Sri Lanka

Over 250,000 displaced Tamils are being held in camps, waiting to be resettled. The majority of these involuntary ‘inmates’ have homes or at the very least, places to stay, should they be allowed to leave by the government. The official government line regarding this prolonged incarceration is that Tamil Tiger rebels may have infiltrated the population of displaced Tamils and they needed to be ‘weeded out’. In essence, they are guilty by association due to their ethnicity.

Recently, a foreign-owned ship containing food and aid for the displaced Tamils has been ordered to leave Sri Lankan waters. It was accused of containing logistical equipment for Tamil rebels; however it was cleared after a thorough search of the ship - government officials confirmed that it contained hundreds of tonnes of food and medical aid. The Sri Lankan government then proceeded to turn away the ship, wasting all the relief efforts, which could have helped to take a step closer towards reconciliation. The peace efforts of the government and more widely the international community, including the UN, have been a humanitarian disaster and it is still not receiving the right amount of attention and compassionate effort it deserves.

Pakistan

Over 40 people were killed in the most recent confrontation between Pakistani government forces and Taliban militants. While the clashes in the north-west of Pakistan are slowing down, a more brutal operation is underway in South Waziristan, where the government is determined to destroy the stronghold of Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud.

Over a week ago, several people were killed in a bomb blast the Pakistani town of Dera Ismail Khan. The attack is thought to be part of a series of the Taliban’s initial response to the government offensive against its militants.

Two days earlier, a suicide bomb went off in Lahore and has killed prominent anti-Taliban cleric Sarfraz Naeemi. At the same time, another suicide bomb went off at a mosque during Friday prayers. The detonation was so strong, the roof of the mosque collapsed. Mr Naeemi was known for being outspoken about the Taliban, labelling their activities as ‘un-Islamic’.

It is thought that the collapse of Pakistan is imminent, not only due to the frequency of these attacks, but also because of its history of inability to solve differences within the people of the country. A country that created division every time these differences surfaced is now facing a tough time maintaining its standing in the democratic world, while its neighbour India thrives on diversity and multiple nationalities and religious identities.

Iran

Recent images from the streets of Tehran show angry clashes between Iranian police forces and Mir Hossein Mousavi supporters. A bloody confrontation, which cost the lives of 10 people branded as ‘terrorists’ by the police. The former prime minister lost to hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in what has proven to be a rather controversial presidential election. The government has been accused of manipulating the votes and giving Ahmadinejad the 62% majority. However the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, refuted the claim and confirmed that the elections were not rigged. He further demanded an end to the protests or else the organisers were to be held accountable for the bloodshed and the rioting.

This is a different Iran, where the internet revolution has helped the once silenced Iranian students to display their anger and disapproval of government failures. The main dismay comes as the final vote appears to misrepresent the record turn-out of voters. Protests turned into a riot fairly early on, where cars, busses and other objects were set on fire.

Ahmadinejad remained calm, calling it a ‘natural’ act by the opponents’ supporters, even though international onlookers were surprised at the results. The country has a history of ‘dirty’ elections, but this time independent monitors confirmed that it was a fair voting process.

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