Social development
Human rights
Evicted villagers fear for their safety
Resident from Nyaung Ni village tract, who were forcefully evicted from purported military-owned land, are concerned for their safety as they have been warned not to leave the village, or they will face arrest starting 1 February. “This morning, when the children went to school, they ...
Evicted families promised land but face food, supply shortfall
Thousands of Myanmar families evicted from military-owned land have been promised new plots in exchange for the 560 acres they were allegedly squatting on. The minister for security and border affairs in Yangon said the government has a compensation plan, but was light on the ...
HRW slams NGO Law, court cases in report
In what has become a yearly tradition, Human Rights Watch levelled a broadside of criticisms at the Cambodian government on 27 January, accusing it in its annual report of enacting “draconian” legislation and granting itself broad “arbitrary powers” to suppress dissent. The global report’s Cambodia section ...
Hundreds of families evicted from Mingalardon
Heavy machinery reduced the homes of several hundred families to rubble in Yangon’s Mingalardon township early on 26 January, leaving residents in the rain with their meager possessions. The families were designated as squatters on the 560 acres of land leased to military-owned Myanmar Economic Holdings ...
Groups urge Kerry to demand government reforms
Five rights groups on 24 January called for United States Secretary of State John Kerry to use a visit to Phnom Penh this week to demand the Cambodian government stop persecuting political opponents and rights, environmental and trade union activists. Keep reading ...
Lutheran World Federation supports rural development in northern Laos
Lutheran World Federation (LWF) has agreed to fund an extension of the Right Based Empowerment Project (RBEP) in Luang Namtha province, with funding of US$3 million (about 24 billion kip). The project will be implemented in Viengphoukha and Nalae districts of Luang Namtha province, running from ...
Cambodian Government U-turn on Montagnard refugees
In a seeming about-face, the Cambodian government has backed away from its looming deadline to deport more than 100 Montagnards currently seeking asylum in Cambodia, instead pledging to “expedite” the process of assessing their refugee status. Following a meeting on 20 January in Phnom Penh between Interior ...
Dala residents fret over bridge payouts
Dala township residents who agreed to accept compensation in exchange for land needed for a long-awaited bridge are hoping to get paid before the new government takes office. Of the 68 landowners affected, 66 have now agreed the terms offered following protracted negotiations last year. Both sides ...
Oxfam urges Asia to tackle rising inequality to sustain growth
Asian leaders must address rising inequality in all aspects, aid agency Oxfam warned on 19 January, saying ignoring the issue would leave almost 500 million people trapped in poverty and threaten economic growth. “Asia is now at a crossroads. It could continue with the existing policies ...
Borei Keila protesters shout down panel
Five shouting protesters on 19 January morning shut down a meeting of the joint committee for housing solutions in Borei Keila before it could sign cash compensation deals with 56 evicted families. After a long and contentious land dispute, 56 families were set to sign contracts that ...
