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Bangladesh might learn from Pakistan: Army rule no answer to radicalism: NYT
* Paper faults Bush admin for ignoring âmilitary dictatorshipâ in BD
By Khalid Hasan
WASHINGTON: Military rule offers no answers to grievances that fuel Islamic radicalism, Pakistan, âthe worldâs most populous military dictatorshipâ, has shown - and Bangladesh might learn, says an editorial in the New York Times on Sunday.
The newspaper, commenting on the situation in Bangaldesh, which is under virtual army rule now, faults the Bush administration for raising âlittle protestâ as Bangladesh, until January the worldâs fifth most populous democracy, has been transformed into its second most populous military dictatorship. âWashington is being dangerously short-sighted. Democracy can be messy, and in Bangladesh it was extraordinarily so. But military rule offers no answers to the grievances that fuel Islamic radicalism, as can be seen from nearby Pakistan (the worldâs most populous military dictatorship). By stifling authentically popular mainstream parties and their leaders, military regimes often magnify the political influence of religious extremists,â the editorial argues.
Noting that the âdemocratic eclipseâ in Bangladesh has not followed the classic script for a military coup and a civilian caretaker has been nominally in charge of the country, the generals have consolidated power behind the scenes and begun harassing and jailing many of the countryâs top civilian political leaders.
Last week, the newspaper pointed out, Sheikh Hasina Wajid and top leaders of her 14-party alliance were charged with murder in connection with violent pre-election protests. Her rival, Khaleda Zia is now under virtual house arrest. More than 150 other senior politicians have been detained on corruption charges and the timetable for new elections keeps receding.
This concept of a militarily guided democracy without democrats is familiar in South Asia. Gen Pervez Musharraf has followed the same script in Pakistan and his countrymen are still waiting, with increasing impatience, for the real democracy he promised them nearly eight years ago. Both former Bangladeshi prime ministers have much to answer for, including tolerance for corruption and a bitter personal rivalry that kept the country in permanent turmoil. But the answering should be done to Bangladeshâs voters and, if called for, to an independent civilian judiciary - not to an unaccountable military dictatorship. And President Bush, if he truly cares about democracy in the Islamic world, needs to say so,â writes New York Times.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\04\16\story_16-4-2007_pg7_6
* Paper faults Bush admin for ignoring âmilitary dictatorshipâ in BD
By Khalid Hasan
WASHINGTON: Military rule offers no answers to grievances that fuel Islamic radicalism, Pakistan, âthe worldâs most populous military dictatorshipâ, has shown - and Bangladesh might learn, says an editorial in the New York Times on Sunday.
The newspaper, commenting on the situation in Bangaldesh, which is under virtual army rule now, faults the Bush administration for raising âlittle protestâ as Bangladesh, until January the worldâs fifth most populous democracy, has been transformed into its second most populous military dictatorship. âWashington is being dangerously short-sighted. Democracy can be messy, and in Bangladesh it was extraordinarily so. But military rule offers no answers to the grievances that fuel Islamic radicalism, as can be seen from nearby Pakistan (the worldâs most populous military dictatorship). By stifling authentically popular mainstream parties and their leaders, military regimes often magnify the political influence of religious extremists,â the editorial argues.
Noting that the âdemocratic eclipseâ in Bangladesh has not followed the classic script for a military coup and a civilian caretaker has been nominally in charge of the country, the generals have consolidated power behind the scenes and begun harassing and jailing many of the countryâs top civilian political leaders.
Last week, the newspaper pointed out, Sheikh Hasina Wajid and top leaders of her 14-party alliance were charged with murder in connection with violent pre-election protests. Her rival, Khaleda Zia is now under virtual house arrest. More than 150 other senior politicians have been detained on corruption charges and the timetable for new elections keeps receding.
This concept of a militarily guided democracy without democrats is familiar in South Asia. Gen Pervez Musharraf has followed the same script in Pakistan and his countrymen are still waiting, with increasing impatience, for the real democracy he promised them nearly eight years ago. Both former Bangladeshi prime ministers have much to answer for, including tolerance for corruption and a bitter personal rivalry that kept the country in permanent turmoil. But the answering should be done to Bangladeshâs voters and, if called for, to an independent civilian judiciary - not to an unaccountable military dictatorship. And President Bush, if he truly cares about democracy in the Islamic world, needs to say so,â writes New York Times.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\04\16\story_16-4-2007_pg7_6
