Arms Trail Update and other: February 26, 2007.

A boat, with LTTE suicide cadres, two Indian nationals on board, and heavily loaded with a mixture of TNT and RDX, was caught by the Indian Coast Guard on 13th of February in south Tamil Nadu. After investigations and legal process, it was blown up 20 nautical miles off Chennai, due to security risk.
PK Balachandran, SL happy as India blows up LTTE boat, HindustanTimes, February 24, 2007.

Meanwhile the Tamil Nadu Government and Intelligence Agencies have been criticized for having failed in detecting the smuggling.
Arms smuggling to Lanka: BJP warns TN govt, The Times Of India, February 25, 2007.

The three arrested militants in their confession have stated that, militants use the islets near Palk Strait as transit and communication point for smuggling of explosives from Tamil Nadu,
Lankan militants use islets near Palk Strait as transit point, The New Indian Express, February 26, 2007.

Tamil Nadu CM has made a significant remark stating that, “Just because Tamil Nadu government has urged the Centre to be sympathetic towards ethnic Tamils of Sri Lanka, it should not mean Chennai will go against the policy of Delhi on the issue. ”
Vinod Vedi, LTTE’s Tamil Nadu connection, Asiantribune, February 25, 2007.

Another issue close to Chennai hearts: After a long political tussle, work on India’s largest desalination plant begins in Chennai.
Jaya Menon, In time for parched Chennai, Indian Express, February 26, 2007.

Maldives Update: February 20, 2007.

The Gender Ministry conducted a Study on Women’s Health and Life Experiences and has reported that Maldivian women suffer disturbingly high levels of violence and have little protection from it.
Farah Faizal, Letter On Police Violence Against Women, Minivan News, February 19, 2007.
Copies of the report are not as yet available online. It may be noted that a few weeks ago the Maldivian Gender Minister was taken to task for the constitutional bar on women holding high office in the Maldives.

Will Jordan, Four Resign In Row Over Veils And Beards, Minivan News, February 19, 2007.

Following the Sri Lankan President's visit, Maldives also had the Indian Army chief calling. The Coast Guard vessel used in the Addu Boat Crisis was an Indian gift, regular readers of Subcontinent South may recall.

Meanwhile, some good news: tsunami disaster management programme in Maldives has seen greater participation from women in its community-based vulnerability assessments.
Gender equity in tsunami recovery, Relief Web.

This year's World Press Freedom Day may witness the liberation of Maldivian media with The Ministry of Information announcing that it will allow private broadcasting by May 3, 2007.

There were talks between the government party, the Dhivehi Rayyihtunge Party (DRP) and the Maldivian Democratic Party earlier. On the street, arrests continue, and the MDP prepares for elections.

Sri Lanka Update: February 18, 2007.

The Indian National Security Advisor made a startling statement in Munich a few days ago: LTTE manipulates Indian stock market-Narayanan, Daily Mirror, February 16, 2007.

Responding to the UN report on Children and Armed Conflict, the LTTE has asserted that it functions as a de facto state, providing services to people in its 'jurisdiction'. This is its justification for recruiting anyone over the age of 17 for military service.
LTTE responds to UN report on Children and Armed Conflict, TamilNet, February 14, 2007.

In addition to bonding with the Maldives on issues of common concern, Sri Lanka's ties with Pakistan are likely to be strengthened by the purchase of arms.
Pak eyes larger share of SL's arms market, The Times of India, Feb 18, 2007.

More than two decades of war and insurgency have made weapons easily available as this story shows:
Ayesha Zuhair, Illicit small arms abuse rampant in Hambantota, Daily Mirror, February 17, 2007.

The recent dismissal of three ministers from the Sri Lankan cabinet is having interesting consequences. One minister, Anura Bandaranaike, has already mended fences with the President. The others are building alliances where they can.

Pondicherry Update: February 18, 2007.

Intelligence reports warn the southern states on possible infiltration of terrorist through the coast. Southern states cautioned against terror attacks, The Peninsula, February 13, 2007. Marine Police wing to be set up in Puducherry, The Hindu, February 13, 2007.
Modernisation of police forces in the union territories, including facilities for housing, procuring the latest weapons and deployment of vehicles, is to be funded by the Home Ministry.

Also: Puducherry port expansion is facing opposition from citizens and activists who fear the move will erode beaches and turn groundwater salty.

Southern states update, February 17, 2007.

Tamil Nadu has witnessed an alarming rise in the number of children being trafficked, particularly from Cuddalore, Villupuram, Madurai Theni, Dindigul and Ramanathapuram, for labour and prostitution.
Jaya Menon, Tamil Nadu is home to adoption rackets and child-labour gangs, Indian Express, February 16, 2007.

More politics being played over the tribunal's decision on Cauvery water sharing.
Ambareesh has announced his resignation from the parliament to protest against the court verdict over the sharing of Cauvery river waters.
Kalyani Shankar, Resource, not property, Pioneer, February 17, 2007.

A very rare occasion in the history of Indian Judiciary occurred on Thursday with the Supreme Court awarding four death sentences in 48 hours.
Meanwhile three AIADMK workers convicted in the murder of three women students who were burnt to death in a bus during a protest have been awarded with the capital punishment.
TN bus burning case: 3 AIADMK workers sentenced to death, Hindustan Times, February 16, 2007.
The time for Indians to debate capital punishment seriously has definitely come.

Arms Trail: February 15, 2007.

Indian Navy and Coast Guard have hauled yet another set of arms from a suspected LTTE boat on southern coast of Tamil Nadu. The cargo contained a suicide bomber’s jacket, explosives weighing 7 kg, five detonators, a satellite phone and a hand held GPS.
Jaya Menon, LTTE boat was on its way to Lanka, say TN police, Indian Express, February 16, 2007.
Veeraraghav T M, India catches LTTE by the 'arm', CNN-IBN, February 14, 2007.

Innovative and isolated instances of terrorist outfits manipulating the stock markets to raise funds for their operations have been reported Mumbai and Chennai stock exchanges.
Terrorist groups manipulating BSE: NSA, Financial Express, February 15, 2007. Editorial response in the same paper.

Cauvery Spillover: February 14, 2007.

The verdict on Cauvery water sharing has failed to deliver an amicable solution and created fresh discontent in the neighboring states.

If India and Pakistan can learn to give and take on Indus, why can’t Tamil Nadu and Karnataka do the same over Cauvery? Or Tamil Nadu and Kerala over Mullaperiyar?
Quiet flows Indus, Indian Express, February 14, 2007.

Kerala gets more water than it can handle but permission for trans-basin projects has been denied.
R. KRISHNAKUMAR, Neglected flow, Frontline, Feb. 10-23, 2007.

Maldives Update: February 12, 2007.

February has been good to President Gayoom. First, the Satyagraha conference. Then, fissures in the Maldivian Democratic Party. Finally, a friendly visit by a neighbouring head of state.

The November 10 rally exposed one faultline within the Maldivian democratic movement, and in recent days, that has led to a split.
Will Jordan, Shareef Leaves MDP, Warns Of “Anarchy & Chaos", Minivan News, February 10, 2007.
MSDP Blames MDP For Hijacking Meeting, Minivan News, February 12, 2007.
Ali Rasheed, Viewing Democracy In The Maldives, Minivan News, February 12, 2007.

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse is on a three-day official tour in Maldives. He is to hold bilateral talks with Maldivian President on wide-ranging subjects including investment, tourism, fisheries, education and cultural affairs.
Lanka- Male ink several bilateral deals, Daily News, February 12, 2007.

Maldivian government is to enact the Press Freedom decree by end of this month. The media and journalist are in a dilemma regarding the benefits the decree has in store for them.

Dhoonidhoo Prison received new inmates, it was reported--those detained during the President's visit to Addu last week. At Least 55 MDP Supporters Facing Trial, Minivan News, February 12, 2007.

The Addu boat detainees are finally being charged.
AG Files Cases Against 4 ‘Namoona’ Detainees, Minivan News, February 8, 2007.

In spite of all this, change may be creeping in: HRCM Condemns Police Violence, Minivan News, February 9, 2007.

Last words:

(1) From Silver Fire's blog: Maldivian Women and Role Models, February 11, 2007.

(2) From Will Jordan's blog: The art of euphemism, February 7, 2007.

Sri Lanka Update: February 11, 2007.

In an action replay of its exchange with the UN Special Representative a few months ago, the Sri Lankan government has refuted charges relating to incidents of child abduction in its presentation to the UN Security Council's Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict.
Lanka to UN Security Council: Child abduction allegations based on hearsay material, Sunday Times, February 11, 2007.
The Special Representative's report on Sri Lanka. Updates are available here.

The new UN Secretary-General's strong position against the recruitment of child soldiers is also being interpreted as carte-blanche for action against offenders like the LTTE. The Sri Lanka army website has clearly picked up this gauntlet.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse says the door is still open for talks with Tamil Tigers, in an interview with the BBC.

Earlier, the President dismissed two senior ministers from his government; their security cover has also been withdrawn. They are Anura Bandaranaike and Mangala Samaraweera; Sripathi Sooriaratchchi also lost his job. This is likely to spawn new alliances, whether or not they last.

Pondicherry Update: February 10, 2007.

Karaikal's infrastructure will get a major face lift as the work on new port is to take off soon. Meanwhile modernisation of the Puducherry port will also begin after the completion of the ongoing Environment Impact Assessment.

Tsunami rehabilitation: Poverty and joblessness continue to haunt victims who claim that tsunami relief has not been effectively delivered.
M.R. Venkatesh, An island of hope amid kidney racket ruins, The Telegraph, February 5, 2007.

Sri Lanka Update: February 9, 2007

The Centre for Policy Alternatives, Colombo, has just posted a Commentary on the Commission of Inquiry and the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons. It is available here.

Also see: Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, The Sham of Independence without Human Rights Protection, Morning Leader, February 7, 2007.

On a different note:
P.K.Balachandran, Pro-LTTE Lankan party ropes in TN film industry, Hindustan Times, February 9, 2007.

Cauvery Spillover: February 9, 2007.

After seventeen years, the Cauvery Tribunal made its award last week. The lion's share of water has been allocated to Tamil Nadu.
Turbulent flows Cauvery, HindustanTimes, February 7, 2007.

The verdict has triggered a bout of tension in the bordering areas of the two states.
Bangalore: Cauvery Tribunal verdict sparks State-wide stir, BELLEVISION, 7 February 2007.
River sparks war between states, Garavi Gujarat, February 7, 2007.
Bageshree S. and M.V. Chandrashekar, Fear driving many Tamil workers out of Bangalore, The Hindu, Feb 09, 2007.
Hundreds of lorries have been stranded on the Tamil Nadu borders due to the dispute.

The tension has provoked all sides, including Tamil Nadu, to reconsider their initial reactions to the award.

Sri Lanka Update, February 6, 2007

Blast at Sri Lanka exhibition injures at least 14, Reuters, February 6, 2007.

More attacks on the Tamil tigers in the far northeast of the island.
Ranga Sirilal, Sri Lanka helicopter gunships fire rockets at rebels, Reuters, February 6, 2007.

Adele Balasingham has announced that she will not replace her husband within the LTTE.

Pondicherry Update, February 5, 2007

Tsunami reconstruction leads the news from Pondicherry as fishermen to memo Governor and Chief Minister to petition for housing.

The need for Pondicherry's status in the Indian Union to be upgraded to statehood has been articulated, illustrating yet again the dynamic nature of federal politics.

New Report on Sri Lanka

The Centre for Policy Alternatives has just published a report on
War, Peace and Governance in Sri Lanka: Overview and Trends 2006.

Maldives Update: January 14 - February 2, 2007

Notwithstanding its reformist face, there is still a lack of trust in the Maldives government as the confusion over whether they were going to further regulate the press showed this last week. The government's apology however is a novelty.

In the meanwhile, there are changes happening in the Maldivian media industry that are interesting at such a critical moment.
The Battle For The Maldives Media Is On, Will Jordan, Minivan News, January 31, 2007.

Bird Flu Could "Devastate" Maldivian Economy Warns UN. Chikungunya has also been diagnosed in the atoll-state.

Of interest: this blog entry by Will Jordan who writes for Minivan News: The Essence Of Repression, January 31, 2007.

Finally, because the darkest situations carry moments of profound irony:
Satyagraha Movement is a very significant philosophy and that it calls for a non-violent approach for conflict resolution- President, Haveeru Daily, January 30, 2007.
Will Jordan, Row As Gayoom Celebrates Non-Violent Resistance, Minivan News, January 30, 2007.
See also: Blood and Irony, January 31, 2007.

A new report from Reporters Sans Frontieres: Maldives - Annual report 2007.

Southern States Update, January 13 - February 1, 2007

Trafficking in Andhra Pradesh made news.
Rohit Khanna, Bitter truths of Andhra sex racket, Money control, January 29, 2007.
At the same time, all women police stations in TN evoked interest.
TN women constabulary in action, Daily News & Analysis, January 21, 2007.

The Mullaiperiyar crisis deepens.
Akhel Mathew, Tamil Nadu to take dam row with Kerala to court, Gulf News, January 26 2007.

The DMK and the Tamil Nadu government more generally have consistently led the demand for reforming centre-state relations.
Alaphia Zoyab, DMK calls for new Constitution, NDTV, January 20, 2007.

Other news:
Kerala government adopts innovative measures to boost the ailing hand loom sector, Daily News & Analysis, January 17, 2007.
Patil praises Tamil Nadu govt. for tsunami rehabilitation work, Daily India, January 21, 2007.
Pondicherry to have a center on environmental information systems.