South Asia Citizens Web

To: the Government of India, All Political Parties and All Citizens
WE MUST RECALL that India is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which upholds amongst others, the right of every child to the highest attainable standard of health, the right to education, the right to participation and the right to protection from exploitation and abuse, including sexual exploitation and abuse.
HEALTH COMPRISES SEXUAL HEALTH AS WELL. According to the World Health (…)

(Secular Perspective Feb. 16-28, 2009)
The General elections in India are about to take place within three months and all political parties are readying themselves to draw up their winning strategies. Elections are like a day of judgment for political parties. And, they have to stand before their voters and render account of their deeds and misdeeds. They have begun to woo their voters once in five years again. They have to woo different castes and religious groups and reconcile their (…)

Communalism Combat, February 2009
Gujarat: A missing link Swami Ashim Anand goes underground
In November 2008, days before Swami Ashim Anand (variously called Swami Aseemanand or Asheemanand) went underground, a Gujarati daily carried reports that the Maharashtra ATS was on the lookout for him. The Dangs in South Gujarat, where the Swami has nurtured his base, has seen a spate of attacks against Christians from 1998 onwards and also, more recently, against Muslims in 2008. The Swami was (…)

Star Weekend Magazine, February 13, 2009
Interview
UN Human Rights Council, Geneva
The Need to Go beyond Rhetoric
On February 3, Bangladesh underwent its first Universal Periodic Review (UPR) before the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. During the three-hour interactive dialogue, the Foreign Minister, Dipu Moni, her first overseas representation of her country, presented a statement and responded to questions and heard recommendations from various states. Munira Khan, member of the (…)

"இங்கு தமிழினம் அமைதிகொண்டிருந்தால் ஏடுகள் தூக்கி படிப்போம். எங்கள் தமிழர்க்கின்னல் விளைந்தால் எரிமலையாகி வெடிப்போம்." காசி அனந்தன் "A race of people is like an individual man: until it uses its own talent, takes pride in its history, expresses its own culture and affirm its own selfhood, it cannot fulfil itself." Malcolm X Tasa Tamilar Samadana Aayvagam (Tamils’ Peace Research Institute) Varalaaru—Sahavazhvu—Yethirgalam (History—Coexistence—Futures) 42/27 Esankai Mani Veethy (…)