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SC defers govt appeal hearing
Hasina demands election by April-May
bdnews24, Dhaka
The Supreme Court on Thursday deferred to Feb 10 the
government appeal hearing against Wednesday’s High Court
verdict cancelling the Azam J Chowdhury extortion case
against Hasina.
A six-member Appellate Division bench headed by acting
chief justice Md Fazlul Karim deferred the hearing after
Hasina’s lawyer requested more time.
Hasina’s advocate on record Moulvi Wahidullah asked for a
day’s adjournmentas barrister Rafiq Ul Haque, the
accused’s senior lawyer was not present.
Attorney general barrister Fida M Kamal said the plaintiff
had no objection to that.
The court ordered the case proceedings to be adjourned
until Sunday.
Additional attorney general Salahuddin Ahmed told
bdnews24.com that the government made no objection to the
defendant’s request for time because it did not want any
issues emerging from this.
He added that though the chamber judge had set on Thursday
for hearing the government appeal, the case was somehow
excluded from the regular daily list of hearings for the
day.
The court still included the case for hearing on Thursday,
and Sheikh Hasina’s lawyers were notified of the
development, Salahuddin said.
On Feb 6, the High Court cancelled the extortion case
against Hasina after ruling illegal the transfer of the
case for trial under EPR.
The case filed on June 13 charges the former prime
minister and her cousin Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim with
extorting Tk 3 crore from businessman Azam Jahangir
Chowdhury, during Hasina’s 1996-2001 term, in exchange for
a contract to build a power plant.
Staff Correspondent adds: Detained Awami League president
Sheikh Hasina on Thursday demanded of the caretaker
government to complete the voters’ list as early as
possible and hold the next general election within
April-May.
The former Prime Minister was talking to her counsels at
the makeshift special court in the parliament complex
where she was produced in another corruption case
yesterday.
Sheikh Hasina accused the present caretaker government of
delaying the elections process in the name of preparing
the voter list, said Dr Hasan Mahmud, Hasina’s personal
assistant.
The AL chief questioned, "Bangladesh achieved its
hard-earned independence in only nine months, but why
should it take more than a year to prepare a voter list?"
Referring to Wednesday’s High Court verdict in the
extortion case, Sheikh Hasina said,
"If the law of the land takes its own course; if fair
trial is ensured, I will get impartial justice and I will
be proved innocent."
No confusion about polls: CEC
Staff Correspondent
The Chief Election Commissio-ner (CEC), ATM Shamsul Huda,
on Thursday reasserted that the stalled ninth
parliamentary election will be held by the end of 2008 and
there is no confusion over holding the election in
accordance with announced road map.
Shamsul Huda was speaking at a views exchange meeting with
the Professionals’ Coordination Council held at the
Election Commission (EC) secretariat yesterday.
When the professionals during the meeting aired doubt and
concern over holding the ninth parliamentary election in
line with the announced road map as the EC has undertaken
extended tasks, the CEC reassured the professionals of
holding the polls on schedule.
"I do not understand why the people are expressing doubts
over holding the polls. There are no indications which
might delay the election. During meeting with the Chief
Adviser, he told me that there is no turning back and no
slackness on the way to holding the election," Huda said,
adding: "even during my meet with the Chief of the Army
Staff, he enquired about the progress towards holding the
elections, the Army Chief repeatedly asked me as to
whether the progress is being made timely. They are the
part of the Government, so there should not be any doubt
over the matter."
He wondered, "why are the people dubious? We are right on
schedule. Entire credibility of the EC depends on holding
the election within 2008. We have to do it by hook or by
crook as it is our promise to the nation. We are taking
all preparatory steps."
In reply to argument of the professionals as to why the EC
is not giving a specific election date to dispel the
confusion, the CEC said, "we have some technical problems
in announcing the election date right now. Soon after the
completion of the voter list, the EC will announce the
election date." Referring to the tasks of delimitations,
he said, "there is constitutional compulsion to do so. I
hope there will have no problems as the tasks will be
completed through Geographic Information System (GIS)."
Later talking to newsmen, Editor of English-language daily
‘Observer’ Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, who was representing
the professionals’ body, said, "not only we, but also the
people of the country are in doubts over holding the
election, which is unfortunate for the country and its
people." He urged the government to open dialogue with
political parties lift the state of emergency
unconditionally and
immediately.
Foreign airlines capture int'l routes
Staff Correspondent
Foreign airlines are now gradually capturing the
international air route of the national flag carrier,
Biman Bangladesh Airlines, as it has failed to ensure
flight schedule and provide service to the passengers.
"No initiative taken by the government will succeed
infighting the present situation if aircrafts are not
purchased. We have everything including well designed
infrastructure. We need aircraft. If we are provided some
aircraft we will be able to make profit and bring back
people’s trust," Captain Shah Alam, Executive Member of
Bangladesh Pilots Association, told this correspondent
Thursday.
He said the problem will be resolved soon as Fleet
Planning Committee comprising Biman high-ups and pilots,
will take decision for purchasing aircrafts by the end of
this current month. "We will settle the issue by the end
of this current month. Later we will move forward for
purchasing aircrafts," Shah Alam said. He said meanwhile,
some 35 pilots and 50 to 60 engineers who were with the
Biman Bangladesh Airlines, joined foreign airlines like
Qatar, Saudi and Emirate airlines.
Taking this opportunity, foreign airlines Etihad,
Emirates, Oman Air, RAK, Air Asia X and Air Asia captured
the international route. Meanwhile, shortage of aircraft
has forced Biman to suspend its international flights on
Dhaka-Bangkok, Dhaka-Paris-Frankfurt, Dhaka-Narita,
Dhaka-Yangon, Dhaka-Bahrain and Dhaka-Bombay and domestic
flights to Barisal, Jessore and Syedpur.
As a result the foreign airlines are carrying 70 per cent
of passengers while Biman is carrying 30 per cent. The
foreign airlines earn taka six thousand to seven thousand
crore annually while Bangladesh Biman earns only three
thousand crore. Earlier, Bangladesh Biman used to carry 57
per cent of passengers.
Biman presently owns 11 aircraft -- four DC10-30s, four
F-28s, and three A310-300s. Production of DC10-30s and
F-28s has been discontinued as they are no longer viable
in business. Of them, three DC-10-30s, three A310 and one
F-28s are now being operated on 20 international routes
and three domestic routes. The routes are Dhaka-Dubai,
Dhaka-Mascot, Dhaka-Jeddah and Dhaka-Kuwait. Biman
continues its flight service with five aircraft on
Dhaka-Bangkok-Singapore, Dhaka-Delhi and Dhaka-Karachi
routes. But now only two aircraft are carrying passengers
on these routes. The authorities stopped flying its
aircraft on Dhaka-Rome-London but continued the Dhaka-Rome
route.
It may be pointed out that in bid to root out corruption,
irregularities and ensure smooth functioning, Bangladesh
Biman Airlines on July 23 was turned into a public limited
company (PLC) and has started its journey with the name
Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd. Biman is now run
independently and takes its own decisions including
procurement of new aircraft.
The national flag carrier, a losing concern turned into a
public limited PLC would get Tk. 7,44,03,069,00 from the
Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and
Tourism sources said. Because of huge corruption, rising
fuel cost, high maintenance cost of ageing aircraft,
flights, operations on non-profitable routes and
non-payment of ticket price by ministers and government
high officials, Biman has reached the edge of collapse.
Patients going abroad for better treatment
Firoz Mamun
Patients are
going abroad for better treatment as the local physicians
do not give proper attention to them and are unable to
cure their diseases.
"Our physicians don’t give hearing to ill persons and
prescribe medicine without detecting diseases. On the
other hand, the physicians lack ethics and fellow feelings
for the patients," in an exclusive interview with The
Bangladesh Today National Professor Nurul Islam said.
He said even the doctors do not have sufficient knowledge
about medical science as they do not continue their study.
"Study of medical science is a continuous process. If any
one wants to be a good doctor, he will have to study more.
But our doctors do not study. Sometimes I am surprised
when I hear news that the students of medical science
adopt unfair means when they sit for their examinations,"
he added.
Nurul Islam further said the poor and the common people do
not get medicare service from the government hospitals as
the doctors are busy with their private clinic business
instead of treating the patients.
"It is very unfortunate for us when we see a physician
neglecting his official duty is running after money by
setting up private clinic. When the patients come to the
government hospitals, the on-duty doctors ask them to go
their clinic for better treatment. The government should
enact a law to restrict such immoral activities,"
expressing grave concern over the mushroom growth of
private clinics and doctors activities, the world renowned
medical scientist told this correspondent.
He said, "As the private clinics’ owners are free to
realise as much money as they can from the patients, the
government doctors are inclined to sell treatment like
commodities in the private clinics instead of government
hospitals. There is facility for all surgical operations
in the government hospitals where the doctors do not
conduct these operations pushing the patients to the
private clinics. As such, immediately the government
should fix a minimum rate payable by the patients to the
clinics to stop this illegal business."
"Writing more than two/three medicines in the prescription
is not necessary to cure a disease if it is properly
diagnosed. If a doctor writes 8/9 medicines, it means that
he has failed to detect the disease. Similarly,
unnecessary pathology test should not be given. But
everyday the doctors are prescribing such unnecessary
tests without taking into consideration the economic
condition of the patients", he alleged.
About quality of private medical colleges, he said, "There
are around 60 private medical colleges in the country. But
most of these medical colleges are owned by contractors
and businessmen other than physicians. The quality of
education is not being allegedly maintained in most of the
colleges."
ACC to take steps against corruption
Staff Correspondent
The
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) will take necessary steps
against corruption as per the laws of the commission and
there is no scope to for the ill-gotten money of Titas Gas
workers to be deported to the national exchequer.
This was stated by the Director General (Administration)
of ACC, Colonel Hanif Iqbal, while addressing a press
conference at Segun Bagicha office in the capital on
Thursday.
Referring to the Law Adviser’s comment on Wednesday’s
verdict in the extortion case against former Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina, Hanif Iqbal said, "ACC did not
file that case."
Replying to a query, he said, "The High Court gave the
verdict that quashed the case on Wednesday but the
judgment of the Supreme Court remains under process."
He said, "With a view to reappointing former 263 officials
of the commission, ACC started scrutinizing the files
yesterday morning."
Meanwhile, the ACC asked two persons - former BNP MP
Sardar Shakawat Hossain Bakul and Jahanara Begum, former
adviser to the erstwhile premier Khaelda Zia – to submit
their wealth statement to ACC within seven working
days.Earlier, the ACC yesterday framed charges against
some corruption suspects in separate cases lodged with
Shahabag, Motijheel, Mohammadpur and Ramna police
stations. The accused are: former ministers Mirza Abbas
and Shahjahan Siraj; Ali Asgor Lobi, Mahfujul lslam,
Mosaddek Ali Falu and his wife Mahbuba Sultana, Alhajj
Mokbul Hossain and his wife Fatema Tahera Khanam, Rabeya
Siraj and , Doctor AZM Jahid and his wife Ridat Hossain.
Three new cases were lodged against Rajshahi City
Corporation Mayor Md Mizanur Rahman Minu, Sylhet Mayor
Bador Uddin Kamran and CBA leader Molla Abul Kalam Azad.
Back Page
Trial of war
criminals demanded
Staff
Correspondent
Political leaders, teachers,
a former Army Chief and members of the civil society on
Thursday reiterated their demand for exemplary punishment
of the war criminals for their involvement in mass
killing, raping, arsons and looting during the Liberation
War in 1971.
The speakers made the demand at the launching ceremony of
a book named "War Crime: Perspective of Bangladesh"
written by former AL state minister Abu Said at Dhaka
Reporters' Unity auditorium yesterday.
Awami League presidium member Abdur Razzak said all the
countrymen, except the activists of Jamaat-e-Islami, want
punishment of the war criminals. The war criminals like to
distort the history of Liberation War and desecrate our
national flag. The government should take immediate steps
to ban their political activities.
Amir Hossain Amu, also AL presidium member, said that in
greater interest of the country, all people should come
forward unitedly with the demand for exemplary punishment
to war criminals.
Workers' Party President Rashed Khan Menon said the
activists of Jamaat-e-Islami were directly involved in
mass killing, raping, arsons and looting during the
Liberation War in 1971. Not only that, the activists of
the party with the help of militants are committing
various crimes like countrywide bomb blasting.
Hasanul Haque Inu, President of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal,
said the character of Jamaat-e-Islam has not yet changed.
"During the liberation war, they were the collaborators of
the Pakistani occupation forces. They are still now
hatching conspiracy against the freedom fighters and
independence. We demand their punishment," Inu said.
Professor Anisuzzaman said that during the Liberation War
in 1971, a section of people collaborated with the then
Pakistan army in committing war crimes. They cannot escape
punishment as they committed crimes against humanity
violating the Geneva Convention. He urged the government
to form a commission to try them under the International
War Crimes Act.
Bird-flu
BD, India co-operate
AFP, Dhaka
Bangladesh and India have agreed to share information
on bird flu a week after the two neighbours sparred over
the source of the deadly disease, a senior official said
on Wednesday.
The agreement came at a meeting between representatives of
the two governments earlier this week, Samaddar said.
"We will now exchange information on the disease
regularly. We've decided to set up focal points to share
information and discuss all the issues related to bird
flu," Samaddar said.
The two South Asian neighbours have blamed each other for
being the source of the deadly disease which has broken
out in Bangladesh and the neighbouring Indian state of
West Bengal.
Officials in West Bengal earlier this week pointed the
finger at Bangladesh, saying they believed the deadly H5N1
virus had spread from across the border.
Bangladesh rejected the charge and said the outbreak
originated in India. The two countries share a
4,095-kilometre (2,539-mile) border, which is largely
unfenced.
No human cases have been reported from either nation, but
there have been massive slaughters of birds on both sides
of the border. India reported its first case of bird flu
in the western state of Maharashtra in 2006 but later that
year declared itself "bird-flu free."
However, the country has suffered two more outbreaks since
then, the latest and worst being in West Bengal, where it
erupted three weeks ago.
Bird flu has been reported in 13 out of West Bengal's 19
districts but authorities now say the outbreak is
contained. The disease has been detected in 37 of
Bangladesh's 64 districts since the country's first bird
flu outbreak in early 2007 but the government says the
disease is under control.
Bangladesh health officials, however, call the spread of
the virus "alarming."
SEC steps to stabilize share market
Staff Correspondent
The Securities and Exchange Commission will take necessary
steps in the greater interest of the investors through
ensuring stabilization on the share market soon.
Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission Faruque
Ahmad Siddiquee said this at a press conference at the SEC
office in the capital on Thursday.
The Commission will take short-term and long-term measures
in a bid to help flourish the country's share market
through containing all sorts of adversity like
instability, manipulation, abnormal fluctuation of share
price and irregularities on the capital market, he said.
Hundreds of thousands of investors on the share business
are small traders.
They play a vital role in making the capital market
vibrant. But they always fall victim to adverse
circumstances as in the past. Without protecting their
interest from any disastrous situation on the share
markets the growth of share trading cannot be ensured at
all. So, the authorities have preferred the small
investors to other share traders in this respect, he said.
About the classification of some companies into a special
category, the SEC Chairman said the companies, directors
of which are earning large sums of money causing huge
financial losse to small share traders, whose business has
already been closed and whose directors allegedly siphoned
off money from the share market, are belonging to this
group. The Commission has served notices on these
companies urging them not to sell or handover their shares
to anyone or any organization, the SEC Chairman said.
Regarding the expansion of share market, he said some
renowned companies are coming to the capital market by the
year 2008. Of these, some are telecommunication companies
and others are holding companies. The commission has held
talks with the managements of these commercial
organizations in this connection.
Calling upon the investors to be more vigilant about the
share business, he said, it is the investors'
responsibility to make inquiries about the companies whose
shares they are intending to buy.
Crime Watch
Medic fights for own life
A Correspondent, Kurigram
Roumari thana police of the district arrested Sohel who
attacked on a medical officer Dr. Mozaffar Hossin but did
not find out any clue.
The investigation officer (1.0) appealed to the court to
take Sohel for 7 days on remand on February 5 but the
court granted for 3 days.
Sources said, Dr. Mozzaffar Hossain a medical officer of
Roumari Upazila Health complex while he was returning home
from his private chamber at 11:00 pm on January 28, some
miscreants attacked him with sharp weapons.
At first he was admitted to Rowmari Upzila Health Complex
in critical condition. In a deteriorating condition he was
shifted to Dhaka Pangu Hospital in the same day.
But he was shifted again to Square Hospital on the next
day.
Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Dr. Shah Alam
filed a case with Roumari thana in this connection on
January 29 accusing Anwarul Islam Sohel an office
assistant of the Health Complex.
Police arrested Sohel and sent to jail hazat on January
29.
It is mentioned that R.M.O Dr. Shajahan Sarker is also
absent from the hospital from the first week of January.
Thana Health Administrator (THA) Dr. Shah Alam told they
are trying to find out the clue.
Boy held
A Correspondent, Barisal
A teenage boy passing days in Barisal central jail as an
accused of sensational Tera Shahjahan murder case and
investigation officer received award from Inspector
General of Police for giving charge sheet of that case.
Related sources said Sub Inspector Mir Kasem October 27,
2007 submitted charge sheets against 51 accused including
Mayor Sarwar in terrorist Tera Shahjahan lynching case. In
that charge sheet, Md. Nure Alam Sabuj also accused with
his father Abdus Sobahan and police December 02, 2007
arrested Sabuj, a student of class six, from his home.
According to the birth certificate issued by Barisal City
Corporation Sabuj born November 15, 1994. Therefore, at
present, he is only 13 years old and he was only 8 years
old at the time of lynching Tera Shahjahan September 16,
2003.
After investigation, July 25, 2007 police registered that
as a fresh regular case against 25 accused and October 27,
2007 submitted charge sheet against 51 accused including
Mayor Sarwar as master minder.
Youth abducted
A Correspondent, Kurigram
The Border Security Force of India entered into Bangladesh
territory and abducted a Bangladeshi youth from
Bamonerchar frontier under Roumari Upazila of the district
about 7:00 pm on Tuesday.
The abducted was identified as Abu Hanif (30) of village
Bamonerchar under the Upazila Border and BDR Sources said
BSF personnel of Sapara BSF camp of India international
main pillar no 1064 and abducted the youth without any
provocation. The youth went to Bamonerchar to his
father-in-law's house.
Company commander of Roumari camp subedar Ishahaq Ali told
that strong protest has been sent to BSF and requested to
return the abducted youth immediately.
Lawyer arrested
UNB, Mymensingh
Former public prosecutor of the district child and woman
repression (prevention) tribunal court was arrested
yesterday.
Police said advocate Kaiser Ahmed was picked up from in
front of Gaffargaon upazila parishad. He was wanted in 14
criminal cases, including murder. As many as 17 GDs were
registered accusing him of misdeeds.
Kaiser had managed the job of public prosecutor during the
present caretaker government by suppressing the criminal
cases against him.
Soon the government came to know and moved to dismiss him.
Sensing trouble, he resigned the post of public
prosecutor.
SP stand released, two cops suspended
UNB, Thakurgaon
The district police super was ordered stand release and
officer-in-charge and a sub-inspector of Thakurgaon thana
were suspended.
The Inspector General of Police issued the orders taking
disciplinary action against them following OC Sohrab
Hossain and SI Rezaul Islam were in conflict and filed GD
against each other, police said.
Masud Ul Hasan, SP, left for Dhaka on order to report at
the police headquarters. Suspended Sohrab was closed in
Barisal Police Lines and Rezaul in Thakurgaon Police
Lines.
Filing of GD by OC and SI accusing each other of
insubordination and misbehaviour on February 1 and 2 had
created confusion and chaos in the district police
administration. But unidentified police sources said the
conflict arose from sharing of bakhra in which the police
super was also involved.
Shutter gun recovered
UNB, Chapainawabganj
Rapid Action Battalion members recovered a firearm from a
house at Kalinagar village in Bholahat upazila early
Thursday.
Acting on a tip off, members of RAB-5 raided the house of
Alimuddin and recovered the shutter gun from his chicken
pen at about 1:00 am. None was arrested in this
connection.
Daring dacoity
UNB, Bogra
Dacoits looted valuables worth Tk 4 lakh from four houses
in Shajahanpur upazila of the district Tuesday night.
Police said a gang of 15/20 robbers swooped on the house
of Abdur Razzaque at Partekur village at dead of night and
took away cask Tk 60,000, some 10 tolas of gold ornaments
and other valuables after tying up the inmates.
The gang also swooped on three other houses at
neighbouring Kharna Fakirpara village on the same night
and looted cash Tk 42,000, seven tolas of gold and other
valuables.
Assistant Police Super Basiruddin visited the spots.
Separate cases were filed with the police.
12 get 14-yr RI
UNB, Rajbari
A court here on Wednesday sentenced 12 people to 14 years
Rigorous Iprisonment (RI)h in a dacoity case.
The convicts were identified as Lalon Halder, Tanzir alias
Nayan,
Swapan alias Harun-ur-Rashid, Janu, Shamim, Masum, Kochi
alias Madhu, Alam Joyenuddin, Murad, Manik, Biplob and
Shahin.
Of them, Alam Joyenuddin, Murad, Manik, Biplob and Shahin
were tried in absentia.
The court also fined the convicts Tk 10,000 each, in
default, to suffer one year RI more.
After examining the records and 14 witnesses Additional
District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Shahidullah Bokaul
pronounced the judgment acquitting seven others.
4 arrested, Indian sarees seized
BSS, Sirajganj
Police arrested four persons and seized 45 Indian sarees
after searching two Dhaka bound buses at Hatikumrul
crossing on Wednesday.
Acting on a tip-off, a team of detective branch of police
intercepted two Dhaka bound buses from the northern
districts, belonging to Modern and Hanif Enterprise at
Hatikumrul crossing under sadar upazila.
The law enforcers searched the buses and seized 45 persons
from four passengers including one woman.
The arrested persons were identified as Anwarul (26),
Ujjal (29), Muktar Hossain (28), and Joly (32). They are
from Srirampur and Boalia villages of Rajshahi.
Editorial
Our Energy Sector
We
are informed by our experts that our gas reserves are going to
be largely depleted by 2011. We need to take note of the fact
that gas is supplying our entire domestic energy requirements
in all major cities; its powering major industries and
considerable portion of our electricity generation and
increasingly its providing energy to our transportation
sector. Therefore, the first thing we need to do is to
streamline and rationalize our production, supply and
utilization of gas making an all out effort to reduce wastages
in all 3 areas of production, supply and utilization. We also
need to have zero-tolerance of such incidents us uncontrolled
fire and leakages in gas fields which have in the recent past
wasted considerable portions of our gas resource. Secondly, we
need to stop thinking about exporting gas to anyone or giving
it away to foreign industrial investors without first looking
at our own national requirements. If we can do all these, we
might well be able to sustain the use of gas by a number of
years beyond 2011.
We have another energy resource available in the form of coal
in Barapukuria. The four coalfields there have an estimated
reserve of around 1,168 million tones. Here too, we need to
unequivocally rule out any options for export and ensure that
its extraction and utilization are rationalized to reduce
wastages and environmental pollution which is a major hazard
in coal production & use. We also need to formulate policies
which will not allow the use of coal except for generation of
electricity & that too only in or around the coal-fields in
Barapukuria. If adequate timely policies and measure are taken
then we can meet our requirement of power till at least 2023.
We would need to seriously look at prospects of importing
power/energy in the form of hydro-electricity from our
neighbours such as Nepal, Burma and India. If necessary we
would need to formulate policies encouraging our private
sector to invest in multi-lateral projects involving
electricity generation. In this regard, we would like to
suggest that our diplomacy with Nepal, Burma and India must be
geared, to a large extent, to our requirements of commercially
obtaining power/electricity from these countries at the best
possible terms for us.
As for the nuclear energy we need to point out that it's a
good but expensive option. Before we jump into the arms of
Pakistan, India or China we need to consider the facts that
none of these nations have themselves much expertise in the
field of nuclear power production. Therefore, we need to talk
to other more advanced countries such as USA, Canada, Russia,
Germany, France and Italy regarding both the financing and
setting up of such power plants.
Finally, its needs no emphasis that power crunch would be a
major problem not only for us but for everyone else too, in
the coming decades. Nations such as the USA, supported by the
EU & Japan are fighting wars of occupation in Iraq and
Afghanistan not out of any ideological convictions but because
of the need to control energy resources. Other countries such
as Russia and China are preserving their own energy resources
while increasing the use of these resources from other regions
and nations. We in Bangladesh are in no position to go to war
to obtain energy and power but what we can do is to use our
diplomatic and commercial acumen to get our requirements of
energy.
Our concerns for the next 5 years are : (1) How are we going
to meet our ever increasing needs for power in domestic,
commercial and industrial sectors? (2) How are we going to
preserve and sustain our limited energy resources till nuclear
or other economically viable alternatives are available?
Corruption in Public Utility Services
One
does not have to wait for a TIB Seminar to find out about the
endemic nature of corruption which has virtually grasped every
aspect of private and public life of the people of this
country. Some of the worst forms of corruption, which effects
the lives of all city dwellers, takes place in the public
utility services - electricity, water, gas and telephone. Over
a period of time a network of corruption has developed in each
of these organizations providing these essential services. The
network includes, with countable exceptions, the personnel of
an entire office from the senior management down to the field
or meter checker level. The entire system is so
bureaucratically structured that one is constrained and at
times even forced to go through the entire gamut of bribery,
extortion and illegal gratification.
The problem starts from the very first moment one approaches
any one of these offices for a connection; one is given a
runaround of different offices, tables and personnel with a
whole sheaf of forms and applications - all this with the
intent of extorting money not once but multiple times at each
table. Then comes of problem of getting the connection
physically - here too is the same problem of bribery but this
time at an enhanced rate since this time it involves physical
labour by the persons supervising the connecting. The most
harassing of all is during the payment of monthly bills; the
bills being invariably made out without ever checking the
meters and even if one wants to get the meters checked one has
to agree, per force, to a monthly retainer to the local meter
checker. Thus the lives of people living in cities are made
unbearable by the very organizations and persons who are
supposed to provide services considered essential for urban
living.
But that perhaps is the lesser of the problems and evils. The
bigger problem lies in the fact that the utility services
provide illegal connections to urban dwellers and even to
businesses, offices and industries at a scale which is
staggering - there are no datas, of course, in this regard but
estimates range to about 50 percent of all utility
connections. These illegal connections are provided with the
sole intent of ensuring a continuous stream of illegal income
to the persons serving in these utility organizations. Thus on
the one hand, almost 50 percent of city dwellers, most them
underprivileged living in slums, are being deprived of
essential services and on the other hand, the state is being
deprived of needed revenues which these organization write off
as system loss during yearly accounting. This by itself is
creating a socio-economic problem because of the fact that
those who are the most poor, most unable are forced to pay
extortionate amounts of money for services such as water and
power without which life would be impossible in urban areas.
We would therefore, humbly urge the government to make a study
of the dimensions, the depth, the effects and implications of
corruption on such a massive scale in Public Utility Service
Sectors and there after take appropriate and rapid corrective
and preventive actions and measures. If the government does
not do this urgently, electricity, gas and water which are
already depleted commodities, may soon run out altogether
making our urban areas, particularly large cities including
the capital Dhaka unlivable.
Analysis
Religion and Art, Outrage or
Opportunity
Reporters are responsible for knowing more
about their subjects than the general public and what they
fail to fact-check on can brew bad blood.
Anisa Mehdi
Maplewood,
New Jersey - In 1989, a photograph called "Piss Christ" by
Andres Serrano, which depicted a crucifix submerged in a glass
of the artist's urine, was on show at the Southeastern Center
for Contemporary Art in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The
exhibition received funding from the National Endowment for
the Arts (NEA). The NEA has yet to recover from the squeeze on
its funding that resulted from the public outcry that
followed.
It was a big story for arts reporters, with its impact
rippling beyond the NEA budget line to a whole-scale reframing
of American values through "conservative Christian" and First
Amendment (freedom of speech) lenses. Like Chris Ofili's
painting, "The Holy Virgin Mary", that followed in 1996 (in
which Mary is dotted with elephant dung), these objects of art
pushed reporters and audiences alike to consider the boundary
of art and offence, and to cross-examine closely held concepts
of religion. The process is cleansing and healthy.
In an open letter to the NEA, Serrano - a Roman Catholic -
writes, "The photograph, and the title itself, are ambiguously
provocative but certainly not blasphemous…. This context is
parallel to Catholicism's obsession with 'the body and blood
of Christ.' It is precisely in the exploration and
juxtaposition of the symbols from which Christianity draws it
strength."
This kind of inquiry exercises intellectual muscles of reason
and faith. Although it may be considered a "modern"
phenomenon, such critiquing is common to cultures across the
ages, including those of Muslims. Except for today, it seems.
The first thing I did when the so-called "cartoon controversy"
of 2006 erupted was turn to the experts - as any good reporter
should. Amid the flurry of accusations, impropriety, bad taste
and worse behavior, a basic question lay fallow: is
representational art forbidden by Islam? And if so, why?
I interviewed scholars of Islam and imams (mosque leaders).
Their answers led to the kind of gold that arts and culture
correspondents quarry - a scoop on the breaking news that,
sadly, gets trampled under the foot of more explosive and
angry events. Although people were killed in anti-cartoon
riots and Muslims again reaped the scorn of many who saw them
as small-minded, extreme and barbarous, the truth is that
there is no Qur'anic prohibition against representational art.
My immediate response was published in New Jersey's largest
newspaper, the Star-Ledger, on 29 September 2006. The headline
read, "Those who have faith know art cannot threaten it."
How important is it to report that tradition, not law,
prescribes avoiding depiction of the Prophet Muhammad?
Significantly, "tradition" is not omni-cultural. Indeed,
exquisite images of the Prophet - many of them medieval
illustrations from Persia and Uzbekistan - are housed at the
Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, in the collection
of the Bibliothèque Nationale of Paris and at the University
of Edinburgh.
I contend that mass uprisings would not follow in the wake of
reporting that emphasized bad taste and bad manners rather
than a breach of rules. To my great dismay, there are no such
uprisings against Muslim-on-Muslim brutality in Iraq,
Pakistan, Afghanistan, Chechnya and elsewhere. And there are
exact proscriptions against such behavior in the Qur'an and in
the example of the Prophet.
The cartoons were in extremely bad taste; there is no argument
there. But the brutality that erupted in the wake of their
publishing was worse. Both stories, however, fall into the
realm of "culture".
As arts and culture reporters, we must get ahead of public
opinion, telling multi-layered stories with as little acrimony
as possible while offering context. The toughest part of the
job is not to opine but to listen to views with which we may
disagree or against which we may rail; to accept that what's
acceptable in some cultures is not in others; and to report
with integrity.
In my National Geographic documentary Inside Mecca, for
example, we showed poverty in the Holy City. As a Muslim, I
was and am ashamed that this unholy condition persists in
Mecca, but I still reported the story. It was just the facts,
not a judgment. And my audience still receives it that way.
When tribal customs such as female genital mutilation or the
wearing of the drape called burka are reported as "Islamic",
however, this is an error and there is no excuse for it.
Reporters are responsible for knowing more about their
subjects than the general public and what they fail to
fact-check on can brew bad blood.
Arts and culture reporting can be seen as soft. Properly
performed, such reporting is a powerful describer of the human
condition, past and present, and can guide us to better
choices for our future. Indeed, arts and culture are
archaeological measures of civilization, as are weapons of war
and the waste societies leave behind. Newspapers and
television news reports would do well to promote the
importance of this medium in order to quicken the pace of
mutual understanding in our ever-shrinking global village.
(Anisa Mehdi is an Emmy Award-winning arts and culture
reporter/producer. Source: Common Ground News Service, 5
February 2008.Copyright permission is granted for
publication.)
Working
Against the Problem, not Each Other
Americans who love America and Muslims who love Islam will
best serve our societies by helping them to adhere to the
values of peace and love upon which they were founded.
Rebecca Cataldi
Washington,
DC - In the years since 9/11, war and terrorism have led to
much discussion over whether a "clash of civilizations" is
occurring between the United States and the Muslim world. This
turmoil, however, has inspired many others to work even harder
to promote dialogue and understanding between our cultures.
"Ordinary" Americans and people of the Muslim world have a
particularly critical role to play in this process by reaching
out to one another in friendship. When we do, we will come to
appreciate not only how unique and diverse we all are, but how
many of our deepest values we share in common.
Hosting exchange students from Afghanistan, volunteering in
Indonesia, studying in Egypt, and working on conflict
resolution in Palestine and Pakistan, I experienced firsthand
the power of personal and cultural exchange. Real human
understanding and lasting friendships can result from such
activities. In Pakistan, for example, dialogue with madrassa
(religious school) leaders allowed us not only to better
appreciate our differences, but to see how much we have in
common. In sharing feelings about how the war in Iraq and US
policy in Palestine hurts Muslims, and how terrorist attacks
like 9/11 hurts Americans, we realized our mutual desire to
protect all people from violence and to rid the world of
hatred and fear.
Indeed, there is no reason for a clash between America and the
Muslim world. The values upon which America was founded -
obedience to God, respect and equality for all, protection of
human rights and freedoms, service to others and to the
greater good, and peace - are also fundamental values of
Islam. Problems in American-Muslim relations have occurred not
because Americans and Muslims adhere to opposing or
problematic values, but because some Americans and Muslims
have failed to live up to their own values.
Americans who love America and Muslims who love Islam will
best serve our societies by helping them to adhere to the
values of peace and love upon which they were founded. The
Center for Understanding Islam (www.cuii.org), an American
Muslim organization, addressed the question of whether there
is a conflict between Islam and America in a befitting manner:
"Our country is America and our faith is Islam… there is no
need to choose between them. The reason for this is that the
principles that governed and motivated the founders of America
are identical with the principles developed by the classical
scholars of Islam many centuries earlier…. Both rejected the
exclusivism of clerical, ethnic, and class loyalties in order
to give birth to new civilizations based on human dignity and
on the human rights and responsibilities inherent in every
person…."
As a Catholic American who has traveled to Muslim countries in
diverse parts of the world, one of the greatest and most
tragic misperceptions I have observed between our cultures is
the belief that the other hates us or wishes us harm. In
reality, this perception is not representative of mainstream
opinion in either part of the world.
While extremists who commit violent acts of war or terrorism
often dominate the attention of the media, the majority of
people in every nation and of every faith want to live in
peace and safety, and desire the same for others.
Most Americans and Muslims share the desire to better
relations with one another and build a better world. In this
spirit, I have started a project called the American-Islamic
Friendship Project, in which I collect messages of peace and
friendship from Americans to people of the Muslim world and
vice versa. These messages are being compiled into a book,
which I hope to make widely available.
The terrorist attacks against Americans on 9/11 and throughout
the world since, as well as the conflicts in Iraq,
Afghanistan, and Israel/Palestine, strike at the hearts of
Americans and Muslims as very real threats to our identity,
our way of life, and our very existence. Rather than viewing
these conflicts as manifestations of a "clash of
civilizations", however, they should be seen as problems that
need solving - as opportunities to work together against a
common problem, not against each other.
(Rebecca Cataldi is program assistant at the International
Center for Religion & Diplomacy. Source: Common Ground News
Service, 5 February 2008. Copyright permission is granted for
publication.)
What
about Iraq?
At the moment, the three leading candidates
to succeed George W Bush each have separate and distinct
positions on the war.
Tom Plate
PRESIDENTIAL
elections do not always elucidate issues of outstanding
interest to the rest of the world. They can often muddy rather
than clarify raging waters. The current race for the White
House, however, might just prove to be a great clarifier,
especially on the issue of the Iraq war.
This is undoubtedly the high-profile foreign-policy problem
that the world would like our electoral system to resolve
decisively.
At the moment, the three leading candidates to succeed George
W Bush each have separate and distinct positions on the war.
Senator John McCain, who just creamed his Republican opponents
in the Florida primary, has clearly stated that he is for
staying in Iraq until the job is done (whatever that means).
The position of this brave war veteran on this or any gut-felt
war deserves a measure of respect, even if we disagree with
it. After all, he may even be right, who knows? But at least
he is not vague and dithering and deceptively ambiguous.
One hundred and eighty degrees of policy separation in the
other direction is Senator Barack Obama's view. He would
evidently start withdrawing troops faster than he can say,
"You're likable enough, Hillary." As Caroline Kennedy -
daughter of JFK - pointedly noted in a high-profile New York
Times Op-Ed recently, Obama is the only prominent candidate
who voted against the war from the start and has consistently
opposed it.
But if - like the great philosopher Aristotle - you are
uncomfortable with extreme positions (gung-ho, or get-out),
look to the considered views of Hillary Clinton. The wife of
the former president bobs somewhere between McCain and Obama,
as if trying to keep her balance. She hints at impatience and
unhappiness with the war, but aims to avoid any precipitous
approach, especially any that might lose her votes or
embarrass her if the US suddenly seems to be "winning"
(whatever that might mean).
Very few elections are decided on one issue; and as the
American economy worsens, Iraq will not be the only
high-profile topic contended. Nevertheless, it is good to see
the war question possibly settled one way or the other.
During the last presidential election, some of us (wrongly)
hoped that the war blunder would block a second Bush term. But
Democratic standard-bear John Kerry 'Hillary-Clintoned' the
issue to a point where he lost his cutting edge. Two years
ago, however, the American people (judging from all the
exit-polling that was done) weighed in against the war by
returning Congress to Democratic control. Now we have a
presidential campaign that may well give the American voter a
similar opportunity. The rest of the world deserves some kind
of a definitive answer. If America begins an Obama-led
withdrawal, there will be a widespread sigh of relief. If it
digs in for a longer haul, as per McCain, at least the world
will know where America's head is.
McCain seems, to a lot of Americans, to possess uncommon
integrity. As Margaret Thatcher used to say of her own
stoutness (or stubbornness): The lady is not for turning.
Neither is the gentleman McCain, especially on core issues.
But it is sad that prolonging our stay with Iraq appears to be
such a matter of principle for McCain. I know his election
would disappoint many of our friends around the world.
One of them is Kishore Mahbubani, the diplomat and educator.
In his new book, The New Asian Hemisphere: The Irresistible
Shift of Global Power to the East, Singapore's former UN
ambassador terms Iraq as nothing less than a great foreign
policy blunder.
Now dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Government, he is
anything but an America-basher. However, he writes powerfully
in his provocative new book, recently released in America:
"The need to develop a better understanding of our world has
never been greater." But it is clear that the world views of
the leading Western minds are trapped in the previous
centuries. These minds cannot even conceive of the possibility
that they may have to change these worldviews to understand
the new world. Unless they do, we could make disastrous
decisions.
The best illustration of a disastrous decision is the decision
by the US and the UK to invade Iraq in March 2003. The
Americans and British had benign intentions: to free the Iraqi
people from despotic rule and to rid the world of a dangerous
man, Saddam Hussein. Neither Bush nor Blair had malevolent
intentions. Yet, the mental maps that they brought to
understand Iraq were mired in one cultural context: the
Western mindset. Many Americans actually believed that
invading American troops would be welcomed with petals thrown
on the streets by happy Iraqis. The idea that any Islamic
country would welcome western military boots on its soil
defies belief. The invasion and especially the occupation of
Iraq will go down as one of the most botched operations in
human history.
Source: www.khaleejtimes.com
Viewpoints
Palestine: Gaza
Blockade Crisis
Following closure by Israel of all border crossings into Gaza,
the Palestinians have been put into difficulties, leading to
food supply shortages, current cut in Palestine.
Dr. Abdul
Ruff Colachal
None
needs a special discourse to comprehend the destructive
policies of Israel in Middle East where the Palestinians and
Lebanese are being butchered and their properties worth
billions of US dollars destroyed on a regular basis on some
pretext or the other. On the one hand, there has been peace
moves, but on the other, this kind of Israeli genocide and
destruction goes on continuously. Recent developments in the
Gaza Strip, Israel and neighboring countries after the Israeli
army tightened its blockade have serious ramification for the
peace efforts of Bush, which Israel prefers to ignore.
Blockade
Since 17 January when Israel announced that it will close all
border crossings into Gaza, intensifying a six-month blockade
imposed on the territory, the Palestinians have been under
worse conditions of existence. Israel, as usual, blames its
aggression on the Palestinians. Tel-Aviv shut down Gaza's only
power plant. Hamas had been under siege of the cruelest way.
Following closure by Israel of all border crossings into Gaza,
the Palestinians have been put into difficulties, leading to
food supply shortages, current cut in Palestine, forcing the
Palestinians to take refugees in nearby countries. After the
Israeli blockade of Gaza people were literally reeling under
the deadly threat posed by Israel supported by the US-led
West. Palestinians began climbing over the wall dividing Gaza
and Egypt at Rafah and gradually broke parts of the wall.
Reaction
Israel said the blockade was aimed at preventing rocket
attacks by Palestinian militants on its illegal settlements
near the border. Mediation from Egypt forced Israel to
temporarily ease economic embargo and other restrictions a bit
on Palestinians on 22 January allowing fuel supplies to enter
the territory for the first time in four days and Egypt
threatened to close down the Rafah border, but they suffered
severe suffocation. UN officials in Gaza say the measure
amounts to collective punishment of the territory's population
of 1.5 million people. On 23 January Palestinians blew several
openings in the border fence that divides the territory from
Egypt. Thousands of Gazans poured into Egypt at sunrise to
stock up on essential goods. Keen to make the Palestinians
suffer, Israel demanded that Egypt close the border
immediately, cleverly saying it gives the militants the
opportunity to rearm and even bring in sophisticated weaponry
and Gaza. Egypt says that the border will remain open so that
Gazans can get much-needed supplies and will remain so until
they all return home. Tens of thousands of Palestinians
continue to flood into Egypt. Instead of directing Israel to
revive normalcy at the borders and resume supplies to
Palestine, US Sectary of State Condoleezza Rice called on
Egypt to control the border with Gaza.
For days now, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have been
crossing freely into Egypt to buy essential supplies. Barbed
wire has been put in place to seal some of the breaches and
riot police have been deployed. Cairo has said it wants to
work with the Palestinian Authority to agree on control of the
crossing. Palestinians were continuing to cross into Egypt on
Tuesday but correspondents said that the numbers appeared to
be falling. Hamas security guards have been preventing some
cars from crossing from Gaza, while Palestinians who had
crossed were being sent back by Egyptian security services.
Reports said that shops in Rafah were almost empty because of
Egyptian efforts to prevent new supplies from reaching the
city. "I have nothing else to sell. God forbid, they will also
buy the air, and we will not be able to breathe," a shopkeeper
in Rafah said.
After permitting for a couple days, now Egypt has pressed
ahead with efforts to repair sections of its border with Gaza
which were destroyed by Palestinian supporters. Egypt is under
enormous pressure - from Israel and much of the international
community - to get a grip and reseal the border. Israel fears
wholesale arms smuggling to extremists in Gaza. Other
governments in the region fear the breakdown of delicately
balanced international agreements meant to reassure Israel and
help open the way to a comprehensive peace - the
Israel-Palestine "two-state solution".
Talks in Cairo
The Egyptian government has held talks in Cairo on 30 January
with both Hamas, which controls Gaza, and the President of the
Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas. Hamas official Sámi Abu
Zuhri said that talks had "concentrated on the facilitation of
movement and the entry of Palestinians on the
Egyptian-Palestinian border". Egypt was silent on the talks
with Meshaal, who Arab media had said was expected to meet
Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman to discuss restoring
order at the Gaza-Egypt frontier Egypt had given orders to
security men to start taking more restrictive measures and was
hoping to minimize friction with Palestinians by implementing
an incremental closure of the border. Cairo wants to see a
return to a 2005 agreement by which the border would be
controlled by the Palestinian Authority and monitored by the
EU and Israel. "It is still early to talk about details," he
said. Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahhar said that discussion about
shared control "contradicts reality" He argues that the
reality is that there is a legitimate government. "We will not
give up our legitimacy to anybody," he said. Nevertheless,
Zahhar said that while no agreement had been reached, some
progress had been made.
Hamas does not object to a shared administration of the Rafah
crossing with Abbas, on condition that the Palestinian
Authority (Abbas) does not succumb to Israeli pressure. Israel
says if Mubarak and Abbas reach an understanding on shared
control of the crossing, "Israel will certainly not oppose
such an arrangement". Egypt wants the Palestinian Authority to
control the crossing but Hamas insists it should have some
degree of control. Mubarak said any closure would be
incremental to avoid friction with Palestinians. But Abbas,
who lost Gaza to Hamas, has rejected Hamas' claim over the
border and reiterated his refusal to negotiate with Hamas
leaders. "Hamas has to end its coup in Gaza, accept all
international obligations, and accept holding early
elections," he told a press conference. "After that, our
hearts are open for any dialogue."
Egypt is in a bind. It did not want the border breached. The
Egyptian government possibly despises and fears Hamas. It
fears opposition forces within Egypt, including religious
fundamentalists, being strengthened by Hamas ideology. But
equally, Egypt does not want to be seen directly as "Gaza's
jailer". So closing the border, amid scenes of Arab fighting
Arab - Palestinian stones against Egyptian riot shields - is
also very unwelcome. Israel has moved to suggest that any
failure to close the border by Egypt would justify Israel in
handing over responsibility for the future welfare of the
people of Gaza to Egypt - neatly ridding Israel of a problem,
and the source of so much international criticism.
The Egyptian security forces announced on 25 January that the
border will close at 1500 hours and that all Palestinians from
Gaza must return to the territory. Hundreds of Palestinians
continue to leave Gaza for Egypt after the afternoon deadline
for the border's closure. Even on 27 January Gaza inhabitants
continue to cross the border hampered by wintry weather, as
Egyptian forces try to urge them to go home. The Egypt-Gaza
border dominates a summit meeting between Israeli and
Palestinian leaders in Jerusalem. Palestinian Leader Mahmoud
Abbas wins international support for a proposal to taking
responsibility for the Palestinian side of all Gaza's
crossings, but Hamas says that past arrangements imposing a
blockade on Gaza were "history" and it must have a role in
future border control. Egyptian forces close all but two
crossing points by erecting coils of razor wire along most of
the breaches in the border. Hamas guards prevent taxis and
private cars from crossing the border but continue to let
pedestrians and freight.
Egypt also started blocking Palestinian vehicles from crossing
into Egypt although it was allowing supply-laden Egyptian
trucks to enter Gaza to drop off goods, witnesses said. One
security source said around 50,000 Palestinians had crossed
into Egypt on Thursday, and another 20,000 were staying with
relatives in Rafah and nearby towns. Security sources said
Egypt arrested several Hamas members who had managed to slip
into its territory with weapons and explosives despite
Egyptian warnings not to cross the border with weapons. Police
allowed several trucks carrying aid from the Qatari Red
Crescent to enter the Gaza Strip. In Israel, the United
Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) received approval to
deliver many trucks of humanitarian aid to Gaza. But the
trucks were turned away from the Gaza border with no reason
given in what he said looked like "a deliberate policy of
obstruction." Israel has said it is concerned that militants
have been taking advantage of the freedom of movement to
bolster their stores of weapons and explosives.
Agreement?
Earlier, Hamas had signaled it could prevent Egypt from
re-sealing the border unless its own authority there was
recognized. Hamas did not object to a shared administration of
the Rafah crossing with Abbas, on condition that the
Palestinian Authority does not succumb to Israeli pressure,"
he said, referring to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Abbas has rejected Hamas demands for control of the border and
urged the Islamist group on Wednesday to "end its coup" in
Gaza, which Hamas seized control of in June. Egypt called in
police reinforcements and sealed a few gaps at the breached
border with the Gaza Strip.
On 03 February Egyptian troops have sealed the border with the
Gaza Strip, ending 10 days of freedom of movement for
Palestinians. The closure followed talks between Hamas and
Egyptian officials on 02 February, after which Hamas said it
would co-operate with Egypt to restore control of the border.
The troops are still allowing Palestinians and Egyptians to
return home, but have stopped allowing any new cross-border
movement. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians took the
opportunity to cross into Egypt to buy supplies. "We have
concluded an agreement between us and our brothers in Egypt to
operate channels at the local level at the crossing and along
the border," said Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahhar.
That will not happen, but the Rafah border breach and the
extraordinary scenes of a mass Palestinian breakout for
shopping or simply for fresh air may yet have profound
political effects on the entire Middle East peace process. The
downside could be a hardening of attitudes on all sides,
further complicating or poisoning the climate for concessions
in the dialogue which US President George W Bush is hoping to
accelerate. The upside could be a realization that the present
situation in Gaza, and the split between Hamas there, and
Fatah in the West Bank, is utterly unsustainable. Only a
comprehensive final settlement between Israelis and
Palestinians offers the prospect of security, and possibly
prosperity too, for all.
Observations
Israel has created a perpetual unsustainable situation in the
region and it obstructs any sincere peace efforts from any
quarters. It has become part of Israel's blockade of Gaza,
which Israel says is a necessary response to rocket attacks
from Gaza which kills and injures Israeli citizens. Others
insist the blockade amounts to illegal collective punishment
of Gaza's civilian population.
The breaches of the past few days have drawn global attention
to the near total isolation of the civilians of Gaza, so that
simply closing the frontier again may prove politically all
but impossible. The border was not meant to be completely
closed, of course. At the time of Israel's "disengagement" or
withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, an international agreement
launched new policing of the Rafah border. Essentially, the
Israeli-cum-EU monitor arrangements at crossing points,
intended to ensure proper control, broke down progressively,
partly after Hamas won the parliamentary elections in Gaza of
January 2006, and totally after the final seizure of all power
in Gaza by Hamas in 2007. The EU teams withdrew. The border
closed.
Cornered by Israeli policy of genocide, torture and
destruction in Palestine that was further reinforced with
stoppage of supplies from Israel and sealing of outlets from
Gaza to the outside world, Hamas supporters breached the Rafah
border with Egypt to procure supplies for day-to-day life. But
Egypt has indeed behaved in the most dignified manner dealing
with the crisis created Israel for Hamas in temporarily
alleviating their sufferings and struggle for survival against
brutality. This is the finest example of how Muslim nations
would be able help one another when in needs. The irrelevance
of and silence by US president Bush, who claims seriousness
about his decision to achieve peace in Palestine, over the
Israeli blockade in torturing the hapless Palestinians
vindicates the general apprehension of US-brokered peace
efforts in Middle East and creation of Palestine.
One does not know if the crisis was an art of US-Israel
conspiracy and if so, the role of Egypt could also have been
predetermined. Real objective of Israel to create this crisis
also is not quite clear, but the result seems to have upset
Tel-Aviv strategists. If similar crises could be skillfully
engineered again by Israel with tacit US support, there is a
possibility of open war between Israel and Hamas encompassing
the Arab world. Empowered by its latest arms arsenals with US
contribution, Israel aims at that and Egypt seems to be
avoiding that scenario.
(Dr. Abdul Ruff Colachal is a Research scholar, School of
International Studies, Jawaharlal University, Delhi 110067).
Moving away from dynasties in US politics
How can you be an agent of
change when we have had the same two families in the White
House for the last 30 years?" one voter, Karen Roper, asked Ms
Clinton during a recent debate.
Gary
Younge
To
change the political sclerosis gripping their country, Americans
need a President distinguished by his lack of pedigree.
While running for Congress in West Texas in 1978, a young George
W. Bush attended a training school for Republican candidates. In
a class on fundraising he was struck by inspiration. "I've got
the greatest idea of how to raise money for the campaign," he
told David Dreier, now a California Congressman. "Have your
mother send a letter to your family's Christmas card list! I
just did, and I got $350,000."
The web of wealth and family connections that has levered Mr.
Bush to power and has since characterised his administration is
an indictment of America's political culture. "George W. Bush
was named [after] a father who excelled at everything," argued
Bush Jr's former speechwriter David Frum. "He tried everything
his father tried - and well into his 40s, succeeded at almost
nothing."
Therapy could have dealt with this quite effectively. Instead we
have been afflicted with one of the most ostentatious and
wrong-headed affirmative action programmes known to the Western
world, in which a man unburdened by imagination inherited -
almost literally - a Cabinet unburdened by merit. His father's
Secretary of State (James Baker) oversaw the Florida recount in
2000 as chief legal adviser and was instrumental in taking the
case to the Supreme Court. Once installed, Mr. Bush took the
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under his father (Colin
Powell) and made him Secretary of State; his father's Defence
Secretary (Dick Cheney) became Vice-President; his father's
Special Assistant on National Security Affairs (Condoleezza
Rice) became National Security Adviser; and in a fit of oedipal
petulance, he took one of his dad's enemies (Donald Rumsfeld)
and made him Defence Secretary.
Not only did such appointments set new lows for cronyism,
sleaze, dysfunction, and incompetence. But by drawing leadership
from such a tiny gene puddle they reflected an aberration of the
very democratic impulses and meritocratic culture with which
most Americans identify and apparently cherish.
So, on the eve of the most crucial day in the Democratic
primary, the frontrunner is the wife of a former President
seeking to replace the son of a former President - a former
President who was replaced by her husband. If Hillary Clinton
wins the nomination, nobody under the age of 50 will have had
the opportunity to vote for a viable presidential ticket that
did not have a Bush or a Clinton on the ticket.
This growing rigidity is by no means limited to class. Upward
mobility, like median wages, has stalled. Studies show parental
income is now a better predictor of whether you will be rich or
poor in the U.S. than it is in Canada and much of Europe. These
privileges are most transparent at the top universities, where
children of alumni and wealthy contributors bag far more places
than beneficiaries of affirmative action do. At Notre Dame, the
prestigious Indiana university, children of alumni amount to
between 21 per cent and 24 per cent of freshmen.
"How can you be an agent of change when we have had the same two
families in the White House for the last 30 years?" one voter,
Karen Roper, asked Ms Clinton during Thursday's debate. Ms
Clinton started by evoking the very mythology of which her
candidacy is the most blatant repudiation. "What's great about
our political system is that we are all judged on our own
merits," she says. "We start from the same place. Nobody has an
advantage no matter who you are or where you came from ... You
have to make the case for yourself."
Really? So who is that bruiser with the generous Rolodex and
Secret Service protection, race-baiting his way around the
campaign trail making her case on her behalf? Why does he raise
memories of his own legacy at least as often as he raises the
promise of her candidacy, while slipping from "I" to "we"?
"Median family income after inflation's about a thousand dollars
lower today than it was the day I left office," he told a crowd
in South Carolina. "In our eight years, we had 22.7 million jobs
and almost 8 million people move from poverty into the middle
class." Why are so many of his advisers now hers?
If the Clinton name really brings no advantage, why did she
evoke it in the very next breath in her answer to Ms Roper? "It
did take a Clinton to clean after the first Bush," quipped Ms
Clinton. "And I think it might take another one to clean up
after the second Bush."
Source: www.hindu.com
International
Taliban militants
in Pakistan declare cease-fire
AP/UNB, Islamabad
Taliban militants have declared a
cease-fire in fighting with Pakistani forces, and the
government says it is preparing for peace talks with al-Qaida-linked
extremists in the lawless tribal area near the border with
Afghanistan.
Any deal that allows armed Islamic extremists to operate
on Pakistani soil would run counter to U.S. demands for
the government to crack down on militants. The U.S.
government contends a failed truce last year allowed al-Qaida
to expand its reach into this turbulent, nuclear-armed
country, and the U.S. has sounded warnings in recent days
about a revival of militant strength.
A spokesman for Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, a militant
umbrella group, said the new cease-fire would include not
only the tribal belt along the Afghan border but also the
restive Swat region to the east where the army has also
battled pro-Taliban fighters.
Tehrik-e-Taliban is led by Baitullah Mehsud, an al-Qaida-linked
commander based in South Waziristan whom President Pervez
Musharraf's government has blamed for a series of suicide
attacks across Pakistan, including the Dec. 27
assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.
The government has repeatedly tried to strike peace deals
with local pro-Taliban militants, urging them to expel
foreign al-Qaida militants the U.S. has warned may use
their sanctuary inside Pakistan's tribal regions to plot
terror attacks around the globe. If a cease-fire sticks
and militants halt attacks, it could boost Musharraf's
popularity as his political allies prepare for crucial
Feb. 18 parliamentary elections.
But the negotiation strategy has mostly backfired in the
past, with militants failing to honor agreements. A
cease-fire in North Waziristan in September 2006, which
collapsed in July, was widely seen as a setback in the war
against terror, giving the Taliban and al-Qaida a freer
hand to stage cross-border attacks into Afghanistan and
extend their control of areas within Pakistan.
In Washington, the U.S. State Department signaled it would
oppose any agreement that resembled the last truce. "I
think everyone understands, including President Musharraf,
that that agreement with tribal leaders did not in fact
produce the results that everyone, including President
Musharraf, had intended," deputy spokesman Tom Casey told
reporters.
Israeli aircraft pound Gaza
AFP, Gaza City
Israeli aircraft pounded the Gaza Strip on Wednesday
following renewed rocket fire against southern Israel,
wounding at least three people, a Palestinian medical
source said.
One of the wounded was in serious condition following the
strike on the north Gaza town of Beit Hanoun, the medic
said.
There was no immediate word on that raid from the Israeli
military but a spokesman confirmed two other strikes.
"We conducted two air raids against the Gaza Strip, one
targeting an arms-manufacturing workshop in the centre of
the territory and a second targeting a weapons store in
the south," he said.
Two missiles slammed into a metal workshop in the Nuseirat
refugee camp in central Gaza, causing damage but no
casualties, witnesses said.
The Israeli military often strikes metal workshops in the
territory charging that they are used to manufacture
makeshift rockets of the sort which Palestinian militants
frequently fire into southern Israel.
Gaza militants launched at least seven rockets at Israel
on Wednesday, an army spokeswoman said.
Two children, aged two and four, sustained shrapnel wounds
when one of the rockets slammed into their home, medical
sources said.
Iran’s reformists sharply lower election hopes
AFP, Tehran
Iran's
disgruntled reformists have drastically scaled down their
expectations for parliamentary elections next month after
the authorities disqualified half their candidates, the
press reported Wednesday.
Reformists had been hoping to mount a serious challenge to
the conservative domination of parliament and create a
springboard for returning to power in 2009 presidential
elections.
But the spokesman for the umbrella coalition of reformist
parties, Abdollah Nasseri, said his forces were only
competitive in 10 percent of parliamentary constituencies
after the mass vetoing of candidates by interior ministry
committees.
"We had concluded that we could compete for one-third of
the 290 seats, but unfortunately... even under the best
scenario we can now compete for only 10 percent of the
seats," he was quoted as saying.
Even the reformist-minded grandson of Iran's revolutionary
leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, Ali Eshraghi, was
disqualified, the Kargozaran newspaper reported.
"I was shocked to discover that the questions tackled
whether I prayed daily, if I fasted, if I wore a suit, if
I shaved, and if I smoked and what kind of car I drove."
Eshraghi said he would not be appealing against the
decision. "If the credentials of imam's (Khomeini's)
grandson are not validated who should I complain to?" The
interior ministry in the first phase of the vetting
process last month banned more than 2,000 mainly reformist
candidates from standing in the March 14 elections, a move
Nasseri has said applied to half of his coalition's
hopefuls.
Hillary, Obama in a virtual dead hit
AFP, Washington
Hillary Clinton and Barack
Obama awoke to a daunting truth Wednesday-their battle is
effectively starting over from scratch.
After 26 state contests including the mammoth Super
Tuesday showdown, the two Democratic senators are in a
virtual dead heat, and have to drag themselves back on the
campaign trail for new nominating showdowns this weekend.
Super Tuesday shared the spoils: Clinton was the queen of
the big states; and scooped up eight wins. Obama captured
13 lesser prizes, allowing both to claim legitimate road
maps to the Democratic nomination.
Campaign spin meisters were already firing the first shots
in a new public relations battle to set the terms of the
second half of the nomination race.
"We have won more states, won more delegates, won more
total votes than Senator Clinton," said Obama campaign
manager David Plouffe Wednesday.
"This speaks to Senator Obama's strength in terms of our
ability to capture this Democratic nomination."
But the Clinton camp trumpeted her wins in large states,
including California, New York and New Jersey, which form
the backbone of any Democrat's route to the White House in
a matchup with Republicans.
The former first lady's top strategist Mark Penn said her
campaign had "broken" a wave of momentum that Obama had
appeared to be building in the final days before Super
Tuesday.
"Overall people rejected the increasingly
establishment-oriented campaign of Senator Obama," he
said, noting the Illinois politician had won a slew of
high-profile endorsements and had raised money fast.
"They accepted the substantive policy-oriented campaign of
Senator Clinton and they did so on her tireless advocacy
of solving the economy and healthcare," Penn said.
Both sides highlighted advantages going into the struggle
for more delegates who will anoint the nominee at the
party's August convention in Denver, with the senators
locked in a virtual dead-heat in the tally.
Obama's team is convinced the nominating calendar now
favors him, with his huge, pulsating campaign rallies and
building grass-roots movement.
"A month and a half is an eternity in politics generally.
It's certainly an eternity in this race especially," Obama
told reporters in a swift briefing.
"We feel confident that the wind is at our back."
Next Tuesday's primaries in Virginia, Maryland and
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