Hypocrisy
News item:Despite Darfur, Indian investments balloon in Sudan
Snippets:
"...Even as the "humanitarian crisis" in Sudan's Darfur region hogs global attention, India is making huge investments in the oil-rich North African country that is set to become a major source for New Delhi's energy requirements...
...India has refrained from joining the chorus of international condemnation of Sudan over Darfur developments. The external affairs ministry said the two countries have "traditionally enjoyed close and friendly relations...The humanitarian situation in the region has naturally been a matter of concern."
....Asked if India side had expressed concern about the developments in Darfur and its impact on Indian investments, the Sudanese envoy said New Delhi had not raised the issue. Anyway, Darfur is far from the oil-producing central, southern and southeastern regions of the country, he noted... "
The hypocritical shifting sands that developing countries stand on -- it remains to be seen where the Indian govt will shift if the situation remains unchanged and if the UN sanctions kick in.
posted @ 10:57 AM
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3 comments
3 Comments:
I come from East Africa, and many people there consider Indians shrewd and conniving businesspeople, always after commercial gain. This interest in Sudan wouldn't surprise them.
:) Actually I was trying to make a different point, but yes, I have heard that this impression is widespread in East Africa and also in South Africa.
This is a particularly interesting stereotype as it shows up all over the world between different communities. The book " Ethnic groups in conflict" (by Donald Horowitz) provides several interesting examples. Apparently, Malaysians have the same impression of Chinese immigrants, the Sinhalese (in Sri Lanka) have the same impression of the Tamils, in North Eastern India the locals of the state of Assam have the same impression of immigrants from the neighboring state of Bengal.
From personal experience, I know that in the region called Kodagu (Coorg) in Southern India there is a strong local dislike of the immigrants from the neighboring state of Kerala for the same reason, etc. etc.
It has been argued that this huddling, shall we say, is what has fostered the relative economic success of these communities.
If it's any consolation however, India isn't the only hypocrite.
See:
http://web.amnesty.org/web/web.nsf/pages/ttt3_canada
Kerala features a lot in books by Indian writers. Cochin, the spice trade and all that. It sounds very exotic.
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