Black Water in Pakistan, a hoax or reality

 Police raided a Pakistani security firm that helps protect the U.S. Embassy on Saturday, seizing 70 allegedly unlicensed weapons and arresting two people. The incident follows a series of scandals surrounding American use of private contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The raid on two offices of the Inter-Risk company is especially sensitive because of a slew of recent rumors and media reports that U.S. embassy expansion plans in Pakistan include hiring the security firm formerly known as Blackwater.

The U.S. says there is no truth in the reports, but they have resonated with the many Pakistanis familiar with allegations that Blackwater employees were involved in unprovoked killings of Iraqi civilians.

Police official Rana Akram said that two Inter-Risk employees were arrested and being questioned. He said authorities were also seeking the company's owner, a retired Pakistani army captain.

Reporters were shown the weapons — 61 assault rifles and nine pistols — that were seized by dozens of police from the sites in pre-dawn raids in the capital, Islamabad.

U.S. Embassy spokesman Rick Snelsire said the U.S. contract with Inter-Risk to provide security at the embassy and consulates took effect this year. It is believed to be the first U.S. contract for the firm, Snelsire said. He did not know how long the contract was for or what it was worth.

"Our understanding is they obtained licenses with whatever they brought into the country to meet the contractual needs," he said. "We told the government that we had a contract with Inter-Risk."

A man who answered the phone number listed for the company and identified himself as Riaz Hussain said a raid had occurred, but gave no more information.

According to Inter-Risk's Web site, it was first formed in 1988 and offers wireless home alarm systems as well as security guards and other services.

Though the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad does have American security staff, much of the work is done by local workers. At checkpoints and gates leading to the embassy compound, for instance, Pakistani security guards inspect vehicles and log in visitors.

Scandals involving private contractors have dogged the U.S. in the Middle East and South Asia.

In Washington on Friday, the Commission on Wartime Contracting heard testimony about another contractor — ArmorGroup North America — involving alleged illegal and immoral conduct by its guards at the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan.

Earlier this year, the Iraqi government refused to grant Xe Services — the new name for what was once Blackwater — an operating license amid continued outrage over a 2007 lethal firefight involving some of its employees in Baghdad, although the State Department has temporarily extended a contract with a Xe subsidiary to protect U.S. diplomats in Iraq.

Many of the recent rumors in Pakistan have been prompted by U.S. plans to expand its embassy space and staff. Among the other unsubstantiated stories the U.S. denies: that 1,000 U.S. Marines will land in the capital, and that Americans will set up a Guantanamo-style prison.

The U.S. says it needs to add hundreds more staff to allow it to disburse billions of dollars in additional humanitarian and economic aid to Pakistan. The goal is to improve education and other areas, lessening the allure of extremism.

Pakistani reporters, anti-U.S. bloggers and others have repeatedly alleged that the U.S. is using Xe, and the issue continues to pop up in major newspapers despite U.S. Embassy denials. Xe Services officials could not immediately be reached for comment Saturday.

The U.S. has signed a contract worth up to $18.3 million with DynCorp International, another U.S.-based security firm, according to federal records online.

Some analysts say Islamist and other opposition groups may be planting the stories in the Pakistani press and blogs to portray Pakistan's government as an American lackey.

Pakistani political analyst Talat Masood said Inter-Risk's association with America "will increase the apprehensions that existed that the Americans are engaged in clandestine activities," and that the raid shows "the Pakistan government is asserting itself."


-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
More......
"Blackwater's sweetheart deals, both domestic and international, are representative of how business has been done under Bush. They are a troubling indicator of a trend toward less accountability and transparency and greater privatization of critical government functions."

 

--Jeremy Scahill, The Nation

Read: Existence of BlackWater in Pakistan http://pakistanic.com/featured/existense-of-black-water-in-pakistan-cia-blackwater-mercenary/

Striking al-Qaeda in a Terrorist Breeding Ground

Striking al-Qaeda in a Terrorist Breeding Ground

Authorities trying to hide the truth about incidents in SWAT

Eyewitness accounts of violence during Pakistan's anti-Taliban offensive in the Swat valley went largely unreported  as journalists were not allowed in the area. BBC Urdu's Abdul Hai Kakar has since collected a series of first-person narratives from villagers in the area. Here Javed Iqbal from Hajiabad describes what happened when the army raided his village. Pakistan's army says it has investigated the incident and denies Mr Iqbal's version of events. Pakistan's army says it has largely driven militants out of Swat. Our village is called Hajiabad and is located in the Charbagh area of Swat. The security forces came into our village on 20 June 2009 and blew up the house of a local Taliban Commander,  Sher Mohammad Qasab. After doing this, they searched my house and that of my sister, which are located side-by-side next to the Taliban commander's. At that time I told the army officials that they must inform us before coming as the Taliban are hiding in the area. "If they ambush you, while you are on such a mission, it will be us villagers who will suffer most in the crossfire," I said. That day they went away quietly, but they came back two days later. This time they arrested five of my neighbours, although we told them they are not Taliban militants. After that they asked me the whereabouts of the home of another commander, Shireen. When I told them all I knew, they went to his brother's house rather than his own and set it on fire. At that point, they asked Shireen's sister-in-law, who had come out of the house, where he was. She said she had no knowledge of his whereabouts. They then asked her to go and search for him immediately. She replied that was not possible as she was a lone woman but they insisted. During this argument, some of the army personnel opened fire and the woman was hit and injured. Some of us villagers had been brought along on this "raid". Now the army told us to move ahead of them as they turned back from their mission. We were just marching back to the vehicles when the Taliban attacked with rockets. We immediately ran for our lives and hid behind the wall of nearby house. Meanwhile a fully-fledged battle ensued between the army and the Taliban, which lasted for 12 hours. Later, we saw that eight soldiers had died in the fighting. Carrying the dead After the battle, we went around and gave water to the tired and injured soldiers. We also helped carry the dead to the army vehicles. After they left, my father said to me, "You have helped the army, now the Taliban will not let you live." "You must leave the village immediately." Subsequently I left the village, and came to Mingora with my younger brothers. Mr Iqbal says his father (pictured above) was killed in his own home. My 70-year-old father, Munir Khan, my elderly mother, Bibi, and my two teenage sisters, Saira and Shazia remained behind in our home. A few days later I saw my parents in a dream after which I started getting worried about them. [At this point Iqbal starts crying] Local phone lines were not working due to the army operation, therefore I sent my youngest brother back to the village. He came back a few days later with the news I was dreading - my family had been massacred by the army. I immediately returned home and was told by my neighbours that it happened on 3 July. According to them, on that day, security forces personnel came to the village and went into my home. They set the house on fire and moments later gunfire was heard from inside the house. My neighbours said they later learned that all my family had been killed. The bodies lay inside the burned courtyard for two days, after which neighbours quietly went in and buried them there. They later apologized to me and said it was to risky to take them to the nearby graveyard. Soldiers were hiding in bunkers in the nearby mountains and they would fire on anything that moved in the valley. I just burst into tears when I saw my torched home and my family's buried bodies in the courtyard. I can still see my two young sisters playing there, especially Saira. She was a bright young girl, on her way to earning a high school diploma at the local college. She was also the captain of her college baseball team and had led them to victory at district and provincial level. At this moment, I just feel very helpless and alone. Who can I appeal to for justice? At the moment, even my own life is not safe. The BBC later spoke to the local army public relations official. He said the entire episode was made up of baseless accusations. He added that after the incident became public knowledge, the army investigated the events. The official said that it was discovered that the forces had not raided the home of any civilian on 3 July, nor killed any of his family members. He further said that on the days mentioned the army was indeed searching for the Taliban Commander Mohammad Qasab and had launched an operation in the area. But, he reiterated, it was not the policy of the army to target civilians, indeed they could not even think of doing such a thing. The spokesman said the army needed the civilian help in its campaign against the Taliban, and it could not do anything to jeopardise this.

Death toll of women reaches 20 in the Stampede, in Karachi

So the Time has weakened the poor so much that they are now driven to their graves in struggle for {basic} food....
This is a story of dependency, poverty and inflation more than a regretful stampede killing women and children. The media should highlight the food crises dilemma and make some noise against the Government for arresting the philanthropist Chaudhry Iftikhar!




This is a story of desperation more that it is of mismanagement. 14th September marked an unlucky day for Karachiites in various ways [The Oil tank incident, the colony fire..] but worst of all was the stampede that developed at a slum area of Khohri Garden where philathropist Chaudry Iftikhar was openly distributing flour and sugar to the poverty stricken. Women from all sorts of places like Kaemari, Machhar Colony, Surjani Town and others were crowding in this petite street where the distribution was arranged. 
The hustle bustle and urgency of this crowd created chaos which lead to a stampede killing upto 20 women and children [70 in a medical facility at Civil Hospital]... According to some reports the police was there to control the issue and were beating women with sticks to manage them, which made many women run back and trip over on each other adding to the disarray... hurting, wounding and suffocating many to death.
Around 70 other women who were suffocated were rushed to Civil Hospital for immediate help.


Adding up to the alarming issue, the authorities as ordered by the Government, have arrested the philathropist who was 'helping' the poor in what ever capacity he possessed. 
It is true that he should have made better arrangements and taken precautions.. but that does not defy the fact that this whole trauma is a symbol of rising poverty and the frustration and desperation it has lead to. Those women were actually fighting to 'food' and cared less for anything but to get their shares 'at any cost'. 
The Government should feel some shame in this incident and arrange facilities for philatropists who are willing to help the nation in these tumultuous times. 


The flour distribution issues, flour accumulation issue and the flour stocks in Punjab issue is a different story altogether... lets not even go there and how the Government is capable to solve all these issues in minutes but they wont because they have 'other' priorities.


I truly believe the media should make some noise against the Government and its weak decisions that are disconnected with reality. Arresting a philanthropist, they are sure trying to set an example thats not worthy of praise.
Does media need to open its eyes now.????



Photo Courtesy : Dawn.com

The weeping belt of their morose fears reach a place called hell. They feared empty stomach. they got empty homes. Kiran Nazish.

Education standards - how far can they jump?

Federal Education Minister talks on national television about Governments plans for establishing GCSC schooling system throughout Pakistan. Now thats a good plan, a great plan you'd say. With this target met Pakistan will under go a rapid change in the mainstream educational standard and the positive results are bound to be seen. Okay so the first thing that comes to my mind as Project planner in development is 'infrastructure'! Rapid and thorough change will be needed in infrastructure. The Government should start with more investment in hiring and training teachers, incorporating new syllabus {which may further include publishing new text books, refurbishing new and old school buildings, hiring new staff, maintenance  and OMG so much more}.
The list is long and the budget may surf out over brim, but I guess the plan is great and smell irresistible. Totally worth it. Withing exactly these were the things that came to my mind as a reaction to the ministers 'khushkhabri'.
It didn't however, take me any longer than that second to last when the minister continued, our target deadline is 2010.
"WHAT?" On 10th September 2009, the govt is now talking about a dream plan to be established within a year? In any circumstances its inapproachable. One year is an outlandish deadline to be set for such a humongous project. There are thousands of registered government schools that are currently inactive with millions of teachers who are on the payroll but never go to school. There are other thousand of schools that have teachers who never go inside classrooms and sit in the staffroom chattering over a 'chai papa'. The students of these school play in the corridors and open spaces as if they were football and cricket grounds. I have learnt all this on my field work while I was I interned at Zindagi Trust for a short while. Honestly only a few hundred schools operate properly with proposterously low standard of education.
If the government were plannign anything at all, they would first restructurise the system and infrastructure.. that include a lot of flowcharts, brainstorming and planning resources at first.
If they'd plan to establish GCSC system, it would at-least take a year only to put the entire project in documents. Let alone set it on wheels.

Best thing I read today

We Need a Cold, Not Warm, Peace With India

By AHMED QURAISHI

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - The Egyptian-Israeli model of Cold Peace, based on partial trade and low-intensity friendship, is the best policy Islamabad can adopt toward New Delhi. Once Kashmir is resolved, Pakistan andIndia need to disengage themselves from each other for sometime, maybe a decade or two. India needs time to gradually learn to accept Pakistani nationhood. And Pakistan needs time to gradually diminish its legitimate suspicions toward India. Both things can only happen over time. But only and as long as the core problem ofKashmir is resolved.

Get more ..... [WWW.AHMEDQURAISHI.COM]

How Israel built the Singapore Army

Courtesy: www.chowk.com

A deep, dark, secret love affair


A team of IDF officers, known as the `Mexicans,' helped Singapore establish an army. It was the start of a very special relationship. By Amnon Barzilai Christmas Eve, 1965, is the unofficial date of the start of the great and continuing love story between Israel and Singapore, a love affair that was kept a deep, dark secret.

The international press, like the Israeli media, tried to bring the tale to light. Occasionally, scraps of information leaked out; some were published, some were denied, many were disregarded. The Israelis, as usual, wanted to rush to tell all their friends, but managed to overcome that desire. The fear that the thies would be terminated if they became public knowledge had its effect. Israel imposed a total blackout on the story and the secret was preserved. Until the other side could no longer contain itself.

In his book, "From Third World to First: The Singapore Story 1965-2000," published in 2000, Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's founding father and its first prime minister, disclosed the secret that had been kept for almost 40 years: It was the Israel Defense Forces that established the Singaporean army. The Israeli military mission was headed by Yaakov (Jack) Elazari, then a colonel, who was later promoted to brigadier general. After leaving the army, he became a consultant to the Singaporean army. Hedied 15 years ago. "To disguise their presence, we called them `Mexicans.'


They looked swarthy enough," Lee wrote. Singapore's army is today considered the strongest and most advanced of the military forces in Southeast Asia. The alliance between the Israeli and Singaporean defense establishments intensified and expanded, and it now encompasses cooperation between the two countries' military industries, as well.


The scope of the deals, according to foreign sources, indicates that the Singaporean army is one of the major clients of Israeli combat means and military technology. Singapore's aircraft industry is cooperating with its Israeli counterpart and with Elbit Systems in upgrading the F-5 warplanes of the Turkish Air Force.


few years ago, Singapore's defense minister revealed that the Gil antitank missile, which is manufactured by Raphael (Israel Armaments Development Authority), was developed in cooperation between the two countries. Surrounded by Muslims Lee explained the need to maintain secrecy to his close friend in the leadership, and the first defense minister in his government, Dr. Goh Keng Swee. "We have to ensure, as far as possible, that the arrival of the Israelis will not become public knowledge, in order not to arouse opposition among the Malay Muslims who live in Malaysia and Singapore," the prime minister summed up. That, in essence, is Singapore's problem.


The residents of the small island, which has an area of about 670 square kilometers (Israel is 30 times as large), are mainly Chinese, and they live between the two Muslim countries of Malaysia and Indonesia. Life in the shadow of the large Muslim majority and fear of a Malaysian incursion are an integral part of the history of the two countries. Until 1965, Singapore was part of Malaysia. In that year, the British government decided to withdraw from all its colonies east of the Suez Canal. In a rapid process it was decided to sever Singapore from Malaysia and to establish it as a new and separate country. Singapore declared its independence on August 9, 1965.




At the time of its creation, it had only two infantry regiments, which had been established and were commanded by British officers. Two-thirds of the soldiers were not residents of Singapore, and in any event the leaders of the nascent state had no faith in the strength of the minuscule army.

The defense minister, Goh, contacted Mordechai Kidron, the former Israeli ambassador to Thailand, and asked for assistance. Kidron arrived in Singapore within days, along with Hezi Carmel of the Mossad. "Goh told us that they think that only Israel, a small country surrounded by Muslim countries, with a strong army, could help them build a small, dynamic army," Carmel says. The two Israelis met with Lee, who writes that he "told Keng Swee to put it on hold until Lal Bahadur Shastri, the prime minister of India, and President Nasser of Egypt replied to my letters seeking their urgent help to build up our armed forces." It's not clear whether Lee, in fact, believed India and Egypt were capable of, or interested in, building up Singapore's army.


Many Israelis believe the two leaders were approached only for appearance's sake. After a few weeks of waiting, India and Egypt congratulated Singapore on its independence but did not offer military aid. Lee ordered Goh to push ahead in contacts with the Israelis.


At the same time, in the wake of reports sent by Kidron and Carmel, the Israeli defense establishment deployed to supply military aid to Singapore. In discussions conducted by the chief of staff, Yitzhak Rabin, with the participation of the deputy chief of staff and head of the Operations Branch, Ezer Weizmann, it was decided to make Major General Rehavam Ze'evi, who was then deputy head of the Operations Branch, responsible for building the Singaporean army. Ze'evi (nicknamed "Gandhi" ) paid a secret visit to Singapore and the preparatory work began on his return. "Gandhi said he wanted to create an ideal army for Singapore, something we hadn't built here," Carmel says.


"Instead of setting up a Defense Ministry and a General Staff, Gandhi suggested an integrated organization, a more economical structure. So there wouldn't be too many generals and too few soldiers." Ze'evi appointed Elazari, who worked under him in the Operations Branch, as head of the team he established. Lieutenant Colonel Yehuda Golan, then-commander of an armored division (he retired from the IDF with the rank of brigadier general), was subsequently added to the team. Some members of the team "concentrated on writing the chapters that dealt with building army bases. I wrote the chapters dealing with the establishment of an infantry," Golan says. Initially they produced the "Brown Book," dealing with combat doctrine, followed by the "Blue Book," dealing with the creation of the Defense Ministry and intelligence bodies.


The Brown Book was translated into English and sent to Singapore's government for its perusal. In October 1965, a military delegation from Singapore arrived in Israel. "The delegation arrived in order to tell us: `Well done, but to implement the book, you are invited to come to Singapore,'" Golan recalls. Prior to setting out, the members of the military mission were invited to the chief of staff's bureau. "Dear friends," Rabin said, "I want you to remember several things. One, we are not going to turn Singapore into an Israeli colony. Your task is to teach them the military profession, to put them on their legs so they can run their own army. Your success will be if at a certain stage they will be able to take the wheel and run the army by themselves. Second, you are not going there in order to command them but to advise them. And third, you are not arms merchants. When you recommend items to procure, use the purest professional military judgment. I want total disregard of their decision as to whether to buy here or elsewhere." Wake-up at 5:30 On December 24, 1965, about five months after Singapore became an independent state, six IDF officers and their families set out on an unknown mission. "Elazari and two other officers dealt with the establishment of the Defense Ministry," Golan relates. "My task, along with three other officers, was to establish the army." Elazari operated according to a number of basic principles, from which the original Israeli team and those who followed did not deviate.


The first was to build up a cadre of local commanders and instructors.


The second was that the instructional material would be written by the cadets who would be trained as officers. And the third was that practical training would be conducted by Singaporean instructors. "We wanted to recruit a group of 40-50 people who had some sort of military experience and would be ready to serve in a career army," Golan explains. "We organized things so that they would appoint one of their number to serve as commander. As head of the group, the cadets chose someone of Indian origin named Kirpa Ram Vij, who would eventually become chief of staff of the Singapore Armed Forces. For three months we gave an intensified officers course." The first course had an IDF format: wake-up at 5:30 A.M., calisthenics, personal arrangements, parade.

Training began at 7:30 A.M. and went until 1 A.M. "After a few days of training a group of cadets showed up and said, `Colonel Golan, the Arabs aren't sitting on our heads here. What do we need this madness for?' I called Elazari and explained the situation. He arrived a few days later with Defense Minister Dr. Goh, who told the cadets, `Do what Colonel Golan tells you to do, otherwise you will do double.'" Parallel to conducting the course, the Israeli team supervised the establishment of the first military base, based on plans of the Israeli Engineering Corps. Construction of the base was completed in three months. In under a year, the Israeli team conducted a course for new recruits, a platoon commanders course and an officers course, on the basis of plans that were sent from Israel.

All told, about 200 commanders were trained. Jobless instead of soldiers Once the staff of commanders was ready, it was possible to start creating the standing army on the basis of conscription. The Israelis prepared to establish two more infantry regiments, according to the IDF model, with each regiment consisting of three companies of riflemen, an auxiliary company and an administrative company - a total of 600 soldiers. Lieutenant Colonel Moshe Shefi, who was an instructor in a company commanders course, was sent as an adviser. "We discovered that there was psychological resistance to conscription in Singapore," he relates. "Of 10 professions, that of soldier was ranked last. In first place was the artist, followed by the philosopher, the teacher and the merchant, and the thief was in ninth place.

Soldiering was considered a contemptible profession. In Singapore, conscription was considered a means to overcome unemployment." The Israelis faced a problem. To evade service, most of the young men of draft age (18-24) who were of Chinese origin furnished proof that they were employed. Some 70 percent of the inductees were unemployed and of Malaysian origin - the opposite of their proportion within the population. Elazari and Golan complained to Lee and Goh, but the prime minister was undeterred. "I want you to recruit the most primitive people in the country, the uneducated and the jobless," he told them. Stunned, the Israelis tried to persuade him to reconsider, but he was adamant: "In the Second World War, I saw the Japanese and the British.


All the British soldiers were intelligent and educated. But as soldiers they were worthless. The most primitive Japanese soldier gets an order and executes it, and they were extraordinary soldiers. The fact is that the Japanese army defeated the British army." Golan says, "Yaakov and I tried to explain to him that it's not a question of education but of motivation. The Japanese soldier was motivated because he was fighting for his emperor, who for him was God. For him, he was ready to sacrifice his life. What motivation did the British soldier have, who fought thousands of kilometers from his home?" The explanations about the spirit of combat and about how to generate motivation persuaded Lee. Along with the two tracks of compulsory service and career army, Singapore also adopted the IDF's model of reserve service.


Every soldier who completed his regular service was obligated to serve another 13 years, until the age of 33. A system to mobilize the reserves was established and the Defense Ministry carried out surprise call-up exercises. Because of its small size and its lack of areas for live-fire training, Singapore had to establish training bases in friendly neighboring countries. Surprise tanks The unquiet in Singapore, and above all the fear of an invasion by Malay forces, together with the rapid development of the Singaporean army, generated additional needs. With the creation of the infantry, the Israeli team made an in-depth study of the battles fought by the Japanese in Southeast Asia during World War II and of how they succeeded in invading Malaysia and Singapore. Shefi was given the task of delivering a talk on the subject to Singapore's government.


On the basis of the lessons the Israelis drew from the engagements fought by Japan and Britain, they created a naval force based on sampans. "The boats were made of wood and could carry 10 to 15 soldiers, and they were appropriate for the conditions of the sea and for the jungle rivers," Golan says. "On a stormy sea they can be operated with oars or a motor. We asked the Singaporeans to purchase 20 boats and we set up a small base where infantry companies trained in raids and navigation." Retired Colonel Asher Dar says, "The second team that arrived in Singapore applied what Yehuda Golan did in the form of combat doctrine. We trained in flanking maneuvers with small boats and in live fire using artillery.


When the head of the training department, Yitzhak Hofi, visited Singapore, we carried out a model landing of an infantry brigade that set sail in boats at night at a distance of 12 kilometers with the aid of shore navigation only." The waiting period in Israel on the eve of the 1967 Six-Day War was a rough time for the Israeli team in Singapore. "We were relieved the Israelis were not defeated or our SAF [Singapore Armed Forces] would have lost confidence" in the Israeli instructors, Lee writes.


In January 1968, Singapore decided to create an armored corps. In great secrecy, an agreement was signed for the purchase of 72 AMX-13 light tanks from IDF surplus. It was a bold decision: Malaysia, the country's large neighbor, didn't have tanks. On Independence Day, August 9, 1969, a major surprise awaited the invited guests, including the defense minister of Malaysia: 30 tanks rolled past the reviewing stand. "It had a dramatic effect," Lee writes. Malaysia had cause for concern. \

Its defense minister recommended to his guests that they take steps to persuade the Malaysian government that its intentions were not hostile. In the wake of the Israeli victory in 1967, the veil of secrecy over the ties between the two countries was lifted a bit. The Singapore delegate at the United Nations abstained in a vote on a resolution condemning Israel that was sponsored by the Arab states. Contacts began to establish full diplomatic relations. In October 1968, Lee permitted Israel to establish a trade mission and in May 1969 authorization was given for the establishment of an Israeli embassy in Singapore.


The status of the Israeli military mission to Singapore was also strengthened, and the mission heads who followed held brigadier general rank. The first Israeli military delegation laid the foundations for an extensive network of relations between Israel and Singapore. Foundations of the air force The small Israeli team in Singapore was augmented by professional military advisers for the various corps. The chief armored corps officer, Major General Avraham Adan, arrived to give advice on procuring armored vehicles.


In 1968, Adam Tzivoni, a retired colonel who had been head of the planning and weapons branch in the air force, was appointed adviser to the Singapore Armed Forces in regard to the creation of an air force. "As compensation for the hasty departure of the British army, the British government gave Singapore a grant of 50 million pounds to acquire British-made aerial systems: planes, helicopters and surface-to-air missiles," Tzivoni relates.


"The British didn't like me at all. My first task was to approve the deals. It turned out that the English tried to sell Singapore junk. Apart from a deal for Hunters, I vetoed all the deals." Under Tzivoni's supervision, a flight school was established in Singapore, as well as a technical school, a squadron of Alouette 3 helicopters was purchased and 40 mm anti-aircraft guns were acquired. Uzis and Israeli marching songs After the creation of the Singaporean army's infantry regiments, the question arose of what weapons the nascent armed forces would use.


The commanding officers wanted the Uzi, the Israeli submachine gun. The Israeli team took an objective view and rejected the idea. True, the Uzi was considered a superb weapon in the 1960s, but only for short ranges. A regular army needs an assault rifle, the Israeli team asserted. Representatives of Israel Military Industries exerted pressure on the Defense Ministry to sell the new Galil assault rifle. However, the team decided that the rifle wasn't yet full ready and recommended the American M-16. Another major headache for the Israelis concerned the decision about which mortars to procure for the new army. Infantry regiments are equipped with 60 - 52 mm and 18 mm mortars.


The weapons, which were developed and manufactured by the Soltam company, based in the town of Yokne'am, were sold to the Israel Defense Forces and exported worldwide. "Even though we thought these were the best mortars, we decided not to recommend them but to make use of an independent source in order to reach a decision," says Yehuda Golan, a member of the team sent to Singapore. The Israeli team asked a British firm that dealt in organization and consultation on military subjects to examine a series of mortars and recommend the best one.


The report stated that the best of the lot was an 18 mm mortar manufactured in Britain. However, considering the price, the recommendation was to buy the Soltam product. The Singapore Armed Forces acquired the Israeli mortar. "The Israelis emphasized military skills and high motivation. Smartness on parade and military tattoo, the SAF [Singapore Armed Forces] never learned from the `Mexicans.' Whatever smartness the SAF had" derived from the British officers who commanded the army's first two regiments, Lee writes. "Our motto was that we would not stick our nose into what the Singaporeans could do themselves," Golan notes.


"They wanted us to organize the Independence Day parade for them. We argued that a state military parade reflects the country's mentality and its history." The Singaporeans didn't make an issue of it. However, they had a problem that demanded an immediate solution - which marches to play as the soldiers marched in unison. The head of the Israeli mission, Yaakov Elazari, brought notes from Israel and the Singapore army strode to Israeli marching songs.


The jungle combat manual The Singaporeans took the Israelis by surprise when they insisted on getting a course on jungle combat. Singapore has a tiny natural jungle of no more than five or six square kilometers, but the neighboring states have larger jungles. Yehuda Golan: "I told them they were right but that I wasn't the right guy, because I knew nothing about jungles."


Nevertheless, the Israeli team began to find out how to cope with the subject. It was decided to send two Singapore officers as guests of the Malaysian army for a course on jungle combat. "Three months later, the two officers returned with the knowledge they acquired in Malaysia, and we decided to conduct a course in jungle combat," Golan continues. "Out of curiosity, I decided to join. It looked very bad - it was clear that they had taught them British methods from the Second World War period. I decided to take a group of 10 officers. We entered the jungle and started to engage in war games. We trained in navigation, deploying forces, search and assault. We went through the American training manuals on combat in Vietnam. We developed methods of night navigation. We learned how to function with a fighting company in the dense undergrowth. After a few weeks of training, I wrote the training manual of the Singapore Armed Forces for jungle combat."

Govt plans for Gilgit-Balistan 'empowerment'.

Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self Governance Order 2009

---

Our Federal government has decided in principle to grant the autonomous status to Northern Areas (Gilgit-Baltistan) in line with the other federating units having Chief Minister and Governor. The decision to this effect was taken at a high level meeting of the Committee on Northern Areas Governance Order held with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani in the chair at the PM’s House here Thursday.

Sources said that a comprehensive briefing was given to the Prime Minister on the new constitutional package to be given to Northern Areas and the Prime Minister gave approval to the package.

The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting and KANA, Qamar Zaman Kaira; Federal Minister for Labour and Manpower, Syed Khursheed Ahmad Shah, Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Dr Zaheer-ud-Din Babar Awan; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Nawazada Malik Amad Khan; Minister of State for Law and Justice, Mohammad Afzal Sandhu; Minister of State for Finance and Economic Affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar and Secretaries Interior and KANA.

Sources said according to the new package the area would have its own chief minister and governor and all the executive powers would be transferred to the Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan whereas the incumbent Chairman Northern Areas would bereplaced with the Governor.

Sources said that now KANA division would have no role in administration of the area.

According to the new package, constituencies would be increased from present 24 to at least 40. At present, there are 24elected members of the Northern Areas Legislative Assembly along with six seats of technocrat and six women seats, who were elected by the 24 direct elected members.

In a landmark decision, the government approved on Saturday a self-governance reforms package for the Northern Areas aimed at giving it full internal autonomy, but without the status of a province, and changed its name to Gilgit-Baltistan.

Supporters of this decision:

The People’s Party, Pakistan Muslim League-N and PML-Q have supported the decision, but most nationalist parties rejected the package as a ‘gimmickry of words’.

They contend that the region was an integral part of Jammu and Kashmir and any change in its administrative status betrayed a tacit shift in the government’s stand on Kashmir.

Amanullah Khan, chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), said:
the move had robbed the Northern Areas of a special status, virtually converting it into the country’s fifth province.

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani briefed newsmen after obtaining approval from the cabinet for the ‘Gilgit-Baltistan Empowerment and Self Governance Order 2009’, which will replace the Northern Areas Legal Framework Order of 1994.



Under the order:

Powers of Asssembly and Council:

Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly will formulate its own Rules of Procedures, while legislation on 61 subjects will be done by a counciland an assembly in their respective jurisdictions.

In order to empower the Council and the Assembly on financial matters, there shall be a Council Consolidated Fund underArticle 54 of the Constitution, and Gilgit-Baltistan Consolidated Fund under Article 55.

A detailed item-wise budget shall be presented before the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly and shall accordingly be voted upon underArticle 56.

In reply to a question, Mr Gilani said the Council did not need the parliament’s shelter as it will have its own Rules of Business, while a boundary commission has also been set up.

Elections for a new assembly and a chief minister will be held in mid-November.

Qamar Zaman Kaira, the federal minister for Kashmir and Northern Areas, will act as governor till a new system is put in place. He said the order would now be sent to President Asif Ali Zardari for final consent before its implementation.

Supreme Appellate Court:

Qamar Zaman Kaira said a ‘supreme appellate court’ shall be headed by a chief judge who will be appointed by the Chairman of the Council on the advice of the governor.

Other judges shall be appointed by the chairman on the advice of the governor after seeking views of the Chief Judge, Mr Kaira added.

The number of judges has been increased from three to five and the tenure of the present judges of the Supreme Judiciary has been protected in the draft.

The new set-up will have:
- a public service commission,
- a chief election commissioner and
- an auditor general.

CONDEMNATION:

Amanullah Khan, chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), said Islamabad had lost support of the Security Council over the years due to a ‘wavering stand’ on Kashmir and now it was squandering whatever goodwill it had by merging Gilgit-Baltistan with Pakistan.

Sabir Ansari, Raja Latif Tahir, Nazir Ahmed, Mushtaq Ghazali and Ghulam Ahmed Butt, all office-bearers of the Front, said thatJammu and Kashmir, including Gilgit-Baltistan, was an indivisible unit and Islamabad had no right to slice off any part of it.

They said every government had usurped fundamental rights of these areas and the present one had outdone its predecessorsby turning the region into a fifth province.

They expressed fears that ‘real powers’ would rest with the governor, the president’s nominee who will not be answerable to Gilgit-Baltistan Legislative Assembly. Local people will have no constitutional protection, the JKLF statement said.

Nationalist parties in Hunza-Nagar rejected the Self Governance Order, describing it as old wine in a new bottle.

Hafizur Rehman, a member of the Northern Area Legislative Assembly, termed the package a gimmickry of words and said once again the centre was trying to hoodwink the people of the Northern Areas.