Daily Excelsior... Editorial

EDITORIAL

An unholy act

Towards softer POTA

USA has two bad dreams

By S Rajan

Children and armed conflict

By Samridhi Arora, Sumati Vaid, Dr. Neeru Sharma

Syriya's tribulations

By Wg Cdr (Retd.) Sharad Dixit

EDITORIAL

An unholy act

It is shocking, indeed, that the militants should have begun the holy month of Ramzan on Tuesday with a grenade attack on the Central Telegraph Office in Srinagar. What did they expect to gain by killing one and inflicting injuries on about 35 persons? The argument that their intended target were the jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force guarding the building is not at all convincing. Everybody knows that the CTO is located in a crowded area. Nobody can think of causing trouble there without hurting the ordinary citizens. In this case, the grenade fell right on top of a public counter in what is officially known as the local headquarters of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL). Therefore, it seems more plausible that the militants have meant to create panic. Those who have hurled the grenade are apparently not influenced by any religious belief. There has been sort of an unwritten understanding between their own class as a whole and the security forces that there should be no violence during the month of fasting. One would, therefore, resist the temptation to paint all the militants with the same brush in this particular context. It is possible that only a small section of the militants, possibly foreign mercenaries, is up to some mischief. One should pass the final judgment only after watching the situation in the days to come. It will be quite relevant to recall that even when the homespun militant outfit, Hizbul Mujahideen, had declared a unilateral cease-fire some years ago, there had been stray incidents of violence. Three years ago the security forces had observed a one-sided cease-fire which, although reciprocated by the majority of the recognised militant outfits, was not without its share of violence apparently triggered by those elements who are hell bent to ensure that there is no peace in the State. A new organisation namely, the Kashmir Freedom Forum, has claimed the responsibility for the attack. As it has been seen in the past, the Forum may actually be some new label for an already existing outfit. What an irony that in the name of freedom it has denied the common man the liberty to live peacefully!

Not infrequently the CTO has been targetted by the militants. One may recall that the Jammu-Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) had launched its present movement with a bomb blast outside the CTO on July 31, 1988. It was triggered by Abdul Ahad Waza and his associates. Years later in an interview, Waza had admitted that he had never known that the blast would have such a chain reaction. Straight after the blast, he had been greeted with a handshake by the late Pakistan President Zia-ul-Haq across the Line of Control. Waza has since parted company with the JKLF and is now more of an overground politician. On its part, JKLF has also renounced violence long ago. Their experience is apparently not been followed as an example by at least a few new entrants into the field. In a recent incident in a hotel just opposite the CTO, one legislator Javed Shah was killed in an encounter between the militants and the security forces. The very location of the CTO exposes any incident around it to wide publicity. It is in the heart of the Capital city.

Obviously the security arrangements in this area are good. That is why the militants have not been able to cause any major damage so far. Nevertheless, it should be noted that there is no let-up in their efforts. The CTO is situated on one of the main crossings of the Maulana Azad Road. Only recently the road has been beamed by television channels into every household. For, it had figured in another grenade attack less than a fortnight ago. It was when the official residence of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, which is located on the same road, was sought to be targetted by two militants. The distance between the CTO and the Chief Minister’s residence is not much. That is the reason enough why the vigil on the road should not be relaxed on any count. If needed, it should be further strengthened.

Towards softer POTA

By promulgating an ordinance, the Central Government has done well to amend the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) in order to give more powers to the Central and State review committees. It also been made clear that in case of conflicting opinions between the two committees on the same complaints, the Central committee’s decision will prevail. So far the findings of the review panels were not binding on the concerned authorities. They were considered merely advisory and recommendatory. The Union Cabinet had earlier discussed the matter threadbare. Prior to that also, the Central Government had been toying with the idea of ensuring that the Act was used only ‘for the combating of terrorism’ and ‘not against ordinary criminals or those who are not terrorists or whose acts can’t be considered as terrorist acts’. Obviously the need for taking certain corrective measures was felt to prevent the blatant abuse of the provisions of the Act. If the amendments were hastened, it was arguably because former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha have had overplayed their hands. Before she had made an unceremonious exit from her office, Ms Mayawati had evoked the Act against some legislators who had shifted loyalties to back Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav. Interestingly, she had never thought of taking any action against these legislators, at least one of them an alleged Mafia don, as long as they were her supporters. Ms Jayalalitha appeared to have further limited the options of the Central Government. She cited the provisions of the Act to threaten the arrest of Union Minister M. Kanappan for his alleged utterances in favour of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eeelam (LTTE). Had she executed her plans it would have certainly created a major crisis in the Centre-State relations. In matters of confrontation, few can afford to ignore Ms Jayalalitha’s reckless adventurism. A partner of the National Democratic Alliance and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader Vaiko has already been languishing in jail in Tamil Nadu since July 2002.

By equipping the Central review panel with the power of the final arbiter, a necessary safeguard has thus been provided in the POTA against its political abuse by State leaders. What would, however, happen if a vindictive Central Government itself misuses POTA? There are many who have been arguing for the abrogation of the Act itself so that there is no chance at all of its political abuse. Howsoever well-meaning their intentions may be, the protagonists of this view have a somewhat flawed perception. They are unable to suggest an alternative measure to effectively combat the menace of terrorism. Nobody can deny that the terrorist activities have created an unprecedented situation in many states in the country, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir and the North-East. Such scenario needs to be handled firmly. In no way can it be tackled with normal laws. Unconventional situations need unconventional remedies. This is, however, not to suggest that POTA should be employed indiscriminately. Doing so would be contrary to the spirit and purpose of the Act. A law is as good or as bad as those who enforce it. This should be remembered by those empowered to use POTA. They should also be guided in this by the reasons for the sudden demise of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act in the past.

USA has two bad dreams

By S Rajan

September 11 memory is still strong in the minds of all Americans even two years after the nightmarish experience. What rankles them is the fact that the attack was aimed to demolish American pride since the Twin Towers were one of the economic nerve centres of USA. In their full view and as the TV cameras beamed the terrifying pictures to millions of homes around the globe, the Towers turned into dust and smoke in one of the history's most ingenious terrorists strikes. And the USA's most impregnable defence system looked vulnerable.

The 9/11 attack, which triggered a full-fledged war, gives reminisces of the Japanese attack on Parl Harbour. On 7 December 1941, the Japanese Diver Bombers followed by a wave of 200 fighter aircraft bombed Pearl Harbour, the US Naval base and the Headquarters of the US Pacific Fleet, destroying more than a dozen of aircraft carriers and battle ships, 180 fighter planes and killed 2,300 army personnel.

The Japanese blitzkrieg, which took place at 7 A.M., (by a strange coincidence, the Al Qaeda attack too was in the morning) had almost crippled US defence. USA dropped its neutral status and joined the Allies against the Axis Powers in the Second World War. President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared: "The day will live in infamy. USA will suddenly and deliberately attack by Naval and Air Forces on the Empire of Japan." In the swift US action the two cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki were gone into oblivion until the world woke up to realise the power of Atom Bomb.

President George Bush echoed what the fourth time President Franklin Roosevelt said, when he thundered in the wake of 9/11, "US troops will hunt down terrorists and smoke them out of their holes in a long unrelenting war."

Over the years USA has been sleeping over the issue of international terrorism and woke up when its interest was affected. Now the stage for by -stander is gone. Protagonist has come upfront. And President Bush declared an all out war against terrorism only to safeguard American interests. Technological advancement has given USA the power to go after the attackers in a precise manner. The Daisy Cutter bombs ripped apart the caves to blast in twenty-meter deep rock and flush out Al -Qaeda terrorists.

The entire leadership class in USA supported Bush action. Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said that the 9/11 attack was comparable to Pearl Harbour. "And we must have the same response, and the people who did it must have the same end as the people who attacked the Pearl Harbour."

While pursuing its enemies in the most difficult mountain ranges in Afghanistan, USA adopted the most stringent domestic law, which was similar to the Thought Police of George Orwell's 1984 novel. The Home Land Security Act empowers special intelligence men to whisk away anybody at the slightest doubt and if they find the person's thought or words have some fragrance of Laden or anything related to Islamic terrorism.

For ensuring internal security for its countrymen, Bush has the backing of his countrymen and the huge dollar reserves. Keeping permanent vigil on human movement will cost USA a huge drain of dollars. The US can't afford to keep watch on 65 different countries where the terrorism is rooted.

US has been boasting the wonderful efficacy of its airborne anti-missile defence system just before the attack. It has the added security of nuclear arsenal and the ability to make the global economy crawl by just waving its greenbacks. Yet, at the hour of need neither of these strengths proved an effective shield. In future too, one may dare say!

Remember the September 11 terrorist plot took its wings in the USA; it materialised with the American technology. Like the Pearl Harbour attack, the airborne terrorist raid has broadcast a message loudly and clearly for all the world to hear at the same time: However, strong a nation may be it can't stop terrorism executed by young men with a mission to kill and to die. Even two years after September 11, a truly meaningful united front against the surge of international terrorism is yet to take shape. This is the flipside of the global war against terrorism being waged by the United States.

Time for the global cop to take a re-look at its strategies and plans. Instead of chasing mirages, the demand of the times is to address the root of the cause, not the symptoms. The network of religious terrorism, the US and its allies want to demolish, has spread to more than 65 nations. There are other forms of extremism which are troubling the conscience of the people even if the US is unwilling to acknowledge its very presence.

The fight against has to be a no holds barred war with no compromises of any sort. Sadly, this is not what the US is willing to do in pursuit of its short term objectives to the neglect of its long term goal. In this part of the world, the two faces of the US policy come into sharp focus.

USA is heavily banking on Pakistan for human intelligence in the difficult Afghanistan region, where the Taliban remnants appear to be regrouping and have in fact gained considerable control over parts of southern Afghanistan that borders the lawless Waziristan belt of Pakistan. But this very region is the quasi-Talibanised land. Yet, Washington is unwilling to take on board the ground realities and the potential for the Talibanism.

Everything depends on how much time the US would require to bring order in Afghanistan and Iraq. Ground situation tells us that as of now the US is chasing a mirage in both places. Normalcy in Afghanistan and Iraq appear to be remote. The killing of Spanish diplomat in Iraq speaks a lot about the strife in the land which is known as the cradle of civilisation.

International pressure followed by a concrete action spearheaded by USA with the UN backing will help to stem the tide, and overtime even eliminate it. The plan should be sensitive to the sentiments of the people of different faiths. It will be patently unfair, and, in fact, a crude attempt to tar the image of the people of any particular faith as the US agencies appear to be doing at least on their home soil. That is not merely a short sighted policy but an expression of idiotic exuberance. Unless there are some transparent bench marks, it is difficult to visualise how the international fight against terrorism can be transformed into a mission mode with no room for narrow geo-political and business interests.

(Syndicate Features)

Children and armed conflict

By Samridhi Arora, Sumati Vaid, Dr. Neeru Sharma

The three groups most affected by any natural or man made are children, women and aged children lose most of their life in front of them and they are in their vulnerable periods of development. They are the most vulnerable possession and investment of the country. A child should, therefore, be given the best to begin life and it is the duty of the society towards their own 'tomorrow'. The state itself owes to itself the responsibility to protect them and to provide them means to develop to the full potential and self-actualization.

Children of Jammu and Kashmir are facing the conflict from all sides-internal as well as external. Internal threat from militancy and external threat from cross-border-conflict. These problems are revolving around them and vicious circle has been formed. Poverty has been the main focus of the external powers to weaken the threads of Indian society, poverty gives rise to dissatisfaction, which may further lead to exploitation at the hands of these external forces. The other major factor that has been detrimental to the mental health of children and youth is the instability of the governments and their limited worldview. The governments in their race to attract 'the vote' have ignored the children and youth and this is reflected in lack of youth oriented programs. The children and youth have a lot of time and energy at their disposal, which due to lack of such programs gets utilized elsewhere for negative purposes. The blame for this rests on the policy planners too. The main sufferers became these vulnerable groups who have not yet evaluated their 'self' or those who are still in the process of discovering it.

To sum up the etiology of their condition we can say that the environment both physical and social in which the children grow has become highly toxic and to break this vicious circle is becoming difficult. This toxicity is leading to alienation of the youth and considerable increase in the post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD) even among children. Due to the effect of violence and constant threat to life the psychological well being of children is hindred. The destruction of property, violence killing of people, bomb blasts, cross firing, crackdown rape and the general civil unrest that the children face leads to psychosomatic disorders, feeling of inferiority complex, anxiety, behavioral problems, abnormal personalities and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Here attention is focussed on the manifestations of armed conflict among children and the mechanisms to cope with the subsequent stress.

Too much stress weakens the adaptive mechanism leading to breakdown and finally suicidal tendencies. Studies conducted on militancy affected children in Kashmir reveal cardiac problems, mental depressions, stress related disorders, psychoneurotic problems. Apart from these problems general education of the children in the Valley has suffered due to burning of schools, day hostels, curfew, school dropouts and traits related to social deviation and delinquency. If left on their own devices such children may be easy prey for anti social elements so there is an urgent need to manage their trauma and channelise it usefully.

Some management strategies for coping with trauma and stress among children affected by armed conflict have been worked out. The first and foremost is the education. Education would aim at enlightenment and besides the learning of basic educational skills like reading, writing and arithmetic there is an ardent need for vocationalisation of education. Poverty is one cause of alienation of these young people and education and vocationalisation would help in achieving the security in an insecure environment. There is a need to guide and counsel both the family members and the children affected by trauma due to stress. It will not only help the child and his/her family members in coping with the trauma, but channelize the negative aspects of the personality that have appeared due to stressful experiences. Psychotherapy and play-therapy can help a lot, as can a warm relationship with the counsellor. Play therapy is, particularly, useful with young children who are unable to express their distress.

Mental health services would include consultation with a professional, referral services and mobile psychiatric clinic for affected children, especially children of rural and remote areas. There is a need for the mental health professional to be sensitive to the culture and traditions of these children to enable the successful individualised approach. Not many mental health facilities are available in Jammu and Kashmir, except through the medical colleges. There is a need for the Non-Governmental Organisations to take up projects to mainstream the afected children and provide them with survival options.

Those children who cannot be helped in the families and those who have lost their families need to be institutionalised for proper rehabilitation and education. As far as possible these children should have close contact with the family members. Familiar support cannot be replaced by institutionalised for proper rehabilitation and education. As far as possible these children should have close contact with the family members. Familiar support cannot be replaced by institutionalization at any time.

The importance of good environment has long been realised but the less widely recognised are more recent findings that developmentally sensitive interaction with a child i.e interaction which satisfies the child need to grow socially, psychologically and cognitively has a direct measureable impact on the overall health of the child. Realizing the importance of these interactions the necessary services should be made available to these children.

There is also a need for well formed youth programmes. There should be well developed playgrounds or mini stadiums, with sports equipment that can be stored at the local educational institutions or village Panchayats. Here the youth can give vent to their feelings and utilise their excessive energies. The youth can be involved in the local level planning, because they can suggest what is required for them. The democratic attitude should be reflected in the planning of the youth, for the youth and by the youth.

Syriya's tribulations

By Wg Cdr (Retd.) Sharad Dixit

If the intention of the suicide bomber in Haifa on October 4 was to draw international attention, she was certainly successful. The effect was greater as the bomber was a young girl, an educated one - she was a lawyer, and because it happened in the relatively safe multi-ethnic port city that had been spared such attacks thus far. Nineteen people were killed and scores injured. Most damage, however, could have been done to the Syrian cause.

Coming after a lull of almost a month, it prompted an Israeli reaction that appeared to be knee-jerk. An attack was carried out on an alleged training camp of the 'Islamic Jihad' south of Damascus. It was the first time in thirty years that Israel had struck inside Syria. Syrian outrage was predictable and it tabled a resolution in the Security Council on October 6 condemning Israel. The resolution gained the support of eleven members, with Britain, Germany and Bulgaria abstaining and was just as predictably vetoed by the US.

Then came the questions. There was only one casualty - a watchman. The site was uncharacteristically closed to the press and others for two days. An injured party generally advertises the damage. Israel after the initial demand that Syria stop supporting terror, remained somewhat quiet. The sole evidence offered by Israel as proof was a two-year-old film of the camp that had been destroyed then by Israel. It emerged that the site was an abandoned training facility of a group called the PLFP General Command, which was no longer active. Could a force that can track down people in cars and target them successfully using helicopters make such a mistake?

It is reasonable to assume otherwise. It is also to be assumed that all concerned recognised the strike for what it was a more direct warning to President Asad to detach his State from terrorist activity and not to hamper US efforts in Iraq. It was in August that the previous warning took the shape of fighter aircraft buzzing the Pesident's residence.

Syria now finds itself in a most uneviable situation. Isolated and encircled, it faces a number of crises. Its neighbours are Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Turkey and Iraq. Jordan normalised relations with Israel in 1995. In any event it faces too many of its own problems to be able to help Syria. The Israelis, perched atop the Golan Heights can probably see the lights of Damascus on a clear night. War torn and economically ruined Lebanon has become little more than a Syrian satellite. Turkey has forged an alliance with Israel and the US of course is getting progressively more irked in Iraq.

Syria has further been charged with harbouring a number of terrorist groups, aiding and abetting them. Its role in Lebanon has long been suspect. It is believed to have helped Iraqi leaders escape American wrath. It is said to have enabled various groups to enter Iraq during the war and exit later. It had been suggested in August that Saddam's weapons of mass destruction might be buried in the Bekaa Valley. It has been assessed that missiles and relevant technology has been obtained from North Korea. And of course the accusations regarding the development of chemical/biological weapons over the last 15 months were made this summer. Regardless of the credibility of these charges, similar ones were enough for the invasion of Iraq. Syria must be apprehensive.

The problem is that Syria would find it difficult both to comply with US demands and to negotiate with Israel. The major demands are that Syria stop providing safe haven to the various 'terrorist groups' and sever ties with them. That it disarm the Hizbollah. That it stop the facilitation of Iran's aid to the Hizb and other groups. That it crack down on the cultivation of drugs in the Bekaa Valley, which are a major source of finance for various terror outfits. How can the State turn on the people whose cause it believes to be justified? How can the people thus far called 'freedom fighters' suddenly be labelled terrorist? Even were it to succumb to pressure and do a volte-face, the wrath of militants would now be directed inwards, possibly leading to a civil war.

The problems with Israel seem to be equally intractable. They stem originally from ethno -religious differences and the creation of the State of Israel. Even if one were to concede that these were not acceptable reasons for war in the evolving world, the other differences would persist. These relate to lasting security arrangements, the optimal distribution of water sources, the issues of Lebanon and Palestine and, of course, that of the Golan Heights.

Security arrangements necessary for a lasting peace would involve the emplacement of early systems - both in terms of intentions and forces. They would include demilitarisation, force reduction and restructuring and a phased withdrawal. None of these can be lightly effected by either adversary. The Syrian situation has been outlined above. Domestic and eternal imperatives preclude force reduction. In the Israeli case of course, the issue is one of survival.

The problems of Lebanon and Palestine are linked in that all the actors are mutually hostile and their relations hopelessly intricate. It might surprise some to know that the Hisbollah came to be formed as a result of an Israeli initiative in Lebanon to counter the PLO in the early years. The inputs from Iran and Syria don't help any.

The rivers in the region flow North-South. Two principle sources of water the Lake Huleh and the Sea of Galilee are at the foot of the Golan Heights. They constitute about one-third of Israel's water supply. They were threatened pre-1967 by Syrian attacks. These are also densely populated and industrialised areas. Post-1967, 1250 Sq. K. of the heights came under Israeli control and were unilaterally annexed in 1981. They form a major strategic feature in Israel's defence. Along with the Jordan River and the West Bank they form natural barriers against surface attacks. The heights also protect Northern Israel from shelling and provide a platform for early warning systems. Similar arguments would also apply to Syria. Neither side is therefore willing to give ground on the issue.

The problems notwithstanding, including the mental preparation of respective populations, solutions would have to be found. Neither Israel nor Syria can sustain the standoff indefinitely. A "Land-for-Peace" deal involving the Golan Heights was mooted between the current President's father and Yitzhak Rabin. The advent of the hard liners, however, has scotched the proposal.

The difficulties are great, but action must be seen to be taken by Syria. It must be so preceived by the unipolar world. The message of the Israeli strike is clear. If compliance is not possible, the US may give clearance to others to act on its behalf.

PTI Feature