http://www.voacambodia.com/archive/southeastasia/latest/2893/2893.html The latest news and feature stories from Southeast Asia. http://www.voanews.com/img/voa/rssLogo_VOA.gif http://www.voacambodia.com/archive/southeastasia/latest/2893/2893.html en 2012 - VOA 60 Mon, 28 Mar 2016 20:37:10 +0700 Pangea CMS – VOA Gambira has suffered more than most political activists in Myanmar. Arrested for his prominent role in a monk-led pro-democracy uprising in 2007, dubbed the Saffron Revolution, soldiers beat him so severely, he said, he sustained brain damage and has endured post-traumatic stress disorder and delusions ever since. Days before the National League for Democracy (NLD), led by Aung San Suu Kyi, forms Myanmar's first fully elected civilian government in half a century, Gambria is among hundreds of activists who find themselves still behind bars. Human rights monitors say there has been an escalation in threats and harassment by military-aligned authorities in the run up to Myanmar's highly-anticipated transfer of power. And legal experts warn that the incoming government will face serious obstacles in securing the activists' freedom. Gambira, whose real name is Nyi Nyi Lwin, was sentenced to 68 years in prison by the military junta, but freed in a general amnesty in January 2012. At the time Myanmar was just beginning its political reforms and his release along with some thousand other prisoners of conscience was touted as evidence of the country's dramatic change. But despite a pledge by President Thein Sein to free all political prisoners, a new report by Amnesty International says that since 2014, "the authorities have intensified their crackdown on basic freedom and dissent." "The authorities have resorted to tried and tested tactics to silence dissent," said Laura Haigh, a Myanmar Researcher at Amnesty International. "I think what's really worrying is how that's continued even after the [November] election – for me that raises serious concerns about whether the entrenched establishment is really willing to cede power." Freed, then arrested again Although Gambira had a number of run-ins with the authorities after his release from prison, he had been living in relative peace with his wife in northern Thailand, where he was seeking medical treatment for his psychological trauma. From time to time, the former monk spoke to the media about ongoing human rights abuses in Myanmar, including the persecution of the Rohingya Muslim minority. After several unsuccessful attempts to obtain a passport from the embassy in Thailand and failing to process an asylum application through the United Nations, the couple decided to risk returning to Myanmar in January. "I didn't want to go but he thought that it would be OK. ‘There is a new government coming in' he told me," explained his wife Marie Siochana. "When we arrived in [Gambira's hometown] Meiktila, the [police] were waiting for us." He was accused of unlawfully entering the country and charged under Myanmar's archaic immigration law, which carries a five year jail term. According to Siochana, they crossed the Thai-Myanmar border through an official border point and had all the necessary documents. In the weeks before he crossed, friends had spotted wanted posters of the former activist. Despite his well-documented health issues, the judge has repeatedly denied him bail. "They probably saw that he had a good life and that he was happy and wanted to make him suffer more," said Siochana. There are at least 90 political prisoners in Myanmar and hundreds more awaiting trial, according to monitoring groups. Many are young students arrested for staging peaceful protests against a controversial education law last year, with organizer Phyoe Phyoe Aung risking nine years in jail. The government has maintained that people are being prosecuted in accordance with the law. "It is very complicated between freedom of expression and rule of law. According to our existing laws some activities are restricted," said Zaw Htay, director of the President's Office in Myanmar. "All governments have to maintain stable law and order… It is not just a political issue but a legal issue." Change in tactics But Amnesty International says the authorities have adapted their tactics since the introduction of a reform-era law on peaceful assembly to boost jail terms. This includes prosecuting activists under multiple statutes or trying them for the same offense in several townships. At his last hearing, prosecutors implied that Gambira may also be charged for alleged immigration offenses dating back to 2013 – a move that could potentially double his sentence. Despite the NLD's resounding victory in general elections last year, the military continues to exert substantial political power and controls a quarter of all seats in parliament. Both the Home Affairs ministry and the police force will continue to be led by members of the armed forces. Activists have called on the incoming government to amend or abolish a tangle of authoritarian laws that can easily be used to quash dissent. "The immigration law has been used many times to arrest peaceful activists," added Haigh. "As long as [these laws] are there on the books, the authorities can and will find any reason to arrest you if they want to and that's definitely what happened in the case of Gambira." Gambira's lawyer, Robert San Aung, who describes his trial as a "revenge case," worries the NLD will face confrontations with the military. Under Myanmar's constitution, presidential amnesties can only be granted in cooperation with the military-dominated National Defense and Security Council, and individual pardons only become applicable once a person has been sentenced. Dozens of student activists have been awaiting trial since early last year. "The government views these people as their enemies," said Robert San Aung, speaking outside Gambira's court hearing in Mandalay. "They are holding grudges. They can't easily forgive and forget." Pressure from the international community appears to have waned since Aung San Suu Kyi swept the polls in historic elections in November. "We need to put pressure on the Commander in Chief [Min Aung Hlaing] and the armed forces to stop human rights violations across the country," said Bo Kyi, Joint Secretary of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), adding that political reform will be impossible without the military's cooperation. When contacted by VOA, a spokesperson for the NLD declined to comment on their strategy for releasing political prisoners, even though Aung San Suu Kyi has insisted it will be one of her top priorities. "I can't answer about this subject because the [current] government is not finished yet. After the new government [takes over] we will speak about this subject," said Central Executive Committee member Nyan Win. "There are so many issues about political prisoners – who are political prisoners, what's the situation for political prisoners – so many things we have to think [about] so right now we can't say anything." Yet Gambira is optimistic that he will be freed once the NLD takes power. "I expect the new government will bring real democracy to Burma." http://www.voacambodia.com/content/uncertain-future-for-gambira-other-mynamar-political-prisoners/3254572.html http://www.voacambodia.com/content/uncertain-future-for-gambira-other-mynamar-political-prisoners/3254572.html Fri, 25 Mar 2016 19:40:37 +0700 Southeast Asianoreply@voanews.com (Hanna Hindstrom, VOA News) Scandal involved illegal sale of $47.6 million worth of improperly-refrigerated vaccines, which might have been administered to millions of children in 24 Chinese provinces since 2011. http://www.voacambodia.com/content/vaccine-scandal-in-china-sparks-public-outcry/3254536.html http://www.voacambodia.com/content/vaccine-scandal-in-china-sparks-public-outcry/3254536.html Fri, 25 Mar 2016 19:35:21 +0700 Southeast Asianoreply@voanews.com (Joyce Huang, VOA News) Pyongyang says it has successfully tested a solid-fuel rocket engine, which would be a major step in its effort to develop long-range missiles. http://www.voacambodia.com/content/north-korea-boasts-more-progress-in-ballistic-missile-program/3252965.html http://www.voacambodia.com/content/north-korea-boasts-more-progress-in-ballistic-missile-program/3252965.html Fri, 25 Mar 2016 00:34:10 +0700 Southeast Asianoreply@voanews.com (VOA News) Financial package for Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam for infrastructure and other projects announced by Premier Li Keqiang Wednesday. http://www.voacambodia.com/content/ap-china-southeast-asian-leaders-seek-greater-cooperation/3252506.html http://www.voacambodia.com/content/ap-china-southeast-asian-leaders-seek-greater-cooperation/3252506.html Thu, 24 Mar 2016 19:34:32 +0700 CambodiaSoutheast Asianoreply@voanews.com (Reuters) Friday March 11th marked the fifth anniversary of the magnitude 9 earthquake in northeast Japan that generated a huge tsunami that swamped the Fukushima nuclear power plant that led to a huge radiation leak. VOA Khmer's Chhim Sumedh narrates. http://www.voacambodia.com/media/video/3251311.html http://www.voacambodia.com/media/video/3251311.html Thu, 24 Mar 2016 00:48:00 +0700 Southeast AsiaWashington Todayhttp://www.voacambodia.com/media/video/3251311.html#relatedInfoContainer The inaugural Lancang-Mekong Cooperation meeting has been framed by the Chinese and Thai co-hosts as a chance to deepen ties and cut trade deals. http://www.voacambodia.com/content/ap-china-southeast-asian-leaders-seek-greater-cooperation/3250784.html http://www.voacambodia.com/content/ap-china-southeast-asian-leaders-seek-greater-cooperation/3250784.html Wed, 23 Mar 2016 19:23:12 +0700 CambodiaSoutheast Asianoreply@voanews.com (Associated Press) The fishing vessel Kway Fey was being towed when a Chinese coast guard vessel collided with it, allowing its escape. http://www.voacambodia.com/content/ap-indonesia-protests-china-rescue-of-illegal-fishing-vessel/3249066.html http://www.voacambodia.com/content/ap-indonesia-protests-china-rescue-of-illegal-fishing-vessel/3249066.html Tue, 22 Mar 2016 22:23:52 +0700 Southeast Asianoreply@voanews.com (Ahadian Utama, VOA News) Little is understood of the people who carved the jars from the quarries or even the initial contents and how the sites came into existence. http://www.voacambodia.com/content/new-findings-on-lao-plain-of-jars-help-unravel-ancient-mysteries/3248938.html http://www.voacambodia.com/content/new-findings-on-lao-plain-of-jars-help-unravel-ancient-mysteries/3248938.html Tue, 22 Mar 2016 21:22:06 +0700 Southeast Asianoreply@voanews.com (Ron Corben, VOA News) In January and February alone, Jinghong power station in Yunnan province released 2.3 billion cubic meters of water. http://www.voacambodia.com/content/thanks-and-caution-as-china-releases-water-from-mekong-dam/3243501.html http://www.voacambodia.com/content/thanks-and-caution-as-china-releases-water-from-mekong-dam/3243501.html Fri, 18 Mar 2016 20:26:28 +0700 CambodiaEnvironmentSoutheast Asianoreply@voanews.com (Phorn Bopha, VOA Khmer) Shortly after new international sanctions were imposed, Pyongyang fires two medium-range ballistic missiles from its east coast into the sea; neither posed threat to US nor its regional allies. http://www.voacambodia.com/content/north-korea-missile-launch-repeats-history-of-provocations/3243419.html http://www.voacambodia.com/content/north-korea-missile-launch-repeats-history-of-provocations/3243419.html Fri, 18 Mar 2016 19:38:30 +0700 Southeast Asianoreply@voanews.com (Brian Padden, VOA News) In Myanmar's lower house of parliament last week, a unelected retired bureaucrat from the National League for Democracy, Htin Kyaw, trounced the country's current vice president, balloting to move a step closer to the presidency. VOA Khmer's Cheoung Pochin narrates. http://www.voacambodia.com/media/video/3241885.html http://www.voacambodia.com/media/video/3241885.html Thu, 17 Mar 2016 21:37:00 +0700 Southeast AsiaWashington Todayhttp://www.voacambodia.com/media/video/3241885.html#relatedInfoContainer The new rules are so wide-ranging that any arbitrary implementation will hurt the prospects of emerging industries while stifling the digital realm’s innovative nature. http://www.voacambodia.com/content/china-new-online-publishing-rules-may-hurt-innovative-industries/3241642.html http://www.voacambodia.com/content/china-new-online-publishing-rules-may-hurt-innovative-industries/3241642.html Thu, 17 Mar 2016 19:12:36 +0700 Science & TechnologySoutheast Asianoreply@voanews.com (Joyce Huang, VOA News) Thailand’s military government and constitutional drafting commission are in a stand-off after the Cabinet called for a new charter to include a non-elected senate and an appointed prime minister over transitional five year period. The government’s proposals have triggered sharp reactions from major political parties amid warnings of potential conflict if the proposals are included in the new constitution. The commission’s draft allows for the election of a 500 member House of Representatives. A 200 member senate would be elected by interest groups and organizations. But the government’s proposals call for a 250 member appointed Senate, including reserved seats for the permanent secretary of defense, supreme commander, and commanders of army, navy and air force and the chief of police. Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said the military’s proposal was aimed at preventing a coup, not to move against the elected House of Representatives. But analysts and politicians from Thailand’s major parties have been critical, saying such moves will weaken political parties and undermine democracy. Siripan Nogsuan Sawasdee, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University, speaking at a seminar on constitutional reform, said such proposals will undermine the elected government. “If there will be elections after this constitution passes the elected political institutions will be paralyzed and overshadowed by the non-elected organizations. What Thailand will have is elections without democracy. When we create institutions that violate basic constitutional principles, like allowing a non-elected prime minister, we lay the ground work for tyrannical decisions. That is a very sensitive point for me,” she said. The military has said the proposals are necessary to promote political stability after years of turbulence largely between supporters and opponents of populist former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and now lives in self-imposed exile to avoid a jail sentence. Norachit Sinhaseni, spokesperson for the drafting commission, would not be drawn into the cabinet’s charter proposals, but said the commission’s draft is aimed at ending the bouts of political instability. “Principles I think is clear. How can we bring Thailand back to democracy away from conflict, the confrontation and the violence, the protest in the streets and as mentioned, how do we wither possible corruption and of course giving people the power to elect their own representatives,” he said. “The stakes, let me say, are very high. If we succeed then we have some time of normalcy. If we fail I think the projection [sic] of confrontation among groups is very high.” Ake Tangsupvattana, dean of political science at Chulalongkorn University, said the commission’s draft charter may provide the means for moving Thailand beyond past political conflicts. “What is going to be the direction in the future? Are we going to move back to semi-democracy or is this a constitution suitable in the context of Thailand today and then move Thailand beyond political conflict and maybe look in a positive way -- move Thailand to be a more democratic society,” he said. Ake expects negotiations between the Cabinet and commission will seek a compromise before the March 29 deadline for the document to be forwarded to the Cabinet. Thailand’s shifting political power comes amid a sensitive period with the 88-year-old Thai monarch, Bhumipol Adulyadej, ailing. His son and heir, 63-year-old Maha Vajiralongkorn, has yet to achieve the level of reverence given to his father, who has been on the throne for more than 60 years and is the world’s longest reigning monarch. Thailand’s current draft constitution will be the 20th charter – if it passes a referendum later this year – to be adopted since the country became a constitutional monarchy in 1932. The latest draft is the second since the military took power in a coup in May 2014. An earlier version was voted down by the national assembly last year. A referendum on the new charter is planned for August 7. But analysts say if the draft charter is rejected, the military will put forward its own document without going through a drafting committee or a referendum. http://www.voacambodia.com/content/thai-government-commission-clash-over-drafting-new-constitution/3241640.html http://www.voacambodia.com/content/thai-government-commission-clash-over-drafting-new-constitution/3241640.html Thu, 17 Mar 2016 19:07:34 +0700 Southeast Asianoreply@voanews.com (Ron Corben, VOA News) In the acclaimed documentary 'The Look of Silence,' Joshua Oppenheimer explores the aftereffects of the 1965 genocide in Indonesia. VOA Khmer's Cheoung Pochin narrates. http://www.voacambodia.com/media/video/3240482.html http://www.voacambodia.com/media/video/3240482.html Thu, 17 Mar 2016 00:55:00 +0700 VOA DiscoveringSoutheast Asiahttp://www.voacambodia.com/media/video/3240482.html#relatedInfoContainer In less than a month, the National League for Democracy will assume control of Myanmar's government and they do so with a huge mandate from the country's ethnic minorities. VOA Khmer's Cheoung Pochin narrates. http://www.voacambodia.com/media/video/3240211.html http://www.voacambodia.com/media/video/3240211.html Wed, 16 Mar 2016 22:22:00 +0700 Southeast AsiaWashington Todayhttp://www.voacambodia.com/media/video/3240211.html#relatedInfoContainer Htin Kyaw won 360 out of 652 votes cast in joint meeting of legislature; Aung San Suu Kyi has declared she will retain ultimate power over her handpicked president. http://www.voacambodia.com/content/myanmar-elects-new-president/3237125.html http://www.voacambodia.com/content/myanmar-elects-new-president/3237125.html Tue, 15 Mar 2016 19:21:52 +0700 Southeast Asianoreply@voanews.com (Steve Herman, VOA News) Republican's unexpected Southeast Asian fan base reckons his anti-China rhetoric would somehow stop 'Beijing expansionism' in South China Sea. http://www.voacambodia.com/content/trump-wins-fans-vietnam/3231529.html http://www.voacambodia.com/content/trump-wins-fans-vietnam/3231529.html Fri, 11 Mar 2016 19:35:50 +0700 Southeast Asianoreply@voanews.com (Trung Nguyen, VOA Vietnamese) Thailand's capital is full of snakes. But they usually do not make the news until something particularly sensational occurs. VOA Khmer's Sreng Leakhena narrates. http://www.voacambodia.com/media/video/3229323.html http://www.voacambodia.com/media/video/3229323.html Fri, 11 Mar 2016 01:31:00 +0700 VOA DiscoveringSoutheast Asiahttp://www.voacambodia.com/media/video/3229323.html#relatedInfoContainer Suu Kyi's NLD won an overwhelming number of seats in parliament, but a clause in the constitution prevents her from assuming the nation’s top job. http://www.voacambodia.com/content/aung-san-suu-kyi-apologizes-for-not-becoming-president/3228763.html http://www.voacambodia.com/content/aung-san-suu-kyi-apologizes-for-not-becoming-president/3228763.html Thu, 10 Mar 2016 19:18:07 +0700 Southeast Asianoreply@voanews.com (Steve Herman, VOA News) Police say the people arrested are suspected of involvement in scams carried out against Chinese citizens over Internet phone services. http://www.voacambodia.com/content/cambodia-arrests-38-chinese-citizens-sought-by-beijing/3218352.html http://www.voacambodia.com/content/cambodia-arrests-38-chinese-citizens-sought-by-beijing/3218352.html Fri, 04 Mar 2016 02:22:35 +0700 CambodiaSoutheast Asianoreply@voanews.com (Associated Press)