Some are more equal than others
There are actually two faces to acts of terror. One which gets enacted in American and UK soils and the version which gets executed in places like Kashmir.
Readers may be wondering “what the heck, its precious human lives after all, right?”. Blame it on their naivette. Its never that simple to an average westerner or western media.
Remember friends, there is one fundamental philosophy which goes like this, “All people are equal but some are more equal than others”.
Western media finds acts like 9/11 as “an attack on our freedom of thought, our democracy, and our culture”. But it is never so clear when it happens in Kashmir. Or when an Indian flight gets hijacked to Kandhahar.
Western media, with due respect to their professionalism, will not have second thoughts in calling Kashmir as “Indian occupied Kashmir” and even say that all the atrocities that had happened were because of “excesses” by our security forces. Terrorists in Kashmir are “freedom fighters”, mind you. Not very different from Musharraf’s version.
How many times have we seen high level diplomats from that bloody America express their concern about “Human rights violation” in Kashmir? Have any of these US diplomats or any other developed nation or media has ever talked about the plight of Kashmiri Pandit community? Apparently, they are the least equals of the lot. Right at the bottom of preference for justice and fairness.
But their tone always seems to be “Now don’t talk about Abu Ghraib ok? Prisoners are getting treated in the “bestest, fairest” possible way. All the pictures you see are fakes. Just like our President’s photographs with turkey during Thanksgiving Day”
And we, the third worlders should rest in the belief that only 9/11 and now London are “the most barbaric acts in the history of mankind”.
Can anyone remind them that far too many 9/11s occured in Kashmir, Punjab and Srilanka for far too long for us to care and count?
Why is that any dastardly act is given a color of freedom struggle if it happens in Kashmir and terrorism if it happens in US and Uk?
Thee are reasons friends. Violence in Kashmir, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan or Sri Lanka leads to a surge in demand for weapons. Which means weapons manufacturers in the western world can laugh all the way to their banks. But what about innocents moved out of their homes and left starving? “No problem, we can throw them food packets from air crafts with our flag in the cover and its a fantatsic view to see starving people fighting for those packets at ground level like street dogs you know?” seems to be the response by US and UK governments in deed, if not in words.
To my mind, UK citizens are now paying the price for being an accomplice to that ultimate symbol of universal peace, love and brotherhood - US government and its foreign policy.
Note:
Amidst all this western bashing, let us take this opportunity to appreciate the efforts taken by Scandinavian countries, particularly Norway in trying to bring peace to Sri Lanka.
It should also be remembered that there exists one continent which goes by the name of Africa and it hardly ever gets covered in any media, for obvious reasons.
July 8th, 2005 at 11:02 pm
immedietely afte 9/11, indian parliment was attacked..any country with little self respect wud have declared wasr on enemies..however we cannot.
When a corrupt minister’s grand daughter was abducted an dreaded terrorist was released to secure her. That terrorist unleshed attacks on kashmiris resulting in deaths of 1000s.
Could there be any more coward nationin this world, whose external affairs minister went and shook hands with terrorists to secure air india passengers when they were hijacked.
Indian leaders lack will. They are cowards to the core. USA has a policy no negotiations with terrorists. Ofcourse any nation will disrupt peace in other nation, if it sees any benefit in that. It is the duty of our “bapus” to protect the country from internal and external threats. I hardly see those happening in our political set up.
July 8th, 2005 at 11:31 pm
@muthukumar
kandippa our leaders lack backbone. i fully agree with you. avlo yen nammale bangladesh ai kooda onnum panna mudiyadhu. even very recently a BSF officer was killed at point blank range.
but i wanted to highlight the biased nature of western govts and media in my post.
there are certain tings which we can learn from israel but israel always had the backing of its big brother.
what is the background of israel?
can it survive the way its doing without US support? i dont think so.
namma kayalagadhavanga nradhu vera vishayam.
“Ofcourse any nation will disrupt peace in other nation, if it sees any benefit in that.”
i dunno if u refer to US or Pakistan.
there are powerful nations and powerless nations.
but ellathukkum mela seri, thappunu irukku. if might is always right then i’m afraid alqaeda is right in its way too;(
power ai thappa use panninavan uruptadha sarithramae illai.
i’m referring to US.
July 8th, 2005 at 11:38 pm
on second thoughts on seri and thappu, i had to say even not exercising our responsibilities and going about shaking hands with all and sundrty is wrong.
sandai poda vendiya edathile sandai podalena adhuvum thappu dhaan.
July 9th, 2005 at 2:53 am
As per panchathanthra, any ruler will like to destabilise other country, so that it wont be a threat or can dictate terms. It is allowed. Remeber ethics for different profession differs. (well know cliche of kkolai seithavan thookil podupavan seivadhu kolai illa.) It is the duty pf every ruler to be vigilent against such designs. Rombavum ottavum mudiyadhu, vettavum mudiyadhu.
My comment on ur previous blog was to remind indians we lose more lives than others. Let us feel for our people first.
July 9th, 2005 at 3:23 am
yedho periya manushanga pesikkareenga.. naan edhukku inga
July 9th, 2005 at 5:44 am
Prabhu,
Bloody america - I think it is too powerful.!
Blunders are committed eveywhere, a lot of them are whitewashed.
Please don’t single America out or the West.!
East is not always the Holy Cow.
Your enemy’s enemy is my best friend..is used world wide..! Even Human right violations.!
We don’t hear everything in several countries…noone cares in several countries.
Unfortunately media exposes everything from Clinton’s underwear to Abu Graib.! here. I think it is foolish.!
Do you think all politicians in India/ politics in India..or the East..I mean Non-West is all good.?
Come on….Please give America a break.!
No offenses meant - All for fun.!!
But thoughts are always mine.!
July 9th, 2005 at 8:27 am
@muthukumar
first let me admit my ignorance of pancha thanthra et al.
having said that, i think the war as put down in pancha thanthra and present day context has changed.
pancha thanthra’s ethics is not applicable to the kind of war that is happening now. totally remote controlled and where women and children die under the account of of ‘collateral damage’
i agree about one thing. nama innum chinna kolandhai madhiri” miss miss” ivan ennai adikaran miss nu solitu irukkom.
enna koncham periyavanga illaya adhanaal “miss” ku badhila america kitte, UK kitte, UN sollitu irukkom.
what indian leadership lack is assertiveness
July 9th, 2005 at 8:30 am
narayanan sir,
i personally dont have anything against america.
onnum kudukkal vangal prachnai illai:)
the atrocities their govt has committed in this world so that they can always be the super power is what disturbs me.
At the same time i clearly state india’s lack of progress is our own undoing, not US or any other country’s. we, indians shud take responsibility for that.
July 10th, 2005 at 11:26 am
Enna PK Bloody america solliteenga this country has been so nice to me
July 10th, 2005 at 1:16 pm
@kay
“this country has been so nice to me”
i wish the people residing in other parts of the world can say the same about america.
america vile nalladhu evlavo irukku. Americans ability to innovate - be it movies or software or anything for that matter is legendary.
but foreign policy and thier tendency to poke their nose whenever they smell resources across the world with little sensitivity to other person’s livelihood is not exactly something to feel proud abt IMHO.
enakkum enga Amma vukkum America nale endha problemamum illai.
so do u want me to keep mum just bcos of that?
un life kku career kku enga vasadhi padumo ange iru. namakku comfortable ndradhunale adhellam mithavangaullu seriya irukkanumnu avasiyam illai.
I had nothing but great admiration for US till 9/11. The writings by chomsky and certain facts had an impact. Yen thitrangannu therinchu vachukaradhile thappu illai.
tomorrow if someone gives me much more concrete inputs on why what all America did is good, i will definitely consider that. These things are not etched in stone. this is how we all learn and grow.
i know i am treading rough waters by bashing america. i know most of my readers are in the US.
But I can’t help it.
July 12th, 2005 at 8:13 pm
wow!! this is wonderfully written prabu…. very effectively and emotionally… thank you for telling me about these writes!
Great job! the only way we can be heard is when we speak and speak out!