political status
Political Unrest in Ladakh
The two Ladakhi districts have passed separate resolutions demanding that the state of Jammu and Kashmir create a separate division for them. A news story in the Indian Express on December 8 indicated that feelings are strong throughout Ladakh for the proposed separation. On December 1, the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh, unanimously passed […]
The Pakumotu Republic of the Tahitians
Athanase Terii, the self-styled King of the Pakumotu Republic, is refusing to quietly fade away and is back in the news once again. News reports of the dissident Tahitians who have been agitating for years for independence from French Polynesia were summarized in a news report in 2013. That story reviewed the unhappiness of some […]
Zapotec Women Strive for Equality
Eufrosina Cruz Mendoza has had a fruitful career over the past 10 years as a successful politician, despite the initial resistance of the men in her hometown. The opposition to her election as mayor of the community made news headlines internationally nearly a decade ago since the town “fathers” had canceled the election results—it was […]
Political, Religious, and Community Tensions in Ladakh [journal article review]
Tense political borders in and around northern India have produced regional political stresses that have fostered strains in the traditional peaceful relations between Ladakhis of different religious beliefs. These strains have produced hostilities and divisions among families, friends, and communities throughout Ladakh, and particularly in Leh. A fascinating scholarly article last year by Sara H. […]
Ladakh Political Status Challenged
The idea of separating Ladakh from the rest of India’s state of Jammu and Kashmir, simmering for many years, got a renewed boost last week. On Monday, March 3, the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council, the upper chamber of the state legislature, passed a resolution calling for the creation of a Union Territory for Ladakh, […]
Pakumotu Republic Fails to Fly its Flag
Last week, a nonviolent rebel group in Tahiti made its latest peaceful attempt to establish an independent nation in the Society Islands, free from French control and influence. The somewhat quixotic group, styling itself as the Republic of Hau Pakumotu, attempted to raise its flag over land it claims, but it was stopped by French […]
Oddoul Serves on an Important Egyptian Committee
A committee writing a new constitution for Egypt has banned forced evacuations, like the one 50 years ago that destroyed most of Old Nubia. According to a news report last week, Hoda Al-Sadda, chair of the Rights and Liberties Subcommittee, indicated that the measure is aimed at protecting minority groups—not only the Nubians from southern […]
Peaceful Lepcha Responses to Gorkha Agitation
Aggressive Gorkha demands for independence from West Bengal, and moderate Lepcha responses to their agitation, have repeatedly shown the cultural differences between the two groups in India. The Gorkha demands, which have been simmering for years, exploded into the news at the end of January this year when the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata […]
Nubians Question Egyptian Developments [magazine article review]
“Today, we can all feel the energy and buzz of Nubian youth. As a community, we Nubians have accomplished some of our goals, but the best is yet to come,” Haggag Oddoul said in an interview published on Friday. The comments by the famed Nubian Egyptian writer were included as part of a 5,000 word […]
Tahitians Vote in a New Government
In early May, the citizens of French Polynesia voted in a new president, an opponent of independence, prompting The Economist last week to weigh in on colonialism in the Pacific region. Tahiti is the most populous member of the Society Islands archipelago, which is the heart of French Polynesia. Throughout the Society Islands, people are […]
