army – Fifth Pillar

The Soldiers on Foot

By ~ Gaurpriya Singh Roy

All capacities of the 7 oceans together wouldn’t be good enough to fit in our gratitude and indebtedness towards the Indian Armed forces. As a whole their greatness, pride, and impeccability are depicted in The Soldiers on Foot, I would be delighted to elucidate with you about the profound infantry regiment of the Indian Army, One of the largest in the world also anointed as the “Queen of the Battle”. The infantry is the Indian Army’s backbone.

Infantry Day is ascertained in India to commemorate the first military event of Independent India, when the first battalion of the Indian Army’s Sikh regiment fought a battle to defeat the Pakistan Army’s first attack on Indian soil on October 27, 1947, in Kashmir valley, in an attempt to seize Jammu and Kashmir.

They were part of the team defending Indian territory against Pakistani invaders advancing on Srinagar. Infantry Day 2022 honors the bravery and valor of the Indian soldiers who took part in the difficult mission.

During wars, infantry soldiers bear the main brunt of the damage. These men possess the traits like belligerence, physical fitness, and rigor. With the passage of time, the Indian Army’s infantry units have been modernized, equipped, and trained to rank among the best in the world.

Bill Mauldin once said, “The surest way to become a pacifist is to join the infantry.” And I think it is justified after the rash decisions the Government exerted during such critical times of 1947, let it be influential political leaders approaching the UN when India was already on the lines defending its land or let it be the delayed sending of the soldiers to the battlefield or be it declaring cease-fire even when Pakistan disagreed that his soldiers were at line Says the Himalayan blunders an extremely controversial war memoir penned by Brigadier John Dalvi. This book also explains why a Referendum was not Necessary after the Weapons were already taken, even after such missteps

The infantry regime remained fearless and followed orders courteously in 1947, The Sikh regiment’s first battalion landed at the Srinagar airbase. They demonstrated extraordinary courage and strength in thwarting the Pakistan Army’s invasion of Kashmir with the help of tribals. During the first India-Pak war, the Douglas DC-3, also known as the Dakota, transported troops from the Army’s 1 Sikh Regiment to Srinagar, as well as supplies and refugees. This regiment served as a border guard for the Indians. Thus, Infantry Day commemorates the first military event in India.

To vaguely narrate the night of the 26th; Initially, it was decided to send a brigade-level force. However, because the road from Pathankot to Srinagar was in poor condition, the Sikh regiment was flown in by Dakota aircraft. The road was then followed by the brigade-level troop. Around seven Dakota planes were built. Only two of these seven were from the Indian Air Force. The remainder came from private airlines. This included Biju Patnaik’s aircraft (former chief minister of Odisha). The troops were assembled in the middle of the night and airlifted at dawn. Everything was planned in a single night.

At this point, it is not even surprising how flawlessly trained and skilled our Jawans are, appreciating, acknowledging, and admiring their sacrifices and bravery is the only sinch thing we can do; soldiers like Capt Vikram Batra PVC (9 September 1974 – 7 July 1999) late officer of the Indian Army, posthumously awarded with the Param Vir Chakra.

Lieutenant Colonel Dewan Ranjit Rai, commanding the 1st battalion of Sikh Regiment in Gurgaon wherein his role was making arrangements for the refugees, was given the nation’s second highest gallantry award, “Maha Vir Chakra” for his outstanding leadership, fighting spirit, and supreme sacrifice. He became independent India’s first officer to receive the Maha Vir Chakra, he was also called the first shed in independent India.

They forever live among us, and we to date celebrate them through their heart-whelming phrases like “Either I will come back after hoisting the Tricolor, or I will come back wrapped in it. But I’ll be back for sure”

~ Captain Vikram Batra.

“Ye dil maange more”~ Capt. Vikram Batra.

Well-known media platforms as such The all India Radio news also celebrated by tweeting :

The 76th Infantry Day is being celebrated today. It was on this day in 1947 that Infantrymen from #IndianArmy, led by 1 SIKH, landed at Srinagar Airfield and saved J&K from a ruthless and treacherous Pakistani invasion.#infantryday

Respect and pay tribute to the valiant Indian infantry soldiers who fought and were martyred to save the nation and its people during the Pakistan Army’s invasion of Kashmir during the period of independence. This year marks the 76th Infantry Day for the Indian Army and we humbly and truly honor them very mundanely through this glorious day.

One (Wo)Man Army

By:- Sutanuka Chanda

When we raise the question of equality and patriarchy running its hand, there’s the age-old argument of women not being drafted, of women not being a part of the bloodshed, and of women having an upper hand in wars.

While the current war in Ukraine has raised many such questions and many such heroes on the battlefield, it has also been an integral part in spotlighting the importance of having women be a part of the on-ground fight. Women make up fifteen percent of the Ukrainian army, so there are approximately thirty thousand women fighting against Russia in the same literal sense as men are. Together they pose a big threat against their opponent; no one sees them coming and the underestimation of women throughout generations always works out in their favour.

Last month, Heather Mac Donald’s WALL STREET JOURNAL OP-ED argued that “women don’t belong in combat units.” In it, Mac Donald makes four main claims: first, that women are physiologically incapable of handling combat; second, that women cannot meet physical standards; next, that the “inevitable introduction of eros” will erode unit cohesion; and, finally, that military policies should only be made to improve combat effectiveness.

While Mac Donald is correct in establishing the difference between the physiological aspects of men and women, an average is no reason to ban half of the entire population. Most average men cannot meet the basic eligibility standards to join the military either; applying Mac Donald’s logic to that fact and ceasing to allow any men into the armed services more clearly demonstrates her logic’s absurdity.

“You cannot make an omelette without breaking some eggs” is an old, but common army saying about how injuries and hardships are a part of the field, and they aren’t particularly biased towards women. Men suffer from the same brutal injuries in the warzone. Generations ago, men were the ones who propagated the idea of women as damsels in distress, in need of constant care and attention so their fragility remains intact for raising their children, but now when the tables have turned and women are demanding equality, it is the voices of the grandchildren, of the same men who deemed us unfit for war, who are accusing us of not playing an equal card in the hardships.

India’s armed forces began inducting women officers in 1992. Over the decades, they have been given combat roles in the air force. Women have been inducted as fighter pilots and have flown sorties into combat zones; The army is a striking exception. Indian men are not yet mentally schooled enough to accept women in commanding roles in the military, because for them, women are still shackled by the confinements of motherhood and childcare – a shackle placed by the same men in the first place.

“India’s national security narrative, is shaped, limited, and permeated by ideas about gender – with an overt masculine predominance and the structural exclusion of women”, says Akanksha Khullar, a researcher at Delhi’s Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies.

She says the gender disparities are “well reflected in institutional attitudes right at the top” and that “patriarchal notions are probably more ingrained in the army” than the other forces.

In 2018, former army chief and the current Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat told a news network that there weren’t any women soldiers serving in front line combat positions because “a woman would feel uncomfortable at the front line”.

He said maternity leave was an issue, women need more privacy and protection, and that India was not yet ready to accept “body bags of women” killed in combat. He also said that women need to be “cocooned” from the eyes of subordinate soldiers.

All of these, are issues caused by men, for the advantage of men. Men serve as a threat to women and their safety on every level playing field and then some, and instead of addressing the issue within men, the government, in its classic fashion plays its hand by imposing more restrictions on women, giving a louder voice and a freer reign to men to do whatever they want.

Women are not the ones asking for protection and comfort in the front line and with all of this, there also comes the hushed, unspoken predicament that women aren’t considered mature enough to make their decisions for themselves.

While it is true, that women if caught at the hands of the enemy, suffer a chance to go through more harrowing and brutal forms of torture such as rape and sex trafficking, the what-if of a hypothetical situation should not be the main clause for banning entire sex from serving in close combat and elite military groups. While it is also true, that it might be difficult for women to cope with the sheer physical strength required of combat, why deny the chance to women who actually can? the right of a woman to serve in any role in the armed forces must be equal to a man’s so long as the physical and qualitative standards are not compromised. if the military can’t abolish blatant sexism, they won’t see equality for many more years. The problem is pervasive and is often reinforced by those in upper command—a serious obstacle to overcome if the military as a whole is ever going to progress beyond these views.

References:

https://www.themuse.com/advice/women-in-the-military-why-cant-we-serve-on-the-front-lines

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-51385224

Vaccination Shots: Israel Immunization

-by Sanjna Katoch

Isn’t it ironic when the whole world is undergoing vaccination, two countries are firing shots? Remember that I am not talking about the shots of vaccination but the shots of bullets that penetrated the hearts of two countries: Israel and Palestine. The bullets soared in the skies and became a primary cause for the death of several innocent people.

The burning question of the day is – Why are these wars even fought? When the world is still undergoing such a severe covid crisis, are fighting these wars even necessary? The conflict between Israel and Palestine has the potential to trigger a third world war. The recent assault which began during the holy month of Ramadan shook the international community. The Palestinian territory under Israel has a troublesome story that varies from lens to lens. Unfortunately, this narration is not about the brutal war for which you could find plenty of reasons flooding the doorsteps of news channels, it’s about Israel’s secret vaccination drive instead.

Remember March, when Israel was praised for supporting one of the most formidable enemies who live in the Gaza strip? It even caught the attention of the United Nations when it provided a helping hand to certain Palestinians living on West Coast. Al-Jazeera rightly stated that “The Israeli regime, which singlehandedly depleted the capabilities of the Palestinian healthcare system through its decades-long armed occupation, was being praised for allowing a little medical supply donated by international actors to be transported into Gaza.”
This gives us a hint about how kind and considerate Israel was being towards the people of Palestine. Israel was even praised internationally for allowing citizens of Palestine to voluntarily undergo effective treatment in the Tel Aviv Hospital. But just as the saying goes, “All that glitters is not gold“. Unfortunately, these so-called humanitarian efforts do have a dark side. The principal cause behind this philanthropic attitude was the conspicuous Israeli agenda that many did not understand. The military seized the hospital so that people would be unable to get treatment on Palestinian land. Consequently, people were forced to go to Israel and get treatment.

Such inhuman treatment because of ideological differences was distressing. I would refrain from taking a side because as they say, “it takes two to make a quarrel”. Similarly, Hamas fired the first shots the first indiscriminately towards Israel. In retaliation, Israel fired rockets and it looked as if they were adamant about killing innocent Palestinians. In my opinion, this is not a conflict between good and bad, it’s a conflict between bad and worse. Several questions remained unanswered. Was the vaccination conspiracy started by Israel right or wrong? Is it right to bow down to such an extent? Were these steps right to satisfy one’s selfish agenda?
There could be many possible answers, but I believe war should never be the answer. Millions of people have shed their blood for the sake of their land and many continue to do so. Yes, the unknown land which inevitably becomes the fundamental reason for slaughtering people. I believe everyone should strive to secure peace and make this world a better place.

Landmine – The Perfect Soldier

-by Rehan

“There was no hope in their gaze, succinctly consanguine to the dying light that is bound to leave the eyes of roadkill as they breathe one last time through perforated lungs caged within crushed ribs. Some lost a foot, and they were the ones to consider themselves lucky, others had to forego whole legs and that merely takes into account those who survived. It is hellish, to say the least.”

A clumsy waiter and broken cafe AC seemed non-problems as my frequent flier friend narrated his experience of volunteering in Egypt, and I must admit I expected him to be verbose, expounding the beauty of the pyramids in lieu of the gory details I was listening to in actuality. He narrated his experience working with permanently disabled children who were the victims of an anti-personnel landmine explosion and prompted me to look more into it. According to him, after what he had seen, the lack of awareness on this issue was akin to a humanitarian crisis in itself, let alone the severity of the actual issue.

With an estimated 23 million landmines peppered across its land area, Egypt is the most heavily mined country on earth and the local communities have been plagued by fears of exploring new pastures, letting the kids wander off, grazing their livestock in battle-ready, landmine littered fields. Too often the locals recount incidents of their close ones or even themselves going off for just a routine walk through a shorter path across a new patch of land only to have their legs blown off 15 steps into their brisk endeavour. Often, it is the kids as young as 4 who get the courses of their lives irrevocably altered and anyone who spares their pain even a second of thought asks themselves, who is responsible for this. These perfect soldiers that never sleep, never miss and are always ready, who’s accountable for the hell that breaks loose once the victors have rolled up their sleeping bags and left, cursing those that will inhabit these fields to a lifetime of an invisible war against a suicidal, palm-sized enemy buried just beneath the next step.

These perfect soldiers lay in wait, once lodged they will seldom see the light of day unless it’s to detonate, and they do what all competent soldiers do – they strike fear into beating hearts in the middle of the night, for decades to come. The random broadcasted way in which the mines have been laid down shows that they were aimed at terrorising the local population, an aim well achieved as most often the local communities are suffering some amalgamated manifestation of group PTSD. Adults that are unfortunate enough to step on them usually manage to make it out alive albeit losing a limb, yet it’s the children that often end up as casualty as their vulnerable bodies cannot survive the deadly blasts. If one does survive then blindness, disfigurement and serious abdominal injuries are commonplace and often the victim tends to hail from nation’s that have a health infrastructure that fails to provide even the most basic medical help.

Landmines cause a great deal of pain and death, but they also have long-term economic and social consequences. They obstruct the flow of goods and people, and make many arable lands less productive, in addition to the costs of medical services and costs for families caring for injured members. Furthermore, the presence of mines and ERW leads to the ongoing “militarization” of everyday life. They are so common that there are instances of them being used for fishing, as a means of securing property, or even for settling domestic disputes.

Landmines are used by almost all armies. Approximately 1 million mines were laid along the Iraq-Kuwait border and around the Iraqi city of Basra during the Persian Gulf War by the US and its allies. And 3 million people have been killed in the ongoing Balkan conflict, many as a result of these hidden killers. Landmines kill or injure more than 15,000 people per year, usually civilians, as indiscriminate explosives (Strada 1996). Mines laid and mapped by well-trained armies may or may not be removed after a battle, although this is not always the case. In many modern wars, novice or untrained combatants mine without thinking about how to map the devices for post-conflict clearance.

It takes $3 to manufacture and deploy a mine and $1000 to clear one, crystal clear is the priority of foreign armies ravaging weaker nations. The question isn’t about the damage that this abominable arm causes but rather about when this issue will be taken more seriously. Commendable progress has been made mostly due to the efforts of NPOs like The Halo Trust and The Mine Ban Treaty but more needs to be done. And until this issue can be on the front page of our morning dailies, sufficient awareness will not be raised and the suffering of innocent souls whose sole crime was that they took a step, in their own lands, where the curse of a foreign power lay waiting to claim a soul.

Works Cited

Dahlman C. (2004) Hidden Killers: The Problem of Landmines and Unexploded Ordinance. In: Janelle D.G., Warf B., Hansen K. (eds) WorldMinds: Geographical Perspectives on 100 Problems. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-2352-1_7 
Exposed to the Danger of Uncleared Landmines. DW news, 25 Nov. 2020, amp.dw.com/en/exposed-to-the-danger-of-uncleared-landmines/av-55718864.
“Landmine Monitor 2019.” CMC, ICBL, 21 Nov. 2019, reliefweb.int/report/world/landmine-monitor-2019.
“The Legacy of Land-Mines.” Unicef.org, 2019, http://www.unicef.org/sowc96/9ldmines.htm.

Russia, Crimea, and Ukraine

February and March of 2014, Russia executed covert operations using naval and special forces to seize control over the Crimean Peninsula. This operation was disguised as a snap exercise and employed the use of a distraction force near the Ukrainian borders, using speed, mobility, and an element of surprise to its advantage. The annexation of this region gave Russia substantial advantages – the proximity of this region to Russia, the presence of a fleet in the Black sea, and the geographic advantage that this region granted. And the region was easy to seal from the mainland as the occupation of only a few points were needed to acquire control and it was relatively simple to defend from a counter-attack.

Russia maintained a historical claim over the region, colonizing the region during the reign of Catherine the Great and they found the peninsula’s main port and the largest city of the region, Sevastopol as the homeport for the Russian Black Sea Fleet. However, in 1954, this region was transferred administratively, to Ukraine.

On March 16, 2014, a referendum was held, to declare the independence of the Republic of Crimea which resulted in an overwhelming yes. However, this referendum became the target of international condemnation as the United Nations General Assembly adopted a non-binding resolution on the 27th March, declaring the referendum and the status of independence invalid.

The actions of Russia in the region of Crimea broke many agreements, including the UN Charter, the 1975 Helsinki Final Act, the 1994 Budapest Memorandum of Security Awareness for Ukraine, and the 1997 Treaty on Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership between Ukraine and Russia.

The 1975 Helinski Final Act puts its signatories under an obligation to refrain from the threat or use of force and to refrain from assaulting the frontiers of the signatories and refrain from making each other territories the objects of military occupation. The 1994 Budapest Memorandum entailed the transfer of all nuclear weapons from Ukraine to Russia, in exchange, Russia, the USA, and the UK, ensured that Ukraine’s territorial integrity would be respected. By invading Crimea, Russia violated all these clauses, disrespecting the territorial integrity of Ukraine and using military force to occupy the region.

Following a few months of armed conflicts, the Minsk Protocol or Minsk I was signed in September of 2014, calling for a ceasefire in the region, however, this ceasefire was broken in December 2014 itself. As a result, the Minsk II was signed, establishing a 13-point plan that involved a cease-fire, withdrawal of arms, safe access and delivery of humanitarian aid, pardon and amnesty for fighters, and restoration of state border control among other measures.

The Annexation of the Crimean Peninsula led to sanctions being imposed on the Russian Federation, which caused the collapse of the Russian Ruble and the Russian Financial crisis. These sanctions caused economic damage to a number of EU countries, with an estimated loss of 100 billion Euros as of 2015. Following the 2018 sanctions, Russia saw a growth of 0.5 to 1.5% in its GDP.

Russia’s operations in the Crimean region represent an efficient seizure of territory from another state, executed with speed and complete competency. The violation of the aforementioned documents in 2014 has caused a lot of unease among the neighbours of the Russian Federation.

The Crimean Tatars have been forced to leave the peninsula since the annexation, being driven out by the presence of aggressive Russian presence. And of those that remained, many have been subjected to harassment, arrests, and imprisonments by the Russian Authorities.

One might suggest taking this issue up in the United Nations Security Council, but the fact of the matter is that Russia can and will use its veto power to counter all measures taken against it. It has done this before and may do so again in the future. This abuse of veto power isn’t just limited to Russia though, the world has seen other permanent members of the UNSC using their vetoes in a similar fashion when the resolutions were against them. Among other things, this begs the question, are veto powers really necessary in a world that has been pushing for equality for all? But that is a question for another time.

References:

Diplomacy and Ceasefires: The LoC 2021

-by Shreya Volety

As a person born in the latter half of 2001, when India and Pakistan were still recovering from Kargil, I have never seen tensions between the two countries truly disappear. And this isn’t just a cliche statement with which I intend to start my piece, for it belies a troublesome and insidious relationship between the two nations. Since 2003, India and Pakistan have had a back and forth relationship, alternating between visceral declarations of hatred and diplomatic statements of fragile peace. 2003, of course, witnessed the first real ceasefire attempt between the two countries, with the then Prime Minister of Pakistan Zafarullah Jamali offering a statement of peace and India officially accepting it a few days later. This agreement was in the phrase, an iteration of the 1972 peace treaty or the Shimla agreement, signed by Indira Gandhi. While the 2003 ceasefire agreement did not necessarily maintain peace between the two countries, diplomats, politicians, and officers from both sides kept retreating to the agreement to assert peace whenever necessary.

While researching this piece, I found a report that said around 600 CFVs or ceasefire violations from Pakistan in 2017 was a sudden spike from previous years. 2020 saw 5133 ceasefire violations from Pakistan’s side. Now that’s a spike. This is comparable only to the number of CFVs in 2002, right before the 2003 ceasefire. Considering that India was seeing action both on the LoC (Line of Control) and the LAC (Line of Actual Control), it was a major relief when both the DGMOs (Director General of Military Operations) collectively issued a ceasefire statement, right in the middle of the period of disengagement talks between India and China. For now, there seems to be a brief resolution to what everyone predicted to be a collusive two-front attack by Pakistan and China on India’s frontiers.

If one were to break down this agreement of peace, there are perhaps three questions one must answer – what prompted this, one could argue, a rather sudden concession to peace; what does this mean for future relations between the two countries; and most importantly, will the peace last?

Let’s start with number one – With tensions between the two countries high through 2020, what prompted the ceasefire? 2020 not only saw the numerous CFVs as mentioned earlier, but there was practically no trade, no health care coordination to deal with the pandemic (one such attempt with SAARC was very openly turned down by the Pakistani Prime Minister), and there were extremely strong statements issued by both sides regarding Article 370 and the resurgence (or well, continued surging) of terrorist activity within the enemy state. Just when analysts in media houses were preparing to expand on the prospects of nuclear conflict, the agreement came through.

One popular theory is that the disengagement talks with China might have prompted the ceasefire with Pakistan. There is no real evidence to prove this, and tactically it might not make complete sense. While Pakistan might definitely collude with China should skirmishes break out again, the same cannot be said the other way around. Nevertheless, ruling out any possibility might also be misinformed. The second theory is, of course, the change in US Administration, and the possible pressure the Biden government could have put on India and Pakistan. Seeing as the Biden administration openly welcomed the ceasefire, this could also be a possibility, but one cannot support either statement with certainty.

Further, we cannot ascertain for sure just how sudden this agreement truly is. India has always had backchannels and informal routes of diplomacy with Pakistan, and while Pakistan has denied any backchannel diplomacy, India hasn’t openly refuted it. Backchannels can lead to constructive efforts to building peace, and a heavily worded ceasefire agreement as the one issued might as well have been a product of gradual talks of softening aggression over the LoC.

What does this mean for future Indo-Pak relations? There’s only one honest answer – nobody knows. India and Pakistan’s effort of maintaining peace has always been undercut by instances of aggression – the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the spike in CFVs in 2014, the Pathankot attack, the consequent Uri surgical strike, and the list goes on, until the most aggravated cumulative conflict in 2020. There is simply no way of knowing if this is simply a tactical move or a prelude to a greater political initiative at achieving peace. Neither country has changed its position on the central conflict of Kashmir, however, the de-escalation of this situation was necessary. While some online left-wing editorials seem extremely harsh towards the progress made, the truth is, it is still progress, even if it comes with some blandly worded Pakistani hostility.

And finally, will the peace last? For now, I believe, yes. Considering the importance of the people who might’ve been involved on both ends of a potential backchannel, it is safe to assume that for now, there won’t be any escalation for a while. There are talks of opening up trade again, and the ban on using each other’s airspace was lifted even before the ceasefire. Will the peace last forever? Obviously not. A ceasefire agreement is a semblance of peace, and it does not erase long-bred systemic hatred and conflict. Only long-term political action and effort can result in true peace, but this might be a start.

References:

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/india-pakistan-agree-to-ceasefire-along-border/article33930265.ece

War Is Over Between India and Pakistan—for Now

https://carnegieendowment.org/2018/10/24/ceasefire-violations-in-kashmir-war-by-other-means-pub-77573

https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/analysis-indications-that-india-and-pakistan-have-been-in-back-channel-talks/article33935351.ece

https://www.indiatoday.in/news-analysis/story/what-led-to-india-pakistan-ceasefire-at-loc-and-will-it-hold-for-long-1773379-2021-02-26

Myanmar: The endless struggle for democracy

-by Shreya Volety

Introduction:

On the morning of 1st February 2021, an aerobic dance instructor was recording herself live in front of the Parliament building at the Burmese Capital Naypyidaw, being completely oblivious to several black sedans and vehicles zooming past behind her towards the barricades. The footage is accidental coverage of historic significance – for this shows the beginnings of the coup by the military junta of Myanmar that illegally wrenched control from the NLD (National League of Democracy) party that held an uncontested majority in the Parliament. 2020 saw many shifts in political power in several countries, and Myanmar was not immune to that. Myanmar held its second general election in November 2020, where the NLD party under Aung San Suu Kyi claimed a landslide victory. The military funded opposition party launched several attacks at the results, including voter fraud and rigged counting. Now, the military junta has declared the elections fraudulent, imprisoned several civilian leaders, including Suu Kyi, and declared a year-long emergency. Before attempting to understand the nature and reasons for this coup, it is necessary to assess the long and strenuous history of Myanmar under military rule and its slow transition to democracy.

The history of military dictatorship:

The British colonial rule created economic ruination, global isolation, and ethnic conflicts during its time in Myanmar, just like it did in several other now independent countries in the world. When Myanmar attained freedom in 1948, it chose to implement a parliamentary democracy, but this did not last very long. The country came under military rule in 1962, when General U Ne Win led a coup against the civilian government. Under the military dictatorship, economic conditions worsened, and discrimination was rampant. The junta adopted even harsher isolationist policies than the British, which effectively cut off Burma from the global economy. The seeds of ethnic conflict and civil war sown by the British came to fruition, as minorities were stripped of basic human rights, including the right to citizenship. The socialist policy adopted by the government opened up avenues for corruption, black market economies, child trading, while poverty ravaged the country. U Ne Win ruled without opposition until 1988 when massive student-led protests broke out across the country. Of course, in true dictatorial style, these protests were squashed down brutally, but U Ne Win was forced to give up direct control of his government.

While this in no way marked the end of military rule in Myanmar, it started the relentless rebellion and fight for democracy that went on for a solid two decades. In 2008, the military junta drafted a new constitution, one that is followed even today and allows for the military to declare an emergency the way it did last week. The constitution was the first step of Myanmar towards a partial democracy because it allowed for democratic elections, but the document still heavily tips the scales of power in the junta’s favor. For instance, twenty-five percent of the seats of the parliament cannot be contested and are reserved for the junta, and any policy reform requires a majority over seventy-five percent – which gives the military the power to veto absolutely anything. There are 160 seats reserved for the military, and a party backed by the military would have to win only 166 (which is the USDP) for the military to take control of the government. As opposed to that, the NLD or any other civilian party would have to secure 322 seats to win control, which is exactly double the number mandated for military rule.

For many of the reasons cited above, Suu Kyi and her party decided to boycott the elections in 2008. However, in 2010 many of the political prisoners were released, and 2011 marked the fragile but steady shift from military rule to partial democracy. In 2015, the NLD won with an overwhelming majority and formed the first (pseudo) democratic government of Myanmar. However, the military is still a large part of the Burmese government. The junta controls all internal defense departments and foreign military policy decisions. Because of their veto power, the civilian government is in constant strife with the military over policy reform. In truth, while the 2015 election is a watershed moment in Myanmar’s history, little reform followed under Suu Kyi. The problem would have either been reluctance on behalf of the government for introducing reform or the more likely reason of constantly being deadlocked in parliament by the military vote. But through all of this, the one person who stands out the most in Myanmar’s political history is Aung San Suu Kyi – and it is just as important to understand the trajectory of her career.

Aung San Suu Kyi:

Suu Kyi was an independence leader’s daughter and rose to prominence in the 1988 protests, where she led the rebellion against U Ne Win. She was forced under house arrest for 15 years and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize while under house arrest in 1991. She modeled the resistance movement after Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela’s civil disobedience drives and is extremely popular in Myanmar. In 2015, she became the leader of the government, although she was not allowed to become president because her sons had foreign citizenship, a rule included in the constitution to specifically target Suu Kyi. However, she is considered the de facto leader of the country.

Her stellar reputation was questioned in 2017 when the brutal crackdown on the Rohingya Muslims was ongoing in the Rakhine province of Myanmar, Suu Kyi not only denied that the military was committing mass genocide but also made no move to correct the situation in any way. In general, there was little reform under the Suu Kyi government to reduce discrimination against minorities. Some argue that while her denial of the genocidal tendencies of the military is unethical, she simply needed to concede with the military to reach a truce. Myanmar has over 135 recognized ethnicities and Suu Kyi’s attempt at being a pragmatic ruler ultimately made her a problematic one.

Despite this, she continues to have immense popularity with the majority (mostly the larger Buddhist communities).

The coup and geopolitical implications:

In the 2020 election, Suu Kyi’s party won 396 seats in Parliament while the military only won 33. Some international scholars claimed that the election wasn’t altogether fair because of the disenfranchisement of some minorities, especially the Rohingyas, but, by all means, it was a complete sweep for the NLD. The military could not bear to watch Suu Kyi’s increasing popularity from the sidelines, and thus the coup ensued. Protests have broken out all over the country and are the strongest in the capital. The military is being brutal in squashing the protests using extraordinary violence against protesters of all ages and professions. Yet, there seems to be no evidence of the protests dying out. Several world powers have spoken out regarding the coup. Joe Biden threatened to reinstate further sanctions against the military (along with previous sanctions already in place during the Rohingya genocide) but the Chinese government stated its favor of the military government. India and New Zealand also issued statements denouncing the coup. The United Nations has given strong warnings to stop violence against civilian protesters and the UNHRC is set to convene soon to discuss the situation in Myanmar.

Historically, the military always bore close ties with the Chinese government, and only in 2012 did Myanmar seek relations with other countries. Barack Obama made his first official visit in 2012, and he appointed an ambassador to Burma for the first time in many years. Myanmar received a lot of aid from several countries and is the subject of many grants from the World Bank. The transition to democracy opened up several portals of international trade in the country, considering it houses many valuable natural resources. One of the primary motivations for the US to lift sanctions against Myanmar in 2012 was to prevent Myanmar’s excessive reliance on China. Moving forward, it is difficult to predict what exactly will happen.

It is abundantly clear now that Suu Kyi’s tactic of siding with the military during the Rohingya genocide did not work, as the military is rabid in its need to exert influence and control. It is possible for the military to take control for an extended period of time unless there is external pressure or force put to use. Myanmar’s struggle for freedom and democracy has been long and hard, and all we can do is hope that all this conflict eventually has a peaceful resolution.

Sources

Shooting Stars – A wish not to be wished for

-by Vidhyalakshmi Venkatesh

As the clock strikes 12 when everyone’s asleep, as the sound of the crickets chirping gets louder and louder, my parents enter the room with the blissful aura they always carry themselves in, with a sense of hope in their eyes. Ila!… Ila!… Ilakya!… wake up, the whisper. As I open my eyes, they whisper loudly, “Happy Birthday!!!”. Overwhelmed with happiness, I ran upstairs to the terrace, and my parents followed. As I stood there, I saw a shooting star flying its way to the ground with a blazing white flame. All I wished that day was to see a shooting star every night. Sounds impossible, but wishes can be a little unrealistic too, but little did I know it will come true.

The next morning, I leave the house with the new pink dress my father brought with my hair nicely done and a box filled with chocolates in my hands. As my brother and I walked down Jaffna’s streets towards my school, I saw a shooting star across the library, but this was orange in color with a black dot in the middle. As it struck the ground, I lost my balance. My dad, who was walking behind me, ran to pick both of us back home; I saw many shooting stars in the run back home. I saw the hope in their face turn to fear within fractions of a second.

We were packing our bags with our clothes and some of the utensils. We broke our piggy bank and gave them all the money we had. The sky turned dark to purple-black due to smoke, and the sound of raging bullets increased in decibels; we had to speed up to escape. But the Sri Lankan Army barged into our house and pulled everyone out. I ran back to get Boozoo, my teddy bear, and Simba, my tiger lying in the corner of my house, with bullet marks all over his body. They tried to snatch Boozoo and Simba, but I resisted.

We were strolling towards the bridge, and I was very thirsty. An older woman in front asked for water. The Army laughed and forced her to drink the dirty water flowing under the bridge. My father put me to sleep as I rest my head on his shoulders, looking at the corpses floating around, pushed from the place they belong to somewhere in the middle of a sea, just like the rest of us.

We crossed the bridge to a nearby village, and I saw things that could haunt me for life. I saw corpses half-naked, children crying for their parents, a baby drinking milk from his dead mother. But these thoughts vanished when my tummy started grumbling. My parents tied a wet towel on my waist and stuffed a handkerchief in my mouth not to feel the hunger.

I sat on the ground tired; I saw some fireflies, and that excited me. I removed the handkerchief from my mouth and chased the only light I could see just to see my next shooting star fly above me and hit the ground. I ran back only to find my family burning in the raging fire—my birthday wish, which took my family away from me. Before I realized that another star dropped, then another, three, and four, I didn’t know how many more were there. I lay there unconscious, bleeding through my nose.

I wake up to see myself in a truck filled with women and children, surrounded by army men, driving towards the base. As we sat in fear, some of them came out of the tent with a woman naked, bleeding from her wounds, being thrown out in the bushes nearby. Many women were stripped naked and raped in public. A lady beside me shut my eyes and hugged me tightly, saying I should not see all this.

But little did she realize that I was next. They dragged me to the tent, pinned me to the ground as men forced themselves on me, again and again. The army from other tents also entered; I don’t know how many of them were there. I screamed, cried, but none except that lady looked out for me. They left me with the bare minimum of clothes. But I survived. I wanted to live to tell this story; I wanted to live to seek help. She picked me up, and we ran our way through the villages nearby, to the coast, where we saw a boat to Rameshwaram. Few men spotted us and made space for a 30yr old and an 8yr old in the already tiny boat.

As we reach the middle of the sea, I lie down on her lap, looking at the sky, hoping never to see a shooting star again.

Gelatin laced vaccines a concern for Muslims?

8.08 crore total cases and over 17 lakh deaths. The pandemic is real, and so is the threat. In these tumultuous times, news of daily cases dropping rapidly and successful vaccine trials, as well as their rollout, bring in the much needed ray of hope. The United Kingdom became the first country to start vaccinating its citizens earlier this month. The US, Canada, Israel, Qatar, and some countries in Europe have followed suit. With concerns regarding discovery of a new strain and questions about efficacy of vaccines on it, the tension seems to have descended once again. In the middle of this conundrum, just add a little religion to the mix and what you get is a brand new controversy.

Speculations ran rife that coronavirus vaccines contain Gelatin which is widely used as a stabiliser. It keeps the vaccines safe and effective during storage and also increases their shelf life drastically. Gelatin is derived from Pork, which is considered Haram and its consumption in prohibited in Judaism and Islam. Major pharamceutical corporations like Pfizer, Moderna and Astrazenca have given assurance that their vaccines are Gelatin-free but limited supply and a surge in demand means that a lot of muslim majority companies like Indonesia might be given vaccines that have not yet been certified to be gelatin-free.

Islamic scholars have long debated on the use of Gelatin in medicines. While some claim that it is haram to consume such vaccines, the majority consensus seems to be that it is okay to get it administered for a greater good such as “treating sickness”. Even the Jews have clarified that it is okay to consume pork so long that it is injected and not eaten directly, especially for medicinal purposes. Also, since Gelatin undergoes a lot of chemical reactions after it is derived, its consumption is permissible. Yet, there seems to be conflicting opinions and in the wake of widespread rumors, there could be a lot of apprehension among poor people who don’t have access to correct information.

Taking the example of Indonesia which has the world’s largest Muslim population (225 Million), The Indonesia Ulema Council, a muslim clerical body in 2018 decreed that the vaccines for rubella and measles are Haram because they contain Gelatin. Due to this, religious leaders began to urge parents to not allow their children to be vaccinated. As a result of this, Measles cases subsequently spiked, making Indonesia’s rate of Measles third highest in the world. Later, a decree was issued by the council saying it was permissible to get the vaccine administered, but cultural taboos still led to continuation of low vaccination rates.

“He has only forbidden you ‘to eat’ carrion, blood, swine, and what is slaughtered in the name of any other than Allah. But if someone is compelled by necessity—neither driven by desire nor exceeding immediate need—they will not be sinful. Surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Quran 2:173)

These are perhaps the most deadly times which should steer clear from any sort of controversies. Misinformation could actually be a matter of life and death. As mentioned in the Quranic verse above, various muslim clerics and institutions of authority have stated around the world that consumption of Haram food items in times of absolute necessity such as for treating a sickness is permissible. But, partial knowledge and lack of education among the second biggest religion in the world continues to be a problem. Expecting staunch supporters to fact check every rumour that they hear is too big of a stretch.

Misinformation has not spared anyone. Back in June 2020, Baba Ramdev claimed that Patanjali has developed an ayurveda medicine called Coronil which indeed cures Corona. Following backlash regarding its effectiveness, Balakrishnan, the CEO of Patanjali changed the narrative and said that Coronil just helps build immunity.

Holding them responsible for spreading misinformation, an FIR was registered against Ramdev and four others for misleading people and trying to sell the medicine without getting approval from Union AYUSH Ministry. The accused were booked under Section 420 (cheating) of the IPC and Section 4 and 7 of Drug and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954

As vaccine trials start picking up the pace around the world, educating people about vaccines is of utmost importance. The role of healthcare organisations has increased two-fold as they are responsible for acting as the clearing house of information and give out facts to counter any rumours that may be doing the rounds. With 2020 coming to a close, people around the world are hopeful that 2021 is the year when things will finally get back on track. With news of successful vaccine trials and low positivity rates around the world, the human race will definitely succeed in defeating Covid-19 together.

J&K DDC Election Results

While the BJYM President Tejasvi Surya has been showing his magic in our country’s politics, other young leaders like Chirag Paswan are not too behind. Treading on these lines, BJYM VP, Aijaz Hussain, won Srinagar’s Balhama constituency from BJP. This is the victory in the name of development and pluralism and not party politics. And now, BJP has emerged as the single largest party in the very first DDC elections of Jammu and Kashmir. It has even managed to open its account in the Kashmir Valley.

Although the BJP did face an afflicting opposition against making Jammu & Kashmir a Union Territory, its nationwide canvassing seems to have struck a chord with people. All the protests and furore had led everyone to believe that BJP would meet with mass criticism, and people will reject their mandate. But surprisingly, BJP won 75 seats in total in the recent elections whereas the Farooq Abdullah-led Gupkar Alliance of 7 parties witnessed diminishing vote shares with 110 seats until now. It is important to note that 72 of these seats are of Jammu. Earlier, BJP only had 3 seats in total.

The vote shares for the 278 seats respectively are: Independent candidates- 50, Congress- 26, Apni Party- 12, PDF-2, National Panthers Party -2 and BSP-1.

The poll results imply that the BJP has secured control of around 6 DDCs in Jammu (and none in Kashmir) while the Gupkar Alliance has a majority in nine DDCs (all in the valley). The independent candidates are likely to play the role of kingmakers in the rest of the DDCs including that of Srinagar. This win also stresses on the fact that the people trust their local leaders more than the major political parties to put an end to their miseries and pave the way for development. To sum up, it is not about the victory of one or the other party, but of democracy, especially in Kashmir Valley and a tight slap on the face of all those who questioned the power of democracy or those who believed that the Chinese would rather rule the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Unfortunately, democracy wasn’t able to curb the regional and communal divide in and between J&K which was once again witnessed in the results.

Although Kashmir hasn’t wholeheartedly welcomed the abrogation of Article 370, the electoral results suggest that Jammu & Kashmir are no different from the rest of the country. Owing to the amazing turnout of more than 50%, the election results suggest a lot. Kudos to the authorities for conducting the elections in 8 phases as it would have been a very tedious job especially in a sensitive UT like Kashmir. (Pondicherry elections still seem to be a far cry though.)

People have not only reposed their faith in the process and chosen their representatives but have specified that the people at the grassroots want nothing more than development and integrity. It was like a litmus test for all the political parties and against the rule of dynasties. Setting a benchmark in the history of elections at J&K, West Pakistan refugees and Valmikis got to vote for the first time with no boycott or separatist threats.

After constantly charging BJP with allegations of booth capturing and monopolising the elections, the Gupkar alliance is very hypocritically celebrating its win. It has a comfortable lead over the BJP- irrespective of claiming for months that the elections have been rigged by the BJP. This seems more like political rhetoric promoting people against the system- portraying a gloomy picture of democracy and the BJP of course. Ironically, PDP Candidates have won from behind bars while Mufti hailed the elections. In my opinion, Mufti can either prove the narration of Kashmir alienation, say that the elections were rigged and discount the verdict or accept the victory of democracy again.

But apparently “elections are not gonna solve the Kashmir’s issues”, let’s see what’s more to come.

SOURCES:

https://indianexpress.com/article/india/jammu-kashmir-ddc-election-results-2020-live-updates-7113970/

https://www.indiatoday.in/news-analysis/story/big-takeaways-from-ddc-election-jammu-and-kashmir-bjp-gupkar-1752331-2020-12-23

https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/ddc-elections-in-j-k-local-polls-gupkar-alliance-wins-big-in-kashmir-bjp-in-jammu-2342386