Editorials- Interests Only

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Interests Only (October 27)

In no other circumstance has the observation that in diplomacy there are no friends or enemies but only interests, been highlighted more starkly than in the present shifts in geopolitics following the terrorists attacks on America on September 11.

Bitter cold war enemies, Russia and America, have hence all of a sudden become close allies, dictated obviously by mutual self-interests. America has an axe to grind with Afghanistan for extending its hospitality to Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda, Russia has been at a loss in tackling the insurrection in Muslim Chechnya; Pakistan forcefully broke away from its long time alliance with the ruling Taliban in Afghanistan keeping in mind the dangling US carrots as well as sticks. It has already reaped a rich harvest of carrots for its loyalty.

And as observers have pointed out, the military regime in Pakistan has been waiting for an opportunity to exercise itself of the powerful fundamentalists lobby in its governance, and America's war on Afghanistan has been a god sent opportunity. India too has been competing with Pakistan for US attention, but for the moment it seems to have lost out on this front.

America has obviously identified greater "interests" in a strategic alliance with India's opponent, Pakistan. The US seems hesitant and even reluctant to oblige India and call the secessionist war in Kashmir, as well as Pakistan's active support of it, as acts of terrorism. It does seem again that it will need the US to either lose its "interests" in Pakistan or begin seeing new "interests" in India before a meaningful alliance with India can come about.

It is such a pity that all the talks of shared beliefs in the values of democracy between India and the US has been made to seem mere wishful thinking on the part of India.
But the repercussions of the September 11 terrorist attacks are also being felt in domestic policies.In India, like in many other countries, the government is taking full advantage of the worldwide insecurity as well as the somewhat moral high ground the fight against terrorism has been placed on, to push harsh and even draconian laws at home.

The Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance, POTO, is a case in point. We had raised objections to it on many grounds. Among these is the fact that the proposed legislation undermines the existing normal laws. It would have been more honest as well as productive to acknowledge the failure of the existing law and order mechanism first, for then attention, energy and resources could have been sharply focused on reforming, or else overhauling it.

The POTO in this sense is less a show of strength than a betrayal of the Indian state's despair in handling its domestic affairs. We had also objected to it on the ground that a cause in it seeks to infringe on the freedom of the press in gathering and disseminating information, or of forming opinion that differed with the official line.

So it does indeed seem in diplomacy and politics, there are no friends, but only interests. It this is so, it will do good for all of us to remember another piece of wisdom that you can change friends anytime, but never your neighbors. If this can apply to India and Pakistan, it can also broaden the outlook of those of us in the conflict environment in the state.

(Courtesy: The Imphal Free Press)

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