The Andaman & Nicobar Islands, a union territory of India some 750 miles offshore in the Indian Ocean, recently drew brief international media attention—but for bad reasons. The group of 572 islands, of which 38 are inhabited, were the scene of two disturbing incidents. In the last week of March, a foreigner was arrested for visiting a restricted island, and a local journalist was found dead.

The international Baloch Human Rights Council (BHRC) called upon UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on March 25 to urgently intervene in the repression of peaceful protests in Pakistan's conflicted Balochistan province. The group urged Guterres to secure the immediate release of Dr. Mahrang Baloch and other members of the Baloch Yekjehti Committee, a local rights group. Dr. Baloch and several of her comrades were detained at a protest in provincial capital Quetta against enforced disappearances.

Amnesty International on Feb. 10 called on Indian authorities to take immediate steps to end ongoing ethnic violence and ensure human rights protections in the conflict-torn northeastern state of Manipur. The statement follows the resignation of N. Biren Singh as chief minister of Manipur. In a statement, Aakar Patel, chair of Amnesty International India, emphasized that Singh's resignation provides an opportunity for authorities to break the cycle of violence and impunity that has plagued Manipur for nearly two years. "The BJP-led governments at both the state and central levels have utterly failed to curb the violence, hold perpetrators accountable, or address the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the state," Patel said.

A ceasefire agreement was reached Dec. 2 between two warring tribes in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province following weeks of clashes that left 130 people dead in Kurram district, along the border with Afghanistan. A Grand Jirga of tribal leaders was called to mediate the truce. The violence exploded Nov. 21, when a convoy of Shi'ite pilgrims traveling to a shrine in Peshawar was ambushed by armed assailants, killing at least 42. The ensuing clashes pitted members of the mostly Shi'ite Bagan tribe against their Sunni neighbors, the Alizai, with shops and homes ransacked and whole villages displaced. A land dispute between the two tribes had also caused clashes that led to 50 fatalities in September.

The state of Manipur in remote northeastern India has again erupted in protest, after the bodies of six women and children from the majority Meitei community were recovered. Meitei leaders say the victims were kidnapped and murdered by members of the Kuki minority. The demonstrations, which saw protesters torch the homes and offices of government officials, have led to the arrests of several people. A proposed change to land-tenure law in the state in favor of the Meitei last summer set off months of protests, violence, and a communications shutdown.

The government of Pakistan has placed a ban on the activities of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement, a grassroots organization that advocates for the rights of the Pashtun minority, which has been subjected to decades of abuse. On Oct. 6, the government listed the PTM as a "proscribed organization," essentially labelling it a terrorist group. The order came days before the PTM was slated to hold a large demonstration. Amnesty International described the action as "part of a systematic and relentless clampdown by the Pakistani authorities on peaceful protests and assemblies by dissenting groups."

The interim leader of Bangladesh, Muhammad Yunus, issued a stern condemnation Sept. 14 of recent attacks on Sufi shrines across the country. Bangladesh has experienced a recent rise of extremist violence targeting religious and cultural sites, including both Sufi shrines and Hindu temples. Yunus assured the public that law enforcement agencies have been instructed to take immediate action to protect these religious and cultural landmarks, promising that those behind the attacks will be held accountable.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan expressed concern over the deteriorating security situation, rampant rights abuses and ongoing political dysfunction in Balochistan province in a statement issued Aug. 30.