South Asia Citizens Web

On 20 May 2011, 3,000 adivasis and forest dwellers from across the India gathered at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, to protest against the blatant and criminal resource grab of the Central and State governments. Braving intense heat and traveling for days on end packed in trains, our people came to Delhi to condemn the blatant criminal looting of our resources by these governments.

Young Afghans being coerced into joining jihad with threats of violence and promises of martyrdom

For an estimated 8,000 women in the UK every year, their wedding isn’t the happiest day of their lives – quite the opposite. These women, usually from Indian and Pakistani families, are forced into marriages to ensure that the groom ticks the cultural, religious and socioeconomic boxes of the parents’ choosing. Those who dare to rebel might find themselves the victims of an "honour killing" (could there be a bigger misnomer for such a horrific crime?).

Peace in Balochistan is meaningful, even possible, only if an end to violence is accompanied by justice in terms of a change in the status quo by establishing fair power relationships between the civil and military authorities, the centre and the province, and the elite and ordinary people.

On 13th May 2011, a nasty fire in the Defence Colony Flyover Market in Delhi gutted about 58 shops and along with that, our Saheli office with 30 years of our belongings, files, records, documents, publications, etc. The devastation has been incredible, but if anything could give us the strength to move on, it has been your overwhelming support, your presence, offers of help and solidarity - we are extremely touched and humbled by it. We hope you understand that we’ve been unable to write back to all of you individually, but here is the brief collective update: