Does Israel have any remorse?

The war has stopped. At least for now. First Israel called unilateral ceasefire and then, the Hamas, giving Israel one week to withdraw its forces and lift the economic blockade. If Israel does not, will Hamas re-start firing rockets at Israeli citizens? Hence, an uneasy calm prevails in Gaza.

There has been huge destruction and loss of human lives. Gaza has been flattened by Israel bombs. The war has been catastrophic for Gazans. At least 1,300 Palestinians, most of them civilians and 13 Israelis have been killed.

The international community has a gigantic task ahead towards reconstruction and providing basic humanitarian assistance including food, water and medicine in Gaza.

According to UN estimate, four thousand homes are ruined and tens of thousands of people are homeless. Half a million people had been without water since the conflict began. There has been acute shortage of medicines due to the blockade even prior to the attack.

Israel has defended the recent Gaza episode, without any remorse for hundreds of innocent lives cut short. On 19 January 2009, I posed a question to the Israeli Ambassador to India, Mr Mark Sofer during a live chat hosted by IBNLive news channel.

I asked: “Mr Ambassador, you have defended Gaza strikes on the ground that you want to make Israelis secure from Hamas rockets. Do you think Israeli citizens will be more secure after the end of the war given the fact that Hamas have not been disarmed? Do you have any remorse for the indiscriminate killings of civilians including women and children in Gaza?”

Mr Mark Sofer answered thus: “I do not know for sure whether Israeli citizens will be more secure today but it would be impossible for them to have been less secure than they were prior to today. In the last eight years almost half a million innocent men, women and children had been forced to live no more than 15 seconds from a bomb shelter. This is an untenable situation for any people and everything that had been tried by Israel and the International community failed. These are terrorists and for them terror is a way of life.”

Clearly, as you see, he has deliberately avoided my question as to whether he felt remorse for “indiscriminate killings of civilians including women and children in Gaza”.

I thought he would give a standard answer: "unfortunately, lives are lost in any war", or the like.

Israel’s Gaza offensive: Is it a just war?

By - Paritosh Chakma

As Israel’s offensive against the Gazans entered 20th day, there seems to be no end to it, at least not for now.

How far is too far? The fighting has killed over 1,000 Gazans, mainly civilians and 13 Israelis since Israel pounded on the Palestinians on 27 December 2008. The toll is increasing every day.

Intense diplomacy is on in Cairo to clinch a workable “ceasefire agreement”. The mediators/negotiators need to more carefully draft the agreement as both Israel and Hamas had earlier snubbed the UN’s resolution of 8 January 2008 calling for “an immediate, durable and fully respected ceasefire, leading to the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza”. UN chief Ban Ki-Moon once again, after talks with Egypt President Mubarak, appealed for ceasefire. Mr Moon is expected to visit Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Turkey, but won’t meet Hamas leaders.

Israel has justified the war saying it is duty bound to protect its citizens from Hamas’ crude rockets regularly fired into Southern Israel habitations. The Hamas’ rockets killed few but disrupted normal life. Ordinary Israelis lived in fear.

Definitely, Hamas have provoked Israel. But on its part, Israel has too made life in Gaza difficult by blocking flow of aids and daily needs. By any standards, Israel’s attack has been disproportionate which is visible from the number of deaths, and scale of destruction of infrastructure including attacks on a UN school housing refugees, medical clinics in Gaza. According to UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, more than 40% of those killed in Gaza were women or children.

Yet, Israel has to show to the world that it is capable of defending itself against threats. Certainly when elections are round the corner, the government cannot simply sit back to ignore the Hamas’ rockets. Moreover, Israel wants to set an agenda for next US President, Barak Obama as to how to deal with the threats coming from the Hamas and Hezbulla militants who refuse to recognize existence of Israel. Certainly, Israel cannot afford to have Hamas grown as powerful as the Hezbulla militants of Lebanon who have sophisticated arsenal imported from Iran or elsewhere.

Egypt and other Arab countries can arm-twist the Hamas but not Israel. Only America has considerable influence over this Jews' nation. But it is not very interested to act. On 12 January 2009, President George W. Bush, speaking at his final scheduled news conference before leaving office, said that a "sustainable cease-fire" in Gaza could only be possible if "Hamas stops firing rockets into Israel.”

Any workable ceasefire plans must include immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, end to firing of rockets by Hamas into Israel, end to the economic blockade imposed by Israel on Gaza strip and prevention of arms smuggling by Hamas through undergrown tunnels including through Egypt.

Israel continues to bombard Gaza. But Hamas cannot be destroyed; they are no LTTE. Israel is, by own admission, fighting the war to make its citizens secure. But will the Israelis be more secure after the end of the attack? I don’t think so.

Sri Lanka: Killing of Sunday Leader editor is outrageous

The killing of Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickrematunga, 52, by unidentified assailants at Attidiya in Colombo on 8 January 2009 is outrageous.

Media freedom group Reporters Without Borders has held the government responsible: “President Mahinda Rajapaksa, his associates and the government media are directly to blame because they incited hatred against him and allowed an outrageous level of impunity to develop as regards violence against the press.” During an interview with a Reporters Without Borders representative in Colombo in October 2007, President Rajapaksa called Mr Wickrematunga a “terrorist journalist”. In November 2007, the printing press of the Sunday Leader media group (Leader Publications), which is located in a high security area near Colombo, was destroyed in an arson attack by a group of gunmen. Wickrematunga alleged that the attack was “a commando operation supported by the government.” The police failed to investigate the attack properly.

Mr Wickramatunga had been a virulent critic of the Mahinda Rajapaksa government and the war with the Tamil Tiger rebels. True to the tag line of Sunday Leader - “Unbowed And Unafraid”, he was very outspoken and a man of insurmountable courage. In his last editorial he accused President Rajapaksa of pursuing the war to stay in power.

"Winning the war? Then there must be elections around the corner. It is no secret that the war has become Mahinda Rajapaksa's recipe for electoral success," he wrote.

The killing of Lasantha Wickrematunga once again exposes the critical situation in which journalists work and live in Sri Lanka.

India-Pakistan stand off: India must win through diplomacy not war

By- Paritosh Chakma

In the India-Pakistan stand off, the first round has been won by India after Pakistan was forced to admit that the lone surviving terrorist in the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, Ajmal Amir Kasav is a Pakistani citizen. The admission has come at a great cost: sacking of its National Security Advisor Maj. Gen. (retd) Mahmud Ali Durrani which also reveals possible cracks in the top leaderships in Pakistan.

India must harvest on this victory further to bring those responsible for the Mumbai carnage to justice and dismantle all terror networks by Pakistan.

India must try not to play the “war card” as it only benefits Pakistan. Since after Mumbai, Pakistan has tried to create war hysteria to divert attention of the international community from the real issue of terrorism to something else – tension and possible war with India. Hence, it successfully mobilized troops in the eastern borders from the western borders with Afghanistan where the Pakistan army are aiding the US forces to fight the Talebans.

The FBI has backed India’s claims linking Mumbai attackers to Pakistan. But it is surprising that India has so far depended on the US alone. It will be naïve to only depend on the US to pressurize Pakistan as it is highly unlikely that the US will isolate this South Asian Islamic country at the cost of its own interests in the region and beyond. Even the Barak Obama administration will have to depend on Pakistan in America’s war on terror.

India must be brutal. No, it does not mean going to war. India must launch a consolidated, well planned and sustained diplomatic assault on Pakistan. This India can achieve by invoking UN Security Council resolution 1373 against terrorism to put international pressure on Pakistan.

As terrorists strike at will, India needs Bangladesh more than ever

By- Paritosh Chakma

After the Mumbai mayhem –which shook the nation’s conscience -, the terrorists gave a New Year’s gift to India by engineering a serial blasts in Guwahati, Assam which killed five people and injured about 50.

The state police admitted that they had prior information about the militants’ plan but failed to prevent the blasts. Even after the 30th October 2008 blasts, the security forces had told Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that they had information about the possible attacks.

ULFA has been the prime suspect for the 1st January blasts.

Most importantly, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has pointed out the Bangladesh links of the ULFA and has sought “diplomatic pressure” that the Centre should exert on Bangladesh to rein in the terrorist outfits.

Anti-India elements sheltering in Bangladesh soil has been one of the most contentious issues between India and Bangladesh with the latter ignoring India’s plea to dismantle terrorist structures in its soil. Bangladesh has even rejected India’s claim of terrorist camps existing in Bangladesh.

But Bangladesh too has faced music from the Islamic terrorists in recent times.

The recent landslide win by Sheikh Hasina in the Parliamentary elections has come as a relief for India. Hasina is seen as India’s best friend in Bangladesh and her party, the Awami League is a more secular party. India sees Awami League’s victory as “a major landmark in democratic politics in South Asia”.

Hasina’s victory will open up new frontiers for South Asia, in particular India which has been facing the wrath of cross border terrorism. Following the “victory of democracy” in Jammu and Kashmir, Bangladesh verdict brought some more cheers in the Indian establishment. The elections have seen the defeat of hardline Jammat e Islami which secured only 2 seats in comparison to 20 seats it won in 2001.

As Pakistan refuses to act, India has pinned her hopes to tackle terror on Bangladesh. The links of Pakistan-based terrorist networks to Bangladesh are obvious.

So far, India has failed to exert “diplomatic pressure” on Bangladesh. Yet, the country is keen to engage with the new government. This is obvious when the government of India stated – “India looks forward to working closely with the newly elected Government in Bangladesh to further strengthen our bonds of friendship and cooperation in the quest for peace and development.”

Certainly, India has no other option. But it is unlikely that India will engage Bangladesh by adopting intense pressure tactics.

As the terrorists continue to strike India at will, India needs Bangladesh more than ever before. After her victory, jubilant Hasina vowed not to allow Bangladeshi’s territory to be used for terrorism against its neighbors. She also mooted Anti-terrorist task force in South Asia. I think it is a good idea, but it will be quite impossible to rope in Pakistan.

But it is still to be seen if the army will withdraw completely from the governance process, and if it does, how far? Bangladesh should not repeat a Pakistan, where the army continues to be the de facto ruler even after a democratically elected government has been installed.

The biggest question is: Who will pull the strings in Bangladesh- The Army boss or Sheikh Hasina?

The challenge for Hasina will also come from the Islamic fundamentalism.

India should assist in the development of Bangladesh. This is a wise decision to secure 4,096-km long international border with Bangladesh in addition to erecting a fencing over it.

Congress' "electoral Tsunami" in Mizoram: Why the Congress won a landsliding victory

By - Paritosh Chakma

In the recently concluded MLA elections, the Congress surprised every one by winning 32 seats in the 40-member Legislative Assembly! This surpassed even Congress workers’ own imaginations. It was "electoral Tsunami" for the Congress. The ruling MNF was almost rooted out, struggling to get 3 seats. The newly formed alliance UDA, despite all its tall claims proved to be no factor with 4 seats.

Every one is left guessing and speculating as to what led to this historic win, the first of its kind and magnitute in the electoral history of Mizoram.

Was it a miracle? By no means was it a miracle. It was a vote for change.

There are a complex mixture of several factors which came into play. In my opinion, the main issues were the following:

Killing of Rev. Chanchinmawia: Rev. Chanchinmawia, a veteran and influential Church leader, was allegedly killed. The murder has remained a mystery so far. The accusing figure pointed towards the complicity of the MNF government. The MNF was “compelled” to hand over the case to the CBI, after the Mizoram Police made no headway. The inability of the MNF government to bring the killers to justice did not go well with the Mizoram Presbyterian Synod, the state’s apex church. The church, it is an open secret, plays crucial roles in Mizoram elections. Extremely religious that the Mizos are, the killing of Rev. Chanchinmawia and indifference of the MNF government to nail to killers took the common Mizos away from the MNF.

Corruption: The Congress alleged that Zoramthanga administration was involved in huge corruption of BAFFOCOS money released by the Congress-led UPA government to combat the bamboo famine menace. The visit and lecture of Dr Manmohan Singh in Aizawl who exposed Zoramthanga government’s corruption and inability to deliver good goverance was enough to woo the learned Aizawlites. He shifted the winds in favor of the Congress as the Mizo voters wanted a change for good and corruption free governance. This is evident as the Congress won 8 out of 11 seats in Aizawl city.

Anti-incumbency factor: The Congress did brilliantly exploit the anti-incumbency factor against the MNF. During 10-year rule of the MNF only the leaders (including in the rural areas) benefited financially but not the poor masses. The MNF ignored the masses and paid heavily for this policy. The Congress could convince the voters that it would bring a change. The verdict against the MNF was so strong that Chief Minister Zoramthanga lost in both the seats he contested. This shows the frastration of the people agaisnt his rule and leadership during the 10-year MNF regime.

NLUP card: The Congress played the NLUP card by promising 1 lakh rupees of financial assistance under NLUP scheme for socio-economic development. General voters, especially in the rural areas do “recognize” money and they want some piece of concrete assurance from the political parties. The MNF had nothing new to offer.

Minority factor: The minorites – Chakmas and Brus - are traditional supporters of the Congress Party. They do not determine so mcuh in the government formation but has a critical role to play in at least five constituencies. The Congress continue to charm them.

Mizoram needs an English news website

By - Paritosh Chakma

The one thing which I miss very dearly each day is the absence of English news website from Mizoram to keep myself abreast with the happenings of the state on daily basis.

An online newspaper will enable people of Mizoram have access to daily news of the state even though they may be staying outside the state, for example the students.

In the age of information technology, it is really regrettable, more so given the fact that all other six North Eastern states - Arunachal Pradesh (Arunachal Times, http://www.arunachaltimes.com/), Tripura (http://www.tripurainfo.in/), Meghalaya (The Shillong Times, http://www.theshillongtimes.com/), Nagland (http://www.nagalandpost.com/), and Manipur (http://www.kanglaonline.com/) have online version of their state newspapers, not to speak of Assam which has many of them.

There are at least three English newspapers published from Aizawl – Newslink, The Aizol Times, and the Highlander, and dozens of Mizo dailies, weeklies and even monthlies but they do not have webistes. I know only Vanglaini maintaining a good website http://vanglaini.org/ but I do not understand Mizo so well. Hence, that does not help me.

I must thank to http://zawlbuk.net/ which provides links to “Newslink”. But the links are not regularly updated and sometimes do not cover Newslink daily for a series of days. I must confess that I anxiously keep awaiting such daily updates and I shall be happy if http://zawlbuk.net/ can provide the Newslink news update on daily basis without a miss.

I have been subscribing to the Newslink by post but it takes a long time to reach me. The news get old. But regrettably, even the Newslink fail to cover enough news from rural corners of the state, particularly the social problems.

The Newslink has been the only English daily to have successfully run a website for some time, first in the form of http://www.zoram.com/ and then had its own webpage (I forget the exact link). Another English paper, “Aizol Times” had one http://www.aizoltimes.com/ but the link now shows “this account has been suspended”.

All these news dailies must be facing financial problems to even retain their domain and update them which needs manpower. So, the state government of Mizoram must come forward to help the dailies run their websites successfully and provide sufficient funds for that purpose.

The Young Mizo Association (YMA), the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) and the Mizoram Journalists’ Association (MJA) must extend a demand to the government of Mizoram in this regard.

If Mizoram, which is the second most literate state in India, cannot afford to have a news website, it reflects negatively on the state. Also, it is in the interest of all the people of Mizoram, in particular the intellectuals and students who need to be updated on daily basis about the latest happenings in the state.