EDITORIAL : THE DAILY MIRROR, SRILANKA

In the name of humanity let the innocents be… The recent global political manoeuverings on Sri Lanka indicate a strong movement directing its forces towards de-stability here. Whether these come in the form of calls for war crimes probes, interventions by UN bodies against allegations of human rights abuses or promotion of good governance, the agenda seems clear. Attacking the country’s image and thereby its economy. Such attacks sadly have the potential to impede upon the investor confidence that has slowly but most surely been growing in a post conflict scenario. The efficient manner in which security has been maintained throughout the country and the political stability that has been witnessed have ensured a boost in foreign investment. A scenario; that anti-Sri Lanka elements within the Tamil Diasporas are targeting.


While it defies all accepted norms of humanity to force ones own people to the denial of the benefits of peace, the rationale for same is understood. The longer they are able to prevent the Tamil people from enjoying these benefits the longer their own claims for discrimination and thereby the luxuries of refugee status in the West enjoyed.  It is clearly to the benefit of the Tamil Diasporas that they are able to further their justifications of discrimination.
Allegations of war crimes, numerous human rights abuses all point towards a lucrative business for the Tamil Diasporas. As long as they are able to exert pressure on the Sri Lankan government through various ill informed lobbies of the international community, the lives they enjoy in these countries would remain justified.
Our interview with the Governor of the Central Bank on the next page exposes the levels to which such moves are carried out. ‘There is an enormous amount of money being spent and immense efforts being made by international groups fed by both local and other international groups. Their main mission seems to be to damage the image of the country and attack the economy. We’ve had to tackle this at an international level at regular intervals,’ he opines questioning the ignorance of the West that leads to accepting these lies with open arms.
The Western elements need necessarily to look beyond their own electoral compulsions and check for the credibility of these sources. A greater understanding of the plight of the very people they express such compassion for can make the necessary changes take place. It is timely that these elements appreciate the need for greater economic security for the people of the North and the South, which had suffered immensely in the hands of an equally selfish outfit. They too claimed they were fighting for these innocents. They too ensured they were denied basic rights and held a State to ransom. The only difference was that they were armed.

EDITORIAL : THE AUSTRALIAN, AUSTRALIA

Moment of truth looms in Bali 

PRIME Minister should ditch the failed regional centre idea.

Shambolic as the government's border protection management has become, there are no clear signs of any attempt to tackle the serious policy issues at play. There are detainees missing on Christmas Island but the Immigration Minister Chris Bowen cannot tell us how many. Fires and riots are destroying much of the facility, asylum-seekers are being evacuated, new detention centres are opened or under construction elsewhere in Australia and the latest boat arrival has been diverted directly to the mainland, but the government is remaining stubbornly inactive. There are now more than 6500 people in various detention centres, and still boats are arriving, which presents us with the inescapable conclusion that the government has lost control of the border protection regime. Mr Bowen's performance on ABC TV's Lateline on Tuesday was that of a minister at the end of his tether.

The last idea from Julia Gillard came in a pre-election thought bubble about a regional detention centre in East Timor. This idea has yet to be endorsed by the proposed host nation, let alone anyone else. As The Australian has already pointed out, in the unlikely event that that centre is ever built, it would be unlikely to make any difference. The government should abandon the proposal and examine other policy solutions such as reopening the Nauru centre and reviving a distinct visa category for asylum-seekers.

Most asylum-seekers merely transit other countries in the region on a pre-organised journey to Australia, so understandably the countries they pass through consider the problem as one of Australia's making. Unsurprisingly, they expect us to provide the solutions. Our neighbours view the prospect of a regional detention centre as an attempt to pass ownership of the dilemma to them. They would prefer that Australia put back the disincentives to people-smuggling to curtail this evil trade, which creates more than a little inconvenience and cost for them. For all these reasons, Australia's championing of the East Timor solution is struggling to win overt support in the region, creating only diplomatic headaches instead.

Next week, when Mr Bowen and Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd attend the Bali regional process on people-smuggling meeting, they will confront a moment of truth. At this crucial gathering, they must either obtain broad support from other nations for a regional processing centre or finally walk away from the idea. Australia cannot afford to waste any more diplomatic capital on this improbable scheme, nor can it afford to allow continued consideration of the idea to forestall the urgent task of finding other meaningful policy reforms.

Already Mr Bowen has quietly revised downwards Australia's aims for the Bali meeting. In recent interviews, he has spoken no longer of winning support for a regional centre but for a "regional framework". He should be warned that no vague commitment to a "framework" will disguise the regional centre plan's failure. Conspicuously, Mr Rudd so far has avoided involving himself in the proposal and will be forced to address it for the first time in Bali. Despite the obvious discontent it might stir within the government, he would do very well to assert his surer grasp of national security matters and ensure that his first intervention in his successor's misguided policy is to publicly consign it to history.

Game on for the Premier and Lord Mayor in Qld

THE LNP's audacious move carries risks and promises.

Perhaps former Queensland Labor premier Peter Beattie summed it up best, declaring the Liberal National Party's unprecedented move to install Brisbane's Lord Mayor Campbell Newman as leader was "either the smartest thing the LNP ever did or the dumbest". Replete with risks, the audacious move holds great potential for conservative politics in Queensland, and therefore the impact of the LNP nationally. But Newspoll results in The Australian today show why the LNP felt obliged to adopt this seemingly crazy-brave move. Premier Anna Bligh's leadership during the floods and cyclone crisis has produced a stunning poll reversal, with her satisfaction rating doubling and Labor going from an unwinnable position to a two-party-preferred lead. Clearly, confronted with Labor's resurgence, LNP powerbrokers ran out of patience.

The Sunshine State has made and broken federal governments, and created difficulties for the conservative side since the Joh for Canberra movement of the mid-1980s. After decades of tension between Queensland Liberals and Nationals, the merged LNP -- a peculiar hybrid that until now has been dominated by the Nationals -- desperately needs success. If Mr Newman can achieve it, it will foster stability in Queensland, ease national Coalition tensions and even point to eventual mergers of the Coalition partners in other states.

Still, for now, Queensland has sufficient problems itself, with vast economic challenges as well as the massive task of reconstruction after January's floods and Cyclone Yasi. Mr Newman's radical move signals the end of what has been an effective bipartisan partnership between Ms Bligh and the Lord Mayor, which has had the long-term, beneficial result of significantly upgrading Brisbane's infrastructure. Ms Bligh is talking up the prospect of the Queensland parliament "descending into a dysfunctional farce", with Mr Newman, the alternative premier, stuck outside the Legislative Assembly until after the election, leaving Jeff Seeney, one of several unsuccessful former LNP leaders, to warm the seat as interim parliamentary leader. Ms Bligh also criticises Mr Newman for leaving City Hall at a critical time in Brisbane's post-flood rebuilding process.

The LNP leadership turmoil and Labor's surge in the polls will sorely tempt the Premier to call an early election, but she should honour her promise to wait until after the flood commission of inquiry's interim report, due in August. That report will be eagerly scrutinised not only for the performance of the Bligh government but also of the Brisbane City Council, which faces claims of influencing the operators of Wivenhoe Dam to make lower releases of water at a critical time prior to the devastating floods in January. A rush to the polls would also risk a backlash, with Ms Bligh looking like just another opportunist politician.

Mr Newman is the only conservative political figure in Queensland who can match Ms Bligh's popularity. Both enjoy strong public support as a result of their performances during the floods. The big loser of that crisis was John Paul Langbroek, who had taken the LNP to a commanding lead in the polls but was then forgotten. Mr Newman's Brisbane base, his high profile as the self-styled "can-do" Lord Mayor, his energy and down-to-earth style should give him a broader appeal in the city and suburbs. This is vital for the LNP, which fell badly short in the 2008 election, winning just six of 38 metropolitan seats. But he will need to work hard to increase his appeal west of the divide and in the north if he is to break the run of a long list of fallen LNP, National and Liberal leaders. Mr Newman's army background will stand him in good stead in Townsville and in his chosen electorate of Ashgrove, which contains Enoggera army base.

To have any chance of success, he will need a credible economic blueprint to restore Queensland's AAA credit rating, an issue Ms Bligh has begun addressing with the commendable but unpopular sale of government assets. He and Ms Bligh also need to focus on the slower sectors of Queensland's two-speed economy. From outside the parliamentary party, Mr Newman faces the difficult task of blending the deep-seated social conservatism and agrarian socialism of the former Queensland National Party with the more moderate, economically rational outlook of the urban Liberals.

The success or otherwise of the LNP also has vital federal implications. LNP bickering has too often spilled into the federal Coalition and complicated preselections and campaigning. If the Newman experiment works, Tony Abbott will welcome the prospect of seeing Coalition success and stability stretch from the Mornington Peninsula to Cape York, as well as from Eucla to Broome.

Mr Newman has been a success as Lord Mayor and appears to offer the brand of dynamic leadership that the LNP needs. But Ms Bligh is a formidable opponent. She has shown herself capable of mapping out the right agenda and pursuing it, regardless of the 24-hour media cycle, the opposition of trade unionists and, it must be said, her election commitments. Her privatisation agenda saw her suffer in the polls but now she has been rewarded for her sense of purpose so far this year. Strange and unpredictable times are ahead, with the LNP facing the challenge of making its arrangements work. But if Ms Bligh and Mr Newman can engage in a serious contest of policies and ideas, Queensland can emerge stronger.

 

 

EDITORIAL : THE ASHARQ ALAWSAT, published in LONDON

Did the Gulf swap Libya for Bahrain?

Everyone is entitled to their own views and analysis, but a problem occurs when this analysis is based on false information. One news agency has put forward an analysis saying that the Gulf countries have effectively exchanged Libya for Bahrain, in a deal with the West, and the agency used experts to support this claim. But is it true? The answer is simply no.
It was the Gulf States who first demanded a resolution to impose a no-fly zone over Libya, and then urged the Arab League to adopt this demand. In other words, the Gulf paved the way for the Arab League's stance, which in turn demanded the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution imposing a no-fly zone in Libyan airspace, which was subsequently enforced. How is it then possible to say that the Gulf States have traded Libya in exchange for Bahrain with the West? This is an incorrect assessment, and is based on false foundations, for the Gulf States are the ones who initiated the resolution against Libya, even before the Arab League, so how are they bartering with the West?
There is also another matter which disproves this "trade" theory. The West has directed criticism towards the Gulf for "dragging its feet" in terms of its participation in the international coalition forces, as prescribed by the UN Security Council resolution against Libya. Here, it is curious that some are trying to question the decision for the Joint Peninsula Shield Force to enter Bahrain, despite the charters and conventions that exist amongst the Gulf States, whilst today they criticize the Gulf's non-participation in Libya, or say that the Gulf has swapped Libya for Bahrain! We would expect to find such analysis published in the Iranian media, but not in a respected international news agency.
It is important, despite what I have said above, to say here that the West is correct to criticize the Gulf for not participating in Libya, for the Gulf was supposed to participate, even if just as a symbolic force, like the Joint Peninsula Shield Force. This means that Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar should provide a range of warplanes under a specific name, such as the Gulf Cooperation Council Forces, and not under the name of a particular country, for one simple reason: Egypt today is not ready to play any role, and in fact no one is able to do so other than the Gulf States.
The importance of this participation lies in the need to support the international effort in Libya, to ensure it doesn’t disintegrate. There is a heated debate in the West due to the fear that the coalition forces will appear as an aggressor against an Arab country. The West did not act until after the Arab League request, which was founded on a Gulf demand as I have said, aiming to protect the unarmed Libyans that are being suppressed by Gaddafi, with heavy weapons. The West's concern has been reinforced by Amr Musa's conflicting statements regarding the role of the coalition forces in Libya. Perhaps, when interpreting Musa's statements, we should remember that he is preparing to enter the battle of Egypt's presidential election, and for this reason Musa should consider resigning from the Arab League.
In summary, the talk about a Gulf trade-off is incorrect, yet the Gulf States must recognize the need for their participation in Libya, so as not to prolong the suffering of the Libyans, and to preserve the international contract. 

EDITORIAL : THE NEW YORK TIMES, USA

Discord Among Allies

Many people were taken aback when France emerged as one of the most pugnacious advocates of military action in Libya, especially Americans who were accustomed to French criticism over Iraq and French foot-dragging over Afghanistan. Without President Nicolas Sarkozy’s early and constant pressure for a United Nations-endorsed no-flight zone, military intervention might have come too late to save Benghazi’s people from the murderous threats of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi.

Now, Mr. Sarkozy needs to step back and let NATO take the lead. After a phone conversation with President Obama on Tuesday, he seems ready to do so, but the details need to be finalized quickly. French efforts to appear the leader and prime coordinator of that intervention have needlessly strained relations with other participating countries. This is a time for the military coalition to come together, not to splinter. It is irresponsible that the command sequence was not decided before the military operation was launched.

Mr. Sarkozy had his reasons for taking such an aggressive stance on Libya. His government had badly bungled the peaceful democratic revolution in Tunisia by clinging to that country’s brutal and venal dictator. He saw Libya as a chance to recoup French prestige in North Africa, a region France has long considered important to its economy and security. And he jumped at the chance to look like a world leader in the run-up to next year’s hotly contested presidential election.

The Obama administration, meanwhile, was internally split and reluctant to take on military operations in a third Muslim nation while still deeply involved in Iraq and Afghanistan. So it was France who took the lead in recognizing the Libyan rebels and, with Britain, in drafting a United Nations Security Council resolution authorizing military actions to protect Libyan civilians.

Had France pushed less hard, pro-government forces might well have advanced further into the rebel-held city of Benghazi, where Colonel Qaddafi had sworn to show no mercy. That did quite a lot to enhance France’s image around the world.

But if Mr. Sarkozy wants to emerge from this crisis with his international standing still enhanced, the right thing to do is to step back and let a NATO-coordinated combination of the countries taking part in military operations assume command. That kind of hybrid approach has been used before when other countries joined NATO in military action, for example in Kosovo in the 1990s and in Afghanistan today. It is not perfect, but it is better than the alternatives, including France’s pet idea of a council of participating foreign ministers providing political direction while NATO confined itself to military execution. That’s a prescription for paralysis and discord, and possible defections from the coalition.

Italy, for example, is the nearest NATO nation to the Libyan battlefront and the European country with the greatest economic stake in the outcome. It has made clear that it prefers a NATO-led mission to a French-led one. So would Norway, which has refused to participate unless NATO is in charge. And NATO leadership might make for smoother coordination with Turkey, an important NATO member, which plans to send warships but avoid actual combat.

NATO leadership best serves American interests. The United States took the lead in knocking out Libyan air defenses. That made sense because it alone has the cruise missiles for the job. Now the Obama administration rightly wants to hand off military leadership to its NATO partners. Mr. Sarkozy would do himself, and the Libyan democratic cause he supports, a big favor by smoothing the path to NATO leadership.

Less Than Needed on the Euro

By the end of this week, European Union leaders hope to endorse their most far-reaching proposals to address the 15-month-old euro-zone crisis that has already forced two countries into onerous bailouts and now threatens several more. Individually, many of the proposals have merit. But, as a whole, the package falls well short of a durable, long-term solution.

The main problem, as ever, is a German chancellor more interested in pandering to her voters than leading them to a more enlightened view of national self-interest. Chancellor Angela Merkel and her center-right coalition seem oddly confident that Germany, Europe’s biggest exporter and the largest single creditor of Ireland’s banks, would not suffer gravely if the euro zone tanks.

The latest plan has already been tentatively endorsed by the 17 countries using the common currency. It seeks to better harmonize fiscal policies across the euro zone. Meanwhile, it makes more money available to the European Union’s temporary bailout fund (after 2013 this will give way to a permanent fund) and permits it to buy bonds directly from beleaguered governments. Lending only to governments makes sense because it focuses help on struggling countries, not investors who should have known what risks they were taking.

Euro-zone leaders also granted Greece a lower interest rate and longer repayment schedule on last year’s bailout money. That could help European lenders as well as Greek borrowers because it allows more scope for the economic growth Greece needs to reduce its debts. Unfortunately, it is probably not enough scope for Greece to recover without eventual debt rescheduling.

Regrettably, no similar concessions were extended to Ireland. Dublin has rightly refused to bow to European demands that the cost of relief would be an increase in its 12.5 percent corporate tax, the most successful element of its long-term growth strategy. Without relief, Ireland may be forced into debt rescheduling.

The Greek and Irish bailout deals wrongly put the full repayment burden on the hard-pressed taxpayers of these two countries, sparing the rich country creditors who made big profits lending to what they should have known were risky borrowers. Rightly, the new European proposals envision future debt rescheduling — but only for future private lending, not past loans or European Union guarantees. Unless fixed, this will dry up private lending to the Continent’s neediest economies.

The package now goes to this week’s summit meeting of all European Union leaders. It can be improved by extending relief to Ireland and refining the debt-rescheduling rules of the permanent bailout fund. That could be enough for another temporary respite, but not for a lasting solution.

Real Family Values

President Obama came to the right conclusion last month when he decided that the Defense of Marriage Act, which denies federal spousal benefits to married same-sex couples, is unconstitutional, and ended the government’s defense of the law in pending court cases. But that did not relieve Congress of its duty to renounce the bigotry behind the 1996 law and wipe it off the books.

More than 100 House Democrats, led by Jerrold Nadler of New York, John Conyers of Michigan and Barney Frank of Massachusetts, have introduced a bill calling for a repeal of the act. An identical repeal bill was offered in the Senate by Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Dianne Feinstein of California and Patrick Leahy of Vermont, all Democrats.

Getting the repeal bills through both chambers will not be easy. Republican leaders are continuing to pander and promote intolerance, declaring that they will step in for the administration to defend the act’s denial of equal protection in court either by formally intervening or filing an amicus brief using outside lawyers paid for by taxpayers. Mr. Leahy, who is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, should schedule a hearing to call in couples to talk about the harm caused by the act to make clear that their marriages are deserving of full respect.

Republicans like to cast themselves as the protectors of “family values.” But that mantle properly belongs to President Obama and the Congressional Democrats committed to ending this atrocious law.

Denying same-sex couples and their families the significant savings of filing joint tax returns, Social Security survivor benefits, and about 1,130-plus other spousal benefits and protections granted other married couples is not a family-friendly policy. It is discrimination, plain and simple.

 William Stuntz

“The Collapse of American Criminal Justice” by William Stuntz, to be published this year, is the capstone to the career of one of the most influential legal scholars of the past generation. He died last week at 52.

The book argues that the rule of law has been replaced by the misrule of politics, with a one-way ratchet of ever-expanding criminal laws giving boundless discretion to police and prosecutors, leading to a system that wrongly punishes too many black men.
The solution is “a better brand of politics,” including more “local democracy” through jury decisions about who is guilty and how they should be punished and a broad revival of equal protection of the laws to end pervasive discrimination against the poor and minorities.
The book’s concern about justice and equality gives it a liberal cast, but Mr. Stuntz called himself a conservative Republican. His defiance of easy labeling on the left or right was unusual among scholars of crime and punishment. But it was eclipsed by his other anomalies.
The most dramatic was religion. As a Harvard Law School professor, it was his secondary field, Christianity, that most set him apart. It grew out of his faith as an Evangelical Christian, which led to what made him a rarity among legal thinkers: his unwillingness to see himself as special because of his intellectual prowess. “The Christian story is a story, not a theory or an argument,” he said, and others are made in the image of God, just as he was.
At Boston’s Park Street Church in 2009, in “testimony” about the cancer that would lead to his death, he explained his faith. He described how God remembers those who are suffering, longing for them to join Him when their time comes. “It sounds too good to be true,” he said, “and yet it is true.”
When he refuted legal orthodoxies in his quest to return mercy to criminal justice, literally redefining the field, he was living his faith. On many of America’s leading legal thinkers his influence was more profound. He reaffirmed for them the alliance between faith and reason and, finally, between knowledge and goodness.

 

 

 

EDITORIAL : THE SUN, UK

Vital fuel for our recovery

FOR a Budget that threatened to deliver little, it delivered a lot.

A welcome victory for The Sun's campaign to tackle fuel prices.

And another victory for our crusade to put jobs and growth at the heart of economic policy.

Chancellor George Osborne showed boldness and imagination in playing a poor hand very skilfully.

Crucially, he has thrown open Britain's door to the world as a competitive place to do business.

Mr Osborne showed he is on Sun readers' wavelength by cutting petrol duty and bringing in a stabiliser, giving modest tax cuts to 23 million workers and helping first-time home buyers.

But it is the aggressive approach to reducing business tax, together with lighter regulation and 21 new enterprise zones, that shows this Chancellor is serious about creating jobs to put Britain back on its feet.

It is obviously worrying that Mr Osborne has had to revise the growth forecast downwards.

But if he carries on slashing corporation tax, as he intends, we will have the lowest business taxes of any of our G7 competitors.

That is the way to bring foreign firms to Britain. And the new enterprise zones will aid regions hardest-hit by public sector job losses, just as The Sun wanted.

Labour drowned us in red tape. These bold measures should help to free us from those shackles.

Whatever Labour say, this was a Budget to help working families and the unemployed.

In just ten months, the Coalition has lifted 1.1 million low-paid people out of tax altogether.

There is not a penny in the Budget for the very rich. They get nothing from tax cuts, face severe penalties for tax dodging and will be hammered for using private jets.

Those facts made Labour leader Ed Miliband's "same old Tories" jibe sound weary and out of touch.

Let's not get carried away.

Rising prices and inflation, high unemployment and painful austerity were the Budget background.

Even with a cut, petrol is still 20p a litre dearer than six months ago.

But Mr Osborne proved yesterday he has the economic and political skills to mastermind recovery.

He brought a welcome ray of sunshine to a gloomy world.

 

EDITORIAL : THE GLOBAL TIMES, CHINA

CPC must keep high public satisfaction

In such a chaotic world, China should reflect on its own path. By being active and vigilant, China can achieve an unprecedented rise by drawing experience and lessons from around the world.

After more than 60 years of the Communist Party of China being in power, China's economic strength, national defense capabilities and public recognition of the national path are at a peak, which has formed the basic conditions for China's overall development. However, social discontent is spreading among certain people with the Internet intensifying this trend. Chinese society still lacks enough ability to handle instability.

Chinese top leaders have attached great importance to solving these current problems. The ruling party should work hard toward improving social stability. Social stability rests on people's satisfaction with the ruling party. Therefore, the most important is to constantly improve public satisfaction with the CPC.

The CPC's popularity could well be the highest among ruling parties in other countries worldwide. However, due to the longterm oneparty governance, it is often questioned. To deal with these doubts, the CPC must always maintain a higher level of public support, which is why the central government always reacts quickly to any dissatisfaction, no matter how small.

It is very difficult for the ruling party to maintain high support rate. In Western countries, the support rate of the ruling party often drops after one or two years in power. This must be prevented in China. As information becomes increasingly available, the CPC's ruling environment also becomes more transparent. Public satisfaction must be substantial.

Currently, the corruption of some officials gravely harms the CPC's reputation. In all fairness, the corruption problem is usually more serious in emerging countries. However, the practice of socialism in China had led to low public tolerance for corruption. China has to adopt stricter anticorruption systems so that the ruling party's credibility in this area can be protected.

All members of Chinese society should contribute toward China's political stability. The ruling party should be clear that its power is given by the people and that longterm governance must depend on people's overall satisfaction. Any corrupt official has committed a crime against both ruling party and the Chinese society, and he must be dealt with.

While supervising and urging the ruling party to maintain good governance, the public should have active interaction with the government by taking into account the difficulty of anticorruption efforts in all emerging countries.

China is a country that is under continuous reforms and has a bright future. The fundamental interests of all of us lie in China's stability.

 

EDITORIAL : THE DAWN, PAKISTAN

Saleh’s choice

IS Ali Abdullah Saleh going to outdo his Libyan counterpart in piling up bodies? On Tuesday, the Yemen president spoke in grim terms and said the current wave of rebellion could tear the country apart and lead to a bloody civil war. He should know that a civil war is already raging, that his country already stands ‘torn’, and his own position is precarious. An aide said Mr Saleh would not leave without knowing who would succeed him. This is a familiar trick which Hosni Mubarak tried and failed. While the former Egyptian strongman promised an election within six months, Mr Saleh wants to hold a parliamentary elections in January next — a wait of nine months. No wonder the Yemeni opposition has rejected the move because it suspects that such a vote will be manipulated to ensure the victory of Saleh loyalists.

As in Libya, there are defections in the Yemeni armed forces, and like Muammar Qadhafi, Mr Saleh has armed and used his supporters without any qualms of conscience to kill the protesters — firing from rooftops, the regime’s supporters killed 46 demonstrators in a single day. Unlike Libya, the anti-Saleh dissent is relatively well-organised and seems to have a countrywide support base. Like the two Arab leaders who have already fallen, Mr Saleh has no supporters in or outside the Arab wor-ld. Next-door neighbour Saudi Arabia, which rushed its security forces to Bahrain to support a monarchy under siege from its own people, has kept quiet on the Yemen civil war, even though Mr Saleh has time and again tried to raise the Al Qaeda bogey in a vain bid to seek Saudi and western support. Mr Saleh may consider his regime a key US ally in the war on terror, but that has not stopped President Obama from calling for action against those responsible for the March 18 massacre and asserting that his administration stood for political change for meeting “the aspirations of the Yemeni people”. Mr Saleh, it seems, has no choice but to bow to his people’s wishes.

From Algeria to Syria, the Arab world is on the boil, the revolts being an expression of anger against decades of political suppression, if not of economic deprivation, as the unrest in oil-rich Libya and Bahrain shows. Bashar al-Assad’s rule may be 11 years old, but the Assad family has been in power now for four decades, and the current uprising is indicative of the Syrian people’s legitimate desire for change, freedom and an open society. Like Mr Saleh, Mr Assad too must see the writing on the wall.

 Empowering Fata

GENUINE representation in the federation fosters a sense of ownership that strengthens specific regions as well as the country as a whole. Unfortunately, parts of Pakistan continue to be marginalised, left out of the political mainstream at a time when national unity is of the essence. The most extreme case in this regard is that of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, a region that falls within Pakistan’s territorial boundaries but is not bound by its laws. Nor do the ordinary residents of Fata enjoy the same rights and privileges that, in theory at least, can be claimed by even the most deprived sections of society in other parts of the country. It is argued by some that tribal people have their own unique cultures and codes of conduct, which is true in the main. What is sometimes overlooked here, however, is that increased participation in the socio-political affairs of the country does not automatically lead to an erosion of intrinsic cultural values. If anything it empowers people and allows them greater freedom to live a life of their own choosing. Middle classes grow when the grip of a few is loosened to whatever extent, and with options and relative prosperity comes the prospect of peace. Alienation and poverty, needless to say, serve as an ideal breeding ground for militancy.

As speakers at a conference in Islamabad pointed out on Tuesday, we can start addressing at least some of the myriad problems facing the tribal belt by bringing the region into the national mainstream. Perhaps the first step in this direction should be to extend the Political Parties Act to the tribal areas so that people there get more options when it comes to choosing who represents them in Islamabad. The Frontier Crimes Regulation system that was imposed by the British a century ago and is still shaped by draconian concepts such as collective responsibility for the actions of individuals or families ought to be phased out and replaced by the Pakistan Penal Code. It will take time to right the wrongs of the past but a beginning must be made.

Senseless act

IN a despicable incident on Sunday, a pastor in Florida burned a copy of the Quran after finding the religious text an incitement to violence. The act is, of course, a shocking one, and should be strongly condemned for utterly disregarding Muslims’ religious sensitivities. It also risks worsening the state of interfaith relations in the West at a difficult time; controversial hearings about the radi-calisation of American Muslims, for example, were held on Capitol Hill less than two weeks ago. Furthermore, acts like these simply heighten the extremist threat to America and make global cooperation against terrorism more difficult. Given the potential international fallout, a condemnation issued by the US ambassador to Pakistan was a welcome initial move. What the incident calls for, however, is the need for dialogue in the West to dispel the notion that Islam and terrorism are uniquely interlinked.

Sunday’s act was so deeply disturbing that a strong reaction from Pakistanis and other Muslims would be understandable. It should not, however, become a reason for violent protest, or even for the disruption of commerce and daily life. The act was conducted by a lone fanatic with a group of 30 onlookers and as such is not worth the trouble, let alone loss of life. One especially hopes that the incident does not result in attacks against religious minorities here or in other Muslim countries. This is a time to heed lessons learned during protests against the infamous Danish cartoons, when business was disrupted, lives lost, and minorities attacked to make a point that could have been made through less disruptive means. The more intelligent and admirable approach would be to remain calm and register any protest to this senseless act in a peaceful manner.

 

 

EDITORIAL : THE DAILY YOMIURI, JAPAN

Handout policies should be sacrificed

The Yomiuri Shimbun

The nation faces a time of emergency in the aftermath of a massive earthquake, tsunami and nuclear plant accidents.
So it is natural for the ruling and opposition parties to close ranks to pass bills that are necessary to overcome the current crisis.
A stopgap bill has been submitted to the House of Representatives to extend by three months about 100 tax reduction and exemption measures that are set to expire at the end of this month. Two opposition parties, the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito, submitted the bill in line with a three-way agreement they reached with the ruling Democratic Party of Japan. It will likely pass the Diet before the end of this month.
A government-proposed bill on tax system reform calls for a cut in income tax deductions and other measures that the LDP and Komeito oppose. But if the bill fails to pass, it will lead to nullification of several measures that the LDP and Komeito do not oppose, including a tax break for home buyers, when the current fiscal year ends on March 31.
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A tripartite agreement
To avoid this, the three parties agreed to draw up the stopgap bill containing only measures that can be approved by the LDP and Komeito.
The three parties have also agreed to pass a bill to revise the Customs Tariff Law to reduce tariffs on imported products and goods.
It is a basic duty of political parties, which are responsible for state politics, to try to avoid situations that would harm people's livelihoods.
But the ruling and opposition parties have yet to iron out their differences concerning the bill for expansion of child-rearing allowances and the bill to enable issuance of deficit-covering government bonds, which are among the budget-related bills.
In regard to the child-rearing allowances, the DPJ has given up its plan to provide an additional 13,000 yen per child from April and now is considering simply continuing the current system under which 13,000 yen a month is given to parents of children up to the third year of middle school.
The LDP is calling for the abolishment of the expanded child-rearing allowance system and restoring the former system, which covered children only up to the sixth grade of primary school and set an income ceiling for eligibility for the allowances.
The major opposition party proposed abolition of the expanded child-rearing allowances and nullification of a plan to make highway tolls free as conditions for approval of the bill for issuance of deficit-financing government bonds.
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More concessions needed
Restoration and reconstruction in the aftermath of the enormous earthquake and tsunami are estimated to cost more than 10 trillion yen. The government cannot afford to set aside more than 2 trillion yen for payment of child-rearing allowances.
To ensure passage of the bill for issuance of deficit-covering government bonds, which is indispensable as a means of securing revenue, the government and the DPJ should decide to withdraw their handout policies, including the expanded distribution of child-rearing allowances.
If the DPJ announces its withdrawal of such policies, it will be able to align views and reach agreement with the LDP and Komeito on reinstatement of tax deductions for parents of children up to the third year of middle school--deductions that were abolished to secure financial resources for the expanded child-rearing allowances.
Concerning the plan to make all highways toll-free, Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister Akihiro Ohata told a news conference Tuesday that fiscal resources for implementation of the plan should instead "be used mainly for reconstruction from the disaster." He is quite right.
In addition to the budget and budget-related bills, the Diet will have to deliberate on special bills to carry out disaster-response measures. Therefore, both the ruling and opposition parties are urged to make concessions where necessary.

EDITORIAL : THE DAILY STAR, BANGLADESH

CG needed to save democracy: TH Khan

Eminent jurist TH Khan on Thursday told the Supreme Court that the caretaker government (CG) system should continue for holding free, fair and peaceful elections and further interest of democracy.

Free and fair elections are the fuel of democracy and the CG is necessary to protect the democracy in the country, he said.

He said this while placing his argument as amicus curiae (friend of court) before the Appellate Division during the hearing an appeal challenging the High Court verdict that declared valid the 13th amendment to the constitution.

The 13th amendment was brought to the constitution in 1996 allowing election under caretaker government.

The seven-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque on Thursday held the hearing for fifth day and also adjourned it till March 28.

TH Khan told the Appellate Division that three parliamentary elections were held under caretaker governments which were led by three former chief justices -- Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed, Justice Habibur Rahman and Justice Latifur Rahman.

The former chief justices had discharged duties as chief adviser of the CG very successfully and competently, TH Khan said adding that the democracy has not gone due to the elections held under the CG.

After placing argument, he told the newsmen that the CG should remain in force for at least 70 years to establish a civilised democracy in the country.

 

BNP staging demo near press club

Main opposition BNP on Thursday started a demonstration in front of the National Press Club protesting the government’s alleged propaganda against Ziaur Rahman and his family.

BNP is staging its scheduled demonstration on the main road near the press club instead of Muktangan as they did not get permission.

With BNP Vice Chairman Abdullah Al Noman in the chair, the demonstration started around 3:30pm, disrupting the vehicular movement on the busy road.

9 get Independence Award 2011

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Thursday urged the people to work together to reach the fruits of the nation’s independence to every citizen through attaining economic emancipation.

“The nation that has gained independence and sovereignty through a war can not suffer from poverty and illiteracy,” she said at the Independence Award 2011 distribution ceremony at Osmain Memorial Hall.

Two institutions-Dhaka University (Education) and Bangladesh Police (contribution to liberation war) and seven personalities -Gaus Khan (posthumous for contribution to liberation war), Sanghraj Jyotipal Mahathero (posthumous for contribution to liberation war), Dr Neelima Ibrahim (posthumous for contribution to liberation war), Air Vice Marshal (retd) Abdul Karim Khandaker, Beer Uttam (contribution to liberation war), Nutan Chandra Singho (posthumous for contribution to liberation war), AKM Shamsujjuha (posthumous for contribution to liberation war), and Muhammad Abul Hashem Khan (culture) received the Independence Award, the highest state recognition, from the prime minister.

Each award recipient was given a gold medal, Tk 2 lakh and a certificate. Award recipient Planning Minister Air Vice-Marshal (rted) AK Khandaker also spoke at the function moderated by cabinet Secretary M Abdul Aziz.

Inspector General (IG) of Police Hasan Mahmud Khandaker, Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr AAMS Arefin Siddique received Awards on behalf of their respective institutions while family members received the posthumous awards.

Hasina said Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Shiekh Mujibur Rahman led the nation to achieve the independence, but when he started rebuilding the country, the great leader along with the members of his family were killed on August 15, 1975.

Within one year of the liberation, she said Bangabandhu had been able to present the Constitution to the nation and spelt out programmes to make Bangladesh as a self-reliant country in food.

“Bangladesh was progressing towards economic emancipation. But, the defeated force struck again and killed the Father of the Nation and later on, the four national leaders,” she said.

Following the assassinations, Hasina said the anti-liberation forces grabbed the state power, pushing Bangladesh towards backseat.

The prime minister reiterated the government’s strong commitment to completely root out militancy and terrorism from Bangladesh.

Hasina recalled that after a long struggle, democracy was established in 1991, but taking office, BNP became busy to change their own fortune and established a rein of corruption and misrule.

Consequently, she said the regime was forced to quit by the people before ending their tenure. The PM said the Awami League government during its 1996-2001 tenure made Bangladesh a self-reliant country in food, power generation was increased to 4300 MW from 1600 MW, literacy rate increased to 65.5 percent and income from exports was almost double.

Unfortunately, she said BNP-Jamaat alliance came to power again in 2001 and involved in corruption and they amassed huge illegal wealth.

“When we took office in 2009, we found power generation at 3100 MW and literacy rate at some 50 percent. My question is if we can take Bangladesh to a new level in our five years, why BNP-Jamaat could not do it?” the prime minister questioned.

Hasina said BNP-Jamaat could not develop the country as they did not want to do that, because they do not believe in the spirit of 1971 Liberation War.

Drawing attention of her ministers and party workers, the prime minister said at any cost, people’s expectations from the government must be implemented.

“Always we have to work with a sense of sacrifice. It is not important what we are getting, rather, our aim would be what we are being able to give to the people,” she said.