Defence Notes

NewDelhi, 8 June 2010

Climate Concerns

SPURS CHANGES IN U.S. MILITARY

By Col(Dr) P. K. Vasudeva (Retd.)

Civil societiesand government are increasingly looking at the importance of climate change tomilitary operations and the importance of militaries in addressing andresponding to aspects of climate change.

Addressing a crowd of 400-odd people gathered to hear aboutthe significance of climate change to the U.S. national security recently,Nathaniel Fick, CEO of the Washington-based think tank Centre for a NewAmerican Security, made a note of how the first event that CNAS had hosted onthis topic drew only about 50 attendees in June 2008.

"Natural security issues areclearly taking hold, growing in importance, reaching new audiences, andbecoming more mainstream. And rightfully so," said Christine Parthemore,who directs the think tank's Natural Security Programme, which analyses theinterrelationship of natural resources and national security.

The event launched two new reports from CNAS examining thisrelationship. The impacts from extreme drought, heat waves, desertification,flooding, and extreme weather events such as hurricanes are all expected tocontinue to escalate as a result of climate change and are cited in CNAS's reportas reasons why the military needs to be prepared for a climate change-impactedworld over.

The 105-page report, titled 'Broadening Horizons: ClimateChange and the U.S. Armed Forces', says the effects of these environmentalevents will be amplified by existing socio-political factors. "Countriesand regions of strategic importance - from Afghanistanto the Arctic, China to Yemen - arelikely to confront major environmental pressures on both their societies andecosystems," it says.

Counter-insurgency expert and CNAS non-resident seniorfellow David Kilcullen also pointed to such phenomena as desertificationleading to humanitarian situations such as mass migrations. "These changesare happening now and they are impacting national security issues now," heasserted. 

The role of the military has movedfar beyond combat due to increasing humanitarian crisis, including the January2010 earthquake in Haiti,said Rear Admiral Philip Cullom, who heads the U.S. Navy's task force on energyissues. The acceleration of climate change will only exacerbate those crises.

Due to the scale of natural catastrophes, we are facing themilitarisation of humanitarian relief" since militaries are the onlyinstitutions with the capacity to deal with disasters of such massive scale, explainedthe Rear Admiral.

And even on a practical, day-to-daylevel, adapting to climate change will impact the armed forces. Transportationof fuel in combat zones is treacherous and requires personnel and money thatcould otherwise be used elsewhere.

The U.S.military has not been blind to this mountain of reasons why it should take steps to both address theirpreparation for the impacts of climate change and their own contributions tothese impacts. In February, the U.S. Department of Defence released itsQuadrennial Defence Review and, for the first time ever, identified climatechange as having an impact on its operations around the world.

"While climate change alonedoes not cause conflict, it may act as an accelerant of instability orconflict, placing a burden to respond on civilian institutions and militariesaround the world. In addition, extreme weather events may lead to increaseddemands for defence support to civil authorities for humanitarian assistance ordisaster response both within the United States and overseas," thereview pointed out.

The report also laid out how themilitary is addressing climate-related issues, both in its own operations - interms of reducing the military's reliance on fossil fuels, for instance-- andin helping develop energy efficient and renewable technologies.

The Pentagon sees energy security – “assured access toreliable supplies of energy and the ability to protect and deliver sufficientenergy to meet operational need" - as a strategic priority, and one whichgreener energy can help it secure.

A report released by the Washington-based Pew Project onNational Security, Energy and Climate commended the U.S. military for its clean energyprogrammes. It pointed to the Department of Defence's goal of getting 25 per centof its electric energy from renewable sources by 2025, the U.S. Air Force'sgoal of meeting 25 per cent of base energy needs with renewable energy sourcesby 2025, and the U.S. Marine Corps' 10X10 campaign, which aims to reduce energyintensity and water consumption and increase the use of renewable electricenergy.

Along the way to those goals, the U.S. Navy is developing a"green" carrier strike group that will run on alternative fuels by2016. Last week, they successfully tested their "Green Hornet" jet,which runs on 50 per cent biofuel and 50 per cent fossil fuel. The "GreenHornet" more directly addresses energy independence that environmentalimpacts due to the energy and resources required to produce the biofuels, but itdoes also mean fewer emissions from military operations.

Fort Irwin, in south-eastern California's Mojave Desert,has been ground zero for many of the Department of Defence's green initiatives.Most notably, it is expected to become energy independent by 2022, when themilitary's largest solar installation is expected to be completed at the base.But one key difficulty in bringing the military up to date with the realitiesof a changing climate remains, says another report released by CNAS.

National security professionals"currently lack the 'actionable' data necessary to generate requirements,plans, strategies, training and material to prepare for future challenges"related to climate change, the report says. "Though the scope of andquality of available scientific information has improved in recent years, thisinformation does not always reach - or is not presented in a form that isuseful to - the decision makers who need it."

That gap in information may havebeen partly addressed at the event. For about 40 minutes, Carol Browner,director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy, spokeand then answered questions on a variety of climate change-related issuesbefore the largely national security-focused audience.

Insofar as India is concerned, its Armytoo is doing its bit to help in reducing carbon emissions by encouraging itstroops to grow more trees and not deplete forests wherever they are stationed.That is why the cantonments all over the country have the largest greeneryaround it. It has also raised a number of Territorial Army Infantry Battalionsto protect the forest and help the civil population in growing more trees inthe deserted areas. The consciousness is growing and an army of people is doingits bit in responding to climate change.---INFA

(Copyright, India News and FeatureAlliance)

Open Forum

New Delhi, 19 May 2010

RadioactivityDangers

NATIONAL E-WASTEPOLICY CRITICAL

By Syed Ali Mujtaba

The death of a person in New Delhi’s scrap market and hospitalisationof seven others has brought to the fore the dangers of radioactivity and theurgent need for a national e-waste management policy to avert any suchincidents in future. 

India, it is estimated generatesapproximately 1, 50,000 tonnes of e-waste every year. This is produced becausethe resurgent growth of the economy is dependent on electronic hardware forhousehold, industrial and office automation. However, the electronic hardwareis generatin

g electronic waste that has a huge potential to causeenormous harm to human health and environment. Therefore, a commitment to eco-responsibilityis the sine qua non for the society, economy and the environment.

E-waste is any broken or unwanted electronic applianceswhich include computers, entertainment electronics, mobile phones and otherelectronic items, that are discarded. The main reason why e-waste has become aglobal concern is because of the presence of toxic and hazardous substancessuch as lead, cadmium, mercury, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), arsenic barium,beryllium and brominated flame retardants etc.

In the absence of an effective method for collection ofe-waste and managing the hazardous constituents, some e-waste ends up at thescrap market, which then recycles them, using high polluting technologies. Someother e-waste is being disposed off in land fills resulting in highenvironmental risk and health hazards to both humans and animals.

Therefore, it’s imperative for an early formulation of anational e-waste policy that may clearly spell out the methods to safeguard anddispose off the toxic material. Such a policy should appropriately reflect theconcerns of the various stakeholders which include the end users-- we thepeople of India,as well as the views of the practitioners in the field, both in the organizedand the unorganized sector.

Taking a lead, the southern State of Tamil Nadu has recently unveiled acomprehensive Environmentally Sound Management (ESM) policy on e-waste. It triesto address issues pertaining to public health and environment that has growndue to the impact of the ‘ineffective and continuous disposal’ of e-waste. Thenew e-waste policy would have a single window facility to guide investors. Itwill educate both the public and officials concerned on how to avoid recyclingelectronic equipment more often, recommending changing only the component in anelectronic item.

The policy sets forth the position of the State governmenton e-waste management by identifying the roles and responsibilities of allstakeholders, including the public, in reducing the generation of e-waste andproviding a system for its collection, segregation and recycling. The policywould be implemented in a structured manner by detailing the action programmewith definite timelines, setting up a monitoring committee, promoting e-wasterecycling as a socially viable industry in the State and involving the smalland medium enterprises.

The State government, its IT department and the Tamil NaduPollution Control Board (TNPCB) are responsible for formulation andimplementation of the policy. The Board is vested with the responsibility of effectivelyimplementing it and laying down the requirements and procedures for a recycler.

The policy emphasizes the important role that the corporations,municipalities and panchayats, play in the collection of e-waste, especiallyfrom household and other end-users, and its segregation from other householdwaste. They will also have to send the collected waste to authorized collectioncentres or registered recyclers for recycling.

The necessity for e-waste policy arose because a surveycarried out by a non-governmental organization in the State revealed that the e-wasteproblem had assumed staggering proportions –over 21,810 tonnes of e-waste in2009 alone. The survey was based on the ‘market supply method’, in which fivecomponents like televisions, mobile phones, computers, washing machines andrefrigerator were taken into account.

Taking a cue from Tamil Nadu’s e-waste management, the Centreshould initiate a national policy for complete national level assessment,covering all the cities and all the sectors. Such base line study must envelopeinventories, existing technical and policy measures required for emergence ofnational e-waste policy and action plan for eco-friendly, economic e-wastemanagement. 

The study should also culminate in identifying potentiallyharmful substances and testing these for any adverse health and environmentaleffects for suggesting precautionary measures. This apart, the national policymay create a public-private participatory forum of decision-making, problem resolutionin e-waste management. This could be a Working Group comprising RegulatoryAgencies, NGOs, Industry Associations, experts etc. to keep pace with thetemporal and spatial changes in structure and content of e-waste. 

There is need for creation of a knowledge data base onanticipating the risks, ways of preventing and protecting from likely damageand safe and timely disposal of e-waste. The Government should promoteInformation, Education and Communication (IEC) activities in schools, colleges,industry etc. to enhance this knowledge. Additionally, it must create a database on best global practices and failure analyses for development anddeployment of efficacious e-waste management and disposal practices within thecountry.

The policy should device ways and means to encouragebeneficial reuse/recycling of e-waste, catalyzing business activities that use suchwaste. It should formulate and regulate occupational health safety norms for e-wasterecycling, now mainly confined to the informal sector. Besides, it shouldreview the trade policy and exim classification codes to plug the loopholes, whichare often being misused for cross-border dumping of e-waste into the country.  

Indeed, the national policy should insist on stringentenforcement against wanton infringement of the Basel convention and e-waste dumping bypreferring incarceration over monetary penalties for demonstrating deterrentimpact. The e-waste policy should foster partnership with manufacturers andretailers for recycling services by creating an enabling environment so asdispose e-waste scientifically at economic costs.

The policy should mandate sustained capacity building forindustrial e-waste handling for policy makers, managers, controllers andoperators. It should enhance consumer awareness regarding the potential threatto public health and environment by electronic products, if not disposedproperly. 

In fact, the policy should enforce labeling of all computermonitors, television sets and other household/industrial electronic devices fordeclaration of hazardous material content with a view to identifyingenvironmental hazards and ensuring proper material management and e-wastedisposal.

Importantly, the policy could announce incentives for growthof e-waste disposal agencies so that remediation of environmental damage,threats of irreversible loss and lack of scientific knowledge do not posehazardous to human health and environment. Simultaneously, as a proactive step, municipal bodies must be involvedin the disposal of e-waste lest it becomes too late for their intervention,should large handling volumes necessitate it.

In addition, the e-waste policy should consider gradualintroduction of enhanced producer responsibility into Indian process, practicesand procedures so that preventive accountability gains preponderance overpolluter immunity.

 Last but not the least, the Government should carve out aninclusive e-waste management policy, as for meeting the need for finding an“India Unique Solution”, that strikes a visionary balance between precepts andpraxis for sustainable management of e-waste. Such a policy alone can bring thedesired paradigm shift for our society, economy and the environment.—INFA

(Copyright,India News and Feature Alliance)

Open Forum

New Delhi, 3 June 2010

Hindutva Terrorism

RELOOK MAKKA MASJID CASE

By Syed Ali Mujtaba

With the arrest of some persons belonging to Hindu extremist organization for their involvement in the Malegoan Muslim graveyard bomb blast, the Samjutha Express train blast and the Ajmer Dargah blast, the ugly face of Hindutva terrorism has been unmasked. 

The probe into these blasts making some headway clearly points a pan India Hindu terror structure operating in the country, a fact so far the Government and we the people has refused to accept.    

In the series of these blasts targeting Muslims, there is also the case of the bomb blast that took place in Hyderabad at Makkah Masjid on 18th May 2007, but the investigation of this case has hardly made any breakthrough. The kin of the deceased are observing the third anniversary of the dead in the hope that the long arm of the State may one day reach the real conspirators and bring them to justice.    

The blast took place at the historic Makka Masjid located in the old city of Hyderabad, which left five Muslims praying in the mosque dead and scores  injured. Subsequently, those Muslims who were helping the blast victims to be taken to the hospitals were fired upon by the police that killed nine of them. The probe of these two incidents is gathering dust and no one is sure when the truth will come out in this case and when the guilty may be punished.

The Makkah Masjid blast is a unique case among all the blast cases in India. This is because the victim and suspect in this case both happen to be the Muslims. First the blast killed the innocent Muslims who were praying, which was followed by the police firing that killed those Muslims who were helping the blast victims reach hospitals.

There were more Muslims killed in police firing than in the bomb blast. Subsequently, in the name of investigation, the police targeted innocent Muslim youths arresting hundreds and harassing and torturing them. 

A fact-finding committee of civil liberties group comprising of some eminent citizens of Hyderabad probed the two incidents and came out with a report, which is worth considering for long-term national security purposes. The panel clearly stated that the blast was the handiwork of the extremist Hindutva forces and the firing was ordered by some anti-Muslim police officers within the rank and file of the State police.

The committee particularly mentions the name of the then additional commissioner of police, Rajiv Trivedi and inspector Ramchandran who played an important role in feeding the name of one Shahed Bilal, a Bangladeshi responsible for the blast. The report further says that some police officers were misguiding the investigation by registering two cases for a single offence, one for bombs that got exploded and another for those unexploded. They handed over the case of the exploded bombs to the CBI and kept the other case with themselves.

The committee also lampooned the print and electronic media, especially the regional press, the Telugu media that has played a negative role, publishing and telecasting false stories by depicting Muslim youths as terrorists in this case. In fact, within five minutes of the blast the electronic media drummed up the name of Shahed Bilal, citing reference of the officers. It further  reported that Bilal triggered the bomb from Bangladesh through his cell phone. As for the print media, it published the story that Bilal celebrated the blast by distributing sweets while sitting in Bangladesh.

Since then three years have elapsed and tragically there is absolutely no clue to the investigators who committed the blast at the Makkah Masjid. Initial suspicion fell on the Muslims and they were arrested and harassed. Subsequently, the court exonerated them from all the charges due to lack of  evidence.    

Here, it needs to be recalled that last year when Union Home Minister, PC Chidambaram, visited Hyderabad and was asked about the investigation into the Makkah Masjid blast case, he said the main accused, Shahed Bilal had died and the case has turned cold! Sadly, the statement reflects the commitment towards the issues of national security.

Well, now that it has been established that the Hindutva terrorists are active in the country, and had an explicit role in the Malegoan Muslim graveyard bomb blast, the Samjutha Express train blast, and the Ajmer Dargah blast, it is time the probe into the Makkah Masjid bomb blast be ordered afresh with new leads emerging from other such cases.

There is a growing feeling among a section of the society that the lethargic attitude of the investigators and their non-committal attitude to crack this case, has led to innocent persons being targeted as against the culprits, who are merrily roaming freely. This apart, it is being felt that the biggest conspiracy of the Hindutva terrorists is to make use of their sympathizers among the police personnel to serve their nefarious ends. These terrorists are posing the greatest threat to national security and if their activities are not checked now, like the Maoist, they may become uncontrollable.

Moreover, the police firing that took place immediately after the blast, the Andhra Pradesh Government had constituted the Bhaskar Rao commission to investigate the incident. Even after three years, the Commission has failed to submit its report. This shows the panel’s non-seriousness to lead an unbiased probe of the police firing and that its negligent attitude is shielding the guilty officers from being indicted.

Now when Hindutva terrorism has been exposed, there is an urgent need for handing over these two cases to the CBI. The investigating agency should  expose the real face of the Hindutva terror operatives and arrest them. The CBI should also investigate the nexus of Hindutva terrorists and some anti-Muslim police officers who had ordered firing on the armless people.

The investigation should in fact expose that there are many Hindutva sleeper cells in the country and suggest how to confront with such kind indoctrinated people who are on the prowl to kill and create mayhem in the country. 

Importantly, when the courts are exonerating Muslim youth arrested for the Makkah Masjid bomb blast, the Government should take stringent action against the police officers responsible for the illegal detention, harassment, torture and arrest of these innocent youth. Besides, the Government should clearly direct the police to stop labeling the Muslim community as terrorists once and for all.

It should also direct the police to stop terrorizing people in the name of red alert, checking on the roads, and all unnecessary actions in the Muslim-populated areas. Additionally, both the Government and the police should change their attitude towards the RSS and its allied outfits and keep a tab on the activities appropriately. 

The Bhaskar Rao Commission should be activated immediately and asked to submit its report within a time-frame. More so, at a time when the inland national security is under threat from different actors, and this new facet of Hindutva terrorism that is creeping into the body and soul of India is posing a grave danger to the country. An ostrich like attitude towards this fact, may likely to bleed India for times to come. –INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)