Southeast Asia

On the occasion of International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), the scholar-activist Dédé Oetomo from Indonesia explores the contrast between contemporary homophobia and transphobia and the more tolerant or accepting past and how this can give support to the LGBTIQ+ community.

More than a year after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a global pandemic, the virus continues to ravage the Asia-Pacific with catastrophic human, social, economic, and developmental costs. Many LGBTIQ+ persons experienced increased vulnerability on top of systemic human rights violations and social inequity many currently shoulder as the pandemic places more stress on health systems and social safety nets. 

Migrant workers amidst the pandemic in the Global South have gone through the same experience as those who are displaced. The health crisis has brought the plight of migrant workers to another level, in what it is considered here as ‘abandonment’.

On 19 March, the Global Climate Strike Day, activists from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand share their priorities for climate action in the region in 2021, the second year of the Corona virus pandemic.

Bangkok residents are finding more options for plant-based meat, with names like ‘More Meat’, ’Never Meat’ or ‘Let’s Plant Eat’, in groceries. In Manila, a government agency ran a contest for creating plant-based versions of native dishes. Over in Vietnam, social media influencers are urging followers to think sustainability through their food habits.

From its bloody war on drugs to its fight against terrorism and the lingering communist insurgency, the Duterte administration has exhibited a steadfast resolve to address the Philippines’ security challenges. One striking observation is its heavy dependence on the armed forces to accomplish its security goals, albeit at great cost to the nation’s democracy.

For the working people of ASEAN, East Asia and the Asia-Pacific, the RCEP’s arrival is puzzling. It has not received a warm welcome from the people at the grassroots. This is so because past and existing FTAs have not delivered the promised gains from a free-trade arrangement: full employment, social protection and  well-being for the working people. 

What can Southeast Asia learn from nearly a year of responses to COVID-19? A key question, not yet answered, is how to find the elusive balance between public health concerns and economic curbs, and achieve the right balance between stringent safety measures and open borders.

In 2019, and again in 2020, the Mekong River – known as the Lancang River in China - has experienced low flows that has caused hardship for millions of people whose livelihoods depend on it.

Political dynasties are not the sole clutch of the Philippines. In Southeast Asia alone, there are many examples of dynastic entrenchments in society — from monarchies to the informal designation of political bailiwicks. Cultural conditioning portrays running the government, overseeing the economy, or being an emblem of the nation as tasks that demand the so-called familial touch. This explains why these political dynasties inspire confidence in some people and trigger exasperation in others.