Dear Alochoks
With the education that Dipu Moni has we can be confident she knows the meaning of the word buffer quite well.
Beyond technical definitions, the term buffer state can be used in a
neutral sense eg by the neutral Economist to describe any number of
political realities. The term can also be used in an offensive sense eg by partisan commentators to diminish opponents.
Whatever the case, no country confesses to being a buffer state in
public, on the world stage or to it's own people. The Indian FM would not allow India to be called a buffer state between China and the US - especially in front of Chinese or Indian leaders. There are several other obvious examples.
Lets's be clear: Dipu Moni's silence was mistaken but it was no
confession.
So why was Dipu Moni silent upon hearing Bangladesh called a
buffer state within her domain, with the media present and in front
of the Indian Foreign Minister?
I think she was simply startled or taken aback. It's not good enough
but it's no reason at all to bury her. No need for big attacks from BNP guys who never complained about Morshed Khan. And no need for big defences from AL guys who never complained about Abdus Samad Azad.
Proof: Imagine if the Indian FM had intervened, given Dipu Moni's
silence, and said that Bangladesh was not a buffer state. How
patronising would that be? He knows that and thats why he kept quiet. He would have wanted the Bangladesh FM to smartly answer the point and avoid any awkwardness for either of them.
Dipu Moni knows better now. It's okay - lets move on.
We should be more worried that her first big foreign policy idea -
the South Asian Anti Terrorist Task Force - was so effortlessly swept aside by India. Whether such a task force is a good idea or bad idea for us is a separate question. I thought India would have embraced the idea - even pushed Bangladesh to push for it. We need to preempt such rejections, as much as possible, in order to be taken more seriously.
May I allow my Khasloth to now overcome me again?
I would have preferred the term DUFFER STATE to the term buffer
state. Given that we want to partner with India against terrorism but we can't stop Indian soldiers shooting dead our citizens on our
borders. Given that students patronised by our government are busy
shooting each other in our universities. Given that we brag about our democracy but we would't recognize democratic behaviour if it came and kissed us deeply.
We can't control our stupid students - how the heck are we going to
work with India against cunning terrorists? Maybe we could make them
surrender by inviting them to read a new book called 1001 Bangladeshi Nights (Democratic Edition).
They'll die laughing. And I'll die crying.
Ezajur Rahman
Kuwait
--- In alochona@yahoogroups.com, Sajjad Hossain <shossain456@...>
wrote:
>
> I think she did not know the meaning of "buffer" or she thought it
was "butter". An Indian journalist "buttering" Bangladesh Foreign
Minister what a great honor.
> A few years ago when a West Bengal Minister addressed Sk. Hasina,
the then Prime Minister as "The Chief Minister of Bangladesh" she
also did not protest. She thought it was great honor from the
Bharatiya Dadas.
>
> SH
> Toronto
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Robin Khundkar <rkhundkar@...>
> To: alochona@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 12:38:57 PM
> Subject: Re: [ALOCHONA] Re: [Dahuk]: Our chomok foreign minister,
Yes Hasina, madam dipu Moni's first performance
>
>
> Dear Mr. Chowdhury:
> Unfortunately, it seems you are playing to the gallery just like a
politician. It seems you are playing to our fears by just repeating
someone else's account of what was said.
> I am unclear as to what exactly you are objecting to. The word
buffer!!!
> Please provide the context in which the remark was made, what
offends you and why it offends.  Let us talk about it and take it
up if it was real!! Otherwise it is neither here nor there and does
not help in moving things forward.
> I think as a believer in Change Bangladesh, you must be able to
look at every angle with no sacred cows. Surely you will agree with
me on that.
> Or do you believe like many of us in Alochona that we know
everything and only the OTHER has to change. Thats not the kind of
change I want put my marbles in.
> In the wise words of that old fool Gandhiji (so many of us so-
called MODERNS either are embarrased about as an old FOOL or
disparage him as a Cunning HINDU) "You must be the change you want to
see in the world".
> Robin Khundkar
>
>
> http://www.blurtit. com/q587546. html
> Buffer statements are designed to soften the unfavorable news and
establish some common ground with the receiver. Buffers are critical
to the effectiveness of the indirect approach. Their use helps you to
begin your communication on a positive note and to avoid an emphasis
on the negative.
> buffer state http://www.123exp- government. com/t/0377434540 2/
> A buffer state is a country lying between two rival or potentially
hostile greater powers, which by its sheer existence is thought to
prevent conflict between them. Buffer states when authentically
independent typically pursue a neutralist foreign policy, which
distinguishes them from satellite states.
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "M. M. Chowdhury (Mithu)"
> Sent: Feb 11, 2009 10:26 AM
> To: alochona@yahoogroup s.com
> Subject: Re: [ALOCHONA] Re: [Dahuk]: Our chomok foreign minister,
Yes Hasina, madam dipu Moni's first performance
>
>
> "Bangladesh did not get the independent state through anyone's
blessings. We achieved it through liberation war and we'll protect it
at any cost," said AL spokesman Syed Ashraful Islam.
>
> His attention drawn to an Indian journalist's query to Foreign
Minister Dipu Moni, outrageously dubbing Bangladesh as a 'buffer
state', he said the Foreign Minister could not guess the importance
of the issue in the face of the insidious remark.
>
> The Foreign Minister, a fresher in the job of dealing with
diplomatic parlance, kept silent when Bangladeshi journalists wanted
to know her reaction over the Indian journalist's salvo calling
Bangladesh 'buffer state'.
>
> --- On Wed, 2/11/09, Cyrus <thoughtocrat@ yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> From: Cyrus <thoughtocrat@ yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [ALOCHONA] Re: [Dahuk]: Our chomok foreign minister,
Yes Hasina, madam dipu Moni's first performance
> To: alochona@yahoogroup s.com
> Date: Wednesday, February 11, 2009, 12:52 AM
>
>
> I don't quite understand the idiotic outrage over the phase "buffer
state". It simply means a state that acts as a neutral "buffer"
between two hostile countries. A buffer state can be a geographical
and/or political buffer. Mongolia, for example, acts as a "buffer
state" between the two very hostile states, Russia and China. It's
sad that our foreign minister doesn't understand the meaning of
a "buffer state", and nor do most of our populace. For years, India
has acted as a "buffer state" between Bangladesh and Myanmar. Ever
wonder why Myanmar military junta with a larger army (and lots of
Chinese and North Korean weapons) than that of Bangladesh doesn't
invade Bangladesh?
>
> Contrary to the original posting by Ms Chowdhury suggests, a buffer
state is not a failed state, nor is it a proxy state. I am not sure
how ISI is trying to prove Bangladesh is a failed state. Does anyone
care to explain? If they are, does it really matter? At least we have
a democratic government, no matter how inefficient it may be. What
they have is a sham of a state, in-grown insurgency, stolen
elections, military coups, and growing intolerance towards the
seculars. Look up the words "lawless" and "failed state" in a
dictionary, and you would see the map of Pakistan in it.
>
> Just my two cents,
> Cyrus
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: jahid russel <jahidrussel@ yahoo.com>
> To: alochona@yahoogroup s.com
> Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2009 12:44:54 PM
> Subject: Re: [ALOCHONA] Re: [Dahuk]: Our chomok foreign minister,
Yes Hasina, madam dipu Moni's first performance
>
>
> do you guys know what is a buffer state?
>
> --- On Tue, 2/10/09, M. M. Chowdhury (Mithu) <cgmpservices@
yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> From: M. M. Chowdhury (Mithu) <cgmpservices@ yahoo.com>
> Subject: [ALOCHONA] Re: [Dahuk]: Our chomok foreign minister, Yes
Hasina, madam dipu Moni's first performance
> To: alochona@yahoogroup s.com, chottala@yahoogroup s.com,
dahuk@yahoogroups. com, khabor@yahoogroups. com, notun_bangladesh@
yahoogroups. com, sonarbangladesh@ yahoogroups. com, reform-
bd@yahoogrou ps.com, "Amra Bangladesi" <amra-bangladesi@ yahoogroups.
com>, tritiomatra@ yahoogroups. com, history_islam@ yahoogroups. com
> Cc: dr.dipumoni@ gmail.com
> Date: Tuesday, February 10, 2009, 8:33 AM
>
>
> She needs to step down for the sake of Bangladesh if she cares
about Bangladesh.
>
> Regards,
> M M Chowdhury (Mithu), USA
> www.changebanglades h.org
>
> --- On Mon, 2/9/09, mahathir of bd <wouldbemahathirofbd @yahoo.com>
wrote:
>
> From: mahathir of bd <wouldbemahathirofbd @yahoo.com>
> Subject: [Dahuk]: Our chomok foreign minister, Yes Hasina, madam
dipu Moni's first performance
> To: alochona@yahoogroup s.com, chottala@yahoogroup s.com,
dahuk@yahoogroups. com, khabor@yahoogroups. com, notun_bangladesh@
yahoogroups. com, sonarbangladesh@ yahoogroups. com, reform-
bd@yahoogrou ps.com, "Amra Bangladesi" <amra-bangladesi@ yahoogroups.
com>, tritiomatra@ yahoogroups. com, history_islam@ yahoogroups. com
> Cc: dr.dipumoni@ gmail.com
> Date: Monday, February 9, 2009, 10:33 PM
>
>
>
>
> Â Our so called well educated , harverd certified Madam Diu moni
has agreed that Banladesh is a buffer state of pakistan
>
>
> http://www.amardesh bd.com/dailynews /detail_news_ index.php?
NewsID=211077&NewsType=bistarito&SectionID=home&LWG=QPVYWRJQ
>
>
> http://www.. jaijaidi n.com/details. php?nid=115960
>
> অতীতে বাংলাদেশের সà§à¦¬à¦¾à¦°
à§à¦¥ বিসরà§à¦œà¦¨ দিয়ে হলেà¦" আলীগ
à¦à¦¾à¦°à¦¤à§‡à¦° সাথে যেসব চà§à¦•à§à¦¤à¦¿ কর
েছে তার কà§&lsqauo;নটাই দাদারা
বাসà§à¦¤à¦¬à¦¾à§Ÿà¦¨ করেনি । à¦à¦¾à¦°à¦¤à§‡à¦°
সাথে আলীগের চà§à¦•à§à¦¤à¦¿ মানেই
বাংলাদেশের সà§à¦¬à¦¾à¦°à§à¦¥ বিসর
à§à¦œà¦¨ নয় কি ?সরà§à¦¬à¦¶à¦•à§à¦¤à¦¿ দিয়ে
পà§à¦°à¦¤à¦¿à¦°à§&lsqauo;ধ করা কি নাগরিক
দায়িতà§à¦¬ নয় ?
>
> --- On Mon, 2/9/09, Weekly Bengali Times <publicity.bengaliti
mes@gmail. com> wrote:
>
> From: Weekly Bengali Times <publicity.bengaliti mes@gmail. com>
> Subject: Pak Intelligence is trying to prove that Bangladesh is a
failure country....
> To: admin.bengalitimes@ gmail.com
> Date: Monday, February 9, 2009, 12:59 PM
>
>
> Hi Dear/
> Pakistani Inter Service Intelligence ISIis trying to prove that
Bangladesh
> is a failure country.Is it true?
> International magazine News Weekhas published an exclusive reportÂ
> about Bangladesh. They said that Awami League has attached with
Delhi.Â
> Do you want to know the details?Â
> Pls click here www.thebengalitimes .comÂ
> The Canadian Bengali weekly Bengali Timescurrent issue is in online
now.
> Pls visit Bengali Timesonline issue and send your feedback.
> Bengali Timesis always with you.
> Regards,
>
> Sunity Chowdhury
> Sales and Publicity
> Weekly Bengali Times
> Toronto,Canada.
> www.thebengalitimes .comÂ
>
------------------------------------
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