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

September 11, 2023

This week, we look at domestic worker rights in Macao, potential government complicity in Sri Lanka’s Easter bombings, ramping school surveillance in the Philippines, and China’s continued protest against the release of Fukushima wastewater.

Read below for more.

Philippines
Flawed solution to education crisis
Faced with an education crisis that threatens to spin further out of control, the Philippines’ Department of Education (DepEd) proposed solution is tightened state surveillance in schools using confidential funds.

At a Senate budget hearing, Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte, daughter of former president and strongman Rodrigo Duterte, justified her bloated Php 150-million (US$2,646,928.50) confidential fund proposal by suggesting that her Department needed to ramp up its monitoring of schools to ensure the success of its campaigns.

“The success of a project, of [an] activity or program really depends upon very good intelligence and surveillance because you want to target specific issues and challenges,” Duterte said, citing, for example, “sexual grooming of learners, recruitment in terrorism and violent extremism,” as well as drug use among students.

Senator Risa Hontiveros, one of the few opposition members in Congress, blasted this plan and called it state spying on schoolchildren. She also pointed out that the DepEd’s proposed confidential fund exceeds even that of the country’s national defense department.

Instead, Hontiveros proposed to channel the proposed confidential sum away from surveillance operations and into other educational programs.

Non-profit group Alliance of Concerned Teachers agreed with Hontiveros and in a public demonstration last month challenged Duterte – and the Marcos administration more broadly – to address crucial personnel and infrastructure shortages that bog down the country’s education system.

“We need a higher education budget, more classrooms, teachers, education support personnel, functional facilities and sufficient instructional and learning materials,” group chairman Vladimer Quetua said. “We do not need confidential and intelligence funds at all.”

According to the 2023 State of Philippine Education Report, published by the Philippine Business for Education, an education non-profit, the country is currently undergoing a significant learning crisis. Some 90 percent of school children aged 10 years and above are unable to read simple texts, and the majority of students fall short of proficiency levels set by the Program for International Student Assessment.

Quality education also remains largely inaccessible, with only less than a quarter of adults aged 25 and over finishing college.
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Macao
Domestic workers left behind
Widely known as the Las Vegas of Asia for its glitz and glam, cosmopolitan Macao is supported by an unseen bedrock of domestic workers who do the busywork of keeping families functional while their employers go to work.

Despite being a foundational force of Macao’s economy, these domestic workers’ wages and working conditions have remained laggard.

A report released last week by the Association of Employment Agencies for Foreign Workers revealed that wages for domestic workers dropped by 20 to 30 percent during the pandemic – and has been stuck since. In an interview with news outfit TDM, Nedie Taberdo Palcon, of the Migrant Workers Union of the Philippines, said this decline in wages was compounded by a housing allowance that had not improved above 500 patacas (US$62.02) per month for a long time.

Meanwhile, the cost of living in Macao, including rent, has been increasing.

In April 2020, just when the COVID-19 pandemic was gaining momentum, Macao’s Legislative Assembly passed a bill that would impose a statutory minimum wage for workers across the territory. At the time, Macao was the only Chinese jurisdiction without a codified minimum wage, and the bill was its first-ever proposed legislation addressing that gap. The minimum wage law took effect in November 2020.

Notably missing from the minimum wage law, however, were domestic workers. The U.N. Human Rights Committee flagged this exclusion in July 2022, during its review of the second periodic report of the special administrative region. It noted that Macao needed to “take action to enhance the protection of migrant workers, especially migrant domestic workers.”

In response to questions from the Committee, Macao authorities cited the “special” nature of domestic work as justification for these workers’ exclusion from the mandated minimum wage, according to Macau Business. Domestic workers “are not there to help [their employers] make profits,” Labor Affairs Bureau deputy director Chan Chon U said.
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Sri Lanka
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Exposing unseen hands in bomb attacks
In April 2019, a series of explosions rocked Sri Lanka, many of which occurred inside churches and hotels. At least 290 people died and hundreds more were injured. The attacks would be infamously known as the Easter Day bombings.

At the time, the attacks were branded as an act of terror, and authorities pinned the blame on international terrorist groups, including ISIS, and their regional collaborators.

But a recent documentary by British Investigate current affairs program Dispatches claims intelligence complicity in the 2019 bombings. The senior officials who allegedly facilitated the bombings were known to be allies of  the powerful Rajapaksa family. Citing whistleblower testimony, the documentary alleges that the Rajapaksas shielded the National Thowheeth Jama’ath (NTJ), a domestic extremist group with ties to ISIS, from scrutiny from law enforcement.

In turn, according to the report, the Rajapaksas expected the instability caused by the terror attacks to help them regain power in Sri Lanka.

Last week, the government announced it was forming a parliamentary committee to look into these allegations.

The Rajapaksas’ foray into Sri Lankan politics began in 1970, when Mahinda Rajapaksa was voted into the Parliament. Eventually, Mahinda would climb the political ladder and become Prime Minister in 2004. The following year, he was elected president of Sri Lanka.

Following in Mahinda’s steps was his younger brother Gotabaya, who was appointed as secretary of the Ministry of Defense under Mahinda’s presidency. Gotabaya Rajapaksa became president in 2019.

Infamously, the Rajapaksas were known for filling government positions with family members, fueling allegations not merely of conflict of interest, but also of corruption and solidifying power. These tensions came to a head in 2022, when the public’s growing frustration – over rising prices, rolling power outages, and a generally dire economic situation – exploded into massive public demonstrations that culminated in the ouster of the Rajapaksas.

In response to the Dispatches documentary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa blasted the allegations of using the Easter Day bombings to regain power as “absurd.
Japan
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Tainted water, tainted ties
Despite clearance from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), opposition to Japan’s dumping of treated Fukushima wastewater in the Pacific Ocean persists well beyond its shores, and appears to have gone beyond safety issues.

Last week, Beijing turned down Japan’s proposal that it join an international framework to verify the IAEA’s data and assessments. Under the global verification initiative, participating countries, which do not include Japan, will “compare, analyze and evaluate” the findings of both the IAEA and the Japanese government regarding radiation levels in the treated Fukushima water, according to Kyodo News.

First announced in 2021, Japan’s plan to release more than 1 million tons of treated Fukushima wastewater has generated much controversy, especially in the months leading up to its execution. Many neighboring countries, led by China, have raised concerns about potential destructive health and environmental consequences of the plan.

After Japan pushed through with the plan, China imposed a sweeping import ban on all Japanese seafood. This was described as a retaliatory move by a BBC report, which cited Japan’s closer ties to the U.S. and support to Taiwan.

Pacific island nations have also spoken strongly against the dumping, saying that it will only aggravate the already alarming level of pollution in the Pacific. Maureen Penjueli, coordinator of the Pacific Network on Globalization, said that “the Pacific is not a dumping ground for radioactive waste water.”

In South Korea, the Fukushima plan has also triggered widespread anxiety among the people, with more than 70 percent of the respondents to a survey by Gallup Korea raising concerns about the impact of the release of the Fukushima wastewater on seafood. Even Japan’s own fisher groups have opposed the plan, citing fears that it might imperil their livelihoods once again – and after they had rebuilt it following the Fukushima disaster in 2011.

Despite this strong public and diplomatic pushback Japan started the dumping last month, emboldened by the endorsement of the IAEA, which in July said that treated Fukushima’s wastewater met international safety standards.
September 11, 2023
September 11, 2023

This week, we look at domestic worker rights in Macao, potential government complicity in Sri Lanka’s Easter bombings, ramping school surveillance in the Philippines, and China’s continued protest against the release of Fukushima wastewater.

September 4, 2023
September 4, 2023

In this week’s edition, we look at the upcoming G20 meeting, South Asia’s rapid descent into surveillance, starvation and secrecy in North Korea, and Hun Sen’s triumphant return to Facebook despite having demonstrably violated its policies.

August 28, 2023
August 28, 2023

In this edition, we will look at mounting anti-Christian violence in India and Pakistan, Hong Kong’s crackdown on artistic expression, the roster of Presidential candidates in Singapore, and the enduring problem of human trafficking in India.

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.

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