Daily Excelsior... Editorial

EDITORIAL

By Mohan Singh Kala

Five Sikhs and three Hindus were also permitted from Jammu for the first time to go to Muzaffarabad to see their seperated near and dear ones, who travelled alongwith their Muslim brethren by Carvan-e-Aman Bus in the first week of October. In fact it was a long wait to cross line of control to visit their native places. On reaching Muzaffarabad, they were received warmly ........more

Chine's second thoughts
on nuclear issue

By Sreedhar

A People Daily article (October 26) said ''The US put forward a proposal at a meeting of Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) on Oct. 20, demanding a lift of the ban on sales of nuclear technologies to India, but was turned down.'' .........more

Blood-bath in Iraq

By B. K. Karkra

EDITORIAL

No time to relax

On the face of it Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil's suo moto statement in Parliament on Monday on the situation in this State is a mere reiteration of what is widely known. It is no secret, for instance, that terrorist organisations are being "funded from the other side of the border". Likewise it is a matter of record that despite a series of serious incidents in the Summer Capital recently the overall level of terrorist violence has been "perceptibly lower" in 2005. Terrorist incidents were fewer by 22 per cent during the first ten months of the current year as compared to the corresponding period in 2004. Infiltration too has witnessed a decline of 55 per cent. Till October 2005 about 220 militants are estimated to have infiltrated which is a significantly lower number compared to their undesirable inflow in the past. One main reason for this is fencing of the International Border and the Line of Control. It has proved an effective deterrent. Not surprisingly, there has been gradual restoration of the tourist traffic. The total number of them visiting the Valley so far this year has gone up to 533211 in 2005 as against 303109 in 2004. The holy pilgrimage of Amarnath has witnessed 388000 participants. Figures about tourists' arrival may not have yet touched the peak of the pre-1988 years but there is no denying the fact that they represent a positive trend. What is the most important development, as Mr Patil has also observed, is that there is "a yearning among the people for peace and normalcy" and it "is discernible". Lest it created a false sense of complacency the Union Home Minister has done well to point out that there has been a sudden spurt in violence. Blasts have been caused by using cars and improvised explosive devices as bombs. The militants had made their presence felt in a big way during the change of Chief Minister. This has been a sort of regular practice on their part whenever such political transition has taken place in the State.

Undoubtedly there is improvement in Pakistan's response as well. Confidence-building measures between New Delhi and Islamabad have helped in the creation of a better and more congenial atmosphere. Yet, the neighbouring country exposes itself to the charge of playing a wicked double game. This is more than plain suspicion and it arises because it is unable to stop the flow of money and terror from its end. The infiltration has come down but it "continues in a calibrated manner". Anti-India and pro-violence voices also carry on from the territory of the State under Pakistan's occupation. There are authentic reports that terrorist training camps have been revived with the connivance of the establishment in Pakistan in its North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). These unpleasant facts are too well known.

Clearly the time to relax has not come yet. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary that we pinch ourselves hard whenever we see normalcy on the surface if only to ascertain whether it is true or simply an illusion like a bubble of water. It is incumbent upon us that we keep in touch with the relevant gory information laced with statistics. By providing the details the Union Home Minister has apprised the people about the actual scenario as it exists.

Think it over

Lahore's Avari Hotel will stir sentimental chord of many a media person in the State. Together in Pakistan for the first time last winter they had stayed there for a South Asian regional media conference. Later they had travelled to "Azad" Kashmir as the Pakistan-occupied part of Jammu and Kashmir is locally known and Gilgit which the neighbouring country directly administers even though it is a constituent of the undivided State as it had existed in 1947. There was plenty of food to eat and think but the Kashmiri delicacies were conspicuous by their absence. In any case, as any frequent traveller can vouch for, nobody can cook Wazwan or any of its items the way our Wazas do in the Valley. In fact the mouth-watering Wazwan does not even figure in the menu of the majority of restaurants across the globe leave alone Pakistan. How can it be? They may have goats and lambs as well as vegetables but they don't have water, spices and cooks of the Valley. Where are the springs and lakes in the world which nourish products as these natural bounties do in the Kashmir region in particular? From "goshtaba" to "hak sag" every food item tickles taste buds. Such variety is amazing and a gourmet's delight. Given this background it is to be welcomed that the Ministry of External Affairs has cleared a Kashmir food festival in Lahore and the venue as it turns out to be will be the same Avari Hotel which is good because it has a hospitable staff. Since the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation will be the organiser of the show one expects that it does a good job consistent with the reputation of the State. At the same time it should be mindful of the fact that it is representing not only the State but the country and that while it can get away with what it serves in "Delhi haat" in the national capital or elsewhere in the country it has an onerous responsibility on hand while conducting itself in an alien land. If for some reasons it feels that the funds given to it for carrying out the assignment --- it needs to be said because there is a significant difference between its claim and the expected actual grant --- it should not take the plunge. It seems, however, that it considers itself good for the task regardless of what it gets by way of financial help. It will not only be grossly unfair but utterly irresponsible if it ends up indulging in a fault-finding game later.

Having said that we wish to emphatically add that Lahore is equally suited for serving the food from the Jammu region. There are more people who have migrated to Pakistan from this region than from across the Pir Panjal. At one point of time there was a Jammu Dogra Muslim organisation in the historic Pakistan town. It would, therefore, be worthwhile to include "rajmash", "chawal" and "ambal" in the proposed menu for Avari hotel. It would add to the prestige of the proponents of the idea of the "Kashmiri food festival" if they christen it as the "Jammu and Kashmir food festival". They need to think over it for the sake of their own credibility.

Memories from Muzaffarabad

By Mohan Singh Kala

During partition of the country Non-Muslim living in Muzaffarabad and surrounding villages were driven from their homes by the Pakistani tribals, invaders, who destroyed their houses, looted their movable property cash and gold at gun point, butchered large number of innocent people, sparing not even children and women. Those who escaped the onslaught of invaders managed to leave their native places and reached Srinagar and Jammu. As a result of holocaust which left large number of orphans and widows, were kept in the camps, who later on were converted to Islam. Those still living there are now grand parents.

With all this tragedy they still remember their own relations, history and their past society and religion to which they belonged. Similarly those who crossed over to India also remember the seperated near and dear ones. These seperated families still living on this side of the control of line have been longing to see their blood relations and to visit their native places to see their lands and their Muslim brothers with whom they had ethnic and cultural relations. Those who crossed over to India always remember their homes, lands and talk about good relations with local Muslims. In fact they wanted to visit their native places once in their life times. One such displaced person, like many others, was my uncle, S. Ram Singh "Mera", who talked to me often about our native village "Mera" in Tehsil Uri. But he could not get opportunity to visit his village due to strained relations between India and Pakistan.

I recently met S. Avtar Singh S. P. (Retd.) on his return to Jammu from Muzaffarabad alongwith four other Sikh gentlemen namely (1) Kirpal Singh Bhandari (2) S. Jameet Singh (3) S. Gurcharan Singh (4) S. Sanmukh Singh. our conversation unfolded ordinaries as to what they observed and felt after meeting their blood relations and local Muslims during their short stay, which made their visit to Muzaffarabad after long wait, as extraordinary. Local people here were keen to know about happenings, development activities on this side and thinking of people regarding ongoing - peace process to resolve Kashmir issue and many others matters with regard to culture and history of the seperated people. What they saw and discussed was symbolic of people torn by tragedy, divided by border and united in history and culture. People have the desire for unification of J&K State and re-union of the seperated families. They were overwhelmed by their warmth and friendly feeling. The joy and happiness after 58 years is difficult to explain after meeting the seperated families. They explained their past tragedies, difficulties and the efforts they made to re-establish themselves and remembering their relations in India in a free and frank manner. Iqbal whose previous name was Avtar Singh, said that he was just a child when he seperated from his brothers and parents in 1947. He remembers his father S. Thakur Singh Akali. Most of his relatives crossed over to India and he was left very young like other children and was converted to Islam later on. These convertees are now called "Sheikhs" and are settled on their ancestral property. They form a distinct group of muslims called "Sheikhs", the exact number of whom is not known. They have the longing to come over to this side to meet their seperated relations. They want fast and free access to meet their near and dear ones. When they heard of these Sikhs having reached Muzaffarabad they came from far and near villages to meet them and invited them to their homes as a mark of respect and to express their joy. These Muslims who were converted to Islam continue to follow their past traditions, lead their own way of life and customs etc. Thus they are a distinct class from the other Muslims. They marry among themselves, hold seperate social gatherings. This shows their past family background and culture. The stories of seperation are many, each more searing than the other. Their children go to schools for education where the stress is on Islamic teachings. As a result they recite Quoran and offer regular Namaz.

Developmental activities were seen where colleges, schools and buildings have come up and roads have been constructed. Muzaffarabad city has been extended by 10 Kms and there is improvement in living. People want Muzaffarabad to be part of Kashmir valley as a Muslim majority State. They have little consideration for Muslims living in Jammu province. It was something new for them to see Sikhs in Muzaffarabad. They were taught and told to those born after 1947 about Sikhs (as Zalim). After their meeting the younger generation they formed different opinion about Sikhs.

They met the Deputy Commissioner of Muzaffarabad for permission to visit Gurudwara Chhati Patshai, Naluchi but they were not permitted. It was learnt that there is Army camp in the area and the Gurudwara building is not in-tact. It is the desire of Sikhs of Jammu and Kashmir to go to these historical Gurudwaras in Muzaffarabad. They want to celebrate Sikh Gurupurab at these Gurudwaras and also carry out the repairs and renovations of these historical Gurudwaras at Naluchi, Kathai and other places. These Gurudwaras have historical significance for Sikhs as they are connected with the visit of Guru Hargobind Sahib who came to Kashmir alongwith Emperor jahengir. These Sikhs wanted to go to all the villages to meet the seperated relations, but earthquake shattered their plans. It was their miraculous escape when earthquake struck. They saw large number of dead bodies, rubble, debries and all-around devastation due to natural calamity. It reminded them of holocaust of 1947 in which thousands of innocent people were butchered houses torched and property looted. It is a lesson for people to learn that God punishes for injustice, though late. They were evacuated from Garhi Dupatta and flown by helicopter to Rawalpindi due to efforts of Indian Ambassador, Raghavan. They returned to Jammu via Wagah.

Chine's second thoughts on nuclear issue

By Sreedhar

Founded in 1975, NSG now has 44 members. It is an export control arrangement composed of nuclear supplier countries. Its principle is to strengthen control over nuclear exports in light of Guidelines for Nuclear Transfers and Trigger List, prevent the entry of nuclear materials and technologies into those countries that have not acceded to Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).

In fact, the most immediate reason for the foundation of NSG was India's first nuclear test in 1974, after which the United States instantly cut off its nuclear cooperation with India and established NSG to restrict selling sensitive nuclear technologies and raw materials to non-NPT countries. Over the past 30 years, the United States has always been trying to prevent India from access to nuclear technologies. Today, however, the United States wants a change.

On July 18 2005, the US Government pledged a full cooperation with India's civilian nuclear R&D programs, including selling advanced technologies to India. Nevertheless, according to NPT, the United States could not help but seek an amendment of its domestic law (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act of 1978.) and relevant international law (NSG's Guidelines for Nuclear Transfers) for the sake of transfers to India in the future. A senior US official said recently that US plans to complete the revisions mentioned above before President Bush's visit to India early next year.

Always calling itself a ''guard'' for nuclear proliferation prevention, the United States often condemns other countries for irresponsible transfers, but this time, it hesitates not a bit in revising laws, taking the lead in ''making an exception''. This will bring about a series of negative impacts.

Such an act of the United States once again proves that America is not at all a ''guard'' of NPT and the Treaty however, is no more than a disguise serving the US interest. Even some US Congressmen assail the Bush administraion if it insists on selling nuclear technologies to India, What norms the United States will follow on the nuclear issues of Iran and the Korean Peninsula?

While pressing Iran and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) how can the United States win support from the international community? And how can it qualify itself for ordering others about Russia's sales of nuclear technologies for civilian use to Iran? Now that the United States buys another country in with nuclear technologies in defiance of international treaty, other nuclear suppliers also have their own partners of interest as well as good reasons to copy what the United States did. A domino effect of nuclear proliferation, once turned into reality, will definitely lead to global nuclear proliferation and competition.''

To understand the implications of this extraordinary editorial by People's Daily, three factors must be noted. Foremost among them would be the Pakistan factor. Rightly or wrongly Pakistan is known more as a client state of China than the US. That client state pleaded in the portals of power, Washington DC that if any exceptions are being made on nuclear issue to India by the US or by the Nuclear Supplier Group, the same must be extended to Pakistan.

For understandable reasons, the US vetoed any such parity with India. Pakistan acquired its nuclear capability through clandestine means with core nuclear designs provided by China. In the process of acquiring nuclear weapon manufacturing capability, it freely made available such technology to countries like Iran, Libya, North Korea and reportedly even, to Saudi Arabia.

Though it has been generally felt that Pakistan indulged in this exercise with the consent of China, no published evidence is available as yet except for some Chinese marked designs, supplied by China to Pakistan that found their way in Libya.

As though this is not enough Pakistan collaborated with terrorist organizations like al-Qaida and Taliban in mobilizing resources for its nuclear programme, on the explicit understanding, that it will make available readymade nuclear weapons to those terrorist organizations. Now it is a public knowledge that father of Pakistan's nuclear programme Dr A Q Khan and his associates visited Taliban headquarters Kandahar and Kabul as late as July 2001 in Pakistan Air Force helicopters.

In these circumstances, Pakistan's quest for parity with recognized nuclear weapon powers could not hold well with the Great Powers.

Such a situation would automatically mean that Sino-Pak clandestine nuclear activity is not going to be legitimized by the Great Powers.

Therefore, the Chinese have to do something to maintain their perceived parity between India and Pakistan. The Chinese logic seems to be that if Pakistan cannot get the civilian nuclear technology, India also must be denied the same.

Second, after the Liberation war of Bangladesh in 1971, China has seen that the victorious India can emerge as a long-term threat to Beijing. To counter this Indian threat, Pakistan was selected as a counter to Indian preeminence in South Asia. By all assessment in this confrontation with India, China supported Pakistan, got badly bruished.

By the beginning the 21st Century, international community started perceiving Pakistan as a failed state or a failing State. In this situation, the developments of 9/11 and the Sino-Pak role in it completely altered the geopolitics of south West Asia. The US parked itself in Pakistan; and is slowly trying to redefine its role in the region. In addition the US supervising Pakistani response to Indian initiatives on Indo-Pakistan peace process shows that Islamabad as a loyal client state of Beijing, is changing.

All this is making China to reevalaute its options in South Asia.

Finally, the emerging Indo-US relations, especially after July 18, 2005 Indo-US Nuclear Cooperation Agreement appears to have convinced the Chinese that India is being drafted by the Great Powers to encircle it. The plethora of Chinese writings on the subject of Indo-US relations, including two books, indicate the Chinese anxiety to search for ways and means to confine India to South Asia alone.

This unfolding new Chinese strategy first found expression in their reaction to India's nuclear explosions in May 1998. It appears to have crystallised after China's lukewarm response to Indian claims to permanent membership in the UN Security Council. They vetoed G-4 (India, Brazil, Japan and Germany) proposal on the pretext that they are opposing Japan.

The Chinese lukewarm response to a special Emissary in the September 2005 Sino-Indian border talks indicated their desire to keep up the pressure points on India.

As though this mischief is not enough, the Chinese reported displeasure towards the Communist Party (Maoists) and teaching them a lesson immediately after the Royal Nepalese army's Chiefs visit to Beijing, indicate that the Chinese now want to show their muscle evn in India's next-door neighbours.

All this add up to show that Beijing is working overtime to contain India- CNF

Blood-bath in Iraq

By B. K. Karkra

One wonders whether the profiles of the present problem in Iraq are getting properly projected. The Americans are, of course, guilty of poking their dirty nose in another people's country. They must, therefore, accept a major share of the blame for the blood-bath that his nation is undergoing these days. Some thing has, indeed, gone terribly wrong here and those responsible for this awful situation need to be severely censured. However, placing all the culpability for this on the American shoulders will not be entirely justified. They may have acted inappropriately without mandate of the world body, but for a long while now the 'U.N'. and the 'U.S.' have been indistinguishable. Still, the argument that there was no other way of ridding the nation of a horrendous regime does not have many buyers.

The general perception world over is that the American action in Afghanistan in the wake of knocking down of their prestigious trade towers in New York was justified. The West has always been hysterically wary of the Russians eventually breaking into the warm waters of the Arabian Sea through afghanistan and Iran and thus, posing a powerful threat to their global hegemony. The bulwark that they had painstakingly created in Afghanistan through the Taliban to checkmate the Russians was now serving instead as strategic depth for Pakistan. Besides, the area had collected lot of riff raff Islamic elements to launch a 'jihad' against the non-Islamic word, particularly the U.S. (including the Muslim states seen as its allies), Russia and India. Pakistan then, indeed, acted as their patron saint. Thus, when Osama bin Laden provided them a tailor-made opportunity to sensitize this territory, they promptly grabbed it. Pakistan saved its skin by joining the US in its 'war on terror' to the great amusement of many.

On the other hand, the US misadventure in Iraq was seen in an entirely different light. It was, in fact, a case of calling a dog bad name and killing it. Nobody is in any doubt that the Americans and the British knew it in advance that there were no WMD's in the land left badly impoverished after the first Gulf War. There was some justification for their first intervention in Iraq but none at all for this second.

The present chaos in the country has, however, been caused by an interplay of many other forces where the Americans have no involvement. They can and should certainly be criticized where criticism is due, but they do not deserve to the demonized the way they are, just because some Islamic states are not on good terms with the West these days. Some ghastly excesses on their part in dealing with their prisoners, no doubt, deserve do be condemned. But, in the flush of their victories, all nations have unfortunately behaved in a, more or less, similar manner throughout our history.

Coming now back to the ethno-political forces at work in Iraq, what comes to mind immediately is the population mix of the place and the fact the Sunni minority had been having a near complete sway in the corridors of power here for decades. The Shia and Kurd sections of the population that have remained suppressed so far are now looking forward to having a due say in the Iraqi politics in a democratic dispensation being brought about. A natural churning process is, therefore, currently on the nation. A sort of political revolution is waiting to take wings. The Sunni minority is yet to reconcile to the shock resulting from the sudden loss of political power. Old habits, after all, die hard.

Let us hope that all ethnic groups would soon settle down to a peaceful existence. The Sunni's, just accounting for 20% of the nation cannot hope to exercise exclusive control over the levers of political power for all time to come. They must get in to the habit of sharing authority equitably. The Shia and the Kurd majority, on their part, should ensure that all fears of the Sunni minority related to marginalization are quickly addressed. There are, of course, many other factors also behind the instability and violence in Iraq, like pouring of the 'jihad's' from all sides, the general ethos in the neighbouring countries and the lingering reluctance to accept the reality of Israel by some Muslim states etc. However, these maladies are peripheral. The germs of the disease, in fact, lie within Iraq itself. Once a truly representative Government comes at the helm, with proper safeguards for all ethnic entities, the terrorist activities in the area would hopefully taper off. Once peace returns, the occupation forces would also not be left with any excuse to hang on there. Neither the Americans nor the 'jehadis' have any role to play in Iraq. It is the Iaqi's who have to decide their destiny themselves.