SOME LETTERS TO THE EDITORS OF MAINSTREAM ENGLISH INDIAN NEWSPAPERS: (FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION, INFORMATION AND SUITABLE RESPONSE / FOLLOW-UP ACTION, IF ANY)
3.1-----Thursday, September 13, 2001
The Editor, The India Express, Mumbai
This refers to TVR Shenoy’s article: Tomorrow it could be us (IE, 13/9/2001). Shenoy writes: Accept one brutal fact: India, Israel and the USA are the three chief quarries of Islamic fundamentalism. The question he should be asking is ‘why?’. No Islamic country is as powerful as the 3 singled out by Shenoy. Why Islamic countries should be pursuing such suicidal obsession of taking on such powerful nations. The time is ripe for unemotional and cool reflection. Are all of the three nation considered to be the ‘tormentors’ of the Islamic countries? Is there no way their interests could be reconciled in the spirit of give and take to reach common grounds of peaceful coexistence. Is the basic raison d’etre of their nationhood is devised on the premises, that they should confront Islam. Islam is not a materialist religion; otherwise all Muslim countries would have been by now in the developed camp. Still, all the 3 countries named, are feeling antagonistic against Islamic countries. Islamic fundamentalism and its offshoot Islamic terrorism, is not the normal state of affair in the Muslim world. History is a better witness to it. Terrorism is born out of the weakness of Muslim countries to protect and preserve their identities and interests, their way of life and their sustenance as free nations. Till today, all such terrorist activities are not sponsored by any country, not even by Afghanistan; as all rulers of Islamic countries are wise enough to understand the basic commitment to peaceful coexistence is the only way to survive in this volatile world. Still, all such nations are so weak, so disarmed, so helpless in the face of economic and military powers of the West, that they all have become the breeding ground for widespread discontent and rebellion. The sophistication that the militants have come to display with their attack on the US, carries a message that the grievances of the Muslim world should be addressed and they should not be exploited on the basis of their inferior military and/or economic power. This message should be absorbed by all those who lead their nations in confronting Islamic fundamentalism and Islamic terrorism and all of them should study alternatives, freely available, to come to understanding with Islamic world. The stakes in the confrontations are very high and the fruits of understanding are most inviting; provided we have the courage to cut through our egoist notions of power and think of the wider implications for the peace of the world.
(E-mailed to India's all major English Newspapers and others.)
3.2-----Friday, September 14, 2001
A LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
Only a rare stone-hearted would not have reacted, being on the verge of crying, when TV visuals bring up human tragedies on individual levels on the streets of New York. Millions were with President Bush when he was overwhelmed with grief and choking with tears in that White House press conference. The impact of the crashing aircrafts, was nothing less than a miniature nuclear explosion. Within minutes two hillock-size towers were pulverized into powder clouds. The horror of horror was the tragic fact that dead bodies instantly changed into dust plumes. It was like an instant cold-blooded mass cremation, without any ceremonies to bless the innocent thousands. There is nothing to compare with the instant preview of Armageddon that unfolded on the screens of the world that watched with shock and disbelief.
This shock, however, should force us all, to ask the vital question:’why’. Why people are driven to such depths of madness. Why this desperation. Why this condensed hate. Unless we think coolly and unemotionally, we cannot do justice to all the innocents that died and millions others that might be at risk in future. The cycle of violence and revenge has to be broken. One side of terror cannot be answered in terror of the other side. The old biblical justice of an eye for an eye should be left for Israel. The world has to move away from the shadow of black thoughts and black deeds.
The Asian Age editorial begins: ‘Terror is designed to send a message’. Begins an editorial ( in The Asian Age). “Obviously, someone wants to send a message.”: adds Dominique Lapierre ( The Indian Express). What is that message? US and the entire West is not tuned to the wavelength of a sixth of human community. These are not aliens from another planet. Their voices should be heard and their concerns for justice, equal opportunity and human dignity should be addressed. This is the only way to open and engage in a dialog with our own kind that appears to have gone astray. This not a time to talk of revenge. This is the time to reflect and start listening to the desperate voices, that ironically in this age of communication, had to resort to such diabolic methods to convey a "message'.
( E-mailed to India’s all major English Newspapers and others. )
This letter was published by The Free Press Journal, Mumbai on Monday, September 17, 2001 )
3.3-----Saturday, September 15, 2001
A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Our Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee seems is over enthusiastically overworked over the September 11 disaster at New York. Of course, we have all sympathies for innocent victims. Of course we are with the US at this hour of its grief over historically the most traumatic attack on its soil and its total existence as the lone super-power of the world. Of course we would like to see that justice is done and culprits are given deterrent punishment so that they may think hundred times, before they commit atrocities of such magnitude. Of course, India would like to be part of the world coalition that will ensure peace and security throughout the globe. But the way, Indian leaders specially Vajpayee, Advani and Jaswant Singh are degrading themselves and their nation by bending and crawling, where it is not even expected of them, ------it is becoming a national shame. For our compulsion to tackle terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, we are willing to pay a price in sacrificing all our freedom and dignity, in slavishly willing to tie the shoe laces of US and Israel.
Compare this with Pakistan, whose savvy President Musharraf has again performed a great job even while cornered, of forcing US in eating out of his hand by putting out terms like lifting sanctions, forgoing 30 billion dollar debt, a commitment on Kashmir solution and a condition to keep India and Israel out of this campaign.
BJP is plunging democratic India in foreign alliances, without first building up any consensus at home as to the nature and limits of our future relations with the world’s two most demanding nations, unrelenting as far as protecting their own self-interests are concerned. The danger is that in trying to save Jammu and Kashmir, we might lose the whole nation and its freedom in days to come. Vajpayee and Advani should be made accountable to all the consequences of entangling India into vortex of international intrigues and conspiracies, without any redeeming benefits to the teaming millions. We should take a lesson from the Afghanistan whose millions fought for US and the West in a command performance to drive out Soviet forces. Once US accomplished its agenda, it has left the Afghani millions to pick up the pieces in war-ravaged destitute country without any help from the US to rebuild the country and its economy. Can such ungrateful people deserve unstinted support? Our leaders should reign their misguided childish enthusiasm to ride the ‘gravy train’. Before boarding this train, they should at least know where it is heading or what the cost of the ticket is.
(E-mailed CC to India's all major English Newspapers and others.
This letter was published by The Free Press Journal, Mumbai on September 24, 2001; editing out the reference to President Parvez Musharraf. )
3.4-----Sunday, September 16, 2001
A LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
Former President George Bush Sr. took America to war in the Arabian Gulf, back in 1990’s and the net gain for the US was a physical foothold for the US armed forces on the Saudi Arabian and Kuwait soil.
Modern-day colonialism is not a piece of cake. It is mind-boggling how far US can go in its efforts to find a strategic foothold on Arabian soil, with a view to safeguard the continuous supply of Arab oil to western economies. The opening gambit was to avail the first opportunity of rift between Kuwait and Saddam and assure Saddam through US ambassador in Iraq that US has no interest in their bilateral quarrel. Saddam took it as a diplomatic green signal to move into Kuwait next day. The rest is, of course, history. With the demonizing of Saddam Husain and his ‘ constant threat to free world’s vital supplies of gulf oil’, that US presence on Arabian oil is now more or less permanent.
With George Bush Jr’s presidency, a similar exercised is on the table. A foothold and US armed presence in Afghanistan. While the US public as well as media is genuinely puzzled about ‘War against whom’, US strategic and military planners have their eyes riveted on permanent presence in Afghanistan and Kashmir.
Osama bin Laden is just a convenient excuse. They would have created one visible target figure, even if it was not there.
[ Just like our own Chhagan Bhujbal who wants SIMI as a convenient target for unspecified hidden agenda of consolidating Hindu votes for his political party, without realizing the full implication of this misadventure. A later development surfaced when he came out asking for a very huge budget allocation of up to several hundred crores for modernization of police force. He has to create a scare to get public support for such a huge budget allocation. People have every right to question his motivations and bona fide when the two developments are placed side by side.]
Afghanistan’s strategic position is undeniable. From Afghanistan, US can virtually take care of all its interests in Central Asian Republics, on the western-most flank of China, in the immediate vicinity of Russia’s southern borders. Afghanistan is a devastated moonscape of a impoverished country, destroyed by wars, both first fighting against Russia, and later among their own groups. It cannot survive without outside assistance. The victory of Taliban, displacing all the other groups who kept fighting each other, was first generally welcomed as a stabilizing force. However, Taliban had upset all the US plans to take over the country from the departing Soviet Communist forces, by not becoming a tame proxy government toeing US lines.
US is not averse to co-opting extremist and fundamentalist forces; at least in the initial stages to make a breakthrough in its area of interest. However, it is not comfortable with such forces and relentlessly strives to throw them out. US co-operation with the BJP is of the similar fashion. US exploited BJP to throw out Congress stranglehold on India and India’s long established strategic alliance with the Soviet bloc. It is time now to throw out both Taliban and BJP as not compatible to US notions of pliable partners. BJP is fully aware of its fate and that’s why bending backwards in placating US by even compromising India’s long term national interest. Both, BJP and Taliban have heavy ideological baggage that makes them unwieldy. With Sonia, a potential western surrogate with her Italian origin, at the helm of the dynastic Congress now, US could find the going much better. The same is the situation in Pakistan, but in Pakistan the army is in full command and there is no way it can be replaced. The arrangement there is more permanent than being given credit to. In Afghanistan, the democratic machinery is not available to change the governing party. Only an armed intervention is the viable solution. In India, the democratic process is easy to manipulate.
It is an open question, if it was Israel that made the first moves to divert international attention from its increasingly untenable position in confrontation with Palestinian Intifada. It is not difficult for Israeli and US agencies to infiltrate the world Islamic militant organizations and provide them with finance and expertise, anonymously, to carry out the kind of sophisticated attack on the US. European sources have publically cleared Osama bin Laden as capable of mounting such a sophisticated operation, while being cut off in distant and desolate Afghanistan.
So the kamikaze attacks on World Towers in New York, has come as too convenient an excuse not to doubt the seemingly command performance of hijackers, who waited for some opportune time to strike. The timing was provided by the world-wide condemnation of Israel as a racist state at the UN World Conference on Racism in Durban and the combined walkout of both Israel and the US.
Indian media could not do the nation greater service, than to keep our people fully informed.
( E-mailed CC to India’s all major English Newspapers and others.)
3.5-----28 Tuesday, September 18, 2001
A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Just as in any murder investigation, motivation forms crucial part of evidence, in international affairs, where development are more stretched out in time scale, an attack on a sovereign country, and that too the size of the US, ‘timing’ should form an essential part of inquiry. Why the attack at this point of time? Two incidents project themselves as the immediate provocation for any adventurer to strike at the US and both involve Israel/Palestinian confrontation. One is of course, world castigation of Israel’s excessive revenge attacks on Palestinians, and other points to condemnation of Israel at the Durban UN Conference on Racism and the subsequent walkout of both Israel and US.
The motivation for Palestinians/ Muslims/ liberals/ Marxists to strike at US comes out loud and clear. However, the sophistication of the World Tower and Pentagon attack as well as the audacity to carry it out, both factors together are lacking in all suspect groups as well as their base or supporting countries. No Arab country will be foolish to take on the US, in the manner the hijacker have attacked. Only Israel comes out as a clear candidate, both with the sophistication, audacity as well as motivation, to have arranged the World Tower attacks to ward off the world closing in on their ‘racist/Zionist’ policies. In a way, they have done it in the past. They have attacked their own ally US when it comes to their ‘self-defense/ survival’. They have no special feelings for the US except as merely a gullible supplier of funds and armaments. If verified, the news of Israel's involvement in the US attack will come as no surprise to keen observers. The state of Israel has a long history of covert operations against Western targets with attacks on the King David Hotel, USS Liberty, murder of a Scandinavian UN envoy as well as espionage against the US during the Jonathan Pollard case. On Wednesday the US defense department issued a warning to its officials to halt the leak of information on the investigation which it says is happening on a daily basis since the attacks occurred. President Bush’s problem is that he can target the whole world, except Israel, if he and his government is to survive. And Israel as well as US Jews are fully aware of their trump card. Their political funding props up political parties.
BJP leaders should study India’s history and if they are true patriots, they will not commit historical blunders of the kind that will surely risk India’s freedom, if they persist in aligning with Israel. Israel could buy up India with its strategic political funding. On the other hand, BJP with their cozying up to Israel, will give a heaven-sent opportunity to Indian Muslims to organize themselves in ‘defense of India’. India will truly become the new battle ground for Middle East enmities to play themselves out. Should India deliberately fall prey to such monumental blunder?
(E-mailed CC to India’s all major English Newspapers and others.)
3.6-----Tuesday, September 18, 2001
A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
A full page advertisement in Economics Times, Mumbai, on September 18, 2001 announces ‘Solidarity Day against Terrorism- 18.9.2001’, where everybody is asked to observe a 2-minutes silence at 10.30 as a silent prayer: a silent resolve. The sponsor of the advertisement is not identified, though it was concluded with the slogan – ‘The nation stands united behind the decision of the All Party Meeting on September 15, 2001.’
The bone of contention is the arbitrary selection of four events as representing the face of terrorism: Mumbai Bomb Blasts-March 1993; Plane Hijack, Kandahar-December 1999; Anantnag Massacre, March, 2001; Attack on WTC, New York-September 11, 2001. One wonders if all political parties have agreed to ignore the worst terrorist attack of India’ s 54 year history: Demolition of Babri Masjid - December 1992., or is it the daylight hijacking of Indian history by the Sangh Parivar.
The public interest advertisement should have carried the full name of the sponsor/s to confirm the fact that all political parties are not only in ‘united’ in the gesture of spending a Lakh or two, to promote national resolve to fight terrorism, but are in full agreement with the sponsors in ignoring Babri Masjid Demolition and the resultant massacre of innocents as not a representative terrorist act to be included in the national shame.
Incidentally, the newspaper carries with the same issue a supplement of by ‘International Times’ - An Economic Times Trade Report on Israel, marking in the words of Israeli Ambassador to India ---through the unstinted efforts of ‘The Times of India Group’, the Jewish New Year ‘Rosh Hashanah’. Trying to identify Solidarity Day against Terrorism with Jewish New Year is a direct incursion in the public life of independent India. Those who are familiar with US media scene, will have no difficulty in noting that full page advertisements in New York Times is the brand of favorite Jewish public relations exercise.
150 million Muslims have every right to protest the new jugalbandi between the Sangh Parivar and Israel to hijack the nation in the name of all political parties. It is time people with foresight understand the full implication of this association and come out with their forthright responses.
3.7 ---Wednesday, September 19, 2001
A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
According to a leading Jordanian daily ‘Al Watan’, quoting diplomatic sources and a popular internet website: www.manartv.com, the sudden stop in mourning was observed in Israel for 4000 Jewish office workers, believed to be trapped in World Trade Center at the time of the jetliner attacks, following the news that all 4000 Jewish workers absented en mass on Tuesday, September 11, on the intervention of Israel’s Public Security Officials in ‘SHAPAK’.
Americans have not acknowledged this anomaly in public, due to known reasons, but security officials are surprised as to how Israel could be in possession of advance knowledge of the hijacked plane attacks on WTC and if they were aware of any such attack, why they did not inform the US authorities.
American suspicions are further aroused when Israeli Newspaper, ‘Bediot Ahernot’ had published news of Public Security Office: Shapak had barred Prime Minister to attend a meeting arranged by Jewish organization to be held in New York on the same day. Sharon was the chief speaker in that meeting. A day earlier it was officially announced by Sharon’s secretary that the New York meeting stands canceled. Israeli Daily ‘Maariv’ reported that 4 hours after the attack, FBI arrested 5 Israelis for video shooting the burning towers from a rooftop, in a strange celebratory manner. They were yelling in joy and mocking the US.
The whole hijack and attack on TWC is so murky, as US authorities are themselves confused while bombarded with leads which point overwhelmingly to other than Bin Laden involvement in the actual attack. However, Jewish elements in US administration are frantically withholding all references to Israel and other Jewish organizations. In such a situation, President Bush and Collin Powell are mechanically castigating Bin Laden in media, just to divert public anger in the US to a conveniently known ‘notorious enemy’, though his specific involvement in WTC attack is not confirmed.
India therefore, should wait and withhold any unilateral public stance that may backfire and smear its reputation with neutral countries and people of the world and cause it public embarrassments, when the truth is revealed
(E-mailed CC to India’s all major English Newspapers and others.)
This letter was published by The Free Press Journal on 25 September 2001. The Times of India published all details of the above letter in a dispatch by its New York correspondent under heading ‘Conspiracy Theories’, a day later to the faxing of the above letter to their Mumbai Office. )
3.8 ---
A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
America’s war against terrorism is shaping up as a war against a faceless international hegemony that feeds on the actual and/or imagined injustices committed by the West.
After the demise of organized communist challenge to America and the US assumption of the so-called ‘free world’ overlordship in world affairs, the alternatives becoming available to the disgruntled elements all over the world are more easily accessible, more effective, less expensive, less complicated, and potentially more dangerous to the human kind.
Since greater part of the incidence of all such insensitive ‘benign neglect’ as well as organized exploitation by the Western hegemony are centered on Muslim countries of the Middle world, the term ‘Islamic terrorism’ more or less correctly describes the essential contours of the current struggle.
Stunned with the most traumatic attack on its own soil, US President was compelled to assuage his countrymen, with gung-ho old West style threats and bravados. As the immediate shock is being replaced by cooler thinking, President Bush, through wide counseling with friends and allies, has been seen as more and more attuned to the ‘fundamental factors’ behind the rise of terrorism ---- the constant insensitivity of US and its western allies of the concerns of the less developed world ---be that economic, political, strategic, religious or psychological. His aside while congratulating President Musharraf for his decision to side with the US, in broaching the possibility of bringing Pakistan and India together, was one of the most encouraging and positive fallout of the current campaign ---as far as the subcontinent is concerned. Other lists of adjustments will be the re-view of the old classification of who is an enemy and who is a friend. The building of a grand international coalition is a long overdue exercise that could facilitate the reorganization through negotiation, a new world order that could last at least another half century after the ‘Second Pearl Harbor’, hopefully without bloodshed.
It is tragic that all such readjustment cycles have to begin with heavy and traumatic cost to US human lives and that too through machinations of US friends themselves.
(E-mailed CC to India’s all major English Newspapers and others.)
3.9 ----Thursday, September 20, 2001
A LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
President George W. Bush’s condemnation of bias against Muslim and Arab Americans, using very strong words that those venting such anger ‘don’t represent the best of America; they represent the worst of humankind and should be ashamed’, should be an eye-opener to Sangh Parivar and its rabble-rousers, who miss no opportunity to go after Muslims, Christians and other minorities, at flimsiest of excuse. The swiftness with which President Bush had presented himself at Washington Islamic Centre and addressed American people on TV, reassured Muslims who are after all a minority in that secular democratic country. George W. Bush is still in the early stages of coming to grips with his new presidency. However, he has shown excellent judgment in holding up the noblest example of treatment of the Muslim minority and that too with such forceful words that leave no doubt about his sincerity and commitment. The US law enforcement authorities too are most vigilant and go for immediate action apprehending those involved in hate crimes, that have now multiplied in the aftermath of September 11 tragedy.
This should be an example to BJP leaders who are in power now, whose commitment to letter and spirit of secularism is most wanting, as far as treatment of minorities is concerned. If BJP leadership aspires to be a strategic partner of the US in days to come, they will have to be more considerate of minority’s sensitivities on the high standard that US President has maintained even in the aftermath of US history’s most horrible carnage.
President Bush, as Head of State did not condone such hate crimes saying ---that when a big tree falls, the earth shudders, nor he called for a debate on the matter, as had been the case with two of our distinguished Prime Ministers.
It would appear that Indian politicians that take customary pride in India’s millenniums old civilization have much to learn from the young America when it comes to secular values. A beginning had been made, both by Prime Minister Vajpayee and his Foreign/ Defence Minister, in putting out statements against equating terrorism with Islam. But it has yet to sink in, through the mindset of state functionaries. An open violation of the words of Prime Minister and Foreign Minister was the full page Advertisements in major national Newspapers, calling upon Indian people to observe two minutes’ silence on September 18, designated as Solidarity Day against Terrorism. The Advertisement carried 4 images of terrorism: Mumbai serial bomb blasts of 1993, the Kandahar hijacking of 1999, the Anantnag massacre of March 2001, the WTC/Pentagon attack on September 11. It chose to ignore the image of Demolition of Babri Masjid on the December 6 1992, the one face of terrorism that has virtually bedevilled and traumatized the nation ever since.
(E-mailed CC to India’s all major English Newspapers and others
3.10 ---- Friday, September 21, 2001
A LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Those who regularly watch CNN news coverage, will have no difficulty in observing that in the sad aftermath of the WTC/Pentagon attacks, the people of the US are cracking. A majority of them are so psychologically scarred that they have lost interest in their work. That will hit directly the very reservoir of all the human horsepower that kept America on the move. If the dejection of the people is not reversed, it might scar permanently the spirit of enterprise and consumerism that made America the economic superpower of the world. Like the fatalist East, its people may strip down their standard of living, and hasten the day of doom in world markets.
America and with it the world’s nation are so interlinked and interconnected, as if they are all in the same boat. The very interconnectivity will be rob the world the flexibility to survive the disaster. Like a leak in the boat, the whole western economies will sink or swim with America and that’s like placing the all eggs in one basket.
US does not need the sympathy and support for the tragedy, for its own survival; it is in fact everybody’s business. The mighty power today needs all the support it can muster. Terrorists, even if Islamists, are out there to impose a New World Order by destroying the old. But there will not be anything left to rebuild that new order. The time is not for apportioning blame. The time is for apportioning the responsibility of pulling out the world from the brink of impending disaster. Everybody should sink their differences and join in rebuilding the fractured world.
Even if one does not believe in the prophesies of Nostrademus, his bleak forecast should form the contours of the worst case scenarios and every effort should be mounted to fight such dark scenarios and assert our resolve to rejuvenate the world spirit of survival and revival.
(E-mailed CC to India’s all major English Newspapers and others.)
3.11 ---- Saturday, September 22, 2001
LETTERS
C/O THE EDITOR, THE ECONOMIC TIMES
MUMBAI
SIR,
Apropos of Shankar Raghuraman’s observations: Is the government advertising its mindset? (ET, 22/9/2001). If the BJP led government has placed full page advertisements in nations’ all major newspapers, to observe the Solidarity Day against Terrorism, then it is quite understandable, though at the same time deplorable, that Babri Masjid demolition was left out as on the ugliest images of terrorism in India. Besides, the choice of September 18, coinciding Jewish New Year Day, Rosh Hashanah, raises doubts that the whole exercise by BJP-led government was at the instance of BJP’s newly acquired Israeli friends. The irony is that for 150 million Indian Muslims at least, besides a vast cross section, that had gone along with India’s refusal to have diplomatic relations with Israel for over 40 years, Israelis themeselves are considered to be the old masters in the art and craft of terrorism. Terrorism has not started on September 11 and even if it is now made out through relentless propaganda that Islam has some monopoly on terrorism; the facts are more complicated and needed to be probed further to pin down the menace in all its forms
( This letter was faxed to The Economic Times. Shankar Raghuraman’s article appears to be in response to my letter:
3.9 ---- Thursday, September 20, 2001. Instead of publishing my letter, ET correspondent, Shankar Reghuraman wrote out his own article: critising the arbitrary choice of the 4 images of terrorism.)
3.12 ---- Saturday, September 22, 2001
The Editor, Mid-day, Mumbai
Ayaz Amir wonders if Pakistan bent a trifle too swiftly to ‘world’ pressure. (Bombast of the weak-kneed, Mid-day, 22/9/2001 ). In fact it was mainly ‘Indian’ pressure, that forced Pakistan to jump into the fray, lest India may not steal a march in courting US. So in a way, Indian leaders should be blamed for pushing Pakistan into tendering and winning a pivotal role with the US coalition to fight terrorism. Our Vajpayee, Advani and Jaswant lost all control and became visibly jumpy like children welcoming a baraat, without having a thought as to how detrimental it could be for Indian interest. A slightly more mature and discrete posturing or play-acting, would not have alarmed President Musharraf into what Bush called a very bold step. It would not have rattled the opposition too. But the BJP leaders, not habitually attuned to work in a democratic set-up, acted more like Musharraf, whom they relish accusing of being a dictator and themselves botched up the whole prospect of working closely with the US to push up India’s concerns in the bargain. Though one doubts, if in the final analysis, it would have made any difference to US plans in the northern areas. Both Israel and India have been pragmatically sidelined to give more credibility to the US coalition’s focus on terrorism, rather than on Islam-bashing. In this department, sadly BJP-lead government does not possess the required image
(E-mailed CC to India’s all major English Newspapers and others.)
3.13 ---- Saturday, September 22, 2001
Letters
C/O The Editor, The Times of India, Mumbai
This refers to Chidanand’s Rajghatta’s report: Anger gives way to reason, fingers are pointed at flaws in U.S. policy. ( TOI, 22/9/2001 ). It will not be an exaggeration if it is point out that the main reason for a blind spot in US foreign policy over Arab and Muslim affairs is the preponderance of Jewish staff at all levels in the US State Department and their stranglehold on the fundamentals of state policy; just like the hawkish elements in our own Foreign Ministry, who are not prepared to change an iota, from the sacrosanct essentials of the policy vis a vis Pakistan or Kashmir. Without being judgmental on the merits of the content of these policies, the bureaucratic stubbornness to any change is treated as if an admission that they can be mistaken. Politicians come and go, the policy and the policy-making are the permanent fixtures. One doubts that even an event of the magnitude of WTC/Pentagon attack will move the mountain. It is next to impossible if any new policy initiatives will even be looked into in consonance with changed situations. Unless of course a night of the long knives is ushered in
(E-mailed CC to India’s all major English Newspapers and others.)
3.14 ---- Monday, September 24, 2001
A LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
Post -World War II, the most effective means of tackling with the enemy, short of war, was to topple governments and help bring in a government more in tune with the aspirations of the attacking power. US became the world power, in a broader sense, by managing successfully, continuous series of toppling governments through remote controlled overt and covert operations. Even the last of its biggest adversary was humbled by achieving a very meticulous and prolonged exercise of toppling the Government in the Soviet Russia.
It therefore stands to reason, that someday, US itself may become a victim of the same toppling game by other outside powers, who may find its current party government not being particularly amenable to its wishes/dictats.
For the first time in US history, a Presidential Election was won through most agonizing process of legal/procedural management. It is an open question, whether any foreign hand was especially interested to thwart the continuity of Democrat’s rule that favoured with kid-glove treatment, among other nations, the ‘beleaguered’ nation of Israel. This gives the possibility of the counter move by the hurt nation to settle the score and once again start the process of toppling the government of the United States of America.
It is possible that the attack on TWC and Pentagon was therefore more subtly and meticulously planned covert operation by power or powers other than the current favorite villain Osama Bin Laden, to settle the score with the Bush Presidency and Republican Party and to warn them against interfering in the vital interests of the mini-super power in the Middle East.
Nations of the World, other than the two David and Goliath involved, should take up the initiatives to step in and stop this cycle of dreadful violence being inflicted on innocent bystanders, justifiable as ‘collateral damage’, to camouflage that old game of toppling governments, now being introduced into the new world
(E-mailed CC to India’s all major English Newspapers and others.)
3.15 ---- Monday, September 24, 2001
A LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
Probably feeling peevish about his presidency’s failure to tackle scores of most pressing world problem, former President Bill Clinton volunteered the information that his administration had authorized the arrest and ‘if necessary’, killing of Islamic militant Osama Bin Laden. This is as near as a President can get near to becoming a terrorist himself. If Osama has committed crimes, US had all the choices to first file a prima facie legal case against the accused with the International Court of Justice and proceed in the matter in an orderly and legal manner. In no case, US can arrogate the right to kill anybody without the due process of law; in this case international law. If a US President and for that matter any head of state or government, openly admits ordering an assassination, he should be subject to international law and should be brought to justice. US at one side wants to fight outlaws and terrorists and on the other side condones assassination attempts on others, cannot claim high moral ground for its stand. In fact, President Clinton’s statement on the soil of New York, condoning an unlawful act, is an affront to the memory of thousands who died that September 11, in the carnage at World Trade Center and Pentagon, by the outlaws who chose to take matters in their own hand and went about dispensing private justice. President Clinton owes apologies to the memory of the thousands of innocent victims of September 11 acts of terror, who probably lost their lives in direct consequence of the illegal, unlawful misadventure of the US administration officials. President Clinton should be hauled up to face justice in appropriate court of law, to demonstrate to the world at large, that justice is alive in the world, and has to start with personal obligations of all those who hold power in the name of the people of the world community. President Bush’s gung-ho call of the Old West : Wanted - dead or alive, too had short-circuited the process of law and should be judged on the same lines. How will the World respond except with horror, if suicidal outlaws started assassinations of world leaders, with their own private code of justice.
GHULAM MUHAMMED, \fs22 P.O.BOX: 16685, BANDRA WEST, MUMBAI-400050.
\fs24 ghulam_muhammed@hotmail.com
NOTE: THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN LETTERS TO EDITORS ARE ENTIRELY PERSONAL AND ARE OPEN FOR COMMENTS.
RESPECTED RECIPIENTS : YOU HAVE BEEN RECEIVING THESE FORTNIGHTLY DISPATCHES FOR SOME TIME. THE UNDERLINED OBJECTIVE IS TO FORM A NETWORK OF LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE WITH THE HELP OF THE NEW MEDIUM OF INTERNET, TO RESPOND TO FAST CHANGING EVENTS CONCERNING THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS OF INDIAN MUSLIMS. ANY INITIATIVE TO STRENGTHEN THIS NETWORK WILL BE WELCOME.
INTERVENTION IN MEDIA IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE DEFENSE OF OUR RIGHTS. PROMPT, FAST AND COLLECTIVE INTERVENTIONS ARE THE NEED OF THE HOUR. EVEN IF OUR LETTERS ARE NOT PUBLISHED IN THE MEDIA, DUE TO ANY REASON WHATSOEVER, THEIR INFLUENCE ON MEDIA AND THROUGH THEM ON STATE AGENCIES, CANNOT BE DENIED. SO PLEASE WRITE TO MEDIA AND STATE OFFICIALS AS WELL AS INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS ABOUT SUBJECTS AND DEVELOPMENTS THAT CONCERN OUR COMMUNITY IN INDIA OR ABROAD. ANY INTERVENTION BY OVERSEAS INDIAN MUSLIMS IS MORE EFFECTIVE WHEN THEY TAKE UP ANY CAMPAIGN IN FAVOUR OF THEIR BELEAGUERED COMPATRIOTS IN INDIA.
For your convenience a collection of e-mail addresses of Indian English Newspapers:
ENGLISH NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES :
letters.editor@intoday.com,outlook@outlookindia.com,mailbag@mid-day.com,letters@asianage.com.in,editor@the-week.com,editor@afternoondc.com,aftnet@bom2.vsnl.net.in,thestatesman@vsnl.com,letterstelegraph@abpmail.com,editor@telegraphindia.com,letters@dailypioneer.com,editor@deccanherald.com,letters@thehindu.co.in,medasia@giasdl01.vsnl.net.in,letters-bombay@express2.indexp.co.in,letters-delhi@express2.indexp.co.in,toieditorial@timesgroup.com,freepres@bom2.vsnl.net.in,bombaytimes@timesgroup.com,editet@timesgroup.com,feedback@hindustantimes.com,frontline@thehindu.co.in,feedback@ptinews.com,meantime@vsnl.com,muslim@del3.vsnl.net.in,nation@del3.vsnl.net.in,radianceweekly@vsnl.com,sadath@giasbg01.vsnl.net.in,edit@milligazette.com,editor@inquilab.com,editor@urdutimesdaily.com,editor@deccan.com,editor@washingtonpost.com,editor@nytimes.com,stoi@indiatimes.com
( A Note from AMJERUSALEM’s advices:
Letters are better than faxes.
Faxes are better than phone calls.
Phone calls are better than e-mails.
Any one of these is better than inaction)
WITH REGARDS, Ghulam Muhammed Siddiqui, Mumbai
