- Philippines President Beigno Aquino submitted a draft law to congress this week that would allow Muslims in Mindanao to run their own government. The draft version of the Bangsamoro Basic Law also stipulates a dual legal system through the application of Islamic Sharia Law for Muslims living in the region.
- The US Chief of Naval Operations says Malaysia has invited the US Navy to station P-8s in the country. Malaysia has not confirmed the statement which, if true, risks enraging China.
- Heng Sarith takes a fascinating look at Cambodia's foreign policy grand strategy.
- India's 'Look East' policy came into action in Vietnam this week with the two countries signing several agreements, including for direct flights between capitals and lines of credit for defence purchases. Here's the joint communiqué.
- David Brown looks at Vietnam's pivot toward the US. Balance that with a piece I posted last week arguing that this pivot had shifted back toward China – which I find a more compelling argument.
- According to a Barclay's survey, 23% of Singapore's high-net-worth individuals want to move abroad (the figure is a stunning 47% in China).
- Seven suspected terrorists with possible links to ISIL (including four foreigners) were arrested in Indonesia over the weekend.
- Amnesty International slams the Thai Junta for human rights abuses in a new report.
- A joint UNOCHA-UNDP press release highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Myanmar's Rakhine State.
- Jacob Zenn for Jamestown's China Brief looks at the migration of Uyghur migrants to Southeast Asia since 2013, when violence increased in China's Xinjiang province.
- The OCHA Asia-Pacific Humanitarian Bulletin for January-June 2014 is out (including country profiles on Myanmar and the Philippines). It reports 58 natural disasters that affected over 31 million people during the period. A whopping 75% of all disasters were floods or storms, with top aid recipients being Myanmar, the Philippines and Thailand.
- The Asia Foundation's John Brandon says the Thai military is yet to bridge the deep divisions in society.
- 100,000 African men fought for the British in Burma during the World War II. A new book (Another Man's War: The Story of a Burma Boy In Britain's Forgotten African Army) tells the story of one Nigerian man's survival. The story was also part of a 2011 Al Jazeera documentary:
Southeast Asia links: Africa in Burma, Uyghur migrants, Vietnam's pivot and more
Published 16 Sep 2014
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