The United States must be held accountable for its ‘war on terror’ crimes
On January 16, the European Court of Human Rights issued an important ruling in the context of accountability for abuses perpetrated during the United States-led “war on terror”. In the case of Mustafa al-Hawsawi v Lithuania, the court found that the latter violated the European Convention on Human Rights due to its complicity in the CIA’s secret detention programme and its mistreatment of al-Hawsawi, a Saudi national. Lithuania was ordered to pay compensation to the victim worth $108,660 for the time he was at “Detention Site Violet”, a CIA black site it hosted. Al-Hawsawi is currently detained at the Guantánamo Bay detention centre, alongside 29 other Muslim men. This judgment is the latest in a series of court rulings holding European countries accountable for their involvement in post-9/11 abuses. The European Court previously ruled against Poland, Romania, Italy and Macedonia. Other European institutions, including the European Parliament and the Council of Europe, as well as individual European countries, have also taken measures for accountability, although they have not always been ideal. The UK paid over $28.8m to Iraqi victims for documented war crimes and abuses during its involvement in the US-led invasion of Iraq. Additionally, compensation was provided to British citizens detained in Guantánamo and to two Libyan families who were kidnapped and tortured with the help of British intelligence. However, the UK abandoned an independent inquiry into post-9/11 extraordinary rendition and torture by its forces and closed an investigation into alleged crimes in Iraq. Italy convicted in absentia 23 Americans, including CIA agents and an air force colonel, for kidnapping Hassan Nasr, an Egyptian imam based in Milan and handing him over to Egypt, where he was tortured. An Italian court also sentenced the former military intelligence chief and his former deputy to 10 and nine in jail respectively for their involvement in the case. Sweden compensated Mohammed Alzery and Ahmed Agiza, who were forcibly deported to Egypt at the request of the CIA and tortured. Prosecutors also opened investigations in France, Portugal and Spain over the CIA’s use of their airports for renditions, although they did not result in formal charges. There remains an ongoing criminal investigation into CIA activities in Poland. Canada, too, apologised and paid $8.1m to Omar Khadr, a Canadian national, over its role in his imprisonment in Guantánamo; it also compensated Maher Arar, another Canadian national, with the same amount over its role in the US government’s decision to deport him to Syria, where he was detained for a year and tortured. While these court cases and settlements highlight efforts to bring to justice European and other countries complicit in the abuses perpetrated during the “war on terror”, they underscore the persistent lack of accountability for the US, its chief architect and leader. As a state party to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the US is obligated to provide redress to survivors of torture carried out by its government forces. But legal barriers have often prevented survivors from pursuing justice in US courts. By invoking the state secrets privilege, for example – most recently used in the United States v Zubaydah case – the government can withhold information it deems sensitive to national security. In the lawsuit filed by Abu Zubaydah, a Saudi-born Palestinian man currently held in Guantanamo, the defence sought evidence about his torture that the government argued would harm national security; the Supreme Court ruled in the government’s favour. Similarly, historically, court dismissals, have been the result of the US government citing immunity – which has protected its forces as well as private contractors. The US has also bypassed global and regional instruments of justice. It has warned of reprisals against the International Criminal Court if it launches an investigation into US crimes in Afghanistan. Additionally, it maintains that the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man is not binding, rendering decisions and recommendations from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) nonbinding. In 2020, the IACHR found the US responsible for the torture, abuse and indefinite detention of Djamel Ameziane, a former Guantanamo detainee, and recommended the US compensate him, which the US government has not done so far. There have been only minimal steps towards accountability within the US judicial system. An investigation into abuse at Abu Ghraib prison resulted in the court martial of 11 low-level soldiers. An Obama-era investigation into 101 CIA interrogations that used “enhanced interrogation techniques” found only two merited further inquiries. In 2012, the investigation was closed without further action. According to Human Rights Watch, out of 506 claims made as of 2007 under the Foreign Claims Act, which allows foreign nationals to seek compensation, there is a record of only one being paid – $1,000 for unlawful detention in Iraq. Settlements were reached in two lawsuits against private military contractors. In 2013, a defence contractor paid $5.28m to 71 former detainees held in Abu Ghraib and other black sites. In 2017, a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of three torture victims reached a confidential settlement with psychologists James Mitchell and Bruce Jessen, who were paid over $80m by the US government to create the torture programme. And despite 18 dismissal attempts, a lawsuit launched by four Iraqi torture victims against government contractor CACI International for torture at Abu Ghraib is heading to trial. These lawsuits and investigations have fallen short of adequately addressing the scale and severity of the harm inflicted on victims during the “war on terror”. Lack of redress further compounds the suffering of those who have endured physical and psychological trauma. To date, no senior government or military official has been held responsible for post-9/11 policies and actions. The US remains unwilling to face accountability for acts of torture, as it continues to detain 30 men in Guantánamo in conditions that amount to ongoing cruel treatment. It is long past due for a reckoning. The US is not above international law and must not
EU launches Red Sea naval mission to protect shipping from Houthi attacks
The operation will send European warships and early warning systems to the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and surrounding waters. The European Union has launched a naval mission to protect cargo ships in the Red Sea from attacks from Yemen’s Houthi rebels. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the decision to deploy Naval Force Operation Aspides on Monday on X, saying, “Europe will ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, working alongside our international partners.” “Beyond crisis response, it’s a step towards a stronger European presence at sea to protect our European interests.” I welcome today’s decision to launch the EU Naval Force Operation Aspides. Europe will ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, working alongside our international partners. Beyond crisis response, it’s a step towards a stronger European presence at sea to protect our… — Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) February 19, 2024 The naval mission will send European warships and airborne early warning systems to the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and surrounding waters. Italian Foreign Affairs Minister Antonio Tajani confirmed the launch during a meeting of foreign ministers in Brussels, Belgium, calling it “an important step towards common European defence”. So far, France, Germany, Italy and Belgium have said they plan to contribute ships. Aspides vessels, whose operational command centre will be in the Greek city of Larissa, will have orders to fire on the Houthis only if they attack first and will not be authorised to shoot pre-emptively, an EU official told the German Press Agency dpa. (Al Jazeera) Since November, the Houthis have been attacking commercial and military shipping in the busy Red Sea, across which 12 percent of global trade travels. The group initially said it was targeting Israel-linked ships in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which has been under a Israeli assault since October. The group later said it was expanding its targets to include vessels linked to the United States and the United Kingdom after Washington and London carried out air strikes on Houthi sites in Yemen in response to the attacks on shipping. On Friday, an EU official said the country most harmed by the Houthi attacks was not Israel but Egypt, where declining traffic has caused a 40 percent loss of revenue for the Suez Canal Authority. EU Economy Commissioner Paolo Gentilloni told reporters on Thursday: “As shipping through the Red Sea has been rerouted, delivery times for shipments between Asia and the EU have increased by 10 to 15 days, and the costs of these shipments have gone up by around 400 percent.” Earlier on Monday, the Houthis claimed an attack on the Rubymar cargo ship, a Belize-flagged, British-registered and Lebanese-operated cargo ship, in the Red Sea and said it was at risk of sinking. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said the crew were safe despite the attack. “The ship was seriously hit which caused it to stop completely. As a result of the extensive damage the ship suffered, it is now at risk of sinking in the Gulf of Aden,” Sarea said. He said the group had also shot down a US drone in the port city of Hodeidah. Adblock test (Why?)
X faces restrictions in Pakistan amid protests over alleged vote rigging
Islamabad, Pakistan: Social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, continues to remain inaccessible to users in Pakistan after internet watchdog groups started to report outages on Saturday. NetBlocks, an organisation that monitors accessibility issues on the internet, On February 17 confirmed that a “national-scale disruption” has hit X in Pakistan in the aftermath of widespread protests in the country triggered by the alleged vote rigging in general elections. ⚠️ Confirmed: Live metrics show a new national-scale disruption to X/Twitter in #Pakistan amid escalating unrest and protests over allegations of election fraud, following a high-level resignation and public admission of vote manipulation by a senior election official pic.twitter.com/6YT73lG7SM — NetBlocks (@netblocks) February 17, 2024 Government officials, however, have refused to acknowledge any such restriction. Gohar Ejaz, caretaker minister for interior, told Al Jazeera that he was not aware of any such restrictions. “No knowledge. it doesn’t come under interior [ministry],” he told Al Jazeera via a WhatsApp message. Murtaza Solangi, caretaker minister for information, also failed to respond to the questions regarding the inaccessibility. Officials at the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the state regulatory body, did not respond to multiple questions on the closure but indicated that the PTA is only a regulatory body which enforces orders issued by the government. While a large segment of users unable to access their X accounts since Saturday, the caretaker minister for information technology, Umar Saif, was able to post a message on his account on Monday afternoon. He did not respond to questions from Al Jazeera regarding the closure of the social media platform. Repeated internet outages Pakistan has repeatedly seen internet accessibility issues in the last few weeks, often coinciding with virtual events organised by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. In at least three instances in January, different social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and X have faced restrictions. Pakistani authorities shut down mobile services on the day of the general elections on February 8, citing security concerns. NetBlocks also reported the inability of users to access X on February 10 while the country was awaiting election results which took an inordinate delay, leading to doubts over their authenticity, particularly from the PTI. ⚠️ Confirmed: Live metrics show a nation-scale disruption to X/Twitter across #Pakistan; the incident comes amid political turmoil after a controversial election held under an internet and mobile network blackout 📉 pic.twitter.com/1sZpkbWN6L — NetBlocks (@netblocks) February 10, 2024 As final results eventually came out by February 11, PTI-backed candidates secured 93 seats, followed by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) at 75 and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) at 54 seats. However, PTI has alleged that it was robbed of a “clear mandate” and held protests across the country along with smaller parties. The latest restriction on X was reported on Saturday when a senior government official “confessed” his involvement in the alleged manipulation of Pakistan’s elections. Videos of the official, Liaquat Ali Chattha, circulated on social media platforms, including X, where he was seen speaking about his involvement in electoral fraud, while also implicating the country’s top judge, as well as the chief of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The chief justice of the Supreme Court, Qazi Faez Isa, denied the charges and demanded proof of allegations, whereas the ECP, while issuing a denial, said it would hold an inquiry. Farieha Aziz, co-founder of Bolo Bhi, a digital rights advocacy group, said the repeated restrictions on the internet and platforms like X result in depicting Pakistan as an “unstable political environment and uncertain digital market”. “The impunity with which access is cut off shows rule of law simply does not exist. Pakistan and its citizens will continue to be held hostage to whims and ad hoc decision-making that serve the narrow political aims of a few,” she told Al Jazeera. Aziz also questioned the blame game about the restriction, saying the responsibility lies with the PTA. “All legal responsibility rests squarely on the PTA,” she added. According to Bytes for All, an internet rights group in Pakistan, at least 15 internet shutdowns were recorded in the country in 2023. “Major shutdown includes a weeklong blackout amid violent protests [that] broke out after former Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested in May. It is said to be the longest shutdown in the history of Pakistan,” Shahzad Ahmad, country director for the group, told Al Jazeera. Many users, who were able to access X using a virtual private network (VPN), a mechanism to access the internet despite restrictions, complained about the government’s decision. “Tesla is landing in India soon, Over 4,500 IT firms [are] thriving in Bangladesh. Sri Lankan IT industry has approximately $1.2 billion contribution to economy. While in Pakistan we are still using VPN [because] Govt blocks social media. How long Pakistan will suffer like this?” a user posted on X. A similar sentiment was expressed by senior PTI leader Ali Muhammad Khan, who called the blocking “wrong”. “Access to information and freedom of speech are constitutional rights. [The] government needs to explain its position on this and must stop blatant violations of constitutional rights of its citizens and political workers,” he posted on X on Sunday morning. Blocking of X (former Twitter) is Wrong ! Access to information and Freedom of speech are constitutional rights. Government needs to explain its position on this and must stop blatant violations of constitutional rights of its citizens and political workers. — Ali Muhammad Khan (@Ali_MuhammadPTI) February 18, 2024 Bolo Bhi’s Aziz said more than sheer numbers, it is the influence of X that makes it such a target. “Locally and globally, you have heads of state, governments, political parties, think tanks, international and national media, all on Twitter. That’s where its importance and relevance lie politically,” she said. “This is the battleground right now for candidates and parties to get their voice out globally on the irregularities, and it has clearly gotten attention too. And this is what’s being limited.” Adblock
ICJ occupation hearing: ‘Ruling could change world for Palestinians’
NewsFeed A legal representative for Palestine at the ICJ hearing on Israel’s occupation says that the UN’s top court cannot remain silent and that their words could ‘change the world’. Published On 19 Feb 202419 Feb 2024 Adblock test (Why?)
Niger defaults on debt payments again as post-coup woes pile
The West African state’s total debt default since last July’s coup is now $519m. Niger missed a debt payment of 13.4 billion CFA francs ($22m) last week, the West African debt management agency said on Monday, bringing the total default to some $519m since a July coup and its suspension from regional financial markets. The West African monetary union debt management agency UMOA-Titres said in a statement that Niger had failed to make a repayment of principal which was due on February 16. It previously missed payments in August, November, January and February. UMOA-Titres noted that this occurred in the context of Niger being subject to sanctions imposed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the West African Economic and Monetary Union, also known by its French acronym UEMOA. “This situation is carefully monitored by UMOA-Titres in collaboration with the institutions concerned,” the agency said in a statement on Monday. The sanctions were imposed after the July 30 coup by members of the Nigerien presidential guard, that overthrew President Mohamed Bazoum. Other countries, including the United States, that had provided aid for health, security and infrastructure needs, also suspended their support. Until the coup, aid accounted for almost half of Niger’s annual budget. Niger’s neighbours also closed their borders to the country, and more than 70 percent of its electricity, supplied by Nigeria, was cut off. Financial transactions with West African countries were suspended. Niger’s assets in external banks were frozen, and hundreds of millions of dollars in aid were withheld. In July, a planned 30 billion CFA franc ($51m) bond issuance by Niger was cancelled by the Central Bank of West African States (BCEAO). The sanctions were the most stringent yet imposed by the regional bloc to stem the tide of coups in the Sahel. But they have had little or no effect on the ambition of the government, which has consolidated its hold on power while millions in Niger face growing hardship. Last month, the country announced, along with neighbours Mali and Burkina Faso, that it was leaving ECOWAS with immediate effect. The three states formed the Association of Sahel States (ASS) in September and are reportedly considering discontinuing the use of the CFA, the currency of the UEMOA. Adblock test (Why?)
Ukraine: Escaping the Darkness
In war-torn Ukraine, a family weighs the dangers of leaving their makeshift bunker for the promise of freedom outside. In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a young family endures life in Mykolaiv’s subterranean haven, “The Garages”. As the front line shifts, volunteer soldier Yuri is determined to keep his family safe underground even when their neighbours return to life outside. But his wife, Svetlana, is craving a normal home, and their teenage daughters are growing restless in isolation. When a chance for a new life emerges in the countryside, the family must reach an agreement, balancing their dreams and fears. Ukraine: Escaping the Darkness is a film by Clement Gargoullaud. Adblock test (Why?)
Ukraine accuses Russia of killing unarmed prisoners after fall of Avdiivka
Security Service of Ukraine announces probe after footage of alleged executions circulates on Telegram messaging app. Ukraine has launched an investigation into allegations that Russian forces executed eight unarmed Ukrainian soldiers after they took control of the city of Avdiivka. The Security Service of Ukraine, under the guidance of the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office, opened a pre-trial investigation into the alleged killing of unarmed prisoners of war in Avdiivka and the village of Vesele, state-run media outlet Ukrinform said on Monday. “Under the procedural supervision of the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor’s Office, a pre-trial investigation has been initiated into the violation of the laws and customs of war combined with premeditated murder (Part 2 of Article 438 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine),” Ukrinform quoted the security agency as saying in a statement. Ukrinform said evidence of the killings was shared on the Telegram messaging app, including footage showing a Russian soldier shooting two captured Ukrainian soldiers at close range. Moscow has not publicly responded to the claims. Ukraine has repeatedly accused Russia of unlawful killings and other war crimes since Moscow launched a full-scale invasion of its neighbour in February 2022. Russia has also accused Ukraine of committing violations of international law. Russia on Saturday announced that it had taken full control of Avdiivka after the withdrawal of Ukrainian forces in the biggest gain for Moscow since the fall of Bakhmut last May. Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the capture of the city as “an important victory” in the nearly two-year-long war. Ukraine’s military said on Sunday that Russian forces launched multiple attacks to the west of Avdiivka to build on their territorial gains, including unsuccessful assaults on the village of Lastochkyne. “The enemy is trying to actively develop its offensive,” Ukrainian military spokesman Dmytro Lykhoviy said on state TV. Ukrainian forces’ retreat from Avdiivka came after they were forced to ration ammunition due to dwindling supplies, which the administration of United States President Joe Biden has blamed on Congress’s failure to swiftly approve a package of military aid for Kyiv. Adblock test (Why?)
What’s the ICJ case against Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine?
The International Court of Justice will begin hearings on Monday in a case against Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories, barely a month after it issued a series of directions to Tel Aviv in a separate case where it is accused of genocidal acts in the Gaza Strip. In a first-of-its-kind case, at least 52 countries will present arguments on controversial Israeli policies in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and occupied East Jerusalem. It’s the largest number of parties to participate in any single ICJ case since the court was established in 1945. Israeli authorities, since 1967, have illegally occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem – part of Palestine under the United Nations-determined division of historic Palestine in 1948 – running a system that restricts the citizenship rights of Palestinians, hampers their free movement and strips them of ancestral lands. Between 1967 and 2005, Israel also directly occupied Gaza, and since 2007, has imposed a land, sea and air blockade on the coastal enclave. It decides what food, water, medicines, fuel, construction material and other commodities can go into Gaza, and stops their flow when it wants. Even as the war on Gaza is now in its fifth month, Palestinians in the West Bank have come under increased attacks from Israeli forces, with hundreds of people killed. In a statement last week, the ICJ said oral arguments in the case would last for about a week, during which all countries, as well as three international organisations, are expected to state why they support or oppose Israel’s measures. Tel Aviv has declined to present, choosing to submit a written argument instead. A court ruling is likely in several months. Israeli forces prevent Palestinians from reaching the Al-Aqsa Mosque [Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images] Here’s all you need to know about the case: Who brought the case against Israel? The case was triggered by a request from the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on December 30, 2022, when a majority of members voted to seek the court’s opinion on the legal consequences of the continuing Israeli occupation of Palestine. Arab countries, Russia and China voted in favour of the move, while Israel, the US, Germany and 24 others voted against it. During the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, which were formerly under Jordanian control, and with an Arab-majority population. Most countries and the UN still view occupied East Jerusalem as the capital of a future Palestinian state, and regard Israel’s occupation as illegal under international law. In a long missive to the ICJ, signed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the UNGA asked judges to answer questions about how the rights of Palestinans are being affected by the occupation and continuing attempts to displace them, as well as what the responsibilities of the UN and its member states were in the face of those violations. “What are the legal consequences … from the ongoing violation by Israel of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, from its prolonged occupation, settlement and annexation … aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, and from its adoption of related discriminatory legislation and measures?” the UNGA missive asked. The UNGA asked the court to answer those questions using a combination of international humanitarian laws, as well as the Charter of the United Nations and various UN resolutions. According to Human Rights Watch, Israel’s policies in the occupied territories amount to apartheid and persecution, both crimes against humanity. The Hague-based court hears and adjudicates on matters between states, and it’s the second time it will weigh in on Israel’s illegal occupation. In 2004, the ICJ ruled that Israel’s ‘barrier wall’ in the West Bank that separates many Palestinian families, is illegal and should be dismantled. However, Israel rejected the ruling, and has since extended the wall. What countries will participate? The oral hearings will last from Monday, February 19, until Monday, February 26. A total of 52 countries – about 10 a day – will present their arguments to ICJ judges through the week. A majority of them originally voted in favour of the UN decision to approach the ICJ. A few, like Canada, voted against, while Switzerland abstained from the vote. Legal teams representing the State of Palestine will kickstart the hearings on Monday. On Tuesday, South African and Canadian teams will be among the speakers. The US, China and Russia will take the floor between Wednesday and Thursday, while the Maldives will wrap up the final presentation. Three multilateral organisations will also make their cases in the proceedings: the League of Arab States, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the African Union. Israeli forces prevent Palestinians from gathering at Lions’ Gate (Bab al-Asbat) [Mostafa Alkharouf/Anadolu via Getty Images] So this is different from South Africa’s ICJ case against Israel? It is. This case is separate from another ICJ case by South Africa on December 29 that alleges that Israel is committing the crime of genocide in Gaza in its continuing war on the Strip. In a preliminary ruling in that case, the court ordered Israel to prevent and punish incitement to genocide, and to provide needed humanitarian aid by February 26. The case whose hearings start on Monday, is not linked directly to the current war that Israel is waging on Gaza, though it pertains to many of the concerns of international law violation that bind Tel Aviv’s approach to all Palestinian territories. What might the court’s ruling be? The ICJ is composed of 15 judges from different parts of the world, elected by the UNGA for nine-year terms. Justice Nawaf Salam of Lebanon currently leads as president. Judges will listen to the extensive presentations and publish a written opinion afterwards. It is unclear when the opinion will be released, but the ICJ’s processes are painstaking and usually take time. Some law experts say the opinion might surface before the end of the year. It’s hard to predict what
How RSS textbooks are reshaping Indian history and science under Modi
Kolkata, India – At the three-storey building of Sarada Shishu Vidya Mandir, a school for grades five to 10 in Uluberia town in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal, students gather every day at the prayer hall 15 minutes before their classes begin. The walls in the prayer hall are bedecked with colourful posters of Hindu deities, saints, mythological figures, ancient Indian scholars, kings and Hindu religious practices. The prayer starts with the Saraswati Vandana, a chant praising Saraswati, the Hindu goddess of knowledge. The same routine is followed at Sarada Shishu Mandir, the preprimary school for children to grade four which stands next to it. Sarada Shishu Vidya Mandir, an RSS-run school in Howrah, West Bengal [Snigdhendu Bhattacharya/Al Jazeera] When students enter the classrooms after the prayers, they encounter the same ancient figures yet again – in a series of books called Sanskriti Bodhmala, or cultural awareness manuals, published in English, Hindi and several other Indian languages. The Sanskriti Bodhmala books are mandatory for the students of classes four to 12, who also have to take a nationally coordinated annual test based on these books. For more than two centuries, millions of Indians, especially Hindus, have long read about the ideas and philosophies attributed to ancient scholars from what is known as the Vedic era (1500 BC to 500 BC), when many of the religion’s scriptures were written. But under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, many of these concepts have made their way into India’s vast formal schooling system, blurring the lines between religious Hindu beliefs on the one hand and established history and science on the other. In a country where half the population is younger than 25, this, say critics, has given Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and their Hindu majoritarian partners the ability to use pedagogy to influence the minds of millions of young Indians – many of whom will be voting for the first time in national elections expected to be held between March and May. Atoms to aviation Vedic-era philosopher Kanada was the world’s first atomic scientist, say the books meant for the students of classes four and six. Kanada, in his book Vaisheshika Darshan, did write about anu (atoms) being the smallest particles of substances that cannot be further divided. But the substances he listed – prithvi (earth), jala (water), tejas (fire), vayu (air), akasha (ether), kala (time), dik (space), atma (soul) and manas (mind) — make it clear, say scientists, that he was speaking in philosophical or metaphysical terms. The class five textbook tells them that Vedic sage Bharadwaja, who is credited with writing the book Vymaanika Shastra (Science of Aeronautics), was the “father of aviation”. The class five and class 12 books call ancient Indian physician Sushruta “the inventor of plastic surgery”. The Sanskriti Bodhmala books are not approved by the government. But they have been taught in addition to the state-approved syllabus for decades in a large chain of schools run by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the far-right ideological mentor of the BJP. The schools are formally operated by Vidya Bharati, the education wing of the RSS, which controls more than 12,000 such schools catering to nearly 32 million students across India. The schools are affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) or the government education boards of the states they are located in. A poster on a school wall depicts RSS founder KB Hedgewar and his successor MS Golwalkar as ‘great men who birthed a new awakening in the Hindu society’ [Snigdhendu Bhattacharya/Al Jazeera] In recent years, unsubstantiated historical and scientific claims – being taught in Vidya Bharati schools – have made their way into the formal syllabus of state-run schools. The claims of Kanada’s atomic theory and Sushruta’s plastic surgery are already a part of the curriculum of the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) – an education board controlled by the federal government. The NIOS describes itself as “the largest open schooling system in the world with a cumulative enrolment of 4.13 million [during last five years]” students. The NIOS curriculum also encourages students to find out about Vedic mathematics – another subject taught specifically at RSS schools. The National Council of Educational Research and Training’s (NCERT) new module on India’s moon mission says the book Vymaanika Shaastra “seemingly reveals that our civilisation had the knowledge of flying vehicles”. The NCERT is the apex body advising the federal and state governments on school education, including model textbooks. However, various state education boards may differ from NCERT’s advice and pursue their own syllabus. Among federal government boards, CBSE had 1.2 million students appearing in the grade 12 exams and 1.8 million students appearing in the grade 10 exams in 2020. In Vidya Bharati schools, students must keep shoes outside classrooms [Snigdhendu Bhattacharya/Al Jazeera] In 2019, federal Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal said, “Our scriptures mentioned the concept of gravity much before Newton discovered it.” Sanskriti Bodhmala books say the same, one of its books attributing it to fifth-century mathematician Aryabhatta and another to 12th-century mathematician Bhaskaracharya. “The Sanskriti Bodhmala books have no conflict with the formal syllabus, as the history presented here is entirely missing in the existing formal syllabus, which thoroughly neglects India’s pre-Mughal history. That is where we stress on,” Proloy Adhikary, in charge of Uluberia’s Sarada Vidya Mandir, told Al Jazeera. He said the National Education Policy (NEP) that the Modi government has introduced had been implemented in Vidya Bharati schools for several years now. “The NEP has taken some of our schools’ practices to the broader sphere,” he said, hoping for more information from the Sanskriti Bodhmala books to find their way into the formal national school syllabus. ‘Glorious culture’ Vidya Bharati says its cultural awareness examination for students was introduced in their schools “with a view to transmitting a glorious culture to the new generation”. Debangshu Kumar Pati, a Vidya Bharati official in West Bengal, claimed the contents of their books are well-researched. “We inform students of the history that
Year of the Dragon: China faces critical moment in push to revive economy
China last year narrowly beat its economic growth target of 5 percent, one of its lowest benchmarks in decades. Looking ahead, analysts expect the economy to face stiff headwinds in the Year of the Dragon. Against the backdrop of a crisis-stricken property market, subdued export earnings and crackdowns on private industry, international investors are pulling out of Chinese stocks at record rates. With business sentiment faltering, economists broadly agree that Beijing needs to roll out measures to stimulate greater domestic consumption. But while some analysts are calling for radical measures to jolt China’s economy, expectations are subdued due to Beijing’s long-held aversion to large-scale social spending. Some analysts also see grounds for optimism, looking beyond the current difficulties. China is experiencing its longest deflationary run since the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. Consumer prices fell in January for a fourth straight month and declines look likely to extend into 2024. “China didn’t see the boost most people expected after COVID restrictions were removed in late 2022,” Kevin P Gallagher, the director of the Boston University Global Development Policy Centre, told Al Jazeera. “Authorities are now keenly aware of the threat of falling prices.” Falling prices risk turning into a self-reinforcing cycle if households and businesses postpone purchases in the hope that goods will keep getting cheaper. Deflation also squeezes debtors as the real cost of borrowed money rises. In China, where the debt-to-GDP (gross domestic product) ratio, including local government liabilities, reached 110 percent in 2022, that poses a growing headache for policymakers. In recent months, authorities have ramped up support measures to try and stem falling prices – mortgage rates on home purchases have been lowered and banks have been allowed to hold smaller cash reserves to spur increased lending. China’s real-estate sector accounts for 20-30 percent of GDP [Andy Wong/AP] Much of China’s deflationary woes can be traced back to its beleaguered real-estate sector, which accounts for 20-30 percent of GDP. After the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, local governments encouraged a debt-fuelled construction boom to boost growth. But after decades of rapid urbanisation, housing supply has run ahead of demand. Amid several high-profile developer defaults, including the failure of Evergrande Group, new home sales fell by 10-15 percent in China last year, according to the Fitch Ratings agency. In turn, Chinese households have become cautious about spending money, especially on property, while a weak social safety net encourages families to save for emergencies. In 2022, household consumption accounted for just 38 percent of China’s GDP. By comparison, private spending made up 68 percent of the GDP in the United States that same year. “Households ran down savings during the pandemic,” Sheana Yue, a China economist at Capital Economics, told Al Jazeera. “The real-estate crash undermined consumer confidence even further. China also has an ageing population and, typically, spending declines with age.” The upshot is that gross national savings exceeded 40 percent in 2023, more than double the US level. “Looking ahead, getting people to spend their savings won’t be easy. For decades, economists have encouraged the government to rebalance the economy away from investment in favour of consumption,” Yue said. At 42 percent of GDP, China’s rate of investment dwarfs that of other emerging economies, let alone advanced economies – which average 18-20 percent. In addition to housing stock, Beijing has invested heavily in roads, bridges and train lines. As with housing, however, years of over-investment have resulted in spare capacity. Revenues at China Railway, for instance, regularly fall short of costs. At the end of 2022, the state-backed agency was 6.11 trillion yuan ($886bn) in debt. “We’re seeing the limitations of China’s capital-intensive infrastructure model,” Yue said. “And given that interest rates are already quite low, Beijing will need to start stimulating consumption to generate high and stable growth.” Yue said policymakers should remove incentives to hoard savings by spending more on education, healthcare and pension provisions. Analysts expect the National People’s Congress, China’s rubber-stamp parliament, to again set an annual growth target of about 5 percent when it meets in March. While many economists have exhorted Beijing to stimulate growth through household transfers, Victor Shih, an expert on the Chinese economy at the University of California, San Diego, expects investment-driven growth to continue to hold sway. “Marxist ideology, which valorises industrial production, remains the fundamental basis for policymaking in Beijing,” Shih told Al Jazeera. “In all likelihood, the government will continue to subsidise manufacturing. Consumption, by contrast, is viewed as indulgent.” Shih added: “There are 1.4 billion people in China, so comprehensive social assistance would be extremely expensive, especially in a deflationary context.” Shih said Beijing could raise household consumption by urging companies to pay higher wages but that “China’s manufacturing edge is partly based on subdued worker income”. As such, “higher wages would undermine Chinese exports, which is an important source of output”, he said. “I don’t think the government will shift budgetary priorities in favour of the Chinese people… which will likely result in a period of economic weakness.” Separately, Beijing has other strategic priorities, said Gary Ng, a senior Asia Pacific economist at Natixis in Hong Kong. “President Xi [Jinping] appears less keen on stimulating rapid growth than he is on optimising the economy for security and resilience,” Ng told Al Jazeera. In recent years, Beijing has invested heavily in strategic industries like artificial intelligence and advanced computer chips. By moulding industrial policy on the basis of national security, Beijing has set its sights on reducing its reliance on foreign technology and supporting its long-term geopolitical ambitions. At the same time, Ng said, “Beijing has shown a new willingness to invest in more consumer-facing tech sectors, like renewable energy and electric vehicles.” “Unlike property, these industries have the capacity to create jobs and promote economic self-sufficiency,” he said. Ng also stressed that economic transformation takes time and that “there’s no magic pill for lightning-quick growth”. “Investment in high-tech sectors should, slowly, reform China’s economic base,” he said. “Incidentally, private consumption is already on