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Hello,
The rise and steady consolidation of the Taliban in Afghanistan has raised the spectre of a Domino effect in the Kashmir Valley. A repeat of the situation from the late-1980s, when battle-hardened Mujahideen were diverted to Kashmir even as the Afghan war with the Soviet Union was drawing to a close, which began a chapter of cross border terrorism in the Valley through the decades.
In part one of a two-part series, Kashmir Observer analyses the implications of the Taliban ascendency on Kashmir, the history of past insurgencies and the strategic challenges it poses for India.
The Talibanisation of Afghanistan also means dark days for a large number of its citizens, especially women, given its brutal past. While the Afghan women are at the forefront of the protests against the Taliban, stories of women assaulted and harassed, out of education and jobs, and even off airwaves are already rife. Mojo Story discusses life for women in a Taliban country with women-rights activists from Afghanistan.
The India Forum explores the rise, the nature and the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the disruptions it engenders with its pervasive presence. The report discusses the danger of AI being misused by the state for surveillance and big corporations to influence the system to accentuate entrenched societal biases and inequities.
Asiaville deep reports from Tamil Nadu and captures the angst and plight of fishermen protesting against the Indian Marine Fisheries Bill (2021) introduced in the Parliament. The fishermen assert that the bill seeks to institute unreasonable restrictions on their fishing rights such as – mandatory license for fishing, stiff penalties for venturing beyond 12 nautical miles (India’s Exclusive Economic Zone) and even stipulating the time out at sea.
And, EastMojo reports from Darjeeling on the inspiring tale of how a town that lacks even basic health infrastructure scripted a remarkable success story against the pandemic with the support of the local community - NGOs, schools, associations, individuals and politicians bonding and coming together.
For these stories and more from our grantees this week, please read on.
Warmly,
Sunil Rajshekhar
IPSMF
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