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Last week the Indian government officially abrogated the agreement the founders of the modern state signed guaranteeing Kashmiris the right to form an independent nation. With the stroke of a pen, prime minister Narendra Modi repealed Article 370, a provision of the Indian constitution granting special autonomous status to what was the northern state of Jammu & Kashmir, including the Ladakh region.
370 was specifically created to entice the majority Muslim region into the India fold during the partition of 1947.
Worse though than Modi’s unilateral declaration, something provoking condemnation throughout the region and beyond, are measures employed by the Indian government; the locking down and cutting off of Kashmir from the rest of the World.
Modi’s draconian actions from the perspective of India’s Kashmiri diaspora in the first half.
And; Summer is for leisurely idylls; supposed to be spent languidly lolling among the shade trees considering the great eternal, while enjoying the corporeal fruits life has to offer. It is certainly not meant for that basest of all human pursuits, politics. But these are strange and unnatural days. As Helius arcs his golden chariot across the azure waters of the Greek islands, far below schemes are afoot, evil machinations whose bitter fulfillment may soon see Europe, from the Mediterranean cradle of its democratic tradition to the nethermost tips of its social liberal northern expanse, revisited by the refugee crisis, as per 2016.
John Helmer is a journalist, former academic, government policy advisor, author, broadcaster and principal behind the news website, Dances with Bears. Some of John’s book titles include: ‘The Deadly Simple Mechanics of Society’, ‘Drugs and Minority Oppression’, (with Claudia Wright) ‘The Jackal’s Wedding – American Power, Arab Revolt’, ‘Grand Strategy for Small Countries, Case Studies in Transforming Weakness into Power,’ and his latest is the political memoir, ‘The Man Who Knows Too Much About Russia’.
He’s also a former advisor to Greek prime minister, Andreas Papandreou and his recent article, ‘Turkey’s War in the West – Cyprus is Now Surrounded by Drill-Ships and Warships; Cannon Ready to Fire at Europe – 150,000 People per Month‘ spotlights Europe’s next crisis in the making.
John Helmer and Turkey’s all stick no carrot Mediterranean gambit in the second half.
And; Victoria-based activist and long-time Gorilla Radio contributor, Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour with the Left Coast Events Bulletin of some of the good things to be gotten up to in and around our town in the coming week.
Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Thursday between 11-Noon Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: http://cfuv.uvic.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, http://www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.ca/
