On thin ice: Greenland's last Inuit polar bear hunters

Agence France-Presse
June 17, 2024

Legendary: Inuit polar bear hunter Hjelmer Hammeken rides his dog sled on the sea ice off Greenland (Olivier MORIN/AFP)

Inuit hunter Hjelmer Hammeken spotted a ringed seal near its breathing hole on the Greenland ice. In his white camouflage, he slowly crept towards it then lay down in the snow and waited.

When the right moment came, Hammeken tapped his feet together. The seal lifted its head to look where the noise was coming from and the hunter fired.

He butchered the animal there and then, eating some of its liver while it was still warm, as his ancestors have done for centuries -- the hunter's reward.

Such scenes are common around the hugely isolated Inuit community of Ittoqqortoormiit, close to Scoresby Sound, the world's biggest fjord on the frozen east coast of Greenland.

All the men hunt in this colourful little settlement of 350 souls.

While only the professionals track polar bears, everyone hunts seats, narwhals and Arctic musk ox.

But for the last two decades climate change and hunting quotas have been threatening the livelihood on which Inuit families have long survived.

Hammeken is a legend in Greenland, its greatest polar bear hunter.

AFP followed him and other professional Inuit hunters for several days during the hunting season.

He killed seven this year to add to his tally of 319 over the last half century.

When he arrives at the edge of the ice, where it meets the Arctic Ocean, he commands respect.

Hammeken made his reputation in the 1980s. He would go out alone for several weeks at a time, crossing the glaciers of the fjord with his dogs with little more than a tent to bring back up to three polar bears.

It was the golden age for the hunters, when polar bear skins could be sold abroad.

That ended in 2005 when quotas were put in place to slow the fall in polar bear numbers. This year's quota of 35 had been hit by the end of April, which was why Hammeken was hunting seals, on which there is no quota.

Climate change has turned the lives of the Inuit upside down since the beginning of the century -- with the Arctic warming four times faster than the global average.

"Before we could hunt all year," said Hammeken, 66. "In winter the ice was harder... and the fjord never melted."

But now the ice is retreating and the Sound is open and navigable between mid-July and mid-September.

With the young hunter Martin Madsen at his side, Hammeken scanned the horizon. The wind had come up and the sea with it.

It was time to go. The ice, which is thin at the edge of the sheet, had become unstable, and risked breaking up and taking him and his protege with it.

"In August, all the ice sheet will have melted. There will be just the sea, a rough sea," which will make hunting seals and narwhals -- which are also subject to a quota -- difficult, Hammeken said.

With little ice on which to hunt seals, he wondered how the polar bears would survive. Stuck on land and starving now in the summers, they are coming closer and closer to the village looking for food.


- The young hunter -

Back in Ittoqqortoormiit young Madsen looked out the window and checked the weather forecast on his smartphone. With bright sun and no fog, it was a perfect day for hunting. He got his guns and headed for the edge of the ice.

The other hunters are already in position, scanning the wind-whipped water for signs of seals. Not that far away -- within two kilometres or so -- three polar bears are also out on the prowl for seals themselves.


To attract their prey, the Inuit scrape the ice with a long wooden stick called a "tooq", which imitates the sound seals make when they poke through their breathing holes in the ice.

When a hunter spots one, he shouts, "Aanavaa!" ("Look, a seal!") and whistles to attract its attention. If he misses his shot, the others are free to fire.

That day Madsen missed the seal he spotted. But the next day the 28-year-old killed a bearded seal with a single shot from more than 200 metres with his .222 rifle, rushing to drag it into his boat before it sank.

"The dogs will have something to eat," he said proudly.

Madsen is one of Ittoqqortoormiit's 10 professional hunters. Only those who live completely from the hunt are allowed to shoot polar bears.

"I have been hunting since I was a child. I grew up among hunters -- my father, my grandfather" were also hunters, he told AFP.


But since their time much has changed, most of all the diminishing chance of making a living from it despite being able to use snowmobiles and smart- and satellite phones on the ice.

"Nowadays there is not much to hunt," said Madsen. "With the quotas and everything, it is not working anymore."

Polar bears can only be hunted by Inuits. Their skins go for up to 2,000 euros -- but they can only be sold in Greenland after a European Union embargo in 2008.

Seal skins, on the other hand, sell for 40 euros or less, half of what they were going for before they were hit with a similar embargo in 2009, which was later lifted for those shot by Inuits.

Back home, Madsen's partner Charlotte Pike prepared polar bear soup with tomatoes, carrots, onions and red curry.

"Life is tough given how little we earn from hunting," said the 40-year-old who wants to put up tourists in their home as a way of helping make ends meet.

"You hear everywhere now that we shouldn't eat meat and kill animals... but that is hard for us" in a place where nothing grows.

Madsen never went to school, and he hopes his eight-year-old son Noah will not become a hunter like him.

- A boy's dream -

Eleven-year-old Nukappiaaluk Hammeken, however, dreams of joining Ittoqqortoormiit's small elite of professional hunters, even if there is less and less at the top of the food chain to hunt.

His father Peter, 38, runs a snack bar in this village at the end of the world, 800 kilometres from the next settlement in Greenland. Supplies come only twice a year by boat.

During his grand-uncle Hjelmer's youth "almost every man in the village" was a full-time hunter, he said.

"What is going to happen in the next 50 years?" Peter Hammeken asked. "Hunting is fundamental for survival, we need it to feed ourselves and bring in money. It's important for the village and for our future."

Nukappiaaluk will have to wait till his 12th birthday before he is allowed to go on his first hunt. To become a professional he will have to pass a long apprenticeship alongside the elders.

First of all he will have to be able to master a dog team, which is obligatory for professional hunting.

Nukappiaaluk has already been making collars for his nine pups by hand.

Over the next two months, Nukappiaaluk will start working his huskies. First he must learn to train them and so they can pull his sleigh to speeds of up to 30 kilometres per hour. Most of all, he must make sure they follow his verbal commands to the letter -- the slightest error can be fatal in such a hostile environment.

And like countless generations of hunters before him, the shy boy will also have to learn to understand his prey, their behaviours and movement, and how that all changes with the seasons.

Becoming a man and a hunter is inseparable for most Inuit.

"If you do not know your ancestors, you do not know who you are," insisted his older brother Marti, 22.

Once fruitful, Libyan village suffers climate crisis

Agence France-Presse
June 17, 2024 

Kabaw, like many villages in the Nafusa Mountains, is primarily inhabited by Amazigh people, a non-Arab minority (Mahmud TURKIA/AFP)

In the Libyan village of Kabaw in the Nafusa Mountains, M'hamed Maakaf waters an ailing fig tree as climate change pushes villagers to forsake lands and livestock.

Once flourishing and known for its figs, olives, and almonds, fields around Kabaw, located some 200 kilometres (124 miles) southwest of Tripoli, are now mostly barren and battered by climate change-induced drought.

The area was once "green and prosperous until the beginning of the millennium," Maakaf recalled. "People loved to come here and take walks but today it has become so dry that it's unbearable."

"We no longer see the green meadows we knew in the 1960s and '70s," added the 65-year-old, wearing a traditional white tunic and sirwal trousers.

Kabaw, like many villages in the Nafusa Mountains, is primarily inhabited by Amazigh people, a non-Arab minority.

Pounded by the sun and dry winds, the mountainous area now struggles to bear fruit, facing a lack of rainfall and temperatures high above seasonal norms.

Libya -- where around 95 percent of land is desert -- is one of the world's most water-scarce countries, according to the United Nations.

Its annual precipitation in coastal areas has fallen from 400 millimeters in 2019 to 200 millimeters today, with water demand higher than what is available.

The Nafusa Mountains, sitting at an altitude of almost 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) in western Libya, are home to around half a million people out of Libya's population of seven million.

Driven out by increasing water stress, local villagers and their livestock have been gradually moving out of the Nafusa Mountains and surrounding plains.

- 'Exodus' -

Mourad Makhlouf, mayor of Kabaw, says that drought in the last decade has pushed hundreds of families to leave for the capital Tripoli and other coastal cities, where water is easier to access.


"It's not just about water scarcity or crops dying due to drought," said Makhlouf. "There is a demographic and human dimension with the exodus of hundreds of families towards the capital and coastal towns."

Suleiman Mohammed, a local farmer, fears that climate change will soon cause everyone to leave, as "living without water is certain death".

"How can we be patient?" he said. "It has gotten to the point where breeders sell their livestock because keeping them costs twice their value."


Standing by a cluster of dead tree trunks, Maakaf decries the loss of "thousands of olive trees".

"Some were 200 years old and inherited from our grandfathers," he said.

Hoping to alleviate the burden, local authorities began selling subsidised water for 25 Libyan dinars (about $5) per 12,000 litres.


Tanker trucks make the trip between the water stations and the village, travelling up to 50 kilometres and allowing some of those in need to hold on.

"We manage to water our fields two to three times a week but water is expensive," Maakaf said, adding that they also rely on private tanker trucks selling the same amount for up to 160 dinars.

- 'Emerging threats' -

The hydrocarbon-rich country hosts the world's largest irrigation project, the Great Man-Made River, its main source of water supply built in the 1980s under the rule of longtime dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

Drawing fossil water from aquifers in the heart of the southern desert, the network of pipes supplies about 60 percent of the national need.

But the supplies remain insufficient amid increasing drought.

According to the World Resources Institute, an environmental research organization, Libya will face "extremely high" water stress by 2050.

The World Bank predicts that by 2030, the Middle East and North Africa region will fall below the "absolute water scarcity" threshold.

"Water scarcity is one of the greatest emerging threats facing Libya," the UN Development Programme said in a study.

"The country needs to ensure equitable access to water for domestic and economic purposes."

"Climate smart agricultural methods should reduce the overuse of water resources and... practices that contribute to soil erosion and desertification, which further impact productive sectors and food security."

Libya signed the 2015 United Nations framework convention on climate change and ratified the Paris Climate Accord in 2021.

Yet the North African country has shown little progress towards the development of disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation strategies, as it continues to grapple with divisions and conflict after the fall of Kadhafi in 2011.

"The drought does not only concern the Nafusa Mountains, but the entire country," said Mayor Makhlouf.

"Libya needs a relief plan, which will not be the solution to everything, but will allow us to adapt."

Hajj pilgrimage ends amid deadly Saudi heat spike

Agence France-Presse
June 17, 2024 

A man effected by the scorching heat is helped by other Muslim in Mina, near Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca © Fadel Senna / AFP

Saudi Arabia on Monday warned of a temperature spike in Mecca as Muslim pilgrims wrapped up the hajj in searing conditions, with more than a dozen heat-related deaths confirmed.

One of the world's largest religious gatherings unfolded during the oven-like Saudi summer again this year, and authorities recorded more than 2,700 cases of "heat exhaustion" on Sunday alone, the Saudi health ministry said.

On Monday, according to the Saudi weather service, temperatures reached 51.8 degrees Celsius (125 degrees Fahrenheit) at Mecca's Grand Mosque, where pilgrims were circling the Kaaba, the large black cubic structure towards which all Muslims pray.

In nearby Mina, where a spokesman for the national meteorology service said the temperature was 46C, other pilgrims were throwing stones at three concrete walls -- a ritual known as "stoning the devil" that is the last major step of the hajj, while struggling under the burning sun.

Jordan's foreign ministry said on Sunday that 14 Jordanian pilgrims had died "after suffering sun stroke due to the extreme heat wave", and that 17 others were "missing".

Iran reported the deaths of five pilgrims but did not specify the cause, while Senegal's foreign ministry said that three others had died.

An Indonesian health ministry official, currently in Saudi Arabia, said 136 Indonesian pilgrims had died during the hajj including at least three of heat stroke.

"The holy sites today record the highest temperatures since the beginning of hajj... that may reach 49 degrees Celsius, and we advise the guests of God not to be exposed to the sun," the health ministry said, according to state-affiliated Al-Ekhbariya channel.

The Saudi health ministry announced in a statement 2,764 cases of heat exhaustion on Sunday due to sun exposure and "non-compliance with guidelines", which include taking shelter from the sun during the afternoon.

"Prevention is the most important, and the commitment of pilgrims not to go out at peak times except when necessary, or to use an umbrella, would reduce the incidence of heat exhaustion," the statement said.

"Our health guidelines for the coming days are clear and easy: carry an umbrella, drink water regularly, and avoid exposure to the sun."

- 'Really hard day' -


The hajj is increasingly affected by climate change, according to a Saudi study published last month that said regional temperatures were rising 0.4C each decade.

Pilgrims in Mina on Monday poured bottles of water over their heads as authorities handed out cold drinks and fast-melting chocolate ice cream.

Azza Hamid Brahim, a 61-year-old pilgrim from Egypt, described seeing motionless bodies on the roadside as she made her way to and from the three concrete walls.

"The ambulances didn't know which way to turn. It looked like Judgement Day, the end of time," she said.

"It was a really hard day. We said to ourselves: 'That's it, we're going to die' because of the heatwave."

Arzu Farhaj of Pakistan said she struggled to find help for a woman who was lying on the roadside.

The woman looked to be without anyone accompanying her, "and the people were passing by," Farhaj said, adding she was unable to get security staff to call an ambulance for her.

The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and all Muslims with the means must perform it at least once.

It occurs according to the Islamic lunar calendar, shifting forward each year in the Gregorian calendar. This year's hajj takes place between June 14-19.

Hajj this year drew around 1.8 million pilgrims, 1.6 million of them from abroad, according to Saudi authorities.

Hosting the hajj is a source of prestige for the Saudi royal family, and King Salman's title includes "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques" in the cities of Mecca and Medina.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler, said on Sunday that Saudi officials had committed "to provide everything that will serve those who visit the Two Holy Mosques and help them perform their worship in security and reassurance".

The health ministry said it would "closely follow cases of heat exhaustion" and ensure pilgrims "can complete their hajj journey in full health".

 

Workers’ Party of Belgium Gains Ground in European, National Elections

Ana Vračar | 12 Jun 2024

• 
  
• 
  

The Workers’ Party of Belgium secures strong results in European and national elections, mounting resistance to the far-right’s growth.

Source: PTB-PVDA/X

Two days after the European Parliament elections ended, conservatives are working to secure a new majority, while liberal and green parties are reeling from heavy losses. The right-wing emerged triumphant with significant victories. Major setbacks for parties in power at the national level have shaken governments across the European Union, including Belgium, where Prime Minister Alexander De Croo resigned after Sunday’s results.

The right-wing New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) and Vlaams Belang each received around 14% of the vote, securing three seats in the European Parliament (MEP) each. The liberal Renew party, conservative European People’s Party (EPP), and the social democratic Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), each won four MEPs from Belgium. The green parties won two seats, while the Workers’ Party of Belgium (PTB-PVDA) matched this number on its own.

“The PTB-PVDA is one of this election’s biggest winners,” said Raoul Hedebouw, PTB-PVDA president, on election night.

PTB-PVDA’s vision of a different European Union

In addition to Marc Botenga, an MEP since 2019, the PTB-PVDA will now be represented by Rudi Kennes, a trade unionist who used to work in Antwerp’s Opel factory and is a staunch anti-fascist. “We are extremely happy to send a worker to the European Parliament,” Hedebouw commented. “Even more so than in national and regional parliaments, the composition of our population [the working class] is underrepresented in the EP.”

Botenga and Kennes promise to stand together as they bring the voice of Europe’s workers and social struggles to the Brussels bubble. Leading up to the election, Botenga was one of the few MEPs to speak out against the EU’s plans for a new cycle of austerity policies and its support for warmongers.

The party’s European election program was based on similar values: advocating for more investment in public services, including transportation, a millionaire tax at national and EU levels, and new forms of solidarity, such as building a Salk Institute to keep health out of the reach of private companies.

The PTB-PVDA has also been vocal in its support for Palestinian liberation, including it in its program. “We demand the immediate and unconditional recognition of Palestine. We defend the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination,” they stated.

Success a result of commitment to left values

Unlike center-left, green, and progressive parties, the PTB-PVDA has maintained its commitment to key left values, contributing to its strength growing while others fall behind. Hedebouw explained during a press conference with party comrades Sofie Merckx, Peter Mertens, and Jos D’Haese that people vote for the PTB-PVDA because it promises to protect public services and secure better jobs and shows that it is ready to put in the work behind that promise.

“Our result from yesterday did not appear out of nowhere. We began to build this process 15 years ago,” Mertens said. PTB-PVDA’s dedication translated into successes beyond the European election: the European elections in Belgium were organized alongside regional and national elections, and saw a turnout close to 90%—the highest in Europe this time around.

The PTB-PVDA saw a substantial increase in votes across all elections, rising from 566,000 in the last election to 763,000 on Sunday. This result makes the party the fourth-strongest political organization in the country with 15 seats in federal parliament. The party also performed well in the regional polls, significantly increasing its vote share and seats in the Brussels and Flemish parliaments. Wallonia parliament was the exception where it lost two seats.

The PTB-PVDA has reached this point by promoting unity and solidarity, breaking away from mainstream trends of regional division and political fragmentation, Hedebouw said. Following the recent EU election, the party’s platform will be more important than ever, demonstrating that there is more for the European people to hope for than just more austerity and the far-right’s harmful securitization agenda.

Courtesy: Peoples Dispatch

 

Killing of 2 Cattle Transport Workers ‘Premeditated’: AIKS Accuses Chhattisgarh Police of Bias

Newsclick Report | 11 Jun 2024

• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  

The farmers’ body demanded that the NDA government enact a law to prevent mob lynching and hate crimes in the name of cow protection.

New Delhi: The All-India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) has condemned the brutal killing of two cattle transport workers and injuring of another on the Mahasamund-Raipur border in Chhattisgarh last week (June 7), ostensibly in the name of cow protection.

Alleging that the attack was “premeditated”, the farmers’ body said a group of 15-20 people had been tailing the truck carrying cattle toward Odisha and had “put nails on the bridge to deflate the tyres”.

“Tehseen Qureshi died on the spot and Chand Khan was declared dead after reaching the hospital. Another worker Saddam Qureshi suffered severe injuries and is in hospital. It is very clear that this is an incident of premeditated murder and a hate crime, and not a mob lynching,” AIKS said in a statement. The workers were from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh,

The farmers’ body accused the Chhattisgarh Police of “communal bias in registering the FIR avoiding Section 302 of IPC in the dreadful incident of brutal murder of two transport workers.”

AIKS demanded a judicial enquiry, immediate arrest of culprits and prosecution, compensation of Rs 50 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 20 lakh for the injured.

It also demanded that the newly sworn in NDA government at the Centre enact a law to prevent mob lynching and hate crimes.

 

Read the full statement below:

 Press Statement by AIKS

*AIKS accuses State Police of Chhattisgarh of Communal Bias* 

*Demands Judicial Enquiry, Immediate Arrest of the Culprits and Prosecution, Compensation of Rs 50 Lakh each to the Families of the Deceased and Rs 20 Lakh to the Injured* 

*Demands that Parliament Enact a Law to Prevent Mob Lynching and Hate Crimes and Establish Fast Track Court for Speedy Trial and Conviction*  

AIKS has strongly protested the brutal murder of two cattle transport workers and the severe injury to another worker between 2 and 3 am on 7th June 2024 on the Mahanadi Bridge, in the Mahasamund–Raipur Border, Chhattisgarh, by criminal gangsters. The culprits – a group of 15-20 people – had been following the truck load of animals travelling towards Odisha, put nails on the bridge to deflate the tyres and after stopping the truck, the drivers were attacked, beaten severely and thrown to the rocks 30 feet below the bridge. Tehseen Qureshi died on the spot and Chand Khan was declared dead after reaching the hospital. Another worker Saddam Qureshi suffered severe injuries and is in hospital. It is very clear that this is an incident of premeditated murder and a hate crime, and not a mob lynching.  

However, as per the State Police, the FIR has been registered under Section 304 and 307 of IPC for attempt to murder and culpable homicide that attracts punishment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with a fine, or with both. There is no Section 302 of IPC for murder. The police justify this serious omission as suspected mob lynching in the name of cow protection.

AIKS strongly condemns the Chhattisgarh State Police for its rabidly communal bias in registering the FIR avoiding Section 302 of IPC in the dreadful incident of brutal murder of two transport workers. AIKS demands that the Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma in charge of the Home Portfolio ensure rule of law in the state of Chhattisgarh, take strong action against the top police officers involved in the conspiracy to protect the murderers, immediate arrest of all the criminals and ensure unbiased prosecution. AIKS strongly demands a judicial enquiry into the incident, including the role of the police in protecting the criminals.

Though the workers are from Saharanpur of Uttar Pradesh, the BJP-led state government also is silent, without making any intervention to ensure justice to the hapless families of the murdered workers. AIKS condemns the callous attitude of the BJP-led state governments of both the states and demands compensation of Rs 50 lakh each to the family of both deceased workers and Rs 20 lakh to the severely injured worker.

Most of the political parties of Chhattisgarh are so far silent on the brutal murder and the callous attitude of the state government. This is highly unfortunate. The Chhattisgarh Kisan Sabha and other Kisan organisations have strongly condemned the murder.

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

The cattle economy is a part of agriculture contributing 27% of the income of farmer households. India is the second largest country in beef export. The attack on cattle traders and workers affects the cattle trade and farmers are unable to sell their animals and get remunerative prices.

AIKS strongly demands the NDA-led Union Government and the newly elected Parliament to enact a law to prevent mob lynching and hate crimes in the name of cow protection, to establish fast track courts to expedite trial and conviction in order to protect the interests of the cattle farmers, traders and workers in the Industry. 

Ashok Dhawale, President                        

Vijoo Krishnan, General Secretary

Modi 3.0 Govt Deals a Blow to Workers' Hard-Earned PF/Pension Money: CITU

Mahesh Kumar | 17 Jun 2024

• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  

The central trade union has condemned the recent notification to drastically reduce penalty charges on employers defaulting in payment of EPF, EPS, EDLI contributions.

New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government’s decision to “drastically reduce” the penalty charges on employers' default in depositing EPF, EPS and EDLI contributions to EPFO, amounts to playing around with workers’ hard-earned life savings, the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU said in a statement.

Strongly condemning the decision and demanding immediate withdrawal of the gazette notification, the CITU said such a decision would encourage private sector employers/owners to default on their statutory obligation.

"The recently sworn-in NDA government has wasted no time in exposing its true face. The government has allowed private corporate owners/employers to play with the workers' contribution and their share of provident fund and pension funds. Through this, employers/owners are being encouraged to default on their statutory obligation, which includes depositing workers' contribution, EPF, pension and EDLI funds in EPFO ​​on time," the CITU statement read.

Commenting on the gazette notification issued by the Union Labour Minister, CITU said it was a “very draconian gazette notification dated 14th June 2024, substantially reducing all penal charges on all employers/employers for not depositing the contributions including workers’ contribution to the Employees’ Pension Fund (EPF) and Employees’ Deposit-Linked Insurance Scheme (EDLI) on time. The extent of reduction in the penal charges has been reduced to less than one-fifth of the prescribed charges.”

It said “if an employer makes any default in payment of contribution to EPF or EDLI or delays or defaults in payment of any charges payable under the provisions of the EPF Act, 1952 or the schemes framed under this Act, the EPFO ​​may recover the same amount from the employer by imposing penalty, damages at different rates for different periods of default.”

According to the statement till now the provision was that penal charges were calculated at 5% per annum for a default period of less than two months, 10% for a default period of two months and above but less than four months, 15% for four months and above but less than six months and 25% for six months and above.

Now, according to a new notification, “all penalty rates have been reduced to 1 per cent per annum – which means that all schemes have been reduced by 12 per cent per annum. This has been done, clearly, in the name of promoting ease of doing business at the cost of making the lives of our working people easier, who are already losing their hard-earned money.

CITU reminded the Centre that “out of about 48 crore 70 lakh 9 thousand working people entitled to EPF/pension, only about 11 crore 80 lakh working people are covered under the EPF, which highlights the pro-employer violation of the EPF Act by the enforcement machinery of the government.”

It said further, “those covered under the EPF scheme are being squeezed even more by way of promoting default by employers and thereby allowing employers to unauthorisedly siphon off the lifelong savings of workers in EPF by drastically reducing the penalties for wilful default. Defaults are increasing even against those who were brought under the Act and coverage.”

The statement further added, “Paragraph 5 of the Employees’ Pension Scheme, 1995 and Paragraph 8A of the EDLI Scheme, 1976 are the only deterrent provisions against such defaults and moreover, were the only means to ensure compliance with the Act passed by the sovereign Parliament. Now it has been almost abolished through these amendments."

The CITU has, therefore, demanded that the Centre should immediately withdraw this “anti-worker and pro-employer” notification and called upon workers and working people to be ready for “fierce protests” across the country against these changes.

China Springs a BRI Surprise on US

M K Bhadrakumar | 11 Jun 2024

The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project has become a lodestar in the phenomenal transformation of regional connectivity in Central Asia.

China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan signed an intergovernmental agreement to begin construction of a railway link connecting Xinjiang with Fergana Valley, Beijing, on June 6, 2024

The report of the death of China’s Belt and Road Initiative [BRI] was an exaggeration, after all. Within days of the US President Joe Biden’s acerbic remark during an interview last week with the Time magazine that the BRI has “become a nuisance graveyard initiative,” a trilateral intergovernmental agreement to commence construction work on the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan [CKU] railway project was signed in Beijing last Thursday. 

Chinese President Xi Jinping offered congratulations on the trilateral intergovernmental agreement with Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan and described the CKU as “a strategic project for China’s connectivity with Central Asia, symbolising the three nations’ collaborative efforts under the Belt and Road Initiative.” Xi hailed the agreement as “a show of determination”.

The idea of such a railway project was first proposed by Uzbekistan in 1996 but it languished for over a quarter century thereafter due to the geopolitical and alliance changes in Central Asia, including reservations reportedly on the part of Moscow and Astana. China, which could unilaterally finance CKU, also lost interest and prioritised its ties with Russia and Kazakhstan. 

Principally, the failure of the three countries to reach a consensus on the railway’s route became a vexed issue with China and Uzbekistan favouring a southern route, which would represent the shorter transit route to Europe and West Asia, while Bishkek insisted on the northern route—a longer passage that would connect Kyrgyzstan’s northern and southern regions and boost its economy. 

However, the moribund project took new life following the changing geopolitics of Central Asia, as intra-regional integration processes began gaining traction, the rethink in Moscow in favour of strengthening regional connectivity in the conditions under western sanctions, etc. 

Indeed, with improved railway connectivity, it is not only the connection between China and the two Central Asian countries along the route that will be strengthened, but the interconnectivity in Central Asian region as well. 

However, in a curious reversal of roles, as Central Asia turned into a turf of the great game lately between the US on one side and Russia and China on the other, Washington began taking a dim view of the prospect of such a project to connect the railway systems of China potentially to the European railway network through Turkmenistan, Iran, and Türkiye.  

Suffice to say, in the past two years, with renewed interest, China began viewing the 523 km long railway line — 213 kms in China, 260 kms in Kyrgyzstan, and 50 kms in Uzbekistan — optimistically as a shorter route from China to Europe and West Asia than the existing 900 km corridor that passes through the Trans-Siberian Railway in Russia, which lacks modern infrastructure with only a single non-electrified track that makes it incapable of transiting Chinese goods to Europe, and also mitigate the economic costs associated with Western sanctions on Russia.

Above all, the growing geopolitical tensions over the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea have begun posing serious concern and top priority for Beijing to establish alternate land routes to the European market.         

Without doubt, CKU has huge potential in geopolitical, geo-strategic and geo-economic terms. Succinctly put, it will complete the southern passage of the New Eurasian Land Bridge, shaping a convenient transport path from East and Southeast Asia to Central and Western Asia, Northern Africa and Europe. 

Specifically, apart from integrating Central Asian region with the wider transportation network, and connect it better to the global market, Beijing envisages that CKU could be further extended to other countries in future, such as Afghanistan. 

In fact, speaking at the signing ceremony on Thursday alongside Xi and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev underscored that “This road will allow our countries to enter the wide markets of South Asia and the Middle East through the promising Trans-Afghan Corridor.” 

Of course, the construction of CKU, which is expected to start later this year at a cost of $8 billion, poses formidable challenges, being a trans-national project to be executed by a joint venture of between three countries in the BOT  format. No doubt, CKU involves daunting engineering skills with its path traversing the challenging terrain of western China and Kyrgyzstan at altitudes ranging from 2,000-3500 meters and involving the construction of more than fifty tunnels and ninety bridges through Kyrgyzstan’s highest mountains.

But China has vast experience and expertise in pulling it off. Xi said the agreement signed in Beijing provided a “solid legal foundation” for the railway’s construction and it transformed the project “from a vision to a reality”.

The project feasibility study is currently being updated, following the completion of field surveys by Chinese engineers in December. Zhu Yongbiao, a professor at the Research Centre for the Belt and Road of Lanzhou University, told Global Times that construction techniques and financing pose no problems. 

The Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson stated at the daily press briefing in Beijing on Friday, “This important milestone was achieved thanks to the tremendous efforts of different departments and experts, as well as the personal attention and support from the leaders of the three countries.” 

The spokesperson flagged that CKU is “another testament to the importance of the Belt and Road Initiative and demonstrates the popularity of the vision for a community with a shared future for mankind in Central Asia.”

The CKU originates from the western Chinese hub of Kashgar to the Uzbek city of Andijan in Ferghana Valley, passing through Torugart, Makmal and Jalalabad. It connects the Soviet-era railway grid in Uzbekistan leading to Termez on the Amu Darya bordering Mazar-i-Sharif city in Afghanistan. 

Uzbekistan announced last month that the Trans-Afghan railway project is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2027, connecting Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, “facilitating crucial trade routes and bolstering regional connectivity.” Interestingly, the Trans-Afghan Railway project has also figured in the Chinese-Pakistani documents in the past.

The joint statement issued after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to China last week vowed to make the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor “an exemplary project of high-quality building of Belt and Road cooperation… (and) recognised the significance of Gwadar Port as an important node in cross-regional connectivity” while also agreeing to play a constructive role “in helping Afghanistan to achieve stable development and integrate into the international community.”

Notably, in the first official recognition of the interim Taliban government by a major nation, Xi Jinping welcomed Asadullah Bilal Karimi, the Taliban-appointed Afghan ambassador, in a formal ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in January, along with envoys from Cuba, Iran, Pakistan and 38 other countries, who also presented their credentials. 

It is entirely conceivable that the time has come for the realisation of the century-old dream of a Trans-Afghan railway. Qatar reportedly has shows interest in funding the project. At a meeting in Kazan in February with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Mirziyoyev had disclosed that the Russian side had expressed interest in participating in the development of the technical justification for the project and its promotion. The Russian Deputy Prime Minister for Transport Vitaly Savelyev who had earlier visited Tashkent, attended the meeting in Kazan.

Certainly, the restoration of full relationship between Moscow and Kabul, which is imminent, will help speed up matters. 

The CKU becomes the lodestar in a phenomenal transformation of regional connectivity in Central Asia and far-flung regions surrounding it. In the current international climate, this has profound geopolitical implications for the Russian-Chinese joint/coordinated efforts to push back the US’ dual containment strategy. 

MK Bhadrakumar is a former diplomat. He was India’s ambassador to Uzbekistan and Turkey. The views are personal.

 

Courtesy: Indian Punchline

Engineer Rashid’s Victory in Baramulla is a Silent Message for Kashmiri Dynasts

KASHMIR IS INDIA'S GAZA

Nasir Khuehami, Ummar Jamal |

 13 Jun 2024

• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  

The burgeoning voter engagement signals a seismic shift, where the electorate refuses to be pawns in the game orchestrated by the political elite represented by NC and PDP.

Engineer Rashid (Image Credit: X handle of @ErRashidKashmir)

When Omar Abdullah and Sajad Gani Lone filed nominations to contest from the Baramulla constituency, it was widely anticipated that the political battle would be decisively bipolar between these two prominent figures. Many dismissed Engineer Rashid as a minor contender, much like in 2019. However, as the saying goes, "A week is a long time in politics."

The week-long campaign by Abrar Rashid, on behalf of his incarcerated father, yielded an unexpected victory. Engineer Rashid secured the Lok Sabha seat from Baramulla, defeating two heavyweights -- National Conference (NC) Vice President and former Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and the President of J&K Peoples Conference, Sajad Lone, who had the backing of J&K Apni Party and several other political factions.

With a lead in 14 Assembly seats, the margin of Rashid's victory over Abdullah sent shockwaves through the NC. Initially, Abdullah conceded defeat and extended his congratulations to Rashid. However, a few days later, Abdullah tweeted excerpts from articles in The Print and The Indian Express, which suggested that Rashid's victory would embolden secessionists and reinvigorate Kashmir’s Islamist movement. Through a series of tweets, he implied that Rashid won due to a sympathy vote and that his victory would be problematic, potentially reviving separatism in Kashmir.

Rashid, who has taken an oath on the Indian Constitution and served as an MLA twice, was unfairly maligned Abdullah’s endorsement of these articles. Rashid’s decisive public mandate should be respected, not tarnished. Abdullah’s tweets recall the 1987 elections, which were marred by allegations of rigging to undermine the political challenge from the Muslim United Front, suggesting that their victory would lead to secession. The subversion of the people's mandate in 1987 had far-reaching consequences, the effects of which are still felt today.

By repeatedly tweeting these articles, Abdullah has implicitly endorsed views that undermine the democratic choice of the people. Accusing political rivals of being secessionists has been an NC tactic since 1987 against those who challenge their dominance. During the 2019 parliamentary elections, NC candidate Akbar Lone accused Rashid of being an RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) agent. It is paradoxical that, five years later, the party’s vice-president is implying that Rashid’s victory would revive separatism.

From these contradictory stances, one can logically conclude that Abdullah considers only the Abdullah family and their supporters are entitled to rule Kashmir. His portrayal of Rashid as an anti-national figure, whose presence in Parliament would purportedly harm national interests, appears to be a strategic move to mislead Delhi and prevent the people of Kashmir from getting an alternative in politics.

Implying that the 4,72,481 people who voted for Rashid are secessionists and radical Islamists is a profound disrespect of the public mandate. Such actions exemplify how some political figures deflect blame for their defeats onto others. Abdullah’s inability to offer something substantive to the electorate is starkly evidenced by his loss. His endorsement of these articles serves as a convenient distraction from his failure to connect with the voters. The electorate’s choice signals a demand for fresh approaches and genuine solutions. Rashid’s victory embodies this desire for change, highlighting the shortcomings of Abdullah’s campaign.

The pertinent question now is how Rashid managed to deliver such a resounding defeat to two political heavyweights in Kashmiri politics. There are several reasons for this outcome. The voters decisively turned away from the NC and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), viewing them as dynastic elites more interested in their own power and privilege than the welfare of the people.

Similarly, the J&K Apni Party was rejected as a perceived proxy of the Bharatiya Janata Party. This reflected a desire for independence from parties seen as controlled by Delhi, either at present or historically, and not genuinely advocating for local interests.

Rashid’s accessibility and grassroots connection during his two terms as MLA, symbolised by his traditional attire and constant presence among the people, made him more relatable and trustworthy. There was significant voter turnout, with Rashid securing leads in traditionally strong NC and PC areas like Kupwara, Trehgam, Lolab, and Karnah. The shift in political dynamics, with people who previously viewed participation in elections as taboo now supporting the electoral process, marked a significant transition in Kashmiri politics.

Rashid’s campaign was organic and grassroots-driven, contrasting with the staged and heavily secured campaigns of other parties. His adept use of social media platforms, like Facebook and Instagram, to engage with voters was both relatable and effective. There was a strong anti-BJP sentiment in Kashmir, particularly in North Kashmir, where people felt that Rashid was the best candidate to represent their opposition to BJP policies. Rashid’s unique position as the only mainstream leader who remained incarcerated while others were released over the past five years, heightened his image as a victim of BJP’s actions.

This situation generated significant sympathy for Rashid, especially among women, who played a crucial role in mobilising their families and communities to support him. The widespread sympathy and perception of Rashid as a steadfast and resilient leader against BJP galvanised voters to rally behind him, significantly contributing to his victory.

The political vacuum and the August 5 decision (abrogation of Article 370, revoking state status, and its bifurcation), which impacted Kashmir’s rights and identity, fueled widespread frustration. Rashid’s win sent a strong message to the Centre. The electorate responded to the extreme pressure, suffocation, and curbs on freedom of speech and dissent by voting to have these issues represented in Parliament. This was a form of protest against the lack of space for expression and dissent, reflecting the electorate's desire for a leader who truly represents their concerns and aspirations.

The outcome of the 2024 parliamentary elections delivers a resounding message to the two Kashmiri political dynasties. With the defeat of both Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, it is glaringly apparent that amidst surging voter participation, the political fortunes of these two formidable lineages have been cast into uncertainty. The failure of these two political parties to resonate with the aspirations of the ordinary Kashmiri leader has become glaringly evident. The past electoral victories of these dynasties were significantly buoyed by low voter turnouts.

However, the surge in voter participation is poised to fundamentally alter the political landscape, rendering the fate of the people no longer dictated solely by the cadres of these entrenched political factions.

The burgeoning voter engagement signals a seismic shift, where the electorate refuses to be mere pawns in the game orchestrated by the political elite. The electorate has awakened to the realisation that these dynastic rulers have merely promised them bridges where no rivers flow. As they seek a more promising alternative, only time will unveil whether Engineer Rashid emerges as the harbinger of change.

 

Nasir Khuehami is National Convenor, J&K Students Association, studying Masters in Conflict Analysis and Peacebuilding from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. khuehamiayaan@gmail.com.

Ummar Jamal is National General Secretary of J&K Students Association, studying law from the University of Kashmir. ummarjamal968@gmail.com. The views are personal.