Global friction, Omicron: Challenges for govt rising
This twin attack on Islam and Christianity can alienate opinion in a wide swathe of nations, even if the governments largely ignore it for political and diplomatic reasons.
As the new year 2022 dawns, the far more transmissive Covid-19 strain christened Omicron is lurking in India and ravaging several nations in the West. Alongside this persisting challenge, with global economic consequences, a number of geopolitical friction points are also looming. What then does the new year really augur?
The geopolitical friction points are — the Russian threat to Ukraine, the Iranian nuclear programme and Israeli “red lines” and Chinese jingoism over Taiwan and its territorial claims. But the more immediate danger is from the new Covid variant Omicron. The medical consensus is building around a few points. Data from nations already hit by it constitutes the initial evidence. For one, it is highly transmissible. Also, so far it appears to be less lethal than the Delta variant. Further, according to several experts, being exposed to Omicron builds up antibodies that counter the Delta or other past strains. Finally, the storm of infection, as distinct from the waves in the past, comes quickly, runs through a community community and drops off equally fast. In India, we are at the beginning of this possible steep up and down infection curve.
The effect of this new tsunami will vary from one nation to another. China presents an interesting example. In Xi’an,
13 million people have been forced indoors and restricted to their homes. This kind of draconian methodology China has so far used to very effectively contain Covid breakouts. But this time the foe is different. Many experts feel that Omicron will escape any quarantine as it is highly transmissible. If that happens, China will face a very serious problem as its vaccines are not very effective and the population has not been exposed to any wide surge. Thus, community level immunity may not have developed.
China faces two additional problems. At the beginning of February its annual spring vacation begins, when normally there is a huge movement of people internally. Also, the 2022 Winter Olympics is due to kick off on February 4. Already the United States and a number of Western nations have announced a boycott due to the gross breach of human rights in Xinjiang and Hong Kong. Quarantining athletes for a fortnight on arrival would not work as it hampers their fitness. Other nations like Australia and New Zealand also face similar challenges as they used quarantine to stymie the pandemic, and not vaccines and community exposure. India is better prepared this time and a combination of increased testing, home quarantine of asymptotic or non-seriously symptomatic infected should help get over the surge. But the dislocation of normal life and a recovering economy is inevitable.
The other major issue will be the fate of liberal democracies in 2022. The Summit for Democracy called by US President Joe Biden on December 910 last year received mixed reviews. First was the controversy over the list of invitees. With Poland in and Hungary out, the question asked was — how do you grade regressing democracies?
Moreover, after the damage done to America’s global image by former President Donald Trump and the ongoing tinkering with electoral rules and gerrymandering in attack on Islam and Christianity can alienate opinion in a wide swathe of nations, even if the governments largely ignore it for political and diplomatic reasons.
This bid by the BJP to systematically implement its Hindutva agenda will face resistance at home as the Opposition consolidates around issues of poor governance. Republican-controlled Supplanting a constitutional states casts further aspersions model on on US democracy. which the nation has That is why it was easier been governed for 75 for China and Russia to years will not be easy. It debunk the summit and is a reminder of Rome in even question the quality AD 384 when supporters of US democracy. The of surging Christianity ambassadors of both removed the pagan Altar nations penned a joint oped of Victory from the in a major US publication Roman Senate, after four to decry the “Cold centuries of it being War” thinking. The there. The New York Chinese foreign ministry Times, in a piece on even alleged that the US Christianity’s decline as was turning democracy an organising principle into a “weapon of mass for Western civilisation, destruction” to interfere notes the views of pagan in the internal affairs of Roman philosopher other countries. China Symmachus. He rejected convened a rival gathering the dogmatic claims of of 120 nations, that it the new religion to truth named the International with the injunction that Forum on Democracy. there “cannot be only one
Prime Minister Narendra path toward such great Modi attended Mr mystery”. This is the Biden’s virtual summit question before proponents and described it as a of Hindutva as they “timely platform” for furthering try to constrict the cooperation among Ganga-like openness and democracies. Pakistan, flow of traditional which was invited Hinduism. but Sri Lanka was not, Archbishop Desmond decided to skip it to make Tutu of South Africa, who common cause with provided the moral moorings China. for his nation during
The Chinese foreign and after the apartheid ministry spokesman instantly era, has just passed away. described Pakistan He argued that anger at as a “real iron brother”. apartheid was natural, But the issue before India but it must not be allowed will be the growing gap to turn into hatred. He between the actions of the correctly noted that “Whites, BJP at home and the government’s in being those who liberal posturing oppress others, dehumanised abroad. This may not themselves”. This is continue to be ignored by a lesson that Mahatma the US as President Biden Gandhi also espoused. is planning an in-person Can the BJP also abide by summit to follow up on it and neutralise elements, the cause of democracy aligned to it, that later this year. feed on real and imagined
Even if one discounts historical hurts and religious the BJP’s electoral need prejudices. to polarise when facing Hopefully, the people of extremely vital state elections the five states would vote in Uttar Pradesh sensibly and endorse the and four other states, the thoughts of Mahatma attack on churches and Gandhi and Archbishop the fulminations by religious Tutu. leaders to eliminate
Islam at Haridwar, including by the use of violence, are condemnable. This twin