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Asia

“I just hope that both of my children are returned to their tribe,” says Masta Bibi, a partially blind Pashtun woman in her seventies. Originally from Mirali in North Waziristan, Pakistan, she is the mother of two missing sons: Bilal, who disappeared 11 years ago, and Ihtesham, who vanished two years ago. Her home was destroyed during a military operation targeting terrorist groups that sought refuge in the ex-FATA region after September 11, 2001. Despite her frailty, she attended the Pashtun Qaumi Jirga, held from October 11 to 13 in Jamrud, Khyber, with a lingering hope for justice.

Society
Can Sri Lanka Balance IMF Reforms with Relief for Its Citizens?
Maria Tavernini 19 November 2024

The sweeping majority secured by Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s leftist coalition in the snap parliamentary election on November 14 marks a major shift in the country’s electoral landscape. Cutting across ethnic and religious differences, Sri Lankans swept the National People’s Power (NPP) front to a landslide victory, granting Dissanayake’s alliance a total of 141 seats out of 225.
Religion
Silent Endorsement? Political Inaction Fuels Cow Vigilantism in Modi 3.0
Akash Chopra 14 November 2024

On October 20, 2024, tensions erupted in Jammu, Kashmir, when accusations of cow smuggling triggered a violent clash, part of an escalating wave of Gau Rakshak (cow protection vigilante) aggression across India. Under Prime Minister Modi’s third term, commonly known as “Modi 3.0,” these self-styled cow protectors have become increasingly emboldened, often targeting marginalized groups – particularly Muslims and Dalits involved in the livestock trade. Modi 3.0 has seen a noticeable rise in such incidents, with vigilante groups frequently operating with implicit political backing as they enforce cultural and religious norms around cow protection.
Political Theory
How Caste and Religious Polarization is Weakening the Left’s Electoral Power in India
Abhijan Choudhury 10 October 2024

Once a formidable force in Indian politics, the Left has steadily declined over the past 15-20 years. It previously governed the states of West Bengal, Kerala, and Tripura, and maintained a significant presence in the national parliament. Today, it has lost two of those states and become a marginal player. In this year’s national elections, a combination of three Left parties won just eight seats out of 545 in the Lok Sabha, the popular chamber.
Religion
BJP’s Majoritarian Push in Uttar Pradesh
Abhijan Choudhury 27 September 2024

India’s ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) has repeatedly been accused by the opposition and civil society of pursuing divisive politics and promoting a sectarian agenda aimed at dismantling the country’s secular foundations to establish a majoritarian state. The recent incident involving the Kanwarias, pilgrims devoted to Lord Shiva, should be viewed in this context, rather than dismissed as trivial, as has been done with similar cases in the past. It once again highlights that the party and its leadership are focused on securing power by appealing to the majority community while sidelining minorities.
International Affairs, Society
Bangladesh’s New Era: Muhammad Yunus Leads Transitional Government Post-Hasina
Maria Tavernini 9 August 2024

On August 5, after weeks of deadly anti-government protests that rocked the Asian country and killed over 300 people, PM Hasina, 76, was forced to step down and has fled the country “for her own safety,” ending more than two decades at the helm of the country. It is a watershed moment for Bangladesh, whose people – and most remarkably young people with no political affiliation – have managed to oust what was widely perceived as an authoritarian leader whose brutal policies disenfranchised many citizens during her long rule.
Migrations
Rohingya Refugees Facing Exclusion and Deportation
with India’s Citizenship Amendment Act
Kristina Kironska 12 July 2024

The Rohingya have been forcibly displaced throughout Asia, including India, with repatriation to Myanmar deemed impossible. How are they being treated in India, a country lacking refugee laws and international commitments? According to Indian laws and the policies of the current BJP-led government, they are viewed as “aliens” who pose a security threat and are excluded by the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act. Do Indians endorse this view?
International Affairs
Modi’s Third Term: A Pyrrhic Victory Amidst Growing Opposition
Maria Tavernini 28 June 2024

The re-election of Narendra Modi, who has taken oath as prime minister for a rare third consecutive term, came with a bitter taste and mixed feelings. As is often the case in India, opinion and exit polls that foresaw a landslide victory for the incumbent prime minister failed to accurately predict the outcome of the world’s largest elections, which were held in seven phases from April 19 to June 1. When poll results started to roll in, it was clear that Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had lost their parliamentary majority for the first time in 10 years.
Gender
A Review of Sima Samar’s “Outspoken: My Fight for Freedom and Human Rights in Afghanistan”
Ali Kosha 25 June 2024

The Taliban’s 2021 return to power in Afghanistan, erasing much of the progress made in the previous two decades, raises critical questions about the international community’s efforts and the country’s short democratic experiment. Sima Samar, a human rights advocate and former Chair of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), provides her perspective on these events in her new book, Outspoken: My Fight For Freedom and Human Rights in Afghanistan.
Religion
The Dalai Lama’s Visits to Taiwan Intertwined with Cross-Strait Relations
Kristina Kironska 5 June 2024

The Dalai Lama has visited Taiwan three times – in 1997, 2001, and 2009 – and there are calls for his return. Since his first visit, Tibetan Buddhism in Taiwan has grown significantly. The total number of Tibetan Buddhist centers has increased from 82 in 1996 to 473 in 2018, while the community of Tibetan Buddhists soared to approximately half a million. From this perspective, the Dalai Lama’s visits to Taiwan have achieved their goal of disseminating Tibetan Buddhism, making his potential return to Taiwan of paramount religious significance. But there is also a political significance to his visits.