Recent Editorials

Here are some editorials I wrote for The Gulf Today. (Posted for my records) 

Desperate migrants

deserve helping hand

Day after day, the international media highlights stories about the plight of thousands of migrants trying to reach Europe in highly desperate conditions, but efforts to tackle the crisis do not seem to match the urgency it calls for.

It is increasingly obvious that wider Europe needs to bolster humanitarian coordination.

Greece, especially, has seen an unprecedented wave of migrants this year, the vast majority fleeing war and conflict in Syria and Afghanistan.

More than 160,000 have arrived so far, mostly crossing in inflatable dinghies from the nearby Turkish coast — an influx that has overwhelmed Greek authorities and the country's small Aegean islands.

Yet, few of the arriving migrants want to remain in Greece, which itself is in the grip of a financial crisis.

The vast majority head straight to the northern border with Macedonia, where they cram onto trains and head north through Serbia and Hungary on their way to the more prosperous European Union countries such as Germany, the Netherlands and those in Scandinavia.

Sadly, on Friday, Macedonian special police forces fired stun grenades to disperse thousands of migrants stuck on a no-man's land with Greece, a day after declaring a state of emergency on its border to deal with a massive influx of migrants heading north to the European Union (EU).

The scene was visibly heartbreaking. Migrants, many with babies and young children, spent the chilly and windy night in a dust field without food and with little water. Some ate corn they picked from nearby fields.

To add to their agony, police spread coils of razor wire over rail tracks used by migrants to cross on foot from Greece to Macedonia.

Germany's interior minister Thomas de Maiziere has already stated that it is  "unacceptable that European institutions continue to work at their current slow pace" in finding a joint solution to the crisis. The European Commission, on its part, has denied it is failing to act quickly.

Migrants are also human beings whose dignity must be respected. As top UN officials point out, the registration process of new arrivals needs to be expedited. Reception conditions are appalling and call for improvement. Ruthless smugglers who are responsible for packing large numbers of people on dangerous vessels should be punished. Greater funding is also needed to address the crisis.

Too much time has already been wasted. Every hour of delay could lead to further loss of lives and more desperation. 

 

Hostage rescue proves

UAE’s anti-terror resolve

The courageous rescue by the UAE Armed Forces of British citizen Douglas Robert Semple, who had been kidnapped by the terrorist Al Qaeda organisation in Yemen, again underscores the highly-commendable role played by the UAE against terrorism in all of its forms and manifestations.

The 64-year-old Semple was working as a petroleum engineer in the Hadramaut area when he was kidnapped in February, 2014.

The daring rescue is a clear indication that nothing can stop the UAE in its relentless fight against the merciless enemies of humanity.

The operation also offers a shining example of the effect of strong coordination and cooperation among nations while tackling the bane of terrorism.

At a time when critical circumstances have engulfed Yemen, the UAE's leadership and people have been lending unwavering support to that country, proving that a friend in need is a friend indeed.

The unambiguous aim has been to promote regional peace, security, stability and development.

Despite provocations like the storming and seizure of its embassy in Sana’a by the Houthis, the UAE has shown tremendous restraint.

The provocative action even prompted members of the UN Security Council to demand an immediate withdrawal of all Houthi elements from the premises, while condemning all the acts of violence against diplomatic premises.

Highlighting the UAE’s generosity is the fact that it has provided humanitarian aid totaling Dhs744 million and has become the world's largest aid donor to Yemen in 2015, offering almost half of the aid pledged by other countries of the world.

The aid provided by the UAE to Yemen includes food material to 181,000 Yemeni families or approximately 1.1 million people.

The total food relief is estimated at 29,000 tonnes, including 1.4 million food baskets and Dhs181 million worth of emergency relief, consisting of grains, edible oils, canned food and other foodstuff.

The UAE assistance also covers power supply, healthcare, water, and sewage services, in addition to fuel and other relief materials.

The Emirates Red Crescent is also carrying out urgent relief efforts in Aden and has announced plans to expand its reach to help more people in other provinces around the country.

The action by the UAE forces in Aden is indeed renewed evidence of the country’s unchanging firm policy against terrorists. The message is loud and clear: There is no place for terrorists to hide.

At a time when Yemen looks forward to a new phase of security, peace and reconstruction, it is increasingly clear that the people of Yemen will treasure the support extended by the UAE.

Time to take stock

of share tsunami

In a globalised world, a strong financial whack anywhere can hurt across the board.

That’s precisely what happened when fears of a damaging slowdown in the world's second-largest economy, China, turned the day into a “Black Monday,” plunging the global stock markets in distress, leaving commodity prices bleeding and prompting a sharp drop in the dollar.

A near-9 per cent dive in China shares was enough to send investors rushing to the exit doors through the day.

Chinese stocks have tumbled since peaking in mid-June.

It is true that the authorities have launched broad interventions to try to restrain the drops, but Beijing's latest market intervention by allowing its main state pension fund to invest in the stock market, has unfortunately failed to restore traders’ confidence, both in China and abroad.

It may be recalled that China's central bank devalued the currency, yuan, recently, triggering worry that a slowdown in the country's economy was worse than originally anticipated.

The bruises were visible all around.

After dropping more than 1,000 points, or almost 7 per cent, at Wall Street's open, the Dow Jones industrial average eased losses but was still off more than 1 per cent at midday.

European stocks plunged wiping billions of euros off their value and sending one benchmark index to a seven-month low.

The worst hit among major European bourses was Greece, which closed down around 10.5 per cent.

Russia's ruble also hit a new 2015 low and stocks sank with the visible impact of sanctions over Ukraine.

The Australian dollar fell to more than six-year lows and many emerging market currencies also plunged.

The world’s largest democracy could not duck either. The Indian rupee hit its weakest since early September 2013, prompting Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan to say he stood ready to deploy foreign exchange reserves to curb volatility in the currency.

Global equities have already lost more than $5 trillion since China's shock currency devaluation on Aug.11.

What is worrying is that the global market meltdown is leaving a trail with its serious collateral impact on varied sectors.

The Asian financial crisis of the late 1990s has not yet been wiped out from memory of most investors. While the market volatility is expected to continue in the short term, a fool-proof international intervention to restore confidence is what is called for.

A failed earlier attempt should not be a deterrent for Beijing to try out more economic stimulus.

UAE, India chart new

course in partnership

Over 2.5 million Indians consider the UAE their second home. India is UAE's second largest trading partner and the UAE is India's third. The glittering bond between the two multicultural societies serves as an amazing model for the rest of the world on how two countries can sustain an enduring relationship based on mutual trust and respect.

With this background, the grand reception accorded to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his two-day visit to the UAE by the UAE leadership and the discernible enthusiasm of the Indian diaspora are not surprising.

It is also significant that such a high-profile visit of an Indian Prime Minister to the UAE has happened after 34 years.

So much so that “Marhaba Namo,” a grand public event held for Modi in Dubai, is seen as unprecedented as it is rare for a visiting head of state to be allowed a reception on such a scale.

While Modi’s attempts to woo investors indicating that India has an investment opportunity of $1 trillion sounds tempting, there is a definite need on his part to address concerns like cumbersome and complex processes for doing business. Indeed, initiatives like a single window clearance will go a long way.

Also, as Modi came to power on a platform of reforming endemic corruption, there is a need for him to act firmly on this front.

The UAE and India share centuries-old ties of commerce, culture and kinship and the India-UAE Joint Statement has remarkably highlighted that Modi’s visit will mark the beginning of a new and comprehensive strategic partnership in a world of multiple transitions and changing opportunities and challenges.

An extensive framework of agreements, including economic, defence, security, law enforcement, culture, consular and people-to-people contacts constitute solid bedrock for elevating bilateral cooperation across the full spectrum of the relationship.

Modi’s description of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi as an architectural treasure and a beacon of tolerance and peaceful co-existence and the UAE leadership’s gesture of allotting land for a temple in Abu Dhabi set a noble example on ways to promote openness and social harmony.

Modi has stated that UAE's power and India's potential can make the dream of an Asian Century a reality.

The leaders of both the countries have resolved to maintain regular summits, high-level ministerial dialogue and meetings of bilateral mechanisms to realise the vision of a strong comprehensive strategic partnership.

And, that’s the indeed the best way to move forward.

Bangkok bombing

a heinous act

The massive explosion close to a shrine in the centre of Thailand’s capital, Bangkok, which claimed the lives of several innocent civilians, is highly condemnable and also should be seen as a wake-up call for the world to unite and act more firmly against terrorism in all its forms.

While Bangkok has endured a decade of deadly political violence amid a power struggle between the military, backed by the middle class and elite, and the poor led by populist politician Thaksin Shinawatra, a blast of this magnitude implies more than domestic politics.

Tensions have risen in recent months, with the junta making clear that it may not hold elections until 2017 and wants a constitution that will allow some type of emergency rule to take the place of an elected government.

Over 90 people were killed in 2010 during clashes between security forces and Thaksin supporters. But the anti-junta groups have never conducted such a large attack, nor one that was apparently aimed at a tourist zone.

The Erawan shrine is a popular tourism hub, surrounded by five-star hotels and upscale shopping malls, where tourists from various countries mingle. Many of the victims were foreigners, including those from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia.

The idea of the terrorists behind the heinous act was clearly to cause maximum impact.

However, as the initial indications of which group is behind the attack are murky, it is better not to jump into conclusions or engage in a blame game.

The attack had its own economic impact with baht currency slumping to a more than six-year low on Tuesday and shares falling on the Bangkok bourse.

Adding to the tensions, a minor explosion struck near a busy Bangkok train station on Tuesday afternoon, but fortunately nobody was injured.

Tourism is one of the few bright spots in an economy that is still struggling, more than a year after the military seized power.

It accounts for about 10 per cent of the economy and the government had been banking on record arrivals this year following a sharp fall in 2014 because of protests and the coup.

Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha has called the attack "the worst incident that has ever happened in Thailand” and has promised to track down those responsible.

The Thai security officials should act fast and see to it that whoever or whichever group is behind the reprehensible act is brought to justice at the earliest.

 

Nip negativity, ignite creativity

(My article in Business@qatar. posted for my records)

Recent Editorials

Here are some editorials I wrote for The Gulf Today. (Posted for my records) 

Protect planet

or pay the price

The enthusiasm shown by the global community in marking the World Environment Day on Friday is impressive, but with humanity consuming far more natural resources than the planet can sustainably provide, there is surely a dire need for more stringent action to protect Mother Earth.

The goal of sustainable development is to increase the quality of life without increasing environmental degradation. This can be done by shifting the consumption patterns towards goods that use less energy, water and other resources and by reducing food wastage.

This year's Environment Day theme, “Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care,” aptly emphasises the personal responsibility each person bears when it comes to reducing the rate of resource use.

Unsustainable consumption poses many environmental challenges like pollution, depletion of natural resources, loss of biodiversity and climate change.

In this regard, the UAE deserves kudos for its relentless efforts to achieve the sustainable development goals in various fields, through which it looks to position itself among the world’s best countries by 2021.

As Dr Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, has outlined, the UAE has adopted a group of policies concerning clean energy, green architecture and sustainable transport.

The positive results of various such initiatives taken by the country over the years have already begun to surface.

The best example is the reduction of ecological footprint per capita in the UAE from 11.8 global hectares in 2006 to 7.75 global hectares in 2014, as well as the slide in greenhouse gas emissions per capita from 39.5 tonnes in 1994 to 20.6 tonnes in 2012.

The positive trend is expected to continue over the next few years with the completion of many essential projects in the field of renewable energy, nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and waste management.

In addition, the programmes of the UAE National Agenda and Strategy for Green Development along with other strategic plans of different sectors are currently being developed and implemented.

Latest studies predict that the world’s population will reach nine billion by 2050, which means that current consumption patterns will require three earths to meet demands.

Mere cosmetic initiatives will not help and everyone needs to realise the responsibility to care for earth and become agents of change.

Every step - small and big - counts, be it saying no to plastic bags, riding a bike to work, planting a seed or choosing eco-friendly energy supplies.

UAE a magnet

for tourists

Talk of international travel destinations and it is immensely pleasing to note that the UAE continues to score high marks.

The annual MasterCard Global Destinations Cities Index has revealed that Dubai ranks as the fourth most popular destination in the world and Abu Dhabi ranks among the top 10 fastest-growing destinations.

Incidentally, Dubai has consistently advanced its position since the launch of the Index, ranking eighth in 2012, seventh in 2013, fifth last year and fourth this year. London topped the list in 2015, followed by Bangkok and Paris.

Available statistics reflect the glowing prospects. Dubai is expected to receive almost 14.3 million international visitors in 2015, an increase of 8 per cent since 2014.

When looking at the number of international overnight visitors that destination cities attract per city resident, Dubai is the world champion with 5.7 visitors per resident (an increase by 0.8 from 2014).

With that background, it is no surprise that the city generates more international overnight visitor expenditure per resident than any other city (estimated at $4,668).

Incidentally, Dubai was also ranked as the third air hub in the world by international connectivity and is the only city from the Middle East and Africa (MEA) on the top ten air hubs list.

Adding another feather to UAE’s cap is the recent declaration by the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 2015 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index report that the UAE is the most tourism-friendly destination in the Middle East and North Africa region.

According to WEF, the UAE’s travel and tourism industry in 2014 employed around 291,000 people – or 5.3 per cent of the total employment base.

It is not just that. The WEF study has forecast that the sector will be generating approximately 1.8 per cent or 5,250 new jobs.

Just recently, Abu Dhabi’s standing as an emerging leisure and business tourism destination was given a boost at the Middle East World Travel Awards when five of the sector’s stakeholders scooped a total of seven awards at the 22nd annual awards ceremony.

A plethora of Abu Dhabi’s hotels, attractions, destinations and transportation companies were recognised for the expanding range of quality experiences following an online poll, which gathered votes from both industry professionals and general public.

Mega event Dubai Expo 2020 is likely to boost the region’s economy with 17 billion euro in addition to over 275,000 job opportunities.

When it comes to attracting international tourists, the country of wonders surely dazzles.

Deadly shades

of hatred

At 21, to fill one’s heart with such hatred as to kill several innocent worshippers, indicates a toxic attitude.

That’s what Dylann Roof, the white man accused of gunning down nine people at a black church in South Carolina, possessed - besides his gun.

The bullet shots have shaken the conscience of the nation and triggered more worry about the persistent problems of racism and gun violence in the United States.

Hate seems to have been implanted in the youngster’s mind as, according to one of Roof’s acquaintances, he complained that "blacks were taking over the world.”

On his Facebook page, Roof displayed the flags of defeated white-ruled regimes, posing with a Confederate flags plate on his car and wearing a jacket with stitched-on flag patches from apartheid-era South Africa and Rhodesia, which is now black-led Zimbabwe.

Roof has been charged with the killings as well as possession of a firearm. Capital punishment is legal in the southern state and there are already calls for death penalty for the accused.

While the law will take its own course, the immediate question is what effective steps the State can initiate to tackle the continuing damage caused by guns in America.

President Barack Obama’s anguish is understandable. Among the victims was the church's pastor, Clementa Pinckney, who also was a Democratic state senator known to Obama.

Obama visibly spoke from his heart when he mentioned, “We as a country will have to reckon with the fact that this type of mass violence does not happen in other advanced countries. It is in our power to do something about it.”

According to homicide data collected by the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, and compiled by                         The Guardian newspaper, the US's annual gun homicide rate of 2.97 fatalities per 100,000 people is triple the rate seen in most of the world's other wealthy nations, defined as countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

That figure makes it obvious that many Americans love to wield guns. But when hate-filled murderers turn their guns on innocent people, there is a dire need for the country to introspect.

Yes, the Second Amendment of US Constitution protects the right to keep arms. But as Obama himself put it, the latest attack has stirred up a dark part of US history. Concrete action on gun control is the only way out.

Turn up the heat

on tobacco use

As the world marked the World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) on Sunday, the one noble message from several organisations and governments across the globe was: “Say no to tobacco.”

The idea behind marking the WNTD is to draw attention to the widespread prevalence of tobacco use and to its dangerous health effects.

However, during the past several years, the day has been met with both enthusiasm and resistance from governments, smokers, growers as well as the tobacco industry.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), tobacco kills nearly six million people a year globally and more than 600,000 of them are non-smokers who die from indirect smoke inhalation.

It warns that the smoking habit could lead to the death of over 8 million people a year by 2030.

Nearly 80 per cent of the world's one billion smokers live in low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of tobacco-related illness and death is heaviest.

This year, WHO has themed the day as, "Stop Illicit Trade of Tobacco Products," indicating that the illicit trade in tobacco products is a global concern from several aspects, including health, legal, economic and governance and the fight against corruption.

It is believed that eliminating the illicit trade in tobacco would generate an annual tax windfall of $31 billion for governments, improve public health and help cut crime.

What is consoling is that the world is waking up to the seriousness of the issue.

For example, China's capital Beijing began imposing the toughest ban on smoking in public places from Monday in hopes of stemming a looming health crisis.

For a country where 300 million smoke, this surely is a landmark initiative. Smoking in Beijing is now prohibited in all indoor public places, including offices, shopping malls and airports, as well as at outdoor stadiums, school grounds and public parks. Beijing's main airport terminal will also shut its three smoking rooms.

The health risks associated with tobacco use are well known. As experts point out, much greater action is needed to curb the tobacco epidemic if the global target to cut tobacco consumption by 30 per cent by 2025 to reduce premature deaths from non-communicable diseases is to be met.

There is a dire need on the part of the global community to initiate more effective policies to reduce tobacco consumption. Also, efforts should be intensified to end the illicit trade of tobacco products.

Tunisian spirit cannot

be gunned down

The cowardly terrorist attack at a seaside resort in Tunisia that resulted in the loss of several innocent lives of foreign tourists highlights the need for intensified international co-operation to combat all forms of terrorism.

Since the 2011 uprising to oust Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Tunisia, the birthplace of the Arab Spring, has made a peaceful transition to democracy with a new constitution and free elections.

The aim of the killers evidently is to bleed the tourism industry, which made up nearly 15 per cent of the country's gross domestic product in 2014.

Six million tourists, mostly Europeans, are said to have visited Tunisia's beaches, desert treks and medina souks last year, providing seven per cent of its gross domestic product.

The Sousse resort attack is the second major one this year, following a militant assault on the Bardo Museum in Tunis in March when gunmen killed a group of foreign visitors as they arrived by bus.

What the extremist elements with hateful ideologies fail to understand is that such violence can never reverse the path of the country towards democracy and its efforts directed towards economic recovery and development.

More than 3,000 tourists left the country a day after the attack, but it surely is a temporary phenomenon.

One should take note of the fact that shops were open early on Sunday in Port El Kantaoui and quite a few tourists could be seen on the beach near the site of the attack.

Prime Minister Habib Essid has declared that his government plans to close down 80 mosques that remain outside state control, for inciting violence, and crack down on financing for certain associations, in order to counter extremism.

Essid has called on everyone to work against terrorism and promised financial rewards for information leading to arrests.

The country is intensifying efforts to tackle extremism. Around 1,000 extra police personnel are being deployed at tourist sites and beaches in the North African nation.

As Interior Minister Mohamed Najem Gharsalli explained, the idea is not to make tourist establishments into barracks, but to guarantee the security of the tourist sector.

Tunisia deserves total international support as it resets on its progress path. If at all anything, the abhorrent militant attack in Sousse should only increase the determination of the international community to root out the terrorist phenomenon.

Which normal being can think of killing innocents and children playing on a beach? Such heinous acts are totally unjustifiable and inhuman.

Cut to pieces

I have a perennial problem with vegetable choppers.

Every time I watch a salesman push an onion or a carrot under an “easy to chop” appliance and hit on the head of the gadget, I get a “wow, so easy” feeling.

The vegetable pieces are ready to be relished as awesome salad, with just a little addition of salt and chilies. And, they come in stunning shapes too. 

All that, when the salesman does it.

When I buy and try the same at home, all that happens is breaking of the kit into multiple pieces with the first knock on the head. Not that I am Bruce Lee, but most of such equipment are so flimsy that even a child could break it.

Incidentally, yesterday’s was the fourth such vegetable chopper I broke.

No, knife is not the best bet either.

Often, I end up cutting my fingers.

The best part was when a former colleague visited our home and boasted about her ability to cut vegetables very fast.

“I do not believe you,” I replied, dropping half a kilo of onions before her.

I should confess that she did a great job in a few minutes, ignoring all the tears in her eyes.

“Ya, now I agree,” I patted her after she finished.

And I got a pat from my wife for getting the job done.

It is another matter that the former colleague never ever visited me again.

Strategic incompetence

(My article in Business@qatar. posted for my records)

 

Recent Editorials

Here are some editorials I wrote for The Gulf Today. (Posted for my records)

Cultural diversity

under attack

The breaching by Daesh militants of the perimetre of Palmyra in Syria, an ancient city termed by Unesco as the “birthplace of human civilisation,” puts at risk the local civilian population as well as one of the most significant sites in the Middle East.

Arab League chief Nabil Al Arabi has rightly stated that Daesh's capture of this historic city is an eminent threat to one of the most important heritage sites in the world.

Top United Nations officials have also warned that continued attack from militant groups espousing virulent forms of intolerance puts global cultural diversity under attack. And, they are absolutely correct.

In fact, with the conflict engulfing both Syria and Iraq and Daesh extremists fanning across a region rich in archaeological and cultural legacy, there is increasing worry over the practice of cultural cleansing which risks destroying millennia of history.

In what should also come as a serious concern for the world community, Maamoun Abdulkarim, the head of the Antiquities and Museum Department in the Syrian capital Damascus, has been quoted as saying, “There are arrests and liquidations in Palmyra. Fighters are moving in residential areas, terrifying people and taking revenge.”

Known in Syria as "the pearl of the desert,” Palmyra is home to colonnaded alleys and elaborately decorated tombs. Palmyra contains the monumental ruins of a great city that was one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world.

From the 1st to the 2nd century, the art and architecture of Palmyra, standing at the crossroads of several civilisations, married Graeco-Roman techniques with local traditions.

Dating back to the Neolithic, the aesthetic city was first attested in the early second millennium as a caravan stop for travellers crossing the Syrian desert.

Any damage to such precious heritage sites would undoubtedly prove to be a colossal loss for entire humanity and the world community needs to act before it is too late.

Daesh had sparked international outrage this year when it blew up the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud and smashed artefacts in the Mosul museum, both in Iraq.

The best way for the international community to fight back is by effectively espousing the need for openness and acceptance of the world’s diverse traditions.

Militants should not be allowed to get away with cultural cleansing. The international community should initiate rapid action to protect innocent civilians and the irreplaceable cultural heritage of Palmyra.

 

Job insecurity a

global concern

An observation by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) that only a fourth of the global workforce have stable contracts, while 75 per cent are employed on temporary or short-term contracts in informal jobs indicates a growing job insecurity worldwide.

To add to the worry, the ILO flagship annual report, World Employment and Social Outlook 2015 representing 84 per cent of the global workforce, also notes that women are disproportionately represented among those in temporary and part-time forms of wage and salaried employment.

What is increasingly clear is that the global economy is not creating a sufficient number of jobs and the trend is indeed too scary.

ILO estimates that global unemployment figures reached 201 million in 2014, over 30 million higher than before the start of the global crisis in 2008.

The first edition of the new, annual flagship report, entitled The Changing Nature of Jobs, shows that while wage and salaried work is growing worldwide, it still accounts for only half of global employment, with wide variations across regions.

For example, in the developed economies and Central and South-Eastern Europe, around eight in ten workers are employees, where as in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa the figure is closer to two in ten.

Growing inequality is proving to be another bane. Income disparity is increasing or remains high in the majority of countries – a trend that is aggravated by the rising incidence of non-permanent forms of employment, growing unemployment and inactivity.

The income gap between permanent and non-permanent workers has increased over the past decade.

Interestingly, an estimate based on some 40 countries with available data finds that more than one in five jobs worldwide is linked to global supply chains.

This effectively highlights the increasing importance of global supply chains in shaping some of the employment and income patterns that are observed in labour markets today.

Also, despite the positive steps made towards improving pension coverage, social protection, such as unemployment benefits, is still mainly available only for regular employees.

Providing jobs to more than 40 million additional people who enter the global labour market every year will certainly prove to be a daunting challenge.

As top ILO officials point out, the only way forward is to find ways to stimulate investment opportunities and boost job creation and productivity, while ensuring adequate income security to all types of workers, not just those on stable contracts.

India feels the heat

of global warming

Meddling with nature can have a devastating effect on humanity and this has been proved several times. Scientists have vociferously stated that climate change is the reason behind various challenges like aggressive weather, prolonged droughts and intense flooding.

Now comes the news that around 800 people have died due to a major heat wave that has swept across India, melting roads in New Delhi even as temperatures neared 50 degrees Celsius.

Large parts of India have endured days of scorching heat, prompting fears of power cuts as energy-guzzling air conditioners work overtime.

It is the poorest sections of the society that pay a heavy price during such times.

Unable to stay indoors due to inevitable circumstances, several sections like labourers, farmers, slum-dwellers and the homeless are forced to endure the baking weather conditions.

Hundreds of such people die at the height of summer every year across the country, while thousands suffer power cuts from an overburdened electricity grid.

India's power industry is known to be struggling for long to meet rapidly-rising demand.

There is growing fear that the hot, dry conditions could plunge the worst-affected states into drought before monsoon rains arrive.

This climate phenomenon is not about India alone. It is a global challenge.

Last year was the warmest since records began in the 19th century and average world temperatures have already risen by about 0.85C, raising the risk of heat waves, floods and rising world sea levels as polar ice melts.

Scientists say much sharper emissions cuts are needed in coming decades to keep global warming within 2 degrees C of pre-industrial times.

This calls for a sustained, worldwide shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources to power homes, cars and industries.

UN officials had earlier expressed alarm about the high temperatures in vast areas of the ocean surface, including in the northern hemisphere.

The Indian authorities need to do more to protect lives. A massive health and safety awareness campaign should be launched targeting especially those working outdoors to help them identify the initial symptoms of heat-related illnesses.

People should also be educated on the importance of adequate hydration. Drinking water tanks should be provided at the worst-affected areas and medical facilities should be put in place.

People need to take their own precautions too. Even a simple act of wearing a cap while venturing out could go a long way in protecting one from the furnace-like conditions.

 

Nobel laureate’s

not-so-noble silence

The entire world knows about the plight of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. The United Nations has called the Rohingya one of the most persecuted groups in the world. It is in this context that Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s long silence on the subject is deafening.

It‘s not that no one is taking note of her stance.

An international gathering in Oslo to discuss the plight of Rohingya Muslims boasts a star-studded cast, with three Nobel Peace Prize laureates among those calling on the world to wake up to the unfolding tragedy. And Suu Kyi is not among them. She just is not even invited.

Desmond Tutu, who won the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize for his opposition to South Africa's brutal apartheid regime, explained the situation very well when he stated, "If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality."

The Rohingya have faced decades of state-sanctioned discrimination in Myanmar, which is predominantly Buddhist. In the past three years, Rohingya were targeted by violent mobs of Buddhist extremists, leaving hundreds dead and sparking an exodus of more than 120,000 people.

Over the past several weeks, the world has watched with horror news reports about hundreds of Rohingya drifting in over-crowded vessels in the Andaman Sea, half-starved, disease-stricken and dying.

More than seven boats carrying around 2,600 people are thought to be still at sea, according to data from UNHCR and the International Organisation for Migration.

The United States has cautioned that the deadly pattern of migration across the Bay of Bengal would continue unless Myanmar ends discrimination against the Rohingya, a mostly stateless minority of 1.1 million people who live in apartheid-like conditions, mostly in the western state of Rakhine.

The popular daughter of Myanmar's late independence hero, Aung San, seems to share the "anti-Rohingya" sentiment of much of the population, though she denies that.

The treatment of the Rohingya not only violates human rights norms, but complicates Myanmar’s relations with its neighbours. It is clear that the distinct ethnic group has been singled out for systematic and most severe forms of state-directed repression.

Suu Kyi’s failure so far to sternly denounce religious bigotry in Myanmar raises uneasy questions about her stature. After all, as Tutu powerfully put it, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”

Dawn of a new era

in UAE space quest

When it comes to goals and achievements, the UAE always sets its sights high. The launch of the Strategic Plan for the UAE Space Agency on Monday is aimed at establishing a new international standing for the nation in the space sector.

As the country’s space ambitions soar and highly-talented Emiratis are trained to become leaders in the space sector, a loud and clear message is being sent out to the world: Emiratis are willing and able to take on any challenge. The sky’s the limit, literally.

The launch and placing into orbit of Dubai Sat 1 and Dubai Sat 2 are already among the remarkable feats. The UAE then decided to enter the space race with a project to send an unmanned probe to Mars by 2021 in the Arab World’s first-ever mission to another planet.

It is not just that. The UAE Space Agency is also working on the establishment of the first Space Research Centre in the Middle East.

As His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai noted, “The Hope Probe and the UAE Space Agency are milestones for the development of the UAE. Building a new space sector that is integrated and comprehensive is a value-added step for our national economy, technical knowledge, human capital, and international reputation.”

Interestingly, Chairman of the UAE Space Agency Dr Khalifa Mohammed Al Rumaithi has highlighted that the path to space dates back to 1976, when the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan met the NASA team responsible for the Apollo Moon programme.

That meeting inspired nearly three decades of efforts guiding the UAE towards space and will be realised with the arrival the Hope Probe at the red planet in the coming years.

Money spent on such projects is hugely worthwhile. As of 2012, space was a $304 billion global sector. These activities included commercial space products and services and direct-to-home television. Satellite radio and radio programming are also made available via space assets.

The UAE’s investments in space technologies already exceed Dhs20 billion. The major advancements made in the field in such a short span are indeed a great accomplishment.

The inspiration undoubtedly comes from the visionary leadership. It was Sheikh Mohammed who mentioned, “The moment we stop taking on such challenges is the moment we stop moving forward."

Expats celebrate Jayalalithaa’s acquittal

(My article in The Gulf Today)
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SHARJAH: The acquittal of a powerful political leader in Tamil Nadu, south India, in a 19-year-old disproportionate assets case pushed several Tamil expatriates in the UAE into a celebratory mode on Monday.
However, there were also stray voices of disappointment over the verdict with regard to the former chief minister of the state, J. Jayalalithaa. 
“For me, it is a mixed feeling,” says P. Subramanian, an insurance professional. “Here is a popular leader who has done several good things for poor people. I am against corruption at all levels, but always felt that this case has no strong basis.” 
According to him, “Amma Vunavagam,” or popular eateries for the poor, is one great scheme that has gained the leader enormous goodwill from the people. “It is divine intervention that she has been freed as her followers have been praying for her acquittal,” he insists.
For S. Punyamurthy, advertising consultant, the news came as a huge pleasant surprise. “I have lots of friends back home who are her supporters. I have been on phone so long talking with them and celebrating this news that I forgot about an important business meeting,” he points out. 
Punyamurthy is happy that decks have now been cleared for the return of the AIADMK party supremo as Tamil Nadu chief minister. “The conditions in our state were improving when this case proved to be a distraction. Now I am sure there is good scope for development of Tamil Nadu as one of the best states in the country.”
A driver with a private construction company, Siddiq, says he became very happy when he heard the news. “My sympathies were always with Jayalalithaa as I noticed that she introduced some outstanding schemes to help the poor.”
Nevertheless, not all feel the same way. 
“The clean and clear verdict that Jayalalithaa has got from the Karnataka high court is only a reflection of the rot that has set in the judicial system of our country,” reacts Vijayalakshmi Nadar, a media professional. 
“She has only benefitted from an inefficient system wherein the high court itself finds no merit in the investigations and the trial by the lower courts that has spanned over almost two decades and summarily dismisses it off, leaving no room for even an appeal,” she points out. 
According to Vijayalakshmi, special courts to handle such high-profile cases with time-bound decisions are the need of the hour.
S. Natarajan, who works as a sales representative in foodstuff company, is also unhappy with the verdict. 
“Rules should not discriminate between rich and poor people. I am not sure whether justice has been done in this case. My only argument is that truth should prevail.”