The Taliban’s Gender Politics: Repression at Home, Performance on the World Stage – C275
Since the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, Afghan women and girls have been systematically eliminated from public life; they have been banned from secondary and higher education, including online learning platforms in some provinces, and limitations have been imposed on them in most formal employment. They are...
A Review of ‘Neelan: Unsilenced’ (Documentary on Sri Lankan Politics) – C274
“Neelan: Unsilenced” is a documentary film that was directed by documentary filmmaker Pitasanna Shanmugathas and released on the 26th death anniversary of prominent lawyer and politician Neelan Tiruchelvam. This documentary records the life, advocacy and achievements of Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam with accounts narrated by his friends, family and those...
COMMENT 273 – Constitutional Recognition of Indigenous Peoples is Essential for Fostering Pluralism
Indigenous peoples are one of the ongoing topics of debate in Bangladesh. Since independence, the Chittagong Hill Tracts have been in turmoil due to the failure to include the ethnicity of indigenous peoples in the constitution formed in 1972. Although an agreement was signed in 1997, the main problems...
Bangladesh: How To Recover From the Disaster? – C272
The political situation in the run-up to and the aftermath of the election has brought violence and uncertainty. This editorial considers the issues and challenges which threaten the country’s future.
On the wake of the quota system movement
SADF was invited to Bangladesh – neither by the government nor the...
Ethnic conflict in India’s Manipur: External security predicament – C271
The violent ethnic conflict between Kuki and Meitei communities in the Indian north-eastern state of Manipur, which started on May 3 2023 is dubbed as ‘civil war’ by many. The ethnic conflict in Manipur has been ongoing for over a year now with no clear sign of a conclusion....
Pakistan’s Security Conundrum – C270
On Wednesday, March 18, Pakistan launched an airstrike into Afghanistan, specifically in the provinces of Paktika and Khost. In response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Pakistan asserted this was an ‘intelligence-based anti-terrorist operation’. However, Islamabad’s decision was triggered by an attack on its paramilitary camp in the...
Russia-India-China: Assessing Possibilities – C269
Russian aspirations regarding the Russia-India-China strategic triangle
The concept of the India-Russia-China (RIC) triangle was first proposed by Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov in 1998 as “a counterbalance to the Western alliance”. It took shape in the early 2000s. The first RIC meeting of heads of government was held...
Baluchistan: Pakistan Albatross – C268
Pakistan’s largest province, Baluchistan is in a simmering situation following the extra-judicial killing of 20-years-old student Mola Baksh in November. The killing sparked a long march from the south-western city of Turbat to Islamabad under the leadership of Mahrang Baloch. A sustained rise in terror incidents in Baluchistan in recent months has...
Pakistan’s elections – between delays and engineering – C266
Elections in Pakistan are now set for 8 February 2024 – national and provincial assemblies simultaneously, as is the country’s tradition. Two questions dominate the ongoing political debate: will these elections really take place, and if they will, can they be considered free and fair?
Haroon Janjua, from the Deutsche...
Pakistan Caught in Fire with Iran, China Acts to Mediate – C265
On 16 January, 2024, the Border Taskforce of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Ground Force of Iran launched attacks on the militant bases of the Jaish al-Adl group in Panjgur in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. Iran’s Foreign Ministry called it: a preventive action against a terrorist group preparing to infiltrate...