Battling Religious Extremism
Ideological War More Effective

By Ritu Raj Subedi

WHEN the great scientist Charles Darwin, in his famous book "Origin of Species," declared for the first time that man was the descendant of the monkey, he was the target of the whole religious order of the world. His discovery shocked the Christians who believed man to be a creation of the majestic God, not that of the ugly primate.

Before him, the famous scientist Archimede was killed by some puritans for his innovative inventions and thoughts. Over two thousand years ago, Socrates had to sip Hemlock as punishment for his pursuit of knowledge and reason. There are numerous instances where creative men have undergone untold miseries and faced life threat and even death for their revolutionary ideas and scientific discoveries.

Throughout human history, religion has not only worked as a binding force for the welfare and prosperity of mankind, but fanaticism in the name of religion has also caused great harm to human civilisation.

Seeing the blind-faith, fanaticism, intolerance and obstinacy in the guise of religion, Karl Marx became frustrated and even went to say: "Religion is an opium." The statement sent shock waves to the world of religion and faith holders. It also received vehement reactions from the moderate civilized world.

Obsession and addiction either in the name of politics or religion or in any cult is harmful to the society. It often invites disaster sparing no one. Such fanaticism has threatened the world once again with the terrorist attack in the United States on Sept.11. It has not only challenged the Super Power but also destroyed the symbols of America’s economic and military might by turning the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre and a part of the Pentagon into rubbles.

The attack in the US has a number of implications. As mentioned above, human beings have not yet been able to defeat the extremist ideas, which frequently surface in the minds of some people and disturb and threaten the normal pattern of civilization.

No matter how powerful one may be, a minor conspirator’s ploy could sway it. Now it seems that the mighty US has been pushed to the defensive position.

As Francis Fukuyama, a leading American thinker said, the attack marked the end of American exceptionalism and ‘supremacy’ in the world. "Now and for the foreseeable future, isolationism is off the table."

The US risks emerging from these attacks a different country, more unified, less self-absorbed and much more dependent on the help of its friends to carry out what will become a new national project of eradicating terrorism, said Fukuyama to the Financial Times recently.

Perhaps the attack may also put the question mark on the modern liberal ideology, which claims that it could encompass all kinds of aspirations and passions of the people and provide an appropriate system for exercising such feelings for better living.

After the collapse of the former Soviet Union and its communist allies, the US as the champion of democracy has been enjoying a status of the only Super Power in the world. The Cold War ended in the US’s favour, which helped it develop the perceptions that it is unchallenged and unrivaled. But the mounting terrorism would not allow it to remain calm and enjoy such a position. The present enemy, for the US, seems more dangerous than that of the threat of the communists because the enemy is unseen and difficult to target.

That is why, the situation has compelled the US to be more engaged in international affairs. And for the fight against terrorism, it needs the political co-operation of moderate Arab states for intelligence sharing as well as military help from its European allies.

Some have even hinted that the US should change its policy on the Middle East to get more co-operation form the Muslim countries to quell terrorism.

As American President George W. Bush has said, his fighting is not against Islam but against terrorism and the battle may be on different fronts.

Since war only begets wars, it would be better to launch an ideological battle than to use the most sophisticated weapons against extremism in the world. Under this, the US should put in efforts to check the misinterpretation of Islam religion and emphasize that it is only through non-violence and tolerance, a civilised society can be set up.

The US should also focus its attention on building a society that shows tolerance and respect. With the ideological weapon, the extremism could be hit and exposed of its follies and threat to the society.

Even if the US captured Osama bin Laden, the prime suspect of the Sept. 11 attack, killed him and destroyed his network Al Quada (the base), would terrorism be completely wiped out from the world forever? It is difficult to answer.

As bin Laden himself said, "If the US kills me, many bin Ladens will be born."

Here lies the main question: Why persons like bin Laden are born in the world? And in answer to this question the US may find a solution to the problem of the terrorism.

With the Koran in one hand and weapons in the other the extremist Muslim groups across the globe have declared Jihad, holy war against the US. But this war is not only against the US; it is also against those who stand for moderate values and democratic thinking.

Like Adolf Hitler, who claimed the supremacy of the Aryans in the 2nd World War, the extreme Muslim groups are also crying for a losing battle for the Muslim theocracy around the world that looks unimaginable and cruel for the normal human beings.

If Mohammed, propounder of Islam religion, had been alive, he would not have interpreted Islam the way the extremists of today think it is. Like the other religions of the world, the aim of Islam is also to bring happiness and prosperity to humanity. There are also many moderate Muslim countries that shun fanaticism and extremism in the name of Islam.

Transit Evolution
A Cost Effective Approach

By A. B. Shrestha

THE critical component of foreign trade, the transit cost, is increasing everyday. Consequently, the imports are becoming more costly and the exports less competitive. The designated port allowed for the transportation for entry and exit of transit traffic under the Nepal-India transit treaty is the port of Kolkota, India. Although many improving measures were adopted as a proper solution to simplify the transit and transport procedures, the overall process and mechanism could not be made cost-effective. As such, the developments of dry ports within the country were recommended as an appropriate remedy for streamlining the traffic in transit and thereby to sustain the country’s trade.

There are three dry ports located in eastern, western and the central region of the country developed through a credit of US$ 28.5 million from the World Bank. Among those infrastructures, two of the road based ICDs (Inland Clearance Depots) are located in Biratnagar and Bhairahawa and the other one having railway linkage is located at Birgunj. This dry port will have a direct railway linkage to Kolkota and Haldia ports in India.

The construction of two ICDs in Biratnagar and of Bhairahawa was completed more than a year ago and the operation and management of the same is done by NITDB as a stop gap arrangement. Similarly, the construction of Birgunj dry port had also been completed six months ago. The important equipment – reach stacker which is expected to handle about 40 - 45 thousand containers annually at Birgunj also arrived at the ICD a couple of months ago.

Though, NITDB (Nepal Intermodal Transport Development Board) has already initiated the process for selection and appointment of TMC (Terminal Management Company), it has not been able to select and appoint one yet. The proposal has also encouraged foreign TMC to participate with local counterpart under joint venture system with an aim to import eventually the technology and expertise in the country. The multimodal system itself being the new approach, the necessary know-how to manage the whole operation efficiently is not available in the country as present. In addition, the terminal operator also requires to deploy different types of modern material and container handling equipment for quick movement of cargo.

In view of the open policy of liberalization, all the stakeholders agreed on the private sector involvement to operate and manage those facilities from the very beginning. As such, the potential TMC should operate and manage the facilities adopting simplified cost-effective operational procedure to minimize the dwell time. Though the TMC would have been surrounded by the privileges of monopolistic phenomenon, it will not be authorized to levy higher charges for its services beyond the prescribed ceiling. The private sector has to venture and implement different innovative systems under the commercial principles and policies in a business like manner so that the efficient operation would motivate more terminal users to a great extent.

As the facilities improve, procedures in the multimodal transport would cause a big evolution on the existing transit transport system, resulting in a new dimension in the whole chain of traffic in transit. The transformation from segmented to the multimodal transport modality certainly requires some time span to adjust and update the existing system in conformity with the international norms and practices. However, NITDB as a regulatory agency will have to ensure effective cost for all the services provided by the TMC in the terminal.

In order to anticipate positive impact on the entire trade regime in particular and the economy as a whole in general, the new structure would ultimately have to be implemented by digesting and diluting many hurdles and obstructions. The system encourages innovative opportunity to business community for the promotion of foreign trade by reforming the customs, transit and transport procedures. The mission should be to book and ship the cargoes directly to the designated dry port. An efficient, cost-effective operation will create diverse supportive and complimentary services including export-processing zones.

However, the regulatory body also needs to make sure that the tariffs prescribed by the TMC for the users are not excessive on the strength of having monopolistic authority in some of the core gateway services. The great mission of reducing transit transport cost and thereby promoting the foreign trade would be achieved only through joint effort and cooperation of all stakeholders.

The improvement in the transit, transport and the customs procedures are the critical areas to be streamlined in order to simplify the whole gamut of trade. The anticipated railway movement for traffic in transit to and from Kolkota port may bring down the existing transit cost at least to the extent of 30 per sent. Therefore, in view of multiple benefits to be derived from the Birgunj dry port, the railway operational agreement with India should be concluded early so that the infrastructures can be utilized for avoiding deterioration in the facilities and prevent negative impact on investment.

Mekong River Dam Worries Southern Neighbours

By Martin Fackler

AS dams go, the one rising across this remote gorge in China’s southwestern Yunnan province isn’t large. When it’s finished in December, the 30-story-high wall of concrete will hold a narrow, 88-kilometer-long reservoir that will take just five days to fill.

But critics worry about the Dachaoshan dam’s location - on the Mekong River, a source of food and livelihood for 60 million people downstream in Southeast Asia.

Dachaoshan is part of a multibillion-dollar effort by Beijing to develop its upstream half of the 4,840-kilometer-long waterway. China says the construction is necessary to lift backward southwestern provinces such as Yunnan, home to 43 million people, out of poverty.

But critics warn that China is ignoring potentially disastrous effects on farms and fisheries in the other five countries that share the Mekong - Vietnam, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Burma.

"China acts like it doesn’t need to care about countries downstream. It has to recognize that the Mekong isn’t just theirs," said Witoon Permpongsachareon, director of Terra, a Bangkok-based environmental group.

The dlrs 600 million Dachaoshan is the second of at least eight hydroelectric dams that Beijing wants to build on the region’s most important waterway over the next two decades.

The first, at Manwan, was finished in 1993. Work is to begin next year on the Xiaowan dam, a dlrs 4 billion structure the height of a 100-story building that will be the world’s tallest dam.

Plans also call for dynamiting a shipping channel through the Mekong’s extensive rapids, fulfilling Beijing’s dream of turning the river into a link to Southeast Asia’s export markets and raw materials.

China has already cleared its own rocks and built two river ports at the cities of Jinghong and Simao in Yunnan. In June, limited freight and passenger service opened to northern Laos and Burma.

In November, Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji is to announce dlrs 5 million in aid to Laos and Burma to blast another 290 kilometers of rapids in those countries, Chinese officials said.

They call the offer proof they’re serious about promoting joint development.

"All countries will prosper equally from the increased trade," said Mei Ruichang, a spokesman for Yunnan’s Navigation Affairs Bureau, which is overseeing the river-clearing work.

But critics say China is ignoring fears in Laos that destroying the rapids might damage tourism, a big money-earner for the impoverished country. They also complain that Beijing refuses to join regional efforts such as the four-nation Mekong River Commission to coordinate development.

Likewise, skepticism has also met Chinese claims that dam building will benefit countries downstream.

China says the dams will ease the annual cycle of flooding and water shortages that accompany rainy and dry seasons.

But experts say that would spell disaster for critical fisheries, such as Cambodia’s Great Lake - the main source of protein for the country’s 12 million people. The lake depends on those yearly floods to replenish nutrients. Farmers in Laos also wait for the dry season to plant on the exposed river bottom’s fertile mud.

Critics fear the dams will block migration routes of rare species such as the giant freshwater catfish, which can weigh up to 290 kilograms.

The dams could also slow the river’s flow, raising water temperatures and possibly wiping out native fish species.

Chinese officials call these concerns exaggerated, though they admit that some environmental damage is inevitable. Still, they say, the dams are necessary to power Yunnan’s industrialization and improve living conditions.

In Shandi, a village about 1.6 kilometers uphill from Dachaoshan, the first electricity came two years ago.

Lu Mingxie uses a single naked bulb to light her dirt-floor home as she shucks corn and peels dark green pumpkins. The 50-year-old farmer welcomes the progress.

But she, too, has her complaints about the Chinese government’s high-handed way of bringing it about.

Lu says dam officials seized a one-third hectare plot of good rice paddy near the dam that her family had farmed for six generations. They promised compensation, but she has yet to see any.

"Not everything about this dam is good for us common people," she said.

(AP)