conflict

A few weeks back, in a meeting with a political advisor of a bilateral development organization, I discovered a new phrase ‘discipline in violence’. He used the phrase while talking about the unruliness and fundamentalism within the state security apparatus. The phrase hit me – I wasn’t sure how there can be discipline in violence; in my mind an image of a methodical violent person emerged. I also thought about well organized acts of violence, something along planned ethnic cleansing or systemic violence against women on grounds of morality.

Tehelka offers an in depth look with multiple perspectives on the state violence in Lalgarh, West Bengal, and its implications.  Among the most disturbing aspects of what they write about is how the release of anyone remotely accused of Maoism, whether or not there is any truth to the notion, is increasingly politically verboten.  Coming on the heels of the much belated release of Binayak Sen and the announcement of a very large escalation of the Indian government's attempts to eliminate 'Maoism', it seems to me that the silent war on the poor and disempowered has shifte

What to say...they disproportionately cause an enormous humanitarian catastrophe (yes, LTTE assisted) on a (politically) timed schedule, don't allow international observers, journalists, and many others to monitor it, secure an IMF loan, and are now asking for humanitarian assistance for the refugees...

First person report on a Times of London reporter's deportation from Sri Lanka.  The lede:

"The Sri Lankan immigration officer’s eyes narrowed as she swiped my passport at the international airport in Colombo last week. “Come this way,” she said, leading me into a side room, where a colleague typed my details into a computer.