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The ICC: With the
Americans, or Without Them... It’s happened again. Last Sep- tember, in Oslo, the United States pulled out all the stops to kill or gut the treaty banning land-mines - and was ignored by even its closest allies. Over the past month, Washington has thrown a global tantrum to block or sabotage the birth of an International Criminal Court (ICC) - and in Rome on Friday, its nearest and dearest told it to get stuffed. As the world’s democracies and America’s own allies voted overwhelmingly in favour of the ICC in Rome last Frday, leaving the United States alone with China, Libya, Algeria, Iraq, Israel, and one or two others in opposition to the treaty, the shocked look on the face of chief U.S. delegate David Scheffer spoke volumes. Like most Americans, he had believed that being the world’s only superpower meant they had to do it your way. All around him were cheering, clapping, whistling delegates from 160 countries, ecstatic that the five-week conference had defied American pressures and delivered a treaty before the midnight deadline. Many Americans were ecstatic, too. "This is a great, historic achievement," said Benjamin Ferencz, the American who was chief prosecutor of Nazi war criminals at the Nuremberg trials half a century ago. William Pace, co-ordinator of the coalition of 800 citizen groups, many of them American, that worked closely with the coalition of 60 ‘like-minded countries’ to push the treaty through, called it "one of the greatest victories for peace in the past 100 years." But for official Washington, the ICC treaty is a disaster. Not only did the U.S. lose on this specific issue, but a pattern is emerging in which the United States is CONSISTENTLY failing to translate its apparent power into real diplomatic results. Once the Clinton administration took the position that no American citizen should ever have to face an international court, the strong-arm operation to line up U.S. allies and friends across the globe unfolded at first with the smoothness of long practice. It should have worked; it always used to. Poor countries were threatened with the loss of American aid if they backed a tough treaty, and allies were ruthlessly blackmailed. The most startling and reckless use of American power was the blunt threat to Germany to pull American troops out of Europe if it didn’t back the U.S. position. In a (leaked) fax to Bonn the day before the final vote, U.S. Defence Secretary William Cohen’s officials warned German Defence Minister Volker Ruehe that "The prospect of an ICC pretending to have jurisdiction over our personnel...is completely unacceptable. Should the universal jurisdiction proposal be adopted by the Rome conference, we would have to consider the implications for our overseas presence, including our commitment to forces in Europe." A completely empty threat, but once upon a time such talk by Washington would have caused flat panic in Bonn. No longer. Germany simply called Washington’s bluff and voted for the ICC anyway. So did dozens of other countries that the U.S. thought it had ‘fixed’. The definitive defection, in a sense, has been that of Canada, whose foreign policy traditionally mirrored that of its giant U.S. neighbour. But it was Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy who led the campaign to push though the treaty banning land mines in the teeth of fierce American opposition: "We are not prepared to pay any price (for U.S. approval)," he said at the time. This year in Rome, it was a Canadian diplomat, Philippe Kirsch, who chaired the ICC conference and crafted the ‘take-it-or- leave-it’ compromise text that won over France and Russia, leaving only the United States and China opposing it even among the great powers who are permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. "The world has decided enough is enough," Kirsch said, and called a vote that, as in Oslo last year, left the U.S. alone with China, Israel, and an assortment of Middle Eastern dictators. As in the case of land mines, the sponsors of the ICC understood that American ‘exceptionalism’ - the belief that American citizens and the U.S. government should not be subject to the same rules as everybody else - meant that progress was only possible WITHOUT American participation. But just as dozens of people were losing their limbs to mines each day, so hundreds of people were being killed, raped, or tortured by war criminals and dictators every day. Miss World and Miss
Universe flop in Bolywood NEW DELHI, July 17: They may have the looks and brains that are good enough to land them global beauty titles, such as Miss World and Miss Universe. But that doesn’t necessarily guarantee them any success as heroines in Hindi films. This much is clear from experience so far of Aiswarya Rai and Sushmita Sen, the young ladies who brought India fame by grabbing Miss World and Miss Universe titles, respectively, in the same year, namely 1994. Sushmita was the first to gatecrash into Bollywood with much fanfare by signing up with wellknown director Mahesh Bhatt to play the leading lady’s role in a flick called "Dastak." She was OK in it, but the film was not good enough to attract crowds. So, it bombed at the box office without a trace. The Bengali lass had hoped for better luck with "Zor," in which she starred opposite the macho Sunny Deol. It was di- rected by Santosh Sivan, the brilliant cinematographer-turned- director. Beautifully photographed, it had a good deal of action,too. But the audiences didn’t bite it. Meanwhile, the glossies had a whale of a time writing about her romance with a married director and her silicon implants. Aiswarya began her tryst in the movies with "Aur Pyar Ho Gaya" opposite Sunny Deol’s younger brother Bobby. The film had some good music by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the late Pakistani sing- er. Then came "Jeans," said to be the most expensive film ever made in the country. But they simply made no impression on movie-goers. The green-eyed beauty is wondering what went wrong. But Sushmita and Aiswarya are not the types who give up that easily. They are simply in no mood to bid farewell to Bollywood and forget about the big money and the glamour that go with a career on the silver screen. Sushmita is presently sweating it out, working in "Chakra" with Sanjay Dutt as her hero. Aiswarya is giving "Hum Panchi Ek Daal Ke" all she got. Fellow Mangalorean Sunil Shetty is her hero. Will these films fare any better at the box office and revive these young ladies’ sagging fortunes ? We’ll have to wait and see. INDIAN ARMY CHIEF IN SOUTH
AFRICA TO BOOST DEFENCE TIES During his week-long visit-the first by an Indian army chief to South Africa-Gen Malik will hold talks with the host country’s defence minister and Army Chief Lt Gen GL Romano, and visit several defence establishment to pick and choose what is suitable for India’s use. He will be shown modern missile and gun control systems, infantry weapons, combat vehicles and mine detection equip- ment. The infantry here is interested in acquiring a sizeable number of Casspir mine-protected vehicles from South Africa for use by troops in counter-insurgency operations. The Indian army has successfully tested the vehicle in insurgency-ridden Kashmir and the troubled Northeast. India may also buy self- propelled 155mm guns from South Africa. Meanwhile, Brajesh Mishra, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s special emissary, has returned from a visit to South Africa. He met Deputy President Thabo Mbeki and Deputy Foreign Minister Aziz Pahad among others. Says he: "I ex- plained to them that our security concern led to the nuclear tests. There is now a better understanding in South Africa of the reasons that led to our tests in May this year. India feels that, in order to preserve its sovereignty and territo- rial integrity, it should have what we call a minimum nuclear deterrent." Incidentally, Prime Minister Vajpayee is due in Durban next month to attend the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit (August 29-September 3). AUCTIONED GANDHI LETTERS ON
WAY TO INDIA FROM LONDON Two prominent businessmen of Indian origin-GK Noon and Nat Puri-paid up the amount at Singhvi’s request and presented the mahatma’s correspondence with Maulana Abdul Bari to him. Says Dr Singhvi: "The letters belong to us and the country (India), and they must not pass to anyone else." They will be presented to the National Archives here. The Grand Pageant of Sri Lanka The Kandy Esala perahera, the grand pageant of Sri Lanka, begins by dawn on July 24, with the traditional 'kap-situweema' (installation of logs dedicated to the four guardian deities of the island, viz: Natha, Vishnu, Kataragama and Pattini), and ends with the customary 'diya-kepeema' (water-cutting ritual) in the early morning of August 8, followed by the day perahera on the same day. The merger of the Dalada perahera, carrying the Tooth Relic of the Buddha, with the four devale peraheras, as we see today, dates back to the reign of Kirti Sri Rajasinha (1747-1780). Earlier, the Esala perahera was held exclusively to appease the divinities, and the festival was known as the Esala dev-keliya. In principle, Buddhists do not totally repudiate polytheism or the concept of divine worship for gods and goddesses remain, but they rank subordinate in importance. Buddhists believe that god Natha (or the Bodhisatva Avalokiteswara Natha of the Mahayana tradition), is the coming Buddha Maitreya who will appear in the world in another 2500 years later. Hence the god is given preference above the other three deities, and the Natha devale perahera goes ahead of the other devale peraheras. God Vishnu alias Upulvan, believed to be the protector of the Buddha Sasana, is worshipped by Buddhists next to Buddha whom the Hindus believe as the ninth incarnation of god Vishnu. The god Kataragama, as the warrior god, is beseeched by Buddhists with high esteem. Goddess Pattini, whose chastity cult was brought to the island from South India by king Gajabahu (174-196), came into prominence during the Kandyan period (1706-1815), when Nayakkara kings from Malabar ruled the island for 109 years. God Saman or Sumana, the tutelary deity of Sri Pada, lost his place with the substitution of goddess Pattini as one of the four guardian deities. The Esala perahera ritual complex is followed by the Devale peraheras from July 24 to 28; the Kumbal perahera from July 29 to August 2, and the Randoli perahera from August 3 to 7, and ends on the following day, by noon, after the day perahera. The devale peraheras return to their respective devales and the Dalada perahera to the Maligawa. Thus the grand festival comes to an end. To make the required 'kapa' logs, a few days before the new-moon in August, the 'kapuralas' of the four devales select a young and healthy jak tree (Artocarpus integrifolia), which has borne no fruit, clear the ground under it, fumigate the tree with resin and implore any 'devata' (earth-bound god) dwelling on it, to move away before felling the tree. Thereafter, it is cut into four equal parts and the logs are installed within the devales, at the auspicious time. In the old days, the consecrated logs were installed outside the devales, but today they are placed within, each on an elevated platform to signify its sacredness. For five days, from the date of installations of the 'kapu' logs, the 'kapuralas', in the customary manner, go around their devales in the evenings, to the sound of drums and flute, carrying with them the sacred insignia of the gods. These little processions are known as Devale peraheras. On the fifth day, the insignia of each god and goddess are carried on the back of elephants, having placed in a 'ranhilige' (a golden howdah) dedicated to each deity, in the company of the Basnayake Nilames of the devales, their retinues, dancers and drummers. These devale peraheras, at the appointed time, assemble in front of the Dalada Maligawa to join the Dalada perahera. The officials of the Maligawa busy themselves in making arrangements to place the Relic bearing casket in the 'ranhilige' specially reserved for it, and to have it tied on to the back of the caparisoned Maligawa tusker. The Maligawa perahera joins the devale peraheras giving the lead to move on. This is known as the Kumbal perahera, after which comes the Randoli perahera, said to be an expanded version of the Kumbal perahera. To the Randoli perahera are added the palanquins of the four devales. These contain the ornaments of the goddesses, sword and pitcher or each devale. The Randoli perahera is the best of the peraheras which lasts for five days. It is a grand show highlighting the occasion and most people get to Kandy to witness this perahera on the night of the last day, when the Dalada perahere makes its way to the Asgiriya vihara. The four devale peraheras, carrying the insignia of the gods and the goddess, plus the 'randoli' make their way to the Getambe ferry for the water-cutting ritual or the 'diya-kepeema'. At the ferry, the 'kapuralas' of the four devales are led in a decorated boat to a reasonable depth, and each cleaves the water with the sacred sword and, at once, fills the pitcher from the place where the sword touched the water, to be kept in the devale for one year, to be fed into the ferry at the next water-cutting ceremony. This last ritual is woven into the fabric of mythology, reminiscent of king Gajabahu. The king, having heard of the Cholian invasion of the island, during the reign of his father Vankanasika Tissa, and the taking away of 12000 captives from Sri Lanka, summoned his herculian soldier Nila and directed him to go and bring back the captives. 'Nila by using his massive rod, cleft the waters of the Indian ocean, and walked to India, and brought back the captives, along with an equal number of Cholians as captives, the sacred anklet of goddess Pattini and the bowl relic of the Buddha'. Most devale peraheras follow this practice, and it has become part and parcel of worship of the divine. On their return, the devale peraheras stop at the Ganadevi kovil-en route, and the assembled crowds receive the blessing of the god, in the form of a 'tilaka' of sandlewood paste, which the 'kapurala' places as a 'prasada' invoking the blessing of the god. Ganesha with the elephant head is a popular god of the Hindu pantheon known for his wisdom. He is the elder son of god Iswera and a brother of god Skanda or the god Kataragama. Although Buddhists do not propitiate god Ganesha, the merger of Hindu practices has made them to receive the 'tilaka' in the form of divine blessing. In the afternoon, the perahera of the four devales is formed again to go to Asgiriya vihara, and join the Maligawa perahera stationed there. Thus the full procession is formed again, and it is known as the day perahera, which goes along the streets prescribed, until the Dalada perahera breaks away to return to the Maligawa and replace the casket in its original sanctuary. The devale peraheras, likewise, adjourn to their respective devales. It is of interest to note how the Dalada perahera came to be merged with the devale peraheras. It is said that the bhikkus, headed by the Maha Thera Upali, who came to Sri Lanka in 1775, from Siam (now Thailand), in the Dutch vessel Oscarbel, to restore the defunct 'upasampada' (the highest ordination for bhikkus), coincided with the Esala perahera conducted annually to appease the gods and goddesses, believed to be the divine protectors of the country. When the Thai bhikkus heard the noise of jingalls (large swivel muskets of Indian origin), inquired from king Kirti Sri Rajasinha the cause for all that noise. The king told them that preparations were under way for celebrating the Esala festival in honour of the guardian gods. As soon as they heard so, they took umbrage at it and expressed their sole disapproval in giving preference to Hindu practices in a country where Buddhism was the established religion. They said that they were surprised to hear that Hinduism had triumphed over Buddhism. In order to appease the bhikkus, the king assured them that the perahera was mainly intended to glorify the Tooth Relic of the Buddha. In order to convince them, the king proclaimed that the Tooth Relic too should be taken in the perahera, but ahead of the devale peraheras. At the same time, the king dedicated his own howdah (a small gilded dome or cupola) known as 'ranhilige', which he used when riding on the back of the state elephant. Since then no king used the 'ranhilige' which was exclusive set apart to carry the sacred Relic. This practice is still followed making the Dalada perahera to move ahead of the devale peraheras. In the old days the Esala perahera was held in the month Esala (July), but now it is held in August. The reason is said to be that the holding of the perahera was banned in 1915, due to the Sinhala-Muslim riots. But, it was held in 1919, in the month August, which practice is said to exist to this day. In 1828, the Dalada perahera consisted of (1) the Peramune Rala carrying the 'lekam-miti' and riding the Yahaletenne elephant, (2) the Gajanayaka Nilame carrying the symbolic goad and his retinue carrying the elephant flag, (3) the Kodituwakku Nilame, his retinue, soldiers and flag, (4) the Disava of Four Korales and his retinue with the sun and moon flag, (5) the Disava of Matale and his retinue with the white flag, (6) the Disava of Seven Korales and his retinue with the lion flag, (7) the Disava of Sabaragamuwa and his retinue with the yellow flag, (8) the Disava of Walapone and his retinue with the peacock flag, and (9) the Disava of Udapalatha and his retinue with the lotus flag. Today, the wagon of the Dalada perahera has changed with the extinction of old elements and the substitution of new ones at various stages in keeping with changes that develop with the passage of time. It is said that during the Kandyan times 'two peraheras were held, one by evening and one by night, at least during the Randoli perahera'. The dance of the balibat caste (those who are engaged in exorcising evil spirits), after the Waliyak-netuma, was a ritual that existed in the good old days. The introduction of the 'Ves' dance to the perahera by Punch Banda Nugawela Nilame, who was the Diyawadana Nilame (1916-1937), gave a freshness of life to the renowned dance which is considered sacred. The magnificent head-dress, known as 'ves-tattuwa' and worn by the Kandyan dancers is protected by certain taboos, since the dance is said to be of divine origin. This head-gear is a semi-circular tiara composed of a series of silver-plated ornamental wooden pieces fixed to one another. Little glimmering silver 'Bo' leaves hang from the outer edge of the tiara and the forehead plate. Behind the tiara is a set of silver spikes jutting upwards. An embroidered ribbon, usually red, fixed to the spikes, trails down the back of the dancer. This special head-gear is not worn without the full regalia of the Kandyan Dancer's costume. In the old days, the 'ves-tattuwa' was held in great veneration, and it was deposited in the temple when not in use, to safeguard it from dirt and dust and other impurities. The introduction of 'ves-dancing' to the Kandy Esala perahera had its beginning in 1917. In the past, the 'Ves' was confined to the ritual of the Kohomba-kankariya performed at the Vishnu devale in Kandy. At the end of the perahera, the Waliyak-netuma was danced in all the four devales, one not surpassing the other in performance. Kohomba-kankariya is danced at the Vishnu devale for seven days to bring the Esala festival to a close. Among the rural folk of the Kandyan region, the cult of Kohomba remains the most elaborate and spectacular ritual conforming to dance, music, drama and embellished by arts and crafts. The benedictions attributed to the Kohomba-kankariya range from relief sought during illness to calamities such as pestilence suffered by the community. It is one of our ancient rituals that extends back deep into the country's legendary past. According to one story, Vijaya and Kuveni had two children. Yet Vijaya who was to be consecrated king, wanted a maiden of noble birth to be his bride. The daughter of king Pandu was brought to Sri Lanka from South India. The dejected Kuveni cursed Vijaya who died without issue. The course lingered on and gravely afflicted king Panduvasudeva, who suffered from an illness for which there was no cure. Sakra, the king of the gods, indicated that the only way Panduvasudeva could be cured was by one not born of woman, i.e., Malaraja. According to legend, the king was afflicted with 'divi-dos' (evil of the leopard). The king was frightened out of sleep by the appearance of a supernatural leopard and was taken ill. It was only by performing 'Kohombakankariya' that the king was saved. This ritual seems to be fast dying since high expenditure has made the perpetuation of the dance well-night impossible under the existing economic hardships. It is said that 'the traditional 'Kohomba kankariya' would stretch over seven days and nights and involve the whole village in its preparation and execution'. The Dalada perahera held in honour of the Tooth Relic of the Buddha has an authentic history from the time the Relic was brought to the island in 311 AD., by prince Danta of Ujjain and princess Hemamala of Kalinga (now Orissa) during the reign of Kirti Sri Meghavarna alias Kitsirimevan. (302 - 330). Since then it remained the palladium of regal authority, and with the transfer of power, the kings removed it to be kept in their capitals. During foreign invasions and usurpations, it was taken to places of safety in order to protect it from wilful damage or harm. |
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