Chowraha

The global food crisis has swerved many countries' progress towards decline. African countries are amongst the worst hit by the crisis and the development that had taken place in many of its countries is being adversely affected in recent months.  Ethiopia, ranked amongst the world's 10 least developed countries, is hit by its most severe calamity ever. Conditions prevailing from its 2003 food crisis and the ones before, have only been coupled with new challenges to present a far worst situation for the Ethiopians.  International aid organization, Oxfam, calls the current Ethiopian food situation a "a toxic cocktail." One of the world's hungriest nations, Ethiopia has always faced trouble with drought causing its entire crops to fail. This time around these have been met with spiking energy prices and global inflation.  If 10 pounds of corn flour cost 'x' amount of money three years ago, the cost is multiplied by five this time around. All Ethiopians, may ...

Various news clippings, blogs, alerts from human rights organizations around the world are speaking of a woman illegally abducted along with her three young children by American and Pakistani Intelligence and now facing trial in the United States. How did she reach this stage where there seems to be a ray of hope for her tragedy? Purely thanks to the voices that rose around the world asking where and how Dr. Afia was. Not only do we now know where Dr. Afia is but also recently the US officials have admitted to detaining one of her children in their custody. Unfortunately, even now, it is unclear where the other children are.     Dr. Afia was ‘lost‘for almost five years from the face of earth as far as her family, friends, sympathisers and the general public was concerned. An MIT grad with a PhD in neurology, she returned in Feb 2003 to Pakistan, with her children aged between three and a half months and 7 years,   after residing in the United States for almost 10 years. At this point...

May it be economic situation, political dilemmas or the sad reality of a hegemonic world, there are countries surrendering their innocent citizens to the global power so they could win favors in return. Caught in between these power-based bargains are families of men and women, and in this case even three young children.   Dr. Afia has been ‘lost‘ for five years from the face of earth as far as her family, friends, sympathisers and the general public is concerned. In the last month, after hundreds and thousands of people protesting across the globe, and human rights organizations taking up the cause there are some talks about the mother who was kidnapped by FBI and Pakistani Intelligence along with her three children.     Dr. Afia Siddiqui, an MIT grad with a PhD in neurology, decided to return to Pakistan with her children in 2002 after living in the United States for over a decade.    Her uncle in a letter that recently appeared in reputable Pakistani newspaper “Dawn” recolle...