SACW - 26 Nov 2014 | Nepal: Decentralised feudalism / What Should Pakistan’s Christians Do ? / Bangladesh: Criminalising careless remarks / Turkey’s Erdogan and India’s Modi / South Asia from below / India: Scientific temper ? Frawley at Delhi Univ's ‘Aryan Project’ / J Dhanapala 2014 IPS award address / Anti imperialist aunty's
Harsh Kapoor
aiindex at gmail.com
Tue Nov 25 17:31:11 EST 2014
South Asia Citizens Wire - 26 November 2014 - No. 2841
[since 1996]
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Contents:
1. Nepal: Federalism as decentralised feudalism in which warlords will rule states | Bihari K Shrestha
2. What should Pakistan’s Christians do? | Ayaz Amir
3. Pakistan: A test case for justice | Zohra Yusuf
4. Turkey’s Erdogan and India’s Modi: The parallels are striking | Amitva Ghosh
5. Building South Asia from below | Sushovan Dhar
6. India: Excerpt from We or our Nationhood Re-defined [2014 Rajendra Mathur Memorial lecture] | Anand Patwardhan
7. TV Debate: Remembering Nehru’s Vision for a democratic culture in India
8. India: Raised risks for banking, social conflict with ’Quick’ clearances and land acquisition | India Study Group
9. India: Health and Women’s Rights Activists Joint Press Release on Chhattisgarh Sterilization Deaths and related issues
10. India: Joint Memorandum on Deaths and serious health consequences for women following sterilisation procedures in Chhattisgarh
11. Fears grow in India about Hindu "Modi-fication" of education - Reuters
12. India: An absence of scientific temper and the mushrooming Godmen industry
13. India: Conmen - Godmen Mix - the Business of Faith - a TV debate in Hindi
14. India - Karnataka: Villagers March To Reclaim Amrit Mahal Kavals Illegally Blocked for Nuclear - Military Industrial Complex
15. Text of address by Jayantha Dhanapala at 2014 IPS International Achievement Award for Nuclear Disarmament, New York
16. Meredith Tax Challenges These Anti imperialist Aunty’s
17. India: Delhi Union of Journalists welcomes the judgement of the Delhi High Court regarding workers of the Hindustan Times + text of ruling
18. Political Mobilisation of Muslims in India – Changing Pattern (Parts I and II) | Irfan Engineer
19. India: Call for a Joint Demonstration For Social Services, Social Security, People’s Rights and Labour Rights - Delhi, 2 December, 2014
20. Recent Posts on Communalism Watch:
- India - Nepal: Modi avoids VHP's Ram Barat from Ayodhya to Janakpur (the RSS background governor of UP attends in ayodhya)
- India: In Gujarat RSS telling Zadaphia not to testify against Modi: Sources
- Multi Modia (Ajit Ninan's cartoon on Modi in India's Media - 27 Oct 2014 - Times of India)
- New Uniforms for School kids ? Ajit Ninan Cartoon in Times of India 25 Nov 2014
- India: Prof. Ashis Nandy apologizes for graft remark against SCs, STs
- Demo in Delhi on 6 Dec 2014 by sections of the Left in alliance with the Muslim Right
- David Frawley speaking at ‘Aryan Project’ by Delhi University’s Sanskrit department says 'Aryans were indigenous to India'
- Leaflet circulated at the World Hindu Congress - Malicious - 5 or M5
- Was India's well known environmentalist Vandana Shiva among select speakers at the World Hindu Congress held in Delhi in Nov 2014 ?
- TV Masala History with Mythology sauce
. . . and more
::: FULL TEXT :::
21. Bangladesh: Criminalising careless remarks is dangerous (Editorial, Dhaka Tribune)
22. India: Cops make a song and dance, but free speech prevails | Chethan Kumar
23. H-Net Review: Celestina on Bradley, 'Refugee Repatriation: Justice, Responsibility and Redress'
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1. NEPAL: FEDERALISM AS DECENTRALISED FEUDALISM IN WHICH WARLORDS WILL RULE STATES | Bihari K Shrestha
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federalisation, the main stumbling block in the constitution, they decided to say nothing. The tragedy in all this, of course, is that federalism was never a demand of the Nepali people. It was imposed first by the Maoists for want of a better people-oriented agenda, and then a section of Madhesi leaders who seem to be striving to drive a wedge between the Madhesi people and the rest of the country. Both have been at a loss of words to explain how federalism would benefit Nepal’s underserved.
http://www.sacw.net/article10039.html
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2. WHAT SHOULD PAKISTAN’S CHRISTIANS DO?
by Ayaz Amir
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There had always been in Pakistan the Deobandi school of thought, co-existing easily and without conflict with other denominations and sects of Islam. The occasional sectarian clash did occur but it was rare. However, under the impact of the Afghan ‘jihad’, in which Deobandi religious parties stood in the forefront, sectarianism and bigotry acquired harder edges in Pakistani society.
http://www.sacw.net/article10034.html
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3. PAKISTAN: A TEST CASE FOR JUSTICE | Zohra Yusuf
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The horrifying case of the killing and burning of a young Christian couple, Shama and Sajjad, by a mob in a village in Kasur could become a test case for the government to demonstrate — for once — its commitment to the rule of law in incidents where the vulnerable are attacked.
http://www.sacw.net/article10006.html
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4. TURKEY’S ERDOGAN AND INDIA’S MODI: THE PARALLELS ARE STRIKING | Amitva Ghosh
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In both cases an entrenched secular-nationalist elite had been dislodged by a coalition that explicitly embraced the religion of a demographic majority.
http://www.sacw.net/article10036.html
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5. BUILDING SOUTH ASIA FROM BELOW | Sushovan Dhar
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In a few days from now, the 18th Saarc summit will be held in Kathmandu, Nepal. November 26-27 will witness the head of states arriving at this Himalayan capital with their cavalcades, engage in wishful conversations, momentarily setting aside their mutual distrust, hostility, and enmity.
http://www.sacw.net/article10024.html
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6. INDIA: EXCERPT FROM WE OR OUR NATIONHOOD RE-DEFINED [2014 RAJENDRA MATHUR MEMORIAL LECTURE]
by Anand Patwardhan
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Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse was a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). He was also in the Hindu Mahasabha like his mentor VD Savarkar. Nathuram’s brother Gopal Godse, was a co-conspirator. After serving his prison term, Gopal conceded in interviews that neither he nor Nathuram had ever left the RSS but told lies in court to protect the RSS as well as Savarkar.
http://www.sacw.net/article10023.html
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7. TV DEBATE: REMEMBERING NEHRU’S VISION FOR A DEMOCRATIC CULTURE IN INDIA (Hindi)
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A November 2014 television debate in Hindi on India’s state run Rajya Sabha TV with : Siddharth Varadarajan (Senior Journalist & Sr. Fellow, Centre for Public Affairs & Critical Theory) ; Zoya Hasan (Former Professor of Political Science, JNU & National Fellow, ICSSR) ; Mridula Mukherjee (Historian, JNU) ; Sambit Patra (National Spokesperson, bjp) ; Manoj Kumar Jha (National Spokesperson, RJD)
http://www.sacw.net/article10035.html
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8. INDIA: RAISED RISKS FOR BANKING, SOCIAL CONFLICT WITH ’QUICK’ CLEARANCES AND LAND ACQUISITION | India Study Group
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(November 2014 briefing)
Faster environmental approvals and land acquisition feature on most newspapers’ "top five" priority lists for India’s economic reforms. But will these reforms actually achieve what they’re intended to achieve?
http://www.sacw.net/article10030.html
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9. INDIA: HEALTH AND WOMEN’S RIGHTS ACTIVISTS JOINT PRESS RELEASE ON CHHATTISGARH STERILIZATION DEATHS AND RELATED ISSUES
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Health Activists held a Press Conference on 19th November to draw attention to the range of issues raised by the recent tragic and completely avoidable deaths of more than a dozen women and the critical condition of many more following their laparoscopic sterilisation in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh. The manner in which the surgeries were performed, in complete violation of all standard operating procedures, and subsequent events amount to grave violation of some very basic health rights of the affected women.
http://www.sacw.net/article10028.html
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10. INDIA: JOINT MEMORANDUM ON DEATHS AND SERIOUS HEALTH CONSEQUENCES FOR WOMEN FOLLOWING STERILISATION PROCEDURES IN CHHATTISGARH
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We, Health networks, Coalitions, Women’s Groups and concerned citizens, are deeply shocked at the negligence of the Health Department, Government of Chhattisgarh that has led to the deaths of 16 women and the critical condition of 47 other women following procedures of laparoscopic sterilisation in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.
http://www.sacw.net/article10027.html
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11. FEARS GROW IN INDIA ABOUT HINDU "MODI-FICATION" OF EDUCATION - Reuters
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NEW DELHI: Indians were flying aeroplanes, carrying out stem cell research and may even have been using cosmic weapons 5,000 years ago, according to the chairman of India’s leading historical organisation.
http://www.sacw.net/article10025.html
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12. INDIA: AN ABSENCE OF SCIENTIFIC TEMPER AND THE MUSHROOMING GODMEN INDUSTRY
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a collection reports from November 2014 from the Indian media.
http://www.sacw.net/article10022.html
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13. INDIA: CONMEN - GODMEN MIX - THE BUSINESS OF FAITH - A TV DEBATE IN HINDI
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Rajya Sabha TV on 21st Nov. 2014 organized a very good discussion in its ‘DESH DESHANTAR’ programme on the subject “Business of Faith” in the context of latest episode regarding arrest of so called Baba Rampal in Haryana. This programme ought to be helpful to all those who are engaged in the fight against evils of blind faith and superstitions which are one of the prime causes of political, social and economic exploitation of the poor and ignorant mass of India. I wish this discussion to be (...)
http://www.sacw.net/article10033.html
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14. INDIA - KARNATAKA: VILLAGERS MARCH TO RECLAIM AMRIT MAHAL KAVALS ILLEGALLY BLOCKED FOR NUCLEAR - MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
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Hundreds of villagers from Doddaullarthi and other villages surrounding the massive expanse of Ullarthi Amrit Mahal Kaval of Challakere Taluk, Chitradurga district, entered the grasslands which were fenced by Bhabha Atomic Research Centre braving the might of the police and district authorities today.
http://www.sacw.net/article10038.html
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15. TEXT OF ADDRESS BY JAYANTHA DHANAPALA AT 2014 IPS INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, NEW YORK
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2014 International Achievement Award for Nuclear Disarmament sponsored by Inter Press Service (IPS) news agency was given to Jayantha Dhanapala, a former U.N. under-secretary-general for disarmament affairs (1998-2003) and a relentless advocate for a world free of nuclear weapons.
http://www.sacw.net/article10019.html
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16. MEREDITH TAX CHALLENGES THESE ANTI IMPERIALIST AUNTY’S
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A recent article on "imperialist feminism" accuses the US women’s movement of being a cheerleader for American empire from the war in Afghanistan to the present. Is this a sectarian strategy that misses the target and attacks the liberals instead of the right?
http://www.sacw.net/article10018.html
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17. INDIA: DELHI UNION OF JOURNALISTS WELCOMES THE JUDGEMENT OF THE DELHI HIGH COURT REGARDING WORKERS OF THE HINDUSTAN TIMES + TEXT OF RULING
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The DUJ congratulates the 272 brave workers of the Hindustan Times Ltd for their historic victory against the management. Justice Suresh Kait has termed their retrenchment arbitrary, upheld the earlier judgement of the Industrial Tribunal and granted them reinstatement in service with back wages for the past nine years.
http://www.sacw.net/article10017.html
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18. POLITICAL MOBILISATION OF MUSLIMS IN INDIA – CHANGING PATTERN (PARTS I AND II)
by Irfan Engineer
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two part article on the political mobilisation of the muslim community in India
http://www.sacw.net/article10015.html
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19. INDIA: CALL FOR A JOINT DEMONSTRATION FOR SOCIAL SERVICES, SOCIAL SECURITY, PEOPLE’S RIGHTS AND LABOUR RIGHTS - DELHI, 2 DECEMBER, 2014
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we are planning to meet in Delhi on 30th November and 1st December in a People’s assembly of about 300 to 500 people. This would be followed by a mass rally on 2nd December, in which thousands are expected to participate. The programme will bring into focus people’s issues and highlight the need for an alternative development model.
http://www.sacw.net/article10013.html
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20. RECENT ON COMMUNALISM WATCH:
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available at: http://communalism.blogspot.in/
- India - Nepal: Modi avoids VHP's Ram Barat from Ayodhya to Janakpur (the RSS background governor of UP attends in ayodhya)
- India: In Gujarat RSS telling Zadaphia not to testify against Modi: Sources
- Multi Modia (Ajit Ninan's cartoon on Modi in India's Media - 27 Oct 2014 - Times of India)
- New Uniforms for School kids ? Ajit Ninan Cartoon in Times of India 25 Nov 2014
- India: Prof. Ashis Nandy apologizes for graft remark against SCs, STs
- Demo in Delhi on 6 Dec 2014 by sections of the Left in alliance with the Muslim Right
- David Frawley speaking at ‘Aryan Project’ by Delhi University’s Sanskrit department says 'Aryans were indigenous to India'
- Leaflet circulated at the World Hindu Congress - Malicious - 5 or M5
- Was India's well known environmentalist Vandana Shiva among select speakers at the World Hindu Congress held in Delhi in Nov 2014 ?
- TV Masala History with Mythology sauce
- India: 8 yrs after Sachar, Muslims still out of Govt jobs and schools: Panel
- India: RSS in Image correction drive and RSS Camp at yoga propagandist Ramdev's premises (two reports from Indian Express)
- India: Bastar Catholic schools will have Maa Saraswati
- India: How the RSS is charting out changes in education
- Modi in Nepal: Religion and Diplomacy
- India: Shaky BJP eyes Kashmir, RSS infusion spells dangers beyond imagination (Anuradha Bhasin Jamwal in Kashmir Times, 23 Nov 2014)
- India: RSS outreach show with Baba Satyanarayan Mourya in Noida, National Capital Region
- India: Praveen Togadia - From Hindutva hardliner to ‘Material Boy’ (Radhika Ramaseshan)
- India: NDTV debate Video- 'Godmen' vs Law: The Unholy Mess? (November 22, 2014 | Duration: 45 min, 46 sec )
- India: Taj Mahal Monument Belongs to All Indians, the UP politican Azam Khan is wrong to link it with Muslims only
- India: The Haryana-Punjab preacher called Ram Rahin in trouble with the law
- Announcement: meet to discuss the plight of Minorities in South Asian Countries (24 Nov 2014 @ People's SAARC in Kathmandu, Nepal)
- India: Return of the Colonial Mind - How Hindu majoritarianism has undermined the Nehruvian legacy (Priyamvada Gopal)
- Shake in India Prototypes - A satirical swing at the Hindutva right wing shaping society (by Anonymous for now) | A poster
- India: Sectarianism of the secular brigade (Ajay Gudavarthy)
- India: Election Commission finds over 3 lakh bogus voters in Narendra Modi’s Varanasi seat; Counting continues
available at: http://communalism.blogspot.in/
::: FULL TEXT :::
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21. BANGLADESH: CRIMINALISING CARELESS REMARKS IS DANGEROUS
Editorial, Dhaka Tribune
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(Dhaka Tribune, 26 November 2014)
Take a rational approach to Latif’s remarks
We welcome former cabinet minister Latif Siddique surrendering himself to police on his return to the country.
He is accused in several different arrest warrants of hurting religious sentiments by making controversial remarks on his trip to New York last month.
It is right that due process should be followed under the law, particularly so if other charges are brought on other matters pertaining to allegations of irregularities during his tenure in government.
As we have said before, however, while his remarks were impolitic and worthy of dismissal by the prime minister, there is nothing about them which justifies being used as a cause for demonstrations aimed at gaining supposed political advantage.
Exploiting religion by creating a bandwagon of outrage on matters of religion is a dangerous course to follow.
We hope the law takes a rational approach to his undoubtedly controversial remarks. Aside from the obvious issue of jurisdiction as the remarks were made in the US where they definitely don’t break the law, there is also the issue of whether they broke any Bangladeshi law as well.
In our view, to criminalise careless remarks would be to set the bar for legal action dangerously low. It is relevant to consider constitutional guarantees on freedom of speech and religion.
Moreover, Section 295A is intended for far more egregious acts and statements that deliberately and maliciously hurt religious sentiment. Hence, the bringing of cases under the penal code for hurting religious sentiments appears excessive.
- See more at: http://www.dhakatribune.com/editorial/2014/nov/26/criminalising-careless-remarks-dangerous
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22. INDIA: COPS MAKE A SONG AND DANCE, BUT FREE SPEECH PREVAILS
by Chethan Kumar
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(The Times of India, Nov 22, 2014)
A group of artistes from Pune, in Bengaluru to perform at Nirankusha: Fearless Speak festival, had to scrap their show at St Joseph's College of Arts and Science, after police forced the college authorities to cancel the Friday evening event.
The festival, meant to celebrate the freedom of speech and expression, was finally held at St Aloysius College, where principal Fr Ambrose Pinto stood by the group. The Kabir Kala Manch (KKM) from Pune, describes itself as a progressive organization fighting for the oppressed.
The police, KKM members said, attempted to scuttle the event, saying the Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishat , a students' organization linked to the BJP, had threatened to protest.
They were busy recording songs in a studio in the city, one of which was written by KKM member Deepak Dhengale while in jail, after being "labelled" pro-Naxal by Maharashtra police. As the chorus sang Dhengale's words -Tod do, tod do, jaati ki zanjeeren (Break the shackles of caste...) -they were informed that police had got St Joseph's to cancel the event.
"I can only tell you this, some of us were tortured (not physically) by people who claimed to be from the intelligence.We were questioned until late in the night, asking how we were connected to KKM, though we repeatedly said we were only lending space for their event," a St Joseph's faculty member said.
Having learnt that St Joseph's had decided to cancel the event, preparations for which were complete and with even invitations handed out, KKM approached St Aloysius College, where Fr Ambrose Pinto readily agreed to host them on Friday.
"On Friday morning, about 25 policemen visited St Aloysius and warned the college against hosting us. But the principal stood by us and said unless there was an official order, he would host us," a KKM member said, adding they eventually procured permission from the police commissioner.
Police commissioner MN Reddi told TOI: "I only know of a couple of officers who went to St Joseph's, which is part of our job. I have no reports of faculty being kept there until night and questioned.If they can provide some evidence, I'll certainly look into the matter."
KKM, supported by the Alternative Law Forum and organizations like Maraa, Pedestrian Pictures, Vimochana, Komu Souharada Vedike among others, eventually conducted the event, even as police documented the entire show at St Aloysius.
Issues relating to caste, globalization, farmers' suicides and promises by politicians were discussed using mediums like dance-drama and songs. And finally, the freedom of speech and expression prevailed in Bengaluru.
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23. H-NET REVIEW: CELESTINA ON BRADLEY, 'REFUGEE REPATRIATION: JUSTICE, RESPONSIBILITY AND REDRESS'
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H-Diplo, H-Net Reviews. November, 2014.
Megan Bradley. Refugee Repatriation: Justice, Responsibility and Redress. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2013. 304 pp. $99.00 (cloth), ISBN 978-1-107-30890-9; $36.00 (paper), ISBN 978-1-107-69955-7.
Reviewed by Mateja Celestina (Coventry University)
Commissioned by Seth Offenbach
Megan Bradley’s book Refugee Repatriation: Justice, Responsibility and Redress is a timely contribution to the refugee studies literature. The establishment of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ “decade of repatriation” in the 1990s and its subsequent pragmatic view toward repatriation has been widely criticized. It has been criticized for including few opportunities for alternative durable solutions and the “voluntary” nature of return has been called into question. Some have argued that long-term perspectives have been obscured, political agendas have taken priority over issues of human security, and there is a general lack of consideration for people’s wishes.[1] Despite these criticisms, however, refugee return is still the preferred option of policymakers. By shifting the focus from states of asylum and resettlement to countries of origin in providing a solution to the problem of displaced populations, Bradley recognizes the need for a more rigorous examination of the conditions of just return. She thus makes a case for a revival of studies focusing on repatriation, in order to establish not only favorable but also just conditions of return. Just return goes beyond simple repatriation and land restitution measures; it promotes returnees’ position in society by placing returnees on an equal footing with their non-displaced co-nationals, it contributes to peace and stability, and it ensures the sustainability of return.
The book consists of three parts. Part 1 engages with political theories of responsibility and international legislation concerning return—particularly international humanitarian law and human rights law—stressing the need for analyses of both casual and moral responsibility. Using political and historical analysis, and drawing on tools of moral theory and international law, Bradley calls for the recognition of a state’s accountability for past wrongs, as well as its responsibility for building a constructive relationship between the returnees and the state. Bradley proposes redress as “an overarching theoretical concept through which to understand the return process” (p. 64). Part 2 turns to an analysis of three cases of return and redress: Guatemala, Bosnia and Herzegovina (in continuation Bosnia), and Mozambique. In the case studies, Bradley explores the historical and socioeconomic contexts of the countries in question, the framework they use for redress, the mechanisms in place to address grievances, and the role of the main actors involved, from grassroots organizations to international agencies. In the final part of the book, Bradley discusses how the model of minimum account of just return could be used in “hard cases” where refugees who are stateless people and noncitizens cannot make their claims for redress as citizens. The case study of focus is Palestine.
Providing the critique of Hannah Arendt’s oft-quoted argument of the fundamentally stateless status of refugees, Bradley calls for a theoretical shift, which would change the discourse on the nature of refugeehood from one where refugees are perceived as stateless to one where they are seen as actors bearing legitimate claims for the reconstruction of their relationship with the state. Bradley thus rejects the idea of direct victimhood, joining a growing number of scholars who aim to stress refugees’ agency.[2] While her main focus is on the state’s recognition of its accountability for displacement and its responsibility to attend to its citizens in the repatriation process, Bradley advocates for responsible citizenship, where the formally displaced must take up the rights as well as the obligations that arise from citizenship. Responsible citizenship, she recognizes, is the building block of equality and long-term stability. This is a refreshing approach, since it demonstrates that Bradley conceives of refugees as not merely refugees but rather citizens who happen to be refugees.
Considering that the majority of affected states are emerging from conflict and that they are likely to hold different conceptualizations of justice, Bradley focuses on the minimum conditions for just return, rather than composing a wish list of refugees’ entitlements. Her aspiration is for a concept that is practically useful and not only a theoretical exercise. For return to be just, “return must establish or re-establish returnees as equal citizens entitled to benefit from a legitimate relationship of rights and duties with the state and effective, equitable protection for their basic human rights and security” (p. 16). Bradley uses citizenship as a tool that enables refugees to make claims against the state. She makes an important point—albeit in a footnote—when she states that if countries do not aim to protect all of its citizens in the first place, the discussion on just return is futile. Indeed, citizenship does not necessarily result in automatic protection, and the displaced might have never enjoyed citizenship rights.[3] With the minimum account of conditions for just return, Bradley thus calls for a greater reflection on current policies not only concerning repatriation, but also, at least indirectly, broader development policies, particularly those assuring equitable treatment of citizens in peace, conflict, and the aftermath of conflict.
In putting her theoretical framework to practice, Bradley highlights some of the challenges (as well as good practices) that Guatemala, Mozambique, and Bosnia and their citizens (have) faced in the repatriation process. She shows the complexity of return and the need to analyze repatriation efforts on multiple levels, from the micro environment to international involvement. Bradley additionally applies her theoretical framework to Palestine and analyzes the hypothetical chances of just return under the scenario of a two-state solution. As a result of these case studies, she reaffirms the necessity to stress equity and to maximize the range of choices available for all refugees throughout the reparation process in both paradigmatic and hard cases of return.
Considering the fact that just return has not been achieved in any of these cases, Bradley puts her own work to challenge by questioning whether the minimum account of just return she sets out represents an impossibly high bar. She thus addresses the potential critique, and argues that lowering the bar would be counterproductive. As she notes, some states may lack sufficient will to reach these standards and, moreover, there is also lack of adequate international support. Furthermore, reparations and redress to returnees in these cases contributed to peace-building efforts, suggesting that reparations might improve returnees’ relationship with the state, and, consequently, be a goal worth pursuing. As Bradley emphasizes in a number of places, just return is a long-term process, which, among others, unfolds alongside peace-building endeavors.
Bradley draws on literature from a range of disciplines. Her three-pronged approach, combining legal, political, and moral perspectives of just return, provides the basis for a complex analysis. It contextualizes legal provisions and helps determine who is responsible for redress in difficult cases, such as in state disintegration, where it would be difficult to assign responsibility to any state under the international law. A historical overview of the development of principles, norms, and international concerns to prioritize return helps show that the consideration of refugees in mainstream reparation politics does not necessarily take place for the “right” reasons, such as altruism or genuine concern, but rather, to lessen the burden on host states. This demonstrates that the right to return not only fits within the legal sphere and debates, but is also a highly politicized issue that has direct implications for just return. Bradley’s inclusion of some anthropological work enables her to engage in an analysis of how the process of repatriation and return unraveled at different levels. This allows her to de-homogenize groups of refugees and to draw attention to the internal tensions that exist among these groups as a result of competing expectations and views. Additionally, by focusing on the micro environment, Bradley draws attention to another group of people who are often excluded from policy and academic research, namely, those who stayed as well as secondary occupants. These people are also important figures in successful reconciliation and relationship-building efforts, and, so, contribute to sustainable and ultimately just return.[4]
Overall, the book is reflective, analytical, and critical and thus a great contribution to literature. While engaging in complex theoretical debates and arguments, it is written in a clear manner, making it accessible to nonacademics. It is an important read not only for scholars and students but also for policymakers and practitioners. A minor suggestion I have concerns the application of the theoretical framework to the empirical cases. The book possibly tries to cover too much ground in terms of the case studies. Undoubtedly, the comparative element of the book is useful for the theorization of just return. The geographical distribution of cases offers a valuable perspective and the brief mention of the lesser-known examples of the Biharis in Bangladesh and the Lhotshampa refugees from Buthan in the third part of the book is welcome. However, the discussion of the hard cases might be considered as a work in and of itself. This would have allowed for further in-depth development of the Biharis and Lhotshampa cases, and ensured that these cases received an analysis comparable to that of Palestine, Bosnia, Guatemala, and Mozambique. Nevertheless, this is a minor issue which does not undermine the main argument of the book and its contribution.
Notes
[1]. Michael Barnett, “UNHCR and the Ethics of Repatriation,” Forced Migration Review 10 (2001): 31-34; Richard Black and Saskia Gent, “Sustainable Return in Post-conflict Contexts,” International Migration 44 (2006): 15-38; Laura Hammond, This Place Will Become Home: Refugee Repatriation to Ethiopia (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 2004); Sarah Meyer, FMO Research Guide on Local Integration (Oxford: Forced Migration Online, 2008), http://www.forcedmigration.org/research-resources/expert-guides/local-integration/fmo045.pdf; and Susanne Schmeidl, “Repatriation to Afghanistan: Durable Solution or Responsibility Shifting?” Forced Migration Review 33 (2009): 20-22.
[2]. See, for instance, Liisa Malkki, “Speechless Emissaries: Refugees, Humanitarianism, and Dehistoricization,” Cultural Anthropology 11 (1996): 377-404; Doreen Indra, ed., Engendering Forced Migration: Theory and Practice (Oxford: Berghahn Books, 1999); and Stef Jansen and Staffan Löfving, eds., Struggles for Home: Violence, Hope and the Movement of People (Oxford: Berghahn Books, 2009).
[3]. Daniel Pécaut, “The Loss of Rights, the Meaning of Experience, and Social Connection: A Consideration of the Internally Displaced in Colombia,” International Journal of Politics, Culture and Society 14 (2000): 89-105.
[4]. Anders H. Stefansson, “Sarajevo Suffering: Homecoming and the Hierarchy of Homeland Hardship,” in Homecomings: Unsettling Paths to Return, ed. Fran Markowitz and Anders H. Stefansson (Oxford: Lexington Books, 2004), 54-75.
Citation: Mateja Celestina. Review of Bradley, Megan, Refugee Repatriation: Justice, Responsibility and Redress.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
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