Indonesian Anti-Corruption Commission Chasing N Trio

Take a closer look at the following names: Nazarudin, Neneng Sri Wahyuni and Nunun Nurbaety. The three persons with the first name initial 'N' (N Trio) are currently abroad and wanted by the Anti Corruption Commission (KPK).
Why are they wanted by KPK? There is no other reason but their involvement in corruption cases. Nazaruddin and Neneng who happen to be husband and wife are witnesses in corruption cases in a number of ministries. Meanwhile, Nunun's status is more elite, a suspect in the bribery case in the selection of Senior Deputy of Bank Indonesia.
Nazaruddin and Neneng have been summoned by KPK but they failed to show up. Nazaruddin claimed to be sick, while Neneng's excuse is not clear. The married couple are now hiding in Singapore.
Current Whereabouts
Not only has Nunun been summoned by KPK, but she has been named fugitive of Interpol. Her passport has been revoked. Nobody knows her current whereabouts except her husband, Adang Darajatun, former Deputy Chief of the Indonesian National Police, a very high position in the legal field. Nunun had once hidden in Singapore.
KPK is quite overwhelmed to bring the N Trio. Perhaps it is because KPK lacks hardwork and does not fully utilize the information provided by citizens, including former Minister for Industry Fahmi Idris who is eager to provide information on Nunun's location. One thing is clear though, these three persons seem to be very good at escaping.
KPK is so overwhelmed that it calls on the parties related to these KPK targets to actively participate. We know that Nazaruddin was the general treasurer of the Democrat Party, and Nunun is the wife of Adang, a People's Representative Council (DPR) member from PKS [Justice and Prosperity Party].
The Democrat Party, as stated by Democrat Party Deputy Secretary General Saan Mustopa, has given up. To them, bringing Nazaruddin back is KPK's business. They claim not to know the whereabouts of the former party general treasurer. But clearly, according to Nazarudin's lawyer, OC Kaligis, Nazaruddin would not come back.
And so does PKS. They also respond negatively to the appeal of KPK to participate in bringing Nunun back. In fact, as stated by PKS member Nasir Jamil, KPK has lost its mind and has been called on not to pass the buck. PKS, he said, has nothing to do with Nunun because it is Adang's private domain.
KPK's request is actually normal. As an institution facing difficulty of presenting witnesses and suspects, KPK may request the participation of all parties. It includes asking the participation of poltical parties, directly or indirectly related to the cases involving Nazaruddin and Nunun.
Absurd Accusations
If the parties had supported the anti-corruption effort, they should helped KPK, rather than making absurd accusations. If they didn't do anything, it means that they tolerated the occurrence of corruption in this country. Or perhaps if a corruption case involves people outside their groups, they will make an issue about it, but if the case involves their colleague, they will be silent.
KPK may still have weaknesses. There are big cases that remain unsolved. However, we cannot let the institution that still offers hope for law enforcement be the sitting target and then be weakened. The tendency to weaken KPK has recently been more apparent, including from the circles of political parties touched by KPK actions.
We cannot hope that the N Trio will act galantly by showing up in KPK. We must support KPK in forcefully bringing back the three persons. If necessary, KPK should humiliate them so that corruptors will think a thousand times more if they plan to hide in other countries.

Will Next Pakistan-India War Be for Water?

With the passage of time, the Pakistan-India water dispute has assumed alarming proportions. It is a very long story as to when this dispute started, and which agreements the countries signed on this disputes, and how the two countries are bound to cooperate with each other under these agreements. Little brawls among farmers and peasants over water are the order of day in our rural areas today as they were yesterday. However, these brawls were far more intense when I was a child. I have seen several farmers and peasants smashing one another's head over water disputes.
However, war between countries and blocs over water was no more than a whim, idea, and apprehension until a little while ago; however, now, the war experts elaborately say that man will see this idea transformed into a full-fledged, ruthless reality in the next few years. According to their predictions, South Asia will be the first region which will fall prey to war for water and the region, famous for the fights of Panipat, will become a center of wars for water and will give the gift of a seeping cancer, like the Kashmir issue, to the coming generation. The region is all set to introduce the world to a horrible history because, like the Kashmir issue, this issue does not appear to be resolving through rebuttals and condemnations and debates and negotiations. Like the Kashmir issue, confrontation, instead of cooperation, is being resorted to in this issue too.
The devastation, which this war might wreak can be assessed from the fact that the war will be between three nuclear powers of the region, China, India, and Pakistan. Rather, the question is being raised now whether this war has not actually already started unnoticed.
Resolving Kashmir Issue
Tragically, the first decade of the 21st century has ended but the South Asian countries are still carrying the baskets of the past garbage on their heads. Considering the historical perspective and the sacrifices offered by the Kashmiris, the Kashmir issue should have been resolved and the chapter of enmity in the region should have been closed for ever. The climate of this region should have changed until now. We should have learned a lesson from the past hostility, fights, wars, and bloodshed and should have set new goals to move to new destinations. However, the conceited and intoxicates souls of the region are still soaked in the ignorance of the past while the oppressed ‘Kashmiri people’ are being subjected to atrocities.
Following the partition of the subcontinent, Pakistan and India signed an agreement on 18 December 1947. Under this agreement, the distribution of water between the two countries was to remain as it was before the partition. However, within a few months, in 1948, after the conciliatory tribunal was abolished, India blocked every canal, reserved for irrigation, which originated from Ferozpur and Gurdaspur and crossed the border between the two countries. This India act meant severe loss to the standing Pakistani crops. The unilateral Indian act was against the spirit of the international law pertaining to the rivers flowing between two countries. The Barcelona Convention of 1921, which India had signed, does not allow any country to block or divert water of a river which crosses the border to enter a neighboring country. Under Barcelona Convention, a country is not allowed to use river water to a level and in a manner that the lands of the neighboring country cannot be irrigated or it may not have adequate water.
The river system of Indus basin consists of River Indus and it tributaries, Jhelum, Bias, Chanab, Ravi, and Sutlej. All these rivers meet Indus River at Mithan Kot in Pakistan before they fall into the ocean, in the south of Karachi. The total area of Indus basin is around 365,000 sq miles. Most of this area happens to be in Pakistan while the little remaining part stretches across the disputed Jammu and Kashmir, India, China, and Afghanistan.
At the time of the partition of the subcontinent, 31 million acres out of a total 37 million acres of Pakistani land was irrigated by these rivers. However, while drawing borders between the two countries, no attention was paid to the canal system established in the Pakistan-India subcontinent. Although, the boundary commission recognized this dispute, it deliberately did not resolve it because the Kashmir issue was linked with it and the governments of both the country were unwilling to withdraw from their respective stance. Pakistan gave the threat to take the issue to the International Court of Justice. At this, India gave the assurance that the issue of distribution of water would be resolved through mutual dialogue. However, the experience of years proved that dialogue is the best tactic to delay the resolution of any problem and the insincere party uses this tactic expertly.
Continuation of Mutual Dialogue
Mutual dialogue continued from 1948 to 1951; however, the two countries could not make any headway on this issue in spite of the fact that they wanted to resolve the issue as they knew that unresolved issue of water can engender numberless disputes in future. Yet, thanks to the Indian stubbornness, they could not mutually resolve the issue.
During this time, India had started construction of a barrage in the upper part of River Bias and River Sutlej at Harik, a place beyond Ferozepur, and had also started work on Bhakra Dam site. Thus, India dismissed every Pakistani objection, which augmented bitterness between the two countries. When the stories of the hostility between the two countries spread, ‘Collier’, a famous US magazine, which continued to be published until 1957, sent ‘David,’ the former chairman of Tennessee Valley Authority and chairman of US Atomic Energy Commission, to India and Pakistan on a fact-finding mission. The idea was to prepare a report in the light of which the problem could be resolved. For several days, David tried to understand the Pakistan-India water dispute. On his return, he expressed his opinion in the form of a series of articles.
Removing Pakistan's Apprehensions
The first of these series of articles was polished in 4 August 1591 edition of the Collier. In this article he wrote that the efforts to resolve this issue should start from removing Pakistan's apprehensions of being deprived of water and being reduced to a desert. India should confirm the volume of water it is currently using and it should be made incumbent on Pakistan that it and India would jointly work on the international basin of the river. The problem should be resolved on the basis of engineering. The two countries would not be able to resolve this issue if they worked separately, as the River Indus disregards borders between the two countries and follows its natural course lying across disputed Kashmir, India, and Pakistan. The entire system should be developed as a unit and it should be run as a unit like the TVA system of the US states.

First China-US Meeting on Asia-Pacific Region

China and the United States held their first round of consultations on Asia-Pacific in Hawaii on 25 June, which was hailed by both sides as positive and beneficial. The one-day closed-door consultations were co-chaired by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai and US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell.
Friendly, Candid and Constructive
Calling the consultations "friendly, candid and constructive," Cui said it was the outcome of the third round of the China-US Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) held in May to implement the consensus reached by Chinese President Hu Jintao and his US counterpart Barack Obama during Hu's visit to the United States in January.
The two sides praised the progress made in bilateral ties since President Hu's visit, stressing that they would continue to boost China-US cooperative partnership as envisioned by the two heads of state, Cui told reporters after the talks.
Region and Regional Issues
They also had in-depth exchange of views on the general situation of the Asia-Pacific, their respective policies on the region and regional issues of common concern, Cui said. The two sides agreed to use the consultation mechanism as a platform to keep close contacts and coordination on the regional situation and respective policies to advance bilateral cooperation in the Asia-Pacific and play an active role in safeguarding regional peace, stability and prosperity.
The two countries held "open and frank" discussions with his Chinese counterpart, with the goal of "attaining better understanding of each other's intentions, policies and actions toward the Asia-Pacific region. The United States reiterated that it welcomes a strong, prosperous and successful China to play a greater role in regional and world affairs.
China and the United States discussed issues related to the Asia-Pacific, as well as each other's objectives at a series of meetings, including the Association of South East Asian Nationa (ASEAN) regional forum, Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders meeting to be held in Hawaii, the Pacific Islands Forum and East Asian Summit. It was also agreed that the next round of China-US consultations on Asia-Pacific will be held "at a mutually convenient time."
Established during the third round of the S&ED on May 9-10 in Washington, the mechanism of China-US consultations on Asia-Pacific was an important step to materialize the achievements of President Hu's US tour in January as well as the consensus reached between the two countries at the latest round of the S&ED.

The creation of the mechanism would help usher in a pattern of positive interaction between China and the United States in the Asia-Pacific region so that the two countries could cooperate better to boost the region's stability and development.

Pakistan-Iran-Afghanistan Summit

Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan, reiterating their strong commitment to reinforce their efforts to eradicate extremism, terrorism and militancy, have agreed to strengthen and expand trilateral cooperation in various fields. This was agreed during the trilateral summit between President Asif Ali Zardari, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Afghan President Hamid Karzai held in Teheran on 24 June.
Cooperation Among Governments
Within the framework of trilateral cooperation among the governments of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, heads of the three states held the second trilateral summit in Teheran on 24 June 2011.
The parties in this summit underlined the good neighborly relations and the necessity of strengthening and expanding trilateral cooperation in various fields. They also discussed issues of mutual interest in the political, security and economic domains, as well as in the areas of trade, education and culture. Moreover, the parties regarded the trilateral summit as an appropriate platform for the promotion of regional cooperation and the strengthening of peace and stability.
During the trilateral discussions, held in a friendly environment, the three parties emphasized the implementation of agreements based on the document signed among the three countries in Teheran (24 May 2009) and the agreement among the three foreign ministers in Islamabad (16 January 2010).
Joint Agreement
The leaders at the summit agreed on the following points:
1. All parties stressed the strong will of the governments and Muslim people of the region to strengthen the ties in various areas of political, security, economic and cultural issues and promoting cooperation among three countries in the above mentioned areas.
2. All parties underlined the need to maintain peace, stability and tranquility in their region as well as to promote economic prosperity, strengthen their cultures and respect religious beliefs.
3. All parties underscored their strong commitment to reinforce their efforts to eradicate extremism, terrorism and militancy, and also rejected external interference, all of which are not in clear conformity with the spirit of Islam and the peaceful traditions of their people.
4. All parties expressed their deep concern over the increase in narcotic drugs trafficking and their organized crime, and called for greater regional cooperation to eliminate this menace.
5. All parties stressed that the existing capacities of their respective countries be fully utilized so as to strengthen peace and security to ensure the respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity as enshrined in the UN charter to prevent any instability.
6. All parties reiterated the importance of regional cooperation and emphasized to work together to resolve regional issues affecting them.
7. All parties agreed that further trilateral meetings at the level of ministers of foreign affairs, interior or security and commerce will prepare a roadmap for the heads of government.
8. The Islamic Republic of Iran and Islamic Republic of Pakistan support the Afghan-led and owned reconciliation and peace process initiated by the Afghan government.
9. All parties agreed that the third trilateral summit shall be held in Islamabad, preferably before the end of 2011. They also agreed that the fourth summit would be held in Kabul.

US Troops Withdrawal From Afghanistan

After heated debate with his senior aides, US President Barack Obama has finally announced of his US troop withdrawal plan from Afghanistan. First, he will withdraw the total 33,000 additional troops he sent to Afghanistan some 18 months ago back to the United States by the end of September 2012. When it comes to 2013, he will bring all the remaining 68,000 US troops stationed in Afghanistan back to the US homeland so that the United States can officially ‘end’ the US combat operations in Afghanistan.
Effort on National Building
In announcing his US troop withdrawal plan from Afghanistan, President Obama claimed that the United States has substantially completed the US goal in Afghanistan because Al-Qaida network leader Osama Bin Laden and half of Al-Qaida leadership have already been annihilated. As such, the earlier terrorism threat posed by the terrorist elements in Afghanistan has been eliminated. It is now time for the United States to focus its effort on national building.
In fact, by now, majority of the people in the United States have already suffered mental weariness not wanting the United States to engage in any kind of war. The people in the United States also think that it is time for the United States to withdraw the US troops from Afghanistan. In this regard, US troops withdrawal plan from Afghanistan as announced by President Obama was well received by majority of the people in the United States. But amid this atmosphere of joyous mood in the US society, no one can conceal the hard fact that after the United States engages the war in Afghanistan for ten years, the US forces still cannot beat the Taliban forces.
Exploratory Talks With Taliban
While it remains a truth that the United States did topple the Taliban regime in Afghanistan; but the Taliban regime has not collapsed. After the Taliban regime retreated to the Pakistan border, they have reorganized their force again. Until today, the presence of the reorganized Taliban force still poses a serious threat to the continual survival of the present Afghan Government.
In fact, in the end, the United States has also come to acknowledge such a political reality by starting to engage in exploratory talks with the Taliban forces recently. It is now the hope of the US Government to find a political solution to end the Afghanistan war so that peace and stability can be restored in Afghanistan.
After the United States engaged ten long years of war in Afghanistan, this military action taken by the United States has already wasted the precious lives of 1,500 Americans. However, if the US troops just walk away from Afghanistan now, it remains a big question mark to gauge if the Afghan military and police task force can really shoulder the responsibility to defend their homeland at this very moment. It is also a big question mark to gauge if Afghanistan can really establish a stable government after the US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. In retrospect, what the United States decides to do in Afghanistan now is quite similar to what the former Soviet Union has done some 20 years ago when it was also forced to retreat and quickly cast aside its heavy burden in Afghanistan after it invaded and occupied Afghanistan for close to 10 long years.
US Presidential Election Factor
The year 2012 is a presidential election year in the United States. But US President Obama's announcement of the US troop withdrawal plan from Afghanistan has come earlier than expected. Apparently, President Obama's decision and action to withdraw even more US troops from Afghanistan than most people have earlier expected has a great deal to do with his intention to be re-elected as a second term US President in 2012. Currently, the US weekly military expenditure in Afghanistan is $2billion. From afar, we can only use the expression ‘amazing’ to describe such a high US military expenditure in Afghanistan per week. To the present US economy which has already turned very tight, such a high military expenditure in Afghanistan is of course too much for the United States to bear. As such, the people in the United States have long complained about it and hoped that the US Government can take action to end the Afghanistan war as early as possible so that the large sum of money saved on the US military expenditure in Afghanistan can be spent on creating domestic employment. On this account alone, the US troop withdrawal from Afghanistan as announced by President Obama will be a plus point for him to be re-elected as a second term US President in 2012.
Of note is that After President Obama announced his US troop withdrawal plan from Afghanistan; subsequently, France and the United Kingdom have also announced that they will also withdraw their troops from Afghanistan. It seems to us that the Western countries are all eager to abandon this heavy burden called Afghanistan now.

Islam and Women Rights

Islam has ensured the equitable rights to men and women. It has given the security of life and property and the highest honor to women. When in the age of darkness and ignorance female child was buried alive, women were being sold like animals in markets and were used as slaves, and parents became depressed hearing the news of birth of female child, then God criticizing it in the holy Koran said: "And when the news of (the birth of) a female (child) is brought to any of them, his face becomes dark, and he is filled with inward grief!" (Surah An-Nahl: Verse 58). Being sympathetic to the women community the Prophet Muhammad said: "Female child is the symbol of prosperity and benevolence". He also said: "He who raises three or two or at least one female child appropriately will be placed in heaven."
Introduction
God has created the human race with a combination of one woman and one man. In the case of giving birth to a child the role of one man and one woman is almost the same rather it can be said that the contribution of woman in this regard is comparatively more than man. A mother hides her coming child for more than ten months in her womb. At one stage gives birth to a new born child taking the risk of her life. This is not the end rather she feeds milk to her child until the age of two-and-a-half year with care and responsibility. In this regard, God says in the holy Koran: "I have given orders to mankind to be kind to their parents. His mother (because during birth) bears him with much sufferings and gives birth through much pain as well." In addition to giving birth to children, women are also contributing to many vital sectors of the society. Role of women is profound in all sectors from conjugal life to family, societal, political, and economy. Contribution of women in protecting the country and independence of the country is also worth mentioning.
However, in today's civilized society some human like animal are appearing in the role of hyenas and are carrying out oppression on those beautiful helpless women. The process of development is being hindered assaulting the race of mothers who are advancing the world to development with each passing day by their activities and without those the social backbone would have been perished. It is to be noted that people of different religions and different ethnicity showed inhuman attitude to women. Women are being belittled in Hindu religion by terming various names like Lakshmi, Padmini, Rakkhashi, Opoya, etc., and the freedom of women has been denied by kicking off the Sati Daho system (Hindu practice of burning of widow with her husband's corpse). There were no rights of women in the Jewish philosophy and Christianity. For example, it can be said: "The British women before 1807, German women 1900, Swiss women 1907, and Australian women before 1919 could not be the owner of any type of property" (Abdul Karim Biajar Siraji, Nari Nirjaton Jugey Jugey (Women Oppression in Different Ages), Dhaka: Cultural Center of Islamic Republic of Iran, December 1992: 5).
At that time people used to give preference to male child over female child. But the Prophet Muhammad said: "If any of you have son and daughter, and if you bring something for them, give it to your daughter first and your daughter will give the rest to her brother after taking hers."
The messenger of freedom of humanity Prophet regarding significance of wife said: "Good wife is a symbol of the good luck" (Muslim). He also said about the value of wife said: "He among you is the best who is best to his wife." (Tirmizi Sharif).
About the rights of widow the Prophet of Islam said: "Those who take the responsibility of widows are the participants of jihad in the path to God and are the diligent practitioners of prayer and fasting" (Bukhari, Muslim).
A separate and long Surah in the holy Koran has also been alighted on rights and responsibilities of women titled "Women" which have not been for male. Therefore, George Barnard Shaw said: "Only Hazrat Muhammad has given the appropriate honor to women."
When in the human society there was no right for women, the merciful God declared clearly abolishing that confusion:
"And they (women) have rights (over their husbands as regards living expenses, etc.) similar (to those of their husbands) over them (as regards obedience and respect, etc.) to what is reasonable" (Surah Al-Baqarah: verse 228).
Protesting the oppression that had been carried out on women in the pre-Islam period it is said in the holy Koran:
"Treat with them fairly" (Surah An-Nisa: Verse 19).
No nation recognized the personal right of women on anything. After the emergence of Islam it recognized the economic freedom of women. As for instance, words of God:
"For men there is reward for what they have earned, (and likewise) for women there is reward for what they have earned" (Surah An-Nisa: verse 32).
In the age of darkness and ignorance, people used to marry wealthy women for the love of property. After the death of husbands of those women, people used to consider their widows as their successors forcibly like the properties. They used to marry them against their will. But God issued order:
"O you who believe! You are forbidden to inherit women against their will" (Surah An-Nisa: verse 19).
When women were kept imprisoned to deprive them from paying their due dowry, God declared:
"Nor should ye treat them with harshness, that ye may take away part of the dower ye have given them" (Surah An-Nisa: verse 19).
The people used to think that women have been created to serve the male only.
But God declared that: "They are your garments. And ye are their garments" (Surah Al-Baqarah: verse 187). That means, in this life one completes other.
Men used to raise allegations of adultery or something like that against their wives having the ill-motive of marrying another, so that that wife leaves on her own will leaving her own property and share. But the merciful God declared:
"But if ye decide to take one wife in place of another, even if ye had given the latter a entire treasure for dower takes not the least bit of it back: would ye take it by slander and a manifest wrong?" (Surah An-Nisa: Verse 20).
Islam has recognized the right of women in the property of parents. As for instance God said:
"From what is left by parents and those nearest related there is a share for men and a share for women, whether the property be small or large,-- a determinate share" (Surah An-Nisa: Verse 7).
The Prophet Muhammad in the last Hajj said:
"Careful! You have rights on women and they too have rights on you" (Tirmizi, He termed this Hadith "Hasan Hadith," said Riyadus Saleheen 1/276).
Sources of Properties for Women
In the pre-Islam era, women themselves were products let alone owner of properties. Islam has given rightful rights of women on property. About the ownership of property by women God in the holy Koran said: "Give the prefixed dowry to your wife." It is also been said: "Men will be owner of their earnings and women will be the owner of their earnings" (Surah An-Nisa). There are three major sources of wealth for women: 1. Mahr (amount of money or property that is given to the wife by the husband as a non-returnable dowry in the marriage contract), 2. Inheritance to parents, close relatives, husband, and children, and 3. Personally earned income. Despite the existence of sources of income, they have no head of expenditure. Even the cost of her maintenance is not on her. As for instance, before marriage all of her responsibilities lie with father, after marriage it is on the husband and in old age it is on children.
Preference to Men Over Women
Regarding this the merciful God said in the holy Koran: "Men are responsible for women because God has given supremacy (in terms of creating) of one on other, and for that they (men) spend (for paying Mahr and maintaining)." In that verse two causes of the supremacy of men over women have been cited: the first reason is natural or related to creation and the second reason is social or earned. If we give some of our attention, we would find that men and women are not equal at all. There are differences among them for natural cause. As for instance, speed, food habit, likings, hobbies, etc., of men and women are not the same. Moreover, there are huge differences in terms of weight, height, pulse, blood pressure, hormone, and brain structure.
Supporters of so-called equality say: "Men and women are equal biologically; but women are lagging behind in different sectors due to discrimination in male dominated society". Here we would say: "Why there are clear differences between male and female among other living entities in the nature except mankind although they live in female dominated family or society? As for instance, lion has mane but the lioness does not; tiger has moustache but tigress does not; rooster has tuft of hair on his head but the hen does not have that; male duck has curly feather in its tail but the female duck does not; ox has fat on his shoulder but the cow does not have any; etc.
Workplace, Responsibility, and Duty of Men and Women
As women and men are not equal biologically, therefore, their responsibilities and duties and workplace are not the same. As for example, men will serve the duty of defense with their masculine strength and courage and will earn, while women with their feminine softness will serve in the family, bear children and raise them through affection and love. As it is not possible for men to bear children, it is also not easy for women to do the difficult tasks, including defense. Therefore, it is not the equal rights of men and women rather is would be rightful rights or balanced rights, i.e., not equality rather equity. Rights depend on responsibilities and if the rights are to be made equal then the responsibilities are to be divided equally and that would be against the nature and nonscientific.
Islam is the religion of nature and, therefore, the rules of Islam are in favor of nature. Therefore, the meaning of opposition of Islam is showing rude attitude to nature. Civilization faces destruction if it opposes nature. For natural causes in the Muslim society and in human civilization the responsibilities of men are more than the women. As the workplace and scope of duties are not the same for men and women, therefore the equal distribution of property between the two is not justified. For that reason, Islam has told about giving more to the son in terms of inheritance. These reasons are: (a) preservation of family, (b) manage the relatives, (c) performing family and social duties, (d) paying Mahr to wife and bear the cost of maintaining, (e) bearing the cost of maintaining and raising children, and (f) render support and looking after old parents.
It is to be noted that a man has three Farz (must do) heads of expenditure that a woman does not have. There are: (a) bearing cost of his maintenance after being adult, (b) bearing cost of maintenance of wife after marriage, and (c) bearing cost of maintenance of children. Therefore, after 1947 in India and Pakistan and after 1971 in Bangladesh till now this rule is in effect for Muslim inheritance. Even the Indian government has not intervened into the Muslim inheritance law. Even Islamic laws are part of the syllabus in the universities of India. Therefore, it is not appropriate to enact any law against not only Islam in Bangladesh but also against any religion.
The Women Development Policy 2011 is not only against Islam rather it is against all religions, including Hindu, Buddhism, Jainism, and Christianity. Similarly the Convention of the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women charter of the United Nations is against all the religions. For that reason, many countries in Europe and the United States are not implementing the charter although they signed it.
In this regard one issue deserves serious consideration that in the human civilization starting from the pre-historic era to the present time men are playing lead roles. Even in the so-called developed world Europe and the United States men are leading in different religious groups, including Jewish, Christians, Hindu, and Buddhists because it is natural. Until today almost 80 percent women in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia are housewives and recently many ultra-moderns are being attracted to Islamic family system in search of peace. What Islam has given to women in terms of rights and facilities have not been implemented fully until today. Therefore, for the development of women let the rights recognized by Islam be implemented and let the policy be prepared according to that.

Russian Security Services Carry Out Major Special Operation in Dagestan

The active phase of a special operation to destroy an armed group of bandits has resumed in Dagestan's Kizlyarskiy District. This clash is the biggest one in the republic in recent times. At least 15 militants have been blocked in a dense forest. The hunt for them has been going on for three days. The security and law-enforcement officers found the bodies of two killed bandits. Special-purpose troops have suffered losses too: Two soldiers have been killed and 12 have been injured. Sarkar Magomedov has more troops taking positions, other scenes of the operation, With rifles in hand, under the blazing sun, assault teams of soldiers are taking firing positions. The special operation to destroy militants has been continuing in the area covering several hectares of heavy forest for two days. Somewhere in these woods, there is a lair of bandits. It is not yet known how many criminals are hiding there, but all of them are members of the Kyzlyar sabotage-terrorist group led by terrorist Akhmed Idrisov. However, it is not certain that he is among the blocked group.

Great Loss
The first clash between the Interior Troops and the bandit group took place on the morning of 21 June, after combing the woods. Reinforcements, Urals (trucks), armored personnel carriers and aviation were promptly sent to the scene of the clash.
Helicopters are patrolling over the woods, trying to locate the bandits. Several camping sites used by the militants have been spotted from the air. They are hit by air strikes, one after another. If the militants are not hit, at least they will be stunned. Here, smoke is already rising. The zone covered by the special operation is tightly surrounded. It is practically impossible to escape. By all appearances, the criminals understand this. At night, they still tried to breakthrough the cordon but were driven back by the troops. Unfortunately, not without losses.
Rasul Temirbekov, captioned as acting senior aide to the head of a section of the Russian Investigation Committee's Investigations Directorate for Dagestan During the clash, five employees of the law enforcement agencies received gunshot wounds from which they died on the spot. Thirteen other employees received gunshot wounds of various degrees of severity. They have been taken to the central hospital of the town of Kizlyar.
Clashes To Continue
Shooting, bomb attacks are continuing. Helicopters are still attacking the woods from the air. Infantry troops are working on the ground. In the morning, as a reinforcement, several tanks joined them.
It is not known how long the clashes will continue. Most likely, this will be one of the largest-scale special operations in the North Caucasus in recent times. According to official reports, up to 15 militants are hiding in the forest. According to unofficial reports, the number is double that.

India-Pakistan Talks

Pakistani Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir and his Indian counterpart Nirupama Rao stood together in Islamabad at the end of their two-day talks on 24 June to announce that they had ‘very productive and constructive engagement’ for the resolution of outstanding issues through peaceful, sustained and serious bilateral dialogue.
The joint statement issued by the two foreign secretaries following their talks could be seen as a sign of the positive outcome of the talks as both sides used to issue a brief statement at the conclusion of the past bilateral talks. But this time the two sides not only issued a detailed joint statement but also replied to questions in a rare show of understanding.
Composite Dialogue
India had suspended the composite dialogue with Pakistan in the wake of the Mumbai attacks by blaming the Pakistan-based group Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) as a culprit behind the attacks. Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh, who had met on the sidelines of a regional summit in Bhutan in April 2010, had agreed to revive the official talks and had assigned the foreign secretaries to explore ways to bridge the trust deficit.
India had earlier regularly rebuffed Pakistani calls to resume a substantive dialogue, saying Islamabad has not done enough to tackle militants or bring the Mumbai attack organizers to justice. Pakistan admitted that the attacks were partly planned on its soil, but it denied any official involvement and has arrested several suspects including a leader of the LeT operations chief Zaki-ur-Rahman Lakhvi.
The Pakistani and Indian foreign secretaries originally planned to hold separate press briefings after the talks, but they changed the schedule at the last minute by holding a joint press conference as both sides felt satisfied over the talk results and a need to share something with the media.
Peace and Security Issue
During the talks, India and Pakistan discussed peace and security, including confidence building measures, the Kashmir dispute and promotion of friendly exchanges. Both sides agreed on the resolution of outstanding issues through peaceful, sustained and serious bilateral dialogue. The shadow of the gun and the violence it has unleashed has caused untold sufferings for our people in these years past. This needs to end. The ideology of military conflict should have no place in the paradigm of our relationship in the 21st Century,’ the Indian Secretary for External Affairs Nirupama Rao told reporters, throwing the ball in the Pakistani court to come up with a similar approach.
Rao said: ‘Indeed, this relationship should be characterized by the vocabulary of peace; on ground cooperation in the interest of our peoples, growing trade and economic interaction as well as people to people contacts, and on this let me emphasize, in an atmosphere free of terror and violence.’
Ahead of the talks, India had asked for discussion on terrorism and the Mumbai trial in the Islamabad's talks and the Pakistani side was positive to address to the issues although it was not the subject for the talks of the foreign secretaries. Sources close to the talks said the Indian side raised the Mumbai trial in Pakistan, the alleged training camps of the Kashmiri militants and infiltration into the Indian-controlled Kashmir.
On terrorism, Pakistani Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir said the issue of terrorism requires objectivity; requires to be addressed in a collaborative approach. ‘Terrorism poses a threat to the two countries and to civilized societies. It must be eliminated,’ Bashir said at the joint press conference and added that terrorism and other related issues were discussed.
Confidence Building Measures
The foreign secretaries of the two countries will meet again in New Delhi on a date to be decided through diplomatic channels to prepare for the meeting of the foreign ministers of the two sides in New Delhi in July 2011. More meetings are planned ahead of the foreign ministers' talks. Both Foreign Secretaries agreed to convene a meeting of the Working Group on Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) on the Cross Line of Control (LoC), which divides the two countries in the disputed Kashmir region. The Group will recommend measures for strengthening and streamlining the existing trade and travel arrangements across the LoC and propose modalities for introducing additional Cross-LoC CBMs.
The two countries also agreed to the need for promoting friendly exchanges between the two countries. Both sides made progress towards finalization of the Visa Agreement which will help liberalize the visa regime and facilitate people-to-people, business-to-business and sports contacts. The two sides also discussed measures for promoting cooperation in various fields including facilitating visits to religious shrines, media exchanges, holding of sports tournaments and cessation of hostile propaganda against each other.
International Community’s Role
Keeping in view the fruitful foreign secretary talks to bridge the trust gap, the foreign ministers would be in a good position to make some announcements to bring the two nuclear-armed rivals closer and to achieve the goal of peace, security and development in the South Asian region.
The international community, especially regional countries, also encourage the arch-rival Pakistan and India to end their conflict and find out solution through negotiation. It is now widely believed that the situation in Pakistan has encouraged policymakers to act to counter the threat of terrorism which has already claimed lives of 35,000 people including 5,000 security personnel since 2001. Pakistan has also suffered a loss of nearly $60 billion in the same mentioned period and it is a best opportunity for Pakistan to positively respond to the Indian quest for end to armed conflict.

Growing US-China Tension

Tug-of-interest between the United States and the People's Republic of China in Asia continues to rise. The tension of two giants could adversely affect regional geopolitics. However, the US-China tensions become a golden opportunity if countries in the region are able to expand its influence and do not depend on the interests of both countries.
'US-China relations in the future are uncertain and very challenging. But that does not mean there is no chance. It is just a golden opportunity because we can extend not only to leverage the U.S. and China, but also other regions,' said James T Riady, chief executive officer (CEO) of Lippo Group, during discussion of The G2 Impact on Asia in the event of the World Economic Forum (WEF) on East Asia in Jakarta, on 12 June.
According to James Riady, the countries in Asia could expand its influence (leverage) -- in form of business to business (B to B) to other countries in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).
'This is to maintain the geopolitical balance in order not to be too dependent on the G2 (US-China). It is also important to make G2 not over-confidence and not only taking profit from Asia. In contrast, G2 learn to 'give' to this region,' said James.
Market Distortion
James Riady said: 'China and India participated in the shift, including 500 million middle-class individuals in it. There is a tremendous shift due to the free market. This creates market distortions, creates a term of G2 which often only make a profit, not give,' he said.
James added, current Asian economic situation is much better than the 1998 economic crisis. But the other side, now emerging crisis due to the US-China relations.
Yang Xiyu, a senior fellow at the China Institute of International Studies confessed worry that deteriorating relations G2 lately become a geopolitical threat in Asia. 'In geopolitics, there is a degree of uncertainty related to the US-China threat. There is bad competition. Each wants to maintain its interest in getting maximum profit in region,' he said.
Nevertheless, added Yang Xiyu, there will positive bilateral relations if G2 is able to work well together and effectively. 'If not, confrontational relation style will be created,' he asserted.
Previously, it was mentioned that emergence of China as new force is closely related to premises era of globalization which has three main trends, namely a shift in innovation, technology, and expertise from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
Yang Xiyu expected that China's attitude toward globalization is independent and interdependent or ready to compromise. It is ease to cooperate widely.
Role of Japan and South Korea
John Ehara, partner and representative director at Unison Capital (Japan), suggests, the concept of globalization has encouraged China continues to advance and become a significant trading partner for Japan. In fact, there is inequality of trade relations. Japanese firms constrained to grow in China.
In contrast, Chinese companies are very expansive in Japan. However, elements of the United States also still have significant effect on Japan. It eventually became big issue in the country.
Oh Joon, South Korea's ambassador to Singapore, said China also became the largest trading partner for his country. 'The question that often arises, how this cooperation is associated with South Korea and the United States?,' he said.
Joon believes China has actually practiced the capitalist economic system, not much different from what is already applied to the United States. Thus, good relationship between the United States and China will create significant economic synergies and huge benefit, both for G2 as well as for other countries in the region.

Foreign Domination Underlines Weak Indonesian Economic Independence

Economists believe increasing foreign's role in strategic sector and Indonesia's economic development prove government is weak and has no direction towards national economic independence.
Ahmad Erani Yustika, professor of Brawijaya University, forced the government to immediately correct the direction of the current economic policy. The government is hoped not to allow foreign ownership in strategic sectors such as banking industry and oil/gas industry.
Role and Ownership in Strategic Sectors
Ahmad Erani Yustika said: "If foreigners are getting more dominant on its role and ownership in strategic sectors, then a question might arise about our national independence. We will not be able to be more independent due to the foreign domination."
According to him, the foreign funding should be considered as complementary. To cover the lack of funding, the government is called for re-evaluating the budget and to be able to seek other alternative sources for funding, instead of allowing room for foreign domination and foreign loan.
He said: "Whether the fund is available or not is not important. The most important is our vision on economic development. Infrastructure definitely needs to be developed, but we can manage to produce a different plan so that the budget is right."
Regarding the role of foreign ownership in banking, he suggested that it should be limited to a maximum of 25 percent. That goes with the other strategic sectors, such as oil and gas industry. If that is not implemented, then the government will meet some difficulties in controlling an abnormal economic situation in the future and the condition will be dangerous for national economy.
Meanwhile, economist of Indef Didik J. Rachbini believes the development of foreign role in strategic sectors, such as banking, has been very worrying due to unproportional regulation since the 1998 crisis and has never been reviewed ever since.
Increasing Direct and Portfolio Investments
According to him, foreign role is getting larger proven by the increasing direct and portfolio investments. Meanwhile, domestic industry continues to experience drawbacks.
He said: "Basic problem lies on the foreign ownership management regulation in strategic sectors, such as banking, in which the regulation is the most liberal and naive compared to other countries."
Moreover, he also force the government to revise Government Regulation (PP) No. 29 in 1999 which opens opportunity for foreign ownership in banking up to 99 percent. The government is called for cooperation with Central Bank (BI) to limit it. The People's Representatives Council (DPR) is also called for its support on the limitation.

Japan, US Agree To Drop Deadline To Relocate Futenma Base

Japan and the United States agreed at security talks between their defense and foreign ministers in Washington on Tuesday to drop their earlier deadline for the relocation of a key US base within Okinawa Prefecture by 2014, a move that will likely further stall the already protracted negotiations over the base.
Japanese Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa and Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto also agreed with US Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on a new set of ''common strategic objectives'' in a joint statement, which called for China to play a constructive role in regional stability.
In the statement issued after the ''two-plus-two'' defense and security meeting, the four ministers reaffirmed a bilateral accord reached in May last year on the relocation of the US Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station, which is a key point in implementing the overall realignment of US forces in Japan, and finalized the configuration of Futenma's replacement facility.
'This is a very important progress toward the relocation,' Kitazawa said in a joint news conference afterward, referring to building the facility in the form of two runways in a V-shaped formation.
Futenma Relocation Plan
The ministers committed to completing the relocation ''at the earliest possible date after 2014,'' but provided no specific timeline or steps to address the concerns in Okinawa and the US Congress regarding the feasibility of the current Futenma relocation plan.
Okinawa, which has long hosted the bulk of US forces in Japan, strongly opposes the relocation of the Futenma base from Ginowan to the less populated coastal area of Nago's Henoko district, citing noise concerns and danger of possible accidents because of the base's presence.
Gates said: ''It is critical that we move forward with the relocation of Futenma,'' stressing the importance of making ''concrete progress over the course of the next year.'' While the Futenma relocation remains a pending issue that needs to be worked out, the Japanese and US defense and foreign chiefs agreed on the key role of the US forces' participation in disaster drills held by local authorities to enhance ties between the forces and base-hosting communities.
Improving Contingency Access
They also agreed to improve contingency access by the US forces and Japan's Self-Defense Forces to facilities in Japan.
Based on the ''common strategic objectives,'' which were originally drawn up in February 2005 and updated in May 2007, the two nations said they will boost the bilateral security alliance amid regional security challenges such as the threat posed by North Korea's nuclear and missile programs.
Japan and the United States agreed to deter provocative actions by North Korea, apparently in light of incidents in 2010, including the North's fatal artillery attack on a South Korean island, and to seek the denuclearization of North Korea, including its uranium enrichment program, in a verifiable manner. The ministers also called for the maintenance of maritime safety and security by defending the principle of freedom of navigation.
Although the statement did not name a specific country, Japanese officials have expressed concern in past documents about China's growing military power and increased naval activities around Japan's southwestern islands.
Regional Stability and Prosperity
Japan and the United States urged China to take a ''responsible and constructive role in regional stability and prosperity'' and called for ''its cooperation on global issues, and its adherence to international norms of behavior.'' They also called on China to be more open and transparent in its military modernization.
The ministers also discussed the issue of territorial rows between China and some Southeast Asian nations in South China Sea and the role of Japan and the United States in the issue, a Japanese official said.
In view of the uncertain security environment in the region, Gates said the United States will maintain a strong presence with forward deployment in East Asia, noting that the latest Futenma accord marks ''steady progress'' in modernizing US forces in the region.
Realigning US Forces
Beyond the issue of realigning US forces, the ministers reaffirmed cooperation between the US military and the SDF, which worked closely together on disaster relief operations in the wake of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan.
The ministers agreed on the importance of setting up a regional logistics hub in Japan for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions, and also looked to a stronger trilateral security and defense cooperation with Australia and South Korea. Meeting face-to-face under the two-plus-two framework for the first time in four years, the ministers also agreed that the United States can export a jointly developed ballistic missile interceptor to third countries.

Is East Asia Facing Strong Economic Crisis?

The East Asian economy is believed to sustain in facing crisis in the future. Countries in east Asia have prepared joint protocol in facing crisis.
In addition, the high growth with a strong domestic consumption base becomes the stability support in the region. East Asia region has also become a new power in the middle of global imbalance and declining economy in half of developed nations.
Challenge in Developing Financial Infrastructure
Meanwhile, the swiftly capital inflow to Asia is a blessing as well as challenge in developing financial infrastructure in the region, especially bond market. The swiftly capital inflow does not need to be responded with income control, which actually might be a boomerang. This was discussed at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on East Asia, which was inaugurated by Indonesian President Susilo Bombang Yodhogono in Jakarta. The WEF showed 15 discussion panel groups with various topics, such as effort to prevent crisis in Asia, geopolitical risk, maintenance of Indonesia's growth momentum, challenge of food and energy security, infrastructure obstacles, regional disaster relief, and impact of United States-China relation on Asia, in the first day.
Stuart T. Gulliver, CEO of HSBC Holdings, and Michale Buchanan, chief economist of Asia Pacific Goldman Sachs, said that Asia has a huge economic power shown by the high economic growth, strong domestic consumption, rapid export growth, and huge number of savings.
However, this region is also facing some problems. Among of them are the need of a huge infrastructure fund, potential of inflation increase due to increase of food and energy price, and potential of asset bubble.
Minister of Finance Agus Martowardojo, Deputy Governor of Central Bank (BI) Muliaman Hadad, and Rajat Nag, managing director general of Asian Development Bank (ADB), also reminded that the problem of asset bubble potential despite the quite strong fundamental in general.
Martowardojo and Hadad admitted that Indonesia is also monitoring the potential of asset bubble in property sector and financial market, including the stock market. However, the potential is not yet been seen. Hadad said,'But we are concern with the asset bubble problem'.
Nag and Gulliver believes Asian countries are getting stronger in facing a potential crisis in the future due to the prudent macro and micro policies despite facing various risks.
Nag said: 'Asia is getting stronger because the governments join together with the principle of being prudent in managing their macro economy. Asia has proven itself to be more than predicted'. He added that Asia is ready to cooperate to mitigate risks which may emerge in the long run.
CEO of Lippo Group James T. Riady also has an opinion that Asia is far stronger because it succeeded in going through crisis in 1997-1998 and 2008. Asian countries have succeeded in consolidation. He said: 'In general, fiscal is more healthy, capital balance is stronger, and debt ratio to GDP is better, including Indonesia.'
Cooperation of ASEAN+3
This region is also believed to be able to compete with western countries' economic hegemony in which half of the nations are in recession. Funds are flowing from developed nations to Asia. The cooperation of ASEAN+3, India, or Middle East is believed to be the new global balance of power.
According to Minister of Trade Mari Elka Pangestu, Buchanan, and Hadad, Asia is ready to face crisis because there is a cross border protocol mechanism. For example, if there is a liquidity crisis, there will be Asian countries' joint action. Asia is also actively designing global financial safety net with G20.
Pangestu added that ASEAN has made a food security concept, such as preparing rice reserves. ASEAN members or ASEAN+3 members (plus Japan, South Korea, and China) agree on increasing transparency in food and energy stock to prevent speculation on the commodities. Pangestu said: 'There are many joint initiatives, which can be a defense in anticipating crisis'.
Meanwhile, Sehat Sutardja, CEO of United States' Marvell Technology Group, predicted that Asia will grow to be the world's largest economic center in the next decade. Currently, there is a transfer of economic growth machine from the West to Asia.
Sutardja said: 'The transfer is more rapid when China develops low cost manufacturing.' However, Indonesia will play an important role in providing human resources, infrastructure, and technology. Indonesia's population with 230 million people and the better education level will improve the supply of professional human resources who could become leaders of international scale companies.
He said: 'Indonesia will play an important role. I want to watch if improvement in infrastructure with high technology in Indonesia could reduce social gap.'
Capital Inflow
Panelists also discussed about the swifly capital inflow. It is triggered with the low interest rate in United States and uncertainty in Europe.
According to Buchanan and Gulliver, the capital inflow is an opportunity for Asian countries to develop its bond market. Gulliver said: 'This is a great opportunity and, therefore, Asia must develop its financial market infrastructure, especially bond.'
Moreover, Asia has the power because of its huge savings. The funds can be directed for investment in bond market. He said: 'The Western countries do not own huge savings.'
Despite the swiftly capital inflow, it still has risk of sudden reversal. The panelists reminded Asia not to implement income control. What it should do is developing financial market infrastructure, especially bond.
Martowardojo and Hadad also ensured that Indonesia will not implement income control. According to Martowardojo, the government will be focus on strengthening macro fundamental so that funds flowing to portfolio could be directed to long-term direct investment.
Other Asia's power is the huge domestic consumption base. This is called by the panelists as the pillar of power owned by Indonesia, India, and China.
Gulliver underlined that Indonesia has a very prudent policy which makes it relatively immune to global crisis. Low debt ratio and strengthening of rupiah. Strong economy makes capital inflow to Indonesia quite high.
Deglobalization
Meanwhile, Klaus Schwab, founder and chairman of WEF, and Brian A. Gallagher, CEO of United Way Worldwide, reminded nation leaders, businessmen, and civil community leaders about the risk of deglobalization or failure of global system to resolve current complex issues. Schwab said: 'The number risk is currently deglobalization.'
Regarding the need of balancing the unequal income in the world, Schwab said: 'Globalization creates many opportunities, but we do not have the mechanism to understand the causes and the effects from inclusive growth.'
He underlined that mechanism responding the risks in nations, regions, and international communities is frequently unable to resolve complex problems faced by the world. Continuous unemployment problem is one of the examples. Therefore, business model and new policy are needed.
Kishore Mahbunani, dean of Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy of the National University of Singapore, added that global financial crisis has shown that old approach and political decision have no effect anymore.
For Europe, crisis can be controlled as long as nations in crisis, especially Greece, succeed in debt restructurization or reprofiling, budget efficiency, and capital injection. He believes that crisis will be over and there will be no second round effect. He said: 'It is proven by the stress test on banks in Europe.'

Moroccan New Draft Constitution: King Says Modern, Democratic

The Moroccan king has said a new draft constitution which consecrates constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy would be put to a popular referendum on 1 July. In an address to the nation, King Mohammed VI unveiled the broad lines of a new draft constitution which he described modern and democratic. The king spoke about the separation of powers and revealed that most of his powers would be delegated to the head of government. After referring to his diminished prerogatives and the strengthened prerogatives of the head of government, the Moroccan monarch highlighted the kingdom's diversified cultural identity and said the new draft constitution had stipulated that Berber would become an official language beside Arabic. He concluded his 25-minute long speech by urging Moroccans to vote in favor of the new draft constitution. The following is the full text of King Mohammed VI's speech:
Thanks be to God and prayers and peace upon our lord the messenger of God, his family and disciples. My dear people, Today, I address you to renew our joint oath with a new constitution which will constitute a decisive historic transition in the process of the building of the rule of law and democratic institutions, in entrenching the principles and mechanisms of good governance and in guaranteeing dignified citizenship and social justice.
It is the ambitious process which I initiated since I succeeded to the throne in a perfect harmony with all the active forces of the nation. Three months after the beginning of the process of the constitutional amendment we are able to crystallize a charter of a new democratic constitution based on an advanced framework of my reference 9 March historic speech, which reached a broad national consensus, and on the important proposals put forward by political parties, trade unions organizations, civil society and youth associations, in addition to the creative efforts made by the consultative committee and the constructive action taken by the political body which we set up for this purpose.
New Draft Constitution
I would like to praise the democratic contribution made by everyone which enabled us, thanks to this partnership approach, to move from the current constitution to adopting a new constitution which appropriates three characteristics in the methodology of its drafting and in its form and content.
With regard to methodology, we made sure - for the first time in the history of our country - that the constitution will be made by Moroccans for all Moroccans.
With regard to the form, it is based on a new architecture that gave importance to all its chapters from the preamble, as part and parcel of the constitution, to the last chapters which increased from 108 to 180 articles.
As for the content, it constitutes a specific model of a Moroccan constitution based on two complementary pillars.
1. The first pillar is based on adhering to the entrenched principles of the Moroccan nation which I am entrusted with upholding within the framework of a Muslim state in which the king, the commander of the faithful, is entrusted with protecting the creed and religion and of guaranteeing the freedom to practice religious rituals. The draft constitution also confirmed the status of our country as part of the greater Maghreb, as well as its commitment to build the Maghreb union, to consolidate the Arab and Muslim brotherly relations and African solidarity and to diversify relations of cooperation and partnership with its European and Mediterranean neighbors as well as with other world states. That Morocco will become a modern state which adheres to UN charters and which plays effective role within the international community.
2. The second pillar is being manifested by the consecration of the foundation and mechanisms of the parliamentary characteristics of the Moroccan political system which is based on the sovereignty of the nation and the supremacy of the constitution as a source of all powers and the linking of responsibility with accountability within an effective and rationalized constitution the core of which is separation of powers and their independence and balance. The main objective of the constitution is the freedom and dignity of the citizen. Among the characteristics of the separation of powers and clarification of their prerogatives is the dividing of the Chapter 19 of the current constitution into two chapters.
King's Role
1. An independent chapter which concerns the exclusive religious prerogatives of the king, the commander of the faithful and the head of the supreme scientific council, which is being promoted to a constitutional institution.
2. Another chapter identifies the status of the king as the head of state, its supreme representative, the symbol of the nation's unity, the guarantor of the state's continuity and the kingdom's independence and sovereignty as well as its territorial integrity, in addition to being the loyal guide and the supreme arbiter entrusted with the democratic option and with the proper functioning of constitutional institutions, and who is above all political affiliations.
The king exercises his sovereign and arbitration duties stipulated by this chapter on the basis of the requirements of other chapters which are openly stipulated by the constitution, given the fact that legislation will remain the exclusive prerogatives of the parliament.
Diversity of Morocco's Identity, Culture
My dear people! The official draft of the constitution is seen as more than a supreme law of the kingdom. We see it as a solid foundation for the specific model of the Moroccan development, but also a new historic contact between the monarchy and the people. This is obvious in the following 10 main axes:
1. Constitutional consecration of the monarchy's citizenship and citizen king, by stipulating that the sanctity of the person of the king must not be violated, and that he must enjoy his due respect as a king, the commander of the faithful and the head of state.
1.. Limiting the king's legal age to 18 years, instead of 16 years, along the lines of all his Moroccan brothers and sisters.
2. Entrusting the chairmanship of the guardianship council to the head of the Constitutional Court, which is responsible for the respect of the constitution and which constitutes the core of the prerogatives of this council, and making the court's membership include all constitutional authorities by adding the membership of the head of the government, and the president-delegate of the supreme council of the judicial authority in addition to the representation of scholars through the membership of the secretary general of the higher scientific council.
3. Constitutionalization of Tamazight (Berber) as an official language of the kingdom beside Arabic, the basis of cohesion among of the components of the unified national identity, which is rich with the diversification of its Arab, Muslim, Amazigh (Berber), African Sahara, Andalusian, Hebrew and Mediterranean sources. The draft constitution consecrates Arabic as an official language of the kingdom and stipulates that the state would be committed to protect and promote it. It also stipulates the constitutionalization of Tamazight as an official language within the context of an outstanding initiative which is seen as the throne in the process of rehabilitating Tamazight as a gain for all Moroccans. It will be constitutionalized by a gradual process through an organic law specifying how to be integrated in education and in the sectors with priority in public life.
In parallel to that, the draft constitution stipulates the promotion of all Moroccan linguistic and cultural expressions, especially Al-Hasaniya as the original culture of our dear Saharan provinces.
In order to fulfil our commitment to enable our youth and human resources to join the society of knowledge and globalization and to master advanced science and technology, the draft constitution stipulates the need to study and master the most popular world language. This will be done within a cohesive strategy which consolidates national unity, and will be implemented by a higher council whose duty is to promote the Moroccan culture, the national and official languages, and to rehabilitate its institutions, including the institution in charge of promoting the Arabic language.
Human Rights Issue
Constitutionalization of all human rights, as is the consensus worldwide, with all the mechanisms of their protection and guarantee of their practice. This will make the Moroccan constitution, a constitution for human rights and a charter for the rights and duties of citizenship. In this context, the supremacy of international charters have been constitutionalized -- as approved by Morocco - over the national legislations, and the equality of men and women in their civil rights within the context of respect for the rulings of the constitution and the laws of the kingdom which are inspired from Islam in addition to confirming the equality of men and women in all political, economic, social and cultural rights, and to setting up mechanisms to promote equality between men and women.
The draft constitution also consecrates all human rights, including presumption of innocence, guaranteeing conditions for a fair trial, criminalizing torture, forced disappearance, arbitrary arrest and all forms of discrimination and practices which debase human dignity, in addition to guaranteeing the freedom of opinion and expression and the right to seek information.
King, Government and Parliament
Meanwhile, the constitution guarantees the right of the working class, social justice and national solidarity. Consecration of freedom of private initiative and the rule of law with regard to business have all been consolidated.
The democratic effluence of the executive power under the leadership of the head of government. In this context, the constitutional status of the prime minister will be promoted to the head of government, and of the executive body which will be appointed from the political party which leads the parliamentary elections, to materialize the emergence of the government in direct general elections.
To consecrate the full responsibility of the head of government over ministers, the constitution empowers him with the prerogatives of their proposals, coordinating the government action and overseeing the public administration as he is entrusted with the prerogatives to appoint by a decree in civilian portfolios according to a regulatory law which identifies the principles and equal opportunities for all Moroccans in seeking public office jobs on the basis of meritocracy, transparency and specific criteria.
The head of the government has the prerogatives to propose to the king, after an initiative by the concerned ministers, to appoint in the ministerial council in some high public jobs such as governors, ambassadors and heads of internal public security, given the fact that appointments in military portfolios remain the exclusive and sovereign prerogatives of the king, the supreme army commander and chief of the general staff of the Royal Armed Forces (FAR). The draft constitution also empowers the head of the government with the prerogatives to dissolve the Chamber of Deputies, and consecrates the need to consult the king before announcing a state of emergency, dissolving the parliament. It identifies the criteria of every case in a way to guarantee the separation of powers, their balance and cooperation.
To constitutionally enable the government to assume its organizational and executive duties, the council of government has been constitutionalized and its prerogatives have been identified and clarified in harmony, complementarity and distinction with the council of ministers.
The ministerial council meets under the chairmanship of the king, through his initiative, or after a request by the head of government who participates in its proceedings in the presence of ministers only. The king can delegate his chairmanship - on the basis of an identified agenda - to the head of government to consolidate his executive powers.
As for the council of government, it meets under the chairmanship of its head and through his initiative with the participation of all its members.
With regard to prerogatives, their differentiation is manifested by empowering the council of government with extensive decisional executive prerogatives and other rotating prerogatives which will be conferred to the ministerial council to decide according to its strategic, arbitration and guidance prerogatives including the safeguarding of macroeconomic and financial balances which have become a constitutional rule.
Establishing a parliamentary authority which exercises extensive legislative and control prerogatives. The draft constitution consecrates the supremacy of the status of the Chamber of Deputies by empowering it with the final decision on the approval of legislative texts and the consolidation of its prerogatives in controlling the government, particularly by consecrating the accountability of the government before it [word indistinct] the legislative authority, to enact all laws and to extend the sphere of law to increase from the current 30 spheres to more than 60 in the proposed constitution.
Eager to moralize the parliamentary action, the draft constitution stipulates the constitutionalization of limiting parliamentary immunity to expressing opinion only and not to include public law crimes. It has also stipulated to cancel the higher court which deals with ministers to consecrate their equality with citizens before the law and courts.
With regard to the Chamber of Counsellors, eager to rationalize its make up, the proposed constitution stipulates that its members range between 90 and 120 members. In this context and in order to honor the request which was submitted to me by the trade unions and which was backed by political parties with regard to the representation of trade unions in the upper house, I have decided within my arbitration duties that the draft constitution includes the representation of most representative trade unions, professional and business organizations. It is a decision which emanated from the core Moroccan monarchy's social system and from our system of governance which is based on promoting the social status of our citizens as our main concern politically and practically.
Judicial Power
With regard to our citizens overseas, they will be empowered with parliamentary representations once the democratic approach bears fruit, given the fact that they enjoy the right to vote in the two parliamentary chambers.
To empower the parliamentary opposition with a special status and mechanisms in order to consolidate its role and status in enriching parliamentary action both in terms of legislation and control in a way to enable it to secure proportional representation in all parliamentary institutions. The draft constitution also stipulates that the head of government presents an interim report on the government action, answers questions concerning the general policy and to reduces the quorum to present control petitioner, to form inquiry committees, refer draft laws to the constitutional council to enable parliamentary committees to question officials in charge of public administrations and companies under the responsibility of the concerned ministers.
To entrench a judicial authority independent from the executive and legislative authorities in order to consolidate the independence of the judiciary which I guarantee by clearly stipulating in the draft of the new constitution that a court verdict if is issued in the name of the king must be issued on the basis of law and protection of the sanctity of the judiciary. Therefore, the draft constitution constitutionalizes the criminalization of any intervention by the authority, money or anything that could influence the judiciary. We have also set up the supreme council of the judicial authority as a constitutional institution chaired by the king to replace the supreme council of the judiciary, to enable it to be independent both administratively and financially, and to empower the chief justice of the supreme court with the duties of the deputized head instead of the currently justice minister in order to materialize the separation of powers.
In parallel to that, we have consolidated the make up of the new council by increasing the representation of elected judges, and female judges and in a way to guarantee the membership of personalities and institutions concerning human rights and defence of the independence of the judiciary. We have also expanded the prerogatives of the council to include, in addition to managing the professional life of the judges, the duty of examining and expressing opinion on legislative organizational texts which concern the judiciary.
To confirm the supremacy of the constitution and of the law, the Constitutional Council has been promoted to a constitutional court with extensive prerogatives which include, in addition to the current prerogatives, to control the constitutionality of international conventions and to resolve conflicts between the state and regions.
Civil Society, Other Institutions
Constitutionalization of some important institutions, while leaving the door open to set up other institutions and mechanisms in order to consolidate citizenship and democratic participation through legislative or organizational texts. Therefore, we have constitutionalized the National Human Rights Council, the Wasit foundation, the council of the Moroccan community abroad, the higher body of the audiovisual and the higher council for education, training and scientific research. We have expanded the prerogatives of the Economic and Social Council to include environmental issues. We have also consolidated the constitutional status of the political parties, trade unions and professional organizations as well as civil society organizations by devoting several constitution chapters to each of them. In order to enable the youths to enjoy an institutional space to express themselves, we are committed to set up a council for youths to represent a proposition force to enable them to contribute, in a democratic and citizenship spirit, in the building of Morocco of unity, dignity and social justice.
Consolidation of the mechanisms of good governance, moralization of public life and fight against corruption by creating a national institution to be in harmony on this issue by consolidating the role of the higher and regional accounts' councils to control public finance, to entrench the principles of transparency, responsibility and accountability and to be prevented from escaping punishment, in addition to the constitutionalization of the council of competition and the anti-corruption body.
Security and Decentralization
Given the fact that security, in its strategic sense, has become a world challenge, we are committed to strengthen our country with a consultative institutional mechanism in the form of the higher council for security, to be chaired by, and include in its membership heads of legislative, executive and legislative bodies, in addition to ministers, officials and concerned personalities. It will also be in charge of internal and external strategic security issues, and it will form a force of proposition to beef up security in our country.
My dear people! Our comprehensive view of true democracy and the basics of good governance are not limited to reshuffling of central authorities, but are based on delegating authority and resources from the centre to the regions within the context of an advanced regionalism which we view as the pillar of a radical reform and modernization of state institutions.
In this view axe 10, concerns constitutional consecration of a unified Morocco of regions, Morocco which is based on democratic decentralization in the service of integrated and sustained human growth within the context of the unity of the state and the homeland and its territorial integrity, in addition to the principles of national and regional equality and solidarity.
In order to highlight this strategic option in the draft constitution, a chapter was devoted to advanced regionalism on the basis of the framework of reference which I announced in my 9 March historic address. A regulatory law will identify the prerogatives of the state, regions and sources, mechanisms and regional organization.
My dear people, regardless of how perfect a constitution is, it is not an objective in itself. It is a means for establishing democratic institutions which require reforms and political rehabilitation in order to achieve our collective aspiration, which is to guarantee development and to provide the means of a dignified life for citizens.
Proceeding from this, when your first servant king conducts his national duty he will be voting yes to the draft of the new constitution which will be put to a national referendum because I am firmly convinced that the draft of this constitution adopts all democratic institutions, development principles and mechanisms of good governance, and because it guarantees the dignity of all Moroccans and their rights within the framework of equality and supremacy of law. Indeed, I will vote yes for this draft because I am convinced that it will give a big boost to find a lasting solution to the just cause of the Moroccan identity of our dear Sahara on the basis of our autonomy initiative. It will also consolidate Morocco's leading role at the regional level as a state which is distinguished by its unique democratic process.
I urge political parties, trade unions and civil society organizations which took part in all freedom and commitment in drawing up this modern constitutional charter from the beginning to the end, to work to mobilize the Moroccan people, not only to vote in its favor, but to espouse it as it is the best means to realize the legitimate aspirations of our conscious youths, indeed the aspirations of all Moroccans; to realize our collective aspirations, to consolidate the building of a Morocco of serenity, unity, stability, democracy, development, prosperity, justice, dignity, rule of law and a state of institution.
My loyal people! You will find me in the forefront of those who work to implement this modern draft constitution which strengthens the pillars of a system of constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy, after it is adopted -- with Gods' help, in a popular referendum on 1 July.

UN Resolution on Terrorists, Organizations

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has unanimously adopted two resolutions under which terrorists and organizations associated with Al-Qaida and the Taliban would be split into two separate lists. There was one committee in the UNSC for sanctions against Taliban and Al-Qaida. However, it has now been decided unanimously to deal with Taliban and Al-Qaida separately.
After the adoption of two resolutions, international powers led by the United States have said they view that Taliban and Al-Qaida have different targets. In the words of western diplomats, Taliban are waging resistance only in Afghanistan while Al-Qaida has an international agenda. The head of UNSC Counter-Terrorism Committee and the German ambassador has said that the adoption of the resolutions is a clear and strong message that we are supporting the Afghan government to end violence and advance the process of reconciliation for peace in Afghanistan.
Possibility of US-Taliban Talks
Soon after the adoption of the resolutions by the UNSC, Afghan President Hamid Karzai addressing a press conference in Kabul disclosed that several international powers including, the United States, are engaged in talks with the Taliban. Earlier, different diplomatic circles reported several times that negotiations were underway between the Afghan government and Taliban. However, it is for the first time that Afghan President has officially confirmed talks with Taliban adding that the United States itself is engaged in talks. After disclosure by the Afghan President, the US Embassy has refused to confirm or deny talks with Taliban. However, Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid has strongly denied talks with the United States and European countries. Mujahid telephoned to the French news agency, AFP, from an unknown place and denied the disclosure made by Afghan President. He said that the Taliban have in the past denied such reports.
We do not know as to why Karzai has made this disclosure. Whether or nor the United States or western countries are holding direct or indirect talks with Afghan Taliban, it has become clear that now the United States has compelled to beg to the Taliban for talks. A major hurdle in the way of talks between United States and Taliban were the resolutions under which it has declared Taliban and Al-Qaida terrorists. Following adoption of the resolutions by the UNSC, names of some wanted Taliban leaders would be removed from the list as the resolution allows the Afghan government to make changes in the list. However, they will be approved by the UNSC.
Afghan War Strategy
The split of Al-Qaida and Taliban in the list of terrorists by the UNSC indicates difference over strategy between the United States and Europe regarding Afghanistan war. After passage of the resolution (resolutions) British Foreign Office Minister, Alistair Burt has said that with a view to grasp the situation, US contacts with Taliban are in line with the thinking of the international community and Afghan people as well as the government. Commenting on reports of contacts between the United States and Taliban, he said that he had always supported reconciliation with resistance elements in Afghanistan and their joining to the national mainstream on the conditions of Afghanistan government. The conditions of the Afghan government include, abandoning of violence, severing contacts with terrorist organizations and acceptance of the constitution. The fresh contacts, which have been confirmed by Afghan President Karzai is a step towards the destination to which, the situation will at last lead.
It is known to all that establishment of peace does not depend on only military success and training of Afghan army and police rather it will be on a political settlement. The statement of an important official of British Foreign Office about the United States' negotiations with Taliban shows the fact that differences have developed between the United States and Europe over Afghan war strategy.
Differences between the US political and military leadership with regards to (Afghanistan) wa r have become clear. On the one hand, US President Barack Obama has announced to begin US military withdrawal from July 2011. The US military leadership holds the viewpoint that Taliban cannot be brought to the negotiations table without crushing their resistance. The time is passing and the Afghan war is ten years old. If the US military with the help of 40 countries has not succeeded to crush Taliban's resistance during the past 10 years, as to how it will do so during the next few months.
Status of Taliban
The United States through the UNSC resolution has allured Taliban to weaken their resistance and divide the Mujahidin. The western diplomatic circles raise the questions (question) as to what is the status of those Taliban in the ranks of Taliban to whom the United States is holding talks. The United States and international western powers through the latest UNSC resolution have at least admitted that war going on in the name of elimination of terrorism is based on falsehood and deception. A question has also arisen about the legal and moral credibility of the UN resolutions. The law changes when their expediencies change. They declare terrorists to someone and remove someone from the list of terrorists on their own sweet will.
The peace cannot come to the world when the international law will be made on the basis of reposts of secret agency, the CIA without giving any evidence. Ten years ago, the United States had resorted to brutal military adventurism (in Afghanistan) by declaring Al-Qaida responsible for 9/11 and Taliban as their supporter. During these 10 years, hundreds of thousands of Afghans were killed and lethal weapons on a large scale were tested on poor Afghans. Chemical, nuclear and biological weapons were also used in Afghanistan because of which disabled and ill children are being born there.
Legislation Against Terrorism
The legislation against terrorism had started even before 9/11. The United States has forcibly imposed its laws on the entire world through the United Nations. These laws are the worst case of trampling of human rights. The United States continued to present Afghanistan and Taliban as a threat to the world for 10 years although the Afghans were fighting US attack as they fought the Soviet Union. At that time, Mujahidin had come to Afghanistan from the entire world.
The United States under its anti-humane agenda declared international impact of Afghan Mujahidin's success over Soviet Union as terrorism. The United States had got conducted inhuman and unjust legislation from the United Nations before the 9/11 in the name of terrorism. Terrorism is a crime whose definition could not be made until today. The war was the continuation of the new world order whose, one aspect is globalization. However, today the US and western pride has been trampled in the mountains of Afghanistan.

Obama's Call To Back to 1967 Frontier Only Solution to Middle-East Crisis

US President Barack Obama has called on Israel to go back to 1967 frontier. He made this call while delivering a speech on the Middle East situation at the US State Department in Washington on 19 May. Although Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed Obama's call, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outright turned down it. On the very next day, Israeli Prime Minister rushed to Washington to have talks with Obama on this issue. Obama told him, 'It is essential to demarcate the Palestine-Israel boundary on the basis of the 1967 frontier. In that case security of both the states would be ensured.' Laying highest importance on the right of self-determination of the Palestinian people, Obama said: 'Like other independent states they have also right to have a sovereign homeland. All states should have its defense forces to protect their sovereignty.
Certainly, Israel has capability to protect its sovereignty by combating any external aggression or attacks'. President Obama observed that sustainable Palestine and secure Israel could be ensured if they can settle their territorial boundary through mutual negotiations and consensus. Obama reiterated that the US firmly believes Palestine-Israel boundary dispute could be solved through mutual discussions and negotiations. In this connection Obama straightway told Netanyahu that he (Israeli prime minister) has no capability to sign a peace accord with Palestine.
Imaginary, Emotional Approaches
Obama's apprehension that hardliner Netanyahu is not in favor of Middle-East peace had proved to be true on the very next day. Immediately after holding two-hour meeting with Obama, Netanyahu declared that Israel would not make any compromise with its territorial boundary with Palestine that Tel Aviv established through 1967 war. In addition to rejecting Obama's call, Netanyahu did not even hesitate to tell that peace in the Middle East could not be established through any fake, imaginary or emotional approaches. Netanyahu had shown the audacity to brand the very objective, realistic and acceptable approaches of Obama as something fake or emotional. We feel shame when we hear words of peace from the mouth of this racial, warmonger and extreme hardliner Zionist leader Binyamin Netanyahu. With the extreme patronization and provocation of the United States, Israel has become so much desperate and arrogant that it does not hesitate to throw away the very proposal of the US President. This peculiar and abnormal state -- Israel had come into being in 1948 under a joint UK-US conspiracy by illegally evicting Palestinian people from their homeland. This illegally born state under the evil design of British-USA that used the United Nations in their unholy mission is the most defamed racial state of the world. This illegally born state that is regarded as the apple of discord in the Middle East has been destroying world peace for the past 63 years. Still then the Palestinians who have been struggling for establishing their self-right and to have their own homeland finally had agreed on 'Two Nations' theory in the greater interest of peace.
To attain that objective the undisputed Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat had signed the peace treaty. On the basis of that agreement a self-ruled limited landmass was created for the Palestinian people that were the first step towards establishing independent and sovereign Palestine state. One and half decades have already elapsed since signing of that peace treaty by Arafat. But because of breach of trust by Israel and because of its obstinate attitude the dream of an independent state for the struggling Palestinians has still remained a far cry.
US Patronizations and Supports
The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the HAMAS are two major organizations of the Palestinian people. Both of them have no objection to extend recognition to Israel on the basis of 1967 boundary. Relatively hardliner HAMAS also has no objection to recognize such a formula that was enunciated by the Arab League. But despite making repeated commitments, Israel has been betraying with the Palestinian people.
Tel Aviv has been repeatedly denying accepting the independent and sovereign entity of the State of Palestine. Rather, the warmongering leadership of Israel has been continuing its subversive policy like evicting the Palestinian people from their homes, constructing new settlements on Palestinian lands, military aggressions, economic blockades etc. In such evil design, Israel has been getting US patronizations and supports all thorough.
Destabilizing World Peace
Now time has come for the US President to deeply realize that Israel is an aggressive states -- it is an enemy of world peace. However, it is most encouraging that the world leaders have extended supports to the proposal made by US President Obama for resolving the Middle East crises.
Under such situation the United States must take strong measures to compel Israel to stop its military aggression and raising settlements on Palestinian lands. Stern actions should also be taken to force Israel to keep restrained in the interest of establishing permanent peace in the region. Finally, the Muslim World should take immediate steps to ensure independent, sovereign and safe state for Palestinian people

Malaysia, US Navy Conduct Joint CARAT Anti-Submarine, Simulated Amphibious Landing Exercise

Malaysia and US Navy launched the CARAT (Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training) naval exercise in the South China Sea. Navies from both countries carried out a rare joint anti-submarine exercise and joint amphibious landing exercise with simulation practice to repel the imagined invading enemy.
This kind of CARAT military exercise led by the United States has been going on in this region for 17 years. But this is the first time the United States deployed an attack submarine to participate in the joint military rehearsal in this stage of 2011 CARAT Malaysia. Naturally, this CARAT joint military exercise has once again become the focus of attention in the Asian-Pacific region.
On 11 June's CARAT naval operation on the sea, the United States dispatched the US Navy attack submarine USS La Jolla (SSN 701) to conduct a combined military exercise with the Malaysian Navy. In order to carry out the joint anti-submarine operation, Malaysia sent out Malaysian Navy frigates KD Lekir (F26), KD Lekiu (FF30) and KD Terengganu (F174), a new generation patrol vessel and the United States sent out US Navy ships USS Howard (DDG 83) Aegis destroyer and USS Ford (FFG 54) frigate in this joint military rehearsal.
Strengthening Military Capability
We believe only the navies in the countries surrounding the South China Sea understand the significance of the appearance of the US attack submarine USS La Jolla (SSN 701) in the South China Sea. The appearance of the US attack submarine signifies that the United States has further expanded the presence of its military power in the South China Sea. The deployment of the US attack submarine has also positively strengthened the joint CARAT anti-submarine capacity between the United States and countries surrounding the South China Sea.
On 13 June, CARAT Malaysia joint military exercise on the sea entered its final climax. After the end of the joint anti-submarine operations between the US and Malaysian navies, Malaysia's No. 10 Airborne Force and the US Marine Corps re-grouped into a combined landing force and boarded the 11 'AAV-7' amphibious assault vehicles to attack the strategic positions of imaginary enemies on shore.
The 11 'AAV-7' amphibious assault vehicles came out from US Navy's amphibious assault landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD 46). They waded through the water and landed on the pre-designated landing spots; launched direct attack and occupied the enemy's valley.
Recently, the fight for maritime territory has created stormy conflict in the South China Sea. As such, it is an open secret that the CARAT joint military exercise led by the United States is a simulation exercise based on the virtual military conflicts in the South China Sea. In this regard, all parties have focused special attention on this round of CARAT joint military exercise operation with the United States.
Close Observation
This year, only four reporters are invited to have close observation of the CARAT joint military exercise. The Chinese Press is the only Chinese language newspaper invited to observe the CARAT operation. The other three reporters are representatives from some military magazines. This is the second time China Press is invited and that with some arrangement, the China Press reporter was able to follow the media group to go on board the US Navy's amphibious assault landing ship USS Tortuga (LSD 46) to cover special report on the ship visit.
The CARAT media group arrived and stationed in Mersing's Tanjong Resang Beach on 11 June. This is the location of the 'troop landing' rehearsal venue. The media group was able to cover the CORAT combined landing exercise between the navies of the two countries.
On 12 June at 1.00 p.m. (GMT 0500) after the combined military landing rehearsal was completed, the media took the AAV-7 amphibious landing vehicle and returned to the amphibious assault landing ship USS Tortuga for overnight rest. It was in the morning of 13 June that the media began to carry out formal report and or interview with participating crew personnel.
China Press is indeed thankful to the Malaysian Joint Force Operation, the US Embassy in Malaysia and the officials and crews from the USS Tortuga to provide the convenience and facilities to cover the report on the 2011 CARAT Malaysia operation.
Formation of CARAT Multilateral Partnership Fleet
This year is the 17th anniversary of the US led CARAT Joint Military Exercise. The fact as we observe is that is that after 17 years of uninterrupted joint military exercises and rehearsals, the CARAT operation has already allowed the United States and Southeast Asian countries to establish a 'CARAT multilateral partnership fleet' for the South China Sea.
The original participating countries in the CARAT joint military exercise led by the United States include Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines and Brunei. But in 2010, this joint military exercise has expanded to include Bangladesh and Cambodia.
The format adopted by the CARAT joint military exercise is very unique. This joint military exercise organized by the US Navy with countries in the Southeast Asian region will allow the US fleets to circle one round of the South China Sea while carrying out joint military exercises with countries within the South China Sea region. Without fail, the United States will faithfully carry out such joint military exercises with all the eight participating countries at specific time every year.
Over the years, the US Armed Forces has shown that it has sufficient capability and capacity to, regardless of whether it is in a bilateral or multilateral environment, gather the multilateral forces of surrounding countries to carry out combat operations either in Southeast Asia or in the South China Sea,
There is only one overall conclusion of our media coverage for the CARAT joint military exercise: this conclusion is that whether people accept the fact or not, after 17 long years of accumulative combined military exercises with one another country, this 'CARAT Multilateral Partnership Fleet' has already provided positive contribution in the maintenance of peace and stability for the South China Sea.
Open Question to China
Of late, the maritime sovereignty dispute in the South China Sea has continued to heat up. In addition, the sky covering the South China Sea has also gathered many dark clouds due to the unusual change of climate above the South China Sea. As such one cannot help but to ponder if this is a sign that a big military storm is also in the making there.
As I looked into the South China Sea on the deck of USS Tortuga, I kept thinking about the current situation in the South China Sea. I kept thinking and recalling Chinese Navy Chief Wu Shengli's remarks when he proposed the 'Harmonious Sea' initiative in 2009.
But can we really trust the 'Harmonious Sea' initiative proposed in 2009? This was the question raised by many defence officials from different countries at the Shangri-La Dialogue held in Singapore recently.
In fact the friction between China and some Southeast Asian countries over the territorial disputes in the South China Sea has not reduced after the 'Harmonious Sea' initiative was proposed by China in 2009. Instead, the conflict and confrontation in the South China Sea have the tendency to intensify.
In 2009, there was the friction between some Chinese fishermen and the US Navy; in 2010, China's fishery patrol vessel violated Malaysia's maritime territory near Malaysia's island in the group of Spratly Islands in the South China Sea and was expelled by our Malaysian Navy. in May 2011; of late, China also 'took turn' to engage repeated confrontation with the Philippines and Vietnam over maritime territorial issue thus creating tension in the South China Sea until today. In the end, Vietnam carried out live-fire military exercise in the South China Sea hand as a gesture 'to lay its card out' to China.
At the recently held Shari-La Dialogue, some participants had openly criticized China of 'saying one thing but taking an entirely different action.' Has the Chinese authority really reflected on why the dialogue participants could have such comments on China?
If China continues to engage conflict with Southeast Asian countries over the sovereignty dispute in the South China Sea, there is no way for this region to resolve the sovereignty and maritime dispute in the South China Sea. Instead, such conflicts can only deepen Southeast Asian countries' suspicion on China. Such a development trend will be a blow to the credibility of the 'Harmonious Sea' initiative in the South China Sea as proposed by China.