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Racial hatred as policy
Ethnic and religious tension in Myanmar perpetuated by the former military regime still rages as another risk to political and economic reforms. After an orgy of violence last month in Meiktila in the first large-scale anti-Muslim riots outside of Rakhine State since 2001, Myanmar's deteriorating race relations mean wider reform hopes hang in the balance as the government misses an opportunity to end a long history of xenophobia.- Brian McCartan
(Apr 5, '13)
Politics of corruption in Myanmar
A corruption probe involving Myanmar's telecoms ministry has signaled wider government mismanagement and graft. Whether President Thein Sein is willing to push through top-level prosecutions could make or break the country's transition from military to democratic rule. His main goal may be to clip the wings of parliamentary speaker Shwe Mann, a contender to represent the ruling USDP as its presidential candidate in 2015. - Larry Jagan
(Apr 5, '13)
Buddhism turns violent in Myanmar
Recent violence in Myanmar between Buddhists and Muslims, which has left a reported 43 people dead and more than 1,000 homes and building destroyed, has caused concern over the stability of the country's current democratic transition and raised the specter of a return to direct military rule. - Matthew J Walton
(Apr 2, '13)
Sabah crisis sends wider ripples
Government leaders in Manila and Kuala Lumpur, both facing electoral challenges in the near future, must go carefully in their handling of the fighting in Sabah initiated by a Philippines-based group laying claim to the Malaysian territory, which is home to thousands of their compatriots with many more living in peninsular Malaya. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(Mar 28, '13)
Race on for ports, pipelines in Myanmar
While India envisions a democratized Myanmar as crucial to the "Look East" policy designed to expand Delhi's influence in that direction, China sees the country as a transshipment point for fuel piped overland. As competition ramps up for economic preeminence, the former pariah state could reap the most benefits. - Eric Draitser
(Mar 28, '13)
ASIA HAND
No war, no peace in Thailand
Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has presided over a period of detente in the country's still unresolved political conflict, even as her brother, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra remains in self-exile. The sustainability of Yingluck's present position hinges on the interplay of her own threatened legal standing, Thaksin's strategic mindset, and the royal household's state of health. - Shawn W Crispin
(Mar 27, '13)
No clear path to Suu Kyi victory
Democratic steps in Myanmar that have seen Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy rehabilitated politically raise the prospect of her winning general elections set for 2015. In chasing victory, perhaps a bigger challenge for the pro-democracy icon than overcoming constitutional provisions barring her presidential candidacy will be convincing the military-dominated parliament to release its grip on power. - Aung Tun
(Mar 26, '13)
EU-Vietnam weigh FTA
A proposed free-trade agreement with the European Union will challenge Vietnam's state-owned enterprises in service sectors such as ports, logistics and communications - all expected targets for EU investment. Urban-based professionals in Vietnam will gain from an FTA; remote areas may fall further behind. - Roberto Tofani
(Mar 20, '13)
Cambodian sugar lacking spice riches
Farmers in the Cambodia's Kampot province earn high reward for supplying European gourmets high-quality pepper, grown under rigorous "Geographical Indication'' rules. Sugar-growers under similar rules struggle to compete with mass-market produce. - Michelle Tolson
(Mar 19, '13)
War trumps peace in Myanmar
Myanmar President Thein Sein this month claimed that ''there's no more fighting in the country'' - in complete denial of the harsh facts on the ground, facts Western nongovernmental organizations and think tanks scrabble together for cash and influence in seeking peace, just as China takes the lead in the process. Despite all the effort and rhetoric, lasting peace in Myanmar's war-torn frontier areas is as elusive as ever. - Bertil Lintner
(Mar 19, '13)
China counter-pivots on Myanmar
A beefed up Beijing diplomatic interest in Asia, with particular focus on Myanmar, is an apparent response to the United States' renewed focus on the region and its warming relations, at China's expense, with Myanmar's government. Washington should be wary of overreacting to this Chinese "pivot", or, in turn, fall out of favor in Naypyidaw. - David I Steinberg
(Mar 18, '13)
Death of a killer in Cambodia
Ieng Sary, Cambodian foreign minister during the Khmer Rouge's genocidal rule, has died aged 87 in a Phnom Penh hospital before a United Nations-backed tribunal could deliver a verdict on his role in the regime's bloody crimes. That is a set back for the court, which faces allegations of political interference, a funding crisis and two remaining elderly Khmer Rouge defendants in declining health. - Sebastian Strangio
(Mar 14, '13)
Japan and Philippines
align strategic interests
The convergence of Japan's and the Philippines' threat perceptions of China will ultimately determine the depth of the two sides' strategic cooperation. Domestic concerns have also influenced Manila's receptiveness to Tokyo's soft power diplomacy and strategic overtures, as bilateral ties with Tokyo moved from platitudes to genuinely empowering military assets and economic assistance. - Julius Cesar I Trajano
(Mar 14, '13)
COMMENT
Doublespeak on Myanmar's Rohingya
Myanmar's official are increasingly adept with the buzzwords, notably ''transparency'', used by modern-day bureaucrats and business folk to curtain their dealings. In this case, it is the last word to apply to local and regional treatment of Rohingyas, whose slaughter and mistreatment is an internal matter, argues Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and his like. - Ramzy Baroud
(Mar 13, '13)
More fuel to South China Sea disputes
The oil and gas deposits lying under the South China Sea in areas may indeed be "vast", maybe not. Either way, their size in terms of global availability of such resources is small - and hardly merits the conflict that might arise from China's claims to the area. Why then has it abandoned its "peaceful rise" policy towards its neighbors in pursuing those claims?
- David Brown
(Mar 12, '13)
Quagmire politics in Sabah
As tensions run high in Malaysia's eastern state of Sabah following a stand-off between insurgents from the southern Philippines and Malaysian security forces, militant action is lending credence to claims that the conflict has been manufactured to stir trouble at a politically sensitive time. The risks are rising of a wider crisis that could delay Malaysia's general election. - Nile Bowie
(Mar 12, '13)
Did China execute the wrong pirate?
Western coverage of the execution of Naw Kham focused on whether it would be broadcast - and if not, why not. All good hackwork over a macabre event in far-off China, and totally missing the point. There seems little doubt the Burmese pirate was a baddie on a considerable scale, but whether he had a hand in the massacre of 13 crew members of two ships on the Mekong River is quite another matter. - Peter Lee
(Mar 8, '13)
Land grabbing as big business in Myanmar
Expectations that Myanmar's reforms will generate a foreign investment boom have led to rampant land grabbing by well-connected businessmen, exacerbating evictions in rural areas. Unless better legislation is implemented, already mounting protests in response to the displacements could spread wide enough to imperil the country's democratic steps and its economic potential. - Brian McCartan
(Mar 8, '13)
Threats of a wider war in Sabah
Fighters from the Moro National Liberation Front rebel group who for decades battled the Philippines forces are now training their sights on Malaysia after its government launched an air and ground assault on a rag-tag militia from the Sultanate of Sulu that landed on Sabah to assert a centuries-old territorial claim. With atrocities in the conflict mounting - and the MNLF known for its armed prowess - the situation is rapidly becoming a regional threat. - Noel Tarrazona
(Mar 7, '13)
Fear of change in Vietnam
The silent majority in Vietnam is waiting for a democratic leader to emerge, while looking with horror at how dissenters who speak out, such as Father Nguyen Van Ly, are penalized for "propagandizing" against the communist government. Fear is a powerful incentive for inaction, yet change will eventually come - demographics and prosperity make that almost inevitable. - Khanh Vu Duc
(Mar 6, '13)
A war of many interests in Myanmar
The conflict intensifying between the Kachin Independent Army and Myanmar's government will prove a crucial test of the federalist vision in Naypyidaw's apparent steps towards democracy. Hundreds of ethnic groups represent almost half the population, and unless leaders can generate trust by controlling the army and granting new economic rights, war will spread. - Aung Tun
(Mar 5, '13)
ADB in need of new direction
The soon-to-be-vacant president's post at the Asian Development Bank offers the organization an opportunity to break a tradition of being led by male, Japanese financiers and to challenge perceptions that it views Southeast Asians as less capable. To stay relevant in the fast-changing region, the bank must emulate progressive steps taken by other international development institutions. - Curtis S Chin
(Mar 1, '13)
Old claims roil Philippine peace deal
A rag-tag amphibious assault by the defunct Sultanate of Sulu on the lush Malaysian state of Sabah has riled Kuala Lumpur, but the armed standoff that's ensued could have more serious consequences for the Philippines. the Sultan of Sulu's claims his attack was a response to Manila neglecting its historic claims to Sabah in a deal with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front last year, threaten to reawaken MILF's violent rebellion. - Noel Tarrazona
(Feb 28, '13)
SPEAKING FREELY
Southeast Asia's nuclear
path post-Fukushima
Two years on from the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster, Southeast Asian states are undeterred from taking a nuclear path. Energy supply concerns, efforts to diversify and volatile fossil-fuel prices outweigh the risks and make the case for atomic fuel sources compelling. Vietnam, which plans to build 15 reactors by 2030, and Indonesia are at the forefront of the switch. - Sahara Piang Brahim
(Feb 26, '13)
Malaysian polls reflect US-China competition
While voters in Malaysia deliberate between current Prime Minister Najib Razak and opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim for this year's general election, they will also indirectly be choosing between China and the United States. Najib has forged upbeat Sino-Malaysian ties and gives the US Asia pivot wide berth, while Anwar is perceived by some as too close to Washington. - Nile Bowie (Feb 22, '13)
SPEAKING FREELY
ASEAN's great power dilemma
China and Japan are overhauling their strategy in Southeast Asia from vying for the balance of influence to competing for the balance of power. That shift, amid more frequent territorial disputes, makes the time ripe for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to shape a key monitoring role for maintaining maritime stability, while trying to protect a post-Cold War fundamental principle to stay above the melee. - Kei Koga (Feb 22, '13)
Philippines takes new aim at China
Benigno Aquino's Philippines increasingly views its maritime disputes with China through a lens of national pride, and has been emboldened by its giant neighbor's military modernization to seek United Nations arbitration in the tussle for South China Sea resources. Yet the international plea takes little account of
Beijing's vast ambition and risks serious blowback. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(Feb 21, '13)
No clear signs in southern Thailand
A new signboard raised throughout the provinces of Thailand's ethnic Malay-Muslim minority region suggests that Islamic leaders are pushing for insurgents to initiate peace talks with state authorities. It can more accurately be read as a public message from the army, one of the Thai state's most powerful institutions, which for the first time is displaying recognition of the need for dialogue. - Jason Johnson
(Feb 20, '13)
Weakness exposed in Thai insurgency
A tip-off from villagers in Thailand's troubled south that resulted in the military ambushing separatists who were planning to attack an army base resulted in the deaths of 16 of the militants. The defeat marks the most severe tactical reversal for the Malay-Muslim revolt since it began in 2004, and suggests the insurgents had become overconfident on their true strength. - Anthony Davis
(Feb 14, '13)
Gangnam twist for Malaysian elections
Efforts by Malaysia's Barisan Nasional to win young voters backfired when embarrassing gaffes marred a concert it organized with Gangnam Style star Psy. The opposition deftly used social media to spoil the BN's big night, and outlined how technology can outsmart the coalition's financial and media muscle in this year's election. - Anil Netto
Web wars in Vietnam
Vietnamese authorities, faced with economic weakness and political discord
inside the Communist Party, have cracked down on perceived anti-state
sentiments. The harsh sentencing in early January of a group of bloggers and
activists marked the latest oppression in a widening crackdown on dissident
voices spreading over the Internet.
- Roberto Tofani (Feb 13, '13)
Suu Kyi’s fading glory
Aung San Suu Kyi emerged from her years of house
arrest as a hugely popular leader, attested to by by-election victories across
Myanmar. But as the ethnically divided country begins to look towards new
elections and greater democracy in 2015, questions are being raised about
whether Suu Kyi would be well-suited to serve as president, particularly in
light of her reluctance to speak out against ethnic violence. - Billy Tea
(Feb 8, '13)
Legal push in the South China
Sea
Vietnam's new Law of the Sea and the Philippines' decision to take its dispute
with China over areas of the South China Sea to an international arbitration
tribunal both serve notice to Beijing that its territorial claims in the region
will be hotly disputed. They also put pressure on new Association of Southeast
Asian Nations chairman Brunei and freshly appointed Secretary General Le Luong
Minh (from Vietnam) to find a way to ease tensions. - Roberto Tofani
(Feb 7, '13)
Departure of a king, death of an
institution
A lavish, ornate cremation ceremony Cambodia held this week for king Norodom
Sihanouk also marks a successful culmination of the ruling Cambodian People's
Party's decades-old efforts to bind the royalty in ceremony, shackle it with
praise, and assert itself as the sole protector of Sihanouk's legacy. After
administering last rites, Prime Minister Hun Sen can now consign the monarchy
to oblivion. - Sebastian Strangio (Feb 6,
'13)
China steps into Kachin conflict
Beijing's hosting of peace talks between Myanmar's government and the Kachin
Independence Army reflects its increasing involvement in their conflict, as
civilians seek refuge across the border and as the fighting threatens the
supply of resources to China. It could also be a prelude to a greater Chinese
third-party role in other regional disputes. - Brendan O'Reilly
(Feb 6, '13)
Baby-making push in Singapore
The Singapore government is renewing its efforts to have its citizens produce
more children, with incentives alongside warnings that, absent more babies, the
economic growth the grown-ups want will be hard to achieve. For now, a condo
and country club membership offer a more alluring prospect than the cost of a
creche and private childcare. - Simon Roughneen
(Feb 5, '13)
The king and I
The sheer number of roles Norodom Sihanouk played in Cambodia's recent history
- from prince to monarch, and head of state to prime minister - underline his
dominance over politics and his desire to regain power once lost. For the
millions of Cambodians who witnessed his elaborate cremation on Monday,
Sihanouk's navigation of the post-Khmer Rouge peace saved his country from
disappearing forever. - Benny Widyono (Feb 4,
'13)
AN ATOL EXCLUSIVE
A well-laid war in Myanmar
The Thein Sein administration's onslaught of modern firepower against Kachin
rebels in Myanmar has given Western countries and organizations cause to
squirm, with those invested in the prospects of democracy trying to salvage
credibility by blaming hardliners or the Kachins themselves. Myanmar military
damage the narrative by confirming exclusively that the assault was
long-planned retribution for defying Naypyidaw. - Bertil Lintner
(Feb 1, '13)
BOOK REVIEW
Huddled masses
Refugee Hotel (Voice of Witness) by Gabriele Stabile and Juliet
Linderman.
Striking photographs and moving personal accounts present a firsthand look at
the confusion-filled first days of refugees in the United States. The stories
of refugees from Bhutan, Myanmar, Burundi, Ethiopia, Iraq, and Somalia
illustrate the variety of calamities that drive people to flee their home
countries. - Renee Lott (Feb 1, '13)
Past fraud, new risks in
Malaysia
Suspicion over a Malaysian government program that fast-tracked citizenship and
voting rights for immigrants in the eastern state of Sabah more than a decade
ago threatens to complicate general elections due this summer. Recommendations
of an inquiry into the affair may not be issued in time to allow for a review
of the national electoral rolls before voters go to the polls. - Anil Netto
(Jan 31, '13)
Bike firms saddle up on
low Cambodian wages
A more than three-fold rise in bicycle exports from Cambodia to the European
Union in the first half of 2012, while good for export figures, has raised
concern over labor conditions as firms turn to the country to escape
anti-dumping rules and higher wages elsewhere. - Michelle Tolson
(Jan 31, '13)
Pyrrhic victory in Myanmar
The Myanmar Army's long-planned offensive against insurgent Kachin in the north
of the country has secured a key target, the town of Laiza, at great cost and
amid considerable evidence of inept execution with poor handling of modern
armaments. The manner of securing the Kachin's headquarters will likely boost
morale of the country's other ethnic insurgent groups, who will see the
"Tatmadaw" as a giant with feet of clay. - Anthony Davis
(Jan 30, '13)
Moro leader looks for united
front
The Moro National Liberation Front has waged an armed struggle against the
Philippine state for more than four decades, claiming independence and social
justice for a region where 20% go hungry. Central Committee member Commander
Haji Ibrahim "Bambi" discusses in an interview his part in the struggle and his
hopes for peace. - Andre Vltchek (Jan 30,
'13)
Myanmar secures generous debt
relief
Myanmar's creditors are to slash its debts, hard on the World Bank and the
Asian Development Bank restructuring other debts while agreeing new credit. The
moves may help the country get back on its feet, but break international
"rules" on debt relief even as the military remains Myanmar's biggest spender.
- Carey L Biron (Jan 29, '13)
Singapore's rulers suffer
by-election loss
Singapore's long-ruling People's Action Party, facing complaints of a
fast-rising cost of living, housing shortages and anti-immigrant sentiment in a
country where foreigners now make up 40% of the population, has suffered a
second consecutive by-election loss since winning the 2011 general election,
losing to the main opposition Workers' Party. - Simon Roughneen
(Jan 28, '13)
Japan pivots south, with eye on China
A "democratic security diamond" is a key formation for newly elected Japanese
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as he intensifies a charm offensive across the
Pacific to create a strategic alliance of Indo-Pacific countries that share his
anxieties about China's growing naval might. The southern pivot will have
profound implications for regional security. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(Jan 25, '13)
No easy choice for Malaysia
Growing animosity between Malaysia's two leading coalitions and a vision of
unprecedented political polarization form the backdrop for the country's
looming elections. While the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition could capture
public confidence if it continues a more liberal trajectory, neither it nor the
opposition Pakatan Rakyat have an unblemished record and the race is expected
to be tight. - Nile Bowie (Jan 25, '13)
DISPATCHES FROM AMERICA
When soft power fails
China's attempts to expand its influence through soft-power are being
undermined in Asia by hard-power posturing. The US, reluctant to reevaluate its
own "soft power" when it seems so obviously a fig leaf for the assertion of
military dominance, should consider China's failed efforts, while aspiring
Japan and South Korea should also take note: you rarely can have it both ways.
- John Feffer (Jan 23, '13)
Peace means surrender in
Myanmar
Many people in Myanmar's beleaguered Kachin state are proud that unprecedented
bombardment of ethnic independence forces has failed to match claims by
President Thein Sein that they could be destroyed "within a day". For the
military, "peace" in the state means the Kachin must surrender long-held
demands, while international reaction to the conflict completely misses the
mark. - Karin Dean (Jan 23, '13)
How did the Gates of Hell
open in Vietnam?
A new book by Nick Turse transforms our understanding of what the Vietnam War
actually was, its title, Kill Anything that Moves, only too graphically
capturing the reality. Responsibility for the indiscriminate slaughter that
took place can be allocated across the spectrum of those involved in the war,
but domestic politics was the largest of the atrocity-producing situations. Do
we imagine that this has changed? - Jonathan Schell
(Jan 18, '13)
Thein Sein a man of war, not
peace
The International Crisis Group is to honor Myanmar President Thein Sein with
its "In Pursuit of Peace, Prosperity and the Presidency Award" at a gala dinner
in New York City. In doing so, like other international groups, the ICG
confounds the country's continuing brutal realities by supporting the very men
who have committed crimes against humanity and continue to do so under
different guises and through different means. - Nancy Hudson-Rodd
(Jan 17, '13)
US pivot sparks Asian arms
race
Maritime disputes with Southeast Asian states are poised to intensify on the
watch of new Chinese leader Xi Jinping and as Japan and India deepen their
strategic engagement. The chances that patient, peaceful diplomacy will win out
are being undermined as the US backs up its pivot in the region with big-ticket
arms sales. - Richard Heydarian (Jan 16, '13)
Dark side obscured to
visitors to Laos
For travelers visiting Southeast Asia, Laos seems a laid back, spectacular
option that avoids the moral dilemma posed by visiting until still strongly
militarized Myanmar. Yet the communist authorities' suspected involvement in
forced disappearances and other serious human-rights abuses suggest the country
is anything but the "sleepy" paradise portrayed in guidebooks, and it is
shadowy political elites that benefit the most from tourist dollars. - Melinda
Boh (Jan 15, '13)
Rainbow rally lifts
opposition in Malaysia
Malaysia's national stadium was awash with color at the weekend as 100,000
demonstrators representing an assortment of grassroots causes and movements
gathered for a "people's uprising". In a shift from suppression of previous
rallies, security was low-key - fueling the political opposition's hopes of
winning federal power in this year's national elections. - Anil Netto
(Jan 14, '13)
India wades into the South China Sea
Hawkish pronouncements by an Indian admiral declaring that the country will
enter the South China Sea "when it is required to" are an expression of growing
naval and political ambition, as a Southeast Asian-US alliance also gradually
forms against China. By pushing back an increasingly aggressive Chinese
posture, India risks rapprochement on other fronts.
- Richard Javad Heydarian (Jan 10, '13)
A wider war looms in Myanmar
Some of the heaviest fighting in Myanmar's decades-long civil war has taken
place in recent weeks, with government forces using helicopter gunships and
sophisticated attack aircraft in a determined strike against the Kachin
Independence Army in the far north. With the ongoing offensive undermining
President Thein Sein's peace credentials, the gap between majority Burmans and
ethnic minorities has never been wider. - Bertil Lintner
(Jan 11, '13)
'So many people died'
For all the ink spilt in tortured comparisons about whether Afghanistan is
"Obama's Vietnam", and likewise Iraq as a repeat of the American debacle in
Southeast Asia, there is one way the analogy really does apply: misery for
local nationals. Civilian suffering of the kind experienced by Vietnamese who
had to bury the bodies of relatives, is the defining characteristic of modern
war, even if only rarely whispered in the halls of power. - Nick Turse
(Jan 9, '13)
Nazi chic in the new Myanmar
A popular trend of wearing swastika t-shirts and other Nazi regalia in Myanmar
is being put down to cultural ignorance of the kind Westerners often display in
Asia. However, it's clear that some youth and elders - as elsewhere in the
region - see Adolf Hitler as a symbol of anti-colonial resistance rather than
as a monster. - Julie Masis (Jan 9, '13)
Clouds gather over Mindanao
peace deal
The signing of the Bangsamoro Peace Framework Agreement between the Philippine
government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, with the creation of a new
regional government, was hailed as a great leap forward in ending a 40-year-old
conflict in Mindanao. Barely three months on, the toughest part of the
negotiations may still lie ahead with real peace still a distant prospect. - Noel
Tarrazona (Jan 8, '13)
Bakrie, Bumi a losing ticket
Indonesian tycoon and presidential candidate Aburizal Bakrie suffers from
declining personal and political fortunes. A London stock market listing of
coal assets isn't improving either situation, while some of his party are
urging reconsideration of his presidential candidacy in light of his lack of
popularity and his dwindling financial resources. - Gary LaMoshi
(Jan 7, '13)
US, Myanmar face more tests
The United States and Myanmar should be commended for taking bold steps to
improve bilateral ties. Now political gestures from Myanmar's government must
turn to reality, notably it must address ethnic minority problems, release
remaining political prisoners and reduce the military's political role. - Nehginpao
Kipgen (Jan 4, '13)
Brunei in the South China
Sea hot seat
Brunei will shortly take over the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations. Its heavy dependence on China for energy sales puts it in a
similar position as its ineffectual, much poorer predecessor Cambodia in facing
the challenge of uniting the group over conflicting claims in the South China
Sea. Brunei's concern with raising its international profile may be a saving
grace. - Richard Javad Heydarian (Dec 21,
'12)
State secrets revealed in
Vietnam
Vietnamese Communist Party cadres gathering for a professorial view from the
country's top military college were expecting a staid restatement of the
impasse in the South China Sea. Instead they got an inside track on state
secrets in a two-hour talk colored with geopolitical riffs, including the
admirable qualities of the North Korean regime and a call to "manage your kids"
lest maritime tensions inflame demonstrations against the Party. - David Brown
(Dec 21, '12)
Monarchic manipulation in
Cambodia
The passing of Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk throws focus on a career that
survived French manipulation, Japanese occupation and republican movements -
all before the maelstrom of the Vietnam war and the Khmer Rouge - and on a
monarchy that persists in spite of its warring dynasties and alienness to the
modern world. - Geoff Gunn (Dec 21, '12)
US pivot less than academic
The stagnant number of Southeast Asian students choosing universities in the
United States for higher learning could prove fatal for the future of the US's
Asian pivot policy, with tens of thousands selecting China and providing a
significant boost to Beijing's "soft power" credentials. Improving the
situation requires significant changes to enrollment and visa procedures, but
such upheaval is needed to capture the region's best minds. - Curtis S Chin
and Jose B Collazo (Dec 20, '12)
Malaysia poised for pivotal
polls
The rise of the Pakatan Rakyat opposition coalition has spurred the ruling
United Malays National Organization to reform old and derided laws such as
indefinite detention without trial as Malaysia heads towards a general election
next year. Whatever the result, a plethora of divisive allegations are helping
to make what reform campaigners see as the country's "dirtiest ever elections".
- Simon Roughneen (Dec 20, '12)
More war than peace in
Myanmar
The appearance of helicopter gunships and the constant sound of explosions in
Myanmar's northern Kachin state belie the impression of reconciliation
President Thein Sein's nominally civilian government seeks to convey to the
outside world. The use of relatively new Swedish-made weaponry is
internationalizing a conflict whose continuation underlines that Myanmar
remains firmly under military rule. - Bertil Lintner
(Dec 17, '12)
Patience a necessity in
Myanmar
The limited political reforms launched by Myanmar's ruling Union Solidarity and
Development Party appear window dressing for the international community, yet
an ouster of the old guard would create a power vacuum dangerous for the
nascent democratization process. The West should keep faith that increasing
trade, investment and reform will gradually usher in a golden era. - Christopher
O’Hara (Dec 14, '12)
China seeks copper firewall
in Myanmar
Beijing has no wish to see the vast Monywa-Letpadaung copper mine in Myanmar
suffer the same fate as the Myitsone dam project as Naypyidaw adjust its
relations with the West, but local protests are raising anti-Chinese sentiment.
The involvement of Aung San Suu Kyi may yet save China further embarrassment. - Peter
Lee (Dec 14, '12)
Migrants' woes on display in
Singapore
A strike involving Chinese migrant workers in Singapore highlights their often
unreported plight in the wealthy city-state. Strictly applied laws severely
limit their ability to protest without fear of recrimination, although the
recent brief dispute has prompted some positive government action. - Megawati
Wijaya (Dec 12, '12)
Aquino wrong by rights
As this week's Human Rights Day passed in the Philippines, a lack of
discernible progress in halting high-profile extra-judicial killings and
enforced disappearances made a mockery of President Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino's
pledges to clean up his country's rights record. Facing entrenched political
clientilism and a military viewing itself as an inviolable defender of the
state, Aquino's rhetoric isn't matching reality. - Mark Dearn
(Dec 11, '12)
Farming in the sky in
Singapore
Singapore, its land available for farming disappearing rapidly, is applying to
urban agriculture the high-rise model used to house much of its five million
population. Experiments with rooftop gardens and vertical farms are already
yielding quality vegetables, with the added bonus that the produce is fresher
than imports. - Kalinga Seneviratne (Dec 10,
'12)
SPEAKING FREELY
Rohingyas test Suu Kyi's
credentials
Popular momentum in Myanmar behind proposals to expel its Rohingya people is
based on outdated perceptions of the minority being given preferential
treatment by colonial Britain, yet even "pro-democracy" leader like Aung San
Suu Kyi appears loathe to condemn the religious violence in Rakhine State. Her
silence suggests that 2015 general elections are simply too tempting a prize. - Ridwan
Sheikh (Dec 10, '12)
China nudges up South China
Sea tension
The change in China's leadership confirmed last month has failed to bring any
sign that tensions are easing in the South China Sea, with Beijing announcing
plans to step up patrols in the contested area while underlining its
sovereignty claims with newly designed passports. Official equivocation on what
these moves imply does little to reduce the potential for armed clashes in the
region. - Richard Javad Heydarian (Dec 6,
'12)
Wahhabi war waged on
Indonesia's Shi'ites
A vicious campaign against Shi'ite Muslims in Indonesia - from assaults on
children to entire villages burned to the ground, and many deaths - fits a long
pattern of attacks against country's minorities. While provocation likely
emanates from Saudi Arabian-funded promulgation of Wahhabi Sunni Islam,
indifference shown by the government stokes feelings of fear and betrayal. - Rossie
Indira and Andre Vltchek (Dec 6, '12)
More to US-Cambodia
relations than rights
While the thorny issue of human rights dominated last month's meeting between
US President Barack Obama and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, burgeoning
military and economic ties underline that it's far from the most strategically
important bilateral topic. Talk of political prisoners and electoral violations
underline that Phnom Penh needs to try harder, but Washington also needs to
show more objectivity. - Vannarith Chheang (Dec
5, '12)
Lines of division grow in
ASEAN
Regional in-fighting in response to China's maritime claims has attracted most
attention, but disunity over human rights and vast hydropower projects also
threatens the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as it prepares for
significant leadership changes. Since they strike at the group's principles of
non-intervention, these issues are potentially as divisive as the ongoing
territorial dispute. - Roberto Tofani (Dec 3,
'12)
Myanmar reconciliation a
distant dream
A year after the breakdown of a 17-year ceasefire in Myanmar's northern Kachin
State, government troops continue to abuse and drive out villagers even as
President Thein Sein claims he is seeking to resolve the conflict through
political means. If the government was sincere about restoring peace, it would
make efforts to win the hearts and minds of the local people rather than
brutalizing them. - Nhkum Gam (Nov 29, '12)
ASEAN's fast fade to
irrelevance
Hopes that the recently concluded ASEAN summit would restore a sense of purpose
after a calamitous ministerial meeting that saw chair country Cambodia
apparently side with China faded when Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen blocked
the inclusion of maritime disputes from the agenda. Manila's rejection of Hun
Sen's claims that there was a "consensus" on the matter underline the damaging
lack of unity. - Richard Javad Heydarian (Nov
28, '12)
Manila eyes new South China
Sea horizon
The Philippines has high hopes that China's new leadership will transcend
popular nationalism and let sense prevail over the ongoing sovereignty dispute.
Yet Manila has its own populist platform to consider as its searches for
compromise in the South China Sea. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(Nov 21, '12)
COMMENT
China and Southeast Asian
need to be bold
China's once-in-a-decade leadership transition poses vital questions for the
world over what change of course Beijing will now take. For Southeast Asia one
of the biggest is the confrontation that threatens the region with America's
reckless "Pivot to Asia". Moving to a more peaceful footing will take a bold
effort from leaders in the region and in China to reach out to each other. - Walden
Bello (Nov 19, '12)
Obama doubles up on Myanmar visit
The United States doubled up on President Barack Obama's historic visit to
Myanmar today by lifting its ban on imports from the Southeast Asian nation.
Myanmar also aims to boost trade with neighboring Bangladesh, though it
acknowledges it first has to "improve conditions" in Rakhine State, where
Muslim Rohingyas are being driven from their land. - Syed Tashfin Chowdhury
(Nov 19, '12)
SPEAKING FREELY
Obama touches Myanmar
maelstrom
As President Barack Obama demonstrated in his election victory, a culture of
inclusion is a winning ticket for the future. His historic visit to Myanmar
should be seen as opportunity to call out the leadership over institutionalized
racial discrimination that denies foreigners a legal identity, and contributes
to the frenzy of hatred seen in situations like an ongoing pogrom in Arakan. - May
Ng (Nov 19, '12)
Myanmar takes place in US
'pivot'
That President Barack Obama leaves Washington for a four-day visit to Southeast
Asia amid negotiations over the dreaded "fiscal cliff" and rising tension over
the latest violence in the Gaza Strip testifies to the importance his
administration is placing on its pivot towards Asia - and on its contentious
role in a reforming Myanmar. - Jim Lobe (Nov
16, '12)
SPEAKING FREELY
Manufacturing a future for
Myanmar's people
Despite the passage of a Foreign Investment Law, reformists in Myanmar will
struggle to wrestle the commanding heights of the economy from the business
elites. Rather than prioritizing extractive resource sectors, manufacturing
offers a compelling long-term opportunity to tackle Myanmar's economic malaise.
- George Gorman (Nov 16, '12)
COMMENT
Obama and checkmate on
Myanmar
Beyond the pro-democracy and anti-China public relations opportunities raised
by Obama's Myanmar visit lies the cold reality that it can be viewed as an
affirmation that the regime's economic reforms wipe out past human-rights
abuses. Unless he meets ethnic insurgents and those who renounce the
leadership's constitution, Obama's presence helps tyranny rather than fights
it. - Roland Watson (Nov 16, '12)
Vietnam must look to rural
economy
After a strong process of industrialization, Vietnam's economy is starting to
look sclerotic as credit tightens and exporters move to cheaper countries. The
government must now prioritize rural development and take a more positive
attitude to the role of the farmer. - Elliot Brennan and Tung Phung Duc
(Nov 15, '12)
Manila paddles harder
in the South China Sea
The Philippine's deepening military ties with the United States in the face of
China's sovereignty assertiveness in the South China Sea are paying dividends
in terms of regional stature. At the same time, the Aquino administration is
clearly working harder to create a more positive vibe with Beijing amid the
highly sensitive leadership transition there. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(Nov 15, '12)
SPEAKING FREELY
A chance to mend
Indo-Myanmar ties
Aung San Suu Kyi's visit to India this week offers New Delhi an opportunity to
reflect on the results of it abandoning support for Myanmar's democracy
movement with the introduction of its "Look East" policy. With political lines
blurring in Naypyidaw, more emphasis must be put on cooperation on tackling
India's northeastern insurgency, China's growing influence and expanding
Southeast Asian trade. - Nehginpao Kipgen (Nov
15, '12)
Myanmar fixates on Rohingya
calculation
Morally bankrupt divide and rule tactics by Myanmar's former military junta are
not only reason behind the old-fashioned pogrom taking place against the
Rohingya minority and other Muslims in Rakhine State. A reservoir of anti-Islam
feeling stoked by Buddhist bigots also explains why even pro-democracy
champions have denied the wave of hatred. - Peter Lee
(Nov 13, '12)
Rohingya miss boat on
development
US President Barack Obama's visit to Myanmar this month comes as the country is
ravished by land clearances linked to development projects. One, a
multi-billion-dollar energy-related economic zone, will transform Rakhine
State, until now impoverished and isolated. Recent ethnic violence there
cleared Muslim Rohingya from much-needed space on the few slivers of land
between sea, mud, and mountains. - Syed Tashfin Chowdhury and Chris
Stewart (Nov 9, '12)
SPEAKING FREELY
Political Islam adrift in
Indonesia
Growing friction and polarization within and among Indonesia's Islamic parties
are symptomatic of their leaders' reluctance to hand over the reins and a
failure to develop a media image that resonates with voters. This and the
fallout from assorted scandals has cost the parties almost all their social and
intellectual capital. - Donny Syofyan (Nov 8,
'12)
Nowhere to go for the
Rohingya
The long history of ethnic clashes between the Muslim Rohingya of Myanmar's
Rakhine State is testament, if nothing else, to their equally long history of
living there - a history denied by the Myanmar government. Shunned in that
country, unwanted in neighboring Bangladesh (or elsewhere), this grim
statelessness may have one resolution - backed by wealthy distant friends, they
might carve out their own state. - Phil Radford
(Nov 8, '12)
Quiet continental drift at
Asia-Europe summit
The financial woes of the old continent of Europe cast a shadow over an
otherwise uneventful Europe-Asia conference in Laos, with the ball firmly in
the eastern creditor's court. The challenge for China now is to translate the
imbalance in economic fortunes into greater influence at international finance
institutions. - Simon Roughneen (Nov 8, '12)
Genocide as a partial
picture
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC plans to stage an
exhibition on Cambodia's Khmer Rouge. It is uncertain if the government-funded
presentation covering the mass deaths of period will include the US's secret
bombing of the country some say helped the radical Maoists come to power, or
whether it will show victims' skulls, telling their own graphic tale. - Julie
Masis (Nov 8, '12)
Lao, Cambodian families
pay for summit luxuries
As Asian and European leaders gather for high-level meetings this month in
Cambodia and Laos, the luxury living quarters and extensive security
arrangements made for their arrivals have come at considerable human and
environmental expense. - Beaumont Smith and Julie Masis
(Nov 7, '12)
US warns Laos over Xayaburi
dam
The United States this week used unusually direct terms to caution the Laotian
government over its plans to build a US$3.5 billion dam on the Mekong that
threatens the livelihood of millions of people downstream and is the subject of
a strongly disputed environmental assessment. Undeterred, groundbreaking at the
dam site was slated for the following day. - Carey L Biron
(Nov 7, '12)
A way ahead in the South China Sea
Hopes that unity can counter Chinese ambitions in the South China Sea have been
dashed as some ASEAN members cozy up to Beijing and others turn to the United
States for naval support. A better route back from the brink of conflict is for
nations with rival sovereignty claims to China to agree sea boundaries and a
code of conduct among themselves. - David Brown
(Nov 6, '12)
Manila fights to save
tobacco tax increase
The Philippines' government struggled this summer to secure an increase in
tobacco taxes in a much-delayed attempt to pull in more revenue and curb high
levels of smoking. Its targets may be hurt even further thanks to a powerful
tobacco lobby. - Cher S Jimenez (Nov 5, '12)
SPEAKING FREELY
Spoilers to Philippine peace
deal
President Benign Aquino has been lauded at home and internationally for forging
agreement with the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on a framework to
end the conflict in the southern Philippines. Yet shortcomings of the deal and
a host of disparate actors waiting in the wings threaten to make peace elusive.
- George D Gorman (Nov 5, '12)
World Bank returns to
Myanmar
The World Bank is to return to Myanmar after a quarter-century absence, with
approval for a US$245 million development package aimed at improving the
once-reviled country's financial management, regulations and bolstering the
private sector. - Carey L Biron (Nov 5, '12)
Cambodia gets last chance to
show spine
The after-taste still lingers from Cambodia's apparent decision in July to put
its relationship with China ahead of Southeast Asian neighbors. As the country
prepares to fulfill its final obligation as ASEAN chair, Cambodia must display
strong and flexible leadership to alleviate doubts about the regional group's
unity and willingness to tackle tough issues. - Gregory Poling and Alexandra
Sander (Nov 2, '12)
Ethnic violence imperils
Myanmar reform
The scale of sectarian violence in Myanmar and its spread beyond Rakhine State
is stretching to the limit the government's ability to deal with the situation.
If President Thein Sein hopes to cap anti-Muslim sentiment before it
destabilizes his administration, he will need to quickly shift his reform focus
from political and economic matters to judicial and security issues. - Brian
McCartan (Nov 2, '12)
INTERVIEW
China no country for young
women
Young rural women navigating the complexities of making it in a wealth-obsessed
new China have to overcome deep-rooted traditions and customs designed to
prevent females from climbing the social ladder. Leading Chinese author Sheng
Keyi told Asia Times Online how she has created independent female characters
and broke sexual taboos as she highlighted their plight. - Muhammad Cohen
(Nov 2, '12)
It is not Chittagong here -
it's Indonesia
Intolerance, low education levels and poverty in parts of northeastern Java
such as Madura Island have helped breed rising sectarian violence between Sunni
and Shi'ites. They have also created the economic conditions for industries
such as ship-breaking, more readily associated with harsh reality in
Bangladesh. Neither would be expected sights in this modernizing Southeast
Asian giant. - Andre Vltchek (Nov 1, '12)
Myanmar: Old atrocity, new
implications
A bloody and brutal purge in northern Myanmar committed 20 years ago by an
armed opposition student group is returning to haunt the country, threatening
far-reaching consequences for segments of the pro-democracy movement, their
foreign backers and the new quasi-civilian incarnation of the former
military-run regime. - Bertil Lintner (Oct
31, '12)
US's lost moral compass in
Myanmar
Americans have fought at home and abroad in the belief "that all men are
created equal". The United States under the Barack Obama administration appears
to have abandoned this principle through its recent engagement policy with
Myanmar, where large portions of the population, from Rohingyas to Karen to
Kachin, are victimized by the military for their ethnicity. - Tim Heinemann
(Oct 29, '12)
Etymology of an ethnic
conflict
If you want to talk peace, language is important. That sounds obvious, but
language has been a central issue to the always tense, sometimes violent
relationship between Thailand's ethno-religious majority and its Malay Muslim
minority since Siam's annexation of the Patani Sultanate centuries ago.
Suppression of the indigenous Malay dialect has long caused resentment, but as
Bangkok has become more anxious to calm the restive region, some progress has
been made. - Jason Johnson (Oct 26, '12)
BOOK REVIEW
Curse of the donor
Aid Dependency in Cambodia: How Foreign Assistance Undermines Democracy
by Sophal Ear
Billions of dollars in aid has poured into Cambodia over the past two decades,
and while the economy has grown it is on shaky foundations, with real
development languishing in a mire of corruption ruled over by a predatory
elite. Modern Cambodia is a kleptocracy cum thugocracy, writes the author, and
the international community, led by the UN, is its enabler. - Sebastian Strangio
(Oct 26, '12)
Construction tensions
in the South China Sea
Manila is becoming more anxious over its territorial claims in the South China
Sea, protesting over China's construction blitz there, including establishment
of a prefecture-level city in the disputed Paracels. Though other rival
Southeast Asian claimants have built up fortifications and even tourist spas in
the region, they too are worried that more Chinese structures will eventually
carry more diplomatic weight than China's oft-stated "historical claims". - Richard
Javad Heydarian (Oct 25, '12)
INTERVIEW
Mixing Marx and Indonesia
One of the world's staunchest anti-communist countries has a committed Marxist
among its most dedicated and versatile foreign chroniclers. Australian Max Lane
says Indonesia turned him to the left. - Muhammad Cohen
(Oct 19, '12)
Indonesia put to test
The Indonesian economy, while in many respects an example of dynamism, remains
too dependent on commodity exports, and development is hampered by corruption
and inefficiency in the public sector. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(Oct 19, '12)
Peace drive splits Myanmar's
Karen
The dismissal of three senior officers from the Karen National Union over their
ties with the Myanmar government underlines internal tensions between factions
who view the Thein Sein administration as a key to regional development and
political influence and others who distrust ceasefire overtures. Firmly focused
on business opportunities in resource-rich ethnic territories, Naypyidaw knows
how to exploit such divisions. - Francis Wade
(Oct 18, '12)
Najib shoots pre-election
messengers
While readership sags in Malaysia's state-influenced media, independent
websites like Malaysiakini are growing in popularity even as they come under
fire from the ruling coalition and the mainstream press for their coverage of
scandals involving the nation's leadership. Rights group Suaram is under
similar pressure to shut up. But these moves by the coalition and its backers
may backfire, as they bring these groups even more attention. - Anil Netto
(Oct 16, '12)
A royal check removed in
Cambodia
The passing of former Cambodian king Norodom Sihanouk removes the sole person
with the influence to reject repressive policies of Prime Minister Hun Sen. The
premier can now build on close ties Sihanouk fostered with China, accelerating
a quid pro quo where Phnom Penh earns cash in lucrative land and natural
resource deals while granting Beijing political support in the strategic heart
of Southeast Asia. - Richard S Ehrlich (Oct
16, '12)
OBITUARY
Norodom Sihanouk dies
Cambodia's former king Norodom Sihanouk, who has died aged 89, was synonymous
with his country as it developed from being a French colony to a modern state
through a brutal civil war and the infamous dictatorship of the Khmer Rouge. He
served as king, prime minister, communist figurehead, leader in exile, and
again as king until his retirement in 2004. - Sebastian Strangio
(Oct 15, '12)
Donors urged to tread
carefully in Myanmar
Foreign donors are rushing into Myanmar, whose government has been pushing the
right political buttons as part of its democratic reform process. But
development planners and local activists caution that the best approach should
still be "easy does it". - Johanna Son (Oct
15, '12)
Gunmen
threaten Manila peace deal
The survival of a historic peace agreement between Manila and the Moro Islamic
Liberation Front depends on how radical elements on restive Mindanao respond.
While the decentralization of taxation and religious powers are intended to
defuse the threat from groups such as Abu Sayyaf, militant links with other
al-Qaeda-inspired factions should ensure a steady stream of insurgents ready to
fight on. - Jacob Zenn (Oct 15, '12)
World Bank project dilemma
Southeast Asian nations have great plans for new infrastructure that will
require cash from the likes of the World Bank, and so risk conflict over
international standards designed to protect the environment and local people
affected by such grand projects. - Curtis S Chin
(Oct 12, '12)
Thai military resists political
pressure
A military reshuffle in Thailand has seen top brass defend the army's political
independence despite Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's attempts to
consolidate power. The defense minister, a known ally of self-exiled former
premier Thaksin Shinawatra, promoted several generals who will swear him
allegiance, while the commander-in-chief crucially created a line of succession
that cements the army's role as defender of the nation and the royal family. - John
Cole and Steve Sciacchitano (Oct 12,
'12)
Mindanao gets a chance for peace
Philippine President Benigno Aquino's conclusion of a framework peace deal with
the Moro Islamic Liberation Front could end a conflict that has claimed the
lives of almost 200,000 people. Unless he can devise an effective strategy to
raise living standards in a region created under the agreement, the plan will
falter like past well-intended but ultimately unviable peace efforts in
Mindanao. - Richard Javad Heydarian (Oct 10,
'12)
China splits Philippine politics
Rising diplomatic tensions between Manila and Beijing, notably over Beijing's
perceived provocations in the South China Sea, have sown divisions inside the
Philippine ruling establishment. As President Benigno Aquino attempts to strike
a balance between national security concerns and economic imperatives, the risk
of more infighting and policy incoherence is high. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(Oct 9, '12)
Ethnic key to US role in Myanmar
Myanmar shares an uncomfortable feature with Afghanistan and Iraq - all three
are highly diverse ethnic societies that demand their ethnicity be both valued
and balanced. The willingness of the United States and its allies to overlook
this fundamental fact rather than foster a dynamic balance among all
stakeholders in society, risks more than just prolonging the agonies of the
Southeast Asian nation. - Tim Heinemann (Oct
9, '12)
BOOK REVIEW
A one-sided history
Modern China-Myanmar Relations: Dilemmas of Mutual Dependence by David
I Steinberg and Hongwei Fan
Given the wide-ranging hypocrisy dominating the West's embrace of Myanmar's
"normalization" and China's role in the transition, honest analysis of what is
really going on in is scarce. While this book does little to fill the void, it
does coherently outline China's economic aspirations in Myanmar and provide
valuable data on cross-border trade. - Bertil Lintner
(Oct 5, '12)
Bali bombings as unrealized
powder keg
Ten years after a series of bombs in Bali left more than 200 people dead,
Indonesia is an anti-terrorism success story. The record on Muslim extremism,
corruption and poverty is mixed, but things are more peaceful than many could
have expected in the smoldering aftermath on Jalan Legian a decade ago. - Gary
LaMoshi (Oct 3, '12)
Myanmar still a high-risk
investment
As major multinationals from Coca-Cola to Ford size up the Myanmar market,
indigenous businesses, often linked to the previous ruling junta, are pressing
for protectionist measures in a pending foreign investment law. The strength of
President Thein Sein's reformist camp will likely ensure relatively liberal
legislation; other dangers still await foreign investors who sink their money
into the country. - Brian McCartan (Oct 2,
'12)
Australian leader faces bases
blowback
The prospect of US joint command of troops at Australian bases is becoming a
political hot potato for Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who faces voters in
federal elections next year. Unquestioning submission to the demands of the
military alliance may prove her undoing. - Graeme Dunston
(Oct 2, '12)
 CHAN
AKYA
Bumi price crash:
A tale of two princes
A curious tale has popped up in the business pages of late, one that brings to
mind a modern-day South Sea Bubble as it were. It combines politics in a
country that houses the world’s largest Muslim population whilst bringing to
the fore a Jewish family and a wealthy Indonesian tycoon. This is potboiler
stuff, and not even half the story may have been written yet.
(Sep 28, '12)
US 'pivots' on the Philippines
Filipinos are increasingly wary that their country's emboldened position
towards Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea is too reliant on
expectations of United States' assistance. Relatively small increases in
military aid, despite a supposed centrality to the US "pivot", leave Manila
concerned that America's overstretched finances and army mean it wouldn't be
much help in a real conflict. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(Sep 27, '12)
Nervous Malaysia eyes China dancefloor
On the surface, the first ever defense and security consultation between China
and Malaysia points to relations at an all-time high. Yet, immediate benefits
of cozying up to Beijing aside, divergences are such that Kuala Lumpur
continues to pursue a hedging strategy amid the uncertainty posed by China's
rise. - Prashanth Parameswaran (Sep 26, '12)
Aquino reforms leave
potholes
The gloom dominating the Western economic story tends to obscure what is
happening in the Philippines. Growth is healthy, inflation and interest rates
are stable, public debt is low, and genuine progress has been made against
official graft. Even so, compared with elsewhere in Southeast Asia, President
Benigno Aquino's reforms look less brilliant. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(Sep 26, '12)
US pivots, Vietnam forgets
the past
Most Vietnamese have moved on - and most are too young to remember - the war,
while Americans are still haunted. That's a crucial distinction as the US
"pivots" towards Asia, with Vietnam on the frontline as it looks to the US in
its tussle with China over contested territories in the South China Sea. - Lien
Hoang (Sep 24, '12)
New war footing on
Thai-Cambodian border
Royal Thai Army planners have prepared new defense plans against potential
attacks from Cambodia, a move that threatens to rekindle tensions along the two
countries' contested border. It could be perceived as provocative given the
lack of any realistic threat. It also seems to contradict the policy of the
Yingluck Shinawatra administration in Bangkok. - John Cole and Steve
Sciacchitano (Sep 21, '12)
Malaysian role vexes Thai
conflict
Recent and highly symbolic raising of Malaysian flags across Thailand's
southernmost provinces highlights the porosity of the border for insurgents and
serves as a stark reminder that Malaysia needs to play a significant role to
end unprecedented violence there. The incidents also show the insurgency is
more coordinated than many would like to believe. - Jason Johnson
(Sep 20, '12)
Suu Kyi backs end of US
sanctions
Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was upbeat over the country's
reforms in her first public address in the United States, urging the US to drop
its last sanctions. Her optimism was tempered with warnings that democracy
demanded the release of all political prisoners and the call for a clear reform
timetable beyond the whims of the military and government. - Carey L Biron
(Sep 19, '12)
Blog wars underline Vietnam
power struggle
Rival blogs that have sprung up in Vietnam are generating huge hits with
scurrilous and partisan attacks on the country's top leadership. The government
has branded their populist daily diet as "reactionary", yet bad blood between
President Truong Tan Sang and Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung lies at the heart
of the fare and battle. - David Brown (Sep
19, '12)
Political mud seeks mark
in
pre-election Malaysia
Local government action to curb illegal logging in Malaysia's Sabah state has
not prevented a Swiss-based rainforest advocacy group filing a criminal
complaint linking the state's chief minister to logging interests. As Malaysia
approaches a general election, the background of political mud-slingers can be
of as much interest as the targets. - Nile Bowie
(Sep 19, '12)
US 'pivot' as bankrupt
diplomacy
As the United States sets foreign policy on an Asian-leaning pivot, it faces
the dual challenge of China's military muscle and huge store of soft power
accumulated through years of checkbook diplomacy. American miltary aid is
pouring into the region, but a belt-tightening Washington is hard-pressed to
match generous sweeteners that disguise the bitterness of territorial
confrontation. - George Amurao (Sep 18, '12)
Aung San Suu Kyi on risky
ground in US
Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi will receive numerous accolades,
including a Congressional medal, during her tour of the United States this
week. The warmth of her welcome, however much deserved, may dangerously
overshadow the overlapping visit of reformist President Thein Sein, and so risk
further alienating their country's military, on whom both their futures still
depend. - David I Steinberg (Sep 17, '12)
Philippines on frontline of
US-China rivalry
The Philippines, among the countries affected by China's response to the United
States' Asian "pivot", is shifting closer to Washington - much to Beijing's
chagrin. That reliance will grow unless Manila can find a more creative,
multilateral stance. If rival territorial claims were to spark armed conflict,
there is no guarantee the US would intervene. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(Sep 14, '12)
Cambodia helps squeeze
WikiLeaks
Cambodia's deportation to Sweden of Gottfrid Svartholm Warg, co-founder of the
Pirate Bay file-sharing site, is shrouded by questionable processes and doubtul
justifications. Two things do seem plausible - his removal is linked to US
efforts to gain revenge for WikiLeaks, and Cambodia has again shown willing to
"export" wanted foreigners for cash. - Justine Drennan
(Sep 13, '12)
SPEAKING FREELY
Point of no return in the South China Sea
As tensions over rival territorial claims in the South China Sea rise to
worrying levels, serious actions are required to turn back from a point of no
return. In this effort, much will be expected from the United States and China
to lead the way toward stability. - Nazery Khalid
(Sep 13, '12)
COMMENT
Malaysia risks takeover
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak lauds the achievements of his government
in delivering economic growth while other countries struggle to avoid
recession. That ability to deliver consistent economic development is
threatened by the proposed US-backed Trans-Pacific Partnership, shaped in
secret by private companies. - Nile Bowie (Sep
12, '12)
SPEAKING FREELY
Time for a new ASEAN way
The crisis of consensus in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations should be
looked upon as an important opportunity for change. As the future of the
organization depends on how much its members are willing to give in order to
take, they should first consider making resolutions binding. - Khanh Vu Duc
(Sep 10, '12)
How to make more Singaporean
babies
Concerns that dipping birth rates in Singapore spell demographic doom for the
city-state have seen the government invite ideas from the public about how to
encourage people to have children. While some critics say healthy economic
growth has led people to put off parenthood to focus on their careers, others
blame the high-pressure education system. - Kalinga Seneviratne
(Sep 6, '12)
Nearer the Church, farther
from birth goals
As Philippines President Benigno Aquino garners support for a reproductive bill
that would offer contraceptive options against the teachings of the Catholic
Church, a minority of lawmakers are determined to filibuster. Meanwhile,
unintended pregnancies and maternal mortality rates keep on rising. - Marwaan
Macan-Markar (Sep 6, '12)
SPEAKING FREELY
Myanmar reform on a familiar
track
As Western countries cheer reform efforts in Myanmar, internal critics see the
process as a cynical culmination of the "seven-step roadmap" drawn up by the
military regime before President Thein Sein took power through election. The
plan, which envisions the emergence of a "genuine and disciplined democratic
system", guarantees the safety of ex-junta generals involved in widespread
human rights abuses while opening the country to foreign investment. - Saw Yan
Naing (Sep 5, '12)
Gun violence rises in Papua
New Guinea
A spike in gun use in domestic violence, robberies and land disputes in Papua
New Guinea is being blamed on high unemployment, poverty and the southwest
Pacific's recent history of violent conflict. With 90% of firearms illegally
owned and 23% of households having been victimized by guns, calls are growing
for region-wide curbs arms brokers. - Catherine Wilson
(Sep 5, '12)
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and make even deeper impact on the lives of Southeast Asians in Worcester. For
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