(written 5 June 2024)
Summer days should be happy days. But looking round, there is just so much gloom and doom about. No wonder that we hear more and more people, especially young people, are switching off the news.
It is hardly good to go to sleep worrying about the ever-prolonging crises in Ukraine, to to wake up to hear about Gaza and Iran. Lurking behind are concomitant fears that emanate from Russia, with Putin, er legally, confirmed for at least another five years, and China, where freedoms are ever on the retreat and smart diplomacy in the form of ‘ infrastructure loans’ disguise a new form of neo-colonialism.
That is even before we look at the Indian subcontinent. I was in India for a while during the recent epic general election (more on that to come) and as I write this there are regular riots in Bangladesh, with students fighting job reservations, which might seem rather self-interested, but protests also against years of harassment and a democratic clamp down. Sri Lanka is still recovering from its own series of protests, which led to the fall of the President and near bankruptcy, and left the country dangerously in hock to the Chinese regime which is managing its debt relief programme. The Maldives, too, have had their own mini revolution and are now also drawing close, too close perhaps, to Beijing
Then we come to Pakistan After an election, which despite fears did not lead to mass unrest, there is government and a sense of stability. Yet beneath the political water level, there is still much churn and jeopardy. Great uncertainties remain over the economy and development, over the status of minorities, over the growing influence of China and over the status of key political actors, not least Imran Khan – a former Oxford graduate of course.
Globally, we are in a huge democratic recession, according to all the leading indices, now running more than 20 years. Our Indian subcontinent is very much part of this recession. So plenty to do for Noon Scholars, to play their part in lifting us out of this recession and away from autocratic tendencies.
Summer days can be happy days off. But once they end, it will time to face the future. Sorry !
PCRF
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