Kashmir: can it wait a while longer?
A strategic balance sheet may have to be drawn up sooner or later (the sooner the better) to determine how far have we been able to help an early and peaceful resolution of the unfortunate Kashmir issue simply by voicing it from every single international forum that comes our way. Whether an essentially neutralist forum like the Non-Aligned Movement, lacking the organizational trappings of a formal body, association, or league, would have been the best forum to raise the long-running issue, even for nominal support, remains open to second thoughts.
President Pervez Musharraf - perhaps the only head of state representing a prime ministerial democracy at the summit - raised the issue in terms of the violation of human rights being committed in Kashmir in the shadow of the Indian military. His initiative was both commendable and justified. The issue, while it continues to stand on the agenda of the world body, must remain the focus of world attention and a challenge to the conscience of the world community. However, moral imperatives and pressing demands of legality apart, the sheer weight of real politic and the brutal reality of might being right, stare us mockingly in the face and cannot be wished away.
Whether NAM is in effect, the right forum for the resolution of bilateral or international issues remains open to debate in terms of its non-aligned character.
A movement as large and widely dispersed as NAM does not even have a proper secretarial back up like Saarc. Saarc has a well- defined, region-specific identity and can, even within its non- military framework debate (and even unintrusively intervene into mutual / bilateral security issues on a consensual basis. NAM has no such outreach or room for a more proactive role.
President Musharraf was right when he said that ‘tensions’ between India and Pakistan were causing ‘concerns the world over / (and that) the ‘onus to resolve them lies on both sides to have peace’. That is how it ought to have been (and shall be) one day sooner or later. South Asian peace and development cannot stay hostage to the Kashmir dispute forever.
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s reaction to President Musharraf’s stress on the resolution of the Kashmir issue through NAM / shocked the august gathering. Having delivered his written speech, Mr. Vajpayee set it aside to launch a tirade against Gen. Musharraf. He accused him of having ‘territorial designs’ on India (that is, the disputed territory of Kashmir which India considers its integral part). And then, tongue-in-cheek, he went on to address the president as ‘General Musharraf’ to remind his audience of the latter’s substantive status as military ruler rather than president of Pakistan.
That President Musharraf remains a serving soldier and the army chief goes without saying; and he has never been apologetic about it. But he attended the NAM summit in his capacity as head of state; and any tampering with his official name and status as president of Pakistan was in extremely bad taste. One would have hardly expected such an intemperate display of pique from a mature and seasoned leader like Mr. Vajpayee.
His personal attack on the Pakistani head of the state, besides being a serious breach of normal protocol, was patently out of tune with the non-aligned and pacifist character of NAM. While reserving their right of reply, it was most prudent and dignified on the part of Pakistani officials to wait and exercise it in writing at a later date.
The main task the NAM summit had set itself was to deliberate on the post 9/11 crisis in the wake of America’s self-proclaimed war on ‘terrorism’: From Afghanistan, the nursery and sanctuary of the Al-Qaeda activists under the Taliban regime (1996-2001), the flashpoint shifted to Iraq’s President Saddam Hussein. It needs to be noted that Bush’s America alongwith Tony Blair’s Britain are already waging an undeclared and intensive air war against innocent Iraqi civilians. However, they will not rest until they have imposed an all-out war on Iraq under a UNSC mandate, if possible, and without it if necessary.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Muhammad rose to great heights of eloquence and erudition without deviating even slightly from the subject of global terrorism and its self- serving Anglo-American interpretation the conference had set itself to discuss. He called America’s anti-terrorism war as a ‘pretext to conquer the world’. Tracing back the roots of terrorism, he pinpointed the Zionist movement as its principal source. He accused the Zionist ‘terror gangs’, Haganah and Irgun Zevai Leumi, of introducing terrorism into ‘lands outside Europe’. The Jewish militias, he said, ‘used terror to make Britain create the state of Israel’ after ejecting the Palestinians from their ‘homes and country’.
Denouncing the ‘blatant double standards of the West, Mahathir asked: ‘If Iraq could be linked to Al-Qaeda, is it not more logical to link the expropriation of Palestinian land and the persecution of its people to September 11?’ He saw no difference between the Afghans killed and wounded through US attacks in Afghanistan and those who died in New York and Bali. The latter were, however, dismissed as ‘just collaterals’ whose deaths were necessary for the (US) operations to succeed’.
The point for us to ponder is whether by bracketing Kashmir with Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine, we might not actually be deflecting world attention from them without focussing it on Kashmir.
Finally, wouldn’t it be in the national interests of India and Pakistan to start talking and engage in a constructive exercise that may well pave the way for the resolution of a long-running dispute.
(The writer is a retired brigadier of the Pakistan Army).
Salvation for mankind
HUMAN rights are synonymous with fundamental rights. But these are a product of human mind having no guarantees of effective enforcement, whereas in Islam all men are endowed by Allah with certain inalienable rights related to very important aspects of human life.
Before describing and discussing the Islamic provisions in this context, let us see them as envisaged and enunciated in the UN charter. Broadly speaking they are listed as follows:
1) To recognize the equal rights of every individual to life, liberty and property and to accord to all within its territory the full and entire protection of these rights without distinction as to nationality, sex, race, language or religion.
2) To recognize the right of every individual to the free practice, both public and private, of every faith, religion or belief, provided that the practice shall not be incompatible with public order and good morals.
3) To recognise the right of every individual both to the free use of the language of his choice and to the teaching of such language.
4) To recognize that the equality as contemplated in the Declaration is not to be nominal, but effective and that it excludes all discrimination direct and indirect.
5) To recognize that except for motives based upon its general legislation, no state shall have the right to withdraw its nationality for reasons of sex, race, language or religion, and would not deprive individuals of the guarantees contemplated in the Declaration.
The advent of Islam, fourteen centuries ago, brought total revolution in the mode of human living. Islam emancipated the entire mankind from the subjugation of mythological gods and goddesses and struck at the roots of Pantheism. Islam also freed man from the slavery of man.
In Islam, the sovereignty belongs to Allah. He is the Law-Giver and the Guarantor of human rights. Men are accountable to Allah only.
The first and the foremost right that Islam guarantees to mankind is the protection and safety of life. Allah gives life and He alone can take it back. The holy Quran says:
“And slay not the life which Allah hath forbidden save with right.” (17:33). “Whosoever killeth a human being for other than manslaughter or corruption on the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind and who so saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind.” (5:32.
“Whoso slayeth a believer of set purpose, his return is Hell for ever.” (4:93).
“And that ye slay not the life which Allah hath made sacred save in the course of justice.” (6:152)
The holy Quran warns even the parents and in clear terms forbids them from slaying their own children:
“And slay not your children fearing a fall to poverty. We shall provide for them and for you. Lo! the slaying of them is great sin.” (17:31)
Islam recognizes the rights of every individual to life, liberty and property and provides full protection to these rights without any discrimination based on sex, race, religion or language. The holy Prophet (Peace be upon him) has said.
“Whoso kills any non-Muslim shall not be able to have even the smell of heaven.” (Bukhari)
In Islam every one has a right to live with dignity, peace and honour and pursue any lawful vocation or profession. He or she also has a right to possess property. No one on earth can deprive him/her of this right. The Holy Quran says:
“And eat not up your property among yourselves in vanity, nor seek by it to gain the hearing of the judges that ye may knowingly devour a portion of the property of others wrongfully.” (2:188)
While delivering the last sermon on the occasion of the Hajjatul wida, the holy Prophet emphasized:
“Your life, honour and property are as sacred as this day.”
Islam has greatly stressed the rights of parents. The sons and daughters are bound to be obedient, humble and courteous to their parents. The holy Quran ordains:
“And serve Allah, and ascribe nothing as partner unto Him. Show kindness unto parents.” (4:36)
“Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none save Him, and that ye show kindness to parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age with thee, ... speak unto them a gracious word. And lower unto them the wing of submission through mercy, and say: My Lord! Have mercy upon them both as they did care for me when I was little.” (17:23 &24)
“Be grateful unto me and unto thy parents.” (31:14)
“And We have commanded man to show kindness to parents.” (46:15)
In Islam children have guaranteed rights. Their parents have to bring up and maintain them strictly in accordance with the tenets of the holy Quran and the Sunnah of the holy Prophet.
Women also enjoy equal rights in Islamic society. The holy Quran says:
“And they (women) have rights similar to those (of men) (2:228)
The right of justice is supreme in Islam. All are equal before law. No guilty soul can go scot free. Justice must be done. In holy Quran Allah asked the holy Prophet to say:
“I am commanded to be just among you.” (42:15)
The holy Quran further emphasizes:
“If ye judge between mankind, ye judge justly.” (4:58)
“Deal justly, that is nearer to your duty.” (5:8)
Once a woman belonging to an influential family of the well known Quraish tribe committed a theft. The members of her family determined that her hand should not be amputated. Hence, they deputed Usama Bind Zaid to recommend for her forgiveness. When the holy Prophet heard the words of recommendation from him, he addressed the people and said:
“A number of nations were destroyed before you because when an ordinary person committed theft that person was punished and when any influential person committed a theft, that person was forgiven. But I shall never do such a thing. I swear by Allah Who is the owner of my life, and say that had my daughter, Fate’ma committed the theft, I would have cut her hand too.” (Muslim)
Islam is thus the only salvation for the entire mankind. The holy Quran says:
“Ye are the best community that hath been raised up for mankind. Ye enjoin right conduct and forbid indecency; and ye believe in Allah. And if the People of the Scripture had believed it had been better for them.” (3:110)