The New Nation - Internet Edition

Enclave people not enrolled

ACCORDING to recent newspaper reports, people living in 32 Bangladesh enclaves along the Lalmonirhat border with India could not be enrolled as voters this time and are remaining deprived of national identity cards. These unfortunate citizens - about 50,000 of them - would not be able to cast their votes in any future elections. The media reports quoting both official and local sources put the blame on the Indian authorities for not allowing the officials concerned to enroll the Bangladesh enclave people in the photo voter list that would also have given them 'national identity cards' for the first time.

As reported, despite frantic efforts of the local administrations of both Lalmonirhat district and Patgram upazila, voter enrolment teams could not be sent to the enclaves inside Indian territory. Entry permit is required, as is the established practice to enter the enclaves from India wherein these are located. The interim government and the election commission have taken the move of providing national identity cards to all citizens across the country along with the enrolment as voters ahead of ensuing general election. The people living in the far-flung enclaves feel frustrated for not being able to become voters and national ID card holders.

Why the interim government and the election commission could not get things done by procuring entry permission well in time for the voter enrolment teams from the Indian authorities is not yet known. Bitter experiences could be mentioned on how India created obstacles to Bangladeshis even for routine movement to and from the two enclaves - Dahagram and Angorpota, despite a land boundary accord signed between the neighbouring countries at the highest level. However, still time is there to complete the unfinished task of enrolment of remaining enclave people as country's voters and providing them with national ID cards.

Observance of the building code

THERE are rules to be observed in designing structures, for land use and proper building processes and these were set out in the Bangladesh National Building Code of 1993. Ironically, the code's worst violators in many cases are found to be the government bodies which should have set the standard really that all others, specially private developers, would then feel obliged to follow. But the inability of the government bodies responsible for regulation of construction is indirectly helping sub-standard construction practices often in public projects. The same also provides encouragement to private sector builders to take legal requirements in construction rather casually.

Failure to adhere to the code by government departments not only leads to the construction of sub-standard structures, the same also costs the public purse much for reconstruction and maintenance. Lack of expertise and devotion needed for proper construction form only one side to the problems faced by builders. The government agencies must increase their own abilities to supervise their work better. The absence of such capacities shows up that more than any other factor, corruption may be the biggest incentive for non observance of building procedures or using inferior construction materials deliberately for pecuniary gains.

It is very regrettable that Bangladesh has hardly an effective mechanism in place to ensure that scarce resources spent on account of its public works are being well spent. The spectacle of wasteful use of resources in the domain of public works in this country is an affront to economic and ethical principles. If this is the situation in the government departments then what can be expected of the regulatory functions they are supposed to do to ensure the observance of the building code by private builders. Thus, the regulatory bodies entrusted with the function of ensuring quality standards of construction activities should do their jobs properly.

Happy Peace Day!

Mohammad Shahidul Islam

THE first Peace Day was observed in September, 1982. The United Nations General Assembly, in 1981, declared in a resolution sponsored by Costa Rica, the third Tuesday of September (the opening day of regular sessions of the General Assembly) as the International Day of Peace committed to commemorating and promoting the ideals of peace.

In 2001 a resolution was passed by the General Assembly sponsored by the United Kingdom and Costa Rica to give the Day of Peace a fixed date and to declare it as a global 'ceasefire' day.

The resolution runs as follows: "Declares that the International Day of Peace shall henceforth be observed as a day of global ceasefire and non-violence, an invitation to all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities for the duration of the Dayt

"Invites all Member States, organisations of the United Nations system, and non-governmental organisations and individuals to commemorate, in an appropriate manner, the International Day of Peace, including through education and public awareness, and to cooperate with the United Nations in the establishment of the global ceasefire."

In 2002 the General Assembly officially declared September 21 as the 'permanent' date for the International Day of Peace. The International Day of Peace is on September 21st of each year. It calls for a full day of peace and ceasefire throughout the world. The "Peace Bell" is ringed at UN Head quarters to mark this event. The bell is cast from coins donated by children of all continents and is considered a symbol of global solidarity. Gifted by Japan, the inscription on its side reads: "Long Live absolute world peace". International Day of Peace is observed annually across the globe in every country but not so colourfully in Bangladesh.

By declaring the International Day of Peace, the UN devoted itself to worldwide peace and encouraged all of mankind to work in cooperation in pursuit of this goal. During the discussion of the UN resolution that established the International Day of Peace, it was suggested that Peace Day should be devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples.

We now live in an age of terrorism amid tales of atrocities committed by malevolent masterminds that dominate the headlines of print and electronic media worldwide. They make use of violence and the threats of violence for pressing political demands and try to gain the upper hand vitiating the society and estranging the people.

Atrocious crimes like terror and massacres of people by man-made bombs are not something new to be talked about. Their consequences generate strong feelings of indelible fear that the people are unable to dispel. We witness images and news of terrorism in countless news channels and feel a deep sorrow for all those who fall prey to atrocious attacks in different parts of the world.

Wars and conflicts are widespread. Attempts should be made to cast off and bury the hatchet that exists between various groups by preventing and resolving conflicts thereby eliminating hostilities for creating and establishing harmony and equality between the various groups.

The prevailing injustices should be addressed and justice be restored to people through negotiation, mediation, arbitration, community conferencing, collaboration, international law or military action as the last resort.

Nations that have found peace should help the less peaceful ones by sharing knowledge, food and other resources. Strategies for developing youth can help our future adults from repeating the mistakes that they have committed and that have led them to war.

We have to bear in mind that a large amount of money is being spent on fighting wars and on armaments like guns, rockets and nuclear missiles. The world will cease to exist if no action is taken urgently on behalf of the vast majority lying within the horns of dilemma and crying out for peace. Multiple factors have contributed to the outbreak of war. In a nutshell they are greed, starvation, Third World debt, the environment, dictatorships and terrorism.

In the middle ages, crusades or religious wars created panic among the peace-loving people of Europe. It is repulsive and thought-provoking at the same time that religion has been used as the means by fanatics, extremists, thieves and soldiers for promoting their own vested interests.

But we should obviate that major religions believe in peace and respect for fellowmen and their rights for their own individual and collective existence.

Peace starts from within. The way from passion to peace is by overcoming one's self. Where there is peace of mind, there is inner strength. There are many ways to promote peace and perhaps the best way to promote it is within us. It is a gradual and wonderful event which take place because compassionate people are encouraged to help others and discover the joy of peace. Helping others directly enhances our personal peace and well-being.

The members of United Nations Organisation (UNO) have pledged themselves to maintain international peace and security. The states agree to cooperate in promoting such political, economic and social conditions as may facilitate the achievement of these objections.

It aims at maintaining international peace and security, developing a spirit of co-operation and friendly relations among the nations, promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, solving international problems of economic, social, cultural and humanitarian character and employing international machinery for the promotion of economic and social advancement of all peoples.

In 2005 United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan called for the worldwide observance of a 24-hour ceasefire and a day of nonviolence to mark the Day. In 2006 then Secretary General Kofi Annan rang the Peace Bell for the last time during his term in office. That year the UN asserted the "many ways it works for peace and to encourage individuals, groups and communities around the world to contemplate and communicate thoughts and activities on how to achieve peace".

In 2007, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon rang the Peace Bell at United Nations Headquarters in New York calling for a 24-hour cessation of hostilities on September 21 and to observe silence for a minute around the world. According to the UN, in 2007 over 100 million people were active on Peace Day in 192 countries. There was a life-saving initiative in 14 countries and over 80 activities in Afghanistan alone where 1.4 million children were vaccinated against Polio.

Bangladesh is no doubt a peaceful country. Here, conflicts and inter religious communal tensions and ugly episodes like those in the neighbouring countries are hardly witness. Even though, we have to make ceaseless efforts to rid ourselves of all vulnerable or potential conflicts that may loom any time.

For that matter, Peace Studies should be introduced in educational institutions for the youth. They should be imparted instructions to inculcate the virtue that is forgiveness and rid themselves of the vice that is hatred. Instead of going haywire, they should rectify their faults and redeem from feud.

Islam and Muslims: Perception and reality

Aijaz Zaka Syed

Syedna Ali, the last of the great Muslim Caliphs, is noted for both his courage and timeless wisdom. In fact, there's a whole collection of his thoughts titled Nahjal Balagha (Pinnacle of Eloquence). There's a line from Nahjal Balagha that my father used to quote: "Pay attention to WHAT is being said, rather than WHO is saying it." Put simply, it means it's the message that matters, not the medium.

These days as the world increasingly debates about Islam and its followers I often find myself revisiting this piece of wisdom.

On the one hand, we have these spectacular acts of extremist violence around the world -- the most recent ones being the Delhi terror strikes and Marriott tragedy in Islamabad - ostensibly orchestrated by Muslims. On the other, there are people like us who insist whenever something like this happens that this has nothing to do with Islam and the perpetrators of these shameful acts cannot be Muslims.

So who should the world believe? More importantly, who really represents Islam? Us or Them? As a matter of principle, I agree with Syedna Ali that one should pay attention to the Message, not the Messenger. But does that really happen?

It is all very well for us to say Islam stands for peace - in Arabic it literally means peace - and mercy. It is okay for us to claim the Prophet was sent as the Messenger of peace and harbinger of hope to the whole mankind. We can go on claiming the Quran preaches universal brotherhood and that it's the first charter of human rights. But do we really practise what we preach?

Whenever we make these claims, the world does not question them; it looks at us, the so-called believers. And it does not like what it sees. In fact, it tells itself, "okay, if this is what Islam is all about, we're better off without it!"

We can shout from the rooftops Islam is a religion of peace. But the world looks at us, its followers, who are far from peaceful and hardly the walking example of this great faith.

Islam celebrates life and all the beautiful things God has gifted us by way of this amazing planet of ours. And here we are celebrating a death cult, inventing ever new ways of blowing ourselves up.

Look at the carnage in Islamabad. More than sixty people died in the attack on the Mariott Hotel last week, the third in the last couple of years. Most of the victims included families, which had gathered at the hotel to break their fast, and security personnel at the gate. Almost all of them were Muslims. And they had nothing to do with Bush's war or the current and previous leadership of Pakistan, if that was the driving force behind the attack.

I have been a fierce critic of this war and all that it has visited on the world in the name of democracy and freedom. And I have added my voice, for what it's worth, whenever possible to the growing global outrage over the continuing atrocities from Iraq to Afghanistan to Pakistan.

All those attacks on innocent civilians can turn ordinary folk like you and me into ruthless terrorists. I wouldn't be surprised if those who blew up the Mariott with a truckload of explosives came from the northwest of Pakistan. You know the drill -- cause and effect…action and reaction etc.

But even if you understand why these things are happening and why some desperate men are resorting to desperate measures taking their own lives and those of others, are these actions in anyway justifiable? Since some of us have been victims of these appalling crimes, are we justified to pass them on to others?

Perhaps those responsible for these attacks have suffered too much to care about morality and ethical justification of the whole business. If you've lost everyone and everything you love, you really don't give a damn what happens and who suffers because of your actions. Would you be really surprised if a parent or sibling of children killed in the continuing US air strikes in Pakistan and Afghanistan had blown up the Marriott? But does that justify or in any way lessen the seriousness of these actions?

More to the point, what message does this send to the world? We may go on protesting this has nothing to do with the bombers' faith. But like it or not, the world judges us by who we are.

This is not limited to the current ideological and political conflict. There is a huge gulf between what Islam preaches and what its followers practise in almost all walks of life. Islam demands equality of all human beings before God. But you see most companies in the Middle East pay and reward their employees on the basis of their colour, rather than their competence.

The Prophet told us every one of us is responsible for those working for us. 'You must pay your worker before his sweat is dried', he warned us.

I am reminded of his words every time I see and read of the exploitation of construction workers and the abominable conditions in which some companies keep these foot soldiers of humanity in the UAE and elsewhere in the Gulf.

Or how would you explain the frequent cases of abuse of housemaids originating from our part of the world? Last year, the Human Rights Watch chastised the Middle East countries for failing to check the abuse of maids.

While countries like UAE have taken effective steps to deal with the issue, situation in the region remains disturbing.

Again, I know this has nothing to do with employers' faith. For most victims happen to be Muslim too coming as they do from countries like Indonesia.

But the world looks at the issue as something that routinely happens in the Muslim world. I know this ain't fair but that's how the world works, folks.

No matter what we say in our defence or that of Islam, ultimately we are judged by our actions, not by our words. For medium is as important as the message. And many of us by way of our actions bring nothing but disgrace to our faith. So if Islam is still the fastest growing religion today, it's not because of us but in spite of us.

Awareness programme against terrorism on Pak media

Dr. M. S. Haq

One of the programs of Qtv reflecting on, among other things, anti-terror positions of Islam was telecast yesterday - the 26th day of September 2008 - between 1400 hours and 1430 hours, PST. It now appears the timing of the program was determined, in a sense, in an intelligent manner because it took place on the day of Holy Jumatul Wida - the last Friday of Ramadan, this year (2008). The participation of people in the program was apparently in hundreds.

The program was found to be relevant, interesting, constructive, and lesson bearing - given the present day situation and context of terrorism and extremism in Pakistan and elsewhere in the world. Further, the nature, the scope, the content and the usefulness of above program were found to be somewhat in line with the call of Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani when it comes to the government's effort towards reminding or educating (or otherwise) people of Pakistan about say, anti-terror stances of Islam.

The learned Islamic scholar - who was the discussant of the program - was found to be successful in not only delivering, in a knowledgeable fashion, relevant messages of Islam to participants of the program and viewers of the program but in explaining to them pertinent verses of Holy Quran in an effective, efficient and user-friendly manner. In an overall sense, the program was a good anti-terror media initiative.

Congratulations! It is expected Qtv will be able to facilitate anti-terror efforts of Pakistan in a more significant and impact-oriented manner than that at present in the days ahead.

The PTV discussion on current affairs last evening - 26th day of September 2008 - hosted by Dr. Huma Baqai (I hope I have been able to spell the name properly) was, in certain ways, interesting, informative and useful. The performances of Ambassador Hilaly and PPP-MNA Mrs. Wahab with regard to the program deserve commendations.

Both of them were apparently more successful than other participants in maintaining their respective focuses on discussion areas - they were found to be more realistic and analytical than others in examining and commenting on existing and evolving situations of terrorism and extremism in for example, Pakistan. Further, the nature, the scope, the critical mass and the outcome potential of their anti-terror suggestions were found to be more relevant, more intelligent and more user-friendly than those of other participants. By the way, Dr. Baqai, the host of the discussion session, was found to be somewhat impatient in certain stages of the session.

The performances of PTV anchor persons Zubaiyer and Nazma Shafique have so far been found to be competitive, among other things.

It now appears to me both of them have got the expertise and the skills needed for packaging their respective programs with elements of maturity, as well as coefficients at for example, program delivery levels.

Coefficients are used in inter alia mathematical expressions for the purpose of smoothening equations. Well done. One thing: it is expected they will, from now onwards, step up further the effort towards immunization of their respective programs from unnecessary political rhetoric by certain discussants from political parties.

The diversity, the content and the timeliness of news telecast by Geo at different hours of the day have so far been found to be competitive - in an average sense. Further, attempts by Geo towards presenting - before for example, the viewers and policy makers - pains and sufferings of say, poor people of Pakistan via certain pro-people programs are, among other things, praise-worthy.

The programs on life and living of families affected by terrorist attacks in Pakistan are among the programs mentioned above. It will not, however, be out of place to mention here: Geo should make further efforts towards making certain discussion programs more civil than that at present so that they could act as more effective and more efficient antidotes than that at present to the present day emotionally (used in a negative sense) charged Pakistan.

The last word: Pakistan needs to attract, harness, sustain and promote - at present and inter alia - additional media (print, electronic, others) support for complementing and supplementing its effort towards winning the war on terror within the shortest possible time and cost - time means cost, though.