Tag: Pakistan Elections

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-8

About: the world this week, 18 February 2024 to 24 February 2024; Israel in Rafah; Gone Alexei Navalny; Pakistan Government combine; Sandeshkhali; Indian Cricket – Ashwin and Jaiswal; Indian Women’s Badminton -Anmol.

Everywhere

Israel is preparing to mount a ground invasion of Rafah – the last place of relative safety – in Southern Gaza. It hopes to significantly damage Hamas’ remaining capabilities by continuing its full-scale military operations in the Gaza Strip, and making it safe for start of the ground operation. And rescue of 130 hostages.

Meanwhile, there are unconfirmed reports that, as a contingency move, Egypt is preparing, an area at the Gaza border, which could accommodate Palestinians in case an Israeli offensive into Rafah prompts an exodus across the frontier.

Israel has served an ultimatum to Hamas to release all hostages before the holy Muslim month of Ramadan to avert an attack on Rafah. That’s about five weeks away.

This week, the United Nations (UN) Security Council failed to adopt a resolution calling for a humanitarian ceasefire in the Middle East. The United States vetoed calls for an immediate ceasefire. Amid intense fighting, the UN says, people in Gaza face starvation, disease, and death as the humanitarian situation nears total collapse.

The situation is grim but then, all that is required is for Hamas to release all the hostages – held since 7 October 2023 – which should bring the war to an end.

On the other war, this week marks the second year of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Two years have passed since Russia’s unprovoked full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022. The military stalemate between the countries appears to be continuing without any end in sight. And the mind-boggling, unimaginable hardship of people of Ukraine continues.

Late last week, in Russia, Alexei Navalny, 47, former lawyer and President Vladimir Putin’s most formidable domestic opponent, fell unconscious and died after a walk at the ‘Polar Wolf’ Arctic Penal Colony where he was serving a 19 year prison sentence. The icy ICK-3 Prison in the Siberian region of Yamal-Nenets, 2000 kilometres from Moscow is where Navalny spent the last few weeks of his life.

The death of Navalny robs the Russian opposition of its most prominent leader as Putin prepares for an election, which would keep him in power until at least the year 2030.

Last year, a Russian court convicted Alexei Navalny on charges of extremism, handing him a sentence of 19 years in prison. Navalny was at that time already serving a 9 year jail term, on varieties of charges, that he says were politically motivated. The extremism charges are related to the activities of Navalny’s anti-corruption foundation and statements by his top associates. It was his fifth criminal conviction and his third and longest prison term – all of which his supporters say are a deliberate Russian strategy to silence Navalny.

Alexi Navalny rose to prominence as a fierce critic of President Putin more than a decade ago. He documented and publicly spoke about what he said was the vast corruption and opulence among the ‘crooks and thieves’ running Russia. He skilfully combined the use of social media with traditional campaigning, political organising and personal charisma to build a network of offices, and a political media machine. Subsequently, his movement was outlawed, members arrested, and most of his team now lives, in exile, in Europe.

Navalny earned admiration from Russia’s Opposition for voluntarily returning to Russia in 2021 from Germany, where he had been treated for what Western laboratory tests showed was an attempt to poison him with a nerve agent. Navalny said he was poisoned in Siberia in August 2020, which Russia denies. Navalny was also physically attacked at least two times: a suspected poisoning attempt when he was in jail in 2019, and an assault in 2017 in which a green liquid was thrown in his face that nearly blinded him. Despite the harsh prison conditions he maintained a presence online and his team continued to publish investigations into Russia’s corrupt elite, from exile.

In Moscow, at a memorial to the victims of Russia’s political repression in the shadow of the former KGB headquarters, some people laid roses and carnations.

One note read: “Alexei Navalny – we remember you.”

People were warned not to take part in any mass meetings in Moscow. Supporters arranged meetings to honour Navalny in London, Paris, Oslo, Rome, Brussels, Berlin, Geneva, Prague, Yerevan, Tbilisi, and Vilnius.

Navalny is married to Yulia Abrosimova, and had two children, daughter Darya and son Zakhar. His last word to his wife Yulia on Valentine’s Day was, “Baby, you and I have everything, just like in the song: cities, airfield lights, blue snowstorms and thousands of kilometres between us. But I feel that you are near me every second, and I love you more and more”- A popular Soviet-era tune.

Yulia has vowed to carry-on the fight against Putin’s Russia. “In killing Alexei, Putin has killed half of me. Half of my heart and half of my soul. But there is another half of me, and it tells me that I have no right to give in. I will continue Alexei Navalny’s work, I will continue the struggle for our country,” she said.

After weeks of wrangling, Pakistan’s two dynastic parties, the army-backed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), have reached a power-sharing agreement. Shehbaz Sharif, the brother of former Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif, will be Prime Minister – he carries on with the job – and Asif Ali Zardari – he returns to the job, he once held – the husband of assassinated former PM Benazir Bhutto will be President. All this, while another former PM Imran Khan cools his heels in jail, and whose Party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-insaf (PTI) backed independents won the majority of seats but were unable to cobble together a Government.

If elections in Pakistan are a step forward, what transpires during the elections and after the results are declared, is often many steps backward. With the same kind of people getting together in various permutations and combinations, Pakistan does not seem to be moving in the right direction at all.

Over the past week, the word Sandeshkhali was on the lips of most of India. Sandeshkhali is a village in the Sundarbans, North 24 Parganas District of West Bengal State. Why is it in the news?

Sandeshkhali has been on the edge and ‘boiling’ over allegations of harassment and sexual exploitation by local Trinamool Congress (TMC) Party – the ruling Party in West Bengal – leaders, especially a TMC leader called Shahjahan Sheik. He was seen to be wielding great power, popularity, and influence in the village, even more than the Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) or the Member of Parliament (MP), or even the Police, of the area.

The ‘can of worms’ began emerging last month, when the Enforcement Directorate (ED) reached Shahjahan’s residence to interrogate him in connection with a probe into a Ration scam. A mob that had gathered at the place thrashed and chased away the ED Officials following which Shahjahan absconded – going into hiding. Using the ‘breakthrough opportunity’ villagers, especially women, of Sandeshkhali have found courage to speak out against the many horrific crimes of Shahjahan and his aides — Shibu Hazra and Uttam Sardar. The allegations are that women were sexually assaulted in Sandeshkhali, often at gun point, and his men had usurped their lands to set up prawn farms. And that tribal people were forcibly made to transfer their lands, by the TMC leader.

Women came out in the streets, in large numbers, saying, “In Sandeshkhali, TMC workers have been raping women for months now – Sheikh Shahjahan, Shibu Hajra, and Uttam Sardar are raping them. We had come to the Police peacefully with the demand to arrest them. If they do not arrest them in Sandeshkhali, how will the women in Sandeshkhali gain confidence?”

Shahjahan, also known as Bhai, has had an incredible journey. He started off in the year 1999 as a trekker driver, who doubled as a conductor at times, and also worked as a vegetable vendor at the local market. Not much is known of his family or his education. It was thanks to his uncle, Moslem Sheikh, a local Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader, that Shahjahan got a break in politics, getting himself elected as a Panchayat Pradhan. After Sheikh gave Shahjahan his first breakthrough, he started looking after the local fish trade.

Later in 2013 he switched his political affiliation, aligning with the ruling TMC. And built his own faction within the party, in which role he carried various tasks in the party hierarchy including, ‘doing all that is required’ to win elections.

As the years passed by Shahjahan accumulated wealth of untold proportions, such as three palatial houses. Allegations of land grabbing; collecting a cut from every fish trader in the area; forcing villagers to give up their wages and welfare payments; running an illegal cross-border trade, and the kind, are doing the rounds. Shahjahan’s rise to the top saw him embroiled in criminal cases with the police having registered several cases against him – from extortion to assault to even murder. In 2020, he was accused of double-murder of two Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders.

The National Commission for Women (NCW), whose team visited the area, in a damning report, has highlighted widespread fear and systematic abuse in Sandeshkhali, implicating both police officers and the TMC.

Late last week, India’s cricket off-spinner Ashwin Ravichandran became only the second Indian bowler, after another Indian spinner, Anil Kumble (619 wickets) to take 500 Test wickets. This, when he got rid of England’s opening batsman, Zak Crawley, on the 2nd day of the third India-England Test Match at Rajkot, India.

In the 500 wicket league, Ashwin is the 9th bowler and 2nd fastest (98 Tests) to reach the milestone, behind Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan who did it in 87 Tests. Ashwin is also the third all-rounder and first Indian with 500 test wickets & 3,000 runs ‘under his cricket cap’.

In the game of cricket, records keep tumbling every time a match is played – at every turn of the ball and heave of the bat!

Then came along another star. This time in batting, in the same Rajkot Test.

Newcomer, 22 year old Yashasvi Jaiswal made an unbeaten, scintillating 214 runs (off 236 balls) along with Safaraz Khan’s unbeaten 68, in a 172-run fifth wicket partnership to take India to 430 for 4 wickets-declared. Chasing an improbable target of 557 England collapsed to 122 – All Out on day 4, due to a fiery spell of bowling by Ravindra Jadeja who took 5 wickets giving away only 41 runs. India leads the 5 match series, 2-1. Now some statistics.

Yashasvi Jaiswal became the first player to smash 22 sixes in a cricket test series – a hat-rick of sixes too. He becomes the first Indian to hit maximum sixes in a test innings and to get to his 3rd 150 runs in just seven Test Matches. He is the third youngest player to score two Test double-centuries behind Vinod Kambli and the great Don Bradman. He is the first Indian batsman (and third overall ) to convert his first 3 tons into 150 plus scores. He is the third Indian after Kambli and Virat Kholi to hit 200s in two successive tests…that’s a breathtaking list of records, already!

Jaiswal’s success story is amazing and truly inspirational.

The son of a small shop-keeper in Suriyawan, Bhadohi Village, Uttar Pradesh State, Yashasvi Jaiswal moved to Mumbai at the age of 10, on the advice of his seniors who detected his cricket talent. Jaiswal’s uncle put him up in a Dairy shop where he worked in the morning and was also allowed to stay. Unable to work in the evening, after cricket practice, the Owner kicked him out. Jaiswal then found shelter in Azad Maidan – a sports ground formerly known as Bombay Gymkhana Maidan, which has about 22 cricket pitches – in a Muslim United Sport Club Tent. Here it was a tremendous struggle, without bathroom facilities or electricity, and being forced to cook for others in the Tent. He used to sell pani puri outside Azad Maidan to earn money at night besides playing matches at the club. His life changed when Jwala Singh, a well-known local coach in Mumbai, found him and took responsibility for providing him with shelter, coaching, and mentoring.

Jaiswal’s fortunes looked-up when he was selected for the Under-19 World Cup in 2020, which was a turning-point. He dominated the Under-19 World Cup, smashing five 50s and finishing as the highest run-getter. He translated his World Cup success into an Indian Premier League (IPL) bid of INR 2.40 Crore, then thrived with 625 runs in 14 matches for the Rajasthan Royals.

“In India, when growing up you work hard for everything… I have done that since my childhood. And I know how important every innings is and that’s why I really work hard in the practice sessions”. Great wisdom on young shoulders!

Meanwhile, in Malaysia, Indian Women scaled a historic peak by winning the Badminton Asia Team Championship (BATC) with a 3-2 victory against Thailand in the final in Shah Alam. India’s ace player P V Sindhi gave a winning start to the team, but the teams played-on to tie at 2-2. Then, 17 year old teen shuttler Anmol Kharb clinched the deciding match for India with a 21-14, 21-9 convincing win over World No. 45, Pornpicha Choeikeewong. Anmol was on her first international tour and ranked 472 in the world. She displayed the proverbial nerves of steel and played like a seasoned campaigner. The rest, they say, is history.

Anmol Kharb is the 2023 Indian National Badminton Champion – Women’s Singles. She hails from Faridabad in Haryana State and initially played for the Dayanand Public School, Faridabad, before shifting bases to Noida at the Sunrise Shuttlers Academy under coach Kusumm Singh, a former national-level peer of Olympic medallist Saina Nehwal and Ashwini Ponnappa.

India is in safe ‘young hands’ – working awfully hard all the time.

More heart-warming success stories coming-up in the weeks ahead. Leave your tent, work hard, play the game of your life, and stay with World Inthavaaram.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-7

About: the world this week, 11 February 2024 to 17 February 2024; Israel rescues; Elections results in Pakistan, and Indonesia; India negotiates prisoners with Qatar; 1% of India’s farmers agitate; and India’s Electoral Bonds Scheme is struck down.

Everywhere

This week, Israel rescued two hostages in a deadly stealth operation in Rafah, Southern Gaza. This is the first successful rescue mission since the 7th October massacre of Israelis by Hamas Terrorists and should be a huge boost to Israel’s ‘lonely’, relentless efforts to bring home all the hostages kidnapped on that fateful day. There are about 130 of them still out there.

After Israeli intelligence identified a building in Rafah in which two hostages were held, Elite Commandos stormed a house and extracted the hostages after killing three terrorists guarding them. Within minutes, the Israeli Air Force carried out a massive air-strike providing cover for the hostages to be safely taken to an armoured vehicle and then onto a waiting military helicopter. The two Israeli hostages rescued were Fernando Simon Marman, 60, and Louis Har, 70, who were ‘taken’ from Kibbutz, Nir Yitzhak.

Israel also discovered a baffling network of the ‘signature tune’ Hamas underground tunnels beneath the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), which served as a command centre for the terrorists and also held the hostages. This is another damning find on the Hamas-complicit actions of UNRWA operating for decades in the Gaza Strip. Later, Israel promptly blew-up the Headquarters!

The final results of last week’s General Elections in Pakistan were out, amid reports of massive rigging and delays in counting of votes due to multiple reasons that’s possible only in Pakistan. The Election was dubbed as the most rigged (in favour of PML-N) election in the history of Pakistan. And the first reaction, to the outcome, is that this is something the Pakistan Army would not like at all.

Neither former Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) with 75 seats, nor the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, son of assassinated former premier Benazir Bhutto, with 54 seats won enough seats to form a government on their own. Independent candidates backed by former PM Imran Khan represent the largest group, with 93 of the 264 parliamentary seats declared.

The results shocked many, who had expected the showing of Imran Khan’s supporters to be severely dampened by an intense crackdown on Imran Khan and his party. But Khan cannot become PM as he is in jail and his grouping cannot form a government as they nominally ran as independents as his party the Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was barred from contesting the Elections. Analysts think the election results indicate voters’ protest against perceptions of the country’s powerful military’s involvement in politics, which, of course, the military denies. That adds to the political instability, given the military’s strong historic role in the security and foreign affairs of Pakistan.

“Pakistan has been on a slippery slope for some time but a mild one. The slope is now much stiffer,” said a South Asia expert. “The military will most likely be able to manage the situation for some time, but the political situation is likely to be less and less stable”.

Former PM Shehbaz Sharif-Nawaz Sharif’s brother-is likely to lead a coalition that is being stitched together, as the new Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Now, on to another Election, this time in Indonesia.

Unofficial tallies in Indonesia’s Presidential Election show Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto taking a commanding lead. An official result is not expected until several weeks after the vote.

Prabowo Subianto, 72, is in pole position to be Indonesia’s next leader. He is a former special forces commander, and in recent times has cultivated the persona of a more charismatic statesman than the fiery, pious nationalist he earlier portrayed. He is from an elite Indonesian family and once the son-in-law of late Indonesian strongman dictator, President Suharto.

Subianto was dismissed from the military amid speculation of rights abuses, exiled in Jordan, and once banned from the United States over his alleged dark past. He is also accused of involvement in the kidnapping of student activists in 1998 and human rights abuses in Papua and East Timor.

Subianto lost in the previous two Presidential Elections to incumbent Joko Widodo who is hugely popular, but unable to run for a third term, in keeping with the ‘maximum two terms’ rule of the Constitution. In a patch-up, Subianto joined the government and has Joko Widodo’s tacit backing, with the President’s 36 years old son as his running mate and a possible Vice-President.

This week, Indian diplomacy was at its negotiating best when India convinced Qatar to release eight former Indian Navy personnel who were sentenced to death: seven returned to India this week and the remaining one is expected soon, after clearing certain legal formalities. The former navy personnel, working for a company in Qatar, were arrested on spying charges, and after a secret trial, handed the death sentence by a Court in Qatar. India then got the death sentence commuted to life imprisonment before pulling-of this stunning victory. And the process was lubricated by a special pardon by Qatar’s Ruler, Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.

This week, India saw a bumper agitation by a section of its farmers, taking off from where they left the proceedings over two years ago.

There are about 9 crore farmers in India, of which about 10 lakh are in the State of Punjab. This, barely 1%, is a ‘disgruntled’ lot owning the best branded cars in the world and reaping every benefit offered by India’s Government (GOI), such a free-electricity, highly subsidised fertilisers, open-ended procurement of wheat and paddy, among other things: a pampered lot! Well that doesn’t seem to be enough. They want more, and this week they began protests.

Over 250 farmer associations from Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh began a ‘Chalo Delhi’ march on their high-end cars, ‘fortified tractors’ and the kind, armed with a list of demands, raising tensions at Delhi borders. The GOI in turn set up riot control teams standing guard behind barricades on highways leading into the national capital, where police have prohibited large gatherings.

Farmer unions are seeking guarantees, backed by law, which they want the GOI to fulfill. What are they?

Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for 23 crops should receive a statutory legal backing; MSP should be fixed at above 50% above the comprehensives cost of production- actual cost incurred to grow crops and assumed values of other items such as family labour; Farm Loan waivers; Pension – about INR 10,000 per month for farmers over 60 years old; and pulling out of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

The MSP, which is the cost at which the GOI purchases crops from farmers, provides farmers with an assured income for their produce. This price acts as a safety-net ensuring farmers receive a fair price, particularly during times of market uncertainties and fluctuations or when market prices fall below the MSP. Of the 23 crops that the government currently announces MSPs for every year, there are seven cereals-paddy, wheat, maize, bajra, jowar, ragi, and barley; five pulses-chana, arhar, moong, urad and masoor; seven oilseeds-groundnut, soybean, rapeseed-mustard, sesame, sunflower, niger seed, and safflower; and four commercial crops-sugarcane, cotton, copra, and jute.

However, while MSP is announced for all crops it works mainly for rice and wheat, because the GOI has a vast storage system for only these grains that feed the GOI’s Public Distribution System (PDS). The GOI often ends up buying twice the amount needed for a buffer stock.

The issue is best understood through the political economy of Punjab, the most prosperous and fully irrigated agriculture system in the country. There are years when the procurement in Punjab, especially paddy has exceeded the production in the state. As paddy comes from other States- Uttar Pradesh and Bihar-to be sold in Punjab as the market price is often 15-25% below the MSP in these states and there is hardly any procurement in the home states. And everyone in the grain procurement network benefits and profits from the system: Commission Agents charge 2.5% commission; Punjab Govt charges 6% Mandi fees and other cess. The bill is footed by the GOI for the Food Security Programme which is executed by the Food Corporation of India (FCI).

Punjab farmers have high productivity of paddy and wheat and use high doses of subsidised fertilisers. But their prices are constrained, especially when exports are banned and stocking limitations are imposed. The FCI also unloads wheat and rice at prices below their economic cost to bring down market prices on par with MSP or even below so that they can procure enough grains at ‘easy costs’. The GOI policy is biased towards urban consumers at the cost of farmers.

If the GOI policy does not allow the markets to operate especially when market prices are higher than MSP farmers stand to lose. So they clamour for higher and higher MSP based on unrealistic comprehensive costs. The difference between what farmers want and the GOI’s current cost calculation for MSP is about 25-30% in most crops. In the long run farmers stand to lose if they do not adapt to the ‘free’ market pricing of the simple ‘demand and supply’ mechanism.

Agricultural scientist and this year’s Bharat Ratna (India’s highest civilian award) winner, late Dr M S Swaminathan, called the Father of India’s Green Revolution, recommended that the GOI fix MSPs for farm produce based on a comprehensive measure of cultivation costs – weighted average cost of production – that includes the input cost of capital and the rent on the land (called ‘C2’ ) + 50% of C2, to give farmers 50% returns, rather than a narrower measure that takes into account the direct costs- out-of -pocket expenses incurred by the farmer and the value of family labour ( called ‘A2+FL’ ), which the GOI uses.

The M S Swaminathan Committee, established to recommend farm policy through the National Commission on Farmers, submitted its final Report in the year 2006. And the MSP calculation methodology was not readily accepted by the then GOI headed by Economist Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, as it was considered irrational, untenable, and unviable and would probably distort the market. And there were aspects of the comprehensive costs that were not ‘comprehensively’ defined.

Ashok Gulati, India’s most respected Agri-economist argues that agreeing to the framers demands means fiscal stability will go for a toss, food inflation will rise, and no Government can afford to accept these demands. He suggests farm income augmentation should be through diversification to high-value crops and livestock. And the Punjab farmers should come out of cultivation of only staple crops, and tap exports.

In 2021, when the year-long protest by farmers pushed the present GOI to repeal some farm laws, designed to deregulate vast agricultural markets, the GOI said it would set up a panel to find ways to ensure support prices for all farm produce. Farmers accuse the GOI of going slow on that promise and also not achieving a GOI stated goal of ‘doubling farm incomes by 2022-23 (over a base of 2015-16).

The GOI is in talks with the agitating Farmers and some ‘minimum’ results are expected in the upcoming week.

Meanwhile-to get a hang of the situation-a farmer in down South Karnataka State had this to say: “MSP of paddy is INR 2,204 per quintal; the market price near Mysuru is INR 3,000 per quintal; Last week I sold 10 quintals of paddy at INR 3,100 per quintal to a buyer in Nanjangud (a Town in Mysuru district). Why are farmers protesting in Punjab?”

In a historic judgement this week, India’s Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional the Electoral Bond Scheme introduced by the Government in 2018. This allowed anonymous corporate contributions to Political Parties through the State Bank of India (SBI) – the only bank authorised to issue these bonds. There is not limit on the amount and an existing corporate limit was removed to facilitate the flow of ‘unlimited’ funds. Further, the contributions did not attract income tax. The GOI’s stated intent was to curb black money in Elections and bring ‘transparency’ in Electoral Funding. And by not revealing names, any political harassment was sought to be avoided. However, the Court said this could be quid pro quo for future benefits and that the citizen has a right to know the donations coming-in to a Political Party. On the other side, ‘right to privacy’ of Corporate Houses is in jeopardy.

The SBI has been ordered to stop issuing these bonds forthwith, and furnish details of contributions received for publication on the Election Commission of India’s website by 13 March 2024. Parties which received the funds have been ordered to return un-encashed Electoral Bonds to the donors.

More bonding stories coming-up in the weeks ahead. Vote for World Inthavaaram.

WORLD INTHAVAARAM, 2024-6

About: the world this week, 4 February 2024 to 10 February 2024; Israel hunting in Gaza; Russia & Ukraine; Myanmar; El Salvador’s Coolest Dictator; Pakistan’s Elections; India’s Bharat Ratna Awards; and the Grammys.

Everywhere

Israel is still hunting vigorously in the Gaza and there is no safe update on the ‘taken’ hostages. This week Israel seized control of much of the Hamas tunnel system in the city of Khan Younis and is said to be closer than ever to capturing the elusive Hamas Leader Yahya Sinwar. War cries could be heard of the end -of the war-being near. Is Israel on the brink of victory?

Russia is, as usual, busy firing between 1,500 and 2,500 shells and rockets at Ukraine’s war-ravaged Donetsk region every day, and is targeting critical infrastructure making life miserable for Ukrainians. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky sacked the Commander-in-Chief (CIC) of the country’s armed forces, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi. There appears to be a rift between the President and his CIC, who has led Ukraine’s war effort since the war with Russia began. Battle-hardened General Oleksandr Syrskyi was announced as his replacement. Perhaps it’s just a change of strategy. One started it; the other could finish it?

In Myanmar, Army Chief Min Aung Hlaing has pledged to crush all opposition to military rule, as the state of emergency was further extended. He said that he would ‘do whatever it takes’ to return Myanmar to stability, amid unprecedented advances by an alliance of anti-coup forces and ethnic armed groups.

Over the past three months, the Army has been losing troops, territory and towns to determined opponents across multiple parts of the country. But it is determined to fight on, and retains an enormous capacity for violence, attacking civilian populations and infrastructure in areas it has lost, using air power and long-range artillery. Three years on, from the coup of February 2021, Myanmar military’s hold on power is more uncertain than at any time in the last 60 years. More than two million people have been displaced by Myanmar’s internal conflict, according to the United Nations.

Meanwhile, citing internal security reasons, neighbouring India has decided to suspend the India-Myanmar Free Movement Regime. This allows citizens from either nation to cross the border and travel up to 16 kilometres (km) into the other without documents such as passports or visas. India also plans to fence the entire 1,643 km Myanmar border – as part of its plan for creating ‘impenetrable borders’ – and build a patrolling track alongside the fence. A 10-km stretch in Manipur’s Moreh has already been fenced, and two pilot projects that involve a ‘hybrid surveillance system’ – each covering one kilometre – are in operation.

This week, El Salvador, the smallest and most densely populated of the seven Central American countries made headlines. Lying in the Isthmus of Central America, El Salvador is bordered by Honduras, Guatemala, and the Pacific Ocean. Its capital and largest city is San Salvador.

El Salvador is known as the Land of Volcanoes with ‘with a population of 100 volcanos’, and around 20 of them being potentially active. And of course, the Volcanoes have ‘erupted into’ the National Flag, which features five volcanoes, representing the five states. El Salvador grows great coffee beans and coffee export is a major business. The country is also know as the ‘Mecca for Surfers’ as it gets some of the biggest ‘swells’ offered by the Pacific Ocean and due to the many right-hand ‘point breaks’ that grace most of its over 300 kilometres long coastline.

In Surfing, a ‘swell’ is a series of mechanical or surface gravity waves generated by weather phenomenon that propagate thousands of miles across the ocean. Swell is used to designate a set of waves that separate and move away from a storm or weather condition that develops in the ocean. ‘Point Breaks’ occur when a wave swell strikes a point of land, whether it’s a section of jutting rock or a headland.

Let’s break here, and surf in to El Salvador’s politics.

From the late 1970s to the early 1990s, El Salvador was mired in civil war and internal strife. Since the early 21st century, the country has experienced high crime rates, including gang-related crimes and juvenile delinquency. El Salvador had the highest murder rate in the world in 2012, but experienced a sharp decline in 2019 when a new centrist government took charge. It was also considered an epicentre of a gang crisis, along with Guatemala and Honduras.

Enter Nayib Bukele, called the ‘Coolest Dictator’ in the World.

In June 2019, Nayib Bukele became the new President of El Salvador, winning the February 2019 presidential election. A firebrand politician who often spars with foreign leaders and critics on social media, Bukele came to power trouncing traditional parties with a vow to eliminate gang violence and rejuvenate a stagnant economy. His New Ideas Party with its allies won around 63% of the vote in the February 2021 legislative elections, giving them 61 seats, well over the coveted supermajority of 56 seats in the 84-seat Parliament. This opened the gates for uncontested decisions at the legislative level. The absolute majority permits President Bukele’s party to appoint judiciary members and pass laws with little to no opposition, for instance, to remove presidential term limits.

In June 2021, at the initiative of President Bukele, pro-government deputies in the Legislative Assembly voted legislation to make Bitcoin legal tender in the country. In September 2021, El Salvador’s Supreme Court ruled to allow Bukele to run for a second term in 2024, despite the fact that the constitution prohibits the President to serve two consecutive terms in office.

Under a ‘state of emergency’, approved in March 2022, under which authorities suspended civil liberties, the Bukele’s government arrested more than 76,000 people – about 1% of El Salvador’s population – without charges. The assault on the gangs – not entirely democratic – has spurred accusations of widespread human rights abuses and a lack of due process. But violence plummeted along with a sharp decline in nationwide murder rates and fundamentally altered a country known just a few years ago as one of the most dangerous places in the world.

This Sunday, President Nayib Bukele secured a thumping victory in El Salvador’s 2024 elections after voters cast aside concerns about erosion of democracy, to reward him for a fierce gang crackdown that transformed safety and security in El Salvador. Provisional results on Monday show Bukele winning 83% support with just over 70% of the ballots counted. Bukele declared himself the winner before official results were announced, claiming to have attained more than 85% of the vote. “All together the opposition was pulverised,” said Bukele. And added “El Salvador went from being the most unsafe (country) to the safest. Now, in these next five years, wait to see what we are going to do”.

New Ideas’ electoral success means Bukele will wield unprecedented power and be able to overhaul El Salvador’s constitution. Wildly popular, Bukele had campaigned on the success of his security strategy.

El Salvador’s Supreme Electoral Tribunal last year permitted him to run for a second term even though the country’s constitution prohibits it. Opponents fear Bukele will seek to rule for life, following the example of President Daniel Ortega of ‘across-the-sea’ Nicaragua.

Nayib Bukele is the son of Palestinians from Jerusalem and Bethlehem. He discontinued studying law at the Central American University to join his father in the family Business. Entering politics he went on to be elected as Mayor of Nuevo Cuscatlan – a small Municipality – and later San Salvador- the capital. He then established a political party called Nuevas Ideas (New Ideas) to make a presidential bid, which did not help his cause. Hence he joined the Grand Alliance for National Unity (GANA) to mount his bid and won the Presidential Elections, with ease in 2019, becoming President.

Bukele went on to become a highly popular leader and only more so since the government began its crackdown on the country’s feared gangs. “We are not substituting democracy, because El Salvador never had democracy,” he said. “This is the first time in history that El Salvador has democracy. And I’m not saying it, the people say it.”

Nayib Bukele is married to Gabriela Roberta Rodriguez, a Salvadoran educator, and prenatal psychologist, holding a doctorate in prenatal psychology. She is also a professional ballet dancer and is part of a dance company. Nayib and Gabriela began dating in 2004 and married in December 2014. They have two children.

Pakistan went to the polls this Thursday. This against the backdrop of jailing of popular former Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan, the winner of the last national election, dominating headlines despite an economic crisis and other woes threatening the country.

Pakistan, a nation of 241 million people is reeling from decades-high inflation and an economy that has come to a grinding halt as it navigates a tough International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout programme. Islamist militancy is on the rise and relations with neighbouring countries of India, Afghanistan and Iran are frayed. But these matters have been mostly absent as ‘election issues’, in which the parties of Imran Khan and former PM Nawaz Sharif are the main rivals. Instead the campaign is dominated by personalities. Pakistan’s National Assembly consists of 336 seats, of which, 265 are decided through direct voting on polling day.

Thousands of troops were deployed on the streets and at polling stations across the country on voting day. Borders with Iran and Afghanistan were temporarily closed as security was stepped up. Despite the heightened security, 12 people were killed in 51 bomb blasts, grenade attacks and shootings by militants, mostly in the western provinces.

Counting of votes began this Friday after unusual delays, which was ascribed to a suspension of mobile phone services. Candidates linked to jailed Imran Khan’s political party are in the lead, ahead of the two dynastic parties of Nawaz Sharif and Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, believed to be favoured by the military. Counting has entered its final leg, and interesting times are ahead!

Britain’s 75 years old King Charles was diagnosed with cancer and the Royal Medical team has been clever in catching it early. He had checked into hospital for a benign prostate enlargement problem when a separate ‘issue of concern’ was detected leading to diagnostic tests, which identified a form of cancer. Now the United Kingdom is hoping His Highness can make a full recovery given the swift detection.

In India, it’s suddenly raining ‘Bharat Ratna Awards’ – the highest civilian award for outstanding service to the people of India. First it was the late Karpoori Thakur, a politician who served two terms as the Chief Minister of Bihar, then it was the living 96 year old L K Advani, former Home Minister and one of the architect’s of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s success. And this week, the Government announced more. Former PMs, P V Narasimha Rao – who rolled out the landmark 1991 economic reforms, which transformed India forever – and Chaudhary Charan Singh; and agricultural scientist M S Swaminathan as recipients of the country’s highest award – all of them get it posthumously.

The 66th Grammys Awards 2024 were handed out this Sunday night in the Crypto.com Arena in Downtown Los Angeles.

Singer, songwriter Taylor Swift made history on winning Album of the Year, for Midnights. She became the first person to win ‘Album of the Year’ four times, more than any other artist in history. The closest is three wins – a tie of Stevie Wonder, Paul Simon, and Frank Sinatra. Taylor Swift also won an award for best pop vocal album, and it was during the acceptance speech that she swiftly announced her upcoming album – The Tortured Poets Department.

The Record of the Year, and Best Pop Solo went to Miley Cyrus, Flowers – the first of her career; Song of the year went to Billie Ellish and Finneas O’Connell for What Was I made for – from Barbie, the movie; and Best New Artist went to Victoria Monet. A previous Best New Artist, Olivia Rodrigo had 6 nominations but could not carry home any award.

Indian music struck many right notes this year: Fusion Group, Shakti consisting of singer Shankar Mahadevan, tabla maestro Zakir Hussain, percussionist Vinayakram Selvaganesh, violinist Ganesh Rajagopalan, and British guitarist and founding member John McLoughlin winning the Best Global Music Album for This Moment. This is the Group’s first studio album in more than 45 years.

Sakthi’s band members John McLoughlin and Zakir Hussain have been pioneers in bridging two oceans of music – the harmonic complexity of Jazz and the melodic and rhythmic intensity of Indian Music. The talk goes that, had there been no Sakthi there would have been no Global Music Album Category at the Grammys.

Pandit Ravi Shankar introduced Indian music to the world. But it was Sakthi, which took shape in the 1970s that permanently built a bridge between the two streams – any many more – of music. And after many ups and downs over decades, This Moment arrived. The Album’s cover was designed by a group in Kolkata and Bengaluru, inspired by a label founded by an Indo-American.

Ustad Zakir Hussain picked up two other Grammys along with flautist Rakesh Chaurasia for Best Global Music Performance, Pashto, and Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for, As We Speak as part of the ensemble of American banjo player Bela Fleck and American bassist Edgar Meyer. Rakesh Chaurasia is the nephew of legendary Indian flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia. India’s Ricky Kej, a two-time Grammy winner, called 2024 the Year of India at the Grammys.

Beyonce’s husband Jay-Z won the Dr Dre Global Impact Award, but called out the Grammys for snubbing Beyonce by not giving her an Album of the Year Award, despite her winning more Grammys than any other artist. Remember, Beyonce who won 32 Grammys across her remarkable career, has never won the most prestigious prize of all: Album of the Year!

More music albums coming-up in the weeks ahead. Stay tuned to World Inthavaaram.