Europe Solidaire Sans Frontières
The responses of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) as a regional grouping to Covid-19 have been divisive, unclear, nonconsultative, impromptu, and driven by divergent policies, leading its member-states to control the pandemic individually and independently of each other. These (...)
Years since the killing of prominent human rights defenders and political commentators; the judiciaries of Indonesia, Cambodia, and the Philippines still have failed to take any concrete actions to deliver justice to the case that is acceptable to the public. These prominent individuals put (...)
Workers across the world have faced a series of immense setbacks with the advance of neoliberalism and expansion of global value chains that have been exacerbated in the past two years. They have borne the brunt of pandemic induced economic disruptions, wage cuts, precarious employment, job (...)
Migrant labourers tell of being forced to isolate in brutal conditions as Covid wave grips region
It was around mid-May when workers at the Cal-Comp factory in Phetchaburi, central Thailand, heard a small group of their colleagues had tested positive for Covid-19. It soon became clear the (...)
“China’s seizure of maritime formations that are within the Philippines’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea is illegal and should stop. (...) We cannot, however, be narrow-minded and myopic and single out China for condemnation and limit our demand to asking it to “leave” (...)
22 April 2021
Open Letter to ASEAN Leaders: Recommendations from CSOs in Myanmar and in Southeast Asia to the ASEAN Special Summit on Myanmar
To: Leaders of the Member States of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Dear Excellencies,
In alignment with the upcoming special (...)
From Vietnam to Indonesia, the Philippines and Cambodia, millions of children are being raised by extended family members as their parents migrate to find work Many parents accept separation as the price they pay for working. And while there are fears for the effects on children, places like (...)
As the epidemic took hold in China, many feared for its neighbours. But rapid action and clear messaging have so far contained the virus.
Just months ago, much of south-east Asia appeared on the brink of a major coronavirus epidemic. The outbreak in the Chinese city of Wuhan had escalated at (...)
This statement is prepared by Left parties and labour organisations in the Southeast Asia, and endorsed by groups from within and outside the region.
In recent months, the world has been severely affected and paralyzed by the spread of the coronavirus pandemic. The countries of Southeast Asia (...)
Philippines
The Philippines is emerging as one of South East Asia’s worst COVID-19 hot spots. On April 21, the [official] death toll was 437, having risen by more than a hundred deaths in a week. The Duterte regimes response has been a draconian militarised lockdown — that has led to almost (...)
In Southeast Asia, as the health crisis escalates and countries go into different variations of a lockdown, it is affording regimes with authoritarian tendencies the opportunity to suppress political expression, enforce strict obedience and consolidate their rule. Unless this is called out and (...)
(Bangkok/Jakarta, 20 March 2020) – The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development, together with the Solidarity for ASEAN Peoples’ Advocacy and the undersigned organisations, are gravely concerned with the lack of a human rights focus in the current response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic by (...)
How can a government achieve universal coverage for all citizens in a landscape where private care is deeply entrenched?
Southeast Asians often view health care as an entitlement from their governments—like public education or state highways—and to many people, it may also seem unethical or (...)
The new EU-Vietnam free trade agreement (FTA) shows the EU will look past human rights violations to push a trade agenda. But as FTAs with ASEAN states don’t offer the EU the same economic benefits, it’s unlikely the bloc will pen more in the near future.
Since the EU-Vietnam Free Trade (...)
The forced disappearances and assassinations of Thai republicans exiled in neighbouring countries has attracted considerable attention in recent months. But political exile can be a two-way street. The activities of Lao dissidents who have fled to Thailand can offer some insight into (...)
Save the Mekong, a coalition of non-government organizations, community-based groups and concerned citizens within the Mekong region, wish to express our shock and concern at the recent collapse of the Xe Pian - Xe Nam Noy hydropower project in Laos, and our deep condolences to communities (...)
Research shows risk of trafficking will rise, as automation pushes low-skilled workers into ‘race to the bottom’ for jobs
Robots will slash millions of jobs and create an upswing in trafficking and slavery across south-east Asia, research claims.
In a report launched on Thursday, supply-chain (...)
Shrinking space, shrinking resources
As democracy experiences a global decline, and Southeast Asia oscillates between authoritarian endurance and democratic rollback, civil society in the region is facing a bleak future.
Dictatorships and quasi-democracies are racing to curtail freedom of (...)
Malacañang’s spokesperson has termed Asean’s commemoration of its 50th year a “tremendous success,” but based it mainly on the absence of any “untoward incident” rather than on the concrete and clear outcomes. There were the usual platitudes of the Asean 2017 chair being finally recognized “not just (...)
Civil society leaders and activists from the region under the banner of the ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN Peoples’ Forum deplored today the lack of substantial discussions and policy actions on critical issues such as human rights atrocities, peace and security, the territorial conflict (...)
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