From UNGA to India-Canada spat
The world’s attention this week was meant to focus on the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) where world leaders make their pitch and depart—till the next UNGA summit.
As the Cuban President said in his opening statement at the G77 summit last week in Havana, quoting an unforgettable remark by a colourful Venezuelan former President; “We Presidents go from summit to summit, and the people go from abyss to abyss.”
UNGA is always expected to deal with the future of this planet. The world body had several meetings with a range of world issues from assistance to poor nations to development goals (SDGs), a collection of 17 objectives—for a perfect world. On the issue of climate change, the UN Secretary General referred to global warming ranging from floods, droughts, hot weather and forest fires and said; “The gates to hell have opened”, emphasising the urgent need for action.
All these noble objectives of finding solutions to the world’s problems—and imagine a world without a UN—have been overshadowed by several sideshows that have gripped the world; a fullblown war in Europe; mini wars in Africa; tensions in the IndoPacific; boat refugees from the Global South to the Global North due to proxy conflicts engineered by super powers—all dragging the world into an unfathomable gorge.
And as if that is not enough, a seemingly defining moment in bilateral relations has arisen between two big nations viz., India and Canada in a ‘who Dunn it’ over the assassination of a Canadian citizen of Indian origin on Canadian soil.
It was only the other day that the Canadian PM made an utterly irresponsible statement that there was ‘genocide’ in Sri Lanka, a claim no other state has made, imposing sanctions ex-parte on Sri Lankan leaders. Canada pussyfooted Sri Lanka’s protests, but now has to contend with a bigger complainant. Good luck to them.
On the other hand, India, was once like Canada today, also a state sponsoring terrorism, offering a safe haven to separatist terrorists. It is now getting a taste of its own medicine in dealing with a virulent Diaspora. What goes around, comes around.
This friction will, no doubt, blow over sooner than later. For the West, India is a crucial bulwark against its enemy No. 1—China. Moral considerations like the rule of law, assassinations of dissidents, non-interference in other nations’ sovereignty etc., will have to give way in the larger scheme of global realpolitik.
If the Indian PM can shake hands with a Saudi Prince accused of assassinating a dissenter on foreign soil and welcome him as a state guest, he will surely expect some reciprocity for an alleged indiscretion of his spy agency's own making.
If proven, India will surely qualify for a UN Security Council Permanent seat as eliminating opponents on foreign soil is the most difficult qualification required for such a seat.