OMICRON AND THE FATE OF HUMAN RACE.(up dated)

 

BY K P PASWAN.

It was presumed that mass vaccination of people to combat the deadly Coronavirus was the beginning of the end but there is no end in sight. Detection of a new variant B,1,1,529, supposed to be more destructive than Delta plus reflects the mutation ability of the elusive virus. New variant christened by WHO as OMICRON and declared a variant of concern is posing the greatest challenge to science,as the essential characteristics of this new variant is not known.

New variant was first reported in South Africa and its neighbors like Botswana, Lesotho and was carried to Hongkong, UK and a few other European country. But its real origin is not known. A report from Netherlands claimed that that variant was present in Netherlands much before it was reported in Africa. Anthony Fauccy, the outspoken and controversial expert in US jumped to the conclusion that new variant might have entered US undetected. Entire Europe and US are in the grip of Delta plus. There is no scarcity of vaccines which are certainly not perfect, but efficient enough to hibernate the virus. There are virologists who declare that new variant has the ability to reduce the efficiency of vaccines, at the same time they advocate mass vaccination.

These experts by indulging in conflicting opinions are creating confusion all over the world, but nothing can be done as epidemiologists and virologists are in great demands for wrong reasons. With limited but latest data, Omicron variant is not going to become a serious threat to our attempts to fight the virus, which has virtually convulsed the entire world.

UNTOUCHABLE SOUTH AFRICA. New variant was detected accidentally by a private practitioner named Ms Angelique Coetzee in South Pretoria who witnessed unusual but mild symptoms among her few patients, some of them were vaccinated but they were exhibiting  unusual mild symptoms and were treated at home.That virtually settles the problems pertaining to brutality of Coronavirus. As soon as South Africa reported a new variant, in a knee jerk reaction several western countries declared South Africa as untouchables and suspended flights to and from  South Africa.

 South Africa has better health infrastructure than all of the advanced countries of Europe, but vaccination covered only 6% of population. Just as entire Europe is battling the deadly  Delta plus variant, the whole of Africa is in the grip of HIV, that is the reason for the heavy loss of lives as HIV patients are immune compromised. Unlike EU, South Africa is not a hoarder of vaccines and is purchasing vaccines at high rate. South Africa is using Astra Zeneca, J&J and mRNA to vaccinate entire population. As per reports from South Africa and UK, Omicron might have emerged from an untreated HIV patient or from a persons suffering from  flue.

  Whether current vaccines, especially mRNA needs modification is difficult to predict.  WHO is certain about the high rate of transmissible, but renowned experts are supporting mass vaccination. It is clear that certain groups are bent upon creating misinformation. Omicron has 30 to 50 mutations in the spike protein region and makes the variant potential to develop an immune escape mechanism. If this is proved than mRNA vaccines may be slightly affected but may not need modification. However Pfizer went ahead and manufactured vaccines exclusively for OMICRON but there are no takers.

 There is report new variant of OMICRON BA--2 which is highly transmissible but not more than dangerous of original OMICRON, but South African experts claimed that the new variant even highly transmissible, does not escape immunity, meaning vaccines protect against the infection caused by new variant. There is no effect on Oxygen level nor loss of smell  was noticed. Doctors in South Africa claimed that unvaccinated people are vulnerable to Omicron and danger is being exaggerated by media and certain epidemiologists who have also emerged with new variant.

HOARDING. Entire Europe and certain countries are hoarding vaccines. Infection in Germany is alarming as the causality is mounting and the successor of Angela Merkel is advocating lock down followed by mass jab. Situation in other European countries is not different.

 US suffered heavily and Joe Biden’s promised to free US from Delta plus by 4^th July2021,  but failed to keep his promise.Infection has virtually lowered the ranking of the president. US president is unable to convince the groups of people, who oppose jab on religious ground that their lives matter more than their faiths and religion has nothing to do with composition of vaccines. US judiciary is favouring  people with death wish, who oppose mandating vaccines and mask. Mounting death has given an opportunity to former president Donald Trump to launch blistering attack on the health policy pursued by the administration. Anthony Fauci is giving sermons every day but with no effect. It is not known, on what ground, Fauci is telling the Americans that new variant OMICRON had already arrived in US, if it is so than genomic sequencing failed to detect the variant in time. Once he doubted the urgency of booster but now he supports booster for every adult Americans.

Infection in Czechoslovakia and Hungry is out of control and massive hoarding of mRNA and J&J vaccines have failed to ameliorate the situation.

 It appears Russian Vaccines Sputnik and  Chinese made vaccines have failed to produce desired result. These two countries are not giving correct data of death due to infection.

The latest confusion is with regard to booster or additional dose. It is crystal clear, the  Coronavirus is fast turning into an infection for the unvaccinated. Europe is suffering because rich countries have hoarded vaccines and are unable to convince the people that vaccination is the weapon to defeat the virus. There is nothing like vaccine nationalization. US has best vaccines but certain groups of American people are opposing jabs and mask mandate on religious grounds.  Appearance of Omicron indicates that like Spanish flue Corona is not going to disappear and will remain active as endemic.   What is the long-term solution?

Epidemiologists and Virologists cannot suggest permanent solution as they cannot predict the behavior of corona virus. They are in the habit of making tall and false claims. By declaring South Africa as untouchables, these experts have unsuccessfully tried to hide the failure of affluent countries in controlling the infection..

In South Africa,the deadly virus is yet to be contained. Same situation prevails in US. India with only one vaccine AstraZeneca is doing quite well. Another vaccines Covaxin is suffering from problems relating to production and distribution. Vaccination of the entire population of the earth including children above the age of five  is going to be a herculean task. It is not known the duration when the vaccines fail to sustain immunity, so booster ose is being proposed in US and also in some other countries of the earth

In US booster dose is to be administered to all adults with special emphasis on patient/persons with comorbidity. Initially booster dose was recommended for persons above70. WHO and some other real experts have denounced booster as scam as there are billions of people who have not received first dose. A close study of treatment pattern reveal that booster may not succeed in eliminating the infection, need of the hour is  to vaccinate every adult with full doses and an additional dose may be given to highly vulnerable people. Some of the pharma giants are bent upon minting money by compromising the precious lives of people. Those who oppose vaccination may be punished by making their life hell. New Chancellor  of Germany has given the slogan “Get jabbed or get infection and die”.

  Nature has its own way to punish the hoarders and the enemy of poor. Hoarding of vaccines by rich countries has boomeranged. By hoarding vaccines, they have deprived the poor nations of Africa and Asia of the benefit of vaccination. 

It is also reported that efficacy of vaccines may remain intact if mask is mandated, but a large number of people in US and EU are  dead against any protective measures. Violent street protests in entire Europe and Australia against lock down and restrictions mean more infection and more deaths.

  Now there are effective but expensive pills like Molnupiravir,Paxolovid and Sotromivab ( Recently approved in UK) to treat the brutal variant of virus. These drugs are expensive and  beyond the reach of poor people. 

FINAL THOUGHT. It appears that Coronavirus with all its variants are gradually fading, but nothing is certain. 2022 is likely to see universal vaccines capable to crush all types of variants. This is the hope of human race

PAKISTAN WITH WEAK ECONOMY.

 

 By K P PASWAN.

Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan surprised the world by declaring that Pakistan had no money to run the administration. It is strange that a country which has   nuclear bomb under its possession with heavy expenditure on army cannot run the administration. If it is truth than it means no country in the world render financial help Pakistan, not even China or Islamic nations as the reasons for an empty coffer of Pakistan is known to the world.

Pakistan happens to be a rogue neighbor of India. While India is fast emerging as an economic power, Pakistan is facing bankruptcy.  Pakistan is an Islamic state as this nation was created on the basis of religion. After it got independence along with India in 1947, Pakistan had seen strange drama, elected government was followed by military rule. Whenever there is political stability army stages coupe badly affecting economic activities. Pakistan is not rich in natural resources and in the name of export it has nothing to offer. Being an Islamic state, it has received massive help and investment from oil rich Islamic nations, but is has failed to emerge as an economic power of the sub-continent

 Pakistan has too some extent made rapid industrial progress well as is evident from emergence of small-scale industries which are doing well. These industrial units are importing raw materials from other countries, but their manufacturing capability cannot be underestimated. Widespread corruption, heavy expenditure on army, acquiring nuclear arsenals just to frighten India and funding extremists resulted in heavy strain on economy. One of the reasons of a weak economy of Pakistan is its rivalry with India. Purchasing sophisticated weapons to neutralize India is nothing but figment of imagination. Pakistan has now tall buildings modern education, independent judiciary and no special treatment to religious hate preachers . Under such circumstances Pakistan would have emerged as an economic giant among Islamic nations, but situation is just the reverse.

 Pakistan  has developed political intimacy with China which is investing in BOLT to benefit Pakistan, but closer look reveals a different pattern which in the long run may prove detrimental to Pakistan’s economy. China wants hassle free transportation of oil and minerals from Iran and other oil rich countries, but Pakistan is not going to be benefited in the long run. Mass displacement of people belonging to Baluchistan and adjoining areas is creating social problems. Pakistan’s intimacy with China just to counter India which has an open democracy,is not being appreciated by Islamic friends of Pakistan.

 Heavy  expenditure on defense  has sapped economy.  Active participation of army is necessary to contain internal violence and social tension, perpetrated by extremists. In a way Pakistan army has an important role to play if Pakistan has to achieve economic stability. Return of Taliban in Afghanistan does not augur well for Pakistan. Mass exodus of Afghan refugees and Pakistan’ s support for a theological state run by violent religious preachers are bound to have negative effect on Pakistan’s economy, it is so because Pakistan is not allergic to modern education for women , this stands contrary to Taliban's attitude towards women.

 Pakistan has a democratically elected government and requires budget proposals being crafted by economists and experts in financial matters. These steps must be the first priority of administration.  Pakistan has made admirable progress in modern communication.  Steps like education of women with no strict codes for women dress has offended a section of religious preachers, but they are not in a position to assault the democratic set up of a theocratic nation. These fanatics are loathed by educated Pakistanis. They are receiving generous fund from well do families not to preach hate but unite the different sections of society. These religious fanatics are chief source of social tensions.

There are sufficient evidences that army and high ups in administration are involved in drug trafficking and money laundering. Smuggling of narcotics by tribal of Waziristan from Afghanistan is a permanent future and even army is unable to tame these tribal, it is so because that there is lack of modern education and these Tribal are fanatics for whom killing and be killed for false dignity is of paramount importance. Construction of modern road passing through Waziristan has failed to improve laws and order situation. Without internal security economic progress cannot be achieved.

 Austerity measures must include stopping further expansion of its meaningless nuclear programmes and complete abanding of ballistic missile launching programmes. India does not pose threat to sovereignty of Pakistan. Resumption and expansion of trade and commerce with India is must if impending economic doom is to be averted. Civil administration of Pakistan is being run by educated men, they are in a better position to realize the importance of friendly relations with India.

It is presumed that Pakistan support to terrorist regime in Afghanistan was motivated by economic gain but there is no modern industries in Afghanistan. Pakistan will have to spend heavily to keep the Talibans in power which in turn will further weaken economy of Pakistan.

Imran Khan is an educated person and democratically elected prime minister, but he is behaving like the Kim Jong Un of North Korea.  There are only two political figures Imran Khan and Kim Jong Un in this world, who glorify nuclear weapons and both of these countries are filled with poverty-stricken people. Extreme poverty in Pakistan is driving people to join the terror groups.

 There are no known remedies for curing the economic illness of Pakistan, but certain measures may be conceived for immediate relief. IMF has refused to render financial help, so internal economic reform with active support of army may to some extent alleviate sufferings of people. Long term planning like Saudi Arabia may be considered for benefit in future. Pakistan’s friends Turkey and Malaysia are facing internal sectarian conflicts, moreover they are themselves are struggling to sustain the economic growth

 It is not proper to call Pakistan a beggar. Italy, Greece and even India during the period of Narsingh Rao faced the same problems. In the case of India, economy globalized and despite of pandemic India is fast emerging as great economic power of modern world.  With strong will, Pakistan may reshape its economy. Long terms plannings are needed. It is seen that power sectors in Pakistan is poorly managed and needs structural reforms, otherwise this power sector may damage economy beyond repair. Weak economy is self-made and promoted by super corrupt politicians and powerful army.

Pakistan has fought expensive battles with India, for which ultramodern weapons were purchased from western countries. These wars further aggravated economic woes of an underdeveloped Pakistan. Modernization and development of Gwador port by China is not going to boost an ailing economy of Pakistan.Under such circumstances, permanent recovery  from a weak economy is difficult if not impossible.Grand ambitions and a tendency to lead or dominate Islamic nations  are likely to create obstacles in the path of recovery.Pakistan has to learn lessons from Saudi Arabia, where the Crown Prince has undertaken well crafted steps to reform both social and economic structures of oil rich kingdom.

FINAL THOUGHT. There is no dearth of economic miracles. Miracles happened in Greece and it may happen in Pakistan.  China cannot perform economic miracles in  Pakistan. Civil administration and army have to work together for achieving the sacred goal—Remove Poverty. Imran Khan is dependent upon army for survival, but army alone cannot indulge in deliberations which demands the participation of experts and not men in uniforms. Various international financial institutions may help Pakistan with strict terms and conditions which will certainly include least role for army  and economic discipline.

PHILOSOPHY OF DEATH SENTENCE.

BY K P PASWAN.

Philosophy of death penalty for dreaded criminals needs serious debate as the situations in 21st century is totally different from the past. Criminals all over the world are enjoying the political patronage and support from human rights bodies. It is a piquant situation as abolition or retaining of death penalty depends upon the politicians in power who are thriving because of support of criminals of different background. 

Many countries in the world have abolished capital sentence. Criminals on being convicted are awarded life long prison, with no prospect of parole. On the contrary many countries including US, Russia, India and most of the Islamic countries prefer death sentence for serious crimes like murder and rape with murder. In India capital punishment is awarded in rare of rarest cases With or without capital sentence, there is no slow down of crimes and fact of the matter is that criminals are committing murder as  they treat these acts of crimes as their fundamental right. They don’t care for laws and severe punishment. If the convicted criminal is rich, he can avoid death sentence and even life imprisonment by hiring expensive lawyers.

In India, more than 70% of prisoners awaiting gallows are Dalits. There is no doubt that they committed murder and judiciary rightly awarded capital punishment, they are awaiting their turn to see the hanging rope. However, there is a question. If an expensive lawyer had been defending them, it would have as well for him to have noticed the particulars of the charges, the extreme poverty of his client, and the incidence of game laws. None of the Dalits awaiting gallows is either a terrorist or hardened criminal. Most of the convicted Dalits killed their oppressors and these Dalits were defended by Govt appointed lawyers as hiring expensive lawyers was beyond their reach..

AGAINST CAPITAL PUNISHMENT. There are certain groups of people who oppose death penalty on the plea that state has no right to take the life of a convicted person. There is no logic to support this plea. On the same analogy it can safely be pleaded that state has no right to support the lives of criminals who indulge in brutal murder of innocent people. The state is here to maintain laws and order and there are criminals who defy these laws and commit serious crimes for which criminals are punished as per the nature of crime.

 Every murder does not call for death punishment. A famous case is being cited to elaborate the point.

In the decade of 1950 in India, there was a famous trial of an Indian Navy Commander, by the name of K Nanawati. This case drew the attention of the first prime minister of India. Public attention was focused on the trial for several reasons, the origins and unorthodox morality of the commander who was married to a beautiful British woman named Sylvia. He spent most of his time in the sea and taking advantage of prolonged absence of Navy Officer, one Mr Bhagwan Dass Pahuja developed intimacy with the woman. Mr Pahuja was a wealthy person and a womanizer. Nanawati knew the affairs but remained faithful to his wife. When the navy Officer visited his home, he noticed changed behavior of his wife and asked the reasons, his wife accepted her intimacy with Mr Pahuja. Nanawati took his service revolver and went straight to the home of Mr Pahuja. As per records, in fact and in real sense there was no eyewitness. the Navy Commander asked the businessman to marry Sylvia, but Pahuja humiliated the Navy Officer by telling that he had many girlfriends and he was not going to marry all or any one of them.  Heated exchanges followed, the Commander lost his anger, fired several rounds, killing the man and surrendered to local police station on his own and accepted his crime. Later on, he was kept in the custody of navy. The case was widely published all over the world. At that time Jury system of Jurisprudence prevailed. Nanawati was acquitted but the prosecution preferred an appeal which was allowed, but his life was spared, The Governor exercised his power of pardon and Nanawati left for Canada, where he died in obscurity.

 Mr Nanawati was a self-respected man He was devastated by his defense lawyer. The defense failed to present a much more sympathetic view of a Navy Commander crazy with love and wild with unreasoning jealousy who had fired without knowing what he did, Blind and muddled humanity had been even more blind and muddled than usual and every one concerned had paid a terrible price for the sin of lack of intelligence. The Nanawati case is a glaring example.

HISTORY. Death sentence was widely awarded in ancient time in Rome and other contemporary civilized countries. We find merciless and brutal methods of execution, for ordinary crimes and sometimes innocent people were executed. King Henry1V of UK executed his queen Ann Bolen for not giving birth of a male hair apparent. In France King Luis Xiv was executed by revolutionaries, while the supreme leader of French revolution Robespierre was sentenced to death for his own crimes. In every country death sentence prevailed till the end of second world war.

MASS MURDER AND CAPITAL SENTENCE. Mass murder of people is equated with serious crimes against humanity and in such cases criminals must not be given opportunity to terrorize the civilized society. Hitler committed genocide of Jews and The Ottoman Sultans indulged in mass killing of Armenians Christians. Murder of dissidents in African and Latin countries is regular feature. Persons responsible for mass killing of people are tried in a court of laws and the accused are punished as per laws and the verdict depends upon the arguments of defense and prosecution

  Capital punishment means a hardened criminal must pay for his life for the crimes he committed. These crimes may be drug related, charges of sedition and in contemporary world, indulging in terrorist activities. In India, Dalits were awarded death sentence in ancient India if the Dalits knowingly or unknowingly touched a Brahmins or upper castes. 

With spread of education and introduction of sophisticated methods of investigating serious crimes, we find sudden emergence of Human Rights Organizations in  every country of the world. It was rightly realized that law enforcement officers often beat suspects to admit crimes which may or may not have been committed by persons. We find global outrage against custodial death and demand for abolition of capital punishment by intellectuals and supporters of human rights.

 E.U AND CAPITAL PUNISHMENT. Every member state of EU has abolished death sentence. There are several reasons behind these decisions. These countries are highly civilized and standard of living of common people is very high which create jealousy among underdeveloped countries. These are small countries and for law enforcement agencies, it is not hard to maintain peace and harmony in society. Austria is a small but industrialized country in the EU, in which there was no report of serious crimes until  Indians settled there and all types of crimes emerged.  In industrialized nations economic offenses are very common, but these are offenses for which death or even harsh punishment is not warranted.

President E Macron of France has taken wove to end death penalty in entire Europe. Nearly one year ago a Catholic priest in France was offering prayer,  when he was beheaded by Islamist zealot. The killer was neutralized, but there was outcry by human rights groups for brutal killing of the killer of the priest. 

 Germany has emerged as the epicenter of terror activities and in future terrorists in the guise of refugees will pose greater danger to entire Europe than Russia.  Germany has turned itself  into a prosperous Arabian state by permitting refugees from war torn Central Asia to settle in Germany. Majority of these refugees are radicals Muslims. Mass or sporadic killing of innocent  people by radicals is not ruled out. In absence of capital punishment these religious zealots are likely to mutate creating social and political upheaval in Europe.

 Real identity of a few hardened criminals is shrouded in mystery. Identity of Jack the Ripper and Zodiac killer was not known. There are speculations about their identities, but not supported by clinching evidences.

Alternatives. In E.U and for that matter every country in this world, police has detected ways and means to deal with these criminals. Criminals  are killed in police encounter,  these criminals are not allowed to face trial. Most of the drug lords and religious  zealots and their henchmen are being killed every other day in all parts of the globe. These killings are known as neutralizing the hardened criminals and is a factor for abolishing death punishment. Entire EU is facing serious threats from religious based terrorism. Nabbing these faithful soldiers of an unproven God is expensive affair. Alternative is to award these criminals long term imprisonment which means mental and physical torture for the rest of life. 

Most of the religious based terrorists prefer to die in police encounter to attain the status of martyrs and reach paradise.

 Intellectuals and human rights body prefer long term imprisonment, instead of death sentence  for hardened criminals. There are hundreds of drug lords who are enjoying good life in the prison. Reasons, they have rich friends outside the jail who are taking advantage of certain sections and provisions of laws, this is noticed in prisons in US. All over the world there are criminals who are engaged in  crimes from behind the bar. In a way hardened criminal are being supported by intellectuals even if it means suffering of civilized persons.  In the Middle East and in certain parts of Africa, capital punishment does not carry much weight, criminals irrespective of gravity of crimes are neutralized by police and army. Intellectuals and human rights bodies are ignored. In these countries very, few criminals are allowed to face judicial scrutiny as these judicial proceedings prevent clever lawyers to defend their clients.

Situations in India is not different. In the name of personal liberty and democratic principles, defense lawyers present their cases to court, citing violations of fundamental rights of the criminals. Sometimes these lawyers representing criminals create hilarious scenes. Politicians all over the world cannot survive without help of criminals, but in India , some of the politicians in power, themselves commit crimes like raping and murdering their political opponents. In recent months a good number of hardened criminals were neutralized in police encounter. These  criminals were killed as politicians feared their own exposure. Situation has so much worsened in India that criminals no longer fear police and in big cities rape with murder and gangs war are common. Modernization of police force with ultramodern gadgets to detect and investigate a heinous crime is challenging problem.

What is more shocking that in India, newly wed brides are burnt alive for not bringing sufficient dowry and in majority of cases culprits are acquitted by judiciary

In India, there is another type of violence related to social anarchy. There are violent groups of people, who call themselves as followers of Mao and Lenin. These two dictators were known for merciless killing of their dissidents to achieve their political aims. These groups of people are known as Naxalites, they are active in parts of India known for difficult terrains and forests. They kill affluent people and local officials. Their evolution is difficult to understand as most of the so called Naxals are Dalits and poor people. Initially it was concluded that extreme poverty and suppression by local money lenders was responsible for the birth of these violent organizations, but with industrial development, marked improvements are noticed in the lives of Dalits and Tribal and merciless killing of innocent people by these misguided followers of Mao/Lenin cannot be justified. Surprisingly some of the Naxals carrying heavy awards on their heads surrender to local authorities and saved themselves from gallows.

FINAL THOUGHT. Survival of a civilized society is at stake. Criminals are adopting modern technology to commit crimes and human right bodies are seen every where to make passionate appeal for the lives of criminals. They are in the peculiar habits of expressing sympathy for the victims. This is unfortunate and cast dark shadow on the aims of such organizations. Long term imprisonment means torture and in such cases death penalty is preferable.