Posts Tagged ‘Democracy’
CPN (M) - Political Induction without Democratic Orientation
The political instability in Nepal following the resignation of P.M. Dahal was a potent crisis building to explode. While the international community was occupied with concerns of Taliban in Pakistan and LTTE in Sri Lanka, Nepal was gradually inching towards a crisis situation. The developments in Nepal are a stark reminder that forces of social and political extremism cannot be hurriedly inducted into mainstream politics of South Asian countries. But the current political turmoil has come as a blessing in disguise of Nepal’s democracy. Nepal’s struggling democracy has come under a challenge from which it can emerge stronger and healthier.
P.M. Pushpa Kamal Dahal had sacked Army Chief Genereal Rookmangud Katawal following the latter’s refusal to induct 19,000 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) members into the National Army (NA). Though the Nepali President Ram Baran Yadav had reinstated General Katawal, the loss of support from coalitional partners forced P.M. Dahal to resign on March 3.
The National Army’s confrontationist postures have made the political crisis even more critical. There have been reports that the NA was even planning a soft coup if the PLA cadres were forcefully integrated with the regular Army units. Click to continue…
Popular Protests Planned in Pakistan aganist the Government’s Taliban Policy
In my recent blog post “The Pakistan Mystery Continues” I raised a few questions about the popular and official response to the Taliban’s expanding presence in the region. One of my important concerns was why are the people of Pakistan not opposing the official policy towards the Taliban? I had mentioned that the protest march in support of CJ Choudhry had demonstrated the strength of Pakistan’s civil society; similar protests against the Taliban’s growing influence could force the Government to alter the appeasement strategy.
[Photo Courtesy: CNN, December 20, 2008]
I was pleasantly surprised to realize that a peaceful protest against the official policy has been planned for April 28 at the General Post Office on Mall Street of Lahore. The citizens have planned to post letters in large numbers to the President, P.M. CJ and COAS calling for military action against the Taliban. The text of the letter is been made publicly available through various avenues including Facebook. The people are expected gather at the G.P.O. with copies of the letter meant to be posted to the various political functions as a means of voicing popular protest.
The text of the letter is as follows:
We the citizens of Pakistan are angry and dismayed at the abject capitulation of the state of Pakistan before the Taliban insurgents in Swat. With one stroke of the pen, you and the Parliament have signed away any real prospects of a stable, tolerant and progressive Pakistan as envisioned by its founder, Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
Leaving aside the merits or demerits of the so-called Nizam a Adal Regulation, we believe that any agreement signed at the point of a gun and under threats from violent extremists can never lead to a lasting and just peace. It has now become clear how naïve the government has been in thinking that the Taliban could be contained in Swat.
Since you signed the Regulation, the Taliban have stated that that they don’t intend to lay down their arms, have called into question the legitimacy of the Parliament and Supreme Court, and declared the intent to impose their own brand of violent and brutal Sharia law not only in the rest of Pakistan but across the world! This is proof positive that the real aim of the Taliban is to seize power through brutal force and intimidation. Click to continue…
The Roxana Saberi Diplomacy
The case of Roxana Saberi has dominated international news during the past week. After being arrested for purchasing a bottle of wine in January this year, Roxana Saberi has been charged for spying by Iran and sentenced for eight years imprisonment. Saberi’s fate is being viewed as determining the future course of U.S. - Iranian relations. Critics of President Obama’s goodwill policy have raised Saberi’s issue as a vindication of the previous aggressive and non-conciliatory policy vis-à-vis Iran. While President Obama is gravely concerned about the safety of Saberi, he has continued to assert the value of diplomacy in resolving the issue and the Administration has not issued any threatening statements. 
The Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has personally intervened in the matter and asked the chief prosecutor to ensure that Saberi is provided with full rights to defend herself, including a fair trial. The Iranian Judiciary has been quick to respond to the President’s appeal by expressing willingness for a careful, quick and fair consideration of an appeal against the earlier court ruling. Saberi’s lawyer has twenty days to file an appeal. So the issue will dominate media headlines and official discussions in the days ahead.
Is the Saberi issue a diplomatic challenge or a diplomatic illusion? Is Saberi being used as a smokescreen by President Obama and President Ahmadinejad to initiate diplomatic measures opposed by neo-cons and hardliners in the U.S. and Iran? The unfolding of the diplomatic and political drama indicates that this contention could be possible. Click to continue…
Consultancy for Organizing Civil Protests
The Wall Street Journal has an interesting article today titled “French Lessons: A Parisian Coaches Radicals in the art of Protest.”
For me the article was interesting for two specific reasons: first, consultancy is the in thing. The modern world provides endless opportunities for ‘consulting’ on every conceivable human action! Second, there are people in this age and time who aspire to follow Mahatma Gandhi’s ideal of non-violent protests. The only difference being that Gandhi did not have the vision to turn his teachings on Satyagraha into an easy to use crash course.
Xavier Renou, residing in France, is a Protest Consultant. For $67 you can attend a weekend course of Renou and learn the art of peaceful protests. And we use to think that the huge civil demonstration at the G-20 Summits or the NATO Meetings was simply the outcome of popular discontent. From the marketing of a protest drive to dealing with police action during such protests, Renou provides training for everything. Western consumer culture, Free Tibet Campaign, environmental protection, political style of French President Nicolas Sarkozy the list for Renou’s protest projects is endless. The WSJ reports that Renou recently counseled an anti-NATO protestor on phone while sitting in a Paris Café.
Renou has founded his own group Les Désobéissants or The Disobedient Ones. He has introduced the concept of guerilla protests where more focused protests replace the ineffective mass demonstrations. Renou has made used of, according to him, innovative gestures like barging into a nuclear submarine dressed as a clown or marching in a zombie’s attire in a supermarket. The global financial crisis has proved to be a blessing for Renou’s business as popular protests have gained momentum. Nevertheless, the financial benefits of the project are barely impressive and Renou hopes to get funding from such regular clients as Friends of the Earth.
Does Xavier Renou’s approach mark the beginning of a new phase of civil protests in modern democracies or is it merely one of the emerging marketable ideas which will be soon be commercialized? Is Renou’s protests for such a wide variety of issues a reflection of his genuine concerns for the cause or is he attempting to create a clientele for his business?
[Picture and Video Courtesy: Wall Street Journal, April 8, 2009]
The Curious Case of Indian Elections
The Maharashtra Navnirma Sena (MNS) has planned a strategic move for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections to score over the Shiv Sena. The MNS is attempting to rectify its image as a Maharashtra based party which is opposed to North Indians. Shalini Thackeray, the first daughter-in-law from the Thackeray family to contest elections, is a Punjabi girl born in Uttar Pradesh. Shalini Thackeray is the wife of Jitendra Thackeray, MNS founder Raj Thackeray. MNS was founded in 2006 when Raj Thackeray abandoned Bal Thackeray’s Shiv Sena. 
Shalini Thacheray is contesting from Mumbai North West seat and faces opposition from Shiv Sena’s Gajanan Kirtakar.
In the words of Shalini, “(There is this) wrong image that my party is against north Indians living or working in the state…” According to her, the MNS is simply opposed to the unchecked influx of people in Mumbai and Maharashtra. The issue of opposition to entry of non-Marathis is presented as a matter of socio-economics rather than regional divisions. In an attempt to enlighten Shalini Thackeray here are a few facts:
1. In February 2008 following the violent clashes between the workers of MNS and Samajvadi Party (SP) widespread attacks were launched against North Indians by the MNS cadres.
2. A Petition was filed against Party leader Raj Thackeray in the Patna High court for referring to the Chhath (a festival celebrated by Biharis) as ‘drama’.
3. In October 2008 members of the MNS beat up the North Indian candidates appearing for all India Railway Recruitment Board entrance exam for the Western region of Mumbai.
4. More recently, while launching the MNS poll campaign in Nasik in March this year, Raj Thackeray once again targeted the North Indians living in Maharashtra. He was later booked for this hate speech on charges of violating the model code of conduct and promoting enmity among groups.
Shalini Thackeray may possess a MBA from Massachusetts and claim that she is no Rabri Devi, but her political sagacity is undoubtedly questionable. She will most likely be used as a ‘poster politician’ for communicating the non-existent national agenda of the MNS in the upcoming polls. For Shalini her ability to prepare puran poli (a Marathi dish) and pakora curry (a Punjabi dish) with equal ease would influence the electorate and ensure her victory in the polls.
The most interesting point remains that Raj Thackeray, the self-professed guardian of Marathi culture, has announced the candidacy of an UPite from Mumbai.
It’s now called “AFPAK”
There is a recent and overwhelming influx of the term “AFPAK” in jargon of international relations. The term owes it origin to the new policy approach adopted by the Obama Administration. The intragency review of the international strategy in Afghanistan headed by Bruce Riedel concluded that the counter-terrorism efforts need to focus on the border regions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. So now we have the AfPak war. Though President Obama’s intentions can barely be doubted there are some serious concerns that the U.S. will have to contend with in dealing with “AFPAK”.
[Photo Courtesy: Reuters/Jason Reed] Click to continue…
South Asia and the Fourth Wave of Democracy
The Third Wave of Democracy swept through South Asia accompanied with apprehensions and anticipation about how democracy would treat South Asia and how South Asia would treat democracy. This exciting interaction led to helpful answers and new questions regarding the prospects of democracy in the developing countries. South Asia’s reactions to the third wave and consequent developments can provide an insight into the design of the distinctive democratic models emerging across the globe. The third wave was characterized by five forms of regime change, three of which have been witnessed in South Asia. The relevant forms of regime change include:
- Cyclical- alteration between democracy and authoritarianism
- Second-Try Pattern: Weak democracy gives way to authoritarianism which is replaced by stronger democracy
- Interrupted Democracy: Temporary suspension of democratic system and then its resumption
Without exception, all countries of the South Asia region have demonstrated one of the above patterns during their political evolution. The commonality running through these patterns has been a matter of grave regional and international concern: the lack of sustainable democracy in South Asia. Authoritarianism makes an unfortunate return at regular intervals in most of the regional states. Political reforms during the present decade show encouraging signs of greater democratization among the South Asian states. The trials and tribulations of the past experiments and the present challenges reveal certain interesting characteristics of the regional democratic endeavour. The uniqueness of the ‘attempts at democracy’ in South Asia is not only an analytical challenge but also a rare lesson in the consistent desire for democracy despite recurring failure. The developments in South Asia mark the beginning of the Fourth wave of democracy: trial and error democracy to evolve appropriate variants of Western liberal democracy. This wave is inspired by the failure to duplicate the popular tenets of Western democracies, the attempts to align demands of identity and freedom in new democracies, proper balance of state guidance and individual freedom and a process which while maintaining the distinctiveness of various ethnic, religious and cultural diversities successfully undertakes the nation-building endeavour.
Political developments in each of the eight states are specimens for comprehending the future of the Fourth wave. The present discussion is not expected to be a historical narrative of democratic experiments in South Asia. It is an attempt to understand the democratic innovativeness, in response to national demands, and its consequent impact on the nature of the political systems in South Asia. Click to continue…
The Curious Case of Indian Elections
In the midst of allegation and counter-allegation season of Indian politics, the run-up to 2009 Lok Sabha polls has some heart-warming developments as well. The list of candidates dominated by dynastic and criminal credentials includes some successful non-political personalities this time.
Captain GR Gopinath, CMD, Deccan Express Logistics is contesting as an independent candidate from Bangalore for the April-May Lok Sabha elections. GR Gopinath is identified with revolutionizing air travel in India through the low cost Air Deccan Airline service. Victory for him is defined as getting 20% people involved in civic activities.
Meera Sanyal, Country Head of ABN Amro Bank will be contesting as an independent candidate from South Mumbai. Her five point agenda and master plan for Mumbai is hosted on her website www.meerahsanyal.in
Meera’s video message on her site is impressive and unlike the hosts of election messages we are used to listening. She has a huge support base at face book and aspires to revive the qualities of intellect and ideals in Indian politics.
Dr. Mallika Sarabhai is contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Gandhinagar against veteran BJP leader L.K. Advani. She again is an independent candidate and is making extensive use of the web (She has a website at http://mallikasarabhai.in/) to spread her message and attract voters.
According to N.R. Narayanan Murthy, independent candidates have the potential of strengthening Indian Democracy. But in the murky waters of Indian politics there is little hope that these candidates will emerge victorious. Nevertheless, it is commendable that intellectuals in India are aspiring to make a distinct impact on the voters rather than merely contesting to win a seat. The socio-political contribution of such candidates cannot be measured through electoral victories. But the fact that such well-deserving candidates do not manage to secure electoral success raises serious questions about the intelligence of the Indian voter. Will we continue to evade responsibility by taking refuge in the traditional excuse that illiterate majorities decide election results in India?
Pakistan celebrates while the judicial system in Swat crumbles
As Pakistan celebrated the restoration of deposed judges on March 17, another ominous development escaped popular attention. While the political independence of the judiciary was lauded across the country, the courts in Swat Valley of Pakistan have stopped functioning. Seven Qazis (religious leaders) appointed by Maulana Sufi Mohammad have taken over the task of rendering justice to the local population. Courts functioning under English law have no place under the recently coronated Sharia laws in the Swat Valley. The provincial government of NWFP had introduced the Sharia law in a recent peace deal with the Taliban militants. Not only the 362 members of the Swat Bar Association are faced with prospects of unemployment, the very edifice of Pakistan’s judicial paraphernalia is under threat. Sufi Mohammad proposes to establish Dar ul-Qaza or Islamic Supreme Court to appeal against the decisions of the Qazis. The great Sufi Mohammad’s ambitions have implication beyond the Swat Valley as he aspires to establish Islamic rule across the globe. Having won the political battle, Pakistan’s judiciary will now have to compete with a parallel system of religious justice. Will Pakistan ever manage to resolutely deal with its challenges?
March Madness Grips Pakistan
The current phase of political frenzy in Pakistan goes beyond the usual uncertainties associated with the country. Pakistan has witnessed opposition to Army rule or military takeover of civilian regimes, but never a popular uprising against a popularly elected Government. Who are the key players in this political drama and what’s motivating them?