Democracy & Conflict
Manipuri women selling local produce at a marketplace in Northeast India. Photo By: Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network.
Introduction
Democracy & Conflict
Since independence, the Indian State and society has constantly been challenged by forces of fundamentalism, violence, conflict and terror. In recent years, this development has exacerbated and undermined the process of democratization and further strengthened extremist voices within and outside the government, with varying implications for India’s diverse population. Appropriately, India’s religious, linguistic, cultural, social, economic and regional diversity provides the setting for a complex political landscape.
Given this background, the Foundation seeks to probe the inter-linkages between secularism, gender equality, human rights, peace and democracy in India in order to foster dialogue across conflict faultlines; and hence, to examine and re-validate the values of diversity and peaceful coexistence. The basic aim is to register the role of dialogue, cooperation and coexistence as indispensable instruments in resolving various conflicts and strengthening democracy in India.

The key programmatic areas include:
  • To promote social harmony among conflict affected religious groups in India
  • To promote peaceful coexistence between conflict affected ethnic communities in Northeast India
  • To contribute to the political debates at the national level to ensure, as much as possible, that it reflects comprehensively new perspectives and assessments of the ground realities of the Northeast region
  • To support exile Tibetan CSOs to effectively foster non-violent conflict resolution amongst the exile Tibetan community, newly arrived Tibetans and the host Indian community

Secularism & Inter Religious Harmony

Secular Perspective, October 16-31, 2011

NIC Debate On Communal Violence Bill And Recent Riots

October 17, 2011 - After Gujarat no communal riot has taken place on that scale but to write off communalism will be a serious mistake. It continues and shall continue to be a major political challenge to Indian secularism and effective legal and political action must be taken to face this challenge. By Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer more»

Report

JIHAD: Its Historicity and Contemporary Relevance

 - March 22, 2011 - The Centre for Study of Society and Secularism has carried out a research project "Jihad, its Historicity and Contemporary Relevance" which has helped in demolishing several myths woven around the theme of jihad. Anwar Hussain, Research Fellow, CSSS more»

Report

The Critical Analysis of Fatwas Issued on Muslim Women in India

 - February 15, 2011 -

Fatwa is basically an Islamic legal opinion which has its roots in the Islamic history. However, in the modern time, starting from the Imam Khomeini’s Fatwa against Salman Rushdie, this term often creates chaos in the society.

Shazia Shaikh, Junior Research Fellow, CSSS more»

Secular Perspective January 1-15, 2011

Communal Riots – 2010

 - January 4, 2011 - No year in India has been riot-free. Some years like 1992-93 post Babri Masjid demolition, 2002 in Gujarat witness major communal catastrophe, 2008 in Kandhamal riots or some years witness riots which are not nationally taken notice of. By Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer more»

Article

INDIA: Peace in Kashmir

 - August 31, 2010 -

India is facing the ongoing deterioration of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, especially the repeated outbreaks of violence between the civil population and the security forces. Criticising both the Indian and Pakistani governments’ performances, Mr Sachar gives a number of suggestions how to start a new direction in conflict resolution.

By Justice Rajindar Sachar more»

Kashmir - Uending Conflict, What Is The Way Out.

July 19, 2010 - The conflict in Kashmir seems to be unending and the way it is being handled by our armed forces, especially the CRPF is further aggravating it. Unfortunately still it is being addressed primarily as a law and order problem and the aspirations of people and their problems hardly matter. Our armed forces go on violating human rights and they know only to kill. Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer more»

Governance and Politics in Northeast India

Report

Bearing Witness: A Report on the Impact of Conflict on Women in Nagaland and Assam

September 21, 2011 - The stories of women and their families who have suffered silently in the decades of conflict between insurgents and Indian security forces - and between the idea of India and those who sought political and cultural spaces outside of it – come alive in ‘Bearing Witness: A Report on the Impact of Conflict on Women in Nagaland and Assam’. Edited by Sanjoy Hazarika and Preeti Gill more»

CONFERENCE

Cultures of Peace: Festival of the Northeast

 - February 9, 2011 - The Heinrich Boll Foundation, in collaboration with Zubaan and India Habitat Centre organized a two day programme titled ‘Cultures of Peace: A festival of the Northeast’ which showcased a multitude of aspects about the Northeast – culture, writing, photography, art, poetry, and music of India’s northeastern states. more»

CONFERENCE

Fourth Conclave on Northeast India Women Initiative for Peace 19-20th January 2011

 - February 3, 2011 - Civil society organisations, women activists, youth and violence survivors from the Northeast, scholars, parliamentarians and members of several think tanks and policy makers came together for the Fourth Conclave of Northeast India Women Initiative for Peace during a two day meet at the India International Center in New Delhi on 19th and 20th January 2011. more»

Advocacy

Text, Image and Vision: Media Representation of India's Northeast and Democratic Space

 - January 10, 2011 - This ‘HBF Report’ is an advocacy document derived from the recently completed project on “Text, Image and Vision: Media Representation of India's Northeast and Democratic Space”. The project was undertaken in cooperation with Dhiren Sadokpam. He is Executive Editor, Eastern Quarterly and Member, Manipur Research Forum. By Dhiren Sadokpam more»

CONFERENCE

Towards Ending Armed Violence, Sustainable Peace & Reconciliation Assessing the Call to Repeal the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958

 - September 15, 2010 - A one day conference on Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act of 1958 (AFSPA) was held on 8th September 2010 at India International Centre. All government of India ministries - Home, Defence and External Affairs attended the meeting along with several experts - military as well as academic, civil rights groups and most importantly women survivors. more»

Publication

Contested Space and Identity in the Indian Northeast, by the Academy of Third World Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia

 - The book, a result of a conference, is a kaleidoscope of richly textured and well thought-out positions, highlighting, in a structured way, political, legal, historical, philosophical, gendered and psycho-social aspects of the situation in the Northeast region of India. The papers are grouped in three main categories, namely: the role of the state and non-state actors in the politics of the Northeast; the shifting paradigms of identity and community in the borderlands; and the variable of perception in the calculation of peace. more»

Gender democracy

Video

10 Years UN Resolution 1325

 - December 20, 2010 - Ten years after the adoption of UN Resolution 1325 "Women, Peace and Security", the Gunda Werner Institute (GWI) of the Heinrich Böll Foundation in cooperation with the German Women's Security Council and Peace Women Across the Globe hosted an international conference. more»

Article

Sharia, Fatwas and Women's Rights

 - December 17, 2010 - Every now and then media reports fatwas issued by muftis in India, Saudi Arabia and other countries. One mufti in Saudi Arabia even suggested that if a Muslim woman has to keep a man for household work and interact with him though he is not mehram (from prohibited degree for marriage), she should suckle him from her breast to make him mehram. This fatwa was based on a hadith narrated by hazrat A’isha. By Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer more»

Translation

UN Resolution 1325 (in Manipuri)

 - As a part of the ‘Northeast India Women's Initiative for Peace’, an initiative between the Control Arms Foundation of India (Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network) and the HBF, the UN Resolution 1325 has been translated into 3 local languages spoken in the Indo-Burma border. more»

Publication

Women in Electoral Politics

 - Although women from almost 50% of the country’s population, their representation in the Parliament and State Legislatures has been depressingly low even after sixty years of Independence. So is the case with Maharashtra, one of the states in the forefront of Indian politics since the days of freedom struggle. The aim of the project is to study the status of political participation of women in Maharashtra and ascertain the reasons for the inability of the State’s women to enter the legislative Assembly in more numbers than at present. The inquiry also proposes to look into the present status of the All Women parties that were launched earlier. The study also touches on the socio-economic background of some of the women who could make it to the Assembly in the past and what criteria are followed by the political parties in selecting their women candidates. more»

Publication

Feminist Positions and Perspectives on Peace and Security Policy

 - June 29, 2010 - The strategies of international security policy have significantly changed since the end of the Cold War, as have the challenges posed by international terrorism and the increase of global inequality. In this publication the Gunda Werner Institute in the Heinrich Böll Foundation presents a detailed position paper to contribute to the international debate on peace and security policy. more»

Research Report

A Debate on the Public Role of Religion and its Social and Gender Implications.

 - May 25, 2010 - The largest minority of the world i.e. women still struggles for their basic rights and denial is justified through various religious and political processes. The report tries to explain the complex dynamics of religion and politics and their gender implications. The cross cultural nature of study have added various dimensions and perspectives. more»

Book

Roadmap to 1325

 - The UN resolution 1325 It could be a milestone for gender-equitable security policy. This volume contributes to filling the gap in knowledge about approaches both to gender-sensitive peace and security policy. Edited by the Gunda-Werner-Institut. more»

Domestic Political Trends

Report

Prospects and challenges for India on the Ayodhya Verdict

November 2, 2010 - Mumbai - A group of concerned citizens gathered to discuss the verdict of the Allahabad High Court with regard to the Ayodhya dispute between Ram Janmabhoomi versus Babri Masjid in India. A number of perspectives were put forth. more»

Article

Ayodhya Judgment – Triumph Of Faith Or Constitutional Legality?

- The much awaited judgment of Lucknow Bench of Allahabad High Court in the title suit filed by Sunni Waqf Board, Nirmohi Akhara and others was at last delivered and has been welcomed by some and criticized by others, mainly by litigant parties. Those who want to see the controversy end for once and all are arguing that the judgment will help bring about resolution of the dispute as all three parties (Ram Lalla Idol has been treated by the judgment as a legal entity). Now Hindus can build a temple and Muslims a mosque, if they so desire and India can move on. By Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer. more»

Naxalism: The Maoist Conflict

RESEARCH PAPER

Naxalism: The Maoist Challenge to the Indian State

The Naxalite armed movement challenges the Indian state since more than 40 years. It is based on Maoist ideology and gains its strength through mobilizing the poor, underprivileged, discouraged and marginalized, especially in rural India.

By Lennart Bendfeldt more»

Interview

There is a lack of will to confront the Maoist challenge holistically.

 - July 29, 2010 - An Interview with Ajay K. Mehra – an expert on Maoist politics in India and Honorary Director of Centre for Public Affairs – on the roots of the Maoist revolutionary violence in India, the approach of the Government of India and the affected state governments and the Nexus between Maoists and mainstream politicians. Prof. Ajay K. Mehra more»

Interview

The Rebels mirror India’s failings as a Nation.

 - July 29, 2010 - An Interview with Sudeep Chakravarti - journalist and well known expert on the Indian Maoists – about the current stage of the conflict, the role played by media and business as well as its implications on the Indian state and society. Sudeep Chakravarti more»

Interview

Lessons and Actions for the Government of India to deal with problem of Naxalism

 - May 10, 2010 - Interview with Dr. K.S. Subramanian, Former DGP (Retd.) on the ongoing and growing problem of Naxal violence in India which is regarded as the one of the major internal security threats which India is facing at present. The interview tries to explore the different dimensions of causes and resolutions of this internal conflict. Dr. K.S. Subramanian more»