Bangladesh’s national security and its armed forcesBy Dr. MahbubullahMon, 9 Oct 2006, 10:06:00
Email this article Printer friendly page Access News PhotosThere was no need of a state in the primitive society because there was no discrimination. Humans felt the need to form the state when discrimination began to surface. Discriminations also created anarchy, chaos and bloodshed making the need to create states all the more urgent. Thomas Hobbs describes the chaotic situation in the following words, " ..which is worst of all, continual fear and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short." Humans felt the need of an institution that can keep man's destructive instincts in check and when necessary can punish an offender. The institution that makes men follow a set of all-accepted rules and regulations and which ensures justice and equality is called a state. The civilisation man has achieved could not be achieved if there were no states.The state not only has the authority to use forces inside its demarcated territory but also reserves both the authority and responsibility to resist any foreign states from intruding into its sovereignty. A state acquires this right from its people. It is the people of a certain state that gives a state its legal authority to use force. In 1947 people of the then East Pakistan gave this right to Pakistan and the same people took away that right and put it onto a new state we now call Bangladesh.No one has denied the necessity of the army from primitive time to today. Those who want to change the society through revolution also felt the need of "the revolutionary army". The founder of the Republic of China Mao Tsetung said "Without a people's army people have nothing." No nation no matter on which philosophy it believes in, can do without the army. But some people of our country are pouring their venom against the army day in and day out. They are speaking against the development and strengthening of the army. Sometimes they even go to the extent of dissolving the army. Unfortunately, these anti-state elements have influence on the media. Poet Abdul Hakim has questioned about the legitimacy of the birth of those Bangalis who rear hatred for Bangla language. In the same way the Bangladeshis who spread malice against the army have problem in their birth.Now, will these people, who are hell bent on dissolving the army, tell us which people in the entire world are against the army of their own country? A certain group who call themselves economists is selling the notion that the army is an unproductive sector and therefore the budget allocation for the army should be brought down. Their real desire is to see the army getting dissolved, but they are afraid of telling it openly. I want to ask them, do you think anarchy is productive?There are many problems in Bangladesh's law and order situation which is hampering our productivity. No doubt the size of the police force in our country is inadequate. Though the army is not used for maintaining the day-to-day law and order situation, their very presence in the barrack is a source of our confidence: we feel assured that there will be no civil war, no insurgency in any part of the country (for instance in the Chittagong Hill Tracts) and no large-scale anarchy in the country.In the economics there is a concept of "Public Good". Its characteristic is one's consumption does not cut away another's consumption. A country's defence service is a classic example of Public Good. As citizen of an independent state we want to see that our sovereignty is not threatened by any foreign nation. If that happens we will lose everything, our trade and commerce, industry and agriculture. The army is there as the saviour of our sovereignty and all the citizens of a country enjoy this service of the army. What will be the situation of our economy without a defense force in place? Have these so-called economists read Adam Smith's "The Wealth of Nations" where he wrote, "The first duty of the sovereign that of protecting the society from the violence and invasion of other independent societies, can be performed only by means of a military force. But the expense both of preparing this military force in time of peace, and of employing it in time of war, is very different in the different states of society, in the different periods of improvement."In a third world country like Bangladesh what makes the army all the more important is the army along with safeguarding our sovereignty, also ensures safety of our border from regional conflict as well as strengthens the internal unity. The army is thus the symbol of a nation's unity and prestige.Until 1815 UK's defence expenditure was never below 10% of its GDP. During the war in Austria, the seven-year long war, America's independence war, UK's defense expenditure would often go beyond 20% of GDP. During the time between two world wars a few renowned economists including AC Pigu wrote extensively about the positive aspects of defense budget cut. But when the Second World War broke out the economists began to look at the problems created because of the cut in the defence budget. During the Second World War UK spent about 50% of its GDP in the defence sector. However for an imperialist country like UK the cost-benefit equation is naturally different from a country that has no desire to colonise other countries. But that does not mean Bangladesh has no fear of falling a prey to other country's border aggression attitude, so it has to be prepared for wars that may be imposed on it. So, it must have a well-trained and well-equipped army. And Bangladesh will have to continue strengthening its army until there is a mutual agreement of all the countries about disarmament.Bangladesh has never spent more than 4 to 5% of its GDP in the defence sector. While the allocation stood at Tk 3402 crore (only 1.3% of GDP) in 2001-02 it stood at Tk 4320 crore (1.1 %) in 2005-06. In fact over the last few years allocation for the defence budget has always been declining. The other SAARC countries like Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Nepal spend respectively 6%, 3%, 4.5% and 1% of their GDP. Bangladesh's defence expenditure in terms of GDP percentage is lowest in the whole Asia. Besides the loin share of the allocation is spent on the salaries and other allowances while expenditure for purchasing war equipment never really crossed 10% of the total allocation. There is no allocation in the R&D sector while arms are bought with soft loan. In reality, hardly any money is being spent for modernising the army which is frustrating.Over the last 18 years, 55,984 members of our army took part in 37 missions in 26 countries under the United Nations Peace Keeping Mission. At present 9992 members of Bangladesh army that happens to be the biggest contributor in the UN peace-keeping mission, are engaged in 12 countries. During this 18-year period Bangladesh earned $1.5 billion, which is equivalent to $230 million dollars in remittance annually. Since the entire amount is being earned in foreign currency it would have been logical to spend it for the development of the army. But even there is misery.The army has always been in the front line whenever there has been any natural disaster like flood or cyclone. Unfortunately, they cannot sometimes intervene more promptly due to limitations in necessary equipment. Again, the army has been an institution that has created high quality human resources. The Army Staff College, National Defence College, Medical College, Pathological Laboratory and CMH have been rendering invaluable service in this respect. But members of the so-called civil society appear to be blind to such noble service of the army.There is another major contribution of a standing army. About 90% of the jawans in the army come from the peasants' families. They can be called "Peasants in Uniform". These soldiers send a part of their salaries to their parents living in the villages which undoubtedly help make the agricultural economy of our country more productive. Indian economist Amit Bhaduri has written on the importance of this remittance provided by the army personnel in the agricultural economy. The military expenditure in the developed countries like USA and UK also played a crucial role to maintain the demand level during under-consumption and stagnation. Socialist economists like Paul Baran and Paul Suiji have shown this positive impact of the defence expenditure. The synchronisation of military expenditure and cutting in unemployment rate by the rich countries during the period between two world wars is a fine illustration of their theory.Those who talk about cutting defence expenditure and dissolving the army are 'in fact' supporters of an undivided India. Significantly, they don't have anything to say when they see India is arming itself with modern military equipment, which is more aggressive than defensive. Now what is undivided India? Many westerners believe an undivided India means British India before 1947 with Pakistan and Bangladesh inside it while others draw the borderline covering Afghanistan and Myanmar. Though the Indian governments never admitted it openly it becomes obvious from its behaviour with its neighbouring countries. A hint of undivided India can be heard from Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's Discovery of India : " India will inevitably exercise an important influence. Indian will also develop as the centre of economic and political activity in the India Ocean. The small national state is doomed. It may survive as a culturally autonomous area but not as an independent political unit." Nehru's philosophy clearly expresses India's real intention about its small neighbours like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan. Indian war experts also very much nurture this dream. Rabi Rikhi in his "The War that Never Was" writes, "India should at earliest opportunity incorporate Pakistan into the Republic followed by all the territories that composed India before independence. The natural boundary of India encompasses the present- day states of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Our geo-strategic imperative requires a subordinate Sri Lanka, Burma and Bhutan and a buffer Tibet and Afghanistan. No matter what the cost we must start the process of reintegration. Reintegration can be conducted either peacefully or by war. In 1975 Sheikh Mujibar Rahman was assassinated. Though Mrs Gandhi first considered intervention and the army alerted three divisions, in the end the government hesitated and the moment passed. The result: Our choice to keep Bangladesh in our camp vanished. India would have been fully justified in intervening under the same doctrine that lets the Soviet Union intervene in Poland and Afghanistan and the Americans in Nicaragua and Grenada".So, India is never willing to deter from realising its dream of undivided India. Following the 1991 elections an editorial in Kolkata's Anandabazar newspaper in March urged the people of Bangladesh to get united with India. Again India's support for Bangladesh's independence war was also not a selfless act of generosity. Moudud Ahmed in his "Bangladesh: Constitutional Quest for Autonomy" writes, "India's support for Bangladesh basically emanated from its negative approach towards Pakistan. For political, historical and economic reasons, it was India's natural desire to see that her rival power structure in the subcontinent is weakened. It was not so much love for democracy or sense of brotherhood for the people of Bangladesh that Indira Gandhi decided to support the Bengalis in their war to achieve independence." India supported Bangladesh's liberation war only to realise its national and international goals. It wanted to have a government in Bangladesh who will be loyal to it. The ''7-point treaty" between India and Bangladesh's temporary government led by President Syed Nazrul Islam was framed with that aim in view. Moulana Bhasani opposed this controversial treaty and demanded to make it public. One of the major points in the treaty was there would one common army of India and Bangladesh headed by an Indian. Bangladesh could form a paramilitary force to maintain its internal law and order. Indian army will stay in Bangladesh for an indefinite time and India and Bangladesh will have a common foreign policy, the other points said. However neither India nor Bangladesh government admitted the existence of such a treaty. Sheikh Mujibar Rahman also ruled out this notion with apparent hatred, but there was no dearth in his interest for forming a paramilitary force (Rakkhi Bahini). Again, the army was subject to neglect and discrimination during his rule.Those who preach that the army is not necessary are actually out to materialise that 7-point secret treaty. They want to see Bangladesh losing its independent self and get united with India. Some of these known faces of our country who rear such dream believe Sher-e-Bangla Fazlul Haq, Huseyn Shahid Suhrawardi, Moulana Bhasani and Sheikh Mujibar Rahman committed "a great sin". The greater sinners were the millions of independence-loving people who made highest sacrifice for liberty. These anti-state elements are thinking of correcting that "sin" by Bangladesh liquefying Bangladesh and making it a part of India.Prothom Alo is one of the top and most influential dailies of the country. If this daily creates confusion regarding issues of great national importance then there are reasons to be alarmed. The daily ran a series story on August 5, 6, 7 and 8 under the title of "Which way the modernisation of Bangladesh army is heading for?" After reading the story I wondered what does Prothom Alo and its editor Motiur Rahman want? I know Rahman since my school days. Rahman since college days was involved with communist party and later was the editor of the communist party's paper weekly Ekota. Though he is not related with the party now Prothom Alo has explicitly or implicitly advocated Soviet thoughts and ideas. The foreign policy of Soviet Union was to re-establish undivided India as it was before 47. It is the same philosophy that Congress and extremists Hindu leaders relish. They want to make Bangladesh and Pakistan their states and no patriotic Bangladeshis can support such mischievous scheme. Though Mizanur Rahman Khan wrote the report Motiur Rahman as the editor will have to shoulder responsibility for the story.About the first part of the story titled "Senabahini chay beshi shakti, beshi dapat, beshi ostra" the army headquarters sent a rejoinder saying, "the report bears the reporter and the newspaper authority's hatred against the army and expresses ignorance about military terminology. Though it was promised that the report will be based on the interview of Bangladesh army's chief published by Janes Defencse Weekly, the story in the end has created confusion and disputes about the army's image among people ." "More strength, more teeth, more fire power" is a frequently used phrase in military terminology which Bangladesh's Chief of the Army Staff used in his interview. But take note how Mizanur Rahman, the reporter, translated these words. He translated "more teeth" as beshi dapat. In the army the word "teeth" means ''fighting arms". Will it be unjust if one thinks that the Bangla word dapat was used with evil intention. In Bangla dapat is a negative word which is used to indicate unjustified usage of strength and power. So, it does not require any research to see the malevolence the writer is spreading about the army by intentionally using this negative word.In the report Mizanur Rahman writes that the Bangladesh army's philosophy is centered on gathering more power and more arms. Now, doesn't this reporter want to see a strong and capable army? These Khans actually want to see a crippled and pathetic Bangladesh army. Any patriot would want that they army is provided with from whatever national resources we have, so that it can ensure safety of the nation. He also writes, "It seems both the leaders of BNP and AL share similar attitude towards the army as both of them support big purchase for gradual modernisation of the army." When these two leaders take opposite side in every national issue it should be greatly appreciated if they are found in agreement about a certain issue. But the reporter cannot be happy for understandable reasons.Mizanur Rahman in the second part of his story titled ''The Navy's dream of purchasing submarine" writes "it is apparent that all the governments have maintained continuation of military purchase. But though the education sector gets the highest budget establishing a university or raising teachers' salary are often ignored or delayed by the governments. The pace of development is so slow when compared with the rocket-speed development of the army." The malice is explicit here. When Bangladesh has the lowest budget in terms of GDP percentage for the army, how can the reporter make such a comment? No doubt the people of Bangladesh want to see development of the country's education and health sector, but not by turning the army crippled.Again the reporter has quoted former army chiefs in an abrupt manner and partially creating scopes for misinterpretation about the army. Such practice, specially for a country as Bangladesh is in, can prove very dangerous.The national security of Bangladesh is too important an issue to deal haphazardly. It has different dimension and of them the most important one is the issue of core security. Our army is responsible for providing us with the core security. But it is also true that the army alone cannot perform this duty if the countrymen are not with them. The people of Bangladesh have never seen the army with suspicion. It is those people who cannot tolerate Bangladesh's existence as an independent state in the world map and who want to see it dissolved into another large country, who cast aspersion against the army. (Dr. Mahbubullah is Professor, Development Studies Department, University of Dhaka)
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Children,women-trafficking on the rise in India
Top Stories"Children, women-trafficking on the rise in India"
Kochi, Oct. 7 (PTI): National Human Rights Commission Chairman, Justice A S Anand, today said that trafficking of women and children was on a rise in India.
India was not only a transit point for trafficked women and children, but was also recipient and a supplier of such persons, Anand said delivering a lecture on 'Human Rights - Challenges of the 21st century'.
The exploitation of women and children for sex, however, was not confined to India alone. With porous borders with Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the problem has global dimensions, he said.
Quoting statistics, he said it was a flourishing trade of eight billion dollars a year. It is almost surpassed the profits from drugs trafficking.
In Asia-Pacific itself, 4.5 lakh people are trafficked every year and out of them 2 lakh were from South Asia, he said.
Pointing out that trafficking had wider dimensions and needs multi-pronged effort to tackle it, he said prostitution was not prohibited under the ammended Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act, 1986.
Despite the ammendment, the legislation falls short of its objectives and has not proved effective to check commercialised flesh trade, he said.
The act does not provide punishment for the client and makes no provision for the sex worker's rehabiltiation.
Sex tourism was on the rise in the country, particularly in Kerala, he said. "We have heard of sex tourism in Thailand, Malaysia and now it is on the rise in India," he said.
Kochi, Oct. 7 (PTI): National Human Rights Commission Chairman, Justice A S Anand, today said that trafficking of women and children was on a rise in India.
India was not only a transit point for trafficked women and children, but was also recipient and a supplier of such persons, Anand said delivering a lecture on 'Human Rights - Challenges of the 21st century'.
The exploitation of women and children for sex, however, was not confined to India alone. With porous borders with Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the problem has global dimensions, he said.
Quoting statistics, he said it was a flourishing trade of eight billion dollars a year. It is almost surpassed the profits from drugs trafficking.
In Asia-Pacific itself, 4.5 lakh people are trafficked every year and out of them 2 lakh were from South Asia, he said.
Pointing out that trafficking had wider dimensions and needs multi-pronged effort to tackle it, he said prostitution was not prohibited under the ammended Prevention of Immoral Trafficking Act, 1986.
Despite the ammendment, the legislation falls short of its objectives and has not proved effective to check commercialised flesh trade, he said.
The act does not provide punishment for the client and makes no provision for the sex worker's rehabiltiation.
Sex tourism was on the rise in the country, particularly in Kerala, he said. "We have heard of sex tourism in Thailand, Malaysia and now it is on the rise in India," he said.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Unlikely Suspect
The revelations made on September 30 by Mumbai police chief AN Roy of the way in which the July 11 bomb blasts were planned and executed have emboldened the hawks in the Indian armed forces and intelligence establishment who have been arguing that it would be rank folly to trust Pervez Musharraf's declarations on Kashmir or his desire for peace with India. Their scepticism has been strengthened by Roy’s bald assertion that not only the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT), but also Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was directly involved. According to him, the LeT could not have dispatched as many as 10 operatives from Pakistan without at least a nod from the ISI. The fact that LeT’s operatives seem to have entered India through Nepal and Bangladesh, where the ISI is well entrenched, has strengthened their belief.
This assumption needs to be treated with caution. The conception of Pakistan as a monolithic State in which all organs of government and civil society work in perfect harmony is fanciful, to say the least. Pakistan is, in fact, a somewhat chaotic, half-formed State in which the authority of the rulers is being constantly contested. The most that the LeT’s involvement with the Mumbai blasts and the possible involvement of the ISI with the LeT reveals is that the disarray in the Pakistani State is far greater than the most pessimistic assessments made so far. The alternative explanation, that Musharraf is backing attempts to trigger a communal holocaust and bring about the disintegration of the Indian State while lulling it into a false sense of security is far-fetched, because it requires a level of brinkmanship that is not far from suicide.
Musharraf already faces threat of insurgency in North Waziristan and Balochistan. These have forced him to deploy more than a quarter of the Pakistani army in these areas, dangerously thinning Pakistan’s defences on the Indian border. Since his military commitments in Waziristan and Balochistan are open-ended, he needs to keep the Indian border quiet at any cost. Inciting and assisting the LeT to spread terror in India is hardly the best way to do so.
On the contrary, common sense would expect a head of State in his predicament to minimise the number of fronts on which he has to fight in order to concentrate on the ones most important to him. By this yardstick, maintaining peace in Waziristan and bringing the rebellion in Balochistan under control are infinitely more important than poking away at India in the hope that it will blow up, for India poses no immediate threat to Pakistan’s existence.
Viewed from this perspective, all of Musharraf’s overtures to India in the last two years — from his retreat from the demand for a plebiscite in Kashmir before the Saarc summit at Islamabad in 2004, to his carefully unveiled plan for limited autonomy to a federal Kashmir in October 2004, to his visit to Delhi in April 2005 — make perfect sense. Even India’s ‘postponement’ of the composite dialogue after the Mumbai blasts did not end his overtures. In the interview he gave to A.G. Noorani for Mainstream, he mooted the need for the two countries to control the activities of their intelligence agencies, a tacit admission that he did not have the measure of control over its activities that he would like, but also an indirect rebuke to India for allowing the R&AW to meddle in Balochistan. He also took advantage of the exposure of the London bomb row to put LeT head Hafiz Mohammad Sayeed in jail and has kept him there since. Thus, if the LeT continues to operate with impunity or, worse, with the help of elements within the Pakistani State, it is because Musharraf is unable to fully control one or both of them.
In recent weeks, the pressure exerted on Musharraf by developments within Pakistan for brokering a peace with India has, if anything, become greater. Not only has his attempt to invoke (not for the first time) the help of the Sardars of Waziristan to control the Taliban run into a storm of criticism from a beleaguered US and Nato, but the flare-up in Balochistan after the killing of Sardar Bugti has brought him face to face with the possibility of an insurrection that he may not be able to control. These developments paved the way for the resumption of the dialogue with Manmohan Singh in Havana and the decision to create a joint mechanism for intelligence sharing between the two countries.
But if the Pakistani State is in disarray, so is policy-making in India. Nothing underlines this more sharply than the way in which Roy’s press conference has all but destroyed the Havana initiative. The arrest and interrogation of 12 out of the 15 Indians who were allegedly involved in the bombing had created a golden opportunity for the Indian government to test Pakistan’s sincerity. For they had revealed the names and whereabouts of several of the Pakistani participants in the plot as well as the LeT’s involvement. Had these names and the supporting proof been given quietly to Pakistan, its agencies would have had an opportunity to cooperate with India, shielded from the public gaze. We would soon have found out how much control Musharraf genuinely had over them and how sincere he was in Havana. But that opportunity was destroyed by Roy’s public accusation of the ISI. Not only did it leave the Pakistani foreign office with no option but to make a blanket denial, but it also forced its spokesperson, Tasneem Aslam, to make it clear, in advance of any investigation, that the question of deporting anyone to India did not arise. For those in the ISI who looked at the Havana initiative with as much horror as their counterparts in India, Roy’s press conference must have been pure music.
Had Roy done this on his own, he could have been accused of jumping the gun in order to capture kudos for the Maharashtra police. But as he himself made clear, he was given the green light to hold the press meet by the Centre. One is, therefore, forced to ask who in the central government? Was it the Home Ministry or the PMO? Did it have the clearance of the Prime Minister and, if so, did Singh not realise that it would make a mockery of his Havana initiative? If Singh was not consulted, then who went out of his or her way to sabotage the Havana initiative and hold up the Prime Minister to ridicule?
These questions have not only to be asked, but answered. For, the accusation that Roy jumped the gun is not being made by the ‘doves’ and ‘peaceniks’ alone. It has also been echoed by some in the intelligence services who have complained that they were not given enough time to tie up the loose ends of the investigation. It is, therefore, difficult to avoid coming to the conclusion that while Roy’s press conference may have been designed to reassure the Mumbai public, its timing was designed to torpedo Singh’s Havana initiative.
Close watchers of the political scene in Delhi have remarked during the past year that the government is virtually paralysed by its own internal dissensions. Many have jumped to the conclusion that this is because of the ‘dyarchy’ within the Congress that has resulted from power being shared by Sonia Gandhi and Singh. But the sorry tale of the peace-that-may-now-never-be shows that the dissension exists within Singh’s government and because he allows it to exist. Over two years, it has grown to the point where it is no longer a battle to give advice to the government. Today, the struggle is over control of the government’s agenda.
This assumption needs to be treated with caution. The conception of Pakistan as a monolithic State in which all organs of government and civil society work in perfect harmony is fanciful, to say the least. Pakistan is, in fact, a somewhat chaotic, half-formed State in which the authority of the rulers is being constantly contested. The most that the LeT’s involvement with the Mumbai blasts and the possible involvement of the ISI with the LeT reveals is that the disarray in the Pakistani State is far greater than the most pessimistic assessments made so far. The alternative explanation, that Musharraf is backing attempts to trigger a communal holocaust and bring about the disintegration of the Indian State while lulling it into a false sense of security is far-fetched, because it requires a level of brinkmanship that is not far from suicide.
Musharraf already faces threat of insurgency in North Waziristan and Balochistan. These have forced him to deploy more than a quarter of the Pakistani army in these areas, dangerously thinning Pakistan’s defences on the Indian border. Since his military commitments in Waziristan and Balochistan are open-ended, he needs to keep the Indian border quiet at any cost. Inciting and assisting the LeT to spread terror in India is hardly the best way to do so.
On the contrary, common sense would expect a head of State in his predicament to minimise the number of fronts on which he has to fight in order to concentrate on the ones most important to him. By this yardstick, maintaining peace in Waziristan and bringing the rebellion in Balochistan under control are infinitely more important than poking away at India in the hope that it will blow up, for India poses no immediate threat to Pakistan’s existence.
Viewed from this perspective, all of Musharraf’s overtures to India in the last two years — from his retreat from the demand for a plebiscite in Kashmir before the Saarc summit at Islamabad in 2004, to his carefully unveiled plan for limited autonomy to a federal Kashmir in October 2004, to his visit to Delhi in April 2005 — make perfect sense. Even India’s ‘postponement’ of the composite dialogue after the Mumbai blasts did not end his overtures. In the interview he gave to A.G. Noorani for Mainstream, he mooted the need for the two countries to control the activities of their intelligence agencies, a tacit admission that he did not have the measure of control over its activities that he would like, but also an indirect rebuke to India for allowing the R&AW to meddle in Balochistan. He also took advantage of the exposure of the London bomb row to put LeT head Hafiz Mohammad Sayeed in jail and has kept him there since. Thus, if the LeT continues to operate with impunity or, worse, with the help of elements within the Pakistani State, it is because Musharraf is unable to fully control one or both of them.
In recent weeks, the pressure exerted on Musharraf by developments within Pakistan for brokering a peace with India has, if anything, become greater. Not only has his attempt to invoke (not for the first time) the help of the Sardars of Waziristan to control the Taliban run into a storm of criticism from a beleaguered US and Nato, but the flare-up in Balochistan after the killing of Sardar Bugti has brought him face to face with the possibility of an insurrection that he may not be able to control. These developments paved the way for the resumption of the dialogue with Manmohan Singh in Havana and the decision to create a joint mechanism for intelligence sharing between the two countries.
But if the Pakistani State is in disarray, so is policy-making in India. Nothing underlines this more sharply than the way in which Roy’s press conference has all but destroyed the Havana initiative. The arrest and interrogation of 12 out of the 15 Indians who were allegedly involved in the bombing had created a golden opportunity for the Indian government to test Pakistan’s sincerity. For they had revealed the names and whereabouts of several of the Pakistani participants in the plot as well as the LeT’s involvement. Had these names and the supporting proof been given quietly to Pakistan, its agencies would have had an opportunity to cooperate with India, shielded from the public gaze. We would soon have found out how much control Musharraf genuinely had over them and how sincere he was in Havana. But that opportunity was destroyed by Roy’s public accusation of the ISI. Not only did it leave the Pakistani foreign office with no option but to make a blanket denial, but it also forced its spokesperson, Tasneem Aslam, to make it clear, in advance of any investigation, that the question of deporting anyone to India did not arise. For those in the ISI who looked at the Havana initiative with as much horror as their counterparts in India, Roy’s press conference must have been pure music.
Had Roy done this on his own, he could have been accused of jumping the gun in order to capture kudos for the Maharashtra police. But as he himself made clear, he was given the green light to hold the press meet by the Centre. One is, therefore, forced to ask who in the central government? Was it the Home Ministry or the PMO? Did it have the clearance of the Prime Minister and, if so, did Singh not realise that it would make a mockery of his Havana initiative? If Singh was not consulted, then who went out of his or her way to sabotage the Havana initiative and hold up the Prime Minister to ridicule?
These questions have not only to be asked, but answered. For, the accusation that Roy jumped the gun is not being made by the ‘doves’ and ‘peaceniks’ alone. It has also been echoed by some in the intelligence services who have complained that they were not given enough time to tie up the loose ends of the investigation. It is, therefore, difficult to avoid coming to the conclusion that while Roy’s press conference may have been designed to reassure the Mumbai public, its timing was designed to torpedo Singh’s Havana initiative.
Close watchers of the political scene in Delhi have remarked during the past year that the government is virtually paralysed by its own internal dissensions. Many have jumped to the conclusion that this is because of the ‘dyarchy’ within the Congress that has resulted from power being shared by Sonia Gandhi and Singh. But the sorry tale of the peace-that-may-now-never-be shows that the dissension exists within Singh’s government and because he allows it to exist. Over two years, it has grown to the point where it is no longer a battle to give advice to the government. Today, the struggle is over control of the government’s agenda.
Security Trends South Asia- Oct 2006
Security Trends South Asia - October 2006
Rahul K Bhonsle
Security-risks.com undertakes a survey of the security situation in South Asia during the month, this time September 2006 and possible way ahead for October 2006 and beyond.
The key issues during the month were a number of international initiatives to bring economic and security benefits to the South Asian Sub Continent. The Non Aligned movement leaders Summit in Havana saw resumption of peace dialogue between India and Pakistan, including drafting of a crucial Joint Mechanism on terror. India-Brazil-South Africa or IBSA and Indo German Defence relationship will supplement strengthening of Sino Indian relations, with the visit of the Chinese President Hu Jin Tao in November.
There was some hope of peace in Sri Lanka; Pakistan managed to lower the heat in Balochistan while Afghanistan remains an area of concern with increase in the production of poppy to 6100 tons and Taliban activities not showing any loss of momentum.
Bangladesh is witnessing civil strife in pre election mode, ditto for Nepal. Globally the military coup in Thailand, spelt the limits of democracy in South East Asia, Sudan and Somalia remained unstable, while Lebanon saw pull out of Israeli troops from the south replaced by the UNIFIL.
Indian police announced a major breakthrough in the 7/11 Mumbai blasts, Naga peace talks are set to resume in October while the process with ULFA, broke down. Dengue and Chikungunya are razing a large swathe of area of India from Kerala to New Delhi.
A survey of these and other critical issues duly summarized has been presented in the copy attached with this email to all key opinion leaders, policy makers and security analysts for their information and reference. The same is also forwarded to you for your consideration of publication of any issues which you find relevant please.
For more information, visit www.security-risks.com.
Indo-US Civil Nuclear DealEd : Rahul Bhonsle, Ved Prakash, Dr K R Gupta
Placing the Debate on the Indo US Civil Nuclear Deal in Perspective -
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Rahul K Bhonsle
Security-risks.com undertakes a survey of the security situation in South Asia during the month, this time September 2006 and possible way ahead for October 2006 and beyond.
The key issues during the month were a number of international initiatives to bring economic and security benefits to the South Asian Sub Continent. The Non Aligned movement leaders Summit in Havana saw resumption of peace dialogue between India and Pakistan, including drafting of a crucial Joint Mechanism on terror. India-Brazil-South Africa or IBSA and Indo German Defence relationship will supplement strengthening of Sino Indian relations, with the visit of the Chinese President Hu Jin Tao in November.
There was some hope of peace in Sri Lanka; Pakistan managed to lower the heat in Balochistan while Afghanistan remains an area of concern with increase in the production of poppy to 6100 tons and Taliban activities not showing any loss of momentum.
Bangladesh is witnessing civil strife in pre election mode, ditto for Nepal. Globally the military coup in Thailand, spelt the limits of democracy in South East Asia, Sudan and Somalia remained unstable, while Lebanon saw pull out of Israeli troops from the south replaced by the UNIFIL.
Indian police announced a major breakthrough in the 7/11 Mumbai blasts, Naga peace talks are set to resume in October while the process with ULFA, broke down. Dengue and Chikungunya are razing a large swathe of area of India from Kerala to New Delhi.
A survey of these and other critical issues duly summarized has been presented in the copy attached with this email to all key opinion leaders, policy makers and security analysts for their information and reference. The same is also forwarded to you for your consideration of publication of any issues which you find relevant please.
For more information, visit www.security-risks.com.
Indo-US Civil Nuclear DealEd : Rahul Bhonsle, Ved Prakash, Dr K R Gupta
Placing the Debate on the Indo US Civil Nuclear Deal in Perspective -
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Rahul K Bhonslerkbhonsle@security-risks.com South Asia's First Online Monthly Security Journal www.security-risks.com Mob No 91 9899692368, 9818272740
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Thursday, October 05, 2006
Maoist to Improve Coordination
Maoists to improve coordination
K. Srinivas Reddy
Decision came at a meeting in Nepal of Maoist Parties and Organisations
Need for people's movements to draw closer
South Asia a burning cauldron of revolutionary movements
Committee to deepen links between genuine Maoists
HYDERABAD: Maoists in Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Bhutan have decided to improve their coordination to turn South Asia "into a flaming field of people's upsurges."
The decision came at the fourth conference of the Coordination Committee of Maoist Parties and Organisations of South Asia (CCOMPOSA) in Nepal in August last week. Representatives of eight Maoist parties participated in it.
The meeting, convened by the Communist Party of Nepal, assumes significance in the backdrop of the success of the armed revolution in Nepal and the unification of the Maoist parties in India.
Interestingly, a fledgling ultra left party from Sri Lanka, the Communist Party of Ceylon (Maoist), too attended.
Notwithstanding the forceful assertion of Nepal Maoists that they would not meddle with the Indian Maoist movement and that it would be treated as the country's "internal security concern," the political resolution passed at the conference asserted that the coordination committee would "deepen and extend the links between genuine Maoists of the region and increase the coordination to fight back the enemies in the respective countries."
The resolution underlined the need for the people's movements in South Asian countries to "draw closer together and assist their respective struggles." It came down heavily on "`the U.S. imperialism guiding the Indian expansionist rulers."
South Asia, the committee felt, has become a "burning cauldron" of the revolutionary movements. In Nepal, people's war had reached new heights, while in India the merger of two major Maoist parties created a formidable force.
In Bangladesh, Maoists were making efforts to unite and spread revolutionary activity to new areas. In Bhutan "sprouts" of new Maoist movement had begun. All these developments make "South Asia a flaming field of Maoist revolutions," the resolution said.
The conference was attended by the Proletarian party of Purba Bangla-CC, Communist Party of East Bengal (ML) (Red Flag), Balgladesher Samyobadi Dal (ML) (all from Bangladesh), Communist Party of Bhutan (MLM), Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), Commuist Party of India (Maoist), Communist Party of India (ML) Naxalbari and Communist Party of India (MLM).
The Communist Party of Ceylon (Maoist), which attended the meeting, is, not a signatory to the resolution, thereby indicating that it was invited as an observer to the conference.
K. Srinivas Reddy
Decision came at a meeting in Nepal of Maoist Parties and Organisations
Need for people's movements to draw closer
South Asia a burning cauldron of revolutionary movements
Committee to deepen links between genuine Maoists
HYDERABAD: Maoists in Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Bhutan have decided to improve their coordination to turn South Asia "into a flaming field of people's upsurges."
The decision came at the fourth conference of the Coordination Committee of Maoist Parties and Organisations of South Asia (CCOMPOSA) in Nepal in August last week. Representatives of eight Maoist parties participated in it.
The meeting, convened by the Communist Party of Nepal, assumes significance in the backdrop of the success of the armed revolution in Nepal and the unification of the Maoist parties in India.
Interestingly, a fledgling ultra left party from Sri Lanka, the Communist Party of Ceylon (Maoist), too attended.
Notwithstanding the forceful assertion of Nepal Maoists that they would not meddle with the Indian Maoist movement and that it would be treated as the country's "internal security concern," the political resolution passed at the conference asserted that the coordination committee would "deepen and extend the links between genuine Maoists of the region and increase the coordination to fight back the enemies in the respective countries."
The resolution underlined the need for the people's movements in South Asian countries to "draw closer together and assist their respective struggles." It came down heavily on "`the U.S. imperialism guiding the Indian expansionist rulers."
South Asia, the committee felt, has become a "burning cauldron" of the revolutionary movements. In Nepal, people's war had reached new heights, while in India the merger of two major Maoist parties created a formidable force.
In Bangladesh, Maoists were making efforts to unite and spread revolutionary activity to new areas. In Bhutan "sprouts" of new Maoist movement had begun. All these developments make "South Asia a flaming field of Maoist revolutions," the resolution said.
The conference was attended by the Proletarian party of Purba Bangla-CC, Communist Party of East Bengal (ML) (Red Flag), Balgladesher Samyobadi Dal (ML) (all from Bangladesh), Communist Party of Bhutan (MLM), Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), Commuist Party of India (Maoist), Communist Party of India (ML) Naxalbari and Communist Party of India (MLM).
The Communist Party of Ceylon (Maoist), which attended the meeting, is, not a signatory to the resolution, thereby indicating that it was invited as an observer to the conference.
Indian gov't to spend USD 185m to enhance border trade - Irna
Indian gov't to spend USD 185m to enhance border trade
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Monday, October 02, 2006
Sri Lanka business already hit by ethnic conflict, damaged by rigid labour laws, high taxes: new World Bank study says
Sri Lanka business already hit by ethnic conflict, damaged by rigid labour laws, high taxes.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Maoists close ranks to make South Asia a flaming field of revolutions | Asian Tribune
Maoists close ranks to make South Asia a flaming field of revolutions.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
.: India: International Religious Freedom Report 2006 - World :. .: All American Patriots :.
.: India: International Religious Freedom Report 2006 - World
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Nepalnews.com Mercantile Communications Pvt. Ltd.
South Asia to achieve 7.5 percent growth in 2006: ADB
: "Doing business in India is not easy
BS Reporter / New Delhi September 6, 2006
India may have marginally improved its overall ranking in terms of doing business to 134 in 2006 from 138 in 2005, but it still lags behind neighbours like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh in terms of ease of doing business, according to the International Finance Corporation.
While the IFC report on 'Doing Business, 2007' released today said that India was the top reformer in South Asia though it still ranks relatively low at 134 and lies 41 places after China-which is reforming at a faster pace than India.
'India, as leading reformer in South Asia, has taken over the top spot from Pakistan in last year's report. India cut the time to start a business from 71 to 25 days and reduced the corporate income tax rate from 36.59 percent to 33.66 percent. A Supreme Court decision made enforcing collateral simpler-easing access to credit. New risk management procedures in customs lowered import time by two days and exports by nine days. And reforms to stock exchange rules toughened investor protections,' the report said.
However, the challenges of starting a business in India are far many with entrepreneurs expected to go through 11 steps over 35 days on an average to launch a business at a cost equal to 73.7 per cent of gross per capita income, it said.
Similarly, it takes 270 steps and 20 days to complete the process of complying with licensing and permit requirements for ongoing operations in India, according to the report. Even among eight south Asian countries, India ranks sixth in the category of 'ease of doing business' with only Bhutan and Afghanistan occupying the position behind it, according to the report.
On ten paramete"
BS Reporter / New Delhi September 6, 2006
India may have marginally improved its overall ranking in terms of doing business to 134 in 2006 from 138 in 2005, but it still lags behind neighbours like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh in terms of ease of doing business, according to the International Finance Corporation.
While the IFC report on 'Doing Business, 2007' released today said that India was the top reformer in South Asia though it still ranks relatively low at 134 and lies 41 places after China-which is reforming at a faster pace than India.
'India, as leading reformer in South Asia, has taken over the top spot from Pakistan in last year's report. India cut the time to start a business from 71 to 25 days and reduced the corporate income tax rate from 36.59 percent to 33.66 percent. A Supreme Court decision made enforcing collateral simpler-easing access to credit. New risk management procedures in customs lowered import time by two days and exports by nine days. And reforms to stock exchange rules toughened investor protections,' the report said.
However, the challenges of starting a business in India are far many with entrepreneurs expected to go through 11 steps over 35 days on an average to launch a business at a cost equal to 73.7 per cent of gross per capita income, it said.
Similarly, it takes 270 steps and 20 days to complete the process of complying with licensing and permit requirements for ongoing operations in India, according to the report. Even among eight south Asian countries, India ranks sixth in the category of 'ease of doing business' with only Bhutan and Afghanistan occupying the position behind it, according to the report.
On ten paramete"
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
India to expand road network along India-China border | India Defence
India to expand road network along India-China border.
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Monday, August 28, 2006
Sunday, August 27, 2006
Thursday, August 24, 2006
The hard truth behind Asia's boom - Editorials & Commentary - International Herald Tribune
The hard truth behind Asia's boom
Saturday, August 19, 2006
Friday, August 18, 2006
Wednesday, August 16, 2006
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Friday, August 11, 2006
Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Nepalnews.com Mercantile Communications Pvt. Ltd.
Experts to discuss diaster prepraedness and natural hazards
Monday, August 07, 2006
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Plans afoot to create a 'power pool' in South Asia | Asian Tribune
Plans afoot to create a 'power pool' in South Asia
37,700 British nationals living in India : HindustanTimes.com
37,700 British nationals living in India
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
The SAARC Chamber Crafts Village Project launched in Kathnandu | Asian Tribune
The SAARC Chamber Crafts Village Project launched in Kathnandu
Monday, July 24, 2006
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Saturday, July 22, 2006
AOL News - Bush's Infamous Back Rub Magnified in Cyberspace���
Bush's Infamous Back Rub Magnified in Cyberspac
Friday, July 21, 2006
Thursday, July 20, 2006
::PeaceJournalism.com - The Peace Media Research Center's e-magazine::
Environmental Railway comes closer to Nepal
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Monday, July 17, 2006
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Friday, July 14, 2006
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Monday, July 10, 2006
Pakistan hosting SAARC finance ministers conference - India News
Pakistan hosting SAARC finance ministers conference
All Headline News - Bangladesh For Transport Connectivity Within BIMSTEC - July 10, 2006
Bangladesh For Transport Connectivity Within BIMSTEC
Home / Headlines / South Asian Stability and Kashmir dispute :: New Hopes and Aspirations :: - Media Monitors Network (MMN)
South Asian Stability and Kashmir dispute :: New Hopes and Aspirations ::
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Friday, July 07, 2006
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
India’s China policy: Wishful thinking overtakes harsh realities | Asian Tribune
India’s China policy: Wishful thinking overtakes harsh realities
Monday, July 03, 2006
CPI-M’s stock on rise in Nepal, thanks to Yechury - India News
CPI-M’s stock on rise in Nepal, thanks to Yechury
Sunday, July 02, 2006
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Friday, June 30, 2006
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Telugu Portal - Nepal Maoists begin diplomatic blitzkrieg with India - International - Latest News
Nepal Maoists begin diplomatic blitzkrieg with India
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Monday, June 26, 2006
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Friday, June 23, 2006
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Gulf Times – Qatar’s top-selling English daily newspaper - SriLanka/Bangladesh
WB Ready to Fund Indo-Bangla Water Project
Tripura no to abolishing special passports for Bangladesh - India News
Tripura no to abolishing special passports for Bangladesh
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Moneycontrol India > News > Maoists to join government in Nepal > > Current Affairs > maoists ,Nepal,Koirala,UN
Maoists to join government in Nepal
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Monday, June 12, 2006
Sunday, June 11, 2006
Advani accepts Nepal's new secular credentials | Asian Tribune
Advani accepts Nepal's New Secular Status
Sri Lanka should strive to gain additional garment export market | Asian Tribune
Sri Lanka should strive to gain additional garment export market
Saturday, June 10, 2006
India on US watch list for human trafficking : HindustanTimes.com
India on US watch list for human trafficking
Friday, June 09, 2006
India’s foreign policy: Where is the Minister? | Asian Tribune
India’s foreign policy: Where is the Minister?
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
Monday, June 05, 2006
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Saturday, June 03, 2006
Election 2007 in Bangladesh: Doubts and speculations | Asian Tribune
Election 2007 in Bangladesh: Doubts and speculations
Friday, June 02, 2006
Thursday, June 01, 2006
Asia Times Online :: South Asia news, business and economy from India and Pakistan
Delhi and Beijing on Parade
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
The Peninsula On-line: Qatar's leading English Daily
The Peninsula On-line: SA States to Boost Cooperation
Monday, May 29, 2006
Bangladesh plans deep-sea port in Bay of Bengal- The Times of India
Bangladesh plans deep-sea port in Bay of Bengal
Friday, May 26, 2006
India admits more work to be done on nuclear deal with US - Yahoo! News
India admits more work to be done on nuclear deal with US
Norway envoy launches peace bid in Sri Lanka amid war fears - Yahoo! News
Norway envoy launches peace bid in Sri Lanka amid war fears
Bush says Abu Ghraib was biggest mistake of Iraq war - Yahoo! News
Bush says Abu Ghraib was biggest mistake of Iraq war
Thursday, May 25, 2006
The Domestic dynamics of India’s foreign policy | Asian Tribune
The Domestic dynamics of India’s foreign policy
Bangladesh pushes back nine tribal youths to Tripura; .:. NewKerala - India's Top Online Newspaper
Bangladesh pushes back nine tribal youths to Tripura
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Govt to set up integrated check-posts on Indo-Nepal border; .:. NewKerala - India's Top Online Newspaper
Govt to set up integrated check-posts on Indo-Nepal border
Monday, May 22, 2006
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Monday, May 15, 2006
India's longest-range missile ready for test launch - Yahoo! News
India's longest-range missile ready for test launch
Friday, May 12, 2006
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Monday, May 08, 2006
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Monday, May 01, 2006
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Friday, April 28, 2006
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Monday, April 24, 2006
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Friday, April 21, 2006
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Monday, April 17, 2006
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Saturday, April 15, 2006
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