Dispossessed Gets Possession

Mahmoud Darwish: An icon says goodbye



Mahmoud Darwish, the “sightless vagrant” finally got a place, a grave to declare as his own. All through his life he lived the life of a gypsy who finally found his resting place, Do gaz zameen (Two yards underground), in Ramallah. He was an important pillar of Palestinian Dream. Like the late Edward Said, Darwish employed his pen to shape the Palestinian Dream. The former chose prose while the latter stuck to poetry.

Darwish, 67, who passed away following heart surgery in a Houston hospital on August 9, must have been aware of a word called death. It is an inescapable noun which puts a full stop to a short as well as a long sentence called life. Darwish knew this pretty well. In a recent poem titled ‘The Dice Thrower’ Darwish saw death knocking on his doorstep.

“To Life I say: Go slow, wait for me until the drunkenness dries in my glass.
I have no role in what I was or who I will be.
It is chance and chance has no name.
I call the doctor 10 minutes before the death, 10 minutes are sufficient to live by chance.”

Mahmoud Darwish, the internationally renowned poet, was a man of pain and poems. Darwish was part of the Arab Exodus of 1948. If his forced exile signified pain his poems stood for Palestine. When he was stripped of an Israeli passport in 1971, he penned a poem called ‘Passport’ in which he challenged the idea of passport:

Stripped of my name and identity?On a soil I nourished with my own hands?
All the hearts of the people are my identitySo take away my passport!

Mahmoud Darwish was an epitome of dispossession, subjugation, and exile. In his poetry Palestine was a “metaphor for the loss of Eden, birth and resurrection, and the anguish of dispossession and exile.”

Israel always saw Darwish as an enemy but Darwish was not against the Jews. He was against the State’s policy towards fellow Palestinians. In an interview with Susan Sachs he had made it abundantly clear:

“The accusation is that I hate Jews. It’s not comfortable that they show me as a devil and an enemy of Israel. I am not a lover of Israel, of course. I have no reason to be. But I don’t hate Jews. (New York Times, March 7, 2000).

A cursory glance through Darwish’s poem reveals that he wrote poems for Palestine but it had universal appeal. His poetry infiltrated Israel but yet he was not allowed to set foot in Israel for almost 30 years!

His love for fellow human beings reflects in the following extract of his speech:

“I will continue to humanise even the enemy... The first teacher who taught me Hebrew was a Jew. The first love affair in my life was with a Jewish girl. The first judge who sent me to prison was a Jewish woman. So from the beginning, I didn’t see Jews as devils or angels but as human beings…These poems take the side of love not war.”

His poem ‘Identity Card’ chillingly summed up the complications of being a Palestinian in Occupied Palestine. It warns of hunger as well as anger; the only weapon of the dispossessed:

I have a name without a title
Record on the top of the first page:
I do not hate people
Nor do I encroach
But if I become hungry
The usurper’s flesh will be my food
Beware..
Beware..
Of my hunger
And my anger!

His poetic brevity did what a book can’t do. Sample the following couplet:

A woman told the cloud: cover my beloved
For my clothing is drenched with his blood.

To writers all across the world, he communicated the pain of his writing:

Writing is a puppy biting nothingness
Writing wounds without a trace of blood.

People find love in life but Darwish was an exception. He found love in death; in meeting with his beloved land:

I am the lover and the land is the beloved.

The man who used his pen to ‘cultivate hope’ is gone but he kept hope alive in the form of bitter sarcasm:

The siege will last in order to convince us we must choose an enslavement that does no harm, in fullest liberty!

Darwish, the man who talked about identity all through his life, went prepared. 'I am not Mine' was the title of one of his poems.

Even if I spell it (my name) wrong on the coffin – Is mine..

Darwish can now claim to be an owner. At least of his name if not his land.

Hikma’s Innovation, R&D Leads to Global Expansion

Hikma being listed at London Stock Exchange

“Innovation, said Steve Jobs, “distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” By that standard, Jordan-originated multinational company Hikma Pharmaceuticals falls in the category of a ‘leader.’

With a modest start from Jordan in 1978, Hikma has grown into a global pharmaceutical giant with 176 pharmaceutical products in 397 dosage strengths and forms in 40 different countries.

In the beginning, Hikma’s “primary focus” was to develop branded pharmaceuticals business across Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Today, the company has become a leading pharmaceutical giant having a significant presence in MENA, United States and Europe. The company’s strength can be gauged from the fact that its total revenue shot to $448.8m in 2007, an increase of 41.6% from the previous year, underlying revenue growth of 28%.

The buzzwords that sum up Hikma’s miraculous rise are: Innovation, Research & Development, and Acquisitions. These words define the corporate identity of Hikma. These words have breathed life into Hikma or vice versa.

Since its inception, Hikma has persistently indulged in innovation. No wonder in barely three years after entering the United States, it became FDA compliant in 1994. Two years later, it became the first Arab company to get FDA approval.

It was because of Hikma’s innovation that it started manufacturing injectable pharmaceutical products in Portugal in the year 1997. Four years later, it began manufacturing injectable powdered cephalosporin for the MENA and Portugal. Since then, as the company website puts it, Hikma has expanded significantly, both organically and through acquisition.

Hikma's business

Hikma’s business can be broadly divided into three categories: Branded, Generics and Injectables.

With an impressive experience of almost three decades in pharmaceuticals, Hikma has an array of branded products of “consistently high standard.” It is because of this reputation that multinationals turn to Hikma to manufacture and market their branded pharmaceuticals under in-licensing agreement. Hikma has 236 branded products (including 33 in-licensed products). In 2007, Branded products yielded a whopping profit of $198.9m.

In Generics, the company sells unbranded generic products in the United States, one of the world’s most competitive pharmaceutical markets. To satisfy “cost-conscious” customers, Hikam sells a broad range of high and low volume products. This business operates under West-ward label. The company has 44 non-branded generic products whose profit was $124.2m in 2007.

In Injectable business, Hikma manufactures and sells generic injectable pharmaceuticals as well as some branded injectable products under license. Hikma is becoming a leader in this category with their injectables being sold in MENA, Europe and United States. Injectables, consisting of 73 products, produced a profit of $121.2m.

A Strong R&D team

Hikma success also lies in its strong research and development team. The company has 127 scientists and experts dealing with pharmaceutical formulation, process optimization, analytical chemistry and drug delivery. The R&D team consists of strong technical expertise which focuses on niche and higher margin products. The team looks for products with a strong market potential or the products which are fast growing in therapeutic categories.

Hikma’s R&D capabilities have been taken seriously. In 2007 alone, the company received 129 product approvals in a range of therapeutic categories. With effective R&D, Hikma has a strong pipeline of products waiting approval.

Strategy Emboldened by LSE (London Stock Exchange) Listing

Hikma’s listing on LSE (London Stock Exchange) in November 2005 marked the beginning of a new era in the Company’s development giving it major financial flexibility.

Hikma’s strategy is simple: to build a strong and diverse product portfolio; to expand geographic reach; to develop and leverage global research and development capabilities. Its strategy also aims to “maintain the very high standards” for manufacturing capabilities.

Across its three core businesses (Branded, Generics and Injectables), Hikma has three strategic aims:

1. To consolidate strong market position in the MENA region by launching new products, expanding geographic reach and increasing market share.

2. To grow Injectable business by expanding product portfolio, developing manufacturing capabilities and strengthening sales and marketing network.

3. To continue to pursue profitable growth and maintain significant cash generation in the United States by focusing on high margin, niche product opportunities.

For Hikma, 2007 was the year of acquisitions. Hikma made four acquisitions: Alkhan Pharma (Egypt), Arab Pharmaceutical Manufacturers - APM (Jordan and Saudi Arabia), Ribosepharm and Thymoorgan (Germany).

On Course for Major Global Expansion

In just a year’s time Hikma’s product portfolio base has been transformed: It launched 28 new products, received 167 approvals across all businesses and geographies and submitted 74 regulatory filings in Jordan, the US and Europe alone.

Said Darwazah, Chief Executive of Hikma, is confident that the company has never been in such a strong position before.

“Our position as a leading pharmaceutical manufacturer in the MENA region is stronger than ever,” he said. He was equally confident about the company’s portfolio base and manufacturing capabilities.

“We have an excellent product portfolio, a large and growing sales and marketing team and excellent manufacturing capabilities that enable us to take advantage of the extremely favourable market environment in which we operate,” he said.

Acquisitions in MENA region have boosted the morale of its Chairman. “Through the two acquisitions we made in the region this year, we are rolling out our successful business model into new markets like Egypt and strengthening our position in our core and developing markets like Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf countries,” he said.

With an enviable balance sheet, Hikma’s future looks radiant. The Group gross margin made a healthy 49.3%, 14.8% increase in profit attributable to shareholders, which strengthened its balance sheet and the company’s ability to finance future growth. The company also raised gross proceeds of $160m to fund acquisition of APM.

Mr. Darwazah is hopeful that 2008 will be extremely fruitful for the company.

“We expect another year of strong performance in 2008 driven by our Branded and Injectable businesses as we continue to grow Hikma into a leading specialty pharmaceutical company and deliver high returns on investment to our shareholders,” he said.

Copyright Material: http://www.dinarstandard.com/innovation/Hikma071308.htm

A Poona Diary

Poona: Rise in high-rises

What do you do when a torrent of thoughts keep pouring in like Poona's intermittent raindrops? You try to store them in transient human memory. But human memory is no safe deposit vault. Reliance on human memory is untenable in today's fast-paced world where history is being digitally recorded. So how does one treat the torrential thoughts? Should the thoughts be allowed to fall like Niagara Falls or should we make those thoughts still like dam water? Words are the only way one can standstill the moments.

As the rain gods emptied their water drums, I was compelled to uncork my bottled thoughts. If rains can wash away the layered dirt, thoughts can cleanse one's conscience. Poona is the city of purity!

Poona, once a grand empire of Maratha emperors, has become an emperor of education. It was Nehru who had crowned Poona as "Oxford of the East." Poona is a towering educational hub for Easterners who look at Oxford with awe and reverence. I was lucky to be part of the great Indian "Oxford" which taught me common sense as well as the fine art of unravelling a communal mind. When Gujarat 2002 genocide took place under the edgy knife of the great Indian butcher, I was in the second year of my graduation. In those days the best way to recognize a communalist was to give him morning newspaper and observe his wrinkles making various angles. Most of the student faces wouldn't frown; they would develop some uneasy lines and the lines suggested a sinister smile. That smile was a defeat of human conscience.

In the last six years Poona has transformed into an adult city. If adolescence creates hormonal imbalances adulthood makes visible signs of its arrival. Poona, no doubt, has become adult, but it suffers from mall mentality; the newest economic disease plaguing India. High-rises do not reflect a city's growth; it mirrors corporate greed. Should we measure a city's growth by abundance of malls and high-rises or by number of beggars on a posh M.G. Road? The answer lies in the economic principle of moderation. In economics, too much of anything is bad.

Poona is Bombay's competing cousin: frequent traffic jams, rising pollution levels, sudden increase in crime and violence. But yet Poona is a far better cousin than Bombay. The difference between Poona and Bombay is that of a noun and an adjective: Poona is fun, Bombay is funny!
Was 'Poona' a spelling mistake? Or a result of colonial hangover?

No. Poona is more civilized than Pune.

Raj Thackeray's threat is visible on nameplates of foreign fast food giants like Pizza Hut and Dominos: they have learned to write their names in Marathi. It is altogether a different matter that Maharashtra assembly has passed a resolution to this effect. I am not against Marathi language; I am against the compulsion. Raj threat can result in electoral loss of the ruling class so there is a race to appease the Marathi Manoos. Not long ago, Uddhav Thackeray and Ramdas Athavale were at loggerheads to appease the Marathi Manoos: Shiv vada pav versus Bheem vada pav! Can vada pav economically uplift a community? My Marathi friends don't think so!

A short visit to Symbiosis, my alma mater, reveals that it has changed completely. Printed forms are history and internet is no longer a mystery! There are no queues. It offers an excellent lesson to Bombay's colleges.

Poona is a city of endless opportunities where opportunity knocks as well as lingers.

Afterthought: Why is Mulayam getting really Mulayam for Sonia Gandhi? Because he is the velvet carpet of UPA chairperson!

The Ritual of Recommendation

The Man of Recommendation: Dr. Mahmud-ur-Rahman in Malegaon

If communalism is BJP’s base, appeasement is a Congress tradition. If BJP has been hostile towards Muslims, Congress has been indifferent. If BJP pours its venom of communalism openly, Congress keeps that venom afloat and takes out when there is any need for political display. To an Indian Muslim, BJP is an open enemy while Congress has been an unfaithful friend.

Is there any difference between an enemy and an unfaithful friend?

In the eighties and nineties, BJP became visible from negligible because of its anti-Muslim politics and the so called “old wound” on Indian civilization: Babri Masjid. For Congress, Babri Masjid was a game of hide-and-seek. It flirted with the Hindus as well as the Muslims. If Rajiv Gandhi did not understand the seriousness of Masjid-Mandir politics, Narsimha Rao was well aware of its consequences yet he believed in the official art of winking! That fateful day, he did not wink, he was in fact sleeping!

If Hindu fanatics of RSS, Bajranj Dal and BJP brought down Babri Masjid, secular men of Congress gave us Liberhan commission; the country’s longest running inquiry commission yet to submit its report after 16 years! If BJP demolished Babri Masjid in a day, Congress indecision has taken 16 years. If BJP has physically desecrated the Muslim heritage, Congress has mentally raped Indian Muslims for 16 years.

Is there any difference between an enemy and an unfaithful friend?

Post-Babri demolition, Congress continued its policy of hide-and-seek. It is altogether a different matter that Congress does not know the trick to hide and the sense to seek. It is a party whose fate is always in a state of permanent confusion. When at the Centre, it keeps dangling between right and left. Pendulum politics has been eating up its electoral share. When will Congress learn to be in the centre?

BJP, on the other hand, has always been a right-wing party but like Congress it too does not enjoy consistency and political permanence. When it comes to power, it quietly changes its colour from saffron to green. Green is not the colour of Islam it is a colour of peace. BJP advocates peaceful negotiation of Babri Masjid-Ram Mandir dispute. It undresses its violent robes and dons the dress of masses. Can an Indian survive for 16 years on a one-meal-called Ayodhya? BJP knows that Ayodhya can’t feed India’s farmers so it’s better to talk about governance. Good governance is better than Lord Ram!

Good governance is good but trumpeting good governance is bad! BJP learned this political lesson when it slipped on India shining campaign.

Congress which benefited from BJP’s debacle thought it obligatory to reward its Muslim vote-bank. It was indeed an honourable intention. Congress, India’s oldest party, is yet to learn how to reward loyalty. One should pay royalty to reward loyalty! Alas, Congress continued its old and grand tradition of going into stone-age. It stuck to its old tools of appeasement: Committee and Commission; the 2cs which have become the destiny of Indian Muslims.

It’s like using telex in an age of internet!

First it was the Sachar committee report. Then came the mute Ministry of Minority Affairs. It is a crawling ministry whose only function is to distribute fallen crumbs after the cream has been licked by the upper crust. BJP behaved like a barking dog. The Indian Muslim was caught in this crossfire and felt guilty of being ‘appeasement.’ Fallen crumbs don’t fill a community’s stomach.

Congress was so pleased with its crumb-distributing ceremony at the Centre that it decided to set up one such state ministry in Maharashtra!

Sachar committee was not enough! On May 11, Vilasrao Deshmukh announced formation of a six-member research committee to analyse social, educational and economic conditions of Muslims in Maharashtra. Dr. Mahmud-ur-Rahman, a former Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, is the chairman of the committee which will submit its provisional report on June 30.
When this columnist asked the chairman (who was in Malegaon recently) why do we need a separate committee when Sachar Committee has already done the job assigned to this committee, he said, “Sachar has only diagnosed the disease. We will offer prescription in the form of policy and schemes.”

Will the findings and recommendations of this committee have a binding on the state government? The answer is obviously no. If the Congress-NCP alliance is really sincere in uplifting Muslims, they should follow the example of Shahu Maharaja of Akola, the father of social reform. He did a lot to uplift lower castes way back in the first quarter of 19th Century. And he did not need any committee to do that. He only believed in one word: legislation.

The day average Muslims realize the fundamental difference between recommendation and legislation, Congress will never ever come back to power again.

So is there any difference between an enemy and an unfaithful friend?

Looming Crisis of Powerlooms

Powerloom: When clatter and clang came to a standstill

As powerloom weavers of Maharashtra observed state-wide bandh (on June 16) called by Indian Powerloom Federation and Maharashtra Powerloom Federation over escalating yarn prices and dwindling prices of grey-cloth, a question must be posed: who must be blamed for this textile crisis which is threatening the 19 lakh strong powerloom industry for the past two months?

Should we blame the local trader who very often resorts to black marketing and hoarding in order to artificially raise the yarn prices? Or should the blame be passed on to the spinning mill owners who are well aware of the art of market manipulation?The above two questions very often determine the fate of the weavers but this time the real reason behind the ongoing recession lay somewhere else. The crisis is wrapped in two words: cotton export.

According to Cotton Advisory Board (a government body under the Central Textile Ministry) the cotton export for the year 2007-2008 is 8.5 million bales, (one cotton bale consists of 170 kgs) out of which 60% has gone to China alone!

India's cotton-based textile industry had been doing extremely well during the year 2003 to 2007, due to the adequate availability of good quality home grown cotton. But during the year 2007-08, apart from various other factors like sudden appreciation of rupee against US dollar, escalation in bank interest rate, slump in the local and export markets, the abnormal cotton price has totally paralysed the performance of the textile industry and in this scenario, even the top ticket mills are incurring huge losses.

If Shri J.Thulasidharan, Deputy Chairman of SIMA (The Southern India Mills' Association) is to be believed government of India did not take necessary steps to control the unabated export of the cotton. He has gone on record to say that many multi national cotton traders, unlike previous year, have entered into the Indian market and dominated the cotton purchases from the beginning of this season. He has warned that if the present trend continues, the spinning mills would be closed soon.

The one cotton candy (which consists of 356 kgs) is normally priced at Rs. 19,000 but this year because of scarcity of the cotton it is being sold at Rs. 25,000 per candy, an increase of more than 35%.

Even CITI (Confederation of Indian Textiles Industry) chairman PD Patodia has warned that "unchecked cotton exports is not healthy for domestic firms. The government has to give heed to industry's concern."

The textiles industry has already asked to put a curb on cotton exports in order to keep a check on prices but the government is in no mood to listen. In an interview given to Reuters on May 8, Union Textile Minister Shankar Singh Vaghela was ecstatic about cotton production. "If the monsoons are good", he said, "We may see production of 35 million bales in 2008-2009." He did not speak a single word about escalating cotton export, which is having a disastrous impact on the powerloom weavers across the country. Interestingly, it is not the farmers who are making money out of the cotton exports but the intermediaries.

Steep cotton prices directly affect yarn prices. And a steep yarn price means an increase in the cost of production of grey-clothes.

Before 2003, when the excise was imposed on powerloom industry, weavers did not know the terminology of loss. With the implementation of free quote trade from January 1, 2005, plain shuttle powerloom products are facing a stiff competition.

In such a scenario, what the powerloom weavers of Maharashtra should do? Blaming the local trader or baniya will not serve the purpose. Market does not always dance to a Baniya or Marwari's tunes; it functions on an economic term called market forces. Our government needs an effective regulation to curb the undue cotton export to the foreign countries. Government must ensure that the cotton is supplied in the domestic market first. Foreign players, offering lucrative prices, must wait in a queue.It is only by altering the government's policy towards the cotton export; weavers can overcome the present crisis of the power loom industry. Are they ready to compel the government to change its policy?

The Irony of IPL

Too Pawar-ful to handle: Shane Warne and Sharad Pawar at IPL Final

Nobody would have though that Yusuf Pathan, the son of a muezzin, would make Rajasthan Royals truly royal with his bat and ball. If his father made his bread by his sonorous voice, Yusuf made his butter by his bat and ball. Yusuf, like his younger brother Irfan, is a shining example of a torrential transformation of a young Indian Muslim. The blood brothers have redefined the concept of economic empowerment for a community whose majority is yet to grapple with the comprehensive meaning of the terminology. The two brothers who grew up playing cricket inside a mosque and a nearby ground wouldn't have dreamt to come so far. If international cricket gave Irfan an opportunity, IPL transformed his brother's shaky cricket career into a stable one. An impoverished family has become stable because of the cricket. IPL has further pushed it into an economic exaltation.

I find it strange why Rajasthan Royals, champions of the first T20 IPL tournament, were billed as underdogs. The underdogs – a coinage of some contemptuous commentators – have proved to be super-dogs. Is there any criterion in cricket to affix the label of underdogs? It was because of the psychology of superiority that our men of mike didn't term Mumbai Indians or Bangalore Royal Challengers as underdogs. After all they are owned by the high and mighty of the corporate world. Cricket is a funny game. Even a Nostradamus can't predict a team's fallout.

The good thing about IPL is that it was the triumph of humility over arrogance. Rajasthan Royals, IPL's cheapest franchisee, was an extremely courteous team. Their win signifies victory of courtesy over callousness. Men of bang were reduced to a whimper: Sachin Tendulkar, Shoab Akhtar, Rahul Dravid; the list is long.

The first IPL tournament was an exercise of "ego-driven carnage" where corporate cats (half of them directly or indirectly related to BCCI) bid to buy cream players. It is altogether a different matter that they couldn't milk enough cream out of them. Corporate greed stings. It has stung liquor baron Vijay Mallya who still believes that money can buy you everything. You can buy men with money but not their talent. That brings us to some interesting questions: Should cricket players be treated as a commodity? Or should they offer themselves for a price, that too in an auction? Is commodification of cricket quite similar to prostitution? Did IPL contaminate the purity of a game called cricket? Although I am not a purist but these harsh questions deserve honest answers.

IPL pioneered the concept of hired cheerleading in the Indian cricket. Whether cheerleaders need a cover drive or an extra cover is a different debate but one thing is certain: we ordinary Indians don't know how to cheer! Since cheering was assigned to surgical babes of Russia and elsewhere, we Indians were left with one thing: cricketing voyeurism! When was the last time, spectators witnessed a surge in their testosterone levels?

In an age of globalization, cricket is shedding nationalistic inhibitions. IPL blurred borders. The wall of race, religion and colour came down crumbling: When did you see Sourav Ganguly hugging Shoab Akhtar? Can an IPL improve Indo-Pak relations? If the answer is yes, we should play more T20 matches.

The irony of IPL lies with the iron man of Maharashtra: Sharad Pawar. A strange sense of nostalgia engulfed me as I watched Sharad Pawar distributing medals and prizes. His was a truly remarkable gesture of honouring men who deserved it. The iron man happens to be India's agriculture minister as well. Had he rewarded India's farmers, things would have been different. All he did was to dish out a dole of loan-waiver. The loan-waiver means nothing to a farmer who wouldn't have repaid it anyway. Thousands of farmers have committed suicide in Vidarbh region in Maharashtra. Sharad Pawar should have remembered them at his finest moment of 'cricketainment' career. The game of cricket can never take place without a farmer's cotton. The "stench" of money in IPL can make one nauseating. May be IPL should donate some for the have-nots. A question for Sharad Pawar: Can't IPL have a farmers' fund?

In the first half of twentieth Century Cricket was part and parcel of the British colonization. In the twenty first Century, Indians are colonizing fellow Indians.

State Win and a Capital Dream

Saffron Travels South: A BJP Worker celebrates in Karnataka (Pic: PTI)

Change is the only constant factor in the Indian politics. Political parties are not winning by chance but by the slogan of change. From Mayawati to Malegaon, change is the only constant noun voters are keen to pronounce. This seismic change-flow has the potential to change a young man’s dynastic dreams! After Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh in North, change is threatening to travel to a dreaded territory: Southern India.

BJP’s impressive and historic delivery in Karnataka was a result of a clever conception. BJP planned a political pregnancy much ahead of Congress party. Congress would love to get politically pregnant but it does not know the time of its conception. In-vitro-fertilization does not work in politics. Congress thought November to be an auspicious month of delivery while BJP delivered a full-grown baby in the last week of May!

Five months’ delay in a political delivery can make you wait for another five years.

Rahul Gandhi, “the future Prime Minster of India,” had planned to impregnate Karnataka in five hours. He visited Karnataka for a day and dedicated barely five hours to woo (campaigns, of course) its voters. Even a Romeo would not be so harsh for his Juliet!

For Janata Dal (S), Karnataka election was a total dejection. Haradanahalli Doddegowda Deve Gowda’s political career has been eclipsed by 30-seat loss. Deve Gowda considered Karnataka as his mother-in-laws’ house where he will only be pampered by votes but the verdict proved to be totally different. You can’t fool the same set of people again and again. Before Deve Gowda could outdo BJP by playing caste card; BJP wrote a political obituary of Janata Dal (S). Voters don’t forget politicians who don’t honour their words. Public memory is definitely not short. Deve Gowda must always remember one thing: In politics, loyalty can turn lethal if you don’t distribute royalty!

What brought saffron party to power is an interesting question. It portrayed itself as the only “alternative.” A party whose fate has suffered “backstabbing” and “betrayal” can expect public healing. It was the wave of change that worked in favour of the BJP. Public believed in BJP but yet Rajnath Singh did not believe in himself. “BJP is an all-India party now,” he said. That statement lay between excitement and hysteria. Nobody said that BJP is a regional party.
One might term this ludicrous but I firmly believe that four pillars of UPA government have played a pivotal role in BJP’s victory: Sharad Pawar, P Chidambaram, Manmoham Singh and Sonia Gandhi.

Sharad Pawar, who has a penchant for cricket (its no longer cricket, it should be called moneytainment), does not have time for agriculture ministry. He only believes in politics and not policy. All of a sudden he wakes up from his deep slumber and declares total ban on the wheat export. Is that policy? That’s the politics of next general election to control the monster of inflation. Our union finance minister, who wears a sophisticated dhoti, does not know a thing or two about the inflation. Does he know that 19 lakh power loom weavers across the country are incurring losses because of the inflation? When his ministry could not contain inflation, all he did was to threaten steel and cement companies. To him, inflation is like a desert storm which comes all of a sudden with no prior warning. Manmohan Singh, India’s gentlest Prime Minister, believes in delegation but not in responsibility. He keeps himself in mute-mode and perhaps considers assertion a sinful indulgence. Even if he tries to assert himself, our Finance Minister does not care. Sonia Gandhi, a woman of conscience, observes but still keeps her cool. Where is the power of authority?

Mismanagement at the Centre had an impact in Karnataka. It’s high time that Congress learns from sins of omission and commission. In an era of coalition politics, Congress is still searching political partners in order to get pregnant in the second half of 2009. Conception depends on the right match. Will Congress find one or many? Ground is fertile but Congress does not have a conception plan yet. BJP has just won a state; it can win entire India if Congress continues its policy of indifference.

Is Maharashtra Heading for a Big Riot?

Shiv Sena people distributing the controversial CD in Aurangabad

There have been four riots in April in the Mara­thwada region: Sevali (3 April, Jalna district); Rav­er and Chopda (13 and 22 April, Jalgaon district); Bharari (18 April, Aurangabad district). The rea­son was the same. A controversial CD with a song, Kasam Ram ki khate hain, Mandir wahin banayenge (We take oath on Ram, we will build the temple there — Ayodhya), is being played in public, inciting anger among Muslims.

In Muslim-majority Sevali, Muslims objected when the song was played at a paan stall just outside a mosque. The in­cident blew up. Muslims resorted to stone pelting and stab­bing. At least seven Hindus have been stabbed. As a pro­test, Hindu organisations like the VHP, Bajrang Dal, BJP, Shiv Sena and Arya Samaj called for a district bandh. Volun­teers forced shops to down their shutters. Public buses were stoned. Slogans like "Anyone living in this country will have to say Vande Mataram" were raised.

Hundreds — belonging to both communities — have been arrested.

"Some Muslims here have become so sensitive, they al­ways overreact," said Amit Pradhan, a resident of Sevali.

"As far as the controversial CD episode is concerned, it was just one of the manifestations of communalism. Mara­thwada is communally sensitive. The basic cause of commu­nalism in Marathwada region is that people harbour a sense of revenge against the Nizam's rule (the region belonged to the pre-partition Hyderabad state)," scholar Ashgar Ali Engi­neer, who has documented almost each and every riot since 1961, told Covert.

In Raver, Jalgaon, the VHP annd Bajrang Dal organised a re­ligious procession without clearance from the police on Ram Navami. As it passed a Muslim mohalla near Kotlawada Masjid, provocative slogans were raised and somebody threw gulal on the mosque. Muslims reacted.

"The police tried to pacify the people, but nobody would listen. At least seven policemen have been injured in the communal clash," said Mushtaq Karimi, a social worker.

Both Hindus and Muslims have suffered. Most houses set on fire belonged to Hindus, while Muslims are being ha­rassed after the event. Of the 60 arrested, 50 are Muslims and ten Hindus.
"Muslim youths have been terrorised by mindless arrests. They are fleeing from their villages to the safer ghettos. It's the same story everywhere," Engineer lamented. Argues Ab­dul Karim Salar, a Jalgaon-based former politician and ed­ucationist, "It is a fact that Hindus have suffered more in financial terms, but does that give licence to the police to terrorise an entire community?" No action has been taken against the 'illegal' procession.

A Scuffle between a Hindu and Muslim in Chopda, Jalgaon, built quickly into a confrontation. Two Hindus died in po­lice firing. Shops and houses belonging to Muslims were set on fire.

"Police acted only when rioters started using kero­sene. Rioters turned their rage on the police, and one cop, Prakash Hake, was dragged by the collar for about 20 feet," one eyewitness said on the condition of anonymity. "The mob poured kerosene on him, but before he could be set alight, police opened fire and two Hindus died on the spot." 19 Hindus have been arrested so far.

In Aurangabad's Muslim majorirty Bharari village, the con­troversial song was being played outside a mosque as Mus­lims were offering the evening prayer. Minutes later, a near­by paan stall owned by a Muslim was attacked. Muslims allege that rioters wore saffron masks and raised provocative slo­gans. Muslims cowered in the mosque, shielded by the po­lice. Mumtaz Khan Pathan, owner of Yash Photo Studio who used to provide pictures to the press in Aurangabad district, became a story himself. "All my belongings worth Rs 240,000 have been vandalised," he said.

Ashgar Ali Engineer described the Marathwada region as communally "overactive" while western Maharashtra is mere­ly "active". He warned the state government that communal forces might try to stoke communal passions all across Maharashtra.

COVERT Magazine, May 15 – May 30

http://www.covert.co.in/mubasshir.htm

'Fitna' of Geert Wilders

Geert Wilders: Hate lies in the eyes of the beholder!

In just six different verses of the Qur’an, Geert Wilders – the infamous Dutch Parliamentarian who had once said that the Qur’an must be banned – sums up the world’s fastest growing religion: Islam is essentially an intolerant and violent religion. This approach itself is a fanatical example of Fitna. In Arabic, the word Fitna means tumult or oppression. The selective approach reflects a sordid act of oppression. Cinematic oppression based on bias, hatred and a half-hearted understanding of a Christian fundamentalist who does not know the comprehensive meaning of the word ‘freedom.’

I can quote six, sixteen and even sixty verses from the Old and New Testament which openly advocate violence. Does that make Judaism and Christianity violent religions? I can quote the same number of violent verses from Bhagavad Gita in which Krishna tells Arjuna to wage war (Dharma Yuddha) on his own brothers and relatives. Does that make Hinduism a violent religion? The answer is a firm no.

Text and context of the violent verses must be kept in mind. I am not an Islamic scholar, but it is true that plenty of verses of the Qur’an were revealed in the midst of a battlefield when Prophet recited them in a state of trance. Also, one would be shocked and not surprised to find out that the Qur’an contains naskh (abrogating) and mansukh (abrogated) verses. Qur’an says, “When We substitute one revelation for another – and Allah knows best what He reveals (in stages) – they say, ‘Thou art but a forger’: but most of them understand not.” (16: 101)

Be aware of the learned man’s false knowledge! Don’t be surprised if you come across scholarly essays which argue that Qur’an is full of contradictions! Even a scholar like Fareed Zakaria’s stature has suffered from this syndrome.

Conjecture is a dangerous approach when speaking of the Qur’an. Conjecture follows lines, which reflect the lust of men’s own hearts.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali, the ace commentator of Qur’an, describes them as “men with a manifest turn of mind” and whose knowledge will be “limited to the narrow circle in which their thoughts move.”

Qur’an must not be interpreted on the basis of some verses it must be interpreted in its totality. To quote professor Abdur Rahman I Doi would be apt:

“Supposing someone takes the Qur’an in his hand at random, then begins to read it by grouping together all the chapters dealing with the same topic or rearranging them subject-wise or according to order of their revelation, and then begins to interpret it according to this newly designed system and looks for some hidden meanings within the text. Then this would be wholly inconsistent with the spirit of the Book, because the Qur’an in fact reflects the totality of vision, and with perfect comprehensiveness, it presents an integrated picture of life. While treating the study of the Qur’an like the study of any other book, many superfluous scholars have gone wrong.”

The 17 minute documentary opens with the cartoon of Prophet Muhammad in whose turban a live-bomb is attached. Verses from the Qur’an are pitted against the various terrorist activities and bombings worldwide as if every suicide bomber and martyr wants a virile virgin in the Paradise. Social and economic issues – the root causes of most of the violent activities all across the globe – have been carefully overlooked as if Islam is the opium whose sole quality is to stimulate violence.

What troubles Wilders is Islam’s growing “spell” on Netherlands and Europe. No doubt, Islam is on the rise. In fact it has been resurgent in Europe and America. The hate speech of Pope Benedict XVI in September 2006 reflects official Christendom’s discomfort with the growing Islam. Pope’s rant (“Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached”) does not find any takers in today’s globalised world where Islam’s rate of growth is simply based on one word: Peace!

Which Islamic army went to China, America, Indonesia, Japan and many more countries where Islam has spread by other means? Suffice it to note that Islam spread to China because of business ethics. Muslim traders taught Chinese what business honesty means.

Wilders’ wildest fantasy is to “defeat” Islam the way Nazism and Communism were defeated in 1945 and 1989 respectively. Islam is different from ‘isms’ and ‘ideologies.’ Isms and ideologies can be defeated but Islam can never be defeated. Am I sounding like a fatal fundamentalist? No. The reason is simple: Islam is not a religion but a way of life. Can you defeat a way of life?

Wilders understanding the word ‘freedom’ is flawed. He only believes in the bodily forms of liberation. No wonder he is concerned that there is no ban on burqa in Netherlands! We are living in a strange world where bikini is ‘civilised’ and burqa is ‘barbaric!’ What we do is ‘freedom’. What others do is ‘fanaticism!’

Wilders can’t digest the flourishing Halal-investment industry in Netherlands. What would happen if Muslims suddenly withdraw their savings and investments from various financial institutions of Netherlands? The country would receive an economic jolt. Should we call it an economic boycott or an economic Jihad?

Wilders carefully avoids portraying his own faith. The history of Christianity is bloodier as well as more spiteful than the history of Islam. Any historian blessed with common sense would agree. One only needs to read M.J. Akbar’s The Shade of Swords. In a chapter called Circle of Hell, the author conclusively proves that the hate culture of Christendom was more venomous than that of Islam. To deny Jesus is to deny Islam. “Islam can survive with Jesus as a Prophet; Christianity cannot if Muhammad, and not Christ, is the last Messenger,” Akbar writes.

Qur’an is not a book of hatred but a book of humanity. Qur’an calls Christians and Jews as Ahle-Kitaab, People of the Book, a respectable title indeed. It does not call them ‘pigs’ as the documentary purports.

The documentary ends when the live-bomb attached to the Prophet Muhammad’s turban explodes. By portraying Prophet Muhammad in offensive cartoons, the ‘enlightened West’ is using its best weapon: ridicule.

A messenger of hate bares the strategy of ridicule:

“The ridicule-armed warrior need not fix a physical sight on the target. Ridicule will find its own way to the targeted individual…To the enemy, ridicule can be worse than death. At least many enemies find death to be a supernatural martyrdom. Ridicule is much worse: destruction without martyrdom: A fate worse than death.”

Islam is not a religion of ridicule; it is a religion of reason. “Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord,” says the Qur’an, “with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious…(16: 125)

Sane voices do good things in strange ways. Not many would know that Dutch Jewish TV producer, Harry De Winter has criticised Fitna, which he calls as “anti-Semitic.” Harry has come out with a bold advertisement on the front page of the newspaper Volkskrant. The ad reads:

What is your message?

“We Jews know better than anyone else what this sort of discrimination can lead to. Wilders claims that the Muslims must be dealt with and that the Koran is a fascist book. That’s how the persecution of Jews once started, by generalization. Therefore, it is time for a sharper criticism from the Jewish community. If you say the same thing about the Jews or Israel, you are considered an anti-Semite and ostracized. It is good that this feeling of justice is so strong, but, for me, there is no difference between the yarmulke and the headscarf.

If Wilders had said the same thing about Jews (and the Old Testament) as he does about Muslims (and the Koran), he would have been ostracized a long time ago and accused of anti-Semitism.”

Rabble-rousers like Wilders will not flourish in today’s multi-cultural society. They would go down in the dustbin of history as nobodies.

Hyper-reactions, Akbar writes sensibly, tend to suggest nervousness. “Islam is not a weak doctrine; it is built on rock, not sand. Reason is a more effective weapon than anger.”

‘Don’t Compete with the World, rather compete with yourself'

Areeb Khan in joyous mood

26-year old Areeb Khan, a graduate of Jamia Millia Islamia and Indian Institute of Management (IIM, Calcutta), is the first Muslim to found a website for Citizen Journalism. He dumped his fat cheque job to tread a path which has been less travelled. Excerpts from an interview.

Q: You had a wonderful career of fat pay-cheques. What made you start Purdafash.com? Isn’t it unconventional wisdom?

A: Being in the top 20% at IIM C, I definitely had fat pay cheques for the duration that I worked with even fatter pay cheques in the near distance. However, the desire to do something on my own and also to make a difference is what made me take up Purdafash. Whether it can be called wisdom or not would depend on how successful we become, but unconventional it definitely is.

Q: Why Purdafash? Kindly elaborate how you managed to start the website and purpose behind it.

A: Purdafash is a very well thought out and carefully rolled out product. The site combines the concepts of Citizen Journalism and Social Networking in a focused way so as to solve the problems of people like you and me. The purpose behind starting Purdafash is to earn money while doing good of the people around us. The site has been launched on the basic premise that there is a bit of “good” hidden among all of us. So the website intends, in the future, to become a platform where all the good forces can unite.

Q: Do you think that Purdafash will survive given that it will not be depend on “senseless advertising” and “corporate charity”?

A: Yes, we strongly believe that not only will Purdafash survive but even go on to become a very powerful force on the Indian media horizon. The product has behind it a very sound business model tested under various scenarios which will eventually help it to survive against competition. As for advertising, we intend to introduce to India an advertising paradigm which is very popular in the West but has not yet touched Indian shores. And yes, we would never depend on corporate charity for our funds but at the same time Purdafash intends to blur the line between the social and the economic so the very definition of “charity” might undergo a sea of change once we are successful.

Q: Your academic life at Jama Millia Islamia and IIM Calcutta?

A: I graduated in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Jamia Millia Islamia with a silver medal and went to work in a flourishing startup Nagarro Inc. In the 2 years that I spent at the company, I rose to become the Head of India Marketing team before deciding to pursue MBA from IIM Calcutta. During my two years at IIM Calcutta, I was instrumental in getting off the ground IIM Calcutta’s flagship marketing festival- CENSUS and was part of the core team that turned around the Annual Entrepreneurship festival from being a small, intra campus event into an All India event. I was also awarded the Best Project Award by the Social Work Group at IIM Calcutta and People for Animals for developing a Business that would improve the lives of rural India.

Q: What’s the motto that drives you?

A: I don’t compete with the world- rather compete with myself. I feel the standards that I set for myself are much higher than what the world expects out of me. So I try to exceed my own expectations everyday- that’s what keeps me going.

Q: Do you think Muslim youth can play an important role in promoting citizen journalism?

A: Absolutely! I think Muslim youth are just as good as any in the world and they can definitely play an important role by highlighting the problems that we face as a community everyday.

Q: Any message for Muslim community especially Muslim youth?

A: Just believe that you are the best, get as educated as possible and strive constantly to be twice as good as the person next to you.

Q: Your family background?

A: My parents hail from Aligarh and both are government servants. They are both doctorates and have always placed a premium on education. I have a younger sister who is presently completing her schooling.

'Muslim Community must come forward for acquiring technical knowledge'

Prof. A.I. Wasif: A man of inspiration and imitation

51-year old Prof. (Dr.) Akil Iqbal Wasif is a shining example of an excellence-in-constant-motion. A product of Malegaon’s Marathi medium school – whose family had nothing to do with textiles – went on to become first Muslim In-charge Principal of Asia’s largest Textile College at Ichalkaranji in Kolhapur District. Excerpts from an interview.

Q: When did you get appointed at DKTES Textile College? What was your position before joining this institute?

A: I joined DKTE’s Textile and Engineering Institute in 1983 as a lecturer on Diploma side. Prior to this, I have worked in Morarjee Goculdas Spinning and Weaving Mills (Mumbai) as a Technical Officer and S.B.M. Engineering (Mumbai) as a Marketing Executive.

Q: In which subject you have done PhD?

A: I did my Ph. D. in 1998 and my area of specialization was ‘Green Technology in Textile Processing.’ I have worked on reducing the water consumption, steam consumption and electricity consumption. This has successfully resulted in substantial reduction in pollution load due to Textile Processing.

Q: Your achievement and contribution to textile industry?

A: As far as my research in textiles is concerned, I have presented 75 papers at national and international conferences. More than 150 papers of mine have been published in national and international journals. I have figured in Marquis Who’s Who in the World, America’s leading biographical publisher. I have been a recipient of International Biographical Centre’s (Cambridge, England) 21st Century award for outstanding achievements. I have provided consultancy to leading textile companies including Grasim, Wel Spun and Siam Synthetic (Thailand). I have designed 8 Effluent Treatment Plants for treating textile waste water. More than 50 organizations are availing my expertise in effluent treatment, water and energy conservation, product development, process modification. I have provided community services to unemployed youth and women from weaker sections of society.

Q: What should be done to uplift weaving community of Malegaon and Bhiwandi?

A: Like Ichalkaranji weavers, the weaving community of Malegaon and Bhiwandi must make an attempt to switch over from plain powerlooms to Automatic / Shuttles technology and manufacture niche products. Various training programmes and seminars must be organized which will change the mindset of weavers. If weavers of Malegaon and Bhiwandi come forward to modernize their textile sector, I would extend my whole-hearted support. Both the textile centres must establish a textile college.

Q: Your message to Muslim community?

A: Muslim Community must come forward for acquiring technical knowledge. I think Urdu high Schools / Junior Colleges will have to do lot of counselling and encourage the Muslim students to opt for higher studies. By the grace of Almighty Allah, I could achieve this position due to sustained hard work and honesty. Muslims must start believing in their own abilities as they too are immensely talented. I request all our students to come forward and pursue education against all odds. We need to have positive frame of mind, Insha Allah we will succeed in all walks of life.

Q: Your family background?

A: My father Iqbal Ahmed Wasif was a social worker. Paternal grandfather Mr. Gulabmiya was a social worker and maternal grandfather Mr. Hasan Khan was Deputy Collector. I did my schooling in Marathi medium from Municipal high school. We are four brothers and two sisters, all of them are highly qualified in their respective fields. My father and mother took personal interest in my upbringing and education. I did my graduation in Science stream (B.Sc.) from Malegaon’s M.S.G. College. I left Malegaon at the age of 21 for higher studies at MUICT, Mumbai.

Q: Your motivator and source of inspiration?

A: My father Iqbal Ahmed Wasif was a constant source of inspiration and great motivator. It was he who made up my mind to pursue textile education at Mumbai. My higher education at MUICT helped me a lot in my personality development and developing competitive spirit.

Saudi Aramco and ADNOC in the World's Most Sustainable Oil Companies Report

New Begining: Saudi Aramco and ADNOC

Spain-based management rating and research firm Management and Excellence (M&E) has recently released its 5th annual report titled “Most Sustainable Oil/Gas Companies 2008” that helps leading Oil companies benchmark against each other. This particular ranking, marketed with Oil & Gas Journal Online, measures oil/gas companies’ factual compliance with 400 accepted international standards in sustainability, ethics, social responsibility, governance and transparency.

The ratings covers 20 select leading Oil & Gas companies to benchmark each other which includes Total, Shell, BP, ExxonMobil and for the first time Saudi Aramco and ADNOC.

Purpose & Approach of Ranking

The basic purpose of the report, according to Dr. William Cox, Managing Director, of M&E, is to “tell oil/gas companies their level of objective compliance with nearly 400 international standards.” The study has been billed as “the most comprehensive and detailed of studies covering sustainability in the industry.”

The international standards against which the ranking is compiled and generated are based on standards set by institutions such as the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, Global Compact, U.N. Millennium Goals, OECD, International Labor Organisation, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, ISO, Sarbanes-Oxley, NYSE and others.

M&E surveyed all companies and researched public information services to determine actual point-by-point compliance with these standards. All percentages refer to the number of points with which a company complies out of a total of over 387. To make the report accurate, M&E distributed exhaustive questionnaires containing 60 questions to the leading oil/gas companies worldwide. The companies were asked to return it; failing which M&E would use its own research to compile the report.

Each year M&E redefines the report’s criteria, adapting them to where the industry is going. For example, this year M&E added a number of points for a reserve replacement ratio over 100 plus points for the number of years a company’s proven underdeveloped reserves will last.

Petrobas Leads in 'Sustainability'

Petrobras of Brazil has emerged as “the Most Sustainable Oil/Gas Company of 2008” and has been ranked No.1 in the report. Petrobras’ miraculous rise in the M&E ranking is an amazing case. When M&E started this study 5 years ago, Petrobras was among the “weakest companies” especially in terms of performance towards the environment and in its employee relations. Dr. Cox recalled one particular incident about Petrobras.

“I recall sitting in the Varig lounge in Sao Paulo in 2003 and watching a program on Brazilian TV reviewing the biggest environmental debacles of Petrobras, of which its sinking platform received the most international attention,” he said. But this was only one case.

“In fact, Petrobras, the State-run company, was a ‘dirty company’ in terms of its spills, environmental transgressions and suffering from regular strikes among its employees,” Dr. Cox told DinarStandard. But in 2006, Petrobras jumped to 2nd place in M&E ranking and retained its spot in 2007 as well. In 2008, the company climbed the ranking ladder and became No.1 by a small margin.

Common Features of Most Sustainable Oil Companies

Petrobras (No.1), Total (No.2), and Pemex (No.12) have been the “most dynamic improvers” while Statoil (No.4) and Shell (No.5) have been termed as “the most solid performers.” At No. 3, BP has been an ultimate “rebounder.”

The leaders in oil/gas companies have some common features:
Companies have been growing and increasing production, which makes it difficult to improve H&S (Health and Safety) rates, but Statoil (100%), Shell (83%) and Marathon (83%) have succeeded.

Petrobras and Statoil have reduced fatalities, accidents and other problems by improving their supplier management by 100%. Shell, Total, BP and ConcoPhilips have reduced it by 83%.
Petrobras (100%), Total (100%), BP (95%), Shell (95%) and Statoil (95%) have the most detailed environmental policies.

Leading companies like Petrobras, Shell, Total and ExxonMobil have received more external recognition in the form of awards or were at the top at the most important rankings in most of the areas relating to the oil/gas industry.

Saudi Aramco and ADNOC: Weak in Corporate Governance but strong in Health & Safety

The two leading oil companies in Muslim-majority countries are the state-owned Saudi Aramco and ADNOC (AbuDhabi National Oil Company) which have fared weak overall, particularly in corporate governance but they did better in HSE (Health & Safety) and HSE transparency. In general, companies that controlled the largest oil/gas reserves demonstrated the poorest governance and sustainability practices. The three state corporations PDVSA (state-owned Venezuelan oil company), Saudi Aramco and AbuDhabi NOC in part scored lowest in governance but together control 430 billion barrels of oil, compared with ConocoPhilips´ 9.4 billion or ExxonMobil´s 22.7 billion.

But Dr. Cox is optimistic. “Poor governance,” he said, “does not necessarily mean poor management.”

“Most management processes are covered under Sustainability,” he said.

Dr. Cox also shared one interesting insight as to why Saudi Aramco and ADNOC have suffered in their report ranking. The governance standards in M&E study are mainly those pertaining to companies listed in the USA and Europe, covering such aspects as shareholder rights and independence of board members.

“These obviously do not fit well with the family/state-run businesses in the Arab world,” Dr. Cox told DS.

Dr. Cox said that he would not want to argue that the governance standard of USA and Europe should apply to Arabian oil/gas companies.

“These are standards required by investors buying stock in a company,” he said.

On the brighter side, Saudi Aramco and ADNOC have beefed up their transparency on HSE (Health and Safety), technical and human resource programs. ADNOC, for example, details in its HSE policy, “a systematic approach to HSE management designed to ensure compliance with Abu Dhabi and U.A.E Laws and Regulations and adopted local and international standards.”

They implement this policy through a documented Health, Safety and Environment Management System (HSEMS) and conduct periodic audits to verify compliance.

ADNOC began implementing a new HSE in 1997 and since 2003 it has published a separate HSE report.

“The 26-page report details ADNOC´s environmental sponsorship projects as well as HSE statistics complying with typical global standards,” Dr. Cox told DS.

ADNOC has improved consistently on TRIP (Total Recordable Incident Rate). In 2002, the rate was 2.96 for the company and 3.08 for contractors. In 2006 these figures were 1.84 and 0.78, respectively.

The same is true in terms of the LTIF (Lost Time Incident Frequency) metric. LTIF has come down drastically from 0.75 in 2002 to 0.60 in 2006 for the company. For contractors it has come down to 0.35 from 0.78.

Saudi Aramco and ADNOC have solid compliance in H & S which includes complying with OSHA standards, handling of hazardous materials in the production process and emergency plans etc.
Both of the companies have done well in supplier quality control. i.e. Supplier management system, Complaint system for suppliers, Objective supplier screening system and Controlling and enforcing reasonable environmental standards among suppliers.

When it comes to the presentation of information, Saudi Aramco and ADNOC have strongly upgraded their websites following globally accepted structures and contents.

The content includes their code of ethics and conduct, regularly updated press releases, confirmed oil reserves, reports and/or papers on world energy topics, annual environmental report etc.

Saudi Aramco and ADNOC: Areas to Improve

Saudi Aramco and ADNOC scored big in having proven biggest Oil reserves but they lose in global sustainability initiatives, which have considerable PR (Public Relation) impact for companies with high profiles in Europe, the USA and Latin America.

Corporate governance is one area in which both the companies need to improve specially in terms of global PR.

However, given the government owned structures, Dr. Cox does not see major drivers for corporate governance changes in the near term. “They will probably not venture into the areas of corporate governance in the foreseeable future,” Dr. Cox told DS.

According to Dr. Cox, both companies could improve in the following:

Publishing more about their human resource policies, including training and performance measurement.

Being more transparent about financials even though they are not listed companies.
Participating in more international sustainability initiatives such as the Global Compact or Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative.

Dr. Cox thinks that both the companies are “doing well in line with their own goals and cultures” but he spells out the differences between Saudi Aramco/ADNOC and such firms as Shell and Total.

First, both companies are not very exposed to critical media and publics as in the others’ markets.

“They need less social PR,” he told DS.

Second, their expansion does not geographically impinge on land or areas occupied by people or rare species.

“Thus, they do not need to generate as much public goodwill,” he said.

Dr. Cox is of the opinion that both the companies do not have to generate goodwill within the government because they belong to the government.

He cited the example of PDVSA of Venezuela which has gone “from bad to worse.”
“It is in line with the overall irresponsible and blind politics of Hugo Chavez and thus is hardly a surprise,” he said.

“Saudi Aramco and ADNOC cannot in any way be compared with the Venezuela/PDVSA case,” he emphasized.

Finally, Saudi Aramco and ADNOC are extractors more than refiners and processors.

“They do not have to worry about searching for and developing alternative energies as Statoil & Company do, whose reserves are much lower,” he advised.

Copyright Material: http://www.dinarstandard.com/current/Aramco040608.htm

Muslim Girls: Moving Ahead with Time

Muslim Girls: Torch-bearers of a 'Silent Revolution'

Muslims girls have once again proved that they are the torch-bearers of a ‘silent revolution’ sweeping through the Muslim community. They have conquered yet another educational battlefield. In what is being billed as a ‘major surprise’ for policymakers, Muslim girls have bagged more than 30% in merit-cum-means scholarship scheme announced by Ministry of Minority Affairs in the wake of Sachar Committee which submitted its report in November 2006.

The scheme was initiated in June 2007. Under the scheme, 20,000 “poor and meritorious” students belonging to minority communities (Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis and Buddhists) would be offered scholarships on population-wise representation.

1084 scholarships were reserved for Muslims of Maharashtra. Out of which 30% seats (325) were specifically earmarked for the Muslim girls. In the beginning, government officials were skeptical whether Muslims girls would come forward to fill in the 30% seats. To answer their skepticism, they even inserted a clause that in case of non-availability of eligible female students, government could transfer the scholarships to male students!

Muslim girls proved that the babus’ skepticism was indeed wrong. 338 girls have been sanctioned scholarships although government figure for girls was 325! The rest of 746 seats have gone to boys although government figure for boys was 759!

“We had our reasons to put in the transition clause but were puzzled by the Muslim girls’ response,” a senior Mantrayla official said. “Muslims girls have gone beyond our expectations,” he said.

As per the available data, most Muslim girls have sought scholarships to pursue professional courses including medicine and engineering while Muslim boys have opted for technical education.

Going by the figures, more Muslim girls will become doctors and engineers five years from now.

If one goes through the list of the eligible candidates, it becomes abundantly clear that Muslims from all over Maharashtra have benefited from this scheme.

Leading journalist and author, M.J. Akbar was ecstatic on this positive development.

“It is a sign of the times to come,” he said.

“Our Ummah is in twilight zone where the sun has set and we are waiting for a sunrise,” he elaborated.

“The real issue facing Indian Muslims is education. This is the real challenge: we must make every girl child, and particularly the Muslim girl child, into an educated one. Gender equality is a principle of Islam; I want to see it shine in practice,” Akbar said.

“It is a good sign of awareness among Muslims especially Muslim girls,” Uzma Nahid of Iqra Foudation said.

“Our poor and downtrodden girls have performed better than other minorities. It is a big achievement and my heart goes for their parents who have worked hard to make this happen,” she said.

The amount of scholarship awarded is from Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 30,000.

Selection procedure for the scholarship is purely based on merit. Students who have got admission to technical or professional courses on the basis of an entrance test will be eligible for this scholarship scheme. Scholarship would continue on successful completion of the course in the preceding year.

The scheme is only open to economically weaker students whose parents’ annual income does not exceed 2.5 lakh.

The scholarship has been divided into two different heads viz. 1) Maintenance assistance that will be directly credited to the student’s account. 2) Course fee will be paid by the state government directly to the concerned institute. The applications for scholarship will be submitted through concerned institutions. State government will scrutinize it and forward it to the Ministry of Minority Affairs which will finalize the list of eligible candidates.

Nikahnama Divides Indian Muslims

Muslim Marriage: Nikahnama not a 'religious obligation'

Mumbai: A new 12-page Sharai Nikahnama has sparked a heated debate among Indian Muslims, with some welcoming the women-drafted marriage guide and others slamming it as sensational.

"Although I have not gone through the full-text of nikahnama, it is a welcome development," Javed Anand of Muslims for Secular Democracy (MSD) told IslamOnline.net.

"It was a change long due."

Last week, the All-India Muslim Women Personal Law Board (AIMWPLB) released the guide drafted by its 30-member executive body.

The 12-page document says registering Muslim marriages in a marriage bureau should be mandatory, and asserts the necessity of woman's consent to marriage.

It specifically mentions that a husband is expected to provide "cooked food" and "stitched clothes" to his wife.

It rejects divorce done through SMS, e-mail and phone and video conferencing and also explicitly bars a man from declaring divorce if in rage or under the influence of intoxication.

The code also grants the wife the right to seek divorce when the husband refuses to if she is forced to indulge in unnatural sex or if her husband is having illicit relationship with other women.

"We have framed the new nikahnama strictly in accordance with the tenets of Islam, which clearly prohibit any kind of harassment or oppression of a married woman by her husband," AIMWPLB president Shaista Amber said when releasing the guide last week.

She added that the document has been prepared in Urdu and Hindi so that the common people could understand the rights and responsibilities of the husband and wife.

"In the old nikahnama, there is no provision for address verification; registration of marriages has not been made compulsory and the rights of women have not been clearly laid down."
Muslims account for 160 million of India's 1.1 billion people, the world's third-largest Islamic population after those of Indonesia and Pakistan.

Overdue

Hasan Kamaal, a Mumbai-based columnist and scriptwriter, believes the move was long overdue.

"Similar nikahnamas are there in almost all Muslim countries including Pakistan and Saudi Arabia."

Kamaal said that whether Muslims take advantage of this nikahnama is altogether a different matter.

"It is very sad that men-dominated All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) didn’t initiate anything in this regard and women had to come forward to fulfill this."

The same view is shared by Anand, whose MSD group comprises secular and intellectual Muslims.

"I am saddened that the AIMPLB did nothing to bring such change."

AIMPLB, the single largest religious body consisting of scholars of different schools of thought, was formed in 1973 to protect and apply Muslim Personal Law in marriage, divorce, succession and inheritance.

In 2005, Shiite and women seceded to form their own separate Boards, the All India Shiite Personal Law Board & the All India Muslim Women's Personal Law Board.

Publicity

AIMPLB has already issued a nikahnama based on the Quran and Shari`ah.

"No one has the right to include any point in Islamic law which has not been included in the Islamic scripture," senior AIMPLB member Khalid Rasheed told IOL.

"I think All India Women’s Board has no base."

But many Muslims questioned the need for a new nikahnama.

Bhiwandi-based Dr. Rehan Ansari particularly questions the need for registering marriage.
"Muslims marry in the presence of witnesses and that is enough for a valid Muslim marriage," he told IOL.

"Nikahnamamay be a country’s necessity but it is not a religious obligation. Same is the case with registration of marriage. I think there is no harm in registering the marriage with the concerned government department."

Maulana Yaseen Akhtar Mishbahi, founder-chairman of Delhi-based research institute Darul-Qalam, insists that the AIMWPLB and its leader Shaista Ambar have no Islamic background.

"Also, she does not enjoy popular support in the Muslim community which is very important for the application of the nikahnama," he told IOL.

The scholar insisted the move was only "for the sake of publicity," advising AIMPLB not to respond to these "petty things."

"Everything is there in Qur’an, Hadith and religious books. There is no need for a nikahnama."

Copyright material: http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1203758360810&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout

Buoyant Bangladesh: An Emerging Investment Destination

Dr. Muhammad Yunus: The Poster boy of Brand Bangladesh

A bare utterance is being transformed into a reality. The famous saying of Dr. Muhammad Yunus (Nobel Prize-winning founder of Bangladesh’s Grameen Bank) that “We will create a poverty museum by 2030…We will start with Bangladesh” finally goes global with his pioneering micro-credit scheme to poor people with no bank account or credit history. A bank from a “third world country” is making inroads into the world’s richest country: the United States. Grameen America which launched in January 2008, has already lent a modest $145,000 to immigrant women in New York City.

That’s the Bangladesh of Dr. Muhammad Yunus, the man who has converted millions of ordinary Bangla women into “Bangla heroines” with his unique application of micro-credit techniques.
Dr. Muhammad Yunus is now the symbol of a new brand Bangladesh which is attracting tremendous investment interest.

Grameen's joint venture with Danone, one of the leading producers of nutritious food in the world, is one such example. The basic aim of the joint venture was to “improve the diet of rural Bangladeshis — especially the children” at a “low price” in order to make a “real difference in the lives of millions of people”. The joint venture is one of the finest targeted-examples of the ‘Fortune at the bottom of pyramid’ theory. (This theory is derived from the work of renowned researcher and change leader Professor C. K. Prahalad’s book ‘Fortune at the Bottom of Pyramid.’ It means that there is a vast, untapped purchasing power and demand at the lowest income levels of society and there is a fortune to be made if products are designed creatively at low cost and sold at low prices.)

The 'Bangladesh Paradox' and Emerging Investment Opportunities
Bangladesh, designated a Least Developed Nation by the United Nations in 2003 (2006 est GNP per capita at $440), has surprised investors all around the world. With a 150 million strong population and extreme poverty at the helm, it has put to rest all speculation that it was bound to fail in terms of socio-economic indicators. In spite of a troubled political history and a caretaker government in power, global banks and financial institutions paint an optimistic picture of Bangladesh.

The World Bank calls it the ‘Bangladesh Paradox’. Top-notch banks like Citi, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan and Merrill Lynch have identified Bangladesh as a ‘key investment opportunity’. Its buoyancy can be gauged from its “bullish” image: The Dhaka Stock Exchange Index is at a 10-year high, 66 per cent up this year thus making Bangladesh Asia’s top-performer after China, leaving even a ‘resurgent’ India behind. With consistent GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth of 7%, it is set to march ahead and become an ‘Asian Tiger’ soon.

The impressive growth overall is taking place in ‘a climate of political restructuring’ – thanks to the government’s interest in privatizing many state-owned enterprises.

Bangladesh is finally shattering its cocooned perception all across the globe. As the author-editor M.J. Akbar told DinarStandard, “If Bangladesh is slowly emerging out of the basket into which Henry Kissinger once dumped it (he called the country a “basket case”) it is because women have become the prime movers of economic development.”

Bangladesh has moved from the “basket case” towards the “bullish” case.

There are plenty of corporate houses in Bangladesh who embody the “Bullish Bangladesh” image. Rahimafrooz Group and Asian Tiger Capital Partners (popularly known as AT Capital) are two such companies who have the potential to transform Bangladesh into an ‘economic powerhouse’ and ‘Asian Tiger’ respectively.

Rahimafrooz’s Innovative Solar Energy Solutions
Rahimafrooz Group is a 50 year old modern day family conglomerate that showcases the 'Bangladesh Paradox.' In 2006, the Company had a turnover of $72.5 million and has 1700 employees and mainly deals in three areas: Automotive Aftermarket, Energy Services (including Renewable) and Retail. Its vision is to become one of the top two storage power companies in South Asia by the year 2010 and aspires to be “the most admired and trusted organization” by following “ethical business practices” and “adding value to stakeholders”.

Rahimafrooz’s innovative solar energy solution is today touching the lives of thousands of poor people in the country. It is a pilot project with the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission to provide solar-electricity to the remote villages of Bangladesh. As of now, more than 30,000 thousand families are supplied with solar power with the help of NGOs and International Organizations.

It was because of Rahimafrooz’s Solar Home System (SHS) that Mr. Bakaddas Mia’s family overcame the “darkness of night”. It also helped him to educate his children. Mr. Mia’s story is not unique; there are many heart-warming stories of instant transformation.

Speaking on solar energy, Munawar Misbah Moin, Group Director, Rahimafrooz told DinarStandard, “We, at Rahimafrooz, have designed solar batteries for use in small home lighting systems. In addition, we have set standards for charge controllers, inverter circuits and lamps and helped develop local production of all components other than the solar module”.
Elaborating on the variety of solar energy, he said, “Our experience ranges from Solar Home System (SHS), centralized system, vaccination refrigeration, water pumping, drip irrigation, telecom back up system, etc”.

Scope for Solar Energy
Mr. Munawar said that the scope for solar energy in Bangladesh is bright. “The rural home lighting market”, he said, “is growing robustly at the rate of 100% and the market for other customized solution is also developing”.

“We have been focusing on rural market in Bangladesh with potential of 1 Million households and so far all players have supplied SHS to 200,000 households”, he told DS.

OIC’s Potential Role for the Promotion of Solar Energy
He also talked about the prospects of Solar Energy in developing Muslim countries where there is an acute shortage of energy.“The solar proposition is feasible and sustainable in an area in any country where installation of main electrical grids is far off (15 to 20 year time)”, he said.
Mr. Munawar also suggested that institutions like the OIC (Organization of Islamic Conference), IDB (Islamic Development Bank), and Kuwait Fund could promote the use of renewable energy by providing soft loans and replicating the SHS program like Bangladesh.

“A platform like the OIC could effectively increase trade and investment between Muslim countries and together we could make platforms like ‘World Islamic Economic Forum’ more effective”, he told DS.

Currently, Rahimafrooz Solar intends to tap the local market. “But in the future we will explore the possibility of expanding into SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) and Africa as well”, he told DinarStandard.

When asked why Bangladesh is being considered an emerging investment destination, he said, “Bangladesh has immense strategic and geographical value because of possible easy access to some of the most lucrative and emerging economies, particularly India and China of the BRIC, India having the fastest emerging middle class, and China having over 1 billion people and being the fastest growing economy in the world”.

“Thus investing in Bangladesh can give access to both local and international markets”, he emphasized.

“With 95% primary enrollment and women’s empowerment on the rise, Bangladesh will never be the same”, he told DS.

Key Sectors for Investment
Mr. Munawar listed the key sectors for investment as: power, infrastructure, agriculture, textile, vocational training center, skilled manpower sourcing, sea food, light engineering for local and export markets, manufacture and export garments, and footwear related consumer products.

AT Capital brings Wall Street to Bangladesh
Asian Tiger Capital Partners – otherwise known as AT Capital – one of the first financial institutions in Bangladesh to focus on private equity and venture capital – believes that the Bangladesh has the “potential to be one if the next Asian Tigers” as the company name itself suggests.

AT Capital invests in leading companies and works with management to grow and improve them to create shareholder value.

With Ifty Islam as its founder and managing partner, AT Capital can rightly boast of “years of international professional experience with unparalleled local expertise to deliver tangible improvements” to potential investors.

A graduate of Queen’s College at Oxford, Ifty Islam has an 18-year ‘Wall Street career’ beginning with BZW Securities and serving as Managing Director at Citigroup, London from 2004-2007 where he was Head of Macro Strategy/Hedge Fund Research. From 1997-2004, he spent 8 years at Deutsche Bank Securities in London and New York, latterly as Managing Director and Chief US Strategist.

Mr. Ifty’s primary objective is “to leverage his long-term relationships with many of the world’s largest investors developed over an 18 year Wall Street career to attract substantial overseas funds to the country”.

AT Capital - "Bullish"
Although Brand Bangladesh has suffered from what Mr. Ifty calls a “perception problem”, his company intends to capitalize on the ‘Bangladesh Paradox’ where despite poverty, political turmoil and over-population, the country is making an economic splash.

Mr. Ifty considers Bangladesh’s dense population a boon rather than a bane. “With a young dynamic population, the appropriate investment and training can offer a substantial platform for outsourcing and off shoring”, he told DS.

“With export diversification from the current reliance on textiles, into a broader range of offshore manufacturing production, Bangladesh economy is growing sustainably at 8% rather than 5-6 per cent”, Mr. Ifty told DS.

AT Capital’s new Investment Funds

“We intend to invest in existing businesses with a strong domestic or export presence”, Mr. Ifty said confidently.

Elaborating further he said that the best risk-return opportunity is to establish new businesses potentially with foreign joint venture partners in sectors with substantial growth opportunities where Bangladesh has lagged behind many of its regional peers.

IT and pharmaceuticals are the two sectors which Mr. Ifty feels lag behind in comparison to other sectors like textiles where merchandise export constitutes 80% of Bangladesh’s total export.

Mr. Ifty said that in 2008, AT Capital will launch two funds aimed at overseas investors looking to gain exposure to the substantial return opportunities in Bangladesh. The AT Capital Bangladesh Strategic Opportunities Fund will invest in non-publicly listed companies and the AT Capital Market Opportunities Fund will invest in equities listed on the Dhaka and Chittagong Stock Exchanges.

In 2009, the company aims to launch two funds Viz. Bangladesh Infrastructure and Real Estate funds.In addition, dedicated mutual fund products will also be developed to allow Non-Resident Bangladeshi retail investors to gain exposure to private equity, the stock market, infrastructure, and real estate investments in Bangladesh.

The objective of the private equity fund will be to make $ 0.5 million - $ 10 million investments in non-listed companies where the fund will aim to establish a controlling stake either by itself or in syndicate with other private equity investors.As for the stock market, AT Capital will make investments in the Dhaka Stock Exchange. The market capitalization of the stock exchange currently stands at $11.3 billion, representing approximately 18% of 2006 GDP. The Bangladesh stock market is expected to increase in size in 2008 by over $5 billion with key Telecoms companies and State Owned companies expected to enter the market.

Mr. Ifty said that despite political instability, things were looking up. “Political instability”, he said, “is a concern but should lift after the next elections”.

“I think investors will be encouraged by the anti-corruption drive recently”, he emphasized.

“More fundamentally”, he elaborated, “there should be some greater clarity after December 2008 when global investors can focus on the fundamentals”.

“Political risk in EM (Equity Markets) is not a total surprise”.

Why Bangladesh?
Sharing his thoughts on why Bangladesh is an attractive investment destination, Mr. Islam listed six important reasons:

1. Demographics: A young and dynamic population of almost 150 million with extremely competitive labour costs across a broad range of sectors. Good standards of English literacy and a strong entrepreneurial ethic.
2. Global Competitiveness: Competition in textiles can be replicated in other industries with many untapped investment opportunities in new industries such as outsourcing and pharmaceuticals.
3. Investor-Friendly Regulation: An investor friendly regulatory environment and the potential for rapid development of local capital markets.
4. Natural Resources: Large natural resources in natural gas and coal and enormous investment demand for infrastructure projects across all sub-sectors.
5. Proximity: Adjacency to India and China in the heart of Asia.
6. Non-Resident Bangladeshi Community: Substantial opportunities to attract both financial and intellectual capital investment from a large non-resident Bangladeshi community.

Social reform is the first step in development of any country. The pace of social reform and empowerment of women in Bangladesh have been rightly termed as “outstanding modern miracles” of an emerging ‘Asian Tiger’.

As M.J. Akbar put it: Women are being empowered with jobs, with credit, with ownership through housing schemes; it is no longer the man who gets everything in the name of welfare. The NGOs are the vanguard of this vast churning that is slowly but surely lifting a nation once dismissed as a basket case towards a level of pride”.

Copyright material: http://www.dinarstandard.com/intraoic/BuoyantBangladesh030308.htm