US Administration in a notification last week banned import of prawns from India, Pakistan and Malaysia. Entry in American market, where prawns from these countries have a sizeable demand, has been stopped for the reason, which the US Administration perceives as annihilation of sea-bred tortoise during the prawn culture/cultivation in coastal areas in these countries.

Incidentally US Administration had imposed similar restriction/ban imported items from developing countries based on their perception of disturbance of ecological balance, environmental pollution, violation of human rights, etc.

However, when there are aberrations from other developed countries and US on the above score, they are eloquently silent both in words and actions. For example, during their attack on Iraq, when the oil had spilled over to the sea during the bombardment on Iraq's oil installations, no one talked about ecological imbalance.

How much environmental pollution has been caused by the brutal NATO bombardment of Yugoslavia during last few weeks? What about the violation of the basic human right "to live" of innocent men, women and children in this area, who are being annihilated by the inhuman attack by its allies and US? Should the product of NATO nations be banned in non-NATO countries because of environmental pollution and violation of human rights?

If no, why? Answer is simple - it is an unequal word where all the rules of the game of the so-called free economy have been framed to suit the developed countries, which can bully the developing countries as per their dictates. They can get away with killing of innocent human lives while the poorer countries can be penalised on the charges of destroying animal lives. Is this the lesson of the so-called free globalised economy?

^{10th May 1999.}