Several Bombs Explode in Jaipur

In a span of 12 minutes, a series of bombs exploded in crowded market areas and near a Hanuman Temple in Jaipur on Tuesday night, killing 60 and injuring 150. Reports vary as to whether six or seven bombs exploded; one was defused prior to detonation.

NDTV:

A senior police officer said that the blasts were of high intensity. The bombs were reported to have been planted on cycles. Four of the blasts took place within a radius of one kilometer.

Bloomberg:

The medium-intensity bombs may have been placed on bicycles about 500 meters (1,640 feet) from each other, police officials said. The bombings are India’s worst since 65 people died when a train to Pakistan was attacked in February 2007.

While no one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, sources at the Indian Home Ministry said that Bangladesh-based Harkut-ul-Jehadi Islami is suspected to be behind the explosions.

My thoughts are with those who are in Jaipur.

Yes, All Good Things Must Come to an End…

…but this really exceeded normal speeds of demise! My tenure with an NGO I previously mentioned connecting with came to an abrupt end a week ago. But fear not, I quickly immersed myself into a new project.

Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace (WISCOMP) facilitates gender sensitive-training, research and praxis in the areas of Conflict Transformation, Security and Peacebulding in South Asia. It was established in 1999 as part of the efforts of the Foundation for Universal Responsibility of His Holiness The Dalai Lama to build a culture of coexistence and nonviolence. Over the next several weeks, I will be assisting the team of women at WISCOMP in hosting an international symposium on Dialogue Processes here in New Delhi. But before I get all poetic and curse this new project, I’ll stop writing while I’m still ahead and enjoying my new job. (I guess living in India for a few months has made me superstitious!)