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Moral dilemmas
[DAWN] A READER recently accused me of inconsistency. He pointed out that despite my advocacy of human rights...which are usually entirely different from personal liberty... , I had argued for tough action and laws against terrorists. He went on to argue -- quite rightly -- that the state ought not to stoop to the level of the bully boyz in its attempt to defeat them. I agree that there is no moral equivalence between the criminal actions of snuffies and terrorists, and the means adopted by the state to combat these criminals. Moving from the general to the specific, we in Pakistain find ourselves at war with a cruel foe who is not bound by the Geneva Conventions. He has unleashed the most barbaric violence against the people and institutions of Pakistain. What should our response be? Should we deal in his own coin and use similarly vicious means, suspending our own liberal laws and civil liberties in the process? To an extent, other countries have done just this: witness the robust laws and anti-terror forces put in place in the West after 9/11. Despite the many human rights violations that have resulted, these countries have managed to contain the threat of Islamist terrorism. But it is easier to enact laws and take tough action against the 'other': the perceived danger in the West largely comes from immigrant Mohammedans and their descendants, making it easier to crack down with wide public support. In Sri Lanka, the Tamils are widely seen as outsiders by the majority Sinhalese, allowing the government to adopt draconian measures against the separatist LTTE. Things are not as clear-cut in Pakistain. The Taliban and their various constituent factions are widely viewed as misled brethren, despite all the atrocities they have committed. This is why so many Paks support  Nawaz Sharif... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf... in his efforts to negotiate with them. Interestingly, the Baloch nationalist movement receives no such understanding, and security forces are allowed to conduct their brutal campaign against the Baloch without much criticism by the Pak public and the media. Posted by: Fred 2014-04-20 |
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