THE ASSOCIATION OF AFRO-ASIAN STATES SHARING INDIAN OCEAN (AASSIO)

THE ASSOCIATION OF AFRO-ASIAN STATES SHARING INDIAN OCEAN (AASSIO)

By DR. ADITYANJEE

In a surprise move, the recently held Bengaluru meeting of the Council of Ministers of the Indian Ocean RIM - Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) unanimously agreed to select a new name for the association by next year by mutual consultations and dialogue. The 11^TH meeting was chaired by India, one of the founding countries during which Seychelles rejoined the grouping as its 19^th member state after having left the organization in 2003. The 10^th meeting held in Yemen had appointed India as the next IOR ARC Chair and Australia as the Vice Chair for a period of two years from 2011.This regional grouping was set up initially in March 1995, launched formally on 6-7^th March 1997 in Mauritius to promote economic and cultural relations. It currently comprises 19 countries from three continents (Asia, Africa and Oceana), namely India, Yemen, Australia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, the UAE and Seychelles. The trans-continental block has also five dialogue partners - Egypt, Japan, China, Britain and France and two observers - Indian Ocean Tourism Organization (IOTO) and Indian Ocean Research Group (IORG). Turkey has applied for dialogue partner status but the application is pending over lack of formal criteria.

Bengaluru Declaration

India’s External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna inaugurated the meeting after taking the chair for the next two years from Yemen, the previous chairman. While releasing the Bengaluru communique, he aptly cited India's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, who had envisioned a grouping of countries bordering the Indian Ocean that could help one another in tackling common challenges. In his concluding remarks, Krishna stated that the 19 countries from three continents have decided to work together to realize the full potential of Indian Ocean Rim-related institutions that have been established over the years. Bengaluru declaration, however, focused seriously on the issue of maritime security keeping in view the challenges posed to international shipping and commerce by the ruthless pirates from Somalia. The group discussed ways and means to consolidate cooperation in areas such as maritime security, combating piracy, natural disaster management, education, fisheries and marine resources management, trade and investment promotion, capacity building and tourism.

Tourism, Travel & Hospitality Industry:

As the regional countries are getting more prosperous economically, and the middle classes are expanding with more disposable incomes and extra cash to spare, travel and tourism in these countries are increasing tremendously. The Bengaluru declaration explores the intra-regional tourism potential and suggests that the relevant authorities of member countries should specifically target this sector for growth to realize the enormous potential of multilateral cooperation to the fuller extent. In this respect, this group must emulate the examples set by the ASEAN with provisions of analogous facilities for visa on arrival, ASEAN tourism association, and ASEAN specific passport scheme. The Indian Ocean Tourism Organization has observer status with the IOR-ARC; therefore, it should be natural for the block to promote intra-regional tourism on a priority basis. Member countries need to promote conventions and conferences intra-regionally to tap the potential of high-end western travelers.

Sustainable Developmental Agenda:

The Indian Ocean Rim is rich in strategic and precious minerals, metals and other natural resources, marine resources and energy, all of which can be sourced from Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), continental shelves and the deep seabed. The group focuses on sustainable development while harvesting the natural resources provided by the Indian Ocean. Conservation and sustainable harvesting are vital for the security of the marine food resources. Though technology and rising cost of natural resources makes harvest of new resources from the sea beds economically viable, sustainability of economic development in the ecologically challenged world requires efficient and harmonious management of the shared seas. The member-nations underscored the importance of cooperation among them, including in the management and sustainable harvesting of fish stocks and combating illegal fishing and damaging fishing techniques.

Economic & Trade issues:

The Indian Ocean is the world's third largest Ocean. It carries half of the world's container ships, one third of the bulk cargo traffic, two-thirds of the world's oil shipments. It is a lifeline of international trade and economy. The region is linked by trade routes and controls some of the world's busiest sea-lanes. The key east-west arteries of international trade, especially in commodities and energy sources sail through the Indian Ocean. The Indian Ocean Rim constitutes between a quarter and a third of the world's population (more than two billion people). The objectives of IOR-ARC are threefold; mainly to promote sustainable growth and balanced development of the region and Member States; to focus on those areas of economic cooperation which provide maximum opportunities for development, shared interest and mutual benefits and to promote liberalization, remove impediments and lower barriers towards a freer and enhanced flow of goods, services, investment, and technology within the Indian Ocean rim. The group disseminates information on trade & investment regimes, with a view to helping the region's business community better understand and tackle the intra-regional impediments to trade & investment. The information exchanges have been intended to serve as a base to expand intra-regional trade and economic growth.

Expressing concern over the limited growth of intra-regional trade due to poor connectivity, market complexities and inadequate trade facilitation, the Bengaluru communique’ called for rectifying the situation by increasing intra-regional investment flows. Though the intra-regional investment flows are currently modest, many of the member economies do attract substantial foreign direct investment from outside the region. Mr. Krishna called for improving and modernizing the maritime trade infrastructure including the ports and customs authorities. Besides governments, the merchant shipping firms have to modernize the transport & hospitality services infrastructure and connectivity in order to promote intra-regional trade.

Maritime Security:

The Bengaluru Declaration shared concern over the prevailing situation regarding maritime security in the Indian Ocean, particularly at the increasing level of piracy off the Horn of Africa, which posed a threat to international and regional navigation, maritime commerce and the safety of sea farers. The declaration fully supported the international efforts at the UN and the several initiatives at the regional level as well as the Contact Group on piracy of the coast off Somalia, which is coordinating anti-piracy efforts. It pledged to jointly combat the menace through sharing of information and technical assistance. Maritime security impacts strategic security of the nations in the region.Noting that Indian Ocean Rim maritime domain is at the crossroads of commerce and its busy energy trade routes pass through vulnerable points, the Bengaluru Communique said the menace of piracy has assumed alarming proportions in recent years.

The menace of piracy is increasing the cost of trade directly and higher insurance premia and human cost indirectly to the shipping industry. The group needs to build upon existing national, regional and multilateral measures to enhance coordination to combat piracy. To enhance the security in the Indian ocean, India advocated building functional relationships between navies and coast guards.

Diplomatic & Security Challenges:

Security and diplomacy go hand in hand. Diplomacy is the ultimate weapon in the search for security. The group noted that stabilization of Somalia will contribute to dealing with piracy in the region. As members take practical steps consistent with international law to combat piracy, IOR-RIM could serve as an effective vehicle for sharing information, experience and best practices. However, in order to combat piracy in the Indian Ocean region, this grouping should seriously deal with the Somalia piracy issue by immediate diplomatic recognition to the Republic of Somaliland and promote the democratically elected government of Somaliland. Strengthening the democratic government of the Republic of Somaliland will promote regional peace in the horn of Africa. It will bring enormous trade, economic and developmental benefits to the country and will discourage other tribes in the south and central Somalia from fratricidal ware-fare. To follow peaceful developmental agenda instead of allying with the Al Shabab and al Qaeda may ultimately become goal for Somalia.

It is an important co-incidence that the same day this regional meeting was held in Bengaluru, British Prime Minister David Cameron announced an international conference to deal with piracy in Indian Ocean as the UK considers it a core issue for that former super-power. The piracy problem in Indian Ocean should not be hijacked by super-powers and former super-powers to fulfill their geo-political agenda. We suggest that IOR-ARC should take a regional piracy containment multi-lateral initiative in which the Republic of Somaliland is an equal partner along with the law-less Somalia. While a dysfunctional Somalia is part of the problem, international recognition of the Republic of Somaliland is part of the solution of the piracy problem. If Southern Sudan could be recognized internationally as a new nation to prevent genocide in Africa, so should be the Republic of Somaliland. It would be strategically naïve, and indeed, myopic to continue to insist on territorial sovereignty of the failed state of Somalia that has already imploded more than twenty years ago. 
Need for a New Name:

The current name (IOR-ARC) of this regional grouping is very un-wieldy, mouthful, impractical and without a mellifluous & pronounce-able acronym. Member nations in this trans-continental grouping are essentially Afro-Asian nations. Since the essence of this regional group is the spirit of sharing the Indian Ocean, the name should reflect the reality. We take the challenge thrown by the Bengaluru meeting and suggest a catchy new name for this regional grouping with a lot of future economic and trade potential. We suggest a “sexy” new name: The Association of Afro-Asian States Sharing Indian Ocean (AASSIO). The newly suggested name reflects the solidarity among the African and Asian countries that are willing to share the economic and natural resources of the Indian Ocean in a peaceful and harmonious manner without raising contentious hegemonic issues of total or absolute sovereignty or suzerainty unlike the regional and multi-lateral disputes in the South China Sea.

Future Challenges and Opportunities:

We hope that with the newly proposed name and with a new spirit of economic dynamism, AASIO will give run for money to other regional trade groups including the APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Conference), ASEAN plus 3, EAC (East Asian community) and the US led TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership). The AASSIO has potential to develop into a free trade area (FTA) or even into an economic community if the member states have determination to promote regional cooperation without bringing hegemonic ambitions to this grouping. Since neither the US, nor China, and indeed not even Russia or Japan are members of the AASIO, the focus would not be on zero sum geo-political games with economic exploitation as the hidden agenda.

Perhaps, AASIO will also work with the UN and the African Union (AU) countries to recognize the Republic of Somaliland, stabilize the remaining tribal war-torn portions of the southern and Central Somalia while containing and ultimately eliminating the terrorist groups like Al Shabab and al Qaeda in the horn of Africa. Such an approach will tackle the piracy in the Indian Ocean region eventually. Negotiating an extradition treaty among member nations to check piracy would be an important step for future. Similarly, there is a need for establishing a criminal court for expeditiously trying the pirates caught on high seas. The group also must evolve common criteria for arming the civilian crew of merchant shipping firms. International Legal protections will have to be given to the civilian crews if their defensive actions lead to loss of life of suspected pirates. We also hope that the AASSIO would invite the Republic of Somaliland to join the grouping as its 20^th member state in its 12^th meeting when the name change goes into effect de jure.

Dr. Adityanjee is the President, The Council for Strategic Affairs, New Delhi, India

Adityancsa@gmail.com

The Dragon enters the Heaven

The Dragon enters the Heaven

A Adityanjee

E-Mail- adityancsa@gmail.com

http://www.claws.in/index.php?action=master&task=991&u_id=144

China launched an unmanned spacecraft the Shenzhou VIII (literal meaning the “divine vessel”) from the Gobi desert base in the far north-western city of Jiuquan at 5.58 AM on November 1st to carry out an important docking mission scheduled within next two days. This launch was personally witnessed by Chinese Vice-premier Zhang Dejiang along with German and European space experts. The docking finally took place successfully 343 km above the surface of the Earth on November 3rd. The process of docking took 8 minutes and was aided by microwave radars, laser distance measurers and video cameras. The joint assembly will orbit around the Earth for the next 12 days while conducting a number of tests. Earlier, on September 29th, China had launched its first module for the space station named Tiangong-1 literally meaning “The Heavenly Palace”. This Tiangong-1 module weighs 8.5 tons and is expected to stay in space for two years. The launch of Tiangong-1 was also proudly witnessed by the Chinese premier Wen Jiabao personally while the President Hu Jintao watched from a space flight control center in Beijing. The ability to dock successfully was very crucial for the success of the proposed Chinese permanent space station.  All the parts of the docking mechanism and more than 600 onboard instruments were designed and made by Chinese companies both state-owned and privately owned. The space-craft Shenzhou VIII will return to the Earth after separating initially and then carrying out a second docking operation. Incidentally, the Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao watched the docking operation also from an aerospace center in Beijing. China has, now, time-bound plans to develop a manned permanent space station by the year 2020. China, thus became the third space-faring nation after the US and Russia to successfully launch a space portal and build a space station.     The docking technology is hard to perfect because the two space-modules placed in the same orbit and revolving around the Earth at high speed must approach each other without mutual destruction. China decided to launch its own space station after being denied membership of the 16-nation international space station, primarily owing to the US objections. The US was concerned about sharing dual use technology with China owing to opacity and military linkage of Chinese space program. China is playing catch-up game with the US and Russia who achieved these technological capabilities in the 1960s. Following the Shenzhou VIII, there will be two more spacecraft launch missions next year including one manned mission with astronauts staying for up to one month. Two female Chinese astronauts are being trained currently for the proposed mission. China has already trained its astronauts with Russian help. In September 2008, Chinese Astronauts carried out China’s first spacewalk while piloting the Shenzhou VII.   China has also plans to launch a space laboratory before 2016. The proposed Chinese space station will weigh approximately 60 tons when completed in three sections between 2020 and 2022. It will be considerably smaller than the Russian space station Mir and the international space station. Chinese space station will consist of a module, two labs, a cargo ship and a manned rocket. The Shenzhou VIII will serve as the prototype for future Chinese space-ships. China plans more than 20 manned space flights in the next decade.    Exclusive Club of Space Superpowers   China's stated goal is to give itself parity with the other two space-faring superpowers and not be left behind. However, the Chinese space trajectory is going to be much faster. The state-run mouth-piece Global Times while appreciating the launch, highlighted the fact that China was playing a 30 years late catch-up game with the US and Russia. It further said: “But there is no choice. As long as we are determined to rise in the world and pursue rejuvenation, we need to take risks. Otherwise, China will be a nation with prosperity but subordinated to top powers, and such prosperity depends on the attitude of others”. The Global Times editorial did caution about the fiscal implications for China to go to outer space while strongly justifying the need on strategic grounds. It further rationalized: “It is impossible for a destitute China to go to outer space, but without the support of strategic tools, it can not walk far. China's future is destined to be entangled by all kinds of demands and goal. But they need to be well-balanced”.   China is, thus, openly and unabashedly advocating using its space program for strategic purposes in future. Sitting on cash-reserves of two and a half trillion dollars, a self-effacing “destitute” China remains committed to achieving space parity with the other two space super-powers at any fiscal cost.   Space and Military Implications   In January 2007, China tested an anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon against one of its ageing weather satellites orbiting at 500 miles above the earth. The anti-satellite weapon was anon-explosive “kinetic kill vehicle” that destroyed its target by colliding with it. China succeeded in the 4th attempt in the series of ASAT tests. Following the successful interception, there was total silence for two weeks from the Chinese political leadership who did not acknowledged the test. China diplomatically invoked the fig-leaf of communication gap between the central Chinese government and the PLA leadership. Since the Chinese Communist party’s doctrine is that “the party controls the gun”; it was impossible for the Peoples’ Liberation Army to conduct an ASAT test without the approval of Chinese Central government. China has also developed navigation satellite jammers that are equipped to disrupt the GPS. There have been instances of China secretly firing powerful laser weapons to disable the US spy satellites by “blinding” their sensitive surveillance devices and preventing spy photography when they pass over China.  Chinese acquisition of these offensive space military capabilities forced the US to conduct an ASAT test under the garb of saving the earth from the impact of one of its dysfunctional spy satellites. The US glibly claimed that the missile strike on satellite was meant to prevent the toxic 1000-pound hydrazine tank from scattering the debris over populated areas. Clearly, there is an ongoing race amongst the three space super-powers over both militarization as well as weaponization of the space. Both China and Russia have made attempts at Geneva to bolster an international effort to ban weapons in the space in order to corner and contain the US.   South China Sea Paradigm   In the 14the century CE, Chinese eunuch Admiral Ho went on a sea voyage around the Indian and Pacific oceans. Based on these “historical conquests” China wants to control the whole of the “South China Sea” as its own sovereign territory. These medieval sea voyages are also the historical basis behind Chinese so-called legal claims on the islands and atolls in the South China Sea for their mineral and hydrocarbon wealth. China insists on dealing with each of the ASEAN nations bilaterally to resolve these claims instead of dealing with the issue multi-laterally. Based on a similar imperialistic and ancient paradigm of tributary or vassal nations, Communist China has expanded its western borders to include Tibet and East Turkistan (Xinjiang) after the defeat of the Kuomitong (KMT) government. China is desperately trying to get a toe-hold in the Arctic region so that it can lay claims to the arctic mineral wealth.   Dragon’s Divine Right to the Heavenly Space   China’s strategic thinking and behavior is stereotypically “predictably predictable”. Chinese emperors in the middle kingdom were always considered “God-Kings”. Like the South China Sea paradigm, future Chinese Governments, after having achieved space superpower status may start threatening other space-faring nations. It is possible that China in future may invoke the doctrine of “China's Heavenly Space” after having constructed a “Heavenly Palace” that mated successfully with the “divine vessel”. China has used historical precedents to justify its hegemony on both land and the sea; it will reflexively claim Chinese “divine” right to sovereignty over the space as well.    Space as China’s Core issue   The list of core issues for China is ever expanding. Starting with the historical two T’s (Tibet and Taiwan), now it includes Tibet, Taiwan, East Turkistan (China's far-western Xinjiang region), Sovereignty, Splitting the motherland; South China Sea and everything else that China can lay claims on. As the comprehensive national power of China increases, the number of China’s core issues multiplies like a hydra-headed monster. China has a predictable national habit of leaving issues dormant but ambiguous, only to rake them up when China has the power to force  the issue down the throats of strategic adversaries or peer competitors. Of course from the times of Sun Tzu, China, unlike the US likes to win the war without even fighting a battle. It is not merely hypothetical but a very real possibility that China may include access to the space as one of its “Core issues” in future.   Implications of China’s “Heaven” in Space for India   Unlike India’s space program, China has not experienced any major setback in the development of manned space flight technology. One of the recent Indian launches were infected by the Stuxtnet worm that caused malfunction and failure of the launch. China is taking rapid steps to close the space technology gap with the two other space-faring superpowers. China’s ultimate imperialistic ambition  is to be the divine master or the supreme hegemon on the land, sea and the space.  Such a scenario would be very similar to the contemporary situation whereby China now controls the global rare earth metals market single-handedly. China wants to control the access to the space for any other aspiring power but would be content to share the right to denial with the other two space super-powers for the time-being.  China will do everything to limit India’s access to space akin to its clumsy attempts to torpedo Indo-Vietnamese collaboration in the South China Sea for hydro-carbon exploration. China wishes to keep India boxed in forever in the South Asia tinder-box. China is using the 7200 km-range DF-31 nuclear ballistic missiles to target India. These nuclear missiles are being deployed in ever increasing numbers at Delingha in central Qinghai province, only 2000 km from Delhi.    India will have to take serious notice of Chinese space program sooner than later owing to its military and strategic implications. India’s satellites and other space assets face the risk of being destroyed, incapacitated or jammed by The Chinese. ASAT capability allows states that possess it threaten India’s Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (CS4ISR) architecture. In order to achieve strategic parity with the US, china will continue to advance its cyber-war and space war capabilities.  Chinese sham pledges not to proliferate these technologies to its minions are not worth the paper they are written on. Given the historical experience-from nuclear weapons, to ballistic missiles to advanced fighter aircrafts-it is imprudent to dismiss the possibility that China will transfer the space weapons technology to Pakistan.   India will have to master these space weapons capabilities instead of always lagging behind. India must look at military uses of space technologies and must develop her own ASAT capabilities. India will have to increase the budgetary allocation several folds for her space program as matter of urgency. India will have to develop a comprehensive space strategy that incorporates both civilian (read commercial) and strategic components.  The space is indeed spacious enough for Sino-Indian sibling rivalry to play out without either side getting seriously hurt. The Space and its numerous applications are too important to leave to the Chinese Dragon alone to swallow!   Dr. Aditynajee is the President of the Council for Strategic Affairs, New Delhi, India   The views expressed are personal.   Bibliography:   1. Adityanjee: Pining for Paros or Parity: http://www.c3sindia.org/us/193/pining-for-paros-or-parity/   2. Adityanjee: Securing Space on the Table: http://pragati.nationalinterest.in/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/pragati-issue12-march2008-communityed.pdf

ARAB SPRING, ARAB BARBARISM AND THE VICTOR'S JUSTICE

ARAB SPRING, ARAB BARBARISM AND THE VICTOR'S JUSTICE

DR. ADITYANJEE

Once upon a time, a great King-Emperor with global imperial ambitions invaded India, the land of riches. He met with stiff resistance by a brave Hindu king who fought valiantly but was captured. When the victor faced the vanquished, he asked a very pointed question, “how should I treat you”. The vanquished Hindu king replied without batting en eye-lid, “Treat me as one king treats another king”. That was the encounter between Alexander, the great and King Puru or King Porus as the Greeks call him.

In 7^th century CE, Muhammed Bin Qasim attacked the Indian province of Sindh from the west on behalf of the Caliph Umer. He was not successful the first time. Raja Dahir of Sindh was defeated eventually on the 15^th time with stronger force and use of deception. His wife and two daughters Parimal Devi and Suraj Devi were taken as war booty for the Caliph along with thousands of other women and children taken as slaves. The story is recapitulated again in medieval times, when a king, not so great, with global imperial ambitions invaded India again and met with fierce resistance by another brave Hindu king. The Hindu king won the battle and in great Hindu liberal tradition, let the invading king go back to his native land. Next year, the invader attacked again and was defeated and let go. This happened for sixteen consecutive years. The seventeenth year the invading king defeated the Hindu King in Delhi, imprisoned him and took him back to his own capital and there he blinded the defeated Hindu king in both the eyes while keeping him as a prisoner. That was the victor's justice meted to Prithavi Raj Chauhan by Muhammed Ghori.

The fact is that the Arab Imperialism started during the days of Calpih Umer, who had started conquering other countries. Since the days of Caliph Umer, Arab imperialism at its brutal best triumphed over the Asian countries because of its ruthlessness, barbarism and religious (Jihadi) fervor. Arab tribalism combined with ruthlessness, deception and Jihadi fervor created a potent imperialistic empire. The sad history of medieval (Islamic controlled) India is replete with tales of son imprisoning the father and killing the brothers brutally in order to gain the imperial throne. In the land of the pure, Pakistan since partition from India, there has not been any instance of democratic transition in a peaceful manner. Military might and brutal force has been the determinant of outcome from one military dominated regime to the next. The joke goes around, if one general does not go peacefully, he has to go the “Mango Crate” way like General Zia-ul-Haq who died under mysterious circumstances of plane crash caused by lethal gases emanating from the gift of mango crate.

The lot of celebratory noise in the West about the so-called Arab Spring is jarred by the barbarism shown by the victors in the rebellion, be it in Iraq or Libya. At least in case of Saddam Hussain there was a legal trial followed by judicial execution that was marred by jubilation and humiliation of the executed person. In case of Muammar Qadhafi, there are videos circulating on the inter-net with frame by frame analysis that show there was definite torture, sodomization with a stick or combat knife followed by public beatings, cold-blooded killing and shocking display of the dead body of Qadhafi for four and half days like an animal in a meat cold-storage. Whatever he did during his 42 years of despotic and brutal dictatorship is not being condoned here. The legal point is that Qadhafi was captured as a prisoner of war. Torture of POWs is not allowed under the Geneva convention. In this case of torture, NATO countries are complicit because they actively participated in aerial bombings of the Qadhafi convoy while he was trying to escape from Sirte, his home town. It is high time that the leaders of the high priests of international human rights industry, David Cameron and Nicolas Sarkozi are hauled to the ICC in the Hague for their culpability in public torture and degradation of a prisoner of war in the 21^st century.

The Qadhafi torture and killing was sheer re-enactment of the brutal drama that happened in Afghanistan in the nineteen nineties. After the Taliban captured the then Afghanistan president Najibullah, they killed him and mutilated his dead-body by removing his genitals followed by a gory public display of the Najibullah's corpse on a public square. How does the NATO and the West justify such a naked display of barbarism in modern times? Arab culture still remains a tribal culture without modernization. Arabs and their cultural, religious and political descendants have historically displayed brutal barbarism at the time of transfer of power. Peaceful transfer of power in Arab countries is an exception rather than the rule. Arab spring is just simple nonsense being propagated by the Western interests to provide themselves with a fig-leaf in order to control the Arab hydrocarbon riches. The new set of Arab rulers being brought into power in these Arab countries are likely to be as ruthless as the dictators deposed. Already in the Tunisian elections, the Islamists won. The same story will be repeated in the yet to be held Egyptian elections. The Transitional National Council leader in Libya Mustafa Jalil has already gone on record that all the secular laws enacted under Qadhafi will be replaced by Shariat laws. Yemen, Bahrain and Syria are continuing with their genocidal civil war under the garb of Arab spring. There has been definitely brutal and ruthless foreign intervention by the Saudis and Pakistani forces in Bahrain to suppress the rebellion under the benevolent patronage of the West. The middle-east, aka Arab countries are likely remain mired in a permanent civil war of genocidal proportions.

Arab Spring is likely to lead to the eventual take-over of the middle-eastern countries by Islamist forces in the long run replacing the aging dynastic monarchs and military dictators. The new rulers will be more ruthless and more brutal than those who were replaced. With three exceptions (Israel, Iran and Turkey), all the middle-eastern countries are Arab. We witnessed the same phenomenon in Iran in 1979 when the authoritarian regime of Shah Raza Pehlavi was toppled by the Islamic revolution. The new Islamic revolutionary regime headed initially by Ayatollah Khomeini and now by Ayatollah Khamnaei has been more brutal than the Shah Pehlavi. There have been more deaths and killings in Iran since 1979 after the Islamic regime took over as compared to Shah's time. Iran is technically not an Arab country but besides geographic proximity the other common factor is the Shariat law enshrined in the Iranian Islamic regime. In Afghanistan, there was respect for women under the Soviet sponsored communists and even under the Najibullah regime. Once the Taliban took over, the women were relegated to the Burqa and lost all their dignity and independence. Even under the so-called democratic regime of Hamid Karzai sponsored by the US the Afghan women have continued to languish behind the Burqa without any civil or human rights. The kingdom of Saudi Arabia still does not allow women to drive independently. In the next decade, the middle-east is unlikely to be a modern and civilized place with respect for human rights and devoid of barbarism and authoritarianism.

The neo-cons and arch-conservatives like Charles Krauthammer in the US have justified the treatment meted to Qadhafi by rationalizing that he brought it upon himself. Western governments including the US have rationalized these brutalities as the “fog of war” knowing fully well that they have both responsibility and culpability. The political neo-liberals and the leftists in India will continue to rationalize and defend the Arab barbarism and the Islamist imperialism using sophistry and the silly doctrine of “secular fundamentalism”. India needs to brace herself for renewed terror assaults from her Western land borders and coasts by yet more Jihadi terrorists because they will be launched not just from the safe havens in Pakistan but also from the newly installed Islamist regimes all over the Middle-east and South-West Asia under the garb of Arab Spring. Time has come to call a spade a spade. There are cultural differences in various parts of the world including the middle-east and South-West Asia. Let us not forget what George Santayana said once: “Those who fail to learn from the lessons of history are condemned to repeat it”.

Recognizing Somaliland by Dr. Adityanjee

Recognizing Somaliland

by Dr. Adityanjee

http://www.boloji.com/index.cfm?md=Content&sd=Articles&ArticleID=11553 India made history when she liberated and recognized the Republic of Bangladesh despite fierce international opposition from some of the cold-war superpowers. India took that strategic step because that was the right thing to do and suited India’s long-term geopolitical interests as well as international humanitarian concerns. Though the doctrine of international intervention for safeguarding the responsibility to protect had not been codified by the UNGA or the UNSC at that time; India did act according to the spirit of the responsibility to protect (R2P). Time has come for India to assert herself yet again and recognize diplomatically the break-away Republic of Somaliland on the horn of Africa. It suits India’s geopolitical interests as well as the international humanitarian concerns. Lack of a functioning central government in Somalia since the ouster of the Muhammed Siad Barre’ government on January 26 1991 has led to anarchy, clan/tribal warfare and war-lordism. There was an international intervention by George HW Bush in 1992 but the Americans over-extended themselves, got a humiliating defeat and left in hurry. Since then various regional powers have intervened for upholding their narrow interests. Ethiopian invasion in 2006, backed by the US created Al Shabab (literal meaning “the youth”). Somali civil war has killed approximately half a million people. Somalia has become a fertile ground for recruitment by Al Qaeda and it local proxy Al Shabab. There is no peace in Somalia. There is no functioning government in the central and southern Somalia. Somali pirates have created an havoc in the Indian ocean and normal commerce has been affected owing to ongoing hijacking of merchant ships and their predominantly Asian and Indian crews. Ransom has been paid numerous times on behalf of shipping companies, national governments and NGO to free up the kidnapped crew members of merchant ships. Al Shabab and Al Qaeda have noted with vengeance the Indian vigilance and naval patrolling in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden and have vowed to target Indian interests. The Somali pirates are now routinely making forays into Indian territorial waters and Indian Exclusive Economic sea zone. Some of these pirates have euphemistically called themselves as the self-styled “Volunteer Coast Guards of Somalia”. They have brought misery to numerous middle class Indian families who have become victims of their extreme ruthlessness and greed for money (running into millions of dollars). Somali pirates have openly targeted India and refused to release any Indian sailors till their fellow Somali pirates under Indian custody are released. Make no mistakes, these pirates are the naval wing of the nascent Islamic Emirate of Somalia under the tutelage of Al Qaeda and shepherded by Al Shabab. Beheading adversaries, chopping off hands, stoning women and girls to death, banning music, and implementing a strict Wahabi Islamic law is the ultimate aim of Al Shabab. UN sponsored “state building” and “peace keeping” have failed in Somalia which is now a lawless, failed nation with ongoing genocide. In 2001 the wise and brave Somali-landers held a constitutional referendum and broke away from the failed state of Somalia. Republic of Somaliland is poor but an oasis of peace in the horn of Africa. The newly emerged nation has few natural resources and its limited exports primarily include fish and livestock. They have adopted all the democratic ways and have held multiple elections at local, parliamentary and presidential elections since then.  Last presidential elections were held in June 2010 leading to peaceful and orderly transfer of power when the incumbent president was rejected by the electorate. Somalia as a unified nation did not exist before 1947. Somaliland was a British protectorate and a paper colony and the rest of Somalia an Italian colony. India must not shed her tears for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the failed state of Somalia which was essentially the creation of the imperialists. Time has come for India to not only diplomatically recognize the democratically elected government of the break-away Republic of Somaliland but also enter into a formal strategic partnership agreement with that country analogous to the same with Afghanistan. A bilateral friendship treaty between the two nations for a minimum duration of ninety nine years needs to be signed. India needs to obtain a naval base in the Gulf of Aden in one of the sea ports of the Republic of Somaliland to provide naval surveillance to our merchant ships as well as Indian nationals working as crew members in international marine merchant ships. India needs to assert her leadership in the region and not wait for international community to act. India must lead the international community in birth of this new nation and prevent the lawlessness and havoc created by the pirates of Somalia. India must learn from her mistakes of missed geopolitical opportunities and inaction in the past. It is better to act now instead of letting the situation drift and allow hostile Asian nations upstage India yet again. India must take a pro-active approach strategically vis-à-vis diplomatic recognition of the Democratic Republic of Somaliland and defeat the hostile intentions of Al Qaeda and Al Shabab. India will safeguard her maritime security and long-term strategic interests in the Indian Ocean region by offering diplomatic recognition to the new nation of the Republic of Somaliland.

20-Oct-2011

CHIPNOKISS: The axis of proliferation and the art of deception

The axis of Proliferation and the art of deception

The axis of Proliferation and the art of deception

A Adityanjee

E-Mail- adityan@pol.net

http://www.claws.in/index.php?action=master&task=964&u_id=144 An “evil” axis of nuclear proliferation has been sculpted very carefully by germinating an anti-India seed, the likes of which still have not been seen by the international community. We need to take notice of it and work multilaterally to prevent further strengthening of this evil axis of nuclear proliferation. These nations have proliferated nuclear weapons both horizontally and vertically even as they have been members (and otherwise) of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT). Each member of this axis has very beautifully and skillfully deployed the art of deception to camouflage their internationally illicit nuclear proliferation activities. Barring one, almost all the members of this evil axis had originally signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. This evil axis of nuclear proliferation can best be described by the newly coined acronym: CHI.P.NOK.I.S.S. It stands for CHIna, Pakistan, NOrth Korea, Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia. The fountainhead of the group is the Peoples' Republic of China that stealthily proliferated nuclear weapons technology before it finally joined the NPT in 1992. It gifted Pakistan 50 kilogrammes of heavily enriched uranium, gave 10 tonnes of UF6 (natural) and 5 tons of UF6 (3 per cent), provided it with nuclear weapons designs and let them use the Chinese nuclear testing site Lon Nor for a nuclear test before 1990. China also assisted the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission in setting up UF6 plant, production reactor for plutonium and reprocessing plant. Some of these facts have recently been acknowledged by the now reviled Pakistani scientist Dr A Q Khan in a letter to his Dutch wife Henny. After having signed and acceded to the NPT rather late in the game, the non-proliferation track record of China has hardly come up to international measure. Saudi Arabia too has been funding Pakistan's nuclear programme for the last three decades and will pay Pakistan further in hard cash for extended deterrence. It also has the ability to pay cash on the spot for ready-made nuclear weapons ordered from Pakistan.   The story does not end here. China initially proliferated to Pakistan, and then through it proliferated to other countries such as North Korea and Libya. Libya came clean to the IAEA in the last decade to prevent US intervention. Documents turned in by the Libyan government to the IAEA included Chinese nuclear weapons designs. Syria received nuclear designs from North Korea and a secret Syrian nuclear reactor under construction was bombed by Israel in 2007 without any response from Syria.    Unfortunately, the international community made a scapegoat out of AQ Khan, putting all blame of proliferation on him, but condoned the role played by China and Pakistan. In the letter to his wife, Dr A Q Khan clearly states: “You know we had cooperation with China for 15 years. We put up a centrifuge plant at Hanzhong. We sent 135 C-130 planeloads of machines, inverters, valves, flow-meters, pressure gauges. Our teams stayed there for weeks to help and their teams stayed here for weeks at a time. Late minister Liu We, VM Li Chew, vice minister Jiang Shengjie used to visit us.”    The nuclear proliferation activities of this evil axis have not stopped even now. At this critical juncture, any further leakage of nuclear weapons or nuclear materials from the CHIPNOKISS into hands of Al Qaeda or other terrorist groups must be prevented at any cost. This fascinating saga of deception has been painstakingly chronicled in three recent books, i.e. “Deception” by Adrian Levy & Catherine Scott-Clark, “The Inheritance” by David Sanger and “Peddling Peril” by David Albright. For sake of brevity we would refer the readers to these three thoroughly researched books on this dreadful story of ongoing deception.   We currently witness that Iran and North Korea are continuing to defy world opinion with uncommon belligerence owing to the protective extended umbrella provided by China. North Korea is preparing for more nuclear tests. Iran too, is angling for its first nuclear test having amassed enough heavy enriched uranium. Iran has indulged in a game of diplomacy and obfuscation since early 2003 when it engaged in the quartet talks with Europeans as a delaying tactic. As the patron state of the CHIPNOKISS, China has overzealously guarded its minions whenever they had run-ins with the international community.    Unfortunately, the PRC has usurped its position as a member of N5 of the NPT and the P5 of UNSC to deflect serious and effective action against the other members while portraying a facade of diplomacy. The six-party talks were a Chinese game-plan to frustrate the efforts by international community to contain the North Korean nuclear proliferation problem. The results were entirely opposite. Similarly, the four-plus one formula (Germany, France, UK and UN) to deal with Iran floundered because of covert support and encouragement by the PRC of the Ayatollah-cracy in Iran. While maintaining a diplomatic charade, the PRC has enabled all these rogue nations in subverting the international non-proliferation regimes presenting fait accompli to the entire world.   Of course, now that the PRC is talking about giving a civil nuclear energy deal to Pakistan, analogous to the US-India civil nuclear energy agreement. While China tried to stop this in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), it was eventually forced to support the US-India nuclear energy agreement under US pressure in the NSG. It would be utterly ludicrous and unreasonable for China to expect reciprocity from the US in the NSG. Both China and Pakistan are vertical and horizontal proliferators of both nuclear and missile technologies to rogue regimes. It is just another instance of an abrasive resurgent China using one of its "all-weather supplicant states" to make a larger point on the world stage about its present power and the universal appeasement that follows its deliberate provocations. Therefore, containment and partial denuclearisation, and not appeasement should be the strategic response of the Obama administration.   This axis of nuclear proliferation is likely to integrate Myanmar into its essential core. Myanmar is learning fast lessons from North Korea and is eyeing nuclear weapons as deterrence against any possible international intervention. Both North Korea and China are helping Myanmar to develop a secret nuclear programme. The other candidate countries for addition to this axis of evil would be Bangladesh and Sudan. Bangladesh is trying to get nuclear reactors from both Russia and China. While it is unable to exploit its natural hydrocarbon resources completely, and is unwilling to sell them to India, it does not have any dire need for nuclear energy in near future. Just like Iran, it is deceptively posturing for the civil nuclear energy façade in order to develop the nuclear weapons capability. If international community continues to let this axis grow unhindered, the world would witness nuclear blackmail as the diplomatic currency for all times to come. The civilized world would not be able to deal with the terrorism, drug-wars and criminality because of the threats of retaliation by nuclear weapons from non-state actors.    A fresh start must be made by the international community led by the IAEA in denuclearising North Korea and Pakistan. Without defanging these two unstable and dangerous nuclear nations, no further progress would be made in preventing future nuclear proliferation. Pakistan has already propounded the theory of neo-nuclear apartheid. As seductive it may be to the liberal European nations of the international community, the ground realities require internationally supervised denuclearisation of Pakistan despite Chinese and Pakistani objections. Nuclear disarmament must start with Pakistan, North Korea and Iran. Once that is achieved, continued economic pressure on Iran will prevent it from crossing the threshold. Iran must be prevented, at any cost, from crossing the nuclear Lakshman Rekha. Another unstable, theocratic Muslim country with nuclear weapons in our extended neighbourhood is not in India's long-term geo-political interests. Certainly, India must prevent herself from being sandwiched between a nuclear Pakistan and a nuclear Bangladesh.    India has always advocated total, universal, time-bound and verifiable elimination of nuclear weapons. It is not too late for the international community to adopt and implement the Rajiv Gandhi plan of 1988. Pragmatically speaking, total zero is very far away and remains a distant fuzzy dream.   Dr Adityanjee is President, the Council for Strategic Affairs, New Delhi   (The views expressed in the article are that of the author and do not represent the views of the editorial committee or the centre for land warfare studies).

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Mr. Prime Minister, extradite Warren Anderson -- DR. ADITYANJEE

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Mr. Prime Minister, extradite Warren Anderson -- DR. ADITYANJEE

http://intellibriefs.blogspot.com/2010/06/mr-prime-minister-extradite-warren.html

from A. Adityanjee 
date Sat, Jun 12, 2010 at 3:02 PM


http://vivekajyoti.blogspot.com/2010/06/mr-prime-minister-extradite-warren.html

BY DR. ADITYANJEE
President,
Council for Strategic Affairs,
New Delhi

Dear Dr. Manmohan Singh,

Justice delayed is justice denied. Bhopal gas tragedy legal verdict came and went. A few corporate executives of UCIL who were Indian citizens got a slap on the wrist and obtained bails. They got convicted precisely because they were Indian citizens. They would have escaped justice if they were “white skinned, blue-eyed Americans”, just like Mr. Warren Anderson. The fugitive former CEO of Union Carbide against whom a red corner Interpol warrant is still pending was not even tried as both the Government of India and the US Administration ostensibly claim that Anderson’s whereabouts are not known. Justice was not done deliberately.

Justice was not done because of the collusion of the Government of India in a massive cover-up scheme. Justice was not done because of the collusion of the US Administration as both these governments claim that the whereabouts of Warren Anderson are not known! Looks like that Pakistan learned a lesson in obfuscation from the US administration when it claims that the whereabouts of Al Qaeda CEO Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda Managing Director Ayman Al-Zawahiri are not known. There does not seem to be much difference. Al Qaeda killed 3000 people in New York City on 9/11. Union Carbide killed more than 20,000 people in Bhopal City in 1984.

In both cases the perpetrators-in-chief are absconding from justice. In one case the Government of Pakistan has given unofficial shelter, nay, sanctuary to the Al Qaeda terrorists. In other case the US Administration has given a safe haven to Warren Anderson in the plush New York Suburb of Hamptons where Mr. Warren Anderson lives in a $900,000 luxurious home.

Mr. Prime Minister, you want the Indian parliament to pass the “Civil Liability for Nuclear Damages Bill” without further delay to please your American counterparts. You want Indian parliament to sign away the sovereignty of the Indian judicial system to the US and other International nuclear suppliers because the Indian lives are cheap. You want to cap the damages at Rs 500 Crores. How low can you sink, Mr. Prime Minister.

Please remember Mr. Prime Minister the Chernobyl and Three Miles Island Nuclear accidents. The clean-up operations for these nuclear accidents costed billions of dollars. Why don’t you pass a bill with no upper limit caps on damages for the nuclear reactor suppliers? Let the judiciary decide in case of an accident in future. If their nuclear reactors are safe, they will enter into business contracts, if not they will not sign these contracts.

Mr. Prime Minister, please remember that the US department of justice under Obama Administration has already initiated criminal proceedings against the British Petroleum for wrong-doings in the deep sea well oil leak in the gulf of Mexico. The US government wants the BP to pay for the clean-up and all other civil, criminal and environmental damages. Are there going to be two sets of rules for the US and India for industrial accidents? Do you really think that Indian lives are so cheap, Mr. Prime Minister? Who do you represent Mr. Prime Minister, India or the USA?

Before you welcome Barrack Hussain Obama on Indian soil in November 2010, Mr. Prime Minister, get Warren Anderson judicially extradited to India after making a personal intervention with Mr. Obama on telephone. If you can not do this extradition judicially, emulate the Americans and try for an “extra-ordinary rendition” that the US Government has been doing all along with the jihadi terrorists.

If you can not do either of these things, please resign, Mr. Prime Minister as you are a disgrace on Indian sovereignty!

DR. ADITYANJEE
President,
Council for Strategic Affairs,
New Delhi

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TIBET TODAY, TAIWAN TOMORROW?

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TIBET TODAY, TAIWAN TOMORROW? Adityanjee President, Council for Strategic Affairs, New Delhi e-mail: adityan@pol.net  http://www.ipcs.org/article/china/tibet-today-taiwan-tomorrow-2531.html The latest Taiwanese presidential elections, characterized by a high voter turnout of 76 per cent, brought the opposition Kuomintang Nationalist Party (KMT) back to power in Taiwan. The KMT candidate Ma Ying-jeou won by 58 per cent of the votes against the 42 per cent obtained by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) candidate, Frank Hsieh. Taiwanese voters were more concerned with corruption scandals during eight years of DPP rule under Chen Shui-bian. Both the DPP and KMT sponsored referendum proposals on UN membership were defeated. In January 2008, the KMT had won the Taiwanese parliamentary elections with three-fourths of the parliamentary seats. Former president Lee Teng-hui of KMT had supported DPP's Hsieh anticipating that KMT will control both the presidency and the legislature if Hsieh lost, creating a dangerous imbalance of power. Recent Chinese repression in Tibet forced even Ma Ying-jeou to call for boycott of Beijing Olympics. Earlier he had called for a peace treaty with China and a three point program for closer ties. DPP and Hsieh had used the last few days of campaigning to highlight Taiwanese outrage over China's brutal repression in Tibet. Hsieh had warned that similar Chinese repression could be anticipated in Taiwan in case the proposed process of reunification goes ahead. Turmoil in Tibet touched the Taiwanese citizens but it did not alter the outcome of the election. In a sense Tibet demonstrated to Taiwanese voters what "peaceful reunification with the mainland" would mean in case the KMT were to sign a peace treaty with the PRC. In 1996, China had lobbed missiles across the Taiwan Strait prior to Taiwanese elections. This time, premier Wen Jiabao had threatened the Taiwanese voters against passing the referendum to join UN warning of dire consequences. Two US aircraft carriers had positioned themselves in the Taiwan Strait to prevent the repeat of 1996 Chinese behavior. Outgoing President Chen Shui-bian had restricted Taiwanese investment in China during his eight year rule in order to reduce the island's dependence on its giant and expansionist neighbor. Ma has proposed a more conciliatory policy with China compared to Hsieh who accepted the DPP's Taiwanese independence platform. Although both the US and China have cautiously welcomed Ma's election, next four years would continue to be tricky for the China-Taiwan relationship with possible freezing of the status quo. Ma wishes to open up more people to people linkages across Taiwan Strait while not agreeing for reunification. He wants to lower fiscal barriers to Taiwanese investment on the mainland China and would start direct air and maritime services with the mainland. Ma is also interested in expanding the China-Taiwan high-tech collaboration. Taiwanese businessmen already have invested US$100 billion in China. It is unlikely that in current charged atmosphere with suspicion about China's intentions being heightened, there will be a peace treaty signed in the next 2-3 years. There is a remote possibility of fiscal disinvestment in view of changed perception of China resulting from the Chinese repression of Tibetan protestors. The cross-Straits ties would be further strained if Ma carries his threat of boycott of the Beijing Olympics. In the hypothetical scenario that Taiwanese disinvestment of US$100 billion from China does become a reality India needs to exploit that opportunity for investments into its physical infra-structure that needs approximately US$300 billion of new capital. Though India does not have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, it does have commercial relations. Indo-Taiwanese economic relationship needs to be strengthened as Taiwan is an Asian democracy with the rule of common law and a respect for human rights. Taiwan currently has a foreign exchange reserves worth US$277 billion. Taiwan has toyed with the idea of starting a Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF). There is no existing security threat to India from Taiwan and hence SWF capital from Taiwan should be acceptable without the risk of industrial espionage, theft of trade secrets or potential loss of intellectual property rights. India's private sector needs to explore ways as to how Taiwanese capital could be tapped in joint Indo-Taiwanese business ventures. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, and Wipro could explore joint-ventures between Indian High-tech sector and the Taiwanese hardware companies. Indian tourism sector can get a tremendous boost if we can promote the Buddhism Tourism Circuit to the cash-surplus Taiwanese besides the Japanese tourists. Indian civil society and Indian business community need to leverage the "soft power" of India and her civilizational assets in forging strong people to people as well as economic, and mercantile relationships with Taiwan. If China can accept FDI from Taiwan, so should India. If India can attract flow of "clean" capital without "geopolitical" strings attached, it will be welcomed by Taiwan which currently has surplus of it. It will be a win-win game for both India and Taiwan as Taiwan will get a good and trust-worthy economic partner with rule of law in lieu of China, should Taiwanese businessman decide to disinvest from China. As they say, the only business of the business is to do business. Taiwan is a ripe candidate for doing business with.

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