More reasons to be suspicious of TIFA than not

So far the US has blocked Bangladesh's attempts for increased market access there at the global trade forum and instead divided the least developed countries successfully gaining support from the African LDCs.

Trouble Over Transit

India has again requested for transit access through Bangladesh that will allow easier access to the Seven Sister states from the rest of India. Bangladesh can potentially gain economically from such a deal - political realities however present barriers. Tanim Ahmed, New Age - July 24, 2008.

Bangladesh Protests Less Water from India

Bangladesh has protested that New Delhi has deprived Dhaka of its share of the Ganges water as stipulated in the Gangers Water Sharing Treaty 1996 and has not heeded the complaints Dhaka earlier registered with Indian authorities.

Pakcast: Afghan Refugees in Pakistan and Refugee Problems...

The Pakcast crew of Nasir Aziz and Ethan Casey join Human rights advocate Therese Caouette, who has worked with refugees in Thailand and Pakistan, for a lively discussion of refugee issues, including their impact on host societies. Ambreen Ali contributes a podlumn on Domestic Violence in South Asian Communities. For more Pakcast discussions, click here.
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Environment Binds India, Pakistan and South Asia

Atul Deulgaonkar writes about his trip to Pakistan for the South Asian Conference On Sanitation and describes a serious thrust for peace and humanity within Pakistan

Reviewing Ahmad's Essays on South Asia

Recently, Prof. Zia Mian sent me a gift. A book of essays and writings by Eqbal Ahmad: Between Past and Future.

New Initiative by Friends of Tibet

In April this year, Four Directions UK announced its intention to concentrate solely on the continuing struggle of the Tibetan people for freedom in their own land.

Considerations for the Conference on Peace in South Asian

Prof. Ramneek Mohan presents his thoughts on concrete steps that the Visa Free and Nuclear Free South Asia Conference should consider.

US-India Nuclear Deal: The Carrot and the Rod

This is the keynote address given at the World Peace Forum in Vancouver, on June 25, 2006 by Prof Emeritus Hari P. Sharma, Simon Fraser University.

Blog for Tibet
On World Tibet Day (July 6^th) which is also the birthday of Dalai Lama, the Tibetan community requests people all around the world to write about Tibet as a way to increase awareness about the Chinese occupation and their struggle for freedom.

Rebranding Pakistan

Ethan Casey writes on the perception of Pakistan in the US and processes that friends of Pakistan in the US are exploring so that the West may see other faces of Pakistan.

Tibetan Students Remember Tiananmen

Tibetan organizations remember repression of the pro-democracy movement in Tiananmen Square by Chinese forces, seeing similarities with the repression of Tibet.

Second Visa-free & Peaceful South Asia Convention

The 2nd Visa-free & Peaceful South Asia convention is slated in Lahore, Pakistan from 6th to 9th August, 2006. August 6, is Hiroshima Day and August 9, Nagasaki Day. The Lahore Organizing Committee invites you all to 2nd Visa Free & South Asia Convention.

The US led by Pakistan

Dr.Manzur Ejaz wonders – tongue-in cheek- in his weekly blog whether US policies are being led by a Pakistani.

Freedom Ride to Release the 11th Panchen Lama

To commemorate the 17th birthday of the 11th Panchen Lama and to protest his ongoing detention in the Chinese custody, Friends of Tibet (India) Calcutta chapter is organising a bike ride from Calcutta, West Bengal to Phuntsokling Tibetan Settlement, Chandragiri, Orissa on April 22, 2006.

Protest as Celebration of Difference

While His Holiness, the Dalai Lama is recommending no protests during the visit of the Chinese president Hu Jintao to US, Canada and India, Tenzin Tsundue and other friends respectfully argue otherwise.

An Ominous Deal

Sandeep Pandey writes about the problems with the Indo-US nuclear deal – its implications in India and internationally. This article first appeared in The News International

Bush Yatra: We Want Full Disclosure!

Long after Bush departed for Pakistan and back for Washington since, Srinadh says, we are left with one unanswered question: What did President Bush eat for lunch when he was in Hyderabad?

Ramblings on Protests of Bush Visit

Leading up to the visit of the Bush visit to India, a number of organizations in Delhi specifically, presented a civic society campaign that protested the Bush visit to Rajghat.

Tibetan Envoy Talks with Chinese Government

Two envoys of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Mr. Lodi G. Gyaltsen and Mr. Kelsang Gyaltsen, returned to India on 23 February from talks with the United Front Work Department of the Chinese Communist Party.

Thaw in the Thar

Yoginder Sikand writes about the impact of the new train links between India and Pakistan.

US, India, Energy Policy, Foreign Policy

Ghulam Muhammed presents a perspective of US influence on India’s foreign and energy policy, even its internal policies, saying why we should beware of this influence and how it might come to bite us.

Protestors Statement Against WTO

We, 200 members of people's organizations, faith-based communities and social movements, representing all continents of the world from 29 countries, who have met in Hong Kong from December 9 to 11, 2005, to assess and protest the impact of the policies of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) on the world's poor and to make recommendations to address the hardships that the WTO has created, offer this statement.

WTO Protestors’ Message to Faith Communities

We, 200 participants from 29 countries and different religious faiths, namely Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity and Islam, who have met at Wu Kai Sha, Hong Kong, from 9-10 December 2005 to protest the ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), and to work towards a vision on “Globalising Economic Justice and Social Sustainability”, address the following message to the faith communities of the world:

The Restless Children of the Dalai Lama

The New York Times reports on the new generation of Tibetans, respectful of Dalai Lama, and yet frustrated with policies of pacifism. While unwilling to be violent towards others, they believe in direct action. The article talks about this generation, its ideals, its dreams and its processes.

Yes Men Reviewed

The phenomenon of identity theft, where criminals impersonate people to steal from them is fairly well known.

Historical Evidence of Tibet's Nationhood

The passport used by former Chief of the Finance Department of the Government of Tibet, Tsepon Shakabpa Wangchuk Dedhen during independent Tibet, has been recovered after many years of its missing, and now safely presented to His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama on March 29, 2004. The passport had received recognition from about seven countries in 1948 when the Tibetan Minister travelled abroad showing more evidence to the historical nationhood of Tibet.

Peace Process Needs to Go On

‘We give them 65 million in aid and they give us bombs. How can we support a peace process with them?’ This has been the essence of much anguish since the blasts in Delhi recently, especially when ‘we were doing so much to forward peace’.

May Conscience Guide Our Policies

Despite all claims to enhanced peace in the region, during times of crisis, the government of Pakistan has not been able to transcend the usual language of diplomatese and the disease of suspicion. Lalita Ramdas points out the ridiculous of this all.

Calling South Asians to Help with Quake

This is the second enormous natural calamity that has struck South Asia this year. With Pakistan already claiming over 20000 deaths, and numerous more deaths in Afghanistan and Jammu and Kashmir, the situation is looking quite grim.

Leaders, Partners and Clients

The recent Indo-US agreements on military and nuclear policy need to be seen in the light of more than 50 years of US efforts to have India become a part of American political, strategic and economic plans for Asia. What becomes clear is how difficult this has proved to be over the decades. It begs the question why Indian leaders have finally started to fall in step so easily in the past few years. This article by Prof. Zia Mian was first published in EPW

Chinese Diplomat Pressurizes Tibetan Group in India

Can a Chinese diplomat call a citizen of India demanding that he not organize a public discussion on Buddhism? And can he get away with it?

How do I get an Indian Visa?

Maryam Arif, a young student of Pakistani origin, writes about her recent trip to the Indian Consulate in New York, the whimsical nature of the process and the politics of peace.

Indian Cartoonists on Tibet

Friends of Tibet (India) has put together a traveling exhibition of cartoons on Tibet by Indian cartoonists. The cartoons cover the Tibet issue and the tumultuous Indo-Chinese relations. The exhibition can also be viewed on line.

Pakistani Peacenik Writes from India

Saeeda Diep shares stories from her recent trip with the Pakistani delegation to India. The delegation participated with their Indian counterparts in a variety of events urging greater peace and less bureaucracy.

Pakistani, Indians in North America Appeal for Peace

Indians and Pakistanis in various parts of North America, including Toronto, Washington DC, and San Francisco celebrated the anniversaries of their Independence Day together, pledging to work for peace between the two countries.

Pakistani, Indian Peace Activists Fast at Rajghat

Over the last week, peace activists from India and Pakistan have joined together to remember the victims of the bombs in Japan, create greater awareness within South Asia and urge people’s representatives in India and Pakistan for greater efforts for lasting peace in South Asia.

Mountain comes to Mumbai

Tenzin Tsundue, a Tibetan writer and activist presents vignettes of Tibetan experiences in India.

How free do we want to be?

Ethan Casey juxtaposes, through personal stories, growing fundamentalism in the west. This story first appeared in The News, Pakistan.

Geopolitics of Nanotechnology

ETC Group today releases a new 48-page report on the geopolitics of nanotechnology. NanoGeoPolitics, offers an in-depth survey of the current state of nanotechnology policy debates ranging from regulatory initiatives to social dialogues and from G8 statements to CSO activism (civil society). ETC describes three main approaches being adopted by nano players: the so-called optimists, realists, and skeptics.

Motorbikers Invite Marchers Home

The Indo -Pakistan Peace March that began from Delhi
on March 23 is now approaching Ambala, the last major "port of call"
in Haryana on the route of the March.

Day 1: The Marchers Embark

The Peace March from Delhi to Multan started off today from the tombs of Sufi poets and thinkers Amir Khusro and Nizamuddin Aulia. One of the organizers – Sandeep Pandey – along with movie director Mahesh Bhatt offered their respects at the tombs.

Pakistani Organization Working for Needs of Indian Prisoners

The miserable condition of prisoners detained under the Foreign Act (Pakistan) demanded serious attention as scores of Indian prisoners are locked up in different central jails of Balochistan. SEHER, a Pakistani organization based in Quetta, has responded to the needs of these prisoners.

Pakistani Prime Minister Meets Peace March Organizers

A delegation of the organizers of the Pakistan-India Peace March met with the Prime Minister of Pakistan, on March 12, 2005, at Prime Minister’s Secretariat, Islamabad.

Meet Shirin Ebadi

A freewheeling interview with Nobel Laureate Shirin Ebadi on women in Iran, Islam, human rights, terrorism and the USA. This interview was conducted for The Progressive.

A Letter From Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy

Below is a thought-provoking report by Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy of his impressions of India, while there on a month-long lecture tour, in connection with his UNESCO’s Kalinga Prize in 2003.

Pakistanis to Join Re-enactment of Dandi March

The Hindustan Times reported that in a tribute to the friendship of Mahatma Gandhi and Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, a group from Pakistan is expected to join an event marking 75 years of the historic Dandi march.

Chaos in Nepal Continues

Major human rights violations continue with the declaration of emergency in Nepal. Various governments as well as international agencies have said that the democracy must be re-established in Nepal.

Therefore Alternatives: Questioning Development

In this mutli-part series, Sanat Mohanty discusses why we have to look for alternatives and what kinds of alternatives we should look for. This fifth piece of the series questions the broadly held assumptions of development.

Notes from a Peace Mela

A Peace Mela was organized in Jalandhar from November 23rd to 26th, 2004.

South Asian People's Declaration

On January 15th, organizations from India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal convened to create a People’s SAARC that would bring together people and organizations from South Asia that would focus on the needs of people of the region and influence policies to that end. This is a note from their gathering.

Waste exporters warned to comply..or be caught

Reports in the British press say that Britain is throwing out more than a million tonnes of electronic "e-waste" such as broken computer monitors and discarded mobile phones every year. A Guardian report said that last year, 23,000 tonnes of IT and other electronic equipment was shipped out illegally, mostly to China, West Africa, Pakistan and India.

US Government Mounts Arbitration against India over Failed Power Plant Project

The morass of litigation surrounding India’s largest-ever foreign investment project just became a little bit deeper when the US Government submitted a request for arbitration to the Government of India earlier this month, invoking the consent to arbitration found in a 1997 Investment Incentive Agreement.

India, Pakistan and the Detention of Fishermen

Indian and Pakistani fishermen, invariably straying into each others territorial waters are regularly arrested and imprisoned. While this issue has constantly been raised in so called confidence building talks between the two countries, it has yet to be resolved.

A Letter to the Victims of Outsourcing

Over the last couple of months, as the rhetoric has become shriller this election season, many in the USA who have lost their jobs owing to outsourcing have blamed the Indians for their pain.

Shattering the Fantasy of Multiculturalism

The Story of Fahim, a Pakistani youth living in Canada, his illegal and unwarranted arrest and detention by RMCP, under Project Thread, and subsequent deportation on charges of terrorism that were quickly dropped.

Democracy for the Goose, Democracy for the Gander

You can force a people to an election booth but you cannot force a democracy on a people. Unfortunately, that is the problem with the American establishment’s understanding of democracy – that to vote is to embrace democracy.

Democracy and the US Elections ‘04

In the run up to this elections that is being touted as a possible turning point in US and world history, it is likely that nothing will change unless numerous democratic process that have fallen into desuetude be revived and strengthened.

Celebrating Peace and Independence

In Madison, Indians and Pakistani students joined in to sing the national anthems of India and Pakistan.

BHOPAL: A Heinous Corporate Crime, A Humanitarian Disaster

Union Carbide built the pesticide factory in Bhopal, India in the 1970s

Bangla Hindu Influx into Northeast India; Dhaka's disclaimer and New Delhi's tacit approval

Linguistic and cultural similarities also do not seem to have induced efforts to ensure equal treatment of the country's Hindu minority.

River-Linking and Assam’s Interests

Is this a priority for Assam? No doubt, any flood alleviation project will be of some benefit.

South Asian Nations Bow to US Pressure Over ICC

‘US Forces Nations to Help Its Citizens Avoid International Court’

Betraying Tibet

Confronted with Chinese might, the Indian government has decided to abandon its support for the Tibetan people’s rights.

The India-Pakistan Conflict

The failure of nuclear deterrence

These are dismal times for peace. Since the tests of May 1998 and their overt nuclearization, Pakistan-India relations have visibly deteriorated. Crisis has followed crisis and nuclear weapons have played an increasingly prominent role.

Dispute on the Indo-Bangla Border

The last two months saw the rekindling of border disputes between India and Bangladesh.

Patently Absurd: Now Its The Turn Of Atta

At a time when the World Trade Organization (WTO) is forcing developing countries to implement the trade-related intellectual property rights regime, the United States patent on ‘a method for producing atta flour -- typically used to produce Asian breads such as chapatti and roti’ -- exposes the absurdity of the entire patenting regime.

Devinder Sharma is a New Delhi-based food and trade policy analyst. This article is presented with permission from http://www.janmanch.org/agriculture

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