Just heard this fascinating piece by Gideon Polya:
Using Web-accessible UN Population Division Data [1] it has been possible to estimate avoidable mortality (excess mortality) and under-5 infant mortality for every country in the World since 1950. The results are horrendous.
The 1950-2005 avoidable mortality (excess mortality) has been 1.3 billion for the World, 1.2 billion for the non-European World and about 0.6 billion for the Muslim World - a Muslim Holocaust about 100 times greater than the World War 2 Jewish Holocaust (6 million victims) and the World War 2 Bengal Famine in British-ruled India (4 million Hindu and Muslim victims).
By way of corroboration, the under-5 infant mortality has been 0.88 billion for the World, 0.85 billion for the non-European World and about 0.4 billion for the Muslim World.
Whether a person dies VIOLENTLY or dies NON-VIOLENTLY from deprivation or malnourishment-exacerbated disease the end result is the same and the culpability the same.
Further, the Ruler is responsible for the Ruled and hence an Occupying Power is clearly responsible for avoidable mortality in a conquered country. However avoidable mortality and "foreign control" do not cease when foreign soldiers depart - indeed "occupation" can include economic and political hegemony by a foreign power.
full, including the incredible market holocaust in Bengal in 1943 at:
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/podcast/feeds/ockham_20050828.mp3
To paraphrase an old Moor: The ruling ideas of any era are ever the ideas of the ruling class.
Regards, Mike B)
****************************************************************** Apes....descend from men? Some of us though so; but it is not exactly that. Apes and men are two separate branches that have evolved from a point in common but in different directions....
P. Boulle, "Planet of the Apes."
http://profiles.yahoo.com/swillsqueal
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