Daily Excelsior... Editorial

EDITORIAL

By B L Kak

The United States seems poised to keep alive suspicions and doubts in South Asia, even as it has favoured friendly relations between India and Pakistan. Washington has the capacity and capability to intensify the war against terror and merchants of terror. In this Pakistan has been made to respond to the US requirements -.......more

Micro planning for sustained economic development

By H C Katoch

Journalistic step
towards Kashmir

By Dr. R L Bhat

EDITORIAL

Price of courage

Not infrequently those who stand up and decide to be counted are called upon to make supreme sacrifice. It takes a lot to show courage of conviction particularly when the circumstances are as difficult in this State as for the politicians at the time of elections. Candidates and their campaigners invite the wrath of practitioners of the gun culture. Militants without fail issue threats to kill those taking part the democratic exercise. They don't fight shy of translating their evil designs into a gory reality at the slightest opportunity. Figures reveal their own tale. Whenever there are elections the number of politicians losing their lives goes up. As many as 60 political activists, according to official figures, have been eliminated by the terror outfits during the first nine months of the current year. Evidently they become vulnerable while canvassing support. The Lok Sabha polls were held this year in April and May and the four Assembly constituencies --- two each in the Kashmir and Jammu regions --- are currently in the grip of the tension generated by the prestigious by-elections polling for which is scheduled to be held on October 13. Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is among those in the race in these contests. In the last few days the National Conference and the Congress have lost a worker each while one People's Democratic Party supporter has been set on fire and is under treatment for serious burn injuries. It is not without a coincidence that the number of political persons dying at the hands of the militants has gone up by ten so for in the current year compared to 50 in 2003 which was a poll-free year. In the crucial 2002 Assembly elections that strengthened the democratic activity generated by the 1996 elections 120 political workers were gunned down.

On the positive side, these statistics may also disclose a different aspect of the overall scenario in the State. One will find that with participation in each election on the rise the terror is actually fighting a losing battle. There is a decline in the political killings now compared to the poll year 2002. Arguably the Parliamentary polls and by-elections don't invite so much exposure of the political class as do the Assembly elections that cause more heat and dust. Therefore, it can be argued that the situation then is not the correct barometer to measure what is happening this year. While there may be a merit in this contention it can't be denied that in the majority of areas particularly in the Valley there is larger participation of the people in political bustle; in some parts it reminds one of the fervour witnessed during the historic 1977 phase. There can be no two opinions that a considerable section of the militants --- Jammu-Kashmir Liberation Front is a case in point --- has realised the pointlessness of violence and has adopted peaceful ways to register their protest. Still a few are around who stubbornly resist the logic of mending their ways. It is surprising in view of the fact that the Government has by and large allowed even the secessionists to campaign against elections as long as they do it without resorting to violence of any kind other than verbal: in no other democracy they would have been permitted this luxury.

In a civilised society the issues are not resolved by snuffing out each other's lives. They need to be discussed in a dispassionate manner. The political class in the State and more so in the Valley has paid a heavy price beginning with the assassination of a National Conference worker Yusuf Halwai in the late eighties. Many of the most distinguished sons of the soil have been mercilessly done away with no consideration at all to their old age and contribution to build a tolerant and enchanting State. Clearly it is because they were a challenge to the forces of chaos and anarchy that they were removed from the scene. As their ilk is at the receiving end one can only salute it for standing by what they are convinced is in the larger interest of their society.

Puppet show

Once a keen observer on witnessing the political happenings in 'Azad' Kashmir, as the Pakistan-occupied territory is locally known, had described them as a puppet show. This was perhaps to partly convey the truth that the main performers had more often than not their wires pulled by the Army and the federal government in Islamabad. Despite the fact that this is the only region in the part of the State under Pakistan's occupation where there is some democratic activity there is no denying the reality that its politics has at certain crucial moments been dictated by the thinking and compulsions of those in power in the neighbouring country. One also notices that there is a practice among the local politicians to describe the Army as 'powers that be'. It is the expression that came to notice earlier having been used by ruling Muslim Conference president Sardar Attique Ahmad, politician-son of veteran leader Sardar Abdul Qayum, in his ongoing battle with 'AK' Prime Minister Sardar Sikander Hayat Khan. Now, interestingly, Sardar Sikander has employed the same words to assert that he enjoys the trust of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and the 'powers that be'. The confrontation between the two senior Sardars, who are friends-turned-foes, on which we have at times commented in these columns, is becoming sharper with each passing day. What is evident, however, is that the Pakistan establishment has not yet made up its mind to the extent to which it should go in order to resolve the matter. Little surprising, therefore, that in the meantime both the opponents have been claiming its support.

There is no end to bitterness is obvious from the ruling Sardar's latest demand that Sardar Attique should step down as the MC president. He has appealed to Sardar Qayum, who is currently described as the Supreme Head of the region's premier political body, to take over as its chief to rescue the outfit. It is only too well known that the MC legislature party is divided on the issue of who should be its next leader. Many of its members including a few ministers have parted company with Sardar Sikander to throw their weight behind Sardar Attique. On the other hand, the Sardar has also not been found wanting in demonstrating his support base time and again. He has claimed that 'morally' he is on strong footing because he has the majority of the legislators with him. His plea that Sardar Attique should make exit as the MC chief is clearly a calculated reaction to the stand taken by the party's office-bearers seeking his resignation. On his part, the 'AK' Prime Minister has dubbed these officials as 'irrelevant persons' and held out the threat of using his extraordinary powers to dissolve the legislature if they don't behave. For decades the veteran Sardars have been dominating the MC spectrum. The transfer of power to a new generation is undergoing difficulties perhaps because it implies perpetuating a dynasty's influence in the region.

Pak can misuse US arms

By B L Kak

New Delhi is not unduly perturbed by the warm flirtations between Islamabad and Washington. What has upset the average Indian security strategist is Washington's fresh efforts to supply arms to Pakistan. In fact, US Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Armitage, who has been found to be a vocal supporter of Pakistan, has made a pointed reference to what he termed as "a steady stream of dependable funding" to help the Pakistani armed forces.

Richard Armitage was devastatingly blunt in his disclosure: American arms are flowing into Pakistan to enable it to fight terror. Equally important was the message, making it clear that the United States had not turned down Pakistan's demand for F-16 fighter planes.

Pakistan's popular television channel, known as Geo TV, quoted Armitage as saying that while the US realised that Pak armed forces need the proper equipment, "We have embarked on a five-year programme of support". Armitage also revealed a significant piece of information: "The lack of equipment doesn't come up so often in our discussions with our Pakistani friends these days because the stuff is flowing.

New Delhi does not question the agreement between Washington and Islamabad to continue to work together "as good partners should". What the security specialists on this side of the Indo-Pakistan border wish to recall is the flow of huge quantities of lethal weapons from American sources and agencies to the Afghan fighters in he wake of the Soviet presence in Afghanistan. And at the end of the day — that is, following the complete withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan — a sizeable portion of these weapons found their way into Pakistan first and then into Indian Kashmir.

Is Washington sure that Pakistan authorities, particularly the hardliners within the armed forces, will not allow the American arms and ammunition going into the hands of anti-India jihadis? This question is being hotly discussed in view of the uncontradicted reports, clearly suggesting that Islamabad has, at no stage, committed itself to ensure that not a single lethal weapon, supplied by America to Pakistan, went to any Islamist rebel or jihadi.

If Washington's unpublished move is to equate India with Pakistan, it is uncalled for as both are on different pedestals. India did prove during the 1999 Kargil conflict its responsible behaviour and extraordinary restraint. And after the Kargil episode, India demonstrated similar restraint for all concerns which stand manifested from open commitment of 'no-first-nuclear - strike. India is also committed never to use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear nations.

There is also readiness not to transfer nuclear technologies and equipment to any third country. This, to say the least, speaks about the maturity of India rulers. Contrarily, Pakistani Army is already labelled as 'rogue'. It continues sponsorship of global terrorism, though, at the same time, Islamabad has already joined the United States in its fight against global terrorism. Islamabad refuses to sign the doctrine of 'no-strike' and openly threatens use of nuclear weapons and firing of Ghaznavis and Ghauris.

The US appears keen on increasing fighting capability of Pakistani forces. All this despite the exposure of the camp led by Gen. Parvez Musharraf on two fronts — one, unbridled freedom enjoyed by Muslim clerics while encouraging jihadi culture against anti-fundamentalism forces, particularly US - led forces, and, two, the 'capture of several Pak Armymen for links with the dreaded terrorist outfit, Al Qaeda. There is mounting concern in the West that Islamic extremism is rising in Army's officer corps, even as Gen. Musharraf increasingly links himself with US policy against terror.

Pakistan Army is known to have supported extremist Islamic causes such as the Taliban in Afghanistan and similar militant groups in Jammu and Kashmir, Chechnya and Central Asia, American, British and Afghan officials are of the firm view that Pakistan's military intelligence arm, better known as ISI, which has been used as the Army's main tool in backing fundamentalist movements, is still full of Islamic extremist officers.

Muslim clerics in Pakistan, particularly in Baluchistan and North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), have, of late, re-activated themselves, issuing a fatwa, at least once a week, saying there is a jihad against Americans. All this at a time when a revitalised Taliban militia is drawing recruits from militants groups in Pakistan.

They are also exploiting the alienation felt by ethnic Pashtuns. Afghan officials have also reported to have noticed Taliban members and their allies filtering back and forth across the border from Pakistan. In view of the uncontradicted reports about the 'nexus' between the Islamic rebels in Afghanistan (read Taliban) and a number of Pak soldiers, one can easily infer that the US arms flowing into Pakistan can also be obtained by militants, including those earmarked for the restive State of Jammu and Kashmir.

As Kashmir continues to be high on the Islamist radicals' agenda, teenage boys are being recruited in large numbers to carry out strikes on Indian forces and installations and camps. Yet another development of much importance: The ISI is reportedly continuing to intercept and monitor Indian communications as much as is possible.

The ISI already runs a special bureau, known as Joint Intelligence (North). It handles all tasks concerning Jammu and Kashmir. Its activities include propaganda, clandestine activities and infiltration. Another institution, known as Joint Signals Intelligence Bureau, has units along the Indian borders and its provides communication support to militants operating in Jammu and Kashmir.

In a situation like this, Indian authorities have reasons to continue its four - pronged strategy in J&K to counter terrorists and separatist violence. Following the renewed infiltration bids alone the Line of Control (LoC) and spurt in terrorist strikes in recent times, the Government has restructed its action plan in relation to security forces and intelligence agencies and related matters.

Micro planning for sustained economic development

By H C Katoch

Sufficient time of over half a century has passed since the planning process was initiated fixing priorities for development of different sectors of the economy. Although endeavours were made to frame schemes for the upliftment of different categories of the groups of people on different grounds where skill, local resources or manpower to execute the planned works or schemes is taken into consideration, yet these efforts had all along been independent of the holistic approach needed to interweave all the conceived programmes or schemes and formulate effective strategy for achievement of the desired goals.

Just as democratic process is matured in the country, similarly awareness for economic development amongst the rural inhabitants has also sufficiently matured. Lot of work has been done by the extension machinery of different departments of the Government in their respective fields. It is as result of this that our farming community places demands for various inputs required for use in their ventures or agro-practices.

Our state is pioneer in decentralising the planning process to District level in the country. Efforts were further made to take this process further to block level. It has been further taken to Panchayat level to some extent. Thus it takes care of the villages. So far concept of scientific planning process is concerned for equitable growth, it may not have achieved, but awareness of this concept has reached to every village.

A time has come now to go down to that level where the ultimate beneficiary is located and his participation is sought in every decision making for his economic development. Over 43 percent of the total population are cultivators in our state as per 2001 census, out of these females account for 55 percent and males about 39 percent. They are the ultimate beneficiaries of the schemes launched in rural areas. This chunk of population needs micro planning for their sustained economic development. To evolve effective strategy for this, every household has to have a farm plan devised in consonance with his resource base, skill, potential and all other necessary inputs suiting to particular venture or agro pursuit. The role of Government agencies especially the agriculture is the foremost followed by rural development, sericulture, animal and sheep husbandry, and fisheries etc. While agriculture extension agencies has a widespread network headed by the Agriculture Graduate (designated poorly as Junior Agriculture Assistant despite his technical degree of four years after 10+2, as is in case of other technocrats like engineers, veterinary or medical graduates who have respectable designation to command respect and dignity), the rural development has VLW's and similarly other field departments associated with the farming community have lower level field functionaries.Thus this multi disciplinary team of field functionaries has Agriculture Graduate who is a superior functionary both in terms of his qualifications and professional skill. The agriculture circle, which comprises 5-6 villages, is the area assigned to this functionary and he heads this circle. Keeping this circle as the unit of micro planning, each household of each of these villages will be the ultimate point for coverage.

Genesis of the problem

Mass poverty is the consequence of very low resource base of the farmer in the state. The farmer owns quite small portion of the total assets in the form of i) Land ii) Capital iii) House and iv) Animal wealth etc. His economic development is further checked because of lack of education and remote access to technological advancement. So far no holistic approach was ever attempted to interweave the psyche of the farmer with his capacity, culture, education and requirements for achievement of assured and sustained economic development. In fact some of the schemes designed were not tuned to his acceptability and proved to be either of no use or of little use and finally met with failure. Many a time schemes were dropped after hit and trial. There are many examples where such situations arose and the schemes had to be abandoned for implementation for the rural poor. The concept of micro planning envisages some important relevant indicators to be kept in view before implementation of this for economic development of the rural economy. The ultimate beneficiary of this concept is the rural poor or the farming household with inadequate resources and to work out the plan for development calls for enlistment of i) Needs ii) Resource base iii) Education vi) Psyche v) time devoted by the farmer to different pursuits and lastly vi) ability to run the scheme etc. The detailed study of all the parameters of the last unit of micro planning i.e the farmer will educate the team members to prepare a detailed plan of action in consultation and acceptance of the farming household so that nothing is left to chance or speculation.

The apparatus to implement

Agriculture graduate has to be re-designated, as Circle Officer who shall be the head of the team of micro-planning unit assisted by VLW of rural development department. The field functionaries of other line departments who have their presence in the circle shall be the members of this group for formulation of schemes and their implementation. This core group is to be assisted by an assistant to maintain and handle the records. These micro planning units will further be responsible to their senior heads who will further report to their District heads and who in turn ultimately to the District Development Commissioner in charge of District Planning.

Journalistic step towards Kashmir

By Dr. R L Bhat

This Gandhi Jayanti the DD again aired Attenborough's Gandhi. For the last twenty years the film has been hailed for being the closest approximation to Bapu's life and work. It shows that from his days in South Africa to that memorable first convention with the drawing-room politicians in Bombay and then all along his lead of the freedom struggle, Gandhi never minced words. He was plain speaking blunt and to the point. Nehru in his autobiography relates that during the khilafal movement, the Muslims had once prepared a draft of 26 demands to be presented to the viceroy. Gandhi whittled them down to 13. When they later met the viceroy he was ready to talk on the 26 demands but not the 13 demands put together by Gandhi! No-nonsense, truthful bluntness, as what he fought the British with. He did not beat around the bush. He point blank refused to accept their prevarications. Truth, simple and plain was his Satyagraha. It forced the British out of India. He was less blunt with communalists. The communal questions have stayed. They'll stay till the truth is not told - plainly, fully.

Media and journalists could help here. They see the reality as it exists in its most hideous shape. But the leaders in the fraternity have been caught in the politics can ill-advised pragmatism. The anxiety to gloss over the hard facts becomes apparent as journalists step into their new role of political interlocutors. This was evident all through the day the visiting Pak journalists spent in Jammu - more so the Indian side than the visiting journalists themselves. Whether they expected it or not, Jammu gave them a resounding welcome. They would have expected the welcome they have got from the mainstream parties. Probably, they would not have expected that Dukhtarani-i-Milat- the daughters of the Islamic faith - would not only rebuff them but would hold a special press conference to denounce Pakistan itself for' diluting its stand on Kashmir'. There we have a strange travesty. The Kashmiri 'crusaders' are more concerned about the Pak points and claims upon the valley rather than those of the people here. The demand of the ruling PDP's president, which she has expressed more than once, that Pakistanis should be allowed to visit the Muslim mosques of Kashmir is but slightly different from this anxiety of Dukhtaran. They appear anxious that Pakistan is readying to a give and take on Kashmir and that the press men have been sent by Musharraf to sound people of the valley over it.

In an earlier interaction with the welcoming citizenry the Pak delegation did give an indication of sorts that there has to be a give and take but emphasized that it is Indians who should be ready to give. That is the classical line in Pakistan. It envisages giving on India's side while the taking part is reserved for Pakistan. Pak Journalists would be no exception to it. They aren't. Pak media has been a robust competitor of jehadis. From the days when Indira Gandhi was routinely referred to as andhera Gandhi, the Pak media has been a prime instigator of extremists' visions. That line is still not only being tolerated but actively propelled. The visiting delegation being aware of its character did not make many claim of press freedom in Pakistan. At a reception on the evening of their arrival they, indeed, referred to the 'dictatorship of Zia' more than once. And there, the Editor of a noted national daily made the specious remark that 'Pak press enjoys the greatest freedom in whole of south Asia'! That is the pragmatic India. It goes miles and miles without asking the other side if it has started walking. Thus it was that instead of pressing a solution at Simla, Indira Gandhi asked Bhutto to choose between taking back his one Lakh PoWs and the 55,000 square kilometers of land that India had occupied in the 1971 war. As Benazir informed later in The Daughter of East, Bhutto chose land because he saw' that India couldn't keep the PoW's much longer.

Thirty years later, Manmohan Singh did not speak of terrorism in his meeting with Musharraf in New York. The Pak foreign office sees this as a new 'clearing of air' between heads of the two states. Apparently, Pakistan is 'ready to talk India' into giving away her territory, at least remitting her claim over good parts of it, in return for brotherhood and amity. Peace, undeniably, is a valuable thing. But the question that goes unanswered every time the Indian intellectuals sit down to talk is why is peace not deemed as valuable elsewhere too? Why has it been actively vitiated as a 'moral, political and national duty' for the last two decades in a calculated, systematic way? At that time it was thought that this bit of land would be severed with a little support. So no sanity mattered. No sanity informed the minds when there was a chance of carving out a country for the faithful, even if it could only be 'a moth-eaten' one. That done, bhai-bhai bit can be bandied around. The catchphrase is clear: settle us Kashmir and we shall talk bhai bhai - till another dictator comes and finds another chunk. of Indian Territory worth a try!

Two decades after Zia the Pak journalists could call him a 'dictator'. It would take another two decades for Musharraf to be called by his name. Probably, by then another would be in the saddle dictating democracy to Pakistan. A general belief has it that most of the trouble comes from lack of democracy in Pakistan. But democracy was not the issue of Pakistan. The party that got Millat a Mamlikat was actually critical of Congress for its clamor of self rule. That is why Pakistan has never had democracy. More often it is the Indian press, people and intellectuals who want democracy in Pakistan not the people there. Nor, for example, does' would! - Geelani support democracy in Pakistan! There may be a voice in the English press there for that cause, but there are few takers for it. People often forget that Musharraf was actually hailed for doing away with the democratic Government of Nawaz Sharif. And that is the essence of Pakistan. It is also the origin of Indo-Pak problem. Unless that essence is understood, peace would always be papery here. At the risk of sounding pessimistic in a setting illumined by the light of bright welcome banners, one must state that lndo-Pak problem lies in this core conception of Pak state. That is why Asiya Indirabi is complaining that Pakistan is giving up its case. And there are many more out there who'd understand rather than condemn her cry.

Kashmir is not the core issue. It is only the brashest example of this core concern. India and Pakistan should come together. As the head of the visiting team said, India and Pakistan need to band together to accomplish many greater things that they can do. May be the visiting journalists as well as the journalists here can pave the way for that.

But it would be done only after a truthful assessment, not by glossing-over the hard realities as do-gooders like the Indian editor at the welcome meet do. It would be done by telling Pakistan that India understands what she has been doing and why. And she must own it and given all that up to settle things. But the question is if we'd allow the visitors to take back a truthful feedback? May be it'd be a gentle nudge, a simple hint, but it has to be given. Else all steps towards peace would be uncertain treads on papered pavements.