By Farwa Aamer The writer is Director of South Asia Initiatives at the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI). NEW YORK | 25 September (IDN) — Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s win (as new President) marks a period of hope and change for the Sri Lankans who are still recovering from the political and economic crisis of 2022. […]
South Asian Workers in Europe Face Harrowing Working Conditions
By Aju John* BERLIN | 22 September 2024 (IDN) — On 19 June of this year, an agricultural labourer from India named Satnam Singh lost his life on a melon farm in Latina, Italy. He had been crushed by a machine that severed one of his arms and fractured his legs — horrific injuries, but, […]
A Cultural Feast of Folk Songs That Unveils the Soul of Sri Lanka
Reviewed by Nandi Jasentuliyana, former Deputy Director-General, United Nations. LOS ANGELES, USA | 21 September 2024 (IDN) — If you have yet to experience the mesmerizing performances of the Ranwala Balakaya, you’re missing out on a cultural feast that stirs the soul and celebrates Sri Lanka’s rich heritage. Fans of traditional Sri Lankan arts packed […]
Bangladesh: Political Crisis Is Deeply Impacting the Economy
By Tajul Islam* DHAKA, Bangladesh | 19 September 2024 (IDN) — Bangladesh is currently facing a political crisis that is not only disrupting its social structure but also casting a significant shadow over the country’s economic outlook. The economic challenges caused by this political instability are widespread, impacting everything from households to industries. The Ready-made […]
Bangladesh: Interim Government Accused of Political Persecution of Journalists
By Abdul Rahman This article was originally published in Peoples Dispatch and being re-published with the author’s permission. DHAKA, Bangladesh | 18 September 2024 (IDN) — On September 16, the Bangladeshi police arrested two senior journalists, Mozammel Babu and Shyamal Dutta when they were allegedly trying to leave the country. With their arrests, the total […]
Would Bangladesh Take Stronger Positions to Prevent Antimicrobial Resistance at UN Meet?
By Shobha Shukla* LONDON | NEW DELHI | 17 September 2024 (IDN) — Bangladesh has taken strong positions to prevent antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the past. We urge the new leadership in Bangladesh to take stronger positions at the upcoming UN meeting of world leaders on 26 September 2024 on AMR and advance more concrete […]
Youths in Nepal Pushing the Government to take Biodiversity Preservation Seriously
By Simone Galimberti KATHMANDU, Nepal | 16 September 2024 (IDN) — With the upcoming COP 16 on Biodiversity that is scheduled to be held in Colombia, October 21-November 1—the first after the introduction of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework—it is imperative that Nepal presents an ambitious updated version of its National Biodiversity Strategy and […]
Land Grabs Target Tamils and Muslims in Sri Lanka
By Rodney Reynolds NEW YORK, 12 September 2024 (IDN) — As the 57th session of the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) addresses the human rights situation in Sri Lanka next week, a new report from the Oakland Institute, Trincomalee Under Siege: Land Grabs Target the Tamil Homeland in Sri Lanka uncovers the rapidly escalating colonization […]
Pursuing Transitional Justice in the Aftermath of Peace in Nepal
By Simone Galimberti* KATHMANDU, Nepal | 9 September 2024 (IDN) — Ending a civil conflict is always an incredibly daunting task but ensuring a permanent peace that would enable the peace dividend to trickle down can often prove to be even more challenging. The unbalanced power dynamics and the inequities at the foundation of the […]
Baloch Liberation Army Leaves Pakistani Army Without Many Options
By Manish Rai The author is a columnist and geopolitical analyst for Middle-East and Af-Pak region and can be reached at manishraiva@gmail.com NEW DELHI | 3 September 2024 (IDN) — Bold attacks carried out by Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) on August 27 rocked Pakistan. A large number of people and security personnel were killed in […]