CC Newsletter 19 Oct - Beyond the Headlines: The Struggle for Justice, Dignity and a Democratic World
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Dear Friend,
The common thread running through today’s issue of Countercurrents is the struggle to defend human dignity against systems of power that normalise injustice, silence dissent and place political interests above human lives.
From Gaza to Yemen, from the streets of France to the democratic movements of young people in India, our contributors examine how power operates, how resistance emerges and how societies are shaped by the choices of governments, institutions and citizens. The destruction of Palestinian lives and historical memory, the selective morality of Western political establishments, and the use of empathy to justify or challenge exclusion reveal the deep contradictions between professed values and political practice.
Other articles explore the connections between war and fossil fuels, the historical lessons of Bangladesh, the criminalisation of activists defending land and community rights, and the urgent need to make education and knowledge accessible to all. Reflections on Goethe, humanitarian disarmament and long-term land stewardship remind us that peace and justice require more than opposition to immediate wrongs. They demand a transformation in how we understand our responsibilities to one another and to the generations that will follow us.
The struggles documented in this issue may appear geographically and thematically diverse, but they share a fundamental question: Who bears the cost of power, and whose lives, voices and histories are considered expendable? Whether the subject is war, ecological destruction, communal division, economic inequality or democratic exclusion, the challenge is to resist the normalisation of suffering and create space for more humane alternatives.
We also continue our Silver Jubilee reflections with T T Sreekumar’s examination of journalism as a democratic commons. His contribution speaks directly to the purpose of Countercurrents: to bring scholarship into conversation with lived struggles, amplify voices marginalised by dominant media, and sustain a space for independent thought and collective imagination.
Countercurrents exists because readers believe that journalism must do more than reproduce the narratives of the powerful. It must question authority, preserve memory, defend the vulnerable and help people understand the structures that shape their lives.
This work depends entirely on reader support. We invite you to stand with us, share our articles and help sustain this independent space for critical journalism.
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In Solidarity
Binu Mathew
Editor
Countercurrents.org
PALESTINE
Trump, Epstein, and the Netanyahu Endorsement: The Strange Standards of Western Shame
by Junaid S Ahmad
In “Trump, Epstein, and the Netanyahu Endorsement: The Strange Standards of Western Shame,” Junaid S Ahmad examines the contrasting reactions to Donald Trump’s association with Jeffrey Epstein and his endorsement of Benjamin Netanyahu. The article argues that Western political establishments condemn scandals that threaten their moral reputation while accommodating mass violence committed by strategic allies. It situates this double standard within the racialised narratives of Western civilisation and the history of colonial conquest and imperial power. Trump’s open celebration of Netanyahu, Ahmad argues, exposes the contradictions between humanitarian rhetoric and the political support extended to Israel’s devastating campaign in Gaza.
For History’s Sake: Guarding The Palestinian Narrative From Israeli Distortion
by Dr Naela Al Waari
The destruction of Palestinian history extends beyond the loss of homes and lives to the archives, libraries, documents and cultural institutions that preserve collective memory. Dr Naela Al Waari examines how Palestinian records were seized, scattered or made inaccessible following the Nakba of 1948 and the occupation of East Jerusalem in 1967. The destruction of universities, libraries, museums and heritage sites in Gaza since October 2023 has further threatened the sources needed to reconstruct Palestinian history. Al Waari argues that historians must preserve surviving records, investigate missing documents and ensure that historical narratives are not left solely to the victors.
Stealing Palestine, Stealing Enlightenment
by David Swanson
David Swanson reviews "Wired to Steal" by Yoav Litvin and Ilan Pappé, examining the historical roots of Zionism, its relationship with European anti-Semitism, white supremacy, nationalism and settler colonialism. He reflects on how Zionist propaganda has shaped public perceptions of Israel and framed violence as self-defence, while Western governments continue to support Israeli policies. Swanson explores the contradictions between commitments to equality, civil liberties and international law and the defence of a state that discriminates against non-Jews. He recommends the book while questioning its treatment of political motivations and its reliance on contested psychological research.
‘Deck of Shame’: Using Art to Remember Gaza and Demand Accountability
by Romi Mahajan
In this interview, Paras Shah discusses "Deck of Shame: Gaza Genocide Edition", a deck of playing cards naming 52 individuals he considers most directly responsible for the genocide in Gaza. Inspired by the “Most Wanted” cards distributed to U.S. troops during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the project uses art to confront power, preserve memory and demand accountability. Shah reflects on how euphemistic language obscures the scale of violence and how art can resist the dehumanisation of Palestinians. He also describes a grant programme supporting student groups, community organisations and advocacy initiatives working for justice for Palestinians.
TRUMP - SAUDI ARABIA
Saudis Reject Trump Offer For Israeli Help in War
by Abdel Bari Atwan
Abdel Bari Atwan examines Donald Trump’s reported attempt to persuade Saudi Arabia to accept Israeli military assistance against Yemen’s Houthi movement and join the Abraham Accords. He argues that the proposal is intended to draw Riyadh back into a conflict that diplomacy had helped contain, while using military pressure to advance normalization with Israel. Atwan maintains that Israeli intervention would undermine Saudi Arabia’s standing among its own population and the wider Islamic world. He calls for renewed negotiations between Saudi Arabia and Yemen, arguing that dialogue, rather than foreign military intervention, offers the only viable path to peace.
FRANCE PROTESTS
France is Burning: Fire on the Streets, State Crisis, and the Future of French Democracy
by Asish Gupta
France’s recent street protests reflect a deepening crisis of social trust, economic security and democratic accountability. Demonstrations that began over deteriorating school conditions have expanded to encompass the rising cost of living, inadequate public services, education inequalities and uncertainty about the future. The clashes between protesters and police have intensified debates over state authority, the right to peaceful protest and police accountability. Drawing on France’s recent history of mass movements, Asish Gupta examines how austerity, political instability and unequal access to opportunities have fuelled public anger. The article argues that restoring democratic trust requires tangible improvements in education and public services, not repression alone.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Are the peace movement and the climate movement the same thing?
by Bill McKibben
Bill McKibben argues that the peace movement and the climate movement must work together to confront the central role of fossil fuels in modern warfare. From conflicts over oil reserves to fuel blockades and attacks on energy infrastructure, oil has become a cause, weapon and vulnerability in international conflicts. McKibben sees the transition to renewable energy as a way to reduce both greenhouse gas emissions and the economic incentives driving wars. Solar and wind power, electric vehicles and heat pumps can weaken dependence on fossil fuels while strengthening energy security. He presents the solar panel as a new symbol of peace.
COUNTER SOLUTIONS
Designing land access with deep time in mind: Moving toward a timeless ethic of land stewardship
by Darby Weaver
In “Designing Land Access with Deep Time in Mind,” Darby Weaver argues for a shift from treating land as private property and a financial asset to understanding it as a living inheritance. Drawing on Indigenous traditions, ecological stewardship, and the experiences of farmers, Weaver examines how speculative real estate markets threaten farmland, food production, and generations of accumulated knowledge. The article explores community-centred land trusts as a way to protect regenerative farms and preserve their work beyond individual lifetimes. It calls for a long-term ethic of care in which people become stewards of the land for generations yet to come.
DISARMAMENT
Goethe and the Moral Roots of Peace and Humanitarian Disarmament
by Ghassan Shahrour
In "Goethe and the Moral Roots of Peace and Humanitarian Disarmament", Ghassan Shahrour explores how Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s ideas on human development, education, cultural exchange and moral responsibility can inform contemporary efforts to prevent violence. While Goethe did not formulate a modern disarmament programme, his reflections offer insights into the cultural foundations of peace. Shahrour connects Goethe’s concept of world literature with international solidarity and examines how education can strengthen empathy, critical thought and respect for human dignity. The article argues that lasting humanitarian disarmament requires more than laws and treaties; it demands a culture that refuses to accept human suffering as inevitable.
BANGLADESH
Learnings from Bangladesh History on how the life of over one million people and top leaders could have been saved
by Bharat Dogra
Bharat Dogra examines the lessons of Bangladesh’s history, focusing on how principled diplomacy could have prevented mass suffering and saved over a million lives during the 1971 genocide. He highlights the warnings issued by US diplomats Archer Blood and Kenneth Keating, whose appeals for a change in Washington’s policy were ignored by President Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger. The article also examines the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975, the subsequent erosion of democracy and secularism, and the international dimensions of political upheaval. It calls for historical accountability, ethical diplomacy, and greater vigilance against foreign interference.
INDIAN DEMOCRACY
Gen Z protests in India are so peaceful and democratic; look at the violence in France
by Vidyadhar Date
In his article, Vidyadhar Date contrasts the peaceful and democratic character of recent Gen Z protests in India with the violent unrest in France and other European countries. Despite the injustices faced by Indians, young protesters have demonstrated restraint, while authorities have responded with barricades, disruption and hostility. Date criticises university professors and public intellectuals for blaming protesters while remaining silent about police brutality and the erosion of democratic norms. Drawing on Julian Benda’s The Treason of the Intellectuals, Thomas Docherty’s critique of universities and Shakespeare’s Macbeth, he questions the complicity of intellectuals with power and defends youthful dissent.
Fear Blinked First
by Nihar Nalini Sarangi
In "Fear Blinked First", Nihar Nalini Sarangi examines the psychological shift behind the rise of the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP). Beginning with a judge’s remark comparing unemployed young people to cockroaches, the article traces how satire transformed private humiliation into collective expression. The movement challenged learned helplessness, broke the isolation that sustains silence, and drew political parties into a growing debate over unemployment, democratic institutions and public dissent. Yet its future remains uncertain. With no settled programme or formal organisation, the CJP faces questions of leadership, democratic accountability and political direction. Its immediate legacy is a generation no longer silent.
The Maturity of Abhijeet Dipake and the CJP: Beyond the Pro-BJP Label
by Nagesh Chaudhari
Abhijeet Dipake and the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) have been accused of functioning as a B-team of the BJP. This article challenges that characterisation by examining Dipake’s positions on caste, reservations, Ambedkar and communal politics. It highlights his criticism of the Hindu-Muslim narrative, his support for reservations and his call for the annihilation of caste. It also examines the historical record of the Congress and Communist parties on reservations and social justice. The article argues that confronting the RSS and BJP requires multiple protest movements and a broader democratic mobilisation rather than dismissing emerging groups through political labels.
EDUCATION
Proposing a Public Interest Endowment University Model for Keralam
by Deva Prasad M and Silpa Satheesh
India’s endowment universities offer greater academic flexibility, research funding and faculty mobility, but high fees often place them beyond the reach of ordinary families. In this article, Deva Prasad M and Silpa Satheesh propose a public interest endowment university model for Keralam that combines academic excellence with equitable access. They examine the limitations of the state’s existing higher education system, including bureaucratic delays, politicised appointments and inadequate research infrastructure. The proposed model would draw on philanthropic, CSR, alumni and institutional endowments, supported by public accountability, stakeholder participation and scholarships to ensure that quality education remains accessible to socially marginalised students.
One Nation, One Subscription, But Not for Everyone
by Dr Anu M Varghese
India’s One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) scheme allocates nearly ?6,000 crore over three years to provide access to scholarly journals across more than 6,300 institutions. Dr Anu M Varghese examines the promise and limitations of this initiative. While the scheme could expand research access for students and faculty in government institutions, private colleges, independent researchers, journalists and others remain outside its coverage. The article also highlights the uncertainty of subscription-based access beyond 2027 and the financial barriers researchers face in publishing open-access work. It argues for a more inclusive and lasting approach to making knowledge accessible.
HUMAN RIGHTS
Two Anti-Mining Activists Arrested in Kantamal Case, Raising Due Process Concerns
by Prakash Kumar Samantsinghar
The arrests of anti-mining activists Dr. Randall Sequeira and Laxman Naik in Odisha have raised serious concerns over due process and the treatment of those defending community rights. Arrested in connection with the April 6–7 incidents in Kantamal village, both men were reportedly detained overnight without access to lawyers or family members. Neither was named in the FIR relating to the case, according to the report. Questions have also emerged over the seizure of their mobile phones and allegations of police misconduct. The arrests have renewed scrutiny of criminal cases against activists opposing mining projects and defending Adivasi and Dalit communities’ land, forests and livelihoods.
COMMUNAL HARMONY
FORUM National Convention Calls for Justice, Peace and Solidarity Amid Threats to India’s Democracy
Press Release
The XIX National Convention of the Forum of Religious for Justice and Peace (FORUM), held in Pune from 10 to 12 October 2026, called for renewed action against systemic injustice, communal violence, corruption, discrimination and threats to India’s secular and democratic fabric. Bringing together members from 14 states and 27 congregations, the convention emphasised solidarity with the poor, protection of constitutional rights, ecological justice and engagement with young people. Its unanimously adopted statement pledged to listen to marginalised communities, accompany vulnerable groups, build partnerships across civil society and translate convictions into concrete programmes for justice, peace, reconciliation and democratic participation.
PHILOSOPHY
The Use and Misuse of Empathy, From Gaza to Ireland
by Hugh Curran
In "The Use and Misuse of Empathy, From Gaza to Ireland", Hugh J. Curran examines how empathy, a foundation of moral life, can be restricted by political loyalties and used to justify injustice. Drawing on Adam Smith and David Hume, he explores the relationship between shared suffering and moral judgment. The article criticises Western governments’ military support for Israel amid the destruction of Gaza, arguing that this complicity undermines the credibility of Western liberal values. Connecting the histories of Ireland and Palestine, Curran calls for an empathy that crosses national boundaries and extends to all living beings.
RELIGION
The Politics of “Suicidal Empathy”: A Critical Examination of Anti-Muslim Narratives, Civilisational Decline, and the Misuse of Science
by V A Mohamad Ashrof
In his critical examination of a review of Gad Saad’s "Suicidal Empathy: Dying to Be Kind", V A Mohamad Ashrof challenges the use of evolutionary psychology to legitimise anti-Muslim narratives and claims of civilisational decline. The article examines how anecdotes, dehumanising metaphors and sweeping generalisations are used to portray Muslim migrants as threats, question humanitarian obligations towards Gaza, and frame compassion as societal weakness. It also scrutinises claims about refugee hosting and the scientific authority invoked to support political arguments. Ashrof distinguishes legitimate debates about empathy and public policy from narratives that turn religious and ethnic minorities into civilisational enemies.
NOVEL
Chapter 5 – Rumors That Abu Yusuf al-Tahhan Has Returned
by Dr Salim Nazzal
In the fifth chapter of "The Latest News of Abu Yusuf al-Tahhan", Dr Salim Nazzal weaves village folklore, historical memory and human longing into an evocative narrative. Rumours, whispered conversations and mysterious signs shape the villagers’ understanding of events, revealing how uncertainty can nourish both fear and hope. The story moves between intimate personal relationships and the wider currents of history, with the Battle of Ayn Jalut providing a significant historical backdrop. Nazzal’s restrained prose captures the rhythms of village life and its collective imagination, creating an atmosphere of anticipation that sustains the reader’s curiosity without sacrificing the novel’s reflective depth.
COUNTERCURRENTS SILVER JUBILEE SYMPOSIUM
Countercurrents at Twenty-Five: Journalism as a Democratic Commons
by T T Sreekumar
As part of Countercurrents Silver Jubilee Symposium, T T Sreekumar writes on journalism as a democratic commons. Reflecting on the publication’s twenty-five-year journey, he examines its role in sustaining an independent space for dissent, critical inquiry and solidarity. He argues that journalism must make visible the experiences of communities excluded from dominant accounts of social reality. Countercurrents brings scholarship into dialogue with lived struggles, enabling activists, movement participants and writers to contribute to public knowledge. Sustained by reader support and collective participation, this democratic commons challenges concentrated media power and keeps alternative visions of social transformation alive.
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