Desicritics Category: Politics: Religion

Is Terrorism a Vice born out of Patriotic Virtues?

Suresh Naig — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 13:36:20 EST

Patriotism, as per the dictionary, conveys a person’s loyalty, devotion and readiness to defend and guard a country, to which one belongs. From time immemorial patriotism is extolled, as a supreme virtue. Since patriotism is more emotional than rational, the benignity of patriotism could easily be converted into malignant terrorism, by stoking emotions.

A nation or a country has different dimensions, other than its geographical boundaries. It has its economic, social, and cultural dimensions too. A country is united by its cohesive cultural identity, which supersedes every other factor – geographical, economical or political. When this cultural identity is uprooted, mere geographical intact-ness of a country loses its relevance. Or to put it the other way, a country cobbled up on apparent lines of similarity, other than cultural cohesiveness, cannot stay intact in the longer run.

Break-up of USSR into different fragments, could be attributed to different reasons and the major being cultural disconnect. The same cultural bondage saw unification of Germany, on the 3rd of October, 1990. Break-up of USSR into fragments and re-unification of East Germany and West Germany, were almost simultaneous. Communism as a philosophy lacked the cultural cohesiveness in neither uniting nor dividing countries.

In spite of different kingdoms existed in our mother land, due to geographical convenience, economic viability, territorial advantage and individual avarice, Bharat was united culturally. Adi Shankara in 5th Century BC (those of you who want to dispute the period of Adi Shankara to 6th Century AD, pl wait) could not have established his mutts in different directions, North, East, West and South, but for the cultural connectivity existed in our land.

This cultural connectivity of our great nation was beyond religions, for our cultural uniqueness, accepted every religion into its fold, without antagonising any religion or sect. In addition to Hinduism; Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism and Christianity continues to co-exist in our great land, since our culture is basically polytheist in nature. But for the cultural cohesiveness of our land, British would have failed to create a single political entity as India. Without understanding our basic strength, many attribute our sovereignty to English, whereas British were more known for their dividing capabilities than unifying credentials.

Many a time, religion and culture are misunderstood, to be overlapping to each other; experiments in that direction also failed; sterling example is the split of Pakistan into two. Pakistan was born out of apparent similarity of religion, but bereft of cultural cohesiveness and hence it was not able to stay as one political unit. Without proper understanding of this phenomenon, disgruntled elements in Pakistan are seeing a demon in India, which had engineered the split.

Patriotism is apparently misunderstood in Pakistan, by encompassing religion into its patriotic firmament, since the country originated on religious grounds. Because of this confused logic, select few inside Pakistan want to avenge India on religious lines, attributing assumed reasons of religious suppression in Kashmir and for causing the split of Bangladesh. However much diabolic or manic the design might be, because of its sanctification from the religious patriots, the feeble voices of reasonable persons in Pakistan have been dinned by the noises of radicals.

The radicals, however miniscule in number, wield enormous political and religious clout; they have absolute power of destruction. Political power centre in Pakistan had lost its control over these rogue elements since long and hence they continue to deny the presence of terror elements in their land.

Overt operations such as war or economic sanctions would hurt only the section in Pakistan which does not have anything to do with these terror elements and it is better for India to think of covert actions, aimed at hitting these modules beyond recovery.

Israel & Palestine: Force Is Never the Solution

temporal — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 01:25:14 EST

Taking advantage of the lame duck Presidency of Bush, the deliberate distancing of President Elect there-is-only-one-president Obama, the holidays in the West and the attending low emphasis of politicians, Israeli Air Force launched a devastating attack on Gaza.

Israel is the non NPT signatory Occupier in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, Golan and East Jerusalem, aided (up to 5 billion a year) and abetted by the West.

President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmood Abbas is perceived as an Palestinian Uncle Tom and he was soundly beaten in the elections by Hamas.

The infamous US dichotomy re: democracy sprung into action and immediately cut off all aid to Hamas in the Gaza Strip. It also twisted its allies and lackeys' arms (including Canada's) to do the same. This US amnesiac approach is well documented and understood globally. Do as I say, not as I do.

Hamas leadership did not go to the same school.

This latest foray into the Gaza Strip would wane away sooner or later. But the violence and "terrorism" it would spawn would perpetuate the cycle for long.

Can anything be done to avoid the unnecessary spiralling of violence? I have written about the solution before here: Peace With Dignity: Another Gift For Israel

Criticizing Zionism is NOT anti-Semitism. States do not exist without an “official” map. Israel has to exist. Its citizens have a right to live in peace and harmony within its defined borders. They forget that to ensure this its neighbors should also have the same rights.

Both Israel and Palestinians have to demonstrate more effectively that they want to live in peace and do not want to kill, maim, expel from their land. It is for them to deliberate and decide if this should come under One State of Two State solution.

The world should help them reach this decision but should not refrain to remind Israel that it should curb its policies of occupation, subjugation, ethnic cleansing, and terrorising.

We should encourage initiatives that will let all Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace, with dignity, justice and guaranteed fundamental human rights in secure borders, as enshrined in the various UN resolutions.

To remove misgivings, doubts and suspicions, international bodies including the UN, the European Union, OIC should be enlisted to provide guarantees. Peace in the region is not to be equated with death for the state of Israel.

Israel portrays itself as the David but acts as the Goliath in the region. Here are the (boxing preliminary) statistics of Israel and the Palestinians of the occupied Gaza Strip.

The Occupier Goliaths

High quality tanks 970
Medium and low quality tanks 1830
APCs, IFVs, ARVs, LCVs 6930
Self-propelled artillery 1204
Combat warplanes 875
Transport warplanes 84
Training warplanes 171
Military helicopters 286
Heavy SAM batteries 25
Warships 13
Submarines 3
Patrol boats 50 50
nuclear bombs over 300-500

The Occupied Davids

Five major militant factions operate in Gaza. These are the Islamic groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad; the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, which is loosely tied to Abbas' Fatah faction; the Popular Resistance Committees, a shadowy umbrella group; and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. The size of the groups is unclear, but they are equipped with assault rifles, mortars, anti-tank missiles, homemade rockets and other explosives.

****

The point neoconzix in Israel and the West refuse to fathom: force is never the solution.

19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East by Naomi Shihab Nye

Vivek Sharma — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 02:03:31 EST

Naomi Shihab Nye's collection contains sixty poems about Palestinians and Middle East, about love and longing for lost and imaginary homelands. The poems are fragrant with spices of the Middle-East, flavors of figs and olives, and served with a tenderness of a grandmother talking to a grandchild, a five year old to his mother, an aged man to his beloved he unites with after a lifetime.

In the world torn by religious and political conflicts, these poems represent an oasis of hope. It is the humanity of these verses, that leaps from the page like the memory of nineteen varieties of gazelle described in the title poem.

The poems assume special significance in the context of post-September 11 world, for they contain a platter of understanding and taste served to assuage our need to be comforted. The solace is brought in by the mint green language of a poet born to a Palestinian father and an American mother. Perhaps the unique identity of Nye offers her perspectives about the Arab East and American West which her creativity has shaped into a narrative that offers respite from the reactionary rhetoric that dominates our daily thinking and actions.

As an Indian residing in America, I sense a brotherhood with Nye's characters, who chase the voices, flavors, visions, music and familiarity that maps their nostalgic world. As a poet with Indian heart and Americanized mind, I find Nye, like Agha Shahid Ali, present our cultural and emotional duality in a lyric that is both powerful and poignant. The tapestry of inheritance of the East is laced with tales quite unknown in the West, and this wealth can nourish many a chasms that exist between the material and spiritual. It is voices like Amichai's and Nye's that remind us that the transcendental humanity within us can help us to outlive the wounds inflicted by the fanatic forces everywhere.

Defending Kasab

Somik Raha — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 08:38:50 EST

As the world watches and supports India in its investigation of the Mumbai terror attacks, we are on the verge of dismantling the very spirit of our democracy that we should have been striving to protect. One wonders which law schools have trained the members of the Mumbai Bar Council when all of them refuse to represent Ajmal Kasab, the lone terrorist caught by the police in the Mumbai attacks. What is wrong with the people of India that they think an accused should be denied legal rights?

There are several disturbing reports in the media about this. Here is a badly written piece that argues the following, "What would have been the treatment if this would have happened in some middle east countries. India is turning out to be heaven for this terrorist groups, they have every oppurtunity to use the loose laws in there favour and save themselves in jail......in long and safe trials. The democratic heaven of terrorist give them right to life to kill several lives." This is what I call a "self-defeating argument." It is clear that the author does not hold the Middle East in good light. Yet, if we follow his thinking to its logical conclusion and deny legal rights, we will create a middle-eastern system within India, which I assume he won't like. Of course, it is another discussion if the middle-eastern system is indeed as primitive as it is made out to be.

The lone lawyer who was "appointed" to represent Kasab withdrew, and the Times of India presents it in a manner that makes it look patriotic. The Mumbai Bar Council passed a resolution saying it would not represent Kasab or any of the defendants.

One brave and sensible advocate, Mahesh Deshmukh, showed the willingness to take up the case. The Shiv Sena, which had disappeared all this time, re-emerged and attacked Mr. Deshmukh's house. The police were apparently present when the Shiv Sainiks manhandled Mr. Deshmukh, and as far as I have seen, there has been no action taken against the Sena.

All this paints a very disturbing picture of an India that is throwing logic and the law out of the window. The outcome will come back to haunt us in ways that we won't like at all. First, for all those people who have fooled themselves into believing that patriotism is about not representing criminals, To Kill a Mockingbird comes as highly recommended reading. In fact, we ought to read this book as high-school children. The story is about a black man convicted of raping a white woman, and a white lawyer who is requested by the judge to represent the accused. Of course, all hell breaks loose, and the town is furious with the lawyer for taking the case.

To me, the white lawyer in the story is a hero. And we have such living heroes who uphold the values we hold dear in our country. One of them is Ram Jethmalani. Shockingly, the Indian media is also unaware of the fact that the accused in our country are given legal rights. Sagarika Ghose tried to ask Mr. Jethmalani why he was representing Manu Sharma, a convicted murderer accused of killing Jessica Lall, and a person who does not arouse any sympathy from any quarter in India (including myself). Jethmalani's response was classic:

"Who the hell is the press to decide who is indefensible? Courts decide that. .. The press has no right to determine this issue. The press in trying to determine this issue is guilty of the highest form of contempt." He also says in the interview that it will be the saddest day in India when lawyers refuse to defend an accused. Unfortunately, that day is here.

Here is the must-watch interview:

I am also critical of the way in which the government is interacting with Pakistan on this investigation. Zaid Hamid, a vitriolic Mujahideen turned defense analyst from Pakistan, has been screaming himself hoarse on how all this is a Hindu-Zionist conspiracy. While on first glance, he looks and talks like a clown, it is in our interest to listen carefully, for he brings up simple points like the kalash on the hand of Kasab, and that he was talking in Marathi instead of Punjabi, as was alleged. How hard can it be for Indian investigators to refute this? All they need to do is invite a senior investigator from Pakistan to talk to Kasab and determine if he has a Punjabi or Marathi accent.

I think Pakistan cannot be represented by outspoken clowns - there are several sane voices in the land, and we must appreciate them. Today, Nawaz Sharif has talked about the cordon around Ajmal's village, and how he believes that Ajmal is indeed from Pakistan. Meanwhile, Geo TV, Pakistan's private television channel, is busy getting sued by a ruling party politician for doing an undercover investigation and showing villagers agreeing that Ajmal was from their area. These guys are heroes for having the courage to go after the truth, and it will be nice to see some appreciation from the Indian side. And of course, the other voice I respect from Pakistan is that of cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, who gave a very sensible and sane interview in David Frost's show. Imran follows this up with an interview with NDTV (you can see how the journalist is least interested in the points that Imran is making).

Perhaps, there is an opportunity for engagement. India could invite people like Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan, along with Pakistani investigators, to come talk to the accused and then tell their fellow citizens what they think. How hard is it for us to do this? Let us not be blinded in patriotic anger, for no good can ever come from it. Rabindranath Tagore once wrote, at the height of the freedom struggle, "Patriotism cannot be our final spiritual shelter; my refuge is humanity. I will not buy glass for the price of diamonds, and I will never allow patriotism to triumph over humanity as long as I live."

In summary, if we lose this opportunity to stand up for the Indian system that gives defense rights to even the most damned criminal, we might as well give up on democracy altogether, and go back to a feudal system. There is still time - let us not make a bad decision here. We must come down very heavily on politicians who are no less than hooligans when they beat up or threaten lawyers who want to take this case. They should be on the dock for contempt of court, if not treason for subverting the judiciary and the state. We must also come down heavily on the media who claim to be representing the public voice and milk people's anger for their ratings. I think they should be inspired to help the public transcend their anger and go to a place of reason where our judgment is not clouded. All is not lost, as there are some people still willing to come out and defend Kasab. Let us encourage and not vilify them. Let us also consider the opportunity to connect with the sane voices in Pakistan and try a constructive approach in the investigation.

Terrorism - The Communist Perception

Suresh Naig — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 11:08:20 EST

Sitaram Yechury declared in the Rajya Sabha, that the Indo-US nuclear deal had exposed our country to new threats of terrorism. As per the News paper reports he said

"What brought the terrorist outfits to our shores, with the Indo-US nuclear deal you are seen as an ally of the US, a strategic partner. There seems to be a total lack of appreciation of this thought from the government's side"

In the same breath he said "we need to avoid the compartmentalised approach in combating terrorism in the country. Witch-hunting of a particular community would further breed terror".

After compartmentalising the terror attack of Mumbai to Indo-US nuclear deal, Sitaram Yechury, advises the government to shed compartmentalised approach in combating terrorism.

The two points he had raised in the Rajya Sabha are unfathomable for me.

1. Instead of coming out with a comprehensive suggestion to combat the menace of terrorism, he has concocted a new reason for the terrorists and terrorism to exist. We have not sent them to the Parliament to act as the spin doctors, spinning reasons for the existence of terrorism. If not the nuclear deal, exported terrorism from Pakistan would be for Godhra carnage, or Babri Masjid, or Kashmir or Bangladesh, or just for the fun of it. When we know the real source which is Pakistan, why waste our time in looking for additional and apparent reasons for terrorism. He should have come with his solution to weed out terrorism from its source.

2. His next advice to the government is to refrain from witch-hunting of a particular community. He knows pretty well that in India, witch-hunting is done only for electoral gains, and not for fighting terror. We cannot expect Sitaram Yechury to be so pragmatic, in his advice to the government to stop "witch-hunting of a particular community for electoral gains."

Leftists never seem to come out of their self spun cocoons; they may as well call their party as CPM "Cocoons Party of India (Marxists)"

poem: hatred and love

temporal — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 03:18:42 EST

Reuters – A clock is seen in front of the
logo of Swiss bank Credit Suisse at
the Paradeplatz square in Zurich …

we have to wait a second longer
for 2008 to end
those who exude hatred
would have more
time
                           to maim
                                 to hate
                                 to kill

i hate hatred
                                 but understand the necessity
without                       hatred
love would have no place to flourish

if hatred was a sacrificial goat
it should be rescued and protected

despite the century of holocausts
armenians, gypsies, jews, hindus, muslims,
cambodians, rwandans, bosnians, chechenians...
despite the murders and mayhems
hate should be protected and mirrored

sorry t.s.e. april is not the cruelest month
                                 november is...

each hateful act, each act of violence
enhances the resolve
                                 to hate hatred
                             to love love
even if it be with moistened eyes

Symbolic Gestures Are Sometimes Necessary

Vinod Joseph — Tue, 9 Dec 2008 09:46:44 EST

Veteran journalist Jawed Naqvi is the Dawn’s correspondent in Delhi. Highly respected and very much balanced, Naqvi has in the past worked for Gulf News and Khaleej Times. I have been a regular reader of Naqvi’s articles ever since they started appearing in the Dawn and have almost always been in agreement with the very sensible points of view he usually espouses. However, in his most recent article, Naqvi has taken a stand that I did not fully agree with. According to Naqvi, the refusal to bury the dead terrorists who attacked Mumbai is wrong. In support of his argument, Naqvi says, ‘they should know that no Constitution, other than perhaps the Taliban’s, endorses the abuse of dead bodies.’

Naqvi also finds issue with another symbolic gesture made by Delhi’s Muslim “leaders” “who have reportedly agreed to wear a black armband on Eidul Azha to mark their anguish at the carnage in Mumbai.” According to Naqvi, “nothing could be more cosmetic, meaningless and distractive than to make the token observation.”

Naqvi goes on to say that “everybody has been trying to carry on with life after the outrage.” Therefore, he wonders, why don’t Muslims do the same? In short, Naqvi gets the feeling (and he may be right) that Indian Muslims are forced to make these token gestures to prove their patriotism in the current climate.

Naqvi ends his article by making a very valid point. He says that it is inevitable that the Mumbai attacks were supported by some alienated Indian Muslims. Rather than make token gestures, Naqvi wants Indian Muslims to isolate such alienated brethren in their midst rather than demonstrating their sympathy with the Indian state. I have no issues with Naqvi’s final point. It is far more important that India's Muslim community identify and isolate the bad 'Uns in their midst rather than refuse an Islamic burial to the terrorists. Identifying and isolating the bad 'Uns in their midst is much more important for India's Muslim community than refusing an Islamic burial to the terrorists.However, I think the decision to deny an Islamic burial was essentially right. Also, symbolic gestures can do some good at times like this, though it wouldn’t do to force a community to make gestures. Let's admit it, thanks to Islamic fundamentalists and their activities, Islam and all Muslims have a serious PR issue - an image problem.As any self-respecting PR consultant will tell you, in order to fix an image problem, you need to get to the root of the problem. Getting to the root of a problem usually takes time and effort. Until the cause of the problem is identified and destroyed, it is necessary to undertake a few PR exercises which give some temporary relief.

Naqvi may not be aware of this, but refusal to grant a proper religious burial is one that is not unheard of among Catholics and Jews. If a Catholic commits suicide (prohibited by the Church), a Catholic burial is denied. Recently, the Dutch Catholic church extended this principle to victims of assisted suicide. Jews who practise Christianity will not be eligible for a Jewish burial and Christians who convert to any other religion will not be eligible for a Christian burial. I do not wish to use this forum to discuss whether the Catholic Church or the Jews are right in refusing a religious burial, but only want to stress that the decision to deny a Muslim burial is not unique. The Mullahs who denied the terrorists an Islamic burial have said that the terrorists have ceased to be Muslims by their heinous actions. I find this to be a very valid statement. Only Muslims are entitled to an Islamic burial and if one ceases to be a Muslim, one has no right to an Islamic burial.

If the terrorists were to be buried in an Islamic cemetery, even if the graves are unmarked, wouldn’t the local Muslim community be under so much more pressure for having given the terrorists a final resting place? Sure, they shouldn’t be under such pressure and they shouldn’t be forced to make such symbolic statements, but to be honest, the time for such niceties is long past.

Let me give you an example. Let’s assume a few bloggers (like me) install spy software on their blogs which allows them to hack into their readers computers and steal money from their bank accounts (yeah, I may be stretching it here, but do indulge me). Should I be forced to apologise on behalf of the rotten blogger(s)? No, of course not. What happens if the number of bloggers who play dirty goes up and they receive sympathy and support from say 25% of global bloggers? You can be sure that I would not be in a hurry to declare my blogging habit to a bunch of strangers in a pub after a few rounds. What if readers of blogs lose a lot of money due to a sudden spurt in such nefarious activity? The number of people who read blogs will be drastically reduced and I may be forced to make symbolic gestures to the public at large. I would declare that I have no idea as to who the bad bloggers are. I might donate some money to the people who lost money. I might put up the sign of a wreath on top of my blog, though fat lot of good it would do.

The decision to wear a black arm band is a symbolic gesture for sure, and the ones wearing it are in a sense forced to wear it, but such gestures are now necessary and are not to be written off, until the root of this problem is identified and destroyed.

After the Kargil war, when Pakistan refused to take back its dead, India gave the dead bodies a proper Muslim burial. Images of Indian soldiers conducting Islamic rites were broadcast to the world, giving India a PR coup. Should the Indian government at this stage step in and do what was done after Kargill? Offer an Islamic burial to the dead terrorists in a purpose made graveyard unconnected with any Muslim community in India, distribute photographs of the dead bodies and their burial to the world media and allow family members of the terrorists to visit the graves at any time in the future? The other alternative would be to cremate the bodies in an electric crematorium without any ceremony and scatter the ashes in the Arabian Sea. Let the terrorists float back to where they came from.

Operation Cyclone and Mumbai Terror Attacks

Suresh Naig — Fri, 5 Dec 2008 08:58:36 EST

The commando action to neutralise terrorists involved in the Mumbai attacks was code named “Operation Cyclone”, followed by unprecedented reactions from many western countries, especially USA. Could there have been a connection between the USA and the code name? Was the operation named innocuously or was there a purpose behind it?

Though terror and terrorism are nothing new in the annals of world history, we all know organized terrorism is a recent phenomenon, where terrorists have at their disposal new and advanced equipment and weaponry. To be precise, organized terrorism of higher magnitude came into existence from the latter part of 1980s.

When people try to understand the origin and objectives of organized terrorism, many a time, their inference is clouded by their affiliation to a political party, religion, country or class and never unbiased. We have seen persons from Congress accusing the BJP and its policies for the terror, which is consumed readily by the “secular” journalists in haste, to be regurgitated leisurely for public assimilation. As a consequence we are made to believe that Babri Masjid demolition of 1991 and Godhra carnage of 2002, were the flashpoints for the current organized terrorism in India. Recently Lalu Prasad thundered in electronic media, that L.K.Advani is a bigger terrorist, in connection with Malegaon blasts.

Not to be left behind, the BJP squarely blames the Congress and it’s so called “secular” allies, and their vote bank politics, for the current crises turning India into a soft target for terrorism. Both the political parties are right and wrong in a limited way in their assessment of terrorism.

Congress was wrong in their assessment that terrorism started as a reaction to Babri Masjid demolition and Gujarat carnage, since Khalistani terrorism started much earlier to these two occurrences. They are right in a limited way that terrorism found two new reasons to exist in India.

BJP is wrong in accusing the policies of vote bank politics of Congress, for in U.K. there is no vote bank politics and yet they have faced terror attacks. In Sri Lanka terrorism exists without the so called vote bank politics. Yet they are right in a limited way, that organised terrorism found a conduit in the policies of Congress to exist.

Coming back to the pertinence and coincidence of the code name “Operation Cyclone”; it was under the same name the CIA carried out the most elaborate and expensive covert operation in Afghanistan. The operation lasted for ten years from 1979 to 1989 arming the “Mujahedeen’” of Afghanistan to fight against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in support of a puppet communist Government. Started with a meagre sum of $30 million per year in 1980, it had peaked to $630 million per year in 1987, before its culmination in the year 1989.

The program relied heavily on Pakistan and its intelligence agency ISI in funding and training mujahedeen in guerrilla warfare against the mighty Soviet army. Besides the USA, many other countries also participated in funding and recruitment program, aimed at containing the spread of communism. Major participants being UK, Saudi Arabia and surprisingly Peoples Republic of China, participating in the program against communism. The ISI armed and trained 100,000 insurgents between 1979 and 1992. Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaida were the major beneficiaries of this covert fund and the success he attained in driving back the Soviet force turned him manic.

Bin Laden believed that the Soviet forces withdrew from Afghanistan because of Al Qaida and he attributed the subsequent disintegration of USSR to Allah and Al Qaida. Bin Laden strongly believed that he was the saviour of Islam, for he had liberated many Islam countries from the erstwhile Soviet.

Huge resources in the form of opium funds from the poppy fields of Afghanistan, trained insurgents trained by intelligence agency ISI, aided in the past by CIA, vast training field without semblance of human civilization, weak Governments in surrounding countries and a sick brain, all contributing to recurrent terrorism all over the world.

In the aftermath of the Mumbai attacks Condoleeza Rice rushed to India, not with the intention of assisting India, but to defuse the tension between India and Pakistan, so that there would be no troops build up along Indo-Pak border, leaving the porous border of north west Pakistan unguarded, which would result in catastrophic consequences for USA. So it was not an SOS visit but it was an SOA visit, the A stands for what we all know.

It is better for all of us to understand that organized terrorism is an industry today, unknowingly created by many countries including India, (LTTE was trained by RAW), nurtured by intelligence agencies of countries, funded by narcotics money, and arms dealers all over the world deriving benefits out of it. Even if Al Qaida, HUJI, LeT, Jaish-e-mohammed, Maoists, or LTTE decide to refrain from terror, arms dealers would not allow peace to prevail.

While terrorism cannot be eradicated from the world, we can insulate ourselves from the onslaught of terrorism by a strong resolve, conveying a message to the world and terrorists, that we may have bickering, squabbles, differences of opinion, but yet we are all Indians. When the Polity all over the world resort to S-O-A posture, let our leaders address the angry cry of our people Save-our-Souls.

Honoring Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and Rebbetzin Rivka Holtzberg, Martyrs of the Jewish People Who Died in Mumbai

Ruvy — Wed, 3 Dec 2008 00:28:41 EST

As Mumbaikars mourn their many dead and comfort their many injured, Rabbi Holtzberg and his pregnant wife were buried in Jerusalem today.

It may not be clear what the Haba"d does or why. Let this tale from my own life be an illustration.

When I was living on the streets of Saint Paul twenty-five years ago, there were barely any Jewish agencies to help homeless Jews. But there was the Haba"d House. On a cold winter day I walked from downtown to a large residence in the Highland Park neighborhood and knocked on the door. I was tired and hungry. I was welcomed in as though I were a lost son.

The rabbi didn't care that I didn't know what blessings to say over the food (I do now). The rabbi didn't care whether I was dressed as he deemed a Jew ought to dress. He didn't care that I had not said the afternoon prayer or the evening prayer. None of this interested him. The Rabbi offered me food. He was concerned that I had not eaten a decent meal, and insisted on feeding me a decent meal. He asked how it was that I came to be homeless. The story was simple and I told it to him.

I ate, drank some soda. I ate some more. When I was satisfied and full he made his proposition: if I wanted, he would pay for my transport to study Torah, Talmud and all the things a Jew should concentrate on learning. This would be either in Jerusalem or in Brooklyn. I was interested. I wanted very much to go to Israel. But I didn't want to grow the beard I had shaven off in law school; I already had a streak of white hair in my beard from the spot I had pulled at and pulled at in tension trying to comprehend principles in case law. I had forgotten how to wrap tefillin around my arm and head and it embarrassed me terribly (I know now). And most of all, as nice as this guy was, I didn't want to lose my intellectual independence.

So I thanked the rabbi, and told him I would get back to him with an answer in a few days. I never did. He knew he had not made his sale. But, nevertheless, he paid for a motel room for me to sleep in. I showered, and shaved and cleaned all the dirt from the street off of me. I watched cable TV. The next morning I was a homeless bum again.

This rabbi did for me what Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife Rivka, z"l, hy"d (may their souls be remembered for blessings and may G-d avenge their blood), did for thousands and thousands of Jews passing through Mumbai. They served kosher meals, they explained Torah and Law and tried to do with each of these Jews what the rabbi at the St. Paul Haba"d House had attempted to do with me - to draw me closer to G-d. They gave them a place to sleep and rest their weary heads.

That is their mission. That is the mission the Lubavicher Rebbe gave them many years ago - to reach out and get Jews to perform mitzv�t - commandments and good deeds - and thus draw them to G-d bit by bit. If asked, they will explain to non-Jews the Seven laws of Noah, which we Jews believe to be universal laws upon all of mankind. But they will not proselytize nor attempt to convince a non-Jew to become a Jew, nor will they preach the Seven Laws of Noah.

Last week, terrorists, whose actual aims remain unclear, tortured and murdered Rebbetzin Rivka Holtzberg along with seven other Jews at the Haba"d headquarters in the Nariman House in Mumbai, a place they had carefully targeted. Just before Indian Commandos liberated the Nariman House, they murdered Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg. His body was found still warm. And that is why they were buried today. Another couple will continue their work in Mumbai. The Haba"d will not be deterred by the evil of a terrorist. They will light not merely a candle in the darkness, they will light a torch to drive away the darkness.

This link is a You tube video of an Israel National News report of the funeral of Rav Gavriel and Rebbetzin Rivka Holtzberg, zikhron�m l'brakh� v'HASHEM y'nakém dam�m. It is about eight minutes long. I ask you to watch. It says more than this Jew in the mountains of Samaria can, no matter how hard he tries. Rav Holtzberg and his wife Rivka are survived by their son Moshe; may he become a great man in Israel.

ברוך דיין האמת

BLESSED IS THE TRUE JUDGE

Barack Obama in the Indian Context

Suresh Naig — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 00:52:24 EST

One more article on Barack Obama, and certainly not once more on Barack Obama and U.S. elections. On the day when Barack Obama won the elections, I was in Colombo and all the Newspapers there screamed, “America creates history with its first Black President”, as if blacks were substandard and unworthy for consideration for the highest post.

Similar things happened when K.R. Narayanan became the president of India, when everyone shouted that India had established its non-partisan credentials, by electing a Dalit president. The crescendo was so much, it would have made KRN shrink at the revile, for people conveniently relegated his achievements as an IFS, a former diplomat, ambassador of India in China etc, and recognised only by his Dalit identity for the coveted post. The corollary of it was, had he not been a Dalit, he would not have been elected for the highest post. The cynical extrapolation of it is, “it is more important to be a Dalit than an IFS” or a diplomat” (is Natwar Singh listening?).

Every now and then we hear people commending Dr.Ambedkar – for introducing reservations for Dalits, as the panacea to contain the evils of caste system. Little we realise that Ambedkar rose to eminence, without the system of reservation for Dalits. Reservation is an opportunity, in the absence of efforts, negates its very purpose and turns the whole exercise futile. That’s why we see today, more people are fighting for backwardness, so as to claim the undue opportunity.

I would define luck as the meeting point of efforts and opportunity. We also know the adage that, opportunity knocks only once. Since we do not know when opportunity would knock, we keep on putting efforts, which is in our control. If one knows there is abundant opportunity available out there, it would turn the person lazy and effortless. Fortunate for Obama, that he was not caught on the vicious circle of reservation. Obama, Ambedkar, KRN or any person who puts in efforts do not require reservations. (is Bihari listening?)

Similarly when Dr. Zakir Hussain was elected as the president of India, people praised Indian polity for its secular credentials. I recall the comments of Dr. Zakir Hussain to a scribe, when the pointed out the cacophony of Indian intellectual press, in this context. With a twinkle in his eyes he said, ‘true secularism lies when you don’t remember and recall a person’s religion’. How true and pertinent in present day context.

I would further add to his statement, “true secularism lies when people do not recall and remember a person’s religion, neither for achievements nor for crimes”.