South Asia Citizens Web

The Asian Age April 30, 2009
First SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), then the bird flu, now the swine flu. Curious new respiratory tract infections seem to be popping up every now and then, killing people swiftly, creating worldwide panic. This week the swine flu, which has already killed about 150 in Mexico and infected scores in several countries, seems poised to turn into a global pandemic. Sadly, as individual countries spring gallantly to protect their own citizens, the world (…)

To appear in Mainstream Weekly
On 27 April 2009, over seven years after the cataclysmic violence in Gujarat, the Supreme Court of India directed the Special Investigation Team (also known as the Raghavan Committee) to look into the role of Narendra Modi, then as now the Chief Minister of Gujarat, in that violence. The focus is naturally on Modi, although the SIT was asked also “to probe the roles of 62 other top ranking politicians, bureaucrats and police officers of the state”.
There (…)

Kashmir Times
Editorial
Politically-motivated harassment by security agencies derailing normalcy
THE fragile cycle of normalcy in Kashmir is beginning to show disturbing signs of disruption under the impact of multi-dimensional election politics. That this trend should appear right at the beginning of tourist season is all the more distressing. Normal life is once again badly disturbed, throwing the usual routine into disarray. The Valley and its people have yet to recover from the (…)

[Sri Lanka Democracy Forum >http://www.srilankademocracy.org]
For Immediate Release
29 April 2009
SLDF calls on the Government to immediately halt all offensive action and indiscriminate fire within the “No Fire Zone”.
SLDF calls upon the LTTE to lay down its arms and surrender.
SLDF calls upon the UN and ICRC to negotiate a mechanism with the Government for the surrender of LTTE cadres.
SLDF is extremely concerned about the catastrophe unfolding in the “No Fire Zone”, where the (…)