Even a Buddha Speaks From a Limited Perspective

As I said earlier, Swami Ananda has attained a higher level of consciousness. And I’m not saying it on the basis of what he said. Any fool can talk wise – therefore, beware of wise sayings. But, no matter how wise you may be sounding, you cannot hide what you really are. That Swami Ananda has attained a higher level of consciousness is evident not in what he speaks, but in how he speaks, and in how he does things.

 Still, everyone speaks from their own unique position. Even a Buddha speaks from his own limited point of view – and he cannot do so otherwise. So, Swami Aananda also speaks from his own limited perspective. I consider it my opportunity that Swamiji allowed me to observe him. And he also allowed me to write my impressions. And I’m really influenced by what he tried to convey to me through his being. Still, i’d say Swamiji doesn’t understand my perspective.

I’m saying ‘Aham Bramha’ to assert myself, but not to reject others. In fact, I’m one of the very few people in the history of mankind who accepts everyone unconditionally as they are. I don’t say anything to impress, to create a following, or to seek any sort of recognition. I’ve a very clear conscience. And I do and say whatever my Bramha or conscience dictates. That’s why Aham Bramha. And for me, there’s no difference between ‘Aham’ and ‘Sarvamidam’.

I’ve only one message to the mankind: do whatever makes you happy – whatever makes you happy is good, right and holy. Everything else is false. Coz I believe that only when you’re happy, you can do anything ‘good’ even from worldly point of view. In fact, when you’re happy and enjoying life, other people enjoy their life simply by observing you.

Existential Individual (Quest for Self-Part III)

By Divas

(In this Chapter Divas shows how a perpetrating regime misrepresents a philosopher (like Divas ). Divas proves that one of the most influential thinkers of Modern History Nietzche’s Superman was falsely represented by the Nazi regime as an excuse for the Holocaust. Divas also makes it clear what Nietzche really meant by his symbol of Übermensch – the Superman. )

Although it’s difficult to give a precise definition, existentialism can be seen as the analysis of human situation with the individual at the center of all phenomena. Thus, existentialism may be called the philosophy of the individual. Existential analyses of human individual are found in the works of early literary writers and philosophers as well. Thomas Flynn claims that even Socrates (469–399 BC) can be called an existential philosopher for the latter’s practice of philosophy as “‘care of the self’ (epimeleia heautou)” (1).

Buddha has also been considered to be one of the early existential philosophers since he refused to discuss God and held the individual himself responsible for all the consequences. Søren Kierkegaard (1813-55) found fault with his times for ignoring the individual self with, “Each age has its characteristic depravity. Ours is perhaps not pleasure or indulgence or sensuality, but rather a dissolute pantheistic contempt for individual man” (qtd. in Stokes 145).

The Russian writer and thinker Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821-81) whose works dramatize religious, moral, political and psychological issues is considered as an early existential novelist who portrayed his characters as anguished individuals struggling for their distinctive space in a harsh and hostile society. Hesse (1877-1962), too, who grew up during the last decades of the 19th century, is supposed to have been immensely influenced by his predecessors like Dostoevsky, Kierkegaard and Nietzsche who were later identified as the forerunners of the existential movement.

Dostoevsky’s characters are involved in endless dilemma between right and wrong, good and evil and desperately struggle to free themselves from all societal bondage in quest of their own self. Coupled with his fine psychological insights into the anxieties and moral problems of the characters, Dostoevsky makes the existential point that human individuals can get salvation only by braving the intense suffering that life offers. Hesse seems to be very much influenced by Dostoevsky’s idea of salvation through suffering as Hesse himself makes all his characters including Siddhartha to go through intensely painful self-searching.

Both Dostoevsky and Hesse were anxious at Europe’s political, social and moral disintegration during their times. In his analysis of Dostoevsky’s novel The Brothers Karamazov, Hesse reveals his admiration for the Russian novelist with, “It seems to me that European and especially German youth are destined to find their greatest writer in Dostoevsky–not in Goethe, not even in Nietzsche” (qtd. in Weber 248). Both writers believed that only a completely different kind of spiritual awareness was able to unite Europe emotionally once again. Two years before Siddhartha’s publication, Hesse wrote a review on Dostoevsky’s another novel The Idiot prophesizing, “The future is uncertain, but the road which he [Dostoevsky] shows can have but one meaning. It means a new spiritual dispensation” (qtd. in Girardot 303).While salvation was still a Christian idea for Dostoevsky, for Hesse, as Siddhartha shows, the new spiritual awakening was to come from Asia.

Another existentialist thinker, Nietzsche, who was to influence not only Hesse but generations of his posteriors called for a new species of human beings who could survive the God-less world. According to Stokes, Nietzsche wanted the individual to acquire, “what the existentialists would later give him, the power to be master of his own destiny” (147). In his allegorical work, Thus Spake Zarathustra, Nietzsche makes his Zarathustra to proclaim that “Dead are all the gods: now do we desire the Superman to live” (51).

Nietzsche was indicating that the traditional theological systems and their morality concepts which centered on the idea of all-powerful God would no longer hold validity in the new world. Nietzsche’s Superman survives life’s miseries and profound unhappiness through his will to power and affirms life joyously by going beyond the traditional boundaries of good and evil.

However, that Nietzsche opposed the Judeo-Christian worldview does not mean that he was anti-Semitic in his opinion. On the contrary, Nietzsche was outraged the way his prophet Zarathustra was maliciously misrepresented as the messiah of the anti-Semitic ideology. Nietzsche, in a letter, repudiates his sister for associating his works with the anti-Semitic propaganda:

“You have committed one of the greatest stupidities – for yourself and for me! Your association with an anti-Semitic chief expresses foreignness to my whole way of life which fills me ever again and again with ire or melancholy . . .  It is a matter of honor to me to be absolutely clean and unequivocal in relation to anti-Semitism, namely opposed, as I am in my writings . . . that in every Anti-Semitic Correspondence Sheet the name of Zarathustra is used, has already made me almost sick several times” (qtd. in Schacht 217).

Even during the World War I, the German government published Nietzsche’s Thus Spake Zarathustra and distributed to every soldier along with the Bible as a source of inspiration. Nietzsche’s call for a superhuman character antagonistic to the Judeo-Christian worldview also inspired such deadly historic figures as Hitler and Mussolini.

The anti-Semitic Nazis propagandists collected Nietzsche’s works, manipulated and assembled them in such a way that the juxtaposition “wrongly gained the reputation of supporting Nazism, though his concept of the Übermensch or ‘superman’, is in fact closer to Aristotle’s man of virtue than the glorified Aryan hero” (Stokes 146).

Hesse himself was influenced by Nietzsche’s idea of equipping the individual with a magnificent “will to power” so that the individual could transcend his self and create the personal archetype of Übermensch – the Superman. However, Hesse was concerned over the way Nietzsche was being interpreted by the Nazi regime to brainwash German youths into racial war. Hesse published Zarathustra’s Return in 1919, just three years before Siddhartha. Zarathustra’s Return was Hesse’s own interpretation of Nietzsche’s philosophy.  Zarathustra’s Return was written in the Nietschzean idiom to appeal to the youths who were influenced by Nietzsche’s Thus Spake Zarathustra and were manipulated by the German State. Hesse made his Zarathustra to “reject German false gods, Kaiser, and the drill sergeant” (Galbreath 68) to awaken the hidden God residing within each individual. Hesse makes the protagonist of his Bildungsroman Siddhartha achieve the Nietschzean Superman status by rebelling against all Gods, prophets, and doctrines and asserting his individuality by following his own self.

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?

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.

God’s Creatures in Kathmandu

Fiery God inspires protests in Kathmandu

By Divas

The ongoing protests by the Newar community in Kathmandu may be the first major public defiance faced by the barely one month old Maoist led government. The protesters clashed with the police calling for the shutdown of the markets surrounding the Durbar Square area condemning Finance Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai’s announcement of reducing the budget on traditional rituals.

The Maoists, who were overwhelmingly supported in the capital by the Newars during the Constitutional Assembly elections, felt the heat so hard that Dr. Bhattarai had to apologize for infringing on the “cultural rights” and announce immediate resumption of the funds for “sacrificial rituals”.

However, the violent protests against the government is not only unjustifiable, but also another example of sheer non-sense prevailing Nepali society. Each year thousands of animals worth millions of Rupees are offered to the deities in the rituals according to the Hindu and Mahayana Buddhist traditions.

In the GadhiMai Mela (Worshipping of the Goddess) alone, more than 40,000 animals are killed to “appease” the Goddess. In another ritual practiced in Kathmandu, a live goat is thrown into a pond and youths jump into the water biting the animal to death.

Until recently, being the only Hindu theocracy in the world, such traditions were encouraged by the state to preserve the monolithic culture of the ruling classes. The people of New Nepal being the inhabitants of the newest secular republic in the world must also review their nonsense traditions.

The irony this time is that the Maoists who have been held responsible for sacrificing more than 15,000 human beings for “grabbing” the power were the only government in Nepal’s history who dared detaching the state from the costly and cruel animal sacrifices.

If everything can be acceptable in the name of rituals and tradition, then why was the Sati Pratha – in which the wife is burned alive in the funeral pyre with her dead husband – abolished from Nepal?

The Maoists and their allies better “watch” their public image mirrored in this incident. Unless they abstain from coercing people to behave according to the party guidelines, even such positive and pious intentions of refraining from animal-killings would invite confrontations.

ABC

Oh, India , why this mischief?

Post Author: DR.ABDUL RUFF Colachal*

Oh, India, Stop this Global mischief!

(Updated by the Author )

 Indians are proud of calling themselves great principled guys. Both in India and abroad Indian Hindus seek everything to themselves, equality and better provisions for Hindus in their own ways. In India they argue that they are the masters hence they decide every thing, Muslims have to obey the Hindus if they want to survive. Abroad they argue they deserve preferential treatment because India is a great country where democracy, secularism, equality, broadmindedness and justice, etc, are flourishing and Muslims and other minorities are better placed in India than the Hindus who are even denied minimum, if not everything, in their own country. Hindus are good at propaganda and maneuvering. Indian media call Muslims as bad guys to be ill-treated and Kashmiris as “terrorists”, while Pakistanis are still “cross-border-terrorists” and criticize the same manners its neighbor Bangladesh. But, amazingly, India remains quite sumptuously great, so to say.

 

Indian double-speak

 

In the India media slam Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia for not letting Hindus construct temple structures illegally. They know that they don’t have to be logical, but only have to insult Muslims and make the Arabs feel nervous about lack of “democracy” in their countries. They don’t question, like wise, the inordinate delay in the reconstruction of Babri Mosque as pledged by Indian government.

 

When Indian Hindu terrorists demolished grand Babri Mosque in 1992, the Hindus neither in India nor abroad made any protest. The Indian Muslims are so badly shaken by Indian governmental and political interference and media bashing, they just don’t protest. The so-called Muslim League and Hyderabad based MIM, both are “secular” parties attached to Indian Congress having Hindutva hidden agenda. Look at the way the Hindus in USA have done just because of a film they consider is made against Indian Hindus.

 

Day in and Day out Indian “patriotic” Hindus and “secular” Muslims make films in Hindi and regional languages insulting and attacking Muslims, but Indian Muslims, effectively controlled by Indian state agencies, don’t protest, though they have the capacity to do so. Hindus neither in India nor abroad have not protested against nonsense, anomaly or devastating anti-Islamic sentiments being espoused by Indian media and film industry. These “secular” Muslims are keen to be appreciated by State Hindus and, hence, do everything possible to appease the Hindu masters and deceive fellow Muslims who trust them.

 

 

But when it comes to Hindutva, the Indian Hindus who go abroad to make money cannot digest even one iota of anti-Hinduism supposedly found in films, articles and books. They call themselves democrats, secularists and tolerants. BS.

 

There are so many Hindus in USA, Canada and UK working and enjoying life there, while pretending to be patriotic Indians. They make money abroad but don’t think they are part of the country which sustains them with cash and privileges when India has kicked them off. Hindus, who don’t care for Muslim sentiments any where in the world, have started a protest in the US against a Hollywood comedy, saying the film will hurt the religious sentiments of millions of Hindus worldwide.

 

 

In the film, Myers plays the main character, Guru Pitka – who is raised by gurus in an ashram in India and then moves to the US to seek fame as a self-help coach resolving the marital problems of a Canadian hockey player.    ’They should draw a line when it comes to people’s faith’, said a Hindu fundamentalist- activist operating in the USA to propagate Hinduism. More than 5,000 people have signed an online petition protesting against the film Love Guru, starring actor Mike Myers and due to be released on 20 June, Friday. Some Hindu groups are considering a boycott of Paramount Pictures which produced the film.

 

So far it’s only the trailer that’s caused concern – two Hindu groups in the US have complained that they were promised an early screening before the film is released but were never shown it. In the UK, Paramount Pictures says it will arrange a pre-screening for Hindus before the film opens in August.

In India the Hindus criticize Muslims, torture and kill them, use all possible filthy language because Hindus are in majority and governments, services, police, military, bureaucrats, political leaders all are Hindus. But when in another country they want to protect their own interests by hooks or crooks, question why special consideration is given to Indian Hindus. 

 

Villains and their helpers in Indian films are invariably Muslims with ugly beards and mustaches. Will Muslims who are being fooled by Hindu politicians as being “secularists” realize the Hindu mind and their global agenda at least now? Do the Muslims, at least who serve the Hindu masters in politics, media and government, ask Indian movie makers or governments to let them watch the movies before release? There have been so many movies in Hindi and other state languages made to scorn the Muslims in special ways and do the Muslims take the governments to task?   

 

Indian Brain-washing

Like USA, Israel and many other anti-Islamic nations, India too is keen to create a strong contingent of pro-India propagandists, from all religions, mainly Hindus, to spread the news about the greatness and kindness of Indians and Indian tolerance, democracy and secularism and justice, etc.. India over decades since 1947 has generated a crop of so-called die-hard patriots who defend the Indian actions vehemently come what may and they know they get the support to the government agencies for their “services’ in the form of quick jobs, promotions, special privileges, preferential loans, etc., etc. Some Muslims also receive such bones for their hypocritical services.

 

 

They have come to occupy special space in every sphere of Indian life, including media related services. Indian intolerance for Muslims and Islam is a known fact even before the grand Babri Mosque was destroyed by the Hindu terrorists organizations supported by the governments at the Centre and UP, the seat of the Babri Mosque.

 

India spends a lot of resources and energy in brain washing the so-called “enlightened” gang of people in a sustained manner, which in due course begins to defend what the governments do and don’t do. They verbally bash any criticism of India anti-Muslim policies. Almost every section of Indian community has been brought under the control of the Indian networks spread across the country.

 

Still there is a small section of people mainly form the neglected, butchered section of the society, particularly the Muslims who don’t subscribe to the inhuman and anti-Muslim tactics and strategies of the government and Hindutva moorings. The pampered patriotic” guys generally try to spend extra time and coverage to brain wash that section also. But failing, this “errant” section members in government services are regularly sent to the psychiatric Hindu specialists for treatment. Because the government agencies reason, rightly so, that this section is unmanageable and unmanipulable and hence is insane, and they should be brain-washed sufficiently to make them fall in line.

 

Occasionally this writer gets letters from the “patriotic” Indian agents to consult psychiatrists for my exposing the Hindu misrule in the country and their double-speak through the loyal media. But they know the Indian psychiatrists are not good, so I ask them to send me to USA, Saudi Arabia or UK and I can do the needful to get myself fully brain washed. Then the Indian agents get panic because if I am sent to USA or UK, I would be brain-washed to suit the USA or UK needs and would listen to their advice and become their own agent, so, India would not gain any thing by sending me abroad for treatment. India thus seems to have dropped the unprofitable idea. By the by, I have very little trust in the ability of Indian psychiatrists to treat any patient.

 

The crux of Indian problem, haunting every educated person, is that Indian media with their illustrations and depiction of anti-Muslimism have terrorized, poisoned and corrupted the Indian minds, especially Hindus, so much that India majority think Muslims are bad guys, no matter where they live. This sickening propaganda has converted India into a large-size mental hospital that requires more psychiatrists than any other country in the world, including USA. India has to import good specialists from USA and Israel as early as possible to treat the neo-patriots who are other wise troubled by Indo- US flirting and latest nuclearism trends. More than Indo-US nuclearism India requires good psychiatrists to treat the poor Hindu guys whose minds are badly spoiled by media boosting.

 

Hindus seek equal representation in Malaysia

 

Indians driven out by India go hunting work and money abroad, but when found them and settled down, they begin Hindutva mooring in their activities and Indian government and Hindu organizations like VHP promote Hindutva or “Idianness” in other countries. Encouraged by Indian support, these Hindus construct temples illegally as they do in India. So much so, many Indians write lavishly why Saudi Arabia doesn’t live Hinduism and allow the Hindus who make money there construct temples illegally.

 

In Malaysia the Hindus similarly settled down for decades comfortably calling themselves as Indian Hindus and playing power politics to weaken the present government. Hindus control the Indian Muslims working there.

 

Not long ago, the Malaysian officials had been considering curbing the entry of temporary workers from India. When at least 10,000 ethnic Indians gathered late last year in Kuala Lumpur to demonstrate against alleged racial discrimination, it triggered political tremors in multi-ethnic Malaysia. Not only did the protest defy a state edict against unauthorized outdoor assemblies, it also broke a taboo against publicly questioning the country’s long-standing policy, like in any country, including USA , Israel and India , of preferential treatment for majority Muslim Malays. But in India Hindus are given not just preferential treatment but exclusive one. Muslims are selectively denied or rejected.

 

In Malaysia Hindus use tactics to convert Muslims into Hinduism with tacit support and active aids from India. Many were surprised that the protest was mounted by ethnic Indians, Malaysia’s smallest and most quiescent racial minority, who have been the strongest supporters of the National Front coalition government since it came to power in 1957. But dissent has grown among Indians recently with the destruction of Hindu temples that were built illegally and court cases that ruled that Muslim-born Indians could not convert to the Hindu faith.

 

Indians living in Malaysia seek equality in the country in all spheres and Hindus should be well-represented in government and private jobs. Malaysia suffered race riots in 1969 when ethnic Malays clashed with Chinese, who have come to dominate the economy since they started immigrating in the 19th century. Since then, however, peace has reigned among the Malays (52 per cent of the population), ethnic Chinese (25 per cent), Indians (8 per cent) and indigenous people (10 per cent). The policy of preferential treatment for Malays, known as the new economic policy, established in the wake of the 1969 riots, was meant to narrow the income gap between wealthy Chinese and poor Malays and indigenous people, known as bumiputra or “sons of the soil”, by giving the latter preference for university places and state jobs. Businesses were required to have a bumiputra partner, who would hold at least a 30 per cent equity stake. The policy succeeded in eradicating poverty among Malays and the policy has ensured this country’s stability.  

 

A Word

 

India Hindus should try to accommodate the legitimate interests of fellow Muslims in the country in jobs and higher education, while the Indians living abroad should consider the fact that thy are creating problems for other foreigners living in the country concerned and the vicious atmosphere they create with their Hindutva moorings should not harm the genuine Indians seeking jobs abroad in future.

 

India should feel ashamed of itself for being so reactionary, while Indian Hindus working abroad should try to ask Indian government to consider the plight of Muslims living there are equal citizens on the assurance given by the first premier of India, Nehru, to uplift their life conditions at par with Hindus;

 

Indians living abroad must without hesitations ask India to rebuild the grand Babri Mosque demolished by terrorist Hindus under the able guidance from Indian governments; they must coerce Indian governments, central and state, to stop torturing Muslims and release them held in jails on fake charges of “terrorism”, particularly form the notorious Tihar jail in Delhi.

 

And Indian living a fairly comfortable life abroad making cash and other wealth  must insist on the Indian government to surrender sovereignty back to Kashmiris; ask India to stop killing the defenseless Kashmiris hereafter and withdraw its terrorist forces form  Jammu Kashmir region immediately;

Let the Hindus showing their power abroad and in India realize that they cannot go on the double-speak on democracy, tolerance and secularism to fool Muslims and the world at large.  

 

Their illogical claims and illegal actions never help the Indian Hindus  whether they are in India or abroad.

 

 

* Author is a researcher in International Relations

Media Threat and Indian Muslims

Author: DR.ABDUL RUFF Colachal

Importance of media for shaping the policies of the State, on the one hand, and the public opinion, on the other hand, can neither be denied nor be disputed. But the world media are engaged in an anti-Islamic smear campaign globally. Negative role being played by media, both electronic and print, has caused enormous problems for Muslims all over the world, also in India where there are under constant threat from the Hindu dominated media, politicians and bureaucrats. While print media describe Muslims, both Arab and non-Arabs in filthy colors, electronic media, including in India, derive sadistic pleasures by degrading Muslims as terrible guys with beards and weapons and Hindus are projected as peace-minded people. Muslims have lost their legitimate right to have beard. 

Anti-Islamic Global media
With a few dignified exceptions, global media units harp on anti-Islamism for quite some time now. Modern Muslims do attempt to coexist even with antagonistic communities. There is no denying that screen depictions play a significant role not only in reinforcing stereotypes but in creating them in the first place, particularly of Muslims as small ethnic groups in some countries. The problem with majority communities is that they just don’t appreciate Muslims being so close to them or share the fruits of development of the nation.  

The electronic Media have strikingly immediate impact on the life patterns and the formation of mind-set of the people. In countries like India, firmly rooted in the cause of anti-Muslimism unleashed by the media, by both print and electronic, the politicians and bureaucrats cooperate with media magnets in the anti-Muslim campaign as if that is their legitimate right to do so. The pathetic Muslim community, badly shaken by this strategy, has been on the defensive even before the partition in 1947. With the arrival of the era of “terrorism” ably perpetuated by the US-led West to advance their collective national interest, luck seems to have blessed the majority community in India to ill-treat them more ruthlessly and deny them their legitimate rights. 

Media strategy has harmed the genuine interests of Muslims world over. Muslims, particularly in USA, Britain and other western countries conscious of their rights, feel insecure anywhere and under perpetual threat. They also have to shoulder the brunt of the anti-Muslim hatred generated by the state-media combine. The most interesting part of this report shows that the media are biased against them. There is also a pervasive belief that stereotypes, reinforced repeatedly, in film and television are directly linked to their experiences of discrimination and religious hatred. Arabs and Muslims are portrayed on screen as terrorists, thieves and barbarians; violent, backward and religiously unhinged, be it in the big screen of Hollywood, Bollywood or the little screen of television. Quite extreme variety could be even more devastatingly damaging for the Muslims. But it looks as if it should not matter that films portray Arabs and Muslims as caricatures and most Muslims should just laugh and shrug it off.

Atrocities, being committed by the core global media against the defenseless Muslims in the era of so-called terrorism in one form or the other, ably aided and promoted by the ruling politico-bureaucratic apparatus, are so grave for the Muslims that they feel threatened by the entire society wherein they live. It seems that offence perpetuated by anti-Islamic forces in most of the countries continue as a routine matter without any hindrance whatsoever. By portraying Muslims as unwanted anti-socials and supporting the goals of US-led forces in Arab world, the global media have attempted to degrade the image of all Muslims and even undermine their spirit of co-existence in plural societies. This is indeed dangerous. Havoc being created for the very existence of Muslims by the print media requires no illustration, while the state-run radio corporations with their biased news reporting as well as discussions and talks target the Muslims, including the Arabs, create an image of Muslims as being “evils”.   

 Early years electronic media had not developed yet to slam Islam and Muslims and only the print media, the west oriented, did that very efficiently terrorize them, to discard and disown their cultural contributions. All these years since Independence, the print media, English as well vernaculars, have faithfully portrayed Muslims as evils and unwanted elements that need to be eliminated at all costs, secretly or, if that is not possible, openly. The majorities Hindus are projected as the “tolerant ones” and “sufferers” and badly hit people by the “onslaught” of the Muslims, whereas the truth suggests to the contrast. Of late, however, Indian media, under the prevailing circumstances, seem to have been caught between its ‘duty’ to go all out for shielding the majority and advancing the so-called national interest and the need to project India as the largest democracy, at the same time. The media that are used to paint the Muslim in India in dirty colors of their choice, find it extremely difficult now to change their anti-Muslim format. 

The main worry of the media magnets and their political bosses seems to be economic advancement of Muslims which they don’t wish for them. By re-projecting Muslims as humans now, the media indirectly try to make room for advancement of Muslims in the society. Because the governments by taking cue from the media suggestions would be compelled to pass necessary laws to uplift the Muslims as well. But the readers are well equipped to receive the supposedly change in mind of the journalistic justice. This is the real dilemma that media, like the bureaucracy and politicians, face today .Hence the reluctance on the part of the media to present facts as facts and turn away from fictional portrayal of Muslims as unwanted ones coming in the way of the majority sharing all resources by themselves, just as the war booty is being shared by the US-led forces in the Middle East.

Media, the fourth estate charged with the task of defending the genuine interests of minorities as well, plays enough mischief in India, in the society. They consider the Muslims are no-entity and therefore to be ignored and subjugated. No one needs a special course to understand the fact that US-led terror strategy has been very aptly utilized by India to target the Muslims in and outside the country. And Media are never tired of branding the Muslims as suspected terrorists and useless burden-some, problematic people. Media have converted the Hindu masses into behaving like a shield to cultivate ill-feelings towards fellow Muslims.

According to a report released by the Britain’s Islamic Human Rights Commission, entitled “The British Media and Muslim representation: The ideology of demonization”, the Muslims are consistently portrayed as violent, dangerous and threatening in Hollywood movies and that this reinforces prejudice against Muslims. From the silent films of the 1920s that showed Arabs as brigands and thieves to present day films that show Arabs as ruthless terrorists intent on world domination, Hollywood rarely portrays real Muslims or Arabs, while cinema elsewhere, including Bollywood in Mumbai, paints the Muslims in thick dirty colors.  

 Media successfully fueled the anti-Muslim tragedy and promoted the anti-Islamic propaganda. The ugly depictions of Muslims, where the Muslims are shown as villains and ugly guys, have caused tensions in the society that led to the slow annihilation of the Muslims. The media that are so used to paint the Muslim in India in dirty colors of their choice, now would find it extremely difficult to change their anti-Muslim format for fear of angry reaction from the special sections that fomented friction in the society, apart from the worry about a possible slash in daily circulation affecting the profits of the media magnets controlling politics in the country.

The crux of the issue is how to reset the mind-set of the readers who were made to believe as facts the fiction presented to them, even if the media want undertake that. Indian newspaper readers and media viewers were earlier told that Muslims are bad lots, terrorists and suspected fellows and that they shouldn’t be entertained in societies at all. Muslims, deprived of any dependable leadership and resources to face the challenge from the media, are used as mere vote bank. The majority might question the veracity and reliability of the “new” material if supplied to them as new facts about Muslims. To accept the Muslims as fellow travelers, after targeting them thus far for no fault of them, is difficult and the readers would be required to treat the Muslims as humans, which would indeed be a difficult proposition. That would mean that democracy is farce.  

Indian Scene
The news media in India since 1947, by and large, unwittingly go against the principles of good journalism when they have “assumed” their chief responsibility in assisting the rulers to advance the so-called national interest, but largely at the cost the fellow Muslims, the second largest majority in the country and indulge in offending and insulting them. It is not just the criticism of Muslims per-se. The fundamental objective of this type of anti-Muslim journalistic format is to serve the interests of the majorities and work against, particularly, the Muslims. This way they are hands in glows with the authorities in India determined to thwart the attempts of Muslims to get justice, social as well as economic. 

India is hailed as a country where democracy flourishes on large scale. December 06, the date the Indian history would remember forever as on that date in 1992 democracy was finally assassinated in India with the destruction of Babri Mosque and follow-up torture of the Muslims all over the country, is fast approaching. Upon the destruction of the Mosque, the then ruling Congress government had pledged to reconstruct the mosque at the very site where it existed, but till date the construction has not even started. In order to suppress the Muslims who demand the reconstruction of the Mosque the Indian state has only terrorized them through various nefarious actions harmful to and undermining the Muslims. 

The attitude that India is “our” country and “we” decide what to do with Muslims is not a good media-cum-state approach at all. Since the media play havoc in the perceptive domains of majority of Indian, a few lines would help these self proclaimed patriots” to understand the factual position. Muslims lead a pathetic and strained life as offered to them by the governments of India and states. The role of the Muslims in India’s independence, wherein many of them lost lives for the country’s sake as well as their positive contributions to country’s development are totally ignored by State as well as media. Instead, issues like Pakistan and terrorism are cleverly brought in to play a destructive role in the lives of Muslims. While focusing on Muslims in India, the media and politicians encouraged by the bureaucrats make it appear that Muslims are a burden and a lot of resources are spent on them unnecessarily. Wonderfully, even by keeping a Muslim as President, India keeps doing what the USA does to Muslims all over the world. Insulting and bashing the Muslims is routine event in the country, including New Delhi.

 Media hide the fact that every year many Muslims are rounded up on the eve of December-6 anniversary and not many from the detainees return home quite safe. Till date no one knows how many Muslims are in Jails for what crime! Hatred is generated even from those wealthy Indians, particularly those settled down comfortably abroad, mainly in the West, and are both proud of and obsessed with the so-called Indian democratic values and feel happy to see the Muslims in India are painted in dirty colors and portrayed as bad guys deserving death and severely, but they are perhaps unaware of the fact that this country is contempt with legal aspects of the retaining detainees without trails. Of those who have detained and tortured in Indian jails for over a decade, only few are released and some others are tried to punish.

 Journalists from non-Islamic faiths are engaged by the media to churn out anti-Muslim stuff, as Christians and others do in the case of India. In fact the question of survival amongst Hindus, who own media, has forced even Muslim journalists to support the cause of Hindus by projecting the Muslims as a major problem. Media cannot afford to conveniently forget the fact Babri Mosque, pulled down during the Congress rule at the centre, and with its support, by the anti-Islamic terrorists and other state-sponsored forces led by the BJP and the UP state then ruled by the BJP, is a glaring example of how the Muslims and Islamic institutions are treated in India. With advent of US sponsored war on the so-called terrorism, India has been ably using the terrorism plank to deny what is legitimately due to Muslims. Like the USA and the West, India too describes and views the Muslims as suspected terrorists. All Muslims thus are potential terrorists, if not real or suspected ones.

Not at Cost of Muslims!
It is quite natural that the media, including Indian, have to survive first and expand further before defending minority rights of a given society, because their stay for journalistic activities depends heavily on the support it receives from the majority sections of society and the governments. So they have to be concerned mainly about sustaining their prolonged existence, leaving out the rest of the issues. Their attitude negates the very essence of journalistic duties and responsibilities. In the process of appeasing the majority and the government agenda media generally go against the interests of the minorities, and what in fact happens is the failure of news media to fulfill their fundamental duty as conscience keepers of the society. As a fashion, rather than duty, the media are seen determined to attack the Muslim minority in order to defend mainly the economic interests of the majority. In this process, journalistic ethics could fall a silent, pathetic victim, as it has happened in “pluralistic” India.

Media-hype may be necessary up to certain level, but when extended beyond that it might look absurd. Indian media believe that hype is most important in this business. Reporting of news and expressing of opinions, therefore, have got a lot to do with the molding the mind-set of the readers. Once set, the readers mind gets petrified and it is very difficult to alter it by offering the reality some what correctly, even if in a new method. For instance, by denouncing Iran and its leader, India cannot become closer to USA. What intrigues is the fact that the Indian news media do not think that protecting the interests of Muslims including their life and honor is also a major part of Indian national interest. On the contrary, the act of offending and injuring the Muslims, illegal as it is, is treated as an important sacred duty of the media. That is unfortunate.

A negative portrayal may not be offensive in itself. But the Muslims, as presented by the global media do not correlate in the media to real experience of being a Muslim. A film in which the baddies are a band of Muslim terrorists with dirty beards and ugly looks cannot be objected to just because it shows negative human straits. What can be objected to is that these are the only portrayals available to the global audience. What is missing is realism, the multidimensional depictions showing, sympathetically, the full variety of what it means to be an Arab and or a Muslim. Media, by and large, have lost the focus of reality. As a result, Muslims are not presented quite realistically and accurately today. There lies the essence of Western anti-Islamic ideology which global media quite faithfully reflects.  

Thanks to the strenuous efforts by the world ruling circles and the global media mafia, the Muslims are now better known as the so-called “terrorists” and, even worse, the “suspected terrorists”, especially in India, Israel and US, the so-called emerging strategic partners. Given the existing anti-Islamic international environment it won’t be surprising if, sooner than later, the encyclopedias and school text books define Islam as the religion of terrorists and suspected terrorists and a forum that generate “terrorist outfits” and encourage “cross-border terrorism”, etc, and requiring children, even in Arab nations that promote US interests in Middle East, to learn by heart similar definitions. All Muslim nations, both Arab and non-Arabs, could then even be expected to teach their children the basics of anti-Islamism and western as well as non-Islamic ways of life.

Changing contours of Pakistan politics

Author: DR.ABDUL RUFF Colachal
Analyst, Researcher & Commentator
Delhi

Pakistan is slowly but steadily moving away from routine turmoil towards achieving economic and security ends to help the people live and work in normal ways. The present government and the political parties are aiming even at greater goals by evolving consensus on major issues. This is indeed a positive development.
 
President Musharraf on April 22 said that he has no conflict with the new government and enjoys a good relationship with the new democratic set up. He expressed these views while talking to the European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who called on him at the presidential camp office in Rawalpindi. President said he has fulfilled the promise made to the nation and the world of bringing democratic stability in the country and he enjoys a good working relationship with the new government.
 
Thanks to the emergency Musharraf declared and the actions like arrests of judges and Lal Mosque tragedy, the opposition parties came together to fight emergency and Presidency. The February General polls cemented the parties having different perceptions on politics and Pakistan, but the ministry formation at the center and provinces offered opportunities for the opposition parties to become some what closely knit, albeit for the time being. The current federal coalition of four parties with different ideologies is unique since it is for the first time that the two mainstream parties after having remained arch rivals for a very long time have decided to sink their differences and to sail in one boat.
 
The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Awami National Party (ANP) came out victorious in the elections and decided to form a coalition government at the Centre and provinces. They followed their resolve with a comprehensive Murree Declaration, which fine-tuned modalities of their cooperation. This gave Pakistani citizens a justifiable hope that these three coalition partners will soon form a strong and stable federal government that will not only correct the imbalance between democratic institutions and the army but also deliver on their promises to the electorate.

A parliamentary democracy includes both treasury and opposition and there should be no harm if some parties sit in the opposition and help the government by their constructive or not so constructive criticism. Bringing all political entities on the ruling bandwagon should not even be an option. In any case, this is not going to help national solidarity. This will only weaken the coalition and make it difficult for the rulers to take difficult decisions and focus on the issues asphyxiating the country.
 
Even against the prevailing political animosity, President Pervez Musharraf the former General, has not given any serious thoughts to float his own political platform to stabilize his position as well as the political scene of the country and to create an effective opposition to the emerging ruling coalition. Nor has he taken any serious steps to encourage formation of another major party that could emerge as a strong opposition party in future. This situation has created a sort of void in emerging Pakistani politics. Perhaps the situation is apt for advancing the legitimate national interests without unnecessary hindrance.
 
 
Meanwhile, it seems, after the tragic and untimely death of Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan has been longing for a new charismatic leader. PMLN supreme Nawaz Sharif, though charismatic, has lost much of his glow in the corruption scandals. Though Benazir was also involved in corruption cases, she still remained a popular leader. Musharraf has lost much of prestige mostly for domestic reasons.
 

Asif Zardari’s Perceptions
 
PPP co-chairperson Asif Zardari, the man considered to be the most powerful in the country today, has, since the poll verdict, adopted a totally pro-peace attitude, by keeping enough play-field to deal with his coalition partners as well as the President. Frankly, his refreshing approach to Pakistani politics has indeed upturned the overall perspective of the politics in the country. His decision to side-track presidency issue and his choice of Gilani to the premiership were the first steps in that direction. Zardari’s lookout gets reflected in his perceptions on several issues concerning Pakistan’s legitimate national interests. One issue relating to re-instatement of judges.
 
It is clear that the move to reinstate the deposed judges by the new government has not been opposed by Musharraf who has promised to support the government decisions on important issues. Musharraf has also left the issue to the government. Some recent media reports say that Asif Zardari is not enthusiastic about the reinstatement and in an in-house party meeting has criticized some deposed judges and held them responsible for his protracted incarceration in the past. He has also held our superior judiciary accountable for its role in validating and supporting military dictators. He is unhappy that some honorable judges of the superior judiciary have from time-to-time validated military coups under infamous doctrines of necessity and expediency.
 
 STRIKING AT ROOT CAUSE
 
Musharraf emphasizes on addressing the root cause of terrorism and extremism said that a joint strategy should be devised by all allies on war on terror for combating this menace. Pakistan has made enormous sacrifices in fighting this war and we are ourselves a victim of terror and extremism. More than 1,000 people have been killed in suicide bombings since the start of last year, including former premier Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated at an election rally in December. The government launched talks with the Islamist rebels soon after winning elections in February, amid concerns that the military-orientated tactics of President Musharraf were spawning more violence. The aim is to transform a month-long lull in a wave of suicide bombings into a permanent peace with the rebels, who have fought the government since Islamabad joined the US-led “war on terror” in 2001.
 
According to official reports, Pakistan’s new government has drafted a peace agreement with Taliban militants in its troubled tribal belt bordering Afghanistan, officials and a rebel spokesman said. “The draft agreement contains clauses under which both sides will not take armed action against each other. Military will be withdrawn from certain areas, attacks on security forces will be stopped by militants,” the official said. The draft 15-point peace agreement also involves the exchange of prisoners and said it had the backing of senior political and military figures.
 
In this context, the accord underway between government-backed interlocutors and the Mehsud tribesmen in South Waziristan aimed at ending hostilities, halting suicide bombings and restoring peace in the tribal areas and the rest of the Frontier should be welcomed. The provisions said to be included in the terms and conditions set forth in the talks for reaching an accommodation between the government and the militants entail demilitarization of the region as well as the militants’ pledge to lay down their arms and expel any foreign militants.
 
FOCUS ON GILANI: TURNING POINT?
 
Historically, “democratic” politicians are known more for breaking promises than keeping them, and in their bid to be clever and take advantage of their political foes they have often weakened democratic civilian institutions. Unfortunately, the politicians have no love lost for principled politics. In fact, the successive military/democratic rules have seriously impeded the development of a proper political culture in the country. Pakistanis seem to have lost faith in any leader in the country.
 
However, there is basis to believe that Gilani would make a different premier from those seen thus far in Pakistan. He seems to feel the pulse of the commoners of his country. The people rightly expect from him too much though, but he will have to solve their problems of poverty, illiteracy and unemployment which, unfortunately, have become Pakistan’s permanent problems because no government has been able to resolve these problems. Flour crisis and energy crisis are also troubling the whole society because flour is the need of every individual and energy crisis has reduced the life of every citizen to a miserable pastime. Unemployment is another problem. The prime minister should focus his attention to tackle this problem by sustained efforts.
 
Poverty and illiteracy are a direct consequence of feudalism. Gilani should make efforts to remove the miseries of the downtrodden that form more than two-third portion of the total population of our country. A large majority of the people who are homeless should deserve the immediate attention of the new government. Democracy can never take root until feudalism is eradicated because the history of our country tells us that feudal lords, like any big business magnets, have been power-hungry people. They change the political parties overnight because they have not got any affiliation with any ideology. They are always guided by their selfish motives.
 
Poverty threatens Pakistan more than India. The people who cannot afford to send their children to schools are very large in number. 50 percent of children leave primary schools before completing their primary education due to financial problems. According to the 1998 census of Pakistan, 40 percent of our population is living their life below the poverty line and the other 40 percent have also been categorized as poor. Mega projects should be launched to uproot this menace. He should make short term and long term plans to alleviate poverty.
 
KASHMIR

There are two major foreign policy issues that have evolved a sort of uniformity in opinions in Pakistan both in media and political parties cutting across the political divide. They are Pakistan-China relations and Kashmir. Attitude of Pakistanis toward both is highly positive. There is consensus on fact that Pakistan government has recently side-tracked the Kashmir issue that is considered to be the cardinal vein of Pakistanis, for close historical, cultural and geopolitical reasons. Pakistanis, going y the media reports and views, are upset over the way Pakistan has been appeasing India over Kashmir.  Societal resentment in the country for Musharraf is also closely linked to this issue.
 
Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Gilani has reiterated the Pakistan’s resolve to stand by the Kashmiris in their struggle to get back sovereignty for their nation from India. Raza Gilani on 24 April said Pakistan is committed to extend moral, political and diplomatic support to its Kashmiri brethren in their just struggle for self determination. Gilani said the government would continue to support Kashmiris’ cause till the resolution of the dispute. He said peace, stability and development in the region could only be achieved through the resolution of all outstanding issues including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir. He said the dispute needs to be resolved in accordance with the aspirations of Kashmiri people as enshrined in the United Nation Resolutions.
 
Now the goals set by the new government led by Gilani has further attracted the parties to shed the past for the time being and support the government to solve the urgent problems of the masses. Government said withdrawal of Lal Masjid cases was out of question. However, the government wanted to abolish politically motivated cases with consensus and in national interest.
 
Collective efforts made by the new government have yielded results. Pakistan has welcomed the announcement by Baitullah Mehsood to shun terror activities. Pakistan plays a growing role in the region and makes an important contribution in fighting “terrorism”, he underlined. He noted that international efforts to promote stability at a regional level – notably in Afghanistan – also required stronger ties and cooperation with Pakistan. In order to streamline the border movements, the Pak–Afghan border has been completely sealed.
 
AN OBSERVATION
 
Broad-based coalition offers Pakistan a historic opportunity to address the serious challenges in the spheres of economy, security and foreign affairs, which must not be lost for the sake of petty political considerations. Issues like poverty and regional imbalances need urgent attention. The basic domestic issue that may well bleed the project to death is the trust deficit among the provinces. It is difficult to blame the smaller provinces for being paranoid. More than any rhetoric, the country needs confidence-building measures to create a consensus on the issues.
 
It is torturous to feel that as a nuclear Pakistan also has a lot of poverty. India has kept Pakistan’s real advancement under constant check by creating obstacles across the borders and damaging its image globally. India spends over 20 per cent of its national economic resources on weaponization as well as modernization of weapon systems, thereby threatening the security of its neighbors particularly Pakistan; China being an economic giant and UNSC veto powered member with enormous nuclear and strategic weapon systems is not bothered about India. By appeasing the USA though through economic gestures including nuclear deals, India has been trying, quite unsuccessfully, to weaken, if not wreck the US-Pakistan ties and isolate Pakistan. So much so, Pakistan spends huge resources on its security needs including its nuclear arsenals.
 
Pakistan’s initiative for bi-lateral ties with this South Asian hegemon India should not be at the cost of Pakistan’s own legitimate national interests. Indian plan to divide Pakistan-Kashmir bond is so strong that it would be fatal for Pakistani leadership to ignore that fact while formulating future strategy of Pakistan. Once Pakistan is separated from Kashmiris leaders, it would be easier to play Kashmiris against Pakistan and that would be devastating for both Pakistan and Kashmir. New Delhi has also played a destructive role in destabilizing Bangladesh and it can do any cold blooded further actions in Pakistan too, asides, of course, what has been happening in the country for quire some time now.
 
Today Pakistan is devoid of any truly charismatic leader being respected by the people of Pakistan. Hence the issues racked by the collective opposition –cum-media have not been washed away and President Musharraf is unable to convince the masses of rationale behind his actions for the sake of a better Pakistan. Hence the judges’ issue could be kept alive for a long time unless the opposition, PPP decides to close the chapter in one way or the other. USA, a close ally continues to threat with bringing forces to Pakistani soil, though rightly protested by Pakistan. Since political parties are united, there is very little that USA can do especially that would destabilize Pakistan further. Unlike India, USA cannot think of destroying Pakistan.

Pakistani leaders would do well to ponder over the popular magic attached by the population to the genuine leaders to whom they look forward to help solve their problems, repeated disappointments notwithstanding.

Pakistan would continue to pursue the cause of the Kashmiris for their freedom from India. Gilani should use Pakistan’s external diplolmatic resources to fullest extent to push for an early resolution so that Kashmir is re-independent soon.
 
Pakistan’s image has been on the rise recently and one hopes the trend would continue to rise further as the country moves economically, politically stronger and its borders are well-protected. Apart form USA, EU also wants to step up its engagement with Pakistan in order to promote regional and domestic stability, encourage democracy and help consolidate its position as a moderate Muslim state. EU is very encouraged by the general election in February that paved the way for a democratic set up in the country. Pakistan remains one of the most important Muslim nations.

Coffee in Saudi Arabia

                                                                                                   Author: Neil Durkin

The very high price of coffee in Saudi Arabia

Now I’m not a big one for sitting in cafes “working”. You know – Wi-Fi Access Here. Frappuccinos R-Us. Delicious Cinnamon Muffins Only £2.65. All that.

But I’m reliably informed that cafes are where all the “creatives” hang out, getting busy with their hand-held devices. Heck, even my own girlfriend keeps saying “meet me in Starbucks, I’ve got some reading to do”. So, yes, the cafe is the new office and we’re all fixing up meetings in Caffe Nero and deserting our unloved meeting rooms.

But hang on a minute. Are you sure that that meeting in the coffee shop you’ve just arranged isn’t a trap? That you’re not going to get arrested as soon as you put one of your fashionably scuffed old-skool Golas through the door?

Ok, expect not. But it’s exactly what DID happen to a university professor in Saudi Arabia a few months ago. Now, incredibly enough, he’s been sentenced to eight months in prison and – wait for it – 150 lashes. For what, you may ask?

Here’s what. The professor, Dr Muhammad ‘Ali Abu Raziza, went to meet a woman in a coffee shop in Mecca after receiving a call from someone he took to be one of his psychology students. Saudi Arabia has laws that forbid a man being alone in the company of a woman who’s not an immediate relative, so he checked that she was bringing a chaperone. She was. He gets there and … she’s alone. Immediately the religious police swoop and he’s arrested. Read the full story.

The “crime”, known as “khilwa”, is part of the kingdom’s notoriously restrictive legal code that hems women in at all turns. No driving. No going out alone. No sitting in the male area of restaurants, or going to the male desks in banks and offices. And definitely no meetings in coffee shops with unrelated men. Have a read of Nesrine Malik’s Comment Is Free article (and lively debate) on the general un-free-ness of ordinary life for Saudi women.

The irony in this case is that the religious police nabbed not the woman but the man. It looks like entrapment, with officials from the (brilliantly named) Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice out to get Dr ‘Ali Abu Raziza after he angered some of their members who were also his students. Now he’s facing flogging and prison unless the provincial prince decides otherwise. It may sound bizarre, but it’s real, it’s happening and you can take action for him.

That’s today’s main business but I can’t go without – belatedly – mentioning the excellent news of the Saudi blogger Fouad al-Farhan’s release on 26 April. He’d been in prison since 10 December (international human rights day: did his jailors have a twisted sense of humour?).

It would be wrong to pretend that any “good” can come out of imprisoning a peaceful blog-based critic like him, but it’s worth saying that his case has galvanised the lively Saudi blog scene (check out Saudi Jeans for example).

Suffice it to say – Amnesty and the human rights community will now be watching the situation very closely. My motto? Hands off our bloggers and make that another double espresso to go.

Ciao amici.

PS. Is the newly “open” Cuba going to learn anything from the past? I only ask after the dispiriting news that Cuba has prevented its leading blogger Yoani Sanchez from travelling to Spain to pick up an award for her blogging. Mmmm. Time for Fidel’s younger brother to start delivering on real human rights and freedom if you ask me.

 

From: http://blogs.amnesty.org.uk/blogs_entry.asp?eid=1274

Tibet Olympics

 

” U.S. Ambassador to Nepal Nancy Powell urged the prime minister[of Nepal] to ensure that the right to peaceful protest was maintained and the human rights of Tibetans in Nepal respected. She welcomed the respect accorded to Tibetans during their April 28 protest.

Some observers have expressed concern that ethnic and religious rights in Nepal may deteriorate under the new communist-dominated government, especially if China seeks to increase its influence through political pressure and economic incentives. The largest single party in Nepal’s new parliament will be the Communist Party Nepal-Maoists, lead by Comrade Prachanda.”

From: http://www.upiasiaonline.com/Human_Rights/2008/05/01/tibetans_in_nepal_continue_daily_protests/3259/

 

 

 

ABC comment:

Nepalis do not need a great country with the world’s largest super power status to coach them on how to behave with the Tibetan protesters.

 

For hardly any other people share as much real sympathy as the Nepalis toward their fellow Tibetans.

 

For Nepal shares not only the geological tectonic plateau with Tibet, but also the cultural & ethnic bond between the two people.

 

That’s precisely the reason why Tibetan refugees have been living in Nepal despite China’s tremendous objections. The Tibetans are hardly discernible in Nepal unless they themselves reveal the identity.

 

And that’s precisely the reason why even the supposedly-China-friendly-Maoist-led- upcoming-government too would not be able to go beyond certain precautionary measures against the Tibetan protesters.

 

If the world’s self-proclaiming humanitarian messiah America is really so concerned for Tibetan people’s cause, why doesn’t Mr. Bush put a trade embargo on China? After all, that’s precisely how the Americans have been teaching ‘democratic’ lessons to all ‘rouge’ countries from Cuba to Burma.

 

If the US worries for hurting the communist Hangs so much, why does it misuse its disproportionately outsized buildings in Nepali soil against the Nepali nation’s interests?