South Asia Citizens Web

Blocking aid workers in Sri Lanka endangers trapped civilians
Temporary shelter for displaced people in Sri Lanka
(Amnesty International, 10 September 2008)
The Sri Lankan government’s order for United Nations (UN) and non-governmental aid workers to leave the war-torn northern Wanni region could further endanger tens of thousands of displaced persons trapped between the two parties to the conflict, Amnesty International warned.
National staff of international aid agencies now left (…)

India: All Sides Using Children in Chhattisgarh Conflict
– Rehabilitate Children in Armed Groups
(Human Rights Watch)
(New York, September 5, 2008) – Indian security forces and Naxalite rebels should immediately end the use of children in the conflict in Chhattisgarh state in central India, Human Rights Watch said today. Using children under age 18 in armed operations places them at risk of injury and death and violates international law.
[. . .]
Human Rights Watch urged the Indian (…)

In India 5,500 private security workers were successful in fighting against their employers. A court ruled that the workers are protected against loosing their jobs while fighting for their overtime premiums. This is a 2008 report by "Uni Property Services G4S Alliance" on the living and working conditions in India’s private security environment.

The Kathmandu Post, 1 September 2008
Dipak Gyawali, former Minister of Water Resources, heads Nepal Water Conservation Foundation. He has been working on water resources for the past two decades. He has written several books on water. He claims that Nepal is not the second richest country in hydropower but has adequate energy to meet its demand.
For this week’s Interview, The Kathmandu Post caught Dipak G at his office and discussed about the breach of Koshi embankment and consequent (…)

Business Standard, September 5, 2008
The jacketing or embanking of the river systems in north Bihar must go down as among the most ill-thought out schemes in Independent India.
I am talking about the so-called ‘floods’ in north Bihar. Many adjectives have been spun by political and media establishments over the past three weeks to describe the unprecedented inundation of 16 districts and displacement of close to five million people. It has been called a deluge, devastation and a (…)