|
The declaration of death (2nd May,
2011) of Osama bin Laden is mired with many a mysteries, it is
also full of blatant violations of International law. It does have
a profound impact on the future of global politics. Osama and Al
Qaeda had been dominating the global political scenario overtly
since a last decade or so, and covertly through their activities
from last 2-3 decades. The West Asia- Indian subcontinent had been
the major victim of their dreaded acts; still the death of this
Frankenstein’s Monster has been accompanied by infinite questions
and implications.
To begin with, there had been various news items claiming that
Osama is dead, times and over again. Pakistan’s ex Prime Minister
Benazir Bhutto, who herself became a victim of the acts of terror,
had said that Osama is already dead. Any way, what matters is the
popular perceptions and the ‘understanding’. This understanding
‘manufactured or real’, is propagated by the global emperor and
the dominating US media. This seems to be more important than the
truth. Truth shall ultimately prevail, but in the short run, the
propaganda and perceptions do dictate the global and local
scenario. So in that sense now Osama is really dead for good.
The manner of his killing reminds us as to who is the biggest
violator of International law. Here is a Super power, with its
tentacles spread all over the World, itching to undertake actions
in the name of Democracy and Peace, but in reality protecting its
interests of controlling oil wealth and maintaining global
supremacy, the United States. Its armed forces blatantly violate
the Pakistan’s air space, ignore its sovereignty and kill an
unarmed Osama. Noam Chomsky, the indefatigable Human Rights
Conscience keeper poses an interesting question. What if Pakistani
or some other army lands up in White House, kills someone there
and dumps his body in the sea? Unthinkable, no!
Osama could have been captured and tried in the International
Court of law and punished accordingly. Why an unarmed man; a
criminal, had to be killed is beyond imagination in the civil
world with so many laws and norms. It seems laws and conventions
are for the ordinary mortals and states, for some states (US) the
medieval ‘Might is Right’, ‘We are the law’, still prevail. This
is a warning signal for the whole humanity, reminding us of the
need for reviving International bodies like United Nations not
just formally but de facto, with real flesh and blood.
Organizations like United Nations not only need to be revived and
democratized they also have to be endowed with legal and moral
authority to mediate in the international affairs. The arbitrary
‘cow boy’ norms need to be condemned and done away with.
This ‘death of Osama’ should open a new chapter in global and
local politics. The previous decade has been dictated by the US
policy of Oil hunt by creating the slogan of ‘Clash of
Civilizations’, a slogan which is an insult to the humane values
of mankind, a concept which deliberately overlooks the deeper
alliance of people and civilizations. This clash of civilization
thesis practiced by US projected Islam as the threat to democracy
and freedom, irrespective of the fact that it is the same global
power which overthrew democracies and promoted dictatorships in
the area for its economic political agenda. The overthrow of
democratically elected Mossadeq regime Iran, (1953) had set the
tone for imposition of authoritarian regimes in this area. Again
the processes which have begun in Tunisia, Egypt etc. are
reminders that Arab World-Muslims aspire for democracy as much as
any other people in the World and are trying to overthrow the yoke
of dictatorial regimes.
The US invasions on different countries in the region were
justified by projecting Islam and Muslims as backwards by the
‘global super-cop’, which projected the myth that it is playing
the role of the savior. With the death of Osama-bin-Laden this
chapter of dark global politics should be over, and the region
should be left to its own moral and political resources to develop
the political systems, away from the interference by outsiders.
Democracy is basically a grass root process. It cannot be
‘exported’ or ‘imposed’ on others. The efforts should be to let
the local alliances emerge, to let global democracy amongst
nations emerge and let the local population decide their path for
achieving the democratic system. It is on these issues that all
the concerned peace movements assert the values of Peace and
democracy through mass demonstrations. These voices and peace
campaigns should act as a brake to hegemonic policies of the
superpower.
In India, the terrorism begun by local groups, Aseemanand, Pragya
Singh Thakur and others derived its pretext from the terror acts
of Osama and company. Since Hemant Karkare’s landmark
investigation in Malegaon blast case, series of operatives wearing
saffron clothes have been caught and hopefully this dreaded
process will also come to an end, it will not derive provocation
from other terror groups.
As far as India and Pakistan are concerned the whole talk of
repeating Abottabad by a section in India, needs to be thrown in
the dustbin. The Indian political leadership has shown political
maturity and offered the dialogue table for achieving friendship
with the neighbor. The same should be enhanced. On one hand we
firmly deal with the criminal elements, by promoting trust and
amity between nations and on the other the co-operation in the
area of culture, trade, commerce and education needs to be
boosted. Not only restricted to Pakistan, we need to revive the
spirit of SAARC at deeper and broader level.
This May 2011, death of Osama, some claim its 9th time he is being
declared dead, is a boon to the process of peace anyway. The
demonization of Islam and Muslims will hopefully come to an end.
Morality of all religions has been a great contribution to
development of human values of the mankind. All religious
communities have contributed to the progress of Human race, and
this needs to be the major slogan of coming decades.
|
Comments
|
Quick links