“This (protest) will continue,” said Gyari Thukten, a member of parliament of the Tibetan government in exile. “Emotions are at its height. As a government we are trying to calm down the people. But with the Chinese suppression going on, Tibetans will not stop.” Tibetans across the globe as far as Africa are protesting against China’s oppressive regime, said Thukten.

Unofficial reports suggest about 100 pro-independence protestors were killed in Lhasa during the protests. The Chinese government has however played it down. The Chinese has claimed that only 13 or so Tibetan protestors were killed in the mishap.

Chenga Tshering, a Tibetan in Delhi feels that the world should boycott the Olympics although the Dalai Lama said that China should not be denied the opportunity to host the Olympics.

“Why should China, a country which has violated human rights unabashedly, be given the honour to host the Olympics?” asked a Tibetan student, who refused to be named. “We are urging the world to rethink this decision.”

Meanwhile the Chinese government seems to have stepped up measures to up its image before the Olympics. Three Beijing parks have also been designated as areas for demonstration during the Olympics according to recent media reports. The step was taken because International Olympic Committee Charter prohibits demonstration at the Olympic venues or sites.

Words: Neha Sethi and Akanksha Kukreti

A chemist shop owner in Okhla is flabbergasted when you ask for a female condom. He knows what a condom is. But a female condom? Surely he mustn’t have heard it right. But he is too shy to ask the woman to repeat, so he says that he doesn’t have whatever she wants.

Welcome to India. We don’t talk about sex, it’s a western concept. Nevertheless, we are the second most populated country in the world, not far behind China.

India also has the second highest number of HIV infected people according to UN agencies. 2.5 million people in India are living with HIV according to UNAIDS. The government and NACO (National AIDS Control Organisation) have come out with various new campaigns to promote condoms in order to control the virus.

But these promotional campaigns are only restricted to male condoms. No efforts have been made to even introduce Indians to female condoms. As a result, women, the prospective users of female condoms hardly know about it.

Shahana Usmani, a resident of Batla House shies away as soon as the word ‘condom’ is mentioned. And upon hearing about female condoms she ignores the question and doesn’t answer.

Anita Devi, a resident of Katputli Colony shows a similar reaction. The words female condoms were so funny for her that she kept giggling for two minutes before she could say “I don’t know anything about it.”

But then, there are women like Sana Khan, a resident of New Friends Colony, who don’t need an advertisement to tell them about female condoms. “I know about female condoms and have also used them. After all, it is my sexual health and I am concerned about it” she says confidently.

In the absence of government initiatives, we can only hope that Shahana starts thinking like Sana before it is too late.