Democracy Digest
Democracy Digest
A bite-sized weekly wrap-up of developments
across the region through a human rights and democratic lens
Democracy Digest

August 21, 2023

In this week’s edition, we are looking at Taiwan’s weak cybersecurity, the state of disability equality in Nepal, Cambodia’s pro-business courts, and the challenges that humanitarian workers worldwide endure in the performance of their duties.

Read below for more.

Cambodia
Arbiter of law, protector against protesters
Cambodia last week sent 10 land activists to one year in jail and slapped them with a total fine of 40 million riels (approximately US$9,700) on counts of incitement to commit serious social disorder and malicious denunciation.

The plaintiff and victor in these cases? The tycoon Heng Huy.

According to CamboJA News, the charges stretch back to 2006, when companies associated with Heng  Huy established sugar plantations on land that local communities have warded over and tended to for generations. In response to the encroachment, the land activists launched protests that, in the years since, have led to several legal troubles.

“When we lose our land or lose something unjustly, are we not allowed to protest? Are we not allowed to speak? Is there a law that forbids it?” Tang Nim, daughter of one of the sentenced activists, said.

The Heng Huy case is but the latest example of Cambodian courts taking the side of businesses over people asserting their rights. Just earlier this year, in May, a union leader was sentenced to two years in prison after a court found her guilty of similar charges levied against the land activists.

Chhim Sithar, leader of the Labour Rights Supported Union (LRSU) of Khmer Employees of NagaWorld, along with eight other former or current union members, were protesting their employer’s decision to lay off more than 1,300 employees, around half of whom were affiliated with LRSU. NagaWorld, which is listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange, is the only casino in Cambodia.

The judicial inclination against protests is unsurprising in Cambodia, which, under the 38-year authoritarian rule of Prime Minister Hun Sen, has long been hostile toward dissent and opposition.

In its World Report 2023, Human Rights Watch flagged Hun Sen’s use of ostensibly public health measures to disproportionately target activists, union leaders, and other human rights defenders, substantially curtailing the already-shrinking civic space in the country.
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Taiwan
15,000 cyberattacks per second
In the first seven months of 2023, Taiwan was on the receiving end of nearly 225 billion cyberattacks, corresponding to around 15,000 attempted breaches per second.

This was a key finding in a report released last week by FortiGuard Labs, the research section of cybersecurity company Fortinet, according to Taiwan News. Compared with 2022, cyberattacks on Taiwan soared by more than 60 percent, making it the top target in the Asia-Pacific, accounting for some 55 percent of all exploits in the region.

While Fortinet’s report focused on trends in the volume of cyber-exploits, its findings highlight the worrying weakness of Taiwan’s data protection infrastructure, making it highly vulnerable to external attacks, especially those coming from its giant, territorial neighbor.

In October 2022, Taiwan’s Department of Household Registration, under its Ministry of Interior, suffered a major data breach, which leaked the data of more than 23 million Taiwanese citizens. Some of these data included names, addresses, and ID numbers. The information would later go up for sale online for around US$5,000, according to a report from CommonWealth Magazine.

Though some officials tried to brush the leak aside, saying that the information leaked was outdated, hackers released data from 200,000 citizens to demonstrate that their cyberhaul was genuine.

A few months later, last January, senior officials at the country’s National Health Insurance Agency (NHIA) were put under investigation for allegedly leaking troves of data to unknown parties in China from 2009 to 2022.

While the NHIA eventually found that personal data had not been leaked, many raised concerns that these breaches may be part of a larger campaign by China to infiltrate — and potentially even take control of — Taiwan’s cyberspace. According to a 2022 report by Digital Societies Project, Taiwan has for a decade been the world’s number one target of foreign disinformation, the vast majority of which originate from China.

Given the country’s weak cybersafety measures, disinformation campaigns can quickly slide into hacking, as was apparent last year, when several websites and digital signages were hijacked ahead of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit.
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Nepal
Image is not available
Far from living equally
Despite its deep cultural and religious diversity, Nepal remains a difficult country to navigate for people living with disabilities, according to Online Khabar in an  analysis piece published last week.

While Nepal has shed most of its extremely backward views on disability – such as the belief that it is a form of religious punishment for some grave sin in a past life  – the country has yet to adopt some basic measures to ensure life becomes more manageable for this sector of society.

Quality education, for example, remains accessible only to those without debilitating conditions. Most schools still do not have in-house therapists or specialized offerings for children with developmental delays. Many also have not instituted sensitivity trainings for students – or even their own staff and faculty – and as a result, people with disabilities often suffer from stigma and discrimination.

The few schools that have adequate measures in place are often far from rural villages, have limited seats available, and are prohibitively expensive.

Even simple access to mobility is difficult for people living with disabilities. Under Nepal’s Vehicles and Transport Act of 1993, public transport vehicles are supposed to allocate reserved seats for women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities. Its implementation, however, has been inconsistent at best. Not only do some buses do away with these seats, others even explicitly refuse discounts or rides to people with disabilities.

Meanwhile, the few vehicles that do comply with the law are mostly concentrated in the country’s capital or other urban cosmopolitan cities. In rural areas, people with disabilities are left to figure out their mobility on their own.

Not all is dire for people with disabilities, though, and in lieu of concerted government action, private initiatives are picking up the slack. In July 2022, for instance, bus company Sajha Yatayat debuted its first three electric buses that not only provide reserved, designated seats to persons with disabilities, but also even feature wheelchair access ramps.

The company is targeting to have a 40-bus fleet plying the streets of Kathmandu.
Global/Regional
Save and protect, #NoMatterWhat
To commemorate this year’s World Humanitarian Day, the U.N. is honoring humanitarian workers all over the world by highlighting the indispensable value of their work  and its often life-changing impact.

Each year, the U.N.’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs chooses a theme under which it unites several groups from across the humanitarian spectrum. For 2023, the U.N.’s campaign focuses on the selfless nature of humanitarian work and spotlights workers’ efforts to provide life-saving assistance to those in need #NoMatterWhat.

Unfortunately, such selflessness often means humanitarian workers have to put themselves in harm’s way to carry out their duties. This year alone has seen 113 major attacks, including killings, kidnappings, and injuries, according to data from the Aid Worker Security Database. In total, 62 humanitarian workers have died this year.

In Asia, much of this violence has occurred in Myanmar. Since its military forcibly took power from the democratically elected government in early 2021, up to 40 humanitarian workers have been killed, while around 200 have been jailed, according to High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk.

Just this year, in May, a humanitarian convoy arranged by the regional bloc ASEAN, which also included delegates, was attacked by what state media called “terrorists,” the term it typically uses to refer to resistance forces. Though none of the convoy’s passengers were harmed, the attacks made it even more difficult for regular Myanmar citizens to receive much needed aid, according to the ASEAN.

Aside from Myanmar, Afghanistan has also enacted restrictions that have made humanitarian work not only difficult but also dangerous. In April, the Taliban handed out a sweeping ban on all women staff of the U.N. from working. The international body condemned this move but was forced to nevertheless comply to ensure the safety of its employees, effectively paralyzing its entire operations in the country.
August 21, 2023
August 21, 2023

In this week’s edition, we are looking at Taiwan’s weak cybersecurity, the state of disability equality in Nepal, Cambodia’s pro-business courts, and the challenges that humanitarian workers worldwide endure in the performance of their duties.

August 14, 2023
August 14, 2023

In this week’s edition, we look at China’s belligerence in the South China Sea, South Korea’s growing mental health problem, the Myanmar junta’s crimes against humanity, and the imminent implementation of Sharia law in Afghanistan.

August 7, 2023
August 7, 2023

In this week’s edition, we look at China’s newest round of internet restrictions, Pakistan kowtowing to the IMF’s demands, the Sedition Act in Malaysia, and the climate injustice drowning large swathes of Asia.

July 31, 2023
July 31, 2023

In this week’s edition, we look at youth extremism in Singapore, child sexual exploitation in Taiwan, Sri Lanka’s 40th year commemorations for Black July, and North Korea’s first foreign guest since the pandemic.

July 24, 2023
July 24, 2023

This week, we are looking at Cambodia’s sham elections, growing anti-trans hate in Japan, the royalist barrier stemming Thailand’s progressive wave, and Bangladesh’s worsening economic crisis.

July 17, 2023
July 17, 2023

In this week’s edition, we look at the precarious situation in Myanmar, India’s achievements against poverty, Hong Kong’s ongoing crackdown on dissent, and the state of population control across Asia.

July 10, 2023
July 10, 2023

In this edition, we look at domestic violence in South Korea, the deteriorating peace situation in Sri Lanka, Cambodia’s vindictive ban on Meta’s Oversight Board members, and Japan’s plan to dump treated radioactive water from the Fukushima incident into the Pacific Ocean.

July 3, 2023
July 3, 2023

In this week’s edition, we look at Laos’s environmental laws, the Philippines’ online casino-related human trafficking problem, Nepal’s recent ruling on same-sex marriage, and China’s new “education initiative” to sway public opinion toward reunification.

June 26, 2023
June 26, 2023

In this edition, we look at the ongoing U.N. Human Rights Council’s regular session, jail overcrowding in the Philippines, the formidable force of conservativism in Hong Kong, and online child sexual abuse in India.

June 19, 2023
June 19, 2023

In this edition, we look at Sri Lanka’s tightening grip on the media, Thailand’s growing tension with the throne, the dire state of migrant workers in Southeast Asia, and Japan’s dark history of eugenics.

June 12, 2023
June 12, 2023

In this week’s edition, we look at North Korea’s spiking suicide rate, Russia-China military drills, Afghanistan’s enduring and ironic dependence on international aid, and Vietnam’s energy crisis.

June 5, 2023
June 5, 2023

In this edition, we look at Pakistan’s tense negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, Indonesia’s crackdown on online speech, and China’s youth unemployment problem and unwillingness to engage in level-headed discussions over security matters in the region.

May 29, 2023
May 29, 2023

In this edition, we look at a contentious land use bill in the Philippines, a new mobile device management policy in Nepal, the growing support for gender equality in Taiwan, and what Thailand’s new progressive government might mean for Myanmar.

May 22, 2023
May 22, 2023

In this week’s edition, we look at the human rights agenda at the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, the commemoration of the Gwangju uprising’s 43rd anniversary, skyrocketing drug prices in South Asia, and the sex abuse case that shook Singapore to its core.

May 15, 2023
May 15, 2023

In this edition, we look at two oppressive detention policies in Northeast Asia: China’s unyielding arrest of foreign journalists and Japan’s harsh policies for immigrants. We also look at Thailand’s lese-majeste law in the context of its elections and Pakistan’s widespread internet shutdown.

May 8, 2023
May 8, 2023

In this edition, we look at the dire state of press freedom in Southeast Asia, a bubbling conflict between healthcare workers in South Korea, the dengue problem swarming South Asia, and Indonesia’s measures against the impending COVID-19 surge.

May 1, 2023
May 1, 2023

In this edition, we look at Singapore’s overly harsh approach to cannabis as the death penalty for drug-related offenses remains firmly in place, the political convenience of gender equality in India, the continued shrinking of civic space in Hong Kong, and the U.S.’s increased military presence in Asia, keeping tight tabs on its authoritarian adversary.

April 24, 2023
April 24, 2023

In this edition, we will look at the Philippines’ education crisis, Pakistan’s political turmoil, the United Nations’ impending withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the continued and fraught push for marriage equality in Japan.

April 17, 2023
April 17, 2023

In this edition, we look at the environmental crises sweeping through Southeast Asia, another Covid-19 outbreak threatening South Asia, a bird flu death in China, and the bloody consequences of an apathetic international community, alongside powerful benefactors, abetting amid the unyielding violence and tyranny of Myanmar’s junta.

March 20, 2023
March 20, 2023

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the sad truth about health staffing shortages; the impossible choice faced by the Rohingya in Bangladesh; Vietnam’s repressive Article 331; and the challenges of exposing Uyghur forced labor in supply chains.

March 13, 2023
March 13, 2023

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the few bright spots for democracy in Asia; the Northeast Asian country where feminism is a dirty word; the country known as the internet shutdown capital of the world; and a symbolic victory for World War II sex slaves in the Philippines.

February 27, 2023
February 27, 2023

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: Asia’s deadliest place for a woman to be a mother; Japan’s antiquated age of consent law; a hidden danger in Northeast Asia; and a sweet victory for people-oriented mobility in the Philippines.

February 20, 2023
February 20, 2023

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: an uphill battle against a stigmatizing disease in Bangladesh; the threat multiplier of rising sea levels; a heavy-handed attempt to silence an independent media outlet in Cambodia; and a landmark victory for trans men in Hong Kong.

February 13, 2023
February 13, 2023

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: forced assimilation in the guise of education in Tibet; the women-only buses in Karachi, Pakistan; the need to make the internet safer for children; and the Malaysian manufacturers reaping the rewards of responsible business.

February 6, 2023
February 6, 2023

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: Hong Kong’s long-simmering housing crisis; corruption’s vicious cycle; the ban barring Afghanistan women from giving lifesaving support to people in dire need of aid; and a tiny Indonesian island’s battle against a huge carbon-emitting cement maker.

December 12, 2022
December 12, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: a railway that has brought few benefits to poor Laotians; why Pakistan’s coal mines are some of the most dangerous in the world; Hong Kong’s refugees in limbo; and the forced labor that taints the global auto supply chain.

December 5, 2022
December 5, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the persons with disabilities worldwide who are being left behind; the disinformation hampering polio vaccination in Indonesia and Pakistan; an opportunity for Sri Lanka’s women caught in twin crises; and the torture being inflicted on transgenders in Singapore and Japan.

November 28, 2022
November 28, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: Apple’s albatross; an unfolding catastrophe for Afghan children; the new UN treaty to end the age of pernicious plastics; and the good news for Singapore’s gig workers.

November 21, 2022
November 21, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the youth from the Global South who made the most of their seat at the table at COP27; the Thai police who show zero tolerance for peaceful protests; the attacks on press freedom in South Korea; and the too-few Nepali women in the political arena.

November 14, 2022
November 14, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the Philippines’ human rights in the spotlight; the modern slaves behind football’s biggest party; the harmful practice endured by women and girls in Asia; and the new mandatory disclosures that can close the gender pay gap in Japan.

November 7, 2022
November 7, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the shocking impunity of murderers of media workers; Pyongyang’s record-breaking missile barrage; a call to starve Myanmar’s military junta of fuel for its deadly air attacks; and the landmark ruling that banned a traumatic test in India.

October 31, 2022
October 31, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the return of a global killer; the appalling forced deportations in Malaysia and Thailand; China’s worldwide network of illegal police stations; and the future of farming in Bangladesh.

October 17, 2022
October 17, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: a baby step forward for LGBTQ rights in Japan; a neglected epidemic in Cambodia; the countries in Asia that cling to the death penalty; and hope for mental health sufferers in India.

October 10, 2022
October 10, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the false narrative that endangers transgenders in Pakistan; why Indonesia is one of the most dangerous countries in which to attend a football game; education under attack in Asia; and the foiled debate on China’s widespread human rights abuses in Xinjiang.

October 3, 2022
October 3, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the construction workers in Hong Kong who are dying on the job; the South Asian country where many ferry passengers risk drowning and death; the human rights defenders who risk reprisals; and a sweet victory for an under-supported changemaker in the Philippines.

September 26, 2022
September 26, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: sobering statistics about women’s lives on the brink; the country where women are stalked and killed; a blocked citizenship law in Nepal; and the faint silver lining in Myanmar’s humanitarian crisis.

September 19, 2022
September 19, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the global rise in forced marriages; the risks brought about by digital identity systems such as India’s Aadhar; the Southeast Asian country that doesn’t deserve a seat in the UN Human Rights Council; and a ray of hope for foreigners detained in Japan’s immigration centers.

September 12, 2022
September 12, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the alarming spike in house arrests under Chinese President Xi Jinping’s rule; the community at risk of genocide in Afghanistan; the millions deprived of the right to read; and Cambodia’s learning gardens.

September 5, 2022
September 5, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: how extreme heat has led to occupational safety lapses worldwide; how North Korea used the coronavirus to increasingly repress the rights of its people; the weaponization of Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Terrorism Act against peaceful protesters; and Thailand’s innovative approach to curb teenage pregnancy.

August 29, 2022
August 29, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: the real roadblocks to fair COVID-19 vaccine distribution; the first step to ending torture in Pakistan; a bittersweet victory for Singapore’s LGBT activists; and the campaign to combat China’s disinformation in Taiwan.

August 22, 2022
August 22, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: China’s chilling psywar tactic; the lowest-paid workers in Bangladesh; Cambodia’s ground zero for human trafficking; and why FIFA and Qatar owe abused migrant workers US$440 million in reparations.

August 15, 2022
August 15, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: Indonesia’s repressive hijab rules; the plight of Seoul’s basement dwellers; the Afghan evacuees trapped by red tape; and the crucial role of Indigenous women as keepers of knowledge.

August 8, 2022
August 8, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: a setback in Malaysian mothers’ campaign against an unequal citizenship law; Japan’s flawed program that has become a breeding ground for abuse; the heavy toll of water scarcity in Bangladesh; and the women who eat last and least.

August 1, 2022
August 1, 2022

In this edition, we highlight news about the following: a discriminatory lockdown in Taiwan; the endless wait for justice for victims of wartime atrocities in Nepal; a new law that is a betrayal of public health in the Philippines; and alarming news about the other deadly virus.

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