DOCSLIB.ORG

STATE of the INTERNET in ASIA: the CASE of INDIA, MALAYSIA and PAKISTAN State of the Internet in Asia 1

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
STATE of the INTERNET in ASIA: the CASE of INDIA, MALAYSIA and PAKISTAN State of the Internet in Asia 1 STATE OF THE INTERNET IN ASIA: THE CASE OF INDIA, MALAYSIA AND PAKISTAN State of the Internet in Asia 1 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report would not have been possible without the information on laws, other research documents and data from monitoring of rights violations from APC partner organisations, in particular, Bytes for All Pakistan, the Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) and Persatuan Kesedaran Komuniti Selangor (EMPOWER); and APC. We thank the authors of the country chapters Geetha Hariharan (India), Umer Ali and Haris Bin Munawar (Pakistan), Yasmin Masidi (Malaysia) and Faheem Zafar who coordinated the research and compiled the regional summary. We also wish to thank Ritu Srivastava (DEF), Tehmina Zafar (Bytes for All), Haroon Baloch (Bytes for All), Serene Lim (EMPOWER) and Gayatri Khandhadai (APC) who supported the research and publication. Special thanks to Fingerprints Creative (India) and Saakshita Prabakar for making this publication possible. 2 State of the Internet in Asia CONTENTS IMPACT: PROJECT SUMMARY REPORT2014-2017 007 APC-IMPACT: Project summary 2014-2017 008 Country Report Summary: Pakistan’s Internet Landscape 015 Country Report: India 020 Country Report: Malaysia 023 Patterns across Pakistan, India and Malaysia 026 COUNTRY REPORT: PAKISTAN 028 Executive Summary and Methodology 029 SECTION 1: 032 1.1 Access to the internet 032 1.2 Blocking and filtering 033 1.2.1 Pornography 1.2.2 Blasphemy 1.3 Intermediary liability 037 1.4 Net neutrality 037 1.5 Network disconnections 038 1.6 Data protection 039 1.7 Surveillance and lawful interception 040 1.8 Social surveillance and vigilantism 041 1.9 Cyber armies 041 1.10 Cyber attacks 042 1.11 Government engagement on an international level 044 State of the Internet in Asia 3 SECTION 2: Key players 045 2.1 Federal Investigation Agency 045 2.2 Ministry of Information Technology 045 2.3 Ministry of Interior 046 2.4 Pakistan Telecommunication Authority 046 2.5 Politicians 047 2.6 Internet service providers (ISPs) 048 2.7 Military 049 2.8 Militant religious groups 050 SECTION 3 051 3.1 Digital journalism 051 3.2 Activism on digital media 051 COUNTRY REPORT: INDIA 052 Introduction and Methodology 053 SECTION 1: Constitutional and policy frameworks for internet rights: 055 Global and national 1.1 Understanding the international context 055 1.1.1 The history of internet rights 1.1.2 The ICCPR and the internet 1.1.3 Platforms for discussion 1.2 India’s framework for internet rights: Constitutional, 058 legal and policy 1.2.1 Fundamental rights in the Indian Constitution 1.2.2 Legal frameworks 1.2.3 Policy spaces for discussion and development of internet rights 4 State of the Internet in Asia SECTION 2: Access 060 2.1 The situation until 2014 2.2 Access: 2014 to 2017 SECTION 3: Intermediary liability 061 3.1 Existing framework for intermediary liability 3.2 Intermediary liability regime: 2014 to 2017 3.2.1 Sub-indicator 1: State does not delegate censorship to private entities 3.2.2 Sub-indicator 2: State requests to internet intermediaries to prevent access to content, or to disclose private information SECTION 4: Right to privacy and data protection 067 4.1 Existing framework for privacy and data protection 067 4.1.1 Privacy legislation 4.1.2 Surveillance and monitoring 4.2 Privacy regime: 2014 to 2017 070 4.2.2 The draft Privacy Bill 4.2.3 India and the fundamental right to privacy SECTION 5: Arbitrary blocking of content 073 5.1 Existing framework for content blocking 073 5.2 Content-blocking regime: 2014 to 2017 075 5.2.1 Sub-indicator 1: There are no generic bans on content 5.2.2 Sub-indicator 2: State blocks or filters websites based on lawful criteria 5.2.3 Website blocking in India State of the Internet in Asia 5 SECTION 6: Criminalising legitimate expression 080 6.1 Legal framework for criminalisation of online freedom 080 of expression 6.1.1 The Indian Penal Code 6.1.2 The IT Act 6.2 Threats to legitimate expression: 2014-2017 083 6.2.1 Instances of arrests for stated reasons of sedition and hate speech 6.2.2 Section 66A declared unconstitutional 6.2.3 Criminal defamation upheld as constitutional SECTION 7: Internet shutdowns 087 7.1 The Law on Internet Shutdowns 087 7.2 Instances of internet shutdowns in India 089 SECTION 8: Gender rights and sexual expression 091 8.1 Legal framework for sexual expression 091 8.1.1 The Indian Penal Code and Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act 8.1.2 The IT Act 8.2 Gender rights and sexual expression: 2014 to 2017 093 8.2.1 Online harassment of women 8.2.2 Suresh Koushal and LGBTQI Rights SECTION 9: Internet governance 095 9.1 The situation until 2014 095 9.2 Internet governance: 2014 to 2017 097 SECTION 10: Findings and recommendations 098 6 State of the Internet in Asia COUNTRY REPORT: MALAYSIA 100 SECTION 1: Introduction 101 1.1 Overview: Freedom of expression online in Malaysia 101 1.2 Overview of the research 101 SECTION 2: General protection of freedom of expression 102 2.1 Legal and policy environment since 2015 102 2.2 Missing from the picture 103 SECTION 3: Restriction of online content 105 3.1 Arbitrary blocking and filtering 105 3.2 Criminalising legitimate expression 106 3.3 Imposition of internet intermediary liability 108 3.4 Disconnecting users from the internet 108 3.5 Cyberattacks 108 3.6 Protection of the right to privacy and data protection 109 SECTION 4: Access 110 4.1 Access to the internet 110 4.2 Access to information 110 SECTION 5: Reccommendations 111 5.1 A strategic dilemma? 111 5.2 Recommendations 111 APPENDIX 1: APC-LA RUE FRAMEWORK 114 State of the Internet in Asia 7 CHAPTER 1 IMPACT: PROJECT SUMMARY REPORT 008 State of the Internet in Asia APC-IMPACT: PROJECT SUMMARY 2014-2017 The APC-IMPACT (Advocacy for Change (UPR) process.2 The following subsections of through Technology in India, Pakistan the report look at the summary of the project and Malaysia) programme consisted of activities and the outcomes achieved in India, four thematic areas and the project was Malaysia and Pakistan. based in three countries. The project was executed by the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) with local partners in India, Pakistan and Malaysia. In Pakistan, • APC-IMPACT in India: Bytes for All, Pakistan executed the project, in India it was Digital Empowerment Foundation Keeping in line with the objectives of (DEF), and in Malaysia, Persatuan Kesedaran the project, DEF submitted its UPR Komuniti Selangor (EMPOWER).1 Under the contribution for India’s Third UPR cycle, first thematic area of research and monitoring, 2017, to the United Nations Human Rights 3 partner organisations studied the state of Council (UNHRC). The UPR was authored online-freedom of expression and association, in association with partner organisations, patterns of hate speech, digital security including APC. The UPR highlighted the and violations of internet rights. A second restrictions imposed by the Government component consisted of capacity building, of India (GoI) on Freedom of Expression which required contextualisation of digital (FoE) and speech, consequences of the 4 tools and curriculum related to internet- state-led crackdown on the internet. These rights and enabling human rights defenders included censorship of the URL/websites to strategise their digital security through and network shutdowns and arrests of training and awareness raising exercises. The citizens for engaging in online activities third component underscored strengthening to form associations; including social institutions through organisation of regional media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook workshops with national stakeholders, and digital communication apps such as particularly civil society activists and WhatsApp. The report highlighted lack of groups from India, Pakistan and Malaysia. adherence to transparency and compliance Lastly, networking and advocacy, required with national policies, domestic laws engagement in regional and international and international standards to blocking 5 platforms for promotion of internet rights, and censorship. The report also cited domestic advocacy for freedom of expression, proposed laws that could extend more association and assembly right to information powers to the state, especially intelligence online, and participation in country agencies for surveillance with few or consultation for the Universal Periodic Review absence of any checks. Such proposed 1 www.apc.org/en/project/advocacy-change-through-technology-india-malaysia-and-pakistan 2 Ibid. 3 www.internetrights.in/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Coalition-UPR-Report-2017_India_Full-Report.pdf 4 Ibid. 5 Ibid. State of the Internet in Asia 009 laws and policies include Privacy Bill, Spectrum, Google India-DEF Launches 2013; Draft National Encryption Policy, Good to Know Campaign for Web 2015 and DNA Profiling Bill, 2015. The Safety, National Consultation on Internet UPR 2017 also cited concerns on barriers Rights, Accessibility, Regulation & Ethics for women in accessing information Inauguration & Plenary: Right to Internet and communications technologies for Right to Information and Round Table (ICTs) courtesy of the socio-economic Discussion on Internet Governance.10 inequalities. The UPR also identified Moreover, for meeting its capacity building thematic areas such as access to internet, related objectives, DEF prepared and right to information, freedom of opinion uploaded its entire IRHR curriculum on its and expression online, right to privacy, website www.internetrights.in. The training freedom of association and assembly curriculum consisted of four modules online, gender and the internet, cybercrime including resources translated in the Hindi and sexual exploitation, international language, with provision of presentation mechanisms and recommendations to slides, handouts, and discussions and case- the GoI. DEF also published a summary studies for the individual participants and document on the UPR 2017;6 and published trainers.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Pakistan-U.S. Relations
    Pakistan-U.S. Relations K. Alan Kronstadt Specialist in South Asian Affairs July 1, 2009 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov RL33498 CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Pakistan-U.S. Relations Summary A stable, democratic, prosperous Pakistan actively combating religious militancy is considered vital to U.S. interests. U.S. concerns regarding Pakistan include regional and global terrorism; Afghan stability; democratization and human rights protection; the ongoing Kashmir problem and Pakistan-India tensions; and economic development. A U.S.-Pakistan relationship marked by periods of both cooperation and discord was transformed by the September 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States and the ensuing enlistment of Pakistan as a key ally in U.S.-led counterterrorism efforts. Top U.S. officials praise Pakistan for its ongoing cooperation, although long-held doubts exist about Islamabad’s commitment to some core U.S. interests. Pakistan is identified as a base for terrorist groups and their supporters operating in Kashmir, India, and Afghanistan. Pakistan’s army has conducted unprecedented and, until recently, largely ineffectual counterinsurgency operations in the country’s western tribal areas, where Al Qaeda operatives and pro-Taliban militants are said to enjoy “safe haven.” U.S. officials increasingly are concerned that indigenous religious extremists represent a serious threat to the stability of the Pakistani state. The United States strongly encourages maintenance of a bilateral cease-fire and a continuation of substantive dialogue between Pakistan and neighboring India, which have fought three wars since 1947. A perceived Pakistan-India nuclear arms race has been the focus of U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Address by Mr. Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry Chief Justice
    ADDRESS BY MR. JUSTICE IFTIKHAR MUHAMMAD CHAUDHRY CHIEF JUSTICE OF PAKISTAN AT THE EARTH-BREAKING CEREMONY OF ISLAMBAD HIGH COURT, ISLAMABAD ON 5th November, 2013 My brother Judges of the Supreme Court; Hon’ble Chief Justice and Judges of Islamabad High Court; Worthy President and office bearers of the Supreme Court and High Court Bar Association; Distinguished Members of the Bar; Ladies and Gentlemen! Assalamualaikum: It is an occasion of extreme pleasure for me to address today the august gathering of bench and bar in this earth-breaking ceremony of Islamabad High Court at the Constitution Avenue, Islamabad. The establishment of Islamabad High Court in its own premises was badly needed to provide congenial working environment for Judges, lawyers and litigant parties. The improvement in the justice sector cannot be achieved through one time struggle, it is, rather a continuous process. The legal and judicial institutions play a pivotal role in ensuring supremacy of Constitution, rule of law and protection of rights of the citizens. It was long standing demand of the lawyers’ community as well as litigant public that all the Courts must be situated at one place or at least close to each other. With the construction of new building of Islamabad High Court at sector G-5, very close to the Supreme Court and Federal Shariat Court would save the lawyers as well as litigants from the agony of travelling long distances to reach from one Court to another. The existence of Supreme Court, Federal Shariat Court and High Court in close proximity, besides convenience, is also necessary for security reasons.
    [Show full text]
  • Motivation Internet in Pakistan
    Overview Information Access and Communication Networks in the z Poor Man’s Broadband Developing-world – Poor Man’s Cache – Packet Containment z TEK Internet Search Umar Saif z Inverse Multiplexing of Cellular LUMS, Pakistan Connections [email protected] | [email protected] z Teleputer (Time permitting) Motivation Internet in Pakistan Developed Developing z Facts of life in the developing world World e World d – Expensive International Bandwidth 2 MB Internet i 2 MB Internet Connection Connection v – No real peering points < $40 i > $4000 D – Internet used over dialup Bulk Data Bulk Data Transfer on Transfer on • Poor “Scratch card” provisioning the Internet l the Internet > 70% a < 15% t i Average End- Average End- user g user i Bandwidth via Bandwidth ISP D via ISP > 100 kb/sec < 10 kb/sec Internet in Pakistan How I Stumbled Upon this? z Average Dialup Bandwidth z “Good research solves real problems in a – Less than 10 kb/sec practical way” z Almost Never Used for – Started last year when I wanted to exchange a 3.5 MB PDF file with my dad – Exchanging – Two laptops sitting next to each other – Disseminating – No way to exchange data if you don’t have portable – Accessing storage! …. Content larger than a couple of hundred • We actually went our and bought a CDR to exchange kilobyes data…. 1 Problem Solution <10kb/sec Internet Bypass the Internet when exchanging large Internet ~ 56kb/sec ~ 56kb/sec Not a Last Mile Problem Email Attachments Disruptive Technology z Time to exchange a 3.5 MB file on the z Of course Internet also started as an
    [Show full text]
  • Signatory ID Name CIN Company Name 02700003 RAM TIKA
    Signatory ID Name CIN Company Name 02700003 RAM TIKA U55101DL1998PTC094457 RVS HOTELS AND RESORTS 02700032 BANSAL SHYAM SUNDER U70102AP2005PTC047718 SHREEMUKH PROPERTIES PRIVATE 02700065 CHHIBA SAVITA U01100MH2004PTC150274 DEJA VU FARMS PRIVATE LIMITED 02700070 PARATE VIJAYKUMAR U45200MH1993PTC072352 PARATE DEVELOPERS P LTD 02700076 BHARATI GHOSH U85110WB2007PTC118976 ACCURATE MEDICARE & 02700087 JAIN MANISH RAJMAL U45202MH1950PTC008342 LEO ESTATES PRIVATE LIMITED 02700109 NATESAN RAMACHANDRAN U51505TN2002PTC049271 RESHMA ELECTRIC PRIVATE 02700110 JEGADEESAN MAHENDRAN U51505TN2002PTC049271 RESHMA ELECTRIC PRIVATE 02700126 GUPTA JAGDISH PRASAD U74210MP2003PTC015880 GOPAL SEVA PRIVATE LIMITED 02700155 KRISHNAKUMARAN NAIR U45201GJ1994PTC021976 SHARVIL HOUSING PVT LTD 02700157 DHIREN OZA VASANTLAL U45201GJ1994PTC021976 SHARVIL HOUSING PVT LTD 02700183 GUPTA KEDAR NATH U72200AP2004PTC044434 TRAVASH SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS 02700187 KUMARASWAMY KUNIGAL U93090KA2006PLC039899 EMERALD AIRLINES LIMITED 02700216 JAIN MANOJ U15400MP2007PTC020151 CHAMBAL VALLEY AGRO 02700222 BHAIYA SHARAD U45402TN1996PTC036292 NORTHERN TANCHEM PRIVATE 02700226 HENDIN URI ZIPORI U55101HP2008PTC030910 INNER WELLSPRING HOSPITALITY 02700266 KUMARI POLURU VIJAYA U60221PY2001PLC001594 REGENCY TRANSPORT CARRIERS 02700285 DEVADASON NALLATHAMPI U72200TN2006PTC059044 ZENTERE SOLUTIONS PRIVATE 02700322 GOPAL KAKA RAM U01400UP2007PTC033194 KESHRI AGRI GENETICS PRIVATE 02700342 ASHISH OBERAI U74120DL2008PTC184837 ASTHA LAND SCAPE PRIVATE 02700354 MADHUSUDHANA REDDY U70200KA2005PTC036400
    [Show full text]
  • Order Sheet in the Islamabad High Court, Islamabad
    Form No: HCJD/C-121 ORDER SHEET IN THE ISLAMABAD HIGH COURT, ISLAMABAD (JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT) W. P. No.676/2017 Shahzada Sikandar ul Mulk & 4 others Versus The Capital Development Authority & 4 others Petitioners by : Dr. Muhammad Aslam Khakhi, Advocate. Syed Asghar Hussain Sabwari, Advocate. Dr Babar Awan, Advocate. Mr Sajjar Abbas Hamdani, Advocate. Mr Qausain Faisal Mufti, Advocate. Mr Tajammal Hussain Lathi, Advocate. Malik Zafar Husain, Advocate. Mr Ishtiaq Ahmed Raja, Advocate. Ms Kalsoom Rafique, Advocate. Ms Yasmin Haider, Advocate. Respondents by : Mr Fiaz Ahmed Anjum Jandran, Advocate. Mr Babar Sattar, Advocate. Mr Sultan Mazhar Sher, Advocate. Mr Waqar Hassan Janjua, Advocate. Malik Qamar Afzal, Advocate. Mr Khurram Mehmood Qureshi, Advocate. Mr Muhammad Anwar Mughal, Advocate. Ch. Hafeez Ullah Yaqoob, Advocate. Mr Muhammad Waqas Malik, Advocate. Mr Amjad Zaman, Advocate. Mr Muhammad Khalid Zaman, Advocate. Mr Mujeeb ur Rehman Kiani, Advocate. Barrister Jehangir Khan Jadoon, Advocate. Malik Mazhar Javed, Advocate. Raja Inam Amin Minhas, Advocate. Ch. Waqas Zamir, Advocate. Fazal ur Rehman, Advocate. Ms Zaitoon Hafeez, Advocate. -2- W.P No.676/2017 Ms Zainab Janjua, Advocate. Barrister Amna Abbas, Advocate. Ms Ayesha Ahmed, Advocate. Mr Kashif Ali Malik, Advocate. Mr Amir Latif Gill, Advocate. Mr Tariq Mehmood Jehangiri, Advocate General, Islamabad Capital Territory. Mr Awais Haider Malik, State Counsel. Mr Asad Mehboob Kiyani, Member (P&D), Mr Zafar Iqbal, Director (Master Plan), Mr Faraz Malik, Director (HS), Sh. Ijaz, Director (Urban Planning), Mr Arshad Chohan, Director (Rural Planning), for Capital Development Authority. Mr Mehrban Ali, & Arbab Ali, Zoologists on behalf of Secretary, M/o Climate Change. Date of Hearing : 19-04-2018.
    [Show full text]
  • THE UNREALIZED MAHATHIR-ANWAR TRANSITIONS Social Divides and Political Consequences
    THE UNREALIZED MAHATHIR-ANWAR TRANSITIONS Social Divides and Political Consequences Khoo Boo Teik TRENDS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA ISSN 0219-3213 TRS15/21s ISSUE ISBN 978-981-5011-00-5 30 Heng Mui Keng Terrace 15 Singapore 119614 http://bookshop.iseas.edu.sg 9 7 8 9 8 1 5 0 1 1 0 0 5 2021 21-J07781 00 Trends_2021-15 cover.indd 1 8/7/21 12:26 PM TRENDS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA 21-J07781 01 Trends_2021-15.indd 1 9/7/21 8:37 AM The ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute (formerly Institute of Southeast Asian Studies) is an autonomous organization established in 1968. It is a regional centre dedicated to the study of socio-political, security, and economic trends and developments in Southeast Asia and its wider geostrategic and economic environment. The Institute’s research programmes are grouped under Regional Economic Studies (RES), Regional Strategic and Political Studies (RSPS), and Regional Social and Cultural Studies (RSCS). The Institute is also home to the ASEAN Studies Centre (ASC), the Singapore APEC Study Centre and the Temasek History Research Centre (THRC). ISEAS Publishing, an established academic press, has issued more than 2,000 books and journals. It is the largest scholarly publisher of research about Southeast Asia from within the region. ISEAS Publishing works with many other academic and trade publishers and distributors to disseminate important research and analyses from and about Southeast Asia to the rest of the world. 21-J07781 01 Trends_2021-15.indd 2 9/7/21 8:37 AM THE UNREALIZED MAHATHIR-ANWAR TRANSITIONS Social Divides and Political Consequences Khoo Boo Teik ISSUE 15 2021 21-J07781 01 Trends_2021-15.indd 3 9/7/21 8:37 AM Published by: ISEAS Publishing 30 Heng Mui Keng Terrace Singapore 119614 [email protected] http://bookshop.iseas.edu.sg © 2021 ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore All rights reserved.
    [Show full text]
  • Vimpelcom Ltd
    UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 FORM 20-F Registration Statement Pursuant to Section 12(b) or (g) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 OR ⌧ Annual Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2012 OR Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 OR Shell Company Report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Commission File Number: 1-34694 VIMPELCOM LTD. (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter) Bermuda (Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) Claude Debussylaan 88, 1082 MD, Amsterdam, the Netherlands (Address of principal executive offices) Jeffrey D. McGhie Group General Counsel & Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Claude Debussylaan 88, 1082 MD, Amsterdam, the Netherlands Tel: +31 20 797 7200 Fax: +31 20 797 7201 (Name, Telephone, E-mail and/or Facsimile number and Address of Company Contact Person) Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: Title of Each Class Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered American Depositary Shares, or ADSs, each representing one common share New York Stock Exchange Common shares, US$ 0.001 nominal value New York Stock Exchange* * Listed, not for trading or quotation purposes, but only in connection with the registration of ADSs pursuant to the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act: None Indicate the number of outstanding shares of each of the issuer’s classes of capital or common stock as of the close of the period covered by the annual report: 1,628,199,135 common shares, US$ 0.001 nominal value.
    [Show full text]
  • Spectacle Spaces: Production of Caste in Recent Tamil Films
    South Asian Popular Culture ISSN: 1474-6689 (Print) 1474-6697 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rsap20 Spectacle spaces: Production of caste in recent Tamil films Dickens Leonard To cite this article: Dickens Leonard (2015) Spectacle spaces: Production of caste in recent Tamil films, South Asian Popular Culture, 13:2, 155-173, DOI: 10.1080/14746689.2015.1088499 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14746689.2015.1088499 Published online: 23 Oct 2015. Submit your article to this journal View related articles View Crossmark data Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=rsap20 Download by: [University of Hyderabad] Date: 25 October 2015, At: 01:16 South Asian Popular Culture, 2015 Vol. 13, No. 2, 155–173, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14746689.2015.1088499 Spectacle spaces: Production of caste in recent Tamil films Dickens Leonard* Centre for Comparative Literature, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India This paper analyses contemporary, popular Tamil films set in Madurai with respect to space and caste. These films actualize region as a cinematic imaginary through its authenticity markers – caste/ist practices explicitly, which earlier films constructed as a ‘trope’. The paper uses the concept of Heterotopias to analyse the recurrence of spectacle spaces in the construction of Madurai, and the production of caste in contemporary films. In this pursuit, it interrogates the implications of such spatial discourses. Spectacle spaces: Production of caste in recent Tamil films To foreground the study of caste in Tamil films and to link it with the rise of ‘caste- gestapo’ networks that execute honour killings and murders as a reaction to ‘inter-caste love dramas’ in Tamil Nadu,1 let me narrate a political incident that occurred in Tamil Nadu – that of the formation of a socio-political movement against Dalit assertion in December 2012.
    [Show full text]
  • Sri Chakra the Source of the Cosmos
    Sri Chakra The Source of the Cosmos The Journal of the Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam, Rush, NY Blossom 23 Petal 4 December 2018 Blossom 23, Petal 4 I Temple Bulletin 3 N Past Temple Events 4 T Upcoming Temple H Events 6 I 2019 Pocket NEW! S Calender 7 Steps Towards Our I Granite Temple 8 S S Aiya’s Vision 9 U What does Japam do? 11 E The Vedic Grove 13 The Science of the Breath 16 Ganaamritam 18 Gurus, Saints & Sages 22 Naivēdyam Nivēdayāmi 27 Kids Korner! 30 2 Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam • 6980 East River Road • Rush, NY 14543 • Phone: (585) 533 - 1970 Sri Chakra ● December 2018 TEMPLETEMPLETEMPLE BULLETINBULLETINBULLETIN Rajagopuram Project Temple Links Private Homa/Puja Booking: As many of you know, Aiya has been speaking about the need for a more permanent srividya.org/puja sacred home for Devi for a number of years. Over the past 40 years, the Temple has evolved into an important center for the worship of the Divine Mother Rajagopuram Project (Granite Rajarajeswari, attracting thousands of visitors each year from around the world. Temple): It is now time to take the next step in fulfilling Aiya’s vision of constructingan srividya.org/rajagopuram Agamic temple in granite complete with a traditional Rajagopuram. With the grace of the Guru lineage and the loving blessings of our Divine Mother, now is Email Subscriptions: the right time to actively participate and contribute to make this vision a reality. srividya.org/email The new Temple will be larger and will be built according to the Kashyapa Temple Timings: Shilpa Shastra.
    [Show full text]
  • NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SECRETARIAT ———— “QUESTIONS for ORAL ANSWERS and THEIR REPLIES” to Be Asked A
    1 (31st Session) NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SECRETARIAT ———— “QUESTIONS FOR ORAL ANSWERS AND THEIR REPLIES” to be asked at a sitting of the National Assembly to be held on Wednesday, the 13th April, 2016 135. *Mr. Sufyan Yousuf: (Deferred during 29th Session) Will the Minister In-charge of the Climate Change be pleased to state: (a) whether it is a fact that the high level of lead and arsenic found in the Indus River bodies; (b) whether it is also fact that water of said River is being contaminated with the said chemicals; (c) if the answers to parts (a) and (b) above are in the affirmative, the steps taken by the Government in this regard? Transferred to Science and Technology Division for answer on next rota day. 227. *Sahibzada Tariq Ullah: (Deferred during 29th Session) Will the Minister In-charge of the Cabinet Division be pleased to state: (a) the steps taken by the Government for promotion and development of the present tourists spots in the country during the last three years; and (b) whether there is any proposal under consideration of the Government to establish new tourist resorts in the country; if so, the locations thereof? 2 Minister In-charge of the Cabinet Division: (a) The following steps have been taken for promotion of tourism in the country during last three years: 1. To involve youth of country and promotion of tourism in the country, PTDC launched Pakistan Tourism Friends Club. 2. PTDC singed MoUs with University of Management and Technology and King Edward Medical College for joint promotion of tourism in the country.
    [Show full text]
  • The Promise of Ubiquity Mobile As Media Platform in the Global South
    EUROPE THE PROMISE OF UBIQUITY MOBILE AS MEDIA PLATFORM IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH 7 2 2 8 2 8 INTERNEWS EUROPE 3 EUROPE THE PROMISE OF UBIQUITY MOBILE AS MEDIA PLATFORM IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH INTERNEWS EUROPE THE PROMISE OF UBIQUITY Credits Produced by John West for Internews Europe © 2008. All rights reserved. This report is available in PDF online at http://www.internews.eu This publication was generously supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Internews Network. 2 CONTENTS Table of Contents 1. Executive Summary 1 2. Reach – mobile now matches TV in the South 5 2.1. 2006-8 Explosion 5 2.2. Predicted continued growth 6 2.3. Generalised pattern 7 2.4. South not G7, East or Middle East 8 2.5. Least-Developed Countries 9 2.6. The decision-maker’s bubble 10 2.7. A BOP business 11 a) MNOs and the decline of ARPU 11 b) Handset manufacturers 13 c) Government: critical mass of competition 13 3. Case Studies 15 3.1. Ken Banks – FrontlineSMS 15 3.2. Paul Meyer – Voxiva LLC 16 3.3. Jasmine News Service 17 3.4. Emmanuel de Dinechin – Altai Consulting 18 3.5. Jonathan Marks, Critical Distance 19 3.6. Mike Grenville – 160Characters.org 20 3.7. Bobby Soriano – mobile in the Philippines 21 3.8. Illico Elia, Thomson Reuters Mobile Products 22 3.9. Jan Blom, designer, Nokia, Bangalore 23 4. The implications for southern media 25 4.1. Working Conclusions 25 a) If you don’t do it, someone else will 25 b) It’s only just beginning 25 c) Text is everywhere, voice is (surprisingly) nowhere 25 d) Know what you’re offering 25 e) Know Your Market 26 f) It’s tough down the food chain – strike out on your own if you can 26 g) Look Everywhere for the Business Model 26 h) Broadcast point of departure: participation 26 i) Print point of departure: the right snippet of data 26 5.
    [Show full text]
  • Pakistan and the Internet Dr Mohammad Yaseen, Chairman, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA)
    MobileNational paymentMobile development systems access Pakistan and the Internet Dr Mohammad Yaseen, Chairman, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Internet usage in Pakistan is growing, but is still low. The government is encouraging broadband service growth throughout the country and has established a new regulatory framework that better reflects and deals with the challenges that digital technology raises. In addition to changing laws to enable safer transactions on the Internet, Pakistan has promoted a wide variety of measures for e-learning, e-banking, e-governance, e-health, e-crimes and e-commerce that promise to make the Internet an integral part of life in Pakistan. Dr Mohammad Yaseen is the Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). He has produced 30 international and national publications on telecom technologies, ICT growth, strategies and design of telecom networks. Dr Yaseen has represented the PTA at various international and national forums, including the Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT), where he was named Vice Chairman of APT Study Group 2 (Networks). Prior to joining the PTA, Dr Yaseen served as: Director of Strategy at PTCL Pakistan; as Senior Consultant for Advanced Networks and Systems, Australia; as a System and Project Engineer, at Alcatel Submarine Networks Australia; and, as a Senior Research Officer at Essex University, England. Dr Mohammad Yaseen graduated from DCET, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, Pakistan. He was awarded a Government of Pakistan, Ministry of Science and Technology, Scholarship to complete his PhD with specialization in Telecommunication Systems at the University of Essex, England. Today, the Internet and advances in The Internet in Pakistan • TWA 1 (Trans World Associates information and communications technology, Submarine fibre optic cable system).
    [Show full text]