By Manas Paul- For New Delhi there is something indeed unsettling in Bangladesh. China according to newspaper reports on Wednesday (September 15, 2010) had successfully prevailed upon Myanmarese military junta to allow their territory to directly connect China with Chittagong. Besides, as the situation stands today soon China would lay its hand on Chittagong port for up-gradation and begin construction of a deep sea port at Sonadia island -nine sq.km picturesque tourist spot-located on the Bay of Bengal-seven kms off Cox Bazaar port.
On 15 September, 2010 Bangladeshi newspapers reported that Chinese ambassador to Bangladesh
Zhang Xianyi told Dhaka authorities on last Tuesday that Myanmar had agreed to the proposal for construction of a tri-nation highway connecting Chittagong and the Chinese city of Kunming in Yunan province through Myanmar. The message was conveyed to the Bangladesh minister for forests and environment, Hasan Mahmud. "Myanmar had kept its decision pending to a similar proposal made by Bangladesh earlier", the minister said.
China and Bangladesh both are also going ahead with two more proposals.- Chinese assistance for up-gradation of Chittagong port and creation of a 'deep sea port' in Sonadia Island.
"Xianyi told us that China would now provide support in the construction of the planned 'deep sea port' at Sonadi
a", Mahmud said.
In March this year, two months after her visit to India, Sheikh Hasina had gone to Beijing and requested Chinese President Hu Jintao to build the China -Chittagong road through Myanmar. The proposal had actually been first floated by her predecessor Begum Khaleda Zia in 2003.
China-Myanmar-Bangladesh tri-national highway, Beijing's imminent presence in Chittagong and Dhaka's interest to Chinese offer to Sonadia port construction, would inevitably pose serious geo-strategic threat to India and affect New Delhi's maritime interest. Both Chittagong and Sonadia would give China direct access to the Bay of Bengal and in extension to the Indian Ocean.
China had already got considerable trade and infrastructure development projects. Bilateral trade between Dhaka and Beijing is expected to increase to US$ 5 billion in 2010 from US$ 4.58 billion in 2009.
During her China visit in March this year Hasina surely kept in mind the strengthening Sino-Bangla economic cooperation. A joint communique was issued which said: The two sides decided to establish a "closer Comprehensive Partnership of Cooperation" between China and Bangladesh from the strategic perspective and on the basis of the principles of longstanding friendship, equality and mutual benefit.
Sheikh Hasina was open in her invitation to China. News items published on March 19, 2010 in various foreign newspapers said:
"China can be benefited by using the deep seaport while all neighboring countries also can use it," she stated as a key speaker at the Bangladesh-China Business Forum. She also invited Chinese investors to put money in Bangladesh's promising sectors like textiles, small machineries, fertilisers, footwear and ceramics.
"I would urge you to invest in Bangladesh which would be lucrative as well as strengthen further our two countries' relation," Hasina said.
The prime minister said at present, 55 Chinese enterprises with proposed investment of US $ 292 million has been invested creating job for over 45,000 Bangladeshis.
China was immediately responsive in agreeing to construction of eighth Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge, Water Purification Project in Pagla, Financial and Technical support for construction of power plant in Bangladesh, strengthening organisational cooperation between China National Hybrid Rice Research Centre and Bangladesh Rice Research Institutes and waiving Chinese loan, besides China "Chittagong road link and port developments..Earlier in July 2006, China had declared zero tariff access for 84 Bangladeshi items, and preferential access under Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement.
The Sino-Bangla relations that began with Gen Zia Ur Rahaman's visit to China in 1977 evidently took a leap forward with successive regimes despite the fact that Beijing was opposed to creation of Bangladesh with support from India during Liberation War in 1971. China, in fact, quite openly sided with Pakistan in 1971 with Henry Kissinger visiting Beijing and meeting Mao Ze Dong on behalf of Nixon to garner support for Yahiya Khan.
However, in diplomacy things change fast and take an uncharted journey. Now China finds Chittagong an important destination to encircle India and breathe on her neck.
Beijing had already got access to and strengthened its maritime interest in Arabian sea and Indian Ocean through Gwador port in Pakistan, Hambantota in southern Sri Lanka, Kyakpiu in Myanmar. A news item in Indian media on September 17, 2010 said that China would also develop a facility off the Colombo port. No Indian agency or compnay bid for the project. (No Indian company or govt run agency had participated for Hambantota also).
China had created its huge naval base in Gwador in Pakistan.. The Karakoram highway that begins from Kashgar passes through 5,180 sq kms area -'Trans-Karakoram Tract' that in 1963 Pakistan ceded to China--through Gilgit Baltistan to Havelian in Abbotabad near Islamabad would eventually be connected to Gwador. In fact, it is through this route that recently 11,000 People's Liberation Army of China entered to Pakistan.
Besides, from Kashgar another road passing through Aksai Chin would also connect Lhasa in Tibet and then would be extended up to Kunming in Yunan province. This Lhasa- Kunming road would pass through an area not very far from Indian Himalayan frontier across Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
From Kunming the roads would then connect Chittagong with the proposed tri-national highway.
On last September 10 China flagged off the construction of a road and oil and gas pipeline from Kyakpiu to Kunming (An'ning City) in Yunan in its own territory while Construction of the pipeline's Myanmar section began in June.
"The 2,380-km long oil pipeline will end in Kunming City, capital of Yunnan. It is expected to carry 22 million tonnes of crude oil per annum to China from the Middle East and Africa". "The natural gas pipeline will be even longer, running from Kunming into Guizhou Province and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in south China for a total length of 2,806 km. It is expected to transport 12 billion cubic meters of gas to China every year. The project is the fourth way for oil and natural gas to enter China, after ocean shipping, the Sino-Kazakhstan pipelines and the Sino-Russian crude oil pipeline", said Global times of China on Saturday.
The project is aimed at transporting oil and gas from Africa and Middle East region to Kyakpiu by ship and then to China. The project would be completed in 2013. China's largest oil firm & parent company of PetroChina, CNPC was entrusted with the task of is building and operating the pipeline.
Intelligence reports had confirmed that while China had already got access to the Myanmar naval base in Hanggyi Island, it had for long been running monitoring stations at Coco Island, north of India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
China also completed first phase of Hambantota port in southern part of Sri Lanka which they claim to be a purely commercial project. However, experts feel that since the Gwador is located in Baluchistan in case of any trouble there Beijing would easily shift their base to Hambantota and have effective influence in the Indian Ocean. The three phase Hambantota project would complete in 2023.
Needless to say, after Gwador in Pakistan, Hambantota in Sri Lanka and Kyakpiu in Myanmar, Beijing succeeded in adding one more bead to its Indian Ocean centric geo-strategic policy-'String of Pearls' connecting Chittagong port in Bangladesh by road and also to strengthening its presence in Bangladesh considerably.
Close to North East India, Beijing's strong foothold in Myanmar and emerging presence in Bangladesh with many projects in hand would serve several purposes. While it had ostensible economic plans and hidden military components, the strong strides of dragon in the region is also considered as well-defined Chinese counter-strategy to Indian Look East policy.
This is a development that bears serious implications for Tripura which seeks an opening to the Indian Ocean through Chittagong port from Sabrum. Sabrum located in southern most part of Tripura is only 75 kms from Chittagong port.
The clearly visible 'String of Pearls' policy not only encircles India effectively with far reaching economic implications but also contains her reach and strategic maritime interest and influence in the Indian Ocean. China's 85 percent of fuel requirement is supplied from Africa and Middle East. The fuel shipment passes through Indian Ocean, Malacca strait to South China Sea to reach mainland. Gwador port located near Gulf of Harmuz and having access to Gulf of Eden helps China monitor its fuel shipment while Hambantota would serve Chinese purpose of extending its influence in the Indian Ocean. Kyakpiu, Chittagong and Sonadia ports would help China to transport its fuel land transportation facilities avoiding Malacca strait and South China Sea. In fact Global Times said , The Kunming-Kyakpiu oil pipeline would save 1,200 km of fuel shipping. In Malacca Strait Indian presence from Port Blair is strong and in South China Sea US seeks to unsettle Beijing's hegemony. Not only Hillary Clinton in ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) meet in Hanoi in July last clearly announced US stand on this but also Washington held joint naval drills with Vietnam and South Korea "much to Beijing's dismay only two months ago.
Note : maps source Internet modification done by author. Not on scale.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
BANGLADESH RIDING THE DRAGON
Monday, August 30, 2010
THE DRAGON BREATHES ON NECK, AS WE LOOK EAST
By Manas Paul
Is India with her 'intensified engagement' in South East Asia through 'Look East Policy', capable enough of effectively facing the increased Chinese strategic options in the region and in Indian Ocean?
As Sudhir Devare former Ambassador and Secretary to MEA who was also actively involved in formulating the much ambitious Look East policy pointed out, this policy has two important components- socio-political and strategic. He had pointed out that the strategic imperatives -which would include traditional and non-traditional security, maritime security, economic interdependence, energy security, human security etc -would also pave the way for greater dialogue and cooperation among the countries concerned. And, he felt, going by her strong presence already in place in this region India could very well meet the Chinese initiatives.
However, Devare, who recently visited Tripura central University and held media interaction on Wednesday (25 August 2010) , felt that in pursuing this policy, India is actually rediscovering its 'eastern identity. He sought to tone down the strategic threat in the region that emerges from the growing Chinese maritime efforts in the Indian Ocean.
"We need not to be unnecessarily concerned at the Chinese initiatives and efforts in the region. We have adequate naval strength in the Indian Ocean", he said adding that despite disputes and suspicions at some areas New Delhi and Beijing can still carry on dialogue at larger Indo-China relations and cooperation.
"Our Look East policy is not directed against anybody or responsive to Chinese initiatives".
Devare maintained that the 'Look East' approach-which brought 'a direct interface for Northeast region with Myanmar and Bangladesh'- should be seen on the backdrop of the broad political situation, and rapid as well as sustained economic growth especially in infrastructure and consumer goods in the Asia-Pacific with an aim for regional integration within Asia.
Devare said, 'Look East Policy's one of the most important component was dialogue among Southeast Asian countries, both bilaterally and regionally at ASEAN level. For India it would also provide a useful opportunity to interact at regional platform, namely the ASEAN'.
But despite this hope facts stand today, in the Look East policy that the security imperatives in the policy were not expressive enough -at least as far as countering the aggressive Han Chinese initiatives in the region -specially its Blue Water ambitions -are concerned. In fact, so far, virtually except the RITE's Sittwe port construction in Myanmar -that would follow Kaladan river project to give an opening to North East India's Mizoram to the South East Asia, there was not much headway in infrastructure creation to implement the Look East Policy.
On the other hand China is actively and aggressively involved in adding one after another pearl to its 'String of Pearl' policy. A cursory look at the Chinese options in the region would make it amply clear that the Dragon is indeed breathing down on the Tiger's neck.
China had, for the last few years, been trying to strengthen its presence in South East Asia especially in creating infrastructures and increasing its trade and foreign investment relations. But, behind the economic initiatives there is clearly a strategic and military ambition on the part of Beijing for strengthening its maritime presence in the Indian Ocean.
China at present is actively involved in 1200 miles long oil and gas pipeline from Myanmar's Kyaukpyu Port on the Bay of Bengal to southwest China. The pipelines will cross Kunming in Yunnan Province and pass through Guizhou province to Chongqing in southwest China. Besides, China will also upgrade Kyaukpyu port in Arakan.
For China the Myanmarese port of Kyaukpyu port is also strategically important. Through this port Beijing will be able to import natural gas and oil from the Middle East and Africa - the two countries that supply about 85 percent of its oil demand. The Myanmar project will also help Beijing gain direct foray into the Indian Ocean avoiding Malacca Strait where Indian strategic presence is strong, and the South China Sea as well.
(The USA contested the Chinese sole claim on South China Sea. The USA needs the sea to be out of Chinese influence for free movement of its ships and aircraft. China's dispute with Vietnam over South China Sea is also a major issue for Beijing).
Apart from Myanmar China is also taking active interest in Bangladesh developing Chittagong Port and a deep sea port at Sonadia Island at the Bay of Bengal. But the most ambitious strategic Chinese project that is being envisaged is the proposed Bangladesh road link that would connect Chittagong to Kunming in Yunnan via Gumdum in Myanmar and would also bypass Malacca Strait.
As the present Awami League government in Bangladesh kept open its option for Chinese assistance, Beijing is also likely to fund for Pagla Water Treatment Plant and the Shahjalal Fertiliser Factory as well as development of telecommunication sector there. Foreign Minister Dipu Moni was recently reported to have commented that China assured more investment in Bangladesh, and was ready to 'reduce the bilateral trade imbalance'. In that case Beijing will also include more Bangladeshi products to have duty-free access to China.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is also reported to have taken open interest in Chinese investments in her country.
While China is presently actively involved in exploring and strengthening its business and Indian Ocean centric strategic possibilities in Myanmar and Bangladesh, it has already gained strong foot hold in Hambantota in southern part of Sri Lanka and in Gawador in Pakistan. China is already engaged developing a massive port in Hambantota which will give Beijing a strong presence in the Indian Ocean while the already developed Gawador gave the Chinese direct access to the Arabian Sea.
The Hambantota project is estimated to be of US $ one billion and will be completed by 2023. Beijing claims that Hambantota would not be turned into a Chinese naval base but in case of Gawador in Pakistan China is keen to refuel and re-stock its ship to be deployed in Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden.
The Look East policy clearly did not have matching security imperatives in it.
KILLING WITH A HUMAN FACE
By Manas Paul
"I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure." Clarence Darrow.
As a seminar on Human rights violations in Counter Insurgency Operations gets underway in Prajna Bhawan organized by Tripura Police and Institute of Social Science from today (August 4, 2010) where police officials at various ranks would be discussing one of the most convoluted yet most difficult tasks they face at field level operations, some points also need public appreciation.
Tripura being one of the three states after Mizoram and Punjab where peace returned after decades old armed conflicts is perhaps the right place for holding such a seminar on the important civil right issue. Because it is here that despite bloody engagements for years together the rate of Human Rights violations is extremely low- barring two glaring examples of Ujan Maidan in 1989 and Kutnabari in 1999.
The title of the seminar ‘Human Rights in Counter Insurgency’ first needs clarification. Expectedly the seminar would not confine its deliberations to Tripura only but would dwell extensively with global and national perspectives at backdrop.
But when the word ‘Insurgency’ is used one must keep in mind that in Tripura the armed violence committed by a section of tribal youths since early eighties never graduated to ‘Insurgency’ in its classical connotation. So, in Tripura perspective the title Human Rights in Counter Insurgency would be ‘misplaced’ if not altogether a misnomer.
There are clear parameters to define ‘insurgency’, ‘terrorism’ and ‘militancy’. And as such the task of maintaining Human Rights while dealing with various forms of violent insurrections or acts by non-state actors is shaped by different levels of personal and institutional understanding of the ground situations and restraints.
The question of quantum of force while dealing with the non-state armed actors in field level, especially when it calls for an instantaneous decision, is, indeed, a difficult task for men in uniform. That it poses real dilemma for the security and police officials and personnel was clearly stated by none other than the Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court M B Lokur himself in his key note address in the inaugural session of the seminar. The CJ did neither delve deep into the dilemma nor did he touch upon the various forms of armed violence.
But Human Rights issue is, perhaps, the most important factor in any conflict zone and in dealing with non-state armed actors due to such ‘dilemma’ security personnel or policemen can end up in taking wrong decision resulting in blatant infringement of human rights. The basic idea of Human Rights warrants that it cannot even be denied to the people even if they are engaged in posing serious threat to human life and dignity and civil security in general. In this context it is imperative that we should understand the different meanings and characters of the ‘insurgency’, 'terrorism’ and 'militancy' at first and inherent problems-dilemma- that might come in taking strategic as well as instantaneous decisions for combating the menace.
For example, the reflex and reactions of the security forces or police acting against a Maoist rebel ready to fight the representatives of the ‘oppressive Indian state’ will definitely be, and expected to be, different than his reactions against a Jihadi or Fidayen terrorist from Pakistan or some Afghan mountain who, armed with explosive vests and AKs, is set to indiscriminate manslaughter and kill as many innocents as possible before blowing himself up to his heaven and hurries. Practically, the same security man or police will have different sets of restraint levels and thus at the end different explanations of sacredness of Human Rights.
Coming back to the connotations of armed violence, ‘insurgency’ has been characterised by several parameters. Among them five important factors are:
It is an armed violence committed by a disgruntled section of the society that was till recently been an integral part of the system.
Guided by ideological or strong ethno-centric motivation, they take up arms to fight against the power that be, alien powers included.
They should have a clear, well defined political and armed command structure and hierarchy
They should have some popular support at local level as well as in other sections of the society like intelligentsia, NGOs and pressure groups
And they should have a liberated zone that they seek to expand continuously among others until they capture state power or secede from the homogenous land or drive out others from it
In that sense Maoists in India and Nepal very well fit in the category.
Terrorism - is certainly a broad and all encompassing word that remains in use since the time of Jacobean period of France. In fact from the time of Robespierre there were hundreds of people Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot to Rwandan or Yugoslavian characters who had resorted to terror tactics to eliminate whomever they felt were in opposition. But, of late, terrorism in Indian context is used to Jihadi terrorism abetted, aided and exported to India from Pakistan. The terrorism of Jihadi kind can be determined by some obvious factors. Broadly they are:
They do not have any clear cut political and armed hierarchy. Al Qaeda is actually a ‘Base’ and it formed the International Islamic Front (IIF) in 1998 with several member organizations. The IIF members or for that matter non-member Islamic Jihadi outfits were free to operate and launch terror campaign on their own at their local levels and were also allowed to transport their terrorists to any other country to commit operations.
Jihadi terrorists are guided by staunch Wahabi Islamic ideology to create a Dar-ul-Islam (Islamic world) which is not limited to any political boundary of a nation state or country. They are not disgruntled group but brainwashed and indoctrinated zombies picked up from backwater localities as well as from important universities. They come from all possible strata of life - Osama Bin Laden from Wealthy Arabian family, an Egyptian doctor Ayman Al Zwahari, an educated engineer in the name of Mohammed Atta from Germany, to a Taliban from rustic Afghan or SWAT province in Pakistan or Sudan.
Their sworn enemies are infidels belonging to non - Islamic faiths like the Jews, Christians, Hindus etc. But in their operations they do not target - like insurgents- specifically but prefer to kill by way of mercenary attacks or bomb explosions or by any violent means as many as possible to undermine the governments run or influenced by infidels.
They, however, are not inclined to capture political power
And their operations are neither confined to any specific areas or boundary and nor there is any scope for any peace negotiations with them.
On the other hand the militancy is characterized by violent activities committed by a group of disgruntled people who feel that they should have their own areas of self determination and rule in their ethno centric homogenous political area. The broad characteristics of the militants are :
Militants function in particular areas of their influence
They mainly target-like insurgents, representatives of the government in power
But unlike insurgents they are neither guided by any motivation to capture the state power in the entire country and put in place a particular ideologically guided government
More often their fight-due to their ethno-centric characters- ultimately boils down to communal confrontations and the targeted victims become their immediate neighbours outside their own ethnic community
There is always scope for peace and political negotiations with them and arrival at a long lasting settlement. And as such militants who once carried out armed violence can very well be absorbed in the society and be allowed to participate in overall development activities.
Considering all these characters North East India’s armed organizations are by and large militants. It is true that some of the North east militants speak of ‘Socialism’ (NSCN) and communism ( Meitei outfits like Kangleipak Communist party or the UNLF-an offshoot of Red Guards led by Hijam Irabot) but in all practical purposes there is no effective influence of their declared ‘Socialist’ or ‘Communist’ values.
As far as Tripura is concerned the violence committed by the armed outfits right from TNV, ATPLO, to NLFT, ATTF was never in true sense ‘insurgency’. The armed outfits of Tripura did never have four important characteristics of insurgency i.e popular support, a liberated zone, well defined and highly motivated politico-armed command structures and ideological and political motivations. They are virtually a blend of criminal elements led by some unscrupulous greedy people and are fuelled by strong communal hatred for their neighbours. Their leaders talked to freeing Tripura from the clutch of ‘Hindu Bengalis’ who outnumbered the tribals following partition and resultant influx from erstwhile East Pakistan, committed brutalities in all imaginable forms on the unarmed civilians including their own people and in the process made huge money and started business in foreign countries. The leaders who wanted to become ‘President’ of sovereign Tripura and indulged in violence and man slaughters ultimately find it was more rewarding to become a ‘chairman’ of a government run corporation.
So, despite popular usages in battle strategies formulated by the state as well as in media reports- the ‘Counter Insurgency’ would be a 'misnomer' as far as Tripura is concerned.
Yet, coming back to Human Rights in Counter Insurgency campaign, it is beyond any question that the engagements between the state force and non-state armed actors are inherently fraught with threat of Human Rights violations, as instantaneous decisions by the force in uniform could very well go astray in a conflict zone. The militants do neither care for Human Rights nor are ready to practice it in any form. In reality ultimate success or sporadic achievements of their policies and operations are based exclusively on Human Rights violations only.
In India we can safely say state authority succeeded in combating and containing militancy effectively in three states-Mizoram, Punjab and Tripura.
In Mizoram when the MNF launched Operation Jericho on February 28, 1966 and captured several places including Aizwal and kept it under their full control for eight days, Indian Airforce was used and the fighters strafed on them. This was, perhaps, for the first time in the world at that time that a country used its air force on its own people. The standard of maintenance of Human Rights by the state authority then thus could very well be guessed. Yet, following several sets of negotiations in various parts of the world ultimately the MNF sat for final peace talks and peace indeed returned in Mizoram in 1986. (Later Sri Lankan authority also used air force on LTTE infested areas to flush them out of Killonecchi, Mullaitivu, and other northern parts of the island nation).
In Punjab the militancy- overtly aided by Pakistan under Benazir Bhutto- was fought ruthlessly and decisively by Punjab police led by KPS Gill. The expression - ‘Human Rights- virtually meant nothing then in Punjab. Excessive forces were used and by hardnosed policing the violence was contained.
But in Tripura though the police took the lead role in combating militancy the Human Rights violations were negligible. Offhand only one or two severe Human Rights violations come to mind - one being the Ujan Maidan in 1989 where tribal women were raped by some Assam Rifles jawans and the other being Kutnabari incident on November 6, 1999 where Tripura State Rifles personnel cold bloodedly killed three tribal youths following an ATTF ambush on their colleagues. Then there were some stray reports of Human Rights violations in Takumbari and Chhankhola areas. But in all the cases authorities took strong view and actions were taken against the erring personnel.
The state forces, while combating the non-state armed actors carrying out violence, are virtually left with only three options: First, arrest them and put them to trial in the court of law, second, force them to surrender under pressure and proactive operations of various kinds and help them start a new life with rehabilitation package, and third when both the first two options fail, engage them in encounter which may result in killing or wounding them.
A fallen body - even if it belongs to an insurgent, or Jihadi or a militant- means the basic of Human Rights of a human being to live a full life is essentially curtailed- even if a man in uniform is forced to do it in an encounter for a greater cause or to save many other innocents. Besides, killing cannot be done with a human face or in other words with sympathy. And this is the tragedy that comes haunting for all the combatants in a conflict zone. This is a fact inherent in Counter Insurgency or Counter terrorist operations.
"I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure." Clarence Darrow.
As a seminar on Human rights violations in Counter Insurgency Operations gets underway in Prajna Bhawan organized by Tripura Police and Institute of Social Science from today (August 4, 2010) where police officials at various ranks would be discussing one of the most convoluted yet most difficult tasks they face at field level operations, some points also need public appreciation.
Tripura being one of the three states after Mizoram and Punjab where peace returned after decades old armed conflicts is perhaps the right place for holding such a seminar on the important civil right issue. Because it is here that despite bloody engagements for years together the rate of Human Rights violations is extremely low- barring two glaring examples of Ujan Maidan in 1989 and Kutnabari in 1999.
The title of the seminar ‘Human Rights in Counter Insurgency’ first needs clarification. Expectedly the seminar would not confine its deliberations to Tripura only but would dwell extensively with global and national perspectives at backdrop.
But when the word ‘Insurgency’ is used one must keep in mind that in Tripura the armed violence committed by a section of tribal youths since early eighties never graduated to ‘Insurgency’ in its classical connotation. So, in Tripura perspective the title Human Rights in Counter Insurgency would be ‘misplaced’ if not altogether a misnomer.
There are clear parameters to define ‘insurgency’, ‘terrorism’ and ‘militancy’. And as such the task of maintaining Human Rights while dealing with various forms of violent insurrections or acts by non-state actors is shaped by different levels of personal and institutional understanding of the ground situations and restraints.
The question of quantum of force while dealing with the non-state armed actors in field level, especially when it calls for an instantaneous decision, is, indeed, a difficult task for men in uniform. That it poses real dilemma for the security and police officials and personnel was clearly stated by none other than the Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court M B Lokur himself in his key note address in the inaugural session of the seminar. The CJ did neither delve deep into the dilemma nor did he touch upon the various forms of armed violence.
But Human Rights issue is, perhaps, the most important factor in any conflict zone and in dealing with non-state armed actors due to such ‘dilemma’ security personnel or policemen can end up in taking wrong decision resulting in blatant infringement of human rights. The basic idea of Human Rights warrants that it cannot even be denied to the people even if they are engaged in posing serious threat to human life and dignity and civil security in general. In this context it is imperative that we should understand the different meanings and characters of the ‘insurgency’, 'terrorism’ and 'militancy' at first and inherent problems-dilemma- that might come in taking strategic as well as instantaneous decisions for combating the menace.
For example, the reflex and reactions of the security forces or police acting against a Maoist rebel ready to fight the representatives of the ‘oppressive Indian state’ will definitely be, and expected to be, different than his reactions against a Jihadi or Fidayen terrorist from Pakistan or some Afghan mountain who, armed with explosive vests and AKs, is set to indiscriminate manslaughter and kill as many innocents as possible before blowing himself up to his heaven and hurries. Practically, the same security man or police will have different sets of restraint levels and thus at the end different explanations of sacredness of Human Rights.
Coming back to the connotations of armed violence, ‘insurgency’ has been characterised by several parameters. Among them five important factors are:
It is an armed violence committed by a disgruntled section of the society that was till recently been an integral part of the system.
Guided by ideological or strong ethno-centric motivation, they take up arms to fight against the power that be, alien powers included.
They should have a clear, well defined political and armed command structure and hierarchy
They should have some popular support at local level as well as in other sections of the society like intelligentsia, NGOs and pressure groups
And they should have a liberated zone that they seek to expand continuously among others until they capture state power or secede from the homogenous land or drive out others from it
In that sense Maoists in India and Nepal very well fit in the category.
Terrorism - is certainly a broad and all encompassing word that remains in use since the time of Jacobean period of France. In fact from the time of Robespierre there were hundreds of people Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot to Rwandan or Yugoslavian characters who had resorted to terror tactics to eliminate whomever they felt were in opposition. But, of late, terrorism in Indian context is used to Jihadi terrorism abetted, aided and exported to India from Pakistan. The terrorism of Jihadi kind can be determined by some obvious factors. Broadly they are:
They do not have any clear cut political and armed hierarchy. Al Qaeda is actually a ‘Base’ and it formed the International Islamic Front (IIF) in 1998 with several member organizations. The IIF members or for that matter non-member Islamic Jihadi outfits were free to operate and launch terror campaign on their own at their local levels and were also allowed to transport their terrorists to any other country to commit operations.
Jihadi terrorists are guided by staunch Wahabi Islamic ideology to create a Dar-ul-Islam (Islamic world) which is not limited to any political boundary of a nation state or country. They are not disgruntled group but brainwashed and indoctrinated zombies picked up from backwater localities as well as from important universities. They come from all possible strata of life - Osama Bin Laden from Wealthy Arabian family, an Egyptian doctor Ayman Al Zwahari, an educated engineer in the name of Mohammed Atta from Germany, to a Taliban from rustic Afghan or SWAT province in Pakistan or Sudan.
Their sworn enemies are infidels belonging to non - Islamic faiths like the Jews, Christians, Hindus etc. But in their operations they do not target - like insurgents- specifically but prefer to kill by way of mercenary attacks or bomb explosions or by any violent means as many as possible to undermine the governments run or influenced by infidels.
They, however, are not inclined to capture political power
And their operations are neither confined to any specific areas or boundary and nor there is any scope for any peace negotiations with them.
On the other hand the militancy is characterized by violent activities committed by a group of disgruntled people who feel that they should have their own areas of self determination and rule in their ethno centric homogenous political area. The broad characteristics of the militants are :
Militants function in particular areas of their influence
They mainly target-like insurgents, representatives of the government in power
But unlike insurgents they are neither guided by any motivation to capture the state power in the entire country and put in place a particular ideologically guided government
More often their fight-due to their ethno-centric characters- ultimately boils down to communal confrontations and the targeted victims become their immediate neighbours outside their own ethnic community
There is always scope for peace and political negotiations with them and arrival at a long lasting settlement. And as such militants who once carried out armed violence can very well be absorbed in the society and be allowed to participate in overall development activities.
Considering all these characters North East India’s armed organizations are by and large militants. It is true that some of the North east militants speak of ‘Socialism’ (NSCN) and communism ( Meitei outfits like Kangleipak Communist party or the UNLF-an offshoot of Red Guards led by Hijam Irabot) but in all practical purposes there is no effective influence of their declared ‘Socialist’ or ‘Communist’ values.
As far as Tripura is concerned the violence committed by the armed outfits right from TNV, ATPLO, to NLFT, ATTF was never in true sense ‘insurgency’. The armed outfits of Tripura did never have four important characteristics of insurgency i.e popular support, a liberated zone, well defined and highly motivated politico-armed command structures and ideological and political motivations. They are virtually a blend of criminal elements led by some unscrupulous greedy people and are fuelled by strong communal hatred for their neighbours. Their leaders talked to freeing Tripura from the clutch of ‘Hindu Bengalis’ who outnumbered the tribals following partition and resultant influx from erstwhile East Pakistan, committed brutalities in all imaginable forms on the unarmed civilians including their own people and in the process made huge money and started business in foreign countries. The leaders who wanted to become ‘President’ of sovereign Tripura and indulged in violence and man slaughters ultimately find it was more rewarding to become a ‘chairman’ of a government run corporation.
So, despite popular usages in battle strategies formulated by the state as well as in media reports- the ‘Counter Insurgency’ would be a 'misnomer' as far as Tripura is concerned.
Yet, coming back to Human Rights in Counter Insurgency campaign, it is beyond any question that the engagements between the state force and non-state armed actors are inherently fraught with threat of Human Rights violations, as instantaneous decisions by the force in uniform could very well go astray in a conflict zone. The militants do neither care for Human Rights nor are ready to practice it in any form. In reality ultimate success or sporadic achievements of their policies and operations are based exclusively on Human Rights violations only.
In India we can safely say state authority succeeded in combating and containing militancy effectively in three states-Mizoram, Punjab and Tripura.
In Mizoram when the MNF launched Operation Jericho on February 28, 1966 and captured several places including Aizwal and kept it under their full control for eight days, Indian Airforce was used and the fighters strafed on them. This was, perhaps, for the first time in the world at that time that a country used its air force on its own people. The standard of maintenance of Human Rights by the state authority then thus could very well be guessed. Yet, following several sets of negotiations in various parts of the world ultimately the MNF sat for final peace talks and peace indeed returned in Mizoram in 1986. (Later Sri Lankan authority also used air force on LTTE infested areas to flush them out of Killonecchi, Mullaitivu, and other northern parts of the island nation).
In Punjab the militancy- overtly aided by Pakistan under Benazir Bhutto- was fought ruthlessly and decisively by Punjab police led by KPS Gill. The expression - ‘Human Rights- virtually meant nothing then in Punjab. Excessive forces were used and by hardnosed policing the violence was contained.
But in Tripura though the police took the lead role in combating militancy the Human Rights violations were negligible. Offhand only one or two severe Human Rights violations come to mind - one being the Ujan Maidan in 1989 where tribal women were raped by some Assam Rifles jawans and the other being Kutnabari incident on November 6, 1999 where Tripura State Rifles personnel cold bloodedly killed three tribal youths following an ATTF ambush on their colleagues. Then there were some stray reports of Human Rights violations in Takumbari and Chhankhola areas. But in all the cases authorities took strong view and actions were taken against the erring personnel.
The state forces, while combating the non-state armed actors carrying out violence, are virtually left with only three options: First, arrest them and put them to trial in the court of law, second, force them to surrender under pressure and proactive operations of various kinds and help them start a new life with rehabilitation package, and third when both the first two options fail, engage them in encounter which may result in killing or wounding them.
A fallen body - even if it belongs to an insurgent, or Jihadi or a militant- means the basic of Human Rights of a human being to live a full life is essentially curtailed- even if a man in uniform is forced to do it in an encounter for a greater cause or to save many other innocents. Besides, killing cannot be done with a human face or in other words with sympathy. And this is the tragedy that comes haunting for all the combatants in a conflict zone. This is a fact inherent in Counter Insurgency or Counter terrorist operations.
ISI ‘SUB INSPECTOR'’- WHAT IS IT ANYWAY?
By Manas Paul
The local newspapers recently carried a news item on arrested ISI operative Munir Khan who had been produced before an Agartala court in July last. According to news reports, which ostensibly quoted from police docket, Khan told the investigating and interrogating cops that he was ‘Sub Inspector” of ISI.
If this was ‘true’ than there something indeed is seriously amiss.
The fact is there is no rank as “Sub Inspector” in ISI.
The ISI or ‘Inter Services Intelligence’ is essentially a military organization of Pakistan. It was formed in 1947 by a British military officer Maj. Gen R Cawthorn. The ISI –always commanded by Pak military generals at the rank ‘Lt General’- called Director General- is virtually a counterpart of military intelligence of India. Present Director General of ISI is Lt Gen. Ahmed Suja Pasha. Pakistan’s military chief General A. Kiyani had also been once the ISI chief.
The ISI is formed with two main components –one is military and the other is civil recruits. The military officers are deputed in the ISI for maximum three years so as to limit their influence. The civilians are recruited in the ISI through Federal Public Service Commission of Pakistan through intensive scrutiny, checks and cross checks in their past, ideological, religious, political, social beliefs and mindset. The civilian recruits are also given military rank but they are not allowed to hold the rank above ‘Major’-which are exclusively reserved for the direct military officers.
The ISI's has seven departments known as ‘ Joint Intelligence X’, ‘Joint Intelligence Bureau’, ‘Joint Counter Intelligence Bureau’, ‘Joint Intelligence North’, ‘Joint Intelligence Miscellaneous’, ‘Joint Signal Intelligence Bureau’ and ‘Joint Intelligence technical’.
Among them JIB and JIM are considered most powerful. While JIB looks after intelligence gathering –political and otherwise- it has sub departments, one among them specifically for India. JIN was also exclusively meant for Jammu and Kashmir while JIM is entrusted with the dirty jobs which include among others offensive espionage, sabotage, surveillance etc.
It is quite likely that Munir Khan was entrusted with the offensive mission under JIM.
The mission could be anything – from reactivating HUJI-B in an attempt to assassinate Sheikh Hasina either in Bangladesh or during her proposed Agartala visit, to reporting the ground level condition in view of the recent development relating to Indo-Bangla bilateral trade and imminent opening up of Ashuganj and even Chittagong port for Tripura, or cultivating disgruntled section (smugglers et al) that might get affected in case of new trade and transit opportunities, or even strengthening hawala racket for future use.
Besides, the ISI, like most of the intelligence services of the world, is not known for sending their own ranking officers in foreign country to work as ‘deep cover’ or ‘sleeper’ agent. The task is usually given to recruits – a common man selected carefully- from outside the organization after proper training indoctrination and acclimatization. This also gives the recruiting organization a scope for deniability in case of exposure or arrest.
Khan’s claim that he had been recruited from Bahawalpur of Punjab province in Pakistan fits in this context. That he was trained for three months by ISI in Bahawalpur and Multan is also believable. But none in his right mind would accept that ISI sent an ‘officer’-that too, a probationer- who had only three months training in espionage business to work in a far off place like Bangladesh-Tripura-Assam.
The claim that Khan was a ‘Sub Inspector’ of ISI is thus far from the truth. It is likely that Khan was bluffing and the cops had believed in it to incorporate his supposed ‘ISI rank’.
Such slip-if it really occurred in police docket-also does neither add to the image of the police nor in long run to the case when placed for trial in the court of law.
The local newspapers recently carried a news item on arrested ISI operative Munir Khan who had been produced before an Agartala court in July last. According to news reports, which ostensibly quoted from police docket, Khan told the investigating and interrogating cops that he was ‘Sub Inspector” of ISI.
If this was ‘true’ than there something indeed is seriously amiss.
The fact is there is no rank as “Sub Inspector” in ISI.
The ISI or ‘Inter Services Intelligence’ is essentially a military organization of Pakistan. It was formed in 1947 by a British military officer Maj. Gen R Cawthorn. The ISI –always commanded by Pak military generals at the rank ‘Lt General’- called Director General- is virtually a counterpart of military intelligence of India. Present Director General of ISI is Lt Gen. Ahmed Suja Pasha. Pakistan’s military chief General A. Kiyani had also been once the ISI chief.
The ISI is formed with two main components –one is military and the other is civil recruits. The military officers are deputed in the ISI for maximum three years so as to limit their influence. The civilians are recruited in the ISI through Federal Public Service Commission of Pakistan through intensive scrutiny, checks and cross checks in their past, ideological, religious, political, social beliefs and mindset. The civilian recruits are also given military rank but they are not allowed to hold the rank above ‘Major’-which are exclusively reserved for the direct military officers.
The ISI's has seven departments known as ‘ Joint Intelligence X’, ‘Joint Intelligence Bureau’, ‘Joint Counter Intelligence Bureau’, ‘Joint Intelligence North’, ‘Joint Intelligence Miscellaneous’, ‘Joint Signal Intelligence Bureau’ and ‘Joint Intelligence technical’.
Among them JIB and JIM are considered most powerful. While JIB looks after intelligence gathering –political and otherwise- it has sub departments, one among them specifically for India. JIN was also exclusively meant for Jammu and Kashmir while JIM is entrusted with the dirty jobs which include among others offensive espionage, sabotage, surveillance etc.
It is quite likely that Munir Khan was entrusted with the offensive mission under JIM.
The mission could be anything – from reactivating HUJI-B in an attempt to assassinate Sheikh Hasina either in Bangladesh or during her proposed Agartala visit, to reporting the ground level condition in view of the recent development relating to Indo-Bangla bilateral trade and imminent opening up of Ashuganj and even Chittagong port for Tripura, or cultivating disgruntled section (smugglers et al) that might get affected in case of new trade and transit opportunities, or even strengthening hawala racket for future use.
Besides, the ISI, like most of the intelligence services of the world, is not known for sending their own ranking officers in foreign country to work as ‘deep cover’ or ‘sleeper’ agent. The task is usually given to recruits – a common man selected carefully- from outside the organization after proper training indoctrination and acclimatization. This also gives the recruiting organization a scope for deniability in case of exposure or arrest.
Khan’s claim that he had been recruited from Bahawalpur of Punjab province in Pakistan fits in this context. That he was trained for three months by ISI in Bahawalpur and Multan is also believable. But none in his right mind would accept that ISI sent an ‘officer’-that too, a probationer- who had only three months training in espionage business to work in a far off place like Bangladesh-Tripura-Assam.
The claim that Khan was a ‘Sub Inspector’ of ISI is thus far from the truth. It is likely that Khan was bluffing and the cops had believed in it to incorporate his supposed ‘ISI rank’.
Such slip-if it really occurred in police docket-also does neither add to the image of the police nor in long run to the case when placed for trial in the court of law.
Friday, May 14, 2010
TRIBUTE TO A DACOIT –SAMBA THE SNIPER
By Manas Paul
He was the best ‘sniper’ that the typical Indian film could ever think of---a sniper with an ever silent rifle. He did neither believe in blazing guns nor did he appear trigger happy like others of his ilk. He never shot. He was simply different. Throughout the film he sat quietly on top of a rocky dusty hillock holding an ancient .303 rifle across his lap for years guarding his Sardar who was constantly engaged in violent dramatics –laughing and killing in same breath or in leisurely time chewing Khaini or baring his dirty leering teeth. His loyalty to his Sardar was so religious that his menacing presence was enough. In fact, none in Rampur or in the cinema hall needed to tell that the silent and bearded dacoit up the rocky hills sitting alone was a sure shot and could pick up anyone who would try to act funny or simply disagree with the Sardar.
But Samba did not fight, he did not argue, he did not ride horse and did not show any violence at all. Yet without Samba, you just cannot think of Sholay. Without Samba Gabbar Singh was insecure-almost naked.
The Sardar, who preferred to shout his cohorts’ guts out, also apparently ‘loved’ Samba because time and again he was heard screaming—evidently to reassure his own unquestioned leadership—‘Arre o Samba…’
I like many of my age grew up with Sholay and its Amjad Khan-the Gabbar Singh, watching this movie umpteen times. Like millions of Indians I still remember all those Gabbar dialogues, desperate Dharmendra antiques to impress irritatingly talkative Hema Mailini, cool Amitabha trying to feel the almost supernatural existence of a white clad young widow, calculating Thakur personified by Sanjeev Kumar and his simple village valet Satyen Kappu, British jamane ki stupid jailor Asrani with a Hitler’s moustache, funny Surma Jagdeep Bhopali with his cock and bull stories, wise and heavenly Imam AK Hangal, even barber-the-jail bird Keshto.... All the characters acted out their parts so beautifully with so perfect unison that Sholay became the first Indian movie which was in all sense ‘total’ and till date the most popular in the entire sub-continent. Many cynic may find some of the shots true to Bollywood tradition were copied from Charles Bronson’s Red Sun or even How the West was Won...but there would be no doubt that Amjad Khan or in other words ‘Gabbar Singh-the-dacoit Sardar’ was ‘superb’-the ‘best’ in performance among a huge array of superstars. Then if Amjad Khan became world famous for his immortal performance as Gabbar Singh, it was also the man, who christened with an Irish sounding name Macmohan, became known with an unlikely Brazilian dance title ‘Samba’ across the country as the film Sholay kept on enthralling three generation in a row.
But what I actually found amazing was that it was Samba who made a world record: without any acting or performing any feat at all –only sitting silent with his rifle and an unassuming smile and a single dialogue- he could also become such a popular name.
Throughout his ‘career’ as ‘Baagi’ in the treacherous world of Chambal with a frightened Rampur in the periphery reeling under the ever present shadow of scary Gabbar, he spoke only once— ‘Poora Pachaash Hazaar, Sardar’.
And it was an instant hit.
It was perhaps the second best known dialogue of the film after Biju Khote-the- Kalia’s ‘ Hamne apka nimak khaya hai Sardar’.
Who should be given the credit...Sippy saab or Samba a ka Macmohan himself or the script writer Javed Akhtar?
We have already lost the great villains of our Indian films- K N Singh, Premnath, Ajit, Amjad Khan, Madan Puri, Omshib Puri, Amrish Puri et al. Recently, when Macmohan died we have also lost a quintessential silent sidearm of a filmy villain.
Of course, there were many henchmen besides their villainous Bosses, say for example, suave and well dressed Ajit-the-Leon (Lion) had all along with him his sidekicks ‘Micaaal’ and Mona Darrrrling. But can you really remember their faces? I doubt.
But when they said Macmohan has left us on May 10 last, we immediately recognized the face in the rocky upland—typical dacoit attire with bullet belts across his chest. And do not you feel that his was an uncommon face?
Macmohan seemed to me consciously sported beard to hide his sunken cheek and he dared to appear in all the films without any change. After Sholay I have of course come across Macmohan in some more films...mostly perfectly dressed, often with sunglasses but his role was still not very important as an actor besides the raging villains. Starting from Haqeeqat in 1964 he acted in almost 180 films. But Samba kept on shadowing him. In most of the films he seldom spoke, barring perhaps Karz where he was with Premnath. Despite his long career as a baddie he could never become an underworld Don.
Once, however, I saw him as a reporter attired in stereotype pyjama and punjabi with jhola for a brief appearance. I cannot remember the film but in one I have seen the ‘bad guy’ in a virtuous police officer’s dress also. The last film I saw Macmohan in was a recent comedy where Raju Srivastava, Sunil Paul, Asrani –all were there. The name of the film sounded like something ‘Bombay to Goa’. In this film I saw Samba had become old with greying beard and too many wrinkles in his face. In fact by then he was suffering from lung cancer.
The expression in Macmohan’s face always appeared to me as bored by the pathos of life and thus exuding an air of philosophical understanding. The face never betrayed any overt emotion, perhaps, except an ever present twinkle in his eyes... as if they found something indeed amusing also in the world.
I often wonder Samba might have also felt that his Sardar Gabbar Singh was eccentric full of all sounds and furies but destined to be mauled by a handless Thakur. He maintained a respectable distance from his Sardar. Perhaps the illiterate Baagi in the Chambals knew by experience the management mantra of the present day corporate world – always keep distance from the Boss or you would invite trouble. So he spent his hours up in the rocks –perhaps in a strategic corner far from the reach of hot headed Gabbar’s country-made revolver. Samba was a wise guy. Cool, calm, menacing who did not act, who did not perform but also he did not let you forget him. He was there all the time and, believe me, Samba will remain there as long as great old Bollywood keep on producing movies throwing up stars who burn bright for a while and then go to oblivion for ever. Even if ‘Macmohan’ is not remembered Samba will certainly be .
Friday, May 7, 2010
A WEEPING JIHADI AND HIS HEAVEN AND HOURIES
By Manas Paul
I am not sure whether any warrior of Islam hanged to death by a court after trial would attain 'Vehst' and -as such be eligible for those heavenly 'houries' with beautiful black eyes. As far as I understand, perhaps, Kasav had lost his claim to those paragons of divine beauty when he wept and admitted 'guilt' in Mumbai on 26/11. Neither his handlers in Pakistan nor the 16-year old houries somewhere up in the paradise would be impressed at a terrorist trained to kill the 'Kafirs' and to sacrifice himself for the cause of Islam crying in the public for his own life. This was shame for a jihadi ...
This is not for the first time, however, that such a question came to my mind. Last year I was reading a book 'The Siege of Mecca' by Yaroslav Trofimov. At that time also I was equally uncertain about the fate of that Bedouin fanatic Juhayman al Uteibi who along with his followers had seized Holy Mecca on November 20, 1979 demanding that 'Mehdi' had arrived. He and his stupid followers killed hundreds of Muslim pilgrims only to be later captured and happily beheaded by the Saudi Monarch.
Then, there was a man near our neighbourhood with a funny name 'Bangla Bhai'. He was also trying to make his way up into heaven throwing crude bombs here and there and killing some bystanders or poets or intellectuals. At last it was, however, not the bombs but the rope that ended his dream run to divinity.
I was wondering what could be their fates-- those Juhayman and Bangla Bhai--I mean after their death. I did not have any 'Wahabi' inspired fanatic in Tripura whom I could ask for the answer. But then I remembered Mohammed Hanif - the celebrated Pakistani writer of 'Exploding Mangoes'- who had some answer: 'God's Glory, God's Glory, every monkey has a hourie'.
But all those good wine and women in heavens aside, none could rule out some very un-heavenly developments that might follow the death sentence to Kasav.
For me Kasav stood strangely apart like a sore thumb. He was perhaps the first Fidayen -the suicide attacker- who was caught alive and stood trial in the court of law, he was the first dreaded terrorist who cried openly and in the public and he happened to be an enemy of a state that willy-nilly but relentlessly goes overboard to strengthen her democratic image. Considering these three major shortcomings Kasav seems to have little chance to be called as a true warrior of Islam as per the LeT standard. In fine, India has deprived Kasav of not only his earthly existence but also of his so cherished carnal pleasures beyond death for which he had taken that much of risk and butchered so many innocent people...
Nevertheless, I am certain some fanatics somewhere in Pakistani slums or Afghani mountains or even in some far off places like Sudan would like to come up with some new interpretation of Jihadi Sahadaat and pray for Kasav's transportation to his heaven and houries straight from the Mumbai gallows. If Kasav is 'lucky', there is also possibility of Osama bin Laden coming up with a tape for public distribution through Al Jazeera praising the young terrorist for his great man slaughter.
In today's (Friday) newspaper I read some Human Rights activists demanded life sentence for Kasav instead of capital punishment. They felt death sentence could not be a deterrent for terrorist attacks and as such he should be buried alive in prison for life. As far as Indian standard sentiment is concerned this did appear to me neither surprising nor intriguing. It was, in fact, quite expected that professional Humanrightswallas would take to roads to save Kasav from death. If anything surprising was there, it was their hitherto maintained conspicuous silence on the issue. This time the HRmasters had evidently kept in mind the prevalent situation. And they are except some token protests unlikely to act Teesta Shitalabad or suffer the Arundhuti syndrome finding blatant faults in the government establishments both in India and Pakistan for which 'Kasav could have very well been a victim' sort of thing. But, Kasav still has a chance to test his destiny. He can appeal to higher court and even go up to the President of India for clemency.
And as far as political considerations are concerned Ajmal Kasav was far more a hot potato than Afjal Guru. But still we are certainly not Israel nor do we have a cigarette smoking Golda Meir who would like to bring outright 'Wrath of Gods' to the perpetrator of inhuman killings.
In recent time there were five more state executions in our region - the hanging of five Mujib killers in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh or for that matter in the entire world the execution was hailed as it was seen as bringing the brute murderers of the Bangladesh President to justice. They were hanged in celebration. Six more were still on the run and being hunted world over. Since the Mujib assassins were allegedly acting at the behest of an American, and that too, a Jew named Mr Henri Kissinger, Col Frouk and his cohorts were unlikely to be blessed too..
But as far as Kasav is concerned, let me be frank, I am not quite sure about the passport of a weeping jihadi's journey to Heaven and his houries--those 'pearls hidden in shells on whom there would be no dust and whom neither any man nor a jinn had ever touched'.
This is not for the first time, however, that such a question came to my mind. Last year I was reading a book 'The Siege of Mecca' by Yaroslav Trofimov. At that time also I was equally uncertain about the fate of that Bedouin fanatic Juhayman al Uteibi who along with his followers had seized Holy Mecca on November 20, 1979 demanding that 'Mehdi' had arrived. He and his stupid followers killed hundreds of Muslim pilgrims only to be later captured and happily beheaded by the Saudi Monarch.
Then, there was a man near our neighbourhood with a funny name 'Bangla Bhai'. He was also trying to make his way up into heaven throwing crude bombs here and there and killing some bystanders or poets or intellectuals. At last it was, however, not the bombs but the rope that ended his dream run to divinity.
I was wondering what could be their fates-- those Juhayman and Bangla Bhai--I mean after their death. I did not have any 'Wahabi' inspired fanatic in Tripura whom I could ask for the answer. But then I remembered Mohammed Hanif - the celebrated Pakistani writer of 'Exploding Mangoes'- who had some answer: 'God's Glory, God's Glory, every monkey has a hourie'.
But all those good wine and women in heavens aside, none could rule out some very un-heavenly developments that might follow the death sentence to Kasav.
For me Kasav stood strangely apart like a sore thumb. He was perhaps the first Fidayen -the suicide attacker- who was caught alive and stood trial in the court of law, he was the first dreaded terrorist who cried openly and in the public and he happened to be an enemy of a state that willy-nilly but relentlessly goes overboard to strengthen her democratic image. Considering these three major shortcomings Kasav seems to have little chance to be called as a true warrior of Islam as per the LeT standard. In fine, India has deprived Kasav of not only his earthly existence but also of his so cherished carnal pleasures beyond death for which he had taken that much of risk and butchered so many innocent people...
Nevertheless, I am certain some fanatics somewhere in Pakistani slums or Afghani mountains or even in some far off places like Sudan would like to come up with some new interpretation of Jihadi Sahadaat and pray for Kasav's transportation to his heaven and houries straight from the Mumbai gallows. If Kasav is 'lucky', there is also possibility of Osama bin Laden coming up with a tape for public distribution through Al Jazeera praising the young terrorist for his great man slaughter.
In today's (Friday) newspaper I read some Human Rights activists demanded life sentence for Kasav instead of capital punishment. They felt death sentence could not be a deterrent for terrorist attacks and as such he should be buried alive in prison for life. As far as Indian standard sentiment is concerned this did appear to me neither surprising nor intriguing. It was, in fact, quite expected that professional Humanrightswallas would take to roads to save Kasav from death. If anything surprising was there, it was their hitherto maintained conspicuous silence on the issue. This time the HRmasters had evidently kept in mind the prevalent situation. And they are except some token protests unlikely to act Teesta Shitalabad or suffer the Arundhuti syndrome finding blatant faults in the government establishments both in India and Pakistan for which 'Kasav could have very well been a victim' sort of thing. But, Kasav still has a chance to test his destiny. He can appeal to higher court and even go up to the President of India for clemency.
And as far as political considerations are concerned Ajmal Kasav was far more a hot potato than Afjal Guru. But still we are certainly not Israel nor do we have a cigarette smoking Golda Meir who would like to bring outright 'Wrath of Gods' to the perpetrator of inhuman killings.
In recent time there were five more state executions in our region - the hanging of five Mujib killers in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh or for that matter in the entire world the execution was hailed as it was seen as bringing the brute murderers of the Bangladesh President to justice. They were hanged in celebration. Six more were still on the run and being hunted world over. Since the Mujib assassins were allegedly acting at the behest of an American, and that too, a Jew named Mr Henri Kissinger, Col Frouk and his cohorts were unlikely to be blessed too..
But as far as Kasav is concerned, let me be frank, I am not quite sure about the passport of a weeping jihadi's journey to Heaven and his houries--those 'pearls hidden in shells on whom there would be no dust and whom neither any man nor a jinn had ever touched'.
DEVATAMURA: ENCHANTED, MYSTERIOUS AND-LOST
By Manas Paul
Wrapped in deep winter mist and soft chill, quiet flows the river Gomati - piercing through two massive mountains and moist verdure-to an ancient place- a place that has long been forgotten and long forsaken- Devatamura. It is where far, far from the madding crowd the 16th century amazing rock cuts despite their immense archeological splendors and importance stand desolate and forlorn. Devatamura is like Kublai Khan's Xanadu - enchanted, mysterious and isolated. But the vagaries of time and unforgivable apathy of the ASI and state government have taken the toll. Now this archeological treasure is on the verge of extinction.
Located deep in the forest with no human anywhere within 50 to 60 kms of its radius the two panels of the rock cuts- several miles apart - of unspecified deities of Hindu pantheon- just carved out at the steep rocky face of straight cliff that descends directly to the river bed about 150-200 feet below - are the archaeological splendour that is quite literally in the middle of nowhere. The only sounds here are those of nature - like the river which, after charting an arduous course through hills and dales, forests and verdure, gurgles like a baby in its cradle, or the birds that chirp as if to humour it.
Located deep in the forest with no human anywhere within 50 to 60 kms of its radius the two panels of the rock cuts- several miles apart - of unspecified deities of Hindu pantheon- just carved out at the steep rocky face of straight cliff that descends directly to the river bed about 150-200 feet below - are the archaeological splendour that is quite literally in the middle of nowhere. The only sounds here are those of nature - like the river which, after charting an arduous course through hills and dales, forests and verdure, gurgles like a baby in its cradle, or the birds that chirp as if to humour it.
THE TRAVEL THAT MAKES YOU A PART OF THE WILD
The two densely forested high hills that made the deep crevice through which the Gomati slowly and silently travels to reach Udaipur miles and miles ahead, is so densely green in mid-December that even a single unknown tree with a patch of white bark would immediately invite attention of the traveling tourists in the country-made boats far below.
If you want to escape from the daily drudgery that makes you so tired and often, insensible,- then drive your car up to Gomati ghat at Rangamati near Amarpur in South Tripura and rent a boat for a day's cruise down the stream for an encounter with the wild and the exotic manifestation of ancient arts. The experience for those ready to take the difficult trip is, indeed, rewarding. Only thing you must not forget is to carry dry foods and bottled water along. For the next 10 hours or so you will be on boat traveling in the wilderness. During the mesmerizing cruise through the all pervasive emerald green, it is a pall of hushed silence- a silence that oozes out from the dark wood, from the springy weeds, the damp ferns, the cunning creepers and the wintry mist that loosely drapes the tree leaves up in the mountain ridges- is your only companion.
As the boat floats in the hypnotic ambience, the huge and deeply dark unknown trees and flowering shrubs hanging awkwardly over the swollen river exude an earthly smell in abundance. A little torrent of a stream that emerges from nowhere behind a lonely moist stone- trickles down to meet the mighty and indifferent -Gomati and then gets lost without making any ripple- accepting the fate and embracing the long awaited union with a bigger entity.
The isolation is now and then accentuated by rasping of an elderly monkey hidden somewhere in the bushy banyan tree, or by an unidentified bird breaking into a sudden flight overhead or by an unknown creature slinking into dense foliage.
The sounds seem suggestive - only to add an element of expectancy and uncertainty that would grow with every passing moment in the human heart. "I won't be surprised if an anaconda emerges from the river. Its like experiencing the Amazon", murmured Biswajit Bhattacharjee, a young IT professional.
The 'possibility' and the 'feel' of a huge 'anaconda' indeed following you silently beneath the boat- is unsettling, for a moment. As the woods turns more magnetic, more inviting, more you loose your worldly moorings. You become a part of the wood. A part of the green, and the water, and the Wild.
And then, all of a sudden on your right appears the grand archeological rock cuts sculptured at the stony face of the cliff- a steep decline that is partly seen, partly covered by weeds, creepers and undergrowth.
THE MAJESTIC ROCK DEITIES
"This is where you wanted to come. Look, how beautiful". Dharma Jamatia, the tribal boatman, made his first uttering in three hours while two of his companions 'both Bengalis- who had already warmed up themselves with considerable gulps of local brew, slowly veer the boat towards the rive edge near the rock cuts. "But, seldom people come here", one of them rued. At that moment Subhash Das, former Director of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism of Tripura government also broke his long silence. He was lost in himself looking intently at the nature for the last three hours. "None knows exactly how and when those ancient artists carved out these rock cuts, but apparently these are about 500-700 years old" he said ' telling no one in particular.
According to legend in 16th century a Moghul expedition led by Houtan Khan defeated the Tripura King Amar Manikya (1577-86) who ruled from Amarpur at that time. The King took refuge in this deep forest at Gomati's bank. An artist who was also with the king in hiding found out his leisurely time and sculpted the two panels filled with deities, and something that resemblance a King's procession..
"There were bullet marks in the rock cuts.It is likely that the Mughal soldiers while cruising past the rock cut opened fire at them. In fact, we had found some irons possibly remnants of the bullets", said Swapan Nandi, an eminent artist of the state.
"Even at the base of the rock cut that appears to be of Durga you will find symbols that look like wine glasses of the Mughals. We believe that as the Moghul soldiers could not destroy the rock cuts with cannon firing, they sculpted wine glasses at the base of the Hindu deity", Nandi said. Das pointed out that though it is quite likely that the sculptures were made during the time of Maharaja Amar Manikya exact date can be ascertained only by experts.
"But if you look at the cliff face where the rock cuts were chiseled, you can imagine the desperation and devotion of the artists. Even today it is simply impossible to touch those massive sculptures that stand about 200 feet directly above the river bed. It is indeed amazing how in those days the artists could find out the place in such a wilderness and stood over the river with their chisels. A matter of ancient miracles", said Das, presently chairman of Tripura Small scale Industries Corporation.
"I have traveled across the world and seen many a world heritage site and I find this one no less a wonderful archeological splendor in comparison to them", he added.
THE APATHY AND THE UNFORGIVABLE LOSS
Boatman, senior bureaucrat, artists-all, however, agree in one point: the Archeological Survey of India has done nothing to preserve the ancient site. Nor has the state government done anything to make it a tourist spot. The result is --the rock cuts that stood silently for ages are now in ruins and many more sculpted panels that were evidently there at a point of time are peeling off the rock face.
"Even last time I remember some more panels were there which I do not see now. The apathy is unforgivable. It is a sin. It simply tells of our lack of sense of history and culture", said Priti Achariya, a poet. Then she added: Can you imagine, had these ancient sites been in a foreign country what kind of importance would have been attached to it and how they would go all out to make it an important tourist destination?
"It is true that Devatamura is not a favored tourist destination. None really seemed interested to come here", Das agreed.
"The ASI failed to do anything for the site. And it would be completely lost within next five years if immediate steps are not taken in right earnest to preserve this magnificent site. We have to really, really do something 'immediately", he added.
The points taken and understood. But none actually believes that the ASI or the state government would suddenly discover the importance of the ancient site. The ASI has already miserably failed to protect other historical sites like Unakoti, Pilak and Boxanagar Buddhist centre located in more easy places across Tripura. So, there is no reason to be hopeful that they would come here in the deep forest to protect the rock cuts at inaccessible mountain face.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
MEANT NO MALICE, SIR
By Manas Paul
Sorry, Mr Khushwant Singh. I cannot agree with you.
Well, this could sound really, really audacious, but let me explain that when you subscribe to the idea of ‘rediscovering India’ within a limit that conspicuously excludes Northeast region where I live, I cannot but express my serious disappointment.
I am well aware of the fact that the following article criticizes an opinion expressed by none other than one of the greatest writers of our age and country. But when I find Khushwant Singh, my most favourite writer of present India (the other, of course, being Ruskin Bond), certified a visit to the ‘length and breadth of the country’ without a vast geographical, historical, cultural, and emotional entity called- North East region I had reasons to be depressed.
In his write up yesterday (March 21, 2009) titled ‘March is the loveliest month’ in ‘The Telegraph’ Khushwant Singh observed that one of his favourite writers-a Canadian citizen of Indian origin- M G Vassanji, a man who ‘wields a gifted pen’ could rediscover India- apparently without visiting North East- in a way that could make his book ‘A Place within: Rediscovering India’ ‘more absorbing reading than Jawaharlal Nehru’s Discovery India because it is, in fact, a rediscovery’.
I used the word ‘apparently’ to say that Vassanji did not visit North East region while penning down his travelogue because Singh wrote –I quote- ‘He ( Vassanji) travelled length and breadth of the country from Shimla to Kerala, from Calcutta to Gulf of Cambay, visiting historical sites, temples, mosques…”.
So ? Where the breadth, of the country ends in the eastern side of India both for M G Vassanji and Khushwant Singh?
In Calcutta.
I have not read Vassanji’s book which must be great reading indeed, but at the same time I cannot agree with Khushwant Singh also that India could be rediscovered in its true sense and spirit without visiting North East- a polyglot region where 325 languages, out of which 175 belong to Tibeto-Burman and Mon Khmer families, are spoken everyday and where as many as 213 tribal communities (out of total 635 in the country) at varied stages of social development along with almost all Indian nationalities are found.
India in its eastern flank- you all have to agree with me –does not definetly end in Calcutta or Kolkata.
“He tells us about the people of India, their history, customs and their peculiarities”, so said Khushwant Singh about M G Vassanji’s book.
Can you agree with Khushwant Singh that while talking about India’s ‘history, customs and their peculiarities’ you can really leave aside the unique tribal and non-tribal societies of the North east region and their extraordinary customs, their extraordinary way of life, religious faiths- animistic, Hindu and Christian-social systems as well as their unique history ?
While writing about India you cannot forget those great hornbill feathered warriors of Naga tribes, or one of the richest cultures of India that finds it root in the Vaishnabite way of Manipuri life, or the unique matriarchal as well as matrilineal societies that still exist among Khasi, Jaintia and Garo people, or the exquisite landscape, one horn Rihno of Assam or the picturesque Loktak lake of Imphal ?
You may not like to write about oft spoken North East brand of insurgencies – Nagaland being the oldest of its kind in the entire South East Asia. But when you want to rediscover India and its history you cannot certainly forget that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose hoisted ‘Indian Flag’ in North East humiliating the British Empire, it was also in Mizoram- the land of hill people where Indian Air Force conducted air raids on its own citizens- first of its kind perhaps in the modern world history in those days during MNF’s ‘Operation Jericho’ in 1966.
It is also in this place where for eight days non state actors had kept the capital Aizwal liberated where Indian authority did not exist at all?
It is also Mizoram from where several thousand people went to Israel claiming themselves Jews -one of the Lost Tribes and took Israeli citizenship discarding their Indian identity.
Or, how come one can forget to rediscover Indian history without any reference to Arunachal Pradesh –a large part of which had fallen to the Chinese in 1962 and that the state is still a bone of contention for the Sino-Indian relations.
Vassanji talked about temples, so said Singh. Since Vassanji’s journey did not include North East he certainly did not see Kamakhya and Tripureswari temples- two of the 51 Peethastans that dot the Indian subcontinent. Or, the Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh.
None can rediscover India, forgetting that the Manikya Kings of Tripura happen to be the second oldest dynasty in the entire world after Japan Royality. Not even the mighty British Monarchs could match the Tripura kings bloodline in this regard. The Manikya rulers also happen to be the first to recognize Rabindra Nath Tagore in his teens and helped his Shantiniketan as well as many other great Indian personalities like scientist Jagadish Chandra Bose financially.
When Vassanji wrote his book Sourabhee was not there. But Singh certainly knows that ancient music masters like Jadu Bhatta used to perform in Tripura king’s court.
Well, one can be excused for being ignorant about ancient history of this region but how can one forget that it is also in this region –in Assam- that for the first time in the modern history of the country, or perhaps in the world, students were entrusted with power to rule the state –democratically.
I understand, for many Singh’s observation may sound very innocuous. After all we are used to such comments. It is always in the parlance of writers, intellectuals, Journalists and even politicians that the country’s geographical identity tends to get limited –at least in eastern side- in Calcutta or Kolkata. Not beyond that- not even up to Guwahati. But beneath the innocuous statement of a writer and intellectual of Khushwant Singh’s stature lies a deep rooted mindset of the heartland that isolated the North East region from being emotionally integrated with them. So when I visit New Delhi or Chennai- many an otherwise enlightened people ask me ‘what is the distance between Agartala and Tripura’ or ‘Is Agartala still a part of Assam’. They knew Tripura’s name as one of the Indian states to be ruled by the Marxists, secondly for militants who for many of them ‘roam in the city corners with AK47s and kill people at will’ and, of late, for Sourabhee, if not for Somdev. Not many of them, of course, are aware that Sachin Karta actually belonged to Tripura’s Royal family. But they certainly heard the name of Bijoy Hrangkhawl- who according to many is an ‘extremist leader’.
Well, you cannot expect common men to know his geography or important people of a particular Indian state in details, but when Khushwant Singh gets satisfied with a writer’s ‘rediscovery’ of India within the limit that did not include 262,230 km² land mass of the North East that shelter about four crore population (more precisely 38,857,769) I find it extremely disappointing.
Now let us try to explain the mindset in historical perspective.
The North East is, perhaps, the most colorful –in all sense-and historically is one of the most important regions in the entire country where too many developments after independence overlapped each other in quick succession.
The problem is mainland India’s mindset to often look at this ‘Mongoloid fringe’ of the country differently. This huge land mass with eight states always was, and unfortunately still tends to remain, outside the reference of people of the heartland India.
Even the British did not take much interest in making the region as the constituent of the Empire but preferred to man this frontier mostly by ‘strategic alliances and token but alert presence’. The British turned its eye to the North East only after it subjugated all parts of the subcontinent in the first quarters of nineteenth century. It was, actually, the threat of Russian expansion and perceived unpredictability of the Burmese Empire that forced the British to look East.
However, the British also left the tribal dominated hills to their local chiefs but integrated only Assam for its vast agricultural land –the main source for revenue, tea potential and oil fields. Royal Tripura and Manipur were turned into ‘dependencies’ without regular or direct administrative rein from the Viceroy.
The Eastern Frontier Regulation Act, 1873 that enforced the Inner Line Regulation left the tribal dominated hills of the region un-administered ‘Excluded’ zone. For all intents and purposes it was a deliberate attempt on the part of the British to keep the areas out of mainland India’s influence.
The British policy to leave the tribal of the North East to their own traditional life and customary administration continued more or less in a similar fashion even after India got its Independence on 15th August 1947 and country’s ‘tryst with destiny’ under the leadership of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru began. Added to the British introduced Inner Liner Regulations that prohibited the ‘outsiders’ from free movement in the tribal land was post independent India’s policies that further deepened the isolation with Nehruvian consensus. The Indian authorities with the advice of the first Chief Minister of Assam GN Bordoloi introduced Constitutional provisions that would ensure ‘autonomy’ for safeguarding the tribal rights.
The government policies right from the British Raj to even present day had certainly played a key role in creating a difference, alienating the tribals and isolating the region from the direct influence of mainland India and blocking the emotional merger of the North East with North, West, South India.
The history of insurrections of this region with too many facets is a different story. But, in fine, these violent activities of the non-state actors, though essentially local with immediate responses to area specific political considerations in a given time, were aimed at creating ‘pure ethnic homeland’ in this region. This is simply a result of ageold emotional isolation among many other contributing factors to the schism.
And these are some of the facts of the North East – a huge part of India with four crore hearty, sporty, spirited, cultured, educated and often dangerously assertive people in their own ways – that cannot certainly be ignored while ‘rediscovering India’.
It is also high time that people outside the region stopprd thinking India stops at Kolkata. And it is our duty–duty of the people of the region- to make them aware of it. It is the time that we assert that North East with all its Westernized life style, education, literacy rate, rich cultures, individuals like Bhupen Hazarika, Ratan Thyiam, Kunjarani, Jubin Garg, Sourabhee and Somdev, unique social structures and customs and even insurgency we are the power house of the India and India cannot be rediscovered if you do not come beyond your ‘Calcutta’. And for that--- the onus rests on us.
Written on March 23, 2009
By Manas Paul
Sorry, Mr Khushwant Singh. I cannot agree with you.
Well, this could sound really, really audacious, but let me explain that when you subscribe to the idea of ‘rediscovering India’ within a limit that conspicuously excludes Northeast region where I live, I cannot but express my serious disappointment.
I am well aware of the fact that the following article criticizes an opinion expressed by none other than one of the greatest writers of our age and country. But when I find Khushwant Singh, my most favourite writer of present India (the other, of course, being Ruskin Bond), certified a visit to the ‘length and breadth of the country’ without a vast geographical, historical, cultural, and emotional entity called- North East region I had reasons to be depressed.
In his write up yesterday (March 21, 2009) titled ‘March is the loveliest month’ in ‘The Telegraph’ Khushwant Singh observed that one of his favourite writers-a Canadian citizen of Indian origin- M G Vassanji, a man who ‘wields a gifted pen’ could rediscover India- apparently without visiting North East- in a way that could make his book ‘A Place within: Rediscovering India’ ‘more absorbing reading than Jawaharlal Nehru’s Discovery India because it is, in fact, a rediscovery’.
I used the word ‘apparently’ to say that Vassanji did not visit North East region while penning down his travelogue because Singh wrote –I quote- ‘He ( Vassanji) travelled length and breadth of the country from Shimla to Kerala, from Calcutta to Gulf of Cambay, visiting historical sites, temples, mosques…”.
So ? Where the breadth, of the country ends in the eastern side of India both for M G Vassanji and Khushwant Singh?
In Calcutta.
I have not read Vassanji’s book which must be great reading indeed, but at the same time I cannot agree with Khushwant Singh also that India could be rediscovered in its true sense and spirit without visiting North East- a polyglot region where 325 languages, out of which 175 belong to Tibeto-Burman and Mon Khmer families, are spoken everyday and where as many as 213 tribal communities (out of total 635 in the country) at varied stages of social development along with almost all Indian nationalities are found.
India in its eastern flank- you all have to agree with me –does not definetly end in Calcutta or Kolkata.
“He tells us about the people of India, their history, customs and their peculiarities”, so said Khushwant Singh about M G Vassanji’s book.
Can you agree with Khushwant Singh that while talking about India’s ‘history, customs and their peculiarities’ you can really leave aside the unique tribal and non-tribal societies of the North east region and their extraordinary customs, their extraordinary way of life, religious faiths- animistic, Hindu and Christian-social systems as well as their unique history ?
While writing about India you cannot forget those great hornbill feathered warriors of Naga tribes, or one of the richest cultures of India that finds it root in the Vaishnabite way of Manipuri life, or the unique matriarchal as well as matrilineal societies that still exist among Khasi, Jaintia and Garo people, or the exquisite landscape, one horn Rihno of Assam or the picturesque Loktak lake of Imphal ?
You may not like to write about oft spoken North East brand of insurgencies – Nagaland being the oldest of its kind in the entire South East Asia. But when you want to rediscover India and its history you cannot certainly forget that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose hoisted ‘Indian Flag’ in North East humiliating the British Empire, it was also in Mizoram- the land of hill people where Indian Air Force conducted air raids on its own citizens- first of its kind perhaps in the modern world history in those days during MNF’s ‘Operation Jericho’ in 1966.
It is also in this place where for eight days non state actors had kept the capital Aizwal liberated where Indian authority did not exist at all?
It is also Mizoram from where several thousand people went to Israel claiming themselves Jews -one of the Lost Tribes and took Israeli citizenship discarding their Indian identity.
Or, how come one can forget to rediscover Indian history without any reference to Arunachal Pradesh –a large part of which had fallen to the Chinese in 1962 and that the state is still a bone of contention for the Sino-Indian relations.
Vassanji talked about temples, so said Singh. Since Vassanji’s journey did not include North East he certainly did not see Kamakhya and Tripureswari temples- two of the 51 Peethastans that dot the Indian subcontinent. Or, the Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh.
None can rediscover India, forgetting that the Manikya Kings of Tripura happen to be the second oldest dynasty in the entire world after Japan Royality. Not even the mighty British Monarchs could match the Tripura kings bloodline in this regard. The Manikya rulers also happen to be the first to recognize Rabindra Nath Tagore in his teens and helped his Shantiniketan as well as many other great Indian personalities like scientist Jagadish Chandra Bose financially.
When Vassanji wrote his book Sourabhee was not there. But Singh certainly knows that ancient music masters like Jadu Bhatta used to perform in Tripura king’s court.
Well, one can be excused for being ignorant about ancient history of this region but how can one forget that it is also in this region –in Assam- that for the first time in the modern history of the country, or perhaps in the world, students were entrusted with power to rule the state –democratically.
I understand, for many Singh’s observation may sound very innocuous. After all we are used to such comments. It is always in the parlance of writers, intellectuals, Journalists and even politicians that the country’s geographical identity tends to get limited –at least in eastern side- in Calcutta or Kolkata. Not beyond that- not even up to Guwahati. But beneath the innocuous statement of a writer and intellectual of Khushwant Singh’s stature lies a deep rooted mindset of the heartland that isolated the North East region from being emotionally integrated with them. So when I visit New Delhi or Chennai- many an otherwise enlightened people ask me ‘what is the distance between Agartala and Tripura’ or ‘Is Agartala still a part of Assam’. They knew Tripura’s name as one of the Indian states to be ruled by the Marxists, secondly for militants who for many of them ‘roam in the city corners with AK47s and kill people at will’ and, of late, for Sourabhee, if not for Somdev. Not many of them, of course, are aware that Sachin Karta actually belonged to Tripura’s Royal family. But they certainly heard the name of Bijoy Hrangkhawl- who according to many is an ‘extremist leader’.
Well, you cannot expect common men to know his geography or important people of a particular Indian state in details, but when Khushwant Singh gets satisfied with a writer’s ‘rediscovery’ of India within the limit that did not include 262,230 km² land mass of the North East that shelter about four crore population (more precisely 38,857,769) I find it extremely disappointing.
Now let us try to explain the mindset in historical perspective.
The North East is, perhaps, the most colorful –in all sense-and historically is one of the most important regions in the entire country where too many developments after independence overlapped each other in quick succession.
The problem is mainland India’s mindset to often look at this ‘Mongoloid fringe’ of the country differently. This huge land mass with eight states always was, and unfortunately still tends to remain, outside the reference of people of the heartland India.
Even the British did not take much interest in making the region as the constituent of the Empire but preferred to man this frontier mostly by ‘strategic alliances and token but alert presence’. The British turned its eye to the North East only after it subjugated all parts of the subcontinent in the first quarters of nineteenth century. It was, actually, the threat of Russian expansion and perceived unpredictability of the Burmese Empire that forced the British to look East.
However, the British also left the tribal dominated hills to their local chiefs but integrated only Assam for its vast agricultural land –the main source for revenue, tea potential and oil fields. Royal Tripura and Manipur were turned into ‘dependencies’ without regular or direct administrative rein from the Viceroy.
The Eastern Frontier Regulation Act, 1873 that enforced the Inner Line Regulation left the tribal dominated hills of the region un-administered ‘Excluded’ zone. For all intents and purposes it was a deliberate attempt on the part of the British to keep the areas out of mainland India’s influence.
The British policy to leave the tribal of the North East to their own traditional life and customary administration continued more or less in a similar fashion even after India got its Independence on 15th August 1947 and country’s ‘tryst with destiny’ under the leadership of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru began. Added to the British introduced Inner Liner Regulations that prohibited the ‘outsiders’ from free movement in the tribal land was post independent India’s policies that further deepened the isolation with Nehruvian consensus. The Indian authorities with the advice of the first Chief Minister of Assam GN Bordoloi introduced Constitutional provisions that would ensure ‘autonomy’ for safeguarding the tribal rights.
The government policies right from the British Raj to even present day had certainly played a key role in creating a difference, alienating the tribals and isolating the region from the direct influence of mainland India and blocking the emotional merger of the North East with North, West, South India.
The history of insurrections of this region with too many facets is a different story. But, in fine, these violent activities of the non-state actors, though essentially local with immediate responses to area specific political considerations in a given time, were aimed at creating ‘pure ethnic homeland’ in this region. This is simply a result of ageold emotional isolation among many other contributing factors to the schism.
And these are some of the facts of the North East – a huge part of India with four crore hearty, sporty, spirited, cultured, educated and often dangerously assertive people in their own ways – that cannot certainly be ignored while ‘rediscovering India’.
It is also high time that people outside the region stopprd thinking India stops at Kolkata. And it is our duty–duty of the people of the region- to make them aware of it. It is the time that we assert that North East with all its Westernized life style, education, literacy rate, rich cultures, individuals like Bhupen Hazarika, Ratan Thyiam, Kunjarani, Jubin Garg, Sourabhee and Somdev, unique social structures and customs and even insurgency we are the power house of the India and India cannot be rediscovered if you do not come beyond your ‘Calcutta’. And for that--- the onus rests on us.
Written on March 23, 2009
A GENERAL WITH TAPEWORMS
IN STOMACH
By Manas Paul
When the President of a country- who also happens to be the almighty military general -gets ‘tape worms’ in his stomach, disaster always stares in the face.
So, even if General Zia-Ul-Haq had not died from a plane crash while feasting on mangoes, he would have certainly died of worm-infected diseases. And, death of a military general- that too of the top commander of the largest Islamic Military of the world -due to tiny blood sucking creatures would have by no standard been a very dignified death. In this context, people who masterminded Gen Zia’s mysterious plane crash, CIA, ISI, RAW, Mossad or a bitter individual- whoever these people might have been- they had saved Gen Zia’s honour in death.
It is ironic that while the entire country was angry at Pakistan’s role in Mumbai attack and many a hawk was asking for ‘surgical strike’ on the ‘rogue’ country, I was thinking that New Delhi should send trainloads of sweet dishes to the Pakistanis. After all, the Pak generals are susceptible to sweet-induced worms. And worms kill slowly but steadily. We could have won our war against Pakistan without spending a single bullet.
The idea actually stuck to my mind as I was reading ‘A Case of Exploding Mangoes’ authored by a Pakistani Mohammed Hanif.
This book, which John Le Carre’ described as ‘deliciously anarchic’, dealt with the bizarre time of Gen. Zia in Pakistan and his personal tape-worm infected religious life and ultimately his ‘lavender smelled’ death amidst crates full of mangoes with high profile entourage in a plane crash. It is in this book that characters like Osama Bin Laden in Western suit and flowing beard were found dropping in uninvited in important circles at a party in USA embassy, desperately trying to get some recognition. Ultimately, OBL was seen searching for some food with empty stomach.
Indeed ! Exploding Mangoes is, perhaps, the highest level of expression that is ‘darkly hilarious’ with ‘dark humour and carefully controlled anger’ as described by many.
When Sujaat Bukhari, Bureau Chief of The Hindu in J& K, first asked me to read the book I thought it could be yet another thriller. But as I went through the Exploding Mangoes I found it was not only a thriller of a different kind but one of the three books-- after ‘Le Miserable’ by Victor Hugo and ‘The Day of the Jackal’ by Fredrick Forsyth –which I completed in one sitting. I just could not stop it reading until the last page.
But there is a difference. At the end of the Exploding Mangoes you just get confused as to whether you read a novel or a hard-baked history leading to Zia’s death.
Reading never was such a ‘fun’.
Mohammed Hanif – a former Pilot Officer of Pak Air force who left the job to become a journalist and, now, BBC’s Urdu service chief in London is simply incomparable in his style and dry sarcasm.
All would agree, wives when terribly angry –which they often are –tend to keep away the husbands from their bedroom. Nothing unique in it. Married gentlemen somehow learn to live with such womanly misdemeanour and excuse the lady-at-home for his mosquito beaten lonely night for a good cup of tea next morning.
But that was not the case for Gen Zia.
Soon after the bloodless coup the mighty military man with a big and dancing moustache in the first meeting had beaten down his whisky-drinking-not-so-pious- generals with the most unlikely threat - a theology class. The Sand Hurst educated ‘mullah in four star General’s uniform...and with the instinct of a corrupt tax inspector’ gave them a long lecture on his idea about ‘Allah’s nomenclature’ and left all the battle hardened military veterans with so many colourful ‘salads’ pinned up in their chest simply stunned, and reeling under a religious shock.
Gen Zia might have all-devouring tape worms in his stomach but that did not deter him from evoking instant fear among his countrymen by hanging Z. A. Bhutto to death ignoring world pressure.
But when it came to dealing with his wife, poor Gen Zia was as helpless as a middle class drunk on the road who is afraid of meeting his wife with stomach full of whisky. In fact, Begum Zia kept the Pakistani President away from her bedroom night after night. No, Zia never drank, nor did he quarrel over any petty homely matter. He was only photographed while ogling at an American lady reporter during an interview, the way a 60-over General should not.
And for the Pakistan Information Minister it was certainly a difficult task to stand solid covering the spelling mistake in the banner pasted behind the Pakistani President when he was distributing doles to ‘widows’ under video camera. The banner spelled ‘Window’ instead of ‘Widow’. However, on that day the bigger problem for both the Information Minister and his President was when Begum Zia in a murderous mood appeared there. She was eagerly waiting to meet the General with a folded newspaper that carried his picture with the lady reporter in hand like a baton.
One of the most funny images that crossed my mind while reading the book was : how a constantly Dunhill smoking military Major who ran to his General - also his President- with full uniform but sporting a pair of Peshwari ‘chappal’, would have looked like.
The Major saluted his general in full military smartness but his ‘chappalled’ leg banged down on ground with a flopping sound that did not definitely match the military dignity.
This chappal wearing officer happened to be Major Kiyani of ISI.
Hanif was clearly talking about present Pakistan army Chief Gen Kiyani – who still smokes his Dunhill and had his stint in the ISI.
And, how an ISI chief is transferred in Pakistan? No, not for bungling a case involving India. The ISI chief loses his job when a police constable punishes his President and makes him a 'rooster' on road.
Well, Hanif did give us an idea when Gen. Zia replaced ISI head Gen. Akhtar by Gen. Beg.
Gen Zia had asked many long-serving world leaders as to how he could also remain in power for years like them. Fidel Castro told him to ‘drink lots of water with rum’, Kim il Sung told him not to watch ‘depressing movies’ and King Abdul Aziz made a crisp comment ‘ How would I know? Ask my doctor’.
Gen Zia thought his friend Ceausescu of Romania would tell him to ‘drink a pint of fresh blood every day’. But actually the ruler from the land of Dracula advised him to ‘go out’ in the public and ‘listen’ to people like Caliph Omar the Second.
Just the idea General loved. But the problem was he was afraid of going out. In fact, he did not even shift to the Presidential House but confined himself to Army house under Red Code security. He even was reluctant to attend National day celebration in public. The National Day celebration was stage managed with all army men and trusted people around and then aired by official media.
Nevertheless, Gen Zia inspired by Ceausescu, somehow managed courage and borrowing a shawl from his wife one night went out to road with his gardener’s bicycle. He was stopped by a police constable who kicked away his bicycle for not having a light. The policeman then ordered and forced the President of Pakistan to act like a ‘cock’- a childish punishment meant for school boys.
The constable shoved the President’s head down by one hand as his other hand was busy smoking a cigarette.
‘ Gen Zia reluctantly put both his hands through his legs and tried to reach for his ears’.
Gen. Zia was also forced to tell jokes about ‘Gen Zia’ to the constable. The cop, much to General’s dismay, was found to be well aware that Begum Zia did not allow him in her bed room.
As Gen Zia still acting as a 'cock' painfully announced his identity, the cop remarked:
‘Isn’t one General Zia enough for this poor nation? Do we need crazies like you running around in the middle of the night pretending to be him?’
This was enough for Gen Zia who by now was pretty sure that his ISI chief Gen Akhtar was giving him all bull-shits about his popularity. On that night only Gen Akhtar’s life as eyes and ears of the master ended. He was made ‘chairman of Joint Chief of Staff Committee’- the job required only to ‘inaugurate some housing complex’.
Hanif was, however, the cruellest in observing Osama Bin laden. In the US ambassador’s party Osama picked up a journalist for some small talks and wanted his pictures to be taken. But the journalist did not give him a damn. Disappointed, Osama went to local CIA chief named ‘Chuck Coogan’ who just said ‘Nice suit OBL...How is the business brother?
Osama replied, ‘Allah has been very kind. There is no business like the construction business in times of war’.
At the end as none took much interest on the man from ‘Laden and Co Constructions’ Osama found ‘himself strolling on the empty lawns amid discarded paper plates, half eaten hot dogs and chewed up bones. He suddenly remembered that he had not as yet eaten. He went towards the tent from where he had smelled the lamb’s fat burning’.
But unfortunately for the Master Terrorist of the future there was nothing left. Osama Bin Laden had to leave the party with empty stomach as others could enjoy it in the fullest.
The protagonist of the novel Ali Shigri -an under officer of Pak Air force is perhaps lone conspirator in the world who could have come out with an audacious plan to kill Zia with snake venom during a drill inspection. He indeed succeeded by pricking Zia with his poisoned sword in a fake accident, but then, there another assassination plan was running side by side that would have used a fatal gas contained in lavender room freshener and hidden in the air conditioner of the Pak One. This plan was hatched by Gen Akhtar with his man Major Kiyani. Both succeeded. The plane exploded as Gen Zia with American Ambassador Arnold Raphel and others were feasting on mangoes that were gifted to him by some Mango association. What, however, the worst of destiny –almost to the tune of Greek tragedy – is that Gen Akhtar had to be also aboard the same plane where he had planted the gas. He also died with full knowledge of what fate was in store for them hidden in the air conditioner.
Gen Zia hoped he would get the Nobel Prize for peace as he played a key role in ousting the Godless Russians from Afghanistan. Gen. Zia was also magnanimous in expressing his desire to ‘share the Nobel Prize’, if needed, with the American envoy.
Unfortunately the General’s last wish was not fulfilled. But General Zia was a pious man who offered five Namaz every day and wept profusely when in Mecca. He would certainly be blessed- tapeworm or no tapeworm. After all in the very beginning Mohammed Hanif had assured the readers through one of his characters Obaid: ‘God’s glory, God’s glory. For every monkey there is a Houri’.
Published on 16-01-2009
THE LAST NIGHT OF THE JACKAL
By Manas Paul
By Manas Paul
PART- 1: THE ENCOUNTER
It was evidently the night of the jackals.
Four years ago for the first time I was in Shalbagan army officers’ complex to attend a family programme at Major Abhijit’s residence. It was 7.30 pm and I knew not where exactly the Major’s quarters was. I drove past the officer’s residential area and soon found myself lost in the maze of deserted roads that criss-crossed through undulating uplands and dense foliage that stretched beyond, God knows where, piercing through the darkness.
The moon was shining bright in the clear sky and everything looked slightly silvery and mesmerizing. Yet, in my loneliness inside the huge and uninhabited complex there was something diabolic, something creepy.
The eerie silence was all pervasive, but I believe, once or twice I heard some unseen creature slinked away from the roadside bushes. It was an uncanny feeling. The only thing reassuring around me was the tall street lights which were all faithfully bright in the army complex.
I was trying to call Abhijit over mobile but the service was not available.
I was truly lost to myself and was driving absentmindedly, taking turn from one way to other.
And, then it happened.
All of a sudden -just following a hairpin bend- I landed in the midst of a pack of big brown jackals.
They- about 10 or 12- were sitting cool right on the middle of the road, their fur reflected strangely in the moonlight.
I woke up with start from my loneliness and brought my car to a screeching halt only about four or five feet away from the pack. But surprisingly the jackal family did not scoot away. They did not seem much alarmed but they were clearly disturbed. The bigger ones looked up at the car headlights with a face which, I felt, looked like a clear indication of collective annoyance. The smaller babies were bewildered and they swiftly crawled to and then slipped under their vermin mothers.
It was their night and it was their domain where they could roam free, hunt free and live free.
It was I who was an intruder in their world.
During my childhood in a small subdivision town Kamalpur I had jackals in my neighborhood too- but whenever I saw them I saw them only for a few seconds. Most of the time I sighted only one or two of them extremely wary and restless and, as they would always flee fast I could remember only their bushy brownie tails.
But this was for the first time in Shalbagan that I could see so many jackals at one pack who were not afraid and preferred to stick to their ground. Evidently they were readying for their famous collective howls. I just foxed them with my intrusion.
But for me it was a great experience. I think jackals are the only wild life that is still available down your lonely forested lanes.
And on that night in the wilderness of Shalbagan in a true sense it was my real encounter with wild life. It took place only, say, about four kilometers from the humdrums of city life.
Later, Major Abhijit came to my rescue and told me I had almost gone near Adarini tea estate bordering the Shalbagan complex.
He told me there were hundreds of such packs in the complex and they moved free in large tracts in this region- from Gurkhabasti to Lichubagan to Shalbagan to Lembucherra or beyond.
“There were plenty of them. And exactly at 11.30 pm every night they would start their chorus. Their weird howl would reverberate all around us. It was a feeling that reminded me of my younger days in Khowai”, said Debkumar Chakrabarti, BSNL GM who had once stayed at his official residence in Lichubagan.
”Now- funny as it may sound- in Ramnagar at my residence I really miss that chorus”, he added.
PART 2 : MISSING THE ELUSIVE NEIGHBOUR
Last week I just happened to be in the upcoming Capital Complex at the out skirt of Agartala. As I looked around I wondered -where have they gone, those brownie big jackals?
The verdant shrubs, thick undergrowth and bushy trees had disappeared fast and for ever from the vast land as the massive Capital complex using too many noisy humans and dreadful machines took shape. The huge concrete buildings that would house Assembly, Civil secretariat and all important offices had already ravaged the vast foliage-full of upland stretch from Lichubagan to Shalbagan.
Obviously, those jackals had lost their rodent (if not rabbit) filled lush green lands, their peaceful days and crying nights too.
Frightened and confused at the commotion all around they must have already moved out farther afield in search of quiet.
The jackals, I believe, were the biggest casualty of the fast track development and expanding horizon of Agartala city. It is, perhaps, also a classic case of man-animal conflicts in the ever growing city life.
Forest department quite evidently did not attach much importance to those foxy animals. The jackals are protected under lower category schedule and wild life activists seemed not really bothered to consider jackals as wild life at all. And humans never found those stealthy creatures all very interesting.
But, believe me, jackals are interesting.
Have you ever noticed jackals happen to be the only canine which is known for his undying fascination for jackfruits? (Seems the fruit derived name from the animal only).
Shakespeare knew tricks and cunningness actually ran in their blood when he said, (treason) "...is trusted like the fox, who, never so tame, so cherished and locked up, will have a wild trick of his ancestors."
Upendra Kishore Roychoudhury was, however, a little more considerate at the wily animal. He told us stories about jackals who were actually the 'maternal uncle' of the tigers, or a 'teacher' whom the fatherly crocodile entrusted with the delicious task of making his seven baby crocs 'intelligent'. The father crocodile came to know how stupid he was when he lost his children to the teacher. (Consult Tuntunir golpo -Stories of Tuntuni, the bird).
If you ever notice a jackal catching a crab, you know how right they were. The jackal would find a crab hole and put his bushy tail inside the hole. The crab would inevitably find the peeping tail interesting and hold it tight. The jackal would then pick up both his tail and the crab for his dinner.
What you would call it? A trick? Or a very intelligent and ingenious method for catching his prey? Do not you see it is almost like angling that the humans love in their lazy hours? There is, indeed, a very thin line between tricks and intelligent way of living a life.
But now as Agartala would be stretching out farther keeping pace with the time as well to accommodate the ever increasing population soon jackals in our vicinity would also be leaving us. It is, of course, not only the question of losing the scavengers near the human habitats but also an issue of impending ecological imbalance and rise of rodents at certain level. May be one day we would have to have some sort of 'Project Jackal' like that of 'Project Vulture' for saving these crafty animals.
We have already got a generation who had never seen a jackal. They have not heard how a band of jackal could cry in unison- how one jackal or a vermin in a distant place would start howling (a la their canine brother wolves) looking up at the moon -and then immediately others- not necessarily belonging to the same pack or family- would join him or her for the chorus. The chorus might be as brief as for a minute or, depending upon their mood, even last for more than half an hour. The hot summer night or the rain splashed evening would then resonate with that unearthly yowl coming out from the uninhabited or less frequented shrubby lands not in a very distant place filling the atmosphere with a strange and creepy feeling.
The children would certainly miss it. And for the grown ups-as the jackals in Lichubagan and its adjoining areas are preparing for their last chorus together we, would never again get some chance encounters with our ever elusive neighbors in our expanding city- called Agartala.
Remember what the ‘Jackal’, an independent, lonely and extremely dangerous assassin in Fredrick Forsyth’s thriller ‘The Day of the Jackal’ had said?
“There is no escape from a determined killer”. And the jackals in Lichubagan region know it better.
Foot note. 1. Debashis Chakrabarty a Wild Life expert from Dehradun told me in India we do not find ‘Fox’, there are only Jackals.
2. The Ancient Egyptians had a Jackal God ‘Anubis’ for their mummies.
Published on 30-06-2009
It was evidently the night of the jackals.
Four years ago for the first time I was in Shalbagan army officers’ complex to attend a family programme at Major Abhijit’s residence. It was 7.30 pm and I knew not where exactly the Major’s quarters was. I drove past the officer’s residential area and soon found myself lost in the maze of deserted roads that criss-crossed through undulating uplands and dense foliage that stretched beyond, God knows where, piercing through the darkness.
The moon was shining bright in the clear sky and everything looked slightly silvery and mesmerizing. Yet, in my loneliness inside the huge and uninhabited complex there was something diabolic, something creepy.
The eerie silence was all pervasive, but I believe, once or twice I heard some unseen creature slinked away from the roadside bushes. It was an uncanny feeling. The only thing reassuring around me was the tall street lights which were all faithfully bright in the army complex.
I was trying to call Abhijit over mobile but the service was not available.
I was truly lost to myself and was driving absentmindedly, taking turn from one way to other.
And, then it happened.
All of a sudden -just following a hairpin bend- I landed in the midst of a pack of big brown jackals.
They- about 10 or 12- were sitting cool right on the middle of the road, their fur reflected strangely in the moonlight.
I woke up with start from my loneliness and brought my car to a screeching halt only about four or five feet away from the pack. But surprisingly the jackal family did not scoot away. They did not seem much alarmed but they were clearly disturbed. The bigger ones looked up at the car headlights with a face which, I felt, looked like a clear indication of collective annoyance. The smaller babies were bewildered and they swiftly crawled to and then slipped under their vermin mothers.
It was their night and it was their domain where they could roam free, hunt free and live free.
It was I who was an intruder in their world.
During my childhood in a small subdivision town Kamalpur I had jackals in my neighborhood too- but whenever I saw them I saw them only for a few seconds. Most of the time I sighted only one or two of them extremely wary and restless and, as they would always flee fast I could remember only their bushy brownie tails.
But this was for the first time in Shalbagan that I could see so many jackals at one pack who were not afraid and preferred to stick to their ground. Evidently they were readying for their famous collective howls. I just foxed them with my intrusion.
But for me it was a great experience. I think jackals are the only wild life that is still available down your lonely forested lanes.
And on that night in the wilderness of Shalbagan in a true sense it was my real encounter with wild life. It took place only, say, about four kilometers from the humdrums of city life.
Later, Major Abhijit came to my rescue and told me I had almost gone near Adarini tea estate bordering the Shalbagan complex.
He told me there were hundreds of such packs in the complex and they moved free in large tracts in this region- from Gurkhabasti to Lichubagan to Shalbagan to Lembucherra or beyond.
“There were plenty of them. And exactly at 11.30 pm every night they would start their chorus. Their weird howl would reverberate all around us. It was a feeling that reminded me of my younger days in Khowai”, said Debkumar Chakrabarti, BSNL GM who had once stayed at his official residence in Lichubagan.
”Now- funny as it may sound- in Ramnagar at my residence I really miss that chorus”, he added.
PART 2 : MISSING THE ELUSIVE NEIGHBOUR
Last week I just happened to be in the upcoming Capital Complex at the out skirt of Agartala. As I looked around I wondered -where have they gone, those brownie big jackals?
The verdant shrubs, thick undergrowth and bushy trees had disappeared fast and for ever from the vast land as the massive Capital complex using too many noisy humans and dreadful machines took shape. The huge concrete buildings that would house Assembly, Civil secretariat and all important offices had already ravaged the vast foliage-full of upland stretch from Lichubagan to Shalbagan.
Obviously, those jackals had lost their rodent (if not rabbit) filled lush green lands, their peaceful days and crying nights too.
Frightened and confused at the commotion all around they must have already moved out farther afield in search of quiet.
The jackals, I believe, were the biggest casualty of the fast track development and expanding horizon of Agartala city. It is, perhaps, also a classic case of man-animal conflicts in the ever growing city life.
Forest department quite evidently did not attach much importance to those foxy animals. The jackals are protected under lower category schedule and wild life activists seemed not really bothered to consider jackals as wild life at all. And humans never found those stealthy creatures all very interesting.
But, believe me, jackals are interesting.
Have you ever noticed jackals happen to be the only canine which is known for his undying fascination for jackfruits? (Seems the fruit derived name from the animal only).
Shakespeare knew tricks and cunningness actually ran in their blood when he said, (treason) "...is trusted like the fox, who, never so tame, so cherished and locked up, will have a wild trick of his ancestors."
Upendra Kishore Roychoudhury was, however, a little more considerate at the wily animal. He told us stories about jackals who were actually the 'maternal uncle' of the tigers, or a 'teacher' whom the fatherly crocodile entrusted with the delicious task of making his seven baby crocs 'intelligent'. The father crocodile came to know how stupid he was when he lost his children to the teacher. (Consult Tuntunir golpo -Stories of Tuntuni, the bird).
If you ever notice a jackal catching a crab, you know how right they were. The jackal would find a crab hole and put his bushy tail inside the hole. The crab would inevitably find the peeping tail interesting and hold it tight. The jackal would then pick up both his tail and the crab for his dinner.
What you would call it? A trick? Or a very intelligent and ingenious method for catching his prey? Do not you see it is almost like angling that the humans love in their lazy hours? There is, indeed, a very thin line between tricks and intelligent way of living a life.
But now as Agartala would be stretching out farther keeping pace with the time as well to accommodate the ever increasing population soon jackals in our vicinity would also be leaving us. It is, of course, not only the question of losing the scavengers near the human habitats but also an issue of impending ecological imbalance and rise of rodents at certain level. May be one day we would have to have some sort of 'Project Jackal' like that of 'Project Vulture' for saving these crafty animals.
We have already got a generation who had never seen a jackal. They have not heard how a band of jackal could cry in unison- how one jackal or a vermin in a distant place would start howling (a la their canine brother wolves) looking up at the moon -and then immediately others- not necessarily belonging to the same pack or family- would join him or her for the chorus. The chorus might be as brief as for a minute or, depending upon their mood, even last for more than half an hour. The hot summer night or the rain splashed evening would then resonate with that unearthly yowl coming out from the uninhabited or less frequented shrubby lands not in a very distant place filling the atmosphere with a strange and creepy feeling.
The children would certainly miss it. And for the grown ups-as the jackals in Lichubagan and its adjoining areas are preparing for their last chorus together we, would never again get some chance encounters with our ever elusive neighbors in our expanding city- called Agartala.
Remember what the ‘Jackal’, an independent, lonely and extremely dangerous assassin in Fredrick Forsyth’s thriller ‘The Day of the Jackal’ had said?
“There is no escape from a determined killer”. And the jackals in Lichubagan region know it better.
Foot note. 1. Debashis Chakrabarty a Wild Life expert from Dehradun told me in India we do not find ‘Fox’, there are only Jackals.
2. The Ancient Egyptians had a Jackal God ‘Anubis’ for their mummies.
Published on 30-06-2009
IN THE NAME OF DOG.....
By Manas Paul
They always said, ‘give a dog bad name and, hang it’. And I knew some characters like Black Leclere who had given his wicked eyed dog a name ‘Batard’- a distortion of ‘Bastard’, in fact –whom he would also often refer to as ‘devil’. Both Black and Batard matched with contempt and hatred for each other until the end came for the both. The ‘un-heavenly’ bond between the master and his dog –that the ‘hell might have also paid for’ - in the story 'Batard' was not only ‘unprecedented’ but in all sense ‘terrific’. But then, Jack London was a master storyteller especially when it came to canines with ‘Buck’ leading his packs in ‘Call of the Wild’.
On November 8, 2008 I was, however, in for surprise when I came across a positively bizarre expression, ‘First Dog’ of America, referring to the USA President’s pets in newspapers. The Times of India enlightened us with precious tidbits on George Bush’s pet and outgoing “First Dog’ Barnie- who may be, in a bitter mood at the prospect of leaving the cozy confines of White House for ever, bit a journalist’s finger when he sought to play with the dog. The Telegraph on the same day dedicated its editorial for the Americans’ ‘First Dogs’ only, while on the previous day they had carried the names and breeds of a galaxy of VIP canines loved and cared for by a succession of US Presidents from George Washington to George W. Bush.
The Indian newspapers evidently picked up the word ‘First Dog’ from American media.
I am not sure whether this is for the first time the American newspapers in their Obama inspired ‘United’ voice wanted to popularize the word ‘First Dog’ or ‘First Puppy’, attributing a new meaning and a respectable connotation to the canine denizens of the White House. Many would opine they had temporarily secured rehabilitation from people who had acted more often as ‘Dogs of War’ fighting out their own selfish battles in places like Afghanistan or Iraq.
Or, was the Americans’ new found respect for the dogs anyway related to Chinese authorities’ cynophobic (Sinophobic !) decision during Beijing Olympics to quarantine all the city dogs so that the foreigners were not ‘disturbed’?
Whatever it is, I would certainly love the people who had coined the nomenclature ‘First Dog’. After all to give a dog a good name has always proved a tricky matter.
President Washington seemed to have also had tough time with his 10 dogs as he had christened some of them with ‘Forester’, ‘Captain’, ‘Madame Moose’, ‘Searcher’ and even ‘Sweet lips!’ while Lyndon Johnson seemed to have played safe with his two dogs calling them ‘Him’ and ‘Her’ only. And Gerald Ford had his Golden Retriever named as ‘Liberty’.
Reportedly one of our own top political functionaries also- in his own unique style, of course- had ‘baptized’ his dog with a name that expressed his anger against ‘castism’ quite bitterly.
I still remember during my private tuition days in Kamalpur one of my students had a dog which was called ‘Pundit’. I did not like the name.
In fact, to choose a name for your dog is all the more problematic when you have small children at home. You may have some good names in your mind –like ‘Tiger’ ‘Jackie’ ‘Tommy’, ‘Jimmy’, ‘Badsha’, ‘Begum’ etc but at the end it is your children who would come up with some name that would ultimately stick.
When I first brought my black Labrador puppy home many a good name passed by my mind. Since I do not have children at home and my wife would prefer to stay away from undertaking ‘arduous exercise’ in finding a name for the pup I was given a freedom of sort. I looked at the pup sitting comfortably on a towel and playing intently with a toy. He would often look up at me –stare for a while as if to reassure himself about my presence near him-the only human smell he got used to for the last few hours in an alien environ far from the care of his doggy parents and playful siblings- and then would go back to his games.
I thought of many names like ‘Cujo’ and even once almost zeroed in on baptizing him ‘White Fang’. I am not superstitious but when I remembered the rabid end of ‘Cujo’-the huge St Barnard of Stephen King’s book I discarded the idea. I would have really loved to call him ‘White Fang’ but it sounded a little ‘too much for a reporter’s dog in a city’.
I was aware Bill Clinton had a Labrador-the same breed of my pup- but I did not know his name was ‘Buddy’ or else, perhaps, I would have chosen the same name.
Ultimately I did not choose any name –but started calling him ‘Pocha’ unwittingly out of love, of course, which by the way is no better a Bengali name for a dog than ‘Batard’ in Jack London’s story. The pup happily responded to the name little knowing the rotten meaning but Dr SS Debbarma, a compassionate pet lover Vet surgeon who gave him all the vaccinations seemed disturbed. So in official health cards ‘Pocha’ has been named as ‘Sultan’. He now responds to both the names.
Labrador is a well-known family dog- extremely intelligent and cool, a hunter’s delight, actually used for retrieving the kill, but he is also famous for sniffing out explosives worldwide. After Agartala Bomb Blasts people here also know the dog very well - and that had once created a small embarrassment for me.
Like every dog owners I take out ‘Pocha’ at night for a walk. He would stroll along with me for sometime calmly and then all of a sudden some queer smell from the roadside would always hit his nostrils and then he would pull me to this direction. He would sniff around for a while until he is satisfied before resuming the walk. This was the regular exercise and none took much interest except the children who would look at the dog with wide-eyed amazement.
Last week the situation was, however, different.
I had to take ‘Pocha’ to Dr Debbarma at Banamalipur. My car was given to a garage for some repairing and was not available. As neither Pocha was ready for a rickshaw ride, nor were the rickshaw pullers willing to allow the big black dog on his rickshaw, I decided to have a long walk to the doctor’s chamber.
It was by then night and at a roadside Pocha went for sniffing something and ironically it happened to be a ‘paper box’. I let him sniff the box until he was satisfied –little aware that behind me two persons were looking at him intently. They were soon joined by two more and within minutes there were about six or seven.
“What is it ? Is it a bomb”, as some one asked I immediately came to know big problem was in the offing. The queries would soon give way to panic and then I would be in big trouble.
I hurriedly sought to convince them “No, No, not at all. He just wants to pee, you see. It is not a bomb squad dog. It’s nothing, It’s nothing...” I said and pulled the chain hard and started walking straight. May be, by this time it dawned upon the onlookers also that the cops –with bomb squad or wherever they are- do not sport beard or go alone with their sniffing canine.
As I walked an idea struck me-what if the CID thinks of ‘out sourcing’ their dog squad? The threat of bombs would linger for sometime over Agartala as evident from state government asking for central fund for seven more bomb squad spots in the state and people finding some suspicious objects time and again. Out sourcing Bomb Squad dogs would save the police department a good amount of money from what they spend for bringing a trained dog from Tikenpur or other places. In that case I may also get my Pocha trained for explosive recovery by some means and earn some good money. After all fishing in the troubled water is an old practice... By this time I shall also be eagerly awaiting the breed and name of the pup Mr Obama would give to his small daughters when he enters White House. As suggested by some media I also believe it would, indeed, be a good idea if he adopts an abandoned dog to show his concern for the ‘underdog’.
Written on November 9, 2008
By Manas Paul
They always said, ‘give a dog bad name and, hang it’. And I knew some characters like Black Leclere who had given his wicked eyed dog a name ‘Batard’- a distortion of ‘Bastard’, in fact –whom he would also often refer to as ‘devil’. Both Black and Batard matched with contempt and hatred for each other until the end came for the both. The ‘un-heavenly’ bond between the master and his dog –that the ‘hell might have also paid for’ - in the story 'Batard' was not only ‘unprecedented’ but in all sense ‘terrific’. But then, Jack London was a master storyteller especially when it came to canines with ‘Buck’ leading his packs in ‘Call of the Wild’.
On November 8, 2008 I was, however, in for surprise when I came across a positively bizarre expression, ‘First Dog’ of America, referring to the USA President’s pets in newspapers. The Times of India enlightened us with precious tidbits on George Bush’s pet and outgoing “First Dog’ Barnie- who may be, in a bitter mood at the prospect of leaving the cozy confines of White House for ever, bit a journalist’s finger when he sought to play with the dog. The Telegraph on the same day dedicated its editorial for the Americans’ ‘First Dogs’ only, while on the previous day they had carried the names and breeds of a galaxy of VIP canines loved and cared for by a succession of US Presidents from George Washington to George W. Bush.
The Indian newspapers evidently picked up the word ‘First Dog’ from American media.
I am not sure whether this is for the first time the American newspapers in their Obama inspired ‘United’ voice wanted to popularize the word ‘First Dog’ or ‘First Puppy’, attributing a new meaning and a respectable connotation to the canine denizens of the White House. Many would opine they had temporarily secured rehabilitation from people who had acted more often as ‘Dogs of War’ fighting out their own selfish battles in places like Afghanistan or Iraq.
Or, was the Americans’ new found respect for the dogs anyway related to Chinese authorities’ cynophobic (Sinophobic !) decision during Beijing Olympics to quarantine all the city dogs so that the foreigners were not ‘disturbed’?
Whatever it is, I would certainly love the people who had coined the nomenclature ‘First Dog’. After all to give a dog a good name has always proved a tricky matter.
President Washington seemed to have also had tough time with his 10 dogs as he had christened some of them with ‘Forester’, ‘Captain’, ‘Madame Moose’, ‘Searcher’ and even ‘Sweet lips!’ while Lyndon Johnson seemed to have played safe with his two dogs calling them ‘Him’ and ‘Her’ only. And Gerald Ford had his Golden Retriever named as ‘Liberty’.
Reportedly one of our own top political functionaries also- in his own unique style, of course- had ‘baptized’ his dog with a name that expressed his anger against ‘castism’ quite bitterly.
I still remember during my private tuition days in Kamalpur one of my students had a dog which was called ‘Pundit’. I did not like the name.
In fact, to choose a name for your dog is all the more problematic when you have small children at home. You may have some good names in your mind –like ‘Tiger’ ‘Jackie’ ‘Tommy’, ‘Jimmy’, ‘Badsha’, ‘Begum’ etc but at the end it is your children who would come up with some name that would ultimately stick.
When I first brought my black Labrador puppy home many a good name passed by my mind. Since I do not have children at home and my wife would prefer to stay away from undertaking ‘arduous exercise’ in finding a name for the pup I was given a freedom of sort. I looked at the pup sitting comfortably on a towel and playing intently with a toy. He would often look up at me –stare for a while as if to reassure himself about my presence near him-the only human smell he got used to for the last few hours in an alien environ far from the care of his doggy parents and playful siblings- and then would go back to his games.
I thought of many names like ‘Cujo’ and even once almost zeroed in on baptizing him ‘White Fang’. I am not superstitious but when I remembered the rabid end of ‘Cujo’-the huge St Barnard of Stephen King’s book I discarded the idea. I would have really loved to call him ‘White Fang’ but it sounded a little ‘too much for a reporter’s dog in a city’.
I was aware Bill Clinton had a Labrador-the same breed of my pup- but I did not know his name was ‘Buddy’ or else, perhaps, I would have chosen the same name.
Ultimately I did not choose any name –but started calling him ‘Pocha’ unwittingly out of love, of course, which by the way is no better a Bengali name for a dog than ‘Batard’ in Jack London’s story. The pup happily responded to the name little knowing the rotten meaning but Dr SS Debbarma, a compassionate pet lover Vet surgeon who gave him all the vaccinations seemed disturbed. So in official health cards ‘Pocha’ has been named as ‘Sultan’. He now responds to both the names.
Labrador is a well-known family dog- extremely intelligent and cool, a hunter’s delight, actually used for retrieving the kill, but he is also famous for sniffing out explosives worldwide. After Agartala Bomb Blasts people here also know the dog very well - and that had once created a small embarrassment for me.
Like every dog owners I take out ‘Pocha’ at night for a walk. He would stroll along with me for sometime calmly and then all of a sudden some queer smell from the roadside would always hit his nostrils and then he would pull me to this direction. He would sniff around for a while until he is satisfied before resuming the walk. This was the regular exercise and none took much interest except the children who would look at the dog with wide-eyed amazement.
Last week the situation was, however, different.
I had to take ‘Pocha’ to Dr Debbarma at Banamalipur. My car was given to a garage for some repairing and was not available. As neither Pocha was ready for a rickshaw ride, nor were the rickshaw pullers willing to allow the big black dog on his rickshaw, I decided to have a long walk to the doctor’s chamber.
It was by then night and at a roadside Pocha went for sniffing something and ironically it happened to be a ‘paper box’. I let him sniff the box until he was satisfied –little aware that behind me two persons were looking at him intently. They were soon joined by two more and within minutes there were about six or seven.
“What is it ? Is it a bomb”, as some one asked I immediately came to know big problem was in the offing. The queries would soon give way to panic and then I would be in big trouble.
I hurriedly sought to convince them “No, No, not at all. He just wants to pee, you see. It is not a bomb squad dog. It’s nothing, It’s nothing...” I said and pulled the chain hard and started walking straight. May be, by this time it dawned upon the onlookers also that the cops –with bomb squad or wherever they are- do not sport beard or go alone with their sniffing canine.
As I walked an idea struck me-what if the CID thinks of ‘out sourcing’ their dog squad? The threat of bombs would linger for sometime over Agartala as evident from state government asking for central fund for seven more bomb squad spots in the state and people finding some suspicious objects time and again. Out sourcing Bomb Squad dogs would save the police department a good amount of money from what they spend for bringing a trained dog from Tikenpur or other places. In that case I may also get my Pocha trained for explosive recovery by some means and earn some good money. After all fishing in the troubled water is an old practice... By this time I shall also be eagerly awaiting the breed and name of the pup Mr Obama would give to his small daughters when he enters White House. As suggested by some media I also believe it would, indeed, be a good idea if he adopts an abandoned dog to show his concern for the ‘underdog’.
Written on November 9, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)