Conference Set On South Asian Human Rights

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- South Asia recently has become one of the most promising regions in the world because of its economical vitality and investment possibilities, although the state of the common people has remained unchanged for decades due to regional conflicts, religious intolerance, widespread poverty, illiteracy and unemployment.

These issues will be addressed in a conference on South Asian Human Rights Awareness to be held from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. April 16 and 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. April 17 in the Student Union Theater on the University at Buffalo North (Amherst) Campus.

Sponsors will include the Undergraduate Student Association (SA), Department of American Studies, Asian Studies Program, Pakistan SA, Indian SA and Bangladesh SA, all at UB.

Presentations and panel discussions will be held on the state of women in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal, as well as on the issues of child labor, health, education and the environmental threat to the well-being of the children in these areas.

Sessions also will be held on crime, punishment and the process of law, as well as the problems of the common people.

o Kailash C. Lall, president of the Hindu Cultural Society and president of the Association of Asian Physicians

The registration fee is $25 for faculty and guests and $10 for graduate students. Conference papers and findings will be published in book form and will be available for $5 to the participants at a later date if ordered at the conference. Afterward, it will be available for $7 plus shipping and handling.

For more information, contact Faizan, event coordinator in the UB Department of American Studies, at 645-2546 or via e-mail at haq@acsu.buffalo.edu