Now most of you in this mailing list probably wished me yesterday (or today), so I’m guessing that you probably like me a little bit. So do me a favour and try to get through what I’ve put down. It doesn’t matter if you contribute or not to what I’ve asked…just the fact that you read what I’ve written and think about it will be good enough. Since none of ya’ll bought me a birthday gift (except my roommates, thanks guys!), think of reading this as a gift to me. Thanks amigos!
Hi.
Yesterday I was repeatedly asked the question, "So...what plans?”
I didn't really have anything specific lined up. Instead the blast which happened in Pune at the German Bakery kept coming back to me. I decided to plant a seed of thought.
Since Sat, I've seen numerous posts, blogs, status messages, news articles, clips related to the incident. All of them display the feelings which I'm sure most of us must be feeling. Anger, frustration, helplessness, fear and disgust. Most of us being between the ages of 20 to 35 have witnessed the 4 different terror attacks - Parliament, Mumbai Locals, 26/11 and most recently the German Bakery blast. There are others, (like the Malegaon blast) which are of no less significance, but I can safely assume that at the least, these 4 incidents are relatively vivid in our minds.
How many of you felt the exact same feelings when these incidents occurred. I know I did. The funny thing being, (as aptly put by my brother) “Another blast, more news speculations, more solidarity, more candles and the cycle continues…what a joke!”
I do agree with him. I heard of some candle vigil outside German Bakery and some people singing “Hum honge kamiyaab” and people talking about the Puneri spirit and the people coming out on Sunday and carrying on because…you know, life goes on, we can’t let the terrorists win ya da ya da. What a crock of shit. Who could care less? I’m pretty sure candle marches and marathons don’t give the families of the victims much solace (incidentally, I’ve never really understood the significance of using a marathon to raise AIDS awareness).
What would give them solace, would be to see the masterminds and the individuals carrying out these kind of attacks being punished. What would give them solace, would be to know that no other parent would have to face the burden of having to lay to rest their child killed at the hands of a fanatic. What would give them solace, would be to have the government publically declare that they are ill-equipped to handle this menace and that public compensations to the tune of “5 lakhs” to the families of the victims is like applying a band-aid to a man whose arm has been chopped off.
Let me tell you - these terrorists succeeded when they blasted the life line of Mumbai, these terrorists succeeded when they brazenly kept Mumbai hostage for over 60 hours and they succeeded again when they murdered 9 innocent kids on Saturday. There’s probably a group of them right now, sitting around with some beers and laughing at the way we manage these incidents and the concept of “preventing terrorist attacks” in this country.
You know, while feelings of anger, frustration, helplessness, fear and disgust are prevalent, we all know that a short while from now, things are going to go back to normal. I’m no exception. I felt the same way post 26/11 and in a short while, I was out of the country, occupied with a million other things and simply speaking, “life went on”.
Until Saturday.
That’s when the same feelings arose and these same feelings will die down in a short while unless I did something about it. So while I see “anger, frustration, helplessness, fear and disgust” what I fail to see is desire. A desire or an intention to prevent these kinds of incidents from re-occurring.
I recollected a line from an article someone forwarded to me. It was based on Juval Aviv (the Israeli Agent upon whom the movie 'Munich' was based) and a lecture he was giving in NYC. He said, “Unfortunately, America hasn’t been yet 'hurt enough' by terrorism for their government to fully understand the need to educate its citizens or for the government to understand that it's their citizens who are, inevitably, the best first-line of defense against terrorism.” (More on this a little later)
My point of this line being, that unless someone close to us or someone we love gets directly impacted by an act of terrorism, that desire will not be invoked. Think about it. As long as the casualties of an act of terrorism are a statistical figure for us (9 dead, 53 injured), we’re never going to be dead serious about having that desire to eliminate it (or at least prevent it to the maximum possible extent).
Maybe it’s the fact that I used to regularly travel by the Mumbai locals when the blasts occurred or that I personally knew one of the victims of 26/11 or that German Bakery is about 200 m from where I live in Pune. I believe the “desire” has been set alight in me.
Now I am trying my level best NOT to make this sound like one of those soul searching out-pourings on blog sites. I’m trying to actually get something into action. Whether it works or not is up to us.
I was discussing this with a couple of guys yesterday and the basic plans of action (that usually come up post an attack) that are regularly suggested are neat.
1. Pushing the government to improve security measures
2. Equipping our police and military forces with better equipment
3. Dialogue with Pakistan (I don’t even know what this means)
4. Starting bus and train services between India and Pakistan
5. Banning Pakistani cricketers from the IPL
6. Banning Sharukh Khan movies
7. Nuking Pakistan
While I do see the benefit in the above steps being implemented and their long term effects in reducing terrorism I have to face a simple fact. I (we) don’t have a major hand to play in the implementation of any of the above measures.
Now I do understand that to solve any problem, the first step lies in establishing the cause or root of the problem. In an article forwarded today (thanks Hitesh!) there is this small paragraph –
India has never been an invader and is not in conflict of any other Muslimcountry. None of the wars and conflicts with Pakistan was instigated byIndia. In the current geopolitical situation, one can argue for the Muslimworld’s grudge and anger against Israel or the west and USA but one fail tofathom why India should also be at the receiving end and why Indians shouldbe the second largest group of people to die from terrorists attacks
Now I’m not looking to debate the source or origin of terrorism, whether it is inbred or externally inflicted, whether it’s being called LET or IM or the Sena. Elimination of the roots is not for us. Let’s work around the assumption that terrorism exists, it is growing and we are being targeted. Once this is established and we’re all on the same page, let’s look at something we can actually play a hand in.
PREVENTION
I’m asking you guys a simple question. Let’s try to avoid philosophical and clichéd responses and focus on practical and feasible solutions.
Q: What can we, as individuals in today’s society do to help prevent a terrorist attack or (in the event that we are unable to prevent it), minimize its impact?
I need help and answers from you guys. Don’t be hesitant to mark everyone in this list and add your own contacts when replying. We have this magnificent source of communication called the internet and I suggest we start using it. This way, many of us who are not even in the country can participate and more importantly IMPLEMENT what is being suggested.
I’m trying to get the ball rolling. If you think it’s a dumb idea, no sweat. You’ve read through what I’ve written and I guess I can appreciate that. But if you feel that this could work and we as individuals can work together to help reduce the terrible effects of terrorism, let the ideas flow! (And if you have some ideas to improve communication, alternate platform, etc. feel free to share it with the rest of us)
To start things off, I recommend people can read the article attached (granted it’s based on the USA. Simply substitute USA for India and it has almost the same effect). It might have reached you before and if you have read it, let’s look at implementation people!
(I heard that the manager of German Bakery told the waiter to open the unattended bag which contained the bomb and eventually triggered the explosion. Yeah, if this is true, then it was a real smart move)
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Excerpts:
Juval Aviv was the Israeli Agent upon whom the movie 'Munich' was based. He was Golda Meir's bodyguard, and she appointed him to track down and bring to justice the Palestinian terrorists who took the Israeli athletes hostage and killed them during the Munich Olympic Games.
In a lecture in New York City he shared information that EVERY American needs to know.
He predicts the next terrorist attack on the U.S. will occur within the next few months.
Forget hijacking airplanes, because he says terrorists will NEVER try and hijack a plane again as they know the people onboard will never go down quietly again. Aviv believes our airport security is a joke -- that we have been reactionary rather than proactive in developing strategies that are truly effective.
For example:
1) Our airport technology is outdated. We look for metal, and the new explosives are made of plastic.
2) He talked about how some idiot tried to light his shoe on fire. Because of that, now everyone has to take off their shoes. A group of idiots tried to bring aboard liquid explosives. Now we can't bring liquids on board. He says he's waiting for some suicidal maniac to pour liquid explosive on his underwear; at which point, security will have us all travelling naked!
Every strategy we have is reactionary.
3) We only focus on security when people are heading to the gates.
Aviv says that if a terrorist attack targets airports in the future, they will target busy times on the front end of the airport when/where people are checking in. It would be easy for someone to take two suitcases of explosives, walk up to a busy check-in line, ask a person next to them to watch their bags for a minute while they run to the restroom or get a drink, and then detonate the bags BEFORE security even gets involved. In Israel, security checks bags BEFORE people can even ENTER the airport.
Aviv says the next terrorist attack here in America is imminent and will involve suicide bombers and non-suicide bombers in places where large groups of people congregate. (i.e., Disneyland, Las Vegas casinos), big cities (New York, San Francisco, Chicago, etc.) and that it will also include shopping malls, subways in rush hour, train stations, etc., as well as, rural America this time.
Aviv says terrorists won't need to use suicide bombers in many of the larger cities, because at places like the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, they can simply valet park a car loaded with explosives and walk away.
On an encouraging note, he says that Americans don't have to be concerned about being nuked. Aviv says the terrorists who want to destroy America will not use sophisticated weapons. They like to use suicide as a front-line approach. It's cheap, it's easy, it's effective; and they have an infinite abundance of young militants more than willing to 'meet their destiny'.
He also says the next level of terrorists, over which America should be most concerned, will not be coming from abroad. But will be, instead, 'home-grown', having attended and been educated in our own schools and universities right here in the U.S. He says to look for 'students' who frequently travel back and forth to the Middle East. These young terrorists will be most dangerous because they will know our language and will fully understand the habits of Americans; but that we Americans won't know/understand a thing about them.
Aviv says that, as a people, Americans are unaware and uneducated about the terrorist threats we will inevitably face. America still has only a handful of Arabic and Farsi speaking people in our intelligence networks, and Aviv says it is critical that we change that fact SOON.
So, what can America do to protect itself? From an intelligence perspective, Aviv says the U.S. needs to stop relying on satellites and technology for intelligence. We need to, instead, follow Israel's, Ireland's and England's hands-on examples of human intelligence, both from an infiltration perspective as well as to pay attention to, and trust 'aware' citizens to help. We need to engage and educate ourselves as citizens; however, our U. S. government continues to treat us, its citizens, 'like babies'. Our government thinks we 'can't handle the truth' and are concerned that we'll panic if we understand the realities of terrorism. Aviv says this is a deadly mistake.
Aviv recently created/executed a security test for our Congress, by placing an empty briefcase in five well-travelled spots in five major cities. The results? Not one person called 911 or sought a policeman to check it out. In fact, in Chicago, someone tried to steal the briefcase!
In comparison, Aviv says that citizens of Israel are so well 'trained' that an unattended bag or package would be reported in seconds by citizen(s) who know to publicly shout, 'Unattended Bag!' The area would be quickly & calmly cleared by the citizens themselves.
Unfortunately, America hasn’t been yet 'hurt enough' by terrorism for their government to fully understand the need to educate its citizens or for the government to understand that it's their citizens who are, inevitably, the best first-line of defence against terrorism.
Hey Kurush
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for setting the ball rolling.
I wont write anything to add to an already know fact which you have eluded to in your email.
I guess the problem also is that we don't do our bit, we have our 'chalta hai' attitude to blame as well for all the mess. So I just want to commit myself to the following which directly/indirectly leads to a lot of these problems.
I pledge to;
Discourage corruption (never)
Not Litter (throw stuff around)
obey traffic rules
report un-attended baggage etc
Not jump to conclusions and love all Muslims (I grew up with many and have many friends; although a neighbour was picked up 3 yrs ago for being involved in the Mulund Bomb blast)
Vote!
It all begins inside rather than blaming government, police, etc etc.
We need to ask 'what can I do?' and DO IT.
Kurush,
ReplyDeleteThanks for the note you sent. I see it comes from deep inside and I see that these past couple of years and the horrific events have hit you hard. As much as I agree with you, there's one thing I always wonder when people our age vent out like this - how come there aren't ANY of us taking ACTION? How come there's no one joining the civil services, the armed forces, the Government, non-government organizations that work in this field, international agencies that work with victims and at times with those responsible? How come we say we'll march and talk and write and change the system simply because we say so. How come we still want US$ jobs with six figures and travel and party and live-it-up. There is nothing wrong in wanting that, but if we do want the latter, then we should stop talking about these things - because these are dynamics we DO NOT understand unless we're in the middle of it. Living 200m from German Bakery does not qualify as "being a victim" - rather it makes me wonder, how many more metres closer does the next blast have to be for one of us to quit that posh job and go where it matters. It'll be ugly and frustrating and slow - but it's where the difference can be made.
Kurush,
ReplyDeleteThanks for penning this down.
In response to your thoughts - the reason all of us aren't more vigilant on a day-to-day basis, is because I think no one's comfortable surrendering to the idea that we are so vulnerable to attack and anything can be done to us anytime. That requires a huge change in mentality and way of living. Think about it: it means looking suspiciously at every unattended bag on college campuses, places like German Bakery which you thought could never come under attack, the next rock show you attend at ABC Farms, and many other such places where you think you're away far from being the target of terrorists. This isn't a comfortable feeling at all. It essentially means you're living under threat all the time, everywhere. Maybe this is one reason why everyone prefers thinking of it as "a one-off incident" and we want to believe that it won't happen again, and people would rather hope against anything happening rather than live in fear all the time.
That isn't an excuse, but it leads to the point that you brought up - that citizens need to be more involved in our security, and us being vigilant would sound like one of the ways. But you can already see how difficult it is, esp in a country that has a population like ours. It would require the govt to put that fear in us and declare "we are under threat" rather than "we will move on". No country's population is going to like to hear their govt tell them "we can't do anything, it's all in your hands". What we can hope for, is that the govt takes clear, thought-out and effective security measures themselves, and then tells us "we can do so much, but we need your help as well". That's a whole lot more comforting, and gives people the feeling that we're in this together. I feel everyone would willingly take more responsibility on themselves. Clearly right now, we aren't feeling a whole lot safe under our politicians.
I haven't thought this through much, my response is more in reaction to what you wrote rather than new ideas on my part. As much as I'd like to see it, I don't know how much the common man can get involved without the govt's initiative & action, or without a group of people having to do nothing short of mobilizing an entire nation - which is easier done in the movies than in real life.
I'm sure others in this mail have more constructive ideas.
Thats well penned down Kurush!
ReplyDeleteAs you rightly pointed out, we don't have a strong enough desire to change things.
Step one at a micro level as Glen suggested is to be more responsible as citizens and self discipline is the starting point!
An article inspired from Kurush's post.
ReplyDeletehttp://skprasad.posterous.com/a-feeble-defense
I think Kurush is right in implying that we are educated people and can do our bit.
ReplyDeleteWe can atleast be alert about things like "unattended objects" at all times and alert the police. I understand that the Indian police has a reputation of being sluggish and arriving late but we can give up on them all the same. As responsible citizens, we should make that call.
I think its time we realised that its better to be paranoid about and "unattended object".
Over here in the US we do it when we see a suspicious vehicle or a person we think has been lingering around for a little longer than usual... Just dial 911. I dont see why we shouldnt do the same in our home country.
Very right in what Aviv says. However, when crisis like this happens all citizens/political parties irrespective of what ideology they follow come together with the present government and stand together. In India, we point fingers at the government and start a blame game. We all need to see and understand the bigger picture. Why do the young of a specific community join the "militants"? What conditions lead them to become alienated despite some who also have good jobs? Why the anger? Why an eye for an eye and thus blind the entire world to come? What can we do? Start integrating, start giving of yourself a bit more, present a united front and aid the government- we are not small like the country of Israel, India is diverse in terms of geog as well as cultural identity. Poor Children playing in a field will never know not to touch a ball lying around. Educated children may be more aware. We need more social messages advertised prominently rather than advertising hoardings! We need political parties to start focusing on more important issues rather than statements made by film stars. We need to stand by whatever government is up there for we are the government! We need to present a Unified Front no matter what our ideologies are! The Five Finger Ideology is the only one that can defeat the Terrorist no matter what face they wear. We need to think of the Other before we think of Me. Think how poor in mind are they who join terrorism as a way to glory. We need to develop strong minds not strong and rigid ideologies.
ReplyDeleteOk...Here's what I think...
ReplyDeleteThe first "movement" that is definitely within our capacity is the "UNATTENDED BAG!" public shout-out, if anyone sees an unattended / suspicious object lying around...and then call the authorities like u mentioned, and CLEAR OUT...not stand around gawking at it, as is the modus operandi of our people...and if it turns out to be nothing, nobody's gonna think of u as a putz...it will probably inspire others to be bold enough to do the same...we all know the "herd mentality" of us Indians...
It's what we were taught since kindergarden..."DON'T TOUCH THINGS THAT DON'T BELONG TO YOU!"...what must have motivated that German Bakery guy to open the bag is beyond me, especially since the past so many months the Chabad House bang opposite the German Bakery has been under 24x7 police surveillance due to terror threats...11 lives could have been saved (yes, the toll has risen to 11, an engineering student succumed to his injuries in Jehangir Hospital this morning...)
Do you know how much money is being spent on keeping Kasab "alive"? The state spends around 8.5 lakhs A DAY!!! I read an article "I pay for Kasab's biryani"...it makes your blood curdle...
www.deccanchronicle.com/blogs/others/i-pay-kasabs-biryani-842
If only some of this money was directed towards the poor jawans in West Bengal, they could have had watch-towers to see the oncoming naxal attack, or have had better training to know not to be sitting ducks...can you believe the local public in that area had access to the toilets in the army camp!!!????
Anyway, should we plead to Ilyas Kashmiri or the Sena, to allow foreign sports players to play in India?
What do u think?
S: a friend's friend went to the bakery that night. Another friend was with him who went to park the car
ReplyDeleteme: ok
and?
S: he went in to take a table
saw a bag there and so decided to sit 2 tables ahead
me: Sai...type faster dude
are you working on building the suspense?
S: now, he is not able to hear from one ear and not able to see from eye
me: shit
S: cause of a blood clot
me: who's friend?
and what's his name
toll already went to 10
one more kid passed away today
S: works in IBM Daksh
call center
with my friend mihir
just think if he had shouted unattended bag
me: totally dude..
how do we raise awareness sk...or anything else to help?
you never specifically replied to the quesiton i asked
S: education man
me: forwarding an email will not help
S: printing t-shirts
table top cards in resteraunts
posters on railways
smses
calenders
me: we need to research if any organizations carry out these kind of ativities
S: The fight againsts intelligent terror has to fought intelligently
me: and then maybe help them have sessions with colleges, schools and offices
S: collect our thoughts
these ideas
we have people like inkfruit who would be interested with the t-shirt ideas
i'll send mails to twitter influencers and rope them in
i am sure people will be more than interested
just write a short simple mail which asks them to participate and collaborate
me: Should i research on organizations that work on raising awareness?
basic safety precautions
evacuations, etc.?
S: the research is wat needs people
more people do this research the better end result
cause u and me might just have the internet to do this research...
me: yeah....others might have some personal contacts
We can use this Facebook Page to reach out to more people: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pune-India/RIP-PUNES-GERMAN-BAKERY/299982653341?ref=pymk&v=wall
ReplyDeleteWhether its moral or not can be debated but I just love the Israel way of replying to situations like these.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Wrath_of_God
I love the following line from the para- "the operations were intended to strike a more general fear into Palestinian militants". I wish something like that could be done. I know I am a bit off topic but can't help referring to it.
I also think that the private security guards can be of some help in situation like this. It will be helpful if they have some capability/ training in identifying traits of suspects surveying the place, putting suspicious baggage etc or even what should they be doing after an incident like this. It is going to be difficult for state police to cover everything because of growth of metros. Private security can play a helping hand in this regard.