Bangladesh Supreme Court Scraps Caretaker Government System

The Bangladesh Government is mulling over not bringing in any amendment proposal on the caretaker government system as it wants to drop the provision from the country's constitution. In this regard, the first portion of the judgment of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court will be placed as an argument. But the government will consider keeping the provision of the caretaker government system for one or two terms, if the opposition party reaches an agreement with the ruling party on other issues of the constitution amendments. This information has been received from very high-level of the government.
Meanwhile, concerned experts believe that the country has every possibility of entering a phase of political anarchy, if the caretaker government system is cancelled. It is sure that creation of such unrest in the country that will provoke the extraconstitutional forces to assume sate power. A two-year Army-supported unusual government assumed power in 2007 because of a hell bent attitude of the ruling party at that time and earlier occasions. That Army-supported government took unprecedented measures to suppress the country's political forces.
The experts believe that it will be very difficult to proceed with constitutional continuity without an understanding between the two major political parties.
Version of Government Side
The policymakers of the government believe that there is no scope to maintain the caretaker government system in the country without brining an amendment to the constitution as the 13th Amendment has been scrapped in a recent verdict of majority judges of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court under the leadership of the just retired Chief Justice A.B.M. Khairul Hauqe. The court has opined for holding the next two general elections under the caretaker government, but the observation is not a part of the order. There is no obstruction to abolishing the caretaker government system from the constitution as the review verdict of the Supreme Court has made the 13th Amendment null and void. With this in view, the special parliamentary committee on constitutional amendment has already begun dialog on the matter. Most members of the committee have opined for abolishing the system.
The government policymakers at this moment want cooperation from the opposition party in abolishing the caretaker government system from the constitution. In the primary discussions most of the special committee members expressed the view that the government should abolish this provision from the constitution if the opposition party does not agree to accept the next caretaker government chief as per the desire of the ruling party. In this regard, their main argument will be that they have only complied to the court order.
The government will bring separate constitution amendment bills in the House on the issues relating to amendments, including the Fifth, Seventh, and 13th Amendments, cancelled by the higher court. The government is also considering changing the Election Commission rules and the Representation of People Order 1974 for holing elections in a neutral manner. There will be no need of caretaker government if election commission is strengthened. The government will bank on this argument. If necessary, the ruling party will start campaign on the issue ahead of elections.
In this context, Law Minister Barrister Shafiq Ahmed said that there would be no need for the caretaker government if the Election Commission was made stronger and independent. The law minister said: 'Our neighboring country does not have caretaker government. The Election Commission can hold free and fair elections maintaining independence of the organization. The Election Commission had made instances in holding the last upazila and municipality elections in a free and fair manner. Democracy will get an institutional shape if the Election Commission plays an impartial and stronger role.'
According to the law minister, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has cancelled the 13th Amendment of the constitution after reviewing the matter in the light of the constitution to uphold the charter. The court might have though that it would have been better if the country is run by people's representatives. Running the state by unelected people is contradictory to the constitution.
He said the Appellate Division has also ruled that the 10th and 11th parliament elections could be held under the caretaker government. It also observed that the former chief justice and retired judges of the Supreme Court should not the chief adviser of the caretaker government. The court in the judgment said parliament would decide on these observations with prudently and independently.
No Election Without Caretaker Government
In this regard, Barrister Moudud Ahmed, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Standing Committee member told the Naya Diganta that the BNP would not accept if any amendment was brought to the constitution without understanding. He said that the Supreme Court had no jurisdiction to amend the constitution through its verdicts. This responsibility was entrusted with parliament, he said. He said: 'We are waiting. It will not be possible to understand what the government wants to do unless they table the constitution amendment bills in the house.'
BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhurl Islam Alamgir said: 'We have clearly said that no elections will be allowed to stage in this country without caretaker government. A person acceptable to all must be made the chief of the caretaker government.'
Opinion of Experts
Elderly lawyer and constitution expert Barrister Rafiq-ul Haque said that the Appellate Division verdict on the caretaker government system is contradictory. The court ruled that the verdict will have immediate effect. But it is also said that the 10th and 11th parliament elections will be held under the caretaker government. This is completely a self-contradictory verdict.
He said: 'Without being illegal the Thirteenth Amendment of the constitution, I proposed dropping the judges. Because, this provision is tarnishing the image of the judiciary. The Appellate Division declared the amendment illegal accepting our submissions. The court cannot formulate or amend laws. The elections could be held under the existing provision unless and until parliament changes the provision. The chief justice or the court cannot formulate or amend laws. The elections will be held under the caretaker government until and unless parliament changes the caretaker government system.'
Khandkar Mahbub Hossain, Supreme Court Bar Association president and senior advocate, said that it was not possible to arrive at a just conclusion regarding the Supreme Court verdict on the 13th Amendment of the constitution. This verdict has created confusion. The Supreme Court verdict has declared the 13th Amendment null and void and contradictory to the constitution. Again the verdict said the 10th and 11th parliament could be formed under the caretaker government. The verdict said: 'It could be.' If so who will determine the matter. Nothing has been said in relation to this.
He said that there is a parliament in the country. The Appellate Division is issuing instructions to parliament. At this, a question normally arises who is sovereign? Whether the country will run at the instruction of the Supreme Court? The verdict has undermined the role of parliament elected by the people. The judiciary could be saved if the Appellate Division gave a clear guideline. The scrapping of the caretaker government system without taking firm decisions on related issues might whip up agitations in the political arena.
Seeking anonymity, a former chief justice said that Bangladesh was likely to enter a phase of political anarchy if the caretaker government system was abolished. This will create such a volatile situation n in the country and might provoke extraconstitutional forces to seize state power. A two-year Army-supported unusual government assumed power in 2007 because of a hell bent attitude of the ruling party at that time and earlier occasions. The Army-supported government took unprecedented measures to suppress the country's political forces. He said that it would be difficult to continue the constitutional rule in the country without an understanding between the two major political parties. It seems that the opposition party would accept the abolition of the caretaker government system. It does not require mentioning that imposition of unilateral issues such as constitutional amendment would lead to recurrence of the abnormal timing of the emergency government.
History of Caretaker Government
The caretaker government system was inducted in the constitution of Bangladesh in 1996 through the 13th Amendment. Since then three elections were held under the administration. During every election, some commotion was created over the appointment of the chief adviser of the caretaker government. This commotion has assumed a dangerous shape at this moment as the chief justice of the country is being appointed violating seniority.
During the 2006 general elections, the last chief justice was supposed to become the chief adviser to the caretaker government. But Awami League did not abide by the constitutional provision. At one stage of rising controversy over the issue, an abnormal caretaker government took over the responsibility of the country. The Army-supported Fakhruddin-Moeen Uddin government ruled the country for approximately two years.
The hearing on the lawsuits regarding legality of the caretaker government at the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court began on 1 March. The court heard the submissions of senior lawyer Justice T.H. Khan, Dr Kamal Hossain, Barrister Rafiq-ul Haque, Dr M. Zahir, former attorney general Mahmudul Islam, Barrister M. Amirul Islam, Barrister Rokan Uddin Mahmud, and Barrister Azmamul Hossain QC as ameci curae (friends of the court). Among them, all amice curae excepting Azmalul Hossain QC opined for continuing the caretaker government system.
The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, in its 17 May 2011 brief judgement, said the appeal was granted in a majority decision. The 13th Amendment-1996 has been declared as null and void and contradictory to the constitution forthwith. The 10th and 11th parliament elections can be held under the 13th Amendment. And at the same the security of the state and the people is the highest law. The parliament will have the liberty to enact amendment laws to cancel the appointment of the former chief justice and judges of the Appellate Division as the chief adviser of the caretaker government.
Amendment in Budget Session
The budget session of parliament begins on 22 May. There is a possibility of brining necessary amendments to the constitution in this long session of the house. Meanwhile, opinions were collected from various citizen forums for the amendments. A coordinated amendment proposal will be placed in parliament combining the opinions and verdict of the Supreme Court.

Vietnamese Political Activities, Hostile Forces

It has become a routine that whenever our Party and state conduct political activities, hostile forces inside and outside of the country immediately distort and slander our Party and state in the media, especially on the internet.
Most recently, on the occasion of the election of deputies to the 13th National Assembly and people's councils at all levels for the 2011-16 term, hostile forces have posted on the internet and broadcast on radio to distort the election procedures and to slander our Party's leadership of the National Assembly. They ask the loaded question 'is the National Assembly of the Party or of the people' and assume that only democracy in Western countries is true democracy and allows true human rights.
Human Rights and Democracy
Scientifically, the concepts of human rights and democracy are common concepts. They are defined in documents of the United Nations, but they only have value when they are adapted and practiced in each country, each with its own model. Differences between human rights and democracy models among countries in the world are inevitable. It comes from history, tradition and culture. The international community acknowledged this in the document 'Vienna Declaration and Program of Action' at the international human rights conference in 1993 in Vienna, Austria.
At the present time there are more than 190 countries in the world, with many different political systems and national institutions, but no country calls them undemocratic and no one has the right to call them dictatorial or militaristic. In each country, following whichever ideology - capitalism or socialism - whichever political system- multiparty or one ruling party, separation of powers or centralization, whichever economic model - liberalism or socialist-oriented market economy -- it falls within the jurisdiction of each nation, and no one has the right to interfere, even the United Nations.
Post-Bourgeois Democratic Revolutions
History shows that after the bourgeois democratic revolutions, for example in Britain in 1689, in America in 1776, and in France in 1789, people to some extent enjoyed the democratic system, civil rights and human rights. In the colonies including our country however, after hundreds of years people still lived under colonial-feudal systems, which, in fact, was modern slavery. No 'mother country' shared the values of democracy and human rights with colonial peoples.
The fact is that democracy and human rights in our country were achieved by the blood and struggle of our people under the direction of the Communist Party of Vietnam and the leadership of President Ho Chi Minh who conducted the August Revolution in 1945.
In fact, throughout nearly a century of revolutionary history from 1930 to now, our Party and President Ho Chi Minh always headed toward the goals of independence for the nation and freedom and happiness for the people.
The leading role of the Communist Party of Vietnam in the state and society comes from a righteous historical, political, and legal background which the people respected and trusted and granted them that role. That role was defined in the constitution, the original law of the nation, by the National Assembly, the most powerful body in the country. This article is compatible with the Charter of the United Nations as well as international conventions on human rights. Article 1 of 'the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights of 1966 stated 'All peoples have the right of self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their political status.' This means that nations have full rights to determine their social system, ideology, political system, constitution, and laws which include the role of the ruling party.
Socioeconomic Programs
The relationship between the Party and the National Assembly is that the leading institutional role of the Communist Party of Vietnam is shown in its comprehensive leadership, guidelines, the organization of the Party, and the roles of officials and Party members. This characteristic is not imposed by the Party, but has been formed by history and has gained the respect of all the people. The leadership of the Party throughout the past 12 National Assembly terms has aimed at the goal of following the words of Uncle Ho which are 'our National Assembly truly presents the interests of people.' In fact, our country's National Assembly is getting better at fulfilling the role of a powerful state body of the people, for the people and by the people. Sessions of the National Assembly are becoming more and more open and democratic, especially the questioning of members of the government. Many socioeconomic programs proposed by the government have been carefully discussed, assessed, adjusted, and even delayed for further study by the National Assembly. In elections, under the leadership of the Party through the Standing Committee of the National Assembly, the ratio of ethnic minority, female, and non-Party members is always taken seriously. For example, in the 11th term, members of ethnic minority groups comprised 7.2 percent.
In the 12th term it had risen to 17.6 percent while the 53 ethnic minority groups in our country account for only 13 percent of our population. Female members comprised 25.8 percent of the 12th National Assembly, while at that time in Thailand female members were 11.7 percent, 23.7 percent in Malaysia, 11.6 percent in Indonesia, 24.8 percent in Singapore, 25.2 percent in Laos, and 19.5 percent in Cambodia.
This evidence is the basis to reject the distorted argument of hostile forces and affirm that our National Assembly is the National Assembly of the Party and the people at the same time. The National Assembly of the Party does not mean ownership like in the economic sense, but rather it is a historical mission and the Party's love for the people and the nation. Therefore, to remain a National Assembly of people, we must ensure the leadership of the Party.
Enhancing Quality of Party Organizations
However, to fulfill its honorable mission forever, to deserve the status of ruling party and the faith of the people, our Party has to continuously renovate and enhance the quality of Party organizations and of each Party's member according to Ho Chi Minh thought 'The Party is morality and civilization.' At the same time, we must continue to improve the leadership mechanisms, and fight against covering others' shortcomings and doing the jobs of others. Now, at grassroots levels, the Party still does the jobs of the government and people's councils. We must surmount this resolutely.

Is US Establishing Peace or Promoting Terrorism Worldwide?

It is said that the United States has never wanted peace in the world. Every country of the world is compelled to obey the United States out of fear. After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the United States got the title of 'sole superpower.' International community should make the United States understand that elimination of terrorism is necessary but regretfully Americans do not want to end the causes of terrorism?
Fighting War After War
The United States appears to be standing behind every war since the World War. More than 2 million Koreans were killed in the Korean war from 1949 to 1953. When the Vietnam war was fought in the next decade, more than 4.1 million Vietnamese were killed from 1959 to 1975. These include the citizens of North Vietnam, South Vietnam, and Cambodia. The confrontation was still on when the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in December 1979 and 1.3 million Afghans were killed. Then, the flames of Gulf war engulfed the entire region. Thousands of Iraqi children died a helpless death. Thousands of people craved for medicines in hospitals and severe food shortage emerged. The world was still recovering from this shock when the United States landed its troops in Afghanistan. United States invaded the resource-rich country to hunt down Usama Bin Ladin. Later, Iraq was also ruined and the United States claimed that Iraq had chemical weapons. Similarly, Kashmir issue remains unresolved until today in spite of having been recognized at international level. Many other devastations of this nature hit the world over the past eight decades but most of them were related to natural calamities. If matters are closely observed, it would appear that the United States is behind all these devastations and wars in one way or another. The United States launches wars under one pretext or the other and then devastation becomes the fate of the country where it enters. The United States is, at present, the largest arms supplying country. The United States sold weapons worth $800 million in 2007, whereas its own defense budget is over $700 million.
US intellectual Noam Chomsky has been drawing the world attention to this since long. According to him, the United States is assuming the role of an international rascal. On one hand, the United States is raising the attractive slogan of the 'war on terror,' and on the other, it has assumed the role of the greatest terrorist. Moreover, the United States is pursuing the communist ideology of telling lie and then standing firm in it.
Noam Chomsky considers the United States an international terrorist country in this situation. If we take stock of the international situation after 1990, we will be compelled to believe in what Noam Chomsky says. The way in which the United States made unjust intervention into different countries clearly proves that it is following the policy of imperialism.
Middle East Peace Process
The greatest responsibility lies on the United States if peace could not be established in the Middle East until today. The United States openly supported the Jewish Israel. The United States supports atrocities being committed against the unarmed Palestinians. If Israel makes the lives of Palestinians miserable in flagrant violation of the UN resolution, the United States recklessly uses its veto in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to support it (Israel). Thousands of Palestinians have been living in refugee camps in inhuman conditions since 1948. Not only this, Israel massacres innocent Palestinians even in the refugee camps. The killing in the camps of Sabra and Shatila is a clear instance in this regard. Ever since the establishment of Israel, the United States used it like a police personnel in the Middle East and did so for the accomplishment of its agenda and to ensure protection of its national interests, particularly the oil supply. Even the United States declared the recent Israeli excesses just that it committed in the form of attack on Lebanon. The United States did not condemn the killing of hundreds of Lebanese citizens and recklessly used its unjust right in the UNSC in support of Israel. As a result, the war continued for approximately 40 days and scores of human lives were lost. The United States set up a puppet regime in Iraq to seize the country's oil reserves. Moreover, the potential threat that Jewish Israel could have faced from a powerful Muslim country (Iraq) has been eliminated. Having tightened Iraq into its clutches, the United States wants to fully focus on Iran, which aspires to acquire nuclear power. It is obvious from the problems that the United States had to face in Iraq regarding Iran, that it will not launch such an attack on Iran.
Intervention Into Afghanistan
The US intervention into Afghanistan is approximately 25-year-old and its consequences are before us. Despite all of their drawbacks, the Taliban had succeeded in establishing a stable government in Afghanistan, but the United States made hundreds of Afghan target of its bombing on the basis of suspicion and pushed the country back into the Stone Age and established a puppet regime there.
The prevailing situation in Afghanistan is such that innocent people are being killed every other day and the US brutality has crossed all limits.
Antihumanity Measures
When the Islamists set up a stable government in Somalia, which had plunged into civil war and peace started to return to the country, the United States attacked Somalia with the help of Christian Ethiopia. The United States annihilated approximately four Somali villages in the very first attack. The civil war has been going on there ever since.
The man of the contemporary world is fed up of these US antihumanity measures. Smaller and weak countries have started considering it 'superpower' to remain safe from its mischief. It is necessary to reign in the US aggression if the terrorism is to be eliminated because it is promoting terrorism.

Pakistan-China Friendship: Gilani Visits Beijing

Reiterating friendship with Pakistan during the recent visit of Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, China warned in clear terms that the international community should respect integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan and should not forget its contribution to the war on terror. China has announced to supply 50 JF-Thunder warplanes to meet Pakistan's defense requirements. It has also announced 700 million yuan as aid for reconstruction of the flood-affected area and 100 million yuan loan on soft terms. It has signed nine memorandums of understanding in banking, trade, industry, agriculture, information technology sectors, and implementation on Saindak projects.
Strained Pakistan-US Relations
The announcement and the agreement that China made during the visit of Prime Minister Gilani, where he met his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao regarding Pakistan's defense and economic assistance are the outcome of the everlasting Pakistan-China friendship that has become a strong bond over the past 60 years and it is not in the power of anyone to break or weaken this chain now. The Pakistani prime minister paid visit to China at a critical time when relations between Pakistan and the United States were at their lowest ebb because of the Abbottabad operation and drone attacks. As a result of the US intervention and its strategy to keep Pakistan under constant pressure, and its desire to use the country according to its own will in the so-called war on terror, the Pakistan-US relations have become strained.
Since it was impossible for India to remain silent in this situation, it also started hurling threats to Pakistan. The Indian Air Force chief first issued a statement that his country can launch surgical strikes in Pakistan in self-defense. At the same time, India unleashed a propaganda campaign against Pakistan. In their separate statements, Indian Defense Minister A.K. Anthony and Home Minister P. Chidambaram strongly criticized growing relations between Pakistan and China, China's unilateral announcement about Pakistan's defense, and defense agreements. They announced to counter it by enhancing their (India's) defense preparedness. India's criticism of Pakistan-China relations and announcement to enhance its defense capabilities under the pretext of growing relations between China and Pakistan makes it clear once again that India wants to become mini-super power of the region. It has full support and patronage of the United States in its ambition and the defense and strategic agreements concluded between the United States and India during the visit of the US President Barack Obama to India last year are a clear proof in this regard.
This is a scintillating reality that China is a time-tested friend of Pakistan and Pakistan's integrity and stability is the cornerstone of China's regional strategy. However, as General (retried) Hamid Gul, former chief of the Inter-Services Intelligence, has said, that in spite of being deep and close friend, China will not fight for us because it is against the foreign policy and strategy of China.
Difference between China and the United States is that the Untied States neither follows any principle or international regulation for its interests, nor does it refrain from landing its troops in any region or any country. Similarly, clandestine acts in all the concerned and important countries, through CIA under preplanned objectives and targets, are also an important part of the US policy. On the other hand, China has neither committed flagrant aggression in any part of the world despite all sorts of international pressure and expectations, nor any report about China's clandestine activities came to light. In the backdrop of this clear situation, expectation on the part of the Pakistani rulers that China will physically come to the assistance in case of any possible the US or Indian aggression will be tantamount to committing suicide.
Similarly, China's economic policy is also crystal clear. China does gladly extend technical assistance and manpower to friendly countries but making a country beggar in the name of aid is not part of its economic policy. Since China's economic and political system has its foundations in communism, and since making weak segments and countries economically and financially strong is its prime objective, China always supported Pakistan in such projects that may help it stand on its own feet. According to reports, when Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani requested for immediate financial aid in view of financial deficit and fiscal hardship in the next budget, the Chinese leadership turned down this request with great love and politeness saying giving cash contribution (alms) to friendly countries is not part of China's financial policy. Since the Pakistani rulers have developed the bad habit of getting direct financial aid from the United States, the United Kingdom, World Bank, and the IMF on stringent conditions, and now that these institutions have hinted at stopping aid to Pakistan after the Usama Bin Ladin episode, and some severe conditions are being attached, for further aid, the Pakistani rulers, as usual, tried to steer the drowning boat of country's economy to safety by visiting China. However, like a good and genuine friend, China gave it the recipe of getting rid of the aid once and for all and expressed the desire to assist through investment instead of giving cash aid.
China's Support to Pakistan's Sovereignty and Integrity
It is the impact of the way, in which the Chinese leadership expressed it friendship with Pakistan in clear terms in the current testing time, like the past, that India did not take much time to change its harsh tune against Pakistan. The same change can be seen in the statements of the US leadership. The United States had persistently been talking to Pakistan in threatening tone until clear and emphatic announcement by China but once the Chinese stance came to light, many US officials, including Hillary Clinton, have stated that Pakistan had no knowledge, at official level, about the presence of Usama Bin Ladin in Abbottabad.
Similarly, the visit of Senator John Kerry and Marc Grossman, US special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan, to Pakistan immediately after Prime Minister Gilani's visit to China, and formal announcement about launching joint operation in future indicates that the Chinese announcement to declare Pakistan's sovereignty and integrity as cornerstone of its foreign policy played an important role in pacifying the US outrage and anger.
Lesson for Pakistan From China's Progress
Doubtless, China is our time-tested and all-weather friend but it is unfortunate that neither we learnt any lesson from China's progress and everlasting friendship nor did we make any meaningful planning to achieve self reliance. Despite excellent relations with China at official and government-level, attention was never focused to promote people-to-people contacts in t between the two countries.
Since all personal interests of our aristocracy are linked with the West and the United States, we are tied in bonds of friendship with China under strategic compulsion but unfortunately, despite all out friendship and sympathies of China, the hearts of our aristocracy throb in unison with the west and the United States in spite of their threats and deceptions. This is the very basic reason that in spite of all sympathy and sincerity on the part of China, everlasting relation of friendship could not be established between the people of Pakistan and China that should have been established.
Demand of Situation
Time has come for Pakistan to stand on its own feet and break the begging bowl of the West and the United States and make model of China's progress our ideal. By doing so, Pakistan can start journey on the great highway of progress and prosperity.
For this new journey, Pakistan will have to promote our political, defense, economic, and commercial relations with its neighbors and genuine friendly countries like China, India, Iran, and Turkey on priority basis instead of its distant relatives such as the United States and the United Kingdom.

Global Arms Trade

Since the past few decades, all economic activities of the world are being concentrated through different multinational organizations. Multinational companies and the racket or alliance of the international wheeler -- dealer businessmen use the 'black hole' or black market to increase their profit.
A big chunk of this treacherous capital is invested in different prefixed centers of black hole or black market. Among these are: narcotics trade, pornographic movie industry, flesh trade, expansion of sex tourism in some fixed regions, and money market.
Terrorism, which is an inevitable part of globalization, strengthens further the link of these gradually centralized lawful economy and black economy. One of the major characteristics or features of Europe or the United States is to build a military structure along with the general economic system in the state structure, which would ultimately be helpful for selling arms in the former colonies. Military economies of these states are expanded along with the general economies through development of suitable engineering and undercover researches. In the same mechanism, the money from the sale of arms in the former colonies fortifies or revs up the national economies. This military economy is still prevailing. Side by side with the Western countries, China, North Korea, and Russia are expert in this respect. However, intelligence agencies are created to protect the interest of those who have their own military economy, black economy, technological development and research system, and dualistic approach. In this way, the military authority and the companies that are created by that country are expanded through the help of diplomatic efforts. Such as
1. In the United States, a secret organization has been created or developed in combination with the CIA, Pentagon, and secret service, which has created another powerful state within the state, which Michael Parenty has identified as Alpha 84 in his book entitled the Against Emperor.
2. In 1990s, a Sinhalese officer noticed while taking command training in Israel that a group of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam embers are taking training manipulating their name which was not unknown to the Israeli intelligence agency Mosad. These intelligence agencies give training both to the pro-government and anti-government elements of the former colonies and in the Third World countries at the same time. And this is their dualistic approach. And there is a beckoning of profit of huge black money behind this. Military economy is expanded through the sale of arms after the creation of wars. Developed intelligence agencies strengthen this economy after giving birth to terrorism. Terrorism has now become a profitable business in the world. The leaders of terrorism are made heroes. Such as Usama Bin Ladin. This Usama Bin Ladin has been created by the United States. Terrorists are given publicity to increase their market price in black economy. For, it is profitable for all in the globalization. The more the terrorism would flourish within a state and against a state, the more the capital of the capitalists would grow and there would be surplus of the capital. The incident of 11 September in the United States and the war in Afghanistan -- all has emerged from the desire of expansion of capitalism. The more there would be such types of war and terrorism, the more the globalization would benefit. After the attack of 11 September, George W. Bush had stated the 'war on terror.' According to the US Administration, a huge quantity of arms is sold in 90 percent of the terror-infested countries. The US Administration announces that the US has the right to wage war against any country; the United States can silence anyone who would stand in the way of their building of 'American Century.' The United States has the capability of accumulating the huge amount of money needed for this war; the US Administration meets the costs or expenditure of war from the tax of the people. At present, the defense budget of the US is about $500 billion.
The joint defense budget of the states that are 'Satan states' is very meager compared to the US budget -- only $15 billion. The military budgets of all the states in the Middle East, nations under NATO as well as Russia and China are accumulated, it will come nowhere near the defense budget of the United States. The part of the US in the military expenditure of the world is gradually increasing or on the rise. The military expenditure of the world from 1895 to 1898 dropped to $809 billion from $1.2 trillion. But the US military expenditure is going up gradually. In 1985, the part of military expenditure was 31 percent of the total military expenditure of the world which rose to 36 percent in 1998. At present, the part or portion of military expenditure further went up as the US defense budget had increased by 70 percent in 2003 in comparison to 1998. According to statistics of a World Bank economist, Joseph Stigliz, the US expenditure in the second war in Iraq until 2006 stood at $3 billion.
The United States is spending money in war several times more than other superpowers. Today's US-centric economy is surviving or sustaining as the savings of the whole world is providing money for its random expenditure after being transformed into dollar. And this is the reason behind America's war preparation or readiness. All will spend in dollar as the number one superpower US is behind it. And to make it understand, the United States takes an attacking stand very often. The United States invests a huge amount of money for manufacturing arms whose market is created on politics. The expenditure of Iraq war was $3 trillion. A big chunk of this huge budget is invested or spent in creating demand for arms. Before the Iraq war, the profit rate or margin of all the arms and fighter plane manufacturing organizations was declining or dropping. Just with the start of the Iraq war, the profit rate of these organizations quickly shot up. The share prices of the crisis-ridden oil companies had gone up. The more the destruction in Iraq goes up or escalates, the more the manufacturing organizations make profit or trade. Canadian writer researcher Naomi Clane said about US policy, 'First destroy; if you do not destroy then how you would build?' The US Government spent $11 trillion for its military force from 1948 to 1994. This amount is more than the price of all the wealth created by the people in the United States. According to the Centre for Defense Information data, in 1990 the military expenditure of the United States was $2.9 trillion. After the United States, on the list were Japan -- $40 billion, France -- $36 billion, the United States -- $35 billion, Germany -- $31 billion, Russia -- $29 billion, and China -- $22 billion. The military expenditure of the United States of any year is more than the military expenditure of the next 15 countries. Several million poor children could be provided food for ten years with the cost of manufacturing a plane-carrying war ship. Several times more money has been spent for manufacturing a salvage vessel for sunken or submerged submarines of the navy than the cost of protection to save people from accidents at workplaces, maintaining mass libraries or public libraries and daycare centers for the children of the service-holder parents. The price of the spare parts of the military force and the arms and ammunition of the arsenal of Pentagon is several times more than the accumulated expenditure for checking environmental degradation or pollution, and protecting the environment, social development, housing and mass transport by the US Government. General Motors, General Dynamics, Genial Electric and for other generals to help keep the world safe and the money spent for arms is totally provided by the government. And the US Government is provided with the money by the US citizens.
Arms Sales Agreements of World's Top Small Arms Selling Countries [2002-09]
Country amount of sales in US dollar [billion] Percentage of total sales:
The United States: 166.276 40 percent
Russia: 73.965 18 percent
France: 35.175 8 percent
The United Kingdom: 29.379 7 percent
China: 13.652 3 percent
Germany: 9.742 5 percent
Italy: 12.531 3 percent
European countries: 43.752 10 percent
Other countries: 22.559 5 percent
Source: Conventional Arms Transfer to Developing Nations 2002-09
Top Arms Exporting Countries of 2010 [statistics in percentage of total global export]
1. The United States: 30 percent
2. Russia: 19.7 percent
3. Germany: 10.9 percent
4. France: 8.2 percent
5. The United Kingdom: 4.5 percent
Source: SIPRI, Year Book 2010
Top Arms Manufacturing and Selling Companies of 2008
1. BAE System, UK: $32,420 million
2. Lockheed American, US: $29,880 million
3. Boeing, US: $29200 million
4. Northrop Grueman, US: $24,600 million
5. General Dynamics, US: $22,780 million
6. Rethion, US: $21,900 million
7. UADS, the Netherlands: $17,900 million
8. Finmekkanika, Italy: $13,020 million
9. L and Communication, US: $12,160 million
10. Thales Group, France: $10,760 million
Top 10 Arms Importing Countries of 2009
1. India: $2,116 million
2. Singapore: $1,729 million
3. Malaysia: $1,494 million
4. Greece: $1269 million
5. South Korea: $1,172 million
6. Pakistan: $1,146 million
7. Algeria: $942 million
8. The United States: $831 million
9. Australia: $757 million
10. Turkey: $675 million
Top Five Arms Exporting Countries of 2009:
1. The United States: $6795 million
2. Russia: $4469 million
3. Germany: $2,473 million
4. France: $1,851 million
5. The United Kingdom: $1,024 million
From 2006 to 2009, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Oman, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and North African countries bought mentionable arms from the top arms producing countries of the world. It may be mentioned that arms are sold most in this region. The details of mentionable arms purchase.
The United States
Three hundred thirty-one The Tank and self-propelled guns
Five hundred fifty-six APC and armed cars
Six mine surface combatants
Sixty-two supersonic combat aircraft
Three hundred sixty-three surface to air missiles
Russia
Two hundred seventy tank and self-propelled guns
One hundred sixty APC and armed cars
Fifty supersonic combat aircraft
Five thousand four hundred thirty surface to air missiles
Ten surface to surface missiles
Twenty anti-ship missiles
China
One hundred and fifty APC and armed cars
Thirty anti-ship missiles
Europe
Thirty-two mine surface combatants
One thousand three hundred sixty APC and armed cars
Thirty tank and self-propelled guns
Nine hundred twenty surface to air missiles
One hundred ten anti-ship missiles
Fifty supersonic combat aircraft
Source: Conventional Arms Transfer to Developing Nations 2002 to 2009
No country in the Third World would be found which is not equipped from head to toe or completely by the arms and ammunition of the US defense contractors. These arms traders work closely with Pentagon to keep their several thousand dollars trade in different countries undisturbed or intact. The US arms makers are selling arms manufacturing technology side by side with selling arms. Turkey, South Korea, Taiwan, Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore are manufacturing various types of modern arms for the help of US arms manufacturers. Many of these countries have themselves become arms exporting countries.
According to a document of 'Next Step in Strategic Partnership,' India would be able to buy US war materials or equipment freely or without any hassle or hindrance and in exchange for that India would follow such a military or war strategies with the neighboring countries so that the strategies at the end keep or protect the interest of the United States. After the announcement in 2005, India and the United States have conducted 15 joint military .
The military expenditure is one of the major internal or domestic capital accumulations. It is such a necessary expenditure which is loved or endeared by the commercial interests or establishments. When the government spends money for postal system, state-run railway, low-cost housing and government hospitals not for profit, then the people can create commodities, services, and employment and can flourish the sources of taxes. Such sorts of public expenditure compete with the private market.
However, missiles and manufacturing warplane carrying ships are such an expenditure which does not compete with the private market. Military contractorship is more profitable than any trade contractorship. The taxpayers bear all the risks of productions. A refrigerator maker has to think to sell his commodities but an arms maker does not have to think to sell his arms. An arms maker has a concrete and genuine document or agreement with assurance of selling his arms including their extra production cost. Moreover, in the case of arms manufacturing, the government spends research expenditure and most of the development field expenditure. The expenditure in the defense sector creates a field of unlimited demand. The propensity of arms industry is to declare its own commodities obsolete and outdated at intervals. Because of technological development many arms of millions of dollars have become of old model. And then there develops a need for development of those arms or new arms instead of those arms or old arms. In addition, without inviting any competitive tenders, most of the military contracts are given. As a result, the arms makers more or less get the price they demand. And that is why an allurement is created for manufacturing costly and expensive arms for getting more benefits. The manufactured arms always do not become effective and suitable. In many cases their effectiveness does become negative. There is a profitable side in effectiveness of these arms, because for this extra allocation could be obtained so that these arms could be desirably made effectively.
It could be said in a nut shell that manufacturing arms is many times profitable than producing public commodities. That is why owners of the big corporations get busy to increase defense budget. The military sector is the sector with fewer risks for the corporations for making millions of dollars of profit. The expenditure for arms provides strength for capitalistic system, and at the same time it makes the government or nationalized sector pauper or destitute, which is meant not for profit. There are two fundamental reasons for the United States keeping itself as a superb arms power, although the United States does not have to face any superpowers. First, to keep the global capital accumulation safe and secure, there is a need for military installations. Second, the colossal military force itself is a direct source of earning or garnering huge capital.
Nuclear Arms
Many complexities had been created centering nuclear bombs in the field of international politics after the Second World War. The matter of restrictions on nuclear bombs is especially linked with the problems of world security and disarmament. On 5 August 1963, restrictions on nuclear arms were imposed and an international agreement was signed at the initiatives of the nuclear power countries. Then in June of 1968, an agreement against the proliferation of nuclear arms got approval in the United Nations, which is known as NPT.
In 1980s, two superpowers -- the United States and then Soviet Union -- had developed an understanding for limiting nuclear arms and contracting missiles. On 10 December 1987, the INF agreement was signed between the United States and the Soviet Union at a top summit for reduction and abolition of deadly atomic arms. The rivalry and competition between the two superpowers was reduced following the abolition or breakaway of the erstwhile Soviet Union. Later on 11 September in 1996 in the changed situation, the agreement regarding overall restrictions on testing of nuclear arms, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty [CTBT] was adopted in the General Assembly of the United Nations. The meaning of this treaty is that none could explode nuclear arms in air or water or land or underground. In fact, the nuclear power states got legal recognition in favor of their nuclear arms arsenal or amour after getting the CTBT passed in the UN General Assembly. Our neighboring country India did not sign this treaty. The major flaw in the treaty is that it prohibited only traditional nuclear explosion. That is why India termed the treaty Partial Test Ban Treaty. Director of Institute for Defense Studies and Analysis Baljit Singh thinks that the treaty in reality or in fact is Explosive Test Ban Treaty or ETBT, not more than this because the treaty took no initiative to stop non- explosive testing. As a result, the nuclear power or capable states could continue conducting test on nuclear arms in future in an alternative system through more modern technology. In talks in Geneva, the nuclear capable countries had totally rejected the demand for stopping any test by extending the area or purview or jurisdiction of the CTBT. The main proponents of the CTBT would be able take initiatives freely for development of nuclear weapons due to might in their developed technology. For conducting such tests, America, Russia, China and Britain have appropriate technology in their control. In addition, the United States has taken a decision to spend 94 million dollars for manufacturing new nuclear arms and super computers for test of those arms. The CTBT also did not reject the possibility of transfer of nuclear technology. In the past, China had transferred missile technology to Pakistan by totally flouting or violating the NPT.
In the field of nuclear arms, the United States is the first country that manufactured atomic bombs and it is also the first nation to use the bombs. The US force in 1945 dropped these bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki of Japan. In 1954 in Dienbienfu of Vietnam, the US Administration of President Eisenhower proposed France, on the eve or in the wake of defeat, to use atomic bomb. But Paris rejected the proposal. The US policymakers in the sixties and seventies in Vietnam and in Cuba in 1962 during missile crisis hinted to use nuclear arms in then Soviet Union. The United States from 1945 to 1990 exploded at least 950 nuclear bombs. This number is more than the total number explosion of nuclear bombs all over the world. The US military force has the biggest fleet of nuclear bomb carrying long distance warplanes including B-52, FB-111 and B-1. As they are a nuclear power, they are keeping Iran and North Korea under constant threat. As Cuba announced plan for building a nuclear power project, Washington made uproar centering probable nuclear capability of Cuba. The US activities of halting proliferation of nuclear arms have continued against some countries in a special political manner. Among these countries are Iraq, Iran, Cuba, North Korea, and Libya. Among them, the United States has kept Iraq under direct occupation by killing thousands of Iraqi people. In the recent past, the Western force under the US leadership has launched attacks on Libya in a special political situation. The US Administration has wanted to create instability in these countries. The United States was never seen worried and fickle over the arsenals of Great Britain, France, and Pakistan, and South Africa in the period before 1994, as the global US imperialism has no conflicts with the policies of these countries. When North Korea was shown as a nuclear threat, the matter of Japan's accumulation of plutonium by violating international treaty or agreement was overlooked or ignored by the Clinton administration. When Israel and North Africa were manufacturing hydrogen bombs, America was helping them by supplying different ingredients. Warren Christopher told before the international Relations Committee of the US Congress, 'The US is not now fully ready for total nuclear disarmament.' In fact, 'nuclear deterrence' was an inevitable element of the United States during the Cold War too. Had the US leaders been really willing to destroy nuclear arms from the world they could have reduced their own arms store or arsenal massively and would have followed disarmament policy strongly for all countries.
Although our neighboring country India had not signed the CTBT, it, in the field of non-military or private and transfer of technology, struck treaty with 45 countries to be in the nuclear supply group in September 2008. On the matter, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave a statement with then US President George W. Bush [July 2005]. In the joint statement, Bush said: 'The United States will work with friends and allies to adjust international regimes to enable full civil nuclear energy cooperation and trade with India. 'Because of this treaty, India had been given permission to buy uranium from the nuclear supply group although India did not sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. According to analysts, India would become a big market of selling of the US nuclear reactor and technology.
Selling Arms to Developing Countries
In 2009, agreements for selling of arms worth $57.5 billion in the world were signed. The agreements in 2009 were 8.5 percent less than those in 2009. Since 2005, the arms of the least amount were sold in 2009.
In 2009, the United States was on the top of the list of arms sale agreements. They made agreements worth $22.6 billion that year. Russia was in the second position with $10.4 billion and France with $7.4 billion was in the third position. In 2006-09, globally, arms worth $244.5 billion were sold which was 29.5 percent higher than the sales of $172.4 billion in 2002-05. In 2009, the price of international arms supply was $35.1 billion and in 2008 it was $35.9 billion. The reason behind fall in arms sales in 2009 was global economic meltdown; the arms purchasing countries had been compelled to cut their budget spending for arms.
The arms producing countries made arms sales agreements of $45.1 billion with the developing countries in 2009, whereas it was $48. 8 billion in 2008. In 2009, the price of supplied arms to developing countries was $17 billion, whereas it was $20.5 billion in 2008. The United States and Russian are at the top of selling arms to developing countries while the United Kingdom is in the third position. Russia currently is trying to expand its arms market to Latin America. During the Cold War, Russia used to sell arms to Cuba. Venezuela is his new buyer in this region.
In 2002-09, France and the United Kingdom also sold arms to developing countries. Germany sold naval war materials to developing countries. The amount of arms sales in 2002 and 2003 was close or almost equal. But the arms sales started to increase from 2004 to 2008 to these countries. In 2008, the arms sales agreements were the highest 48.8 billion dollars. These days China has started selling arms to developing countries.
In 2009, the United States struck arms sales agreements of $17.4 billion with developing countries.
Among the US arms sales agreements with developing countries in 2009 was $1.7 billion agreement with Egypt of supplying 24 F-16 airplanes and 50 t0 52 fighter aircraft. The agreements included a deal with Taiwan for supplying Patriot air missile defense system of $3.2 billion, a deal with Kuwait of $1.1 billion for Ke-130 J aircraft, an agreement or pact with the United Arab Emirates of $745 million for UH-60M Black Hawk Chopper, and an agreement with Saudi Arabia of $540 million for supplying AH-64D Apache Helicopter and another deal of $400 million for armed vehicles.
Russia
In 2009, Russia made agreements of $10.4 billion with developing countries. Mentionable among these are an agreement of $1.8 billion with Vietnam for diesel submarines and a deal of $500 million for eight Su-MKL war airplanes, an agreement of 570 million dollars with Myanmar for 20 MiG-29 fighter airplanes and a deal with China of 500 million dollars for J-10 war airplanes. In addition, Russia gave Venezuela a loan of $2.2 billion by which Venezuela would buy from Russia 92 T-72 main battle tanks, 300 BMP-3 armed cars and different kinds of missiles.
China
During 2006-09, China made arms sales agreements on an average of $1.9 billion with the Third World in 2009. China struck a deal with Pakistan of $1.4 billion for selling 30 J-10 fighter airplanes. China's arms are still not of Western standard in terms of technology. That is why China is selling small arms to South Africa and developing Asian countries. The four main arm s selling countries are France, Germany, United Kingdom, and Italy. The United States and allies countries sell arms to the countries in NATO where US arms are not sold. These four countries together controlled 23.5 percent arms sales agreements with developing countries in 2009. These four countries had established them as major arms sellers for the developing world during the period 2002-09. In 2009, France made arms agreements of $7.1 billion with these countries. The United States has global arms sales competition with these European countries.
At present, some Asian countries have become arms sellers. For a decade from 1990, Russia was the main arms supplier to China. At present, India is purchasing a huge quantity of arms from Russia. Malaysia, Myanmar, Vietnam, and Indonesia have become new buyers from Russian arms sales market. In the yardstick of developing countries, Asia has become the second largest arms market in the world. During the period 2006-09, Russia was the highest sellers of arms of $17.7 billion to Asia followed by America with the sales of $16.8 billion.
Arms Buyers in Developing World
Saudi Arabia was the largest arms buyers among the developing countries during 2002-09. During the period they bought arms of $39.9 billion, which was 15.2 per cent of the total arms sales agreements in the developing world. In 2009, Brazil was the largest arms purchasing country with an agreement of $7.2 billion, whereas Venezuela was the second with a deal of $6.4 billion followed by Saudi Arabia with $4.3 billion. Among the top arms buying countries were five previous countries, three Asian and two Latin American countries.
Arms Smuggling and Terrorist Organizations
In 2002, arms smugglers gathered 5,000 AK-47 rifles from the Army stock of Yugoslavia and smuggled those to Liberia from Siberia in the guise of exchange with Nigeria. An aircraft brought from Ukraine was used in this work which was refueled in Libya on the way to its destination. In the same year, arms smugglers of West Africa in the guise of arms traders bought three thousand assault rifles and 2.5 million round bullets from the Nicaraguan government. The smugglers befooled the Nicaraguan government by saying that they are buying the arms for the Panamanian national police force. The smugglers sold the arms to the South America's black market instead of supplying those to the Panamanian police and the arms ultimately went to the hands of different terrorist organizations.
Such types of thousand incidents or events give birth to a billion dollar trade of small arms smugglers. And the huge profit from trade of theirs is putting the security of the world people at risk. In the present world, five million people lose lives every year to the use of $ 639 million small arms. Small arms are the first choice of all the armed forces -- from the government army to rebel force to terrorist outfit. The reason behind this choice is the easy availability of small arms worldwide, their dangerous power or strength and easy transportation.
The black market arms supply fuel to different regional conflicts in the world. In many cases, although the conflicts fade or end, the arms remain intact and those arms spread to the nearby countries. These arms go to the hands of terrorists if conflicts do not resurface or reemerge. The efforts to control small arms have not been that much successful. According to analysts, the network of small arms smugglers is spread across the world and is being nurtured under the shadow of globalization. Arms smuggling has now become a part of the global economy.
Most of the black market arms are first supplied legally, which later enter the black market. One of the main features of this system is supplying legal arms to different poor countries. The United Nations authority has ensured violation of ban on supplying arms to Angola and Liberia. The dishonest or wheeler-dealer government officials of arms producing and exporting countries are involved in this incident. The government officials of these countries gave license for importing these arms in exchange for a huge amount of money. After import, these arms go to the black market. Dishonest members of security forces of poor countries sometimes sell government arms to terrorist organizations.
Arms are looted sometimes during instable situation inside the country and go to the hands of or possession of the black market. In 1997, 500,000 arms were stolen from the national arsenal in Albania. These arms go to different terrorist organizations in the Balkan region. Many government arms go to other places by accident while being supplied from the United States to the Philippines. In this way, one million small arms are either stolen or gone missing every year. After buying many arms in one name from the countries where rules are slack in keeping arms individually, the arms runners sell those to other countries. These sorts of incidents happen among the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Going beyond black market, arms these days have become a commodity of global shadow economy. The major commodities of this economy are narcotics, wood, diamond, rare animals and human beings. Such as; the illegal diamond trade has linked or engaged the Liberian and Togolese governments with arms smugglers or runners of Bulgaria, Ukraine, and Russia and the dealers of precious stones of Tel Aviv. Many terrorist organizations are linked with this trade network. They used to buy arms from the profit of other commodities.
People of different professions in various countries are engaged in the arms smugglers network. Such as; pilots of Belgium, Ukraine, and South Africa transport or ship illegal arms of East Europe to Africa and Afghanistan.
During the Cold War, different governments used individuals and arms traders in secret buying and selling of arms. Even after the end of the Cold War, this network remained intact, and the pipeline of the current smugglers is the outcome of that network.
At present, the Middle Eastern and African countries are the main market of illegal arms. The arms traders sell these arms by using forged documents or papers in the guise of legal trade. Civil wars and conflicts in different African countries are a big opportunity or advantage for arms smugglers. They supply arms to armed groups of different African countries, including Somalia, Sudan, Sierra Leone, and Congo. Many terrorist organizations of the world sometimes get arms directly from different countries. As there are allegations that Sudan, Syria and Iran provide arms help to different organizations, including Al-Qa'ida, Taliban, Hizballah, and HAMAS.
Worldwide Spread of Arms in Last Century
Basically the spread of military power is the inevitable result of social and economic progress in the global arena. In the last decade of the twentieth century, many non-Western countries collected or gathered modern and sophisticated arms and ammunition from the West. China and Israel themselves manufactured modern arms by their own ability. The United States in some areas or fields can show its military supremacy unilaterally in any place of the world with the help of Britain and France. In the post-Cold War period, the unparallel position of the United States in the field of military power in the world expedited the quest for attaining of nuclear power of the enemy or rival countries. In the post-Cold War world, Russia bought missiles and bombs after realizing the importance of nuclear arms in its defense system. The nuclear arms of Russia and China are capable of launching attacks on North America. North Korea, Pakistan and India are making their missiles modern to more modern and in some cases or areas; those missiles have already attained the capability of hitting targets. Terrorist activities are historically limited or confined with the week arms. But in the post-Second World war period, the use of sophisticated arms had started in terrorist activities. In the post-Cold War world, massive mass destructive arms had started to be amassed or gathered in the Islamic and Confucian states. China has been continuing transferring conventional and nonconventional arms to Muslim countries. In a secret place of Algerian desert, a powerful nuclear reactor has been established. Selling chemical arms to Libya, transferring or handing over high-powered missiles to Saudi Arabia through CSS-2, giving nuclear technology and materials to Iraq, Libya, Saudi Arabia, and North Korea as well as giving a huge quantity of conventional arms to Iraq. Keeping compatibility with the activities of China, North Korea is also supplying arms directly and indirectly to Middle Eastern countries.
From 1980 to 2011, Iran, Pakistan, and Iraq were the main buyers of Chinese manufactured arms. In 1989, a 10-yaer term agreement of mutual understanding between China and Pakistan was signed. In the agreement there were conditions for buying arms, production of arms, and joint research for development of arms, joint production of arms, transfer of technology and for selling arms to other countries on the basis of mutual consent of the two countries. In 1993, another arms agreement was signed between Pakistan and China. Within 1990, the horizon of military relations between Iran and China was broadened. In the eighties during the Iran-Iraq war, Iran got about 22 percent of its total arms supply from China and in 1989 China became Iran's largest arm supplying country.
In the 1980s, China supplied silkworm missiles to Iraq through North Korea. In 1993, North Korea supplied the Nordong missiles that could cross 600 miles to Iran. In 1992, China and Pakistan together started work of a nuclear related project. In 1991 after the fall of the then Soviet Union, the longest phase of the US economic progress had started. Clinton maintained an inflated US military budget. If it is converted to dollar it would be equivalent to the budget of the Cold War period which is one-third of the total military expenditure of the world. At present, the United States is the source of approximately half of the arms sales of the world. Russia and China had advanced toward the political and military path burying the conflicts during the Cold War. A number of agreements signed in 2001 gave a hint to that advancement of the two countries. From 1990s, China started to become the main arms buyer of Russia. At present, China gets some such sophisticated materials related to arms that were prohibited to be acquired for three decades.
Present Economics of Arms Sales
After the breakdown of then Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, most of the countries tried to bring about radical changes to the defense departments. Although the flourish of the defense departments increased or geared up in the later part of the eighties, it was on a declining curve till the beginning of 1991. The trend of revving up militarization started in 1991 during the 'Operation Desert Storm' in Iraq. Then, the military expenditure of the United States declined in 1998. The same situation remained in the United Kingdom too. Except a slight increase in 1991, the military expenditure of the United Kingdom dropped to 23. 2 billion pounds from 30.8 billion pounds. Then the arms sales started to rise at the state level as well as individual level which is still prevailing. Almost the same situation exists in Russia and China too. These days, the military expenditure is increasing massively every year. If no changes happen to this current situation, the United States will spend $650 billion in the defense sector which would be 45 per cent of the total global military expenditure. After the United States, China is the next to spend in military sector followed by France, the United Kingdom, and Russia.
According to the statistics of Stockholm International Peace Research organization, prior to 2009, the military expenditure of the world was below $1.5 trillion, which was 2.4 per cent of the global average Gross Domestic Product. It means the military expenditure had gone up 45 per cent in the past 10 years. The military expenditure of the world had reached a stable situation after the end of the Cold War. Then, it again started to rise and currently the total military expenditure of the world is again going towards the Cold War period expenditure.
There are some commercial organizations in the United States that get directly benefited because of this increase in military expenditure. Simultaneously, 44 US arms manufacturers control more than 60 per cent arms sales of the world's top arms selling organizations. Among the arms and military materials or appliances, the demand for ambush protected arms equipped vehicles was the highest for use in Iraq and Afghanistan. After the Second World War, the US budget in the military sector has reached the highest level.

Obama's Efforts To Resolve Israeli-Palestinian Conflicts

Barack Obama has been on the job as the US president for more than two years now. All along, he has been working hard to promote peace between Israel and Palestinian. However, until today, Obama's effort in this area has not achieved any obvious positive result. In fact, the Israeli-Palestinian peace talk has gone into a dead end. But Obama seems to be a US President that will not easily give up a goal such as settling the Israeli-Palestinian conflicts. On 19 May, President Obama boldly came out with his "1967 Israeli-Palestinian Border" proposal hoping that this proposal could break the deadlock of peace negotiation between Israel and Palestinian.
West Asia War
On Israeli-Palestine peace negotiation, President Barack Obama advocated that Israel's territorial border should return to the border line before the June 1967 West Asia War as a base for Israel's peace negotiation with the Palestinian state. However, the immediate reaction of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was "very angry". According to media report on 20 May, when Netanyahu met Obama at the White House, Netanyahu has furiously given Obama "a good lecture." He said that Israel absolutely cannot accept Obama's peace proposal. This is because if Israel's territory were to return to the pre-1967 borders, Israel will be unable to defend itself.
To pacify Netanyahu's "anger", President Obama did make special arrangement by giving a talk to the pro-Israel lobbying group known as "the American Israel Public Affairs Committee" to clarify his so-called 1967 peace proposal program. Obama said that according to his peace proposal, both Israel and Palestinian can exchange land and by the time the Palestinian can really achieve its goal to become an UN statehood country, the Israeli-Palestinian borders will no longer be the pre-1967 borders.
Peace Proposal
During the June 1967 War, Israel occupied the Sinai Peninsula (later on Israel returned it to Egypt), the Jordan West Bank, Gaza and the Golan plateau. Currently, Israel is firmly in control of the West Bank, and has long incorporated Syria's Golan plateau into its territory. Now, President Barack Obama wants Israel to return all these occupied lands to their original owners, Israel will of course strongly resist such a peace proposal coming from the United States.
As for Palestinian, the Palestinian authority has also expressed their dissatisfaction over President Obama's Middle East policy because in his speech, Obama only mentioned the exchange of land between Israel and Palestinian but Obama did not mention the issue pertaining to the return of over a million Palestinian refugees to the Palestinian state. Nevertheless, in principle, the Palestinian did welcome President Obama's 1967 peace program and said that as long as Israel is willing to accept this proposal, the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks can resume.
Multitude Disputes
From our perspective, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's rhetoric and claim that Israel will not be able to defend itself if its borders were to return to the pre-1967 War clearly cannot hold any ground. This is because Israel in the strongest country in West Asia. Israel processes advanced missiles, first-class Air Force and more importantly, Israel has nuclear weapons (although Israel has never admitted nor denied about it). We cannot think of any Arab country that dares to offend or violate Israel's territory with light heart.
For sure, there are multitude disputes between Israel and Palestinian. But the world has already entered the 21st century. Many impossible things in the past have also become possible. There is a need for the leaders in Israel to look ahead and make some bold decisions. Otherwise, the future prospects of peace between Israeli and Palestine will only become increasingly bleak.

Arms Trade in Bangladesh

The list of the gunrunners and traders is updated during the period of all governments. But those, who control the arms market, remain out of touch. No drive against arms was carried out after the Operation Clean Heart in 2002 and the Combing Operation during the caretaker government in 2007.
According to the Home Ministry, after the changes in government, the special list remained confined to the file. It is not confirmed that when the operation will be conducted. The sources also said with the changes in government, local and foreign arms traders built relations with a part of the administration and the influential leaders of the ruling party. They also manage the officials of the Home Ministry side by side with the officer in charges, police supers and DIGs (deputy inspector of general) of the routes through which the arms are smuggled. The arms trade is carried out in cooperation with them.
During the period of the caretaker government, the field-level intelligence men prepared a list of 400 smugglers who are involved in arms trade. The list was scrutinized after the present government came to power. But the list was not published. When contacted, Home Secretary Abdus Sobhan said that the list of arms traders and smugglers was prepared which will be published soon.
The Home Ministry has no accurate statistics on the number of illegal arms in Bangladesh. The intelligence men updated a list of the illegal arms. But the Home Ministry expressed dissatisfaction over the list. The ministry sources said there are not an accurate number of the licensed arms in the Home Ministry. There is also no information to anybody that how many licenses for arms were given during the rule of the past Awami League and BNP (Bangladesh Nationalist Party) governments.
According to the Bangladesh Development Partnership Centers (BPDC), there are 128 syndicates of arms. The number of illegal arms in the country is now 400,000, which price is 3 billion takas (Tk). Of the arms, 135,000 were traced, but the rest of the arms have no trace.
BPDC Director Sharif A. Kafi said the number of armed terrorists in the country is 600,000. Of them 40 percent are under 18 terrorists. As many as 10,000 licenses of arms were given on urgent basis in the past 15 years from 1991 to 2006 and verification was not done in most of the cases. These arms are not being traced by the law enforcement agencies.
The BPDC research sources also said that there were Tk 25 billions illegal arms in the SAARC countries except Afghanistan. And an international mafia and strong network of smugglers have been working behind it. This syndicate brings arms of Tk 5 billions in Bangladesh.
According to the intelligence agencies, about 10,000 big and small arms were recovered in 2002 under the supervision of the Bangladesh Army. In addition, 6,289 firearms, 29,493 ammunition and 1,625 kg explosives were seized during the Operation Clean Heart in 2007. During the time, 6,000 people were arrested in connection with the arms recovery, while 3,000 cases were filed against them. The sources also said arms, ammunition and grenade-making materials are smuggled through 40 routes of 4,500 km seaways, 189 km land route and 360 km open seaways.
Arms Coming in Those Routes
Smuggling of arms began in this country since the Pakistani rule. At that time, some people carried arms for self-defense. In the 70s, the ultra-revolutionists of the communist groups were procuring arms secretly. Since then, trafficking of illegal arms started. According to the information of the intelligence agencies, there are 48 points through which arms are smuggling into the country. Of them, Ramu, Moheshkhali, Inani Beach, Khashiakhali, Anwara and Shikalbaha are the most discussed routes. In addition to arms are entering into the country through Rajshahi, Chuadanga, Kushtia, Tentulia, Teknaf, Jointa of Habiganj, Chhatak, Meherpur, Akhaura, Bibir Bazar of Comilla, Chouddagram, Bilonia of Feni, Pechiabaria of Amtali, Patia of Chittagong, Dinajpur, Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT), Srimangal, Jhinaigati of Sherpur, Kamlganj, Jadabpur, Khagrachhari, Cox's Bazaar, Halishahar, Jessore, Doulatpur, Netrakona and Sundarban. Arms are now coming from Kaikhali of the Sundabans to Chilmari of Kushtia.
The Price of Arms?
Raising of the illegal arms market started in Bangladesh after 1975. During the rule of General Ziaul Haque, smuggled arms entered into Bangladesh from China and Pakistan. Those arms had gone to the hands of the Indian separatists. In addition, arms came from Pakistan for the Burma Rohingas. From this time, United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), Nagaland and Mijoram rebels used to stay in Bangladeshi hilly areas. Bangladeshi terrorists collected some arms from this rebel groups.
The arms, which are smuggled into Bangladesh include AK-47, US pistol, M-16, 9mm pistol, Mouzer pistol, US Taraus, Italy's Pertrobarota, Germany's Ruby, US Revolver, Chinese rifle, Kalashnikov, Indian pistol, Indian revolver, LMG, SMG, pipe gun and 22 bore pistol. Grenades and rocket launchers are also being collected now. The smugglers are selling these arms to the terrorist groups. Underworld sources said that heavy arms were sold to the foreigners and in this case, Bangladesh was a safe transit route. The same sources said that AK-47 was being sold at Tk 300,000, M-16 at 300,000, US pistol at Tk 100,000, 9 mm pistol at Tk 150,000, Mouzer pistol Tk 150,000 , US Taraus Tk 225,000, Italy's Petrobarota 145,000 lakh, US revolver 100,000, Chinese rifle 100,000 and pistol are being sold at Tk 30,000. Fifty godfathers are controlling the arms world, while politicians and industrialists give shelter to them. Intelligence sources said of the 400 arms smugglers, 88 in Dhaka division, 34 in Chittagong, 87 in Khulna, 70 in Rajshahi, 35 in Sylhet, 58 each in Barisal and Rangamati. Though they were arrested at different times, they were engaged in the old trade after releasing from the prison.
Those Who Are Accused
According to the list of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police, Hafizur Rahman Hafiz, Gias Hazarica and Tasbih Jahngir were the leading arms traders in the country. Hafiz and Tasbih Jahangir are now in prison, while Gias Hazarika was killed in the cross fire of the RAB. Abdur Rahman and Manzurul Alam are known as the godfathers in the Chittagong-based arms trading. In addition, Dalim of Cox's Bazar and Arif of Feni are engaged in this trade. Chief of Bhaijan Bahini of Bera Abdul Baten and Ajit Dutta are controlling the North Bengal-based arms and narcotics market. Extremist leaders Razu and Shaheen, who are the brothers are directly involved with them. In addition, Sazedur Rahman Chowdhury of Dinajpur, Tutul and Ali Ahmad of Magura, Shaheen of Jessore, Maqbul Chairman of Meherpur, Mahbubul Alam of Kushtia, Tipu and Habib Khan of Manirampur in Jessore, Helal of Bagerhat, Ruhul of Satkhira and Mashiur Rahman and Abdul Hai of Jhenidah are doing arms trade. The arms traders are selling the arms to the Rohinga and CHT rebels with the cooperation of international smugglers. In addition, they supply arms to different areas of the country, including Chittagong, Dhaka, Feni, and Comilla.
Heavy Arms in Extremists' Hands
The extremists are now using various heavy arms like AK-47, AK-56, LMG, SMG, Chinese rifle. These arms are coming through southwestern and Burma frontiers. Purba Banglar Communist Party, the split part of the Indian naxalites (Maoist guerrillas), is collecting these arms. The Border Guards Bangladesh (BGB) sources said a large number of centers, which are providing arms have been raised in the Indian bordering areas. The areas include Ranaghat, Nadia, Mohadevpur, Maslandapur, Bangaon and Helencher. Arms training is given to the terrorists in these areas. The consignment of arms comes from India through two routes of Mujibnagar and Gangni. Arms are supplied to across the country from different spots of Damurhuda through Dariapur region. The Chief of Amzad Bahini, Amzad, is controlling trade of smuggled arms. The godfather of the force, Minhazuddin Dukhu, looks after all things from India. Arms come through Kushtia, Comilla and Jessore routes under the political shelter and in connivance of police.
Arms in Phensidyle Factories
Indian traders have built 52 phensidyle factories on their border. A list identifying these factories has been handed over to the Indian authorities on behalf of Bangladesh. The phensidyle produced in the factories enters into Bangladesh through the border. Arms are coming with phensidyle, recently. It was learnt that the smugglers are using the consignment of phensidyle as the advanced consignment. Keeping the police busy with the phensidyle consignment, they are bringing arms and heroin in other consignments. The RAB seized some types of consignments recently. Smuggled arms are being stocked in the 52 phensidyle factories side by side with producing the contraband syrup.
Courier Service is Used
For smuggling arms and narcotics, courier service and transports are being used for a long time. There are allegations that courier service, transport owners, employees and members of the law enforcement agencies are involved with the arms and narcotics traders. Some types of consignments were recently seized. Identified arms and narcotics traders are using some established courier services and transports for smuggling of arms and narcotics. Doing this business, many people have become millionaire. The RAB arrested three foreign nationals with heroin and arms recently. They admitted that they used to sell heroin in Bangladesh after bringing it from Pakistan through courier service. About this, RAB Director General Mokhlesur Rahman said the matter is true. We are monitoring it and the criminals will be arrested by identifying them.
Rohingas are Buying Arms
According to the intelligence agencies, the Rohingas have started buying arms newly. The Rohinga militant groups have raised a fund of Tk 30 crore for purchasing arms. A meeting between international arms traders and the Rohingas was held at Naikhongchhari in Bandarban in December 2010. After the meeting, a decision was taken to purchase arms from the smugglers, while money was already handed over to buy the arms. According to the intelligence sources, a consignment of arms has already reached to the Rohinga militants. The Rohinga militants narrowed their internal conflict, paving the way for receiving assistance from the Middle East. Arms are being reached to them through Naikhangchhari and Teknaf borders.
Hill People Are Not Lagging Behind
The CHT was one of the arms market in Bangladesh. The supply of arms was stopped after the peace treaty in 1997. But the President of Pahari Chhatra Parishad Prasit Bikash Khisa opposed the peace treaty. He formed an organization named United People's Democratic Front or UPDF. With this, activities of collection of arms resumed side by side with the opposition of peace treaty. The Indian separatists have geared up their activities. When BNP came to power in 2001, the implementation process of the peace treaty became standstill. As a result, the UPDF was strengthened gradually. On the other hand, leaders of the Jana Sanghati Samity (JSS) became frustrated as the peace treaty was not successful. As a result, a reformist group was created among the JSS. In addition to the UPDF, they also started collecting arms. And in this way, the trend of stocking arms was seen in the hill tracts. Both JSS and UPDF started using these arms to establish supremacy in the hills. When asked, UPDF Chief Prasit Bikash Khisha said: "We do not accept the peace treaty. We would do whatever necessary in the interest of our security."
Militant Activities
The militant activities began with assumption of power by the BNP in 2001. The militants who returned from Afghanistan became active allover the country splitting into many groups for Islamic revolution. Intelligence sources said that JMB, HuJI-B, JMJB, Allahr Dal, Hijbut Tahreer, Hijbut Tawhid, Amir Ud-Din showed arms openly as there were special blessings to them by the then government. At one stage they started carrying out bomb and grenade attacks with an aim to capture state power. They carried out the heinous grenade attack on the Awami League rally on 21 August 2004. They showed their strength by conducting bomb attacks across the country on 17 August 2005. Intelligence sources said the grenades used in the Awami League rally were produced in Pakistan. These militants are still active. Various sources think that they are also involved in the arms supply process.
Replying to a question about the market and network of the arms, Inspector General of Police Hasan Mahmud Khandakar said that illegal arms are being used in the country. Different terrorist groups are using the arms. He said: "We have prepared a list of the terrorists and the godfather who use arms. As per the list, efforts are continuing to arrest them."
However, Home Minister Sahara Khatoon said that the use of illegal arms was less than any other time. She said: "Many people had used Bangladesh as a route of arms smuggling and we stopped it after coming to power." She said that the country was freed from militancy and a list of gunrunners and their godfathers was prepared. "Efforts are on to arrest the culprits side by side with facing the foreign conspiracies."
Arms Are Produced in Moheshkhali
According to an influential intelligence agency, illegal arms are being produced at some factories inside the country. These arms are being produced at remote hills of Moheshkhali and deep forests of Khagrachhari. These factories are producing guns which have huge demands among the local terrorists. Earlier, the members of the law enforcement agencies seized some arms, arms-making materials and explosives and arrested the arms-makers.
The sources said arms are being produced at Karaibunia, Putirjhiri, Saralia, Gulur Barghona, Kamlghona, Morakiri, Loharchaara, Murichhari and Shaplapur in Moheshkhali hilly areas. To avoid risk of arrests in the day time, the makers are working to produce arms at night. The environment of the factory is like almost a workshop or a shop of blacksmith. There are iron blade, iron-cutting machines and gun handle-making machineries in the factories. Concerned sources said minimum Tk 600 to 700 was spent for producing arms. But it is sold locally at Tk 1500-1600. However, the price of the arms in outside of the area is Tk 5,000. Allegations have been raised that a strong syndicate is selling the arms, produced here, to the terrorist groups across the country. The RAB arrested leading arms-makers Gura Mian, Faridul Alam and Rahmat Ali after conducting a drive in 2010. The elite force also seized 12 arms, including cut-rifle, revolver, and pistol. In the absence of them, another organized circle is selling arms after producing.

Kashmir's Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy

More than 700 insurgents currently in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) have expressed the desire to return under the state government's surrender and rehabilitation policy. Until now, relatives of more than 700 insurgents have made applications to offices of various superintendents of police in the state. These applications would be forwarded to various intelligence agencies for complete verification. Home Commissioner B.R. Sharma has recently disclosed this, and added that after complete investigation of the applicant, the file might be forwarded to the Federal Home Affairs Ministry and the External Affairs Ministry. After approval of the two ministries, insurgents would be permitted to return.
Initiated Measures
Until now, approximately175 applications have been received. Of these, 20 have been verified at the state level, and their cases forwarded to the central government. After receiving clearance from the central government, these insurgents would be allowed to return. Sharma disclosed that verification of 175 applicants is on, and added that their cases may soon be forwarded to the federal government. From this, it appears that the state government is serious in rehabilitating these insurgent youths, and has initiated measures in this regard. Yet, there is a sterling query that some of these insurgent youths have got married in Muzaffarabad, and also have children. These children should be grown up now. Therefore, what does the government thinks in such cases, and what kind of policy has been formulated in this regard.
Such insurgents may be allowed to bring their families, wife, and children along them, but they would enjoy the position of Pakistani citizens. Their visas would continue to be extended until the time to the Indian Government confers them the right of being Indian citizens. To gain this status, they would have to fulfill certain conditions.
Harsh and Stringent
Youths residing across the border are said to have abandoned guns, and have taken up regular jobs, and their children are studying there. If rules and regulations for their return were harsh and stringent, how would they stage a comeback? If a Kashmiri youth remained unmarried in PoK, he may easily come back, but those having families would it extremely difficult to return. Their relatives here have said that it may prove a hard nut to crack for such people. They said if families of such youths get impeded because of harsh rules, how could they leave their children across the border, and come back?
In fact, they cannot return at all. It is, therefore, necessary that the state government adopt a soft and flexible policy so that these insurgent youths, desirous of return, may come with their families. The government also maintains that the door of return for such youths would remain closed, who are involved in serious cases and are wanted by police. Doors for those insurgent youths would also remain closed against whom adverse remarks are filed by intelligence agencies.

Need for Simultaneous Economic, Political Reform in Vietnam

Bui Tat Thang, Vice Director of the Institute of Development Strategy, Ministry of Planning and Investment, shared the thought with the scientists attending the seminar entitled 'Determine the relationship between economic and political reform' that it was the first time he had attended an open talk on political reform after many years of research.
The seminar was held recently by Tap Chi Cong San (Communist Party of Vietnam Magazine) and attended by many scientists from large academies and institutes of strategic study. They shared the opinion that after more than 20 years of reform, political institutions have not developed in step with economic institutions. The pressing requirement is that economic reform must go along with political reform, and it cannot be avoided due to 'sensitivity.'
Associate professor Vu Van Phuc, editor in chief of Tap Chi Cong San, pointed out that economic and political institutions can obstruct and interfere with each other in the absence of well-balanced, coordinated, and thorough reform.
Cannot Be Avoided
Major General Le Van Cuong, former director of the Security and Science Institute of the Ministry of Public Security, analyzed that inertia, weakness, and deterioration of some officials in the political system has impeded socio-economic development. Therefore strong political reform is to contribute to strengthen the leadership role of the Party.
Thang related the story of reform in China, and observed that it represents a good lesson for Vietnam. He quoted Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao that the achievements of economic reforms will disappear in the absence of political reform.
Former Vice Director of the Academy of Journalism and Communication Duong Xuan Ngoc shared his view that while economic reform has been studied at length, the issue of political reform has rarely been mentioned and is often avoided, while they have a dialectic and symbiotic relationship. According to Ngoc, only by building stable institutions on the basis of the law-governed state can we minimize the influence of some individuals on the general interest.
The scientists also used many analogies in their discussion about the discrepancy in speed between economic and political reform, and agreed that political reform should not be avoided. Everything should be discussed in public. Phuc, editor of the Tap Chi Cong San, said that to define the relationship between economics and politics is to understand and resolve it properly, rather than rely on extreme and one-side views.
Reform From Top Down
Like economic reform, the steps to political reform need to follow a road map and make the right choices. According to Gen Cuong, the first obstacle to overcome is deterioration and weakness of some officials, Party members, and particularly high-ranking officials.
Beyond that, it is to realize the principles in the regulations and resolutions of the Party, which are to develop the people's ownership, and to carry out supervision mechanisms within the Party and the people's supervision of the activities of the Party. 'Power without supervision will deteriorate. That is certain' he said.
The third important point is to carry out social supervision and criticism of all the policies, guidelines, and socioeconomic development plans of public authorities.
Gen Cuong said that the supervisory systems of the Party and the State are performing inefficiently not because of the weakness of the supervision agencies, but rather due to their inappropriate structure and organization.
Duong Phu Hiep, former general secretary of the Central Theoretical Council of the Communist Party of Vietnam, said that the focus should be on officials, since 'this is the face of the Party.' In addition, the political system should meet the demands of the market, and be dynamic and trim. At present, the state apparatus is still cumbersome and intervenes too much in the economy, and operational shortcomings in the administration have not been overcome.
It is important, according to Hiep, for the Party to continue to reform from within, and not to try to do the work that should be done by others.
Requirements of Present Situation
Ngoc affirmed that political reform must start from the top. The Eighth National Party Congress placed 'stability' as the premise, but continuing to focus on the target of stability reflects an attitude of hesitation and fear of reform. It does not meet the requirements of the present situation.
Only political and economic reform can be the premise for development. The reform must start from the high ranks, in the Party and in the society. Although the participants had different points of view on the range of political reform, they all agreed that it is necessary to conduct wider discussions on this subject, and that economic and political reform must be carried out at the same time to achieve a comprehensive reform.

Assembly Election Results To Change India's Political Scenario

The assembly election results of four states and one union territory have been declared. These results can be harbingers of things to come. The results have proved to be good for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), but they can prove ominous for the Congress. From the looks of it, except for Assam, the results of other states have not proved to be very good for the party, and not very successful. If this trend continues and the results of the coming elections in Uttar Pradesh (UP) turn out to be as disappointing, then it will be very difficult for the Congress to remain a major party. The reason for this is to maintain its strength in the states and have sufficient numbers.
Prestige Issue to Congress
The results of today's elections have given a blow to the Congress. This has been especially true of Andhra Pradesh (AP). Rajashekhara Reddy's wife and son have given a nasty shock to the Congress government and have exposed its tall claims. Only until yesterday the Congress was claiming that it will win the two seats in AP hands down. It was claiming these seats as theirs, especially the Cuddappa seat had become into a prestige issue to the Congress. But today, the election results have shattered its image. Keeping in mind to win these seats, Jagan and his mother Vijai Lakshmi played many tricks. They got many candidates with similar names of Jagan and Vijai Lakshmi to stand so that the voters got confused, and the Congress took full advantage of this confusion. But Jagan's immense popularity led to a large margin victory for Jagan and his mother.
In West Bengal, where the Left Front had been ruling for over three decades, the Trinamool Congress of Mamata Bannerjee sent Left parties packing and laid the foundation of a new history. Bannerjee, winning with a comfortable majority, has assured for herself the Chief Minister seat. She made a pact with the Congress. But for 90 percent of seats, the credit goes to her. Here also, the Congress was in the fray but it could not get much success.
Change in South
There has been a change in the administration in South India also, in the state of Tamil Nadu. Here Jayalalitha, by ensuring her victory over Karunanidhi, has made sure she becomes the chief minister. Here, A. Raja of the Dravida Munnetra Kazahagam (DMK) had to pay the price of being involved in the biggest scam of independent India, the 2G scam and other scandals. Otherwise also, Tamil Nadu had a trend of changing the government every five years, and the DMK and All India Dravida Munnetra Kazhakam (AIADMK) take turns in running the government every five years. While in West Bengal, the Left had to face defeat because of the mistake they have made in Nandigram and Sangrur, Left leaders have acknowledged the mistakes they have made.
In Assam, the Congress put up a good show, while in Puducherry, the party's record was not very good. In Kerala, the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) did not get any significant majority. In these elections, the most amazing aspect was that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been wiped out completely from these states and could not get even a single seat, except in Assam. The BJP has been wiped out clean from all these states though it proudly claims that it was the country's largest opposition party. This is a very embarrassing and shameful situation for the BJP. The biggest proof of this defeat is that people of this country have stopped thinking in communal terms in their agenda.
Constructive Opposition
Tamil Nadu took the blame for the defeat of the DMK and Karunanidhi's son, Abhigyan, resigned from the union government and has presented his resignation to DMK Chief Karunanidhi, the Left Front acknowledged its defeat and promised to work as constructive opposition.
During the elections, Mamata Bannerjee's fixation for the figure 13 was at its height. Coincidentally, this is the 13th year of the formation of the Trinamool Congress. Also 13 is the figure of Mamata's name numerological. She considers 13 to be lucky for her. Even the announcement of the election date was 13. All other predictions, except for West Bengal, turned out to be disappointing and the political scene changes. In such a situation, how all this would affect the federal government remains to be seen.