When Indigenous Girls are Raped and Assaulted in Bangladesh, a Queen Rises Up in Solidarity

(GV) – On January 22, 2018, two sisters aged 19 and 14 from the indigenous Marma community were allegedly raped by members of security forces in the Rangamati district within the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) region in southeast Bangladesh. Reportedly, a joint security team consisting of the Bangladesh Army and Bangladesh Ansar (paramilitary auxiliary force) personnel were raiding the indigenous Marma village of Orachari in Rangamati District’s Belaichari Upazila on January 22. During the raid, two stray members of the team entered a Marma home early in the morning and…

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Mental illness and gun laws: What you may not know about the complexities

United States (Conversation) – Every time the country is shaken by a tragic mass shooting and the loss of innocent lives, the same debates are repeated. Besides sending thoughts and prayers for the victims, a common theme – especially when the shooter is not a Muslim – is discussing warning signs of mental illness, and its role in the actions of the murderer. Mental illness is often scapegoated to deflect public outrage about access to assault rifles that can kill tens of people in a matter of minutes. During these…

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