KARACHI: US seeking dominance through globalization, WSF told
By S. Raza Hassan
KARACHI, March 26: Speakers at a seminar on “Democracy in South Asia” criticized the ‘formal’ democracy in India which, according to them, was accepting dictates of globalization at the cost of the people’s welfare. They suggested that better relations between the South Asian nuclear powers were vital for a ‘substantive’ democracy which would ensure strengthening of institutions and judicious use of resources for public good.
The seminar was held on Sunday, third day of the six-day WSF moot.
Prof Kamal Mitroy of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, pointed out that 40 per cent population of India lived in poverty. Globalization has increased pressure on the democracy. It is also increasing insurgency as resources are being spent on weapons since 1991. He also noted an increased unemployment.
Prof Mitroy said that President Bush, during his recent visit to the subcontinent, had made some ‘sweet’ deals with India in order to ‘further trap’ the country in the process of globalization. He was of the view that US was spreading ‘global democracy’ which was visible in Abu Gharib jail, Falluja, etc. He pointed out that the close cooperation between US and Pakistan had also led to the destruction of democracy in Pakistan since Gen Ayub’s era. It created an impression in Pakistan that no government could survive without Washington’s support, he pointed out, and said that friendship between India and Pakistan was needed for ‘reforming’ the democracy.
He said that India had 74 per cent poverty in its rural areas and 40 per cent in urban areas. The trade deficit stands at $27.8 billion. Expenditure on education has decreased, due to increase in defence budget, and the dropout ratio was around 6-7 per cent. “Only elite class may reach the university level in India now… Education has increasingly become elitist and may be restricted further,” Prof Kamal apprehended.
He deplored that US was bent upon implementing its policy of ‘full- spectrum dominance’, initiated by Bill Clinton, over land, sea and ‘minds.’ The imperialist designs, he said, could be challenged through global efforts, and for this purpose, initiative should be taken by South Asia through peace and reconciliation in the region.
At a separate seminar, on the ‘State of Human Rights in Balochistan’, speakers said that the federal government had usurped the rights of provinces.
Rasool Bukhsh Palejo of Awami Tehrik said that his party was not against any ‘nation’ but the policies pursued by the rulers. He alleged that the rulers were killing Baloch and Pakhtoon people now after meting out the same treatment to Sindhi people.
He rejected the government’s claim that the crisis in Balochistan was created by three particular sardars, and said that all other sardars of Balochistan were like waderas of Sindh who had sold their loyalties for seeking privileges.
He claimed that provincial autonomy was enshrined in the 1940 Pakistan Resolution.
Kaiser Bengali, Akber Zaidi and others spoke at seminar on the ‘State of Education Under Globalization’.
The Women Welfare and Development Organization arranged a workshop on problems being faced by women factory workers.
Several rallies were held by different organizations and groups during the day at the WSF venue. The Awami Tehrik held a rally against controversial water projects in the country and demolition of old villages in Karachi. The Aurat Foundation staged a demonstration against honour-killings, jirga system and violence against women.
Baloch and Sindhi nationalists held a rally to protest disappearance of political activists, and demanded that Nawaz Zaur, Muzaffar Bhutto, Dr Haneef Sharif and other people be produced before courts.
Dalits from India and Nepal also staged a demonstration to demand restoration of Dalits’ due rights.
