DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS FACTS

1.	South African allrounder Jacques Kallis becomes third highest run getter in Test Cricket when he surpassed Rahul Dravid by one run to reach 13,289 in last match of his career. Highest : Sachin Tendulkar (15921 runs) ; 2nd Highest: Ricky Ponting (13,378) His Batting average of 55.37 is the second highest after Kumar Sangakkara's 56.98, among batsmen with at least 10,000 Test runs.
2.	Twin Terrorist Strike in Russian city of Volgograd by the Chechen Separatist millitants. The terror strike comes just weeks away from 21st Winter Olympics to be held in Russian city of Sochi. The rebels (currently lead by Doku Umarov ) are fighting for a independent Islamic state of Republic of Chechenya.
3.	Constitutional Council of France okays "Millionaire's Tax"- 50% tax (on companies not individuals) on part of the wage exceeding 1million Euro/year. a maximum cap of 5% of companies' turnover has been kept. Constitutional Court of France : constituted of judges and former Presidents of France, it vets the constitutional validity of any Law made by French Parliament and has power to even annul it if found violating constitution in their view.
4.	Indian History Congress holds its 74th meet at Cuttak, Odisha.
5.	726 MW Palatana gas based power plant (India's only plant to be certified as "Green Power Project") in south Tripura to soon restart producing electricity following a technical snag in June 2013.  Its a joint Venture of ONGC and Tripura government and will supply electricity to Bangladeshfollowing a deal between the two governments.
6.	Census 2011 figures on Number of Disabled person in India : 26.8million / 2.21% of population(2001 figures: 21.9million /2.13 % of population). Definition takes in to account 8 types of disabilities including mental illness. Men - 14.9 million (55.9% of total) ; Women- 11.8million (44.1%) Rural areas : 18 million ; Urban: 8.1million Percentage of Men with disabilities 2.41% (i.e of total male population) ; women- 2.01%
7.	Category-2 Tropical Cyclone Christine hits Australia’s north-west coast bringing high velocity winds (170km/hr.) and torrential rain. close shave for Pilbara region known for iron ore mining. Tracy (1974) which devastated Darwin region is held as the Australia’s most destructive cycloneso far.
8.	Prime Minister lays foundation stone of Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre(HBCHRC) at Mullanpur Garibdas (Mohali, Punjab), near Chandigarh. HBCHRC : aimed to be completed in 4 years, this centre would be a modern centre equipped with latest technology and infrastructure for cancer treatment (radiation,chemotherapy,surgeries) and post treatment follow up in country. National Cancer Centre : to be set up by central government as part of its strategy to counter increasing number of cancer cases (11 lakh/yr.) and related deaths(9 lakh/yr) in India. It would be linked to all regional and State level Cancer centres to spread awareness and increase effectiveness in dealing with cancer cases.
9.	Book Release : Courage and Conviction -Autobiography of retired Indian Army Chief General V. K. Singh (with Kunal Verma).
10.	Army Chief General Bikram Singh takes over as the new Chairman of Chiefs of Staff Committee (CoSC), succeeds Indian Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne following his superannuation. COSC : in-charge for looking after the higher defence management and joint issues of the three services and is, by convention, senior-most officer (age wise) of the three Services. COSC is a stop-gap/ temporary office which is likely to give way to Chiefs of Staff Committee- proposed office which will oversee joint management issues of defence and ensure coordination among the three wings (recommended by the Naresh Chandra Committee after Kargil war).
11.	India and US signs deal for procuring 6 more C-130J Super Hercules Special Operations aircraft for the Indian Air Force. This Rs 4,000-cr deal through India's Foreign Military Sales route is in addition to 6 aircrafts already bought by India and based at Hindon air base, Ghaziabad, UP. This new lot will be based at Panagarh, West Bengal - headquarters of the proposed Mountain Strike Corps of the army along the China border. C-130J Super Hercules- Special operations (eg. landing on inhospitable air strips like Daulat Beg Oldie in Ladakh) , air dropping commandos, material and supplies (even in darkness due to its night-vision imaging) , can access mountainous terrain ; capable of low-level precision flying.

The End Of European Empire

INTRODUCTION
After the second world war in 1945 many European countries claimed their right on many African and Asia’s region i.e. their colonies. It is humorous to know that the countries which fought the second world war on the basis of democracy, they themselves were asserting for preserving colonial power.

Important points
⇒ Brittan had captured highest number of colonies like Ceylon, Burma, Malaya, Falkland, Gibraltar , Hong Kong, West Indies & India,

⇒ France was on second number, the areas it had included indo-china, Africa ,west indies, etc.,

⇒ After 1975 most colonial territories had gained independence.

⇒ Britain was very reluctant and slow in giving independence. It thought that it will give impendence to the respective colony when they feel they were prepared for it. Most of the countries decided to join the Britain commonwealth ( group of countries which were the colonies of Britain ) as a token of gratitude & it was the best option for protection against any possible future problem.

WHY DID THE EUROPEAN POWERS GIVE UP THEIR EMPIRES?
1. NATIONALIST MOVEMENTS
Nationalism was growing in many colonies which led to nationalist movement. The objective of these movements was to gain freedom from European power by overthrowing the current European government.

2. Disintegration of image:

Europeans were considered as the people having supremacy. People thought that it would be impossible to beat the Europeans. But during this period it was seen that Japan (an Asian Country) captured most of the South East Asia which belonged to the European power. It led to the disintegration of the supreme image of the Europeans.

3. Promise of Europeans:

European power promised the people of the Colony that they will grant freedom i.e. independence to the respective colonies soon after the war is over. This was mainly done to get the support of the people from the colonies.
In 1941 Atlantic charter was set out on American thinking how world should be organized after war.

Objectives:
a) nations should not expand by taking territory from other nations
b) all people have the right to choose the form of government

4. Awareness:

People from the colony who had gone to foreign countries were exposed to the liberal values of the modern societies. They understood the true feeling of independence in the foreign countries. So, after they came home, they started participating in the movements focused on gaining independence.

5. The war weakened the European states: 

Now all of their power was gone & their military was not so strong to hold on their empires. Due to the same reason, British were fully aware of the situation & hence they gave independence to India.

6. There was outside pressure on the colonial power to give freedom to their colonies.

America was pressurizing more. During the war president Roosevelt declared that the Atlantic charter was apply to all people. He pressurized the British government to give independence to India as soon as possible. America had three objectives for pressurizing European power to give up their colonies, which are: i) To stop the growing influence of Communism in these colonies. Ii) America knew that these independent countries would act as potential markets. Iii) Also America thought that it would be easy to increase its influence in the world by influencing these independent countries.

THE WEST INDIES
Britain’s West Indies possessions consisted of large pool of islands in the Caribbean sea. The largest were Jamaica, Trinidad and others included Grenada , St Vincent , Barbados , St Lucia, Antigua , the Seychelles and the Bahamas. Britain was prepared to give independence to all of them.

PROBLEMS
⇒ some islands were so small that it was hard to judge if they could economically survive alone.

⇒ British government was of the view that a federation of these islands would prove beneficial for them.

⇒ But it was seen that many of the islands where not ready to join this federation. Some wanted to 

remain under the British power and some had no idea about what to do.

⇒ Jamaica and Trinidad were themselves worried about that they can cope up with the problems of small islands.

⇒ Some islands thought that Jamaica and Trinidad are big countries in terms of demographic and economic . So it was natural of them to think that there would be dominance of Jamaica and Trinidad over the federation .

⇒ In spite of these problems British successfully created federation of West Indies in 1958.

⇒ But due to the inherent problems this federation never run successfully .

⇒ The withdrawal of Jamaica and Trinidad in 1961 from the federation completely paralysed it.

SOLUTION
⇒ In 1962 Britain decided to take out the support of the federation and grant individual freedoms to the islands. It was done by the British. By 1983 mostly all of the West Indies was independent.

⇒ But soon these islands started to feel that economic progress is not feasible when they’re alone especially considering the amount of capital they had individually. So the islands who had protested against the federation, created Caribbean Free Trade Association in 1968.

⇒ This trade Association was later turned to Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) in 1973 to which all the islands joined.

MALAYA
In 1945 it was liberated from Japanese occupation. But there were two main problems present in Malaya before the British could withdraw
1. COMLEX AREA
The main problem was that it consisted of nine states and each ruled by a sultan (their local king), two british settlements , Malacca and penang and Singapore. The population of Singapore was multi racial, mostly Malaya’s and Chinese and minority of Indians and Europeans. For giving independence it was decided to group the states and the settlements into the Federation of Malaya (1948). Except Singapore - it remained a separate colony. Each state had its own legislature for local affairs, the sultans retain some power but central government had full control.

2. Chinese intervention

The Chinese communist were in favor for the independent communist state instead of federation, which were led by Ching Peng who had played leading role in resistances to japans and they began violence against British for independent communist state. British decided to impose state of emergency in 1948, and at the end they dealt with communist successfully. But the emergency lasted up to 1960. British were persuaded to grant full independence in 1957 when Malaya was admitted to the common wealth.
In 1963, the Federation of Malaysia was set up. It was running well under the leadership of Tanku Abdula Rahman and its export was based on rubber & tin. In 1961 Tanku proposed that Singapore and the three other British colonies like North Borneo( Sabah), Brunei and Sarawak should join Malaya to form federation of Malaysia . Singapore decided to leave federation to become independent republic in 1965.

CYPRUS
For giving independences to Cyprus the main problem in front of British government was that it had mixed population. 80 percent were Greek speaking Christians of orthodox church while the rest where Muslims of Turkish origins. The Greek Cypriotes wanted the island to unite with Greece but the Turkish were opposed to this. The situation was more inflamed by Churchill’s government by their plans of self government allowed the Cypriotes far less power than the labour had in mind.
Sir Anthony Eden , Churchill’s successor decided to drop the idea for independence for Cyprus. He was of the view that Cyprus was important as a military base and that would protect its interest in the middle east. He said that Cyprus will remain permanently with the British, even when Greek government had promised that Brittan can have military bases even after independence.
A terrorist campaign was launched against the British by General Grivas. It laid to the declaration of emergency in 1948.
In order to avoid a possible civil war Harold Macmillan (Eden’s successor) decided to compromise. But later in 1963 civil war broke out between Greeks and Turks. Turks occupied the north and Greeks equipped south. UN troops from that time are keeping peace between the two.

Verdict on decolonization
⇒ it is true that British handled decolonisation more properly than any other European power.

⇒ All Colonial countries didn’t have a happy ending.

⇒ Some gained while some lost.

⇒ Neocolonialism: new form of colonialism emerged after decolonization. It was called neocolonialism. It means virtually indirect control over the countries by use of capital and market forces. USA was particularly the practitioner of neocolonialism along with the Western European countries.

⇒ Most of the colonial countries were not prepared or badly prepared for independence. They had no industries or capital. Moreover there was a huge ethinic or some sort of differences present in the people of the colonies because of which they were not able to form stable governments after the European powers left them.

⇒ This led to the formation of autocratic rules & there started to emerge frequent civil wars.

⇒ In most cases, the governments which took over were run by the local political elite groups. There was no social revolution. It lead to more exploitation of the masses.

⇒ The western countries took out their support from such countries which were interested to bring pro-communist government in their country. They often responded by cutting off aid & destabilizing the government.

⇒ All the third world countries were very poor when they were given independence. Most of them relied on exports of one or two commodities and if the world prices for that particular product fell, it always lead to destabilizing of the government in that country.

⇒ Loans taken from abroad by these newly independent countries increased their debt. They always had to act according to the terms and conditions imposed by the developed country on them and often these conditions were exploitative of the developing country.

 

India And The Post 2014 Afghanistan

INTRODUCTION

⇒ Third visit of Afghan President Hamid Karzai to India in just one year marks the importance of India to Afghanistan.

⇒ But India is at risk of wasting opportunities to build on what has been one of its greatest diplomatic successes in the past decade.

⇒ Today, India is in a strong position to shape each of these factors to its advantage, but its policies are marked by indecision and confusion.

WHAT IS INDIA WORRIED ABOUT ?
⇒ Thought India favours that Western forces in Afghanistan should leave the country, It is equally worried on that part that these western forces are moving out of Afghanistan too quickly.

⇒ India has also pointed out that the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) have been left ill-equipped to fight insurgent and terrorist threats that remain active in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border areas.

WHAT ABOUT THE BILATERIAL SECURITY AGREEMENT (BSA)
⇒ This agreement is going to be signed between the USA along with its NATO countries & Afghanistan.

⇒ Under this deal USA & the NATO countries will provide financial assistance of over 4 billion USD (USA dollars) to train and equip Afghan Security forces after 2014. It is the largest single military assistance.

⇒ USA is also going to give Afghanistan non-NATO ally status under BSA. Afghanistan will be the first country to receive such status.

⇒ Non-NATO ally status will give Afghanistan access to U.S. military equipment and simplifies the arms exports procedures to Afghanistan.

⇒ USA in order to see that the money sent to Afghanistan is wisely spent has asked to keep the NATO forces there. (Afghanistan is known for its corruption)

INDIA ABOUT THE SECURITY AGREEMENT
⇒ Indian understanding of the problem is very different.

⇒ India thinks that western forces wants to withdraw from Afghanistan next year.

⇒ But Western forces by using Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) wants to stay there with a total force of 8000 to 10000 for training and limited counterterrorism missions.

WHY AFGHANISTAN MUST SIGN THE BILATERAL SECURITY AGREEMENT (BSA)
⇒ The BSA creates a positive military alliance between Afghan & NATO forces, necessary to protecting Afghan sovereignty and preventing undue influence from its neighbors. As most of the instability in Afghanistan is caused by the neighboring countries.

⇒ Without the BSA, Afghanistan may face economic isolation that would harm its fragile economy and roll back the progress it has made till now. (As USA will leave the country. Along with it all the European & even the Islamic countries will leave the countries & won’t do investment in Afghanistan which is the need of the hour).

⇒ The international community's continued involvement in Afghanistan will help promote Afghan democracy.

⇒ A complete withdrawal of US and NATO forces would put initiatives for Afghan women at risk

WHAT ABOUT CURRENT STATUS OF BSA ?
⇒ The Loya Jirga (Tribal Assembly in Afghanistan) wants President Karzai to sign the BSA agreement.

⇒ But the president is not willing to sign the current form of BSA.

⇒ He is demanding new and implausible concessions from the USA & is putting a condition that even his successor after the Afghan Presendential Elections in April 2014, should sign the agreement perhaps hoping to maintain leverage over Washington in case the elections are as flawed and contested as those of 2009.

USA’S VIEW ABOUT THE BSA
⇒ USA is not ready for such a large mission as being expected by the Afghan President.

⇒ In such a case, USA may withdraw its army altogether (called as zero option).

⇒ This will also endanger the billions of dollars of American aid that will flow to Kabul for several years after 2014. Without this money, Afghan Army & Afghan as a state can’t survive post-2014 situation. As the Afghan National Security Advisor put it, Kabul without the BSA “would be isolated again, like a lamb stuck among wolves in the desert.”

Mr. Karzai and the BSA

⇒ He said that Afghanistan would sign the agreement only if the conditions of the Afghan people were accepted and the first precondition is to bring peace and to end war in Afghanistan.

⇒ He is of the view that if the agreement if signed without the return of peace and with continuation of violence and bombings, means that the people of Afghanistan would continue to suffer every day from blasts, terrorist attacks and foreign invasions.

⇒ President Karzai added the fundamental precondition of Afghans for the agreement is bringing peace, security and stability to Afghanistan. If this is fulfilled, then the Afghan people would agree with signing the agreement with the United States.

INDIA AND THE BSA
⇒ India in order to protect its economic, political and strategic investments done in Afghanistan has to make sure that the NATO forces stay in Afghanistan via the approval of BSA agreement by Afghanistan.

⇒ USA expected India to influence Afghan President for signing the BSA agreement during his visit to India. But India didn’t.

⇒ But India is stuck with the Idea that BSA should reflect the concerns of India as well as Iran. (Iran has opposed the BSA) (Pakistan has been more supportive to BSA).

⇒ If New Delhi’s intention here is to reach out to Tehran in the aftermath of the U.S.-Iran nuclear deal, this is understandable. But this is a curious way to go about it.

⇒ New Delhi should be offering full-throated support for an agreement that is vital to its own regional interests.

⇒ India has supported Mr. Karzai as the true leader & his ideas. Mr. Karzai will continue his dangerous game of chicken with the U.S. India should be alarmed by this behaviour, not indulge it.

⇒ Though supporting Mr. Karzai is helping the short run, it is not going to help in the long run & will only pose risk to India’s national security.

WHAT ABOUT INDIAN MILITARY SUPPORT
⇒ It is good that India has remained active for military support to Afghanistan.

⇒ India is intensifying its valuable efforts to train Afghan army officers in Indian establishments, and will soon be training over 1,000 annually.

⇒ But Afghanistan is also demanding second-hand Indian arms which it was not able to procure from Western allies. India has not given such arms expect some helicopters & some minor equipment. Regarding other items India is salient.

⇒ India has been giving following false reasons for not giving second hand arms: i) It may fall into wrong hands ii) Permission is required for the transfer of Soviet-era arms iii) India don’t have surplus capacity iv) The decision is under review.

⇒ India publicly insists that it has confidence in Afghan security forces, but then intimates that their potential dissolution is a reason to avoid shoring them up.

⇒ Most of the weapons in the list of Afghan president are either being taken out from the Indian armed forces or India is producing itself. Its reluctance has more to do with chronic risk aversion, compounded by the next year’s looming Indian and Afghan elections.

⇒ New Delhi is also concerned about arming the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) as it is hard to tell if the new President who will be coming after 2014 elections in Afghanistan will be pro-India.

⇒ Also India is anxious that the provision of heavy weaponry might provoke Pakistan into intensifying support for anti-Indian groups in Afghanistan.

⇒ Though these concerns are true & legitimate, India should not leave all the efforts on Western countries & leave the threats to India unadressed.

SOLUTIONS THAT NEED TO BE FOLLOWED
⇒ India along with Western Countries & taking other concerned countries into confidence should focus on Security Sector of post-2014 Afghanistan & should form a multinational joint working group to assess the points of vulnerability for Afghan forces.

⇒ A good starting point would be for India to send trainers to the Britishestablished Afghanistan National Army Officers’ Academy (ANAOA).

CONCLUSION
⇒ India has played an important and constructive role in post-2001 Afghanistan.
⇒ India should strongly support the BSA & make Afghanistan sign this agreement.