Joint Statement – Sombath Somphone one year on: 62 NGOs call for a new investigation into his enforced disappearance
We, the undersigned 62 regional and international organizations, express outrage over the Lao Government’s ongoing failure to shed light on the enforced disappearance of prominent activist and civil society leader Sombath Somphone.
To read the Lao version, click here.
December 15, 2013 marks the one-year anniversary of Sombath’s disappearance. Sombath was...
Singapore: Handling of riot aftermath exposes national laws and practices that violate international standards
On the night of 8 December 2013, an unfortunate fatal accident sparked off a spontaneous outbreak of rioting by migrant workers in Singapore. At least 28 persons involved in the act had been incriminated and are currently facing trial in the local courts of justice. Another 57 workers were...
BURMA: UN Rights Boss Urges Thailand to Drop Charges Against Journalists
(GENEVA The Irrawaddy) - The top UN human rights official urged Thailand on Thursday to drop criminal charges against two journalists accused of defamation for citing a Reuters investigation into the role of Thai naval security forces in smuggling Rohingya asylum seekers.
A Reuters investigation, based on interviews with people...
Burma Releasing Remaining Political Prisoners
Burma's government says it will release its remaining political prisoners on Tuesday.
Hmu Zaw, a senior official in the presidential office, told VOA's Burmese service on Monday the amnesty includes not only those convicted of political offenses, but those whose cases are still being prosecuted.
Hmu Zaw says there are five...
Indonesia: Towards neoliberal urbanism in education – Setiono Sugiharto
The best perspective we can borrow to envision what Indonesia's educational policy looks like is the notion of neoliberal urbanism — a neologism first unveiled by educational sociologist Pauline Lipman.
Taking a specific case from the US’ urban school system, Lipman argues that urban areas have undoubtedly become the forefront...
Myanmar: Govt allocates 34 million for ASEAN meetings
MYANMAR will spend more than K30 billion on the 300-500 international meetings it expects to host over the coming year as the chair of ASEAN, the government says. U Aung Htoo, deputy director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ ASEAN Affairs Department, said the first would be the...
The Philippines: Rights group slams PNP for barring visits to political detainees, demands explanation
MANILA, Philippines -- The human rights organization Karapatan slammed the Philippine National Police for barring two of its officers and several others from visiting political prisoners detained at the custodial center in Camp Crame and demanded an explanation for the move.
In a âconfidentialâ memorandum dated December 27, Chief Superintendent...
Malaysia’s Indigenous People Intensify Anti-Dam Battle
The strongest wave of indigenous protests since the 1990s is underway in Sarawak, a Malaysian state on the island of Borneo. On International Human Rights Day, December 10, hundreds of people across the state demonstrated against a series of 12 mega-dams planned by the government company Sarawak Energy.
Bakun dam...
Third week of protests in Cambodia
(Vatican Radio) Tens of thousands of protesters in Cambodia have been staging daily protests over the past three weeks. But Sunday’s demonstration was the largest to date. Observers say it was among the largest gatherings at any political event in the country’s history.
The protesters marched peacefully through the Cambodian...
Amid Cambodia protests, UN rights expert appeals for calm, urges meaningful talks’
Dec 30, 2013 (Menafn - M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) -- An independent United Nations human rights expert today urged Cambodian authorities to continue to exercise restraint amid daily demonstrations in the capital of Phnom Penh, while also praising the increasing democratic space allowing people to comfortably express themselves in...
