Author Archives: montecyril

South Asia is in dire straits. From the high mountain peaks of Nepal and Pakistan to the flat sandy beaches of Sri Lanka and Maldives, the economies of South Asia are facing the crises of both inflation and interest rates rising and currencies depreciating, and what is worse, a dearth of foreign exchange reserves toContinue reading “Dark clouds of debt loom over India’s neighbourhood “

When we are in bondage of our own sentiments  Then anger and pride be our hellish predicament  As we seek to vindicate all our false beliefs  And the anguish of hurting others should be no relief  What can we wish for but wilful rabid pursuits  The card of selfishness takes us away from the truths Continue reading “Ego and humility: A poem “

China has warned the US not to turn the South Pacific into a sparring contest between the two superpowers. The South Pacific should not become “a boxing ring” for the US-China rivalry, Xie Feng, vice foreign minister in charge of North American and Oceanian affairs, said on Friday, 10 June 2022.   In fact, China isContinue reading “US-China rivalry sees heightened militarisation of Indo-Pacific “

What at all do we resolutely take pride in  Our achievements and our material possessions?  Is our life only worth the meaningless riches  That we wish to pursue, without disheartening glitches?  Our successes live on forever in our memories  Our time is spent in defeating adversaries  We are consumed by revelry with our wins  EvenContinue reading “Pride: A poem “

The nineteen eighties fondness for acronyms was perhaps a characteristic reflection of the computer lingo of the decade. What with `byte’ taking more than a mouthful of your everyday banter. Needless lengthy one-liners were cut to size and became snappy four-letter words that people exchanged over dining tables or heard over communications systems.  The fondnessContinue reading “Am I Speaking English?: Just for laughs “

China has rejected all accusations of human rights violations in Xinjiang, its northwestern province. Less than half the population of this province is Uyghur Muslim, a people that has been the subject of systematic abuse and incarceration by the Chinese authorities.  But China continues to be obdurate that it is not guilty of crimes charged againstContinue reading “China obdurate on atrocities against Uyghurs “

The cocksure religions would have you believe  That the truth is in what they perceive  Where crosses and swords did relive  The callous subjugation of truth without reprieve  And those that deigned to follow the incorrigible deceit  Have their souls unmitigated by falsehoods receipt  For good is not begotten by practices of indulgence  And GodContinue reading “Salvation: A poem “

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has heightened fears that China will take Taiwan forcibly. The escalation of tensions across the Taiwan Strait, prompted US President Joe Biden to state, in Tokyo just before the Quad Summit on 23 May, that the US would intervene militarily if China invaded Taiwan.   It is not as if Biden hasContinue reading “US ambiguity on Taiwan could leverage China “

What is the inheritance from father to son  The reaping of material wealth when life is done  Or is it that one goes through life with sincere morality?  The principles to cherish which should be the actual duty  of a father to inculcate his children indelibly with  This is the education with which a home isContinue reading “Inheritance: A poem “

The US’ recent pro-active strategy in the Indo-Pacific, what with US President Joe Biden’s hosting leaders of the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) in Washington this month (May 2022), which was followed by his visit to Tokyo, Japan for the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) meet, and also to Seoul, Korea, and the launch of theContinue reading “US Indo-Pacific strategy sends China ranting “