Desicritics Author: Reformist Muslim

Cappucinos And Coconuts

Reformist Muslim — Wed, 15 Feb 2006 00:04:33 EST

We've all heard the term coconut before and to be honest I've always thought it to be rather crude. So when I found the word 'cappucino' in the New Statesman special report on India I was quite intrigued. Apparently in India, a cappucino is someone who is 'white and frothy' on the outside but with deeply conservative and traditional sub-continental 'values' on the inside.

One situation which I think exemplifies this phenomenon is of desi men who have long term relationships with white women and then leave them (or sometimes continue to see them on the side), to get an arranged marriage. Of course this phenomenon isn't limited to desis. The archetypal rich Arab who 'enjoys' himself in the west while placing severe constraints on his wife and daughters at home is a good example. Neither is it a new phenomenon - the father in Naguib Mahfouz's classic Palace Walkis the ultimate fun-lover with his friends and tyrant at home.

Why is this important? Because all too often traditionalists attack liberals when in fact they are attacking cappucinos just like liberals often attack traditionalists when in fact they are attacking 'maulvis'. All of this muddies the discourse and doesn't allow for clear analysis and debate reagarding the many social questions people face when they encounter different cultures, either through immigration or globalisation. I would be very interested in who people think are some famous cappucinos. At the risk of being scorned, may I suggest Imran Khan.

Cross-posted on Pickled Politics and Reformist Muslim.

Movie Review: Khamosh Pani (Silent Waters)

Reformist Muslim — Sat, 4 Feb 2006 20:00:26 EST

When I started my blog, I never thought that I would be writing a review of a Pakistani film. Although Pakistani drama serials have traditionally been highly thought of, its film industry or 'Lollywood' has catered to cruder tastes. Going to the cinema isn't considered to be a respectable pastime in Pakistan and a couple of years ago, the police even raided a Karachi cinema on the grounds that it was a den of prostitution!

Khamosh Pani isn't a typical Pakistani film though. Originally intended to be a documentary, the movie contains incisive social commentary to go along with superb acting and a thought-provoking plot.

Set in a small village in Punjab during the early period of General Zia's military rule in Pakistan, the film revolves around Saleem, an initially aimless, carefree 17 year old and his relationships with his mother and girlfriend, while exploring themes of religious extremism and communalism.

The New York Times reviewer didn't think much of the film until the 'fundamentalist wind blew in'. I think this misses the point - the first half hour which is very amusing shows the everyday concerns of ordinary people, thereby putting the rise of fundamentalism and its corrosive effects into perspective.

Particularly interesting is the fact that the director Sabiha Sumar (for an interview click here), decided to have the first screening of the movie in the village where it was filmed. Given the sensitive nature of some of the issues, she may have been justified in thinking that it wasn't worth the risk. However not surprisingly, the villagers enjoyed the film, it went through without a hitch and a traveling cinema was created to take the film to other parts of Pakistan as well.

With the KaraFilm Festival becoming a permanent fixture, films such as this one being made and the independent television media becoming more robust, there are positive signs emerging from Pakistan. Khamosh Pani although optimistic in places, provides a cautionary tale of how progress can be halted if religious fundamentalism is manipulated by those in power. I think it deserves a large audience both in Pakistan and abroad.

Thoughts On Baluchistan

Reformist Muslim — Tue, 31 Jan 2006 07:07:05 EST

Sepoy at Chapati Mystery has some excellent essays excellent essay on the origins and present state of Baluchistan's disaffection with Pakistan. With most eyes focused on Afghanistan and Kashmir, Baluchistan doesn't get a lot of attention, but if it isn't handled properly it could have significant local and international repercussions.

One of the things which I find interesting about the matter is the fact that there isn't really an educated elite which is heavily involved in the resistance, which comes almost exclusively from tribal leaders. This brings to the fore many of our attitudes towards less developed regions of the World and in particular the tension between reform and self-determination, respecting indigenous culture and promoting Human Rights. The difference in this case is that both parties are part of the developing world and it isn't easy to lay the blame on a powerful foreign entity.

Personally, I would be worried about the state of affairs in an independent Baluchistan. However if the Pakistani government denies it opportunities of economic development and engages in a systematic repression of its people, I don't see how it can make a moral claim to the land considering the historical background of the case.

President Musharraf has made a lot of his 'enlightened moderation' - he needs to put it into practice here. Get the Baluchi's to the negotiating table, arrange a more equitable distribution of its natural resources and put in place economic policies which encourage economic development in the area. The Baluchi's must feel involved in the process - if not, then as Sepoy points out, we may be on the path to another Bangladesh and more instability in a region which could do without it.

Crossing the Border: The Normalisation of Indo-Pak Relations

Reformist Muslim — Thu, 26 Jan 2006 00:02:43 EST

The normalisation of Indo-Pak relations continues. We've already seen the opening of the Kashmir border despite terrorist attacks in India, L.K. Advani visiting Pakistan, and yet another cricket series being played in exemplary spirit.

The latest piece of good news is the creation of a bus service linking the Punjab. The most obvious benefit is increasing cultural encounters and creating greater understanding between the two peoples. Having said that, I think that this has been overestimated. The number of people who can take advantage of this service is not that big, and those who do usually already have family or friends on the other side of the border, or are doing so to visit religious shrines.

What gives me hope are the attitudes of the two governments which allowed the bus service to be created. Without a doubt Manmohan Singh doesn't seem to have achieved much in his time as Prime Minister, while everyone has their own opinion of President Musharraf, but the peace process is something which transcends these concerns.

It would help solidify India's position as a politically mature nation to go alongside its growing economic strength. At the same time it would provide Pakistan some much needed stability, while the prospect of increased trade with India would certainly help its economic development. It would also serve to demonstrate that the 'updated Caliphate' argument, which seeks a Muslim confederacy, is a utopian vision which is not the best way to achieve progress in the Muslim world. Pakistan needs greater trade and cooperation with India not Algeria.

This does not mean that there aren't problems in both countries. Pakistan in particular struggles from increasing sectarian violence and has not effectively resolved the problem of Baluchistan. India, meanwhile, has to find a way of achieving stability in places like Bihar to go along with the prosperity which it has achieved in other parts of the country, while also ensuring that communal tensions do not get out of control again.

However, despite these other problems, there is no doubt that the Indo-Pak rivalry has overshadowed the other ones. From unnecessary military expenditure to the ever present threat of war, it has created a situation in which domestic problems have been ignored in supposedly trying to deal with the 'other'. These problems will continue to exist even with greater co-operation, but rather than hindering each other's efforts, the two countries will be able to help in dealing with what are very similar problems.