THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary- November 24, 2016- Topic 1
As the
most powerful and cohesive power in the region, India needs to chart a road map
to restore the ceasefire on the Line of Control. The brutal killing of three
Indian soldiers, one of them beheaded, in the Machhil sector in Jammu and
Kashmir must alert both India and Pakistan to the danger of the retaliatory
cycle spinning out of control. After decades of hostilities, the formal
ceasefire of November 2003 had come as a big boost to peace at a time when
India was grappling with militancy, state-sponsored terrorism and political
disaffection. Starting that winter, the guns fell silent along the
International Boundary and the LoC, thousands of residents of border villages
on both sides returned to their farms, and India was able to complete its fence
along the LoC. Militancy in J&K declined significantly, and normalcy
gradually returned to the Valley. It is a matter of debate if the ceasefire was
a contributing factor in the reduction in militancy in Kashmir, but cover fire
provided by Pakistani military posts along the border had been regularly used
by militants to sneak into India. This is reportedly how the terrorists who
killed Indian soldiers on Tuesday managed to get across the LoC.
It is clear now that the
ongoing, almost daily, exchange of fire has rendered the ceasefire meaningless.
Ever since the terrorist attack on an Army camp in Uri in September, tensions
have bubbled over. Ceasefire violations have become routine, and thousands of
villagers have shifted to safer locations. Small arms, light machine guns,
various kinds of mortars and artillery are being used by both sides. In the fog
of hostilities, it is not easy to distinguish who is the guilty, and who
started the firing. What is clear is that this race to the bottom could get out
of hand. Contributing to the uncertainty is the power struggle in Pakistan,
with the civilian government of Nawaz Sharif trying to hold its own vis-Ã -vis the army. The expected exit of Army chief Raheel
Sharif may add to the confusion, as the new chief settles in. However, in New
Delhi, the picture is far clearer. Given India’s regional status and Prime
Minister Narendra Modi’s unchallenged hold over political power, it is
incumbent on him to initiate steps to restore the ceasefire that worked well
for over a decade. It is not only that peace is an absolute requisite for his
government’s grand economic plans, including demonetisation, to work; India and
Pakistan must guard against adventurism in an increasingly unpredictable world.
Vocabulary
Cohesive: characterized
by or causing cohesion.
Example: Today I got a real sense that we were beginning to become a cohesive unit,
looking out for each other.
Beheaded: cut off
the head of (someone), typically as a form of execution.
Example: Public beheadings
Synonyms: decapitate, cut/chop/lop
someone's head off, guillotine
Hostilities: hostile
behavior; unfriendliness or opposition.
Example: Their hostility to all outsiders
Synonyms: antagonism, unfriendliness, enmity, malevolence, malice, unkindness
Grappling: engage
in a close fight or struggle without weapons; wrestle.
Example: Passersby grappled with the man after the knife attack
Synonyms: wrestle, struggle, tussle, brawl, fight, scuffle, battle
Disaffection: a state
or feeling of being dissatisfied with the people in authority and no longer
willing to support them.
Example: There is growing disaffection with large corporations
Sneak: move or
go in a furtive or stealthy manner.
Example: I sneaked out by the back exit
Synonyms: creep, slink, steal, slip, slide, sidle, edge, move
furtively, tiptoe
Rendered: cause to
be or become; make.
Example: The rains rendered his escape impossible
Synonyms: make, cause to
be/become, leave
Artillery: large-caliber
guns used in warfare on land.
Example: Tanks and heavy artillery
Synonyms: ordnance, (big)
guns, cannon(s), battery
Incumbent: necessary
for (someone) as a duty or responsibility.
Example: It is incumbent on all decent people to concentrate on destroying this evil
Synonyms: necessary for one
to, essential that, required that, imperative that
Requisite: made
necessary by particular circumstances or regulations.
Example: The application will not be processed until the requisite fee is paid
Synonyms: necessary, required, prerequisite, essential, indispensable, vital
Unpredictable: not able
to be predicted.
Example: The unpredictable weather of the Scottish islands
Synonyms: unforeseeable, uncertain, unsure, doubtful, dubious, iffy