Many benefits for desert rice
It is wonderful news that there has been a great deal of development in growing rice in the desert, to alleviate hunger (‘Beating hunger: This Emirati farmer shows how to grow rice in the desert’, Gulf News, July 25). Having been proven time and again by Emirati farmer Saleh Mohammad Yarouf Al Mansouri, it is time for the authorities to test the products for nutrient content and whether it is suitable for human consumption. If everything is okay, it should then receive wide publicity and people interested in agriculture should be encouraged to follow the method so that production of agricultural products improves, and complaints about lack of cultivable land and rain shortage could be overcome. Congratulations to Al Mansouri and all the best for his work. It is very encouraging, and I am sure others will follow suit.
From Mr Ramani Rajan
UAE
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Wishing much success
Congratulations to Al Mansouri for his efforts and determination. Now, we can see a green desert full of paddy fields. This is a step forward to become self-sufficient in all areas, for people of the Gulf. This way, they would see less dependence on agricultural trade for essential items. I personally wish Al Mansouri success for his efforts and hope that he comes up with more innovative ideas in agriculture.
From Mr Variyambath Bhaskaran
UAE
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Not about discrimination
At a time when the world is witnessing criminals misusing the full face veil to do many illegal activities — from robbery and murder to suicide bombing — it was only a matter of time for strict guidelines to be implemented in India, against partially covering one’s face during the recent medical entrance exams. This should also be seen in the backdrop of cases where there has been cheating in exams. Yet, some sections of the media and some politicians make it appear as if this action is discriminatory towards minorities. Even Muslim countries do proper checking of veiled women when required. There is simply no way to know who is who, with a full face veil on. The New Delhi court said it right — nothing will happen if you stop hiding part of your face for three hours in an exam hall.
From Mr B. Jaykrishnan
Dubai
Giving peace a chance
With sincere efforts in creating a nuclear deal with Iran, closing down Guantanamo Bay, fostering relations with Venezuela and Cuba, and a historic visit to Kenya, US President Barack Obama is reaching out to more nations, in search of peace (‘US warns Israel against attacking Iran’, Gulf News, July 25). It is unfortunate that he faces objections from within, while trying to patch up the problems left behind by the destructive presidency of his predecessor, former US President George Bush Jr. We all know the disastrous consequences of Iraq and Libya, when their rulers were overthrown by forces led by the US. Give peace a chance. Explore the chances of trading more than arms.
From Mr Girish R. Edathitta
UAE
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Are we seeing bias?
There is an old saying in Tamil which translates to: ‘Even if God has granted the boon, the priest has refused it’ (‘Was maverick Sreesanth’s career deliberately destroyed?’, Gulf News, July 27). I feel that it is the same, with respect to the three cricketers — S. Sreesanth, Ankeet Chavan and Ajit Chandila. Though the court has discharged them and some others, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is unfazed by the Patiala Court verdict and is sticking to its own committee’s verdict to continue with its ban on these cricketers. It is a very well known fact that the BCCI committee was completely biased, in showing leniency towards Rajasthan Royals team owner Raj Kundra and the son of former BCCI president, Gurunath Meiyappan, as they were its bread and butter. God save these cricketers and above all, the game of cricket, from the money-minded board!
From Mr N. Mahadevan
Mylapore, India
Best place in the summer
Salalah, Oman, is one of the best places to visit during summer in the Middle East (‘Salalah is a cool place to be’, Gulf News, July 25). It’s a place where you can find rain drizzling, and green mountains in the summer, while other parts of the Gulf are scorching hot. Salalah is near the border of Yemen and the ‘khareef’ or monsoon season, is the best time to visit there. I was there for seven months and it was almost like a tropical oasis in the desert country. I am living in Muscat and have travelled there many times.
From Mr Mhel Aproda
Muscat, Oman
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A ‘must-see’ destination
Yes, I agree with Mr Mhel Aproda, Salalah is an amazing place in the south of Oman. It is not only famous for its greenery or rain in the summer, but also for its importance as a historical site. The tomb of Imran, for instance, is 30 metres long and attracts a lot of visitors. I’ve been to Salalah and must say, it’s a must-visit place in the Gulf!
From Ms Fatima Baig
UAE
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This is not self-defence
Israel uses military force to maintain an unlawful regime of occupation, colonialism and apartheid (‘Netanyahu simply an extremist ideologue’, Gulf News, July 27). This system is put in place in order to control as much land, with as few indigenous Palestinians on it, as possible and to prevent the Palestinian people from exercising their inalienable right to self-determination.
Between 2000 and 2010 alone, Israeli armed forces injured tens of thousands of people and killed more than 7,000 Palestinians, according to a human rights report on the Israeli Information Centre website.
Israel has a documented track record of breaching international human rights laws, during its armed conflicts. This includes its military operations, invasions and occupations of Palestinian and other Arab territory. Israel’s wars are acts of aggression, rather than ‘self-defence’, and are therefore a violation of international law.
Israel’s military forces have adopted a doctrine of disproportionate force, which calls for severely hurting civilians and infrastructure as the most ‘effective’ means of stopping or undermining irregular resistance forces. The United Nations and other bodies have repeatedly documented their war crimes and crimes against humanity.
From Mr Samaoen Othman
Cape Town, South Africa
Recognising strength
The Pakistani girl fighting bias against being dark skinned, brings to the fore an issue, I think, that only exists in Asian countries, where all dark skinned people are profiled against, and lighter skinned people are considered to be superior (‘Activist fights bias against dark skin’, Gulf News, July 23). It’s due to caste mythology. I have dark skin and sometimes, even I face discrimination in a lot of queues, but it’s okay. I feel sorry for people who discriminate against me, because they don’t have the ability to understand inner strength. So, I believe that in the end, the one who discriminates will be the loser.
From Mr Albert Nayanraj
UAE
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Don’t poison our children
This is the mentality of some people. It’s something that we, as women, face often and it is very sad and shameful. I don’t think that these things can ever change, despite our knowing how some people think. Actually, we learn this from our elders, because when we are small, we do not have this poison in our minds — that there is even a difference between someone who has a fair complexion and someone who is dark. Our friends in elementary school or classes are all dear to us, no matter what their complexion, ability or disability. We should not poison our children with such racist thoughts.
From Ms Zunera Aslam
UAE
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Unfortunate boating accident
The Nile party boat that was hit by a cargo ship, and resulted in the death of 21 people, was a sad issue to read about. This tragic incident took place in Egypt’s Nile river when a cargo ship crashed into the engagement celebrations. This is condemned as recklessness on the part of the captain that was steering the ship. In nine years, this is the second such tragic accident. Will the Egyptian government look into it and take precautionary measures in the future?
From Mr K. Ragavan
Bengaluru, India
DIY projects: Not so easy
The tutorial on how to create your own air conditioner was great, but in order create something as effective and useful as this, one needs to have patience and a constructive mind (‘How to make your own air conditioning and save money on your bills’, Gulf News, July 7). Such inventions are not everyone’s cup of tea. Also, it isn’t necessary to find the perfect parts to make this. It seems simple, but requires a lot of labour.
From Ms Fatima Suhail
Sharjah
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Dangerous for children
This is not a good solution for the summer, because if the ice melted inside the bucket, then the water could splash onto the floor and become very dangerous for children.
From Mr Johnny Martena
UAE
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