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month march 26, edition 000790, collected & managed by durgesh kumar
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THE PIONEER
A SMART MOVE
AT LAST, SOME BOUNCE
CALCULUS OF INTERVENTION - HIRANMAY KARLEKAR
BOMBING LIBYA WITH 'DEMOCRACY' - IRFAN ENGINEER
UNCLE SAM AT IT AGAIN - AJISH P JOY
A NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER'S WAR - S RAJAGOPALAN
THE TIMES OF INDIA
SANTA AND HIS CLAUSE
AS THE VOICES GROW LOUDER
WE DON'T NEED NO EDUCATION?
UNDERMINING DEMOCRACY
IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST
HINDUSTAN TIMES
VOTE HERE FOR FREE GOODIES
THE EYES HAVE IT - GOPALKRISHNA GANDHI
INTERVENTION IS MORE THAN POPPING A PILL - PRATIK KANJILAL
THE INDIAN EXPRESS
ENGAGING AGAIN
STYLING THE STRIKE
REFORM, REWRITE
WE'VE COME A LONG WAY - ILA PATNAIK
WORST-CASE SCENES - MIHIR S SHARMA
'WOMEN IN INDIA ARE BECOMING AGENTS OF CHANGE' - SONIA GANDHI
THE STRANGE CASE OF COLONEL TAHER - SYED BADRUL AHSAN
NOT ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN - RUCHIKA TALWAR
THE FINANCIAL EXPRESS
MANAGEMENT VER 2.0
AGRICULTURE'S PULSE
FORGET GIVING, JUST TAKE LESS - SUNIL JAIN
INDIA'S FROZEN TURBULENCE - NISTULA HEBBAR
THE HINDU
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN ASSAM
BUDGET ROLLBACKS AND PROMISE
MOTHER OF INSURGENCIES OR REINVENTION? - M.S. PRABHAKARA
MEA SPLIT OVER GROWING INDIA-U.S. TIES? - P. SAINATH
'13th Amendment Plus': India sceptical of Sri Lankan promise -
Nirupama Subramanian
I CANNOT RELY ON ANYONE IN UPA LEADERSHIP FOR ADVICE, MANMOHAN TOLD
JASWANT SINGH - SURESH NAMBATH
'INDIAN ROGUES' GALLERY ENTERTAINS PAKISTANI TALIBAN APOLOGIST' -
NIRUPAMA SUBRAMANIAN
THE ASIAN AGE
PENSION BILL SHOWS REFORMS ON TRACK
TAINTED SAINTS - FARRUKH DHONDY
THE WAYS & MEANS OF WARREN BUFFETT - SHOBHAA DE
DON'T HIT N-BUTTON - SHEEL KANT SHARMA
DNA
HOW CASTE-BASED CENSUS DATA WOULD CHANGE INDIAN MARKETS
RAHUL ROUSHAN
OF AIR, JELLY, AND FLYING PLANES - ASHOK KRISH
A MAN MANAGING MENOPAUSE - PADDY RANGAPPA
DAILY EXCELSIOR
TRYST WITH CORRUPTION
BELEAGUERED STATE TRANSPORT
THE LIBYAN WAR - BY ML KOTRU
IN THE INTEREST OF DEMOCRACY - BY SHIBAN KHAIBRI
CHINA'S POTENT CHALLENGE - BY BRIG.(RETD) S.N. SACHADEVA
THE TRIBUNE
PENSION BILL'S RE-ENTRY
BJP CLEARS THE HURDLES
STUDYING IN BRITAIN
INDIA'S KNOCKOUT PUNCH
DIALOGUE WITH PAKISTAN - BY T.V. RAJESWAR
FAILING TO FRAME - BY VANDANA SHUKLA
REFORMS MUST BEGIN AT THE GRASSROOTS – RAJBIR DESWAL
BUMPY ROAD AHEAD - SANKAR SEN
MUMBAI MIRROR
DESI DRAMA IN NEW YORK COURT
BUSINESS STANDARD
'STICK TO GUM' - T N NINAN
NO MORE CRIMSON PIRACY! - MICHAEL PINTO
THE IRREPLACEABLE HEROES - DEVANGSHU DATTA
HAPPY TO DODGE DEVELOPMENT - SUBIR ROY
THE RISE AND DECLINE OF THE WEST - V V
GOSPEL TRUTH OR GOSSIP LEAKS? - SUNANDA K DATTA-RAY
THE BUSINESS OF INGENUITY - JYOTI PANDE LAVAKARE
SEE SOMETHING? SAY SOMETHING - SHRIDHAR SUBRAMANIA
THE ECONOMIC TIMES
GIVE SENSIBLY
HARD TIMES
SOUNDS OF SILENCE
HEAR US OUT TOO, MR PM
'WE WILL NOT EXIT ANY BUSINESS IN INDIA' - DHEERAJ TIWARI
DECCAN CHRONICAL
TAINTED SAINTS
US IN THE GRIP OF AUSTERITY DELUSION
PENSION BILL SHOWS REFORMS ON TRACK
DON'T HIT N-BUTTON
THE WAYS & MEANS OF WARREN BUFFETT
THE EGO ADVANTAGE
THE STATESMAN
NUCLEAR POWER
DEFENCE 'DEFECTS'
PITY MIZORAM'S BRUS
SEPARATION OF POWERS - PR DUBHASHI
'MUST NOT EXPECT GOVT TO DO EVERYTHING'
ON RECORD
BANKING ON BUREAUCRACY! - RAJINDER PURI
THE TELEGRAPH
OPPORTUNITY LOST
DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR - RAMACHANDRA GUHA
DECCAN HERALD
STEADY NERVES
MODEL BRIBERY
NO SHAME LEFT - RAMAKRISHNA UPADHYA
SARNA ON ZAFARNAMA - KHUSHWANT SINGH
MAN IN THE MIRROR - SHIRLEY HEREFORD
THE NEW YORK TIMES
ARIZONA'S BOON TO FREE SPEECH
CHANGE IN YEMEN
THE SHAME OF NEW YORK'S GROUP HOMES
ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF MULTITUDE - BY LAWRENCE DOWNES
WHAT'S IN A NICKNAME? - BY GAIL COLLINS
LOSING OUR WAY - BY BOB HERBERT
FREE SPEECH WORTH PAYING FOR - BY CHARLES FRIED AND CLIFF SLOAN
TIMES FREE PRESS
SPRINGTIME, LOVE AND CARS
SEN. CORKER ON OBAMACARE
SEN. ALEXANDER ON OBAMACARE
OUR LONGEST WAR!
HURRIYET DAILY NEWS
DON'T LOOK AT HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION WITH A JAUNDICED EYE - CENGİZ AKTAR
ANKARA'S LIBYA MISSTEPS - İLHAN TANIR
WHILE DEMOCRACY IS ADVANCING IN TURKEY - SERKAN DEMİRTAŞ
A LUNCH WITH KILIÇDAROĞLU - MUSTAFA AKYOL
THE CORRIDOR - THE CRISIS AWAITING THE CHP: 'ERGENEKON' - GÖKSEL BOZKURT
STAGES OF 'EXPATRIATION' IN TURKEY - ZAFER PARLAR
A BIRD'S EYE VIEW - NUCLEAR HUMAN PANIC - ADVENA AVIS
THEOCRATIC DEMOCRACY - YUSUF KANLI
CLASH OR COLD WAR? CIVILIZATION 'DRIFT' IN A CHANGING AGE - DİDEM AKAN
- STEVEN BUTTERFIELD -
WHY WAS MARDIN GOVERNOR RECALLED? - GİLA BENMAYOR
WHICH PARTY WILL WOMEN 'BURY' IN THE BALLOT BOX? - SERPİL YILMAZ
THE NEWS
FINAL SCORE
NEW FRIENDS
WHY NAYYAR NEED NOT WORRY - ZAFAR HILALY
WHITE MAN'S BURDEN, AGAIN? - AMIR ZIA
FAULT LINES - RAOOF HASAN
LAHORE WEARS A NEW LOOK - IFTEKHAR A KHAN
JUDGES AS LEGISLATORS - BABAR SATTAR
KILLING CIVILIANS - PATRICK KENNELLY
PAKISTAN OBSERVER
FLY IN FEAR WITH TIPSY PILOTS - AYAZ AHMED KHAN
DRONES: PRESIDENT SHOULD DO MORE
GILANI'S ODYSSEY TO UZBEKISTAN
ECHO OF OPERATION BLUE STAR IN US
BANGLADESH'S INDEPENDENCE DAY - MOHAMMAD JAMIL
AREN'T WE MISUSING ISLAM NOW? - ALI ASHRAF KHAN
RADICALIZATION & THE WAY OUT - YOUSUF ALAMGIRIAN
THE AUSTRALIYAN
IT'S THE ECONOMY IN QUEENSLAND
TIME TO SHED LIGHT ON REAL CLIMATE CHALLENGES
LABOR SHOULD RETURN TO WORKERS
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
POLITICAL SPECTRUM CHANGING ITS COLOURS
KEEPING THE INTERNET LID ON OUR UGLY AUSTRALIANS
THE GUARDIAN
SPENDING CUTS: FROM PROTEST TO PERSUASION
WHITEHALL: VERY SPECIAL ADVISERS
UNTHINKABLE? FILLING IN THE CENSUS PROPERLY
THE JAPAN TIMES
PRO BASEBALL'S VIEW ON DISASTER
STRICKEN MILK AND VEGETABLES
'PROTECT' THE SYRIANS NEXT? - BY GWYNNE DYER
INDIA'S SUPREME COURT ALLOWS EUTHANASIA - BY GAUTAMAN BHASKARAN
THE JAKARTA POST
FORGOTTEN JASSIN
SWITCHING IT OFF
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS: LEARNING FROM JAPAN - NIRWONO JOGA
DECODING INDONESIA'S RADICAL ISLAMISTS: WHAT TO DE-RADICALIZE? - BILVEER SINGH
POPULATION GROWTH OF GREATER JAKARTA AND ITS IMPACT - TOMMY FIRMAN
DAILY MIRROR
EDUCATING OURSELVES ON THE NEED AND VALUE OF DISSENT
WHO CARES THE POLICIES, PEOPLE VOTED ONLY TO BE IN THE WINNING SIDE
LIBYA: OBAMA'S IRAQ
LIBYA: INCREASING CONFUSION - BY B. RAMAN
MOBILEPHOBIA AND HEALTH - BY PROF. ROHAN SAMARAJIVA
IT'S SO GRIM AND BARE
MY DEAR MAHINDA AIYA,
GULF DAILY NEWS
ISRAEL, RIGHT OR WRONG? - BY PAUL BALLES
***************************************
******************************************************************************************
THE PIONEER
EDITORIAL
A SMART MOVE
PROMISES OF REFORM CONTAIN BLOODBATH IN SYRIA
The President of Syria Bashar al-Assad, it seems, is a quick learner.
Just as the situation in his country was about to spiral out of
control with thousands of anti-Government demonstrators, inspired by
popular protests in the region, taking to the streets, Mr Assad
quickly promised democratic reforms, made some tactical concessions
and for the first time in years, allowed his people crucial public
space to vent their feelings. These effectively ensured that
demonstrations on Friday, which was hailed as a Day of Dignity by
opposition activists and saw several thousand angry protesters march
to the capital Damascus as well as demonstrations in other cities,
remained largely peaceful. Only a few weeks ago, Mr Assad had proudly
claimed that his 11-year-old regime was "immune" to the kind of
popular uprisings that has shaken the Arab world but when faced with a
fast deteriorating situation at home, he conceded to popular demands
and announced an unprecedented set of reforms. The situation had
started going downhill last week when school students were arrested in
the southern town of Dara'a, on the Syria-Jordan border for scribbling
anti-Government graffiti and protesters took to the streets to demand
their release. Soon, thousands joined the demonstrations and demands
now included political reforms and the abolishment of emergency rule.
At this point, Mr Assad's Government made a tactical error by
unleashing his security forces to contain the protests on Wednesday
which resulted in the death of at least 30 activists and injured
several others. The violent crackdown, which was widely viewed on the
internet, met with international condemnation and enraged the nation —
in other words, the stage was about to be set for more violence and
bloodshed, when Mr Assad made took things into his own hands. On
Thursday, his office announced a 30 per cent salary hike for state
employees, the release of all activists arrested over the week and
promised to consider the lifting emergency law, permitting the
formation of opposition parties, measures for job creation and press
freedom. Some have rightly pointed out that these promises might just
be stalling tactics to ensure that a potential country-wide Syrian
uprising is nipped in the bud but in the eventuality that these
reforms are indeed carried out, it would be a truly historic moment.
In mean time however, Syria sits on the edge and fears of a civil-war
loom large, especially if violence escalates in the days ahead. Like
its neighbours Iraq and Lebanon, Syria is a heterogenous, ethnically
diverse society. Recent events have shown that countries like Egypt
which have a strong national identity and are not prey to tribal
loyalties are more likely to have a peaceful transitional period.
However, countries like Iraq and Libya which are essentially an
amalgam of sects and tribe and are often the victim of sectarian
violence are less likely to make a non-violent transition. Already,
Syria's Christian minority are rallying in favour their secular
President who also has the support of the Alawite sect to which he
belongs. Additionally, Syria's elites who have historically supported
the ruling family and benefitted significantly from Mr Assad's
reformist rule are unlikely to switch loyalties. An uprising against
President Assad will split the country right down the middle and lead
to a civil war. Only timely reforms can prevent such a disaster.
***************************************
THE PIONEER
EDITORIAL
AT LAST, SOME BOUNCE
WORST OF GLOBAL CRISIS MAY BE OVER
The global economy seems to have finally recovered from the meltdown
which is regarded as the worst in the post-World War II history. The
positive outlook presented by the International Yearbook of Industrial
Statistics 2011 published by the United Nations Industrial Development
Organisation shows that for the first time since 2006 industrialised
nations have registered a growing trend in industrial production,
albeit developing countries like China, Brazil and India are still
leading the pack showing robust performance. That the global economy
is gaining health and not just individual countries are doing well is
reflected by the fact that the world manufacturing value added has
grown by an estimated 5.3 per cent in 2010. However, a comparative
analysis may not look so heartening — the MVA of industrialised
countries grew by 3.2 per cent as compared to 9.4 per cent of
developing countries — as it indicates that growth continues to be
uneven. True, growth in developed countries has been stunted with
Governments going on austerity measures and consumers spending less
but there is little doubt that the worst is over. The global economy
seems to have survived a major threat which emerged with the severe
debt crisis in European countries like Greece and Ireland that forced
advanced economies like the UK to opt for rigorous fiscal
consolidation. What is interesting to note is that the disparity in
the growth rates of developing and developed nations — which is to
continue says the World Bank — has resulted in renewed importance of
the G20 as the world's leading economic grouping with the G8 being
relegated to playing the second fiddle.
The UNIDO report is extremely positive on China, India and Brazil as
the MVA of all three countries grew by 10 per cent in 2010. The
developing nation's share in world manufacturing output has reached 32
per cent compared to 20 per cent a decade ago mainly due to high
growth rates in these countries. This is one tiding that is sure to
bring smiles back in Minister for Finance Pranab Mukherjee's face as
the recent downslide in the manufacturing sector has been cause for
concern. Having said that, a slack labour market is an issue that
needs immediate attention since the International Monetary Fund has
already expressed worries about job losses. India should be cautious
about the difference between productivity gains and real wage growth.
Maintaining a healthy balance between wages, consumption and aggregate
demand is crucial in this era of globalisation when economic crisis in
one country can have a domino effect on another because high domestic
demand can act as a cushion to external tremors. The Government has so
far acted judiciously by not increasing the interest rates as a
knee-jerk reaction to high inflation.
***************************************
THE PIONEER
COLUMN
CALCULUS OF INTERVENTION
HIRANMAY KARLEKAR
The US-led, UN-sanctioned military intervention in Libya is possibly
not just about oil. It could be a preemptive strike against Al Qaeda
in the Maghreb.
Though air operations in Libya are conducted by a coalition of which
France and Britain — particularly the former — are at the forefront,
it is hardly a secret that nothing would have happened without the
United States playing a key role behind the scenes. Some would
doubtless attribute the US's action to just one word: Oil. One needs
hardly be surprised if it is a factor. According to an estimate, the
world's total proven oil reserves came to 1,342,207 billion barrels in
2009, of which Libya had 43,660 billion barrels. The 17th largest
producer of oil in the world, and the largest in Africa, it produces
1.6 million barrels a day.
While oil, in probability, is a factor — and perhaps even a major one
— only an overly simplistic and one-dimensional approach would regard
it as the only one. American President Barack Obama, French President
Nicholas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister David Cameron have
repeatedly emphasised that the purpose of the intervention is to
protect Libya's civilian population against the murderous assaults of
the pro-Muammar Gaddafi forces. The kind of minatory language in which
the Libyan dictator has threatened the inhabitants of Benghazi and
other supporters of the forces opposed to him, and his past record,
certainly lends credence to the worst apprehensions expressed.
Besides, one must not lose sight of some of the wider strategic
aspects. North Africa and West Asia are in turmoil; surging popular
anger in the streets has brought regimes down in Tunisia and Egypt and
sent at least a couple of others reeling. According to several
reports, the turn of events has completely surprised Al Qaeda which
has been reduced to watching from the sidelines as forces that are
anathema to its leaders dislodged President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and
President Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia from perches that had
earlier appeared unassailable. At the time of writing, Yemen's
President Ali Abdullah Saleh finds himself increasingly isolated as
one loyalist after another crosses over to his opponents.
Yet, Al Qaeda has two affiliates in the regions — Al Qaeda in North
Africa or Al Qaeda in the African Maghreb and Al Qaeda in the Arabian
Peninsula in West Asia. Both are extremely well-organised and
effective. The latter's associates in Yemen have been responsible for
several recent attempted terror strikes that came dangerously close to
succeeding. One of them was by Omar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a
23-year-old Nigerian, who tried to blow up Northwest Airlines Flight
253 to Detroit on Christmas Day in 2009. Trained and equipped by AQAP
in Yemen, he failed in his mission as the explosive device he carried
in his underwear misfired and he was overpowered by fellow travellers
and a flight stewardess.
In October last year, AQAP had sought to despatch through a United
Parcel Service cargo plane and two commercial flights packages
containing ink toner cartridges filled with PETN chemical explosives
inside Hewlett-Packard printers. Loaded at Yemen's capital, Sanaa, and
meant for out-of-date addresses of two Jewish synagogues in Chicago,
these were detected on October 29 in Dubai and East Midlands airport
near Nottingham in Britain, after Saudi intelligence officials had
provided their American counterparts with the precise tracking number
of the packages. If the manufacture of the bombs showed the remarkable
sophistication achieved by the AQAP, so did editorial and production
quality of its magazine, Inspire. Though the terror attack, codenamed
Operation Haemorrhage, failed in terms of being aborted, Inspire, in
its issue posted on the AQAP's website on November 20, claimed success
in terms of the fear and disruption it caused and the security costs
it inflicted.
Nor has Al Qaeda in the African Maghreb been lagging much. Its attempt
to set up Al Qaeda in the Land of Egypt crashed following the death of
its designated leader, Mohammed Hakaima, in a drone strike in 2008.
Its Somalian affiliate, Al Shadab, however, has grown during the last
10 years, drawing recruits from Somali expatriates abroad, including
disillusioned immigrants in the United States, and has participated in
several gruesome terrorist attacks. The most savage of these occurred
on July 11, 2010 when it set off a coordinated series of blasts at a
popular garden restaurant in the Ugandan capital of Kampala, killing
70 of a festive crowed watching the football World Cup final on huge
television screens.
According to an Associated Press report of April 26, 2009 there was
evidence that battle-hardened Al Qaeda fighters were shifting from the
organisation's strongholds in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border to
Africa. The report cited that US military and counter-terrorism
officials were apprehensive that Somalia could emerge as the next
Afghanistan and could be used for mounting attacks on the West.
One cannot say for sure. But nor can one rule out the possibility that
Al Qaeda has been concentrating on North Africa and West Asia as an
alternative base of operations in case it is forced to leave the
Afghanistan-Pakistan region under increasing American pressure.
Equally, it might use it as a forward base for an offensive against
the West in case the Americans withdraw from Afghanistan in a manner
that enables the Taliban to control the country, which would then
become its rear base. Has the US been behind the attack on Libya
because it thinks such a development as possible and wants to make
sure that Al Qaeda does not succeed in such a mission should West Asia
experience prolonged disorder as rival forces fight for supremacy?
The attack will not forestall such instability but will indicate that
the US and its allies mean business and, thus, encourage anti-Islamist
and anti-Al Qaeda forces to press forward. Mr Obama might consider
this as particularly necessary because the diversion of American
resources and attention to the War in Iraq convinced people that the
Americans did not mean business in Afghanistan and it was better to
ally with the Taliban and Al Qaeda to insure against tomorrow. If this
is the American calculation behind the Libyan offensive, then it must
also be accompanied by resolute action in Afghanistan. Otherwise the
impression will grow that the Libyan campaign is nothing but an
attempt to establish a second zone of defence against Al Qaeda as the
first, Afghanistan, is being given up.
***************************************
THE PIONEER
OPED
BOMBING LIBYA WITH 'DEMOCRACY'
IRFAN ENGINEER
Another theatre of the absurd, this time Libya, where America and its
lackeys, eager to seize control of Arab democratic stirrings in order
to preserve their energy interests, are seen deploying classical
instruments and ending up trapped in another quagmire
The first time I personally saw a huge crater created by a bomb
dropped from the air was in Cotabato, Phillippines, a few hours' drive
from Davao City. The area was thickly populated and inhabited by Moro
Muslims. The people we talked to told us that the Philippines Air
Force had dropped bombs there to kill the Moro rebels who were
fighting for independence. There were civilian casualties; scores of
people had died and many more had been injured. The bombings had
destroyed schools and dispensaries, and even more important, their
agricultural land.
No cultivation was possible there any more.
Such bombings by the government was not an isolated affair and it
prevented people's access to drinking water, children's to schools and
crippled normal life and people were never sure when to venture out.
There were no Moro rebels living in that village or anywhere within a
50km radius. Why would the Air Force bomb the place, I wondered. The
locals told us, the visiting delegation from Peace for Life, that the
bombings were carried out to inflict collective punishment and to hurt
the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The objective was to create
a feeling of helplessness among the MILF rebels and create resentment
against the MILF among Moros. What we saw was only an example of what
went on in southern Philippines on a fairly regular basis. I was
shocked by the fact that a government could bomb its own people.
The blockade of Gaza by Israel was well covered by the international
media and we saw daily images of suffering people due to lack of food,
water, children without milk and sick persons without medicines. To
get these ordinary daily necessities, the Palestinian people had to
drill tunnels with exits in Egypt. We saw images of Israeli planes
raining bombs on schools where Palestinian children were studying. In
1982, the civilians in refugee camps in Sabra and Shatila were
massacred by Christian Lebanese Phalangists while the camp was
surrounded by the Israeli defence forces. Nearly 3,500 people were
killed.
The Kahan Commission appointed by the Israeli government found Ariel
Sharon in particular and Israel in general responsible for the
massacre and for allowing the Phalangists into the camps. During the
2006 Israel-Hizbollah war, at least 1,200 people, mostly Lebanese
civilians, were killed, civil infrastructure severely damaged and
about 1 million people were displaced. After ceasfire, some parts of
southern Lebanon were uninhabitable due to the Israeli unexploded
cluster bomblets.
I recall these instances from recent history to build up a case
against the United Nations' selective morality. Why didn't any world
power think of clamping no-fly zones in these situations? Didn't human
beings die there as well? There are no convincing answers.
We have seen the UN react with particular energy in choice theatres.
No-fly zones were imposed in Bosnia, Iraq and Libya. UN Security
Council Resolution No. 781, prohibited unauthorised military flights
in Bosnian airspace. Compare the implementation of the no-fly zone in
Bosnia (1992) with Libya, in whose case the UNSC passed resolution
1973 of 2011 last week. In 1992, NATO merely monitored violations of
the no-fly zone but did not take any action against violators. About
500 violations were documented which included one combat violation. In
that case, the Security Council passed Resolution 816 authorising UN
member states to "take all necessary measures… to ensure compliance
with the no-fly zone restrictions". It is only then that NATO launched
air strikes during Operation Deny Flight and Operation Deliberate
Force.
In the case of Libya, no sooner was the Resolution passed when
"Allied" forces started bombing all the installations of the Libyan
authoritarian ruler, Col Muammar Gaddafi, killing 48 civilians in the
process. The stated purpose of the no-fly zone was to save civilian
lives. However, even much before any violation of the NFZ, 48
civilians were killed. Gaddafi's compound has been hit and military
planes and armoured tanks have been hit.
To the 'allies' 48 Arab lives mean nothing. There is an old couplet —
marz badhta hi gayaa jyo jyo dawaa ki (the disease is aggravated as
medicines were administered). The objective of protecting Libyan
citizens could have been achieved without imposing NFZ, through
negotiations. However, that does not seem to be the real objective of
the Allied forces.
The real reason for having the NFZ is obvious to anybody who cares to
see — regime change. However, the US and its allies do not want to
send their own soldiers on the ground and risk yet another long-drawn
ground battle as their militaries are already overstretched in Iraq
and Afghanistan and don't know how to pull out from those situations.
This dirty work has to be done by Muslim combatants. Rebels in
Benghazi and the oil-rich eastern region came in useful and, when they
initially gained control over these towns, Washington was elated that
perhaps a risk was worth taking. But the balance tilted subsequently
and Gaddafi regained control with the help of airstrikes on rebel
positions. This necessitated the use of the UN. Through the imposition
of NFZ, the Americans hope to help the rebels regain lost control over
the towns in the eastern regions and march on to gain Tripoli. In the
process, the US could have another South Vietnam, this time an
oil-rich one.
The revolt in the Arab world craving for democracy is commendable
without any reservations. The Arab people had supported Allied forces
in both the World Wars with the hope that they would be liberated from
the Ottoman Empire and tyrannical rulers and power handed over to the
people with democratic governance. Instead, the West continued
pampering oppressive dictators. The supporters of the allied forces
include the authoritarian rulers of Saudi Arabia and other Arab
dictators. Regime change if Libyan people desire and by Libyan people
should be supported without any reservation. However, democracy cannot
come through the barrel of the gun of NATO forces.
With the Libyan misadventure, America and its lackeys have effectively
killed off the positive upsurge one witnessed since Tunisia and Egypt.
They have given the justified people's movements a bad name by
promoting favourites with a view to securing their oil interests in
the region. This will give a new lease of life to fundamentalist
organisations as the last thing that the pro-democracy forces of the
Islamic world need at this delicate, early stage is identification in
the popular perception as a battering ram for America, the common
enemy.
-- The writer is Director, Institute of Peace Studies and Conflict
Resolution, Mumbai
***************************************
THE PIONEER
OPED
UNCLE SAM AT IT AGAIN
AJISH P JOY
While friendly autocrats in Bahrain and Yemen merrily crush the
democratic upsurge, America and its friends went cowboy style into
Libya this week. And guess who's backing it? United Nations and Arab
League
As 'allied' bombers complete another day of operations in Libya, it is
becoming increasingly clear that Muammar Gaddafi is not going to give
up easily. The mission, named Operation Odyssey Dawn, was launched on
March 19 after the UN Security Council passed Resolution 1973 calling
for the imposition of a no-fly zone over Libya. Like its neighbours
Egypt and Tunisia, Libya too witnessed mass uprisings against Gaddafi,
who has been in power since 1969.
Opponents of the regime quickly established control in the eastern
part of Libya and were on their way to Tripoli, the Libyan capital.
They established a Transitional National Council based in the eastern
port city of Benghazi with claims to be "the sole representative of
all Libya". On March 23, the Council declared the formation of an
interim government under the Prime Ministership of Mahmoud Jibril.
Unlike Hosni Mubarak in Egypt and Ben Ali in Tunisia, Gaddafi decided
to confront his challengers and ordered troops loyal to him to crush
the revolt. Mercenaries were also brought in to assist the loyalists.
As the pro-Gaddafi forces moved in with tanks and armoured columns,
supported by airstrikes to reclaim the rebel-held territories, French
President Nicolas Sarkozy took the initiative and got the Security
Council to adopt Resolution 1973, making the intervention possible in
Libya. When the resolution was put to vote in the Security Council,
India, China, Russia, Brazil and Germany abstained while the remaining
ten members voted in favour. Armed with this resolution, France and
Britain look the lead, joined by the United States, to enforce the
no-fly zone over Libya.
As the airstrikes continue, the coalition forces do not appear to be
clear about the goals or an exit strategy. While speaking in Chile on
March 21, explaining the significance of the mission, US President
Barack Obama said that his country wants Gaddafi to go. However, Obama
later clarified that the aim of the Libyan mission is not the removal
of Gaddafi. Later, British Defence Secretary Liam Fox suggested that
Gaddafi could potentially be a target for the 'allied' bombing, but
this was repudiated by his Prime Minister, David Cameron, and the US
Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates. Official spokespersons have
indicated that their aim is limited to enforcing the no-fly zone and
protect the civilians and the bombing raids across Libya are aimed at
achieving these ends. But what happens if the no-fly zone fails to
ensure the safety of civilians and civilian populated areas? Even
after six days of bombing, pro-Gaddafi forces are still attacking
rebel strongholds and maintaining sieges of rebel-controlled cities.
It is likely that without troops on the ground, something expressly
prohibited by the resolution, the coalition mission will fail to
achieve their targets.
Also interesting is the leadership of the 'allied' efforts. French
President Nicolas Sarkozy was in the forefront of the campaign,
supported by British Prime Minister David Cameron, while President
Obama appeared to be the reluctant partner. Sarkozy's first tryst with
the Arab revolutions of 2011 was an unpleasant one as he had to
replace his Foreign Minister, Michele Alliot-Marie, who proposed to
send French riot police to suppress the Tunisian revolt. The French
President is facing a tough re-election bid next year and opinion
polls show him in third position behind Socialist and Far Right
opponents. A successful French-led campaign in Libya is thought to
provide Sarkozy with a vital push, propelling him to the top spot.
Unlike Sarkozy, President Obama appeared to be reluctant to commit the
troops to Libya. This position was supported by Defense Secretary
Gates, but Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pressed hard for active
US involvement and she found support from some of the influential
Obama advisors.Obama, however, does not appear to be comfortable in
leading the charge in Libya. He announced the decision to get involved
in Libya while he was away in Latin America.
Meanwhile, he indicated that the US plans to relinquish its leadership
role in the campaign at the earliest. France has been reluctant to
cede the command to NATO while Britain, the US, and most key European
states argue that NATO is best placed to do this job. To mollify the
French, there is a plan to have a steering committee comprising
foreign ministers of the allied countries and major Arab nations. This
hybrid arrangement may be finalised only after discussions to be held
in London early next week. Meanwhile, after intense haggling, NATO
decided to assume the responsibility of enforcing the no-fly zone over
Libya from the US. However, the NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh
Rasmussen reiterated that "other aspects of the current mission would
remain in the hands of the coalition".
UNSCR 1973, which authorised intervention in Libya, is perhaps one of
the most sweeping resolutions ever passed by the Security Council
against a member country. In effect, the resolution has by default
permitted the formation of a 'coalition of the willing' which can use
"all necessary means" to fulfil its key objectives of establishment of
the no-fly zone and protection of civilians and civilian-populated
areas in Libya. Already there are debates whether the resolution goes
against the spirit of the UN charter. Libya so far has not been a
threat to international peace and security and the ongoing battle is
more like a civil war in which the rebel groups have established a
parallel government of their own.
Even though Gaddafi is a ruthless dictator without any regard for
human rights; the hypocrisy of the allied intervention in Libya is
staggering. Across Africa, in countries like Sudan and Rwanda,
hundreds of thousands were killed and no one was bothered. In this
season of Arab uprisings, there is no mention of any intervention in
Bahrain or Yemen where pro-reform activists were brutally repressed.
Ironically, the Arab League which supports the allied intervention in
Libya is almost exclusively comprised of autocrats with scant regard
for human rights. Its secretary general, Amr Moussa, has already made
so many about-turns that no one knows for sure what the League's
present position is. Gaddafi perhaps provided a convenient target in
this season of Arab revolutions and Libya also happens to have the
ninth largest oil reserves in the world.
At this point, Libya's future looks uncertain. The no-fly zone may not
be enough to unseat Gaddafi. A protracted civil war would certainly
destroy the country's infrastructure, take its toll on the civilian
population and add to the instability in the region. An anti-Gaddafi
uprising in his strong-holds is unlikely for now, though not
impossible. If Gaddafi survives and maintains his hold over
Tripolitania, the world may have to contend with his wrath and a
potential rogue state, uncomfortably close to Europe.
-- The author is an Associate Fellow of Observer Research Foundation, Delhi
***************************************
THE PIONEER
OPED
A NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER'S WAR
S RAJAGOPALAN
He was expected to be a rare American President and the world gave him
all the advance certificates, including the Nobel Peace prize within
months of assuming office. So, how does Barack Obama justify his
Libyan adventure?
First things first. Is America at war with Gaddafi's Libya or not? The
White House says it is not. It's not war, but simply "kinetic military
action", as Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes puts it. "I
think what we are doing is enforcing a (UN Security Council)
resolution that has a very clear set of goals, which is protecting the
Libyan people, averting a humanitarian crisis, and setting up a no-fly
zone," Rhodes told reporters, remarking: "Obviously that involves
kinetic military action, particularly on the front end. But again, the
nature of our commitment is that we are not getting into an open-ended
war, a land invasion in Libya."
War is a dirty word, notably with the Obama White House. The man who
won the Nobel Peace Prize within months of moving into the White House
cannot be expected to declare a war. What Rhodes told reporters was
essentially what White House officials conveyed to Congressional
aides: That the US is not at war with Libya. But the lawmakers, mostly
Republicans and some liberal Democrats as well, are not amused by the
explanation. So, a flurry of statements has begun making the rounds.
Republican Speaker John Boehner fired off a missive to President
Obama, saying he is "troubled that US military resources were
committed to war without clearly defining for the American people, the
Congress, and our troops what the mission in Libya is".
Semantics apart, the White House's disavowals on war are being driven
by rising tempers on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers accuse Obama of having
exceeded his constitutional authority by not seeking Congressional
consent before opening a new military front. Leading this chorus are
five lawmakers from Obama's own party. While Obama ordered the missile
strikes and went off on his scheduled Latin America visit over the
weekend, the group of five liberal Democrats fired their own political
missiles at him.
Lawmakers Dennis J Kucinich, Jerrold Nadler, Donna Edwards, Maxine
Waters and Barbara Lee are simply questioning "the constitutionality
of the president's actions". Kucinich, who made a vain bid for the
Democratic presidential nomination in 2008, went a step further,
saying Obama may actually be guilty of "an impeachable offence". He
has written one more letter to Obama, threatening to move a bipartisan
amendment to cut off all funds for the US' operations in Libya.
A Gallup poll released this week points to the limited public
endorsement of Obama's push on Libya. In contrast to America's
previous military engagements that received high public approval at
least in their initial stages, only 47 per cent of people have
approved of the US and allied airstrikes against Gaddafi's forces,
with 37 per cent disapproving of the offensive and 16 per cent
offering no opinion.
This contrasts with the 90 per cent approval for the Afghan operation
after the 9/11 terror strikes in 2001 and the 76 per cent initial
endorsement for the Iraq invasion in 2003. Interestingly, the approval
for Obama's offensive in aid of the UN Security Council resolution is
even lower than the 71 per cent approval for President Ronald Reagan's
own missile strikes against Libya back in 1986, which was in
retaliation for the Libyan bombing of a German nightclub that killed
two American servicemen.
That points to what many Americans regard as the lack of a proximate
cause to launch a military offensive against Libya at a time when the
US is grappling with the Afghan operation and is still not fully out
of Iraq. Republican Senator Richard Lugar, a respected voice on
foreign policy, has demanded a full Congressional debate on the
objectives and costs of Obama's military actions in Libya. On the
House side, Republican lawmaker Candice Miller has accused Obama of
having failed to come up with "a clear and convincing explanation of
the vital national interest at stake which demands our intervention in
Libya", demanding that he "pull our forces from the coalition
immediately". Congressman Kucinich argues that the US-led intervention
could end up accentuating the instability in the region.
The White House, however, defends its handling of the Libyan crisis,
dismissing criticism that it has failed to duly consult members of
Congress. The Obama administration is engaged in "time-limited,
scope-limited" action with other countries to prevent a humanitarian
crisis by protecting civilians from Gaddafi forces, says White House
spokesman Jay Carney. Anyway, the US forces will be transitioning to a
supportive role in the international coalition and have no plan
whatever to sent ground troops into Libya, he says.
Be that as it may, Obama is not without critics from outside the
political stream as well. Richard Haas, former State Department Policy
Planning Director, takes exception to Obama's assertion that Gaddafi
must go, even while asserting that the US military operation is not
aimed at bringing about a regime change. The fact that Libyan leader
Muammar Gaddafi is a hated figure can't be a template of American
foreign policy, Haas argues. He cites what John Quincy Adams, the US's
sixth president, said nearly 200 years ago: That the United States
should not be going around the world in search of monsters to destroy.
-- The writer is Washington correspondent, The Pioneer
***************************************
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THE TIMES OF INDIA
COMMENT
SANTA AND HIS CLAUSE
In 1971, Indira Gandhi made a searing pre-election pledge: " Garibi
Hatao". The iron lady got so many grateful votes for her sloganeering
munificence that envious politicians ever since have carried
"pro-poor" placards and sworn to deliver welfare. The question is how.
Well, take one inspiring demonstration: in 2006, UPA-I resolved to
supplant "Garibi Unmoolan" - a Hindi mouthful for 'poverty
alleviation' - with the (electorally) tried and tested "Garibi Hatao"
in officialese. Who says pious symbolism can't be socially uplifting?
Besides catchy slogans, we the people supposedly also get fixed-price
fuel, fertiliser, food, water, power, et al. Without subsidies
necessarily coupled with leaky delivery, could noble redistributive
purposes ever be served? How would netas and babus sing "dole baby
dole" while diverting poor-directed benefits into earthly black holes?
How would adulterators steal kerosene and moneybags rev up on cheap
diesel? How would rich farmers get to waste unbilled power and
precious water while all the poor kisan got episodically was loan
waivers?
Politicians also try to woo popular support on the cheap, promising
almost-free foodgrain at polltime. Today, however, India's dil maange
more. So, populism has had to keep pace, doubtless for the sake of
social good. In 2006, DMK's pre-poll sops included colour TVs. In
2011's Tamil Nadu assembly poll run-up, the 2G scam-tainted party
needs to dangle more than idiot boxes. So, besides laptops for
students, there are mixies for housewives. Now, that's a gift that
could put Jayalalithaa's plans to chop and change CM Karunanidhi's
leadership definitively in the grinder. Indira Gandhi would approve.
Not only did she run a kitchen cabinet, she also made mince of her
opponents. Without a mixie.
What could match Karuna's karuna but the AIADMK amma's largesse of
heart? She's pledged everything from free rice, mineral water and fans
to gold mangalsutras for brides! Forget monsoon weddings, let's start
timing marriages with poll season. Wedding planners need to budget for
gifts on such auspicious occasions. Think of all the cash newly-weds
can save courtesy the blessings showered on them: computers, kitchen
gadgets, TV sets and, thanks to Karuna's son Stalin, maybe even
washing machines and refrigerators! With due apologies to rock band
Dire Straits, it's taxpayers' money for nothing, poll tricks for
free... and everything we need to live happily ever after, including
microwave ovens and MTV! Not to forget Jaya's offer of complimentary
cows and sheep, gift-wrapped. Ooh, our heart is bleating...
True, fiscally ruinous populism often puts the last nail in the
coffer. But that merely signals our netas' public-spiritedness. So
what if resources get frisked away from much-needed schools,
hospitals, roads or electricity? In politics, Santa has a clause:
electoral season's greetings are about power, not empower. Only,
there's a catch. Come voting day, lucid voters are increasingly
saying: Rajneeti hatao, crutches, crumbs and all. In New India, who
wants dole when you should roll, baby, roll? The universe, after all,
is more than a freebie lunch.
***************************************
THE TIMES OF INDIA
JUST GRAFFITI
AS THE VOICES GROW LOUDER
WASHINGTON: Maximum India. That was the banner under which the Indian
embassy and the external affairs ministry organised a fortnight-long
festival at the Kennedy Centre here to showcase our culture, from
classical dance to contemporary stage performances. Going by the buzz
in the media, it was a job well done. India shone.
Which is all to the good. For, India's global image otherwise has
begun to appear weather-beaten. For a growing number of observers,
that image has lost some of its shine. Sure, we are still registering
the second-fastest rate of growth among major economies and our
overall global clout has grown from what it was, say, 10 years ago.
But, in recent weeks sceptics have begun to wonder aloud.
Yes, it's true that India's economic growth and military modernisation
have raised the prospect of its rise to great power status. But will
India ever be bold enough to change its timid international
political-military posture or will it carry on its policy of
'strategic restraint', ask Stephen Cohen and Sunil Dasgupta in the
latest issue of The Washington Quarterly. It's a legitimate question
to ask of an aspiring power that seeks a seat at every high table. If,
for instance, India becomes a permanent, veto-wielding member of the
UN Security Council, will it continue to take the easy way out by
abstaining on all issues of critical importance or will it take
stands?
And, as recent articles in the Financial Times have asked, even as its
economy continues to grow swiftly, is India coming to resemble Russia,
where crony capitalism thrives and democracy has given way to
oligarchy? Will the governance deficit continue as corruption
overshadows the system or can India repair the twin pillars of
transparency and accountability?
Such questions rile many of our countrymen. Just you wait, they scream
angrily, India is great and will become greater. But time won't wait
long in this rapidly evolving and competitive global environment. Nor
will that emerging mass of young Indians, who don't seem to have the
shrugging patience our parents once had.
If its performance has to measure up to the challenges of the coming
tsunami of rising expectations, at home and abroad, India must go
beyond boasting that it is the world's largest democracy which has
free and fair elections or that it assures freedom of expression for
all. It must become a high-trust market economy in which contracts can
be predictably delivered and a genuine liberal democracy in which
disputes can be resolved fairly and swiftly within a dependable
framework of law, order and justice. In other words, governance must
become truly transparent and reliably accountable. Alas, today that
possibility looks distant.
India's commercial laws and practices remain mired in a dense fog.
Reform to ensure transparency proceeds at a crawl. As a tide of
revelations suggests, crony capitalism not only thrives, it may be
sabotaging free and fair competition. The right to private property,
which is a key component of any market economy, is not a fundamental
right in our Constitution, while disputes over property run into a
cliff of piled-up cases in an overwhelmed and underperforming judicial
system that hits almost all accountability out of reckoning.
Meanwhile, an underpaid, undermanned and bribe-driven police force is
unable to cope with a rising tide of responsibilities.
The act of electing a nation's rulers freely entails the protection of
basic rights such as freedom of speech. In that sense, India is more
than just an electoral democracy. But the state's ability to implement
policies grows weaker by the day. Public education and public health
are in a shambles. The quality of life, if we judge by global
yardsticks, is among the poorest in the world. However, the crony
industrialist and the top executive, the seasoned politician and the
senior bureaucrat, and, yes, the media star, all manage to get by very
comfortably.
It is possible that attitudes we inherited from a traditional
upper-caste-dominated society allow us to accept a wide degree of
inequality and unfairness. But democracy is a funny ointment. The more
it spreads, the more it churns up voices from the deep, voices that
were once silent or shut out.
Listen carefully. The voices are getting louder.
***************************************
THE TIMES OF INDIA
TOP ARTICLE
WE DON'T NEED NO EDUCATION?
Recent HRD ministry statistics show a significant decline in national
primary school enrolments. Given Indian demographics, where the number
of children is increasing every year, the results are even more
shocking. This is despite all the noise about right to education for
every Indian. While we may choose to forget this statistic for the
next sensational news item, this is an extremely disturbing
development.
If India's population is not trained to face the globalised world -
and primary education is the first step in that training - we will
become a nation of servants and clerks. Given our highly educated,
ex-educationist prime minister is of late more interested in covering
up scams than education, it doesn't seem likely that our top
leadership cares. Still, if enough citizens care, maybe politicians
will take notice. It is with this hope that i try to analyse the
possible reasons for this decline, what will happen if we don't
address it and what we can do to actually fix it.
There are five main reasons why enrolment could have dropped. One, the
most obvious reason is that the schools are terrible. If you ever
visit a village school, you will realise how everything is low
quality, from the classrooms to the desks to the quality of teachers.
Why? Don't villagers deserve good schools for their children? One may
say the schools are subsidised so quality cannot be there. Well, maybe
we need to spend more money then. Maybe we need more private partners.
Maybe we need to redesign the traditional model of a school, perhaps
using technology to impart learning. The education may be at the
primary level, but it still needs to be high quality. Low quality
education is not really education at all.
Two, the curriculum in our schools is obsolete. How much has the
professional world changed in the last 30 years? How much has our
curriculum changed? Who sets our curriculum? Do they revise it from
time to time keeping in mind the needs of industry and the services
sector? One big reason poor people send their kids to school is that
they will learn skills to make more money. If schools don't give them
those skills, why will they bother? Advanced concepts like education
to satisfy curiosity, or learning for learning's sake, do not apply to
people with no money. A hungry person does not watch Discovery
channel. Surveys show a person with decent English language skills can
increase earning power by 400%. Why don't we teach our poor people
English? Why do government schools start teaching it so late?
Three, the massive inflation rate has made life extremely difficult
for people with low incomes. Every pair of hands on the fields is now
more valuable than sending a child to a substandard school for several
years, the benefits of which are unclear.
Four, there isn't enough money being put into education, to make more
schools or improve existing ones. Tax collections have seen high
double-digit growth rates for several years now. However, much of
taxpayers' money is used to fund scams and mass bribery type subsidies
or to pay interest (often on borrowings made to fund past budget
extravagances). If 2G auctions were done properly, or the Commonwealth
Games didn't waste so much money, we could have had a lot more
schools. If instead of NREGA we provided villagers the right skills to
modernise, enhance farm income and increase job eligibility, maybe we
would generate wealth rather than burn it.
Five, a controversial, sinister reason: the hidden benefits of
illiteracy to politicians. Illiterate people are useful when it comes
to maintaining vote banks and keeping scam parties going. If everyone
were well-educated, would the government get away with so many scams?
Even today, our PM's biggest defence is: 'People vote for us, hence
our actions are justified'. The DMK still has a solid support base in
Tamil Nadu. If every Indian really understood what happened, could the
loot continue? So while there may not be a deliberate strategy to keep
people illiterate, there is no burning passion or political incentive
to make India educated either. And politicians only work on
incentives, not on the goodness of their hearts.
This problem won't go away. It will get worse. If today millions
aren't being educated well, how will they get proper jobs tomorrow?
Won't the education crisis translate into a far scarier job crisis in
a few years? Or are we happy for our kids to be poor forever?
This can be fixed. Primary education has to be so vast in scale and
scope as to be seen as a utility - such as power or telecom. The most
modern techniques, thinking, strategy and execution are needed on a
massive scale to educate our people. Ideally, just as with a few power
utilities, the effort should be privatised, maybe on a semi-subsidised
basis. In any case, if the education is worth it, people pay for it.
***************************************
THE TIMES OF INDIA
TIMES VIEW
UNDERMINING DEMOCRACY
The remit of political parties is to ensure democratic debate, not
embark upon clandestine missions to uncover corruption through means
that are murky themselves. Yet that's precisely what Sushma Swaraj is
justifying. We only have her version about what's a very murky affair,
further complicated by WikiLeaks cables referring to attempted bribery
to buy votes during the no-confidence motion in Parliament in 2008.
They amount to little more than allegations and some will say it is
just as possible - given how little we know as yet - that the MPs were
actually looking to be bribed and, when thwarted, cried corruption.
In other words, there is little daylight between stings and
entrapment. If the latter, it would belong to the political dirty
tricks department to actively solicit bribes, then 'expose' the other
party through a sting operation. Swaraj asks 'what is wrong' with her
party's actions, but that is not what political parties should be
doing. Democratic politics is conducted at the hustings as much as it
is in Parliament. In both locations, the process is the same and the
purpose identical: fostering debate. Rather than do what it's supposed
to, the BJP mounted its own vigilante operations and transformed
Parliament into a circus.
Even if this isn't a dirty tricks campaign, the BJP high-command has
undermined the very democracy it is supposed to be an expression of.
It has done this by breaking through the division of labour at the
heart of democracy. If BJP MPs were approached, then they should have
gone to the police whose job it is to investigate such matters. This
mud-slinging is a blot on democracy and Parliament must get back to
doing what it's meant to, and that's debating legislation. Ultimately,
for Parliament's dignity to be restored, MPs need to show Parliament
the respect it deserves.
***************************************
THE TIMES OF INDIA
COUNTERVIEW
IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST
The cash-for-votes scandal that marred the 2008 no-confidence motion
in Parliament was one of the darkest chapters in Indian democracy. The
recent cache of WikiLeaks cables throws light on the apparent deceit
of the first UPA government, with American diplomats saying that it
assured them of its survival on the strength of vote buying. The sting
operation conducted by a private television channel at the time
confirmed this. The sting might not have been an independent
journalistic expose. But it helped show up an ugly affair. The
Congress, the principal party in the ruling coalition then and now,
cannot wash away the stain by stating that the sting was stage-managed
and, therefore, tantamount to entrapment. The fact is, the party
stands accused of being willing to buy votes to stay in power.
There are two types of sting operations. First, when a case of actual
wrongdoing is caught on camera and, second, when circumstances are
created to expose the guilty. In this instance, three BJP
parliamentarians had collaborated with journalists to conduct the
sting. Drastic measures were required given the gravity of the
situation. It is a bit naive to expect anyone to openly pay bribes.
The ruling dispensation's misconduct could only be bared through a set
up. The sting revealed the government's intention was anything but
honourable, since its managers seemed to be shopping for votes. How is
this any different from an undercover policeman posing as a drug
dealer to bust a narcotics racket?
In a democracy, it is the duty of the opposition to keep the
government under check. By undertaking a collaborative sting
operation, the BJP did exactly that. Perhaps it wouldn't have needed
to, had our vigilance agencies been responsive to cases of graft.
Unfortunately, corruption is a cancer that hasn't left even Parliament
untouched. The Congress should come up with a convincing defence
rather than attack others.
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******************************************************************************************
HINDUSTAN TIMES
OUR TAKE
VOTE HERE FOR FREE GOODIES
Mixer-grinders, mangalsutras, sheep, cows, rice, drinking water, these
are just some of the things coming out of the poll-bound parties'
Santa Claus sack. But would it not be more feasible to come out with
long-term solutions to the problems voters face instead of trying to
buy votes via promises of freebies? Ahead of the elections in Tamil
Nadu, the AIADMK and DMK have been outdoing each other in buying the
voters' affections. While the DMK hoped that it would come up with a
winning masala combination by offering a mixer or grinder, the AIADMK
has offered both and a fan. Bowing to demographics, the DMK has
promised laptops for first-year college students in government
colleges, the AIADMK has sweetened the deal by promising it to all
students and also to Class 11 and 12 students. Every party worth its
election symbol, is dipping into its coffers to come up with
sweeteners like free power, free rice, quotas, liquor and money. While
some are clearly promised in the poll manifestoes, others are made
attractive in that they are hinted at.
While many argue in favour of freebies, this is a dangerous trend
because it makes bribery and corruption acceptable norms. It also
violates the Constitution that mandates fair play among all parties,
big or small. So if there's a law and the parties are violating it,
then why isn't the Election Commission pulling them up? Once the
election is announced, the ruling government becomes a 'lame duck'
government and cannot take any financial decisions. So as a
government, it cannot announce free gifts. But there's no such law
governing political parties. Moreover, should rights be confused with
freebies? Take for example, the promise about 20 litres of water and
cheap grain. Aren't these the basic rights of citizens? How can a
political party say that the voters will get these only if they vote
for it? Elections cannot be a bargaining chip between the political
parties and citizens. If it becomes that, then let the power go to the
highest bidder. We don't need an expensive exercise like the
elections. Financially too, such promises ruin state finances and its
institutions: think free power to farmers and the state of the Punjab
electricity board. The irony is that while most of these parties
extend freebies to BPL families, they show no commitment towards
revising existing BPL lists.
But fortunately, recent elections show that such freebies don't always
translate into votes. The fact that the voter really does look a gift
horse in the mouth quite often means that political parties will have
to do more than pull more rabbits out of the hat. Until then they will
be treated as Greeks bearing gifts, by many whom they are trying to
entice.
***************************************
HINDUSTAN TIMES
THE EYES HAVE IT
GOPALKRISHNA GANDHI
I have known of this story for years. It could be wrong in detail, not
in spirit. It's certainly not the fictional work of a creative mind.
Veteran diplomats, knowing of it more reliably than I, could tweak it
into its true form. But as I have gathered it, the account goes like
this.
The time is the early 1950s. The scene, our embassy in Cairo. Our
ambassador sends a cable, in cipher, of course, to Prime Minister
Jawaharlal Nehru who is then minister for external affairs as well,
saying that a staffer in the Pakistani embassy there has 'offered' to
sell his embassy's cipher code to India with promise of regular
supplies of their despatches. This, our ambassador explains, can
enable us to access secret despatches from Pakistan's embassy in Cairo
to the government of Pakistan. The ambassador seeks Pandit Nehru's
instructions in the matter. The reply is as fast as it's terse:
"Reject Offer. Tell Person Be Loyal To His Government".
Sixty years is a long time in diplomatic history. Even 50 years, for
that matter. No one is living in the era of Nehru.
A decade ago, I heard of a curious episode in a country where I was
serving. An embassy, while collecting its diplomatic bag was, by
mistake, also given the diplomatic bag of another country quite
inimical to its own. "So, how was it sent back?" I asked. "Sent back?
Oh no sir, it was not sent back. It was promptly sent to its own
headquarters for being prised open and its contents digested with
glee."
Heads of diplomatic missions and of foreign offices now wear security
neck-and-wrist bands, not angel wings. 'Offers' like the one that was
made to our embassy in Cairo would not, today, be so easily rebuffed.
'Mistakes' like the later one described would be embraced. Only, the
wise would entertain them now with caution, for a person making an
'offer' or generating a 'mistake' may well be handing over pure chaff
and holding his sides in laughter as the procurer pores laboriously
over its encoded garbage.
We can be sure that after this runnel of leaks has run its course,
other rivers will follow. A genre has been created, a new journalistic
form, a riparian system with tributaries and distributaries, taking
its rise in the catchments of perfidy and betrayal. The flood plains
below are athirst for the muddied waters. And when that is the case
why will the media not slake it? Of course they will, and provide it
in sachets and in 'pet' bottles. If a readers' poll was taken on
'Should WikiLeaks be kept out of news?', there would be an
overwhelming demand for the continuance of the seepage. In fact, there
would be a demand for the leak to turn into a flow and then to surge
into a torrent. Only those few of the 'old schools' of ethics in
reportage and of tight-lippedness in the corridors of foreign offices
would oppose the new treat.
The problem is that a market in siphoned goods can pass off the fake
as an antique, the dupe as an original and the wholly false as '100%
genuine'.
We may assume that a new street of ink has been inaugurated and,
whether one likes it or not, travel on it will be inevitable (unless
we turn the page of newspapers whenever we sense or see the 'leak').
Rather than fret over the loosening of journalistic don'ts or of
foreign office 'Simply Not Done's, one has to see WikiLeaks as a
marker in diplomatic method. In a sense, what our Right To Information
Act has done honourably, openly and 'right royally' to bring official
transactions into the public access system, WikiLeaks has done under
the cloak, hood and mask of 'source withheld'. This may make the story
more delectable for some, but it debases the process of public
inclusion.
What is the best remedy for smuggling and unauthorised vending? A
time-honoured one is decontrol. What is the equivalent of decontrol in
the matter of diplomatic privilege? Not the doing away with of the
confidentiality of diplomatic negotiations, for that will be the end
of negotiations. But doing away with three related things: First,
ending opacity in diplomatic intention. A nation's diplomatic
conversations, open or behind closed doors, must reflect a
democratically mandated foreign policy, leaving nothing to
double-guessing improvisation. Second, ending diplomatic wobble.
A nation's external dialogues must be conducted by designated personae
acting on clear briefs, not by a low and thinly spread tide of
floaters who happen to hold diplomatic passports. Third, and most
significant, ending diplomatic cello-tapings. 'For Your Eyes Only',
'Top Secret', 'Secret' and 'Confidential' gradings are designed by
that very nomenclatura to attract the prying eye, the prising scissor,
and the predating hacker. In our seditiously techno-smart times, what
is to be under wraps is best carried, conveyed and contained in the
true old methods of direct communication by the ambassador, the
foreign minister or the prime minister. The French diplomat Jules
Cambon, who shaped France's attitude to Germany before the World War
1, has said memorably "…the best instrument at the disposal of a
government wishing to persuade another government will always remain
the spoken words of a decent man (la parole d'un honnete home)".
Negotiation is the stuff of diplomacy and confidentiality the soul of
negotiation. This systemic reserve is not to be conflated with
iron-clad secrecy, which, in any case, is inimical to negotiation.
Confidentiality in diplomatic negotiation is to be likened, in human
affairs, to privacy which is a fundamental right and its recognition a
sign of good taste.
In his 'Chichele Lecture' of 1953, English diplomat, author and Labour
politician Harold Nicholson has said something of eternal value to the
diplomatic method: "Every negotiation consists of stages and a result.
If the stages become a matter of public controversy before the result
is achieved, the negotiation will almost certainly flounder." To
prevent that from happening to our foreign policy as a result of
unauthorised divulgings to the media, the three correctives I have
listed above could help with, of course, one pre-eminent imperative:
honest protectors of our external interests may have confidences to
keep during negotiations and demarches, but no secrets as to where
those are headed.
Gopalkrishna Gandhi was high commissioner to South Africa and Sri
Lanka and ambassador to Norway
The views expressed by the author are personal
***************************************
HINDUSTAN TIMES
INTERVENTION IS MORE THAN POPPING A PILL
PRATIK KANJILAL,
When the Libyan crisis ends, much later than its stakeholders expect,
another crisis will follow - a crisis of faith in the doctrine of
armed international intervention. Libya has raised questions without
answers. Is the US at war with it? No, it is just slinging cruise
missiles around. That's not ma king war? No, it is action in support
of UN Resolution 1973, which sanctioned the use of air power against
Libya. Is that a valid legal document? Not entirely, since France and
Britain, which pushed it, were too impatient to answer questions and
discuss specifics. Intervention is good, don't you know? Now, let's
cut the crap and get on with it, is what they seemed to be saying.
So Vladimir Putin likened Resolution 1973 to preaching a crusade. Five
important nations declined to vote on it, so it does not fully reflect
the will of the global community. No matter how excrescent Muammar
Gaddafi may have become, no matter how valid the demands of the
insurrectionists, intervention is raising hackles continent-wide in
Africa.
International military intervention is the geopolitical equivalent of
emergency surgery, but it has its problems. It may improve your life,
but who likes to go under the knife? And there is discomfort because
the Western powers are too eager to intervene militarily. It's like
pill-popping.
That analogy is really more apt than surgery. Intervention is an
over-the-counter remedy. It helps when the global body politic catches
a cold but is useless against serious illness. It's easily
administered to small neighbourhoods like the Balkans or Libya, but
imagine if there was an insurrection in Russia, China or India.
Actually, that's already happened in Red Square and Tiananmen Square,
and it's not inconceivable in India. Would the Western democracies
ever impose no-fly zones over these nuclear powers? Good heavens, no,
they want world peace.
So intervention is restricted to small nations. But if they see their
peers being routinely hustled into the operation theatre, they would
have an incentive to invest in modern military hardware. A new arms
race would begin. And let's not believe that small nations cannot arm
themselves. Israel and North Korea, located at the very ends of the
political spectrum, are positively tiny, but they are rich sources of
global violence.
Besides, the doctrine of intervention is not being fairly used. There
is a problem if there are foreign warplanes over Libya but not over
Bahrain and Yemen, which have similar problems but are friendly with
the Western powers. And there is an even bigger problem of inequity if
the big powers can veto intervention, as the Russians did over the
question of Chechnya, but lesser nations have no control over their
destinies in the international domain.
The use of military intervention has accelerated since the end of the
Cold War and it is obviously here to stay. But for it to remain
effective in resolving intractable problems, it must be seen to be a
legal expression of the will of the global community. This is where
the resolution on Libya failed. It did not take everyone on board, and
those who signed on just popped a pill without thinking too much about
it. Because it's good for you, don't you know?
Pratik Kanjilal is publisher of The Little Magazine
pratik@littlemag.com
The views expressed by the author are personal
***************************************
T tion c wo Indian scientists -- Ajay Anil Gurjar and Siddhartha A.
Ladhake -- are wielding sophisticated mathematics to dissect and
analyse the traditional medita- chanting sound `Om'. The `Om team' has
published six tion chanting sound `Om'. The `Om team' has published
six monographs in academic journals, which plumb certain acoustic
subtlety of Om that they say is "the divine sound".
Om has many variations. In a study published in the Inter- national
Journal of Computer Science and Network Security, the researchers
explain: "It may be very fast, several cycles per second. Or it may be
slower, several seconds for each cycling of [the] Om mantra. Or it
might become extremely slow, with the mmmmmm sound continuing in the
mind for much longer periods but still pulsing at that slow rate." The
important technical fact is that no matter what form of Om one chants
at whatever speed, there's always a basic `Omness' to it. Both Gurjar,
principal at Amravati's Sipna College of Engineering and Technology,
and Ladhake, an assistant professor in the same institution,
specialise in electronic signal processing. They now sub-specialise in
analysing the one very special signal. In the introductoy paper,
Gurjar and Ladhake explain that, "Om is a spiritual mantra, out-
standing to fetch peace and calm."
No one has explained the biophysi- cal processes that underlie the
`fetch- ing of calm' and taking away of thoughts. Gurjar and Ladhake's
time-fre- quency analysis is a tiny step along that hitherto
little-taken branch of the path of enlightenment. They apply a
mathematical tool called wavelet transforms to a digital recording of
a person chanting `Om'. Even people with no mathematical back- ground
can appreciate, on some level, one of the blue-on- white graphs
included in the monograph. This graph, the authors say, "depicts the
chanting of `Om' by a normal per- son after some days of chanting".
The image looks like a pile of nearly identical, slightly lopsided
pancakes held together with a skewer, the whole stack lying sideways
on a table. To behold it is to see, if nothing else, repetition.
Much as people chant the sound `Om' over and over again, Gurjar and
Ladhake repeat much of the same analy- sis in their other five
studies, managing each time to chip away at some slightly different
mathematico-acoustical fine point. The Guardian
******************************************************************************************
THE INDIAN EXPRESS
EDITORIAL
ENGAGING AGAIN
The budget session has been adjourned before schedule for the assembly
elections, but even this one singular, patchy session has affirmed the
importance of Parliament. This session witnessed both engaged
disagreement and principled cooperation between the two major
political formations. Predictably, the UPA was dragged over the coals
over the 2G scandal, over Commonwealth Games corruption, and others.
Through the WikiLeaks cable controversy about the trust vote, they
interrogated Parliament's own workings. In Lok Sabha, opposition
leader Sushma Swaraj delivered a scintillating speech, high on
substance and rhetoric. The prime minister responded with some brio
himself, charm even, as Swaraj later conceded. The opposition's issues
were formally placed on record, and the government's responses
exhaustively presented. These are vital transactions that cannot occur
outside the space of Parliament. Even though much time was lost in
combat, Rajya Sabha made up for some of it by staying late, even
skipping lunch.
The budget session also made some significant legislative headway,
even though most of the 32 bills slated for this session could not be
introduced — and it is hoped that progress will be made after the
assembly campaign ends. The penultimate day of the session augured
will when the BJP put its scorched earth strategy in perspective to
help the UPA, to concertedly push for the pension regulatory bill,
despite the Left's attempts to scuttle it. It was a reminder that no
matter how deep ideological disagreements run, sometimes it's
important for responsible parties to put in some pragmatic teamwork,
and form provisional coalitions of action when it comes to critical
policy issues.
The two leading parties, of course, have more in common than they like
to openly admit. Parliament should see more of those synergies
harnessed for public interest.
Their political disputes are equally, if not more, significant.
There's no magical solvent to melt the real disagreements between
government and opposition, in principles, instincts and rhetoric.
These arguments are the very stuff of deliberative democracy — and
Parliament is the arena where they must be aired and resolved. Of
course, there is plenty that needs resolving, with much critical
legislation not having been addressed this session, and spilling over
into the next — including the contentious women's reservation bill,
the land acquisition bill and the financial bills promised in the
Union budget. Hopefully, this revived political investment in the
processes of Parliament will ensure a vigorous debate on all these
matters in the next session.
***************************************
THE INDIAN EXPRESS
EDITORIAL
STYLING THE STRIKE
Those apprehensive of the ever-present spectre of a bandh in Bengal
enrich our anecdotal history with how political parties time bandhs to
extend weekends or the pleasures of a public holiday. Practitioners of
a profession can then style a strike to help just themselves. Are
lawyers who read off, between and around the lines — especially those
who ensured no work got done in the capital's courts on Thursday —
bibliophobes and thus oblivious to the scorn literature (and
scripture) directs at them? In Luke (11.46), Jesus says: "Woe unto you
also, ye lawyers! For ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne."
Whether or not that's the key to the joke about all lawyers being on
the devil's side, here's what Ambrose Bierce, ace craftsman of
definitions, offered: "Lawyer, n. One skilled in circumvention of the
law." Circumvention indeed, given the purposelessness judges and
litigants must have felt on Thursday around the law.
Ostensibly, the strike was to protest the service tax and certain
other provisions of the Legal Practitioner Bill 2010. Lawyers are
livid that a profession which only "helps courts in administration of
justice" and "does not come under the ambit of 'services'" should have
a service tax imposed on it. The Bar Council of India, too, has asked
lawyers to protest.
Lawyers are also angry at the proposed ombudsman headed by judges to
decide complaints against advocates. The charitable may feel an
entitlement to being spared judgment, unless from their own — in this
case, the bar councils. Like their legal counsellors, perhaps
Thursday's unfortunate litigants should have stayed at home and
watched the India vs Australia quarter-final.
***************************************
THE INDIAN EXPRESS
EDITORIAL
REFORM, REWRITE
The Financial Sector Legislative Reforms Commission, long promised and
much delayed, was finally announced on Thursday. Headed by a former
Supreme Court judge, B.N. Srikrishna, the panel's 11 members include
bankers, such as P.J. Nayak of Axis Bank; economists, such as M.
Govinda Rao of the National Institute of Public Finance and Policy;
and regulators, such as former pension funds overseer, Dhirendra
Swarup. The finance minister promises a 24-month term for the
commission, and its members will have to work hard indeed, for their
assigned task might well be the largest and most complex handed to any
reform commission in independent India. They are to completely rewrite
India's financial-sector laws — and range beyond them, too.
The immediate provocation for thinking about such a committee might
have been the financial crisis of 2008, and the renewed focus it
brought to ensuring that regulatory lacunae don't permit the
incubation of problems that could bring an entire system to a
standstill. India's regulatory apparatus has been built up piecemeal,
and as the financial sector grows and deepens, oversight cannot
continue to be haphazard. The commission will have to streamline
regulatory architecture, and lay out a common set of principles for
regulation. And that task is far from easy: it will require the
review, and possible redrafting, of as many as 60 different acts of
Parliament. For banking alone, there are different regulations that
cover private, foreign and nationalised banks, which must be
harmonised. And the regulatory and proprietorial interests of the
government must be properly separated in the reformed framework.
As if that wasn't a tough enough task, the commission has also been
asked to look at a couple of hot-button issues: should, for example,
new laws contain "a statement of principles of legislative intent",
intended to aid the courts in interpreting them? Data privacy, too,
has been included in the terms of reference. This will be a hard slog,
and require input from an enormous number of stakeholders. It's
fortunate, therefore, that the commission includes not just the
regular policy wonks, but those with hands-on experience as well as
some from the private sector. Parliament already has an ambitious
legislative reform agenda, and if this commission reports on time,
that agenda will only grow.
***************************************
THE INDIAN EXPRESS
COLUMN
WE'VE COME A LONG WAY
ILA PATNAIK
Warren Buffett says that India is no longer an emerging market. In
some ways, India does seem to have outgrown the symptoms of emerging
markets. The patterns of a typical emerging market crisis are well
known, and now it appears that such a crisis is increasingly unlikely
to hit India. But in other respects, there is still much work in store
for India to get away from the difficulties of emerging markets.
Let us outline the features of the classic emerging market crisis.
Foreign investors in the country are usually an important element of
the story. But the country has a tiny weight in their overall
portfolio, so they do not have an incentive to spend time and money to
learn a lot about the country. They tend to merely buy index funds, as
a way to participate in the good asset returns that are expected. This
way they gain from international diversification. For the rest, they
have a low engagement with the country.
In such a situation, when a domestic crisis occurs, a few foreign
investors get nervous and start selling. Many other foreign investors,
who are not so tuned in, see that other foreign investors are selling
and start selling themselves. In the typical emerging market, equity
and currency markets are illiquid, and even small amounts sold by
foreigners result in large-scale price movements. The herd behaviour
of foreign investors, combined with market illiquidity, generates
pressure on the equity and currency markets, and prices fall.
In the classic emerging market crisis, the government tries to prop up
the currency and/ or equity markets. This has the effect of giving a
public sector subsidy to foreign investors on their way out. Further,
when the central bank sells dollars, this leads to high interest rates
at home. This is exactly the wrong recipe for monetary policy in a
time of stress. The sharp rise in interest rates hurts large companies
that have high debt. Worse, the country can then run out of reserves,
at which point the exchange rate can
devalue dramatically. Large currency devaluation can induce bankruptcy
for the large companies that have borrowed abroad but not hedged their
currency risk. Poorly supervised banks can also start going bust. This
corporate balance-sheet crisis then feeds into and exacerbates the
crises of the equity and currency markets and the banking system.
It is important to obtain a deep understanding of this typical crisis,
so as to guide an array of policy responses. India is at a point where
numerous elements of this crisis would not arise.
Foreign investors in India are not merely buying index funds and
putting a tiny weight on India. They are invested in India on a
substantial scale, given that India is one of the large emerging
markets. The combination of the FII framework and the Mauritius route
has many problems, but it has led to a very large number of foreign
investors who take interest in India, study India and know about
stocks. Many of these investors have built up teams that
systematically work on learning and trading Indian companies.
When a crisis occurs, such as on May 17, 2004, this pool of foreign
investors does not engage in herding. They act just like any other
pool of speculators. Some are optimistic and buy, others are
pessimistic and sell. The net sale on May 17, 2004, was a tiny
fraction of the overall trading activity of foreigners.
The Indian equity and currency markets are now quite deep and liquid.
Each of these markets now has global turnover of roughly $50 billion a
day. So if there is an external shock of a few billion dollars in a
single day, this is not big enough to generate extreme price
movements.
By now, the finance ministry and the Reserve Bank have learned to
abstain from trading in either the currency or the equity markets. So
when some foreigners sell, the government does not rush in to try to
prevent stock market or rupee depreciation. This policy stance of
price flexibility generates a deeper stabilising response: after some
foreigners sell, the prices go down, which makes the stock market and
the rupee more attractive to foreign investors.
The RBI's policy framework of a floating exchange rate has
blocked the ability of currency market issues from constraining
monetary policy. In difficult times, the RBI would be able to cut
interest rates, thus helping the economy.
High currency volatility has become the norm in India. As a
consequence, large companies know that when they borrow abroad, they
have to hedge their currency exposure. Hence, if a large rupee
depreciation should take place, as in the last two years, there is no
crisis.
The FII framework, the deepening of the equity market and the policy
of allowing price flexibility, alongside the fact that India is a
large country with a $1.5 trillion GDP, now implies that the classic
emerging market crisis is not a likely scenario in India. In this
sense, India has emerged.
While the danger of this classic emerging market crisis no longer
haunts India, we are far from finished with our institution-building.
Fiscal, financial and monetary institution-building are the three
pillars of what makes an emerging market emerge. India remains a much
more volatile economy, with weak policy-making capabilities, when
faced with shocks. A lot remains to be done on improving fiscal,
financial and monetary institutions. As a first step, Budget 2011
proposed to push a number of financial sector reform bills through
Parliament this year. It remains to be seen whether the government
will be able to do that successfully or not.
The writer is a professor at the National Institute of Public
Finance and Policy, Delhi, express@expressindia.com
***************************************
THE INDIAN EXPRESS
COLUMN
WORST-CASE SCENES
MIHIR S SHARMA
It has been a fascinating week for news TV. There was the amusing
sight of the prime minister and the leader of the opposition trading
Urdu couplets during the WikiLeaks debate in the Lok Sabha; and then
that of the leader of the opposition going on various channels and
saying that it was altogether charming — and that the session was
successful and enjoyable, all told. This bonhomie contrasts pleasantly
with open warfare between CNN-IBN and Times Now and Headlines Today
over IBN's handling of the original cash-for-votes sting, with IBN
being called, with silly and confusing evasiveness, "a channel I will
not name" throughout. It was all very entertaining, as long as you
convinced yourself they weren't taking themselves seriously, in which
case it would just have been depressing.
But, these weeks, the real stories have been outside. In Libya, for
one, being told by people like CNN's Nic Robertson in Tripoli, and
several Libyan contributors, particularly Mohammed Nabbous of
Benghazi, who was shot and killed this week while reporting on a
possible violation of its self-declared ceasefire by Gaddafi's regime.
These were reports from a war zone, from reporters under threat; and
yet they succeeded, for the most part, in keeping themselves out of
the frame, and presenting the developing story with the gravity it
deserved. Robertson even attacked a Fox News journalist by name for,
in his opinion, "lies and deceit" in a story claiming journalists were
human shields, which he said was "nuts", and filed by people who
"don't leave the hotel" and whom he sees mostly at the "hotel
breakfasts".
And then there's Japan. That country's traumatic series of crises
could be responded to in different ways. A couple of desi news
channels decided to maximise alarm, with graphics showing a giant CGI
wave, scary music and big shaking text saying "bhukamp". The English
channels weren't that different; IBN was particularly alarmist, using
the Fukushima nuclear plant explosions to pile on to nuclear energy
quite disturbingly and cynically, for example in a segment "explaining
the health impacts of radiation poisoning", with bass-heavy background
music and words that weren't better researched than the first
paragraph of the appropriate Wikipedia article. The report quoted
SMSes circulating in India warning of post-tsunami radiation poisoning
from rainfall, and then cut to someone from the Met department
explaining this was as likely, in meteorological terms, as a snowstorm
in hell. Except it came at the end of a segment explaining, to Indians
who must immediately have begun to feel nauseous, radiation poisoning
symptoms! Oh, and the moment he stopped speaking, the scary music
started up again. No number of anodyne quotes from WHO representatives
can make up for that sort of slanted editing.
Contrast that blatant irresponsibility with the reporting from Japan,
some of it on CNN-IBN's foreign affiliate, and carried on IBN, too.
Sanjay Gupta has a sensible bedside manner, and hammered the point in,
over and over again, that the radius of any severe radiation leakage
would keep pretty much everyone watching CNN safe even in a worst-case
scenario. He had joined Anderson Cooper in Japan, who had gone to
cover the tsunami — and actually had to cancel half of his two-hour
show because he was too close to the nuclear plant. Tough job, but it
wasn't made much of. Indeed, his shows were well-balanced, calming,
and respectful of Japan's grief; they interviewed nuclear engineers
who'd worked in plants explaining how you sometimes had to risk your
life; survivors of the Indian Ocean tsunami, on coping mechanisms;
energy experts stressing the safeguards built in to more modern
nuclear plants; and an American senator from Louisiana complaining
about people that "use any ongoing crisis to immediately try to
advance their pre-existing political agenda rather than first dealing
with the crisis, and secondly actually gathering the facts". It felt
like watching reporting, and discussion, that took itself seriously.
That worried about the impact it would have, rather than about having
an impact. On reporting moments of crisis, it was clear that there's a
lot for Indian news TV to learn.
***************************************
THE INDIAN EXPRESS
OPED
'WOMEN IN INDIA ARE BECOMING AGENTS OF CHANGE'
SONIA GANDHI
Women as agents of change is an idea that seems self-evident in the
Commonwealth. The two most influential women personalities of the 20th
century — Indira Gandhi and Margaret Thatcher — were both Commonwealth
leaders...
Although the women's movement has already transformed the way in which
we look at society in each of our countries, the search for equality
is far from finished. History, culture and economics still remain
weighted against women. In my own country, most worrying of all is the
declining sex ratio of females to males. That this is happening in
regions of substantial economic prosperity within the country is even
more disturbing. (I should add here, however, that in the recent
Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, young women from these very regions
won the most number of medals.)
Among all the challenges facing humankind in the 21st century, few are
more pressing than climate change and global warming. Unfortunately,
as the International Union for the Conservation of Nature has pointed
out, most of the climate debate has so far been gender-blind. Yet
women have played a special role in raising environmental
consciousness. The Chipko movement in the Himalayas in the 1970s, in
which village women hugged the trees to protect them from being
felled, gave a new meaning and momentum to environmental activism in
India.
Enhancing the role of women in protecting the environment is
necessary. But what about protecting women themselves? Economic growth
is leading to mass migration to cities. Disturbingly, this is being
accompanied by growing violence against women. If urbanisation is the
world's future, we must design urban environments and services in ways
that will give women greater security, and educate and involve
citizens in this cause. A Commonwealth initiative bringing together
our great cities to collaborate on this issue would be timely. So
these are two areas — climate change and urbanisation — where I hope
that the Commonwealth can do more for women...
Like elsewhere in the world, and especially in India, it has not been
easy to carve a direct solidarity among women. Their concerns are
divided by class, by community, by caste, by culture. But through the
1970s and '80s, the women's movement in India flowered, banding
together on issues like dowry and violence, household labour,
discriminatory customs, property rights and wages. These campaigns
resulted in the enactment of radical new laws.
A visitor to contemporary India will be impressed by the prominence of
women in all aspects of life. India's president is a woman, as are the
speaker and the leader of the opposition in the Lower House of
Parliament. The chief minister of India's most populous state is a
woman from a section of society subjected to discrimination for
centuries. Women are presidents of four of our major political
parties. Women are prominent in the judiciary, the higher civil
service, the professions, academia, the corporate world, the media and
every branch of civil society. At the time of Independence, women
accounted for less than 10 per cent of enrolment in higher education —
they will soon be on par with men.
And it is not by government action alone that this silent revolution
is taking place. Today, women in India are becoming agents of change
through their own initiative, their energy and enterprise. Let me give
you some examples of where and how women — ordinary poor women — are
beginning to make a difference with far-reaching implications for our
country as a whole.
Self-help groups
The first is the growth of women's self-help groups which are changing
rural India. Groups of women pool their savings on a regular basis and
secure loans for a variety of activities that help them increase their
incomes. There are now about five million such groups, averaging 10-15
members each. Last year, they secured bank loans worth more than two
billion pounds. By giving poor women access to credit (and I might
add, with a repayment record far superior to that of well-heeled
borrowers!), these groups are helping to blunt the harsh edges of
poverty and destitution. But women are doing more than getting loans.
They are actually taking on a variety of functions on behalf of
government departments. They are, for instance, buying rice and maize
from farmers for sale through fair price shops. They are distributing
old age pensions and scholarships. They are managing primary health
centres. And in this pub-loving country, it may surprise you to know
how successful they have been in forcing the closure of village liquor
shops to combat male alcoholism, domestic violence and the drain on
household finances.
But there is something even more fundamentally revolutionary about
this movement. It cuts across caste divides. It gives women a new
voice, a new self-confidence, a new assertiveness. Attending a meeting
of these women is an uplifting experience. When once they dared not
open their mouths even within the family, let alone voice their
concerns before outsiders, they are now vociferous in discussing
personal and family problems as well as a whole range of community
issues.
Women's reservation
The second arena where women have emerged as catalysts of change is
politics, especially at the local level. In 1993, India amended its
Constitution to provide 33 per cent reservation or quota for women in
rural and urban local bodies throughout the country. There was
cynicism, resentment and even anger - from powerful men, predictably —
when the idea was first mooted. No longer. Today, 1.2 million elected
women representatives, including women from the most deprived and
disadvantaged communities, have taken their place alongside men in the
councils of rural self-government. Long-established power equations
are now changing.
But I am less than happy to admit that at the national level we have
not yet been successful. Women's representation in Parliament has
hovered between 9 and 11 per cent, a figure that is considerably lower
than in many other democracies. Legislation for a 33 per cent quota in
Parliament and state assemblies has been passed by the Upper House. We
shall persevere in our efforts to get it approved by the Lower House
as well.
Civic Activism
Over the last few years the language of rights has entered the
mainstream of political discourse. Thus we now have a right to
information, a right to work, a right to education and soon, a right
to food security. What is remarkable about the rights debate and how
it has progressed is the leading role women have played as its
champions and advocates. Thanks to their passion and commitment,
governance has become more open and accountable and public policies
more caring of the poor.
Environmental activism too is something in which women are prominent.
This is not surprising because, in essence, the issue of environment
in India is an issue of livelihoods, of public health, of access to
forests, of water security.
Enterprise
The fourth arena of impact is enterprise. The most visible may be
women who lead some major Indian corporations, businesses and NGOs.
But, perhaps even more significant are the unsung majority — who make
up over 90 per cent of all working women in what we call the informal
or unorganised sector. For years, they enjoyed no pension, health
insurance or maternity benefits, something that our government has
begun to address.
Collective action by women has taken different forms. Thus, India,
once the world's largest importer of milkfood, is now its largest milk
producer. This White Revolution, as we call it, has proceeded in
parallel with the Green Revolution. And it is millions of women in
thousands of villages who have been the backbone of these milk
cooperatives. There are many other instances such as Lijjat, producer
of those poppadums so loved by British diners in Indian restaurants
here. Founded by seven Gujarati housewives with a capital of about 7
pounds, it now has 42,000 owner-producers with a turnover approaching
70 million pounds...
Technology
Finally, technology is proving to be a powerful tool for reducing
gender inequalities. In the sunrise IT sector women already comprise
close to one-third — a million strong — of its workforce. There is a
proliferation of knowledge-based enterprises, run by women in rural
areas, such as village information centres and IT kiosks for accessing
government services. Their ripple effect is growing...
India is at the cusp of a demographic dividend due to its young and
increasingly educated and skilled population. Imagine, what might
happen when this demographic dividend is multiplied by a gender
dividend...
Excerpts from the 2011 Commonwealth Lecture on 'Women as Agents of
Change', delivered on March 17 in London. Sonia Gandhi is president of
the Congress party
***************************************
THE INDIAN EXPRESS
OPED
THE STRANGE CASE OF COLONEL TAHER
SYED BADRUL AHSAN
On March 22, Bangladesh's high court in a landmark judgment declared
illegal the constitution of a military tribunal by General Ziaur
Rahman's martial law regime in 1976, to try the detained Col Abu Taher
and his associates. It also dismissed Taher's subsequent trial and
execution in July of that year as a farce, and noted that Taher and
everyone else tried in 1976 would henceforth be considered patriots
rather than as traitors. The verdict came against the background of a
writ petition filed by members of his family along with three other
writs filed by political figures associated with Taher challenging the
validity of the tribunal and the convictions handed down by it.
The judicial decision is, happily for Bangladesh, a reversal of a
questionable legal process undertaken by the Zia military regime
nearly a year after the violent overthrow of the government of
Bangladesh's founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on August 15, 1975. On
November 3, 1975, the majors and colonels who murdered Mujib and most
of his family members (his daughters Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana
survived as they were abroad at the time) also assassinated four
detained political colleagues of Mujib — Syed Nazrul Islam, Tajuddin
Ahmad, M. Mansur Ali and A.H. M. Qamaruzzaman — in Dhaka central jail.
On the same day, the August 1975 coup plotters were overthrown by
Brigadier Khaled Mosharraf, a hero of Bangladesh's War of Liberation
in 1971. Mosharraf also placed General Zia, then chief of army staff,
under house arrest and took over as the new chief of staff of the army
with his new rank of Major General. Only four days later, on November
7, soldiers of various units of the Bangladesh army, galvanised by Col
Taher, revolted against Mosharraf and freed Zia. General Mosharraf and
his fellow officers were murdered by Zia loyalists in the army on the
morning of November 7, 1975. General Zia seized power as Bangladesh's
first military ruler, albeit with Justice Abu Sadat Mohammad Sayem as
a figurehead president of the republic.
Despite the fact that Taher and his adherents in the military had
freed Zia, friction developed within days between the two men on the
issue of a transformation of Bangladesh's armed forces into a
socialist-oriented Gano Bahini, or people's army. Taher, at that point
a leading figure in the left-wing Jatiyo Samajtantrik Dal, a political
party formed in 1972 by alienated former young supporters of Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman, advocated a revolutionary change in the structure of
the armed forces through doing away with ranks and thereby with
differences and distinctions between officers and general soldiers.
While there is reason to believe Zia may initially have agreed with
Taher, since his emergence from house arrest and subsequent rise to
power depended on the latter's links in the army, he soon decided that
Taher and his followers needed to be put down. By the end of November
1975, Taher and a number of JSD political figures were in jail, with
charges of sedition clamped on them.
In July 1976, a military tribunal put Taher and his associates on
trial. From the very beginning, the trial was regarded with suspicion
as Taher was not allowed to meet his lawyers until the very end, by
which time the military regime had decided what the verdict would be.
Taher's lawyers were permitted to cross-examine neither the accused
nor the witnesses in court. The trial was held in camera, with no one
(and that included journalists) allowed into the court room.
The writ petitions filed by Taher's family and his political
associates last year ended up with some intriguing facts. The most
glaring of these was the discovery by the court and the government
that all documents and files relating to the case and trial in 1976
had mysteriously disappeared. Obviously, the assumption is that the
Zia regime decided, in its questionable wisdom soon after the
execution of Taher on July 21, 1976, that it would be impolitic and
risky to keep any trace or record of the trial.
Now that the high court has overturned the judgement of the military
court and at the same time formally declared the military court and
its acts to have been a legal anomaly, demands have arisen for General
Ziaur Rahman, who was murdered in an abortive coup in May 1981, to be
placed on posthumous trial. It may well be that in the following weeks
and months, issues such as the killing of General Khaled Musharraf,
the executions of hundreds of air force personnel following an
uprising in the ranks in October 1977, the murder in June 1981 of
General M.A. Manzoor following Zia's death and the sentences of death
handed down to thirteen army officers on charges of their complicity
in the Zia murder in September 1981 will be revived in the public
domain and Bangladesh could well see a spate of legal challenges that
could once again place the Zia regime in the spotlight.
Bangladesh's history since its liberation in December 1971 has been
one of tragic irony. Having struggled for freedom and democratic
governance, its people have more than once observed their nation
sliding into chaos through repeated spells of military rule and a
consequent narrowing of democratic space. The assassins of Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman were not only protected by an indemnity ordinance
formalised in the country's constitution by the Zia regime but were
also rewarded with diplomatic postings at Bangladesh missions abroad.
It took 21 years for the indemnity ordinance to be repealed. The job
was accomplished by Sheikh Hasina's first government when it returned
to power through the general elections of June 1996. Five of Mujib's
killers were executed after a normal process of trial and conviction
in January last year. Five others remain absconding, with reports
coming in of their periodic sightings in Pakistan and Libya. One died
in Zimbabwe a few years ago.
The write is editor (current affairs) of 'The Daily Star', Dhaka
***************************************
THE INDIAN EXPRESS
OPED
NOT ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN
RUCHIKA TALWAR
Not all the president's men
The Pakistan president's address to the nation on the eve of Pakistan
Day (March 23) made news even before Asif Zardari took the microphone.
He became the first president in Pakistan's history to deliver this
address four years in a row. While his own Pakistan Peoples Party
(PPP) aggressively marketed the speech, the opposition was less than
charitable, suggested newspapers.
A report in Dawn on March 22 predicted a hard day for Zardari: "If
opposition parties do not back down at the last moment, President Asif
Ali Zardari will face a tense joint sitting of parliament... All his
three previous mandatory addresses to joint sittings of the National
Assembly and the Senate have been a smooth affair, but things don't
seem to be going the same way this time, despite earning the unique
credit of having his previously arbitrary presidential powers clipped
through the landmark Eighteenth Amendment for the restoration of a
genuine parliamentary democracy. Both the main opposition parties —
Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) and Pakistan Muslim League-Q — have
threatened protests."
Zardari spoke about building consensus on issues like the energy
shortage, economic crisis and terror, as well as political
reconciliation among warring parties. He also read from Benazir
Bhutto's last book, Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy and the West
saying: "It is time for new ideas. It is time for creativity. It is
time for bold commitment. It is time for reconciliation" (Daily
Times,March 23).
The News added: "While PPP leaders and coalition partners were all
praise for President Zardari's address to the joint sitting of
parliament, opposition leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said it was the
address of the leader of the PPP, the ANP and MQM, not the president
of Pakistan." Daily Times reported that the PML-N, the Jamiat
Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and the Forward Bloc staged a walkout during the
address.
Violence in Karachi
Violence continued to ravage Karachi this week, reported Dawn on March
25: "Fear and tension persisted in the strife-hit areas of Karachi...
that witnessed at least four targeted killings followed by
intermittent firing and an arson attack on a passenger bus... Over the
last few days, nearly 50 people have lost their lives to the fresh
spate of targeted killings on ethnic and political grounds." The
Express Tribune reported on March 25 that eight people were killed
overnight in Karachi.
Match for match
A report titled 'A perfect Pakistan Day present' in The News on March
24 celebrated Pakistan's win over the West Indies: "Pakistan are fast
becoming the new Australia. Three days after ending the 34-match
unbeaten streak of the defending champions in Colombo, they became the
first team to enter the semi-finals of World Cup 2011 with a
commanding ten-wicket triumph over hapless West Indies." And after
India defeated Australia, Daily Times carried the news in a report on
March 25 titled, 'India knock out Australia to set up Pakistan
blockbuster.'
No second thoughts
Pakistan's anti-corruption chief, whose appointment was quashed by
their Supreme Court last week, lost all hope of being reappointed,
despite last week's rumours that PM Yousaf Raza Gilani moved a summary
from the PM secretariat to the presidency asking for it. The News
reported on March 23 that the court issued a "detailed judgment" not
only disqualifying Justice (retd) Syed Deedar Hussain Shah as chairman
of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) but also directing the
government to make a fresh appointment to the vacant office without
any delay.
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THE FINANCIAL EXPRESS
EDITORIAL
MANAGEMENT VER 2.0
The good news first. IIM-Ahmedabad (IIM-A), which will celebrate its
50th year with the Prime Minister presiding over its convocation
today, has finally made it to the prestigious Financial Times list of
Top 100 B-schools—a very sore point, given how its fledgling rival
Indian School of Business (ISB) has been there for several years. The
2011 rankings, just out, put IIM-A at number 11, two points ahead of
ISB. Probe a bit deeper, to the components that make up the ranking,
and things don't look as rosy. IIM-A is ranked No. 3 on 'salaries
today' (average alumni salary levels 3 years after graduating)—at
$174,440, this is behind Stanford's $183,260 and Wharton's $175,153
and miles ahead of ISB's $132,352. While the IIM-A salaries do appear
too good to be true, it confirms what we've known for a long time,
that never mind its rank on the FT or any other list, IIM-A is the
first stop of choice for any Indian recruiter of repute. When it comes
to research, IIM-A is hardly there at No. 92 (ISB is No. 81), again
something we've known for a while—when's the last time you heard of a
management theory by a professor at an Indian B-school, why single out
only IIM-A, or of any really exceptional case study that is then cited
across the world?
Are we then to conclude that IIM-A is a flop show, making it to the FT
list only because of the astronomical salaries its students get, more
a result of India's rapid economic growth and internationalisation
than anything else? Not really. IIM-A, indeed all the IIMs, were set
up to produce managers to run successful businesses, and judging by
India Inc's success, this has been achieved. There are few high-growth
Indian firms, or high-value ones, that don't have IIM-A alumni on
their rolls.
To conclude from this, however, that a business-as-usual scenario
works is incorrect. As India develops, and looks for a bigger global
role, its managers and management theory have to keep pace. Management
theories have to now look at developing management for social
entrepreneurship (MFIs are just one narrow part of this brand of
business), to learn how to deal with the needs of a green planet, of
low-cost models for the bottom of the pyramid, learning how to
construct and work with open-source or collaborative business models,
the list is a large one. Being No. 55 on PhD ranks (number of doctoral
graduates in the previous three years) is not good enough for IIM-A
ver 2.0 and being No. 92 on research (faculty publications in top 40
academic/practitioner journals) is unacceptable.
***************************************
THE FINANCIAL EXPRESS
EDITORIAL
AGRICULTURE'S PULSE
The statement by the International Crops Research Institute for the
Semi-Arid Tropics director that India can be self-sufficient in pulses
in the next 3-5 years is a welcome news, given that the country has
been labelled the largest importer, consumer and producer of the
commodity. One reason for the optimism may be the sudden surge in
pulses production. The output of pulses, which had remained
stagnant—close to 15 million tonnes for more than two decades—has now
suddenly shot up to touch 16.5 million tonnes, as per the second
advanced estimates for 2010-11. The sudden increase in production has
been largely been due to the rising retail prices and the higher
minimum support prices, which provided farmers with an incentive to
raise acreage. With shortages pushing up pulses prices by more than a
quarter in 2009-10, the government increased the MSP of various pulses
by 15% and 30% in 2010-11, which motivated farmers to push up the sown
area under pulses kharif crop from 94.62 lakh hectares in 2009 to
113.9 lakh hectares in 2010. And most of the increase in output in
2010-11 was from kharif production, which went up by 53.6%.
In contrast, the rabi pulses production is projected to even decline
by 3.8%. This points to the instability in pulses output. One major
reason for the instability is that pulses is seen a residual crop that
is grown during monsoons in the marginal and less fertile lands. So,
sustaining the pickup in pulses production is not only much more
challenging but is also essential, as the rising incomes will increase
the demand for pulses, which is a major source of inexpensive protein
for a large section of the Indian population. In fact, the numbers
show that the current average consumption of pulses is just 43 gm per
day—just about half the recommended diet of 80 gm per day. Apart from
the low priority, the production of pulses is also negatively impacted
by the topography, with just 15% of the pulses crop irrigated. And
more importantly, there has been no technology breakthrough in any of
the pulses crops although it has been brought under the ambit of many
government schemes, ranging from the technology mission in early 1990s
to the latest scheme for 60,000 pulses and oilseed villages initiated
in the 2010-11 Budget. Crop experts have recommended a variety of
measures, including developing of hybrid and transgenic varieties,
better seed supplychain planning, drip irrigation, higher MSP and
larger procurement. Only a comprehensive strategy that focuses on all
these aspects is likely to make a difference to the pulses economy in
the long term.
***************************************
THE FINANCIAL EXPRESS
COLUMN
FORGET GIVING, JUST TAKE LESS
SUNIL JAIN
Much has been written about how Warren Buffett and Bill Gates have had
some measure of success in converting India's hard-hearted businessmen
to their way of thinking. If Warren Buffett can give away 99% of his
wealth for charitable purposes, and Bill Gates 66%, why can't Mukesh
Ambani or Sunil Mittal? It appears some 70 well-heeled persons
attended the Gates buffet(t), though the names haven't been revealed
in order to protect their privacy. While no estimates are available of
their wealth, Forbes estimates that the combined wealth of India's
richest 55 persons (perhaps most of them were at the buffet meal?) is
$246 bn, or around 14.1% of India's GDP—if a third of this was given
to charity …
A study by consultants Bain & Company further cements the idea of
how hard-hearted India's rich are. Bain estimates India's charity
contributions are just 0.6% of GDP, as compared to the US's 2.2%; of
this, just a tenth was given by individuals and corporates as compared
to 75% in the US—65% of India's charity, says Bain, is done by central
and state governments in the form of disaster relief primarily.
There are some important caveats to be made in the context of India's
lack of corporate philanthropy, some of which have even been made by
Bain. The most important, that the US has a 46% inheritance tax for
wealth beyond a certain limit; this doesn't take away from what Bill
Gates and Warren Buffett are doing, but it does give a certain
perspective on it.
Since some bright guys will use this to argue India should also have a
similar tax to encourage corporate philanthropy, you need to keep a
few things in mind. First, much of the 'wealth' of India's rich isn't
really cash in the bank, it's the market value of their shares in the
firms they run. So, if much of this is to be liquidated, its value
will immediately fall—too much supply, if I remember my high school
economics right, causes prices to fall. Two, much of this 'wealth' is
not held in the personal names of the individuals; much is held in the
names of investment firms that are not owned by the individuals; the
directors on such investment firms are often paid employees of these
firms. So you can put the inheritance tax at 146% and you'll still get
pretty much near zilch.
Another caveat: the wealth of rich Indians is exaggerated, and hugely
so. $246 bn is around 14.1% of India's GDP, but GDP is nothing but a
flow of annual income of each and every Indian each year while wealth
is a stock of savings over the years. TN Ninan
(http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/t-n-ninan-equality-or-fairness/
409883/) did a calculation of India's wealth, the value of the cows,
the land, the bank deposits, the houses, and came to the conclusion
the rich owned at most 3% of the country's assets.
Even so, not bad you'd say. So let's look at another set of numbers to
put this in perspective. This $246 bn is roughly the size of India's
annual budget. We've just argued not too much of this wealth can be
gifted away, but even if you assume it can, what the corporate sector
can give away and then have nothing left (!) is just what the
government spends in a year. If you see the impact of the government's
spending, in terms of getting clean water, better education and health
facilities, and so on, it isn't that much. So, if the corporate sector
is to become like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett, it's pretty much a
waste of time and money, unless the money is actually channelled into
profitable and efficient ways to give it out. A good piece to read in
this context is one by Jayant Sinha in FE
(http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Column-Its-not-just-about-giving-money/766374)—Jayant
works with Omidyar Networks and what Omidyar does is to invest its
money in firms that deliver low-cost innovative solutions for the
poor; in a firm that may provide, to use an example from the top of my
head (and not from Omidyar's investment portfolio), low-cost money
transfer solutions using mobile phones.
So, instead of asking India's rich to give, why don't we turn the
concept around, and instead ask them to not take? Every budget
document has a table on 'revenue foregone', the amount of tax the
government does not collect since it is giving some tax sop or the
other, usually to the rich and famous. The latest figure for revenue
foregone in the Budget is R5,11,630 crore in the current year, which
is around 65% of the total budgeted tax collections and around 6.5% of
the year's projected GDP.
It is not my case that all tax sops are a bad idea, but if tax sops
equal 6.5% of GDP and the rich people's wealth is 14.1% of GDP, this
means the annual tax sops equal half the wealth of the rich. In other
words, the rich will probably contribute a lot more to society if they
were just willing to let the government remove tax sops than as
compared to a situation where Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have to
try and apply moral pressure on them to part with their wealth.
There's also the question of what the rich take away by way of
corruption. Let's take just the 2G scam. Discount the CAG's higher
estimate of R1,76,000 crore and let's use the R60,000-70,000 crore
figure given as the median estimate, based on the price at which Swan
and Unitech sold their equity. Look at the kind of companies whose
names are mentioned in the CAG report, and you see that India's rich
are getting away with a lot more than just tax sops. How much is
difficult to say, but in the Delhi airport case, for instance, after
winning the bid by promising to pay the government 46% of the top line
revenues, the GMR Group has changed the meaning of what top line is.
Large interest-free deposits are not being shared with the government
on the grounds these are liabilities and not earnings—but if someone
gives you R100 crore as an interest-free deposit, chances are he'll
also pay you R10 crore less by way of annual rent, right? This one
change will cost the government over a thousand crore rupees.
My advice: Let corporate India just clean up its act. We don't need
its money. The government has enough.
***************************************
THE FINANCIAL EXPRESS
COLUMN
INDIA'S FROZEN TURBULENCE
NISTULA HEBBAR
Parliament sessions are instructive of not only the way our lawmakers
behave in a confrontationist space, but also reflect, in its ebb and
flow of events, the state of play in national politics. The Budget
session of Parliament that concluded on Friday was no different and,
if it is anything to go by, then a period of homeostasis is what
awaits the people of India, at least till 2014, despite all
appearances to the contrary.
When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in his now famous speech on
Wednesday, asked BJP leader LK Advani to wait three-and-a-half years
for another stab at being prime minister, it unwittingly captured the
dilemma faced by the principal Opposition party, the BJP, and the
constraints of the UPA combine as well.
While the session began with a significant victory for the Opposition,
where a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the 2G spectrum
scam was announced in accordance with the Opposition's wishes, it
ended up being a bit of a zero-sum game.
The government was seriously on the back-foot going into the session,
with scams upon scams being piled on thick and fast. It also had the
onerous task of getting the Budget cleared.
The BJP—which could have cornered the government on several of these
scams, especially the S-band spectrum and the appointment of former
CVC PJ Thomas—let it go with a simple statement from the
Prime Minister. What it cornered the government on, surprisingly
enough, was on the WikiLeaks revelations, a slippery slope, if ever
there was one. Quite simply, WikiLeaks had cables on everyone, it was
a virtual turkish bath when it came to stripping reputations bare, the
BJP's included.
The UPA, on its part, could not
believe its luck and quickly conceded the one debate they knew they
would look better coming out of. The four-hour short-duration
discussion on the WikiLeaks revelation on the cash-for-votes scam
ended, in a tragicomic
denouement and some killer Urdu poetry by the Prime Minister. As an
issue to corner the government, unfortunately, that was how far it
could be
carried. If nothing else, at least we got a different sounding speech
from the Prime Minister, looking forward to more such flourishes in
future.
The Opposition BJP, to be fair, has done better in cornering the
government in UPA-2 than in UPA-1. The problem continues to be a
personality clash between the two leaders of Opposition, and the
continuing struggle for a single leader in the party around whom a
nucleus of the party can cleave. The fracas over Sushma Swaraj's "let
bygones be bygones" tweet over the CVC issue, whereas the partyline
was to get after the government on the matter, is just one example.
The Opposition had a good session, they had issues, they had a
defensive government to face, but they also have several of their own
issues to sort out before they can really take on the UPA.
The UPA, on its part, lurched from crisis to crisis and when it looked
like it had turned a corner and got a grip, it walked right into the
pension Bill
fiasco. Elementary floor coordination was given a go-by over a money
Bill, and what the Opposition could not do in 2008 was handed to it on
a platter—that of a real opportunity to topple
the government.
The BJP came to the government's rescue, not just because it was
interested in getting the pension Bill introduced, b ut also because,
as the
Prime Minister said, there are
three-and-a-half more years to go, and the Opposition needs it as much as
the government. More of the same awaits us, unless either of the two
principals of national politics finally get their act together.
nistula.hebbar@
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THE HINDU
EDITORIAL
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IN ASSAM
Assam's two-phase Assembly election, scheduled for April 4 and 11, is
quite different from any contest that the State has witnessed in the
post-Emergency period: this is the first time an incumbent party is
seeking a mandate for a third consecutive term. For Chief Minister
Tarun Gogoi, the contest presents an opportunity to make history — as
the second Chief Minister in Assam after Bimala Prasad Chaliha to
ascend the gadi thrice in succession. Assembly and Lok Sabha elections
since 1991 have been overshadowed by insurgent violence and boycott
calls but it is unlikely there will be any major disruption or
sabotage this time. It augurs well for the democratic process that the
United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and the National Democratic
Front of Boroland (NDFB) — weakened over time and more recently by the
earnest crackdown on their bases in Bangladesh by the Sheikh Hasina
government — have initiated talks with the government. The Paresh
Barua-led faction of ULFA and the Ranjan Daimary faction of NDFB,
which have kept out of the peace process, will be desperately looking
for chinks in the security armour to carry out sporadic strikes to
prove their presence on the ground and to win media attention. A
recent bomb blast at Rajiv Bhawan in Guwahati by the ULFA faction and
an ambush on Border Security Force (BSF) in Kokrajhar by the NDFB
faction suggest there is no room for complacency.
Although the Congress and it fellow-traveller, the Bodoland People's
Front (BPF), have not been able to come to an understanding on seat
sharing, their post-poll alliance looks set to continue. There are
also indications that in the event of falling short of the majority
mark, the ruling party will fall back on the All India United
Democratic Front (AIUDF), which caused an erosion in Congress vote
banks among immigrant Muslim settlers in 2006. The Left parties were
hoping that the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) would take the lead in
uniting all non-Congress, non-BJP parties to present a viable
alternative to the Congress-BPF coalition. This followed the General
House of the AGP adopting a resolution calling for the severance of
poll ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party, which had made gains at the
expense of the regional party in the 2009 Lok Sabha contest.
Nevertheless, the vacillations of the AGP leadership continue. The
regional party tried to push through its proposal of a 'grand
alliance' of all opposition parties, which was rejected by the Left
and the AIUDF and by the BJP as well. The opposition parties claim
there is strong anti-incumbency sentiment engendered by the scams and
by alleged misrule in the State. However, in the absence of any
pre-poll alliance based on an agreed minimum programme, it is the
ruling combination that seems to have the advantage.
***************************************
THE HINDU
EDITORIAL
BUDGET ROLLBACKS AND PROMISE
The smooth passage of the Finance Bill by Parliament was facilitated
by the slew of concessions extended by Finance Minister Pranab
Mukherjee. As many as 47 amendments to the original bill were passed.
The concessions aggregate Rs.1,500 crore, a large portion of this
attributable to procedural changes in the method of levying and
collecting taxes. For instance, the deferment by three months of a new
procedure to collect service tax on an accrual basis instead of on
actual receipts will mean less revenue than what was envisaged in the
budget. Manufacturers of readymade garments, especially those in the
small-scale segment, have got relief by way of higher excise duty
abatement. By far the most anticipated announcement was the rollback
of the 5 per cent service tax on certain grades of hospitals and
diagnostic services in the private sector. This budget proposal drew a
good deal of flak. Had it been implemented, it would have increased
the already high health care costs. However, while the government will
now forgo around Rs.300 crore, it was not just revenue considerations
that were behind the proposal. The idea of bringing the various
entities in the booming health care segment under the tax net has been
around for quite a while. Besides, as the Finance Minister said, the
move was meant to prepare the ground for the Goods and Services Tax
(GST). It is unlikely that this sector will be exempted when the GST
is finally in place. The principal idea behind the GST and the Direct
Taxes Code (DTC) — the two key reform measures — is to have a tax
structure with moderate taxes, minimum exemptions, and wide coverage.
Mr. Mukherjee has kept the promise he made in the budget speech by
introducing a Constitution Amendment Bill to pave the way for the GST.
Essentially, the Bill seeks to give powers to the States to tax
services and to the Centre to levy duties beyond the factory gate. The
Bill incorporates features that seek to resolve the sharp differences
between the Centre and the States over the implementation of the
far-going structural change. A GST Council, headed by the Union
Finance Minister, and a GST Dispute Settlement Authority are proposed.
In bringing the Bill before Parliament Mr. Mukherjee may have kept his
word. But it will be over-optimistic to expect the GST to become a
reality on April 1, 2012. The legislation, which will now go to a
standing committee, requires two-thirds support in both houses of
Parliament and to be ratified by at least half the number of State
legislatures.
***************************************
THE HINDU
LEADER PAGE ARTICLES
MOTHER OF INSURGENCIES OR REINVENTION?
HAS THE NAGA INSURGENCY COME TO TERMS WITH ITS UNREALISED AND, INDEED,
UNREALISABLE SOVEREIGNTY ASPIRATIONS?
M.S. PRABHAKARA
In the early 1980s (when this correspondent returned to Guwahati as
working journalist after an eight-year absence), insurgency in the
northeast was limited to Nagaland, parts of Manipur and what was then
the Union Territory of Mizo Hills. In Nagaland, the Naga National
Council (NNC), political face of the oldest of the insurgencies in the
region, was led by Angami Zapu Phizo, then in exile in Britain.
Despite the challenge posed by a faction of the NNC that had recently
split after much rancour on both sides and formed itself into the
National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN), the NNC remained the
dominant voice of Naga nationalistic assertion. In Manipur, Naga
insurgency was active those days in the Naga-inhabited hill districts
mainly in Tamenglong, while in the Imphal Valley, several outfits,
some of them fighting one another as much as the Indian state, were
active: the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), the Peoples'
Liberation Army (PLA), the People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak
(PREPAK) and the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP). In the Union
Territory of Mizo Hills, the Mizo National Front (MNF) arrived at the
Talk-Talk-Fight-Fight stage, and was on the way to give up its
secessionist agenda, sign a peace accord and become a legitimate party
of the government. Insurgency had not become a generalised fact of
life in the region including Assam, though formally the United
Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) had been founded in April 1979.
The objectives of all these organisations, including the nascent ULFA,
were broadly the same: independence and sovereignty, the restoration
of sovereignty that 'lapsed' to the people these organisations claimed
to represent when the British left India but which India refused to
concede.
The undeniable historical fact underlying this idea of 'restoration of
sovereignty' as against the 'demand for sovereignty' is that beginning
with the British annexation of Assam following the defeat of Burma in
1826 in the First Anglo-Burmese War, the colonial government had
embarked on consolidating the boundaries of these newly acquired vast
territories, progressively annexing more of these borderlands and
extending its own boundaries. The annexation process was neither
painless nor fair; nor even conclusive, the last most evident in the
description of some of the 'new' territories in the old maps as
"excluded," "partially excluded" and "unadministered" areas. The bland
bureaucratic prose of the introductory chapter of the Assam Land
Revenue Manual says it all.
However, received wisdom had it even those days that the resolution of
Naga insurgency was central to resolving other insurgencies, actual
and incipient. Long before such disaffection manifested itself among
other people of the region, tribal and non-tribal, Phizo himself had
tried on the eve of Independence to enlist the support of the largest
and most advanced of the people, the Assamese, as well as other tribal
people who, in course of time, were to form the core of Arunachal
Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya and Mizoram — the last two then
politically and administratively part of Assam — for realising his
plan for an Independent Nagaland. He also urged them to seek an
independent status outside India.
Being the oldest insurgency in the region, which had also lent some
material support to other disaffected elements, this perception was
somewhat justified. This has been especially so since the NNC split
and the formation of the NSCN in early 1980. Even though the NSCN in
due course also split into two factions, and the NNC has refused to
fade away, the NSCN (I-M) bearing the initials of chairman Isak Swu
and general secretary Thuingaleng Muivah remains the dominant voice of
the sovereignty aspirations of the Naga people.
However, all these insist that settlement of the "Naga political
issue," that is restoration of Naga sovereignty and independence — the
resolution of what has come to be known in the Naga nationalist
rhetoric as "the mother of all insurgencies" in the region — is
central to resolving the other problems in the region.
This perspective has been expressed several times by Muivah since the
NSCN (I-M) began talking directly to the Government of India nearly 15
years ago. During this period, the NSCN (I-M) leaders have met several
Prime Ministers in foreign lands and in India, and have had prolonged
dialogue with 'interlocutors,' initially in cities in Europe and South
East Asia, and later in Delhi. Peace of a kind has prevailed in
Nagaland and in the Naga inhabited areas of Manipur, though the "Naga
political issue" remains unresolved. The other side of this peace is
the parallel administration of the NSCN (I-M), which is evident to the
most casual visitor to Nagaland and the Naga-inhabited areas of
Manipur. Perhaps one can see this as the Naga people's unique way of
reconciling the irreconcilable, the "resolution of the Naga political
issue" without actually getting the lost sovereignty restored. By
simply putting these tricky issues on the back burner, the State
government and the Government of the People's Republic of Nagalim
coexist in Kohima and near Dimapur. Situations where legitimately
constituted State governments face challenges far more dire prevail in
many parts of eastern and central India.
How has this unique "resolution of the Naga political issue" impinged
on the ferment in the rest of the region? Has the "mother of all
insurgencies" in the region, whose leaders now travel on Indian
passports with all implications of securing such a document, come to
terms with its unrealised and indeed unrealisable sovereignty
aspirations and injected a dose of realism into the sovereignty
aspirations of other groups with far less legitimate claims than the
Naga people who, under Phizo, formally declared Independence on August
14, 1947?
One significant development in the insurgency scenario is the "arrest"
of senior leaders of ULFA and their resolve to hold talks with the
Government of India without any precondition. Another is the "arrest"
of UNLF chairman Rajkumar Sanayaima, who maintains that he was
abducted by Indian agents in Dhaka and brought to India. Unlike ULFA
leaders who are on bail, Sanayaima remains in prison, defiant about
not talking to the Government of India except on four preconditions
being accepted, the core of which is a plebiscite under U.N.
supervision to ascertain if the people of Manipur want to remain part
of the country. The differences in the government's approach to the
NSCN (I-M), the ULFA and the UNLF are as striking as is the relatively
realistic approach of the first two which too were insisting that the
core issue in any talks with the government had to be sovereignty.
Like the lady in the song, the NSCN (I-M) and ULFA leaders kept saying
they would never consent, and yet consented. Will the UNLF follow
suit?
There are other interesting developments on the insurgency front.
Since the mother of all insurgencies began speaking to the government,
other insurgent or terrorist groups have become active; these outfits
have survived and even prospered by their capacity to reinvent
themselves, though not their stated aims and objectives, and are
carrying on. The most curious instance of such reinvention is the path
taken by Dima Halong Daoga (DHD), based in the North Cachar hills of
Assam, one of the two Autonomous Hills Districts of the State, the
other being Karbi Anglong where too the United Peoples Democratic
Solidarity (UPDS), like almost every similar outfit, split into
pro-talks and anti-talks factions. The DHD's reinvention of itself by
using a section of the Indian state, in this case, the administration
of the North Cachar Autonomous District Council, a constitutional
body, to channel development funds meant for the district to itself,
an outlawed outfit, is indeed breathtaking. The charge sheet by the
National Investigative Agency available on
http://nia.gov.in/niacases.aspx provides the most salutary education
on the reinvention of insurgencies.
***************************************
THE HINDU
OPED
MEA SPLIT OVER GROWING INDIA-U.S. TIES?
INDIAN OFFICIAL SPOKE OF 'TWO CAMPS' ON THE IRAN URANIUM ENRICHMENT ISSUE
P. SAINATH
MUMBAI: The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi was not unduly worried about an
irate statement that India made in April 2008, just before Iranian
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's New Delhi visit on April 29, rejecting
America's call for India to urge Iran to curtail its nuclear
programme. Embassy officials viewed this as a typical Indian ploy to
assert independence when in fact they were more likely to have been
committed "to solid forward movement with the U.S." on the Indo-U.S.
nuclear deal. They were more concerned that "the Left may use domestic
legislation to single out and ban nuclear cooperation with the U.S.
specifically, but because such a move would irrevocably harm
U.S.-India relations, we think that even the weak-willed Congress
Party would resist such a move." That is how an April 24, 2008 cable
from the Embassy ( 151154: secret/noforn) summed it up. Another
important point, the cable noted, is a reported "split" in the
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) over "India's growing relationship
with the USA."
This was against the background of State Department spokesman Tom
Casey's public statement of April 22, that Washington would like to
see New Delhi call on Iran to cease enriching uranium. He had also
asked that New Delhi put pressure on Iran to "become a more
responsible actor on the world stage." The MEA responded sharply,
saying among other things, that both India and Iran were "perfectly
capable of managing all aspects of their relationship with the
appropriate degree of care and attention." The MEA said "neither
country needs any guidance on the future conduct of bilateral
relations as both countries believe that engagement and dialogue alone
lead to peace."
Statement rewritten
Interestingly, the cable speaks of an "MEA split over MEA statement on
US and Iran" and records the following: "PolCouns [Political
Counselor] protested to MEA Joint Secretary (Americas) Gaitri Kumar
April 22 MEA's sharp statement, especially after Kumar had earlier
shared with PolCouns an anodyne draft statement that reiterated
standard Indian talking points on Iran. Kumar related that India's
growing relationship with the U.S. has split MEA into two camps, and a
member of the group that opposes any progress in U.S.-India relations
rewrote the MEA statement. She remarked that Foreign Secretary
Shivshankar Menon was furious about the result when he returned from
Beijing earlier that day. Although PolCouns pressed, Kumar would not
reveal who approved the re-worked public statement."
While concerned by the government's "strong and unhelpful reaction"
and the Left's endorsement of it, the assessment says: "As usual, the
Indian government is stroking its Left and Muslim constituencies with
cheap rhetoric and empty gestures prior — we hope — to solid forward
movement with the U.S."
It surmises that the public postures of the Indian government were
"likely mere tactics in the UPA's domestic political machinations."
And that "the reality remains that India and Iran have a flimsy
relationship, which the Congress Party has attempted to spin for the
benefit of its Left allies and Muslim voters, who continue to deride
India's two votes in the IAEA against Iran." It even speculates that
if the Left, persuaded by the UPA's tactics, "allows the nuclear
initiative to move forward May 6, the sound and fury over Iran might
have a useful dimension." This did not happen, though, with the Left
actually parting ways with the UPA over the nuclear deal.
While recording the strong anti-U.S. statements made by CPI(M) leaders
Sitaram Yechury and Brinda Karat in Parliament, it hoped that "the
visit by Ahmadinejad, sharp retorts to the anodyne U.S. statement, and
the pledge to take the nuclear deal to Parliament could give the Left
sufficient political cover to allow the UPA government to submit the
safeguards agreement to the IAEA Board of Governors when they meet May
6 for the next UPA-Left committee meeting."
It surmises that "Ahmadinejad's transit through Delhi will provide
reassurance to the America-haters that India's foreign policy remains
'independent' of the U.S. — a message reinforced by the truculent MEA
statement. Meanwhile, the promise of a 'sense of the House' gives the
Left the opportunity to veto the initiative further down the road,
potentially allowing the UPA government to advance the deal one more
inch forward."
(This article is a part of the series "The India Cables" based on the
US diplomatic cables accessed by The Hindu via Wikileaks.)
***************************************
THE HINDU
'13th Amendment Plus': India sceptical of Sri Lankan promise
New Delhi wanted Colombo to step up efforts for a political solution
Nirupama Subramanian
CHENNAI: Sri Lanka told India it would implement a devolution plan for
Tamil areas going beyond the 13th Amendment to its Constitution, but
Indian officials were privately sceptical of the assurance.
Several U.S. Embassy cables accessed by The Hindu through WikiLeaks
reveal that India pushed Sri Lanka on its devolution plans for months
before the conclusion of the military operation against the LTTE.
The cables also reveal that the U.S. sought a bigger role in pushing a
political solution for Tamils but was kept at bay by India.
As the military operations were drawing to a close, Foreign Secretary
Shivshankar Menon told the U.S. Embassy Charge d'Affaires Peter
Burleigh on May 15, 2009 that the Sri Lankan government had reassured
India that "the government would focus on the implementation of the
13th Amendment Plus as soon as possible." (207268: confidential, May
15, 2009)
But, the cable notes, "Menon was sceptical."
National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan was a mite more optimistic.
Returning from a visit to Sri Lanka on April 24, he had told the U.S.
Charge that President Mahinda Rajapaksa "intends to pursue political
devolution ('the thirteenth amendment plus') and will make a gesture
soon to win over Sri Lanka's Tamils." (204118: confidential, April 25,
2009)
Earlier, in January 2009, the U.S. Embassy in Colombo reported in a
cable ( 189383: confidential, January 29, 2009 ) on External Affairs
Minister Pranab Mukherjee's visit that President Rajapaksa had spoken
of a 13th Amendment Plus plan.
Briefing the U.S. Embassy's Deputy Chief of Mission and other
diplomats, the Indian Deputy High Commissioner in Colombo, Vikram
Misri, said Mr. Mukherjee's visit was mainly to press Sri Lanka on
ensuring the safety of civilians during the military operation against
the LTTE.
In discussions with the Indian Minister on the political front, the
cable noted, "President Rajapaksa said he supports a 13th Amendment-
plus approach, but did not specify what the 'plus' would entail."
It is no secret that even before 2009, India wanted Sri Lanka to
hasten on a political settlement to the Tamil question that would go
beyond the 13th Amendment that flowed from the 1987 Indo-Sri Lanka
Accord. The cables only confirm this.
In November 2008, senior presidential adviser Basil Rajapaksa returned
from New Delhi. Briefing the Americans about the visit, he said India
had pressed Sri Lanka to devolve more powers to the Eastern Province.
(cable 176664: confidential, November 4, 2008)
Mr. Rajapaksa told U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Robert Blake that the
Indians had expressed particular concern about civilian casualties
from Sri Lankan military operations, as well as the need to do "a
better job of winning Tamil hearts and minds."
According to Mr. Blake's cable, Mr. Rajapaksa told him that "the
Indians argued that progress on these issues would help keep the
region "free of outside interference" and would enable India to better
support Sri Lanka in its fight against the LTTE.
Mr. Rajapaksa said both sides had agreed on the need to "move toward"
towards a peaceful, negotiated political settlement. India wanted Sri
Lanka to begin by devolving non-controversial powers such as agrarian
services to the Eastern province.
But the presidential adviser — he is also his brother — told the
Americans that India's "No. 1 concern" was the Sri Lankan Navy firing
at Indian fishermen.
In the same cable, Mr. Blake reports a later conversation with Indian
High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Alok Prasad. Contrary to Mr.
Rajapaksa's impression of his New Delhi meetings, Mr. Prasad said the
primary focus of the meetings was devolution, and not the issue of
fishermen.
While the talks primarily focussed on how to speed up devolution in
the East, Mr. Prasad noted that India had told Sri Lanka it should be
thinking of "the outlines of a settlement that goes beyond devolution
of power under the 13th amendment."
But Mr. Prasad told the U.S. envoy that "India had very little hope
that Sri Lanka would do more in this regard," as the President did not
have the required parliamentary majority to amend the Constitution,
and some political parties were opposed even to the 13th Amendment.
It appears from the cables that the U.S. wanted constant reassurances
that India was pushing for a political solution. At one stage it even
suggested that there should be a joint India-U.S. effort on this
front.
In August 2008, Joint Secretary T.S. Tirumurti "avowed" at a New Delhi
meeting with Mr. Blake, the Indian government's "continued advocacy
for devolution of power in Sri Lanka, and said India was preparing to
share specific ideas with Sri Lanka." (cable 167817: confidential,
August 29, 2008)
The Indian official said New Delhi was pitching for a power-sharing
formula that went beyond the 13th Amendment.
At the same meeting, Ambassador Blake proposed that India and the U.S.
together encourage Sri Lanka to articulate its power-sharing vision
"now" and engage in "quiet talks" with the LTTE.
He also suggested encouraging a "quiet dialogue" between the UN and
the LTTE so that internally displaced people in the Vanni would be
free to move south from LTTE-controlled areas "out of harm's way."
India was clearly not interested in the U.S. suggestion. Mr. Tirumurti
responded that "Rajapakse wants Prabhakaran dead."
Pushing the ball back to the U.S. envoy, he spoke of a "credibility
problem" for the West as the LTTE continued to raise funds in Europe,
which was a source of concern for Sri Lanka and India.
But Mr. Blake pushed back, saying that while the U.S. would be glad to
see Prabhakaran captured or killed, "the U.S. and India should not
allow Rajapaksa to predicate progress on a power-sharing agreement on
Prabhakaran's demise."
A year later, the Indian Foreign Secretary seems to have briefly toyed
with the idea of involving the U.S. and other powers to put pressure
on Sri Lanka to resolve the political issues after the fighting ended.
The Foreign Secretary suggested to Mr. Burleigh at his May 15, 2009
meeting that "it would be useful for India to convoke an international
conference — noting that India, the Co-Chairs [of the peace process,
Norway, Japan, the U.S. and U.K.] and China should attend — to look at
the post-conflict landscape. Menon characterized this as an
opportunity for India; prohibitions on contacts with the LTTE had
prevented useful engagement in the past, but now there would be
space."
Mr. Menon expressly wanted China in the grouping. According to the
cable, he argued "that best results from Sri Lanka could be expected
when the West, India and China all worked together. Otherwise, Sri
Lanka would find ways to play its international interlocutors off
against each other."
But it seems to have been just a passing thought, as no such meeting took place.
(This article is a part of the series "The India Cables" based on the
US diplomatic cables accessed by The Hindu via Wikileaks.)
***************************************
THE HINDU
I CANNOT RELY ON ANYONE IN UPA LEADERSHIP FOR ADVICE, MANMOHAN TOLD
JASWANT SINGH
SURESH NAMBATH
CHENNAI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reportedly told Bharatiya
Janata Party leader Jaswant Singh that he could not "rely on" anyone
in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) leadership to give him proper
advice, except Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and some scientists,
according to an American Embassy cable sent on October 24, 2005 (
43447: confidential).
Jaswant Singh revealed this during a conversation with United States
Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs R. Nicholas Burns on
October 21, 2005. "[Jaswant] Singh said he would be frank and tell the
U/S [Under Secretary] exactly what advice he had provided the PM. He
opined that the UPA 'does not have the intellectual commitment to
improve US/India relations,' as it had inherited its platform in this
regard from the previous NDA government, and had 'grown into' its
present position. He purportedly told the PM that India needs to stop
asking for favors and start delivering to the world community," the
cable sent under the name of Ambassador David Mulford said. "[Jaswant]
Singh also pointed out that the UPA would not be able to deliver as
long as it was propped up by the Communists, who he claimed are bent
on 'hollowing out' the Congress party by 'disapproving anything and
everything.' Singh emphasized that these foreign policy issues are
inherently political, and the PM has not properly dealt with their
political dimensions," the Ambassador reported on the conversation.
"The PM purportedly responded to Singh that he cannot 'rely on' anyone
in the UPA leadership to give him proper advice except Finance
Minister Chidambaram and some of the scientists. Singh emphasized to
the PM that the non-proliferation regime has changed from one of
controlling testing to controlling the production of fissile material
and the GOI [Government of India] needs to stay ahead of these trends.
He also endorsed a missile defense system for India, saying that it
makes sense to adopt a defensive rather than an offensive strategy,"
the cable recorded Jaswant Singh's version of the conversation.
"Singh characterized the PM as a 'good economist,' who is good at
'reading paper,' but not strong on executing policy," the Ambassador
cabled. In a concluding comment on the discussions between Mr. Burns
and Jaswant Singh, he said: "Singh made the right noises regarding NDA
support for the US/India agenda, and the Indian stance regarding Iran
in the IAEA, but appeared more focused on domestic politics than the
international agenda."
(This article is a part of the series "The India Cables" based on the
US diplomatic cables accessed by The Hindu via Wikileaks.)
***************************************
THE HINDU
'INDIAN ROGUES' GALLERY ENTERTAINS PAKISTANI TALIBAN APOLOGIST'
NIRUPAMA SUBRAMANIAN
Maulana Fazlur Rehman sent a message to the U.S. Embassy offering to
mediate with the Taliban.
CHENNAI: Prominent Muslim leaders in New Delhi stayed away from a
high-profile Pakistani politician when he visited the city in May
2006.
However, that did not discourage the politician, Maulana Fazlur
Rehman, leader of the Jamiat-e-Ulema Islami (F) and Leader of the
Opposition, from making a visit again next year. And this time he made
an indirect overture to the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, offering his
services as a mediator between the Bush Administration and the
Taliban.
In keeping with the perception that the U.S. holds the keys to power
in Islamabad, he also indirectly canvassed the Americans to help him
play his "rightful" role in the Government of Pakistan.
As well as shedding some new light on the Maulana's agenda during
these private visits, the cables accessed by The Hindu through
WikiLeaks provide an interesting, if somewhat over-the-top and
alarmist U.S. view of this wily Pakistani politician who is known back
home more as a pragmatic leader with a clear idea of the buttered side
of bread, rather than as a dogmatic Islamist.
It is also illustrative of the kind of sources U.S. diplomats
cultivate, and their ability — or otherwise — to grade the information
from these different sources.
One of the cables has references to former Foreign Minister Natwar
Singh and his alleged connections with a Delhi businessman.
Cabling on May 19, 2006 about Mr. Rahman's May 15-19 visit ( 64728:
confidential), the Embassy's Political Counselor, Geoffrey Pyatt,
noted that his hosts, the Jamiat-i-Ulema-i-Hind, "failed to convince
most prominent Muslims to attend" a reception in his honour. The
Embassy was also invited but "steered well clear" of it on the advice
of the Embassy in Islamabad.
In the fact that Mr. Rahman met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mr.
Pyatt saw "another facet of [the Prime Minister's] relentless outreach
to the people of Pakistan, whatever their political coloration."
He also wrote that "Indian Muslims entertain no sympathy for the
Taliban or Rahman and those at the reception were a virtual rogues'
gallery of discredited hard-liners and fundamentalists."
Unlike the Pakistani Deobandis, the Deobandis in India, of which the
JuH is a political arm, Mr. Pyatt explained in the cable, "have (at
least in public) kept their distance" from the Taliban.
The reception for him at a Delhi five-star hotel was attended by 200
clerics, mainly from the Deobandi sect, 15 Members of Parliament and
some journalists from the Urdu press. The only government
representative there was Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz.
Mr. Natwar Singh, former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and Ram
Gopal Yadav, brother of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh
Yadav, were other prominent guests.
The U.S. official wrote that the reception was hosted by JuH leader
Mahmood Madani, who had just then been elected to the Rajya Sabha with
the support of the Samajwadi Party, the ruling party in Uttar Pradesh.
Two contacts fed Mr. Pyatt more masala on the visit, which the U.S.
diplomat was cautious enough to put down as their claims. Mr. Pyatt
commented that Mr. Natwar Singh's presence at "such a disreputable
event" could "only hurt his political future and further alienate him
from the Congress leadership, which is not amused by his antics."
Mr. Pyatt's sweeping conclusion of the visit was that it was "further
evidence that a witches' brew of anti-US and pro-Iran Muslims and the
Samajwadi Party (SP) of Uttar Pradesh is working together to oppose
the UPA government and the US."
A year later, Mr. Rahman was back, providing more grist to the
American cable mill.
On May 3, 2007, Assistant Political Counselor Atul Keshap reported (
cable 106645: secret) his meeting with JuH leader Mahmood Madani and
Pandit N.K. Sharma, an astrologer-adviser to P.V. Narasimha Rao, "who
claims close ties" to the Gandhi family. Mr. Madani told the U.S.
official that the Pakistani leader had a "pressing issue he wanted to
discuss with US officials, but he was only interested in holding these
talks outside of Pakistan."
He explained that Mr. Rahman "could not speak freely in Pakistan, that
he would say one thing in Pakistan and something else in India if
asked."
Mr. Sharma gave his own reasons for the Maulana's diffidence about
approaching the Americans in Pakistan: the former U.S. Ambassador to
Pakistan was "very close" to Pervez Musharraf, and Mr. Rahman would
jeopardise his position in the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) [an
alliance of six Islamic political parties] if it came out that he was
speaking to the Americans; extremists in Pakistan would threaten him.
Another reason given by Mr. Sharma was that India wanted to play a
role in the negotiations, which it could not do inside Pakistan.
"Madani explained that Rahman was interested in acting as a go between
for the United States, to negotiate with the Taliban in order to bring
them into the mainstream and peacefully into politics in Afghanistan.
Madani said many of the Taliban were just caught up in the conflict
and did not have a way out of it. Which Taliban members were willing
to be involved and under what circumstances would have to be worked
out in the negotiations."
Mr. Madani was also carrying another message on behalf of Mr. Rehman —
that he be allowed to play a bigger role in Pakistani politics. Mr.
Madani told the U.S. official that because of his known ties to
Taliban members, Mr. Rahman had a "bad reputation" in Pakistani
politics, but "in reality was more moderate than Musharraf."
The U.S. official was dismissive of Mr. Sharma, dryly commenting that
he "appears to exaggerate his role in the talks as well as his
influence over world affairs." Mr. Madani he took more seriously.
"While we remain skeptical that India — which has long supported
members of the Afghan Northern Alliance — would support such a
discussion with Taliban leaders, we think Maulana Madani's efforts,
although overly ambitious, reflect his seriousness," he commented.
(This article is a part of the series "The India Cables" based on the
US diplomatic cables accessed by The Hindu via Wikileaks.)
***************************************
******************************************************************************************
THE ASIAN AGE
EDITORIAL
PENSION BILL SHOWS REFORMS ON TRACK
The introduction of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development
Authority (PFRDA) Bill — amid high drama in Parliament on Thursday —
was a do-or-die move by the government. Any further delay or, more
important, a defeat on this issue even at the introduction stage,
would have been a huge negative for UPA-2, which has been on a
face-saving spree on several other counts recently. If the BJP had not
come to the ruling party's rescue, it would have been a setback for
the Congress leadership's commitment to its reform agenda. The Prime
Minister has repeatedly said that economic reforms are on track, and
the PFRDA is very much part of this in the pension sector. It is a
demand that has been made by industrial bodies. Foreign investors too
have been looking forward to investments by pension funds. Indian
insurance companies, businessmen and foreign investors are already
disgruntled over the delay in raising the cap on foreign investment in
insurance companies, and the government has not been able to go
forward on this due to stiff resistance — not only from the Left but
also from its own members and allies. Therefore, the government has
cleverly kept out the FDI cap issue so that it is free to increase the
cap if and when possible without having to seek Parliament's approval.
The Manmohan Singh government has been stuck with the PFRDA Bill,
which was introduced first by the National Democratic Alliance
government. It was unable to take it forward during UPA-1 as its Left
partners opposed it. On Thursday, it was the absence of Congress MPs
in the House at the time of introduction that nearly saw the measure
defeated on the floor. The government is thinking of convening a
special session of Parliament at the end of May (though this is not
certain) to get the bill passed. Since it has the needed majority,
there should ordinarily be no problem unless its allies revolt and the
BJP does not come to the rescue once again.
There has been a solid divide on the PFRDA issue. The PFRDA will be a
structured regulatory body with more teeth to oversee innumerable
pension funds across the country. It will monitor the New Pension
Scheme (NPS), which has also not found acceptance from the Left and
several trade unions. The NPS, they argue, is not a pension scheme at
all but an investment scheme, and its returns will depend on the NAVs
(net asset value) of six mutual funds, including that of the State
Bank of India and UTI, which handle NPS. The Left and the working
class in general have been against pension and provident funds being
used for investment in the stock market. They feel that once funds go
in that direction, they will be at risk from speculators. Several
scams have already hit the market. This is also one of the reasons why
the trustees of the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) are
holding out against the government's repeated efforts to get that
money, or even a chunk of it, into the stock market. The labour
ministry, which oversees the EPFO, has demanded that the government
give a guarantee for the money invested. The government has fought shy
of this. This is the reason EPFO investments remain primarily outside
the stock market. But with the PFRDA in place, the EPFO may be
migrated to the PFRDA regime. The fate of over `3 lakh crores — under
the EPFO — and of over 40 million crore workers is at stake.
***************************************
THE ASIAN AGE
OPINION
TAINTED SAINTS
FARRUKH DHONDY
"He was my cousin, twice removed
— Each time by the police.
He married his brother's mother-in-law
Who was also his sister's niece..."
From A Parsi Family Tree (Ed. Bachchoo)
The sainted become the tainted. The British, and indeed international,
media's latest game is to identify all those who supped with the devil
and weren't equipped with a long spoon. So the Rothschilds who invite
former British Labour minister and operator-in-chief Peter Mandelson
and the "crown prince" of Libya, Seif Gaddafi to their dining tables,
onto their yachts, or to their estates and on their hunts have picked
up the stain of association with a mass murderer. Prime Ministers Tony
Blair and Gordon Brown were political friends with Col. Muammar
Gaddafi before he started butchering his own people. Now they are
scrambling to make some distance.
The famous London School of Economics (LSE) has taken the colonel's
shilling in the form of educational endowments and the disclosure of
the extent and manner of these gifts has caused its director Sir
Howard Davies to resign.
The suggestion is that all dealings with mass murderers and dictators
are cause for concern or at least cause for throwing mud. The mud may
not stick even though it is clear that Col. Gaddafi's son has nothing
but his genes to qualify him for the wealth he dispenses or for his
lifestyle and association with the good and great of the world of
usury.
The flung mud (or other substance) doesn't stick when people judge
that the purpose to which the ill-gotten gains were then put is in
itself noble. Take the case of Mother Teresa of Kolkata. Some years
ago Christopher Hitchens and Tariq Ali made a documentary which proved
that Mother Teresa had taken money for her charitable work from Papa
Doc, the butcher of Haiti, and from Enver Hoxa, the dictator of
Albania. Neither Doc nor Hoxa were well thought of as democrats or as
people and the funds which the sainted Teresa got from them were not
deemed to be hard-earned cash.
Nevertheless, Mother Teresa suffered no ignominy from the disclosure
because what she was doing with the money was seen to be altruistic,
good and even saintly.
The same argument may eventually be applied to Col. Gaddafi's
endowments to the LSE. I wonder, though, if the school has a course in
contemporary north African history and whether its curriculum and
contentions are in any way affected by the acceptance of Libyan money.
In the interests of academic independence, we should be told.
There are murmurs one hears of the Jaipur Literary Festival being
sponsored by philanthropists who do business with Libya. That, of
course, is no reason to suppose that a Libyan or Arab writer who is in
any sense critical of, or satirical about, Col. Gaddafi will not be
invited onto a platform to read or discuss his or her work. Neither is
it fair to assume that the Nirulas (whom I know) who finance wholly or
in part this festival, or indeed the organisers of the festival (also
friends of mine) can in any sense be accused of taking the murderer's
largesse.
The closest I myself ever got to... Well, here's the story, I shan't
give it away: Some years ago I was a commissioning editor of the UK's
Channel 4 TV. The job entailed conceiving and commissioning programmes
and programme makers, paying for the programmes, editorially guiding
them and bargaining with my colleagues and superiors for their
prime-time airing.
I went to a party, a private affair of a friend who happened to be a
TV producer, but not one that worked for me or for Channel 4.
As I walked in, Ray, my host, said, "Great you could make it", or
words to that effect. "There's someone who wants desperately to meet
you."
I got myself a drink and crossing the crowded room was introduced to a
fat gentleman in a dark suit who was seated on a sofa between two
young women. He lumbered to his feet as Mr Ray and I approached and
beamed rather fetchingly as we were introduced.
"I have been very much interested in meeting you", he said with a
heavy, what I took to be Arabic, accent.
I was polite in return and the two young ladies, taking their cue from
the gentleman, stood and vanished into the party to make room for me
on the sofa. I sat, curious.
"Well, I propose to Channel 4 a six-part documentary on the history
this century (it was still the 20th) of West Asia and the Arab world.
We will have everybody speaking, anybody you want — Yasser Arafat,
Sheikh Muhammad Hassan Fedlallah, people from Hezbollah, Hamas, the
Sheikhs, Col. Gaddafi, the main players in Lebanon, Syria, Egypt,
Muslim Brotherhood..."
"Israel?" I asked.
"Of course, of course", he said.
"The main thing, 90 per cent, about such a series is access", I said.
"We have complete access to everyone", he replied.
"Huge enterprise", I said. "Interesting if it comes off and it will
have to have a very experienced producer..."
"Oh, yes, yes, yes", he said. He had anticipated the hurdles he might
encounter in pitching the idea to someone like me. "We have..." and he
mentioned the names of very distinguished BBC directors and producers
(who shall here remain nameless). I knew all the names and knew they'd
done good work. "And it's grand scale, battles, landscape, history
like drama!"
"That's good, but a six-parter? What sort of money were you thinking of?"
It was a social occasion and I didn't want to invite him to meet me
officially with a written proposal without getting some idea of
whether Channel 4 could afford it.
"What about £40,000 per episode?" he said.
"You'd never make it for that!" I said.
A look of resignation came over his face. He'd dealt with amateurs before!
"No, no you don't understand", he said. "We are making the films
ourself. The £40,000 per episode is a present for you."
I thanked him and said I was in need of a drink.
"Who's that fellow?" I asked Mr Ray
He grinned. "He's the Libyan bagman", he said. "No deal?"
I reported the incident to the channel controller the next day.
"Hmmm, £40,000 per episode. Not bad. And you turned that down?" he
said. "So what's your price then, Farrukh?"
***************************************
THE ASIAN AGE
OPINION
THE WAYS & MEANS OF WARREN BUFFETT
SHOBHAA DE
Warren Buffett exhausts me. I'm sure he exhausted several other people
on his virgin trip to India. At 80, he is still at the crease, batting
away… and going by his energy levels, he'll hit his century
effortlessly. It is just not natural for an octogenarian to be jetting
half way around the world at such a hectic speed. He described his
quickie chakkar to India as a "better late than never" trip. And came
up with a booklet-full of quotable quotes, starting with philanthropy
being much harder and riskier than business. At around the same time,
another American billionaire buddy of his, Bill Gates, was also
floating around the countryside, telling us what to do with our money
(earn it — and donate it!). Why do I get the feeling India is being
sent on a massive guilt trip by these two guys? And why do we need to
take lessons in charity from anybody? Least of all super rich
Americans who have made their pile. One of whom has an established
business here, and the other wishes to establish business in India?
Declared the Oracle of Omaha in Bengaluru, "We want to be where the
action is, and the action is here". No kidding, buddy! Someone
obviously forgot to tell these two guys our approach to philanthropy
is different. Daan has always been an intrinsic part of our culture.
If the present generation has callously ignored the message from the
shastras, that's their business. The thought of being lectured to by
people who represent the land of milk and honey and scolded that we
are not doing enough is a bit much. I think it is condescending and
patronising in the extreme for anybody to preach charity. To each his
own. And decision to give or not to give, or even how much to give and
to whom, is a very individual one.
We keep hearing wonderful speeches on corporate social responsibility,
and there are enough people cashing in on the glory attached to it.
But give me a break. Mr Buffett is obviously a very, very generous
chap (he has pledged 99 per cent of his fortune, mainly to the Bill &
Melinda Gates Foundation). Well, good for him. And I am sure the
angels in heaven (where his seat is guaranteed) will compose a special
song for him when he gets to the pearly gates. But right now, what he
is doing in India is scouting around for fresh opportunities to make
still more money. He has his "brother or son" Shri Ajit Jain to help
him invest in the country via Berkshire Hathaway (more chewing gum,
anyone?). We are cool with that. We are also cool with more fizzy
drinks (thanda matlab…?) hitting our stores, what with summer around
the corner and over a billion parched throats to quench. Mr Buffett
says he hasn't come her with an "elephant gun" loaded for
acquisitions, but hey, we are cool with that, too. India is original
elephant country.
I am confused. Perhaps I am too "retarded" (Mr Buffett's word to
describe the delay in his coming to India) to get it. But the man is
here to make even more money — right? And after he has made it, he
will donate it, right? Meanwhile, his shareholders will be a happy
lot, since Mr Buffett has assured them he is scaling up and looking at
big markets like India, China and Brazil. He also told overwhelmed,
gushing reporters that he feels he has more money than he needs — he
eats well, takes vacations, watches movies… the regular stuff lesser
mortals indulge in even without those billions and trillions. So, the
logical question to ask him is this: "Why do you want to make more
money, sir?" His answer will be: "The more money I make, the more I
can give". Noble.
Our Mr and Mrs Money Bags are being prodded into following the
Gates-Buffett pattern of giving. They are being coerced into parting
with large portions of their wealth because they are told it makes
them look good. Heaven knows how convinced they are about all this
giving-shiving of their paisa, and God knows what their children think
about it ("Grrrrrr… Dad! Mom! Ab mera kya hoga?"). But "giving" is the
new a la mode statement to make. And all these "new" and "improved"
charity drives amongst loaded desis have a lot to do with keeping up
with the Buffetts. How can you hope to sit at the high table in Davos
if you haven't announced a humungous donation to a pet cause? Without
knocking these magnanimous gestures of our do-gooders, it is amusing
to note the publicity machine that goes into overdrive when these
grand donations are made. There's nothing quiet or discreet about
charity these days. And perhaps Gates/Buffett will argue the more you
talk about it, the more it inspires others to reach for their wallets.
I dunno. I have seen some high-profile charity auctions at which dodgy
millionaires have crept out of the woodwork for the all important
photo-ops… only to creep right back again… zero follow-ups, zero
money. Where does all that lolly go? Any answers? The second and third
richest men in the world doing zabardasti with the 55 desi
co-billionaires featured on the Forbes 2011 list are definitely
pushing their luck. Coaxing these guys to sign The Giving Pledge
followed by a public statement and letter is really a bit much, as
pressure tactics go. The Chinese are smarter. After a similar
initiative in China last September, not a single Chinese billionaire
who showed up for the banquet bothered to sign the pledge. That's what
is called the ultimate Oriental snub. Let's see whether the
multi-course Indian buffet piles on more on the table than the Chinese
one. Or else, the world's most famous philanthropists may go home
hungry and disappointed. No such thing as a free lunch… perhaps India
is not the moveable feast Bill and Warren expected it to be!
Readers can send feedback to www.shobhaade.blogspot.com
***************************************
THE ASIAN AGE
OPINION
DON'T HIT N-BUTTON
SHEEL KANT SHARMA
A nuclear accident anywhere is an accident everywhere — this maxim has
been central to nuclear safety in the years since Chernobyl.
It seems that once again all the labours of the scientists and
engineers who sought to usher in a nuclear renaissance are turning
Sisyphean in the wake of Japan's tragic ordeal. Japan's nuclear
catastrophe, with unprecedented scenes of virtual "parlay" in city
after coastal city in the country's north-east areas, is drawing
sharper and narrower international focus by the day. For better or
worse, this has brought the pro-nuclear denouement of the past decade
to ground zero.
As S.K. Jain, chairman of India's Nuclear Power Corporation Ltd,
noted, "This event may be a big dampener for our programme. We and the
Department of Atomic Energy will definitely revisit the entire thing,
including our new reactor plans, after we receive more information
from Japan". This is on the lines of what Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh has ordered, as he informed Parliament.
This sober approach would be essential to resolve the issues
predicated on India's hunger for clean energy, for no matter how one
looks at India's long-term energy mix, the nuclear component in it
cannot be wished away. Although events in Japan are unprecedented, the
drawing of parallels with Japan's crisis by every country would appear
to spell an irrational panic. This is because each country (and the
nature of its nuclear reactors) need not necessarily replicate the
extraordinary situation obtaining in Japan. After all, the Japanese
people are facing, as their Prime Minister pointed out, their worst
crisis since World War II.
The unusual challenges thrown up in Fukushima were just not
visualised. So, there can be no room for any "I told you so". It does
appear, all things considered, that instead of professional scientists
and engineers, those jumping into the fray at the moment are more of
the dyed-in-the-wool campaigner variety, people who are against
nuclear power or the nuclear power industry in any case.
What are the facts so far? A tsunami occurred, brought about by an
earthquake of 9.0 magnitude, among the rarest in living history. Even
so, the extraordinary phenomenon could not prevent the shut down of
the nuclear reactors, a critical consideration. We may recall that in
the case of the Chernobyl accident (1986), the reactor could not be
shut down. This led to uncontrolled chain reaction, causing dangerous
spread of radioactivity in eastern and central Europe.
In contrast, the Fukushima Daiichi reactors could be immediately shut
down. Indeed, the problem in Japan arose from an entirely different
source — reactor fuel rods. These also contain highly radioactive
elements and cause overheating even after reactor shutdown. All the
reactors in Fukushima depend upon power supply and diesel backup
generators to pump coolant water to prevent such over-heating. The
severity of the crisis arose from the complete break down of the power
supply for these pumps due to the massive earthquake.
Such a severe breakdown is the first of its kind in the history of
nuclear accidents. It bears noting that India's nuclear power reactors
— in the main — differ from the reactors at Fukushima, which are light
water reactors fuelled by enriched uranium (except unit three which
has about six per cent mix of plutonium).
Of the 441 nuclear power reactors worldwide, 369 are light water
reactors but their designs and fuel cycles vary within the broad
category. India's reactors, in contrast, are mostly heavy water
moderated and natural uranium fuelled. The exceptions are a US reactor
at Tarapur and two Russian ones at Kudankulam (fuelled by enriched
uranium), but these are different in design from those in Fukushima.
The factors feeding a fear psychosis in the wake of the recent Japan
experience possibly lie elsewhere. European Greens demonstrating
against nuclear power and those forcing Germany's decision to put off
life extension of its plants also harbour enduring discontent about
the masterly inaction seen in the face of climate change risks.
In India, the experience of Bhopal fires the anger of anti-nuclear
agitators who fear a repeat of callous indifference in the event of
industrial disasters in general. Besides, the long history of
despondence and inadequate preparation against recurrent natural
disasters, especially in the developing world, also contributes to a
fear psychosis. In the event, nuclear power becomes an easy whipping
horse.
The events in Japan provide compelling lessons for nuclear
engineering, lessons that may lead to transforming the basic approach
to reactor design and nuclear safety, as had indeed happened after
Chernobyl, too. Informed comment on Japan's current ordeal cites the
considerable evolution in safety designs of modern reactors, which now
have what the experts call passive safety features based on defence in
depth. This, for instance, rules out sole dependence for cooling on
pumps. It has also been argued that Japanese reactor designs were of
the Seventies vintage. These are surpassed by better reactors today.
The Japanese crisis may also embolden critics of advances in fuel
cycle, for example mixed oxide fuel (Mox) adding plutonium to uranium
oxide, or breeder reactors which produce more plutonium than they
consume, or the closed fuel cycle in general, which is basic to
India's approach to nuclear power. Even before the Fukushima accident,
industry lobbies were dismissive of reactors based on plutonium fuel.
Also dragged under scrutiny may be India's long-cherished three-stage
plan which relies on reactors to first produce plutonium from natural
uranium fuel, then fast breeder reactors, and finally a third stage
when thorium can fire reactors.
The first fast breeder reactor at Kalpakkam is due for completion this
year. This will raise India's profile. It is noteworthy that the
Kalpakkam centre successfully shut down reactors and managed the
safety of its workers after the 2004 tsunami. We should beware that in
a competitive world Kalpakkam's success may not be to everyone's
liking.
In taking stock of the Japanese crisis, the differences between the
specifics of the Japanese and the Indian situation must be borne in
mind. For start-up reactors, the crisis serves a timely warning to
learn lessons, not to engage in scare-mongering.
Sheel Kant Sharma was India's ambassador to the International Atomic
Energy Agency, Vienna
***************************************
******************************************************************************************
DNA
HOW CASTE-BASED CENSUS DATA WOULD CHANGE INDIAN MARKETS
RAHUL ROUSHAN
With separate OBC count slated to take place from June to September,
the strategic management groups of various companies in India have
started thinking over ways to use the caste data for profitable
business initiatives.
Industry leaders believe that while the census results might put
renewed pressure on the private sector to implement reservations in
jobs, there were positive aspects to it as well.
"We would come to know which part of India hosts which all castes in
what proportions, and we can come up with caste-specific products and
services," said Vishal, strategic brand manager with Idea Cellular,
who is planning to come up with caste-based recharge coupons such as
Yadavji 500 or Rajput 300.
"Mobile companies had earlier launched 786 rupees recharge coupons in
Muslim-dominated areas during Ramzan, and it was well received.
Unfortunately, we lacked data on castes till now," informed Vishal.
FMCG companies too have started re-evaluating their sales and
distribution strategy and are all set to incorporate the caste-based
data in their supply chain management.
"Apart from coming up with innovative ideas for direct selling to
different caste groups, we would also have to factor in caste of a
person while selecting dealers or whole-sellers in different areas," a
senior manager in a soap manufacturing company said.
The government sector is also happy as the caste-based census has
caused the budget for the exercise to be increased from Rs2,793.62
crore in 2010-11 to Rs4,123.62 crore in the current financial year.
But most active are the advertising agencies and entertainment
professionals, who believe that the caste-based data would open a new
dimension to the way businesses were done in India till date.
"Till now, soap-operas were with cultural themes and settings; stories
of saas-bahu from Punjabi, Gujarati, Rajasthani and these days even
from UP-Bihari families. We knew the population strength and spread of
these cultural groups and their purchasing power, and planned and
advertised new serials accordingly. Now we'd have such data on
thousands of castes. You can imagine the outcome," said an executive
producer with Colors TV.
Producers at Sony Entertainment Television also confirmed that they
were planning to incorporate caste-based data while selecting
candidates for 6th season of Indian Idol.
"It will help us get a very accurate estimate on quantum of SMS
revenue earned when people send in SMS votes in support of each
candidate. It would also help us plan better on ways of promotion of a
candidate and the show in different areas of the country," a producer
of the show said.
The channel is planning to exhort people to vote for candidates of
their respective castes to win the reality show, something people are
accustomed to doing during theassembly and general elections.
Rahul Roushan thinks he can make some sense through
nonsense. He attempts the same through his news satire website
www.fakingnews.com
***************************************
DNA
OF AIR, JELLY, AND FLYING PLANES
ASHOK KRISH
There are people who are afraid of air travel. The first time I flew,
I was mildly nervous too. After all, a strange looking cigar shaped
object with wings (with me in it) was hurtling down a runway at close
to 200 kph with the intent to lift off.
Any prior experience with objects moving at high velocity is unlikely
to have ended well. Cars topple. Trains derail. Autos in Chennai cause
nausea. So it's not surprising that the sum of one's experiences and
conventional wisdom dictate that something bus-like is going to find
it hard to elevate off the ground. Since we are not birds (or bats),
gravity is like the stentorian father who is tight on the purse
strings while Bernoulli's principle is that mythical liberal uncle who
rarely visits.
No amount of statistical evidence is going to convince the first-time
flier of the fundamental safeness of air travel. And even when one is
airborne, there is always this mild sense of an unlikely miracle. As
land mammals, sitting strapped to a seat while flying through the air
at 700 kph is not something our evolution has prepared us to deal
with.
Most people eventually get used to it. It almost becomes a necessary
life risk to take because there simply is no other way to get from
Bombay to Naperville, Illinois. One can theoretically still take a
ship to New York, a train to Chicago and the share auto from O'Hare
airport, but as one might imagine, it is slightly inconvenient. But as
I continued to fly more, I became curious why air travel was, as a
matter of fact, the safest way to travel in the world. How does an
airplane defy gravity while being extraordinary safe at the same time?
More crucially, I was looking for ways to convince some one who is
afraid that his flight might be the one to crash that it is rather
unlikely to do so. In short, what visually intuitive explanation can
convince a layperson that an airplane actually "wants" to stay afloat
in the air?
The first part of this, most people understand. Certain aerodynamic
shapes achieve lift when they manage to convince more air to move
under them than over them. The wing flaps that the pilot manipulates
at take-off and landing time achieve this.
But what most folks don't realise is that it's air resistance that
eventually keeps a plane afloat. At speeds humans can manage (20 kph),
air resistance is negligible. At 700 kph, the air around the plane
feels like jelly. So imagine swimming through jelly. Quite easy, no?
That is why an airplane is overwhelmingly safe as long as engines
don't fail, and they have ample backup engines in case of any failure.
Really, they should teach this at school.
Slightly techie, moderately musical, severely blogging, timepassly tweeting.
***************************************
DNA
A MAN MANAGING MENOPAUSE
PADDY RANGAPPA
Under the guise of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), my wife could be
irritable, tense and unreasonable every month. I managed to keep a
track of her PMS schedule to ensure her bouts of irritability were in
sync with the laws of nature. But with the advent of menopause, she no
longer needs to conform to a routine: she can be irritable and moody
at any time. So there's no schedule to track: all I can do is observe
how menopause has changed her.
First, her memory has sharpened.
Remembering where I put the car keys last night is noble but her
memory now leaps backwards to explore less meritorious areas with
scalpel-like precision.
The other day, I was quietly reading the newspaper, when my wife
plucked it out of my hands:
"Stop hiding behind the newspaper! Don't you feel any remorse for
leaving me in the hospital alone and going off to play billiards?"
"What?! When?" I spluttered.
"Don't pretend to forget. It was when I was expecting our first child."
"Oh, I remember now," I said, "But I explained and apologised for the
misunderstanding. It happened over 20 years ago… the boy is in college
now. Can't you forget it?"
She shook her head. "It's etched too firmly in my memory. And what
about the other time when the boy was four? You promised to visit my
mother and…"
Second, her sensitivity, always a forte, has heightened; gaining an
added sparkle, it focuses on areas she was hitherto indifferent
towards.
I was enjoying a shower when I heard a sharp knock on the door.
"Yes?" I said, turning off the faucet.
"Can you please stop that?" my wife shouted through the door, "It's
very irritating."
"But if I don't shower, I will look and smell unclean," I replied with
patient logic, "which may be more irritating."
"You can shower," she said, "But stop singing!"
I admit my singing - loud and tuneless - can be daunting especially if
imposed suddenly on someone with a weak heart. But I thought my wife
had got accustomed to it.
Similarly, when I was relaxing in bed enjoying an absorbing live
football match on television, she asked me to turn down the volume.
"But it's the middle of the Champions League final!" I protested.
"It's also the middle of the night," she said, "3 am, in fact."
"But I can't hear the crowd if I turn down the volume."
"Is the crowd playing the game?" she asked unreasonably, "If you need
the noise, watch the match in the living room."
"What? Do you mean watch it sitting down? And on the smaller television set?"
That is exactly what she meant.
Third, she has begun to make dazzling connections between seemingly
unrelated things.
At the mall, I wandered into a golf store to pick up some balls. I was
surprised to see my wife next to me because she normally steers clear
of the sp2orts aisles.
"Are you buying more golf balls?" she asked.
I nodded.
"Why?"
Surely this couldn't be a trick question?
"To play golf," I said.
"Well, I think you shouldn't," she said, "you've started snoring a
lot." As I gaped trying to make the connection, she went on, "I've
been reading about snoring. It can result from being overweight and
not exercising enough. So if you played less golf and went for a run
instead, your snoring would reduce."
I sat pensively in front of my computer and brooded about menopause.
It gives the woman a competitive advantage in a marriage. In
desperation, I typed "male menopause" into Google. Bonanza! Apparently
we men can go through a mid-life crisis too! I read rapidly and with
rising excitement; then sought out my wife.
"Did you know," I said, "that I will soon be going through male
menopause – andropause if you want to get technical? My moods can
swing. I can become lethargic, listless and less inclined to physical
activity. I can be unreasonable and get irritated."
"Yes," my wife said and placed a tender hand on my shoulder, "You've
been displaying all the symptoms for a year but I didn't want to hurt
you by bringing it up. But don't worry," she continued with a twinkle
in her eye, "I've not been keeping track."
Paddy Rangappa is a freelance writer based in Singapore. Read more on his blog:
http://theflip-side.blogspot.com
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******************************************************************************************
DAILY EXCELSIOR
EDITORIAL
TRYST WITH CORRUPTION
India, once known as a country with high moral and ethical standards,
seems to be sinking to the depths of ignominy because of rampant
corruption. It is a painful scenario that we are enlisted among the
corrupt countries of the world. This generation has brought disrepute
to our great sages and savants, thinkers and preceptors who had
assiduously and over centuries built a formidable structure of Indian
society based on high standard of morality and ethical code. It is
surprising how quickly we have fallen victim to the depths of ill
repute. While talking of corruption in public conduct, we invariably
hold political leaders and activists responsible for moral turpitude
and depravity. This generalization is unjustified and unacceptable.
Essentially, it is attributable to under-developed personality that
allows political leaders to exploit the situation. A nation with
strong and independent personality does not succumb to moral turpitude
that easy. When corruption becomes a social phenomenon, it is a signal
that civil society is diseased. High standards of morality are not
enforced through legislation or prerogatives; it is the gift of
advanced culture and philosophy. Abandoning traditional learning that
infused austerity and contentment as virtues composing a wholesome
living is a big loss we inflicted on ourselves after the attainment of
independence. It is sensible to separate religion from politics if we
want good governance, but ethics as integral component of faith cannot
be separated from good governance. In that sense religion does have a
place in functional politics. Traditional learning of scriptures and
theological fund forms the basis of standard ethical code, which in
turn churns up the philosophy of good governance. Unfortunately we
discarded that healthy part of our tradition under the mad rush for
modern civilizational pattern. In the process, we lost our ethical and
moral moorings. This is a punishment inflicted on us by that section
of our freedom movement leadership which, in blind imitation of
western political school of thought, partially lost its indigenous
mores. How can we expect an ethics- based society to com up when the
very roots of ethics, meaning religion, remain eroded? It is this
scenario that has given rise to double-edged corruption; double-edged
because the indicted person first denies being corrupt and then
castigates the social system for indicting him.
The legislative assembly was told that there are 210 cases of
corruption pertaining to various government departments pending proper
disposal. No fewer than 449 gazetted officers of the state are
involved. The range of corruption is vast from bribery to forgery,
from embezzlement to misuse of power, from narcotic trade to gun
running and what not. Hardly any sector of social and public service
is left out of corruption. The contagion has spread from top to
bottom. Apart from the reason of lack of a sense of social
responsibility and awareness of moral and ethnical bindings, total
laxity in accountability has immensely contributed to the outspread of
corruption. This brings us to a debate on the question of shortening
the circle of legal protection to a corrupt state employee. Legal
fight over a corruption case is usually protracted and time consuming.
Whether the indicted person is punished or not is a different matter.
Prolonging the accountability to indefinite period considerably
dilutes public interest and trust in the judicial process. Imagine in
a state where 449 officers of gazetted rank are implicated in cases of
corruption, what will be the standard of overall governance and
administration. In all western democracies corruption cases are dealt
with in accordance with the law of the land most expeditiously so that
a wrong signal of authorities conniving at corruption is not spread.
In our country we find the reverse of it and we take shelter behind
the outdated and redundant juridical intervention. Why not the system
be reformed to meet new requirements of present-day society. Reforming
the educational system by introducing tradition-based study of ethical
code simultaneously with adopting strict norms of accountability
should be the two-pronged strategy for eradicating corruption in the
entire administrative and governance structure of the state. The time
and tide wait for no one. Keeping tryst with corruption is keeping
tryst with disaster.
***************************************
DAILY EXCELSIOR
EDITORIAL
BELEAGUERED STATE TRANSPORT
Responding to questions in the Assembly, the State Transport Minister
indirectly conceded that transport network in the twin backward and
hilly districts of Doda and Kishtwar was far from satisfactory. Bad
roads or no roads and, in addition, shortage of passenger carriers are
some of the problems of beleaguered State Transport Department.
Statistics reveal that most of the road accidents that claim large
toll of human lives usually happen in this sector. It is pertinent
that while the Transport Department will increase the number of buses
plying on the roads in this sector, the question of safe
transportation and avoidance of fatal accidents should also form
essential part of State Transport Department's policy and plans. It
asks for cooperation with other departments like PWD, tourism, power,
medical and social welfare. A clear and objective policy of hill
sector transportation has to be evolved and enforced. Most of the
accidents are caused by overloading. Effective steps have to be taken
to put and end to this dangerous practice. Since the frequency of bus
trips is limited on most of the roads in this sector, it is
understandable that passengers would not want to miss the bus in
practical terms. Apart from increasing the number of buses plying on
various routes of the region, it might be advisable to deploy small
buses with lesser seating capacity so that safety of passengers is
ensured. Buses with a maximum of 18 seats would be ideal for these
routes. Widening of the main links, reducing sharp angles at turns and
diversions, establishing more first aid clinics en route, closer
checking for speed limit and regular certification of fitness of the
vehicle should also be among the protective measures. When an
overloaded bus meets with accident, the traffic authorities concerned
must first be brought to book. Punishment under rules for negligence
or dereliction of duty is a very effective way of stemming occurrence
of major road accidents.
***************************************
DAILY EXCELSIOR
EDITORIAL
THE LIBYAN WAR
MEN, MATTERS & MEMORIES
BY ML KOTRU
Muammar Guadaffi, for all you know, may at the time of writing, well
be writing his own epitaph on his tent like palaces, as the old
colonialists are itching to teach the once feared Libyan leader the
lesson of his life. You do not have to be a colonialist sympathizer to
foretell the outcome of the war on Libya led by the pint-sized French
President Sarkozy. This is the democratic coalition, namely the US,
the U.K., France and how could I forget the greater democracies, Saudi
Arabia, Bahrain, UAE and Qatar. That Germany has opted out, getting
embroiled obviously does not concern Barack Obama, the son of a Muslim
Black and a White Mother, one who bears a Muslim middle name.
Russia, India and China had said 'no' to the "pro-democracy" US, U.K.,
France etc. in the Security Council when it ordered enforcement of a
no-fly zone over Libya which is another way of opening up the oil rich
desert country to the "liberating" colonialists. So, when President
Guadaffi, a despot for sure, was busying taming the rebels in Benghazi
and other parts of his country the liberators declared enough is
enough and with Sarkozy leading the first punch; a full-scale attack
on Libya was launched.
Some 18 years later I heard almost the entire US Defence set-up, past
and present, trying to draw the limits of the latest American
flirtation with fate. The gruesome Tsunami that threatened Japan and
its neighbourhood with a nuclear disaster slowly moved to the
background on the western wire media.
Instead the countdown had begun for Western air strikes. There was no
end to their glee when they broadcast that Guadaffi's palace in
Tripoli had been hit, later admitted to be the administrative office
of the Libyan leader. The question I am trying to find an answer for
is how is the Western attack on Libya any different from the one on
Iraq whose much maligned dictator, Saddam Hussain, was accused of
possessing weapons of mass destruction which later turned out to be a
ruse a to cover up for a regime change.
As a consequence that expedition has left Iraq in ruins, still trying
to find a stable Government even as the Americans and their
collaborators have left. Afghanistan continues to be the mother of
current American obsessions in the region, Osama Bin Laden, still the
elusive quarry with Pakistan drawn into the very heart of the endless
killings in Afghanistan as much as within it own territorial confines.
Obama has finally decided to pull out of Afghanistan at a later date
but the ghost of Osama Bin Laden and Mullah Omar, the Taliban chief,
continues to haunt him and his Generals. I am not unduly surprised by
the collective set- back the US alliance suffered when the Egyptian
youth rose against the 41-year old dictatorial rule of Hosni Mubarak.
Nothing more than advisories to the then besieged Egyptian leader was
considered necessary by the likes of Obama and Hillary Clinton. It was
only when the Egyptian Army changed its stance in favour of the change
the youth sought that Mubarak was advised to move out of Cairo to
Shram ul Sheikh, Mubarak's favourite resort.
The Americans have stood by like a concerned guardian as Bahrain stood
up to the challenge of its Shiite majority. Yemen continues to be
another blind spot. Y'see the Americans believe in having both sides
of their bread buttered. So goose for the Saudi for gander need not be
sause for the Libyan gainder. The Saudis who own a big slice of
American economy also are one of the major producers of oil, like
Libya. So you retain one's loyalty by offering him a slice of your big
pie and try to teach the other (Libya or Iraq, if you will) a lesson
through sheer use of force.
That's why the royal houses of the UAE or Bahrain need not be
particularly upset about the mass upsurges against them. "Uncle Sham"
will ensure that they are out of harms way. That's why the American
channel CNN never tired last week of mentioning UAE, Qatar and Bahrain
as fellow travelers in the war on that "mad dog" (Ronald Regan's
description) Guadaffi.
And there is talk afoot already of giving more teeth on ground to
Guadaffi opponents. I heard one of the top US Admirals openly
wondering in a TV debate whether the US should or should not consider
making weaponry more easily accessible to the rebels. As it is most of
the rebels have somehow gained access to modern weaponry even before
the UN Security Council enforced no-fly zone edict.
The rebels had already formed a transitional national council to act
as the face of "revolution." They took care then to mention that
theirs was no interim government.
Not that it made any difference to the rebellion. The Americans
meanwhile on the third day of the no-fly decision are deeply concerned
whether they, the ordinary Americans, about to be involved in yet
another avoidable war. Perhaps it was a palliative for them to
designate the Libyan expedition as one led by France.
A word perhaps about Libya's principal mineral resource: petroleum
amounting to 22,800,000,000 bbl (3,034,000,000 metric tons) and there
is much more yet to be explored. The tribe, or quabilah, remains the
basic unit of Libya's social structure. Berbers, formerly the major
ethnic group, have been largely assimilated into the Arab culture.
Italians, Greeks, Blacks and Jews are other ethnic groups. Most of the
population is Sunni Muslim and 2.5 are Christians. About two thirds of
the population is heavily concentrated in Tripoli and Benghazi, with
the overall population density a mere five persons per square mile.
Libya's literacy rate has improved dramatically from about 20 percent
in the early 50's to about 77 percent in 1990.
The discovery of oil in 1959 transformed Libya into a prosperous
monarchy and a decade later a group of Army Officers led by Col.
Muammar Guadaffi deposed the King and made the country a Pan-Arab and
puritanically Muslim republic. Guadaffi snapped ties with the USA and
the UK while maintaining a strong support for the Palestinian and
guerilla movements in Africa and elsewhere.
In 1997 hostilities erupted with Egypt. The US snapped its ties with
Libya and in 1986 executed a short night-time bombing raid over
Tripoli and Benghazi. That was the provocation for Ronald Reagan to
call Guadaffi 'that mad dog in Libya'.
And 24 years later Obama seems to have taken upon himself to avenge
the insults hurled by Guadaffi on Reagan. Not that Muammar Guadaffi
needed a provocation. He had already become a thorn in the sides of
many countries inimical to the splendrous show of power the Libyan
leader made. The dice seems currently loaded against the Libyan and in
favour of Saudi Arabia. I only hope that the Saudi-US tie-up doesn't
follow the old fool- hardy policy of pumping quality armour and cash
into Afghanistan and Pakistan to arm the so-called Mujahideen to fight
the Soviets for nearly a decade and more in Afghanistan, the very arms
and cash (the latter to keep the US defence industry in fine trim)
which is currently used by the Taliban to defeat the Americans in
Afghanistan and Pakistan. Islamabad had even then used both the money
and the armour to strengthen its defences.
True to form the Americans are using similar tactics adopted prior to
Iraq and have indeed emulated these with gusto, denying, accepting and
denying yet again that Col. Guadaffi's palace had been hit. An
American spokesman, curiously the French are supposed to be leading
the operation in Libya, went into denial when confronted with some
odds and ends from the palace. The Libyan spokesman on the other hand
was more forthright in admitting that the building hit by American
cruise missiles from air and from sea had only flattened the
administrative block of the palace.
The Western planes had also targeted densely populated areas of
Tripoli which by itself, with Benghazi, accounts for twothirds of
Libya's population. You can't miss large clusters of populated areas
even with high precision bombing. How precise can you be in such
densely populated areas !
***************************************
DAILY EXCELSIOR
EDITORIAL
IN THE INTEREST OF DEMOCRACY
BY SHIBAN KHAIBRI
From many a quarter, opinions are expressed that the Prime Minister Dr
Manmohan Singh should now resign. When scams like Aadarsh, CWG, 2G
Spectrum, Radio tapes and the issue of the CVC's controversial
appointment surfaced, one after the other, no such demand arose, even
from his bete noire political critics but why now, especially after
the Wiki Leak expose on UPA 1 trust vote controversy? The question
arises as to what should be the yard stick based on political, moral
and ethical propriety, that should determine the circumstances and the
set norms, warranting the resignation of the Prime Minister.
It may be recalled that when Justice J L Sinha of Allahabad High Court
passed the judgment quashing Smt Indira Gandhi's election to the Lok
Sabha on the ground of electoral malpractices and banned her from
contesting elections for six years, she did not resign, perhaps
sending the clear message that the Indian Prime Minister occupies a
unique position and is the most powerful though technically a primus
interpares or the first among the equals and chairman of the cabinet.
The combined opposition then was forced to announce launching of a
joint political tirade against her from June 29, 1975 but she
preempted their move by imposing emergency on June 25/26, 1975. At
that time, the opposition was not divided but fully united and the
socialist stalwart Jai Prakash Narayan, did renounce his political
sanyas and led the opposition to a logical conclusion.
The grounds seeking Dr Singh's resignation not withstanding, the
opposition, this time, is divided on the issue and are found wanting
in being in possession of the requisite teeth and the spark, as a
result of which the benefit is reaped by Dr Singh who has otherwise
grown from an academician of repute, to a perfect politician,
employing all the traits of political prowess and adroitness in
political matters of the country. However, it is appropriate to argue
that on one of the grounds or at least on all combined grounds listed
hereunder, the PM should have offered to resign. Equally the other
view cannot be brushed aside that taking into account his personal
integrity and honesty, it is not fair to ask him to quit, so to say,
even at the drop of a hat. Let it be analyzed.
In the run up to the present Lok Sabha elections, in many public
meetings addressed by Dr Singh, he promised forcefully and with the
conviction of an Economist, that if voted to power, he would arrange a
complete turnaround of the econmy and take effective steps towards
eradication of corruption in just 100 days. The bargain seemed
worthwhile and the people voted UPA to power with comparatively an
enviable number of seats, much against the expectations of the
Congress party. The due date or the dead line of the promise fell on
Aug. 31, 2009. What happened in reality is known to all. Even after as
much as six times the dead line of the complete turnaround, and the
Aam Aadmi reeling under the spiraling price rise of basic essentials,
he was asked many times by the media persons, as to when the prices
would come down, the Economist Prime Minister's political reply was,
''I am not an astrologer.''
The Chief Vigilance Commissioner was appointed by the Prime Minister,
being head of the three member panel, dissecting the adverse remarks
of the Leader of the Opposition, who happens to be one of the three
members on the panel of selection committee. Recently the Hon'ble
Supreme Court of India quashed the CVC's appointment terming it as
''illegal and void''. Even thereafter, P J Thomas refused to resign
instantaneously ignoring the appeal of the government asking him to
resign. The question again is how come government ignored Thomas's
taint in palmolein case. GE Vahanvati, the Attorney General, in the
affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, submitted that ''the fact
that there was a pending case and he (Thomas) was an accused was not
brought before the committee'' which was aptly rebutted by the Leader
of the Opposition.
The Supreme Court, again came down heavily on the central government
for failing to crack the whip on black money hoarders and took
exception to the uncalled for transfers of the three top officials of
Enforcement Directorate, who allegedly were transferred midway during
the probe in the case of Foreign Exchange Law violations by a Pune
business magnate, Hassan Ali Khan. The court had to pronounce, ''What
the hell is going on?''
It was further observed that at times, violators of IPC 144 are shot
at but a clear case of stashing of billions by Ali in foreign banks
has not subjected him and other black money launderers to custodial
interrogation. Justices B Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar observed that
if the government failed to act, the court would be compelled to
appoint a special officer to supervise the probe against the
offenders. On what basis, did the Union Finance Minister, Pranab
Mukherjee, last month, in a press conference, virtually give Ali a
clean chit by saying that his account showed no such transactions
while the country's Tax authorities had already served a notice of Rs
50,000 crores on him? This is shrouded in mystery and is giving enough
room to smell a rat.
Spectrum scam of such a massive magnitude, did take place and came
into lime light mainly because of the praise worthy role played by the
media and action had to be initiated, the progress of the
investigations being monitored by the Hon'ble Supreme Court. During
the tenure of UPA 1, it had vividly been felt that the Minister A
Raja's role had not been found free from speculations and doubts. It
was expected that either he would not be given a cabinet berth in UPA
2 government or would get a portfolio other than the
Telecommunications but as the Prime Minister said that such decisions
had to be taken under the compulsions of coalition politics, he was
given the same, his choicest portfolio the results of which reportedly
resulted in massive loss to the exchequer.
Coming to the revelations of the Wikileaks, in respect of managing the
crucial vote of confidence of UPA 1 in July 2008 following the
divergent stands pursued both by the Congress party and the left on US
Nuclear deal, the same cannot be brushed aside in totality as we saw
in a similar case when in 1993 Narsimha Rao Government'' steered
through ''JMM, the confidence vote in the Parliament. At that time,
vote for note revelations were not made by Wiki Leaks but by agencies
from within the country and Narsimha Rao had to face the court
proceedings as well. The recent leaks speak about the excruciating
details about the Indo US Nuclear deal and an aide to a Congress
leader quoted as having said to Pol Couns, US official, that money was
paid to some MPs and more were to be paid to ensure a win in the trust
vote in Parliament on July 22, 2008. In response to the denial of the
PM, Wiki leaks Editor Jullian Assange, in an interview with NDTV's
Prannoy Roy on March 21, 2011 said that the denial of vote for note by
the Indian PM was aiming at misleading the country. He further said
that there was no doubt that these were bonafide reports sent by
American Ambassador to Washington. First not accepting and then
denying is the behaviour of a guilty man. It is proved that money has
become the mantra, the soul, the aim, the criteria and the guarantee
to get any thing done in the polity of the country of Mahatma Gandhi.
Parliamentary democracy therefore stands grossly threatened. The PM
should, therefore, resign to come clean.
***************************************
DAILY EXCELSIOR
EDITORIAL
CHINA'S POTENT CHALLENGE
BY BRIG.(RETD) S.N. SACHADEVA
After announcing a mere 7.5 per cent jump in its defence budget, the
first time since the 1980s that its defence spending increased in
single-digit percentage, China is back to its double digit defence
budget this year. Beijing has announced that its official defence
budget for 2011 will rise by 12.7 per cent from the previous year.
China's largely secretive military modernisation programme is
producing results faster than expected. Beijing is gearing up to
challenge the US military prowess in the Pacific. It is refitting a
Soviet-era Ukrainian aircraft carrier for deployment next year and
more carriers are under construction in Shanghai. China's submarine
fleet is the largest in Asia and is undergoing refurbishments
involving nuclear powered vessels and ballistic missile equipped subs.
Its anti-ship ballistic missile (ASBM) system, developed specifically
to target US carrier strike groups, has reached initial operational
capability much earlier than expected. And earlier this year,
photographs appeared on Chinese internet sites of what is apparently
China's first stealth fighter during a runway test in western China.
China has already shown its prowess in anti-satellite warfare and has
redeployed its nuclear warheads onto mobile launchers and advanced
submarines. In a marked shift in China's no-first-use policy, Chinese
leaders have indicated that they would consider launching pre-emptive
strikes if they found the country in a 'critical situation,' thereby
lowering the threshold of nuclear threats. There is a growing debate
in the PLA about whether to discard conditionalities on China's
commitments to no-first use.
China is a rising power with the world's second largest economy and a
growing global footprint. It would like to have a military ready and
willing to defend these interests. But it is the opaqueness
surrounding China's military upgradation that is the real sources of
concern. China does not believe in transparency. In fact, the PLA
follows Sun Tzu who argues that "the essence of warfare is creating
ambiguity in the perceptions of the enemy."
China continues to defend its military upgradation by claiming that it
needs offensive capability for Taiwan-related emergencies. But clearly
its sights are now focused on the US. China wants to limit American
ability to project power into the western Pacific.
It wants to prevent a repeat of its humiliation in 1996 when the US
aircraft carriers could move around unmolested in the Taiwan Strait
and deter Chinese provocations. Not surprisingly, the steady build up
of a force with offensive capabilities well beyond Chinese territory
is causing consternation in Washington and among China's neighbours.
This comes at a time of Chinese assertiveness on territorial disputes
with Japan, India and Southeast Asian countries.
American technological prowess and war-fighting experience will ensure
that China will not be able to catch up very easily. China is still at
least a generation behind the US militarily. But the Pentagon's most
recent assessment of China's military strategy argues that despite
persistent efforts, the US understanding of how much China's
government spends on defence "has not improved measurably."
At a time when the US is increasingly looking inwards, China's
military rise has the potential to change the regional balance of
power to India's disadvantage. It is not entirely clear that China has
well-defined external policy objectives though her means, both
economic and military, to pursue policies, are greater than at any
time in the recent past. Yet, there is no need for India to counter
China by matching weapon for weapon or bluster for bluster. India will
have to look inwards to prepare for the China challenge.
After all, China has not prevented India from pursing economic reforms
and decisive governance, developing its infrastructure and border
areas, and from intelligently investing in military capabilities.
If India could deal with stoicism the China challenge in 1987, when
there was a real border stand-off between the two, there should be
less need for alarm today when India is a much stronger nation,
economically and militarily. A resurgent India of 2011 needs new
reference points to manage its complex relationship with the
superpower-in-waiting China.
Despite this, India's own defence modernisation programme is
faltering. This year the Indian government has allocated only 1.8 per
cent of the GDP to defence, though ostensibly the military expenditure
has gone up by 11.58 per cent. This is only the second time in over
three decades that the defence to GDP ratio has fallen below 2 per
cent of the GDP. This is happening at a time when India is expected to
spend $112 billion on capital defence acquisitions over the next five
years in what is being described as "one of the largest procurement
cycles in the world." Indian military planners are shifting their
focus away from Pakistan as China takes centre-stage in future
strategic planning but there's no strategic clarity in Indian
approach.
China's 'Global Times' had warned last year that "India needs to
consider whether or not it can afford the consequences of a potential
confrontation with China." India's challenge is to raise the stakes
high enough so that instead of New Delhi it's Beijing that is forced
to consider seriously the consequences of a potential confrontation
with India. But it is not clear if the political leadership in New
Delhi has the farsightedness to rise to this challenge. (INAV)
***************************************
******************************************************************************************
THE TRIBUNE
EDITORIAL
PENSION BILL'S RE-ENTRY
BJP CLEARS THE HURDLES
It was a welcome break from the dogged UPA-BJP bickering over recent
scams. The BJP saved the UPA a major embarrassment when it supported
the pension Bill, which met with Leftist opposition in Parliament on
Thursday. The Bill was sought to be tabled at a time when many
Congress leaders were not present in the House. A CPM leader pressed
for a division of vote and the BJP support ensured a 115-43 vote in
the Bill's favour. The Congress and the BJP, by and large, agree on
second-generation reforms, which have got stuck due to politicking.
The Pension Fund Regulatory Development Authority Bill 2011 is the
UPA's second attempt at pension reform. The first was thwarted in 2005
when the Leftists refused support for the legislation. The Bill was
then referred to a standing committee of Parliament. The redrafted
Bill aims to set up a regulator for the pension sector and open up a
new pension system in which contributions are defined but terminal
benefits to the members are not guaranteed. A part of the pension
funds is slated to be invested in stock markets. The Leftist
opposition is based largely on this.
The government's switch-over to the new pension system has been
propelled by the growing pension bill of its employees. The burden
will rise in future as life expectancy increases. Government revenue
may not be rising accordingly unless taxes are raised sharply – not a
happy option either. Hence, the reform. Twenty-seven states too have
agreed to join the new pension scheme. The government has cleverly
kept the issue of foreign direct investment outside the pension Bill.
This means Parliament will not be able to debate or set a limit on FDI
in the new pension system. The government's move to increase the FDI
limit from 26 per cent to 49 per cent in insurance has got scuttled by
political opposition. Therefore, it did not want the pension Bill to
get caught in a similar political gridlock. However, with BJP help,
the Bill may sail through.
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THE TRIBUNE
EDITORIAL
STUDYING IN BRITAIN
TIGHTER VISA RULES MAKE IT LESS ATTRACTIVE
While it is entirely within the prerogative of the British government
to decide which aspiring visitors or students it wants to admit to
Britain, the planned move to cut up to 80,000 student visas, has
caused concern in the academic community in Britain, as well as
potential students. Vice-Chancellors of British universities have
warned of the threat to higher education institutions posed by visa
restrictions, which will cut students from non-European Union
countries, including India, by 25 per cent a year. Overseas university
students to the UK generate £5 billion a year, and the economic cost
of the cut has been estimated at £40 billion.
The British home secretary has a point when she says the education
sector is "effectively unregulated", that some of the institutions are
not up to the mark. Studying in the UK has been a dream of generations
of international students, who are attracted by the quality of
education available there. The British authorities, even as they set
their own house in order, must ensure that genuine students who seek
to study in Britain do not face any hardship.
Within Britain, too, the need for a proper debate on immigration
rather than rushing into major policy changes has been voiced, notably
by Keith Vaz, an Indian-origin MP, who has pointed out that the
government should "recognise the price it will pay if it does not
think carefully about all those that contribute to Britain's success
at home and abroad". A recently-published report by the British home
affairs select committee on student visas too has concluded that
limiting genuine international students could damage Britain's
reputation as an international education hub. In the global village
that the world has become, students naturally seek the best
institutions they can get into. Britain has been a favourite, but for
those considering other destinations, the visa cuts and other
restrictions could well be the proverbial last straw.
***************************************
THE TRIBUNE
COLUMN
INDIA'S KNOCKOUT PUNCH
AH, THE THUD OF AUSTRALIAN FALL!
It was only a quarterfinal encounter but since it was against the
four-time World Cup champions Australia, it was as good as the final
for most of the cricket-crazy spectators. The whole of India was
mighty optimistic, of course – we always are – but given some
perennial weaknesses of the men in blue, the assertions were
phlegmatic. However, dreams did come true on Thursday night at
Ahmedabad when Dhoni's boys beat the Aussies fair and square. And what
a cliffhanger it was, with fortunes doing a U-turn with every over,
till comeback boy Yuvraj Singh and Suresh Raina put all hopes beyond
the reach of the three-times defending champions. This is proving to
be Yuvraj's World Cup, who picked up his fourth man of the match title
and is in line for the man of the tournament crown as well, but it was
a team effort all the way. The most notable improvement has been in
fielding where some 15 runs were saved, which proved crucial when
India chased.
Sachin Tendulkar missed his century of centuries but his contribution
was tremendous. What mattered most in this game was that the team
showed ample self-belief and held its nerves when it mattered the
most. Otherwise, the cheap dismissal of Virender Sehwag and Dhoni and
runout of Gautam Gambhir had earlier raised the fears of an
all-too-familiar collapse. To that extent, the victory over Australia
should do a lot of good to India's confidence.
The famous triumph has set the stage for an epic semifinal clash
against arch-rivals Pakistan in Mohali. That is now The Match of the
tournament. Pakistan too have surged into the semifinals while firing
on all cylinders, but India have never lost to them during their four
World Cup encounters and will be hoping that history will repeat
itself. If India can cure themselves of the occasional hiccups they
suffered from during this edition of the World Cup, they start as
clear favourites. The count-down has begun.
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THE TRIBUNE
ARTICLE
DIALOGUE WITH PAKISTAN
TALKS AND TERRORISM CAN'T GO TOGETHER
BY T.V. RAJESWAR
Addressing the University of Agricultural Science and Technology in
Jammu in the first week of March, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said
that despite all the problems India had been faced with, it had
decided to resume the dialogue process with Pakistan. India would
being the talks with Pakistan with an open mind with a wish to resolve
all the outstanding issues between the two countries through friendly,
constructive and purposeful negotiations.
The Prime Minister emphasised that having said that, "We cannot forget
what happened in Mumbai". The Government of Pakistan should leave no
stone unturned in bringing the culprits to book. The activities of the
extremist groups in Pakistan remain a source of concern.
Unfortunately, Pakistan has been stonewalling all the promised trials
of individuals identified as complicit in the Mumbai attacks. The
Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan, who met at Thimphu during
the recent SAARC meeting, agreed to have a meeting of the Home
Secretaries of the two countries in Delhi in the last week of March.
It has to be understood by Pakistan that dialogue and terrorism cannot
go together.
Meanwhile, the interrogation of the captured attacker, Kasab, by the
Mumbai police led to the identification of two known leaders of a
Pakistan-based militant outfit, the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), who guided
the attack from Pakistan.
The FBI's disclosure that US citizen David Headley had played a key
role in reconnoitring the 26/11 targets numerous times during the two
years before the Mumbai attack filled the important gaps in the
continuing investigation, especially regarding how the militants who
attacked gained detailed knowledge of their targets in Mumbai.
Pakistan has so far not agreed to India's request to let an Indian
team interrogate them.
India was incensed by a string of lethal attacks on Indian nationals
in Afghanistan with Pakistan's complicity. US officials confirmed that
Pakistani militants were responsible for bombing the Indian Embassy in
Kabul two months before 26/11.
A detailed report had recently appeared that Pakistan was responsible
for pushing fake Indian currency notes into India and these activities
were being carried out routinely by the Pakistani embassies in Nepal,
Bangladesh, Thailand and at some other places. The entire operation on
the part of Pakistan is nothing short of an economic warfare and an
exercise of "bleeding India with a thousand cuts" which is the avowed
state policy of Pakistan. The 2011 International Narcotics Control
Strategy Report (INCSR) brought out by the State Department of the
United States has said that criminal networks exchanged counterfeit
currency for genuine notes and this has facilitated money laundering
on a scale that represents a threat to the Indian economy. The report
went on to state that India's economic and demographic expansion made
the country an increasingly significant target for money laundering.
Speaking at a function to mark Kashmiri Solidarity Day, which Pakistan
officially observes annually, Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed
advocated at Islamabad on February 6, "Kashmiri Solidarity Day has
come at a time when India and Pakistan were trying to revive the peace
process." Saeed blamed India for masterminding the Mumbai attack and
added that India should quit Kashmir or should get ready to face a
war. Saeed said that in the jihad against India, if needed, even
nuclear weapons should be used by Pakistan. Islamabad did not take any
action against Saeed. It is a well-known secret that the LeT and the
JuD both enjoy the patronage of the ISI of Pakistan.
The Intelligence Bureau had recently warned the Chief Secretaries and
police chiefs of the states regarding the plans of Al-Qaida and the
LeT to mount attacks on the World Cup Cricket matches to be held in
important cities, and asked them to take all precautions to avert such
possibilities. This warning cannot be taken lightly and Pakistan will
be judged on the steps taken by it to check their activities.
One of the latest WikiLeaks documents quotes the US National
Intelligence officer for South Asia, Dr Peter Lavoy, as having given
an assessment on Pakistan which states that despite the pending
economic catastrophe, Pakistan is producing nuclear weapons faster
than any other country in the world. There were earlier reports that
the nuclear stockpile of Pakistan was much more than of India. Dr
Lavoy's estimate on Pakistan producing nuclear weapons faster than
"any other country in the world" is alarming indeed for nuclear powers
all over the world and India in particular.
Dr Lavoy's another important assessment on Indo-Pak relations is that
"Pakistan continues to define India as its No. 1 threat" and that the
ISI continues to provide intelligence and financial support to
insurgent groups to conduct attacks in Afghanistan and India.
In Pakistan itself, the internal security situation seems to be
worsening. Contrary to what Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari says
in his article in The Washington Post that "we will not be intimidated
nor will retreat against the acts of extremism and religious
fanaticism", Pakistan Army Chief Gen Kayani declined to condemn the
killings of Bhatti and Taseer, fearing revolt in the Army. In the case
of American national Raymond Davis, the religious and right wing
forces are said to have pressured to pay up blood money for resolving
the case, which meant the US might have to cough up money for ensuring
the release of Davis, even though Mr Zardari had said that Pakistan
was committed to peaceful adjudication of the vexed issue. Davis has
since been released after blood money was paid to the relatives of the
two persons who were shot dead by him. However, the US mission in
Pakistan has denied having paid any blood money. Who actually paid it
may not be relevant.
One of the important topics for dialogue between India and Pakistan
would naturally be Kashmir. As for Pakistan, the Kashmir issue is the
most important one. The four-point formula which was almost finalised
jointly by General Musharraf and Dr Manmohan Singh lost its relevance
with the deposition of General Musharraf. The Pakistan Army Chief had
reportedly vetoed the formula as unacceptable.
However, during the visit of the then Foreign Minister of Pakistan
last year, one got the impression that General Kayani was not against
the Musharraf formula and that some quiet negotiations were going on.
It is known that some important personalities are busy on Track-2
negotiations to work out an agreeable formula on Kashmir. However,
they do not seem to have hit upon any such formula as yet. Taking into
account all these factors, it is rather premature for a composite
dialogue between India and Pakistan.
The writer is a former Governor and a retired chief of the Intelligence Bureau.
***************************************
THE TRIBUNE
OPED
FAILING TO FRAME
BY VANDANA SHUKLA
I will not call her some Mrs X. To 'Mrs' her would be bracketing her.
nor am I concealing her identity. I would rather name her as a vowel,
say, 'O'. Because, unlike a consonant, a vowel spells immense
possibilities!
She is not precisely my friend, for the simple reason that over two
decades of calendar years stretch between us. We met like two
strangers often do, in search of something, colliding like two dust
particles in the vast emptiness of this world. Ah! One more of those
haughty NRIs, observed my mind, when we first met. In two subsequent
meetings I changed my opinion. A prodigal daughter!
Yet again I was trying to frame her. But, she gave a slip to my frame.
She had lived a life on her terms, was evolved, had a sense of humour
and well, this was enough for us to click!
We always had enough to talk. I admired her wicked vivaciousness.
Hilarious anecdotes exposing stiff upper lip hypocrisy of the French
and the Americans of the New-England area she had lived with for five
decades entertained me. In fact, I wanted to grow old like her!
It was after a gap of over eight months that I called her last night.
She had been shifted to the general ward from the ICU after two weeks.
There was a chirpiness about her voice, as though this small mercy of
life was exciting!
This was the second time she had gone to an alien city for a kidney
transplant, where she did not know a soul. And, this was for the
second time that the donor had backed out! She was at the receiving
end of humanitarian laws. What she did receive was a serious kidney
infection. This was bad news. And I was worried and embarrassed for
not calling her up all this while.
But, she was talking of the flowers she had seen in my garden before
leaving. "The blossom is so generous this year! And, how are you
dear?" she chirped with the joy only flowers could evoke. I had not
taken note of them for this or that reason!
I had stopped meeting her.
Her onion-thin skin had begun to show coiled snakes of veins growing
darker underneath. Her eyes looked like broken wings of a bird in
flight. Her fragile courage was turning brittle. Perhaps I was scared
of mirroring old age!
For her twice-a-week dialysis, I too had offered to be her chauffeur.
But she wanted to walk her miles. Whatever it took! And I left her
alone.
I do not know if there is a reason behind her bravado. I do not know
if she is scared. I just listened to her laughter resonating in a
general ward of a hospital last night. And I looked at my neglected
garden.
***************************************
THE TRIBUNE
OPED
REFORMS MUST BEGIN AT THE GRASSROOTS
REFORMS IN POLICE ADMINISTRATION HAVE RARELY FOCUSSED ON THE
MUCH-HARASSED POLICEMEN AT THE GRASSROOTS. AS THEY PLAY AN IMPORTANT
ROLE AT THE CUTTING EDGE, THEY NEED TO BE TRAINED AND EQUIPPED WELL TO
MEET THE CHALLENGES
RAJBIR DESWAL
THE policemen at the grassroots do not get the attention they deserve.
When a crisis erupts suddenly at the cutting edge level, they find it
difficult to handle it in the absence of adequate training. Their
intelligence system often fails and things go out of control, making
it difficult for even their seniors to salvage the damage done. No
doubt, the hard-pressed subordinates have a plethora of jobs at hand.
And each task cries for attention.
There are certain areas where the police action is characterised by
highhandedness and violation of the avowed principles of police
administration till the final run-up to a satisfactory and fruitful
delivery of services expected by society at large. Free registration
of crime is still a far cry. Complainants do not get feedback on their
petitions, recoveries are fake. And witnesses are non-committal and
planted.
Police continue to use third-degree methods to get quick results.
Forensic science tools are not fully employed. Intelligence gathering
is poor. Most arrests are unwarranted; these are made only to extract
money in many cases. Poor infrastructure and resources and outdated
communication equipment leave the police far behind the criminals.
Mr K. Koshy, former Director-General, Bureau of Police Research &
Development, suggests various reforms in the Indian context to stem
the rot. According to him, "open the reporting in police stations to
the public. The sentry should concentrate on the prisoner and the
malkhana, not to stand there just to intimidate the public. The
reporting room should be made a pleasant place with modern bank-like
atmosphere. In the UK, the reporting officers are more often than not
civilians, specially trained to handle the public. Call Centre type of
training should be given to those who attend the telephones. A PRO, as
in the US, should be made available for giving out the latest position
of cases, complaints, verifications, and other outcomes." What we lack
in Indian police is their non-appreciation of the concept of
"participative policing by the people" as in Singapore; social
policing as in Sweden; and community-oriented policing as in the UK,
Hong Kong, Canada and the US.
Of course, some states like Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh have
taken a lead in this regard by enacting laws and building bridges with
the community by setting up police-public committees. Ground work,
delivery, action and results will flow naturally if the police adapt
itself for purposes of investigation to free registration, faithful
recording of a complaint (FIR), recording direct evidence corroborated
by scientific and forensic attributes, not using third-degree methods,
joining genuine witnesses and not from the stock, not making arrests
where they are unwarranted and, above all, winning the trust and
confidence of the people.
There is a need to tone up the police administration on modern lines.
The police can win the hearts of the people by speedy redressal of
their grievances; by making themselves available in times of crises;
by being courteous; by empathising with them and, above all, by
pursuing a thoroughly honest approach to every task they undertake.
The International Association of the Chiefs of Police has debated the
issue of 'Citizens Review' which envisages "public concerns about
racial profiling, excessive use of force, deliberate violations of
sanctioned evidence handling procedures, and corruption creating
mistrust." The apparent failure to contain these issues causes public
policymakers to consider alternatives. As these issues bear focus on
the ground zero, every effort should be made to implement them. All
action begins with the first-responder not only in a crisis situation
but in peace time too.
The police reforms should begin with the clearly mandated assignment
of tasks, fixing responsibility in case of any failure, ensuring
proper and fair recruitment and putting through need-based training,
regulating day-to-day policing keeping the community interests and
expectations in mind, ensuring a speedy and transparent delivery of
service to the stakeholders.
Police reforms at the grassroots need to correct the wrongs the
functionaries indulge in, in the absence of effective supervision and
no accountability fixed on them. Stringent punishment should be given
to those found on the wrong side of the law. Action should be
initiated against cops for their acts of collusion, highhandedness,
corruption and so on. In the US, if a police officer is accused of
withholding the truth, or is lying during a trial, in all cases that
he stands as the official witness, his testimony is taken with a pinch
of salt and is discarded as an interested witness.
There is need for separate police wings in a police station to cover
four major areas: investigation and detection; law and order;
regulatory duties like traffic, service of summons and warrants etc;
and special cells to cater to cyber crime, economic offence, juveniles
and trauma victims. It is only the tactical squad which should handle
riot and arson cases where crowd control is to be exercised.
The writer is Inspector-General of Police, Criminal Investigation
Department, Haryana, Chandigarh
Plethora of duties
An average policeman in the country is overburdened with too many
duties everyday, besides attending to calls and complaints of various
kinds from the people.
Since the ground zero of all activity is the police station, action
revolves around prevention, detection and investigation of crime;
maintenance of public order; traffic regulation; prosecution and court
duties; escorting and production of convicts and undertrials;
executing summons and warrants; patrolling the areas and borders;
carrying out raids; rushing to accident spots; carrying out various
character verifications; VIP security; tracking gangs; and monitoring
mafias on radar.
He/she is duty-bound to join parades and drills, acquire knowledge
on firearms and ballistics, forensic science, cyber crime, white and
blue collar crimes and on gathering intelligence.
Nowadays, the policeman is also involved in tackling crimes bearing
on national and internal security, caste and regional conflicts,
communications and wireless, video conferencing and crowd control.
There are certain areas where the police action is characterised by
highhandedness and violation of the avowed principles of police
administration till the final run-up to a satisfactory and fruitful
delivery of services expected by society at large.
***************************************
THE TRIBUNE
OPED
BUMPY ROAD AHEAD
SANKAR SEN
The Supreme Court's judgement in the case of Prakash Singh vs Union Of
India (2006) marks a defining moment in the history of Indian Police.
It endorsed the view of the National Police Commission (1978-81) that
Indian Police has become the handmaiden of the ruling party, alienated
from the people and has become professionally incompetent.
The NPC, after a careful study of the police workload, could find that
the police officers spend only 30 per cent of their time in
investigation of cases and that most of their time is devoted to VIP
duties, court attendance and other miscellaneous chores. No wonder,
their core functions — prevention and detection of crime — get
step-motherly attention. The NPC made sound practical recommendations
for police reforms, which are relevant even today.
The Supreme Court issued directives to the Centre and the states to
implement the recommendations. Its seven-point directives include: a
fixed tenure for at least two years for the Director-General of Police
(DGP) unless promoted or removed on disciplinary grounds; separation
of the law and order wing and investigation wing of the police;
setting up of a Police Establishment Board to decide on transfer,
posting and service-related matters of officers up to the rank of DSP;
setting up of State Security Commission in every state to prevent the
state government from exercising unwarranted influence and pressures
on the police; establishing a National Security Commission for
selection and placements of chiefs of Central Police Organisations.
Unfortunately, many state governments are dragging their feet and
trying to stonewall police reforms under various pretexts. They are
not at all prepared to slacken their iron grip over the police with a
view to misusing it for partisan ends. Most states have averred that
though they support the spirit of reforms, they object to many of the
directives of the court. States like Gujarat, Nagaland, Karnataka and
Andhra Pradesh have questioned the raison d'etre of the State Security
Commission. Some states have also brazenly stated that they exert no
unwarranted influence over the police.
Many states have enacted new Police Acts. But these dilute the core
systemic reforms prescribed by the Supreme Court. Some states have set
up State Security Commissions but packed them with yes-men and
excluded the leader of the opposition to deprive these bodies of a
bipartisan character. To retain political control over the police,
they have indeed made some cosmetic changes and not meaningful
systemic police reforms.
The Supreme Court has cracked its whip by setting up a three-member
monitoring committee with Justice K.T. Thomas, a former Supreme Court
Judge, as its chairperson. The committee examined the affidavits filed
by different states regarding measures taken by them to implement the
apex court's directives.
It also examined the New Police Acts passed by some states after the
Supreme Court judgement of 2006 to find out if they are in keeping
with the letter and spirit of the directives. The monitoring
committee, in its report, has castigated the states' non-compliance of
the directives.
The Police Complaint Authorities have not been created in most states
that have enacted new laws. It checked up the ground realties
regarding the implementation of directives in respect of four states,
namely, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal and Maharashtra and
found that the level of compliance of the Supreme Court's directives
in these states is poor, if not dismal. It deplored the indifference
displayed by the states and asked the Supreme Court to view seriously
non-compliance of police reforms by the states.
The Supreme Court has taken the matter seriously. A bench headed by
the Chief Justice adopted a no-nonsense approach and chided West
Bengal for putting the Health Minister as the head of the State
Security Commission. It also pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government
for not segregating law and order and investigation wings of the
police. Indeed, the Supreme Court has taken up the implementation of
its directives seriously and has ruled that its "order will not remain
in limbo".
Though timeframes were given to states to report compliance of various
points, the path of police reforms is going to be bumpy. Political
masters will try to scuttle meaningful reforms that will make police
neutral and apolitical. Sustained campaign by senior police leaders,
members of civil society and media is necessary to overcome their
resistance and usher in the much-needed police reforms.
The writer, a former Director-General of Police, is Senior Fellow,
Institute of Social Sciences, Delhi
***************************************
******************************************************************************************
MUMBAI MIRROR
VIEW
DESI DRAMA IN NEW YORK COURT
IN A WALL STREET INSIDER TRADING SCANDAL, MOST OF THE NAMES ARE SOUTH ASIAN
The Radia tapes which stirred up a hug storm in India, were the
recordings of telephone calls made from one cell phone. That was Niira
Radia's phone which was tapped for a period of several months.
Nobody's else's phone was tapped. Her phone was tapped only because of
a suspicion of tax evasion. Hence the income tax authorities got a
permission from the appropriate officials to tap her phone.
Instead of finding evidence of tax evasion, they stumbled onto
something totally unexpected. This one phone seemed to have access to
all the high and mighty across the landscape. Topmost journalists,
industrialists, cabinet rank ministers and so on. Apart from the
actual access, the content of the conversations was even more
explosive.
A relatively unknown public relations firm turned out to wield
enormous clout and access to policy makers and industry leaders. What
started as an ordinary tax investigation shook the entire
establishment, and even the media.
A similar big story is unfolding in New York, which also started with
one telephone tapping. Raj Rajaratnam, a Sri Lankan born billionaire
who was arrested in October 2009, by the Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) on charges of insider trading.
There is speculation that his phone was tapped not on suspicion of tax
evasion or insider trading, but of secretly funding the LTTE in Sri
Lanka. LTTE had been declared as a terrorist organisation, and
Rajaratnam, a Tamil had been donating to many Tamil charities.
Even the Sri Lankan government had complained that he gave aid to the
civil war in Northern Lanka. Earlier investigations had drawn a blank.
But what the wiretaps revealed was something completely unexpected.
Insider trading is profiting from buying or selling publicly traded
stocks, based on non-public information. This might sound arcane and
trivial in developing economies, but is taken very seriously in
countries like the U.S.A. The telephone taps revealed that Rajaratnam
was getting breaking news from his network of paid contacts, fresh out
of closed door board meetings, or from decisions much before they were
made public, or declared in the stock exchange.
Rajaratnam is a larger than life figure, being the richest Sri Lankan
in the world, and in 2009 he was in the top 250 richest people of
America. He is also known to be a philanthropist, being close to
Clinton Foundation and also on the board of American India Foundation.
Finally in March 2011, Rajaratnam is on trial. This is a high profile
criminal case, eagerly watched by Wall Street. As part of the charmed
ring of peddlers of inside dope, more than 30 "friends" of Rajaratnam
have been rounded up by the FBI, of which 19 have already pleaded
guilty.
As part of their plea bargain, some of the confessors have become
government witnesses. Rajaratnam's defence lawyers will claim that he
was paying all his informants (he calls them "consultants") for tips
and information, which he believed was in the public domain.
How could he know that he was dealing in stolen goods? If you buy a
second hand car, and it turns out to be stolen property, can you be
held liable? (Yes you can!). The trial is fascinating for various
reasons. But the most intriguing aspect is that a majority of the
people charged are desis, and many are IITians, who had very
successful careers.
One person, who is facing SEC charges is Rajat Gupta, distinguished
alumnus of IIT and Harvard, and longtime Managing Director of
McKinsey. Surprisingly the prosecution attorney is also a desi, Punjab
born Preet Bharara. Names like Rajiv Goel, Anil Kumar, Roomi Khan are
swirling with taint in the trial. The high profile indictment will
lead to talk of desi deficit of ethics. Many of these are 1G and 2G
(second generation) Indians too!
AJIT RANADE
***************************************
******************************************************************************************BUSINESS
STANDARD
COLUMN
'STICK TO GUM'
T N NINAN
Eleven guests were seated around the lunch table, talking about India
to the world's rock star investor, Warren Buffett. The food choices
included Buffett's well-known favourites (hamburger and Cherry Coke).
As for the guests, those present included men who had invested their
own money and those who had managed money for mutual funds, hedge
funds and private equity. While Buffett concentrated on his food
(hamburger and Coke!) and listened quietly, the discussion was guided
by his colleague Ajit Jain. Eventually, there emerged from the India
specialists (who for propriety's sake must remain unnamed) some
interesting perspectives on the question of investing in one of the
world's fastest growing economies. For all those looking for ways of
making money in the share bazaar, here are some of the experts'
insights, free advice from the smartest cookies on the market.
In a rapidly growing economy, where even the worst-case scenario is
7.5 per cent annual GDP growth, there will always be investment
opportunities. The non-agriculture, non-defence part of the economy is
growing at anything up to 17 per cent annually. Also, it is in the
nature of things that disposable incomes will grow much faster than
GDP growth, and this will throw up some very attractive business
opportunities. However, there are some minuses to be factored in. Many
segments of the market are subject to the vagaries of government
decision-making, so there are risks. And if you are an investor who is
concerned about the standards of corporate governance and
responsibility to stakeholders, the investible set that can be
considered becomes quite small.
You can get past the vagaries of government decision-making because
there are sectors that are immune to this risk (like consumer goods).
The more generic problem is that the Indian market is already the most
expensive in the world, so any worthwhile stock is either fully priced
or even over-priced. You can only look to buy them when prices drop,
which happens every once in a while. Given the environment and the
outlook, the best days of private equity investing may not return.
In general, India is a better place for building a business than it is
for plain investing. Why? Because there are barriers to entry that new
players face, and those who are already in the game are, therefore,
able to capture better returns. Companies doing plain manufacture are
able to deliver margins of 20 per cent and more, which does not happen
in more competitive markets. For a variety of reasons, the environment
is also more friendly to domestic players than international entrants.
Will this change? Perhaps. If entry becomes easier for new players,
the outlook for return on investment will not be that great because
margins will drop and so will valuations. The outlook for return on
investment is therefore 10 per cent-plus. Since that is net of
inflation, it didn't sound like a bad figure, but you can decide.
And what did Buffett himself say? Before posing for photographs with
his guests, and amidst some homely wisdom on what the important things
in life are, he recounted the story of his first encounter with a
well-known tech entrepreneur. Buffett said he asked a lot of
questions; among other things, he was told how the internet would
change everything. He asked if that would change people's habits with
regard to chewing gum. No, was the answer. Would it change people's
brand preferences when it came to gum? No. "Then I will stick to gum,"
Buffett said. (He bought a minority stake in Wrigley three years ago.)
***************************************
BUSINESS STANDARD
NO MORE CRIMSON PIRACY!
PIRACY ON THE HIGH SEAS HAS FAR-REACHING ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES
MICHAEL PINTO
Did it not seem strange that with so much else to occupy us, so much
time was spent on pirates captured by the navy on the high seas? Yet,
India is vitally concerned when acts of piracy occur almost at our
doorstep. Whether the ship is Indian or foreign, it might well be
carrying merchandise either meant for our consumption or bound for
foreign ports with our export cargo. Acts of piracy only push up the
already huge cost of freight that the country pays and make us that
much less competitive in international markets.
Another factor is the huge price that is paid by those taken hostage.
Hapless members of the crew can be detained for months in conditions
of near starvation while the pirates negotiate ransom with the owners
of the vessel. There is no guarantee that they will be released
unharmed. Indeed, on more than one occasion, members of the crew have
lost their lives. Apart from the strain put on freight rates by the
rising costs of insurance following acts of piracy and the trauma
faced by the crew who are innocent victims, repeated acts of piracy
will drastically reduce the popularity of the merchant navy as a
career for young people. Shortage of crew will also impact freight
rates.
India is especially concerned with the last aspect, because we are the
largest suppliers of trained officer manpower to the international
maritime industry. It will be extraordinarily difficult to persuade
young people about the attraction of a career at sea if such a career
is fraught with the risk of being attacked by pirates and taken
hostage, or worse. In any case, we cannot really be disinterested
spectators when many of our own people are at risk from marauding
pirates.
Given the stake we have in the whole business, how should policy
makers react to the threat posed by piracy? Capturing pirates is only
the beginning. When these pirates face trial, questions of law and
jurisdiction are bound to arise: Under what law will they be tried?
Does an Indian court have jurisdiction over foreign nationals captured
in international waters? How does one deal with pirates captured in
preventive action before an act of piracy actually took place? Can the
over-burdened Indian judicial system cope with the task of trying
pirates captured in different parts of the world and, in the event of
conviction, is it in our interest to incarcerate large numbers of such
pirates in our over-crowded jails?
Currently, police are checking whether acts of piracy can be covered
under the International Maritime Organisation-mandated SUA Convention
of 2002. Although this convention does cover unlawful acts against
safety of life at sea, its more direct thrust is the protection of
fixed platforms from any form of attack. Other pieces of legislation
being examined are the Exclusive Economic Zone Act, the Indian Penal
Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. None of these
directly covers acts of piracy, and even if the pirates are convicted,
the question of where they should be incarcerated remains.
The threat posed by piracy is not limited to Asia or countries around
the Somalia coast. It is a problem that affects every trading nation,
since a huge percentage of world trade moves by sea. In today's
shrinking global space anything that disrupts the free flow of trade
affects all countries. Hence the best way to tackle piracy is through
international consensus. The matter can only be tackled when a
respected body like the International Maritime Organisation (IMO)
addresses the question.
In the aftermath of 26/11 the US actually financed urgent sessions of
the IMO, so that a new code on safety in ports could be put in place
and made binding on the international community. Similar urgency must
be shown in respect of piracy. Can India join hands with countries
like Korea or Japan — where as much as 100 per cent of trade goes by
sea — to pressure the IMO to get an international convention on
combatting piracy passed and ensure the accession of the majority of
maritime nations to it?
An international convention will clarify how pirates once captured
should be dealt with but, without cooperation between maritime
nations, capture itself will become increasingly difficult. There is a
limit to the reach of any navy, and the greater the distance between
the scene of action and the jurisdiction of the navy concerned, the
less effective will armed intervention become. Fortunately, there is a
model which can easily be followed here. When the maritime world was
faced with the problem of differing standards of survey among nations
that made it easy for unseaworthy ships to ply their trade, it came up
with the concept of Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) for port state
control.
Simply put, this meant that all the countries in a particular region
would follow identical rules in dealing with port state control
inspection and detention of ships. They would exchange information
with each other about non-compliant vessels and, through joint action,
would ensure that such vessels would not be able to escape. The effect
of this collective action was that ships of shame no longer had any
place to hide.
The same route should be followed in respect of piracy. If countries
of a region draw up MoUs to outlaw this menace, as they did for port
state control, piracy cannot survive. Wherever pirates go, whichever
ship they target and however swift and well-equipped they are, the
might of the navy of the member-country in whose jurisdiction they
operate will be used against them. Response time will become
negligible and action will be very effective. The details must be
worked out in a full session of the IMO, but if India along with
like-minded countries does not take the initiative, there is little
hope that the problem will be addressed.
The author is a former secretary, shipping, to the Government of India
***************************************
BUSINESS STANDARD
THE IRREPLACEABLE HEROES
FIFTY WORKERS AT THE FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR PLANT IN JAPAN STAYED ON TO
BATTLE THE MELTDOWN AND HAVE HELPED BRING THE SITUATION UNDER CONTROL
DEVANGSHU DATTA
In the 1990s, unmanned vehicles and robots became a focus of military
research. Advances in miniaturisation made them small and tough to
detect. New software made them smarter. Networking made it possible
for them to be continuously remote-controlled in real-time.
Apart from aerial surveillance and bombing, which are common unmanned
aerial applications, robot infantry has become very popular in
Iraq-Afghanistan. These science fictional entities are employed for
various dirty, dangerous jobs such as bomb disposal and for carrying
ammunition and supplies, as well as for terrain-mapping. They're
expensive but replacing a robot costs much less than replacing a
trained soldier.
There is one specific dirty, dangerous task for which robots are never
used: removing wounded or dead soldiers. No army with any sense of
pride wants to leave its dead behind. It's instinctive for soldiers to
carry bodies even during full-fledged retreats. In fact, many
long-drawn battles and sieges have figured periods of ceasefire
arranged for the specific purpose of retrieving corpses.
Most human beings also feel very squeamish at the thought of watching
a wounded comrade dying in the mechanical claws of a retrieval robot.
Apart from that, it's difficult to develop software so fine-tuned in
judgement that it can distinguish between a mortally wounded soldier
and one who is severely wounded but capable of survival.
Hence, soldiers still risk their lives trying to save wounded comrades
or to retrieve remains rather than opt for a high-tech option. Every
army medical corps of any standing has taken more than its fair share
of casualties in this cause. Those brave men and women are rightly
mentioned in dispatches and citations, and are lauded for their
courage and humanity.
In the aftermath of serious disasters, rescue services personnel and
paramedics often display similar courage and devotion to duty. When
there is a fire, firemen might risk their lives to get strangers out.
Ditto with a house collapse.
In the aftermath of a terrorist incident or a battle, the scale
usually goes up. Hundreds of firemen risked their lives and many died
at the World Trade Centre after 9/11. The scale of rescue operations
after something like an earthquake or a tsunami beggars description.
So does the danger to rescue personnel.
One can't quantify courage very easily — after all, the greatest
sacrifice any person can make is their own life. But scale and
timeframe do make a difference. Thousands of people risk their lives
repeatedly, for days or weeks at a time, after a major tsunami or
earthquake.
Everybody around the world was pleased to hear about the miraculous
rescue of two buried survivors in Japan, nine days later. Reading
between the lines, it means that rescue workers were still risking
their lives nine days later, in search of miracles. Their efforts
continue and it will have been one endless round of heartbreak and
tragedy for the men and women sifting through the rubble, as the
miracles become increasingly unlikely and the toll mounts.
An even more inspiring example of cold-blooded courage was displayed
by the workers at the Fukushima nuclear plant. Some 50 of them stayed
on to battle the meltdown and somehow, between them, they've helped
bring the situation under control. They risked death by fire and
poison gas, and by an invisible agent that's even more dangerous. They
may not know for years to come whether they have actually absorbed
enough radiation to kill them slowly and painfully.
Men have written countless songs in praise of soldiers who have died
bravely and gloriously in battle. No one to my knowledge has ever
written songs praising the ordinary, everyday, mundane courage
displayed by firemen, or emergency paramedics, or perish the thought,
nuclear workers. Perhaps, nobody ever will.
***************************************
BUSINESS STANDARD
COLUMN
HAPPY TO DODGE DEVELOPMENT
SUBIR ROY
I am on my way to one of the many well-maintained parks in Bangalore
early in the morning when it is blissfully cool, a world apart from
the hot afternoons that even this so-called air-conditioned city has
become used to in this time of the year. The massive rain trees have
shut out direct sun rays that are trying to peep through and a street
dog zigzags its way across the traffic-less street. The distant sound
of auto-rickshaws from the main roads nearby can barely be heard and
does not disturb.
A fit elderly couple ambles along at their regular pace. A maid sweeps
the cemented front of a house, before washing and preparing it for
rangoli, the auspicious design that is drawn every day by the women of
the household. At the side of the road, a ragpicker methodically sorts
out the recyclables from the garbage taken out of several bags. The
birds chirp and keep repeating their calls to an unknown mantra, as if
to compete with the chant that religiously comes out of the temple
that stands in one corner of the park.
Behind the temple is a one-room living space of the park's mali and
his family. They are all out — mother, daughter, son and the most
important newly arrived family member who peacefully gurgles while
seeking to find her feet in a walker which, obviously, a far wealthier
family has given away as their own baby has grown up. The mother
radiates happiness as she occasionally glances at the healthy-looking
baby while cooking something in a twig-fired makeshift chullah set up
on the ground. The family's stray dog lolls on the steps to the room.
In the park an aged good looking old woman and a young girl, obviously
mother and daughter, walk at an equal pace. Trees all over town are in
bloom. Holi is gone, largely unobserved in this southern city, but
splashes of colour linger — yellow, violet and a pale exquisite
magnolia. One of these has created a violet carpet on the walkway. It
is amazing how nature bestows its most wondrous bounties so
unsparingly. You hesitate to trample over those hundreds of little
trumpets on the paving.
The only jarring note is a walker talking somewhat loudly into his
cellphone. But overall such people are few and as if to maintain the
balance, a few couples, who have skipped class at a nearby college,
utter whatever they do in the softest whisper. The walkers make up a
varied assortment — some in good shape despite advanced years, some
misshapen well before middle age. The most persevering is an old man
who has recovered from a stroke. He drags one foot and a slouching
half of his body determinedly, undaunted by the setback. Out of such
trivia is the peace of my early morning made up.
The neighbourhood of Indiranagar goes back to the sixties. Its
straight, well-planned roads bind together a community of middle- and
upper middle-class people who are meticulous and parsimonious in their
ways. I know how careful my neighbour, a retired Public Works
Department engineer, is with his money. But he is having the front
iron gate to his driveway repainted, although it has been painted
recently. Some of the small stains left by Holi will not go away, he
mutters. I laugh and tell him he should have lived in Delhi. There
roads, boundary walls and courtyards are made black, blue and purple
by the time Holi is over and nobody thinks it's odd.
It is totally peaceful and quiet most of the time but for the
uncontrollable birds which have their say early morning and evening.
Our house is on a street that connects the bus stand on the main road
to a lesser area nearby. The quiet on it is flavoured in late evenings
by those walking home with the music playing on their cell phones. We
are on a rambling upper storey with huge rooms and large bathrooms,
whose fittings can do with a bit of repair. Either rents are still too
low for our landlord to redo the house and look for a richer tenant,
or in his retirement from the nearly defunct ITI he is too laid back
to bother.
There was a time when the good feeling created by the peace and quiet
was partly taken away by a terrible water shortage. But that has eased
a bit and also now that our children are gone, how much water two old
people can use. If you are retired and don't have to go to work at
peak hours every day then you are spared the main downside of living
in Bangalore: the horrible traffic jams on its main streets. And if
the area is going hugely upmarket, with large shops sporting the best
known brands gracing the major roads crossing the area, then you have
the best of both worlds — main street shopping not so far away but the
micro-environment where you actually live still miraculously unspoilt.
I could not imagine how well off we were until I read in the papers
that some people who have acquired flats at exorbitant prices in new
developments have to even bathe in water that comes in cans because
the ground water that the borewell pumps up is so ghastly. Naturally,
it is still early days for piped Cauvery water to become available
there. We are lucky that we don't have to buy into such areas and our
landlord has not sold his property to a developer.
***************************************
BUSINESS STANDARD
COLUMN
THE RISE AND DECLINE OF THE WEST
V V
"Study the historian before you begin to study the facts… History
means interpretation."
— E H Carr: What is History?
Niall Ferguson, the conservative British historian now at Harvard, who
has written extensively on the British empire, sets out to provide
answers in his latest book, Civilization: The West and the Rest (Allen
Lane/Penguin, Special Indian Price: Rs 699) to what he says "is
perhaps the most challenging riddle historians have to solve: the rise
of the West as the preeminent historical phenomenon of the second half
of the millennium after Christ". In seeking his answers to the riddle
– and that why Britain was the first from the traps – Ferguson says
the West had "six killer applications": competition, science,
democracy, medicine, consumerism and the Protestant work ethic. He
suggests indirectly that the West should be flattered that the rise of
the "rest" is due to adoption by them of these applications.
With this book, Ferguson joins the recent band of historians and
social scientists who have propounded two broad schools of thought on
why the West was the first to take off. Proponents of the Long Term
theory such as Jared Diamond suggest that from time immemorial some
critical factor — geography, climate, or culture perhaps — made the
West and the East inalterably different, and determined that the
Industrial Revolution would happen in the West and pushed further
ahead than the East.
But the East led the West between 500 and 1600, so the development
couldn't have been inevitable. So the proponents of the Short Term
argue that the Western rule was an aberration that is now coming to an
end with the rise of Japan, China and India. But the fact remains that
the West led for 9,000 of the previous 10,000 years, so it can't be
put down to a temporary aberration. We need to look at the scene
differently, by providing a new theory based on a social scientist's
comparative methods that would make sense of the past, present and
future.
Before we examine Ferguson's "six killer apps", what is important to
bear in mind is that the facts of history never come to us "pure", so
they do not and cannot exist in a pure form: they are always refracted
through the mind of the recorder. It follows that when we take up a
work of history like Ferguson's, our first concern should not be with
the facts which it contains but with the historian who wrote it.
Therein lies the rub. Put it another way, the philosophy of history is
concerned neither with "the past by itself nor with the historian's
thought about it by itself but with two things in their mutual
relations". This dictum reflects the two current meanings of
"history": the enquiry conducted by the historian and the series of
past events into which he enquires. So the past that the historian
studies is not a dead past, but a past which is in some sense still
living with the present.
Of the six factors Ferguson has listed, it was science, medicine and
the work ethic that were must crucial. Ferguson starts with the
successes of European civilisation. In 1500, Europe controlled only 10
per cent of the world's territories and generated around 40 per cent
of its wealth. By 1913, at the height of the empire, the West
controlled 60 per cent of the world's territories and generated 80 per
cent of the wealth.
This "stunning fact" is often lost on historians, but our concern is
whether it was all because of the six ingredients. Science and its
crucial applications held the key but this was because of the
ideological contribution of the Renaissance, the notion of humanism
that pervaded every aspect of life that was based primarily on a
rejection of the domination of the Church. Without the Reformation
that separated the Church from the affairs of the State, the
Renaissance that led to the free inquiry of Thomas Hooke and Isaac
Newton in the 17th century could not have taken place.
Whatever, it was the scientific enquiry that led the way for the West,
as it was the lack of it that arrested the "rest" from continuing its
early momentum. This is especially true of the Arab world that had
notable successes in mathematical and medical sciences but was soon
left behind.
But what of the other three factors? How did consumerism and
competition contribute to the growth of western power? Many would
argue that rampant consumerism, instead of austerity, contributed to
the decline of the West. And what now? Will the West be able to face
up to the challenges posed by China and India? Ferguson dodges a
straight answer except by saying that civilisation is a highly complex
system that has "a tendency to move quite suddenly from stability to
instability". This isn't saying anything at all. But read it all the
same for the sweeping generalisations on the turning points of
history.
***************************************
BUSINESS STANDARD
COLUMN
GOSPEL TRUTH OR GOSSIP LEAKS?
MUCH OF THE WIKILEAKS MATTER IS LIKE THE GOSSIP IN THE COCKTAIL PARTY CIRCUIT
SUNANDA K DATTA-RAY
At one time the best London clubs wouldn't admit doctors or bankers
because gentlemen didn't feel comfortable with those who knew too much
about their insides or their finances. People still don't. In a wider
sense this means that an element of confidentiality is necessary for
harmonious relations, social in the case of clubs, diplomatic when it
comes to what the Osama bin Laden of the Internet, Julian Assange,
assures us are classified American government cables.
We must accept Assange's word that the WikiLeaks material is genuine.
But that still doesn't remove other reasons for scepticism. If Peter
Burleigh says Rahul Gandhi is a young man in a hurry or Steve White
claims to have been shown stacks of money, those are personal opinions
and experiences. Not absolute truth.
All the derogatory stuff about Jawaharlal Nehru that Loy Henderson,
America's first ambassador to India, sent back can be read in the
Foreign Relations of the United States series which are now online.
When I was researching Waiting for America: India and the US in the
New Millennium at the East-West Center in Honolulu, I asked a senior
State Department official about the impact of Henderson's cables. He
laughed and said everyone knew Henderson hated Nehru but loved New
Delhi because nowhere else could he and his White Russian (Latvian)
wife live in such style. If the history of the world depended on the
length of Cleopatra's nose, Assange's disturbed childhood might
explain his passionate commitment to "open government".
There could be two explanations for Indians being so worked up over
his revelations. First, they play right into the hands of a BJP which
can only hope to get anywhere by blackening the Congress. Secondly,
it's psychological slavishness, like Shyam Sinha, a Bihar MP, vowing
he wouldn't wash for three months the hand Bill Clinton pumped.
We don't know how seriously Washington took the cables. Nor do we know
if the formal signatories were always aware of the contents since it's
customary for juniors to file in the boss' name.
Assuming they were properly authenticated and treated seriously, much
of the matter is like the gossip one hears amidst the tinkle of glass
and munching of canapés on the cocktail party circuit. Pranab
Mukherjee's business links have always been a matter of speculation.
Manmohan Singh's liking for Montek Singh Ahluwalia is no secret. The
quality of Sonia Gandhi's leadership is constantly being questioned.
This trivia doesn't become gospel truth just because it emanates from
the pens of American diplomats. One especially credulous report about
Rahul Gandhi from a Robert O Blake, Jr echoes the know-all bombast of
hardened habitués of the Delhi Press Club bar late on crowded Saturday
nights.
I am reminded of Michael Shea, when he was Queen Elizabeth's press
secretary, trying to impress on tabloid press editors that "the public
interest" was very different from "the public's interest". Bearing
that in mind, some senior American diplomats would do a good job as
gossip columnists.
There remains the question of motive. I have no doubt that no matter
what lofty reasoning they trot out, "the public's interest" rather
than "the public interest" motivated WikiLeaks' international
newspaper partners, Der Spiegel, The New York Times, Le Monde, The
Guardian and El País. Even the biggest and best of papers need readers
and, even more, advertisers, to survive. I wouldn't be at all
surprised to learn that sales of The Hindu have shot up since it began
covering the leaks. They make compelling reading.
When I first learnt of the cables I instinctively reverted to the
belief that there is no such thing as a scoop in journalism. There are
only leaks, witness Deep Throat who supplied the two Washington Post
reporters with the Watergate dirt. Even if this is an exception and
Assange is his own master, the timing is intriguing. Remember the
Dange letters? Or Britain's disclosure of Benazir Bhutto's property
there? Both played into local political battling. Indian publication
of the American embassy's cables may do just that.
We are told there are 6,000 more such cables and that the worst – or
best, depending on your point of view – is still to come. All that can
be said with certainty is that there may not be much government, leave
alone open government, left by the time it's over.
Trying to put my thoughts down, I missed out on today's WikiLeaks
ration. I must catch up if The Hindu isn't sold out. As I said, they
make fascinating reading of the Page Three genre.
***************************************
BUSINESS STANDARD
COLUMN
THE BUSINESS OF INGENUITY
JYOTI PANDE LAVAKARE
Innovating low-cost products for actual use can work wonders for the
bottom of the pyramid market
Imagine a refrigerator that runs without electricity, keeps your
perishables cool for five to seven days and costs you less than the
price of a single meal for one person in a luxury hotel. It's cool,
it's green and it's affordable for the people at the bottom of the
pyramid. But despite being around for seven years in a poor, tropical
country like India, only 4,000 units have been sold so far (including
to Africa, Dubai and America). Even today, not many of us know about
the eco-friendly Mitticool refrigerator, and if I wanted to buy one
myself, I still wouldn't be able to get it at my local store — it
would have to be couriered to me from a tiny village near Rajkot.
Mitticool is built with clay, ingeniously designed by Mansukhlal
Raghavjibhai Prajapati, the son of a potter in rural Gujarat, using
the same principle of cooling through evaporation that a surahi uses.
He has also created a clay water-filter with a 0.9 micron candle
(which costs Rs 400), a clay pressure cooker (Rs 350) and a non-stick
tawa (Rs 100). And on April 1, he will launch a tandoori roti maker
for Rs 250, so that we needn't depend on the local dhaba for our
occasional fix. All his products are targeted at the underprivileged
with aspirations — the original untapped "bottom of the pyramid"
market that C K Prahalad introduced to the popular lexicon.
If necessity is the mother of invention, then innovation is its
daughter and entrepreneurship, its father. The cross-pollination of
invention and entrepreneurship is what effectively spawns innovation.
And before you think I'm getting carried away in a sea of proverbs,
idioms and metaphors, let me explain.
A scientist or inventor in isolation somewhere creating fabulous
gizmos as a cerebral exercise is never going to impact the world
unless that product (or process) is tested, adapted and transformed
for mass use and distributed, usually for commercial gain.
So, an invention may have little or no economic or practical value,
despite huge intellectual value. But as soon as an entrepreneur finds
an application or targets a market for it, invention converts into
innovation and can be monetised. This process of adding value,
improvising and refining something new and unique to make it more
accessible is what makes innovation so much more interesting.
Now, add an elegant design element and some clever marketing and you
have what it takes to transform a boring old MP3 player into the
"cool" iPod (complete with an attached virtual iTunes store). Or what
makes the Silicon Valley the hotbed of innovation.
In the Indian context, innovation can take on a new avatar:
indovation, which is loosely translated to mean innovation adapted to
the nuances (and peculiarities) of the Indian market. It is a word
that I hear more and more these days. Go to any entrepreneurship
seminar and chances are you will hear about indovation even before the
morning session is over — and Mitticool products are living examples.
I met Prajapati in New Delhi a couple of months ago, holding a roomful
of entrepreneurial millionaires and wannabe millionaires enthralled
with his success story – from a poverty-stricken childhood, innovating
against all odds – and his still unfulfilled dream of building an
eco-friendly, natural light and solar-powered mud home for "every poor
villager in India".
It isn't surprising that the dapper and confident Prajapati in his
shining white suit dominated that entire session on "Ideas that
Impact". It isn't surprising that he was mobbed after the session
since everyone, inspired by his story, tried to buy his product, get
his card, set up business meetings and so on. And it isn't surprising
that his dream project then is still just that — a dream.
The unpretentious potter-turned-inventor is stoic as he tells me in a
telephone conversation from his village, Wankaner, that he is still
waiting for someone to follow up after the initial excitement that his
inspirational story always generates at every conference — and he's
attended 10 in the past year.
"I'm not literate, behn-ji," he tells me matter-of-factly in Hindi. "I
can't do it all myself."
For all that talk about the bottom of the pyramid, no one has yet come
forward to actually partner with him, though he did find a benefactor
in the National Innovation Foundation which gave him Rs 6.8 lakh to
work on his projects. But what Prajapati needs more than money is some
real entrepreneurship. This is possible either through some serious
hand-holding for a solo start-up, or a partner who will refine and
commercialise Prajapati's products – he has an obvious, ready-made
market – while he keeps innovating. Perhaps someone like Godrej, which
is test-marketing its own tiny battery-run refrigerator based on a
cooling chip and fan for Rs 3,250 (compared to Mitticool's Rs 2,500).
But Chotukool doesn't have the USP of Mitticool which needs zero power
and uses clean water as a coolant — that can also be drunk ice-cold
from an attached tap. Prajapati's website – www.mitticool.in – shows
how far he has come, and how very far he could go with a little bit
support.
But this isn't just about the extraordinary story of Prajapati.
There's probably a Prajapati prototype in every village, with little
or no technological training or knowledge, who never intended to
design and invent, but had curiosity, persistence and indigenous
skills to create simple, innovative and inexpensive solutions. Like
Jahangir Painter's scooter engine-powered mini flour mill or Mohammad
Saidullah's amphibious bicycle. Or the bicycle-powered washing machine
invented by rural Kerala schoolgirl, Remya Jose (also independently
reinvented as Cyclean in the UK and the Bicilavadora by MIT's D-lab
students — which shows that the same product can be invented by two
different motivations: necessity and intellectual curiosity).
But even that isn't the point. As Microsoft Principal Researcher Bill
Buxton says, "Too often the obsession is with 'inventing' something
totally unique versus extracting value from the creative understanding
of what is already known... Innovation is far more about prospecting,
refining, mining and adding value."
And so, the D-lab, which tries to find simple solutions to Third World
problems, is testing and refining their Bicilavadora, which is
designed around easily available parts like inexpensive plastic
barrels and bicycle components, needs no electricity and saves
precious water and time. It educates people in Guatemala and Peru
about Bicilavadora's benefits, teaches them basic repair and
maintenance and distributes the machine, which costs $125. I'm betting
Jose's indovation will cost even less. But like Prajapati, she
probably also needs an angel to guide her.
Actualising inventions for societal benefits through monetising and
marketing is what gives innovation an edge and creates wealth, but
that is just the corollary. The real story is in the intersection of
invention, innovation and entrepreneurship and the role entrepreneurs
play in transforming them into accessible products or processes that
we can consume.
Feedback? Write to garagegigs@gmail.com
***************************************
BUSINESS STANDARD
COLUMN
SEE SOMETHING? SAY SOMETHING
SHRIDHAR SUBRAMANIA
Not only does music and film piracy rob workers and managers in the
entertainment industry but it also exacerbates overall crime
This week was Ficci Frames time again, an opportunity for the
entertainment industry to get together and examine how best to grow
business. It was, as always, a great environment for ideas and
innovation to come together and for industry professionals to spot the
new opportunities.
However, it was also the moment to examine whether the artists – our
"content creators" – are thriving at the same rate as the rest of the
industry; there are a myriad of ways in which people can now enjoy
their work but sadly many of those ways are not giving those artists
any remuneration. The speed at which digital platforms are developing,
particularly in the mobile space, makes it extremely challenging to
track usage of each song, music video or film. Are these content
creators supported by industry and legislators as well as they should
be?
Music and films are central to our lives, but the ease with which they
are available without royalty going to the creators should be
unacceptable to all of us. Everyone, from the individual music and
film lover to the central legislature, has a responsibility to ensure
an environment in which creativity and industry thrive but not at the
expense of the creators of our entertainment. These are some of the
points I hope delegates of Ficci Frames will be pondering as they
leave the conference.
Playing a counterfeit rock CD, watching a bogus DVD of a Bollywood
blockbuster, or listening to a song copied for free from the Internet
may seem perfectly innocent. It may seem, at worst, like a victimless
crime. After all, from the comfort of their homes or the convenience
of their iPods, how could movie and music fans hurt anyone?
In fact, pirating the works of film and music producers creates
victims in nearly every walk of life. Not only does piracy rob workers
and managers in the entertainment industry, but it also exacerbates
overall crime and has even funded terrorists.
Of the five million Indians employed in the film industry, 571,896
(11.4 per cent) lost their jobs owing to piracy, according to a March
2008 report by Ernst & Young, which conducted a survey for the US
Chamber of Commerce's US-India Business Council. While 150,000 Indians
worked in the music industry, counterfeit-related job losses were
133,434 — a staggering 89 per cent loss in employment.
A worrying aspect of music and film piracy is the nexus with organised
crime and terrorism. As Rand Corporation explained in 2009,
"Counterfeiting is a threat not only to the global information
economy, but also to public safety and national security."
Furthermore, Rand found "compelling evidence of a broad,
geographically dispersed, and continuing connection between film
piracy and organised crime".
When international venture capitalists, private-equity firms and
multinational corporations decide whether or not to invest in a
country, protection of copyright can be a deciding factor. It is in
the interest of our industry to ensure we have adequate protection
mechanisms to reward more creativity and encourage new talent.
Just how bad is piracy in India? Indian cinema is a popular and
leading industry, with a gross output of $2.7 billion and wage
payments of $180 million, according to a March 2010 study by
PricewaterhouseCoopers for India's Motion Picture Distributors
Association.
The Ernst & Young report calculated that Bollywood earned $2.095
billion and lost $959 million to piracy. In other words, copyright
theft that year equalled 46 per cent of the entire Indian film
industry.
The Ernst & Young study found that the legitimate music industry is
worth $183 million while the illegal music industry is worth $325
million.
"Piracy also has a direct impact on employment," the US Chamber/Ernst
& Young survey states, "due to impact on production itself — i.e.
fewer records, movies, games etc being produced."
At the time, Ficci Secretary-General Amit Mitra pointed out, "This
study conclusively shows the urgent need to stop the affliction called
piracy. So, fighting piracy is where all our collective efforts must
start. The domestic media and entertainment industry is an industry of
the future, having already contributed over $11 billion annually to
the GDP and growing at a CAGR [compound annual growth rate] of over 18
per cent. If we can stop piracy, this industry will grow even faster
and provide employment to more people."
Last June, the Alliance Against Copyright Theft encouraged the public
to call a new hotline to report piracy of recorded entertainment. That
number is 1800-103-1919.
Operators are waiting for your call.
The writer is President, India and Middle East, Sony Music Entertainment
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THE ECONOMIC TIMES
EDITORIAL
GIVE SENSIBLY
BEWARE THE DARK SIDE OF CORPORATE PHILANTHROPY AND FOCUS ON OUTCOMES
Can there ever be a dark side to giving? Yes, if the amounts involved
run into tens of billions of dollars. It's hard for most people to
imagine the scale of philanthropy as practiced by the Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation, which has a war chest of around $30 billion. As a
charity, it has to give away 5% of its funds every year, which amounts
to a staggering $1.5 billion handed out annually. Apart from the Gates
couple, the third trustee on its board is the world's richest
investor, Warren Buffett, who has decided to donate the bulk of his
$50 billion fortune to the Foundation. That kind of moolah can do
serious good; it can also cause a lot of damage, even if unwittingly.
So in Africa, a lot of funds are salted away by local vested
interests. Worldwide, the Foundation has tried to boost farm
productivity. That has raised worries about whether it's pushing
genetically modified crops and about the long-term effects of
agricultural quickfixes. The Foundation's investments in Monsanto, one
of the world's largest farm research companies, have only made people
suspicious of its motives.
Healthcare is the Foundation's top priority, but there too it must
step carefully around potential landmines. In India, for example, one
of its early initiatives was to combat AIDS. It pumped in lots of
funds which were gratefully soaked up by farm house cocktail circuit
elites. Much was said and written, little was done and only government
intervention contained India's AIDS problem. The Foundation funds
research and distribution of new medicines and vaccines. This is great
for large drugmakers, but of doubtful value to the poor. Many
health-related problems of the poor can be tackled by solving problems
like access to safe drinking water, improved personal hygiene, women's
and children's health and proper nutrition. These are not sexy topics,
nor do they involve billion-dollar fixes, so the charity bandwagon
fixated on finance is not interested. Should the giving stop? No, it
shouldn't. But the givers should focus on exactly what needs to be
done in each country and devise strategies accordingly. If safe
drinking water can prevent disease, focus on that, rather than funding
big pharma.
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THE ECONOMIC TIMES
EDITORIAL
HARD TIMES
PRICIER FOOD AND LIMITED OPTIONS PUT THE AAM AADMI AT THE RECEIVING END
After a three-week respite, food inflation is back to haunt us. Data
released on Thursday show food inflation measured by wholesale prices
at 10.05% for the week ended March 12, up from 9.42% the previous
week. Any hope that the spike is a one-off development and inflation
will soon resume its downward trajectory is belied by two factors. One
is the large-scale disruption in rail and road traffic caused by the
on-going agitation by Jats seeking caste-based reservation in north
India. The other is higher global commodity — especially fuel —
prices. While the pass-through on account of higher fuel prices may
not happen immediately, given impending elections in five states and
the already high inflation, the impact on prices cannot be suppressed
for long. Fruit and vegetable prices usually rise in the summer
months, and that does not augur well for food inflation. Inflation
also seems to have spread to non-food items — non-food manufactured
goods inflation increased to 6.1% year-onyear in February and the
inflation number for December was revised up to 9.4%, up from 8.4%
earlier, so the outlook on the inflation front is not bright.
This, perhaps, explains why the RBI has been consistently raising its
projected inflation rate for end-March 2011; it is now 8%as against
7%earlier. It has also been raising interest rates, steadily if
somewhat slowly. But monetary actions yield results with a lag.
Moreover, the government has made its preferences clear. If there is a
trade-off between growth and inflation (a debatable point), the
government wants growth, even if in the process it means a new higher
normal for inflation. The moderate fiscal deficit budgeted for 2011-12
gave some momentary comfort on the demand front. But the increase in
subsidies on petroleum products and fertilisers as a result of high
crude prices coupled with the prospect of expenditure overshooting
Budget estimates suggests the fisc is unlikely to lend a helping hand
in demand-side inflation management. With the fisc unwilling to chip
in and the RBI unable to do much more, where does that leave the aam
aadmi? As always, at the receiving end.
***************************************
THE ECONOMIC TIMES
SOUNDS OF SILENCE
ASKING INDIANS TO PIPE DOWN IS LIKE TRYING TO CURB FREE SPEECH
Environment minister Jairam Ramesh does not hesitate to ruffle
feathers, but his attempt to muffle Indians may be his toughest battle
yet. While the rolling out of the Ambient Noise Monitoring Network in
seven metros may bring in reams of data on whether the amended Noise
Regulation Rules 2000 limits are being adhered to, how noisy Indians
will actually be persuaded to pipe down remains unclear. If traffic
noise is a major offender, consider the fact that noise pollution is
hardwired into the system: metro rail trains will emit loud screeches
as they negotiate turns and slow down, trucks will inevitably use
electric horns as they roar their way through town and countryside
alike, and in the absence of a culture of lane driving and adhering to
rules, cars will follow suit in similar tones. Honking is second
nature to Indians; trying to silence that would be like attempting to
curb free speech. Allowing just 15 days in a year when Indians can be
as clangorous as they want to till midnight (instead of 10pm) seems
inadequate given the number of days currently enlivened by the sounds
of wedding processions and religious soirees.
An inkling of the way people may think of this sudden push for
quietude comes from the Trinamool Congress and the Congress. With
campaigning for the assembly polls gathering momentum, both parties
have loudly declared their unwillingness to abide by the West Bengal
Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) norms. After all, noise generation has
become part and parcel of Indian life, signalling power and
popularity. The day sirens are no longer used indiscriminately to part
traffic with Moses-like ease, cheering claques are prevented from
bolstering a n e t a's image and loud music is not allowed to blare a
person's disdain for the law, India will become a whisper of its
former vociferous self.
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THE ECONOMIC TIMES
SERENDIPITY
HEAR US OUT TOO, MR PM
HAVING HEARD THE 'TRIBULATIONS' OF THE BUILDER, WILL THE PM NOW CARE
TO LISTEN TO THE TRAVAILS OF THE HOME BUYER?
It is good to know that in a meeting with the Prime Minister last
week, the builders raised the issue of high stamp duty in realty,
which is the source of much under valuation of properties in
practically all deals, big or small, resulting in copious quantities
of black money. Apparently, the good Prime Minister could see the
obvious logic of lowering the stamp duty. If the lowering of stamp
duty — if and when it happens — brings in its wake any relief to the
beleaguered home buyers, well that is a mere collateral benefit; it is
not something the builders intended for the home buyers! After all,
given that realty majors are known to control the real estate market
with an iron grip so that prices are almost never allowed to drop to
affordable levels for buyers, the latter have rarely been a priority
for these building magnates. Perhaps lower stamp duty was merely
intended to help them sell more real estate in a market with
increasing interest rates. It is a pity that while builders are able
to take their 'tribulations' to the PM, the poor home buyers have no
one to take their travails to. The tribulations of home buyers were
brought up in this column a couple of years ago. Since then, in the
wake of banks making reckless disbursal of loans for the non-existent
Maytas Hill County apartments of Maytas Properties in Hyderabad, the
matter has assumed even greater significance.
What exactly is a home buyer's ordeal? To understand this, one simply
has to read a typical housing contract of any of the large builders.
In it, you might notice something along the following lines: 'While
the buyer shall pay a penal interest of 18% per annum for a delay of
even 15 days on his instalments to the builder, the builder has no
symmetric obligation.' If he pays a compensatory rent at all for
project delayed as much as 18 months, the home buyer will be lucky if
the rent forked out exceeds 2-3% per annum in most cases. Further, the
builder would demand that the instalment payable to him from the home
buyer be bimonthly or upon each stage of completion, whichever is
earlier! Thus, even if the builder has not completed a stage of
construction, the next instalment becomes payable! Nor is the builder
obliged to complete any of the promised facilities like swimming pool,
club house, etc. that he is supposed to provide, at the time of
handing over the property or even any time thereafter. These promises
cannot be contractually demanded, though home buyers are obliged to
pay for them.
Further, buyers shall have no say in the quality of construction
promised by the builder. The buyers shall have no claim to warranty on
defective construction even for one full season, the warranty being
restricted to six months. The builder may encroach upon the buyer's
property, privacy, or peace at will. The loan for the housing is
worked through a tripartite agreement with a bank. The bank shall
directly release the instalments in favour of the builder in
accordance with the above terms, even if the required stages of
construction are not completed. So, is it surprising that IDBI Bank
released payments for non-existent Maytas Hill County apartments?
Certainly, a case may be made that home buyers must read the
documentation carefully. But then, the question remains that even if
they do and find any highly skewed contract objectionable, what can
they do about it, except choosing not to invest in the property? And
what are they supposed to do when all contracts by all builders are
similarly skewed?
In other countries, builders' associations prescribe standard
proformas of contracts which are a little more balanced in order to
reasonably protect the interests of home buyers. Often, the government
and banks participate in developing such proformas. When the Builders
Association of India was requested to put out a less skewed version of
builders' contract on its website in the best interests of home
buyers, as is the practice in many developed countries, the president
of the association was forthright in stating that the association
"looks after [only the] common problems of its members" or, in other
words, home buyers aren't its concern.
Persuasive suggestions were made at the highest level to the RBI (and
the finance ministry, NHB and HDFC) three years ago that it should
require all banks to release their home loans meant to flow from home
buyers to builders only through an escrow account. The bank could hold
a limited power of attorney from the home buyer (borrower) to ensure
that builders have met their obligations and clear the escrow only
after all the conditions had been met by the builder. It was pointed
out that borrowers, who risk their life's savings on a home, would be
happy to pay a charge for the bank's service. If the builder's cost of
the project goes up in the process, it is not as if they would be
terribly shy to pass on the cost to buyers any way. It was also
suggested that the RBI ought to enable the participation of banks in
developing a proforma contract that is less skewed in favour of the
builders and that such a move could encourage more home loans and
minimise cash transactions so prevalent in the real estate sector.
But, alas, to little effect! Obviously, this route of discouraging
cash transactions does not seem to suit the builder.
Now that the Prime Minister is still fresh from having heard builders,
will he kindly take note of our views as well — us, the home buyers —
who have rarely, if ever, received a fair deal from the hands of these
builders?
V RAGHUNATHAN
***************************************
THE ECONOMIC TIMES
ET INTERACTIVE
'WE WILL NOT EXIT ANY BUSINESS IN INDIA'
DHEERAJ TIWARI
Karan Bhagat, country head and managing director of Barclays
Corporate, India, may be a man of few words. But the bank he steers in
India is silently attempting to strengthen its presence in India after
the global financial crisis that dented its profitability.
In 2008, it was Barclays Capital that had acquired the ailing Lehman
Brothers' North American investment banking and capital markets
businesses. Since then, businesses become tougher for the British
banking giant.
The Barclays group exited retail business in Indonesia last year
followed by Russia this year. Its total losses aggregated to around
$985 million in Russia, Indonesia, India, Pakistan and the UAE. Bhagat
is clear that the group will not exit its businesses in India. With
the Indian economy poised to grow at 9% a year, Barclays, like its
peers, foresees pick-up in credit demand. The rising incomes in India
and big-ticket acquisitions of Indian companies also augur well for
the bank to consolidate its position here. Bhagat, who has been
handling the portfolio for over a year now, says the company's core
strategy is to differentiate not only on the range of products on
offer but also on customer service. The bank offers a host of
services, besides retail banking and credit cards. While Barclays
Wealth is looking to tap the growing high net worth individuals of the
country, Barclays Capital is aiming to grow its investment banking and
advisory business.
"We are focusing on sharpening our customer service, while offering a
bouquet of products. The dynamics is changing in the retail segment as
well. Simply having the tag of a foreign bank is no USP. What matters
is innovation in the area of services. That will be the key
differentiatior," Bhagat says. Ironically, the Barclays Financial
Planning division is being wound up in the UK where the bank is
headquartered. Barclays global business began way back in 1925 with
the merger of three banks — the Colonial Bank, the Anglo Egyptian Bank
and the National Bank of South Africa. In 1981, Barclays became the
first foreign bank to file with the US Securities and Exchange
Commission and raise long-term capital in the New York market. In
1986, it became the first British bank to have its shares listed on
the Tokyo and New York stock exchanges.
The banking regulator wants foreign banks to get locally incorporated
as more foreign banks shift their focus to India. Bhagat will have a
tougher job on his hands when the government allows new banking
licenses. So, is Barclays now ready to take the leap in India and
convert its foreign branch into a wholly-owned subsidiary? Bhagat's
reply is guarded. "The guidelines are not finalised and we are
studying them at present. We have raised few questions with the
banking regulator," he says. Bhagat agrees that conversion into a
wholly-owned subsidiary may have some advantages, but he is of view
that some issues need to ironed out before any foreign bank can take a
call. When prodded a little on whether Barclays will look at acquiring
a private sector bank in the country and expand, he says he does not
seem averse to the idea. The bank is open to looking at all
possibilities, he says. The academician in Bhagat surfaces when he
talks of social responsibilities of a bank. "At some point, I thought
academics as a career option, but then decided to enter the big bad
world." Bhagat claims that his bank is not averse to meeting priority
sector requirements as envisaged in the discussion paper on converting
foreign branches into wholly-owned subsidiaries. "But mass-scale
retail banking is not our focus," he says.
Bhagat is, however, tightlipped on the new bonus payout plan for the
staff that has been implemented by the bank's chief executive Bob
Diamond. But he reckons that there is something amiss in regulators
framing policies on pay issues. "What I am less convinced about is
different regulators formulating different set of policies in their
jurisdiction," he says. Barclays will issue contingent convertibles to
its senior managing directors as part of its annual bonus payments.
However, this will only be applicable if the bank's Tier - I capital
adequacy ratio continues to stay above 7%.
Barclays has grown from a group of English partnerships to a global
bank represented in Europe, the US, Latin America, Africa, the
Caribbean, Asia, the Middle East and Australia. "Our bank, largely
identified with the football league we sponsor, our head Bob Diamond,
and other intangible qualities, will consolidate its footprint in
India. We have been a stable, well-managed and innovative bank. We are
a young bank in this country and the opportunities are immense," he
claims.
Bhagat aspires to be a mentor and coach, rather than just a boss to
his staff and colleagues.
KARAN BHAGAT
COUNTRY HEAD & MD
Barclays Corporate, India
***************************************
******************************************************************************************
DECCAN CHRONICAL
EDITORIAL
TAINTED SAINTS
"He was my cousin, twice removed — Each time by the police. He married
his brother's mother-in-law Who was also his sister's niece..." From A
Parsi Family Tree (Ed. Bachchoo) The sainted become the tainted. The
British, and indeed international, media's latest game is to identify
all those who supped with the devil and weren't equipped with a long
spoon. So the Rothschilds who invite former British Labour minister
and operator-in-chief Peter Mandelson and the "crown prince" of Libya,
Seif Gaddafi to their dining tables, onto their yachts, or to their
estates and on their hunts have picked up the stain of association
with a mass murderer. Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were
political friends with Col. Muammar Gaddafi before he started
butchering his own people. Now they are scrambling to make some
distance. The famous London School of Economics (LSE) has taken the
colonel's shilling in the form of educational endowments and the
disclosure of the extent and manner of these gifts has caused its
director Sir Howard Davies to resign. The suggestion is that all
dealings with mass murderers and dictators are cause for concern or at
least cause for throwing mud. The mud may not stick even though it is
clear that Col. Gaddafi's son has nothing but his genes to qualify him
for the wealth he dispenses or for his lifestyle and association with
the good and great of the world of usury. The flung mud (or other
substance) doesn't stick when people judge that the purpose to which
the ill-gotten gains were then put is in itself noble. Take the case
of Mother Teresa of Kolkata. Some years ago Christopher Hitchens and
Tariq Ali made a documentary which proved that Mother Teresa had taken
money for her charitable work from Papa Doc, the butcher of Haiti, and
from Enver Hoxa, the dictator of Albania. Neither Doc nor Hoxa were
well thought of as democrats or as people and the funds which the
sainted Teresa got from them were not deemed to be hard-earned cash.
Nevertheless, Mother Teresa suffered no ignominy from the disclosure
because what she was doing with the money was seen to be altruistic,
good and even saintly. The same argument may eventually be applied to
Col. Gaddafi's endowments to the LSE. I wonder, though, if the school
has a course in contemporary north African history and whether its
curriculum and contentions are in any way affected by the acceptance
of Libyan money. In the interests of academic independence, we should
be told. There are murmurs one hears of the Jaipur Literary Festival
being sponsored by philanthropists who do business with Libya. That,
of course, is no reason to suppose that a Libyan or Arab writer who is
in any sense critical of, or satirical about, Col. Gaddafi will not be
invited onto a platform to read or discuss his or her work. Neither is
it fair to assume that the Nirulas (whom I know) who finance wholly or
in part this festival, or indeed the organisers of the festival (also
friends of mine) can in any sense be accused of taking the murderer's
largesse. The closest I myself ever got to... Well, here's the story,
I shan't give it away: Some years ago I was a commissioning editor of
the UK's Channel 4 TV. The job entailed conceiving and commissioning
programmes and programme makers, paying for the programmes,
editorially guiding them and bargaining with my colleagues and
superiors for their prime-time airing. I went to a party, a private
affair of a friend who happened to be a TV producer, but not one that
worked for me or for Channel 4. As I walked in, Ray, my host, said,
"Great you could make it", or words to that effect. "There's someone
who wants desperately to meet you." I got myself a drink and crossing
the crowded room was introduced to a fat gentleman in a dark suit who
was seated on a sofa between two young women. He lumbered to his feet
as Mr Ray and I approached and beamed rather fetchingly as we were
introduced. "I have been very much interested in meeting you", he said
with a heavy, what I took to be Arabic, accent. I was polite in return
and the two young ladies, taking their cue from the gentleman, stood
and vanished into the party to make room for me on the sofa. I sat,
curious. "Well, I propose to Channel 4 a six-part documentary on the
history this century (it was still the 20th) of West Asia and the Arab
world. We will have everybody speaking, anybody you want — Yasser
Arafat, Sheikh Muhammad Hassan Fedlallah, people from Hezbollah,
Hamas, the Sheikhs, Col. Gaddafi, the main players in Lebanon, Syria,
Egypt, Muslim Brotherhood..." "Israel?" I asked. "Of course, of
course", he said. "The main thing, 90 per cent, about such a series is
access", I said. "We have complete access to everyone", he replied.
"Huge enterprise", I said. "Interesting if it comes off and it will
have to have a very experienced producer..." "Oh, yes, yes, yes", he
said. He had anticipated the hurdles he might encounter in pitching
the idea to someone like me. "We have..." and he mentioned the names
of very distinguished BBC directors and producers (who shall here
remain nameless). I knew all the names and knew they'd done good work.
"And it's grand scale, battles, landscape, history like drama!"
"That's good, but a six-parter? What sort of money were you thinking
of?" It was a social occasion and I didn't want to invite him to meet
me officially with a written proposal without getting some idea of
whether Channel 4 could afford it. "What about £40,000 per episode?"
he said. "You'd never make it for that!" I said. A look of resignation
came over his face. He'd dealt with amateurs before! "No, no you don't
understand", he said. "We are making the films ourself. The £40,000
per episode is a present for you." I thanked him and said I was in
need of a drink. "Who's that fellow?" I asked Mr Ray He grinned. "He's
the Libyan bagman", he said. "No deal?" I reported the incident to the
channel controller the next day. "Hmmm, £40,000 per episode. Not bad.
And you turned that down?" he said. "So what's your price then,
Farrukh?"
***************************************
DECCAN CHRONICAL
EDITORIAL
US IN THE GRIP OF AUSTERITY DELUSION
Portugal's government has just fallen in a dispute over austerity
proposals. Irish bond yields have topped ten per cent for the first
time. And the British government has just marked its economic forecast
down and its deficit forecast up. What do these events have in common?
They're all evidence that slashing spending in the face of high
unemployment is a mistake. Austerity advocates predicted that spending
cuts would bring quick dividends in the form of rising confidence, and
that there would be few, if any, adverse effects on growth and jobs;
but they were wrong. It's too bad, then, that these days you're not
considered serious in Washington unless you profess allegiance to the
same doctrine that's failing so dismally in Europe. It was not always
thus. Two years ago, faced with soaring unemployment and large budget
deficits — both the consequences of a severe financial crisis — most
advanced-country leaders seemingly understood that the problems had to
be tackled in sequence, with an immediate focus on creating jobs
combined with a long-run strategy of deficit reduction. Why not slash
deficits immediately? Because tax increases and cuts in government
spending would depress economies further, worsening unemployment. And
cutting spending in a deeply depressed economy is largely
self-defeating even in purely fiscal terms: any savings achieved at
the front end are partly offset by lower revenue, as the economy
shrinks. So jobs now, deficits later was and is the right strategy.
Unfortunately, it's a strategy that has been abandoned in the face of
phantom risks and delusional hopes. On one side, we're constantly told
that if we don't slash spending immediately we'll end up just like
Greece, unable to borrow except at exorbitant interest rates. On the
other, we're told not to worry about the impact of spending cuts on
jobs because fiscal austerity will actually create jobs by raising
confidence. How's that story working out so far? Self-styled deficit
hawks have been crying wolf over US interest rates more or less
continuously since the financial crisis began to ease, taking every
uptick in rates as a sign that markets were turning on America. But
the truth is that rates have fluctuated, not with debt fears, but with
rising and falling hope for economic recovery. And with full recovery
still seeming very distant, rates are lower now than they were two
years ago. But couldn't America still end up like Greece? Yes, of
course. If investors decide that we're a banana republic whose
politicians can't or won't come to grips with long-term problems, they
will indeed stop buying our debt. But that's not a prospect that
hinges, one way or another, on whether we punish ourselves with
short-run spending cuts. Just ask the Irish, whose government — having
taken on an unsustainable debt burden by trying to bail out runaway
banks — tried to reassure markets by imposing savage austerity
measures on ordinary citizens. The same people urging spending cuts on
America cheered. "Ireland offers an admirable lesson in fiscal
responsibility", declared Alan Reynolds of the Cato Institute, who
said that the spending cuts had removed fears over Irish solvency and
predicted rapid economic recovery. That was in June 2009. Since then,
the interest rate on Irish debt has doubled; Ireland's unemployment
rate now stands at 13.5 per cent. And then there's the British
experience. Like America, Britain is still perceived as solvent by
financial markets, giving it room to pursue a strategy of jobs first,
deficits later. But the government of Prime Minister David Cameron
chose instead to move to immediate, unforced austerity, in the belief
that private spending would more than make up for the government's
pullback. As I like to put it, the Cameron plan was based on belief
that the confidence fairy would make everything all right. But she
hasn't: British growth has stalled, and the government has marked up
its deficit projections as a result. Which brings me back to what
passes for budget debate in Washington these days. A serious fiscal
plan for America would address the long-run drivers of spending, above
all healthcare costs, and it would almost certainly include some kind
of tax increase. But we're not serious: any talk of using Medicare
funds effectively is met with shrieks of "death panels", and the
official Grand Old Party (GOP) position — barely challenged by
Democrats — appears to be that nobody should ever pay higher taxes.
Instead, all the talk is about short-run spending cuts. In short, we
have a political climate in which self-styled deficit hawks want to
punish the unemployed even as they oppose any action that would
address our long-run budget problems. And here's what we know from
experience abroad: The confidence fairy won't save us from the
consequences of our folly. *By arrangement with The New York Times
***************************************
DECCAN CHRONICAL
EDITORIAL
PENSION BILL SHOWS REFORMS ON TRACK
The introduction of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development
Authority (PFRDA) Bill — amid high drama in Parliament on Thursday —
was a do-or-die move by the government. Any further delay or, more
important, a defeat on this issue even at the introduction stage,
would have been a huge negative for UPA-2, which has been on a
face-saving spree on several other counts recently. If the BJP had not
come to the ruling party's rescue, it would have been a setback for
the Congress leadership's commitment to its reform agenda. The Prime
Minister has repeatedly said that economic reforms are on track, and
the PFRDA is very much part of this in the pension sector. It is a
demand that has been made by industrial bodies. Foreign investors too
have been looking forward to investments by pension funds. Indian
insurance companies, businessmen and foreign investors are already
disgruntled over the delay in raising the cap on foreign investment in
insurance companies, and the government has not been able to go
forward on this due to stiff resistance — not only from the Left but
also from its own members and allies. Therefore, the government has
cleverly kept out the FDI cap issue so that it is free to increase the
cap if and when possible without having to seek Parliament's approval.
The Manmohan Singh government has been stuck with the PFRDA Bill,
which was introduced first by the National Democratic Alliance
government. It was unable to take it forward during UPA-1 as its Left
partners opposed it. On Thursday, it was the absence of Congress MPs
in the House at the time of introduction that nearly saw the measure
defeated on the floor. The government is thinking of convening a
special session of Parliament at the end of May (though this is not
certain) to get the bill passed. Since it has the needed majority,
there should ordinarily be no problem unless its allies revolt and the
BJP does not come to the rescue once again. There has been a solid
divide on the PFRDA issue. The PFRDA will be a structured regulatory
body with more teeth to oversee innumerable pension funds across the
country. It will monitor the New Pension Scheme (NPS), which has also
not found acceptance from the Left and several trade unions. The NPS,
they argue, is not a pension scheme at all but an investment scheme,
and its returns will depend on the NAVs (net asset value) of six
mutual funds, including that of the State Bank of India and UTI, which
handle NPS. The Left and the working class in general have been
against pension and provident funds being used for investment in the
stock market. They feel that once funds go in that direction, they
will be at risk from speculators. Several scams have already hit the
market. This is also one of the reasons why the trustees of the
Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) are holding out against
the government's repeated efforts to get that money, or even a chunk
of it, into the stock market. The labour ministry, which oversees the
EPFO, has demanded that the government give a guarantee for the money
invested. The government has fought shy of this. This is the reason
EPFO investments remain primarily outside the stock market. But with
the PFRDA in place, the EPFO may be migrated to the PFRDA regime. The
fate of over Rs 3 lakh crores — under the EPFO — and of over 40
million crore workers is at stake.
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DECCAN CHRONICAL
OPED
DON'T HIT N-BUTTON
A nuclear accident anywhere is an accident everywhere — this maxim has
been central to nuclear safety in the years since Chernobyl. It seems
that once again all the labours of the scientists and engineers who
sought to usher in a nuclear renaissance are turning Sisyphean in the
wake of Japan's tragic ordeal. Japan's nuclear catastrophe, with
unprecedented scenes of virtual "parlay" in city after coastal city in
the country's north-east areas, is drawing sharper and narrower
international focus by the day. For better or worse, this has brought
the pro-nuclear denouement of the past decade to ground zero. As S.K.
Jain, chairman of India's Nuclear Power Corporation Ltd, noted, "This
event may be a big dampener for our programme. We and the Department
of Atomic Energy will definitely revisit the entire thing, including
our new reactor plans, after we receive more information from Japan".
This is on the lines of what Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has
ordered, as he informed Parliament. This sober approach would be
essential to resolve the issues predicated on India's hunger for clean
energy, for no matter how one looks at India's long-term energy mix,
the nuclear component in it cannot be wished away. Although events in
Japan are unprecedented, the drawing of parallels with Japan's crisis
by every country would appear to spell an irrational panic. This is
because each country (and the nature of its nuclear reactors) need not
necessarily replicate the extraordinary situation obtaining in Japan.
After all, the Japanese people are facing, as their Prime Minister
pointed out, their worst crisis since World War II. The unusual
challenges thrown up in Fukushima were just not visualised. So, there
can be no room for any "I told you so". It does appear, all things
considered, that instead of professional scientists and engineers,
those jumping into the fray at the moment are more of the
dyed-in-the-wool campaigner variety, people who are against nuclear
power or the nuclear power industry in any case. What are the facts so
far? A tsunami occurred, brought about by an earthquake of 9.0
magnitude, among the rarest. Even so, the extraordinary phenomenon
could not prevent the shutdown of the nuclear reactors, a critical
consideration. In the case of the Chernobyl accident in 1986, the
reactor could not be shut down. This led to uncontrolled chain
reaction, causing dangerous spread of radioactivity in eastern and
central Europe. In contrast, the Fukushima Daiichi reactors could be
immediately shut down. Indeed, the problem in Japan arose from an
entirely different source — reactor fuel rods that contain highly
radioactive elements. The severity of the crisis arose from the
breakdown of power supply for coolant pumps due to the earthquake.
Such a severe breakdown is the first of its kind in the history of
nuclear accidents. It bears noting that India's nuclear power reactors
— in the main — differ from the reactors at Fukushima, which are light
water reactors fuelled by enriched uranium (except unit three which
has about six per cent mix of plutonium). The exceptions are a US
reactor at Tarapur and two Russian ones at Kudankulam (fuelled by
enriched uranium), but these are different in design from those in
Fukushima. In India, the experience of Bhopal fires the anger of
anti-nuclear agitators who fear a repeat of callous indifference in
the event of industrial disasters in general. The first fast breeder
reactor at Kalpakkam is due for completion this year. This will raise
India's profile. It is noteworthy that the Kalpakkam centre
successfully shut down reactors and managed the safety of its workers
after the 2004 tsunami. In taking stock of the Japanese crisis, the
differences between the specifics of the Japanese and the Indian
situation must be borne in mind. For start-up reactors, the crisis
serves a timely warning to learn lessons, not to engage in
scare-mongering. *Sheel Kant Sharma was India's ambassador to the
International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna
***************************************
DECCAN CHRONICAL
OPED
THE WAYS & MEANS OF WARREN BUFFETT
Warren Buffett exhausts me. I'm sure he exhausted several other people
on his virgin trip to India. At 80, he is still at the crease, batting
away… and going by his energy levels, he'll hit his century
effortlessly. It is just not natural for an octogenarian to be jetting
half way around the world at such a hectic speed. He described his
quickie chakkar to India as a "better late than never" trip. And came
up with a booklet-full of quotable quotes, starting with philanthropy
being much harder and riskier than business. At around the same time,
another American billionaire buddy of his, Bill Gates, was also
floating around the countryside, telling us what to do with our money
(earn it — and donate it!). Why do I get the feeling India is being
sent on a massive guilt trip by these two guys? And why do we need to
take lessons in charity from anybody? Least of all super rich
Americans who have made their pile. One of whom has an established
business here, and the other wishes to establish business in India?
Declared the Oracle of Omaha in Bengaluru, "We want to be where the
action is, and the action is here". No kidding, buddy! Someone
obviously forgot to tell these two guys our approach to philanthropy
is different. Daan has always been an intrinsic part of our culture.
If the present generation has callously ignored the message from the
shastras, that's their business. The thought of being lectured to by
people who represent the land of milk and honey and scolded that we
are not doing enough is a bit much. I think it is condescending and
patronising in the extreme for anybody to preach charity. To each his
own. And decision to give or not to give, or even how much to give and
to whom, is a very individual one. We keep hearing wonderful speeches
on corporate social responsibility, and there are enough people
cashing in on the glory attached to it. But give me a break. Mr
Buffett is obviously a very, very generous chap (he has pledged 99 per
cent of his fortune, mainly to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation).
Well, good for him. And I am sure the angels in heaven (where his seat
is guaranteed) will compose a special song for him when he gets to the
pearly gates. But right now, what he is doing in India is scouting
around for fresh opportunities to make still more money. He has his
"brother or son" Shri Ajit Jain to help him invest in the country via
Berkshire Hathaway (more chewing gum, anyone?). We are cool with that.
We are also cool with more fizzy drinks (thanda matlab…?) hitting our
stores, what with summer around the corner and over a billion parched
throats to quench. Mr Buffett says he hasn't come her with an
"elephant gun" loaded for acquisitions, but hey, we are cool with
that, too. India is original elephant country. I am confused. Perhaps
I am too "retarded" (Mr Buffett's word to describe the delay in his
coming to India) to get it. But the man is here to make even more
money — right? And after he has made it, he will donate it, right?
Meanwhile, his shareholders will be a happy lot, since Mr Buffett has
assured them he is scaling up and looking at big markets like India,
China and Brazil. He also told overwhelmed, gushing reporters that he
feels he has more money than he needs — he eats well, takes vacations,
watches movies… the regular stuff lesser mortals indulge in even
without those billions and trillions. So, the logical question to ask
him is this: "Why do you want to make more money, sir?" His answer
will be: "The more money I make, the more I can give". Noble. Our Mr
and Mrs Money Bags are being prodded into following the Gates-Buffett
pattern of giving. They are being coerced into parting with large
portions of their wealth because they are told it makes them look
good. Heaven knows how convinced they are about all this
giving-shiving of their paisa, and God knows what their children think
about it ("Grrrrrr… Dad! Mom! Ab mera kya hoga?"). But "giving" is the
new a la mode statement to make. And all these "new" and "improved"
charity drives amongst loaded desis have a lot to do with keeping up
with the Buffetts. How can you hope to sit at the high table in Davos
if you haven't announced a humungous donation to a pet cause? Without
knocking these magnanimous gestures of our do-gooders, it is amusing
to note the publicity machine that goes into overdrive when these
grand donations are made. There's nothing quiet or discreet about
charity these days. And perhaps Gates/Buffett will argue the more you
talk about it, the more it inspires others to reach for their wallets.
I dunno. I have seen some high-profile charity auctions at which dodgy
millionaires have crept out of the woodwork for the all important
photo-ops… only to creep right back again… zero follow-ups, zero
money. Where does all that lolly go? Any answers? The second and third
richest men in the world doing zabardasti with the 55 desi
co-billionaires featured on the Forbes 2011 list are definitely
pushing their luck. Coaxing these guys to sign The Giving Pledge
followed by a public statement and letter is really a bit much, as
pressure tactics go. The Chinese are smarter. After a similar
initiative in China last September, not a single Chinese billionaire
who showed up for the banquet bothered to sign the pledge. That's what
is called the ultimate Oriental snub. Let's see whether the
multi-course Indian buffet piles on more on the table than the Chinese
one. Or else, the world's most famous philanthropists may go home
hungry and disappointed. No such thing as a free lunch… perhaps India
is not the moveable feast Bill and Warren expected it to be! *Readers
can send feedback to ww.shobhaade.blogspot.com
***************************************
DECCAN CHRONICAL
OPED
THE EGO ADVANTAGE
There's something I've always wondered about Colonel Muammar Gaddafi:
How does a guy who seems to be only marginally attached to reality
manage to stay in power for 42 years? He gives rambling incoherent
speeches at places like the UN. His head is stuffed with oddball
conspiracy theories and strange obsessions, like calling for the
elimination of Switzerland or blaming the JFK assassination on Israeli
intelligence. He shows up in foreign countries in odd dress, with odd
make-up, once having pinned a photograph to his chest. He has an
all-female bodyguard contingent. In 2008, he announced that as part of
a government shake-up, he was going to abolish all government
ministries except defence, internal security and a few others. These
are not the actions of a cold, calculating Machiavellian. Yet Col.
Gaddafi can't just be dismissed as a comic loon. He's maintained
dominance in a ruthless part of the world, and he may outlast the
current shambolic attempts to unseat him. It seems that there is
something advantageous in the megalomania that is his defining
lifelong trait. He was kicked out of school for trying to organise a
student strike. He began plotting a coup to take over the country
while in college. He has repeatedly compared himself to Jesus and the
Prophet Mohammad. He calls the Green Book, his book of teachings, "the
new gospel". That book, which Libyans are compelled to read (he
cancelled student summer vacation at one point and replaced it with
indoctrination sessions), is filled with oddball notions and banal
assertions. It consists of three parts, 'The Solution to Democratic
Problems', 'The Solution to Economic Problems' and a section offering
solutions to social problems. Col. Gaddafi apparently wrote the book
with the conviction that he had discovered the answers to all human
problems, which he calls the Third Universal Theory. Along the way he
offers banal observations as if nobody had ever thought of them
before. He reveals that women menstruate and men do not. He unveils
doctrines that have nothing to do with how he actually behaves:
"Mandatory education is a coercive education that suppresses freedom.
To impose specific teaching materials is a dictatorial act". He seems
to be one of those people who believes he possesses absolute truth,
who wants to impose his thoughts on everybody else and exercise total
dominance over others. That's how he has run his country. According to
the Freedom of the Press Index, it is the most censored country in
West Asia and North Africa, which is saying something. Experts
estimate that as much as 10 per cent or 20 per cent of the population
is made up of state security informants. To eliminate outside
influence, Col. Gaddafi at one point removed foreign languages from
schools and removed the Latin lettering street signs. He expelled the
Italian community, forcing its members to exhume the bodies of
Italians from graveyards to take home. Street posters say: "Obey Those
in Authority". Over the decades, he has tried to remake the world in
his own grandiose image. He tried to create a larger empire by merging
Libya and Sudan. He tried to create a Federation of Arab Republics
with Egypt and Syria. He tried to create an Arab Legion. He has named
himself King of Kings, Imam of All Muslims and, in 2009, sought to
create a United States of Africa. He has created dictatorship
academies and has trained some of the world's most brutal autocrats,
and, of course, he has supported terrorist movements in Australia,
Ireland, Germany and beyond. Yet this very megalomania seems to be
both the secret to his longevity and to his unhinged nature. The
paradoxical fact is that if you want to stay in office as a dictator,
it is better to be a narcissistic totalitarian than a run-of-the-mill
autocrat. Megalomianiacs like Col. Gaddafi seek to control every
neuron in their peoples' heads and to control every aspect of life.
They destroy all outside authority and civil society. They personalise
every institution so that things like the Army exist to serve their
holy selves, rather than the nation at large. They are untroubled by
doubt or concern for the good opinion of others since they already
possess absolute truth. They are motivated to fulfil their World
Historical Mission and have no interest in retiring peacefully to some
villa. Former American ambassador Jeane Kirkpatrick was right years
ago to make the distinction between authoritarian dictatorships and
totalitarian ones. The totalitarian ones are both sicker and harder to
dislodge. Col. Gaddafi's unhinged narcissistic oddness seems to be the
key to his longevity. So remember: If you're going to be a tyrant, be
a wacko. It's safer. *By arrangement with The New York Times
***************************************
******************************************************************************************
THE STATESMAN
EDITORIAL
NUCLEAR POWER
DISASTERS PLACE HEAVY BURDEN ON CIVILIANS
People living in villages next to the Koodankulam nuclear power plant
in southern Tamil Nadu have been asked to vacate their homes and stay
away for at least 15 days by the end of this month for a first trial
of facilities. People of Thiruvananthapuram in neighbouring Kerala,
less than 150 km away, not knowing what these tests will yield, and
the authorities yet to take the people into confidence, held a protest
meeting in front of the secretariat in the morning and a public
meeting on Thursday evening. They demanded the Koodankulam nuclear
power plant be shut down immediately. Two 1,000 MW Russian nuclear
power plants are being built at Koodankulam on the Tamil Nadu coast,
and plans are afoot to add four more. With a reprocessing plant,
dangerous nuclear waste, and a weapons facility, the sea water is
going to be contaminated. The daily intake of radio-nuclides and
low-level radiation is bound to damage the health of the people. The
Fukushima accident shows that nobody can assure total safety with
regard to nuclear power plants. The chain of incidents engulfing all
six Fukushima Daiichi reactors was a result of their proximity to each
other. At Koodankulam too, once the project is completed, there will
be a cluster of six reactors. If Fukushima radiation can end up in
Sacramento, California, 10,000 km away, Koodankuaml will not spare
Kerala or even Sri Lanka.
That India needs to generate far more electricity is not in doubt. But
it should be based on safety and cost-effectiveness and not as a quid
pro quo to the USA, France and Russia for clinching the Indo-US
nuclear deal. Nuclear power is both uneconomical and unnecessary. It
cannot compete against energy conservation, including co-generation.
As the WikiLeaks revelations show, the UPA government of Dr Manmohan
Singh, keeping Parliament in the dark, had committed to import a
minimum of 10,000MW nuclear power generation equipment from the USA.
America stopped building nuclear power plants in 1979 following the
partial meltdown of the Three Mile Island plant in Pennsylvania.
Storage and transport of radioactive wastes from nuclear power plants
pose a huge problem. Spent fuel rods, unlike the nuclear reactors,
have no waste repositories. Tarapur, India's oldest nuclear power
plant, has the world's largest stockpile of spent fuel rods. The USA
will neither take them back nor allow India to reprocess them. The
least that the Prime Minister should do is to persuade President Obama
to allow India to reprocess the rods to minimise a Fukushima-like
risk. Nuclear power's complex fuel cycle begins with uranium mining
and ends with deadly radioactive wastes for which there still are no
permanent storage facilities to contain them for tens of thousands of
years. The cost of decommissioning at the end of a nuclear power
plant's lifespan is prohibitive. Like any thermal power plant, nuclear
power plants also boil water to produce steam to turn turbines that
generate electricity. When there are cheaper and safer ways to produce
steam, why should India insist on building huge nuclear power plants?
DEFENCE 'DEFECTS'
UNRESOLVED FOR DECADES
SERIOUS though the implications are, there is little "news" to the
recent report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General slamming domestic
warship construction for massive time and cost overruns. That also
translates into inadequate force levels at a time when piracy
increasingly threatens shipping, and as 26/11 dictated the seaward
defences require upgrade. Though four shipyards function under the MoD
umbrella, their operations hardly reflect a sense of "military
efficiency". It is true the bulk of the workforce comes from civvy
street, they are plagued by labour/ union troubles, but these issues
were identified several years ago. The gains made in the development
of design capability have been negated by painfully slow construction.
That had necessitated orders being placed on Russian yards though
theoretically those ships could have been built at home. Apart from a
poor work culture, red-tape has taken its toll, thwarting timely
import of steel etc. It would also help if the navy refrained from
making frequent changes in design. The concept of serial production
has not become the norm: that facilitates faster and economic
construction. Still, there are no excuses for 200 per cent cost
increases in the programmes for frontline destroyers, stealth frigates
and corvettes ~ all several years behind schedule. The revised defence
production provides for placing orders on private yards: that appears
essentially a threat to the state-run units. There is little
indication of the private yards rushing to seek orders, or making the
massive investment required for setting up facilities and acquiring
specialised skills. Worse, there is also no sign of the government
undertaking a thorough revamp of its four yards. Like decades-old
complaints from Naval Headquarters, the CAG report will remain just
another file on a South Block shelf. Much the same holds true of the
Army's finding itself "deprived" of firing ranges that are critical to
training. The pressure on land ~ both rural and urban ~ has taken its
toll. In the mid-1980s a detailed study was undertaken and it
recommended the acquisition of land used for firing practice in the
non-farming seasons so that a chain of dedicated ranges could be
developed and training programmes re-scheduled so that they were
utilised all round the year. Not much was done in that regard. The
faujis would blame the babus, but did the Service Headquarters press
the issue? Certainly not as forcefully as they did when their pay and
perks were being revised!
PITY MIZORAM'S BRUS
STILL IN LIMBO AND BURNT OUT
IN what was described as one of the most devastating fires in the
North-east, 19 people ~ most of them minors and women ~ were burnt to
death in a Bru (Reang) makeshift refugee camp in Tripura last week. At
least 2,500 huts were said to have been destroyed, rendering 15,000
evacuees homeless. According to reports, inhabitants looked on
helplessly, unable to do anything because of the non-availability of
water. A prompt investigation is called for, if only to prevent
recurrence. The Centre's announcement of compensation of Rs 1 lakh
apiece to victims' kin is of little consolation. Following ethnic
clashes in October 1997, more than 35,000 Brus fled Mizoram and have,
since then, been holed up in six different camps in Tripura's north
districts awaiting repatriation. The exodus started during present
Congress chief minister Lalthanhawla's time but before he could do
anything his party lost the 1998 assembly elections. For a decade the
Mizo National Front government under Zoramthanga kept the repatriation
issue alive but it also followed Lalthanhawla's stand that all
refugees in the Tripura camps were not Mizo residents and Aizawl would
accept only those "genuine" ones who could prove their credentials.
The problem is that not all possess such documents and, hence, the
uncertainty and prevarication. The Supreme Court directive to speed up
the repatriation process was ignored. Only last November, following an
agreement, were some families sent back but camp inmates did not allow
the second batch to leave, demanding foolproof security and an
assurance of compact rehabilitation. The refugees have nowhere to go
but they cannot possibly continue to languish in camps for the rest of
their lives. The Brus deserve the Centre's immediate attention.
***************************************
THE STATESMAN
ARTICLE
SEPARATION OF POWERS
IS THE JUDICIARY UNDERMINING THE EXECUTIVE?
PR DUBHASHI
ON 14 December, the Supreme Court criticised the Maharashtra
government while dismissing the appeal of the state challenging the
fine of Rs 25,000 imposed on it as costs by the Nagpur bench of
Bombay High Court on a petition by two farmers of Buldhana district.
Sarangdhar Singh Chavan and his brother, Vijaysingh Chavan, had
alleged that the police refused to register a criminal case against a
Congress legislator, Dilip Kumar Sananda's father, Gokulchand Sananda,
a money lender. The High Court had imposed the fine because of the
"gross interference" by the executive to shield a money lender
belonging to the ruling party.
Chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh had stopped the police from
registering an FIR. Supreme Court judge AK Ganguly observed that this
act was wholly unconstitutional. "A politician who was found guilty
by the apex court was still in his full glory and thus was shameless".
Obviously, the judge was taking a swipe at the UPA government for
elevating Deshmukh in the recent Union cabinet reshuffle. He was
shifted from heavy industries to rural development, a ministry with a
huge budget and nationwide network. Apart from the legal aspects, the
act of Deshmukh, the then chief minister, made a mockery of the
government's policy to protect the farmers from extortion by money
lenders. A section of civil society had expected the higher fine of Rs
10 lakh, imposed by the Supreme Court, to be paid personally by
Deshmukh. Instead, the fine was imposed on the Maharashtra government
to be paid out of the public exchequer which it did.
The Supreme Court has passed strictures on the government in several
other cases, most recently in the one relating to the appointment of
PJ Thomas, an IAS officer to the post of CVC. While serving in
Kerala, he was involved in the palmolein corruption case. Justice
Ganguly asked the government why A Raja continued to be a minister in
the Union cabinet when he was under CBI scrutiny since 2008 in the
spectrum allocation case. Even a subordinate Delhi court took a swipe
at the Centre, saying that the case against Ottavio Quattrocchi did
not move even in inch in the last 23 years. It was only during BJP
rule that certain statements were recorded.
While hearing a PIL petition seeking implementation of traffic rules,
Bombay High Court took note of disruptions during peak hours because
of the movement of VIPs, pre-eminently the President, Vice-President
and Prime Minister. It asked why arrangements cannot be made in such a
manner that the common man does not suffer. A patient died on way to
hospital because traffic was disrupted by the Prime Minister's convoy.
Taking note of the cases against the government, the Supreme Court
observed: "Government litigation is clogging the wheels of justice.
From recruitment to retirement, why should the court be deciding
everything relating to government officials?" Questioning the six-year
delay in the diesel scam case in Gujarat, the Supreme Court noted that
the CBI was hamstrung, and asked the department to follow a time-frame
to fill the vacant slots. All these observations reflect "governance
deficit", indeed the failure of the executive to discharge its
functions.
In an obvious response to the Supreme Court's observations, the Prime
Minister, in his address to the Commonwealth Lawyers Conference,
invoked the theory of "separation of powers" and observed that
"different limbs of government should stick to their own sphere of
activity and not interfere in the activity of another limb. Such
actions of the judiciary will undermine the authority of the
executive". To what extent are the Prime Minister's observations valid
or justified?
The theory of "separation of powers" was first enunciated by the
French political philosopher, Montesquieu. "When the legislative and
executive powers are united in the same person or body, there can be
no liberty because the apprehension may arise that the senate (i.e.
the legislative body) will enact tyrannical laws and enforce them in a
tyrannical manner. If the judges are legislators or if they assume
executive powers, the judges might behave with all the violence of an
oppressor".
In India, we have followed the Westminster model of parliamentary
democracy ~ the executive is not separated from the legislature. It is
accountable to Parliament and wields power as long as it has the
confidence of the House. A government with a huge majority may take
the legislature for granted as happened in Indira Gandhi's time. But
when the government has a slender majority or is a coalition ministry,
Parliament can be assertive.
As regards the relation between the judiciary and the executive, the
independence of the judiciary is the cornerstone of Indian democracy.
It is guaranteed in the Constitution which offers scope for judicial
review of executive decisions. Initially, Supreme Court judges were
appointed by the government. During the Emergency, Indira Gandhi made
appointments overlooking the seniority of Justice Khanna and Justice
Hegde for daring to oppose her arbitrary actions. The position has
changed radically. It is the Supreme Court that appoints the judges
and the Union government has acquiesced. The Supreme Court and other
courts do not suo motu or as a rule deal with administrative matters.
But if the citizens go in appeal against the decision of the
executive, the courts do take cognizance of the complaints. The
judiciary examines the legality or constitutionality of the decision
and also whether it is fair and in accord with public interest. The
court can ask the government to provide the files and papers along
with the affidavit. If the executive decisions are objective and in
public interest, there is no question of the executive authority being
undermined.
The questionable response of the executive or "executive inaction"
have often compelled the judiciary to intervene. As for instance in
the case relating to A Raja. The CBI was asked to conduct the
investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court. Justice
Jeevan Reddy had once set the guidelines in a case relating to
exorbitant fees charged by non-aided institutions.
The Centre's refusal to disclose details of the 18 Indians holding
accounts in LG Bank, Liechtenstein, evoked a sharp response from the
Supreme Court (coram: Sudarshan Reddy and SS Nijjar, JJ). "Make up
your mind whether you can make the disclosure," was the observation of
the Bench. The court directed the government to ensure that Hasan Ali,
a key suspect, did not leave the country. Another Bench told the CBI
to furnish details regarding the beneficiaries and conspirators who
had stashed away money abroad. In the Amar Singh phone-tapping case,
Justice Ganguly noted the four-year gap between the filing of the
chargesheet in 2006 and the actual trial in 2010.
The noted jurist, Soli Sorabjee, once observed that the directions of
the Supreme Court convey the impression that the judiciary has taken
over the task of running the country. The fact is that in the absence
of governmental action, a certain vacuum is created. The Supreme Court
has laid down guidelines to curb the harassment of women in their
place of work. Taking notice of the starvation deaths among tribals in
Orissa, the Supreme Court wondered why the foodgrain stocks rotting in
godowns or in the open, had not been used to feed the hungry. When the
food minister argued that free distribution of food was not a
practical proposition, the Supreme Court directed him to take specific
action. The government was compelled to make an announcement.
The executive must ensure that the standards of administration are
maintained, decisions taken objectively and in public interest and not
under the influence of vested interests. There must be a degree of
fairplay and transparency. If this can be ensured, the judiciary will
not seek to take over the executive functions.
The writer is former Secretary, Government of India, and
Vice-Chancellor, Goa University. He is currently Chairman, Bharatiya
Vidya Bhavan, Pune Kendra
***************************************
THE STATESMAN
ARTICLE
'MUST NOT EXPECT GOVT TO DO EVERYTHING'
Planning Commission member Dr Syeda Saiyidain Hameed has embarked on a
mission to improve and empower the vulnerable sections of society,
including women and children. This academic-turned-social activist has
been deeply involved with the peace and women's rights movements. A
former member of the National Women's Commission, she entered the Plan
panel to be a part of the government's effort to facilitate a better
tomorrow by lending a different perspective to a purely economic
forum. The only non-economist among economists, Dr Hameed believes the
Planning Commission symbolises the art of persuasion. In an interview
with AJITA SINGH, she underscored how a multi-sectoral approach was
necessary to meet the needs of the unserved as well as the
under-served segments of society.
What is your take on the health status of the nation's people?
Great advancements in the domestic health care sector notwithstanding,
an inclusive health security system that meets the particular needs of
the unserved and under-served segments of society is yet to evolve.
Challenges for the government lie in meeting the health care needs of
the vulnerable groups that face multiple deprivations and evolving an
inclusive health care system. The lack of reliable data on human
resources in this sector is a key constraint that needs to be
addressed with the support of the private sector and with application
of modern technologies.
Has the objective of the 11th Plan been achieved and policies and
schemes envisaged for 2007-2012 implemented?
Actually, implementation is not in our domain. It is certainly not
part of the main discourse in planning. We only assess or rather
review the required impact, once or twice a year. The present Plan
period comes to an end in 2012. There is hardly a year left. But it is
a difficult job to ensure that the funds reach the end users,
especially since the Plan panel, as a government body, can neither
punish nor reward. We can only name and shame for misdeeds.
What are the commission's priority areas?
We have had meetings with both the finance minister and the Prime
Minister. Basically, the Prime Minister has emphasised 11 priority
areas, including agriculture, food for work and education.
The thrust areas of the Twelfth Five Year Plan (2012-17)? Maternal and
child health are expected to be the areas of thrust in the Twelfth
Five Year Plan starting in 2012. The 12th Plan would emphasise on a
child health policy as child protection has been neglected in our
country and issues related to children have not
been taken into consideration in the manner they should be in the Union Budget.
What percentage of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP), in the view of
the Plan panel, would enable the government to meet the nation's
health care needs?
As of now, health allocation is around 1.1 per cent of the GDP. But
the 12th plan (2012-2017) approach paper proposes that more funds be
earmarked for the health sector. While the objective target is being
pegged at 3 per cent of GDP, we plan to definitely secure up to 2 per
cent this time.
Which areas, in your view, require more attention? Looking into five
main areas is on my agenda: women and child welfare, health and family
welfare, including nutrition and population, village and small scale
industry. Greater thrust should primarily be on women and children as
this section essentially determines and contributes immensely towards
the good health of any nation. In fact, focus should be on all
health-determinants like nutrition, education, water, sanitation as
well as energy as there is an urgent need for making basic health
services, maternal heath care, among things, more accessible.
What as a Planning Commission member is your contribution towards
improving the health determinants?
My idea is to bring down in a convergent manner the "invisible yet
tangible" artificial barriers that hinder the functioning of different
departments. The Plan Panel approach must be multi-sectoral and
holistic so that we can look at the entire spectrum. For example,
whoever looks at environment will need to consider the issue in the
context of gender, children and development ~ at the state level,
district level and even village level. Plans should reflect the actual
requirements of people and be economically and socially sensitive to
the ethos of people for whom they are meant. The trend of expecting
the government to do everything for the people must end.
Does that mean there would be separate funds for improving nutrition
in the 12th Plan? Would the funds under the nutrition head be released
under National Rural Health Mission or National Urban Health Mission?
If so, in what ratio?
Yes, women and children's nutrition would be the highlight of the 12th
Five-Year Plan. The proposal is to allocate a separate quantum,
particularly for nutrition. In the 11th Plan, there was no separate
component for children ~ be it child labourers or street children,
none were taken as a separate entity. They were neglected. All issues
pertaining to nutrition, sexual abuse, child abuse, trafficking and
multiple deprivations need to be addressed as one issue.
How much allocation would made for the urban health mission?
Figures for migrating population to urban areas from rural regions are
not available so right now we cannot put an exact figure to funds to
be dedicated for hygiene-providing amenities in urban health
allocation but definitely a component would be kept aside for this
segment too. Rural/urban ratio component is yet to be worked out.
Often the end result of various development schemes comes to naught as
most end-users fail to benefit. Increasing congestion in metros owing
to rising rural-to-urban immigration is increasing the burden on
different health-determining amenities, so more and more funds would
be needed for meeting the basic requirements. However, planning is not
about pouring in more money. Keeping aside more money will not be
sufficient unless it is ensured that allocated funds reach the
intended beneficiaries and profit is shared by all it is intended for.
***************************************
THE STATESMAN
ARTICLE
ON RECORD
Mr Advani believes that it is his birth right to become a Prime
Minister... he has never forgiven me. All I can say to Advaniji is
that people of India have voted us to power in free and fair
elections. Please wait for another three-and-a-half years.
Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh during a Lok Sabha debate
The Prime Minister has a habit of blaming others. If it is price rise,
Sharad Pawar is responsible, if it is 2G, A Raja is responsible!
Leader of the Opposition Mrs Sushma Swaraj
You should keep in mind that those who voted against us in the last
Lok Sabha and municipal elections have changed their mind. We would
win by a comfortable majority. Politics is not simple arithmetic and
two plus two may well amount to zero.
West Bengal chief minister Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee
The CPI-M may be crying but you (media) should smile.
Trinamul supremo Miss Mamata Banerjee after clinching a seat-sharing
deal with the Congress
The alliance is surely in place, but we're very unhappy that seats of
two sitting MLAs ~ Ram Pyare Ram and Abdul Khaleque Mollah ~ haven't
been given to us.
Pradesh Congress Committee chief Mr Manas Bhuniya
The West Bengal government was very supportive and cooperative. The
number of non-bailable arrest warrants executed and the number of
illegal arms and ammunition seized till date is higher than ever. We
are extremely satisfied. We are confident that West Bengal will be
able to deliver a perfect election.
Chief election commissioner Mr SY Quraishi
Whenever there is an insult to Sikhs, we take it as a national insult.
We take it up in that spirit.
External affairs minister Mr SM Krishna after golf coach Mr Amritinder
Singh asked to take off his turban at Milan airport during a security
check
The winds of change are blowing not only in Bengal but also in Assam.
Mamata Banerjee's Ma Maati Manush will sweep the polls here. We have
already announced the names of some candidates we are fielding.
Trinamul leader in Assam Mr Biswajit Handique
My mother was an extraordinary woman who lived life to the fullest,
with great passion, humour and love.
Elizabeth Taylor's son Michael Wilding after the legendary actress passed away
***************************************
THE STATESMAN
ARTICLE
BANKING ON BUREAUCRACY!
RAJINDER PURI
Few would deny that India is suffering from a silent and deadly crisis
that shows little evidence of abating. The cancer of corruption has
reached fatal proportions. The collapse of governance endangers
democracy and the basic rule of law. The stage managed clashes in
Parliament between the government and the opposition destroy all hope
of deliverance from this crisis by politicians. Across the board
politicians make the appropriate noises befitting their respective
roles. But their actions betray full contentment with the status quo.
They want above all to complete their full terms in the House. From
where then might ordinary citizens expect deliverance? It is
unrealistic, and also undesirable, to expect a population attuned to
democratic elections to take to the streets and compel change. Change
can come only from the elite that rule the nation. But from among the
ruling elite the politicians undoubtedly comprise the worst segment.
The better segments exist within the bureaucracy, the armed forces and
the judiciary. Undoubtedly there are black sheep in all these three
segments too. But the majority remains untainted. The fault of this
majority lies mainly in playing a passive role and refusing to
confront the few black sheep that smirch the reputation of an entire
institution.
Well, things can change. Things are changing. The Chief Justice of
India, Mr SH Kapadia, is utilising all constitutional powers at his
command to initiate reform. Slowly but surely, the efforts of the
Supreme Court are bearing results. But those minimal results will not
suffice. The time has come for the passive majority among the
bureaucrats to also play their role. More and more bureaucrats are
getting sick of the excesses committed by politicians. It is time for
the honest among them who constitute the vast majority to take a
stand. They need to remind themselves of what Jayaprakash Narain
advised the officials of India to do. That advice was deliberately and
shamelessly distorted by the Congress government led by Indira Gandhi
to justify the illegal and treasonable imposition of Emergency.
To oppose the corrupt acts of the Indira Gandhi government, JP simply
urged government officials to obey only legal orders of their
superiors. He urged them to disobey all illegal orders. One believes
that if that advice is taken to heart by the bulk of the honest
officials who man the administration the nefarious designs of the
corrupt political class will be thwarted. India would reclaim
governance. Indian democracy would be reformed. Any illegal or
improper orders by politicians should not be accepted by officials if
issued orally. The officials must insist upon written orders. Illegal
orders in writing should be at first refused. Subsequently, if
insisted upon by higher authority the orders must be followed only
after recording explicit dissent on the files.
If the vast majority of honest bureaucrats were to unite and follow
this advice corruption would end and governance would be restored. One
is aware that it would not be easy to follow this advice. Politicians
could transfer officials, destabilise the education of their children,
harass them in other ways, and even register false cases against them.
Officials with family responsibility cannot easily take on their
corrupt political masters. The venal political class that rules us is
capable of anything. Nevertheless those who are honest would be
sustained by inner conviction and courage if they make a firm resolve.
To meet the crisis in India, sacrifice and courage are needed.
Bureaucrats must summon such courage. India and history depend on
them. If they act, India will achieve its unique version of the
Jasmine Revolution.
The writer is a veteran journalist and cartoonist
***************************************
******************************************************************************************
THE TELEGRAPH
OPPORTUNITY LOST
Elections offer political parties an opportunity to reinvent
themselves. Whether a party has the will and the capacity to do so is
a test of its intrinsic strength. The Congress's list of its
candidates for the forthcoming assembly polls in West Bengal does
little to inspire confidence in the party's future. The choice of its
candidates provided an opportunity for the Congress to send out a
message to its workers and supporters that it is serious about
rebuilding the party in Bengal. These elections would have been the
right time for such a renewal because the Congress, as an ally of the
Trinamul Congress, has the prospect of returning to power in the state
after 34 years. But, after abjectly surrendering to Mamata Banerjee
over the sharing of seats, the Congress has now shot itself in the
foot by failing to live up to the challenge that the choice of its
nominees offered.
If the party failed the test, its senior leaders must take the blame.
Instead of showing the right way, they took the wrong one. Pranab
Mukherjee, who must take the larger part of the blame for the party's
failure to get a better deal from Ms Banerjee, has now compounded the
situation by pushing his son's nomination. This is not going to
comfort party loyalists who smarted under the unfairness of the deal
with the TMC. Even the state unit chief, Manas Bhuniya, showed poor
judgment by choosing to contest the polls himself. Given the
frustration in the ranks over the surrender forced on the state
leadership by the party high command, he would have done better by
leading the party's battle instead of claiming his home constituency.
His stature as a leader could have grown dramatically if he had made
this small personal sacrifice. Party workers would have found in him a
leader who set an example of making personal sacrifices in order to
stand by dispirited party loyalists.
If senior party leaders cannot live up to their responsibilities, it
is pointless to expect others down the line to do any better. It comes
as no surprise, therefore, that the list is packed with sons and
relatives of lesser leaders and with protégés of factional overlords.
The list of the TMC's candidates is a study in contrast. Although it
too includes sons and other family members of some leaders, the
inclusion of professionals from various fields and a large number of
young party activists points to a clear sense of direction and a
robust optimism in its future. Even the Communist Party of India
(Marxist), which has long valued grey-haired loyalists most, dropped a
large number of the old guard this time. The Congress's list is not
only the worst of the three but also the one that smacks of a
defeatist attitude. It is one more proof of the paralysis that has
long affected the Bengal unit. The real issue is not so much the
individual merits of the candidates as what the list says of the minds
behind it. It is tempting to suspect that the leaders who drew up the
list do not really care about what happens to the party in Bengal. Ms
Banerjee could not have asked for a more pliant partner.
***************************************
THE TELEGRAPH
EDITORIAL
DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR
THE CURIOUS TRANSFORMATION OF NARENDRA MODI POLITICS AND PLAY RAMACHANDRA GUHA
Ahmedabad is a city I know well. I must have made at least 20 trips
there in the last 30 years. Going back last month, I found signs
marking the distance to a certain 'Mahatma Mandir'. Coloured blue, and
with an arrow pointed upwards, these signs were placed at regular
intervals on the main roads of the city. The distances were curiously
uneven, or perhaps one should say very precise: 'Mahatma Mandir, 41.7
km!', 'Mahatma Mandir, 40.6 km!', and so on, never rounded off to the
nearest whole number.
I was puzzled, and confused. What was this landmark that I had not
heard of and which was apparently so important that it had to be
advertised every so often on city roads? My Amdavadi friends supplied
the answer. This new temple was actually a convention centre being
built in the state capital. The first major building had been
completed in time for the 'Vibrant Gujarat' summit held in early
January; the rest of the complex was under construction.
An early endorsement of the project appeared on the blog of L.K.
Advani. "Estimated to cost Rs 135 crores", writes Advani, "the Mahatma
Mandir would be spread over 34 acres. The Mandir is to be developed as
a monument to the life and philosophy of the Mahatma, apart from
providing a first class Convention Centre." To "remind visitors of
Gandhiji's Dandi March," continues Advani, "a dome shaped like a salt
mound is to provide a museum and meditation centre."
On the same blog, Advani writes admiringly of the "imaginative
approach" of the Gujarat chief minister, Narendra Modi, of his
"innovativeness, and his charismatic appeal and hard work". These
comments underline what must be one of the most curious, not to say
magical, transitions in Indian politics, whereby, in the course of a
single decade, Advani has gone from being a patron of the Gujarat
chief minister to being one of his clients and supplicants. Once,
Advani was the most visible and powerful face of the Hindutva project.
As deputy prime minister of India and as president of the Bharatiya
Janata Party, Advani expected, and received, deference from his party
colleagues. Now, all that lies between him and obscurity is Modi's
gift of a safe parliamentary seat in Gujarat.
In this time, Modi has made a sort of reverse journey, from being a
media-shy if hard-working Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh pracharak to the
most self-confident and publicity-seeking of modern politicians.
Viewing his position today, I am reminded of the one occasion, some 12
years ago, when I found myself in the same room as him. It was in a
television studio in New Delhi, which was hosting a debate between
Madhavrao Scindia of the Congress, Pramod Mahajan of the BJP, and
myself (representing no party at all). Mahajan's assistant on the day
was Modi, then a quiet, behind-the-scenes, general-secretary of the
BJP, content to mix tea and serve it to the mighty minister whom he
had been commanded to accompany.
Now, of course, Modi is arrogance personified. Consider an interview
in a recent issue of the journal, Governance Now, where he puts
himself in the same league as a man generally recognized as the
greatest political icon of modern times. Asked a question about
Gujarat's development model, Modi offered an analogy with the freedom
struggle. From the late 19th century, many brave patriots tried, but
failed, to get the British to leave the country. "But all that
martyrdom came to fruition", said Modi, "only when a Mahatma Gandhi
arrived on the scene. In fact, Gandhiji made a paradigm shift in the
struggle for freedom by converting it into a mass movement." Likewise,
Modi continues, "in the post-independence phase, efforts for
development became solely the domain of the government. I have also
effected a paradigm shift in the development strategy and converted it
into a mass movement".
Narendra Modi may wish to compare himself to Mahatma Gandhi, but to
this historian, he is more akin to another Gandhi, namely, Indira. In
the early 1970s, following her colossal victories in the polls and on
the battle-field, Mrs Gandhi came to see herself as embodying the
collective spirit of a nation on the march. She had won more seats in
Parliament than her father, Jawaharlal Nehru; and had redeemed his
failure against the Chinese with her own military success against
Pakistan. On the economic front, her socialism was fresh and
evocative, the slogan of "garibi hatao" by far more compelling than
the stale shibboleths of the State occupying the "commanding heights
of the economy".
Between 1971 and 1977, Indira thought she was India, and vice versa.
Modi merely thinks he is Gujarat. The territory of 2002 was forbidden
to Governance Now (as it is to all interviewers of the man), but the
journal did still ask one sharp question, about the fact "that there
is contrived or manufactured social consensus in Gujarat, that… you
are manufacturing this consensus." This was Modi's answer: "Have you
seen opposition leaders being jailed or silenced in Gujarat? On the
other hand, I should be complaining about persecution as the centre
has unleashed the CBI and all kinds of agencies on Gujarat and on me
in particular. Then what is this manufactured consensus? What is wrong
if everybody agrees on development? Do you mean to say that if we have
60/40 or 80/20 consensus/dissent, it is fine, but when you have 100/0,
it is wrong?"
Arrogance, yes, but arrogance with paranoia, a peculiar mixture
characteristic of autocrats large and small, real and putative. When
criticized, Mrs Gandhi used to speak darkly of the "foreign hand",
suggesting that those Indians who found fault with her policies were
agents of Western powers, and of the Central Intelligence Agency in
particular. Modi thinks his critics to be either motivated or malign;
the former acting at the behest of the Centre, the latter acting out
the instructions of the Inter-Services Intelligence. These are but
variations on the same theme. Neither Mrs Gandhi then, nor Modi now,
can allow that their critics may have a honest or valid point or two.
By definition, all patriotic Indians had to be behind Mrs Gandhi, all
Gujaratis (100 to 0) have to rally around Modi.
The mandir being built 37.9 km from the hotel where I stayed in
Ahmedabad is a monument not to Mahatma Gandhi, but to Narendra Modi's
megalomania. The accounts on the web speak of mounds and mounds of
concrete strung together under the supervision of a construction firm
not otherwise known for taste, beauty, or elegance. To be sure, the
building is functional, and facilitative of business deals. (An
official state government handout speaks of how the "mandir" will
"house an international level convention centre, three big exhibition
halls, and small halls having conferencing facility to facilitate one
on one buyer-seller meets".) But let it not be thought that it will,
in any way, represent the aesthetic, moral, or democratic spirit of
the Mahatma it claims to honour. Thus, a non-resident Gujarati who
visited the site blogged later that "there's too much police
everywhere. So the place would look like a business summit for few
hours, but for rest of the time, the venue typically looks like the
police summit."
Here is a tip to first-time visitors to Ahmedabad. If you go in search
of the Mahatma, disregard the blue signs, and ask an autorickshaw to
take you to the Sabarmati Ashram instead. The experience shall be
nourishing, perhaps even transformative. For one thing, unlike that
"mandir", this ashram is on the human scale, with low, modest
buildings and green trees around them. For another, there are no
policemen either inside or outside the place. For a third, Gandhi
actually lived there.
***************************************
******************************************************************************************DECCAN
HERALD
EDITORIAL
STEADY NERVES
''INDIA'S BIGGEST BATTLES LIE AHEAD.''
Thursday's stirring victory over Australia has reignited the passion
and expectations of Indian cricket fans. The team's unconvincing run
in the league phase of the World Cup had disillusioned many, and when
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men drew the three-time defending champions as
their quarterfinal opponents, even the most die-hard supporter feared
the worst.
Even if this Australian team didn't appear as invincible as the squads
that triumphed in 2003 and 2007, they knew what it took to win big
matches, and appeared a formidable, fearsome unit determined to atone
for defeat at the hands of Pakistan in their final league encounter.
What was most satisfying in India's five-wicket victory was that it
was fashioned by several pockets of individual and collective
brilliance.
Yuvraj Singh was the obvious stand-out for his contributions with both
ball and bat, but India had other heroes as well. Team triumphs are
seldom based on one or two extraordinary efforts; it's collective will
and desire that have spurred the great teams in all sports, and
Thursday drove that point home with emphatic effect as Australia were
consigned to their first knockout defeat in the World Cup since the
1996 final, making their earliest exit from the competition since
failing to advance beyond the first phase in their own backyard in
1992.
Tempting as it might be to believe that, with the conquest of the
world champions and avenging the crushing defeat in the 2003 final,
the job is already done, the fact remains that India's biggest battles
lie ahead of them.
It is just as well that the team, and the country, has five days
before the semifinal, against Pakistan in Mohali on Wednesday, to
regather focus. While the showdown might be the coming true of the
worst nightmare for security personnel, it is a promoter's dream, just
the fillip the tournament needed with the climax imminent.
India-Pakistan cricketing battles have tended to rise above the
ordinary in terms of edge and competitiveness. That the teams don't
face each other on a regular basis will add to the anxiety, the hype
and the expectations. It's inevitable that the players, as much as the
average fan, will be caught up in the hysteria.
Emotion, however, is a dangerous pitfall in the unforgiving cauldron
of competitive sport; in the charged atmosphere that Wednesday will
be, it is calm heads and tempered hearts that will ultimately carry
the day.
***************************************
DECCAN HERALD
EDITORIAL
MODEL BRIBERY
''THE KERALA HIGH COURT HAS ERRED BADLY.''
But some complaints are genuine and call for effective intervention
from the Election Commission. The commission has been alert to the
possibility of misuse of office and power by governments and
violations of the code in other ways and has intervened effectively in
many cases. But it can go only to an extent since the code is not
legally binding. In any case thee are various ways of violation some
of which are too subtle to pinpoint.
There are charges of violation of the code against ministers in West
Bengal. These are not very grave. But a decision by the Kerala
government to extend its Rs 2 a kg rice scheme, which was originally
targetted at BPL ration card holders, to the APL class is a gross
violation of the code.
The scheme for the BPL group was announced before the code came into
force but its extension was announced later. The state election
commission had issued orders to stop implementation of the scheme but
the high court has overruled it. The court has erred badly in its
decision and the issue needs to be examined by the supreme Court.
Otherwise, this will create a bad precedent which will be followed by
many governments in future.
The offer of freebies and goodies to voters by the DMK in Tamil Nadu
through its election manifesto does not strictly come under the scope
of an election code of conduct. But the party's promises, and its
actions in the past by way of fulfillment of promises will corrupt the
electoral system and distort the voters' judgment than any violation
of code. It has promised to give 35 kg of free rice per month to all
families, a mixer-cum-grinder to every woman and other benefits to
most classes of people.
It promised free colour television sets to poor families before the
last election and has distributed over a crore of them till now.
Masquerading as a social welfare measure, this is outright bribery of
the electorate. Unfortunately, the line between an election promise
and a corrupt poll practice has become very thin and so votes have
become commodities to be purchased.
***************************************
DECCAN HERALD
MAIN ARTICLE
NO SHAME LEFT
RAMAKRISHNA UPADHYA
Fortunately, the institution of Lokyaukta in the state is strong
enough not to allow any interference in its functioning.
Just two months shy of completing three years in office, chief
minister B S Yeddyurappa faces the sternest test of his tenure so far
as some of the allegations of corruption and nepotism made against him
and his family members will finally come under the microscope of the
Lokayukta police.
The dissidence in his party, which raises its head like mushroom every
two-three months has been activated once again under the leadership of
state BJP president K S Eshwarappa and general secretary Ananth Kumar.
But it may not rattle Yeddyurappa as much as the direction of the 23rd
additional city civil and sessions court judge C B Hipparagi, who has
asked the Lokyaukta police to investigate into some specific
complaints and report back to him in six weeks.
Though the allegations are extremely serious — and allegations of this
kind in a bygone era would have forced the chief minister to step down
by now — Yeddyurappa was able to brazen it out as long as they
remained 'political' in nature and aired by political opponents. There
has never been a convincing reply to the 800-page 'charge sheet'
prepared by the JD(S) and submitted to the Governor and the Lokayukta
almost six months ago.
Even on the floor of the Assembly during the recent session, instead
of answering how and why several crores of rupees' donations were made
to an educational trust and a land development company run by his sons
and son-in-law, the chief minister tried to justify such donations
pointing to other educational trusts run by opposition leaders. "I
will expose all of them," he thundered, without being able to shed any
more light on his counter allegations.
When Lokayukta Santosh Hegde took up some of the allegations of land
grabbing for investigation, Yeddyurappa hurriedly stymied it by
announcing a parallel commission of inquiry by retired judge Padmaraj
under the Commissions of Inquiry Act. The Karnataka High Court has
stayed the work of both the Lokyaukta and the commission in order to
try and figure out as to whose jurisdiction takes precedence in
conducting the investigation.
But, Yeddyurappa was not able to keep the genie bottled up for too
long. Governor H R Bhardwaj, who too had received the complaints, had
set the law in motion by according sanction under Article 202 of the
Constitution for the prosecution of the chief minister. The Lokayukta
special court of justice Hipparagi, which took up the complaints
lodged with the governor has now begun the judicial process which,
hopefully, will expeditiously conclude the guilt or otherwise of the
chief minister.
Unlawful gain
Acting on the complaints filed by advocates Sirajuddin Basha and K N
Balaraj and after hearing the parties both for and against, the court
has referred three specific complaints to the Lokayukta police. In the
first instance, the complainants had said that 1.12 acres in
Rachenahalli village in Bangalore east taluk in the Arkavathy layout
meant for the public was 'illegally' denotified by Yeddyurappa in
2006, when he held the portfolios of urban development and Bangalore
Development Authority.
The agriculture land was subsequently converted to non-agricultural
purpose and was sold to Yeddyurappa's son B Y Vijayendra and
son-in-law Sohan Kumar for Rs 40 lakh. They in turn sold the land to
South West Mining Ltd for Rs 20 crore, giving them an 'unlawful gain'
of Rs 19.6 crore, according to the complaint.
In the second instance, 1.6 acres on survey No 56 in Arkavathy layout
was sold by former minister Krishnaiah Setty to Dhavalagiri Developers
of which Vijayendra and Yeddyurappa's another son, B Y Raghavendra
were directors for Rs 60 lakh, against the market value of Rs 8 crore.
The court, also taking cognisance of the allegations of land grabbing
against home minister R Ashoka, has referred them to the Lokyaukta
police for investigation.
When such serious charges are framed and inquiry ordered, it would
have been in the fitness of things for both Yeddyurappa and Ashoka to
resign as they have forfeited all moral right to continue in their
respective offices. As home minister, since Ashoka oversees the
functioning of the police department, can there be a free and fair
inquiry by officers who technically come under him?
Fortunately, the institution of Lokyaukta is strong enough not to
allow any interference in its functioning, but how can Yeddyurappa and
Ashoka stick on to their chairs when their dubious dealings in this
very government are being investigated?
Yeddyurappa's own party leaders are asking if another minister under
cloud, Katta Subramanya Naidu was forced to resign until his name was
cleared, why is a different yardstick being followed in the case of
the chief minister and the home minister? After the court passed the
order, the chief minister said, "I welcome the judgment. I have belief
in the court and the Lokayukta. I have nothing to comment on this. Let
the investigation be carried out and I hope that the truth will come
out." Yeddyurappa's name has become synonymous with obduracy and
shamelessness.
Both the dissidents and the chief minister have approached the central
leadership of the BJP, and as has been the case over the last few
months, L K Advani, Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj and others, have been
unable to resolve the issue. As the logjam continues, it is the
state's administration which has been virtually brought to a
standstill.
Will the central leadership of the BJP at least now shed its
ostrich-like approach to the Karnataka crisis and take a decisive
stand?
***************************************
DECCAN HERALD
IN PERSPECTIVE
SARNA ON ZAFARNAMA
KHUSHWANT SINGH
Navtej Singh Sarna is India's Ambassador in Israel. Though our embassy
and his residence is in Tel Aviv, which is like any European city, he
spends all his spare time in Jerusalem which is replete with historic
buildings of three faiths — Judaism's Wailing Wall, Christianity's
Bethlehem and Islam's Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa mosque.
However, despite his interest in other faiths, his principal concern
is with Sikh religion and history. He is thorough in his research and
writes in very lucid prose. His latest offering is Guru Gobind Singh's
'Zafarnama', Epistle of Victory' (Penguin Classics).
We are not certain where and when Guru Gobind Singh composed his
'Zafarnama', nor if it was ever received by Emperor Aurangzeb. In all
probability it was the Guru's thesis on justification of taking up
arms to fight injustice. He had lost all his four sons — two were
killed in battle, the other two executed by being bricked alive in a
wall.
So he had all the justification he wanted to unsheathe his sword and
turn his peace-loving Sikhs into the Kirpan carrying Khalsa.
The 'Zafarnama' is long poem of all couplets written in Farsi
(Persian) as spoken in northern India. The most favour lines were
taken from Firdaus's:
Chun kar azhameh heelate dar quzasht
Har haal tey darquzhast
Halal ast burden
Ba Shamsheer dast
When all avenues have been tried
Yet justice is not in sight
It is right to pick up the sword
It is then right to fight
Sumita Misra
Sumita is an IAS officer holding a high position in the government of
Haryana. She is also good-looking and gifted. She writes poetry in
Hindi and English, which have been published in different journals.
Two years ago she sent me a few. I liked them and published some
verses in my columns. I also suggested she send some to 'The
Statesman' of Kolkata. She did. A few weeks later half a page was
devoted to her poems. Now they have been published in a book entitled
'A Life of Light' (Unistar). I quote two verses from a poem entitled
'My Failure':
I wear my failure well,
Like a magic cloak
It guards me snugly
gainst seeking eyes, against successIts distortions and perils
Failure clings to me
Like the smell of stale nicotine
I light up my life
And inhale, wondering
Why do I seek you Success?
What can you give me
That I do not already possess?
Medical terminology
Santa Singh's answers in the entrance examination to become a doctor:
Anti-body — against everyone; artery — the study of the paintings;
bacteria — backdoor to a cafeteria; Caesarean section — a district in
Rome; cardiology — advance study of poker playing; cat scan —
searching for lost kitty.
Chronic — neck of a crow; coma — punctuation mark; cortisone — area
around local court; cyst — short for sister; diagnosis — person with
slanted nose; dislocation — in this place.
Dilate — the late British Princess Diana; duodenum — couple in blue
jeans; enema — not a friend; genes — blue denim; impotent —
distinguished/well known; labour pain — hurt at work; lactose — people
without toes; lymph — walk unsteadily; microbes — small dressing gown;
obesity — city of Obe; pacemaker — winner of Nobel Peace prize; pulse
— grain; pus — small cat; red blood count — dracula; tablet — small
table; urine — opposite of you're out; vericose — very close;
secretion — hiding anything; ultrasound — radical noise.
(Courtesy: Vipin Buckshey, Delhi)
Repairing trousers
Banta came home from the office and found Banto sobbing. She told him:
"I feel guilty I was ironing your suit and I burnt a big hole in the
seat of your pants."
Banta consoled her: "Forget it, remember that I have got an extra pair
of pants for that suit."
"Yes, and it's lucky you have, I used them to patch the hole," said
Banto drying her eyes.
(Contributed by Shivtar Singh Dalia, Ludhiana)
***************************************
DECCAN HERALD
RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE
MAN IN THE MIRROR
SHIRLEY HEREFORD
I have found that there are three types of mirror-gazers.
There's something about a mirror that transfixes most men. Not that
woman aren't mesmerised with their mirror image but that the female
preoccupation is more private, a boudoir ritual. With males, anything
that holds the mirror up to nature will do and they will gladly
amputate anything before admitting it!
My fascination with the male gaze began when I lost my innocence to a
rather strange act of voyeurism. Parked on a busy road, with darkened
windows rolled up, I saw to my amusement two young men leaning against
my bonnet. At first, I thought that they were acting 'fresh' and
waited with bated breath for the next move so I could vent my feminist
spiel on them. To my disappointment they were happily oblivious of my
presence behind the shady glass, so I settled down for some bucket
seat entertainment.
One of them sauntered up to the window, adjusted the side mirror and
then bent his knees to peer into it. He turned from side to side,
checking his side burns or lack of it, styling some oily strands over
his weathered collar, all the time humming a tune.
Then there was a flick of his wrist, and a dive into his back pocket,
which had me worried for a second. Presto! There he was brandishing
his styling weapon with as much flourish as Bond, his gun. I knew that
we had reached the thrilling climax of this art movie, when he wet his
forefinger and styled his forelock with a flourish.
Just as I thought I was going to have another fetching display of male
vanity by the next fop, my friend arrived and angrily yelled at them
to park their bodies elsewhere.
Since then, I have been happily subverting the male gaze with my "I
spy with my little eye routine" and have found that there are three
types of mirror-gazers. The first are the metro sexual narcissists who
will actively seek out a mirror or monopolise one. Their
self-absorption crowned with interesting rituals makes them look like
high priests of a mythic cult of male beauty.
The next lot, the Alpha Romeos generally love what they see and play
to the gallery. You will find them in mirrored hallways and stairways,
looking at you looking at them. As if on cue you will notice a casual,
effortless sucking in of breath to hold wobbly things in place, a
nonchalant flexing of muscles, a broadening of the chest and a swagger
to give any strutting peacock worth his feathers, some tough
competition.
Out of range of a mirror or a glass, they revert to being your average
limp biscuit.
The last category, has my sympathy, they are generally men who are shy
or don't like what they see but cannot deny their fear and
fascination. You will notice how they will, like ferrets, steal a
quick, furtive glance before they casually correct the image that has
startled them. Past the mirror, there will be a smooth pat on the head
to cover a patch or a nervous swipe of a sweaty face with a
handkerchief or a quick pulling up of the waistband to cover an errant
bulge.
As I write this, I can spy with my myopic eye, my 8-year-old striking
a pose in front of his full length mirror. Without doubt he belongs to
the first category. Mirror, mirror, on the wall…
***************************************
******************************************************************************************THE
NEW YORK TIMES
EDITORIAL
ARIZONA'S BOON TO FREE SPEECH
In two consolidated cases on Monday, the Supreme Court will hear
argument about an Arizona law that levels the playing field in state
elections, by a public financing mechanism called triggered matching
funds. These funds support, expand and promote political speech,
carrying out a central purpose of the First Amendment.
The mechanism has the bipartisan support of business leaders as "a
welcome increase in speech, not a limitation of speech." It has the
support of respected former state judges who know that this and
similar public financing mechanisms are the best way to eliminate
corruption from state judicial elections. It deserves the Supreme
Court's strong endorsement.
Arizona provides a set amount of money in initial public support for a
campaign to candidates who opt into its financing system, depending on
the type of election. If such a candidate faces a rival who has opted
out, the state will match what the opponent raises in private
donations, up to triple the initial amount. The amount raised in
private donations triggers the matching funds.
Three years ago, the court struck down the "millionaires' amendment"
to the McCain-Feingold federal election law, which leveled the field
in federal elections in a different way, by raising limits on
contributions for candidates outspent by self-financed opponents.
Writing for the majority, Justice Samuel Alito Jr. called it "an
unprecedented penalty on any candidate who robustly exercises"
free-speech rights. Translation: rich enough to spend his own money on
a campaign.
This page found that wholly unpersuasive. The amendment added to the
total amount of speech by making it easier for less-wealthy candidates
to be heard. But with that precedent on the books, it is important to
understand why it shouldn't be applied in the Arizona cases. There is
a fundamental difference between the millionaires' amendment and the
Arizona mechanism.
Because the amendment dealt with raising contribution limits, in
theory it involved a prospect of more money from donors and more, not
less, risk of political wrongdoing, like bribery; the amendment
displeased the court in part because it didn't combat corruption. The
Arizona mechanism, by contrast, was designed to reduce both the risk
and the appearance of corruption, which makes public financing
appealing generally to the court and should make it appealing in these
cases.
In addition, the court considers limits on contributions like those of
the amendment as restrictions on speech. Rather than involving
contribution limits, the Arizona mechanism involves public financing
by the state. This difference is crucial. To the extent Justice Alito
and others focus on the mechanism's First Amendment implications, they
should reach the heartening conclusion that more public financing
means more political speech in a calibrated way that combats
corruption.
Striking down the mechanism would reduce speech and undermine
Arizona's effort to rid itself of political corruption. It would
provide new proof that the court is hostile to campaign finance laws
without good reason.
***************************************
THE NEW YORK TIMES
EDITORIAL
CHANGE IN YEMEN
There may have been a time when Yemen's president, Ali Abdullah Saleh,
could have maneuvered a more graceful departure from the office he has
held for three decades. But he has lost his legitimacy and should go
as quickly as possible. Continued instability is not good for Yemen or
for the United States-led fight against Al Qaeda.
For nearly two months, Mr. Saleh weathered increasing pressure from
youth-led demonstrations demanding his resignation and a more
accountable and democratic system. The tide turned on March 18. At
least 50 protesters were killed, apparently by snipers loyal to the
regime.
Since then, a surprising number of high-level government officials,
including military commanders and ambassadors, as well as tribal
leaders, have joined the opposition. The most significant: Maj. Gen.
Ali Mohsin al-Ahmar, who this week directed his troops to protect the
antigovernment demonstrators.
Protesters, so far, have rejected Mr. Saleh's attempted concessions.
They have little reason to trust him: He has long promised reforms and
never delivered. Even now, he is sending mixed messages. On Thursday,
he vowed to defend himself by "all possible means." On Friday, he said
he was ready to yield power but only if he could hand it over to what
he termed "safe hands."
Still, there is talk of a deal. In Yemen's complex tribal culture,
President Saleh, a survivor, may survive again. The Obama
administration, using quiet diplomacy, at first tried to persuade him
to respond peacefully and credibly to popular demands. Now with Saudi
Arabia, Yemen's patron, it should press him even harder to accept a
quick and peaceful transfer of power to a caretaker government that
broadly reflects Yemeni society. It would lay the ground for
elections.
Yemen is a shaky state. It is running out of water and oil, and 43
percent of its people are impoverished. It is battling separatists in
the south, insurgents in the north and — with Washington's frequent
participation — one of Al Qaeda's strongest affiliates. A brutal civil
war or a prolonged power vacuum will only make a bad situation even
worse.
. ***************************************
THE NEW YORK TIMES
EDITORIAL
THE SHAME OF NEW YORK'S GROUP HOMES
Nearly four decades ago, amid repeated scandals, New York State closed
the huge state hospitals that essentially warehoused the
developmentally disabled. Now, an investigation by The Times has shown
that New York's group homes for the disabled — thousands of widely
dispersed, state-licensed residences that were intended to replace and
mitigate the cruelty of the warehouses — have themselves gone to rot.
The system, as Danny Hakim reported, operates with little oversight
and tolerates shocking abuses. Employees who sexually attack, beat,
berate or neglect patients can do so with little risk of punishment.
Crimes are not reported, accusations are ignored by senior officials,
repeat abusers are shuffled from home to home. A web of union rules
shields problem employees.
There were 13,000 allegations of abuse in group homes in 2009 alone,
though fewer than 5 percent were referred to law enforcement. The
state Office for People With Developmental Disabilities prefers to
investigate such matters internally, even though, as The Times
reported, it does not use standard evidence-gathering techniques and
its investigators generally lack training.
The results speak for themselves. The Times reviewed 399 disciplinary
cases involving 233 state workers accused since 2008 of serious
offenses like physical abuse and neglect. Each case involved
substantiated charges against a worker who had already been
disciplined at least once. In one-quarter of the cases involving
physical, sexual or psychological abuse, the workers were transferred
to other homes. The state tried to fire 129. Against stiff resistance
from the Civil Service Employees Association, it fired only 30.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo has already dismissed Max Chmura, who led the
agency, and Jane Lynch, chief operating officer of the state's
Commission on Quality of Care and Advocacy for Persons With
Disabilities. There may be more dismissals and hearings. But the
cleanup also has to be bottom-up, bringing not just better oversight
but better employees.
Group homes cannot be havens for repeat offenders, and worker
education and training must be improved. Caring for the disabled with
autism and cerebral palsy is challenging work, requiring gentleness,
strength and imagination. These are decent union jobs, but the state
must ensure that qualified people fill them.
The answer is not a return to centralized control, to the disgraceful
era of Willowbrook State School. The disabled deserve to live in
surroundings as close as possible to those of normal family life. The
answer lies in the state's urgent obligation to protect those who
cannot defend themselves.
***************************************
THE NEW YORK TIMES
OPED
ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF MULTITUDE
BY LAWRENCE DOWNES
One hundred years ago, during the last great American conniption over
immigration, the United States government went to unheard-of effort
and expense to peer deep into the bubbling melting pot to find out, as
this paper put it, "just what is being melted."
A commission led by Senator William Dillingham, a Republican of
Vermont, spent four years and $1 million on the project. Hundreds of
researchers crisscrossed the country bearing notebooks and the latest
scientific doctrines about race, psychology and anatomy.
They studied immigrants in mining and manufacturing, in prisons and on
farms, in charity wards, hospitals and brothels. They drew maps and
compared skulls. By 1911, they published the findings in 41 volumes,
including a "Dictionary of Races or Peoples," cataloging the world not
by country but by racial pedigree, Abyssinians to Zyrians.
Forty-one volumes, all of it garbage.
The Dillingham Commission is remembered today, if it is remembered at
all, as a relic of the age of eugenics, the idea that humanity can be
improved through careful breeding, that inferior races muddy the gene
pool. In this case, it was the swelling multitudes from southern and
eastern Europe — Italians, Russians, Jews, others — who kept America's
Anglo-Saxons up at night.
I pored over the brittle pages of the report recently at the New York
Public Library (they are available online). It was a cold plunge back
to a time before white people existed — as a generic category, that
is. Europeans were a motley lot then. Caucasians could be Aryan,
Semitic or Euskaric; Aryans could be Teutonic, Celtic, Slavonic,
Iranic or something else. And that was before you got down to
Ruthenians and Russians, Dalmatians and Greeks, French and Italians.
Subdivisions had subdivisions. And race and physiognomy controlled
intelligence and character.
"Ruthenians are still more broadheaded than the Great Russians," we
learn. "This is taken to indicate a greater Tartar (Mongolian)
admixture than is found among the latter, probably as does also the
smaller nose, more scanty beard, and somewhat darker complexion."
Bohemians "are the most nearly like Western Europeans of all the
Slavs." "Their weight of brain is said to be greater than that of any
other people in Europe."
See if you can identify these types:
A) "cool, deliberate, patient, practical," "capable of great progress
in the political and social organization of modern civilization."
B) "excitable, impulsive, highly imaginative," but "having little
adaptability to highly organized society."
C) possessing a "sound, reliable temperament, rugged build and a
dense, weather-resistant wiry coat."
A) is a northern Italian. B) is a southern Italian. C) is a giant
schnauzer, according to the American Kennel Club. I threw that in,
just for comparison.
The commission had many recommendations: bar the Japanese; set country
quotas; enact literacy tests; impose stiff fees to keep out the poor.
These poison seeds bore fruit by the early 1920s, with literacy tests,
new restrictions on Asians and permanent quotas by country, all to
preserve the Anglo-Saxon national identity that was thought to have
existed before 1910.
It's hard not to feel some gratitude when reading the Dillingham
reports. Whatever else our government does wrong, at least it no
longer says of Africans: "They are alike in inhabiting hot countries
and in belonging to the lowest division of mankind from an
evolutionary standpoint."
But other passages prompt the chill of recognition. Dillingham's
spirit lives on today in Congress and the states, in lawmakers who
rail against immigrants as a class of criminals, an invading army
spreading disease and social ruin.
Who brandish unlawful status as proof of immigrants' moral deficiency
rather than the bankruptcy of our laws. Who condemn "illegals" but
refuse to let anyone become legal. And who forget what generations of
assimilation and intermarriage have shown: that today's scary aliens
invariably have American grandchildren who know little and care less
about the old country.
It's no longer acceptable to mention race, but fretting about
newcomers' education, poverty and assimilability is an effective
substitute. After 100 years, we're a better country, but still
frightened by old shadows.
***************************************
THE NEW YORK TIMES
OPED
WHAT'S IN A NICKNAME?
BY GAIL COLLINS
Our question for today is: How do the potential Republican
presidential nominees stack up on Libya?
Also, who has the best name? It has come to our attention that the
most likely candidates at this point are Newt, Mitt and T-Paw. A
country with a president named Barack is obviously willing to go with
the flow on these matters. Still, the lineup for the Republican
debates is going to sound like a wrestling tag-team match.
I love this subject! Perhaps if we talk about it long enough I will
get a chance to point out once again that Representative Connie Mack
of Florida, who surprised everyone by announcing Friday that he would
not run for Senator Bill Nelson's seat in 2012, is actually named
Cornelius Harvey McGillicuddy IV.
O.K. About Libya. Earlier this month, Newton "Newt" Gingrich told
Greta Van Susteren on Fox News that if he was in charge of the country
the first thing he would do about Libya would be to "exercise a no-fly
zone this evening."
Then President Obama made exactly that decision. Newt must have been thrilled!
"I would not have intervened," he told Matt Lauer on the "Today" show.
Cynics might suspect that Gingrich's only real principle is to be
opposed to whatever Obama is doing. But give him a break. The man has
spent years as a TV talking head, a job that puts a premium on having
lots and lots of strong opinions, even if they are the exact opposite
of the ones you were floating the day before. This is totally
different from the duty of presidential candidate, which is to say the
exact same thing over and over with an enthusiasm that suggests you
just thought of the idea that very minute.
Timothy "T-Paw" Pawlenty, told a Vanderbilt student TV reporter this
week that the Libyan situation was "a very complex matter," with no
easy answers available. He's also posted a rant on his Facebook page
about the White House's failure to "use all tools at its disposal to
pressure el-Qaddafi to stop the violence and to step down." So
possibly not all that complicated after all.
Pawlenty is perhaps the closest thing we have now to a major declared
Republican candidate. These days you don't just throw your hat in the
ring. You put the hat on a coat rack in the general vicinity of the
ring, and then you have your supporters move the coat rack closer and
closer, until it is finally time to take the hat down, put it right
next to the ring and wait for a strong gust of wind.
In a big news moment this week, the Pawlenty campaign released a
stirring video filled with shots of smiling workers, Ronald Reagan,
farmers harvesting wheat, flags and golden retrievers in which T-Paw
talks about taking back America and then, to a triumphant swell of
music, concludes: "That's why today, I'm announcing the creation of an
exploratory committee."
But back to Libya. Willard "Mitt" Romney supports the current mission,
except for the part where it's run by Barack Obama. Mitt told a
conservative radio host this week that the president is weak because
of "his fundamental disbelief in American exceptionalism." This is
part of a widespread Republican theory that simply believing that our
country is a great and unique nation is not enough unless you also run
around the world publicly pointing out to our allies that we are way,
way better than they are.
This fatal flaw, Romney said, has left Obama "tentative, indecisive,
timid and nuanced." The worst thing you can have when you're working
on diplomacy is nuance.
Also, perhaps I should point out that Romney was named after J.
Willard Marriott, the hotel guy. And that he once drove to Canada with
the family dog strapped to the roof of the car.
Haley "Haley" Barbour has been much less enthusiastic about the whole
intervention idea than people like Romney. Ditto for Representative
Michele ("I don't have a nickname, but I do have a funny spelling")
Bachmann. Double ditto for Representative Ronald "Ron" Paul, who may
run for president again this season. And his son, Senator Randal
"Rand" Paul, who may jump in himself if Dad doesn't.
If we get a Paul, I hope it's Rand, who sort of stole my heart at a
recent Senate hearing on energy-efficiency standards, in which he
blasted an Energy Department official, saying: "You don't care about
the consumer, really. Frankly, my toilets don't work in my house and I
blame you."
However, I do not think we need to dwell on the Libya positions of
this last bunch yet. There's a limit to how much time you want to
devote to remote possibilities. At minimum, they should be willing to
do what Newt did and hold a press conference to announce the formation
of an exploratory committee and then fail to actually announce it.
Demand commitment. Otherwise, you will wind up like me, facing the
terrible prospect of having to read three books by Mike Huckabee for
no reason whatsoever.
Charles M. Blow is off today.
***************************************
THE NEW YORK TIMES
OPED
LOSING OUR WAY
BY BOB HERBERT
So here we are pouring shiploads of cash into yet another war, this
time in Libya, while simultaneously demolishing school budgets,
closing libraries, laying off teachers and police officers, and
generally letting the bottom fall out of the quality of life here at
home.
Welcome to America in the second decade of the 21st century. An army
of long-term unemployed workers is spread across the land, the human
fallout from the Great Recession and long years of misguided economic
policies. Optimism is in short supply. The few jobs now being created
too often pay a pittance, not nearly enough to pry open the doors to a
middle-class standard of living.
Arthur Miller, echoing the poet Archibald MacLeish, liked to say that
the essence of America was its promises. That was a long time ago.
Limitless greed, unrestrained corporate power and a ferocious
addiction to foreign oil have led us to an era of perpetual war and
economic decline. Young people today are staring at a future in which
they will be less well off than their elders, a reversal of fortune
that should send a shudder through everyone.
The U.S. has not just misplaced its priorities. When the most powerful
country ever to inhabit the earth finds it so easy to plunge into the
horror of warfare but almost impossible to find adequate work for its
people or to properly educate its young, it has lost its way entirely.
Nearly 14 million Americans are jobless and the outlook for many of
them is grim. Since there is just one job available for every five
individuals looking for work, four of the five are out of luck.
Instead of a land of opportunity, the U.S. is increasingly becoming a
place of limited expectations. A college professor in Washington told
me this week that graduates from his program were finding jobs, but
they were not making very much money, certainly not enough to think
about raising a family.
There is plenty of economic activity in the U.S., and plenty of
wealth. But like greedy children, the folks at the top are seizing
virtually all the marbles. Income and wealth inequality in the U.S.
have reached stages that would make the third world blush. As the
Economic Policy Institute has reported, the richest 10 percent of
Americans received an unconscionable 100 percent of the average income
growth in the years 2000 to 2007, the most recent extended period of
economic expansion.
Americans behave as if this is somehow normal or acceptable. It
shouldn't be, and didn't used to be. Through much of the post-World
War II era, income distribution was far more equitable, with the top
10 percent of families accounting for just a third of average income
growth, and the bottom 90 percent receiving two-thirds. That seems
like ancient history now.
The current maldistribution of wealth is also scandalous. In 2009, the
richest 5 percent claimed 63.5 percent of the nation's wealth. The
overwhelming majority, the bottom 80 percent, collectively held just
12.8 percent.
This inequality, in which an enormous segment of the population
struggles while the fortunate few ride the gravy train, is a
world-class recipe for social unrest. Downward mobility is an
ever-shortening fuse leading to profound consequences.
A stark example of the fundamental unfairness that is now so
widespread was in The New York Times on Friday under the headline:
"G.E.'s Strategies Let It Avoid Taxes Altogether." Despite profits of
$14.2 billion — $5.1 billion from its operations in the United States
— General Electric did not have to pay any U.S. taxes last year.
As The Times's David Kocieniewski reported, "Its extraordinary success
is based on an aggressive strategy that mixes fierce lobbying for tax
breaks and innovative accounting that enables it to concentrate its
profits offshore."
G.E. is the nation's largest corporation. Its chief executive, Jeffrey
Immelt, is the leader of President Obama's Council on Jobs and
Competitiveness. You can understand how ordinary workers might look at
this cozy corporate-government arrangement and conclude that it is not
fully committed to the best interests of working people.
Overwhelming imbalances in wealth and income inevitably result in
enormous imbalances of political power. So the corporations and the
very wealthy continue to do well. The employment crisis never gets
addressed. The wars never end. And nation-building never gets a
foothold here at home.
New ideas and new leadership have seldom been more urgently needed.
•
This is my last column for The New York Times after an exhilarating,
nearly 18-year run. I'm off to write a book and expand my efforts on
behalf of working people, the poor and others who are struggling in
our society. My thanks to all the readers who have been so kind to me
over the years. I can be reached going forward at
bobherbert88@gmail.com.
***************************************
THE NEW YORK TIMES
OPED
FREE SPEECH WORTH PAYING FOR
BY CHARLES FRIED AND CLIFF SLOAN
ON Monday, the Supreme Court will consider its first campaign-finance
challenge since Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the
2010 ruling that permits corporations and unions to spend as much as
they wish to promote or defeat political candidates. Based on Citizens
United, it might appear that the court would be inclined to wipe away
all regulation of campaign finance. But that view would be mistaken.
The court will hear a pair of challenges to an Arizona law that
provides public financing for candidates who agree to forgo private
contributions, including their own. Under the law, adopted in 1998 as
a citizen initiative in the wake of election scandals, Arizona
allocates additional money to publicly financed candidates when their
privately financed opponents spend more than a specified amount.
These challenges are being brought by political action committees and
candidates for state office who say that the law violates their free
speech rights. But it is the defenders of public financing schemes
like Arizona's who have the First Amendment at their back. And they
have Citizens United, with its broad protection for speech in the
public square, on their side. (We submitted an amicus brief supporting
the Arizona law on behalf of a bipartisan group of former elected
officials.)
The First Amendment forbids any law "abridging the freedom of speech."
While fearing the corrupting effects of unrestrained campaign
spending, the people of Arizona abridged no speech, forbade nothing,
restricted nothing. Instead, they followed the principle, set forth by
Justices Louis Brandeis and Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. in the 1927 case
Whitney v. California, that the remedy for speech that is threatening
or inconvenient is "more speech."
Contrary to the challengers' claims, the Arizona law doesn't prevent
privately financed candidates from speaking or spending as much as
they like, or from raising as much as they like, or from raising as
much money as they need. Nor does it place any limits on how much
anyone may spend in support or opposition to a candidate. The law
simply ensures that, when a candidate relying on private money speaks,
the publicly financed candidate has the money to answer.
The notion that more speech inhibits or corrupts public debate
contradicts the very premises of the Citizens United decision that
government has no business limiting the source, content or quality of
the speech deployed in debate. Indeed, decades of free speech opinions
proclaim that the government has no business shutting down speech no
matter what it says or who is saying it; it will not prohibit hate
speech, for example, or speech glorifying the sexual subjugation of
women. Our First Amendment law trusts the people to choose what they
will listen to and whom they will believe.
That noble, deep tradition has stood up against every claim that
certain speech will confuse or mislead or drown out the more virtuous
speech of others. The Arizona challengers in the two cases — McComish
v. Bennett and Arizona Free Enterprise Club v. Bennett — believe their
speech will be swamped by publicly financed candidates. That "drowning
out" argument may be accepted in other countries, but our First
Amendment denies that more speech silences the speech it challenges:
it only answers it.
Of course, because publicly financed campaigns involve the
government's footing the bill for answering speech, that speech is
portrayed as being in a different category. That too is an argument
that runs against our free speech law. Over and over — whether it is
financing artistic creativity, or campaigns against smoking or for
premarital abstinence — the Supreme Court has insisted that government
may add its voice to the private debate without being thought to
inhibit or drown out the message of private speakers. And the Arizona
law does not even pick the message, but merely adds to the voice of
any qualifying candidate.
The broadest attacks on the Arizona statute, outlined in amicus briefs
before the Supreme Court, would make any provision of public financing
unconstitutional. But public financing — provided by 16 states and
numerous local governments, including New York City — remains an
important option for governments interested in providing candidates
with an alternative to dependence on private contributions.
To suggest that this facilitation of speech by the government itself
violates the First Amendment is perverse, and deeply antithetical to
the nation's First Amendment tradition. To prevail in this case, the
challengers would have to countermand the very principles of the wide
open, free and uninhibited nature of our campaign finance regime which
in other contexts they celebrate. The principles of Citizens United
should lead the Supreme Court to uphold Arizona's campaign finance
law.
Charles Fried, a professor of constitutional law at Harvard, was the
solicitor general in the second Reagan administration. Cliff Sloan, a
lawyer, is a former publisher of Slate.
***************************************
******************************************************************************************
TIMES FREE PRESS
OPINION
SPRINGTIME, LOVE AND CARS
"In the spring," famed English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892)
wrote, "a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love." Well,
it's spring, and that's still true.
But young American men's springtime love affairs have long involved
cars as well. New models may generally come out in the fall — and how
excited motorists get about new cars from General Motors, Ford and
Chrysler historically determined how well our economy would run. But
driving with the windows or the top down in spring has a special
allure.
For decades, of course, many cars have entered the American market
from Japan, Germany, South Korea and other countries as well.
But for many a year, the car business in America centered around
Detroit, the Motor City.
Sadly, for reasons ranging from poor management to bloated union
contracts to outside competition, U.S. automobile manufacturing fell
on hard times in more recent years. And that means Detroit has fallen
on hard times, too.
Detroit in 1950 — booming with U.S. car production — had an impressive
population of 1.8 million. It was our fifth-largest city. But
Detroit's population in 2010 was down to only 713,777.
We feel for the people of Detroit and for the entire state of
Michigan, where unemployment is 10.4 percent — compared with 8.9
percent nationally.
But we are glad that many "foreign" cars are going to be made in
Chattanooga. Chattanoogans and residents of the surrounding area soon
will be turning out thousands of Volkswagens.
Well, it's spring. Cars (and love) still stir a young man's fancy. And
wherever they are produced, cars are still very important to the
economy.
***************************************
TIMES FREE PRESS
OPINION
SEN. CORKER ON OBAMACARE
Among those who have ruefully noted the first anniversary since
President Barack Obama signed the disastrous ObamaCare legislation
into law is U.S. Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn.
Corker appropriately voted against ObamaCare because, he states
frankly, it fails to address huge costs and imposes big burdens on
national and state budgets.
"There is not a thinking person in Washington who believes this health
care law will work as designed because it doesn't solve the biggest
problem in our health care system, which is cost," he declared in a
recent news release.
In addition to raising federal spending on medical care — in a time of
record debt — the law places a massive unfunded mandate on the states,
as even Democrat former Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen lamented.
Corker notes, "Large employers will be discouraged from providing
coverage because they could abandon their health plans, pay the
[federal] penalties and still save millions of dollars by passing the
burden onto taxpayers. And for anyone concerned about the future of
Medicare, the law spends $530 billion in Medicare savings instead of
using those funds to extend the life of the program."
That's important because Medicare's insolvency is already only a few years away.
It is no wonder Corker has called for repeal of ObamaCare. The peril
of leaving it in place is too great.
***************************************
TIMES FREE PRESS
OPINION
SEN. ALEXANDER ON OBAMACARE
U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., is one of many Americans who are
very much concerned about the costly mistake Democrats in Congress
made when they passed ObamaCare.
He pointed out to the president during a 2010 health care summit that
ObamaCare would raise individual premiums. The president's response?
"[T]hat's just not the case."
Only it is the case. And it's not budget-busting ObamaCare's only problem.
"Today, individual premiums are increasing, taxes are going up, and
Medicare is getting cut," Alexander wrote in a recent statement.
Plus more than a thousand employers and organizations have had to get
exemptions from the program's onerous mandates because they simply
couldn't afford them. And that's before it fully takes effect!
Alexander pledged to continue seeking repeal of ObamaCare — even if
that is difficult — and to seek more reasonable cost-cutting measures,
such as letting people purchase insurance across state lines.
That is a better approach, he noted, than "expanding a system that
already costs too much."
***************************************
TIMES FREE PRESS
OPINION
OUR LONGEST WAR!
The American Revolution in 1776 won our independence. There
unfortunately have been multiple wars since. But our longest war is
one we are engaged in now, in Afghanistan.
It began Oct. 7, 2001, in response to the Afghanistan-based terrorist
attacks on New York City and the Pentagon on Sept. 11, 2001.
Almost a decade later, American troops are still in Afghanistan. How
and when can we find a satisfactory end that does not allow terrorists
there to attack us again?
***************************************
******************************************************************************************
HURRIYET DAILY NEWS
OPINION
FROM THE BOSPHORUS: STRAIGHT - CHP SWINGS AND MISSES
A lot of political parties in the world must be envious of Turkey's
ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP. For it operates in the
absence of a strong and effective opposition.
A strong and effective opposition does not mean obviously objecting to
every decision of the government, which was pretty much what the main
opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP, had been doing prior to
the new leadership of Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. The party's new leader
preferred to abstain from objecting only for the sake of objecting.
Yet this stance has added further confusion to the party's policy
lines on specific issues.
Take the CHP's stake on the nuclear energy issue. The disaster in
Japan has increased the concerns even among those who are not
categorically against the nuclear option to cover Turkey's energy
needs. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to Moscow, which
included finalizing the details of an agreement to built a nuclear
power plant in southern Turkey right in the midst of the nuclear
tragedy in Japan, has offered a golden opportunity to the CHP to lead
a campaign to exert pressure on the ruling government for a more
transparent process that would bring the deal with Russia under close
scrutiny.
To keep repeating that the government insists on the project
benefiting one pro-AKP company, although not irrelevant at all, is by
itself, however, not enough to demonstrate the risks of signing an
agreement that could have deadly consequences. The CHP has
unfortunately missed the opportunity to be the spokesperson of those
who have serious reservations about the power plant to be built in
Mersin and to mobilize those who until now were not aware of the
perils of a deal that remains dubious for experts.
As well, take the CHP's stance on the Libya issue. The AKP's U-turn,
from a statement calling NATO intervention in Libya an absurdity to
sending five warships and a submarine as part of the NATO operation,
is crystal clear even in the eyes of those who are not necessarily
foreign policy gurus. Opposition anywhere else in the world would have
seized the opportunity to show that the government has been
inconsistent in its policies since the troubles began in Libya.
All the CHP leader came up with in his weak parliamentary speech was
to recycle the fact that Prime Minister Erdoğan received a human
rights award from Col. Moammar Gadhafi. Recycling this criticism falls
short of drawing attention to the loopholes in the government's
policies.
Abusing foreign policy issues to make gains in domestic politics is by
all means a reflex to be condemned. Yet the CHP's latest stance on the
ruling government's policies seems to be stemming from pure
incompetence, rather than any motivation to be a responsible
opposition.
The CHP should not waste any more time and better organize itself to
scrutinize the government's policy choices that will have serious
consequences for the country.
***************************************
HURRIYET DAILY NEWS
OPINION
DON'T LOOK AT HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION WITH A JAUNDICED EYE
CENGİZ AKTAR
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was thundering at the
parliamentary group meeting on Tuesday: "We did everything in order to
avoid a massacre of brothers, a chaos. We wanted Libya to solve its
problems on its own, not through external interference and to
determine its direction on its own. (…) We suggested Moammar Gadhafi
officially leave his seat to a person who is unanimously acceptable
and trustworthy." Now, what's all these? That means Gadhafi
proponents, possessing all of the weapons, cutting the opponents into
pieces since Gadhafi, who destroyed the opposition for so long,
wouldn't leave his seat voluntarily just because Erdoğan says so. It
also means Turkey is against any kind of military intervention as
Libya should decide its fate on its own, i.e. through civil war!
Unfortunately, the world doesn't turn the way Erdoğan wishes. One
should know that, in today's trendy expression, the "blood running"
doesn't stop by compassionate statements of the Turkish government
calling for a ceasefire and inviting Gadhafi to act wisely.
Sadly so, the same Turkey, and the memory is vivid, was shouting
exactly the opposite against the massacres committed by Serbs in
Bosnia and Kosovo. Serbs were having all of the weapons then just like
Gadhafi supporters have today. The same Turkey was rightly calling for
a military intervention against such a double standard and criticizing
callousness of the international community, of François Mitterrand's
France in particular. It even joined the air operation in Kosovo. It's
true, it was not the same government, but then the predecessors of the
ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, were for a military
intervention.
Hence it means the position is different if the aggrieved is Muslim
and the aggressor Christian and if the aggressor is a Muslim too, it
is again different! Today, the government doesn't see anything wrong
with speaking in the way the Western Europe spoke in those dark days
of former Yugoslavia.
People who are getting killed should not and cannot be classified as
Muslim or Christian. In the final analysis, the calculations and
double standards of the West, of French President Nicolas Sarkozy and
of Turkey do not change the fact that the air operation has prevented
a massacre in Benghazi for now. This may be inadequate or invaluable
in the eye of the Turkish government, but it is priceless for people
living in Benghazi.
Preparing for the post-Gadhafi era
Russia being at the top, arms producers as well as countries and
companies involved in oil and construction business, including Turkey,
have ignored Gadhafi's despotism for decades. In season and out of
season, everyone has filled his pocket with projects reflecting
Gadhafi's megalomania. So, no one is blameless. The regime, despite
tremendous opportunities in hand (there is a talk of $150 billion
reserve here), is about to collapse due to political errors and
mismanagement. Since there is no other noteworthy alternative to
Gadhafi, the country has come to the edge of a civil war.
Obviously, it is not easy to design politics out of the prevailing
situation. Difficult days wait for Libya, hence for everyone who is
involved in Libya. When and how the military operation will come to an
end and when the ceasefire will take place are unknown. Instability in
Libya would harm everybody, Libyans in particular. With a bird-eye
view, a few annoying developments come to mind:
The future of Tunisia and Egypt uprisings didn't seem bright with a
Libya led by Gadhafi; but if it continued the instability has the
potential to have other negative effects in Egypt and Tunisia, whose
migrants were working there. Illegal migration from Africa, which has
been a nightmare for Europe for years, might now hit the coasts of
Europe via Libya. Penetration attempts of "al-Qaeda in the Islamic
Maghreb" fighters which are active on the axis of southern Algeria,
Mali and Niger in the Sahara, into Libya might now succeed. Although
Libya is not a key oil producer, in economic sense, failing
infrastructure projects in the country and problems in oil flow might
create setbacks in the long run.
For all of these and other unpredictable reasons, countries that have
interests in the stability of the country and of the South
Mediterranean and North Africa should stop quarreling and blaming each
other and get together in a way to clear the way for new policies in
Libya. The contributions of Turkey, in touch with all Libyan sides,
are important in this context, but without forgetting that these
contributions need to be coordinated with all countries in the
coalition. The recent decision to send warships to the region looks as
tough, despite early mumbling and tough talk, the government is now
getting there.
***************************************
HURRIYET DAILY NEWS
OPINION
ANKARA'S LIBYA MISSTEPS
İLHAN TANIR
The fight in Libya proved to be much harder to deal with for countries
both in the West and East. Turkey has been no exception to that,
especially as a Muslim member country of NATO which has aspirations to
lead the Middle East at the same time as having extensive interests in
Libya.
"We welcome Turkey to the world of double standards as a regional
leader," said one Washington-based Turkey observer this week when I
asked him to comment on Turkey's approach to Libya. According to this
expert, someone who sat and talked with Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdoğan recently, Turkey's sharp and abrupt oppositions to the
sanctions on Libyan regime, then the NATO involvement and any foreign
intervention mostly stemmed from Erdoğan's "emotional reactions."
Indeed, Erdoğan's "What has NATO got to do in Libya?" inveigh will not
easily fade from memories, when we observe now that same Turkish
administration contributing the largest fleet to implement a naval
blockade of Libya in support of the United Nations' arms embargo.
Another Turkey observer in Washington described Turkey's Libya policy
in the following fashion, "From the beginning of the Libyan crisis,
Turkish foreign policy has resembled a car that is going in the wrong
direction at 200 kilometers per hour, at the same time trying to
convince the other cars that they are going in the wrong direction."
At the start of the crisis, Turkey articulated extensively about its
immediate concerns in Libya, pointing to its tens of thousands of
citizens, along with billions of dollars in investments. Ankara's
legitimate concerns were well understood in Washington in those weeks,
and its cautious steps also appeared justified in the first period.
After all, Ankara had every right to look after its own interests as a
foreign state, like any other.
Though Ankara's real issue, along with its knee-jerk sharp opposition
to intervention calls, was its inability to adjust its position
according to rapidly changing international public opinion that gained
momentum against Gadhafi over the weeks. Erdoğan, following the
military operation, finally stated at beginning of this week that he
privately told Gadhafi to step down three weeks ago to alleviate
mounting criticism against his administration's soft take on Gadhafi's
ruthless actions.
Turkey also missed the chance by not taking a lead role to rally
behind the United Nations Security Council resolution vocally, when
Gadhafi forces were taking back other cities and getting closer to
Benghazi to wipe out the rebels.
Instead of emphasizing this imminent and clear humanitarian situation
and taking an active part with the coalition forces as an aspiring
regional power, the Justice and Development Party, or AKP's top
foreign officials mounted very vague accusations against the West for
it is pursuing its own "oil interest" and also failing to overcome its
Orientalist mindset.
Erdoğan's top foreign policy adviser İbrahim Kalın's recent columns in
Today's Zaman open a wide window of opportunity to read Ankara's
ideological stand point on the matter. Kalın's "Overcoming Orientalism
and Eurocentrism in the Middle East" piece especially argues this
mindset and states that "the soft revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt and
the uprisings in Libya, Bahrain, Yemen and other places have one thing
in common: Arabs do not want to be ruled by dictators. This is the
first lesson for Arab Orientalism."
The real dilemma here is for Kalın that it is Washington, and Ankara's
nowadays much disfavoring capital Paris, who took the initiative to
stop dictator's forces at the outskirts of Benghazi, with starting its
aerial bombing campaign while Turkey's foreign minister was calling
for "no foreign intervention."
Another argument used by Ankara is that it is Nicolas Sarkozy, an
unpopular French leader who appears to be trailing other presidential
candidates in his country, who pressured U.S. President Obama to start
the air strike campaign last weekend, when actually Turkey was working
on a diplomatic solution.
When I conveyed this argument to a Washington expert who was familiar
with the decision-making process that went on at the White House's
National Security Council last weekend, he chuckled and stated,
"Nobody in the world would pressure a U.S. president into a conflict
that he is not entirely comfortable with the reasons, particularly at
a time when there are two wars to handle."
This expert added, "It took hours at the NSC to work on that decision
when Obama's Latin America travel plans were ongoing." Obama also
risks big with this intervention, an operation that appears to have a
real potential to drag into the open-ended conflict, while he was
supposed to end the wars and solve budget woes.
As a Muslim member of NATO, and with its heavy ties with Libya, Turkey
had a big stake over the affairs related to Libya, and its long hours
of diplomacy especially on Thursday in Brussels ought to be respected.
Turkey's cautions about civilian causalities in Libya also is very
dignified and makes a lot of sense when considering civilian death
news reports in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Now that the decision has been reached by NATO members to take charge
of the no-fly zone imposition over Libyan airspace, and there is a
real possibility in the coming days of also taking over the mission of
protecting civilians against the Gadhafi regime, Turkey's role will be
equally crucial with regard to use of force if necessary to deter
Gadhafi forces from slaughtering rebels.
At any rate, Turkey once more has become an actor within NATO to
threaten to block a major decision, following the Lisbon NATO summit
in late last year where Turkey had serious issues with the concept of
the missile defense shield and also previously had serious objections
during the appointment process of current NATO chief Rasmussen.
Ankara's pointed statements about the West's intentions on Libya also
continued to draw a picture of Turkey in Washington that is
increasingly at odds with the Western interests and general
understandings with the world affairs.
Whether the pattern of Turkey's opposing posture at stages like NATO
is a signal of changing ideologies of the country, plain
unpreparedness before the rapidly evolving Arab world or pure
conflicting national interests is up for a debate. The answer well
maybe a mix of all three.
Even in case of a greatly disturbed dictator who openly threatens to
show "no mercy" on his own citizens, the AKP foreign policy team ran
to borrow good old "Orientalism" arguments, in addition to fueling
lots of conspiracy theories to catch fires among the Turkish public
and foreign policy writers.
It is true that no living creature in the world is able to predict
what the next step in Libya is. Though the revolt fever appears to be
catching in Syria, Erdoğan's great friend's land, and promising to get
even closer to Ankara's heart without any sign of an end in sight.
For region and Turkey's salvation, it can be only hoped that Libya
missteps would give Davutoglu's team a good wake up call to work on a
comprehensive foreign policy principals that can respond and support
Arab peoples' universal demands in clear terms even if every country
that is dealing with revolts has its own set of circumstances.
TESEV survey in Washington
On Thursday morning, the Center for American Progress, a think tank
that is closely aligned with the current Obama administration, hosted
Dr. Mensur Akgün and the Turkish Economic and Social Studies
Foundation, or TESEV, to present their survey, called "the perception
of Turkey in the Middle East 2010." The survey follows last year's
first-ever survey taken in seven Middle Eastern countries, plus Iran.
The survey was taken before the wave of revolts began, and with a
sample size of on average less than 300 people in each country.
TESEV's survey puts Turkey's favorability rate among Arab people at 80
percent in 2010, following 75 percent in 2009.
According to the same survey, Turkey's "Muslim background" is the most
important reason for Arabs to consider it as a model by 15 percentage
points, followed by its economy, then democracy and vocal support for
Palestinians cause.
It is known that Turkey's Foreign Ministry was quite happy with the
results of the survey, which consists of high favorability rates as
well as other remarkably high perceptions towards Turkey.
The next survey will be definitely very telling about Turkey's
performance when it comes to the big Arab Spring of 2011.
***************************************
HURRIYET DAILY NEWS
OPINION
WHILE DEMOCRACY IS ADVANCING IN TURKEY
SERKAN DEMİRTAŞ
While democracy is advancing in Turkey, 68 journalists – at least for
now – are imprisoned with hundreds more being prosecuted due to their
journalistic activities. This country, which wishes to join the
European Union one day in the future, ranks 138th in the Reporters
Sans Frontiers index of countries in terms of free media.
While democracy is advancing in Turkey, alongside these journalists,
hundreds of people from academia, civil society and the business world
have been kept in prisons for years without any conviction. All are
counted as members of a never officially recognized terror
organization called Ergenekon and have already lost for their hopes of
a fair prosecution. The court, with the unique approach of "all
persons are guilty under proven innocent," does not hesitate to reject
appeals for their releases on the conditions of trial without arrest.
While democracy is advancing in Turkey, the rulers of this country do
not give an ear to the calls by almost all international press
organizations, the European Union, the United States, the Organization
of Security and Cooperation in Europe, or OSCE, the Council of Europe,
etc. to comply with the international commitments Turkey is part of.
Its Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan describes the American top
envoy here as a "rookie ambassador" because of his critical words on
the deteriorating freedom of speech in Turkey. Its former minister
argues that the Turkish press is freer than the American press. Its
chief negotiator teaches European lesson of history and advises them
to look at the mirror before criticizing Turkey.
While democracy is advancing in Turkey, so is the empire of fear, with
massive illegal wiretappings that limit the right of communication.
Furthermore, the records of these illegal wiretappings are
unhesitatingly published in the newspapers and the television
channels.
While democracy is advancing in Turkey, the privacy of people which
has to be under local and universal rights and principles is violated
almost everyday. People feel encircled as many of them believe the
judiciary is no longer independent, the media is biased and democratic
rights and freedoms are limited through growing pressure from the
government.
While democracy is advancing in Turkey, a government-proposed draft
law with the purpose of eradicating the backlog of cases against
journalists is in fact imposing harsher sentences on reporters. The
initiative proves to be immature as it fails to touch on the articles
of the anti-terror law from which journalists suffer most.
While democracy is advancing in Turkey, an unpublished book and its
manuscripts were confiscated by the police upon an order by Ergenekon
prosecutor Zekeriya Öz with the assumption that "it was an
organizational document rather than a book." He argued that Ahmet Şık,
who was arrested three weeks ago, has written the book titled "The
Imam's Army" upon an order from the Ergenekon gang. Which constitutes
another first in Turkish history, but of course a first which won't be
remembered with humor and joy in the future.
While democracy is advancing in Turkey, the government officials
continue to play "the three monkeys," conflicting with their
pro-democracy rhetoric they have followed since 2002. While democracy
is advancing in Turkey, they prefer to distort the real motive behind
the arrest and suppression against the dissents with "absurd
rationalization."
This absurdity reminds me a quote from 19th century Danish philosopher
Soren Kierkegaard, which could be perfectly attributed to our 21st
century Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan:
"How absurd men are! They never use the liberties they have; they
demand those they do not have. They have freedom of thought, they
demand freedom of speech!"
***************************************
HURRIYET DAILY NEWS
OPINION
A LUNCH WITH KILIÇDAROĞLU
MUSTAFA AKYOL
Early this week, I received a phone call from Sencer Ayata, a
professor of sociology who joined the Republican People's Party, or
CHP, a little less than a year ago. He invited me to join a lunch at
which the CHP's new "youth report" would be launched. "Mr.
Kılıçdaroğlu will also be with us," said Dr. Ayata. "It will be a
chance to chat with him."
Pleased with the idea, I said, "Thanks, sure." This was the very first
invite I was receiving from the CHP, and it seemed to signal the
change the party is going through – or, at least, trying to go
through. I also knew that Dr. Ayata, an erudite sociologist and a true
social democrat, was a man whose works are worth looking at.
The veil and the CHP
So, on the day of meeting, I headed to the locale, a nice costly
restaurant near İstanbul's ever-busy İstiklal Avenue. Kılıçdaroğlu
welcomed me and the dozen or more "young journalists" – which was
quite a flattering definition for some of us. Besides youth matters, I
was also interested in learning what Kılıçdaroğlu thought on my
favorite issue: religious freedom. Hence I wanted to ask him about one
of the key problems in Turkey regarding that matter: the bans on the
headscarf.
First let me give you a background: The new stage in Turkey's
never-ending headscarf controversy is about whether veiled women can
be elected to Turkish Parliament and serve there with their
headscarves on. The only case of a veiled deputy so far was that of
Merve Kavakçı, who was elected in 1999 from the ticket of the Virtue
Party, the predecessor of the incumbent Justice and Development Party,
or AKP. But the then-31-year-old Ms. Kavakçı was able to stay in
Parliament for only 15 minutes, for the militants there (also known as
deputies) pushed her out by madly yelling, "Out, out!" Ms. Kavakçı was
publicly denounced for "defying the state," and was soon stripped of
not just her seat in Parliament but also her very Turkish citizenship.
Yet there is a new campaign now to elect veiled deputies again, and
the CHP does not sound as intolerant on this matter as in the past.
But Kılıçdaroğlu did not turn out to be too reassuring on this during
our pre-lunch discussion. "Of course veiled women can be elected to
Parliament," he said. "But then they should obey the parliamentary
rules for dress code." In other words, they have to take their veils
off. So much for the CHP's freedom agenda.
Not terribly impressed with this answer, I began listening about the
presentations about the "youth report" of the CHP. There were
certainly good ideas: the shortening of the mandatory military
service, social and cultural programs to "empower the youth" and
efforts to reach out to uneducated and unemployed women. Other ideas,
such as giving "a youth discount" to youngsters in shops, sounded too
welfare-state-ish. (If we the state will subsidize the youth, why not
the old as well? And, well, why should the middle-agers be excluded?
What you will reach at the end of that road is an economic disaster,
because the all-subsidizing state will simply run out of money.)
Yet the CHP's socialist tendencies are the least of my problems with
the party. What matters more is their stance on political, civil and
religious liberties. That's why their focus on education caught my
attention. Both Kılıçdaroğlu and his aides explained how they will
open more schools all across the country and "expand" education to
every corner. And that was all welcome.
Education or indoctrination?
However, I was interested in not just the extent but also the content
of the Turkish education system. "Ours is not a system that encourages
free and critical thinking," I noted, and recalled the notorious oath
that every Turkish student takes every week "to follow Atatürk's
path... and to sacrifice my self to Turkish existence." Would the CHP
keep such blunt methods of collectivist indoctrination in its new
vision?
In his response, Kılıçdaroğlu was again not reassuring. He said
"unity" is a very important value to teach school kids, and they can
learn about diversity when they go to college. In other words, we must
keep on indoctrinating children with a state ideology until they
became adults.
Now, I don't want to be unfair to Kılıçdaroğlu – for actually, despite
all these criticisms, I liked the man. He is a modest and polite human
being with whom you can converse comfortably. (Not a very common trait
among Turkish political leaders.) I also support the "winds of change"
he is trying to bring to his archaic party. Some of his recent
criticisms against the AKP government are also well-placed.
But the CHP needs more "change" than what it is signaling right now.
Democrat minds such as Dr. Ayata seem to know that well, and Mr.
Kılıçdaroğlu seem to have been rightly benefiting from their vision.
But he needs more. It is very hard, if not impossible, to become a
social democratic party while staying loyal to the CHP's Kemalist
roots.
I don't expect Kılıçdaroğlu and his team to reject Kemalism
categorically – as I do. But they can well declare that it was an
ideology for its own time and that Turkey now needs to move forward.
This would make them more coherent in their effort to make the CHP an
advocate of liberty.
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HURRIYET DAILY NEWS
OPINION
THE CORRIDOR - THE CRISIS AWAITING THE CHP: 'ERGENEKON'
GÖKSEL BOZKURT
Speaking some time ago, Republican People's Party, or CHP, deputy
leader Gürsel Tekin made some vague comments about the choosing of the
party's candidates for the upcoming election.
"Starting with me, the candidacy of any of our candidates is not
certain yet and not guaranteed either. It is not in Mr. [Kemal]
Kılıçdaroğlu's nature to give any guarantees to newcomers. The list to
be announced on April 11 is important."
This statement has become the harbinger of a storm expected in the
upcoming days in the CHP. The arrested Ergenekon suspects Mustafa
Balbay, Tuncay Özkan, Sinan Aygün, İlhan Cihaner, and Mustafa Özbek
applied to the CHP to stand candidacy for deputy elections. CHP leader
Kılıçdaroğlu and his team are being pressured to run other Ergenekon
suspects as candidacies as well. A few big guns, from the left to the
right, are asking the CHP to shoulder responsibility.
The serious pressure is becoming an internal issue in the CHP. For
time is running out on whether or not to nominate the Ergenekon
suspects and from the sensitive CHP grassroots, a lot of pressure is
being observed.
The CHP does not have a homogenous single view on the subject, and
that is the point where discussions begin. Will the CHP take a risk to
include these names in its party or not?
The final slates will be submitted to the Supreme Election Board on
April 11. Since the CHP will have primaries in several provinces, the
process will be run until the beginning of April. The CHP Party
Assembly is expected to convene on April 8 and 9 to finalize
candidacies.
And the Party Assembly meeting will be a milestone in terms of the
arrested Ergenekon suspects and the clarification of the CHP's
position in the future.
The sides have already begun to take action, and Tekin's move should
be evaluated from this perspective. Tekin hasn't said out loud but he
is fiercely against the candidacies of the Ergenekon suspects, and at
this point he is not alone.
The top administration in the CHP is divided into three: Those who
defend the candidacies of the Ergenekon suspects, those who stand
against such a practice and those who abstain.
It's rumored that Tekin, İzzet Çetin, Umut Oran, Faik Öztrak and
Sezgin Tanrıkulu are objecting to such Ergenekon candidacies; this
strong group is also influential on Kılıçdaroğlu.
The group says that the candidacies of Ergenekon suspects will bring
no benefit to the party, and they do not look favorably upon people
such as Mehmet Haberal, who is from the center-right, and Mustafa
Özbek, who comes from a nationalist background.
Süheyl Batum, another deputy leader, has taken the lead among the
others who defend the said candidacies and has been seconded by CHP
General Secretary Bihlun Tamaylıgil and Gülsün Bilgehan. Batum and his
group want to nominate the Ergenekon suspects as a way of showing
their objection to the Ergenekon case, believing that the party would
become more powerful with such a move.
Other deputy leaders such as Hurşit Güneş, Erdoğan Toprak, and Engin
Altay are said to be coy on the subject. In fact, what they want is
termed "a soft transition." Top officials, including the names above,
are cold toward the candidacies of Haberal, Özkan, and Özbek, but
agree that Balbay could be a symbolic nomination.
Some Party Assembly members suggest an "interim formula," thinking
that some of the said names could be nominated, but from lower down on
the list where they have little chance of getting elected.
It's evident from this divided and fuzzy picture in the CHP that the
heated debates will continue in the CHP until early April; how this
will be cleared is up to Kılıçdaroğlu.
Kılıçdaroğlu is not showing his hand for now and has not shared his
views even with his closest circle as to whether or not the arrested
Ergenekon suspects will be nominated. Instead, the leader is taking
the pulse of Anatolia on a tour and has asked for a poll testing the
party's level of support to be conducted.
Apparently, the CHP leader has not been clear about whether or not to
nominate any Ergenekon suspects; instead, he will look at the
reactions heading into April, make assessments and then make a final
decision. Afterward, Kılıçdaroğlu will try to pass the decision in the
Party Assembly.
Without doubt, a serious "Ergenekon crisis" is at the CHP's door.
Perhaps the CHP, too, is taking the most difficult turn in its recent history.
For the decision to be adopted at the Party Assembly will not only
help determine the results of the June 12 general elections, but also
will be an indicator of the future of Kılıçdaroğlu's leadership in the
post-election period.
***************************************
HURRIYET DAILY NEWS
OPINION
STAGES OF 'EXPATRIATION' IN TURKEY
ZAFER PARLAR
Stage I: Your boss informs you that you are assigned to lead Turkey.
You have mixed feelings. It is an upcoming market with a high growth
rate, so it's a great move for your career, but you have never been
there. All you know are holiday stories from friends. Therefore, it's
an exotic exposure for the family.
Stage II: You arrive at the airport with your wife and both of you are
positively impressed. As you boarded the plane with -50 perception
level, anything positive hypes you up, even the level of English of
the guy picking you up. Away from the kids, a romantic night at a
five-star hotel looking over the Bosphorus will for sure help to boost
that further. Next day you will look for a house, check the schools,
and have a meeting with your predecessor at work. The representative
of the company who serves you will keep up with your zillion relevant,
irrelevant and occasionally ridiculous questions, including repetitive
ones like "now again, which part is Asia?"
Stage III: Your predecessor and his wife will take you guys out for
dinner. All night long you will talk about whether you should live in
the city along Bosphorus with a great view or out in the country where
you have two options; Zekeriyaköy or Kemer Country. You have to
determine whether you will pay an additional fee on top of your
company allowance for rent for a large house and a yard for the kids.
At the end you will realize that the condition of the kitchen will
become the most important determining factor. Now you know you are in
a bigger version of any European city where east meets west and
creates a great variety. Driving is a nightmare even if you do not
drive yourself. You are wondering about how your wife will survive.
Other than that, living standards for sure will be better than home
and all will be paid for by the company.
Stage IV: A whole year has passed. The kids are all right at an
international school. It sounded like an absurd idea at first, but you
bought a blue-plate jeep for your wife as advised by your friends. Now
she drives like a Turk. You have a cleaning lady and a babysitter that
you didn't have at home. That gives your wife time to spend time at
the coffee sessions of the consulate, work with the international
community for a social cause and get together with her new Turkish
friends at the brand new, luxurious malls of Istanbul. You are both
amazed by the hospitality and the support of the people, but still
critique a lot of things when you are together at home or among
expats. You've already been to Cappadocia during bayram, home for
Christmas and skied during February break at Kartalkaya. You make
plans to go for a blue voyage for the summer like all other Turks.
At work your assistant is an angel who takes care of the whole family
unlike the one at home who would never do that, but your management
team is showing some resistance to your new ideas by responding always
with the same sentence "this will not work in Turkey." You put a lot
of pressure on them to go ahead, but are scared that they might be
right. Some have better academic and work credentials than you do
which, from time to time, discomforts you a bit. Checking devaluation
and interest rates becomes a daily habit. After a couple trips to
Anatolia, you also realize that Istanbul is not Turkey. You have a
hard time explaining this to your boss who comes over twice a year,
who, in return, reports to his boss who comes over to Istanbul only
once a year. You wish you would have a bigger marketing and
operational budget to increase your market share, but the big five
still gets the large portions in Europe.
Take V: Four years went by and you are assigned to go back home. Kids
are unhappy to leave their friends behind. They even started to speak
some Turkish, like your wife and yourself. It will be difficult to fit
back in your house and previous living conditions. Your wife is
already considering a second hand at home.
You are a star in the company who brought constant growth year on
year. You love your colleagues who held you back from time to time,
but you more or less made a great team. Now you understand how certain
things work in Turkey. Many things do not irritate you as you get used
to them. You have already become an advocate of the country at home.
For sure you will get emotional while you are delivering your farewell
speech. Being emotional is a great present you have received from
Turkish culture as is developing strong bonds for life. Your will end
your speech by saying Turkey will always be your family's second home
while the curtain will come down to end the play which you will recall
in the future as "Once upon a time in Turkey."
***************************************
HURRIYET DAILY NEWS
OPINION
A BIRD'S EYE VIEW - NUCLEAR HUMAN PANIC
ADVENA AVIS
Japan is still struggling to overcome the catastrophic events of an
earthquake, a tsunami and radiation from a damaged nuclear power
plant.
Again, you humans act in ways that are incomprehensible to us birds.
We have been observing with interest the panic and reactions of the
Europeans. The European mass media is competing to see who will scare
the most people. As a result, panic-buying of iodine pills and Geiger
counters has started in many European countries. However, the
Europeans forget that their continent has already been contaminated by
radiation from the 1986 explosion of the Chernobyl nuclear plant. The
amount of radiation dispersed by the Chernobyl explosion continues to
remain at the same levels as 1986, which are considered dangerous for
humans.
In Greece in 2005, a survey was made in the northern part of the
country and it was discovered that the radiation levels were high,
agricultural products were contaminated and there was a great increase
of births of deformed children and cancer. And nobody said anything
about it. The authorities did not want to disturb the economy so they
let the population slowly die off.
The same applies of course to those areas of Europe that were
contaminated by Chernobyl radiation, basically Germany and the
Scandinavian countries. The EU does not require that agricultural
products be measured for radioactivity because if it had such an
obligation, then the European humans would have changed their diet
drastically. Instead they are permitted to die and fall sick in
blissful oblivion.
On the contrary, the Japanese, with the exception of the two atomic
bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, never had any other problems with
radiation until now. Their food and agricultural products were
basically radiation-free. When the European governments call their
citizens to leave Japan, they are essentially inviting them to return
to a Europe that is already contaminated by radiation. So why the
panic? Japan is far from Europe. And if ever a little more radiation
arrives from Japan, it will not change many things since the Europeans
are already contaminated and not in good health. If anyone had to
panic, it should have been the Japanese. But they did not. And we
congratulate them for this.
A few words about us here. We were appalled to hear from the energy
minister and from the prime minister statements to the effect that
Turkey will not change its program to construct a nuclear reactor in a
seismic zone because of the events in Japan. You humans do not learn
from experience. What is wrong with you? We cannot understand.
Ponder our thoughts, dear humans, for the benefit of our planet.
***************************************
HURRIYET DAILY NEWS
OPINION
THEOCRATIC DEMOCRACY
YUSUF KANLI
I was in a shock. I just could not think such a thing could happen in
the Turkey of the end of March 2011. A few drops of tears dropped from
my eyes. I remembered the cold September 1980 morning. The morning
when, in great pain, I burned well over 200 "hazardous" books,
products of some "hazardous" brains.
In 1980, I was acting with the residue of the mass fear inflicted on
the Turkish society with the mass imprisonment of intellectuals
possessing somehow books considered "hazardous" by the emergency law
commanders of the 1971 "coup by memorandum" period. Possessing a book
considered "hazardous," "dangerous" or simply "communist" just because
it was written by a Russian, North Korean, by a citizen of any of the
Warsaw Pact countries or simply by someone whose name might be
considered to be Russian landed so many intellectuals behind bars in
the post 1971 period, where they were subjected to such heinous
methods of torture, that in 1980 private libraries were almost emptied
and the toilets of houses were turned into Nazi gas chambers. This
time to burn books…
How many such "hazardous" books I now have in my study room?
One-hundred, 200 or more? I have no idea, but definitely there are
many political and non-political books which, if the mentality of
criminalizing books or worse banning books not yet published has risen
from the grave, I either will have to spend considerable time trying
to burn or if I decide I cannot go through such a trauma once again
perhaps prefer to spend some time in one of the dungeons of this
country which by that time would probably complete its transformation
into a secular democratic republic into a theocratic democracy – how
that will be achieved or sustained I have no idea.
I want to share today some translated excerpts from T24 news portal's
much-respected writer Engin Aydın's article headlined "Muezzin's
battalion." As is probably known, in Islam the "muezzin" is the person
calling for prayer while the "imam" is the person leading prayers.
Aydın wrote that he has started preparing mentally to write an
outstanding book called "Muezzin's battalion." He wrote that in the
book he would reveal everything in the police, local branch of the
state highways authority, land registry office as well as the state
water works authority regional department and if he indeed can publish
the book those revelations would turn upside down everything in the
country.
"But, how can I work? Since the morning the telephones are ringing
painfully. Some of those who call, for some reason I could not
understand, are mumbling with a strange voice, 'How are you doing? Is
everything all right', while others are whispering "Aydın, did you
hear, police have ambushed the İthaki publishing house, now they are
searching the headquarters of Radikal newspaper? They are searching
for the book of Ahmet Şık' and such news. I mumble few words and get
off with them, but the telephone keeps on ringing… How would I write
this book that I intend to write?
"Well I understand that the over-authorized prosecutor Zekeriya Öz has
obtained a court decision against the not-yet-published, indeed
not-yet-completed, book of Ahmet Şık. At his request apparently the
court decided to collect the copies of Şık's incomplete and
unpublished book printed on paper and erase its copies on computers.
As we are living in a country governed by law and since there is a
court order to that end, the decision must be perfectly in conformity
with the law.
"Though I still have difficulty to understand how a yet-unpublished
book might be evidence of crime, probably there might be a legal depth
of the issue further than my scarce understanding of the law. But,
were not we told when Şık was arrested: 'They were not arrested
because of their journalistic activities. The prosecutor has evidence
regarding their non-journalism activities. That evidence is secret and
cannot be revealed to Şık or his lawyer as well. Thus, Şık was
arrested without explanation'?
"Now a battle is on in Istanbul for a book… Was the book that secret
evidence mentioned earlier? …
"Anyhow, the developments have exceeded even the limits of a comedy. I
am dealing with far more important things. I cannot spend time with
Şık's book or with the over-authorized prosecutor. … As I said now I
am working on something far more serious. I am considering writing a
book called 'Muezzin's battalion'. I had copies of Şık's 'İmamın
Ordusu' (Imam's Army) book on my computer and a backup of it on my
memory stick. I already erased the backup on the memory stick. If
police come and want to delete the copy on my computer, they are most
welcome. But, hold on, what would I do if they ask me to hand over the
'Muezzin's Battalion' book I have been considering writing? Can they
erase the inside of my brain as well?"
This is the advanced democracy of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
***************************************
HURRIYET DAILY NEWS
OPINION
CLASH OR COLD WAR? CIVILIZATION 'DRIFT' IN A CHANGING AGE
DİDEM AKAN - STEVEN BUTTERFIELD
While the United States is likely to remain a superpower for quite
some time, the time will come when it will no longer enjoy a hegemonic
position as the sole global superpower. This shift will be due not to
the "collapse" or "decline" of the United States, but to the rise in
power and influence of other nations – China, India, Brazil, a
resurgent Russia, Turkey.
As a result, alliances and diplomatic mores that have cemented
themselves over the past several decades are finding their relevancy
and capacity for adaptation increasingly questioned. In the case of
the future of the trans-Atlantic relationship and the challenges
facing future trans-Atlantic leaders, no nation presents a more
interesting case study for exploring this dilemma than Turkey.
Until a decade ago, Turkish leaders always clearly aligned their
national policies with the interests of Europe and the United States.
However, the current government of Turkey is embarking on a vigorous
new multidimensional foreign policy, courting much closer political
and economic ties with the Middle East. In the West, this has often
been interpreted as alarming – Turkey "abandoning" the West for new
horizons on their southern and eastern borders. For its part, Turkey
views these moves as a way to strengthen global relations without
limiting political or economic policy exclusively to what pleases the
West. Like many nations, Turkey is carefully testing the waters of a
new global pecking order.
In the West itself, there are growing pains. Sentiments toward
isolationism in the U.S. among voters in the November 2010 election
manifested as heated campaign rhetoric against international trade and
the perceived loss of jobs to overseas competitors, particularly in
China. A particularly ugly rise in anti-Muslim sentiment in the United
States and Europe has resulted in combative debates, ranging from the
unresolved (the Cordoba House Islamic Cultural Center proposal in New
York, attacked by critics as the so-called "Ground Zero Mosque"), to
the political (Switzerland banning the construction of minarets;
France banning the headscarf), to the stupendously ignorant and
dangerous (Pastor Terry Jones' much-hyped, though ultimately
abandoned, plans to burn the Quran). This growing unease with the rest
of the world, even allies, is not limited to the United States or even
the West: Turkish popular sentiment toward the United States and
Europe has suffered in recent years as well.
Not to be overlooked either is the bilateral relationship between the
European Union and Turkey, and the implications of that relationship
within Turkey. There is increasing pessimism about Turkey's European
future across a broad spectrum of Turkish society, and Turkey's robust
economic growth has led to a surge in Turks questioning the actual
benefit of EU membership.
Coloring in the background with these new and vexing considerations
are the familiar enemies: extremist terrorism, nuclear proliferation,
failed or failing nations, global poverty, climate change and the
state of the world economy.
These, then, are the challenges faced by current and future
trans-Atlantic leaders and the trans-Atlantic relationship itself.
What are the solutions?
Our first suggestion to overcome the emerging challenges is
strengthening second track diplomacy by invigorating and diversifying
student, academic, business, cultural, and professional exchange
programs. The value of track II programming can be enhanced by a
robust focus on continuing collaboration between participants. In the
1960s, the Peace Corps made enormous strides in introducing the United
States to the world, and the world to the United States. We must
encourage a renewed focus on citizen diplomacy – for surely in an age
of global citizenship, nothing is to be feared from knowing your
fellow citizens. Nations whose people know each other the best are
likely to engage with each other the most and fear each other the
least.
On the security front, trans-Atlantic actors have accepted as
consensus that the twin threats of radical Islamic terrorism and
nuclear proliferation represent the greatest existential threats. That
focus should not and must not waver. Regardless of isolationist
differences on certain clashing interests, the current and next
generation leaders of the trans-Atlantic community must focus on
identifying and executing shared goals against these common threats.
The coming decades will be an era during which ideals such as human
rights, economic interdependency and soft power must be jointly
conceptualized by both existing and emerging powers. Growing powers
such as Turkey, Brazil, India and China are inclined to view
"high-handed" acts from the West as threats to both their national
sovereignty and the on-going construction of their national and
socioeconomic identities and interests. Current dominant actors must
therefore remain focused on emphasizing commonalities of interest
between rising and existing powers, rather than on amplifying
differences.
The relationship between the U.S. and India on nuclear issues may be a
good example to consider. The U.S. has started bringing India into a
global fold with significant cooperative agreements in the area of
civil nuclear energy. In exchange, India offered measures to assure
America's security concerns regarding South Asian nuclear issues. The
New START Treaty between the United States and Russia has also shown
that diplomacy and a frank discussion about shared threats can
overcome even the most sensitive relationships. These are models for
the rest of the world to learn from and follow. Surely there are
lessons here for all countries that constructive engagement is
dramatically preferable to entrenched opposition.
Nobody can say with 100 percent certainty what the world will look
like in five years, let alone 10 or 20. The impact of new media
outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, and WikiLeaks on domestic and
foreign policy, for instance, is yet to be fully understood. Yet it
seems safe to say that isolationism and fearing the world at large is
not a direction that should be encouraged, but rather openly
challenged. Surely the best paths forward for our world are not the
lonelier ones.
* Didem Akan is the author of 'Why did India not Sign the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty?' Steven Butterfield is a former state
legislator in the U.S. state of Maine. Both were participants in a
2010 exchange of young Turkish and American leaders initiated by the
US Department of State.
***************************************
HURRIYET DAILY NEWS
OPINION
WHY WAS MARDIN GOVERNOR RECALLED?
GİLA BENMAYOR
The "freak sculpture" incident in the Eastern Anatolian province of
Kars has recently gained a new dimension.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, calling the famous artwork of
Sculptor Mehmet Aksoy "freakish," had asked for it to be torn down.
The chief judge of the 1st Administrative Court in Erzurum, Mehmet
Haskalaycı, ruled to grant a stay of execution against demolishment.
However, Haskalaycı has been downgraded by the Supreme Board of Judges
and Prosecutors, or HSYK, and assigned to the Administrative Court in
the Central Anatolian province of Kayseri.
One of the members of the 1st Administrative Court in Erzurum, who
happened to have put his signature in the decision, was also sent to
the Central Anatolian province of Konya.
What will be the fate of the "freakish" sculpture following these
changes of positions that have led to question marks?
There were some people linking the "freakish sculpture" incident in
Kars with Erdoğan's election plans.
It's not a secret that the Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, in Kars
opposed Aksoy's "Humanitarian Monument," symbolizing peace between
Turkish and Armenian peoples.
So, Erdoğan's "freakish sculpture" move makes one think that it was
aimed against the MHP votes in Kars.
Another reassignment not covered much in the press is Mardin Governor
Hasan Duruer.
It was brought to my attention through an e-mail by Ebru Baybara
Demir, a businesswoman from the southeastern province of Mardin.
Duruer was recalled to the capital.
The governor caressing stones
I met Demir in Mardin about a decade ago. She was setting up her
business then. Today, Demir is the owner of the famous Cercis Murat
Konağı restaurant in Istanbul and Mardin.
Demir in her e-mail describes Duruer as the "legendary governor who
became the first person to demolish the concrete jungles that were
given licenses by municipalities in exchange for votes."
I met and admired Duruer during the first ever "Mardin Biennial" in
June of 2010.
During the biennial, he had given a group of artists and journalists a
late-night city tour on foot and showed all stone structures which he
personally was involved in the restoration phases of.
Bringing ancient buildings in Mardin back to life was such an
excitement for Governor Duruer that he was stopping in front of each
structure and caressing the stones.
The governor had big dreams for Mardin.
He said Mardin could only be compared with Florence, Toledo and Cordoba.
A $1.5 billion investment
According to the governor, Mardin would be the next European Capital
of Culture following Istanbul.
The city would be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
It would attract 5 million tourists in 2023.
Things that I didn't know but he did for Mardin were summarized in
Demir's e-mail.
Writing on behalf of the "Mardin Development Platform," Demir tells in
her e-mail that Duruer provided opportunities to investors and made
Mardin an attractive tourist spot.
"The governor had announced a $1.5 billion investment in Mardin within
two years. He had given a brand-new face to the city through
restorations and by wiring electric cables underground. He had three
museum projects in mind and also undertook the culture and art
education of about 500 students," she writes.
"Hasan Duruer had believed that some things could be changed in Mardin
and he spread this belief around," adds Demir.
Now, why was such a visionary governor recalled to the capital?
While there are a lot to do in this city, being pointed out as the
rising star of tourism, why is he recalled unexpectedly?
According to claims in Mardin, Governor Duruer put the cat among the
pigeons in conservative circles when he allowed a fashion show by
renowned designer Cemil İpekçi at the historic Kasımiye Madrasah last
November.
It follows that the governor has become a victim of the ruling party
for their election plans.
What a pity to sacrifice such a governor setting a goal to bring 5
million tourists into Mardin in 2023 despite the objections of the
people in the city.
***************************************
HURRIYET DAILY NEWS
OPINION
WHICH PARTY WILL WOMEN 'BURY' IN THE BALLOT BOX?
SERPİL YILMAZ
It was Fatma Ünsal Bostancı who set the fire at the ruling Justice and
Development Party, or AKP, meeting when she told Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdoğan, "You either nominate female deputy candidates who wear
a headscarf or I will become an independent candidate."
After this, it is difficult for women who wear a headscarf, either
from the AKP or other political parties, to give up on Parliament
membership.
What will happen to women who wear a headscarf if they persist in
their deputy candidacies, an issue where their stance in politics will
be tested?
Ünsal is pursuing a Ph.D degree at the Boğaziçi University Political
Science and International Affairs Department. The headscarf issue is
not in the field of rights and freedoms, where she has a different
political view from her party.
The first time I met this mother of two she was heading to Iraq as a
human shield during the U.S. occupation in Iraq. Ünsal also supported
campaigns to stop children standing trial in Courts for Serious
Crimes.
I am writing about her because I find it important that her concerns
are not just limited to the headscarf issue. I also give importance to
her liberal and egalitarian attitude, which I find distinctive.
Ups and downs of the AKP
Now let me talk about the zigzags of the AKP since Ünal's famous statement.
As a response to Ünsal's remark Prime Minister Erdoğan had given a
glimmer of hope, saying, "We might have women candidates who wear a
headscarf."
Didn't we have enough with Merve Kavakçı being expelled from
Parliament 12 years ago for wearing a headscarf and with the removal
of her citizenship for her being a U.S. citizen?
As we approach the June 12 elections, the issue was brought back to
the agenda during Erdoğan's trip to Lebanon.
Erdoğan invited two female columnists on his airplane for the first
time, liberal columnist Sevilay Yükselir of daily Sabah and daily
Yenişafak's Hilal Kaplan, who wears a headscarf.
Erdoğan kept the balance in subsequent trips, but has not yet given
his final word on women candidates who wear a headscarf.
The photograph on the way to Lebanon
We didn't learn what the prime minister was thinking during the
Lebanon trip, as his answer to Kaplan's question about women wearing a
headscarf in Parliament was limited to pointing to Yükselir and
saying, "You two will solve this problem."
However, State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç's
confession, "It is not time for women candidates who wear a headscarf"
was a sign that the AKP was dragging its feet to clear the way to
Parliament for women in its party grassroots.
The issue of women candidates who wear a headscarf did not just come
to the agenda due to Yükselir and Kaplan's insistence.
The issue has already been brought to the agenda by the Association
for the Support and Training of Women Candidates, or Ka-Der.
Ka-Der Chairwoman Çiğdem Aydın held the press meeting of the campaign
titled "We want 275 women deputies," together with the Hürriyet
Publishing CEO Vuslat Doğan Sabancı, author Ayşe Kulin, columnist
Nihal Bengisu Karaca and TV program hostess Ayşe Özgün.
The message given at the meeting was "Women forming half of the
population demand equal representation right in Parliament."
Bengisu Karaca became the voice of other women who cover their heads
and reminded political parties about the women's right to stands for
election.
Unsatisfied with campaigns
Sabancı, who is supporting Ka-Der's campaign, has also led the
"Righteous Women Platform" including 20 civil society organizations
representing 100,000 members. Equal representation of women in
Parliament, increasing female employment and adjusting laws
accordingly are among the demands of the platform emphasizing in
female parliamentary deputies with Turkey being ranked as the 105th
among 180 countries.
Joining the campaign Bostan let us know the slogan she would use if
she becomes an independent deputy candidate:
"All citizens of the Republic of Turkey are free and equal; there is
no need to say women who wear a headscarf are included."
I recently heard from Kaplan about a new campaign: No women candidates
with a headscarf, no vote!
This is a very serious move, it's no joke. Considering that 60 percent
of the country's 36 million women wear a headscarf, we are talking
about the power to bury any political party in sight.
Women have determined the parties' sincerity. Countries having less
than 10 percent women in parliaments are not among the most developed
economies.
The AKP's position in particular is so serious when you think out loud
saying, "Politics is not about carrying a woman who wears a headscarf
to the Presidency and then do nothing."
***************************************
HURRIYET DAILY NEWS
OPINION
WHICH PARTY WILL WOMEN 'BURY' IN THE BALLOT BOX?
SERPİL YILMAZ
It was Fatma Ünsal Bostancı who set the fire at the ruling Justice and
Development Party, or AKP, meeting when she told Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdoğan, "You either nominate female deputy candidates who wear
a headscarf or I will become an independent candidate."
After this, it is difficult for women who wear a headscarf, either
from the AKP or other political parties, to give up on Parliament
membership.
What will happen to women who wear a headscarf if they persist in
their deputy candidacies, an issue where their stance in politics will
be tested?
Ünsal is pursuing a Ph.D degree at the Boğaziçi University Political
Science and International Affairs Department. The headscarf issue is
not in the field of rights and freedoms, where she has a different
political view from her party.
The first time I met this mother of two she was heading to Iraq as a
human shield during the U.S. occupation in Iraq. Ünsal also supported
campaigns to stop children standing trial in Courts for Serious
Crimes.
I am writing about her because I find it important that her concerns
are not just limited to the headscarf issue. I also give importance to
her liberal and egalitarian attitude, which I find distinctive.
Ups and downs of the AKP
Now let me talk about the zigzags of the AKP since Ünal's famous statement.
As a response to Ünsal's remark Prime Minister Erdoğan had given a
glimmer of hope, saying, "We might have women candidates who wear a
headscarf."
Didn't we have enough with Merve Kavakçı being expelled from
Parliament 12 years ago for wearing a headscarf and with the removal
of her citizenship for her being a U.S. citizen?
As we approach the June 12 elections, the issue was brought back to
the agenda during Erdoğan's trip to Lebanon.
Erdoğan invited two female columnists on his airplane for the first
time, liberal columnist Sevilay Yükselir of daily Sabah and daily
Yenişafak's Hilal Kaplan, who wears a headscarf.
Erdoğan kept the balance in subsequent trips, but has not yet given
his final word on women candidates who wear a headscarf.
The photograph on the way to Lebanon
We didn't learn what the prime minister was thinking during the
Lebanon trip, as his answer to Kaplan's question about women wearing a
headscarf in Parliament was limited to pointing to Yükselir and
saying, "You two will solve this problem."
However, State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Bülent Arınç's
confession, "It is not time for women candidates who wear a headscarf"
was a sign that the AKP was dragging its feet to clear the way to
Parliament for women in its party grassroots.
The issue of women candidates who wear a headscarf did not just come
to the agenda due to Yükselir and Kaplan's insistence.
The issue has already been brought to the agenda by the Association
for the Support and Training of Women Candidates, or Ka-Der.
Ka-Der Chairwoman Çiğdem Aydın held the press meeting of the campaign
titled "We want 275 women deputies," together with the Hürriyet
Publishing CEO Vuslat Doğan Sabancı, author Ayşe Kulin, columnist
Nihal Bengisu Karaca and TV program hostess Ayşe Özgün.
The message given at the meeting was "Women forming half of the
population demand equal representation right in Parliament."
Bengisu Karaca became the voice of other women who cover their heads
and reminded political parties about the women's right to stands for
election.
Unsatisfied with campaigns
Sabancı, who is supporting Ka-Der's campaign, has also led the
"Righteous Women Platform" including 20 civil society organizations
representing 100,000 members. Equal representation of women in
Parliament, increasing female employment and adjusting laws
accordingly are among the demands of the platform emphasizing in
female parliamentary deputies with Turkey being ranked as the 105th
among 180 countries.
Joining the campaign Bostan let us know the slogan she would use if
she becomes an independent deputy candidate:
"All citizens of the Republic of Turkey are free and equal; there is
no need to say women who wear a headscarf are included."
I recently heard from Kaplan about a new campaign: No women candidates
with a headscarf, no vote!
This is a very serious move, it's no joke. Considering that 60 percent
of the country's 36 million women wear a headscarf, we are talking
about the power to bury any political party in sight.
Women have determined the parties' sincerity. Countries having less
than 10 percent women in parliaments are not among the most developed
economies.
The AKP's position in particular is so serious when you think out loud
saying, "Politics is not about carrying a woman who wears a headscarf
to the Presidency and then do nothing."
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I. THE NEWS
EDITORIAL
FINAL SCORE
That moment in the World Cup that everyone in the sub-continent is
waiting for is now less than a week away. Following the first two
quarter-finals, a potentially epic showdown between Pakistan and India
is now scheduled for Mohali. This is a contest no one will want to
miss. There are bound to be frenzy, passion and perhaps some
fireworks. But we must pray that these remain restricted to the field
and do not take the form of some terrible terrorist attack on the
Pakistan team or anyone else. The sense of this happening has grown
after an Interpol statement that a terrorist attack on the World Cup
was foiled with the help of Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
India had previously warned of an attack in Bangladesh.
But is the danger over? The Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik
has warned that a plot is possibly being hatched to target the
Pakistanis in India. No names have been given, but the suspicion seems
to be that terrorists may have begun activities in India in
preparation for just such a strike. A bombing or other similar event
during a high-profile cricket match, which will inevitably be played
out before a packed stadium with millions more watching on TV, would
give militant outfits just the kind of publicity they yearn for. It is
important that India, Pakistan and other countries engaged in hosting
the World Cup ensure this does not happen. The indications that
information about the plot may have come from Sri Lanka suggest the
militants have reached out to many places. If, indeed, a plan has been
hatched to attack the Pakistani cricketers it must be thwarted before
it is too late. We want to see runs being scored, not scenes of panic.
Pakistani cricket has suffered greatly due to militancy and the
actions of those who seek to damage the image of the country and its
government. The 2009 attack on the visiting Sri Lankan team is just
one example. This act has, for the past two years, deprived Pakistanis
of matches played on home soil. The idea of still further destruction
is terrifying. In addition to any militants with links in Pakistan,
there's also been some talk in India of action by right-wing groups,
who may seek to extract some kind of revenge for all that happened in
Mumbai in 2008.
We must keep our fingers – and our toes – crossed and hope this does
not happen. The World Cup so far has seen plenty of outstanding
action. Pakistan's striking display against the West Indies was one
example. India's outstanding destruction of three times world
champions Australia was another. The last thing we need is action
other than sport. The additional security that will now be put in
place will handicap supporters who throng to the ground. They too will
hope that they can watch a match untarnished by any event that does
not involve a wooden bat or the leather ball wielded by the men who
play for their country and its honour before the watching eyes of the
world.
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I. THE NEWS
EDITORIAL
NEW FRIENDS
The talks between Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and his counterpart
in Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, during a visit to Tashkent by a
Pakistani delegation, offers encouragement in several areas. Mr Gilani
has offered to buy surplus power from Uzbekistan and the other Central
Asian Republics. Should such a deal come about nothing would be more
welcome to the people of Pakistan who grow more desperate each year to
escape the miseries of loadshedding and the havoc it causes in both
commercial and domestic life. The two leaders also agreed there was
plenty of space for cooperation in other areas. Pakistan suggested the
use of its sports and other facilities while Uzbekistan proposed a
rail link being taken to Mazar-e-Sharif in Afghanistan could be
extended to Pakistan. Such moves would obviously help trade and
facilitate cooperation in other areas. The possibility of a closer
relationship with the CARs has been discussed for a number of years
now. Sadly, little has come of this in concrete terms, even though
Pakistan badly needs friends in the region and an end to the growing
isolation it has been facing. It is time to turn things around and
forge new friendships. There certainly is much to be gained by
building trade and working more closely together in all areas.
There is, however, one issue that needs to be taken up urgently. Uzbek
fighters have been involved in the ongoing militant insurgency in
Pakistan. Their numbers are unknown. So is the matter of how they
entered Pakistan and how long they have been based here. The presence
of these men indicates that terrorism today is a problem that involves
many countries and groups. Islamabad also needs to convince Tashkent
to work with it on this problem and ensure that the process of
training militants in that country comes to an end sooner rather than
later. The chain of militancy runs through many nations in the region.
When one segment is cut off, the loose ends simply work to move closer
together again. It is therefore essential to tackle the problem
together, to identify where Uzbek militants may be based, uncover the
recruitment process, and therefore, cut off the channels that feed the
war in Pakistan. We hope this matter too was taken up during Mr
Gilani's visit given its significance for the entire region and its
people.
***************************************
I,THE NEWS
OPINION
WHY NAYYAR NEED NOT WORRY
ZAFAR HILALY
Kuldip Nayyar, the eminent Indian journalist and tireless protagonist
for better India-Pakistan relations, told an audience in Islamabad the
other day that peace between the two countries was vital. Otherwise,
he added, "I feel Pakistan will move towards Arabs in the absence of
an opening with India." Mr Nayyar need not worry. Pakistan has been
trying to befriend Arabs (mostly the Gulf Arabs), but in spite of our
best efforts the vast differences in our mental equipment and outlook
has ensured we remain apart, and this is not about to change.
There is very little that Pakistan has not done to earn Arab favour.
We have gone so far as to place Pakistan at their disposal; we have
offered our land to feed them; our army to defend them; our labour to
build their infrastructure, at trifling salaries and in living
conditions which a conscientious slave trader would have difficulty in
accepting; we have offered our wildlife and fauna as a free range for
their falcons; and God knows much else, some of which can never be
mentioned.
If that were not enough, we named Faisalabad, Faisal Mosque, Faisal
Avenue, Sharah-e-Faisal, Shah Faisal Colony, Faisal this and Faisal
that, as further signs of our regard for them, and especially the
richest of them, the Saudis. But so unrequited has been our love in
this respect that not a single street or highway, to say nothing of a
city, was named after the Quaid in any of these Western petrol
stations of the Gulf.
Z A Bhutto blazed the trail by offering up "the army of Pakistan as
the army of Islam, in 1974 at the Lahore Islamic Summit; although
Bhutto was being Bhutto, mostly promising what he could never deliver.
In September 1970, the man who was to be his nemesis, Ziaul Haq, had
already led a Jordanian army division in a war, not against infidels
who coveted Arab land, mind you, but against fellow Muslims – the
hapless Palestinians. He did such a good job in routing them that he
received Jordanian accolades and a bauble from King Hussein. And, of
course, he earned Pakistan the enmity of the Palestinian leadership.
In return for their cringing, our leaders also obtained from the Gulf
Arab ruling families a safe haven, money and land for themselves and
their relatives to enable them to start businesses and homes, whether
or not they were in exile, so that they can live and spend their
ill-gotten gains in comfort. In return, the Arabs claimed and obtained
for themselves the right to be not merely an observer but a
participant on the Pakistani political scene (Wikileaks).
Needless to say, they used this valuable entree for their own benefit.
They funded religious political parties by buying up all the
literature these organisations published and which no one else would
bother to read; and when that ran out, they simply handed out sackfuls
of rupees. They financed the publication of religious textbooks for
schools which insinuated their own take on Islam to the exclusion of
others' and funded madaressahs that spewed sectarian venom.
Gulf Arab leaders are in the habit of summoning our rulers and heads
of our lay political parties to their palaces and desert hunting
grounds to impart instructions. And, just so they are listened to
attentively and obeyed, give a mite or so of their astronomical
earnings every now and then to earn our gratitude and help the army
purchase upmarket American weaponry. As for the Pakistani awam, they
prefer to keep them at arm's length.
In an earlier article I had described the incarceration and expulsion
of a Pakistani worker in the UAE merely for making a rude finger
gesture to a local who had insulted him, which, at most, should have
drawn an admonition. I had further recounted how I had personally
witnessed a bewildered Pakistani labourer on arrival at Jeddah airport
having the "taweez" worn on his arm prised off by an iron comb and
thrown to the ground and stamped on by a furious Saudi security
official. In Pakistan such an act would have had hordes of baying
fundos demanding his head.
Regrettably, this trend of hostility against Pakistani people, which
is so pervasive in the Gulf states, continues unabated. The latest
example is the harrowing accounts on the internet of the treatment
meted out to Pakistanis by their Arab "brothers" in Bahrain during the
ongoing civil unrest there. According to an eyewitness in Manama, "the
medical staff of a hospital, including doctors, took out bleeding
Pakistanis from the ambulance as though animals, with hands tied
behind their backs, and kicked and beat them," only because they were
Pakistanis. This was preceded by the killing of four Pakistani-origin
members of the Bahraini police, while their Bahraini officers were
left unmolested.
Sadly, these incidents received scant attention in our press, whereas
intrusive questioning or a body search by a Western official of some
Pakistani official at, say, Paris or Washington airports, raises a
howl of protest. It may be part of human nature to hate the man you
have hurt, but to hate a man before you hurt him, purely because he is
a Pakistani, amounts to xenophobia and racism.
Some will say such atrocities these days are the exception, and not
the rule, in the Gulf, and explain it away by putting it down to the
exceptional times and the historical changes that the Arab world is
witnessing. But nature, though often hidden and sometimes overcome, is
seldom extinguished. Besides, Arab history is a long and virtually
uninterrupted saga of Muslims killing Muslims on account of
differences in race, sect, creed and colour, notwithstanding the
Quran, which abhors such practices. In fact, Arabs have killed fellow
Muslims with greater glee and ferocity than the infidel. In just about
every Arab country today, not excluding Palestine, a fellow Muslim or
a foreign Muslim is the greater enemy. Whether it is the Shia-Sunni,
Arab-Persian or secular-religious divide, they are all hand-me-downs
from the early days of Islam when the Abbasids, Fatimids, Umayyads and
subsequently the Ottomans and the Arabs were busy slaughtering each
other.
In the circumstances, Mr Nayyar has no need to be concerned or in a
hurry. He should continue his work in bringing Pakistan and India
closer together. Whether or not the "opening to India" takes place, he
can rest assured that the Arabs will continue to bristle with
prejudice when it comes to dealing with the poor people of Pakistan.
The writer is a former ambassador. Email: charles123it@hotmail.com
***************************************
I. THE NEWS
OPINION
WHITE MAN'S BURDEN, AGAIN?
AMIR ZIA
The flawed and twisted concept of "white man's burden" was once used
by imperial European nations as a justification to vanquish and rule
the non-white people in the name of "progress and civilisation" in
far-flung regions. This Western-centric viewpoint, which remained in
vogue till the late 19th and early 20th centuries, justified
colonisation and exploitation of mostly self-contained societies of
Asia, Africa and North and South America. The credit of coining this
phrase goes to the colonial-era English writer and poet Rudyard
Kipling, who first used it in his poem in 1899, justifying imperialism
as a noble cause.
Take up the White Man's burden –
No tawdry rule of kings,
But toil of serf and sweeper –
The tale of common things.
The ports ye shall not enter,
The roads ye shall not tread,
Go mark them with your living,
And mark them with your dead.
Kipling advocated "savage wars of peace," articulating the
self-conceited gloss of morality given by European powers to their
military campaigns. The colonial era is no more, but the false moral
justifications to launch new wars have not changed in this age of
neo-colonialism. The white man's burden of yesteryears of carrying the
cross in the name of progress and civilisation has now been replaced
by the mantra of teaching virtues of democracy, freedom and human
rights to the peoples of Africa, Asia and Latin America – through
direct or indirect cold-blooded military interventions.
The latest victim is the North African nation of Libya, facing the
combined might of France, Britain and the United States. The Western
powers eye a regime change under the pretext of protecting civilian
lives – read armed Libyan insurgents, who were at the verge of defeat.
Through their aerial blitz, involving hundreds of aircraft and cruise
missile attacks, the Western powers want to bestow upon the people of
Libya the gift of democracy, soaked in the blood of their soldiers and
civilians.
The United Nations Security Council resolution 1973, which called for
a no fly-zone over Libya and "all necessary measures to protect
civilians," provided these Western nations a so-called justification
to act as world goons and meddle in the affairs of a sovereign state,
which should have been left on its own to decide its future. But the
massive oil stakes in Libya motivated the Western nations to prop up
armed rebels and get directly involved in the conflict, making it
bloodier and messier.
The swift manner in which Security Council went into action on Libya
stands in contrast to many other bigger conflicts on which the world
body has been dragging its feet decade after decade. Israeli
atrocities on Palestinians, especially in Gaza, in recent years, the
continued Indian subjugation and repression of the people of Kashmir
are two of the protracted conflicts on which the Security Council
chose to play a limited role, despite all the killings and human
rights abuses. However, the swift Security Council verdict on Libya
should not come as a surprise. The US-led Western nations have a
record of using the United Nations to advance their vested interests.
The West-sponsored-armed revolt, which is more tribal in nature rather
than a democratic or ideological movement, has provided Washington and
its allies a chance to get rid of Libyan strongman Muammar Qaddafi –
who has been defying the West for a long time. The plan is now to
install a subservient government in the name of protecting civilian
lives – even though the same argument can be made about intervening in
Bahrain or Yemen. The real goal, however, remains exploiting Libya's
vast oil wealth.
The Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) have
lived up to their reputation of being spineless blocs by blindly
endorsing the Security Council resolution, which paved the way for the
third Western military intervention in a Muslim country within a
decade. The buzz of protest coming from them against aerial bombing is
just eyewash. This third war on a Muslim country remains more blatant
as it came without any provocation of the Sept 11-like terror strikes
on the United States or fabricated charges of weapons of mass
destruction as in the case of Iraq.
The Western media, particularly the electronic media, is playing like
an orchestra by resorting to one-sided reporting and propaganda
against Libya to justify the military intervention. CNN, Fox, and the
BBC, all are following the script in totality. Programmes presented by
the smiling anchors with their excited voices giving details of the
"humanitarian" blitz on Libya are appalling to watch. One of the
analysts was seen predicting Qaddafi's assassination by someone from
his close circle. Was it a prediction or instigation remains a
question.
The Libyan conflict may not drag for long, given the small size of the
population and the isolation of the Qaddafi regime, but this third
Nato front against a Muslim country will have far-reaching
consequences.
It will fuel Muslims' anger against what they perceive as "arrogant"
Western nations and further radicalise their societies and strengthens
those forces, which get energy and life out of such conflicts. The
narrative and the world view of "us versus them" propagated not just
by puritan legal Islamic groups, but also by extremists, militant and
terrorist organisations will gain more acceptance and fan anti-US and
anti-West sentiment. It will provide radical group with new willing
recruits, who see violence and terrorism as the only means to avenge
what they perceive western injustices and atrocities.
The Libyan conflict also remains a bad news for moderate and
pro-democracy forces, which are fighting against the tide of extremism
and militancy in countries such as Pakistan. They stand weakened as
the west continues to interfere and interrupt in the natural evolution
of Muslim societies – most of which remain unprepared for the
Western-style democracy because of their particular social, economic,
political and religious background.
It is high time for the Western nations to come out of their mindset
of "white man's burden," which can only intensify conflicts in this
day and age of powerful individuals, who have the ability and capacity
to take on the world powers and keep the pot on the boil. The rulers
and the elite of majority of the Muslim countries may be in the pocket
of the Western powers, but not the Muslim street. It will react and
strike back.
The writer is business editor, The News. Email: amir.zia@gmail.com
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I. THE NEWS
OPINION
FAULT LINES
RAOOF HASAN
Dedicated to this day and its pain
That makes us turn away from the garden of life
The wilderness of yellow leaves that is my land
A heap of gathered anguish that is my land
– Faiz Ahmad Faiz (Translation: Khalid Hasan)
Pakistan has been lacerating with gaping fault lines ever since its
inception. These scars, over time, have become deep wounds because of
two factors. First, their continuation served the interests of the
traditional ruling elite who did not (and do not) favour any
fundamental change. Second, if ever there was a remedy prescribed, it
was never administered because of pre-emptive derailment. Today,
Pakistan is like a patient gasping for breath and in urgent need of
multiple surgeries, but there is no physician available who appears
capable and willing to initiate the needful procedures.
For a state to be at peace with itself, it is imperative that its
principal pillars – the legislature, the executive and the judiciary –
are functioning efficiently, effectively and transparently. It is also
important that they are coordinating and cooperating with one another,
thus contributing to their respective empowerment and stature. It is
also important that the government and all the state institutions
command legitimacy that is beyond a shadow of impairment.
The opposite is the reality in Pakistan today. We have a government
that is not only in constant denial of the grave problems that the
country confronts, it has failed to come up with any credible plan to
move away from the deepening crises. Its principal arm, the
legislature, has literally abdicated its responsibility to take
cognisance of the situation. While its crowning glory, the 18th
amendment, stands out by virtue of further strengthening the hands of
the party leaders in preference to promoting a democratic culture,
there has been no earnest effort to formulate a path to rid the
country of the aggravating energy crisis, a depleting economy,
unmanageable inflationary trends, wide-spread corruption, destruction
of the state institutions, absence of a self-sustaining mechanism for
inducting and promoting transparency and respect for the rule of law,
lack of empowerment of state institutions through appointment of
honest and efficient managers and an inordinate unwillingness to
cleanse the national body politic of the corrupt. The legislature is
overflowing with a large coterie of fake degree holders against whom
there is not even a hint of action in spite of specific SC directives.
Instead, work of organisations entrusted with tackling the fake-degree
mafia is being systematically impeded.
The government survives in perpetual defiance of another principal
organ of the state, the judiciary, whose injunctions it has repeatedly
rubbished, and whom it has tried to control by amending the
constitution with regard to the appointment of judges through a
parliamentary commission. Be it the apex court's decision regarding
the immoral and (now) illegal NRO, its numerous judgements on the need
to eliminate corruption from the state institutions, its reminders
about the urgency for inducting a credible mechanism of transparency,
its unearthing of countless financial scams involving billions of
rupees, its pleas for appointment of honest functionaries at key
positions for improving efficiency and output, its reminders for
granting genuine independence to organisations like ECP and NAB – they
have all been consigned to the bin. Each day adds further to the gulf
that exists between the intransigent approach of the government and
the directives of the apex court, thus further perpetuating a grave
crisis of governance.
The spectre of corruption is all-pervasive. The allegations, even
embarrassing findings by the judiciary, have been handled with
arrogance and impunity. No genuine remedial steps have been undertaken
to contain the damage. Instead, the propensity to show defiance in
preference to compliance has been crudely on display. This has
contributed to further strengthening the criminal mafias, patronised
by key members of the ruling elite, which are holding the government
hostage to their whims, fancies and self-righteous practices.
The lack of legitimacy of the government and its principal players
continues to stymie its functioning. Because of losing the support of
its allies, the government could not pilot the NRO through the
parliament. Upon being declared void ab initio, the SC directed the
government to take immediate steps to erase its effects. The
injunction still awaits compliance. The re-modelling of the cabinet
only saw the backs of relatively clean members, while the tainted
continue to occupy positions of authority. The murder mystery of
Benazir Bhutto has deepened as the people are fed on empty slogans and
promises, creating serious misgivings and apprehensions. The
'democratic' tenure has also witnessed the brutal murders of the
governor of Punjab and the federal minister for minority affairs
Shahbaz Bhatti.
The presidency remains embroiled in controversial moves. Because of
holding the dual charge of being the head of the state and the
co-chairperson of the PPP at the same time, the office of the
president suffers from an inherent conflict of interest. There is no
congruity between the president's two positions. The general
non-compliance of the judicial injunctions is also often traced back
to the compulsions of the presidency.
The law and order situation defies description. While the entire
country has been in the grip of violence, Karachi has effectively
slipped away from the fold of law. It is now being ruled by criminal
mafias that are openly patronised by various political groups. Each
day sees the felling of scores of people. The increasingly aggravating
situation has stretched the tenuous alliance in Sindh to the brink of
rupture, but has been repeatedly retrieved through the direct
interventions of the presidency.
Of late, a new dimension has been added to this woeful picture.
Political leaderships, hailing from a broad spectrum of backgrounds,
have come up with divergent recipes for combating the country's ills.
There are some who have promoted the concept of inducting the army and
the judiciary in a three-way dialogue to evolve a solution for the
national problems while there are others who have called upon the
'patriotic generals' to intervene and rid the country of the 'corrupt
politicians'. At the other extreme, there has been a spate of
accusations holding the army and the security agencies responsible for
governmental failures. Various leaders have come forth, openly
criticising the 'agencies' interference' as the principal cause of the
deteriorating conditions. There are various conspiracy theories doing
the rounds regarding the 'undemocratic designs' of these quarters.
Whether it springs from a genuine reason, or it is merely a question
of finding a scapegoat for the government's multiple failures, an
unnecessary conflict zone has been added that would further damage the
operative state apparatus.
In short, the moral, legal and constitutional edifice of the state has
suffered a total collapse. The legislature has defected. The toothless
government survives in defiance of the judiciary. Law and order has
touched an all-time low. Political leaderships are clueless as to the
problems of the country and are proposing a divergent mix of remedies,
mostly at odds with each other. There is an abdominal absence of the
requisite democratic culture. With energies consumed, spirit
exhausted, frustrations mounting and time fast running out, is there
still a way out?
(To be continued)
The writer is a political analyst.
Email: raoofhasan@hotmail.com
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I. THE NEWS
OPINION
LAHORE WEARS A NEW LOOK
IFTEKHAR A KHAN
It's after a long time that Lahore, the city of gardens, has regained
some semblance of its lost sanity because of the ongoing
anti-encroachment drive by the Punjab government. The drive begun at
Lahore needs to be stretched to surrounding areas and finally to the
whole province. Let Punjab be the role model for other provinces. In
better environs when people meet, they talk of sunshine, clouds and
rain, but at home, they grumble about encroachments, traffic bedlam on
the roads, and government apathy towards them.
Various markets in the city have begun to look much wider, cleaner,
and easily passable. Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif deserves kudos for
it. But it's still premature for him to be complacent about the
situation, for he has another huge undertaking at hand – streamlining
the most chaotic and wayward traffic. Presently, the traffic is akin
to a circus where one is bombarded from all directions and one has to
be a stunt driver to come out unscathed.
Although removal of encroachments, including some multi-storey
buildings raised on encroached road space that have been pulled down,
is underway, and has eased the traffic flow, yet a lot more needs to
be done. For starters, a campaign through TV and print media to
educate the public could go on for some weeks to emphasise the need to
obey traffic rules, and to remind the people that violators would be
heavily fined.
Television could play an effective role in informing drivers how to
share the road with other drivers, how to be courteous on the road,
and who has the right of way on road intersections. Both educated and
semi-literate drivers must learn to indicate generously when taking
turns. The road crossings, speckled with broken pieces of windshields,
prove that the drivers involved either didn't indicate, didn't know
their right of way or had jumped traffic lights, hence the crash.
And what would truly compel the people to obey rules is the imposition
of fines – Rs500 for motorcyclists and Rs1000 for motorists to begin
with. People learn when it pinches their pockets. On the rear
registration plate of the car, I have had the following words
inscribed: 'Be a good citizen, drive carefully'. Waved down once for
speeding on the motorway, when I tried to argue my way out of trouble,
the patrolling officer like all good Pakistanis do, politely but
firmly said: "Sir, I like the comment on your car's number plate but
here's the ticket for violating it. Thank you." That was the last time
I was fined. Lesson: stringent fines.
Reportedly, such dutiful patrolling officers are distressed over
unfair promotions of inductees from regular police force. Those who
joined the department fresh have been ignored and outsiders promoted.
A few rotten fish spoil the whole pond. Motorway Police have done
their duty conscientiously – for the most part. They didn't even spare
the VIPs for violating traffic rules. It's sad that because of
cronyism many deserving patrolling officers have said goodbye to the
department.
Now an overhead bridge is coming up on the Kalma Chowk (Ferozepur
Road), on one corner of which is a horseshoe shaped unfinished plaza
without any parking space. The overhead bridge will definitely ease
the traffic flow and save motorists and commuters some time. It is
also important to add a lane on both sides of the canal roads passing
through the city. The suggestion might not appeal to the sensibilities
of environmentalists because a number of trees will have to be chopped
off in the process. But if the lanes are not added, the effort put in
and expense incurred to construct underpasses on both sides of the
canal and construction of a huge overhead bridge at Niazbeg Thokar
will be of little help in facilitating traffic flow.
For now, the traffic on three wide roads suddenly adjusts to two
lanes, causing congestion and chaos. Vehicles snarl up when adjusting
to two lanes by nudging into one another. As for the trees, only one
row on each side of the canal will have to be removed, which could be
replanted along the new lanes added on both sides of the canal.
The writer is a freelance contributor based in Lahore. Email: pinecity@gmail.com
***************************************
I. THE NEWS
OPINION
JUDGES AS LEGISLATORS
BABAR SATTAR
The writer is a lawyer based in Islamabad.
In 'Blink' Malcom Gladwell suggests that human beings generally reach
decisions intuitively and instantly upon being confronted with the
need to reach them and then come up with explanations rationalising
their choices. He calls it the "storytelling problem" where we later
create stories to explain the decisions we make or actions we take.
Reading the recent rulings of the Supreme Court one gets the sinking
feeling that Gladwell might be right.
The jurisprudential debate over what judges ought to do in courts has
largely subsided across the world. It is now agreed that judges do not
declare what the law should be, but only what it is. In other words,
judges are not legislators or lawmakers, but adjudicators interpreting
the text of the law laid out by legislators and stating what the text
means.
When Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr of the US Supreme Court
revealed that, "this is a court of law, young man, not a court of
justice," he wasn't being facetious. He was reiterating the limited
scope of authority that a judge wields in a country that incorporates
separation of powers through a written constitution.
But if the rulings of our Supreme Court in Sindh High Court Bar
Association vs Federation of Pakistan (challenging the Parliamentary
Committee's disagreement with recommendations of the Judicial
Commission regarding appointment of judges) and Shahid Orakzai vs
Federation of Pakistan (questioning the legality of Justice Deedar
Shah's appointment as Chairman NAB) are samples to go by, our apex
court judges don't seem to abide by the doctrine of limited judicial
authority.
Zardari-led PPP's disregard for the mandatory consultation process in
appointing the NAB Chairman is unjustifiable. And its contempt for the
law and court rulings apparent in the re-nomination of Justice Deedar
Shah for the same position after the apex court declared his
appointment illegal even more abhorrent.
But this is not a conversation about who is better: the Supreme Court
or the Zardari-led federal government. It is also not about the
applicability of outcomes reached by the Supreme Court. The Supreme
Court determines what the law is. In the above cases it has spoken its
mind. And until it overrules itself, its words are final and binding.
But when it comes to court rulings, what matters more than the instant
outcome is judicial reasoning. For such reasoning becomes a precedent,
binds subordinate courts and shapes the country's jurisprudence.
The Supreme Court being "infallible because it is final" has no room
to make mistakes. And yet the legal reasoning in these cases is
seriously wanting. It is probably unfair to lump Shahid Orakzai (the
Chairman NAB case) with Sindh High Court Bar Association (the judicial
appointments' case). The reasoning and outcome of the latter could
deform our doctrines of democracy, separation of powers and limited
institutional authority (all still in a state of infancy) and is
therefore more troublesome.
The main reason leading to the outcome of the Chairman NAB appointment
case is largely straightforward and logical, and the consequence of
its ruling, fairly limited. But the reasoning in both cases provides a
peek into the court's perception of its seemingly unlimited powers and
the 'do-good' approach in exercising such powers without restraint.
Let's get the Chairman NAB case out of the way first. Deedar Shah's
appointment has been declared ultra vires because law required the
president to consult with the leader of the opposition before
appointing a candidate to the office of Chairman NAB and this
mandatory requirement was not meaningfully discharged. This is why
Justice Shah's appointment was illegal. But the court went on to
produce other outcomes backed by unconvincing reasons.
The first is the uncharitable manner in which the possibility of
Justice Shah's reappointment has been eliminated. Subtler, but more
dangerous, is the insistence of the court that an administrative role
for the chief justice in the process of appointing Chairman NAB must
be carved out even though there is no statutory or textual basis for
the same.
The ruling points out that NAB law allows a chairman to serve only one
term and prohibits grant of any extension. It then states that as
Deedar Shah has already served as Chairman NAB since November 2010, he
is now barred from being reappointed. This is circular reasoning at
best. Justice Shah has not been removed for misconduct through use of
the legal mechanism provided for ouster of Chairman NAB. (Chairman NAB
can only be removed from office through the procedure that applies to
a judge of the Supreme Court.) He has actually not been removed at
all. The court found that Justice Shah was not a legitimate chairman
because he was never appointed legally.
In such case, while holding that Justice Shah's appointment was ultra
vires of the law and invalid, the court should have clarified that his
appointment was void ab initio (void right from the start, just the
way appointments of PCO judges were held as such).
Now if Justice Shah was never legally appointed as Chairman NAB, how
can his work at NAB for a few months under a mistake of fact (that he
was a legitimate chairman) be counted as a term in office disabling
him from ever being appointed as Chairman NAB? The ruling acknowledges
that Justice Shah is without fault (and sympathises with him). So how
can he be condemned as ineligible for a position he might legally
qualify for when he has done no wrong?
Let us hypothetically assume that the leader of the opposition is
meaningfully consulted and agrees to support Justice Shah's
appointment as Chairman NAB. According to the court, he can still not
be appointed as such and must personally pay for the mistake of the
law ministry that processed his invalid appointment in the first
place.
If Justice Shah has a right to be appointed Chairman NAB upon
satisfaction of all other legal requirements, how can such right be
taken away due to someone else's fault? Has the Supreme Court just
undone ubi jus ibi remedium ('where there is a right there is a
remedy')? Would the court even have expounded on the legality of
Justice Shah's reappointment had he not been re-nominated before the
announcement of the detailed judgment?
The Zardari-PPP decision to reappoint Justice Shah as Chairman NAB was
ridiculous. Thus, as a practical matter the court stretching the law
to lay this controversy to rest is quite welcome. But principled
determination of legal controversies has no room for expediency. We
might be sick of the trickery employed by the Zardari regime to run
this country down. But does that allow constitutional courts to
replace principled reasoning as a basis of the rulings with crafty
strategies to pay a devious regime back in the same coin?
And then this business of the chief justice being 'pater familias' and
the lord and saviour of the pitiful multitudes simply refuses to go
away, despite much talk about the need for building institutions. The
suggestion incorporated in the NRO case and the Harris Steel case has
been repeated in the Chairman NAB appointment case: the chief justice
should also be consulted before appointing an individual as Chairman
NAB.
Now NAB is an executive agency under the prime minister's control. Its
statute provides that its chairman is to be appointed after
consultation between the prime minister and the leader of the
opposition; meaning, with bipartisan support. There is absolutely no
statutory basis for the chief justice to get involved with the
process. And yet our apex court demands such a role. Whence do our
judges derive this authority to say what the law ought to be?
(To be concluded)
Email: sattar@post.harvard.edu
***************************************
I. THE NEWS
OPINION
KILLING CIVILIANS
PATRICK KENNELLY
Afghans expect Americans to see the terrorism they bring to this poor
country in the name of fighting terrorism. In Kabul, on the same day
that Der Spiegel released photos documenting American soldiers posing
with the bodies of civilians they murdered, the Transitional Justice
Coordinating Group (TJCG, the umbrella organisation for NGOs in
Afghanistan that are pursuing transitional justice), gathered Afghan,
Australian, American, and German peacemakers to discuss methods to
bring peace and security to Afghanistan. The photos present the grim
reality that this conflict is characterised by killing civilians and
generalised violence.
In 2001, the American led ISAF (International Security Assistance
Force), a coalition of the richest nations in the world, began
military operations in Afghanistan in response to the 9/11 killing of
civilians in New York and Washington. The purpose of the operations
was to fight terrorism and seek reprisal for the Taliban's harbouring
of Al Qaeda. The operation has turned into a near decade-long war on
one of the poorest nations in the world.
After nearly 10 years of war Afghanistan is mired in terror,
brutality, and a security situation that is worsening. Among Afghans
there is growing consensus that the ISAF is pursuing military
measures, such as the formation and arming of independent local
militias under the banner of the "Afghan Local Police" against the
wishes of President Karzai and the Afghan people. This undermines the
prospects of peace in the future and further endangers ordinary
people. However, it is the killing of civilians by American military
personnel and mercenaries that most enflames the conflict and expands
the rift between ISAF and the Afghan people.
Most westerners are familiar with the thousands of American civilians
killed 9/11, some people know about the atrocities committed by the
armed opposition groups in Afghanistan, and even fewer people are
familiar with the stories of Afghan civilians killed by ISAF forces.
Some of the recent civilian killings by ISAF, primarily composed of
American forces include: two children in Kunar province on March 14,
nine children collecting firewood in Kunar province on March 1, five
civilians including two children who were searching for food in Kapisa
province on February 24; 22 women, 26 boys, and three old men in a
raid on insurgents in Kunar province on February 17; two civilians
killed and one injured while travelling in a van in Helmand province
on February 3.
As the fallout from the Der Spiegel photos continues to be felt around
the world, ISAF and the other belligerents who have publicly stated
their objective is to prevent terrorism need to recognise that the
killing of civilians whether by Taliban, mercenaries, militias,
insurgents, or by soldiers of a nation, is terrorism.
The writer is the associate director of the Marquette University
Centre for Peacemaking and is participating in the peacemaking efforts
organised by the Afghan Youth Peace Volunteers and Voices for Creative
Nonviolence. Email: kennellyp @gmail.com
***************************************
******************************************************************************************
PAKISTAN OBSERVER
EDITORIAL
FLY IN FEAR WITH TIPSY PILOTS
AYAZ AHMED KHAN
Since my article titled "The Men ace of Drunk Airline Pilots", my
further research reveals startling facts, which the public in South
Asia (India-Pakistan-Bangladesh) must be made aware off. Financial
Express from Mumbai reported on March 11, 2011 that The Directorate
General Civil Aviation of India had issued an order that, " On second
drinking violation Indian Airline pilots are to lose flying license
for good". The regulatory authority -The DGCA India had issued
advisories to all the Airlines, but habitual alcoholics refused to
comply. After "India News" front page headline, "FLY IN FEAR WITH
TIPSY PILOTS", and Indian media exploded in uproar tough action became
necessary.
Drinking by airline pilots before flights is prohibited by law. Yet
drinking by Indian airline pilots is widespread, and many pilots drink
intoxicating liquors before flights and are caught frequently. In
2009, 42 Indian Airline pilots were found drunk when reporting for
duty. Eight of them were sacked. A handout of DGCA -India stated that
21 pilots were found drunk at Delhi International Airport, eleven at
Mumbai Airport and the rest ten at other airports across India. That
addicted pilots and cabin crews are unable to desist liquor, and
pre-flight and mid-flight drinking has become a matter of grave
concern in India. Indian media and airlines have taken a serious note
of it, but disciplining the pilots is not easy .
It is frightening for the passengers to see tipsy pilots emerging from
cockpits, and indulging into brawls, some time with frightened
passengers. All the major airlines in India have out of control
pilots, who drink whisky before flying, are found drinking while
flying, and are tipsy after landing. Some Indian airline pilots argue
that they had been drinking prior to or during flying passenger jets
including Jumbo's since long, and had caused no accidents or
incidents. The argument that they are habitual and chronic drunkards,
and their on board drinking be exonerated, has been refused by all the
Indian airlines, including Air India and Indian Airlines. But because
very few pilots are punished, the drinking habits of Indian airlines
pilots persists.
Indian airline authorities caught 57 pilots over the alcohol limit in
random pre-flight checks over the past two years, but only 11 of the
pilots found to be under the influence of liquor, between January 2009
and November 2010 lost their job, the Times of India repoted on March
11, 2011. Air India and Indian Airlines top the list with 13 and 12,
who were found under the influence of liquor before take off.
Kingfisher Airline has the dubious distinction of having maximum cases
of pilots found under the influence of liquor before take off. Seven
pilots of Indigo Airlines, six of Spice Jet, and three each of
Jetlite, Jet Airways and Paramount Airways were detected "Alco
positive", during pre-flight medical examinations conducted by the
Indian Civil Aviation Department. Rising alcoholism among pilots,
especially over the limit drinking before flight, is a very serious
issue in India.
Airline authorities in India brought in a rule last December grounding
first-time offenders for three months and banning repeat offenders
from flying. Efforts are being made to the change pilots behavior and
discipline them, with punishments such as dismissals, suspensions,
warning letters and a fines, but without success.
Reports of Indian passengers complaining of poorly behaved pilots are
not uncommon. Two years ago, national carrier Air India grounded two
pilots and two cabin crew after a four-way brawl in the passenger
cabin left the cockpit unmanned mid-flight. There was no one in the
cockpit while the big brawl was on between the pilots, helped by the
cabin crew and the passengers. This fracas on board the aircraft could
have led to a crash, killing hundreds of passengers. Finally the
passengers were able to calm the pilots down and persuaded them to get
back into the cockpits. An enquiry was ordered, by Air India, but
findings and action taken by the authorities was kept secret. Most
airline pilots drink moderately, being aware that their jobs would be
on line, if they are found over the alcohol limit before boarding the
aircraft. At London's Heathrow airport, security vigilance is of a
very high order. Sharp eye is kept on aircrews and passengers to
ensure that they are sober before boarding aircraft. Few years back a
tipsy PIA Captain was stopped from boarding the aircraft, when the
alcohol test revealed that he was drunk. At Heathrow Pilots and
passengers are taken into custody and disallowed from flying if found
smelling of liquor. But such tests are not enforced at Indian or
Pakistani airports.
Drunk and tipsy airline pilots are not a joke to be shrugged away with
a laugh. Airline pilots, Captains and First Officers are responsible
for the lives of hundreds of passengers and have to be highly
responsible and disciplined individuals. Unlike corporate, government
and military service, where a person has supervisors and officials who
closely monitor behavior and performance, airline Captains are on
their own, and have unprecedented freedom to do what they like.
Periodic performance checks, do not reveal alcohol addictiion,
character and behavioral deficiencies. Airline personnel, especially
the aircrew must have not only integrity, but very high self
discipline. They have to exercise abstinence in the interest of flight
safety. Air travel becomes dangerous when the aircrew are not fully
sober and physically fit.
***************************************
PAKISTAN OBSERVER
EDITORIAL
DRONES: PRESIDENT SHOULD DO MORE
IT is good of President Asif Ali Zardari to have conveyed to the
United States in categorical terms that time has come for the two
countries to take stock of the existing situation and focus on
addressing all issues which contribute towards creating
misunderstandings and mistrust between the people of the two
countries. Talking to an American delegation led by Armed Services
Committee member congressman Rob Wittman, he called for a halt of
drone attacks and transfer of drone technology to Pakistan instead to
enable the country to use them on its own.
The points that the President raised during his meeting with the US
delegation are quite pertinent and the bilateral relations between the
two countries would continue to witness deterioration until and unless
Washington takes measures to address them on the basis of universal
principle of sovereign equality. Pakistan has been extending
whole-hearted cooperation to the United States in the war against
terror even at the cost of its own national interests but despite that
the attitude of the US administration is that of bullying and
pressurizing every now and then. Drone attacks have always been
condemned in Pakistan and they are one of the major irritants in
bilateral relations but regrettably the United States is adamant to
use them and instead of respecting the popular sentiments in Pakistan
it is using drones with more frequency and severity, as we saw in the
latest attack in Datta Khel tehsil of North Waziristan Agency where a
tribal Jirga was targeted. This prompted local leadership to vow to
revenge the dastardly attack, showing gravity of the situation and its
dangerous implications for harmonious relationship. We believe that
President Asif Ali Zardari, who is Head of the State and
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, has much more responsibility
than mere raising of such issues with an American delegation. Apart
from Pakistan's own strategic importance and value, President Zardari
himself has good ears in Washington where he enjoys immense support
among the US law-makers and officials of the administration.
Therefore, we would urge them to take advantage of his goodwill in the
American capital by persuading the US administration to provide
meaningful economic assistance to Pakistan to help it overcome the
existing crisis that has been exacerbated by the war on terror and
stoppage of the drone attacks that are rightly seen as a direct
assault on sovereignty of the country. Incidentally, we also have an
ambassador in Washington who is considered to be blue-eyed boy of the
United States and he too can make a difference in this regard if he
wants to.
***************************************
PAKISTAN OBSERVER
EDITORIAL
GILANI'S ODYSSEY TO UZBEKISTAN
PRIME Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's two-day visit to Uzbekistan was
important in that it helped forge understanding between the two
countries and lay foundation for multi-dimensional cooperation to
their mutual benefit. Apart from signing of agreements and MoUs for
entering into meaningful cooperation in different sectors, during his
talks with the host leadership, the Prime Minister also expressed
Pakistan's desire to buy surplus electricity and collaboration in oil
and gas sectors.
Both President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani have had
several visits to the Central Asian Republics recently including
Tajikistan, Kyrgystan and Uzbekistan besides recent visit of the Tajik
President to Pakistan when the two sides discussed a comprehensive
framework for expansion of bilateral relations in various fields. The
planning of these visits indicates that at last Pakistan Foreign
Office has fully realized the need for promoting our ties with Central
Asian States on a fast track basis. We have been emphasizing in these
columns since long that on the basis of historical, cultural and trade
links spanning over centuries, Pakistan was best placed to forge
cooperation with CARs but regrettably no practical measures were taken
for the purpose. No doubt, substantial trade and commercial ties with
the region are dependent on restoration of peace in Afghanistan but
still sky is the limit if we have the necessary vision and commitment
to strengthen this relationship. Central Asian region is rich in
energy resources and it can help Pakistan overcome its energy crisis
but we have been sleeping over proposals for creation of energy
corridors for years. Gwadar can serve as gateway of trade for these
countries but here again in the first instance we took decades in
translating the dream of having a deep seaport there and now that we
have the port we are unable to make it operational in true sense of
the word. We welcome conclusion of agreements between Pakistan and
Uzbekistan but would point out that more important is the follow-up
without which these would become meaningless. The incumbent Uzbek
Ambassador in Islamabad is quite energetic and our Foreign Office
should fully utilize his good offices to give practical shape to the
understanding arrived at during the visit of PM Gilani to Tashkent.
***************************************
PAKISTAN OBSERVER
ARTICLE
ECHO OF OPERATION BLUE STAR IN US
THE Congress Party of India has been summoned by a US court to appear
on April 1, 2011 to respond to the charges of conspiring, aiding,
abetting and organizing large-scale anti-Sikh violence in India in
1984. The case has been filed by a human rights group, Sikhs for
Justice (SFJ) to secure justice for victims of the massacre in which
thousands of Sikhs lost their lives.
Operation Blue Star, a code name given to attack in May 1984 by Indian
Government on the holiest shrine of Sikhs – Golden Temple, was one of
the gravest violations of human rights which showed the real face of
Indian democracy. This attack proved that the value of freedom which
is held in highest esteem by every society, and even explicitly
mentioned in all constitutions, including the Indian Constitution as
freedom of religion, was not of importance in India. Apart from Golden
Temple, fifty other temples in the Punjab were also attacked by Indian
Army and sixty thousand Sikhs were jailed without any charge. Five
months later, Indira Gandhi was killed by two of her Sikh bodyguards
and in retaliation five thousand Sikhs were killed in just four days
of violence. India claims to be the champion of democracy and is
trying to portray Pakistan as state sponsor of terrorism but the fact
remains that New Delhi itself has systematically and deliberately
eliminated hundreds of thousands of Muslims, Sikhs, Dalits and
Christians during the last six decades. The sacred pond of Golden
Temple was turned red with the blood of Sikhs and 72 bullets were
sprayed into the chest of Bhindrawala, which speaks volumes about the
deep-rooted hatred of Hindus against minorities. Unfortunately, no
impartial inquiry was ever conducted into this massacre and Sikhs are
still groping in the dark to get justice. India might have crushed the
Khalistan Movement but the deep scar that it inflicted on the minds of
Sikh community would remain there and it will be held accountable one
day.
***************************************
PAKISTAN OBSERVER
ARTICLES
BANGLADESH'S INDEPENDENCE DAY
NEWS & VIEWS
MOHAMMAD JAMIL
Pakistan and Bangladesh a
re bound together by faith, common heritage and culture, and shared
values of love and passion for peace. In fact, All India Muslim League
was founded at Dhaka in 1906, which later became a driving force
behind the creation of Pakistan under the leadership of Quaid-i-Azam.
Unfortunately, Pakistan was dismembered due to international intrigue
- India being on the frontline - and also due to the flawed policies
of the government vis-à-vis formation of One-Unit, policy of parity
between East and West Pakistan and strong-centre syndrome. Such
contradictions have existed in many countries of the world, which are
resolved through dialogue, but India was instrumental in stoking the
contradictions to make them irreconcilable. Chairman Pakistan
Tehreek-i-Insaf said the other day that Pakistan government should
apologize for the atrocities committed by Pakistan military on
Bengalis. Imran Khan is our national hero and a legend. But he should
realize that Pakistan was in a state of war in 1970. Pakistan faced
rebellion and many Punjabis, Pathans, Urdu-speaking migrants from
India were also slaughtered by militants incited and backed by India.
However, we must admit for the excesses made by the politicians,
political leaders, civil and military bureaucracy from 1947 to 1970.
In other words, we as an entire nation were responsible for the raw
deal given to former East Pakistanis. First of all, Bengalis were not
given their due share in government jobs. In accordance with the
British standards, their low height, narrow shoulders and small chests
did not qualify them for their induction in the army, yet they were
recruited in Navy and Air Force. They were in majority with 53 per
cent population yet they were treated as minority. When they protested
for their rightful share, provinces of West Pakistan were joined to
form into One Unit, and formula of parity was floated. In 1970
elections, Awami League emerged as a single majority party, and Yahya
Khan had convened National Assembly at Dacca to hand over power to the
majority party. But at the last moment, he postponed the assembly
session without giving any alternate date, which created doubts in
their minds about the government's intentions of disregarding the
aspirations of the people of former East Pakistan.
However, there is realization on both sides that foreign powers also
played ignominious role in dismemberment of the motherland. People of
Pakistan and Bangladesh have now forgotten bitterness of the past and
are determined to move forward and play their role for peace and
prosperity in the region. We congratulate Bangladesh and wish it all
the very best on its independence day. After Bangladesh became an
independent country, it has excelled in human development index when
compared with India and Pakistan. Indeed, there is a lesson from the
dismemberment of Pakistan. You cannot appeal to the reason of the
people for unity and cohesion on the basis of religion or cultural
heritage. To create unity and harmony between the people of a state,
the policies must be predicated on equality and fair play; equitable
development of regions and socio-economic justice must be ensured; and
democratic rights of the people must be respected. It is encouraging
to note that institutions and political parties vying inflicted with
the strong centre syndrome and unitary form of government now stand
for devolution of authority. During the last three decades, Bangladesh
has made strides in many fields; especially its success in introducing
micro-finance (Garameen Bank of Bangladesh) to help people in starting
their own business and improving literacy rate, has established a
paradigm for other developing countries to emulate and benefit from
the success story of Bangladesh. Muslims of the undivided India
including people of East Bengal had struggled for a separate homeland
in order that they could live according to their own way of life and
without domination by the brute Hindu majority. And they were
successful in creating Pakistan - a beacon of hope for the Muslims of
the subcontinent and beyond. But on 16th December 1971, Pakistan was
dismembered through an international intrigue and pernicious designs
of India whose leadership had never accepted the partition of the
sub-continent and creation of Pakistan in 1947. India had hoped that
Bangladesh would remain grateful to India for its help in creation of
Bangladesh. But people of Bangladesh have maintained their identity as
a Muslim nation proving the claim of the then Indian prime minister
Indira Gandhi who had declared that the two-nation theory had drowned
in the Bay of Bengal. Anyhow, Bangladesh does not want to do someone
else's bidding be it India or any other country. America has been
trying to persuade Bangladesh to send combat troops to Afghanistan
arguably contrived by American and Indian intelligence agencies to
deny Pakistan any role after America and allied forces withdraw from
Afghanistan. Bangladesh leadership understood the Indo-US game plan
and made it clear that it would not send troops to Afghanistan.
"Bangladesh will not send soldiers to Afghanistan," Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina had told a meeting of ruling Awami League's advisory
council in Dhaka last year. Several foreign policy experts in
Bangladesh had also expressed reservations against sending combat
forces to Afghanistan. The then foreign secretary of Bangladesh
Faruque Chowdhury had said: "It would be contrary to Bangladesh's
foreign policy; moreover both the countries were members of the South
Asian regional grouping of SAARC and had an historic link since the
medieval age". It is a well known fact that India has thousands of its
agents and commandos in Afghanistan on the pretext of providing
security to the road-building and other projects it has undertaken in
Afghanistan. During Awami League's rule and especially Hasina Wajid at
the helm, India always took it for granted that Bangladesh would be
docile, not realizing that Bengalis have great past, and had given
tough time to the British Raj – the then super power in its own right.
After Bangladesh came into being, India had thought that Bangladeshis
would continue to live in abject poverty, and remain subservient to
India. In fact, Indian had played pivotal role in dismemberment of
Pakistan, of course by taking advantage of contradiction between
former East and West Pakistan.
Bangladesh has also dispute with India over river waters, because
India always tried to use river waters as a lever to force other
countries to acquiesce to it. The issue of border fences installed by
India has in the past been another bone of contention. Ever since, in
1987 when India decided to fence some locations along Indo-Bangladesh
international border, (at present 2,859 km have been fenced out of the
sanctioned 3,783 kms), Bangladesh has been upset.
Bangladesh always perceived it to be 'an unfair' move reflective of
not only India's lack of trust towards its neighbour but also meant
overlooking and disregarding what is largely considered as a
historical trend of free movement across the subcontinent.
Nevertheless, with the fences that were built on Indian soil with
Indian resources, there was very little Bangladesh could do to stop
the process. Bangladesh protested vociferously about these fences
naming it as defence structures, which are not permitted between the
neighbours within 150 yards from the zero line.
—The writer is Lahore-based senior journalist.
.***************************************
PAKISTAN OBSERVER
ARTICLE
AREN'T WE MISUSING ISLAM NOW?
ALI ASHRAF KHAN
The entire nation was shocked to receive the news that not only
Raymond Davis has been mysteriously released with framing a charge of
'Fasad fil Arz' but was flown out within hours of this decision. PLD
had reported a decision of Peshawer High Court in a case of 2006 in
which the court did not allow the acceptance of diyat settlement
between the parties, because it was considered to be a case of Fasad
fil Arz. In the Raymond case diyat settlement was accepted by the
court in reportedly a highly questionable manner when the family's of
the two deceased were whisked away from their residence and have not
returned ever since this settlement and not seen even by the immediate
neighbours or relatives, what kind of dispensation of justice this was
done in such a high profile case that surviving family has
disappeared. The punishment for a convict of 'Fasad fil Arz' is to
hang such a person against the lamp post publicly. Though it should
have been obvious to everybody that the Raymond-Davis adventure would
be made to end like this with the US getting its way and the
leadership of the country, including the military one, for selling
their souls and those of the nation for money and other gains, it
still came as a rude shock causing physical pain and shame to honest
citizens and friends of Pakistan. While Holy Qur'an is burnt under the
eyes of the US government and Muslims are frightened and mistreated in
USA, but our leaders were expressionless on this why? Is it not the
reason that Americans and West consider every thing a saleable
commodity in Pakistan, because Islam came handy to their rescue out of
the corner into which the Raymond Davis affair had revealed existence
of espionage network working in Pakistan by CIA contractors with
sensitive material & equipment carried in the car.
The Islamic law that was designed to avoid revenge and tribal warfare
and which is taking into account tribal values and traditions for
conflict resolution was falsely used to acquit a man who was not only
a murderer of two youngsters in broad day light in Lahore, another
young man Ebadur Rehman lost his life because of reckless driving of
another US consulate car at the same time near the scene of double
murder, which could not have fallen simply under the Qisas and diyat
law, it was a case of Fasad fil Arz, where diyat is not admissible, on
top of it he was also a foreign spy acting against the security and
interest of the Pakistani state as many evidences of his involvement
were found from his car in which he committed this heinous crime of
high treason. To remove any ambiguity I produce from Surah Al-Maidah,
verse 32&33 " If some one commits excess against the land, it is Fasad
fil Arz and punishment for those who wage war against Allah & His
Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through land is
execution, or crucifixion, or cutting off of hands and feet from
opposite sides." Raymond Devis act is therefore not covered by the
qisas and diyat regulation and everybody who wanted to know could have
known from a reference to Holy Quran.
The council of Islamic ideology, the JI and the JUI who usually think
to have a monopoly on Islam and know it all are conspicuous for their
complete silence in this crucial situation of misusing Islam. It is no
wonder that this government and the army command are compromising even
their souls but one would have hoped that not all the 'real' Muslims
are corrupt. What a tragedy when a crusade has been started against
Muslims and we the faithful Musalmans are acting otherwise and
fighting their proxy war, just because of fear against the strong arm
tactics of the super power and have totally forgotten about the wrath
of Allah falling on nations who willingly try to bring a bad name. By
doing such acts to win American favour, which falls as a dirty job
done by rulers, which is heinous crime against the state, the past
experience gives us ample proof of the fact that Americans always
ditch Muslim leaders and nations, once their purpose is fulfilled, so
with this background I have feeling that they will soon abandon these
leaders and our nation again, but let me clear that Nature will not
spare us for committing treachery against Islam and bringing bad name
to it also. The wheel of nature is grinding and after seeing recent
earthquake and tsunami in Japan, one feels that the wheel of nature
has now started grinding fast; so come to the right path and let us
ask for His mercy. If one recalls what Americans had done after Jihad
against USSR in Afghanistan was over all those people brought to fight
were left back high & dry, soon they were wondering in search of safe
heavens, where Afghan war lords had to establish their own writ in
different areas and got engaged into an in house fighting. What have
they done with Pakistan since our becoming the frontline state again
in 2001? The then US ambassador promised giving a package in return of
our opting as the ally, she started sitting in Commerce ministry for
10 days and perhaps copied all secret documents in Commerce & Economic
affairs in the hope of getting write-off of loans, double MFA Quota
for Pakistan for remaining period upto 2005, and allowing of
preferential treatment in Import tariffs in USA on Pakistani textile
exports as was given to many other countries.
An impression was given that by doing so honey & milk will start
flowing in our water channels, when our ministerial delegation arrived
in Washington, they were shown the door by saying that don't expect a
treatment like Egypt and others, as done in the Gulf War, which was
financed by our coalition partners in that war; the Afghan & Iraq war
we have to finance from American taxpayers money, so we can't give any
further relief or benefit to you in 2001. Why and who motivated us to
secretly engage ourselves to start Kargil adventure to capture
position of strategic importance, the plan was even hidden from our
political leadership when it was launched, who were already engaged in
famous bus diplomacy at that time, the later events and statements
give ample reason to believe that it was probably meant to win over
India by USA, an effort in which they had failed to win over the
hearts and minds of India since last 55 years. So by pushing Pakistan
in this mis- adventure, where Indians found themselves in helpless
condition, offer of sophisticated military cooperation was given under
which high technology was transferred to convert Indians position into
a winning one, under this arrangement few aircrafts were modified by
Americans to carry laser fire power upto a height of 16000 to 18000
feet on Kargil post, and armaments were supplied to equip their
strength, and India was placed in a winning position, this led to
India change its heart in favour of USA so a dream was fulfilled by
using the Pakistani shoulders. India was now able to recapture Kargil
position and destroy Pakistani force deployed on Kargil, so pressure
was mounted to immediately resolve this issue un conditionally, Mian
Nawaz Sharif was asked to proceed to Washington but President Clinton
told Pakistan to first agree to sign the accord of withdrawal of
troops unconditionally from Kargil. And once the message of India &
USA was understood here Prime Minister was rushed to Washington on the
request of General Musharraf without formal concurrence on diplomatic
channels, the Washington Accord was signed by Nawaz Sharif on 4th July
1999, the Independence Day of USA without Indian political or
government presence in Washington, there position had changed so much
that the agreed draft was faxed by President Clinton to wake up during
the night the then Indian Prime Minster Atal Bihari Vajpayee to give
his consent of acceptance, upon getting this the accord was inked in
Washington by Pakistani PM and President Clinton.
This was the turning point in geo-political history of sub-continent
and India was given this gift of Washington accord in a silver
platter, which our institutions of strategic research have perhaps not
evaluated realistically. India-Israeli nexus was then fully supported
by USA and this sea change has played havoc against Pakistan when
India was given a free hand in Afghanistan to settle its score against
Pakistan. The hatched Bombay attack is part and parcel of this very
drama but we are keeping our mum shut for political expediency and
personal gains and advantages, whereas Indians are working purely in
their national interest.
Now look at the series of DRONE attacks into Pakistani territory; the
very next day after Raymond Davis was gone more then fifty to sixty
civilians attending a Peace Jirga were killed in this drone attack.
***************************************
PAKISTAN OBSERVER
ARTICLE
RADICALIZATION & THE WAY OUT
YOUSUF ALAMGIRIAN
Tolerance, accommodativeness and honoring others' point of view are
the core values of a society, which is missing here. In the society,
culture of imposing ideology, thoughts, beliefs and the way these be
practiced prevail. Extremism is not a phenomenon which is linked to
physical actions but the rays it ejects in kind of intolerance,
prejudice and ethnocentrism. People who are religious or the political
are so possessive towards their school of thoughts that they don't let
any option differing to their perception to pour into their minds.
Radicalization is based on radical philosophy supporting certain
factions to be intolerant to any of the ideology or thought process
which differs with them. Pakistan is dragged into war on terrorism
which has now turned into its own war. Its masses are facing suicidal
bombings and terrorist attacks. Pakistan army had to go for operation
in Swat and alongside western borders of the country. Pakistan army
achieved success as it was has the political backing of the government
and its parliament.
Religious extremism strengthens its roots during Russian invasion in
Afghanistan. America joins hands with this part of the Muslim
countries to oust Russian forces from Afghanistan and then left these
forces being trained during the course of war in aloofness. Then it
was Pakistan alone to take care of the breed being flourished. So the
trained lot scattered all over the country to settle themselves
according to their own choice and style. Things were not controlled
and the state level as there would have been proper employment
opportunities for them to get them acquainted with the routine life.
So they joined different factions and of course the political as well.
Different frames of mind kept on nourishing under the tag of real
Islam having strong beliefs of theirs. They condemn other factions'
beliefs and the way of practising them. Obviously anti Islam elements
had to take benefits of all that. Publication and distribution of hate
literature is so common. It provokes feelings of hatred. Slaman Taseer
and Shahbaz Bhatti's assassination seems to be the result of it.
Intolerance has reached an extent that things which could be
understood with dialogue and discussion are addressed assertively.
Shahbaz Bhatti's assassination could be a resolve to divert masses
attention from Raymond Davis and to keep Pakistan under pressure as
the deceased hailed from minority. However its strong perception that
it is not the issue of killing a representative from the minority
community, but it is the matter of mindset. Yes we have to admit that
now one of the core issues which Pakistan is facing is extremism. It
is in shape of beliefs and physical both. One thing which can really
address this issue is political will which seems missing. When
bloodshed is common in the society political parties are busy in
improving its numbers by accepting the people who were graded
undesirable earlier. Moderate people are being made fodder for the
extremists. Political parties avoid playing their pivotal role just to
get political mileage. Religious factions are also not at the same
page and they are not ready to listen even that their confrontation is
leading the nation to disaster. Different religious and political
leaders keep on changing their stances according to need and
requirement basis. Masses who are hard pressed because of the
increasing inflation, un-employment, and lawlessness are seeking for a
gigantic political leadership which is not there yet. Leadership is
really important in order to eradicate menace of intolerance,
extremism. Strict prosecution is needed.
The Pakistani society has been poisoned with extremist mindset over
the years. Unless culprits are apprehended and taken to task, it can't
be established who really behind the menace is. Political parties have
always compromised the writ of the state for their vested interests.
Our policing system is trained under the requirements of the colonial
system, where police had to work in close liaison with the land lords
and elders of different areas. Now since the environment has changed,
police recruitment and its training have to be reviewed to make it
more efficient, responsible and honest. Major dilemma of our system is
that police is not trained to prosecute and our judiciary not provided
with concrete evidence, so the sentence remains unimplemented. Courts
have to release many of the culprits as no proper evidence is found to
fulfill basic requirements of court procedures.
None of the segments alone can handle the issue of extremism. For this
all political and civil society segments have to get united to reach a
conclusion. Radicalization is not an overnight production; it involves
contribution of many years on the part of society.
—The writer is Rawalpindi-based freelance columnist.
***************************************
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THE AUSTRALIYAN
EDITORIAL
IT'S THE ECONOMY IN QUEENSLAND
IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN IF CAMPBELL NEWMAN IS ABLE TO MAKE THE DIFFICULT
TRANSITION FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO STATE POLITICS.
But Brisbane's Lord Mayor is right about one point. Queensland's
bureaucracy is overblown and business is struggling because of red
tape and poor infrastructure, especially in the southeast, far from
the state's booming mining regions. Tourism and service industries are
in the doldrums in the state's two-speed economy and are under
pressure after summer's natural disasters.
Mr Newman's elevation by the Liberal National Party to alternative
premier has already had one positive effect. It has kicked off an
important economic debate in what was once Australia's boom state, but
which lost its AAA credit rating two years ago. Despite the mining
boom it has also fallen short on growth, employment, non-residential
construction and business investment. Mr Newman made a good start
yesterday in an interview with The Weekend Australian, outlining his
vision for economic change. But he must also address issues such as
state taxes and charges, especially the burden of payroll tax and how
he intends to pay for the transport and water infrastructure the state
needs.
Premier Anna Bligh faces a major challenge overseeing reconstruction,
but also needs to pay more attention to these issues. She would
restore the state's AAA credit rating much faster if she reined in the
public service, for example. But Ms Bligh has done well staring down
union and public opposition to the sale of major assets such as
Queensland Rail's coal freight business. If Queensland is to recover
its former prosperity and avoid a long-term malaise like NSW, the
economy must be the battle ground in the contest between two seasoned
leaders.
***************************************
THE AUSTRALIYAN
EDITORIAL
TIME TO SHED LIGHT ON REAL CLIMATE CHALLENGES
TOKEN GESTURES, LIKE SWITCHING OFF THE LIGHTS FOR AN HOUR TO
DEMONSTRATE SOLIDARITY WITH THE PLANET, APPEAL TO A CERTAIN CORNER OF
THE CLIMATE CHANGE DEBATE BUT DON'T SHED LIGHT ON THE CRITICAL ISSUES.
Hard-headed analysis of the impact of carbon prices on our emissions
growth and economic wellbeing is much more illuminating. Which is why
the intervention of the Productivity Commission through chairman Gary
Banks was so important this week. Mr Banks has explained the
complicated balancing act needed to set the right price on Australian
carbon through the proposed new tax. The risk is that if the price is
too low the tax will be ineffectual, if too high it will simply send
Australian jobs and emissions overseas. That's economic pain for no
environmental gain.
The commission, however, is taking the analysis much further, as
discussed by economics editor Michael Stutchbury in our pages today.
By examining the effective carbon price here and overseas, the
commission is attempting to estimate the cost impacts of numerous
other government interventions, such as renewable energy targets
mandating large quantities of expensive zero-emissions electricity.
Juggling the various effects of carbon prices here and overseas so
that a local carbon tax can be imposed without seriously undermining
our industry, exports, employment and wealth is, in Mr Banks's view, a
"wicked" challenge. Strange then, that the commission wasn't called in
earlier. It was only at the behest of independent MP Tony Windsor that
the government even agreed to this inquiry into the international
carbon pricing environment -- a study that should have occurred at the
start of Labor's considerations even before the failure of Copenhagen.
While Mr Banks's final report is eagerly awaited and his warnings
about the practical difficulties are timely, they come as the
government increasingly looks rattled and disorganised. After spending
the early part of the week embracing the possibility of merging
personal tax cuts into the carbon tax compensation measures, and
admonishing the opposition for promising to scrap these imaginary
cuts, it has now backed away. In a week of policy absurdity,
presumably Labor no longer is critical of the opposition for promising
to scrap proposed tax cuts it now no longer believes advisable? Little
wonder if voters become confused.
The Prime Minister and Climate Change Minister Greg Combet have been
keen to portray anyone who disagrees with their tax as climate change
deniers.
As Mr Banks makes clear, even if you are committed to cutting
emissions, there are a hundred ways to skin this cat, and we need to
get it right. The commission implicitly recognises the opposition's
direct action plan is not the cheapest way to cut emissions. But, then
again, it is a plan that doesn't involve radical structural change to
the economy and, on paper at least, doesn't increase the overall tax
take, so its proponents can argue, if they choose, that it is a
prudent way forward. We also need to keep our debate in perspective,
realising that Australia accounts for less than 1.5 per cent of global
emissions. The Weekend Australian believes a market mechanism is the
best way to control emissions but we must not disadvantage the economy
by moving too far ahead of our competitors. But the danger of focusing
obsessively on one policy is that it neglects other priorities. We
believe, for instance, that one of the government's highest priorities
should be working towards a sovereign wealth fund to lock in the gains
of the boom, and not squander our resources wealth. Name-calling over
taxes and debates about a couple of offensive placards only distract
Australia from real and complex economic challenges ahead.
***************************************
THE AUSTRALIYAN
EDITORIAL
LABOR SHOULD RETURN TO WORKERS
ON A DAY WHEN LABOR FACES A HUMILIATING DEFEAT IN NSW, THE HEIRS TO
THE NATION'S SOCIALIST TRADITION MIGHT PAUSE AND REFLECT.
Whenever the party loses its way, it returns instinctively to the
speech Ben Chifley delivered to the NSW branch of the ALP on June 12,
1949. It is commonly known as the Light on the Hill speech, but we
prefer its original title -- For the Betterment of Mankind Anywhere.
To assist new Labor leaders and young union leaders hazy on history,
the speech has been posted on our website, www.theaustralian.com.au.
(We also recommend Tom Dusevic's feature, "Who's in bed with Kristina
Keneally?" on the nepotism and patronage that have destroyed NSW
Labor.)
On this exceptional day, we quote from the concluding paragraphs of
Chifley's speech: "When I sat at a Labour meeting in the country with
only 10 or 15 men there, I found a man sitting beside me who had been
working in the Labour movement for 54 years. I have no doubt that many
of you have been doing the same, not hoping for any advantage from the
movement, not hoping for any personal gain, but because you believe in
a movement that has been built up to bring better conditions to the
people. Therefore, the success of the Labour Party at the next
elections depends entirely, as it always has done, on the people who
work. I try to think of the labour movement, not as putting an extra
sixpence into somebody's pocket, or making somebody prime minister or
premier, but as a movement bringing something better to the people,
better standards of living, greater happiness to the mass of the
people . . . "
A few months later, Robert Menzies was elected prime minister,
relegating Labor to 23 years in opposition. That should not deter
today's leaders from returning to this speech, however. They should
recall that under Chifley, Labor secured 42.2 per cent of first
preference votes in the December 1949 election, but this week's
Newspoll had NSW Labor at 23 per cent.
The world has changed since Chifley's day, and so has the spelling of
the party's name. The phrases "working man" and "the working class"
are out of fashion, but the values of those they describe are not.
They are Howard's battlers, Kevin Rudd's working families and Julia
Gillard's hard-working Australians.
For Labor, as for Labour, success depends, as it always has done, on
the people who work.
***************************************
******************************************************************************************
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
EDITORIAL
POLITICAL SPECTRUM CHANGING ITS COLOURS
TONIGHT two quite different types of political action coincide. As
Sydney turns out its lights between 8.30 and 9.30 to mark Earth Hour
and symbolise its concern for global warming, the state will also be
learning the outcome of a state election. Voters, it is reasonable to
predict, will also have flicked the switch on Labor, consigning it to
darkness for a minimum of four years - and quite possibly much longer.
The coincidence may well mark the end of several eras.
It will obviously mark the end of Labor's 16 years in office. But the
event carries greater significance than that. Though the future course
of politics cannot be predicted, the present disarray within the Labor
Party, and the indiscipline that symbolises its intellectual and
organisational frailty, may well presage the end of its domination of
NSW. The party that has ruled this state for 52 out of the last 70
years has always claimed the label progressive; in its last years in
Macquarie Street it has been anything but. It has become an entrenched
force for conservatism.
If voters do indeed deliver the historic defeat that is predicted,
that will be one reason why: NSW Labor, dominated by its right wing,
no longer believes even in its own values. Its ruling caste has turned
it into an empty shell, made up of careerists and clever - but
values-free and essentially amoral - political manipulators.
Yet in its death throes Labor has put up a good fight. The Premier,
Kristina Keneally, deserves credit for an energetic campaign. She or
her party could have stooped to mudslinging, but for the most part
they have not. The same can be said of the opposition parties.
In addition, because Labor has been facing a threat to its very
existence, it has suddenly - for the first time in many years -
engaged with its own traditional support base. MPs in previously safe
seats have been canvassing vigorously for votes - not relying on the
bland and manipulative advertising messages from head office to coast
home. The sight of Keneally this week explaining to a group of miners
why they should vote Labor is one for aficionados to savour. The
disconnectedness of modern life - documented by the American social
commentator Robert Putnam in Bowling Alone - has taken its toll on
political life here as in the US and other countries, to the cost of
both politics and the public. People tend no longer to join groups, or
see group activity as a way to achieve common goals. Political parties
have played along, using marketing techniques to sell themselves to
individual consumers. Yet group engagement of the type we have seen in
this campaign is what politics should be all about. It is a pity the
Labor Party has taken so long to relearn an elementary but
long-forgotten lesson.
One result of the community's unfamiliarity with politics is that when
it does engage, the result is superficial and shrill. In Canberra this
week the growing desperation of the evenly matched contest inside
Parliament overflowed into an ugly and ill-mannered demonstration
against a carbon tax outside. With little difference between the
parties on economic issues, they must seek to differentiate themselves
elsewhere. Tony Abbott, siding with the deniers of climate science,
has marked out a position he may well come to regret, and in an
astonishingly graceless way for the leader of a major political party.
Yet the demonstration, deplorable in its style, in the ignorance of
its participants, and the self-interested manipulation of its backers,
is likely to be the first of many as people begin to realise the scale
of what must change if a serious attempt is to be made to deal with
the climate threat. The political spectrum is no longer bipolar, a
straight line from right to left, blue to red, the old capital to
labour. It has another pole now - a green one. As climate change
becomes more intense, and the need to change the way human beings
interact with the environment becomes more pressing, we may expect the
politics around environmental issues to become less polite and more
keenly fought. Labor's traditional analysis of what constitutes a
progressive agenda is losing relevance before a new spectrum of
concerns.
Those concerns were expressed fittingly in 2007, with the first Earth
Hour. This year the fifth Earth Hour still expresses the same
worldwide concern at the dangers facing the Earth in a simple gesture
of self-denial. It remains a powerful message, and an important way to
raise people's consciousness of a growing problem. But the events of
this week show that other messages and other messengers are out there
determined to obscure and limit its quiet power. Without concrete
measures to turn concern into action on climate change, Earth Hour
will become an empty symbol.
***************************************
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
EDITORIAL
KEEPING THE INTERNET LID ON OUR UGLY AUSTRALIANS
WHEN private people allow their ugly inner man or woman to parade on
Facebook, it is the private person who suffers. Anyone stupid enough
to post vulgar or offensive remarks or pictures that become public is
likely to find themselves suddenly in strife in their relationships or
their workplaces, depending on the nature of the indiscretion. But
when such postings are made by people in an organisation that
represents the nation, there can be grave consequences that reach far
beyond the culprit. When the postings involve Australian soldiers
making racist sneers about the Afghan people they have been sent to
protect, the consequences could be devastating.
The Defence Force has launched an investigation into soldiers in
Afghanistan who used Facebook to post comments about Afghans being
''sand niggaz'' and ''dune coons'', being smelly, and being in need of
''butt-stroking'' - slang for beaten with a rifle. Other postings
joked about Afghans having sex with dogs. Not surprisingly, the
Australian Defence Association has warned that the comments risked
undermining Australia's efforts in Afghanistan. Spokesman Neil James
said: ''You're protecting a counter-insurgency war, where the support
of the local people is important. You don't want to give the enemy
propaganda.''
Soldiers are young and sometimes have not yet developed a mature world
view. Being trained and required to use weapons against others can
also produce an understandable desensitisation in some; it is one of
the many unhappy byproducts of war. But it is important that the
boundaries between emotions and actions are enforced. These soldiers
should be brought to book. It is embarrassing and destructive that
such racist views have been made so public. It would be even more
appalling if such attitudes were to go unchecked among their peers.
Seeing the ''enemy'' as less than human has been a key factor in most
war atrocities. The Defence Force's cultural education of its troops
in Afghanistan is not yet done.
***************************************
******************************************************************************************
THE GUARDIAN
EDITORIAL
SPENDING CUTS: FROM PROTEST TO PERSUASION
THE MARCHERS AT THE RALLY IN LONDON, AND ED MILIBAND, FACE THREE
FORMIDABLE OBSTACLES IN THE WAY OF A WIDER CAMPAIGN
The fuzziness of the rallying cry – March for the Alternative – is
easily mocked, but the lack of a detailed economic programme is the
least of the obstacles facing those who will rally through London
today. Cohesive rationales can be retrofitted on to successful
resistance campaigns of the past, and yet the Hyde Park rioters of
1866 did not arrive with a draft of the Second Reform Bill in their
back pockets, and nor did 1990's poll tax protestors take to the
streets with a blueprint for the council tax in mind.
Like the restricted franchise of the 19th century, and Mrs Thatcher's
community charge, cuts that go too far and too fast are an extreme
proposition, and one that can legitimately be resisted in negative
terms. The march deserves a strong turn out. Even if attendance is
numbered in the hundreds of thousands that the TUC hopes for, however,
it is not guaranteed to do much good. The aim must be to do more than
preach to the converted, but the marchers and Labour leader Ed
Miliband, who is set to address them, face three formidable obstacles
in the way of a wider campaign of persuasion.
For those yelling "fight back" to every cutback, the first danger is
appearing as hopeless bleeding hearts. From New Cross library to
Northern Ireland Music Therapy Trust, the Guardian yesterday detailed
worthy projects that will soon slash services and slam doors, after
the cuts begin to bite in earnest in a few days. As that happens
public squalor will undoubtedly compound private penury, and yet a
cash-strapped public cannot be relied on to prioritise what the
marchers conceive of as the public good. If you doubt it, look at
today's Guardian/ICM poll: voters' only grumble about George Osborne's
squandering of the meagre resources at hand in the budget on cheaper
petrol was that he did not go far enough.
As they hear every individual cut dismissed as too early, too late or
a false economy, tax-wary voters will reasonably suspect that some
things have to give. Life must be breathed into the Keynesian case
that days of cheap money and idle labour are the moment for the state
to invest. The cuts' critics must drive home the point – as
commentators did this week – that the orthodox economist voices
singing in unison with the chancellor are the same ones who failed to
sound a warning before the crisis hit.
The second challenge is to speak for, and be seen to be speak for, the
country as a whole, as opposed to sectional interests. The pitfalls
here are especially deep for a union-led campaign. Increasingly
concentrated in state employment, organised labour must persuade the
85% of workers in private firms who do not carry a union card that it
shares their concerns. Industrial action will inevitably concentrate
on public servants' terms and conditions, including pensions far more
generous than those in most companies. This action should be kept at a
safe distance from political campaigning, which should focus instead
on things like hospital waits and tax-credit cuts which will afflict
private- and public-sector workers alike.
The third great difficulty is Mr Miliband's – namely, winning the
blame game. Today's one point ICM lead for the Tories may prove to be
a blip, but it is a reminder that he has not yet been able to prevail
decisively. Separate YouGov analysis shows that many more voters
continue to blame Labour than the Conservatives for the cuts, which is
perhaps not surprising given that Labour presided over the banking
bubble and burst, and also pencilled in the first tranche of deep
cuts. With growth stalled and the pain about to begin in earnest, the
tide could soon turn, but it cannot be assumed.
Great shows of people power give vent to emotion, but as often as not
they fail to do anything more – a point underlined by both the
pro-foxhunting and anti-Iraq war demos. Marchers today will express
indignation with the world as it is. But as a great man once wrote,
the point is to change it.
**************************************
THE GUARDIAN
EDITORIAL
WHITEHALL: VERY SPECIAL ADVISERS
THE OFFICIAL CIVIL SERVICE CODE IS INTACT, BUT A POWERFUL WHIFF OF
HYPOCRISY LINGERS ON THE WHITEHALL AIR
When power was just a glimmer on the horizon, Conservative MPs used to
delight in attacking Labour's recruitment of political sympathisers as
government special advisers and spin doctors – in spite of the fact
that many of the new Tory leadership, David Cameron and George Osborne
among them, had themselves cut their teeth in such jobs. Soon after he
came to power, Mr Cameron pointedly spoke of his profound respect for
the civil service. Yet how quickly things change.
The prime minister's speech branding bureaucrats as the enemies of
enterprise was only the most recent upset for the mandarinate, many of
whom are willy-nilly veterans of 13 years of Labour's permanent
revolution. It triggered a protest from the cabinet secretary, Sir Gus
O'Donnell, in the latest of a series of leaks which include a stern
put-down of ministers whom Sir Gus suspected of briefing against the
Electoral Commission boss Jenny Watson, and a paper from him urging
the case for an economic Plan B.
Then there are the special advisers. It is typical of incoming
governments to wonder why the levers of power seem not to be connected
to the rest of the machine, and to look to bring in outside support.
To some degree, they all do it. But there is now an unmistakable
backtracking on the coalition commitment to limit their number. This
suggests that ministers in this government too are increasingly
frustrated by the Whitehall establishment.
The biggest transgressor seems to be the education secretary, Michael
Gove, who has assembled a praetorian guard of sympathisers. Some of
these involve the arms-length New Schools Network, set up and run by
Mr Gove's former adviser Rachel Wolf and funded by the taxpayer. For
some months the NSN was a base for another former Gove adviser,
Dominic Cummings, blackballed last year by Andy Coulson for a role at
Mr Gove's right hand on the grounds that he was "too leaky". Now Mr
Coulson is out and Mr Cummings is back in. He replaces another special
adviser, Elena Narozanski. Fortunately, Mr Gove needs some new speech
writers, and Ms Narozanski is the insiders' top tip for one of the
jobs. Meanwhile Mr Gove has appointed a new head of news, James
Frayne, from the Westbourne lobbying firm, famously well-connected to
the Tory party.
Radical ministers always need kindred spirits, but few have recruited
them as comprehensively as Mr Gove appears to have done. He has done
nothing wrong – though the Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude might
look at the breach of his jobs freeze. The official civil service code
is intact. But a powerful whiff of hypocrisy lingers on the Whitehall
air.
**************************************
THE GUARDIAN
EDITORIAL
UNTHINKABLE? FILLING IN THE CENSUS PROPERLY
Protest about Lockheed Martin's involvement by all means: but not by
ignoring the form. Silence is only a denial of identity
Defying the census began as a contrarian stunt. In 2001 390,000 people
listed their religion as "Jedi", propelling a fictitious faith ahead
of Sikhism, Judaism and Buddhism in the national statistics. As
teacher used to say, it wasn't clever and it wasn't funny – but at
least it did no harm. The section in the census on religion is
optional and misunderstood, the 70% who described themselves as
"Christian" in 2001 perhaps confusing their cultural identity with
active religious participation. A decade on from the Jedi explosion,
however, resistance to the census has become tiresomely predictable
and self-defeating. There are many good reasons for filling in the
form accurately by Sunday, when data collection ends, and only bad
ones for wilfully corrupting it. Of all the many intrusive sets of
information about us held by the state and private business, the
census has the best claim to being impartial, complete and for the
public good. Refusing to fill it in brings no advantage: doing so is
as much a civic act as voting, an affirmation that we are part of
society, not isolated individuals. The more unreliable the census, the
more distorted the government's priorities become. Urban areas, and
particularly poor ones, end up undercounted and eventually underfunded
too. Some people are concerned that Lockheed Martin, a defence
contractor, is working on the census, and are calling for a boycott in
response. Protest about this by all means: but not by ignoring the
form. Silence is not brave, only a denial of identity.
**************************************
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THE JAPAN TIMES
EDITORIAL
PRO BASEBALL'S VIEW ON DISASTER
The Central and Pacific leagues of pro baseball have shown contrasting
approaches to their game schedule for this year in the wake of the
March 11 quake and tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan. On
March 15, the Pacific League decided to postpone the start of its
season to April 12.
The Central League first announced that it will start its season on
March 25. After the education ministry requested it to avoid games,
especially at night, in the area where power is supplied by Tokyo
Electric Power Co., whose Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant is in a
crisis, the league postponed the start of the season to March 29. It
decided not to hold extended games throughout the season, but it
decided to hold night games on and after April 5. The education
ministry then requested the league to rethink its night games plan.
On Thursday, however, the Central League decided to start the season
on April 12 and not to hold night games in April. One wonders if it
occurred, after all, to league officials that their earlier decision
to start its season in late March would not have received public
support, as people in the disaster-hit regions are in deep sorrow,
suffering over the loss of family members and homes.
It appears that officials of the Central League have failed to
understand the gravity of the fact that more than 20,000 people are
dead or missing because of the quake and tsunami, and that elderly
evacuees are dying in temporary shelters because of a lack of medical
care.
In contrast, in the Pacific League, there was a strong voice among
players and managers that the situation in Japan is not yet suitable
to play and enjoy the game of baseball.
Three Central League teams based in the Tokyo metropolitan had wanted
to hold night games in April. It is clear that this ran counter to the
idea behind Tepco's rolling power outages. It appears that Central
League officials did not understand the severity of the power
shortage. A night game at the Tokyo Dome consumes 50,000 to 60,000 kW
of electricity, equivalent to the amount used by 4,000 households.
**************************************
THE JAPAN TIMES
EDITORIAL
STRICKEN MILK AND VEGETABLES
The government on Monday told Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi and Gunma
prefectures to suspend shipping of spinach and kakina, a locally
produced leaf vegetable, following the detection of radioactive
substances at levels above the provisional limits under the Food
Sanitation Law. It also told Fukushima Prefecture to suspend shipping
of raw milk for a similar reason. The radioactive substances
apparently came from Tokyo Electric Power Co.'s stricken Fukushima No.
1 nuclear power plant. The government the next day called on people to
limit consumption of spinach, cabbage and a few other leaf vegetables
from Fukushima Prefecture.
The government, which had ruled out a large-scale nuclear accident,
had not set allowable limits for radioactive substances in farm
products. The health ministry hurriedly established provisional limits
and notified prefectural governments March 17.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said that even if one continues to
eat 1 kg of the spinach every day for a year, the accumulated
radiation level will be one-fifth that of one computerized tomography
scan. And if one consumed the milk at the national average amount for
a year, the accumulated radiation level would be about the same as
that of one CT scan, he said.
But one cannot completely rule out the possibility of a chronic health
problem if farm products with a low level of radioactivity are
ingested over a long time. Radioactive iodine collects in the thyroid
gland, and children are most likely to suffer from internal exposure
to radiation leading to thyroid cancer. While radioactive iodine has a
half-life of eight days; for radioactive cesium, it's 30 years. The
latter, though, is said to leave the body easily.
While the central and local governments must guard against radioactive
contamination of food items, they must prevent a panic among
consumers. They should carry out detailed radiation checks so that
only products below the limits of contamination will be shipped to
markets. They should provide accurate information to consumers to
prevent an abnormal situation in which they refrain from buying even
safe products. A close watch on fishery products will also be
necessary.
**************************************
THE JAPAN TIMES
OPED
'PROTECT' THE SYRIANS NEXT?
BY GWYNNE DYER
LONDON — March 18 saw the first nationwide protests against the Ba'ath
regime in Syria. If these protests develop into a full-scale revolt,
the regime's response may dwarf that of Moammar Gadhafi in Libya.
The last time Syrians rebelled, in the city of Hama in 1982, President
Hafez al-Assad sent in the army to smash the insurrection. Hama's
center was destroyed by artillery fire, and at least 17,000 people
were killed.
The current Syrian ruler, Bashar al-Assad, is allegedly a gentler
person than his father Hafez, but the Ba'ath Party still rules Syria,
and it is just as ruthless as ever. So what happens if the Syrian
revolution gets under way, and the Ba'ath Party starts slaughtering
people again? Do the same forces now intervening in Libya get sent to
Syria as well?
Syria has four times Libya's population and very serious armed forces.
The Ba'ath Party is as centralized and intolerant of dissent as the
old Communist parties of Eastern Europe. Moreover, it is controlled
internally by a sectarian minority, the Alawis, who fear that they
would suffer terrible vengeance if they ever lost power.
The U.N. Security Council was absolutely right to order the use of
"all necessary measures" (meaning armed force) to stop Gadhafi's
regime from attacking the Libyan people. But it does move us all into
unknown territory: Today Libya, tomorrow Syria?
The "responsibility to protect" concept that underpins the U.N.
decision on Libya was first proposed in 2001 by Lloyd Axworthy, then
Canada's foreign minister. He was frustrated by the U.N.'s inability
to stop the genocides in Kosovo and Rwanda in the 1990s, and he
concluded that the problem was the U.N.'s own rules. So he set out to
change them.
The original goal of the United Nations, embedded in the Charter
signed in 1945, was to prevent any more big wars like the one just
past, which had killed over 50 million people and ended with the use
of nuclear weapons. There was some blather about human rights in
there, too, but to get all the great powers to sign up to a treaty
outlawing war, there had to be a deal that negated all that.
The deal was that the great powers (and indeed, all of the U.N.
members) would have absolute sovereignty within their own territory,
including the right to kill whoever opposed their rule. It wasn't
written quite like that, but the meaning was clear: The U.N. had no
right to intervene in the internal affairs of a member state no matter
how badly it behaved.
But by the early 21st century, the threat of a nuclear war between the
great powers had faded away, while local massacres and genocides
proliferated. Yet the U.N. was still hamstrung by the 1945 rules and
unable to intervene. So Lloyd Axworthy set up the International
Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty (ICISS) to popularize
the concept of humanitarian intervention under the name of
"responsibility to protect."
It was purely a Canadian government initiative. "You can't allow
dictators to use the facade of national sovereignty to justify ethnic
cleansing," Axworthy explained, and so he launched a head-on attack on
sovereignty.
The commission he set up concluded, unsurprisingly, that the U.N.
should have an obligation to protect people from mass killing at the
hands of their own government. Since that could only be accomplished,
in practice, by military force, it was actually suggesting that the
U.N. Security Council should have the right to order attacks on
countries that indulged in such behavior.
This recommendation then languished for some years. The most
determined opponents of "responsibility to protect" were the great
powers — Russia and China in particular — which feared that the new
doctrine might one day be used against them. But in 2005, the new
African Union included the concept in its founding charter, and after
that things moved quite fast toward the adoption of "R2P."
In 2006 the Security Council agreed that "we are prepared to take
collective action, in a timely and decisive manner . . . should
peaceful means be inadequate and national authorities manifestly fail
to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic
cleansing and crimes against humanity." Now, five years later, they're
taking military action against Gadhafi.
Ten out of 15 Security Council members voted in favor of the action
last week, and the rest, including all four of the emerging great
powers, the so-called BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China)
abstained. But Russia and China didn't veto the action, because they
have finally figured out that the new principle will never be used
against them.
Nobody will ever attack Russia to make it be nicer to the Chechens, or
invade China to make it change its behavior toward the Tibetans. Great
powers are effectively exempt from all the rules if they choose to be,
precisely because they are so powerful. That's no argument for also
exempting less powerful but nastier regimes from the obligation not to
murder their own people.
So what about the Syrian regime?
The same crude calculation applies. If it's not too tough and powerful
to take on, then it will not be allowed to murder its own people. And
if it is too big and dangerous, then all the U.N. members will express
their strong disapproval, but they won't actually do anything.
Consistency is an overrated virtue.
Gwynne Dyer's latest book, "Climate Wars," is distributed in most of
the world by Oneworld.
**************************************
THE JAPAN TIMES
OPED
INDIA'S SUPREME COURT ALLOWS EUTHANASIA
BY GAUTAMAN BHASKARAN
CHENNAI, India — India's Supreme Court ruled March 14 that an Indian
citizen has the right to die with dignity. There are understandable
riders to this landmark judgment that said thousands of people leading
a vegetative life could have their artificial support systems
withdrawn and thus end their lives of misery.
The legal ruling came after years of debate over the vast number of
men and women bedridden like mere vegetables, draining their families
of finances. The emotional turmoil of those around such patients is
immense, and worse, nobody can tell with any definitive conclusion the
kind of agony that the victim feels.
Take the case of Aruna Shanbaug, a nurse at a leading Mumbai hospital,
who has not been able talk, move or eat on her own for the past 37
years, a condition she developed after a sweeper raped her and
throttled her with a dog chain.
In 1973, the 25-year-old woman, who was to go on her marriage leave
the next day, was caught alone in the basement of the hospital. The
rape and strangulation damaged her brain stem, and made her deaf,
blind and paralyzed. Tragically, the trauma left her with the ability
to feel pain, and she can often be heard screaming from a dark room in
the hospital where she lies, fed and looked after by the nurses and
doctors. They push mashed food down her throat, and have been her
angelic friends.
In 1990, journalist Pinki Virani wrote a moving article about Aruna's
tragedy, and later published it as a book. Pinki never knew Aruna when
she was a bubbly, full-of-life nurse.
Pinki petitioned the Supreme Court of India to let Arun die a
dignified a death. The court examined her petition.
Euthanasia is now allowed, but under very strict supervision. The
court said "the right to permit a terminally ill patient to refuse
medical treatment would be given under guarded conditions to prevent
its misuse."
Active euthanasia remains forbidden. The court said that injecting a
lethal drug to end the life of a patient beyond hope of recovery could
not be allowed under any circumstances, because it went against the
very essence of the "right to life" principle in India's Constitution.
The court agreed to passive euthanasia. The guidelines for this
include a declaration from the High Court after getting an OK from a
medical board and the government of the state concerned. "If a person
consciously and voluntarily refuses to take lifesaving medical
treatment, it's not a crime," the legal bench said.
The Supreme Court verdict will serve as law until India's parliament
legislates. Today there is no law on euthanasia. This is because the
federal government has held firm on the view that in a country like
India, where poverty, illiteracy, social backwardness and emotional
immaturity rule, euthanasia could be easily misused.
One can draw a parallel between euthanasia and sati — in which widows,
both young and old, are egged on to burn themselves on the funeral
pyres of their husbands. It is widely believed that one significant
cause of sati is money. The dead man's relatives, in an attempt to
stop his property from passing on to his widow, push her to immolate
herself.
The court nonetheless felt that given the various international
judgments on the subject, passive euthanasia should be permitted — if
the patient wishes it. If the patient is too ill or is comatose, a
relative or a friend could ask the state to end that life.
In the case of Aruna, the court averred that since Pinki was not a
close friend or relative, she had no right to ask for the victim's
euthanasia. So while the court examined Pinki's petition, it did not
accept her plea for Arun's euthanasia.
At one level, these developments convey that India is progressing into
a modern society. Yet, Sohanlal Walmiki, the sweeper who destroyed
Aruna, walked out of jail in just six years, is now married with a
family. The poor nurse has been lying incarcerated in the most
degrading condition a human being can possibly experience for 37
years.
Shouldn't Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code, which punishes one who
tries to take his or her own life, be reviewed as the Supreme Court
has recommended?
Admittedly, there are no easy solutions in a nation as complex and
diverse as India with its multitude of languages, religions and
castes.
Gautaman Bhaskaran is a Chennai, India-based journalist.
**************************************
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THE JAKARTA POST
EDITORIAL
FORGOTTEN JASSIN
The Jakarta administration was on the verge of inadvertently stripping
the late prose writer Hans Bague Jassin of his prominent place in the
country's history of literature.
That the Jakarta administration and the Jakarta Legislative Council
decided to further cut the annual contribution to the HB Jassin
Literature Documentation Center from last year's Rp 164 million
(US$18,860) to only Rp 50 million this year speaks volumes about the
collective ignorance of the city's policy makers about our national
literature, which Jassin has helped enrich.
The amount is minuscule compared with the Jakarta sports and youth
agency's allocation of Rp 2 billion for Alex Asmasubrata Management
(AAM) to support the activities of national young female driver
Alexandra Asmasoebrata, or the Rp 1 billion city fund that went to the
Indonesian Qosidah Art Institute (Lasqi).
Both the Jakarta government and legislative council seemed unaware
that the HB Jassin Literature Documentation Center is believed to be
home to the largest collection of literature in the country.
Originally the center was Jassin's private library. The center's
collections include 19,000 works of fiction, more than 12,000 works of
nonfiction, 875 autobiographies, 812 plays and 16,774 news clippings.
Handwritten manuscripts of noted Indonesian poet Chairil Anwar and
Western-oriented prose writer Sutan Takdir Alisjahbana are also a part
of the center's precious collection.
The center's management had said they would stop the operation of the
center if they could not secure sufficient funding, which according to
Ajip Rosidi, a member of the center's advisory board, amounted to at
least Rp 1 billion annually. The money is used to pay the salaries of
its 16 employees and maintain the condition of the books.
Fortunately, the city administration quickly realized the potential
damage that would be done if the center was allowed to shut down.
Governor Fauzi Bowo admitted he and the Jakarta Council had
miscalculated the operational cost of the center. The incident,
however, serves as a reminder for the city administration to
strengthen its commitment to the preservation of cultural legacies.
Apart from the HB Jassin literature center there are 46 museums across
the city that need attention.
It is unfair, however, to put all the blame on the city administration.
This case also reflects the public's ignorance about the country's
rich cultural legacies. Empty museums and crowded shopping malls shed
some light on the situation.
***************************************
THE JAKARTA POST
SWITCHING IT OFF
Darkness will fall across many parts of Jakarta this Saturday night as
the capital city joins the "Earth Hour" global campaign. All
non-essential lights and electronic appliances are to be switched off
between 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. to take a stand against climate
change.
Some of Jakarta's iconic spots like the National Monument, the Hotel
Indonesia traffic circle, City Hall, the Pemuda Statue and the Arjuna
Wijaya fountain will also be immersed in darkness.
This is the third year Jakarta, along with several other cities in the
country, is taking part in the campaign initiated by WWF and its
partners. Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, where 2.2
million people and more than 2,000 businesses switched off their
electricity for one hour to raise awareness about climate change.
A year later, Earth Hour became a global movement with over 50 million
people in 35 countries participating to help support the planet. Last
year, the drive was the biggest ever with 4,616 cities in 128
countries committing to the campaign. This year, 131 countries have
vowed to take part.
Climate change can be attributable to human activities, meaning
primary solutions need to come from people, including changes in
people's behavior. Some people may find it hard to contribute to
climate solutions considering it is a complicated issue that depends
mostly on finance, technology, governments and corporations.
But, the root of the problem lies in behavior. Global energy
consumption has been blamed for the release of 30 billion tons of
carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere in 2007, with public
utilities generating daily electricity and heat that contribute 36.3
percent to overall consumption.
Simple actions like switching off the lights can lead to bigger and
more positive impacts because in doing so we can launch efficiency
measures to make a greater difference.
In Indonesia, Earth Hour first kicked off in Jakarta, which has the
highest electricity consumption — 20 percent of national consumption —
with households accounting for the highest at 34 percent and
businesses at 29 percent.
The Jakarta administration expects this year's drive could save 300
megawatts of electricity, an increase from the 80 megawatts saved last
year. Saving 300 megawatts of electricity is equivalent to turning off
a power plant, reducing 267.3 tons of CO2 emissions and saving
US$216.6 million on electricity expenditures. If 10 percent of
households in Jakarta switch off two lights each, the target may be
reached.
It's true that an hour-long campaign is not enough to save the planet.
But, Earth Hour is about working together to create a better future
and sending a message that a solution to environmental problems is
there if we work together.
Joining this energy saving campaign symbolizes one's commitment to
change beyond just the hour. So, after the lights are back on, it will
be time to continue taking action. Together, our actions can make a
difference.
***************************************
THE JAKARTA POST
EDITORIAL
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS: LEARNING FROM JAPAN
NIRWONO JOGA
The magnitude 8.9 earthquake and resulting tsunami that struck parts
of Japan have undoubtedly increased our awareness about the potential
for disasters. It also marks a time for serious reflection about how
our cities are built to respond to calamities.
As a country located on the Ring of Fire, cities in Indonesia are
highly prone to earthquakes and tsunamis like what happened in Aceh in
2004 and Mentawai, West Sumatra, in 2010, and the flash floods in
Wasior, West Papua in 2010 and volcanic eruptions like at Mount Merapi
in 2010.
In fact, 150 out of 497 municipalities and regencies in Indonesia are
under the threat of tsunamis. About 80 percent of the municipalities
and regencies are located near coastlines and are at risk of sea
level-induced floods, abrasion, seawater intrusion and land subsidence
due to the destruction of protective coastal mangrove forests.
Ironically, disaster-prone areas that spread from Sumatra to Papua and
Kalimantan to Java have grown and developed into densely populated
areas. In addition, Indonesia, as an archipelagic country, is also
highly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change like rising
sea levels and water crises.
Climate-related disasters since the 1950s and 1960s have increased by
an approximate ratio of four. Between 2003 and 2005, there were 1,429
disasters, with 53 percent related to floods, landslides, droughts or
hurricanes.
City administrations in Japan were fully aware that they lived under
the constant threat of earthquakes and tsunamis. A wise understanding
of that situation was commonly held by regional governments when
developing cities to respond to disasters.
We witnessed how the city emergency response system worked effectively
during the powerful earthquake and tsunami that recently shook Japan.
Buildings in cities proved to resist the earthquake and infrastructure
looked solid when the tsunami struck.
Routine earthquake simulation drills had citizens well prepared
physically and mentally for an earthquake as well as post-disaster
survival. But, what about us in Indonesia?
Based on Law No. 24/2007 on Disaster Management and Law No. 26/2007 on
Spatial Planning, city planning should take into consideration the
possibility of natural disasters. The development of disaster
responsive urban areas is very important as our cities are full of
buildings and densely populated so that even a small disaster will
certainly cause the loss of life and property.
Our cities need to prepare mitigation (land use, green open space),
adaptation (local wisdom, disaster response culture), technology
(innovation of green technology) and investment (environmentally
friendly policies and environment-oriented investments like tax
incentives, green banking).
Disaster management includes mitigation, alertness, response and
recovery. This is the cycle of activity with or without a disaster.
To create an efficient city that is able to anticipate, mitigate and
adapt to disasters, the city can be divided into sub-urban areas that
are able to live independently. A sub-urban area can be a modern
village that provides all the convenience and needs of a community
that lives in an environmentally friendly integrated area.
Integrated areas combine all the needs of humans from living, working
and recreation comfortably and efficiently. Those regions support
office facilities, schools, vertical residences (1 hotel: 3
apartments: 6 flats), entertainment centers, shopping centers, houses
of worship, parks and sports fields (disaster evacuation space).
Integrated area development is undertaken around mass transit hubs
such as railway stations and bus stops. Residents simply need to walk
or bike to destinations within the region.
As an archipelagic country, the development of inter-island
transportation infrastructure (sea, air) and telecommunications and
electricity networks should also be further enhanced so that there is
no difficulty in granting relief and the delivery of assistance during
a disaster.
As part of the city's disaster response, all buildings must meet
seismic standards. In accordance with Law No. 28/2002 and Jakarta
bylaw No. 7/2010, both on building development, already existing
high-rise buildings must be renovated in order to comply with rules
for extreme earthquake resistant buildings (up to 9.0 on the Richter
scale), while the construction of new buildings must comply with such
quake resistant standards.
In Japan, local wisdom was transformed into modern life. The concept
of traditional architecture, with materials and techniques flexible in
an earthquake, were applied to modern buildings in Japan.
City facilities were readied in anticipation of disasters. Public
buildings such as schools and hospitals were prepared for evacuation
in case of a disaster while city parks and sports fields were prepared
as evacuation sites. At the same time, road infrastructure was
prepared as disaster evacuation routes and equipped with routes, maps
of disaster-prone areas, manual evacuation signs and evacuation
points.
Parks and sports fields provided modules for the quick installation of
tents for temporary shelters, public kitchens, schools and children's
play spaces. Parks have public toilets, pump water hydrants for
reserves of clean, energy-based electricity and backup solar cells. On
normal days, parks can become water catchment areas, lungs of the city
and tourist attractions.
Meanwhile, for coastal cities, seaside areas of green belt were
constructed in the form of coastal forests or mangrove forests with a
minimum thickness of 100-200 meters from the shoreline to absorb a
tsunami and to prevent coastal erosion and floods and to develop
mangrove forest ecosystems. Those areas should be free of buildings.
Apart from the physical development of quake resistant properties and
infrastructure, the dissemination of awareness, outreach, training and
rehearsal of disaster-related matters is also a necessity. It can be
done through local cultural activities such as puppet shows, ketoprak
comedy shows and dangdut music contests.
Such disaster awareness could also be developed through curriculum on
disaster management from the primary to the university level, while
disaster management procedures should be disseminated into all levels
of society so that when disaster strikes people know exactly what to
do, when to save themselves and where to go to find evacuation sites
as well as how to survive.
The development of urban disaster response is expected to minimize the
loss of life, property, public facilities and social and economic
activities of citizens. Lessons learned from cities in Japan are that
they were prepared in a time of disaster, for nobody knows exactly
when a disaster will strike.
The writer is chair of the Indonesian Landscape Architecture Study
Group in Jakarta.
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THE JAKARTA POST
EDITORIAL
DECODING INDONESIA'S RADICAL ISLAMISTS: WHAT TO DE-RADICALIZE?
BILVEER SINGH
Counter-terrorism involves a plethora of tasks encompassing
operational strikes against armed terrorists, de-radicalization and
rehabilitation. While no one faith has a monopoly of
politically-motivated violence, for some, radical Islamism has emerged
as the major challenge to most Muslim and non-Muslim states.
While no consensus exists on how to define terrorism, radicalism,
de-radicalization and rehabilitation, the existence of the threat is
undisputed. Since 2002, the more than 600 arrests and 50 deaths of the
Jamaah Islamiyah and affiliated members in Indonesia alone testify to
its ability to generate insecurity. Islamist terrorism's rejuvenation
was again demonstrated when more than 120 armed militants surfaced in
North Sumatra from February 2010, targeting the police, now labeled as
thoghut — enemies that could be killed.
Indonesia has responded with multiples counter-measures to meet the
threat. This is premised on the principle that while Indonesia has to
be lucky all the time in pre-empting terrorist strikes, the terrorists
just need to be lucky once to harm society, the government's image and
its political will. The recent establishment of the National
Antiterrorism Agency reflects the government's resolve to address this
priority. De-radicalization is the new agency's major goal which aims
to persuade the radicals to abandon the use of violence followed by a
change in the radicals' mindset.
While many states have complemented hard counter-terrorism measures
with soft ones, the key issue is — what is there to de-radicalize? The
answer lies in what has been radicalized. Radicalization is the
transformation of an individual's behavioral and cognitive outlook in
terms of extremist thinking, sentiments and actions. In turn,
de-radicalization involves the abandoning of radical ideology,
de-legitimizing the utility of violence and a willingness to co-exist
in a pluralistic milieu. The term counter-radicalization is often
preferred as this targets not just those who are exposed to radical
ideas but also to pre-empt those who are yet to be contaminated by
them.
Due to a host of factors, Indonesia continues to witness an upsurge of
religious radicalism. Some salient characteristics, the DNA of
radicalism so to speak, stand out when one analyses the attitudes and
behavior of jihadists.
The jihadist embodies the following characteristics:
• A literalist approach towards religion with religious teachings
being interpreted strictly based on the written word. The Arabs refer
to this as zahiriah in command, meaning the supreme importance of the
written word;
• A romantic importance attached to religion, with the unseen past
viewed as good tradition and the ideal type that should be re-created;
• Holds the view that there should be no new interpretation or ijtihad
of what has been stated in the Holy Koran. The opposition to new
tafsir or exegesis is based on the notion that the Koranic text is
all-supreme and sacred, relevant for all times, and the context in
which it is being practiced is irrelevant. In short, the text always
overrides the realm of practice;
• Believes in kebenaran mutlak or the unconditional absolute truth,
with any other view treated as heretical. A believer of such "wrong"
views can be classified as an apostate or murtad, and labeled as a
traitor to the religion;
• Practices exclusivity, where working with adherents of other
religions (kafirs or infidels) is considered haram or forbidden. Many
Islamist hardliners will not even cooperate with Muslims who do not
share their views, viewing them as jahiliyyahs (ignorant) or worst
still, as kafir harbi (enemy infidels), which traditionally only
described non-believers operating in a conflict zone, and how Muslims
should relate with them;
Labeling those who disagree with the radical discourse as enemies has
intensified conflicts among Muslims, exacerbated intolerance and
widened the scope for violence within a state, especially in a Muslim
majority one, best evident in the recent attacks on the Ahmadiyah sect
in Java;
• Sees justification in the use of violent jihad to realize their
beliefs. Radical Islamists believe that violence carried out for
religious causes is legitimate, with a jihadist achieving the ultimate
goal of shahid or martyrdom by dying for a religious cause.
Increasingly, "lesser" jihad or violent jihad is preferred rather than
greater jihad, which is for personal fulfillment. Increasingly too,
the term qital, or armed struggle, is used. For radicals, whether the
jihad is "far", "near", "offensive" or "defensive" is irrelevant as
qital is deployed against Islam's enemies;
• Adopts Islamist radical ideology in political discourse. All issues
are described purely in religious idioms with Muslims' persecution as
the common theme;
• Virulently opposed to Westernization and democracy, as these are
viewed as un-Islamic;
• Resists liberalism, pluralism and secularism as being antithetical to Islam;
• Is sharia-minded, and aims to create a Darul Islam (Abode of Islam)
as a prerequisite to Darul Salam (Abode of Peace), where Islamic law
or Sharia would determine the rules of society.
Indonesian radical ideologues such as Abu Bakar Ba'asyir and Aman
Abdurrahman, essentially of the jihadi salafist persuasion, have been
influencing dogmas and practices at various levels of society. This is
leading to the Arabization of Indonesian Islam, in opposition to the
traditional practice of Islam Pribumi or indigenous Islam. Fissures
are threatening to emerge between those championing Arabisasi Islam
and Pribumisasi Islam, especially in Java, as Islam is more about
religion while Arabization is cultural in orientation.
Reversing, through counter-ideological measures, the political and
theological discourses of the extremists would go a long way in
undermining their aim of promoting radical thought in Indonesia's body
politic. The aim is to encourage the extremists to abandon violence
and adopt a more moderate mindset.
If violence is abandoned only on tactical grounds, as long as the
violence-prone ideology survives, it will remain a threat to
democratic societies as violence is inherent in such ideologies. As
such, if Indonesia fails in its de-radicalization efforts, it could
result in greater insecurity in Indonesia and the Southeast Asian
region.
The writer is acting head, Centre of Excellence for National Security
(CENS), S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang
Technological University.
***************************************
THE JAKARTA POST
EDITORIAL
POPULATION GROWTH OF GREATER JAKARTA AND ITS IMPACT
TOMMY FIRMAN
The population of Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Area, comprised of DKI
Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi (Jabodetabek), reached
27.9 million according to the 2010 national census, with a growth rate
of 3.6 percent per annum over the period 2000-2010.
That figure far exceeds the national annual population rate of 1.49
percent per year over the same period. Jabodetabek accounts for 11
percent of Indonesia's population, up from 10 percent in the previous
census in 2000.
The capital city of Jakarta (DKI Jakarta), as the core of Jabodetabek,
is home to nearly 9.6 million people, according to the 2010 census, a
sharp increase from 8.4 million in 2000, with a growth rate of 1.40
percent per year (see Table).
This figure is lower than the average population growth rate, but is
still quite surprising, as DKI Jakarta's population grew by only 0.16
percent over the period of 1990-2000. Even during this period, Central
Jakarta and South Jakarta experienced population declines of 2.01
percent and 0.67 percent respectively.
Based on the 2010 census, all mayoralties and regencies within DKI
Jakarta experienced a positive growth rate between 2000 and 2010.
Central Jakarta registered the lowest rate of 0.27 percent, with
Kepulauan Seribu (Thousand Islands) regency logging the highest at
2.02 percent per year.
The census found that DKI Jakarta's population proportionally dropped
to 34.1 percent from 40 percent in 2000, compared with that of its
satellite cities, indicating that the Bodetabek region (Jabodetabek
minus DKI Jakarta) is growing even faster.
The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) has not published the data of
urban and rural populations, so the proportion of urban population in
Jabodetabek can not be calculated yet.
According to the 2000 census, urban areas accounted for 88.5 percent
of the region's population. Assuming that the urban population in
Jabodetabek grew at a conservative rate, the total urban population
would now have reached at least 25 million people.
The population growth in Bodetabek, as the buffer area of the Jakarta
metropolitan area, shows a very interesting phenomenon.
All municipalities and regencies in the region registered annual
growth rates far exceeding the national and DKI Jakarta marks. South
Tangerang municipality, separate from Tangerang regency, for example,
had a population growth rate of 4.69 percent per annum.
The population of Tangerang regency itself sharply increased from 2.50
percent per year in the period from 1990-2000 to 3.82 percent in the
period 2000-2010.
There are three components in annual urban population increase: The
first is natural population increase, meaning the number of people
born minus the number of those who died in the same year.
Second is the net migration, which is the number of incoming
migrations minus outgoing migrations.
Third is reclassification, more popularly referred to as changes in
rural localities to urban localities. The trend of 1990-2000 period
indicated high rates of population growth in cities in Bodetabek
attributed to net migration and reclassification. What is the
importance of the population growth in Jabodetabek?
The population of DKI Jakarta, as the core of Jabodetabek, is now
nearing 10 million, not including the number of commuters from
surrounding areas, including Bodetabek, which is estimated to have
reached 1.5 million.
Indeed, the population of DKI Jakarta only increased by 1.40 percent
per year over the past decade, but this figure actually surged sharply
from only 0.16 percent over the period 1990-2000.
This is quite astonishing, because the growth rate of DKI Jakarta's
population was expected to decline following the trends of population
growth during 1990-2000.
Thus far, the data shows that Bodetabek experienced rapid development.
The growth of Jabodetabek's population during 1990-2000 is often
referred to as a doughnut phenomenon, where the center is empty and
thick at the edges. However, now the doughnut is getting bigger and
solidifying.
Overall this indicates a spill-over of various socio-economic
activities from DKI Jakarta to its peripheries that need huge tracts
of land, including large-scale housing areas and industrial estates.
The writer is a professor at the Bandung Institute of Technology
***************************************
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DAILY MIRROR
EDITORIAL
EDUCATING OURSELVES ON THE NEED AND VALUE OF DISSENT
At the opening of one of the world's most beautiful Campuses -- the
Peradeniya University, the Duke of Edinburgh spoke these memorable
words, "We will be open more than usual".
Looking back at Peradeniya and reflecting on University Education in
our country today one wonders whether those words are true. Recently
when the University Lecturers' Union wanted to hold a news conference
in the Colombo University premises it was not allowed to do so. This
is in keeping with the Sri Lanka today governed by the 18th Amendment
which replaced the 17th Amendment. In this context one should also
remember that the discussion planned, in the run-up to the passage of
the 18th Amendment in parliament, was abandoned.
Perhaps we are paying the price for not learning from our past
mistakes. During the past few decades because of this type of arrogant
behaviour by the elders of our society those issues had gone
underground. It was because of issues such as the educated youth in
the North and South not knowing English and therefore unemployable
that the country had to face the violence that erupted in the South
and North. However the elders of our society appear to have forgotten
this despite the Lakshman Jayatilleke Commission which attempted to
touch base and go to the roots of the problems of the youth.
Today, we are told from high places and their disciples following the
example set by George W. Bush after 9/11 that terrorism must be wiped
out, we in Sri Lanka have a home grown remedy and therefore we are
prepared to teach the world as to how terrorism has to be eradicated.
Along with India we in Asia are an ancient people. We have a rich
heritage, culture and civilization. Our education was based on our
homes and primarily centered on places of worship. In India therefore
we have the great tradition of Rabindranath Tagore, well known for his
Gitanjali and the Noble Prize for Literature and the Shantiniketan. So
let those who work under the 18th Amendment remember that stopping a
meeting of University Students or lecturers is not education. Like the
people of Japan rising from the ashes of the recent earthquake,
tsunami and nuclear radiation the Sri Lankan mind cannot be stopped
from participating in dissent and therefore in opposition. However
like senior journalists or civic rights activists we may be shot dead
during the heat of the day. However killing is the work of cowards and
not the people who value and learn from dissent and opposition.
Therefore it is the task of the media to stand up to the Vice
Chancellors and their fellow travellers.
It is good to remember a slain editors farewell editorial in which he
quoted a South American thinker, about not being there to protect
those who need our help, then we too won't have anybody not even the
18th Amendment to protect us when the assassin comes looking for us.
***************************************
DAILY MIRROR
EDITORIAL
WHO CARES THE POLICIES, PEOPLE VOTED ONLY TO BE IN THE WINNING SIDE
Of the results of the Local Government elections held on March 17
those of two areas cannot be ignored given the significance of the
political message they have given to the country. One area is
Tissamaharamaya where the JVP lost in the only Local body it was
running for the past two consecutive terms, while the other area being
the Northern and Eastern Provinces where Tamils predominantly live.
Interestingly and ridiculously, as we have several times pointed out
in this column, no party would be defeated in Sri Lanka in any
election, considering the reviews of election results by them. While
one party would win the majority seats of a council, another would
claim victory on the ground that it had increased the number of seats
or votes or percentage of votes, in relation to the previous
elections.
Some parties would justifiably say that the results would have been
otherwise had the election been free and fair as misusing of the state
machinery and state resources the by the ruling parties has been the
normal practice in elections in the country, while the police and the
election authorities turn a blind eye.
The leaders of the ruling party, especially the bigwigs such as Dullas
Allahapperuma and Maithripala Sirisena soon after the results of the
last week's elections claimed as usual that the people of the country
had endorsed the policies of the Government. On the other hand, Tissa
Attanayake, General Secretary of the main Opposition party, the UNP
said that his party had increased its vote base to 34 percent since
the last year's Parliamentary elections at which the party could gain
only 29 percent of votes.
Considering the argument by the Ministers on the policies of the
Government, it is true but ironic that state sector employees through
the postal votes have expressed their support to the Government in
spite of the fact that the Government had breached its pledge given at
the last year's Presidential Election and the Parliamentary elections
to increase their salary by Rs. 2500.
Also while the ministers were giving so many excuses including the
recent floods for the vegetables price hike, President Mahinda
Rajapaksa on March 11 told at an election rally at Nuwara Eliya that
his Government had increased the tax on vegetables imported to the
country during the local harvesting time. In the meantime Sisira
Jayakody, a MEP/UPF a member of the Western Provincial council on
Tuesday had lashed out at the outcome of the last week's election
results claiming that educated and "good" people had not voted at this
election. Hence, it is not clear as to what policy did the people
endorse at this election as the ministers claimed.
If the results are an endorsement of the policies of the winners the
government has to take into serious consideration the verdict of the
Tamil people of the North who voted the TNA, a party that supported
the LTTE until the end of the war. We witness this situation after a
thirty-year-old war and at a time when the Government professes that
it works towards national reconciliation.
Ending of the war has been largely beneficial not only to the
Sinhalese and the Muslims; rather it has saved thousands of children
in the north and the east from the conscription by the LTTE and air
raids by the Air Force. The Wanni area before May 2009 reminisced the
times during colonial era with villages of thatched huts and minimal
facilities. Even the arch foe of the Government has to accept that the
same area is fast progressing by now, whether it is with foreign funds
or with the Government's Consolidated Fund.
The national reconciliation is not a political requirement of the any
NGO or a slogan for the Government to display to the international
community, but an unavoidable historical requirement of the polity.
Government therefore has to take the division of the people on ethnic
lines into account and take remedial measures, as the nation has paid
dearly due to that division. The JVP's defeat in Tissamaharamaya is
clearly shows that policy did not matter in this election. The writer
was told by an employee of the Pradeshiya Sabha during a visit to the
local body that the Chairman of the Pradeshiya Sabha did not use his
official vehicle for his personal needs, even to go home. Also it is
said that contractors could not plunder public funds under that
Pradeshiya Sabha.
Nevertheless people of Tissamaharamaya defeated the JVP, posing a
question as to what really they needed through a Local Government
body. It seems that they just wanted to be in the winning side.
***************************************
DAILY MIRROR
EDITORIAL
LIBYA: OBAMA'S IRAQ
"Despite the fact that it was French war planes which launched the
first attacks, it's clear that this early phase of the operations is
an overwhelmingly American affair - all but a very small number of
cruise missiles have been fired from American ships and submarines, "
said Paul Adams, the BBC correspondent in Washington DC.
One is reminded of what the George Bush administration called the
decapitation strikes before it started the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
The military action in Libya has been projected as having the limited
objective of a humanitarian intervention to protect civilians in the
areas under the control of the rebels. But its real objective is to
have Muammar Gaddfi, the Libyan despot, removed from power as quickly
as possible and instal a pro-Western leader at Tripoli so that Western
oil and gas companies could return to Libya and resume oil/gas
production.
Oil--- and not human rights or concern for democracy--- is the driving
force in Libya as it was in Iraq. The question is no longer whether
Gaddafi will fall, but when and under what circumstances. What
suffering it would cause to the Libyan people? Are they going to be
the real beneficiaries of the UN-authorised and Western-manipulated
intervention or the consumer economies of Italy and other European
countries dependent on the flow of oil and gas from Libya?
The Iraq invasion set in motion the train of events that ultimately
led to the discrediting of the policy-makers of the Bush
Administration in the US and the Tony Blair Government in the UK. As
Obama himself had often conceded, the involvement in Iraq contributed
to the USA's difficulties in the Af-Pak region.
One thought Obama had learnt the right lessons from Afghanistan and
Iraq. It is apparent he has not. After the Second World War, the US
had rarely covered itself with glory when it embarked on external
adventures----whether it be in Korea or in Vietnam or in Somalia or in
Afghanistan or in Iraq. If Obama thinks Libya could be an exception,
he is mistaken.
Whatever be the outcome in Libya, its echoes will be heard wherever
American lives are threatened and American interests are
endangered---whether in the Af-Pak region, or in Yemen or in Egypt or
elsewhere. We have seen the resurgence of the Afghan Taliban in
Afghanistan with a Neo Taliban keeping the NATO troops bleeding. We
will be seeing a resurgence of Al Qaeda with a Neo Al Qaeda
endangering American lives and interests everywhere. Anger breeds
terrorism. More anger will breed more terrorism.
South Asia Analysis Group
***************************************
DAILY MIRROR
EDITORIAL
LIBYA: INCREASING CONFUSION
BY B. RAMAN
"The rebels' strategy is to push west but this has got off to a
halting start, and without further concerted air strikes it is
difficult to see how this rag-tag army will ever achieve its aim of
unseating Col Gaddafi." --- Ian Pannell, the BBC correspondent in
East Libya, in a dispatch of March 21, 2011
Increasing confusion over basic aspects of the Western-led military
operations --- ostensibly with the authorisation of the UN Security
Council (UNSC) --- in Libya doesn't bode well for the achievement of
the principal objective of the operation as authorised by the UNSC,
namely, the protection of civilians in the areas outside the control
of Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan despot.
The No Fly Zone was authorised by the UNSC to protect the civilians
from air strikes by the Libyan Air Force. States of the Arab League
supported the proposal for a No Fly Zone under the impression that it
meant patrolling by the planes of the members of the coalition in the
Libyan skies in order to immobilise the Libyan Air Force.The UNSC
resolution has been interpreted by the US, the UK and France as
authorising not only the immobilisation of the Libyan Air Force, but
also its destruction on the ground. Hence, the repeated air and
missile strikes for three nights in succession on ground positions in
Tripoli, the capital, and other areas under Government control. This
destruction, instead of immobilization, is causing large civilian
casualties in the areas under the control of the Government. Even if
one does not accept the figures of civilian casualties as given out by
the Libyan Government, the fact that there have been civilian
casualties in the Government-controlled areas cannot be denied.
Civilians are being killed in Government-controlled areas in attempts
to protect the civilians in the rebel-controlled areas.
The severity of the air strikes ---- which is totally disproportionate
to the requirements of a No Fly Zone to protect the civilians --- has
already started causing disquiet in the ruling circles of the Arab
world, but not yet amongst the population. There has not yet been any
public demonstration against the disproportionate air and missile
strikes under the pretext of preparing the ground for effective
enforcement of a No Fly Zone. Amr Moussa, the Secretary-General of the
Arab League, has been the first to give expression to this disquiet.
One could expect others to do so in the days to come if this
disproportionate resort to air and missile strikes continues.
The reported destruction by a missile strike of a building near
Gaddafi's place of residence under the pretext that it housed the
command and control of Libyan air defence forces has given rise to
suspicions that the Western-led coalition has arrogated to itself
without the authority of the UNSC the objective of removing Gaddafi
through military action. There have been vague answers from Western
leaders to the question as to Gaddafi's removal is one of the
objectives of the military action. While the Americans have been
somewhat vehement in their denial, the British have not been. While
denying that Gaddafi is a direct target, the British do not rule out
the possibility of his becoming an indirect victim of the air and
missile strikes.
This calculated ambivalence results from Western realization that
there is unlikely to be an early end to the military operations so
long as Gaddafi continues to be in power in Tripoli. Even if the
Libyan Air Force is totally destroyed on the ground, the rag-tag army
of the opponents of Gaddafi is not in a position to move by road over
a 1000 kms from Benghazi to Tripoli, defeat Gaddafi's forces and
remove him from power unless it is assured of sustained air support.
Moreover, it has to pass through areas inhabited by tribes loyal to
Gaddafi. Unless their ground fighting capability is degraded, the
rebel army could face difficulty in reaching Tripoli. Having degraded
Gaddafi's air capability under the pretext of facilitating the No Fly
Zone--- which itself was more than what was authorized by the UNSC---
the West now faces the prospect of having to mount more air and
missile strikes on Gaddafi's ground troops in order to degrade their
fighting capability. This could aggravate the disquiet among the Arab
members of the coalition.
If the rebel army does not capture Tripoli in another two or three
weeks it is likely to face another adversary en route to Tripoli ---
the desert storms which could increase in frequency and intensity in
the days to come. During the Iraq invasion of 2003, desert storms
immobilized some US tanks and slowed down the advance to Baghdad.
Fortunately, the desert storms did not last long. If they last long in
Libya, not only it could slow down the rebel advance to Tripoli, but
it could also hamper air strikes due to poor visibility thereby
increasing the reliance on missile strikes which generally cause more
civilian casualties than air strikes.
These problems --- actual and potential --- have been confounded by
the lack of convergence over the command and control of the entire
operation. Presently, the command and control is being temporarily
exercised by the Americans, but President Barack Obama is anxious to
erase as rapidly as possible the impression that this is an
US-inspired, US-led and US-manipulated military action using the
fig-leaf cover of the UNSC resolution. He wants one of the European
members of the coalition to take over as quickly as possible the
leadership of the command and control. What role should the NATO play
in this command and control? Germany, Turkey and the Arab members of
the coalition are not comfortable with the idea of a NATO role. The UK
and Italy are in favour of it.
If these problems are not sorted out in the coming days and if there
is no convergence on what exactly the UNSC resolution means and how to
achieve the objectives as laid down by the UNSC resolution, one could
find the situation in Libya becoming messier than it is today.
(The writer is Additional Secretary, (retd), Cabinet Secretariat,
Govt. of India,)
***************************************
DAILY MIRROR
EDITORIAL
MOBILEPHOBIA AND HEALTH
BY PROF. ROHAN SAMARAJIVA
Recently, a student at Sabaragamuwa University died. All reports
mentioned that he had gone to the upper floor of a residence hall to
make a call on his mobile. He had been electrocuted by an adjacent
high-voltage transmission line.
When asked for a comment on the contribution made by the mobile phone
to the student's death, my response, based on the facts presented,
pointed to the surprising proximity of a residential building to
high-voltage transmission lines as probable cause. My conclusion was
later confirmed by the Minister of Power and Energy who stated that
the building was an illegal construction.
Why was I, a telecom expert and a former regulator, called upon for
comment? It was because of the perception that the mobile could be the
cause of death.
Fear of the new
In 2010 Sri Lanka claimed 16.3 million active SIMs for a population of
20 million. Quite an advance on the 430,000 connections that existed
just ten years ago and the 2,600 in 1992. It is common to call the man
who plucks coconuts on his mobile; sometimes he answers from atop a
tree. Soon, he will be paid for his services using the mobile.
The scale of the transformation has, unsurprisingly, led to anxiety
about the new technology. That anxiety has taken the form of concern
about health effects of electromagnetic radiation from antenna towers
and from handsets.
When asked about radiation dangers, I routinely ask whether the
concern extends to electricity transmission lines of the type that
killed the university student. Both mobile towers and electricity
transmission lines emit radiation. The former attract opposition while
the latter do not. The physics is identical but the response is
different. Is it that one is new and the other is familiar?
Health concerns. Something as natural as sunshine causes cancer. We
should be concerned about carcinogenic agents in our environment. We
should ask questions about all forms of electromagnetic radiation and
take precautions. We should not build residential facilities too close
to high-voltage transmission lines.
The World Health Organization has published careful assessments of
scientific evidence on radiation from electrical transmission and from
mobile network towers and handsets .
Recently the Indian government published a report on the health
implications of electromagnetic radiation from mobile towers and
handsets (Department of Telecommunications Report of the
Inter-Ministerial Committee on EMF Radiation.) The main conclusions do
not differ materially from those of the WHO that, to date, no adverse
health effects have been established for mobile phone use; that
studies are ongoing to assess long-term effects of mobile use; and
that there is increased risk of traffic injuries when drivers use
mobile phones while driving.
Informed use
With regard to what has the highest potential for harm, the handset,
the Report makes detailed recommendations anchored on setting
standards for the rate of radiofrequency energy absorption per unit
mass of the body known as Specific Absorption Rate (SAR).
It recommends the adoption of SAR level for mobile handsets limited to
1.6 Watt/Kg and that SAR value information be embossed and displayed
on the handset, at the point of sale and on manufacturers' websites.
No handsets above the SAR limit should be manufactured or imported.
The booklet provided with handsets should contain safe-use
instructions such as using a wireless hands- free system (headphone,
headset) with a low power Bluetooth emitter to reduce radiation to the
head; using the handset only when signal quality is good; and keeping
the cell phone at least 30 cm away from an active medical implant.
The Report makes further recommendations on base stations, including
the lowering by 1/10th the current Indian radio frequency exposure
limits; provision of static testing centers for radiation level at
prominent locations with the data being sent to a central server for
compilation and dissemination. Government should create a national
data base with the information of all the base stations and their
emission levels. For future expansion of networks, it is recommended
that low power micro cell transmitters with in-building solutions be
used.
Most decisions in life are based on trade-offs. Sunshine gives me
vitamin D and makes me happy, but it can also cause skin cancer. So I
have to decide how much time to spend in the sun and whether and when
to wear sunscreen.
In the same way, mobiles which give us enormous benefits in terms of
being able to coordinate our activities, call for help, seek
information and increasingly to even engage in transactions, may also
pose potential threats to our health.
The scientific evidence does not establish a threat, but governments
such as Indias have proposed actions based on the precautionary
principle. As consumers, we must make trade-offs. We cannot both want
the conveniences afforded by the mobile and not want the presence of
base stations in our neighborhoods. The latter is the precondition for
the former.
We have responsibility to buy safe handsets, even if they are a little
more expensive than Chinese knockoffs. And to check the information in
the pack and not rely entirely on government to address our health
concerns. The radiation emitting device next to one's ear (and
therefore one's brain) is potentially more dangerous than the
radiation-emitting tower in the neighbor's garden.
The government's task is to equip us to make informed trade-offs, not
to make the trade-offs on our behalf.
Prof Samarajiva is the former Telecommunications Regulator.
***************************************
DAILY MIRROR
EDITORIAL
IT'S SO GRIM AND BARE
MY DEAR MAHINDA AIYA,
Ayubowan, vannakkam, assalamu allaikum and congratulations on your
hat-trick of resounding victories at national elections while millions
of Sri Lankans now hope and pray for a similar triumph in the World
Cup cricket tournament.
The overwhelming victory of the United People's Freedom Alliance
(UPFA) at last Thursday's elections to 234 local councils was
attributed by most independent analysts to your personal charisma. The
UPFA and its allies won 213 of the 234 local councils while the main
opposition United National Party (UNP) was humiliated and the Janatha
Vimuthi Peramuna (JVP) reduced to nothing.
The UNP won only nine councils and was pushed into third place behind
the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) which won 12 councils. This was
similar to what happened in 1977 when the UNP led by J R Jayewardene
won a 5/6th majority in parliament with the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom
Party, then led by Sirimavo Bandaranaike being battered into third
place behind the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF). As a result the
then TULF leader A Amirthalingam became the leader of the opposition
and Mr. Jayewardene used the 5/6th majority to become the all-powerful
executive President.
He used or abused those powers to strip Mrs. Bandaranaike of her civic
rights and then held a referendum in 1982. The referendum was declared
as legally valid but most independent analysts saw it as illegitimate
or immoral because the 50 per cent majority obtained at the referendum
to extend the life of parliament was bloated into a 5/6th majority in
parliament. Many analysts believe it was this illegitimate referendum
which drove the JVP back into an armed struggle and was largely
responsible for the July 1983 racial holocaust and a bloody 25 year
war. The JVP's 1988-1989 reign of terror and the state terror that
followed resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of people and
damage amounting to billions. The ethnic war also left hundreds of
thousands of people dead, injured or displaced while the economic
damage was incalculable.
The SLFP and especially former President Chandrika Bandaranaike
Kumaratunga described the executive presidential system as a curse and
vowed to scrap it 24 hours after she was elected in 1994. But 17 years
have passed and today we see the executive presidency not scrapped but
strengthened with the repeal of the 17th Amendment through which at
least some checks and balances had been put in place.
A Sunday newspaper in its lead story last week reported that powerful
Janasabhas were to be appointed in every district or electorate and
would have the authority to veto decisions taken by elected provincial
councils or the newly elected pradheshiya sabhas and urban councils.
In terms of legislation to be introduced in parliament next month
these janasabhas would be appointed and work under the Economic
Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa.The sky-high cost of living is
likely to rise further with increases in prices of fuel, gas, milk
powder and other items. Millions of people are finding it difficult to
get even two square meals a day but with no credible alternative or
opposition they have little or no option and the situation seems so
grim and bare.
***************************************
******************************************************************************************
GULF DAILY NEWS
COMMENT
ISRAEL, RIGHT OR WRONG?
BY PAUL BALLES
If I were an Israeli, I'd be worried. If I were an Arab, I'd be
insulted. If I were a critic only of Israel, I'd be ashamed."
That was the conclusion of Richard Cohen in the Washington Post on February 28.
What Cohen would be worried about is what he perceives to be
anti-Semitism in the Arab world, fuelled in the Second World War by
Muslim cleric Haj Amin Al Husseini, the grand mufti of Jerusalem.
According to Cohen, Al Husseini was the leader of Palestinian Muslims
who "broadcast Nazi propaganda to the Middle East, recruited European
Muslims for the SS, exulted in the Holocaust and after the war went on
to represent his people in the Arab League".
Cohen not only faults Arabs for their support of Al Husseini, but also
because the "Arab world is saturated by Jew-hatred".
This is a propaganda line that serves no other purpose but to instil
fear in Jews everywhere.
Voices like Cohen's - and there are many - have a much greater impact
on Israelis and their worldwide supporters than any biased statements
made by a single Muslim cleric.
But then Zionists in America feed their own paranoia by deceiving
themselves and distorting reality in their image-twisting house of
mirrors.
Cohen says he would be insulted if he was Arab by Al Husseini seeking
support from Germany and Italy prior to the Second World War.
In 1941, Al Husseini sought a public declaration of support from the
Axis nations for: Arab independence from British and French rule; the
freedom for the independent Arab nations to unite in some form; and
for the elimination of the proposed Jewish homeland in Palestine.
Why should those goals give cause for anyone except an Israeli to
suggest that Arabs should be insulted?
Instead of putting Al Husseini's mission to save Palestine for the
Palestinians into proper perspective, Cohen attempts to distort
history.
Al Husseini also sought military and financial assistance for an Arab
uprising that he promised he could unleash, though only in conjunction
with the Axis declaration.
Finally, Cohen crows: "If I were a critic only of Israel I'd be ashamed."
If American supporters of Israel were more critical of Israel when
Israel deserves it, there would be little call to complain of the
crimes committed by Israelis.
Israel stands in constant denial of any wrongdoing, whether the wrong
happens to be killing by the Stern Gang, apartheid treatment of
Palestinians, murders in Gaza or illegal Jewish settlements.
If the rest of the world attempts to pass a resolution finding Israel
guilty of wrongdoing, the US - under Zionist control - vetoes it. This
has happened 36 times in the past four decades.
Jews who criticise anything that Israel does, no matter how
horrendous, have been dubbed "self-hating Jews".
Major US Jewish organisations, from the American Israel Public Affairs
Committee to the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish
Organisations, are committed to defending Israel whether right or
wrong.
"Any time you engage in an activity critical of Israel you are trying
to destroy the state of Israel," Jeremy Ben-Ami, the president of J
Street, said.
Israel isn't even able to accept criticism by Zionist Jews. Judge
Goldstone is a case in point. He was severely faulted for identifying
wrongdoing by Israel in Gaza even though his investigation was
thorough and fair.
While Israel continues with apartheid practices, illegal settlements
and attempts to get the US to bomb Iran, its blind supporters promote
anti-Semitism.
It's time for reflection and self-criticism. Thinking like Richard
Cohen only increases fear by Jews and disdain by others.
***************************************
EDITORIAL from The Pioneer, The Times of India, Hindustan Times, The
Indian Express, The Financial Express, The Hindu, The Statesman's, The
Tribune, Deccan Chronicle, Deccan Herald, Economic Times, The
Telegraph, The Assam Tribune, Pakistan Observer, The Asian Age, The
News, The Jerusalem Post, Haaretz, The New York Times, China Daily,
Japan Times, The Gazette, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian,
The Guardian, Jakarta Post, The Moscow Times, The Bottom Line and more
only on EDITORIAL.
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