CC Newsletter 12 July - Gaza, Democracy, Climate and the Struggle for Justice
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Dear Friend,
This issue brings together voices that confront some of the defining challenges of our time: war, ecological collapse, democratic erosion, inequality, and the enduring search for justice.
Our coverage begins with Gaza, where the destruction of critical water infrastructure has deepened an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis. We also examine how Palestine is reshaping political debate in the United States, signalling broader shifts in global public opinion.
The issue explores alternative futures through Bill McKibben's vision of bicycle-centred cities and Bharat Dogra's account of women-led water conservation movements. We revisit history through essays on the Arab world's long search for identity and the transformative social legacy of the Bhakti tradition. Other articles investigate the colonial roots of global public health, questions of democratic accountability, nuclear policy, corporate power, education, literature, and the resilience of individuals whose lives have been shaped by displacement and conflict.
Together, these essays remind us that while systems of power continue to produce violence and inequality, people across the world continue to imagine, build, and defend more just and humane alternatives.
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Binu Mathew
Editor
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PALESTINE
As Gaza Water Crisis Worsens, Israel Bombs Critical Facility
by Stephen Prager
As Gaza’s water crisis deepens, a strike on a key water facility in Gaza City has forced the suspension of a humanitarian project that had been delivering clean drinking water to families in some of the territory’s most dangerous areas. Aid groups and UN agencies warn that the destruction of water infrastructure, severe restrictions on humanitarian access, and continuing military operations have left most residents without adequate access to safe water. The article examines the reported attack, its humanitarian consequences, and the broader impact of the ongoing conflict on civilians struggling to meet their most basic needs.
Israel Debated: Why Palestine is Rewriting the Rules of Domestic US Politics
by Dr Ramzy Baroud
Israel’s war on Gaza is reshaping the political landscape in the United States in ways that extend beyond foreign policy debates. This article by Dr. Ramzy Baroud examines changing public opinion, growing electoral consequences for unconditional support for Israel, and the emergence of Palestine as a significant issue in American politics. It traces the failed congressional effort to challenge military aid, the shift in political language among progressive lawmakers, and the widening gap between public sentiment and Washington’s bipartisan consensus. The article argues that sustained public mobilization, rather than elite political calculations, is driving the changing terms of the debate.
TRIBUTE
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani: The Emir Who Knew How to Leave
by Laala Bechetoula
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani transformed Qatar from a small Gulf state into a global economic, diplomatic and media power. This reflection by Laala Bechetoula examines the achievements and contradictions of his rule, from restoring Souq Waqif and building the liquefied natural gas industry to founding Al Jazeera and pursuing an independent foreign policy. It also considers his uncommon decision to abdicate voluntarily while still in power, allowing a peaceful transfer of authority. The article argues that his legacy lies not only in what he built, but also in his willingness to let the institutions he created endure beyond his rule.
COUNTER SOLUTIONS
Tour de Planet
by Bill McKibben
Bill McKibben argues that bicycles, especially e-bikes, may prove more transformative than electric cars in reducing emissions and reshaping urban life. Drawing on examples from cities across Europe, China, and North America, he highlights how cycling improves mobility, lowers oil consumption, cuts pollution, and creates more livable public spaces. The article also examines political resistance to cycling infrastructure, linking it to fossil fuel interests and car-centered policies. At a time when transport systems are being reimagined, McKibben presents the expanding role of bicycles as a practical, affordable, and widely accessible path toward healthier communities and a more sustainable future.
Jal Sahelis Expand their Activities to Meet New Challenges
by Bharat Dogra
Women volunteers known as Jal Sahelis are demonstrating how community-led action can strengthen water conservation, expand access to safe water, and build local resilience. From restoring water sources and supporting village water systems to leading a 500-kilometre march for the Yamuna, they continue to take on new responsibilities with remarkable commitment. Their work is also fostering women's leadership, reducing social divisions, and encouraging collective stewardship of natural resources. Bharat Dogra highlights how the Jal Saheli experience shows that lasting environmental protection depends not only on funding and infrastructure, but also on empowered communities and the enduring spirit of voluntarism.
POETRY
The Weight of Dust
by Dr César Chelala
Dr. César Chelala's "The Weight of Dust" is a spare, morally urgent poem that confronts the normalization of mass suffering in an age of endless war. Through plain, unadorned language, it exposes how repeated exposure to violence can dull empathy and reduce human lives to statistics. The poem's central contrast between the supposed worthlessness of dust and the diminished value placed on children and civilians is both stark and devastating. Rather than offering consolation, it demands moral self-examination, asking how societies have come to accept cruelty carried out in their name. Its restraint gives its indictment lasting emotional force.
INDIA-AUSTRALIA URANIUM DEAL
Uranium Diets: Nuclear Energy, Modi and Down Under Toadies
by Dr Binoy Kampmark
Australian and Indian governments have finalised arrangements for Australian uranium exports to India, presenting the agreement as a step toward expanding nuclear energy. Dr. Binoy Kampmark argues that the deal has received uncritical political and media support while overlooking unresolved concerns about nuclear safeguards, non-proliferation commitments, and Australia's international obligations. The article revisits earlier warnings from legal experts, former political leaders, and anti-nuclear advocates, and examines India's status outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty alongside broader questions of security, diplomacy, and human rights. It contends that economic and strategic interests are being placed ahead of long-standing ethical and legal concerns.
HISTORY
The Arab World in Two Hundred Years: A Search for Identity
by Dr Salim Nazzal
Over two centuries, the Arab world has wrestled with questions of identity, modernity, nationalism, colonialism, and political fragmentation. Beginning with Napoleon’s invasion of Egypt in 1798, Dr. Salim Nazzal traces the intellectual and political currents that shaped the region, from the rise of Arab nationalism and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire to the lasting consequences of the Sykes–Picot Agreement and the Balfour Declaration. This historical reflection examines how competing visions of nation, religion, and state continue to influence the Arab world, offering context for many of the conflicts and political realities that persist today.
The House Never Given Back
by Laala Bechetoula
Civilizations are often judged by moments of violence while centuries of culture, scholarship, compassion, and ordinary human life fade from view. Drawing on personal family history in Algeria, historical reflection, and examples from across the Islamic world, Laala Bechetoula examines how collective memory is shaped by power, conflict, and selective representation. The essay argues for historical proportion, acknowledging injustice without reducing entire societies to their darkest episodes. It is a thoughtful meditation on memory, colonialism, historical responsibility, and the importance of preserving the full complexity of human inheritance in the face of fear, prejudice, and simplification.
HEALTH AND THE GLOBAL SOUTH
Global public health and the uneven distribution of death and disease
by Geoffrey Jobson
Global public health has long been shaped by colonial priorities, argues Geoffrey Jobson, leaving deep inequalities in access to healthcare that persist today. The article examines how technical, aid-driven approaches often ignore the political and economic structures that produce poor health outcomes. Drawing on examples from colonial medicine, the Ebola outbreaks, and the COVID-19 pandemic, it contends that scarcity is frequently a political choice rather than an unavoidable reality. Jobson calls for a health justice framework that addresses the structural roots of inequality and advances the human right to healthcare through fundamental transformation of the global economy.
BOOK
“We the people . . .”
by John Rachel
John Rachel revisits the opening words of the U.S. Constitution to examine how the idea of “We the People” has expanded through struggles for inclusion and equal rights. Tracing milestones from the abolition of slavery to women’s suffrage and the civil rights movement, he argues that democratic progress has come largely through sustained public action rather than elite initiative. The article presents constitutional change as evidence of a system capable of adapting to evolving social values while warning against the concentration of political and economic power in the hands of privileged interests. This article is an excerpt from Rachel’s book, "The CFAR Electoral Campaign Strategy"
BJP
Power Without Accountability: The BJP Story
by T Navin
T. Navin argues that democracy depends not only on electoral victories but on continuous public accountability. Exam paper leaks, unemployment, environmental degradation, infrastructure failures, weakened institutions, and limited parliamentary scrutiny are presented as examples of a broader shift in governance. The article contends that when transparency, consultation, and institutional independence decline, democratic safeguards are weakened. It examines the relationship between political authority and constitutional responsibility, arguing that elections alone cannot sustain democratic legitimacy. Accountability, the author concludes, remains the defining measure of democratic governance.
ADANI BRIBERY CASE
EAS Sarma Alleges Centre Misled US Authorities on Adani Bribery Probe
by E A S Sarma
Former Union Secretary E.A.S. Sarma has written to the Cabinet Secretary alleging that the Union government may have misled US authorities by claiming that Indian agencies had investigated bribery allegations involving the Adani Group and found no actionable misconduct. He argues that no such investigation has taken place and calls for a judicial inquiry, an independent probe by Indian agencies in coordination with US counterparts, and an investigation into any officials responsible for making false representations. The letter contends that failure to investigate serious allegations of bribery undermines accountability, weakens public institutions, and risks encouraging corruption on a larger scale.
LIFE
From Dreams of Becoming a Doctor to Writing for Change
by Mehrullah Rahmani
Forced to flee Afghanistan, Mehrullah Rahmani saw his childhood dream of becoming a doctor dissolve into the uncertainty of refugee life in Pakistan. In a small library and with nothing more than a pencil, he discovered a new purpose: writing. This deeply personal memoir traces a journey through displacement, loss, resilience, and the unexpected power of words to restore hope. From village classrooms and family memories to exile and self-discovery, Rahmani reflects on how a single act of writing transformed his future. It is a moving testament to endurance, creativity, and the human capacity to rebuild after profound upheaval.
SOCIAL REFORM
The Bhakti Tradition in South India: How Devotion Became a Force for Social Equality
by Pon Chandran
The Bhakti movement in South India was more than a religious tradition. Beginning between the sixth and twelfth centuries, it reshaped society by promoting personal devotion, vernacular literature and greater spiritual access beyond caste barriers. This article traces its evolution through the Alvars and Nayanars, the radical social reforms of Basaveshwara's Lingayat movement, and Sree Narayana Guru's campaign against caste discrimination in Kerala. Together, these movements transformed devotion into a force for equality, education and social change, leaving a lasting impact on the cultural and intellectual history of South India and influencing reform movements across the subcontinent.
PRESCHOOL EDUCATION
Beyond ABCs: The Invisible Work of Early Childhood Teachers
by Rushika Holey
Teaching young children involves far more than introducing letters, numbers, and rhymes. Drawing on her experience as a lower primary teacher, Rushika Holey reflects on the emotional, intellectual, and often unseen labour that early childhood educators perform every day. From building children's confidence and managing diverse learning needs to creating safe and supportive classrooms, their work lays the foundation for lifelong learning. The article challenges common misconceptions that equate a simple syllabus with simple work and calls for greater recognition of the patience, skill, and dedication required to nurture children during their earliest years of education.
FILM REVIEW
‘Satluj’ Movie: Human Rights Abuses in Conflict Situations
by T Navin
'Satluj' examines the human cost of conflict beyond official narratives of security and counterinsurgency. Focusing on a human rights activist investigating disappearances and alleged illegal cremations during Punjab’s militancy, the film highlights the struggles of families searching for truth and justice. The article explores how documentation, legal action, and accountability become essential in confronting allegations of custodial killings, torture, and enforced disappearances. It also reflects on the broader challenges faced by human rights defenders in conflict zones across India, arguing that democratic institutions are strengthened when security operations remain subject to the rule of law and public accountability.
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