Copyrights reserved @amerrizwan
By:
Amer Rizwan
Poverty – the condition of want, resourcessless and substandard life that can easily lead to social disintegration and societal chaos. Myriad of factors are responsible for creating a strand of poverty in the otherwise complex, but dynamic social structure of Pakistan.
Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) is the lead institution for poverty-focused interventions in Pakistan. It strives to achieve its goals through wholesaling funds and civil society organizations for provision of financial and non-financial services at the grassroots throughout the country. All PPAF developmental initiatives are conceived and conceptualized within a community-led, demand-driven framework. Set up as a fully autonomous private sector institution under section 42 of the Companies Act of 1982, PPAF enjoys facilitation and support from the Government of Pakistan, the World Bank and international donors.
Like any other vibrant organization, PPAF was ready to cope with the mammoth task posed by the October 2005 mighty tremor, measured around 7.6 on the rector scale that converted everything in the earthquake affected areas into debris and ruins. Though the challenge was enormous and its magnitude and nature different from PPAF’s regular nationwide responsibilities, yet in keeping with its tradition, and rightly counting on the resilience of the people of the earthquake affected areas, it was equal to the task. The earthquake might have added new pages to the annals of history; yet more memorable ones were yet to be added; the death and destruction of the day inspired a new resolve into a bruised but unbowed nation that was bent upon confronting the tragedy of colossal proportions. The reaction was immediate and from diverse areas and professions ranging from the civil society, armed forces, donors, charity organizations to volunteers from across the world.
The Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund was taken aboard as a partner of choice by ERRA with dedicated responsibility for 34 Union Councils of AJK and NWFP of the earthquake affected area. The support from World Bank initially, and IFAD, Kfw and CESP subsequently enabled PPAF to acquire its resource base capability.
Setting an example for the other relief agencies to follow, the PPAF, soon after the tragedy, pulled its resources together, contributed Rupees One Million to “President’s Relief Fund” from its own resources besides donating one day salary of the staff. The World Bank consented to divert US $ 5 Million from PPAF’s existing programme towards relief efforts. It rolled out 500 truckloads of relief goods to the affected areas. As many as 150,000 CGI sheets with tool kits were distributed through 100 US Chinook helicopter sorties supported by Pakistan Army and US Air-force in the high-altitude affected areas of NWFP and AJK. A Disaster Management Centre was set up at Head Office Islamabad. The Centre also comprised of a Disaster Management Committee with representation from partner organizations, Pakistan Army and the Government of Pakistan to set out a mechanism for PPAF’s relief activities that had started in earnest in the next twenty four hours. Additionally, four forward offices were set up to coordinate and supervise the on-ground distribution efforts carried out by other partner organizations. They also provided to the Centre in Islamabad with an effective mechanism for delivering much-needed supplies to isolated communities in the far-flung areas. Besides, a need-assessment was carried out by the front offices of PPAF to assess needs of victims on daily basis and to address those needs accordingly.
The mighty tremor wrought huge damage; devouring 73,000, severely injuring 70,000 persons, and displacing as many as 3.5 million of them. Over 600,000 housing units, 6,298 schools and 796 health facilities were either destroyed or severely damaged, while the administrative and communication infrastructure suffered massive losses. Over all nine districts of Azad Kashmir and NWFP with an inhospitable terrain, covering a 30,000 km area was destroyed.
After the successful rescue and relief operation, PPAF undertook the gigantic task of constructing approximately 117, 857 seismically appropriate housing units located in the 34 most-damaged Union Councils of the affected area. PPAF made disbursements to each affected household at Rs. 150,000 per completely destroyed dwelling unit in three tranches. This unprecedented bold venture on the part of PPAF helped finance costs associated with social mobilization, provision of housing, community physical infrastructure, public buildings and technical assistance. About 75,000 individuals were also trained in construction related trades, disaster/programme Management.
Trained social organizers and relevant staff from the partner organizations were organized into 110 Social Mobilization Teams (SMTs) for conducting the damage assessment exercise.
Once the volume of damage was assessed, and relief and rescue over, the phase of Rehabilitation and Reconstruction got underway with an unprecedented alacrity and effectiveness establishing PPAF’s credentials as a viable institution for managing community based programmes on scale. To meet its targets in this regard, the Disaster Management Centre was up-scaled into the Reconstruction and Rehabilitation (R&R) Unit. For the better implementation of the R&R project, PPAF selected, on the basis of merit and effectiveness, six partner organizations and assigned various responsibilities to them. It doesn’t end here; the process of mobilizing communities led to the establishment of Community Organizations (COs) for channelizing development action through informed decision making at the grassroots.
Houses provide security to the inmates not only from the inclement weather but also from the more physical threats all around. A house is the basic unit of a sine qua non for a peaceful, prosperous and forward-looking society. But October 2005 earthquake robbed the people of the affected areas from this facility. In all 122,000 housing structures were successfully documented for prospective funding on the basis of an established criterion. With the aid of assessment forms provided by ERRA, every assessed house was put in one of three categories: Completely Damaged (CD); Partially Damaged (PD); and Non-structural Damage (ND). A household got Rs. 50,000 for a partially damaged structure; and Rs. 150,000 for a completely destroyed structure in three tranches at different stages of reconstruction with spot checks from qualified engineers verifying adherence to the ERRA-recommended seismically-proof construction design.
The seriousness as well as the scale of reconstruction was unprecedented. In order to ensure the availability of correct specifications of concrete blocks, PPAF and its partners set up around 2400 steel casts in the earthquake affected areas.
Mr. Azam Khan of Ghaniabad, District Bagh AJK became PPAF’s first beneficiary in earthquake areas to receive initial installment of Rs. 75000 from Nadim Ahmad Deputy Chairman ERRA as a first tranche of the housing reconstruction grant.
The significance of capacity building could hardly be overestimated. PPAF, in coordination with ERRA and specified agencies, trained and oriented, in 344 training sessions, 15,655 house-owners, craftsmen and staff-members of the partner organizations in order to establish the rebuilding process on firm footing.
One of the biggest damage wrought by the earthquake was the total destruction of the village-level water and sanitation systems and communication networks. PPAF’s pre-earthquake interventions in these areas, largely in the fields of drinking water supplies, sanitation and link roads, greatly benefited it in achieving its targets efficiently. In all, PPAF approved the rehabilitation of 100 projects within its project area.
As per the damage assessment estimates, almost 95% education institutions in the three most affected districts of AJK and 53% in the affected areas of NWFP were either completely or partially damaged. The much-needed health infrastructure suffered a similar ruin. With funding made available by the World Bank and CESP, PPAF engaged three partner organizations for reconstructing health and education infrastructure in the affected areas.
This PPAF’s sponsored Basic Health Unit at Kathai is only one of the many of its kind which has the facilities of quality OPD services, labour rooms, gynecology ward and pharmacies. Schools are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities like science and computer labs, tuck shops, playground and the like.
The earthquake permanently maimed and disabled many in the affected areas. PPAF and its partners courtesy the World Bank, seek to improve the quality of life for persons with disabilities and for their families through targeted interventions ensuring better mobility, improved health and increased participation in community life. The Disability Project envisaged the provision of medical treatment, physical rehabilitation, provision of prosthetics and other aids, psycho-counseling and other specialized services.
By identifying and reaching vulnerable communities through Community Action Planning, by economizing on the costs of construction and effectively involving the stake-holders, PPAF not only helped avoid duplication but also achieved its targets well within the set timeframe. The hustle and bustle of life in these areas and the marvelous determination reflected from the faces speak volumes of the substantial success scored in different areas thanks to the resilience of the general people and the diligence of the PPAF’s and its partner organizations’ staff. The full effects of these ventures like capacity building and disability projects would be seen in the years to come.
Amer Rizwan
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
8th ABU Robot Contest 2009 Tokyo (Script for PTV/NUST Team written by Amer Rizwan
8th ABU Robot Contest 2009 Tokyo (Script for PTV/NUST Team)
Copyrights @ Amer Rizwan
The glittering transparent waters of pristine lakes and rivers, lush green fertile slopes and plains, towering peaks, scintillating panorama, and the resulting aura of mystery make this land a beautiful mosaic of all the colours of rainbow. The exotic natural beauty is so captivating and enthralling that it leaves one spell bound. The versatile flora and fauna and rich culture and traditional festivals make the future of this nation really promising. Keeping in line with the spirit of the land, people of the country are lively, energetic and art-loving. The land is cradle to the ancient Indus Valley Civilization. Gandhara art and Buddhism are the most important components of this tradition. The inhabitants of the land are rough and tough with a strong belief in their capabilities and a firm commitment to their purpose of making the nation even greater. The northern areas of the country can rightly boast of being one of the most beautiful places on earth. It is here that the second highest peak of the world K2 commands the admiration and awe from the tourists and locals alike. Here is a wonderful opportunity to observe the rich culture and tradition of the land, particularly during the seasons of fairs and festivals – the dances and songs of the people of the land can easily enliven the dull spirits. Shandur Polo Festival is one of the oldest sporting events that greet fans with its cultural hospitality and excite them with the thrilling moments of Polo matches. Shandur hosts thousands of spectators from inland and abroad on the world’s highest Polo ground each year in the month of July. The backdrop of Hindukush range, hospitality, scenic views, folk dances and some thrilling wild-Polo matches – different from the regular polo – on the world’s highest Polo ground is what makes it a thing apart.
This is Pakistan – Having emerged on 14 August 1947 as an independent state on the world map, the land is full of these spell-bound beauties and infinite opportunities. This green, beautiful and modern capital of the country Islamabad itself is one of the signs of the greatness that future has in store for this nation.
College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (EME) Rawalpindi is a constituent college of the National University of Science and Technology or NUST.
Pakistan Navy Engineering College Karachi was another participating team. The team did undergo a lot of preparatory work ahead of the exercise. The team members held preparatory sessions to come up with something original. They used all the three robots – manual, kago, and digital – on the experimental basis. However, the team could not get through in the preliminary competition. The team did undergo a lot of preparatory work ahead of the exercise. The team members held preparatory sessions to come up with something original. They used all the three robots – manual, kago, and digital – on the experimental basis. However, the team could not get through in the preliminary competition.
NED University of Science and Technology Karachi was the third participating team. The team members worked meticulously focusing on each and every detail of the robot making process. They did hold experimental demonstrations of all the three robots. Unfortunately in the preliminary competition their scheme could not work properly, so the team could not qualify for the 8th ABU Contest 2009 to be held at Tokyo.
Teams from all the three institutions participated in the contest with positive frames of mind yet in the final show it was EME College Rawalpindi which carried the day. The constituent college i.e. EME offers study and research facilities in the disciplines of Electrical, Mechanical, Computer and Mechatronics Engineering. The laboratories are highly equipped with state of the art tools to help the researchers and engineers carry out research in various fields of engineering. Participating in the first ABU Robot Contest 2002 Tokyo, the college won a special Toyota award.
Ahead of the competition, members of the participating team held marathon sessions and debates and held in-depth study to start working on the project with resourcefulness. Their brainstorming and interactive sessions proved instrumental in enabling them to come up with an original and successful scheme.
This year the theme of the contest is ‘Travel together for the victory drums’. The theme is in fact a game based on an imaginary journey of olden days using this Kago Palanquin. An automatic robot in the front and a manual robot in the rear shall cooperate to carry an automatic Traveller robot in a Kago to the goal with the aim of completing the journey before the other team. Various tasks stand in the way, including a Mountain Pass and Woods. The Kago and Traveller Robot must not be dropped. The Traveller Robot must beat the three Victory Drums when it reaches the Goal Zone. The three traditional Japanese drums are arranged vertically on a platform. The team that beats all three drums first is the winner.
The preparatory work was not easy. The winning team used computer graphics and simulation to get help from. The team has had a series of deliberation and discussion sessions using white boards and other aides. The team members put their heads together to come up with something original and competitive. Each one of them contributed with new ideas. It required close concentration and singular dedication. Besides, ingenuity, the scheme required technical skills on the part of the members to work both as individuals as well as a group. Each one of the members took upon himself a specific assignment related to the main project to accomplish. Basically the team was self reliant in preparing the robot because they designed and made the parts themselves. Before putting the robots in the contest, all the robots – manual, digital and drum-beater/Kago – were properly tested. It was ensured that the automatic robot in the front and a manual robot in the rear cooperate to carry the automatic Traveller robot in a Kago to the goal and to complete the journey quickly. In order to eliminate the margin of error, the scheme was tried again and again. Team members were alive to the fact that in the final competition, the team that beats all three three drums first would be the winner.
Comments Syed Ghayur AhmadTeam Member
I am Syed Ghayur Ahmad, team member and manual operator of Robocon. I’ll operate this robot. In the beginning let me introduce the basic structure. Advantage of using this basic structure is that it is a ‘V’ shape apparatus designed especially to cover mountain passes. Its basic advantage is that when this structural robot will be pushing it from the rear, the front part of the structure would oppose that component and thus force thus applied, thereby making its movement stable and securing it from overturning. It would drive through this chain. You can see we have used chains – four by four. Again its biggest advantage would be that it would facilitate in the process of climbing the mountains. Now let me tell you something about the slider mechanism that we have designed to be placed on the structure. It can be moved in the linear direction; it has a rotator as well, and then again it can be moved in the linear direction. Its advantage is that when the manual robot from the rear would rotate or use its force in opposite direction, then it will automatically adjust itself accordingly.
The slider mechanism was fixed in the machine workshop of the college. It contains three sticks to beat the three respective target drums.
Comments by Khalid Ahmad Team Member
The main brain of our robot is this micro-control board. We have used Pick 18F 4520. In the board, we have 13 ADC Channels, and 2 PWM cc modules which are used for motor drive. Our basic requirement was to take direct input from censors through our Controller/APCs and to manipulate them digitally. Basic reason for scheme is that our game field has multi colours which if manipulated through analogue would be problematic. The digital scheme has given our APCs a great edge. Now we can generate automatic referencing through programming.
Micro-control board that has ADC channels and modules help the motor to drive the machine. It has been designed and prepared by the team members.
Comments Umar Ilyas I am Umar Ilyas.
I am Robocon’s Team leader. I’ll share with you something about the mechanical structure of the tableau robot. This is our tableau robot with a square base. We have used tyres here which have a tighter grip so that it may keep itself stable on the Kago up to 20 degree and don’t get slipped. We have used high-speed motors in it so that it can complete its task with speed. Besides we have made an extension mechanism that is single activator to beat drum in the height. It implies that we have made and would run the entire extension with a single motor. After its extension, every stick would stop in front of its target drum. We have also set up a rotating mechanism with the structure which will rotate all the three drums with a single push.
The Robots were properly tested ahead of the competition. It was only after repeated trials that the final scheme for participation was approved. In one of the phases of the testing process, it was revealed that the rods on the Kago did not function properly, particularly when it had to pass mountain passes. As a result, its designing and scheme were re-adjusted and improved upon in order to make it work properly. Copyrights @ Amer Rizwan
Copyrights @ Amer Rizwan
The glittering transparent waters of pristine lakes and rivers, lush green fertile slopes and plains, towering peaks, scintillating panorama, and the resulting aura of mystery make this land a beautiful mosaic of all the colours of rainbow. The exotic natural beauty is so captivating and enthralling that it leaves one spell bound. The versatile flora and fauna and rich culture and traditional festivals make the future of this nation really promising. Keeping in line with the spirit of the land, people of the country are lively, energetic and art-loving. The land is cradle to the ancient Indus Valley Civilization. Gandhara art and Buddhism are the most important components of this tradition. The inhabitants of the land are rough and tough with a strong belief in their capabilities and a firm commitment to their purpose of making the nation even greater. The northern areas of the country can rightly boast of being one of the most beautiful places on earth. It is here that the second highest peak of the world K2 commands the admiration and awe from the tourists and locals alike. Here is a wonderful opportunity to observe the rich culture and tradition of the land, particularly during the seasons of fairs and festivals – the dances and songs of the people of the land can easily enliven the dull spirits. Shandur Polo Festival is one of the oldest sporting events that greet fans with its cultural hospitality and excite them with the thrilling moments of Polo matches. Shandur hosts thousands of spectators from inland and abroad on the world’s highest Polo ground each year in the month of July. The backdrop of Hindukush range, hospitality, scenic views, folk dances and some thrilling wild-Polo matches – different from the regular polo – on the world’s highest Polo ground is what makes it a thing apart.
This is Pakistan – Having emerged on 14 August 1947 as an independent state on the world map, the land is full of these spell-bound beauties and infinite opportunities. This green, beautiful and modern capital of the country Islamabad itself is one of the signs of the greatness that future has in store for this nation.
College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (EME) Rawalpindi is a constituent college of the National University of Science and Technology or NUST.
Pakistan Navy Engineering College Karachi was another participating team. The team did undergo a lot of preparatory work ahead of the exercise. The team members held preparatory sessions to come up with something original. They used all the three robots – manual, kago, and digital – on the experimental basis. However, the team could not get through in the preliminary competition. The team did undergo a lot of preparatory work ahead of the exercise. The team members held preparatory sessions to come up with something original. They used all the three robots – manual, kago, and digital – on the experimental basis. However, the team could not get through in the preliminary competition.
NED University of Science and Technology Karachi was the third participating team. The team members worked meticulously focusing on each and every detail of the robot making process. They did hold experimental demonstrations of all the three robots. Unfortunately in the preliminary competition their scheme could not work properly, so the team could not qualify for the 8th ABU Contest 2009 to be held at Tokyo.
Teams from all the three institutions participated in the contest with positive frames of mind yet in the final show it was EME College Rawalpindi which carried the day. The constituent college i.e. EME offers study and research facilities in the disciplines of Electrical, Mechanical, Computer and Mechatronics Engineering. The laboratories are highly equipped with state of the art tools to help the researchers and engineers carry out research in various fields of engineering. Participating in the first ABU Robot Contest 2002 Tokyo, the college won a special Toyota award.
Ahead of the competition, members of the participating team held marathon sessions and debates and held in-depth study to start working on the project with resourcefulness. Their brainstorming and interactive sessions proved instrumental in enabling them to come up with an original and successful scheme.
This year the theme of the contest is ‘Travel together for the victory drums’. The theme is in fact a game based on an imaginary journey of olden days using this Kago Palanquin. An automatic robot in the front and a manual robot in the rear shall cooperate to carry an automatic Traveller robot in a Kago to the goal with the aim of completing the journey before the other team. Various tasks stand in the way, including a Mountain Pass and Woods. The Kago and Traveller Robot must not be dropped. The Traveller Robot must beat the three Victory Drums when it reaches the Goal Zone. The three traditional Japanese drums are arranged vertically on a platform. The team that beats all three drums first is the winner.
The preparatory work was not easy. The winning team used computer graphics and simulation to get help from. The team has had a series of deliberation and discussion sessions using white boards and other aides. The team members put their heads together to come up with something original and competitive. Each one of them contributed with new ideas. It required close concentration and singular dedication. Besides, ingenuity, the scheme required technical skills on the part of the members to work both as individuals as well as a group. Each one of the members took upon himself a specific assignment related to the main project to accomplish. Basically the team was self reliant in preparing the robot because they designed and made the parts themselves. Before putting the robots in the contest, all the robots – manual, digital and drum-beater/Kago – were properly tested. It was ensured that the automatic robot in the front and a manual robot in the rear cooperate to carry the automatic Traveller robot in a Kago to the goal and to complete the journey quickly. In order to eliminate the margin of error, the scheme was tried again and again. Team members were alive to the fact that in the final competition, the team that beats all three three drums first would be the winner.
Comments Syed Ghayur AhmadTeam Member
I am Syed Ghayur Ahmad, team member and manual operator of Robocon. I’ll operate this robot. In the beginning let me introduce the basic structure. Advantage of using this basic structure is that it is a ‘V’ shape apparatus designed especially to cover mountain passes. Its basic advantage is that when this structural robot will be pushing it from the rear, the front part of the structure would oppose that component and thus force thus applied, thereby making its movement stable and securing it from overturning. It would drive through this chain. You can see we have used chains – four by four. Again its biggest advantage would be that it would facilitate in the process of climbing the mountains. Now let me tell you something about the slider mechanism that we have designed to be placed on the structure. It can be moved in the linear direction; it has a rotator as well, and then again it can be moved in the linear direction. Its advantage is that when the manual robot from the rear would rotate or use its force in opposite direction, then it will automatically adjust itself accordingly.
The slider mechanism was fixed in the machine workshop of the college. It contains three sticks to beat the three respective target drums.
Comments by Khalid Ahmad Team Member
The main brain of our robot is this micro-control board. We have used Pick 18F 4520. In the board, we have 13 ADC Channels, and 2 PWM cc modules which are used for motor drive. Our basic requirement was to take direct input from censors through our Controller/APCs and to manipulate them digitally. Basic reason for scheme is that our game field has multi colours which if manipulated through analogue would be problematic. The digital scheme has given our APCs a great edge. Now we can generate automatic referencing through programming.
Micro-control board that has ADC channels and modules help the motor to drive the machine. It has been designed and prepared by the team members.
Comments Umar Ilyas I am Umar Ilyas.
I am Robocon’s Team leader. I’ll share with you something about the mechanical structure of the tableau robot. This is our tableau robot with a square base. We have used tyres here which have a tighter grip so that it may keep itself stable on the Kago up to 20 degree and don’t get slipped. We have used high-speed motors in it so that it can complete its task with speed. Besides we have made an extension mechanism that is single activator to beat drum in the height. It implies that we have made and would run the entire extension with a single motor. After its extension, every stick would stop in front of its target drum. We have also set up a rotating mechanism with the structure which will rotate all the three drums with a single push.
The Robots were properly tested ahead of the competition. It was only after repeated trials that the final scheme for participation was approved. In one of the phases of the testing process, it was revealed that the rods on the Kago did not function properly, particularly when it had to pass mountain passes. As a result, its designing and scheme were re-adjusted and improved upon in order to make it work properly. Copyrights @ Amer Rizwan
Monday, June 8, 2009
'World Bank Mediation on Baglihar' Implications for India-Pakistan Relations (ABSTRACT)
'World Bank Mediation on Baglihar' Implications for India-Pakistan Relations (ABSTRACT) (Appeared in IPRI JOURNAL SUMMER 2008. ISLAMABAD POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE. ISALAMBAD. PAKISTAN
Owing to a number of factors, water resources have become dearer in South Asia and elsewhere so much so that the analysts consider water to be the potential source of conflict between Pakistan and India. So far the Indus Waters Treaty 1960 has been successfully regulating the water affairs between these two countries. However, Pakistan perceives the construction of a number of hydroelectric projects by India on the rivers given exclusively to Pakistan by the Indus Waters Treaty as not only a violation of terms of the Treaty itself, but also as a lever to India in its any future conflict with its western neighbour. Contrary to some other cases, bilateralism and Joint Indus Commission failed to deliver on Baglihar Hydroelectric Project being constructed by India on river Chenab in the Indian Occupied Kashmir with the result that the World Bank had to appoint, on the request made by Pakistan, a Neutral Expert to assess the respective positions of the parties. The ensuing verdict by the Neutral Expert, and the initial reaction of Pakistan and India to the verdict, has a number of ramifications, not only for India-Pakistan relations, but also for the region in general. Besides, the successful determination by a third party on in India-Pakistan issue has much in store for the policy makers of both the countries in so far as the resolution of their longstanding disputes are concerned.
VIEW FULL ARTICLE??
Click on the following and you will find the concerned IPRI Journal.
ipripak.org/journal/summer2008/articles.pdf
Owing to a number of factors, water resources have become dearer in South Asia and elsewhere so much so that the analysts consider water to be the potential source of conflict between Pakistan and India. So far the Indus Waters Treaty 1960 has been successfully regulating the water affairs between these two countries. However, Pakistan perceives the construction of a number of hydroelectric projects by India on the rivers given exclusively to Pakistan by the Indus Waters Treaty as not only a violation of terms of the Treaty itself, but also as a lever to India in its any future conflict with its western neighbour. Contrary to some other cases, bilateralism and Joint Indus Commission failed to deliver on Baglihar Hydroelectric Project being constructed by India on river Chenab in the Indian Occupied Kashmir with the result that the World Bank had to appoint, on the request made by Pakistan, a Neutral Expert to assess the respective positions of the parties. The ensuing verdict by the Neutral Expert, and the initial reaction of Pakistan and India to the verdict, has a number of ramifications, not only for India-Pakistan relations, but also for the region in general. Besides, the successful determination by a third party on in India-Pakistan issue has much in store for the policy makers of both the countries in so far as the resolution of their longstanding disputes are concerned.
VIEW FULL ARTICLE??
Click on the following and you will find the concerned IPRI Journal.
ipripak.org/journal/summer2008/articles.pdf
Getting Rid of the Killer Bags
We, all the species of life are the collective owners and stake-holders of this mother planet. We are at risk of creating a world that is fast converting into an inhospitable place to host living beings. The responsibility of not stretching its resources too far lies squarely on the shoulders of each one of us. We have to put in our best in order to bequeath a livable home to the succeeding generations. Plastic shopping bags are not biodegradable because they do not decompose fully whereas paper bags are reusable and biodegradable. In Pakistan, the use of plastic shopping bags is rampant much to the detriment of the ecological poise. However some of the supermarkets use paper that has never been recycled before and they always say "recyclable" not "recycled". This is precisely the message that we are trying to disseminate. Our friends and activists roam about in the markets and meet both the vendors as well the as the buyers, apprising them of the hazardous effects of using the plastic shopping bags. As a result of this restless campaign, most of the buyers are now convinced that they need not use any bag at all if the purchase is small; this alone could save hundreds of millions of bags. Most of the concerned members of the civil society have now started using their own reusable cloth bags or string bags when they intend to buy more things.
The positive response both from the sellers as well as the buyers promise more success if the circumference of the operation is enlarged. Subject to availability of time, resources and manpower, we are planning the things just in this very direction.
The positive response both from the sellers as well as the buyers promise more success if the circumference of the operation is enlarged. Subject to availability of time, resources and manpower, we are planning the things just in this very direction.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
DENMENTIA INTERVIEWS (Translation from Urdu and Punjabi)
Copyrights reserved @amerrizwan
INTERVIEW BY DR RASHIDA TABASSUM
You have seen as to how worried the family has been about the happenings around. Let me tell you something on this count. All of us may forget something occasionally. But when this forgetfulness becomes a regular feature and intense then we have to think about its causes. Let me share with you some of the other causes of forgetfulness. If you are disappointed, anxious or if you are suffering from physical ailment like urine or chest infection or lungs problem or if you drink excessively then all these factors can adversely affect your memory. Head injury may also contribute to this problem. There are a number of factors which can be held responsible for affecting your memory. Nonetheless if you start forgetting things too much then there must be something wrong. It does not mean, however that you have been afflicted with any mental disease. So you must not be shy of sharing it with other family members. If an individual start forgetting the things in daily routine life too often then we call this disease as ‘Dementia’. Some of its symptoms are to lose daily-use things or to leave them somewhere and then worry as to where they are. Its patient may repeat the same thing again and again. The problem may effect a personality change in the individual; a person may become irritable out of it or may not take proper care of his own self; he forgets to take his meals in time; he does not know as to where he is, or what the time or date is. At times he may forget the names of his kiths and kens which may cause serious trouble.
The person suffering from the disease may not exactly know as to what he is up to, and that he is forgetting things too frequently. But the people around do know that he is suffering from forgetfulness. So the foremost requirement is to understand and appreciate the exact symptoms of the disease. In the extreme case, the patients start visualizing things and faces which are not seen by normal people. They may fantasize and talk to the nears and dears already passed away. Then the disease may heighten the distrustfulness and cynicism in the patient; the patient may drop something, forgets it and then apprehends that it has been stolen by someone else. At times, in the severe cases, the patient can move but with much difficulty; he cannot attend toilets on his own nor, can he recognize, and be confused about familiar people He is almost dependent on his family members for his day-to-day needs.
Now let me tell you that there are a number of forms of dementia. One of them is known is Alzheimer’s Dementia which is commonly found among the white. 5 percent of the people above 65 years of age suffer from dementia, and the percentage increases as the age grows. The percentage may well soar to 20 percent in the people above 80. The second form of dementia is known is vascular dementia which prevails among the Asians. Vascular dementia means that the brain receives abridged supply of blood which may in turn be caused by diabetics, high blood pressure, taking tranquilizers, lack of exercise, obesity, excessive smoking and paralytic strokes. All these factors increase the possibility of dementia being afflicted. So the foremost imperative is to appreciate these symptoms and to know as to wherefrom can the succor be found. We will tell you something about such places of succor later. So please seek help in time so that it may not get out of control. Different centers may cater for different categories of dementia patients. So the foremost imperative for you is to appreciate the symptoms of your patient and take him to the proper place.
INTERVIEW BY DR IFTIKHAR AHMAD
You need not to worry if you are suffering from forgetfulness or related problems; just consult your GP. He will thoroughly examine you and will investigate the case on the bases of the results of your urine and blood tests. Your GP may refer you to a psychiatrist as well. Initially he will carry out your detailed physical and psychological examination; he may also advice a brain-scan besides getting some more blood and urine tests. These investigations would help trace the causes owing to which you suffer from these problems. Medicines are also available for the people suffering from dementia which may prove quite helpful. Moreover Social Services Department may also provide various facilities to the people affected by dementia which also include day care and daytime meal facility. If one lives all alone or if it is hard for him to live alone, then the Social Services Department may arrange for him a substitute abode as well which may include Residential Care, Nursing Home and other similar facilities. Voluntary sector associations such as Alzheimer’s Society and Age Concern may also offer very useful consultancy to the patients suffering from dementia which may help them dealing with the related problems effectively.
INTERVIEW BY DR SAMINA AZEEM
Dementia is a disease that affects people above the 65 years of age. As the age grows, the chances of its afflicting the patients increase. The percentage may well soar to 20 percent in the people above 80. You may well understand that it is directly proportional to the increase in the age of the individuals. In the outset, let me tell you as to how can we recognize this disease. Initially the patient or his family members may observe that his or her memory is not that good as it used to be. It starts with forgetting very small things; for instance forgetting the names of persons and things, forgetting to take the keys and locking the house. Later on with the passage of time, it may reach a stage when the affected individual losing his way back home. A further increase in the disease would make the individual recalling the events of his childhood. However, he is in no position to tell you as to what has happened just two minutes ago. At this stage people usually contact the doctor. Why does dementia occur? It can have a number of causes. The very primary form of dementia known as Alzheimer’s dementia is a hereditary disease. This disease is not very common among us ( the Asians); the disease that is common prevails among us is known as Vascular Dementia which can be caused by a large number of factors. High Blood Pressure, diabetics, excessive smoking or drinking, high cholesterol level, your daily life habits e.g. lack of exercise, taking too mush fats in your diet, obesity etc are some of the factors responsible for reducing the blood supply/flow to your brain. And as soon as the supply of blood reduces, the chances of receiving paralytic attacks increase. Paralytic attacks are not always major; they may be minor as well in that they may last for a two or three seconds as well. However, in the wake of each and every stroke, the memory of the individual is further depleted. It is really hard to prevent Alzheimer’s Dementia, but Vascular Dementia can be limited in the sense that we can abstain from the factors causing it. Dementia is sometime caused by certain physical problems like anxiety, depression, thyroid glands disorders; we can treat such form of dementia. There is proper treatment available for it and it can be cured.
INTERVIEW BY DR NARINDAR SAHOTA
You need not to worry if you think you may be developing dementia, or that someone you know may be affected; it's best to see your GP in case you are worried about your memory. He may do your urine and blood tests to rule out other conditions. That will help him investigating the case. Subject to the outcome of the tests, your GP will find ways and means of treating that disease. You will either have medical problem or mental problem, but it is not to be worried about. However, if there is any related disease then you will be referred to any specialist doctor, neurologist, or psychiatrist for the old age people or any Psychologist. In UK all the major places have the facilities of psychologists for the elderly people. There are enough facilities, support and memory clinics for people above 65 who are suffering from forgetfulness. In order to further investigate the problem, these clinics may take more urine and blood tests and even may suggest a brain scan. If the patient is reluctant to visit the Doctor then a doctor or psychologist may be invited to his home as well. There are a number of medicines that can help control the disease. Social Services Department may also help and take measures for taking care of the Dementia patients. Such patients can get help in their own homes. ‘Home Health’, ‘Meals-on-Wheels’ may provide meals and day care facilities to them in their own homes. However, if dementia patients cannot live in their homes independently, then they can live in nursing homes or residential shelters. Social Security assists those who are disable and cannot live in their homes. It may also offer you very useful pieces of advice regarding hiring any counsel to take care of your property. Charity associations like Alzheimer’s Society can also offer support and counseling in this regard.
INTERVIEW BY DR RASHIDA TABASSUM
You have seen as to how worried the family has been about the happenings around. Let me tell you something on this count. All of us may forget something occasionally. But when this forgetfulness becomes a regular feature and intense then we have to think about its causes. Let me share with you some of the other causes of forgetfulness. If you are disappointed, anxious or if you are suffering from physical ailment like urine or chest infection or lungs problem or if you drink excessively then all these factors can adversely affect your memory. Head injury may also contribute to this problem. There are a number of factors which can be held responsible for affecting your memory. Nonetheless if you start forgetting things too much then there must be something wrong. It does not mean, however that you have been afflicted with any mental disease. So you must not be shy of sharing it with other family members. If an individual start forgetting the things in daily routine life too often then we call this disease as ‘Dementia’. Some of its symptoms are to lose daily-use things or to leave them somewhere and then worry as to where they are. Its patient may repeat the same thing again and again. The problem may effect a personality change in the individual; a person may become irritable out of it or may not take proper care of his own self; he forgets to take his meals in time; he does not know as to where he is, or what the time or date is. At times he may forget the names of his kiths and kens which may cause serious trouble.
The person suffering from the disease may not exactly know as to what he is up to, and that he is forgetting things too frequently. But the people around do know that he is suffering from forgetfulness. So the foremost requirement is to understand and appreciate the exact symptoms of the disease. In the extreme case, the patients start visualizing things and faces which are not seen by normal people. They may fantasize and talk to the nears and dears already passed away. Then the disease may heighten the distrustfulness and cynicism in the patient; the patient may drop something, forgets it and then apprehends that it has been stolen by someone else. At times, in the severe cases, the patient can move but with much difficulty; he cannot attend toilets on his own nor, can he recognize, and be confused about familiar people He is almost dependent on his family members for his day-to-day needs.
Now let me tell you that there are a number of forms of dementia. One of them is known is Alzheimer’s Dementia which is commonly found among the white. 5 percent of the people above 65 years of age suffer from dementia, and the percentage increases as the age grows. The percentage may well soar to 20 percent in the people above 80. The second form of dementia is known is vascular dementia which prevails among the Asians. Vascular dementia means that the brain receives abridged supply of blood which may in turn be caused by diabetics, high blood pressure, taking tranquilizers, lack of exercise, obesity, excessive smoking and paralytic strokes. All these factors increase the possibility of dementia being afflicted. So the foremost imperative is to appreciate these symptoms and to know as to wherefrom can the succor be found. We will tell you something about such places of succor later. So please seek help in time so that it may not get out of control. Different centers may cater for different categories of dementia patients. So the foremost imperative for you is to appreciate the symptoms of your patient and take him to the proper place.
INTERVIEW BY DR IFTIKHAR AHMAD
You need not to worry if you are suffering from forgetfulness or related problems; just consult your GP. He will thoroughly examine you and will investigate the case on the bases of the results of your urine and blood tests. Your GP may refer you to a psychiatrist as well. Initially he will carry out your detailed physical and psychological examination; he may also advice a brain-scan besides getting some more blood and urine tests. These investigations would help trace the causes owing to which you suffer from these problems. Medicines are also available for the people suffering from dementia which may prove quite helpful. Moreover Social Services Department may also provide various facilities to the people affected by dementia which also include day care and daytime meal facility. If one lives all alone or if it is hard for him to live alone, then the Social Services Department may arrange for him a substitute abode as well which may include Residential Care, Nursing Home and other similar facilities. Voluntary sector associations such as Alzheimer’s Society and Age Concern may also offer very useful consultancy to the patients suffering from dementia which may help them dealing with the related problems effectively.
INTERVIEW BY DR SAMINA AZEEM
Dementia is a disease that affects people above the 65 years of age. As the age grows, the chances of its afflicting the patients increase. The percentage may well soar to 20 percent in the people above 80. You may well understand that it is directly proportional to the increase in the age of the individuals. In the outset, let me tell you as to how can we recognize this disease. Initially the patient or his family members may observe that his or her memory is not that good as it used to be. It starts with forgetting very small things; for instance forgetting the names of persons and things, forgetting to take the keys and locking the house. Later on with the passage of time, it may reach a stage when the affected individual losing his way back home. A further increase in the disease would make the individual recalling the events of his childhood. However, he is in no position to tell you as to what has happened just two minutes ago. At this stage people usually contact the doctor. Why does dementia occur? It can have a number of causes. The very primary form of dementia known as Alzheimer’s dementia is a hereditary disease. This disease is not very common among us ( the Asians); the disease that is common prevails among us is known as Vascular Dementia which can be caused by a large number of factors. High Blood Pressure, diabetics, excessive smoking or drinking, high cholesterol level, your daily life habits e.g. lack of exercise, taking too mush fats in your diet, obesity etc are some of the factors responsible for reducing the blood supply/flow to your brain. And as soon as the supply of blood reduces, the chances of receiving paralytic attacks increase. Paralytic attacks are not always major; they may be minor as well in that they may last for a two or three seconds as well. However, in the wake of each and every stroke, the memory of the individual is further depleted. It is really hard to prevent Alzheimer’s Dementia, but Vascular Dementia can be limited in the sense that we can abstain from the factors causing it. Dementia is sometime caused by certain physical problems like anxiety, depression, thyroid glands disorders; we can treat such form of dementia. There is proper treatment available for it and it can be cured.
INTERVIEW BY DR NARINDAR SAHOTA
You need not to worry if you think you may be developing dementia, or that someone you know may be affected; it's best to see your GP in case you are worried about your memory. He may do your urine and blood tests to rule out other conditions. That will help him investigating the case. Subject to the outcome of the tests, your GP will find ways and means of treating that disease. You will either have medical problem or mental problem, but it is not to be worried about. However, if there is any related disease then you will be referred to any specialist doctor, neurologist, or psychiatrist for the old age people or any Psychologist. In UK all the major places have the facilities of psychologists for the elderly people. There are enough facilities, support and memory clinics for people above 65 who are suffering from forgetfulness. In order to further investigate the problem, these clinics may take more urine and blood tests and even may suggest a brain scan. If the patient is reluctant to visit the Doctor then a doctor or psychologist may be invited to his home as well. There are a number of medicines that can help control the disease. Social Services Department may also help and take measures for taking care of the Dementia patients. Such patients can get help in their own homes. ‘Home Health’, ‘Meals-on-Wheels’ may provide meals and day care facilities to them in their own homes. However, if dementia patients cannot live in their homes independently, then they can live in nursing homes or residential shelters. Social Security assists those who are disable and cannot live in their homes. It may also offer you very useful pieces of advice regarding hiring any counsel to take care of your property. Charity associations like Alzheimer’s Society can also offer support and counseling in this regard.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Why the Liberalist Pluralist Model?
Asia-Pacific
Why the Liberalist Pluralist Model?
By Amer Rizwan
By Amer Rizwan
The pluralist democracy is the most popular form of Government, in Europe and North America in particular, and the entire world in general. On the one hand it is being professed by the US and the Europe, and on the other hand the emerging Afro-Asian nations aspire to follow this model. Despite, its popularity all around, the Liberalist Pluralist Model is the target of criticism from the so many alternative approaches like Marxists, feminist and other approaches to politics and international relations. Again, because this theory/ model has close affinities with a few other approaches/theories to policy i.e. social democratic and New Rights model, it is in the fitness of things to take to some of the strands that make up the Liberal Pluralist Model.
To begin with, let us question the arguments of some theorists, who predicted in the recent past quite unjustifiably that the Liberal Pluralist model was outmoded and is therefore no longer being functional in most of the countries around the world.
The Liberal Pluralist state in its modern form is in fact complex societies with large scale political organizations. On the top of all this, pluralist democracy offers a process of competition and eventual accommodation to almost every interest of the society, and in the process, individual liberty is best guaranteed. In this context, the model was first theorized by a group of theorists working at Yale University – David Truman, Robert Dahl, and Charles Lindbolm. The group of academicians was known later as the Yale school of thought who advocated and supported the Pluralist Model of state on the basis of the Empirical Democratic Theory. They studied the role of political parities and other interest groups in the democratic societies such as US and UK. They ultimately found that due to the process of competition and the accommodation that the process offers to different groups and parties, this model of governance offers best guarantee of individual liberty. In this respect, this model is in sharp contrast with dictatorial and other forms of non-democratic governments. In one sense this model can rightly be called as "polyarchical state which is neutral in respect of the interests which it represents."
To begin with, let us question the arguments of some theorists, who predicted in the recent past quite unjustifiably that the Liberal Pluralist model was outmoded and is therefore no longer being functional in most of the countries around the world.
The Liberal Pluralist state in its modern form is in fact complex societies with large scale political organizations. On the top of all this, pluralist democracy offers a process of competition and eventual accommodation to almost every interest of the society, and in the process, individual liberty is best guaranteed. In this context, the model was first theorized by a group of theorists working at Yale University – David Truman, Robert Dahl, and Charles Lindbolm. The group of academicians was known later as the Yale school of thought who advocated and supported the Pluralist Model of state on the basis of the Empirical Democratic Theory. They studied the role of political parities and other interest groups in the democratic societies such as US and UK. They ultimately found that due to the process of competition and the accommodation that the process offers to different groups and parties, this model of governance offers best guarantee of individual liberty. In this respect, this model is in sharp contrast with dictatorial and other forms of non-democratic governments. In one sense this model can rightly be called as "polyarchical state which is neutral in respect of the interests which it represents."
In fact the Empirical Democratic Theory and Normative Political Philosophy should not be seen as mutually exclusive; they can be seen as working on the different angles of the same projects. This model corresponds to a "Liberal state which is neutral in respect of different conceptions of good life."
The third model that takes up the issue of the Liberal Pluralist Democracy is known as the Multi-culturalist Model proposed by Kymlicka. This model gives a conception of "Multicultural state which is neutral in respect of ethno-cultural bias."
The sources of liberalist political thought can be traced back to Locke and Montesquieu. Whereas the former is the forerunner in giving the idea of a government that held government in trust, the latter inspired the framers of the American constitution who were very skeptical of any attempt of concentration of executive, legislative and judicial powers in the same person or agency. As a whole, liberalist thoughts were the cornerstone of the US Declaration of Independence 1776 and the French Declaration of the rights of 1789.
Yale School has the traces of both the Protective as well as of the Development models of pluralism. Pluralism is either protective or developmental. Protective pluralism implies institutional arrangement primarily aimed at safeguarding the liberty of the individual. The developmental model is concerned with securing opportunities for individuals to participate in politics as well. While all the development models do value individual liberty, the Development Model also value participation for its own sake. Whereas Montesquieu and Madison are the central sources of protective pluralism, de Tocqueville and J.S. Mill are undoubtedly the sources of its development aspects.
A very important influence on the Yale school is that of the classical Utilitarianism. They believe that different interests must be accommodated in any pluralist democratic process. There must be broad consensus on the political values. Like any game, the game or competition of politics has its rules which must be faithfully observed by the competitors. In the absence of such a consensus on observing the rules, the political system would descend into chaos.
Then Yale school has been influenced by British pluralists like Laski who refuses to give the state the exclusive source of allegiance; they argue that other associations, organizations, family institutions etc play an equally important role in the life of the individuals, and thus in certain spheres the latter would prefer these non-state institutions instead the state itself. Laski lived in an age, when there were no transnational non-state actors which have posed a real threat to the very existence of the states themselves. The actions and interactions between the states and the non-actors such as Al-Qaeda, Taliban, LTTE, Hizbollah would have certainly reinforces his case; nay they would have certainly enriched the political jargon of his supporters.
American pragmatism, a philosophical school engaged with the idealistic and the scientific conceptions of the truth, has also been one of the sources for the Yale school.
We may get two different conceptions of pluralist state from the writings of the Yale school. There is either a "Responsive State," which while makes its policy in accordance with the demands of the competing interests or groups of the society. However, in this conception, the state is viewed as impartial and without interests of its own. It does mediate between and among the demands emanating from civil society, yet it does not take sides. Again there may be a "Broker State." In such a case, the pluralist state has a distinct interest of its own. In such a case, the state itself forges alliances with the key elements (most importantly the capitalist interests) in the society and governing in their favour). While theoretically speaking, all the Western democracies are Responsive Pluralist states, practically they all are "Broker Pluralist States" to a lesser or a greater extent. One of the initial debates of the Yale school focused on the debate between the passive or active role for ensuring fair competition between different interest groups.
In Rawl's Normative Political philosophy, the state is pluralistic in yet another sense i.e. it is pluralistic in a moral sense in respect of diverse ways of life or conceptions of good – liberty and opportunity, income and wealth – that it makes possible. The state as per Rawl and his followers has a normative concern. In this sense, the pluralist state fits in to the conception of the US state given by the outgoing Bush administration whose aim was decimating the forces of "evil" all around and taking American flag to every nook and corner of the world for furthering the cause of democracy all around.
The most pressing problem faced by the liberal state today relate to the problem of ethnic minorities within the state. A liberal state has to evolve principles of ethno-cultural policy that may orientate its policy in respect of different cultural minorities. Ironically the very election of a "coloured" Obama bespeaks of this model of pluralism in the US. This is the beauty of Pluralist model which, given sustenance, can promise representation and accommodation to all the interests and groups in the society. Mayawati may not become the prime minister in India as a result of the ongoing General Elections yet the coming of an untouchable to the national spotlight in a country that is rampant with deep class divisions is by no means any less significant development.
There are a number of different senses to the term liberal pluralism. There may be the pluralism of the political process analyzed by the Yale school e.g. David Truman, Robert Dahl, and Charles Lindbolm. Again, Pluralism may give a conception of the state in respect of different conceptions of good analyzed by the Liberal Equality thinkers such as Rawl. Yet again, there may be liberal pluralism of the multi-cultural state which has been theorized by Liberal theorists such as Kymlicka. There is a number of links between these different senses of the liberal pluralist polity.
In pluralist state, there is a number of centers of power in a society, policy is made and implemented, not by a single body but by a number of different bodies, including different departments, different braches of government, supranational and sub-national government and interest groups.
As discussed earlier, many scholars in the 70s predicted that the Liberalist theory of Politics was doomed to fail. However, the sea-changes that were brought about by the concomitant transformation of the world from the bipolar phase to the unipolar phase of world history belied those premonitions. However, one of the corollaries of these developments has inter alia been the erosion of rationality and sense of proportion in the Liberalist ranks itself. For instance, Francis Fukuyama's belief that Western forms of government, political economy and political community are the ultimate destination which the entire human race will eventually reach poses at least three challenges for orthodoxy within international relations.
One, political and economic development always terminates at liberal-capitalist democracy; that the Western path to modernity will eventually command universal consent; two, it also assumes that the West is the keeper of moral truths, which 'progress' will oblige all societies to observe, regardless of natural and cultural distinction; three, progress in human history can be measured by the elimination of conflict and the international adoption of the principles of legitimacy which have evolved over time in certain domestic political orders. This constitutes an 'inside-out' approach to international relations, where the exogenous behaviour of states can be explained by examining the endogenous political and economic dispositions. Doyle also claims that democracies are uniquely willing to eschew the use of force in their relations with one another. A claim spurned by Jacques Derrida and Alaxandre Kojeve by arguing that never have violence, inequality, exclusion, famine and the economic oppression affected as many human beings in the history of mankind as is being witnessed during the apogee of the liberal pluralist mode of democracy.
On the whole, the Liberal Pluralist Model has the greatest capacity to accommodate the myriad interests of the gregarious society, be it in the form of promising dividends to each and every interest groups or accruing multiple versions of good or even holding best future for all the ethnic groups within a state. Whereas the critics to the Liberal Capitalist Model may have overstated their case yet it is no denying the fact that even the exuberant utopians of the Liberalist camp also not done any justice to the idea. Practically speaking, numerous groups in a pluralist polity try to influence the policy making. So a policy emerges out of compromise. It means that there are "mutual adjustments" between various interest groups. It also presupposes a shared commitment on the part of all interested parties on reaching an agreement. The agreement is actually about the basic rules of the game/competition. Since the implementation of the policy is not permanent and it is followed by "trial and error method," there is always the possibility that "losers" in the game of influencing policy could win on a future occasion.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Gaza Campaign and Israel’s Security//The Seoul Times South Korea by AMER RIZWAN
http://theseoultimes.com/ST/?url=/ST/db/read.php?idx=8025
Monday, February 23, 2009
ASIA PACIFIC
February 23 2008.
Gaza Campaign and Israel’s Security
By:
Amer Rizwan[*]
Testaments are violated and solemn promises broken by the custodians of the Promised Land on the pretext of securing the state of Israel from the rockets and mortars and to restore Israel’s deterrent credibility which was seriously discredited by the Lebanon fiasco. However, it has been aptly argued by many analysts that the real intent and purpose of Israel’s unleashing this reign of terror is the creation of ‘Greater Israel’. It is hell bent upon controlling all of what was used to be known as the Mandate Palestine, which includes Gaza and the West Bank. As per the pernicious scheme, the Palestinians would have limited autonomy in a handful of ‘disconnected and economically rippled enclaves’, one of which is Gaza. Israel would control the ‘borders around them, the air above and the water below them’ (John Meirsheimer, “Another War, Another Defeat”, The American Conservative, 2009.) One of the corollaries of the scheme is to instill in the minds of the Palestinians that they are the defeated people thereby having no choice but to surrender their future to the Israelis.
The primary aim of Israel’s military campaign was to neutralize Hamas’s ability to carry out rocket attacks against Israel, but it also led to the death of more than 1300 Palestinians, wounding even a greater number of them and destroying at least 41 Mosques besides wiping out the already antiquated and overloaded infrastructure in Gaza. Damage to vital infrastructure, including many roads, bridges, hospitals and power stations, has severely limited local capacity to care for the injured and displaced. UNDP has already warned that Gaza campaign and the collateral damage will have long term impact on Palestinians. Security Council Resolution 1860(2009) called on the international community to alleviate the humanitarian and economic situation in Gaza. The United Nations is about to unveil a US $ 613 million aid appeal for war-torn Gaza. The funding will be used to provide food, shelter, healthcare and other assistance to victims of Israel's 22-day attack on the Palestinian territory, said John Holmes, chief of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. According to the agency, an assessment on the long-term needs in the conflict-hit territory is already underway. The Resolution called for an immediate, durable and fully respected cease-fire, leading to the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. As per the document released by the Department of Public Information, News & Media Division of the UNSC on 08 January 2009,
“Gravely concerned by the deepening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and the resulting heavy civilian casualties “since the refusal to extend the period of calm” between Israel and Hamas, the Security Council this evening stressed the urgency of and called for an “immediate, durable and fully respected ceasefire, leading to the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza”.
Adopting resolution 1860 (2009) by a vote of 14 in favour with the United States abstaining, the Council also expressed its grave concern at the escalation of violence and emphasized that Palestinian and Israeli civilian populations must be protected in the densely packed territory that has been the theatre of a deadly 13-day conflict between Israel Defence Forces and armed Hamas militants”.
Israeli claims have been that Hamas consistently violated the ceasefire that it so ‘diligently’ observed, therefore leaving it with no other choice but to destroy Hamas’s capacity to launch missiles into southern Israel. The claim does not hold water in the face of record. Israel, not Hamas, violated the truce. As per the understanding, Hamas was to stop missile attacks on Israel, and in return the latter was bound to ease its iron grip on Gaza. Ironically Israel tightened it further. (Henry Siegman, “Israel’s Lies”, London Review of Books, 29 January, 2009). This was confirmed by many neutral observers and NGOs operating there. Even Brigadier General (Res.) Shamuel Zakai, a former Commander of IDF’s Gaza Division, accused the Israeli government of making a ‘central error’ during the six months period of truce i.e. ‘failing to take advantage of the calm to improve, rather than markedly worsen, the economic plight of the Palestinians of the Strip……….you cannot just land blows, leave the Palestinians in Gaza in the economic distress, they are in, and expect that Hamas will just sit around and do nothing’ (Interview in Ha’artz on 22 December, 2008).
Israel would have tactically won the war against the defenceless Palestinians, but its strategy of making Israel securer is nowhere in sight. The timing of the war was in narrow terms well calculated by its architects. Many observers are of the opinion that even if Israel is successful in uprooting or expelling Hamas from Gaza, which is a remote possibility in the face of the ‘we are all Hamas’ phenomenon, it will be replaced by a more radical and ferocious organization taking up the flag of resistance. Such a group may establish its links with Al Qa’ida as well. Ironically some Israeli newspapers have absurdly attempted to create a kinship between Hamas and the latter. This is a mistake, says Ephraim Halevy, the former head of Mossad and Sharon’s national security adviser, because {The Hamas Political Bureau Chief, Khalid} Mashal’s declaration diametrically contradicts Al Qa’ida’s approach, and provides Israel with an opportunity, perhaps a historic one, to leverage it for the better. Most of the observers are of the opinion that the results of the campaign have been inconclusive for Israel – even in terms of its immediate aim of preventing Hamas or any other group to fire rockets into it. Its wider strategic implications, moreover, are far from comforting. ( Paul Rogers, “After Gaza: Israel’s Last Chance)
Israel has to understand that it can continue flouting international understandings and conventions in total disregard to the international public opinion yet it would do so only at the expense of its security both in the longer and shorter run, further vitiating the prospects of its viability and both external and internal security in the hostile environment. Gaza offensive meted out a serious setback to the euphoria in the Arab world in general, and Saudi Arab in particular about the success of the peace process spearheaded by Saudi Arabia. The latter urged its ally the United States to intervene in order to end Israel's attack on Gaza. "Superpowers should take responsibility to stop these attacks," the official Saudi Press Agency reported, citing a telephone conversation between Saudi King Abdullah and U.S. President George W. Bush.
Israel is also fast losing its erstwhile friends and strategic allies. Its attempts to barter peace deals with the surrounding states may also flounder on this very count. Syrian sponsorship of Hamas has had an enormous impact on the group's operational capacities. Since the mid-1990s, Damascus has been the operational headquarters of the Hamas military wing and a nexus for the transfer of external funds to Hamas operatives in the territories. Syria and Syrian-occupied Lebanon have become major conduits for funneling weapons and explosives to Hamas and safe havens for training hundreds of its operatives. (Middle East Intelligence Unit. http://www.meib.org/articles/0210_s1.htm) Israel has the bargaining chip of Golan Heights which it had wrested and occupied from Syria in the 1967 War. In fact Turkey had been mediating the process between the two bitter enemies for a year. The idea was to create a more peaceful or at least predictable neighbourhood for Israel before tackling the increasingly complex Palestinian problem. Now in the wake of the Gaza offensive, the talks have been stalled and Syria has bitterly condemned the Israeli attacks.
Yet another fallout of the same had been a spectacular public criticism of Israel by the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Turkey is one of the regional countries that have the closest ties with Israel besides Egypt. It has struck arms procurement deals with Israel as well. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan went to the extent of demanding American President to declare Israel as a terrorist state for its unleashing a reign of terror on the innocent civilian Palestinians. As a mark of protest against the partisan treatment/behaviour of the moderator of the programme at the World Economic Forum, the Prime Minister walked out of the debate. Later in an interview to the Newsweek, Tayyip Erdogan termed Gaza as an ‘open air prison’. In response to a query, he said, ‘Hamas is a political party and not an “arm of Iran” or for that matter of Syria. As a matter of fact, the international community has not respected the Palestinians’ verdict. On the one side, it wishes to flourish democracy in the Middle East, and on the other it doesn’t respect the ballot box results.
"If the whole world had given [Hamas] the chance of becoming a political player maybe they would not be in a situation like this after the elections that they won."
Hamas won the Palestinian Authority legislative elections against the rival Fatah faction in a landslide victory in January 2006
Earlier, Shimon Peres, the Israeli President speaking in the forum held Hamas responsible for the mess in and around Gaza.” The USIP Special Report ‘The Future of Israeli-Palestinian Conflict’ by Yossi Alpher had predicted a downward spiral in Arab support for Hamas only if Israel could reach peace agreements with Beirut and Damascus. Gaza attacks have already blurred these prospects.
The widespread anger, agitation and resentment in the Muslim World is a natural consequence of this act of indiscriminate shelling on the innocent Palestinians yet the initial adverse reaction came from South America. Venezuela, Cuba, Bolivia were the first countries to condemn Israel's massacres in Gaza. Venezuela declared the Israeli ambassador as a persona non grata ordering to him to leave the country as a mark of protest over this savagery. “Israel is creating a holocaust in Palestine; it has become a genocide country’, said furious Chavez. Soon Bolivia followed the suit. Bolivian President Evo Morales demanded that Israeli Government should be brought to justice in the International Court of Justice.
Israeli used its full military might which backfired almost in the same fashion as it did in its attack on Lebanon. Its international standing is at stake; UN resolution 1860(2009) must be an eye-opener for the Israelis. Israel has created new enemies and has lost many old guards. Although Hamas is perceived a common threat by Egypt and Israel yet the latter is also cognizant of the fact that the smuggling route for the provision of ammunition and arms to Hamas had been from the Egyptian Senia Peninsula. The rulers in Cairo have a core strategic interest in ensuring that Hamas remains boxed in. The Muslim Brotherhood, from which Hamas emerged, is bound to exploit the ongoing transition in the Egytian polity. The sights of Muslim Brotherhood’s leading protests in the name of Hamas are quite common there. Similarly the ruling junta of Jordon has much to lose with the growth of Hamas, not because its progenitor Muslim Brotherhood has a stronger base there in Jordon, but also because it believes that on account of its sympathy-base, the Group can pose a threat to the security and stability of the country. However, if we are to believe the Americans on their promises of democratizing the Middle East, then there is no reason that in one form or the other, groups like Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood would make their presence feel in their respective governments’ apparatuses. The eventual result would be, as many western analysts apprehends, a more insecure Israel. One of the unfortunate corollaries of the development may well be the US reneging on its promises.
However, Israel is between the devil and the deep sea. It has to make difficult comprises on traditional security fronts with Egypt, Jordon and a hawkish Syria. The recent developments related to, and leading up to, Gaza offensive have convinced Israel to change its approach at least to Sinai to start with. That is why it has shown its readiness to discuss the remilitarization (two Egyptian military battalions) of an area of Senai adjacent to the 12 Kilometer Gaza border, and on a slightly larger scale (3000 Egyptian soldiers, with the armored vehicles), of the 250 kilometer long Israel-Egypt border. Israel now relatively unconcerned with the Egyptian military threat, is also considering from the Philadelphi road and allowing Egypt both to police the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Senai. Israel is also considering to examine a proposal whereby Palestinian demographic pressures in Gaza would be alleviated, by Egypt ceding to Palestine the adjacent northeast corner of Senai. Egypt would be compensated by Israel with a portion of southern Negev and land access across the Negev to Jordon. Similar options are weighed vis-à-vis Syria as well i.e. bartering away peace deals by making territorial compensations. (The USIP Special Report ‘The Future of Israeli-Palestinian Conflict’ by Yossi Alpher). The crux of the argument is that unless Israel is ready to give its due to Palestine, it would continue being entangled in the vicious mechanisms with the neighboring countries yet peace and security would remain elusive.
Gaza campaign has enthused new vigour in the Palestinian intifada. In the longer run, it will lead to cracks in the body politic of Israel with a divide between the Israeli citizens who would perceive security in ‘lebensraum’ and the ones who would prefer living in relatively securer and racially ‘pure’ enclaves. This syndrome is called by many as ‘Territory versus Demography Divide’.
And last but not the least, Gaza offensive and the power vacuum has already provided historic opportunity to extra-regional powers such as Iran to increase its influence and stature in the region. Ahmadinejad, the President of Iran has already stated that his county will support Hamas until the collapse of Israel. Regarding conflict in the Gaza Strip, Iran has been sharply vocal in its criticism of Israel and has offered support to Hamas. Many Western analysts agree there are links between Iran and Hamas, but they differ about the nature and depth of those ties.
The future scenario can be grimmer for Israel, in case democracy was not given a fair chance to take its natural course in the due time. Any broad-based setups in the neighbourhood of Israel would have the likes of Hamas as their essential components. Again such dispensations would not be able to ignore popular aspirations on many Arab-Israeli issues. So initially the kicking off democracy in the region would be a painful choice for Israel and the West. But by and by when the Arabs would start reaping the fruits of liberty, equality, development and prosperity, the transformation would pay its dividends in terms of greater understanding, tolerance and peaceful coexistence. However, Israel, the US and the West have to live to learn with these groups because, after all, the rightist and the Zionist elements have the lion’s share in Israel’s governmental apparatus as well. With successive elections, more dynamic and enlightened leaders could emerge thorough continuous democratic processes who would be more responsive to the genuine social needs and issues rather than to the extraneous factors. In addition, if the Israelis chose to send leaders that are not Palestinians-bashing demagogues and the ones who extend an olive branch to the Palestinians in particular and the Arabs in general, then the latter may also gradually change their outlook and send moderate leadership to the corridors of power.
[*] The author is the Ph-D Scholar in the Department of International Relations, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad. Pakistan. He can be contacted on amerrizwan@gmail.com
By:
Amer Rizwan[*]
Testaments are violated and solemn promises broken by the custodians of the Promised Land on the pretext of securing the state of Israel from the rockets and mortars and to restore Israel’s deterrent credibility which was seriously discredited by the Lebanon fiasco. However, it has been aptly argued by many analysts that the real intent and purpose of Israel’s unleashing this reign of terror is the creation of ‘Greater Israel’. It is hell bent upon controlling all of what was used to be known as the Mandate Palestine, which includes Gaza and the West Bank. As per the pernicious scheme, the Palestinians would have limited autonomy in a handful of ‘disconnected and economically rippled enclaves’, one of which is Gaza. Israel would control the ‘borders around them, the air above and the water below them’ (John Meirsheimer, “Another War, Another Defeat”, The American Conservative, 2009.) One of the corollaries of the scheme is to instill in the minds of the Palestinians that they are the defeated people thereby having no choice but to surrender their future to the Israelis.
The primary aim of Israel’s military campaign was to neutralize Hamas’s ability to carry out rocket attacks against Israel, but it also led to the death of more than 1300 Palestinians, wounding even a greater number of them and destroying at least 41 Mosques besides wiping out the already antiquated and overloaded infrastructure in Gaza. Damage to vital infrastructure, including many roads, bridges, hospitals and power stations, has severely limited local capacity to care for the injured and displaced. UNDP has already warned that Gaza campaign and the collateral damage will have long term impact on Palestinians. Security Council Resolution 1860(2009) called on the international community to alleviate the humanitarian and economic situation in Gaza. The United Nations is about to unveil a US $ 613 million aid appeal for war-torn Gaza. The funding will be used to provide food, shelter, healthcare and other assistance to victims of Israel's 22-day attack on the Palestinian territory, said John Holmes, chief of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. According to the agency, an assessment on the long-term needs in the conflict-hit territory is already underway. The Resolution called for an immediate, durable and fully respected cease-fire, leading to the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. As per the document released by the Department of Public Information, News & Media Division of the UNSC on 08 January 2009,
“Gravely concerned by the deepening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and the resulting heavy civilian casualties “since the refusal to extend the period of calm” between Israel and Hamas, the Security Council this evening stressed the urgency of and called for an “immediate, durable and fully respected ceasefire, leading to the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza”.
Adopting resolution 1860 (2009) by a vote of 14 in favour with the United States abstaining, the Council also expressed its grave concern at the escalation of violence and emphasized that Palestinian and Israeli civilian populations must be protected in the densely packed territory that has been the theatre of a deadly 13-day conflict between Israel Defence Forces and armed Hamas militants”.
Israeli claims have been that Hamas consistently violated the ceasefire that it so ‘diligently’ observed, therefore leaving it with no other choice but to destroy Hamas’s capacity to launch missiles into southern Israel. The claim does not hold water in the face of record. Israel, not Hamas, violated the truce. As per the understanding, Hamas was to stop missile attacks on Israel, and in return the latter was bound to ease its iron grip on Gaza. Ironically Israel tightened it further. (Henry Siegman, “Israel’s Lies”, London Review of Books, 29 January, 2009). This was confirmed by many neutral observers and NGOs operating there. Even Brigadier General (Res.) Shamuel Zakai, a former Commander of IDF’s Gaza Division, accused the Israeli government of making a ‘central error’ during the six months period of truce i.e. ‘failing to take advantage of the calm to improve, rather than markedly worsen, the economic plight of the Palestinians of the Strip……….you cannot just land blows, leave the Palestinians in Gaza in the economic distress, they are in, and expect that Hamas will just sit around and do nothing’ (Interview in Ha’artz on 22 December, 2008).
Israel would have tactically won the war against the defenceless Palestinians, but its strategy of making Israel securer is nowhere in sight. The timing of the war was in narrow terms well calculated by its architects. Many observers are of the opinion that even if Israel is successful in uprooting or expelling Hamas from Gaza, which is a remote possibility in the face of the ‘we are all Hamas’ phenomenon, it will be replaced by a more radical and ferocious organization taking up the flag of resistance. Such a group may establish its links with Al Qa’ida as well. Ironically some Israeli newspapers have absurdly attempted to create a kinship between Hamas and the latter. This is a mistake, says Ephraim Halevy, the former head of Mossad and Sharon’s national security adviser, because {The Hamas Political Bureau Chief, Khalid} Mashal’s declaration diametrically contradicts Al Qa’ida’s approach, and provides Israel with an opportunity, perhaps a historic one, to leverage it for the better. Most of the observers are of the opinion that the results of the campaign have been inconclusive for Israel – even in terms of its immediate aim of preventing Hamas or any other group to fire rockets into it. Its wider strategic implications, moreover, are far from comforting. ( Paul Rogers, “After Gaza: Israel’s Last Chance)
Israel has to understand that it can continue flouting international understandings and conventions in total disregard to the international public opinion yet it would do so only at the expense of its security both in the longer and shorter run, further vitiating the prospects of its viability and both external and internal security in the hostile environment. Gaza offensive meted out a serious setback to the euphoria in the Arab world in general, and Saudi Arab in particular about the success of the peace process spearheaded by Saudi Arabia. The latter urged its ally the United States to intervene in order to end Israel's attack on Gaza. "Superpowers should take responsibility to stop these attacks," the official Saudi Press Agency reported, citing a telephone conversation between Saudi King Abdullah and U.S. President George W. Bush.
Israel is also fast losing its erstwhile friends and strategic allies. Its attempts to barter peace deals with the surrounding states may also flounder on this very count. Syrian sponsorship of Hamas has had an enormous impact on the group's operational capacities. Since the mid-1990s, Damascus has been the operational headquarters of the Hamas military wing and a nexus for the transfer of external funds to Hamas operatives in the territories. Syria and Syrian-occupied Lebanon have become major conduits for funneling weapons and explosives to Hamas and safe havens for training hundreds of its operatives. (Middle East Intelligence Unit. http://www.meib.org/articles/0210_s1.htm) Israel has the bargaining chip of Golan Heights which it had wrested and occupied from Syria in the 1967 War. In fact Turkey had been mediating the process between the two bitter enemies for a year. The idea was to create a more peaceful or at least predictable neighbourhood for Israel before tackling the increasingly complex Palestinian problem. Now in the wake of the Gaza offensive, the talks have been stalled and Syria has bitterly condemned the Israeli attacks.
Yet another fallout of the same had been a spectacular public criticism of Israel by the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Turkey is one of the regional countries that have the closest ties with Israel besides Egypt. It has struck arms procurement deals with Israel as well. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan went to the extent of demanding American President to declare Israel as a terrorist state for its unleashing a reign of terror on the innocent civilian Palestinians. As a mark of protest against the partisan treatment/behaviour of the moderator of the programme at the World Economic Forum, the Prime Minister walked out of the debate. Later in an interview to the Newsweek, Tayyip Erdogan termed Gaza as an ‘open air prison’. In response to a query, he said, ‘Hamas is a political party and not an “arm of Iran” or for that matter of Syria. As a matter of fact, the international community has not respected the Palestinians’ verdict. On the one side, it wishes to flourish democracy in the Middle East, and on the other it doesn’t respect the ballot box results.
"If the whole world had given [Hamas] the chance of becoming a political player maybe they would not be in a situation like this after the elections that they won."
Hamas won the Palestinian Authority legislative elections against the rival Fatah faction in a landslide victory in January 2006
Earlier, Shimon Peres, the Israeli President speaking in the forum held Hamas responsible for the mess in and around Gaza.” The USIP Special Report ‘The Future of Israeli-Palestinian Conflict’ by Yossi Alpher had predicted a downward spiral in Arab support for Hamas only if Israel could reach peace agreements with Beirut and Damascus. Gaza attacks have already blurred these prospects.
The widespread anger, agitation and resentment in the Muslim World is a natural consequence of this act of indiscriminate shelling on the innocent Palestinians yet the initial adverse reaction came from South America. Venezuela, Cuba, Bolivia were the first countries to condemn Israel's massacres in Gaza. Venezuela declared the Israeli ambassador as a persona non grata ordering to him to leave the country as a mark of protest over this savagery. “Israel is creating a holocaust in Palestine; it has become a genocide country’, said furious Chavez. Soon Bolivia followed the suit. Bolivian President Evo Morales demanded that Israeli Government should be brought to justice in the International Court of Justice.
Israeli used its full military might which backfired almost in the same fashion as it did in its attack on Lebanon. Its international standing is at stake; UN resolution 1860(2009) must be an eye-opener for the Israelis. Israel has created new enemies and has lost many old guards. Although Hamas is perceived a common threat by Egypt and Israel yet the latter is also cognizant of the fact that the smuggling route for the provision of ammunition and arms to Hamas had been from the Egyptian Senia Peninsula. The rulers in Cairo have a core strategic interest in ensuring that Hamas remains boxed in. The Muslim Brotherhood, from which Hamas emerged, is bound to exploit the ongoing transition in the Egytian polity. The sights of Muslim Brotherhood’s leading protests in the name of Hamas are quite common there. Similarly the ruling junta of Jordon has much to lose with the growth of Hamas, not because its progenitor Muslim Brotherhood has a stronger base there in Jordon, but also because it believes that on account of its sympathy-base, the Group can pose a threat to the security and stability of the country. However, if we are to believe the Americans on their promises of democratizing the Middle East, then there is no reason that in one form or the other, groups like Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood would make their presence feel in their respective governments’ apparatuses. The eventual result would be, as many western analysts apprehends, a more insecure Israel. One of the unfortunate corollaries of the development may well be the US reneging on its promises.
However, Israel is between the devil and the deep sea. It has to make difficult comprises on traditional security fronts with Egypt, Jordon and a hawkish Syria. The recent developments related to, and leading up to, Gaza offensive have convinced Israel to change its approach at least to Sinai to start with. That is why it has shown its readiness to discuss the remilitarization (two Egyptian military battalions) of an area of Senai adjacent to the 12 Kilometer Gaza border, and on a slightly larger scale (3000 Egyptian soldiers, with the armored vehicles), of the 250 kilometer long Israel-Egypt border. Israel now relatively unconcerned with the Egyptian military threat, is also considering from the Philadelphi road and allowing Egypt both to police the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Senai. Israel is also considering to examine a proposal whereby Palestinian demographic pressures in Gaza would be alleviated, by Egypt ceding to Palestine the adjacent northeast corner of Senai. Egypt would be compensated by Israel with a portion of southern Negev and land access across the Negev to Jordon. Similar options are weighed vis-à-vis Syria as well i.e. bartering away peace deals by making territorial compensations. (The USIP Special Report ‘The Future of Israeli-Palestinian Conflict’ by Yossi Alpher). The crux of the argument is that unless Israel is ready to give its due to Palestine, it would continue being entangled in the vicious mechanisms with the neighboring countries yet peace and security would remain elusive.
Gaza campaign has enthused new vigour in the Palestinian intifada. In the longer run, it will lead to cracks in the body politic of Israel with a divide between the Israeli citizens who would perceive security in ‘lebensraum’ and the ones who would prefer living in relatively securer and racially ‘pure’ enclaves. This syndrome is called by many as ‘Territory versus Demography Divide’.
And last but not the least, Gaza offensive and the power vacuum has already provided historic opportunity to extra-regional powers such as Iran to increase its influence and stature in the region. Ahmadinejad, the President of Iran has already stated that his county will support Hamas until the collapse of Israel. Regarding conflict in the Gaza Strip, Iran has been sharply vocal in its criticism of Israel and has offered support to Hamas. Many Western analysts agree there are links between Iran and Hamas, but they differ about the nature and depth of those ties.
The future scenario can be grimmer for Israel, in case democracy was not given a fair chance to take its natural course in the due time. Any broad-based setups in the neighbourhood of Israel would have the likes of Hamas as their essential components. Again such dispensations would not be able to ignore popular aspirations on many Arab-Israeli issues. So initially the kicking off democracy in the region would be a painful choice for Israel and the West. But by and by when the Arabs would start reaping the fruits of liberty, equality, development and prosperity, the transformation would pay its dividends in terms of greater understanding, tolerance and peaceful coexistence. However, Israel, the US and the West have to live to learn with these groups because, after all, the rightist and the Zionist elements have the lion’s share in Israel’s governmental apparatus as well. With successive elections, more dynamic and enlightened leaders could emerge thorough continuous democratic processes who would be more responsive to the genuine social needs and issues rather than to the extraneous factors. In addition, if the Israelis chose to send leaders that are not Palestinians-bashing demagogues and the ones who extend an olive branch to the Palestinians in particular and the Arabs in general, then the latter may also gradually change their outlook and send moderate leadership to the corridors of power.
[*] The author is the Ph-D Scholar in the Department of International Relations, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad. Pakistan. He can be contacted on amerrizwan@gmail.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)