Is history repeating itself ?

I am writing this from terminal 3, Singapore Changi Airport. I met a few Singaporeans during my visit to Singapore. They are Singaporeans by nationality; many are Chinese by ethnicity. I have met many such Chinese in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Philippines and India in the past. No doubt they belonged to their nation of birth or domicile; but at the sametime they are proud to be Chinese. Their being Chinese bind them together. They all belong to the same gene stock.

I have also met a few Indians in Singapore; they are no doubt Singaporeans by natinality but are proud to be Indians by ethnicity. I have met Indians in Malaysia and Hong Kong too. They are also proud to be Indians by ethnicity. There are Indians in England, Holland, Austria, the USA etc.; they are also proud, barring a few fringe groups, to be Indians. But what about Pakistani, Bangladeshi and SriLankan nationals who are Indians by ethnicity. Why don't they call themselves Indians ? After all their features do show that they belong to the Indian stock. After all all of them (i.e. their forefathers) belonged to the undivided India. But their refusing to accept this natural fact is the reason for conflict, I believe. Of course, religion adds to the divisive agenda.

Even among the chinese, there are differences among the main-land Chinese and the Taiwanese or Hong Kong Chinese; but that is more political than cultural or social. Otherwise mainland China could have wiped off both Taiwan and Hong Kong in no time for not towing their line; but mainland China is tolerant towards them because of their ethnicity - they belong to the same gene stock!!!! (am I too simplistic in my assessment ??)

When will similar realization come to our fellow Indians in Kashmir, Pakistan, Bangladesh, SriLanka, Maldives etc. I am looking for the day when this truth dawns on the misguided !!! That is the day when peace will return to this culturally rich region. Why do you want to kill your brothers and sisters ? Of course India is full of stories(Ramayana & Mahabharata) and history (e.g. Aurangazeeb) where brothers fight and kill each other !!!!. Is history repeating now?

It happened to me...It can happen to you too

Yesterday, 01 December, 2008, I received a SMS at about 12.16 hrs that I made a transaction for Rs.2020.18 on my credit card. I was under the impression that it was the charge for my Singapore Visa charged by American Express. Later in the evening I received an invoice from American Express for Rs.1270/=. I thought immediately that there was something odd. This morning I called the ICICI Bank and checked about my credit card transactions; to my surprise there was one more transaction for Rs.1515.01. When I checked, there was more surprise - both the transactions were in US $ and both were from the same merchant. Immediately I gave instruction to freeze/cancel my card. Now I have taken this up with ICICI Bank for diputing the charges. The learning for me is that I should not neglect any of the SMS messages from my Credit Card company. If this can happen to me this can happen to anyone. Happy birthday!!!! (by the way, my laptop also gave way....again, is it a birthday effect/)