and surface water. The most devastating effect of the diversion of Ganges water has been the marked increase in salinity, in both surface water and ground water, resulting in higher soil salinity in the southwest region of Bangladesh. The increased salinity was totally explainable in the light of the increased withdrawal of the Ganges water. This has had a disastrous effect on the agricultural output as well as the eco-system. (e) Agriculture. For Bangladesh, the reduced flow of the Ganges has had both immediate and long-term effects including lower agricultural and industrial productions, depletion of ground water reserves, depletion of soil moisture and changes in the soil structure. Agriculture being the foundation of economy in Bangladesh, expansion of irrigation facilities in the area served by the Ganges has suffered grave setbacks that retarded growth in agricultural sector. (f) Fisheries. In Bangladesh, fishery ranks next to agriculture in economic importance. With the altered flow pattern in the rivers, the ecological characteristics positive for fish breeding grounds have also changed. Fishery has suffered, especially in the southwest Bangladesh, from reduced flow due to a combination of the following factors: (i) Decline of perennial wetland area. (ii) Conversion of perennial wetlands into seasonal water bodies. (iii) Drying up of seasonal water bodies. (iv) Prevention of spawning migration. (g) Forest cover and environmental issues. Another devastating effect of increased salinity has been witnessed in the forestry sector. The main species of tree in this forest is Sundri (accounts for 60% of the marketable timber), does not have adaptive tolerance to high salinity. Thus the northward incursion of salinity front has begun to show a declining trend in the Sundri yield. 19 (h) Public health. Last, but not the least, is the concern about adverse effect in the health sector. The changed ecological situation has augmented the potential for the breeding of numerous disease vectors, and thus, health and sanitary conditions have become more perilous. Not only have safe drinking water supplies diminished on account of a fall in ground water levels, increased salinity and the worsening of the quality of ground water itself have caused a rise in the occurrence of various enteric diseases in the area. TIPAIMUKH DAM 20. The construction of the Tipaimukh Dam on the Barak river in Manipur is another matter of concern which has emerged lately. The Tipaimukh Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project is planned to be constructed near the confluence of Barak and Tuivai Rivers in Manipur . It will have generation capacity of 401.25 MW. The main objective is to generate 1500 MW hydropower and flood control of an area of 2039 sq km. The North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) was slated to undertake the project with Manipur Govt till replaced by National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC). The concerns were that the project might eat up Bangladeshs share of the international River Meghna which supplies water to hundreds of water bodies in the region. There were also concerns some of the major rivers in Bangladesh would dry up especially during the lean season. 21. The Tipaimukh Dam is not a recent happening as the first international conference on it was held way back in December 2005 had decided against the project. The concerns in Bangladesh are based on their sour experience of severe 20 water shortage and many-sided impacts after Farakka Barrage was commissioned. Concerns raised include confounding environmental degradation, monetary predicament and hydrological drought. The dam would seriously restrict flow into Surma and Kushyara rivers disrupting agriculture, irrigation, drinking water supply, navigation etc and reduce ground water recharge during lean season, affecting all dug and shallow tube wells. Bangladesh gets 7-8% of its water from the Barak River. The Surma and Kushyara rivers with its various tributaries and distributaries support, irrigation, agriculture, fisheries , drinking water supply, navigation, wildlife in the complete Sylhet and the peripheral areas of Dhaka. The dam would also leave millions unemployed with the drying up of the rivers. Millions of people are dependent on the water bodies which are fed by the Barak in Sylhet region for fishing, agriculture and other associated activities. The Barak-Surma-Kushyara is an international river and B angladesh as a lower riparian country has rights over any verdict over the river . 22. In Manipur, where the dam is to be constructed, the concerns are varied and based on three aspects. The first is the direct effect of displacement, loss of biodiversity, social and environmental impacts. The second aspect is the procedural lapses, lack of a holistic impact evaluation and limitations of developmental and ecological rules, frail enforcement mechanisms and lack of accountability norms . Lastly, the ambiguous benefits to the people of Manipur and nuances based on painful experiences from related projects such as NHPCs 105 MW Loktak Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project (NHPC) . This project is responsible for ruining the Loktak wetlands flora and fauna, submerging vast area of agricultural land, loss of species and iability to rehabilitate thousands of affected people even after almost 21 three decades of project commissioning in 1984. The Zeliangrong and Hmar tribes will face permanent displacement and deprivation of livelihood. Official figures state that 1,461 Hmar families will face direct displacement due to the project. The area selected for the project has recorded at least two major earthquakes of 8+ in the Richter scale during the past 50 years. The dam is proposed to be built in one of the most geologically unstable area and falls on a potential epicentre for major earthquake. 23. The Indian Govts reply to Bangladesh concerns has long been a state of denial. The Indian High Commissioners statement of absence of an international law that would prevent India from constructing the dam and that Bangladeshs concerns are based on ignorance provoked a strong resentment in Bangladesh. Experts counter reacted to his speech as totally flawed in view of the standing of the 1996 Indo-Bangladesh Ganges Water Treaty and the applicability of the 1997 UN Convention on the Law of Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses. Bangladesh experts have concurred that it is not yet binding as an international treaty law. However there is every reason to dispute as the Convention was adopted by a vote of 103 3 in the UN General Assembly and is valid as international customary law to Tipaimukh dam or any other project on shared rivers . 24. Diplomatic rendezvous between India and Bangladesh over the dam have been going on, latest being the meeting of the Prime Ministers at NAM summit in Egypt . The past understanding of efforts to resolve water disputes between the two countries, such as the Ganges Water sharing treaty, 1996 and setting up of Teesta 22 River Commission, 1997 etc, indicates likelihood of the two countries heading for establishing dialogue to resolve the differences. The resolution of this issue seriously needs a joint, comprehensive and human rights based approach to growth and understanding the concerns recognized rights of all affected peoples. Bangladesh Govts statement of sending an all-party parliamentary committee to visit the dam site in end July 2009 and review the dams impact will be a precise step if it forms the basis for an complete process to carry out thorough impact appraisal of the dam based on recommendations of World Commission on Dams, 2000 and other appropriate Intl law on transboundary waters. The visit can be a good foundation for a multilateral approach in addressing Tipaimukh Dam issues. 25. India should desist from constructing the dam to avoid multidimensional conflicts and snags as the project itself is potentially rife for causing conflicts amid states, between state and native people. Manipur is already rife with movements for right to self determination and any forced construction of Tipaimukh dam will only legitimize their movement to protect their land and assets. The the Govt of Manipur and NEEPCO must annul the MoU on Tipaimukh dam project signed in 2003 and commence an all-inclusive process for a just decision making process . 23 TEESTA RIVER. 26. Teesta is the fourth major trans-boundary river in Bangladesh. Upstream inflow in this river provides the primary support to agricultural production in the Teesta River floodplain (TRF) in the northwest region of the country. Bangladesh constructed a barrage in 1990 to provide irrigation water for crop production in the Teesta Barrage Project (TBP) area. India also constructed a barrage on this river upstream. TBP commenced operation with partial conveyance infrastructure in 1993. The project was designed to be implemented in two phases. The phase 1 has been finished in 1998. A case study in the TBP area indicates that irrigation water supply significantly increases farm incomes. This has augmented irrigation water demands. However, one-sided withdrawal of water in India upstream, restricts irrigation water availability in the TBP area. Consequently, water sharing with India is critical in achieving food safety measures and sustainable living in Bangladesh. 27. The River Teesta or Tista is thought to be the lifeline of the state of Sikkim . It flows for more or less the complete span of the state and carves out the lush Himalayan moderate and tropical river valleys. The river then forms the boundary between Sikkim and West Bengal before it joins the Brahmaputra as a tributary in Bangladesh. Total length of the river is 315 km. The river traverses 97 km in Indian plains before entering the extreme northwest region of Bangladesh. It flows around 124 km in Bangladesh and joins Brahmaputra River. The Teesta River enters Bangladesh near Nilphamari region and flows for 45 km through the rice producingt districts of Rangpur, Lalmonirhat and Gaibandha and thereafter the Brahmaputra River in Kurigram. The Teesta River Floodplain (TRF), which encompasses the farthest northwest region of the country, accounts for 14% of the total agricultural 24 area in 2001. In addition, it supports approximately 8.5% of the total population. About 63% of the total crop area in the region is irrigated, signifying a direct relationship between irrigation water availability and farming land use. At present, the TRF and the area left of the Ganges River is considered to be a arid zone . 28. The TRF is predominantly reliant on transboundary inflow for supply and managing the water resources and agricultural production. The Teesta barrage at Gazoldoba in India controls the water flow into Bangladesh. In order to augment the irrigation potential of the northwest region, Bangladesh constructed a barrage called the the Dalia barrage in Lalmonirhat district to provide irrigation water from the river by means of a canal system. During the dry season, control of the river water at Gazoldoba renders the Dalia Barrage literally ineffective for diversion of water due to low flows. Furthermore, abrupt release of excessive water during rainy season causes floods, bank erosion and damages colossal amounts of crops downstream. Steps need to be taken to study the water flow at both Gazoldoba and Dalia in order to handle high and low water flows and lessen losses . 29. Bangladesh wants to divide the water at 50:50 ratio at the Indian barrage in order to have an assured supply of half of the water all through the dry season. The proposition also considers keeping 20% of the water for ecological flow. In other words the draft planned that Bangladesh and India would each get 40% water and 20% would go to Bay of Bengal (via Brahmaputra) for maintaining the waterway. India however proposes keeping only 10% for the river. Moreover, India wants other 25 factors to be considered before distributing water of this river. In case of Teesta, 85% of the agricultural land served by the river is in India and the balance 15% in Bangladesh. India wants water to be split in that proportion. The ratio of catchment area is an additional point mentioned in the disagreement. 30. The International Convention and India-Bangladesh treaty of 1996 suggests the fact that river water allocation should be impartial. An important thing to bear in mind is that impartiality does not mean equal sharing. For example, the Indus water treaty allows India to make use of approximately 20% of the water as the area under irrigation and population dependent on it are approximately in that ratio. It is a case of unbiased sharing of water resource. However if the water of Brahmaputra is divided at 50:50, it wont be an equitable sharing as Bangladesh is tremendously reliant on it. The factors of equity are:- Factor Bangladesh India Population in Catchment 7620913 8028752 Catchment Area 2071 sq km 12650s km Catchment Irrigable Area 2071 sq km 2970 sq km Population in Irrigable area 7620913 7488259 Geography Plains Plains and hilly Area currently under irrigation 111,000 hectare 527,000 hectare Target area 750,000 hectare 922,000 hectare 31. As future water demand is expected to rise drastically in both countries, water sharing will play a decisive role in managing water resources. Any unilateral basin shift of the river water in future will impinge on Bangladesh in terms of lesser availability of water downstream. This is likely to affect not just food security but also hinder any future planning of agriculture in Bangladesh. In future, water-related disputes are expected to surface recurrently unless necessary steps are taken. Any form of variance over water property will dissipate time and resources. A bilateral collaboration on water sharing alone is unlikely to provide solutions to the live water problems. India and Bangladesh must commence joint initiatives to construct reservoirs in India and within Bangladesh to store excess water in the rainy season for use during the dry season. An integrated flood management program has to be designed and executed during the rainy season when there is a higher incidence of normal and flash floods. An encouraging step in this direction has been taken with India assenting to share flood projection data on a constant basis thus extending the lead time for flood warning to more than 57 hours. This needs to incorporate the Teesta River exclusively to avert economic damage to crops and livelihoods . OTHER PROJECTS 32. Two mega projects on the Dihang (also known as the Siang river) the main tributary of Brahmaputra and on the Subansiri river in Arunachal Pradesh. These have further alleviated qualms of reduced water flow to Bangladesh. 33. . The Siang Upper HE Project is a colossal 11000 MW project to be built on the Siang River in East Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh. The Middle and Lower Siang Hydel projects with 750 mw and 1700 mw power generating capacity are the other dams intended over the same river. The 2000 MW Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric project is an additional mega dam over River Subansiri, a key tributary of Brahmaputra River. Other dams over the tributaries of Brahmaputra includes the Ranganadi I and II (450 and 150 mw respectively), Kameng (600 mw), 3000 MW Dibang HE project . The construction of a series of dams over Siang River and its tributaries will further aggravate the water predicament and linked problems in Assam and Bangladesh.