Infamous Argentine Dictator Dies in Jail
Written by Laura Schneider · Translated by Elizabeth Jorge Rafael Videla [1], Argentina's former president, died on May 17, 2013, at the age of 87 in a jail cell where he was imprisoned. Videla ruled between 1976 and 1981, during Argentina's military dictatorship, a period marked by death that left thousands of people missing [2] [es]. In 1983 the former dictator was judged and condemned to life-prison for crimes against humanity. In 2010 Videla was sentenced [3] [es] to l... more
Views: 206Tbilisi: Anti-Gay Riot
Embarrassment for government after police struggle to protect anti-homophobia march. By Tina Zhvania - Caucasus An attempt to hold a march against homophobia in the Georgian Tbilisi ended in rioting as hostile protesters attacked participants and police lines crumbled. Dozens of people were injured, including journalists and police officers trying to escort people away from the trouble. Prime Minister Bidzina... more
Views: 259Bolivia: Central Workers Union Demand Better Pensions
Written by Pablo Andres Rivero Tension is growing in Bolivia as miners, teachers, health service workers and public university staff -all affiliated to the Central Workers Union (Central Obrera Boliviana, COB, in Spanish)- are on strike [1] demanding an increase in their retirement pension scheme. A number of strategic streets remain blockaded in La Paz and neighbouring El Alto, with limited public transport circulating their usual routes. Road blockades also impede the normal transit t... more
Views: 400Kazakstan Ignores Human Rights Concerns
Economics count for more than rights, and western governments have little leverage anyway. By Gaziza Baituova Despite harsh words from the United States and European Union about Kazakstan’s worsening human rights record, the country’s leaders are unlikely to modify their behaviour, local analysts say. It is a simple equation – placed in the balance against economic and security cooperation with the oil-rich state, human rights count for little. ... more
Views: 206India's Parliamentary Democracy - The Way Forward
Region: IndiaRecently MP Shashi Tharoor commented on the need for India to adopt a Presidential system of democracy in order to bring stability in the system. He further urged Indians to rekindle the debate on the kind of democracy we should have in India. I must say and clear at the very outset that I don’t agree with him. I feel that the parliamentary system of democracy which India has just now is best suited for it. I will support my stand with many reasoned arguments but before that we ne... more
Views: 201Syama Prasad Mukherjee & The Delhi Pact of 1950
Region: IndiaPolitics is a paradoxical business. Some months back on NDTV’s show ‘The Buck Stops Here’, Senior BJP leader Chandan Mitra was repeatedly citing the exodus of Pakistani Hindus as a complete violation of the 1950 Delhi Pact between Jawaharlal Nehru and Liaqat Ali Khan. It’s true that Pakistan’s track record in terms of religious autonomy and freedom towards its minorities is pathetic enough to be labelled as horrendous but what amazed me was the hypocrisy su... more
Views: 132Mexico: Hunger Strike for Mothers of the Missing
Written by Silvia Viñas A group of mothers on a hunger strike commemorated Mothers’ Day outside the attorney general’s office in Mexico City demanding [1] [es] that the Mexican government keep its promise [2] [es] to search for their missing sons and daughters. According to official reports [3], more than 26,000 people went missing in Mexico between December 1, 2006, and November 30, 2012, during the administration of former President Felipe Calderón [4]. ... more
Views: 229A Response to Dr Swamy's DNA Article
Region: IndiaA lot has been written and said about the article written by Subramian Swamy in DNA. The article was described as communally insensitive and following a furore over this article, Mr Swamy was expelled from Harvard where he used to teach Economics during the summer school for his alleged extremist views. Mr Swamy repeatedly argued in his favour and urged people to read his article before getting judgemental on the basis of the headpoints they’ve read which were printed and broadcas... more
Views: 312Political Polarization vs Political Persuasion
Region: IndiaThere is a vast difference between political polarization and political persuasion. Polarization is when people cast their vote for the Congress or the BJP not because they are convinced of the Congress Party’s secular credentials or the BJP’s rightist objectives but because they are either afraid of the communal outlook of the BJP or Congress’s pseudo secularism. If the Congress attracts voters because of its condemnation of BJP’s communal politics or if the BJP... more
Views: 154American Views on Foriegn Aid Conflicting and Confused
Region: DC
Washington, D.C. – A series of polls from the Media and Public Opinion Research Group finds that American views on foreign aid are conflicting and possibly confused. Americans seem to support foreign aid in practice, when it comes attached to a mission. In March, the Media and Public Opinion Research Group asked Americans what they think the US government should do about the conflict in Syria. The answers were varied, though one solution earned over one th... more
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