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With dejection written large on her face, Leela Bai stood submerged neck deep in water, as she had been for the last 11 days. So were about 50 other people from the east Nimaar region of Madhya Pradesh in India, and 200 others who stood submerged for shorter stints in solidarity with Leela Bai and […]

The arrest of Aseem Trivedi, a cartoonist and a member of India against Corruption, is not only ridiculous but also a telling comment on the paranoia that has set in the government circles and deserves all the outrage it has caused. In fact, the only thing more ludicrous than the arrest itself is the reason […]

During the last couple of month, Pakistani newspapers and TV channels have displayed many terrible stories of violence against innocent children, especially against child labourers including domestic workers. An analysis of the media stories revealed that violence in the workplace has emerged recently, and sadly children, both male and female, are the primary victims of […]

“What is this talk about the stock market?” I asked a friend, who is lawyer and also a businessman. “It is all through fraud,” he said, adding, “I also lost ninety lakhs.” When I asked a person holding very a high post in government the same question, he said, “Oh, I have given up long […]

When people are hurt by the actions of authorities, they protest. When the hurt is deep and widespread it could give rise to collective modes of protest. Three such protest movements are now taking place in Asia. One is in Hong Kong, where the protesters are young students, supported by parents and a large section […]

Forced disappearances have left quite an impression on the psyche of the Sri Lankan people living in all parts of the country. Since 1971, there has been continuous use of enforced disappearances as a tool by the state, for what they referred to as the maintenance of “law and order”. The result is a negative […]

For long, Manipur has been known as a ‘golden land.’ True indeed, as oil is today’s gold and deposits have been confirmed in several parts of the region. One might presume oil and natural gas discovery in Manipur could propel strife-torn, conflict-ridden, cash-strapped, places like Manipur to new economic and political heights, liberating them from […]

In the capital of Pakistan where there are many government and non-governmental institutions working for the protection of child rights, special children rights, human rights and the rights of women, only one of them have come out calling for the release of Ms. Rimsha, the 14-year-old Christian girl who has been charged with blasphemy. It […]

The Federation of the University Teacher’s Association (FUTA) deserves to be congratulated for organising a historic convention on August 17, 2012 on the current status and future direction of state education in Sri Lanka (or ‘free education’ as it is popularly known) where, by way of consensus, 50 national trade unions and civil society organisations […]

Pakistan is known in the international community and declared in the country’s Constitution as an Islamic nation where Islam is glorified as the superb religion and its followers are pious Muslims. There is no doubt that Islam teaches tolerance, love, respect for other religions, and that life and death are in the hands of Allah. […]

रोली शिवहरे भारत में महिलाओं के विरुद्ध घरेलू हिंसा में निरंतर वृद्धि हो रही है। इसका प्रभाव अंततः व्यापक तौर पर समाज में महिलाओं के प्रति दुव्र्यवहार एवं यौन हिंसा के रूप में भी सामने आ रहा है। हमें यह ध्यान में रखना होगा कि जब तक हमारे घरों में हिंसा खत्म नहीं होगी तब […]

Safeguarding judicial independence from attacks by the government came to light due to the threats alleged to have been made by Minister of Industries and commerce, Rishard Badurdeen and the attacks on the High Court and Magistrate’s Court of Mannar. That powerful politicians have been attempting to excerpt their influence over the judiciary is a […]

By Altaf Hussain The mass exodus of minority Hindus from Pakistan particularly from Sindh, has stirred the lethargic and ignorant government authorities who otherwise had kept mum over the security concerns of the Hindu community. Significant number of families of Pakistan’s Hindu community particularly from Sindh, reportedly have started migrating to neighboring country, India, because […]

There is nothing amiss here. The nation is in celebratory mode and it is celebrating with aplomb. The national flag, the tricolour, is everywhere: being waved in the hands of children, tattooed on the cheeks of enthusiastic youth, flying high on the walls. And, it has, for a change, ensured a full meal to the […]

In a republic obsessed with nuclear arsenal, citizenry has nothing much to celebrate the country’s 65th anniversary of independence. Nafees Mohammad Pakistan is said to have been aggressively pursuing its nuclear weapon program and poised to leave behind countries like France and Britain within a decade if no change in policy takes place. Wow! A […]

Yet another prisoner died whilst in custody at Vavuniya prison in Sri Lanka this week. Sadly the death happened in the same day when a meeting organised by the Secretary Defence and Minister of External Affairs was underway at the national capital. It was reported that 42 delegates from various countries participated in the meeting. […]

One of the interesting things about Sri Lankan politics since 1978 is that the people do not remember their former Presidents with any respect. Of course people do not remember even the heads of the States of earlier times with much affection, though they do remember them with some good humour. The former Prime Ministers […]

Many things are said about Black July, 1983. That there were many culprits who caused the havoc that virtually destroyed the image of Sri Lanka and which gave justification for a prolonged period of violence. However, there was one man who was the creator of this havoc. It was then-President of the country, Junius Richard […]

In a weekly telecast comedy show one interesting question was asked about the measures taken to eradicate dengue fever. It asks why insecticides are not being used for this purpose. It appears that much that is going on in the name of controlling dengue is propaganda instructing people to turn coconut shells upside down and […]

Basil Fernando The interview of the Defense Secretary Mr. Gotabaya Rajapakse with the editor of the Sunday Leader on the airlifting of a dog deserves comment not because of anything surprising contained in the interview. Its importance lies in its banality. It reveals something that has come to be quite common and ordinary in the […]