International Events Next-

[Zorral]

History can be rewritten and erased in so many ways.

Narendra Modi’s New New Delhi
A multibillion-dollar revamp of India’s capital complex reflects the Prime Minister’s vision for the country’s future—and what he wants to erase from its past.
By Daniel Brook

https://www.newyorker.com/news/dispatch/narendra-modis-new-new-delhi

Quote

 

.... Vigyan Bhawan, like many of the buildings on the Central Vista, weaves together elements from the country’s rich and diverse past. It was slated for demolition. As we drove on, Sircar pointed to an office block that was topped with a chhatri, an Islamic-influenced cupola that resembles a helmeted sentry. (India’s most famous chhatriyan are on the minarets of the Taj Mahal.) This building, too, would be destroyed. To its right, a vast stretch of land was ringed by a tall fence of green corrugated metal, a row of cranes visible above it. Here, several structures had already come down. So would roughly a dozen more, for a mile in each direction—all part of a multibillion-dollar plan hatched by Narendra Modi, India’s strongman Prime Minister, to transform the capital. A. G. Krishna Menon, an architect and conservationist based in New Delhi, told me that Modi and his supporters “want to reinscribe the history of this site because they want to rewrite the history of the country.”

The Central Vista pays physical homage to India’s syncretic civilization, what Mohammad Arif, a historian who has taught at Banaras Hindu University, calls “composite culture.” In the centuries before British rule, India had been a patchwork of empires and fiefdoms; borders often shifted, and customs blended, in life and in architecture. Many artisans, for instance, found themselves working for rulers of a different faith. “Hindu workers would put in Hindu motifs because they thought, These are beautiful, these are auspicious,” Sircar explained. “The Muslim emperor would throw his hands up in despair and say, ‘Just finish it.’ ”

Sircar and I arrived at the Parliament building. Its core structure is circular: a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree colonnade, with a trio of interior lobes housing the two legislative bodies and the parliamentary library, with the space between them preserved as a vast courtyard. At first glance, the building, which was designed by British colonizers in the nineteen-twenties, somewhat resembles the Royal Albert Hall, in London. But Sircar noted local touches. The porte cochère featured a series of plodding, nearly rectangular archways topped with a wide eave, called a chajja. This distinctive ensemble echoed elements of the royal court of the Mughal emperor Akbar, at Fatehpur Sikri. Akbar, a Muslim, attempted to create a new religion that would merge aspects of India’s various faiths. Modi, who leads the Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (B.J.P.), which during the past few decades has pushed a vision of Indian identity tied explicitly to Hinduism, is pointedly less pluralistic. As part of his revamp, a new Parliament building was rising next door. It was slick with kitsch—in the lower house, a massive, polished stone backdrop in “Indian agave green” would sit beneath a ceiling constructed of wooden cutouts meant to evoke the feathers of a peacock, India’s national bird. The theme of the upper house would be the lotus, a native flower—and the official symbol of the ruling B.J.P. Across the Central Vista, references to Islamic elements in India’s past were being expunged. The famous Mughal Gardens, atop Raisina Hill, was renamed Amrit Udyan, roughly “Garden of Immortality,” in Sanskrit.

A few days before we met, Sircar, who, from 2008 to 2012, was the secretary of India’s Ministry of Culture, gave an impassioned speech on the floor of the old Parliament, lambasting what he views as the government’s attempt to rub out New Delhi’s urban fabric—and the tradition of blending that has run through Indian history for millennia. “An aesthetic has been cast upon us,” he said, that will “remain a permanent memory of poor art.” Modi’s authoritarian rule has been marked by far more acute dangers—the weaponization of tax authorities and law enforcement against critics and political opponents, the demonization of India’s Muslim minority, the growing cult of personality around the Prime Minister himself as he usurps responsibilities constitutionally reserved for others. Architecture might seem trivial by comparison. But, to Sircar, the new Parliament is more than just a building; it is part of Modi’s plan to sideline the central institution of democracy and, as much as possible, rule without it.

In Sircar’s speech, he mentioned that the new building would be far larger than the old one. “I see a plan behind this large hall,” he said. On TV, it would look “half empty,” creating a “narrative that Parliament is not required.” (Modi’s Administration contends that it needs space to accommodate more representatives in a fast-growing country, a concern that has, in the past, been raised by M.P.s in other parties, too.) Sircar pointed out to me that “the British House of Commons has barely enough room for about two-thirds of its members.” When it was destroyed by German bombs, in 1941, Winston Churchill specifically asked that it be rebuilt with the same tight quarters. “They just cram next to each other, stand in the aisle, and the very sight gives you a sense of importance,” he said. In his view, Modi’s new design is a clever bid to present a do-nothing legislature to the public. ....

 

 

[AncalagonTheBlack]

Modi operandi: India’s ruling party will be biggest hitter at Cricket World Cup

By Barney Ronay

https://amp.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2023/sep/09/modi-operandi-indias-ruling-party-will-be-biggest-hitter-at-cricket-world-cup

 

Quote

This is an aggressively political event, a six-week campaign rally before April’s election, in a nation where the national team in the national sport is unusually assimilated into the ruling party’s brand machine. The concern is that Modi has overseen an increasingly hard line and violent regime. Amnesty International’s annual report details censorship, state violence, the prosecution of Indian Muslims for acts such as prayer, eating beef and consensually marrying Hindu women.

 

[Fragile Bird]

On 9/9/2023 at 10:02 AM, Tywin et al. said:

Christ, over a thousand dead in Morocco after a massive earthquake. 

Death toll is now over 2,000. Worst earthquake in 120 years.  

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

Massive flooding in Libya. Over 2,000 people are dead and 10,000 people are missing. 

[Zorral]

Who built those two broken Libyan dams?

[dog-days]

Shit, just saw this on the news now. 

[Zorral]

Libyan death toll is now more than 5000.

[Lord of Oop North]

On 9/12/2023 at 12:41 PM, Zorral said:

Who built those two broken Libyan dams?

https://www.france24.com/en/africa/20230913-libya-s-deadly-dam-collapse-was-decades-in-the-making

 

Quote

The two Wadi Derna dams were built between 1973 and 1977 by Yugoslav construction company Hidrotehnika-Hidroenergetika, now based in Serbia, as part of an infrastructure network that would irrigate surrounding fields while supplying Derna and nearby communities with much-needed water.

I think a better question is whether they were maintained at all. 50 years is a long time.

[Zorral]

So, Carthage is destroyed again?

Is it that difficult to keep up a schedule of maintenance under dictators, civil wars and rival governments? [sarcasm]

 

Edited September 14, 2023 by Zorral

[Zorral]

I guess somebody pulled their chain.

Cuban diplomat says island will not stop citizens from fighting for Russia in Ukraine

https://nordot.app/1075152605636330030?c=592622757532812385

Quote

 

In an apparent policy reversal, Cuba’s ambassador to Russia said the Cuban government would not stop its citizens from enlisting in the Russian army to fight in Ukraine, despite earlier statements by the island’s authorities reporting the arrest of 17 people involved in recruiting Cubans for the Russian army and assurances that Cuba was firmly against such activities.

“We have nothing against Cubans who just want to sign a contract and legally take part in this operation with the Russian army,” the Cuban ambassador to Moscow, Julio Antonio Garmendia Peña, told Russian state news agency Ria on Thursday. “But we oppose illegality and these operations that have nothing to do with the legal area.”

Following dramatic testimony in late August by two young Cuban men who said they were scammed into joining the Russian military, the Cuban government said it had “uncovered” and was dismantling a human trafficking ring operating from Russia “in order to incorporate Cuban citizens living there and even some living in Cuba, into the military forces that participate in military operations in Ukraine.” ....

 

 

[Lord of Oop North]

On 9/14/2023 at 12:46 PM, Zorral said:

So, Carthage is destroyed again?

Is it that difficult to keep up a schedule of maintenance under dictators, civil wars and rival governments? [sarcasm]

 

It's difficult enough in a free society. Maintenance doesn't come with shiny ribbons and oversized scissors.

[AncalagonTheBlack]

Credible evidence’ India behind alleged assassination of Sikh leader, says Trudeau

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/18/credible-evidence-india-behind-killing-of-canadian-sikh-leader-says-trudeau

 

Justin Trudeau has said there is “credible evidence” India is responsible for the alleged assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent Canadian Sikh leader, a claim Delhi dismissed as “absurd”.

The Canadian prime minister told the House of Commons of Canada on Monday that, in recent weeks, national security authorities had been probing allegations that New Delhi was behind a state-sponsored assassination.

“Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty,” he said. “Canada is a rule-of-law country, the protection of our citizens in defence of our sovereignty are fundamental.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

2 hours ago, AncalagonTheBlack said:

Credible evidence’ India behind alleged assassination of Sikh leader, says Trudeau

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/18/credible-evidence-india-behind-killing-of-canadian-sikh-leader-says-trudeau

 

Justin Trudeau has said there is “credible evidence” India is responsible for the alleged assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, a prominent Canadian Sikh leader, a claim Delhi dismissed as “absurd”.

The Canadian prime minister told the House of Commons of Canada on Monday that, in recent weeks, national security authorities had been probing allegations that New Delhi was behind a state-sponsored assassination.

“Any involvement of a foreign government in the killing of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil is an unacceptable violation of our sovereignty,” he said. “Canada is a rule-of-law country, the protection of our citizens in defence of our sovereignty are fundamental.

I’m pleased to see Canada standing up to strongman Modi.  That said… pragmaticly… will this push Modi futher toward the “Strongman” group of States lead by China’s Xi?  Or is the Chinese/Indian rivalry such that Modi can’t get tight with Xi?

[Bironic]

Azerbaijan has restarted the war with Armenia over Nagorno Karabach/Arzakh 

Armenia has asked Russia and the UN Security Council to intervene.

https://apnews.com/article/nagorno-karabakh-armenia-azerbaijan-mines-deaths-477fd82368be90f88163e50a5fcb6353

[Loge]

On 9/19/2023 at 5:08 PM, Bironic said:

Azerbaijan has restarted the war with Armenia over Nagorno Karabach/Arzakh 

Armenia has asked Russia and the UN Security Council to intervene.

https://apnews.com/article/nagorno-karabakh-armenia-azerbaijan-mines-deaths-477fd82368be90f88163e50a5fcb6353

Looks like the war is over and Azerbaijan won. Probably for good. Russia did nothing.

[Maithanet]

8 hours ago, Loge said:

Looks like the war is over and Azerbaijan won. Probably for good. Russia did nothing.

I have trouble finding good information on the causes and responsibility of this war.  It's interesting because there are several experts that I pay attention to on Twitter and elsewhere for their expertise on the Ukraine war that are quite opinionated about this, but they often have a pretty clearly biased perspective that I do not trust. 

The argument seems to go that Russia supported the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh statelet as a way of expanding its influence in Armenia and exerting control over Azerbaijan.  This is fairly similar to the Transnistria and DNR/LNR statelets that only exist due to Russian support.  But (as someone who doesn't know much about this conflict) that narrative makes me uncomfortable because it turns Armenia into mere puppets of Russia, when I know that there is significant popular support for Nagorno-Karabakh within the country. 

Nonetheless it is good that Russian influence is waning in the region.  It looks like everything is moving back to the internationally recognized borders, which also is usually a good thing.  I hope that in the long term peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan is possible, and that this isn't just another chapter in what seems to be a growing enmity. 

[Toth]

2 hours ago, Maithanet said:

I have trouble finding good information on the causes and responsibility of this war.  It's interesting because there are several experts that I pay attention to on Twitter and elsewhere for their expertise on the Ukraine war that are quite opinionated about this, but they often have a pretty clearly biased perspective that I do not trust. 

The argument seems to go that Russia supported the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh statelet as a way of expanding its influence in Armenia and exerting control over Azerbaijan.  This is fairly similar to the Transnistria and DNR/LNR statelets that only exist due to Russian support.  But (as someone who doesn't know much about this conflict) that narrative makes me uncomfortable because it turns Armenia into mere puppets of Russia, when I know that there is significant popular support for Nagorno-Karabakh within the country. 

Nonetheless it is good that Russian influence is waning in the region.  It looks like everything is moving back to the internationally recognized borders, which also is usually a good thing.  I hope that in the long term peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan is possible, and that this isn't just another chapter in what seems to be a growing enmity. 

That's... not really describing the conflict at all.

So, here is the gist of what I had gathered: During the waning days of the Soviet Union there were several pogroms against Armenians in the Azeri Soviet Republic starting in 1988 when Azerbaijan declared its independence, taking the Armenian majority Nagarno-Karabakh region with it. Armenia declared independence soon after and when the people in Nagarno-Karabakh voted to secede from Azerbaijan and join Armenia instead, Azerbaijan reacted with a violent crack-down. Armenia, fearing a genocide of fellow Armenians, intervened militarily and pushed Azerbaijan out, occupying Nagarno-Karabakh in order to protect the people there. So basically the land belongs to Azerbaijan, but the people to Armenia and Azerbaijan REALLY wants to get rid of these people there no matter what, spending the next four years arming up with help of Turkey and came in swinging, but Armenia through sheer luck of political turmoil in Baku, pushed them back and ended up occupying even more territory, as well as threatening Baku itself. In the end, there was a peace brokered by Russia that would bind Armenia to its sphere and gave security guarantees that would allow Armenia to hold onto its occupied regions. So yes, Russia certainly took advantage to bind Armenia to itself, but to Armenia it was mostly about protecting Armenians in Azerbaijan, while for Azerbaijan it was about protecting the integrity of its territory (by making all those pesky secessionist Armenians "go away").

However we saw in the meantime there was quite a reversal in strength. While Armenia was undoubtedly very content with the status quo Azerbaijan just kept arming up and exploit Armenia's vulnerability to drones to keep taking back villages in border skirmishes and more open attacks in the last years, with retaking its territory and getting rid of the Armenians there being its prime national goal. It also needs to be noted that Nagarno-Karabakh is an enclave within Azerbaijan, so Azerbaijan spent most of the intervening years blocking all roads to it for increasingly silly reasons (like state sponsored eco protests locking down just these roads) in an attempt to starve out the Armenians.

Edited September 21, 2023 by Toth

[Maithanet]

Interesting.  Much of my information comes from Thomas Thiener, a former NATO defense guy living in Kyiv.  He has been pretty well informed on Ukraine matters, but his takes on the Nagarno-Karabakh conflicts feel very simplistic and anti-russian.

Is the fear of a genocide perpetrated by the Azeris well founded?  Because the local Armenian government in Nagarno-Karabakh has sounded the alarm about genocide, but is this is just political posturing?  Because wanting to get rid of the separatist government operating on your land is VERY DIFFERENT from wanting to get rid of all the people on the land.  The former is what basically any country on Earth would be expected to do. 

[Toth]

22 minutes ago, Maithanet said:

Is the fear of a genocide perpetrated by the Azeris well founded?  Because the local Armenian government in Nagarno-Karabakh has sounded the alarm about genocide, but is this is just political posturing?  Because wanting to get rid of the separatist government operating on your land is VERY DIFFERENT from wanting to get rid of all the people on the land.  The former is what basically any country on Earth would be expected to do. 

I also found it somewhat suspect (not in the very least because the Armianian people themselves looking like almost toppling the government several times in the last few years for not being aggressive enough against Azerbaijan), but looking at the history... well, it looks very much like it. Just look at what the Ottomans did to their Armenian minority during WW1, displacing, raping and killing them while accusing them of collusion with Russia (which is very much why Turkish nationalists like Erdogan are celebrating Azerbaijan's rabid hatred of Armenians, as they are intend to finish what they started). And there were numerous cases of suppression and outright pogroms of Armenians before the USSR, during the USSR and of on the onset of Armenian intervention during the dissolution of the USSR. I'd say at the time it was a very justified fear and right now... what do you think will happen once Azerbaijan retakes Nagarno-Karabakh completely? They won't treat the Armenians there as Azeri citizens all of a sudden. They will treat them as foreign occupants and at the very least kick them out of their homes, if not committing a couple of war crimes while doing so. Keep in mind this conflict is highly charged in ethnic and religious differences (what with the Armenians being orthodox Christians, while the Azeris are shi'ite Muslims. The state sponsored hatred on the Azeri side is absolutely mindboggling, like how the government declared this straight-up murderer into a national hero:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Gurgen_Margaryan

Edited September 21, 2023 by Toth

[AncalagonTheBlack]

106 minutes long but worth the watch imho.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.thewire.in/article/communalism/un-expert-says-india-risks-becoming-one-of-the-main-generators-of-instability-atrocities/amp