Terrorism in 21st Century

Dr. Abdul has been writing on this blog focusing on the reasons behind Islamic terrorism. Here is a western perspective on terrorism in the 21 century. 

Terrorism in the 21st Century*

 

As shown on September 11, 2001, the people and infrastructure of the developed world are vulnerable to attacks that can cause massive casualties and disruption.

 

Also as shown on that terrible day, terrorists can be perceptive in finding weaknesses, such as the vulnerability of airlines, and innovative in realizing that airliners could be turned into suicide cruise missiles.

 

Global terror networks such as al-Qaeda have the resources and patience to coordinate attacks over a wide area.

 

The “old terrorism” based on ideology or national aspirations is susceptible (as in Northern Ireland, Spain, and Sri Lanka) to developing peace processes that provide a plausible alternative to violence.

 

The “new terrorism” such as that of apocalyptic or radical fundamentalist movements (such as al-Qaeda) is much less susceptible to being brought into some sort of negotiation or peace process.

 

The worst possible combination would be radical “new terrorists” and weapons of mass destruction. International cooperation is needed to prevent states from developing such weapons; systems must be developed to detect them before they are deployed; emergency responders must be trained to deal with the results of their use.

 

There are a number of ways to harden a potential terrorist targets, but risk can only be reduced, not eliminated.

 

The growing disparity between developed and developing nations that can take advantage of global trade on the one hand and nations seemingly stalled in poverty and isolation will be one of the most powerful engines driving terrorism in coming years.

 

Other possible “engines” of future terrorism include dislocation from environmental change (global warming) and population and immigration pressures.

 

*From Global Terrorism (2004) by Harry Henderson, New York

Is India capable of becoming a secular democracy?

Dr. Abdul

With Kashmir under continued Indian occupation, obviously this is a trillion dollar question and the answer is a clear NO! Given the anti-Muslim, anti-Kashmiri and anti-Pakistan hidden agendas, Indian media, it appears, would never let than happen, either.  

 

It is a pathetic commentary on Indian educational (and also social) system that even many Indian ambassadors still do not know that Jammu Kashmir had been once an independent country until 1947 when Indian terrorist forces tactfully annexed it, militarized it and still continues to kill the inhabitants there in a sustained manner. Indian paid fanatic journalists argue what is being done to Muslims in Kashmir and India is correct because India as the “big’ bully guy around, has the right to misbehave or terrorize Muslims and hence they churn out heaps of anti-Muslim, anti-Kashmiri, anti-Bangladesh and anti-Pakistani garbage for the consumption of the emotional Indians. One fails to understand why so much of malice allowed in Indian press against Muslims!  

 

Of course, it is worthless talking about shameless insensitive people and nations again and again because they are rudely committed to lies and arrogance. They foolish, much worse than the monkeys and many other animal varieties like buffalos. But one is helpless in making a reference occasionally when watching the same retched scenario in India without even slight change and when terror is being unleashed in a sustained manner by Indian media. What a dirty nation the British rulers had created for centuries when they left it the monstrous Hindus to rule and ruin!

 

Muslims ill-treated, insulted, demoralized

 

From a small insignificant event to Olympics, India boasts too much if some Indian, preferably a Hindu, manages something for “motherland”. Consider the lousy game called cricket where the maximum possible mischief could be played on the field with not many observing the tricks and adjustments made before the match. Who will get whose wicket, who will score how many runs and centuries, the total score and wickets, and literally every thing could be pre-determined by the cricket mafia and their networks while the players just try to play accordingly. 

 

When it loses a match, India pretends as if nothing has happened in cricket, but when it by chance wins a match, the media blast the news out of proportion with big size photos mainly of Hindus. And if the win was thanks to Muslims cricketers, then media keep mum about the game all together. But if a Hindu makes half century, then his photo is blue-colored in several poses, again out of proportions, as if without those 50 odd runs the entire country would go ashtray and Indian watchers gone semi-mad. When Yousuf Pathan, an Indian Muslim, made the highest score on Sept 16 against the Aussies n Hyderabad , the world does not even know about that and the only thing Indian Hindutva media noted was “ India loses” in a small corner, they refused to publish even a small photograph of Yousuf Pathan. But on 17 when Indians some how fooled the New Zealanders, according to a plan, the media came out with top news with photos of Hindus who “made” the game worth. What exactly is democracy or secularism? Should not one say that is shameless India , shameless Indian secularism and shameless Indian democracy that the nasty Indian media project day and night?

 

Hindus and their media remain just anti-Muslims even after a scientist Dr. Kalam was the president of India for 5 long years. How? Has his preaching fallen into deaf ears? Can’t the Hindus at least pretend that they do like Muslims in some measure? How quick was India in removing him from presidency! 

 

Muslims are ill-treated in India . But Indian Hindus think, for no reasons, that Muslims are unnecessarily pampered in India and Hindus don’t’ get any thing in their “own” country. In practical terms it could amount to mean that the Muslims are let live in this country on Hindu mercy and they should not talk any thing bad about great India and its Hindu oppression ay where. But India media just don’t tolerate any criticism of their Hindu people. Not just that they keep tracking in global media which they try to dominate with filthy anti-Islamic notes, to see nothing bad is written about India . They even coerce the editors abroad not to entertain the Muslims (from India ) with any thing negative about the “great secular country”. And many editors do play with those who try to expose anti-Islamism in India . This is deliberately done even in Muslim countries during Ramadan month; World over the Indian missionary guys do the anti-Muslim job systematically. 

 

Why Indian media ignore Muslim interests?

 

At times, some rash, anti-Kashmir items written by anti-Kashmiri Hindu appear on Islamic media in India , Pakistan and elsewhere, including Gulf, appeasing the Hindutva and their anti-Islamic media. Ask the Indian editors, if they would publish similar stuff against Hindus or Pundits in their newspapers and e-journals? Certainly not! The Indian media lords belong to the state terrorist democracy (STD) called India which is a part of nations of International State Terrorism (IST).

 

India wants to destabilize its neighbors and it uses the media to cater for that need. It is a joke listening from Indians talking about “truth and courage” when the Indian media know only lies and generation of hatred towards Muslims in India and Kashmir . It has become a fashion for Hindus in India to evoke ISI or Pakistan to justify the Indian nefarious activities against Muslims in India and Kashmir . Indians cleverly bypass the hidden agendas of RAW and IB and other secret agencies plotting against Muslims in India , Kashmir , Pakistan , Bangladesh and else where.

 

Kashmir has been burning, Kashmiris are being brutally murdered by India , Kashmir lands are being annexed by Indian occupation forces regularly, but Pundits, fuelled by New Delhi , still support Indian state terrorism and slam the Kashmir freedom groups. When the entire Kashmir was reeling under the economic terrorism by Jammu Hindus, the Pundits did not face any difficulty in finding the goods as India supplied to them without any problems. They are keen to loot the Kashmir land for a Hindu god staying outside India . The presumption that the pundits are of a great race above all other human beings and much above the Kashmiri Muslims is atrocious, to state the least. The Indian Hindus suffer under the terrific illusion that Hindus are simply great, greater and greatest. And full stop. These self proclaimed great Hindus in Jammu Kashmir try to tarnish the image of Kashmiri Muslims, who are already sufficiently insulted and humiliated and inured and killed, knowing that global anti-Islamic media espoused by Hindu media of India would give them grand support.

 

Indian Hindu militants destroyed the Grand Babri Mosque but the Pundits did not condemn the ghastly episode of Hindutva terror forces. Lakhs of Kashmiri Muslims have been brutally murdered by their Hindu terrorist forces occupying Kashmir and have they opened their wide mouth that time to condemn the ghastly genocides and other nefarious atrocities like rapes against Kashmiris Muslims? Don’t the Kashmiri Hindus consider them as their fellow beings?

 

 

It is utterly shameless that Pundits in Kashmir still speak for India and not for Kashmir , but they are not above other pro-India Muslim Kashmiris either. First of all they must learn from Indian media about how to live like your own, that the Pundits should learn to live like Kashmiris and support the freedom cause of Kashmiris. Pundits and other Hindus should ask Indian editors to be considerate about Muslims living in the country as well as Kashmir and take up at least genuine issues, if not all legitimate ones, for focus so that they could get their due place I the country. They are not second class citizens or sub humans as the Indian media think “innocently” in this “innocent” India . Pundits should stress that Indian terror forces stop killing Kashmiris, rape Kashmiri women, terrorizing Kashmir children. They must threaten the India to quit Kashmir and let the Kashmiris live in peace.

 

Indian journalism is formatted in anti-Islamism and combating the malice of anti-Muslims is the greatest challenge today. Hindus must come forward to join the Muslims to expose the state terrorism and hidden agendas of Indian central and state governments. Hindus should know they in India and Jammu Kashmir enjoy the shares in economic and security advancements of Muslims as well. Yet, they shamelessly put all blame on the defenseless Muslims.

 

Mistake lies in the funny attitude of pro-India Muslims in Kashmir and Kashmir media that have worked for India and Hindu interests in Kashmir , and hence the Kashmiri Muslims continue to be suffering even now. Media in Kashmir should protect the legitimate interests of Kashmiris struggling for sovereignty back from occupying India and certainly not against them. Kashmiri Muslims cannot dream that they are welcome in New Delhi even as their agents in Kashmir . They are in fact hated by Indians; they are singled out for torture in Tihar and other jails.  Perhaps, Kashmiris Hindus can appease India if (and because) their interests lie in Hindu India. But the more Kashmiris tolerate terrorist Indian occupation, the worse for them! 

 

Meanwhile, India should showcase not its weapons toilets in Kashmir or elsewhere in the region, but its possible ability to comprehend the principles of democracy and secularism.

Sex in Kathmandu City

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Nepal’s DPM Bamdev Gautam has declared a crusade against night restaurants in Kathmandu to curb the flourishing “nude dance” culture in the capital.

Sex Work in Nepal*

Debates on prostitution in Nepal have been dominated by the issues of trafficking and the migration of females from Nepal’s middle hills to north Indian brothels but comparatively little research has been done on prostitution in Nepal itself.

The subsistence nature of large parts of the rural economy meant that there was no mass market for commercial sex until comparatively recently. Economic development and urbanization and the increasing integration of Nepal within global consumer cultures has altered this so that there is now an expanding domestic sex market in all parts of the country.

There is also a small but expanding trade catering to sex tourists and expatriates. Sex work sites tend to concentrate in urban areas of the Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara and in the cities and towns of the Terai where there are dense sexual networks linking the Indo-Nepal border areas.

There are many sex work sites along the main north-south transport routes and along porterage routes. Sex work sites can also be found in the bazaars of the hills. Usual sex work sites include ‘drinking pubs’, hotels, restaurants and lodges, the worker’s own home, roads, bus parks and jungle areas. Much of the trade is underground and FSW tend to be extremely mobile.

Women of all castes and classes become sex workers, although those who are trafficked or migrate to India come primarily from ethnic minority groups in the hills.

Contrary to popular belief not all females working in the Indian or Nepali sex industries have been trafficked as a result of abduction, drugging or deception. Many young women and girls are sent into sex work because they can earn relatively high wages that can be remitted back home to support families in impoverished villages.

Confusingly prostitution is neither legal nor illegal in Nepal – although sex workers are subject to police harassment and arrest. The estimated number of sex workers is over 25,000 with about 5,000 based in the Kathmandu Valley. Around 5,000 children are thought to be exploited in prostitution and around 35% enter sex work by the time they are fifteen. Around 100,000 Nepali women and girls are believed to work in the Indian sex industry although this figure is open to question with some estimates being significantly higher.

*From the WHO report SEX WORK IN ASIA, 2001

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Trans-border Conflicts Due to Ambiguous Water Regulations

Water Conflicts are global phenomenon

By

ITAY FISCHHENDLER

The causes of water conflicts and the mechanisms for cooperation can be clustered according to how the problem of reaching cooperation is defined. For example, understanding this problem as a result of water scarcity has often resulted in technological and market solutions being suggested to increase availability of the resource. Among them are water and virtual water imports and the adoption of an integrated system of management.

In contrast to economists and engineers, who often stress the physical aspects of the system, international relations (IR) experts argue that water conflicts are a function of institutional and political variables, and, thus, the solution should also address issues of politics and governance. Among the causes IR specialists stress are the degree to which cooperation infringes on the state’s sovereignty over its water sources, the effect of the scale of negotiations on the political cost of negotiations, and the power structure.

While some argue that power asymmetry is required for reaching an agreement, since the more powerful parties can forge a compromise, others counter that a regional power that also holds the position of an upstream riparian is better placed to implement unilateral projects that may become flashpoints for regional conflict.

Although the means to achieve cooperation over transboundary natural resources, water in particular, have been analyzed from many perspectives, the role of ambiguity in resolving disputes has thus far been overlooked. This is surprising, since many of the agreements and conventions pertaining to the regulation of water use are ambiguous in their schedule of water delivery during crisis events, in their cost-sharing arrangements, and may even include lists of contradictory resource allocation principles while being vague as to how to settle the contradictions.

The 1995 Mekong River basin treaty, the Indo-Bangladesh Ganges Treaty, and the Indo-Nepal 1996 Mahakali treaty are just a few examples of the commonality of ambiguities in water agreements. Another is the 1997 UN Convention on Non-Navigational Use of International water Courses.

This convention also adopted ambiguity of a ‘basket of Halloween candy’ nature, meaning that it provides something for everyone, enabling all sides to claim partial victory while not providing any tools for resolving competing claims . Likewise, the current implementation process of the EU Water Framework Directive, which aims to reconcile the different interests of member states and lobby groups that took part in its creation, clearly reveals its inherent ambiguities.

*Excerpted From “Ambiguity in Transboundary Environmental Dispute Resolution: The Israeli–Jordanian Water Agreement.” Journal of Peace Research, vol. 45, no. 1, 2008.

**Available on the net.

The Pipeline Politics and Russo-Georgian Conflict

Dr. Abdul

Recent years saw an assertion by some specialists about another World War (III) taking place on account of conflicts over sharing of water and its resources. However, considering the latest oil and other energy politics, it is easy to speculate about a quick war on global range over squandering of energy resources by the greedy Western and other energy hungry nations. That would be in continuation of the current US-led terror war in Arab word for controlling their energy resources. That is the reason why USA is undecided about declaring “final victory’ over its “enemies” in Islamic world.

Energy and pipeline issues dominate the global politics today as never before because of the urgency in ensuring and securing energy resources from all available regions. Many analysts have built up their arguments for the current Georgian-Moscow fiasco, perhaps rightly, around the global energy and pipeline politics. Following the breakup of the erstwhile Soviet Union into constituent smaller nations, the energy needs topped the agenda of the global as well as regional debate. Many powers including USA and China are competing with one another in gaining profitable business with the energy bedded countries in Eurasia region of which Russia is the dominant player.  The newly emerging energy hungry countries like China and India vie with one another for Central Asian energy resources with and without the approval of Moscow controlling the energy timetable of former Soviet space.

For the same “energy” and “pipeline” reasons Russia and Georgia had a brief war because USA wants to use Georgia for its pipeline project bypassing Russia but an emergent Russia objects to the NATO plan of skipping Russia in shipping energy resources to Europe. As the military action in Georgia winds down, a clearer picture is emerging on the ground. Russia seems intent on solidifying its hold over South Ossetia and Abkhazia, but is not making claims on other parts of Georgia.

Focus on Pipelines

The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline (BTC) is one of several pipelines running from Baku. When the conflict started on August 8, concerns immediately were raised about the BTC pipeline, which pumps nearly 1 million barrels of oil per day from Azerbaijan to Turkey‘s Mediterranean coast, where most of the supply is then shipped to Europe. Russian forces did destroy one key bridge on a Georgian railway line, disrupting oil exports to Georgia‘s Black Sea ports. A fuel train was in flames in central Georgia on August 24. Georgia and US-led West are angry with Russia for its target of pipelines in Georgia. Georgian officials reported several times during the conflict that Russian warplanes had tried but failed to bomb the pipeline directly.

The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan is fully functional and work has started to refill it. But in the weeks since the pipeline stopped working due to a fire along the Turkish section, much has changed along the pipeline’s route due to the Georgian-Russian conflict. Further, there are fears that the conflict between Russia and Georgia might threaten existing and planned Caucasus energy routes seen by the West as vital supply corridors that avoid Russian territory.

An energy expert at the European Council, points out the strategic difference for Russia between the two export routes. The Russians, always want people to believe they have a limited agenda, so they bombed the railway that brings Azeri oil to Georgia, and BP has been forced to stop its shipments of Azeri oil to Georgia by rail because the bridge has been bombed. But they wouldn’t bomb a pipeline which is not directly linked to supplying Georgia. That would give the West justification to accuse Russia of aggression against the West or the region beyond Georgia itself.

Georgia maintains good relations with its direct neighbours Armenia, Azerbaijan and Turkey and participates actively in regional organizations, such as the Black Sea Economic Council and the GUAM. Georgia also maintains close political, economic and military relations with Israeland Ukraine. The growing US and European Union influence in Georgia, notably through proposed EU and NATO membership, the US Train and Equip military assistance programme and the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, have frequently strained Tbilisi’s relations with Moscow. Georgia’s decision to boost its presence in the coalition forces in Iraq was an important initiative.

When Georgia, presumably on the suggestion of the NATO/USA, attacked South Ossetian region that has declared independence from Georgia in 1992, it was done with a view to using that region for the proposed pipeline to pump energy for Europe, apart from strengthening the Georgian case for NATO membership. Russia quickly retaliated the attack on Georgia not just to defend its supporter Ossetia and flush out the Georgian forces from there, but mainly to defend the area from “misuse’ by the USA. The USA and European Union have been supporting construction of the Nabucco gas pipeline to bring Azerbaijani and, more importantly, Turkmen and Kazakh natural gas to Europe — eventually more than 30 billion cubic meters of gas annually. Nabucco is scheduled for completion in 2013, but, owing to the independence issue, no work has been done so far in laying the pipeline. Russia is unhappy, because USA is keen to skip Russia in the pipeline project.

Georgia is currently working to become a full member of NATO. In August 2004, the Individual Partnership Action Plan of Georgia was submitted officially to NATO. On October 29, 2004, the North Atlantic Council of NATO approved the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP) of Georgia and Georgia moved on to the second stage of Euro-Atlantic Integration. In 2006, the Georgian parliament voted unanimously for the bill which calls for integration of Georgia into NATO. The majority of Georgians and politicians in Georgia support the push for NATO membership. Currently, it is expected that Georgia will join NATO in 2009. Similarly, recently Russian Duma voted to recognize both Akhazia and Soputh Ossetia.

The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline

 The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline (BTC pipeline) is a crude oil pipeline that covers 1,768 kilometres (1,099 mi) from the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli oil field in the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. It connects Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan; Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia; and Ceyhan, a port on the south-eastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey, hence its name. It is the second longest oil pipeline in the world after the Druzhba pipeline. Supported by the USA, construction began in April 2003 and was completed in 2005.The first oil that was pumped from the Baku end of the pipeline on May 10, 2005 reached Ceyhan on May 28, 2006 after a journey of 1,770 km.

 

The pipeline starts from the Sangachal Terminal near Baku in Azerbaijan. The route of the pipeline crosses Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey to Ceyhan. Parallel to the BTC pipeline runs the South Caucasus Gas Pipeline, which transports natural gas from the Sangachal Terminal to Erzurum in Turkey. Between Sarız and Ceyhan, the Samsun-Ceyhan oil pipeline will be laid along the same corridor. The project also constitutes an important leg of the East-West energy corridor, gaining Turkey greater geopolitical importance. The BTC pipeline also supports Georgia’s independence from Russian influence. Former President Eduard Shevardnadze, one of the architects and initiators of the project, saw the construction of the pipeline through Georgian territory as a certain guarantee for the country’s future economic and political security and stability. This view has been fully shared by his successor President Mikhail Saakashvili.  

Even before its completion, the BTC pipeline was affecting the world’s oil politics. The South Caucasus, previously seen as Russia’s backyard, is now a region of great strategic significance to other great powers. The U.S. and other Western nations have consequently become much more closely involved in the affairs of the three nations through which oil will flow. Some have criticized this degree of western involvement in the South Caucasus, arguing that it has led to an unhealthy dependence on undemocratic leaders. The countries themselves though have been trying to use the involvement as a counterbalance to Russian and Iranian economic and military dominance in the region. It is seen similarly by Russian specialists claiming that the pipeline is aimed to weaken the Russian influence in the Caucasus.  

Russian bombing in Georgia was focused on some of the “strategic” locals, including pipelines. Russians wanted to create the strong perception that they are the deciding factor in the region and were dealing with a limited set of problems, which are Georgia-centered. Bombing BTC would have been too open an aggression, an act unrelated to the issue at hand. Russia didn’t need to damage the pipeline to show who’s in charge in the Caucasus. “The pipeline itself was not bombed, of course, but the bombing did come awfully close”, argues an expert. It is understood that the Russians have put themselves into the position to be able to have some measure of control over the pipeline even if they have not hit it directly.  

Russian interests and Developing Strategy

In addition to the real, short-term “humanitarian” reasons for the quick military action in Georgia, there are broader political, economic, and strategic interests at play in the Kremlin’s calculus of war. Moscow supports South Ossetia for energy and national interests’ reasons. Similarly, Russia also supports the freedom move of Abkhazia. It is important as well to mention Abkhazia’s strategic importance for the Black Sea Fleet. The port at Sukhumi is comparable to the base Russia leases from Ukraine at Sevastopol and is better than the one at the Russian city of Novorossiysk.

 Russia has a territorial expansion plan for future reference. With freedom seeking Chechnya fully brought under brute control of Kremlin, in 2001, Russia passed a law on the procedures for accepting new subjects of the Russian Federation, including territories that do not have common borders with Russia. Lawmakers at the time were open about the fact that they had in mind regions like South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Transdniester, and, possibly, Nagorno-Karabakh. The law establishes rather complex conditions for acceptance, including the approval of the government of the country of which the region is currently a territory and the holding of an all-Russia referendum on the issue. However, the law exists and amending it to suit the Kremlin is not a problem in Russia.

The Kremlin wants to legitimize its troop movement in both Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The Kremlin is keen to gain South Ossetia to be added to North Ossetia in Russia since many Russians demand it as a lesson for Georgia and USA. Prompted by the recent Georgian attack on South Ossetia, Moscow is now developing a plan to boost the profile of South Ossetia. Immediately after the close of war, therefore, Russian premier Vladimir Putin announced that the government has allocated 10 billion rubles ($408 million) for “reconstruction work” in South Ossetia. Finance Minister Aleksei Kudrin said this money will be including in the federal budgets for 2008-11 and will be placed under a special fund controlled from Vladikavkaz. It seems unlikely anyone would invest such a major sum in a tiny region with a population of less than 80,000 without any ulterior motives. 

Russia‘s new strategy in Georgia seems to be taking shape. Even though much of the troops have been moved out of Georgia, some Russian forces will remain in the “separatist” enclaves in the form of quasi-peacekeepers until Russia resolves the political questions of their status vis-à-vis the Russian Federation. During his August 13 meeting with the de facto heads of both regions, Medvedev virtually promised as much. It would seem that he had in view the possibility of letting the two regions join the Russia-Belarus Union State, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), or the CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization. As part of that process, Russia will likely try to legitimize its military presence in the regions by signing permanent basing agreements with them and ending the need for “peacekeepers.”  

The main trophy for Moscow in the conflict is clearly Abkhazia, which in Soviet times was called the pearl of the Black Sea coast. The region lies just 30 kilometers from Sochi, which will host the 2014 Winter Olympics. The Russian government is expected to invest around $30 billion in that event, and Abkhazia is playing an important role in the process of “absorbing” that investment. The region has long been known as a zone for laundering criminal capital from across Russia and, particularly, from Moscow.

Russian had expected that Georgian attack would go against its President Mikheil Saakashvili, but the matter turned around quite contrarily. The brief war with Russia has only rallied Georgians around their president, whether they like him or not. Georgia was part of the USSR before it became independent following the disintegration of the Soviet Socialist system. IN the past thee were many pro-Russia leaders in Tbilisi, but the scenario changed gradually and now most of them anti-Russia. In Georgia, now as a result, even including the opposition there is not a single public figure or group that espouses a pro-Russian line. The overwhelming majority of Georgians want only one thing at the moment — for Russian troops to leave the country immediately. Any questions about Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili’s political responsibility have been put on the back burner.

 As for South Ossetia and Abkhazia joining the Russian Federation, that is a distant perspective. Such a move would be intimidating to the other CIS countries, many of whom are already fretting about the possibility of redrawing the post-Soviet international borders. This applies first and foremost to Ukraine, which is worried about Russian pretensions to the Crimea and the Donbas region, worries that increased when the Russian Duma voted in May to urge the renegotiation of the bilateral treaty on the border between the two countries. Such concerns have a legitimate basis beyond mere rhetoric.

An Observation: Reliable partner or Supporter? 

Arms race, militarization, nuclearization of international politics and weaponization of the Space have complicated the already tensed relations between and among nations of difference systems and levels of development. Search for energy resources cheap rates by pressure tactics is the spoiling the international relations.    

US-led seeks a reliable support in the Kremlin that would firmly stand by the US actions any where n the world, but Moscow insists that it could at best only be a reliable partner in international maneuverings but declined to be any reliable supporter. Russia‘s military campaign this month in Georgia was a reminder that there is always a risk in running energy supply routes through this volatile part of the world — a fact that is hitting home with potential investors in planned Caucasus natural-gas or oil pipelines. 

Clearly, the August 2008 military action in the Caucasus has made the prospect of transporting oil through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline and other non-Russian routes seem potentially perilous. The BTC pipeline looks secure for exports to Europe, albeit under the increased watch of Russia, as is the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline that runs along nearly the same route as the BTC. But the big question now concerns plans for future pipelines. Nabucco faces competition from the Russian-backed South Stream gas pipeline project that runs nearly the same route as Nabucco and targets essentially the same consumer market. But USA opposes this. Given the outcome of the Georgian-Russian conflict, potential investors will have to consider which of the two pipelines is more likely to be built first.

Moscow cannot hit the economic interests of NATO. Moscow is wise enough to see the difficulty of assimilating territory settled by people who are hostile to it.  Chechnya remains a glaring example. However, since hostilities eased in the Caucasus, Russia‘s Gazprom has managed to conclude a deal with key Caspian gas supplier Turkmenistan. The details of that deal are unclear, but it appears Ashgabat has agreed to sell even more gas to Gazprom for resale.

 Western media admit the fact that Russia has always met its contractual commitments, that it’s been an extremely reliable supplier at least to Western Europe over the past four decades, but Moscow is accused of using energy supply to control its former Soviet space. A specialist states: “But at the same time the political perception is something else and now the political perception is that Russia is not a reliable supplier, or, at least it’s a politically problematic supplier…. This will again increase the legitimacy of energy policies aimed at substituting away from gas, not necessarily only from Russian gas but from gas itself.”

Still, Europe and USA would not let Russia decide matters by itself and Europe has to appease Moscow for economic reasons. Europe and Gazprom simply need each other too much. “Gazprom needs Europe as much as Europe needs Gazprom — more, in fact. It is believed that European gas sales account currently for about 60 percent of Gazprom’s total revenues. Losing that would hurt the company very much.

Russia may have won a Pyrrhic victory in Georgia. Its dominance in the Caucasus is almost beyond question now, but its image is badly tattered. West now paints Russia as an aggressive power that would invade its neighbors even at the slightest provocations. But in the end, just having those supplies may not be enough. Russia‘s image in Europe has suffered from the military action in the Caucasus — and that could spur a change in European energy policies.

West wants Russia to be a perfect pro-west to play junior partner role.   Power of the Kremlin cannot be underestimated by the NATO or US-led Western powers. In the end, Moscow‘s military and political efforts in the region will help solidify its position of Eurasian energy hegemony. As a concession to customers in Europe, the Kremlin is being pressured to allow alternative pipelines to be built to avoid losing revenue from sales in the West. After all, Europe may now see diversifying away from natural gas as preferable to a future as a captive customer of Russian gas supplies.

Back to the theme of prospects of WW-III, it is almost certain the USA-led anti-Islamic nations with huge piles of weapons toilets, including nuclear, keep jumping out to invade Muslim nations even without any real threats or causes. Since energy resources occupy the top item on many big economies and developing ones like India and Israel, the war on oil and pipeline related issues cannot be ruled out readily. As the desire of nuclear states to showcase their arms toilets is increasingly growing, the danger to the security of weak nations and the entire humanity becomes quite real. Future security issues, with two emerging blocks, as before the 1990s led by USA and Russia, confronting each other, therefore, would further complicate the international relations gravely. But then, when arrogance supersedes reality, nothing can stop the anti-Islamic forces from destroying the entire world as if for fun. 

Malaysian Politics: Badawi faces storm, Stays Back

Dr. Abdul

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has rejected the opposition’s claim it has enough support to seize power, saying he is “here to stay” and opposition has the right to dream. Anwar Ibrahim’s deadline to show enough majority of parliamentarians to his side closed on 16 Sept. The failure, according to some, showed that Anwar was a leader with no credibility. Ruling circles slam Anvar’s tactics, saying his actions had also brought nothing but problems to the people and country. 

Malaysia – Facing a resurgent opposition and fresh defections from his ruling coalition, Malaysian Prime Minister said on Sept 16 that he might relinquish power to his deputy earlier than planned. Abdullah, who earlier announced plans step down in mid-2010, said he still intends to defend his post as the ruling party’s leader in a December ballot. But Badawi, facing criticism over a spate of detentions without trial, insisted he remained in charge. Abdullah said when asked if Anwar’s efforts would compel him to quit. “Do you think he would ask for a meeting with me to discuss a transition? He would storm into my room with hundreds behind him, shouting victory. This is Anwar’s style,” he told a news conference on 16 Sept. 

Abdullah, meanwhile, ceded control of the Finance Ministry to Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak, and said he was taking over the less crucial Defense Ministry from Najib. The announcement is apparently aimed at appeasing dissidents who have demanded Abdullah’s early resignation after the ruling National Front coalition got its worst election results in the 51 years it has been in power since Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957, sliding from the two-thirds majority it enjoyed for decades. The National Front won a simple majority in the 222-member Parliament in March elections. The Front also lost control of five of Malaysia‘s 13 states to Anwar’s People’s Alliance coalition. 

Opposition Fading? 

Anwar has been promising to oust the government for months, following large opposition gains at a general election in March. On 16 Sept, he said he had more than enough pledges of support. “It is increasing by the hour. I am not joking,” Anwar said, according to AP news agency – but he failed to name any of his new supporters. Anwar needs 30 MPs to cross the floor to join its 82-strong bloc and seize a majority in the 222-member assembly. 

The opposition is meantime keeping up its pressure on Abdullah. Anwar Ibrahim said on Sept 16 he was on the verge of toppling the government through parliamentary defections. He claimed he had pledges of support from more than 31 National Front lawmakers ready to defect to the People’s Alliance. Anwar refuses to divulge their names, and Abdullah has rejected the claim as a “mirage” Opposition lawmaker Tian Chua said the People’s Alliance would give Abdullah “a few days” to voluntarily hand power to the opposition to ensure a peaceful transition. 

Anwar claimed he had more than enough pledges of support from defecting government lawmakers to form a new administration. He said he wanted to meet Abdullah to discuss a handover of power. Anvar’s efforts did attract a few members of the Parliament. On Sept 17, the Sabah Progressive Party, a small member of the 14-party National Front, quit the coalition. The party has two members in Parliament, and its exit reduces the National Front’s majority to just 56 at a time when opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim is trying to seize power. The party said it will remain independent for now but did not rule out joining Anwar, claiming that Abdullah’s coalition “has lost its moral authority to rule.” 

On Sept 14, one member of the government resigned, in protest at the government’s use of draconian security legislation to jail one opposition member of parliament, Zaid Ibrahim, one blogger and a journalist on the weekend. The journalist has since been released, but did not link his resignation to Anwar’s campaign, and reports say Abdullah has refused to accept it. 

Anwar’s opposition coalition has huge momentum behind it, but in spite of the pledge it was unlikely that he would be in power by the end of Tuesday, says the BBC’s Robin Brant in Kuala Lumpur. Anwar has increased pressure on the government – but adds that the same party has controlled Malaysia since it was founded 51 years ago. However, there is no doubt the government is struggling, he says – and there is a growing sense that this could be the final act. 

Anwar appeared to be a spent force 10 years ago when he was jailed for corruption and sodomy. He is facing renewed allegations of sodomy which he insists are part of a political smear campaign. He has yet to name any members of the government who have promised to defect to him. Rooted in deep corruption, he says that any government led by him would focus on rooting out corruption, and bringing new fairness to all of Malaysia‘s races, not only the politically dominant Malays. Hence the non-Malay politicians support him to pull down Badawi.

Don’t Confuse!

Abdullah Badawi today reminded Malaysians not to act according to their emotions following the many issues taking place as reported by the mass media of late. The Prime Minister also advised the people not to be easily influenced by the reports. “Exercise self control. Don’t become easily confused, shocked or panic and do not be swayed by emotions,” he said at a breaking of the fast gathering at the Al-Jamiul Badawi mosque here. He said everyone should think carefully before reacting to a certain issue. Abdullah also reminded Muslims to exercise prudence during the month of Ramadan.  

Abdullah accused Anwar of confusing the public and causing “total uncertainty.” He said Anwar had “become a threat not only to our economy but possibly also of security.” Abdullah pledged to deal with Anwar “in the best interest of the country and the people,” but did not say whether this means using a law allowing for imprisonment without trial that is invoked against people regarded as national security threats.  

Badawi Stays

Despite the fact the Barisan government lost its two-thirds parliamentary majority in March for the first time since independence over half a century ago, it did win majority in the parliament. A two-third majority is not a must to rule in Malaysia. Abdullah says that he cannot be bullied by the opposition just like that. He remains undeterred and says the government is strong, “we are here to stay”. His deputy Najib Razak, widely tipped to replace Abdullah, repeated the assurances. “I am confident that the Barisan government will continue to rule,” Najib said of the Barisan Nasional or National Front coalition, in which the United National Malays Organization (UMNO) is the leading component. Najib described Anwar’s campaign the politics of deception, deployed to deceive, and clearly it has not become a reality. 

Umno Vice-President Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said the people should now get back to work rather than be engrossed in listening to Anwar’s theatrics about forming a new government. He said the time has come for the people to no longer pay attention to what Anwar had to say as it was only a waste of time. He asserted with the date Sept 16 coming to pass, it is clear that what has been mentioned (about forming new government) is just play-acting. 

Ruling UMNO is expected to hold a meeting of its ruling council on Sept 17. In the days to come the opposition might think of intensifying its efforts to force Badawi to quit, but, most probably, without any success.  

Nepal is not like India

Nepal is not like India . . . or is it? Prachanda embracing Manmohan

Dor Bahadur on Nepali Nationhood

Attempts by most scholars to understand and then represent Nepali society, especially the dynamics of the predominant Nepali culture, have typically been burdened by a theoretical framework, used for the study of social stratification, developed by a western mentality that attends to represent Hindu caste society either based on the Indian model or as a periphery of the western centers of industrial capitalism and imperialism (Blaike et al, 1980).

Nepal is not like India. This is a critical point. And an overemphasis on the structural qualities of caste often simply obscures more critical issues concerning value systems…Nepal’s problems follow from certain attempts at the Indianzation of its culture.

Nepal’s strengths have always been in the indigenous qualities of its various ethnic groups. The attempt to follow the Indian model has often overwhelmed and suppressed these qualities, substituting them with something which is incongruent with its own culture and ultimately defeating progressive adaptation and change. Indian culture and civilization have made positive contribution to the development of Nepal from the earliest of times to the present. . .

They can do so in future and we should be open to them, but what Nepal takes from India, or any other culture, needs to be scrutinized and its negative elements purged. Hindu caste culture contains negative elements which need to be identified, localized and, if possible, exorcized.

*Excerpted from FATALISM AND DEVELOPMENT (1991) By Dor Bahadur Bista

Thailand Crisis: Will a new Premier solve the Turmoil?

Dr. Abdul

With Samak Sundaravej and his entire cabinet, voted for Samak in December 2007, deciding to quit following a Court ruling on 9 Sept demanding resignation for violating constitution, the protesters have got what they primarily want, but, of course, not every thing. Knowing the opposition mood, the ruling People Power Party (PPP) after sticking to its guns, has finally ruled out Samak to be the premier again. PPP re-nominating Samak as prime minister on Sept 11, the party on 12 Sept abandoned move to re-elect Samak. It was expected the choice of a compromise candidate could persuade the demonstrators to abandon the protests that have paralyzed the government and driven tourists away.

 

On 14 September,Thailand‘s caretaker government headed by the acting Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat lifted a state of emergency in the capital, nearly two weeks after it was declared following clashes between pro- and anti-government protesters. The emergency in Bangkok was declared on September 2 after anti-government protesters besieging the then prime minister’s offices clashed with his supporters in violence that left one person dead and dozens wounded.

 Court Intervenes

 

Thailand‘s ruling party has abandoned its attempt to get embattled leader Samak reappointed as prime minister. The PPP initially said it would renominate him as prime minister, but early on Sept 12 the vote to re-elect him had to be abandoned because too few MPs turned up. It became apparent that partners in the ruling coalition and some members of his own party opposed his nomination. It has become clear that coalition partners and some PPP lawmakers opposed the decision. The PPP is expected to hold talks with the five other parties that make up the ruling coalition in the next few days. But whoever gets the job will face the unenviable task of calming the fevered political temperature and helping the governing party overcome some formidable challenges. Over the next few months it must face the possibility of being dissolved by the increasingly assertive courts over allegations of vote-buying in the last election. A spokesman later confirmed that Samak was no longer trying to win back his job and he has done “his best as the party leader to preserve democracy”.

 

 

A series of adverse court rulings also undermined Samak’s government. He was forced to step down on September 9 after the Constitutional Court ruled there was a conflict of interest when he was paid to host a TV cooking show while premier. PAD accuses Samak and his government of being a puppet regime for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a coup in 2006 and now lives in exile in London.

 

Pressure

 

The opposition PAD leaders want a largely appointed body to govern the country instead. The protesters are, however, unlikely to give up their demands completely, but it was expected they might end up compromising on their call for the government to be replaced by a largely appointed body. It seemed very unlikely that the protesters would have just packed up and gone home, as the government has expected. They have brought tents, camping equipment and even portaloos to their sit-in at Government House, and show no sign of leaving. Their resolve has been strengthened as Samak’s position has become ever more precarious. As well as the PAD, he was also under pressure from the main opposition party and the top army commanders. Elsewhere in Thailand, others have joined in the anti-government cause, holding strikes and disrupting transport routes.

 

   

The protesters claim Samak is just a proxy for Thaksin – and would not be satisfied until his PPP party leaves office altogether. The crux of the trouble is the opposition brand Samak as a puppet for Thaksin Shinawatra, the former prime minister who the military accused of corruption and ousted in 2006. Samak had vowed not to bow to the protesters’ demands, but was eventually forced out earlier this week over an appearance in a TV cookery show that a court said breached the constitution. A spokesman for the PAD said that the group would accept anyone as an interim prime minister as long as Samak went. Parliament is now scheduled to vote on a new prime minister on Sept 17.

   

Judiciary literally put an end to Samak’s political career. Less than two years ago, the army took over the country after a string of similar protests against Thaksin. But army Chief Anupong Paochinda has ruled out a coup this time, admitting that the last coup failed to solve the underlying issues plaguing Thailand. The military is very powerful, though, and if tensions escalate, the generals might decide it is in the interests of the country to step in.

 

A failed Strategy

 

  

The Thai Election Commission recently ruled that the PPP committed electoral fraud during December’s poll and should be dissolved. If the PPP is barred from office – as Thaksin’s Thai Rak Thai party was last year – the opposition Democrat Party is again likely to be the main winner. But it will probably take months before the Constitutional Court decides whether to accept the Election Commission’s recommendation – and the current stalemate is unlikely to last that long. State used brute force when pro-government supporters had clashed with PAD protesters, leaving one person dead and dozens injured. But they have not yet started sustained protests of their own, as they did two years ago to combat the pro-Thaksin rallies.

 

 

Prime Minister Samak tried all tactics to stick to power, but failed. First Samak insisted he had a legitimate mandate to govern, after winning December’s elections, and is unlikely to just give up and go quietly. Then Samak called for a snap election. At some point, Samak may decide that events are serious enough to warrant dissolving parliament and calling another poll. This was unlikely to solve much, though. The bulk of support for Samak and his People’s Power Party (PPP) comes from the rural voters who supported former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra before he was ousted in a coup and barred from politics.

 

 

Failing to cut ice with the protesters, Samak offered to hold a national referendum to try to defuse the crisis, asking people what they think about the ongoing protests. But the earliest this could happen is October, because a referendum cannot be held until at least 30 days after being approved by the Senate. Even if it gets Senate approval, and the protesters – from the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) – are willing to accept the delay, there is likely to be a lot of disagreement over the wording of the questions and the way the vote is organized. Even the leader of the Senate has voiced skepticism that a referendum will be able to solve the crisis.

 

 

King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who has been on the Thai throne for more than 60 years, is revered across the nation. He has very limited power under the constitution, but because of the immense respect for him, he can wield decisive influence. He has intervened in several disputes in the past; one of the most enduring images of his reign is when he ended street violence in 1992 with a few words to the two main rivals, both of them kneeling at his feet. Samak has already been to see the king since this crisis began, but the conversation between them has not been disclosed.

 

 

Judiciary could launch a probe against Samak brand of inciting violence. Samak has been linked to a decision to crack down harshly on a group of left-wing student demonstrators in 1976, and analysts initially feared he might do the same thing again. But he knew that he would lose support and credibility if he ordered the military to crack down on the protesters. And even if he did, there is little chance they would follow orders. Soldiers in Bangkok have already refused to exercise the extra powers Samak gave them when he imposed a state of emergency.   

 

Who Next?

Thailand’s ruling party agreed to meet on Sept 15 to pick a nominee to be the next prime minister after Samak Sundaravej‘s bid to return was snuffed out Sompong Amornviwat, deputy leader of the People Power Party (PPP) and apparent favorite for the post, confirmed the meeting Monday will choose one candidate, and hope that name is acceptable to its coalition partners. The others are co-deputy leader Somchai Wongsawat and party secretary-general Surapong Suebwonglee. But Sompong rejected the notion that he was the frontrunner after local media reports that coalition parties favored him.

However, Chamlong Srimuang, one of the five leaders of head protest group the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), said its action would not end with a new prime minister. Besides demanding the ouster of the ruling party, PAD is pushing a broader agenda to scale back Thailand’s democracy by reducing the influence of poor, rural voters, who gave Thaksin steadfast support for providing universal health care and low-interest loans.

 

 

An Observation

 

The government has been paralyzed since anti-government street protesters stepped up their campaign in late August. Parliament is to vote for a new prime minister on Sept 17. But there was no sign the opposition PAD were stopping with Samak’s departure and protest leaders have said no members of the ruling PPP would be acceptable to them as prime minister.

 

Thousands of protesters in Bangkok have indefinitely besieged Government House and the newly emerging scenario with the exit of Samak would make a shift in the opposition strategy. So far no clear front-runner has emerged and the protesters say they will not accept another leader perceived as close to Thaksin. PAD is wary about the rural support for him.

.

 

The move to elect a new leader of PPP to lead the government might pave the way for an end to Thailand‘s political crisis. But there is no guarantee for that since the opposition wants the ruling regime to quit government. As such, there is no obvious way out of this impasse, and emerging scenario is a clear recipe for lasting peace. Thailand is badly polarized into two sides – those who ardently support Thaksin and his allies, and those who detest them and refuse to countenance the idea of them in power. Until a final compromise is reached, the rift in Thai society is likely to continue even after a new PPP government with a new premier takes office. 

Is India gearing up for another terror war in Kashmir?

Dr. Abdul

For any one who thought India might go for a gradual reduction of its terror forces deployed in Kashmir, killing, antagonizing and alienating Kashmiris, there is some more bad news. In stead of reduction, India has now decided to add more troops in Kashmir. As if the existing force posture is not sufficient, New Delhi will expand further scope for military hostilities. JK Governor Vohra is reportedly having some secret discussions with Delhi leaders.

 

 

Ignoring the ground reality in Jammu Kashmir, the government of occupying India has apparently decided to go ahead wit its poll schedule so as to reduce the importance of the recent popular uprising for Kashmir freedom. As the very first step, as any imperialist and colonial power does, India has decided to solidify the military power in Kashmir. Accordingly, the Indian authorities have deployed additional 65 companies of para-military personnel in Kashmir and the heavy deployment of troopers will not be thinned until the assembly elections are held in the State.

 

 

 

The Indian Kashmir has witnessed one of the biggest ever anti-India and pro-freedom marches in the recent past, following the illegal Amarnath land deal in Kashmir by India.  According to estimates 1.8 million people participated in one of the freedom marches organized by the freedom leadership, some American media have expressed sympathy with Kashmiris. Kashmiris demand sovereignty from India. Kashmir was annexed by India in 1947. Jammu and Kashmir is the U.N. recognized disputed state under the illegal occupation of India since 1947. In fact there is no dispute but only a fact that Idnia illegally occupies Kashmir. Since 1988, the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir has been hit by confrontation between Kashmiri Freedom Fighters and the Indian Military, which has resulted in more than One hundred thousand of deaths. Unofficial sources put the number of Indian troops deployed in the state to seven hundred thousand.

 

  After Uprisng

 

Recent Kashmir uprisng has sent out cold waves across the New Delhi’s corridors of power. With a view to suppress any freedommovement, thousands of gun and baton wielding troopers have been deployed across the valley after the recent uprising and staging of massive pro-freedom rallies and marches. Almost every major intersection in city and other parts is being manned by large contingent of troopers. In most places, CRPF and local police have been deployed to take on protestors. However, in some parts of Valley, BSF and Army have been deployed to prevent people from staging pro-freedom marches and rallies. The CRPF says the deployment would remain there until normalcy is restored in the Valley. “So far, there has been no relenting in the protests and agitation. We have asked our men on the roads to remain extra alert to meet any eventuality,” they said.

 

 

 

Keeping in view the present situation in Kashmir, the BSF personnel will continue to assist the police and civil administration in maintaining the law and order situation. At present, 15 companies of BSF have been stationed in the outskirts of Srinagar. These companies, which were deployed for smooth conduct of yatra, were retained by the authorities after mass uprising in the Valley. 50 companies of CRPF, which were deployed across the state for peaceful conduct of Amarnath yatra, have been deputed in Srinagar and other parts of the Valley to maintain law and order. In other words,, these terror forces would now take on the Kashmiris. Each CRPF company comprises 135 personnel. “Due to normalcy, we used to give longer period of rests to most of our men in the base camps. After the outbreak of agitation, we have deployed additional men on the already existing posts,” he said. Some BSF companies were airlifted to Srinagar to help the para-military personnel stationed in Kashmir maintain law and order and tackle the situation. One BSF official, however, said that conditions are not conducive for holding of assembly elections in the State.

 

 

 

Already it gives one gets the impression that Kashmir has more people belong to security services than the Kashmiri civilians, but India keeps adding more troops after creating fabricated issues and killing some Kashmiris.  Freedom leaders like Geelani are regularly arrested and they spend a lot of time in his lock up space. UN must institute an enquiry on Kashmir and send a  peace mission to arrange for the freedom of Kashmir.  

 

  Oh Kashmir!

 

Upon tactfully annexing its neigbor Kashmir in 1947 as soon as it got freedom form british ruelrs, India used huge piles of Buristsh weaponry left behind by UK, in Jammu Kahsmir and fully militarized Kashmir over years. With a view to retian Kahsmiras a buffer zone between India and China and Pakistan, India has planed to retian Kashmir at any cost resutlng in regualr genocide of Kashmirs. 

 

Kashmir is still burning and India seems to to keen this continues. Indianpreneir visited the hospitalizedHindus in Delhi after the “blasts”, but he did nt even bother to send good feelings to Kahsmiris who were similarly hospitlaized in Kashmir and killed in Indian terror shootings. Encouraged by New Delhi,  Jammu has witnessed an intensely chauvinist, communal and violent agitation for over seven weeks over the cancellation of an order transferring 100 acres of forest land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board. This is pitting Jammu against Kashmir, ethnic groups against other ethnic groups, and Hindus against Muslims in dangerous new ways.

 

 

Massive demonstrations by general public occurred after plans by the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir state government to transfer 100 acres of land to an India floated trust which runs the Hindu Amarnath shrine in the Muslim-majority Kashmir valley. As before, Indian State security forces and army cracked down on protesters with brute terror, more than 40 Muslims have been killed and at least 300 protesters have been detained, including the freedomleaders. Protests are on-going and Pro-Freedom Kashmiri Leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has warned that the peaceful uprising can lead to violent upsurge if India’s heavy-handed crackdown on protests are not restrained.

 

The origins of the conflagration in June 2008 in Kashmir on forest land allocation for construction of facilities for the Amarnath yatra lie in open state promotion of the pilgrimage. India now stadns for Hinduism and upholds Hindutva moorings not so much in words as in deeds. Offically India clalims tob e a dmeocratic and secular state, but inpractice it remians a Hindu state and , for all practical purpsoes it is an anti-Muslm state. Thus, what is otherwise a little known religious pilgrimage of the shaivite Hindus has been elevated to represent a patriotic enterprise. Now the Hindus who want to some how seek an interntional image for Hinduism which has been neglecting and suppressing the Muslims in India and killing Kashmiris, are encouraged even to equate the Amarnath with Mecca Kaabaa. Why should Indians suffer from such inferiority complexes at all?

 

 

A Word: Can an illegal occupier talk about law in its courts?

 

A terrorst state that has killed over a lakh (rather lakhs of) free Kashmiris since 1947, India has been using all sorts of suveillance mechneary to track the Kashmir freedom seekers and killing them eventually. Hundreds and thousands of military personnel and weaponry have been amazed in Kashmir and every part of Kashmir is bieng infested with Indian terror agents. According to offical annoucements, there are some 800 “Kashmiri terrorists” in Kashmir, but why India needs lakhs of military perosnnel in Kashsmir? 

 

 

India seems to tell the world a logic: if the USA could brutally occupy Afghanistan and Iraq and its global military ally Israel could “own” Palestine and other Arab lands and even could keep attacking and killing the Palestinians, why not India terrorize the Kashmiris, killing them and occupying their nation by brute force?

 

 

Obviously, cash rich India continues to challenge UN and UNSC that have criticized its terror activities in Kashmir recently. One doesn’t now if India seeks to showcase its military power to defeseless Kashmiris or to the world, especially Pakistan and China, or, alternatively, it seeks a total destruction by this kind of misadventures in Kashmir. Kashmir is a stolen property and India has to surrender soveriignty back to Kashmiris, earlier the better! Does Indian law permit robbery, cheating, fraud, rape and genocide? And, constant militarization of its neighbor Kashmir? Will India judiciary step in to advise the shaken Indian leaders, badly confused by the advise of their strtegists, to quit Kashmir  at least now?

Foreign Aid and Development

Dor Bahadur on Foreign Aid

“Rural development requires political management, not foreign technical inputs…Technological inputs such as the rural transport system makes inroads for colonialism comparable bourgeois systems” (Lohani, 1983).

This kind of criticism, in particular, seems to be connected with modern forms of seminar punditry, when secular erudition has been substituted for Vedic ritualistic erudition. These observations are grounded in the realities of Nepali society. The vicissitudes of Nepali culture is what has been consistently ignored by foreign developmentalists and native critics.

. . .

Nepal is not alone in remaining backward and poor. There many societies in the third world which are poor and backward. The reasons behind their backwardness are many and different though the symptoms are the same. Mostly however such societies discourage innovation. They tend to maintain themselves by fairly rigid prescriptions of fixed adult roles, into which both men and women are fitted.

These expected social roles define the limits of aspiration for each generation. People who have made comparative studies of many different societies, know that when status is ascribed, rather than achieved, individual efforts towards excellence are not directed through any form of innovation; rather, the enhancement of status occurs only through the realization of a previously well defined role position.

It is only with social change, or when some form of continual dynamic disequilibrium occurs in a society. We begin to observe the development of achievement motivation in its modern form (De Vos, 1973).

Nepal will need foreign aid for quite some time to come, at least until it is able to develop an industrial base. Foreign aid has become an integral part of national economic and international political life. It would be short sighted to wish it away. There is no wisdom in blaming foreign aid and wishing for its discontinuation. This does not, however, mean that Nepal should wait for foreign aid to take care of all its needs while Nepalis sit back doing nothing themselves.

. . .

Foreign aid

can facilitate Nepal becoming a fully functioning and productive member of this community. But it needs to be used realistically and beneficially, and this can only be done when it is spent on training the common people who will use their skills, rather than educating aspiring individuals with hierarchic attitude to become pedagogues to preach pessimism and infuse a very poor self-image as they themselves have had for a long time.

*Excerpted from FATALISM AND DEVELOPMENT (1991) By Dor Bahadur Bista