DAWN - Editorial; December 10, 2007

Published December 10, 2007

Rights day or black day?

THERE is little to rejoice and much to be sorry for this year on the International Day of Human Rights, today. It is so not just because rights abuse in its many forms has shown an increase, but also because by putting basic rights guaranteed by the Constitution in abeyance under emergency rule, the state itself has joined ranks with the abusers. The right to assemble, move, express, seek justice, etc. are suspended under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) promulgated on Nov 3 by the erstwhile army chief Gen Pervez Musharraf who, on the eve of his retirement from the services, conferred the authority on himself as a civilian president to govern under the same order. After sacking an independent judiciary, curbs were placed on the media, barring it from reporting anything that the government might see as being against national interest. All government functionaries acting at its behest now enjoy immunity from facing a judicial review of their authority. Emergency rule is expected to be lifted on Dec 15, but only after government actions since Nov 3 have been protected and the Constitution amended under the special powers conferred on the president by the PCO. Hundreds that have been booked on whatever charges shall have no recourse to justice even after the lifting of emergency rule.

Pakistan has remained far from conforming to the rights laid out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted by the UN in 1948 and other covenants and conventions on human rights. Women, children and minorities remain among the most vulnerable when it comes to ensuring their right to life, liberty, security and equality before law, for instance. The rights recognised by the Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights are non-existent as far as Pakistanis are concerned. Abuse of rights by state functionaries, too, has been the norm whereby thousands are denied access to justice every year while attempting to seek relief or redress of their complaints. Torture by the police and other arms of the law-enforcement machinery, and holding of prisoners without due course of law are common practices. The state has also failed to root out parallel, primitive, tribal justice systems practised in many parts of the country and the abuses they inflict on vulnerable sections of society in the name of dispensing justice.

The exercise of political freedoms by citizens has seldom been the norm in the 60 years of the country’s chequered history. The erosion of state institutions even under democratic rule in the past has been an ongoing process, with ruling politicians abusing their power to the detriment of, and often with an aim to harming, their opponents. Extra-constitutional rule in the aftermath of military takeovers and subsequent subversion of the Constitution, ostensibly in a transition to democracy, have added to the continued abuse of human rights by the state. Such flagrant violations of citizens’ rights will go on unless democracy is allowed to take root, the original Constitution of 1973 restored and the political process, unhinged on the exigencies of the ruling establishment, taken forth. Unless that happens, rights groups will continue to observe Dec 10 as a ‘black day’ in this country.

India-Pakistan ties

CARETAKER Foreign Minister Inamul Haq had a point when he recently told Dawn’s correspondent in New Delhi that the India-Pakistan peace parleys had slowed down because of Pakistan’s internal politics. There is no doubt that events in the country this year have been particularly volatile. But they should not be used to justify the slow pace of progress in the confidence-building measures that only have a chance of succeeding if they are pursued vigorously and steadily. True, there has been a considerable thaw in Indo-Pakistan ties since the launch of the composite dialogue process in 2004. But regrettably no formula has been found to resolve sticky issues such as Siachen, Sir Creek and Kashmir. Territorial concerns have kept both parties from overcoming mutual suspicions, with the result that foot-dragging over a number of issues has been the norm rather than the exception — this despite the confidence of Pakistani politicians that solutions would be found soon. Against this backdrop, one can only hope that Mr Haq’s optimism that the Siachen and Sir Creek issues would be resolved when the Indian prime minister visits early next year is not misplaced.

Much will depend on the new government in Pakistan after the January polls, and the independence and farsightedness with which it will conduct its foreign policy. Even though building trust with India is a two-way street — and it would be in the interest of harmonious relations for New Delhi to show more flexibility — Pakistan has more to lose by clinging to old ideologies. Embroiled in political turmoil and with a war on its borders, the government will have to reconsider its objectives so that pragmatism can lead the way in negotiations with India. There is good reason to believe political leaders when they say that there is little chance of a war between India and Pakistan. But each country still spends millions of dollars in reinforcing security. Imagine the benefits if even a small percentage of the fund allocated for defence could be spent on improving the lives of people on both sides of the border.

Preventing suicide

THE news about the suicide of a man in Rawalpindi, apparently because of financial worries, is distressing and raises the question of why there has been an upsurge in the number of cases of people taking their own lives in the country. Statistics show that over 2,000 people committed suicide last year, more than double the number of those who killed themselves in 2005. More than 1,700 attempted suicide in 2006 while in the preceding year about 600 people made unsuccessful attempts to end their lives. The actual figures could be much higher, considering that many families, for fear of a police inquiry or the social and religious stigma linked to this mode of death, refrain from reporting the matter. It is said that the majority of suicide cases in Pakistan are a consequence of financial trouble and domestic problems. This is just conjecture based on random reports. Only a tiny fraction of those who face such hardship attempt suicide, giving credence to the opinion of experts that the problem has its roots in genetic predisposition. According to them poverty, domestic disputes and an unstable environment serve as the final trigger for suicide.

Considering that financial woes cannot be wished away and domestic issues will linger on while politics is beyond the control of people generally, what should be done to reduce suicides? This is a subject that needs to be explored and debated so that people are made aware of the problem while families, friends and colleagues are able to detect warning signals in those who are predisposed to taking their own lives. There is also the need to encourage people to refer mentally disturbed people to psychiatric consultation. It is essential that counselling services are readily available to all sections of society, and that the families of those who are chronically depressed or suffering from other mental disorders are assured that there is no stigma in obtaining medical help for their relatives to eliminate the possibility of self-inflicted violence. What would help immensely in this regard is the implementation of the Mental Health Ordinance 2001 that recommends the setting up of crisis centres and helplines but that appears to have been relegated to the back burner.

Ijtihad and science

By Prof Khwaja Masud


For three hundred years, the doors of the tavern have been closed.

— Allama Iqbal

WHY is it that for the last three hundred years, the Muslim world has been so deficient in producing scientists and philosophers? Why is it that even now when the Muslim world commands such immense resources, we lag so far behind the West in scholarship and technology?

The answer is clear: for three hundred years, the door of Ijtihad that is creative thinking has been closed. Almost one-ninth of the verses of the Quran stress ‘tafakkur’ and ‘tadabbur’. Yet, by and large, the Muslim world pays no heed to them, that is, they turn their back on critical thinking.

Instead, we are fond of platitudes. We love clichés. We bask in the glory of the past. We dread the new, the original, and the novel. We revel in interpretations, but we flinch from creativity. We are good at repeating moth-eaten, time worn thoughts, views and traditions. Using Toynbee’s terminology, we are in the stranglehold of the ‘nemesis of mimesis’. Intellectual stagnation and spiritual degeneration are our dismal lot.

It is ingrained in our psychology that correct answers already exist, and are to be found in books or from authorities, religious or secular. Teachers disperse truth, parents are always right and leaders are omniscient. They act like philosopher kings, often uttering unchallenged banalities. Questioning authority is disrespectful and un-Islamic.

It is time to deconstruct, following the true Quranic spirit of iconoclasm.

Scholars may differ about problems concerning science, but they are unanimous as regards the need for a particular weltanschauung (world view) for the birth, growth and blossoming of science. Science cannot develop in an atmosphere vitiated by obscurantism, dogmatism, fanaticism, intolerance and irrationalism. Science needs an intellectual environment whose keynote is enlightenment with rationalism, pluralism and humanism as its driving forces.

Historically it was the renaissance which prepared the ground for the emergence of modern science. The Dark Age which preceded the renaissance in Europe was dominated by scholasticism with philosophy as the handmaiden of theology. D’Alembert called scholasticism “the so called science of the centuries of ignorance”. The scholastics used to discuss such ‘profound’ problems as the number of angels who could dance on the tip of a needle. Bacon compared the scholastics to the spiders, content to weave cobwebs, ignoring the universe and what was happening around them.

Scholasticism suffered from (i) indifference to facts (ii) arguments from authority (iii) undue emphasis on verbal subtleties (iv) reasoning in matters which observation alone could decide (v) blind faith.

Modern science had to make way by routing scholasticism. It was Descartes (1596-1650) who performed this task. He was not only the founder of modern philosophy, but also, along with Galileo and Newton, one of the creators of modern science. He started off on his philosophical odyssey by the dictum: “In order to reach the truth, it is necessary, once in one’s life, to put everything in doubt.”

Modern science has flourished in an atmosphere marked by philosophical skepticism. It does not take anything for granted. It puts to doubt all dogmas, all certainties. The beliefs of a scientist are tentative, not final. They are not based on authority, but on evidence. Modern science is iconoclastic in dealing with convictions based on tradition or authority. As opposed to scholasticism which believed in order to understand, modern science understands in order to believe. As such there is no dichotomy between modern science and the Quranic spirit, with its constant appeal to reasoning, thinking, knowing and deliberating: afala takaloon, afala tadabburoon, afala tafakkaroon.

Science demands immense patience in observation and great boldness in framing hypotheses. The test of scientific truth is patient collection of facts combined with bold guessing as to the law binding facts together.

Science demands an inquisitive spirit, a pioneering zeal and an enterprising élan. Science advances when there is unity between theory and practice. Any dichotomy between theory and practice spells disaster for scientific progress. The Greek science withered away, because it wholly and solely depended on deduction. Though the Greeks scaled the most sublime heights of speculative thought, their aversion to experimentation and manual work, closed the door for further scientific advancement.

Induction was a great gift of Islam to humanity. “Neither Roger Bacon nor his later namesake has any title to be credited with having introduced the experimental method,” says Briffault in his book Making of Humanity, and adds, “The experimental method of Arabs was by Bacon’s time widespread and eagerly cultivated throughout Europe.”

According to Iqbal, “For purposes of knowledge, the Muslim culture fixes its gaze on the concrete and the finite.” He exalts the scientific spirit at the expense of speculative flights into metaphysics. By giving examples of Ibn-i-Khaldun’s view of history, Ibn-i-Maskwaih’s theory of life as evolutionary movement and Musa al-Khwarazmi’s shift from arithmetic to algebra, Iqbal concludes: “All lines of Muslim thought converge on a dynamic concept of the universe.”

Thus Islam rejects a static view of the universe and regards it as always changing and evolving. According to the Quran, change is one of the greatest signs of God, and is explicitly implied in the verse: “Every day has its own glory.”

The Islamic principle to keep pace with the changing world and an evolving universe is Ijtihad (exertion to form an independent opinion). Creativity is the essence of Ijtihad. The driving force of the scientific technological revolution (STR) is creativity, developing new ideas and sailing in uncharted seas.

Science must precede technology, because science is the tree and technology is the fruit. Today, as never before, the political stability of a country depends on its economic prowess, which is determined by the STR.

In order to usher in STR, we have to take the following steps:

Firstly, our educational system must be geared to strengthen mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology and computer science in our curriculum.

Secondly, our method of teaching must change, emphasising the intelligent grasp of the subject rather than memorising formulas and theorems.

Thirdly, our mass media must be mobilised to popularise science, and scientific thinking i.e. rational, critical and creative thinking.

Fourthly, our scientists must be made to feel that the country stands in need of their leadership.

Fifthly, there is an urgent need of structural change in our scientific institutions.

Every genuine scientist must be encouraged by rapid promotions and handsome rewards. Our scientists serving abroad must be brought back home by offering them handsome salaries. The rotten concept of ‘seniority’ must be done away with to be replaced by the contribution made by a scientist, which is universally acknowledged. Lastly, what is most needed is the political will on the part of the government to regard literacy, education (in particular) and research as its first priority, and involve all scientists, educationists and the entire intelligentsia in carrying out this urgent task.

OTHER VOICES - American Press

Faith and flag

Mitt Romney is no John F. Kennedy. Romney the Mormon and Kennedy the Catholic each went to Texas, 47 years apart, to assuage voter concerns about his religious beliefs. Romney had said he was not going to be “giving a JFK speech” — and he did not. On Sept 12, 1960, Kennedy defused the “Catholic issue” by eloquently and unequivocally laying out his commitment to a separation of church and state.

On Thursday, by contrast, Romney laced his “Faith in America” speech with enough hedges and caveats to reassure those who do want to blend church and state that his position was less than absolute.

[Romney’s] challenge is to navigate primaries in states with legions of Christian conservatives who are not just uncomfortable with Mormonism, but are wary of his commitment to issues in which they want their interpretation of the Bible to drive policy on issues such as abortion, school prayer, creationism, stem-cell research.

Romney, like Kennedy, proudly proclaimed his religious convictions while making it clear that he would not defer to church leaders on any presidential decisions. However, Romney, unlike Kennedy, left room to question his commitment to the separation of church and state.... His struggle to distance himself from forces in the party that want politicians and judges to be guided by particular theologies is a concern that was not eliminated … on Thursday. — (Dec 7)

Iran: Oops, never mind

The 2007 National Intelligence Estimate on Iran has the vague feeling of a bureaucratic revolt. Or, at least, an obstinate show of resolve by professionals who had been rolled over once too often, as if they did not want their work used to justify dangerous hyperbole and disastrous acts. Again. Only weeks after President Bush invoked the spectre of World War III to dramatise resistance to Iran’s nuclear ambitions, he stood before reporters Tuesday to acknowledge his spies said the effort ended in 2003.

Did the intelligence community get it wrong on Iraq, or was it ignored? Critics of the Bush administration are deeply suspicious that information about Iraq, and now Iran, has been cherry-picked to make a political point. A fear persists that civilian hawks in the White House and Pentagon were not using reliable, multi-sourced information, and the so-called facts were not vetted by professionals.

Two years ago, the intelligence estimate assessed “with high confidence that Iran currently is determined to develop nuclear weapons ... “ Now, the same 16 agencies “judge with high confidence that in fall 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weapons programme.”

The world is endangered by nuclear proliferation, and there is no good reason to take a wary eye off Iran … The lesson learned is that international pressure works to change behaviour. A unified front of allies to coax and cajole is a lot more effective than pounding on the table. — (Dec 5)



© DAWN Group of Newspapers, 2007

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