Towards Political Extinction
Road-map promises have led nowhere. Democratic aspirations are on the verge of extinction. The junta-controlled National Legislative Assembly voted unanimously to approve Thailand’s 20-year National Strategy. T ...
Politics Fragmented into a Series of Hopelessness
Throughout a decade of struggles in a state of kleptocracy, Malaysians, mainly those from the lower middle class, have told me that they were unable to find equal opportunities for work. But then one day, Malaysians ...
Engaged Anthropology: Politics Beyond the Text
Our good friend, Stuart Kirsch, has a new book just published that is an absolute must read. This latest book, recently released by the University of California Press, deals with the nature of anthropology and its in ...
Anthropologist Stuart Kirsch discusses the questionable science of the mining industry
Source: CBC Radio Cultural Anthropologist Stuart Kirsch spent decades working with native peoples living along the ok Tedi River, in Papua New Guinea, trying to oppose the social and environmental threats posed by an ...
The Australian Dream
In days gone by, I would have celebrated Australia Day like most other people. Oblivious to the scale of the horrors inflicted upon the indigenous people of this Great Southern Land, I would have consumed my Vegemite ...
#KitaLawan – Young Malaysians Demand Social Justice and Change
Original photos by: @Nany_JHaron Young people, the movers of change. On a blistering hot and humid day, they gathered in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. Demonstrators unfurling black flags and banners to display their opp ...
Raise the flag for West Papua
Despite cruel restrictions, every December 1st West Papuans gather to celebrate the day they were granted independence from the Dutch and risk their lives raising the Morning Star flag in remembrance. ...
Malaysia in the Age of Inhibition
A few weeks in Malaysia have enabled me to wrap loose ends on an outreach project, a combo of counselling and trouble-shooting on poverty concerns, and not forgetting the reporting. ...
Australia’s Piracy on the High Seas
The protracted debacle that has been this detention at sea has left the human rights reputation of Australia in a shaky state. The piracy and detention of people by Australian officials outside their own territory ra ...
Mining Capitalism: The Relationship between Corporations and their Critics
Mining Capitalism is a new book by Stuart Kirsch published by University of California Press with cover art by AK Rockefeller. We are very excited to play a small part in this groundbreaking work towards understandi ...
Memory loss, political strangulation as a messiah rampages again
She doesn’t know, he doesn’t remember, while another friend seems disinterested with my queries, and my persistence. While it was all passionate intelligent talk almost a month ago, now it’s simply ...
ThaiSouth in Suthep’s Bangkok
February the First, marked another violent episode in Bangkok, though this time in Lak Si district where two opposing forces exchanged gunfire. I made my way to Central World, where the so-called People’s Democ ...
Convergence of Thoughts, in Kurang Village
Supplies needed, relief given. Hardship in these parts is deeply ingrained in the farming community, scattered in what appears to be dry barren land to any bubbly urban-born selfie-addicted Thai. Though the farmers s ...
Of rice, farmers and perseverance, in Maha Sarakham
The aircraft’s twin-engine roared as the ATR72-200’s breaks into slow submission to the kiss of earth. Finally, in a small landing field with a runway and surrounded by dark, brown-reddish earth and sh ...
Patterns of impunity and deceit in Myanmar
A UN supervised investigation is needed before more atrocities are committed against the Rohingya Muslims. Yet another deadly attack on Myanmar's persecuted Rohingya minority made the news recently, this time taking ...
Indonesian military gears up for oppression in West Papua
The Indonesian military has big plans and has made some big purchases. They have just acquired 8 units of AH-64 Apache combat helicopters as well as a number of submarines. Will they end be used for defense or to s ...
Political gluttony in a realm torn by greed
I'm back in Bangkok, where traffic conditions, urban pollution and color-based politics have reach a screeching point, where the educated elites are in their constant political brawl against what they call the uneduc ...
Yan Christian Warinussy: statement on draft autonomy law for West Papua
The provincial administration of West Papua is at present discussing the draft of a law for the Land of Papua which would be 'identical' with Law 21/2001 on Special Autonomy for the province of Papua. ...
Is This What Democracy Looks Like in Indonesia?
Despite the glaring human rights concerns Indonesia is emerging onto the world stage with ferocity, but increased exposure leads to greater scrutiny and with each gross injustice inflicted upon the people of West Pap ...
Fear of “catastrophic violence†against Myanmar Muslims
The attitudes behind the deadly and systematic violence against Muslims in overwhelmingly Buddhist Myanmar could, if left unchecked, lead to “mass atrocities,†Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) said in a ...
