Archive of South Asia Citizens Wire

  • An Appeal for Peace in South Bastar

    by Binayak Sen, 5 November 2008

    Economic & Political Weekly, October 25, 2008
    The present situation in South Bastar is characterised by an infinitude of chronic deprivation, along with a complete absence of political discourse. Instead, we have, on the one hand, the Salwa Judum, which the government dishonestly tries to characterise as a "people’s response to Maoism", and on the other, a purely military engagement between the state-based forces and the Maoists, which acts as a proxy to a political discourse. Both (…)

  • Militarisation or Demilitarisation in Nepal?

    by Rita Manchanda, 5 November 2008

    Inter Press Service, November 5, 2008
    Kathmandu, Nov 5 (IPS) - Fighting a decade long ’People’s War’ for the revolutionary transformation of a feudal monarchy meant that the Maoists had to militarise Nepali society, including women and youth.
    However, even after the Communist Party of Nepal -Maoist (CPN-M) was popularly elected to power, following the April elections to the constituent assembly, it seems reluctant to disband the paramilitary Youth Communist League (YCL).
    Indeed Prime (…)

  • Anatomy of Sangh Parivar

    by Ram Puniyani, 5 November 2008

    The arrest of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur in the context of Malegaon blasts of September 29, 2008 has been an important step in the investigation of bomb blasts which have been blowing the social peace and communal amity. Along with her the arrest of army officers, retired and serving, has unfolded the whole new dimension about investigation of acts of terror. The involvement of Bhonsala Military School has also come under the scanner of investigating agencies.
    The Sadhvi has been the (…)

  • A Saffron Terror Network Surfaces

    by Praful Bidwai, 5 November 2008

    With the arrest of "Sadhvi" Pragya Thakur, Sameer Kulkarni and former Major Ramesh Upadhye for the bomb blasts of this past September in Malegaon in Maharashtra and Modasa in Gujarat, the police seem to have unearthed what has all the makings of an organised, well-ramified Hindutva terrorist network. The network may have been involved in numerous other recent bombings outside mosques, whose victims were primarily Muslims. The police are now questioning a serving army officer too for his (…)

  • The Kosi Disaster: Dont Forget the Survivors

    by Harsh Mander, 5 November 2008

    Hindustan Times, October 27, 2008
    A happy Diwali?
    The tragedy of Bihar — the devastation wrought because the mighty river Kosi changed course after it breached its embankment in Nepal on August 18 — has slipped off the pages of newspapers and TV screens. The calamity has also been virtually ignored by most international humanitarian aid agencies, and even national relief organisations. The people affected are among the most impoverished in this land, and floods seem to be part of the (…)

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