Malaysian police break up opposition rally - Asia, World. Police used batons, water cannon and tear gas to prevent demonstrators gathering in Kuala Lumpur's Independence Stadium. More than 1,500 people were arrested during the rally, which was called by opposition parties and activist groups to demand fairer and more transparent voting laws before next year's elections. Prime Minister Najib Razak's ruling coalition declared the demonstration illegal, and warned people to stay away. Police also announced they would be following a process called "Operation Erase Bersih" to contain the protest movement, referring to the "Bersih" coalition of civic groups that organised the demonstration. In spite of this, thousands of people marched towards the stadium from across Kuala Lumpur, chanting "long live the people" and carrying yellow balloons and flowers.
Among those arrested were several senior opposition officials, while Anwar Ibrahim, Malaysia's top opposition figure, sustained non-serious injuries from a tear-gas round. The Persecution of Indonesia's Ahmadi Muslims. Woman fighting sex slavery named CNN Hero of the Year. CNN Heroes: Changing the world Anuradha Koirala named 2010 CNN Hero of the Year at Los Angeles gala Gala included appearance by 33 Chilean miners and five of their rescuers John Legend, Bon Jovi and Sugarland performed; celebrity presenters included Demi Moore Fourth-annual event taped before an audience of nearly 5,000 at Shrine Auditorium Editor's note: Nominations for 2011 CNN Heroes are now open at CNNHeroes.com. Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- A woman whose group has rescued more than 12,000 women and girls from sex slavery has been named the 2010 CNN Hero of the Year. Anuradha Koirala was chosen by the public in an online poll that ran for eight weeks on CNN.com.
CNN's Anderson Cooper revealed the result at the conclusion of the fourth annual "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute. " "Human trafficking is a crime, a heinous crime, a shame to humanity," Koirala said earlier in the evening after being introduced as one of the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2010. See Koirala's fan page on CNN Heroes. Education Under Attack in Thailand. US/ASEAN: Three Years After Crackdown, No Justice in Burma. (New York) - US and Southeast Asian leaders meeting in New York this week should press the Burmese government to end an escalating campaign of repression, release political prisoners, and begin a dialogue with opposition groups ahead of Burma's coming flawed elections, Human Rights Watch said today. September marks the third anniversary of the brutal 2007 crackdown on peaceful protests led by monks and known as the "Saffron Revolution.
" US President Barack Obama and leaders of the ten-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will hold a summit in New York on September 24, 2010, the eve of the annual United Nations General Assembly. "Three years ago, world leaders meeting at the United Nations expressed outrage and repugnance over the brutal use of force to disperse Buddhist monks and other protestors in Burma," said Sophie Richardson, acting Asia director at Human Rights Watch. Burma's first elections in 20 years are scheduled to take place on November 7. Southeast Asia news and business from Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. Obama's moral dilemma in Vietnam By The Hanoist As the United States deepens strategic ties with Vietnam in response to a rising China, a question now on many minds is how Washington will address Hanoi's well-documented and continuing human rights abuses.
The moral dilemma for the Barack Obama administration is how it can reconcile long-standing US support for democracy and human rights with its current realpolitik aims of winning friends and influencing states concerned by an overbearing Beijing. These two often contradictory strands of American foreign policy were manifested in the media coverage surrounding Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's presentations at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum held in Hanoi in July.
Her public remarks before Vietnamese government leaders on upholding human rights dominated the first day's headlines. On the following day, however, Clinton turned her focus to security matters. There are precedents for expediency. News. October 8th 2010 I would like to offer my heart-felt congratulations to Mr. Liu Xiaobo for being awarded this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. Awarding the Peace Prize to him is the international community’s recognition of the increasing voices among the Chinese people in pushing China towards political, legal and constitutional reforms.
I have been personally moved as well as encouraged by the efforts of hundreds of Chinese intellectuals and concerned citizens, including Mr. Liu Xiaobo in signing the Charter 08, which calls for democracy and freedom in China. I believe that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao’s recent comments on freedom of speech being indispensable for any country and people’s wish for democracy and freedom being irresistible are a reflection of the growing yearning for a more open China.
I would like to take this opportunity to renew my call to the government of China to release Mr. October 8, 2010.