A Bleeding Heart...

It has been a long while since I've written, primarily because school work had finally gotten the best of me. This latest post is really just a dedication to the people of my motherland, my brothers and sisters in India, who are in pain after last week's terrorist attacks.

As everyone in the world knows, the 26 November attacks in Mumbai were devastating. I still feel nauseous thinking about it and I haven't been able to sleep since it happened. But if I know anything about India, it is that the country will bounce back. The country gained independence on non-violent ideals and I hope it fights back with these same ideals.

Still, there are things that I think have been missing from the entire discussion of these attacks. Here are some thoughts:

1. Trying to galvanize the world against terrorists is a noble thing to want, and it makes for rousing speeches from dignitaries ranging from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to President George W. Bush. But the terrorism threat that confronts the United States is distinctly different from that faced by Israel, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Great Britain, Sri Lanka and of course, India (to name only a few).

So while international cooperation is a no-brainer in the war on terror, each country that faces terrorism has domestic issues that are tied to those terrorist threats, and we must not forget that. Palestinian terrorism is connected to the Israeli-Palestinian situation, a very complex matter. Terrorism in India mostly emanates from radical groups who use violence to express a belief that Kashmir should be free from Indian control. And so on. We have to temper our expectations that a global effort - that is further intensified after last week's mayhem - can solve the world's terrorism problems, much of which are connected to long-standing regional or domestic disputes.

2. Not Secure Enough? - India's cities and streets are porous, and that is what so many people love about it. A great way to describe India is to call it "organized chaos." It is as diverse a country you can get, a place that is bursting at the seams with a billion people. And while India is still very stratified socially, it truly is a land of liberty, of imagination and thought. Music blares on the streets. Street food vendors are everywhere. Conversation and currency flow like water. It is a reason why Indians take so much pride in Mumbai, a distinctively entrepreneurial, spirited and on-the-go city.

It is the city's openness that the terrorists took advantage of. To say the city is lax on security is one thing, but to fortify the city as a result of last week's events will not solve the problem. It will only suffocate a city that is meant to be vibrant and flowing.

3. "India's 9/11" - To call the latest event India's 9/11 is certainly appropriate - the terrorists had a uniquely ghastly approach to their killing spree. But what troubles me is that the attacks hit headlines only when the five-star hotels - with foreign guests abound - were named as attack sites. Even as the 100+ death count of Indian citizens mounted, the casualties among foreigners and VIPs were highlighted. Is it India's 9/11 because it hit home with folks from the West?

This crisis also came at a time that allowed the West to focus its attention. It transpired as the American and European news cycles were kicking into high gear for the day. And Americans were starting their Thanksgiving holidays; the news networks had their undivided attention through the weekend.

Like the countries named above, India has been a victim of terrorism all too often in its history. Violence has maimed and killed hundreds of average-Joe-Indians - Hindus and Muslims, Jews and Christians alike - who make a few bucks a day and catch a packed train home from the Victoria Terminus, where attackers also imposed their will. While this attack opened up India's and the world's eyes, let's not forget that this is but a chapter in a long history of terrorism. And if future attacks occur at sites that may not attract businessmen from foreign countries, I would hope it gets the same level of coverage in the news media.

Regardless of their national origin, each victim should be honored. I simply hope all victims will be treated with equal care.

4. Slow to respond - Many have been quick to criticize the Indian police and security forces for responding slow or ineffectively to the attacks. But it is important to realize that India is still a developing country that has myriad issues to deal with. Among them is a lack of a competent civil service and the presence of corrupt elements throughout government. The country's national guard did a highly admirable job, and they should be commended for responding and decisively handling a complex and uncertain situation that would not have been easy for any country to respond to - even the industrialized West. So, while the public conducts a postmortem of the attacks and bemoan the lack of security, we need to temper our expectations of what a country like India really can do in the face of such a devastating attack. Institutions that provide for public protection can take years to build. I hope the Indian government make a serious effort to examine its security gaps, while also making these efforts fiscally sustainable. The attacks also highlight the importance of preemptive intelligence gathering, an activity that even the United States is learning how to do post-9/11.

5. Indian Nationalism - The best thing Indian citizens can do is demand more from their government. But I fear these attacks will stoke Hindu nationalism and call for a return to right-wing (and tacitly anti-Muslim, anti-Pakistan) politics in India. What makes 9/11 different from 26/11 is that the former unified the United States, while the latter may be a divisive agent in India. Political instability is the last thing that India needs, and I hope that this does not jeopardize much of the goodwill between India and Pakistan. Pakistan itself is a victim of much more frequent episodes of terrorism, and must deal with the constant threat of violence from people within its own borders.

Anyway -- I am sad for my country and sad for the world. I hope we all can keep fighting against terrorism in all its forms, and someday this will all stop.