Dear Friend,
The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response was never likely to hand down a rosy report with gobbets of praise. Organised by the World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus last May, the panel’s gloomy assessment was grim: the COVID-19 pandemic could have been avoided.
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Binu Mathew
Editor
Countercurrents.org
How It All Went Wrong: The Global Response to COVID-19
by Dr Binoy Kampmark
The Independent
Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response was never likely to hand down a rosy report with gobbets of praise. Organised by the World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus last May, the panel’s gloomy assessment was grim: the COVID-19 pandemic could have been avoided.
Covid19: Biosafety challenges in India
by Dr Narasimha Reddy Donthi
In the current COVID 19 pandemic, what is the potential for escape into our Indian environment of this SARS CoV 2 virus due to the unsafe handling of an estimated 230 million specimens/ samples (as of 10th May, 2021) collected for testing, as well as the inadequate biosecurity in our labs? Is it reasonable to ask whether the current second wave and a rising mortality, could in part be due to the perilous consequence of a dangerous disintegration in rigorous biosafety protocols? This article addresses these matters.
Facts and Fiction of
Firing in Silger (Bastar)
Written by Bela Bhatia and Jean Drèze
Mass protests against the proliferation of CRPF camps have been happening all over Bastar during the last two years, without attracting much media coverage. It is only because of the death of three protestors in police firing on 17 May 2021 that the Silger protest came to light.
Palestine’s Moment: Despite Massive Losses, Palestinians Have Altered the Course of History
by Dr Ramzy Baroud
The ‘Palestinian Revolt of 2021’ will go down in history as one of the most influential events that irreversibly shaped collective thinking in and around Palestine. Only two other events can be compared with what has just transpired in Palestine: the revolt of 1936 and the First Intifada of 1987.
Six Months of
Farmers’ Protest At Delhi Border
by Harsh Thakor
There could hardly have been a better celebration of six months of the Delhi farmers protest at Tikri border in Delhi completed today, with the flag of liberation shimmering at a crescendo, on the call for a bandh of Samyukti Kisan Morcha.An impact of an inferno or intensity of coal burning in a furnace was displayed at Tikri border by the farmers in the May 26th protest by Bharatiya Kisan Union(Ugrahan).It was remarkable the manner it galvanised all the forces to crystallise such an event. The volume of revolutionary resistance was sung at it’s highest pitch, with the morale of a victorious army.
Hey Modi, if you really care for Buddha then listen to the farmers and start respecting science
by Gurpreet Singh
This year’s birth anniversary of Lord Buddha coincides with six months of the ongoing farmers’ agitation in India. On May 26, when the Indian farmers observed black day to make the deaf government hear their demands, the prime minister of the country was lecturing the people on the philosophy of Buddhism.
After Six Months of Non-Violent Struggle, Farmers in India Should Move Towards Agro-Ecology and Broader Unity
by Bharat Dogra
Despite the much flaunted farm development claims of the government, in reality the costs, debts, tensions and crisis of most farmers have been rising, aggravated by the fact that the support systems provided by the government to lessen the difficulties of the expensive technology can at best reach only a limited number of farmers ( particularly those outside the main green revolution belt may be left out
more).
An Appeal For Lakshadweep
Press Release
From the recent policy changes in the name of reforms that are proposed to be implemented in the islands unilaterally we also know that no consideration or due respect has been given to the time tested ways of land use, land ownership, ocean resource utilisation and or livelihood practices adopted by the community. To add insult to injury , the culture and traditions of the ethnic group there has been overlooked by intervention into the food ethos, the reproductive freedom and self reliance of the people
Tiny Dots on the Map for You, but Home for Me
by Raseela P A
When the Indian media shows reluctance to sketch their stories, they are left with the only option of bringing themselves into the mainstream to scream as loud as they can to tell the world that they are not cannibals,
not foreigners; but Indian. It is time the country stands with them on their call for help. This is the story of the sufferings of the coral paradise of India – the invisible land in India’s vicinity – Lakshadweep.
The Sentiment in my stone; a review
by Shafi Ahmad
Aazib Manzoor has come out with around three hundred page debut novel titled “The Sentiment in my Stone”. One special expression from the front cover page of this novel is the presence of armed security men, lot of stones, bricks and pebbles scattered on the road and the lone youngster with raised hand depicting throwing the stones. This picture is making a statement that skirmishes between security men and the youngsters have just come to an end. The stone and the pellet firing has been a regular ammunition physically and the psychological harrying is, of course, through sentiment.
Economic and Financial Travails of our Planet
caused by Covid-19
by A K Merchant
The current global health crisis is but one such challenge, the ultimate severity of whose cost, both to lives and livelihoods, is yet unknown.’ It has caused massive downslide, estimated to be more than US$ 12 trillion already since the start of the global health pandemic. The daily loss during the lockdown period to the Indian economy last year was reported to be reported to be ₹ 32,000 crores (US$ 455 million approximately). Furthermore it was calculated that India would require a sum of ₹ 70 lakh crores (US$ 1 trillion approximately) to revive its economy.
Kerala Model of Development Deserves as Much Attention For Its Limitations as For Its Real Achievements
by Bharat Dogra
It appears also
that environmental aspects have not received the desirable attention in the official development effort. While Kerala has many respected environmentalists and activists who are known for their valuable contributions, it does not appear that such thinking has been well-assimilated in official thinking and the actual working of successive governments.
Cyclone Yaas is Another Reminder of The Urgent Need for Coming Together to Face Difficult Times
by Bharat Dogra
Just now the nation’s thoughts are with those who have suffered in the cyclones. Imagine the people who have suffered much due to pandemic and loss of livelihood and are now affected badly in new storms. The first priority of course must be to help them as much as possible immediately. But in due course we must also give adequate attention to the wider improvements that will enhance our
ability to face the new challenges and difficulties in more effective ways.
What Is The Best Way Of Disposing Off A Dead Body?
Written by Abhay Jain and Sandeep Pandey
As Covid consumes human life in a very conspicuous way we are confronted with additional problem of disposing off human corpses. Cremation grounds are lit with continuous pyres, graveyards are running out of land and now Ganga has become a mass grave potentially polluting its water.
Legendary freedom fighter H.S. Doreswamy is no more
by Subhash Gatade
Legendary freedom fighter and Civil Rights activist Harohalli Srinivasaiah Doreswamy popularly known as HS Doreswamy breathed his last yesterday. The 103 year-old Gandhian, who kept the ‘conscience of Karnataka till his very last breath, and was the tallest public intellectual, who
appeased none and spared none‘ would be remembered for his enthusiasm for public causes till he remained alive
The Safe and Secure War Lords
by Philip A Farruggio
Take the time, please, and read the enclosed lyrics of the Animals ‘s 1960s hit song ‘ Sky Pilot’. It tells more than this writer could ever hope to express. It was written during the height of the Vietnam War, which wasn’t our war at all. It was a civil war between the Vietnamese people, which became one of our ( so called ) phony American wars. You should know some of the others : Korea, Iraq 1 , Afghanistan ,Iraq 2 to name a few of the ‘ adventures’ our imperialist government has undertaken. As the song relates, it is always the safe and secure smiling war lords from Washington and the Pentagon that ‘ bless ‘ the boys before they go to destroy and be destroyed.
What Lies Beneath: President Biden’s Deceptive Acknowledgment of
the Armenian Genocide
by David Boyajian
President Biden’s April 24 statement acknowledging the Armenian Genocide (1915–1923+) carried out by Turkey was welcome but flawed. Indeed, “Turkey” appears nowhere in the document. Moreover, the State Department swiftly undermined Biden’s virtuous-sounding words.
PUCL Offers Condolence Message for Prof. Dinesh Mohan
Press Release
PUCL feels a deep sense of loss over the sad demise of Prof. Dinesh Mohan on 21st May. Prof. Dinesh Mohan’s passing away marks the loss of a multifaceted personality: an outstanding academician, a visionary thinker, pioneer in the field of traffic studies and sustainable infrastructure development and a staunch champion of human rights.
Andhra CM asks PM Modi to halt Covid-19 vaccine
supply to pvt hospitals; it is “socially unacceptable”
by Countercurrents Collective
Taking a critical view of the Centre’s present Covid-19 vaccination policy, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on May 22 Saturday requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to halt supply of vaccines to private hospitals. In a two-page letter to Modi, Reddy requested that the entire available stock of Covid-19 vaccine to be made available only to the union and state governments to take up vaccination of all eligible as per the respective policies. The CM asked not to allow them to procure vaccines directly from the vaccine manufacturers.
Bail to Raju exposes incredible ‘credibility’ of AP … and ‘timidity’
by Dr Madabhushi Sridhar
Raju did indulge in dirty and divisive politics, but being rich and powerful, in the high profile case, he managed to get bail that is denied to many others, due to “timidity”…
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