[sacw] sacw dispatch (3 Dec. 99)

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Web Dispatch
3 December 1999
------------------------------------------
#1. Why Pakistan's Military Government Will Fail
#2. Appeal to Pak Minister of Environment to review any new emphasis on
Nuc. Power
#3. Two Leaflets by the Hindutva Peddlers in Gujarat [India]
------------------------------------------
#1.

WHY PAKISTAN'S MILITARY GOVERNMENT WILL FAIL
by S Akbar Zaidi

[December 2, 1999.]

After seven weeks of Pakistan's third military coup, the time and space to
wait-and-see, is fast being replaced with a sense of anxiety and the fear
that the military government which replaced the democratically elected
government of Nawaz Sharif, has little to offer in terms of concrete,
focussed, and targeted solutions to Pakistan's numerous and well-recognized
problems. There is growing concern, that the military government, like all
its (civilian) predecessors, is concerned more with goodwill, rhetoric and
promises than with any form of concrete action. Moreover, the concrete
measures that have been taken in the last seven weeks, have produced few,
if any, positive measures. In fact, many of the outcomes may actually have
very serious negative consequences on investment confidence and on attempts
to revive the economy.

This article will try to articulate the likely reasons why the military
government will fail, in its attempt to change things around based on the
self-proclaimed Chief Executive's Agenda and subsequent pronouncements of
his team, a strange coterie of people, in itself. We will not question the
motives or intentions of the military government in its desire to improve
things and change them around, and will even assume that the military
government is very sincere in wanting to achieve what it professes.
Nevertheless, the ambitious Agenda will achieve little in terms of concrete
successes, resulting in a desperate and disastrous collapse of the very
high expectations that people have regarding the military government.

=46oreign Policy There are three main planks to Pakistan's foreign policy
which have come to determine the country's domestic, economic and
international status and position, and is responsible for many of the
problems that exist in the country. The United States, Afghanistan and
Kashmir/India determine Pakistan's relations with these countries and the
rest of the world, and also have an impact on the domestic situation in the
country. The military government's proclamation that 'our foreign policy
will remain the same' as in the past, gives a clear indication that this
military government has not thought things through on this front, and has
not been able to see the connection between foreign policy and many of the
problems articulated by General Parvez Musharraf in his interviews and in
his Agenda.

Many of us who have been writing in the press and in academic journals,
have repeatedly emphasised that in the past, a large number of Pakistan's
problems had emerged due to ill-perceived and ill-thought foreign policy.
The fact that Pakistan is one of only three countries which recognize the
Taliban government in Afghanistan, should itself be indication of
Pakistan's international isolation. Moreover, the excessive involvement of
Pakistan's religious and military establishment in the Taliban 'factor',
has had repercussions on civil society in the country. The religious
lobbies in Pakistan have been strengthened and emboldened by the successes
of their brethren in Afghanistan, harbouring visions of creating
talibanesque societies across Bosnia, Chechnya, Pakistan and Kashmir. The
impact of the presence of the Afghans and of Pakistan's involvement with
the Taliban, have been felt particularly in the NWFP, where social,
economic, cultural, political and institutional conflicts continue to
simmer between the migrants and the rest of the population. However, it is
the military's involvement with the Taliban, which has repercussions on
military and civil relations within the country.

If Pakistan's previous policy vis-a-vis India and Kashmir is likely to
persist, that too does not bode well for Pakistani citizens. After the
military's disastrous adventure into Kashmir this spring and summer, one
would have hoped for a more rational and progressive policy with respect to
India in order to sort out contentious issues once and for all. The fact
that our foreign policy will 'remain the same', is a sign that we have not
learnt from our mistakes in the past. While the military is and has always
been the greatest beneficiary of Pakistan's adventurous and aggressive
policy towards India, one would have hoped that now while it has complete
authority and control over the country and does not have to compete with a
civilian set-up for resources or for power, it could have come up with
saner statements regarding India, and could have actually worked to resolve
issues which have persisted for more than five decades. To retain the
status-quo regarding India, is a great step backwards.

The aggressive and militaristic basis of Pakistan's foreign policy results
in bad economics and has subsequent repercussions on the attempt to revive
Pakistan's economy. One key feature of Pakistan's economic policy in the
past, has been the large share of military expenditure under non-military
regimes. Now, with the military itself constituting government, the nature
of the 'military' budget becomes a little blurred.

Revival of the Economy One of the most important planks of the military
government, the possibility of a revival of the economy, looks exceedingly
bleak, given the fact that the military government will not undertake new
measures, but like foreign policy, will continue with the pollicies of the
past. In Pakistan's case, the policies 'of the past', are mainly those
devised and enforced by the IMF and the World Bank.

There is little disagreement between economists, that the period 1988-99
has been Pakistan's worst, in terms of economic indicators. Low growth
rates for the economy as a whole, low growth in the manufacturing sector, a
high balance of payments deficit, growing unemployment and poverty, and
abysmal investor confidence have tended to symbolize Pakistan's economic
record in the last decade. And, all of this cannot simply be put down to
the corruption of elected representatives. Despite the numerous governments
of the elected and non-elected form in the last decade, economic policy has
been more or less consistent and has relied largely on loans and conditions
imposed by the IMF and the World Bank. If there is no change in this aspect
of Pakistan's economy, a revival is a near impossibility.

The fact that the government has more or less decided to go ahead with a
rise in domestic petrol prices in line with international prices, and to
extend the scope of the General Sales Tax, reveals that for the moment at
least, the economic policy also remains unchanged. Also, the continued
reference to 'harsh measures' is preparing the public of worse to come.
With investor confidence still very low partly due to the military
government's accountability drive (see below), a 'revival' of the economy
seems very unlikely.

Accountability The one area where the government has already taken some
action in its first seven weeks, is the area which it likes to call
'accountability'. However, this is a misnomer, if ever there was one. By
going after bank defaulters the military government has recovered a mere
five percent of bad loans, mainly from politicians and other well-connected
businessmen. In its enthusiasm to arrest the corrupt, the military
government did not even take the trouble to implement proper foreclosure
laws or to bring about measures which would deal with bank defaulters, many
of whom are already facing cases in the banking tribunals. By identifying a
handful of businessmen/politicians who have taken loans that they have not
returned, the government has only made matters far worse.

In an environment where investor confidence is already at 'rock bottom' -
the new military government's favourite cliche - indiscriminately going
after those who had taken loans, has only forced real investors to shy away
from attempts to expand their business or to play their part in the process
of reviving the economy. In addition, banks with excess liquidity these
days, are also less willing to lend to their clients, as they fear a second
round of 'accountability' which will target bank officers who had made
loans in the past. All this means that attempts to jump-start the economy
are likely to fail.

Most important, however, in the military's understanding of the concept of
'accountability'. Bank defaults form only a miniscule element of the term
accountability, but going after such defaulters does not either improve the
government's fiscal/economic position, and nor does it address the nature
of the problems that afflict most Pakistanis. If any government was serious
and sincere about starting a process of accountability, it should have gone
after those who extort money from the lay public or who misuse their
governmental positions. Police officers and thanaydars, SHOs, SDMs, petty
officials of the numerous government departments, custom officials, judges,
and a host of other government officials are the bane of the common citizen
of Pakistan, and not those who have taken large loans from public sector
banks.

The military government has failed in its attempts to hold other than a few
individuals 'accountable'. None of the measures taken so far affect the
common citizen of Pakistan. In fact, many observers feel that the so-called
accountability process started by the military government is merely an
attempt to vilify politicians, which has no real intention (or is incapable
of) starting a proper process of accountability at the lower tiers in the
country.

Decentralization Will the fervour of General Musharraf's military
government regarding its 'decentralization' agenda be reminiscent of
General Zia ul Haq's zeal for his particular brand of Islamization? All
indications so far seem to suggest so, as growing lip service is paid to
this concept by the General himself and by other officials of his military
government.

There can be no denying the fact that there is a need for a substantial,
'radical' restructuring of the state in order to address issues that affect
all of us, whether in large cities or in remoter rural areas. In fact, many
of us have been arguing for many years now, that social, economic,
demographic and political changes in Pakistan over the last two decades,
have come into conflict with the existing structures of the (old) state,
and hence, there is a need to rethink the entire concept and nature of the
Pakistani state. This means rethinking the nature of the duties and
structures of power between different tiers of government. A thorough and
substantive restructuring of the Pakistani state will raise questions about
the present administrative boundaries of the provinces; whether there
should be only four provinces, or three times that number; whether the
concept of an autonomous elected metropolitan government for Pakistan's
eight one million-plus cities can be delayed further; whether the role of
Commissioners and their deputies in the rural areas ought to continue as
before; whether the role of the federal government should continue as it
does at district level; whether provincial autonomy can be further delayed,
and a large number of other extremely important structural issues need to
be discussed, debated, and some alternatives need to be suggested.

Unfortunately, despite the lip service being paid to the idea of
decentralization, devolution, etc., all indications suggest that the
military government cannot (or will not) take 'radical' and structural
measures. Discussions with those who are in a position to propose policies
and implement them, reveal that they feel that they 'do not have the luxury
of time' to implement any substantive changes. If that is how this military
government feels, that indeed is a lost opportunity.

What this means then, is that the military government will, at best,
propose some changes in existing laws (perhaps in the Local Government
Ordinance of 1979), but little else. The Local Government Ordinances of the
four provinces were promulgated twenty years ago under a Martial Law
government. The economic, social, demographic and particularly political,
conditions under which those Ordinances were framed, are very different to
the nature of Pakistani society in 1999. There is very little that can be
'reformed' from the 1979 set of rules, and what is required is a
substantive and restructured programme which talks about the issues
mentioned above. Clearly, the fine tuning of an outdated model will solve
few of the problems that exist. The military government's half-hearted
attempts at decentralization may follow the same pattern as the
Islamization programme of Pakistan's last military dictator.

What Is to be Done when 'Civil' Society Joins Uncivil Society? By adopting
a modern, secular, liberal, modern facade, the military has been smart
enough to co-opt a large number of individuals into positions of
government, from something called 'civil' society. (Can one still call it
'civil' society when it not only endorses but actually joins, uncivil
society, i.e., the military?). The greatest tragedy for many of us who have
been critical of military rule in Pakistan, has been the jubilant reaction
of members of 'civil' society celebrating General Parvez Musharraf's
military coup. Many liberals and democrats (at least one was under the
impression that this is what they were) have jumped onto the bandwagon and
accepted positions of prominence as ministers at the federal and provincial
level, while others are active behind the scenes, assisting or advising
government and waiting to be asked to join government at a more formal
level. Sadly, not too many of those from 'civil' society now in high office
would have been willing to work with previous (elected) governments. It has
become increasingly difficult to find individuals who feel that despite the
'sham' or poor democratic showing in Pakistan since 1985, the process of
democracy should have been allowed to continue.

Under most authoritarian and/or military governments, 'civil' society has
played a key role in either overthrowing those governments or forciing them
to move towards democracy. In the Phillipines, South Africa, in India
during the Emergency, in almost all of Latin America, and in many other
countries, 'civil' society institutions have played a prominent role in
subverting the aims and ambitions of military/authoritarian governments.
Clearly, the character of 'civil' society in Pakistan differs substantially
from that in other countries. Rather than take on and resist the military
government, it is now part of it!

=46or those of us who do not have much faith in the ability of the military
government to enforce substantive and far reaching structural changes in
Pakistan's foreign and economic policies, or to initiate measures to
restructure the very character of the state itself (which by its very
nature would undermine the status, role and position of the military), the
choices are far too few. For the very few individuals and members of
'civil' society who are not as yet in, or with, the military government,
this is the time to take stock of what constitutes 'civil' society
especially now that it has joined uncivil society. In addition, this is
also an appropriate moment to propose alternative visions for Pakistan,
regarding economic and foreign policy, decentralization, accountability,
matters of law and justice, and a host of other areas and disciplines which
need to be redefined. All of these measures, however, require political
action. One of the major shortcomings of 'civil' society in Pakistan in the
past, has been its lack of engagement with broader political issues, and
more specifically, with political parties. For those of us who are still
part of that small group which would continue to call itself 'civil' rather
than be bracketed with the uncivil part of society, perhaps there could be
no better opportunity to realize that it is crucial that civil society
embrace political society and begins to play a role worthy of its name.
-------------------------------
#2.

[ Address appeals to Pakistan's Minister of Enviroment:
In view of the recent statement of the Pakistan President 'to create a
nuclear power base of much greater magnitude', [See news item below]
Pakistan's anti-nuclear activists should write letters to (well known
activist & prominent campaigner for people's rights) Mr.Omar Asghar Khan,
the newly appointed Pakistan Minister for Environment, Local Government &
Labour seeking an review of health & safety procedures at the existing
nuclear power plants and to recommend that the Govt. should reconsider
plans to build new Nuclear power plants in Pakistan and consider safe
alternative sources of energy production. In India anti nuclear &
environmental activists are building a campaign to engage the Indian govt
to stop the huge Koodankulam nuclear power plant. Nuclear power plants are
in the two countries should progressively be phased out and we should
prevent our governments from proceeding to build new plants. The Indians
dont have a people-friendly Minister of Environment, but in Pakistan we
have unique opportunity. So environmental activists in Pakistan should
pursue this idea & write friendly letters to their Minister; Other South
Asians will join them and support them, for this would important for the
whole region. ]

NNI (Pakistan News Network International)
Thursday 2nd December, 1999
"http://www.nni-news.com/nni/today/page23.htm"

[Pakistan's President] TARAR FOR CREATION OF NUKE POWER BASE TO MEET ENERGY
DEMAND
ISLAMABAD (NNI): President Rafiq Tarar has called upon nuclear scientists
and engineers to build upon their successes and create a nuclear power base
of much greater magnitude to meet the increasing demand of energy.

He was speaking at the convocation of M.Sc. Nuclear Engineering and Systems
Engineering at Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Science in
Nilore near here on Wednesday.

He said nuclear energy is the only viable alternate source of energy for
Pakistan and the two nuclear power stations at Karachi and Chashma are not
enough as compared to 430 nuclear reactors in the world with total
installed capacity of about 338 thousand megawatt.

He said Pakistan has acquired most of the technologies for the nuclear
fuel cycle under very difficult circumstances and it is now imperative for
us to build upon these successes. He said the whole nation is deeply
indebted to its scientists and engineers for contributing to the security
and prosperity of the county. He said science and technology provide the
real foundations on which the dynamic of economic growth can be based.

He emphasized that no nation can hope to develop or even safeguard its
sovereign and real freedom in todays world without mastering science and
technology.

He gave a categorical assurance that despite financial constraints, the
endeavours toward indiginisation in technology have a high place in the
list of priorities of the government. He said this policy is more necessary
in view of a hostile international environment regarding transfer of
technology to Pakistan.

Referring to the high standards set by Pakistan Institute of Engineering
and Applies Sciences, he said human resources development is a
pre-requisite for moving along the path of technological progress leading
to economic and social development. He said this reality has been clearly
recognized by governments around the globe. Pakistan has a wide variety of
plan to encourage, develop and adopt new technologies and policies for
training or re-training of the workforce in the skills needed for rapid
progress.

He said nuclear technology is one of them. Its military application is of
special significance in the difficult security environment that we live in.
He said the successful nuclear tests have given a sense of pride to every
Pakistani but emphasized that is application in industry, agriculture,
medicine and electricity generation in less vital.

Chairman Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission Dr. Ashfaq Ahmed in his welcome
address said the fuel loading of the second nuclear plant at Chashma has
been completed and it will become operational in the near future. He said
Pakistani scientists and engineering have demonstrated technological
excellence in the fields of national defence.

He said PAEC has been successfully operating nuclear fuel cycle facilities
and was also producing the required materials.
-------------------------
#3.
3 December 1999
[Dont remain Deaf and Dumb to Communal Propaganda by the Hindu far Right
in India!]

TWO LEAFLETS DISTRIBUTED IN AHWA, DANGS [Gujarat, India] BY THE HINDU
JAGRAN MANCH, WHICH IS ACTIVE IN CREATING COMMUNAL TENSION IN DANGS
DISTRICT AND ADJOINING AREAS ON BEHALF OF THE HINDUTVA FORCES.

HINDUTWA AT WORK [ below] !!

Leaflet 1
---------

Good News=8A Good News=8A.

Invitation to the Public

Grand Hindu Gathering

And

Ground breaking Ceremony of Ram Mandir

We are very happy to inform you that on 24-12-99 a Grand Gathering of
Hindus as well as the solemn blessing of the foundation stone of the new
Ram Mandir at village Halmodi, in Vyara Taluka, Surat District, is planned
on a grand scale. This gathering is organized so that Vanvasi Samaj can
live with self respect and can safeguard the original culture of their
ancestors. The army of evil forces have arrived from the outside in the
name of religion, to divide and destroy society and the country. These
elements are engaged in the breaking up of the society and the country and
in making people fight among themselves by creating tension among them. You
are urged to join the forces to stop forcible conversions by force, threats
and false incentives. The following personalities will grace the occasion
and will lead the Hindus, since "there is no other option but to fight it
out, instruct Arjun to be battle ready by tightening his bow".

The Programme: will commence at 2.30 p.m. on December (24)
and ground breaking ceremony of the Temple from 2.30 to 5 p.m.

Meals will be served from 5 to 7 p.m.

=46rom evening 7 to 11, the following Sants and Mahants will speak

1. Swami Ramdasji Maharaj of Santram Mandir
2. Swami Aseemanandji Mahjaraj of Dangs
3. Swami Asheshanand Saraswatiji and other personalities present

will speak on the occasion.
=46rom 11 at night till morning: Cultural programme, Dangi Dance and Ras-Gar=
ba.

So we hope all Hindu brothers will be present and grace the occasion.

Invitation extended by:
All the Hindu families of Halmodi Village

Sd/-
Janubhai Pavar
President, Hindu Jagran Manch

Sonubhai Kalubhai Solanki
Vice-President, Hindu Jagran Manch

(Printed at: Shivam press, Jalalpur, Navsari copies:2000)

------------------

Leaflet 2

Dangerous activities of Christian Missionaries

Christian Missionaries are engaged in the activity of converting simple and
innocent Vanvasis using varities of cheating and misleading propaganda in
Vanvasi areas of Bharat. The converted people are not only isolated from
Hindu society by them but are also made enemies of Hindu society. It is
their daily activity to insult hindu gods and goddesses in terribly abusive
language. These missionaries are engaged in the activities of turning the
youth against their elders, instigating brothers to fight against each
other and breaking up of happy families.

The converted Christians declare themselves Hindu in their certificates.
These people corner the lions share of government help which the Hindu
Vanvasis are entitled to receive. The Christian missionaries who are
experts in the intricacies of legal and court matters help by inciting the
Christians to corner the rights of Hindu Vanvasis.

Their design to turn the entire Dangs into Christisthan by making all
Christians, was exposed by Shri Peter, the Secretary of their own Church
institutions. It is the evil intention of these missionaries thus to turn
the whole Vanvasi areas of Bharat into another Nagaland and Mizoram.

The incident of the attack on Hindu saints by the Christians during the
Hindu religious gathering on 25th December of the previous year at Ahwa was
the result of the systematic plotting to incite them. After this attack,
when some minor incidents (of communal tension) took place, they were blown
out of proportion and were given wide publicity through out the world,
adding all sorts of lies by these missionaries. Thus they have maligned the
image of Bharat and have committed treason which is common knowledge by
now. Even though there is no railway existing in Dangs, their magazines and
newspapers still continue to publish the lies that Christians are being
thrown out of running trains in the Dangs.

They collect huge amount of money from foreign countries, by spreading such
utter lies and using these amounts they are implementing vigorously their
plan to intensify conversion activities bt them.

The evil intentions of the missionaries are fully exposed by the public
statements of Shri Peter. The Hindu society (samaj) is not going to sit
idle with folded hands now. The entire Hindu society

(samaj) is awakened and is ready to oppose vigorously these dangerous
anti-national activities of the missionaries.

A grand rally of religious gathering is planned to be held at Athwa on 25th
December, 1999

In this religious gathering, the Head of Hinudism, His Holiness Jagadguru
Shankaracharyaji and Acharya Dharmendraji Maharaj and several other saints
will grace the occasion and provide guidance to the samaj. We appeal to the
entire Vanvasi Hindu samaj to attend the function in great number.

Publisher:
Janubhai A. Pavar President, Hindu Jagran Manch

(Printed by Shivam Press, Jalalpore, Navsari copies: 2000)

__________________________________________
SOUTH ASIA CITIZENS WEB DISPATCH is an informal, independent &
non-profit citizens wire service run by South Asia Citizens Web
(http://www.mnet.fr/aiindex) since1996.