Rumi, Europe and the challenge of “wicked men”

Rumi, the 12th century Sufi poet who wandered between Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq looking for truth, beauty and love said: “Earth turns to gold in the hands of the wise, gold turns to ashes in the hands of the wicked.”

As leaders gathered last weekend in Paris and elsewhere to mark the 100th anniversary of the Armistice that ended World War I, Rumi’s words ring truer than ever.

It’s nice they all turned up. But too many of the leaders mourning the war dead were really just Rumi’s “wicked” men and women who, with toxic words and actions, are wrecking the fragile achievements of the past and inciting hate and division.

How different from their counterparts seven decades ago who came together after World War II to say “never again” to hate, war and conflict – and meant it.

The lessons of the past are being forgotten. The last World War I veteran died in 2012. And the number of those who experienced World War II and the Holocaust is shrinking.

It’s simple: Europe just has to become more exciting

Gold is being turned to ashes by Europe’s so-called “illiberal democrats” and ethno-nationalists who are proud of their racist, xenophobic, anti-Semitic and Eurosceptic views.

Those trying to build an alternative Europe have no time for democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

French President Emmanuel Macron’s wise counsel at the Armistice commemorations to “fight for peace” and German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s important warning against “blinkered nationalism” therefore fell on deaf ears.

But with elections to the European Parliament around the corner, the start of jostling for top EU jobs and Eurosceptic and Far Right parties ready for battle, this is not the time to give up.

The European Commission’s Frans Timmermans and Vera Jourova are right to warn that young generations must not forget the need to continuously tame Europe’s “inner demons”. A creeping amnesia about Europe’s past must be countered.

Keeping the European story of peace and reconciliation alive requires creativity and imagination, however.

It can’t just be about strong statements, historical references or fact and figures – however powerful. It can’t be about blame games – however tempting. And it can’t be about business as usual – however easy. It’s simple: Europe just has to become more exciting.

Here are some quick suggestions:

Make Europe more about people and less about process. As such, forget the “same old, same old” stale, mostly male politicians who are lining up for a piece of the cake and get more exciting candidates – especially more women, young people and more minorities – into the race for the top EU jobs.

To do that, learn from the US midterm elections and the success of the “women’s wave” which got over 100 female candidates elected to the House of Representatives. Women who are still shy or dithering about throwing their hat into the EU ring must stop reflecting and start acting. America has shown it can be done.

Focus also on the energy and passion of ethnic minorities who are increasingly constructive and engaged on Europe. Once again, watch and learn from the US where the Congress now has its first Native American representatives, the first Muslim women in the House and the youngest woman ever to serve.

And so, get more young people onto the political lists and go look for millennial candidates. Brexit was the tragic example of how wrong things can go when more old people turn out to vote. Let’s make sure that doesn’t happen again next May.

Channel the energy and motivation of Europe’s many exciting civic movements like Volt, Pulse Europe and others which are connecting with people, listening to their hopes, aspirations and fears. They are enlivening the European conversation. They now need to move from the periphery to the centre to become part of the EU’s institutional conversation.

Sidestep the Far Right hate and bait messages and instead challenge the many mainstream European politicians who are making it so easy for Far Right and Far Left groups to grab the initiative, take control of the European narrative and to distort and misshape it out of recognition. Such centrists are, in fact, amplifying the extremists’ message. They should stop doing so.

Europeans must look to the future but also listen and learn from their past

Don’t extinguish our personal and collective sense of outrage at the constant diatribes from the Far Right or their pernicious attacks on European values. Hate-mongering and the stoking of fear should not be normalised or merely ridiculed. It should be denounced for what it is: unacceptable.

Insist that European progressive forces become less shy of flying their true colours.  Long-dormant European liberals and democrats are finally waking up from their slumber and hitting back at the populists who have so far dominated – nay, dictated – the EU agenda. It’s time for a progressive renaissance.

Encourage and invest in an independent, credible and critical media which is not afraid to hold politicians accountable and challenge false narratives. While doing so, stop being gullible about fake news and misleading disinformation.

Finally, never take peace or democracy for granted. Wise people have warned over and over again of the need to constantly reinforce and refresh our commitment to democracy and values and to be vigilant.

The adventure Europe embarked on seventy years ago is unique, with lessons for the rest of the world. Europeans must look to the future but also listen and learn from their past.

Pakistan, democracy and the curious demise of the independent press

The truth is I was expecting the letter. And it came on November 8 while I was in Rome, thinking about what to write for my weekly column in Dawn, Pakistan’s leading, independent newspaper.

Dawn’s editor Zaffar Abbas wrote to say that he was sorry. The newspaper was in trouble. “The unannounced state policy of the last over two years to put a squeeze on the paper was already having its toll, and now several other factors have added to its financial problems”.

And as a result, there was no room for my weekly column from Europe anymore. He hopes it’s a temporary snag. But I fear it isn’t.

Dawn is in the firing line of Pakistan’s military and the current army-sponsored   populist government of Imran Khan. The newspaper is too independent, too daring, not ready to bow and scrape, to lie and pander. My colleague Cyril Almeida is being tried for treason. Other journalists are also being muzzled.

I’ve been writing for the paper for at least 25 years and enjoyed every minute. It has never been my main job. I’ve worked for the Far Eastern Economic Review and now as Director for Europe and Geopolitics for Friends of Europe, one of Europe’s leading think tanks.

Writing for Dawn, however, kept me linked to my country of birth. The editor said I had a “loyal following” of readers who wanted to hear an insider/outsider’s view of global politics, Europe, America, China and Pakistan.

I loved it – and put my heart and soul into every weekly column I wrote which, like clockwork, appeared every Saturday.

But I knew the hammer was ready to fall.

An article I had written just before the July elections in Pakistan had – for the first time – been axed because it was considered too tough on the role of the military. Other pieces since then have been vetted to make sure there was no offensive content. Truth be told, it was becoming extremely annoying.

Ironically, my last article in Dawn, published last week, was about the global war on free speech. And I underlined that  journalism in Asia was most at risk.

The attacks on Dawn are a sad – nay tragic – sign of the slow death of Pakistan’s democracy. And in fact it’s no longer the army or the “civilian government” led by Imran Khan which is in charge. Religious extremists run the show.

For proof look no further than the so-called blasphemy case against Asia Bibi and, earlier, the decision to cancel the appointment of a renowned economist Atif Rehman Mian as an adviser to the government because he belongs to Pakistan’s Ahmediya minority.

Seventy-one years after independence, Pakistan’s path to democracy has been a  roller-coaster ride. Thrills one minute, despondence and tragedy the next. Heroes morphed into villains – and bad guys were reborn as heroes.

International media reports – on and off –  on the clamp down on the media, the soap-operatic conduct of leading politicians and the rise of intolerant, extremist voices.

The picture is of a complicated country which is part problematic troublemaker, part an enigma, with a deep state within a state, fragile and polarised, uncertain of its loyalties.

There is little doubt that through the years, Pakistan’s toxic military-intelligence has stood centre stage, manipulating politicians, pulling the strings, making key decisions, taking sides and clamping down on press freedom.

But despite the turmoil and military meddling, Pakistan had persevered on its democratic trajectory. Democracy in Pakistan was messy and flawed but many believed it was also ultimately resilient.

Dictators came  and went. Military coups were  followed by civilians in power – and the other way around. In between, there was  heady talk of transparency and accountability, combating corruption, building a new and stronger economy.

Through the turmoil and turbulence, democracy doggedly ploughed on. That was thanks to the resilience and democratic aspirations of the people of Pakistan, a strong media, civil society representatives and human rights defenders.

Pakistani politicians, meanwhile, were more than willing to collude and connive with anti-democratic forces.

But times have changed. Dramatically. Imran Khan’s election has confirmed and reinforced the role of an ever more intrusive military and, even more dangerously, it has unleashed the demons of religious extremism.

Sustained democracy in the 21^st Century hinges on strong institutions and good governance. Strong democracies require an honest and credible press, an active and committed civil society, robust municipal and city authorities and the active political participation of women, young people end ethnic minorities.

Pakistan’s current “rulers” are – one by one – crushing all the drivers of democracy. I fear there may be no going back.