"Nature says women are human beings, men have made religions to deny it. Nature says women are human beings, men cry out NO!"
- Taslima Nasreen

Great News from Rationalist International:

Dear friends:

We are pleased to inform that the Government of India has formally announced that they extend the visa of Taslima Nasreen. We express gratitude for your timely support of our appeal to the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh. Till now we have received copies of more than 3800 letters requesting him to extend Taslima's visa.

The official statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, some minutes ago, is given below.

Sanal Edamaruku
President,
Rationalist International & Indian Rationalist Association

Statement by Official Spokesperson on extension of visa of Ms. Taslima Nasreen
14/02/2008

The Government of India have decided to extend the visa of Ms. Taslima Nasreen. Throughout its history, India has a tradition of offering hospitality to those who seek it. It has also afforded protection to those who have come as our guests. Ms. Taslima Nasreen is our guest and, in keeping with our traditions, we have offered her the same privileges.

It is incumbent on those who are welcomed as guests in India that they remain sensitive to India’s traditions and do not conduct themselves in a manner that either affects our relations with other countries or cause hurt to our secular ethos. We expect that they do not undertake actions that could hurt the sentiments of the many communities that make up our multi-religious and multi-ethnic nation. These are the same restraints which we in India follow. We expect nothing less from our guests.

New Delhi
February 14, 2008

Background on Taslima Nasreen follows. (Note: her name is in a language with a different alphabet than English, so the spellings vary depending on how it is transformed into English.)

Taslima Nasreen's Website
2004 Free Inquiry Interview
BBC Bio