Daily Excelsior... Editorial

EDITORIAL

It has become almost a cliche to say that the end of the Iraq-war was known. It was so without doubt yet, the very knowing commentators, the American strategists and the Iraqi sympathizers did try to see much in the initial reverses of the coalition forces. Probably, the reason was that there was no reason or rationale in this war and everyone automatically came to stand on the side of the oppressed Iraq and its President, forgetting cleanly that he himself was one notorious oppressor. From Kurds to his own sons-in-law who at one time tried to flee out of his clutches, on to the general bravado, nor to forget the misadventure in Kuwait, President of Iraq did not set up exactly an exemplary rule. His democratic antecedents notwithstanding he came to be an autocrat par excellence to the extent that not a single decision would be, could be seriously contended by the experts, his commanders or even the followersLike all the absolutisms in the region his opponents were banished not heard. In latter stages, especially after the Gulf war, everything that moved in real or seeming opposition to the president was simply moved down. There is little evidence to show that the major acts of the regime were anything more than the absolute wish or whim of the presidential persona. Unfortunately for the probity and fair play, the Gulf War II that is nearing its completion now in the fall of Baghdad cannot.......more

No room for
confusion in Kashmir

By Yogendra Bali

If there was any confusion in the minds of political and media spec-ulators about the split in intentions between the Jammu and Kashmir state Government and the Central Government, it was laid to rest after the meetings which the J&K Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed........more

‘Robber barons’
of our age

By B.K. Karkra

Serving the
mentally retarded

By Uma Joshi

The problem of mental retarda-tion continues to defy a radi-cal solution which involves the development of a whole human being and therefore, it needs a multi-disciplinary......more

EDITORIAL

The end-game

Like all the absolutisms in the region his opponents were banished not heard. In latter stages, especially after the Gulf war, everything that moved in real or seeming opposition to the president was simply moved down. There is little evidence to show that the major acts of the regime were anything more than the absolute wish or whim of the presidential persona. Unfortunately for the probity and fair play, the Gulf War II that is nearing its completion now in the fall of Baghdad cannot be said to be more than the wish or whim of another presidential persona. There was no immediate provocation from Iraq, no evidence with the Americans nor any reason with the UNO or anybody else to embark on punitive measures against Saddam. Now that Iraq has been torm up and eviscerated there is nothing to show for those travails, no evidence of hideous weapons buried there. Nor many great links with the terrorists and Fidayeen, even though there was much talk of the suicide attacks, terrorist mobilizations and so on.

Like the other claims this one, which at one time worried the coalition forces sick, has turned out to be more sound than fury. Indeed, that is one important aspect of this whole campaign. For a nation, to defy the absolute powers at the cost of total annihilation, there must have been much to hide. In the end there appears to have been nothing. No atomic, chemical or biological weapons, hidden and shielded there, waiting to be wrecked upon the world as the USA claimed. The tall talks of thousands of the Guards, Special and Republican to stand in the path of invaders have also been just that -tall talks. Okay. The regime at one time did have those 'weapons of mass destruction'. It also toyed with the atomic weapons at one time. But was it a serious threat, an absolute hazard sitting there threatening to engulf the whose world in death and destruction? Was it something the Iraqis wanted to, needed to prevent from being inspected and seen and registered? Unless the occupation forces dig up hidden 'treasures' from the palaces or other ‘sites’, there is not—was not— much there. Yet all through the inspections and the wrangle on wrapping it up, the impression went around that there was something there, a trace at least of the deadly weapons if not a serious pile.

In the end, the famous Iraqi resistance came to be little more than a slightly improved version of the Afghan scene. There was no resistance in Afghanistan-discredited and denounced as the regime and its controllers stood for their acts. Iraq stood up no better to the American force. The regime may not have vanished like the proverbial horns on the donkey' s head, but it made no match at all. In the end the game ended with the tall talks having simply gone off the air. It was a make-believe that finally found that it could make it up no more. The Iraqi regime collapsed not with silencing of machine guns but with the mikes ceasing to be talked to! Did Saddam depend on the power of bravado, the power of a world being led along, the preventive force of radio and television? And ended up overestimating his sapped energy and underestimating the seriousness of the world power or its resolution?

Given the situation military and otherwise as it was, the best bet would have been to have the world absolutely convinced of the reality of Iraq. Instead, he chose defiance. That defiance may have been born out of the just notions of sovereignty and respect for nations, the expected norms of international behavior, but there was little for Iraq to lean so much out of the way. As it is international norms have been stretched rather far too much by the devious forces themselves riding rough shod on principles. To take an example, here is a Pak general riding on the democracy and constitution and presiding over it all, with a mandate and legitimacy that just isn’t there. Nations are sovereign, the people are sovereign, but are these trundled sovereignties, would these be a good check against the vested and personal interests of nations or superpowers? Can perverted democracies and hijacked peoples powers assert the rights and prerogatives of the sovereign claim?

What right does a ‘President’ like Musharraf, who has no right no legitimate right-to be the president, have to invoke international norms against a power that is determined to overrun the nation? The fact is that both the incumbent and the invader there are right-less, justification-less. If one is an international usurper, the other is a national usurper. Both are aberrations to which no norms, no qualms, no principles can apply. This, indeed, is what anchors the absolutisms of the neo-colonialist tendencies in the superpower of this world. It is no good, this international goondagardi. But this world has to get better to expect that it would be ruled by norms.

No room for confusion in Kashmir

By Yogendra Bali

The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister was reported to have given the impression that so far as tackling the menace of terrorism in the state was concerned there was no difference of opinion between the Government of India and the State Government. It may be recalled that it was not the first time that the Mufti had acknowledged publicly that he was getting all support and cooperation from the centre in his efforts to bring about change in the state with a philosophy of healing touch. It has also to be noted that the Chief of the Army Staff Gen N C Vij had also endorsed the philosophy of healing touch and promised the Army’s contribution and effort to relieve the sufferings of the people in the terrorist stricken state.

There is no doubt that the Nandimarg massacre of Kashmiri pandits had raised some burning question marks and serious difficulties for the Mufti’s healing touch approach and call to Kashmiri pandits, who had sought refuge in different parts of the country, to come back to their homes in the Valley. But both, the Mufti and the Central Government leadership in New Delhi, did not let this crass act of Pakistan- inspired terrorism, browbeat them to change either the national policy or their joint-resolve to banish terrorism and bring peace and development to Kashmir valley.

In this context there were certain developments which appeared to be tangible indicators of the increased mutual understanding and collaboration to make national policies a success in terrorist-stricken Jammu and Kashmir. The appointment of Mr N N Vohra, a seasoned civil servant and man of impeccable reputation for integrity and independence of mind and acceptance of his appointment by the Mufti and other political leaders in the State was one indicator. Another significant move was to place an eminent civilian as the occupant of the Raj Nivas in Srinagar, instead of a general or a senior policeman, as seemed to have become almost a tradition.

The move that Delhi Lieutenant Governor, Mr Vijay Kapoor be the next Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, was mooted in full consultation with and acceptance of the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister. Another significant indicator was the interaction between the Mufti and the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman KC Pant, who was also very knowledgeable about both the political and economic challenges in Kashmir, having himself been an interlocutor on behalf of the Centre in that State. A fourth factor in the situation was the split within the Hurriyat rank and file too, with one section welcoming the move to bring the Kashmiri pandits back to their homes and calling upon them not to abandon their homes in the Valley despite the threats and assaults by the Pakistan hired terrorists performing their destructive and murderous role. These are certainly signs of slow but recognisble change in a very difficult scenario being tackled by both the Mufti Government and the Centre. There is no room for confusion here for witting or unwitting confusion would only lead to walking into the trap set by Pakistan to take advantage in Jammu and Kashmir of the fact that the Anglo-American leadership was deeply stuck in the Iraq war and terrorism in Kashmir was a lower priority for them. Of course even the Western diplomats, notably the US and the British representatives did take a specific note of the Nandimarg massacre and the spurt in the cross border terrorism incidents, obviously inspired by the Pakistani agencies like the ISI.

The Mufti’s statement in New Delhi, after meeting Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, was a statement of reassertion and reassurance. He said, J&K and the Centre will jointly fight "enemies of peace". During the 40-minute "courtesy call" on the Prime Minster, the Mufti was understood to have briefed the Prime Minister on the latest situation in the State and felt that the Prime Minister was receptive to the efforts that the State Government was making to prevent another exodus of the minority community, the Kashmiri Pandits, after the Nadimarg massacre.

Briefing the media in New Delhi, the Mufti had pointed out that his "healing touch" was not just a state policy but a mindset and should be understood as such. In a report published in the Hindu, he was quoted to have said, "Can any Government be opposed to this philosophy? It deals with the problem of corruption, providing good governance to the people, creating job opportunities, removing regional injustices and healing the wounds of the people who are victims of militancy?" He seemed to be quite clear that he had the full backing of the Central Government. He said, "I believe the Prime Minister agrees with this." He said the Centre and the State would jointly "deal with the enemies of peace."

The Mufti, who apprised the Prime Minister and other top brass in New Delhi about his development agenda and was quite happy with the keen interest the Prime Minister and the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission showed in the mega development projects conceived in Kashmir. These included the super highway project - the road from Kanya Kumari to Kashmir - and the extension of the Indian railway operation to Srinagar.

The response of the Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Mr K C Pant was a positive and supportive indication of the Central Government’s backing of the development programmes of the State Government. Mr Pant was understood to have noted that there had been a remarkable improvement in Ladakh and Kargil and there was a perceptible change. Mr Pant was said to have reassured that "We will see to it that development programme in the state is expedited and the four-lane north-south highway and the railway projects are completed on time."

One could understand the angry outbursts of men of politics and media in New Delhi and elsewhere over the Nadimarg massacre but this must also be realised that mere anger in parliamentary forums and media cannot provide an effective solution to the two perpetual problems and unhappy legacies of Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan inspired terrorism and corruption and misgovernance inspired economic backwardness and poverty. It must be understood that Pakistan wants to create an element of terror, confusion, panic, anger and divisiveness in the State and the rest of the country. It would be a saner approach for all concerned to pitch their minds and might together to face the common enemy rather than resort to the traditional and counter-productive game of quick mutual recrimination and slanging matches and then forgetting all about it. Let there be dialogue, development, good governance, a united national policy and approach and a determined counter offensive to the cross-border terrorism in Kashmir and of course with a "healing touch" to provide a domestic counter veiling force to terrorism. Disagreements are welcome, but with logic and reason, not in sheer anger and emotion. After all we live in a democracy where other people too could have a valid point of view which one could only appreciate if one was willing to listen. (ADNI)

‘Robber barons’ of our age

By B.K. Karkra

The biggest ‘rogue regime’ of the world today, unfortunately, hap-pens to be its lone super power also. So, not many countries can even afford to call it what actually it is, not to speak of taking on it. It seems to be a classic case of absolute power corrupting somebody absolutely. The only solution to this global problem is that the world should not stay uni-polar any longer and the second power pole should emerge quickly. It is true that nobody has a special liking for the Saddam regime and if the dictator is somehow relieved of his position at the helm of Iraq, most of the world, including the Iraqi’s themselves, would take it as a good riddance and heave a deep sigh of relief. However, the way the Americans are trying to do it is, undoubtedly, a remedy worse than the disease.

The most important element of the American ‘axis of evil’ is, of course, Britain. The others, including Pakistan, are there with the Americans only out of situational compulsions. It would be an interesting study to go in to the mind of various nations when the war in the gulf is just about to conclude and these ‘robber barons’ of the present day world are getting ready to recover the cost of the bombs that they have dropped from their victims.

Let us begin with Britain. After visiting the historic ‘Arc de triumph’ one goes back wondering what it is doing in Paris— it should have instead been there in London. France lost more battles and wars in its history than it won, though certainly it also had its hours of glory. Britain, on the other hand, lost only war in its history of last five hundred years and that too to its own people i.e. the thirteen British colonies in the American continent that constituted themselves in to the United States of America. In the passage of time, the new nation spread its wings from the Atlantic coast to the Pacific Ocean, the original thirteen states grew in to fifty and it now happens to be the lone super power of the world. Centuries have since gone by, but the Americans are still proud of the fact that their roots lie in Britain who once ruled half the world and over whose empire the Sun then never set. The Britain also regards the Americans as its own contingent flagged off from its shores to win the world. Both have right through stood by each other through thick and thin. The only change that has occurred over time is the reversal of their roles— America now is the immensely more dominant partner. Besides their deep historic and emotional bonds, the Britain also has a geo-strategic compulsion to contend with. The English Channel and strong Navy can no more guarantee its national security in this age of missiles and nuclear weaponry. It needs the American deterrence as an insurance policy. It, therefore, has no option but to stand by America in whatever they decide to do. The Russians do have the technological and nuclear strength to take on the Americans, but they are still in an economic mess. The Germans and the Japanese have the economic strength, but lack in military might at the moment. France and China are strong both economically and militarily, but not strong enough to match the Americans all by themselves. Europe, as a whole, is quite capable of answering the American arrogance, but it is badly divided. Some of the Islamic countries do have their pockets bulging with petro-dollars, but the Islamic world is technologically too weak even to think of crossing swords with America. As for the United Nations, this world body minus the United States is as powerful as a toothless old woman.

Closer home, the Pakistan politics has always felt that its life hangs by Kashmir and Kashmir is achievable only if the super power stays on its side. So, the American support is of vital importance to them. They very well know that once the Americans decide to look the other way, the fear of the Indian retribution would make them close their shop in Kashmir. They, thus, stand sold to the Americans and are in the position of Chloe’s ‘Faithful Shepherdess’ who nonchalantly says:

" — from one cause of fear I am most free,

It is impossible to ravish me, I am so willing."

India has already suffered heavily by trying to swim against the current and invited the Kashmir problem on itself by stub-bornly refusing to be part of the Americans’ bulwark against Communism in the fifties of the century gone by. It cannot deal with the Pakistan mischief in Kashmir effectively, till this country has the blessing of the super power in some form or the other. So, India has its own compulsions and is not in a position to speak too loudly against the impending American action in Iraq which otherwise would be totally ‘illegal, immoral, unjustifiable’ and even cowardly.

The moral of the story is, therefore, quite clear. Every nation state has an inborn propensity towards roguishness that needs to be checked. The idea of global balance of power after all makes a sound sense. One could, thus, safely say that one.

Serving the mentally retarded

By Uma Joshi

The problem of mental retarda-tion continues to defy a radi-cal solution which involves the development of a whole human being and therefore, it needs a multi-disciplinary approach involving pediatricians, teachers and all who live with retarded persons. But then, a large part of the world does not seem to be concerned about the welfare of such handicapped persons.

Most of the countries accord a low priority to the whole problem. Facilities for the treatment of the mentally retarded are limited in India also. Parents have to run from one place to another for medical advice. As in many other countries, Indian laws too do not differentiate between the lunatics and the mentally retarded and both these categories of people are still governed by the Indian Lunacy Act of 1912. Nothing could be more ridiculous than this State of affairs.

Mental illness should not, however, be confused with mental retardation. Although mental retardation has not been clearly defined uptil now, it can be identified with physical illness as there are obvious similarities between the two. The term 'mental retardation' more aptly indicated those mentally ill persons whose Intelligence Quotient (IQ) was less than the average. As such, their general intellectual functioning is sub-average and adaptive behaviour inadequate with the consequent adverse effect on a child's educational performance.

Defined as 'impaired mental ability', mental retardation is a condition that makes the child learn rather slowly. Such a child's capacity to understand may be less than normal even after maturity and it turns out to be a life-long condition.

Mentally retarded children can be put under four broad categories viz, mildly retarded (IQ between 50 and 70), moderately retarded (IQ between 35 and 49), severely retarded (IQ between 20 and 34) and profoundly (20 and 34), and profoundly retarded (IQ and below 20). In India it is the mild kind of mental retardation that abounds and suy retarded (IQ below 20). In India it is the mild kind of mental retardation that abounds and surely, most of them are avoidable. Moderately retarded persons are amenable to training so that they can do some odd jobs. However, it is the mildly retarded persons who pose the real problem for psychologists. In physique, they are not any different from children of average intelligence, by and large.

Growth of children can be observed in three specific areas. They are sensory capacities (perception), motor capacities (walking, talking etc) and manual abilities. Where a child shows less than average accomplishment in any of these three fields, he can be said to be mentally retarded.

Amongst the possible causes for mental retardation are malnutrition in the mother, infection, lack of oxygen at the time of birth, marriage amongst cousins and pregnancies after the age of 40 years.

It may be noted that a child may be physically sound but he may have to do with a damaged brain all its life. Studies have shown that pre-natal factors (17 per cent), post-natal factors (15 percent), multiple factors (5 per cent), and unknown factors (26 per cent) are the common causes for mental retardation.

The Mental Health Bill of 1970 is still under the consideration of the Joint Select Committee of Parliament. It is intended to replace the outmoded Indian Lunacy Act of 1912. Hopefully, with the passing of this legislation, a better deal will be given to the cause of improving the lives of mentally retarded persons. Likewise, a National Trust for the Welfare of persons with Mental Retardation and Cerebral palsy was proposed to be set up and it has yet to see the light of the day.

Also, there is need to amend the 'Persons with Disability (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full participation) Act' in order to make it more meaningful for mentally handicapped persons. There should be a central legislation for protection of mentally retarded all over India. Also, the number of existing institutions for them needs to be increased. Most of these are situated in urban areas catering to less than one per cent of the affected population.

The problem of mental retardation is universal and its eradication is only a mouth. Nevertheless, the vast number of the mentally handicapped persons badly need an array of synergistically functioning educational and rehabilitation programmes. In the United States, an outstanding aspect of their rehabilitation is the tremendous sophistication achieved in technological application.

Thus Rehabilitation Act of 1973 in the USA has enabled the establishment of several excellent rehabilitation engineering centres in that country. These centres continuously evaluate the existing technology and explore new methodology for promoting the optimum utilisation of the remaining capacities of the handicapped so that occupational options are widened with the resultant improvement in their social independence.

One of the biggest hurdles in drawing up projects for mentally retarded is inadequate information. The familities of most who are affected are secretive. Besides, prejudice and ignorance hinder cure of cases which come to light. Perhaps, the most tragic aspect is the tendency of parents to use cruel punishment to discipline such difficult children, particularly when they become impatient.

Little thought is given to chronic anxiety, fear and guilt feelings which breed among a hapless lot condemned to cope with their topsy turvey world right from their birth. This only increases the resistance of the child to any attempt to educate him because he feels that the parent has become a symbol of coercion. Corporal punishment completes the vicious circle of parents seeking strict obedience and the child sulking more and more, pining for comfort and security that is denied to him.

It is true that in the school environment where the staff, though trained, cannot treat such children as in their homes. Hence, the parents or guardians of mentally retarded children also need to adopt a humane approach in treating and educating them. Unfortunately, there have been cases where children, even though not mentally retarded, are being treated so because they suffer from some other disabilities.

There are cases where children have weak eyesight or deafness but have been dubbed as mentally retarded by their school teachers. It is important to remember that teachers have a great responsibility towards to remember that teachers have a great responsibility towards their young students because the wrong impression they may have about their students may disturb their adjustment with fellow students and they may eventually turn as juvenile delinguents.

The treatment recommended for the mentally retarded is stimulation and education from the earliest possible moment in the child's life to develop to the utmost its limited potential. This line of treatment is based on the time-tested principle that mental ability grows when it is nourished by love and care. Hence, the need to be truly affectionate towards the handicapped is only too obvious.

One better way of treating the handicapped children is to give them education in the same school where normal children study. At a young age, normal children are in a better position to accept mentally retarded and this helps them grow in a much normal manner. Although intelligence is an important characteristic but it should not override other aspects of personality of a child who can be successful even with mild of moderate intelligence.

There should be some way of telling the mother how she can prevent her baby from being a mentally retarded child. The pregnant, women should be given a list of do's and don't. Smoking, use of drugs, dancing, and injury to the stomach should be avoided. Sometimes, too much of oxygen given to a baby can also damage the brain. It may be noted that the harm done in the first year of a child's be life can never be repaired.

Parents of the mentally retarded children should be given special training to enable them to deal with their children effectively at home. For children in the age-group of 6 to 18 years, the emphasis should be on learning of vocational skills.

All said and done, we need faithful and imaginative implementation of programmes for the mentally retarded persons. They need the compassion of a Florence Nightangle or a Mother Teresa who did not fight odds with legal weapons but with courage, kindness and selfless devotion to the cause which was dear to their hearts.

The mentally retarded children do not need emotional crutches or legislation which may not be implemented, or funds that may not be used to help them. What they need is graceful, sympathetic handling of their predicament, treating them as pear of the mainstream.

Therefore, what they need is illumination in the dark-ness of their existence in the origin of which they had no part to play and in the battle against which are they are handicapped by situation and social attitudes.

(PTI Feature)