South Asia Citizens Web

An audio recording of retired Admiral L. Ramdas (former Chief of the Indian Naval Staff) speaking in August 1998 at a University campus in the United States.

Dawn
The Indian election
Pakistanis should find a proper study of India’s latest general election quite rewarding — that is if they can abandon their utterly irrational resolve to learn neither from friends nor from foes. One of the most peculiar features of the Pakistani mindset is an incredibly strong sense of self-righteousness.
As the chosen community we do not have to learn from any other people. Indeed, the world, especially the non-Muslim part of it, has nothing to offer us. The (…)

Dawn
Unheeded lessons of democracy
With the Taliban facing the might of the military — supported this time by government will — in Swat and its adjoining areas, the spectre of the militants’ advance to the cities has diminished considerably.
There is no doubt, though, that the military operation has come at a great loss with thousands being forced to flee the scene of conflict in what is one of the greatest waves of human exodus in the region. But as Pakistanis muster up their energies (…)

A discussion on the connections between the recent attacks in India and radical Islamist ideology, the link with Kashmir, and the prospect for future relations between India and Pakistan.

sacw.net
Binayak case puts democracy on trial
A shameful anniversary
India has never before witnessed such mobilisation of international and national support for a person imprisoned within its borders. Twentytwo Nobel laureates from different countries have issued spirited statements of protest against the continued detention of Dr Binayak Sen, a public health activist and civil liberties defender. International medical journals, including The Lancet and the British Medical Journal, (…)