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EDITORIAL
Beyond
Dialogue
Counter-insurgency
cannot be ignored in any diplomatic initiative on Kashmir
 The
targeting of Sikhs in Kashmir-the third time since the Chittisinghpora
massacre on the eve of Bill Clinton's visit 10 months ago-isn't just another
instance of terrorist violence. It is a diabolical attempt at triggering
another round of migration that will further the ethnic cleansing that
began with the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley in 1990. It
is aimed at reinforcing a communal divide within Jammu and Kashmir and
nurturing hatred in the rest of India. State Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah
now says that special steps will have to be taken to make secure the lives
of the minority community. He is right. But the selective killings first
call for a recognition that international brownie points gained through
cease-fire extensions do not help deal with the ground realities. On the
contrary, it bolsters a belief in Pakistan that the cease-fire is a tacit
admission of India's own vulnerability.
It is time
both the Government in Delhi and the over-active lobby of well-meaning
peaceniks realise that General Pervez Musharraf has shown absolutely no
inclination of controlling the wild jehadis who have taken control of
the Kashmir movement in Pakistan. Musharraf's persistent offer of dialogue,
the tears he shed for the Gujarat quake victims and his cheeky proposal
to rescue Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee from the clutches of Indian
hawks are purely for the consumption of the gullible. They have no bearing
on Pakistan-inspired jehadi activities on the ground. Cross-border terrorism
remains as potent an issue now as it was when India announced cease-fire
during Ramzan. Indeed, the problem has gone beyond the purview of a bilateral
dialogue with Pakistan. Any diplomatic initiative has to be combined with
relentless counter-insurgency operations, not least to ensure that innocent
civilians aren't made into sacrificial pawns.
Competitive
Chaos
There's enough help in Gujarat. It only needs right channelling.
 With
the cost of rebuilding Gujarat after the devastating January 26 earthquake
estimated at around Rs 20,000 crore, the entire reconstruction exercise
will involve superhuman skills of coordination and management. While various
government agencies, both at the Centre and in the state, are expected
to chip in with half the amount, the balance is likely to accrue from
voluntary contributions by philanthropists and corporate houses. Given
the dynamism of the state, its people and its diaspora, resources could
well turn out to be the least of the future problems. Much more important
will be a system that combines transparency with efficiency, so that every
rupee expended in reconstruction is put to optimum use. To that extent,
the state Government's establishment of a separate Gujarat Earthquake
Management Authority (GEMA) is a step in the right direction. If nothing
else, it will ensure that money meant for reconstruction is not sucked
into the bottomless pit of routing government expenditure.
It's not
a question of accountancy alone. Equally pressing is the coordination
and cooperation between the Government and non-official bodies. The recent
experience over relief has shown that what matters is not the quantum
of assistance but ensuring the right form of help and good distribution.
The willingness of people to give the quake victims a helping hand isn't
in doubt. This generosity has to be channelled in the right direction.
In short, GEMA has to be very forthcoming with information about what
needs to be done, where. Tragically, transparency is one area where both
Gujarat's officials and politicians are wanting. To prevent reconstruction
from degenerating into competitive chaos, the left hand must know what
the right is doing.
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