MEDIA REACTION: INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS, MIDDLE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 000020 SIPDIS STATE FOR NP, AC, PM STATE FOR INR/MR STATE FOR SCA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU STATE FOR AID/APRE-A USDOC FOR 4530/IEP/ANESA/OSA FOR BILL MURPHY E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS, MIDDLE EAST CRISIS; NEW DELHI. This countrywide cable reports on relevant media reaction/opinion from India's large non-English press. The Mission reports on English-language media via email through the daily "Early Edition" summary. -------------- INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS -------------- ¶1. "UNNECESSARY STEP," editorial in January 5 right-of- center DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily: "Home Minister P. Chidambaram's upcoming U.S. visit to share evidence of Pakistani links to the Mumbai attacks means the U.S. is not convinced of Pakistan's complicity in the Mumbai carnage. With an FBI team in Mumbai, the U.S. Administration should not have had any doubts. This visit gives the message that India depends on U.S. for fighting Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. This is not right. India should be prepared to fight its battle against terrorism on its own. It should understand that the U.S., U.K., Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, etc. have issued statements according to their concerns and their duty is over. Given Pakistan's tenacious and non-cooperative attitude India should reconsider stepping up pressure on it. The investigation should be completed at the earliest and all the evidence against Pakistan should be kept before the international community. India must not only intensify pressure on Pakistan, but also put it on the right track." ¶2. "ENCOUNTER ON BORDER," editorial in January 5 centrist DAINIK BHASKAR Hindi daily: "The ongoing encounter between militants and security forces in the forest area of Mendhar in Poonch district is again creating a war- like situation in Kashmir. There is information that militants have built concrete bunkers in the Poonch district. It seems that our intelligence and security agencies have not learnt any lesson despite the Kargil war, and they were completely unaware of these preparations. The way militants are fighting it hints that the Pakistani army could be involved in the Mendhar gun battle just like the Kargil war. It is not the democratic government in Pakistan but the army which rules the country. It proved its supremacy by using anti- India elements present in the ISI, Islamic organizations and the bureaucracy. It is necessary to respond firmly to the forces which are trying to create instability and insecurity in the country. India should also rectify the flaws in its security system." ¶3. "WHAT MORE EVIDENCE DO YOU WANT?" editorial in the January 6, 2009, Mumbai edition of centrist Marathi daily SAKAAL. "The international community is facing quite a challenge in dealing with Pakistan's current stance vis- `-vis action against Pakistan-based terror camps. India has given Pakistan the most detailed evidence to prove that the militants who attacked Mumbai were terrorist elements from Pakistan. The evidence handed to the Pakistani High Commissioner includes material from the interrogation of the lone surviving gunman in Mumbai, details of conversations between the gunmen and their NEW DELHI 00000020 002 OF 004 alleged handlers in Pakistan, recovered weapons, and data from satellite phones. After all the crucial material is placed on the negotiating table, Pakistan is still thinking and reviewing the evidence. India is left with the wait-and-watch situation. Despite mounting tensions, India must continue to step up the pressure on Pakistan.." ¶4. "PROOF...PROOF...PROOF" editorial in the January 6, 2009 multi-edition right-of-center Gujarati daily GUJARAT SAMACHAR. "Even after one and a half months of horrific terror attacks on Mumbai, our leaders are busy gathering evidence. They feel that handing over the evidence will ensure action by Pakistan against those who perpetrated this crime. The bomb blasts in Assam indicate that terrorists are as active as ever and that our security agencies and government are in a state of hibernation. If this was not enough, the Indian security forces are fighting a prolonged battle against terrorists holed up in Jammu's Poonch sector. While all this is going on, the Indian federal home minister is traveling all the way to America to hand over the proof on Mumbai terror attacks to the powers that be there! It is time our leaders realized that raising the diplomatic ante on Pakistan is not going to yield desired results. However, the people of India have understood that if there is one country that is trying to shield Pakistan, it is America. America has yet to comprehend that the country that prospered on America's mercy has now slipped into the hands of terrorists. While our government has been admonishing Pakistan every other day, its approach of running to America whenever it comes to decision-making is something people of India find it difficult to swallow." -------------- MIDDLE EAST CRISIS -------------- ¶5. "ATTACK IN GAZA UNDER U.S. INSTIGATION," editorial in the January 6 CPI (M) Organ GANASHAKTI Bengali daily, Kolkata. "The U.S. has been patronizing Israel in its barbaric attack in Gaza and at the same time obstructing the UN from taking any effective measure to stop the offensive. It is now clear that Israel is gathering courage from America itself for pursuing such brutality. Besides condemning Israeli attacks, people should also strongly criticize the role of the U.S." ¶6. "FEARS OF A NEW ARMS RACE", editorial in January 4, 2009 Islamist Urdu daily "DAWAT", New Delhi: "Israel says that whatever it has done is actually for its own defense and the future shall see more such action. It has every right to do so, it says. The United States and its allies have also alleged that the present circumstances in Palestine result from the activities of Hamas. Had Hamas not conducted rocket attacks on Israel, the latter would not have been forced to retaliate. The present situation in Palestine, they say, results from lack of farsightedness & vision on the part of Hamas. Now, certain people have said it is actually the Israelis who NEW DELHI 00000020 003 OF 004 are the sufferers. Indeed, a grotesque logic! They feel that the action taken by Israel has been out of utter helplessness. These people feel Israel is seen to be the aggressor, but in fact its reaction stems from an innate sense of trepidation." ¶7. "WORLD'S SILENCE OVER ISRAEL'S TERRORISM", editorial in January 3, 2009 right-of-center Urdu daily "MUNSIF", Hyderabad: "Today, America claims it is fighting a war against terror. Today, however, Israel is on a massacre spree against innocent civilians at the behest of a certain government. America does not consider the atrocities carried out by Israel as part of terrorism. Worse yet, the missiles and weapons being used in the attacks carried out by Israel on the poor and innocent people of Palestine bear the mark of America. The terrorism being carried out by Israel does not fall in the definition of 'terrorism' for America. After all, what was the fault of the guileless children, women & other civilians of Palestine that they have been made bereft of even words of sympathy? They seem to have been left to the mercy of their aggressor, Israel. Has the civilized world decided to do away with all humanitarian values? Has our so-called civilized society begun to justify cold-blooded murders? Does the blood of the children of Palestine have no worth?" ¶8. "ISRAEL CROSSES ALL LIMITS OF BARBARISM", editorial in January 5, 2009 right-of-center Urdu daily "SIASAT", Hyderabad: "The barbaric & atrocious military activities of Israel seem to have crossed all limits & thresholds. Over the last week, poor Palestinians have been killed in a spate of relentless and merciless bombings/aerial attacks, turning the entire Gaza region into a city of the dead. Now, it is the turn of Isreali ground forces and battle tanks to charge into the bombarded region and cleanse it ethnically. The lives of thousands of poor Palestinians have been taken in the name of causing harm to Hamas. Mosques too have not been spared. Dozens of mosques have been razed to the ground in a spate of aerial bombardments, while the world has witnessed the events unfold as a mute spectator. The Arab countries have also been delivering just lip-service, without insisting that Israel -- or for that matter, America -- curb the attacks on the innocent civilians of Palestine at once." ¶9. "WORLD LEADERS SHOULD EMPHASIZE ON PEACE", editorial in January 4, 2009 issue of right - of - centre Urdu daily "SIASAT", Hyderabad: "There have been widespread protests across the world over the tyranny and barbarism unleashed by the Israeli forces on poor, hapless Palestinians. As in other cities of India, tens of thousands of Muslims in Hyderabad have also condemned in the strongest ways the dastardly attacks being carried out by Israel on the people of Palestine. Community prayers are being made in mosques regularly. Thousands of innocent, helpless Palestinians are falling prey to the carpet bombings being carried out by Israel, the aggressor. However, no power in the world has even dared to stem the savagery unleashed by the Israelis. Even the NEW DELHI 00000020 004 OF 004 leaders of the Muslim world have maintained a strange silence. All the aggression being carried out by Israel is before the leaders of the civilized world, who claim to stand by civil rights & libertarian values. The Israeli attacks have now graduated from aerial to terrestrial. Today, not only the Palestinians, but the entire Islamic world is being threatened by the Jewish missiles." MULFORD