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"If we take the full meaning of the term society into consideration, it will be seen that till now human beings have not been able to form a real society. If India builds a society for only Indians, Pakistan for only Pakistanis, and England for only the English, then these three separate societies will exist, but we cannot look upon them as the society of humanity. Because humanity is divided into groups, one society will naturally try to thrive by exploiting the vitality of others. �You will notice that efforts are being made to establish so-called societies in some particular part of the world, for some particular section of the people, and based on some particular 'ism" or faith. A social consciousness based on such divisions lies latent in the minds of the people, whether they are Indian, Pakistani or English, so they remain absorbed in thoughts of their smaller groups." - Shrii Prabhat R. Sarkar


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"Human beings have still not been able to form a human society, and have still not learned to move with the spirit of a pilgrim. Although many small groups, motivated by self-interest, work together in particular situations, not even a small fraction of their work is done with a broader social motive. By strict definition, shall we have to declare that each small family unit is a society in itself? If going ahead in mutual adjustment only out of narrow self-interest or momentary self-seeking is called society, then in such a society, no provision can be made for the disabled, the diseased or the helpless, because in most cases nobody can benefit from them in any way... in that case there always remains the possibility of some people getting isolated from the collective. All human beings must attach themselves to others by the common bond of love and march forward hand in hand; then only will I proclaim it a society." - Shrii Prabhat R. Sarkar

"Power concedes nothing without a demand.' The struggle for justice must never be adjourned. The forces of injustice do not take vacations. Societies are not static in this regard. They await the political and civic energies of individuals who engage the arenas of power, multiply their numbers and emblazon in deeds and institutions the immortal principle that "Here the People Rule." - Ralph Nader

U.N.: Afghans at risk from drought


With 2.5 million people endangered, they once again will be dependent on the charity of those very nations whose suicidal creation of greenhouse gases have endangered the whole planet. They will be dependent on the charity of the same nations who bankrolled the Taliban and the warlords in Afghanistan. With record high temperatures everywhere, we need to become fanatics regarding reforestation and regarding rainwater harvesting. There is no alternative. And we need to spread the word - to other sites, and to everyone we meet. The mainstream media will barely cover this crisis until it is too late! - WPA

Tuesday, July 18, 2006 Posted: 0517 GMT (1317 HKT)

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- The Afghan government will launch an appeal to raise funds for drought-affected areas in north and west Afghanistan, U.N. officials said Monday.

Areas of Afghanistan are regularly gripped by drought, which has hampered various agricultural harvests, particularly wheat, across this impoverished Central Asian nation.

"The north and northwest have been directly affected by drought and poor wheat harvests," Serge Verniau, country representative for the Food and Agriculture Organization, told reporters in the capital, Kabul.

"The government will launch shortly an appeal campaign for the drought in order to respond appropriately in all the affected areas."

Abdul Rahim Zareen, spokesman for the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, confirmed his government will launch an appeal later this week for financial and food assistance from the international community. Assessments are ongoing across the country to determine how great the need is.

The U.N. food aid agency, the World Food Program, said 2.5 million Afghans are at risk from the drought.

"The difficulty will be to have a measured response over the next few months and until the next harvest because what we ... don't want (is) farmers to be eating their seed," said agency representative Chris Vincent.

Verniau said poor rains have caused the FAO to re-evaluate estimates on wheat expected to be produced this year from 4.4 million tons to 3.7 million tons. Some 4.27 million tons of wheat were harvested in 2005.

"In April-May there was a very critical shortage of rainfall in a very critical vegetative stage for the wheat," Verniau said.

"The drought is a regular phenomenon in Afghanistan so this year it is quite severe in comparison to last year, but it is not so crucial as it was in (previous) years," Verniau. "The country has always been ... affected by drought."

The hardest affected areas in Afghanistan are in the north and northwest of the country, particularly in the Ghor and Badghis provinces, Verniau said.

Agriculture accounts for 52 percent of Afghanistan's gross domestic product and wheat comprises 80 percent of the country's cereal production.
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Copyright 2006 The Associated Press.

Last Updated July 18, 2006 11:56 AM

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