Ayaz Amir looks at -- the increasingly airheaded -- Indian media and correctly notes its descent into an information-free zone.
As if on cue, via Hindustan Times, Desi version of Playboy on cards
Friday, December 02, 2005
Hamas
Hamas announced plans to contest the parliamentary elections in the West Bank and Gaza next month. It had boycotted the presidential elections this year but did well at the municipal elections. Hamas had won a third of the local authorities at the expense of the PLO. It had defeated the PLO in several student council elections. Hamas has a significant constituency amongst the Palestinians, one developed over the years through its welfare network and audacious attacks within Israel.
Hamas, which means zeal in Arabic and violence in Hebrew, is an Islamic fundamentalist organization committed to the destruction of Israel. Hamas claims that "Allah is it's target, the Prophet it's model, the Koran it's constitution and Jihad it's path". It considers the entirety of Palestine as an Islamic waqf (trust) that can not be conceded. It opposes the secular politics of the PLO, and hits out at both Israeli civilian and military targets through terrorist attacks.
Hamas is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood founded in Egypt. It is a clandestine organization organized into small discreet cells with multiple leadership structures that can be swiftly replaced in the event of an assassination. It's welfare network includes schools, health clinics, soup kitchens, sports clubs and mosques. Israel had encouraged its expansion in 1987 to undermine the PLO. Little did Israel realize the cost of such a short sighted policy. Hamas launched a wave of suicide attacks. Israel was quick to respond. It initiated a policy of targeted assassinations that included amongst others the murder of two Hamas leaders i.e. Sheik Yassin in March 2004 and al-Rantisi in April 2004. The organization retains its base in the occupied territories given the stalled peace process and corruption within the PLO-controlled Palestinian Authority. The Sa'udis and Iranians finance it while Syria currently hosts its leadership.
This said, Hamas' options are increasingly limited. Israeli policy under Sharon is to disengage from Arab populated areas in the West Bank and Gaza. Israel is in the process of completing a physical barrier to separate it from Palestinian territories. Hamas had earlier attacked Israeli convoys and Jewish settlements in the occupied territories. It despatched suicide bombers into Israel. Such tactics would now become unfeasible with Israeli disengagement and improved border defence. Israel would be effectively insulated though yet vulnerable to long range artillery. Israel is better equipped to neutralize such conventional military threats. Hamas therefore is no longer a real danger to Israel despite its appeal amongst the marginalized and destitute Palestinian populace.
The prospects of an intra-Palestianian civil confrontation between the PLO and Hamas will serve Israeli interests. The Muslim Brotherhood is poised to challenge the political monopoly of President Hosni Mubarak in Egypt as the legislative elections in that country reveal. Hamas is likely to challenge President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority as well. In so doing, it would lock itself into a corner where the only losers would be the Palestinian Arabs.
Hamas, which means zeal in Arabic and violence in Hebrew, is an Islamic fundamentalist organization committed to the destruction of Israel. Hamas claims that "Allah is it's target, the Prophet it's model, the Koran it's constitution and Jihad it's path". It considers the entirety of Palestine as an Islamic waqf (trust) that can not be conceded. It opposes the secular politics of the PLO, and hits out at both Israeli civilian and military targets through terrorist attacks.
Hamas is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood founded in Egypt. It is a clandestine organization organized into small discreet cells with multiple leadership structures that can be swiftly replaced in the event of an assassination. It's welfare network includes schools, health clinics, soup kitchens, sports clubs and mosques. Israel had encouraged its expansion in 1987 to undermine the PLO. Little did Israel realize the cost of such a short sighted policy. Hamas launched a wave of suicide attacks. Israel was quick to respond. It initiated a policy of targeted assassinations that included amongst others the murder of two Hamas leaders i.e. Sheik Yassin in March 2004 and al-Rantisi in April 2004. The organization retains its base in the occupied territories given the stalled peace process and corruption within the PLO-controlled Palestinian Authority. The Sa'udis and Iranians finance it while Syria currently hosts its leadership.
This said, Hamas' options are increasingly limited. Israeli policy under Sharon is to disengage from Arab populated areas in the West Bank and Gaza. Israel is in the process of completing a physical barrier to separate it from Palestinian territories. Hamas had earlier attacked Israeli convoys and Jewish settlements in the occupied territories. It despatched suicide bombers into Israel. Such tactics would now become unfeasible with Israeli disengagement and improved border defence. Israel would be effectively insulated though yet vulnerable to long range artillery. Israel is better equipped to neutralize such conventional military threats. Hamas therefore is no longer a real danger to Israel despite its appeal amongst the marginalized and destitute Palestinian populace.
The prospects of an intra-Palestianian civil confrontation between the PLO and Hamas will serve Israeli interests. The Muslim Brotherhood is poised to challenge the political monopoly of President Hosni Mubarak in Egypt as the legislative elections in that country reveal. Hamas is likely to challenge President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority as well. In so doing, it would lock itself into a corner where the only losers would be the Palestinian Arabs.
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Ariel Sharon
The 77 year old Ariel Sharon remains Israel's shrewdest politician today and might represent that country's best chance for peace in an otherwise uncertain environment. He withdrew Israeli troops from Gaza in August, 2005 to ensure Israel's demographic viability in the face of a rapidly increasing Palestinian population and its defence in the context of unrelenting Hamas attacks. One time Brigadier General, he had previously spearheaded efforts to double the number of Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza. He realized the futility of such a policy given the demographic pitfalls that threatened to overwhelm the Jewish population in the territory between the Jordan river and the Mediterranean. His policy response entailed the closure of 21 Jewish settlements in the Gaza and 4 settlements in the northern West Bank in August as part of a wider disengagement.
Sharon has been controversial throughout his political career. Known for his rugged independence, he resigned from the right-wing Likud party in November, 2005 which he helped establish in 1973. He argued that dogmatic positions prevented the flexibility needed to ensure Israel's long term interest. He then formed a new party, the Kadima, which means "Forward" in Hebrew. This has attracted members from both the Likud and the leftist Labor party. The 82 year old Shimon Peres, erstwhile leader of Labor, pledged his support to Sharon today. Opinion polls indicate that Sharon is likely to win the upcoming elections in Israel scheduled for March, 2006. He has effectively captured the middle ground. The hawkish Likud is opposed to conceding any Palestinian territory while the Labor party has a radical platform that most Israelis are wary of.
Here is a realist who had earlier envisioned a Jewish state that stretched from the Jordan river to the Mediterranean, one that would militarily dominate the region between the Euphrates and the Nile rivers. Sharon has since back tracked to ensure the continued viability of Israel. He intends to relinquish control of much of the West Bank to retain a Jewish majority and secure peace with Israel's Arab neighbors. His aim is to ensure total security for Israel on its terms.
Ariel Sharon was always one to challenge authority be it Begin, Shamir or Netanyahu. Sharon defied the military high command on two occasions to score impressive military gains in the Suez war in 1956 and the Yom Kippur war in 1973 where he led troops across the Red Sea to advance to within 62 miles of Cairo. Soviet pressure through the United States stopped him on his tracks. It was Sharon who saved Israel from defeat in the Sinai. He masterminded the ill-fated invasion of Lebanon in 1982. Many accused him of complicity in the massacre of Palestinian refugees by Christian milita in the Sabra and Shatila camps in Beirut. Time Magazine in fact held him directly responsible. He sued Time Magazine for libel. The American jury agreed that the report was false and defamatory. Sharon was later instrumental in erecting the controversial West Bank barrier to secure Israel from terrorist attacks. This appears to have succeeded given the reduced number of terrorist attacks within Israel.
Both Shimon Peres and Ariel Sharon are fighting fit despite their age. They are destined to reshape the region that is likely to witness a two state solution to the Palestinian problem but one where Israel retains control of East Jerusalem, parts of the West Bank and preponderant power in the Middle East. Iran however remains a challenge and it would be interesting to see how Sharon would address that.
Sharon has been controversial throughout his political career. Known for his rugged independence, he resigned from the right-wing Likud party in November, 2005 which he helped establish in 1973. He argued that dogmatic positions prevented the flexibility needed to ensure Israel's long term interest. He then formed a new party, the Kadima, which means "Forward" in Hebrew. This has attracted members from both the Likud and the leftist Labor party. The 82 year old Shimon Peres, erstwhile leader of Labor, pledged his support to Sharon today. Opinion polls indicate that Sharon is likely to win the upcoming elections in Israel scheduled for March, 2006. He has effectively captured the middle ground. The hawkish Likud is opposed to conceding any Palestinian territory while the Labor party has a radical platform that most Israelis are wary of.
Here is a realist who had earlier envisioned a Jewish state that stretched from the Jordan river to the Mediterranean, one that would militarily dominate the region between the Euphrates and the Nile rivers. Sharon has since back tracked to ensure the continued viability of Israel. He intends to relinquish control of much of the West Bank to retain a Jewish majority and secure peace with Israel's Arab neighbors. His aim is to ensure total security for Israel on its terms.
Ariel Sharon was always one to challenge authority be it Begin, Shamir or Netanyahu. Sharon defied the military high command on two occasions to score impressive military gains in the Suez war in 1956 and the Yom Kippur war in 1973 where he led troops across the Red Sea to advance to within 62 miles of Cairo. Soviet pressure through the United States stopped him on his tracks. It was Sharon who saved Israel from defeat in the Sinai. He masterminded the ill-fated invasion of Lebanon in 1982. Many accused him of complicity in the massacre of Palestinian refugees by Christian milita in the Sabra and Shatila camps in Beirut. Time Magazine in fact held him directly responsible. He sued Time Magazine for libel. The American jury agreed that the report was false and defamatory. Sharon was later instrumental in erecting the controversial West Bank barrier to secure Israel from terrorist attacks. This appears to have succeeded given the reduced number of terrorist attacks within Israel.
Both Shimon Peres and Ariel Sharon are fighting fit despite their age. They are destined to reshape the region that is likely to witness a two state solution to the Palestinian problem but one where Israel retains control of East Jerusalem, parts of the West Bank and preponderant power in the Middle East. Iran however remains a challenge and it would be interesting to see how Sharon would address that.
World AIDS Day
Via Reuters, Let's talk about safe sex, PM Singh tells India. Mercifully he won't receive the ill-treatment meted out to Khushboo and Sania.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
What In God's Name?!
Via Iran Press Service, PRESIDENT SEES LIGHT SURROUNDING HIM
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says that when he delivered his speech at the UN General Assembly in September, he felt there was a light around him and that the attention of the world leaders in the audience was unblinkingly focused upon him. The claim has caused a stir in Iran, as a transcript and video recording of Ahmadinejad's comments have been published on the Iranian website, baztab.com.
"He said when you began with the words “in the name of God”, I saw that you became surrounded by a light until the end [of the speech]", Ahmadinejad appears to say in the video. "I felt it myself, too. I felt that all of a sudden the atmosphere changed there, and for 27-28 minutes all the leaders did not blink."
Via The New Yorker, Staying the Course
Bush’s closest advisers have long been aware of the religious nature of his policy commitments. In recent interviews, one former senior official, who served in Bush’s first term, spoke extensively about the connection between the President’s religious faith and his view of the war in Iraq. After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the former official said, he was told that Bush felt that “God put me here” to deal with the war on terror. The President’s belief was fortified by the Republican sweep in the 2002 congressional elections; Bush saw the victory as a purposeful message from God that “he’s the man,” the former official said. Publicly, Bush depicted his reëlection as a referendum on the war; privately, he spoke of it as another manifestation of divine purpose.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says that when he delivered his speech at the UN General Assembly in September, he felt there was a light around him and that the attention of the world leaders in the audience was unblinkingly focused upon him. The claim has caused a stir in Iran, as a transcript and video recording of Ahmadinejad's comments have been published on the Iranian website, baztab.com.
"He said when you began with the words “in the name of God”, I saw that you became surrounded by a light until the end [of the speech]", Ahmadinejad appears to say in the video. "I felt it myself, too. I felt that all of a sudden the atmosphere changed there, and for 27-28 minutes all the leaders did not blink."
Via The New Yorker, Staying the Course
Bush’s closest advisers have long been aware of the religious nature of his policy commitments. In recent interviews, one former senior official, who served in Bush’s first term, spoke extensively about the connection between the President’s religious faith and his view of the war in Iraq. After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the former official said, he was told that Bush felt that “God put me here” to deal with the war on terror. The President’s belief was fortified by the Republican sweep in the 2002 congressional elections; Bush saw the victory as a purposeful message from God that “he’s the man,” the former official said. Publicly, Bush depicted his reëlection as a referendum on the war; privately, he spoke of it as another manifestation of divine purpose.
Golden Moment!
Via Chicago Tribune, Gold closes above $500. Great news for Indian balance-sheets!
(Photo Courtesy: Metro Toronto)
Iran Reconsidered
The military intervention of the United States in Iraq may well back fire. It appears to have transformed Iraq from a secular Arab republic, albeit authoritarian, to a state that increasingly reflects the ideological inclinations of its Shi'ite majority. 60% of Iraq's population is Shi'ite Muslim. 20% is Kurdish, a Sunni ethnic group that speaks an Indo-Iranian language. The psychological affinity to Iran can not be under-estimated in such a context. The rising influence of Shi'a clerics in Iraq is all too visible as witnessed in the constitutional deliberations a few months ago. The issue of women's rights is a case in point.
Iraq can come under increasing Iranian influence. The Iraqi Minister of Defence visited Iran in early July. The Iraqi Prime Minister and his team of 10 senior ministers traveled to Teheran a week later. The Iraqi President visited Iran this month. These high level contacts were a first in four decades. When the United States-led coalition leaves Iraq sometime in 2006 or 2007, one may witness a Shi'a dominated security edifice in the Persian gulf that overshadows the traditional Sunni monarchies of the Arabian peninsula, many with restive Shi'ite minorities of their own. Iran would be transformed into a regional power that threatens Israel and Sa'udi Arabia.
Iran under its current administration is unlikely to ally with the United States despite repeated American overtures. The United States provided arms to Iran under the Iran-Contra Affair in the mid-1980s. This failed to soften the anti-American policy of Iran. Newsweek now reports that the United States Ambassador to Iraq has been authorized to initiate a diplomatic dialogue with Iran. Iran continues to invest in a nuclear, missile and space technology program that threatens western geo-strategic interests. It resumed the enrichment of uranium in August as part of reported efforts to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran has the ability to impede shipping through the Straits of Hormuz - an action that could reduce American GDP by 7% after thirty days.
Iran continues to fund Hezbollah to the tune of between US$ 100 million to US$ 200 million a year. The Canadian Secret Intelligence Service estimates that Iran transfers up to US$ 18 million a year to Hamas. Other reports give higher numbers. Iran provides logistical support and military training to Hamas. It finances Islamic Jihad as well. These Islamist groups have repeatedly attacked Israeli and American interests. The British have alleged that Iran sponsors Shi'ite radicalism in southern Iraq. And Iran is not likely to shift policy gears in the near future.
Iran's anti-American obsession will continue under its hard-line Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamene'i and its fundamentalist President Mahmood Ahmadinejad. The Iranian President, an arch-conservative, had described Israel as a "disgraceful blot" that had to be "wiped off the map". The United States purportedly invaded Iraq to counter that country's alleged weapons of mass destruction program. These weapons were never found. The United States lost valuable political capital in doing so and is now unable to contain a far more serious Iranian challenge.The Bush administration might be in for a nasty surprise or two in the coming years unless it takes immediate corrective action.
Iraq can come under increasing Iranian influence. The Iraqi Minister of Defence visited Iran in early July. The Iraqi Prime Minister and his team of 10 senior ministers traveled to Teheran a week later. The Iraqi President visited Iran this month. These high level contacts were a first in four decades. When the United States-led coalition leaves Iraq sometime in 2006 or 2007, one may witness a Shi'a dominated security edifice in the Persian gulf that overshadows the traditional Sunni monarchies of the Arabian peninsula, many with restive Shi'ite minorities of their own. Iran would be transformed into a regional power that threatens Israel and Sa'udi Arabia.
Iran under its current administration is unlikely to ally with the United States despite repeated American overtures. The United States provided arms to Iran under the Iran-Contra Affair in the mid-1980s. This failed to soften the anti-American policy of Iran. Newsweek now reports that the United States Ambassador to Iraq has been authorized to initiate a diplomatic dialogue with Iran. Iran continues to invest in a nuclear, missile and space technology program that threatens western geo-strategic interests. It resumed the enrichment of uranium in August as part of reported efforts to develop a nuclear weapon. Iran has the ability to impede shipping through the Straits of Hormuz - an action that could reduce American GDP by 7% after thirty days.
Iran continues to fund Hezbollah to the tune of between US$ 100 million to US$ 200 million a year. The Canadian Secret Intelligence Service estimates that Iran transfers up to US$ 18 million a year to Hamas. Other reports give higher numbers. Iran provides logistical support and military training to Hamas. It finances Islamic Jihad as well. These Islamist groups have repeatedly attacked Israeli and American interests. The British have alleged that Iran sponsors Shi'ite radicalism in southern Iraq. And Iran is not likely to shift policy gears in the near future.
Iran's anti-American obsession will continue under its hard-line Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamene'i and its fundamentalist President Mahmood Ahmadinejad. The Iranian President, an arch-conservative, had described Israel as a "disgraceful blot" that had to be "wiped off the map". The United States purportedly invaded Iraq to counter that country's alleged weapons of mass destruction program. These weapons were never found. The United States lost valuable political capital in doing so and is now unable to contain a far more serious Iranian challenge.The Bush administration might be in for a nasty surprise or two in the coming years unless it takes immediate corrective action.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Blog Mela
Amit hosts a typically sumptuous Blog Mela this week -- each linked post defies our prediction last week of The Death Of Blogging!
Nepal
If one read Jonathan Gregson's excellent book Massacre at the Palace: The Doomed Royal Dynasty of Nepal, one would learn that the present King has long been prophesized to be the last in the Shah dynasty.
Political events in contemporary Nepal are seemingly in conspiracy with ancient prophecy.
Having overturned democracy, the King has not only alienated his own people but also India, UK, and the US (the troika). Fighting for his survival, per Indian Express, he's now turned to China for arms.
There will be some Indians who'll see this as a threat to our influence in Kathmandu. Consequently, they might argue India dilute its adamant pro-democracy stance and re-engage militarily with the King.
In our judgment, this would be a myopic mistake. The King is increasingly irrelevant to Nepal's affairs. Betting on him, as China is, is betting against his people. Such a bet is not only bogus on principle, it lacks pragmatism too.
Our key focus ought to be on the attitude of Nepal's army to its King. Yes, the army -- long-time ally of India's own -- is waging a vicious war on the Maoists, and probably feels vulnerable without Indian and British support. On the other hand, their loyalty to the King over the people is not clear. If the King were to be somehow removed from the scene in favor of a troika-supported democratic order, we suspect the army would go along.
If we were the King, this would make us very nervous. His overtures to China should likely be seen in this context. It's hard for us to believe that China is ready to commit troops to Nepal (if it came to that) for propping up an unpopular King. Given its economic arc and the upcoming Olympics in Beijing, China surely does not need a bellicose confrontation with the leading democracies of the world.
If China were to be foolish enough to get involved here, it'll tie down a great many of its troops in a Hindu land that doesn't really like invaders too much. This ain't going to be Tibet, but more like Afghanistan was for USSR. We might even see Beijing boycotted in 2008 like Moscow was in 1980. Is the Shah dynasty really worth such a high price for China?
The King probably knows this too. All he's got left, therefore, are desperate threats that everyone knows are empty. Too bad he overplayed his cards against democracy, and by construction, India. Gorakhnath's 18th century prophesy might well come true now in very short order.
Political events in contemporary Nepal are seemingly in conspiracy with ancient prophecy.
Having overturned democracy, the King has not only alienated his own people but also India, UK, and the US (the troika). Fighting for his survival, per Indian Express, he's now turned to China for arms.
There will be some Indians who'll see this as a threat to our influence in Kathmandu. Consequently, they might argue India dilute its adamant pro-democracy stance and re-engage militarily with the King.
In our judgment, this would be a myopic mistake. The King is increasingly irrelevant to Nepal's affairs. Betting on him, as China is, is betting against his people. Such a bet is not only bogus on principle, it lacks pragmatism too.
Our key focus ought to be on the attitude of Nepal's army to its King. Yes, the army -- long-time ally of India's own -- is waging a vicious war on the Maoists, and probably feels vulnerable without Indian and British support. On the other hand, their loyalty to the King over the people is not clear. If the King were to be somehow removed from the scene in favor of a troika-supported democratic order, we suspect the army would go along.
If we were the King, this would make us very nervous. His overtures to China should likely be seen in this context. It's hard for us to believe that China is ready to commit troops to Nepal (if it came to that) for propping up an unpopular King. Given its economic arc and the upcoming Olympics in Beijing, China surely does not need a bellicose confrontation with the leading democracies of the world.
If China were to be foolish enough to get involved here, it'll tie down a great many of its troops in a Hindu land that doesn't really like invaders too much. This ain't going to be Tibet, but more like Afghanistan was for USSR. We might even see Beijing boycotted in 2008 like Moscow was in 1980. Is the Shah dynasty really worth such a high price for China?
The King probably knows this too. All he's got left, therefore, are desperate threats that everyone knows are empty. Too bad he overplayed his cards against democracy, and by construction, India. Gorakhnath's 18th century prophesy might well come true now in very short order.
Pope Benedict XVI and the Challenge Ahead
The Roman Catholic Church faces an unprecedented challenge. It confronts a multi-faith, secular and a post-Christian Europe. Earlier this year, the conclave of Roman Catholic cardinals had designated conservative Cardinal Ratzinger as head of the 1,000 million strong Roman Catholic community. He assumed the title Pope Benedict XVI. The Pope had previously headed the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faithful, formerly known as the Inquisition. He had disapproved of liberal Asian priests who viewed non-Christian religions as part of God's plan for humanity. He deemed other Christian churches as deficient, and censured feminism, birth control and premarital sex. The Pope had links to Opus Dei, the enigmatic Catholic group known for its zeal.
The Church is confronted with the dilemma of declining membership in Europe. Several studies report that only 15% of Britain would consider itself practicing Christian (albeit largely Protestant) and just 20% of France practicing Christian. The proportion of observant Christians declines to 5% in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. Only 30% of Spain and 20% of Italy regularly attended church as per religious requirement in the 1990s. Much of West Europe is post-Christian now. This includes Northern Germany, much of the Netherlands and Belgium.
Moslem immigration to West Europe has altered the face of several cities there. Many European cities have significant Moslem populations i.e. Bradford in Britain, Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Lyon, Marseilles and Nice in France, not to mention several urban centers in Germany. Islam is the fastest growing religion in Europe. The number of individuals who pray at a mosque might well equal the number of the faithful who visit church in any given week in Britain and France. This has led to issues of integration and racism as the recent riots in France and the earlier race riots in Bradford, England amply demonstrated. The possible entry of Turkey into the European Union will irrevocably change the demographic equation in Europe even further. Pope Benedict XVI, as Cardinal Ratzinger, had expressed fears of Turkey's entry into the European Union arguing that such a step would challenge that continent's Christian inheritance.
Pope Benedict XVI had earlier expressed concerns on Islamic fundamentalism in the Middle East. Age old Christian communities have suffered precipitious demographic declines in Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Turkey due to a steady out-migration since the 1960s. Bethlehem, Nablus and Ramallah used to be Christian majority cities in Palestine. Baghdad once had a thriving age-old Chaldean Christian community. There are now more Chaldean Christians in Detroit than in Iraq itself. Lebanon which was 70% Christian in the 1930s is now perhaps only 40% Christian. There has been no religious census in that country since the 1930s. Christians have likewise suffered attacks in Indonesia, Northern Nigeria, Pakistan, Southern Philippines and Southern Sudan. There were violent demonstrations directed at Egypt's ancient 10% Coptic Christian minority last month.
The more robust American Catholic church itself faces a crisis of faith with a shortage of priests. 55% of Christians in the United States are regular church goers unlike in Europe. President Bush made it a point to publicly participate in Sunday Service in Beijing. However, a significant percentage of the Catholic priesthood in that country is suspected to be homosexual given the church's ban on married clergy. The incidence of child abuse cases directed at the Church and the litigation involved has dogged the church in the United States in recent years. The Vatican introduced a policy last week to henceforth ban homosexuals from entering the clergy. This is likely to pose further strains on an already declining priesthood.
Roman Catholics constituted 90% of Latin America when Pope John Paul II assumed the papacy in the late 1970s. This dropped to 70% in the early 2000s with many Catholics leaving the Church to become born-again Protestants. As it is, many below the age of 40 in Brazil, Chile and Venezuela are nominal in their faith. Mexico until the 1990s had a political history of anti-clericalism. This changed with the revolt in Chiapas when the Church positioned itself as mediator between the native Indian rebels and the state. Mexico subsequently witnessed the return of a right wing and pro-Church administration under Vincent Fox for the first time in 70 years in the mid 1990s.
Africa however has been the saving grace with the proportion of Roman Catholics rising there exponentially. There has been the rich harvest of conversions since the 1980s under Pope John Paul II. The continent witnessed a rapid Christianization, a process that inadvertently coincided with the complete unraveling of the continent on all other fronts i.e. economic, social, public health, famine, governance and HIV/AIDS. The increase in church numbers in Africa was offset by the decline in Latin America, not to mention the drop in religious observance in West Europe.
The challenge confronted by the church is real and will need attention. Fortunately, Pope Benedict XVI had reached out to other Christian denominations since assuming the papacy. He then extended a healing gesture to Jews and Moslems reversing his earlier hard-line stance. Let's pray he now reaches out to the world's Buddhists and Hindus in the interests of inter-religious concord. Buddhist and Hindu relations with the Catholic church were strained under Pope John Paul II. Buddhist and Hindu groups had accused the Catholic church of fraudulent predatory conversions of the impoverished. Christian human rights groups in turn accused Buddhist and Hindu organizations of a wave of arson attacks directed at churches in Sri Lanka and India. The time has arrived for inter-religious reconciliation. This would necessitate magnanimity on all sides.
The Church is confronted with the dilemma of declining membership in Europe. Several studies report that only 15% of Britain would consider itself practicing Christian (albeit largely Protestant) and just 20% of France practicing Christian. The proportion of observant Christians declines to 5% in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. Only 30% of Spain and 20% of Italy regularly attended church as per religious requirement in the 1990s. Much of West Europe is post-Christian now. This includes Northern Germany, much of the Netherlands and Belgium.
Moslem immigration to West Europe has altered the face of several cities there. Many European cities have significant Moslem populations i.e. Bradford in Britain, Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Lyon, Marseilles and Nice in France, not to mention several urban centers in Germany. Islam is the fastest growing religion in Europe. The number of individuals who pray at a mosque might well equal the number of the faithful who visit church in any given week in Britain and France. This has led to issues of integration and racism as the recent riots in France and the earlier race riots in Bradford, England amply demonstrated. The possible entry of Turkey into the European Union will irrevocably change the demographic equation in Europe even further. Pope Benedict XVI, as Cardinal Ratzinger, had expressed fears of Turkey's entry into the European Union arguing that such a step would challenge that continent's Christian inheritance.
Pope Benedict XVI had earlier expressed concerns on Islamic fundamentalism in the Middle East. Age old Christian communities have suffered precipitious demographic declines in Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Turkey due to a steady out-migration since the 1960s. Bethlehem, Nablus and Ramallah used to be Christian majority cities in Palestine. Baghdad once had a thriving age-old Chaldean Christian community. There are now more Chaldean Christians in Detroit than in Iraq itself. Lebanon which was 70% Christian in the 1930s is now perhaps only 40% Christian. There has been no religious census in that country since the 1930s. Christians have likewise suffered attacks in Indonesia, Northern Nigeria, Pakistan, Southern Philippines and Southern Sudan. There were violent demonstrations directed at Egypt's ancient 10% Coptic Christian minority last month.
The more robust American Catholic church itself faces a crisis of faith with a shortage of priests. 55% of Christians in the United States are regular church goers unlike in Europe. President Bush made it a point to publicly participate in Sunday Service in Beijing. However, a significant percentage of the Catholic priesthood in that country is suspected to be homosexual given the church's ban on married clergy. The incidence of child abuse cases directed at the Church and the litigation involved has dogged the church in the United States in recent years. The Vatican introduced a policy last week to henceforth ban homosexuals from entering the clergy. This is likely to pose further strains on an already declining priesthood.
Roman Catholics constituted 90% of Latin America when Pope John Paul II assumed the papacy in the late 1970s. This dropped to 70% in the early 2000s with many Catholics leaving the Church to become born-again Protestants. As it is, many below the age of 40 in Brazil, Chile and Venezuela are nominal in their faith. Mexico until the 1990s had a political history of anti-clericalism. This changed with the revolt in Chiapas when the Church positioned itself as mediator between the native Indian rebels and the state. Mexico subsequently witnessed the return of a right wing and pro-Church administration under Vincent Fox for the first time in 70 years in the mid 1990s.
Africa however has been the saving grace with the proportion of Roman Catholics rising there exponentially. There has been the rich harvest of conversions since the 1980s under Pope John Paul II. The continent witnessed a rapid Christianization, a process that inadvertently coincided with the complete unraveling of the continent on all other fronts i.e. economic, social, public health, famine, governance and HIV/AIDS. The increase in church numbers in Africa was offset by the decline in Latin America, not to mention the drop in religious observance in West Europe.
The challenge confronted by the church is real and will need attention. Fortunately, Pope Benedict XVI had reached out to other Christian denominations since assuming the papacy. He then extended a healing gesture to Jews and Moslems reversing his earlier hard-line stance. Let's pray he now reaches out to the world's Buddhists and Hindus in the interests of inter-religious concord. Buddhist and Hindu relations with the Catholic church were strained under Pope John Paul II. Buddhist and Hindu groups had accused the Catholic church of fraudulent predatory conversions of the impoverished. Christian human rights groups in turn accused Buddhist and Hindu organizations of a wave of arson attacks directed at churches in Sri Lanka and India. The time has arrived for inter-religious reconciliation. This would necessitate magnanimity on all sides.
Friday, November 25, 2005
Harbinger Of China's Future
Stratfor comments on the Benzene spill in Songhua River near the Chinese city of Harbin:
It is clear once again that the Chinese government bureaucracy remains incapable of making rapid decisions for dealing with unexpected problems. This inability to decide what to do for more than 10 days created panic in Harbin and further undermined trust in the local and national governments and Communist Party. In 1989, it was indecisiveness that contributed to the violent end to student protests in Tiananmen Square. And indecisiveness led first to the delay and then to the draconian crackdown on the Falun Gong after its members gathered for a silent protest outside central government housing in 1999.
As the central government prepares to enact the latest five-year economic plan, it will undoubtedly face many new and frequently unexpected challenges. A concerted effort to shift the balance of wealth in the country, to urge (if not require) "sacrifice" from the already well-off to bring up the other 900 million rural Chinese will bring massive social changes and threaten the political and economic interests and power of many. But, as the Harbin case shows, China's leadership, on the local and national levels, is still far from capable of making rapid decisions and acting quickly to pre-empt -- or at least mitigate -- problems as they arise, rather than simply trying to ignore them and make up for it later. Trouble is brewing just beneath the surface, and while a watched pot may not boil, ignoring a pressure cooker can be disastrous.
It is clear once again that the Chinese government bureaucracy remains incapable of making rapid decisions for dealing with unexpected problems. This inability to decide what to do for more than 10 days created panic in Harbin and further undermined trust in the local and national governments and Communist Party. In 1989, it was indecisiveness that contributed to the violent end to student protests in Tiananmen Square. And indecisiveness led first to the delay and then to the draconian crackdown on the Falun Gong after its members gathered for a silent protest outside central government housing in 1999.
As the central government prepares to enact the latest five-year economic plan, it will undoubtedly face many new and frequently unexpected challenges. A concerted effort to shift the balance of wealth in the country, to urge (if not require) "sacrifice" from the already well-off to bring up the other 900 million rural Chinese will bring massive social changes and threaten the political and economic interests and power of many. But, as the Harbin case shows, China's leadership, on the local and national levels, is still far from capable of making rapid decisions and acting quickly to pre-empt -- or at least mitigate -- problems as they arise, rather than simply trying to ignore them and make up for it later. Trouble is brewing just beneath the surface, and while a watched pot may not boil, ignoring a pressure cooker can be disastrous.
Sri Lanka
Via BBC, Sri Lanka leader urges truce review
Sri Lanka's new President Mahinda Rajapakse has demanded a review of a ceasefire deal with Tamil Tiger rebels.
He said the country needed a new peace process that would not tolerate "terrorism" - but added that he was ready for talks.
Mr Rajapakse said a solution to the long-running conflict would be found in a unitary state, rejecting Tigers' demand for an independent homeland.
The Tamil dream of secession -- or absent that, a federal autonomy -- is dying. The reason for this is one man and his terrorist machine.
As long as Pirbhakaran runs Killinochi, India will have little sympathy for the underlying cause of Sri Lankan Tamils. Without Indian support, the latter are unlikely to make any political advance. They are deluding themselves if they think Indians will ever make peace with the murderer of Rajiv Gandhi. In fact, in this singular act, he alienated Indians in general, and Indian Tamils in particular.
Pirbhakaran is like Arafat -- destroying the welfare of his own people to pursue his megalomania. We reiterate our call for Sri Lanka's brave Tamil people to overturn his terrorist tyranny and hand him over in order for justice to be meted out to him. Absent this revolutionary step, Sri Lanka's Tamils will increasingly be seen as South Asia's Palestinians -- a people with enormous potential but trapped in their self-constructed political wilderness.
If Pirbhakaran wanted further war, he's now engineered himself a new rationale for it. Hopefully, this will be the final bloody chapter in this third-rate terrorist's life.
Sri Lanka's new President Mahinda Rajapakse has demanded a review of a ceasefire deal with Tamil Tiger rebels.
He said the country needed a new peace process that would not tolerate "terrorism" - but added that he was ready for talks.
Mr Rajapakse said a solution to the long-running conflict would be found in a unitary state, rejecting Tigers' demand for an independent homeland.
The Tamil dream of secession -- or absent that, a federal autonomy -- is dying. The reason for this is one man and his terrorist machine.
As long as Pirbhakaran runs Killinochi, India will have little sympathy for the underlying cause of Sri Lankan Tamils. Without Indian support, the latter are unlikely to make any political advance. They are deluding themselves if they think Indians will ever make peace with the murderer of Rajiv Gandhi. In fact, in this singular act, he alienated Indians in general, and Indian Tamils in particular.
Pirbhakaran is like Arafat -- destroying the welfare of his own people to pursue his megalomania. We reiterate our call for Sri Lanka's brave Tamil people to overturn his terrorist tyranny and hand him over in order for justice to be meted out to him. Absent this revolutionary step, Sri Lanka's Tamils will increasingly be seen as South Asia's Palestinians -- a people with enormous potential but trapped in their self-constructed political wilderness.
If Pirbhakaran wanted further war, he's now engineered himself a new rationale for it. Hopefully, this will be the final bloody chapter in this third-rate terrorist's life.
Khushboo, Safe Sex and HIV/AIDS
Khushboo's advocacy of safe sex is relevant given the situation where India faces a significant HIV/AIDS challenge. National trends appear to indicate that there is no explosive HIV epidemic in India as yet. However, sub-national epidemics in parts of the country have the potential to spiral out of control. Hackneyed and cliched as this may sound, the widespread use of condoms alone will help prevent the spread of AIDS.
The UNAIDS Annual Report for 2005 makes interesting reading. 40.3 million people live with the HIV virus in the world today. 25.8 million reside in Sub-Saharan Africa. 5.1 million of the HIV-infected live in India. South Africa and India have the largest number of HIV infections in the world. South Africa has an HIV-prevalence of 21.5%. Fortunately, India is a low prevalence country given its huge population of 1.1 billion. The national prevalence rate is 0.91%. And yet, there is no room to be complacent. India reported 520,000 new infections in 2003 alone.
Over 35% of all reported HIV-infections in India occur among those aged between 15 and 24 years, 86% of whom got infected due to unprotected casual sex. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are at a real risk of an epidemic given a HIV-prevalence that exceeds the 1% danger mark. The number of districts in India that had a HIV-prevalence which exceeded 1% of the population rose from 47 in 2002 to 111 in 2004.
India will need to do more to fight AIDS. A nation-wide epidemic will overwhelm the public health system and pose huge fiscal burdens. It is obvious that heightened prevention efforts are needed to manage the emerging risk. Widespread condom use is crucial in this context. Improved epidemiological surveillance is needed as well. A more vigorous program of public awareness and health education is a third element in the prevention strategy. Khushboo's comments should be viewed in this light. The loud campaign in Tamil Nadu directed at her is therefore ill-informed and serves to detract from the real challenge ahead i.e. the need to contain a looming public health disaster. The issue she raised had nothing to do with the dignity of Tamil women. It was about safety and prudence.
The UNAIDS Annual Report for 2005 makes interesting reading. 40.3 million people live with the HIV virus in the world today. 25.8 million reside in Sub-Saharan Africa. 5.1 million of the HIV-infected live in India. South Africa and India have the largest number of HIV infections in the world. South Africa has an HIV-prevalence of 21.5%. Fortunately, India is a low prevalence country given its huge population of 1.1 billion. The national prevalence rate is 0.91%. And yet, there is no room to be complacent. India reported 520,000 new infections in 2003 alone.
Over 35% of all reported HIV-infections in India occur among those aged between 15 and 24 years, 86% of whom got infected due to unprotected casual sex. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu are at a real risk of an epidemic given a HIV-prevalence that exceeds the 1% danger mark. The number of districts in India that had a HIV-prevalence which exceeded 1% of the population rose from 47 in 2002 to 111 in 2004.
India will need to do more to fight AIDS. A nation-wide epidemic will overwhelm the public health system and pose huge fiscal burdens. It is obvious that heightened prevention efforts are needed to manage the emerging risk. Widespread condom use is crucial in this context. Improved epidemiological surveillance is needed as well. A more vigorous program of public awareness and health education is a third element in the prevention strategy. Khushboo's comments should be viewed in this light. The loud campaign in Tamil Nadu directed at her is therefore ill-informed and serves to detract from the real challenge ahead i.e. the need to contain a looming public health disaster. The issue she raised had nothing to do with the dignity of Tamil women. It was about safety and prudence.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Fear And Loathing In India
The Indian blogopshere has been outraged by the murder of a young IOC official -- an IIM MBA -- brutally killed for doing his job with probity.
Needless to say, one feels anguish for his family left behind.
It's important to note here that he is hardly an exception. India has fallen into a criminal abyss where most people are afraid of criminals and, even worse, of the police. Corruption, assault, kidnapping, rape, murder, and even genocide are just as valid descriptors of India as its much-acclaimed economic, scientific, and military progress.
The murder of an IIM graduate appears shocking -- because he is kinda' like all of us Anglophone Indians, assumed safe in our ivory cocoons -- but in real fact, it's just one more data point in the loathsome deluge of criminality in our nation.
If we are to mourn, lets mourn the unknown Indian who lives a terrified life in the criminal Indian ether, then frequently loses it over astonishingly minor reasons in horrifyingly painful ways, and few even notice.
Needless to say, one feels anguish for his family left behind.
It's important to note here that he is hardly an exception. India has fallen into a criminal abyss where most people are afraid of criminals and, even worse, of the police. Corruption, assault, kidnapping, rape, murder, and even genocide are just as valid descriptors of India as its much-acclaimed economic, scientific, and military progress.
The murder of an IIM graduate appears shocking -- because he is kinda' like all of us Anglophone Indians, assumed safe in our ivory cocoons -- but in real fact, it's just one more data point in the loathsome deluge of criminality in our nation.
If we are to mourn, lets mourn the unknown Indian who lives a terrified life in the criminal Indian ether, then frequently loses it over astonishingly minor reasons in horrifyingly painful ways, and few even notice.
Women in Indian History
The views below are expressed in my individual capacity in my efforts to re-examine Indian history for appropriate precedents that might be relevant to life today. I have been selective in my read of the past and would confine myself to my own tradition in the interest of brevity. I would argue that women played a key leadership role in Indic history be it intellectual endeavor, politics or religion, one that needs to be revived to reinvigorate contemporary Indian civilization.
For instance, women helped define the Vedic tradition. Lopamudra took on the sage Vishwamitra to argue the cause of the marginalized. Apala Atreyi is one rishi or sage who refused to marry, authored segments of the Rig Veda and participated in the fire ritual. Ghosha too preferred a life of spinsterhood and composed hymns to the gods. Vishvavara, Romasha and Vach stand out as other Vedic women rishis. The Rig Veda in 1,000 BCE celebrated women who distinguished themselves in battle. These include Vadhrimati, Vishpala, Mudgalani and Shashiyasi. The Upanishads in 700 BCE refer to independent-minded thinkers such as Gargi Vachaknavi and Maitreyi who challenged key philosophic points and helped elucidate the central tenets of Vedanta. This is the earliest known instance of women's participation in established intellectual discourse in the world.
Panini, the Sanskrit linguist of the 5th century BCE coined a specific term, Upadhyayi, for women teachers of religion. He also refers to women students of the different branches of the Veda, i.e the Katha school, the Rig Veda school, the Taittiriya school etc. The Mahabharata asserts that Arundhati, wife of the great sage Vashishta, matched her husband in scholarship. The ancient custom of swayamvara where a woman chose her man, attests to a more liberal age. These examples illustrate the role of women in defining the Vedas, the intellectual node in the Hindu world.
Likewise, the concept of Stri Rajya implies women administrators. Women participated in public life although sidelined more often in the past. Prabhavati Gupta, the daughter of Chandragupta Vikramaditya, ruled as regent for 13 years in the 5th century CE. She issued a charter describing herself as a devotee of Vishnu. History is witness to the energetic statespersonship of Queen Didda of Kashmir in the 10th century. Inscriptions describe Akkadevi, the Chalukyan provincial governor of the 11th century, as fierce in battle where she commissioned the construction of temples and promoted education.
Sembiyan Mahadevi, the aunt of Rajaraja Chola and devotee of Siva, renovated and built Saivite temples in her own right. She initiated works of charity and bestowed land to several temples. She made endowments to support artisans, craftsmen and musicians attached to such religious institutions. Kundavai, her niece and stalwart of Saivism, established a free hospital at Tanjore and set aside extensive lands for its maintenance. She dedicated temples and conferred costly gifts on each. Rudramba Kakatiya, an Andhra ruler of the 13th century, promoted the welfare of her subjects. She constructed irrigation tanks and canals, granted concessions to merchants to promote trade and industry, built hospitals, provided for their maintenance and patronized several villages. She belonged to the Pasupata sect and expressed a deep faith in Siva. One witnesses herein the role of women in administering the land and supporting religious institutions.
Women made extensive and direct contributions to the wave of personal religious devotion that swept the Hindu world in the late classical and medieval ages. Bhakti often entailed a rejection of marriage in the quest for religious communion. Karaikkal Ammaiyar of Tiruvalangadu sang in praise of Siva in the 6th century CE while Andal of Sri Villiputtur composed hymns of Vaishnavite devotion, a century later. Akkamahadevi is known for her simple and practical aphorisms in the Kannada language in the 12th century CE. These reflect an intense devotion to Siva and are conspicuous in the development of literature in Karnataka. Molla, a potter's daughter from Nellore, created a Telugu Ramayanam using a simple, chaste and vigorous style. Lal Ded, a Saivite mendicant ascetic, is significant to Kashmiri literature. She defined a true saint as one who helps others and embodies compassion. Mirabhai, the medieval Rajput princess, stated her preference for personal piety over lifelong wedlock, rejected suttee and was seminal to Hindi literature. Women joined the bhakti movement and contributed to the Hindu understanding of godhood. Such participation empowered them in a society otherwise male dominated.
Most civilizations have not had such a feminist inheritance. Indic civilization stands out in this regard. Yet, it has also had a fair share of a harsh patriarchy, be it suttee, the skewed legal texts and societal bias. It is now time to reclaim this earlier inheritance to replace the stilted and obsolete patriarchy that has come to dominate our religion, our economy and our politics. Unless and until we reinvigorate this dormant feminist capital, we would be fated to continue playing second fiddle to the West.
For instance, women helped define the Vedic tradition. Lopamudra took on the sage Vishwamitra to argue the cause of the marginalized. Apala Atreyi is one rishi or sage who refused to marry, authored segments of the Rig Veda and participated in the fire ritual. Ghosha too preferred a life of spinsterhood and composed hymns to the gods. Vishvavara, Romasha and Vach stand out as other Vedic women rishis. The Rig Veda in 1,000 BCE celebrated women who distinguished themselves in battle. These include Vadhrimati, Vishpala, Mudgalani and Shashiyasi. The Upanishads in 700 BCE refer to independent-minded thinkers such as Gargi Vachaknavi and Maitreyi who challenged key philosophic points and helped elucidate the central tenets of Vedanta. This is the earliest known instance of women's participation in established intellectual discourse in the world.
Panini, the Sanskrit linguist of the 5th century BCE coined a specific term, Upadhyayi, for women teachers of religion. He also refers to women students of the different branches of the Veda, i.e the Katha school, the Rig Veda school, the Taittiriya school etc. The Mahabharata asserts that Arundhati, wife of the great sage Vashishta, matched her husband in scholarship. The ancient custom of swayamvara where a woman chose her man, attests to a more liberal age. These examples illustrate the role of women in defining the Vedas, the intellectual node in the Hindu world.
Likewise, the concept of Stri Rajya implies women administrators. Women participated in public life although sidelined more often in the past. Prabhavati Gupta, the daughter of Chandragupta Vikramaditya, ruled as regent for 13 years in the 5th century CE. She issued a charter describing herself as a devotee of Vishnu. History is witness to the energetic statespersonship of Queen Didda of Kashmir in the 10th century. Inscriptions describe Akkadevi, the Chalukyan provincial governor of the 11th century, as fierce in battle where she commissioned the construction of temples and promoted education.
Sembiyan Mahadevi, the aunt of Rajaraja Chola and devotee of Siva, renovated and built Saivite temples in her own right. She initiated works of charity and bestowed land to several temples. She made endowments to support artisans, craftsmen and musicians attached to such religious institutions. Kundavai, her niece and stalwart of Saivism, established a free hospital at Tanjore and set aside extensive lands for its maintenance. She dedicated temples and conferred costly gifts on each. Rudramba Kakatiya, an Andhra ruler of the 13th century, promoted the welfare of her subjects. She constructed irrigation tanks and canals, granted concessions to merchants to promote trade and industry, built hospitals, provided for their maintenance and patronized several villages. She belonged to the Pasupata sect and expressed a deep faith in Siva. One witnesses herein the role of women in administering the land and supporting religious institutions.
Women made extensive and direct contributions to the wave of personal religious devotion that swept the Hindu world in the late classical and medieval ages. Bhakti often entailed a rejection of marriage in the quest for religious communion. Karaikkal Ammaiyar of Tiruvalangadu sang in praise of Siva in the 6th century CE while Andal of Sri Villiputtur composed hymns of Vaishnavite devotion, a century later. Akkamahadevi is known for her simple and practical aphorisms in the Kannada language in the 12th century CE. These reflect an intense devotion to Siva and are conspicuous in the development of literature in Karnataka. Molla, a potter's daughter from Nellore, created a Telugu Ramayanam using a simple, chaste and vigorous style. Lal Ded, a Saivite mendicant ascetic, is significant to Kashmiri literature. She defined a true saint as one who helps others and embodies compassion. Mirabhai, the medieval Rajput princess, stated her preference for personal piety over lifelong wedlock, rejected suttee and was seminal to Hindi literature. Women joined the bhakti movement and contributed to the Hindu understanding of godhood. Such participation empowered them in a society otherwise male dominated.
Most civilizations have not had such a feminist inheritance. Indic civilization stands out in this regard. Yet, it has also had a fair share of a harsh patriarchy, be it suttee, the skewed legal texts and societal bias. It is now time to reclaim this earlier inheritance to replace the stilted and obsolete patriarchy that has come to dominate our religion, our economy and our politics. Unless and until we reinvigorate this dormant feminist capital, we would be fated to continue playing second fiddle to the West.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Sri Lanka
There's been little to no comment on the Sri Lanka election in the Indian blogosphere. Odd, since the outcome is clearly worth noting.
With nationalist hawks in power now, the ill-fated "peace" talks of the past few years are now silenced. At one level, India ought to be pleased -- these were talks aimed at power-sharing with a terrorist (who once had an Indian PM killed, hence can never be forgiven), and facilitated by Norway (what locus standi do they have in India's sphere of influence?).
But, a Tamil friend from Jaffna has a different take. He believes that while LTTE may not be geo-politically savvy, they know Sri Lankan politics quite well. Indeed, the hawks have come to power precisely because Tamils boycotted the polls (the underlying assumption is that this was LTTE's doing). This is the outcome because the LTTE wanted it so. Nitin agrees.
This leaves us somewhat perplexed. How can both India and LTTE seek the same outcome? Who among the two will regret our present joy at the election results?
In the meanwhile, Sri Lanka's stock market is in a free fall.
With nationalist hawks in power now, the ill-fated "peace" talks of the past few years are now silenced. At one level, India ought to be pleased -- these were talks aimed at power-sharing with a terrorist (who once had an Indian PM killed, hence can never be forgiven), and facilitated by Norway (what locus standi do they have in India's sphere of influence?).
But, a Tamil friend from Jaffna has a different take. He believes that while LTTE may not be geo-politically savvy, they know Sri Lankan politics quite well. Indeed, the hawks have come to power precisely because Tamils boycotted the polls (the underlying assumption is that this was LTTE's doing). This is the outcome because the LTTE wanted it so. Nitin agrees.
This leaves us somewhat perplexed. How can both India and LTTE seek the same outcome? Who among the two will regret our present joy at the election results?
In the meanwhile, Sri Lanka's stock market is in a free fall.
Sunday, November 20, 2005
The Death Of Blogging
Blogging is a fad, and like all others, it too will fade.
Many attribute the explosion in blogging to technology. We think that, while certainly technology-enabled, blogging is really a consequence of our intensely political moment. There is so much to observe, express, and understand that blogging becomes a powerful way to do it.
Such moments of ferment are, however, aberrations in human affairs. Nature may adore entropy, people yearn for stability. We may appreciate the roller-coaster highs from today's news, but the inevitable mean-reversion to boredom is right around the next apogee.
Our present lust for politics and adventure will subside, to be replaced by the cautious monotony of everyday routine. We will run out of things to say -- most already are there! -- then, numb to observation and expression, we will seek silence and a "leave me alone" state-of-mind.
The best expression follows a genius creating separation between him/herself and the subject. Such separation allows reflection and perspective. Blogging is anything but this. Besides, blogging is about the expression of multitudes and -- forgive our elitism! -- such expression may be democratic but, for most part, is hardly genius.
Thus, given its very nature, blogging is ephemeral and largely banal -- a consequence of our highly charged times, an expression of our very ordinary vanities, and a solace as we swing from political hope to despair back to hope again.
T S Eliot wrote of a moment that is the death of hope and despair, calling it the death of air. Don't know about air, but such a moment will surely imply the death of blogging.
Many attribute the explosion in blogging to technology. We think that, while certainly technology-enabled, blogging is really a consequence of our intensely political moment. There is so much to observe, express, and understand that blogging becomes a powerful way to do it.
Such moments of ferment are, however, aberrations in human affairs. Nature may adore entropy, people yearn for stability. We may appreciate the roller-coaster highs from today's news, but the inevitable mean-reversion to boredom is right around the next apogee.
Our present lust for politics and adventure will subside, to be replaced by the cautious monotony of everyday routine. We will run out of things to say -- most already are there! -- then, numb to observation and expression, we will seek silence and a "leave me alone" state-of-mind.
The best expression follows a genius creating separation between him/herself and the subject. Such separation allows reflection and perspective. Blogging is anything but this. Besides, blogging is about the expression of multitudes and -- forgive our elitism! -- such expression may be democratic but, for most part, is hardly genius.
Thus, given its very nature, blogging is ephemeral and largely banal -- a consequence of our highly charged times, an expression of our very ordinary vanities, and a solace as we swing from political hope to despair back to hope again.
T S Eliot wrote of a moment that is the death of hope and despair, calling it the death of air. Don't know about air, but such a moment will surely imply the death of blogging.
Saturday, November 19, 2005
Paradise Now
A terrific new film Paradise Now tackles the issue of Palestinian suicide bombing in a very thoughtful way.
New York Times has this to say:
Said (Kais Nashef) and Khaled (Ali Suliman), best friends from childhood, belong to a terrorist cell in Nablus on the West Bank that is about to undertake its first suicide mission in two years. The film, directed by Hany Abu-Assad, an Israeli-born Palestinian, from a screenplay he wrote with Bero Beyer, the film's Dutch producer, follows them over the two days leading up to the climactic deed. Beginning shortly before they are tapped by an unidentified Palestinian organization to carry out the mission, the movie culminates less than 48 hours later in a denouement whose outcome remains uncertain until the last second.
The movie carries off two tricky balancing acts. One is to give the story a political context without bogging it down in essayistic debate and laborious historical background. The other is to maintain a balanced political perspective given the one-sided views of these all-too-human terrorists.
It does this by shoehorning in a strong, alternative Palestinian point of view in the person of Suha (Lubna Azabal), an attractive young woman Said meets in the auto-repair depot where he and Khaled work.
In an emotional confrontation with both men, she articulates the arguments against suicide bombing. What happens to those left behind, she asks? Her question alludes not only to the grief of surviving loved ones but also to the political fallout from suicide bombing: the tragic pattern of revenge begetting revenge that will further oppress Palestinians. Her humane voice becomes the movie's moral and emotional grounding wire.
A must watch film.
New York Times has this to say:
Said (Kais Nashef) and Khaled (Ali Suliman), best friends from childhood, belong to a terrorist cell in Nablus on the West Bank that is about to undertake its first suicide mission in two years. The film, directed by Hany Abu-Assad, an Israeli-born Palestinian, from a screenplay he wrote with Bero Beyer, the film's Dutch producer, follows them over the two days leading up to the climactic deed. Beginning shortly before they are tapped by an unidentified Palestinian organization to carry out the mission, the movie culminates less than 48 hours later in a denouement whose outcome remains uncertain until the last second.
The movie carries off two tricky balancing acts. One is to give the story a political context without bogging it down in essayistic debate and laborious historical background. The other is to maintain a balanced political perspective given the one-sided views of these all-too-human terrorists.
It does this by shoehorning in a strong, alternative Palestinian point of view in the person of Suha (Lubna Azabal), an attractive young woman Said meets in the auto-repair depot where he and Khaled work.
In an emotional confrontation with both men, she articulates the arguments against suicide bombing. What happens to those left behind, she asks? Her question alludes not only to the grief of surviving loved ones but also to the political fallout from suicide bombing: the tragic pattern of revenge begetting revenge that will further oppress Palestinians. Her humane voice becomes the movie's moral and emotional grounding wire.
A must watch film.
Daring Mice
Via New York Times, Timid Mice Made Daring by Removing One Gene
Just one more example of how science addresses real compelling needs in our world today!!
Just one more example of how science addresses real compelling needs in our world today!!
What's Sex Got To Do With It
.. with honor, that is?
We've been distracted this past month and only now have a moment to surface and return to blogging.
The most interesting topic while we were away were comments by young Indian women on sex. Film star Khushboo & Tennis star Sania have stirred up a royal row with their honest views on "pre-marital sex".
There is much hypocrisy in India that masquerades as public prudery -- all the while, behind closed doors, reality is quite different.
It's time for Indians to face up to the post-modern existence of our urban youth. Given how complex people's lives are, it is absurd to impose on us social mores from a less hurried and a long-lapsed time.
Perhaps the new moral code is not eternal marriage, but serial monogamy. The former has long been about social consent and ceremony, the latter about individual happiness and a state of mind. We ourselves favor happiness!
Having said this, erosion of an institution as long-lived as marriage is not a trivial thing. The long-term implications of such erosion need careful weighing -- for the individuals involved, and for society as a whole. Afterall, we do not have collective and inherited wisdom on handling such a transition.
This is a discussion worth having. Shutting up Khushboo and Sania does little towards this end.
We've been distracted this past month and only now have a moment to surface and return to blogging.
The most interesting topic while we were away were comments by young Indian women on sex. Film star Khushboo & Tennis star Sania have stirred up a royal row with their honest views on "pre-marital sex".
There is much hypocrisy in India that masquerades as public prudery -- all the while, behind closed doors, reality is quite different.
It's time for Indians to face up to the post-modern existence of our urban youth. Given how complex people's lives are, it is absurd to impose on us social mores from a less hurried and a long-lapsed time.
Perhaps the new moral code is not eternal marriage, but serial monogamy. The former has long been about social consent and ceremony, the latter about individual happiness and a state of mind. We ourselves favor happiness!
Having said this, erosion of an institution as long-lived as marriage is not a trivial thing. The long-term implications of such erosion need careful weighing -- for the individuals involved, and for society as a whole. Afterall, we do not have collective and inherited wisdom on handling such a transition.
This is a discussion worth having. Shutting up Khushboo and Sania does little towards this end.
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