-
Airport Asylum Seekers Find Freedom – Southeast Asia Dispatches
BANGKOK – In the past year Southeast Asia provided temporary shelter to two asylum seekers from the Middle East fleeing persecution. Hassan Alkontar and Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun plead for asylum from Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok airports. They were resettled to Canada. But this has led to a backlash online in Malaysia, Thailand, and Canada — where…
-
Threats and abuse: Critics fear effect of new Thai cyber law
Despite revisions, critics fear legislation will be used to stifle debate ahead of elections scheduled for March. Bangkok, Thailand – Thailand is expected to soon pass a new cybersecurity law which will create a government agency with sweeping powers of search and seizure, triggering concerns for freedom of expression and data security among civil society…
-
Proud to be LGBT in Laos – Southeast Asia Dispatches
VIENTIANE – Anan Bouapha is the founder of Proud to be us Laos, the country’s first LGBT group. He uses his persuasive soft power to establish an advocacy network on behalf of gay, bisexual and transgender Laotians at the Lao Women’s and Youth Unions – two state-run organizations. Laos is a communist country that views human…
-
Vietnam’s Mother Mushroom: ‘If I don’t speak about the future, who will?’
HO CHI MINH CITY (SAIGON) – Vietnam’s most famous dissident blogger – Nguyen Ngoc Nhu Quynh, known by her pen name Mother Mushroom, spent her first new year in exile barred from ever returning to her home in Nha Trang. Vietnamese authorities released her from prison last October, after serving two years of a 10-year…
-
The singer raising her voice against Vietnam’s new cyber law
Do Nguyen Mai Khoi is among activists opposing a controversial law the government says will protect against cyber threats. Hanoi, Vietnam – Dressed in the traditional Vietnamese long gown known as “ao dai”, dissident artist Do Nguyen Mai Khoi holds up a banner in a silent protest amidst the roar of traffic in the capital’s…
-
Putting the ‘I’ in LGBTIQ: Taiwan’s Intersex Awareness Advocate
TAIPEI – Hiker Chiu receives a message on Facebook. It’s a desperate plea from a mother in Hong Kong. The mother found Chiu through the OII-Chinese Facebook page – the sole Chinese language group-of-one representing Organization Intersex International. Chiu messaged back and forth with the mother until s/he found out the child was born with…
-
Taiwan’s ‘Formosa Incident’ and International Human Rights Day
TAIPEI – December 10th is celebrated as International Human Rights Day. But in Taiwan the event takes on a more somber tone as the day to commemorate the 1979 Formosa, or Kaohsiung Incident. This was a defining moment in Taiwan’s history – then under Chinese Nationalist (KMT) rule and its “White Terror” martial law from…
-
Taiwan activists: Marriage-equality movement setback not the end
Despite ballot-box failure, proponents say it’s only a matter of time before same-sex marriage is written into law. Taipei, Taiwan – “Every defeat is a deeper blow. But we’ll keep on fighting until we are free,” sings American singer-songwriter – and Taiwan transplant – Ellery Prescott in his song Keep on Fighting. He dedicates it…
-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
Adam Bemma 