News Wrap
AGD

The labourers In J and K are neglected and exploited. The laws meant to protect their rights and entitlements are violated. The labour force is suffering long working hours, poor working conditions, meagre wages and no healthcare facilities. Besides factory owners, the labour laws are being violated by the Jammu and Kashmir government itself. Labourers in the government sector are ad hoc or contractual employees, earning monthly wages of Rs 1500 only, which no way qualifies under the Minimum Wages Act (1948). ASHA and Angandwadi Workers, daily rated casual workers, and need based contractual labourers are still not under the umbrella of laws, which are supposed to safeguard their rights. The construction workers of J and K are deprived of their rights under the Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act (1996), which J and K state adopted in 2006. The implementation of the Act has been delayed, as the Statutory Construction Workers Welfare Board was constituted in 2007, which remained non functional till 2010. There is no scheme to identify labourers from different communities, in order to provide benefits of working conditions and insurance. Child labourers who assist local traders work for twelve hours every day. The labourers who hail from outside J and K exceed the locals numerically, but they are more deprived. Migrant labourers and local workers, who are injured at work, are denied exgratia relief and life insurance benefits. The 21 union labour laws and three state laws have failed to cover labour demands.

Myanmar’s Rohingyas
For over two decades, Rohingya Muslims of Myanmar’s Rakhine state, bordering Bangladesh have been demanding recognition in Myanmar, as an indigenous ethnic group, with full citizenship by birthright, and claiming a centuries old lineage in Rakhine. Citizenship in Myanmar is denied to them, as the Myanmar government regards them as illegal immigrants. Bangladesh is not granting refugee status to the Rohingyas refugees since 1992. Since the last two months there has been an outbreak in sectarian violence in western Myanmar. In May 2012, a young Buddhist girl was raped and killed in Rakhine state, allegedly by three muslim men. Printed pamphlets appeared around the city of Sittwe, blaming Muslims for the attack. On 03 June 2012, a Buddhist mob pulled from a bus, a group of Muslims returning from a religious gathering, killing ten and setting a chain of other attacks. Later three Muslim men were arrested in connection with the rape and killing of the Buddhist girl. Authorities imposed curfew in the Rakhine state capital of Sittwe and three other townships. Muslims protested in Yangon, for justice in the bus attacks. The Buddhists counter-protested, urged on by Internet commentary. The violence between Buddhists and minority muslims, have left at least thirty people dead, and hundreds of homes burned. Bangladesh has been turning away numerous boats, carrying thousands of Rohingya Muslims, feeling violence in neighbouring Myanmar. Some refugees trying to ship into Bangladesh has allegedly been wounded by gunfire from Myanmar Security Forces.
The Rakhine violence occurred just a few weeks after protests broke out in Myanmar, over insufficient electricity supplies. The rapid increase in protest activity in Myanmar over recent months, has been made easier by loosened restrictions on public gatherings, and wider access to the Internet. The Myanmar leaders have adopted a high degree of openness concerning Rakhine state. Refugee camps have been opened at monasteries. Doctors and security forces have been rushed.

Austerity Drive and Social Costs