COMMENTARIES
  • Musharraf-Manmohan Joint Statement: An Analysis
    D Suba Chandran    ·   19 Apr, 2005    ·    #1703    ·    Commentary    
    Unlike the Agra summit in 2001, General Musharraf's second visit in April 2005 to India witnessed a joint statement being arrived at. So much has happened since the Agra summit that makes the joint statement a special mile stone in the bilat...
  • Japan, China, South Korea and Contested History
    Mohammed Badrul Alam    ·   19 Apr, 2005    ·    #1702    ·    Commentary    
    Several demonstrations have taken place in key Chinese cities in the last two weeks. In Beijing, 8000 Chinese protested in front of Japanese high-tech companies with banners and singing patriotic songs while burning the Japanese flags. In Shenzh...
  • The PMO Backs Out from Counter-Naxalite Strategy
    Richard Mahapatra    ·   16 Apr, 2005    ·    #1701    ·    Commentary    
    A well-thought out and effective long run strategy to contain the spread of Naxalites has been ambushed. And the culprit is the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF). This is as news of the collapse of Andhra Pradesh-Naxalite peace tal...
  • Srinagar-Muzaffarabad Bus Service: Between Fear and Optimism
       ·   16 Apr, 2005    ·    #1700    ·    Commentary    
    Even a thousand mile journey begins with a single step. Will the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service prove to be the first step of the peace caravan as the Indian Prime Minister puts it, towards the final destination of peace between the two count...
  • Unrest Continues (Northeast Regional Media Survey, 1- 31 March 2005)
    Bibhu Prasad Routray    ·   15 Apr, 2005    ·    #1699    ·    Commentary    
    Rehabilitation of BLT militants Induction of 350 former cadre of the Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) into the CRPF and another 290 cadre into the BSF was welcomed by various quarters in Assam. The Assam Tribune (7 March) editorial, 'Rehabi...
  • ULFA: Defying Prophecies of Doom
    Bibhu Prasad Routray    ·   15 Apr, 2005    ·    #1698    ·    Commentary    
    More than 45 explosions by the suspected ULFA militants in 2005 appear to have broken several expectations of a plausible peace deal with the outfit. Although these explosions have resulted in few civilian or security force casualties, they unde...
  • East Asia Diary - March 2005: History Still a Bugbear in South Korea-Japan Ties
    Jabin T Jacob    ·   13 Apr, 2005    ·    #1697    ·    Commentary    
    2005 marks the 40th anniversary of normalized relations between South Korea and Japan. However, in the "Year of Friendship", old memories and antagonisms have been stirred anew by distortions in Japanese school history textbooks, and c...
  • Can Jaafari Fulfill Iraqi's Expectations?
    Anil Kamboj    ·   13 Apr, 2005    ·    #1696    ·    Commentary    
    More than two months after Iraqis risked their lives to vote, the country's first freely elected government in fifty years finally took place. One of Suddam Hussain's most implacable enemies, Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, took his oath as inte...
  • The Muslim Factor in Assam Politics
    Wasbir Hussain    ·   13 Apr, 2005    ·    #1695    ·    Commentary    
      Muslims comprise 30.9 per cent of Assam's 26.6 million people. Six of the State's 27 districts have a Muslim majority population and the community is believed to control the electoral verdict in 60 of Assam's 126 As...
  • The Bus between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad : Observations and Analyses
    D Suba Chandran    ·   11 Apr, 2005    ·    #1694    ·    Commentary    
    The much expected bus service between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad finally took place on 7 April 2005, despite threats from militants. What are the ground realities? Where would India, Pakistan and Kashmir go from here? The popular support for...
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