CounterCurrents: World Bank, The Gates Foundation And India' s Demonetisation, Too Many Generals Spoil The Democracy

 Dear Friend,

Russian Ambassador was shot dead yeserday in Ankara. With both Russia and Turkey condemning the terrorist act unanimously, and their plan to go ahead with the tripartite meeting involving Russia, Iran and Turkey on Syria, it seems that the terroist act will not have repercussions in the immediate future. But there will be forces which would be waiting in the wings to capitalise this tragic event to their advantage. 

The demonetisation tsunami is slowly gaining momentum. One mild wave touched me today. One friend, who needs to build an urgent store-house in his farm, was hit by cash shortage. With the withdrawal limit set at Rs 24, 000 a week he can't pay the workers, buy materials and get on with the urgent construction.    He asked me if I can lend him some urgent money. 

In the past two days I read two suicide reports in the news paper, directly caused by demonetisation. There must be many that go unreported. 

The ruling elites who devised this plan, purported to be a 'surgical attack' on black money, but which with each day becoming more and more clear that it's a world bank devised plan (with the support of Bill and Melinda Gates foundation) to shove digital economy down the throat of Indian people which will be beneficial only to Indian and other transnational oligarchs, and suck up wealth from the bottom to the top in a monumental way, with ordinary Indians becoming poorer and the rich getting richer. http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2014/08/28/world-bank-report-digital-payments-economic-growth

Why don't the ruling elites remember that they are ruling over ordinary people with ordinary concerns and ordinary needs? Why are they made to suffer?    

#HumansOfDemonetisedIndia video series tell more such stories. 

With Climate Change threatening to create a run-away warming, Dr. Gideo Polya argues that it is time to name the names and climate criminals should be prosecuted. 

Ugo Bardi of Universiy of Florence, argues that Science and Technology are not the silver bullets to solve the many crises facing humanity but asks to humanise science and technology. He says, "We need to see science as part of the human treasure of knowledge and we need to love knowledge in all its forms. And, as I said at the beginning, someone who loves knowledge is a philosopher and that’s what we can all be and we should be; because it is our call as human beings. If we want to save the world, we don’t need gadgetry, we need to be what we are: human beings."

Also other stories from around the world. 

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In Solidarity

Binu Mathew
Editor
www.countercurrents.org





Russia And Turkey Condemn The Assassination Of Russian Ambassador In Ankara
by Bill Van Auken 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/20/russia-and-turkey-condemn-the-assassination-of-russian-ambassador-in-ankara/

The killing of the ambassador also came on the eve of a scheduled meeting in Moscow between Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and his Russian and Iranian counterparts, Sergei Lavrov and Mohammad Javad Zarif, to discuss the ongoing ceasefire in and evacuation of previously opposition-held eastern Aleppo, along with proposals for a more comprehensive settlement of the five-and-a-half-year-old Syrian war. Both the Russian and Turkish governments condemned the assassination of Karlov as a “provocation” aimed at disrupting relations between the two countries. Both governments likewise described the killing as a terrorist act, though they appeared to differ in their assessment as to who was responsible.






#HumansOfDemonetisedIndia: Hawker of Old Notes

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/20/humansofdemonetisedindia-hawker-of-old-notes/

In demonetised India, when people of the unorganised sector are fast losing jobs, they are finding inventive ways of surviving. A man in Trivandrum has become a hawker of old notes as his business of selling chappals and shoes on the street failed. He says “This is my new business. I’ve become a hawker of old notes. I have to support my family. When government banned notes, we have to change too. How will I change these notes? I’m sure government will change it.”





Demonetization: The Politics of Public Suffering
by Dr Prem Singh 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/20/demonetization-the-politics-of-public-suffering/

There have been various and repeated references to the suffering of the public caused by the decision of demonetization by the government. The suffering of the ordinary people due to this astounding decision has been criticized even by the High Court and Supreme Court.    Around 100 people have died because of it. The supporters of Prime Minster Narendra Modi claim that people are not distressed with this decision; they are happy; if people were unhappy, they’d be on the streets protesting instead of queuing up outside banks. But at the same time they are seen threatening the sufferers and the journalists who dare to high light their plight. However, at some point Modi supporters could recognize the suffering of all the people who are queuing up outside banks from morning till night.






The Well-Planned Demonetisation To Hurt Downtrodden And Empower Digital Marketing in India
by Mugilan Perumal

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/20/the-well-planned-demonetisation-to-hurt-downtrodden-and-empower-digital-marketing-in-india/

On one hand, the technology of ‘Digital India’ (so called cashless society) is used to victimize the poor and middle class population in India due to the invalidation of high value currency notes. On 08th November 2016, the Prime Minister of India made an announcement of demonetizing higher value notes and the majority including poor welcomed and appreciated the move. The society always fails to realize the hidden agenda of the political game.






Humanity Must Pledge Inescapable Dispossession And Custodial Retribution For Climate Criminals
by Dr Gideon Polya  

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/20/humanity-must-pledge-inescapable-dispossession-and-custodial-retribution-for-climate-criminals/

Global domination by  neoliberal One Percenter climate criminals has meant that a catastrophic plus 2C temperature rise is now unavoidable  and that the Paris ideal of no more than plus 1.5C will be exceeded in 4-10 years. The most effective collective action now for decent Humanity to mitigate inescapable climate catastrophe is to promise that all climate criminals will be brought to account and suffer inescapable  dispossession and custodial  punishment – this resolute, collective  promise now will make a disastrous future less bad for future generations.






Bringing Back Science Into The Fold Of Humanism
by Ugo Bardi 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/20/bringing-back-science-into-the-fold-of-humanism/

We need to see science as part of the human treasure of knowledge and we need to love knowledge in all its forms. And, as I said at the beginning, someone who loves knowledge is a philosopher and that’s what we can all be and we should be; because it is our call as human beings. If we want to save the world, we don’t need gadgetry, we need to be what we are: human beings.






Steer Your Way
by Kathy Kelly 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/20/steer-your-way/

Since the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States, I’ve given daily thought to the more alarming aspects of Trump culture.  Conversations among friends have been quite helpful, both here in the U.S. and in far- away Kabul from which I recently returned.  It becomes hard to envision constructive responses to Trumpism without a steadfast focus on the larger culture which has made the policies of previous administrations seem acceptable and normal. This is part of why I was quite willing to sign the recently drafted “We Stand for Peace and Justice” statement at www.standforpeaceandjustice.org. This morning I read comments about the statement that have been posted, online. 







Too Many Generals Spoil The Democracy 
by William J Astore 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/20/too-many-generals-spoil-the-democracy/

Twenty-first-century America is witnessing a new and revolutionary moment: the elevation of losing generals to the highest offices in the land.  Retired Marine Corps General James “Mad Dog” Mattis, known as a tough-talking “warrior-monk,” will soon be the nation’s secretary of defense.  He’ll be joined by a real mad dog, retired Army Lieutenant General Michael Flynn as President-elect Donald Trump’s national security adviser.  Leading the Department of Homeland Security will be recently retired General John Kelly, another no-nonsense Marine.







What The Gym Taught Me About Fighting Trumpism
by Mickey Z 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/20/what-the-gym-taught-me-about-fighting-trumpism/

It can be the same when you resist oppression. You may begin such work as a reaction or even a resolution. At first, it will be challenging. But if you stick with and start to see some results — and find the method that lights you up — you begin to look forward to it. You will even find yourself thinking and talking about your activism all the time.







The Hack Of All Hacks: Yahoo And Information Security
by Dr Binoy Kampmark 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/20/the-hack-of-all-hacks-yahoo-and-information-security/

It took place in August 2013. It was a hack of unprecedented scale, impetuous, audacious, and, if we are to believe Yahoo, undetected at the time.  The result of that effort across 1 billion accounts was a profitable use of material to spammers and cyber criminals operating on the dark web, with some estimates on proceeds coming to $300,000.






In West Bank, Israel “Replacing One Land Theft By Another”
by Charlotte Silver 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/20/in-west-bank-israel-replacing-one-land-theft-by-another/

Christmas Day is the court-ordered deadline to evacuate around 330 settlers from the Amona outpost. The colony is built on the farmland of Palestinian families who still live nearby, north of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. Eighty-year-old Maryam Hamad, who lives in the neighboring Palestinian village of Silwad, owns six acres there, where she once cultivated wheat. She has not been able to visit her land for 20 years, since Amona was established in the mid-1990s. She expects to return to the land when the settlers leave.






Of Mosques And Grassroots: The Sites Of Resistance In Kashmir
by Waqas Farooq Kuttay 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/20/of-mosques-and-grassroots-the-sites-of-resistance-in-kashmir/

Although, the mosques are the important sites of resistance and can be helpful in the short term but this can’t be a long term strategy. Using the mosques as sole source of mobilization makes the separatist groups more ‘undemocratic and unaccountable’ because there is complete absence of checks and balances via this channel. 





Respecting The National Anthem
by Nivedita Dwivedi 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/20/respecting-the-national-anthem/

My humble plea to the Honorable Supreme Court is to kindly consider passing some landmark judgments forcing the citizens of India (including those in power), to abide by the abovementioned Fundamental Duties in letter and in spirit. Abiding by only these two duties will amount to nothing less than a revolution (to say the least).






Stop The Intimidation And Harassment Of Kathputli Colony Residents
by PUDR 

http://www.countercurrents.org/2016/12/20/stop-the-intimidation-and-harassment-of-kathputli-colony-residents/

PUDR notes with concern the intimidation of the residents of Kathputli colony by the Delhi police since the night of 18 December. While Police presence was visible in and around Kathputli colony for the past few days, the police were deployed in large numbers (approx. 250 police personnel) on 18th night and barricades around the colony were erected. The next morning, on 19 December, DDA officials along with the police went to get the signatures of some residents who have decided to shift to a transit camp at Anand Parbat. However there are also reports that the DDA officials were trying to pressurise other residents to sign as well