South Asia Citizens Web

Privatization of higher education in Sri Lanka is a cause for concern for students coming from underprivileged background. Free education at both secondary and tertiary levels has played a pivotal role in increasing the living standards of low-income families. In spite of its low per-capita income, Sri Lanka’s Physical Quality of Life Index is nearly as high as that of the developed world owing to the availability of free education and free health care services to all citizens. The trade union action that the FUTA has embarked on coincides with the crucial move made by the government to establish private universities in Sri Lanka.

The curiosum of a ‘red regime’ with a knack to get re-elected term after term for over more than three decades within the ambit of a full-fledged multi-party democracy has finally disappeared.

one of the greatest transport success stories in the country is about workers being exploited and labour laws violated. Private contract agencies provide cleaners and housekeeping workers in the Delhi Metro stations. Ask a worker at a Metro station and you would find that many of them are not paid the minimum wages and are also denied their right to a weekly day off.

At the twin Greater Noida villages of Bhatta and Parsaul, farmers have been protesting the land acquisition along the Yamuna Expressway for over two weeks now. An AIDWA (All India Democratic Women’s Association delegation visited Bhatta-Parsaul villages in Greater Noida on May 19, to study the the unfortunate turn of events on May 7 that led to the deaths of two farmers (one from each village) and 2 constables of the PAC. They found that there is clear evidence of Police brutality and repression in the two villages and that the entire episode reveals that the UP government has precipitated matters in due to its adamant and highhanded approach towards land acquisition.

Human Rights Watch has written to the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, asking her to repeal Article 47A of the country’s constitution to ensure a fair trial of the people accused of committing international crimes during the 1971 independence war of Bangladesh.