Grasp the pattern, read the trend
No. 11, March/2022, 3
Brought to you by CPG
Dear Readers,
This week’s Asia in Review issue continues to cover much about the intensifying war in Ukraine in the international relations sections.
I wish you an informative read and extend special greetings to everyone who celebrates Hungary’s 1848 Revolution Memorial Day, Ireland’s and Northern Ireland’s Saint Patrick’s Day, and Tunisia’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: Decline of the West/rise of the East discussed at “Two Sessions”
(dql) During a discussion of last week’s “Two Sessions” China’s Defense Minister Wei Fenghe warned of “unprecedented” confrontation between major powers in light of “the decline of the West and the rise of the East” and called on the country and the military to prepare for responding to containment and suppression of external forces in a phase of “high pressure” and “high risks” in the long term for the China’s national security. [South China Morning Post]
“Two Sessions”, or Lianghui, refers to the annual week-long back-to-back meetings of two of China’s major political bodies: on the one hand, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which is a political advisory body consisting of delegates from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its allied front organizations, eight legally-permitted political parties as well as nominally independent members, and on the other, the National People’s Congress (NPC). The sessions gather some 5,000 of China’s political, business, and social elite.
The statement follows earlier remarks of President Xi Jinping at a session of the CPPCC in which he cited the success in the fight against the pandemic and poverty to highlight an increasingly notable contrast between “order in China” and “disorder the West”. [Xinhua]
Echoing this narrative of the superiority of China’s governance model, Zamir Ahmed Awan, non-resident fellow with the Center for China and Globalization (CCG), argues in [People’s Daily] that “[u]nlike Western-style democracy, which is in decline and has failed to resolve the common challenges of human beings, the Chinese style of governance and its people-centric approach are gaining momentum and many developing countries now regard the model as a ray of hope, with many trying to learn from the Chinese experience.”
China: Death penalty for crimes against woman and children demanded
(dql) In response to public outcry in the wake a recent case of a Chinese women who was trafficked to be sold for marriage [see AiR No. 9, March/2022, 1] [Radio Free Asia], the President of China’s Supreme People’s Court have called for introducing the death penalty for “those harming women, children and the elderly.”
Under current laws, trafficking women and children can be punished with jail sentences ranging from five years to life imprisonment or death. However, the maximum jail term for buying a trafficked woman or child is three years. [Global Times] [South China Morning Post]
The call for harsher punishments comes on the heels of the launch of a year-long campaign by the Public Security Ministry to combat the trafficking of women and children, also in response to the abovementioned case. Kicked off on March 1 and running until end of this year, the campaign will mobilize police and the departments of civil affairs and health as well as women’s federation organizations to establish a reporting mechanism to. It will be directed towards women and children with unknow origin, including homeless people, street beggars, and those mentally impaired, mentally ill or disabled [see AiR No. 10, March/2022, 2].
China: UN human rights chief to visit Xinjiang in May
(xh) On March 8, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet declared that she has reached an agreement with China for a visit that will take place in May 2022, 17 years after the last visit of a UN human rights chief in 2005. Bachelet’s visit will include a stop in the Xinjiang province. The US called on China to ensure that Bachelet and her team will have “unhindered and unsupervised access” to all areas of Xinjiang.
For years, human rights activist groups, such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Chinese Human Rights Defenders, have repeatedly denounced the situation in Xinjiang where they say that more than 1 million Uyghurs are suffering cultural and religious oppression and kept in “reeducation camps” by the Chinese government. The Chinese government, for its part, denies these allegations arguing that it is fighting separatism and terrorism.
Furthermore, US State Secretary Anthony Blinken, backed by a letter written by almost 200 activist groups, demanded Bachelet to release the long-overdue report on China’s human right violation. The report was due three and a half years ago when Bachelet’s team started getting evidence of Uyghurs oppression. [DW] [Reuters 1] [Reuters 2]
In the meanwhile, Tech Transparency Project, an information and research hub that seeks to hold big tech companies accountable, published a report claiming that Amazon’s latest list of suppliers posted in June 2021 includes five Chinese companies that seem to use forced labor and exploitation of Uyghurs in China. [NBC]
In addition, the Norwegian central bank announced that it will sell off its stakes in Chinese sports company brand Li-Ning due to their potential involvement with Uyghurs’ human rights violations. China criticized Oslo’s decision and declared that this move could lead to “unnecessary losses” for Norway. [South China Morning Post]
China: Bail for Hong Kong democracy activist revoked
(dql) A bail for former Hospital Authority Employees Alliance chief and democracy activist Winnie Yu has been revoked She was sent back to jail on March 8.
Yu, had been granted bail in July last year and was awaiting trial for subversion under the Hong Kong national security law imposed on the former British colony the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on June 30, 2020.
She is one of nearly 50 defendants charged with the same offense for participating in an unofficial primary election in the summer of 2020 that was held to select candidates of the opposition camp for Legislative Council (LegCo) elections that was scheduled for September at that time, but later postpone due to the pandemic. Hong Kong authorities considered the primary an attempt to overthrow or undermine the government after candidates vowed to use the expected majority in the LegCo to block legislative initiatives of the government. [South China Morning Post] [Asia Fre Asia]
Japan: Vote weight disparity in October lower house election ruled constitutional
(cm) The vote gap in last October’s House of Representatives election was ruled constitutional by the Hiroshima High Court on March 9, dismissing the last of 16 lawsuits which were filed nationwide.
This decision anticipates the final determination by the Supreme Court on the 2.08-fold weight disparity between the least and the most populated single-seat constituencies that took place in the lower house election, which the plaintiffs are asking to modify for the disparity to be fairer for constituents. [Kyodo News]
Japan: PM Kishida calls for unity of the party ahead of upper house election
(cm) At the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) convention on March 13, Prime Minister (PM) Fumio Kishida stressed the importance of achieving a strong coalition government to both face the current challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and Ukraine crisis and to secure victory at this year’s House of Councillors election in July.
Kishida pledged to boost Japan’s defense and fulfil the LDP’s goal of constitutional revision. Some party lawmakers are also asking for an economy boost to deal with rising fuel and food costs.
In the campaign policy of the party approved the same day, the LPD said it will look for policy dialogue with the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (JUTC, also known as RENGO) and other labor unions, which have also been a source of support for the opposition bloc and who have also prioritized wage negotiations, like Kishida.
The upcoming upper house election, which is scheduled for July with 124 of the 245 members to be elected, will serve as a test for Kishida’s presidency in the LDP and as PM, giving an impression of what the voters think of how he handled the health emergency and the current war in Ukraine. [Kyodo News] [Nippon]
Japan: Priority entry and cash handout program for foreign students
(cm) After easing border controls from March 1 and giving priority entry to the 150,000 foreign students who have been waiting since 2020 to enter the country, The Japanese government has decided on an emergency cash handout program to support financially-struggling international students.
Those who enter the country and enroll at universities or other educational institutions by the end of this month will be eligible for aid of JPY 100,000 yen, or about USD 860. The government will also accept applications for the same aid program for students, even Japanese, already enrolled in educational institutions who are facing economic hardships because of the pandemic. [NHK]
Most foreign students are expected to enter the country by the end of May, said the top government spokesman on March 9. [The Mainichi]
Japan: State to pay damages of forced sterilization under ex-eugenic law
(cm) On March 7, the verdict that commanded the state to compensate victims of the forced sterilization surgeries under the Eugenic Protection Act, in effect from 1948 to 1996, by an Osaka High Court was appealed by the central government, who argued that the court should have taken Japan’s 20-year statute of limitations into consideration.
The high court decision overturned Osaka District Court’s pronouncement, which rejected compensation claims because of the statute of limitations, and declared the former eugenics law as unconstitutional. It ruled that the national government should pay JPY 27.5 million (USD 238,000) in damages. [The Mainichi 1]
On March 11 the Tokyo High Court reversed a lower court decision which ordered JPY 15 million (USD 130,000) in damages to be paid by the Japanese government to a man who was forged to undergo sterilization surgery under said law. The man has received reparations after the court’s dismissal of his demand of JPY 30 million in reparation in June 2020. In this case, as well, the statute of limitations was not applied, as the Eugenic Protection Act was ruled to be in violation of Article 13 and 14 of the constitution, which guarantee the right to the pursuit of happiness and equality under law. The court ordered the state to pay the plaintiffs JPY 27.5 million (USD 240,000) in damages. [The Mainichi 2]
Japan: Nuclear power proponents bolden as the country marks the anniversary of Fukushima nuclear disaster
(cm) On Friday, 11 March, Japan marked the 11th anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that caused the disaster in the Fukushima nuclear power plant and devastated its northeastern region in 2011, nearly killing 16,000 people. For the first time, Japan held no state memorial and municipalities in the affected northeastern areas of the Tohoku region held theirs on a smaller scale.
The evacuation orders the of areas contaminated by the Fukushima nuclear crisis is expected to be lifted later this year in some parts of them, currently inaccessible due to radiation, although it is unsure whether residents will return.
The Fukushima Prefecture still struggles with the aftermath of nuclear contamination as radioactive water from cooling crippled reactors containing melted nuclear fuel builds up; the government is set to start the release of treated water into the sea in the spring of 2023, raising concerns in both neighboring countries and among local residents. [Kyodo News]
On the eve of the 11th anniversary, some ruling party lawmakers urged the government to hasten the restart of nuclear power plants, citing the threat of rising energy prices due to the Ukraine crisis. However, the Prime Minister Kishida and member of his cabinet remain cautious and unyielding in the opposition to a nuclear restart. [Reuters]
The following day, the Japanese government announced the start of a discussion on establishing a specialized police unit to guard nuclear power plants in Japan, given the concerns raised by the Russian attack on nuclear facilities in Ukraine. [Nippon]
In an earlier development, the Supreme Court of Japan on March 4 upheld the order for utility Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings Inc. (TEPCO) to pay damages of JPY 1.4 billion (USD 12 million) for the 3,700 victims of the Fukushima disaster. Public broadcaster NHK stated that the average payout for each plaintiff was about JPY 380,000 (USD 3,290). The court’s decision followed the rejection of an appeal by TEPCO, which was ruled negligent in taking preventive measures against the tsunami. [The Japan Times]
Japan: New class of submarines commissioned
(cm) On March 9, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) commissioned a new class of diesel-electric attack submarines. Named Taigei, which means Big Whale, the submarine will be the third in the world to be powered by lithium-ion batteries, a new technology that requires less maintenance for a longer endurance at higher speeds compared to lead-acid batteries.
The new class will also be equipped with Type 18 heavyweight torpedo, Japan’s newest torpedo which will succeed the Type 89 and which presents features such as improved propulsion, target detection and processing. [Defense News]
North Korea: Kim Jong highlights importance of reconnaissance satellite
(mpk) During his first reported visit to the National Aerospace Development Administration, the country’s space agency, since 2015, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reaffirmed that the recent tests of reconnaissance satellites launched on February 27 and March 5 are part of Pyongyang’s efforts to develop a reconnaissance satellite expected to gather information on the US military in the region and its "vassal forces in South Korea, Japan and the Pacific," added that he expects many North Korean military satellites to be deployed into the orbit with the next five years.
Kim has made the development of a reconnaissance satellite a top priority in his defense projects that was revealed at the ruling Workers' Party congress in January last year. [Yonhap News Agency]
North Korea restores tunnels in nuclear test zone
(mpk) According to South Korean government sources, North Korea is restoring the underground tunnels of the Punggye2-ri nuclear test area. However, in May 2018, North Korea claimed that they destroyed the area to show their interest in denuclearization. According to South Korea's estimation, Tunnel 3 and Tunnel 4 may be being restored because Tunnel 1 was destroyed as a result of the first nuclear test in 2006 and Tunnel 2 is actively used.
Satellite images also suggest that Pyongyang is trying to remove facilities built by South Korea at the Mount Kumgang resort, known as a symbol of reconciliation between the two Koreas. [Yonhap News Agency 1] [Yonhap News Agency 2]
North Korea: UNICEF delivers humanitarian aid for children, women
(mpk) After the reopening of the West port of Nampo which was closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, UNICEF distributed humanitarian supplies to North Korea for use in the treatment and nutrition of children and women, including drugs for the treatment of diseases such as tuberculosis and diarrhea, oral rehydration salts, and micronutrient treatments for pregnant women were delivered. [Yonhap News Agency]
South Korea: People Power Party candidate Yoon Suk-yeol is the winner of the presidential election
(mpk) Former Attorney General Yoon Suk-yeol is president elect after winning South Korea’s presidential election on March 9. The candidate of the People Power Party (PPP) received 48.5 percent of the vote, while his main rival Lee Jae-myung of the ruling Democratic Party (DP) candidate garnered 47.8 percent. [Aljazeera]
In an immediate response to the defeat, the DP’s leadership announced to resign collectively. The party will be temporarily led by an emergency steering committee. A new floor leader is expected to be elected in late March. [Yonhap News Agency 1]
Many problems await Yoon, who is a newcomer to politics, having spent the last 27 years of his career as a prosecutor, and who will start his new five-year assignment on May 10. They include the relationship with China against the background of an intensifying Sino-US rivalry, strained ties with Japan, and North Korea’s nuclear threats in the field of foreign policy, and rising housing prices, the pandemic, as well as economic and gender inequality in domestic politics. In addition, the key concern is whether Yoon can work with the DP, which has 172 seats in the 300-seat parliament. The PPP commands only 110 seats. [The Korea Herald] [ [Yonhap News Agency 2]
In a first strategic move to take over the administration and set the agenda for the next five years, Yoon named Ahn Cheol-soo, leader of the minor opposition People’s Party, chairman of the transition committee which is responsible for planning and coordination, foreign policy, political and legal affairs, economy, industry, IT and science, and social welfare and culture.
Ahn had withdrawn his own presidential candidacy shortly before election to back Yoon. [The Korea Herald]
Taiwan: Cabinet approves legal drafts against sexual harassment and AI-powered deep fakes
(eb) Taiwan’s cabinet approved on March 10 a package of legal drafts that aim at strengthening protection against sexual exploitation and sexual assault and improving the victim’s legal protection. In particular, the new measures will allow authorities to punish new forms of sexual harassment that emerged on the internet such as “deep fake” porn videos, which consist of a photoshopped face on pornographic content, made in order to bring shame on victims. [Radio Taiwan International]
Under the proposed draft, producing sexual material involving images or video of another individual without that person's consent is subject to a maximum of three years in prison. Unauthorized distribution of the aforementioned material will result in a prison term of six months to five years. If the material is distributed for profit it will add up to half of the prescribed punishment.
Those who publish and/or film minors engaging in sexual act will face harsher punishments, from the current three to seven years to a minimum of three years up to ten years. Distributing the aforementioned materials is now subject to up to seven years of jail opposed to the maximum three years of the current laws.
Last but not least, internet providers will have to keep online databases with information on crimes and criminals as well as the personal data and internet user records of suspected criminals for up to 180 days or otherwise will face fines. Also, newspapers or anyone who violates the anonymity of sexual violence victims will be sanctioned with fines. [Focus Taiwan]
Taiwan: New pension reform approved by the Examination Yuan
(eb) Taiwan’s Cabinet and Examination Yuan, the civil service commission branch, announced that they have approved a draft bill to revamp pension schemes for civil servants and public-school teachers on March 10, in an attempt to fix the pension system which is riddled by debts.
The new proposals would require public workers to make contributions into individual accounts, rather than a common pension fund, with a variable degree of contributions instead of benefits. The goal is giving public workers more control over their pension investments and to make them choose more freely from a different array of investment options. [Focus Taiwan]
Taiwan: Supreme court rules in favor of workers exposed to cancerous chemicals
(eb) The Supreme Court on March 11 ruled in favor of 222 former Radio Corp. of America (RCA) factory workers exposed to cancer-causing chemicals, overturning a previous ruling that denied the workers any damage. The court in 2020 had ruled that 24 workers who were exposed to the chemicals were indeed entitled to receive a total compensation USD 1.82 million. That did not, however, apply to the other 222 workers, as they either had not proved any illnesses of the factory’s pollution, or displayed no obvious exterior signs of being sick.
The committee of workers affected by the pollution cheered for the victory, that came after a very long judicial proceeding that started more than 20 years ago. [Focus Taiwan]
Taiwan: Migrants Network urges the government to take measures against care workers’ exploitation
(eb) On March 8, the Migrants Empowerment Network in Taiwan (MENT) gathered in front of the Labor Ministry and urged the Taiwanese government to introduce legislation to improve protection of migrant household care workers. The rights group especially demanded that these workers are covered by the Labor Standards Act and pointed out the precarious working conditions citing data of the Ministry of Labor according to which 47.3 percent of household migrant caregivers did not get any days off last year and average salaries that are way below the minimum average in Taiwan. [Taiwan News]
Taiwan: Kuomintang’s committee hit by corruption charges
(eb) The Kuomintang, Taiwan’s main opposition party, has been facing accusations of corruption towards the members of its standing committee. In particular, the accusation would involve blatant favoritism for important members of the party in order to guarantee their re-election in the party’s leadership.
Eric Chu, chair of the KMT, has stated that he will get to the bottom of the issue and within two weeks it will take action. [New Bloom]
Taiwan: Purchase of the Field Information Communications System finalized
The Taiwanese government announced that it finalized the purchase of the Field Information Communications System (FICS) for USD 246.21 million, which will be used by the Information, Communications and Electronic Force Command and will be protected by a government-made and approved safety device to prevent enemy espionage. [Taiwan News 1]
The National Chung Shang Institute for Science and Technology (NCSIST), meanwhile, announced that it will test missiles on March 24, 25, 28, and 29, with an “unlimited” maximum altitude. Amont the tested weapons will be the Hsiung Feng III, whose range would allow Taiwan to hit strategic targets in mainland China. [Taiwan News 2]
Taiwanese fighter jet crashes in the South China Sea, marking the second accident in three months
(eb) A Taiwanese Mirage 2000 fighter jet crashed into the sea off the island's southeast coast on March 14. The pilot managed to eject himself from the aircraft and was brought back to the base safe and sound and during the next days a special task force will attempt to recover the Mirage and analyze it in order to discover the reason behind its malfunctioning. [Focus Taiwan]
This event marks the second accident that has happened to the Air Force of Taiwan in the last three months. In January 2022, a F-16 crashed in the South China Sea and in that instance the pilot unfortunately died. As a consequence, the flights of the F-16 fleet were temporarily stopped in order to assess any sort of technical problems. [Reuters]
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in South Asia
Bangladesh: Left Democratic Alliance calls for strike to protest rising prices
(kd) The Left Democratic Alliance (LDA), an association of leftist political parties in Bangladesh, announced a general strike on March 28 to protest the rising prices of essential household commodities. [The Daily Star]
Saiful Haque, LDA director and general secretary of the Revolutionary Workers Party, called for national support “for the sake of your own survival” and criticized the government for lacking “an effective monitoring” system to manage the market leading to rampant profiteering. As a result, over the last decade gas prices have risen 148 percent, diesel by 62 percent, electricity by 90 percent, and water by 264 percent. [The World News]
Bangladesh: Critics speak out against implementation of Digital Security Act
(kd) On March 13, the research institute Center for Government Studies held a discussion titled “Digital Security Act: In the Eyes of Citizens” in which speakers charged that the contentious Digital Security Act is in conflict with the constitution and must be revoked. This echoes statements made the secretary general of the opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP), the Committee to Protect Journalists, and Front Line Defenders, an Irish human rights organization earlier in March. [Prothom Alo] [The Daily Star]
The secretary general claimed that additions to the act made in 2021 are intended to insulate the ruling Awami League from attack in upcoming elections. “We can simply say these suppressive policies have been formulated to prevent campaign against the Awami League government’s corruption, mismanagement, vote robbery, human rights violations, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.” [Bangladesh Today]
The dangers of the Digital Security Act recently returned to public attention because of an earlier complaint filed against Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury, editor of the tabloid Weekly Blitz, for which he must appear in court this April. His offences can carry a prison sentence of up to three years and a fine between BDT 300,000 (USD 3,500) and BDT 500,000 (USD 5,815). [Committee to Protect Journalists]
India: Prime Minister Modi’s BJP claims election victory in four states including Uttar Pradesh
(lm) India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won four significant state elections including the country’s most populous state on March 10, strengthening its position in national politics and consolidating support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Hindu nationalist politics.
The high-stakes state elections had been held in staggered phases over more than two months, with the first round of voting beginning on February 10 and the last phase ending on March 7. They were billed as a battle for India’s future, in which voter preferences would either burnish the BJP’s Hindu nationalist agenda or challenge what critics call the country’s tilt away from its secular roots.
The BJP defied historical precedent and retained power in Uttar Pradesh, a state that sends 80 representatives to India’s 543-member House of Representative, and where anti-incumbent sentiment is a powerful factor. Early results on March 10 showed the party had won more than 260 out of 403 seats, giving it a clear majority. The win ensured Uttar Pradesh’s chief minister, Yogi Adityanath, a Hindu monk known for his hardline views and seen as a potential successor to Prime Minister Modi, a second consecutive term.
Many political observers believe that with its historic victory in the political bellwether state, the BJP showed its popular support overcame criticism of its stewardship of the economy, which has stalled amid soaring unemployment and inflation, and of its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which devastated Uttar Pradesh. The year-long protest by farmers against new agriculture laws and rising food prices were other big concerns for citizens. The win is also considered a ringing endorsement for the hardline Hindu nationalist agenda that Adityanath has enacted over the past five years. [Deutsche Welle] [The Guardian]
Early results showed the BJP, which has ruled India’s central government since 2014, also held on to power in the states of Uttarakhand, Goa and Manipur. [CNN]
Against this backdrop, the election results have been portrayed as a final nail in the coffin for India’s once formidable National Congress (INC) party, the country’s oldest political party and main national opposition for the BJP. On March 10, it became evident that the INC had lost seats in Goa and Manipur and failed to win back its former stronghold of Punjab, one of the few states where it had still held power. In Uttar Pradesh, it only mustered a single seat. [The Washington Post, $]
India: New Delhi’s anti-corruption party gets election boost in Punjab to take on Prime Minister Modi
(lm) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), led by Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, has toppled India’s main national opposition National Congress (INC) party in state elections in northern Punjab, a victory that analysts say could be transformative for India’s future political landscape.
Early results on March 10 showed the party had won more than 90 out of 117 seats, giving it a clear majority over the state’s incumbent INC, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and a regional contender. Prior to its win in Punjab, the AAP, which emerged in 2012 out of an anti-corruption movement and runs the New Delhi local government, had never gained control elsewhere.
Against this backdrop, the AAP said it would now focus on building support in the northern state of Himachal Pradesh, and the western state of Gujarat - Prime Minister Modi’s home state – which will both hold assembly elections later this year. [The Straits Times]
In light of the AAP’s growing reach, many observers say the dismal performance of the INC casts doubt on the future of India’s oldest political party and throws into question the party’s status as the BJP’s main opponent at the national level. [The Guardian]
India: Karnataka high court upholds hijab ban in schools and colleges
(lm) The high court in India’s southern state of Karnataka ruled on March 15 that the hijab is not “essential” to Islam in a landmark case that could set a precedent for the rest of the country. The court also upheld a state government order that had banned headscarves in classrooms, a ruling that is likely to be appealed against in the Supreme Court. [BBC]
The verdict follows a months-long, divisive row that started earlier in January when a government-run school barred six Muslim female students, who all wore the mandatory college uniform, from wearing the headscarf in class. Ensuing protests soon snowballed, forcing the state to shut schools and colleges for several days. The demonstrations also prompted rival protests from right-wing Hindu students who tried to prevent hijab-wearing students from entering educational institutions in the state.
The matter reached the high court after some Muslim women protesters filed petitions arguing that wearing the headscarf was a fundamental right guaranteed under India’s constitution and an essential practice of Islam. The larger bench, while hearing the case, passed a contentious interim order that disallowed students from wearing religious clothing – including the hijab – until the court delivered a verdict. [AiR No. 7, February/2022, 3]
Crucially, there is no central law or rule on school uniforms across India, but the Karnataka ruling could prompt more states to issue such guidelines. Moreover, the hijab has historically been neither banned nor limited in public spheres. In light of this, many in Karnataka say Muslim girls have worn the hijab in schools and colleges for decades, just as Hindus, Sikhs and Christians have done with symbols of their respective symbols. [Al Jazeera]
Karnataka is controlled by India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and for critics of Prime Minister Modi’s government, the hijab ban has galvanized fears about what they say is increasing persecution under the administration’s Hindu nationalist vision. The ban in January had also drawn criticism from the United States and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.
Maldives: President to receive anti-terrorism information; distribute free land to Male residents
(kd) In the latest round of amendments to the Maldives Anti-Terrorism Act, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih will receive reports from officials beginning on March 8. Under the previous provisions, only the minister of home affairs was privy to this information. The terrorism intelligence network consists of agents in the Maldives military, Maldives Police, Maldives Customs Service, Maldives Immigration, and Maldives Monetary Authority. [The Edition 1]
Separately, the President’s office announced that at least 1,000 plots of land in the second phase of Hulhamalé and 2,000 plots from Gulhifalhu, two island reclamation projects within the Maldives, will be distributed to residents free of charge before the president’s term ends in 2023. In his February 3 address, President Solih recognized the housing burden borne by Malé’s citizens and reversed a plan to sell these plots at high rates. [The Edition 2]
Citing the president’s inability to deliver on promises made in his Presidential Address, the leader of the opposition called for the President to resign. He charged Soleh with offering directionless and unachievable statements and for influencing the court and the judiciary, and for interfering with former President Abdulla Yameen's money laundering trials. [The Edition 3]
Nepal: Impeachment motion to remove chief justice tabled in Parliament
(lm) An impeachment motion against the chief justice of Nepal’s Supreme Court, Cholendra Shumsher Rana, was tabled in parliament for further discussion on March 13, a month after Nepal’s three governing parties registered it, charging Rana with corruption and citing his failure to run the Supreme Court smoothly. [Business Standard]
The tabling of the motion follows a months-long, divisive row that started in October last year. Back then, reports surfaced that Rana had demanded a say in the distribution of posts in Prime Minister Deuba’s Cabinet, allegedly as payback for the Supreme Court’s ousting of the prime minister’s predecessor KP Sharma Oli earlier in July [see AiR No. 44, November/2021, 1]. Ensuing protests by Nepal’s legal community soon snowballed, forcing Rana to support a lottery system to assign judges to cases [see AiR No. 49, December/2021, 1].
This February then, as many as 98 lawmakers of the ruling coalition filed an impeachment motion, possibly as part of the tit-for-tat between coalition parties that also included the ratification of onetime grant from the Millennium Challenge Corporation, an independent United States agency. The move caused Rana to be suspended. [AiR No. 7, February/2022, 3]
Crucially, the vote requires the support of the main opposition Communist Party (Unified Marxist–Leninist) (CPN-UML) to reach a two-thirds majority. In the past, the CPN-UML objected to the impeachment motion against the chief justice and threatened to impeach four justices of the Supreme Court, including Acting Chief Justice Karki, who sat on the constitutional bench and had ruled as unconstitutional Oli’s move last May to dissolve Parliament’s lower chamber for the second time and call for snap elections [see AiR No. 28, July/2021, 2].
Nepal: Final hearing on former Prime Minister Oli’s petition set for April 3
(lm) Nepal’s Supreme Court has set the final hearing in a case pertaining to a petition filed by the chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) (CPN-UML), KP Sharma Oli, for April 3. [The Kathmandu Post]
Against the larger backdrop of a deepening rift between Oli and his intraparty rival Madhav Kumar Nepal, the UML in August of last year expelled 14 of its lawmakers – including Nepal. Shortly after that, Nepal registered a new political party, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist) which later also joined the ruling coalition government of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. [AiR No. 34, August/2021, 4]
However, Oli’s CPN-UML believed that another factor facilitated the party split: At the time, the speaker of parliament failed to issue a notice informing about the expulsion of the 14 lawmakers, and later decided not to expel them from parliament’s lower house because they had already joined the newly founded CPN (Unified Socialist) party.
Furthermore, the CPN-UML has also alleged that the Election Commission failed to abide by the existing laws by agreeing to register a new political party founded by lawmakers who were supposed to have been expelled from the House.
It was against this backdrop, that lawmakers of the CPN-UML had been obstructing proceedings in both chambers of parliament [see AiR No. 2, January/2022, 2]. Party chairman Oli filed the petitions last September against the speaker of the house and the Election Commission.
Nepal: Election Commission sets maximums for poll expenses
(kd) Nepal’s Election Commission (EC) has defined maximum spending limits on campaigning for mayor, deputy mayor, and ward chairperson candidates in the local level election to be held in the coming May. A tiered system for setting maximums was used with greater funds being available for candidates in metropolitan, sub-metropolitan, municipal and rural districts. [My Republica] [The Rising Nepal]
Critics of the policy claim that the maximums are unrealistically low and will encourage candidates to under-report their campaign finances to the EC. [The Himalayan Times]
Pakistan: Opposition moves resolution to bring no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Khan
(ha/lm/tj) Opposition parties in Pakistan have moved a resolution for a no-confidence vote against the Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government, accusing the premier of mismanaging the economy and poor governance. The speaker of the lower house must now convene parliament within two weeks, though it could take weeks before a vote takes place. [Reuters]
The motion, signed by about 100 lawmakers from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), was submitted with the National Assembly Secretariat on March 8. The move comes after the opposition, led by the PPP, rallied thousands of supporters in the capital Islamabad earlier that day, concluding its so-called Awami March [see AiR No. 10, March/2022, 2].
Parliament’s lower house, the National Assembly, has 342 members, and the opposition requires simple majority (i.e., 172 lawmakers) to remove Prime Minister Khan. At present, opposition parties control 162 members in the House. However, they claim that they do have the support of 28 parliamentarians belonging to Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and its allies. [The News] [Dawn]
It must be noted that in March of last year, Prime Minister Khan ordered a confidence vote – which he won and the opposition boycotted – after then Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh was defeated in a crucial contest for the Senate seat representing Islamabad. [AiR No. 10, March/2021, 2]
However, this time around the situation is different due to intraparty rifts within the PTI. A breakaway faction, led by sugar tycoon Jahangir Khan Tareen Jahangir Tareen, is demanding the removal of the chief minister of Punjab province, Usman Buzdar, and threatens support the no-confidence motion in the House if their demand is not met. [see entry below]
Furthermore, opposition parties have been trying to woo smaller parliamentary parties who are currently allied with the PTI-led coalition government, most notably the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q). On March 13, opposition parties reportedly agreed to offer the chief minister post in Punjab province to de facto PML-Q leader and current speaker of the provincial assembly, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi. [Gulf News]
Speaking against this backdrop, Pakistan’s Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on March 9 called on the speaker of the House to convene the session of parliament, claiming that around 184 lawmaker “strongly” supported Prime Minister Khan. Khan himself earlier that day said that he would turn his gun towards PPP President Asif Zardari after winning the trust of the House, accusing Zardari of corruption and money laundering. The prime minister also said the motion was the “political death” of the opposition. [Geo News]
Ms. Faryal Qazi contributed to this article.
Pakistan: resolution for a no-confidence vote against federal government moved
(ha/lm) Earlier last week, opposition parties had moved a resolution for a no-confidence vote against the Prime Minister Imran Khan-led federal government. But the opposition needs 172 votes to oust Khan, which it does not have unless legislators of the ruling coalition parties defect.
Crucially, opposition parties claim to have the support of 24 national lawmakers of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI, Movement for Justice). The 24 form an intra-party group lead by sugar tycoon Jahangir Tareen, who is widely seen as the kingmaker behind the party’s successes in the general election in 2018, and in Punjab’s assembly election in 2019 [see AiR No. 21, May/2021, 4].
The group, which earlier this month secured the support of some 30 PTI lawmakers in Punjab, including Senior Minister Aleem Khan [see AiR No. 10, March/2022, 2], has made the removal of incumbent Chief Minister Buzdar a precondition for its support of Prime Minister Imran Khan in the upcoming no-confidence motion. [Dawn 1] [The Express Tribune] [The News]
Against this backdrop, it is noteworthy that Pakistan’s largest opposition party, the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML-N), has reached out to the Tareen group and endorsed the latter’s stated stance of removing Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar. [Dawn 2]
This development lends further credence to reports that Tareen has been travelling to the United Kingdom to meet Pakistan’s former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who has been residing in the UK since 2019, to discuss the opposition’s no-confidence move against Prime Minister Khan’s government.
In Punjab’s provincial assembly, meanwhile, the PTI and its allies control 195 lawmakers, while opposition parties control 172 seats.
However, Prime Minister Khan reiterated his support for Buzdar, acting against the advice of some senior ministers of his government who consider the chief minister a heavy baggage. According to media reports, the chief minister held a one-on-one meeting with the premier and offered his resignation, but Khan rejected and asked him to continue performing his duties. [Dawn 3] [Pakistan Today]
Ms. Faryal Qazi contributed to this article.
Pakistan: Police storm Parliament lodges, arrest 19, including JUI-F lawmakers
(lm) Police in the Pakistani capital Islamabad on March 10 raided the Parliament Lodges to expel members of the Ansar-ul-Islam, a sub-organization of the opposition Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) party, who had entered the building to provide security to party lawmakers.
At least four legislators, along with two dozen Ansar-ul-Islam members, were arrested during the operation, which occurred just days after opposition parties filed a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Imran Khan. In light of this, opposition members alleged that the police operation aimed at reducing their numbers during the session of parliament’s lower house on the no-confidence motion. [The Express Tribune]
Hours later, JUI-F party workers blocked roads in various parts of the country to protest the arrests. A meeting of opposition parties later resulted in JUI-F President Fazlur Rehman directing party workers to open the highways they had earlier blocked. But the JUI-F leader also set a deadline for the government to release arrested parliamentarians and party workers. [Dawn]
Plans to block highways across the country were abandoned, however, after all lawmakers and party workers who had been arrested during the raid, were released by police before the expiration of the deadline. [Asian News International]
Ms. Faryal Qazi contributed to this article.
Pakistan: Supreme Court rules against government’s excessive use of ordinances
(lm) Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ruled against the excessive promulgation of ordinances to run the federal government, observing that the president and provincial governors may only be issue an ordinance if parliament is not in session and “circumstances exist which render it necessary to take immediate action”. [Dawn]
The Islamabad High Court was informed in July last year that the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government had issued at least 54 presidential ordinances during the three years since it came to power in July 2018. Some ordinances were issued to run even the routine business of the federal government.
According to the National Assembly’s website, seven ordinances were promulgated in the government’s first parliamentary year and 30 in the second year. 19 ordinances were promulgated in the third parliamentary year, and 13 in the fourth year, which is ongoing. [National Assembly of Pakistan]
Ms. Faryal Qazi contributed to this article.
Pakistan: President Alvi appears before court in 2014 violent protests
(ha/lm) Pakistani President Arif Alvi appeared before an anti-terrorism court on March 4 in a case related to the 2014 attacks on the headquarters of a television network and parliament by members of the now ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in the capital Islamabad. [The Hindu]
At that time, demonstrations against the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had been led for weeks by then opposition politician Imran Khan and outspoken politician-cleric Muhammad Tahir ul-Qadri. At least three people died and more than 400 people were injured during clashes that broke out when the protesters began moving towards key government buildings in the heart of Islamabad on August 31.
Against this backdrop, police invoked the Anti-Terrorism Act against PTI chief Imran Khan and other party leaders, including Arif Alvi for inciting violence and ransacking offices of the television station and Parliament House. Khan was acquitted in this case in 2020.
The court had also originally halted proceedings against President Alvi in the same year due to the presidential immunity granted to him. But last week, Alvi waived the immunity that he enjoys under Article 248 of the Constitution. The proceedings were further adjourned till March 15. [Pakistan Today]
Pakistan: Women hold annual ‘Aurat March’ protest despite attempts to shut down demonstration
(ha/lm/tj) Thousands of women held marches in cities across Pakistan, the so-called Aurat March, on March 8, despite efforts by authorities to bar the protests and withdraw security for an event frequently the target of violence by hardline Islamist groups. [Dawn]
Held on International Women’s Day, the Aurat March has emerged as one of the most powerful women-centric movements for equal rights of women in Pakistani society. Since it was first held in the country’s largest city, Karachi, in 2018, the movement extended to more cities, including Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Larkana, and Hyderabad. [The New York Times, $]
However, the growing popularity was accompanied by fierce backlash from religious and conservative circles, which often demanded complete ban on such type of events, labeling it as un-Islamic. Last year several women activists participating marching through Islamabad were attacked by groups of men, who accused protesters of chanting and carrying blasphemous slogans – an act which carries the death penalty in Pakistan. [Deutsche Welle] [The News]
In the lead-up to this year’s iteration of the protests, Minister of Religious Affairs Noor-ul-Haq Qadri requested Prime Minister Khan to declare March 8 International Hijab Day instead, claiming that the Aurat March is against Islamic teachings. Moreover, the president of the opposition Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party, Fazlur Rehman, threatened to use batons to stop the protesters.
Last week, non-violent counterprotests, dubbed “hijab marches”, were also staged by women from conservative religious groups in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad where participants called for the preservation of Islamic values. [Al Jazeera]
Separately, the Pakistani government on March 8 also launched the National Gender Policy Framework, an initiative that aims to set a structured mechanism with defined objectives for improving the lives of women and providing them with equal opportunity. [Business Standard]
Ms. Faryal Qazi supported this article.
Pakistan: Islamic State claims bombing that kills at least 7 troops; moments after President Alvi leaves area
(ha/lm/tj) The Islamic State (IS) has claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a security convoy in southwestern Baluchistan province on March 8 that killed at least seven soldiers, the second suicide bombing carried out by the terrorist group in less than a week. [Associated Press]
A suicide bomber blew himself just minutes after a high-profile government convoy carrying President Alvi had passed. Seven members of the paramilitary Frontier Constabulary were killed while 28 people were injured, out of which 17 were the security officials. [Dawn] [The News]
It was the second attack in less than a week claimed by the IS’s regional affiliate, known as the Islamic State Khorasan (ISIS-K) and headquartered in neighboring Afghanistan. On March 4, a suicide bomber blew himself up inside a minority Shiite Muslim mosque in Peshawar, the capital of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The ensuing powerful blast killed 63 worshippers and wounded nearly 200 others [see AiR No. 10, March/2022, 2].
Ms. Faryal Qazi supported this article.
Pakistan: Air Force inducts new batch of Chinese J-10C fighter jets
(lm) Pakistan’s Air Force officially commissioned a first batch of six Chinese J-10C combat aircraft at a special ceremony on March 11, with Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chinese military officials in attendance. Without naming neighboring India, the prime minister said in his speech that the Chinese-built planes would play an important role in rectifying a “security imbalance” in the region. [Defense News] [Voice of America]
In December of last year, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed disclosed the purchase of the jets at a public event, saying the aircraft will serve as a counterweight to India’s procurement of 36 France-made Rafale fighter planes. Ahmed said a full squadron of 25 Chinese J-10C aircraft will take part in the Pakistan Day military parade on March 23 in the capital, Islamabad. [AiR No. 1, January/2022, 1]
The J-10C is not the only advanced weapons system Beijing has recently delivered to Pakistan. In January, the Pakistan Navy inducted its first of four Type 054A/P frigates developed by China under a bilateral agreement. [Global Times]
Ms. Faryal Qazi supported this article.
Sri Lanka: Government reverses course, to begin official talks with IMF next month as protests grow
(lm) Crisis-hit Sri Lanka will start official talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) next month, reversing its earlier resistance as efforts to manage overseas debt repayments while meeting domestic needs have been complicated by Russia’s invasion of the Ukraine. [Al Jazeera] [The Straits Times]
Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves dwindled to less than USD 2.4 billion at the end of January, inflicting deep economic pain on the import-dependent nation, which typically spends about USD 1.6 billion every month for imports of fuel, essential food and medicine. Moreover, Colombo it is due to repay more than USD 6 billion in debt this year, including a sovereign bond of USD 1 billion maturing in July. Earlier this month Sri Lanka’s central bank allowed the rupee to float, a move that saw the currency nosedive 25 percent against the US dollar and triggered a fresh wave of price increases [see AiR No. 10, March/2022, 2].
The Rajapaksa administration has argued that a revival in tourism and exports would help Sri Lanka replenish foreign currency reserves and navigate the crisis. Two countries have been vital to this strategy: Russia and Ukraine, the first and third-largest tourist markets this year respectively. Russia is also the second-largest market for Sri Lankan tea, the country’s main goods export. However, the disruption to trade and tourism, along with the surge in global oil prices, that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has dealt a critical blow to this strategy. [The Straits Times]
Against this backdrop, Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa held talks with the IMF’s Asia and Pacific department director in Colombo on March 14, with discussions centering around details of the multilateral lender’s review of the economy and the assessments outlined by IMF executive at an IMF board meeting in late February. [Reuters]
In its so-called Article IV consultations, the IMF earlier this month had stressed the urgency of implementing a credible strategy to restore the country's macroeconomic stability and reduce debt. The Washington-based lender also said Colombo’s fast-dwindling foreign reserves were inadequate to service the country’s current foreign debt of USD 51 billion and suggested that authorities should reform state-owned enterprises and adopt cost-recovery energy pricing. [AiR No. 10, March/2022, 2]
But public anger in the Indian Ocean nation is growing. On March 15, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (United People’s Power) alliance, a catch-all organization led by opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, held a major protest march in Colombo to step up pressure on the government. [CNBC]
Constitutional Law and –Politics, Human Rights and National Security in Southeast Asia
Cambodia: Ruling party likely to win upcoming communal elections
(bs) The ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) is likely to win most of the communal elections scheduled for June. The contest among 17 political parties running in the elections has to be seen as a test for the 2023 national polls.
The ruling CPP, led by current Prime Minister Hun Sen, has been the head political power since 1979. After its power consolidation in 1997, it was only in the recent communal elections in 2013, that the CPP saw the emergence of a significant opposition that won 43.8 percent of the votes. However, the major opposition party, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), which emerged due to the merger of two opposition parties, was dissolved by the Supreme Court in November 2017 after its leader Kem Soka was arrested for allegedly plotting to overthrow the Hun Sen government.
Now, a reincarnation of the CNRP, the Candlelight Party (CP), will run in the communal polls bringing some uncertainty into the elections. Besides the CPP and the CP, the next two major parties are FUNCINPEC, a royalist party, and the Khmer National United Party, led by the former FUNCINPEC functionary General Nhek Bun Chhay. [The Diplomat]
Cambodia: Bail denied to union leaders arrested in casino strikes
(bs) A Cambodian Appeal Court has denied bail to eight union leaders arrested during strikes at NagaWorld Casino in Phnom Penh last December. The striking workers requested better labor conditions and the reinstatement of 365 workers who were fired unjustly in their view. Thousands of casino workers have been striking since the initial December 2021 action.
Because NagaWorld Casino is owned by a Hong Kong-based company believed to have ties with the Prime Minister Hun Sen, Cambodian authorities have harshly suppressed the strikers. Government sources claim that the union is sponsored by foreign donors who seek to overthrow the government.
Authorities have also exploited COVID-19 regulations against the strikers. Just one day after 200 demonstrators were released from police custody following pressure from the United States and United Nations, the police detained 156 on alleged violations of pandemic regulations holding them in pre-trial detention. If convicted, they could face up to two years in jail. [AiR No. 10, March/2022, 2]
According to the Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training 147 of the 373 of the initial fired workers accepted compensation to end their dispute with NagaWorld. [Radio Free Asia] [Phnom Penh Post]
Indonesia: Extension of presidential term looming?
(bs) Key supporters of Indonesia President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) reaffirmed the possibility of amending the Constitution to extend the constitutionally possible maximum presidential terms to three instead of two. Jokowi, is currently terminating his second and – under current constitutional law - final five-year term which will officially end after the general elections scheduled for February 2024.
According to the Coordinating Minister for Investment and Maritime Affairs, the proposal, if agreed upon, can be brought to the People’s Consultative Assembly (Indonesia´s National Assembly) to pass the amendment. At current, article 7 of Indonesia's Constitution rules that “the President and Vice President shall hold office for a term of five years and may subsequently be reelected to the same office for one further term only.”
Until now, Jokowi and former president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono voiced their opposition to such a move. Proponents of a term extension see it to be crucial to safeguard the USD-34-billion project to build the new Indonesian capital in the Borneo island. [The Edge Market]
Indonesia: Supreme Court reduces jail sentence for former minister from nine to five years
(bs) The Supreme Court has reinstated a five-year jail sentence for Edhy Prabowo, the former Indonesian minister of fisheries, ordered him to repay USD 27,919 in fines, and banned him from participating in elections for two years. Prabowo was arrested and convicted for collecting nearly USD 2 million in bribes from businessmen and companies that were awarded the lobster larvae exports contracts immediately after the former minister lifted their export ban in 2020.
Prabowo was originally sentenced to five years by the Corruption Court in 2021 and had his sentence increased to nine years just a few months later by an Appeal Court.
On March 9, the Supreme Court has upheld the Corruption Court’s initial decision after considering mitigating factors of the case. The court noted the that lifting the ban on exporting lobster larvae, which facilitated corruption activities, also had positive effects on local fishermen and their families by giving them “great hope.” Nonetheless, the ruling was met with widespread criticism from Indonesian civil society actors who urged a harsher sentence.
Lobster larvae are Indonesia’s most profitable fishery export market. They are mostly sold to Vietnam, Singapore, and China. However, illegal lobster larvae markets not only pose major threats to the wild population but also cause financial losses to the country amounting to approximately USD 62 million a year, according to the Indonesian anti-money-laundering supervisory board and a group of environmental activists. [Mongabay] [Jakarta Globe]
Indonesia: Former ADB official to oversee relocation of Indonesian capital
(bs) Indonesia President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) appointed a senior official at the Asia Development Bank, Bambang Susantono, to lead the capital relocation from Jakarta to Nusantara, in the Borneo Island. Susantono, as the new deputy head of the new capital, is supposed to regulate the use of a USD-34-billion fund to develop the newly appointed land into an environmentally friendly city. [Bloomberg]
Among other objectives, President Widodo aims at developing a green and efficient public transport system, optimizing hydropower energy, and maintaining over 200,000 hectares of forest surrounding 50,000 hectares of infrastructures. [Jakarta Globe]
The disputed relocation plan was scheduled to begin in 2019, but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The first phase, which includes the completion of official structures, administration systems, and public facilities, is now expected to be completed by 2024. [AiR No. 3, January/2022, 3]
Indonesia: Child marriage rate twice higher in rural areas, a survey found
(bs) The child marriage rate in rural areas of Indonesia is twice that of urban areas, according to a recent National Socioeconomic Survey. The finding sparked calls for an increase of the legal age and a more effective implementation of the relevant law.
Although a 2019 amendment to the 1974 marriage law has raised the legal age for marriage to 19, it carries no sanctions against child marriage. The legislative gap was filled by the Supreme Court which issued some key guidelines for judges to handle court cases involving child marriage, allowing the parents of the child to provide information on its physical, economic, and psychological readiness to marry. The introduction of these measures, however, led to a high number of forced child marriages to conceal unwanted teenage pregnancies, according to Meiwita. [The Star]
Indonesia: Terrorism suspect killed in counterterrorism operation
(bs) A medical doctor suspected to be a key member of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terror outlet was killed in a police counterterrorism operation. JI is known for having attacked churches and bombed religious events and public places from 1980 to 2009, and for seeking to establish an Islamic caliphate across Southeast Asia. The deadly attacks escalated after 2000. Notable was at a Bali nightclub in 2002 that killed more than 200 people. [Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC)] [Jakarta Globe]
Laos: Lao women still main victims of exploitation, violence, human trafficking
(bs) Women in Laos are still facing major gender inequalities and are often victims of exploitation, violence, and human trafficking, according to the Lao Women’s Union, a national women’s rights organization.
The Union specifically mentioned the abuses and violence against women in the Chinese-run Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in the northern province of Bokeo. The area, also known as the Golden Triangle, is dominated by Chinese companies that run casinos and hire Lao young women as barmaids or “chat-girls.”
Such girls are then regularly sold into prostitution if they fail to meet the high sale standards set by the Chinese employers and are not able to pay their accommodation and food debts back to the company. Employers allegedly confiscate ID cards and passports of their Lao employees preventing them from leaving the SEZ. Several girls have attempted to contact Lao authorities to be rescued, but the Lao police can hardly enter the SEZ. To date, the authorities have been able to rescue around 20 girls only.
Meanwhile, the Thai authorities have urged the Lao government to rescue a number of Thai citizens who were duped into working in the Golden Triangle. In late February, around 15 Thai people called for help to the Thai authorities asking to rescue them and arrange immediate return to Thailand. While 11 of them escaped and returned safely, others remain trapped in the SEZ.
The Golden Triangle SEZ has been a notorious illegal drug production and drug smuggling hub for over three decades. The area is also known for human trafficking, forced labor, and forced prostitution. [AiR No. 7, February/2022, 3] [Bangkok Post] [Radio Free Asia]
Malaysia: Barisan Nasional wins Johor State Elections
(gl) The UMNO-lead party coalition platform Barisan Nasional (BH) has claimed victory in the Johor State Elections, winning 40 of the available 56 seats. 11 seats were won by Perikatan Nasional (PH), three by Perikatan nacional (PN), and one each won by PKR and the Malaysian United Democratic Alliance (Muda). BH’s performance with a two third majority win was better than expected, according to Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob who predicted BH would win just 35 seats [Free Malaysia Today 1] [Malay Mail] [Free Malaysia Today 2]
The win is likely to add pressure on the Prime Minister to call for an early federal election, particularly with the looming battle for UMNO leadership. Former prime minister Najib Razak is a stalwart of the party still holds great influence, meaning he could be up for prime-ministership if he can remain out of jail after his conviction for his role in the 1MDB scandal [see AiR No. 30 July/2020]. In addition to this UMNO president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi, who is facing a list of charges himself might also contend the race. The two are hoping for a withdrawal of convictions and charges or even a royal pardon. [Free Malaysia Today 3]
Parties like the newly emerged Muda, a youth-based party formed in December 2021, hoped to disrupt Malaysian politics by replacing the old guard which has long dominated and building strong democratic institutions. Figures like Najib have long dominated Malaysian politics, even despite his convictions. [SMH]
Malaysia: Former foreign minister blames former Sabah chief minister for territorial claims
(gl) Former foreign minister Anifah Aman claimed former Sabah chief minister Shafie Apdal’s alleged inexperience to be blamed for the Philippine’s increasing confidence in their territorial claim on Sabah. [Free Malaysia Today 1]
Malaysia’s ongoing dispute with the Philippines over Sabah’s sovereignty dates to the 1960s when the people of Sabah voted to join the federation of Malaysia in a referendum. The dispute involves the interpretation of a 1878 contract between the Sulu Sultanate and the British North Borneo Company, in which it was agreed that the British could control Sabah as long as they paid an amount to the Sultanate. While Malaysia and Britain regarded this as a sale of land, the Philippines has maintained that the contract was in reference to a lease of land. Malaysia stopped paying the agreed upon sum of money to the heirs of the Sultanate after the Lahad Datu attack in 2013. [Daily Express]
Once Sabah joined Malaysia, the Philippines and Malaysia entered talks to resolve the matter The talks stalled but have resurfaced in recent years after a member of the Charter Change Consultative Committee urged the Filippino government to reassert their claim on Sabah in 2018. [The ASEAN Post]
In 2019, the then attorney-general Tommy Thomas sent a letter to lawyers as a representative to the descendants of the Sultan of Sulu. It became the subject of controversy in March 2022 as it was used by United Kingdom lawyers to show that the Attorney General’s Chambers and the foreign ministry had formally recognized the claimants and their rights, and had been directly and individually involved with them. The current Attorney General previously claimed that the identity of the heirs was in doubt. [Free Malaysia Today 2]
If the case is won by the Sulu heirs, Malaysia may have to pay as much as USD 14.9 billion and Sabah will lose its sovereignty. [Daily Express]
Malaysia: Former Prime Minister Razak hires United States-based PR firm, is asked to explain misleading remarks
(gl) Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has reportedly hired the New-York based Public Relations (PR) company Karv Communications to increase media support and strategic communication during the ongoing trial of Roger Ng. Ng is being tried in connection with Malaysia's 1MDB fraud prominently involving Razak. [See AiR No. 9, March/2022]
In July 2020, Najib was convicted of misappropriation of public funds in a previous 1MBD trial and was sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined RM210 million. 1MDB allegedly involved US$4.5 billion of stolen money and is said to be the world’s biggest looting of public funds. [Campaign Asia] [See AiR No. 30, July/2020, 4]
Karv Communications will receive USD 140,000 (RM 586,110) for their work over the two months. [The Edge Markets]
It has also come to light that fugitive tycoon Low Taek Jho who played a major role in the 1MDB scandal, made covert efforts to soften the Trump administration’s stance on the fraud by working with Republican Party fundraiser Elliot Broidy, an ally of former US president Donald Trump. One of the allegations includes efforts to set up a round of golf between Najib and Trump. [Malay Mail]
Najib has also been asked to disclose his activities after Malaysian MPs accused him of misleading the Dewan Rakyat (the Malaysian Parliament) over the issue of 1MDB’s debts. Dewan Rakyat Speaker Azhar Harun gave him until March 10 to answer. This request was deferred due to the former Prime Minister’s involvement in the campaign for Barisan Nasional candidates in the Johor state election.
The speaker has since apologized for extending the deadline after opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim argued that it set a precedent by implying that politics can take precedence over parliamentary matters. [Free Malaysia Today]
Myanmar: Major political party asks its members to choose to stay or leave
(bs/ny) The Arakan National Party (ANP), a political party representing people from the Rakhine State, has released an official statement calling out for those members who are not fit to their roles in the party asking them to take a decision to leave or stay. The statement came after one member allegedly joined the military council and another became a negotiator for local militants. The party expects an official response by March 15.
Although the ANP policy allows its members to join other organizations or political parties, in the recent statement, ANP leaders made clear that the party will stop associating with those members who work for other organizations. Also, in a meeting, while the party recalled that a “party member requires the permission of the central executive committee in order to officially leave,” it also stated that given the circumstances of national unrest, anyone will be able to leave without any official request or permission. [Myanmar Now]
The ANP is a Buddhist-ethnic nationalist party, that takes a stance against Islam and the interests of the local Rohingya population.
Myanmar: Pro-democracy activists, journalists sentenced to jail
(bs/ny) A military court sentenced a pro-democracy activist to two years in jail for informing a Chinese official that because of Myanmar’s propaganda on Burmese ethnonationalism, people believed that China was interfering with the national peace process. The activist was sentenced for “inciting hate towards an ethnicity or a community” under Section 505(c) of the Penal Code.
The man was last arrested in February 2021. He had already spent 12 years in prison for a series of nationwide protests in 1988 and 2007, known respectively as the 1988 Uprising and the Saffron Revolution. [Myanmar Now 1]
On another occasion, the military court sentenced a journalist for incitement after arresting him in March 2021 while he was reporting a trial of a senior leader of the National League for Democracy, a liberal party ousted with the February coup in 2021 that overthrew the democratic government in Myanmar. After the journalist denied all the charges, pleading not guilty, the court scheduled another court hearing for March 17.
Since the 2021 coup, the military junta has arrested about 115 journalists, of whom 46 are still in detention. The military has increasingly repressed media freedoms since the coup and forced journalists to silence. [AiR No. 6, February/2022, 2] [The Irrawaddy]
Another two anti-junta supporters, including one forme parliamentary candidate, were charged with terrorist offenses for allegedly backing the People’s Defense Force (PDF), the armed wing of the National Unity Government (NUG), the democratically-elected shadow government. The men pleaded not guilty, but If sentenced, they could face up to seven years in jail for violating Section 52(a) of the Counterterrorism Law which prohibits “organizing or participating in terrorist acts” and “harboring or arranging transport for any terrorist or member of a terrorist group." [Myanmar Now 2]
Myanmar: Human Rights Council urged to refer atrocities to International Criminal Court, opinion on ongoing ICC hearings on genocide case
(bs/ny) Human Rights Watch urges the United Nations Human Rights Council, which will discuss the situation in Myanmar on March 18, to refer the atrocities in Myanmar to the International Criminal Court and adopt a resolution that recommends further assistance in developing effective international mechanisms to investigate the abuses. The human rights group also called for a resolution imposing a guaranteed account for those revenues from oil, gas, timber, and gems that would otherwise support the military junta and its continuous abuses.
According to a report from the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, 1,600 protesters were killed mostly in peaceful protests since the February 2021 coup. The United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) estimated that 837,000 people remain internally displaced, over 500,000 of which were displaced after the coup. [Human Rights Watch]
Recently a human rights lawyer, U Aung Htoo, discussed the latest development of the genocide case against Myanmar brought before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) by the Gambia in 2019. On February 21, the ICJ resume a round of hearings on the alleged genocide of the Rohingya Muslim ethnic minority perpetrated by the Myanmar government in 2017.
Critics followed the decision of the court to allow the military junta to represent Myanmar as a defendant dismissing the objections moved by Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government (NUG). The junta overthrew the democratically elected government in February 2021 with a violent coup, and since then, began bloody repression against pro-democracy activists, journalists, and members of the opposition. The military government has never been officially recognized by the international community.
While the NUG withdrew preliminary objections to the genocide charges brought before the ICJ, the junta representatives brought four points in court aiming at proving the inadmissibility of the case for lack of jurisdiction
However, according to U Aung Htoo, the junta did not present enough facts to overthrow the case. He also admitted the possibility of a political impact on the NUG’s legitimacy in the international framework. Particularly, U Aung Htoo claimed that the dismissal of the NUG objections against the admission of junta representatives as defendants was in violation of the principle of fair trial and thus against International Law. The lawyer also claimed that since the ICJ’s president's decision to admit the military junta to the trial was taken without assessing the view of all involved parties, the president acted in violation of Section 31 of the ICJ’s Rules of Court, which states that that “the President shall ascertain the views of the parties with regard to questions of procedure, and for this purpose, he shall summon the agents of the parties to meet him as soon as possible after their appointment.”
In 2019, Gambia brought before the ICJ charges of genocide and crimes against humanity against Myanmar for persecuting and expelling Rohingya people from the country accusing Myanmar of violating the 1948 Genocide Convention.
The Rohingya Muslim ethnic minority, due to their cultural differences with the majority of the Myanmar Buddhist community and their history of living at the Bangladesh border, has been a victim of abuses and exclusion by Myanmar for decades. Also, the Rohingya people were denied citizenship since 1982 as the country did not recognize them as an official ethnic group. They are currently the largest stateless population in the world. Since then, the group has been forced to flee Myanmar in small waves until 2017, when violence broke out in the Rakhine state, western region, in an attempt to expel the minority from the country leading over 1 million people to flee and seek refuge in Bangladesh and Malaysia. [AiR No. 6, February/2022, 2] [The Irrawaddy]
Myanmar’s military junta conducting attacks on residents of ethnic states
(bs/ny) Myanmar military junta has killed over 50 people by immolation in 10 weeks since the escalation of armed fights with resistance troops. The three most affected regions are Kayah, Magway, and Sagaing.
The junta attacks continued throughout the week. Three children were killed in an artillery shell attack in Kayah State, eastern Myanmar. Another village in the same region was bombed in airstrikes carried out by the junta forces. In another attack in Sagaing Region, two children and four other civilians were killed during a military raid that forced thousands of local villagers to flee the area. The junta also fired artillery shells into a camp for internally displaced people injuring at least four people. In another attack, the junta forces slaughtered 14 people including three civilians during clashes with the resistance People’s Defense Forces. [Irrawaddy 1] [Myanmar Now 1] [Myanmar Now 2]
Magway Region, in central Myanmar, was also affected by the attacks by the military junta. The regime forces have raped and killed a mother and killed her two daughters during a raid in their village. The raid was carried out by 70 soldiers detaining 29 villagers as human shields [Irrawaddy 2]
On March 8, sources confirmed junta attacks on two Buddhist monasteries which sheltered more than 1,500 refugees in Sagaing Region, injuring a dozen people. Local villagers have been seeking refuge on religious grounds after the junta cut off internet access in early March and began a series of deadly attacks on the population. As part of the attacks, the junta burned down more than 100 houses within a week. [Myanmar Now 3] [Mizzima]
Meanwhile, in Karen or Kayin State in eastern Myanmar, the military carried out deadly airstrikes following a warning from the Karen National Liberation Army, the resistance armed wing of the Karen National Union (KNU), for junta forces to leave the area within three days to allow internally displaced people to return to their homes. [Myanmar Now 4]
The junta is allegedly responsible for almost 2,000 deaths of civilians since the coup on February 1, 2021, that overthrew the democratically elected government. Over the same period, about 9,500 people were arrested, mostly during peaceful anti-military protests. In over one year, the junta has committed several human rights violations, that include rape, torture, arson, and murder against civilians, in ongoing repression against resistance groups, opposition members, and pro-democracy advocates. In early March, one year after the coup, , the military government announced the plan to adopt a “kill all, torch all” policy to crackdown the People’s Defense Forces (PDF), an opposition group, in Sagaing Region, in North-West Myanmar. [AiR No. 10, March/2022, 2]
While sources from the military junta denied all the accusations blaming local terrorist groups as responsible for the atrocities, a local surgeon ascribed the attacks to the junta forces claiming that from a medical examination of the bodies was likely that the perpetrators intended to eliminate the evidence of their actions. [Radio Free Asia]
Myanmar: Women disproportionally affected by political unrest, inaccessibility to healthcare centers
(bs) Women in Myanmar are showing a drastic decline in development gains, according to the United Nations (UN) survey “Regressing Gender Equality in Myanmar: Women Living Under the Pandemic and Military Rule.” The survey also showed that the military regime that took over the power in a coup on February 1, 2021, has threatened the country’s progress on gender equality. The World Bank and International Labour Organization shared the same vision reporting that the pandemic’s socio-economic impact has “disproportionally affected women and girls.”
The survey, based on interviews with 2,200 women in late 2021, found that one in three women fears walking in their neighborhood and feeling unsafe in their homes. Political instability and the outbreak of the pandemic had severely affected families' financial income and healthcare. Women faced graver consequences as they are encouraged to take responsibility for the household. Young girls were forced to leave their jobs and schools undermining their future social stability, according to the survey. Also, pregnant or breastfeeding women had hardly access to healthcare often facing post-partum health complications. [UNPD] [United Nations Myanmar]
Since the February 2021 coup, several healthcare facilities have been attacked and hundreds of health workers have been arrested. The junta has been raiding local clinics and hospitals causing fear among the population to access the areas. According to Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), an organization that uses the expertise of doctors and scientists to investigate human rights violations, patients are often forcibly evacuated from hospitals, and ambulances turned away at gunpoint.
As “health care has been attacked on every level,” the shadow government and local institutions have established new tertiary hospitals in rural areas, according to a PHR program officer. However, there remains a wide part of the rural territory that is under military control. There, only underground clinics are available to the citizens, who often avoid seeking treatment for fear of arrest or violence.
PHR called the international community to create humanitarian corridors and protect health care workers and health care services in emergency situations. [Devex]
The Philippines: President Duterte yet to endorse Marcos as presidential candidate
(dvr) President Duterte has yet to endorse Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as a presidential candidate in the upcoming election on May 9, stating that he would only endorse a candidate if there are ‘’compelling reasons’’.
Following the president’s statement, Alfonso Cusi, Energy Secretary and leader of Duterte’s Philippines Democratic Party People’s-Power (PDP-Laban), stated that the party’s endorsement of a candidate depends on their willingness to adopt the Duterte’s Administration’s “11-point agenda for continuity,” which embodies the ‘fight against corruption, eradication of poverty, advancement of peace and order, ending the pandemic, defeating communist terrorism, sustaining economic growth, and generation of jobs.’
While other parties have already appointed their candidates, President Duterte will begin campaigning for PDP-Laban candidates on March 25. [Philstar] [Inquirer 1] [Inquirer 2]
The Philippines: President Duterte appoints new Election Commission Chief and two commissioners
(dvr) President Rodrigo Duterte named a new Chief of the Commissions of Elections (Comelec) on March 8, along with two new commissioners. National Commission on Muslim Filipinos Secretary Saidamen Pangarungan will lead Comelec while high profile election lawyer George Garcia and Duterte government official Aimee Torrefranca-Neri will serve on the commission. With these appointments, all seven Comelec positions have been filled with individuals chosen by Duterte. [Philstar]
Pangarungan is known to push for clean and fair elections, while Torrefranca-Neri is reported to have close ties to Duterte and worked under his administration as an assistant justice secretary, Bureau of Immigration deputy commissioner, and social welfare undersecretary. The other commissioner, Garcia, is a well-known election lawyer who in 2016 defeated vice presidential candidate at the time Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during an electoral protest. [Rappler 1] [Rappler 2] [Rappler 3]
The new appointees have stated their commitment to upholding the constitutional standards of a clean and fair election well aware of the challenges that they will face from fact-checkers, criticism about their commitment to freedom of expression, and the numerous petitions to block the candidacy of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in the May 9 elections. [Rappler 4]
The Philippines: Commission of Elections, Rappler election partnership suspended
(dvr) On March 8, one day after the Commission of Election (Comelec) defended its partnership with media outlet Rappler, the Memorandum of Agreement with the online news agency has been suspended pending a decision from the Supreme Court. Rappler was the official fact-checker for Comelec during the upcoming election, working in collaboration with 14 newsgroups and over 100 civil society organizations. The news agency would have also created educational content for voters.
However, this partnership was met with strong opposition from Solicitor General Jose Calida, who stated that the cooperation agreement would result in a violation of free speech. The solicitor immediately appealed to the Supreme Court asking to nullify the agreement. [Rappler]
The Philippines: President Duterte accuses communist rebels to disrupt upcoming elections
(dvr) President Duterte claimed that the Liberal Party of the Philippines is working with a group of communists and an unnamed terrorist group to disrupt the upcoming election through scheming with certain political organizations, stating that there would be no tolerance for violence to achieve political objectives.
Senator Panfilo "Ping" Lacson and Rep. Jesus Crispin Remulla have claimed that the presidential campaign of vice president Leni Robredo has been” infiltrated by communists.” Their evidence comes from claims that members of the Makabayan bloc, deemed terrorist organizations, were present at rallies from Robredo. Robredo’s campaign has called the accusation an act of “fear-mongering” to dampen the support and commitment of the people’s campaign that has created increasing support for her candidacy.
The United Nations Human Rights Office and Commission of Human Rights have repeatedly stated that associating activism with terrorism, as in the case of the Makabayan bloc, can lead to harassment and intimidation.
Robredo spoke out on March 13 against recent texts that have incited her as building a coalition government with communists. The texts supposedly quoted Robredo calling the founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Jose Maria Sison a hero and that if she is elected, he will be able to return from exile. Robredo stated that these texts are an attempt to” red-tag” her and her volunteers, using” disinformation and propaganda” targeted towards the uninformed. Red-tagging is the act of labeling a person or group of people as communists or terrorists to discredit them. [Manila Bulletin 1] [Inquirer]
The CPP chief information officer Marco Valbuena stated that Duterte is "singing a tune from the Marcos songbook" as his tactics resemble those used by former dictator Ferdinand Marcos to declare martial law in 1972. Further warning of ”false flag operations” set the stage for mass arrests of democratic and patriotic organizations to create political panic and election disruption. Duterte has stated he has full trust in all of the current presidential candidates, but he is yet to endorse any and prefers to stay neutral. [Manila Bulletin 2][Philstar 1] [Philstar 2]
Singapore: Government plans to enhance country’s military prospects
(bs) In early March, the Singapore government announced the intention to strengthen the country’s military prospect to efficiently handle military threats.
Singapore is aiming at enhancing its digital security and developing a modern and efficient military basis. According to the Defense Minister, Singapore is hoping to protect its citizens and public institutions from cyberattacks. He also said that the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) will establish a “fourth service” to increase the country’s capabilities in the digital domain by the end of 2022.
Moreover, the government has released a number of programs that the country will be undertaking to reach its military development goals by 2040. With that vision, the Singaporean government proposed a defense budget of approximately USD 12 billion for 2022. [The Diplomat]
Thailand: Bangkok deputy governor resigns to run for governor
(ay) Deputy Governor of Bangkok Sakoltee Phattiyakul has resigned, effective March 7, in order to prepare to run as an independent candidate in the upcoming Bangkok gubernatorial election, tentatively scheduled for May.
Mr. Sakoltee announced his resignation on social media, stating that he had submitted his resignation letter to Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang and that he would soon announce his team and future plans for Bangkok. He also stated that his goal was to improve the quality of life in Bangkok as well as the city's environment. [ThaiPBS World] [Bangkok Post]
Thailand: Former Bangkok MP to face criminal suit over poll
(gl) Former Palang Pracharath Party Member of the Parliament for Bangkok Sira Jenjaka has had a criminal suit filed against him by the Electoral Commission (EC). The suit is in connection to a previous conviction for fraud. [Bangkok Post 1]
In December 2021, Sira lost his parliamentary status as he was sentenced by the Pathumwan District Court on offenses relating to property fraud in 1995. It is against the Election of MPs Act to apply to run in elections with a criminal conviction. [Thai PBS]
The EC is filing the suit as Sira allegedly contested the 2019 election in Bangkok’s Laksi district while knowing that he had no right to do so. He went on to win the election, triggering a by-election when the fraud became known.
The maximum penalty for the charge is ten-years jail time, a fine of 20,000-200,000 TBH and 20-year deprivation of his right to contest an election. [Bangkok Post 2]
Thailand: Former cabinet minister jailed for corruption
(gl) Former cabinet minister Watana Muangsook’s final appeal has been turned down after he was found guilty of eleven counts of corruption, including abuse of power and soliciting bribes. The original conviction handed down in the high-profile September 2020 corruption case resulted in a 50-year jail sentence, the maximum under Thai law. [Thai PBS]
The case refers to the Ua Athorn low-cost housing project that Watana was involved in during the early 2000s as minister of social development and human security in Thaksin Shinawatra’s government. The cabinet approved USD 29.8 million in state subsidies for the USD 74.5 million project.
However, irregularities were reported to Thailand’s Assets Examinations Committee which identified USD 2.4 million going to Watana from the project’s contractor through bank accounts of employees of rice trader Apichart Chansakulporn.
Watana joins six other defendants in the case who are obliged to pay a total of THB 89 million among them in compensation to the state. [Bangkok Post] [The Thaiger]
Thailand: Women activists in Bangkok petitions Prime Minister to change Thailand's maternity leave law
(ay) On March 8, women's rights groups in Bangkok urged Prime Minister to amend Thailand's current 1998 Labor Protection Act, focusing on the maternity leave law.
Under the current Act, employers are required to compensate women for 90 days of unpaid leave, of which the costs of the first 45 days are covered by employers and the second 45 days are paid by the Social Security Office. The advocates have urged the Social Security Office to draft a legal amendment increasing maternity leave to 98 days.
The act allows a temporary change of workplace duties shortly before and after childbirth and protects women who are pregnant from being fired. Mandatory paternity leave is not available in the private sector; however, men are granted 15 days of leave to care for newborn babies in the public sector. [The Thaiger]
Thailand: Progressive Movement leader charged with computer crime
(kc/bs) On March 11, Pannika Wanich, former Future Forward Member of the Parliament (MP) and now prominent leader of the Progressive Movement, was indicted in the criminal court for violating the Computer Crime Act allegedly jeopardizing national security. The MP faces charges for Facebook posts made between 2013-14 where she posted copies of a song on the fall of the 14th-18th century Kingdom of Ayutthaya and criticizes the Democrat Party under Abhisit Vejjajiva, former Thai prime minister from 2008 to 2011.
According to Pannika, her case is just one among more than one hundred cases against opposition members that are still pending alleging that “certain laws are being abused for political purposes.”
The court granted her bail release and scheduled a pre-trial hearing on April 25, 2022. [Thai PBS World] [Prachatai, in Thai]
Thailand: Prime Minister orders to increase security in the aftermath of a new Southern bomb attack
(ay) Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha has ordered investigators to apprehend perpetrators who detonated a bomb that injured four ranger patrols and two civilians near a school in Bannang Sata district, Yala province, in Southern Thailand. He has also issued an order for authorities to increase security in all areas, particularly sensitive areas such as transportation and railway lines.
Southern Thailand’s separatist group wishes to establish a region called Patani Darussalam that includes the provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat, Songkhla, and parts of Malaysia. In January, the Thai government and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), Islamist Patani independence movement in northern Malaysia and Patani, southern Thailand, participated in a peace dialogue panel but were unable to reach an agreement as Thai authorities refused to grant autonomy to the Patani Malay people or accept the BRN’s demands for a Malay-language Islamic school system.
The latest insurgency comes after a government negotiator announced last month that Thailand would hold peace talks with Southern rebels soon. [Thaiger] [Thaipost in Thai]
Timor-Leste: Country ready for presidential elections
(bs) Timor Leste’s population is ready to hold the seventh presidential election since the country’s independence in 2002 with the largest number of candidates in its history. The polls are scheduled for March 19.
Although Timor-Leste has ranked one of the most democratic states in Southeast Asia in the latest Economist Intelligence Unit’s latest Democracy Index, critics share concerns over potential issues during the elections. They especially pointed out independent candidates, who are running without the support of a party. According to the critics, they might face difficulties in competing and representing the population.
However, the country is believed to have already made progress in gender equality and women’s empowerment as this is the first time that Timor-Leste has four women running in presidential elections. [The Diplomat]
International Relations, Geopolitics and Security in Asia
China holds high-level talks over war in Ukraine
(xh/dql) Indicative of China’s growing role in the war in Ukraine, China held a series of high-level diplomatic talks in the past days and week.
On March 14, Chinese Communist Party Politburo member and Director of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission General Office Yang Jiechi met with US national security adviser Jake Sullivan in Rome for a seven-hour discussion. A follow up November’s virtual meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Joe Biden, the exchange was, however, dominated by the war in Ukraine.
According to the White House, Sullivan warned during the meeting of “significant consequences,” if China supports Russia with military and other assistance. Sullivan’s warning follows claims of US officials that Russia’s has requested Chinese military and financial support. [South China Morning Post] [The New York Times]
Expressing rejection of the claims, Yang voiced strong opposition to “any words and deeds that spread false information, or distort and discredit China's position,” declaring that “China is committed to promoting peace talks,” while also demanding that the “legitimate concerns of all parties” are responded to. [Xinhua]
Echoing this, Chinese Foreign Wang Yi in his phone talk on the same with his Spanish counterpart Jose Manuel Albares on the same day lashed out against “forces” that “have been constantly smearing China’s objective and just position on the Ukraine issue and creating disinformation.” He reportedly insisted in the talk that China was “not a party to the [Ukraine] crisis,” affirming that Beijing will “continue to play a constructive role on multilateral occasions for the peaceful settlement of the Ukraine crisis.” [ECNS] [Politico]
Meanwhile, Chinese President Xi Jinping called on France and Germany to work with China to support peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in a virtual meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on March 9. He called the current situation in Ukraine “worrisome,” and – in what appears to be the first time that China uses the word “war” for the conflict in Ukraine – affirmed that “the Chinese side is deeply grieved by the outbreak of war again on the European continent.” However, Xi refrained from condemning Russia. [CGTN] [Al Jazeera]
China backs Russian allegations of US support for development of biological weapons in Ukraine
(xh/dql) Reflecting continued close ranks between China and Russia over the intensifying war in Ukraine, the Chinese Foreign Ministry has urged the US to clarify allegations of the US using laboratories in Ukraine to develop biological weapons. The call came after Russia accused in a session of the UN security council the US and Ukraine of working together on developing biological weapons in 30 laboratories across the country. [Foreign Ministry, China] [AP News]
In light of these development, CIA Director Bill Burns has warned during a hearing of the US Senate Intelligence Committee on worldwide threats, that the abovementioned allegations are part of Russia’s information war and used by as a false flag operation. [AA]
However, on March 10, China has reportedly refused to provide Russia with aircraft parts after Western sanctions affected Russian aviation. Aircraft companies such as Boeing and Airbus have already stopped providing Russia with aircraft components and almost all European countries have banned Russian planes in their airspace. [CNN]
China to provide nearly USD 800 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine
(xh) On March 9, Beijing affirmed that China would provide Ukraine with a second shipment of food and daily necessities worth US$790,000. The first shipment was sent on Tuesday, March 8 and it was worth $44 million. [France 24]
US state government’s computer networks hacked by Chinese state-sponsored hacking group
(xh) According to research published by cybersecurity company Mandiant on March 8, a Chinese state-backed group, APT41, allegedly found and exploited security flaws of six US State Governments’ computer networks between May 2021 and February 2022. Other companies such as Blackberry, had already called out the APT41 group as “a prolific Chinese state-sponsored cyberthreat group”.
Last month, the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) described China as “brazen and damaging” for attempting to steal American tech intelligence. In this case, Mandiant said that the reasons behind the cybertheft remain unclear but that the group is using new methods to circumvent the US cyber protection. China declared that it strongly denounces all kinds of cyber-attacks and that it firmly rejects to be marked as the agent of any cyber-attack, given the vastity and complexity of online actors. [CNBC] [Tech Crunch] [The Guardian]
Australia to boost military to counter China
(dql) Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on March 10 that Australia will increase the country’s defense force personnel by some 30 percent by 2040. The country’s largest military build-up in peace time, the defense forces would grow to 80.000 from currently 60.000 personnel. The costs are estimated at USD 27 billion.
In an apparent reference to China, Morrison cited “threats and the environment that we face as a country, as a liberal democracy in the Indo-Pacific,” for this move. [The Defense Post]
Japan not to follow US in ban on Russian oil and natural gas
(cm) Japanese companies and consortia have decided to keep their stakes in Sakhalin 1, Sakhalin 2 and Arctic LNG 2 oil and gas projects, despite the ongoing aggression in Ukraine, unlike Group of Seven allies U.S. and Britain, who decided to respectively withdraw oil major Exxon Mobil Corp. from the Sakhalin 1 project and Shell from the Sakhalin 2 project. [The Mainichi]
Because of the geographical proximity and the necessity to decentralize supply sources from the Middle East Japan has been supporting the Russia energy sector, from which 3.6 percent of crude oil imports and 8.8 percent of liquefied natural gas imports in Japan come, and these are not easy to replace.
Trade Minister Koichi Hagiuda stated on March 8, that Japan will protect its energy security while responding to Russian violations, as it would be pointless to exit the projects only for another country, such as China, to take its place. [The Japan Times]
Nonetheless, Japan’s USD 8.4 billion worth of investments in Russian energy facilities could meet complications, considering Tokyo’s intention of labelling Russia a “security challenge”, while the latter added Japan to the list of 48 countries and regions "engaging in unfriendly activities toward Russia" on March 7. The latest move by Moscow is a response to sanctions imposed on the country and will enable government agencies, companies and other bodies repay creditors in listed countries and regions in rubles, disregarding the recent plummet of the ruble. [The Mainichi]
In a related development, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida stated on March 12 that Japan is considering implementing further sanctions on Russia, along with other Group of Seven (G7) members. The government has already approved an export ban on semiconductors directed at Russia and Belarus, joining the U.S. and EU, set to start on March 18; the ban includes chips, machinery tools and communication equipment. [Bloomberg]
Kishida’s statement came after on March 11, the G7 released a joint statement saying that Russia would be stripped of the “most favoured nation” (MFN) status under World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. [Kyodo News]
The G7 members will also actively track down the illicit use of crypto assets, as cryptocurrencies may be used to escape the sanctions imposed on Russia. On March 14 Japanese authorities ordered cryptocurrencies firms not to process transactions involving digital assets targeted by the asset-freeze sanctions. Unauthorized crypto exchanges will be punished for up to three years in prison or with a JPY 1 million (around USD 8,487) fine. [Reuters]
Japan to offer more support to fleeing Ukrainian people
(cm) On March 8 Justice Minister Yoshihisa Furukawa announced in a parliamentary session that Japan has already welcomed eight Ukrainians fleeing war in their home country so far and granted them short-term residency for 90 days, which can be extended or replaced with a longer-term residential status which would allow them to work in Japan.
Many municipalities are offering more forms of support to Ukrainian refugees, such as housing, jobs and education for their children; Yokohama, Japan’s second most populous city, is providing 79 already secured rooms in public housing, and will also raise relief donations for the European country.
Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura told the prefectural assembly that the prefectural government plans to both provide Ukrainian evacuees with free accommodation using vacant prefecture-run housing and to set up a venue for employment and educational support.
Prime Minister Kishida also stated that, although priority will be given to refugees who have family or friends in Japan, the government will also be accepting those who have neither given the severity of the humanitarian situation. [Japan Today] [The Japan Times]
Additionally, on March 11 the government announced that Japan will extend USD 100 million in humanitarian aid to help Ukrainians in their motherland and neighboring countries, including Poland, Hungary, Moldova, Slovakia, and Romania. Of the total amount, the Japanese government already laid out JPY 8.8 billion (USD 75.3 million) from the fiscal 2021 reserve funds, and the aid will also include food, water and shelter. [Devdiscourse] [Japan Today]
Japan-Russia dispute over Kuril Islands aggravated by preferential tax system
(cm) On March 9 Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an amendment to the federal tax code to establish preferential tax systems, which will create a tax-free zone on the four Russian-held islands called the Northern Territories in Japan and the Southern Kurils in Russia.
With the amendment companies registered with the Russian government, when working in the islands, will not be required to pay key taxes, including corporate, property and land taxes, for up to 20 years.
Japan protested the move as it does not conform with the aim of the joint Japanese-Russian economic activities which have been in discussion, to be carried out without harming the legal stance of either country. [NHK 1] [Kyodo News 1]
On March 10 the Russian defense ministry carried out an air defense drill with an S-300 surface-to-air missile system, which targets fighter jets and missiles, on the four islands. As the exercise was conducted without prior notice, the Japanese government lodged a protest through diplomatic channels the following day. [NHK 2] [The Japan Times]
A few days earlier, on March 7, Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida described the chain of islets as “inherent territory”, a term which Japanese politicians have avoided since November 2018, when in a Japan-Russia summit leaders met to accelerate negotiations toward a peace treaty, based on the 1956 joint declaration according to which Moscow would "transfer" two of the four disputed islands, Shikotan and the Habomai islets, to Japan upon conclusion of the treaty. Projects of pursuing economic cooperation were changed by Russia’s aggression in Ukraine in February and the progression towards a treaty seems unlikely. [The Mainichi] [Nikkei Asia]
Tokyo announced on March 11 that the eight-point plan proposed under Shinzo Abe’s prime ministry, which sought the resolution of said territorial dispute, will be deferred for the time being. [Kyodo News 2]
Japan and South Korea to step up cooperation against North Korean threat
(cm) On a phone call to congratulate the prospective South Korean president on March 11, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol agreed to strengthen bilateral ties and three-way ties with the United States in response to North Korea's evolving nuclear threat. Kishida also recalled the issue regarding the abduction of Japanese nationals in the 1970s and 1980s by Pyongyang.
The relationship between South Korea and Japan have been strained since the Japanese occupation of the Korean peninsula between 1910 and 1945, from which stemmed issues such as victims of Japan's forced labor and mobilization of wartime brothels. Another cause of friction has recently been Japan's recommendation in February of a gold and silver mine complex on Sado Island for the 2023 UNESCO World Heritage list as South Korea protested that the site is linked to wartime forced labor of Koreans. [Kyodo News] [Reuters]
Nonetheless, both are open to cooperation over matters of regional security, and sanctions may be imposed on North Korea. The return of a conservative leadership in South Korea is welcomed by Japan in hopes of an improvement in the relationship between the two countries, but Yoon’s actions may be constrained by the opinion of the South Korean public. [ The Diplomat]
Japan’s GSDF starts amphibious drill with US Marines
(cm) Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) and the US Marine Corps last week kicked off an amphibious drill lasting three weeks, in order to work on response capabilities to contingencies in wake of China’s expansion of maritime forces. The exercise is set to finish on March 25, and it is the first large-scale drill to be jointly performed in the Indo-Pacific by the GSDF’s amphibious brigade and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit involving some 400 GSDF members and 600 from the Okinawa-based Marine unit. [Japan Today] [Kyodo News 1]
Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force and the US Air Force, meanwhile, on March 10 carried out the first ever joint exercise involving their respective F-35A advanced stealth fighter jets. Japan’s Defense Ministry hailed the drill as a "a major milestone in the improvement of the ASDF's ability and Japan-U.S. joint response capabilities." [Kyodo News 2]
Meanwhile, in a high-level meeting between senior Japanese and US foreign and defense officials on March 11, Japan and the US decided to boost deterrence in view of the multiple rounds of missile tests carried out recently by North Korea, amounting to already nine this year. [Japan Today]
Japan’s Foreign Minister to visit UAE and Turkey to coordinate against Russia
(cm) Later this month Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi plans to visit the United Arab Emirates, a major producer of crude oil, and Turkey, which has ties with both Russia and Ukraine. Sharing the border with both sides of the conflict in the Black Sea, Turkey, also a North Atlantic Treaty Organization member, has been acting as a mediator between Moscow and Kyiv who met in a diplomatic forum in Antalya province in southern Turkey. The country has already voted for a United Nations Security Council resolution condemning the Russian attack, and Hayashi’s visit seeks to express Japan’s support of Turkey’s role in subduing the Ukraine crisis. In the planned meeting with UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Hayashi expects to secure assurances on a stable oil supply to energy-scarce Japan. [Kyodo News]
North Korean ship crosses Northern Limit Line
(mpk) After North Korea recently tightened up ballistic missile tests and increased tensions on the Korean peninsula, a North Korean boat and a ship violated the Northern Limit Line (NLL), the disputed maritime demarcation line in the Yellow (West) Sea between the North and South on March 8. After a South Korean warship fired three warning shots, the military boat started to move in the opposite direction.
However, the ship was captured by the South Korean Navy for investigation. The North Koreans said in their statements that they accidentally violated the territorial waters of South Korea while carrying supplies by ship. Thereupon, South Korea extradited seven people back to North Korea. [Yonhap News Agency 1] [The Korea Times]
South Korea: The government continue to minimize economic loss stemming from Russia
(mpk) South Korea, which was declared an "unfriendly country" in the list published by Russia on March 7, stated that it is investigating new measures to prevent the negative effects that may arise from Moscow’s decision, under which the South Korean government, firms and individuals can collect debts only in the Russian ruble. Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo convened an emergency meeting with IT firms, automakers, and shipbuilders, as well as state-owned trade agencies and experts right after Russia’s announcement. [Yonhap News Agency 1]
The US, Australia put North Korea affiliated companies on the sanction list
(mpk) Australia has put Pyongyang-based trading firm Puhung Trading Corp. on its list of entities under financial sanctions citing the company’s involvement in Korth Korea’s development of weapons of mass destruction as well as its links with China-based Dandong Rich Earth Trading Company Limited and Russian-based Profinet Pte Ltd which are suspected of assisting Pyongyang in shunning international sanctions. [Yonhap News Agency]
Meanwhile, the US Treasury Ministry announced on Friday, March 11, that it sanctioned two Russian individuals and three Russia-based organizations for supplying parts of North Korea's illegal ballistic missile systems. [Voice of America]
North Korea: Willing to protect its national security by testing ballistic missile and nuclear weapons
(mpk) According to the annual worldwide threat assessment report published by the US Director of National Intelligence, North Korea is trying to shape regional security in its favor by continuing its ballistic missile and nuclear tests.
The report specifies that North Korea’s recent flight tests are an indication of Pyongyang resuming tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles in this year which are able to deliver nuclear warheads to the US. They are part of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s policy to deter outside intervention. To do so, the report forecasts that North Korea will continue to test short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs), cruise missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and HGVs (hypersonic glide vehicles).
Commenting on the report, during a hearing before the House of Representative’s Intelligence Committee, General Glen Vanherck, commander of the US Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, warned that the US are required to improve its ballistic missile defense systems in order to cope the Pyongyang’s threat. He highlighted especially the need for the deployment of the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) – a Missile Defense Agency program to upgrade the kill vehicles for the ground-based interceptors – “on time or early” and full operational capability of the Long-Range Discrimination Radar “on schedule.” [The Korea Herald] [Yonhap News Agency 1] [Office of the Director of National Intelligence, USA]
In a related development, Gen. Paul LaCamera, the Commander of the US Korean Forces (USFK), confirmed that North Korea, for the time being, was unlikely to abandon its nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities, adding that adequate U.S. assets such as intelligence surveillance reconnaissance (ISRs) was needed to deter possible aggression from the North. [Yonhap News Agency 2]
Taiwan-US relation: Secretary of State Blinken reaffirms support for Taiwan-Lithuania ties
(eb) US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken reaffirmed US backing of relations between Lithuania and Taiwan while on a visit in Vilnius. He added that Washington is fully committed to supporting the European Union in its dispute against China over its embargo of Lithuanian products towards Chinese markets. [Taiwan News]
The Taiwan-Lithuania ties have been harshly discouraged by China especially after the de-facto Taiwan embassy in Vilnius changed its name from “Chinese Taipei” to “Taiwan”, resulting in a retaliation by China that imposed bans on Lithuanian products. [BBC]
The US Department of Defense, meanwhile, declared on March 7 that Taiwanese F-16 will not be moved to Poland, dismissing speculations of news outlets, according to which the F-16 of Taiwan would replace the fighter jets that Poland would give to the Ukraine air force. [Focus Taiwan]
Although Washington formally said that it will not be in the way of countries willing to give that kind of support to Ukraine, Poland rebuked the idea of supplying their own Sukoi-29 to Ukraine. The Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense confirmed that the F-16s will not be displaced in Poland as well. [Taiwan News]
Furthermore, on March 9, the US House of Representatives approved an amendment in the spending bill which prohibits the US State Department from buying maps that depict Taiwan as a part of China. The bill also includes USD 32,583,000 in funding for the US de facto embassy in Taiwan, the American Institute in Taiwan, marking a new show of support by the United States towards Taiwan. [Taiwan News]
Taiwan among Russia’s “unfriendly countries”
(eb) On March 7 Russia released a list of countries that are to be considered “hostile” because they applied economic sanctions against the Russian government and institutions. Taiwan is among them.
According to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, due to the limited involvement by Taiwanese institutions with Russia is minimal in terms of overall trade as well as dependency for importing energy from it. [Taiwan News]
Belize’s Prime Minister visits Taiwan
(eb) John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize, arrived in Taiwan on March 8 to discuss ways to deepen the economic and military ties between Taiwan and one of the fifteen states of the world that recognizes it. [Taiwan News 1]
Briceño met President Tsai Ing-wen on March 9 and expressed the full support of its country to its ally, adding that the two countries should cooperate to protect and spread democracy and freedom worldwide. [Radio Taiwan International]
He also discussed the possibility of expanding economic cooperation between the two countries citing Belize’s stable currency, predictable political and business environments, government-initiated incentives to support businesses and bilingual population as positive factors for Taiwanese entrepreneurs willing to invest in Belize. [Focus Taiwan]
India reviews procedures after missile accidentally fired into Pakistan
(lm/tj) An accidental missile fired by India last week prompted Pakistan to prepare a retaliatory strike that was only hold back because an initial assessment indicated something was amiss, Bloomberg reported on March 15, citing people familiar with the matter. [Bloomberg]
The unarmed BrahMos supersonic cruise missile landed in Pakistan on March 9 because of a “technical malfunction” during routine maintenance without causing any casualties, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh told parliament on March 15. Singh also said New Delhi was reviewing its standard operating procedures for weapons systems. [The Straits Times]
Pakistan’s foreign minister raised the issue with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres by telephone on March 14, asking for a joint probe into the incident and rejecting New Delhi's initial decision to hold an internal inquiry. China, for its part, asked the South Asian neighbors to set up a reporting mechanism to avoid such incidents and share information. [Al Jazeera]
Latest border talks between India, China end without resolution
(lm) Military commanders of India and China held another round of talks to resolve the 22-months-long border conflict on March 11, two months after the last round of such talks failed to yield any significant outcome in resolving the row. But this round of talks – the 15th since the dispute began in the summer of 2020 – like the previous two rounds, ended without any agreement to pull back troops from friction points along the disputed Himalayan border. [The Straits Times]
Last year, the two sides pulled back troops from a strategic lake, Pangong Tso, but subsequent talks held in October to discuss disengaging at other places ended in a deadlock, with both sides blaming each other for a lack of progress [see AiR No. 41, October/2021, 2]. The other unresolved points are Hot Springs, Depsang Plains and Demchok, all of which did not feature in the initial disengagement process.
Last week, the two sides carried forward their discussions from the previous round held in mid-January for the resolution of the relevant issues along the Line of Actual Control in the Western Sector [see AiR No. 3, January/2022, 3]. [The New Indian Express]
China, Bangladesh deny reports on planned Chinese missile maintenance hub
(lm) China and Bangladesh have separately denied reports that claimed Beijing was preparing to establish a maintenance facility in Bangladesh for a ground-based air defense systems it supplied in 2011. The reports had raised red flags in India, given that Bangladesh is located at an overlap between New Delhi’s strategic backyard and China’s strategic periphery.
In 2011, the Bangladesh Air Force was equipped with its first China-made, surface-to-air FM-90 anti-aircraft missile system as part of the government’s efforts to modernize the armed forces. On March 11, Nikkei Asia reported that Dhaka and Beijing had agreed to set up a maintenance facility in Bangladesh for the missile system, citing a senior Bangladeshi diplomat. Both sides reportedly decided to maintain secrecy in light of the implications for the regional security balance. [Nikkei Asia]
The report assumes added significance considering that similar claims had previously been made in an article published in mid-February by The Tribune. [The Tribune]
Speaking against this backdrop, Bangladesh’s State Minister Shahriar Alam on March 14 brushed aside the latest report, calling the allegations “completely false and misleading”. Using a similar language, China’s ambassador to Bangladesh the previous day denied the report. [bdnews24.com] [The Daily Star]
Russia seeks Indian investment in its oil and gas sector as sanctions bite
(lm) Against the larger backdrop of biting sanctions imposed on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, Moscow is keen to increase its oil and petroleum exports to India, and to attract investment from Asia’s third-largest economy in its oil sector. [Reuters]
That was the message Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak conveyed to India’s Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri on March 11. Nowak also said Russia expects both countries to continue cooperation on civilian nuclear power, including building new units at a nuclear power plant in the south Indian town of Kudankulam.
The talks lend further credence to reports suggesting that India is considering taking up an offer to buy discounted crude oil from Russia, which has lost major buyers in the past weeks. The United States this week banned Russian oil imports and the United Kingdom said it will phase them out by year end. [The Straits Times]
India’s cumulative investment in Russian oil and gas projects exceeds USD 15 billion, making it the single-largest destination of Indian overseas investment in the oil and gas sector. In 2020 India’s state-run Indian Oil Corporation signed a deal with its Russian counterpart Rosneft for the annual purchase of 2 million tons of crude oil. This was the first-ever annual oil purchase deal between the two countries. [The Economic Times]
Crucially, a decision to purchase more oil from Russia would have to be weighed against the adverse reaction from India’s western partners – most notably the United States – who have already expressed unhappiness on India’s decision to abstain from every vote related to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. These include votes at the United Nations (UN) Security Council, the UN General Assembly, the UN Human Rights Council and at the International Atomic Energy Agency. [AiR No. 10, March/2022, 2]
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had said last month that India does not follow “unilateral sanctions”; however, in 2019, India did bow to Washington’s demands that it “zero out” all its oil imports from Iran.
Bangladeshi top security advisor meets Indian Prime Minister Modi as Dhaka, New Delhi intensify trade talks
(lm) The top security advisor to Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Tarique Ahmed Siddique, on March 7 met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, days after the two countries held commerce secretary-level talks in New Delhi.
India and Bangladesh have been working to deepen trade ties since Prime Minister Modi’s Dhaka visit in March last year [see AiR No. 13, March/2021, 5]. Earlier this month, the two nations agreed to conduct a joint study on Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), as New Delhi is working to conclude at least six bilateral trade agreements this year [see AiR No. 9, March/2022, 1]. [Hindustan Times]
On March 7 then, India’s commerce and industry minister, Piyush Goyal, outlined four key areas for strengthening economic and trade relations with Bangladesh, including an uninterrupted supply chain, the joint production of defense equipment, and pharmaceuticals. He also pressed for the need to explore potential areas of investments. [The Economic Times]
Bangladesh, India, Nepal move ahead on motor vehicle agreement project
(lm) Three member states of the four-member subregional initiative BBIN – Bangladesh, India, and Nepal – on March 8 agreed to sign an enabling Memorandum of Understanding, as they agreed to progress towards implementation of the Motor Vehicles Agreement (MVA) that seeks to facilitate cross-border road transport. Representatives on Bhutan participated in the meeting in New Delhi in an observer capacity. [The Hindu]
The original BBIN MVA was signed by all four countries in June 2015, and has since been ratified by Bangladesh, India and Nepal. The lower house of the Bhutanese parliament approved the agreement in early 2016, but it was rejected by the upper house in November 2016. In light of this, former Prime Minister Tobgay Tshering’s government in 2017 decided to allow the other three countries to go ahead with the negotiations without Bhutan.
However, progress on the seven-year-old project has been slow, despite several trial runs being held along the Bangladesh-India-Nepal road route for passenger buses and cargo trucks. An existing bilateral agreement between Bhutan and India already permits seamless vehicle movement between the two countries. Therefore, Bhutan’s decision to not ratify the BBIN MVA would only affect its trade with Nepal and Bangladesh.
Sri Lanka, Oman discuss improving trade and investment
(kd/lm) A business delegation from Oman on March 9 concluded an extended working visit to Sri Lanka, the first such visit by representatives of the Sultanate to Colombo. The visiting delegation met with various Sri Lankan top officials, including Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, as well as the ministers for finance, trade, and labor, with discussions centering around private sector cooperation between the two countries. [ColomboPage] [Daily News]
Pakistan apologizes for police raid on North Korean embassy in Islamabad
(lm) Pakistan has apologized to North Korea after police in Islamabad raided Pyongyang’s embassy in the capital on March 7, acting on a tip that the mission was stockpiling liquor. In a letter protesting the raid, the embassy accused Islamabad police of violating the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, alleging that police had threatened intervening diplomatic staff with guns. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid on March 10 apologized for the incident and called it a “misunderstanding.” [Dawn] [Vice]
India’s counter-terrorism body apprehends smugglers trafficking Rohingyas from Bangladesh
(kd) Agents from India’s counter-terrorism body, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), have apprehended six persons involved in trafficking Rohingyas from Bangladesh into India. After receiving information, NIA agents opened the case in December of last year. The six gang members, in cooperation with counterparts in Bangladesh used the exposed borders with Assam, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and West Bengal to transport Rohingyas with forged Indian identification papers to evade detection. [News 18] [The Daily Star]
The Netherlands, Australian ambassadors pledge assistance to Nepalese development and women’s health
(kd) The ambassador of the Netherlands to Bangladesh has assured that Amsterdam was prepared to supply Nepal with its knowledge of water management. Having practiced this for the last 600 to 700 years, the ambassador was certain his country could aid Nepal in its socio-economic development.
The Dutch envoy also noted that the two nations could collaborate on climate change, trade and education. Halting Nepal’s glacier melt would certainly benefit the Netherlands which is already 25 percent under water. Trade in tourism and services and providing Nepali students greater access to Netherlands’ agricultural university would further move Nepal towards its domestic goals. [The Himalayan 1]
Earlier, on March 8, Australia’s ambassador to Nepal and Member of Province 1 Assembly Buddhi Kumar Rajbhandari dedicated a new health facility in Solukhumbu. The Waku Health Post established through a partnership of Australian and Nepali NGOs, including the Australian Himalayan Foundation, Action for Nepal, and One Heart Worldwide, along with the rural municipality. [The Himalayan 2]
Southeast Asian countries to send humanitarian aid to Ukraine while facing trade price inflation
(bs/kc/lb) Southeast Asian countries will likely be affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to experts. However, the import of energy from Russia in Asia is daily limited, meaning that the main importers, such as Singapore and Thailand will not be highly affected by the worldwide price inflation. On the other hand, Vietnam might risk a bigger exposure to the negative effects of trade relations with Russia as it normally purchases 15 percent of its coal import from Russia. In a similar position is the Philippines, which imports 16 percent of its approximately-USD-1.6-billion worth of wheat from Russia on a yearly basis. [The Diplomat]
While there is mounting pressure to withdraw from business partnerships with Russian firms, hundreds of Asian people announced their intention to go on the field and fight for Ukraine. A group of Vietnamese citizens was particularly keen on departing as soldiers in support of Ukraine. However, their actions might cost them criminal charges in Vietnam. Under Article 425 of Vietnam’s Criminal Code, “any person who works as a mercenary to fight against a nation or sovereign territory shall face a penalty of 5 to 15 years' imprisonment.” Regardless of their decision, they might be treated as criminals nonetheless as Russia has warned that all foreigners who want to fight for Ukraine are “not combatants under international humanitarian law and not entitled to prisoner of war status.”
Other Southeast Asian countries have prohibited their citizens to combat in the Ukraine war, among others, there are Singapore and Cambodia. [Radio Free Asia]
Thailand, on the other hand, has approved USD 60,000 of humanitarian aid to Ukraine after receiving a request for humanitarian assistance from the Ukrainian Embassy in Thailand to relieve the impacts of ongoing fighting in the country. [Matichon, in Thai]
Meanwhile, the Philippine ambassador to the United States reported that President Rodrigo Duterte spoke about the Philippines opening its resources to the American forces under the 1951 mutual defense treaty. The Ambassador said the Philippines will intervene and open unspecified facilities to the United States military if Russia’s invasion of Ukraine takes a turn for the worse.
The Philippines previously voted in favor of a United Nations General Assembly resolution demanding that Russia immediately stops the invasion and withdraws its army from Ukraine. [Independent]
Malaysia has also voted in favor of the United Nations General Assembly resolution. The Malaysian foreign minister, however, announced that the country will not impose any sanctions on Russia for the invasion of Ukraine on February 28 claiming that said sanctions should go through the United Nations. As a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Malaysia has suggested a ceasefire and for talks to continue. [Benar News]
President Duterte calls for continuation of Philippines-China relations under new president
(dvr/bp) Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has reiterated the importance for a newly elected leader to honor the Recto Bank exploration deal with China. Recto Bank is an undersea feature in the disputed South China Sea (SCS) also called the West Philippine Sea. It is positioned 85 nautical miles off the Philippines’ Palawan Island and 595 nautical miles from China’s nearest landmass.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in 2016 that Recto Bank is within the Philippines Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), confirming the country’s sovereignty over the area. However, China disputed the Philippines’ possession on historical grounds. In 2018 the two countries signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) acknowledging joint exploration for oil and gas in the Recto Bank with the hope that it would become a replacement of the Philippines' current gas field in Malampaya by providing 20 percent of the country’s energy. The project is expected to be depleted within ten years.
The agreement of cooperation was set to be signed in November 2019, but never took place. President Duterte, however, has reiterated its importance on multiple occasions, recently stating that the new administration elected on May 9 should continue to recognize the MOA. Duterte also warned that any amendments to the MOA can cause conflict between China and the Philippines. [CNNPhilippines] [Inquirer 1] [Manila Bulletin] [SCMP] [Inquirer 2]
Southeast Asian countries might join Trans-Pacific agreement
(lb) The Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia have suggested they may pursue membership of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and have begun to investigate conditions for membership.
Thailand spoke publicly of joining in November 2021 but stated that internal talks and negotiations were required before taking official action. The Philippines formally enquired about joining on February 3, 2021, and are still in discussions with members of the CPTPP and other parties interested on becoming members. Indonesia’s president announced in 2015 the country planned to join the CPTPP but interest decreased with their pursuit of membership in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership. The latter agreement has yet to be approved by Indonesia’s House of Representatives and further consideration of the CPTPP is likely to be delayed until the RCEP business is completed. [The Diplomat]
ASEAN-US summit postponed
(lb) Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and United States President Joe Biden were set to attend a summit hosted by the US on March 28-29, 2022, but the Cambodia prime minister announced that the summit would be postponed and a new date selected.
The prime minister explained the delay by saying some ASEAN leaders could not make the meeting. The White House press secretary commented on the summit in February 2022 stating it was of top priority for the Biden-Harris administration to commemorate 45 years of US-ASEAN relations. The summit is expected to discuss the crisis in Myanmar and ongoing issues such as climate change, infrastructure, investment, and Covid pandemic recovery. [Reuters]
175 states to sign United Nations plastic treaty
(bp) On March 2 at the United Nations (UN) Environment Assembly, 175 United Nations member states agreed to create the world’s first global plastic treaty by 2024. Among these countries were Asia’s largest plastic producers – from China to India, Saudi Arabia, and Japan – whose rivers account for 80 percent of global ocean plastics, with the Philippines alone making up around one third of that total.
The accord aims to focus on recycling single-use plastic to reduce the 11 million tons of global ocean plastic per year. This figure is supplied by the UN Environment Programme, which further projects the volume to triple by 2040. The UN Environment Program also estimates that economies around the world have spent in the range of US$6 billion to US$19 billion in 2018 trying to clean oceans from plastic waste.
Critics however point out that for the recycling of single-use plastic to have a meaningful impact, the production of these plastics will have to decrease, which will hurt bottom line profits causing disinterest amongst plastic producing nations, like China and India, and the petrochemical industry. As a result of the treaty, countries agreed to negotiate and create a legally binding agreement on the problems caused by ocean plastic waste through the consultation of an intergovernmental committee. One of the recommendations that emerged as part of the consultation is for companies to create sustainable supply chains and ensure that plastic pollution is kept at a minimum from production to supply.
Among Asian countries, Malaysia has also been in the spotlight for increasing its plastic waste intake after China banned imports of plastic waste in 2018. However, Kuala Lumpur has signed the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal taking effect as of January 1, through which it is obliged to ensure that the plastic waste entering the country meets the requirements according to the accord.
Analysts hope that the UN plastic treaty will help businesses focus more on repurposing and recycling plastic waste and that governments will rethink the allocation of their national budget to help tackle the issue of plastic waste across the globe, and more so in Asia. [South China Morning Post]
United States to cooperate with Philippines on nuclear energy
(dvr) The Philippines have signed a Nuclear Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (NCMOU) with the United States to improve cooperation on energy security and strengthen diplomatic and economic ties.
This comes a week after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte signed an executive order for the revival of the Philippine nuclear power sector to move away from coal power and combat climate change aiming to meet internationally agreed climate targets. The order also aims to increase the reliability of the Philippines' power supply moving the country to stronger production abilities and economic stability. [AiR No. 10, March/2022, 2]
The US stated that the NCMOU is a platform that will enable its partners to build their own infrastructure for the responsible use of nuclear energy adopting high standards of safety, security, and nonproliferation including independent regulatory oversight.
The US Agency for International Development in the same week launched a new project in the Philippines to increase climate change resilience. The key aim of the project is the cooperation between the Philippines and the US and improving non-government organizations' access to climate resilience funds as well as supporting natural climate solutions. [Philstar] [Rappler]
Philippines uphold deal on Russian helicopters
(dvr) An agreement concluded in November 2021 to purchase 17 Russian Mi-17 heavy-lift helicopters will not be canceled, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana reported on March 9. The USD 249 million deal that was signed with Russia has come under question due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, but with the first payments already made in January 2022, the contract is set to be honored.
The Philippines have denounced Russia’s actions in Ukraine and voted in favor of the United Nations General Assembly resolution that condemned Russia’s military strike on Ukraine. This was a change from the neutral stance that the Philippines had taken a few days earlier.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana stated that the deal was made before the Russia-Ukraine conflict and that there is no likelihood of canceling it, although it depends whether Russia can uphold the obligations of the contract. [BenarNews]
Acquisition of these helicopters is a part of the modernization program of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, designated Horizon 2. The modernization of the armed forces has been long-desired, but not economically viable for the Philippines which has the most underfunded armed forces in Asia. President Duterte has invested in addressing this shortcoming during his last months in office. Expressing further concern for security in the world after the Russia-Ukraine conflict and since his arrival in office in 2016, Duterte has created closer bilateral ties with the US, China, and Russia amid the disputes in the South China Sea. [AP News]
In February, the Department of National Defense and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) signed a USD 263 million contract to acquire six T-129 ATAK from the Turkish Aerospace Industry. The T-129 ATAK is a dedicated attack helicopter that will complement existing Air Force surface strike systems. The first two arrived on March 9. In February the defense department signed another USD 627 million deal with Poland for 32 Blackhawk helicopters, adding to their fleet of 16. [Manila Bulletin] [Rappler]
France, Philippines possible Exclusive Economic Zone patrols
(dvr) On March 7 and 8, Rear Admiral Jean-Mathieu Rey, joint commander of the French Armed Forces in the Asia-Pacific (ALPACI), met Filipino defense officials on his working visit to the Philippines, highlighting France’s commitment to a free, safe, and open Indo-Pacific.
Commitments were expressed for bilateral force operations emphasizing humanitarian and disaster response, as well as protecting Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), securing resources against the threat, and policing illegal fishing.
Rey also communicated with counterparts in China in order to avoid any “misunderstandings or miscalculations” by patrols in the region. The French embassy in Manila also emphasized the goal of maintaining a “stable, rules-based, multipolar order” in the Indo-Pacific.
After the Permanent Court of Arbitration rejected China’s historical claims to the South China Sea in 2016, Paris made clear it would continue sailing vessels through the contested area. [ABS-CBN][Philippines News Agency] [Philstar]
Myanmar, China: Illegal mining of rare earth minerals a threat to the environment
(bs) Illegal mining of rare earth minerals is a threat to the environment in Kachin State, the northernmost state of Myanmar bordering with China, according to local watchdogs.
Also, a group of environmental activists reported that the rare earth minerals export to China has increased since the February 2021 coup, when the military junta overthrew the democratically elected government in Myanmar. Since the junta took over power, the military has been neglecting to follow any of the regulations on mining taking full control over the mines along with its trading partners.
According to a United States Geological Survey, China accounted for 140,000 tons of rare earth minerals out of 240,000 that were mined across the world in 2020. Despite being the largest provider of rare earth minerals, China keeps importing the minerals from Myanmar exploiting the country’s cheap labor. [Radio Free Asia]
Laos sealed new energy agreements with China, Thailand
(bs) A Chinese state-owned electricity provider company and its Lao counterpart have signed a new agreement to ensure energy security and strengthen bilateral ties. According to the Chinese ambassador to Laos, the agreement aims at helping Laos to increase its electricity supply and effectively address electricity shortages across the country. [The Laotian Times]
Meanwhile, Thailand signed a memorandum of understanding agreeing in principle to buy more electricity from Laos. Although the agreement promotes clean energy, environmental rights activists criticized the decision to support the Chinese-built dams in Laos that made the country become “The Battery of Southeast Asia” and contributed to the environmental degradation in Mekong River areas. [Radio Free Asia]
To date, Laos has 88 dams and 10 mines and is planning to build another 246 dams sparking concerns among rights groups and environmental activists. The effects of dams on the environment have become increasingly alarming since 2018 when a dam collapsed in the South of Laos killing 71 people and displacing 14,400 villagers. [AiR No. 8, February/2022, 4]
United Nations expresses concerns about Human Rights in Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam
(kc) Following the 49th session of the Human Rights Council on March 7, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights released a statement expressing concerns about Human Rights issues in many countries, including Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. [Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights]
The statement claimed that Cambodian authorities use COVID-19 restrictions to erode democratic civic space and preclude leaders and supporters of the country’s largest opposition party from fundamental rights. [No. 10, March/2022, 2]
It also showed that civic space in Thailand is dramatically shrinking due to the abuse of severe criminal charges against individuals for exercising their rights to expression and assembly in peaceful demonstrations. A number of draft bills, including the NGO control bill, could have far-reaching human rights implications and further undermine NGO work. [No. 8, February/2022, 4]
Moreover, the statement demanded that the Vietnamese government ensures that people’s right to freedom of expression, assembly, and association are respected in an environment free of harassment and intimidation after the series of sentencing and imprisoning of individuals related to their human rights works. [No. 8, February/2022, 4]
Malaysia receives 200,000 applications from Bangladeshi workers
(lb) Malaysia’s human resources minister spoke at a press conference noting there has been 200,000 applications for Bangladeshi foreign workers who would be available in all sectors once vetted. The minister spoke of the introduction of safety measures for workers, including compulsory induction courses where foreign workers are made aware of their rights and that agents will no longer be used to prevent abuse by the agents. [The Daily Star]
Indonesia, Australia push for women's empowerment
(lb) The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a written statement reporting that women leaders from Indonesia and Australia have started a dialogue to advocate for the empowerment of women and girls who have suffered from economic, health, and humanitarian impacts due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Indonesian Foreign Minister and the Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women will be holding a Southeast Asia Dialogue of Women Leaders on March 18. The meeting will be virtual and over 30 Southeast Asian and Australian women leaders and women dignitaries from different backgrounds. [Vietnam Plus]
Indonesian coal miners seek Russian alternatives
(lb) Indonesian coal miners are in talks with prospective buyers who are seeking alternative sources to Russian coal in the wake of the war in Ukraine. On March 9, the Indonesian Coal Miners Association executive director commented that the opportunity is interesting, but miners are focused on recovering production and meeting the existing contracts after a government ban was implemented in January 2022. Exports from Indonesia have resumed but government regulations mean exports need to meet a set of requirements. [Nasdaq]
Indonesia, Australia governments to tackle plastic pollution
(lb) The Indonesian government has announced that the Australian firm Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has partnered with Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to establish the Plastic Innovation Hub Indonesia. This new organization has been established with over USD 680,000 in funding to address the plastic pollution in the Indo-Pacific. The hub is set to collaborate with researchers and investors from the public and private sectors and find solutions for the billions of individual pieces of plastic of the coastlines of the Indo-Pacific. [The Hans India]
Indonesia acquires France submarines
(lb) The Indonesian Navy has announced plans to purchase Scorpene-class submarines from France. Indonesia’s PT Penataran Angkatan Laut (PT PAL) and France’s Naval Group signed a preliminary agreement on February 10 for the construction of two Scorpene submarines and a research and development facility in Indonesia. It is expected that the contract will be finalized by mid-2022. [AiR, No. 10 March 2022, 2] [Asia Times]
Malaysia, Indonesia to sign labor agreement
(lb) Malaysia and Indonesia will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on March 17 in Bali to allow foreign domestic workers from Indonesia into Malaysia. Malaysia’s Human Resources Minister said discussions included the scope of employment and minimum wage.
Indonesia and Malaysia have been meeting to negotiate a deal to improve the work conditions for migrant workers since the Migrant Worker Protection Law was passed in 2017. Following this legislation, Indonesia has insisted that countries accepting Indonesian workers must have a memorandum of understanding to fulfill workers’ rights. [AiR 9, March 2022, 1] [Malay Mail]
Brunei, India to strengthen bilateral ties
(bs) On March 11, Brunei representatives met with their Indian counterparts in the 2nd Brunei Darussalam-India Joint Trade Committee Meeting, which was held online. During the meeting, the parties committed to continue enhancing bilateral trade and investment cooperation. They also discussed potential partnerships in agriculture, health, pharmaceutical products, services, the automobile sector, and business-to-business engagements.
The Brunei Darussalam-India Joint Trade Committee was established in 2008 with the signing of a memorandum of understanding that created a joint trade committee in charge of facilitating the enhancement of bilateral trade and economic cooperation between Brunei and India. [The Star]
Laos, Thailand to join efforts against drug trade
(bs) A Lao and a Thai delegation met in Vientiane to discuss strengthening partnerships in combatting drug trafficking in the region.
The Lao government is working on the implementation of the 2021-2023 National Agenda for the Resolution of the Drug Problem which aims at tackling the issue through strategic plans. Laos and Thailand also discussed strengthening bilateral partnerships in the fight against drugs in the high-risk provinces of Bokeo, Vientiane, and Khammuan. [$ Vientiane Times]
United Kingdom urges Myanmar’s former ambassador to leave the country
(bs) Citing pressure from the military government in Myanmar, the British government has urged Myanmar’s former ambassador to the United Kingdom (UK) Kyaw Zwar Minn to leave the official London residence.
Kyaw Zwar Minn continued to live since he was ousted for criticizing last year’s military coup.
According to British sources, his presence there poses legal problems for the country and risks to its staff in Myanmar. It is also likely to create issues between the UK government and the Myanmar junta.
Kyaw Zwar Minn was Myanmar's ambassador to the UK for about seven years. He told the press that he “would not leave the house until Suu Kyi was released or a legitimate Myanmar government was established and recognized by the UK.” [Reuters]
Announcements
Upcoming Online Events
16 March 2022 @3:00-4:00 p.m. (GMT-8), Hoover Institution, Stanford University, USA
Cadre Country: How China became the Chinese Communist Party
This webinar will feature a leading historian John Fitzgerald who will present his new book “Cadre Country”. The speaker will delve at some of the primary narratives used by the Chinese Communist Party to achieve its agenda.
Find more about the webinar at [Hoover Institute].
16 March 2022 @ 7:30-9:00 p.m. (GMT-8), World Affairs, USA
Why Shoot the Messenger
This lecture will be presented by Tim McGirk, a respectable journalist, who will question why the public turned against the "mainstream media" in an era when the public is in despair of transparency and authoritative information, as well as identify what might be done to reestablish public trust in the press.
For more details, see [World Affairs].
16 March 2022 @ 1:00-4:30 p.m. (GMT-5), Brookings Office of Communications, USA
How can Democracies Harness Technology to Promote inclusive Economic Growth and Development?
Digital technology and artificial intelligence advancements have the potential to assist in addressing some of the world’s most serious issues. At the same time, they can exacerbate economic inequities and weaken democratic governance. This virtual conference will explore ways to leverage the promise of these advancements to generate inclusive prosperity and to prevent the reversal of the outcome.
Visit [BROOKINGS] to learn more about the event.
16 March 2022 @ 5:00-6:00 p.m. (GMT+9.30), Australian Institute of International Affairs South Australia, Australia
China's Socialist Market Economy: How and Why it Became a Systemic Rival to the Liberal Trade Order
International commerce, market competition, and investment in national security-related sectors are all affected by the degree of party control in China’s economy. This restraint is more than just state-dominated capitalism, but a unique Leninist system of institutionalized control over all aspects of Chinese economic life. This webinar will discuss China’s socialist market economy and explore the reasons why it has become a systemic rival to the liberal trade order.
Follow [AIIASA] to learn more about the event.
16 March 2022 @ 10:00 a.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
China Standards 2035, Data Privacy, and International Technology Standardization
This online forum will take a look at the increased Chinese participation in standards development on data privacy and how this intersection of data privacy and tech standardization policy in China might impact data privacy across the globe.
More information is available at [Atlantic Council].
16 March 2022 @ 2:00-3:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, USA
Silicon Valley-Japan Collaborations as a Pillar of U.S.-Japan Relations
President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida agreed on a mutual commitment to bolster economic ties in 2022. As the business sector will play a large role in this collaboration, Silicon Valley is already the epicenter of numerous US-Japan agreements. In this webinar, experts will look at these bilateral collaborations and discuss how Japanese businesses are leveraging the Silicon Valley environment and vice versa.
If you wish you attend this event, register at [Carnegie Endowment].
17 March 2022 @ 3:00-4:30 p.m. (GMT-5), Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, USA
Consequences of the War in Ukraine on the Middle East
The conflict in Ukraine doe not only reverberate throughout Europe, but it will also have extensive implications in the Middle East, including its energy sector. This webinar will discuss further the ramifications of the war in Ukraine on the Middle East region.
Visit [Carnegie Endowment] to learn more about the event.
17 March 2022 @ 10:00-11:15 a.m. (GMT+8), ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore
Shaping More Resilient Indonesia-Singapore Relations Amidst Global Uncertainties
Indonesia and Singapore have pledged to boost bilateral collaboration as well as regional security. As a result, major defense and extradition agreements were recently countersigned by the two countries. This webinar will focus on important initiatives aimed at strengthening Indonesia-Singapore relations and identify opportunities and threats to this development.
Find more at [ISEAS].
17 March 2022 @ 9:00 a.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
A force multiplier? China and Russia’s relationship in the Middle East
This virtual conference will focus on China and Russia’s efforts to expand their regional footprints in the Middle East and North Africa, and will also release a report, "Great Power Projection in the Middle East: The China-Russia Relationship as a Force Multiplier?" By Jonathan Fulton and Li-Chen Sim.
Find more about the webinar at [Atlantic Council].
17 March 2022 @ 9:30-10:30 a.m. (GMT-5), Wilson Center, USA
The Ukraine Crisis and the Balkans: What Changes ... and What Doesn't?
For the world, Russia’s reckless invasion of Ukraine has changed everything. This online session will identify the unique dangers that the Ukraine crisis poses to the Balkans region.
For more details, see [Wilson Center].
17 March 2022 @ 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (GMT-5), Wilson Center, USA
Will Iran Build the Bomb?
Iran’s nuclear program has evolved to characterize the U.S.’s relationship with Iran. In this webinar, leading experts will examine Iran’s past actions as well as its future aspirations in order to gain a realistic picture of why its nuclear program has become such a significant part of the Islamic Republic’s foreign policy.
If you wish you attend this event, register at [Wilson Center].
17 March 2022 @ 10:00 a.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
The Consequences of Russia’s War on Energy Security
Energy security concern has emerged as a crucial problem in Moscow’s war in Ukraine, resulting in a sharp increase in oil and gas prices around the world. As there are rising calls in the West, led by the U.S., to halt imports of Russian hydrocarbons in order to attack Putin through the Russian economy, the questions remain on whether other Western countries will be able to follow the U.S.’s approach and find a replacement for Russian hydrocarbons in time. This webinar will explore these issues as well as project the future of Ukraine’s energy security in the short and long term.
For more details, see [Atlantic Council].
17 March 2022 @ 5:30-6:30 p.m. (GMT+9.30), Australian Institute of International Affairs South Australia, Australia
Gender, War and Militarism in the 21st Century
Gender plays a significant influence at various levels, while gender misogyny is becoming widely recognized as a motivator of violet extremism. In order to comprehend and tackle today’s security concerns, gender factors must be considered seriously. This online forum will present gender analysis to build an understanding of the origins and implications of today’s security threats.
If you wish you attend this event, register at [AIIASA].
18 March 2022 @ 10:30 a.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
Unearthing potential: The value of geothermal energy to US decarbonization
To meet the U.S.’s climate goals, all possible renewable energy options must be developed and widely deployed. This webinar will focus on geothermal energy. Despite being only a minor part of the U.S. energy economy, it has the potential to make a huge contribution to the fight against climate change.
If you want to know more about the event, visit [Atlantic Council].
18 March 2022 @ 12:30 p.m. (GMT-5), Atlantic Council, USA
A Structural Response to Russia’s War
The Europe Center of the Atlantic Council is presenting a discussion on progressive measures to counter Russian aggression. This webinar will feature UK Shadow Foreign Secretary David Lammy MP and US Senator Bernie Sanders. It will look at how anti-kleptocracy and decarbonization strategies could suffocate Putin’s war chest.
Visit [Atlantic Council] to learn more about the event.
18 March 2022 @ 9:00-10:15 a.m. (GMT-5), Wilson Center, USA
Academic Freedom Under Attack: Authoritarian Regimes and the Battle for Knowledge
Academic freedom is crucial for academics in order to freely do research, teach, and function as a counterbalance to governments, institutions, and societies. While the totalitarianism trend is on the rise, authoritarian leaders are attacking colleges and professors all around the world in order to silence critical thinking. This webinar will concentrate on the impact of academic repression on universities and society.
If you wish you attend this event, register at [Wilson Center].
18 March 2022 @ 12:30-2:00 p.m. (GMT+9.30), Australian Institute of International Affairs South Australia, Australia
Australia and Japan: Future Directions in Maritime Security
This webinar will feature a panel of experts who will analyze the relationship between Japan and Australia as the two countries become increasingly close. The panelists will also talk about potential implications for regional marine security.
Visit [AIIASA] to learn more about the event.
18 March 2022 @ 10:00-11:00 a.m. (GMT-5), Brookings Office of Communications, USA
The New Geopolitics of State Fragility
Fragile states are becoming the battlegrounds of geopolitical rivalry between China, Russia, and other developing regional powers that plan to spread their influence to the states. Policies taken are often quite dissimilar from those of conventional Western and multilateral contributors, and as a result, cast doubt on many of the Western methods of peacebuilding. This online session will explore the rising competition for influence in development policy and in fragile states in particular.
For more details of the event, see [BROOKINGS].
21 March 2022 @ 10:00-11:15 a.m. (GMT+8), ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, Singapore
The Profound Impact of the BERSIH Movement since 2007
Between November 2007 and November 2016, BERSIH, the Coalition for Clean and Fair Elections, held five major protests in Kuala Lumpur. Although BERISH's main objective of reforming the election system was not accomplished, the movement has had a considerable political impact in Malaysia. This online conference will talk about the important political legacy that the BERSIH movement has left for Malaysia.
Further information is accessible via [ISEAS].
21 March 2022 @11:00 a.m.-12.30 p.m. (GMT-5), Cato Institute, USA
Weltschmerz: How the West Lost Its Mojo and What Liberals Can Do to Fix It
This webinar will examine causes of unprecedented loss of faith in Western values and institutions, the rise of illiberalism, and ways to change the trend.
If you want to know more about the event, visit [CATO Institute].
22 March 2022 @ 12:00-1:00 p.m. (GMT-5), Middle East Institute, USA
Will Iran’s Pro-natalist Population Policy Succeed?
This online forum will feature a panel of experts who will discuss another U-turn in Iran’s policy of preventing the country’s population from decreasing fertility rates in the coming decades. As the government launches campaigns, along with a considerable budget to encourage households to have more children, the move is still controversial for the public as to whether the goal is reasonable and whether the actions taken will be effective.
If you wish you attend this event, register at [Middle East Institute].
Recent Book Releases
Bruno Latour, After Lockdown: A Metamorphosis, Polity, 180 pages, published on November 15, 2021, reviewed in [LSE].
Ilham Tohti, We Uyghurs Have No Say: An Imprisoned Writer Speaks, Verso, 190 pages, published on March 15, 2022, with a review in [The Guardian].
Nigel Ashton, False Prophets: British Leaders’ Fateful Fascination with the Middle East from Suez to Syria, Atlantic Books, 480 pages, published on March 3, 2022. For a review, see [Vigour Times].
Togzhan Kassenova, Atomic Steppe: How Kazakhstan Gave Up the Bomb, Stanford University Press, 384 pages, published on February 15, 2022, reviewed in [Asian Review of Books].
Calls for Papers
The Athens Institute for Education and Research (ATINER) invites paper proposals for its 20th Annual International Conference on Politics & International Studies to be held on June 13-16, 2022, in Athens, Greece. Conference theme is “Latin America Democracy and Politics”. Closing date for abstract submission is May 2, 2022. For more information, see [ATINER].
Research in Middle East Studies (RIMS) is seeking paper proposals for the conference on “State-Making and Diplomacy in Europe, 1050-1550”, scheduled for November 3-4, 2022, in Lisbon, Portugal. Deadline for submission of abstracts is April 15, 2022. More details about the call for papers are provided at [RIMS].
Jobs and Positions
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is looking for a Migration and Development Specialist to be based in New York, USA. Closing date for applications is March 21, 2022. For more details, see [UNDP].
FHI 360 is hiring a Chief of Party – Jamaica to be based in Kingston, Jamaica. Visit [FHI] for further information.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is looking for a Team Leader – Scientific Coordination to be based in Parma, Italy. Applications are to be submitted no later than April 11, 2022. If you are interested, see [EFSA] for more details.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is recruiting a (Senior) Life Science Specialist to be based at its headquarters in Luxembourg. Deadline for applications is March 25, 2022. Further information is available at [EIB].
Team:
Anawil Yodprasit (ay), Beatrice Siviero (bs), Chiara Mohammadvalizadeh (cm), Dominique van Rossum (dvr), Duc Quang Ly (dql), Enrico Breveglieri (eb), Faryal Qazi (fq), Grace Laird (gl), Henning Glaser (hg), Hira Akram (ha), Jidapa Eagark, Kevin Downey (kd), Kittikun Chumworathayee (kc), Lois Barker (lb), Lucas Meier (lm), Melis Pektaş Kim (mpk), Sally Dobie, Tomwit Jarnson (tj), Ulrike Immler, Venus Phuangkom, Xhesjana Haxhiu (xh), Yin Nyein Myat (ny)
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