Grasp the pattern, read the trend
No. 35, August/2022, 5
Brought to you by CPG
Dear Readers,
Welcome to this week’s Asia in Review issue.
I wish you an informative read and extend special greetings to everyone who celebrates Kyrgyzstan’s, Malaysia’s, Trinidad and Tobago’s, Uzbekistan’s and Vietnam’s Independence Day in this week.
With best regards,
Henning Glaser
Editor in Chief
Webpage: www.cpg-online.de, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CPGTU
Main Sections
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in East Asia
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in South Asia
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in Southeast Asia
International Relations, Geopolitics and Security in Asia
Announcements
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in East Asia
China: Open letter from CCP elders warns against personality cult
(ms) A letter dated August 22 and first posted on a Twitter account of Weiquanwang, a rights website, on August 25 draws attention to criticism of Chinese President Xi Xinpng from within the Chinese Communist Party.
The letter is said to have been written by three CCP veteran members, who have been called in responses to the post “elders”, which refers to a group of elderly members of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) – with Deng Xiaoping as the group’s core – who held substantial power in the last two decades of the 20th century reflected by the removal of three party leaders between 1980 and 1989.
Calling for reforms in the existing system of the party, the three authors criticize the party’s power structure, saying that the individual committees have too much power, which weakens the power of the members and makes the leaders untouchable. They warn against the emergence of a personality cult and a repetition of the Cultural Revolution, led by Mao Zedong from 1966 to 1976, which was intended to purge the CCP of individuals identified as revisionists and opponents.
The letter does not directly name Xi, but because of the timing, just a few months before the 20th national party congress, at which Xi will seek to secure an unprecedented third term as party leader, the letter is widely seen as direct criticism against him. Xi has concentrated power in his hands uniting both the party and the military under his leadership. In 2017, Xi’s Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era was incorporated into the CCP's constitution, making Xi the first party leader after Mao Zedong to be honored in such a way during his lifetime.
The website through which the open letter was published said that those responsible for the letter are under strict surveillance and face punishment; the CCP has not commented on the issue. [Radio Free Asia] [The Print]
Meanwhile, Beijing-based ANBOUND Research Center, a Chinese public policy think tank, has made a rare move and publicly expressed disagreement with “zero-Covid” policy of the Chinese government, reasoning in a report that “curbs that shut down cities and disrupt trade, travel and industry must change to prevent an “economic stall,’ and arguing that the US, European countries and Japan see their economy recovering after they eased anti-pandemic restrictions.
The report, was posted on August 28 on the think tank’s accounts on the popular WeChat messaging platform and the Sina Weibo microblog service, was removed from both platforms a day later. [The Guardian]
China: Further measures to strengthen the economy presented
(ms) The Chinese government has allocated fresh budget of almost USD 150 billion to fund 19 measures to stimulate the country’s economic recovery, which according to Primier Le Keqiang is currently resting on a “weak foundation” in the face of a resurgence in Covid cases, a deepening property crisis and power shortages caused by a severe drought.
The measures are intended to complement the 33 measures already implemented in May, which had introduced various forms of tax cuts and support for small businesses [see more AiR No. 22, May/2022, 5].
Among others, the government is increasing the monetary resources made available to the state-owned policy banks by nearly USD 45 billion, after Premier Li Keqiang had already made the same amount available to the banks through the sale of selling policy bonds at the end of June [see AiR No. 27, July/2022, 1]. This money is to be used by the banks to finance infrastructure projects in particular.
Furthermore, local governments are called on to utilize existing special-purpose bonds worth over USD 70 billion until the end of October in order to stimulate consumption and solve the problem of insufficient credit demand. In addition, there will be further support for the agricultural sector and small businesses.
Special attention has also been paid to the heavily indebted real estate sector, so in addition to the new financial resources already presented above, as in May, various task forces have been formed to be sent to provinces that are of great economic importance with the task to coordinate the economic recovery. A special task force led by the Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development was sent to the eastern Chinese province of Fujian to ensure the completion of various construction projects. [Bloomberg] [CNN] [Global Times] [Xinhua]
China: Implementation of measures to combat youth unemployment
(ms) The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security announced on August 25 that it will implement various measures to tackle youth unemployment rate that has hit a record-high level.
Among others, companies are to be motivated to hire young people through incentives such as tax and fee cuts. Support is also to be provided for college graduates in finding jobs, where, according to the ministry, a particular focus is to be placed on the long-term unemployed and people from low-income families.
According to official data, the unemployment rate for 16- to 24-year-olds reached nearly 20 percent in July, which is expected to further rise again due to the record number of more than 10 million university graduates this year. The strict lockdown measures implemented in the frame of the country’s zero-Covid-19 policy and the property crisis are seen as major causes for this development. [China Daily] [Global Times][Barrron’s] [Market Watch]
China: Hundreds arrested in banking scandal
(dql) More than 230 people have been arrested in the province Henan over suspicion of being involved in a massive rural banking scandal.
The arrests come weeks after more than 1,000 people staged a protest in Henan’s capital Zhengzhou over lost savings after four rural banks in the province had frozen deposits of hundreds of thousands of customers worth millions of USD since April. [CNN] [See AiR No. 28, July/2022, 2]
China: Former Vice President of China Development Bank Pleads Guilty
(ms) On August 23, the former vice president of the China Development Bank, one of the country’s policies banks next to the Export–Import Bank of China (Exim) and the Agricultural Development Bank of China (ADBC), pleaded guilty after being found guilty of bribery and accepting nearly USD 10 million in return for helping others get a loan from the bank, illegally issuing financial bills and granting loans as well as concealing overseas bank deposits. The sentence is still pending. [China Daily]
China: Founder of Hog Kong government-critical newspaper Lai faces fraud trial
(ms) Jimmy Lai, a Hong Kong entrepreneur and founder of the government-critical Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily, which was shut down after several raids by Hong Kongs police in 2021, stood trial on August 24, facing two charges of fraud, as he is accused of violating Apple Daily's lease agreement by failing to disclose that another company was located in the newspaper's office space.
Lai pleaded not guilty. Lai's lawyer emphasized his client's innocence but pointed out that even if there was a breach of contract, it was a civil matter, not a criminal matter, and therefore the fraud charge was disproportionate. This position is also shared by Hong Kong activists and former companions who see the trial of Lai as a pretext to keep the pro-democracy publisher in prison. [Hong Kong Free Press] [The Wall Street Journal]
Lai pleaded innocent only earlier last week in another case in which he and other employees of Apple Daily were charged under the sedition law for distributing seditious publications [see AiR No. 34, August/2022, 4].
In a latest development, Lai lost another legal bid to block police from accessing journalistic material that is stored in his mobile phones after a High Court judge ruled that police were entitled to seize that material citing “paramount” public interest, as the Beijing-decreed national security legislation conferred additional powers on officers investigating offences. [South China Morning Post]
China: Ministry adds Agoda, Subway, Dominos and Co. to list of problematic apps
(ms) The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has accused various companies, including Singapore online travel agency Agoda and the American fast-food chains Subway and Dominos, of violating user rights with their apps.
The MIIT has given the companies concerned an ultimatum that they must remedy the allegations by September 5 or face punishment. The punishments are mostly fines, but there have already been individual cases where apps have been blocked.
The MIIT, together with the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC), first issued guidelines in May defining what user information is necessary for app use, which means that app providers are not allowed to make the provision of information beyond this "necessary information" mandatory. In addition, in July, the implementation of Cross border Data-Transfer was introduced, which requires all companies that have transferred data of at least 100,000 persons or sensitive data of 10,000 persons abroad since the beginning of last year to be subject to a security check [see AiR No. 28, July/2022, 2]. [South China Morning Post]
China: Macao to amend national security law
(ms) The government of the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) has begun a 45-day public consultation on a proposal for an amendment of the national security law implemented in Macao in 2009 of which critics fear that if passed it would establish a security regime that would be more repressive than Hong Kong’s.
Among other proposed changes, is the change of the crime from “subversion of the central people’s government” to “subversion of state power,” significantly expanding the scope of offenses. At the same time, the proposal criminalizes also non-violent acts of subversion in addition to violent ones.
Pro-democracy activists fear that this will lead to a restriction of criticism against the local government but also the mainland and that, for example, the vigils for the victims of the 1989 Tiananmen Square could be banned because they violate “the reputation, dignity, authority, and prestige of the Chinese Communist Party,” whose protection is to be further strengthened by the amendments.
Also proposed in the amendments are three preventive measures, namely “interception of intelligence communications,” “temporary exit restrictions,” and “requests for information on activities of suspicious organizations or individuals in Macao," which would clearly restrict the freedom of the people of the SAR. [China Daily] [The Epoch Times] [See also Air No. 29, July/2022, 3]
China: Aircraft carrier Shandong held military exercises in South China Sea
(ms) The People's Liberation Army (PLA) has revealed that the second Chinese aircraft carrier Shandong held military exercises in the South China Sea earlier this month, during which it was accompanied by a Type 055 large destroyer, the Guilin a Type 052D stealth guided missile destroyer, a Type 054A frigate and the Chaganhu Type 901 comprehensive supply ship.
The purpose of the exercises was to test the combat readiness of the Shandong.
Besides the Shandong, official footage of the launch of drones and warplanes such as the JH-7A fighter-bombers and J-11B fighters has also been published. It is not clear whether these exercises are related to those of the Shandong flotilla.
However, both exercises followed the visit of Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Pelosi to Taiwan earlier this month after which China held large military exercises around Taiwan. [Global Times] [South China Morning Post]
China: New technology to improve stealth bombers
(ms) The Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC) says it has developed a new plasma technology designed to enhance the aerodynamics of stealth bombers.
Such plasma technology is already being worked on in other countries, but in the developments there so far, the membrane has to be activated manually. The Chinese version is said to be able to do this automatically. Further, the power consumption is said to be much lower. [South China Morning Post]
Japan: Unification Church links to political parties rise
(sra) The controversy over ties between the Unification Church and Japan’s political parties continues as the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), the primary opposition party, reveals further political affiliation with the religious group following its already controversial ties to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The church has come under fire as it was declared a motive for the suspect of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s assassination on July 8, with alleged claims the organization caused his mother to go bankrupt [see AiR No. 34, August/2022,4].
There are now 14 CDPJ members with a confirmed connection to the church, formally known as the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification.
An internal survey has stated that Yukio Edano was featured in a 2006 article in the Sekai Nippo newspaper, associated with the church. Edano was the leader of the party from 2017 until its loss in the 2021 election and was the main government spokesperson throughout the nuclear disaster of Fukushima in 2011.
The survey also asserted links to Jun Azumi and Akio Fukuda, both House of Representatives lawmakers interviewed in the newspaper from 2010, and lower house lawmaker Kaname Tajima held a party of which a partner organization of the church paid a fee of USD 73.
CDPJ Secretary general Chinami Nishimura apologized at a conference over the development of the connections to the church while criticizing the LDP for rejection his party’s petition to set up an investigative body. The CDPJ August 3 petition would have launched an open probe into the issue, rather than rely on individual lawmakers to come forward. [Japan Today]
Japan: Okinawa gubernatorial campaign highlights relocation of US military base
(sra) The Okinawa gubernatorial election campaign began on August 25 with the relocation of the U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma base at the forefront of the race. The election is scheduled for September 11.
The resolution of the relocation plan is considered to determine the first major election since Prime Minister Fumio Kishida rearranged his cabinet [see AiR No. 33, August/2022, 3]. Currently, the central government plans to relocate the Futenma base to Henoko from Ginowan, both in Okinawa prefecture. As part of the 1996 Japan-US Joint Declaration on Security, the Japanese government must cooperate and maintain the engagement of the US in the region. It claims the agreed plans for the base relocation are in place in order to deter possible risks, as well as its strategic location in regard to potential geopolitical developments such as Taiwan.
Denny Tamaki of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, aiming for a second four-year term, seeks to remove the Air Station Futenma from the prefecture entirely. In his campaign launch, Atsushi Sakima of the Liberal Democratic Party and previous mayor of Ginowan, expressed his support for the transfer, claiming the end of US land occupation in Futenma by 2030 if elected. Former member of the House of Representatives, Mikio Shimoji of the Political Group of Okinawa Revolution party, a local political in Okinawa, stated his plans to transform the base into an airport for both commercial and military use. [Japan Today, The Mainichi]
Although the election campaign has focused on the contentious presence of the US military in Okinawa, it also highlights the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic and its effects on tourism, child poverty rates and the implications of Okinawa having the lowest income per capita in Japan.
The relocation has been an ongoing battle of protests from the people of Okinawa since the presence of the US military first arrived on the southern island as a result of the Korean War and the security treaty of 1951. The prefecture continues to hold the majority of the US bases in Japan, regardless of the administration reverting the prefecture back to the country in 1972.
A lawsuit has been recently filed to block the relocation of the site on August 21 [see AiR No. 33, August/2022, 3].
Japan: Expert panel to finance rise in defense spending
(sra) The Japanese government will form an expert panel to discuss plans to provide further economic security and increase national spending in the defense sector.
Four meetings are to be held from September onwards to allow the panel to work in accordance with the fiscal 2023 budget and the update of three key security-related documents due at the end of this year. The panel of economic experts in defense policy will be made up of public finance and related ministers including Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki, Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada and Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s administration aims to create a functional balance between improving the country’s defense sector and maintaining economic stability. It will enable the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to adhere to its goal of doubling defense spending in Japan to 2 per cent of GDP for the next five years, ensuring the country remains within the same level of spending as other members of NATO.
Kishida’s plan is to increase the defense budget exponentially to over USD 40 billion until March 2024. This decision comes amid increasing concerns for national security related to the rising threats of China, Russia and North Korea.
Simultaneously the LDP’s junior coalition partner, Komeito, initiated review work for the security strategy. The party will meet with the LDP about 10 times between now and early October to discuss their distinct views surrounding controversial article 9, the war-renouncing article of the country’s constitution. Opinions within the two parties are split, with Komeito’s pacifist stance on the side and LDP’s more hawkish positions on defense policy, which includes the acquisition of capabilities for attacking enemy bases, on the other. [The Mainichi]
Japan: Opposition party updates executive lineup after election loss
(sra) The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), the main opposition party in the country, updated its executive lineup on August 26, after its loss of six seats in the House of Councillors election in July.
Chief Kenta Izumi who is to continue as party leader expects the changes made will enhance the structure of the party for the next local elections in spring. The reshuffle is scheduled prior to the following parliamentary session in October.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Katsuya Okada was announced as secretary general and ex-health minister Akira Nagatsuma as policy chief. The post of Diet affairs chief went to former Finance Minister Jun Azumi, while Hiroshi Ogushi, former prime ministerial special adviser, was appointed election campaign chief. Maintaining the role of Deputy President, Seiji Osaka will be joined by former Secretary General Chinami Nishimura. [Kyodo News]
The changes made were justified by Izumi, stating the CDPJ’s ministers are highly experienced with previous roles within the Diet, including past prime ministers. The choices made will provide a different approach to government to facilitate its direction in hopes to become the next ruling party of Japan. [Japan Today]
Japan: Land ministry adds female lecturers to online course due to controversy
(sra) On 22 August Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism announced the addition of 15 women to lecture a community development online course for public servants after it was heavily criticized for its initial 25 spots being filled entirely by men.
The revision of the panel now confirms to hold 37 lecturers in total to double its original capacity, with the replacement of three former male speakers.
This is not the first time the Japanese government faces backlash over concerns about gender inequality. The former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori resigned as president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee in February 2021 due to public response to his remarks on female participation in meetings making them “drag on.”
Japan remains among the lowest ranked countries in terms of abolishing the gender gap within East Asia and the Pacific, ranking 116th of the 146 participating countries according to the World Economic Forum for 2022. [Japan Today]
Japan: 98 Afghans fleeing Taliban granted refugee status
(sra) Humanitarian concerns for the protection of those working for Japan have resulted in the granting of 98 asylum seekers refugee status on August 19. Staff working at the Japanese Embassy in Kabul including their families have become the largest group since the previous Japanese record of 74 in 2021 to be granted aid through the public and private sectors. They will be granted five years of stay in Japan before they can apply for permanent residency.
The group was part of over 800 Afghans who fled to Japan as a result of the Taliban’s attacks on former Afghan government officials and employees of the Japan International Cooperation Agency and private organizations, including the families of anyone working in cooperation with foreign nations. The Taliban returned to power in August 2021 after the final withdrawal of US troops. Since then, over 180,000 people have fled Afghanistan according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Human rights experts have criticized Japan for its lack of aid to refugees in comparison to other countries where at least 10,000 refugees are accepted annually. Japan’s latest decision could potentially impact future refugees to seek protection and be recognized by other Japanese nongovernmental organizations from countries such as Myanmar and Ukraine.
Providing asylum now shifts the position of Japan’s priority toward humanitarian issues and may facilitate an increase in future Afghan evacuees being recognized as refugees since the country’s initial acceptance in 1982. Sources state that Japan has favored to provide asylum to Afghans with connection to the Japanese embassy, due to the threat of persecution by the Taliban for their opposing political beliefs. [The Mainichi]
In order to adhere to international pressures, Japan along with the US, have accepted Afghan evacuees under short-term exemptions into the country for 90 days. The Immigration Services Agency of Japan will extend this for an extra year through visa grants under the conditions of employment in certain industries. [Japan Today]
Japan: Discrimination of international teachers in public schools
(sra) International teachers working in the Japanese public-school sector have opened up about the racial discrimination they face, irrespective of administrative authorities advocating multiculturalism and inclusivity. As a country with over 2.8 million international occupants, foreign residents have stated the teaching industry is an environment of mistreatment due to the difference in nationality.
A group of teachers voiced their concerns during a meeting with officials from the education ministry and the foreign affairs ministry that also discuss ways to eradicate racial discrimination in the education sector.
There are no Japanese laws regulating the rights of foreign residents in their role as public servants and in 1991 the ministry of education pushed for the employment of internationals, yet there have been instances where local governments have intervened within employment exams or reduction of specific job categories and hindered professionals from being promoted.
The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination called for the rectification of this issue in 2018. The government of Japan has refused to make any rearrangements, with no positive debates among the education and foreign ministries, as they regard the so-called “the natural principle of law” of the Cabinet Legislation Bureau of 1953, which states the requirement of Japanese nationality for all government employees.
According to Article 3 of the Labor Standards Act, however, it is prohibited to use nationality as a basis for discrimination against employees. [The Mainichi]
Japan: Concerns over new vice minister’s discriminatory past
(sra) Protests erupted online as the reshuffling of the Kishida Cabinet has placed Mio Sugita as Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications. Known for her history of sexist and anti-LGBTQ remarks, the appointment has provoked controversial debate in regard to the Japanese government’s pledge to create a more diverse society built on respect.
In August 2018 Sugita produced a highly controversial article for the Shincho 45 magazine with the title ‘Support for LGBT is excessive’. Throughout her piece she made discriminatory claims against sexual minorities, stating that the LGBT community was undeserving of government support and even compared same-sex marriage to the union of an individual with “pets or machinery.” Protests were held in response and the backlash led to the suspension of Shincho 45 after its October 2018 issue. [The Mainichi]
Japan: Shift towards nuclear power
(sra) Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is set to restart Japanese nuclear power plants in an effort to counteract the instability of the current energy supply’s dependence on imports due to the impact of the crisis in Ukraine.
The Kishida administration announced its plans during a meeting on August 24 to completely transform the country’s nuclear energy policy in order to avoid power failures throughout winter, combat increased energy and fuel costs, alleviate the pressure on the independent power grid and minimize decarbonization delays.
The policy shift will also involve swaying the opinion of the public before the policy can be updated and allow for the reopening of existing and the construction of new reactors. The majority of Japanese nuclear plants have not functioned since the impact of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami disaster that destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi power plant in 2011.
The meeting provided government officials with the chance to plan a transition towards sustainability in order to follow through with environmental aims. There was some support for nuclear energy at the forefront of the green transformation, aiming to facilitate reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.
The end of July saw seven reactors operating and three in maintenance, while others remain under inspection due to strict safety standards imposed after Fukushima. The government plans to initially bring the number of functioning reactors to nine, as announced by Kishida in July, to provide an adequate supply of energy for the high demand to come next winter. The plan also involves restarting 17 of the 33 Japanese power plants by summer 2023 with the approval of the Nuclear Regulation Authority (NRA).
As reactors take time to be deemed operational, 10 years as is the case at Hokkaido Electric Power’s Tomari plant, the Kishida’s government hopes to extend the lifespan of such reactors by deducting the time spent on safety procedures from the period of operation. Currently, Japanese law advises a reactor will be considered functional for 40-60 years before it is to be decommissioned safely. Kishida hopes that reducing the period under the procedure can provide reactors with a longer period of functionality.
The government hopes to continue to implement safety measures and negotiate with local communities to prepare the reactors with the aid of the NRA as per the request of Japanese electric power companies, although experts together with most opposition parties and Komeito are concerned about the construction of new plants. [Nikkei Asia] [Reuters]
Other actions to be taken include establishing the disposal of nuclear waste and enabling electric power utilities in order to assess how to accurately plan the future construction of nuclear power plants, to follow through by the 2030 mark drafted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, with safer, light-water reactors. This includes plans for the removal of highly radioactive melted fuel from the damaged reactors being postponed until 2023.
The robotic arm developed by Veolia Nuclear Solutions of Britain and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, to be operated by Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO), continues to require additional improvements before it can remove 880 tons of radioactive nuclear fuel from the damaged Fukushima No. 2 reactor. The bottom of the containment mechanisms where the fuel solidified, still contains fractured parts of the reactor and concrete foundation, with its removal proving to be the most difficult task of the decommissioning procedure, in addition to the treatment and release of radioactive cooling water being stored in the 1,000 tanks within the plant. Against the strong opposition of local communities and nearby countries, the government plans to slowly expel the water into the ocean during spring 2023. [Japan Today]
In order to encourage the shift toward nuclear energy, a residential police box in the town of Futaba was reopened on August 29, as the government plans to lift the evacuation orders in the area of Fukushima, 3 kilometers from the nuclear plant as radiation levels have dropped. Residents are welcomed back, although a survey has expressed that 60.5 percent of the region’s population choose not to return. Plans to decontaminate commercial and public facilities prior to their reopening will commence in the fiscal year of 2024. [Kyodo News]
Japan: Head of police resign over ex-PM’s assassination
(sra) Further developments have unfolded regarding former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his assassination on July 8, as the Cabinet has approved the resignation of the National Police Agency’s Commissioner General Itaru Nakamura to be replaced by Yasuhiro Tsuyuki, and the head of the security bureau Kenichi Sakurazawa to be replaced by Kazuya Hara. The head of the Nara prefectural police, Tomoaki Onizuka has also offered to step down. Nakamura and Sakurazawa are said to step down at the end of the month.
Investigations by the National Police Agency (NPA) concluded their failure to prevent the assassination, with the prefectural police announcing further disciplinary measures within their ranks. Results after review depict that an unannounced movement among police officers prior to Abe’s speech forged enough space, leaving the PM unguarded from behind, thus allowing the two shots fired.
The agency will set up a new section within the Security Bureau, doubling the number of bodyguards for important personnel at the Metropolitan Police Department, with a focus on detection systems in regard to suspicious figures. It will also consider enhancing online security measures to reduce accessibility to information on domestic firearms and explosive production as the suspect in question, Tetsuya Yamagami, allegedly attained raw materials online in order to replicate homemade guns via the aid of Youtube videos. Police are now vigilant of 11 chemicals that may be used and are to be contacted if they are purchased in bulk.
A previous case involving an easily available online 3D printer design to make a gun asserts there is a need for high-tech systems that could identify and prevent access to such dangerous content. The NPA will require the cooperation of other relevant agencies and ministries in order to deal with the main issue, which is that homemade weapons are being produced in Japan. [Kyodo News] [The Japan News]
South Korea: Court suspends ruling party’s interim leader
(my) The Seoul Southern District Court ordered on August 26 the suspension of Joo Ho-young as leader of the ruling People Power Party’s (PPP’s) emergency committee, ten days after it had been launched. The court accepted a request for an injunction made by Lee Jun-seok, former leader of PPP.
The court decision comes amid an ongoing PPP-internal feud over the party’s leadership. In response to allegations of sexual favors and cover-up attempts, the party’s ethics committee in July suspended Lee’s party membership for six months. PPP lawmaker Kweon Seong-dong took over the post in an acting capacity but resigned after the exposure of a text message conversation with President Yoon Suk-yeol that appeared to backbite Lee. With the resignation of three Supreme Council members, PPP decided to switch its leadership into an emergency committee. Joo was appointed to lead the committee on August 16 [see AiR No. 34, August/2022, 4].
When Lee saw himself automatically deprived of the chance to resume the post of party leader after the completion of the suspension period by the establishment of the emergency committee, he filed an injunction with the court to invalidate the party’s decision. The court upheld Lee’s injunction, denying that the PPP was in an emergency.
Lee further warned the party that he would file another injunction requesting the suspension of all members of the emergency committee if the party maintained the system. In response, the PPP decided to revise the party constitution and regulations. Several party members also urged the party’s ethics committee to take additional disciplinary actions against him, saying Lee interfered with the party’s operation. [Korea Times]
The PPP immediately appealed the court’s ruling claiming that it violated the party’s autonomy and the transition was still valid. Kweon will lead the emergency committee as the floor leader until the new emergency committee is launched. [Yonhap News Agency]
South Korea: Ruling party takes disciplinary action against lawmaker for making insensitive remarks
(my) The ethics committee of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) has decided to take disciplinary action against party lawmaker Kim Sung-won for making inappropriate remarks during a voluntary cleanup work in the wake of a massive rain.
The Seoul metropolitan area experienced heavy rain on August 8-9 which is said to be the country’s heaviest rain in more than 100 years and caused 14 fatalities and two missing persons. Lawmakers from the PPP went on a voluntary cleanup work during which Kim was caught on cameras saying he wished more rain would fall for stronger public relations effects of their voluntary work.
After receiving backlash for his comments, he apologized and resigned as the chairman of the parliamentary budget committee. [Korea Times]
South Korea: Ex-presidential candidate elected main opposition party leader
(my) The main opposition Democratic Party (DP) held a national convention and formed its Supreme Council on August 28. Former presidential candidate Lee Jae-myung was elected the party leader, along with five lawmakers elected as members of the Supreme Council.
Although Lee secured the post with the highest score ever among DP’s former leaders, the party has suffered from internal factionalization. After the party’s defeat in the presidential election back in March [see AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3], DP’s members and supporters have been split into an anti-Lee camp which has urged Lee to take responsibility for the election defeat and a pro-Lee camp which wants him to enhance his political position.
He won a seat in the National Assembly in the by-election held in June.
The conflict continued with the revision of DP’s party constitution and regulations. Some party members believed that Lee, who is under investigation into several corruption allegations, would put the party at risk if he was elected party leader. Lee is accused of having granted preferential treatment to several companies in 2015 when he served as the mayor of Seongnam and of violating the election law by lying about this case during his presidential campaign.
The police transferred the election law violation case to prosecution on August 29. On August 26, the DP revised part of its constitution to modify the suspension procedure against indicted party officials. The amended constitution allowed the party affairs committee to decide the suspension, which means the party leader might determine his suspension by himself. Observers referred to it as a “bulletproof charter” to maintain Lee’s position in case he is indicted. [Korea JoongAng Daily 1]
Thus, Lee consequently emphasized party unity throughout the campaign. As a step toward resolving the factional conflict, Lee visited Former President Moon Jae-in (2017-2022) on his first day as the party leader on August 29. It was a response to pro-Moon party members who have mainly insisted on Lee’s responsibility for losing the presidential election. In addition, Lee called for a summit with President Yoon Suk-yeol, saying, “I am willing to cooperate if the government and the ruling party head in the right direction.”
The emergency committee was in charge of the party from March after the Supreme Council resigned, holding accountability for the failure in the presidential election. According to the party, the new leadership aims to reform and revamp the party which has been in turmoil. It will also lead the general election in 2024. [Korea JoongAng Daily 2] [Yonhap News Agency]
South Korea: Supreme Court rejects former President’s appeal against public sale of his property
(my) South Korea’s Supreme Court, the highest ordinary court, has dismissed the appeal of former President Lee Myung-bak (2008–2013) against the 2018 decision to sell his estate at a public auction.
Indicted in March 2018 on charges of bribery, embezzlement, and abuse of authority, Lee was sentenced in 2020 to a 17-year prison term as well the KRW 13 billion (USD 11.4 million) fine and the additional forfeiture of KRW 5.8 billion (USD 5 million). Lee’s residence and the land where it was on were sold in public sale in July 2021. [Korea JoongAng Daily] [See also AiR No. 44, November/2020, 1]
South Korea: Bill calling for investigation into allegations against first lady proposed
(my) A bill requesting a special counsel probe into allegations involving the country’s first lady, Kim Keon-hee, who is suspected of stock manipulation and academic credential fabrication, was proposed on August 22 by twelve lawmakers from the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) and one independent lawmaker, claiming that the prosecution has been being lenient on her since she is the first lady. President Yoon Suk-yeol assumed power in May.
Due to charges of stock manipulation, prosecutors are investigating the chairman of Deutsch Motors Inc. Suspicions were first raised in 2020 that Kim and her mother participated in the company’s over-the-counter purchases and stock price manipulation from 2010 to 2013. Kim is also suspected of fabricating information on her academic background and professional experience when applying for university instructor and concurrent professor positions, including a job she secured at Kookmin University. Suspicions that her master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation have been plagiarized have been raised.
The ruling People Power Party opposed the bill, calling it a political attack. [Korea JoongAng Daily] [Yonhap News Agency 1] [Yonhap News Agency 2, in Korean]
South Korea: Government to improve budgets to protect people’s livelihoods
(my) The government and the ruling People Power Party held a consultative meeting on budget planning and discussed the direction of the 2023 budget on August 24, with the focus of the discussion laid on ways to support especially socially and economically vulnerable groups, including young job seekers and people from the low-income sector with financial resources through expenditure restructuring.
The two sides agreed to create a budget to support unemployed young adults if they complete authorized job training programs. As a support measure against high prices, the government will also consider raising energy vouchers paid to low-income families. A plan was also considered to more than double the number of discount coupons for agricultural, livestock and fisheries products.
As a countermeasure against flood damage, the government will include a budget to build rainwater tunnels in Seoul. The government said that it would push for measures to build a large number of rainwater storage facilities in central and southern Seoul after it experienced historical rain earlier in August. [Korea JoongAng Daily 1]
In addition, the ruling party and the government will push for a debt adjustment budget to ease the debts of 250,000 self-employed and small business owners.
The budget bill will be submitted to the Cabinet meeting and put to parliamentary deliberation on September 2. [Maeil, in Korean] [Korea Herald] [Korea JoongAng Daily 2]
South Korea: Supreme Court rules on discrimination based on sexual orientation
(my) South Korea’s Supreme Court ruled that the Dongdaemun District of Seoul and its affiliated Facilities Management Corporation should compensate an LGBT group which had their room rent canceled, recognizing the cancellation was a discriminatory act based on sexual orientation.
Queer Women, an LGBT rights organization, rented a gymnasium in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul to hold a sports event planned for October 2017. However, the Dongdaemun District Facilities Management Corporation decided to cancel the rental a month before the event as locals complained about the event.
The organization argued that the cancellation of the rental was based on the purpose of the event and the participants’ sexual orientation. It filed a lawsuit for damages against Dongdaemun District and the corporation in January 2020.
The court confirmed that the cancellation of the rental was a discriminatory act against the organizers and participants of the event, ordering the corporation to pay compensation for damages of KRW 9 million (USD 6,730).
“The conclusion of the lawsuit is expected to raise public awareness of sexual discrimination,” claimed a lawyer involved in the case. [Hankyoreh]
South Korea: Unionized truckers against Hite Jinro to partially halt strike
(my) Unionized truck workers at Hite Jinro Co., one of South Korea’s biggest breweries, said they would partially dissolve the sit-in at the headquarters.
Cargo drivers of Suyang Logistics Co., a subsidiary of Hite Jinro, began a full-scale strike on June 2. 132 truck drivers who worked at two factories in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, and Cheongju, Chungcheong Province, began the strike in March by calling for a 30% increase in transportation fees and the creation of a standard contract. They were staging sit-ins in the lobby and on the rooftop of their headquarters in Seoul from August 16. On August 23, the strike was put to a halt to begin negotiations with company management.
Strikers’ contracts were terminated in June, and Suyang Logistics sued 11 drivers in June for KRW 578 million (USD 433 thousand) in damages. Later, on July 29, it filed an additional claim for damages of KRW 2.77 billion (USD 2 million) for 25 drivers. The union is calling for Hite Jinro to drop its compensation suit against union members and reinstate all laid-off workers. [Chosun Ilbo] [Korean Herald] [Kyunghyang, in Korean] [Yonhap News Agency]
Taiwan: Budget for Ministry of National Defense to increase by 25.4 percent in 2023
(gö/dql) Taiwan’s Cabinet approved a general budget of NTD 2.71 trillion (USD 90.01 billion) for fiscal 2023 on August 25.
Included is record-high military budget USD 19 billion, marking a sharp increase of nearly 14 percent year-on-year, compared with annual spending growth of below 4 percent in previous years since 2017.
The record spending in defense reflects the high tensions in cross-strait relations between China and Taiwan. Beijing recently staged large-scale war games around the island in a furious response to the visit of US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi. [Focus Taiwan] [Reuters]
In latest development, Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 37 Chinese military aircraft and eight naval ships around Taiwan on August 29, of which 12 crossed the median line in the Taiwan Strait. In response, Taipei dispatched combat patrol aircraft and naval ships and used land-based missile systems to monitor the Chinese aircraft and vessels. [Taiwan News]
Taiwan deploys new anti-drone system for 2023
(gö) Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense (MND) announced that they will launch a new anti-drone system next year. The announcement was made after videos and photos taken by a Chinese unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) of Taiwanese soldiers from Lieyu Garrison Battalion on Kinmen's Erdan Island surfaced on Chinese social media platforms.
The footage showed Taiwanese soldiers throwing rocks at the drone and the Kinmen Defense Command identified it as a “civilian drone”. To combat “gray zone warfare threats” the MND said they will prioritize the deployment of a UAV defense in 2023.
Facilities on Taiwan’s outer islands are given a higher priority, but the MND stressed that all military bases have a safety protocol in place to counter any drone intrusions and upon need the responsible commander of the area can raise the combat readiness level.
From 2022 to 2026, 45 facilities across Taiwan will have anti-drone defense system upgrading their base and aviation safety and combat readiness. [Focus Taiwan]
Taiwan holds live-fire drills in Penghu County
(gö) Taiwan held live-fire drills on August 24. Among the live-fire drills involving M60A3 tanks, 105 mm howitzers, 155 mm howitzers, 120 mm mortars, and .50 caliber machine guns, conducted by Penghu Defense Command.
The tanks carried out counter-amphibious landing operations and fired various projectiles, while 155 mm howitzers fired live ammunition, and 105 mm howitzers and 120 mm mortars changed positions after firing flares. [Taiwan News]
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in South Asia
Bangladesh: Government to close schools and office hours to save power
(az) Bangladesh’s government has decided to close schools an additional day each week and cut office timings by an hour as the country battles an energy shortage after shutting down all of its diesel-run power plants. The decision has drawn heavy criticism from the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and other political parties and sparked sporadic street protests. [The Strait Times]
Instead of a six-day-a-week schedule, schools and other educational institutions will have a two-day break to conserve energy. Working hours at government offices, autonomous institutions, and banks were also cut off amid the challenges faced by the energy crisis. [The Financial Express]
Bangladesh has been taking measures in recent weeks to ease pressure on its declining foreign currency reserves. Last month, fuel prices were raised by more than 50 percent and the country began daily two-hour power cuts, but many parts of the country went without electricity for much longer.
Bangladesh: No prior approval needed to arrest public servants in criminal cases, high court declares
(az) In a landmark decision, a high court in Bangladesh has cleared the way for law enforcement to arrest government employees under investigation in criminal cases without prior permission from the concerned authorities.
The ruling overturned Section 41(1) of the Government Service Act 2018, which was introduced to protect government employees from harassment of false allegations. As per the high court decision, the section conflicts with Article 26 of the Constitution, which states that laws inconsistent with the fundamental rights are to be void, while Articles 27 and 31 of the Constitution guarantee equality before the law and the right to protection. [The Daily Star]
India: Protest across country as Supreme Court hears pleas against release of 11 men jailed for gang rape
(vv/lm) Hundreds of people have held demonstrations across India to protest against a decision by the government of Gujarat state to free 11 Hindu men who had been jailed for life for the gang-rape of a Muslim woman and the murder of her relatives during anti-Muslim riots in 2002. [The Guardian]
The 11 men, released on suspended sentences on 15 August, when India celebrated 75 years of independence, were convicted in 2008 of rape, murder and unlawful assembly. Officials in Gujarat, where the Bharatiya Janata party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi holds power, have said the convicts’ application for remission was granted because they had completed more than 14 years in jail. The men were eligible under a 1992 remission policy that was in effect at the time of their conviction. [AiR No. 34, August/2022, 4]
However, soon after the remission was granted by the Supreme Court, many pleas were filed against the release. The apex court began hearing the petitions on August 25 and sought an explanation from the Gujarat state government the following day. [Hindustan Times] [The Hindu] [The Strait Times]
India: Supreme Court directs Gujarat state government to respond to activist’s bail plea
(vv) The Supreme Court, on August 25th, issued the Gujarat Government a notice to respond to activist Teesta Setalvad’s bail plea by August 27th and asked Setalvad’s lawyers to file a reply by August 29th, in connection to the 2002 Gujarat riots. [Hindustan Times]
Activist Setalvad - known for advocating victims of 2002 Gujarat riots and a fierce critic of the Gujarat government - was arrested on June 25th by the Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on charges of allegedly fabricating evidences, and tutoring witnesses, to secure convictions against high-functionaries of Gujarat Government in connection to the 2002 riots in the state. Earlier in July, Sessions court in Gujarat’s city of Ahmedabad had refused Setalvad bail stating that the accused defamed officials of the state government and this doesn’t grant bail. [The Hindu]
Opposition Party Congress leader, and lawyer, Kapil Sibal representing Setalvad registered the activist’s bail plea as an urgent listing for hearing and that the Supreme Court urged a faster response from the Gujarat Government on the plea filed by Setalvad’s lawyers. The courts observed the urgency and asked that both parties, Sibal representing Setalvad and Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta appearing for Gujarat Government, file a response at the earliest adjourning the hearing to continue on August 30th. The filing, however, must be completed by August 29th - at the most - ordered by the Bench of Apex Court comprising Justices UU Lalit, Ravindra Bhat and Sudhanshu Dhulia. [Live Law]
Setalvad was arrested a day after allegations leveled by Zakia Jafri, widow of Congress Leader Ehsan Jafri who was killed in 2002 Gujarat riots, against Prime Modi for his alleged involvement in the riots were dismissed by the Supreme Court. The allegations by Jafri were also made against 60 other senior officials of Gujarat Government, which the Supreme Court observed was a conspiracy to wrongly implicate high functionaries of a state government. Setalvad, for years, had been fighting the case on behalf of Jafri following which the activist was accused of tutoring witnesses to lodge false testimonies. [The Hindu]
India: Delhi chief minister accuses Prime Minister Modi of trying to topple state government
(vv) The chief minister of Delhi and leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Arvind Kejriwal, hass accused Indian Prime Minister Modi and his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of conspiring to topple the state government by luring AAP ministers with money to pledge support to the BJP. [India Today] [NDTV] [Hindustan Times]
This comes after India’s premier investigating agency, the Chief Bureau of Investigation, on August 19 raided 21 locations, including the residence of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with a case it had registered against him and several top excise officers in the capital over alleged corruption in rolling out the excise policy [see AiR No. 34, August/2022, 4]. Sisodia denied all allegations and alleged that the raids were an attempt by the BJP to defame Kejriwal’s hard work and growing popularity.
On August 25, then, Kejriwal claimed that AAP ministers had been approached by the BJP with offers of USD 3.2 million to exit the state government and join the party. In light of this, Kejriwal called for an urgent assembly meeting to review the number of ministers supporting his party. Out of 62 AAP Delhi Assembly ministers, at least 12 pledged their support over call to the chief minister as they were unable to attend the meeting in person.
India: Polls for electing Congress Chief delayed again
(sr) Election’s for a new president of India’s main opposition National Congress (INC) party, have been postponed by another month. The INC has not had a party president since Rahul Gandhi stepped down owning the responsibility of destroying defeat in national elections in 2019. Sonia Gandhi took over as the interim president at the party‘s request but will not be extending her post, citing her health issues. [NDTV]
Rahul Gandhi wants a non- Gandhi to lead the party, and a report suggests that Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot might be considered the next party presidential candidate. Many party members still are in hope of Gandhi to resume the role or convince him to do so. [The Hindu]
India: Supreme Court declares same-sex couples entitled to social benefits, deserve legal protections
(vv) A recent ruling by India’s Supreme Court of India asserted that same-sex couples and other unconventional families are entitled to social benefits that other traditional families otherwise enjoy, making the decision a stark contrast to the one observed by Singapore recently to exclude LGBTQ community from legal rights to marriages. [South China Morning Post]
Although the ruling was made during a case heard over a maternity leave issue of an Indian woman who adopted her husband’s children from prior marriage, and later conceived one of her own and wasn’t directly related to any matter concerning LGBTQ community, the appointed judge Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, hearing the case on maternity leave observed in his written statement that social benefits shall be awarded and reaped by all individuals despite their familial set up. The ruling added that single parents, stepparents, and adoptive parents were all entitled to social benefits that includes legal rights of same-sex couples.
The apex court firmly ascertained in its ruling that all manifestations of family units are equally deserving of all legal protections prescribed by the constitution of India and under the social welfare legislation, regardless of their personal choice that can’t be judged upon when considering individual rights. The ruling is said to be a step ahead in India’s slow, yet steady, progression from previous anti-LGBTQ laws amended in the colonial era. The move is also said to strengthen India’s economy, when competing with other Asian business hubs for exclusion of more talents and business opportunities. Early, India made significant progress in changing the social outlook towards LGBTQ rights, when a court ruling in 2014 recognized transgender as a third and formal gender, and in 2018 the apex court decriminalized sex between men. The prohibition on same-sex marriages is currently being challenged in the lower court at present, with a positive response expected.
India: Supreme Court committee observes police negligence in Prime Minister Modi’s security breach
(vv) A committee appointed by the Supreme Court has observed that the security breach of Prime Minister Modi during his visit to the northern state of Punjab in January this year was a security lapse of the state’s senior superintendent of police. [NDTV] [Times of India]
On January 5, Prime Minister Modi was supposed to fly to a war memorial and later address a rally in the city of Ferozepur, ahead of crucial state elections. But the trip was delayed by bad weather, and the convoy finally went by road when visibility did not improve. It then got stuck some 30 kilometers from the memorial due to blockade by protesters and returned to the airport. [AiR No. 2, January/2022, 2]
At the time, Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the then state government of Punjab, led by the opposition Indian National Congress INC) party of deliberately allowing this security lapse in a larger conspiracy to harm the prime minister. The INC, in turn, maintained that the protests blocking the convoy were a result of the incident that involved the son of India’s home affairs minister [see AiR No. 41, October/2021, 2].
India: Legal aid authority appoints public defenders to help prisoners awaiting trial to get bail
(vv) India’s legal aid authority has launched a nationwide scheme to free poor people awaiting bail in pre-trial detention. The National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) is looking to appoint paid public defenders in every district to aid the so-called undertrial prisoners, who make up more than 75 percent of the country’s prison population. [The Strait Times]
India provides free legal services to marginalized groups, for both civil and criminal cases, including free legal representation or legal advice and assistance. However, a 2022 report by a parliamentary committee found that only a small percentage of eligible people avail the free aid provided, reflecting on the individual’s choice to not use the government services.
India: Delhi High Court asks central government to respond to plea against Defense Recruitment Scheme
(vv) The Delhi High Court on August 25 refused to grant a stay on the contentious defense recruitment scheme introduced by India’s central government. A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad instructed the government to file responses to petitions challenging the scheme, adjourning the case for further hearing on October 19. [Times of India]
The defense recruitment scheme – named the Agnipath Scheme – was first amended by the government on June 14 to recruit youths in the Indian forces between the ages 17 and half and 21 for only 4 years, with a provision to retain only 25 percent among the lot for an additional 15 years. The scheme wasn’t welcomed by many with protests in several states against the government’s amendment, soon after which the center extended the upper age limit to 23 for recruitment under the scheme. [AiR No. 25, June/2022, 3]
Those who filed several pleas against the stay on the Agnipath scheme, ask that the recruitment process be resumed as they continue to await their enrollment with no definite communication on when the selection process will be underway. [The Hindustan Times]
The Supreme Court of India, which first heard several PILs filed against the defense recruitment scheme, transferred the case to Delhi High Court seeking quicker response so as to resume the selection process for those in queue for months together. [The Hindu]
India: New Delhi to commission first made-in-India aircraft carrier
(vv) India is set to authorize its first domestically built aircraft carrier, the INS Vikrant, on September 2. Alongside the INS Vikramaditya, a purchase made from Russia, India will now have 2 aircraft carriers under its command. [The Strait Times]
The new commission comes amidst India’s aim to strengthen its navy and to closely monitor the moves of China as the latter launched its third aircraft carrier in June of this year, establishing the further prominence of its navy. As China makes further advances into the Indian Ocean, India became increasingly vigilant on its rival’s maritime activities, especially after Beijing recently acquired rights in the southern Sri Lanka port of Hambantota and docked its military attached research ship in August of this year.
Managing more aircraft carriers became increasingly imperative to India’s defense sector as the government has been spending on strengthening its army, air force and navy, while also battling border issues with neighboring countries.
Nepal: President consults parties as Parliament dismisses her citizenship measure concerns
(op)Concerned over the lower house's approval of the Citizenship Act amendment bill without her views being discussed, President Bidya Devi Bhandari has voiced her displeasure. She has been talking about the measure with political leaders from various parties and constitutional experts. Bhandari invited the leaders of the main opposition Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist and the ruling Nepali Congress individually on August 29 to discuss her issues with the measure, which she had referred back to the House of Representatives for revision. [The Kathmandu Post 1]
The Congress leaders said that various problems, including the concerns mentioned by the President, were kept out of the bill owing to time restrictions, according to Gagan Thapa, who attended the meeting with PM Sher Bahadur Deuba. The leaders of the Congress claim that they also informed the President that the present measure is identical to the citizenship legislation introduced by the KP Oli administration last year. The primary opposition CPN-UML, to which Bhandari belonged before becoming president, has been protesting the removal of the clause in the report provided by the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the HoR that mandated a seven-year wait before naturalization for foreigners who married Nepali citizens. [Setopati 2]
The lower House rejected the amended measure on August 18 and disregarded the President's request for a reconsideration. But on August 28, the National Assembly forwarded the measure to the Legislative Management Committee for consideration. Due to the fact that the ruling parties control the parliamentary committee, its members predicted that the law will be approved on August 31 without any changes before moving on to the lower house, the upper house, and eventually the President for signature. [The Kathmandu Post 3]
Nepal: President Bidya Devi Bhandari faces criticism over several decisions
(op) Since the nation became a republic in 2008, Bidya Debi Bhandari is Nepal's second president. She was initially elected on October 28, 2015 and re-elected on March 13, 2018. When President Bidya Devi Bhandari returned the amended bill to the House of Representatives on August 14, 2022 with 15 reservations and suggestions, many saw it politically. Sending the bill for a review back to the House, however, is a constitutional power vested in her.
While returning the Citizenship Act bill to Parliament, she noted that ordinances and bills are two separate ways to make laws. She maintained that she released the ordinance from former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to update the Act without delaying since it could have been examined by the House afterwards. She has asserted that the House-approved measure deviates from that, though.
In the past, she froze other governments' regulations for weeks. Sher Bahadur Deuba's administration proposed a Medical Education ordinance on Oct. 23. It came out three weeks later. It was released on November 10, 2017 after civil society members led by Dr. Govinda KC questioned about its status. Also, she was hesitant to draft an ordinance on National Assembly elections. In December 2017, the Deuba administration recommended Single Transferable Voting System for upper house elections, as urged by the Nepali Congress and Madhesh-based parties while the CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Centre) favored a majoritarian system. The largest was December 20, 2020.
Bhandari endorsed the Oli government's request to dissolve the House while he was still in power. On February 23, 2021, the Supreme Court said the House's dissolution was unconstitutional. Three months later, Oli dissolved the House again, and Bhandari promptly supported it on May 21, 2021. Constitutional experts said the action rubber-stamped every Oli administration move. Bhandari undertook multiple discussions on the Citizenship Act change measure but none before supporting Oli's dissolution of the House.
Bhandari tried to keep the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) together as tensions rose after the UML and CPN merged. In November 2020, she invited NCP vice chairperson Bamdev Gautam to her office and encouraged him to "play a constructive role" in preventing a split. She was criticized for her active involvement in the party politics.
Political analysts claim that had the Parliament taken its time, it might have had a complete discussion before the President transmitted the measure for review. [The Kathmanu Post 1]
Nepal: Within the ruling coalition, a suballiance is being formed
(op) Two coalition partners, the Maoist Centre and the CPN (Unified Socialist), are seeking unity as they intend to build a sub-alliance with Baburam Bhattarai and Bamdev Gautam. The two forces argue a communist movement is necessary and that running in coalition is required. Analysts and observers claim communist unity discussions are intended at "strengthening the communist movement," but the continued attempts seem to be part of their poll plan.
A few months ago, several Maoist Centre and Unified Socialist leaders considered joining the CPN-UML. However, things didn't turn out as planned. They're preparing a communist unity without UML. Giriraj Mani Pokharel, the Maoist Centre's deputy general secretary, said the party will create a unity coordination committee to seek union with the Unified Socialist. The Maoist Centre wants to establish a powerful communist force, but it can't quit the Congress. The situation is significantly worse for the Unified Socialist. Since it broke away from the UML in August of last year, its organizational foundation has been weakened. Madhav Nepal, chair of Unified Socialists, hasn't toned down his rhetoric. After his party's bad polling, he criticized the Maoist Centre and Congress. He also criticizes UML chair KP Sharma Oli. A sub-alliance of the communist forces, according to opposition leaders and even some members of the ruling coalition, is just there for negotiating.
UML vice chair Yubaraj Gyawali stated the Maoist Centre was promoting rumors of "a communist alliance" to boost its bargaining leverage. A month ago, Congress leader Shekhar Koirala remarked, "The topic of collaboration between the Maoist Centre, the Unified Socialist, and the Janata Samajbadi Party is simply for negotiation." They forgot the Nepali Congress is a big party.” Unified Socialist created a "party unity coordination committee" to seek union with Maoist Centre. No decision has been made on a communist partnership between the Maoist Centre, Unified Socialist, and Bamdev Gautam's Nepal Communist Party-Unity National Campaign. Maoist Centre and Unified Socialist have opted to run under a unified agenda, however Bhattarai's Nepal Samajbadi Party and Bamdev Gautam's Nepal Communist Party-Unity National Campaign will use the Maoist party's electoral emblem, a hammer and sickle in a circle.
Observers think a communist unity or sub-alliance is an attempt to boost their negotiating strength and, in a good circumstance, pull in dissident communist leaders and other party cadres. Jhalak Subedi, a political analyst, believes "communist unity" is two communist parties' electoral strategy—they're seeking to construct a third pole to rival the UML and Congress. [The Kathmandu Post 1]
Nepal: Ruling Coalition presented their demands of seats for election
(op) At the task force conference held on August 25 to discuss seat-sharing agreements, the five political parties in the ruling coalition ultimately presented their demands for seats for the November 20 federal and provincial elections. The Janata Samajbadi Party wanted 32 seats, the CPN (Maoist Centre) 60, the CPN (Unified Socialist) 40, the Congress 100, and the Rastriya Janamorcha 2. As a result, there will be a total of 234 seats, although the five parties will have to split 165 seats among themselves in the House of Representatives under the direct election system, whilst 100 members will be chosen using the proportional representation method.
On August 25, the task force members received a request from the top leaders of the ruling coalition to examine the current conditions of all 165 House of Representatives constituencies with direct elections and the 330 seats in the seven province assembly. They had given the task force members instructions to thoroughly research the standing of every party in every constituency where members are chosen by direct election. The five parties that make up the ruling coalition have chosen to remain united for the general and provincial elections on November 20. While the collaboration is a need for all parties involved, some have criticized it as an unholy union because of their opposing philosophies. [The Kathmandu Post 1]
The alliance is led by the Nepali Congress, which describes itself as a democratic socialist party. There are also two communist parties, the CPN (Maoist Centre) and the CPN (Unified Socialist), each of which has its own political philosophy. The Janata Samajbadi Party describes itself as a socialist organization, as suggested by its name. The Rastriya Janamorcha is the fifth force, a minor political player. The party is a left-leaning group that has been calling for the repeal of federalism and has severe doubts about it. [The Kathmandu Post 2] The vibrant alliance in power will compete against the main opposition CPN-UML, which describes itself as a genuine communist party. The Janata Samajbadi Party is anticipated to continue pushing for reevaluation of the province delineation and constitutional modification, despite the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party's assertion that their constitutional amendment problem still exists. However, the next elections are all about battling for their viability for these parties that are riven by disagreements and divisions. [The Kathmandu Post3]
Nepal: K.P. Sharma Oli meets Prime Minister Deuba
(op) On August 24, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli held a discussion about a variety of topics, including election preparations, the citizenship amendment bill, the amendment bill related to the Commission for the Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons and Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act, as well as rising inflation. It had been almost six months since the last time the prime minister and the head of the major opposition met. At the meeting, Oli raised concerns with the prime minister about several of the bill's sections relating to changing the transitional justice act, inflation, and forthcoming elections.
The administration ought to have taken the President's opinions and recommendations into account, Oli said during the meeting. The UML also brought Deuba's attention to complaints made by various rights advocates and war victims regarding specific elements of the draft to modify the Transitional Justice Act. On August 24, Oli likewise encouraged Prime Minister Deuba to take action to stop the inflationary trend, claiming that growing costs had made life tough for most people. The November 20 general and provincial elections were also a topic of conversation between Deuba and Oli. [The Kathmandu Post 1]
Nepal: Poll body considers voter-based spending limitations
(op) The Election Commission is attempting to modify the expenditure limitations for the next elections amid complaints that candidates have been breaking them.
The commission is getting ready to set separate limitations for electoral seats depending on voter numbers and location, unlike in the past when the maximum amount candidates could spend on electioneering was the same across the nation.
According to the commission's cap for 2017, candidates for provincial assembly elections were only allowed to spend a maximum of Rs1.5 million, while those running for the House of Representatives under the first-past-the-post system were allowed to spend a maximum of Rs2.5 million. Election experts advise that it is preferable to change the spending cap after consulting with the major parties. They assert that the ceiling may be raised when inflation increases. According to a report done by the observation committee, first-past-the-post federal parliamentary election winners in 2017 spent an average of Rs21.3 million compared to the allotted Rs2.5 million. The remaining contenders each spent Rs8.5 million, while the runners-up spent an average of Rs14.9 million. All of the candidates did, however, file reports to the commission claiming that the amount they spent was within the allowed range.
Former election commissioner Birendra Mishra said that under the present regulations, Manang, which has barely 5,000 registered voters, has the same spending limits as areas with more than 50,000 voters per seat. The commission will establish several monitoring tools to implement the expenditure cap and the code of conduct, according to Thapaliya, the top election commissioner. The House of Representatives and provincial assembly elections taking place on November 20 will include hundreds of candidates. The commission should utilize its legal authorities, according to experts, to make sure the elections are fair. Kapil Shrestha, chair of the National Election Observation Committee said, "I don’t understand why the commission can’t take stern actions when the code of conduct is openly violated" "Implementing the code of conduct is a prerequisite for fair and impartial elections. [The Kathmandu Post 1]
Nepal: Chief Justice Rana will be called before the impeachment recommendation panel on August 31
(op) The Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana will be called before the Impeachment Recommendation Committee on August 31 to provide clarifications on the accusations made against him in the impeachment motion. The committee resolved to call Rana before the committee on August 31 after endorsing its working method and schedule on August 24.
On February 13, 98 members of the government's ruling coalition—the Congress, the Maoist Centre, and the Unified Socialist—registered a resolution in Parliament accusing Rana of 21 offenses. In their allegations, Rana was accused of encouraging judicial corruption, providing access to middlemen for bench shopping—the dishonest practice of choosing benches through middlemen to ensure a favorable order—bargaining with executives, and failing to perform his duties effectively, among other things. Rana has been on administrative leave ever since the motion was filed. Five months after its inception, the committee has chosen to invite Rana for the clarification. The 11-member committee was established on March 6. It consists of four CPN-UML parliamentarians, two each from the Nepali Congress and the CPN (Maoist Centre), one from the Janata Samajbadi Party, two from the Loktantrik Samajbadi Party, and one from the CPN (Unified Socialist).
The motion to investigate the allegations made against Rana in the impeachment petition was forwarded to the committee by the House of Representatives on August 7. Apart from the decision to call Rana, the committee also decided to wrap up the investigation by September 7 or 8, according to Ram Bahadur Bista, a Nepali Congress legislator who is the body's oldest member and chairs it. The resolution must have the support of a two-thirds majority of the 271 members of the House. The lower house is permitted to conduct business until September 17, the day before the parties turn in their closed lists of candidates for the elections scheduled for November 20. [The Kathmandu Post 1]
The recommendation committee has a maximum of three months from the day it begins its work to look into the claims, according to Rule 163 of the House of Representatives' regulations. However, the committee has two weeks to conclude the full probe. On August 28, the Nepal Bar Association and the Supreme Court Bar Association submitted papers to the impeachment recommendation committee established by Parliament that they allege include proof of wrongdoings by suspended Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana. The Nepal Bar has provided 34 separate accusations and "proofs" as justification for impeaching Rana. Several incidents, including the murder of former Deputy Inspector General of the Armed Police Force Ranjan Koirala, are said to have included Rana issuing contentious rulings. The association has provided the committee with a number of pieces of evidence, including Rana's alleged direct involvement in awarding contracts for the construction of the new Supreme Court building and his alleged negotiations with the executive for a ministerial position for his relative in the Sher Bahadur Deuba Cabinet. As evidence against Rana's wrongdoings, the group has submitted press clippings from several news outlets. Before providing the House of Representatives with its report, the committee will investigate the claims. [The Kathmandu Post 2]
Pakistan: Court grants interim protection to former Prime Minister Imran Khan in terrorism case
(fh/lm) An anti-terrorism court in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on August 25 granted temporary protection from arrest to the country’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan until the end of the month. Later, Khan was also protected from arrest in a criminal case registered against him on charges of defying a ban on staging rallies in Islamabad.
Events before the courts’ decisions had raised fears of violent clashes between police and Khan, who is leading mass rallies and seeking snap elections since being ousted earlier in April in a parliamentary vote of no confidence. Earlier this month, the former premier was charged under anti-terror laws after accusing law enforcement and judiciary of detaining and torturing a close aide, who is himself being detained under sedition charges [see AiR No. 34, August/2022, 4].
However, Khan is also due to appear before the Islamabad High Court on August 31 to face contempt proceedings on charges of threatening a judge. A conviction in this case would disqualify him from politics for life under Pakistani law, as no convicted person can run for office. [Al Jazeera] [The Straits Times] [The Guardian] [The Washington Post]
Pakistan: Court lifts ban on broadcasting live speeches of ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan
(msk) A Pakistani federal court on August 29 lifted a ban on the live coverage of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan’s speeches for a week, observing that the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) invoked wrong sections of the law while prohibiting the broadcast. [Al Jazeera]
On August 20, while addressing a public gathering in Islamabad to express solidarity with party leader who is imprisoned in a sedition case, Khan lashed out at police and warned the judge, who sent the leader on physical remand, of dire consequences. Soon after the rally, PEMRA banned live broadcast of the PTI chief’s speeches on television, and a terrorism case was also registered against him. [AiR No. 34, August/2022, 4]
Pakistan: Government declares national emergency as floods kill more than 1,100 people
(fh) Pakistan’s government on August 26 declared a national emergency to deal with monsoon flooding it said had killed more than 1,100 people and impacted 33 million others, over 15 percent of the country’s population.
The torrential rains have also washed away roads, crops, homes, bridges and other infrastructure. In light of this, the country's planning minister said on August 29 that the recent deadly floods in Pakistan have caused
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in Southeast Asia
Cambodia: Leaders and supporters of banned CNRP charged in the third mass trial
(fe) Prominent opposition figures Sam Rainsy and Mo Suchua are among 34 former leaders or supporters of the banned Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) who are facing fresh charges of attempting to overthrow the Cambodian government. They have been summoned for the trial, scheduled to begin on September 15.
In this third round of mass trial, the charges center on Sochua’s attempt to return to Cambodia in 2019 to face trial in a separate case against her. The authorities view this return attempt as part of a plot to overthrow the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP). [Phnom Penh Post]
In March, a court handed down a ten-year jail term against 21 CNRP members, including Sam Rainsy and Mu Sochua, for trying to overthrow the government. In March 2021, nine members of the CNRP – among them again Rainsy and Suchua – were sentenced to prison sentences ranging from 20 to 25 years for attempting to stage a coup d’etat against Prime Minister Hun Sen’s government. [The Diplomat]
Cambodia: Hun Sen dismisses speculations about son’s travel to Vietnam
(fe) Prime Minister Hun Sen has refuted claims that his eldest son Hun Manet recently traveled to Vietnam to "get directives" or to solicit backing for a future run for prime minister from Vietnamese authorities, insisting that his son’s trip to Hanoi, during which he met with Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, was a “ceremonial inspection or review of military forces.”
After his father eventually retires, the governing Cambodian People's Party (CPP) is expected to select Manet, who currently serves as commander of the Royal Cambodian Army and deputy commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF), as its candidate for prime minister. [Phnom Penh Post]
Cambodia: First-ever sovereign bond to be issued
(dql) The Cambodia Ministry of Economy and Finance has announced that the country’s first-ever sovereign bond worth USD 300 million will be issued in September, with a bond’s par value to be set at about USD 245 and investors enjoying a 50 percent deduction of withholding tax on the interest earned from possessing and trading sovereign bonds, as well as tax exemption on capital gains made from purchasing and trading the sovereign bonds for three years.
According to the ministry, the sovereign bonds will serve to raise funds for socioeconomic development projects. [Borneo Bulletin]
Cambodia: Campaign to combat human trafficking launched
(fe) To stop human traffickers who are accused of enticing thousands of Asians into Cambodia only to hold them in guarded compounds and make them work a variety of internet scams, Cambodian officials have started scrutinizing every foreign visitor. According to Interior Minister Sar Kheng, the order was issued in response to mounting international criticism, and operations to rescue victims and catch human traffickers who have resided in Preah Sihanouk and Kandal, two provinces nearby in the south.
The minister added that 865 foreigners were released from human trafficking in 87 incidences between January 1 and August 20. Sixty alleged people traffickers, involved in seventeen incidents, have been sent to court. [The star] [UCA News]
Human trafficking is rampant in Cambodia, and governments from Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Pakistan, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam have complained and asked Cambodia for assistance to locate and save their residents.
Indonesia had rescued 202 of its people who had been found in various locations in Cambodia working in call centers and online gambling, predominantly run by Chinese criminal organizations while Taiwan has created a task force that will cooperate with Malaysian and Thai law enforcement agencies, and – in a rare move – will cooperate with China to help the Cambodian police battle fraud networks. From Monday to Wednesday, eight persons were arrested for advertising job vacancies on social media and managing tickets and passports for others who believed the false work-related claims, according to Hung. Eight people who collaborate with a Taiwanese national thought to be a senior figure in a fraud ring operating out of Cambodia and responsible for convincing at least six people in Taiwan to travel to Cambodia through false online job advertisements have recently been detained, according to police on Thursday. [Focus Taiwan]
In a latest related development, Cambodia and Thailand have concluded an agreement on the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on law enforcement cooperation against human trafficking August 29. [Vietnam Plus]
Cambodia: UN rights monitor calls on government to tackle human rights challenges
(fe/dql) In a statement following his 11-day visit to Cambodia, UN Special Rapporteur on the state of human rights in Cambodia Vitit Muntarbhorn praiised Prime Minister Hun Sen's administration for having ratified several human rights treaties but also called on the Cambodian government to lift restrictions on political participation and introduce other democratic reforms to address “severe human rights challenges.” Vitit further presented a 10-point action that is centered at opening up “civic and political space, by suspending and reforming draconian laws, ensuring election-related personnel are separated from political parties and ending prosecution of political opposition and human rights defenders.” It also calls for the release of “all those currently in prison and dropping charges against those who are seen as adversaries by the authorities,” as well as for improving the quality of law enforcers through proper recruitment based on motivational incentives and distance from political authority. [UN News] [Radio Free Asia]
Cambodia: Negotiations over monthly minimum wage continue
(fe) The Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training has set August 31 as date for further negotiations on the monthly minimum wage of workers in textile-related industries for 2023.
The announcement came after the National Council on Minimum Wage (NCMW) completed its second round of discussions, where unions demanded a minimum salary of USD 215 for employees while companies proposed USD 194, which is the same as the minimum wage for this year. [Phnom Penh Post]
Cambodia: Ex-CNRP activists appeal for forgiveness and political reintegration
(fe) Prime Minister Hun Sen has been contacted by three former senior members of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), which the Supreme Court ordered to be disbanded in 2017. They are requesting assistance from the prime minister in obtaining political rehabilitation in a bid to return to their native country.
The self-exiled trio of Ou Chanrith, Kong Saphea, and Heng Danaro was found guilty by the Phnom Penh Municipal Court of a number of offenses, including a plot against the government, and was sentenced to a five-year ban from politics following the party’s 2017 dissolution. [Phnom Penh Post]
Cambodia: Sokha treason trial to continue
(fe) In the ongoing treason trial of Kem Sokha, the former president of the dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), the Phnom Penh Municipal Court has accepted footage of a strike on Veng Sreng Street as new evidence. The video shows protesters who are blocking container trucks and also become violent.
Sokha is facing charges of colluding with a foreign power to topple the government.
He clarified that his party was responsible only for the protests in Freedom Park and bears no responsibility for the protest that took place on Veng Sreng Street. [Phnom Penh Post]
Indonesia: Prominent trans rights activist dies after alleged police mistreatment
(ai) A transgender rights activist has died in Bali, whilst under police custody. Activists have alleged that his death was caused by police misconduct and violations of his human rights.
The victim, a student at the Harvard Kennedy School, was on the way to Bali with her husband when the couple was stopped by customs security and accused of possessing drugs. The family of the victim have stated that the drugs in question were prescribed for medical purposes.
A Bali Police spokesman said that Rodrigo had passed away due to health complications, after complaining of stomach pains while in custody, which led to his transfer to a local hospital. The police have stated that they will investigate the matter. Critics have accused the police department of being vague in their focus of the investigation, with fears that alleged misconduct will be overlooked or disregarded. The family of the victim have called for an independent investigation to be conducted.
Indonesia has strict laws regarding possession of drugs, with high penalties for those caught importing any illegal substances into the country. This includes the prohibition of using marijuana for medical purposes. [VOABahasa] [TempoBahasa][thecrimson] [Boston.com] [Reuters] [BBC]
Indonesia: Customer data allegedly leaked from major telecommunications company
(ai) Cybersecurity experts have alleged that customer data has been leaked from one of Indonesia’s largest internet service provider companies, sparking privacy concerns.
The internet provider, Indihome, is accused of leaking over 26 million browsing histories, including sensitive data such as customers’ name, surname, and identity card number. The Ministry of Communication and Information has vowed to investigate the incident.
This is one of numerous alleged data leaks in recent years, which critics state demonstrate significant vulnerabilities in the country’s data management and privacy systems. [Tempo English] [VOI Indonesia]
Indonesia: Joko Widodo calls for identity politics to be kept out of upcoming election
(ai) President Joko Widodo has called for identity politics to be eliminated from the election due to be held in 2024, including the alleged politicization of religious and social identities.
The appeal was made during the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) annual meeting. The President encouraged the practice of Pancasila, which is a philosophy based on five principles, including democracy guided by the inner wisdom in the unanimity arising out of deliberations among representatives. He also encouraged initiating international cooperation in overcoming global problems. [TempoEnglish 1]
Additionally the House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Puan Maharani called for a free election in the country without corruption, where the unity of the country should be put first. [TempoEnglish 2]
Indonesia: Top policeman Sambo dishonorably discharged for ethics violation
(pe) Inspector General Ferdy Sambo has been dishonourably discharged after being found in violation of ethics by the misconduct tribunal related to the alleged murder of a police officer.
Ferdy is accused of ordering the murder of Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat on July 8, which allegedly took place in his official residence. Yosua was shot allegedly after he was caught harassing Ferdy’s wife, according to the police investigation. If found guilty, Ferdy could face the death penalty. Ferdy awaits trial for the crime, and an ethics panel is running parallel with the investigation.
Ferdy had attempted to hand in his resignation prior to the tribunal’s decision, but it had been refused. [Jakarta Globe]
Indonesia: Billions shifted away from fuel subsidy into welfare programmes
(pe) Indonesia has reallocated over USD 1.6 billion into social protection schemes, away from its initial allocation into fuel subsidy. This includes cash handouts for millions of households in a move that the government claims will increase consumer purchasing power.
The decision to shift the funds comes amidst reports that the government is planning on raising the price of subsidized fuel, in order to cope with ongoing global energy pressures. This has not yet been confirmed by the government. [Reuters] [The Star]
Malaysia: Jailed former Prime Minister returns to court for second corruption trial
(pe) Former Prime Minister, Najib Razak, who is currently serving a twelve year jail sentence for corruption, is back in court for a second trial related to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal (1MDB).
1MDB was a development fund that Najib set up shortly after taking power in 2009. He is alleged to have stolen and laundered billions of USD, using the money for extravagant purchases.
As Najib returns to court, a number of observers and a veteran Malaysian politician have made statements alluding to the expection that Najib will receive a royal pardon and be released from jail. These reports are not confirmed, nor has the royal family commented on the matter.
Najib continues to protest his innocence, claiming that he had been misled as to the source of the funds. Furthermore, his legal team have threatened to take legal action against the Malaysian Bar over comments made against their conduct. The Malaysia Bar has accused Najib and his team of unprofessionalism, as they had sought to delay the court case a number of times. They argue that delays were required in order to allow a newly formed legal team adequate preparation time, however critics have argued that this was a tactic to derail the process. [AiR No.34, August/2022, 4][Aljazeera][Bloomberg][Malay Mail]
Malaysia: Court condemns leak of alleged guilty verdict for former-PM’s wife
(pe) A Malaysian blogger has leaked a document that alleges that the former Prime Minister Najib Razak’s wife is due to be found guilty of bribery and corruption related charges, days before the verdict is due to be announced. This has drawn criticism from the Malaysian court, who claim that the alleged leak of the draft document is an attempt to smear the reputation of the justice system.
The former-PM’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, is accused of three charges of soliciting bribes and receiving over USD 1.5 million in bribes to help a company win a contract to provide solar panels to schools on Borneo Island. Her husband is currently imprisoned on graft charges linked to the 1Malaysia Development Berhad scandal (1MDB). If Rosmah is found guilty, she is expected to remain on bail as she seeks her appeal.
The Federal Court has lodged a complaint with the police and condemned the attempt to damage the reputation of the institution. [Channel News Asia]
Malaysia: Challenges identified in hardcore poverty alleviation programme
(pe) The Prime Minister’s economic department has highlighted the need to address a number of challnges in the Keluarga Malaysia (Malaysian Family) hardcore poverty eradication programme (BMTKM) pilot, a programme that is key to the 2025 target set by the government to eliminate hardcore poverty by 2025. Hardcore poverty refers to households with incomes less than 50% below the poverty line.
The challenges that have been identified include assessing the appropriateness of the programmes to be carried out by the target groups. Often these groups are dynamic in status. Furthermore, there have been issues in lack of participation from key project partners. [Malay Mail]
Malaysia: PAS President under investigation for alleged racist remarks
(pe) The Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) president is being investigated for allegedly making racist remarks, with over 25 reports having been lodged against him.
In an ongoing investigation, PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang is accused of making statements to accuse non-Muslims and non-bumiputra of causing corruption in the country.
In Malaysia, it is illegal to make, publish or circulate any statement that is intended to incite any class or community of persons to commit any offense against any other class or community of persons. Abdul Hadi has been accused of making inflammatory remarks in the past, including stating that non-Malays wield too much influence over the politics and economy of the country. [The Star]
Malaysia: UMNO claims no intention to delay next General Election
(pe) Nationalist Malaysian ruling party, United Malays National Organization (UMNO) has stated that they have no intention to delay the 15th General Election (GE15).
The UMNO president has made statements on the matter, claiming that delays to the election would only allow opposition parties to increase their political attacks, and craft their strategies to take over government. Critics of UMNO claim that they are pushing for an earlier election in order to hold sway over the judiciary process, as many people linked to the party are under investigation for various bribery and corruption related crimes, including recently jailed former-Prime Minister Najib Razak.
The mandate of the current government is set to expire in July 2023, the GE15 must be held within 60 days of the dissolution of Parliament. [The Star] [Free Malaysia Today]
Myanmar: Myanmar Military detain Britain’s former ambassador
(jp) Vicky Bowman, who had served as the British ambassador to Myanmar from 2002 to 2006, and her husband, renowned Burmese artist Htein Lin, who had been imprisoned for six years from 1998 to 2004 for political reasons, were detained on August 25 by the military authorities in Myanmar. Bowman has been in charge of the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business in Yangon for the past decade.
But both she and her husband have been accused of violating visa regulations, which carries a maximum five-year prison sentence. According to a statement issued by the Myanmar military, Ms. Bowman violated the law when she stayed in a city other than Yangon, where she was registered and failed to notify the authorities of her location. Her husband is accused of facilitating her crime without informing the authorities. Their trial is scheduled to commence on September 6.
According to the monitoring group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, the military junta has arrested over 10,600 people since February 2021, including Aung San Suu Kyi. At least 1,303 deaths were directly attributable to the demonstrations, according to the group. [Abc Net] [CNN] [RFA Burmese, in Burmese]
Myanmar: Photographer and activist involved in 8888 Umbrella Protest arrested
(jp) The Yangon People's Strike Group announced on August 25 that the Myanmar junta arrested two young students of the Singapore-Myanmar Vocational Training Institute (SMVTI) : one member of a Yangon anti-military activist group, and a photographer at their home on August 20.
Local news reported that the students arrested participated in the umbrella strike earlier this month commemorating the 34th anniversary of “8888”, that refers to the pro-democracy uprising of August 8, 1988. The image of Yangon anti-regime activists holding umbrellas with the Myanmar number "8" in some of Yangon's busiest locations went viral and spread worldwide.
According to the Association for the Assistance of Political Prisoners (AAPP), between the military coup on February 1, 2021, and August 25, 2021, the military killed 2,248 people and arrested 15,227. [RFA Burmese, in Burmese] [Irrawaddy]
Myanmar: Member of Civil Disobedience Movement sentenced to seven years in jail
(dql) The Meiktila Court in Mandalay region has sentenced a member of Myanmar’s Civil Disobedience Movement (CDM) to seven years in prison after being found guilty under the country’s Counter-Terrorism Law.
The 24-year-old teacher was arrested in November last year over suspicion of being a People’s Defense Force leader. [Radio Free Asia]
Philippines: government committed in fight against child sexual abuse and exploitation
(jd) The Philippine government has intensified its battle against online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) during an inter-agency press conference where Justice Secretary Remulla expressed the country’s intention of declaring war to the phenomenon, and the government’s plan to adopt a comprehensive approach to stop it.
During the press conference it was stated how the Philippines is currently among the countries with the higher number of cases involving OSAEC. Many officials affirmed that the situation has worsened due to pandemic lockdowns, technology, and poverty.
The adoption of the new comprehensive approach aims to involve in the fight against OSAEC the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC), the Department of Information and Communications (DICT), and other national and international officials and agencies that have vowed to unite and bring the criminals to justice.
The ALMC is in charge of looking into the payment systems and it expects to cooperate with telecommunications companies in order to filter online transactions related to OSEC.
The DICT, on the other hand, has committed to intensifying its efforts in this battle by tracing the online activities of child traffickers and working with local telecommunications companies to track down the cybercriminals.
It is recurrent that networks linked with this type of abuse are often only found after child sexual exploitation materials are discovered in other countries, and researches show that the Philippines receives several referrals from international police bureaus. A high number of reports involve offenders from countries like the US and Australia.
US attaché Navalta stated the US is backing the Philippines in combating child exploitation by helping develop best practices and programs to stop foreigners from the US and from other countries from having access to Filipino children.
Following the press conference, Sen. Hontiveros, main author of the anti-OSAEC Law, has raised the need to increase the budget dedicated to law enforcement offices that are pursuing the OSAEC cases, stating that the number of cases they have to deal with is overwhelming. She has also underlined that the Anti-OSAEC Law obliges internet service providers, social media platforms, and financial intermediaries to take down, preserve, and transmit OSAEC-related materials in cooperation with law enforcement agents.
From August 29 to September 23 the UN Child Rights Committee (CRC) will hold a review session involving eight countries, including the Philippines. The eight State delegations are part of the 196 States parties to the Child Rights Conventions and its Optional Protocols and are therefore required to undergo implementation reviews.
The CRC will discuss issues highlighted by the respective country reports. [Philstar] [Philippine News Agency 1] [Philippine News Agency 2] [SBS News] [UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights]
Philippines: Presidential press secretary says government will respect press freedom
(jd) Following the recent statements of plans by the current administration of President Marcos to accredit vloggers to report from the presidential palace, without clarifying whether professional journalists would have been welcomed, the presidential press secretary announced that press freedom will not change under the current administration.
The press secretary spoke after the oath-taking ceremony with the newly elected officers of the National Press Club and stated that whatever freedoms currently enjoyed will be continued, and that the Constitution guarantees that. She also declared that the Palace aims to ensure dialogue with media organizations, especially when the reportage is critical of the government. [Manila Bulletin] [Philippine News Agency]
Philippines: Department of Justice says it’s giving drug war data to International Criminal Court out of courtesy
(jd) During the “Kapihan sa Maynila” forum,the Justice Secretary reiterated that the Philippines is providing the International Criminal Court (ICC) with data related to the country’s war on drugs out of friendship and courtesy, and not out of compliance, as the country is no longer a member of the ICC.
The ICC announced last December that it was suspending its investigation related to the war on drugs which was promoted and led by the Duterte administration, however the leading Prosecutor has asked the Court to authorize its resumption.
According to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla, the ICC has previously investigated countries with no rule of law like Somalia and Sudan, pointing out that the Philippines does have an existing justice system, and that it will therefore determine the responsibility of the people involved through the country’s own means.
The Department of Justice is currently reviewing 5,655 anti-drug operations that resulted in deaths in order to determine whether there is an existing probable cause to charge the police officers involved. [Philippine News Agency]
Singapore: Curbs on LGBTQ media to continue, despite repeal of gay sex law
(pe) Media content with LGBTQ themes and imagery will continue to be highly restricted by the Sinagporean government, despite the country planning to repeal a colonial-era law that criminalized sex between men.
Restrictions on media with LGBTQ content and references include higher age ratings. Furthermore, the Films Act bans content that is deemed to promote homosexuality.
In addition, the government has stated plans to amend Singapore's constitution to protect the current heterosexual definition of marriage from being challenged in court.
Critics have accused Singapore of sending mixed messages regarding its attitude towards homosexuality, and activists continue to protest the ongoing restrictions on LGBTQ freedoms in the nation. [AiR No.34, August/2022, 4] [Bloomberg] [The Star]
Singapore: MAS proposes tightening of crypto regulations
(pe) Singapore’s Monetary Authority (MAS) is planning to introduce new regulations that will make it more difficult for retail investors to trade cryptocurrencies. This is due to concerns over consumers taking risks without being aware of the possible pitfalls.
New restrictions may include suitability tests and restricting the use of leverage and credit facilities for cryptocurrency trading. The MAS recognises that the decentralized nature of cryptocurrency makes banning retail access near impossible.
Some high-profile defaults of a number of global cryptocurrency-related firms based in Singapore have triggered calls for tighter regulation. This is coupled with the widespread ease of access to cryptocurrency services for retail consumers, which critics say creates a high risk scenario.
The MAS will seek public feedback on its proposals by October. [Channel News Asia]
Singapore: New work visas to attract top talent
(pe) Singapore plans to introduce a new five-year visa for high earning foreign workers, in a move to attract top talent into the nation.
The visa scheme is said to play a key part in Singapore’s Covid-19 recovery efforts, in a bid to attract talent away from other key Asian cities. Expats earning over USD 21,000 a month will be targeted, with promises of visas that allow them to work for multiple companies, as well as offering spousal visas and shorter processing times. The government hopes that the new visa options will encourage companies to invest and keep their top talent working in Singapore. [Nikkei Asia] [Reuters]
Thailand: Prime Minister Prayut suspended while Constitutional Court decides on term limit
(td/lm) Thailand’s Constitutional Court suspended Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on August 24 after accepting a petition from the main opposition Pheu Thai party seeking a review of his legally mandated eight-year term limit. Subsequently, Prayut’s first and foremost deputy prime minister, Prawit Wongsuwan, took over his post and now serves as acting prime minister.
The petition filed on August 22 argued that Prayut’s time spent as head of a military government after he staged a coup when he was Thailand’s army chief in 2014 should count towards his constitutionally stipulated eight-year term. [AiR, No. 34, August/2022, 4]
According to Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam, the interim prime minister has an equivalent authority to tender significant laws for royal endorsement including the debatable bill on the election regulations at the next poll in 2023, and dissolve parliament as well. In light of this, the opposition has speculated that he will likely opt for a dissolution of the House of Representatives to stay on in a caretaker government, during which the sitting prime minister has the power to call early elections, if not early next year.
Nevertheless, given the political parties bill and organic bill on election, which stipulates the proportion of 400 for constituency lawmakers with the figure 100 as a divisor to calculate and determine the number of party-list seats each contesting parties would receive, has yet to be endorsed and come into force, the Election Commission is unauthorised to hold the next general election. Besides, when the existing election law automatically becomes enforceable, it may spell chaos for several political parties to have their branch offices in all 400 constituencies.
Overall, despite suspension from premiership, Prayut has so far carried on his duties in the capacity of defence minister without, reportedly, the intervention from Prawit. They both are now taking charge of the reshuffle of senior military and police officers, whereby Prayut is set to oversee the contentious appointment of new chiefs of the Royal Thai Navy and Royal Thai Air Force, let alone other positions. In contrast, Prawit had earlier chaired the National Police Policy Board Meeting that voted Damrongsak Kittipraphat as the next National Police Chief. [see entry in this edition]
After all, although Prayut is now temporarily removed from the top post, his political critics and protesters are not satisfied so long as the “Three Por” generals: including Prayut, Prawit, and now Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda, have held a tight grip on power. This stems from the fact that they were closely behind the successful coup in 2014 that ousted the civilian-led government of Yingluck Shinawatra, and have since compounded the polarisation of Thai politics. In their view, the case of Prawit is a transfer of power from one general to another. [Associated Press] [CNN] [Bangkok Post 1] [Bangkok Post 2] [Bangkok Post 3] [Thai PBS World 1] [Thai PBS World 2]
Thailand: Lawmaker election bill goes to charter court
(td) Following failed attempts of several micro political parties to press ahead with the passage of the amended election bill, the organic bill is being referred to the Charter Court to rule whether it contradicts the constitution.
Ongoing debates over the calculation method came as the majority of members of Parliament had put forward some amendments surrounding electoral regulations to the Constitution in September 2021, which resulted in the reversal from one-ballot to dual-ballot system, and the increasing number of constituency MPs from 350 to 400 in line with the 1997 Constitution to favour larger political parties. However, after the organic bill was put to final reading, with approval of the House vetting committee, it turned out that most MPs voted for 500 instead.
Consequently, the organic bill was withdrawn from parliamentary deliberation, and a group of MPs mostly from micro parties filed another motion to endorse proposed law amendments on the election process in their favour – using the figure 500 so that they have a better chance of securing party-list seats. Despite unwavering efforts, their proposals failed to meet the 180-day deadline and were automatically dismissed due to lack of quorum in parliament during the joint parliamentary sessions. Thus, it is likely to revert to the organic bill revised last year.
That said, all major political parties, including the ruling Palang Pracharath Party and the main opposition Pheu Thai Party, were accused of intentionally boycotting the meetings. After all, in light of the fresh petition, those minnow parties require the Court’s ruling on whether Section 25 of the organic bill is in conflict with Section 93 of the Charter – in fact, also Section 94 – which is based on the single-ballot and mixed-member proportional (MMP) election system. In addition, they call on the Court to rule on Section 26 that has been written in a way that could be construed as defying Section 131 of the Charter, which bars dishonest votes from being counted. [AiR, No. 31, August/2022, 1] [AiR, No. 32, August/2022, 2] [AiR, No. 33, August/2022, 3] [Bangkok Post 1] [Bangkok Post 2] [Bloomberg]
Thailand: Parliament's lower house passes 2023 budget bill in final reading
(fj) The proposed USD 88 billion budget bill for 2023 cleared its final hearing in the lower house of Thailand’s parliament with a majority of 258 votes for over 180 votes against. The budget bill, which foresees a deficit of USD 19.2 billion will now move on to the Senate for approval.
This vote constitutes an important victory for the ruling Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) led by acting Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon. While the opposition had declared its determination to derail the bill on the grounds that it was not in line with the challenges facing the nation and that it would not benefit the people, it failed to significantly move the vote compared to the bill’s first hearing in June, where it had passed with a majority of 278 votes for over 192 votes against. [Bangkok Post 1] [Thai PBS World 1][Thai PBS World 2]
General Prayut Chan-o-cha, at the time of the vote still serving as prime minister, thanked the Parliament through a spokesperson and vowed that the budget would be spent efficiently and in the service of overcoming the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. [Bangkok Post 2]
Thailand: Parliament's lower house passes Senate-drafted anti-torture bill
(td) The lower house of the Thai parliament on August 24 approved an upper house-drafted bill on anti-torture and forced disapperance. The bill will become effective in four months, following several years of delay. Behind the successful bill, pending royal endorsement, several civil society organisations have reportedly been a driving force in putting their proposals to parliamentary consideration, which therefore underpin the said bill.
Several members of Parliament hailed the bill as an instrument which brings greater protection for human rights activists and holds offenders accountable in line with international treaties, most notably the United Nations’ Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. [The Bangkok Post] [Prachathai English]
Thailand: Parliament's lower house passes voluntary castration bill
(td) Thailand’s lower house of parliament has passed a bill to allow the voluntary injections of chemical castration to recidivists of severe sex crimes in exchange for their shortened prison terms. [Bangkok Post]
Following the push from a lawmaker of the ruling Palang Pracharath Party, the bill was first approved by the lower house in February 2022, followed by approval from the Senate in July, before it was returned to the House for final deliberation after amendments to certain sections of the bill had been made by the Senate [see AiR, No. 29, July/2022, 3].
The bill is expected to help law enforcement officers tackle with sex crimes effectively – despite objections from critics, who prefer rehabilitation to execution or injection as a means to take on recidivists.
Thailand: Student activists approach civil court, call for end of protest curb
(fj) Student activists from six universities have approached Thailand’s Civil Court to seek the injunction of a section of the emergency decree which they claim imposes disproportionate legal punishment for participants of mass gatherings. [Bangkok Post]
The emergency decree has been in effect in Thailand since 2015. Section 9 of the decree states in the event of an emergency situation, the public assembly law may be invoked to contain mass gatherings. In this case, a violation of the assembly law entails a maximum jail term of two years, plus a fine of about USD 1,000 or both.
The activists make the case that it was a legal misstep to let the emergency decree introduce or increase the legal punishments enforceable by an act which is technically higher in status than the decree. They also argue that Section 9 permits the defence forces chief to design a protest containment plan without obtaining prior approval from a court - a bypassing the activists call illegal.
Thailand: Senate ethics panel to investigate abuse claim
(fj) The ethics committee of Thailand’s upper house of parliament has been called to investigate whether a police corporal, who has recently been accused of abusing and illegally detaining her maid, owes her government post to the intervention of a Senator who allegedly had an affair with her.
The investigation, which has been launched following the petition of Watchara Phetthong, a former member of Parliament for the Democrat Party, is further to determine whether the maid’s own position in the military might also have been obtained through the unlawful abuse of power by the implicated Senator. The panel is expected to reach a conclusion within 60 days.
While these allegations of political entanglements have significantly broadened the scope of the case, the accused police officer’s boyfriend has turned himself in to the police in recognition of the charge of colluding in physical abuse that has been brought forth against him by the maid. [Bangkok Post 1] [Bangkok Post 2]
Thailand: Farmers' association submits petition to reclaim land use rights for ethnic, indigenous minorities
(td) Against the backdrop of the fifth Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Forestry in northern Thailand, community rights and indigenous rights activists submitted a petition to the natural resources and environment ministry to call for the protection and reclamation of their right to manage the land and resources.
In accordance with the rights activists, since the Thai government enacted the laws on forest management and conservation, ethnic minorities and indigenous people have been deprived of their entitlements over the land, enforced relocation as a result of gradual land reclamation, excluded from participation in any decision-making process, and some even prosecuted under land-related charges.
Overall, the activists – banded together as the Northern Peasant Federation – aim to seek certain amendments to the existing land laws: the Community Forest Act 2019, National Park Act 2019, and Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act 2019, with an involvement of all the local stakeholders. Meanwhile, another priority is to secure an amnesty for those charged with land encroachment to resume their livelihoods, and assurance that law enforcement officers would no longer bring forest-related charges against the villagers. [The Bangkok Post] [Prachathai English]
Thailand: Death sentence against former deputy minister of commerce upheld by Court of Appeals
(fj) Thailand’s Court of Appeals has upheld the death sentence for Banyin Tangpakorn, a former deputy minister of commerce, which had been handed down for the premediated murder committed against a wealthy building contractor. The court thereby confirmed the original ruling of the Phra Khanong Criminal Court from January 2021.
Banyin is also facing a second death sentence for abducting and killing the brother of the judge who ruled on the above case in the first instance, in an attempt to influence the court’s ruling. With the rulings in both these cases having been confirmed by the Court of Appeals, Banyin’s last chance for appeal is now with the Supreme Court. However, while it remains unknown whether he will seek to bring the cases before the nation’s highest court, the family of the murdered contractor has already declared their determination to see the verdict upheld if that should be necessary. [Bangkok Post 1] [Bangkok Post 2] [The Nation Thailand 1] [The Nation Thailand 2]
Thailand: New designated head of national cyber security agency
(fj) Air Vice-Marshal Amorn Chomchoey has been designated to take over the position of secretary general of the National Cyber Security Agency (NCSA) in October. He will replace the incumbent, General Prachya Chalermwat upon the completion of his four-year term.
Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has encouraged Amorn, who is currently serving as the NCSA’s deputy secretary-general, to strengthen the cooperation between state agencies, both domestically and with foreign partners. This affirms the Thai government’s recent push for international partnerships, which included the signature of an MoU on cybersecurity cooperation with Israel and a similar pledge made with Romania.
The NCSA’s efforts at improving Thailand’s cybersecurity have also extended to recent public-private partnerships with the Russian cybersecurity company Kaspersky and Chinese IT solutions provider Huawei in a push to strengthen expertise and building capacities within government agencies and the private sector. In the case of Huawei, this partnership was formalised on August 2 through the signature of an MoU on the provision of the comprehensive training of 4000 Thai IT personnel. Confirming the role of Huawei as a valued partner of the government, the company was honoured with the Thailand Cybersecurity Excellence Award by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on August 15. [Bangkok Post 1] [Bangkok Post 2] [The Nation Thailand 1] [The Nation Thailand 2] [The Nation Thailand 3] [The Nation Thailand 4]
International Relations, Geopolitics and Security in Asia
APEC Ministerial Meetings on tourism, trade, forestry, food security focus on sustainable recovery
(fj) As the APEC Third Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM3) organised in Chiang Mai from August 16-31 August is ending, a focus on making a sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic emerges as the overarching theme of the talks. SOM3 with its 67 scheduled meetings across 28 APEC sub-fora, has seen four ministerial meetings on tourism (August 19), trade (August 21-22), forestry (August 23-25), as well as food security (August 26). Furthermore, a high-level meeting on health and the economy was held (August 25-26). [APEC 2022 1] [APEC 2022 2]
As chair of the session held for ministers responsible for tourism, Thai Minister of Tourism and Sports, Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn summarised that recurring Covid-19 outbreaks as well as the rising cost of travel induced by high inflation and the spike in fuel prices constitute a shared concern for him and his colleagues. Phitiphat further noted the agreement to employ a bio-, circular and green (BCG) economic model in making post-pandemic tourism more sustainable and less weighed down by uncertainties. [Bangkok Post 1]
The meeting of ministers responsible for trade was also set to focus on sustainable economic recovery with an emphasis on the further development of the Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific (FTAAP), which is to be submitted to the APEC’s Economic Leaders’ Meeting in November. [The Nation Thailand 1]
In the meeting of ministers responsible for forestry, chair Varawut Silpa-archa, the Thai minister of Natural Resources and Environment, also promoted working towards a BCG economy as a way to harness the forest sector towards tackling problems around climate change and the loss of biodiversity, while not foregoing the economic potential of well-managed forests. [The Nation Thailand 2]
As the chair of the meeting of ministers responsible for food security, Thai Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Chalermchai Sri-on used his statement to stress the need to balance economic, social and environmental factors in improving food safety and livelihoods in a sustainable way. He pointed to innovation and technology as important drivers in this field and recommended the BCG economic model as a comprehensive approach to development that also takes into account the efficient use of natural resources. [APEC 1]
In his chair’s statement on the high-level meeting on health and the economy the Thai Minister of Public health, Anutin Charnvirakul, chose to highlight the need to balance health and the economy as well as the obligation to increase investments in global health security as the two structuring key areas of the discussions. [APEC 2]
During the meeting, he also cited Thailand’s recent adoption of more lenient laws around the therapeutic use of cannabis as a promising example of how the interconnection between health and the economy can be utilised productively. [Bangkok Post 2]
Looking ahead, two central issues that will carry over from SOM3 to the APEC 2022’s culmination in the Economic Leaders’ Week scheduled for November 14-19 in Bangkok are the progress on the FTAAP as well as the preparation of a standalone statement on the BCG economic model. Documents on both these initiatives are then to be presented to the leaders for endorsement.
NATO head warns of increasing Chinese and Russian ambitions in the Arctic
(jw) As climate change is making the Arctic more accessible, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg urged NATO members to be aware of increasing Chinese and Russian interest in the region, calling on NATO to increase its military presence. According to Stoltenberg, Russia is opening new basis as well as stationing and testing new weapons such as hypersonic missiles in the far north, while China declared itself a “near-arctic state” and is planning to establish a “Polar Silk Road'' facilitated by the construction of the world's largest icebreaker. Furthermore, Stoltenberg stated that China and Russia “pledged to intensify practical operation in the Arctic”, arguing that this cooperation challenges NATO’s values and interests.
Stoltenberg arguably made these comments referring to NATO’s strategic concept which includes the statement that China’s “stated ambitions and coercive policies” challenge NATO’s “interests, security and values” after being updated at the end of June. [Associated Press] [CBC] [DW] [NATO Strategic Concept]
UN Security Council split on travel restrictions imposed on leading Taliban members
(jw) Amid continuous debate on how to engage the new Taliban government of Afghanistan which has not yet been recognized by any country, the UN Security Council is split between Russia and China, which support a continuation of travel ban exemptions for 13 high-ranking Taliban officials, and western countries led by the US which are not willing to continue sanction exemptions as they accuse the Taliban of human rights abuses and supporting terrorism.
Under a 2011 Security Council resolution, heavy sanctions including travel bans and asset freezes were imposed on 135 Taliban officials. However, 13 Taliban members were granted exemptions so they could engage in diplomatic exchange with representatives of other countries outside of Afghanistan.
While the US designates some Taliban officials as international terrorists and wants diplomatic exchange to be strictly limited – mostly to negotiations taking place in Qatar’s capital Doha – Russia and China still have embassies in Kabul, sent high-level officials to Afghanistan and also host Taliban diplomats in Moscow and Beijing. China also repeatedly voiced criticism of economic sanctions on the Taliban regime as both Russia and China try to enhance their economic cooperation with Afghanistan. [The Straits Times] [Voice of America]
NPT members call for denuclearization of North Korea
(my) Member states of the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) urged North Korea to take “concrete measures” to terminate missile and nuclear programs, in a draft declaration drawn up at the tenth NPT Conference held from August 1 to 26. They also requested Pyongyang to disclaim its position as a nuclear weapon state and to return to the NPT. North Korea joined the treaty in 1985 and withdrew from it in 2003.
Participants denounced Pyongyang’s nuclear test and stressed that it should not conduct any further nuclear tests. It has also been requested that North Korea should follow the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s safeguards on its nuclear activities. The safeguards implemented by the IAEA serve to ensure that states uphold their obligations to the international community not to use nuclear programs as weapons.
The final declaration was not adopted due to Russia’s opposition, claiming that the declaration lacked balance. [BBC] [Korea Herald] [UN Office for Disarmament Affairs]
IMF team holds bailout talks with Sri Lanka’s president in Colombo
(kh) A delegation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) met with Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on August 24 for talks on a bailout, including restructuring debt of about USD 29 billion. [Al Jazeera] [Reuters]
Before the meeting, the IMF demanded assurance from Sri Lanka’s creditors to advance the bailout program. The IMF stated that creditors have to ensure that debt sustainability will be restored. Continually, China and Japan are Sri Lanka’s largest creditors, of which China holds almost 20 percent of its debt portfolio.
Therefore, Sri Lankan President Wickremesinghe urged Beijing to change its stance on debt relief so that the bailout program can progress. Meanwhile, President Wickremesinghe asked Tokyo to lead the talks on bilateral debt restructuring as it is the second largest creditor. While responding to Colombo’s appeal, Tokyo stated that it is keen to organize a conference among all Sri Lanka’s creditors in order to resolve Colombo’s debt crisis. [Daily FT] [Japan Today]
IMF releases over USD 1.63 billion in Pakistan bailout funds
(msk) On August 29, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the combined seventh and eighth reviews under the Extended Fund Facility for Pakistan, allowing it to draw the equivalent of about USD 1.1 billion, said a press release of the global lender. [IMF website]
The IMF has extended the program by a year. The funds will be a lifeline to Pakistan suffering from devastating floods which have inflicted damage of at least USD 10 billion according to the country’s planning minister. [The Strait Times]
India votes against Russia in UN Security Council to allow speech by Ukraine president
(vv/lm) India voted against Russia on a procedural vote on Ukraine at the recently held United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting on August 24. The procedural vote was a matter pertaining to the invitation of Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to address a meeting via videoconference. Out of 15 members, 13 voted in favor of Zelenskyy’s participation via teleconference, while Russia voted against it and China abstained. [The Hindu]
What came as a surprise to many is India breaking its streak of abstentions on votes related to the Russia-Ukraine war. India’s permanent representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj, stated that New Delhi’s stance on the war has always been that of neutrality, adding that voting for Ukraine during the recent procedural vote doesn’t change the country’s diplomatic outlook on the war. [Business Standard]
At the UNSC, India asks countries to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity
(vv) During a recent meeting of the United Nations (UN) Security Council to discuss threats to international peace and security India’s permanent representative to the UN has urged that countries respect each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,
The comments are potentially a thinly veiled reference to neighboring China, given that both countries have for long been fighting territorial issues, with skirmishes and small conflicts between the two nations in parts of the Himalayan Region. [The Hindu]
China pledges to defend Sri Lanka at the UNHRC session
(kh) Beijing stated that they will support Sri Lanka’s territorial integrity and sovereignty in every international forum while alleging that some nations are capitalizing on the crisis to compromise Sri Lanka’s independence and sovereignty. [The Hindu]
China’s ambassador to Colombo –
while referring to the upcoming 51st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council – stated that some countries are using the notion of human rights to interfere in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs. Furthermore, he mentioned that countries preaching about human rights are the ones refraining from assisting Sri Lanka in its difficult times.
Bangladesh, Nepal reach an agreement on energy cooperation, starting with a 50MW power trade
(op) In order to use the high voltage direct current power systems in Bangladesh's Bheramara, Nepal and Bangladesh have resolved to ask India to permit the export of 40–50 MW of energy from Nepal to Bangladesh in the initial phase. The Baharampur-Bheramara cross-border power transmission link between India and Bangladesh was officially opened in 2013; it will initially allow for the interchange of 500MW of electric power. A trilateral energy sales and purchase agreement using the Baharampur-Bheramara cross-border power transmission link will be requested from India's NTPC Vidyut Vyapar Nigam in accordance with the understanding reached on secretary-level Joint Steering Committee (JSC) formed for energy cooperation between Nepal and Bangladesh on Thursday.
Bangladesh informed Nepal during the fourth JSC meeting on energy cooperation that the agreement to purchase 500 MW of electricity from the 900 MW Upper Karnali hydropower project, which will be developed by India's GMR Group, would be finalized by September, according to a press release released by Nepal's Energy Ministry on August 25.
Power purchase agreements (PPAs) between GMR and Bangladesh were signed in 2019 and submitted for assessment to the Bangladesh Cabinet. The group also resolved to work together in the area of energy by giving Bangladesh the environmental impact assessment of the 683 MW Sunkoshi III Hydropower Project. Bangladesh will offer its views on the assessment, the ministry stated in the release, and a joint committee would then go on with the project's development. The two sides committed to work together to construct a Nepal-Bangladesh dedicated power transmission line and to make efforts for a tripartite agreement between Nepal, Bangladesh, and India. They also decided to collaborate on solar household systems and other renewable energy sources. [The Kathmandu Post 1] [Joint Steering Committee]
Trafficking of crystal meth increased two-and-a-half times in Bangladesh since military coup in Myanmar
(az) The trafficking of crystal meth into Bangladesh from neighboring Myanmar has increased two-and-a-half times since the Myanmar military regime came into power in 2021. In light of this, it is believed that the military junta in Myanmar is patronizing the illegal trade through its border area. [Dhaka Tribune] [Prothom Alo]
Bangladesh, India hold ministerial-level meeting on river water sharing
(az) After a gap of 12 years, India and Bangladesh held a joint ministerial-level meeting on August 25 to discuss river water sharing between the two countries. Besides the issue of water sharing, discussions were also held on flood data, river pollution, joint studies on sedimentation management and riverbank protection works, among other issues. The two sides also agreed to widen the area of cooperation from the resources of eight additional rivers for data exchange. [The Business Standard] [Xinhua]
Cambodia-Turkey Joint Economic Commission’s effort to improve bilateral cooperation
(fe) The Kingdom has selected a number of significant priority subjects that will be tackled during the third meeting of the Cambodia-Turkey Joint Economic Commission (JEC) in October in an effort to improve bilateral cooperation and maximize benefits.
The proposed agenda for the conference was discussed at an inter-ministerial meeting that was presided over by the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Commerce, Tekreth Kamrang, and attended by officials of the ministry and 12 other institutions.
The conference’s main focus areas were listed as trade, investment, business, industry, science, technology, innovation, halal affairs, small- and medium-sized businesses, agriculture, transportation, civil aviation, health, education, and tourism.
Trade between Turkey and Cambodia reached USD 462.63 million over the course of five years from 2017 to 2021. Cambodia's top exports to Turkey are garments, textiles, footwear, travel accessories, and umbrellas, while Turkey's top imports from Cambodia are machinery, pharmaceuticals, glass panels, iron and steel, and plastics. [Phnom Penh Post]
Solomon Islands threatens banning foreign journalists reporting on cooperation with China
(jw/gö) After months of at times critical reports on the increased cooperation between China and the Solomon Islands, the Solomon Islands government reportedly threatened the ban of journalists who are not “respectful” or include “racial profiling” in their journalistic work on ties between China and the Pacific Island nation. The statement that was published by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare’s office especially targeted ABC, which created a film on the deepening of bilateral relations between China and the Solomon Islands and was subsequently accused of “intentional use of misinformation and distribution of pre-conceived prejudicial information” in the statement. According to the statement, journalists in the Pacific cannot operate as they do in other countries, as they need to “be respectful, be courteous and accord the appropriate protocols” and will not be allowed to enter the country otherwise. [ABC Australia] [The Guardian 1]
The statement comes as Sogavare and his office come under scrutiny again after it was revealed that the Prime Minister’s office directed Chinese government money to more than two-thirds of Solomon Islands parliament members in 2021. Critics accused Sogavare’s office of misusing the funds that China provided for spending at the Prime Minister’s discretion for political purposes. [Reuters]
The new revelations reinforce criticism that Sogavare’s government does not pursue transparency over its foreign policy toward China. As the country signed a security pact with China, prompting concerns among many western nations that China could seek a military foothold in the Pacific [see AiR No. 17, April/2022, 4], few details on the actual pact have been disclosed. However, Sogavare repeatedly reassured New Zealand, Australia and the US that there would not be a Chinese military base on the Solomon Islands.
Despite Sogavare’s assurances, the security deal put a strain on relations between western countries and the Solomon Islands, which also led to a US coast guard vessel being denied access to the port of Solomon Islands’ capital Honiara in the end of August. According to social media reports, a UK vessel was also denied access. However, the Royal Navy refused to provide further information. [The Guardian 2]
Reacting to the growing Chinese influence in the Pacific, the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) – an international alliance of parliamentarians from 20 democratic countries critical of China – launched their first Indo-Pacific regional forum and also invited Taiwanese legislators to join. In a joint statement released by IPAC members from Australia, Japan, India and New Zealand, the lawmakers voiced their deep concern over the security pact between China and the Solomon Islands and called to their own respective governments “to continue to make clear to the PCR government — and any other government looking to involve themselves in our region — that any attempts to militarize the Pacific Islands are unwelcome and unacceptable.” [IPAC]
US and China reach deal possibly resolving long-standing audit dispute
(yv/jw) After months-long negotiations, Washington and Beijing officials announced on August 26 that they reached a tentative agreement, enabling US auditors to gain full access to the books of Chinese companies which are listed in the US. Although US regulators asserted that they would first need to closely monitor compliance with the deal, the agreement could prevent around 200 Chinese companies that are currently still at risk of being delisted from being banned from the US stock market.
US officials have long requested access to the audit records of Chinese companies that are traded on the American stock exchange, but Beijing has been hesitant to meet such requests due to security reasons.
At least in theory, the deal allows the US complete access to Chinese audit documents that it had long wanted. The agreement forbids China from omitting or redacting any information from audit documents for any reason, and it permits the US Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) to directly question employees of audit companies in China as part of its investigations. The federal U.S. securities regulator that oversees the PCAOB, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), can also receive information from the PCAOB.
However, Chinese regulators may classify some data, including personally identifiable information, as “restricted” and subject to a “view only” examination by a small number of U.S. inspectors even though China is not permitted to redact information. Officials from the PCAOB claimed that the regulator has comparable agreements with other nations. Importantly, according to officials, the PCAOB can apply special procedures to even retain restricted data.
Chinese corporations listed in the United States may be chosen for inspection at the PCAOB's exclusive discretion. According to U.S. officials, the selection is based on a risk assessment, which considers factors including the company’s size and the industry it serves. Due to comparatively relaxed COVID-19 restrictions, initial inspections will take place in Hong Kong with PCAOB inspectors heading to the Special Administrative Region by mid-September. [Associated Press] [Reuters]
Chinese state media outlet Global Times celebrated the agreement as a symbol of the ability to mend fences despite disagreements which “should not be an excuse for the two countries to move toward full-scale confrontation”. According to the Global Times, the Chinese side has always been transparent, displaying audible and palpable efforts to find a solution. However, the Global Times also commended the overall agreement, calling it a “win-win institutional arrangement” that was reached because “concerns of both sides have been understood and respected by each other.” [Global Times]
The New York Times also emphasized opinions commending the deal, citing President of the New York Stock Exchange Lynn Marting who hailed the agreement as "an important development for the global economy and […] U.S. capital markets, which remain preeminent largely because of their ability to balance investor protections and access to the world's leading companies". CNN also asserted that the deal “marks a major thaw in US-China business relations and will be a huge relief for hundreds of Chinese companies and investors who have invested billions of dollars in the firms”. However, US media also stressed that the Chinese willingness to compromise might stem from concerns about an overall slowing down of China’s economy. [CNN] [NY Times]
US expands export blacklist with seven Chinese institutes focused on aerospace and chip development
(jw) The US has added seven Chinese state-affiliated firms in the chip and aerospace sector to an export blacklist, which forces US entities to obtain a special export license to sell their goods to the affected Chinese companies. The export blacklist already contains around 600 Chinese companies that are suspected to harm the national security and foreign policy interests of the US.
The move comes as part of the stern technological competition between the US and China. China tries to advance its technological capabilities in key sectors by providing heavy subsidies, other financial incentives and – as alleged by the US and multiple other western nations – economic espionage and intellectual property theft. Meanwhile, the US seeks to retain its advantage by sanctioning certain Chinese companies and also boosting its domestic manufacturing and research capabilities, for example with a semiconductor bill that US President Joe Biden signed into law in August [see AiR No. 33, August/2022, 3]. [Reuters] [South China Morning Post]
US vows to retain communication channels with China but remains present in Taiwan Strait
(jw) After an August 23 meeting between Deputy State Secretary Wendy Sherman and Chinese Ambassador to the US Qin Gang, the US State Department stated that the US “continues to seek an open and constructive line of communication to manage […] differences, especially during moments of tension” despite China cutting communication channels and suspending cooperation on certain issues after House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan [see AiR No. 32, August/2022, 2].
The State Department also declared that the US will “continue to take calm and resolute steps to uphold peace and stability in the region as well as support Taiwan” in line with the “One-China” policy. Further details on the meeting were not disclosed. [South China Morning Post] [Taiwan News] [Voice of America]
Despite the vows to retain communication, tensions around Taiwan are ongoing as the US sent two warships through the Taiwan Strait on August 28 for the first time since Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan. A statement published by the US 7th Fleet asserted that the two guided-missile cruisers Antietam and Chancellorsville were “conducting a routine Taiwan Strait transit [...] through waters where high seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law”.
The People Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command stated that it tracked the movements of the US vessels as its troops “are on high alert and ready to foil any provocation at any time.” [Associated Press]
China opens itself to exports from African countries
(jw) In line with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s promise to increase Chinese imports from Africa to USD 300 billion by 2025, China is gradually opening itself to African products. After the signing of export deals between China and African nations such as Ethiopia, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Rwanda and South Africa, the Chinese market is now open to a wide range of products. The latest African nations to sign export deals with China are Kenya, which can now trade Avocados with China and Zambia, which is preparing to export its first shipments of soybean meal – an important protein source for animal feed – to China. [South China Morning Post]
The increase in Chinese imports from Africa is part of a broader Africa strategy pursued by China, which is not only the second-largest destination for African agricultural exports but also Africa’s largest creditor and financier of infrastructure. According to analysts cited by The Sydney Morning Herald, China seeks economic ties with Africa to increase the dependence of the continent on China and thus decrease the capabilities of western nations to punish or sanction China. Chinese investment in the continent not only facilitates the provision of infrastructure and economic exchange but also increases the diplomatic standing of China on the continent. The Sydney Morning Herald also emphasizes parallels between the Chinese presence in Africa and recent Chinese efforts to engage with Pacific nations, which were however less fruitful as the Pacific island nations rejected a Chinese proposal for a wide-ranging agreement in May [see AiR No. 22, May/2022, 5]. [The Sydney Morning Herald]
China to join other countries in major military drills with Russia
(jw) Between September 1 and September 7, China will join countries like India, Mongolia, Nicaragua and Syria in sending troops to Russia for the Vostok 2022 (East 2022) exercise, once more displaying its continued close military cooperation with Russia amid the Ukraine war.
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, more than 50.000 troops with 140 aircraft and 60 warships will take part in the exercises which will be conducted in the far east of Russia. Chinese and Russian troops will also focus on naval cooperation, practicing a “joint action to protect sea communications, areas of marine economic activity and support for ground troops in littoral [coastal] areas”, according to the Russian Defense Ministry.
The exercises reflect the strong ties between Russia and China, which has supported Russia amid the Ukraine war, ramped up economic exchange and joined Russian troops for military drills and joint maneuvers. [Al Jazeera]
India’s foreign minister concludes three-nation tour to South America
(vv/lm) India’s external affairs minister S Jaishankar has concluded a three-nation tour to South America which included visits to Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina.
During his visit to Brazil, Jaishankar co-chaired the 8th India-Brazil Joint commission meeting with Brazilian Foreign Minister Carlos França on August 24. The meeting was pertinent to key areas such as defense, counterterrorism, space, trade, petroleum, and pharma. The two ministers also signed agreements relative to broadcasting and taxation, while also engaging dialogue on BRICS, IBSA, UN, G20 and the Ukraine-Russia war, stated Jaishankar through a series of tweets. Trading was discussed pertinently, as Jaishankar noted growing bilateral cooperation between both countries especially after their highest turnover accounting for US$12 billion. The strong economic relations also echoed in the number of private investments and state-owned investments of Indian companies in various sectors. [The Hindu]
Indian Air Force sacks three officers over Pakistan missile misfire
(vv/tj) The Indian Air Force has fired three Indian officers following an accidental firing of a cruise missile into a nuclear armed rival Pakistan through long investigations conducted by New Delhi. [The Strait Times]
The unarmed BrahMos surface-to-surface supersonic sonic missile was accidently fired from a secret military base in northern India in March of this year. No harm or damage to property was caused through the accidental firing. Pakistan made its first claims on March 9 that a flying object cruising at 40,000 feet from India had violated its airspace and landed in an uninhabited civilian area. [AiR No. 11, March/2022, 3]
BrahMos, the missile involved in the accidental firing, is one of India’s frontline nuclear armed projectiles and among the fastest cruise missiles in the world, which can be launched from land, sea, and air. The missile, capable of traveling as fast as three times the speed of sound, is a joint development of India and Russia, with its name collectively originating from India’s river Brahmaputra and Russia’s river Moskva.
India to tell United States that Russia oil price cap needs consensus
(vv) As United States officials plan to visit India to pursue its efforts to cap the price of Russian oil, New Delhi is to inform Washington that it shall seek broader consensus before extending support to the US' move. [The Strait Times]
US Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo and his team have for a while pursued efforts to gather support from other nations to place a cap on the price of Russian oil, which they claim may starve Moscow of the revenues it earns and eventually uses to invade Ukraine. The price cap will only work to stop Russia from earning revenues but won’t take oil off the market or trigger a price hike, claim the US officials. As the West has imposed economic sanctions on Russia and shunned the purchase of Russian barrels the US seeks to gather support from India and China, the only countries engaging with Russia.
India, becoming the biggest purchaser of Russian oil since the Ukraine-Russia war, is reluctant in showing support to the US unless an agreement is reached with all buyers involved. As US Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo and his team held meetings with the Indian government and Indian company executives from August 24 through to August 26, India informed the US officials of its reconsideration and the requirement of more time to gather consensus on the matter in question. India has relied on Russia’s discounted prices on oil, given the large populations and surging energy demand amidst a global energy crisis, India worries that showing support to the US may affect its discounted purchases from Russia.
Adeyemo also raised concerns on the monitoring of the sales of products from Russian crude oil, as the Treasury officials informed that a shipment of material used to make plastic at an Indian refinery from Russian oil had reached New York despite US’ ban on Russian products. The UK and the European Union too joined the band of those banning Russian products, while demanding more support from other nations.
Indonesia joins world’s biggest trading bloc
(pe) Parliament has passed a law which confirms the membership of the China-backed Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), the world’s biggest trading block.
The move to join the RCEP has been tipped by supporters as a move to boost trade and investment in Indonesia, and boost GDP growth. The RCEP is seen as an alternative to the US-led Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). It covers nearly a third of the world's population and about 30% of its gross domestic product.
Lawmakers in Indonesia also ratified a bilateral trade pact with South Korea to remove many tariff lines, hoping to attract investment to develop the electric vehicle and batteries industry. [The Star]
Taiwan’s President Tsai seeks ally amid threat of authoritarianism
(sra) The President of Taiwan, Tsai Ing-wen, on August 23 claimed the need to counter the threat of authoritarianism in a meeting with Japanese lawmakers as a response to military provocations by China in the region.
The meeting with Keiji Furuya, a legislator dedicated to the fortifying of Japan-Taiwan relations, opened the discussion of Tsai’s concerns not only for the democratic system of Taiwan but also for the Indo-Pacific region as a whole if an attack were to occur. Tsai spoke of her hopes on behalf of both countries to cooperate as security partners in peace, prosperity and freedom, following on from the announcement by late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe declaring it an emergency for the Japan-US alliance if China were to attack Taiwan.
Furuya criticized the military response of China and agreed to work closely with Tsai in order to deflect any further attempts of live-fire from communist-governed China, as Japanese-Taiwan relations remain through travel and trade, although unofficial. [The Mainichi]
The meeting sparked outrage from the Chinese Foreign Ministry as it claims Taiwan as domestic land and thus visits to the island have been interpreted as a “de facto recognition of Taiwanese sovereignty.” [Associated Press]
Japanese sanctions remain on Russia
(sra) Sanctions will remain on Russia, the Japanese government confirmed on August 23, as the war is expected to continue on. The government added that Japan will work closely with members of the Group of Seven and will collectively phase out the need for Russian energy resources.
Increased energy prices were addressed by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a virtual meeting with Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno, Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura and Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki. Kishida also discussed the strengthening of Japanese defense systems while maintaining diplomatic responsibilities. Matsuno asserted that the government is still on high alert as there is the concern about Russia’s potential use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine. [Japan Today]
Japan to invest USD 30 billion towards Africa
(sra) Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida announced a USD 30 billion investment for African human resources on August 27 during the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD). The panel meets every three years to enhance relations between Africa and Japan, with Kishida’s hopes of international order at the forefront of his online speech.
The investment addresses Africa’s need to overcome the adversity it continues to face, with the aim of investing in human capital in order to provide long-term solutions in the agriculture, education, health care and justice sectors. Over the next three years, Japan will provide 300,000 people with the necessary resources to hone their professional skills and achieve economic growth. Kishida confirmed that USD 5 billion loans to the African Development Bank will promote sustainable development and aid the economy and place USD 4 billion towards renewable energy, enhancing energy security. [Kyodo News 1]
The focus on the agricultural sector will respond to the exacerbated level of food insecurity in Africa, as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the effects of climate change have impacted the movement of grain imports. The investment will also help tackle the increasing cost of food with a focus on increasing local production.
The health care system will also be a main point of focus, as the coronavirus pandemic strained its resources. Funding will provide improved services and training in fighting infectious diseases such as AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.
Kishida hopes that this investment provides development in Africa-Japan relations, while also countering China’s aims and ambitions in Africa. The Prime Minister also spoke of Japan’s plans to cooperate with Africa in its efforts to reform the structure of the UN Security Council reform, citing that Russia’s war in Ukraine “shakes the very foundations of the international order.” [Kyodo News 2] [Reuters]
Japanese filmmaker detained in Myanmar speaks with official
(sra) Contact was made with a Japanese documentary filmmaker detained in Myanmar on 22 August. Japanese Ambassador to Myanmar Ichiro Maruyama spoke with him over the phone, confirming Toru Kubota remains healthy and safe since he was first imprisoned on July 30 in Yangon for his involvement in a protest against the military government of Myanmar.
Kubota’s filming of the protest has had him charged with sedition and violation of the immigration law. He travelled from Thailand to Myanmar in July with a tourist visa and made contact with protestors to meet at the gathering.
Maruyama confirmed the Japanese government will provide assistance and a lawyer for the rest of his trials, which commenced in early August. The military government denied efforts made to visit Kobuta from the Japanese Embassy in Myanmar, citing COVID-19 regulations and other reasons. The government made clear that it will not release Kubota until a decision is made in court. [The Mainichi]
US to host Indo-Pacific meeting in September
(sra) An Indo-Pacific economic cooperation plan will be discussed in Los Angeles on September 8 and 9, hosted by the US government. Members of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework include Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Phillippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam, of which minister officials will attend as representatives. The meeting will address sustainable economic growth and investment at a high level.
The event will be hosted by US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Trade representative Katherine Tai, discussing trade, supply chains, renewable energy and infrastructure and tax and anti-fraud regulations. Sources from the Japanese government assume the meeting will concern President Joe Biden’s trade initiative in order to counter China and its increasing fiscal supremacy.
Economy and Trade Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura will represent Japan at the event. [Kyodo News]
Nepal requests a halt to the Agnipath Plan's recruitment of Gurkhas into the Indian Army
(op) According to a prime minister's assistant on August 29, Nepal has requested that India stop recruiting Gurkhas into the Indian army under a new program for shorter service contracts until it is clear what will happen to them after they retire. After Nepal stated on August 24 that it requires a day or two to make a decision, the recruiting procedure from Butwal that was scheduled to begin on August 25 was postponed. [The Kathmandu Post 1]
In accordance with the 1947 tripartite agreement between the governments of Nepal, India, and Britain, the Indian government submitted a letter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in June requesting permission to hire young people from Nepal into the Indian Army.
Gurkhas, who have served in the British army since 1815 as a result of an agreement with the British East India Company, were able to continue being recruited by India and Britain thanks to a deal reached between London, New Delhi, and Kathmandu after India gained independence from colonial rule in 1947. The Tripartite Agreement, which was signed in 1947 by the governments of the time—Britain, India, and Nepal—guarantees recruitment into the Indian Army and ensures equal pay, pensions, and other benefits on par with Indians, has given rise to concerns about whether the Agnipath scheme will violate it. Thousands of Gurkhas are currently employed by the Indian army, where they participate in counterinsurgency operations in the northeastern states and the Himalayan region of Kashmir. [Reuters 2] In order to decrease the average age of its 1.38 million-strong armed forces, India revealed a recruitment strategy in June called Agnipath, or "path of fire," which aims to attract young men into the military on brief four-year contracts.
The Indian Army requested approval for the selection and recruitment in Butwal and Dharan as soon as the new program was introduced on June 14 via the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, according to multiple sources who spoke to the Post. They also requested security assistance from the local authorities during the recruitment process. According to reports, the Indian Army has refrained from releasing the recruiting dates since the government of Nepal has not let the Indian side know if it will permit the Indian Army to begin the recruitment process. The Modi administration in India would be hiring 46,000 "Agniveers" under the Agnipath plan.
According to the Indian government's plan, the "Aginveers" will return to society after serving for four years as a disciplined, vivacious, motivated, and talented workforce for employment in other sectors to pursue their careers in the jobs of their choosing. [The Kathmandu Post 3] [The Kathmandu Post 4] [The Indian Express 4]
Malaysia Defense Ministry keen to explore cooperation with Thailand
(pe) The Malaysia Defense Secretary-General has stated that they wish to establish greater defense cooperation with Thailand, as part of the National Defense and Security Industry Policy (DIPKN) which is expected to be launched in October.
The Secretary-General, Datuk Seri Muez Abd Aziz, expressed that Malaysia is ready to learn from Thailand’s expertise. For example, he highlighted how Thailand’s Ministry of Defense collaborates with the private sector to develop defense products for both domestic use and export. Additionally, he stated that the two countries have the opportunity to collaborate in fields including aircraft maintenance and repair, as well as the drone industry.
Muez made the comments whilst on a trip to Bangkok, where he met with his Thai counterparts to discuss developing further collaboration. [Malay Mail]
Mongolia: New offer for Oyu Tolgoi copper mine
(dql) Anglo-Australian multinational company has put on the table a new offer of AUD 31.1 billion to acquire direct control of the Mongolia’s huge Oyu Tolgoi copper mine. The move comes weeks after its initial bid worth AUD 2.7 billion was rejected.
The project is vital for Rio, as it generates most of the firm’s revenue from steelmaking ingredient iron ore, to pivot towards metals needed in a low-carbon economy.
Oyu Tolgoi is one of the world’s biggest deposits of copper. It is a key metal for energy transition as it is used in vast quantities in electric vehicles and renewable projects. Starting with initial production volumes of 500,000 tons of copper annually, the project will be one of the world’s biggest mines for the base metal once an underground expansion is completed. [Financial Times]
UN expert calls on international community to take actions against Myanmar
(jp) Five years after the Rohingya genocide began in the Rakhine State of Myanmar, Tom Andrews, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, has urged the United States, the United Kingdom, and other international governments to increase sanctions against Myanmar's military to prevent it from financing its operations. It includes focusing on the nation’s most valuable source of foreign income: gas revenues. According to the military government Myanmar exported natural gas exports worth USD 800 million, mainly to China and Thailand between April and July, marking an increase in income from gas exports of USD 60.7 million compared with the same period last year. [OHCHR] [Reuters]
The Malaysian Foreign Minister, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Abdullah, stated that Malaysia supports the Rohingya community's effort to return to Myanmar as citizens of that country and that the Bangladeshi government has been pushing for the return of Rohingya to Myanmar too. Saifuddin also mentioned that Argentine activists are initiating legal action to protect the Rohingya.
Sheikh Hasina, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, told Michele Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, last week that refugees in her country must return to Myanmar.
However, the United Nations says it is unsafe for them to do so due to the ongoing conflict in Myanmar.
On the fifth anniversary of the genocide, Rohingya, however, protested in the refugee camp by stating, "Kill us, but don't deport us to Myanmar."
Myanmar's military launched attacks against the Rohingya minority on August 24, 2017. Tens of thousands of people, including women and children, were killed due to these attacks. Consequently, tens of thousands of refugees fled to Bangladesh. While approximately 150,000 refugees reside in Malaysia and India, between 10,000 and 40,000 have fled to Bangladesh. In response to the situation in Myanmar, The Gambia has asked the International Court of Justice to investigate alleged atrocities committed against Myanmar's Muslim minority. [BBC] [Thestar]
Meanwhile, International Labour Organization (ILO) has warned that the country’s trade unions and civil society organizations are facing the threat of extinction under the military government, citing violence, arbitrary arrests, raids and seizures, threatening phone calls and surveillance which labor organizations and other civil society groups have faced since the February 2021 takeover by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. [Aljazeera]
British government sanctions three Myanmar companies with ties to military government
(jp) The British government reinstated sanctions against Myanmar-based businesses affiliated with the military council on August 25, including Star Sapphire Group of Companies, International Gateways Group Limited (IGG), and Sky One Construction Company.
Sky One Construction Co. Ltd was founded in April 2013 by junta crony U Maung Maung Naing, who operates several businesses with ties to the regime leader, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing's family. Aung Pyae Sone, the Myanmar junta's son, is a Sky One director, according to the Directorate of Investment and Company Administration. The Star Sapphire Group of Companies is essential to the military regime's crimes against the people of Myanmar. According to investigations conducted by Justice for Myanmar, a clandestine group of activists campaigning for justice and accountability, the group has amassed wealth through corruption and illegal business transactions.
In recent years, Sky One has won contracts to build a new ward at the military hospital in Yangon's Mingaladon Township, a media centre for the regime's mouthpiece Myawaddy TV in the compound of the military records office, and the private Moe Kaung Treasure Maternal and Child Hospital, which Min Aung Hlaing's family owns.
On the morning of February 1, 2021, democratically elected members of Myanmar's ruling party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), were deposed by Myanmar's military, the Tatmadaw, which then transferred power to a military junta. According to the Association for the Assistance of Political Prisoners (AAPP), between the military coup on February 1, 2021, and August 25, 2021, the military killed 2,248 people and arrested 15,227. [RFA Burmese, In Burmese] [The Financial Express]
Citizens of Myanmar in Australia suffer passport ambiguity
(jp) Myanmar's military authorities have been revoking the passports of prominent individuals in response to the growing number of critics of the government. Numerous of these passports will soon expire.
After Myanmar's military coup, Australia downgraded its diplomatic ties with the country. Instead of appointing a new ambassador, the government chose to dispatch a mission chief. Dr Shwe, the Nation Unity Government’s Australian representative hoped that the recognition of the NUG would allow his office to issue passports and other official documents to Myanmar citizens.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) inquired with the Department of Home Affairs and Immigration regarding the status of Myanmar citizens. Myanmar nationals were encouraged to consult the department regarding visa options. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade reported that Australia does not recognize governments. Instead, the emphasis is on states. It regularly interacts with the NUG. It also stated that the department had maintained regular contact with the organization's representatives.
In the past eighteen months, the situation in Myanmar has deteriorated significantly. The country's military authorities have been accused of carrying out mass executions and torturing prisoners. According to a group focusing on political prisoners in Myanmar, more than 15,000 people have been detained since the coup. Moreover, the military has reportedly killed over 2,200 people. [ABC Net]
Taliban claim Islamabad permitted United States to use Pakistan’s airspace for drone attacks
(msk/fh/lm) The Taliban’s defense minister on August 28 accused the government of neighboring Pakistan of allowing the United States to use its airspace to access Afghanistan for drone attacks. Mohammad Yaqoob said that Afghanistan's radar system was destroyed when US forces withdrew from the country in 2021, but intelligence sources suggest that US drones were entering through Pakistan. He called this a clear breach of his country’s territorial sovereignty. [Deutsche Welle]
Yaqoob leveled the allegations nearly a month after Washington said it killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri with a missile fired from a drone against his hideout in central Kabul on July 31. He also said the Taliban are investigating the strike and have not found al-Zawahiri's body.
The remarks could increase hostility between the two neighboring countries at a time when the Taliban are serving as a mediator in negotiations between the Pakistani government and the Pakistan Taliban, also known as TTP. The militant group has been responsible for numerous attacks inside Pakistan, including an attack on a school in Peshawar that killed 149, as well as attacks on soldiers and military checkpoints. [Al Jazeera]
Qatar, Saudi Arabia commit to invest in Pakistan
(fh/tj) The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) has announced its aim to spend USD 3 billion in key sectors of Pakistan’s economy, including the country’s main airports in Islamabad and Karachi, as well as in the renewable energy, power and hospitality sectors. The announcement was made during a visit to Doha by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who held official talks with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani after a meeting with the QIA on August 23. During the meeting, officials also discussed the progress Qatar – the world’s top supplier of liquefied natural gas – has made on investing in Pakistan’s next import terminal, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the discussions. [Al Jazeera] [Bloomberg]
In separate developments, Saudi Arabia announced that it will invest USD 1 billion in Pakistan as part of its plan to help revive the South Asian nation’s cash-strapped economy. The announcement came after a phone conversation between Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Pakistani counterpart Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari last week. Riyadh had previously agreed to roll over a USD 3 billion loan originally due later this year. [Arab News]
Philippines: Envoys based in the Philippines express support to Ukraine in joint statement
(jd) Nineteen foreign envoys based in the Philippines joined to express their solidarity and support towards Ukraine as the country marked its 31st anniversary of independence from the Soviet Union on August 24.
In the joint statement, the ambassadors and chargé d'affaires of Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union Delegation to the Philippines, reaffirmed Ukraine’s “right to uphold sovereignty and territorial integrity” and to “choose its own future”, as the war marked its sixth month since Russia entered the country.
Due to the consequences of the war that have caused a general increase in prices of fuel, food, fertilizers and other materials, the envoys have pointed out how the inflation has affected the Filipinos by aggravating the poverty situation in a country that is still struggling to recover from the consequences of the pandemic, and have reaffirmed their commitment to address the impact that these conditions exert on the vulnerable population.
The Philippine’s Department of Foreign Affairs said its Foreign Affairs Secretary sent his greeting to the Ukrainian Foreign Minister.
Russia’s embassy in the Philippines, on the other hand, accused the envoys of being provocative and of using “black propaganda” against Moscow. [Philippine News Agency] [Rappler]
Singapore & Brunei make joint sustainability commitments
(pe) Singapore & Brunei have signed two memorandums of understanding (MOUs) designed to boost cooperation on green economy, food, and medical supplies.
The MOUs seek to strengthen bilateral cooperation in areas such as emerging low-carbon technologies and carbon capture and storage. They aim to support the climate strategies of both nations. Furthermore, they will increase capabilities to support each other if a crisis does occur, by ensuring provisions are made for food and medical products to move efficiently.
The two nations have heralded the increased cooperation, which is seen as an extension of their existing long running relationship. [Straits Times]
South Korean court decrees North Korea to compensate families of soldiers killed in inter-Korean military clash
(my) A South Korean court on August 24 ruled that North Korea and its leader Kim Jong-un should pay KRW 160 million (USD 112 thousand) in compensation to the families of eight soldiers who died in an inter-Korean naval conflict known as the second Yeonpyeong Battle.
The military clash, which broke out near the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea in June 2002. The NLL is a maritime military demarcation line between South Korea and North Korea, which is located in the Yellow Sea/West Sea. It has emerged as a military dispute issue since the First Battle of Yeonpyeong in 1999. The 30-minute-long 2002 confrontation, which began with a surprise attack by two North Korean naval patrol boats, caused six fatalities and 18 wounded for South Korea, while thirteen North Korean sailors were killed, and 25wounded.
Some bereaved families and seven surviving soldiers filed a lawsuit against North Korea in 2020. The plaintiffs explained that the lawsuit was not to receive compensation but to clarify North Korea’s responsibility and resolve misunderstandings about surviving soldiers.
There have been several court rulings acknowledging North Korea’s liability for damages, but no actual compensation has been made. [Korea Times] [New Daily, in Korean]
South Korea, China vow to boost ties amid tensions over Seoul’s plan to add US anti-missile batteries to boost defense
(my) South Korea and China have called for strengthened bilateral cooperation in simultaneous ceremonies held in Seoul and Beijing to celebrate the 30th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations.
South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol expressed his hope that both countries will “further boost bilateral exchanges, collaboration, and partnerships,” in his congratulatory letter. Yoon also anticipated meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in person to discuss the future of South Korea-China relations for the next 30 years. Xi, for his part, similarly reassured that he hopes to “establish a fruitful friendship with the 30th anniversary as a new starting point.”
South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang also exchanged congratulatory letters and shared remarks on increasing economic cooperation, labor force exchanges, and bilateral cooperation.
The exchange of congratulatory letters comes at a time when the two countries’ interests were at odds over the US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in South Korea. China claims that the previous Moon Jae-in administration promised operational restrictions in addition to the “Three Nos policy”, referring to no additional THAAD deployment in South Korea, no participation in US-led missile defense networks, and no participation in a trilateral military alliance with the US and Japan.
In response to China’s demand for keeping the promise to freeze the THAAD deployment, the Yoon administration has declared that the policy is not binding and the it would make its own decision to strengthen the country’s defense against North Korea, including the decision on deploying additional U.S. anti-missile batteries. The response is indicative of a shift towards an assertive stance towards China in this issue under President Yoon [see AiR No. 33, August/2022, 3]. [Korea Herald]
In line with this stance, Seoul has announced that it has set up an environmental impact assessment council in preparation for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system’s official deployment. The first environmental impact assessment meeting was held by the Defense Ministry, and data and field investigations have begun. [Yonhap News Agency 1]
For a brief discussion of China’s “THAAD neurosis”, see [DW].
Meanwhile, a virtual meeting on economic cooperation took place on August 27 between He Lifeng, the Chinese minister in charge of the National Development and Reform Commission, and Choo Kyung-ho, the South Korean minister of economy and finance. The two sides committed to improving their cooperation by signing the first Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on supply chain cooperation between the two countries.
Based on the MOU, a consultative body will be established to counter supply chain shocks caused by the COVID-19 outbreak and resulting inflation. It seeks to secure a communication channel between the two countries in the event of supply chain instability.
The both sides also pledged to share policy experiences to achieve its carbon neutrality goals, and to improve exchanges and collaboration in the service industry including the cultural sector. [Yonhap News Agency 2]
New UN Rapporteur on human rights in North Korea visits South Korea
(my) Elizabeth Salmón, the newly appointed UN Rapporteur on North Korean human rights, arrived in South Korea for a week-long visit. She is scheduled to hold meetings with officials from Foreign Ministry and Unification Ministry, civic groups, and North Korean defectors.
Salmón will also attend a variety of meetings of the International Peace Forum on the Korean Peninsula hosted by the Ministry of Unification from September 1. Visits to the Joint Security Area (JSA) at Panmunjom and the Settlement Support Center for North Korean Refugees are also planned.
Prior to Salmón’s visit to South Korea, the South Korean government presided over meetings on enhancing human rights in North Korea. The North Korean Human Rights Policy Council, a consultative body between related government departments, resumed on August 25 for the first time in two years. Unification Minister Kwon Young-se on August 26 met with several North Korean defectors and activists on North Korean human rights to discuss concerns related to human rights in North Korea. [UN Human Rights Office] [Yonhap News Agency]
South Korean FM visits Mongolia
(my) South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin made an official visit to Mongolia from August 28 to 30. Park met with officials including President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh to discuss regional and global issues and bilateral cooperation.
In a meeting with executives, including the deputy director of the Institute for Strategic Studies and the head of the International Security Center, Park explained South Korea’s efforts to denuclearize North Korea and called for Mongolia’s active role. On August 29, he met with Foreign Minister Battsetseg Batmunkh and announced a plan to establish a joint center for rare minerals and metals, seeking synergies between two countries’ resources and technology. [Korea Herald]
South Korea and Mongolia committed to tightening cooperation by elevating their ties from “comprehensive partnership” to “strategic partnership” in September 2021.
Due to its location midway between China and Russia, Mongolia’s regional importance has received particular attention recently. In 2022, Mongolia was also visited by the foreign ministers of Japan, China, and Russia, as well as the US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. [Montsame] [Yonhap News Agency]
South Korean and Japanese officials discuss wartime forced labor
(my) Lee Sang-ryul, director of the Asia-Pacific Bureau at the Foreign Ministry of South Korea, and his Japanese counterpart Takehiro Funakoshi held talks on August 26. They sought a resolution to the lawsuit that has been one of the biggest obstacles in the relationship between the two countries. In the lawsuit, the South Korean Supreme Court ordered Japanese corporation Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to compensate two Koreans who had been subjected to forced labor during the Japanese ruling era.
Two plaintiffs filed a compensation suit against Mitsubishi in 2018, claiming that they worked at the Mitsubishi plant without receiving wages during the Second World War. The Supreme Court confirmed that Mitsubishi should compensate KRW 120 million (USD 89 thousand) each. The plaintiffs applied for an order to seize its trademarks and patent rights registered in Korea when Mitsubishi failed to follow the court’s compensation order. In September 2021, the Korean Supreme Court upheld the seizure order and ruled trademark and patent rights should be liquidated to compensate the plaintiffs. Mitsubishi appealed in opposition to the liquidation order, and the Supreme Court is expected to issue its ruling in September.
Lee stated that both countries agreed on the importance of continuing communication to restore and improve the relationship between the two countries. Takehiro said that Japan had requested Korea to respond in line with Japan’s consistent position to restore Korea-Japan relations to a healthy relationship. [DongA, in Korean] [Korea Times]
Senior US East Asia policy official visits South Korea
(my) The US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink visited Seoul from August 25 to 27. In a series of meetings, Kritenbrink met with South Korean officials including Foreign Minister Park Jin and Special Representative for Korean Peninsula Peace and Security Affairs Kim Gunn. Bilateral trade and policy towards North Korea were among the subjects covered in the meeting.
The two sides agreed to intensify their close coordination in an effort to persuade North Korea to resume negotiations. In addition, Kritenbrink reaffirmed Washington’s support for South Korea’s “audacious initiative” to help North Korea improve its economy in return for taking steps toward denuclearization.
Furthermore, Park conveyed South Korea’s concerns regarding the US’s new Inflation Reduction Act, which only provides exclusionary tax benefits for electric cars produced in North America [see Air No. 34, August/2022, 4]. Since the new act could have a negative effect on the export of electric vehicles from South Korean automakers, South Korea has been expressing its concerns through various channels, including sending delegations to the US on August 29. [Korea Times] [Yonhap News Agency]
Russian bombers fly through South Korea’s air defense identification zone
(my) Two Russian military aircraft passed through the South Korean air defense identification zone (KADIZ) on August 23.
In a statement cited by Russian news agency Sputnik, the Russian defense ministry clarified that “[t]wo strategic missile carriers for long-range aviation performed a scheduled flight in the airspace over the neutral waters of the Sea of Japan.”
According to Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff, Russian military aircraft are known to fly into KADIZ dozens of times annually. However, given that the Russian Ministry of National Defense notified its move in advance, some South Korean officials assumed it was a response to the Ulchi Freedom Shield, a joint exercise between South Korea and the US, which had started the day before. [Korea JoongAng Daily] [Yonhap News Agency, in Korean]
Chinese vessel departs from Sri Lanka after a contested visit
(kh) The Chinese ship which arrived at Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port on August 16 departed from Sri Lanka on August 22 after its 6 days visit. The ship docked at the Sri Lankan port for replenishment.
The vessel, Yuan Wang 5, was originally scheduled to arrive at Hambantota port on 11 August but its visit was delayed due to diplomatic protest and national security concerns raised by New Delhi. The Indian government alleged that the ship was docking for the purpose of spying on its defense system. Due to India’s concerns, Colombo requested Beijing to defer the ship’s visit, however, it granted access back within a few days.
The Indian embassy in Colombo, while referring to the ship’s visit, stated that some countries are capitalizing on the Sri Lanka’s economic crisis as they are pressuring the Island nation to fulfill their own agenda. Also, they stated that Sri Lanka should be supported in its difficult times rather than pressuring it to accept unwanted visits. Meanwhile, Beijing while referring to the visit of Yuan Wang 5 claimed that it complied with international law and did not damage Sri Lanka’s sovereignty as access was granted by Colombo. Additionally, it stated that the visit also supported Sri Lanka in resisting interference from external forces, such as India. Although, both countries did not name each other while making such statement, it is clear that both targeted each other in the statements.
In 2017, Colombo granted a 99-year lease of the Hambantota port to China by signing an agreement, due to Colombo’s inability to repay its loans. [Global Times] [Business Standard] [South China Morning Post]
Australia provides fuel to Sri Lanka’s defense in partnership with India
(kh) To support the Sri Lankan government in maintaining their regional security, Australia is providing fuel for its Navy and Air Force. It is a tripartite agreement as India facilitated diplomatic clearances for Colombo. Australia has provided 1.1 million liters of diesel and 50,000 aviation turbine fuels to Sri Lanka. The primary objective behind this provision is to enable Sri Lanka to sustain its air and sea patrolling and continue operations regarding transnational crimes, such as human trafficking.
Furthermore, Australia provided USD 75 million to Sri Lanka to reduce food and medicine shortages. [New Indian Express]
US Senator Marsha Blackburn arrives in Taipei
(gö) Senator of the U.S. state Tennessee Marsha Blackburn arrived alone for her three-day trip to Taiwan on August 25, marking the fourth visit of an US politician to Taiwan this month, after the visits of House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senator Edward J. Markey, and Gov. Eric Holcomb of Indiana. Prior to Taiwan, she had previously visited Fiji, the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific and Papua New Guinea.
During a meeting with Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen, Blackburn thanked the President for her “strong leadership and standing up against the Chinese Communist Party”. Tsai, for her part, expressed hope for a possible membership in Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF).
The economic initiative was launched in May by US President Joe Biden to boost the US’ economic strength in the region and currently has 14 active members including Indonesia, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam.
Taiwan has been not invited to join the IPEF but recently both sides commenced official talks on economic cooperation with the aim to reach “economically meaningful outcomes,” increasing the possibility for Taiwan to join the economic framework. [AiR No. 34, August/2022, 4] [Focus Taiwan]
Taiwan thanks allies for speaking out against Chinese military drills
(gö) In a joint letter on peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait and beyond to the United Nations, Taiwan’s allies condemned recent Chinese military drills and voiced their support for Taiwan expressing ”grave concern” over Beijing’s “continued military exercises surrounding Taiwan, which escalate tensions, pose a severe threat to these values, put regional security at trick and impact international trade and transportation.”
Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed “sincere gratitude” to 12 out of the 14 diplomatic allies. Honduras and the Vatican did not sign the letter.
The Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nations stated that they “firmly oppose and strongly condemn this joint statement” and claimed that the letter holds “groundless accusations against China’s legitimate measures in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity.” [Taipei Times][SVG Government][Permanent Mission of the PCR to the UN]
Kuomintang Vice Chairman meets with top Chinese officials
(gö) Andrew Hsia, Vice Chairman of Taiwan’s opposition Kuomintang (KMT), met with China’s top Taiwan affairs negotiator Zhang Zhijun on August 25. Hsia left for Beijing, with the intention to meet China-based Taiwanese businesspeople, just days after US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Taipei. The move drew criticism from the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and even from within his own party.
Chairman of the KMT Eric Chu, however, defended Hsia, saying that his trip “is not for the party itself, but for the good of Taiwan.”
During the meeting, Hsia and Zhang discussed economic and cross-strait barriers such as the imposed sanctions on Taiwanese food products and trade difficulties Taiwanese people currently encounter in China. Hsia expressed concerns over Chinese military operations around Taiwan and proposed that both nations should not let the political conflict hinder the economic and trade cooperation between the two nations.
DPP legislator Lo Chih-cheng denounced Hsia’s meeting with Zhang and accused the KMT of instrumentalizing the meeting with China-based Taiwanese businesspeople to “conduct negotiations and talks with the Chinese Communist Party, and not making the process of the meeting between Hsia and Zhang transparent”. [Taipei Times][Focus Taiwan]
Top EU diplomat discusses the EU’s role as a possible mediator in the Taiwan Strait
(gö) High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Joseph Borrell expressed concerns about Chinese military drills in wake of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s Taiwan trip and said the European Union has the potential to mediate the tensions surrounding the Taiwan Strait.
After Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, China imposed bans on Taiwanese food products and started operating military drills around the island. Borrell commented that “Mrs. Pelosi has the right to travel wherever she wants, of course, but one thing is your right and the other thing is the right moment,” and ensured that neither he nor the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen have planned any trips to Taiwan to prevent making any room for rising tensions.
If the tensions between the two countries escalated and China were to attack Taiwan, Borrell said the EU would aim to “avoid direct confrontation with China,” stressing the importance of maintaining strategic ambiguity since Taiwan is not a member of the United Nations. [Taiwan News]
Six-year contract with US deal covers new parts and ammunition for Taiwan
(gö) Taiwan and the US just closed a deal on new parts and ammunition for Apache and Black Hawk helicopters. On August 26 an Army entrusted military representative in the US signed a contract with the American Institute in Taiwan. The contract covers a runtime of six years from July 2022 till December 2028 and is worth NTD 1.36 billion (USD 45.16 million).
Several media news reported that the US administration under President Joe Biden has been planning to send Taiwan a new arms package in September. [Taiwan News]
Meanwhile, Biden reportedly plans to request Congress approval for arms sale to Taiwan, worth estimated USD 1.1 billion and including 60 AGM-84L Harpoon Block II missiles, 100 AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder tactical air-to-air missiles and the extension of a surveillance radar contract. [Aljazeera]
Taiwan delivers 800 combat drones to Ukraine
(dql) Taiwan has reportedly provided Ukraine with nearly 800 home-grown Revolver 860 combat drones. The drones are dubbed “flying mortars,” as they can carry up to eight 60-millimeter mines or ammunition of other calibers, dropping them one by one on command. If fully charged, the drone is capable of flying up to 20 kilometers within 40 minutes. [The EurAsian Times]
Thailand to sign MoU on seasonal work program with South Korea to take on illegal workers
(td) Since South Korea granted an exemption of tourist visa to Thai passport holders, the issue of Thai illegal job seekers has become problematic for years, which thus requires a closer collaboration between the two countries to stem the outflow of those workers. To that end, the Labour Ministry of Thailand is in the final process of drafting the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on a seasonal work program (SWP) to be signed with the East Asian country, in a bid to secure lawful and guaranteed job opportunities for Thai workers.
In contrast to the formal employment of estimated 25,000 Thai workers in South Korea under the Employment Permit System (EPS), the number of illegal job seekers who disguise themselves as tourists is as high as 140,000 people. Up to date, South Korean immigration authorities have denied entries of 417 of the suspected Thai nationals flying to Jeju Island in 2022, where a pre-registration through the Korea Electronic Travel Authorisation (K-ETA) is not required – thus removing some obstacles upon their arrival.
Overall, with successful cooperation, the SWP will potentially help South Korea alleviate a labour shortage in the agricultural sector during the harvest season. Prior to the start of the recruitment process, once Thailand and South Korea agree upon the bilateral MoU, it will then proceed to the negotiation of another MoU on seasonal worker supplies with the latter’s local governments. Previously, back in 2019, the two parties signed their first MoU to cooperate on sharing information of unregistered Thai migrants and to hold regular working-level talks. [see AiR, No. 32, August/2022, 2] [The Bangkok Post]
Thailand, Cambodia urged to resume talks to settle their decades-long dispute on overlapping maritime area
(td) In the wake of a myriad of global conflicts, specifically the war in Ukraine, Thailand is urged to resume talks with Cambodia to settle their decades-long dispute over an overlapping claim area (OCA), located in the upper part of the Gulf of Thailand.
The OCA has been a point of contention in the bilateral relations between Thailand and Cambodia with the row over Preah Vihear Temple as a precedent, which at times derails the peaceful settlement of conflicts. Thailand’s determination to safeguard its sovereignty entails hurdles it needs to go through prior to coming to terms with Cambodia to establish a joint development area (JDA) in the disputed maritime area upon which they agreed in 2001 when a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed. However, little progress has been made since.
During the administration of former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the Joint Technical Committee and two working groups on delimitation and joint development had held fruitful discussions despite conflicting views as to the JDA – mainly revenue sharing and the division of areas. Afterwards, the coup-led government reportedly scrapped the MoU in 2009 in response to Thaksin’s connection with the Cambodian prime minister. In spite of an official call from Cambodia in 2011 to renew a collaboration, neither the administrations of Thai Prime Ministers Abhisit Vejjajiva nor Yingluck Shinawatra could press ahead with prospective proposals to settle the long-standing OCA dispute.
Since then, it was not until 2019 that the two countries reached an agreement to resume talks on the basis of mutual interests. Nonetheless, the COVID-19 pandemic has stalled the progress, and the Cambodian side has yet to receive any responses from Thailand.
After all, energy policy experts consider that the spike in energy prices will gravitate Thailand towards concluding consultations with its neighbouring country to secure an alternative gas supply for the electricity generation, not to mention costly imported liquefied natural gas. According to their views, Thailand could adapt lessons learned from the successful Thai-Malaysia JDA to solve the conflict. [The Bangkok Post] [see CLC Asia] [The Economist Intelligence Unit] [Khmer Times 1] [Khmer Times 2] [People's Daily]
Thai Cabinet approves loan package to Cambodia to fund construction project
(td) Thailand’s cabinet has approved a proposal to loan neighbouring Cambodia around USD 27 million to fund a new road construction project that will potentially connect with the eastern region of Thailand.
The NR67 is a highway from Siem Reap through Anlong Veng, a district in Oddar Meanchey province, en route to the border town with Thailand in Si Sa Ket province. In light of its strengths, according to Thai Neighbouring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency (NEDA), it expects the likely transnational road to foster bilateral ties between the two countries, as well as spur two-way trades, investments, and tourism in line with the framework of economic cooperation in the Greater Mekong Sub-region, not limited to only transportation. As for bilateral economic relations, the trade value amounted to USD 2.199 billion in the first 7 months of 2022.
Furthermore, once successful, Cambodia could play a supportive role in the development of Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) in terms of seamless connectivity, which is crucial to the increased competitiveness of Thailand to advance her national economy and – meanwhile – promotes regional economic integration as well.
Overall, to fund the Cambodian NR67 highway, the Budget Bureau of Thailand will supply the first half of loans worth around USD 13 million, whilst the remainder will be funded by each domestic loan source in the country. Also, it is worth noting that Cambodia has come to terms with Thailand on the condition that no less 50 percent, equivalent to the total loan amount, of material supplies and equipment used in the project construction, as well as contractors to be employed to supervise the project, must come from Thailand. [Bangkok Post] [Khmer Times] [The Phnom Penh Post]
Vietnam, Indonesia to deepen cooperation
(fe/dql) Vietnamese Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong emphasized during a phone conversation with Indonesian President Joko Widodo that Vietnam puts high priority on its relationship with Indonesia, both strategically and historically. He urged to enhance ties between all political actors of both countries, including political parties, governments, national legislatures, and localities and to step up defense and national security cooperation. He also suggested meetings and exchanges of high-level delegations to advance mutual understanding and political trust.
President Widodo, for his part, call on Vietnam to foster favorable conditions for Indonesian investment projects in Vietnam and to advance other spheres of bilateral cooperation. [Vietnamnews.vn]
In a latest development of military relations between the two countries, their navies begun to conduct the coordinated exercise (CODEX 22B-I) in Batam Island of Indonesia on August 29. The exercise is running until September 3. [Vietnam Plus]
Announcements
Upcoming Online Events
31 August 2022, @ 9 :00 am (GMT+8), Peterson Institute for international economics, United States
How more global coordination can make cross-border payments faster, cheaper, and safer
In 2020, G20 leaders identified cross-border payments as an area in need of internationally coordinated reform to reduce costs, delays, and risks. Two years on, participants will assess the collective policy effort led by the Committee on Payments and Market Infrastructures (CPMI) at the Basel-based Bank for International Settlements.
More information on [PIIE]
31 August 2022, @2:45 pm (GMT+8), Atlantic Council, United States
A conversation with Danish Minister of Defense Morten Bodskov
Six months on from the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the future of transatlantic security is permanently changed, and all allies are adjusting their defense plans for this new era. On the heels of a meeting of defense ministers in Copenhagen that raised $1.5 billion in aid for Ukraine, Denmark is at the forefront of taking these pledges “from spreadsheets to action,” encouraging partners to consider and execute essential defense spending increases, key materiel production, and training necessary to defend Ukraine.
More information on [Atlantic Council]
5 September 2022, @10:00am (GMT+1), Danish Institute for International Studies, Denmark
Al-Qaeda and Islamic State from a theological perspective
The seminar will focus on the two similar - yet very different - organizations - Al-Qaeda and Islamic State. On the way they look upon global and local jihadism, on the connection between Salafism and traditional Sunni Islam and on the rift between the two movements. Some say that the Sunni tradition has a special propensity to justify jihadist violence. But in which way does Salafi doctrines shape the objectives and strategies of jihadist groups like Al-Qaeda and Islamic State and what explains the differences among the two jihadi movements?
More information on [DIIS]
5 September 2022, @3:00pm (GMT+2), Royal United Services Institute, United Kingdom
Adversarial Studies Seminar: How the war in Ukraine is Evolving
This event will examine how the Russian army has adjusted since its initial faltering invasion, the Ukrainian response, and the probable course of events in the coming months. The seminar will be chaired by Dr Sidharth Kaushal, Research Fellow, Sea Power, RUSI Military Sciences.
More information on [RUSI]
6 September 2022, @3 :00 pm (GMT+8), Center for Strategic & International Studies, United States
The Future of Quantum – Public/Private Collaboration for Innovation and Adoption
Past lessons from earlier technologies demonstrate the increasingly central role of the private sector in the innovation process – from research and development to technological deployment and adoption. This is of particular importance with quantum computing, as the technology has the potential to revolutionize encryption systems and security, and drive commercial innovations across the global economy.
6 September 2022, @5:30 pm (GMT+2) (Members event), Chatam House, United Kingdom
A new prime minister, a new place for the UK in the world?
On 5 September, Britain will have a new Prime Minister. While the campaign to replace Boris Johnson has largely focused on taxation and domestic issues, a new PM has the opportunity to redefine Britain’s role on the world stage. The Johnson administration’s foreign policy saw worsening tensions with Brussels, increasing hawkishness towards China, a firm commitment to support Ukraine, differences with Commonwealth allies and a new geopolitical strategy outlined in the Integrated Review.
Britain’s new PM must steer the ship in choppy waters, at a time when some of the UK’s historic alliances are under doubt, and the global order seems more fractured than it has in decades. What is the role of UK foreign policy as we face a recession and cost of living crisis?
More information on [Chatam House]
6 September 2022, @9:00 am (GMT+8), Atlantic Council, United States
Airpower after Ukraine: The future of air warfare
The war in Ukraine marks a crossroads for the future of airpower. Ukraine’s ability to wage an asymmetric air campaign against a numerically and qualitatively superior foe provides valuable lessons for US and allied defense planners. Moreover, the current conflict demonstrates that emerging military technologies and warfighting concepts are challenging traditional paradigms of air superiority, creating new challenges to and opportunities for twenty-first century air and space forces. On May 31, we will convene airpower experts and practitioners for a discussion on how US and allied militaries can learn from today’s war in preparing for tomorrow’s conflicts.
More information on [Atlantic Council]
6 September 2022, @12:00pm (GMT+8), Atlantic Council, United States
Can a Ukrainian counteroffensive turn the tide in Russia’s war?
Six months into Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the war seems to have hit a stalemate. After a successful defense against Russia’s blitzkrieg and some losses to Russian artillery in the east, Ukraine is putting its new Western weapons to use against key Russian targets beyond the frontlines and says it is preparing for a major counteroffensive in southern Ukraine. Meanwhile, the standoff at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant could result in a major nuclear catastrophe in Europe.
Despite some high-profile successes, including recent hits in Crimea, does Ukraine have a clear path to liberating occupied territories? If Russia follows through on its threats to stage faux referenda and illegally annex Ukrainian territories, what impact will that have on the war? Is Russia holding the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant hostage to force the West to concede on supplying arms to Ukraine? More broadly, is the conflict heading towards a stalemate, or is there a breakthrough on the horizon for Ukraine?
More information on [Atlantic Council]
7 September 2022, @2:00 pm (GMT+2), Royal United Services Institute, United Kingdom
Understanding Social Ecosystems Supporting Violent Extremism in Kenya
Recognising that unique social and political dynamics inform how communities respond to violent extremism (VE) and reflecting on criticism of counter-violent extremism (CVE) projects, USAID commissioned RUSI (in partnership with Search for Common Ground, an internationally recognised peacebuilding organisation, and Human Cognition, a company that provides social media analysis with a focus on violent extremist messaging) to study community values, behaviours, attitudes, beliefs and information-sharing networks within four Kenyan counties: Kwale; Mombasa; Nairobi; and Nyeri.
Social networks and narratives are critical avenues for VE recruitment. Groups such as al-Shabaab successfully work through the friendships and personal relationships of prospective members to convey messaging. Al-Shabaab recruiters exploit existing social networks, undermining support structures and taking advantage of local grievance narratives. Understanding the networks and narratives – as well as the wider social ecologies in which they function – is paramount to designing successful CVE interventions, and to ensuring that activities are more appropriately targeted and better designed.
More information on [RUSI]
7 September 2022, @12:00 pm (GMT+2), Chatam House, United Kingdom
Afghanistan under the Taliban: one year on
In the year that has passed since this moment, Afghanistan’s troubles have exacerbated. The country is now home to one of the world’s biggest humanitarian crises. At least 90 per cent of the population is currently living below the poverty line. The country’s economy has been crippled by the added pressures of financial sanctions on the banking sector. What are the immediate actions that need to happen to alleviate the country from hunger and poverty? Have the Taliban managed to win over Afghans? Who talks to the Taliban? Who are their allies? Have regional players seen any significant fallout from the vacuum created by the American withdrawal?
More information on [Chatam House]
7 August 2022, @10:00 am (GMT+8), Peterson Institute for international economics, United States
Slouching Towards Utopia: An Economic History of the Twentieth century
Before 1870, humanity lived in dire poverty, with a slow crawl of invention offset by a growing population. Then came a great shift: invention sprinted forward, doubling our technological capabilities each generation and utterly transforming the economy again and again. Our ancestors would have presumed we would have used such powers to build utopia. But it was not so. When 1870–2010 ended, the world instead saw global warming; economic depression, uncertainty, and inequality; and broad rejection of the status quo. The book tells the story of how this unprecedented explosion of material wealth occurred, how it transformed the globe, and why it failed to deliver us to utopia. Of remarkable breadth and ambition, it reveals the last century to have been less a march of progress than a slouch in the right direction.
More information on [PIIE]
Recent book releases
Rahul Sagar, To Raise a Fallen People: The Nineteenth-Century Origins of Indian Views on International Politics, Columbia University Press, 312 pages, published on July 5, 2022, reviewed in [Asian Review of Books].
Orlando Figes, The Story of Russia, Metropolitan Books, 368 pages, to be published on September 20, 2022. For a review, see [The Guardian].
Ronald H. Spector, A Continent Erupts: Decolonization, Civil War, and Massacre in Postwar Asia, 1945–1955, W. W. Norton & Company, 560 pages, published on August 23, 2022. The book is reviewed in [The New York Times].
Calls for Papers
The School of Liberal Arts, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, Thailand, and the Association for the Study of Literature and the Environment in ASEAN (ASLE/ASEAN) invite paper proposals for the 5th ASLE/ASEAN Ecocritical Conference, to be held on November 23-25, 2023. The conference theme is “Posthuman Southeast Asia”. The deadline for abstract submission is August 31, 2023. For more information, see [ASLE/ASEAN].
Coventry University invites paper proposals of its international conference on “Decoloniality, Gender, Equity & Diversity”, scheduled for November 3-4, 2022. The closing date for submission of abstracts is September 15, 2022. Find more about the call at [LinkedIn].
Jobs and positions
The United Nations Office for Project Services is seeking Programme Management Office Analyst to be based in Myanmar. Core responsibility is to support the delivery of Fund activities. Applications are accepted until 19 Sep 2022. More information about the position is provided at [UNOPS].
The World Health Organization is seeking a Coordinator (Health Information and Intelligence) to be based in Manila. Core responsibility is to develop, lead implementation, monitor and evaluate the programmes on health information systems in the Region. Applications are accepted until 13 Sep 2022. More information about the position is provided at (WHO)
The United Nations Development Programme is seeking a Senior National Programme Officer to be based in Manila. Core responsibility is to provide support, as needed, to other initiatives implemented in that country. Applications are accepted until 6 Sep 2022. More information about the position is provided at [UNDP]
The United Nations Development Programme is seeking Administration and Finance Associate to be based in Suva [Fiji]. Core responsibility is to Provide administrative and operational support to the project. Applications are accepted until 13 Sep 2022. More information about the position is provided at [UNDP].
The United Nations Development Programme is seeking a Partnership Portfolio Specialist to be based in New York [United States]. Core responsibility is to Provide expert advice to Regional Bureaus and Country Offices for resource mobilization and facilitate coordination on partnerships across all levels of the organization. Applications are accepted until 12 Sep 2022. More information about the position is provided at [UNDP].
The United Nations Development Programme is seeking a Human Resources Assistant to be based in Brazil. Core responsibility is to implement HR strategies. Applications are accepted until 12 Sep 2022. More information about the position is provided at [UNDP].
The United Nations Development Programme is seeking a Digital Economy Statistics Specialist to be based in Saudi Arabia. Core responsibility is to provide technical support for measuring the digital economy. Applications are accepted until 21 Sep 2022. More information about the position is provided at [UNDP].
The United Nations Development Programme is seeking a Individual Consultant - Gender and Diversity Statistics Specialist to be based in Saudi Arabia. Core responsibility is to provide technical assistance related to producing indicators for the department's different projects. Applications are accepted until 15 Sep 2022. More information about the position is provided at [UNDP].
The United Nations Development Programme is seeking a Strategic Communications Consultant to be based in Lebanon. Core responsibility is to support the communications team of the UN Women Lebanon office to develop and roll out high quality communications and advocacy campaigns and content. Applications are accepted until 12 Sep 2023. More information about the position is provided at [UNDP].
The United Nations Development Programme is seeking a Team Leader/Statistician with sub-Contracted Team Members to provide technical support for the development of a regional approach for the measurement of SDG Indicator 5.4.1. The job location is based in Barbados. Applications are accepted until 9 Sep 2022. More information about the position is provided at [UNDP].
The United Nations Development Programme is seeking a National Consultant to Support Gender-Responsive Mediation to be based in East Timor. Core responsibility is Supporting establishment and coordination of the National Mediation Network. Applications are accepted until 9 Sep 2023. More information about the position is provided at [UNDP].
The United Nations Development Programme is seeking a Events Logistics Support Consultant based in Suva [Fiji]. Core responsibility is to provide support to all the logistics for the various upcoming events and workshops. Applications are accepted until 9 Sep 2022. More information about the position is provided at [UNDP].
The United Nations Development Programme is seeking an International Consultant on Gender Issues in Georgia. Core responsibility is to develop a detailed work plan for the assignment. Applications are accepted until 6 Sep 2022. More information about the position is provided at [UNDP].
The United Nations Development Programme is seeking an International Consultant for the Ethiopia PSEA Network Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) risk assessment. The job location is based in Ethiopia. Applications are accepted until 6 Sep 2022. More information about the position is provided at [UNDP].
The United Nations Development Programme is seeking an Intern-Communication Officer. The job location is based in South Africa. Core responsibilities include Working closely with the WBA communication team, the intern will lead in the planning and launch of a full-scale social media platform that promotes the work of WBA, aimed at increasing visibility of results, and dissemination of evidence-based knowledge products produced by WBA. Applications are accepted until 6 Sep 2022. More information about the position is provided at [UNDP].
The United Nations Development Programme is seeking an Intern-Programme Officer. The job location is based in South Africa. Core responsibilities include assisting the Policy specialists with day-to-day implementation of the IGI regional programme activities including support to partners, organization of events and meetings and preparation of reports. Applications are accepted until 6 Sep 2022. More information about the position is provided at [UNDP].
The United Nations Development Programme is seeking a National Stress Counsellor based in Suva [Fiji]. Core responsibility is to Perform psycho-social needs assessments via surveys and focus groups and monitor the determinants of stress in the UN Offices and personnel. Applications are accepted until 9 Sep 2022. More information about the position is provided at [UNDP].
The United Nations Development Programme is seeking a Policy Advisor, Forced Displacement based in Switzerland. Core responsibility is to support Programme and Policy Formulation, Development and Implementation Applications are accepted until 4 Sep 2022. More information about the position is provided at [UNDP]
Team:
Afif Zaman (az), Aniello Iannone (ai), Duc Quang Ly (dql), Farhan Maqsood (fm), Farul Baqi (fb), Felix Jonas Jantz (fj), Francis Ezeh John (fe), Gizem Öztürk (gö), Henning Glaser (hg), Jaroslav Volkov (jv), Jennifer Marie Domenici (jd), Jessica Pierre (jp), Julian Wendt (jw), Kashif Ali Hadi (kah), Lucas Meier (lm), Margot Renard (mr), Mashal Shahid Khan (msk), Minyoung Yoo (my), Oshin Pandey (op), Peer Morten Strantzen (ms), Phoebe Ewen (pe), Sebastian Gräff (sg), Shilpa Ramachandran (sr), Sitha Komatineni (sk), Sofia Bertolino (sb), Sol Renteria Adorno (sra), Theerapon Damrongruk (td), Tomwit Jarnson (tw), Varshinya Varadhachari (vv), Venus Phuangkom
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