Category: NEWS
The latest news and reports on Southeast Asia, from FORSEA Board Members and special guest writers.
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.
Sovicheth Meta, our new board member: Her take on Genocide Education and Empathy
As one of the generation born 20 years after the genocidal regime in my country, I am optimistic that peace, justice, and harmony will prevail when we stand in solidarity to speak out and stand up against all forms of hatred, discrimination, racism, and social injustice.
Universities, Academic Censorship & Intellectual Un-Freedoms: How ASEAN States Make Their Peoples Unable to Think
This FORSEA Dialogue will explore the multiple ways in which ASEAN states execute the suppression of intellectual freedom, particularly within their state-run university systems, FORSEA’s in-depth dialogue series is bringing together a group of scholars who specialize in Southeast Asian affairs.
Condemning NUS Press for Obstructing Academic Freedom
FORSEA condemns NUS Press’ blatant censorship of a book critical of the Thai monarchy, and urges all members of the academic community who are involved with NUS Press to uphold the principle of academic freedom by refraining from lending their legitimacy and credibility to NUS Press as an act of scholarly solidarity.