Category: Opinion
The latest opinion from those committed to making our region fair, just and democratic.
Incorporate women’s history for better gender-sensitive public policies and politics in Malaysia
In a world governed by patriarchy, Undi18's Sirikandis offer renewed hope for gender equality in Malaysia.
After Afghanistan, Time to Review and Reset ASEAN & International Policies Towards Myanmar
The vicious dialectic of “failed international policies AND failed Myanmar state”, will need to be placed at the right, left and centre of the new international policy debates on Myanmar. Repeating the same strategy of dangling the sweet discourse of mediation before the intransigent mass-murderous generals of Myanmar without the serious stick of international accountability will simply not do.
Ignoring Global Realities? Western Governments need to invest in Asian Studies in their Universities
The West had a very long run forcing other societies to respect its supremacy, wear its clothes and adopt its manners, not to mention its languages, values, and even its laws. Yet Asian Studies centres are no longer a monopoly of the West but are now increasingly centred, where they are funded much more richly, by their own governments.
On Myanmar’s Dead Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement
Maung Zarni blew the whistle on military-led top-down democratic reforms – which he argued were, in the final instance, cosmetic as early as these "reforms" were launched by the Burmese generals in 2010. To his rage and dismay, this "transition" was blessed by none other than Aung San San Suu Kyi and celebrated by Western media and powerful external actors.
Does Facebook deserve a share of the blame for the Rohingya genocide in Myanmar?
Facebook and the Rohingya genocide: FORSEA's Maung Zarni speaks on MSNBC's Mehdi Hasan Show on the Facebook problem.
Nobel Peace Prize Goes to Journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov
Maung Zarni discusses the award of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize to journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov for their efforts to hold the powerful to account.
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?
Bandung Principles in Question: The Case of ASEAN
The question now is not whether the Bandung Principles need to be completely changed. Certainly not. However, the following two questions need to be discussed: To what extent or under what conditions should a country not intervene in another country? And, if intervention is needed, in what form would this be appropriate?
The Philippines: FORSEA Dialogue on Attacks on Lawyers in the Philippines
In a damning report, the Commission on Human Rights found that the “grim reality” of being a human rights defender in the Philippines was that “they faced constant undermining and delegitimization of their work which lead to systematic attacks that place their ‘life, liberty, and security…at great risk”.
Patterns in the Killing of Lawyers: The Case of Attorney Rex Fernandez
I have been monitoring the attacks on lawyers in the Philippines for over a decade. For many years the Philippines has been one of the most dangerous countries in the world for lawyers. Since 2001 there have been at least 219 violent attacks in which 197 lawyers were killed and 22 survived.