· November, 2012

Stories about South Asia from November, 2012

‘Industrial Scale’ Hunting of Migratory Amur Falcons in Nagaland, India

  29 November 2012

Each year thousands of migratory Amur falcons are hunted by locals in the Indian State of Nagaland during their passage through that region. On November 1, 2012, Shashank Dalvi and Ramki Sreenivasan first documented the massacre at ‘Conservation India‘ site and the news went viral on social media which resulted in a ban on capturing or killing of the raptors.

India: Wither Glass Bangles?

  26 November 2012

“Bangles are considered auspicious, and at one time, it was considered inauspicious for a woman not to wear bangles,” writes Anuradha Shankar at ‘A Wandering Mind’. She notes that glass bangles for daily wear are becoming less popular in megacities like Mumbai, but are still adored in small towns or...

Mumbai Terrorist Executed in India, But Will it Bring Peace?

  26 November 2012

On November 21, Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, a Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba militant and the only terrorist to be captured alive following the 2008 attack on Mumbai, was executed. His hanging rekindled the debate about the death penalty in India and whether it was likely to deter future terrorist attacks.

The Plights Of The Stateless Chakmas of Arunachal Pradesh

  26 November 2012

Paritosh Chakma recently visited Chakma villages in Papumpare district of the Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh and wrote about their plights. Thousands of Chakma refugees were transferred to the Chakma Settlement Areas in this region during 1964-69 and most of them still remain stateless.

Bangladesh Protests Against Open Pit Coal Mining in Phulbari

  25 November 2012

In Phulbari, 350 kilometers northwest of the Bangladesh capital Dhaka, local communities have come together to raise their voices against the proposed Phulbari open pit coal mining project. If implemented, it will evict almost 100000 inhabitants from more than 100 villages within a 59 sq. km radius and will create a long term impact on the environment.

Bangladesh: Disappearing Playgrounds

  25 November 2012

The Bangladesh Capital Dhaka has seen one of the largest price-booms in the real estate sector which resulted in the decrease of the number of open fields in the city. Amader Kotha discusses the perils of the encroaching real estates, the concept of making a playground for children is gradually...

Pakistan: Five Bomb Explosions Rock Three Cities In A Day

  24 November 2012

Wednesday, November 21, 2012 was a horrendous day when a series of suicide bombings were targeted at Imambargahs (Muharram mourning processions) and law enforcement agencies in Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Quetta. However, netizens noted that acts of terrorism perpetrated against Shia Muslims didn't get the same level of attention compared to Israel's attacks on Gaza Strip.

Pakistan Stands With Palestine

  24 November 2012

A number of rallies and protests were held in Pakistan to show solidarity with the Palestinians in their recent conflict with Israel. Using social media, people have raised concerns over the grave situation, displayed support and also condemned the government for being more involved in Gaza rather than dealing with the increased terrorism back home.

Mobs Burn Dalit Homes in Response to Intercaste Marriage in India

  22 November 2012

On 7 November 2012 up to 2,000 people attacked three Dalit settlements in the Dharmapuri District of Tamil Nadu, India. A nursing student, from a Shudra community married a man from a Dalit community and when the father of the bride committed suicide in disgrace, mobs attacked the Dalit community.

Hardinge Bridge Over A Dried-up River Bed

  20 November 2012

Lonely Traveler posts photos of the century old 1.8 kilometer long Hardinge bridge over the Padma river in Pabna, Bangladesh. The upper-riparian country India erected barrage on the Ganges river at Farakka in Murshidabad to withdraw all the water in dry season, which results in the almost dried-up river bed...

Outrage as Facebook Post Leads to Arrests in India

  19 November 2012

Police detained a 21-year-old woman after she posted a Facebook a status update protesting the total shutdown of Mumbai city following the death of the founder of the Shiv Shena party. Her friend, who ‘liked’ the update was also arrested. Both were later released on bail.

Maoists Chairman Prachanda Under Attack

  17 November 2012

Pradeep Kumar Singh reports that on the 16th of November Maoists Chairman Puspha Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda was slapped by a 25-year-old Maoists cadre at a tea reception program in Kathmandu.

Mumbai Comes to a Halt After Bal Thackeray's Death

  17 November 2012

"Mumbai Shut - Fear or Respect?!" Balasaheb Keshav Thackeray (86), founder of the Hindu right-wing Shiv Sena party in India, died today. Mumbai soon came to a halt - shops shut, public transportation stopped and residents stayed inside their homes.

Call For De-weaponization of Karachi

  14 November 2012

Journeys To Democracy reports that some Pakistani activists have sent out a petition for peace and de-weaponization of Karachi city to the Chief Justice of Pakistan. The brutal violence, armed robberies, kidnapping and extortion in this Pakistani port city have claimed lives of around 8000 people in past four years.

Bridge Blog for Afghanistan and Pakistan: ‘Understanding the Neighbor’

  14 November 2012

In a fellowship program 22 journalists from Afghanistan and Pakistan gathered together twice, once in Islamabad and once in Kabul to understand each others, share value and make cultural exchanges. The documented their experiences in a blog titled ‘Understanding the neighbor' and are ready to challenge the decades old established narratives about their neighbors.

Street Children of Bangladesh Vulnerable to Abuse

  12 November 2012

The total number of street children in Bangladesh is estimated at 400,000. Almost half of these children live in Dhaka city alone. A very large percentage of these children are young girls. These female street children are living in a dangerous situation vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.

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