Boston area screening of ‘Democracy in Debt’ documentary, Sunday 24 November

Posted on November 22, 2024 by beenasarwar

COMMUNITY INVITE: If you are in the Boston area, you are invited to a screening of my documentary film ‘Democracy in Debt: Sri Lanka Beyond the Headlines’ (25 min), followed by a discussion, at the Cambridge Public Library on Sunday 24 November, 2-4 pm. If you are not here or unable to join, please tell people you know who might like to:

‘Democracy in Debt: Sri Lanka Beyond the Headlines’ 
A film by Beena Sarwar
Sunday 24 November, 2-4 pm
At Cambridge Public Library.

 Trailer: ‘Democracy in Debt: Sri Lanka Beyond the Headlines’ 

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The film will be followed by a discussion moderated by Pratyush Bharati of the Boston South Asian Coalition. Discussants include Bangladesh origin activist Hayat Imam of the Massachusetts Peace Action, Sri Lankan human rights lawyer Thyagi Ruwapathirana, a fellow at the Harvard Law School, and the filmmaker Beena Sarwar, a journalist and peace activist from Pakistan.

The film, supported by the Pulitzer Center, has been screened in over 60 locations in some 16 countries across 5 continents so far, followed by engaged discussions on the issues it raises. More information here. 

The event is free and open to the public. RSVP here.

Hosted by the Southasia Peace Action Network and Sapan News Network in collaboration with the Boston South Asian Coalition and South Asia Center, Boston

Those wishing to watch the film through the Global Community Screenings series are welcome to participate by filling in the form at this link. 

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Filed under: Culture, Progressive politics, Resistance, Southasia | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

How can India and Pakistan ‘win without fighting’?

Posted on November 19, 2024 by beenasarwar

The keynote speaker at TCF Boston fundraiser this year was Indian – and it wasn’t ‘bad news’. On the contrary. Check out Shashi Buluswar‘s cricket documentary that I’ve included in the article. Plus a discussion with ‘peacemongers’ hosted by a center in Kolkata the same day. Why can’t our political leaders take a leaf from Mani Shankar Aiyar’s relationship with his old friend Javed Jabbar, a self-proclaimed “chauvinist and narrow-minded Pakistani” — they disagree on almost everything yet are “the closest of friends”. (Note: for more photos, go to the piece published on Sapan News)

Shashi Buluswar: Cross-border solidarity. Photo by Bobby Guliani/Corporate Photographers

PERSONAL POLITICAL
By Beena Sarwar

“By now you will have got the bad news,” said the keynote speaker after being introduced. “I’m Indian”.

There was laughter and warm applause from the largely Pakistani or Pakistani-origin audience.

Not only was it not ‘bad news’, but the speaker’s support for the cause he was advocating for, beyond borders and boundaries, was even more appreciated because of his Indian origin.

Going by the media – and social media – you’d think we all hate each other. Not true.

Continue reading →

Filed under: Cricket, Education, Pakistan-India, Peace, Politics | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

A South Asia theatre festival in Boston

Posted on September 23, 2024 by beenasarwar

Off-Kendrik started over 16 years ago, “committed to building a broad platform for South Asian theatre groups and the next generation of South Asian Americans through theatre and storytelling”. 

PERSONAL POLITICAL
By Beena Sarwar

I went to see ‘Madho’ last night with my mother at the Third South Asia Theatre festival, SAATh 2024, in the Boston area. A musical play set in Lahore, it is written and directed by Sarbpreet Singh, an engineer by profession whose passion is music and storytelling.

Continue reading →

Filed under: Art and activism | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Pakistan Hazara genocide and NotreDame: Waiting for Jacinda?

Posted on April 16, 2019 by beenasarwar

Hazara sitin-Qta-ABNA

The Hazara community’s sit-in, Quetta, protesting their target killing. Photo: IRNA

Had the Hazaras who were killed in a bomb blast in Quetta died in the Notre Dame fire instead, there might be more outrage about their persecution and targeted killing in Pakistan, comments a designer friend disgusted by the apathy of Pakistan’s elites to the Hazara community’s ongoing sit-in, braving the rain and cold of Quetta while his “timeline is on fire with pix of the burning cathedral and people’s pictures in front of it”. Continue reading →

Filed under: 'War on terror', Afghanistan, Balochistan, Human rights, Interfaith, Islam, Terrorism, Violence in the name of religion | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

The common sense of a socialist trucker in Boston

Posted on August 31, 2017 by beenasarwar

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“Defend Moslems. Stop Trump.”

He’s not shouting or holding up placards. Just sitting atop a green box by the Park Street Station at Boston Common, hands clasped around knees drawn up to his body. Wearing a bicycle helmet, purple rimmed reflector sunglasses, black t-shirt and shorts, sneakers.

“Stop racism,” he says to no one in particular.

I turn back to talk to him, and later notice the posters on the wall a few feet away from where he’s sitting. Fight for Socialism. Rent Control. Fight Fascism. Continue reading →

Filed under: Progressive politics, Resistance | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

A migrant’s tragedy and a heartwarming response

Posted on February 26, 2014 by beenasarwar

Photo from her charred Pakistani passport

Not a ‘Jane Doe’: Photo from her charred Pakistani passport

Some days ago, a woman died in a fire in Cambridge, MA. The media initially reported that she was in her mid-30s, but within hours, the local Pakistani and Indian community was abuzz with the news that she was a Pakistani, in her 50s. They identified her as Farzana Khan, who lived completely alone here as her entire family was in Pakistan. It was moving to see how many people were concerned and wanted to help. When I sent the report below to The News in Pakistan a couple of days after the incident, the medical examiner still hadn’t managed to get a close friend or relative to identify the body. Until then, she had to be kept in the morgue although she was not quite a ‘Jane Doe’. As word of the dilemma spread, a Pakistan origin couple in the Boston area whose children she had looked after briefly,  Continue reading →

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Upcoming speaking engagements in the Boston area

Posted on March 24, 2011 by beenasarwar

Upcoming public events in the Boston area that I’m participating in:

“Religion, Politics and the Rule of Law in South Asia”: Thursday, March 24, 2011 • 5:30 – 7:00 pm •  Carr Center Conference Room (Rubenstein Building, Floor 2, Room 219) • Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge, MA

Noam Chomsky and Beena Sarwar: Days of Hope and Challenge: Thursday, April 14, 2011 • 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm • Boston University Law Auditorium • 767 Commonwealth Ave. • followed by reception at Sherman Union Backcourt • Boston

Boston Cares: April Social Cinema program: Screening of the documentary Bhutto (chronicling the life of Benazir Bhutto) • followed by discussion • Independent Lens series hosted in partnership with ITVS Community Cinema and City Year • Tuesday, April 19, 2011 • 6:00-8:00PM • Lavine Civic Forum in the City Year Headquarter building • 287 Columbus Avenue, Boston, MA 02116

Filed under: Progressive politics | Tagged: , , , , , , | 4 Comments »