Neighborhood News Digest – 09 June 2023

Afghanistan

The Growing Threat of the Islamic State in Afghanistan and South Asia – United States Institute of Peace

When the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021, counterterrorism experts were alarmed at the possible resurgence of Islamist terrorist groups within the country. This Special Report lays out why those concerns, particularly about the regional Islamic State affiliate known as Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), were well-founded. Click here to read... [2]

Bomb explodes in Afghanistan during a memorial ceremony for a Taliban official – The Indian Express

A bomb exploded Thursday in Afghanistan’s northeastern Badakhshan province during a memorial ceremony for a deputy governor who was killed in another blast two days earlier, a Taliban official said. The latest explosion occurred near Nabawi mosque during a funeral for Mawlavi Nisar Ahmad Ahmadi, the deputy governor of Badakhshan. He was killed by a car bomb on Tuesday alongside of his driver in Faizabad, the capital of Badakhshan. Click here to read... [3]

Jaishankar floats idea of multiple entry visa after meeting Afghan Sikh refugees – Hindustan Times

Jaishankar was accompanied by Delhi BJP leaders, including state president Virendra Sachdeva in his visit to Guru Arjan Dev Gurdwara. External affairs minister S Jaishankar on Thursday met Afghan Sikh refugees in Delhi as a part of BJP’s outreach campaign on nine years of the Modi government, and said there is “a good case” of providing multiple entry visa to those who want to go back to Afghanistan to tend to their properties and gurdwaras. Click here to read... [4]

Bangladesh

Bangladesh success story turns sour, now at huge risk from inflation, dollar crunc and severe fuel shortages - Telegraph India

Bangladesh has gone from being a global “basketcase” – Henry Kissinger’s words – to being hailed as an emerging Asian tiger. But now, South Asia’s standout economic success story has hit the buffers. Inflation’s at multi-year highs, growth is slowing, foreign-exchange reserves have rapidly shrunk and there rampant corruption. Click here to read... [5]

Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh camps protest demanding repatriation to Myanmar - Arab News

Tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh protested on Thursday, demanding to be repatriated to Myanmar, so they can leave behind the squalid camps that they have lived in since fleeing a brutal military crackdown in their homeland in 2017. More than a million Rohingya are crammed in the camps in southeastern Bangladesh, which have become the world’s largest refugee settlement. Click here to read... [6]

Bhutan

India–EU conference: Identifying concrete projects in India’s northeast, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan – Dhaka Tribune

India and the European Union (EU) are exploring connectivity investments and identifying concrete projects in India's north-eastern states and Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan for implementation. India's Ministry of External Affairs, the EU Delegation to India, and the Asian Confluence jointly organized the India–EU Connectivity Conference in Meghalaya recently. Click here to read... [7]

Demo project shows Bhutan’s potential in solar energy - Kuensel

The 11.7-kilowatt solar panels installed in the campus of Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (MoENR) generated 19,753 units of energy in kWh as of May 26. On average the solar panels have generated 897.8 units of energy in a month which is enough to power eight rural residential consumers, 10 highlander consumers, and three urban consumers in a month, considering the average monthly energy consumption per consumer data from Bhutan Power Corporation (BPC). Click here to read... [8]

Maldives

Fourth Session of Sri Lanka-Maldives Joint Commission successfully concluded - Adadarena

The Fourth Session of Sri Lanka - Maldives Joint Commission, co-chaired by Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, and and his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid, was successfully concluded on 07 June 2023 in Colombo. The ministerial meeting was preceded by the Meeting of Senior Officials held on 06 June 2023 which was co-chaired by Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Yasoja Gunasekara and Secretary, Bilateral Affairs of the Foreign Ministry of the Maldives Hala Hameed. The Joint Commission focused on further expanding bilateral cooperation in a number of areas including trade and investment, tourism, employment, fisheries, education, health, and cultural cooperation between the two countries. Click here to read... [9]

UK launches process to negotiate trade deal with the Republic of Maldives - Gov.uk

The UK has today [8 June] launched an eight-week call for input in preparation to negotiate a goods-only Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the Republic of Maldives, inviting business, organisations and individuals to help shape the UK’s negotiating aims. Maldives is one of the few countries in the Commonwealth which the UK is not already pursuing an FTA with or does not already have preferential access to the UK market. Click here to read... [10]

Myanmar

Myanmar Junta Bans Dollars for Border Trade With China - The Irrawaddy

In a bid to reduce its dependence on US dollars, Myanmar’s military regime has made it mandatory for exporters and importers to use yuan in trade transactions with China. The order, issued on June 1 by the junta-controlled Foreign Exchange Supervisory Committee, requires traders to open yuan accounts in local banks if they want permits for cross-border transactions. Click here to read... [11]

Despite U.S. Embargo, Israeli Arms Maker Sent Equipment to Myanmar - Haaretz

An Israeli arms producer has provided Myanmar with equipment to manufacture arms despite the genocide being conducted against the Rohingya people in the country and the arms embargo imposed by the United States and European Union on Myanmar. Documents revealing the shipments were published Thursday by the Justice for Myanmar organization and Israeli human rights attorney Eitay Mack. Click here to read... [12]

“Our Numbers Are Dwindling”: Myanmar’s Post-Coup Crackdown on Lawyers - HRW

Since the February 1, 2021 military coup in Myanmar, the State Administration Council (SAC) junta has arbitrarily detained thousands of anti-coup activists and critics in mass arrests and prosecuted them in summary trials that fall far short of international standards. Among those wrongfully convicted are protesters, journalists, human rights defenders, and politicians from the ousted National League for Democracy (NLD) party. Click here to read... [13]

Attacks on Health Care in Myanmar (17-30 May 2023) - Relief Web

At least 139 attacks on Myanmar's health care system have been documented by Insecurity Insight between 01 January-16 May 2023. Explore this interactive map to see where incidents were reported, who the perpetrators were and the weapons used. The map does not yet include incidents reported in this News Brief. Click here to read... [14]

Nepal

Fifth Indo-Nepal Friendship Meet organised in Siliguri – Millennium Post

With the aim to promote cross border tourism, the 5th edition of Indo-Nepal Friendship meet was organised in Siliguri by the Consulate General of Nepal in association with Association for Conservation and Tourism (ACT) and Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC). Eshor Raj Poudel, Consulate General of Nepal, Kolkata said, “Such meets are important to cement ties and boost tourism in these two regions. We sincerely hope that it will yield the desired results.” Click here to read... [15]

Nepal's leader from pro-Hindu opposition group welcomes energy agreements signed during PM Prachanda’s visit to India - Devdiscourse

A senior leader of Nepal's pro-Hindu opposition group Rastriya Prajatantra Party has welcomed the signing of agreements in the energy sector with India during Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda's' visit, saying it's a ''very good thing'' for the country's economic prosperity. Click here to read... [16]

Pakistan

Pakistan high court grants Imran Khan protective bail in SC lawyer’s murder case; reserves verdict on 8 other bail petitions – Indian Express

A Pakistan high court on Thursday granted protective bail to former premier Imran Khan in a case registered against him for the murder of a senior lawyer and reserved its verdict on bail petitions filed by Khan in eight other cases. Khan, 70, was named in the killing of Supreme Court lawyer Abdul Razzaq Shar, who was shot dead in Quetta on June 6 by unknown gunmen. Click here to read... [17]

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan militants attack security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; 2 policemen, bank guard dead – The Telegraph Online

Two Pakistani policemen and a bank security guard were killed on Thursday when gunmen of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan opened fire at the security forces in the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, authorities said. The militants shot dead two on-duty police constables at a vegetable market in Mingora city, the capital of Swat district, while the security guard of a private bank, injured in the firing by the gunmen, succumbed to injuries later. Click here to read... [18]

Pakistan Army: A top military commander sacked; hints at mutiny within? – Financial Express

As the military is grappling with violent protests and breakdowns, there are multiple reports which hint at growing internal strife among the top military corps commanders. While a failed coup surfaced, another is on the horizon, reports suggest. Click here to read... [19]

Sri Lanka

Expert’s Take: Six ways Sri Lanka’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security will support women during crises - Asia Pacific UN Women

This is the premise of Sri Lanka’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, adopted in February and ceremonially launched on 8 March: to understand the specific needs that women and girls face during such times, and to ensure that laws and policies protect their rights. Below are six ways that the National Action Plan, supported by UN Women and the Government of Japan, will support women and girls who are most marginalized during and in the aftermath of conflict and crises. Click here to read... [20]

Sri Lanka to possibly sign free trade agreement with Thailand by March 2024 - Tamil Guardian

Speaking to Reuters, an official stated that Sri Lanka and Thailand could potentially sign a free trade agreement (FTA) by March 2024. Negotiations between Thailand and Sri Lanka resumed in January. K.J. Weerasinghe, Sri Lanka's chief FTA negotiator, stated, "there will be several more rounds of talks, but I am confident we can conclude the agreement for signature by March 2024." According to Sri Lanka's central bank data, trade between Thailand in 2021 was about $460 million. Sri Lankan exports to Thailand primarily consist of tea and precious stones. Imports from Thailand include food, plastics, rubber, electronic equipment, and pharmaceuticals. Click here to read... [21]

Sri Lanka will slash drug prices of 60 essential drugs by 16% - Tamil Gaurdian

Starting 15 June Sri Lanka will reduce prices for 60 essential drugs by 16%. In 2022 the island plunged into a financial crisis that resulted in a shortage of essential drugs and increased drug prices. According to Health Minister, Keheliya Rambukwella, the appreciation of the Sri Lankan rupee by about 24% has allowed the government to reduce the prices of 60 essential drugs. Rambukwella told reporters, "During the height of the crisis we had to raise prices. There was no choice. Some drug prices were increased by 97%. There were shortages of important drugs but now the currency has appreciated so we are passing that benefit onto consumers." Click here to read... [22]