Learning lessons from theocratic countries

By M K George

Rome, Oct 3, 2022: Many fear that India is fast moving towards being a Hindu Rashtra (nation). If that would happen, would India turn out to be another theocratic country in the world? Should we be concerned?

Maybe one should begin by learning lessons from the theocracies in the world today. I take just three of them, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan and highlight some major facets of life in these countries.

Iran

Iran is in the news in recent times for its cruel treatment to the protestors of the death of the young Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in morality police custody. As per reports, at least 41 people have died in the protests. But, the authorities have repeatedly declared the need for ‘decisive action without leniency against the instigators.’

Despite the repressive measures, the protests continue. Women in Iran are asking for their basic freedoms. “The world should know Iranian brave people are fighting for freedom, fighting for human rights, fighting against a monster which came out from the deepest and darkest cave of religious fanaticism,” said, Farnam, one of the bold protestors.

The Human Rights Watch Report of 2021 on Iran says, ‘Deteriorating economic conditions due to US unilateral sanctions and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic have increased poverty and reduced living standards for millions in Iran. The government’s response to the pandemic, especially its mismanaged national vaccine procurement plan, has been criticized for its opacity and politicization…Freedom of assembly and expression and right to participate in the conduct of public affairs has been strictly restricted…Human Rights Defenders and Civil Activists remain behind bars…Iranian courts, and particularly revolutionary courts, regularly fall far short of providing fair trials and use confessions likely obtained under torture as evidence in court…Women, migrants, minorities and refugees face the worst of situations…’

Saudi Arabia

While the Saudi family is reported to be the richest royal family in the world, with a net worth of around 1.4 trillion dollars, the country itself is poor, with tan estimated 20 percent of its people living in poverty.

Regarding the freedom of expression, association and belief, the Human Rights Watch Reports say, “Saudi authorities in 2020 continued to repress dissidents, human rights activists, and independent clerics.”

Saudi Arabia applies Sharia (Islamic law) as its national law. Judges routinely sentence defendants to floggings of hundreds of lashes. Children can be tried for capital crimes and sentenced as adults if they show physical signs of puberty. In 2020, judges based some capital convictions primarily on confessions that the defendants retracted in court and said had been coerced under torture, allegations the courts did not investigate.

Despite major women’s right reforms in recent years, including an end to travel restrictions (for example, women over 21, like men, can now obtain passports and travel abroad without a guardian’s permission), Saudi women still must obtain a male guardian’s approval to get married, leave prison, or obtain certain healthcare.

Afghanistan

After the sudden retreat of the U S from Afghanistan, after almost a two decades control over the territory, the Taliban has practically taken over the whole country. The country has become the least democratic in the world.

The World Bank Report on Afghanistan (2022) says, “Afghanistan’s economic outlook is stark. Under any scenario, Afghanistan will face a smaller economy, significantly higher rates of poverty, and more limited economic opportunities for the 600,000 Afghans reaching working age every year. Human development outcomes are likely to deteriorate in the context of substantial disruptions to basic services and increased poverty. The Russian invasion of Ukraine, war, and associated sanctions may have significant exacerbating impacts via increased prices for imported food and fuel.”

The Taliban’s treatment of women continues to be subhuman. One of the recent reports said, ‘after a year of Taliban rule, advances for Afghan women and youth have all but evaporated. The Taliban’s disturbing rollback of economic and educational opportunities show they haven’t changed since the 1990s’. (U S Institute of Peace, 2022).

The obvious lessons

The lessons are there for everyone to see. In a theocratic country, women, children, human rights defenders, civil rights activists, migrants and refugees suffer. Life becomes miserable for the already marginalised. New forms of slavery and revival of old stratification systems emerge. Humanity diminishes. Meanwhile, the rich and the powerful will continue to flourish.

May be, we Indians should observe more, discuss and debate whether we need a theocratic country or not.