Three Cups of Tea by David Oliver Relin - Assignment Example

Evaluation of Sources In the book Three Cups of Tea, David Oliver Relin, the co mentioned how Greg Mortenson earned the respect of the Baltipeople in the rugged and isolated areas in northern in northern Pakistan. Although he was American, one who belongs to a country that the Taliban has considered evil, the Balti warmly accepted him because of his sincere efforts to bring education to their children. (3) In an indirect but effective manner, his work in the area has led many of the tribe’s members to shun terrorism. The schools that he built were particularly focused on providing education to young girls. Aside from empowering the women in the economic sphere, he has also contributed much to the decrease of oppressive practices towards them. One of the sources for proving this research paper’s thesis on the viability of social development work as a means in curbing terrorism is the book written by Greg Mortenson, Stones into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, Not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Mortenson’s methods, however, worked because it suited the culture of the people in that area. Hence, there is a need to study the concrete social and cultural conditions that a development worker will encounter in that region. For this, the book Culture and Customs of Pakistan by Iftikhar Haider Malik is an important source of information on the distinct cultural attitudes in northern Pakistan, while Abbas Zaidi Manzar’s Taliban in Pakistan: a Chronicle of Resurgence provides a rich description of how the Taliban of Afghan origin was able to make seedbeds of Islamic fundamentalism out of Pakistan’s far-flung regions. In Three Cups of Tea, Mortenson recounted his efforts and the obstacles he met in building a single school in Korphe, a Balti village in northern Pakistan. In Stones into Schools, his second book, he wrote about his experiences in building more educational facilities in the entire region that include some parts of Afghanistan. (Mortenson 20) The book and Mortenson’s work itself present the argument that guns, bullets, and bombs cannot win the war on terrorism initiated by the Taliban. It expounds on the truth that terrorism can be defeated by delivering the basic services, especially education to the people of these isolated areas. Through his experiences with the local population, which include Taliban fighters and sympathizers, Mortenson asserted that peace in the area can only be made possible by socio-economic development and not aggressive military campaigns. This research paper aims to prove this premise correct. That is why it considers Stones into Schools as an important reference. Malik’s Culture and Customs of Pakistan delves on the diverse characteristics of the Pakistanis. It discusses the differences of every ethnic group that exists in the country, including those of the Balti, which the book refers to as Balochi. While it expounds much on the homogenization of Pakistani society brought about by Islam, it also mentions much on the distinctness of the ethnic groups. (Malik 6) Malik explains that much of the Pakistanis’ sense of national identity is strongly based on their devoutness to Islam. Without explicitly stating so, he provides the reader an idea of how vulnerable is Pakistani culture to the influence of Islamic fundamentalism. Nevertheless, Malik also points out to the fact that the Pakistanis and the Balti are peaceful people. He proceeds to distinguish the cultural traits that promote peace and harmony among the people of Pakistan and with those of other countries. His book is an important source of information for this research paper as it aims to indentify the cultural factors that must be considered in promoting education and other civic work as means of curbing terrorism. Taliban in Pakistan: A Chronicle of Resurgence by Abbas Zaidi Manzar gives an accurate account of how the Taliban emerged and made strongholds in huge sections of the Pakistani frontier. The book also has profiles of key Taliban leaders who hold influential positions in the tribal groups near the Afghan border and in the Karakoram. (Manzar 34) The book argues that the Taliban have a more sophisticated ideology, which means that armed solutions may not be effective in quelling it. As it describes how the tribal areas underwent a process of Talibanisation, it also indicates the key cultural and social factors already present in the area that contributed to the successes made by the fundamentalists. While Mortenson strongly argues that socio-economic growth is not just the end but also the means in defeating terrorism, he falls short in explaining the correct attitude towards the more radical and violent Taliban leaders and fighters. Apparently, although it is growing in scope and number, his development projects have not yet threatened the most reliable bases of the Taliban. Therefore, it is understandable why there are still skepticisms on the effectiveness of his strategy when used in the more solid Taliban bases in Afghanistan. Malik concentrated more on explaining the Pakistani culture and customs. What he failed to discuss was the features of such culture that the Taliban took advantage of. Aside from the fact that Pakistani culture is largely based on Islam, he did not go to the extent of pointing out other aspects that proved fertile for Taliban influence. What Malik missed out, Manzar was able discuss in details. As a journalist, Manzar took efforts in investigating the top leaders of the Taliban in Pakistan. However, he never went to the extent of recommending workable non-armed solutions to the problem. Each of these three sources provides different perspectives of the problem of Taliban terrorism in Pakistan. However, these complement with each other. Mortenson’s practical but small-scale solutions may work on a broader scope with the correct appreciation of the general culture in the area. Malik’s book is certainly valuable in this regard. On the other hand, Manzar’s book directly indicates the cultural aspects that became points of entry for the Taliban. This research paper intends to present an integrated view out of the ideas presented by these three sources. While acknowledging the analysis presented by Malik and Manzar, this paper attempts to develop further the idea that social and economic work can be achieved in a wider scale in order to eradicate terrorism in the region. Works Cited Malik, Iftikhar Haider. Culture and Customs of Pakistan. 1949-Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 2006 Manzar, Abbas Zaidi. Taliban in Pakistan: A Chronicle of Resurgence. Hauppauge, New York: Nova Science Publishers Inc., 2009 Mortenson, Greg. Stones into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, Not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Waterville, Maine: Thorndike Press, 2009 Mortenson, Greg and David Oliver Relin. Three Cups of Tea: One Man’s Mission to Promote Peace… One School at a Time. New York: Penguin Books, 2007 Read More