COVER STORY

The Subcontinent of Sub-Saharan Asia

COVER
The Subcontinent of Sub-Saharan Asia
by Mahbub ul Haq
South Asia is just not prepared to enter the 21st century. It does not invest enough in its people.
(-Full Story)

The Small Blue and Green Army
by Deepak Thapa
There is little likelihood of a reduction in the size of the Nepali army and the military sees no reason to be apologetic.

Saarconomy
Profile
Bard of the Brahmaputra
by Sanjoy Hazarika
Bhupen Hazarika -- one of the greatest living cultural communicators of South Asia.

(-Full Story)

Ploughshares into Swords
by Manik de Silva
Armed and trained men on both sides of the lines in Sri Lanka cannot be overnight asked to turn swords into ploughshares.

Skewed Priorities in Pakistan
by Beena Sarwar
A cantonment mentality, and fear of India keep the Pakistan military’s coffers full.

Statistics of Shame
Asia is no longer one continent. The gap in income and quality of life between Southeast Asian countries and South Asia today resembles the gap between Africa and Europe. And measured in terms of the sheer scale of misery, South Asia’s poor outnumber Africa’s nearly three to one.

FEATURES

Are Half Truths OK?
by Broughton Coburn
A much-hyped book raise questions about the transmission of tantric Buddhism to the West.

Stateless in 1997
by Yojana Sharma
China favours Chinese-speakers, India does not allow dual nationality, and Britain would rather they stayed away. Ethnic Indians of Hong Kong are beginning to feel like castaways.

Opinion
With Kautilya as Guide
N.N. Jha
India should learn to differentiate among its neighbours. Nepal and Sri Lanka cannot be spoken of in the same breath as Pakistan and Bangladesh.

DEPARTMENT
Mail
Lumbini, Not Disneyland
Unfair to Tsongs
Divided State
Unfair to Lepchas
Sikkim, Awake
Porters or Choppers
Silence of Buddhist Women
South Asian Avatar

A Common Sensitivity for South Asia
Rajmohan Gandhi
New veins may contain less toxic blood. New generations in both India and Pakistan may be more willing to let the past stay in the past.

The BJP's Neighbourhood
by Rachana Pathak
Among South Asian countries, there is some anxiety about a possible Bharatiya Janata Party victory in the upcoming Indian elections. Surprisingly, BJP pragmatists might live and let live.

(-Full Story)

ART & SOCIETY

The Comeback of Urdu Cinema...Not
by Farjad Nabi
Pakistani film-makers continue to revel in mediocrity. Rumours about a revival of the Urdu cinema are greatly exaggerated.

(-Full Story)

Always a Bridesmaid, Often a Bride
by Afsan Chowdhury
As squabbling politicians paralyse the country, will popular demand bring the army out of the barracks?

No Cricket in Dhaka
by Zayd Almer Khan
History, climate, and the Bengali way of doing things conspire against a Bangladeshi presence in World Cup cricket.

Guns 'n' Rotis
by Mitu Varma
India is not really over-spending on arms, say New Delhi analysts. Besides, the neighbours are belligerent.

Commentary
No Crystal Ball for Sri Lanka Lhotshampa Show Some Initiative A Watershed on the Mahakali Crooks Until Proved Innocent For Whom the Polls Toll How to Lose Friends, Make Enemies

Briefs
Tibet's Pilgrim Refugees Toilet Training Going Organic in Pakistan Border Porters A Tale of Two Four-Wheel-Drives Forget Goa, Head for Kuakata Pining for Hindi-Chini Bhai-Bhai Broadsheet Explosion in Kathmandu

Analysis
High Dams for Asia:
Neo-Gandhian Maoists vs. Nehruvian Stalinists by Dipak Gyawali
When everyone thought that the day of the large dam was over, the tables turned with a sudden agreement on a massive project on the Indo-Nepal border. Will all of South Asia follow suit, blundering into fiscal haemorrhage and social strife?

Young South Asian
In this special section, which is dedicated to the young citizens of South Asia, you will receive information that we hope is interesting. The first instalment of Young SouthAsian presents you with a report that happens to be somewhat related to the cover story of this issue on militarisation and social justice.

Abominably Yours

[Himal South Asia Home Page]

[Subscription Information]