14 panorama DHAKA, FRIDAY MAY 24, 2013 panorama panorama panorama panorama panorama panorama panorama panorama panorama panorama General elections in : Elections yes, democracy not yet!

he general elections on ed. The 2013 elections, with the elections. But, as in 2008, cratic requirements free and process. Most noteworthy is a higher voter turnout. elections were an outstanding May 11 constituted the respect to the electoral cam - the big question remained: will fair political participation is a the selective targeting of can - In this context we have to expression of this trend. The first ‘regular’ transfer of paigning process and the elec - the increase in female voters condition sine qua non. This didates especially through stress that taking the results of Taliban were threatening par - power between two civilian tion day itself, were the blood - and candidates translate into means that universal and direct physical attacks. Being the 2008 General Elections, ticularly secular political par - governments in Pakistan. iest elections in Pakistan’s his - a higher female voter turnout? active suffrage, passive right confronted with potentially which was around 44%, as a ties before the electoral cam - Undoubtedly, this is a mile - tory. More than 200 And, will Pakistan see split fam - to vote (meaning the eligibil - life-threatening situations, a point of reference does not paigning and were also attack - stone in the country’s che - lost their life and at least 700 ily voting (i.e. different voting ity for election), and political large number of the leading help at all. The 2008 election ing them during respective quered political history, and got injured. behaviour within a house - as well as civil rights must be politicians did not, or only very with its very specific context, public campaign events. In the therefore it does not come by Next, there was the so-called hold)? And will the PTI with its guaranteed. Subsequently, limitedly, join the public cam - especially the prevailing deep primary focus of their activi - surprise that this event was -phenomenon. woman’s wing be able to bank there must be the opportuni - paigning of their parties. This mistrust regarding potential ties were the PPP, ANP, and caught up in an extraordinary The cricketer-turned-politician on this? ty given to formulate freely is a severe challenge towards manipulations, is not compa - MQM. In contrast, political way the media’s attention in and his political party PTI To sum up, the overall ques - opinions, interests and free and fair political compe - rable in this direction. Second, parties which were recognized Pakistan, South Asia as well as emerged as an ‘unknown fac - tion is how much this election demands. Most important tition. Especially in a Pakistan the fact that there was a threat as having a so-called‘soft cor - on a global scale. The walk of tor’ which gained increasing might be a key for change and therefore is to ensure the right which is marked by an extraor - or the possibility of a life- ner’ towards the Taliban, who around 60 per cent of Pakistan’s popularity during the cam - may or may not lie down the of freedom of speech as well dinary cult of personality, threatening situation is already are willing to negotiate with DR. SIEGFRIED vote bank to the ballot for the paigning period, especially foundation for a more stable as the right to association and beside mass communication enough to define a challenge the Taliban and are working 14th National Parliament as among the urbanised, young future of Pakistan. demonstration in the public trough cell phones, comput - towards the right of exercising towards the stop of the drone O. WOLF well as for the provincial and new voters. Before having However, even though these arena. Democracy is also char - ers and TV the personal inter - the active suffrage. attacks like Imran Khan’s PTI assemblies was portrayed by an accident during his last general elections constituted acterised by the existence of action between candidates The third indication that or ’s PML-N got enthusiastic observers as an public event, he carried out a Pakistan is not a liberal largely spared. The tactics of event which could function as vigorous campaign which democracy is that there are the Taliban in this direction the greatest game changer in gained much publicity in the serious doubts regarding the were actually pretty clear: to Pakistan’s political landscape. media, and therefore made the realization of the universal suf - polarize and divide the civil - Regardless of this artificial established political forces frage. In other words, it ian political landscape either atmosphere of democratic nervous. Nevertheless, one of remains difficult to identify pro or against them. However transition created by the party the latest pre-poll surveys whether the implementation this means also that the leaders during the campaign - came to the finding that 28 per of gender equality in the polit - expression of an opinion ing period, analysts are now cent of the Pakistanis still did ical sphere has been ensured which was not in favour of or starting to evaluate the reality not know Imran Khan. This yet. The 37.5 million Pakistani at least neutral towards the on the ground on the basis of was the highest ‘don’t know women that were registered Taliban or other religious fun - the official results which are response’ regarding Pakistan’s for voting make up 41 per cent damentalists had serious con - THE GENERAL becoming increasingly avail - leading politicians. This made of the country’s female vote sequences – risking one’s own able. Due to the relatively it difficult to assess the PTI’s bank. However, Pakistan’s life and property! ELECTIONS ON MAY 11 active Pakistan Election impact on the election out - female population amounts Finally, the fact that the mil - Commission (EPC) and the come. Much linked with the to around 49 per cent, which itary did not intervene in the CONSTITUTED THE FIRST various international institu - Imran Khan factor was the means that approximately 10 electoral process did not mean ‘REGULAR’ TRANSFER OF tions and organisations appearance of the youth and million women did not get that civilian control is estab - observing the elections, fore - new voters as an unknown ele - registered for voting. Demands lished. POWER BETWEEN TWO most the European Union ment in the country’s vote for the increase of reserved Holding elections were def - CIVILIAN GOVERNMENTS Election Observation Mission bank. The question which seats for women in the initely a step forward in (EU EOM); or the Free and Fair emerged was – do they vote at National Assembly as well as strengthening civilian self- IN PAKISTAN. Election Network (FAFEN), or all. If so, will they break out of in the provincial assemblies confidence but at the same UNDOUBTEDLY, THIS IS A Reporting Democracy traditional, family or commu - got ignored by the political time it definitely did not pro - International (DRI) increas - nity orientated voting behav - leadership. vide a major boost to the MILESTONE IN THE ingly more data are becoming iour or will they go to ballots There is also not much notion of civilian supremacy, available – in addition to the for a protest vote? improvement when it comes as perhaps was hoped for. COUNTRY’S CHEQUERED tremendous amount of infor - Fourth, also an element of a very big step in the right individual rights of protections and the electorate is of crucial to the inclusion of women in There is still no formal civilian POLITICAL HISTORY mation provided by the unpredictability was a rein - direction, it is argued here that which means in practice the significance. the internal decision making control over the armed forces. Pakistan’s domestic and inter - vigorated and relatively active Pakistan is still relatively far grant of protection of life, free - The moderate success of the process of political parties nor Decision-making in signifi - national media. Election Commission. Most away from being a fully-fledged dom and property. This cov - PTI, which spent substantial to the option to set up inter - cant policy fields will be still However, to begin with, from noteworthy, the Commission democracy. Elections are after ers also the protection against efforts in mobilizing voters nal elections for female can - influenced by the military. A a retro-perspective point of was able to overhaul the com - all a vital ingredient of democ - terror, torture or undue inter - through the internet, can be didates. In consequence, the statement by General Kayani view one has to state that the plete list of those eligible to racy, but it is most definitely vention into personal life, both seen as a strong indication opportunity for Pakistan’s regarding the role of in 2013 elections were highly vote. Therefore 37 million not the only ingredient that on behalf of the state and on thereof. However, the threat - female citizenry remains still the country’s politics as well unpredictable. Due to numer - bogus names got removed and makes a democracy . And behalf of private or anti-sys - ening of the candidates deter - much limited to aggregate as the role of the armed forces ous old and new‘wild cards’, it 36 million new names were therefore Pakistan’s prospects temic forces like the Taliban mines clearly a limitation of their interests via female politi - makes clear who continues to was very difficult to forecast a added. In addition to that, the for democracy, peace, and sta - and other religious funda - the rights of freedom of expres - cians and parliamentarians call the real shots after the elec - credible outcome of the polls. Commission drew attention to bility should not be exagger - mentalist groups. sion, association and infor - into the political process. The tions. To conclude, without However, one can identify sev - themselves by declaring ated. In fact, the current state Looking at the elections as mation. As such it significant - fact that the 2013 elections ensuring free and fair political eral elements which deter - numerous established politi - of Pakistan’s democracy would well as at the electoral cam - ly hampered the opportunity were enriched with more than participation and the estab - mined the electoral process cians ineligible for elections be better described with terms paigning the weeks before for free political participation double the number of female lishment of civilian control, we and which need to be taken due to possession of fake like illiberal democracy, par - election day, we have to state of the candidates. candidates than in the 2008 can speak about elections but into consideration in order to degrees and other offenses. In tial democracy, low intensity that Pakistan is still far away Second, the active suffrage elections does not distract not about consolidation of evaluate the outcome. First of total, more than 1.000 nomi - democracy or defect democ - of matching this commonly got challenged. During the from the fact that Pakistan’s democracy or democratic all, there were the Taliban- nation papers got rejected. racy. For that one can bring up accepted democratic under - election campaign more than political landscape is still transition in Pakistan . induced massive disturbances Also an unknown factor was following arguments: standing. And this is due to one hundred people died due marked by remarkable gender which created an atmosphere the ‘female vote’. There was As said, democracy goes far several reasons. to Taliban attacks. This creat - gaps. The writer is a lecturer of of terror and anxiety. This not much talk about the increase beyond the technical aspects First, the passive right to ed without doubt an ambience Fourth, another serious Political Science and only seriously hampered the of the registered female voters of elections. This means that vote got challenged. The of fear. Despite the relatively challenge towards the coun - International Relations as well elections but also raised ques - and that compared to the 2008 democracy is not only based Taliban and other extremist high voter turnout one should try’s democratic transition are as a senior research fellow in tions regarding the legitimacy elections more than twice as on people’s sovereignty but groups have been able to carry remain sceptical regarding the the persistent growing hin - the Department of Political of the elections, even before many female candidates com - also on liberty and equality. To out several types of activities assessment of this phenome - drances towards freedom of Science, South Asia Institute, the actual voting process start - pared the one who contested fulfil these three core demo - to disturb the democratic non. First, there could be even speech and opinion. The 2013 Heidelberg University The issue of workers’ rights The distortion of grief CHRISTOPHER LANE and has 40 years of experience points out,“similar normal feel - MD. SAZEDUL ISLAM mation on accidents which In Bangladesh, a number of ing for capacity building of in the field, said that he could ings of sadness” can also follow take place in non-formal sec - institutions, including BILS, trade unions. BILS regularly ow long does it take to not distinguish normal grief other losses, including “marital ccording to an estimate tor such as rural workers and are working to uphold the contributes to and intervenes mournthedeathofaloved from mild depression at two dissolution, romantic betrayal, of ILO, about 20 lakh domestic workers. interests of workers. in developing policies and laws one?Thequestionispecu - weeks – and “challenge[d] any - job loss, financial trouble, nat - workers die due to Occupational sickness are sup - Workers should not be treat - for working people. liar, even mildly offensive. Recovery one else to do so.” ural disaster, and a terrible med - work-place related accidents pressed from our knowledge. ed as a commodity but the BILS’ aims are to provide from bereavement is a personal Of particular concern is the ical diagnosis.” across the world annually. Workers can work more and respectable partner of training, undertake study and process that varies significantly response of primary-care physi - Even after conceding that 14 About 12 lakh become owners can get the assurance progress, according to BILS. research and share informa - among individuals. While it could cians, who prescribe 80% of all days is“sometimes too little time maimed and unfit for work of more productivity if there is BILS is working to help tion on labour and related sub - take months to surface, grief – in its antidepressants, but often treat to permit confident diagnosis” being injured in those acci - well and safe working atmos - strengthen the democratic jects with a view to promote many forms and at various levels of many patients per hour. The of major depressive disorder, dents. Over 16 crore workers phere. Hence, BILS’s slogan is: functioning of the trade unions harmonious industrial rela - intensity – remains a natural DSM’s latest revision will former PsychiatricTimes editor fall to occupational health haz - Safe work place save life and and improve their services tions and social justice. The response to loss. increase the number of pre - RonaldW. Pies insisted that“this ards. institute takes a comprehen - But the fifth edition of the scriptions by including, among is true regardless of the‘contex - According to Bangladesh sive view of labour rights and Diagnostic and Statistical the diagnosed, those experi - t’ in which the depressive symp - Institute of Labour Studies aims at serving the cause of Manual of Mental Disorders encing the kind of transient toms occur.” (BILS), 6406 workers were working people. (DSM-5), produced by the depression that can also typify Decisions like these – carry - killed in workplace related Workers in the informal sec - American Psychiatric grief. ing monumental implications accidents in Bangladesh in the tor, women and child labour, Association (APA), deems invalid Because the DSM’s influence and difficult to reverse – recent - past 12 years till 2012. unorganised and organised the long-accepted understand - extends far beyond the United ly led the US National Institute The collapse of Rana Plaza workforce in the industrial, ing of bereavement as a highly States, the introduction of this of Mental Health, which gave its in Savar is a major tragedy for commercial, governmental individual and unpredictable change has caused an interna - support (and considerable fund - the country. A total of 1,127 and service sectors are the experience. The updated man - tional uproar. For example, the ing) to earlier editions, to bodies were recovered from main focus of BILS. Capacity ual advises psychiatrists and British medical journal The announce that it is distancing the disastrous building col - building of trade unions is the general practitioners that two Lancet called the proposal“dan - itself from the manual.The insti - lapse while some 2438 people principal means of action. weeks is an appropriate inter - gerously simplistic” and tute’s director, Thomas R. Insel, were rescued alive from the To reach out to the most val for grief. After that, depres - “flawed,” and warned of the cited DSM-5’s “lack of validity,” eight-storey building that neglected women workers and sion supposedly can be diag - flood of misdiagnoses that saying that its “diagnoses are crashed down on April 24. to contribute to the elimina - nosed. would ensue. based on a consensus about The Savar incident shocked ensure more production”. towards the society. tion of child labours, BILS has In other words, doctors can – Compounding the problem, clusters of clinical symptoms, not only Bangladesh but also Citing a survey report, Jafrul BILS was established in 1995 undertaken specialised action and should – be able to distin - the DSM’s authority is not lim - not any objective laboratory the international community. Hasan said the country’s most with the support and active programs. BILS plays a cata - guish grief, a normal response ited to health-care institutions. measure.” The whole world is observing of the workers (92.79%) have participation of the major lyst role in bridging trade to loss, from depression, a men - American schools, courts, and Today, that consensus is clear - the May Day for protecting the been suffering from different National Trade Union unions, civil society and the tal disorder, after just 14 days, jails consult it daily, in order to ly missing (whether it ever truly workers’ rights while we are diseases. Unsafe work place is Federations of the country. 13 government on labour market when most people would still determine whether psychiatric existed is dubious). As the once- witnessing a tragedy in mainly responsible for this. National TU Federations are issues. be coping with the initial prac - treatment is necessary and reim - imminent promise of identify - Bangladesh over the Rana Joint initiative by government, associated with it. BILS As a responsible partner in ticalities of a loved one’s death. bursable. ing“biomarkers” for depression Want to Plaza collapse. non-government organization believes that a just and dem - the society the BILS also works The implication that mourning Earlier editions of the manu - recedes into the distant future, Dr Wajedul Islam, secretary and owners should be taken ocratic society is must to for socio-cultural development should be fast and efficient is al were careful not to include the APA is raising the stakes – of BILS, said most of industries for protecting the health of ensure the right of working through its associated NTUCs both disturbing and unneces - grief in diagnoses of depression, and increasing pressure on the contribute? and factories in our country workers and increase their people. and by its own. BILS goal is to sary. because the two conditions – already vulnerable – by imply - are unsafe for workers. work capacity. And as the vanguard of pro - promote the potential of the Moreover, with significant both of which may include ing that, after two weeks, a per - BILS acting secretary gener - Both Jafrul andWajed called tection of workers' rights, trade trade union movement in pro - potential for misdiagnosis, insomnia, loss of appetite, list - son’s grief is no longer just grief. at.independent al Jafrul Hasan said: “We only upon all concerned to come unions can play a vital role in tecting the rights of working defining“acceptable” grief could lessness, and intense mood Now, mourning can be a men - get information of only those forward to protect the rights establishing such a society. people and enabling them to have serious unintended con - swings – are easy to confuse. tal illness. @gmail.com accidents, which are published of workers and strengthen Keeping this in view, since its face the upcoming challenges sequences. Allen Frances, who And, as New York University in the media.We get less infor - movement to this effect. inception, BILS has been work - of the world. led the previous DSMTask Force Professor Jerome Wakefield Project Syndicate, 2013