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Continuismo in South-East Asia

ceeds 11 million or one-quarter of the country's entire labour force. The prices of many prime necessities, above all food, are steadily rising. Pointing to the far-reaching consequences of the present economic policy, Merdeka wrote on November 8 that those behind this policy "would seem to have themselves undertaken to prepare combat forces for a social revolution''.

VIETNAM-Intimations of the Lifelines

VIETNAM Intimations of the Lifelines T J S George THIS is the story of my bone-crushing, stamina-testing, three-day mad trip from Hanoi to the 17th Parallel in the roasting July heat of North Vietnam. It may not be the sort of experience one would welcome more than once, but it provided a unique insight into the des. truetive capability of American air- power, the mammoth transport problems plaguing Vietnam, the tenor of life in the provinces, the unconquerable .spirit of the Vietnamese people, and the heights to which a simple and poor people can rise under capable leadership. For us it was invaluable education.

MANILA- Constitutional Martial Law

October 14, 1972 MANILA Constitutional Martial Law?
T J S George IN the South-East Asian sea of strongman governments, the Philippines used to be a sentinel island where the flag of democracy Hew high. That flag was lowered on the night of September 22 when President Ferdinand Marcos imposed martial law, closed down all newspapers and radio stations and took into custody an assortment of opposition politicians and journalists. A way of life which Filipinos had thought inviolable came to an abrupt end.

HONG KONG- Democracy, South-East Asian Style

HONG KONG Democracy, South-East Asian Style T J S George THE conduct of elections in most parts of Asia provides a revealing running commentary on the political styles and mores of Asian governments. Indonesia, South Vietnam and the Philippines went Jo the polls last year, and Japan last month. Singapore is expected to have its general election any month now. Malpractices mark elections in all these countries. And yet, the two countries where the worst instances of bribery and terrorism are reported

TAIWAN-For Whom the Bell Tolls

ECONOMIC AND POLITICALWEEKLY of free education to the university. So far, the state government used to provide freeships to students whose parents' annual income did not exceed Rs 900, Now government has decided to extend the freeships to all those whose parents' income is less than Rs 2,400 per yean It is estimated that as a result of this new limit, some 40,000 should get free college education. Both these measures in education will, of course, put a significant burden on the state's finances.

HONG KONG- Turning Asia Upside Down

February 26, 1972 WHEN America's political machine coughs, it appears Asia catches a cold. The timing of President Nixon's historic China visit and even of his disclosure of the secret eight-point plan for peace in Indochina make excellent election sense at home. But the repercussions of these moves have been cataclysmic for Nixon's harried allies in Asia while it remains debatable whether the cause of peace in Asia has been advanced at all.

PHILIPPINES- Democracy Asserts Itself

carriers, artillery, communication equipment, sea and river craft, and even aeroplanes are repaired, assembled, and rebuilt. That is why 40 per cent of US arms and equipment from Vietnam goes to Okinawa, which itself has no demand for these things. At Okinawa the US Department of De-' fence has established an organisation called Pacific Utilisation and Redistribution Activity (PURA), which sends out arms and equipment to Asian countries. Representatives of Asian countries covered by the US Military Assistance Programme visit Okinawa to identity the equipment they need.

Waiting for a Brown Revolution

February 6, 1971 the management and the district inspector of schools for the purpose of payment of salaries. It is common knowledge that teachers are paid less than the amount mentioned on the receipts they sign. So this reform was long overdue. And teachers have often demonstrated for it. Its introduction now has obvious marks of sectional appeasement.

RAWALPINDI- Pak Elections and After

December 26, 1970 posters for the exhibition were not pro- perly displayed. If a local public relations firm had been hired, it could have been instructed to see that the Chinese traders attended the exhibition. And it would have done the job because of its contacts.

MANILA-A Political Rebirth

November 28, 1970 clarification on his interesting methodology. Medhora made the perceptive point that there could well be a Scissors' Crisis in the offing in India, since marketable surplus was bound to rise and industrial production was rather sluggish.

HONG KONG-Asia s New Gendarme

October 3, 1970 HONG KONG Asia's New Gendarme T J S George SOUTH-EAST Asian countries have lately been growing visibly resentful of Japan as an economic power. It is typical of the ironies with which Asia lives that, just at this time, Japan is under tremendous pressure to become first a political and then a military power- Most South-East Asian leaders are frankly suspicious of such a role being foisted upon Japan, but at the same time they seem to feel that the changing situation in the region leaves them no choice but to accept Japan hi such a role. In time the emerging Japanese rote may well become a source of friction all by itself.

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