Pakistan Press on Patriarchy, Indian Immigrants and Middle East: New Age Islam's Selection, 19 September 2020
By
New Age Islam Edit Bureau
19
September 2020
• Time to End the Patriarchy
By
Dr. Syed Amir
•Indian
Immigrants Are A Success Story
By
Dr. Syed Amir
•No
More A Pariah
Irfan
Husain
-----
Time To
End The Patriarchy
By Dr.
Syed Amir
September
19, 2020
The country
has exploded with anger over a crime so heinous, so barbaric, that it is
difficult to capsule the emotions in words. Regrettably, the crime is not the
first. Horrifically, it may not be the last.
With
mounting embarrassment over the incident as well as the incompetence and
callousness of concerned authorities, it is highly expected that the brutal
culprits will quickly be meted out equally brutal justice.
But a
bloody climax to an emotional rising action would simply put a lid on the
simmering broth of animal instincts, on the brim of an explosion. It may give
much-needed relief to avenging spirits. It may give a shut-up call to the
critics. But can it undo what is done? Can it prevent repetition?
Can it mend
the shattered ego of the sufferer? Can it heal the bruised spirit? Can any
level of punishment scare away the nightmares that the innocent witnesses may
experience for the rest of their lives? Can words and actions camouflage the
ugliness of Pakistan’s reality? Can any verdict save the millions of other
women vulnerable to prying eyes and hands?
Can any
disciplinary action correct the Pakistani mindset which always blames the
survivor or victim? She was dressed provocatively, she was alone in the middle
of the night, she was ‘bold’, she is a liar, she asked for it – these are the
usual responses when a woman in Pakistan is subjected to any form of violence
or harassment.
Let’s
reverse the situation. Imagine a man, driving on a deserted road, in the wee
hours of the night, experiencing a car breakdown. As he awaits help, he is
attacked by goons, bruised and battered and robbed. Will the police ask him why
he chose to drive on a deserted road? Will any authority chide him over his
‘carelessness’ of not checking his car’s fuel? For a man in Pakistan, these
would be nonsensical questions to be asked. The case, whether solved or
shelved, would purely be one of an armed robbery, and never that of wrong
decisions.
As we
struggle to still get over the death of Zainab, a tragic death by rape of
five-year-old Marwa comes to haunt us. As my spirits further dampen at a
detailed investigative report about harassment cases in the University of
Balochistan and news of garment factory workers hounded by sexual harassment, I
see outrage by a female cyclist over her experience of sexual harassment on the
streets. It seems that oblivious to a nation reeling with anger, sexual
predators remain committed to their ugly practices.
Besides the
growing chants of #HangTheRapistsPublically, the more humane and intellectual
strata of society reasons that capital punishment may not be the answer. They
have always demanded longer-term visions and practices. They have always
pointed out that the root cause of the problem is chauvinistic attitude, sadly
fanned by men as well as women. Consent from a woman is seen as a non-issue. A
woman traveling alone, or dressed ‘provocatively’? Perfect: she is an easy
outlet for twisted desires.
In
Pakistan, misogyny can be found in every corner. Eons of patriarchal practices
need years of feminist rights to be reiterated and enforced. More sons need to
be raised who respect women. More daughters need to be empowered. What we do
today will make tomorrow safe. But for now, the pain is too fresh. The eyes are
still misty. Avenging blood for blood may not be the answer, but subjecting a
man with pain which is nowhere closest to what he afflicted a woman with, may
shame another of his kind. Speaking the only language he knows; of violence,
may put a few at peace. For now, let him face the world, let him suffer the
wrath, let him hear the questions, before he answers them in another world.
But it will
not end with him. He may be buried today, the legacy of his crime will still
live tomorrow. Unless, a woman is looked upon as a human. Until a daughter is
not discarded away as a burden or a wife is not considered a punching bag.
Rape, sexual harassment, domestic violence, honour killing are the many sides
of misogyny. It is the patriarchy which harasses culture. End the patriarchy!
----
Shabana
Mahfooz is a freelance journalist. She has a keen interest in issues regarding
women, religion and foreign affairs.
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/716826-time-to-end-the-patriarchy
----
Indian
Immigrants Are A Success Story
By Dr.
Syed Amir
September
19, 2020
On August
18, 2020, American women celebrated the centennial of winning the right to vote
on a par with men. Of course, they have since made giant strides in many
fields, serving at the top of many professional bodies, in addition to holding
elective offices. The most recent symbol of progress was the nomination by the
Democratic Party of the first black and Asian women to the position of
vice-president. Joe Biden, the presidential nominee, has selected Senator
Kamala Harris, 55-years old, as his running partner.
Daughter of
a Jamaican father and a South Indian Brahmin mother, she is only the third
woman nominee for the second highest office in the US and will be the first
woman to hold that office should Bidenget elected. Significantly, Joe Biden
will be 81-years old at the completion of his first term and would be unlikely
to seek a second term. Kamala Harris will be in a strong position to seek the
nomination of the Democratic Party and to become the first woman president of
the US. Before becoming a Senator, she was the Attorney General of California
state. and in that position, she earned the reputation of a strict law and
order enforcer.
Harris’s
appointment has aroused unusual attention, becauseof her uncommon heritage. Her
mother, Shyamala Gopalan, a prominent cancer research scientist, came from
South India to the US in 1960for higher studies and enrolled at the University
of California, Berkeley, where she met her husband, Donald Harris, a fellow
graduate student from Jamaica. Both were involved in the civil rights movement,
became friends, and ultimately were married. Unfortunately, the marriage did
not last, and they were divorced when Kamala was only seven years old and her
younger sister, Maya, just four. From then on, the mother took full
responsibility for the care and upbringing of her daughters with, it seems,
little participation on her ex-husband’s part. Kamala Harris noted in her
memoir that her mother “was the one most responsible for shaping us into the
women we would become.” Both sisters are enormously proud of their mother and
the role she played in their lives. In contrast, their relationship with their
father, now a retired professor of economics, is cool. Kamala and Maya are
extremely close, and the younger sister is Kamala’s closest and most trusted
advisor and directed all her previous political campaigns.
Currently,
three members of the US Congress are Muslims, but none of them is of Pakistani
origin– Andre Carlson, Rashida Talib and Ilhan Omer. However, Pakistani’s now
are catching up
Kamala’s
mother correctly perceived that her daughters, with one black parent, would
always be perceived and treated as blacks in the US. Therefore, she brought
them up to regard themselves as black Americans. Yet, she did not sever family
and cultural ties with India. Dr. Gopalan, during summer vacations, frequently
took her daughters there to meet their relatives and to expose them to the
other half of their heritage. Harris noted, “When I was a young girl visiting
my grandparents in India, I’d join my grandfather and his buddies on their
morning walk along the beach as they would talk about the importance of
fighting for democracy and civil rights.”
Harris’s
nomination to vice-presidential candidacy has generated some curiosity about her
religious affiliations. She comes from a family of eclectic faiths. Her Indian
grandparents were Hindu, but her mother gave her exposure to a wide variety of
spiritual experiences, taking her to both Christian and Hindu services in the
US. She now identifies herself as a Baptist Christian and took oath of office
as a Senator on a Bible. To add further diversity to her life, she is now
married to Douglas Emhoff, a Jewish lawyer
When, last
year, some reporter asked Harris how she would describe herself in the context
of her mixed black and Asian heritage, she responded that she considered
herself as a proud American, skirting the direct, awkward question. While
Harris does not emphasize her Indian heritage, the reaction in India,
especially her mother’s native State of Tamil Nadu, on her nomination has been
phenomenal. Her nomination has been celebrated with congratulatory posters and
billboard, expressing pride in her achievement. The rejoicing was especially
enthusiastic in her ancestral village of Painganadu, In Tamil Nadu.
The
elevation of Senator Kamala Harris is the latest addition to the growing list
of Americans of Asian-Indian descent who have become prominent and have
established themselves as important political figures. There are currently five
American of Indian decent, all Democrats, that have been elected to the
Congress. Besides the US Congress, many hold other elective offices. Both Nikki
Healy, former UN ambassador, and Bobby Jindal, a former Governor of Louisiana,
have Indian immigrant parents. In addition, there are numerous others who
occupy important leadership positions in academia, government, and private
industry.
Their
family links to India notwithstanding, it would be a mistake to assume that all
Indian-American officials support the policies of current Indian Government.
Congresswoman, Pramila Jayapal, for example, has been especially critical of
India’s brutal policies and suppression of human rights in Kashmir. Last year,
the Indian foreign minister cancelled a meeting with Congressional leaders when
they discovered that Jayapal was one of the participants. Vice-presidential
nominee Kamala Harris has also been an strong exponent of human rights and
pluralistic policies.
In addition
to the US, some Indian immigrants to Canada, Britain and Europe have been
remarkably successful. Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau’s cabinet includes three
Sikhs, and one Hindu female minister. The former prime minister of Ireland, Leo
Varadkar, is half Indian, while Britain’s chancellor of exchequer and potential
prime minister, Rishi Sunak, is a Hindu, born of Punjabi parents. British Home
secretary, Priti Patel, is the daughter of Gujrati Hindu parents. She has close
links with the current Modi Government and his Bhartiya Junta Party and is
known for her hardline immigrations policies. The socialist Prime Minister of
Portugal, Antonio Costa, is also of Indian descent, as his parents were born in
Goa, a former Portuguese colony.
The
question is often asked how well the Pakistani immigrants have done compared
with the Indians. Undoubtedly, Pakistanis in America have not been as visible
or ubiquitous as Indians. Currently, three members of the US Congress are
Muslims, but none of them is of Pakistani origin– Andre Carlson, Rashida Talib
and Ilhan Omer. However, Pakistani’s now are catching up, breaking out of their
favourite professions, such as medicine or computer technology that promised
security and financial stability. There may be other reasons for why Pakistanis
lag behind. Pakistanis usually bring strong attachment to their cultural,
ideological, and religious traditions and most of their attention and money has
been focused on building mosques, Islamic schools and cultural centres in their
adopted homeland. However, there are indications that they are now paying
attention to participating in other temporal pursuits as well.
-----
Dr. Syed
Amir is a former assistant professor, Harvard Medical School and retired health
scientist administrator, US National Institutes of Health
https://dailytimes.com.pk/668206/indian-immigrants-are-a-success-story/
-----
No More
A Pariah
By Irfan
Husain
19 Sep 2020
WHILE the
Middle East is still abuzz with the opening up of relations between Israel and
the UAE and with Bahrain, people have largely ignored a similar move in the
Balkans. Kosovo and Serbia, both countries that had thus far refused to
recognise Israel, have now agreed to do so.
Obviously,
the Trump administration has been doing some heavy lifting in both regions.
Exactly what was promised to Kosovo and Serbia remains unclear. And
incidentally, the latter has thus far refused to recognise its neighbour.
Clearly,
the dictates of the US elections in November outweigh all other considerations
with Donald Trump. Thus far, we were led to believe that greater trade, fear of
Iran, and Israeli high-tech weaponry were the drivers behind the UAE’s decision
to transform its covert ties with Israel into a full-blown relationship. But
recent reports suggest that the UAE had been upset by being refused access to
the American F-35 jet fighters due to Israeli objections.
According
to American policy — now enacted as law— Israel must maintain a “qualitative
military edge” over its neighbours. The deal that bought Netanyahu’s consent to
the sale of the F-35 is recognition by the UAE. Blocking the annexation of
large parts of Palestinian land is just a sop for the larger Muslim world as
the Israeli prime minister has only promised to “halt” this provocative move
for now.
Iran has
driven many Arab states into the US-Israel camp.
So what
makes the F-35 so special, and worth $80 million each? Largely, the
radar-evading materials used in its construction, as well as the
intelligence-gathering technology it carries. Israel fears that its secrets
could fall into the hands of its foes. But should Trump lose the election —
something to be fervently wished for — Biden may well halt the sale. And as we
have seen from the botched attacks by the UAE air force on Yemen, the country’s
pilots are not exactly skilled in their use of sophisticated aircraft.
Whatever
the real reason, the fear of Iran is certainly one as the US withdraws from the
region following its reduced dependence on Arab oil. Thus, Iran has succeeded
in driving many Sunni Arab countries into the US-Israel camp. Even Saudi
Arabia, once the champion of Palestinian rights, has permitted commercial
flights over the kingdom to shorten the flying time between Israel and the UAE.
Jordan and
Egypt have had embassies in Tel Aviv for decades, as has Turkey. So when the
Turkish president protested loudly against the UAE and Bahrain’s recognition of
Israel, we must take his words with a pinch of salt. But whether we like it or
not, there is a growing movement towards normalisation of ties with the Zionist
state. The younger generation of Arabs want job opportunities and peace, not a
perpetual state of war with a powerful neighbour.
In a sense,
the Palestinians have proved to be their own worst enemies. In Jimmy Carter,
they had the friendliest American president they are likely to get. Bill
Clinton did his best to push an agreement through. But the PLO’s rigidity and
Israel’s hunger for land blocked any chance for genuine rapprochement. Now,
with Trump’s openly pro-Israel policies, the US has dropped all pretence of
being an honest broker between the two parties.
Having
written dozens of columns critical of Israel’s land grab and oppressive
policies, I have also argued that recognition is not a reward for good
behaviour. Had this been so, half the world would not recognise the other half.
With normalisation comes the right to summon an envoy to register a protest
against illegal policies in his or her country.
With our
head-in-the-sand attitude towards Israel, we can only observe from the
sidelines. This is not exactly helpful to the Palestinians, even though they
have described the UAE initiative as a “stab in the back”. Also, oil-rich
Middle East states have become tired of having to dish out cash regularly to
the corrupt administrations controlling the West Bank and Gaza. As oil revenues
fall steadily with no recovery in sight, this subsidy is becoming increasingly
unpopular.
So where
does this realignment leave us? We are fixated on a policy laid down decades
ago that dictated that Pakistan would only recognise Israel when all
Palestinian land seized in the 1967 war was returned. But with over half a
million Israelis living in dozens of settlements built in occupied West Bank,
this was unlikely to happen. With a hawkish, right-wing alliance in power, it
is even less likely. Even if Netanyahu is defeated, the consensus in Israel is
that they need large chunks of the West Bank for security.
And while
we rightly want justice for Palestinians, what are we doing about the ongoing
persecution of Chinese Muslim Uighurs, or the attempted genocide of Muslim Rohingya
in Myanmar? The shameful silence of the Islamic world on the plight of these
two wretched communities says a lot for our moral bankruptcy.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1580485/no-more-a-pariah
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