CRIME AGAINST WOMEN

B.RAMAN

In our country, crime against women is not treated seriously by the police. Its prevention, investigation and prosecution are given low priority. This was so during the days of the British. This has been so since we became independent.

2.Our Police Regulations, which lay down how the Police should function, were originally drafted by the British. The Regulations as drafted by the British did not categorise any  offence against women as heinous requiring mandatory supervision by a senior police officer. The responsibility for investigation and prosecution used to be left to a Thanedar or a Head Constable with no supervision at senior levels.

3. One does not know whether the Police Regulations have since been revised to categorise rape as a heinous offence on par with terrorism, dacoity and murder requiring mandatory supervision at senior levels. If not, this is the first step that has to be taken to underline the gravity of the crime.

4. Every police officer holding independent charge is required to submit to his superior a fortnightly report of crime in his jurisdiction. The past proformas of this report when I was in service did not provide for a separate section on crime against women. The Government should prescribe a separate Fortnightly on crime against women indicating the measures taken for prevention and the progress of investigation and prosecution.

5. The attitude of policemen from the constable upwards upto the DG of Police has to change. It has to be ingrained in the minds of policemen during their training that a rape should be treated as seriously as an act of terrorism or a murder. This change can be brought about only by having a separate and special training capsule on crime against women in our police training institutions. When I was trained as an IPS officer in the Central Police Training College at Mount Abu in 1961-62, crime aginst women was given very low attention in the syllabus. The syllabus has to change giving the same importance to crime against women as to other categorized heinous offences.In the final examinations, there has to be a separate paper on crime against women.

6. The annual confidential reports of police officers, which determine their promotion, should have a separate column to assess their performance with the regard to the prevention, investigation and prosecution of crime against women.

7. There are very few instances of habitual rapists. Most rapists are one-time offenders. They rape in a momentary loss of sanity and self-control in the presence of women. They commit the crime under the sudden onset of a mad urge to rape. It is very difficult to identify potential rapists and anticipate their crime. Despite this, prevention is the most important aspect of dealing with crimes against women. Prevention has two aspects----prevention by women themselves through appropriate self-defence measures.A self-defence measure which can be fairly effective is the use of mini tear-smoke cartridges. These cartridges should be made easily available in the market for purchase by women. There is a possibility of other criminals like dacoits etc misusing these cartridges for  overcoming their victims, but this is a risk which has to be faced to enble women better protect themselves.

8. Prevention by the police has to be through enhanced anti-rape patrols in areas susceptible to commission of rapes such as transport buses, parking lots and deserted streets at nights. Since rapists operate more at night than during day time, these patrols should be intensified at night. Intensified anti-rape patrols would also have a salutary effect on other crime.

9.The police should set up a separate anti-rape control room and widely publicise its telephone number. Every woman should save this number in her mobile and activate it immediately on apprehending danger.

10. If rape is categorized as a heinous offence to be treated on par with terrorism, this would lead to changes in the way we react to it and deal with it with the creation of anti-rape squads for prevention, investigation and prosecution and anti-rape tribunals for speedy trial.

11.Since rape is an offence committed in moments of sudden insanity and loss of self-control, fear of death penalty may not be an effective deterrent, The only effective penalty will be to put all rapists out of circulation through mandatory life imprisonment. ( 19-12-2012 )

( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and presently, Director, Institute for Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For China Studies. E-mail: seventyone2@gmail.com. Twitter: @SORBONNE75 )

AFTER REHMAN MALIK'S VISIT TO INDIA: THE CONTINUING FARCE

B.RAMAN

There is no need for one to be surprised by the trail of controversies and anger created by Mr.Rehman Malik, Pakistan’s Interior Minister, during his three-day visit to India from December 14,2012.

2.What he sought to convey was that India cannot escape its share of the blame for the 26/11 terrorist strikes. That is why he sought to connect the Babri Masjid incident in December 1992, the explosion in the Samjotha Express in 2007 and the 26/11 terrorist strikes in Mumbai. He subsequently tried to deny any intention to project them as connected, but he was clearly trying to minimize the gravity of the 26/11 strikes by bringing in the Babri Masjid incident and the Samjotha explosion. By announcing the arrest of another suspect in the Samjotha explosion during his visit, we have unwittingly given him an opportunity to go back to Pakistan and claim to the fundamentalists and the Army that he succeeded in forcing India to act against the remaining suspects in the Samjotha case. This shows how naïve we can be in matters concerning Pakistan.

3. On the basis of the various statements made by him regarding expediting the trial against the Pakistan-based chief conspirators of the 26/11 strikes, we should not nurse any illusions regarding the sincerity of Mr.Malik. He is an ex-police officer who heads a police Ministry. The Pakistani police has never had the courage and powers to act against the jihadi terrorists created and used by the Pakistan Army and its Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).We saw it in the case of the kidnapping and murder of Daniel Pearl, the US journalist, by a group of terrorists headed by Omar Sheikh, who was in touch with Brig. Ejaz Shah of the ISI, in 2002.Ten years after Pearl was murdered, the case is still going on and the appeal filed by Omar Sheikh against the death sentence awarded to him by a lower court has not been disposed off.

4.Similarly, the Pakistani Police has not been able to expedite the trial of the suspects in the Benazir Bhutto murder case five years after she was assassinated. Before the assassination, Benazir had named some officers of the Army, including Ejaz Shah, as posing a threat to her security. The police has been dragging its feet in the case because of the alleged involvement of the Army and the ISI.

5.The 26/11 terrorist strikes were carried out by the Lashkar-E-Toiba (LET), created and nursed by the ISI and used against India and in Afghanistan along with the Haqqani network. For us, to expect that Mr.Malik and his Police will act against  the ISI-protected LET will be to live in a fool’s paradise. Not only the Pakistani police, but even its anti-terrorism tribunals are hesitant to convict terrorists enjoying the protection of the ISI. Even if the Police collect all the evidence and produce them, the tribunal is unlikely to accept them and convict the masterminds.

6. We should not, therefore, have any illusions that Mr.Malik and his Police are going to act against the ISI-sponsored terrorists. It is for us to act through appropriate covert action against the LET. Unless and until  the Manmohan Singh Government realizes the nasty ground reality in Pakistan and acts on its own instead of depending on Mr.Malik to act, this charade will go on. (17-12-12)

( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India,and presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For China Studies. E-Mail: seventyone2@gmail.com. Twitter @SORBONNE75 )

MALDIVES' RELATIONS WITH INDIA & CHINA

 

 

B.RAMAN

The decision of the Government of President Mohammad Waheed of the Maldives to terminate the contract given to a consortium headed by an Indian company to run the Ibrahim Nasser International Airport of Male has given rise to speculation that China might have nudged the Maldivian Government to terminate the contract and that Beijing might ultimately emerge as the beneficiary of the termination with a Chinese company being made responsible for the running of the airport.

2. Apart from the fact that the termination of the contract was preceded by a visit to Male by the Chinese Defence Minister Gen.Liang Guanglie during the course of visits to Sri Lanka, the Maldives and India and was followed by a visit to Beijing by Mr.Mohammed Nazim, the Maldivian Minister for Defence, National Security and Transport, earlier this week, no other evidence has been forthcoming in corroboration of this speculation.

3.The fact that Mr.Nazim handled the entire affair relating to the contract has added to suspicions that his visit to Beijing might have been utilized by him to brief his Chinese counterpart on the reasons and implications of the termination and to seek Chinese co-operation in running the airport.

4. During his stay in Bejing, Mr.Nazim met on December 11,2012,  Gen.Xu Qiliang, Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission of Communist Party of China (CPC), followed by a metting with Gen.Liang. There are so far no reports of his having met Prime Minister Wen Jiabao or Mr.Xi Jinping, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), who is also the new Chairman of the CMC.

5.According to the Xinhua news agency, Gen.Xu said during their meeting that the two countries have in recent years increased mutual political trust, expanded trade and economic cooperation, diversified cultural exchanges and set an example for countries to treat each other as equals and cooperate with sincerity.

6.He added: “The two militaries should continue to enhance high-level contact, strengthen pragmatic cooperation, expand the scope of cooperation and upgrade military relations."

7.According to the Xinhua, Mr.Nazim said  the Maldives hoped to strengthen communication and cooperation between the two countries as well as their militaries, jointly address common challenges and meet opportunities so as to promote the two countries' relations to a higher level.

8.The Xinhua quoted Gen.Liang as telling Mr.Nazim: "China has always positively developed its military relations with the Maldives and hopes to enhance communication and cooperation, promote the construction of both militaries and safeguard regional peace and stability.”

9.After taking over as the President earlier this year, President Mohammad Waheed  Hassan had visited  Urumqi, the capital of the Xinjiang province of China, in the first week of September,2012, to attend the second China-Eurasia Expo.

10. During his stay in Urumqi, he met Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao,who reportedly assured him that China would provide assistance  to the Maldives to counter climate change. Hailing the sound bilateral ties over the past four decades since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Mr.Wen said the two nations had set up a good example for countries of different sizes that treat each other equally and conduct cooperation in a friendly way, and that China would continue supporting the Maldives in economic and social development.

 11.Mr. Waheed  described  China as a reliable friend and  added that the Maldives was willing to increase communications with China in regional and international affairs, enhance their pragmatic cooperation and join hands with China to deal with global challenges including climate change, and advance the bilateral relationship into a new phase.

12.Three agreements were signed on September 2,2012, between the two Governments in the presence of the Maldivian President and Prime Minister Wen, providing for Chinese assistance worth US $ 500 million.

13.These amounts  included the grants under the annual economic and technical assistance program by the Chinese government, and a preferential loan of US $ 150 million from the  EXIM Bank of China for the onstruction of 1500 houses in the Maldives.

14.A press note issued by the President’s office in Male highlighted the fact that this was the first time that agreements had been signed in the presence of the heads of governments of the two countries and that the agreements were signed in Urumqi, a Muslim area of China.

15.It is my assessment that China’s immediate and medium-term interest in the Maldives wll be in establishing a communications base similar to what it had in the Coco Islands of Myanmar to facilitate communications with the Chinese anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf and to snoop on Indian naval communications and monitor Indian satellite and missile launches.

16. Whether the new Government of the Maldives in its petulance towards India will oblige Beijing remains to be seen. The Maldives has considerable dependence on India in national security matters. Whenever Maldivian Governments have faced threats to their internal security and natural disasters, they had generally sought Indian assistance. The rapidity with which India can rush to the assistance of the Maldives, China cannot. It will be unwise and suicidal for any Government in Male to reduce the dependence on India in national security matters and turn to the Chinese, but one never knows.

17.India needs to closely monitor the developments without jeopardizing the mutual security assistance programs that have been built up with the Maldives since 1979. ( 14-12-12)

( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For China Studies. E-mail: seventyone2@gmail.com. Twitter: @SORBONNE75 )

INSENSITIVE TIMING OF REHMAN MALIK'S VISIT TO INDIA

B.RAMAN

If NaMo, the Chief Minister of Gujarat, had been well-advised, instead of raising the issue of Sir Creek, he would have raised the insensitive timing of the official visit of Mr. Rehman Malik, the Interior Minister of Pakistan, to India at the invitation of Shri Shushil Kumar Shinde, our Home Minister. His visit is scheduled to take place from December 14,2012,a day after the 11^th anniversary of the attack on the Indian Parliament by Pakistan-sponsored jihadi terrorists on December 13,2001. This is not only an insult to the memory of the security forces personnel who were killed during the attack, but a reminder of the embarrassing fact that 40 years after Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) started using sponsored-terrorism against India, we are still without an effective answer to it.

2.One can’t have an objection to Mr.Malik being invited to India to launch the new visa liberalisation measures, but this was not the time to do so. ISI officers will see in the timing of the visit a confirmation of their belief that India does not have the will to fight their use of terrorism against us.

3.Pakistan will try to project that with the execution of Ajmal Kasab, the Pakistani  terrorist of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LET),  and its seeming pursuit of the trial against the main Pakistan-based conspirators of the 26/11 terrorist strikes, the terrorism chapter in Indo-Pakistan relations is about to be over and a new chapter can begin.

4. It is important to make it clear to Mr.Malik and other Pakistani leaders as well as to the international community that our battle against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism will continue so long as Pakistan does not act against all terrorists operating from sanctuaries in Pakistan and does not wind up the anti-India terrorist infrastructure in Pakistani territory.

5.Since March 1993,the ISI has been responsible for a series of mass fatality terrorism against us. The attack on our Parliament in 2001 and the 26/11 strikes in Mumbai were acts of indirect aggression against India as per some resolutions of the UN General Assembly passed on the question of state-sponsored terrorism. All these attacks against our nationals, interests and sense of honour have remained without an appropriate response from our Government and political leadership.

6.The 26/11 strikes were qualitatively different and graver than the other acts sponsored by the ISI in Indian territory. For the first time in the history of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, foreign nationals---including Americans and Israelis—were targeted and brutally killed. It was an attack not only on India, but also on the international community.

7. Any self-respecting nation would have seen that Pakistan paid an appropriate price for the attack. The relatives of the foreign nationals killed should have been mobilised to pursue the senior officers of the ISI before courts of their countries for their involvement. We not only failed to retaliate against the terrorist leaders in Pakistan, but also failed to mobilise the relatives of the foreign victims.

8. I am all for good relations with Pakistan. Even Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Narasimha Rao and Atal Behari Vajpayee sought good relations. But good relations do not mean letting Pakistan get away with its use of terrorism against us.

9. Our battle against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism began in 1981.It has to continue without closure till we ultimately prevail. It has to be made clear to Mr.Malik that there will be no closure till terrorism originating from Pakistan ends.

10. I do not have the confidence that Dr.Manmohan Singh and Shri Shinde will vigorously articulate our position to Mr.Malik. Mrs.Sonia Gandhi and Shri Rahul Gandhi do not understand the anger on this issue in the hearts and minds of innumerable Indians. This has to be done by the opposition leaders and the public. Let this be raised loud and clear during the remaining two days of the election campaign in Gujarat. ( 13-12-12)

( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For China Studies. E-Mail: seventyone2@gmail.com Twitter @SORBONNE75 )

PLA AIR FORCE'S MESSAGE TO INDIA & JAPAN?

 

B.RAMAN

The PLA Daily carried the following report on December 7,2012:

“The Air Force of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) recently conducted a comprehensive support drill for multi-types of aircraft on double-runway under information conditions at an airport in southwest China. Nearly 100 fighters of over 10 different types open the curtain of the base-oriented transformation of the combat support mode of the PLA Air Force.

“According to Zhan Houshun, chief commanding officer of the drill and deputy commander of the air force under the Chengdu Military Area Command (MAC) of the PLA, there was only one runway for taking-off and landing at the airports of the PLA Air Force in the past, which could only support relatively a few types of aircraft to simultaneously implement the combat and training missions. But the airports with two runways for aircraft to take off and land at the same time can not only simultaneously support the flight of various types of active fighters, but also be used for the taking-off and landing of all types of domestic civil airplanes, Zhan Houshun added.

“The reporters saw on the drill site that the aircraft took off and landed on the double-runway for 12 sorties within 10 minutes. At the same time, more than 200 support vehicles of various types and hundreds of officers and men were making preparation before aircraft’s taking-off and carrying out maintenance after aircraft’s landing for various types of aircraft on the parking aprons on the east and west sides of the airport.

“After the drill, Zhang Jian, commanding officers of the main control tower of the east runway of the airport, said that “The aircraft throughput per hour for the first drill was one third more than that at the airport in the past, and the peak throughput was even doubled, exceeding the aircraft throughput per hour at the civil airport with the same size, which was beyond the imagination of an old pilot with more than 20 years of flying experience like me.”

“Zhang Feiran, director of the Military Material and Fuel Supply Section of the Logistics Department of the air force under the Chengdu MAC, said the fuel consumption in the 5-odd-hour-long drill was four times the daily consumption of the airport in the past. To meet fuel demands, a fuel supply center and a set of straight-line pressure-refueling system were installed on each runway.　

“According to Zhang Hong, chief of an air station who participated in the drill, support for double-runway doubled their workload while the number of supporting personnel and equipment did not change, which obliged them to improve the supporting process, optimize the supporting methods and enhance the supporting personnel’s capability of “one-post with multi skills”.　　

“According to Fang Dianrong, commander of the air force under the Chengdu MAC, the goal of the drill is to explore the new mode for base construction, operation and management of multi-type-aircraft comprehensive support.”

2. The “People’s Daily” of the Communist Party of China  further reported as follows on December 10,2012:

“ Takeoff and landing drills were recently held at an airport in southwest China. About 100 fighter jets of 10-plus types participated in the drill.

“'Dual-runway' means that an airport has two runways used for aircraft takeoff and landing, which is the first time in the history of air force airports," said Zhan Houshun, commander in chief and assistant commander of the air force in Chengdu Military Region. In the past, the air force airports had only one runway to guarantee the simultaneous combats and training tasks of a few types of fighter jets. Now, the dual-runway airport can not only guarantee the flight of fighter jets in service but also meet the requirements of takeoff and landing of domestic civil aircraft of all models.

“ On the scene of exercises, 12 aircraft conducted takeoff and landing in turn on the dual-runway airport in just 10 minutes. On the tarmacs of eastern and western sides of the airport, more than 200 vehicles and hundreds of officers and soldiers have prepared for the takeoff and landing of various types of aircraft. The drill site looked rigorous and orderly.

“ Zhang Feiran, director of the oil supply office under the Chengdu Military Region's naval logistics department, said that the launch of "dual runways" is a new test of the logistics department's capability. The drill lasted more than five hours, but used four times as much oil as the airport did in one day. The office built two oil supply centers and a straight pressure refueling system for the two runways, and conducted information technology-based real-time monitoring throughout the drill, in order to ensure rapid and accurate refueling operations.

“ The launch of 'dual runways' forces us to change logistic concepts and improve logistic services," said Zhang Hong, head of an air force station who participated in the drill. Dual runways require double workload, but the number of logistics staff and facilities has not increased two-fold. Therefore, air force stations must streamline logistic procedures, improve their services, and enhance the abilities of their staff.

“ Fang Dianrong, commander of the Chengdu Military Region's naval force, said that the purpose of the drill was to explore new ways of building, operating, and managing comprehensive logistic bases for multiple types of aircraft, find the weak links in capacity-building, and increase the military's ability to win local wars using information technology.”

3.The PLA Daily and the People’s Daily did not identify the airbase in which the exercise was held. The same day, the Associated Press of the US disseminated the following report:

“China’s air force has staged one of its largest-ever drills amid heightened tensions with Japan and Beijing’s southern neighbors over territorial claims, state media reported Friday.

“ The air combat exercises involving more than 100 pilots were held over 11 days last month in the vast northwestern region of Xinjiang, according to the website of the Communist Party newspaper People’s Daily and other official news outlets.

“ Pilots practiced engaging in dog fights and countering electro-magnetic interference, the reports said.

“ Aircraft taking part came from 14 separate units and included China’s most modern jet fighters, the J-10 and J-11, along with older models and two-seater Sukhoi Su-30s purchased from Russia, the reports said.

“ The exercises are a vivid demonstration of China’s vastly improved military capabilities that have unnerved other Asian nations and spurred a renewed U.S. focus on the region. The Global Times newspaper published by People’s Daily called them the largest in recent years in both firepower and numbers of aircraft, and said they also involved large numbers of technicians and experts on missiles, radar and other related technologies.”

4.Surprisingly, the details disseminated by the AP have not so far figured in the reports of the PLA Daily, which indicate merely a one-day exercise in an airbase under the Chengdu Military Region, to test the logistic capability of a new type of dual-use (civilian and military), double-runway airbase. The Chengdu Military Region is responsible for operations in the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR) bordering on India’s Arunachal Pradesh. This appears to have been of a purely tactical and not strategic significance.

5.The AP report talks of a more complex 11-day exercise in the Xinjiang area bordering India’s Aksai Chin now under Chinese occupation with logistic as well as operational objectives. The area of the exercise comes under the Lanzhou Military Region, which is responsible for operations in and across Xinjiang. This area borders India’s Ladakh and Pak-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan.

6.If the details disseminated by the AP are correct, this was a strategic air power demonstration exercise. The exact dates of the exercise are not clear, but it appears to have been held around the time our Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh was due to go to Japan. His visit was postponed due to new elections being called in Japan. The exercise also coincided with the growing tension between Japan and China on the Senkaku Islands in the East Chine Sea.

7.While there has been increasing co-operation between the Navies of India and Japan, one has not been seeing similar co-operation between the two Air Forces. Was the exercise meant to deter such co-operation? ( 10-12-12)

( The writer is Additional Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. Of India, New Delhi, and presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre for China Studies. E-mail: seventyone2@gmail.com . Twitter @SORBONNE75

NAMO : TIME FOR AN ALTERNATE LEADERSHIP

B.RAMAN

Two issues will be in focus during the elections to the Gujarat State Assembly later this week--- the advisability of the BJP led by Shri Narendra Modi continuing for a third term in the government of the State and the expected attempts of the NaMo Brigade to use a new endorsement at the state level as a stepping stone for his gravitating to New Delhi as a Prime Ministerial aspirant during the 2014 elections.

2. None can question the record of NaMo during the decade he has been in office. I have myself seen the progress made by Gujarat under his stewardship during a visit to the State in 2008 as a guest of the RSS. I had also seen the high regard in which he was held by  large sections of the Hindus, not only thanks to his achievements, but also his perceived honesty as compared to the normal run of our political class. There was no doubt in my mind that he was a “can do” leader and administrator who managed to take the State steadily forward.

3.I had also visited the State independently in 2003 without being beholden to the RSS for the visit to assess for myself the likely impact of the communal riots of 2002 on the terrorism situation in Gujarat and the rest of India. As part of my study of the growth and evolution of the Indian Mujahideen post-2007, I have been regularly monitoring the feelings and sentiments of our Muslim fellow-citizens with the help of local observers in whose judgement and veracity I have confidence and my interlocutors in the intelligence community.

4.It is my assessment that Muslim anger and resentment against NaMo continues to be strong and hurting, particularly among the youth. This is so not only in Gujarat, but also in the rest of India. Public memory in the majority community might have forgotten the atrocities committed against our Muslim fellow-citizens of Gujarat in 2002 in retaliation for the massacre of some  Hindu pilgrims in Godhra, but the Muslim public memory has not forgotten it. The feelings of alienation of the Muslims continue to be as strong as ever though they may not openly express it any longer.

5. It may be true that the Muslims of Gujarat too have economically prospered under the NaMo stewardship. But the grievous hurt suffered by their feelings of dignity and self-respect will not diminish so long as NaMo remains the Chief Minister. Has not the time come for the voters of the State to show foresight in looking for an alternate political leader who would enjoy the confidence of the non-Hindu minorities?

6. Muslims cannot live by bread alone. They also need to have their feelings of self-respect, dignity and honour restored. NaMo, despite his huge administrative skills, will not be able to do it. NaMo is part asset, part liability. We should not look only at the asset half of his personality and political leadership. We should also at the liability half. If the voters assess the totality of the picture, they will realize that the time has come for an alternate leadership in the State which will carry conviction with our Muslim fellow-citizens. We must avoid unwise demonization or lionization of NaMo during the polls. Inter-communal harmony should be an important criterion before deciding to vote.

7. It will be premature to judge the suitability of NaMo to be the next PM of India. He has been an effective State administrator , but he does not have the potential of a pan-Indian leader in the mould of Shri Atal Behari Vajpayee. He has not yet given signs of being a likely statesman or leader of vision and wisdom. We must avoid a judgement on his suitability till we have seen more of him as a leader outside Gujarat. (10-12-12)

( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For China Studies. E-Mail: seventyone2@gmail.com Twitter: @SORBONNE75 )

 

MALDIVES: LOSS OF TRADITIONAL GOODWILL

 

B.RAMAN

The unfortunate cancellation by the Government of Mohammad Waheed of the Maldives of the contract given to a consortium led by the GMR, an Indian company, for the running of the Ibrahim Nassir International Airport highlights our loss of tradional goodwill with a section of the Maldivian political class due to perceptions that India was trying to take sides in the political dispute between former President Mohammed Nasheed, who resigned under controversial circumstances in the beginning of this year, and his opponents led by Mr.Mohammad Waheed in order to facilitate his return to power.

2.So long as the Maldivian authorities were sensitive to our national security interests, we followed a policy of benign non-involvement in internal political issues. Our national security interests in the Maldives had primacy over our economic and commercial interests. The Government of India carefully avoided creating any impression of backing any Indian business company operating in the Maldives.

3.The traditional goodwill enjoyed by us for nearly three decades in the Maldives since 1979 when the Government of India responded positively to a request from Male for assistance in revamping their national security set-up started dissipating when our perceived backing for the democracy movement of Mr.Nasheed and the jettisoning of the policy of benign non-involvement in internal political matters after Mr.Nasheed became the President created perceptions of Indian political favourites. As a result of our open and enthusiastic embrace of Mr.Nasheed, he came to be perceived as India’s prop in Male. Many of his decisions in commercial and national security matters, which were favourable to India, were projected by his opponents and detractors as quid pro quo for India’s support to him.

4. After his exit from power, elements associated with the successor Government have targeted his decisions which they viewed as his quid pro quo to India. We have already lost considerable goodwill in political circles in the Maldives. The relations between the two countries have got mixed up with local partisan politics.

5. To stop a further erosion of the goodwill, it is important to make a mid-course correction in our Maldivian policy based on a reversion to the past policy of benign non-involvement in internal political matters, maintaining cordial relations with all political forces without any political favourites, avoidance of undue interest in promoting the interests of any Indian business house and restoration of primacy to national security matters.

6.Maldives is also a lesson that we should avoid moralizing political postures like promoting democracy. ( 8-12-12)

( The writer is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt of India, New Delhi, and presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate of the Chennai Centre For China Studies. E-mail: seventyone2@gmail.com .Tweet: @SORBONNE75