ASEAN gets recognition, now it must act   
     
Asean centrality has moved up one notch with the Hague-based International Court of Justice mentioning Asean in its decision recently in regard to the Thai-Cambodian dispute. No wonder, Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa told his Asean colleagues a few hours later at their closed-door meeting in Bali that “Asean is in the equation”. (The Nation)

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How did Indonesia become the most popular member of the UN Human Rights Council?  

In elections to the U.N. Human Rights Council on Friday, May 20, Indonesia received 184 votes of a possible 191, more than any other country. Though most candidate countries were elected on uncontested regional slates, the U.N. membership used votes and abstentions in the secret ballot to demonstrate the level of support for each state. So why did Indonesia receive the most votes? (CogitAsia)

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China shown empty chair but Chinese show...

The Communist Party believes in achieving high growth rates through a market economy while relying on one party political institution to ensure social justice and peace. Political scientists are likely to point out that the system put in place by the Party has resulted in rising inequality in Chinese society and also social unrest. There is also rise in corruption not only in the Party but in the country as well. These have also triggered loss of human rights of the people. (The Brunei Times)

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Time to Think Anew and Act Anew on Myanmar (Burma) 
Myanmar (Burma) is in the news again -- thanks to Wikileaks, the recent release from house arrest of Nobel Peace Prize opposition icon Aung San Suu Kyi and fallout from the November 7 controlled election billed as a step in moving toward nominal civilian rule. (Asia Pacific Bulletin)

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