Many research projects seek to discover the (regulatory) causes of certain kinds of behaviors, such as acts of violence. Of course, in social research there is a critical difference and correlation between two variables and causation. David Hume (26 April 1711–25 August 1776),  a philosopher of the Scottish Enlightenment and one of the greatest minds of Western Philosophy, believed that “A caused B,” or “B happened because of A,” or that “Whenever A occurs, then B does.” His philosophy, belonging to empiricism, was of the positivist view. This necessary connection or necessary relation is what is called David Hume’s concept of causation.

On the other hand, John Burton, a prominent scholar specializing in international relations and conflict resolution, established a direct link between interstate and inter-group conflicts and the issue of basic human needs. His studies on identity, recognition and survival, in the light of conflict resolution, have become the hallmarks of sociopsychological approaches in dealing with violence.
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Mass rape has been a component of wars. The question has become is it safer to be a soldier than a woman? Soldiers are armed, but these women are utterly helpless. While raped females come out alive, a part of them has forever died. Rape in war has existed for a long time. The mass rape of German women at the end of World War II saw an estimated 100,000 female victims in Berlin alone, with ages ranging from 10 to 70 years old. However, it is of much recent phenomenon where war commanders use it as a strategy of war.

Mass rape has proven to be a very effective military strategy. Since, firefight is always risky, it has been more convenient to simply terrorize civilians to drive them away. What easier way to instigate mass terror than inflicting mass trauma among the females of the communities. Mass rape also gets less international scrutiny than killings and genocide in wiping out populations because the victims do not speak up. This is the case with mass rapes that have been conducted in Bosnia, Congo, Rwanda, and Darfur.

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I am worried about terrorism in India. Not just Islamic, which without any questions and doubts does get addressed and taken adequate action against, but also Hindu terrorism, which always escapes from the grip of authorities for lack of hard evidence. Honestly, if nothing is done about the situation in Orissa we shall probably have yet another terrorist group, but this time participated by Christians.

The ‘gorious’ work of the Bajrang Dal in Orissa is not a figment of anybody’s imagination. Innocent people are murdered in cold-blood, burnt alive, nuns raped…do we really need more facts to take a call against the religious group? PM Manmohan Singh wants to ban the group immediately but defiance within his party is problematic because they fear the BJP may reap dividends out of it. So, in the political plotting nobody really suffers but people like the Armyman who fought for our country in the Indo-Pak and Kargil War; his paralysed brother gets torched by fanatics chanting “Jai Hanuman” in Orissa.

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Already beleaguered about her ‘presumed’ incapacity as future VP of the world’s biggest economy that might soon be no more because of the economic meltdown and controversial bailout, Palin has now been found guilty of abusing her gubernatorial powers in her native Alaska. The state legislature probe asserts that Palin dismissed a senior state official Mr. Monegan for not firing a state trooper Mike Wooten. This might sound like any ordinary day in the life of Alaska’s governor except that Wooten is the governor’s former brother-in-law who is in a bitter custody battle with the governor’s sister.

If that sounds like a story that is discussed inside one’s kitchen, this development takes the cake: the investigation was a partisan-led inquiry sponsored by supporters of Obama. If personal grudge is behind her abuse of power, the probe’s exorbitant 263-page report is an indication of what being the running mate of Republican standard bearer John McCain has to offer in the dirty world of politics. Surely, the report would have less number of pages if she were just plain governor.
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It is surprising to note that Muslims in the U.K have a greater freedom than anywhere else and they receive governmental grants and funds to build mosques in prime locations in British cities including London. A predominantly Christian society, the British have been quite tolerant in accepting immigrants and also allowing them to practice their personal beliefs. However, the fate of Christians in the Muslim world is one that has to be dealt with cautiously. Christians have been persecuted and marginalized in most Middle Eastern countries and recently, in India too.

However, the idea is to live peacefully and with religious tolerance. Though Atheism and non-religious societies are always welcome and of course safer too, it is difficult to change the way people think. If the British decided to avenge the persecution of Christians in the Middle East and promptly persecute the Muslims of Britain, it would be harking back to the Middle Ages. The Old Testament law of an eye for an eye and a hand for a hand would not work in a modern society and free societies must set up an example by not tolerating ‘other’ religions but in fact discouraging overt religious behaviors anywhere. In fact, avoiding religious topics and stopping the funds for religious institutions would do well and the money could be diverted to saner purposes like education and research.

The concept of religious tolerance must be thought over and when it is thought over, we would know that there really isn’t much to think, except allow others to live productive lives while we live our own live productively.

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Via: Guardian

If you had been wondering from where all the heroin of the world comes, it must not be too difficult to guess. It’s from the most troubled nation on earth, Afghanistan. The country depends literally on the money that comes from the sale of homegrown opium and poppy and also the derivatives like heroin and morphine. These narcotics make way to Western Europe through the neighboring Tajikistan.

Just 13 hours ago, many afghan smugglers were killed in a shootout in Tajikistan when they were caught red handed smuggling heroin into Tajikistan’s borders. These drugs after reaching France, Germany and elsewhere, are sold at exorbitant prices. What I fear is that the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan has actually encouraged the Afghan opium farmers to grow more as lawlessness has increased many folds after the Americans have entered.

Only through proper negotiations with the U.N. and afghan government can the drug route and trade be blocked. I wonder how things will go in the near future. Though listening to the news of the smugglers being shot dead isn’t a very pleasant one, it may just have the right thing to do, for the Tajik forces, whose land is being used as a transit for drug delivery to Europe.

Via: AfghanConflictMonitor

Robert Mugabe has been one of the most enigmatic and disastrous leaders to ever walk this planet. White farmers have been ousted from their land and have been subjected to heinous treatments under a lawless government. The fact that Mugabe still is in power and that the power sharing business has no value is a matter of great concern to me. What I refuse to accept is that a white man can be killed because his ancestors were bad to the black.

What we are seeing right now is a reverse racism where white people have been subjected to racial attacks in Zimbabwe and South Africa. In fact, many Southern African leaders have supported white killings and many have been killed too. Of course all these incidents are seldom reported because of the so called ‘white man’s guilt’. The guilty must definitely be brought to justice and handed over to law. But the farcical nature of the entire issue is that there is neither any law nor any justice.

I would like to ask the readers which court of justice could try and hang Mugabe and his cronies or the political but terrorist-like Zanu PF that is in fact behind President Robert Mugabe! This is shocking and unacceptable that we continue to watch such incidents take place in a modern and developed society.

Via: TimesOnline

It’s more than shocking when I read Maati Saari’s merciless psychedelic killing spree that took ten of his classmates’ lives and also his own post the massacre. The most horrible part of the whole scene was when he put them on fir post the massacre. The victims have been left beyond recognition due to the results of the severe burns received by the corpses. What dumbfounded me the most is the bold step that he took by uploading a video on YouTube, which shows him shooting at a range. The question is, why couldn’t the Law react to this illegal video on time? Reports validate that this particular video was posted on Finnish social networking site and with circulation it had reached the YouTube.

It seems to me that the Law is washing its hands off and not taking the charged completely on its own, obviously for political issues. But who will control this killing spree which is reported to occur frequently especially in educational institutes. It’s a tough nut to crack, as nothing seems to be conspicuous. Nobody has the precise clues as to why this heinous crime is committed by the school and college students. What stimulates these youngsters to take themselves into this scandalous crime should be the Law’s concern. This merciless crime should be nipped in the bud not by the Law alone but collectively which involves all the citizens.

Educational institutes are no more safe. Acquiring education has equally become as dangerous as facing a troop of army in the battlefield. Who will save the innocent people now? Whose fault is it that the innocent lives have been taken forcefully. Maati Saari killed his ten classmates but who will control this insane crime? How many more Maati Saari are people going to withstand? Acting upon this serious issue at once will perchance ameliorate the safety of the innocent people. It’s time to wake up and be harsh on the concerned people who are responsible for this kind of an unforgiving crime. One must obliterate this crime forever. Can a one person alone do this? Possibly not, so join your hands together and allow no more such a crime to be registered in the history.

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Via: TimesOnline

Backpackers are the soft targets for the notorious and merciless thieves in Southeast Asian cities especially in Phnom Penh. It surprises me to know that the thieves have obliterated the conventional way of bag snatching and they have adapted the unconventional art of bag snatching, like comfortably knocking off the victims while they are on a motorbike ride. This sends the warning bell to the Backpackers who are already alienated by the locals.

The precautionary measures taken by the Backpackers by carrying their bags in the front and stretching a helping arm around their bags simply do not seem to be of any help when these thieves outsmart them completely. If you thought, you could take care of yourself without facing any problems, you could yet once again be proven wrong for the these thieves are well equipped with weapons which could do you harm any moment.

So, the trick is to be on a high alert and walk in groups in the streets and not alone. It shocks me to learn that the crime rate has risen in Phnom due to the deterioration of its economy. Survival of the fittest has once again come into practice literally. You must be smart enough to brave the animal instincts of those thieves who may hack you off any moment. So, arm yourself with high alerts and a defending weapon perhaps.

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Via: GadLing

The issue of euthanasia has once again come to the shore as Kerala Law Reforms Commission presented a proposal to SC asking for the legalisation of mercy killing in the state. Not only this, the proposal even recommends the deletion of Section 309 of the Indian Penal Code that considers attempt to suicide as an offence.

The proposal states that if the victim is suffering from an irrecoverable medical condition, then his/her friends and relatives should be allowed to seek responsible medical opinion and then request for euthanasia. In such a case, mercy killing would be performed for humanistic and compassionate reasons only.

The SC’s previous stand on the issue will be a tough nut for the Kerala government to crack. For starters, the former declared euthanasia as nothing but “homicide”. But the appealing party is not deterred. They believe that the right to live also means right to live with dignity, good health and a freedom from distress.
Some forms of euthanasia are legal in Belgium, Luxemburg, The Netherlands, Switzerland, the U.S. state of Oregon, Andalusia and Thailand.
Via topnews