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Philippines: Aquino a failure in human rights compliance, says HRW

By Tonyo Cruz Mon, May 21, 2012 3:00PM UTC View Comments

An international human rights watchdog today did not mince words in highlighting the Aquino administration’s “failures” in protecting human rights of Filipinos. New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) made the initial assessment in the run-up to the Aquino government’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) before the United Nations Human Rights Council set for May 29. According...

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Law: the bane of Burma’s landowners

By Francis Wade Fri, May 18, 2012 3:41PM UTC View Comments

A farmer ploughs field with the use of draught cattle to grow crops in the village of Ohn-chaung, Burma. Pic: AP.

The issue of land rights hangs like a heavy cloud over Burma. More than 60 percent of the country is reliant on agriculture as a primary source of income, yet farmers are not allowed to own the land they work – instead, they effectively rent it from the government, meaning that lucrative arable fields can...

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Unable to leave Singapore, Dr Chee Soon Juan records a video for the Oslo Freedom Forum

By Kirsten Han Mon, May 07, 2012 6:42PM UTC View Comments

In Singapore, all bankrupts are required to apply for permission before travelling out of the country. When Dr Chee Soon Juan, Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), was invited to speak at the Oslo Freedom Forum (currently underway in Norway), he was denied permission to leave Singapore to attend. The Associated Press reported that...

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The failure of Thailand’s human rights NGOs: An interview with Dr. Thongchai Winichakul – Part 2

By Andrew Spooner Tue, Apr 17, 2012 11:21PM UTC View Comments

This is part two of my recent interview with leading Thai historian and academic, the former student leader, Dr. Thongchai Winichakul. Part one can be found here. In the first part of the interview Dr. Thongchai speaks of the failure of major human rights’ organisations such as Human Rights Watch (HRW) and Amnesty International (AI)...

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Troubled domestic help industry in India a maid to order disaster

By Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay Fri, Apr 06, 2012 3:43AM UTC View Comments

The incident involving the doctor couple in New Delhi arrested after being accused of locking up and starving a 13-year-old maid while vacationing in Thailand is not the first of its kind. It is also unlikely to be the last in India. Looked at from a linear perspective, the case is a simple one: an...

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