This week's headlines in The SouthAsian 

Details at: http://www.thesouthasian.org

Sri Lanka: A State Against Minorities

The protracted armed conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has drastically escalated since the beginning of 2006. An estimated 4,000 people have since been killed and over 275,000 internally displaced in that period. This is in addition to more than 500,000 uprooted earlier in the conflict and by the tsunami of December 2004.   

http://www.thesouthasian.org/archives/2007/sri_lanka_a_state_against_mino.html

American Assumptions, Pakistani Realities

Nasir Aziz, Ethan Casey and Asad Faizi discuss a challenge in the 

Supreme Court to MMA MNAs' educational qualifications, the US military's attempts to recruit Muslim soldiers, President Musharraf's annoyance at US claims that Pakistan is doing too little about a Taliban resurgence, and flak Jimmy Carter is catching for using the word "apartheid" in his new book about Palestine. In a new "Readings" feature, Ethan Casey recommends a forthrightly critical article critiquing US smugness by the venerable American political columnist William Pfaff. http://www.thesouthasian.org/archives/2007/american_assumptions_pakistani.html

Villages and Communities Against Nuclear Plant in Koodankulam

A growing community is opposing the government's plans to build another nuclear plant. With the government continuing with its plans, without acknowledging local concerns, things seem to be moving to a head.

http://www.thesouthasian.org/archives/2007/villages_and_communities_again_1.html

Party
 Games

“Nandigram did not surprise me. I was anguished and angry but not surprised. I had heard the story of Alipurduar from Jugal Kishore 

Raybir.” This article by Yogendra Yadav first appeared in the Indian Express.

http://www.thesouthasian.org/archives/2007/party_games_1.html

Peace Cyclists Approach New Delhi

Nine cycling enthusiasts from various walks of life are bicycling from near Mumbai to Islamabad. A diary from their fourth week as they approach Delhi. 
 

http://www.thesouthasian.org/archives/2007/peace_cyclists_approach_new_de.html

Clean Water for Bhopal

Bhopali activists continue to demand government action against polluted groundwater. The pollutants from Union Carbide's (and now Dow's) processes. Join the Bhopalis as the demand clean water. 

http://www.thesouthasian.org/archives/2007/clean_water_for_bhopal_1.html

Women of Zaheerabad take on Monsanto

We do not buy seeds from the market because
 we suspect they may be contaminated with genetically engineered or terminator seeds, says Pavamma, a Dalit woman in village Palarum, near the town of Zaheerabad, about 110 kms north-west of the high-tech city of Hyderabad. Women of Zaheerabad take on Monsanto and show the way to food security.   

http://www.thesouthasian.org/archives/2007/women_of_zaheerabad_take_on_mo_1.html

The General and the Law

A discussion by Nausherwan Lahori, Khalid R Hasan and Haroon Rashid, as well as an extended comment from Islamabad-based law lecturer Ghazala 

Minallah, whose father, Safdar Shah, went into
 exile after refusing to vote with the Supreme Court majority that sentenced Z.A. Bhutto to hang. "Today I am reminded of that black period in our judicial history," she says. "Once again our Constitution has been abused and so has our judiciary, and we as a nation are at a cross-roads just as our judiciary is". http://www.thesouthasian.org/archives/2007/the_general_and_the_law_1.html

The Peace Cycle Yatra in Madhya Pradesh

Nine cycling enthusiasts from various walks of life are bicycling from near Mumbai to Islamabad. A diary from their third week.

http://www.thesouthasian.org/archives/2007/the_peace_cycle_yatra_in_madhy.html

Cycle Expedition for Peace Heads to Pakistan

Nine cycling enthusiasts from various walks of life have joined hands to undertake a unique mission. They are going to cycle all the way from Panvel, near Mumbai to Islamabad, through Wagah, Lahore, and Rawalpindi - spreading the message of peace between India and Pakistan on their way.   

http://www.thesouthasian.org/archives/2007/cycle_expedition_for_peace_hea_1.html

Oppressed Nations of Pakistan: Self Determination, Autonomy and 

Sovereignty 

World Sindhi Institute in Washington DC is organizing a discussion forum on Lahore Resoution Day (March 23rd) to talk about oppression by the Pakistani State. 

http://www.thesouthasian.org/archives/2007/oppressed_nations_of_pakistan.html

Sri Lanka on the Precipice: Political Solution or Sweeping Debacle?

The report of the All Party Representative Committee on constitutional reform and the establishment of the commission of inquiry to investigate human rights violations offer a glimmer of hope in Sri Lanka. Ahilan Kadirgamar reports.

http://www.thesouthasian.org/archives/2007/sri_lanka_on_the_precipice_pol_1.html

New Chapters for Friends of Tibet

Friends of Tibet recently announced chapters in Pakistan and Nepal. 

While providing our readers with a short note on the organization, we also encourage our readers in Nepal and Pakistan to support the organization. 

http://www.thesouthasian.org/archives/2007/new_chapters_for_friends_of_ti_1.html

Special Exploitation Zones of Andhra

As more and more communities wake up to their traditional rights and human rights — both of which are being threatened by modern development projects — the world witnesses a rise in the number of democratic resistances. Governments will ignore these resistances and demands at their own peril.

http://www.thesouthasian.org/archives/2007/special_exploitation_zones_of.html

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I cannot hope to work towards equality and justice, towards non violence, till I stop dominating other opinions, other voices.