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EU-Vietnam deal seen as ‘stepping stone’ for agreement with ASEAN, says Commission
Commissioner Cecilia Malmström at a press conference in Brussels on 17 October 2018.
The EU’s Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmström said on Wednesday (17 October) that the “ambitious” trade deal concluded with Vietnam could “pave the way” for an agreement with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), despite...
Three in Myanmar court over ‘false’ story
Staying positive: The journalists from Eleven Media Group waving as they exit a police truck for their trial in Yangon. — AP
YANGON: Three detained journalists appeared in a Myanmar court to face charges filed against them by the Yangon city government, which alleges a story they published was false.
An...
Putting a lid on religious intolerance
This picture taken on 19 March, 2016 shows Buddhist monks and members of the Muslim community joining a meeting for interreligious exchange and understanding in order to reduce conflict in Thailand's restive southern province of Narathiwat. (Madaree Tohlala / AFP Photo)
When speaking of religious intolerance in ASEAN member states,...
ASEAN tackles human trafficking in Indonesia
New pilot project in poor province seeks to develop a national role model to combat abuses
Indonesian demonstrators hold up placards during a protest in Jakarta against maid working conditions in Malaysia in this file photo. (Photo by Jewel Samad/AFP)
A regional pilot project to curb human trafficking has been launched...
Malaysia: activists welcome bills to abolish colonial-era laws with cautious optimism
Bills to abolish the death penalty and the Sedition Act, two of Malaysia’s archaic colonial-era laws, are expected to be tabled at the current sitting of parliament, which commenced this week in Kuala Lumpur. Human rights activists have welcomed the move but remain wary of sudden political u-turns
Zulkiflee SM...
Feminists Gather in Bali to Criticize WB and IMF
On Saturday afternoon, October 13th, around 50 women's rights organizations, grassroots organizations, farmer organizations and workers from all over Asia gathered at Padang Galak Beach in Bali, Indonesia to criticize The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in a Balinese ceremony called Larung Ceremony. During the ceremony,...
Asean has to stand up and be counted on Myanmar
When Asean was formed on Aug 8, 1967, no one gave it much of a chance. Asean (Association of South-east Asian Nations), after all, was built on the basis of ASA and Maphilindo, both of which had failed.
Depending on one's optic, Asean is either the most successful regional organisation...
All smiles for Asian Para Games, but Indonesia wins no medals in disability rights
Disabled people in the country face barriers towards education, employment and independence. In the worst cases, they are locked in cages or chains in state-run institutions
As the dust settles on the Indonesia 2018 Asian Para Games, there is no shortage of inspiring stories.
For the past week, Jakarta has been...
ASEAN’s Limited Role in Solving the Rohingya Crisis
Arguably ASEAN can only do so much to influence Myanmar; China and India are well-positioned to do more.
Image Credit: AP Photo/Altaf Qadri
More than 6,700 Rohingya Muslims, were killed within a month during the crackdown in Myanmar’s northern Rakhine state in 2017, a number far greater than the official death...
Asian Para Games Can Bring Change to Indonesia
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 09/20/2017 © Shahjehan / Shutterstock
The Asian Para Games can bring change to Indonesia so it can be more friendly to people with disabilities.
The 2018 Asian Para Games is currently taking place in Jakarta. The multi-sport event is held every four years for athletes with physical disabilities....
