Monthly archive

In all the Australian media coverage of the Howard government’s latest armed intervention in East Timor, the words “oil” and “gas” are hardly mentioned. Yet control over the vast reserves beneath the Timor Sea—now valued at more than $30 billion due to rising world oil and natural gas prices—lies at the heart of the dispatch of troops and police. Together with the wider strategic and commercial calculations of the Australian ruling elite, domination over the Timor Sea—and blocking access to all foreign rivals—has been the overriding concern throughout every cynical twist and turn in Canberra’s policy toward East Timor over the past three decades.

Sunil C. Perera - Reporting from Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the UN, Prasad Kariyawasam, will chair in June the first Review Conference for the UN Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat, and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All its Aspects (UN PoA). The PoA is an agreement reached in 2001 amongst member states to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. It is estimated that nearly 5,000,000 small arms are circulating throughout the world. These small arms are used by individuals or groups fighting their private wars. Like most other nations Sri Lanka has not monitored successfully of the free flow of arms. Easy access to small arms has created a culture of impunity. It was also revealed that arming the politicians in Sri Lanka began prior to the 1989 elections, at the height of the JVP insurrection. It is estimated that 15,000 arms were distributed to politicians for their protection. It is now revealed that most of these weapons were never returned.

By Iqbal Hussain Khan Yousafzai - Reporting from Islamabad

Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri has highlighted the need for Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Pakistan and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for further enhancement of bilateral trade and economic ties. Addressing the inaugural session of ‘ASEAN Joint Sectoral Cooperation Committee’ here on Monday, Mr. Kasuri said that 710 million people would gain economic advantages of a free trade pact between Pakistan and ASEAN member countries.

By Christopher Giddings

For past several years, one of the top topics of Dhaka’s political arena is new generation leadership, which should ultimately take over the responsibilities of policy making. Keeping this target at the front, both the major political parties, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Awami League (AL) are searching for young leaders inside. AL leader Sheikh Hasina already expressed willingness of bringing her only son Sajib Wajed Joy in the party politics.

By Sunita Paul

Most hated and corrupt name in Bangladesh, Giasuddin Al-Mamun has become fabulously rich by limitless corruption and abusing power of being the friend of Tareq Rahman. And most interestingly, this notorious man even does not care in showing his evilly earned wealthy face to the Bangladeshi nation, because he continues to get sympathy and support from ruling party’s senior joint secretary general and Prime Minister’s son, Tareq Rahman. Clippings from Dhaka’s press would evidently prove the amount of money this swindler has bagged during BNP’s rule. Dhaka’s leading English newspaper The Daily Star, reported on 15th May 2004 that Tarique Rahman's friend Giasuddin Al Mamun's has built a palatial pleasure house named Khwab (Dream in Arabic) in city’s suburb with a huge amount of money.