[sacw] SACW #2 (07 January. 02)

[Harsh Kapoor]

South Asia Citizens Wire - Dispatch #2 | 7 January 2002

------------------------------------------
#1. The activists' view of war (Nawaz Khan)
#2. An open letter to A B Vajpayee (Anwar Abbas)
#3. Thousands flee rivals' war moves: Fear of war breaking out=20
between India and Pakistan is prompting thousands of people from=20
frontline villages to move to safer areas (BBC)
#4. India-Pakistan: Can war be averted?
listen to or watch the latest edition of Talking Point On Air (BBC)
#5. Academic Freedom and Kashmir (A G Noorani)
#6. Subah hoti hai, Sham hoti hai (Dr Manzur Ejaz)
#7. India and Pakistan- Dangerous Manoeuvres (Joanna Slater and Ahmed Rashi=
d)
#8. India: After the expose- Hundred hours of tape, eight months of=20
after-shocks (Tarun J. Tejpal)
#9. Response to the Article by Hamid Mir carried in SACW #2 (05=20
January. 02) (Vinod Mubayi)

________________________

#1.

The News on Sunday / The News International
6 January 2001

The activists' view of war

By Nawaz Khan

In the civilised world the human beings have learnt a lesson that war=20
is not the only solution to the problems of international peace, but=20
there are other untapped means which can also be employed.

However, two incidents razed the whole edifice of the principles upon=20
which modern civilisation prides itself. One is September 11 World=20
Trade Centre attack and the second is US attack on Afghanistan on=20
October 7, 2001.

It was under these conditions that Democratic Commission for Human=20
Development (DCHD) and National Commission for Justice and Peace=20
organised a two-day national convention of a select 150 human rights=20
activists on 'Peace, Harmony and Human Rights Framework' in=20
collaboration with the Actionaid Pakistan at the Justice Dorab Patel=20
Auditorium in Lahore last weekend.

Leading human rights activist and Human Rights Commission of Pakistan=20
(HRCP) Director I A Rehman in his key note address called the=20
September 11 and October 7 attacks as inhuman and said through these=20
attacks the so-called civilised world had exposed itself. He asked=20
the activists to turn these developments into opportunities for=20
furthering their cause. He said the US, by trampling on the human=20
rights documents it claimed to have framed, had endorsed the notion=20
that might is right. He urged the activists to sharpen their=20
abilities to combat this neo-colonialism, spearheaded by the=20
globalised market economy and the American hegemony of international=20
centres of power.

Addressing the first session called 'Terrorism -- Causes, Threats and=20
Opportunities,' HRCP Chairperson Afrasiab Khattak said democracy was=20
the basic right of every individual which every Pakistani was=20
striving for. "By denying this right, every Pakistani government has=20
committed human rights violations," he said. Calling war as an=20
anti-human act, he urged India to stop killing innocent Kashmiris and=20
defuse war-like situation in the region. Coming down hard on=20
Pakistan's Kashmir policy, he asked President Pervez Musharraf to=20
quit and hand over the government to people's representatives.

Khattak said Pakistan had now reached the same crossroads which had=20
faced Turkey once at the end of World War I: to choose between=20
militancy or the country. "If Pakistan chooses the path of militancy,=20
then there is the danger that the country's geography is changed," he=20
warned.

DCHD Chairperson Baela R Jamil said the human rights activists were=20
facing new challenges at the dawn of the 21st century which had=20
effected a change in all the rules of the game they had been used to=20
fighting against because "every country is trying to enact new=20
anti-terrorism laws which curb human rights". She said after=20
September 11, a new kind of relationship between the state and the=20
individual was needed.

She criticised the Musharraf government's devolution of power plan=20
and said that the Nazims and the bureaucrats were fighting a futile=20
turf war for authority.

This session was also addressed by Dr Shah Muhammad Muri who had come=20
from Balochistan to attend the moot.

Chairing the second session on 'Peace at Home and Abroad -- Needs and=20
Options,' Journalist M B Naqvi lashed out at what he called=20
Pakistan's militaristic policy on Kashmir and urged the government to=20
totally change it so that peace could be achieved at home and abroad.=20
He said both India and Pakistan had diverted their precious resources=20
to develop their military might. "You cannot achieve peace through=20
war," he said, adding that peace was possible only by acting on the=20
policy of live and let live.

Pervez Hoodbhoy, in his address, said the people of Pakistan wanted=20
to solve the Kashmir issue through peaceful means but every Pakistani=20
government instead chose violence for its resolution. He said now was=20
a golden opportunity for the Musharraf government to crack down on=20
jehadi groups, who according to him, had not only tarnished the image=20
of Islam but also that of Pakistan.

Addressing the third session on 'Combating Religious Extremism and=20
Violence,' Punjab University Professor Mehdi Hassan stressed the need=20
for effecting a separation between politics and religion. According=20
to him no nation could achieve peace by mixing religion with politics.

DCHD Director Wajahat Masood, addressing the moot, said the key to=20
the resolution of all our problems -- whether they were related to=20
sectarianism or extremism -- was democracy. "Pakistan can solve its=20
problems by itself without any outside help or dictation," he said.=20
Rochi Ram and Peter Jacob also addressed this session.

Addressing the fourth session on 'Role in Promoting Peace and=20
Communal Harmony', HRCP secretary general Hina Jilani said Taliban=20
had been crushed in Afghanistan, but not in Pakistan. She urged the=20
activists to continue their struggle so as to purge those=20
government-sponsored negative elements which had poisoned the lives=20
of the people of Pakistan for the last 30 years. Seeking the=20
abolition of the Federal Shariat Court, she said the dangerous phase=20
of a Mullah-brand Islam should end in Pakistan now.

Chairing the concluding session on 'Current Crisis -- Challenges and=20
Avenues,' former HRCP chairperson Asma Jehangir said Pakistan was=20
passing through one of the most dangerous phases of its history as=20
the war was looming large over our heads. She said it was President=20
Musharraf's so-called 'strategy' that had created the current=20
war-like situation in the region.

She urged the government to listen to the Indian demands and if New=20
Delhi gave specific evidence about the people involved in December 13=20
attack on Indian Parliament, then these demands should be met=20
immediately. "Only then Pakistani government will be justified in=20
blaming India for creating the war hysteria," she said and added that=20
sooner the constitution and democratic institutions are restored the=20
better it is for the country.

She said some elements were trying to introduce an Arab culture into=20
the Muslim culture of Afghanistan and Pakistan. What's going on in=20
Afghanistan is the result of what she called intervention of this=20
Arab culture.

Criticising the government's Taliban policy, she said Pakistan's=20
military itself had created Taliban and when it came under=20
international pressure after September 11 attacks in America, it=20
deserted them. "But the military continued sponsoring Kashmiri=20
jehadis," she said and demanded Pakistan should stop the proxy war in=20
India and let indigenous Kashmiris continue their struggle against=20
the Indian oppression through peaceful means.

Calling war an anti-human act, she said the US should not bomb=20
innocent Afghans and even Taliban who had surrendered. "They should=20
be treated humanly as they too have rights," she said.

Asma also criticised the Musharraf government's proposal to reserve=20
33 per cent seats in assemblies for women and said "like Ziaul Haq,=20
Musharraf, too, is proposing this because it is easy to exploit women=20
members elected in this way for the government's interests".

Disapproving of the military courts in the US, she said the=20
imperialist forces were gathering momentum to put behind bars every=20
ordinary human being who dared to disagree with them. She added it=20
was a very dangerous development and the HR activists should get=20
ready for a fresh showdown against these forces of oppressions.

At the end of the second day, the convention also adopted a number of=20
resolutions, the most important of them being a demand from the=20
government to restore the 1973 constitution and other democratic=20
institutions. Other resolutions demanded abolition of special laws=20
against women and minorities and a ban on jehadi organisations. As a=20
step towards diffusing the ongoing war-like situation with India, the=20
government should lift ban on Indian TV channels, because it is an=20
interference in people's right to access to information, read another=20
resolution.

_____

#2.

The News International - The News on Sunday
6 January 2001
An open letter to A B Vajpayee

My dear Atalji,

By Anwar Abbas

Forgive me for not addressing you as Dear Mr Prime Minister or=20
Adarniye Pradhan Mantri Mahodya; rather, using your first name and a=20
more intimate mode of addressing. The reason is quite simple: you are=20
more of a humanist and a human being than the trilogy of your hawkish=20
ministers, George Fernandez, Jaswant Singh and L K Advani. The less=20
said the better about the second line of your cabinet ministers who=20
spread the poison of hatred in human minds faster than plasmodium or=20
malaria parasites in the blood. This is perhaps on account of the=20
fact that you are a poet with a sensitive soul; a soul, which is on=20
sale only to the

highest bidder--the Almighty, by whatever name, you call Him.

How can we, a group of 30 school students and 5 officials, who=20
visited India between July 13th to August 3rd last year, forget that=20
in the Central Montessori School, Lucknow we were greeted by a=20
tableaux presented by children based on a poem written by you. The=20
words were very significant. In case you have forgotten them allow me=20
to refresh your memory: Hum Jang Na Hone Denge, Hum Jang na Hone=20
Denge.... Mind you this is no track II or track III group out to=20
score political points and comprising Purina papas like retired=20
generals, dumped politicians and over-the-hill bureaucrats who, when=20
in power and position to influence decisions, allowed matters to=20
deteriorate. The group comprised of hockey players, cricketers (with=20
apologies to Uma Bharti) and swimmers, all angels of peace, who=20
wished to build bridges of love and understanding with the youth of=20
India. How successful was their effort could be checked with the 15=20
educational institutions they visited in 6 Indian cities during a=20
3-week tour.

You might, Atalji, recall that the group wanted to meet you but the=20
monsoon session of Parliament, made complicated by the assassination=20
of that lion-hearted woman, Phoolan Devi, in the heart of the VIP=20
enclave of New Delhi had caused you great anguish. That is just the=20
point I would like to make.

The thousands of Indian school, college and university youth, their=20
teachers and administrators showered their affection on the young=20
schoolboys. Even though there was a liberal exchange of gifts and=20
mementos at every match, prayer meeting, reception and dinner, the=20
greatest gift we could offer to the Indians (and receive in return)=20
was a sincere prayer that no harm may come to the youngsters,=20
particularly from the deeds of one another and that they may progress=20
in peace and enrich their lives and those of the people around them.=20
You are welcome to check out the facts at these institutions, the=20
list of which must be available with your intelligence agencies--not=20
that we faced any problem with any of your sleuths during our tour!

Your constituency in Lucknow is a much cleaner and orderly place now=20
than I have ever known it to be in the past. What you can do to=20
Lucknow I am sure you can do to India, the sub-continent, the region=20
and this highly polarised and topsy-turvy world in which we live=20
today. You will be particularly interested to know that at the hockey=20
match, which ended in a poetic draw, we had a Minister, a Principal=20
Secretary to the provincial government, the Vice Chancellor of=20
Lucknow University, its pro-Vice Chancellor, the Mayor of Lucknow,=20
the Raja Sahib of Mehmoodabad, the Raja Sahib of Kotwara who was none=20
other than my friend Muzaffar Ali who lost the election to you, and=20
three former Olympians of India. All of them watched the entire match=20
in 44 degrees Celsius; spoke about friendship and brotherhood and=20
shared a cup of tea with the Pakistani youngsters. Is more proof=20
required for the desire to promote friendship and to establish the=20
fact that friendship flows in two directions--you must give as well=20
as receive?

I know, as you do too, Atalji, that all passions, phobias and=20
national egoism are ranged on the side of war. It has been exalted in=20
song and story; it has been glorified in history. It can twist some=20
of man's most perverted sentiments and exploit these for its own=20
nefarious designs, such as patriotism, national honour, courage,=20
self-sacrifice and, the most negative of them all, revenge. The=20
communication boom has given free play to such human emotions and=20
carried these deadly feelings and visions into homes of those who=20
were not so far affected.

Yet, you may be unconvinced about the genuineness of my appeal to you=20
and may quote the unfortunate happenings at the assembly building in=20
the Valley, and the latest attack on the citadel of India's=20
democracy, the Parliament House, despite the shock and anguish=20
expressed by all and sundry in our country. May I, for your=20
information, quote to you an Ayath of the Quran: "Cooperate in all=20
that is good and moral, but do not cooperate in sin and injustice."

Humankind is the measure of all things, the highest common factor in=20
the arithmetic of life. This is what humanism is all about and sought=20
to be promoted in this wicked world. As for the people who strike=20
terror in innocent people on either and all sides, they are, at best,=20
misguided peoples who adopt foolish forms of protest because the=20
society has failed to civilise humans into agents of peace. Beneath=20
the polished exterior, you find the beast of the jungle who begins to=20
snarl, at least in a collective setting, whenever prejudices are set=20
into motion. At worst they are criminals, the die-hard ones.

To me, Atalji, as to India's professor-philosopher, the late Dr Syed=20
Abid Husain (not to be confused with your former Commerce Secretary=20
and Ambassador to US, the man with golly-wog hair), "India's=20
(cultural) history of several thousand years shows the subtle and=20
strong thread of unity which runs through the infinite multiplicity=20
of her life, was not woven by the pressure of power groups but the=20
vision of seers, the vigil of saints, the speculation of=20
philosophers, and the imagination of poets (like yourself) and=20
artists...", a heritage which is equally and proudly shared by that=20
part of the sub-continent we know as Pakistan.

Why is it, Atalji, that when Pakistanis and Indians are in no respect=20
inferior to the peoples of other nationalities, in so far as their=20
natural gifts and capacities, both intellectual and moral, are=20
concerned, we (masses of Indians, despite the Silicon Valleys and=20
impressive developmental programmes) are condemned to lead poor,=20
barren and incomplete lives? Why is there want, poverty and=20
opportunity here when the same stock of people develop plentiful=20
opportunities in the developed world? Do I have to tell a learned=20
person like yourself that it is because we are wasting our energies=20
and minds in fruitless wars and animosity instead of channeling them=20
for the good of our people?

We have already wasted two generations in the gruesome aftermath of=20
partition and three puny wars; let us now endeavor to save the=20
children for this wonderful and colourful world. A child is not by=20
nature a fanatic about race, creed, colour or country. If anything he=20
is a humanist, an internationalist, a person with an innovative warm=20
response towards all living beings. It might be a good idea to save=20
him become a narrow-minded Chinese or Russian; Pakistani or Indian;=20
American or Afghani; a Shiite or a Sunni Muslim; a Brahmin or a=20
Dalit. Before he becomes attached to the pigment of his skin.

Indeed, Atalji, I would ask you and your counterpart Pervez Musharraf=20
to behave in a child-like manner instead of a childish way in solving=20
this region's many problems.

A French philosopher of the last century had said, "We used to wonder=20
where war lived, what it was that made it so vile. And now we realise=20
that we know where it lives, that is inside ourselves." You have the=20
capacity to show to the world that war does not live "there".

With peaceful greetings and a happy New Year to you and all Indians,

Yours sincerely,

Anwar Abbas

PS If you would reign in the exuberance and exaggeration of your=20
talk-shows, my wife and daughter could go back to Kusum and Kutumb,=20
Heena and Saas bhi kabhi, and build their own Mahal ho Sapnon ka! Do=20
you get me, Atalji?

_____

#3.
BBC News
Thursday, 3 January, 2002, 02:35 GMT
Thousands flee rivals' war moves
War-like rhetoric from both sides has heightened tension
Fear of war breaking out between India and Pakistan is prompting=20
thousands of people from frontline villages to move to safer areas.=20
[...]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/south_asia/newsid_1739000/1739385.st=
m
_____

#4.
BBC
Sunday, 6 January, 2002, 16:23 GMT
India-Pakistan: Can war be averted?
Click below to listen to or watch the latest edition of Talking Point On Ai=
r:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsa/n5ctrl/progs/talkingpoint/latest.ram

_____

#5.

Economic and Political Weekly
Civil Liberties
29 December, 2001

Academic Freedom and Kashmir

The Kashmir University campus has been declared out of bounds for the=20
media and the vice-chancellor has instructed university teachers to=20
keep away from the media and avoid expressing their opinions on=20
political matters. This is nothing short of an assault on academic=20
freedom and fundamental rights and the silence of the national media=20
on it mirrors the media's indifference to all the other outrages=20
perpetrated in Kashmir.
A G Noorani

It is not only India's secularism and democracy which are barred from=20
crossing the Pir Panjal range in Kashmir, so is its academic freedom.=20
The silence of India's media and academia on the recent assaults on=20
academic freedom in Kashmir fits into the pattern of similar=20
indifference to other outrages there.

First, the facts as reported in three dailies, in chronological=20
order. The Times of India published this very brief report in its=20
issue of October 21, 2001 from its Srinagar correspondent, under the=20
headline 'Kashmir Varsity Teachers Instructed Not to Discuss Politics=20
or Talk to Presspersons'. The report is reproduced in extenso:

The Kashmir University campus has been declared out of bounds for=20
journalists by its vice-chancellor Jalees Ahmad Khan Tareen.=20
University teachers have also been instructed to keep away from the=20
press and avoid talking about politics.

Sources said that governor G C Saxena, who is also the chancellor of=20
Kashmir University, was upset by some lecturers talking about the=20
situation in Jammu and Kashmir on private TV channels. The VC=20
subsequently passed the orders whereby all print and TV journalists=20
will require permission from the VC's office to enter the campus. The=20
controversy erupted when some university teachers made some=20
anti-national remarks during a discussion in a programme on a private=20
TV channel. A J and K minister was also participating in the=20
discussion. The government has taken objection to the remarks made by=20
a lady teacher in the programme and is contemplating action against=20
her, according to sources.

The fundamental rights of students and teachers were thus wantonly=20
flouted. A university campus is not a prison. It is a body corporate=20
set-up by statute and squarely falls within the definition of 'the=20
State' in Article 12 of the Constitution. In consequence the entire=20
Part III on fundamental rights applies to all concerned, the students=20
and the teachers included. "Reasonable restrictions" can be imposed=20
as are appropriate to an educational institution, in the interests=20
inter alia of discipline. This cannot serve as an excuse to deny or=20
abridge the rights.

Section 43(1) of the British Education Act, 1986 provides an=20
instructive parallel. "Every individual and body of persons concerned=20
in the government of any establishment to which this section applies=20
shall take such steps as are reasonably practicable to ensure that=20
freedom of speech within the law is secured for members, students and=20
employees of the establishment and visiting speakers."

A university is a public body, not a cloistered establishment.=20
Journalists are even allowed access to prisons to see for themselves=20
and report to the public the conditions that obtain there. It is=20
insulting to suggest that a university campus should grant less=20
freedom of access to the press. Many newspapers have special=20
correspondents who report on developments on university campuses. The=20
vice-chancellor's order is plainly a violation of Article 19(1)(a)(b)=20
- respectively, the guarantees of freedom of speech and of assembly -=20
of the Constitution.

However, Tariq Bhat's report from Srinagar in The Indian Experss of=20
October 27 was even more disturbing. It read thus:

Alarmed by the recent utterances of some teachers and the anti-US and=20
pro-Taliban protests on the campus, Kashmir University is planning to=20
constitute an 'intelligence wing' to spy on 'erring' teachers,=20
scholars and students. The intelligence wing will record all=20
activities of staff and report the same to the vice-chancellor for=20
action. The idea of keeping an eye on staff, especially teachers, was=20
mooted by chief minister Farooq Abdullah, also the university=20
pro-chancellor, at the apex university council meeting on Sunday=20
[October 21] sources said. "The chief minister asked the VC to=20
constitute an intelligence wing, probe the activities of teachers and=20
students and throw all such elements out of the university", an=20
official who attended the meeting said.[...].

http://www.epw.org.in/showArticles.php?root=3D2001&leaf=3D12&filename=3D386=
2&filetype=3Dhtml
_____

#6.
The News International
January 06, 2002

Subah hoti hai, Sham hoti hai

Dr Manzur Ejaz
Washington Diary
Murray Schisgal's play "The Typist", originally written for the BBC,=20
adopted as "Subah Hoti Hai, Sham Hoti Hai" in Hindustani by Pushpa=20
Agnihotri, was recently staged by a newly formed group ADITI. Under=20
Umesh Agnihotri's apt direction, beautifully acted by Ali Shoaib=20
Hasan and Shimaliya Aurora, the play could be considered the best of=20
Indo-Pak ethnic stage this season. An over 100 minutes play, with=20
just two characters, a bare-bone stage set and very few props kept=20
the audience captivated. It proved that a play with powerful content=20
does not need much paraphernalia to charm the audience.

The play was selected for experimental purposes. Given the fast pace=20
life and thinly distributed community all over the forty miles radius=20
of Washington metropolitan area, this play was chosen because it=20
involved just two characters and could be shown to a small audience=20
of fifty or so at a time. The technique worked: the cast and the=20
audience were easy to manage and the play has been running for=20
several weekends now. To a great extent, an expressed purpose of=20
making the theater activity as part of community life has been=20
achieved. However, the question is why did an English play have to be=20
adopted? The producer/director could not find an original play=20
because there are not many like this. Only one such play "Tumhari=20
Amrita" comes to mind which was staged here by a famous Indian cast=20
Farooque Sheikh and Shabana Aazmi.

The play's theme is simple monotonous life of an office male and a=20
female typist who are prisoners of their 9-5 jobs. They try to get=20
out of the mould with no success while their black hair turns into=20
grey in a hundred minutes play. Why can't such simple themes be=20
developed by the playwrights in the subcontinent? Why, do most=20
subcontinental stories have to involve rich princes (or princesses)=20
feudal, industrialists or powerful men and women on the one hand and=20
a downtrodden hero or heroine on the other? And, more importantly,=20
why are so many Bollywood and Lollywood productions copying English=20
films/dramas or of each other? We can justify our backwardness in=20
areas where technology and other material resources are lacking but=20
creating stories requires paper and pen only. Then, why are we behind=20
in these spheres?

One can come up with several explanations. Our societies are not=20
diversified enough and no major transformation has taken place in the=20
traditional family and community set-up. Extended families=20
(diminishing but alive), castes, baradaris and ethnic colloquial=20
social formations are still operational modes of human relations.=20
Mass democracy and individuation has not seeped into the social=20
fabric; political and social change is still viewed as a few powerful=20
men's doing and the common citizen is not perceived as a 'story=20
making' agent. In essence, the individual has not become the central=20
focal point. In addition, social and moral limitations and taboos=20
yield a limited creative pace for the artists.

Despite an apparent difference of political evolution of India and=20
Pakistan and seemingly more freedom available to Indian art creators,=20
the essential scene of the entire entertainment industry of the=20
subcontinent remains the same. In many cases, Bollywood has been=20
borrowing heavily from Pakistani film compositions as was shown by=20
Shoaib Mansoor's artfully composed programme "Dhunain hamari geet=20
tumharey" Similarly, Pakistani entertainment industry has been=20
copying Indian productions. Very recently, I saw a Pakistani TV=20
serial, which had plagiarized Balwant Gargi's famous stage play "Loha=20
Kut" in entirety without mentioning his name.

Beyond any doubt the entire subcontinental society has common=20
limitations in different fields of life. Skeptics contend that even=20
their present war making has an element of clumsiness. One of our=20
friends pointed out that Indians are taking more casualties in laying=20
the landmines than the total US loss of life in the entire Afghan=20
war. Nonetheless, one can find several variations: southern India and=20
Bengal are much more advanced in art and theater than northern India=20
and Pakistan. Yet, in one way or another, lack of innovation and=20
creativity is a common denominator of the entire region. Does this=20
mean that civilisations have a common mind in the making of history?

Evolution of different civilisations shows that each of them had a=20
particular mindset. The civilisations able to create and innovate=20
dominated while the stagnating ones perished or were overrun by=20
others.

In our own era, the Americans are not dominating the world just=20
because of their military and economic power-of course it helps-but=20
also of their capacity to create and innovate in various fields of=20
human life. On the other hand, the Japanese, with the second largest=20
economy of the world, have not led any major breakthrough in the=20
technological or cultural fields: They can only imitate and improvise=20
the production processes. This is one of the major reasons that Japan=20
is stuck in a recession (almost depression) over a long period.

Subcontinental civilisation is in a transition. Regional conflicts,=20
rise of extremist religious movements and many other irrationalities=20
are hallmarks of this period. Subcontinent society is still at the=20
preliminary level of imitating different aspects of western=20
civilisation. Adaptations and copying of art productions is just a=20
reflection of the limitations of a collective mind. The entire=20
regions need a socio-political revolution to eliminate the mental=20
barriers created on the basis of religion, caste, biradari--a long=20
shadow of feudal culture. It is a long-run struggle which may take=20
decades or centuries to become innovative and creative in different=20
spheres of life. To start with, we must realize our shortcoming and=20
find ways to overcome it: fighting wars and hating each other will=20
not solve any problem.

_____

#7.

Far Eastern Economic Review
January 10, 2002

INDIA AND PAKISTAN
Dangerous Manoeuvres
A confrontation that began with a suicide attack and has moved to the=20
brink of war could bring about real progress on long-standing issues.=20
But first, the two sides have to resolve the current conflict

By Joanna Slater/DELHI and Ahmed Rashid/LAHORE

WHAT BEGAN ON December 13 with a deadly assault on India's parliament=20
has turned into a political tug-of-war with three players: India,=20
Pakistan and the United States. Each has a different agenda, and each=20
has troops on the ground. India's goal is to compel Pakistan to=20
destroy militant groups operating on its soil and fighting in the=20
Indian-controlled area of disputed Kashmir. It's still not clear how=20
far Pakistani President Pervaiz Musharraf is willing or able to go in=20
that process. The U.S., for its part, is trying to prod Pakistan=20
without losing its cooperation in the search for leaders of=20
Afghanistan's Taliban and Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda group.

While the brazen attempt to kill members of India's political=20
leadership failed, it's been a turning point for the Indian=20
government. Nine Indians died in the attack in the heart of New=20
Delhi, along with the five assailants. Already India has recalled=20
diplomats from Islamabad and severed air, rail and bus links with=20
Pakistan as a form of protest. Both countries have rushed men and=20
weaponry to the border to produce what some reports are calling the=20
largest military build-up in 15 years.

But what looks like a prelude to war is first a form of pressure.=20
Barring a misunderstanding or another terrorist attack, it's likely=20
to stay that way.

As the REVIEW went to press, an intense diplomatic initiative by the=20
U.S. appeared to be bearing fruit. Pakistan has arrested the leaders=20
and scores of militants from the two groups India blames for the=20
attack on parliament. And in a New Year's message, Indian Prime=20
Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said that if Pakistan stops=20
cross-border terrorism and sheds "its anti-India mentality," India is=20
willing to start talks on a host of issues--including Kashmir.

The steps taken so far by Musharraf to crack down on the two groups,=20
though inadequate in India's opinion, are still unprecedented. While=20
it is far too early to break the cycle of resentment and=20
recrimination and it's hard to imagine the current climate of=20
distrust giving way to one of dialogue, cracks may be beginning to=20
form.

Leading to this point, Indian officials depict a concentrated=20
behind-the-scenes diplomatic effort by the U.S. over the weekend=20
before the New Year, including calls from President George W. Bush to=20
Musharraf and Vajpayee, and daily contact with U.S. Secretary of=20
State Colin Powell. The two countries' foreign ministers may meet at=20
a regional summit now being held in Kathmandu. After three weeks of=20
military sabre-rattling and diplomatic salvos between the=20
Subcontinent's nuclear powers, it's a marked improvement.

But India has made clear that it will take much more effort by=20
Pakistan to defuse the crisis. "There is some forward movement, but=20
one has to build on that," Indian Defence Minister George Fernandes=20
told the REVIEW on January 1. "It can't be, 'We've arrested these two=20
leaders and that's it'."

Pakistan also has its own reasons to curb extremism. Prior to the=20
attack on India's parliament, Musharraf had already begun, slowly and=20
quietly, to limit the activities of the groups, the Laskar-e-Toiba=20
and Jaish-e-Mohammad.

RISKY ARRESTS
Analysts say Musharraf took an enormous personal risk by arresting=20
Hafiz Mohammed Saeed, who until least week headed the Laskar-e-Toiba,=20
the largest Pakistan-based Islamic fundamentalist group fighting=20
India's rule in the disputed Kashmir region. Laskar-e-Toiba was=20
partially created by the Pakistani military's Interservices=20
Intelligence in the early 1990s to help wage jihad, or holy war, in=20
Kashmir, and since then has been solidly backed by the army. Before=20
making the move, Musharraf consulted with his top generals in an=20
all-day meeting on December 30 and with senior politicians on=20
December 31.

"Musharraf has a gun to his head. He has to act now or never," says a=20
retired army officer in Lahore. "It's a very dangerous situation for=20
the country and for him personally because the militants will blame=20
him personally for everything that may now follow."

>From India's point of view, shutting down the two groups is mere=20
"peanuts," says one Indian diplomat. India's real aim is for Pakistan=20
to do a policy U-turn: just as Pakistan cut the umbilical cord to the=20
Taliban in Afghanistan, India wants it to stop supporting the armed=20
struggle against Indian rule in Kashmir.

India has long alleged that Pakistan's army and intelligence services=20
are actively involved in sustaining such groups. Laskar-e-Toiba,=20
which is largely made up of Pakistani militants rather than=20
Kashmiris, in 1999 became the first group fighting in Kashmir to=20
launch suicide missions against Indian targets. It runs some 140=20
Islamic schools in Pakistan, where it trains tens of thousands of=20
young men to fight India. It is also known to have a presence in=20
hundreds of sleeper cells in Indian cities.

With the attack on India's parliament, however, there was a sense=20
that a line had been crossed. India's outrage is compounded by the=20
baggage of the past three years, in which high hopes for better ties=20
with Pakistan gave way to armed conflict and bitter disappointment.=20
The most recent came at the Agra summit this past July, where the two=20
countries once again failed to resolve their differences over the=20
issue of these militant groups, and left blaming each other for the=20
failure.

In his New Year's Day speech, Vajpayee said: "Although India has been=20
a victim of cross-border terrorism for the past nearly two decades=20
and has lost tens of thousands of innocent men and women and security=20
forces, the outrage of December 13 has breached the limit of the=20
nation's endurance."

The strategic response since then has been to talk of diplomacy while=20
moving troops (see Intelligence, page 8). Its military options are=20
less than attractive: For example, striking terrorist training camps=20
inside Pakistan might not work and, according to Pakistan government=20
spokesman Maj.-Gen. Rashid Qureshi, would be considered an act of war.

The message of India's military buildup--roughly put, "We're dead=20
serious"--is aimed as much at the United States as it is at Pakistan.=20
In that sense, the perpetrators of the attack on parliament had an=20
unerring sense of timing. The U.S. had just entered a second, more=20
uncertain phase in its war against Al Qaeda. Victory came quickly in=20
Afghanistan, but senior Taliban and Al Qaeda leaders managed to=20
simply disappear, melting into the rugged hills that spread east into=20
Pakistan. Cutting off their escape routes and tracking them down is a=20
task that depends heavily on Pakistan's help.

As a result, the U.S. is trying to juggle three priorities, says=20
Amitabh Mattoo, a professor of international relations at Jawaharlal=20
Nehru University in New Delhi.

The first is the need to prop up Musharraf and continue the search=20
for Osama bin Laden; the second is to prevent war between India and=20
Pakistan; and the third is to nurture its nascent strategic=20
relationship with India. In the short term, he says, it's the third=20
priority that may suffer.

Some in India are frustrated by what they perceive as American=20
hesitation in rallying to India's side. The U.S. faces the same=20
accusation in Pakistan, where it has been criticized for siding too=20
strongly with India.

"The Americans have their compulsions at the moment and we understand=20
that," says an Indian official. "Right now there is a dissonance, but=20
in the end, the U.S. and India want the same thing."

Meanwhile, the U.S. diplomatic effort seems to be paying dividends=20
for India. In the weeks since the attack, the U.S. has applied=20
increasing pressure on Musharraf both in public and in private. It=20
added the Laskar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad to its list of=20
terrorist organizations and called on Musharraf to do more against=20
groups aiming to "harm India."

India is demanding of Pakistan that Jaish-e-Mohammad leader Maulana=20
Azhar Masood, now under house arrest, be extradited to New Delhi for=20
trial along with 19 other Pakistan-based extremists. The list India=20
handed over on December 31 contains the names of the five extremists=20
who hijacked an Indian Airlines plane to Kandahar two years ago,=20
forcing Azhar's release.

PAKISTAN'S PLEDGE
Pakistan continues to say that it will crack down further on militant=20
groups when it is presented with evidence of their involvement in the=20
December 13 attack, but the question of proof has been largely swept=20
away by the tide of events. India briefed the envoys of several=20
countries on its investigation into the culprits; in turn, at least=20
one has passed some of that information to Pakistan, says a Western=20
diplomat.

At the same time, the cause of the Kashmiri people and their right to=20
self-determination is an emotional issue for many Pakistanis, and=20
Musharraf cannot be seen to be abandoning that cause--nor would he=20
want to.

Despite that, Musharraf remains India's best ally at this point, says=20
Rifaat Hussain, a professor at Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad.=20
"But by putting unnecessary pressure on him, they are simply creating=20
problems for him," adds Hussain. Pakistan's fear is that India "will=20
keep shifting the goalposts," making new and difficult demands that=20
are impossible for it to fulfil.

Pakistani officials are also concerned at how long it will take just=20
to get things back to normal after the pull-back of diplomatic staff,=20
severing of transit links and evacuation of border villages. If=20
negotiations are to begin between the two sides, they will have to=20
concentrate at first on returning things to normal before trying to=20
find a way out of the Kashmir imbroglio.
_____

#8.
The Indian Express
7 January 2001
EDITORIALS & ANALYSIS

After the [Tehelka] expose
Hundred hours of tape, eight months of after-shocks

TARUN J. TEJPAL

http://www.indian-express.com/ie20020107/ed4.html

_____

#9.

Response to the Article by Hamid Mir [The Weekly Independent,=20
Lahore, Jan. 3, 2002
"The ISI Facade"] carried in SACW #2 (05 January. 02)

Hamid Mir got 2 things wrong about history and Bhagat Singh.=20
Firstly, he was hanged not for throwing a bomb in the Parliament but=20
for shooting and killing the Deputy Superintendent of Police in=20
Lahore, an Englishman called Saunders. Secondly, he was not called a=20
freedom-fighter by Gandhi at all. In fact, Gandhi was quite=20
mealy-mouthed about the whole affair, possibly a reprise of his=20
earlier approach to Chauri-Chaura and possibly some caution in view=20
of the approaching Gandhi-Irwin pact. The person who did call Bhagat=20
Singh a freedom fighter was none other than Jinnah who made a=20
scathing and very eloquent speech on the floor of the same parliament=20
against the British raj on this issue. The history and the speech of=20
Mohamed Ali Jinnah are in A.G.Noorani's book on the Trial of Bhagat=20
Singh.

Vinod Mubayi

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