I admit I was slightly relieved when our armored car got stuck in a thick pool of mud about a quarter of a mile down the jungle road that led to the minefield. I had arrived in Sri Lanka just two days earlier, and everyone told me that a visit to the former conflict area of Kilinochchi was essential to understanding the Northern Sri Lankan experience. I, however, was growing increasingly nervous as our bumpy ride brought us closer to the fields where the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTE) and Sri Lankan military buried tens of thousands of compact but powerful mines as they advanced and retreated through the lives and lands of rural farmers during Sri Lanka's 27-year civil war. After all, our wonderful hosts at The HALO Trust had just finished recounting the alarming frequency of mine discovery in Kilinochchi: they dug more mines out of the ground in Sri Lanka during the first… more »
Western Uttar Pradesh was once seen as the world's largest reservoir of polio virus. Four districts, namely Moradabad, Bareilly, Rampur and Badaun, were considered the "Hot 4" and for many years, people speculated that the last polio cases would be from these districts. But the skeptics were wrong. The districts pulled together, involved all ministries, not just the health sector, and held everyone accountable for performance. The District Magistrates took charge and became personally involved in solving any obstacles that would crop up. Vacant medical officer positions were filled and progress was monitored closely.
Across India messages travelled the TV and radio airways. Celebrities and sports legends lent their support. Rotarians urged everyone to participate, provided much needed financing, and rolled up their sleeves to help out during the campaigns. CORE and… more »
Razor wire pierces the orange sky as we drive through Kabul's haze and rush hour traffic to the Afghan National Institute of Music (ANIM). For the second year in a row, ANIM is hosting famed Afghan and international musicians for its "Winter Music Academy," an opportunity for the students to work with master teachers. Tonight, the wide community of ANIM's supporters -- including representatives from the U.S. Embassy's Public Affairs Section, which funds both the winter academy and ongoing Access English micro-scholarships -- has the delight of hearing these masters in concert. In the front row are representatives from the World Bank, and after the first song -- Henri Duparc's "L'invitation au voyage," sung by Kabul-born artist Mashal Arman -- one whispers to another, "You are in Kabul, not Paris. Kabul! Can you believe it?"
2011 was an eventful year for all of us working in South and Central Asia. I've had the opportunity to reflect on the year and wanted to single out a few highlights. Secretary Clinton's visit to India in July advanced our ongoing strategic dialogue and underscored the continued growth in the U.S.-India partnership. Similarly, her visit to Central Asia in October affirmed our strong commitment to seeing a more prosperous and secure region that helps to bolster the stability of Afghanistan. We witnessed the first ever peaceful democratic transition of power in Central Asia when President Otunbayeva -- a recipient of… more »
On December 20, the U.S. Embassy Kabul's Public Affairs Section completed a 10-day outreach and engagement program with prominent Muslim-American businesswoman and magazine owner, Ms. Tayyibah Taylor, on the theme of entrepreneurship. During this period, the program reached nearly 500 Afghan men and women -- in face-to-face engagements with audiences that ranged from uneducated merchants and artisans, university students and emerging entrepreneurs, to sophisticated, urban businesswomen, civil society organizations, community leaders, and provincial council members.
Ms. Taylor traveled to four provinces in support of this program: Kabul; Kapisa in the north; Nangarhar in the east; and Kandahar in the south. Ms. Taylor's program underscores the State Department's objectives of expanding women's economic empowerment, particularly in South Central Asia, where Ambassador… more »
Dear Mr. Ford, Thank you for your support to the Syrian people. As you well know, the Asad regime is intent on using all means of violence, including…
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Spokesperson Nuland (Feb. 10): "We will have more of this declassified U.S. national available both on Robert's site in coming days but also on our new site www.stateondemand.com, where news organizations can find all of our content to pull down around the world. more »
Secretary Clinton (Feb. 9): "I want to underscore how confident we are in Italy, in Italy's future, in the extraordinary commitment that Prime Minister Monti and his government are bringing to the challenges confronting the Italian people..." more »
![A female deminer places a disarmed landmine in the safety area of a minefield in Kilinochchi in the northern peninsula of Sri Lanka, February 24, 2004. [AP Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0127_sri_lanka_deminin1_m.jpg)
![An Indian health worker administers a polio drop to a newborn at Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya in New Delhi, India, January 13, 2012. [AP Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0124_polio_india_m.jpg)
![Musicians perform at the Afghan National Institute of Music in Kabul, Afghanistan, January 2012. [U.S. Embassy photo/ Public Domain]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0118_kabul_music_m.jpg)
![Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Robert O. Blake, former U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka, meets with members of civil society in Kilinochchi, Sri Lanka, on May 3, 2011. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0115_blake_sca_srilanka_m.jpg)
