The images below require no introduction nor explanation. They do require that we ensure that within our lifetime we are able to look upon these images as we do when we gaze upon the work of Lewis Hine and Jacob Riis. We must ensure that this lived experience no longer attaches to any young […]
India celebrates its 60th Republic Day today. It is to this day in 1950 that the Indian Constitution came into force after its independence from Britain in August 1947. The Republic Day celebrations are an opportunity to display the nation’s cultural diversity, military might and other achievements to its people and the world through a […]
Willy Lam has a piece in the new Jamestown Foundation China Brief breaking down Beijing’s most recent signaling on its Tibet strategy. New policies for the restive region, announced by Xinhua following a January 8 Politburo session devoted to the question of how to pursue “breakthrough-style economic development and long-term stability” in Tibet, essentially amount […]
Zainab Jeewanjee addresses the idea that President Obama is “changing tones” on foreign policy. An article in DAWN news suggests he is not living up to expectations on his foreign policy to Pakistan. Jeewanjee explains that he however is. Hawkishness on his part was promised from the onset of his campaign trail.
There was a rush of rioting today in the garment factory district of Dhaka earlier this morning. Following an unfortunate accident where a garment factory worker was run over by a speeding bus, factory workers were reported to have torched 15 vehicles, while vandalizing 50 other vehicles. Over 200 riot policemen responded to the […]
Kurt Campbell, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last Friday. His words offer up a broad assessment of the regional challenges confronting the US and adumbrate, in broad strokes, the “principles of US engagement in the Asia-Pacific.” In one revealing passage, Campbell states, “the […]
I’d like to alert you, my readers to two recent pieces published in the British media on better business and economic growth in Bangladesh. The first is a piece published by BBC 4, In Business. A story of a garment factory in Bangladesh resurrected under pressure, shows the ways and means of becoming an […]
This blog previously commented on rising opposition to and grumbling over the China – ASEAN Free Trade Agreement in Southeast Asia, which went into effect on 90 percent of products, on January 1, 2010 Times Magazine Online has an article concerning more of the downsides of the FTA. For example, Indonesian Trade Minister, Mari […]
The meeting between the Prime Ministers of Bangladesh and India left one issue dangling on the ropes between disputed territory and no-mans’ land. The two governments agreed to post-pone till later any discussion of water sharing of the Teesta River. Today, the Bangladesh High Commissioner to India, Tari Ahmed Karim, said those talks on the […]
India launches anti-Maoist operation: India has launched a large offensive against the rebel Maoist groups in five states – West Bengal, Jharakhand, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. The new operation, according to Home Minister P Chidambaram, is aimed at reasserting “the authority of the civil administration” in the affected areas, and arresting top leaders. The Indian […]
During his Pakistan visit, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates wrote an article for an English daily in which he basically stressed the need to work together. On the other hand, while in India, Mr. Gates implied that had India not acted sensibly (I am paraphrasing) after the Mumbai attacked, there was a real chance of war breaking out […]
Zainab Jeewanjee discusses Secretary Gates’ and Secretary Clinton’s respective plans for Afghanistan and Pakistan this week. While Secretary Gates suggested shared use of drone technology with Islamabad, he also called for a consolidated military approach to extremist groups. Secretary Clinton on the other hand, unveiled a civilian rooted plan aimed at reintegrating extremists back into the fold of society. Jeewanjee sides with Secretary Clinton on this issue and explains why Gates might have been hawkish in his stance.
The Awami League led government is responding to the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami’s ringing claims that the joint agreements recent signed by Bangladeshi and Indian leaders are detrimental to Bangladesh’s national interests. The Foreign Minister Dr. Dipu Moni declared that the joint communiqué signed by the leaders of Bangladesh and India “would be a public document […]
The Asia-Pacific Journal has a very interesting piece out reviewing rumors that China and Japan may strengthen ties in a dramatic fashion later this year. According to Le Figaro, the article says, China had proposed that Japanese Prime Minister Hatoyama Yukio begin the process by going to Nanjing, where a mass killing of Chinese civilians […]
Former Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon will be Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s new National Security Advisor (NSA). The current NSA, M K Narayanan will step down after five years in office, and take over as the Governor of the state of West Bengal. The new appointment comes at a time when the Home Minister, P […]
