WELCOME 2009 - WILL IT BE A REPEAT OF 2008?

WELCOME 2009- WILL IT BE A REPEAT OF 2008?

The countdown has begun. Now it is a matter of hours. We are on the threshold of another New-year. 2009 is going to be celebrated with all pomp and pageantry despite the turmoil spreading across the World.

Everyone must have been recalling the rise of 2008. Much expectations and hopes, we had. A comparatively peaceful, happy and serene new year was in our mind. It was our dream. We human beings, exceptions there also, nursed hope and happy days ahead. The desire for happiness, peaceful co-existence, calmness devoid of all kinds of violent days were prevalent throughout the World. “Wishful thinking” some might say. In the course of time we were slowly losing our hopes and grand expectations. Always we encountered the just opposite of what we dreamt of. In spite of all the horrible consequences, we continue to cherish dreams of a better brave new world of harmony and unity.

If dreams were horses, the beggars would have rode on horse’s back. That is a trait in our character, often find difficult to erase that quality, if we could say like that.

2008 was an eventful year. Communal riots, terrorist attacks and violent deaths of innocent people, the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, ethnic conflicts leading to murders of innocent majority- they are ultimate sufferers, example Darfur, SriLanka, Congo,Somalia, a long list of such horrendous happenings across the World to point out.

Even then we hold on to our desire and hope for the best. 2008 also witnessed global financial melt-down, starting from the so-called rich and powerful country in the World and the melt-down spreading across the World resulting in suicides, frantic meetings of World leaders to find a solution to the impasse contributed by a deregulated market economy, lakhs of young men and women losing their jobs leaving them disappointed and disillusioned, the situation is similar to the Great Depression of 1930s.

A lot to feel sorrow about.

Take a look at South Africa. Nelson Mandela who spearheaded a determined fight against whites-who colonized the country for a prolonged time is leading a sorrowful life, finding his party in disarray fighting each other with encouragement of Tabo Mbeki, the former President along with his cohorts and the aspiring leader Jacob Zuma and his cohorts , and it is most likely that ANC after splitting into two parties and contesting the elections with Nelson Mandela watching the developments helplessly and with sadness who had to spend long 27 years in prison suffering innumerable brutal assaults for the freedom of his country.

Zimbabwe under Robert Mugabe, ruling the country with an iron hand, even do not get along with the opposition leaders and put them behind bars as long as he wished. A chaotic economy with the inflation rate soaring up to millions thus resulting in poverty and malnutrition deaths, the man in the throne remaining adamant and arrogant caring little for the basic problems dogging the nation. Zimbabwe’s story had already been mentioned and I do not want to repeat more about the unfortunate goings on there.

Darfur in Sudan, the ethnic clashes raging violently in the neighbouring country of SriLanka, Somalia, Congo, Myanmar still under military leadership, Nobel Laureate Aung –Saan-Syuki still finds herself in prison for trying to establish a democratic country. The Bangladesh conundrum still raging, two former PrimeMinisters, Khalida Zia and Sheikh Haseena fighting it out to capture power after years of waiting outside expecting the elections to parliament with bated breath. Both of them were incarcerated for years’ on corruption charges by the interim government under Fakrudin Ahmed.

Pakistan, our neighbouring country now considered by a majority of nations as “the epicentre of terrorism” in spite of repeated warnings to ban the terrorist groups like Lashkar-E-Taiba under Hafiz Muhammad Saeed, Jai-She Muhammed under Maulana Mazood Azar, the Pakistan Taliban under Baitullah Mehsud, other not so important terrorist outfits with terrorist training camps to youngsters at Pak occupied Kashmir, all determined to destroy the fragile peace in India and create a fear-psychosis, intermittent explosions of bombs and grenades, firing from across the border to provide all help to Jihadists to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir under the cover of darkness. The Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud was alleged to have plotted and eventually killing the former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, is also roaming through the nation without fearing anybody, and Benazir’s husband Asif Ali Sardari keep mum occasionally opening his mouth to utter lies and boasting, forgetting past events. His only intention is to be in the chair, sitting oblivious of all happenings around him. In the place of an authoritarian leader, when a democratic government took over the reign, naturally all hoped for a better and prosperous Pakistan. Contrary to the expectations sounded by many peace loving people of that country, the country finds itself in the hot bed of terrorism and only because of international pressure and threat of sanctions, the ruling leadership enacted a drama by putting them under “house arrest” providing all kinds of facilities to continue to be active from behind.

The truth is nothing but the tug of war between the so-called democratic regime and Military. These democratic leaders fear to act on their own because of the oneupman ship of the Military under General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani. Even now, if army decides to overthrow the democratic government like such happenings in the past get themselves enthroned we can very well imagine the consequences. Asif Ali Sardari and his men are aware of this tragic truth and hence they find their hands tied. Two puppets in the seats of power, the President and Prime Minister, don’t have the courage to dare the military, fearing lose of power. Power is the ultimate aim of political leaders and they are enjoying the maximum while their country is burning. Evidences point to the horrendous ‘Mumbai Carnage’ of 26/11 was a meticulously executed operation with the full knowledge of the Military and ISI (Inter Service Intelligence) has come out in the open. Those who committed the wickedness were hailing from Pakistan.
The statement of Asif Ali Sardari absolving himself and other ruling party leaders that the ‘Mumbai Carnage’ was the handiwork of non-state actors is quite absurd. Instead of initiating stringent measures to contain the Jihadists, actually they are given further inspiration providing all logistical facilities. India’s demand for the extradition of twenty hardcore criminals has not been accepted. When there are two power centres in a country an independent decision is the first casualty. That is what is happening in Pakistan today. In order to deflect the real issue of internal problems, the government try to mobilize the people against India especially J&K, they are in the process of inflaming the patriotic passions of the masses by accusing India of preparing for a war against Pakistan.

Then comes Afghanistan. Pakistan with the intention of withdrawing its forces at the North-West Province thus helping the Taliban militants who are in safe havens there, to snatch Afghanistan from the ruling Party of Hamid Karzai, an American puppet and to mobilize the soldiers at the Indian side of LOC under the pretext of an attack by India.

The Georgian attempt to securing South Ossetia, with the silent support of USA, Western leaders ended in an abject failure, thus forcing Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili had to bite the dust and had to run away from the chasing Russian army. Some had a feeling that Georgia’s arrogant attack in South Ossetia would lead to a brutal war with USA and Western Leaders by joining the Georgian side. Nothing of that sort happened, only condemnation by USA and Western leaders resulted thus avoiding a full-fledged war.

The people across the World are living with uncertainty of the future on account of terrorism, bombs, grenades and firing expected at anytime, any place for no fault of theirs.

2008 had to witness such horrible situations and the World still in the firm grip of horrendous happenings, but you or I, sorry, all mankind have learnt to live with it. A sort of stoicism is prevalent among the people, the World over.

Now we are on the threshold of a new-year. With fresh hopes and humble prayers for a World with people leading a life of peaceful co-existence and happiness are our dreams.

As far as our nation is concerned, 2009 is expected to usher in a New Era with general elections round the corner, most probably in April-May. Astrologers, psephologists, media-men and political observers are expected to come out in the open, discuss and analyze various issues relating to the elections and the possibility of any party single-handedly winning the elections and remaining in the saddle. Such a possibility is quite immaterial, even the political leaders know the truth, a hung Parliament is foreseen, eventhough I am not an astrologer or a psephologist.

A single party capturing the power at the centre is a thing of past. Political equations might change, hotch-potch alliances are about to emerge for the time being, ideology will have to take a back seat. Even the communist parties are avoiding the ideological affiliations because power is the ultimate goal or atleast the role of king-makers. Vote bank politics has become the bane of our nation. As I had already written party ideology takes a back seat.

Money will flow in abundance, the masses will get a chance to mouth choice epithets with the politicians keeping mum before them, if necessary crawl before him. Praja(citizen) getting the opportunity of becoming a Raja(king) atleast for a short duration.

Yes the count down has begun. Let’s wait for the new dawn with the hope of peace and prosperity. Welcome 2009…