Asia

Neighbour in Hong Kong Vonnie Boston took a walk through India’s Maharashtra state, late December 2011 to early Jan 2012, on an environmental mission. She was also able to help an organization near Delhi. This was the Kabliji Hospital that offers free eye treatment. Vonnie kindly made a donation in my name, as it was my 70th birthday in 1st January. What a thoughtful present.

International Mother Language Day originated as the international recognition of Language Movement Day, which has been commemorated in Bangladesh (formerly East Pakistan) since 1952, when a number of students including the students of the University of Dhaka were killed by the Pakistani police in Dhaka during Bengali Language Movement protests.

Our democracy has not taken even first step in the direction of people-oriented politics. Gandhiji rightly pointed out in the discussion on home rule that without people-oriented politics we would be simply replacing the British with the Indian rulers. Gandhiji could not be more correct. On re-seeing the film ‘Gandhi’ – a reassessment.

With 60 percent of the world’s population, Asia has one of the largest concentrations globally of aging persons, creating a host of potential challenges, experts [warn](http://www.irinnews.org/printreport.aspx?reportid=94856). Over 65 percent of Asia’s elderly population will be women.

The Chinese New Year celebrations formally began on January 23. China has become 4710 years old as per its lunar calendar. This year will be known as the Year of the Dragon, which symbolises strength and prosperity. The New Year celebration is one of the longest and the principal festive season for the Chinese: the official holiday itself extends over a week or two.

The Humanist Movement members want to thank all the participants and supporters of our World Unity for Peace March that took place at Hetuda, just outside the Kathmandu valley, and about 90Km from the Kathmandu)capital. We send our heartfelt appreciation for a wonderful day that brought all together and sent an important message around the world – Tulsi Sigdel.

The ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) convened a Consultative Meeting with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General on Violence against Children (SRSG-VAC) and CEDAW Committee experts on violence against women in Manila, The Philippines, on 16-17 January 2012.

Myanmar’s government and the armed wing of one of the country’s leading ethnic groups signed a cease-fire on 12 January 2012, raising hopes of bringing to an end to one of the world’s longest-running civil conflicts. A delegation of ministers from the capital Naypyidaw and senior members of the Karen National Union (KNU) signed the pact.

“For centuries, Uzbekistan was famed as a hub of trade and rich cultural exchange on the Silk Road connecting China to Western Europe. More recently, however, the Central Asian country has come to be known for something far darker: torture,”‘ says Human Rights Watch report “No One Left to Witness” on Uzbekistan’s record of rights abuses.

Speaking of the ‘network’, the model and the tool need to be distinguished. As a tool, the network has limitations (such as accessibility); as a model, it can inspire a reconceptualization of the politics in which and whereby information passes from any node to any node, without having to be filtered through the ‘middlemen’.