FOUR NATIONS : FOUR PROBLEMS

Iran – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedi Nejad has flashed the ‘V’ (Victory) sign once again. His immediate rival Mir Hossein Mousavi has not conceded defeat. He had once held the PrimeMinistership of Iran, was widely acclaimed as one of the best Prime Ministers and is renowned for his pro-reform agenda. Predictions from almost all quarters especially the Western media had pointed to the near probability of his victory at the hustings this time. All calculations have gone, Ahmedi Nejad, known for his conservative policies and aversion to Western nations and their policies has won the elections with an overwhelming majority. An unprecedented 85% of the electorate chose to exercise its franchise and the incumbent President has come home with 63% in his favour. His rival Mir Hossein Mousavi has alleged foul play and has vowed to fight it out. He had already taken for granted as the incoming President of Iran. Millions who flooded during his election campaign chanted slogans in his favour. Even the media reported with guarded optimism, his possible victory at the hustings. There were reports about the growing unpopularity of Ahmedi Nejad on account of some of his policies especially on the economic front. Inflation is running at 30% and it was attributed to his wrong policies. He was popular among the poor for his pro-poor policies like micro-credit, “justice shares” and for widening the health-care project to poor sections in the society. They must have overwhelmingly voted for him and must have been a plausible reason for his victory.

Be that as it may, sporadic riots have broken out in the streets of Iran against the alleged massive rigging of the polls. Going by the precedence, Iranian authorities known for their zero tolerance towards uprising against the regime fill are likely to crush the violent protests with all their might.

Whether rigging and foul-play took place as alleged by the defeated rival a possible recount is unlikely to ensue that also going by the precedence.
Contrary to all calculations Iran’s Supreme Leader Aytollah Ali Khamenei has asked the Guardian Council to look into the complaint lodged by Mir Hossein Mousavi, on the alleged foul play by the incumbent government of President Ahmedi Nejad on a massive scale. News of riots emanating on the streets of Iran resulting in seven deaths by Mousavi’s supporters is reported from Iran. Whether the government is going to crush the riots with a heavy hand is going to be seen.

North Korea – Communists were revered or denounced for their revolutionary ideas by different nations across the World. Now more than reverence, denouncement reigns supreme. A country once known for its pro-poor, pro-labour policies which always strove for an egalitarian society North Korea has gone down in the eyes of the World as a threat due to its nuclear ambitions. While its neighbour South Korea which nurtures no nuclear ambitions and always aspires for the overall development and prosperity of its citizens has gone far beyond the poor state of affairs prevailing in its neighbouring country. With reports of large-scale poverty and undernourishment from North Korea, comes the painful reports of building nuclear weapons defying the appeals of many nations. Even its big-brother and well-wisher, People’s Republic of China’s advices are not taken into account by North Korean leaders. Its decision to go on with its nuclear ambitions while the country is in the grip of poverty and impoverishment smacks audacity and belligerence. A conclusion to the effect that North Korean leaders are caught in a time warp is something painful to the peace-loving nations. Actually what its leaders are driving home is anybody’s guess. I recall the face of a journalist who angrily termed it a Jurrasic Park.

Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka after long years of turmoil is practically calmful now. LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam) virtually held Sri Lanka to ransom demanding a separate homeland for Tamils in the island country. The hardcore LLTE leaders under Velupillai Prabhakaran never went for peaceful negotiations across the table with the government in the presence of mediators. After incessant persuasions by the Norwegian mediators they agreed for talks with the government and a CFA (Cease Fire Agreement) was reached in 2002 during the regime of Ranil Vikramsinghe. But it was short-lived. Behind the facade of CFA, Tamil Militants were preparing for violent show-down mobilizing cadres and lethal weapons against the government.

Behind every CFA with the government there was always an element of treachery on the part of LTTE. If its leaders were agreeable to a settlement for a peaceful solution – devolution of powers under a federal set-up – large-scale violence leading to the deaths of thousands of innocent victims and leaders could have been avoided. Velupillai Prabhakaran’s machinations boomeranged on him in the end and the LTTE ended in shambles.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has an ardous task to fulfill such as providing innocent civilians with land, livelihood, peace and all kinds of infrastructure development. The innocent civilians might be expecting peace of mind atleast after years of terror threats,displacement and turbulence.

Pakistan – With the active support of USA, Pakistan is locked in pitch battles against the militant Taliban elements in Swat and neighbouring districts. The horrible and shocking scenes of brothers fighting brothers with all the inherent cruelties happening in the neighbouring country is not at all a happy news to India. India always wants Pakistan to be a strong and peaceful nation and going by the events always on a daily basis it looks improbable in the near future. While the fighting rages with large-scale casualties on each side along the North-West Frontier Province, Talibani militants holed up in the provinces inside the nation go on wreaking their vengeance by readying suicide bombers to strike as they please.

Once, to settle scores with Afghanistan, its neighbouring country it was Pakistanis who went on striking spree against the former. Now with the active connivance of Al-Quaida, these elements under the garb of Pakistani Taliban have turned against its own creators to capture power and to let loose a reign of terror by adopting Shariat laws. A peace-loving Pakistani is always averse to such a cruel set up fearing the most inhuman kind of justice and its application.

Will Pakistan continue to be an epicentre of terror? If so, the consequences are unimaginable. All factors depend on the mindset of its democratic rulers.