Author: Our Bureau
Publication: The Financial Express
Date: June 4, 2002
Anglo-Saxon Psywar On New Delhi
Does Not Scare Rest Of The World
Coke boss Alex von Behr is travelling.
But is he heeding last week's alarmist advisory issued by the American
embassy to pack up and leave? Far from it. Mr. Behr, currently overseas,
will soon be back to his work table in Gurgaon. So will DuPont boss Pankaj
Shah, an American citizen, currently in the US.
Coke and E.I.DuPont India arc no
solitary swallows in the sweltering diplomatic summer being turned on New
Delhi, Smart CEO George White is at present in Spain. The Mumbai-based
smart card maker sees no reason to return to Britain, his home country,
because he assesses that "both India and Pakistan would be sensible enough
to realise that war would be futile". In Chennai, globocorp Ford assures
that "none of our employees of US origin has so far returned to the US.
(and) it is like business as usual". Ford's caveat is that it's "keeping
track of all statements being issued" and that it is "in an extremely alert
situation".
Caution accompanied by business-as-usual
seems to be the over-riding sentiment. Indeed, reactions to US psychological
(psy) war on New Delhi, of suddenly evacuating Americans so that India
backs off from the western border with Pakistan, are either angry or unimpressed.
Sometimes both: For Washington and its Anglo-Saxon allies are sending alarm
bells in London, Auckland, and Canberra, which resonate on the stock exchanges
in Mumbai!
"It's only scare-mongering and a
psychological war...of course I am staying on," says French media and telecom
consultant Achille Forler bluntly.
And the Korean chaebols? Well, Samsung
VP marketing MB Lee informs that his company hasn't issued any directives,
Hyundai Molor executive director BG Lee tells us that his country's embassy
is more tuned to Asian realities and does not believe in "knee-jerk reactions".
Kwang Ro Kirn of LG Electronics sees the situation easing out due to heavy
international pressure.
Importantly, many in the diplomatic
world aren't buying Washington's avowed concerns on the safety of American
citizens. Taking time off after enjoying the Brazil v/s Turkey match, Brazilian
ambassador Vera Barrouin Machado is clear: "For us it is business as usual".
Reason Ms Machadois is "confident about the policy makers of India". She
also appreciates "the self-restraint being exercised by the Indian government",
adding that "while no advisory has been issued, we are providing all the
possible information to those wishing to travel to India, along with the
correct interpretation of the current situation".
Most countries spoken to by The
Financial Express felt it wasn't necessary to go 'the American way'. Turkey
hasn't issued an advisory. Nor have Republic of South Korea, South Africa,
Tunisia, Qatar, Norway, Thailand or the Netherlands. Many are upset over
not so subtle whispers in the US embassy here that "their lives are more
precious". Even tiny Singapore is ebullient. "We are not doing like other
embassies...packing up and going. We are merely informing those who call
to monitor the situation," a diplomat tells us. For most embassies, a firm
decision on the relocation of staff is being left to what's achieved by
'post-psywar' missions by US deputy secretary of state Richard Annitage,
and defence secretary Don Rumsfeld. This isn't just commitment, but passion
too! Sample what the chairman and MD of Nhave Sheva International Container
Terminal and Chennai Container Terminal Jimmy Sarbh has to say. "I have
requested my company to take out the necessary insurance, which will cover
me to stay in India, in the event of war. I cannot and will not abandon
my troops in a time of crisis. A captain never abandons his ship. We didn't
build NSICT and CCT to abandon it".
JW Marriott Hotel Mumbai's Hans-Georg
Roehrbein shows the same passion: "Home is where I sleep at night. It is
up to each individual to analyse the situation and decide for himself.
For us here, it's business as usual". Others in the hospitality industry
like Hyatt Regency GM Detlev Truemit and Grand Hyatt MD Patrick Hardy echo
this sentiment.
And how about Amwav India CEO and
MD William S Pinckney? Well, Mr. Pinckney is travelling extensively within
the country in this week, and the company spokesperson assures that "he
has absolutely no plans to leave the country". The four experts at Swedish
direct selling major Oriflame, including CEO Peter Hauggaard, are saying
just the same thing. "Everybody is committed to his work and is staying
on," a company official tells The Financial Express.
Similarly, despite the travel advisories,
Nestle India chairman and MD Carlo M Donati has not Issued any instructions
to anyone to leave the country.
"We (I along with 8 colleagues)
do not have any plans or intention to leave India. In fact, I do not see
a possibility of a full fledged war. Even if it happens, it would not be
to an extent that we should worry about," explains a Dutch tech professional
heading a software centre in Gurgaon owned by a Philippines-based infotech
company.
Need more evidence? Well, Volvo
India MD Ulf Nordquist says his company has no evacuation plans. Nor does
Toyota Kirloskar GM (human resources) Akito Matsumoto or M1CO Bosch MD
Andreas Nobis. The bottom line? As an ICRISAT expert told The Financial
Express: "We feel at home here".
