[sacw] sacw dispatch #2 (5 Jan 2000)

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Web Dispatch #2
5 January 2000
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#1. Some Expendable Aspects of Global Democracy
#2. Peace the skies only when we create it first on earth
#2. Rehearsal for 'Hindu Rashtra' begin in Gujarat, India:
14 year Old Ban lifted to allow govt. staff to join the RSS
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#1.
(December 31, 1999)

SOME EXPENDABLE ASPECTS OF GLOBAL DEMOCRACY
by Edmund Zimmerman

In the age of information nothing is written in stone. A modern day Moses
coming down the mountain might be carrying moral dictates as soft and
floppy as the tablets they're written on. In recent weeks even sacrosanct
concepts like "democracy" and "self-determination", long teetering on the
edge of the superfluous in the thrall of their many shady defenders, have
sunk to new lows. The recent coup d'etat in Pakistan is the latest example
of the ever-changing morality of the global investment community
championed by the U.S., the World Bank and the I.M.F. News services in
many countries acknowledged the tacit blessing these world governing
bodies bestowed upon Pakistani General Pervez Musharraf who deposed and
arrested democratically elected Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and selected
members of his government. The press in the United States however shares a
certain synchronicity (not to mention countless board members) with our
global banking and investing societies and their mysterious doings. It's
almost a sixth sense.

Any article about corruption in Pakistan's system of government written
before the October 12th coup would certainly have included the military,
which commands over a third of the country's budget, in its list of
offending bureaucracies. After the coup, however, virtually all American
press reports speak of the difficult job the military will have cleaning
up governmental graft. Not mentioning the military while discussing
Pakistani institutional graft is so illogical, so jolting that a clearly
coordinated effort at the editorial level was necessary. Not surprisingly
most of the sources quoted in these articles have been either military or
sheepishly pro-military opposition to the military not being a viable
option in public discourse in Pakistan at this time. This fact is rarely
noted in the US press while the absence of mass demonstrations is reported
as "widespread public approval". A piece in the Oct. 21 New York Times
quotes Mehreyar Pataudi, senior VP of the ASKRI Bank in Pakistan in
scathing criticism of the National Banks without identifying the ASKRI
Bank as being owned and operated by the Pakistani military.

Repeating the same catch phrases and even the same headlines over and
over again in articles written by different writers at different news
outlets might appear too cynical for reasoned public discourse (or at
least too obvious) but skeptics should remember how frequently they heard
the exact phrase, "weapons of mass destruction" during another recent
mobile morality moment. When it comes to going along with ad agency style
simplification of complex issues members of the U.S. press frequently
'just do it'.

These three headlines topped stories by three bylined journalists in the
Times, the Washington Post and the San Francisco Chronicle in late October
in the span of less than a week: "Pakistan Coup Leader Targets Corruption"
"Pakistanis Cheer General's Uphill Fight Against Graft" "Corruption Top
Priority In Pakistan=8AHopes Rest With Coup Leader"

Democracy be damned; this man's on a mission from God.

Opinion pieces in the Chicago Tribune (Oct 30) and Pakistan's English
language Jang News International agreed that Pakistan's 62% illiteracy, a
vast majority of the population living in devastating poverty and the lack
of a proper middle class conspire to disqualify Pakistan from democracy.
This is a formula typically interpreted as a popular mandate for a style
of leadership in high hats and jackboots.

Character profiles can also be helpful when preparing readers for
otherwise distasteful occurrences. Nobody is all bad and we've been weaned
on profiles; they act as a bridge between Newsweek and People, between
Entertainment Tonight and Meet The Press. An Associated Press story
headlined, "Coup Leader-Iron Will, Sharp Mind" caused the newsprint to
literally run down the page. General Musharref is fond of both "breaking
new ground" and "finishing the job". He's described as "brilliant" but
"uncomfortable with pomp and ceremony" and a few sentences later as a
"standout" "not at home with pomp and show". He's "decorated for valor"(We
already knew that from the photos with all the shiny medals) and
"elite"(always a dangerous term in its military application). The Chief
Executive, as he now refers to himself, is "a bon vivant likes good food,
traditional music, poetry, dressing well." He "particularly admires German
WWII Generals Erich von Manstein and Erwin Rommel for the blitzkreig
tactics they innovated." (The writer of this AP profile could have used a
little aversion to pomp and ceremony.) President Bill Clinton, another
world leader who recently commemorated (inadvertently or not) the "desert
fox" while "blitzing" the Iraqis yet one more time, has made use of plenty
of pomp and ceremony in calling publicly for a "restoration of democracy"
while actually lifting certain sanctions which had been imposed during the
terrifying game of nuclear one-upmanship between India and Pakistan in May
of '98. On Oct. 28 he rushed to make use of Brownback-2, the presidential
waiver authority attached to the new defense bill, to ease restrictions on
US commercial lending and agricultural credit guarantees to Pakistan. The
spin on this contradiction was supplied by the National Security Council's
Mike Hammer who noted that virtually all the sanctions against India have
been waived, explaining that the "different treatment of the two
countries" reflects "our hope that Pakistan returns to democracy soon."
Actually Clinton probably lifted all the sanctions against Pakistan that
he could considering that Section 508 of the Foreign Assistance Act
supercedes Brownback and expressly forbids aid to countries where elected
governments have been replaced by military coups.

The conflict three months ago in the Kargil Heights of Kashmir near the
Line of Control nearly set off an all-out war between India and Pakistan
and is said to have been the brainchild of General Musharraf. Its
resolution, when Prime Minister Sharif ordered the withdrawal of Pakistani
forces, was seen as a moral victory in India and is said to have aided in
the re-election of the BJP Hindu coalition government of Indian Prime
Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee while contributing to Sharif's own political
demise in Pakistan.

The lifting of sanctions on India soon after the re-election of the
nationalist government that kick-started South Asia's race toward mutually
assured destruction while appeasing Gen. Musharraf, the oft decorated
veteran of two wars with India may seem counterproductive

Unfortunately for the people of South Asia, when it comes to nuclear
proliferation versus disarmament the United States leads by example.
Unfortunately for the people of the US, when it comes to dissemination of
crucial information there are sometimes only followers.

Copyright =A9 1997-1999 iSyndicate Inc.
_____________
#2.
The Daily Star
Tuesday, January 04, 2000
Op-Ed.

TERROR IN THE HIGH SKIES - PEACE ON EARTH THE ONLY COUNTER

Praful Bidwai writes from New Delhi

The agonising but avoidable hostage drama, and the monumental incompetence
or deviousness of governments, have both deeply wounded the public
conscience. The hijacking brings to an end the bloodiest century in
history-with over 100 million dead in war, itself taken to new
technological heights. Shocking and painful as this incident is, it calls
not just for anger, condemnation and criticism, but also for thoughtful
reflection on the state of our part of the world.

Official ineptitude was only too obvious in the ease with which the six
hijackers got past Tribhuvan airport security, and in the 40-odd minutes
during which the Airbus was in Amritsar. The authorities fumbled, losing a
precious opportunity to carry out a rescue operation. Clearly, little was
learned from our 16 hijackings since 1971, and the creation of a crack air
commando unit.

Thus, the two-hour notice to the NSG (in place of the required 30 minutes)
was wasted. Indecision, incompetence, and chalta hai laxity ruled. A
handful of hijackers, armed with a couple of pistols, prevailed over the
Indian "super-state".

The government failed in the first 72 hours to mobilise world opinion and
move the United Nations. It was so driven by hubris-why should India talk
to regimes it does not recognise?-that it missed a vital chance to bring
about mediation or engage the culprits. Pomposity prevented Indian leaders
from launching timely diplomacy. (Never mind that they used Pakistan's and
Taliban's "good offices" to communicate with the hijackers!)

Dumbstruck by its own incompetence, and under moral pressure from incensed
relatives, the government called an all-party meeting on Day 4. This too
was part of a highly questionable pattern: bring in the Opposition when
desperate, appeal for a "non-partisan approach", but follow your own
sectarian agenda.

The electronic media launched a propaganda blitz demonising Pakistan and
Islam. Even Mr Jaswant Singh played up "the Pakistan hand" because the
hijackers reached Kathmandu from Pakistan.

The fact that the hijackers came from Pakistan does not mean Islamabad
supported them, just as their religion does not immerse them in a grand
"international conspiracy". The ground evidence is that the Taliban
offered cooperation, and Islamabad handled the Lahore landing the way
India wanted it to.

The truth is that there are too many people in our sub-continent who bear
a deep resentment at the way the Kashmir issue has been handled. There are
too many enmities, rivalries, mutual suspicions and tensions between South
Asia's two biggest states for matters to be normal. South Asia is the
world's only region in a state of continuous hold-cold war for half a
century, which shows no signs of abating.

Too many wounds have been inflicted, and on too many innocent people by
state and sub-state forces, over the past decade. Violence has become part
of everyday life for too many people. All this is compounded by the
highlighting of the Kashmir issue with the nuclearisation of India and
Pakistan.

Pakistan has fully exploited this discontent by sponsoring terrorism. It
must be resoundingly condemned, along with its Kashmiri clients. However,
this cannot erase New Delhi's culpability for its Kashmir policy bordering
on state terrorism, suppressing human rights, and brutalising the
citizenry.

The growing alienation of Kashmiris from the government is a fact. The
Centre has starved J&K of funds, while burdening it with salary increments
and security spending. It has allowed the detention of Hurriyat leaders
like Yasin Malik, Maulvi Abbas and Syed Ali Shah Gilani. These are not
terrorists. They have been detained for two years without trial under an
obnoxious, unconstitutional, law.

The super-corrupt Farooq Abdullah government is hated in the state, where
public services have broken down. The appalling 12 per cent turnout in the
Valley in the last elections points to a dangerous situation. Already, the
insurgency is reviving, as exemplified by three major armed attacks on the
army and the secretariat right in the heart of Srinagar.

The army's claim that it has "sanitised" or "pacified" Srinagar no longer
holds. There could be a flare-up in Kashmir any time, which could
precipitate an unspeakably horrible India-Pakistan confrontation.

This calls for a serious reappraisal of India's security and Kashmir
policies. Crises like the latest cannot be prevented or resolved by purely
physical (police or semi-military) methods. Even the US has found this
impossible. Indian society is too differently (or loosely) organised for
physical methods to succeed.

In any case, policing has its limits. Elaborate non-proliferation
safeguards have not prevented states from trying to acquire nuclear
weapons. Physical methods must be subordinated to political approaches of
negotiation and reconciliation.

It would be epochally unwise for India to seek security while antagonising
its neighbours and courting hostility. Peace with them is a precondition
for our security. You cannot create hostility all around and yet be at
peace with the world. The US, despite its might, is paying the price for
its arrogance. It remains a hated and suspect government in many
countries.

India in recent years has slavishly followed the American model of
hegemony. The message nuclearisation gives is, Might is Right. That is
also the meaning of India's Kashmir policy. Once such a repugnant
principle is legitimised, terrorist groups can commit the same act-in the
name of their Motherland.

The way forward does not lie in reinventing preventive detention or
creating federal anti-terrorist squads, as Mr L.K. Advani wants to do.
That can only temporarily put a lid on discontent, while actually stirring
up trouble.

The only way forward is regional peace and conciliation, along with
policies that promote development, welfare, pluralism and social cohesion.
Peace will prevail in the skies only when we create it first on earth-on
our earth.
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#3.

The Asian Age
5 January 2000

GUJARAT, INDIA: BJP DEFENDS 'RSS' ORDER

Ahmedabad: The state BJP has defended the state government decision to
lift prohibition for government employees to participate in RSS
activities. State general secretary Gordhan Jhadafiya flayed the Congress
for its criticism on government decision. He alleged that the Congress
leaders, former chief minister Amarsinh Chaudhary and GPCC president C.D.
Patel, misled the people by claming that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
disapproved of the RSS and was in favour of banning the organisation. He
was speaking to the reporters at the party headquarters in Ahmedabad on
Tuesday. Mr Jhadafiya said Sardar Patel was never in favour of banning the
RSS. He also denied recurrent allegation on the RSS for conspiring the
assassination of Mahatma Gandhi and said that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a
Congress leader, and former home minister of India, had given a clean chit
to the RSS on Mahatma Gandhi's assassination. Mr Jhadafiya cited a letter
from the collected work "Sardar Patel's Correspondence" in support of his
statement. The letter dated February 27, 1948 by Sardar Patel, addressed
to then Prime Minister Jawarharlal Nehru, referring to the statements made
by the accused in the case, said, "It emerges from these statements that
the RSS was not involved in it at all. It was a fanatical wing of the
Hindu Mahasabha, directly under Savarkar, that hatched the conspiracy and
saw it through." He said that the Congress must brush up the facts of
history and its own leaders before flinging allegations. State BJP
president Rajendrasinh Rana lauded the role of RSS as a nation building
organisation. He said the RSS had made significant contribution towards
nation building activities. He said, "May it be the disaster of Morbi,
cyclone in Orissa and Kandla or the earthquake in Latur, the RSS has
always stood by the nation in throes of difficulty." He said the RSS
workers had helped several Muslims in cyclone-affected, Congress-governed
Orissa where government aid did not reach in time. Mr Rana said, "The
Congress had not made any substantial contribution except singing the lore
of the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty." BJP youth wing leader Surjat Mirza has hailed
the decision of the state government as "timely." He said in a press
release that it was a historic move that rectified an age-old error. He
commended the role of RSS as the second largest non-government
organisation in the world and said that the government decision came as
redemption against rampant westernisation in name of countrywide
millennium celebrations.

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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.