Social development
Government spokesman rejects calls for Rohingya citizenship
A spokesperson for President Thein Sein took to social media on 21 November to reject recommendations that Rohingya Muslims be granted a path to citizenship. The minister’s comments were made in the wake of the United Nations’ Universal Periodic Review, a comprehensive human rights examination comprising recommendations from ...
Election offers glimmer of hope for Kayan
Among its many victories in the 8 November election, the National League for Democracy won the seat of the minister for ethnic Kayan people in Shan State. The incoming minister, U Khun Aye Maung, says now things are going to change. Known to the world’s tourists ...
Nationalism defeated at the ballot box
Why did self-proclaimed nationalist parties fare so badly in the election? Though the absence of opinion polls and comparable electoral data made it difficult in advance to gauge the extent of support for any party, nationalist candidates appeared to be well-organised and amply funded. The hardline ...
Civil society organisations to hold rally on 10 December
Civil society groups, unions, monks and activists are planning a thousands-strong march in Phnom Penh to deliver petitions to the National Assembly and Ministry of Justice to mark International Human Rights Day on 10 December. Keep reading ...
UN rights body decries Thai deportations to China
The United Nations on 20 November slammed Thailand’s deportation of two Chinese refugees, and Vietnam’s reported transfer of nine North Korean nationals to China, warning they were at risk of “grave human rights violations”. Ravina Shamdasani, a spokeswoman for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human ...
Young leaders tackle migration, terrorism at summit
Young leaders gathering for a summit in Bangkok have voiced their concern over pressing global problems from migration to terrorist attacks, with vibrant discussion on identifying root causes and taking action to resolve the problems. Addressing how young people can play a role in protecting migrants’ ...
Government, ceasefire groups inch toward dialogue
A major step toward reducing the risk of military clashes near zones controlled by groups that signed last month’s ceasefire agreement has been taken with the completion of a military code of conduct, the government says. Agreement on the draft was reached at the second Joint ...
Yangon authorities losing the battle against betel
It’s enough to make you want to spit. Efforts by Yangon city authorities to control the “undisciplined” ejection of crimson betel juice are just not working, officials say. First they tried placing plastic boxes filled with sand at junctions and bus-stops. Their latest scheme is the ...
Laos drives home pertinent road safety message from international conference
Delegations from multiple continents are meeting in the capital of South America’s most populous country Brazil for the 2nd Global High Level Conference on Road Safety, a two-day international symposium aiming to keep traffic safety efforts on the agenda at a time when there are ...
Dozens of Phnom Penh's homeless sent to Prey Speu
Just weeks after reports emerged of more fatalities from Phnom Penh’s Prey Speu social affairs centre and ensuing promises of reform, authorities yesterday rounded up dozens more homeless people and detained them at the notorious facility. Kim Vutha, Daun Penh district’s chief of security, said 61 ...
