Asiatica Association

Rani Jethmalani, Supreme Court lawyer and daughter of former Union law minister Ram Jethmalani, social activist, and my friend, passed away on December 31, 2011. She established in Delhi  the NGO Women’s Action Research & Legal Action for Women (Warlaw), examining factors responsible for inferior status of women; providing access to general justice; enabling women in India make laws effective; promoting the concept of human rights and aware about the rights of women in remote areas. Warlaw provided dowry victims with free legal assistance.

She also collaborated with our Journal of South Asia Women Studies, delivering a paper at the 2002 International Symposium - Understanding Indian Women: Love, History and Studies.

On March 31 it has been realeased the provisional Census of India 2011. The population is now pegged at 1210.2 million people, with an increase of more than 181 million in the last 10 years.

The worrying figure is the male-female ratio: males 623.7 million, females 586.5 million. Despite the laws to prevent female foeticide and schemes to encourage families to have girl child, the ratio of females has declined from 927 against 1,000 males in 2001 to 914, showing that son-preference is stronger than before.

The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday issued notices to Uttar Pradesh authorities and Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on a plea seeking information about the whereabouts of a woman who went missing after meeting him in Amethi in 2006 (from Express Buzz).

Apparently there is no peace for Gandhi's family. Now, there is Rahul Gandhi's involvement in gang rape in Amethi. Is it just by chance that is a member of the Lok Sabha, representing the Amethi constituency?

Belgium EU based Institute of Peace and Development (INSPAD) said that flood damages in Pakistan are unrecoverable. World community standup to help 200 millions populations, who are still sitting under nude sky without food, medicines and shelter. Post-flood diseases, loses and damages cannot be estimated yet. It is a disaster worse than Tsunami for poor majority.

The affected areas urgently need food, clean drinking water, cloths and essential using items and also cash help to go back homes. Six thousands villages and 400 thousands animals were killed, and 31 lakh Acers agricultural land has been destroyed; above all, 70 lakh peoples left their homes and lost everything in the flood. What did it do the Pakistani government? Not much or at least not well enough.

Hundreds of villagers in the Afghan province of Nangarhar protested over a Nato raid, which they claim killed several civilians. Local estimates vary from 6 to 11 dead people. The operation should have targeted Taliban hideout only, but Nato officials said they were not aware of civilian deaths.

In next issue of the Journal of South Asia Women Studies we will publish and interview to H.R.H. Princess India d’Afghanistan, one of the daughters of ex king Amanullah Khan (1892-1960).

The new year starts well. North Korean authorities, in fact, signal that leader Kim Jong may visit China, the biggest benefactor of the country. The aim of this visit should be whether he will end his boycott of international nuclear disarmament talks. There is still hope on Earth!

To make sure we're spending our defense dollars wisely, we're cutting tens of billions of dollars in waste and projects that even the military says it doesn't need — money better spent on taking care of you and your families and building the 21st century military that we do need. (IBN)

Wise speech of Barack Obama before signing the defense bill this week. The bill, which funds Pentagon operations, had authorized a few unnecessary programs. Mr Obama allocated "only" USD 560 million this year.

Once signed the bill, the law will raise military pay by 3.4 % and assign USD 6.7 billion for mine-resistant armored vehicles. Another USD 7.5 billion will be used for the Afghan army. Apparently, Obama has not planned to solve the Afghan situation by political means yet.

China plans to spend billions of dollars in the next few years to develop media and entertainment companies that it hopes can compete with global giants like the News Corporation and Time Warner (The New York Times).

Apparentely, China wants to backup its rising status and power worldwide creating entertainment, news and culture companies market-oriented, giving less voice - at least a public voice - to the government.

The way to capitalism and imperialism is paved by entertainment: any big difference between China and the "bread and circuses" of the Roman Empire?