From: "faraz rabbani" <faraz.rabbani@canrem.com>
Subject: re: pakistan is lilbit di
Reply-To: "faraz rabbani" <faraz.rabbani@canrem.com>
Organization: Canada Remote Systems
Distribution: soc
Date: 5 Jan 93 20:21:29 EST

Quoting: Rajesh Raman 
 I said:
 RR> : Well...  the thing is that Muslims have some very definite ideas on
 RR> : government and society and Hindus have others.  Muslims would not
 RR> : feel comfortable always being under Hindu-majority rule, and Hindus
 RR> : would probably resent any "special" rights given to a Muslim
 RR> : majority.

To which Rajesh Raman replied:
 RR> Is it something that cannot be resolved thru discussion and patience
 RR> ? Pray expatiate.
 
But there are irreconciliable religious and socio-cultural
differences.  Maybe economic barriers can be lifted in the short
term (10 to 20 years)...  but social differences seem unassailable.
And I am a "moderate"...

 RR> : If the right conditions were to be created in our home countries,
 RR> : then I am sure that a lot of the "exported brainpower" living in
 RR> : North America and Europe would return home and lend their expertise
 RR> : in the advancement of our economies...

 RR> It calls for a great spirit of sacrifice from the "exported
 RR> brainpower". It's more like "lost brainpower". If the bright people
 RR> of these countries leave their countries, after having received their
 RR> subsidized education, for material comfort, isn't that extreme
 RR> ingratitude? I think that instead of waiting for someone to do
 RR> something, we should go back and try and do something in our own
 RR> ways. We are bright enough to do so many wonderful things. We have
 RR> "wrought" wonder in this country already. We can do the same in our
 RR> home countries with some more effort. Or are we afraid of failing ?!

Well...  the thing is that with the current social set-up back home,
opportunities are NOT being distributed through merit but through
"sifaarish" ("networking" in nepotic ways).  This is so bad that
many who DO go back -- despite a lot of good education know-how --
end up returning to North America in frustration...  THIS is sad AND
common...

Personally, I WANT to go back.  But I am leaning towards getting
some financial standing first, so that _I_ can get into the system
there: its the only way...  I feel a lot of patriotism, but am not a
feet-off-the-ground idealist: too many bullets in the air back
home for that!

 RR> : But how realistic is all this?  I wonder...  Maybe in our lifetime
 RR> : we will see some GREAT leadership in the subcontinent that trascends
 RR> : the petty differences and disputes and politicking and vested
 RR> : interests and REALLY works for the best interests of the people...

 RR> We have to go back. We have to believe in ourselves. We have to
 RR> invoke all our guts. That's the real issue for us to debate. How do
 RR> we overcome corruption and red tape back home ? I guess the answer
 RR> lies within our own minds.  We all have to fight it in our own
 ways. 
 
Well...  that sort of change requires LEADERSHIP.  And real,
non-hypocritical, sets of values... 

Corruption is not a veneer that can be scraped off.  It is more like
a virus that has to be purged with much gut-wrenching. 

Such stuff needs a lot of overhaul of the "old establishment".  But
the thing is that much of the "brainpower" that is overseas BELONGS
to this establishment.  Hence, middle-class comforts of a house,
good car, TV, VCR, satellite dish, servants, etc.  are more
important (and realistic) to these people than any social change.

Faraz Rabbani
Toronto, Canada

faraz.rabbani@canrem.com

... Love thy neighbor ...but don't get caught.
___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.12
--
Canada Remote Systems  - Toronto, Ontario
World's Largest PCBOARD System - 416-629-7000/629-7044