NVA in Asia/ S. Asia - 2009 April 17

Saturday, 18 April 2009

Philippines: Interview with the Cordillera Peoples Alliance
By: UNPO, April 16, 2009
The Cordillera people are an indigenous group in the Philippines, comprising 1.5 million of the country's total population of 88 million, as of the 2007 census. The Cordillera indigenous peoples are known as the Igorots, or "people from the mountains".
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Lawlessness, Political violence rising in Nepal
By: One World, April 16, 2009
Armed attacks, killings, abductions, and street violence are on the rise in Nepal, say human rights groups, warning that citizens have become increasingly frustrated by the Maoist-led government's failure to deal with the security issues.
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Thailand's anti-government protests end, but questions linger
By: Ron Corben, VOA, April 16, 2009
While calm has returned to Bangkok after a week of political turmoil, Thailand's deep political divisions remain. There are calls for an independent commission to investigate the clashes between protesters and the military, and lingering questions over the military's behavior when protesters forced the cancellation of a meeting of Asian national leaders.
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Thailand issues 22 more arrest warrants for protesters
By: Asia Pacific News, April 16, 2009
Thai courts on Thursday issued arrest warrants for 22 people allegedly involved in violent demonstrations and denied bail for three protest leaders amid calls for fair investigations into politically motivated mayhem over the past year. The Bangkok Criminal Court has refused bail for three leaders of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) who turned themselves in to authorities Tuesday after their followers blocked intersections, burned buses and allegedly killed two people Monday before authorities moved in to end the protests.
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Afghanistan's controversial law emboldens women's rights activists
By: Anand Gopal, CSM, April 16, 2009
As Fatima Fedayee clutched a banner that read "Equality Is Our Right," an angry man charged toward her and knocked her to the ground. As soon as she picked herself up, another man hurled stones at her. Then a group of men surrounded her, screaming unsavory epithets.
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Sacrificing democracy won't end Thailand's chaos
By: The Age, April 15, 2009
Thailand has slipped into a perilous pattern in which any government is challenged by street protests intended to bring it down. The state of emergency imposed in Bangkok at the weekend was the third in eight months. Thailand has had four prime ministers in 12 months. The latest protest's success in forcing the cancellation of the ASEAN summit was a national humiliation. Until the September 2006 coup, its 18th since 1932, Thailand had rapidly built a reputation as a stable democracy that had shaken off a turbulent past to become a key player in South-East Asia, as well as a major trading partner of Australia.
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Thailand: Red Shirts paid to protest?
By: Mong Palatino, Global Voices, April 15, 2009
The Red Shirts have ended their protests. The leaders have been arrested and an arrest warrant was issued against former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The Red Shirts have been protesting for the past three weeks; they were demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva who was accused of using illegal means to achieve power. Last Sunday and Monday, violence erupted between protesters and the military. The confrontation killed two protesters and injured more than one hundred.
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Chinese Netizen journalists face restrictions
By: Genevieve Long, The Epoch Times, April 15, 2009
In a country like China that is already so restrictive of press freedoms, it's surprising that the grip of control could be tightened any further. Yet, according to a new press release from the non-governmental organization Freedom House, that's exactly what is happening.
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'Human rights' in Chinese
By: WSJ, April 15, 2009
With the the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre fast approaching on June 4, Beijing is pulling out all the stops to show the world that it has changed for the better since it gunned down democracy advocates in 1989. The new "action plan" for human rights is the latest example. The State Council released the 16,000-word document through state media Monday with the goal of "promoting and protecting human rights." The state-controlled Xinhua news agency put out more than 50 stories in English on the "action plan" -- a message clearly aimed at a foreign audience.
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Afghan women protest new law on home life
By: Dexter Filkins, NY Times, April 15, 2009
The young women stepped off the bus and moved toward the protest march just beginning on the other side of the street when they were spotted by a mob of men. "Get out of here, you whores!" the men shouted. "Get out!" The women scattered as the men moved in. "We want our rights!" one of the women shouted, turning to face them. "We want equality!"
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The Tamil diaspora: Solidarities and realities in Sri Lanka
By: Nirmala Rajasingam, Open Democracy, April 15, 2009
The Sri Lankan Tamil community may not be the largest of the diaspora communities represented in London or other such greatly diverse cities around the world, but the numbers and conviction they have mobilised in recent days to highlight the plight of their brethren at home have been exceptional. The demonstrations by Tamils in the centres of London, Toronto and other cities have been spectacular, defiant and spirited displays of grief and anger: men, women, and many young people have gathered with colourful flags and banners, staged sit-ins, and chanted slogans, while several of their number have promised to fast unto death.
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Chinese make arrests and heavy restrictions in Machu district, Eastern Tibet
By: Tibet Post, April 14, 2009
On 10 April, 2009 a traditional festival of religious ritual dance took place at the Sarma Monastery in Walpan township in Machu district, eastern Tibet. Over 200 Chinese armed forces arrived at the monastery and, without any explanation or warning, they publicly searched, frisked, and beat participants in the festival. They also took their flint and knives. Authorities then searched the home of a Tibetan named Shilok where they found a wolf skin and proceeded to allege that the man had a gun.'
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Maldives: Taking Gayyoom to the International Criminal Court
By: Dhivehi Observer, April 14, 2009
With the dawn of democracy, many people hoped that the injustice of the previous 30 years would be brought to light and the people who perpetrated these crimes would be held accountable. Our hopes and aspirations that justice would be served by the state are still on hold- we wait and wait for the day the former Dictator Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom would be brought to trial.
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India: Tibetan students block road in Chanakyapuri
By: The Times of India, April 14, 2009
The police in New Delhi arrested nine young Tibetan students after they chained themselves to barbed wires and blocked the pavement opposite Chinese embassy on Monday morning. According to the police, the protesters had gathered outside the embassy at Chanakyapuri to protest the Chinese occupation of their homeland. Eyewitnesses said that the semi-naked protesters were shouting slogans against China accusing it of illegally occupying Tibet.
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