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A30 world news
Diasabra 13 augustus 2022

At 75, India’s democracy is under pressure like never before

(AP) — The Aug. 5 demon- ister Subrahmanyam Jaishan- stricken nation into one of
strations by India’s main kar said in April. “There was the world’s fastest-growing
opposition Congress party a time when, in this part of economies, earning itself a
against soaring food prices the world, we were the only seat at the global high table
and unemployment began democracy.” and becoming a democratic
like any other recent pro- counterweight to its authori-
test — an electorally weak History is on Jaishankar’s tarian neighbor, China.
opposition taking to the side.
New Delhi streets against Apart from a brief interrup-
Prime Minister Narendra At midnight on August 15, tion in 1975 when a formal
Modi’s massively popular 1947, the red sandstone par- emergency was declared un-
government. liamentary building in the der the Congress party rule
heart of India’s capital echoed that saw outright censorship,
The protests, however, quick- with the high-pitched voice India clung doggedly to its
ly took a turn when key Con- of Jawaharlal Nehru, the democratic convictions —
gress lawmakers led by Rahul country’s first prime minis- largely due to free elections,
Gandhi — Modi’s main op- democracy — the world’s struggled to put a lasting ter. an independent judiciary that
ponent in the last two general largest with nearly 1.4 billion democratic process in place. confronted the executive, a
elections — trooped to the people — is in retreat and its India was more successful “At the stroke of the midnight thriving media, strong op-
Parliament, leading to fierce democratic foundations are than most in doing that,” hour, when the world sleeps, position and peaceful transi-
standoffs with police. floundering. said Booker Prize-winning India will awake to life and tions of power.
novelist and activist Arund- freedom,” Nehru famously
“Democracy is a memory (in Experts and critics say trust hati Roy. “And now, 75 years spoke, words that were heard But experts and critics say
India),” Gandhi later tweet- in the judiciary as a check on on, to witness it being dis- over live radio by millions of the country has been gradu-
ed, describing the dramatic executive power is eroding. mantled systematically and Indians. Then he promised: ally departing from some
photographs that showed Assaults on the press and free in shockingly violent ways is “To the nations and peoples commitments and argue the
him and his party leaders be- speech have grown brazen. traumatic.” of the world, we send greet- backsliding has accelerated
ing briefly detained by police. Religious minorities are fac- ings and pledge ourselves to since Modi came to power
ing increasing attacks by Hin- Modi’s ministers say India’s cooperate with them in fur- in 2014. They accuse his
Gandhi’s statement was du nationalists. And largely democratic principles are ro- thering peace, freedom and populist government of us-
largely seen as yet another peaceful protests, sometimes bust, even thriving. democracy.” ing unbridled political power
frantic effort by a crisis-rid- against provocative policies, to undermine democratic
den opposition party to shore have been stamped out by “If today there is a sense in It marked India’s transition freedoms and preoccupying
up its relevance and was dis- internet clampdowns and the the world that democracy from a British colony to a itself with pursuing a Hindu
missed by the government. jailing of activists. is, in some form, the future, democracy — the first in nationalist agenda.
But it resonated amid grow- then a large part of it is due to South Asia — that has since
ing sentiment that India’s “Most former colonies have India,” External Affairs Min- transformed from a poverty-

Beirut bank standoff exposes desperation of economic crisis

(AP) — A judge ordered a worse than that of the unof-
gunman who took up to 10 Like most people in Lebanon, ficial market.
hostages at a Beirut bank Hussein had no access to his
to force the release of his money because of banks’ in- The situation started deterio-
trapped savings to stay formal controls on flows of rating dramatically last year
behind bars Friday, ap- money. He had $210,000 at after the state lifted fuel sub-
parently a bid to prevent Federal Bank in Beirut and sidies, leading to a surge in
copycats as desperation struggled to withdraw some prices of almost all commod-
deepens over Lebanon’s to pay his father’s medical ities. It came at a time when
economic meltdown. bills and other expenses. blackouts lasted for 22 hours
a day, putting private genera-
A few dozen relatives of Because taking hostages tors out of reach for many as
Bassam al-Sheikh Hussein worked to free up some of people now must pay for fuel
briefly closed a major road Hussein’s savings, releasing in U.S. dollars.
in Beirut, saying that keep- him without charges could life sentence if it was for the Many of those in power are
ing him in jail breaches an inspire others to follow suit purpose of getting money, former warlords and militia Judicial officials said the
agreement reached Thurs- as people face skyrocketing Morcos said. But he expects commanders from the 1975- judge decided to keep Hus-
day. The 42-year-old food- inflation and a lack of job op- Hussein to be released with- 90 civil war. The ruling fac- sein under arrest because he
delivery driver surrendered portunities. Many celebrated in days or weeks once people tions use public institutions committed crimes such as
after a seven-hour standoff in him as a hero, but it was not forget about what happened. to accumulate wealth and taking hostages and threat-
return for getting $35,000 of clear if his actions would distribute aid to supporters. ening people with weapons.
his money and promises that lead to wider protests against The international commu- Corruption is often ignored, The officials, who spoke on
he would only be questioned banks. nity has demanded reforms and institutions are undevel- condition of anonymity in
then set free. No one was in- to ease Lebanon’s economic oped. As a result, power out- line with regulations, said it
jured. “They want to send a mes- crisis, but entrenched politi- ages are frequent, trash is of- was not clear how long Hus-
sage to people that this will cal elites, blamed for decades ten uncollected and tap water sein will be kept in custody.
It was the latest reminder of not pass easily,” Paul Morcos, of corruption and misman- is largely undrinkable.
the pain created by Lebanon’s founder and owner of Justi- agement, have resisted. Talks Hussein’s lawyer, Rafik
nearly three-year economic cia Consulting Law firm in with the International Mone- Poverty is rising as prices Ghraizi, who attended the
and financial crisis, described Beirut, said about Hussein’s tary Fund have moved slowly skyrocket and the Lebanese interrogation, told the local
by the World Bank as one of arrest. as parliament prepares legis- pound loses more than 90% Al-Jadeed TV that his cli-
the world’s worst since the lation demanded by the IMF of its value since October ent didn’t point his weapon
1850s. Three-quarters of the The punishment for tak- for a bailout, including laws 2019. Most people can only at anyone and had no inten-
population are in poverty, ing hostages and threatening on capital controls and those withdraw small amounts tion of harming the employ-
corruption is endemic and people with weapons is usu- targeting money laundering. of money from banks each ees. He said all that Hussein
many are losing hope for ally three months to two years month at an exchange rate far needed was his money back.
quick solutions. in prison but could reach a