South Asia Can Become An Important Center In the World.

<div style="text-align: justify;"> <img src="http://thelinkpaper.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Sawraj-Singh2.jpg" /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b>By Dr. Sawraj Singh</b></div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the bipolar world became a unipolar world. America became the only superpower in the world. The present world order, in reality, is dominated by American hegemony. However, the rapidly-changing world situation is making it clear that this is a transitory period, and the world is actually moving toward a multipolar world order. There will not be one or two centers of power; there will be many such centers.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> America will not be able to retain its only-superpower-of-the-world status for much longer. It is facing an economic challenge from China and a military challenge from Russia. France and Germany are trying to unite Europe to become an independent center of power. When their Presidents went to Moscow to meet President Putin and discuss the Ukraine situation, against American advice, then their strategy became clear.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> England, the most important American partner in Europe, has been completely marginalized there. England is so much frustrated with its present status in the European Union that Prime Minister Cameron is asking for a referendum to know if the people want to stay in the European Union or want to come out. In Ukraine, the government forces, which are supported by America, lost to the rebels—supported by Russia. When Putin sent troops to occupy Crimea, he gave orders to launch a nuclear attack if the NATO interfered in any way militarily. 158 nuclear bombs were ready to strike England in such a scenario. This would have meant almost complete destruction of England. Russia has the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons in the world. Russia has the capability to destroy the earth ten times over with its nuclear weapons.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The Middle East situation is also pointing to the fact that the American grip on this region is loosening. In Yemen, the American and Saudi-supported government has lost to the Houthi rebels, who are supported by Iran and (indirectly) by Russia and China. The government belonged to the Sunni Muslims whereas the rebels are Shias. President Hadi is hiding in Saudi Arabia. Even Pakistan has refused to join the Saudi-led attack against the rebels. The six world powers: USA, Russia, China, France, Germany, and England have signed a nuclear treaty with Iran, in spite of opposition by Israel. There were massive celebrations in Iran because this is considered a victory for Iran. In Syria, America has so far been unable to dislodge Assad. In Iraq and Libya, even after getting rid of Saddam and Gaddafi, this has not helped America to consolidate its hold on those countries, and the Islamic fundamentalists are challenging it in a big way.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> I think there are two main objectives of American strategy: First, to maintain its hegemony somehow. Second, to take pressure off of its allies such as England and Saudi Arabia. To achieve these objectives, America wants to shift nuclear confrontation from Europe to South Asia. In a recent article in the New York Times, such a scenario has been raised. Henry Kissinger has predicted a nuclear war between India and Pakistan in the twenty-first century. The question is: are these predictions or wishful thinking? Such a confrontation can help America because its adversaries and potential adversaries can get entangled and weaken each other. The European countries will also like to shift the site of confrontation from Europe to South Asia. Therefore, it can help to keep the present Trans-Atlantic alliance intact.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Such a confrontation can prove very destructive and harmful for South Asia. In the seventies, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan destabilized this area and Afghanistan became a hotbed of terrorism. The Taliban were a product of this invasion. America used them against the Soviet Union. However, they turned against America. After America pulls out of Afghanistan, the Taliban may target India. The Taliban have already considerably destabilized Pakistan. Saudi Arabia is also inciting its brand of dogmatic Islam in Pakistan, which in turn incites Hindu fundamentalism in India. The whole region can be pushed toward more confrontation and instability.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> All of the countries of the region should sit together and ponder, without any outside interference, on how to make this region more peaceful and prosperous. I feel the best solution to the problems and challenges of the region is to evolve into a South Asian Economic Alliance on the pattern of the European Union. If we compare South Asia to Europe, then it becomes clear that there are more bonds which unite the people in the South Asian region than in Europe. Geographically, historically, economically, culturally, and politically, this region has much more in common than Europe has.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> If we can evolve an economic infrastructure which guarantees freedom to different nations, cultural entities, and different religions, then that can be an ideal situation for the people of the region. They can enjoy benefits of the economic union while enjoying freedom to practice their religions, way of life, and political systems. In such a scenario, the region can become peaceful and prosperous. After all, the concept of a multipolar world is based upon the teachings of Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh religion. Guru Nanak preached accepting and tolerating diversity, and promoted the principle of unity in diversity. He also promoted the principles of pluralism, dialogue and peaceful coexistence. These principles have laid the foundation of a multipolar world. Therefore, the concept of a multipolar world emerged in this region.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <b>Dr. Sawraj Singh, MD F.I.C.S. is the Chairman of the Washington State Network for Human Rights and Chairman of the Central Washington Coalition for Social Justice. He can be reached at <a href="http://sawrajsingh@hotmail.com./">sawrajsingh@hotmail.com.</a></b></div>

South Asia Can Become An Important Center In the World.

By Dr. Sawraj Singh After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the bipolar world became a unipolar world. America became the only superp...

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Pakistan biggest concern to stability in South Asia: NYT

<div style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="http://i.ndtvimg.com/i/2015-02/modi-sharif_650x400_51423812665.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Nuclear Fears in South Asia" border="0" height="246" src="http://i.ndtvimg.com/i/2015-02/modi-sharif_650x400_51423812665.jpg" width="400" /></a>By PTI New York, Describing nuclear-armed Pakistan as "unquestionably the biggest concern" to stability in South Asia, a leading US daily on Tuesday said the world powers that worked on the Iran deal should now turn their attention to the "troubled region with growing nuclear risks of its own".</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "The world's attention has rightly been riveted on negotiations aimed at curbing Iran's nuclear programme. If and when that deal is made final, America and the other major powers that worked on it China, Russia, Britain, France and Germany should turn their attention to South Asia, a troubled region with growing nuclear risks of its own," The New York Times said in an editorial.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The editorial titled 'Nuclear Fears in South Asia' said the situation in the region cannot be ignored by the major world powers, no matter how preoccupied they may be by the long negotiations with Iran as India, China and Pakistan are moving ahead with plans to deploy nuclear weapons in the Indian Ocean.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> The editorial said Pakistan is "hardly alone in its potential to cause regional instability," with China continuing to build up its nuclear arsenal, now estimated at 250 weapons.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Calling Pakistan as "unquestionably the biggest concern" in the region, the editorial said continuous investments by the country in military arsenal capable of carrying nuclear warheads "reflect the Pakistani Army's continuing obsession with India as the enemy, a rationale that allows the generals to maintain maximum power over the government and demand maximum national resources.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "At the same time, Pakistan has sunk deeper into chaos, threatened by economic collapse, the weakening of political institutions and, most of all, a Taliban insurgency that aims to bring down the state," it said.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> On India's part, which has a nuclear arsenal of 110 weapons compared to Pakistan's 120, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that Islamabad can expect retaliation if Islamic militants carry out a terrorist attack in India, as happened with the 2008 attack in Mumbai, the editorial said.</div>

Pakistan biggest concern to stability in South Asia: NYT

By PTI New York, Describing nuclear-armed Pakistan as "unquestionably the biggest concern" to stability in South Asia, a leading...

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Satyam verdict: Raju gets 7 years in jail.

<div style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-46863222,width-274,height-198/raju-gets-7-yrs-in-jail-fined-rs-5-cr-for-corporate-fraud.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Raju gets 7 yrs in jail, fined Rs 5 cr for corporate fraud" border="0" src="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-46863222,width-274,height-198/raju-gets-7-yrs-in-jail-fined-rs-5-cr-for-corporate-fraud.jpg" /></a>HYDERABAD-MUMBAI-BENGALURU (Courtsy By Economic Times): B Ramalinga Raju has been found guilty of embezzling from the IT company he founded in a verdict that was widely expected, bringing to a close the trial in India's most high-profile case of corporate fraud. Raju, 60, the founder of the erstwhile Satyam Computer Services, was sentenced by Special CBI Court Judge BVLN Chakravarthi to seven years in jail and fined Rs 5 crore for his part in falsifying the firm's books to the tune of Rs 7,136 crore. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> His brother Rama Raju received identical punishment while eight others — his relatives, employees and executives of audit firm PriceWaterhouse — were each given jail terms of 7 years and asked to pay Rs 25 lakh as fine. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "It is a great lesson to fledgling entrepreneurs that there are no shortcuts to success. While you need to be ambitious and aggressive in growing your business, you have to do it with utmost respect for the laws of land," said Krishankumar Natarajan, the CEO of Mindtree and a former chairman of software industry grouping Nasscom. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Raju confessed to the fraud in January 2009 after a failed attempt to reverse-merge Satyam — then believed to be India's fourth-largest IT firm with 50,000 employees — with his privately owned realty and infrastructure businesses. Worried the scandal could damage India's reputation and cause the loss of thousands of jobs, the government stepped in to supersede the board and arranged the sale of Satyam to the Mahindra Group in an auction. </div>

Satyam verdict: Raju gets 7 years in jail.

HYDERABAD-MUMBAI-BENGALURU (Courtsy By Economic Times): B Ramalinga Raju has been found guilty of embezzling from the IT company he founded...

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SAARC nations pledge to free region of AIDS by 2030

<div style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="http://www.orissadiary.com/shashwat/images/allnewsimage/56667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://www.orissadiary.com/shashwat/images/allnewsimage/56667.jpg" width="320" /></a>NEW DELHI (By PTI): SAARC nations today pledged to combat AIDS collectively to free the region of the "dreaded" disease by 2030 while India extended its assistance to its neighbours to make them polio-free by sharing its best practices. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Health Minister JP Nadda, after chairing the 5th meeting of health ministers of SAARC nations here, said a "cohesive" group in the health sector has been developed which has a better "one to one relation" and has a resolve that SAARC becomes a healthy region. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "The Delhi Declaration has two important aspects, eradicating AIDS and combating polio and making this region polio free. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "Countries who have done good should share their experiences. Cure part is there but we should work for preventive part like awareness, sharing information, integrating traditional medicines and all these points were also considered in the meeting," he said. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> SAARC countries comprising Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka account for nearly a quarter of the world population. </div>

SAARC nations pledge to free region of AIDS by 2030

NEW DELHI (By PTI): SAARC nations today pledged to combat AIDS collectively to free the region of the "dreaded" disease by 2030 w...

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India extends support to make SAARC nations polio-free

<a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-46851423,width-310,resizemode-4/jp-nadda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="India extends support to make SAARC nations polio-free" border="0" src="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-46851423,width-310,resizemode-4/jp-nadda.jpg" /></a> <br /> <div style="text-align: justify;"> NEW DELHI (By PTI): India today extended its assistance to SAARC nations in making the region polio-free and said that it will share its best practices to help the countries achieve the goal.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Chairing the 5th meeting of health ministers of SAARC nations, Health Minister JP Nadda stressed on the need for the nations to work together in promoting public health, prevent disease and universalisation of health coverage. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "Have resolved to make the region polio-free. India ready to extend all assistance. SAARC region to work together to promote public health, prevent disease, universalise health coverage," Nadda said according to the Health Ministry's posts on microblogging site Twitter. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> During the meeting, the Health Minister also highlighted that antimicrobial resistance, also known as antibiotic resistance or drug resistance, was as an emerging area of concern for SAARC countries. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> According to Health Ministry officials, almost all the countries under South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) agreed that they had common health issues and said that they would depend on India to extend its assistance as it has more resources. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Delivering India's official statement, Health Secretary B P Sharma reiterated the country's support on immunisation in SAARC nations and also its commitment to eliminate AIDS in the region by 2030. </div>

India extends support to make SAARC nations polio-free

NEW DELHI (By PTI): India today extended its assistance to SAARC nations in making the region polio-free and said that it will share its ...

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Conflict in South Asia impedes poverty reduction: Manmohan Singh

<div style="text-align: justify;"> <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-46861587,width-310,resizemode-4/conflict-in-south-asian-region-impedes-poverty-reduction-manmohan-singh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt=""Unequal access to productive resources as well as massive inefficiency and inequities are probably important factors in explaining a discrepancy between growth and poverty reduction," he said." border="0" height="299" src="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-46861587,width-310,resizemode-4/conflict-in-south-asian-region-impedes-poverty-reduction-manmohan-singh.jpg" width="400" /></a><b>New Delhi, Apr 9 (By PTI) </b>Conflict and security issues in the South Asian region have impeded the pace of poverty reduction and improvement in human development, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said today.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Unequal access to productive resources as well as massive inefficiency and inequities in the "system of governance practiced" are probably important factors in explaining a discrepancy between growth and poverty reduction in the South Asian region, he said.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> "Conflict and security have also loomed large in this region posing a constant challenge to a common developmental agenda. Without a satisfactory resolution to the different intra and international conflicts which plague this region, the goals of inclusive development cannot be realised," he said. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> He said in spite of the robust economic growth achieved by the individual countries as well as the region as a whole, South Asia still has the largest concentration of poor, uneducated and ill-educated people in the world. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Singh recalled that way back in November 2005 during a 13th SAARC meeting he had mooted the creation of South Asian University. </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> Renowned economist Jean Dreze said in his key note address that on several social parameters India lags behind South Asian countries like Bangladesh and Nepal despite having 25 years of "run away" growth. </div>

Conflict in South Asia impedes poverty reduction: Manmohan Singh

New Delhi, Apr 9 (By PTI) Conflict and security issues in the South Asian region have impeded the pace of poverty reduction and improvement...

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