Category Archives: east asia

Indonesia’s Rising Star: Jokowi

By admin | January 5, 2013

Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo or Jokowi is a rising star in the Southeast Asian region. While Burmese President Thein Sein may be grabbing the most headlines of any Southeast Asian leader, Jokowi’s rapid ascent up Indonesia’s political ladder deserves more attention than it is given by the international media. Who is Jokowi and why is […]

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November 2012: Protests Sweep Through ASEAN

By admin | December 15, 2012

Written for The Diplomat U.S. President Barack Obama’s historic visit to Burma and the 21st Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Phnom Penh dominated news coverage in the region during the past month — and rightly so. Obama’s Burma trip put a global spotlight on the reforms being implemented by the […]

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Human Rights Declaration Falls Short

By admin | December 6, 2012

The document is a proclamation of governmental powers disguised as a declaration of human rights. This was the scathing reaction of more than 50 human rights groups in Southeast Asia to the recent unveiling of a Human Rights Declaration drafted by the 10-member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The signing of […]

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Casino Economics in Southeast Asia

By admin | November 13, 2012

Written for The Diplomat In just a few short years gambling has become the “next big thing” throughout Southeast Asia. Casinos are sprouting up everywhere drawing a record number of tourists, generating sizeable sums for national treasuries, and reshaping the economic profile of host communities. Unfortunately, casinos have also created a slew of social problems […]

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Crimes Against Rohingya

By admin | August 30, 2012

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once described the atrocities committed against the Russian people by German soldiers during the Second World War as a “crime without a name.” But would Churchill use the same words if he lived long enough to witness the numerous “killing fields” of the second half of the 20th century? True, […]

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Geopolitics of Southeast Asia

By admin | July 29, 2012

Written for The Diplomat The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is the largest, and the official, political organization in Southeast Asia. But given where it sits—south of China and Japan, east of India, and north of Australia—the political landscape in this part of the world is not exclusively dictated by ASEAN dynamics. The Indochina […]

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Southeast Asia: Half-Year of Protests

By admin | July 23, 2012

Malaysia’s electoral reform movement, known as Bersih (clean), succeeded in mobilizing tens of thousands of people in the streets last April. According to organizers, this year’s Bersih was the biggest political rally in the modern history of Malaysia. The government has disputed this claim, but the political impact of Bersih in terms of reinvigorating the […]

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Burma’s Surprising Protests

By admin | July 7, 2012

News about the protests that spread through several Burma towns last week over power shortages should be welcomed as a positive development in the country’s bid to achieve a full democratic transition. The series of peaceful protests started in Mandalay, where hundreds of residents gathered in front of a government electricity agency to condemn the […]

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Scarborough Shoal a Precursor?

By admin | June 25, 2012

French philosopher Voltaire once wrote a story about the mad behavior of men going to war over a “few lumps of earth.” In Southeast Asia, there are numerous small and midsize conflicts between countries over temples, borders, islets, reefs, shoals, and even puny rock formations that disappear during high tide. For example, Thailand and Cambodia […]

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Malaysia’s Summer of Discontent?

By admin | May 19, 2012

During elections, people tend to be more inspired to voice their opinions on politics, governance, and democracy. Campaigning hasn’t officially started in Malaysia, but it’s encouraging to see that ordinary citizens have been so aggressive in recent weeks in pushing for various government reforms. Bersih (clean), an electoral reform movement, surprised the government when it […]

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