On December 6, the world saw Myanmar’s leaders ousted by a military takeover earlier this year receive their first verdict in a series of trials. National League for Democracy (NLD) leader Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint were both initially sentenced to four years in prison for inciting...
In February 1986, hundreds of thousands of Filipinos gathered on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue to protest President Ferdinand Marcos and his claim that he had won reelection over Corazon Aquino.
By June, the economic impact of the pandemic had been felt by the most marginalized in Indonesia, particularly sex workers. Restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19 meant fewer people paid for sex, resulting in a loss of earnings. Protecting sex workers and ensuring they have access to health...
Today, people’s rising aspirations often sit at odds with political stability. Impatience, dissent and violent protests can easily slip into insurgency and terrorism. Various state machineries stand guilty of weaponizing political disaffection in pursuit of political goals. These policies often...
As Indonesians brace themselves for another election in 2019, they must stop politicizing religion and identity. In Southeast Asia, Indonesia is set to hold its presidential election in April 2019. Citizens will choose a candidate to lead the nation until 2024, and the excitement can be felt...
Which countries are poised to become the next high-growth developing markets? Until recently, when people talked about “emerging markets,” they were referring to the BRIC economies: Brazil, Russia, India and China. Undeniably, these countries have changed the face of global business over...
Each year, 2.5 million Asian migrants leave their homes to find work in a foreign land. Their plight is often ignored. The 21st century, according to The Guardian, will be defined by the issue of migration. While the spotlight on migration in 2015 has been on the surge of refugees and asylum...
What are Thailand’s prospects for democracy a year after the country’s 19th coup? As most media outlets have their attention geared toward Iran, Greece and the European Union’s asylum seeker crisis, Thailand continues to struggle with the military government that installed itself by a...
The realities that over 150,000 Rohingya refugees face are filled with risk, fear and uncertainty. Imagine the choice between throwing your fate into the hands of notoriously abusive human traffickers or staying in a place facing the highest risk of genocide in the world. This is the choice...
Civil liberties have improved, but most media outlets in Southeast Asia remain controlled by authoritarian governments. Media and politics are two strongly interconnected and essential components of human society. The state, through law, limits the room for news media to operate freely. In turn,...
