Daily Excelsior... Editorial

EDITORIAL

Implications of US Presidential election

By Sreedhar

The November 2 Presidential election in the US has started a lively debate on global security. Even the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan is concerned about the uncertainty all around due to terrorism and violence in Iraq. The all round global concern about global security is largely due to three factors........more

A tribute to an outstanding scientist

By K S Parthasarathy

In Dr Raja Ramanna's death, the country lost an outstanding scientist, and an ardent supporter of basic research. He is one among the handful of eminent persons who helped to place India on the nuclear map. Dr Ramanna nurtured the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (BARC) Training.........more

Sectarian terror
unabated in Pakistan

By Muhammad-Najm Akbar

Pakistan's omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent Chief of Army Staff has failed to meet one more challenge from another gun-wielding force in the country.

The sectarian terrorists have struck twice within one week taking over 70 innocent lives and leaving the imprints of their ....more

EDITORIAL

Hard to digest

Guess who came to dinner tonight? This is the question we normally ask when for some reasons an evening get-together becomes a talking point. In this event, however, we are constrained to talk about the food that was served. Clearly Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf had tongue firmly in cheek at his Iftar party. In his elements he to quote his own words had ‘a food for thought’ for all of us. According to him, a resolution of the lingering Kashmir problem can’t be found either by insisting on plebiscite or making the Line of Control into a permanent border. Instead, he has suggested that India and Pakistan should consider identifying some ‘regions’ on both sides of the Line of Control, demilitarise them and grant them either independence or place them under a joint control or a United Nations mandate. Interestingly, the Pakistan President is of the view that Kashmir (one can read between the reports that he does not trust the State’s full name which is Jammu and Kashmir) has seven regions — two in Pakistan and five in this country. Since what he said immediately afterwards would continue to find an echo for quite some time (we in this newspaper have already been receiving telephone calls from concerned citizens from all three regions that we know of on our side wanting to know whether Gen Musharraf has spelt out his new vision of regional contours) we need to reproduce his assertion verbatim: ‘In my view, identify a region, whether it is the whole or seven or part, I do not know. Identify the region, demilitarise the region forever and change its status’. Is he really not aware of what he is talking about? One can almost notice a wink in his eyes. Will he agree, so to say, if our Central Government tells him: we take you on your word and for the sake of peace and harmonious relations in this sub-continent we select Muzaffarabad or Gilgit for this purpose? One can almost see the Pakistan President turning angry in the face of such proposal. Lest there was any confusion we should make clear we have given an argument just for the sake of it and are fully aware that no government in New Delhi will do anything involving one or the other part of the undivided State as it had existed in 1947 without seeking national consensus or a signal from at least Parliament to go ahead. Democracy functions on certain premise of mutual trust and continuity in terms of governance regardless of the party or alliances in power.

It is doubtful whether any ruler in Pakistan will be able to understand this easily. Wearing the army uniform and governing in the name of a democratic government perhaps he or she can afford to come up with any blurred or double-edged observations. One should perhaps leave it at that for, it is Pakistan’s internal matter how it manages its affairs. What should concern us is the ‘food for thought’ proffered by the Pakistan leader. Would it not have been a better course for Gen Musharraf to test the waters on his own? He ought to have singled out the region he felt should be demilitarised and divested of its current ruling dispensation. Unless, of course, he takes it for granted that all concerned would understand that his reference was to the Kashmir Valley and it could not be open to any ambiguity given another favourite Pakistani formulation of having the ‘Chinab line’ as the boundary between the two countries. While it may be all right for unofficial functionaries to push hypothesis like the ‘Chinab formula’, the matters do assume an altogether different and serious facet when the head of the State himself throws his hat in the ring. This leads us to the major subject of Pakistan’s perception of Jammu and Kashmir issue. Evidently it continues to think that it is limited to a specific region of this State which means that there is absolutely no change in its old stance that it is ‘a Muslim problem’ to be viewed only in the background of its two-nation hypothesis. How can India committed as it is to a secular ideology accept this? Anyway how does it meet the aspirations its intended audience — the people who have decisively rejected this line of thinking decades ago and refuse to believe it despite having developed a little distrust about New Delhi in the intervening period?

Why Gen Musharraf should have tried to complicate the situation at this juncture? If he has made the offer in continuation of his dialogue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, as he himself has observed, would it not have been advisable for him to discuss it further with the Indian leader first before publicising it. What choice does he leave for Dr Singh after his unilateral suggestion? Should the Prime Minister not be doubly careful in dealing with him? Time and again we have admired President Musharraf for being a willing partner in the efforts to restore normalcy in this region as well as taking up a war against the terror and extremism on the home turf. He should know that the state of affairs is still very tenuous and one wrong or misplaced utterance on his part can throw a spanner in his own well-intentioned efforts.

Honesty is best policy

Normally it is a job anybody should be doing. Indeed a policeman is expected to ensure the protection of the belongings of the ordinary citizens. Yet, Good Samaritans have become rare. The administrative machinery, on the other hand, is not considered very receptive to the needs of the people. Its members are more attuned towards the hierarchical order lest their promotional avenues were in any way affected. Therefore, it is hardly surprising that traffic constable Mohammad Sharif has made news in this city. He found cash worth Rs 4000 along with a bank pass book on a road and under the guidance of senior officials helped them to be restored to their rightful owner for whom it must have been nothing short of a windfall. Because of his truthfulness the policeman has set an example worth emulating. It is only befitting that he has been awarded a token cash award and a commendation certificate for his efforts. There is a lot to be learnt from this event, howsoever small it may appear to be. One is that be it a petty sum or thousands of rupees some people can’t be tempted to compromise with their convictions. The other is that only by showing such care the uniformed police can win the confidence of the people. For instance, the man who lost and found his money in this case would never immediately believe in future any adverse remark about the police in general. How do the minor incidents change well-entrenched notions that may be with or without any basis? That is why the wise men have always maintained that honesty is the best policy. It is like the heady perfume that bewitches one and all that come in its way.

Implications of US Presidential election

By Sreedhar

First, the challenge to the US supremacy by the events of 9/11 created a new security situation. The lone super power's authority and invincibility was questioned by a group of radical Islamists on 9/11. The events of 9/11 also demonstrated to the rest of the world that the US has no means to fight a war through terrorism against it.

As an American expert puts it, " a bunch of vagabonds decided to attack the lone super power in the world to day and succeeded in it. This had a demonstrative effect among the people questioning the US predominance in the global order. This had also an impact on the US ego. The US decided to set the things in order back to pre 9/11 status."

Second, the US decided to retaliate in a massive way against the people and regimes responsible for attacks on the US and 9/11. The US relation started within the overall framework of war on terrorism. There was broad support from the international community to the US war on Taliban ruled Afghanistan, the perceived groups responsible for attacks on the US. The US had only partial success in the war. The Taliban Government was replaced by Karzai Government in Kabul after the war in October November 2001.

However, in spite of best efforts, the US is still not successful in capturing the prime movers of the 9/11 attacks. In fact, Osama bin Laden and Mullah Omar, the key figures responsible for attacks on the US were provided safe havens by their allies like Pakistan and China. This failure in a way brought to the forefront the limitations of the lone superpower's capabilities.

By 2004 it is becoming increasingly clear to the rest of the world that the US policy in southwest Asia is being dictated by the radical Islamic groups of Osama bin Laden and Taliban variety. For instance. They way radical Islamic groups created the psychological pressure by threatening to disrupt the supply of the energy source material, crude oil, from the region is one example.

Third, as this silent war between the radical Islamic groups and the US is on, suddenly Washington decided to attack Iraq in March - April 2003 to demonstrate to the Islamic world to discipline the Islamic radicals. Though the ruling elites more or less followed the US directives, the people in the region reacted sharply against the US actions.

Now Iraq is burning with an open war between the invading US army and the Iraqi people in this ongoing war more than 1000 US soldiers and over 25000 Iraqis are killed. In addition, the US and its allies who participate in the US action are being subjected to terrorist attacks right across the globe.

In this background, if we examine the ongoing debate between the Republican Presidential candidate George W. Bush and Democratic Party nominee, John Kerry, three things become clear. If the Republicans come back to power, they are likely to continue the 'crusade' for some more time in the Islamic world. Though George Bush has not produced any convincing reason for declaring war on Iraq in 2003, he is not regretting for what he has done. With the way the war is going on in Iraq, no one is certain how the war will unfold and what will be its end results. In case the war continues as the Republican candidate is articulating, the war may not remain localized and the entire region may get dragged in to the war on a wider scale. Already there are reports that the swing producer in the international crude oil market, Saudi Arabia, that it is likely to usher in an Islamic Revolution. Similar reports are coming from Baharain, Qatar , the UAE and Kuwait. Apparently, the Bush Administration underestimated the resentment for their actions in Iraq in the Islamic world.

The limitations of the technological superiority of the US are being also exposed. The anti-US forces in the Islamic world is becoming slowly consolidating its position to confront the US through organized warfare.

The Democratic candidate, John Kerry is articulating how to find a way out from the Iraqi "mess" that was created by the Republicans and the war on terrorism. In his assessment, the US is heading towards the Vietnam syndrome, a defeated army incapable of influencing the course of events in the globe. He may revert back to the UN to find a way out and slowly disengage from Iraq. What will be afterwards this exit policy is still unclear. It is being generally felt that Kerry would like the UN to get back its preeminent position in the international system. But the Islamic radicals are bound to say that they have defeated even the lone super power.

In the context of the UN Secretary General Annan's observation that the Iraq war was in violation of international law is pertinent to influence the attitude of other states towards the US. Kerry probably wants to efface the effect of this observation of Annan on the US.

If these are the conflicting positions by the two US Presidential candidates, the returning to power of a Democratic to the White House will greatly help ease the conflict resolution in the global order. In fact some observers are even talking that if the Republicans come back to power, a third world war cannot be ruled out..

So far as India is concerned, it has not articulated its position. But its reticence is eloquent. Since the Indian philosophy revolves around the consensus politics even in global order, it refused to endorse the US actions in Iraq. It refused to provide any type of cooperation to the occupying forces in Iraq. Even in the larger question of war against terrorism, which culminated in a confrontation between Muslims and Christians, India quietly argued that guilty should be punished but all those belonging to a particular community are not guilty.

In such a backdrop, India is looking for moderation in the US foreign policy and stay away from Americanisation of west Asia. Therefore from Indian perspective, who ever comes to power in White House, he should put an end to the tragedy in Iraq and understand the limitations of military power and a new beginning has to be made. CNF

A tribute to an outstanding scientist

By K S Parthasarathy

Dr Ramanna nurtured the Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (BARC) Training School from its inception and developed it in to an eminently successful and unique institution which provided over 10,000 scientists and engineers to various Units of the Department of Atomic Energy since 1957.

In one of the earlier batches (1958-59), the administrative officer decided that the trainees must wear formal attire in the cafeteria and should learn western table manners. Wearing ties and using fork and spoons were anathema to many.

"Handling medu vada or idli was OK. How do you eat dry chapattis with fork?" they complained some trainees defied the orders. They came in their dhotis to the cafeteria. Those who did not have dhotis wore bed sheets. For one trainee, eating foods was a ritual. During rituals, you do not wear chappals or shoes. His father brought him up like that. He could not obviously go against the wishes of his father.

The issue became very hot. The attendants refused to serve trainees who did not wear formal dress. Some of the impatient and hungry youngsters went into the kitchen and tried to manhandle the attendants. Others started a noisy demonstration by beating their plates with spoons.

Dr Ramanna visited the hostel. We very upset. He identified the 'trouble makers'. "You are an indisciplined lot he thundered. Let me tell you, you are not indispensable to the Department," he continued.

Dr N Subramanian who belonged to that batch gives graphic description of the events. One trainee got up and responded, "The Department is not indispensable to us either." Under the circumstances, that was a bold statement. nowadays if challenged, even a kindergarten student may react that way. But certainly not so in the 1950s and 1960s. It was Dr Ramanna's intervention that peace was restored and everyone forgot that chapter.

One of his associates Dr S S Kapoor, currently Homi Bhabha Chair Professor, remembers that Dr Ramanna, who developed gas detectors, during his Ph.D course at London, excelled in devising ingenious experimental techniques. Based on such efforts using Apsara reactor, they could publish several papers in prestigious journals such as the physical review. His group had to improvise. Their rivals in the west had better equipment.

Dr Ramanna's commitment to basic research was total. A few days before his death, he telephoned Dr Kapoor for help in preparing a power point presentation on basis research. He planned to address some students. Dr Kapoor sent him the material.

Dr Ramanna was completely involved in his work. Once they wrote a paper. He was uncomfortable about some points which emerged later.

Dr Kapoor, then a bachelor, was staying in the Kenylworth building. There was a knock at his door one afternoon. When he opened the door, he saw Dr Ramanna ready to discuss the points that needed clarification. Though Dr Ramanna was a very senior scientist, he never recognised any hierarchical structure.

An unfortunate event reveals yet another facet of Dr Ramanna's character. A servant murdered a scientist under gruesome circumstances.

The victim was a brilliant scientist, a gold medallist and a PhD from a prestigious American University. She was a pregnant. Since she and her husband were working, they had engaged a domestic help.

Being highly educated and cultured they freely mixed with the servant. He mistook it. On the fateful day, when her husband went to work, the servant tried to misbehave with her. She resisted valiantly. The servant stabbed her to death. Police arrested the culprit.

A day later, Dr Ramanna addressed a condolence meeting. Even when there was inconsolable grief, Dr Ramanna analysed the poignant event, clinically, rationally and objectively, for others benefit.

Dr Ramanna was at his critical best while reviewing any scientific work. He started Divisional reviews at BARC. During DRP review, we presented papers and arranged an exhibition of the instruments we developed. We proudly displayed our publications, the way artisans flaunt their creations. About 30 reputed journals such as Mutation Research, Radiation Research, Physical Review and Health Physics published our papers.

Dr Ramanna amply appreciated our efforts. The display included popular science articles on radiation safety-related topics in different languages. We started the initiative to popularise science. Dr Ramanna read them calmly. To our chagrin, he found out that we pasted the article in Kannada upside down.

In 1982, we held an exhibition on 'Radiation and Environment' at the Nehru Planetarium, Mumbai. While the preparations were in full swing Dr Ramanna came unannounced. He wanted to make the first scientific event at the Centre a total success.

I nervously accompanied him explaining exhibit after exhibit. There was a cartoon describing risks in every day life. Dr Ramanna looked at it closely. Our artist had initiated a cartoon by R K Laxman, I confided. I thought I was helpful. But Laxman does it better, he retorted. He had that hallmark mischievous glint in his eyes. PTI Feature

Sectarian terror unabated in Pakistan

By Muhammad-Najm Akbar

Pakistan's omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent Chief of Army Staff has failed to meet one more challenge from another gun-wielding force in the country.

The sectarian terrorists have struck twice within one week taking over 70 innocent lives and leaving the imprints of their savagery on the injured bodies of many more. They have reduced the most powerful ruling junta to helpless spectators as they continue to pick their targets and strike at will.

In Multan 40 people fell victim to the indiscriminate killing spree of sectarian terrorists. More than 100 were wounded. The perpetrators of this heinous act were able to explode a high intensity bomb that carried seven to eight kilograms of explosives at a gathering of about 2,000 devotees of late Azam Tariq who lost his life last year in a cycle of insane violence that he was accused to have abetted in many ways.

Earlier, on October 1, a suspected suicide attacker killed more than 30 people and injured over 50 others as he detonated an explosive device inside Zanibia mosque in Sialkot. He carried it in a brief case. The explosion caused a two-foot-deep crater on the floor. The police seem to have defused a second briefcase of equal power.

The public reaction in both instances confirmed a consistent pattern: a total lack of confidence in the ineffective State apparatus and a firm willingness to adopt aggressive ways to mark their protest. The authorities wait in the wings to take action against mourners when their tempers cool down.

In Multan the authorities had no way to control incensed workers of the Millat-e-Islamia (the new name for the outlawed Sipah-e-Sahaba, Pakistan led by the late Maulana Tariq) who witnessed their meeting place littered with body parts, turbans and bloodstains. They chanted slogans against the rival group and vowed revenge in the presence of hundreds of police and paramilitary troops, attacked two ambulances and burnt tyres on the roads. Schools and colleges in Multan were closed for two days.

In Sialkot, after the catastrophe, violent protests damaged public and private property worth millions. The mourners forced closing of shops and financial institutions, resorted to aerial firing and burnt tyres at various places. Armed with brickbats, sticks and stones, they also attacked offices of the District Nazim and set its record section on fire, reducing most of it to ashes.

The protesters also damaged official and private vehicles parked on the premises of the Nazim's office and torched a number of motorcycles and also set ablaze several official motorcycles. In the nearby town of Daska, people blocked traffic on the main road for about five hours. The mourners also set a police van on fire and threw stones at police and private vehicles.

Army had to come to the assistance of civilian authorities to maintain law and order. The business community observed mourning for four days, closing all trading activity in the city. The Government initiated administrative action against senior officials of the city police. Sialkot police registered cases against more than 200 people for attacking the Nazim's office and setting it afire.

There is no end to the manifestation of this orgy of hate. On October 5, a crime investigation department official was shot dead in Nazimabad, Karachi. He was getting his car serviced when two youth on a motorcycle pulled up, fired a volley of bullets at him and fled. A police official told Dawn that the deceased had played an active role in recent actions against banned groups and in the operation launched in the early 90's in the city. His brother and a nephew, both policemen, had been killed in an ambush in 1995 in Orangi Town.

The state's inability to cope with this massive threat to our security breeds further frustration in the society. In addition to massive killings, Pakistan continues to suffer from increasing incidence of religious, sectarian intolerance.

In Sheikhupura, Sikh minority faced harassment on their hands as Gurdawara Janam Asthan came under attack. The followers of Maulana Azam Tariq are aggrieved because the authorities have been unsuccessful in apprehending his murderers and to bring them to justice. In a commemorative meeting at Lahore, they publicly demonstrated the venomous trends that have come to dominate the sectarian dispute. They vowed to pursue their late leader's path, viewed as the extremist form of sectarianism.

The speakers at the Lahore meeting warned that they would not tolerate propagation of "anti-Islam ideologies in the garb of Islam" and would continue their mission to "differentiate between Islam and Kufr." They also called for observing of the days of Caliphs at official level, passage of the Namoos-e-Sahaba bill for the elimination of sectarianism, and declaring Pakistan a Sunni State.

The Government views the situation as a law and order question and refuses to look at the wider and deeper dimensions of the issue. The Chief of the Awami National Party, Asfandyar Wali Khan, pointed to these flaws and warned the Establishment on October 3 against creating political vacuum by removing mainstream political parties from the scene because otherwise "extremists would sneak into politics to fill the vacuum thus created."

They are already there and this regime has no plans to throw them out. In view of the worsening situation, the Sindh Police Chief suggested to the management bodies of mosques and Imam Bargahs on October 4, 2004 to turn the places of worships into besieged fortresses. He asked them to introduce checking through metal-detectors at the gates of places of worship and maintain lists of those coming to offer the prayers.

He also advised them to arrange volunteers at mosques and Imam Bargahs, to be deployed at the rooftops and main gates of such places for keeping a vigil on suspected persons. Another suggestion was that they should install close circuit televisions at the places of worship to monitor the activities of people through video recording. Parking of motorcycles, cars and other vehicles near the mosques and Imam Bargahs should strictly be prohibited as a preventive measure.

Similarly, following the Multan tragedy, the Government has taken preventive and pre-emptive steps with a view to maintain law and order. On October 7, it advised the provincial governments to ban holding of religious congregations and gatherings until further orders.

In seeking a debate in the National Assembly on sectarian killings, MMA has aptly underlined the issues that need to be addressed. The alliance has pointed out, "The incident of suicidal attack on Masjid-i-Zainabia… has once again created a serious law and order situation in the country which is bound to increase sectarian tensions as well. Such incidents could endanger the national security of Pakistan…"

The National Assembly must undertake an extensive analysis of the complexities involved and seek enforcement of measures that the military rulers have been unjustly avoiding. (Syndicate Features)