A Free Country. Indeed?

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The world around us

The Freedom House has recently published its ‘Map of freedom 2009’. As per the findings, both political rights and civil liberties have suffered around the world for the fourth consecutive year in 2009. This signifies the longest uninterrupted period of decline since the report was first published. Here’re the facts for us to reflect upon:

• Electoral democracies dropped in number from 119 to 116, the lowest in the last 15 years or so.
• Half a dozen countries have been demoted: Lesotho has been reduced to ‘partly free’ while Gabon, Bahrain, Yemen, Jordan and Kyrgyzstan have descended into the ‘not free’ category.
• Over a third of the world’s population still live in countries that have been deemed as ‘not free’ and not very surprisingly, over half of them come from behind the Great Wall of China.
• In the Middle East and North Africa 70% of countries are not free. This includes UAE, where I live, though Dubai may give one a feeling of considerable warmth.

On the brighter side, though freedom was on the ascent in 16 countries, notably in the Balkans, where Kosovo is partly free and the Black Mountain of the Adriatic Sea, Montenegro, is now considered free. Singapore, received a downward trend arrow due to the politically motivated handling of defamation cases, which cast doubt on judicial independence. Not surprising at all. I remember interviewing Singaporean citizens about the health facilities in S’pore and Singaporean establishments about HR practices and they just wouldn’t be read to say a thing about the government for fear of being turned in! Like they say, Singapore is a fine city, there is a fine for most things! UK continues to remain ‘free’, not surprising at all again. That country gives its people so much space and independence that I just fell in love with it since I first put foot on its concrete (well, I can’t say soil, there hardly is any soil exposed!) some four years ago.

Incredible, its India

But closer home, India has been marked as a ‘free’ state on the map. But is it really ‘free’? If so then how do our citizens exercise their civic freedom? On the same day as the publishing of the Freedom report, the national newspapers in India read ‘moral police against advertising lingerie’ with activists being offended by the display of women's lingerie on the mannequins in shops, calling it ‘obscene’. Perhaps the country has been rid of other problems such as corruption and theft that these purveyors of culture must now turn to more ‘engaging’ problems such as women’s undergarments?


This is a country that shelters about half-a-billion sexually repressed men. While they prevent their women from exposing anything over the knee, they remain immersed in watching porn and patronising dance bars and other places I consider demeaning to even mention. Such double standards. If obscene ads will not be allowed in Madhya Pradesh, will the Government demolish the Khajuraho temples too? Will they stoop to serving the same fate that was met out to the Buddhas of Bamyan? One of the most astounding forms of ancient sculpture and Hindu culture, the Khajuraho temples, are a tribute to the most beautiful gift of God – the union of a man and his woman. Isn’t this a part of Indian culture? Aren’t these the same temples that help MPSTDC and Incredible India earn revenues and forex from throngs of tourists? The pseudo Taliban that patrols the shops in an attempt to protect a culture, doesn’t even know let alone understand and respect what our culture is about. In a country plagued by more serious issues to tackle, isn’t this surreal. All this in the state that figures in the top ten list of sex crimes in the country. Perhaps it is this ground reality that the state governments would be much better off addressing. So much for Indian culture.

I can understand that attitudes towards sex remain conservative by western standards, particularly in rural and provincial areas. But removal of condom ads for reasons that they are ‘against family values’? What poignant irony given that this is a country with the largest population. Proliferation is so much a part of the Indian culture that not only do we have the largest growing human population but also the largest cattle population, the largest pig population and the largest goat population. Gimme a break. We might be free from colonial rule, free from oppression and free from slavery to superstition. But are we free only superficially? Will our children live in a better country or will they too be troubled by the same problems? How long before our country comes out of the closet and sees the light of day, the light of knowledge?

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For further reading:

The Freedom House is an independent watchdog organization that supports the expansion of freedom around the world. Freedom House supports democratic change, monitors freedom, and advocates for democracy and human rights. Freedom is possible only in democratic political systems in which the governments are accountable to their own people; the rule of law prevails; and freedoms of expression, association, and belief, as well as respect for the rights of minorities and women, are guaranteed. Freedom ultimately depends on the actions of committed and courageous men and women. We support nonviolent civic initiatives in societies where freedom is denied or under threat and we stand in opposition to ideas and forces that challenge the right of all people to be free. Freedom House functions as a catalyst for freedom, democracy and the rule of law through its analysis, advocacy and action.