Nepal: Imagine There’s No Country. . .I Wonder If You Can. . .

Buddha in the battlefield: A Woman Sitting in the Lotus Position in 2006

The following is what I found in the Inbox asking for forwarding it to 20 people IF I WANTED PEACE IN NEPAL:

Ant & Grasshopper
The Ant works hard in the withering heat all summer building its house and laying up supplies for the winter.

The Grasshopper thinks the Ant is a fool and laughs & dances & plays the summer away. Come winter, the Ant is warm and well fed. The Grasshopper has no food or shelter so he dies out in the cold.

Modern Version
The Ant works hard in the withering heat all summer building its house and laying up supplies for the winter.
The Grasshopper thinks the Ant’s a fool and laughs & dances & plays the summer away.
Come winter, the shivering Grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the Ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving.
Nepal TV, BBC, CNN show up to provide pictures of the shivering Grasshopper next to a video of the Ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food.
The World is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be that this poor Grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?

YCL stages a demonstration in front of the Ant’s house.
Nagrik Samaj goes on a fast along with other Grasshoppers demanding that Grasshoppers be relocated to warmer climates during winter.
Amnesty International and Koffi Annan criticizes the Nepalese Government for not upholding the fundamental rights of the Grasshopper.
The Internet is flooded with online petitions seeking support to the Grasshopper (many promising Heaven and Everlasting Peace for prompt support as against the wrath of God for non-compliance) .
Opposition MPs stage a walkout. Upendra Yadav call for “Nepal Bandh”. Maobadi in immediately passes a law preventing Ants from working hard in the heat so as to bring about equality of poverty among Ants and Grasshoppers.
Baburam allocates one free coach to Grasshoppers on all Nepali Buses aptly named as the ‘Grasshopper Rath’.

Finally, the Judicial Committee drafts the ‘Prevention of Terrorism Against Grasshoppers Act’ [POTAGA], with effect from the beginning of the winter.
Madav Nepal makes ‘Special Reservation ‘ for Grasshoppers in Educational Institutions & in Government Services.
The Ant is fined for failing to comply with POTAGA and having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes; its home is confiscated by the YCL and handed over to the Grasshopper in a ceremony covered by Nepal TV.

Prachanda calls it ‘A Triumph of Justice’.
YCL calls it ‘Socialistic Justice’.
Maoists calls it the ‘Revolutionary Resurgence of the Downtrodden’.
UN Secretary General invites the Grasshopper to address the UN General Assembly.
Many years later…
The Ant has since migrated to the US and set up a multi-billion dollar company in Silicon Valley.

100s of Grasshoppers still die of starvation despite reservation somewhere in Nepal.

Bangladesh Polls 2008: Stage One Toward Democracy

By Dr. Abdul Ruff

It looks bright the land of Bangali language, Bangladesh, is beginning to breathe fresh air politically and the major political wings and the government are on compromise notes about the need to conduct the poll to put in place an elected government to run the country for the welfare of the people alone. The interim government in Bangladesh has called a parliamentary vote for Dec. 18 to end nearly two years of emergency rule, imposed after scheduled elections were delayed due to political violence. The interim government has announced that general elections will be held as planned on 18 December. It said it had decided to keep to the date after failing to persuade political parties to drop their differences over the schedule.

A total of 107 political parties had applied to the EC for registration. Meanwhile, the EC has declared 37 registered political parties eligible to contest the upcoming election. The number is significantly less than the previous elections because of the strict provision for political parties’ registering with the EC. Ninety-six parties took part in the 2001 parliamentary polls. 13 November would be the deadline for nominations. Since January 2007, Bangladesh has been run by a military-backed interim government, which promised to curb corruption and hold free elections.

Gesture of goodwill

To the credit of the caretaker government it should be said that the leaders political leaders have come together to wish each another well on the poll eve. Former Prime-ministers Sheikh Hasina and Begum Khaleda Zia, dubbed the “battling begums” for their long-running enmity, exchanged good wishes for the first time in 18 years at a military ceremony on 21 Nov Friday. Both Hasina and Khaleda last sat down together in 1990 while they jointly led a people’s revolt to oust military ruler Hossain Mohammad Ershad. They shook hands, smiled and spoke during Armed Forces Day at the Dhaka army barracks and were applauded by guests, including top officials of the army-backed interim government. Armed Forces Day marks the founding of the Bangladesh Army after Bangladesh won independence from Pakistan in 1971.

Dilemma

Bangladesh Election Commission is mulling to put back the already delayed national elections by 10 days provided former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led four-party alliance commits to participate. Election Commissioner Muhammed Sohul Hussain is not averse for a compromise shifting the poll Dec 18 to Dec 28 if the four-parties decide to participate. The Election Commission sat with Zia to work out details of the poll date. Hasina said the poll body should work out the details with Zia and there was no need for a separate meting with her alliance. Awami League (AL) is in favor of polls. The interim government cancelled elections due to be held in January last year.

Rivals

Bangladesh‘s former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has now announced that her BNP will take part in next month’s elections. She says her party will not boycott the 18 December vote as long as it is put back by 10 days. The government has already agreed to that in principle. Ms Zia had called on the caretaker government to delay elections by a month and lift its state of emergency, but it refused to do either.

Its main rival, the Awami League, has said it will take part in the vote. Hasina, who heads the Awami League, and Khaleda, leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), shape as the main candidates for the December vote, although Khaleda has called for a delay.

Legitimacy & Credible candidates

Earlier, the BNP had threatened to boycott the poll unless emergency rule is lifted. The government also refused to suspend the state of emergency which was imposed in January 2007 after months of unrest. A BNP boycott would be a serious blow to the government’s pledge that the elections will be the fairest in the country’s history. Without the participation of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s party, many would doubt its legitimacy. The BNP and its allies won a two-thirds majority in the last elections in 2001 and the party remains popular – but during the two-year rule of the caretaker government it has been seriously weakened.

Finding credible new candidates to fill their places is proving difficult. Khaleda and Hasina were both arrested last year for alleged corruption. They were released after a year in jail to persuade their parties to take part in the elections. Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina and BNP leader Khaleda Zia face rumblings of discontent against their leadership from within their respective parties. Now the two main parties, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and the AL, have resumed political activities.

Many of its leaders, including Khaleda Zia and her two sons, were accused of corruption and jailed. She was then freed on bail, but about 50 others are still behind bars. Bangladesh’s other main party, the Awami League, was less affected by the anti-corruption drive, even though its leader Sheikh Hasina was also jailed for a while. It agreed to participate in the elections and has for some time been confident of winning.

Foreign Interference

Last week, Sam Gejdenson, a former U.S. Congressman and board member of the Washington-based watchdog National Democratic Institute, called for the military to “refrain from intervening in the political and electoral process”. The NDI suggested against deploying troops at polling centres. Bangladesh’s Election Commission has dismissed calls by a U.S.-based electoral watchdog for the military to refrain from intervening in the country’s political process. Election Commissioner Sakhawat Hossain responded saying: “NDI interfered in the country’s internal affairs directly giving their statement about the electoral process. They have no right to make any comment on our internal matters”. Army chief General Moeen U. Ahmed has said the military would help in the efforts to restore democracy.

One still fails to grasp the policy line of the USA with its double-standards in its approach and statements. When India conducted the poll in Jammu Kashmir under military occupation, the USA did not make any objections to that. Not even the UN objected officially to that, even when its chief visited India recently on the poll eve. India added more troops from India to its contingents in Kashmir and deployed them street by street and at all polling stations.

Bangladesh: Where heading for?

Bangladesh parliament currently has 345 members including 45 reserved seats for women, elected from single-member constituencies. The Prime Minister, as the head of government, forms the cabinet and runs the day-to-day affairs of state. While the Prime Minister is formally appointed by the President, he or she must be an MP who commands the confidence of the majority of parliament. The President is the head of state, a largely ceremonial post elected by the parliament.

Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 as India wanted to split Pakistan into two and control the emergent Bangladesh and use it against Pakistan- both are Islamic republics. However, Bangladesh realizing the Indian hidden agenda for the region, began pursing independent polices that irritated India. The borders of present-day Bangladesh were established with the partition of Bengal and India in 1947, when the region became the eastern wing of the newly-formed Pakistan. However, it was separated from the western wing by 1,600 kilometers across India. Political and linguistic discrimination as well as economic neglect led to popular agitations against West Pakistan, which led to the war for independence in 1971 and the establishment of Bangladesh, with the help of India. However, the new state had to endure famines, natural disasters and widespread poverty, as well as political turmoil and military coups. The restoration of democracy in 1991 has been followed by relative stability and economic progress.

Bangladesh is among the most densely populated countries in the world and has a high poverty rate. The government is a parliamentary democracy with Islam as the state religion; however, political rule has been suspended under emergency law since January 11, 2007. Bangladesh is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, SAARC, BIMSTEC, the OIC, and the D-8. As the World Bank notes in its July 2005 Country Brief, the country has made significant progress in human development in the areas of literacy, gender parity in schooling and reduction of population growth. In 1974 Bangladesh joined both the Commonwealth of Nations and the United Nations and has since been elected to serve two terms on the Security Council in 1978-1979 and 2000–2001. In the 1980s, Bangladesh played a lead role in founding the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) in order to expand relations with other South Asian states. Since the founding of SAARC 1985, a Bangladeshi has held the post of Secretary General on two occasions.

The country has a long-running reputation for political animosity and deep-seated corruption. The current caretaker administration, backed by the military, has pledged to eradicate corruption. Many analysts say the government is determined to destroy the political power of the two women as part of its drive for political reform. By the time the state of emergency was declared in January, the public had also become fed up with the constant bickering and street-fighting between the two main political parties.

The former prime ministers and leaders of the two main parties, Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina are released now. Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina have dominated Bangladeshi politics for many years. Both have alternated as prime minister since 1991. They are bitter rivals and barely speak to each other. Their mutual loathing is reflected among their respective sets of supporters. As a result, political life has been marked by, at best, ceaseless bickering. Released now from jails, they were in custody, charged with extorting money when they were in power.

Khaleda Zia has been charged with corruption in relation to the choice of who should run two state-run container depots during her second term in office as prime minister. Earlier this year she was charged with tax evasion. Sheikh Hasina faces a new charge of taking illegal payments of some $435,000 from an electricity company. She is already under investigation for extortion and murder. Both leaders deny any wrongdoing.

Post-script

The caretaker government had elections would be held only once it had rid the country of corruption, but it is under compulsion by the political wings to go for polls on account of rising prices, which is universal now. The government as well the EC has pledged that the elections will be the fairest in the country’s history. The new date of polling may well be Dec 28, after the date decided earlier, Dec 18, became a subject of bargaining between the caretaker government on one side and Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on the other. Awami League chief Hasina had insisted on the earlier date, but has now accepted a ten-day deferment to ensure an all-in poll exercise. Khaleda Zia’s decision to take part removes the last major obstacle to the polls being free, fair and credible, though the BNP is revving up for the parliamentary polls now that its chairperson has formally announced the four-party alliance would join the election if it is held on December 28. However since there is still time for poll preparations, either date should not the real issue now.

With major political hurdles – the poll date controversy and a meeting between two principal contenders for power, former Prime Ministers Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia – removed from its path, as the first step towards the poll, Bangladesh appears to be well on its way to have its delayed ninth general election this year-end. Notwithstanding the poll date fixation, the poll is final. The BNP and its allies met Election Commission officials on Friday and reiterated Khaleda’s demand that the poll be delayed until Dec. 28.

Both parties have been preoccupied with preparation of lists of candidates to contest the elections. They are share seats with their allies. Zia has earmarked 50 seats for her allies, a conglomerate of Islamist parties led by the Jamaat-e-Islami. BNP high-command has already prepared a list of prospective candidates for around 200 constituencies.

Although it is advantageous for Awami League which has won the recent local polls, poll fortunes could shift depending on the course of the campaign. The BNP remains popular but has become weak and divided during the past two years. But if one takes into account the contributions made by these two leaders, both on foreign and domestic affairs, the BNP takes a front seat. Whether this means Khaleda Zia is more likely to be elected prime minister for a fourth time is doubtful. Recent Presidential poll Maldives clearly illustrates that election outcomes cannot be predicted perfectly even by the voters themselves. Both parties said it is imperative to lift the state of emergency to make the upcoming election credible. BNP said as a pro-election party it wants to contest in the poll, but an atmosphere conducive to holding a credible election has not yet been created as the military backed caretaker government has not yet met any of its seven demands.

Poll campaign as well as the polling would chart out the political struggle among the parties to capture power in Bangladesh. Bangladesh has a tradition of the loser not accepting the poll verdict, taking to the streets and boycotting parliament. Hopefully, Bangladesh will go to polls in a free atmosphere without emergency rule. Also, hopefully, Bangladesh leaders would strive for a corruption free society for which the nation has undergone turmoil and even lost several lives. Bangladesh has to evolve itself as a model Islamic society. World is looking forward to seeing a strong, prosperous Bangladesh.

Father Gandhi vs. Mother India

Iswor Allah Tero Naam: Abdul Gaffar Khan & Gandhi

BY Dr.Abdul Ruff Colachal
Although denied the Nobel Prize for his freedom movement leadership, MK Gandhi is a historical phenomenon who led successfully the last part of Indian freedom struggle to regain independence from UK colonizers and is hailed as father of Indian nation. Although he championed the freedom cause and fought against UK oppression, Gandhi did not have a proper vision of future India except that the country should pursue a sort of “non-violent” course. However, he did not oppose to India becoming a weaponized nation, becoming another colonial hegemon in annexing its neighbor Jammu Kashmir and consequently, becoming a terrorist state in genocides, rapes, destructions, tortures and various other forms of state atrocities.

A British Favorite?
If the British rulers, who had killed many in groups, really wanted to make Gandhi “disappear”, as many Kashmiris and their leaders have been meted out thus far by an arrogant India, they could have done it in a matter of minutes. But they seemed to groom him for Indian cause. Similarly, the Britishers did care about MK Gandhi and, unlike what terror India has done to Kashmiri freedom leaders like Syed Geelani, the English men were quite considerate about the well-being of him. Look at the way the Indian government has done to Kashmiris. Over a lakh Kashmiris have been murdered by occupying India terror forces. Even Kashmiri women children are tortured and harassed on their own lands by foreign forces. Senior freedom leader Geelani has been ailing for quite some time due to harsh treatment meted out him for decades, arresting him on a regular basis and mentally torturing for sadistic pleasure of Indian strategists.

Not many Indians have either realized or recognized a crude fact that their “Bharat mata” (mother India), has been an anti-Muslim, invader, illegal militarizer, oppressor, a fraud and killer– all in one- in her neiborhood and its greed for Muslim blood, like its strategist partner USA, has been too much. Bharat mata has clearly and conveniently ignored Bharat pita (Father India), Gandhi and his non-violent advices. Bharat mata has buried deep in the nuclear arsenals the name of pita and pretends she has not done any thing wrong. On the one hand, the mata laments that Indian young political “children” have totally forgotten about rashtra pita (nation’s father), and on the other, it has systematically sidelined the principles of pita and values of his ‘ism’.

It is alarming that Gandhian India has occupied its neighbor Jammu Kashmir, built up its weapons arsenals, both nuclear and conventional, in a reckless spree threatening its neighbors. Bhatat mata’s double speak is exposed as it also talks about regional speak. Her dutiful “children” worship her perhaps not aware of its Doctrine to destabilize the regional nations. But they should tell their beloved mata not to kill the children of Kashmir and not to kill the innocent children there to quench her Islamic blood thirst.

Not many Indians know that behind the shield of mother India the terrorist instinct hides comfortably and gaily kills innocent Kashmiris is a sustained manner as a matter of routine matter. Can these children of Bharat still love blood thirsty mother India? Bharat Mata still pretends she is not aware of the whereabouts of Bharat pita, whom she had berried underneath the nuclear arsenals. She is even ashamed of him, because invocation of his name would jeopardise the new Indian nuclear goals.

An Effective Fascist Tool
Over decades of its existence even by fighting wars with Kashmiris and Pakistanis along with wars, terror India has used the slogan as an effective tool to terrorize Muslims. It is the military forces occupying Jammu Kashmir, killing innocent Kashmiri Muslims that accord greatest importance to Bharat mata on whose behalf they do these atrocities in that nation making Kashmiri blood bleed profusely.

Indian media harp on the theme of Islamic terrorism and try with the help of the secret service agencies to fabricate illusionary links with Muslims who are denied their due in national development and denied even payment for the their government services at times. As it is known, national and regional media are atrociously anti-Muslims. Recently a few Kerala Muslims were murdered by Indian terror forces in Jammu Kashmir, but the Kerala media and intelligence try to ink them with “terrorism” and ISI, “trained in Pakistan”, and etc…in order to justify the killing of Muslims by state Hindus far away. Bulk of Kerala media are run by Christian-Hindu lobbies and they, at par with their counterparts in other states, brand the Muslims as potential terrorists. When a Hindu is killed in JK, obviously the media would paint a different picture stating that Kashmiris terrorists have killed a Malyali Hindu, cleverly supported by fiction photos.

State Hindu fascism could be observed every where in the country. Bharat Mata is invoked more vigorously by military forces as they equate Bharat mata with themselves. It is a known fact not many would stick to military services if his salary is cut by a few rupees a or the facilities and privileges are removed, like free or duty-free liquors and that they are more bothered about their “power’ and status in the establishment. Any one who travels by Indian trains any where would testify the fact that military personnel would take the bogies to ransom and even beat and thrown passengers out of running trains. And they would go scot-free. They show their “power’ to the ordinary passengers and want them to salute them literally. The military personnel disregarding and discarding their place in society, drink heavily in compartments by sharing the “bottles’ with TTEs and other important passengers, because the liquors come cheap if not free. Once fully down under kick, they terrorize the passengers.

Recently, during the monsoon, I was travelling from New Delhi to Trivandrum by super fast train which was diverted to a different route due to some rail damage on the regular track. Since the train route was changed, not many reserved passengers boarded the train. In the night some military guys came to my side with bottles and started boozing. I requested them to go to another side that was also empty. But these “powerful” guys did not care and drank with a loud slogan of Bharat mata ki jai (great India …) etc., and started abusing Muslims and me. One of them broke a bottle and came to kill me with the bottle piece. But another civil passenger came to rescue and I was safe. No TTE was available in the entire train; I ran inside the bogies all around but located none). What exactly was the matter is not clear to me, but the military had chosen people form the South to terrorize me.

Eventually, the “Bhatrat mata” means state terrorism, military power, privileges, destruction and genocide. A state terrorist mother India can not do miracles for its own people, even if her children love her too much for her Muslim blood thirst.

Indian Double-mindset
India very systematically maintains double standards in every aspect of its affairs both at home and abroad. In foreign policy, it says it follows a peaceful one while it tries to destabilize its neighbours and terrorises its neighbour Kashmir by showcasing its weapons muscle, it threatens its neighbours in particular the Kashmiris. In economic front, it claims to be the “Asian giant” making its neighbours feel insecure and shaky. India has squeezed the economic power of common people to make a strong capitalist class. On the other hand, New Delhi goes on begging the Western powers in all possible ways.

Mother India has comfortably showcased its image in a dichotomy too. On the one hand, India claims to be an economic giant, and on the other, goes around the developed world with a begging bowl. It depends on Japan, USA and EU for the required boost of the Indian capitalist class under former reserve bank chief, Manmohan. One does not know why the cash rich India needs money form Japan, EU, USA and other developed nations, when it is also trying to find suitable avenues to invest its own money in Mideast, Central Asia, and Russia etc.?

Bharat mata is unable to arrest the upward inflation trends in the country. One striking phenomenon is that owing to the reckless spending on non-human needs, Indian Rupee value also has plunged downwards. Corruption has been rampant in every sector. The rupee last week reached its crucial 50-level against the greenback on sustained dollar purchases by foreign banks and stronger dollar overseas. The rupee tumbled to 50.05 levels after resuming weak at 50.00/01 a dollar ahead of Reserve Bank’s mid-term review of monetary policy later in the day. It is not quite clear as yet as to who all are effectively cornering the wealth in the country under the slogan of mother India, energy, anti-Pakistanis terrorism!

Post-script: Gandhian or Mother India.
One wonders as to why Gandhi failed to clinch the Nobel peace award and why India has remained anti-Muslim. In spite of strenuous efforts by Indian state and central governments to make the Nobel Peace prize Jury to favor “Mahatma” Gandhi with a prize, Gandhi could not get the Prize and more than once he was rejected after being short-listed under pressure from Indo-UK leaders. The obvious reason was Gandhi had nothing for universal truth as his actions were predominantly pro-Hindu and Hindutva. At one point, he even advocated a war against Pakistan. This explains why post-Gandhian “Bharat mata’ has become so arrogant, so manipulative and a state terrorist. It is atrocious how India has been managing to woo all the terrorist powers, including USA and Israel for securing a seat on the UNSC!

By insistently ignoring the ideas of the father India for a peaceful existence, mother India has made the country a nuclearized power that flirts around the capitalist nations for reasons known only to herself. By renouncing peaceful path and non-capitalist path of development India has also shed its Non-aligned mission quite conveniently. Indian leadership decides according to the dictates of the USA and its own military intelligence that has got its own hidden terror agenda in the region, not just in Jammu Kashmir.

Today, Gandhians are fond of extra cash, special privileges, foreign liquors and full non-vegetarianism. They also make a lot extra money too and one does not know how many of modern Gandhians have accounts in Swiss bank! Eventually, the “Bhatrat mata” means state terrorism, military power, privileges, fraud, destruction and genocide. A state terrorist mother India, therefore, can not do miracles for its own people.

India is indeed a fascist, terrorist state. When mother India has become synonymous with military power and genocide of Kashmiri Muslims, one can easily conclude that both mother India and father India have done enough damage to India, Muslims in India and Kashmiris. The awkwardly emotional slogan “Bharat mate ki jai” is being raised at many spots in the country, quite violently, for the sake of special privileges for a few persons. The pro-India Kashmiris leaders, who are playing in the bloody hands of Bharat mata in taking part in her mischievous polls in JK, are in fact betraying Kashmir cause. Indians would have boldly called them the traitors if they were Indians. The pro-Hindutva leaders in Kashmir are no less anti-Kashmiris as the plain pro-India elements trying to come to power to kill the innocent Kashmiris by getting more terror troops from New Delhi. Bolo Nuclear mata ki jai! Then one should also praise lavishly about Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals, too?

Bangladesh Polls: Drama of Democracy?

By DR.ABDUL RUFF

Although political parties had feared that the elections might be delayed, Interim government has announced the Parliamentary (General) elections to be held in Bangladesh on 18 December with 13 November the deadline for nominations. Since January 2007, Bangladesh has been run by a military-backed interim government, which promised to curb corruption and hold free elections. Authorities have also said local government elections would be held on the 28 December.

The Bangladesh Election Commission has said it has recorded the identities, fingerprints and photographs of more than 80 million voters to ensure that the elections will be free and fair. The authorities claim that the new register is the most accurate in Bangladesh’s history. The government came to power a year and a half ago President Iajuddin Ahmed cancelled general elections and declared a state of emergency following months of street violence.

Awami League (AL) and BNP — yesterday expressed rather opposing feelings about the developing political scenario in the country vis-à-vis the December 18 parliamentary election.

General elections due last year were postponed after several months of street protests and political violence triggered by a standoff between two former premiers Sheikh Hasina and Khaleda Zia, both of whom face trial on corruption charges involving millions of dollars which were siphoned off in the poor country. The interim government cancelled elections due to be held in January last year.

Local Poll

Elections to local councils in Bangladesh, the first under an army-backed interim government – would be for four city corporations and nine municipalities, were to be held on 4 August 2008. The Awami League, the party of ex-Bangladesh premier Sheikh Hasina Wajed — out on bail from corruption charges and in the United States — swept all four city mayoral posts and eight out of nine municipalities. Sheikh Hasina, who led the country from 1996-2001, said the polls paved the way for a return to democratic rule. The announcement was initially criticized by the main political parties, who said holding local votes before national elections were unconstitutional. The two major political groups, the Awami League and the BNP, have called for outright cancellation of the non-party local polls, claiming they can disrupt the crucial parliamentary vote. However, the Awami League said it would participate in polls for city and town councils on August 4 in a dramatic U-turn on its earlier stand to boycott all polls except the parliamentary elections and that came as a major boost for the military-backed emergency government.

Emergency

The country has a long-running reputation for deep-seated corruption. The current caretaker administration, backed by the military, has pledged to eradicate corruption. Many analysts say the government is determined to destroy the political power of the two women as part of its drive for political reform.

The former prime ministers and leaders of the two main parties, Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina are released now. Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina have dominated Bangladeshi politics for many years. Both have alternated as prime minister since 1991. They are bitter rivals and barely speak to each other. Their mutual loathing is reflected among their respective sets of supporters. As a result, political life has been marked by, at best, ceaseless bickering. Released now from jails, they were in custody, charged with extorting money when they were in power. The “battling Begums’” are being held in detention in the grounds of parliament in Dhaka. Khaleda Zia has been charged with corruption in relation to the choice of who should run two state-run container depots during her second term in office as prime minister. Earlier this year she was charged with tax evasion. Sheikh Hasina faces a new charge of taking illegal payments of some $435,000 from an electricity company. She is already under investigation for extortion and murder. Both women deny any wrongdoing.

A state of emergency was declared on 11 January 2007, caretaker government, backed heavily by the powerful military and important donor countries like the UK, is still in charge. Emergency rule was declared ostensibly to uphold law and order. When the (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) BNP’s term of office ended in October, the country was gripped by a series of violent clashes in which many people were killed. In the end President Iajuddin Ahmed bowed to pressure and declared a state of emergency and the postponement of general elections.

At first glance, the current state of Bangladesh appears to be a paradox: a country under a state of emergency, but where the general public seems quite content. But there is little outward sense of repression, and Dhaka’s social elite, usually most vocal against human rights violations, appear most pleased. The reason for this apparent sense of satisfaction is not difficult to see. The treatment meted out to politicians is not being seen as repression. People across the board see them as retribution for the corruption and abuse of power of the past fifteen years. By the time the state of emergency was declared in January, the public had also become fed up with the constant bickering and street-fighting between the two main political parties.

Normalcy

The caretaker government had elections would be held only once it had rid the country of corruption. Political parties have been banned from holding meetings. Trade union activities, including rallies and demonstrations are also banned. Awami League leader Sheikh Hasina and BNP leader Khaleda Zia face rumblings of discontent against their leadership from within their respective parties. Now the two main parties, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and the Awami League, have resumed political activities.

If anything interrupts Bangladesh’s peaceful return to democracy in 2008, however, many people believe it is likely to be the spiraling price of food. The food ministry says its stocks are half full and running out. It blames the devastating impact on November’s cyclone and floods last year, as well as record global food prices. But businessmen also blame the government. Its anti-corruption drive, some say, has at times resembled a witch-hunt and so scared away legitimate investments. Whatever the causes, the government’s reputation for competence has dropped as the prices have risen. So far, the public has largely supported the caretaker government. That could easily change if the food crisis continues.

Advantage

Although it is advantageous for Awami League which has won the recent local polls, poll fortunes could shift depending on the course of the campaign. Both parties said it is imperative to lift the state of emergency to make the upcoming election credible. BNP said as a pro-election party it wants to contest in the poll, but an atmosphere conducive to holding a credible election has not yet been created as the military backed caretaker government has not yet met any of its seven demands. After separate meetings with visiting UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in a capital hotel, AL said it will contest in the election and hopes that a peaceful appropriate environment will be created through withdrawal of the state of emergency.

The problem of corruption is so deep-rooted that it will not have time to clean things up before the elections promised by the end of 2008. Many still argue that as long as the two women – even if they are not themselves corrupt – continue to hold run their respective parties, a culture of corruption will remain. The new incumbent ruler would do well pay urgent attention to arrest the corruption tendencies.

It is of paramount importance that a total lifting of he emergency is an imperative for holding a free, fair and credible election. The people won’t have fundamental rights under the state of emergency, so that will be a problem for an acceptable poll. It is expected that a peaceful environment will be created through withdrawal of the state of emergency, as one adviser has already said the restrictions on fundamental rights will be withdrawn and the process will start from tomorrow. Hopefully, Bangladesh will go to polls in a free atmosphere without emergency rule.

* Article except the title posted as sent by the author

Politics of Festivals, Energy & Economic Crisis, Negotiations, and the Gloomy Winter Ahead in Nepal

“Haloween” in the Thirld World: Dipavali Fireworks & Reality

By Divas

An Assessment on Challenges faced by Nepal’s Maoist-led Govt

This year’s month-long season of festivals Vijaya Dasami & Deepawali(Tihar) concludes in Nepal with the celebration of BhaiTeeka(Bro-Sis Day) on Oct 30. However, there remains one more festive occasion, & perhaps the greatest for the Nepali Hindus along the southern plains – the Chatha. This year, Nepali Muslims celebrated their Eid that fell during the Dasain days with extra jubilations – for the first time in predominantly Hindu country Nepal, Nepal Govt recognized the Eid as one of Nepal’s national festivals & declared the day as a public holiday. Similarly, the Christmas has also been recognized as a public festival of Nepal. And the reporters of international media in Kathmandu enjoyed reporting the news of a republican Nepal with the Maoist-led govt becoming even more inclusive in adopting diverse religious & cultural festivals.

However, a tricky winter awaits the conclusion of festivals – for both climatic & political reasons. Not only that the global economic recess & fuel crisis adversely affects the so-called mostly agrarian economy of Nepal, but the power crunch that forced to go for a nationwide load-shedding for about 50 hrs a week would only deteriorate in the dry winter season. After the Kosi floods that paralyzed transport along the National Highway, most of the industries in eastern Nepal are on the brink of collapse. The Nepal Electricity Authority warned of a possible system collapse unless the consumption during peak hours was not minimized. Nepal’s carbon footprint average has also sharply gone up this year despite the worst fossil fuel crisis Nepal has ever faced since the ban by India in 1989. Why are Nepalis following the global trend of energy squandering?

Moreover, the Federation of Nepalese commerce & industry entrepreneurs, the FNCCI, has formally handed over a memorandum to PM Prachanda warning of closing all industries unless law & order conditions improve in the country. Answering to a question by a BBC correspondent on the national responsibility of the entrepreneurs, the FNCCI President Kush Kumar Joshi said, “How can we work by risking our lives amidst increasing kidnappings by the outlaws, & continuous strikes by the workers?” Although Nepal observed the largest number of tourist arrival this year in the past 10 years owing to affordability & hospitality, the number might dwindle down unless the global economy & local law & order conditions improve immediately.

Ironically, the greatest threat to personal security & property comes from the sister organizations associated with the political parties themselves. All the political parties have modeled their youth wings on the Maoists’ Young Communist League (YCL). Moreover, some of more than scores of armed outfits that claim to work for “Madhesi Liberation” & operate along Indo-Nepal Border have already refused the Govt call for the dialogue. Nepali Muslims who constitute the second largest population in Nepal & have been living for generations not only along the plains, but also in the hills of Gorkha, Kaski, Lamjung etc. I was myself amazed to see Nepali Hill(Pahadi) Muslims in Gorkha attired with black Topi(hat) & striped blue lungi with long beards and shaven mustaches.

The religious extremists all over the world can learn some lessons from Nepali Muslims who have earned their respect from all Nepalis for keeping harmony & tolerance despite the recent Mosque attacks by suspected Hindu fanatics from across the border. However, some Nepali Muslims have strongly reacted to repeated attacks on their holy places. Similarly, Christians too have been complaining of discriminatory measures by the State. Still, thankfully cultural tolerance is one innate quality of Nepali society.

The Maoists who are the most powerful political unit at present must observe extreme care while venturing on troubled waters. Nepalis voted for the Maoists despite the latter’s bloody past for only one reason – that the Maoists are comparatively less corrupt & also have renounced violent political path. Nepal was perhaps never this much united ideologically that made it possible for the “velvet” implementation of the republic. Instead of wasting their energy on unsuccessful attempts at further radicalizing politics; the Maoists better demonstrate to the world a revolutionary concept in responsible governance. If the Maoists merely delivered good governance & observed financial discipline, Nepalis would surely be persuaded to follow what Chairman Prachanda calls, the “new cultural revolution” – peacefully.

For, Prachanda is not alone to fear that the nation might reel into another cycle of violence if the present Maoist-led coalition government fails its purpose.

BTW: Welcome to General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon from the United Nations, an organization Nepalis look with high regard.

War on Sex in Kathmandu

Gods in Kathmandu seem less inhibited than ministers!

By Divas

In a fresh interview with the BBC on Oct 6, Nepal’s Deputy Prime Minister Bam Dev Gautam has reiterated his firm commitment on War on Sex & Liquor in Kathmandu night bars. Gautam dismissed the argument of right to work during the night hours asking, “What sort of work on earth do they want to do during the dark hours when most people in Nepali culture go to bed after the whole day of work?” Gautam further elaborated on the relationship of law and order situation with alcohol, sex, and criminal activities.

Earlier, talking to entrepreneurs in Pokhara, Gautam proposed that he may allow “tourist related such works” within a certain periphery in Pokhara, but not in the capital Kathmandu. Gautam also claimed that most of the customers in the night bars in Kathmandu are not tourists but derelict Nepali youths.

Critics compare Gautam’s move as just another populist measure like Maoist’s resistance to Miss Nepal Pageant. But, Gautam comes from a moderate communist party UML which advocates a form of democratic socialist ideals. Some hotel entrepreneurs, too, criticized Gautam’s strict orders to the police to shut down all bars and discos by 11 in the evening as dictatorial, fearing such actions would be detrimental to tourism industry. They also accused that most of the sex-work are conducted in the restaurants belonging to the former security officials, and the police enjoys a weekly income the hafta bribery threatening the genuine workers with charges of indecent activities.

Gautam lamented that critics ignored the positive impacts made within a month of his declaration of War on Sex & Don culture and vowed that he’d either free Kathmandu of all social evils within six months or would step down from his post in case of failure.

Despite all resistances, Gautam has found a firm support among mostly either traditional or left-leaning Nepali society. The locals of the major tourist hub Thamel in Kathmandu have even come up with a Press Statement applauding Gautam for curbing “noise, crime, and indecent activities” in their area.

Home minister Gautam further elaborated on his upcoming liquor regulating act plan, “You must produce your citizenship card and fill up a form mentioning your three generations before you can buy liquors”.

However, Gautam might face stiff resistance from the ethnic communities the janajatis, if he fails to notice the relationship between culture and home-brewed liquor. Most of the ethnic groups make home-brewed beers Chyang, Jand, or Tomba both for re-creational and cultural purposes. He better take lessons from the recent protests by the Newar community against Maoist Finance Minister Dr. Bhattarai’s budget cut proposals on traditional ceremonies.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Prachanda has also made it clear that the ambition of making a fully developed New Nepal would not be possible unless there is a rethinking on the prevailing age-old cultural practices.

ABC

People’s Republic of Nepal?

Maoist Army: Get over the Hangover dudes!

By Divas

Nepal’s Maoist Party central committee has been discussing Prime Minister Prachanda’s proposal of calling the present state as merely a “transitional republic” and work toward establishing the “people’s new republic”.

Just a few days ago in New York, Chairman Prachanda had promised that he’d persuade even the opposition Nepali Congress – a “bourgeois” party for the Maoists – to join the government. This shows that Prachanda realizes how crucial public opinion would be for the stability of Maoist-led five-party coalition government.

Prachanda even asked everyone for collective effort against the “reactionary forces who are intent upon disintegrating the Nepali nation”.  Seeking support by scaring the public of national disintegration has been a cliché in the Nepali politics.

On the other hand, former PM and Nepali Congress chief G. P. Koirala, who after stepping down had said that he didn’t feel like complaining against anyone, has accused Prachanda of heading toward a “despotic communist regime”.

Similarly, several Terai armed groups have been holding a meeting in an undisclosed location in Northern India to fight against the “Gorkha-hegemony” collectively.

The immediate concern for the Prachanda-Government is to engage the dissidents into meaningful dialogue. The government’s call to the armed-groups for the talks is certainly welcome, but not enough.

In such conditions, the Maoist Party resolution of heading toward their “people’s new democracy” would only strengthen suspicion among the opposition as well as the Nepal Army. At a time when the integration or rehabilitation of around 20,000 Maoist Army has not been yet resolved, any attempt of “radicalising” the politics would not only be against public interest, but against the Maoists themselves.

Russia-West Conflict

 

By Dr. Abdul

The fragile nature of Russo-Western relations has further strained following the Russo-Georgian brief war. After some relative calm between Russia and Western powers, the world woke up on August 08 when Russia clashed with Georgia to release South Ossetia form the Georgian forces. The Georgia crisis has further complicated Russia-US relationship, sharpened divisions in Europe and created splits within NATO over the wisdom of granting membership to Russia’s neighbors Georgia and Ukraine.

Post Georgia Conflict  

The recent crisis over Georgia’s breakaway provinces of Abkhazia and South Ossetia proved again that it is impossible or even disastrous to try to resolve the existing problems in the blindfolds of the unipolar world. Russia called for a new “solidarity” of the international community and a strengthened United Nations, saying only in the post-Cold War world can the organization “fully realize its potential” as a global center “for open and frank debate and coordination of the world policies on a just and equitable basis free from double standards.”

 

Russian position is clear: it says it has a moral duty to defend the regions against what it called “genocide” by Georgia’s military. Russia seeks regime change in Tbilisi; maintain troops until the final settlement is reached on South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Russia’s elite cares mostly about serving private financial interests and maintaining power but the Georgian conflict might be seen as a “tipping point at which domestic propaganda is beginning to force action abroad.”

 

Russia intends to stay in Georgia until the issues are settled once for all. Moscow would not brook any challenge to its recognition of the unilateral declarations of independence of the two breakaway provinces. It would strengthen peace and stability and participants would reaffirm the non-use of force, peaceful settlement of disputes, sovereignty, territorial integrity and noninterference in another country’s affairs.

 

Georgia disputes this, claiming that the Russian side initiated the conflict and some western analysts have said Russia’s actions heighten the risk of Moscow attempting to exert more influence over other former Soviet territories, particularly Ukraine.  West is talking about ‘unsentimental approach’ to deal with Russia. The USA and the European Union have backed Georgia, contending that the Russian response was disproportionate.

 

Russo-US Fiasco  

The USA has taken a stronger line towards Russia over the Georgia crisis than Europe has, but there is unlikely to be a transatlantic consensus on Russia until a new U.S. administration is formed next year. President George W. Bush has ordered the Pentagon to deliver aid to Georgia. U.S. presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama have both warned Russia of severe and long-term consequences from its conflict with Georgia.

 

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates canceled two joint military exercises with Russia scheduled for this month. While dismissing the prospects for a military conflict, he warned Russia if it does not step back from what he called “its aggressive posture” in Georgia.

 

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, a former Soviet expert who has presided over a steady deterioration of relations with Russia, on Sept 18 spoke highly critical of Russia that the West must stand up to “bullying” by Moscow, which is becoming increasingly authoritarian and aggressive and Moscow had taken a “dark turn” that left its global standing worse than at any time since 1991. Rice has warned Russia’s integration into international institutions was at risk Rice said the door remained open for Georgia and Ukraine to eventually join the NATO alliance.

 

Russia and EU  

EU has been less critical of Moscow’s actions than the USA. It was EU and French president who mediated between Russia and Georgia for a sort of understanding and settlement. The European Union, less inclined than USA to confront with Russia for ‘energy” and other economic reasons, has given the go-ahead for the start of talks with Russia on a new partnership agreement, following about 18 months of delays. The bloc’s foreign ministers approved a mandate for the talks at their meeting in Brussels.

 

While some EU member states accuse Russia of deliberately provoking the war, others believe both Russia and Georgia shared the blame. British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said that the meeting would decide “whether or not and how” the EU continued negotiations for a new partnership agreement with Moscow spanning areas such as trade, human rights and energy policy. Many members of the EU feel the EU should keep developing strong ties with Russia despite “serious questions” about its commitment to democracy, says a committee of peers.

 

The start of talks on a strategic partnership pact between Russia and the EU has been blocked for two years because of political disputes between EU member states and their neighbor. They say if Russia falls short of the standards it has accepted under the Council of Europe and the OSCE in the area of democracy and human rights, criticism by the EU might at times be necessary. The new partnership agreement would cover political and economic ties, including energy and trade. The breakthrough came after objections were dropped by former communist members of the EU, including Lithuania. Lithuania was the last member state blocking the talks, but gave way after being assured that its grievances over Russian energy supplies and tensions between Russia and Georgia would be addressed. Poland had previously blocked the talks, demanding that Russia lift an embargo on its meat exports. The EU hopes formally to launch the talks at an EU-Russia summit in Siberia next month.

 

European Commission said the crisis had dashed hopes of a fresh start between Europe and new Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, who took over in May from Vladimir Putin, now prime minister. Although trade between Russia and EU states has boomed in recent years, the political relationship has become increasingly strained. The talks are likely to address issues such as security of energy supplies and human rights. It would be “very difficult” for the EU to agree on any kind of sanction against Russia. It’s clear that Putin, not Medvedev, is in charge. EU foreign ministers discussed that in more depth at their informal retreat in Avignon, France, on Sept 5-6. Among the issues discussed are whether to continue with visa liberalization talks with Russia, but failed to do so.

Britain, a close U.S. ally, has had its own difficulties with Russia over the murder of dissident ex-KGB agent Andrei Litvinenko in London and the treatment of British oil major BP in a joint venture with Russian business tycoons. British relations with Moscow have also soured over rows about the British Council and Russia’s refusal to allow the extradition of Andrei Lugovoi as a suspect in the murder of former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko. In its report, the House of Lords European Union Committee acknowledged serious questions remain about the commitment of the Russian authorities to the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary, “especially in politically sensitive cases.” It added that it was important the EU “stands shoulder to shoulder” with its member states when they come into conflict with Russia on international issues. 

 

Economic Control (WTO) 

Moscow also wants to join the World Trade Organization and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The West could try to hurt Moscow by barring it from the Group of Eight club of big economies.

 

One of the major irritants in Moscow’s realtions with the West has been the WTO. The working group on Russia’s bid to join the World Trade Organization will consider an updated version of the country’s proposal at the next round of talks in November, it includes 20 undecided questions, which are “primarily of a technical nature,” said Maxim Medvedkov, who leads the country’s negotiations on entering the WTO.The comments came after he told Izvestia  that Russia “won’t die” without membership if Western pressure keeps it out for now. Medvedkov added that other countries wouldn’t “get what they want” by excluding Russia, the biggest economy outside the WTO.

 

West uses its various economic and financial institutions as a control chip to indirectly threaten Mosccow over conflict it has with pro-US nations in the former Soviet space. German Chancellor Angela Merkel this week signaled that NATO membership was still open to Georgia, while at the same time her foreign minister stressed important Western institutions must remain open to Russia. The European Union’s newest members have so far shown more solidarity with Georgia’s leadership than many of the bloc’s older members. A very pro-Russia, Russophile coalition inside the European Union places good business relations above European values of human rights, democracy, and so forth.

 

Many in German-Russian-Dutch joint venture working to bring Russian natural gas to Western markets cite a mutual dependency of Europe needing Russian gas and Russia needing European markets.  Rice said Russia’s behaviour threatened its participation in a number of global diplomatic, economic and security bodies, including the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized nations, and jeopardized Moscow’s bid to join the World Trade Organization and the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development. 

 

European security

West Alliance (NATO) foreign ministers met to discuss a U.S. call to review relations with Russia. In one camp, the USA, the Baltic States and somewhat less vehement Poland and the Czech Republic have attacked Russian “aggression” and voiced alarm at Moscow’s claim of a duty to intervene on foreign soil to defend Russian citizens after handing them Russian passports. On the other side, France and Germany, which opposed granting Ukraine and Georgia a roadmap to NATO membership in April, have opposed any overt condemnation of Russia.

 

USA denies Russian entry into NATO with veto status. Splits within the European Union over who is to blame for Russia’s conflict with Georgia over the breakaway region of South Ossetia make it virtually impossible to envisage the 27-nation bloc taking steps to punish Russia. In NATO too, the crisis has not fundamentally changed any minds either about how to deal with Russia or whether Georgia and Ukraine should be admitted to the alliance. The war if anything has divided the European Union’s member states.

Declaring that Europe’s security architecture “did not pass the strength test” in Georgia, Russia seeks a treaty on European security. President Dmitry Medvedev’s proposal in June for a new Treaty that would promote “an integrated and manageable development across the vast Euro-Atlantic region and work on the new treaty could be started at a pan-European summit and including governments as well as organizations working in the region. Russia wants something like “Helsinki-2”, or a follow-up to the 1975 Helsinki Treaty between all European nations, together with the U.S. and Canada, which evolved into the present-day Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, the largest conflict-prevention and security organization on the continent. Despite a “difficult phase” in the relationship, both sides are bound by “an inescapable common interest”.

 An Observation: Relations remain Strained 

Policies of USA and Russia towards each other have remained stably hostile and this keeps reflected on their relations negatively affecting international scenario. Premier Putin has lambasted USA for the current economic and financial crisis. New president Dmitry Medvedev has said he would pursue Putin policy. It seems after years of perceived slights, Russia’s foreign policy has in recent years seemed to be based on thwarting the West. Obstructionism seems to be a priority even when Moscow shares Western goals, such as avoiding an Iranian nuclear capacity.

 

The anti-Islamic “terrorism” plank initiated by the US-led West and followed by others in the East, like India, could not bring about a steady relationship between Russia and USA and its European terror partners. The Kremlin’s relations with many Western states had grown fraught long before Russian military actions in Georgia this month triggered some of the sharpest rhetorical exchanges since the end of the Cold War. New energy and security alignments in the Caucasus and Central Asia have revived talk of a “Great Game” between Russia and the West in the region, while Georgian stand off still badly hit the ties.

                                                                                                              

 Although the West considers Russia as a hurdle, problem and risk for them, they know the importance of Moscow on internatianal arena. Engagement of Russia by US-led West is asolutely necessary in resolving any international crisis. The facts are that the United States has to work with Russia on Iran, on nuclear problems of proliferation, on a whole raft of trade issues. Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder says there is not a single critical problem in world politics or the global economy that could be solved without Russia—not the nuclear conflict with Iran, the North Korea question and certainly not bringing peace to the Middle East.

 

True, Russia has already been on the negotiating and fighting courses with US-led West on a number of issues and the resultant tensions have been mounting steadily since Putin became Russian president in 2000. After initial flirtations, immediately after the Sept 11 event, the bilateral and multilateral ties have been strained badly. The Georgian war has once again exposed the fragile nature of Russia’s relations with the West. 

 

*Edited at ABC –  A Blog on Current Affairs

Terrorist From Nepal Shakes Hands With Terrorist From New York

Prachanda & Bush – BTW. Who’s the Terrorist?

By Divas

“Like America itself, I didn’t find anything exceptional about Mr. Bush either” said Nepal’s Prime Minister Prachanda about his short tête-à-tête with President George Bush. Within a month of his election as the world’s newest republic’s first prime minister, Comrade Pranchanda had already made official visits to China and India before he embarked for the United Nations’ Assembly in New York.

“Naturally, everyone there were curious to learn about me as a former revolutionary turned elected prime minister” beamed a buoyant Prachanda talking to the media persons in Kathmandu back from New York. Chairman Prachanda seemed narcissistically proud over his image as the U.S. State Department’s Terrorist enlisted Maoist Party Chief attending a reception hosted by the proponent of War Against Terror Prez Bush himself.

Within a month of accessing to the power through the ballot by putting aside his bullets under UN supervision, Prachanda has paid tributes to the three giants who influenced much of the political upheavals in the 20th century – Mao Zedong in Beijing, Mahatma Gandhi in Delhi, and Karl Marx in Germany. “No one like Marx has been born in the last 1,000 years” claimed Prachanda during his stop-over in Germany.

However, Prachanda’s dialogue delivery according the audience he faces has earned him an image of the “chameleon” politician. While he was desperately seeking for terror tag removal and international support for his party and repeatedly vowed his party’s commitment to peace, competitive democracy and market economy in New York meetings, even quipping that Lenin himself would have adopted a market economy had he lived a few more years, Prachanda and his party member’s have been repeatedly toying with their agenda of “New Democracy” back home.

“Be assured that the Nepali people will not allow you to completely sidestep the issues of freedoms, liberties, democracy and political process in the name of developmentalism” a Nepali professor Dr. Alok Bohara from New Mexico University warns Prachanda suspecting the latter’s recent coinage of “new model of democracy” to replace the present Westminster model of Nepal’s legislature.

India’s Options in Kashmir

By Dr. Abdul

First, the good news for Kashmiris. To the credit of the freedom leaders it must be stated that for the first time in Independent India, a few mainstream newspapers, academicians, public figures and even political parties have expressed their solidarity with freedom struggling Kashmiris and they support an independent Kashmir. That is the biggest asset the poplar uprising has earned since 1947 when conservative India quite tactfully annexed Kashmir and will help in ushering in a free Kashmir at the earliest.  

 

 

Any spontaneous struggle by people has a lot of historical significance and Kashmir uprising for sovereignty sent out that message to the world loud and clear. Finally, the world has realized it is no more any “terrorist’ adventure by few Kashmiris or Pakistan sponsored “cross-border-terrorist act” as India thus far claimed in international forums and propagated in world media, but it is indeed the popular freedom struggle being waged by Kashmiris on all-Kashmir basis. And, conservative India can no longer call the freedom fighting Kashmiris since there are no guns, grenades or any other weaponry in the hands of people here. They are protesting peacefully. However, India is using brute force against the unarmed protestors. They are firing bullets and teargas shells on them, torturing them and killing them.  

 

The spectacle of hundreds of thousands marching and protesting in both regions needs an explanation. Brutal murder of innocent Kashmiris who protested peacefully requires an explanation. Yet, Indian government, diverting the global attention by keeping alive a non issue like nuclearism which mean nothing to India and famous terror acts, still keeps criminal silence over surrendering sovereignty back to the struggling Kashmiri masses. US should use nuclearism flirting of India to make Kashmir free form India.

 

The Kashmiri population feels that their homeland is essentially occupied, and harbors a deep sense of oppression over several decades and generations by Indian governments. This powerful sense of unmitigated grievance was triggered by yet another ‘slight’ – the decision to transfer land without any consultation with the valley’s people. The Jammu agitation caused disruption to traffic on a highway running from Srinagar to Jammu and beyond that is the valley’s lifeline. In August over 30 Muslims died there when Indian security forces opened fire on large marches.

 

 

Hindu Atrocities in Kashmir

 

Oppression, suppression, torture, genocide are the hallmark of the Indian occupation in Jammu Kashmir. It appears the strategists in New Delhi are trying to split Jammu Kashmir to carve out a separate state for Hindus in Jammu as Kashmir becomes an independent nation. Kashmir Muslim leaders have seen through the Indian tricks and are determined to pursue their legitimate struggle to achieve freedom form occupying India. True, India is scared of the peaceful but massive demonstrations for freedom.  

 

The recent trouble started when the state government said it would illegally grant 99 acres plus (40 hectares plus) of forest land to the Amarnath Shrine Board. The allocation of land was aimed at altering the demographic balance in the area. The government said the board needed the land to erect huts and toilets for visiting pilgrims. But following days of protests, the government rescinded the order, prompting Hindu groups to mount violent protests of their own and creating havoc for the Kashmir Muslims. 

 

 

India continues to cause deaths to Kashmiris. Recent Mehraj’s death caused by Indian terrorist strategy highlights how youth are being treated in Kashmir. Mehraj’s death highlights how youth are being treated in Kashmir. On arrest of protesters, authorities have got no justification in arresting the peaceful and unarmed protestors. As it is known, India has zero tolerance for any opposition Indian occupation of Jammu Kashmir. Just as the Britishers used to do, the Indian forces have employed brute force against the peaceful demonstrators.

 

At some places Indian forces are intimidating the women folk by marching naked before them. The Hurriyat (G) chairman Geelani said this is an extreme measure of war crime against humanity. Geelani said United Nations should constitute a war tribunal in Kashmir to ‘investigate worst form of human rights violations, use of brute force and killing of unarmed protesters’ by Indian troopers. According Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, one of Kashmir’s main pro-independence politicians, “Such repressive measures will not work. We will emerge stronger and more vibrant”.  India seems to be keen to make Kashmiris “terrorists” by dirty provocative strategies like flying nuclear enabled jets in Kashmir, but the Indian colonizers will have to learn the lessons properly.

 

Talks and ceasefires

 

Recently several secret grave yards were discovered in Kashmir which is under Indian occupation. News about Kashmir is every where these days, making the Since its “discovery” in the mid-19th century by UK, the cave-deity has attracted masses of “Hindutva pilgrims” every summer from India. This May, the government of Jammu Kashmir decided to illegally transfer 100 acres of land on a mountain route leading to the shrine to a Hindu religious trust controlled by JK governor and central government. These sparked widespread protests in the valley through June, and six civilians were killed. The decision was then rescinded in early July, and this in turn triggered a large-scale and sustained protest campaign in the Hindu-majority districts around the city of Jammu. The Kashmir valley, though overwhelmingly Muslim, has an ice-formation located inside a remote cave that is regarded as a manifestation of the god Shiva.  Indians must feel vulnerable and concede guilty of decades of genocides in militarized Kashmir.

 

 

Kashmir last dominated world headlines in 2002, when India and Pakistan mobilized a million troops on the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border that divides the territory, contested since 1947, and on the international frontier between the two countries. Cold blooded massacres in Kashmir have snot made the Hindus panicky. But a stand-off was precipitated by using a “suicide raid” in December 2001 on India’s parliament in New Delhi and a massacre in May 2002 of families of Indian soldiers near the city of Jammu, Hindu-majority south of Kashmir. Prior to that, the Indian and Pakistani militaries fought a two-month war in the summer of 1999 on a stretch of the LoC in the remote Himalayas, in Ladakh’s Kargil district, after the LoC there was infiltrated by Pakistani army units. That conflict too threatened to escalate into a wider war between countries which had tested nuclear weapons just a year earlier, in May 1998. In late 2003, on the LoC took hold, and since 2004 relations between India and Pakistan have seen a thaw. But four years later, it is clear that the thaw has not developed into a serious peace process, and that a settlement to the Kashmir dispute is nowhere on the horizon. In April 2005, a fortnightly cross-LoC bus service was launched between Srinagar, the capital of the Kashmir Valley and the largest city in Indian-administered Kashmir, and Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir. Subsequently, there was no progress in the India-Pakistan dialogue on substantive aspects of the Kashmir problem, even on such relatively peripheral issues as the de-militarization of the Siachen glacier on the northern fringes of the territory. The paralyzed nature of the talks seemed bearable since the insurgency in Indian-administered Kashmir since 1990 ebbed during these years.

 

But in fact the past few years of relative calm represent a major missed opportunity for India to engage all communities and factions in Kashmir in a genuine and credible – as distinct from an illusory and vacuous – peace process. Kashmiris had been looking forward to getting back their sovereignty from India, however, India always takes a peaceful atmosphere to push further its hegemonic and colonial and imperialistic rule in Jammu Kashmir.  Any notion that the Kashmir conflict has been successfully put in cold-storage has been exposed as a delusion during the summer of 2008.

 

Indianization & Decline of Muslims in Jammu  

 

Discovery of secret grave yards in Kashmir has sent up cold waves across Kashmir about possible secret genocides of Muslims in Jammu as well.  It is a known strategy of colonizers to “import” their own people to settle down in colonies annexed so as to keep the legitimate inhabitants are pressurized and subjugated and punished. Indian Doctrine of containment of and unleash subversive agenda in its neighbors Since 1947 India has harped on this hidden agenda quite vigorously by inciting violence in Kashmir. Indian strategists even now believe that the only way they can preserve their identity and avoid being swallowed by the huge Indian population is by retaining control of their land. Kashmiris have to some extent resisted the Indian designs, but the militarization has overpowered the innocent Kashmiris. India wants Kashmiris encircled by Hindus and their culture so that Kashmiris, like Indian Muslims, “socialize and Hinduize partially”. Shri Amarnath illegal land deal is a part of the scheme.

 

India added more and more Hindus in Kashmir through militarization and other nefarious designs. In 1982, while Sheikh Abdullah governed the state, his National Conference party brought out a red book titled “Conspiracy to reduce the majority community in Jammu and Kashmir into a minority”. Other Kashmiri leaders have also, on many occasions, voiced their concern over what they say is the steady decline of the Muslim population in the Jammu region. They have blamed this on people from neighboring states settling down in the region.

 

India has strenuously tried to make Hindus infiltrate into Kashmir and settle down with military protection.  Several “Indian entrepreneurs are encouraged by India to buy land and promote Indian hidden agenda last year, Kashmiris effectively forced the state government to withdraw a proposal to allow non-Kashmiri investors to bid for plots of land on which to build hotels at the tourist resort of Gulmarg and other places.    

 

Every thing for Hindus in Indian Secular state

 

Hated and contained by the Hindus at all levels, Muslims in India feel neglected since 1947 and now they are treated as undesired “terrorists: and suspected ones in the country. There is a perception among Hindus in Jammu that they wielded little power in the state of Jammu and Kashmir as the minority population – and what leadership they did have was remote and inaccessible.

 

India follow not just “first Hindus” policy, but more atrociously, “Benefits only for Hindus”. Hindus in Jammu are very particular that similar things don’t happen to Hindus in Jammu Kashmir and a second capital was made out of Jammu where government functions one half of year. The predominately pro-India media managed by Hindus do the talking and guiding part of the Hindu agenda for JK. Congress party chose a leader form Jammu region, Gulam Nabi Azad, who is known to be feeling comfortable more with Hindus than Kashmiris and never even visited his partly office dung his tenure as JK chief-minister, to head the collation ministry so that Hindu interests are held supreme and effectively taken care of as governments in India effectively do by cheating the Muslim voters. 

 

With an imperialistic view to retaining Jammu Kashmir under its custody, since 1947 New Delhi engineered techniques to split the Kashmiris and Kashmir along regional and religious lines. The current turmoil in Kashmir has exposed that Indian strategy beyond doubts. Religious and regional conflicts have surfaced quite openly and Kashmiri Hindus encouraged by India seek the intervention of India in some measures.  Also, pro-and anti-Kashmir groups have been engineered among Muslims and Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh are, albeit in different ways, hostages to the frozen-yet-simmering disputes.

 

 

Ever growing Indian frustrations over Kashmiri resolve for independence could well be gauged form the military operations in Kashmir recently. Jammu region created economic terrorism for Kashmir Muslims, along with human terrorism unleashed from Indian terror forces, but authorities in Indian-administered Kashmir have imposed an indefinite curfew throughout the Kashmir Valley. It comes amid continuing protests by the Muslim majority population – with a major rally planned for the region’s main city, Srinagar.

 

The valley is already paralyzed by strikes called by freedom groups who want an end to Indian rule. Hundreds of thousands of Muslims took part in a protest rally called by freedom leaders in Srinagar. Reports suggested police had carried out raids on freedom leaders’ homes overnight. The strike comes amid continuing freedom movement in the region. Fifteen people died in a gun battle between militants and the authorities near the Line of Control – the de facto border dividing Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

 

   

 Imperialist Repressions: Kashmiri resentments  

 

Obviously, Indian Government wants to create a rift between the regions and stop Jammu Hindus from joining a new free Kashmir state. Observers are almost unanimous that the land row is an effect rather than a cause of antagonism between the two regions, Kashmir and Jammu. They say the simmering discontent dates back to the ending of the monarchy in Kashmir in 1947. The monarch, Maharaja Hari Singh, was a Hindu who belonged to the main ethnic Dogra community of Jammu. When the monarchy ended, handed over Kashmir to India under secret agreements and a popular government were installed under the leadership of Sheikh Abdullah. Since then India systematically created a pro-India contingent of Kashmiris, killing many regularly.

 

 

Today the same feelings of resentment are still evident. Hindus and their media and governments talk ill of Kashmiris and, indirectly, also Indian Muslims for not opposing Kashmiris. They are not considered as citizens, let alone second or third class ones. But the Hindu specialists are there to defend the Jammu Hindus against Muslims. “It’s ironical that Kashmiris who don’t even consider themselves to be Indians are getting all the blessings of the government, while the people of Jammu are always treated as second class citizens,” said one Hindu in Jammu.  

 

 

The current ferment in the Kashmir Valley is a throwback to the turbulent winter of 1963-64, when the theft of what Muslims believe to be a hair of the Prophet Mohammad from Srinagar’s Hazratbal shrine ignited massive protests in the valley. Although the trigger was ostensibly a religious issue, the unrest resulted from pent-up resentment at a decade of Delhi’s Kashmir policies – which included the removal from office and incarceration of Kashmiri leader Sheikh Abdullah, the de facto scrapping of Indian-administered Kashmir’s self-rule powers, and the use of police methods to repress protest and silence dissent. Kashmiris hate India. But there is no precedent to both the major regions in Indian-occupied Kashmir simultaneously plunging into turmoil. Kashmiris want sovereignty.

 

 

India refuses to address the core Kashmir issue. After almost two decades of separatist violence, the situation in the Kashmir valley had improved in the past few years. Violence was on the decline and hundreds of thousands of tourists had returned to the valley, rekindling hope that Kashmir may be on the path to peace once again. But the latest violence by Hindus and Muslims seems to have dashed that hope.

 

 

India supports separatism of Hindus in Jammu. Encouraged by Hindutva forces in New Delhi, the Hindu groups in India and Jammu have always demanded abrogation of Article 370 of the Indian constitution which gives special status to the valley. The Hindu groups twice vetoed offers of autonomy for Jammu – first by Sheikh Abdullah in the 1950s and again in 1996 by Farooq Abdullah – because they have opposed the special status of the valley. The Jammu agitation is reminiscent of 1952-53, when the same areas in the Jammu region’s Hindu-majority south were convulsed by a Hindu movement calling for full integration of Indian-administered Kashmir with the Indian Union, meaning the cancellation of Indian-administered Kashmir’s autonomous status, recognized in India’s constitution and re-affirmed in 1952 in talks between India’s prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and the Kashmiri Muslim leader Sheikh Abdullah.

 

   

Peaceful Movement for Sovereignty

 

Indian strategists have every right to imagine. They think, once Kashmiris continue to be peaceful, India can go on militarizing Kashmir and occupying the alien land so long as USA does not offer an ultimatum to India on Kashmir sovereignty. Colonial minded Indians are terribly mistaken. In order to create obstacles to Indian support for the Kashmir freedom move they now cry loud that Kashmiris want to join Pakistan. How doe sit matter to them; Business of terror master India is to surrender sovereignty back to the struggling Kashmiris.

 

 Kashmiris feel they are systematically tortured, terrorized and killed by Indian forces. Like Muslims in India, Jammu’s Hindus have long felt bypassed and neglected as a minority in Indian-administered Kashmir. They viewed the subsequent revocation of the transfer as yet another cave-in to the valley’s more numerous Muslims, and reacted with raw anger. The competing mass mobilizations have precedents. Jammu Hindus are no different form those in India. Many in the valley argue that these groups have a barely concealed anti-Muslim agenda.

 

Perhaps, for the first time world media blasted the Indian atrocities in Kashmir in 2008, after so many years of Indian occupation of that part of the world. It is for the first time that Kashmiris are awakened to demand sovereignty back from India. The row over whether to allocate land to Amarnath Trust by New Delhi “Hindu specialists” in Muslim Kashmir, now under Indian occupation and hectic militarization, is unprecedented and has potentially caused the state to fragment along communal lines. Now it is no exaggeration to say that India is managing the state to be heading towards a communal meltdown, before the final settlement of Kashmir issue.

 

The conflagration was a setback for the Indian government which had made much of several years of relative calm in the Kashmir region and was under the impression that Kashmiris have compromised and recoiled to he Indian projects in Kashmir. India has tried to conclude that Kashmiris are finally over-powered by military threat and secret grave yards as there has been a decline of military exchanges with Pakistan across the Line of Control (LoC).  

 

The message from Kashmir for India and other oppressor nations is candid and clear: Frozen conflicts don’t stay frozen for too long and they cannot be put down with iron hands howsoever the power tries to suppress the freedom movement. Kashmiris now demand sovereignty peacefully and India has to concede. USA will certainly agree with this.   

   

 

Sense of oppression: Kashmir shall be Free!

 

Discovery of secret grave-yards in Kashmir reminds the world of Indian gray policy for freedom seeking Kashmir and remains the ugliest display of inhuman misadventure on innocent Kashmiris. If India showcases the graveyards as the peaceful place for freedom fighters, it is terribly mistaken. Historic Significance of Kashmir Uprising cannot be belittled by Indian strategists and leaders.

 

 Like the USA, India is keen to punish Muslims, kill them mercilessly. The turmoil comes at an uncertain time for India-Pakistan relations. Last month, there were localized ceasefire violations on the LoC, militant bombs killed 50 people in India’s Gujarat state, and India’s embassy in Kabul was attacked in a deadly suicide-bombing. Armed freedom groups in Kashmir have been lying low since the post-2004 thaw, but they remain present and dangerous. The lesson is frozen conflicts don’t stay frozen, and windows of opportunity to make real progress towards solutions don’t come often. Stalling on such opportunities can be perilous.

 

Under the prevailing freedom circumstances, India is keen to implement its pet and illegal Amarnath land deal by hook or crock and JK governor is dying to persuade the Kashmir leaders to convince the masses to “oblige’ the New Delhi masters. While many Kashmiris are kept under brutal custody in Indian jails, JK Governor N N Vohra had said that the administration was ready to hold talks with Jammu and Kashmir Coordination Committee (JKCC), which is spearheading the agitation in Kashmir.  

 

Of course, JK Governor should to talk to the freedom fighters, their leaders like Syed Geelani, but the agenda of any such future talks should be on Kashmir sovereignty and announced before hand so that there are no embarrassments for him and the freedom leaders. However, freedom leaders clearly smell a rat in the invitation extended recently by Vohra for talks; they see the New Delhi’s dirty hand stained with Kashmiri blood in new maneuverings and coercing the freedom leaders to agree to Indian Hindu demand for illegal land deal for Amarnath shrine. In stead, India should rebuild Grand Babri Mosque that was destroyed in 1992 by Hindu Al-Queda militants.

 

Rather, Vohra should invite the freedom leaders to discuss the sovereignty issue and formation of an independent nation with their own constitution, currency and flag for Kashmiris. It is for them to decide if they would eventually join Pakistan or Afghanistan. History tells that Kashmiris would prefer an independent nation with good relations with Islamic nations. That is quite natural.

 

Unfortunately, Terror India is dying hard to hold “democratic” polls in JK to see its agents come back to power and put a full stop to freedom struggle. No, that would be unwise and first of all, a peaceful atmosphere has to be created by promising the Kashmiris of independence following the polls. Find out how many Kashmiri Muslims have been murdered by India recently. Leave the polls to an independent Kashmir.  

 

Indian media had harped on releasing the detainees in Pakistan before any poll was to be held in that Islamic state, but in Kashmir India has a different face to show; many innocent protests are behind bars and many are being killed on a day to day basis, but Indian media want elections immediately so that Kashmiris are forced to forget about their agitations, and freedom from Indian yoke. 

 

But Kashmir is now under curfew, people are on the streets and Indian jails for peacefully demanding freedom from occupying India. But JK Governor and Indian government are focused on the dirty illegal land deal, unmindful of the ghastly deaths of Kashmiri Muslims, both in the streets and jails. Yes, Governor, first of all, a peaceful environment has to be created for any meaningful dialogue and jailed Kashmiris should be released unconditionally.  

 

It is high time India woke up to face the reality and boldly announce independence of Kashmir. The issue at dispute is Kashmir is not part of India and Kashmiris never like the idea of becoming Indians. Decades of Indian atrocities including regular genocide have not made the freedom seeking Kashmiris bend even a bit. India cannot refuse to address the key Kashmir issue any more?  Surrendering the Kashmiris their sovereignty!

 

Since Kashmiris have decided to get back sovereignty from India by all means and have shed violence against deadly Indian provocative methods, time is quite ripe for conservative New Delhi to consider, equally seriously, surrendering sovereignty back to them without delay and without once again tricking them into “terrorist” path. One hopes India will shed its “innocence” symptoms and come out to face the emerging reality when Kashmiris are together now and international community is on their side. In stead of behaving like a tight lipped or close mouthed rogue, India must talk, as before when they slammed Kashmiris, now about Kashmir sovereignty; after all fanatic New Delhi is not a shy guy.

 

Trade and contacts across the Line of Control (LoC) should lead to joining of the both parts of Jammu Kashmir. The same could be better achieved by returning sovereignty back to Kashmiris. Both India and Pakistan should come forward to uniting the Kashmir as a sovereign nation at the earliest.

 

Colonizers and imperialist strategists in Terrorist India should keep in mind Jammu Kashmir will be free form Indian yoke, all Indian leaders including military terrorists will be tried in special tribunals set by the UN and punished in due course. India has to answer for each and every Kashmiri Muslim lost life for their sacred cause of freedom form occupying India. Yes, India should stop fooling Kashmiris!