Category: Opinion

The latest opinion from those committed to making our region fair, just and democratic.


Indonesian-presidential-campaign-2019-FORSEA

TWO CANDIDATES, TWO WINNERS? THE INDONESIAN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS of 2019

Jokowi was accused of being a crypto communist. Prabowo of harbouring the wish to establish a caliphate. Thus the election results can be seen as an indication of how the nation defines its soul.

/ April 23, 2019
Office-of-Election-Commission-FORSEA

UPDATE ON THAILAND’s 2019 ELECTIONS

FORSEA's Regular column offering readers updates on the moves and manoeuvres following the March 24th elections in in Thailand, the first nationwide polls since the coup of 2014 that overthrew the elected government of Yingluck Shinawatra.

/ April 21, 2019
_Prayuth-Chan-Ocha-FORSEA-vote

THAILAND ELECTIONS USED TO EXPLOIT THE DEMOCRATISATION PROCESS

Writing in the The Washington Post, FORSEA's Pavin Chachavalpongpun explains how Thailand's junta has intentionally created the parliamentary interregnum as a delaying tactic to undermine democracy.

/ April 13, 2019
Indonesia-moral-panic-sexuality-FORSEA

COMMUNISTPHOBIA and TWO SEXUAL MORAL PANICS in INDONESIA

In Indonesia, simultaneous campaigns of communist phobia and of homophobia portray both groups as enemies of the nation and condemn both for treacherously undermining the state’s morality and weakening its vigilance.

/ April 8, 2019
Thailand's-Elections-2019-FORSEA-Pavin

THAI ELECTIONS 2019

Military uniforms are out, the civilian look is in. Window dressing aside: The five-year military rule has done nothing but deepen the militarisation of the Thai political landscape.

/ March 24, 2019
FORSEA-Thailand-Democracy-Monument

UNDERSTANDING STRATEGIC VOTING in THAILAND’S UPCOMING ELECTIONS

การเลือกตั้งเชิงยุทธศาสตร์

/ March 11, 2019
THIALAND-flag-FORSEA-PRESS-RELEASE

FORSEA CONDEMNS THAI CONSTITUTIONAL COURT

Southeast Asia’s Democratic Network, FORSEA, condemns the Thai Constitutional Court’s dissolution of the Thai Raksa Chart Party and urges the judicial body to rescind its anti-democratic ruling

/ March 11, 2019

THE DISSOLUTION of the THAI RAKSA CHART PARTY

Just weeks before the general elections in Thailand, the judicial coup is taking place.

/ March 9, 2019
FORSEA-Cambodian-Peoples-Party

HUN SEN’s TAKE ON ‘DEMOCRACY’

Ruling Cambodia for four decades, for Hun Sen, to have democracy in Cambodia is to have him in power forever. Warning Cambodians, he says the country will be at 'WAR' if he loses the election.

/ February 20, 2019
Noam-Chomsky-democracy-FORSEA

“DEMOCRACY HAS ALWAYS BE A HIGHLY CONTESTED CONCEPT, FEARED AND DISDAINED AMONG ELITES”

Professor Noam Chomsky delivered a recored message to the participants at the Official Launch of FORSEA, in Kuala Lumpur, February 16, 2019. A powerful oratory on the state of democracy from one of the world's most most respected public intellectuals.

/ February 18, 2019