strengthening respect for republican principles

” was presented before the Council of Ministers. It marks the French President’s intention to fight against “

” and seeks to punish behaviour considered “

 after its first perusal by the National Assembly on 16th February 2021.

According to the government, the main aim of the bill is to “

,” safeguard and further secularise public services, as well as initiate obligations for lucidity in the exercise of worship. The French government is now in the process of terminating organizations and closing mosques, based on the vague notion of ‘

‘. In the state of emergency, ‘radicalization’ was often used as a substitute for ‘

The French government further launched “

” wave of measures to battle what it calls religious “

”, targeting 76 mosques surmised of “

 said 76 mosques out of the more than 2,600 Muslim places of worship had been flagged as a conceivable danger to France’s Republican values.

I will not allow anybody to claim that France, or its government, is fostering racism against Muslims

Macron decided to blame current incidents on “

secularism is the cement of a united France

.” However, rather than affirming equal respect for all religions, France’s brand of secularism, known as “

”, has been actively weaponized to battle the so-called “

negation of our principles, gender equality and human dignity.

 is not only hypocritical in its application of “

” by using state neutrality as a defence to attack the country’s marginalized community, notably, 

; but also sedulously promoting a threatful policy that will further split France and fuel radicalization.

The pessimistic use of republican symbols and conceptualization for cheap politicking is nothing new in France. The despise for headscarves, and other Muslim religious coverings first began to rear its head in 2016, when municipal officials prohibited women from wearing the 

, a women’s swimsuit designed to provide maximal coverage, on the grounds of protecting Laïcité and preventing public disruption. Similar scepticism exists towards other non-Christian faiths. On the contrary, when a Catholic nun was told to change her religious outfit or face eviction from her retirement home in 

, France, this condition was swiftly deemed a mistake and rectified, even prompting the mayor of the town to beg for the nun’s pardon.

This clear hypocrisy reaches its height in the education system, which is peculiarly bothersome, as it influences young minds. The French government has prohibited showy religious symbols from being worn inside schools. Although the ruling ostensibly applies to all religions, numerous Muslim girls could no longer wear their headscarves, while the ruling’s application to Christianity only spoke of crucifixes above a certain size. Such a religious partiality could edify children into believing that some religions are more acceptable than others and how one chooses to express their religion could be erroneous.

“If we stay at home, they say we are submissive. If we speak up and take action, they say that we are not allowed to do so.”

 has inculpated the French government of doubling down “

on their perpetual smear campaign against French Muslims

” as a means of censoring the voice of the country’s Muslim community. Moreover, the ongoing crackdowns in France led Amnesty International to say that “

The French government is not the champion of free speech that it likes to think it is.”

” freedom of expression, no default conduct for everybody to agree upon. The granted freedom has limits: 

. Relatively, cultural sensitivities have always delimited and will always curb the freedom of expression. For a person to thrust their standard of freedom of expression on another is nothing more than cultural imperialism. Yet the French political class loves to insist that the French, European “

” is innately superior to those of non-European minorities, especially Muslims.

Nonetheless, researchers and academics have indicated that France’s housing policies, bias, and racial prejudices are extensive factors hindering the country’s ability to blend dissimilar communities.

Laïcité: An Irony

The Chinese government continues to disavow the 

 of the residents of China. Their breach of human rights had formed a long list which includes freedom of expression, freedom of press, labor rights, religious liberty, right to health, and a lot more. Apart from the denial of these basic rights other inequities include lack of land rights, one-child policy, dearth of internet and media freedom, the death penalty, persecution of people for religious beliefs, harassment of activists and dissidents. Moreover, the Chinese government is barbaric towards ethnic groups and there is valid evidence supporting this statement.

 continued unabated under the trickery of ‘

Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (Xinjiang)

. Movement to and from Tibet remains highly cramped, conspicuously for journalists, academics, and human rights organisations, making it exceedingly difficult to investigate and document the human rights affairs in the region. Foreign journalists face 

, as well as systematic delays to and refusals of visa renewals. Chinese and other tech firms operating outside China blocked what the government adjudged politically delicate content, augmenting its censorship standards internationally.

, protests burst when education authorities decided to outplace 

 in several classes in the zonal schools. Tibet met a similar fate when authorities continued to brutally restrict religious freedom, speech, movement, and assembly and failed to reparate popular consternation about mining and seizing of land by local officials, which often involve intimidation and unlawful use of force by security forces.

 (a Ph.D. student) and others assert that historical disputes between the 

 have been used by some Han Chinese to legitimize and fuel anti-Muslim beliefs and prejudices in contemporary China.

 that number about 11 million in Xinjiang in north-western China) at camps in the north-west region of Xinjiang, where allegations of 

 have emerged. China has denied the imputations of abuse, claiming the camps are “re-education” facilities used to combat terrorism. Women in China’s “re-education” camps for Uighurs have been consistently 

, according to detailed new accounts obtained by the 

. First-hand accounts from inside the internment camps are sporadic, but several former detainees and guards have told the BBC they experienced or saw evidence of an 

 of mass rape, sexual abuse, and torture.

 groups say the Chinese government has gradually denuded the religious and other freedoms of the Uighurs, culminating in an oppressive system of 

. It alleges that Uighur women and other ethnic minorities are threatened in the camps for repudiating to abort pregnancies that exceed birth quotas meanwhile China denies these allegations, calling them “

 said the treatment of Uighurs amounted to “

appalling violations of the most basic human rights

Various countries have contributed their share of criticisms, though weakly. The 

‘ against Uighurs. Human Rights groups believe that China detained up to a million Uighurs over the past few years in what the state designated as “

 has taken a stronger stance against the Chinese government’s human rights abuses. Japan has also been modestly responsive to the Chinese government’s groundless detention of more than a million Turkic Muslims.

more executions in China than the rest of the world

 amalgamated. There are no officially published statistics but activists are convinced that thousands are executed and sentenced to death in China annually.

“The candle burns not for us, but for all those whom we failed to rescue from prison, who were shot on the way to prison, who were tortured, who were kidnapped, who ‘disappeared’. That’s what the candle is for.”

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of The Jamia Review or its members.

China’s Oppression: One of the Most Pressing Human Rights Issues of our Time

“IF the living in India did not speak, the dead will not remain silent.”

The unstoppable second wave of COVID-19 has turned into a nightmare in our country. After a decline in the number of daily cases and deaths in India from September 2020 to mid February 2021, 

. Over 0.175 million people have died due to COVID-19 as of April 17, 2021. There has been nearly a sixty percent increase in new deaths in recent weeks. A closer look at the daily new deaths shows that over 

2,000 people are dying on an average every day

The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic devastates the country, and its healthcare system wobbles on the rim of collapse. The apocalyptic scenes of funeral pyres are grisly. The present condition of India’s hospitals is overwhelming. Devastating sights of people dying while waiting for hospital beds, the beds are filled with patients in critical respiratory distress, the hospital’s oxygen supplies are running perilously low. Fatal shortages have fuelled allegations that 

Narendra Modi’s government failed to prepare the country for a second wave

 after seeing off the first last year. India’s truck fleet has been unable to cope, prompting a frantic rush by officials, hospitals and families for oxygen supplies. The Modi government has also been accused of being impuissant in strengthening India’s medical oxygen infrastructure. Last year It announced plans to build more than 150 “pressure swing adsorption” generators at hospitals. These are small production units that are relatively quick to install. But the health ministry revealed that only 33 had been completed, with a total of 80 due to be finished by the end of May.

Here’s how the world is reacting towards India’s overwhelming situation: “

The situation in India is beyond heartbreaking

WHO is doing everything we can, providing critical equipment and supplies

Modi flounders in India’s gigantic second wave

”, in The Times, London, have been typical of the coverage that the Prime Minister has been receiving as the daily count of new COVID cases has barrelled past 300,000. The Times has confounded the government’s rejoinder to the latest coronavirus wave, saying it has “

underscored the air of complacency and denial that have dogged his government’s response to the crisis

.” An equally ferocious headline in The Guardian said “

The system has collapsed: India’s descent into Covid hell

.” The Washington Post divided the onus between, “

more contagious variants of the virus, as well as an early relaxation of restrictions and a slow-moving vaccination campaign.

” In another article, it also described baleful vaccine paucity in various states.

COVID-19 related deaths would be difficult to estimate in India, owing to the problems of reporting, trailing and detecting, and comorbidities. But the counts of infection and deaths both seemed tremendously low. By any measure the real figures are probably far higher. Instead of exploring this, the media seemed to celebrate the somewhat pointless metric of the “recovery rate”, which, in any event, would be asymmetrical for all the reasons just mentioned.

But information about a deadly virus and its impact is hard to contain within a political narrative. COVID-19 cannot be shouted down by pro-Modi trolls, nor can the coverage of the very real tragedy unfolding in India – of deaths ascending, overrun hospitals, and crematoria literally melting from running nonstop for days – could be framed as an anti-India international press.

Does this government really have the account of the dead bodies or can it feel the immense pain of its own people?

” The mask-less election rallies which took place a few days back in West Bengal, attended by thousands of voters itself elucidate government’s concern for its citizens.

Modi Government’s Remissness to Trounce the Second Wave

 is cruelly allowing Jewish-Israeli settlers to steal Palestinian homes in 

, the Palestinian neighborhood in occupied east 

. Under International Law, East Jerusalem legally belongs to the Palestinian territories but Israel is apathetic towards this and has been illegally occupying it for decades. The conflict started in 1948, and only exists because of Zionists terrorist groups who ethnically cleansed, massacred and destroyed over 540 Palestinian towns and villages. They are also responsible for the displacement of over 7.2 million Palestinian refugees and continue to deny them their legal right to return.

Not only muslims but Palestinian Jews, like the Samaritans who reside in 

‘, when I say Israel I am referring to a group of people, a group of settlers (settler colonialism is a form of colonialism that seeks to replace the native population of colonised land with new society of settlers), who are colonising Palestine. The point being, the suffering of the Palestinians is not just religious conflict.

Israel continues to discriminate against Palestinian citizens in areas of planning, budget allocation, policing and political participation. According to the 

Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel

, Israel maintains over 65 laws that discriminate against Palestinians. Israeli soldiers, police and ISA officers continue to torture and otherwise ill-treat Palestinian detainees, including children, with indemnity. Reported methods include 

use of stress positions and threats of savagery against family members

, sometimes lasting months, was commonly used as retribution. Israeli forces intermittently denied medical help for Palestinians abused during law enforcement activities.

After the Israeli demolition of the 800-year-old 

 in August 1969, the annihilation of worshippers on many occasions, and now, the unrepentant attacks on 

, highlight Israel’s unchecked behaviour. This is a direct consequence of Israel divulging its true face of fanaticism, racism, and extended occupation. It is pointless to call this Israeli government right-wing. Its basic structure is, as always, a settlers’ regime that now wants to certify its full control of what is left of 

 and to make Jerusalem the unequivocal political and religious capital of Greater Israel.

, Israeli forces stormed worshippers inside Al-Masjid Al-Qibla in Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied east Jerusalem’s old city with 

stun grenades, rubber bullets and tear gas

 effectively trapping hundreds of people inside, including many children, 

 Palestinians. They also attacked a medical clinic inside the mosque’s compound. Tensions escalated after Palestinian worshippers protested against fresh Israeli settlement. This is what is being done to them when they raise their voice against injustice, their lands and homes being terrorized and stolen. 

This is apartheid, this is oppression, this is injustice

. And fighting against this despotic regime is a collective responsibility.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”

 Palestine and the world is doing nothing about it. Now the question here arises: 

Why is the world, the powerful countries not raising their voice about human rights violations in Palestine?

How are Israelis able to do that to Palestinians?

it’s because they have the support of other settler colonies like the United States, Australia, Canada and also they are being supported by former colonial powers like the United Kingdom, France, Belgium and others

. For them to call out ‘Israel’, they would have to start to answer questions about their own quiddity, about reparations and justice, for the people they colonised.

Israel should reconsider its strategies and tactics and should listen to the authentic voices of Palestinians – those that are yelling day and night, some Palestinians accept a two-state solution, with the 

 forming a distinct Palestinian state, whereas other Palestinians stand firm on a one-state solution (Palestinian or binational) with equal rights for all citizens whether they are 

When will this ethnic cleansing stop in Palestine?

Globalization, self-evidently, indicates the worldwide presence of anything related to the acceleration of 

trade, culture, education, art and politics

. However, the term is preponderantly used to indicate how the free flow of goods and services have made the inter-national borders non-pertinent and created kindred between world economies. 

In simple terms, it is used to describe the ways countries are becoming interconnected, both capitalistically and culturally.

 Societies have become sizable as they have embraced people of other diasporas and created a whole new culture of their own.

With countless positive influences, globalization, nevertheless, has some bleak outcomes as well. 

The swap of world views and postulations has ensued in a major transformation of living standards of people globally.

 Globalization impacted participants, local communities and created a sense of loss, both for those who were left behind and those who are swept up by it. Globalization really affects people with respect to their way of life, culture, taste, fashion, preferences and so on. It is 

Attackers of globalization wrangle that it 

. As a dominating country’s culture is inaugurated into a receiving country through globalization, it can become a threat to the medley of circumscribed culture. Some argue that globalization may ultimately lead to 

 of culture, where the dominating cultural concepts of economically and politically powerful Western countries spread and cause malign influence on native cultures.

We dwell in a determinedly united world in which all the earth’s peoples with their vast dissimilarities of culture and historical experiences are compressed together in direct communication. 

 But with the advent of globalization and intermingling of people from different sectors, culture and dialects, the ways in which our esteemed culture is muddling up with western culture has become quite dishonourable on our part.

In the wake of so-called modernization and virtual socialization, people, especially the youth would rather prioritize having virtual friends rather than spending time with their families and relatives. The trend of nuclear families which has also emerged from Western societies is largely prevalent in India now. 

Earlier people used to commemorate every small festival with great zest and togetherness, but nowadays people do not even prefer get-togethers as they are preoccupied with their virtually personal lives.

 The present generation is far happier celebrating valentine’s day rather than customary festivals.

Although, the friendly slant and the socializing feature is worth appreciable, but as far as the culture of Indian society is concerned, both the genders were kept at a distance for ages with many restrictions and curbs. With the emergence of globalization and western culture, youth has started mixing up well with each other. In very 

 rapidly. But the total breakout of curtailments and exploited freedom has also adulterated the traditional Indian values of relationships, love and their meanings. 

 became the anchor of a relationship which has eventually led to the increased cases of 

, very much alien to our mother culture have 

The best approach to be minutely acquainted with a culture is to know its language. But wistfully, the Indians are 

 or our national language. Alternatively, the 

 to speak in their natal tongue. The way the foreign languages are getting prevalent in India such as the 

, right from the school level, it itself portrays how much we provide importance to Indian languages in contrast to the foreign ones.

With some clarity of having a comprehensive knowledge of the cultures throughout the world and the happenings and incidents globally, still the major unfortunate consequences are quite alarming for our country. Hence, we need to move very cautiously with the globalization process. At length, we can learn to move and approach socially without hurting and affecting each other’s privacy, preserving our nation’s pride and maintaining our cultural prestige.

DARK SIDES OF GLOBALIZATION: A TOOL TO DESTROY TRADITIONS AND CULTURAL IDENTITY

. Jandy Nelson, born in the year 1965 is a celebrated author mostly known for her novel 

This book is believed to be written by Jandy after she had experienced some tragedies in her personal life. It is amazingly put together, the myriad of emotions portrayed are incredible. It tears your heart out stomps on it and then puts it back; wonderfully balanced with pieces of grief, romance, love and even sarcasm. The mixture of dark and light themes is

, a seventeen year old girl who is deeply traumatized after the death of her elder sister 

. Lennie feels as if her entire world has collapsed after her sister’s death, she was all laden with grief. The following are the texts from this book which illuminate the depth of the words of Jandy: 

“My sister dies over and over again, all day long”, “I found out later she wore the blue”, “I wish my shadow would get up and walk beside me”

. These are the words of grief stricken Lennie. Lennie is depicted as a bookworm who is obsessed with 

 and is a hopeless romantic girl who loves music.

After Bailey’s death Lennie is catapulted to the center stage of her own life and despite her non-existent history with boys unexpectedly finds herself struggling to balance between two. Bailey’s fiance Toby was going through the same intense pain and sorrow. Lennie could not find any other person who understands her grief in its totality except Toby whenever Lennie was with Toby, she felt the presence of Bailey in their conversations as if she was alive.

On the other hand, Joe Fontaine is a charming young boy who is new in the town. Joe joins Lennie’s band as he too is a typical band geek. Joe’s presence made Lennie alive again. Quite a few times in the novel Joe and Toby are compared to sun and moon. Emphasizing the fact that both hold equal importance in Lennie’s life. Toby was a half skater and a half cowboy who shares mutual mournings with Lennie.

The language brings the effect or tone of today’s teens, thus everyone could easily relate to the novel in one way or the other. The characters are beautifully carved. The flawed traits of Lennie Walker are way relatable and realistic. The way she sinks in her sister’s memories is heart-wrenching, especially when she says the lines: 

“If I heal, doesn’t that mean I’ve accepted the world without her?”

The minute details about the novel are alluring, such as the way Jandy describes the rich earthly forests of Northern California. Music is also brought up as an important tool and adds up magic to the novel. The intense metaphors are commendably used.

Every chapter is paired up with a poem or we can say emotional texts which Lennie used to write on napkins, carved on the bark of trees and walls. These strategic poems add a certain charm to the novel. It is not very appealing in the former chapters, but as the story continues one could not stop turning the pages to know what happens next.

Articles by Mudabbira Rehman

Laïcité: An Irony

China’s Oppression: One of the Most Pressing Human Rights Issues of our Time

Modi Government’s Remissness to Trounce the Second Wave

When will this ethnic cleansing stop in Palestine?

DARK SIDES OF GLOBALIZATION: A TOOL TO DESTROY TRADITIONS AND CULTURAL IDENTITY

Jandy Nelson’s The Sky is Everywhere: A Heart-Wrenching Story

Laïcité: An Irony

China’s Oppression: One of the Most Pressing Human Rights Issues of our Time

Modi Government’s Remissness to Trounce the Second Wave

When will this ethnic cleansing stop in Palestine?

DARK SIDES OF GLOBALIZATION: A TOOL TO DESTROY TRADITIONS AND CULTURAL IDENTITY

Jandy Nelson’s The Sky is Everywhere: A Heart-Wrenching Story