· September, 2009

Stories about South Asia from September, 2009

Nepal: Towards A More Humane Dashain Festival

  30 September 2009

Nepal's biggest religious festival Dashain is celebrated all around the world by the Nepalese diaspora. This year's Dashain in Nepal was a bit controversial, with animal rights activists calling for an end to the tradition of animal sacrifice during the festival.

Pakistan: Who Is Running The Country?

  30 September 2009

The US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne Patterson’s recent statement on Quetta shura raised a controversy in Pakistan. Teeth Maestro poses the question in reaction: “Who’s actually running Pakistan? The Americans or Pakistanis?”

Bangladesh: The State Of Women

  30 September 2009

“What is keeping Bangladeshi women from emancipation when their country is ruled by one of their own? How is their situation now? What are their most urgent needs; which rights are they fighting for? And how does society perceive them?” these are some of the queries of a project of...

Sri Lanka: Testimonies Of Detained IDPs

  30 September 2009

GroundViews posts two short testimonies on the plight of IDPs released from Menik Camp. The testimonies highlight “significant challenges facing reconciliation and resettlement in post-war Sri Lanka and the urgent need for psycho-social counseling”.

Pakistan: Karachi The Next Swat

  29 September 2009

Khaled Faroqi at Pakistan Desk opines that the movement of Taliban Leadership from Quetta to Karachi can force the city to suffer the same consequences as FATA or Swat.

India: Water On Moon

  29 September 2009

Breaking Tweets compiles reactions of Indian Twitter users to various reports of the Indian Chandrayaan-1 mission finding water molecules on the moon.

Bangladesh: Banning Of Adult Websites

  29 September 2009

Joruri Khobor posts a hilarious take on the news that the government of Bangladesh has banned 84 adult websites that featured “well-known Bangladeshi celebrities in obscene poses”.

India: Durga Puja: A Daughter Comes Visiting

  29 September 2009

The Durga Puja is an annual festival that celebrates worship of the Hindu goddess Durga. Bengalis believe that Durga is the daughter of Bengal and during the 5 days of festivities she visits her parental home along with her 4 children and 2 close friends.

People with disabilities and the promise of ICTs

  29 September 2009

More than 600 million people in the world live with disabilities. Oftentimes, poverty and disabilities go hand-in-hand. Can the promise of ICTs help disabled people better integrate socially and economically?

India: The State Of Democracy

  28 September 2009

Arundhati Roy at Huffington Post comments on the state of democracy in India: “The hoary institutions of Indian democracy — the judiciary, the police, the ‘free’ press, and, of course, elections — far from working as a system of checks and balances, quite often do the opposite. They provide each...

Maldives: Renewing Ties With Israel

  28 September 2009

Mohamed Nasheed reacts to the news that Maldives would renew ties with Israel posing this question: “how does renewing relations with Israel serve our national interest?”

Pakistan: The way we are treated at US airports

  28 September 2009

“As a friend of progressive forces, and as an American who is proud to be an American, I urge the United States government to re-consider this policy of secondary searches and questioning when someone tries to enter America,” comments Pakistani American Bilal Qureshi at Pak Tea House.

Sri Lanka: Suppression Of Media Freedom

  26 September 2009

Concerned Citizen comments on the media freedom in Sri Lanka at Groundviews: “despite vehement denials, it is obvious that the government is guilty of suppression of media freedom and dissent through intimidation, threats, violence and extrajudicial acts which have seriously affected their credibility both nationally and internationally.”

India: What To Expect On The Moon

  25 September 2009

Reacting on the news that India’s mission to the moon has found water on it, A Minority Of One comments on what to expect next: “Other things that will eventually be found on the moon, in due time – one Nair tea stall, one neatly folded lungi, one old copy...

India: The Paradox Of Poverty

  24 September 2009

Smart Alec comments on the paradox of poverty: “India is indeed a rich country with a lot of poor people in it. And it’s these poor people who make rich India rich, give it its wealth of poverty. India cannot afford to give up its lucrative poverty; it must perpetuate...

Bangladesh: Can A Journalist Throw Shoes To A Leader?

  24 September 2009

“I cannot undermine the sentiment of Al- Zaidi and ordinary Iraqi people who are the sufferer of invasion and war. But he has misused his access and accreditation rights by throwing shoes. I would be happy if Al-Zaidi were a member of any other community except journalist,” comments Bangladeshi blogger...

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Rezwan
Rezwan is the South Asia editor. Email him story ideas or volunteer to write.