VIF Neighborhood News Digest: September 11, 2019

PAKISTAN

PM Imran announces 'big jalsa' in Muzaffarabad on Friday: Dawn
September 11, 2019

In a post shared on Twitter, the premier said that the jalsa was in order to "send a message to the world about the continuing siege of [Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir] IOJK by Indian Occupation forces; [and] to show the Kashmiris that Pakistan stands resolutely with them". Since India unilaterally decided to annex occupied Kashmir on August 5 and enforce a lockdown, Prime Minister Imran has repeatedly raised concern about the situation in the disputed region. Click here to read.... [2]

AFGHANISTAN

Govt-Taliban Talks Should Begin As Soon As Possible: Yamamoto: Tolo
September 11, 2019

The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto, on Tuesday briefed the United Nations Security Council on the situation in the country and said the direct talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban must begin as soon as possible. He said the events of recent days and weeks have shown, more than ever, the urgency of finding a political settlement to the long Afghan conflict. Efforts over the past year produced opportunities for peace, he said, adding that conflict can only be resolved by direct talks between Afghan people. Click here to read.... [3]

BANGLADESH

14 Rohingyas held over unauthorized movement in Chittagong: Dhaka Tribune
September 11, 2019

Fourteen Rohingya men have been arrested for unauthorized movement in Chittagong. The incident occurred at Padua Bazar area under Lohagara upazila around 1:30am on Tuesday. The arrestees were all males, aged between 18 to 50 years, confirmed Lohagara police station Officer-in-Charge (investigation) Md Zahir Uddin. Click here to read.... [4]

Myanmar

Rakhine internet blackout protest set for September 30: The Myanmar Times
September 11, 2019

Activists are urging the public not to use the internet on September 30 as part of a nationwide protest against the shutting down of the internet in four townships in northern Rakhine State. The Day 101 Internet Blackout campaign is being spearheaded by the Myanmar Digital Rights Forum. At a press briefing on Monday, Daw Ohmar Khin, director of the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business, said her group has sent letters to government agencies to protest against the internet shutdown in four townships in Rakhine. Click here to read.... [5]

Sri Lanka

PM, Sajith to meet UNF leaders to decide on the candidate: Daily Mirror
September 11, 2019

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and UNP Deputy Leader Sajith Premadasa who met at Temple Trees last night had agreed to meet the constituent parties of the UNF and discuss the candidature of the UNP led alliance at the next presidential elections, informed sources said. Sources said a meeting will be held in few days time between the UNP seniors and the constituent parties of the UNF though a date is not fixed. Click here to read.... [6]

Bhutan

MSPC formalises tshogpa for sustainable collection of medicinal plants: Kuensel
September 11, 2019

Unsustainable harvesting of medicinal herbs in the highlands is threatening the long-term survival of traditional medicine in the country. This is the concern. An association so, called Tsherem Yuegyal Ngomen Tshogpa, was formed years ago in Lingzi, Thimphu to strengthen the collection of medicinal plants in the gewog. But, alas, it has largely been a dormant group until very recently. A new lease of life had to be given the group and it did receive last week, at long last. It, the group, was formalised. This means the tshogpa now has a clear mandate and direction. Click here to read.... [7]

Nepal

Nepal disapproves of Washington's Indo-Pacific Strategy, Beijing says: The Kathmandu Post
September 11, 2019

Hours after Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi wrapped up his three-day Nepal visit, a series of statements released by Beijing said Kathmandu disapproves of the Indo-Pacific strategy, potentially creating a new diplomatic debacle for the ruling Nepal Communist Party. In five separate statements released by China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, the Chinese government said Nepal has termed the ongoing agitation in Hong Kong as China’s internal affairs and all five key Nepali leaders—President Bidya Devi Bhandari, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali, Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and NCP Co-chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal—assured Wang that Nepal strictly adheres to one-China policy and will not allow external forces to promote anti-China activities in the country. Click here to read.... [8]

China

Xi meets representatives of outstanding units, individuals in education circles: People's Daily
September 11, 2019

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday met with representatives of outstanding units and individuals in education circles at the Great Hall of the People, extending Teachers' Day greetings to teachers and workers in education circles across the country. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, shook hands with the representatives and joined them for a group photo. Click here to read.... [9]

US act adding fuel to the Hong Kong fire: China Daily
September 11, 2019

One country paying attention to another country's human rights conditions and helping it promote human rights may not be a bad thing, because human rights are universal values and the common goal of the people of all countries. But what measures should a country take to protect and promote human rights are absolutely its own business, because only that country has the right and duty to safeguard human rights within its boundaries. Click here to read.... [10]

The world watches but will it stand with Hong Kong protesters?: South China Morning Post
September 11, 2019

“Stand with Hong Kong, stand with Hong Kong,” the protesters chanted in a sea of American flags. The chants came from thousands of people who marched from Chater Garden to the US Consulate in the city on Saturday to call on Washington to back the proposed Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. Click here to read.... [11]