Stories about East Asia from August, 2019
Hong Kong police conducts massive and unprecedented arrest of leading anti-extradition activists
The Hong Kong government has shifted its crackdown tactics from detaining demonstrators on protest sites to arresting a wider network of pro-democracy activists and leaders.
Alphonse Mucha's surprising influence on Japanese manga, anime and “light novels”
In Japan, manga, anime and even 'light novel' creators all claim early an 20th Century Czech Art Nouveau artist and illustrator as an influence.
Netizen Report: Critic calls Indonesia’s provincial internet shutdown ‘racist’
Indonesia's regional internet shutdown continues, YouTube blocks 210 channels over suspected links to China and Tonga threatens to block Facebook.
Inspired by the 1989 ‘Baltic Way,’ Hong Kong protesters form human chain to demand freedom and democracy
"The light of freedom transcends time, place. Truly magnificent. #StandwithHongKong #BalticWay"
Indonesia sends in troops and cuts internet as West Papua protesters denounce racist treatment of students
"Blocking and restricting access to the internet in Papua and West Papua will make it harder for people living outside of the two provinces to verify facts."
‘White terror’ at Cathay Pacific: Flight attendant union head fired for supporting Hong Kong protests on social media
"This is not just about me. This is about the whole industry. This is about Hong Kong. When will this white terror end?"
Hong Kong protests through the eyes of a Filipino migrant worker
How have the rallies in Hong Kong affected the lives of Filipino migrant workers? What are their thoughts about the protests?
Twitter reveals China's information operations on Hong Kong protests
A network of 200,000 accounts operated in conjunction to undermine the legitimacy of the Hong Kong movement, Twitter said in a statement.
Mainland Chinese netizens face ‘pink terror’ of patriotic trolls amid Hong Kong protests
Those who do not toe the official party line are identified and subjected to doxxing.
China inspects Hongkongers’ mobile phones for protest photos and chats at border checkpoints
In the face of border searches, Hong Kong protesters are picking up new technology tactics to mitigate their risk.
Cinema and new laws bring greater acceptance and visibility for Vietnamese transgenders
LGBTQ+ identities are gaining legal and social recognition in Vietnam, as a documentary illustrates.
Vitriolic response to art exhibit tests the limits of freedom of speech in Japan
A controversial art exhibition at an arts festival in Japan has led to government criticism, threats, at least one arrest, protests by artists and questions about freedom of expression.
Refugees in West Java, Indonesia have no access to education so they established their own school
Refugees can spend many years in Indonesia without possibility of permanent settlement.
On activism and the self
"Behind the instagrammable image of the fierce-looking individual with a clenched fist is a person who is constantly rationalizing and reaffirming their fidelity to radical politics."
Beijing says Hong Kong anti-extradition protests show signs of ‘terrorism’
"The bloody crackdown is extending and you cannot see the border or a definitive sign in Hong Kong’s version of June 4..."
Cambodia reduces number of public holidays to attract jobs, but activists are concerned it could undermine democracy
"Omitting the Paris Peace Agreement and Human Rights days from the public-holiday list reflects that the government is unwilling to promote democracy any longer."
How the frontline anti-extradition protesters’ toolkit has evolved over Hong Kong’s long summer
Hong Kong pro-establishment politicians believe that the anti-extradition protests is under foreign influence as protesters hit the streets in “full gear,” donning black clothes, goggles, gas masks, helmets, and etc.
Netizen Report: Journalists are under fire from Cambodia to Cuba — and beyond
Across the globe, journalists are facin charges of everything from espionage to tax evasion.
Beijing’s loyalists from Fujian province vow to beat up anti-extradition protesters in Hong Kong
Both local media outlets and police authorities have been notified of the Fujianese plan to pick fights with protesters. But only Beijing can stop such violence.
Tokyo Interlopers provides a glimpse of life in Japan from a foreign perspective
The full archive of Tokyo Interlopers profiles provides a fascinating glimpse of life in the Japanese metropolis from a foreign perspective.
Remembering the '88 uprising’ for democracy in Myanmar
"Government newspapers said over 300 died in the crackdown but independent sources estimated that the actual figure was ten times that."
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