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Leading
News
BNP reformists
in talks with govt
Loyalists preparing programmes for
freeing Khaleda
Staff Correspondent
While the reformist splinter of BNP is holding informal
talks with the government to make the national dialogue
successful, the mainstream BNP is holding series of
meetings to chalk out 'effective and realistic' programmes
to free the detained Chairperson, Begum Khaleda Zia, as
well as for "expediting restoration of democracy" in the
country.
For the first time on Tuesday, since Begum Khaleda Zia was
arrested, senior leaders of BNP including standing
committee members, vice chairmen, joint secretaries
general, organizing secretaries general, presidents and
secretaries of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) and Jubo Dal,
two strong wings of the party, sat in a meeting at the Nam
residence of the party Secretary general Khandoker Delwar
Hossain with him in the chair.
Talking to newsmen after the meeting, Delwar Hossain says,
"We are holding series of meetings to review the current
socio-economic and political situation of the country. The
meeting observed that Begum Khaleda Zia was being kept in
the jail without any rightful cause. So we will chalk out
effective and realistic programmes soon to free her."
In reply to a question, Delwar said, "It is very
unfortunate that the government is holding pre-dialogue
talks with a factory-produced BNP which is backed by the
government itself." Hannan Shah said, "We are waiting for
some while. We must announce programmes soon to free
Khaled Zia."
A source who was present in the meeting told The
Bangladesh Today that the BNP has decided to wait for some
while to see what the EC and the government would do
regarding holding their respective dialogues. They might
go for a tough movement. The BNP also decided to send a
letter to the EC clarifying its position. Many leaders in
the meeting suggested taking necessary measures to expel M
Saifur Rahman and Maj (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.
Meanwhile, a delegation of the pro-government faction, led
by the newest member in the party standing committee,
Mahbubur Rahman, held the pre-dialogue talks with five
advisers of the government at state guest house Meghna.
The government-backed splinter suggested the government to
formulate a code of conduct for political parties to bring
"qualitative change in existing political culture." They
also demanded immediate release of Khaleda Zia as there
are no significant charges against her.
After the two-hour long meeting, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed told
newsmen, "We have discussed many things to bring change in
our political culture ranging from student-teacher
politics to national politics. It was a pre-dialogue talk
with the government and we expect that the things will
come more comprehensively in the formal phase."
EC-BNP-Dialogue
Staff Correspondent
If the two factions of BNP
fail to unite, the EC will invite the Saifur-Mannan led
faction to the EC-BNP talks with regard to electoral
reforms as per the court verdict soon.
"Five days have elapsed after the pronouncement of the
court verdict but both factions led by Khaleda and Saifur
are yet to reach a consensus and to be united. We will
invite the faction in whose favour the court passed
order", CEC ATM Shamsul Huda told reporters at his office
Tuesday.
He said it is anticipated that both groups will be united
and it is better for them and in a bid to facilitate their
reunion the commission has not invited yet any group
although the court passed an order in this regard.
If internal faction continues it is not possible to invite
both the groups together as a section is already
scattering rumour that EC may indulge in splitting the
party by inviting both groups of BNP, he added.
The CEC pointed out that the EC will take its own course
and come forward to invite the legal representative of BNP
as Khaleda Zia's writ was rejected by the High Court on
April 10.
According to EC sources, "Reforms in rules for political
party and election cannot be finalised due to
procrastination of EC-BNP dialogue. In order to hold
election within the time frame as per roadmap, it is
necessary to complete all the works in time. It is clear
that delay in dialogue to finalise electoral rules is
bound to affect the whole process."
It may be recalled that on November 5 last the EC invited
Maj (retd) Hafiz Uddin, acting secretary general of
Saifur-Mannan led BNP, to EC-BNP dialogue which was
scheduled for November 22. After this, on November 17
Khaleda Zia filed a writ challenging the legality of EC
letter and the High Court stayed the execution of the
letter and issued rule asking the EC why its letter shall
not be declared illegal. Finally after hearing its rule,
the High Court rejected the writ clearing way to invite
Hafiz Uddin to dialogue observing, "Although the court can
dispose of political matter but it cannot settle an
internal problem of a political party which will be solved
politically."
Religious
Radicals gather again at Baitul Mukarram
Staff Correspondent
Islamic Law Implementation Committee on Tuesday asked the
devotees to offer special prayer after Juma on Friday,
April 18 for immediate fall of all advisers of present
caretaker government.
After offering Asr prayers under the banner 'Islamic Law
Implementation Committee', hundreds of people gathered
around the national mosque Baitul Mokaramm. Later they
held a demonstration protesting police attack on the
activists of Islamic and demanding cancellation of the
government's decision to ensure equal inheritance of the
parents' property by the women.
In the meeting they also announced the holding of a grand
rally of "Walma Mashaekh" at Engineers Institute of
Bangladesh on May 4. The next programme will be announced
from the grand rally. As soon as they started gathering
around the mosque, heavy contingent of law enforcers
rushed to area and cordoned off the meeting. However, no
untoward incident took place.
It may be pointed out that centering the issue a serious
clash between the activists of Islamic political party had
left at least 150 people including cops injured.
Free
Hasina, announce polls schedule soon: AL
Staff Correspondent
AL leaders were addressing a post- 'Hunger Strike' meeting
of Bangabandhu Sainik League (BSL) at Bangbandhu Avenue's
AL Central Office yesterday with its President Bazlur
Rahman in the chair.
BSL observed about six-hour long 'Hunger Strike' to press
home their a five-point demand, including release of
ailing Sheikh Hasina and ensuring her proper treatment
abroad as per her physicians, arresting the price spiral
of necessary commodities and punishment of the war
criminals.
They urged the Government to ensure the release of Hasina
prior to the completion of ongoing 'Mass-Signature
Champaign' organised by Dhaka City AL. They hoped that
they would be able to sit in the dialogue alongwith the
detained party president.
AL Presidium Member Abdur Razzaque said, "The nation is
facing severe crises at present. There is no alternative
to the leadership of former premier Sheikh Hasina, the
daughter of the Father of Nation, who is capable of facing
prevailing situation across the country."
"Our party president has been detained on charge of false
cases with an ill-motive to ruin her political career
which the country will never tolerate at all," he claimed.
Referring to recent series of clashes between law
enforcers and activists of Islamic Groups at Baitul
Mukarram Mosque premises and Hathhazari in Chittagong, the
former AL minister demanded exemplary punishment to those
responsible for that lashes centering the new "Women
Policy'.
"A country cannot run with separate two laws. The
fundamentalists are allowed to bring out processions in
the city streets while all other political and
socio-cultural organisations cannot hold any rally," the
veteran AL leader blasted the army-backed interim
government.
About Sunday's informal dialogue with five advisers to the
Caretaker Government another AL Presidium Member Suranjit
Sengupta said, "We placed our five point demand before the
representatives of the incumbent Government. The
representatives assured us that they would consider our
demands. They said that the Government is determined to
arrange the upcoming General Election within the earlier
announced timeframe by December 31 this year."
Threatening to launch a tough movement to free ailing AL
chief, the noted lawyer said, "Amendment of Sections-16
and 19- of the Emergency Rules is needed to ensure the
bail for the detained political leaders including our
Party Chief. The people of the country will not tolerate
if any controversial judgment is pronounced against Hasina."
Earlier, AL presidium member Tofael Ahmed inaugurated
'Mass Signature Champaign at Mohamadpur in the capital
yesterday morning.
Since April 5, the city unit of AL was continuing the
programme in the city to realize their five demands
especially, for freeing Hasina. Collecting as many as 10
lakh signatures in favour of their demands, it will be
submitted to the Chief Adviser of the Caretaker
Government, Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, after 15 days.
While inaugurating the programme, Tofael Ahmed urged the
government not to delay further regarding the release of
AL president and take necessary measures to control the
skyrocketing prices of essentials as an urgent basis;
otherwise the government would have to face dire
consequences in near future.
India-Bangladesh
Train
Moitree express reaches Kolkata in historic journey
Indo-Bangladesh train service resumes after 43 yrs
By Dipankar Chawkravorty
UNB,Dhaka
Moitree - the much-awaited train from Dhaka--chugged into
Chitpur rail-station in the West Bengal capital on Monday
night to a warm welcome, reopening railway communications
between Bangladesh and India after a lapse of 43 years.
The train and its passengers, at the end of their historic
cross-border journey, were given a hearty welcome by
Indian railway officials and the citizens of Kolkata.
Earlier, the first Dhaka-bound transnational train from
Kolkata started its maiden run at about 7:15 am (IST) with
65 passengers. The train reached Dhaka the same night.
Earlier, the ornate Moitree embarked on its 13-hour run
from Dhaka Cantonment station, laden with 375 passengers
after a brief opening ceremony.
Communications Adviser Maj Gen (retd) Ghulam Quader,
Foreign Adviser Dr Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury, a number of
foreign diplomats and members of donor agencies, senior
railway officials and attending people gave the train a
hearty sendoff at 8:30am (BST).
"This is the beginning of a new chapter through
inaugurating the Dhaka-Kolkata train service. It will help
to improve relations between the two close neighbours,"
said the Communications Adviser of the caretaker
government just before giving the go to the train.
"I had visited India many times to meet my relatives when
the train service was on before 1965. I then stopped
traveling to India after suspension of train service
between the two countries. I'm again going there after
resumption of train service," said Momena Begum, 75, now
traveling to India by Moitree for treatment purpose.
She continued, "Train journey is comfortable than bus.
But, it takes 13 hours to come to Kolkata from Dhaka and
it's a long period of time. So, the authorities should
think how time could be minimised."
People waved their hands and expressed their joy while the
train passing by them on the night. It is like that there
are cheerful sounds in the air but none was there.
"People are waiting here in India from morning to have a
glimpse of the first Moitree train from Dhaka to be a part
of the history. Even, many of them don't know the exact
time of arrival of the train, but they are waiting," said
police constable Swapan, who was traveling with the
Kolkata-bound train from Gede station.
Initially, two trains will run on the Dhaka-Kolkata route
on Saturdays and Sundays every week. Each train will have
facility for some 417 passengers in seven compartments.
Train fares have been fixed at between $8 and $20
depending on the classes for the 538km journey -- 418km in
Bangladesh and 120km in India. Fares for each sleeping
berth is $20, AC chair coach $12 and non-AC chair coach
$8.
Finance
Adviser denies govt interference in BB affairs
UNB, Dhaka
Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam Tuesday denied
government's interference into Bangladesh Bank affairs
over a plan to impose two directors from bank depositors
on the boards of commercial banks.
"The government will not interfere into Bangladesh Bank
affairs," he told the reporters following a meeting with a
delegation from Bangladesh Association of Banks (BAB), a
forum of bank owners, which requested the Adviser not to
impose such reform.
Earlier, Bangladesh Bank had instructed private commercial
banks to pursue the reform incorporating two directors
from among their depositors.
"There is no instance of such practice of appointing
directors from the depositors elsewhere the world,
including South Asia," BAB Chairman Nazrul Islam Majumder
said.
He said, "Respective bank boards and Bangladesh Bank are
enough to oversee the interest of the depositors."
Majumder said they also demanded reduction of corporate
income tax on banks' earnings from the existing 45 percent
to 35 percent in the coming budget to help the banks
reduce their lending rates. The central bank has long been
pressing the commercial banks to reduce their lending
rates to help the economy grow.
Back Page
Boro
not yet available in Markets
Staff Correspondent
Despite starting of Boro
harvesting, the skyrocketing price of rice yet to impact
on the wholesale and retail markets in the capital as
elsewhere in the country.
A group of rice wholesalers in the city's kitchen market
adjacent to New Market said "Farmers have started
procuring Boro crops from their paddy field but it would
take some more days to reach the food grain to the
capital. So we have to sell the rice at previous high rate
and we expecting the price of rice will come down soon."
Echoing the same voice, a retailer of Neilkheit
residential area said "As we still purchase rice from the
Wholesale market at high rate so we are compelled to sale
at previous rate.
While visiting the city's some wholesale shops of rice,
TBT Correspondent came to know that people are to buy rice
at the price higher than they expected because of
unavailability of boro rice in the market and they
demanded immediate supply of boro rice.
"Hearing the news of boro procurement I came to market
expecting to buy several kg of rice at cheap rate but I
feel so much frustrated that boro rice is not available in
the market yet", said Habibur Rahman, a garments worker.
People pointed out that in the midst of rice crisis, it
was expected that the boro produce will meet up some
demand and rest will be imported. As price of rice is
higher in the international market, it is not possible to
control price hike of rice without domestic product like
boro rice. But if the government fails to ensure adequate
supply of boro rice, the rice crisis will continue and
price hike will go up and up beyond reach of the poor and
middle class people who are already suffering a lot.
Govt
considering employment guarantee scheme: Finance Adviser
Staff Correspondent
Finance Adviser ABM Azizul Islam on Tuesday said the
government is considering introducing an employment
guarantee skill scheme in the next year.
"Bangladesh government has been implementing several
programs including VGT, VGF, and OMS to ensure social
protection. Besides special projects are now being
implemented for the hilly regions." Aziz said while he was
speaking as chief guest at discussion on 'South Asia
Regional Policy Makers on Social Protection' held at a
city hotel.
Finance Adviser said implementation works on some MDG's
target like 'increase in child education' and 'reduce the
mortality rate of mother and child' are on the process.
Following taking the initiative, mortality rate of child
and mother has declined, he added.
The experts who were present in the function said,
although poverty rates in South Asia have decreased
remarkably for the region as a whole, over 400 million
people remain under the poverty line - representing almost
40 percent of the world's poor.
Moreover, despite unprecedented economic growth rates,
inequality and disparities for various social indicators
have been increasing. The benefits of economic growth have
been unequally distributed among the various groups in
society. Today rising food prices are posing new
challenges for the region's poor, they also said on the
discussion meeting.
'Women and children, and notably those excluded from
resources, incomes and social services, are the most
affected by the disconnect between high economic growth
rates and low progress on human development indicators',
they said.
Social protection is more and more seen as an adequate
strategy to address poverty, income inequality, social
exclusion, and to transform society. At global level,
civil society and a number of UN agencies are advocating
for a global minimum income or 'social floor' which would
offer to all citizens in a country pensions for the
elderly and the disabled, conditional support for the
unemployed, and basic income security for all children
through child benefits. Basic health care provision and
inclusive primary education are other elements of such a
basic social floor, they added.
Farming practices ‘must change’
BBC News, Paris
A United Nations-sponsored report has warned that modern
farming practices and rules must change in response to
rising food prices.
"Business as usual is no longer an option", says the
report, as extra food costs threaten to plunge millions
more people into poverty.
The study, published by Unesco in Paris, calls for more
emphasis on protecting natural resources.
More natural and ecological farming techniques should be
used, it says.
These should include reducing the distance between
production and the consumer.
The report is the result of three years of work involving
scientists and other experts, as well as governments of
developed and developing countries.
The authors conclude that progress in agriculture has
reaped very unequal benefits - and that it has come at a
high social and environmental cost.
Unesco notes the ''considerable influence'' of big
transnational corporations in North America and Europe.
‘Urgent action’
By contrast, Latin America and the Caribbean are largely
dependent on imported food.
The UN body describes the need for action as urgent,
warning that staple food prices are likely to continue to
rise because of increased demand from countries like China
and India, and the alternative use of maize and soya beans
for biofuels.
The report says more than a third of the world's most
deteriorated land has been caused by farming.
France has called for more European help for poorer
countries, and for farmers worldwide to raise their
output.
But it is resisting pressure to ease support for EU
farmers, saying Europe must remain a major producing
continent.
AL to observe Mujibnagar Day
UNB, Dhaka
Awami League has taken up an elaborate programme to
observe the historic 'Mujibnagar Day' on Thursday.
The day's programme will begin with hoisting the national
and party flags at Bangabandhu Bhaban and central party
office at about 6am.
The party men will place wreaths at the portrait of father
of the nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Bangabandhu Bhaban
at about 8:00 am.
Wreaths will also be placed at the mazars of Syed Nazrul
Islam, Tajuddin Ahmed and Captain Mansur Ali at Banani
graveyard while AHM Quamruzzaman in Rajshahi.
Leaders and activists of Awami League, led by its Acting
President Zillur Rahman, will attend the day's programmes.
To mark the day, Awami League has also taken some special
programmes at Mujibnagar that include hoisting national
and party flags and meeting on significance of the day on
the Sheikh Hasina Mancha.
Acting General Secretary Sayed Ashraful Islam, in a
release, has requested all the leaders, workers and
supporters of Awami League and its party wings and the
countrymen of all classes and professionals to observe the
day with befitting manners.
Crime
Five held
A Correspondent, Lalmonirhat
Police arrested five convicts from a residential hotel in
the district sadar on Sunday.
The arrested were identified as Millon, 37, Mozibur, 40,
Golam, 32, Rezaul, 30, and Rifat Ali, 35.
Girl found dead
UNB, Lalmonirhat
A teenaged girl was found dead at a cropland at Baraipara
village in Hatibandha upazila Saturday afternoon.
Police said local people found the body of the
unidentified girl, aged around 18, lying on a remote maize
field in the morning and informed them.
Later, police recovered the body that bore telltale marks
of strangulation and sent it to Sadar hospital morgue for
autopsy.
Police suspected that miscreants strangulated the
ill-fated girl to death after gang rape.
A case was filed.
Brother kills brother
BSS, Jamalpur
One person was killed when his younger brother hit him on
the head with a stick at village Dengargar under Islampur
Upazila in the district on Thursday.
The victim was identified as Efaz Uddin , 55, of the area.
Police said Raja Miah hit his elder brother following a
quarrel between them over a land dispute . Efaz Uddin died
instantaneously.
Efaz Uddin's son Mozammel Haq filed a case against his two
uncles and three cousins with Islampur Thana in this
connection.
Man's body recovered
A Correspondent, Rajshahi
Police of Charghat Thana in Rajshahi was recovered a dead
body of a man in the Boral River on Saturday night.
The man was identified as Shahdat Hossain, 36, of Diarpara
village under Arani upazila in Rajshahi.
According to the victim's family members, Shahdat came out
from his residence on Saturday afternoon and went missing.
Later, people of Ramchandrapur area found Hossain's
floating dead body in the Boral river and informed police.
Police recovered the body and sent it to the Rajshahi
Medical College Hospital for a post mortem report. A
murder case was filed in this connection on Sunday.
Police failed to arrest anybody till writing this report.
Two killed
UNB, Habiganj
Two people were killed in separate incidents in the
district on Sunday.
Locals said terrorists hacked Ebadul Haq, a former UP
member of Halitala village in Nabiganj upazila, to death
on Sunday following a previous enmity.
Police arrested Awal Miah, 27, of Chowsatpur village in
Nabiganj upazila in this connection.
In another incident, Sujan Miah, 30, was stabbed allegedly
by his friend following a conflict over money due to him
at Lenjapara village under Shayestaganj thana this
afternoon.
Later, he died after admitting him to Sadar Adhunik
Hospital.
Terrorist held, firearm, phensidyl seized
UNB, Benapole
Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested a
terrorist along with a pistol and 90 bottles of phensidyl
syrup at Mahishadanga village in Sharsha upazila Friday
night.
Being tipped off, a team of RAB-6 raided the village at
about 9:30 pm and arrested local terrorist Monayem, 32,
along with a pistol, one bullet and the contraband drug.
Later, Monayem was handed to the Benapole police station.
Police said he was wanted in a number criminal cases.
In another drive, BDR jawans recovered a bag containing
three kg of hemp at Raghunathpur frontier in the same
upazila Saturday morning.
Acting on a tip-off, BDR men raided the area at about
10:30 am and recovered the bag lying in abandoned
condition.
Terrorist busted
BSS, Madaripur
Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested a
terrorist from Kalkini upazila of the district.
The arrested was identifies as Kasem Talukder, 50.
RAB sources said, acting on a tip-off, a team of the elite
forces surrounded char area of one Kalai Sarder and
arrested him.
Sources said, a total 17 cases including murder, rape,
extortion and dacoity against him are pending in different
police stations of the country.
Notorious mugger netted
BSS, Brahmanbaria
Police arrested a notorious mugger at Kazipara village
under Sadar upazila of the district on Friday.
Police said the arrested was identified as Jumman alias
Kawa Jumman, 25.
A case was filed with respective police station under the
rule of emergency.
Editorial
AL-Government Dialogue
To
political pundits certainly but also to the common people, the
results of the AL-Government dialogue came as no surprise.
Ever since such a dialogue was mooted by the Emergency
Government, the AL has been insisting on certain issues, chief
among which are the immediate release of Sheikh Hasina, from
an indefinite incarceration on various charges and allegations
of corruption, ostensibly for treatment; the holding of
national polls before the local government election; the
immediate withdrawal of the emergency or at least its
relaxation to permit political activities and the effective
tackling of food price and shortage which is bedeviling the
life of the common people. As the Emergency Government began
procrastinating on the dialogue, the AL started mounting
pressure in the form of innuendoes and then out right threats
of mounting a mass movement to get their points across.
Finally massive and growing public dissatisfaction with the
Government's inability to tackle the food shortage and price
issue, forced it to the dialogue table, albeit in a severely
disadvantageous position vis-à-vis the political parties
particularly the AL.
That the AL was in the driving seat during the talks was
evident from the statements of Suranjit Sengupta, who was part
of the AL team. He said: "We made them understand our
proposals. We proposed that the final dialogue … would be
bilateral … the Chief Advisor and the AL President would be
present … the detained AL leaders may be provided bail and it
also must be ensured that they are not made ineligible for
elections. Sections 16 and 19 of the EPR must be amended so
that all cases are bailable". In short, the AL is all set to
negate two years of Emergency and the so-called reforms and
anti-corruption drives that this Government has been so
obsessed with and this is exactly what we and many others have
been also predicting for the last few months. What happens in
the final dialogue is now a foregone conclusion; the presence
of the Chief Advisor at the finals to rubber stamp his own
negation, would be a nice touch of irony and real politik by
the master AL political strategists.
What lessons the other mass party, the BNP draws from this is
difficult to say since they have taken the Emergency
Government's bait of reforms, hook, line and sinker and have
broken themselves up into competing, divisive factions. The
BNP cannot at the moment be said to be a powerful monolithic
structure it once was and which the AL now is and therefore,
they are not a "power" to be reckoned with. Nonetheless the
"charisma" of Khaleda Zia still has some currency with the
rank and file of the party and all factions will try and make
use of that to gain some leverage from the Emergency
Government, if the Government at all deigns to call them for a
talk. Charisma or not, an acrimoniously divisive BNP is ill
placed to obtain any concessions from the Government, about
Khaleda Zia. In all likelihood, the BNP would have to ride on
the coat-tails of AL to get Khaleda Zia released from jail,
provided all factions intend her release at all. Consensus, of
various factions of the BNP, regarding the release of Khaleda
Zia is not a "given" at the moment as is evident from the
various dilatory statements of the Saifur-Hafiz group. Under
the circumstances, BNP or factions thereof would be going to
the dialogue with a very weak "hand" and whatever they say
would be a repetition of what the AL has already demanded,
albeit in a much more humble tone.
The point of the fact is, as we have said in one of our
earlier editorials, we are all set to go back to square one
and this Government has placed itself in the unenviable
position of welcoming back the very forces which it had tried
so hard and desperately to de-legitimize through the
imposition of an Emergency. Therefore, once again we take a
step back-ward in our attempts at nation-building and what
price we all have to pay for that, the next 5 years will make
amply clear.
Poverty and hunger
Poverty
leads to hunger and forces millions to skip nights without
food. People's sufferings due to poverty and hunger are
nothing new in this country, but this year the situation is
grave. In the words of Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen 'poverty
means lack of purchasing power'. And exactly that is the grim
reality in Bangladesh. Now, hunger continues to haunt millions
as they are unable to buy enough food for want of money while
there is no scarcity of food items in the markets.
That the situation in Bangladesh is grave, is evident from the
huge rush of people in the queues at OMS centres and BDR
outlets for procuring rice at a cheaper rate. Worse still,
very difficult days are lying ahead if the forecasts made by
IMF and World Bank are based on facts. The World Bank (WB) has
predicted that if the soaring prices of food persist, the
success achieved so far in poverty alleviation would be
shattered pushing 100 million more people in the world below
the abject poverty line. The WB expressed the fear that social
unrest may lead to war and called for urgent food aid to
desperate people. Moreover, IMF Chief Dominique Strauss Kahn
has warned that hundreds of thousands of people will face
starvation if food prices keep rising. He also said that
social unrest from continuing food price inflation could cause
conflict. And, at least in one case, the prime minister of
Haiti Jacqes Edouard Alexis has been dismissed over food riot
in his country.
At home, it is undoubtedly a good news that harvesting of Boro
crop has started signaling a trend of slight fall in the
prices of rice in the market. But it is not sure how long the
respite expected to be brought about by the arrival of Boro
will sustain. Because, food price escalation is a global
crisis now and it threatens the socio-economic and political
stability across the world. So, we have no reason for
complacency. We must make all out efforts to build up a buffer
stock of food grins with procurements from home and abroad and
take all other measures as may be necessary to avert further
deterioration of the food situation. Along with the relentless
war on food crisis, Bangladesh must also continue its fight
against poverty as these two are inter-related.
Analysis
Kolkata-Dhaka Rail
The Kolkata-Dhaka Moitree (Friendship) Express
was at long last flagged off on 14 April, 2008, Bengali New
Year's Day resuming passenger train services between the two
neighboring countries after 43 years.
Dr. Abdul Ruff Colachal
It
is heartening to note that the passenger train service between
Kolkata (Calcutta) in India and the capital of Bangladesh,
Dhaka, has resumed after an interval of more than 40 years.
The service was suspended in 1965 following that year's war
between India and Pakistan, of which Bangladesh was then the
eastern province. The train service between the two countries
was stopped during the India-Pakistan war in 1965 when
Bangladesh was the erstwhile East Pakistan. Bangladesh gained
independence in 1971 but the two countries only agreed to
resume the train link in 2001. However, owing to disagreements
over security arrangements, the implementation of the rail
link was delayed after the two countries signed the agreement.
The Kolkata-Dhaka Moitree (Friendship) Express was at long
last flagged off on 14 April, 2008, Bengali New Year's Day
resuming passenger train services between the two neighboring
countries after 43 years. The six-coach train will be a
bi-weekly service between Kolkata and Dhaka Cantonment. It
will leave Kolkata on Saturdays and Sundays at 7.10 am
reaching Dhaka at 10.30 pm. From Dhaka, it will leave at 8.30
am and will reach Kolkata at 9 pm. The Indian rake has a
capacity of 368 passengers and the Bangladeshi one will have
418 passengers. The 538-km journey will cover 418 km in
Bangladesh and 120 km in India.
Upon the announcement made in media, about the availability of
tickets at the Eastern Railway ticket-booking counter in
Fairly Place from 10 am to 5 pm from Friday onwards, thousands
of people queued up on Friday the April11 as ticket sales
began for the India-Bangladesh Moitree Express. The excitement
of people can be estimated by the fact that they are standing
in line for tickets since 5 am. "There are already 3,000-4,000
people in the queue," a Railway official said. People get
tickets on showing their passport and visa. Fares are kept at
$8 and $20. Initially it was decided passengers would get
tickets in exchange of dollars only. But now they can also buy
tickets in rupees.
Mahbubur Rahman, a senior official of the Bangladesh
Communication Ministry and Indian High Commissioner to
Bangladesh P. R. Chakravarty had on April 09 signed the
supplementary deal on the commissioning of the cross-border
passenger train. The train, which started on Poila Boishakh
(Bengali New Year's Day), will run every weekend between
Chitpur Station in Kolkata and Cantonment Station in Dhaka
through the Darshana border. It's an eight-hour journey,
redefining the friendship of the two countries. "But the
verification of passport, visa and other official paper works
will take six hours more," said. "We have requested the Indian
High Commission to keep the verification procedure short yet
fool proof so that passengers will not feel harassed," he
added. Rahman said by keeping in mind "terrorist" activities
that always come between India-Bangladesh friendship,
Bangladesh is stressing most on security. The train will not
stop within 30 km of the border even if the chain is pulled.
"The agreement will strengthen bilateral relations and provide
an alternative mode of passenger transport," an Indian
government statement said. Before partition, there was a
regular over-night service from Kolkata to Goalanda and
further upto Dhaka via Narayanganj. At the time of partition,
there were three train services from Sealdah to various
destinations of the then East Pakistan. These trains - East
Bengal Mail, East Bengal Express, and Barishal Express - were
operational till 1965. After 1965, there was no passenger rail
service between India and the then East Pakistan which later
became Bangladesh.
The common history, culture and language generated a demand
from the people of both West Bengal and Bangladesh for a
regular rail link. Following initiatives taken by the
governments of India and Bangladesh, freight services started
in 1972 but the service had to be discontinued. In 2000, goods
services were restored with the commissioning of
Petrapol-Benapol rail link.
One hopes the rail-link between Kolkata and Dhaka that share
common values and culture would lead to close ties between the
two neighbors and India would accommodate the genuine and
legitimate concerns of Bangladesh to advance its economic and
security national interests.
(Dr. Abdul Ruff Colachal is a Research Scholar, School of
International Studies; Jawaharlal Nehru University; Delhi)
Why America Cannot Disarm?
Today, long after the end of the
Cold War, America has no credible adversaries to challenge its
might
and role as sole superpower.
Kamal Wadhwa
According
to Karl Marx, the economic basis of society determines the
social and culture superstructure. In a similar vein, American
foreign policy is to a large extent dictated by pressing
economic realities that predominate in American society. The
underlying economic reality in America is its defense industry
that contributes more than any other sector to the national
exchequer and the GNP. This industry employs hundreds of
thousands of workers directly and considerably more in an
indirect way by sub-contracting to ancillary industries.
Trillions of dollars are contributed by way of taxes to the
American exchequer and without this revenue the Federal
Government would be a toothless entity.
The names of big defense companies such as Lockheed, Boeing
-McDonnell, Rockwell and Northrop are too well known to need
elaboration here; suffice to say that they are the lynchpins
on which much of America functions. They manufacture missiles,
space equipment, jet fighter aircraft and a host of related
equipment. Components for this equipment are outsourced from
thousands of industries spread across the United States. That
America and things American have brand names is due in no
small measure to these giant corporations.
The American defense industry has close ties with the academic
establishment from which it sources engineers, managers,
astrophysicists, etc., in a symbiotic relationship. The
defense corporations also in turn contribute significantly to
American academia by way of research grants, manpower training
and a variety of other services.
Because of the predominant role the defense industry plays in
the American economy, America's foreign policy cannot overlook
its compelling needs. The fact is that the market
capitalization of some American defense corporations is
greater that the GNP of many underdeveloped countries. The
American economy is strong because of the defense industry's
output of expensive military equipment that is sold both the
United States armed forces and other friendly countries. This
fact also explains why the United States can import and absorb
cheap commodities and manufactures from the rest of the world;
it can simply pay for these imports by selling high-value
military equipment. America has the rest of the world in
thrall because no one wants to lose markets in that country
even when the goods exported are so nominal in value.
Today, long after the end of the Cold War, America has no
credible adversaries to challenge its might and role as sole
superpower. Thus the strategic imperative of encircling and
containing Russia and China makes no sense. Logically, NATO
should have been discarded a long time ago. Why do such
military pacts persist? Simply because such pacts serve as a
valuable conduit for promoting American military sales into
Allied countries and they prop up the American defense
industry and the American economy in the process. Why are
NATO's eastern borders being pushed deeper and deeper into the
former Soviet republics of Lithuania, Belarus and the Ukraine?
It is to simply convince these countries that Russia yet poses
a threat to their independence and that they need American
military assistance to meet that threat.
Militarism and military values are a respected institution in
American society to this day. There is a kind of fascination
with war that spills out in to the purchase of military toys,
dress and equipment. To refuse service in the American armed
forces is to question the very ethos on which America is built
and invites great dishonor and disrespect. War movies,
especially those that glorify combat and the soldier's
profession, are very popular to this day in America.
America sees nothing wrong in befriending and propping up
military dictators such as Musharaf, Pinochet and Zia because
they serve American military interests. American support for
Taiwan keeps alive that island state's confrontation with
China alive and absorbs billions of dollars worth of military
sales. America does not mind arming both India and Pakistan as
long as it is able to affect military sales to these
quarrelsome neighbors. For America war is as good a business
as any and fabulous profits can be made by supplying equipment
to the combatants.
Every American college textbook on international affairs
considers the pursuit of the American national interest as the
supreme good even when that interest conflicts with the rules
of the international order. Therefore, it is naïve to believe
that America acts from idealistic motives. Indeed, the pursuit
and preservation of America's national interest .s enshrined
in statute and legislated into law. Hence, even well-meaning
American presidents who do want to do good for the rest of the
world are prevented from doing so by the strictures inherent
in the office of the President itself.
America's defense industries produce technologies that have
spin-offs in the civilian sector as well. Many innovations
such as the Internet were originally designed for military
use. Similarly, America's space exploration program is deeply
committed to and involved in supplying space technology
by-products to the civilian sector. Indeed, the very vitality
and dynamism of American science and technology depend on the
American defense establishment.
President Eisenhower, in his farewell address to the America
nation, rightly warned Americans of the dangers posed to
America by its military-industrial complex. How prophetic that
warning has come to be! It behooves the American government to
deny technology to other nations because such a step would
ensure the continued predominance of American military
technology as superior and also protect its defense
establishment. That America has consented to selling its F-16
jet fighter to India for the first time in its history is
evidence of the economic compulsions that confront the few
defense industries that are still operating there. Washington
has realized that if it denies military technology sales to
other countries such as India - Russia, Sweden or France may
step in to fill the vacuum. If America were to disarm, it
would lose its power, importance and purpose in the
international theater of politics.
(Kamal Wadhwa is a freelance journalist based in Mumbai.
B-405, Rajdoot Bldg., Raheja Complex, Off Yari Rd., Versova,
Mumbai-400061Tel: +91 22 26366326. Email: wadhwakamal48@yahoo.com)
Building Ecotopia: Recycled Clothing
It's interesting to see how fashions have evolved over the
years, and to speculate what the impact of the organic trend
will be.
Chuck Hall
You
don't necessarily need to buy clothing made from organically
grown materials to dress in a sustainable manner. Another
possibility when greening your wardrobe is to consider
recycled clothing. When you purchase your clothing at outlets
like Goodwill and Salvation Army, you are not only
contributing to charity, but also giving older clothing a
second chance at life. Purchasing clothing in this manner is
not only less expensive than new clothing, but it is also good
for the environment because every pre-owned garment you
purchase is one that didn't have to be manufactured. I've been
buying many of my clothes from Goodwill and Salvation Army for
years now. Most of the clothing I've purchased from these
charities over the years is virtually indistinguishable from
the new clothing on the racks at the mall. I've also noticed
lately that more and more clothing made from organic materials
is showing up at these outlets, so the general public must be
making the switch!
Another aspect of green garments is their care. Most organic
materials can be washed in a machine or by hand, but for the
few that still require dry-cleaning, there are now green
alternatives to the foul-smelling and toxic chemicals used by
traditional dry-cleaners. One method is to use carbon dioxide
under high pressure to remove dirt and stains. The system is
enclosed and pressurized so that the carbon dioxide cannot
escape into the atmosphere, and some say that this method
works even better than traditional dry-cleaning. Another
method involves nothing but water. The water is forced through
the garment at high pressure in a fine jet spray, taking the
dirt and soil with it. The water passes through the fabric too
quickly to moisten it.
It has been determined that washing and drying clothing has at
least as much environmental impact as its manufacture does. If
you can wear clothing at least twice before washing it,
that'll help. It also helps to dry your clothes in the sun if
at all possible. There's no sense in paying a higher
electricity bill to dry clothes in a machine when the sun will
do it for free! You can also make a difference by using an
organic laundry detergent.
It's interesting to see how fashions have evolved over the
years, and to speculate what the impact of the organic trend
will be. I've often felt at odds with the fashions of the day.
I kid my wife that I must have been a Buddhist in a former
life, because I like baggy, natural fibers and sandals. I
wonder how often the choice of materials a designer has to
work with dictates what the end design will be? There market
is definitely shifting towards more natural, organically grown
fibers, and the designers have picked up on it. Maybe in the
future we can expect to see bright, hand-dyed organic colors,
long flowing robes and 'pajama' pants, since natural fibers
lend themselves well to these types of expression. That would
be my idea of paradise! But whatever the future holds for the
garment industry, you can rest assured that natural,
organically grown fibers are here to stay.
(Chuck Hall is an internationally renowned freelance columnist
writing on climate change and environmental issues. You may
contact Chuck by email at:
chuck@cultureartist.org.)
Viewpoints
Rules
of Game Changed in Pakistan
The coalition also made clear to the visitors
that they do not trust the Bush administration.
Ayaz Ahmed Pirzada
The
American envoys scrambled in Islamabad at a time when Yousaf
Raza Gilani had not yet taken the oath of office as new prime
minister of Pakistan . Deputy Secretary of State John D.
Negroponte and Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher
who were in Islamabad on their longest ever visit , had series
of meetings with Pakistani political leaders including the
Mayor Of Karachi, the purpose of which politicians and
analysts could not understand .But the most important
discussion with Nawaz Sharief head of PML(N) was such an
experience the American had never before .Nawaz Sharief who
has been called, " New Sharief In The Town " by a columnist,
bluntly told American visitors that there would be no more
"one-man show" in Pakistan and that from now on decisions on
all important national issues would be taken in the
parliament. Nawaz Sharief's disclosure of contents of this
meeting at a press conference took many people by surprise as
it never happened in the last 8 years. Dealing with political
leaders is different than dictators. Nawaz Sharief said the
new government would review Pakistan's role in the war on
terror after holding a debate in parliament. Pakistani the
government does not want its people to be made targets of
missiles and rockets in exchange of giving peace to others. He
said Benazir Bhutto, army generals, journalists and innocent
people have fallen victim to the war on terror. According to
editorial of New York Times (March 28) "the coalition also
made clear to the visitors that they do not trust the Bush
administration, which bet everything on President Pervez
Musharraf's destructive authoritarian rule. And the new
leaders are talking about reviewing Pakistan's role in the
Washington-led war on terrorism. The Bush administration
bullied and bought Mr. Musharraf's loyalty - and he never
stayed bought. It is unlikely that President Bush can now
overcome Pakistanis' visceral mistrust. But with the right mix
of aid, attention and humility, the administration can help
strengthen the new government. With more aid, and more
humility, it can also argue the case for why fighting
extremism is in Pakistan's clear interest. The administration
proved, once again, how little it understands the basics of
diplomacy. On the day the new prime minister, Yousaf Raza
Gillani, was sworn in, the two visiting American diplomats
chose to meet with Mr. Musharraf. That timing left the
impression that Washington is still not listening to
Pakistanis."
Before the induction of new democratic government the American
only had to talk to one man on the agenda of war on terrorism
and often insisted Musharraf to "do more" and more action
followed may be it was in Waziristan or in Swat .Although the
new Foreign Minister Shah Mahmud Qureshi has said that his
government would continue foreign policy of the previous
government but a change is certainly underway because no
component of the coalition would be in a position to effect
any change in the direction of the country's foreign policy.
The new government is also going to have to work out a
relationship with the United States. But the blood bath at the
Lal Masjid and in tribal areas has left a deep scar on the
people's minds. Any new initiative, therefore, in foreign
dealings would have to be done by consensus amongst components
of the coalition.
Threatening postures by the United States like statement by
CIA chief about the US administration's intention of bombing
the Pak-Afghan border area to nip a likely terrorist attack in
the US in the bud are something for the new government to
ponder. It is widely believed that Bush administration and the
Musharraf government this year reached a tacit understanding
that gave Washington a freer hand to carry out precision
strikes against al-Qaeda and its allies in the border region.
The CIA head cited the belief by intelligence agencies that
Osama bin Laden was hiding there, in arguing that the US had
an interest in targeting the border region. The latest
interview of President George W Bush to ABC is viewed with
concern in Pakistan in which he said, "it seems that if United
Sates of America is attacked once again like 9/11, it would be
the work of militants hiding inside Pakistan".. Whether or not
these statements are based on reality or pressure ploys would
be a real test for the government of Pakistan. It remains to
be seen if it ducks in like Musharraf to fulfill the US agenda
in this region or evolves a pragmatic strategy to continue to
have good relationship with the United States keeping in view
national interests on top priority. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza
Gilani pledged to make the fight against terrorism his top
priority but he said peace talks and aid programs could be
more effective than weapons in fighting militancy in tribal
areas along the Afghan border.
US has been championing the cause of democracy but in
elections in Egypt and Nigeria extremists won elections
causing a situation which did not serve the American's world
wide war against extremists and terrorists .In Pakistan the US
apprehensions were that extremists may come into power
upsetting American efforts in the region which was said to be
infested with extremists .But moderates came into power on Feb
18 polls. The victory of moderates presented another set of
worries because moderates are not likely to advance US cause
in the region. But Pakistan will not altogether abandon the
campaign against extremists as this is also hurting it by
suicide bombers and blasts killing innocent people.
The post Feb elections would help USA formulate their policy
in the new political scenario in Pakistan .But the latest
statement by US Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher
in which he said that the US believes that Musharraf still has
a role to play in the new set-up looks far from reality.
Irrespective of President Pervez Musharraf's growing isolation
in the face of a strong parliament full of dictator's
political foes, the Bush administration is indulging in hectic
'behind the scene' efforts to ensure that its major ally, now
a retired general, continues to secure his incumbent slot
."The US efforts to ensure the continuity of Musharraf's
presidency are very much on and it is reaching out to all
major ruling politicians in Islamabad for the purpose. Talks
in this regard are being held secretly through diplomatic
channels," a senior official is reported as saying. Americans
wanted the President to lead the war against terrorism in
Pakistan with full support of army because of their
reservations about Pakistan's new political leadership on that
front. An official is quoted in the US media as saying that
they have offered the ruling politicians that the President
Musharraf was willing to take the back seat for day-to-day
government affairs but he shall be the leading actor in this
country in the arena of war on terror. The point, however, to
be recognized is that Musharraf is no longer in uniform to
call the shots.
Instead of dealing with an individual the United States would
henceforth do well to engage in talks with four components of
the coalition government. The rules of the game have changed.
Pakistanis feel that the US administration has been relying on
an individual-Gen (Ret) Musharraf and not the people of
Pakistan who never had any problem with Americans. They fully
realize that US has been helping Pakistan in economic and
military fields. The United States too has signaled its
readiness to work with the new Pakistani government in
carrying forward bilateral cooperation in a wide array of
fields, including economic, military, social sectors and
continuation of the democratic process in the country .The
victory by moderates should be seen by the United States a
step forward for Pakistan in terms of democracy and a
potential step forward for not only state to state relations
but people to people friendship. Sen. Joseph Biden (D-DE),
chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has
rightly stated the election results should encourage a real
shift in U.S. policy.
(Ayaz Ahmed Pirzada is Columnist/ Analyst/Former Diplomat
writing from Pakistan)
Enter
Nepal’s Maoist establishment
Will the untested Maoists be able to rise above their bombast
and rhetoric to ensure political stability?
Kanak Mani Dixit
The
Nepali citizenry surprises itself and the world on occasion,
with a show of people's will that is unprecedented and
path-breaking. The People's Movement of April 2006 was one
such epochal event, which led to the Constituent Assembly
elections of last Thursday. Those polls in turn have brought a
rebel force barely out of the jungle into the driver's seat of
national politics.
The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) has achieved a massive
win over its rivals, the Nepali Congress and the
'mainstream-left' Communist Party of Nepal (Unified
Marxist-Leninist), and is set to organise the government and
define the Constituent Assembly process. While still a radical
force, it has been cleansed and legitimised through the
electoral exercise. The forecast of analysts who had predicted
a graduated entry of the 'Maobaadi' through the elections of
April 10 has been turned on its head, including this writer's
projection that the CPN (Maoist) would come in third after the
other two parties.
The people of Nepal seem to have kept their own counsel, and
in an election that saw more than 60 per cent participation of
the 17.5 million-strong electorate in 21,000 polling centres,
they pushed the Maoists far ahead of all other political
forces. We have seen a demographic tsunami, and the face of
the 601-member Constituent Assembly will be the most inclusive
of any legislature in Nepal's history. Besides the
contribution of the Maoists, the electoral formula combining
direct-candidate and proportional elections is set to deliver
a dramatically expanded representation of marginalised
communities from the country's uniquely diverse population.
Several factors would seem to explain the victory of the
former rebels, who went underground in 1996 to start their war
against the state, 10 years later made a compact with the NC
and the UML to defeat the autocratic King Gyanendra through
the People's Movement, and thereafter came above ground and
joined the interim set-up of the last two years.
To begin with, the Maoist win is the result of a well-oiled
campaign machinery worthy of a politico-military organisation.
There was countrywide deployment of threat and intimidation
during the run-up to the elections, which demoralised
competing party activists and civil servants alike. On the day
of the polls itself, voting was enthusiastic and widespread
enough for national and international observers to declare the
exercise a resounding success, though 'proxy voting' seems to
have been a factor in various parts.
However, election-related malfeasance cannot explain the
extent of the Maoist victory and would deny the populace the
agency and rational choice it exercised last Thursday. A major
reason for the win seems to be voters' desire to keep the
Maoists from returning to the 'people's war' and suffering
attendant miseries. The imperfect peace process, made so by
the absence of the rule of law and state administration over
the last two years, left the population beleaguered and
worried of a return to that horrific period. Much of the
electorate seems to have decided, en masse, to give the CPN
(Maoist) the prize of government so that the dire threats of a
'return to the jungle' would not be implemented. To that
extent, this was a vote under duress.
That said, the urban analyst is required to respond with
sobriety to the Maoist victory, because this was also an
indication of the scale of unrelenting deprivation from which
the people sought release. The hold of the Maoists' populist
promise has been strong in a country whose workforce continues
to migrate in massive numbers to India and overseas because of
high levels of poverty. Against this backdrop, both the UML
and the NC were seen as failed establishmentarian forces,
while the Maoists projected themselves as true agents of
change. The vote swept much of the political old guard
entirely out of the picture.
With the flexibility available to a new entrant, the Maoists
also filled their candidatures with members of the deprived
communities, including the Dalits, the janajati ethnic
category and women. They laid claim, with justification, to
having introduced all the salient issues that had been placed
before the electorate, including the demands for inclusion,
federalism, secularism, and an overturning of economic
relations to serve the underclass.
The expectation has been that the Constituent Assembly would
deliver long-lost political stability, which would allow the
revival of the economy and restart development. The populace
has been watching the neighbouring economies grow at nearly 10
per cent, while Nepal's own growth has been consistently below
three per cent for the last decade. The question in many minds
today is: will the untested Maoists be able to rise above
their bombast and rhetoric to ensure political stability in
order to trigger economic growth?
With all their failings, and despite populist suggestions to
the contrary, the NC and the UML had in fact since 1990
developed values of responsible politics and parliamentary
practice, and the expectation was that the elections would
lead to a healthy discourse between these two parties, the
Maoists and the new entrants from the Tarai/Madhes. The people
now wait to see how the Maoist leadership takes the lead
vis-À-vis the grave responsibilities of writing a new
democratic constitution and running the state administration.
By the understanding in the Interim Parliament, the key
political forces are to work in collaboration to ensure a
smooth and inclusive functioning of government and
constitution-writing. That was when the NC and the UML
believed that the Maoists would be the third force; now that
the tables are turned, the latter would have to take the lead
in ensuring consensual procedures.
Indeed, all eyes are on the Maoist top brass, which itself has
been taken by surprise by the extent of the people's verdict.
Early signs will be read in how it responds to criticism and
challenges from the opposition parties and by members of civil
society who are not exactly fellow travellers. Across the
country, the leadership will have to call off the hotheads of
the Young Communist League, engaged in a campaign of
harassment over the past year.
There are other challenges for a Maoist party confronted with
the task of moving from belligerent radicalism to responsible
leadership of state within a matter of weeks. Besides
controlling the YCL, immediate gestures would include a public
rejection of political violence by Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal
('Prachanda'), and the dissolution of the parallel governance
structures that have made a mockery of state administration.
At a victory rally on Saturday evening, Mr. Dahal did not go
that far but he did seek to reassure the national and
international community of his party's commitment to
multiparty democracy and willingness to work with the other
parties.
Federal republic
Nepali politics will never be the same again, and people
everywhere wait to see how the Maoists comport themselves in
the days ahead on issues beyond the all-important matter of
personal security of citizens. To begin with, on the Nepali
monarchy, if the Maoists do not have other plans and do work
with the UML and the NC, the collective decision to establish
a 'Federal Republic of Nepal' will be irreversible.
A consensual approach to the writing of the constitution as
well as a commitment to pluralism, freedom of press and
assembly, and a willingness to stand by the principles of
accountability and transitional justice, will reassure the
citizenry and the international community alike. The Maoists
must also assure all on a sober and responsible approach to
the national security forces (the Nepal Army, the Armed Police
and the Nepal Police) even as they seek integration of the
former fighters in the cantonments. Such reassurance is also
important to control capital flight, as well as to attract
foreign direct investment from investors who have been waiting
for post-election stability. A proximate danger for an untried
force such as the CPN (Maoist) is crony capitalism, whose
short-term benefits to the party may devastate economic growth
long into the future.
Here is a country trying to push through a return to
peacetime, a return to democracy, and a state restructuring
exercise all at the same time. Society is confronting demands
for inclusion from myriad quarters in order to right
historical wrongs. How will the Maoists tackle these
challenges, now that they are indubitably a part of the state
establishment? In particular, will they have the maturity to
deal with societal forces such as the antagonistic Madhesi
Janadhikar Forum of Upendra Yadav, whose victory in the plains
mirrors that of the Maoists elsewhere? The ability of the CPN
(Maoist) to present a sober face will also obviate a
radical-right coming-together, which would plunge society into
a steep spiral of violence and uncertainty.
(Kanak Mani Dixit is editor of Himal Southasian magazine and a
civil rights activist based in Kathmandu.)
Source:www.hindu.com
International
Nepal
monarchy ‘finished’: Maoists
AFP, Kathmandu
Nepal's Maoists said Tuesday the abolition of the
Himalayan nation's monarchy was now just a "matter of
procedure" as they held a commanding lead in the count
from last week's landmark elections.
Up for grabs are 601 seats in an assembly that will decide
the impoverished country's political future, and with the
count edging towards the halfway mark, the former rebels
are on track to win an absolute majority.
"The monarchy is finished. There should be no doubt about
that, it's just a matter of procedure," senior Maoist
official Prababkher, who uses one name, told AFP.
He predicted that when the new assembly convenes, it will
waste little time in declaring a republic.
"We may not declare a republic on the first day of the
first constituent assembly meeting. Declaring a republic
may take a few days, but there is no doubt it will
happen," said the Maoist official, a senior party member
with a seat in the new body.
The April 10 elections were a central plank of a 2006
peace deal under which the Maoists agreed to end their
decade-long insurgency -- which left at least 13,000
people dead -- and enter mainstream politics.
Although other mainstream parties had agreed with the
Maoists to sack the unpopular King Gyanendra, some
politicians have been arguing that Nepal should keep some
kind of monarch as a symbol of the neutrality of the
country sandwiched between Asian giants China and India.
King Gyanendra ascended the throne after a palace massacre
in 2001 -- in which the former king and much of the rest
of Nepal's core royals were gunned down at a family
get-together by a drunken and suicidal prince who was
furious at not being allowed to marry the woman he loved.
The monarch's status sank in 2005, when he fired the
government and seized absolute power to fight the Maoists,
only to finish up being sidelined by the peace deal.
Even parties seen as slightly sympathetic to keeping a
monarch are lagging behind the ultra-republican Maoists in
the vote count.
A total 208 seats have already been allocated, with the
Maoists taking 114. Their nearest rival, the centrist
Nepali Congress, has won 32 seats, the election commission
said.
Officials said counting for the 335 seats to be awarded by
proportional representation had also begun, with the
results -- based on roughly eight percent of returns -- so
far showing a more equal spread among the main parties.
However, a clear trend from this part of the count was not
expected to be known for several days, given that ballot
boxes from outlying areas have yet to reach the capital.
"Proportional representation counting will be over by next
week. Only then will the total number be divided to
percentages and the seats given to the parties," election
official Dilliram Bastola told AFP.
The remaining 26 seats in the Constituent Assembly will be
allocated by the interim government due to be formed after
all the counting has been completed.
The United States -- who list the Maoists as a terrorist
organisation -- welcomed the polls in a statement received
Tuesday.
Despite pre-election violence and some instances of
election day malpractice "Nepali voters were able to cast
their ballots peacefully in most districts," State
Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in the statement.
Pakistan's ruling coalition to meet over judges: Party
AFP, Islamabad
The leaders of
Pakistan's ruling coalition are to hold a crucial meeting
Tuesday to discuss the reinstatement of judges sacked by
embattled President Pervez Musharraf, party officials
said.
Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of slain opposition leader
Benazir Bhutto and head of her Pakistan People's Party
(PPP), is to meet with former prime minister Nawaz Sharif
of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
"It is an important meeting. The agenda is restoration of
judges and revival of the constitution as it was before
the October 12, 1999 coup," that brought Musharraf to
power, PML-N spokesman Siddiqul Farooq told AFP.
Musharraf sacked the country's chief justice and dozens of
other judges under a state of emergency in November, when
it appeared that the Supreme Court was about to overturn
his re-election as president the month before.
The Bhutto and Sharif parties trounced Musharraf's allies
in elections in February, and then together pledged to
restore the judges within 30 days of forming a government.
But the issue has proved divisive. The judges could in
theory challenge Musharraf's position-and so restoring
them with their full powers would spark a major
confrontation with the president, a key ally in the US-led
"war on terror".
New prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, a key aide of
Bhutto, freed chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry
from house arrest last month, but analysts say the PPP
wants to avoid an overt standoff with Musharraf for now.
However Sharif, the man ousted by Musharraf in 1999, has
openly called for the president to quit and made the
restoration of the outspoken Chaudhry a key plank of his
policy.
The meeting at Zardari's house in Islamabad will also
feature the leader of the ethnic Pashtun Awami National
Party, Farooq added. The ANP defeated hardline Islamic
parties in northwest Pakistan in the elections.
International experts press Sri Lanka on rights abuses
AFP, Colombo
A team of top legal luminaries told Sri Lanka's government
on Tuesday to clean up its human rights record, saying an
escalating war against Tamil Tiger rebels had brought with
it grave abuses.
The International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP),
comprising experts from several countries, the European
Union and United Nations, said the government did not
appear interested in taking action.
"The IIGEP has... found an absence of will on the part of
the Government of Sri Lanka in the present inquiry to
investigate cases with vigour, where the conduct of its
own forces has been called into question," the panel said.
Their report also detailed reasons for their decision to
pull out of Sri Lanka last month.
"The government is faced with an insurgency in which the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) conduct their
hostilities through ruthless methods, not sparing the
civilian population," it noted.
"Sections of popular opinion suggest that human rights and
respect for the rule of law should take second place to
measures necessary to repel these hostilities," the panel
said. "The IIGEP rejects this opinion."
The group comprises experts from the countries of
Australia, Britain, Canada, India, Japan, France, The
Netherlands and the United States.
They said there should not be a conflict or
incompatibility between the successful conduct of military
and security operations on the one hand, and respect for
civil liberties on the other.
"Indeed it should be emphasised that respect for human
rights, and the conduct of military operations in strict
accordance with international humanitarian law, are
powerful weapons in the struggle against dissident forces
and terrorism in that they help to earn the trust and
support of the civilian population," the IIGEP report
said.
The group asked the Sri Lankan government to ensure that
senior officers were held responsible for the actions of
lower ranks, set up a witness protection mechanism and end
a culture of impunity for perpetrators.
28 killed in surge of violence in Iraq
AFP, Baghdad
A surge of violence killed
28 people in the past 24 hours in Iraq, among them 12
members of the Kurdish peshmerga forces who died in a bomb
blast near the Syrian border, officials said on Monday.
The country's north bore the brunt of the violence, with
the attack on the peshmerga troops at the town of Rabiyah,
three car bombs exploding in separate incidents in the
main city of Mosul, and a suicide bomb attack on a funeral
in the town of Tal Afar.
Local police said the car bomb parked on the side of the
road near Rabiyah, 120 kilometers (75 miles) northwest of
Iraq's main northern city of Mosul, exploded as a vehicle
carrying peshmerga troops drove by, killing 12 and
wounding five.
The Kurdish security forces form part of the Iraqi army.
At Tal Afar, 80 kilometres (50 miles) west of Mosul, a
suicide bomber blew himself up in a crowd of people
attending a funeral, killing four people and wounding 35,
police said.
The attack was "against a wake being held in memory of an
Iraqi soldier killed two days ago," the US military said
in a statement on the incident.
Police in Mosul, meanwhile, said insurgents exploded three
car bombs separately in the city centre, including one
against a passing patrol of US and Iraqi troops which
killed one person and wounded six.
In another incident, two policemen and eight civilians
were wounded when a parked car bomb exploded after police
found it parked on a roadside in Al-Ugaidat neighbourhood,
a local police officer said.
A third car bomb exploded in Mosul's Mahatta neighbourhood
but caused no injuries, he said.
Violence in Baghdad, meanwhile, killed 11 people,
including five civilians who died when they were struck by
a roadside bomb in the city centre aimed at a police
patrol. The bomb attack struck at around 11:00 am (0800
GMT) in Nidhal Street, one of the embattled capital's main
thoroughfares, Iraqi security and medical officials said.
Five passers-by were killed and nine people wounded, two
of them policemen, a security official said.
The US military announced that two American soldiers were
killed on Monday by roadside bombs in separate incidents
in Iraq, pushing the toll for the first half of April to
24.
Most of the casualties in the bloodiest fortnight this
year for the American military have occurred in Baghdad,
where US and Iraqi forces are battling Shiite militiamen
they say are refusing to lay down their arms.
The latest deaths brings the military's losses in Iraq
since the March 2003 invasion to 4,036, according to an
AFP tally based on independent website www.icasualties.org.
The US military also announced Monday the deaths of six
"criminals" killed late Sunday by American forces in east
Baghdad, where most of the fighting of the past nine days
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