Page 14 - The Indian EYE 061022

OP-ED JUNE 10, 2022 | The Indian Eye 14

Sanctions are crude and

often don’t work

Views and opinions from the top commentators in Indian media

hree months into Western last couple of years, with retail prices
sanctions against Russia fol- of most oils doubling or more. The
Tlowing its invasion of Ukraine, value of India’s vegetable oil im-
two outcomes are apparent. Initial ports surged to a record $19 billion
expectations of the US and EU were in 2021-22. It has brought to light
over the top. In addition, it’s getting the perils of over-dependence on im-
harder for the EU to keep its own ports of essential food commodities.
flock together in its aim to cripple India may not be facing a forex cri-
Russia’s energy sector. For example, sis like Sri Lanka, preventing it from
EU leaders this week agreed after importing even at high global prices.
protracted negotiations to stop im- But that isn’t a consolation to Indi-
ports of Russian crude by the end of an consumers having to buy at these
2022. However, they were forced to prices. They had taken low edible oil
grant Hungary an exemption from it. prices for granted — just as the Sri
Even Bulgaria’s timeline is likely to Lankans had for milk “produced”
be extended. And as for Russian gas, from imported powder.
there’s no deadline at all. -- R G Chandramogan, The Indian
A step back will make it clear
why Western sanctions and the sub- Express
sequent sermonizing aimed at coun- Guns and songs
tries such as India were unwise. Let’s
start with Iran, a country subject to n the last five years, on an average,
US sanctions soon after the Islamic for every 1 lakh population, Pun-
Revolution in 1979. Into its fifth de- Ijab reported 1.4 arms-related cas-
cade, the conversation is still about es in a year, which is almost 3-4 times
changing Iran’s “behavior”. For sure, lower than the national average of 4.8.
when the world’s largest economy What this means is that compared to
imposes sanctions, it limits the eco- the national average, people in Pun-
nomic potential of the victim. But ev- jab are less likely to report arms-relat-
idence shows that it doesn’t achieve ed cases.
its core aim. Also, the collateral dam- Here, the Hindi heartland tops
age on unrelated countries cannot be the charts. Madhya Pradesh has the
justified by convenient references to highest rate of arms- related cases.
a rules-based order. ad bellum. Moreover, the proportion- ploying the least damaging military For every 1 lakh people, the state re-
ality component entails a balanced means. cords at least 14 cases a year, which
-- Editorial, The Times of India
use of force among combatants. The -- Nibedita Priyadarshini Jena, The is more than once every month. In
Putin’s unjust war? use of force should be restricted to Telegraph (India) Uttar Pradesh, this rate is 13 per
the purging of the peril and must not lakh, followed by nine in Delhi and
kraine has not initiated an surpass the attack against which a Lessons from Sri Lanka eight in Uttarakhand and Rajasthan
armed attack; therefore, Rus- country is shielding itself. Russia fails each.
Usia neither meets the first cri- to satisfy this condition too. here are lessons here for India, The popularity of Punjabi songs
terion of the UN Charter nor fulfils Russia is also ignoring the prin- which is hugely import-depen- is a double-edged sword. Debate glo-
the first condition of jus ad bellum, ciples of jus in bello. It has failed to Tdent in edible oils, just as Sri rification of gun violence we must, but
thus violating the law of exercising differentiate between combatants Lanka has been in dairy. India annu- without singling out Punjab. In Pun-
the right to self-defense as well as and non-combatants, evident from ally imports 13.5-14.5 million tonnes jab, you will find intellectuals, artists,
providing a just cause to begin war. Russia’s incessant attacks on civilians of vegetable oils, again roughly 60 professors, activists going to courts
Second, the last resort condition of in Ukraine. Moscow has also failed per cent of its total consumption. Till to seek banning of gun violence from
jus ad bellum should precede a tri- to honor proportionality between recently, this didn’t seem to matter. Punjabi songs, but who is advocating
al of other possible options that are military advantages and unintention- Low international prices meant that against gun culture in other states?
less harmful. The issues between al military injury. This has led Russia the import bill, though high, fell from -- Nikhil Rampal, The Print
Russia and Ukraine could have been to committing moral crimes. All its $9.85 billion in 2012-13 to $9.67 bil-
resolved through peaceful means. attacks are intended to destroy the lion in 2019-20. Indian consumers Every week, we look at what the top
Unfortunately, Russia preferred a vi- properties and lives in Ukraine. Rus- paid more or less the same for im- commentators in the Indian media are
olent and destructive means, baring sia has also grossly failed to adhere ported palm, soyabean and sunflower talking about and bring to you a slice
its intention to demonstrate its power to the moral norm of inflicting min- oil in 2019 that they did in 2012. of their opinions and comments
and violating the preconditions of jus imum destruction and death by em- But the story has changed in the

www.TheIndianEYE.com