2015 - My Review of few Important Events

Welcome you all back to my blog. It’s been so long (almost 2 years) since I sat down and wrote something thing that came to my mind.

Thanks to these vacations, which gave me some time to refresh my mind as before and also the spirit to get back to the things that I enjoy them most (Blogging is one among). Hoping to keep up this spirit also ensuring myself to work on at least one article per month or whenever it is necessary or whatever is felt important.

To get back to business, it is a bit tough to write brief on Political or our Socio – economic problems around us after an awful gap through my writing days. So I have decided to present a compilation of these political and socio economic events (Important Events) happened around us in 2015 which people might/might not know or partially know. Listing out 8 such important Events and explained it down below. Please bare with the formatting here and there as this blogger is driving me mad with this formatting stuffs.

1) Nobel Peace Prize – 2015 – The Success story of Tunisian National Dialoug Quartet

2) Flood of Kindness and Humanity as the skies opened up - Chennai

3) The youngest Victory from Canada

4) The Lady against the Loaded Dice and her Emerging Democracy in South East Asia - Aung San Suu Kyi

5) The Misery of an New Democracy – Nepal Blockade

6) Migration over Mediterranean – Rise of Syrian Civil War

7) Grexit – The Fall story of Greece Economy.

8) Loss of a Inspiring soul and a true patriot – DR. Kalam

1) Nobel Peace Prize – 2015

Winner - Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet

Have you ever heard about Jasmine Revolution?

What will be your action if you are a citizen of a country which is at the verge of falling into civil war?

Below is the Success Story of 2015 Nobel Peace prize winner and why do they deserve it.

Tunisian national dialogue quartet is a coalition of civil society organizations (This includes unionists, employers, lawyers and human rights activists). It was successful in forming an alternative peaceful political process in 2013.

As stated in Noble Peace Prize award, for its decisive contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia in the wake of the Jasmine Revolution of 2011.

What Happened in Tunisia?

The quartet was set up in the summer of 2013. It is at that time when the country’s Jasmine revolution, had first sparked the Arab spring. World Expected that Tunisia would go the same way as Egypt. (In Egypt brief democratic awakening had happened and was succumbed to a military coup in July of that year.)

Reasons for this belief were that Tunisia was suffering some of the same symptoms as Egypt. A high-handed Islamist-led government that was ignoring the views of the secular opposition in writing up a new constitution.

What was done by Quartet?

Then Came The quartet – made up of the union federation UGTT, the employers’ institute, the Tunisian human rights league and the order of lawyer.  They brokered talks between the different forces and got them to agree a roadmap that included compromises on the constitution, a technocratic caretaker government and an independent election commission.

Why do they deserve the most prestigious Nobel Peace Prize?

Arab Spring awakened the Spark among many Arab Nation. But Alone among Arab spring states, Tunisia has kept its democratic aspirations alive in the wake of the Egyptian coup and the conflicts that have consumed Libya, Syria and Yemen into unending civil war and military rule. For this, Tunisian National Dialoug Quartet was awarded Nobel Peace Prize for setting out an Outstanding Example in the Middle East to promote peace and democracy.

2) Flood of Kindness and Humanity as the skies open up – Chennai

It was December 1^st Tuesday Morning 8 AM. The City already experienced a Good Amount of rainfall in the past weeks due to the wake of North East Monsoon with several low/high pressure depressions hitting through Bay of Bengal. I was heading to my office in my Office shuttle by leaving my bike at home due to rain (Shuttle - That’s how we call our company transport services @ Accenture).

Watching out the sky and the road filled with traffic I got myself plugged into Radio City (FM). We all thought It was another Rainy Day of the Memorable Monsoon and an usual traffic filled Grand South trunk Road (Popularly called GST Road). I have Updated my Whatsapp Message to my college whatsapp Group as follows, “Beautiful Rain+Traffic Roads+Radio City – Chennai is both Hell and Heaven”. My Class mate and a very good friend Sherol replied, “radio City Kettukitu apadiyae nendikitae poidu”. I was dumbstruck with this reply but what he said happened to me the same afternoon as I somehow managed to get back home through flooded streets by walk and swim.

At 8.30 AM the heavy rain came (Just Started). We somehow managed to reach office by 9AM. However the office got flooded in next few hours. The Sky was pouring like Never it was and never will it be again and so we had the only choice to vacate the premises. Myself along with my roommates and an neighboring senior roommate were running around the office transport premises in rain and enquiring about where and when will the shuttle be leaving as the public transportation were completely halted. Desperate with the replies we managed to walk home from office for 8.5 km @ 2hrs.

   What happened later was the most appreciated in the History of Chennai. The Rain came and Chennai responded by opening its doors. As the streets got flooded and increasingly dangerous to navigate, our city responded with overwhelming generosity. Locals have been posting their addresses online, offering food and shelter to anyone who needs it. Theatres, malls and restaurants have thrown open their doors. Rescue teams have been formed to help those who are stranded. The gestures range from families cooking food all night so it can be distributed to the hungry, to thoughtful Chennaites with Internet access offering to recharge phones with talk time for people with no balance or electricity.  It was an awesome season when the humanity proved its own existence and the day in which the Youth Power proved it superiority.

3) The youngest Victory from Canada

The latest Election results from Canada  blown in a change in Canadian leadership and end of Conservatives in Canada.

Justin Trudeau has been sworn in as Canada’s prime minister, following in the footsteps of his father. The 43-year-old Trudeau, a former school teacher became the second youngest prime minister in Canadian history.

The new prime minister now has the chance to restore his father’s Liberal legacy, which has been  under siege during 10 years of conservative rule under stephan Harper.

Why Trudeau is Important to Canada?

Trudeau’s victory should improve Canada’s ties with the United States. Harper was angered by President Barack Obama’s reluctance to approve the Keystone XL pipeline from Alberta to Texas and it damaged relations. Although Trudeau supports the pipeline, he argues relations should not hinge on the project.

Harper, one of the longest-serving western leaders, fought hard to reverse the image of a Liberal Canada, cutting corporate and sales taxes and removing Canada from a climate change agreement. Trudeau tapped into an appetite for change with a plan to reject austerity and spend billions on infrastructure, running deficits for three years to do so.

4) The Lady against the Loaded Dice - Aung San Suu Kyi

The historic election in Myanmar on November 8 is the first step to a peaceful transition of power after decades of military rule. The people of Myanmar have given an absolute majority to the Aung San Suu Kyi-led National League for Democracy (NLD).

What happened Earlier?

The last time her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), stood for general elections was in 1990, an election it won by a landslide. But what followed after the elections was a rejection of the result by the ruling Myanmar Tatmadaw or military, and house arrest for Ms. Suu Kyi for a decade and a half.

Why is this Historic in South East Asia?

While Myanmar has made progress towards democracy, other parts of South-East-Asia are heading in the wrong direction.

Thailand is currently run by a military government, which took power after a coup in 2014. The military has promised to return the country to democracy, but seems to be in no hurry. Concern about the health of the Thai king – a revered symbol of national unity – threatens to create more social and political instability, further delaying any return to democracy.

Malaysia, meanwhile, is in the midst of a full-blown political crisis.( Corruption by Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak).

5) The Misery of an New Democracy – Nepal Blockade

A massive Earth quake struck Nepal in April’15. But this current crisis is even bigger and worse than it by taking into a form of Humanitarian Crisis.

Where did it Began?

It all Began in September when Nepal’s new constitution was passed. It has generated significant controversy. Ethnic minorities have taken to the streets in large-scale protests against the discriminatory provisions of the new governing order.

What’s about Nepal New Constitution?

Nepal’s politicians had been drafting a new constitution for seven years. Even though 90 percent of Nepal’s parliament endorsed the constitution, the new constitution has left much of the nation deeply disappointed. It is the people of the plains area bordering India, called Madhesis, who are angered the most. New provisions reject full citizenship to children born of a Nepali and a foreigner and ban these offspring from being elected to higher office.

To the Madhesis, who often marry Indians across the border, this is blatant discrimination. When coupled with new federal boundaries that deny them a province, Madhesis view the new constitution as an overt attack on their community.

The Aftermath and its controversies

The Madhesis have deliberately disrupted trade routes from India into Kathmandu thus cutting off All essential supplies to Nepal.(Includes Medicine, Petroleum Products). However, there is debate surrounding the blockade. There is a belief that India is complicit in the fuel disruption. India has strongly criticized the new constitution and many in Nepal argue that India has imposed an economic blockade to pressure change. 

A recent article in Foreign Policy argued that India’s actions, which have left a substantial proportion of the Nepali population angered, So will push Nepal toward a closer relationship with China. However,India and Nepal share many religious, cultural, and linguistic commonalities and have a long history of cooperation. In addition, the sparsely populated and mountainous border between Nepal and China is inhospitable to trade. While Nepali nationalists would like to see Nepal move into China’s embrace, India remains the country’s natural ally, despite recent strains.

6) Migration over Mediterranean – Rise of Syrian Civil War

I would personally say this one as the worst tragedy of the decade which could have been averted but was fueled by western powers and now emerged as unstoppable.

Europe and the Middle East

When we are reading this, Europe is experiencing one of the most significant influxes of migrants and refugees in its history.

Pushed by Syrian civil war and terror and pulled by the promise of a better life, Safety and security in Europe, hundreds of thousands of people have fled the Middle East and Africa, risking their lives over the tough Mediterranean Sea.

How Europe is Impacted?

The scale of the crisis has put huge pressures on some destination countries in Europe, particularly Greece, Austria, and Hungary. United Nations At least 350,000 migrants crossed the EU's borders in January-August 2015, compared with just 280,000 during the whole of 2014.And this does not include the many who crossed a border undetected.

Among the forces driving people to take such risks are the conflicts raging in Syria and Afghanistan, and human rights abuses in Eritrea. The majority - 62% - of those who have reached Europe by boat so far this year are from those three countries.

There are also people setting out from Libya, Sudan, Pakistan, Nigeria, Kosovo, Iraq, Iran Darfur, Somalia and other countries in the hope of a new life somewhere like Germany, France or the UK.

More than 250,000 Syrians have lost their lives in four-and-a-half years of armed conflict, which began with anti-government protests before escalating into a full-scale civil war. More than 11 million others have been forced from their homes as forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad and those opposed to his rule battle each other - as well as jihadist militants from Islamic State. 

Who runs the show ?

Assad Govt – Supported by Iran, Russia, Tehran, Lebanon’s shia Muslims

Rebels – Supported  by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United States, United Kingdom, France.

Iran and Russia have propped up the Alawite-led government of President Assad and gradually increased their support.

Tehran is believed to be spending billions of dollars a year to bolster Mr Assad, providing military advisers and subsidised weapons, as well as lines of credit and oil transfers. In September 2015, Russia launched an air campaign against Mr Assad's opponents. Moscow said it was targeting only "all terrorists", above all members of Islamic State, but many of the strikes hit Western-backed rebels and civilians.

The Syrian government has also enjoyed the support of Lebanon's Shia Islamist Hezbollah movement, whose fighters have provided important battlefield support since 2013.

The Sunni-dominated opposition has, meanwhile, attracted varying degrees of support from its main backers - Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Arab states along with the US, UK and France. However, the rise of hardline Islamist rebels and the arrival of jihadists from across the world have led to a marked cooling of Western backing.

US-led coalition aircraft provide significant support to Kurdish militia fighters seeking to defend three autonomous enclaves in the country's north from attacks by IS. But a programme to train and arm 5,000 Syrian rebels to take the fight to IS on the ground has suffered embarrassing setbacks.

7) Grexit – The Fall story of Greece Economy

what is Grexit?

Grexit basically stands for "Greek Exit". It is a scenario where Greece leaves the eurozone. To understand this better we need to have clear understanding of what the euro and the eurozone is about.

What is the eurozone ?

A lot of people have the misconception that eurozone is the group of countries that use the Euro as their currency. But it is not. Countries outside the eurozone also use euro as their currency. The eurozone is a monetary of union of 19 countries. It is just that their currency happens to be the euro.

In simple terms, a monetary union is one where the monetary policy of all within the union is determined by a common body. Thus In case of the eurozone, it is determined by the European Central Bank. The monetary policy controls how the money supply is regulated in an economy. In simple terms, it controls things like inflation, the interest rates in the economy, when to print money etc. Countries like the United Kingdom, Denmark, Monaco, Vatican City etc are not part of the eurozone, but still use the euro as a currency. UK and Denmark have their own currencies as well (British Pound & Danish Krone). Greece is part of the eurozone. So, the monetary policy for Greece is determined by the European Central Bank and not Greece's central bank. 

Why should Greece consider exiting the eurozone?

The eurozone as explained earlier is only a monetary union. The fiscal policy for each country within the union is determined by the individual country. Fiscal policy determines how much the government should spend, what is the tax rate, etc. So, how much each eurozone country should spend is determined by the country. One way the government funds its spending is through debt. But like any debt you will have to repay it at some point. When it doesn't have money to repay it's debt, the government can consider two options: either to default on its debt or to print more currency. Now the second option comes under the ambit of monetary policy, so the government will need the approval of the central bank to print more currency. Printing more currency has it's own problems like hyperinflation.

Greece is now in a state where it doesn't have money to repay its debt. But unlike the case mentioned earlier, the options available to Greece are different: default on its debt or accept bailout from other eurozone countries. Greece doesn't have the option of printing currency as that is handled by the European Central Bank (and they won't print more euro as it will affect other countries within the union).

Now, if Greece were to exit the eurozone, it can revive it's old currency the drachma, start printing more currency and try and repay its debt.

Options  for Greece

The two main alternatives available to Greece are the eurozone bailout and the Grexit. The eurozone bailout on the face of it might seem good, but the terms of the bailout are very harsh. Greek government will have to agree to a lot of spending cuts. And most of the money they receive will have to be spent on repaying the debt. Also, almost all future income the government gets will have to spent on repaying the debt. This scenario is only good for the Greece's creditors (the people who lent money to Greece). Government spending is what mainly drives the economy, especially when there is a recession (like the one Greece is experiencing now). If Greece accepts the bailout there will effectively be no government spending. And from history, there has never been a case where a country has come out of recession due to austerity (or lack of government spending).

The Grexit option has its own negative consequences. One will be hyperinflation (inflation at very high levels. The inflation rates can cross 50% in this case). But there will be public spending and in the long run, the economy can bounce back. (It was mostly government spending that helped countries overcome the Great Depression). Also, Greece will be able to restructure its debt, (which it cannot do if its part of the eurozone) which will itself bring in some relief.

What’s the latest?

After several contentious months of negotiations between the country and its creditors, Greece received its third bailout in five years. Terms of the bailout including commitments by the country to implement austerity measures and economic reforms, which Greek lawmakers recently approved.

The legislation covered some of the economic changes sought by the country’s international creditors, which include raising the retirement age, cutting pensions, liberalizing the energy market, opening up cosseted professions, expanding a property tax that Greeks already revile and pushing forward a stalled program to privatize state assets.

8) Loss of a Inspiring soul and a true patriot – DR. Kalam

On 27^th July, 2015, Monday , Former Indian president APJ Abdul Kalam, known as the father of the India’s missile program, died after collapsing while delivering a lecture at IIM, Shillong.

The president from 2002 until 2007, he was a scientist and science administrator for four decades at Defense Research and Development Organisation(DRDO) and the Indian Space Research Organisation(ISRO). He played a key organisational and technical role in India’s nuclear program.

On 30 July 2015, the former President was laid to rest at Rameshwaram Pei Karumbu Ground with full state honours. Over 3,50,000 people attended the last rites, including the Prime Minister, the governor of Tamil Nadu and the chief ministers of Karnataka, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh.

Conclusion:

So to end with, this is just a compilation of few important events , mixed up with my own writings and also writings and data’s from internet and the image sources are from google.

Why we had too many political conflicts around the globe? Why did the people of Middle East deserved these hardships? What is still lagging in bringing in the concept of one World?

The answer is unique, The lack of democracy and need for it. The result of someone’s grief and desire for power is Years of civil war, blockade of basic necessities, pain of migration , pain of  being forced leaving their own land and country, bearing the title of Refugee and much more.

But I could also blame the people for deserving this. Then failed to act and to ask when it is needed.

What happened in Nepal could have been avoided if some People’s of Madhesi were into the Constitutional bench, they should have demanded it earlier when the bench was set up or alteast the governments should have called them in earlier. They didn’t had a Clear Goal or a vision on what they needed which resulted in this.

What happened during Chennai floods?. There are many controversies revolving around the opening of sembarambakkam lake. But people got diverted just easily with Simbu’s song controversies. These people are with oscillating thoughts and minds and they run only behind temporary craziness without an destinated Goal. Unless this mindset of people changes Chennai will see another biggest sorrow in its history of the same kind. The Climate changes will be frequent in upcoming decades.

Syria is really a god’s forsaken land fallen into 4 years of civil war. But still if Tunisia and Myanmar could do it why not the other countries of the middle East. What differed was the Presence of Clear goal in front of Tunisia and Hard work to reach towards it.

Everything is Possible when the Goal is Clear. Whether it is to bring about an Democratic Change or about changing the simple habits in your day to day Life. A man with the Clear Goal and Objective can never be stopped from achieving it.

Concluding with the quote inspiring me every day, as Said by Swami Vivekananda,

“Arise awake and rest not till the Goal is Achieved”.

Happy New Year 2016. Go for Everything you deserve in this 2016 with your fullest potential and hard work because there shouldn’t be anymore new year eve thinking about the unfinished businesses.

#There is No Fate But What we Make.

- Shankar