To Forgive is Divine!

To forgive one needs courage. Merely ignore or turn our face from those who have offended us is not courage. It is behaning like an ostrich or the proverbial cat which closes its eyes and thinks that the world is dark! There is a very apt Kural (by the great Tamil scholar-philosopher-Valluvar) which says "Inna saidarai oruththal, avar nana nannayam saiduvidal" meaning the best way to show our response to those who did us wrong is to do something good to them! But to do so, you must have courage.

A step further, to forgive those who did not offend you personally yet 'sinned', you need to shed your ego and become thereby divine. Lord Jesus forgave those who crucified him and also those two thieves who were crucified with him. That single act shows that in his physical form as Jesus of Nazereth he showed the courage. In his true form as God's Son, he forgave everyone who sinned!

Forgiving is not about merely 'not taking offence'. It is in forgiving that we tend to invoke the divinity in the other person also and help him to elevate his soul. It is for this effort to elevate a fellow being from the clutches of ordinary emotions and make him see the higher plane of consciousness that we say 'to forgive is divine'. 

Small Things in Life!!

There are a number of things which you can write about but what remains etched in memory are those that touch your heart. They could be from trauma to trivia or from triumph to temptations.

During our recent visit to Gangtok (Sikkim), on two days we hired the same taxi, an Alto, driven by Anup. He was Sikkimese, a Buddhist, bachelor and about 25 years of age. Contrary to the slit or small eyes, he had bulging big eyes, sported a scrabble on his lower jaw and a thin pony tail that resembled (pardon me, Anup!) a rat’s tail!! What made the impact was his easy going chitchat, friendly disposition and one of the most polite behaviors that I have experienced of cabbies.

He talked incessantly, pleasantly recounting stories of Sikkim and other trivia about the places that we were visiting. He always had something to say of a place that made you smile or say “oh!!!” He would choose to play songs that Sashank (my son) could sing along or Chitra (my wife) would say once more please!. He would hold the door for my wife to get in or out of the car. He would come out with wise quips on education, women, politics or as to why the younger generation must study and work hard to make their future.

When Chitra asked whether he was married he would say, “How can I, when my elder brother is still a bachelor? Ladki tak nahi dekhunga jab tak uska shaadi nahi ho jata”. On politics, “apna ghar achcha hona karke sochna nahi, sir, public achcha hona karke sochna hein”. The best was on Chinese goods,” MADE IN CHINA, EK DO MAHINA!!”.

He was only a cabby and received his payment for the tour that he took us around. But then, there are things beyond money that always manage to touch the heart. No job is great, until you manage to touch someone’s heart!!          

Simply (beautiful) Sikkim!

Recently we went to Sikkim on a short break. A travelogue though would be in order, certain things that we saw and experienced are a must to share:

• Gangtok is the cleanest hill station we have seen till date. Ooty, Kodai, Lonavla, Darjeeling, Shillong and some lesser known locations that we have seen earlier pale in comparison with the city roads, markets and places of interest.
• MG road is a good example for many cities to follow - no vehicles, tiled & broad walkways lined with good shops/eateries, ornamental street lamps and flowers/fountains are a treat to your senses.I was reminded of the Farmers Market in Los Angeles!!
• An over 10 km long tiled pedastrian walkway along the road could be found elsewhere. But you will find Sikkimese religiously using it and meticulously avoiding crisscrossing of the roads. In the process, the motorists are free to drive without the usual nightmares on Indian roads.
• No spitting on the roads or malls or elsewhere which is the bane of the complete sub Himalayan belt from Delhi to Timbaktoo in North East!
• There are no traffic lights in Gangtok. You will find handsomely clad policemen in blue uniform at every juncture controlling traffic. I heard they are open to bribe. But it did not seem to have any effect on traffic discipline, and that matters.
• There are CCTV cameras in street corners to watch how households dispose off their garbage. You throw it on the street and you get a ticket for Rs 200. Worse, you will have to pick up the garbage and throw it into the bin, after you pay the fine. No wonder the streets are clean.
• Most polite cab drivers who can fluently converse in English and Hindi I have seen till now. And they are honest.
• Gangtok does not welcome plastic bags! You cannaot get carry bags of plastic in any shop. They hand u in the purchase in lovely brown paper bags. PLEASE, PLEASE NOTE!! 
• Gentle speech and manners of Sikkimese is a treat to watch.
• The snow clad mountains and deep green forests are a visual treat beyond description!

Anyone looking for a break? Gangtok strongly recommended. Simply Sikkim, beautiful!!

Anna Hazare's campaign against Corruption

Corruption in all its forms has eaten into the soul of India. We as a nation must stand united against this menace and this movement is not about philosophy, fame or a fleeting issue. It is about securing to ourselves a governance that is accountable for its action; of securing a voice to the down trodden; a mission that will make our country truely 'saare jahanse achcha, Hindustan hamara!'. It is about actually giving unto ourselves 'a socialist, secular, democratic Republic' for which we took a oath in the form of our Constitution on the 26th Jan 1956. Stand together, friends, and let us put our voices together against corruption!

Let The Sun Rise Again!

The devastation in Japan is beyond comprehension to those unaffected by the calamitous events. For those affected, the dimensions are so huge that it would beat their imagination. Our conscience as humans stands in solemn solidarity with Japanese people in this hour of their crisis.

Once before, in 1945, Japan was destroyed to ashes by man made events. Not withstanding the role of Japanese in their own destruction, the world witnessed the steely resolve with which they rose again as a phoenix from their own ash into a giant. The Emperor, Hirohito, is credited by history as the man who foresaw the doom and built Japan back into a mighty giant.

Sixty five years later, Japan is now in the throngs of a calamity much greater than what it lived through. The character, resolve, committment and sense of purpose of Japanese are under challenge yet again. Only, this time nature played villain. The last time, the world did no sympathies with the Japanese. But this moment calls for solidarity and support much more in measure than what earlier could have been.

Pray, give support and assist in all ways that we can to reinforce our own faith in ourselves as people of this planet!   

There is a time to Pray!

LWe all have faced those little moments in life when things do not look bright and the world around seems to spin out of control. This is one such moment in our history as humans, when we find a huge tract of humanity from Tunisia to Iraq seem to be in turmoil. The agitations that are spreading across these nations are an apparent calling of their conscience to bring home governments that would help them achieve their aspirations that have remained suppressed for decades. The economic disparity that seems to have widened between the haves and have-nots, growing unemployment and lack of responsive governance in countries of this region seems to have added fuel to the fire.

There is a huge lesson in store for every country in the world in the happenings of the Middle East. People today are not as tolerant to misrule as they were in the last century. People want good and responsive governance that would help them achieve their rightful aspirations. In other words, people want to control their destinies! The time has come for democracy everywhere and to uphold the rule of law!

Let us pray that these aspirations come true. Let us pray that democratic values find themselves embedded in all countries and that peoples everywhere get to enjoy their rights (as well as fulfill their duties) and live harmonious lives! Let us pray that violence and bloodshed are not the paths that the world takes to anymore and let peace prevail across continents! 

 

The Will of People

The 18 day revolution in Egypt is a demonstration of the will of people. It shows that people power can change political machinations and wrest the most powerful from their pedestal. It is also an indication of things to come in countries where years of misrule have brought only miseries to their citizens. There are many lessons to be learnt from Egypt's story. Amazing growth (economically) if not matched by distribution of wealth leads to discontent. People in all rungs of the society have a right to partake in the prosperity of the country. As the Mahatma Gandhi said " Though equality is the ideal, since it can not be achieved, I work towards equitability", every leader across the world must work towards equitability. Lest, prosperity may lead to discontent and prompt revolutions like in Egypt.

Though Egyptians have succeeded in their bid to change the ruler, let us pray that they also demonstrate an equal commitment to instal democratic institutions in their country. Let us hope the military leadership facilitates a change over to democracy and yet again prove that the will of the people prevail!   

Mass Rapes in South Kivu: DRC

UN recently observed with concern the rape of 67 women by soldiers in South Kivu, DR Congo. The incident is reported to have occurred on the New Year eve. What a terrible beginning for the victims, who otherwise possibly would have looked forward to a new year in which their lives could have been better.

Crimes against women are perpetrated with impunity across the world, since most legal systems demand exacting standards of evidence and the trauma apart, the victim is made to relive the horror a dozen times during the trial. That is to say in normal societies. In societies torn by internecine wars - mooted for political, racial and other such concerns, the state of victims is worse. For years the international mechanism will debate, legal intervention will come forth only when 'powerful' sympathizers will call for action (moving the security Council to intervene is not at the will of a hapless victim gang-raped in the wilderness of Africa, or is it?) Then the perpetrators will abscond and an international search will be done to apprehend. The trials will commence, and every fair opportunity will be given to the accused to defend himself. At the end of it all, he (or they) will be incarcerated.

Yes, it is a long process and could be exasperating. It is a challenge to international community and the conscience of humanity. But we need to do this. A little more, if possible, to hasten this process and find foolproof mechanisms to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice quickly.

We need to, as people of the world, set aside our parochial concerns and come together for common cause. This is not about moral obligation to fellow beings, it is about our duty to ourselves; about giving our children a world where they can live without fear; about creating a comity of nations committed to human values sans politics!

Let us put our voices, thoughts and pens together for a world that is free of crimes against women and world that is accountable for its actions!   


 

Defending The Defenders

In a recent visit to India, UN Rapporteur Margaret Sekaggya, called upon the Govt to promulgate an act to defend the Human Rights defenders. Democratic governments owe it to their citizens such measures. World over, though we have embraced universal standards of Human Rights, abuse of such rights by government machinery as well as autocratic regimes and groups remains a major concern.

Fair and equal treatment before law, freedom from arbitrary arrest and confinement without trial, freedom from torture and de-human treatment are some of the most fundamental of rights of citizens everywhere. Racial and religious marginalization of peoples, persecution in the name of ideologies and denial of fundamental rights in the name of security concerns are plagues that have refused to wither away.

Individuals in governance as well as in the streets have to look at these issues with a clear conscience and uphold them in every which way - through law, action and support. we are humans and we need to set standards of living that are human! Defending the defenders is a moral duty, since they have shown the courage and conviction that many policy makers do not have! We need to support them by our thoughts, prayers and actions!     

We owe it to Haiti!

In a recent report published by RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights, the plight of Haitians for access to clean drinking water was highlighted. Haiti is rated as 147th out of 147 countries on Water Poverty Index. Worse, the report indicates that US has blocked the loan from IDB for water related projects in Haiti that would have made the lives of Haitians better.

We, as the world, have certain obligations to one another, not withstanding the racial, political, liguistic and other differences that may influence our actions on other planes. We are human first and all human must have free access to water, air and food to survive. These are not merely fundamental Human Rights. These are inalienable Rights of all humans, because we are born human. Governments and Rulers across the world must not forget that unless we make what is available aplenty in nature to everyone, they will fail in the foremost duty to mankind.

There is a thought provoking line in one of Subramanya Bharathi's (a patriotic Tamil poet who lived during the Indian freedom movement) poem -" Thani oruvanukku unau illaiyel, jagathinai erithiduvom" meaning, 'if one human does not get food, we will burn down the evil world'. The poem was about how the new India will emerge, how all the rivers will be linked to provide water to every region in the country, how foodgrain production will be increased and how everything in plenty will be made available to all Indians. In such a country where everything is aplenty, if one individual does not get food, such a world should be burnt down.

The inequalities in the world would continue to persist. There would always be rich and poor nations. There would remain political, regional and racial divides. Yeah, we will continue to work for removing these differences so that we can be one world and one people.In the mean while, let us not forget that we, inspite of all our differences, are still humans only! This basic fact can not and should not be obliterated due to other considerations. 'We are the world, we are the children' -such simple world yet so true, from Michael Jackson!

Let us do our duty to Haiti, and all other Haitis in other parts of the world. Share and we will be one. Give, because that way we will receive!

     

No one killed Jessica !

The movie 'No one killed Jessica' is an interesting insight into the system of criminal justice, role of media on social issues and journalistic courage. More importantly, it is about reinforcing a common man's belief in Justice. For every Jessica who got justice (may God keep her soul in peace), there are hundreds of others who have no means to obtain the same. Crime against ordinary citizens in countries across the world is a matter of great concern since it is these common men and women who need a system of governance to take care of their lives and grievances.

One of the important lessons from Jessica's case is about witness protection. Apart from deficiencies in the Indian legal system on the issue, attitude of law makers, police and Judiciary on the subject need a serious makeover in order to ensure that ordinary citizens get courage to speak up for justice. In societies where poverty, social inequalities and marginalisation prevail, justice suffers due to the lack of sufficient protection to witnesses.

The International Criminal Court's model on witness protection program and procedures is a good example of such a step that may be replicated within the ambit of criminal law system of any country. It is time that such issues beget serious consideration of law makers every where so that Jessicas of the world get faster justice!   

Managing Conflicts in Organisations

Introduction

1.         Productivity in any organization depends on various factors like well defined organizational objectives, optimal manpower, infrastructure and efficient team work. An intrinsic factor that poses great challenge in the work place and impacts productivity negatively is conflict that arises in the environment. Conflicts in work place arise in every conceivable dimension, viz,

·                    Inter departmental conflicts

·                    Inter personal conflicts

·                    Internal conflicts within individuals

Managing Inter Departmental Conflicts

2.         Conflicts between departments arise when their objectives are at cross roads and tangentially differ from company objectives. At times, rivalry due to differences in perception amongst people in charge of departments gets transformed into departmental rivalries. Top management has the onerous responsibility to be sensitive to factors that result in such conflict and resolve them through skillful management and re-orientation. Training people in leadership positions and building teamwork ethos at higher level management are crucial to prevent these conflicts from damaging company performance. A functioning and open channel of communication, both vertical and lateral, is vital in any organization. Effective and clear channel of communication mitigates most of the causes of conflicts.

Managing Inter Personal Conflicts

3.         These occur at all levels of interaction primarily due to perceptional differences. Sensitivity to ethno-social differences, empathy and transparency in HR policies are fundamental to minimize conflict situations. Managements generally believe that employees end up at odds with each other due to jealousy, lack of attitude and unhealthy competition. There is also a tendency to brand an employee who voices his opinions as ‘rebellious’ or ‘attention seeker’. This is not always true. Across the spectrum, employees have a deep sense of right & wrong, as much as the management does. Since the management knows the ‘big picture’, employees’ perception may seem unviable or even down right silly. Under such conditions there is a tendency to force the decisions ‘down the throat’ resulting in conflicts. In my experience, I find that this is counter productive. When faced with such situations, it would be better to take the employees into confidence and make them appreciate the need to adopt a particular course of action (of course, without divulging what they ought not to know!). Needless to say, a lot of tact and conviction to convince are needed in these moments to resolve a crisis. Employees usually surprise you by their willing cooperation when you tell them why we need to do what we intend to do. Remember that leadership is not about taking people where you want them to reach; it is about showing them how to reach where they want to reach.

4.         Interpersonal conflicts have a purely personal dimension too at work places. People tend to bicker and quarrel when they find that they are marginalized, not given their due, or perceive bias. Professional jealousy indeed is a matter to reckon with. However, one also finds that in organizations where the objectives of all functions are well defined; the pace of work is healthy; reward mechanism is both tangible and prompt (not all rewards need to be monetary, ‘good show’ pats work wonders too!), minor irritants dissolve automatically and major ones do not get time to seed and grow. Internal audit of work environment, removal of procedural hurdles to professional achievements and opportunities to growth through a healthy and fair process of talent spotting are some of the steps an organization needs to take to minimizing grouse and conflicts in work environment.

Managing Internal Conflicts within Individuals

5.         One may wonder why this is relevant to an organization. As individuals, we all have various pressures playing on our minds all the time. Needs of the family, duty to parents, education of children, acquisition of property and comforts for life, saving for rainy days and various such factors constantly work on our subconscious. These tend to distract an individual at times from the tasks at hand. Add to them the demands and pressures of the work place as well as the justifiable anxiety for professional advancement, one can understand the complexity of pressures playing upon our minds. These pressures find a crack at the office or at home and invariably explode. Worse, we find that some of the most efficient employees suddenly become obstructionist, difficult or even, demotivated. Sadly, some even opt to end their lives, unable to cope up with these pressures.

6.         It would sound logical to say that an organization could not care less, if an employee is ‘weak’ in his mind. But saying so only reflects the organization’s inability to understand that people are its strongest asset. Processes and machines can only deliver when its people do. And, everyone counts. It takes years of experience (at organisation’s expense) to produce a good workman. Just letting him go makes a vacuum that is not only difficult to fill but may take as many years too.

7.         The family of the employee who chooses such a path loses the bread winner and adds to the social responsibilities of the society at large.

8.         Therefore, there are professional, moral and social responsibilities on an organization to help an individual find answers to his troubles. Professionally, there ought to be policies and programs that cater to the individual’s need for recreation, medical cover, travel, housing and insurance. A purposeful counseling mechanism that can help him find answers to his other worries is also needed. The message that organization ‘cares for you’ is one that every employee must get from every facet of its functioning and climate.       

 

Conclusion

    

9.         There is also a newer dimension to managing inter departmental conflicts. A controlled and ‘guided’ conflict can result in greater productivity. It is like the conduct of war. The organization must know the stakes, be prepared for ‘necessary’ losses, regulate it to minimize ‘collateral’ damage and declare ‘ceasefire’ the moment the goal is realized. It is what it sounds – a game. But then, that is what leadership and management is all about. Those who do not want to aspire and grow by taking challenges can not run corporations. They may well be saints!

Crimes against women in Cote de Ivoire

“No longer can heads of State, and other actors, be sure that they can commit atrocious violations and get away with it,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said in Geneva , announcing that she had written a letter “in the strongest terms” to Laurent Gbagbo, who insists that he won November’s run-off elections despite international recognition of opposition leader Alassane Ouattara as the clear victor.
The Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay's letter to President Laurent Gbagbo of Ivory Coast (Cote De Ivoire) is a wake up call to regimes that use state power to abuse citizens. She was right in observing that eads of State who indulge in such atrocities will no more go unheeded and the International Justice mechanism will render necessary justice.

After the ICTR, rulers every where must keep in mind that ethnic cleansing and crimes against women are monstrosities that the International Community will no more tolerate. Not with standing the monetary or political compulsions, nations must unite in such common cause to eradicate the malaise of innocents being victimized for political ends.

Voices big and small, individually and as nations, must unite to bring strictures on countries that indulge in such practices and justice to the victims of such crimes.