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October 20, 2005 Dear Friends, On March 30, 2005, the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) launched a new online newsletter focusing on hunger issues in urban and rural India. TRISHNA, a fortnightly e-newsletter, draws connections between hunger and starvation in India with problems of livelihood, landlessness, displacement, shortages of natural resources and the rule of law. It is especially concerned with the effects of these problems on Dalit and tribal communities, in both rural and urban areas. Hunger in India is not so much an economic issue as a social and political one. The majority of people who are victims of hunger and malnutrition belong to Dalit and tribal communities. It is ironic that in the areas of India richest in natural resources, the people are the poorest. This is no accident. It is the result of the age-old caste system, and the rigid social barriers in India that exclude millions from being recognized as human beings. This has been compounded by changes in modern economic structures that have had the effect of further denying these millions basic human rights. Despite the numerous government schemes intended to benefit these persons, in practice they continue to live in daily hunger. At the same time, increasing pressures on the government are causing it to withdraw from what limited programmes for social uplift it has at present. TRISHNA presently consists of fortnightly news on these issues, including Hunger Alerts and Urgent Appeals, statements by the AHRC, articles by concerned authors, and a selection of related news from other sources. The newsletter currently averages about six articles per issue. In hopes to develop our publication and readership further, and to increase our network, the AHRC invites interested persons concerned with hunger, malnutrition, starvation and other related right to food issues in India to contribute original work to the e-newsletter. Contributions can be made in a variety of forms that broadly include articles and essays that provide analysis and/or commentary on the hunger situation, as well as pictures and poems. Please keep each submission between 500 and 1000 words. Thank you kindly for your support. If you have any further questions or comments, please contact us at: Asian Human Rights Commission Yours Sincerely, Payal Rajpal ---------------------------------------------------
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