Stories about East Asia from November, 2011
Malaysia: Netizens React to ‘Peaceful Assembly Bill’
The Malaysian Parliament has approved the Peaceful Assembly Bill which gives police broad powers to control and even ban street assemblies and protests. Activists described the measure as an attack on civil liberties and freedom of speech. Using the hashtags #walk4freedom and #PA2011, netizens reacted to the quick passage of the bill
Myanmar: Meeting Aung San Suu Kyi
dawn_1o9 from Myanmar narrates her memorable meeting with global democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.
Clinton's Visit to Myanmar
US Campaign 4 Burma gathers news stories and other online reports on the historic visit US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Myanmar.
Myanmar, Thailand: Mong Kok Coal Project
A special report was published by Shanland about the devastating impact of a coal mining project in Mong Kok. The project will affect several communities in Thailand and Myanmar.
Indonesia: Social Media Situation
Indonesian netizen @donnybu posts on Slideshare a presentation about the social media situation in Indonesia, including the challenges faced by internet users as they campaign for greater internet freedom
Cambodia: Law on Prison Labor
Human Rights Watch is opposed to the proposed law in Cambodia that would permit prison labor to be used by private companies.
Japan: I am Isolated in My Workplace
A poignant cry in the form of an anonymous entry: a blogger's struggles to find a place for himself in his workplace.
China: New Tactics to Rally Around Blind Activist Lawyer
Andy Yee translated an activist, Xiao Cuo's suggestion on sustainable tactics to support blind activist lawyer, Chen Guangcheng who have been detained by the local government in Shandong for more...
Hong Kong: LGBT Come Out Video
“I am who I am”, produced by an activist group, Nutongxueshe, is a series of video for the LGBT community in Hong Kong to come out and speak about their...
Malaysia: Protesting the Peaceful Assembly Bill
The Malaysian Parliament has approved the controversial Peaceful Assembly Bill which critics believe will make it difficult for citizens to organize protest assemblies. Netizens used the #pa2011 hashtag to express their views about this measure
China: Sina's Credibility Crisis
B.Bishop looks into Sina's credibility crisis with its investors and offers some suggestions to the company.
China: Economic News Roundup
The China Digital Times has a news roundup about potential economic risks in China.
China: Regulation on Entertainment excessiveness
Recently the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) has issued another regulation, the prohibition of interruption of dramas with ads, to address the issue of “entertainment excessiveness”. The...
North Korea Ranked 3rd in Deforestation
North Korean Economy Watch blog consolidated current reports on severe deforestation in North Korea. According to one risk analysis firm, North Korea had the third highest deforestation rate among 180 countries surveyed and...
East Timor: Building One Country Out of Many Languages
When East Timor became an independent country in 2002, both the Tetum and Portuguese languages were chosen as official for the newborn country. Nevertheless, the number of national languages is up to 16 and dozens of other dialects are used on a daily basis by Timorese citizens.
China, Macedonia: Chinese Netizens Outraged by School Bus Donation
The news of a Chinese government donation of 23 school buses to the Republic of Macedonia on 25 November, has outraged Chinese netizens, who are mourning for the death of 19 preschool kids in a car accident in Gansu province on 16 November.
Thailand: Profile of Lese Mejeste Violator
May Adadol Ingawanij links to a Thai article which provides a profile of Mr. Amphon, a 61-year-old Bangkok resident who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for insulting the...
Vietnam: Deadly Legacy of Agent Orange
De Tran writes about the deadly legacy of agent orange in Vietnam. During the Vietnam War, more than 20 million gallons of herbicide were sprayed over the rural communities and...
Vietnam: Questions on the ‘New Seven Wonders’ Contest
Tim of Come and Go Vietnam questions the credibility of the ‘New Seven Wonders of the World’ contest. Vietnam's Halong Bay was included in the initial list of winners.
Philippines: City Launches Online Codification of Ordinances
The General Santos City Council has launched a website which features a project to codify ordinances from 1948 to the present. General Santos is located in southern Philippines
Malaysia: Opposition to Peaceful Assembly Bill
An online campaign was launched to pressure members of Parliament of Malaysia to reject the proposed Peaceful Assembly Bill which activists believe will curtail freedom of expression and the people's...