By: Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur
Civilized life is well nigh impossible without interaction between human beings and it is this action that accords them the status of social animal. The social part survives only as long the relationship is that of equals and is in no way demeaning and degrading. Once dignity and self-respect is removed from the equation of relationships the social disappears and what remains behind is the animal. This is true of all relationships whether personal, communal, national or international.
Human relationships are guided by principles of mutual respect and dignity. Any divergence from these principles distorts them making one a master and the other a slave, one an overlord and other a vassal. Dignity comes at a cost because observance of these principles and values is impossible in a world divided between the arrogant haves and the submissive have nots.
Recently a spate of news reports highlighted our vassal state mentality and status. I will begin with the President who rules at his own pleasure, answerable to no one here and does whatever he fancies.
A report said, 'Soon after his arrival here to attend the World Economic Forum, President Pervez Musharraf went into a meeting with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and assured her of his commitment to fight terrorism and extremism and restore democracy in the country."
It also said: The president assured the US secretary of state Pakistan's February 18 general election will be free, fair and peaceful and the government will make sure equal participation of all political parties. He also updated her on the measures taken by Pakistan for holding the general election in a free and peaceful atmosphere.'
I liked this 'updated her' bit, which sounded more like a junior civil servant briefing the 'boss'. With her he nowhere sounds like the person who nearly bit off Dawn London correspondent M. Ziauddin's head for asking about Rashid Rauf's escape. Not to mention that at the High Commission's orchestrated gathering he even suggested slapping around the likes of him for 'casting aspersions' against the country. I wish the rulers were a fraction as civil to the people here as they are to the Condoleezzas of the West.
The status of our relationship with UK too is so glaringly obsequious that a news report will sufficiently illustrate it. The report said, "Since Britain was actively involved in Benazir-Musharraf negotiations from the very beginning and had also supported the idea of power-sharing between the two, it was only natural for the Whitehall to appraise itself first hand of the circumstances which led to Ms Bhutto's murder and also discuss the anticipated political developments after the elections.
Mr. Brown is likely to go over with President Pervez Musharraf on the steps taken so far by the government of Pakistan to ensure free, fair and transparent elections on February 18. (My Italics) Mark the words "go over with President Pervez Musharraf"
Moreover urged on by his patron-saints Musharraf has also had one too many 'chance meetings' with Sharon and Barak, both squarely responsible for deaths of thousands of Palestinians, because not even a mock show of hostility is acceptable to US. He would be visiting Tel Aviv if he were sure the people here could stomach that too.
It is tradition here to show courtesy to visitors but there has to be some veneer of dignity in it. You can't go down to the level where it hurts even your detractors. The President's visit to the shikar-camp of the UAE President in Cholistan seemed more like a visit to a Governor's camp by a DC. The Gulf Sheiks, apart from having pet politicians and rulers in this region, are also famous for endangering the endangered houbara bustards and the child jockeys.
The activities of PPP representatives Senator Javaid R. Leghari and PPP Information Secretary Sherry Rehman are worthy of attention too. A report said, "A PPP team, visiting Washington to lobby for democracy in Pakistan, urged lawmakers on Wednesday to support the party's demand for a UN-led probe into Benazir Bhutto's murder. The delegation also urged the lawmakers to use their influence to ensure that the Feb 18 elections were fair and free. (Italics mine)
The report further added that "The fight against terrorism is PPP's fight as well," said Ms Rehman while assuring the US administration that an elected government would be more effective in fighting extremists than a military government."
However it would be unfair to assume that the PPP is the only culpable party. All politicians, political parties and rulers here have had their own 'patron- saints' and their 'darbars' where they pay homage; some being more promiscuous than others according to their preferences; the dividing line between them being the degree of promiscuity.
The actions of our rulers and politicians when they interact with the West don't seem to be an intercourse of equals but is akin to supplications of a slave-serf to the overlord. Such behavior precludes any dignified relationship. The politicians and rulers who are indebted to countries or their rulers cannot, I repeat cannot resist even the most preposterous demands which compromise sovereignty.
Surely the rulers and politicians here can never be Fidel Castro or Hugo Chavez but they could at least retain an outward show of dignity and self-respect and not try to outdo Mr. Hamid Karzai who instead of being ashamed, gloats at his puppet status.
A report said, "The US-installed Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said that he knew people called him "a puppet of America" and he was willing to accept this image because without US help Afghanistan would have been occupied by its neighbours and Al Qaeda.
"The US administration has helped Afghanistan and if we are called puppets, or if I am called a puppet because we are grateful to America, then let that be my nickname," Mr. Karzai told CNN.
The obsequious tone and tenor employed by the rulers and politicians would embolden even the weakest of the countries to dictate and reprimand them. And furthermore "One who pays the piper calls the tune" is an incontrovertible law. The countries which survive on arms, hand-outs, cheap oil and aid from other countries for their survival cannot possibly brag about their sovereignty and other such luxuries.
It is long haul for dependent countries towards a more respectable position in the equation of ties and relationships especially when there is not only a complete lack of will for change but also an abject submissiveness to the philosophy of living on dole. With this being the situation it is wishful thinking to presume that we are sovereign or will ever achieve that cherished status.
Tail Piece: The situation seems hopeless because if people like Abdul Sattar Edhi do not give up on returning to the US despite repeated humiliation, there is little hope that self-serving rulers and politicians will show any spine.
The writer has been associated with the Baloch national struggle. |
