Publication: China Brief Volume: 11 Issue: 6

By David Shinn

The Jamestown Foundation

Libya Protests

The protests and revolutions that are sweeping across North Africa since the beginning of 2011 pose a serious test for Chinese diplomacy. The circumstances forced Chinese diplomats to adapt quickly to the unfolding situation, a measure Beijing has been adept at doing elsewhere in Africa when the government in power is threatened or toppled.  Yet, the stakes are higher in North Africa than they are in all but a few Sub-Saharan African states. Indeed, China has important commercial and trade ties with all of the North African countries except for Tunisia.  In 2009, total trade with Egypt was $5.9 billion, Libya $5.2 billion, Algeria $4.2 billion and Morocco $2.5 billion (International Monetary Fund, Direction of Trade Statistics Yearbook 2010).  More than 1,000 Chinese companies have invested an estimated $800 million in Egypt (Bikya Masr [Egypt], August 10, 2010).  China has major construction contracts throughout North Africa, especially in Libya.  China also has long-standing security assistance relationships with Algeria and Egypt. The extent and seriousness of the opposition to existing North African governments even caused concern in Beijing given that these movements might encourage dissent within China.  As a result, Chinese authorities carefully restricted media coverage of the protests in North Africa and the Middle East (See “Beijing Wary of ‘Color Revolutions’ Sweeping Middle East/North Africa,” China Brief, February 10). These developments resulted in a quick visit by a high-level Chinese envoy to several of the North African countries and an effort by Beijing to link Chinese policy to positions taken by the African Union and Arab League.

Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria

The Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia, which forced President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to flee the country, led to subsequent serious protests in Algeria, Egypt and Libya as well as milder ones in Morocco. The fact that the protests in Morocco have not seriously threatened the government may explain Beijing’s near silence on developments there.  The cordial China-Morocco relationship continues unchanged.  The revolution in Tunisia presented a dilemma for China, which initially reacted by saying almost nothing about the protests.  Even in the case of Algeria, where its interests are considerable, China has avoided comment on the protests and only discusses continuing cooperation.  As compared to western reaction during an early stage of the different protests, especially in the case of Tunisia, China essentially absented itself.   

After Ben Ali left Tunisia, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei said that “Tunisia is China’s friend.  China is concerned with what is happening in Tunisia and hopes stability in the country is restored as early as possible” (BBC, January 15).  China subsequently dispatched Vice Foreign Minister Zhai Jun to Tunis to reinforce close ties with the new government.  Zhai Jun said China respects the choice of the Tunisian people and wants to develop its traditional friendship with Tunisia.  He also announced a donation of $6 million for a development project to be defined later (Xinhua News Agency, March 7; Tunisia Online, March 8).  China seems to have made a successful transition from the Ben Ali government to the new one.  This demonstrates again that China is able to move quickly and usually successfully when regime change occurs in Africa.

Zhai Jun combined his visit to Tunis with one to Algiers where he met with President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.  He emphasized that China is willing to strengthen political exchanges with Algeria, expand mutual cooperation and enhance coordination on international and regional issues so as to protect the common interests of developing countries.  Bouteflika responded that China is Algeria’s reliable friend and serves as a model for cooperation between developing countries (Xinhua News Agency, March 6).  So long as Bouteflika remains in power, China-Algeria relations are likely to remain strong.  

Egypt

The situation in Egypt, a strategic ally of China and a country where Beijing has far more important interests, posed a more difficult challenge for Chinese diplomacy.  China was also concerned about the safety of some 2,000 Chinese nationals living there.  Initially quiet about the Egyptian protests, spokesperson Hong Lei at the end of January finally said that China hoped Egypt could restore stability and order at an early date (Reuters, January 31).  While the Hong Kong-based Phoenix TV network broadcast live from Cairo without interference, news reports on Chinese Internet portals were largely restricted to Xinhua, which provided neutral stories.  Sina.com and Netease.com, two of the largest online portals in China, blocked the keyword search for “Egypt.”   State-controlled media framed the Egyptian protests as chaotic, implying there are pitfalls for countries that try to democratize before they are ready (CSMonitor.com, February 1; International Herald Tribune, February 1; Opendemocracy.net, March 2).  

As the protests expanded, China said it supported Egypt’s efforts to maintain “social stability and restore normal order,” adding that it expected relations with Egypt to develop unaffected.  Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ma Zhou added that Egypt’s affairs should be determined without any foreign interference (Xinhua News Agency, February 10).  Zhai Jun arrived in Cairo after visiting Tunis and Algiers.  Following a meeting with Arab League Secretary-General, Amr Moussa, he called on all Arab countries to return to peace and stability.  He also met with Egyptian Deputy Prime Minister Yahiya Jamal and Foreign Minister Nabil Elaraby with whom he emphasized the long friendship between China and Egypt.  He called for stability and development in the country, stating that China wanted to enhance its strategic relationship with Egypt.  Jamal and Elaraby said Egypt’s ties with China will not change (Xinhua News Agency, March 11).  Although China did evacuate several hundred Chinese nationals from Egypt, the relationship between the two countries remains solid. There was apparently a lot of discussion behind the scenes concerning the evacuation of Chinese nationals from Egypt and those who arrived in Egypt from Libya, but no indication of major discussions on other issues except for those that took place during the Zhai Jun visit.  

Libya

Libya posed and continues to present by far the greatest test for Chinese diplomacy in North Africa.  Although Libya under Mu’ammar Qaddafi  was the last North African leader to recognize Beijing and since then his government has periodically engaged politically with Taiwan, much to the consternation of Beijing, the commercial relationship has become enormous in recent years.  Libya provides three percent of China’s imported oil.  This constitutes 10 percent of Libya’s oil exports.  When violence broke out in Libya, there were 36,000 Chinese nationals with 75 companies working on 50 projects primarily in the oil, railroad and telecommunications sectors.  The value of Chinese contracts, mostly construction projects, had reached an estimated value of $18 billion.  The China Railway Construction Corporation, for example, has three projects worth more than $4 billion (Los Angeles Times, March 9; WantChinaTimes.com, March 8).  Saif Al Islam Qaddafi , heir apparent to his father, visited China in October 2010 when he described Libya-China relations as the best in history.  Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of China’s National People’s Congress, responded that China is ready to increase cooperation on large scale infrastructure, energy, mining and telecommunications projects (AfriqueAvenir.org, October 3, 2010).

As in the case of the other North African protests, China was reluctant to speak out about the situation.  Once security in Libya began to disintegrate, China’s highest priority was the evacuation of its nationals.  It first called on Libya to ensure the safety of its nationals following attacks on them at work sites.  More than 1,000 Chinese construction workers fled their compound in eastern Libya when gun-wielding robbers stormed and looted the facility.  China’s Commerce Ministry reported that 27 Chinese construction sites and camps had been attacked and looted, resulting in some injuries and a monetary loss as of late February of almost $230 million.  The China Railway Construction Corporation and China National Petroleum Corporation also independently acknowledged attacks (Terradaily.com, February 22; Straits Times [Indonesia], February 26; South China Morning Post, February 27; Xinhua News Agency, February 28; WantChinaTimes.com, March 8).   

In an impressive military/civilian operation, China evacuated 35,860 Chinese nationals from Libya by March 3 without any loss of life.  This was the largest and most complicated overseas evacuation ever conducted by the Chinese government since it took power in 1949.  The People’s Liberation Air Force (PLAAF) sent four IL-76 transport aircraft to Libya.  As of March 2, they evacuated 1,700 Chinese to Khartoum.  The PLA Navy (PLAN) dispatched the frigate Xuzhou to waters off Libya to support and protect the evacuation of Chinese via commercial ferries and ships.  Some Chinese made it to the Egyptian border by land.  This operation was China’s first operational deployment to the Mediterranean and the first to Africa other than its engagement in the anti-piracy operation in the Gulf of Aden.  Its success has important implications for future Chinese security policy (See “Implications of China’s Military Evacuation of Citizens from Libya,” China Brief, March 19; Xinhua News Agency, March 3 and 4).   

As Libya became a critical issue before the UN Security Council, China experienced increasing pressure to join other countries to put pressure on Qaddafi .  China voted on February 26 with all other members of the Security Council in support of Resolution 1970 that imposed an arms embargo , a travel ban and an asset freeze on Libya [1].  China indicated that it did not, however, favor a resolution in support of a no fly zone (Reuters, March 10).  According to Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu: “We oppose the use of force in international relations and have some serious reservations with part of the resolution” (Xinhua News Agency, March 18). China’s position became more nuanced after the Arab League urged such action.  These measures put China in a difficult position as it tried to balance its traditional opposition to sanctions and the views of the Arab League that pressed for more action against the Qaddafi government. In addition, its Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Li Baodong, was Security Council President for the month of March.  

On March 15, Baodong said stability is essential in Libya and called for full implementation of Resolution 1970 (UN Security Council website, March 15).  On March 17, the Security Council passed Resolution 1973 that called for an immediate cease fire, authorized member states to “take all necessary measures” to protect civilians, authorized a no fly zone and strengthened the arms embargo [2].  China and four other countries (Russia, Germany, Brazil and India) abstained).  In his remarks after the vote, Baodong said the Security Council must follow the UN Charter, international law and respect the concept of sovereignty as well as territorial integrity.  He added that China is against the use of force but attaches importance to the views of the Arab League and African countries (UN Security Council website, March 18).  China’s willingness to abstain on a resolution that called for the use of force may signal a new approach driven partly by its growing global economic and political role.  On the other hand, since the passage of Resolution 1973, China has protested constantly about the air strikes, emphasized the need for an immediate cease fire and warned against imperiling civilian lives (Xinhua News Agency, March 25). President Hu Jintao took President Nicolas Sarkozy to task during a meeting in Beijing when he argued that “if the  military action brings disaster to innocent civilians, resulting in an even greater humanitarian crisis, then that is contrary to the original intention of the Security Council resolution” (The Associated Press, March 30).   

Libya’s Foreign Minister until he defected at the end of March, Moussa Koussa, commented on March 19 that his country is prepared to grant oil blocs to China and India in appreciation for their abstention on Resolution 1973 (Aljazeera, March 19).  This is the same Moussa Koussa who said in 2009 that “China’s presence in Africa is neo-colonialism and aims to rule over the continent” (Asharq Al Awsat, November 10, 2009; See “Libya Cautions China: Economics Is No Substitute to Politics,” China Brief, December 3, 2009).  Since the protests began, Beijing has neither supported nor criticized Qaddafi .  China’s future in Libya is not clear, especially if rebel forces depose Qaddafi.  It is certain, however, that Chinese companies have taken significant financial losses.  Should it wish to reengage in Libya, it probably has enough financial leverage to tempt even a new government.   

Conclusion

With the possible exception of Libya, China’s relations with the countries of North Africa have not been harmed following the political upheavals.  Chinese diplomacy worked quietly behind the scenes to insure that it maintained its interests.  China was notably silent in the early stages of all the uprisings and fell back on its traditional public support for stability, national sovereignty and non-interference.  At the same time, it supported mild UN Security Council sanctions against Libya and abstained—when it could have vetoeds—strong collective military action favoring rebel forces.  China has significant economic and political leverage in North Africa.  In the case of Libya, China rationalized its abstention on Resolution 1973 by emphasizing Arab League support for it.  Once coalition forces began bombing Libya and some Arab League and African Union member countries began objecting, China did not hold back its criticism of the way the coalition carried out the military campaign.

Notes:

1. See SC Resolution 1970 at daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N11/245/58/PDF/N1124558.pdf.  
2. See SC Resolution 1973 at daccess-dds-ny.un.org/doc/UNDOC/GEN/N11/268/39/PDF/N1126839.pdf.  

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Publication: China Brief  – The Jamestown Foundation

Please visit The Jamestown Foundation at www.jamestown.org for highly specialist information.

By Forest Peoples Programme

Borneo and deforestation

PONTIANAK – A new oil palm plantation being developed in Indonesian Borneo (West Kalimantan) has relinquished community lands to which it had gained a government permit. The company PT Agro Wiratama, a member of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) and subsidiary of the giant Musim Mas group, agreed to relinquish more than 1,000 hectares of its 9,000 hectare concession back to the community, following interventions by community representatives and NGOs.

In the context of a pattern of development whereby millions of hectares of large-scale oil palm plantations have been established without consent on indigenous peoples’ land, this is a breakthrough, said Marcus Colchester, Director of the international human rights group, Forest Peoples Programme. We spotted PT Agro Wiratama’s plans to open up this area on the RSPO website and were able to alert our partners in Borneo.

RSPO’s ‘New Plantings Procedure’ requires member companies to publicly announce plans to expand their operations. The aim of the new procedure is to ensure that the social and environmental requirements of RSPO are taken into account before new operations get going. In this case, the local Indonesian NGO Gemawan was able to alert the local people to what was being proposed, open up discussions with the local government, the company and the RSPO and then assist the community in its negotiations.

We are very pleased that our land is secure now, because we’ve now got a chance to make choices about our lives. We now ask all the other parties involved in this decision to respect our choice, said Kamarudin, one of the community leaders of the Kuayan community.

Laili Khairnur, Executive Director of the NGO Gemawan, noted that it required the assistance of several NGOs to ensure an equitable outcome. It required local level mobilisation, mapping of land use and land claims and a series of meetings with local authorities and company officials to get a result. Laili said:

Grassroots communities cannot be left alone in their struggle, as they lack the information they need about government and company plans. In this case the vigilance and support of civil society organizations was essential to the struggle of the communities. We hope that in other land cases other companies that are members of  the RSPO will also respond as promptly when NGOs and communities raise such concerns.

The reduction of the concession area was made official by the local regent (bupati) and the community was informed of the details last week.

Our community has been trying very hard for so long to refuse admittance to palm oil plantation developers in our village. We believe that we already have enough with the rubber, timber and rice paddies that we already own, said Azim Kitung, the Head of Mekar Jaya Village.

According to Salman, Coordinator of KONTAK Rakyat Borneo, another Pontianak based NGO that assisted the community:

Of 19 palm oil plantations operating in Sambas Regency, 17 of them are members of RSPO, they are part of companies of Duta Palma, Gandaerah Hendana, Musim Mas, Wilmar International, Sampoerna Agro, Indofood Agri, Tanjung Rhu. We urge RSPO to apply the same procedures to these companies.

Under the RSPO’s standards, companies are required to respect the customary rights of local communities and indigenous peoples and must not take over their lands without their ‘free, prior and informed consent’. Unfortunately, Indonesian laws and land administration do not recognise most communities’ land rights, so permits are routinely handed out to companies even though they overlap areas basic to peoples’ livelihoods and important for biodiversity. According to the National Land Agency’s own statistics there are some 3,100 land conflicts in Indonesia between palm oil developers and local communities.

Norman Jiwan, Head of Department for Social and Environmental Risk Mitigation Initiatives, in the national palm oil watchdog NGO, SawitWatch, noted:

Actually, what is needed is a reform of the laws so peoples’ land rights are recognised and secured. In the meantime we are relying on voluntary standards to try to get peoples’ basic rights respected, but the State should comply with international human rights norms rather than leave every situation to be argued out on a case by case basis. In this case Musim Mas has acted responsibly, once the concerns were raised, but unfortunately not all companies are so inclined. 

For more information:

Laili Khairnur, Gemawan: +6281345225232

Norman Jiwan, SawitWatch: + 62 81315613536

Salman, Kontak Rakyat Borneo: +6281345118023

Marcus Colchester, Forest Peoples Programme: + 44 1608 652893 

Please visit  http://www.forestpeoples.org for further details and to obtain important information about other areas of deep concern.

http://www.forestpeoples.org/topics/palm-oil-rspo/news/2011/03/precedent-land-deal-palm-oil 

The photo was not supplied by Forest Peoples Programme

Free Burma Rangers

Saw Oo Nay Mya, age 44, was shot by Infantry Battalion (IB) 250 of Military Operations Command (MOC) 7 on 2 February 2011 in Toungoo District, Northern Karen State. The commander of this unit is Major Hla Tun. Saw Ler Maw, age 22, from Hkler Lah village in the same district was killed by MOC 9 on 22 February 2011.

Starting from the middle of January 2011 the SPDC has been increasing its activity in Toungoo district. Currently, the Burma Army has 3 Tactical Operations Commands (TOC) in the area. These troops have been moving food along the car road from Hkler Lah camp to Bu Hsa Hkee camp. During this process the Burma Army has been using prisoners from Toungoo and Insein Prisons as forced labor. The movement of food is possibly a sign of coming attacks.

Saw Oo Nay Mya killed by Burma Army, 2 February 2011

Burma Army activity

The Burma Army currently has 3 TOCs under MOC 9 in Toungoo District. Light Infantry Battalions (LIB) 375 and 376 from TOC 1 have been transporting food from Hkler Lah to Bu Hsa Hkee using more than 100 trucks. Along the car road, MOC 7 is providing security for MOC 9. The military equipment of these troops includes M-81s, RPGs, machine guns and sniper rifles.

Burma Army Soldier carrying RPG

Human rights abuses along the car road

All the way from Hkler Lah to Bu Hsa Hkee, Burma Army troops ordered villagers to drive their own trucks on the road to check for landmines. After that, the Burma Army’s own trucks would follow. Because this landmine-sweeping job was very dangerous, no one wanted to do it. The villagers drew lots to decide who would have to go. To transport food, the Burma Army used 70 prisoners from Toungoo Prison and 70 prisoners from Insein Prison in Rangoon. The Burma Army used these prisoners to carry heavy loads. Prisoners who could not carry the loads were beaten by the soldiers. One of the prisoners escaped and reached the area under control of the Karen National Liberation Army (local pro-democracy resistance), who gave him permission to find his way home.

In addition to this, 40 villagers from Hkler Lah were forced to transport food by SPDC MOC 9 by motorbike from Hkler Lah to Koh Day on 18 January 2011. The same day, 140 men and women from Klaw Mee Der area were forced to carry food along the road from Pa Leh Wah to Klaw Mee Der and act as human minesweepers by IB 102. On 11 Feb 2011, 5 men from Play Hsa Lo were forced to carry loads and act as minesweepers between Play Hsa Lo and Tha Pyin Nuint by IB 102. The unit’s commander is Myint Thine Win.

Finally, during these operations the Burma Army has blocked the car road from Toungoo city to Hkler Lah camp. By doing this, the Burma Army has prevented villagers to go to the city to trade.

Prisoners subject to forced labor

Burma Army Strategy

The motive of BA for this increased activity in Toungoo District is still unknown. However, one possibility is that it is a sign of coming attacks in the area. The large shipments of food – needed for prolonged activity — are a strong sign for this. Still, the food movements are on a small scale, making it difficult to come to a firm conclusion of the military’s intentions.

www.freeburmarangers.org

All information was provided by www.freeburmarangers.org and please visit their website for more images and information about this article and the ongoing crisis in Burma (Myanmar)

The original link is http://www.freeburmarangers.org/Reports/2011/20110303.html .

Modern Tokyo Times

Earthquake hits New Zealand

 According to latest figures the death toll in New Zealand is now 145 after the devastating earthquake which hit Christchurch.  It sadly seems likely that this figure will rise because around 200 people are still unaccounted for and each passing hour is leading to more heartache and pain.

Currently you have many nations who are involved in helping New Zealand during this time of pain and sorrow.  The multinational nature resembles the fact that of the 200 people missing it is reported that they come from twenty different nations.  Of this number you have 28 Japanese nationals who are missing and they, along with all nationals, are causing concerns because you have little information about the current state of affairs.

However, it seems more than likely that the death toll will sadly rise and hope will diminish with each passing hour.  Therefore, it is essential that aid agencies and government network systems pull all their resources together in order to provide much needed information and help.

The magnitude of the earthquake was 6.3 and rescue operations are ongoing near the collapsed CTV building where many students are feared to be trapped.  This building houses the King’s Education language school and many foreign nationals were attracted to this language school because of the serene surroundings of Christchurch and the courses which were provided.

It is clear that disaster-relief teams are working under harsh conditions but they are bravely doing their utmost amidst the devastation of the earthquake.  Yukio Yoshii who hails from the disaster-relief team which was sent by Japan offered brave words.

Yukio Yoshii stated that “Although we are exhausted our operations are proceeding smoothly.”  These words will be welcomed by all who hope for a ray of sunshine amidst the pain and anguish of family members and friends who wait with hope, despite the dark clouds which engulf them and fill them with deep sadness and pain.

On Friday it had been hoped that Japanese family members could visit the scene in order to be near their missing family members.  However, given the ongoing tremors then this had to be abandoned after local authorities refused them permission because of the dangerous situation.

Rescue teams on Friday searched houses near the epicenter of the earthquake and into beachside areas where great damage was done.  Different international teams from Australia, Britain, Japan, Taiwan, and the United States, worked alongside New Zealand teams in Christchurch and they all offered each other encouragement and a sense of unity.

Missing students from China, India, Japan, and Taiwan, alongside the deaths of locals and missing local people; is a reminder of the international nature of the modern world. The Mayor of Christchurch, Bob Parker, said “For those people in those far off places, your families are our families; your children are our children.”

Mayor Bob Parker promised that rescue searchers would not abandon hope and this will offer some comfort.  For now, people can only wait and hope that more survivors will be found and the following 24 hours to 48 hours will be crucial.

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com (I am the writer of this article)

http://moderntokyotimes.com

On January 23, 2011, a force of 250 Burma Army troops comprising IB 224, IB17 and LIB 560 entered the Manorone area of Ta Naw Tha Ri Township in Tenasserim Division (Southern Karen State) where many Karen families were hiding. These troops fought with Karen National Liberation Army (ethnic pro-democracy resistance) soldiers from January 24 to 26. On January 27, the Burma Army troops arrived at the Laylawkati hide site and burned down 6 houses. On the 28th, they arrived at the Hteepomekeh and Lahpeitkee hide sites and burned down 17 houses and one school. Now 236 people from 28 families are displaced in the Manorone area. The local FBR team is helping the people in this area.

A Karen family after their home and paddy rice was burned by Burma Army troops

People displaced following Burma Army attack

Map showing area of Report

www.freeburmarangers.org   All information was provided by www.freeburmarangers.org and please visit their website for further information about the situation in Myanmar (Burma).   Additional information     BURMA OVERVIEW -  FREE BURMA RANGERS     Over fifty years of civil war have left Burma one of the poorest countries in the world. The military dictatorship attacks its own people, killing thousands, and leaving millions displaced. Many in opposition are either imprisoned or killed. In most of the country there is a false peace due to the dictators’ ability to control dissent, however in some ethnic areas the Regime’s army is still attacking the people. There are over 1 million internally displaced people, and over 1 million refugees who have fled the country. There is continual environmental destruction, an HIV/AIDS epidemic, the ongoing laying of landmines, human trafficking and religious persecution. Because of the Regime’s mismanagement and corruption, it’s the world’s second largest opium producer and the main producer of methamphetamines in SE Asia. Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize recipient and leader of the democracy movement, is repeatedly put under arrest. The Regime’s army extends their control over the ethnic minorities by building roads and camps in ethnic homelands, forcing people to relocate or flee into the jungle. There is documented forced labor and the use of rape as a weapon. The Regime’s army lays landmines to keep villagers from returning home and supporting the resistance. They aim to dominate the population, assimilate them and exploit them. They do this directly through military attacks, selective cease-fire agreements, and the use of proxy ethnic forces allied with the Regime. One devastating result is the internally displaced people, who are forced to flee their homes because of the Regime’s army. Some are forcibly relocated and now living under the Regime’s control. Some who are attacked by the Regime’s army are able to return to their homes after the Regime’s army leaves. Others who are not able to return, live in temporary sites nearby. And many are on the run or in hiding now. All of these people lack security, food, education for their children, and suffer increased health problems. Yet the people of Burma have not given up. The internally displaced people’s unwillingness to give up their homelands is one of the greatest examples of civil disobedience to the dictators. The pro-democracy movement is still active. In the war zones the ethnic resistance attempts to protect their people. They help villagers escape the Regime’s army, clear landmines and help people cross roads controlled by the Regime’s army. There are also many non-governmental organizations and community based organizations that work together to help provide basic services. Working together, the Free Burma Rangers bring help, hope and love. We are dedicated to freedom for all the peoples of Burma.

Lee Jay Walker

 Modern Tokyo Times 

President Obama likes to talk about human dignity and human rights but clearly he, just like other leaders of America, irrespective if Democrat or Republican, can’t bypass the lure of major military contracts irrespective of the reality of modern day Saudi Arabia.  It also appears that lessons learnt from Pakistan have been zero.  Therefore, today you have two nations which are responsible for so much of global terrorism but ironically both these nations have been military armed and supported politically by America.

It is also abundantly clear that Pakistan is an unstable nuclear power and this nation state is threatened by its own internal policies towards radical　Sunni Islamic organizations and the threat posed by Islamists to the nation state.  Just like Pakistan, the nation state of Saudi Arabia is also unstable in the long-term because the ruling monarchy rules via an “iron-fist” and clearly this nation is the most draconian in the modern world.

If Islamists overthrew the power mechanisms of both governments in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia then a strong and potent military will be bequeathed to radical Sunni Islamists and regional nations, for example India and Israel, will be threatened. 

In both wars in Afghanistan and Iraq it is clear that Sunni Islamic organizations and terrorist organizations were (and continue to be) behind much of the mayhem that engulfed both nations after the tragic events of September 11^th.  Given this, it is abundantly clear that American troops and military forces from other nations who supported America, have been killed because of the policies of so-called allies and this applies to either tacit support, covert support, or by doing little to prevent Sunni Islamists from spreading their hatred in both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

Vojin Joksimovich the author of The Revenge of the Prophet, states that “The long-term strategy is proselytism of Islam and Wahhabi Islam in particular.  French scholar Giles Kepel used the term ‘petrodollar Islam’ for a vast infusion of proselytizing wealth from Saudi Arabia.  Proselytism and the checkbook diplomacy long have been the Saudis’ principal foreign policy tools.  The Saudis have built thousands of mosques worldwide.  While the Islamist terrorism is being challenged the petrodollar Islam quest is yet to receive due attention.”   (Page 11 – Revenge of the Prophet by Vojin Joksimovich)

Vojin Joksimovich continues by stating “At the core is the U.S.-Saudi bond starting with the 1945 Quincy Deal signed by President Roosevelt…….Part of the deal was American non-interference in Saudi domestic policies…..At the same time Saudi Arabia is the fortress of strict Wahhabism, its state religion, which represents the most radical branch of Sunni Islam determined to proselytize its version of Islam to the West.  The House of Saud underwrote the religious schools that turn out jihadists, just as it administered charities that funded the jihadists.  Addiction to cheap oil and Saudi petrodollars caused the U.S. to turn a blind eye to Saudi support of the fundamentalist groups linked to terrorism.  A New Statesman report summarized: ‘Bin Laden and his gang are just the tentacles; the head lies safely in Saudi Arabia, protected by U.S. forces.’”

“There is substantive evidence of complicity on the part of prominent Saudi and Pakistani citizens in 9/11.  Nonetheless, the 9/11 Commission and the White House gave the Saudi and Pakistanis a free pass because Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are treated as historic U.S. allies.”  (Page 12 – The Revenge of the Prophet by Vojin Joksimovich) 

Turning back to the proposed military deal with Saudi Arabia and continuing support for Pakistan via enormous economic support, it is clear that while America may take note of Israel, the same does not apply to India to any great extent.  After all, from terrorist attacks in Kashmir to the tragic terrorist attack in Mumbai, it is clear that all roads lead back to Pakistan and supporting terrorism directly or covertly or via non-compliance of preventing terrorism, is a reality.

B. Raman (Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi) commented after the leader of India visited Saudi Arabia (Feb 27-Mar 1, 2010) that “Like Pakistan, Saudi Arabia has been following a dual policy on terrorism. It has taken ruthless action against Al Qaeda elements posing a threat to its internal security. At the same time, it has avoided taking action against Wahhabi organizations which have been supporting terrorism in other countries. Many of the so-called charity organizations, which have been funding terrorist organizations in other countries including India and Bangladesh, are of Saudi origin. Despite international pressure on Saudi Arabia to act against such charity organizations and stop the flow of funds to global jihadi terrorism, the action taken by the Saudi authorities has been unsatisfactory. 

It would be futile to expect that Saudi Arabia could be of assistance to India in dealing with jihadi terrorism emanating from Pakistan or Bangladesh. There has been a long history of links between jihadi terrorist elements in India and Saudi Arabia ever since the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December, 1992.”    Quotes from Outlook India at http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?264502 

Despite this reality, and the fact that Saudi Arabia is spreading radical Sunni Islam to countless numbers of nations it is more than apparent that America, and a host of other democratic nations, are either turning a blind eye or giving tacit approval or intelligence services are sleepwalking into a future nightmare or indeed a combination of all three.

After all, what are democratic nations getting in return in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia?  It appears that the answer is negative because despite vast resources being spent on Afghanistan it is clear that this nation supports killing converts to Christianity from Islam, keeping women in chains, and to maintain the power mechanisms of Islamic Sharia law.

The Taliban and Al-Qaeda are also destabilizing Afghanistan because of the reality of Pakistan and the dangerous game being played by elements within the Pakistan ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence).  For democratic India this is a nightmare and a continuing nightmare because Kashmir and terrorist attacks like Mumbai are clear reminders that “terrorism is a tool within the body politic of Pakistan.”

In Saudi Arabia it is much the same and many Sunni Islamic terrorist attacks in Iraq were because of the involvement of Saudi nationals. This applies to direct terrorist attacks, economic funding, supporting radical Sunni Islamic organizations, spreading propaganda, and weakening the role of the central government in Iraq by playing the Sunn-Shia sectarian card.

At the same time not one single non-Muslim place of worship is allowed in Saudi Arabia and women are trampled on and this applies to preventing women from speaking openly, going shopping in mixed shopping malls, driving cars, and dressing how they desire.  

More alarming for the international community is that Saudi Arabian organizations and charities are spreading a dangerous Wahhabi ideology to many nations, irrespective if to mainly Muslim nations or non-Muslim nations.  Stealth jihad within democratic nations is also a serious issue and it is clear that Saudi Arabia is exporting a two-fold version of Islam and this applies to militant Islam and liberal Islam in order to cause confusion and mayhem, via deceit and ulterior long-term motives.

Therefore, economic support which is being given by Western nations in Afghanistan is merely adding fuel to the fire because it is supporting the implementation of Islamic Sharia law and discrimination against women and non-Muslims.  At the same time by supporting Pakistan and Saudi Arabia the end game from an Islamist point of view is that both nations can spread Islam to distant lands and destabilize other nations by using terrorism.

This means that India is facing the brunt of this failed policy towards Pakistan and radical Sunni Islam is growing within parts of India and of course the terrorist threat is never far away.  In Iraq the same happened because much of the Sunni Islamic instability is based on the Saudi Arabian angle and this applies to terrorism, spreading hatred towards the Shia, and maintaining instability in order that democracy does not threaten the power base of regional despots.

For the Christian community in Iraq which is under siege it is clear that they were mere fodder.  After all, the Christian community was left to face the brunt of radical Islam, and just like the Hindus of Kashmir, they have been abandoned and forsaken in order to appease Islamists and Islamization.  How ironic that Iraq was secular, just like Afghanistan under Najibullah, however, both Iraq and Afghanistan would implement Islamic Sharia law after America became entangled and created a “hornets nest.”

Therefore, the three conservative Islamic nations of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, are allowed to trample non-Muslim minorities and to maintain that women stay in the shadows.  At the same time, militant Islamic organizations are spreading to other parts of the world because of the role of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, and the money and educational supply route is creating mayhem within majority Muslim nations and within the non-Muslim democratic world.

Western governments appear to be at a loss because continuing Islamic immigration, radical Islamic organizations, and the radical Islamic convert conveyor belt keeps on churning out jihad at home and enabling Islamists to spread their hatred far and wide.  Meanwhile liberal Muslims jump on the bandwagon and condemn any minor slight against Islam in order to install fear and stealth jihad.  Also, Muslim rights appear to be higher for national governments rather than the rights of the majority because appeasement mode is holding sway.

Vojin Joksimovich states that “The most pressing underlying root cause is the Saudi Wahhabi-led petrodollar hegemony over the Islamic world, typically but not exclusively exercised through organizations like the Muslim World League, Organization of Islamic Conference, various Islamic so-called humanitarian organizations, etc.”

Vojin Joksimovich continues by stating that “It is imperative to starve these terrorist organizations of financial resources and recruits.  The present generation of Western leaders has been unwilling to take bold steps for two primary reasons: The oil addiction in what could be termed Petrolistan as well as the petrodollars ploughed back into the Western economies and various individual and corporate coffers.” Page 305 – The Revenge of the Prophet by Vojin Joksimovich)

It is clear that when communism collapsed in Eastern Europe that Western powers supported democracy and they did not desire to pro-up communism.  However, when it comes to the Islamic world it is apparent that Western powers either pro-up or re-install Islam, Islamic Sharia law, and state control by this indoctrination. 

After all, Christians did not fear the role of Islamic Sharia law in the pre-attacked Iraq and irrespective of what people think about Najibullah in Afghanistan it is clear that he at least tried to break the chain.  However, both times America re-enforced the Islamic Sharia law chain by overthrowing the leader of Iraq and by supporting Islamists in Afghanistan.

Could it just be that India is expendable in order to appease Pakistan?  Could it just be that Christians in Iraq were expendable in order to appease the house of Islam?  If so, then are Western societies also expendable with regards to allowing radical Islam to grow and by continuing to allow Muslim immigration which is altering the make-up of many nations in Europe?

Also, why are American troops and allied forces being killed with the tacit approval of so-called allies in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia?  It appears somewhat strange to fight wars in Afghanistan and Iraq while supporting Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on the military and economic front. 

B. Raman in response to recent support by America towards Pakistan stated that “The Pakistan army uses the Punjabi Taliban against India in an attempt to force a change in the status quo in Jammu and Kashmir.  It has been using Al Qaeda, the Pashtun Taliban and their global jihadi allies for extracting money out of the US by dangling the threat of another 9/11 over the US head if it does not pay protection money to the Pakistan army.”

“Despite the blunt words reportedly used by Obama, Mrs. Clinton and Gates in more restricted interactions, more protection money was forthcoming in the form of a five-year commitment (2021-2016) of US $2.29 billion in military aid euphemistically called counter-terrorism assistance.  This will be in continuation of the allocation of US $1.5 billion provided by the George Bush Administration in 2005 and of the civilian aid of US $7.5 billion over five-year period already being provided by the Obama Administration since last year under the Kerry Lugar Act.”  (http://ramanstrategicanalysis.blogspot.com)  (October 24, 2010)

This, and the proposed mega military deal by the Obama Administration with Saudi Arabia, merely shows you that the “war on terror” is being fought by propping up allies who are increasing the “war on terror” and exporting Islamic radicalism and terrorism to nations like India, the United Kingdom, and a host of other nation states. 

Therefore, despite knowing that Islamists are spreading their hatred from both so-called allies and in the full knowledge that Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are exporting radical Islam; it appears that for Obama, and other Western leaders, that the same record must be played.  The hidden danger of this policy and untold carnage which is continuing because of these “two ace of spades (Pakistan and Saudi Arabia)” is alarming many but it appears that it isn’t alarming the people in power in Washington, London, and other nations, who support this policy of “no reward and Islamic appeasement.”

Collectively this means more terrorism and the spread of Islamic militancy and instead of containing Islam it is spreading its power and thought patterns to the democratic world. The situation in blunt terms means that all other faiths are being crushed or persecuted by the allies of America in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia.  However, in the backyard of America and the democratic world we are witnessing the rise of Islam and stealth jihad.  Therefore, it appears that America, India, the United Kingdom, and the free world, must brace itself for either confrontation or to be taken over brick by brick and end up like the graveyard of Buddhists and Hindus in Afghanistan and Pakistan respectively.

leejay@moderntokyotimes.com (I am the writer of this article)

http://moderntokyotimes.com