Posted on 08/28/2004 10:44:52 PM PDT by CarrotAndStick
NEW DELHI: India will help Iraq and Afghanistan conduct their upcoming elections under an agreement signed on Saturday between New Delhi and the United Nations, an official said.
The agreement was signed in New Delhi by Indian Deputy Election Commissioner Noor Mohammad and Carina Perelli, director of the UN’s Electoral Assistance Division, the official said. “India’s election expertise is recognised the world over,” Noor Mohammad said, adding that the country would provide assistance “wherever the UN thinks India’s services could be useful”.
“Iraq, Afghanistan and Sudan could be immediate areas of activity,” Noor Mohammad said. “Two Indians are already in Afghanistan, one of whom is helping to register voters for the October 9 presidential polls. India will be supplying indelible ink for the Aghan polls free of cost,” Noor Mohammad said.
Perelli said the UN would face tremendous challenges in providing assistance for elections in countries such as Afghanistan and Iraq in the coming years.
Indian Chief Election Commissioner T S Krishna Murthy described the signing of the agreement as a historic one. AFP
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India is now exporting democracy to Iraq and Afghanistan. Interesting. I guess that means that they've finally worked through the problems with their own voting system (like rampant Muslim terror attacks on voting civilians).
Anyway, I don't think that this causes any trouble to the upcoming free elections in the newly-liberated nations. India might even be able to help. MIGHT.
I don't know too much about recent Indian politics I must say ( a grievous oversight, since a billion people live there). So tell me, they're no longer run by autocratic socialists like the Gandhi's anymore, are they?
There was only one "autocratic" socialist,Indira Gandhi ,who was near dictatorial for a total of 19 months(75-77).The Socialist system is slowly but steadily dissolving with economic reforms starting in the early 90s(though envisaged in the mid 80s,ironically by Indira's son-Rajiv Gandhi).India's democracy is by no means perfect,but it's far stable & successful than most parts of Asia & Africa & considering it's vastness & diversity-that itself is a big success.
India has been doing more than it's fair share of help on Afghanistan with building of roads,hospitals,training diplomats & other personnel.Infact the only reason why India's role has been restricted is because it pi**es of Pakistan(frontline US "ally") who made Washington "persuade" Delhi to lower it's profile in Afghanistan.
Iraq is a more complex case -coupled with popular opposition to the war,more than 6 million Indians work in the Persian Gulf & send back precious foreign exchange in form of remittances-any backlash against them(as a result of involvement in Iraq) would be a huge humanitarian & economic disaster for India.Also remember, India has around 130 million Muslims.So it is better in the long term interests of US India relations that India did'nt get involved in Iraq.
India has actually 3 states with a Christian majority-Mizoram(around 82% of population),Meghalaya(around 65%) & Nagaland(around 85%)-though one must also note that a significant number of people there who follow a synthesis of Christianity & tribal beliefs(animistic) are counted as Christians.While Goa is usually associated with Christianity(due to it's Portugese past) -it's Christian population is only around 29.5 %(down from over 60% around 150 years ago) while Kerala has around 24 % Christians in a population of over 30 million.
That being said ,the largest concentrations of Christians are found in the four southern states due to high population density.
ANd I think I remember you saying you were Christian. WHat's it like being a Christian in India?
Well honestly I don't feel any different from others (hindus or muslims) around me & have no problem in flaunting my identity.Though at times of communal flare-ups in other parts of India,it can get a bit tense,but i live in a part of India(Kerala) which has had little or no religious violence as most folks prefer to mind their own business .
A democracy is the best choice for India or else it woul become a giant Balkanised area
What the breakup India crowd (admittedly delusional by this point if that's what they want or believe) haven't considered the possiblity of potentially half a dozen nuke armed states, and before they say statelets, the state of Maharashra, encompassing Bombay is close to 90 million people, bigger than Germany or France. So these post India states could be exceedingly viable.
That'd set hair ablaze all over DC.
[Asbestos suit DONNED.]
[Sarcasm torpedo ARMED. FIRE!]
You wrote:
"Forget Maharasthra, what about the two gigantic wastes that drag down India's average in every means - Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, the h*** holes of India. UP's got a population of like 200 million I think and Bihar ain't that far behind and botha re the most corrupt, most impoverished most illiterate, most economicaly backward parts of India."
So when's India's answer to Bill Clinton
gonna run for office? </g>
Relax. . . It was a slam at the DEMS, guys.
Bill Clintooon would probably love it there -- he could run his own little fiefdom.
You wrote:
"Bill Clintooon would probably love it there -- he could run his own little fiefdom."
Yeah, I forgot about the Kama Sutra </g>
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