THE DYNAMICS OF CONFLICT and THE THREAT OF PEACE in the context of CONTEMPORARY DEVELOPMENT

1. THE DYNAMICS OF CONFLICT and THE THREAT OF PEACE in the context of CONTEMPORARY DEVELOPMENT LECTURE AT Academic Staff College University of Mysore September 8, 2011 Maj Gen (Retd) S.G.Vombatkere, VSM, PhD Mysore Tel:0821-2515187 E-mail:<sg9kere@live.com>

2. THE ECONOMICS OF CONFLICT and THE THREAT OF PEACE in the context of CONTEMPORARY DEVELOPMENT IN THREE PARTS PART 1 – THE CONTEXT OF CONTEMPORARY DEVELOPMENT PART 2 – CONFLICT & ITS DYNAMICS PART 3 – THE THREAT OF PEACE or WHO BENEFITS FROM CONFLICT?

3. PART 1 THE CONTEXT OF CONTEMPORARY DEVELOPMENT

4. DEVELOPMENT TODAY TODAY DEVELOPMENT IS ABOUT GDP GROWTH AND THE MARKET … “MARKET ECONOMICS” POLITICS SHOULD BE USED TO IMPLEMENT IDEOLOGY AND POLICY, AND ECONOMICS USED AS A TOOL TO REMOVE POVERTY & BRING PROSPERITY TO ALL POLITICSSHOULD BE ABOUT PEOPLE – INTERACTION, CONSULTATION, CONSENSUS, DEBATE, MANAGEMENT – BUT IT IS NOT; IT IS ABOUT ECONOMICS PARTY-CENTRED, MONEY-DRIVEN, ELECTORAL POLITICS INSTEAD OF PEOPLE-CENTRED POLITICS

5. POLITICS SHOULD USE ECONOMICS AS A TOOL;INSTEAD, TODAY ECONOMICS DRIVES AND DICTATES POLITICS

6. POLITICS TODAY MANIPULATING or CREATING SITUATIONS FOR PERSONAL, CASTE, or PARTY’s BENEFIT PEOPLE’s, STATE’s or NATIONAL INTEREST IS SECONDARY or MISSING

7. INDIA SHINING, etc URBAN-INDUSTRIAL INDIA IS PERHAPS ON THE MOVE, BUT RURAL-AGRICULTURAL BHARAT SUFFERS SERIOUS ECONOMIC VIOLENCE

8. ECONOMIC VIOLENCE If economic power is wielded to perpetuate unjust relations, then violence is taking place, and remaining silent condones the violence. - M.K.Gandhi

9. PROGRESS & DEVELOPMENT THE POOR WANT PERSONAL ECONOMIC GROWTH – AND ESSENTIAL MINIMUM FOR QUALITY OF LIFE BUT POLITICIANS & BUREAUCRATS AND THE GMIC WANT STANDARD OF LIVING AND “PROGRESS”

10. R.K.LAXMAN ON PROGRESS

11. THE WORLD BANK’s POVERTY INDICATOR THE WORLD BANK'S DEFINITION OF THE POVERTY LINE FOR “UNDER DEVELOPED” COUNTRIES LIKE INDIA, IS US$ 1/DAY/PERSON BY THIS DEFINITION, MORE THAN 80% OF ALL INDIANS WOULD BE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE (Arjun Sengupta Report: 836M<Rs.20 & of them, 239M<Rs.10) THIS WAS UNACCEPTABLE IF WB or ADB LOANS WERE TO BE NEGOTIATED, SO THE POVERTY LINE WAS REDEFINED

12. INDIA’s POVERTY LINE‏ • RURAL – Rs.356 (US$8) / MONTH / PERSON • URBAN – Rs.538 (US$12) / MONTH / PERSON • (BOTH ARE WAY, WAY BELOW THE WORLD BANK’s YARDSTICK OF “$1 PER DAY”)‏ AN URBAN FAMILY OF FIVE WITH GROSS MONTHLY EARNINGS OF Rs.2,700 (US$56) IS JUST ON THE STARVATION BORDERLINE, BUT IS APL ! SO, BY CHANGING THE METHOD OF COMPUTATION, POVERTY WAS REDUCED TO 26.1%

13. TOTAL PERCENTAGE OF POPULATION BELOW POVERTY LINE IS 26.1% Source : Selected Socio - economic Statictics , India - 2001 Planning Commission Indira Chakravarty : 23 - 24 Jaunary, 2006

14. JUSTICE & EQUITY IN INDIA GOVERNMENT’S FORMULAE GOVERNMENT FORMULA FOR BPL (26.1%) & APL “SINCE WE CANNOT AFFORD TO FEED ALL THE HUNGRY, THERE MUST ONLY BE AS MANY HUNGRY AS WE CAN AFFORD TO FEED” … P.SAINATH, The Hindu, July 6, 2010; “Food Security – of BPL, APL and IPL” BUT GOVERNMENT FORMULA FOR INDUSTRY PROVIDED Rs.5 LAKH CRORES TAX EXEMPTIONS TO INDUSTRY AND THE WEALTHY UNDER JUST THREE HEADS OF THE CURRENT BUDGET, AND SANCTION HUNDREDS OF SEZs TO BENEFIT INDUSTRIALISTS, WITH TAX BREAKS AND LEGAL EXEMPTIONS

15. HOW TO HAVE FOOD SECURITY FOOD EXPORTED AT RATES LOWER THAN BPL SALE RATE; FOOD IMPORTED AT RATES HIGHER THAN MARKET RATE; FCI WAREHOUSES USED TO STOCK LIQUOR WHILE GRAIN LIES IN THE OPEN; LOSSES OF MILLIONS OF TONS OF FOODGRAIN TO WEATHER, RODENT & INSECT ATTACK, BUT NO FREE SUPPLY TO STARVING PEOPLE BECAUSE TRANSPTN IS TOO EXPENSIVE & PRICE LEVEL TO BE MAINTAINED; FOOD LOSSES COST Rs.60,000 CRORES ANNUALLY – FOOD FOR THE POOR IS NOT AS IMPORTANT AS CRICKET

16. CALLING THE BLUFF IF ONLY 26.1% PEOPLE ARE BPL, LET US SEE NUTRITION & HEALTH DATA FROM THE VERY SAME SOURCE THAT SHOWS THESTARK REALITY …

17. Iron Deficiency Anaemia among Children (age 6-35 months) by State (1998-99) (States better than Indian average) … 74.3% Source : NFHS- 2, India 1998-99 Indira Chakravarty : 23 - 24 Jaunary, 2006

18. Iron Deficiency Anaemia among Children (age 6-35 months) by State (1998-99) (States worse than Indian average)‏ 74.3% Source : NFHS- 2, India 1998-99 Indira Chakravarty : 23 - 24 Jaunary, 2006

19. THE GREEN REVOLUTION AND THE NEW ECONOMIC POLICY, 1991 AVERAGE DAILY NET FOOD AVAILABILITY (GRAMS PER CAPITA PER DAY) 1955-582005-08 FOODGRAIN 440 436 PULSES 70 35 THE “GREEN REVOLUTION” WAS ONLY A QUALIFIED SUCCESS, AND NEP-1991 IS AN ON-GOING DISASTER

20. POVERTY FIGURES WERE MANIPULATED TO ATTRACT FOREIGNDIRECTINVESTMENT AND TO MAKE “THE ECONOMY” GROW FASTER BUT WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE ?

21. FOOD SECURITY MODERN HI-TECH SOLUTIONS INSTEAD OF SAFE STORAGE AND JUST AND EQUITABLE FOOD DISTRIBUTION • SMART CARDS • FOOD STAMPS • CASH TRANSFERS • UID NUMBERS** **Rs.50,000 CRORES SCHEME

22. SO WHO BENEFITS FROM, AND IS CONTENTED WITH, THE CURRENT DEVELOPMENT? SURELY NOT 70% OF INDIA’s POPULATION WHICH LIVES ON LESS THAN Rs.20 PER DAY !

23. IN INDIA’s 1.2 BILLION POPULATION INDIA’s 49 DOLLAR BILLIONAIRES TOGETHER OWN $191 BILLION (25% OF INDIA’s GDP) … AND INCREASINGLY THEY INFLUENCE AND “RUN” GOVERNMENTS. INDIA ALSO HAS 100,000 DOLLAR MILLIONAIRES, 70% OF MPs ARE (DECLARED) CROREPATIs.

24. CAUSES OF SOCIAL UNREST HUNGER or FEAR OF HUNGER HUNGER AMONG FOOD PRODUCERS FARMERS’ FAILURES & SUICIDES FOOD WASTED OR STOLEN (CORRUPTION) EMPHASIS ON URBAN-INDUSTRIAL SECTOR AT COST OF RURAL-AGRICULTURAL SECTOR DISPLACEMENT – LAND, WATER & FOREST

25. LAND, WATER & FOREST • LIBERALIZATION OF THE ECONOMY – LARGE-SCALE INVESTMENT BY MNCs NECESSARY FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH & NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT • LAND NEEDED FOR EXTRACTIVE & PRODUCTIVE INDUSTRIES, ESPECIALLY IN CENTRAL INDIAN STATES – ORISSA, CHHATTISGARH, JHARKHAND, MP • MoUs SIGNED BETWEEN GOVERNMENTS & MNCs MUST BE HONOURED – LAND MUST BE ACQUIRED • OBSTRUCTION TO LAND ACQUISITION IS “ANTI-DEVLP” AND “ANTI-NATIONAL” • WIDESPREAD PROTESTS AGAINST DISPOSSESSION, DISPLACEMENT … AND DESTITUTION ADIVASI PEOPLE’S SLOGAN IN MAHARASHTRA: Jal, jangal, zameen konyachi? Aamichi! Aamichi!

26. DISPLACEMENT EFFECTS DISPLACEMENT MAKES THE POOR BUT INDEPENDENT INTO DESTITUTE, DEPENDENT, DISCONTENTS … AND SOME BECOME MILITANT OF 60 MILLION DISPLACED SINCE INDEPENDENCE, 40% ARE ADIVASI INDEPENDENT INDIA’s DISPLACEMENT RECORD IS WORSE THAN TWO CENTURIES OF EUROPEAN SLAVE TRADING

27. BIG MONEY RULES & RUNS INDIA INDUSTRIALIZATION AS IDEOLOGY PLANNING FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH THROUGH INDUSTRIALIZATION HAS SERIOUS ILL EFFECTS ON POOR PEOPLE and THE ENVIRONMENT

28. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO IMAGINE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE FORCIBLY DISPLACED WILL EVER TRUST THE STATE (EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATIVE & JUDICIARY) OR REGARD IT WITH FAVOUR IS THIS THE RIGHT WAY TO GO, WHERE EVERYONE LOSES EXCEPT THE BIG CORPORATIONS AND CORRUPT OFFICIALS ?

29. PART 2 CONFLICT AND ITS DYNAMICS

30. PROTEST ARISES WHEN THERE IS ACTUAL OR PERCEIVED DENIAL OR RESTRICTION OF SOME RIGHT, OR LOSS OR INFRINGEMENT OF SOME FREEDOM

31. THE PRIMARY FUNCTION OF GOVERNMENT IS TO DELIVER BASIC CIVIC SERVICES AND SECURITY TO PEOPLE, ENSURE THEIR BASIC RIGHTS AND ENHANCE THEIR FREEDOMS

32. GOVERNMENT’S PRIMARY TASK IS ADMITTEDLY NOT AN EASY ONE, BUT … WHEN GOVERNMENT FAILS IN ITS PRIMARY FUNCTION, PROTEST INVARIABLY FOLLOWS

33. FORMS OF PROTEST • PERSUASION • NON-COOPERATION • NON-VIOLENT INTERVENTIONS • ACTIONS • MILITANCY

34. GOVERNMENT AS BULLY PEOPLE WHO DEMAND THEIR RIGHTS OR PROTEST GOVERNMENT’S PLANS ARE USUALLY IGNORED AT FIRST. LATER, WHEN THE PROTESTS BECOME EFFECTIVE, POLICE FORCE IS USED EVEN AGAINST PEACEFUL PROTESTORS. PEOPLE IN AUTHORITY IN GOVERNMENT PLAN AND EXECUTE PROJECTS FOR THE “PUBLIC GOOD”, BUT TREAT POOR AND UNEMPOWERED PEOPLE CALLOUSLY & WITHOUT COMPASSION.

35. GOVERNMENT AS BULLY OFTEN, GOVERNMENT WILL PARLEY OR NEGOTIATE WITH MILITANT OBJECTORS BUT RARELY WITH PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATORS – IN THE LAND OF GANDHI, PEACEFUL MOVEMENTS ARE IGNORED; INTERPRETED AS ORIGINATING IN WEAKNESS OF CAUSE OR OF PURPOSE. THUS, INSTANCES OF VIOLENCE GROW. TODAY, THERE IS REDUCING INCENTIVE TO USE DEMOCRATIC AND PEACEFUL MEANS OF DISSENT OR PROTEST

36. MOST POLITICAL PARTIES CALL PUBLIC MEETINGS BY “RENTING-A-CROWD” OF MANY THOUSANDS & USE THE VIOLENCE OF HIRED MUSCLE-POWER USING BLACK MONEY BUT …..

37. A NEW TREND ? THE VERY RECENT MOVEMENT LED BY Sri ANNA HAZARE FOR AN EFFECTIVE LOKPAL BILL WAS JOINED BY MILLIONS IN TOWNS, CITIES & METROS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND WAS ENTIRELY NON-VIOLENT. THE UNION GOVERNMENT WAS FORCED TO AGREE TO TERMS SET BY “TEAM ANNA” BECAUSE OF THE HUGE PUBLIC SUPPORT THAT HE COMMANDED. THIS HAS BEEN A LANDMARK DISPLAY OF PEOPLE-POWER OVER A DICTATORIAL GOVERNMENT.

38. A FEW PROTEST HOTSPOTS 4,000 DAMS, NARMADA VALLEY TEHRI DAM, UTTARAKHAND DAMODAR VALLEY PROJECT TATA, KALINGANAGAR, ORISSA MINING, KASHIPUR, ORISSA MINING, NIYAMGIRI, A.P POWER PLANTS, SRIKAKULAM, A.P JADUGODA, JHARKHAND COCACOLA - KERALA, RAJ, BIHAR DALIT ISSUE, KHAIRLANJI, MAH POSCO, GOVINDPUR, ORISSA POWER PLANT, DADRI, U.P SINGUR, WEST BENGAL SEZ, NANDIGRAM, WEST BENGAL BHOPAL, MADHYA PRADESH THE SMALL PRINT IN “SOMEBODY HAS TO PAY FOR PROGRESS” IS SO LONG AS IT IS SOMEONE ELSE

39. DEMOCRACY IS PUSHED TO THE BACK SEAT WHEN VESTED INTERESTS (CORPORATIONS, NBFCs & IFIs) INFLUENCE GOVERNMENTS THIS INITIATES & ENCOURAGES VOCAL, UNARMED AND ARMED MILITANT PROTEST

40. TERRORISM THE NEW DIMENSION • INSURGENT / MILITANT TACTICS – ATTACK POLICE/MILITARY; PEOPLE ARE NOT TARGETS, BUT COLLATERAL DAMAGE TAKES PLACE • TERRORIST TACTICS – CREATE FEAR (TERROR) AMONG PEOPLE BY DELIBERATE or RANDOM, UNPREDICTABLE HITS AT CIVILIAN (SOFT) TARGETS; “TIE UP” STATE RESOURCES, CAUSE POLITICO-ECONOMIC CRISES

41. TERRORISM IS UNACCEPTABLE “Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, committed by whomever, wherever and for whatever purposes, is unacceptable and can never be justified”. “All States, large or small, strong or weak, in every region, are vulnerable to terrorism and its consequences”. UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan May 2, 2006

42. THOUGH ALL ARMED MILITANTS ARE NOT TERRORISTS, ALL TERRORISTS ARE ARMED & MILITANT IN ANY CASE, ALL VIOLENCE IS CONDEMNABLE

43. CONDEMNING VIOLENCE VIOLENCE BY MILITANT ELEMENTS IS CONDEMNABLE; BUT SO IS ECONOMIC OR PHYSICAL VIOLENCE BY THE STATE VIOLENCE BY EITHER SIDE ISNOT IN THE NATIONAL INTEREST

44. USE OF STATE FORCE ROLE OF POLICE & MILITARY THE ROLE OF THE STATE POLICE, CENTRAL POLICE FORCES AND THE MILITARY IN CONTROLLING MILITANCY IS DEFINED BY GOVERNMENTS THE USE OF STATE FORCE CAN & OFTEN DOES HAVE AN IMMEDIATE OR SHORT-TERM EFFECT, BUT EXPERIENCE SHOWS THAT IN THE LONG RUN, IT IS FUTILE AND WASTEFUL OF RESOURCES, WEARS DOWN DEMOCRATIC NORMS, AND CREATES A VIOLENT SOCIETY

45. ANTI-MILITANCY OPERATIONS CONTINUOUSLY SERVE POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY, AND GOVERNMENTS MISUSE POLICE OR MILITARY AS POLITICAL TOOLS

46. PART 3 THE THREAT OF PEACE or WHO BENEFITS FROM CONFLICT?

47. CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS • EQUALITY • FREEDOM AGAINST EXPLOITATION • FREEDOM OF RELIGION • CULTURAL & EDUCATIONAL FREEDOM • CONSTITUTIONAL REMEDIES

48. OTHER FREEDOMS FREEDOM FROM HATE, FREEDOM FROM FEAR, FREEDOM FROM REPRESSION, FREEDOM FROM POVERTY, FREEDOM FROM ILLITERACY, FREEDOM FROM FORCED PROGRESS, FREEDOM TO BE FREE, FREEDOM TO CO-EXIST, FREEDOM TO CONTROL ONE’S OWN LIFE FOR MOST PEOPLE THESE ARE ONLY DREAMS

49. SHARING POWER THOSE WHO DON’T ENJOY ESSENTIAL RIGHTS, WANT THEM; AND THOSE WHO ALREADY HAVE THEM, WANT TO EXPAND THEM PROBLEMS ARISE WHEN THOSE WHO ALREADY HAVE THEM & WANT TO EXPAND THEM, DO SO BY CURTAILING THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS WHO ALREADY HAVE LESS THE ISSUE OF SHARING POWER IS AT THE CORE OF DEMOCRATIC FUNCTIONING, BUT …

50. THE MODERN BUSINESS CORPORATION WAS CREATED IN USA, WHEN THE U.S. SUPREME COURT GAVE THE STATUS OF LEGAL PERSON TO CORPORATIONS IN 1886 THE STATUS OF “LEGAL PERSON” IS ALSO GRANTED IN INDIA TO BUSINESS CORPORATIONS, AND …