GLOBAL STUDIES: India and South Asia, Eighth Edition
Introduction
Selected World Wide Web Sites
U.S. Statistics and Map
Canada Statistics and Map
World Map
Five Images of South Asia
India Map
Country Reports
India (Republic of India)
Afghanistan (Islamic State of Afghanistan)
Bangladesh (People's Republic of Bangladesh)
Bhutan (Kingdom of Bhutan)
Maldives (Republic of Maldives)
Nepal (Kingdom of Nepal)
Pakistan (Islamic Republic of Pakistan)
Sri Lanka (Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka)
Articles South AsiaTerrorism in South AsiaNew! 1. Five Years After 9/11, Shahid Javed Burki, Dawn, September 19, 2006
Three important changes must be made in the entire Muslim world to resist Islam becoming an ideology: Muslims must (1) condemn all acts of terrorism, (2) adopt political systems that are representative of all citizens, and (3) give highest priority to human development. To portray the war on terror in the West as against an ideology produces only what al Qaeda seeks, an all-out war with the West. New! 2. An Afghan Symbol for Change, Then Failure, David Rohde, The New York Times, September 5, 2006
Where American efforts toward Afghan rehabilitation have come up short, Taliban resurgence and drug cultivation are having a devastating impact on security and recovery in Afghanistan. New! 3. Pakistan Assessment 2006, South Asia Terrorism Portal, satp.org
The number of terrorist attacks in Waziristan, along the Afghan border, in Balochistan, and in northern Pok Kashmir has doubled since 2005. They are perpetrated by distinct groups of militants over different regional issues, according to data collected by the Institute for Conflict Management, New Delhi, India. New! 4. The War in Balochistan: A Backgrounder, Praveen Swami, The Hindu, January 12, 2006
Intensive fighting between tribal leaders, who seek more independence and a fair share of the states wealth of natural resources, and national military leaders, who seek to hold the country together by armed authority, began in 1973. New! 5. India Assessment—2006, South Asia Terrorism Portal, satp.org
India is responding to terrorism on four different fronts, in Jammu and Kashmir, in the Northeast states, by Maoists (Naxalites) in eight central and eastern states, and foreign-backed Jihadi bomb attacks across the country. The Naxalites are responsible for an increasing proportion of the total, according to data collected by the Institute for Conflict Management, New Delhi, India. New! 6. Inside India's Hidden War, Randeep Ramesh, Guardian, May 9, 2006
Mineral rights are behind warfare between leftwing Maoist guerrillas and local militias in the tribal forests in the state of Chhattisgarh. New! 7. Inside the Lashkar-e-Taiba's Network, Praveen Swami, The Hindu, December 8, 2005
Kashmiris join the cells of Lashkar-e-Taiba, considered by India a Pakistan-based terrorist organization, from rich and poor backgrounds, out of loyalty and desperation, to commit isolated acts of terror throughout the country to shatter India’s secular government. New! 8. India Fears Some of Its Muslims Are Joining in Terrorism, Somini Sengupta, The New York Times, August 9, 2006
India’s Muslims are unsettled by police searches for those among them being recruited for terrorist acts in India. New! 9. Gauging Terror—Part II, India, Michael Krepon, Yale Global, August 17, 2006
India has exercised restraint when it comes to retaliating against terrorist attacks with suspected links to Pakistan-based groups, resisting opening another front in the war on terror. Both nations hold nuclear weapons, so opening that front could be disastrous. New! 10. Acting Tough, Haroon Habib, The Hindu, April 7, 2006
At long last the Bangladesh government takes some action against Islamist militancy by arresting Shaikh Abdur Rahman, founder of the Jamaat’ul Mujahideen Bangladesh, and “Bangla Bhai” “operations commander” of the Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh. New! 11. Civil War Returns to Sri Lanka, Rüdiger Falksohn and Padma Rao, Spiegel Online, August 23, 2006
Even though both parties agreed to a cease fire in 2002, military encounters between the Sri Lankan Army and the militant separatist LTTE have increased with appalling impact on civilians and international aid workers since the tsunami hit the east coast of Sri Lanka in December 2004. India as a Global PowerNew! 12. Getting India Right, Parag Khanna and C. Raja Mohan, Policy Review, February/March 2006
India has a new relationship with the world, based upon its service sector economic growth, its restraint in nuclear capability development, and its tradition of non-aligned independence in foreign policy. Global engagement is also identified by the large Indian migration and integration into North America. The United States has no better ally to advocate democracy promotion, secular governance, pluralism, and the rule of law in the sphere of international relations. New! 13. India's Nuclear Albatross, Praful Bidwai, The Hindu, October 7, 2005
India has decreased its international independence, eroded its security, and damaged its credibility by pursuing acceptance as a nuclear power. New! 14. India's Energy Dilemma, Vibhuti Haté, South Asia Monitor, September 7, 2006
India’s rapid economic growth has made it the second fastest growing energy market in the world. Its international strategy involves gaining a diversity of investments and energy suppliers, and avoiding competition with China, all of which have produced foreign policy differences with the United States. New! 15. India's Coming Eclipse of China, Hugo Restall, Far Eastern Economic Review, March 2006
China attracts twelve times more Foreign Direct Investments than India. Whereas China dreams of creating state-owned world-class conglomerates, India has nurtured and protected its own independent entrepreneurs. This home-grown base, combined with its more developed financial institutions and its younger workforce give to India a growing advantage. Reforms could push India’s economy not only to shine, but even to eclipse China. New! 16. India's Promise?, Devesh Kapur, Harvard Magazine, July/August 2005
Because of lack of accountability, corruption, and social inequalities, the political system is not able to grapple with long-term challenges. India has shown a remarkable resilience, but these factors bode ill for India’s future. New! 17. Leading by Example, Ramya Kannan, The Hindu, January 22, 2006
Rani Sathappan’s two terms as panchayat president were not without hurdles but she managed to overcome them. New! 18. An Interview with Amartya Sen on Alternative Radio, David Barsamian, India Together, September 2001
Nobel laureate for his work in development economics, Professor Emeritus at Harvard University, and honorary president of OXFAM, Amartya Sen describes his Bengali background and the influence of Rabindranath Tagore. He also shares his views on nuclear weapons development, illiteracy and democracy, and globalization. New! 19. ”Transcript of ‘An Interview with N.R. Narayana Murthy’”, Yale Global, June 5, 2006
How Infosys, India’s second largest software company, has become worth $22 billion in a fast-growing IT international market, the importance of India’s 1991 economic reforms, and the challenges that lie ahead. New! 20. 260 Million Indians Still Below Poverty Line, Aarti Dhar, The Hindu, January 28, 2006
Demographic data on poverty, infant mortality, human development, literacy, and sex ratio are unevenly distributed by region and class across India. New! 21. He Lives To See Justice Done, Meena Menon, The Hindu, November 18, 2006
A Dalit (untouchable) family, one of three in the village, is massacred by members of their village for no apparent reason other than the children were educated and witnessed an assault on their cousin. New! 22. On India's Farms, a Plague of Suicide, Somini Sengupta, The New York Times, September 19, 2006
Continuing debt, uncertain water supplies, and global competition are leading to an increasing rural despair and suicides among India’s farmers. New! 23. Islands of Despair, Kalpana Sharma, The Hindu, October 1, 2006
Rural misery and the crumbling infrastructure in smaller towns take the sheen off Maharashtra’s success story. AfghanistanNew! 24. Afghanistan: Qanooni's Moment of Triumph, M. K. Bhadrakumar, The Hindu, January 20, 2006
With Yunus Qanooni’s election as parliament speaker, a complex calculus of power is forming. Though they are seen as rivals, Mr. Qanooni’s political platform is far from irreconcilable with that of President Hamid Karzai. New! 25. Afghanistan's Drug Habit, Joel Hafvenstein, The New York Times, September 20, 2006
The American-Afghan plan to create “alternative livelihoods” for Afghan farmers has failed because of a lack of security. Lack of effective local police forces is the biggest problem, but purging drug kingpins from government and disarming militias is also necessary. New! 26. Taliban Truce in District of Afghanistan Sets Off Debate, Carlotta Gall and Abdul Waheed Wafa,The New York Times, December 2, 2006
The elders in the district of Musa Qala in Helmand Province, in search for peace and relief from bombing by NATO forces, negotiated an agreement with the Taliban and the British NATO and Afghan police units to cease fire and withdraw. New! 27. Tales of the Veil, Taran N. Khan, The Hindu, October 15, 2006
Five Afghan women make a film on their fluid, intensely personal and often complex relationship to the chadori, revealing stories hidden behind everyday lives. BangladeshNew! 28. Nobel Comes Just in Time for Troubled Bangladesh, Somini Sengupta, International Herald Tribune, October 20, 2006
At a time when the leading political parties are wrangling over the makeup of a caretaker government to preside over national elections scheduled for January, the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Professor Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank, which he founded in 1976 has come as welcome cause for national celebration. New! 29. ”Poverty and Peace”, The Hindu, October 16, 2006
The Norwegan Nobel Committee has recognized that lasting peace is not possible without dealing with poverty. Professor Yunus and his Grameen Bank must be given credit for the steady progress Bangladesh has made in human development. BhutanNew! 30. Bhutan's Democratic Puzzle, Dharma Adhikari, openDemocracy.net, June 30, 2006
The exotic, benign image of the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan cannot conceal the battle between authoritarian politics and democratic dissent that is shaping its future. MaldivesNew! 31. Maldivians Want Genuine Democracy: Ibrahim Hussain Zaki, R.K. Radhakrishnan, The Hindu, April 19, 2006 NepalNew! 32. In Nepal, Time to Check the Dangerous Drift, Siddharth Varadarajan, The Hindu, September 20, 2006 The road map for the formation of an interim government with Maoist participation is more or less in place. But powerful forces are intervening to derail the process. New! 33. ”From Maoism to Fascism in the Himalayas?” Thomas A. Marks, SATP Report, October 16, 2006 Public pronouncements by the Maoist leadership of a new commitment to political competition instead of armed rebellion should not hide their blatant quest for power. The Nepali people and their neighbor India should not be misled by Maoist actionsm, which seek to talk peaceful politics but engage in terrorist behavior. Their best hope is to achieve equitable representation and good governance as the best defense against Maoist domination. PakistanNew! 34. Islam, Militarism, and the 2007–2008 Elections in Pakistan, Frédéric Grare, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, August 2006 There is one central issue in the upcoming national elections: President Musharraf’s decision whether to remain as chief of army staff, or whether democratically elected civilian government will be allowed to happen. The most probable scenario is that he will continue to assert his military control, using the fundamentalist coalition (MMA) as requiring such domination. The greatest problem in Pakistan is not Islamism, but militarism. New! 35. Textile Export Strategy, Dawn, October 2, 2006 As Pakistan’s textile exports drop, the government seeks a paradigm shift to make the industry competitive globally. Most important is changing its archaic management system and providing for greater human resource development. New! 36. For Pakistan, American Aid Is All Guns, No Butter, Helene Cooper, The New York Times, February 16, 2006 Mr. Ahsan, chief executive of Irfan Textiles Pvt. Ltd. in Lahore, confronts protests against the Danish cartoon caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad, and wonders why Americans are not working on the economic conditions that breed discontent. Stressing the need for more favorable trade concessions from America to allow his textile trade to survive, he watches the local mob burn his office building to the ground. Sri LankaNew! 37. Letter from Sri Lanka: Tides of War, Philip Gourevitch, The New Yorker, August 1, 2005 The quest for a federal system that would grant the Tamil minority population local autonomy gave way in 1983 to a violent movement to establish an independent Tamil Eelam in the northeast part of the island. The continuing bloodshed has made all of the peoples of that area victims of unmitigated war. New! 38. A Crisis and an Opportunity, Muralidhar Reddy, The Hindu, September 29, 2006
The latest report of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) on violations of the February 2002 ceasefire agreement between the LTTE and the government since July 22, 2006, underlines the need for a speedy return to the dialogue table.
