Broadly speaking, two themes dominate the international public discourse – globalisation not only of the economy but also of communications, entertainment and indeed ‘culture’, and the need for a ‘new’ world order. The two themes are interrelated. A global village, which is what the world is becoming, cannot afford disorder … Read More
Leaving aside new recruits attracted to the ‘cause’ largely in support of terrorism of one kind or another in different parts of the country, you look into the the background of any well-known ‘human rights’ activist in India and you will find an anti-communist cold warrior. This should tell you … Read More
In its September issue, the well-known Pakistani journal, The Herald, has devoted its cover story to a discussion of various aspects of Islamic fundamentalism in the country which, despite some obvious gaps, is remarkable for its objectivity and grasp. Though it will be an exaggeration to say that the investigators … Read More
Amidst the horrors of ‘ethnic cleansing’ in Bosnia-Herzegovina, continuing attacks on foreigners in Germany and the repatriation (read expulsion) of thousands of gypsies from there to Romania, it, on the face of it, appears odd to take note of the case of mass hysteria that recently gripped the French port … Read More
On October 26, the New Delhi edition of The Statesman carried a news report in relation to the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute which once again exposed the limitations under which commentators and journalists often function. These limitations should persuade even the boldest among them to be more modest in their self-perception … Read More
Just because communism has failed in Russia, it does not follow that capitalism will succeed there. Indeed, the prospects of success are not particularly bright. New Delhi should brace itself for the possibility that Russia is in for a long period of uncertainty, confusion and turbulence. The reign of terror … Read More
The long forgotten Pushtoonistan issue has acquired a new dimension as a result of the end of Soviet control in Central Asia and the outbreak of a power struggle among rival mujahideen groups in Afghanistan more or less along ethnic lines. As such, it cannot be long before it once … Read More
We should ignore the Afghan President, Maulana Rabbani’s references to Kashmir during his visit to Islamabad and concentrate on the purpose of his mission and the reasons for its failure. For a failure it has been. This much is obvious from his critical remarks regarding the Jamaat-e-Islami chief, Qazi Hussain … Read More
The French ‘yes’ to the Maastricht treaty on European Union amounts to a virtual ‘no’. As such, it can at best help mitigate an immediate and dramatic aggravation of the crisis that had overtaken the European Community’s exchange rate mechanism (ERM) in the previous week. It cannot help salvage the … Read More
The concept of national sovereignty implying non-interference in a country’s ‘internal’ affairs has for long been a convenient myth. So the less frequently we employ it the better. In a number of cases, it is counter-productive. The officially-sponsored Pakistan National Assembly’s resolution on the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri Masjid issue and references … Read More
