South Asia on its way to harmony, tranquility
Tuesday, 19 May 2009
From Fazle Rashid
NEW YORK, May 18: South Asia, after a long spell of political turbulence, hostility and instability, is now seemingly on its way to harmony and tranquility that will significantly change not only the condition of the peoples of the region but offer a much more conducive atmosphere for far more meaningful regional cooperation that will help boost economic development.
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, world's most feared and enduring guerrilla movement conceded defeat after a quarter century of bitter and bloody internal strife in Sri Lanka. The war not only claimed thousands of lives but also devastated the economy. Nepal which also witnessed a long and protracted civil strife is also returning to normalcy after decades of blood letting. Monarchy has been abolished. The desperate group of parties that govern the Himalayan country have agreed to back Madhav Kumar's candidacy as country's next prime minister replacing Pushpa Kamal, Maoist leader who resigned protesting President's intervention in reinstating the Army Chief whom he had sacked for refusing to absorb the Maoist rebels into country's regular army
Meanwhile, there is concern in Washington over India's next door neighbour Pakistan beefing up its nuclear arsenal. Both India and Pakistan are nuclear powers and neither have signed the non-proliferation treaty.
Members of Congress have been told in confidential briefings that Pakistan is rapidly adding to its nuclear arsenal raising questions on Capitol Hill about "whether billions of dollars in proposed military aid might be diverted to Pakistan's nuclear programme", New York Times (NYT) in a front page news said today. Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has confirmed the assessment. Washington's fears that the 100 or so atomic bombs in Pakistan's possession may go into the hands of the Islamic insurgents. What is of course not clear how would the insurgents even if they can lay their hands on the bombs would use them without a delivery system. The US administration says Pakistan has more terrorists per square mile than anyplace else on earth, NYT said.
There have been significant political developments in Arab region. Four women for the first time have been directly elected to the Kuwait Parliament. Kuwait became the first Arab nation to set the example of electing women to parliament.
Something inconceivable is going to happen in British House of Commons, mother of all parliament. Members from all sides will table a motion of no-confidence against Michael Martin, speaker. No holder of the office has been forced to step down since 1695. Expenses' furore has provoked Britain's biggest constitutional crisis since abdication of Edward VIII who stepped aside as monarch in 1936 over his plans to marry a divorcee and a commoner.
Dozens of members of the House of Commons have been exposed for claiming inflated bills or abusing the rules prompting an outpouring of public anger and damaging the mainstream political parties.
NEW YORK, May 18: South Asia, after a long spell of political turbulence, hostility and instability, is now seemingly on its way to harmony and tranquility that will significantly change not only the condition of the peoples of the region but offer a much more conducive atmosphere for far more meaningful regional cooperation that will help boost economic development.
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, world's most feared and enduring guerrilla movement conceded defeat after a quarter century of bitter and bloody internal strife in Sri Lanka. The war not only claimed thousands of lives but also devastated the economy. Nepal which also witnessed a long and protracted civil strife is also returning to normalcy after decades of blood letting. Monarchy has been abolished. The desperate group of parties that govern the Himalayan country have agreed to back Madhav Kumar's candidacy as country's next prime minister replacing Pushpa Kamal, Maoist leader who resigned protesting President's intervention in reinstating the Army Chief whom he had sacked for refusing to absorb the Maoist rebels into country's regular army
Meanwhile, there is concern in Washington over India's next door neighbour Pakistan beefing up its nuclear arsenal. Both India and Pakistan are nuclear powers and neither have signed the non-proliferation treaty.
Members of Congress have been told in confidential briefings that Pakistan is rapidly adding to its nuclear arsenal raising questions on Capitol Hill about "whether billions of dollars in proposed military aid might be diverted to Pakistan's nuclear programme", New York Times (NYT) in a front page news said today. Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has confirmed the assessment. Washington's fears that the 100 or so atomic bombs in Pakistan's possession may go into the hands of the Islamic insurgents. What is of course not clear how would the insurgents even if they can lay their hands on the bombs would use them without a delivery system. The US administration says Pakistan has more terrorists per square mile than anyplace else on earth, NYT said.
There have been significant political developments in Arab region. Four women for the first time have been directly elected to the Kuwait Parliament. Kuwait became the first Arab nation to set the example of electing women to parliament.
Something inconceivable is going to happen in British House of Commons, mother of all parliament. Members from all sides will table a motion of no-confidence against Michael Martin, speaker. No holder of the office has been forced to step down since 1695. Expenses' furore has provoked Britain's biggest constitutional crisis since abdication of Edward VIII who stepped aside as monarch in 1936 over his plans to marry a divorcee and a commoner.
Dozens of members of the House of Commons have been exposed for claiming inflated bills or abusing the rules prompting an outpouring of public anger and damaging the mainstream political parties.