Category: NEWS
The latest news and reports on Southeast Asia, from FORSEA Board Members and special guest writers.
A Scream from Global Civil Society: India Genocide Warning
Fifty-four renowned intellectuals, musicians, scholars, and activists from 24 countries will gather in a live YouTube public event which is billed “A Scream from Global Civil Society: India Genocide Warning!” View LIVE on Friday 4th February, 12:00PM - 5:00PM GMT/LONDON | 5:30PM - 10:30PM NEW DELHI | 07:00AM -12 NOON CANADA/US EASTERN.
Consider This: Myanmar – What’s General Aung Min’s Endgame?
Myanmar has been in turmoil since the coup in February ended a decade of democratisation Eighteen months on, more than 1,000 civilians have been killed by the country’s security forces and many members of the ousted government including Aung San Suu Ski are on trial or in jail. With the introduction of the Burma Act, will the international context shift in favour of the ousted government?
Analysis on the trial of the ousted NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi
Maung Zarni comments on the farcical nature of the politically motivated trial of the Burmese Nobel Peace laureate who remains overwhelmingly popular with the ethnically majority Burmese electorate.
BJP’s Hindutva, Modi’s Righ-wing Populism and their Devastating Impact on India Society
Amitabh Pal, the American-educated Indian journalist offered his incisive analysis of the ideological pillars on which rests the toxic mix of Hindutva or Hindu nationalism and right-wing populism of the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
A Consensus on the Efficacy and Value of ASEAN Summit on Myanmar: Understand & Appreciate Myanmar People’s Analyses of Their Oppression
"ASEAN is not capable of dealing with Myanmar’s Civil War/Revolution while the UN is abdicating its responsibility". An in-depth Facebook LIVE discussion – a post mortem discussion – on the Five Point Consensus from the recent ASEAN Summit on Myanmar with views from three top discussants: Tan Sri Dr Sayed Hamid Albar, Professor Michael W. Charney, and Dr Khin Zaw Win.
Statement of Solidarity and Support for CRPH of Myanmar
We fully support the CRPH’s noble mission of providing political and policy direction for the 54-million Myanmar peoples of all faiths and ethnic backgrounds in the latter’s liberation struggle against the military coup leaders. We call on the global civil society to extend their solidarity and offer this revolutionary body concrete support and assistance.
Gay Couple Caned in Aceh, Indonesia
Same-sex practices in Aceh traditionally were not seen in contradiction with local customs (adat) and religion. It is ironic that in Aceh today, homophobic political and religious officials voice opinions that would be more intelligible to the condescending Dutch colonizers than to Aceh’s elite circles a century ago.
FORSEA Condemns the Forced Disappearance of Ahmed Samir Abdelhay Ali
Ahmed has been involved in several projects with human rights organizations and NGOs in Egypt as a vocal human rights defender. Ahmed's case is the latest in a series of cases of students being harassed and forcefully detained by Egyptian authorities.
Militaries of Thailand & Myanmar: A Tale of Two Perennial Coup-Makers
Myanmar has just made headlines with its coup. Thailand and Myanmar are no strangers to coups. For almost a century, Thailand has been locked in a vicious cycle of military coups. Its counterpart in Myanmar, the Tatmadaw, has also been playing king and kingmaker alternately since the late 1950’s.
FORSEA Statement on Singapore’s Arrest of Peaceful LGBT Student Protestors
FORSEA, a Southeast Asia-wide network of democrats, scholars and rights activists, are deeply troubled by the news of Singapore arresting a small but unprecedented group of students who staged a LGBT-rights protest outside the Ministry of Education. We call on the authorities to release and drop all charges against these student activists, whose “crime” was a peaceful demand to repeal transphobic discriminatory policies and practices in Singapore’s schools.