| The Indian government is continuing to tighten up | | | | but eventually they will have to provide the |
| restrictions on foreign nationals. It's no surprise that, | | | | information online the same day a foreign national |
| following David Headley's confession and recent | | | | checks in. Since Internet access is unreliable in many |
| revelations about the Pakistan government's | | | | places, and a vast number of smaller hotels and |
| involvement in terrorism in India, the first changes | | | | guesthouses don't have computer access, it's a bit |
| affect Pakistanis. From now on, every Pakistani or | | | | unclear how they expect to deal with this. |
| Pakistani-origin (no matter what passport they are | | | | The first phase of the plan is scheduled to be |
| carrying) applicant will be referred to the Home | | | | implemented by August, 2011. This will include |
| Ministry and/or various security agencies for | | | | implementation of an integrated online visa application |
| verification. This screening is expected to take at | | | | system with appointment scheduling at Indian |
| least 30 days. Other categories of visa applications | | | | missions in Islamabad, Dhaka and London. By then, |
| will also require special screening, including all | | | | the centralized data center and visa processing office |
| employment visas. Any applicant who is felt to be | | | | should be established, and uniform systems would be |
| suspect in any way will have his case referred. | | | | in place at all missions, integrated check posts and |
| According to Pranab Dhal Samanta's article in the | | | | FRROs, with secure private network connectivity |
| Indian Express (July 25, 2010), "Sources said it is quite | | | | between the various missions. They have already |
| possible that many individuals could be needlessly | | | | established a uniform visa application. In the past, it |
| harassed as it happens in the case of US because of | | | | varied from country to country. There is also a plan |
| the profiling system, but instructions are to have | | | | to have a public interface portal, though its purpose |
| in-built systems to minimise such trouble." | | | | and scope is unclear. |
| In any case, they are revising the entire system, | | | | This all came about because of the terrorist, David |
| from visas to the tracking of foreigners while they | | | | Headley, who is a US citizen of Pakistani origin. His |
| are in India. There's already a significant amount of | | | | frequent trips to India, some of which were from |
| tracking even now. Whenever you register at a | | | | Pakistan, went unnoticed by immigration authorities. It |
| hotel, you have to fill out a c-form. Also, if you are | | | | could have been more difficult for him to escape |
| planning to stay more than six months or are in India | | | | suspicion with this plan in place. Anyway, that's what |
| on certain categories of visas, you have to register | | | | inspired these measures. |
| and keep the FRO (Foreigners' Registration Office) | | | | We'll just have to see how they go about |
| informed if you leave the district for more than a | | | | implementing the system. If they don't streamline it |
| few weeks. Some people have received comments | | | | and cut out the incredible amount of red tape that |
| like, "I hope you enjoyed your visit to Varanasi", | | | | prevents Indian bureaucracy from functioning with |
| when they were going through passport control | | | | anything resembling efficiency, it probably won't help |
| when leaving the country, so there must be some | | | | much. |
| information that has made it into India's Immigration | | | | However, while the ability to identify and track |
| computer system. | | | | potential terrorists may seem like an intelligent move, |
| But that's nothing compared to what's coming. Within | | | | it doesn't even begin to address the root causes of |
| four years, there will be a massive centralized | | | | terrorism, so it can't be effective. For this reason, the |
| database where details about all foreigners are | | | | Indian government's upcoming program to create a |
| continually updated so that they can keep tabs on | | | | massive system for tracking foreigners, while born of |
| everyone. The first phase of this project, the | | | | good intentions, is doomed to failure. It may make |
| Immigration, Visas, Foreigners' Registration and | | | | things a bit harder for foreign terrorists on certain |
| Tracking Project (IVFRT), will affect the embassies in | | | | levels, but it won't stop terrorism. |
| Dhaka (Bangladesh) and London, as they account for | | | | As long as the governments of the world continue |
| the highest volume of visas. They are also planning a | | | | addressing terrorism on the superficial level of the |
| new visa sticker that will be much harder to duplicate. | | | | problem, the problem will continue to get worse. It |
| They are also planning to use biometric profiling, | | | | won't go away, no matter how much control the |
| starting with fingerprinting all visa applicants. | | | | governments attempt to inflict on people within their |
| Every foreign national will get a number (UCFID) and | | | | borders. |
| a virtual folder, which will be permanent. Every visit, | | | | What are the causes of terrorism? This is an |
| with details, will be recorded, so that security agents | | | | extremely complex question. However, terrorists |
| can retrieve the information instantly. At least, that's | | | | don't come out of nowhere and terrorism could not |
| how it's supposed to work. Unfortunately, the | | | | flourish without a fertile field to sow its seeds. |
| government being as it is, I am afraid that various | | | | So why do people become terrorists? And what |
| unscrupulous elements will figure out how to use it to | | | | provides the fertile ground for terrorism to take |
| line their pockets or for political influence. Personally, I | | | | root? Human rights violations, religious persecution, |
| find it a bit scary. It reminds me too much of | | | | political oppression, poverty and lack of education. |
| America's war against terror, which has, if anything, | | | | Wherever these conditions exist, terrorists can find |
| made the country less safe while at the same time | | | | people willing to join their cause. Uneducated, |
| taking away many freedoms and creating many | | | | disenfranchised people are prime targets for terrorist |
| privacy issues. Still, I sincerely hope that it will work | | | | recruiters. They are told that it is their duty to rise |
| as planned. Terrorism has to be eliminated, though I'm | | | | up against the oppressors. In some cases, they are |
| not convinced that this is the key. | | | | promised fame and glory; money, food, clothes and |
| This will all be under the Home Ministry, which will also | | | | other goods may be provided. In many others, |
| use the system for processing visas. The central | | | | however, they are threatened with dire |
| system will be networked on a real-time basis with all | | | | consequences if they don't join up. |
| the embassies and consulates, immigration | | | | But there have been some terrorists who have |
| checkpoints in India, and the seven FRROs | | | | come from privileged families. What about them? For |
| (Foreigners' Regional Registration Office.) All visa | | | | the most part, even though they have not grown up |
| applications will be online, and the watchlist/blacklist | | | | in these conditions themselves, they have been |
| created in coordination with various security agencies | | | | convinced that it is their duty to liberate those who |
| will be available on this centralized facility to quicken | | | | do. Or again, it may be a desire for fame and glory. |
| the visa clearance process for those who aren't on | | | | Or, sometimes, mere greed. Those who provide |
| those lists. For anyone on either of those lists, or | | | | arms to terrorists must be classified as terrorists |
| whose application is suspect for any reason, | | | | themselves, and their motive is nothing but greed. |
| processing will take at least a month while it goes | | | | Terrorism has become big business, and the original |
| through the system. In routine circumstances, the | | | | motivation of many terrorist organizations has been |
| goal is to complete the entire process-accepting the | | | | forgotten in the greed for money and power. |
| application, scrutiny at Delhi and then relayed back to | | | | The Indian government may blame Pakistan for |
| the mission for issuance of visa-within three days. | | | | fomenting terrorist attacks on its soil, and it may |
| The Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS) | | | | blame China for pressuring Pakistan to do so-not |
| will also be linked to the database. This is the system | | | | entirely without justification, it seems. However, even |
| that enables airlines to provide the details of | | | | more important is the fact that India has yet to |
| passengers traveling on a particular flight to | | | | remedy the conditions that allow terrorism to flourish, |
| authorities at the destination point. So, for instance, | | | | at least in certain places. By changing those |
| the passenger record of a plane leaving London for | | | | conditions, it will become much more difficult for |
| Mumbai can be instantly provided to Mumbai | | | | terrorists to get a toehold in India. Few terrorist |
| Immigration even before the plane has left London. | | | | attacks in India have been pulled off without the |
| This system is currently in use at some major | | | | assistance of locals. The major attacks have all had |
| airports, but it will now be compulsory for all flights to | | | | help from Indians. |
| and from India. | | | | If all Indians are decently housed, fed and educated, |
| This system will, in theory, allow those monitoring the | | | | if they are allowed to live their lives as they see fit, |
| central facility to detect suspicious patterns that | | | | to believe as they see fit, then what motivation |
| could help uncover terrorist activity. If this had been | | | | would they have for embracing terrorism? It's not |
| in place a few years ago, someone might have | | | | just the government that has to take responsibility, |
| noticed what David Headley and his compatriots | | | | however. Every man, woman and child, especially |
| were up to in time to stop their murderous attacks. | | | | those who have more than adequate resources, |
| The problem now is that, although there are various | | | | needs to do their part to help restore balance to this |
| systems already in place, there is no integration. | | | | great country. By doing so, we can create a better |
| As of now, all hotels have to file c-forms on paper, | | | | and safer world for ourselves and our children. |