So dear readers, it is exactly a month, since I last found time to get back here. I can blame it on so many things going at home, work back home in India, but I rather extend my humble apology than explain the reasons.
World is a changed place in these 30 days, jumping from one to the other "breaking news". Within a matter of 48 crazy hours, we saw a royal wedding, with Prince Charles & Ms Kate Middleton tying knots in a "pomp & show" put together by the British ( who else ! ) media & people and killing of Osama bin Laden by American troops.
News channels, new media et all went crazy for a Friday morning ( afternoon here ) wedding. Smallest of the things associated with the wedding got prime time coverage and it seemed nothing else mattered for that day. Every news channel had experts discussing wedding dress, rings, hats, cars & carpets... for it didn't matter if people were getting killed in war torn countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya or The Japanese still shaken with the triple strike or anything else than the wedding. Everything had to wait for the royal wedding. It was a nice & happy event though, so welcomed by many. Not every time you switch on News and you see two happy love birds , newly wed, kissing & waiving to thousands from the royal balcony full of smiles. This event brought together people of every shade, shape & region - everyone full of happiness & joy.
Less than 48 hours of that happy news, another came up which divided world apart all over again. US agencies brought to the end the 11 year old chase of Osama Bin Laden, in a late night Navy Seals operations in the military town of Abottabad, Pakistan. They shot dead the target and left with his mortal remains, within 40 mins, without even the knowledge of Pakistani Army & authorities ( almost like a jailbreak operation ). It caused huge celebrations in the US, on a Sunday night. People spilled over streets, gathered outside Ground Zero, white House and elsewhere and chanted USA, Justice & Victory slogans. President Obama addressed the country & the world and said "Justice has been done". On the other side of the globe, where sunshine broke in with the news, in places like Pakistan, people where saddened, some embarrassed and others angry on the US invasion of Pakistani soverngnity. The Pakistani government kept changing their statements - from relief to joy to concern over the whole operations. The reactions from the various global communities were clearly divided and it means the peace is far away. It would be an important milestone in the American War against Terror - but will it be the end of it, I don't think so.
I truly believe : Fighting for Peace is like Fucking for Virginity. Peace can never be restored by war. As war creates suppression, overpowers one versus other and thus creates more violence. But I don't think many people who matter, agree with this thought process. Gandhi once showed the world how to achieve goals with non-violence & peace - but then he was hardly a commercial success. He didn't care where the oil was and who is gonna control it. He truly cared about people, society & its well being.
Near home, in Singapore, I witnessed the first parliamentary elections in my presence. It was a short but intense political exercise, spanning almost 2.5 weeks. With a single party dominating the politics of this island nation for almost 50 years, I always read that there is not much "political-action" here & "elections are a mere formality". I saw something very different. People had strong opinions on almost everything. People participated in the process, held rallies and held the current government accountable for its performance so far. Much like any other democracy, there were allegations & counter allegations, there were senior leaders who pulled their weight behind issues and while the new ones gained weight as campaigns progressed. But the end result was very much expected - PAP returned to power, although with a largest opposition - 6 seats lost out of 84 contested. The younger generation in Singapore found their voice & purpose in the whole process and lead the whole debate to the next levels. Very similar to other civilised democratic society where change is always lead by youth.. it was good to witness all those elements of commonality with other mature democracies like India.
With a promise that I will be back soon ( definitely before June ! ). Stay tuned..
World is a changed place in these 30 days, jumping from one to the other "breaking news". Within a matter of 48 crazy hours, we saw a royal wedding, with Prince Charles & Ms Kate Middleton tying knots in a "pomp & show" put together by the British ( who else ! ) media & people and killing of Osama bin Laden by American troops.
News channels, new media et all went crazy for a Friday morning ( afternoon here ) wedding. Smallest of the things associated with the wedding got prime time coverage and it seemed nothing else mattered for that day. Every news channel had experts discussing wedding dress, rings, hats, cars & carpets... for it didn't matter if people were getting killed in war torn countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya or The Japanese still shaken with the triple strike or anything else than the wedding. Everything had to wait for the royal wedding. It was a nice & happy event though, so welcomed by many. Not every time you switch on News and you see two happy love birds , newly wed, kissing & waiving to thousands from the royal balcony full of smiles. This event brought together people of every shade, shape & region - everyone full of happiness & joy.
Less than 48 hours of that happy news, another came up which divided world apart all over again. US agencies brought to the end the 11 year old chase of Osama Bin Laden, in a late night Navy Seals operations in the military town of Abottabad, Pakistan. They shot dead the target and left with his mortal remains, within 40 mins, without even the knowledge of Pakistani Army & authorities ( almost like a jailbreak operation ). It caused huge celebrations in the US, on a Sunday night. People spilled over streets, gathered outside Ground Zero, white House and elsewhere and chanted USA, Justice & Victory slogans. President Obama addressed the country & the world and said "Justice has been done". On the other side of the globe, where sunshine broke in with the news, in places like Pakistan, people where saddened, some embarrassed and others angry on the US invasion of Pakistani soverngnity. The Pakistani government kept changing their statements - from relief to joy to concern over the whole operations. The reactions from the various global communities were clearly divided and it means the peace is far away. It would be an important milestone in the American War against Terror - but will it be the end of it, I don't think so.
I truly believe : Fighting for Peace is like Fucking for Virginity. Peace can never be restored by war. As war creates suppression, overpowers one versus other and thus creates more violence. But I don't think many people who matter, agree with this thought process. Gandhi once showed the world how to achieve goals with non-violence & peace - but then he was hardly a commercial success. He didn't care where the oil was and who is gonna control it. He truly cared about people, society & its well being.
Near home, in Singapore, I witnessed the first parliamentary elections in my presence. It was a short but intense political exercise, spanning almost 2.5 weeks. With a single party dominating the politics of this island nation for almost 50 years, I always read that there is not much "political-action" here & "elections are a mere formality". I saw something very different. People had strong opinions on almost everything. People participated in the process, held rallies and held the current government accountable for its performance so far. Much like any other democracy, there were allegations & counter allegations, there were senior leaders who pulled their weight behind issues and while the new ones gained weight as campaigns progressed. But the end result was very much expected - PAP returned to power, although with a largest opposition - 6 seats lost out of 84 contested. The younger generation in Singapore found their voice & purpose in the whole process and lead the whole debate to the next levels. Very similar to other civilised democratic society where change is always lead by youth.. it was good to witness all those elements of commonality with other mature democracies like India.
With a promise that I will be back soon ( definitely before June ! ). Stay tuned..
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