Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur belongs to Talpur tribe, the most famous and influential Baloch tribe in Sindh. The Talpur tribe ruled Sindh from 1783 to February 17, 1843. British conquered the region on February 17, 1843 after the “Battle of Miani” a fierce battle between forces of the Bombay Army of British East India company, under Charles Napier and the Baloch Army of Talpur Amirs of Sindh that was led by Mir Nasir Khan Talpur.
Late Mir Ali Ahmed Talpur, the father of Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur and late Mir Rasool Bakhsh Talpur, uncle of Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur were influential politicians. Both brothers were known as Baloch nationalists, humble human beings, honest and influential politicians. Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur joined the Baloch freedom struggle in his youth. He joined Baloch national struggle for freedom in the 1970’s. He, along with other Baloch freedom fighters and people, migrated to Afghanistan and remained there until the fall of Dr Najeebullah’s regime. Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur saheb is widely respected by Baloch pro-independence nationalists as a committed comrade to the Baloch cause.
Dosten Baloch: We keep hearing news about “missing persons” of Balochistan. Why do people disappear or go “missing” in Balochistan?
Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur: The ‘Missing Persons’ issue in Balochistan is not a new one and it has been used as State policy there since 1973 to suppress the Baloch demand for their inalienable rights and their opposition to exploitation of resources of Balochistan. This crime against humanity has been employed by states in Latin America, Asia and even in Europe to suppress dissent but has failed to achieve their aims as people of Balochistan continue to resist despite threat to their lives.
Dosten Baloch: How do you see the ongoing Baloch struggle for freedom and its impact on regional relations?
Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur: Balochistan is not only geo-strategically important but is also has abundance and surfeit of resources which not only the regional powers but all would like a share in. So, anything that Baloch do for their rights is going to have an effect on all interested in Balochistan for one reason or the other. Some like China eye the resources and its strategic position for its own benefit so naturally it is actively working against Baloch struggle while those that oppose China’s plan think otherwise but because they oppose China’s plans this doesn’t make them friends of Baloch just because they oppose China not because of sympathy for Baloch but because of their own interests. Baloch struggle has to be independent and self-sufficient to maintain its effectiveness and dignity.
Dosten Baloch: What are the possible factors behind Pakistan’s recent military escalation in occupied Balochistan?
Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur:One doesn’t need to be a rocket scientist to understand why there is escalation of military activities in Balochistan. The resistance to the exploitation has stiffened and China wants immediate returns for its investments so all is being done to quell the resistance to the economic and political exploitation in Balochistan. The escalation will always be in proportion to the resistance.
Dosten Baloch: How is the CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) affecting lives of people across Pakistan and in Balochistan?
Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur:The CPEC is a colonial venture and it will not in any way better lives of people in Balochistan and even in Pakistan a limited elite will reap benefits along with the military.
Dosten Baloch: Why are the Pashtuns so restless in Waziristan? What role could the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) play in Pakistan and in South Asia in the near future?
Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur: For decades injustices have been perpetrated against Pashtuns under the guise of ‘war on terror’ and the PTM is a natural reaction to these injustices. What impact the PTM will have in the political scenario here and the region depends on persistence of the resistance to the injustices there. A resistance which challenges injustices can only have a positive political impact on the place where it is being waged and resistance has a natural spill-over effect in the region.
Dosten Baloch: In the wake of recent developments in Afghanistan (US-Taliban peace deal, terrorist attacks and Afghan government formation) do you think that there will be a fresh round of volatility across South Asia in the near future?
Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur: The Afghan peace has to come from efforts of Afghans and not from a tired and unsuccessful America which is anxious to run away from the mess it is responsible for since 1978. If the Taliban are allowed to gain control the consequences will not be different from their first round of rule. Peace in Afghanistan will only come when external interference there is completely stopped.
Dosten Baloch: How will the Coronavirus pandemic affect South Asian politics in the coming months?
Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur: The Coronavirus pandemic is not only going to change the South Asia it is going to change the world. Expecting changes in South Asia in the political context is expecting too much as the entrenched establishments here have no concern about the lives of people but are interested in confrontation. I do not see much of a change, of course, unless people put an end to these self-serving establishments but seemingly this is to remain a dream.
Dosten Baloch: How will the US-China tussle and US-Iran tussle affect Pakistan and the South Asian region?
Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur: When the elephants fight the grass gets trampled. The tussle between various powers will surely adversely effect Pakistan and South Asia because the countries of this region willingly become proxies as they have little or no concern for the welfare and well being of the ordinary people. The ordinary people are the grass here and it is they who will be trampled.
(This interview was first published in Sangar Media Group and is being re-published in News Intervention after due permissions)
The crisis created by Chinese incursions in Eastern Ladakh is now well on the path of resolution. At its peak is solicited considerable media attention. A large segment of the media completely understood the sensitivity of the situation and extended full support to the military and diplomatic initiatives being taken by the government. But, there are some who took a negative view that built the Chinese morale while causing tensions within India. They used misinformation and disinformation in equal measure in putting their negative views across. Sadly, some of these contrarians are army veterans who have retired from senior positions.
One name that prominently figures among them is Lt. Gen. (Retd.) HS Panag. All through the incursion imbroglio, he wrote a series of vitriolic articles, critical of the government and its handling of the situation. Notably, Gen. Panag has served in the Mechanised Infantry and, as such, remained in the plains with strike formations for most of his career. He probably had two tenures in J&K one of them being Army Commander of the Northern Command for a short period of time after which he was side-stepped to the administrative Central Command of the Indian Army. He would have, at best, paid a few cursory visits to the areas that he is now writing about so intimately. He retired about a decade back. A lot would have changed in policy and strategy during this period. Hence, the knowledge he is espousing on the subject is bookish, limited and outdated. Interestingly, Ajay Shukla, the second army veteran going overboard in his criticism of the government’s Ladakh policy has not served a single tenure in Ladakh.
In his article titled, “China believes India wants Aksai Chin back. PLA has likely secured 40-60 sq km in Ladakh,” dated May 28, 2020 the General has quoted “reports” to give long and in-depth information of the situation in Ladakh. In a latter paragraph he says, “In the absence of any government or military briefings, there are speculations galore about the details of the incidents on the LAC……” If there had been no official briefings then how did the General get such in-depth information of the situation? He is an Army veteran and a freelance writer, not a reporter of a news channel who has cultivated “own sources.” In his writings, therefore, he is expected to restrict his views within the parameters of the official information being given on the national security issue. To write anything otherwise amounts to rumour mongering and when the rumour goes against the policies of the government it becomes dissension.
He goes on in the article to list inadequacies in our Intelligence and information gathering apparatus which, he says, led to the Indian Army being surprised.”It was the failure of the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) to detect the build-up of the PLA formations,” he says in the article. A responsible analyst will make a statement of this nature only when he has specific and irrefutable information to substantiate it. It is a very serious insinuation to make on the basis of conjecture.
The remainder of the article is common military knowledge but the crunch comes in the end “Last but not the least, once the status quo has been restored, we must hold the Narendra Modi government and the military accountable for the intelligence failure, the loss of territory, if any, that has taken place, and the asymmetry with respect to our capability vis-a vis China.” It is here that the intention of the writer becomes apparent which is to embarrass the government, the military leadership and the nation. What could be his motivation to do so? Who would benefit? These are questions that need to be addressed.
The second article by Gen. Panag came on June 4, and was titled, “India’s Fingers have come under Chinese boots. Denial won’t help us.” In this article he wrote, “Having seized the initiative by securing approximately 40-60 square km of Indian territory in three different areas, China will be negotiating from a position of strength….if diplomacy fails, China has come prepared for a border skirmish or a limited war.” A statement of this nature coming from a senior retired General of the Indian Army would build the morale of the Chinese sky high and be used as a leverage in negotiations. What was the intention of the General when he made this statement? If he cares for India could he please explain as to how it would have helped the Indian effort?
He then goes on to give lengthy explanations aimed more at exhibiting his personal knowledge instead of having any value. While doing so he also lets out certain tactical and strategic policies that were followed by the Indian Army in his times. To be sharing this professional knowledge in public is not only inappropriate, but also amounts to a violation of the “Official Secrets Act.”
Once again it is in the conclusion of the article that the clear intention of the writer comes out “….to be in denial and acquiesce to explain the loss of territory to “differing perceptions” will open pandora’s box, and in future, result in loss of more territory, possibly at Chumar, Demchok, Fukche, Kailash Range, Hot Springs, along the Shyok River and in Depsang Plains. Who knows China may apply the same logic at Tawang in the near future?” On the one hand he is again attempting to embarrass the government. On the other hand, he is giving a clear hint to China as to what it should be doing to further hurt India.
In his third article dated June 11 and titled, “PM Modi’s silence on LAC stand-off is benefiting China. India must change its script,” Gen. Panag, instead of expressing relief in the wake of the diffusing situation, chose to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi directly. While conceding the success of the governments “military and diplomatic” approach he concludes, “In the current crisis, the Modi government and the military have lost credibility and the battle of perception, and have literally endorsed China’s stand. It has also sent wrong signals to the international community… denial and obfuscation do not help.” Once again, a strong and wholly unsubstantiated statement.
It is interesting to note that Gen. Panag finds unlimited space for his long self-ingratiating expositions only in a news website called “The Print.” This website was created in 2017 by Shekhar Gupta, a journalist known for holding bias against the current political dispensation in power. The fact that the General is okay with alignment to a particular lobby instead of remaining unbiased in the national cause, as someone of his seniority and stature should be, is very sad indeed. One hopes that he is not giving vent to his frustration for not having completed a tenure as Army Commander, Northern Command. It would be so much better for the senior veteran to enjoy his retired life rather than giving unsolicited advise in open media channels. By his false and unsubstantiated statements, Gen. HS Panag has weakened India.
The unfolding Corona pandemic disaster in India’s capital Delhi is a reminder to voters that freebies aren’t the yardstick to elect a government. Just before the assembly elections this year, Arvind Kejriwal had announced free bus rides, free metro travels and multiple other sops to Delhi’s voters. He had gloated on his mohalla clinics; declared his medical infrastructure as unprecedented. After winning the elections by a mile, he had preened in front of national media that his government had still made profits in each of his five years of first term.
Both apparently were a lie. If he had made profits for five years, his coffers wouldn’t have run out in just two months of lockdown. If freebies were just a matter of “Rs 150 crores,” as he said to a TV channel the other day, Delhi wouldn’t be struggling for beds at this grave hour.
Let’s look at it in real figures. Delhi presently has a shortfall in thousands of beds where symptomatic patients could be quarantined. If we go even by Kejriwal’s own estimate that only Rs 150 crores of freebies were spared, just imagine the boost it could have given to Delhi’s Corona battle—hotels could have been turned into quarantine centres, paying guest houses likewise, and Delhi would’ve done one thing which is now a worldwide truism: Quarantine, Quarantine and Quarantine.
Now hospitals are burdened with unmanageable mix, dead bodies are in the corridors and horrific images are being flashed in our living rooms. Paramedical staff is being persecuted to the extent that even the Supreme Court has asked Kejri government to spare the “warriors” in this raging “war.” The lashing by India’s apex court is a scathing indictment of his government.
Delhi health minister Satyendra Jain estimates at least 50,000 Coronavirus patients in the Capital by June-end. Experts put this figure to 100,000. Even if we go by the fatality rate of 3%, it means 16,000 people would be Corona’s fatal victims in the Capital. That’s damning. Death would literally be dancing on Delhi’s streets.
All along, Kejriwal and his men have flipped and flopped in their measures. Some days the lockdown is lax, on other days suffocating. Some days Delhi’s medical help wasn’t for outsiders, later it was withdrawn. Wine shops had an early reprieve. Tablighi Jamaat fiasco was met with a manufactured response. Kejriwal and his odd-even methods had a play too. Then there was this migrant fiasco where thousands marched on to Delhi’s Anand Vihar bus terminus only to be told no-go. He is further not in best of terms with his neighbouring states. Clearly, this man is at his wit’s ends.
It’s important that Delhi recovers. Delhi is the engine which drives at least the north India’s economy. It’s a hugely dense mega city with sizeable lower-class population. Social distancing or home quarantines aren’t an option with them. How do you quarantine a mildly infected young kid when his grand parents share the space with him?
The only option is to seek quarantine facilities outside the box. It’s still not too late to look at hotels and paying guesthouse for those extra few thousand beds. Corona is shattering Delhi to pieces. If it’s beyond Kejriwal and his government, he must ask Centre to take over and impose President’s Rule. You just can’t be a bystander and leave everything “ram-bharose” when the stakes are this high.
With several retired defence officers commenting on the current standoff between the Indian Army and People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China in Ladakh, there’s no dearth of views on how this issue should be resolved, both at the diplomatic and military levels. Veterans have gainfully drawn upon their intimate knowledge of the area as well as past experiences, and painstakingly correlated the same to the current situation. As a result, most have come out with articles that provide the reader with a holistic view of this seven-decade old problem along with a balanced assessment of the prevailing situation and some judicious recommendations on what the government needs to do.
His piece titled “India’s Fingers have come under Chinese boots. Denial won’t help us,” (The Print, June 4, 2020), is very informative, but his premature conclusion that “China now has the upper hand in talks,” indicates the possibility of preconceived notions or anti-establishment prejudices influencing his rational thoughts. The ‘upper hands’ observation of his is based on the assumption that with PLA “Having seized the initiative by securing approximately 40-60 square km of Indian territory in three different areas, China will be negotiating from a position of strength and will try to impose unacceptable conditions–no further development of border infrastructure on the Indian side–to restore status quo on its own terms. ”
Furthermore, by adding that “…if diplomacy fails, China has come prepared for a border skirmish or a limited war,” he seems convinced that Beijing won’t back-off this time and if required, will even use force to get what it wants. Coming from a man who by virtue of previous knowledge, he may know Ladakh and PLA like the back of his hand, however it is not understood as to how he arrived at the precise prognosis of impending doom. Using the analysis with regards to terrain and sharing the strategy behind construction of certain roads and tracks amounts to violation of Official Secret Act. The General needs no explanation that veterans wear the rank post-retirement and are subject to Army Act for divulging any information that amounts to threat to National Security.
Whether or not China has really succeeded in “securing approximately 40-60 square km of Indian territory” can be seriously contested because it has been assumed that Chinese having come till Finger 4 means, LAC getting straightened 20 km to the North as well as South, thereby resulting loss of 40-60 square km. This assertion may not hold good, but when it comes from a former Army Commander, people tend to take it as a gospel of truth. This is no less than rumour mongering and propaganda because it is not backed up by truth. Moreover, when he makes the situation appear irretrievable without even awaiting Indian Army’s riposte, is to say the least, not only misleading but also something certainly not expected from a person of his standing and military experience. How could this former Army Commander ever forget that just within five years of the 1962 debacle, Indian Army (IA) gave a bloody nose to the Chinese in Nathu La? Even in the field of military diplomacy, the Indian Army proved its acumen by paying back the PLA in its own coin during the 2013 Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) intrusion in Depsang Valley of Ladakh.
Indian tanks during a military drill in Ladakh. (Representative photo)
Let’s briefly recall the 2013 DBO (Daulat Beg Oldi) standoff, which occurred in an area claimed by both India and China. As part of confidence building measures (CBMs) both Indian Army and People’s Liberation Army (PLA) patrolled this area but didn’t establish any permanent posts here. However, in April 2013, a platoon of PLA set up a camp in Rakhi Nula and when they refused to withdraw, the Indian Army also established a camp just 300 metres away from the PLA camp. While this ‘eyeball-to-eyeball’ stalemate continued, in a proactive action that surprised the whole world, the Indian Army did a ‘Rakhi Nala’ on PLA by establishing its own camp in the Chumar sector, 500 km South of DBO (Daulat Beg Oldie). Unnerved by this move, China in a “quid pro quo”, agreed to abandon its camp near DBO in return for a similar action by India in Chumar.
The former Army Commander’s complaint that “… rather than evolving a clear strategy and broadly sharing it with the nation, the Narendra Modi government and the military have gone into ‘denial’ about any loss of territory, attributing the present situation to differing perceptions about the LAC” is surprising. How can a government which is in the thick of a territorial dispute with its neighbour disclose even its “broad strategy” by sharing it with the nation? In a subsequent piece titled ‘PM Modi’s silence on LAC stand-off is benefiting China. India must change its script’, (The Print, June, 11, 2020) he has been more specific by demanding that the “Modi government should take Parliament and the nation into confidence within the limits of security.” He also considers it “prudent for the Prime Minister to address the nation and military spokespersons to give formal briefings, at least once or twice a week.”
When the Home Minister has already given out the government’s strategy of using dialogue to resolve the issue and the army has quantitatively and qualitatively augmented its force level in the area (which is an unambiguous indication that while India is hoping for the best, it is at the same time prepared for the worst), what else is there to tell the nation? In addition, with External Affairs sources further clarifying that “This will be a long haul and small steps need to be taken to resolve the situation,” it’s absolutely clear that New Delhi is prepared to weather it out rather than look for an expedient and hasty face-saving exit. So, what more information on New Delhi’s strategy for handling this face-off is required to be told to us? Furthermore, when bullets aren’t flying and there’s no conflict on, what exactly do we want the military spokesperson to tell us during his weekly formal briefings? More so, minute-to-minute update is also likely to give out the patterns and modus operandi which is detrimental to operational security. It is advisable that no matter what his political orientation is post-retirement, no matter what personal interests he has chosen to serve and no matter what his personal beliefs are, he cannot act against the ethics of the organisation that made him what he is today.
So, since we have a lot of experience as far as incursions in Ladakh are concerned and know that these are long-drawn-out affairs, let’s not jump the gun by tilting windmills and start shouting from rooftops that ‘all’s lost’! The former Army Commander, who would have many who served under him or gained from his blessings has no reason to seek confidential information from them. This is no less that spying or subverting the serving individuals. The veteran General must grant that even those who are donning the uniform today and holding appointments as Commanders at different level are equally competent and have similar nationalistic fervour as his generation had had.
In fact, factoring in the advancements in Indian Army and the technologies prevalent, they are better informed, better trained and have better strategic perceptions. Once the curtain gets raised, he is sure to face serious embarrassments but by then he would have done damages not behoved from a person whom Army and the nation gave so much. If one analyses his personal and professional history while he was in service, lot of dark spots would emerge. There can be lots of questions against how he handled different facets of Northern or Central Command, what were the strategic contributions made by him or what conditions were created by him to strengthen the positions on Eastern or Western fronts. He is known to have spent more time measuring the size of the eggs. All those follies can be left for the future to analyse.
Tailpiece: The former Army Commander is of the view that “In the current crisis, the Modi government and the military have lost credibility and the battle of perception, and have literally endorsed China’s stand.” While I have no comments on this remark as far as the government is concerned, but as a veteran, the very thought of a former Lt. Gen. questioning the credibility of the very army he served in, is extremely distressing! The information that he carries with him was shared in his capacity as Army Commander and he has to exhibit responsibility towards preserving and protecting it. Personal preferences apart, we all are expected to stand above the bottom lines of morals and ethics and to set right examples for future generations of the Armed Forces.
Prima facie Bajwa’s visit seems very crucial for Afghanistan, America and Pakistan, but when looked in the light of recent developments this visit seems to serve only the interests of Pakistan and Taliban. As can be seen that despite the agreement between US and Taliban, there is no change in the internal turmoil and violence in Afghanistan. According to the official figures of the Afghanistan government, more than 3,800 attacks have taken place killing 420 people and injuring thousands of others.
Let’s have a look at some of the developments in recent past. On May 13, around 24 people were killed in the maternity hospital attack in Kabul, including two new born, mothers and nurses. On March 30, around 21 security forces were killed by Taliban in Thakar province. Fighting against security forces for their political aspiration is one thing but killing innocent newborn babies and attacking hospitals are heinous crimes and this is what Taliban backed by Pakistan has always done in Afghanistan for attaining their political aspiration.
Killing of innocent also includes names like Tetsu Nakamura, a Japanese physician and philanthropist who had devoted his 19 years for Afghanistan where he built canal projects from the Kunar River in eastern Afghanistan and was credited for transforming the desert of Gamberi on the outskirts of Jalalabad into lush forests and productive wheat farmlands. Tetsu Nakamura had also constructed two hospitals and two mosques. On December 4, 2019, as Nakamura was heading to work in his aid vehicle in Jalalabad, Afghanistan, he was assassinated by gunmen along with his bodyguards and driver.
Also look at Pakistan’s connection with Taliban. Taliban is supported by various small groups like the Quetta Shura, Haqqani network, Hzeb-e-Islami Gulbuddin and smaller al-Qaeda group among which the leader of Quetta Shura is quite often regarded as the head of Taliban. It’s quite clear by name ‘Quetta’ in Quetta Shura that it works from Quetta, Balochistan or it has something to do with Quetta. Quetta Shura was introduced by Mullah Omar who served as Taliban’s Chief for several years. He had graduated from Darul Uloom Haqqaniya in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A contemporary of Osama bin Laden, Mullah Omar had ordered Taliban to destroy the Buddha of Bamiyan.
According to a retired General of the United States Army, Stanley A. McChrystal, the Quetta Shura is directing the Afghani Taliban insurgency. In a report to President Obama in 2009, he stated that it posed the greatest threat to his troops. He said, “Afghanistan’s insurgency is clearly supported from Pakistan. The Quetta Shura conducts a formal campaign review each winter.” In September 2009 US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson said, “In the past, we focussed on al-Qaeda because they were a threat to us. The Quetta Shura mattered less to us because we had no troops in the region, now our troops are there on the other side of the border, and the Quetta Shura is high on Washington’s list.”
These claims becomes more important when one looks at what the Pakistani senator Abdul Rahim Mandokhel from Zhob in northern Balochistan had stated. “The whole war in Afghanistan is being launched from here,” Abdul Rahim Mandokhel had said. A report submitted by author Matt Waldman to London School of Economics (LSE) claims that Pakistan’s relationship with the Taliban ran far deeper than previously realised.
Based upon these evidence, it’s clear that Pakistan’s ISI and their senior government officials believe that Quetta Shura (Taliban) would be valuable assets if Taliban would somehow regain power after a withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan.
Interestingly, just after two days of Ghani-Bajwa meeting, Ashraf Ghani has stated that the release of Taliban prisoners will be completed shortly. So has Pakistan and the Taliban once again stepped forward in their proxy war? It still looks like conundrum for now!
If riots are the moment which sank the bobbing mass, be fairly sure that Donald Trump would not only float but sail to the promised land of US re-election this November. Indian elites and movie stars might hold placards of “BlackLivesMatter”; Europe might erupt in enraged fury at the racial injustice; mainstream media might soil their pants in outrage; and the biggest brands might shut their shops in solidarity but the voting masses are pissed as events are unfolding.
Long after riots die down, all that would remain in voters’ memory is arson and looting; those images of goons emptying stores, big and small; shops gutted; properties ablaze; owners beaten to pulp; videos of Manhattan’s luxury shopping district, shut and looted to the last store.
This is the last thing voters would condone, reeling as the little man is at drying income, lost jobs, deaths in family and neighbourhood and a pandemic which is arguably the biggest enemy the United States has faced since being formed in the 18th century. There is a swell of anger which of course escapes the Big Media, by accident or design, since they love burning decks splashed on their front pages. Psychology doesn’t bring readers. The national cost of one cop’s knee on an unfortunate man is already sky high.
There is enough evidence on the crime scenes to correlate that riots were fabricated as pre-delivered bricks hurled in burning cities were identical; that it has happened mostly in states led by Democrats; and the resultant curfews lacked the will to enforce its maxims. The removal of statue of Robert E. Lee, the defender of Virginia capital from being looted and burned, would hurt millions. And no opportunity is being lost to stress that George Floyd had a criminal record and was suffering from ailments.
It hasn’t helped that “knee-on-Floyd” moment is largely drawn from the Israeli copybook methods in which the US Police is trained. Both view protesters as enemies and employ aggressive restraining measures. Kids as young as five-year-old are handcuffed; teenagers are pushed to sink to their knees. It won’t help matters now that the police in US is getting on one-knee to show that they are sorry. A common man values law and order above everything: even over racial divide which is institutionalized in memory and practice in the United States.
The United States inherited the black slave trade; they didn’t start it. They were born with it. And they never learnt. It was history’s curse. Over time, Blacks were taught that Whites were to be hated; White arguably owned up some guilt. As an analyst drily remarks: “People don’t employ people they hate to look after their children, cook their meals, run their households, and people who hate don’t perform these tasks for those they hate.” It’s flying in the face of logic to assert that Whites and Blacks don’t function together in their lives.
And that’s exactly fake sympathizers of “BlackLivesMatter” are doing. Nike and Adidas have run long campaigns in support; Spotify ran an eight-minute and 46-second track of silence across its playlists and podcasts as a “solemn acknowledgement for the length of time that George Floyd was suffocated,” L’Oreal shed tears; and Apple mourned with “Blackout Tuesday.” Interestingly, none of these multinationals have one black face in their command centres. NOT ONE. This is true of 46 out of 50 top brands originating from the United States.
In India, Bollywood bimbos have gone to town on “BlackLivesMatter” even as they pose for fairness cream ads in dozens. Indians, right from Mahatma Gandhi onwards, have reserved only contempt for the Blacks. So embarrassing was Gandhi’s views on “Kaffirs” that before he left South Africa in 1914, he burnt all his archives of such damning literature. We have umpteen attacks on black students in the Capital and its suburbs. It’s hypocrisy at its most vile.
Trump of course wouldn’t let go this moment. His quotes “when the looting starts, the shooting starts,” is the right kind of noise voters want to listen. His anti-China stance, contrary to one of Joe Biden’s free trade philosophy, is already a head-start. Now the riots would bring the voters’ anger to the brim. Worse, it could lead to a renewed burst of Corona numbers and deaths. After all, these riots are mostly in those 25 hotspots where the pandemic has cast its deepest spell. A worsening Corona in these districts, controlled by Democrats, would play into the hands of Republican Trump.
I once heard Salman Rushdie say: “I might be indifferent to religion but if it acts as a balm to billions, who am I to quarrel with.” This is a perfect position for both atheists and non-atheists; believers and non-believers. devotees and rational. If you can’t help or console humanity, a majority of whom are without power or hope, the last thing you ought to do is to hurt the faith which allows them to live by.
The only set who wouldn’t agree to this position are artistes. They are a different breed. They argue, they question, they debate and we all feel it’s for our advancement. There is no harm if dogmas are revisited. A faith reformed is a faith purified. It’s rationality. The problem occurs when you are not out to cleanse the faith. It’s to use your art to abuse the faith. Messenger, instead of message, becomes your target.
Unfortunately, it pays. More in the case against the Hindus than say Muslims or Christians. If you take liberty against Muslims and their faith—dare even sketch a portrait of Prophet Muhammad—it’s unlikely you would see the next day. The retribution is swift. Charlie Hebdo isn’t the sole instance. But against the Hindus—you could slap at their Hanuman; call a “kutiya” (bitch) a Savitri; term “Chitrakoot” as “Paatal Lok”; show them genocidal—and its’ artistic license. Worse, it ensures raving reviews and 10-serial contract with the new beasts in town: The Over The Top (OTT) platforms.
The OTT platforms are your Netflix and Amazon; Voot and Hotstar etc. The stream straight into your living rooms. There is no censorship. It doesn’t come under the CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) or the Cinematograph Act of 1952. Profanity passes off as gritty dialogues; sex scenes are watched together by both father and daughter, one skirting his eyes, the other holding her breath; a young kid bemused why the “uncle” on the screen finds a young boy in his mirror-image so tempting.
This is my third piece on the matter. One was on Leila, last year, a futuristic tale of Hindus in ethnic cleansing. The second was Paatal Lok which filled me with disgust. Now it’s on Chippa where an old man is narrating how his grandma once slapped “Hanuman” and the latter “sar jhukai, dum dabai, ae bhaaga (bowing his head, tail between his legs, he scampered for safety). All three have been streamed on Netflix in rapid succession.
Twitteratis were outraged at Chippa. Predictably, excuses came up: “Langaurs in Bengal are called Hanumans”; or “A specie of monkeys in India is called Hanuman.” Rebuttals came that “if so, why a man is seen kicking a kid while reading Hanuman Chalisa in Chippa;” or “If true in Bengal; why use this truism for rest of India?” Surely, two million Hindus of Bengal isn’t the same thing as 1000 million other Hindus in rest of India.
It’s easy to understand the motive. Such artistic liberties secure a platform, ensure good reviews and probably a 10-series contract from an OTT outlet. Guaranteed profits. Secured careers. Unlike Muslims, Hindus are unlikely to walk into the Mumbai office of Netflix and spray bullets. Their impotent outrage on the social media—for no mainstream media gives a hoot to Hindu sensibilities—actually drives up the viewership. India’s OTT market would be worth $5 billion in 2023, as per Boston Consulting Group. Netflix has reported a 30% hike in their viewership during these pandemic months. Be pretty sure also they are not taxed either by the Indian government.
Not that Information and Broadcasting (I&B) ministry hasn’t stirred. Just before lockdowns, a notice had gone to these OTT platforms in March to standardize their code of conduct and set up an adjudicatory body. China, France, Singapore all enforce it. However, in a meeting which the minister Prakash Javadekar summoned in his office, to abide by the rules of the Digital Content Complaint Council (DCCC), predictably, Amazon Prime refused. Netflix asked for extra weeks to firm up their mind. Others, such as Hotstar, Voot etc have come on board.
The OTTs hiding behind censorship is a joke. It can’t overrule what the courts in India find outrageous in light of the Constitution. You can’t be promoting religious violence or show barely-concealed pornography in the name of artistic licence. And if you could, dare and do it against Islam. You know as well as I do, you won’t. Between money or a hole-in-the-chest, the choice is not too difficult.
Babar Iftikhar, the newly crowned spokesperson of Pakistan Army has taken upon himself to mop up international sympathy after his chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa and Pakistan’s ‘selected’ Prime Minister Imran Khan Niazi failed miserably to drum up support. And what better way to start than target India and spread canards about Kashmir.
In a recent interview to a Pakistani television channel, Maj. Gen. Babar Iftikhar went on harping that India is planning a false flag operation to divert attention from its ‘domestic issues’ and tide over ‘international embarrassments’, making direct reference to India’s face off with China in Ladakh. He then goes on and on, speaking his heart out to the eager news anchor, like a whining child.
Ironically, Babar Iftikhar’s comments provide a window about Pakistan Army’s frustration at not being able to drive its agenda in Kashmir. Pakistan’s recent failures in fomenting trouble in Kashmir has made its “powerful” army generals cut a sorry figure in front of their domestic population and hard line Islamic fanatics. Such is the pressure on Pakistani establishment to show something about Kashmir that the ‘selected’ PM Imran Khan Niazi and Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa have both talked about India’s false flag operation at different forums, followed by Babar Iftikhar.
There’s a background to this bobbery.
Pakistan-trained terrorists are routinely being hunted down by the Indian Army in Kashmir. Rawalpindi’s recent attempt to repeat a Pulwama type terror attack was also foiled by India. And unlike earlier, terrorists killed by the Indian security forces in Kashmir are now not being handed over to their families, which has virtually rattled Babar Iftikhar, DG ISPR (Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations).
Rawalpindi understands quite well that every terrorist who picks up gun in Kashmir has a limited shelf life and it doesn’t expect much from him, however, it does place bets on the terrorist’s death. It’s here that DG ISPR unleashes its fangs. Consider the cases of Burhan Wani, Zakir Musa, Sabzar Bhat etc. etc. None of these terrorists could make even a small dent in Kashmir while they were alive, yet they managed a larger-than-life picture only after their deaths. Their funerals were turned into photo opportunities, paid mourners gave video bytes amidst high-voltage emotional drama and DG ISPR plugged news stories about Kashmir’s unrest across the world.
Cut to 2020. India has stopped
handing over the dead bodies of slain terrorists to their families and now buries
them discreetly. This one act has rendered DG ISPR’s troll army jobless. Add to
this the Pakistan Army’s failure in sneaking terrorists inside India and carry
out a major terrorist operation. This effectively means they have hardly
anything to sell to their captive audience in Pakistan who have been fed the
story about Kashmir’s secession from India since 1947.
But then DG ISPR Babar Iftikhar has to justify his job and position! What else could he do other than reiterate a fictitious story that India is planning a false flag operation to target Pakistan? In effect, this narrative serves two purposes. One, it helps Maj. Gen. Babar Iftikhar to tell Pakistani audience that Pak Army is still on the driving seat in Kashmir, and two, all botched up terror operations foiled by India can be passed upon as a “false flag operation” and Pakistan Army can continue to deny its role in Kashmir’s terrorism at international forums.
Pakistan’s state of affairs can also be gauged from the fact that though Imran Khan Niazi — the ‘selected’ prime minister of Pakistan, sits in Islamabad yet the government is run by military generals sitting in Rawalpindi. For the last two years there has been an undeclared martial law. Democracy and governance continue to be a problem, military’s ‘selected’ puppets come and go but the real power continues to wrest in the hands of Generals, Brigadiers and the Colonels, who remain chairman and managing directors of major private and public organisations in Pakistan. And then Maj. Gen. Babar Iftikhar has the gall to talk about justice in Kashmir? Of course, his pain is understandable!
Pakistan is the only country in the
world that has adopted Islamic terrorism as a state policy. The world knows how
Osama bin Laden had been living in a safe sanctuary at Abbottabad when he was
hunted down in an American commando operation. Even today, world’s most
notorious terrorists such as Maulana Masood Azhar, Dawood Ibrahim, Sayeed Salahudeen
and Hafiz Saeed continue to live in safe havens within Pakistan.
The national character of Pakistan
can be gauged from the fact that when every country was making efforts to
secure its citizens from Coronavirus pandemic, Pakistan Army turned this
pandemic into a biological weapon for the hapless population of Balochistan.
Several viral videos on social media show how Islamabad let the pandemic spread
in Balochistan and in areas of Kashmir illegally occupied by it—the POK
(Pakistan-occupied Kashmir).
DG ISPR’s false bravado of handling
India’s military might is not going to cut ice as Pakistan Army has lost four
wars with India.
India is a peace loving country and wants to have good relations with her neighbours. However, relations can’t progress as long as Pakistan does not shun terrorism and violence. It is Pakistan that had earlier launched a proxy war in Punjab and now in Kashmir, it’s Pakistan that initiated wars, intruded in Kargil, attacked Indian democracy (Parliament attack on December 13, 2001), orchestrated the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack and the attack at Uri. The list of such terror attacks is very long. It is only after years of such terrorist acts that India responded with surgical strikes and Balakot air strikes.
Pakistani propaganda about ‘Islamophobia in India’ exists only on its fake social media handles. Pakistan must come out of its virtual world and start living in realities. Tweets and fake social media uploads cannot mitigate Pakistan’s precarious situation. The amount of money it uses to fund terrorist organizations and to run social media firms for fake propaganda, is colossal. It must be used for right purposes.
The brutal murder of Ajay Pandita in village Lukbawan, Larkipora in district Anantnag has sent shock waves across Kashmir. Ajay Pandita was a member of the Congress party and Sarpanch of his Village. He and his family had migrated in early 1990’s but returned to their native land around two years back.
Responsibility for killing has been claimed by the “Terrorist Resistance Front” (TRF), a new terrorist organisation created by foreign powers for amalgamation of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) etc. under one banner. Creation of Terrorist Resistance Front (TRF) was necessary since terrorist numbers are too small for individual functioning. Pakistan’s involvement in the decision to carry out the killing comes across quite clearly. Security forces have launched a huge manhunt to nab the culprits.
All political parties have condemned the brutal murder and shown determination to challenge the evil designs of foreign powers. The Kashmiri Pandit community has expressed apprehensions, “It is a planned attack by Islamic terrorists to target minority Kashmiri Pandit community in Kashmir valley to trigger fear psychosis among them like they did in the 1990s…” said Vinod Pandita on behalf of the All Party Migrant Cooperation Committee (APMCC).
While the apprehensions of Kashmiri Pandit community are absolutely justified, one needs to keep in mind the fact that terrorists are indiscriminate in their choice of targets. In recent days terrorists have gunned down a Kashmiri Muslim youth named Danish Najar in Sopore, district Baramulla, North Kashmir. Terrorists have killed Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and others without remorse all through the period of terrorism. Kashmiri Muslims have lost as much to terrorism, if not more, as have the Kashmiri Pandits. The need, therefore, is to fight the enemy together without giving it an opportunity to cause division on religious and community lines.
The Kashmiri Pandit community has witnessed, post the abrogation of Article 370, a ray of hope with regards to relocation to their ancestral homes. The Kashmiri Muslims have also welcomed the idea of the move. This situation has alarmed the terrorist masters sitting across the border. They are well aware that the return of Pandits to their homeland will spell total failure of their mission that was initiated with the forced exodus of the community. The reason behind the killing of Ajay Pandita was creation of a fear psychosis to stop the plans to return back.
In its malevolent machinations the terrorist leadership has failed completely. The very brave family of Ajay Pandita has decided to stay back despite the terrible and mindless violence that has taken their loved ones away from them. “I’m pained that terrorists shot my son at his back. He has two daughters, who even after this incident have said that they will not leave their native place,” said Dwarika Nath Pandita, the father of Ajay Pandita. This is courage at its best; the family deserves a place of honour among the true soldiers of the nation.
The security forces continue to exert tremendous pressure upon the terrorists. They have neutralized four dreaded terrorists in Shopian, on Monday, June 8. These terrorists were extortionists who indulged in intimidation and arbitrary abduction/killing of innocent civilians, especially from the state truck drivers. Earlier, on June 3, three terrorists were killed in Kangan, Pulwama and some were killed in Rajouri while trying to infiltrate. Within this year, as many as 93 terrorists have been killed of which 22 including the top commanders have been killed in the last two weeks. The count is increasing by the day.
The situation for terrorists in Kashmir is so bad that Pakistan was forced to send a desperate request to China to create an issue along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to divert attention from Kashmir. China, on its part, is so badly compromised by the non-starter China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and its own vulnerabilities in the post-COVID environment that it actually went ahead with the misadventure. Now it will be forced to recoil with the proverbial “egg on its face.”
This apart, Pakistan has been carrying out incessant ceasefire violations all along the Line of Control (LOC). There are three reasons for the same. First, to assist infiltration of the badly needed new terrorist cadre and more importantly, arms and ammunition. Second, to build-up the morale of terrorist cadre operating in Kashmir. Third, to take pressure off the terrorists operating in the hinterland. Pakistan has been unsuccessful in all aforementioned and has, instead, exposed itself as a barbaric state more interested in furthering evil agendas than meeting internal critical conditions, especially the rapid spread of the Coronavirus. The terrorists, now under extreme pressure, needed to strike urgently and thus killed mercilessly the innocent Ajay Pandita and Danish Najar.
A vast majority of Kashmiri Muslims are eager to see the return of their Pandit brothers. The security forces have the security situation in the Valley well under control. This is the best time for Kashmiri Pandit community to move in and reclaim what is theirs. The concept of a separate area being earmarked for them would, in military terms, be reflective of a siege mentality that would prove to be counterproductive in the long run. The community should aim at accessing the whole of Kashmir as it did earlier and not get constricted into a ghetto.
New Delhi can help by remaining sensitive to the vulnerabilities of the minority community in Kashmir who definitely are soft targets for the terrorists. Once the vulnerability is addressed and the ghetto mentality discarded, innovative solutions for enhancing security will present themselves. Local Defence Committees, akin to the Village Defence Committees (VDC) that were so successful in combating terrorism in rural areas, is an option that can be considered. Such committees, comprising of all Kashmiris, will strike terror in the hearts of terrorists.
One hundred percent security is not assured to anybody anywhere in the world and should not be expected in this case too. Let the sacrifice of Ajay Pandita not go in vain; if more people take a courageous step like him and his family, the terrorists will be defeated in their own game.
As has been happening at a concerning and increasing rate over the last several years, the Russian Federation continues with its persecution and crackdown on Jehovah’s Witnesses. This can take the form of raids as happened in 2019, as reported by Human Rights Watch in “Persecution Against Jehovah’s Witnesses in Russia Escalates.”
It happens in home searches, interrogations, and harassment, as covered in “Russia: Sweeping Arrests of Jehovah’s Witnesses” by Human Rights Watch once more. Kudos to their efforts in covering human rights violations.
According to the Moscow Times reportage in “Russia ‘Escalating’ Jehovah’s Witnesses Crackdown – HRW” on some of the persecution of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, with the labeling by the Russian Supreme Court of the Jehovah’s Witnesses as an “extremist” organization in 2017, 313 people had been estimated, by the Jehovah’s Witnesses, to have been charged or convicted (circa January 10, 2020). There are a lot of stories of persecution and damage to lives coming out now, whether towards the Jehovah’s Witnesses from crackdowns, or from the Jehovah’s Witnesses towards child abuse survivors from members followed by cover-ups or deaths following from theological policies on blood transfusions.
In late June of 2018, Rachel Denber, deputy
Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said, “The Jehovah’s
Witnesses are simply peacefully exercising their right to freedom of
religion… The Jehovah’s Witness faith is not an extremist organization, and
authorities should stop this religious persecution of its worshipers now.”
Denber is right; the Jehovah’s Witnesses are correct to practice religion freely. The moral sentiment seems just now. In that the human rights of Jehovah’s Witnesses are violated as a community of belief and practice, one largely keeping enclosed, though with some proselytizing, when Russian authorities come and raid worshippers, harass believers, and label them as an “extremist” group carte blanche.
As per the international rights frameworks of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, the Jehovah’s Witnesses have the right to freedom of religion and freedom of belief. The crackdowns coming from the Russian authorities during peaceful gatherings for worship violate these rights. At the same time, the Jehovah’s Witnesses have garnered a mixed reputation. Internally, many hopefuls wish for Armageddon. For others who have left, there is a different view, whether a more modern scientific and rationalistic viewpoint or another ancient supernaturalistic religious take on reality. Those different views can come in a variety of forms, including prominent voices.
As seen in some of the anti-Watchtower writings of former Jehovah’s Witness Mark O’Donnell, also known by the pseudonym John Redwood (who left the faith at the age of 46), at JWSurvey who has covered some of the child abuse examples and sexual abuse instances within court cases [Ed. “Jehovah’s Witnesses Reject Plasma Injections for COVID-19” updated with the source, author, article title, and hyperlink to relevant quotation on June 8.]. Or the general cases of blood transfusion leading to the deaths of thousands of Jehovah’s Witnesses (see “Jehovah’s Witnesses and Blood – Tens of Thousands Dead in Hidden Tragedy” by Lee Elder”), or in the exposure work of Douglas Quenqua in The Atlantic article entitled “A Secret Database of Child Abuse” (Kimberly O’Donnell/Kimmy O’Donnell & Mark O’Donnell are covered here, too), the complaints have been numerous from a wide range of actors on the issues within the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
As with any religious group with supernatural beliefs, the behaviours within the community and with the natural world can be eccentric, e.g., belief in the supernatural or the coming of an Armageddon, and, sometimes, damaging to the health of community members, e.g., rejection, by and large, of blood transfusions. Although, there are some groups such as Advocates for Jehovah’s Witness Reform on Blood (AJWRB) led by Lee Elder (Director) who work towards reform, which, probably, comes with significant backlash and condemnation against him and the AJWRB.
With blood transfusions, one can see some of the statements on the Jehovah’s Witnesses website under the article entitled “Why Don’t Jehovah’s Witnesses Accept Blood Transfusions?” The article points to what they deem myths and facts. One of those stipulated as a myth is not believing in medicine or medical treatments. However, within the frame of the article on blood transfusions themselves, the denial of blood transfusions is a denial of a medical treatment, not all, obviously. Thus, it is a self-defeating article (once again, grounded in theology).
The justifications given are not scientific or medical. They are religious. This is posed as a medical issue, at root, rather than the reality of the presentation of biblical quotes making this really posed as a religious issue. Thus, the denial of a medical treatment, which is a denial of medicine in part, emerges out of a theological or a religious doctrine, or background, with quotations from a religious series of storybooks, i.e., no better than air on matters of empirics and science, especially in the modern world.
“Both the Old and New Testaments clearly command us to
abstain from blood,” the website states, “(Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 17:10; Deuteronomy 12:23; Acts 15:28, 29) Also, God views blood as representing
life. (Leviticus 17:14) So we avoid taking blood not only in
obedience to God but also out of respect for him as the Giver of life.”
Even in the article “What Does the Bible Say About Blood Transfusions?“, the medical orientation on the blood transfusions of the Jehovah’s Witnesses becomes theological once more, i.e., theological posed as scientific or as medical science, which isn’t how medicine or science work. As they state:
Genesis 9:4. God allowed Noah and his family to add animal flesh to their diet after the Flood but commanded them not to eat the blood. God told Noah: “Only flesh with its soul—its blood—you must not eat.” This command applies to all mankind from that time on because all are descendants of Noah.
Leviticus 17:14. ”You must not eat the blood of any sort of flesh, because the soul of every sort of flesh is its blood. Anyone eating it will be cut off.” God viewed the soul, or life, as being in the blood and belonging to him. Although this law was given only to the nation of Israel, it shows how seriously God viewed the law against eating blood.
Acts 15:20. ”Abstain . . . from blood.” God gave Christians the same command that he had given to Noah. History shows that early Christians refused to consume whole blood or even to use it for medical reasons.
If we quoted books from Mormons or the Scientologists, would this make the practice any more substantiated? Even on the issues of simple medical treatments, the references in “Can a Christian Accept Medical Treatment?” come back to a series of sacred texts or storybooks comprised of miracles and tall tales, which was written and re-written in a truly pre-scientific era without the proper comprehension and application of medicine and medical technology seen in the modern day. The collection of books is, at a minimum, outdated and, thus, completely ill-equipped to provide medical and scientific recommendations.
Myth: Many Witnesses, including children, die each year as a result of refusing blood transfusions.
Fact: This statement is totally unfounded. Surgeons regularly perform such complex procedures as heart operations, orthopedic surgery, and organ transplants without the use of blood transfusions. * Patients, including children, who do not receive transfusions usually fare as well as or better than those who do accept transfusions. * In any case, no one can say for certain that a patient will die because of refusing blood or will live because of accepting it.
One can ignore the general biblical prescriptions or interpretation of the Bible asserted by the Jehovah’s Witnesses from before in this myth and fact presentation. In that, there can be the application of some of the rigorous scientific examinations of the health or mortality outcomes of individuals who function in accordance with the medical (theological) recommendations of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. This is, at least, better because it is on more substantive grounds than simply quoting the Bible.
AJWRB Science Adviser Marvin Shilmer and Dr. Osamu Muramoto, M.D. (AJWRB Medical Adviser) examined some of the medical evidence. It was presented in “Jehovah’s Witnesses and Blood – Tens of Thousands Dead in Hidden Tragedy” by Lee Elder. He looked at the deaths caused as a result of the blood policies of the Jehovah’s Witnesses based on the expert analysis of Shilmer and Muramoto (Numbers below.)
Elder, in response to the same “myth and fact dichotomy”
note, stated, “What evidence does the Watchtower point to in support of this
claim? Beyond some studies about bloodless surgery, none that we could find.”
So, the major issue is not simply the dramatic life-and-death circumstances of the Jehovah’s Witnesses in medical circumstances. Those dramatic moments of medical peril. Rather, the issues come from “severe trauma, childbirth complications, and chronic diseases of the blood for which no effective substitutes for a blood transfusion exist,” as Elder described, “…the major killer of Jehovah’s Witnesses who are observing Watchtower’s blood policy is anemia. It is an inescapable fact that when the cells of the body fail to receive oxygen for more than just a few minutes, cell death begins to occur. Jehovah’s Witnesses are very misinformed about this, with most believing that blood and blood products amount to dangerous, even reckless medical treatment.”
People could get blood transfusions, do not, and then, because of some who adhere strictly to the theological tenets on blood, die. While Elder notes the Watchtower Society considers the position on blood transfusions as biblical, we should admit the obvious and glaring fact of the matter: These issues would not arise if we simply chalked the Bible up to storybooks rather than the holy scripture of the Lord of Lords, King of Kings.
The best medical treatments – completely unknown and unavailable at the times of the biblical authors – would simply be brought into a more comprehensive series of considerations. “Do no harm” could be more adequately applied in these circumstances, because biblical justifications would not impede the potential for consideration of the full arsenal of medical science to save lives over decades (How many? See below.).
Indeed, if we did not have to contend with some forms of selective religious fundamentalism, many patients in desperate need with some of the aforementioned chronic cases would be alive today. But they aren’t; they’re dead. The Watchtower position is based on air or a series of quotations from an ancient collection of interesting books asserted as God’s truth. Duly note, there can be a significant element of coercion within fundamentalist religious communities, too. (Also, if one wishes to see some more research on destructive cults, they can investigate the work of Steven Hassan, Robert Jay Lifton, Rick Alan Ross, and the late Margaret Singer.)
As Elder stated:
… they offer nothing substantive to support their partial ban on blood beyond vague scriptural references to not eating blood. Members are required to support whatever the current policy is, and JW children are also taught the importance of compliance from a very young age. Even non JW family members may be compelled into following Watchtower’s policy, and indoctrination is so complete, there is often significant levels of compliance among former JW’s.
Additionally, failure to comply will result in extreme shunning by other JW members, and lifelong friends who will be prohibited from eating a meal or even speaking to the non-compliant JW who does not follow the policy, or even questions it for that matter. This intrusion into the personal lives of members amounts to coercive control or undue influence, and makes free and informed consent practically impossible… Well meaning physicians and hospitals often fail to comprehend these complex issues, and unwittingly participate in JW’s martyring themselves, and their adolescent children.
Even in spite of the deserved empathy for Jehovah’s Witnesses for the non-sense committed against them by the Russian Federation authorities following from the decision of the Russian Supreme Court, and their right to exercise freedom of religion and freedom of belief based on secular international rights frameworks, there are justifiable condemnations based on the long-term cover-up of child abuse, including child sexual abuse, for decades as represented in the work of Douglas Quenqua and Mark O’Donnell (including survivors like Kimmy O’Donnell), and the staggering number of deaths following from purported prescriptions or normative biblical principles of God.
Elder, once more, in “Jehovah’s Witnesses and Blood – Tens of Thousands Dead in Hidden Tragedy,” stated, “As noted above, Dr. Muramoto rounded down the actual increase in mortality from 1.4% to 1%. If we use the 1.4% mortality rate (the actual conclusion reached by Kitchens) this results in casualties that are 40% higher: 1708 deaths caused by Watchtower’s blood policy in 2016, and a total of 46,544 deaths between 1961-2016.”
46,544 people needlessly dying (more, in fact, since it’s
middle of 2020). 313 needlessly charged and convicted based on Russian crackdowns
– more harassed, raided, and so on. Numerous child abuse survivors without justice
for decades.
State autocracy crushes religious freedom while theology trumps medicine, again. Both should be reversed in substantive ways, i.e., respecting international secular human rights, in the former, and leaving science and medicine to science and medicine rather than vague scriptural references and theology, in the latter.
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