People can fight against their own elites when the latter pursue politics which do not benefit them

Aditi Bhaduri an independent journalist and researcher based in Kolkata and New Delhi, talks of the issues around the Palestine conference, recently held in Delhi


"People can fight against their own elites when the latter pursue politics which do not benefit them. The political hope of the poor in Southasia is that there should be justice. Only the elite can ignore the aspect of justice and pass off self-interest as national interest. Since the poor believe in mass justice, the leaders of mass movements of the poor speak of pursuing justice both nationally and internationally. We have common problems in Southasia that we cannot isolate ourselves from; we should therefore unite and fight together.

The role of the US and Israel is part of the problem in militarisation in Southasia too. Israel would like to increase its interests in Sri Lanka and Nepal, just as it has used its military equipment, trade and other sources such as agricultural research, culture and academia, to increase its influence in India which is detrimental to the Palestinian struggle. This is of course something it cannot do in Bangladesh and Pakistan. In such a case the leadership in Nepal has to frame its response. The position of the people of Nepal and other peoples of Southasia regarding the Israel and Palestine issue is not as distant or abstract as it might seem".


http://www.himalmag.com/Why-not-Palestine_fnw85.html