COMMENTARIES
  • Cluster Munitions Ban Treaty: The Challenges Ahead
    Sonali Huria    ·   29 May, 2008    ·    #2579    ·    Commentary    
    Over a hundred nations gathered in Dublin on 19 May for final negotiations on an international treaty to ban the use, production, stockpiling, and transfer of cluster munitions. The treaty will also provide for the destruction of stockpiles and ...
  • Indian Diaspora in Thai-India Cooperation
    Pranav Kumar    ·   27 May, 2008    ·    #2578    ·    Commentary    
    Over the last few years Thai-India economic and commercial relations have rapidly expanded with bilateral trade increasing from US$1.05 billion in 2001 to US$4.7 billion in 2007. The two countries are identifying different mechanisms to further ...
  • Mining War in Chhattisgarh
    Devyani Srivastava    ·   23 May, 2008    ·    #2577    ·    Commentary    
    Industrial and socio-economic development of the backward regions constitutes a core component of the state of Chhattisgarh's counter-Naxal policy in cooperation with the central government. In particular, the state's mineral policy is d...
  • Black Widow Strikes in Assam
    Mirza Zulfiqur Rahman    ·   23 May, 2008    ·    #2576    ·    Commentary    
    Recent killings in the North Cachar Hills district of Assam by the Jewel Gorlosa faction of the Dima Halam Daogah, popularly known as the Black Widow, have put the security forces and the government establishment in a tizzy. Complete lawlessness...
  • Developing a Human Terrain System for Jammu and Kashmir
    Madhavi Bhasin    ·   23 May, 2008    ·    #2575    ·    Commentary    
    The Government of India has been waging a long struggle in the state of Jammu and Kashmir to win over the people. In this process it has experimented with a variety of economic, political and strategic solutions. Unfortunately, none of these hav...
  • Disinterested Engagement in Myanmar?
    Julien Levesque    ·   22 May, 2008    ·    #2574    ·    Commentary    
    Twice, in less than a year, Myanmar made it to the headlines. Its first appearance due to massive protests that were brutally repressed by the military government in September 2007 drew the world's attention to the country's political si...
  • Nepal Election 2008: Rumors and Reality
    Uddhab P Pyakurel    ·   22 May, 2008    ·    #2573    ·    Commentary    
    The much-awaited election to the Constituent Assembly (CA) in Nepal was held on 10 April 2008. The final results were declared after two weeks, the delay was due to the simultaneous use of a mixed - First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) and Proportional Re...
  • Should the DoNER be Abolished?
    Papori Phukan    ·   21 May, 2008    ·    #2572    ·    Commentary    
    In its report submitted to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the second Administrative Reform Commission (ARC), headed by Veerappa Moily, has recommended the closure of the Ministry for the Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and the handin...
  • Anti-Naxal Forces in Bihar
    Kamla Singh    ·   21 May, 2008    ·    #2571    ·    Commentary    
    Naxalism has emerged as the most serious internal security threat and a severe challenge in many states. In the current phase of Naxal violence in Bihar, anti-Naxal forces are often found to be more problematic. They create a social reaction whi...
  • Eastern Provincial Council Elections: A First Step Towards Final Settlement?
    N Manoharan    ·   19 May, 2008    ·    #2570    ·    Commentary    
    After a gap of 20 years, polls for the de-merged Eastern Province took place on 10 May 2008 to usher a "new dawn in the East". A total of 1342 candidates belonging to 18 parties and 56 independent groups contested the 37 seats in the t...
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