Archive of South Asia Citizens Wire

  • India: The National Public Meeting on Software Patents

    by sacw.net, 1 October 2008

    On behalf of the organizers, the Free Software users Group-Bangalore cordially invites you to The National Public Meeting on Software Patents
    ==Venue==
    2nd Floor, Ecumenical Resource Centre, United Theological College, Millers Road, Benson Town. (Behind Cantonment Railway Station) Bangalore-560046
    ==Date and Time==
    10:00-17:00 Saturday, October 4, 2008
    ==Background==
    Software patents in India occupy a contentious and indeterminate legal space. While recent amendments to the (…)

  • Terrorism, Police and Minorities in India

    by Asghar Ali Engineer, 1 October 2008

    Secular Perspective, October 1-15, 2008
    The police as such has strong minority bias right from the dawn of freedom. Our freedom came at the cost of partition and partition further increased Hindu-Muslim divide and the police could not remain unaffected by communalization of society. Though communalism and communal violence has changing graph in India it reached its crescendo during Ramjanambhoomi-Babri Masjid controversy and during the decade of eighties communal discourse became almost (…)

  • Nepal and the Prachanda Path

    by Drew Haxby, 1 October 2008

    The Nation, October 1, 2008
    Nepal’s Evolving Identity
    Drew Haxby: Pushpa Kamal Dahal, newly elected Maoist Prime Minister of Nepal, provides insight into his country’s political dilemmas.
    But Nepal defied the usual story line. Galvanized by King Gyanendra’s grab for power, the parliamentary parties put aside their differences and began peace talks with the Maoist rebels. Weeks of protests forced the King to reinstate the Parliament. The Maoists agreed to peace accords overseen by the (…)

  • A reploughing of Jinnah’s life, but shorn of balance

    by Mushirul Hasan, 1 October 2008

    Standard textbooks either ignore Jinnah maturing into a seasoned and liberal politician, or, as is the practice in Pakistani historiography, underplay his articulation of a secularised rather than a communitarian-based polity. To his detractors he appears flighty; his followers and disciples are dazed by his brilliance. The fact is Jinnah’s feet were as frequently off the ground as on it.

  • Pursue the truth, not myths, and protect civil rights

    by Antara Dev Sen, 1 October 2008

    The Asian Age, October 2, 2008
    Why everybody loves a good stereotype
    "You support terrorists?" my friend was horror-struck.
    "We can’t presume they are terrorists," I begin, "there must be a trial first."
    "Rubbish! They are terrorists! And it’s indefensible that Jamia Milia University is using government money to protect them."
    "Everyone is entitled to legal aid and is innocent until proven guilty..."
    "They are guilty. The police nabbed them."
    "That’s the police version…"
    My (…)

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