Monday, December 19, 2011

All-American Americans


The home-improvement store, Lowe's, has pulled its advertising from TLC's "All-American Muslim," a reality series based on the lives of five American Muslim families from Dearborn, Mich.
Lowe's decision was prompted by the complaint of an evangelical Christian group known as the Florida Family Association, who threatened to boycott the company's products because they believed the show projected "propaganda that riskily hides the Islamic agenda's clear and present danger to American liberties and traditional values."
Lowe's customers are divided in their support for and against the decision, and protests have also started. Senator Ted Lieu has called the action "bigoted, shameful and un-American." 
This is a free country, one may argue. Lowe's is a private company and unless it is in breach of contract with TLC, it is entitled to making its business decisions independent of any outside influence or interference.
That would be a valid argument, except for a minor detail: Lowe's decision to withdraw its advertising from TLC's reality show is a direct response to the negative campaign against Muslim Americans by an interest group. Hence, it brings to surface a deeper debate – a debate about American liberties and consumer driven social order.   
So, what is this reality show called "All-American Muslim" about? Who are the "controversial" characters that are so out of favor with the Florida Family Association that they threaten their sense of civil liberties and traditional values?
A quick viewing of the pilot episode introduces one to the five American Muslim families. One couple deals with family drama while tying the knot, another welcomes their first baby; a third couple teaches their four children to balance religious and cultural identities, the fourth juggles an all too familiar balancing act of parenting and careers, and a fifth family features an independent and ambitious Muslim woman.
Their professions range from special education aide to respiratory therapist, federal agent, football coach and law enforcement – as diverse in their line of work as they are in the expression of their faith where hijab and low necklines make for an interesting contrast. What, one wonders, could be more representative of the American experience and less threatening to American liberties? "All-American Muslims" should really be called "All-American Americans," and the only controversy they may be accused of evoking is challenging the stereotype. 
When the producers at TLC conceived the idea of a show about American Muslims, it was likely to gain some good publicity and steady viewership, and challenging negative perceptions about a community that is openly vilified.
The five families featured in the show also aimed to discourage hate-filled rhetoric they encounter in public by allowing TV cameras into the privacy of their homes. A 2010 Gallup survey reveals that 63 percent of Americans acknowledge that they have "little" or "none at all" knowledge of Islam, and 53 percent have a "not favorable at all" view about Muslims. The FFA's complaint shows that many of us would rather continue to embrace their willful ignorance than welcome the opportunity to become better informed.
No matter how one analyses Lowe's decision, it comes out as irrational. Perhaps FFA and Lowe's should have read the 2011 Pew Research Study titled "Muslim Americans: No Sign of Growth in Alienation or Support for Extremism" to alleviate their fears. In the absence of solid evidence of the "Islamic agenda" that Muslims have been accused of, there can be no justification for FFA's insinuation.  
Business-wise, the decision seems unwise, and Senator Lieu speaks for many when he says, "As a consumer, I find Lowe's bigotry to be nonsensical."
When experts at Lowe's put their heads together to weigh their options, perhaps they should have done their research thoroughly.
According to the largest advertising agency in the U.S., JWT's 2007 study,  the combined annual disposable income from Muslim households in America is estimated at more than $170 billion, and for 70 percent of the respondents "brands play an important role in their purchasing decisions, compared to 55 percent for the average American." It is sad that Lowe's has chosen to embrace the bigotry purported by the FFA. Unless some steps are taken as redress, it is not hard to imagine where that disposable income will not end up.
Interest groups are at liberty to push for their agendas because this is a free country, but we have a civic responsibility to reject what damages societal harmony. To suspend rational thought and give others the power to exploit us leads to social chaos, and we inadvertently become enablers of hatred. That only makes for a fractured community, not a strong cohesive one. 

Published in Sharon Patch as  'All American Muslims' are Really All-American Americans Dec 2011

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

A Legacy of Hate

Op-Ed

It is time to heal ourselves now

A children’s coloring book recently published by Big Coloring Books, Inc., in St. Louis, titled,We shall never Forget - The Kids Book of Freedom has sparked much controversy of late. It claims to be a tribute to the victims of 9/11, but many are questioning its deeper agenda.
Responding to criticism, Wayne Bell, the publisher of the book, has denied it advocates anti-Muslim sentiment. He was quoted on Abc News as saying, “This book under no way… zero, zero… no way… mentions Islam or Muslims…it does not mention Islam in generalities...” He claims the book was “created with honesty, integrity, reverence, respect and does not shy away from the truth.” However, a cursory glance through the book makes one pause to consider the implications of the message it appears to advocate – albeit unintentionally, if we are to honor Wayne Bell’s words.
To begin with, the phrase ‘radical Islamic Muslim extremists’ appears ten times through the course of its 36 pages, and in one section the book claims: “These attacks will change the way America deals with and views the Islamic and Muslim people around the world…”, connecting all Muslims living in countries around the world to 9/11, and making no attempt to distinguish between the small minority engaged in promoting violence and the majority of peaceful Muslims worldwide. It might be true to say that the attacks have influenced the American foreign policy towards Muslim countries since 9/11, but the last decade has also brought to us the sad reality of how America has changed the way it deals with its own Muslim citizens, where despite assurances otherwise embedding of FBI informans pretending to be Muslim converts inside mosques are now old stories. This has been widely criticized as a counter-productive measure since it appears to treat all Muslims as part of the problem.
 On a more personal level, Americans now view their fellow countrymen with suspicion and hatred. This has alienated huge sections of the society and pitted communities against each other which should have been working to buid relationships. Similarly, institutions that should be working in collaboration with each other to defeat violent extremism end up being in collision due to lack of trust. This situation has undermined the strength of the American society and created fissures in the beautiful mosaic of ethnicities, cultures and Faiths that America has always been proud to host.
The book also makes other observations that appear to be unfounded and based on conjecture, for example, “Children, the truth is, these terrorist acts were done by freedom-hating radical Islamic Muslim extremists. These crazy people hate the American way of life because we are FREE and our society is FREE.” The simple fact of the matter is that 9/11 and later acts were not carried out by individuals who hated the American way of life, but by individuals who have used their religion as an excuse to further their personal agenda. Terrorism is all about power and control, and terrorists of all affiliations use excuses to further their agenda, and gather support from the like-minded. A simple question we can all ask ourselves is, if the supremacy of Islam is the main motivation for these self-proclaimed defenders of faith, why do they continue to kill innocent Muslim men, women and children in staggering numbers in Muslim countries?  No one can refute the fact that the 9/11 bombing was carried out by individuals who were Muslim. We know they were Muslims because they believed themselves to be, and we have to accept how a person wants to define himself,  but why are we failing to make a clear distinction between them and the mainstream Muslims?
Perhaps the American nation needs to pause for a moment and try to make sense of the cacophony of messages it receives from multiple sources, each with its own agenda, and reflect not only on the immediate impact of the sad event of 9/11, but also the long term effects of the decisions they make today that will shape the lives of their future generations. The periodic resurfacing of hateful agendas may be the price of living in a free society, as a dear friend pointed out to me, but freedom also comes with responsibility – a responsibility for everyone, but more so for those who may not be on the receiving end of this campaign of hate but who believe in upholding justice and fairness for all. It is only when the silent majority stands up to deny anyone the opportunity to contribute to further disintegration of societal fabric that we will begin to heal.
The publisher’s claim, if we are to acknowledge as credible, that the book has already sold out of its first print run of 10,000 copies should be a cause of alarm for all of us. Can we hope that more parents will begin to make a conscious choice to not let anyone pass on a legacy of hate to their children? Can we, indeed, hope to leave a better world for our children based on tolerance and respectful engagement?
Let us say, “Enough!” and move on now. We owe our children a future full of hope, not regret. 

A version of this article was published in Sharon Patch as Divided, We Fall 

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

India - a Quest for Identity


Living in a melting pot of races, religions and cultures, the inhabitants of Northeast India continue to struggle with an identity crisis while battling decades of ethnic conflict.
Northeastern India consists of the seven sister states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura, and parts of North Bengal. This is a very diverse region and has strong ethnic and cultural ties with Southeast and East Asia while it is officially a part of India since 1947. These states constitute a special category which is officially recognized by the Indian government. The major religions practiced here include Christianity, Hinduism and Islam.  
Northeast India has seen a steady flow of immigrants throughout history, which accounts for its ethnic, linguistic cultural and religious diversity. Linguistically, the Bengali and Assamese speakers have been the most in numbers, as Subir Bhaumik pointed out in Ethnicity, Ideology and Religion: Separatist Movements in India’s Northeast, and the statistics regarding linguistic majority have been influenced by political affiliations e.g. in Assam, the migrant Muslims of Bengali origin registered as Assamese speakers between 1947 and 1982 to become part of the larger community, but after the 1983 riots, many of these Muslims began to register as Bengali speakers, changing the statistics about the number of Assamese speakers in the 1991 and 2001 Census.
There are three main groups inhabiting the Northeastern region which have been at odds with each other: the Assamese, the Bengalis and the tribal communities. Historically, wave after wave of migration towards the region was directed from the Eastern Asian countries like Tibet, Burma and Thailand, and the 1947 Partition led to increase of Bengali Hindu and Muslim refugees. As happens with demographic change and tipping of ethnic balance in any region when also accelerated by political maneuvering, a feeling of discrimination and deprivation slowly established itself and hatt has led to a constant sparking of ethnic violence for decades, uprooting families and claiming lives.
This sense of discrimination has been aggravated to a level that the resulting agitation has led to accusations of changed political loyalties of the Assamese towards the Indian government. This attitude of distrust has sustained in the minds of some politicians and policy makers and has prevented implementation of policies for social uplifting and effective conflict management. The fact that is conveniently ignored by politicians is that the historical differences and resulting conflict actually originate from the Colonial era discriminatory treatment of Assamese, and has continued due to mismanagement by the government and exploitation by political leaders.  
Several reasons are acknowledged by economists and policy makers to be the cause of conflict in this region. One of them is the region’s geographical location as a poorly integrated remote corner of the country. Assam is landlocked by Bangladesh, Bhutan and Tibet and is joined by a narrow corridor with India through Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal. Some blame successive economic and political policies of the Indian government relying on use of force to suppress conflict rather than to manage and understanding it, and sometimes even just focusing on temporary political gains.  Dr. Shakuntala Bora of Gauhati University finds in the course of her research that the reasons for the identity crisis of the ethnic groups in Assam include their awareness of being different from the majority group, a sense of being discriminated against and a strong desire for a significant share in political power – all of which are legitimate concerns for self-assertion.  Dov Ronen, who has been affiliated with Harvard University’s Centre for International Affairs, also suggests that ethnic nationalism is just an expression of self determination and, “ethnicity is politicized into the ethnic factor when an ethnic group is in conflict with the political elite over such issues as the use of limited resources or the allocation of benefits.”
The Northeasterners also suffer discrimination due to their physical appearance. Racially, they are considered to be closer to Southeast Asia, and have trouble fitting in and being accepted by the larger Indian population. The discrimination has resulted in a steady increase over the years in trafficking of, and sexual violence against, women which is seen, based to a 2011 study of North-East Support Center and helpline (NESCH), by Madhu Chandra as “a reflection of India's caste practices and social system as majority of North-East Indians come from Scheduled Castes and Tribes and ethnically Mongoloid race, which falls out of caste hierarchy.” Though the Indian constitution protects right of minorities, practically, there has been little protection from hate crimes and exploitation for the Northeasterners even in the capital, Delhi. Northeasterners working or studying in Delhi have complained of having little support from the police or legal system. Hence, it is seen that most of the cases go unreported. Even when reported, however, they are often denied FIRs or their cases are delayed by the police and courts. According to the NESCH, of the cases studied less than half were taken up by police, out of which only 1% actually made it to court. Derogatory terms are also in common usage for referring to Northeastern men and women. To add to their misery, Northeast Indians face identity crisis not only in their own country, but due to their East Asian looks but Indian passports, they are also meted out the same treatment when they travel to adjoining Bhutan, Nepal, China and Myanmar. This discriminatory behavior often fuels anger and sense of deprivation among the inhabitants of this region and contributes to socio-political unrest and communal violence. It is no wonder that the Northeast has been India’s most insurgency affected region.
A crisis in multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-religious societies may result from suppression or exploitation of any group. To prevent it from blowing into a full-fledged conflict, we need policies that prevent polarization and encourage integration. Politicization of ethnicity which turns it into ethnic conflict has to stop. Without effective solution, or continuance of discriminatory policies, the situation only leads to insurgency and militancy as observed in Northeast India for the last many decades.
 Published : SouthAsia Magazine, as India: A Quest for Identity Dec, 2011 

Sunday, September 4, 2011

South Asia - Potential and Prospects

Feature
Social indicators of development in the dynamic South Asian region are not always promising. However, the South Asian economy is resilient as are its people, and can do well with sustained international focus in lending and knowledge investment to supplement efforts of local governments.

South Asia comprises seven countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, representing the largest concentration of the world’s poor and also of the highest number of the conflict-afflicted. Over-population, environmental issues and bad governance feature high on development challenges, as do internal and external conflict.
 Nepal’s stability is affected by decades of Maoist insurgency. Sri Lanka has struggled through years of ethnic conflict. India has had to deal with major internal insurgencies and the political and military challenges with neighboring countries. The arms race in the region between the two largest countries of the region, India and Pakistan, which started in the 80s and grew to include nuclear capability, continues to challenge relations between them. Also, the power politics of major world players over the years, the US and the former USSR, has caused huge instability in the region and Pakistan battles serious repercussions in the form of drugs and terrorism, and the fallout of War on Terror in neighboring Afghanistan.
Not surprisingly, South Asian countries have extensive areas of inequality and extreme poverty directly connected to the conflict areas. The inclusivity of development logically depends on reducing this inequality. Since conflict is a major deterrent to political stability, no sustained growth policies have been successfully applied over the decades. However, domestic reforms and external assistance has helped provide some relief in phases.
A brief overview of the economic outlook of South Asian countries is as follows:
Bangladesh is an agricultural country, and one of the world’s most densely populated nations (164 million). A wide majority works in agriculture, though service industries contribute over half of GDP. Bangladesh has a flourishing garment industry. However, weak institutions, poverty, frequent cyclones and floods and corruption (CPI 2009: 139th/180) undermine economic development and increase unrest despite reasonable inflow of aid from international donor, including around $100 million a year from the United States. Unemployment rate is currently closer to 5.1% and inflation 6.0% (CIA Fact Book 2011).  Still, from the '90s to 2010 industrial production increased to 30% from 20%. The increase in demand for power and other infrastructure has not been successfully met with and the country's industries and manufacturing sector have suffered greatly.
Bhutan is ranked among the top 10 happiest countries of the world. This has been achieved due to its unique five-year national development plan series based on ‘Gross National Happiness’. Bhutan is well into achieving its objective to reduce poverty to 15% by 2012-13 in its Tenth Five-Year Plan (2008-2013). Bhutan has not only been successful at most of the original MDGs but in some cases, it is going beyond the MDGs. However, trade and finance need some policy planning to facilitate more foreign investment. Regionally, the economy is closely aligned with India’s and hydropower exports to India have boosted Bhutan’s overall growth. The World Bank has been assisting Bhutan since the early 80s and projects worth US$73 million focused on education, health, private sector, and rural development and infrastructure are underway. The Global Fund is also committed to programs to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The per capita income has exceeded US$2000, making Bhutan third only to the Maldives and Sri Lanka in South Asia. (WB, 2011)
          India inherited 90% of the industry in the sub-continent at partition. Due to land reforms introduced shortly after partition, the Indian economy continues to move in the right direction. With an average growth rate of 8% in the last three years, it is recognized as one of the world's fastest developing economies. However, the CIA Fact Book’s figures challenge the inclusivity of India’s economic policies as people living below poverty line remains at 41.6%, and India’s levels of child under-nutrition are double that of Sub-Saharan Africa. (WB, 2007). Despite government’s extensive welfare policies, social progress has also been hampered by Hindu caste system and anti-Muslim sentiment. The Industrial activity in India has, however, helped accelerate economic growth in the urban areas, creating jobs and increasing exports significantly. The revenue generated through tax collection has also helped create increased public spending on education, health care and various social programs to fight poverty.
Maldives comprises 1191 islands in the Indian Ocean of which almost 200 are inhabited. Tourism is its main industry, contributing almost 20% to the GDP. The Maldives economy is growing at an average of over 10% since the past two decades, although the 2005 tsunami caused a temporary setback. In 2009, the global financial crisis also caused decline of tourist arrivals and investment. However, the thorough policy planning of government, aided by International financial institutions like World Bank, continues to draw substantial investment through economy-friendly incentives. Over the longer term though, a bigger threat to Maldivian economy is seen to be the impact of erosion and global warming as 80% of the area lies 1 meter or less above sea level. Bhutan has urged the developed countries to help by reducing their carbon emissions.
Nepal is among the least developed countries in the world, and was ranked 29th on the Global Hunger Index 2010. It is a landlocked state bordered by China and India. Nepal's GDP for 2008 was estimated at over $12 billion making it the 115th-largest economy in the world. Agriculture accounts for about 40% of GDP, services comprise 41% and industry 22%. Nepal has considerable potential in hydropower, but political instability has hampered foreign investment. Civil strife and labor unrest, and its susceptibility to natural disaster continue to be a challenge. Nepal meets its energy demands through India and is contracted to import all its petroleum products through the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), which also means paying extra duties and taxes. Foreign aid accounts for more than half of the development budget. Government priorities over the years have been the development of transportation and communication facilities, agriculture, and industry. The export-oriented carpet and garment industries together now account for approximately 70% of merchandise exports. A positive note from World Economic Outlook 2010 reported Nepal’s inflation at 6.8% in 2010-1.
Pakistan's economy is predominantly based on agriculture, and has seen growth since the early 1950s despite internal strife, external conflict, sanctions, global recession, and natural disasters (2005 earthquake, 2010 floods). It is the 27th largest economy in the world. 17.2% population lives below poverty-line (WB 2011). The tax collection in Pakistan remains at less than 10% of GDP and the lack of revenue restricts Pakistan’s spending on development programs. Textiles account for most of Pakistan's export earnings, but the government’s failure to address power issues and hence expand a viable export base has left the country’s economy vulnerable. However, in 2005, Pakistan was named the top reformer in its region and in the top 10 reformers globally (WB), and included by the Goldman Sachs Global Economics Group as one of the “Next Eleven” (N-11), a group of countries with sizeable economic potential for global impact. Unfortunately, the internal strife and fallout of War on Terror and global financial crisis has forced massive capital flight from Pakistan. Still, Pakistan was ranked 83 among 181 countries around the globe in Ease of Doing Business Index 2011, much higher regionally than countries doing better in other areas; Bangladesh is ranked 107, Bhutan 142, India 134, Nepal 116 and Sri Lanka is 102.
Sri Lanka has an economy of $56 billion (IMF, 2011) and GDP of about US$7000. Sri Lanka has shown strong growth rates in recent years, and is far ahead of Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. Its main economic sectors are tourism, and agricultural products. Overseas employment also contributes highly in foreign exchange. Since 2009, Sri Lanka is among the world's fastest growing economies after its civil war against the Tamil Tigers ended. In 2010, Sri Lanka's GDP was estimated at 8% and is expected to grow by another 8.5% in 2011. Improvements in security and infrastructure projects have lead to a return of foreign investment. For many years, the United States has been Sri Lanka's biggest market for garments, taking more than 63% of the country's total garment exports, and China has invested in multi-billion dollar infrastructure projects. International investors in the tourism and hospitality industry have also shown interest to invest in Sri Lanka due to its obvious tourism potential.
In conclusion, given the scale of South Asian development issues, development planners and practitioners need to take various approaches to help the regional economy find a solid footing in the global market. However, economic strategies must balance security solutions, and work through welfare programs to reduce poverty, strengthening local government, civil administration, improving health and education infrastructure, and providing incentives for international funding sources. To ease the burden of this deprived but dynamic region, the international community needs to continue its support for development projects through its funding and knowledge assistance and help them move into a new era of sustained growth.
Social indicators of development in the dynamic South Asian region are not always promising. However, the South Asian economy is resilient as are its people, and can do well with sustained international focus in lending and knowledge investment to supplement efforts of local governments.
South Asia comprises seven countries: Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, representing the largest concentration of the world’s poor and also of the highest number of the conflict-afflicted. Over-population, environmental issues and bad governance feature high on development challenges, as do internal and external conflict.
 Nepal’s stability is affected by decades of Maoist insurgency. Sri Lanka has struggled through years of ethnic conflict. India has had to deal with major internal insurgencies and the political and military challenges with neighboring countries. The arms race in the region between the two largest countries of the region, India and Pakistan, which started in the 80s and grew to include nuclear capability, continues to challenge relations between them. Also, the power politics of major world players over the years, the US and the former USSR, has caused huge instability in the region and Pakistan battles serious repercussions in the form of drugs and terrorism, and the fallout of War on Terror in neighboring Afghanistan.
Not surprisingly, South Asian countries have extensive areas of inequality and extreme poverty directly connected to the conflict areas. The inclusivity of development logically depends on reducing this inequality. Since conflict is a major deterrent to political stability, no sustained growth policies have been successfully applied over the decades. However, domestic reforms and external assistance has helped provide some relief in phases.
A brief overview of the economic outlook of South Asian countries is as follows:
Bangladesh is an agricultural country, and one of the world’s most densely populated nations (164 million). A wide majority works in agriculture, though service industries contribute over half of GDP. Bangladesh has a flourishing garment industry. However, weak institutions, poverty, frequent cyclones and floods and corruption (CPI 2009: 139th/180) undermine economic development and increase unrest despite reasonable inflow of aid from international donor, including around $100 million a year from the United States. Unemployment rate is currently closer to 5.1% and inflation 6.0% (CIA Fact Book 2011).  Still, from the '90s to 2010 industrial production increased to 30% from 20%. The increase in demand for power and other infrastructure has not been successfully met with and the country's industries and manufacturing sector have suffered greatly.
Bhutan is ranked among the top 10 happiest countries of the world. This has been achieved due to its unique five-year national development plan series based on ‘Gross National Happiness’. Bhutan is well into achieving its objective to reduce poverty to 15% by 2012-13 in its Tenth Five-Year Plan (2008-2013). Bhutan has not only been successful at most of the original MDGs but in some cases, it is going beyond the MDGs. However, trade and finance need some policy planning to facilitate more foreign investment. Regionally, the economy is closely aligned with India’s and hydropower exports to India have boosted Bhutan’s overall growth. The World Bank has been assisting Bhutan since the early 80s and projects worth US$73 million focused on education, health, private sector, and rural development and infrastructure are underway. The Global Fund is also committed to programs to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The per capita income has exceeded US$2000, making Bhutan third only to the Maldives and Sri Lanka in South Asia. (WB, 2011)
          India inherited 90% of the industry in the sub-continent at partition. Due to land reforms introduced shortly after partition, the Indian economy continues to move in the right direction. With an average growth rate of 8% in the last three years, it is recognized as one of the world's fastest developing economies. However, the CIA Fact Book’s figures challenge the inclusivity of India’s economic policies as people living below poverty line remains at 41.6%, and India’s levels of child under-nutrition are double that of Sub-Saharan Africa. (WB, 2007). Despite government’s extensive welfare policies, social progress has also been hampered by Hindu caste system and anti-Muslim sentiment. The Industrial activity in India has, however, helped accelerate economic growth in the urban areas, creating jobs and increasing exports significantly. The revenue generated through tax collection has also helped create increased public spending on education, health care and various social programs to fight poverty.
Maldives comprises 1191 islands in the Indian Ocean of which almost 200 are inhabited. Tourism is its main industry, contributing almost 20% to the GDP. The Maldives economy is growing at an average of over 10% since the past two decades, although the 2005 tsunami caused a temporary setback. In 2009, the global financial crisis also caused decline of tourist arrivals and investment. However, the thorough policy planning of government, aided by International financial institutions like World Bank, continues to draw substantial investment through economy-friendly incentives. Over the longer term though, a bigger threat to Maldivian economy is seen to be the impact of erosion and global warming as 80% of the area lies 1 meter or less above sea level. Bhutan has urged the developed countries to help by reducing their carbon emissions.
Nepal is among the least developed countries in the world, and was ranked 29th on the Global Hunger Index 2010. It is a landlocked state bordered by China and India. Nepal's GDP for 2008 was estimated at over $12 billion making it the 115th-largest economy in the world. Agriculture accounts for about 40% of GDP, services comprise 41% and industry 22%. Nepal has considerable potential in hydropower, but political instability has hampered foreign investment. Civil strife and labor unrest, and its susceptibility to natural disaster continue to be a challenge. Nepal meets its energy demands through India and is contracted to import all its petroleum products through the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), which also means paying extra duties and taxes. Foreign aid accounts for more than half of the development budget. Government priorities over the years have been the development of transportation and communication facilities, agriculture, and industry. The export-oriented carpet and garment industries together now account for approximately 70% of merchandise exports. A positive note from World Economic Outlook 2010 reported Nepal’s inflation at 6.8% in 2010-1.
Pakistan's economy is predominantly based on agriculture, and has seen growth since the early 1950s despite internal strife, external conflict, sanctions, global recession, and natural disasters (2005 earthquake, 2010 floods). It is the 27th largest economy in the world. 17.2% population lives below poverty-line (WB 2011). The tax collection in Pakistan remains at less than 10% of GDP and the lack of revenue restricts Pakistan’s spending on development programs. Textiles account for most of Pakistan's export earnings, but the government’s failure to address power issues and hence expand a viable export base has left the country’s economy vulnerable. However, in 2005, Pakistan was named the top reformer in its region and in the top 10 reformers globally (WB), and included by the Goldman Sachs Global Economics Group as one of the “Next Eleven” (N-11), a group of countries with sizeable economic potential for global impact. Unfortunately, the internal strife and fallout of War on Terror and global financial crisis has forced massive capital flight from Pakistan. Still, Pakistan was ranked 83 among 181 countries around the globe in Ease of Doing Business Index 2011, much higher regionally than countries doing better in other areas; Bangladesh is ranked 107, Bhutan 142, India 134, Nepal 116 and Sri Lanka is 102.
Sri Lanka has an economy of $56 billion (IMF, 2011) and GDP of about US$7000. Sri Lanka has shown strong growth rates in recent years, and is far ahead of Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. Its main economic sectors are tourism, and agricultural products. Overseas employment also contributes highly in foreign exchange. Since 2009, Sri Lanka is among the world's fastest growing economies after its civil war against the Tamil Tigers ended. In 2010, Sri Lanka's GDP was estimated at 8% and is expected to grow by another 8.5% in 2011. Improvements in security and infrastructure projects have lead to a return of foreign investment. For many years, the United States has been Sri Lanka's biggest market for garments, taking more than 63% of the country's total garment exports, and China has invested in multi-billion dollar infrastructure projects. International investors in the tourism and hospitality industry have also shown interest to invest in Sri Lanka due to its obvious tourism potential.
In conclusion, given the scale of South Asian development issues, development planners and practitioners need to take various approaches to help the regional economy find a solid footing in the global market. However, economic strategies must balance security solutions, and work through welfare programs to reduce poverty, strengthening local government, civil administration, improving health and education infrastructure, and providing incentives for international funding sources. To ease the burden of this deprived but dynamic region, the international community needs to continue its support for development projects through its funding and knowledge assistance and help them move into a new era of sustained growth.


Published: SouthAsia Magazine, as Potential and Prospects, Sept 2011

Monday, August 15, 2011

An Aftar to Remember

Satire

...want to outshine the neighbor’s Iftar party? Follow my instructions...at own peril!!!


Wake up Lazy-bones!  Yes, you… the housewife who’s eaten too many parathas at Sehri and having sent the doting husband to office and chubby-cheeked Angles to school, are now sprawled in bed because you have nothing better to do! Are you bent upon making up for the time you had to spend supervising that oh-so-stubborn cook of yours to make just the right olive oil parathas for your health-conscious family? Must’ve been exhausting, but get out of bed now and start your day! I have some great tips for you to adorn your home for the next Iftar dinner you’re planning. Hey, c’mon now…don’t you want to outshine the oh-so-friendly neighbor who always manages to get more compliments than you? Ah, I see, that got your attention! Okay, lady, let’s get to work…

Let’s see now…you know, your living room could really do without this burgundy carpet. Royal as your guests may be, they do not need a red-carpet welcome! Take it out and wipe your marble floor squeaky-clean with the imported shawl that hangs in the closet forever waiting to be used. Of course I am serious! Then spray that new tangy ittar Khala gave you last Eid. Yes, yes, I know your friend Khushboo deserves it more since she gave you the tacky scarf you wouldn’t be caught dead in, but focus on the task at hand, will you? We can plan Khushboo’s retribution later! The ittar  will do wonders for the floor, not to mention the heavenly aura it can create that we all like to think of during Ramazan. It’s an Iftar-dinner you’re hosting, gal… create the right mood!

Okay, now remove that ‘throw’ you’ve placed so strategically on the back of your faux leather sofa. Take out your shiny golden dupatta and replace it with that. Of course, I’m serious! Don’t you want the guests to start thinking of gota and Eid in advance, and plan a gift for you? You need to drop subtle hints here and there, you know! Besides, your husband might be grateful to finally see the last of the throw he begged you not to buy. He might even put up with your bad cooking when the cook takes off on Eid. How about killing two birds with one stone this Eid? Er, of course I am aware you are the one who trained the cook in the first place! Why, there’s no one that cooks like you anywhere on the planet! Your husband is just ungrateful, like all husbands! Maybe he doesn’t deserve you anyway…but we’ll talk about that later. Let’s focus on the task at hand?!

Okay, that looks much better…although…I really wish you’d listen to your daughter once in a while. Teenagers these days have such a great aesthetic sense and are so creative too. Remember when she asked for the embalmed dove? You should’ve let her have it. It would’ve helped create the right mood. Anyways, find one now and hang it from the fan. Make sure you give it enough string to reach eye-level. It should keep dangling in front of everyone who enters. After a while turn on the fan exclaiming how hot the weather is. That’ll create an even more authentic effect, especially if it hits someone on the head and he or she has a brief ‘near-death’ experience. Voila…heaven on earth!   

      Now let’s see what we can do with the curtains. They’re not bad, but try and find green satin with big date-palms on it. When you serve the dates at Aftari, stand in front of the curtains to enhance the effect. And do ask little Gugloo beforehand to point out how he’d love to climb a date palm one day and pick dates himself. You can laughingly point at the curtains and say, “Oh, dear, but the dates are so high!”  A giggle or two to go with the comment wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Also, put at least ten prayer mats on the centre table to show how much you respect and care for those who pray even in these materialistic times. I know, not many would pick them up as they slouch on the sofas after having gobbled down the delicious food once the roza breaks, but then again, you’d have made your point!

Remove all those flower arrangements from your crystal vases and fill them with prayer-beads – as many different sizes and colors as you can find. People will appreciate your dedication to prayer, and what a religious statement you would have made. Full marks! 

Now, for the dining room, use the same date-palm print for a dining sheet. Don’t forget to stitch a nice wide lace to the hem, with dried-dates hanging at one-inch intervals. No, I don’t think orange lace would do. Try, Fuchsia. And learn to pronounce ‘Fuchsia’ so that you can impress everybody with your knowledge of colors other than those of the rainbow. Mm-hmm? Remember the time you kept mixing ‘teal’ with ‘tea’?!  

No, no…don’t remove the dining chairs. You don’t seriously think all your guests can sit on the carpet?! I know how we love to go back a few centuries in Ramazan-mode, but the amount of cola drinks people consume these days in place of milk, at least half of the guests would be contemplating joint-replacement surgery anyway. We don’t want to cause anyone any discomfort, do we? Not in Ramazan, anyway. And if they are hanging on to each other’s shoulders for support on the way out, you might have to arrange rides for them and they might even forget to compliment you on your excellent culinary or hostess skills. Push all the chairs against the wall, and Let them sit if they want.

Do you have Aab-e-Zamzam at home? Never mind, no one has it handy, but has that prevented anyone from serving it, if you know what I mean?! Just do the same. No, that’s not called ‘lying’! You don’t have to announce that you’re serving Aab-e-zamzam, just point to the jug and casually remark that you had it especially brought over for the faithful Rozadars, and no one will ask you what it is or where was it ‘brought over ‘from!

Okay, you know how important food presentation is? Dazzle everyone with our creative ideas. Put all your expensive crockery away. You’ve used those plates so many times…think ‘out-of-the-box’ options. No, no…not EAT out of the box! Gosh! Fine, just use your own dishes…but get some wide leaves from your garden and use them as mats for the dishes when you serve the mouthwatering delights the cook prepares. Er, sure…Elephant-Ear will do. No, no...no one will die of allergy! We don't have these issues in out blessed land...what, we could even eat leaves and nothing would happen!That's just the delicate Western disposition! Using leaves is symbolic because leaves grow on plants which are planted in the ground – to which we all shall return! See? You can subtly put the fear of God in people’s hearts! If they return to the drawing room and pick up the prayer-mat, you’d have succeeded in conveying the important message. God bless you for that, my dear.  

Okay, dear…now get to work. I’m feeling a little light-headed with my roza and all…I think I’ll take a nap while you get your act together. Then pick up the phone and invite all your friends and neighbors – don’t forget me! – and be the most popular Ramazan hostess ever. Good luck and Ramazan Mubarak!!!


Saturday, June 25, 2011

Human Kindness is Limitless

Feature

Volunteers serve as a catalyst for change in a society. It is important to provide a supportive environment to these selfless individuals and organizations so that they may contribute to true nation building.

The culture of volunteerism is inherent to many societies and supplements State functions. It is also an expression of the spirit of human compassion. Sometimes, however, it may be a response to the failure of State apparatus, prompting people to form support networks with friends and families in times of crises. Whatever the reason, societies at large benefit tremendously from selfless acts of devoted volunteers.



Volunteer work may be defined as work motivated not by material gains or external pressures, but by free will. It may include assisting the physically, socially or mentally disadvantaged in their everyday struggles, running literacy programs, and disease prevention and awareness campaigns etc. by contributing time, skills or resources. A question that often teases the mind is, how the idea of volunteerism takes root in communities in the first place, and whether it is dependent on the level of affluence in societies. A cursory glance at some aspects of developed and underdeveloped cultures around the world shows motivated people in all socio-economic groups, and sometimes more so in disadvantaged groups wherein the element of empathy plays an important role even when financial constraints paralyze action, and we find international charity organizations playing their important role by offering financial support to genuine humanitarian causes. 

In the US, the spirit of volunteerism is inculcated in individuals from a very young age, starting with pre-school children. By involving their parents in educational and fun activities at school, the community takes a teach-by-example route. As we go higher up the educational ladder, this trend is further seen to be strengthened when colleges encourage ‘Gap-year’ volunteer work experiences at home and abroad, taking up causes one feels passionate about, and learn valuable life lessons along the way. Needless to say, these programs benefit recipient societies tremendously as they enrich individual outlook.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to selecting one’s cause – from becoming a part of charities focusing on creating safe and supportive atmosphere for small children, to getting involved in pressing economic situations like provision of affordable housing for low-income families. When choosing social volunteerism as their passion, American citizens are never short of opportunities in their multicultural and multiethnic society. Social volunteerism helps develop a healthy pluralistic culture that focuses beyond religious, ethnic, and racial barriers and challenges misconceptions, thereby promoting social harmony. For example, the Sharon Pluralism Network working in a small town in Massachusetts helps bring “change at grassroots level in the society” through collaboration of seven town organizations “that partner together to support multicultural and interfaith understanding and engagement.”

This American spirit of volunteerism is extended to outside of the country as well, and has benefitted South Asian societies greatly. For example, the charity, CARE, has worked extensively in Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal to fight poverty and social injustice, running literacy programs and empowering women. CARE volunteers worked tirelessly in Pakistan during the 2010 floods alongside local volunteers to provide shelter, health and sanitation, and safe water facilities. Continuing CARE projects in India and Sri Lanka focus on disadvantaged children at orphanages and care centers, helping with teaching both life skills and handicrafts along with basic education, while also supporting the mentally and physically challenged. In Nepal, CARE projects work on special needs education and vocational training at orphanages. In Bangladesh, volunteer work focuses more on improving the local infrastructure that is perpetually caught up in a cycle of cyclones and floods. American volunteers have helped locals in building walls, drainage systems, playgrounds and clinics, and run educational programs that focus on health. Also, CARE projects have focused on food insecurity, maternal mortality, HIV prevention strategies, literacy, capacity building of communities etc.

Pakistan is a land of contradictions. While its rich history of art and architecture stretches back to 5,000 years, the present state of weak governance coupled with threats of terrorism has rendered the country paralyzed on many fronts. However, challenged by the holes in sustained development efforts of the State, resilient Pakistanis continue to take up the roles of builders and sustainers with or without help from international humanitarian organizations. The Pakistan Centre for Philanthropy (PCP) ranked Pakistan as the sixth most philanthropic country in the world. In a 2004 study it noted that more than 200,000 Pakistanis volunteer their skills on a full time basis. This view is supported by a 2005 report by The Christian Science Monitor which states that, “Pakistan has one of the highest rates of philanthropy in the world… 58 percent of Pakistanis volunteer their time to needy causes, giving nearly $700 million a year in charity.” Judging from the success of the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital of Imran Khan which was built solely on public donations worth $22.2 million, to one man’s dream, the Edhi Foundation, which is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest volunteer ambulance service, benefits millions of people in need, this culture of charity is indeed intrinsic to Pakistani society even as it continues to face numerous challenges on a daily basis. Despite widespread corruption in many government departments, volunteer charity organizations are widely respected for maintaining transparency and creating an efficient and effective image of Pakistani volunteers.

Pakistanis living abroad, like Pak-Americans, also continue to support the less privileged in their country of origin. During the 2005 Earthquake and the 2010 Floods, they donated generously towards relief efforts. Many Pakistani-American organizations also contributed time, skills and funds for victims of the 2004 Asian tsunami and for victims of Hurricane Katrina, according to a report in US Dept of State’s The Washington File. Active humanitarian organizations among these included Association of Pakistani Physicians of North America (APPNA), Pakistani Association of Greater Seattle, Association of Pakistani-American physicians, The Council of Pakistan-American Affairs (COPAA) of Southern California, The Organization of Pakistani Entrepreneurs of North America (OPEN) etc. Many Pak-Americans contributed in individual capacities as well.

Conversely, for years American volunteers have also worked through charities and in their individual capacity in Pakistan in relief efforts during times of crises. While their contribution has been invaluable, an important feature of this contact is formation of bonds which go beyond the short period of actual contact and helps dispel misconceptions on both sides. An American volunteer, Dr Mary Burry, visited Pakistan for relief work during the 2005 Earthquake. The Christian Science Monitor later quoted her as saying, “Like most Americans, I had the idea that this is a pretty dangerous place to be…” and the experience “totally changed my concept of Pakistan.” Another American volunteer, Wesley Olson remarked, “I’ve been to eight or nine countries by now - and by far the nicest people I’ve met have been here.” In turn, Pakistanis were also deeply touched by the generosity and dedication of the American helpers.

When all sides prosper due to actions of a few, it is indeed a wonderfully simple way to bring countries closer together. Selfless volunteer work helps develop a culture of kindness and compassion by benefitting the most vulnerable sections of communities, enriching the giver as much as the receiver. It is simply an expression of human kindness that spreads outwards and envelopes everyone in its warmth.

Published in SouthAsia as: Human kindness is Limitless June 2011

Friday, April 22, 2011

The Development Challenge

Feature

Many South Asian countries continue to receive financial and technical support from the Asian Development Bank. However, development planners and practitioners urge ADB for reform in its policies and procedural approach in order to be truly reflective of its commitment to poverty reduction


The Asian Development Bank (ADB) was established in 1966 with a commitment “to help its developing member countries reduce poverty and improve the quality of life of their people”. It is financed by 67 member countries, and works closely with development agencies, governments and in the private sector, providing financial and technical assistance. A brief description of some assistance projects provided by the ADB to some South Asian countries from the ADB website is as follows:

India is a founding member of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and its fifth largest shareholder. Loans amounting to $22,228.15 million have been approved for various projects in India since 1986, which include among others, the clean energy initiatives and rebuilding and reconstruction projects. In support of Tata Power project, ADB provided a loan covering about 70% of the project cost. To assist the effected people of 2001 Gujrat earthquake, in which nearly 2 million people lost their homes and thousands lost their lives, ADB approved a $350 million project in financing housing, rebuilding infrastructure, and restoring power supply and livelihoods.

Pakistan, the 13th largest shareholder, has received about $ 20 billion in loans so far, utilized in supporting development initiatives in infrastructure, energy, social sectors and governance. In 2005, as Pakistan struggled to handle the worst earthquake of its history that affected 3.5 million, the ADB provided valuable assistance in various forms, including loans for materials used in rebuilding and reconstruction. Similarly, when the 2010 floods impacted 20 million people, sweeping away 2.2m hectares of farmland, the ADB not only sought to establish a trust fund for other partners to channel their contribution, but approved a $3 million grant with 200 million pledged over the next two years for urgent relief and rehabilitation needs.

Sri Lanka has received $4.69 billion in loans and $104.8 million for 238 technical assistance projects since joining the ADB in 1966. ADB’s support provides opportunities for Sri Lanka’s disadvantaged communities to tackle the effects of years of conflict, and natural calamities like the 2004 tsunami. Important Microfinance and skills training is also provided by the ADB-supported projects to empower women, giving them a choice to stay near their families rather than migrate to the Middle East as domestic workers, where they are employed in menial jobs and suffer widespread abuse. ADB has also been actively involved in helping Sri Lanka’s underfunded educational system get back on track, providing electricity to schools, scholarships for students and teachers, and capacity building.

Bangladesh joined the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in 1973, and is one of the largest borrowers of concessionary Asian Development Fund resources. The cumulative lending in 2009 amounted to about $10.89 billion for loans, with $195.15 million for technical assistance grants for 348 projects.

Despite injecting millions of dollars into development spending in Asia, the ADB has received strong criticism from the international community for being a highly centralized and unaccountable institution, catering more to the demands of its major donors, Japan and the US, thereby contributing to serious setbacks for the very people it aims to help. There are strong objections to policy reforms and privatization of state institutions advocated by the ADB in borrowing countries, which result in downsizing and, hence, increased joblessness. The member governments, when pressurized to keep up with debt as well as maintaining growth, often are forced to take the route of increased taxes and result in less long term benefits for their populations.

Oxfam Australia has criticized the ADB of insensitivity to concerns of local communities by undermining “people's human rights through projects that have detrimental outcomes for poor and marginalized communities.” The bank has been charged by NGOs with causing displacement of 100,000 to 150,000 people in Asia each year due to ineffective implementation of its well-meaning but lop-sided approach to development planning and implementation

ActionAid, an international anti-poverty agency formed in 1972, has called for wide ranging reforms of the ADB, and asserted, “Because of their failed instruments, poverty is higher, you see rising unemployment, you see malnutrition, all over Asia.” More than 10% of the total external debt of the Asia Pacific is also owed to the ADB. Although some of these poorest countries perpetually struck in the cycle of debt could benefit from write-offs, there was strong opposition expressed by Director General of ADB, Mr. Nag, against the idea of debt cancellation when it came up as part of the UN MDGs and insisted, “We as an institution do not do that. We believe that we are a developmental institution, but are also a bank”.

The bank has also received criticism for its lack of insight, or will to implement, environmental safeguards in pursuit of its goals, often resulting in short term development value but long term environmental damage, like the coal-powered fire station in Thailand. A US-based NGO, Environmental Defense, has charged that “The ADB's environmental categorization is significantly weaker than that of the World Bank, which requires all projects classified as sensitive to undergo an environmental assessment. But such an assessment is not always required for ADB projects classified as sensitive.”

Other issues where ADB has come under fire is its disregard for issues of larger political implications, like the territorial dispute between India and China where the ADB endorsed a $2.9 billion funding strategy for proposed projects for India Country Partnership strategy, directly impacting India’s relations with China. China expressed strong condemnation of the bank’s move which “not only seriously tarnishes its own name, but also undermines the interests of its members.”

In conclusion, ADB’s strategies might be more effective if they promoted a balance between economic growth and ensuring livelihood sustenance for the disadvantaged populations of South Asia. Moreover, planning development initiatives with full participation of local communities and other relevant stakeholders, rather than catering to international marketing concerns would bring better results and appreciation for the well-meaning but constantly challenged role that the ADB struggles to play in its anti-poverty initiatives.

SOUTHASIA, The Development Challenge APRIL 2011

Friday, March 18, 2011

The challenge of Slums

Feature

Some of the largest slums in the world adapt innovative, if indeed short term, solutions at the hands of slumlords to fulfill basic needs where States fail


The slums of India are not a recently discovered phenomenon but came into focus more so when Danny Boyle’s 2008 blockbuster, Slumdog Millionaire, appeared on box-office to enthrall audiences across the globe. The tough lives of the slum-dwellers were highlighted through the plight of child stars, who travelled all the way to the red carpet of Oscars and back to the reality of their disease-infested slums, to join 60 million other slum-dwellers of India in a life they would probably never be able to escape.

These slums – centers of healthcare nightmares battling diarrhea, TB, maternal mortality and domestic abuse and child labor living in what the UN terms ‘unacceptable living conditions’ – characterized by lack of water and sanitation, overcrowding, non-durable structures and insecure tenure, feature in the UN-HABITAT report, The Challenge of Slums: Global report on Human Settlements 2003, as one of the biggest challenges of urban living. According to the report, the 2% annual growth rate is expected to double so that one in every three people in the world will end up in a slum within 30 years unless urban growth is checked through rigorous planning. This study of global urban conditions also finds that the 30 richest countries host only 2% of slum population while in the 30 least developed countries, this percentage is almost 80%. In India, though not exclusive to Mumbai, slums have been a major challenge, and an overwhelming 55% of the population of Mumbai lives in slums, which cover only 6% of the city’s land.

The generally understood and accepted reason for formation of slums is massive migration of workers to cities and production centers in search of job opportunities. Naturally, the new workers from poverty ridden areas who are already struggling to survive cannot afford renting new housing and make temporary shelters which get transformed rapidly into semi-permanent housing colonies. Since these are unplanned and basic amenities are missing, there is not only an increased strain on the existing resources of the region, but leads to further deterioration of services outside the slums as well. Moreover, slums also serve as breeding grounds for all sorts of criminal activities.

Many slum-dwellers of India diligently shun any re-housing or development plans because they believe the corrupt politicians and developers will go back on their promises and leave them hung out to dry. Years of encroachment on the vast stretches of public land owned by official agencies but neglected in development planning, these slums also represent billions of dollars worth of dead capital. Unfortunately, the slum residents get the raw end of the deal either way. They suffer humiliation and battle constant health risks while forced to house twice as many people in spaces barely enough for half the number of residents. On top of that, the slumlords that control all services provided in slums, including rent and electricity, are harsh and sometimes worse than criminals, extracting their full share while boasting of providing a service that the State has not been able to deliver.

To start with, the slum mafia starts out with one small hut at a time, slowly gaining strength using bribes and coercion to grow into a whole colony. Funded or coerced by the slum mafia, politicians make a pretense of working to provide basic services for slum dwellers including water supply, drainage, electricity and roads. Within a few years of official red-tape the colony is regularized and slums become permanent growing, developing entities. A stark example in this regard is that of Mumbai’s 1900 acres of land for airport complex, widely reported in the media for losing almost 150 acres of land to encroachment. Ultimately, when relevant government agencies took notice and the process for re-location of slums started with planned surveys, many of the surveyors were attacked by the slumlords, which also simultaneously started evicting residents if they met any resistance to their designs. Gangsters earned profit by forcing slum-dwellers to partition their already cramped and small units into multiple ones, and surveyors were either bribed or forced to record the divisions as new units so that the government would have to provide four free flats to four different families when in actuality there was only one. The slumlords would then give only one new flat to the family, increase rents, and sell remaining three flats at a market price and pocket the profit too.

Despite the horror of slum dwellers existence, the level of entrepreneurship displayed by slumlords and the hope, however small or distorted, it offers to millions for a better life merits recognition. Where governments failed to deliver to their citizens with adequate provision of basic civic facilities and infrastructure, these slumlords stepped forward to fill the vacuum and proved to be William Drayton’s ‘Social Entrepreneurs’, described as, “where others see barriers, [Social Entrepreneurs] delight in finding solutions and in turning them into society’s new and concrete patterns.”

However, as asserted in the UN report, what is truly needed is not just finding opportunity in adversity through manipulation or extortion, but by getting to the root of the problem that gives rise to slums in the first place: absence of adequate employment opportunities to improve the economic condition of slum dwellers. Some helpful steps in this regard would certainly have to include development of industrial areas close to smaller towns so people don’t have to migrate to large cities in search of better work opportunities, developing and promoting transportation facilities to encourage free movement to and from urban work areas to living centers in rural communities, and considering upgrading existing living spaces as a more cost effective solution in the long run to re-location options. Unfortunately, lack of political will and opportunistic approach of corrupt government officials might need to be addressed before any positive change can be seen in the countries hosting huge populations of slums around the world.

SouthAsia Magazine, The Challenge of Slums Feb 2011