Current Projects
The holy cows of Uttar Pradesh
This report exposes the undercurrents of the so-called pluralistic norms of the Indian political landscape and how the majority rule misuses its majority to mistreat minority populations. - Editorial Team, CRSS. On August 3, 2016, policemen of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) stationed at Meerut in western Uttar Pradesh had a strange task at hand: to dig 27 ditches. The carcasses of cows had surfaced in Muzaffarnagar, a neighbouring district. This was a concern on any day in communally sensitive UP, where more than three-fourths of the people are Hindus who believe cows to be sacred. But on this particular day, thousands of Kanwarias — Hindu devotees who carry home water from the river Ganga — would walk past the carcasses on the way to their villages. District officials were alarmed enough that they rushed the 24 members of the PAC, a special force usually reserved for major disturbances, to bury 27 dead cows. Dead cows, as a senior police official told HT, were a “sure-shot recipe” for a communal riot. “Had any Kanwaria seen that sight, we would have ended up digging many more ditches to bury humans,” he added. The cow has become a unique flashpoint in UP, accounting for nearly a fifth of all communal incidents between January 2010 and April 2016, according to HT’s investigation of police complaints from the state’s 75 districts. Cow-related incidents have steadily increased since 2012, especially in western UP, part of a pattern of rising communalism across the state. Desecration, from vandalism to cow slaughter, has proved to be an easy ruse for triggering communal incidents that drive a deeper wedge between Hindus and Muslims in the state. Sometimes an allegation is all it takes: A Muslim man’s lynching in UP last year on suspicion of possessing beef is a gruesome case in point. Yet, many feel justified in fighting over cows. “Cow is sacred like mother in my religion, an attack on my mother is an attack on me,” said Kamal Dutt Sharma, BJP leader in...
Are Afghanistan And Bangladesh Emerging As Key Allies To India And Isolating Pakistan?
Nobel Literature Prize winner Bob Dylan famously sang The Times They Are A-changin. Now, not only does it apply to a singer-songwriter winning a Nobel prize in literature, it also, quite oddly, applies to foreign policy. Quite specifically to Pakistan's neighbours who are increasingly moving away from the country that cannot get its act right. In an exclusive interview to The Hindu's Suhasini Haider, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina spoke in detail about the impending pressure on her to snap ties with Islamabad and how her country "feels frustrated" with Pakistan due to its export of terror. Bangladesh has certain sensitivities over the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT of Bangladesh), where Pakistan showed its dissatisfaction with our processes and even raised the issue in their parliament. They started interfering in our internal affairs by making unacceptable remarks. We felt hurt by this, as this is an internal matter for us, we are trying war criminals in our country, and it isn't their concern. There is a lot of pressure on me to cut off all diplomatic ties with Pakistan for their behaviour. But, I have said the relations will remain, and we will have to resolve our problems. The fact is, we won our liberation war from Pakistan, and they were a defeated force. We won the war and freed the country from them, and it is expected that they won't take it so well. Bangladesh and Pakistan have a bloody history - the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War saw the Pakistani army ruthlessly and systematically rape lakhs of women and girls and kill the men and boys. Bangladesh executed Islamist leaders (Jamaat-e-Islami's Mir Quasem Ali) on the charges of war crimes. Since then, the two countries have been simmering in mutual anger. The execution, Hasina says, has brought a sense of closure - "it was a national demand... that these people must be tried". Undoubtedly, India has been a keen player in the relations between the two countries: In a way, it was the...
Talk On Terror, Trade, Bimstec: Five Takeaways From The 8th BRICS Summit
New Delhi received qualified support from the BRICS grouping for its efforts to counter terrorism but there was no consensus on India’s drive to nail Pakistan and its use of terror as an instrument of state policy. Though Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Pakistan the “mother ship of terrorism”, other members of BRICS – including Pakistan’s “iron brother” China – were not willing to sign on the dotted line. China remained the key factor in other issues too, such as India’s efforts to get backing from BRICS for its bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group. One positive was the fresh beginning with the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec). Here are five takeaways from the BRICS and Bimstec meets: Unanimity in fighting terror but not on naming and shaming Pakistan-based jihadi groups:The summit took place weeks after a terror attack on an army camp in Uri killed 19 Indian soldiers. India blamed Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed for the strike and launched a campaign to diplomatically isolate Islamabad. The BRICS Summit declaration used strong language on terror and said states had the responsibility to prevent terror activities from their soil, but it fell short on mentioning any Pakistan-based terror groups. The BRICS communiqué consistently mentions UN-proscribed organisations such as the Islamic State. India needs to work more on the grouping, especially China, to get it to agree to mention Pakistan-based groups such as the JEM, which too has been sanctioned by the UN. India’s NSG bid gets acknowledged but bilateral task with China remains:The BRICS Summit communiqué acknowledged that nuclear energy forms an important part of India’s efforts to fight climate change, and that New Delhi will be better off with a stable regime that guides nuclear trade. These two arguments were touted by India to back up its efforts to get entry into the NSG, an elite club of countries that controls trade in nuclear technology...
CHINA WATCH (October 10-17) THE SINO-PAK-INDIA TRIANGLE IS BACK:
This week was dominated by two kinds of major developments. First was China’s response to the issues of India’s inclusion in NSG, ban on Masud Azhar and lately, India’s labeling of Pakistan as ‘mothership of terrorism.’ Second was IMF’s repeated suggestions to Pakistan to handle CPEC rather shrewdly. Some of China’s top analysts criticized India’s closure of border with Pakistan. Also China’s envoy made clear that Western Route is part of CPEC. Afghanistan showed its desire to be part of CPEC. NSG and Azhar: China has told India about its readiness to continue dialogue with New Delhi to “build consensus” on the issue of latter’s membership at NSG (Nuclear Supplier Group). The statement showed a sort of fluctuation in Beijing’s previous stance when it linked India’s membership of NSG to NPT (Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty).[i] These views were expressed by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister, Li Baodong, ahead of President Xi Jinping’s visit to India for attending BRICS summit. However, he added that “things need to be in keeping up with procedures, norms and regulations of the NSG.”[ii] Another notable streak of China’s policy came to the fore when Vice Foreign Minister defended Beijing’s decision to thwart India’s efforts at UN to impose ban on Masood Azhar, head of Jaish-e-Muhammad as a “technical hold.” He said that “[T]here should be no double standards on terrorism nor should one pursue its own political gains in the name of counter-terrorism.”[iii] Border Closure: Chinese analysts have termed India’s decision of closing border with Pakistan as “irrational”. Hu Zhiyong, a research fellow from Institute of International Relations of the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences told Global Times that “India is making a very irrational decision, since no exhaustive investigation has been conducted after the Uri incident, and no evidence proves Pakistan is behind the attack.”[iv] Hu said that “[S]ince Pakistan is China’s all-weather strategic partner, India’s...
Indian and Chinese Views at the 2016 BRICS Summit held in Goa
The 2016 BRICS Summit was the eighth annual BRICS summit held on the 15th and 16th of October, 2016 in Goa, India. It was attended by the heads of country or heads of government of the five member countries Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday continued to define Pakistan as the hub of terrorism, telling BRICS leaders’ meeting in Goa that India’s neighbour was the mother ship of the problem. He obliquely disputed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s apparent reluctance to pin the blame on Pakistan, but the Chinese leader responded by seeking political solutions to the hotspots. Indian reports interpreted the reference to hotspots as including the dispute between India and Pakistan over held Kashmir. “There must be no distinction based on artificial and self-serving grounds,” said Mr Modi, a day after President Xi remained firm on blocking India’s bid to get Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar designated as an international terrorist by the United Nations. President Xi, in his 10-minute speech, did not hold back. In an apparent reference to India-held Kashmir, he talked about the need to find a “political solution” to “regional hotspots”. He also called for concrete efforts and multi-pronged approach that addressed both “symptoms and root causes” to global challenges like terrorism — an argument that mirrored Pakistan’s position on Kashmir, local reports observed. Russian President Vladimir Putin, in his remarks, did not mention terrorism at all. With the differences between India and China out in the open — against the backdrop of Delhi’s attempts to isolate Islamabad — the Goa declaration stopped short of mentioning the Uri attack. “We strongly condemn the recent several attacks against some BRICS countries, including that in India,” it said. However, there were five specific paragraphs on terrorism in the 109-para declaration, in which the BRICS members called upon all countries to work together to “expedite” the...
India Expresses Disappointment over Pakistan-Russia Military Cooperation
India has expressed its concern to Russia over the joint military exercise recently held between Islamabad and Moscow, Times of India reported. “We have conveyed our views to Russia that military cooperation with Pakistan which is a country that sponsors terrorism as a matter of state policy is a wrong approach and it will only create further problems,” India’s ambassador to Russia Pankaj Saran said. Saran’s remarks come ahead of a bilateral meeting in Goa on Saturday between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin will be arriving in India on October 14 and apart from the bilateral Summit, he will attend the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (BRICS) meet on October 16. New Delhi has constantly been conveying its disappointment to Moscow over its joint military cooperation with Pakistan. However, Russia has not given India’s reservations much attention since it holds similar military drills with other countries in the region. India has been struggling to gain support from the world in its efforts to isolate Islamabad in the wake of the Uri base attack — but to no avail. China said on Monday that “no country should pursue its own political gains in the name of counterterrorism” in what India’s jingoist media said appeared to be a reference to New Delhi’s global campaign to get Pakistan declared a ‘pariah’. China’s Vice Foreign Minister Li Baodong said no country should have double standards on terrorism or use it for political gains. Though he didn’t name any country, the Times of India newspaper said Beijing “added insult to injury by accusing New Delhi”. Li was speaking to reporters on President Xi Jinping’s upcoming visit to India for the 8th BRICS summit in Goa on October 15 and 16. The BRICS group of emerging nations includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. “There should be no double standards on terrorism nor should one pursue its own political gains in the name of counterterrorism,” Li said...
Border with Afghanistan Closed After Suicide Attack In Kurram
Authorities have closed three border crossing points with Afghanistan in Kurram tribal region for indefinite period after a suicide attack on a checkpost. The closure of the border has brought bilateral trade between the two countries to a standstill. Eyewitnesses said that long queues of loaded trucks and containers were seen on both sides of the border at Kherlachi and Borki, two major checkposts near the border with Afghanistan in the area. A suicide bomber, reportedly approaching to Kherlachi checkpost from the other side of the border, blew himself up on Friday. Two people including a soldier of Frontier Corps suffered injuries in the attack. Officials said that timely action by the paramilitary soldier averted major catastrophe. The checkpost was immediately closed after the suicide attack. Trucks loaded with different items stranded in the area since Friday Syed Jalal, a local trader, told Dawn by telephone that more than 500 trucks, some loaded with perishable items and poultry, had lined up at Kherlachi and Borki checkposts since Friday. The trader, who exports poultry to Afghanistan via Kherlachi, said that chickens were dying owing to closure of the border. He said that 12 trucks loaded with chickens were stranded at Kherlachi. “Dozens of chickens have already perished despite sprinkling fresh water on the trucks,” said Mr Jalal. He added that a large number of trucks could be seen on the Afghanistan side, waiting for the reopening of the border. Sources said that repatriating Afghan refugees were also stranded in the area. These returning families were on their way to Afghanistan after verification of their documents at the UN voluntary repatriation centers in Peshawar and Nowshera. An official said that checkpost at Teri Mingal, some 30 kilometres west of Parachinar, was closed after suicide attack. Security along the border has been beefed up after the incident. Another official said that border with Afghanistan in Kurram Agency was closed for...
(Humanitarian Bulletin Afghanistan) A Million Afghans on the Move: Seven Ways to Avert a Crisis
A recent surge of tens of thousands of Afghan families returning from Pakistan, spurred by increasing incidents of detention, forced evictions, police raids and harassment, signals a possible humanitarian crisis for Afghanistan in the coming months. Since the beginning of the year, IOM and UNHCR recorded 182,669 undocumented Afghans and deportees and 207,236 refugees returning to Afghanistan from Pakistan. However, these numbers have dramatically accelerated since mid-July. For example,in the period 1-8 October,more than 50,000 refugee and undocumented returneeswere recorded, suggestingthe current totals could be just the tip of the iceberg. Many families returning were forced to leave quickly, with little time to properly sell assets, and are often arriving with few possessions. Combined with the fact that many have lived in Pakistan for decades, and have few, if any, family connections left in Afghanistan, a large number need humanitarian assistance. These returns join an ever-growing number of internally displaced people (IDPs) in Afghanistan, with more than 286,381 Afghans forced to flee their homes due to conflict in 2016 alone. When added to the large volume of returns from Pakistan, OCHA projects that by the year-end, over one million people will be “on the move” inside Afghanistan and across borders. These numbers far exceed projections for this year – and therefore outstrip the current resources of the humanitarian community to meet the increased needs. With winter fast approaching, and many returnee families indicating they intend to return to urban centres, such Kabul and Jalalabad, that already struggle to deliver basic services, acute humanitarian emergency needs are a real possibility. Nevertheless, we can still avert a crisis. On 7 September, the humanitarian community launched a Flash Appeal for US$152 million to address the acute humanitarian needs of the unanticipated number of people “on the move” in Afghanistan until the end of 2016,...
Secretary General Guterres
MR António Guterres is the perfect pick for the “most impossible job in the world”. I had the pleasure of meeting him when I headed UNAMI in Baghdad and was much impressed by the ability, humanity, commitment and determination he brought to the achievement of his challenging tasks as head of the UNHCR. To be endorsed so quickly and unanimously by the UN Security Council in such a fractured international milieu speaks volumes for the respect Guterres personally commands. He has demonstrated those rare qualities of heart and mind that he will need more than ever as he takes up his new responsibilities on Jan 1, 2017. Many of those who applaud and welcome him today may well become inclined to hold him responsible for their own policy lapses (including failure to consult him) tomorrow. The responsibilities of the UN secretary general (UNSG) are listed in Chapter 15 of the UN Charter, particularly Articles 97-101. His job description is “the chief administration officer (CAO) of the (UN) Organisation”. But it is much more than that. The long-serving Russian permanent representative (PR) in New York, Vitaly Churkin, observed “the secretary general does not control the Security Council; the Security Council controls itself”. This is a reality which can represent a significant constraint, and sometimes a major obstacle for a secretary general content to be little more than a CAO. The current US PR, Samantha Powers, in her UN General Assembly address noted the UN will need to do much more than before to contribute to a peaceful world. Interestingly, a predecessor of hers, John Bolton, insisted the UNSG should stick to being a CAO instead of worrying about the legality or legitimacy of US actions around the world! Despite Powers’ welcoming remarks, Bolton more accurately defines the US attitude towards the role of the UNSG except when it comes to commenting on the actions of its adversaries. To be fair, other powers behave similarly. Nevertheless, Guterres appears...
Americans Ignore To Target Terrorists Beyond Afghan Borders: Karzai
The former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said the Americans are ignoring to target the terrorists beyond the Afghan borders, accusing the United States for playing double game in Afghanistan. In interview with the Russia Today, Karzai said the Americans are ignoring the pleas by the Afghans to target extremism beyond the Afghan borders, emphasizing that the US should admit it failed its mission to bring peace and security to Afghanistan. Karzai further added that the United States must seek help from the big neighbors of Afghanistan, including Russia, China, India, and Iran and find ways of addressing the issue of radicalism with these countries, insisting that these countries are also affected. According to Karzai, Pakistan should also be engaged in a manner to help ease to compete against extremism. However, he said the US and Pakistan lack interest in stopping Afghan war and stall progress of Afghan peace talks. The former Afghan President also added that Taliban can’t be defeated in war and only peace talks can bring the civil strife of the Afghan nation to an end. He said the Afghan people can reconcile with Taliban emphasizing that ‘they are Afghans like us but poppy growing is a real curse’. Karzai also warned the Taliban group that they will not be able to overrun the whole country and will manage to seize a few provincial capitals. The other issues the former President pointed were Pakistan’s desire dominance in Afghanistan and US drone strikes that prevent in seeking peace and are making Taliban fight harder instead of forcing them to start talks. US, Pakistan interests determine Afghan events: Karzai Former president Hamid Karzai also said that American and Pakistani interests and the two countries’ relations with India determine events in the war-torn Afghanistan. “I think a combination... of the two, of the US interests in the region and Pakistani interests in Afghanistan and the nature of their relations with India has been determining...
TOP STORIES
TESTIMONIALS
“
I am also a member of National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting. Recently, we held a meeting with the Director General of Radio Pakistan and we told them to initiate such local programs (like Constituency Hour) in regional languages to educate and inform people. Even Indian Radio can be heard in FATA which is being used for propaganda purposes and must be closed. Therefore, we should launch some standard and quality programs like CRSS that will change the taste of the listeners.