Archive of South Asia Citizens Wire

  • Refugees, boundaries and histories

    by Jawed Naqvi, 9 April 2010

    A fascinating book by Vazira Fazila-Yacoobali Zamindar, who teaches history at Brown University in the United States, fleshes out so many characters as if they belong to the lawyer’s court cases that her work may be seen as a tribute to those who worked selflessly in those difficult days to ease the trauma of millions who turned refugees overnight amid new and arbitrary boundaries and newer arbitrary histories that continue to define their sudden, improbable new identities.

  • Stop destructive development and restore the faith of the adivasis in the Indian Constitution

    9 April 2010

    The Independent People’s Tribunal on Land Acquisition, Resource Grab and Operation Green Hunt, organized by Citizen’s against Forced Displacement and War on People, kicked-off today to a packed hall, consisting of students, academics, activists and the media. The Independent People’s Tribunal is being held in New Delhi, Constitution Club.

  • Bangladesh: High Court Directs Government to Immediately Implement Sexual Harassment Guidelines in all Educational Institutions, and ensure that Women Not Forced to Veil or Cover their Heads

    by sacw.net, 8 April 2010

    Summary: The High Court today directed the Ministry of Education to take immediate steps to implement the Guidelines on Sexual Harassment declared earlier in BNWLA v Bangladesh, and to ensure that no woman working in any educational institution, public or private is forced to wear a veil or cover her head, and may exercise her personal choice whether or not to do so. 1 The Court also observed that Section 27A of the Government Servants Discipline and Conduct Rules 1979, must be read alongside these Guidelines, to ensure that public officials are held to account for any acts of sexual harassment.

  • India: What honour? It’s cruel murder with sanction from parallel judicial systems.

    by Rajeev Dhavan, 5 April 2010

    Indians often malign honour killings in Muslim countries. Caste driven panchayats are no better. To say that all this is about honour is a lie. It is about revenge and murder. The sooner we accept that, the better.

  • Has Mahinda Rajapaksa Been A Traitor To Sri Lanka?

    by Rohini Hensman, 3 April 2010

    So who are the traitors? Those who fight for truth and justice? Or those who wield unaccountable power and the sycophants who lick their boots? Who are the people who love our country? Those who trample human rights and democracy underfoot? Or those who struggle for the democratic rights and freedoms guaranteed by our constitution? Whatever your definition, at least make sure it is consistent!

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