United fight against terrorism
Thursday, 4 December 2008
Enayet Rasul
South Asia, a fast growing area in the economic sense, is about to fall in a ditch. Even amid the worldwide economic gloom, specially in the developed countries, South Asian economies have been maintaining their heads well above the water. The Indian economy particularly showed promises of maintaining considerably its uptrend despite the global economic turmoil. The Bangladesh economy also proved its resilience under the prevailing circumstances and posted a reasonable growth. The troubled Pakistan economy also was noted to be striving to overcome its predicaments.
South Asian countries were also well headed towards normalization of relations before the Mumbai carnage. Pakistan and India seemed to be engaged with enough resolve to improve relations that would free their energies to address issues of economic importance that really matter to the vast population of the two countries. But suddenly the orgies of violence at Mumbai has changed the positive developments. From a state of growing friendly relations with immense hopeful economic implications of the same, the two countries are withdrawing to their old perceptions of each other as enemies. Suddenly, the language of the leaders of the two countries in addressing each other has become tough and shrilly.
The Pakistan's ambassador to India was summoned to the foreign office in New Delhi and a formal letter was handed over to him that formally charged Pakistan for its involvement in the Mumbai massacre. The latter alleged that a Pakistan-based militant Islamic organisation planned the attacks on Mumbai and that Pakistani authorities did nothing about it, knowing their motives. This is a very serious allegation that practically charges the Pakistan government as an abettor of the ghastly violence. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Prime Minister has accused the Indian government of reaching conclusions too easily and fanning a warlike stand-off with his country.
In this context, an Indo-Pakistan military confrontation or reversal of their relations normalizing process as a sequel to the ghastly and senseless Mumbai episode will not yield any good for either of them. There is also another dangerous dimension directly threatening India's security. It has a large Muslim population. Bloody riots against Muslim following terrorist incidents were noted frequently in the present decade. The Mumbai massacre has the potential of once again encouraging extreme Hindu communal forces against Muslims. If this happens, the same would add very gravely to the long-term problems of India. Cooling of communal passions or instincts essentially calls for more responsible behaviour and statements of Indian leaders at the top.
It is silly to think that there are any sudden or swift solution to terrorism issues. If it were so easy, then Iraq and Afghanistan would have become very stable and peaceful entities by now. Armed conflicts have only increased in number in these countries after a solution was sought to be imposed through the application of vastly superior military power. But the same did not work but rather backfired as hatred of affected people to the users of superior military force only hardened.
It would be wise and pragmatical if the Indian leaders look upon the issue of fighting terrorism not through unilateral flexing of military muscles or accusing neighbours or even going to war with them. Insurgents of various kinds and some of them are also not Islamist ones, have continued to pose formidable challenges to Indian security forces. They are, as the available reports do suggest, home-grown to a large extent feeding on different grievances. Pakistan also has more than its fair share of problems -- ironically -- posed by the Islamic terrorist groups. If they were really eating out of the hands of the Pakistan government, then there would be no need for soldiers of the Pakistan army to fight them regularly . As it is, Pakistan has to spend a large part of its military budget and risks the lives of members of its defence forces in fighting them . Thus, both India and Pakistan have a common enemy of extremist Islamist groups and logically both should have come together in fighting them.
This would be the most sensible united reaction from them after the Mumbai bloodletting -- a pledge of cooperation by the two sides to build a stronger united front against the common enemy. Such a course was even suggested by the Indian President, Prativa Patil. But her voice and words of great wisdom -- very unfortunately -- appear to have been drowned in the sea of more short-sighted reactions.
There is still time for India and Pakistan to pull away from the brink and get back to a course of sanity or reason before events get out of control and put them on a collision course which is probably the real motive of the ones behind the wings who are working cleverly to sabotage India-Pakistan relations to the worst detriment of both. Both countries must find a way of walking away from the trap together.
South Asia, a fast growing area in the economic sense, is about to fall in a ditch. Even amid the worldwide economic gloom, specially in the developed countries, South Asian economies have been maintaining their heads well above the water. The Indian economy particularly showed promises of maintaining considerably its uptrend despite the global economic turmoil. The Bangladesh economy also proved its resilience under the prevailing circumstances and posted a reasonable growth. The troubled Pakistan economy also was noted to be striving to overcome its predicaments.
South Asian countries were also well headed towards normalization of relations before the Mumbai carnage. Pakistan and India seemed to be engaged with enough resolve to improve relations that would free their energies to address issues of economic importance that really matter to the vast population of the two countries. But suddenly the orgies of violence at Mumbai has changed the positive developments. From a state of growing friendly relations with immense hopeful economic implications of the same, the two countries are withdrawing to their old perceptions of each other as enemies. Suddenly, the language of the leaders of the two countries in addressing each other has become tough and shrilly.
The Pakistan's ambassador to India was summoned to the foreign office in New Delhi and a formal letter was handed over to him that formally charged Pakistan for its involvement in the Mumbai massacre. The latter alleged that a Pakistan-based militant Islamic organisation planned the attacks on Mumbai and that Pakistani authorities did nothing about it, knowing their motives. This is a very serious allegation that practically charges the Pakistan government as an abettor of the ghastly violence. Meanwhile, Pakistan's Prime Minister has accused the Indian government of reaching conclusions too easily and fanning a warlike stand-off with his country.
In this context, an Indo-Pakistan military confrontation or reversal of their relations normalizing process as a sequel to the ghastly and senseless Mumbai episode will not yield any good for either of them. There is also another dangerous dimension directly threatening India's security. It has a large Muslim population. Bloody riots against Muslim following terrorist incidents were noted frequently in the present decade. The Mumbai massacre has the potential of once again encouraging extreme Hindu communal forces against Muslims. If this happens, the same would add very gravely to the long-term problems of India. Cooling of communal passions or instincts essentially calls for more responsible behaviour and statements of Indian leaders at the top.
It is silly to think that there are any sudden or swift solution to terrorism issues. If it were so easy, then Iraq and Afghanistan would have become very stable and peaceful entities by now. Armed conflicts have only increased in number in these countries after a solution was sought to be imposed through the application of vastly superior military power. But the same did not work but rather backfired as hatred of affected people to the users of superior military force only hardened.
It would be wise and pragmatical if the Indian leaders look upon the issue of fighting terrorism not through unilateral flexing of military muscles or accusing neighbours or even going to war with them. Insurgents of various kinds and some of them are also not Islamist ones, have continued to pose formidable challenges to Indian security forces. They are, as the available reports do suggest, home-grown to a large extent feeding on different grievances. Pakistan also has more than its fair share of problems -- ironically -- posed by the Islamic terrorist groups. If they were really eating out of the hands of the Pakistan government, then there would be no need for soldiers of the Pakistan army to fight them regularly . As it is, Pakistan has to spend a large part of its military budget and risks the lives of members of its defence forces in fighting them . Thus, both India and Pakistan have a common enemy of extremist Islamist groups and logically both should have come together in fighting them.
This would be the most sensible united reaction from them after the Mumbai bloodletting -- a pledge of cooperation by the two sides to build a stronger united front against the common enemy. Such a course was even suggested by the Indian President, Prativa Patil. But her voice and words of great wisdom -- very unfortunately -- appear to have been drowned in the sea of more short-sighted reactions.
There is still time for India and Pakistan to pull away from the brink and get back to a course of sanity or reason before events get out of control and put them on a collision course which is probably the real motive of the ones behind the wings who are working cleverly to sabotage India-Pakistan relations to the worst detriment of both. Both countries must find a way of walking away from the trap together.