Asia-Pacific

Image credit: Asia Foundation | United Nations

Violence Against Women Is Still An Unresolved Issue

By Afreeha Jawad

COLOMBO (IDN) - Having grown up in a biological family unit that upheld male domination, envied and resented female intellect, with a mother that declared in no uncertain terms that even though crestfallen a male is a male, Fathima's ears soon were not alien to such sexist remarks but the bitterness that swelled inside was inexpressible.

Maternal discriminatory insistence that even vehemently once asked, "if they can tame a wild elephant then why not you?" simply threw this child off board. There was no one in whom she could have faith to spell out all her agony. Fathima's utter consternation, dismay and disgust over maternal sexist expressions licensed continuous harassment even assaults from her biological membership which term she even resents to this day.

: IDN-INPS Asia Editor; SUSTAINABILITY; Gender Equality; 19 August 2017

Photo: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing the nation from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort on the occasion of Independence Day on August 15 in New Delhi. Credit: PTI/PIB | The Wire

India Sliding Into Deadly Peril Two Years Ahead of Next General Election

Analysis by Prem Shankar Jha

Prem Shankar Jha is a senior Indian journalist and the author of several books including Crouching Dragon, Hidden Tiger: Can China and India Dominate the West? This article is being reproduced courtesy of The Wire which carried it on August 17 with the headline: Modi Is Taking India to a Dangerous Place. – The Editor

NEW DELHI (IDN-INPS) - There was a discernible note of self congratulation in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day (August 15) speech this year. As usual, it was replete with claims – “In our country everyone is equal”, “Those who have looted the nation and looted the poor are not able to sleep peacefully today” – and exhortations – “Bharat jodo“, “Let us create a new India” – that are entirely devoid of content.

: IDN-INPS Asia Editor; THE WORLD; Asia-Pacific; 17 August 2017

Photo: Panaromic view of fully integrated PSLV-C38 seen with Mobile Service Tower. Credit: ISRO

India at 70 – III: From Aryabhata to Mangalyaan in Quest for Outer Space

By Pallava Bagla

India celebrated 70 years of Independence from British colonial rule on August 15, 2017. This is the third in a series of three sponsored articles on India at 70. Pallava Bagla is an eminent Indian science journalist and author of book `Reaching for the Stars: India’s Journey to Mars and Beyond’ published by Bloomsbury. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. - The Editor

NEW DELHI (IDN-INPS) - India has a rich tradition of using outer space as a tool for national development. The poorest of the poor have always been the beneficiaries of India’s space technologies, from farmers to fisher folk Indian satellites touch the lives of almost the entire 1.3 billion population.

: IDN-INPS Asia Editor; THE WORLD; Asia-Pacific; 15 August 2017

India at 70 – II: The Paradigm for Citizen Friendly E-Governance

By R S Sharma

India celebrated 70 years of Independence from British colonial rule on August 15, 2017. This is the second in a series of three sponsored articles on India at 70. R. S. Sharma is Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). - The Editor

NEW DELHI (IDN-INPS) - Building trust between governments and citizens is fundamental to good governance. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been recognized as an essential tool for achieving the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by United Nations for the welfare of mankind. It is globally recognized that ICT promotes good governance.

: IDN-INPS Asia Editor; THE WORLD; Asia-Pacific; 15 August 2017

Photo: The Indian Navy launched a major rescue operation in the cyclone-hit Bangladesh in May 2017. Credit: The Tribune | ANI

India at 70 – I: Responding First as a Leading Power

By Constantino Xavier

India celebrated 70 years of Independence from British colonial rule on August 15, 2017. This is the first in a series of three sponsored articles on India at 70. Constantino Xavier is a fellow at Carnegie India, based in New Delhi. His research focus is on India’s foreign policy, with emphasis on relations with its neighboring countries and South Asian regional security. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. – The Edtor

NEW DELHI (IDN-INPS) - The emerging concept of India as a “first responder” reflects the country’s growing capability and increasing willingness to assume the role of a leading power. By contributing its resources to prevent or mitigate regional and international crises, India is demonstrating its commitment as a responsible actor in the international order.

: IDN-INPS Asia Editor; THE WORLD; Asia-Pacific; 15 August 2017

Photo: Final session of SAMVAD meeting with Yogi Adinath (fourth from left) seated among Buddhist and Hindu priests. Credit: Kalinga Seneviratne | IDN-INPS

Eastern Spirituality Could Help Sustainable Development

By Kalinga Seneviratne

This article is the 18th in a series of joint productions of Lotus News Features and IDN-InDepthNews, flagship of the International Press Syndicate.

YANGON, Myanmar (IDN) – “The desire for peace exists everywhere, but the majority of people are not in a position to enjoy peace, stability and security they desire,” noted venerable Dr Ashin Nyanissara, spiritual head of the Sitagu International Buddhist University (SIBU), in opening a two-day gathering of spiritual leaders and scholars at the university here on August 5.

The event was the second Global Initiative for Conflict Avoidance and Environmental Consciousness (SAMVAD) conference, following the first held in New Delhi in September 2015.

: Kalinga Seneviratne; THE WORLD; Asia-Pacific; 14 August 2017

Beware of 'Fake News' on North Korea

By 38 North

38 North is a website devoted to informed analysis of North Korea. 38 North is a program of the US-Korea Institute at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington, DC. The following is Editor's Column as it appeared on August 9, 2017 with the title Fake News. – The Editor

WASHINGTIN, D.C. (IDN-INPS) - Lost in the media scrum about threats and counter threats from President Trump and North Korea is a very important story that was totally missed. While headlines a few days ago blared that North Korea said it would never negotiate with the US on its nuclear and missile programs, in fact, it never said that. This isn’t the first time the media missed the story. It happens all the time, whenever it covers statements by North Korea.

: IDN-INPS Asia Editor; THE WORLD; Asia-Pacific; 11 August 2017

Behind China's 'Belt and Road Initiative'

Viewpoint by William R. Hawkins

William R. Hawkins, a former economics professor and Congressional staffer, is a consultant specializing in international economics and national security issues. He is a contributor to SFPPR News & Analysis, of the Conservative-Online-Journalism center at the Washington-based Selous Foundation for Public Policy Research. This article was published on August 2, 2017 in The World Tribune. Opinions expressed in Viewpoints are those of the writer and not necessarily shared by IDN-INPS. – The Editor

WASHINGTON, D.C. (IDN-INPS) - The state-owned press in China was all aglow about President Xi Jinping’s address to the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany. Xinhua proclaimed how “Many overseas experts and scholars have praised” it.

: IDN-INPS Asia Editor; THE WORLD; Asia-Pacific; 11 August 2017

Photo: Vice President U Myint Swe delivering an address on 2 November, 2016. Credit: globalnewlightofmyanmar.com | MNA

Myanmar Commission Slams UN for “Smear Campaigning”

By Kalinga Seneviratne

This article is the 17th in a series of joint productions of Lotus News Features and IDN-InDepthNews, flagship of the International Press Syndicate.

YANGON, Myanmar (IDN) - A Myanmar government commission that investigated allegations made by an international human rights organisation and the media about the country’s security forces abusing the human rights of Muslims known as Rohingyas in Rakhine State has found these allegations to be “unproven” and slammed its critics, including the United Nations, for carrying out an international “smear campaign” against the country.

The 13-member Investigative Commission on Maungtaw in Rakhine State headed by Vice-President U Myint Swe released its report at a press conference on August 6.

: Kalinga Seneviratne; THE WORLD; Asia-Pacific; 10 August 2017

Photo: Colombo Harbour, with the World Trade Center and the BOC tower in the background. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

Between the Surging Dragon and a Suspicious Sacred Cow – Sri Lanka's Choices

By Dr Palitha Kohona*

COLOMBO (IDN) - Sri Lanka's long history has been intimately conditioned by the monsoonal winds that buffet its shores and the tides and waves of the vast Indian Ocean. The greed and ambitions of its regional and distant neighbours who followed the winds and rode the waves coveting its treasures and its unique strategic location have been a bane as well as blessing.

While, time and time again, it was forced to ward off the marauding attention of external powers during the course of its long history, (in the early part, mainly from South India), geography provided it with the opportunity to exploit its fortunate position as a trading hub.

Now, once again history appears to be ready to place little Lanka at centre stage with emerging India nervously seeking to place constraints on it from engaging too intimately with distant powers (China in particular) and China identifying it as a central player in its One Belt One Road (OBOR) Initiative.