I served as the rapporteur at this annual conference in Yangon and wrote the attached report (as pdf). The subtitle is "Inclusive Independent Media in a New Democracy." The presentation of a study at this conference about gender equity in media gave me the idea for this story for Mizzima. The conference's chief sponsor is... Continue Reading →
* Despite Political Thaw, Myanmar Refugees in Thailand Reluctant to Return Home—Mizzima
Meanwhile, in the past decade the consortium's annual budget has shrunk by half—to US $17.5 million—even while resident numbers declined by only 30 percent during the same period. Much of that drop is due to resettlements in third countries, such as the United States and Australia, but those left behind can no longer apply for such status.
* Thai Elections Postponed As Violence Hits Tourist Territory—Forbes
If you're already ensconced there, give these rally sites a very wide berth. You can even take a "taxi boat" from Phra Athit pier to piers near the Grand Palace, Wat Po and the National Museum. Don't take the San Saeb Canal boats which run eastward from Wat Saket. Get back to your hotel area by dark and don't wander out to the Democracy Monument area.
* Bangkok Shrine Bombing: Case (Pretty Much) Closed—Forbes
Yet Somyot acknowledged that the bombing might have been set in motion by Thailand’s July 8 deportation of 109 Uyghur men and women back to China at China’s request—despite pleas from the international community and Turkey’s willingness to welcome them as ethnic Turkic brethren.
* The Rohingya Pipeline—Mizzima
In the beginning, the boats were relatively small and only carried 60 or 70 passengers, Rohingya Society of Malaysia President Sultan Ahmed explained. They soon became larger, squeezing in at least 200 passengers. Women and children began coming in large numbers in 2011. In 2012, large cargo boats were pressed into service; these could accommodate 600 or 700 passengers, as was seen this May in some of the boats set adrift in the Andaman Sea by traffickers.
Susan J Cunningham 