Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul haq
Three-day carnage in Mumbai—blatant acts of terrorism at various places from November 27-29, 2008—targeting common people and leading hotels jolted the entire India and world at large. This raised some important questions about the future of democracy, ‘war on terrorism’ (sic) and survival of modern day societies. Human societies secured freedom from political, economic and socio-religion shackles that have bound men for many centuries after a strenuous and protracted struggle during the last century. The US policy of aggression in the wake of 9/11 has created serious apprehensions of losing freedom by these societies by every passing day. Terrorism like fascism is a self-destructive ideology. It spreads like fire of jungle. If humanity wants to fight terrorism, it will have to understand the factors behind this ghastly phenomenon. Use of brutal and ill-directed force will be self-defeating exercise in futility. Violence breeds violence as hatred breeds hatred. What happened in Mumbai exposes the shallowness of the approach of ‘big democracy’ becoming part of so-called ‘war on terrorism’—a tool in the hands of neo-colonialists to earn billions by selling arms, make sure the developing countries do not join hands against them and keep growing economies under their control.
Fighting the agenda of neo-colonialist is the need of the hour. Uniting against neo-colonialism is the only way to counter terrorism. Use of force and denial of peoples’ legitimate rights on the contrary is bound to provoke more terrorist acts around the world. The violent incidents in India, Afghanistan, Kashmir, Spain, London, Ireland, Iraq, Palestine and elsewhere are self-evident. The doctrine of right of pre-emptive strikes, which India is thinking on the dictates of neo-colonial forces, is only a short-term solution. In the long-term, the governments of the world will have to sit down and chalk out a comprehensive strategy to ensure that miscreants, funded by neo-colonialists, are dealt with a strong hand without disturbing the peace and tranquility of individual societies and the world as a whole. The most important question faced by humanity is whether we are afraid of freedom or want to preserve it for our future generations. All the terrorist attacks constitute a strike against freedom but at the same time are reflective of callous attitude of those who claim to be self-appointed guardians of free world, human rights, faith and freedom. In a unipolar world, after the debacle of communist oligarchy, the responsibility of western democracies has increased manifold to assure the common people of the world that absolute power in their hands does not mean high-handedness towards others.
There are certain forces having vested interest to push the mankind back towards the dark ages when inalienable fundamental rights were denied by the authoritarian rulers. There are debates inside the USA and elsewhere pinpointing the erosion of civil liberties on a massive scale in the name of defending the Frontiers of Freedom. Terrorism surfaced as a reaction towards growing “fascism” on the part of certain States—handling of Palestinians and Kashmiris are cases in point—. Thus it has to be understood in proper perspective. The analysis of character structure of a man is at the core of understanding the rising phenomena of fascism, fanaticism, fundamentalism and terrorism [which includes state terrorism]. Lack of rationalism on the part of the powerful to be fair towards the powerless has converted our world into a place full of misery, destruction and unhappiness. The frustration of the powerless gets its vent in ghastly acts of terrorism and destruction. If we want to change this situation drastically, a balance has to be struck between the powerful and the powerless. If a large segment of the world lives in a state of powerlessness, the powerful will always remain the target of hatred and attack. The powerful want to transform the world as a machine where all others act as a cog while he has the master control. The cogs have their own way to develop malfunctioning to deprive the master from its absolute control.
This authoritarian thinking on the part of the powerful “democracy” and mechanism adopted e.g. imposing economic blockades was certainly the most irrational action to counter mass movement for independence in the Kashmir valley. The oppressed and powerless have their peculiar ways of reacting, which by no means can be expected to be according to the norms of internationally agreed principles. Their destructive tendencies (suicide bombings and terrorist attacks) are symptomatic of a sick world order. Our world is fast emerging as an authoritarian global State reminiscent of fascist systems of the last century practices in Germany and Italy where the dominant role of authority in social and political structure rests with the dictators. The revival of dictatorial State orders in the name of security needs is a step towards fascist systems.
The likely threat of military attack by India on Pakistan as post-Mumbai reaction using the pretext of State-patronage of extremists (sic) will create fear and uncertainty in the region and panic amongst masses. The main aim behind the bizarre scheme, prepared by neo-colonialists, is to push the armed forces of Pakistan to the wall using India as conduit, get the control of nuclear arsenals and use bogey of “Islamic terrorism” for the containment of China. George W. Bush Jr., now lame-duck President, before leaving the Oval, wants to ensure that the new man taking his place should have no option but to remain engaged in wars in various parts of the world. One hopes that Indian and Pakistani leadership will understand this great conspiracy. It is the time Chinese, Indian and Pakistani leaders unite against the forces of neo-colonialism and foil their ‘Great Game’ plan.
Dr. Sachithanandam Sathananthan in his ‘Great Game continues’ has remarkably summed up that “The ‘war on terror’ and ‘promoting democracy’ are the 21st century equivalents of the 19th century British gobbledygook. American Late Neo-colonialism purveys them as moral justification and uses as political cover for intervening and, where necessary, invading resource-rich and strategic countries to overthrow nationalist leaders, install puppet regimes and savage the countries’ wealth. And of course the US is by far the most powerful terrorist force”. This is the reality of ‘war on terrorism’. The forces of obscurantism and imperialism appear to be enemies, but in fact they are ‘friends-in-arms’ and their hidden agenda is to snatch away from the world, its peace and tranquility. Thus Bush camp is no different from that of Bin Laden or Taliban or RSS-BJP-VHP- Bajrang Dal.
Today the humanity at large is facing the most difficult time at this critical juncture of history. The brinkmanship on the part of USA and its allies can lead the world to yet another horrible World War. The sane people in India and Pakistan should resist all the extremist forces that are involved in destabilizing the entire region at the command of their foreign masters. Both the governments should expose these elements and pray tributes to Karkare and other brave ATS men who had shown the courage to arrest Praggya Singh, Raj Kumar Purohit, the ugly faces behind terrorism and communal killings.
Let us hope that the forces of peace and sanity get united to stem the rising tide of terrorism, communalism and obscurantism, which is designed, funded and controlled by neo-colonialist forces pointed out by Dr. Sachithanandam Sathananthan, a Visiting Research Scholar at the Jawaharlal Nehru University School of International Studies. These forces are the worst enemy of humanity. They are bent upon to create fasad [Quranic term for chaos, disorder and turmoil] on this beautiful planet. The holy Quran clearly warns humanity about these so-called “reformers” who in the name of God and reformism create the worst kind of disorder [fasad] on the earth [Al-Quran 2-11]. The meaning of this ayat is:
“When they are asked not to spread fasad [disorder] in society, they retort audaciously:
“We do not spread fasad, rather we are the Musleheen [reformers]”.
Beware! They are the Mufsideen [Destructionists, those who spread disorder and chaos]”.
It is high time that masses all over the globe understand and reject the agenda of war-mongers and their hired defenders of faith (sic). They are the worst enemy of humanity. The hidden agenda of neo-colonialists can only be frustrated if people of the world unite against the Mufsideen, who in the name of religion, want to create disorder but their real aim is subjugate and control the world for economic exploitation.
The writers, tax advisers, are visiting professors at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS).
