Stories about South Asia from December, 2012
Shahzeb Khan – Symbol of Hope Against Pakistan's Powerful Feudals
Through social media, the face of 20-year-old Shahzeb Khan has become a symbol of hope against Pakistan's powerful Feudal-elites, who live with impunity, above the law.
All About Grassroots Change Movements
Gaurav Mishra analyzes the dynamics of grassroots change movements and how they work to make an impact in the mainstream using social media.
Dhaka Will Soon Have A Crowdsourced Bus Map
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and home to millions, but the megacity doesn’t have a bus map.
Sri Lanka's Judiciary-Executive clash
Law and Other Things has updates on the proceedings that were initiated in the Sri Lankan Parliament to impeach the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka, Dr Shirani Bandaranayake.
Delhi Gang Rape Victim's Death Prompts Vigils Across India
The victim of the Delhi gang-rape on a bus incident died yesterday in a hospital in Singapore. Protests and vigils were held across India to mourn the death of the 23 year old girl. Lakshmi Sarah attended one vigil in Mumbai and writes about it.
YouTube Blocked, Unblocked and Blocked Again in Pakistan
After three months of a government imposed ban on YouTube, Pakistanis could finally access the video sharing site on December 29, 2012. But the relief was short-lived.
Looking Back at 2012 in South Asia – Part II
Pakistan's dismal human rights record just gets worse, India's rising rape rates have sent the society into a flux, Bangladesh rejected Myanmar's Rohingya refugees, the regions relatively stable country - Maldives- saw a spiraling political crisis, and protests in post-war Sri Lanka against price hikes were met with police brutality. It has been a rough year in South Asia. And we have been covering the bad and the good all year at Global Voices. Here are some highlights from this years coverage.
Delhi’s Rape Case Stirs Movement for Justice in Nepal
The recent Delhi gang-rape case has not only evoked rage across India but also spread indignation to its neighboring countries like Nepal. Activists in Nepal have been protesting in front of the Prime Minister ’s residence at Baluwatar demanding justice for Sita Rai, who was raped in Kathmandu.
Looking Back at 2012 in South Asia – Part I
Armed with more smartphones than ever before, we see an increasing number of South Asians stepping across borders through social media. This year we saw the first India - Pakistan social media summit in Karachi. We also saw Indian and Bangladeshi hackers caught up in cyber wars. Here we look back at the rise of social media in 2012.
Bhutan: Steering Away From Democracy?
Bhutanomics comments: In form and structure Bhutan can be called a functioning democracy with elections, elected representatives and democratic institutions, but in terms of practice Bhutan is getting farther away from becoming a genuine democracy.
Balochistan Gets a Military Operation On Christmas Eve
The Pakistan army has launched a military operation in the Awaran district of Balochistan on Christmas Eve which resulted in many casualties. Apparently the operation was targeting the Tehsil Mashkai of separatist leader Dr. Allah Nazar’s home in Mahi village.
India Debates Capital Punishment for Rape
Shocked at the brutality of the recent gang-rape of a 23 year old woman in a Delhi bus, Indians are asking for stricter laws and harsher punishments for violence against women. There has been vigorous debates going on about capital punishment for rapists, started out by a member of Parliament, Sushma Swaraj.
Bangladesh: Mobile Health Service For Expecting and New Mothers
Both the Maternal and child mortality rates are high in Bangladesh. On the other hand the mobile penetration rate is close to 65% and many of the subscribers are female. Aponjon, a maternal health care service using mobile phone was launched recently targeting expecting and new mothers in Bangladesh to reduce maternal and newborn illnesses and deaths.
Reddit Users Debate the Pricing Game Of The Cancer Drug Industry
When the Indian pharmaceutical company Cipla announced last month that it would cut the cost of three drugs used to treat cancers – people around the world responded. Some of the most lengthy conversations took place on the news commenting site Reddit.
Art Quake in Kerala – The Kochi-Muziris Biennale
A three month long international exhibition of contemporary art is being held in Kochi, in the Indian state of Kerala. Keralites in Social Media are involved in discussions about the pros and cons including the controversy surrounding the allocation of state funds for the Kochi-Muziris Biennale.
Video Plea for Public Toilet Facilities in Jharkhand, India
Amit Topno, a ‘Video Volunteers’ community correspondent reports that the residents of Nichitpur village in the Indian State of Jharkhand do not have any working public toilet. The villagers plea to the local authorities via this video to ensure that proper toilets are installed.
Bauls – Worshiping The Great God In Man
Bauliana posts a list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Bauls, a group of mystic minstrels from Bengal. Although current day Bauls are very small in numbers, their influence in the culture of Bengal is considerable.
Delhi Gang Rape Case Evokes Rage Across India
A recent gang-rape of a 23 year-old woman on a Delhi bus has stirred shock and outrage in India. This incident has raised a lot of questions regarding public safety in the Indian capital and criticized the approach of the society towards taboo subjects such as sex and rape.
Gujarat Polls 2012 – An Analysis
Offstumped posts an analysis on the recently concluded phase 1 of the assembly elections in the Indian state of Gujarat.
International Crimes Tribunals Bangladesh: Justice In Perspective
E-Bangladesh reports on a discussion and presentation programme on the ongoing International Crimes Tribunal in Bangladesh which took place in London, UK recently. The event highlighted different aspects of the justice process and the historical background and a Q & A session aimed at dispelling confusions and providing clarifications.
Reserved Seats For Women, Good Or Bad?
Salman Latif exposes the flawed arguments in favor of reserved seats for women in the Pakistan National Assembly.
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