Feedback on India's Women's Reservation Bill, West Papua and other issues

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India's Women's Reservation Bill clears first hurdle

The Women's Reservation Bill should not be passed in any form. The parliament as an instrument of the government owes its legitimacy by being elected by the people. By denying some people the right to get elected, just because of their gender, parliament loses its legitimacy. – Amartya Talukdar, India

West Papua's indigenous population under threat

I understand that West Papua was a Dutch colony until it was handed to Indonesia by the United Nations. The Indonesians have paid scant regard to the needs and rights of the West Papuans. Given the Indonesians' performance, surely it would be sensical to take it away and grant it independence from Indonesia. – Neale Siebert, Germany

West Papua should never have been ceded to Indonesia. The people are not Indonesians. But stupidity by the Dutch government and economic pressure doomed these people. It should have been ceded to Australia. The natives will be extinct soon. – Josephus Hap, Canada

Business bridges gap between Xiamen and Taiwan

At the end of this article, you quote a mainland PRC woman on the subject of Taiwan. "Our strategy is to dazzle Taiwan economically," says one woman. "We will have such close economic relations that Taiwan will be dependent and won’t be able to get rid of the mother country." It sounds like a very clear articulation of China’s strategy not only for Taiwan, but indeed for most of the world and in particular the US and other Western countries, whose politicians are willing to sell out the long-term interests and future of their own countries for the sake of the short-term profits of big business. – Victoria, US

A nuclear-free world: A dream close to reality?

I think it is a good idea for mankind, but to convince others of his sincerity, Obama must close Guantanamo, abolish torture and retreat from Iraq and Afghanistan, and perhaps cut the US military budget to perhaps one third of the rest of the world combined. Is this too much? – Mario, Portugal

India eyes higher growth in next fiscal year

If the world can solve the problems in the Af-Pak region, mainly emanating from Pakistan, then the growth rate of India would be even higher. This will spurn the growth rate of stagnant nations like Germany and other European countries and the US. The infrastructure and industrialization of the country, including hydro and nuclear power projects, will bring huge rewards to Western countries with which there are good relations. The world vision of India seems to be positive but the drawback is the Jihadi culture being spread around the world from the failed state in the neighborhood. – John Mann, Great Britain

Clever, critical and courageous (Arundhati Roy)

The world needs a lot more women like her. – Vera Gottlieb, Germany