The violent incident on the streets of Dhaka involvingJamaat-e-Islami (JI) activists on September 19 has ignited fear among the people of Bangladesh that the country might again slip into a reign of chaos and unrest.
< class="heading1">
Analysis
The violent incident on the streets of Dhaka involvingJamaat-e-Islami (JI) activists on September 19 has ignited fear among the people of Bangladesh that the country might again slip into a reign of chaos and unrest. The political landscape is expected to be volatile as the Opposition launched movement to drive the elected Awami League Government out of power over its perceived failure to run the country well.
The JI, an important ally of the main Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), went on a rampage, destroying vehicles and halting traffic after law-enforcement agencies stalled its rally. The incident left hundreds injured, disturbing normalcy. Political analysts observed that the street violence was motivated and aimed at boosting the morale of the JI. The cadre morale has been low owing to a varied of reasons, the chief among them being the humiliating defeat in the parliamentary elections of 2008.The arrest of the top JI leadership on charges of crimes in the 1971 war has not improved matters. The Awami League Government of Prime Minister ShiekhHasina instituteda tribunal for trying those killed people and destroyed their property in the company of the Pakistan security forces during the ’Bangladesh liberation war’ of 1971. Several of the JI leaders are expected to be tried in the war crime tribunal. Speculations are high that JI might indulge in more vigorous protest in days ahead.
Political violence in Bangladesh is not new. It was the political violence that led to the cancellation of parliamentary elections in January 2007 and resulted installation of a military-backed caretaker Government. The memories of those days are still very fresh among the people and they are alarmed at these incidents.After the 2008 parliamentary election it was expected that the JI would take a lesson from the past deed and would not commit the same mistake. People now feel that they were wrong in their judgment. The US State Department’s 2009 Human Rights Report on Bangladesh had raised concerns over the rising political violence. Clashes among the student wings of rival political parties have become a common phenomenon in the educational institutions. Violence not only takes place between rival political parties but also there are intra-group clashes within political parties.
The human rights watch organisation Odhikar in its report claimed that from January to June this year 65 persons were killed and 5513 injured in political violence. There were 155 incidents of violence involving the Awami League and 48 in the BNP during this period. In addition to this, 11 persons were killed and 1843 people were injured in Awami League’s internal conflicts while one person was killed, 501 were injured in BNP internal conflict. Looking at scenario feeling of despair is running very high among the people and there is disgust for all types of political party in that country.
Meanwhile, soaring of the price rise, which is making a hole in the pockets of common man, corruption which they perceive has not changed in the Awami League’s term and high handedness of the cadres of the political parties also added to this dislike. This trend has led people to make a comparison between tenure of the military backed caretaker regime and era of democratic governments and there is consensus that the life of common man was much better then. Many feel that if the political parties do not change they will not mind a military regime if it delivers.
(The writer is an Associate Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation)
< class="heading1">
Country Reports
Bangladesh
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">Fuel price hike fuels inflation
There was a ’double surprise’ from the government this week. First, all of a sudden, it raised fuel prices by a big margin for petrol, octane, diesel and furnace oil. Secondly, it enhanced compressed natural gas (CNG) price by Tk 5.0 per unit. With CNG price-hike, the Government also enhanced transport fares in quick succession. New prices of fuel and CNG have already taken effect.
The speedy implementation of the ’sudden’ decisions demonstrates that the Government is desperate to reduce the ballooning subsidy in the energy sector. Even these measures are far from enough. The Government will still have to bear the burden of a huge subsidy, reportedly to the tune of Tk 225 billion, even after such hikes.
The functionaries of the Government claimed that they had no option other than to go in for hikes in fuel and CNG prices, noting that this was necessary to reduce pressure on the macro-economy. If the prices were not hiked, the macro-economy would have been required to be managed by printing bank notes, borrowing money from the banks, or obtaining foreign aid. The revenue earnings by the government are not good enough to deal with the "ballooning subsidy bill".
Reportedly, the Government is now negotiating for a loan of $1.0 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The multi-lateral lending agency has been pressing the government for enhancing fuel prices substantially, for long. The World Bank (WB) has also been pleading for such a fuel price-hike. The government hiked the energy prices, according to some analysts, at the insistence of the IMF. What it has failed to do is containing the soaring inflation. The fuel price-hike will most likely to further fuel the inflationary pressure which is now running at 11.29 per cent on an annual point-to-point basis, according to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics. The purchasing capacity of the common people will be severely constrained, with the rising inflation.
< class="text11verdana">
Source: The Financial Express, September 22, 2011
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">Hasina for global move to fight terrorism
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called upon the international community for strengthening regional and global cooperation mechanisms in fighting terrorism. She gave this call in her keynote speech delivered at a symposium arranged by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at a UN conference this week in New York.
Sheikh Hasina also proposed a seven-point suggestion for the consideration of UN for combating terrorism across the globe. She suggested that the UN should lead and steer the global discourse and action on counter-terrorism, while the world should work to agree on a universal legal definition of terrorism. That Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism together with a distinction for people’s legitimate struggle for independence from foreign occupation should be concluded early was also in her suggestions.
In the agenda of the UN, national capacity-building and training of counter-terrorism personnel of developing countries and the LDCs like Bangladesh should remain high. She also recommended that there should be an international centre for counter-terrorism, with a complete global database on terrorist outfits and suspects for coordination and intelligence sharing among states. She further proposed that root causes of terrorism must be addressed and solution should be found, as well as respect for Human Rights and Rule of Law must remain high. Hasina said Bangladesh believes that the UN is the only legitimate multilateral body capable of coordinating global action against terrorism.
< class="text11verdana">
Source: The Daily Star, September 20, 2011
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">Duty-free access sought to US market
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina this week sought cooperation of friends in the US Congress to play positive role in granting duty-free access of Bangladesh products to the US market. She said that if tariff on apparel and textile products is waived, it would contribute to Bangladesh’s economic development and social transformation, particularly in the empowerment of women.
Hasina said that in Bangladesh’s garment sector, 85 percent of the workers are women and their contribution helps improve child health and education as well as overall socio-economic situation.She also urged the US business community to invest more in Bangladesh in the fields of energy, power, manufacturing, insurance, banking and services, agriculture, food processing, shipbuilding, renewable energy, tourism, ICT goods and services, high value garments, pharmaceuticals and ceramics.
< class="text11verdana">
Source: The Daily Star, September 21, 2011
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">PM seeks Kuwait’s help to procure dredger
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sought Kuwait’s cooperation to Bangladesh for procuring high profile dredger for its ongoing capital dredging in different rivers across the country. She made the request this week during a meeting with Prime Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah at New York.
Hasina informed her Kuwaiti counterpart that her government had taken extensive measures for the capital dredging of rivers to make them navigable. "We need your cooperation to procure more modern dredgers," she said. Hasina also invited the Kuwaiti prime minister to invest in different sectors of the country as Bangladesh is a very attractive place for foreign investment.
< class="text11verdana">
Source: The Daily Star, September 21, 2011.
Bhutan
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">Impact of earthquake unknown:
Government agencies in Bhutan do not have a seismometer, the device that measures earthquakes, and therefore no one knows the exact intensity of last week’s tremor in in the adjoining north-east Indian States that impacted on the Himalayan republic.
Information is still being gathered on the extent of damage caused by the September 18 tremors that originated from North Sikhim. Bara and Chargharey in Samtse and Bongo gewog in Chukha reported extensive damage from the quake according to preliminary reports obtained by the Dongkhag officials.Progress has been slow though a decision to set up 10 stations was taken after Eastern Bhutan was hit by the quake in September 2009.
< class="text11verdana">
Source: kuenselonline.com, 22, 23 September, 2011.
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">Course to help underprivileged goes astray:
Damphu residents have questioned the authorities about the authenticity of the aim of a tailoring course that was started in Tsirang. It was originally designed to address the concerns of women and school drop-outs in villages but it was observed that 15 of the 29 participants were wives of civil servants.
It was funded through the Kilkhorthang-Mendrelgang constituency development grant and coordinated by the Tsirang women’s association.Only 14 women are from the six gewogs of Kilkhorthang, Semjong, Rangthangling, Mendelgang, Gosaling and Dunglagang, while the others were wives of police and civil servants.
< class="text11verdana">
Source: kuenselonline.com, 22 September, 2011.
India
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">Third largest economy?
India might become the world’s third largest economy in 2011 by overtaking Japan in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) measured according to the domestic purchasing power of the rupee, otherwise called purchasing power parity.
India is now the fourth-largest economy behind the US, China and Japan. Numbers from 2010 show that the Japanese economy was worth $4.31 trillion, after US and China, and India snapping at its heels with $4.06 trillion. But after March’s devastating tsunami and earthquakes, Japan’s economy is widely expected to contract while India’s economy will grow 7-8 per cent this fiscal.. "India should overtake Japan in 2011 to become the third-largest economy in the world at purchasing power parity," said Sunil Sinha, head of research and senior economist at Crisil.
IMF forecasts show India and Japan neck-to-neck in 2011, but the disaster in Japan has brought the event forward. "Were it not for the earthquake and tsunami, India would have overtaken Japan in around 2013-14," said Sinha.
< class="text11verdana">
Source: The Economic Times, September 20, 2011.
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">Super Sukhois to give generation leap
India is poised to get fifth generation aircraft sooner than expected. While an Indo-Russian programme to develop a fifth generation fighter aircraft is already under way, Russia has agreed to provide India with an advanced version of the Sukhoi-30MKI, which boasts of fifth generation capabilities and stealth features.
Indian Air Force, which currently has over 100 Sukhoi MKIs, has placed an order with Russia for about 280-300 aircraft, which are likely to come in the form of the Super Sukhois.
This development is expected to provide India a considerable edge over Pakistan. In January 2011, China had agreed to deliver its J-20 fifth generation fighter - touted to be the world’s most advanced fighter aircraft ? to Pakistan.
< class="text11verdana">
Source: www.dnaindia.com, September 23, 2011.
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">Chinese warning fails to deter
Ignoring Chinese warnings on Friday, India and Vietnam decided to focus on oil and gas exploration in the potentially oil-rich South China Sea while deepening their bilateral relations.
After Beijing’s objections to the ongoing exploration in two Vietnamese blocks in the South India’s ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL), state-run Chinese news agency Xinhua said the activities could "poison" China-India relations.
However, external affairs minister SM Krishna and his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Binh Minh decided in Hanoi that they would extend their cooperation to defence and various economic sectors for the next three years.
Meanwhile, a report in the People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of China’s ruling Communist Party, said the oil and gas exploration project between Indian and Vietnamese State-owned firms west of the disputed Spratly Islands put at risk the two countries’ relations with their chief trading partner. "Two sections enter waters under China’s jurisdiction, constituting a violation of China’s sovereignty," it said.
The report said that if Vietnam and India pursued any joint interest that damaged relations with China "as well as the stability and peaceful economic development of the entire South China Sea region, the losses will outweigh the gains". China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said on Monday that any such project was "illegal and invalid" without China’s consent, but did not name specific countries or companies.
< class="text11verdana">
Source: Hindustan Times, September 17, 2011, www.reuters.com, September 22, 2011.
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">Delhi rejects West’s criticism of trade policy
India has rejected the criticism of its trade policy, especially by the US, at the WTO and asked the members to judge the country by what it has done over the years. "Nearly all of you, including our partners in regional trade agreements have commended India’s openness and continued liberalisation ... I am, therefore, somewhat puzzled at the criticism levelled at us by some members about the inadequate market access offered by India," Commerce Secretary Rahul Khullar told WTO members.
"Judge us by what we have done over the years and not by the latitude we have," he said, in a response to the US criticism that "the agriculture sector in India remains closed to many foreign products".
< class="text11verdana">
Source: The Economic Times, September 16, 2011.
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">Call for Kyoto protocol norms
At the Major Economies Forum meeting in Washington, India and other developing countries reiterated that an agreement on a second commitment period for the Kyoto Protocol must precede discussions on a "legally binding agreement" which includes all countries.
This position restated by Environment MinisterJayanthiNatarajan at the recent informal ministerial consultation in Pretoria put to rest rumours rife since the BASIC meeting in Brazil, that India was not keen on preserving the Kyoto Protocol.
India’s prioritising the continuation of emission reduction targets for developed countries under the Kyoto Protocol at the meeting of the 17 major economies, which account for the bulk of global emissions, is significant. In the past, the MEF has provided the informal forum for working out negotiating compromises and sought to resolve tricky issues in the global climate change negotiations.
< class="text11verdana">
Source: The Economic Times, September 19, 2011.
Maldives
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">Pat from UNHRC, but...
Maldives, together with Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, the US and Zambia were identified as one of the seven major forces in the UN Human Rights Council, making "a critical difference" during the period of the report, "working both collectively and in parallel to ensure that the Council’s mandate to address and prevent situations of violations was fulfilled more rigorously, recognising the Council’s inaction of the past".
The Human Rights Watch also praised Maldives its energetic engagement with the council and its solid voting record."Despite having a small delegation, Maldivian commitment to human rights and democracy has motivated it to be a part of, or to take leadership on, a significant number of initiatives over the last year. Maldives was among the first group of signatories calling for the special sessions on Côte d’Ivoire and Libya. Maldives also cosponsored the resolutions on Iran, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Libya, and Kyrgyzstan," aHRW report said.
However it identified as "regrettable" the Maldives position on whether to launch an international investigation into war crimes in the final days of the Sri Lankan civil war, particularly on the question of accountability. "The Maldives has been uncharacteristically reluctant to endorse the calls of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General’s panel for the creation of an independent international mechanism to investigate the final months of the conflict. Its close bilateral relationship with Sri Lanka, rather than the credible allegations coming from the ground, has prompted this position," the report noted."The Maldives should revisitits approach on Sri Lanka in order to bring it in line with its otherwise principled approach to human rights at the Council."
Foreign Minister Ahmed Naseem said the Maldives was proud that the country was now "internationally-respected for its commitment to human rights" and for its influence on the global stage. "At the time, many people doubted the Government’s decision to put forward the Maldives’ candidature for the UN Human Rights Council, saying we are too small to make a difference. Human Rights Watch’s new report shows unequivocally that such doubts were misplaced. Not only has Maldives played a central role at the Council, we have also helped make the Council far more effective as the pre-eminent global body responsible for protecting human rights," Naseem said.
< class="text11verdana">
Source: Minivan News, September 22, 2011.
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">Islanders oppose Israeli investment
Islanders on Filadhoo in HaaAlifu Atoll have reacted with outrage to news of an Israeli agricultural delegation scheduled to arrive on the island next Saturday, warning that the visitors from Teshuva Agricultural Products "will go no further than the island jetty."
Filadhoo islander Mohamed Hamidh told Minivan News that the majority of the island’s 550-strong population were against the visit by the Israeli company. "The night the Island Council called a meeting, 83 islanders attended the meeting. Councillors called for a vote and 82 out of the present 83 citizens voted that they do not want to let the Israeli delegation step on the island," Hamidh said.
Hamidh said the islanders would not welcome the delegation because Israelis "have been mistreating the Muslims in Palestine" and have "killed so many Palestinian men and left many Palestinian women widowed."An earlier press release by the Deputy Leader of the Adhaalath Party accused the Israeli delegation of being agents from Mossad, the Israeli secret service.
On its website the company claims its advanced agricultural methods "allow for fresh culinary herbs to be grown in soil-less hydroponic systems."
< class="text11verdana">
Source: Minivan News, September 22, 2011.
Nepal
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">PM outlines Govt’s priorities
The newly-elected Prime Minister Dr BaburamBhattaraihas outlined the Gvernment’s political, economic and foreign policy priorities during his first address to Parliament. Stating that conclusion of the peace process and Constitution drafting are the topmost priorities of the present coalition, the PM stressed that the proposed categorisation of ex-Maoist combatants could start after reaching a tentative agreement on the modality of integration and rehabilitation, number of combatants to be integrated and after negotiating the remaining contentious issues.Bhattarai, however, labelled the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML of being "rigid" and "irresponsible" toward key issues of the peace process.
A former Finance Minister, he said that the Government would work toward achieving double-digit economic growth, and set up an investment board and a mechanism to run prioritised projects. He urged the trade unions to put forward their demands in a restrained and democratic way as the country’s industrial sector has suffered heavily due to frequent strikes and bandhs. On foreign policy, the Prime Minister said that the Government would develop Nepal as a "friendship bridge" between India and China instead of maintaining Nepal’s traditional status as a "buffer" State between the two giant neighbours.
< class="text11verdana">
Source: myrepublica.com, September 17.
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">China wants custody of 23 Tibetan refugees
Human rights groups and foreign diplomats in Nepal who monitor the situation of Tibetan refugees transiting from through Nepal are concerned about the safety of the 23 in custody in Kathmandu at present. The Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu has written to the Nepal Government, demanding that the Tibetans be handed over to Chinese custody for their return to Tibet.
The 23 Tibetans were arrested by Nepal police on September 11-13 after they crossed the border from Tibet. They were brought down to Kathmandu and turned over to Nepal’s Department of Immigration (DoI). They remain in the custody of the DoI, contravening established protocols that Tibetans crossing into Nepalese territory are promptly handed over to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) for processing and onward transit to India.
Nepalese officials indicate that the case is now being handled at the highest levels. Prime Minister Dr BaburamBhattarai is currently away, to take part in the 66thsession of the UN General Assembly.
< class="text11verdana">
Source: International Campaign for Tibet, September 21.
Pakistan
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">US threatened about losing ally
Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, who has been a strong defender of Washington’s engagement with Islamabad, pressed the Pakistan army to disengage itself from the Haqqani militant group. The US accused the ISI of using the Haqqani network to wage a proxy war. Supporting this, top US Senator,Dianne Feinstein pressed Secretary of State Hilary Clinton to add the militant group to the formal terrorism blacklist. A key congressional committee also voted to ensure that security and economic aid to Pakistan will be conditional on its cooperation in fighting the Haqqani’s network.
However, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister HinaRabbaniKhar stated in a television channel in New York that the US will lose an ally if it continues to publicly criticise Islamabad’s performance in the war against militancy and further said that it would cost the US if it continues to alienate the country.
< class="text11verdana">
Source: reuters.com, 21, 23 September, 2011; dawn.com, 23 September, 2011; Indianexpress.com, 23 September.
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">Floods relief and gestures
Prime Minister YousufRazaGilani cancelled his visit to the US, to attend the UN General Assembly session on the 16 September, following floods which severely hit the Sindh region. Gen AshfaqKayani, army chief, took an aerial view of the affected areas and met the victims and assured them that the army would continue to help them.
In a bid to help the affected, the Centre has waived agricultural credit in the flood affected regions of Sindh.The UN has increased its relief to provide safe drinking water and provided 200,000 litres of water to 40,000 people daily and additionally deployed 40 more water tankers for the forthcoming days.
However, it was also reported that low-caste Hindus, such as Kohlis, Meghwars and Jogis, officially known as the Scheduled Castes, were being turned out of makeshift camp. Relief materials sent to them were allegedly hijacked.
< class="text11verdana">
Source: dawn.com, September 16,17,20,22, 2011.
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">Tackling the energy crisis
The Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) has reiterated its opposition to the Katzarah dam project and therefore dropped from the WAPDA 2025 Vision programme as stated in a letter sent to Prime Minister YousufRazaGilani. It shelved the project due to a dozen negative impacts making the dam site unfeasible. A total population of 223,847 living in the area would be displaced and the productive land of about 13,363 hectares would come under water if it is implemented.The whole city with 20,000 houses; 7,000 shops, hospitals, schools, graveyard, mosques, etc., would be submerged.
From the Defence perspective as well, the strategic control of the Siachen and Kargil sectors and of the Line of Control by Pakistan Army and PAF from Skardu will be lost as the operational activities of the two institutions will be badly affected. In another instance to tackle the issue, President Asif Ali Zardari while presiding a meeting on Sindh’s electricity generation policy, stated that contracts for short-term projects should be awarded through a competitive bidding process.
< class="text11verdana">
Source: dawn.com, September 22-23, 2011
Sri Lanka
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">Consistent global approach sought against terrorism
Terrorism remains the greatest threat to stability and progress worldwide, Sri Lanka’s PresidentMahindaRajapaksa told the UN General Assembly, calling on countries to agree on taking a consistent and uncompromising approach in a bid to stamp out the menace."Recent experience the world over amply demonstrates that inconsistent standards and discriminating approaches can unintentionally give a fresh lease of life to the forces of terror," he said.
PresidentRajapaksa stressed that terrorism threatens all countries, rich and poor.
"It must be remembered as well that terrorist groups frequently operate under the guise of front organisations. Conferring legitimacy on these has the inevitable effect of providing comfort and encouragement to the merchants of terror."He called for both practical actions at the ground level and the need for a "loud and clear" collective message from the world’s countries about the issue.
< class="text11verdana">
Source: Daily Mirror, September 23, 2011.
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">LTTE rump files case against Mahinda in New York
The LTTE in the US has filed a case against President MahindaRajapaksa for killing ’col’ Thambirajah Ramesh the self-styled LTTE commander during the final phase of Sri Lanka’s successful war against the LTTE.Sri Lankan government received information regarding the LTTE move shortly after President Rajapaksa addressed the 66th UNGA session.
Ramesh’s wife, Vathsala Devi (ex-LTTE cadre) filed the case on behalf of the LTTE in New York through Attorney-at-Law VisvanathanRudrakumaran, a member of the LTTE delegation to the Oslo-managed talks in 2002-03 period during RanilWickremesinghe’s tenure as the Prime Minister.The LTTE is believed to have helped Devi to flee Sri Lanka shortly after the conclusion of war in May 2009 and reach the US by a circuitous route.
Defence Secretary GotabhayaRajapaksa told The Island that the move on the part of the LTTE and those who couldn’t stomach Sri Lanka’s victory wasn’t surprising. He said that a move had been also made against Sri Lanka’s No 2 at the UN, Maj. Gen. Shavendra Silva, the former General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the celebrated 58 Division, which spearheaded the Vanni offensive on one flank.
< class="text11verdana">
Source: The Island, Colombo, September 23, 2011.
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">Crisis in JVP
With the third phase of local government elections just round the corner, the left-nationalist JanathaVimukthiPeramuna (JVP) organisers of Kalutara, Colombo and Gampaha have joined politbureau member PremkumarGunaratnam’s group in opposition to party leader SomawansaAmarasinghe camp and triggered a major crisis within the party.PremkumarGunaratnam, it is learnt, is organising party cadres in 14 districts and has even moved to dissolve dozens of JVP affiliated organisations, including the National Bhikku Front.
Gunaratnam, a Tamil by birth and the brother of JVP senior Ranjitham (who was killed during the 1988-89 insurgency), had been in self-exile in Australia till recently. He had reportedly returned to Sri Lanka early this month. He is said to be of the opinion that the JVP should support the Tamil cause, while the Amarasinghe group is opposed to communalising the party.Highly-placed party sources said that there was a plan by Gunaratnam group to go underground and pave the way for an armed struggle.
This is the second major rift in the party, after the JVP walked out of the ruling SLFP-led UPFA coalition before the conclusion of the ’ethnic war’. In between, the party having joined hands with former army chief SarathFonseka’s electoral bid to become President, a group of JVP leaders stayed back with him, to found the DPA.
< class="text11verdana">
Source: The Island, September 23, 2011.
Afghanistan
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">Assassination may affect peace process
The assassination of the former President BurhanuddinRabbani, on September 20, will dent efforts to stop regional ethnic violence in Afghanistan. Rabbani was assassinated by a suicide bomber who carried the bomb in his turban; the assassin is understood to have been a high level Taliban contact who feigned a desire for a peaceful political solution, in order to get an audience with the great leader. The contact was let into Rabbanis house without a thorough search and while greeting Rabbani exploded his bomb. Four of Rabbanis bodyguards were killed, while a key presidential advisor was wounded in the blast.
Rabbani, during his role as head of the high peace council was trying to cultivate contact with the Taliban. He urged for the re integration of the insurgents who intended to lay down their arms. Being the notional leader of the northern alliance; constituting ethnic Tajaks and Uzbeks, Rabbani was a key ally to the current president Hamid Karzai as well as a well-known political figure in Afghanistan.
After the recent assassination of Rabbani, some western nations have revived the notion of a UN special envoy to prevent a breakdown in peace talks in the region. The suggestion has met with stiff resistance from the US, Pakistan and Afghan governments.
< class="text11verdana">
Source: The Telegraph, September 21, 2011, www.telegraphindia.com.
< class="heading12boldGeorgia">Haqqanito back Talibanpeace bid
The Haqqani leader, SirajuddinHaqqani has pledged his group would support the Taliban leadership in any future peace talks. He said, the afghan government had offered him key positions in their government; if he was to drop his groups’ insurgency campaign. Sirajuddin mentions that he and his group will stand fast with their allies, the Taliban, and mentions that he has rejected any direct approaches for peace talks by the American or Afghan Governments.
Diplomats feared a divide between the two insurgent factions; Haqqani and the Taliban, based on the assessment that Sirajuddin opposed the talks between the American state department officials and representatives of the Taliban leader Mulla Omar in Germany and Qatar. But after these latest statements, it seems that these fears have been entirely unfounded.The Haqqani network is one of the most feared insurgency groups operating in eastern Afghanistan. Most of the devastating attacks against NATO forces have been blamed on them.
< class="text11verdana">
Source: The Telegraph, http://www.telegraph.co.uk, September 22, 2011.
< class="brown12verdana">
Contributors:
Afghanistan: Haripal Brar;
Bangladesh: Joyeeta Bhattacharje;
Bhutan and Pakistan: Aarya Venugopal;
India: Satish Misra;
Nepal: Akanshya Shah;
Maldives & Sri Lanka: N SathiyaMoorthy;
The views expressed above belong to the author(s). ORF research and analyses now available on Telegram! Click here to access our curated content — blogs, longforms and interviews.
PREV
