KC, Just want to clear a few things (IMHO).
A democracy does NOT mean that the country should not protect itself against anti-social elements, specially those accompanied by violence. The BPP and say, the KKK are both extreme examples of US society. But US Federal law is very clear: The US does allow free speech and all that, but that privelege is taken away once some thresholds are crossed: for example violence. That is why the KKK is tolerated, but if they violent, the Govt. would not allow that. The other thing is that, the practice of democracy in the US is much more developed than in India. India has had only 60 years compared to that of the US. India's experiment and its experience is still in its infancy, and there will be errors, and sputterings, but overall it seems to done a much better job than expected. All this inspite of constant gnawing at this young democracy by insurgents and their supporters in the NE and Kasmir, and by its ever-so-friendly neighbors. So, in essence, comparisons with the US an either side is not really conducive. When I say either side, I mean either to hold it up as a model or to poke holes at. Comparisons as model is lousy because the US has had many, many more years of experience. And the comparisons are apples to oranges. And seeking to poke holes in the US experience is also not correct, because even the US is still perfecting the art of democracy, and there will be problems along the way. But, this much is true, no democracy will stand by idle when its citizens are wontonly killed and harassed, and its territorial integrity is threatened by violence - even if they happen to come from its own citizens. You might remember, the US took 'military action' on a number of cases. To cite a couple, there is the Ruby Ridge and David Koresh. In both cases, the Federal Govt. thought life & liberty were at risk, and so it decided to end them by force (if necessary). --Ram da On 10/4/07, Krishnendu Chakraborty <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Ramda > > Check this ... how "functioning democracy, run by > people who BELIEVE in it" treats separatists. > > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Panther_Party > > This is just one example .... just google and you will > get many more examples. > > But then again ---- " Moi g* khaale toi-w khaabi > neki?" :-) > > > > > >What you miss Ram is that INSURGENTS are PEOPLE, > > who are driven to armed > > uprising, in the pursuit of POLITICAL RIGHTS, which > > they are >deprived of > > > > C'da, > > > > And what you might be missing is that those killed > > by insurgents, are people > > too. > > Where is the humanity that we seem to all wear on > > our sleeves and preach all > > the time? These people were also fathers, > > mothers, brothers, sisters and children. Were the > > Biharis expendable or were > > the children of Dhemaji > > cannon fodder? > > > > The other day, you raised the question whether > > Sanjoy Ghosh's life was more > > valuable than the thousands of insurgents killed? > > Well, all life is precious - but more precious ones > > are the innocent ones > > and innocent here means the countless, everyday > > common soft-target people > > milling around, going about their own business. > > Ghosh is a classic example > > of someone who was doing what very few people are > > willing to do - helping > > the poor and needy in Assam. And of course, who > > really cares about him? He > > is gone... good riddance. right? > > > > >That India has remained buried in its effort to > > squelch these voices > > militarily for over half a century, > > >annihilating hundreds of thousands of what it > > >calls their very OWN people > > > > C'da, how would you want the GOI to react when some > > of its people take to > > murder and > > mayhem of innocent people? Treat them with kid > > gloves? > > > > Yes, insurgents also need to be treated fairly and > > with decency. But that > > ought to be extended the other way too. > > > > --Ram > > > > > > . > > > > > > > > > > > > On 10/4/07, Chan Mahanta <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > wrote: > > > > > > What you miss Ram is that INSURGENTS are PEOPLE, > > who are driven to armed > > > uprising, in the pursuit of POLITICAL RIGHTS, > > which they are deprived of. > > > > > > > > > In a real, functioning democracy, run by people > > who BELIEVE in it, not > > > merely wave as a facade at those whose approval > > they so seek, there would > > > have been ways to find a peaceful solution to such > > disaffections. > > > > > > > > > That India has remained buried in its effort to > > squelch these voices > > > militarily for over half a century, annihilating > > hundreds of thousands of > > > what it calls their very OWN people , and now with > > connivance of a brutal > > > military dictatorship in Burma, points to its > > fake commitments to real > > > democratic values and its intelligentsia's > > cluelessness and absence from its > > > governance. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > At 10:07 AM -0600 10/4/07, Ram Sarangapani wrote: > > > > > > >**** Ahhhh! The use of language to deny the > > humanity of 'insurgents' , as > > > if > > > > > > >they are NOT people. Not Nagas, not >Shans, not > > Manipuris, > > > > > > >not Oxomiyas---they are just INSURGENTS and so > > fair game. > > > > > > > > > > > > C'da, > > > > > > > > > > > > I doubt if any sane government will just allow > > insurgents to do what they > > > please - hole up in neighboring countries and blow > > up their citizens. To > > > that end, India is frequently reminded of the > > "humanity" that insurgents > > > frequently dole out to Indian citizens in Assam, > > Manipur etc. > > > > > > > > > > > > You tout the 'just cause' on behalf of > > insurgents, of their sacrifices, > > > their aspirations etc. > > > > > > Fair enough. Similarly, India and Indians also > > think that their cause is > > > just, and that the Indian democracy (at least > > thats what they think - even > > > if you disagree) is being hijacked, its citizens > > killed, and insurgents are > > > causing a reign of terror among common citizens in > > Assam > > > > > > > > > > > > That is why, whatever the causes/aspirations are, > > in the end, peace is > > > what both sides need to aspire for. > > > > > > If "peace" is not on the table nothing else > > matters. > > > > > > > > > > > > --Ram > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > 10/4/07,* Chan Mahanta* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > wrote: > > > > > > >He is upset that the GOI would reach across the > > border to seek the help > > > of Burma/Bhutan with the >insurgency problem. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > **** Ahhhh! The use of language to deny the > > humanity of 'insurgents' , as > > > if they are NOT people. Not Nagas, not Shans, not > > Manipuris, not > > > Oxomiyas---they are just INSURGENTS and so fair > > game. > > > > > > > > > === message truncated ===> > _______________________________________________ > > assam mailing list > > [email protected] > > > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org > > > > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________________ > Check out the hottest 2008 models today at Yahoo! Autos. > http://autos.yahoo.com/new_cars.html > > _______________________________________________ > assam mailing list > [email protected] > http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org >
_______________________________________________ assam mailing list [email protected] http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
