Commonwealth
Opinion
August 1947: The wounds are yet raw
By Syed Badrul Ahsan The Pakistan International Airlines aircraft flying from Karachi to Dhaka in early February 1968 dipped low over Calcutta. The pilot made it a point to inform passengers of the landmarks over which the aircraft flew. My father, in a state of clear...
Understanding India’s approach to the Russia-Ukraine war: realpolitik
By James Chiriyankandath (Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London)[1] It is four months since Russia launched its offensive against Ukraine, the start of the bloodiest war in Europe since the Second World War, a conflict that has turned Russia into a...
The Commonwealth at a crossroads
By Sue Onslow Director, Institute of Commonwealth Studies After a delay of two years, the Commonwealth heads of government are meeting in Kigali this week. The organisation itself is at a crossroads: leading Commonwealth civil society organisations have voiced their...
Is the Commonwealth getting its message out?
By Mischa Manderson Mills Like many international organisations, the Commonwealth Secretariat (ComSec) is undergoing a mid-life identity crisis. The world has changed radically since its formation some 60 years ago, and it is way past time for ComSec to look inwards...
Sri Lanka: Freedom of Expression in a Time of Crisis
By Rehab Mahamoor Sri Lanka is in the throes of its worst economic crises in history. With depleted foreign reserves making debt unserviceable and putting capital markets out of reach, Sri Lankans are bearing the brunt of heavy inflation, and a scarcity of essential...
Conservation and security – the question of militarisation of anti-poaching
By Keith Somerville The problem of how to combat poaching, conserve habitat and wildlife without abusing the human rights or destroying the livelihoods of local communities is a complex and highly controversial one. From David Sheldrick’s and Bill Woodley’s...
At “tipping point”: New report signals limited drive within the Home Office properly to address the Windrush scandal
By Juanita Cox, Eve Hayes de Kalaf In a much anticipated independent review published on the Windrush scandal last week, Wendy Williams warns that the Home Office is at “tipping point” and must maintain momentum to ensure systemic and cultural change. As early...
Commonwealth voices call on governments to end media repression and join open dialogue on democratic standards
The Commonwealth and media freedom: Where do we stand?, 27 April 2022 https://www.sas.ac.uk/videos-and-podcasts/digital/commonwealth-and-media-freedom-where-do-we-stand (with audio recording), Report on the Event, 3 May 2022 Ahead of the Commonwealth Peoples Forum...
Women journalists trolled and targeted: India
By Nupur Basu (Independent journalist, award winning documentary film maker, and educator from India.) On World Press Freedom Day, May 3, 2022, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) came out with a numbing statistic on India. It ranked India at 150 out of 180 countries in...
Conservationists look for new ways of combating rhino poaching as South African poachers go back to work
By Keith Somerville In recent weeks three announcements have highlighted the continuing danger to South Africa’s black and white rhinos from poaching, and the search for means to fund rhino conservation. South Africa’s environment minister gave the annual poaching...
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