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Friday, November 16, 2007

[vinnomot] Secular Perspective

BJP ENTERS PORTAL OF POWER IN SOUTH

 

Asghar Ali Engineer

 

(Secular Perspective November 16-30, 2007)

 

So at last BJP has realized its ambition of forming government in the South by installing its chief minister in Karnataka. And of course this became possible thanks to Deve Gowda and his Janata Dal (Secular). A political party which broke off from its parent party as the other section (Janata Dal United) had decided to join BJP as part of NDA at the Centre, itself ended up allowing BJP to stall its chief minister and fulfill its ambition of having its chief minister in the South.

 

There was time when communalism was considered purely north Indian phenomenon and south was supposed to be free of communalism. There were various theories about this. One theory was that Britishers who engendered communalism mainly through policy of divide and rule and taught distorted history in schools where it had direct rule like states in the north. In south, due to princely ruled states, British had no direct influence and such a distorted history could not be taught. Also in princely ruled states there was no direct competition for political power in the form of elections, society was not polarized.

 

Another important reason was Hindus and Muslims had same language and culture except in parts of Nizam ruled areas. In most of southern states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, parts of what is now Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, all spoke both in urban and rural areas same language and shared same cultural values. Thus it was difficult for communal seeds to sprout. In North besides other factors Hindi-Urdu controversy also played its role in communalizing the society.

 

In post-independence India too states like Kerala and Tamil Nadu were formed on the basis of language and hence Hindus and Muslims continued to speak Malayalam and Tamil Nadu respectively in both these states. In Karnataka, however, Muslims in urban areas spoke Deccani dialect of Urdu (in certain areas of Tamil Nadu too Muslims in some urban areas spoke Deccani Urdu but overwhelming Majority spoke Tamil) and there was often tension between Kannada speaking Hindus and Deccani Urdu speaking Muslims. When some Urdu programme was started on All India Radio there were riots in Bangalore. Bangalore experienced riots number of times. RSS also has its large office in Bangalore.

 

However, despite communal tensions here and there, Karnataka always elected Congress government. Hegde, a Brahmin, joined Janata Party and formed Janta Party Government but he was considered champion of Hindu-Muslim unity and Muslims in Karnataka always supported him. Unfortunately he also joined BJP aspiring for minister ship at the Centre but was soon marginalized and died a disillusioned person.

 

However, BJP was constantly trying to dig its heels in Karnataka and it found South Karnataka quite congenial for its politics as it is dominated by Brahmins. To widen its base it raised the idgah controversy in Hubli town. It insisted that Muslims should hoist national flag there though RSS and BJP never fly national flag from their own offices and always fly saffron flag. Not that Muslims were flying any religious flag there yet BJP insisted that Muslims hoist national flag. BJP leaders used to brag that they will make idgah in Hubli the Babri Masjid of south. Hubli also witnessed riots on this controversy and Hindu-Muslim polarization intensified. On every 15th August Hubli town witnessed communal tension and BJP encashed it politically.

 

Uma Bharti, the then chief Minister of M.P. came all the way from Bhopal to hoist national flag at Idgah and a case was filed against her for violating the section 144 enforced there by the District Magistrate. She had to resign on this issue from chief minister ship on assurance that it is temporary measure but she never regained it. BJP used this pretext to get rid of her. Needless to say BJP succeeded in widening its base by using this communal controversy.

 

Another controversy which BJP raised in Karnataka was Baba-Budangini controversy. Both Hindus and Muslims used to visit this place on the top of a mountain to pay their respects without any communal feeling. Muslims considered it as a seat of a Sufi saints who not only began to live in the area but also inspired his followers to start coffee plantation in this mountainous region.

 

However, Hindus considered it as a seat of what they called Dattatrey and paid their respects to him. But despite these Hindu and Muslim names there never was any controversy between Hindus and Muslims and both together visited the shrine and had great faith in the Baba.

 

But BJP saw a political windfall in this and used its front organization VHP to launch an agitation claiming it to be a Hindu shrine which has been usurped by Muslims. Again, like Hubli, they created communal tension in the area and increased their vote base. Thus like other places BJP constantly used such controversies to establish itself in Karnataka. BJP always thrive on communalism.

 

BJP is a single-issue party. It came to power at the Centre also by exploiting Ramjanambhoomi-Babri Masjid controversy to the hilt. It has no other issues and even if it raises other issues, it is just by way of compulsion in a democracy. Whenever it faces any crisis it raises some or the other communal controversy and tries to tide over that political crisis.

 

BJP reduced Gujarat to a Hindutva laboratory and polarized Gujarat between Hindus and Muslims as never before. It organized genocide of 2002 in Gujarat because it was facing very serious crisis and had been loosing election after election right from Panchayat level to Assembly bye-elections and re-established its grip through slaughtering, in most brutal ways, two thousand Muslims. Now Tehelka sting operation has exposed through the mouths of perpetrators of those crimes what heinous crimes they committed. It shows the depth of inhumanity BJP leaders fell in Gujarat to come to power.

 

What we hear from M.P. where BJP is ruling is same disheartening story. It is systematically spreading hatred against Muslims and communal riots are taking place in small places like Kukshi, Sanaver and so on towns which had not seen communal violence ever before. M.P. one journalist from Indore wrote to me, is in its way to Gujarat if nothing is done to stop it. These communal activities of BJP will increase as elections come nearer.

 

After what was exposed through tehelka operation in Gujarat such a party would have been disqualified from contesting elections in any other mature democracy. No democracy would tolerate such hate and murder politics to come to power. BJP does it with impunity and other secular parties, especially the Congress, keeps quiet for fear of loosing Hindu votes.

 

Now its communal politics in Karnataka over few decades has paid rich dividends and BJP has at last succeeded in forming government in the southern state. It celebrated this event in a big way. It mobilized teeming millions for the oath taking ceremony for its chief minister Yeddyurappa. Also, chief Ministers of all BJP ruled states including Narenadra Modi, leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, L.K.Advani, BJP president Rajnath Singh and other BJP bigwigs attended the ceremony.

 

Narendra Modi even suggested in his speech that Karnataka should adopt Gujarat model which of course sparked controversy. He was, people thought (and it may be true, who knows), he was suggesting, if need be go for organizing carnage like Gujarat to capture power by itself rather than depending on JD (Secular). BJP leaders, aware of what it could mean, immediately clarified that what Modi means is economic development.

 

BJP when it shared power with JD (secular) had played havoc and engineered communal violence in Mangalore region. The police, under the BJP MLA from the area, had openly played role in communal violence and police's role was also blatantly communal. The Minister of Education accused that Tipu Sultan undermined Kannada language and promoted Persian. Which of course was baseless accusation. But communal forces never care for truth. They thrive on false propaganda.

 

The BJP was doing all this to intensify communal divide in Karnataka when it was not in power and when it shared power as junior partner with J.D (Secular). Just imagine what it can do when now it has formed government and has succeeded in installing its own chief minister. One has to be vigilant.

 

The role of JD(S) of course has been most despicable. The former Chief Minister Kumaraswamy who was telling that BJP is communal and will communalize the state and that is why it is unwilling to transfer power to BJP not only agreed to install BJP Chief Minister but is eager to become Deputy Chief Minister in his cabinet. Indian politics is nothing if not downright opportunistic. It is such gross opportunism on the part of secular parties that communalism has thrived in India. It would have died its natural death after independence but for such opportunism.

 

Now secular activists should be quite vigilant and observe developments in Karnataka politics. Of course there are little chance for BJP-JD (S) combination to win elections in the next round. In any case JD (S) had won many seats with Muslim support and it is likely to loose those seats. And this prospects of likely defeat may induce BJP to go along familiar line.

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

Centre for Study of Society and Secularism

Mumbai.

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[vinnomot] Re: [khabor.com] Read this news in Saudi Arabia to understand what Sharia law will do to a woman

So far i know, In USA, In case of rape case, the dress of victim is considered. It is considered  whether the dress of the victim was such that the rapist has got some instigation from her or not.
 
If the  dress of the victim was very short and exciting, in  that case rapist get some concession in punishment. this  is from the consideration that the victim has also some rule in provocation for rape.
 
 In islam ,it is for safety of women , women are not allowed to travell without a mahrom(men whom she can not marry)men . So breaching the security rule, she has  some part in the rape for which she  was punished.
 
 We would like  to see such forwarding when women from other countries  also get such or more cruel punishment from Biplob pal.
 
 
Otherwise people may be confused why Mr. pal is so worried for Saudi Women.
 
 
 
With regards
 
 
 


Dr Biplab Pal <biplabpal2000@yahoo.com> wrote:
[Every human being must protest against such verdict--Saudi Arab is responsible for spreading such religious extremism and atrocity against woman-are they human being?-Biplab]


Saudi Arabia: Gang-rape victim gets 200 lashes


November 15, 2007 23:37 IST
Last Updated: November 15, 2007 23:40 IST









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In a shocking verdict, a Saudi Court has ordered a gang rape victim to undergo 200 lashes and six months in prison for "being in the car of an unrelated male" when the crime was committed.
The 19-year-old victim was initially ordered to undergo 90 lashes by judges from the Qatif General Court, but the case was referred back to an Appeals Court after her lawyer had urged a harsher punishment for assaulters, the Arab News reported.
In its verdict, the court, which punished the victim for "being in the car of an unrelated male at the time of the rape", also suspended her lawyer.
The seven rapists, whose previous sentences ranged from 10 months to five years in prison, also had their prison terms increased to between two and nine years. The verdict came in as a shock to everybody.
A source at the Qatif General Court said the judges had informed the rape victim that the reason behind doubling her punishment was "her attempt to aggravate and influence the judiciary through the media", the report added.
Saudi Arabia enforces a strict Islamic doctrine known as Wahhabism and forbids unrelated men and women from associating with each other, bans women from driving and forces them to cover head-to-toe in public.



Is this CTG is better than Ershad  in case of political party reform and anti corruption drive ?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sobhan Allah-  Only Allah flawless 
           Alhamdulillah - All praise to be of Allah 
                   Allah hu Akbar - Allah, the Greatest
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Would Be Mahathir of BD
 


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[vinnomot] Re: We condemn it - a SONGSKAR BADEE leader of BNP is physically manhandled (JUTA PITA) near Zia’s grave by Jamat & Khaleda supporters 8.11.07 of JJD http://www.jaijaidin.com/details.php?nid=40086

Dear Anu Vai,
 
All on a sudden you have become sympathiser to BNP (You have condemned the "JUTA PITA" of General Mahbub).
 
Have you noticed that none of the central leader of pro Khaleda BNP has condemned this?
 
 
Arif

"Engr. Shafiq Bhuiyan" <srbanunz@gmail.com> wrote:

Dear politically conscious, sensible & rational and enthusiastic readers (except old and new RAZAKAR & RAZAKAR minded people),
 
 
Though I am not supporter BNP part (due to fact that reasonably, most of the leaders & supporters of BNP are comparatively more corrupts and they are heavily blended with & dependent on Jamat-Razakar-Shibir), still I do not support that JUTA PITA of Gen Mahbubur Rahman, a SONGSKAR BADEE of BNP by some Jamat - BNP supporter (please read the news report & picture of BNP-Jamat minded -funded daily the Jai Jai Din of 8.11.07 issue:
 
A SONGSKAR BADEE of BNP is physically manhandled (JUTA PITA) near Zia's grave by Jamat & Khaleda supporters – 8.11.07
 
 
 
It is very sad.
 
We condemn it.
 
Please see the attached Pdf file formore detail.
 
 
 
"Sustha thakon, nirapade thakon ebong valo thakon"
 
Shuvechhante,
 
 
Shafiqur Rahman Bhuiyan (ANU)
NEW ZEALAND.
 
Phone: 00-64-9-828 2435 (Res), 00-64-0274 500 277 (mobile)
 
N.B.: If any one is offended by content of this e-mail, please ignore & delete this e-mail. I will also request you to inform me - to delete your name from my contact list.
 
 


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[vinnomot] Re: [ALOCHONA] A Razakar on the Run

 
Ms. Farida Majid
 
Thanks for your very nice poetry.
We enjoyed it!
 
Keep it up
 
 
 
Arif

Farida Majid <farida_majid@hotmail.com> wrote:



A Razakar on the Run
Hey, hey, hey, Shah Abdul Hannan!
How does it feel to be on the run?
Why does it hurt being called a razakar?
Was it not you who kissed the boot of Paki hanadar
In the midst (around May, 1971) of a bloody massacre
When Pakistan Military Gazette designated the term 'razakar'
And promulgated an order to employ traitors
To maim, rape and torture fellow Bangalees?
Remember those glorious days when you did the hunting?
You did not wince, blink and nary a shot missed.
Thousands of precious human lives were lost----
Thanks to your awesome, destructive hunt----
None of them less valuable than your own,
The one you boast of with such pomp and stunt!
So now, S. A. Hannan, you grunt,
You get all touchy-feely
At the mere hint of a razakar 'hunt'. Really!
We do not have the pack of hounds
(Like those Paki friends of yours) nor bugles
Of self-praise to round off a bloody rout.
We just get the giggles
When you self-expose your own foxy snout.
                                                            --- Farida Majid 



Climb to the top of the charts!  Play Star Shuffle:  the word scramble challenge with star power. Play Now!


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[vinnomot] Fw: Heartthrob star AKHI ALAMGIR is performing tomorrow at RUNA LAILA NITE / 17th Nov.07 @ 6pm sharp



---------- Forwarded Message ----------

                                                      WE ARE HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT HEARTTHROB SUPER STAR OF BANGLADESH AKHI ALAMGIR IS PERFORMING AT RUNA LAILA NITE TOMORROW 

ONE Mo re days for RUNA LAILA NITE Live  in Concert  
 
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[ALOCHONA] A good read: Pakistan Elite Inaction - Disconnected And Depoliticized

I sincerely hope folks on this list will read & reflect & not dismiss this article as something not connected to us in Bangladesh. We have similar views & attitudes.

Robin
 

Disconnected And Depoliticized

In Pakistan: Elite Inaction

In Emergency Times

By Mahnoor Khan

16 November, 2007

Countercurrents.org

http://www.countercurrents.org/khan161107.htm

 

Note: It has been frequently asserted in national and international media that the imposition of emergency by General Musharraf has been unanimously opposed in Pakistan. While there have been unprecedented protests from diverse groups, the outrage is by no means as widespread as one would expect. Here are just some of the arguments that protestors hear from their friends and colleagues:

 

1)      Why are you supporting corrupt judges? All the lawyers are politicized and doing this for their own publicity and power.

 

2)      What are you trying to achieve? Do you want corrupt politicians like Benazir or Nawaz Sharif?

 

3)      The media was overstepping its boundaries, and the judiciary also became too interventionist. So both were asking for a clampdown.

 

4)      Musharraf has been a great leader. Yes, he is making mistakes, but he is still our best and only option.

 

5)      Protests will just cause more instability.

 

6)      Things will return to normal, so we should just wait and pray for the best.

 

These are overt and subtle ways in which the emergency is effectively legitimized by the Pakistani elite. In the following piece, I have attempted to articulate my own stance on the issue, and address some of these arguments.

 

In February of this year, my ride home from work one evening was interrupted by a sizeable demonstration on Shahra-e-Faisal. The protest – as a radio channel informed me – was against the unlawful abduction and detention of "missing people" by our notorious agencies, and was being staged by hundreds of family members and activists who had traveled to Karachi from distant areas of Sindh. As I waited in my car for the demonstration to pass, I wondered: why is the tragedy of forced disappearances not sparking the outrage that it should? Why wasn't this protest widely publicized, and supported by the so-called civil society? And what was I doing about this? But of course this line of questioning never continues for long. I brushed off my guilt by resorting to the classic "what can I possibly do" and "there is no hope" cynicism, unconsciously told myself that I am working for important (and more convenient) causes like education and health so I do have some sense of social responsibility, put on some music, and eventually drove off.

 

I kept following the issue though. I had already been reading about disappearances regularly in Dawn and Herald since 2003. Even Amnesty International, The New York Times, and the Guardian had established how more than 500 Pakistanis had simply been abducted by our intelligence outfits with no case and no trace. That under the garb of the "war on terror", there was a systematic campaign to capture critics – not militants – but politics activists, students, poets, journalists, social workers, and academics belonging in particular to Sindh and Baluchistan. That instead of recognizing and addressing the exacerbated grievances of people under a neoliberal military-intelligence alliance, the state had decided to crush any expression of grievance with sheer inhuman violence. Some released detainees had harrowing tales of torture to tell. Even those who protested for the sake of their missing ones were humiliated and intimidated – recall the picture of the 17-year old son of a detainee whose shalwar was lowered by the police during a public protest in January this year, before being arrested.

 

One becomes conditioned to overlook the entire picture when reading about such atrocities on an everyday basis. And so I read about all this with a sense of real but remote "oh, it's just so sad" concern. Over the course of this year, however, I became more interested in the issue of missing people. This, unfortunately, was not due to any change in my own conscience, but because the issue itself had become more visible – thanks to the legal petitions that the tormented families as well as the HRCP had filed. And the judiciary was responding.

 

Our state institutions have become so inept, exploitative, and unjust that when an institution finally does its job, we think it has become too "independent" and "active." We conveniently forget that defending the constitution and fundamental rights is the core purpose of the judiciary around the world. And we fail to even acknowledge – let alone celebrate – the courage with which the expelled judges were withstanding the coercive pressures and bribes from various corners, in order to question long-standing injustices such as political persecution, shady privatizations, and illegal building practices. Which state institution has had the courage to tackle these issues? Most importantly, the judiciary was questioning the unconstitutional and outrageously criminal activities of our intelligence agencies, of which the plight of missing people is but one manifestation.

 

I will say it clearly: the renewed democratic spirit of the judiciary had been a source of relief for me. I, as a human being and as a citizen, did not have the time, interest, and decency to actually stand up for the sake of social and economic justice. But it was heartening to see that at least one state institution was working towards progressive change in this country. As the law of indifference goes, though, I only observed this process from a distance. And again, from a distance, I witnessed the lawyers' struggle to contest the high-handed manner in which the Chief Justice was removed. I, surely, did not have the time or the courage. Plus, with all the pomp of the Chief Justice's rallies, it was convenient not to take a stance. Indeed, why ever take a stance? It is so much easier to sit back, criticize, and be cynical. And to ease your conscience, tell yourself that your business is helping the poor, or that you do not-so-political charity work.

 

But now, with the emergency – with the wholesale slaughter of the judicial process and the violent suppression of civil society – I think it is simply imperative for me to take a stance. An informed stance.

 

Yes, of course, like all state institutions, the legal institutions are also ridden with misconduct and corruption. At many critical junctures, the judiciary itself has contributed to the undermining of the Constitution. But in recent years, it is only the judiciary that has had the courage to show that it has at least some sense of social and political responsibility. If it was so corrupt and power-hungry, why would it take up cases that challenge the elite and military-dominated status quo in the country? Following its own history, it would succumb to bribes and threats, and play along. But it didn't. And the missing people's case is the prime testimony to this courage.

 

The missing people's case also underlines something that is often ignored in analyses of the emergency: the suppression of activists, journalists, students, and academics is not something new and sudden. Yes, the scale is large, and for the first time, elite human rights activists and professors have also been arrested. But we must not forget that this has been a long-term trend, and that a systematic campaign to capture critics has been an appalling state policy for at least four years now. Newsline, Herald, HRCP, national newspapers as well as international media have repeatedly covered the brutalities of this policy. While media channels may have exploded in Pakistan, let's not forget that the South Asian Free Media Association named Pakistan the worst country in terms of the harassment of journalists in 2006. Hence, the current suppression of the media is also a stark manifestation of a continuing tendency.

 

Why are we so keen to assert that the media and judiciary have overstepped their bounds, but not recognize the extremism and interventionism of the military and the intelligence agencies? I will readily acknowledge that the media and judiciary have severe failings that need to be addressed. But how can we ignore that there is a fundamental asymmetry of power between a military-intelligence establishment on one hand and the media or the judiciary on the other? The Supreme Court and media can be massively irresponsible and corrupt, but they will never have the capacity to amass wealth and power, and terrorize citizens like the military-intelligence alliance that currently rules the country. Who will hold the latter accountable?

 

The military has become the biggest corporate entity and interest group in the country, and inserted itself in literally every economic, social and political institution including textbook boards, universities and highway authorities. All this has not been achieved "cleanly," but involved massive corruption, intimidation, and back-door deals. It is different from regular "fill up the bank account" looting since it involves the setting up and expansion of a huge empire that grabs land, monopolizes markets, and dominates political and social institutions. This extent of political and economic dominance will live on regardless of the fate of today's dictatorship. Amongst other devastating consequences, it has also severely affected the professionalism of the army – as argued by several analysts and retired military officers.

 

Repeated military rule in our country has not only stifled the process of democratization but also helped to promote religious extremism. Yes, Musharraf is no Zia, and as a person, may indeed be a secular guy believing in "enlightened moderation". But this is no justification for overlooking the critical role that both the military and intelligence agencies have played in creating and supporting Islamist militancy. Have we forgotten that it was in Musharraf's regime that a religious alliance was brought into power for the first time in Pakistan's history – and allowed to form a government in NWFP – while all secular-nationalist parties had been suppressed and even banned from rallying? And this was not a coincidence. The military-mullah alliance is not a myth – it is a long-standing relationship that became particularly strengthened in the Afghan War (1978-1989) when the ISI, Saudi Arabia, and the U.S. government directly trained and equipped thousands of Pakistanis (not just Afghanis) to become militant jihadis. The Pajero-driven, gun-toting mullah emerged during this period, and has continued to be patronized by agencies to fight our dirty wars in Afghanistan, Kashmir, as well as within Pakistan.

 

Since 2002, the formal establishment of a religious alliance in NWFP has paved the way for legitimizing a conservative and repressive Islam. NWFP may not have had a very liberal society, but the intimidation of barbers, tailors, X-ray assistants, CD sellers, female health workers, NGO activists, and administrators of girls' schools is a recent phenomenon that is directly linked to the support of religious elements by our military-intelligence establishment. JUI was never even on the political map till it got political legitimacy by the army. And it is the ISI's support of the Taliban and religious parties that has emboldened the likes of Sufi Muhammad and Fazlullah. We must ask: why is it that reporters associated with KTN, Sindh TV, and Intikhab have been abducted and tortured, while Fazlullah's FM radio was allowed to operate freely?

 

The biggest travesty is that Musharraf is using the self-perpetuated threat of religious militancy to justify his rule, claiming that he will be the force of stability. This is simply a contradiction in terms. Musharraf's rule has made us second only to Iraq in terms of bombing operations and suicide attacks; hence, he is not even able to hold his ground in his own terrain which is national security and defence. What more has to happen for us to recognize that Pakistan has been destabilized for a long time now, and that the unquestioned and unaccounted practices of the military and intelligence are hugely responsible? Some people say: ok, so the army and agencies created the Pakistani Taliban, and now that the fundamentalists are on the offensive, only the army can reign them in. Such an approach is even more misguided, as it will only worsen the oppressions of military rule. Further, years and years of breeding religious militancy and encouraging Islamist politics will not go away with bombing Waziristan and Swat. We need a long-term strategy involving rehabilitation, economic incentives, and political negotiation. Just like we are still struggling with Zia's Islamization, we will be fighting Musharraf's Islamization for a long time to come.

 

Because of the repressive tactics that the army routinely employs, military extremism and absolutism has remained publicly invisible to a large extent. Does this mean we ignore it? Supporters of Musharraf's regime argue that he gave us economic growth. Does this justify the militarization of state, economy, and society? Does this validate systematic oppression and violence? I couldn't bear the television coverage of the Lal Masjid episode, does this make the silencing of critique under PEMRA acceptable? I have personally experienced the gender biases and callousness of our courts, does this mean that the entire Supreme Court should be disposed off?

 

This is the time to make distinctions. We need to recognize that the current struggle is about protecting the Constitution, and about resisting the wholesale annihilation of the rule of law. It is not a personality contest between Musharraf, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif. Protestors are not impulsive fools who love Benazir or Nawaz Sharif – they are as disillusioned with "democratic" regimes as anyone else. Does this mean that we should now give up all hope and respect for political process? Do we simply accept the kingdom of a military dictator? We want a ready-made, perfect leader to lead us, but are unwilling to allow her or him to emerge because we keep accepting rampant abuses of the political process. The lesser-of-the-two evils argument just does not work: a military dictator is not accountable to anyone, will entrench the interests of the army, and will eventually show his true colors. And political history around the world has shown that a military dictator claiming to bring in "democracy" is a contradiction in terms. A political party still needs to get re-elected, and a rule that says no leader can be Prime Minister twice will ensure that new leaders will come up. The political spectrum is not even as limited as we think it is. There are several regional parties, the Labor Party, and the Tehrik-e-Istaqlal which can promise to play a strong role in the future. But parties like the JUI and PML (Q) will only strengthen the forces of religious and military extremism.

 

Let's assume that all parties are corrupt. Let's think about how India had an emergency under Congress in the 70s, and a systematic genocide against Muslims under BJP. Let's remember how the U.S. under Bush is continuing to devastate Afghanistan and Iraq. Does this mean that the militaries in the two countries should take over for the sake of "stability?" Democracies do not work perfectly anywhere, yet they are the most common form of governance because they come the closest to ensuring both accountability and stability.

 

Ultimately, democracy is not about procedural elections, but about the substantive principles of liberation, egalitarianism, and justice. The democracies of the world have gotten to where they are because of citizens' engagement. Self-determination and democracy was not given on a platter by monarchs and colonizers – every victory was a result of protests, struggles, and social movements. Let's not simplistically equate any political party's reinstatement with a "transition to democracy." In our country, the transition was already happening thanks to the renewed strength of our Supreme Court. It is the continuing struggle to resist the emergency, restore the Constitution, and reinstate the Supreme Court that is the actual stuff of democracy – it's democracy in the making –and we need to support it in every way that we can. And if and when we succeed, the struggle by no means is over. Military dominance, political corruption, religious extremism, media sensationalism, and judicial negligence will not magically disappear. We, as citizens, need to constantly play our part in reforming the status quo and striving towards a better future for our country. That is everyone's responsibility, not just of judges, military officials and politicians.

 

As elites, consumed by our work and social lives, we have been too depoliticized and disconnected to care. We don't even follow the news regularly, and may not know how the judiciary was upholding several causes of social and economic justice. There have been hundreds of petitions of aggrieved citizens who requested the Supreme Court to hear their voices, or take suo moto action, because they had no other recourse. And the judiciary was listening. It might have been corrupt, brash and naïve, but it showed concern. And unlike the shameless legislature, executive, and most of the citizenry, the lawyers and judges who have been hounded for months are still bravely refusing to accept an elitist and military-dominated status quo. What power are they getting by risking their lives and the security of their families? Why, for once, can we not think about their struggle with the seriousness that it demands?

 

It's all too easy to disparage protesting students as well by saying that they are immature, trying to act cool and pseudo-revolutionary, or just joining the bandwagon. Why are we so bent on dismissing them instead of giving them credit? If students are protesting at an unprecedented scale, surely there must be something about the situation that is sparking this agitation? They are not protesting for party politics, nor simply because their own professors have been arrested. They are genuinely frustrated, and refuse to watch tyranny take root. Life and politics is messy and confusing, so they obviously do not have all the answers and are also uncertain about what the future will bring. Yet, despite tremendous fears in these times of repression, they have the integrity and courage to take a stance.

 

And like them, we all must take a stance. This is not the time to dilly-dally and say: "I don't support the emergency but the protests are not worthy enough a cause" and "I think the repression is inhuman but we have to see what choices we have as a nation." As Howard Zinn said in the People's History of the United States, it's where you put the "but" that makes unjust use of power and violence possible. One can instead say, "Musharraf did many good things for the country but a violently enforced military-mullah-intelligence alliance with no respect for rule of law and civil liberties is simply unacceptable."

 

One can criticize any stance. It is always convenient to sit back, observe, and be critical and cynical as if that makes us all intellectual. This is the surest way to escape ever standing up for anything, and masking one's own ignorance, and unwillingness to engage. But silence is a form of political action, and it has strong consequences especially in these severe times. By not standing up and vocalizing our discontent with this kind of draconian action, we are implicitly telling the regime (and all subsequent regimes) that it is ok for them to do whatever they please, and we will sit idle like innocent bystanders. Our fatalistic ("whatever will be will be"), over-critical ("I don't agree with anything"), and cynical ("this is such a crazy farce") postures are not only unfair to those who are willing to struggle and sacrifice, but they in effect help to sustain the status quo.

 

If we are scared of instability due to protests, and Musharraf's departure, we must ask ourselves: what is our definition of stability? Is rising military and religious extremism not enough? Is the decimation of the highest judicial institution not enough? Are over 5,000 indiscriminate and unlawful arrests not enough? What about the anti-terrorism and sedition cases against innocent people? Are the laws for court-marshalling citizens also acceptable, so the army-intelligence regime can simply press "delete" on citizens like it did on the Supreme Court? Is the "Musharraf is necessary" theory so unfalsifiable that no amount of violence and human rights abuse will move us into action? Do we believe in any values, and have we ever stood up for anything? Does it really have to be the intimidation or arrest of a loved one that shakes us out of our apathy?

 

If we don't have the courage to protest ourselves, we should at least not trivialize and ridicule the efforts of those who do. Better still, we should express our solidarity, lend support, and actively shape this defining historic moment. We always have a choice.

 

Mahnoor Khan is a Karachi-based educationist. She can be contacted at mahnoorzkhan@gmail.com

 

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[vinnomot] A troubled Pakistan


Pakistan has been a troubled nation. Arguably, the current situation is the worst it has experienced so far. A weak but nuclear Pakistan could turn into a nightmare for the world.
   Gopal Sengupta
   Canada
   

* * *

   I am a Pakistani student and I have a vested interest in the future of the world. I believe that Musharraf should step down immediately to make way for a democratic government. I believe if he does not then a radical Islamic government will take over and be in the possession of nuclear bombs. This would be extremely dangerous and the safety of the entire globe will be at stake. We need to stop scrutinising Iran, and focus on Pakistan, because Pakistan is the one with a bomb.
   Kamran Amir
   USA
 
Published in the Daily New Age on November 17,2007...... www.newagebd.com
 
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[vinnomot] Manus Manuser Jonney

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[vinnomot] Re: [khabor.com] Awami leauge must be banned to save the nation

He is a genuine Razakar and Paki minded or a mad guy!
 
 
And a Razakar supports another Razakar!

"mohiuddin@netzero.net" <mohiuddin@netzero.net> wrote:


---------- Forwarded Message ----------
Awami league in cool mind, have killed 48 Jamath- e- Islami workers including 6 in paltan, during the last day of power handing over ceremony by BNP-Jamath led government in October, 2006.
Awami league have troche fired the buses packed with passengers and have burned 11 passengers alive.
All above serious crime against humanity in Bangladesh history have done by the Awami league under direct instruction of Sheikh Hasina, so she must face the legal action including her supporter those who justify this killing.
So Awami league must be banned for its destructive political activities.
Mohammed Ramjan Ali Bhuiyan
Kuwait


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[ALOCHONA] Please make family gathering into a fund raising event for the Cyclone affected people in Bangladesh

All,
 
I think that we know the situation in the cyclone hit areas and affected people.  It will be wise if we turn our family gathering into the fund raising events to maximum our effort to raise as much money or other materials for the cyclone affected areas and its people.  People should do this anywhere they live in abroad or Bangladesh.
 
Bangladesh is facing diasters one after another,  maybe it is a test for us to be strong and face the relaity as it's dumping on Bangladesh and its people.
 
Best wishes,
M. M. Chowdhury (Mithu), USA
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Cyclone toll reaches 1,100 in Bangladesh
By JULHAS ALAM, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 40 minutes ago
DHAKA, Bangladesh - A cyclone that slammed into the coast with 150 mph winds killed at least 1,100 people, isolating remote towns and villages swamped by a storm surge or hemmed in by piles of debris, aid workers and a Bangladeshi news agency said Friday.
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Tropical Cyclone Sidr roared across the country's southwestern coast late Thursday with driving rain and high waves, leveling thousands of flimsy huts and forcing the evacuation of 650,000 villagers, officials said.
The United News of Bangladesh news agency said reporters deployed across the devastated region made their own count in each affected district and reached a toll of 1,100.
The government, which earlier put the death toll at 242, has acknowledged its trouble keeping count — with power and phone lines down in most remote areas — and said it expected the official number to rise significantly.
The cyclone destroyed homes, crops and fish farms in 15 coastal districts, local government officials and witnesses said. Relief workers struggled to ferry food and medicine Friday to hundreds of thousands of survivors, officials and aid workers said.
Hasanul Amin, assistant director of the cyclone preparedness program sponsored by the government and the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, said that about a dozen teams have been deployed to conduct relief operations in the worst-hit areas in the country's southwest.
Aid workers struggled through washed-out roads and areas blocked by debris to deliver relief material to people stranded by the floodwaters. In Bagerhat, one of the hardest hit districts near the Bay of Bengal, some villagers waited for hours to get some dry biscuits and rice, United News reported.
"We have lost everything," Moshararf Hossain, local farmer, told a UNB reporter. "We have nowhere to go."
Another farmer, Alam, said he lost two brothers to the cyclone.
"Nothing can compensate for my loss, but still I need support from the government," said Alam.
Downpours and staggering winds spawned a water surge four feet high that swept through low-lying areas and some offshore islands, leaving them under water, said Nahid Sultana, an official of the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management.
Volunteers from international aid agencies including the U.N. World Food Program, Save the Children and the U.S.-based Christian aid group World Vision have joined the relief effort.
The WFP has begun distributing high-energy biscuits in devastated villages and in shelters, the agency said in a statement. Save the Children said their volunteers were helping to evacuate people across the battered region.
World Vision is putting together seven-day packages for families that will include rice, oil, sugar, salt, candles and blankets, according to Vince Edwards, the agency's Bangladesh director.
But Edwards said debris from the storm has blocked roads and rivers, making it difficult to reach all the areas that had been hit.
"There has been lot of damage to houses made of mud and bamboo and about 60 to 80 percent of the trees have been uprooted," Edwards said.
Power and communications in the capital, Dhaka, also remained down late Friday. Strong winds uprooted trees, snapped power and telecommunication lines and sent billboards flying through the air, injuring several people, said Ashraful Zaman, another official at the cyclone control room.
At least 650,000 coastal villagers moved Thursday to cyclone shelters where they were given emergency rations, Ali Imam Majumder, a senior government official, told reporters in Dhaka.
However by late evening Friday operations had resumed at the country's two main seaports — Chittagong and Mongla, as well Chittagong and Dhaka airports, authorities said.
Bangladesh, a low-lying delta nation, is prone to seasonal cyclones and floods that cause huge losses of life and property. The coastal area borders eastern India and is famous for the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans, a world heritage site that is home to rare Royal Bengal Tigers.
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