Showing 1 - 10 of 74
Resettlement plan a sham
News, Editorial, Published on 13/12/2017
» Myanmar's government has unveiled a plan to repatriate Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh. In essence, the government of Aung San Suu Kyi, in what is known as a "phased return", will allow some returnees, beginning early next year, but not to their original villages, homes and land. It will build camps to "resettle" the Rohingya indefinitely. As the United Nations' refugee organisation and key international groups have said, the plan is unacceptable.
Lessons from history
News, Postbag, Published on 16/04/2016
» I have just finished reading the third novel in Robert Harris's brilliant trilogy based on the life of Cicero. It's about politicians who struggle to practise and defend democracy, but fail because of the corruptibility and greed of many of them. The politicians are divided, and some favour allowing the all-powerful general, Julius Caesar, to take control of the empire.
Debasing the US TIP report
News, Editorial, Published on 14/07/2015
» Alarming reports are coming from Washington about the highly anticipated Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report. It seems that US officials have been ordered to promote Malaysia from Tier 3, the bottom ranking where Thailand was controversially placed last year. The reports - not denied by US officials - say Malaysia's rise back to Tier 2 was for purely political reasons, because President Barack Obama needs Malaysia's support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade negotiations.
US TikTok ban not the right move
Oped, Published on 27/03/2024
» On March 13, the United States House of Representatives passed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act. It is no secret that the bill takes aim at TikTok. The massively popular video-sharing platform is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance and is thus subject to the laws of the People's Republic of China and potentially to the control of the Communist Party of China (CPC), despite assurances to the contrary from company executives.
Why Turkey's Erdogan continues to be triumphant
Oped, Published on 20/05/2023
» It is hard not to be disappointed about the outcome of the first round of Turkey's presidential and parliamentary elections on Sunday. In a campaign defined by the aftermath of February's huge earthquake, mounting economic problems and deepening corruption, hopes were high that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's increasingly authoritarian 20-year rule would end. Some polls suggested that the six-party opposition led by the centre-left Kemal Kilicdaroglu, from the Republican People's Party (CHP), would be able to win a majority or, at the very least, enter the second round with an advantage over Mr Erdogan.
Myanmar's military takeover falters
Oped, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Published on 03/02/2023
» Global news headlines this month will be focused on the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which falls on Feb 24. This external aggression, where a bigger state unilaterally takes territory from a smaller neighbour by force, can be juxtaposed to an internal subjugation in Myanmar, where a military coup took place two years ago this week. Whether the aggression is externally between states, or internally within a state, the oppressors behave the same way and pursue similar objectives of conquest and dominance. Reversing an internal subjugation is as morally compelling as turning back an external aggression. What Myanmar's civilian-led resistance coalition needs is a fraction of the aid the Ukrainians have been receiving.
Myanmar and two new game-changers
Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 20/12/2022
» The recently passed bill by Congress, known broadly as the 2022 Burma Act, which allows the US government to provide technical support and non-military assistance to engage with the opposition groups against the military junta in Nay Pyi Taw combined with the incoming Asean chair, Indonesia, could be a game-changer with the Myanmar crisis soon to enter its third year.
Strategy for deep South still a sham
Oped, Published on 18/11/2022
» It amazes me how, after nearly two decades of fighting that has claimed more than 7,000 lives in this historically contested region where armed Patani Malay combatants are pitted against Thai government security forces, officials still lack the basic understanding of a counter-insurgency.
One year post-coup: Light ahead after darkness?
Oped, Published on 05/02/2022
» On 1 Feb 2021, the dreams of many people in Burma (Myanmar) were shattered overnight. Since then, I, along with everyone else in my country of over 55 million people, have been living in darkness.
Clock ticking for NACC
Oped, Editorial, Published on 22/09/2021
» The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has no reason to stall the Administrative Court's order for it to release details about its probe into the luxury watches case involving Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwon.