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Tag: Daily Reports

Life sentence for Vietnamese tycoon already facing death penalty

Editor03 mins

Businesswoman Truong My Lan was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday in relation to a multi-billion-dollar fraud for which she already faces the death penalty, Vietnamese media reported. The Chairwoman of property developer Van Thinh Phat appeared at Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court to hear the verdict after a month-long trial. Lan, 68, was found guilty of fraud, money laundering and cross-border currency trafficking. In April, Lan was sentenced to death for embezzling US$12.5 billion, and a total of 40 years for bribery and violating bank regulations. The court ordered her to repay $27 billion in loans to companies in the Van Thinh Phat group from Siam Commercial Bank, or SCB, in which she holds a 91% stake. Lan’s lawyers said she planned to appeal the death sentence, although a date has not been announced. RELATED STORIES Van Thinh Phat chairwoman sentenced to death in Vietnam’s biggest fraud trial Van Thinh Phat case tests investor confidence in Vietnam One year after inmate’s execution Vietnam continues sentencing people to death On Thursday Lan was sentenced to life for fraudulent property appropriation, 12 years for laundering more than $18 billion, and eight years for illegally transferring $1.5 billion out of the country and receiving $3 billion from abroad, according to Vietnamese daily the Tuoi Tre. During the trial of Lan and 33 other defendants, including her husband Eric Chu, the court heard that the Van Thinh Phat chairwoman told senior staff at the property company, SCB and Tan Viet Securities to issue more than 300 million bonds, allowing her to appropriate $1.2 billion from nearly 36,000 investors. Last Friday, as the trial ended, Lan had been allowed to address the court, appealing for clemency. “Standing here today is a price too expensive for me to pay. I consider this my destiny and a career accident,” Lan said, according to the VNExpress news site. “For the rest of my life, I will never forget that my actions have affected tens of thousands of families.” Edited by Taejun Kang. We are : Investigative Journalism Reportika Investigative Reports Daily Reports Interviews Surveys Reportika

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Police say son of Cambodian Muslim leader facing sexual assault charges

Editor03 mins

The son of a high-ranking Cambodian Muslim cleric has been arrested on charges of sexual assault and rape after police received complaints from residents of a Phnom Penh student dormitory.  Police said they heard complaints from four victims between 13 and 15 years old and have also spoken with four witnesses. Kamarudin Suhaimi was arrested on Tuesday, denied the charges in a court appearance and was being detained as police continue their investigation, according to Fresh News. Suhaimi is the son of Sos Kamry, the chairman of the Highest Council for Islamic Religious Affairs in Cambodia. Kamry told the Khmer Times that the allegations were “a rumor” and that his son hasn’t committed any crimes. Suhaimi had been the manager of security, hygiene and health at the girls’ dorm for the An-Nikmah Al-Islamiyah Phnom Penh Institute, which lists itself as an elementary school on its Facebook page. He was relieved of those duties following complaints from students of inappropriate behavior and language directed toward students, the school said in an Oct. 12 statement. The aunt of one of the alleged victims told Radio Free Asia on Wednesday that Suhaimi sexually assaulted her niece “a few times.” “But my niece didn’t dare to tell because she was threatened,” she said. RFA was unable to contact Kamry for further comment on the charges against his son. National Police Chief Sar Thet was also unavailable for comment on Wednesday.  Ny Sokha, president of human rights group Adhoc, praised the authorities’ actions and told RFA that he hopes police and prosecutors will give justice to the victims regardless of the suspect’s influential father.  “We want to see justice for both sides. Authorities should be working on the case to show that it isn’t under the influences of powerful people,” he said.  Translated by Yun Samean. Edited by Matt Reed. We are : Investigative Journalism Reportika Investigative Reports Daily Reports Interviews Surveys Reportika

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Myanmar junta extends census as fighting, floods slow election preparations

Editor06 mins

Read RFA coverage of this topic in Burmese. Myanmar’s military regime has been forced to extend its two-week census, an official told Radio Free Asia on Wednesday, after fighting and threats of retaliation against junta administrators, along with flooding in the wake of Typhoon Yagi, made it impossible to gather information in many parts of the country. The census, aimed at tallying potential voters ahead of the widely-criticized 2025 elections, has met strong opposition from the country’s ethnic armed groups who say preparations for a nationwide vote are impossible while they battle a regime that continues to arrest and kill its critics.  Since the country’s coup over three years ago, the junta has been under pressure from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to hold elections. But the regime has continued to extend a state of emergency across the country and brought in tough new registration laws that disqualify many parties from standing, including the National League for Democracy, deposed after winning a landslide victory in the 2020 election. RELATED STORIES: As Myanmar’s census draws to a close, observers question its accuracy Myanmar census-takers and their protectors face rebel attacks Myanmar junta invites insurgents, ‘terrorists’ to join election After the official census period ended on Tuesday, the junta’s ministry of immigration and population said more time was needed to reach households in areas of armed conflict and regions whose roads had been cut off by recent storms and flooding. “Although we conducted the census from Oct. 1 to Oct. 15, there are still regions that are left out,” Vice Minister of Immigration and Population Htay Hlaing told RFA. “We’ll continue there, but I can’t say how long it will last.” The junta plans to add 40,000 more enumerators to the nearly 110,000 already working to collect census data, his ministry said, adding that there are an estimated 13 million households in the country, with a population of over 56 million. Htay Hlaing declined to comment on how many people had filled out the census over the past two weeks. Census takers take down information in Yangon. Oct. 9, 2024. (RFA) On Wednesday, state-owned media encouraged those in “relevant areas” who remained uncounted to contact the Central Census Commission, adding that they would publish preliminary results in December.  Powerful ethnic armies continue to seize territory from junta forces in Rakhine state in Myanmar’s west, border regions like Kachin, Kayin and Kayah states, and central Mandalay region, casting doubt on how junta forces could do an accurate count there. Census takers and the troops and police guarding them have come under attack from rebel forces in Chin state and Sagaing, Yangon and Tanintharyi regions since early October.  A junta soldier on guard during the census in Yangon, Oct. 9, 2024. (RFA) Junta leader Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing on Tuesday called on Myanmar’s ethnic armed groups to cooperate with the election plans, warning: “Only when the country forges peace and stability will the government initiate the strengthening of the multiparty democratic system and correct reform processes as quickly as possible.” But former election monitor San Aung, who has been observing the latest preparations, told RFA the junta will not be able to complete the census in areas controlled by armies opposed to Min Aung Hlaing’s regime “There are so many forces defending areas that they won’t allow a census to be done in. Even in Yangon, it’s not easy to count,” he said, referring to Myanmar’s largest city, where guerilla groups bombed administrative offices days before the census began. “There are also very few enumerators. Getting the data in phases will probably also be difficult. They’re definitely endangering their security and their lives.” Translated by Kiana Duncan. Edited by Mike Firn.  We are : Investigative Journalism Reportika Investigative Reports Daily Reports Interviews Surveys Reportika

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Myanmar rebels capture border base near Chinese rare-earth mining hub

Editor07 mins

Read RFA coverage of this topic in Burmese Joint rebel forces have seized a key base for Myanmar’s pro-junta Border Guard Force in Kachin state, and residents say rebels will soon occupy a nearby town that serves as a hub for Chinese rare-earth mining and cross-border trade. Rebel control of these mines could potentially disrupt shipments of these lucrative rare earths, which are used in cell phones, cars and other products, and could cut off an important source of revenue for the junta, which has struggled financially amid global sanctions over its Feb. 1, 2021, coup d’etat. It would also give the Kachin Independence Army, or KIA, more leverage in dealing with China, which has seemed to favor the military junta in power, including possible future peace talks that might be brokered by China. On Tuesday, a coalition of rebel forces under the KIA took control of the No. 1002 Border Guard Force Battalion, located around 16 kilometers (10 miles) from the town of Panwa, which is near the Chinese border. KIA spokesperson Colonel Naw Bu told RFA Burmese that his group had captured the base at around 1pm and is now carrying out a security “clearance operation” in the area. The battalion serves as the guard force for Panwa – located around 160 kilometers (100 miles) east of the Kachin state capital Myitkyina – and is “crucial for the area,” he added, without providing information about casualties sustained in the battle. A resident of Panwa who, like others interviewed for this report, spoke on condition of anonymity due to security concerns, told RFA that only a handful of camps operated by pro-junta militias remain near the town. “The junta will soon lose Panwa,” he said, although he cautioned that “casualties will be high” if the junta uses heavy weapons to defend the town, due to the densely packed nature of the houses there. The capture of No. 1002 Border Guard Force Battalion marked the culmination of a week-long battle for the site. RELATED STORIES: Myanmar junta bombs rebels despite peace gesture China warns Myanmar rebel army to stop fighting China in delicate dance with Myanmar’s rebel groups Residents of Panwa township told RFA that fighting is still taking place near the border, with the junta conducting airstrikes in the area. One resident noted that rebel forces had earlier taken over a major junta battalion stationed in the nearby village of Lu Pi. “The junta has been carrying out airstrikes there since yesterday to support its ground forces,” said the resident, who also declined to be named. “We no longer hear gunfire, although there have been some exchanges with heavy weapons.” An aerial view of a rare-earth mine in Panwa captured on Oct. 15, 2024. (Google Earth) Residents said that around 500 people from villages near the battalion – including Lu Pi, Sin Khone and Pang Bu – had fled to Panwa amid the fighting. Meanwhile, they said, the junta has been bombing Hpa Re village, which lies within territory occupied by the KIA’s 7th Brigade, and China is patrolling its border with military helicopters. Rare-earth hub Panwa township is home to the largest number of rare-earth mines in Kachin state. Global Witness, an NGO that monitors the world’s natural resource exploration, said this year that more than 300 rare-earth mines are located in Panwa and Chipwi township to the northwest. According to statistics published by the Chinese customs department, China imported US$3.4 billion worth of rare-earth minerals from Myanmar between the military coup and August 2024. Most of the mines in Panwa have been shuttered amid fighting in the region, and the Chinese workers there have largely returned home. The junta has yet to release any information about the situation in Panwa and attempts by RFA to contact Moe Min Thein, the junta’s social affairs minister and spokesperson for Kachin state, went unanswered Tuesday. Translated by Aung Naing. Edited by Joshua Lipes and Malcolm Foster. We are : Investigative Journalism Reportika Investigative Reports Daily Reports Interviews Surveys Reportika

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ASEAN openness constrained at Laos summit

Editor06 mins

Southeast Asian leaders wrapped up this month’s summit in the Lao capital Vientiane by reaffirming their commitment to an “open, inclusive and transparent” ASEAN community. But some of the international media covering the meeting of the 10 member countries complained the vision was far from reality due to tough local reporting restrictions.  Authorities would not allow the 800-or-so media members to talk to people on the streets to ask how they were coping with inflation that the Asian Development Bank forecasts will average 20% this year. The media coverage manual said the press must report only from the National Convention Center hosting the summit or the Media Center a few kilometers away. Permission to report in the field was not available during the Oct. 6-11 meetings, an official at the Lao ministry of foreign affairs told Radio Free Asia. “They keep us in a small zone and keep a close watch, we can’t go anywhere or interview anyone,” said a reporter at a Japanese news service who, like all the journalists interviewed for this report, didn’t want to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue. “I could not enter the meeting rooms and take a photo there. The bland press releases are not the reason we come here,” a Lao reporter for a Western news agency said. A journalist at another Japanese agency agreed that lack of access and the expectation that reporters would write their stories from official handouts meant it was impossible to get to the “essence” of the meetings.   “The press releases are too bland,” they said. “At the convention center, there were no officials to advise the media about the programs, press releases, how to get access to the internet, slow connections and arrangements for photo opportunities. We have to deal with that among ourselves.”     A man walks past a billboard for a bank which finances Lao energy projects, Oct. 6, 2024 (RFA) On the streets of the capital the only indication a summit was taking place were ASEAN billboards and the motorcades intermittently passing by. Even tourists trying to take photos of the Vietnam-gifted National Assembly House were waved away by plain-clothes police. Back at the media center, there were no briefings from Lao leaders or high-ranking officials to talk about the topics discussed or inform journalists about the views of the country chairing ASEAN this year. RELATED STORIES Blinken warns ASEAN of China’s ‘dangerous’ actions in sea disputes Malaysia’s Anwar calls for a united ASEAN amid rising ‘global tensions’ Laos’ ASEAN chairmanship propels foreign minister to PM contender The newsworthy items came from visiting officials such as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., with all three weighing in on recent Chinese actions in the disputed waters of the South China Sea. Reporters told RFA they were impressed by the prompt briefings from Thai officials after key events such as the China-ASEAN and U.S.-ASEAN Summits, but a Lao reporter was less complimentary about their own government’s briefings. “The Lao foreign ministry is always late in handing out statements, and yet there’s nothing interesting there. We cannot add more information to make the news interesting either.”   Lao authorities almost totally control the media according to Reporters Without Borders. The country ranks near the bottom of its 2024 World Press Freedom Index. Translated by RFA Lao. Edited by Mike Firn and Taejun Kang. We are : Investigative Journalism Reportika Investigative Reports Daily Reports Interviews Surveys Reportika

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North Koreans pray to Buddha statues for good luck

Editor06 mins

Residents in North Korea are praying to small, handmade statues of Buddha for good fortune or hoping that they cancel out “bad luck,” residents told Radio Free Asia.   North Korea is officially an atheist state, but its constitution guarantees religious freedom under certain conditions: religious practice must not encourage foreign influence or harm the state or the social order, and yet, the ruling Kim Dynasty enjoys almost god-like status, bolstered by a deeply embedded cult of personality that goes back three generations.  But with so many people struggling to make a living under harsh economic conditions, some are turning to Buddha statues to give them luck. “These days, in the apartment I live in, there are more people who buy Buddha statues that are a little bigger than the palm of your hand,” a resident of Songchon county in the western province of South Pyongan told RFA Korean on condition of anonymity for security reasons. “The Buddha statues are sold by a door-to-door salesman who goes around the apartments every morning,” she said. “The price of the Buddha statue is around 20,000 won,” or about US$1.17. Eat less, pray more The price for the statues might seem low to outsiders, but that’s an enormous sum of money in North Korea, equivalent to a little less than three kilograms (6.6 pounds) of rice. “People who are struggling to make ends meet buy Buddha statues with the money they would otherwise spend on rice,” the resident said. “They believe that placing a Buddhist statue in the house will eliminate bad luck.” Another resident, a woman in her 40s from the same province, told RFA under condition of anonymity that she recently bought a statue. “I put it in my house and pray to it before going to the market,” she said. “I pray that it will keep the officials off my back and help me earn a lot of money.” She said that the people who buy statues pray to remove misfortune in hopes of a better life.  “The statues are made at home by skilled workers who have spent a long time working in ceramics factories,” she said. “After digging up red clay and sculpting the Buddha figure by hand, they bake it in a small kiln installed in their homes, paint it yellow and gold, and then they are sold by the door-to-door salesman.” Religion punished Though North Korea is somewhat tolerant of Buddhism, it has very little tolerance for other major religions, including Christianity. In the past, Christianity had become so prevalent on the Korean Peninsula that Pyongyang was once called the “Jerusalem of the East.”  But now, if a North Korean is caught with a copy of the Bible, it’s not uncommon for the entire family to be put into a prison camp. In its 2024 Annual Report published in May, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, an independent organization under the U.S. government, recommended to the State Department to continue North Korea’s designation as a Country of Particular Concern. The report noted that Christians were “especially vulnerable” to persecution, citing a 2023 South Korean government report that said North Korea considers Christians as “counter-revolutionaries” and “traitors” who must be eliminated.  “Simply being a Christian could lead to severe punishment, including torture, forced labor, imprisonment, and execution,” the report said, while also noting that information on religious freedom conditions for followers of other religions, including Buddhism and Catholocism, remains “severely limited.” Translated by Claire S. Lee. Edited by Eugene Whong and Malcolm Foster. We are : Investigative Journalism Reportika Investigative Reports Daily Reports Interviews Surveys Reportika

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Insurgent army tightens its grip on northern Myanmar town

Editor07 mins

Read RFA coverage of these topics in Burmese. An insurgent group battling Myanmar’s junta in Shan state has taken full control of a major town, a spokesperson told Radio Free Asia on Monday. The Ta’ang National Liberation Army, or TNLA, said it captured the final junta base in Hsipaw on Sunday and plans to use its position to strike other military camps in the area. The TNLA, is a member of the Three Brotherhood Alliance that launched Operation 1027 nearly a year ago in an effort to seize territory from the military that took power in a 2021 coup.  Since launching the offensive, heavy fighting for control of Lashio, Nawnghkio and other northern Shan towns has sparked concern from China, which borders the state to the east, and forced it to shut previously busy border crossings.  China has tried to protect its interests by brokering ceasefires between the junta and alliance members, but these haven’t lasted long.  The second round of Operation 1027 began when a five-month truce collapsed in June. Since then the TNLA has captured Kyaukme, Mongmit and Nawnghkio towns in northern Shan state, as well as Mandalay region’s Mogoke town.  Two months later, the TNLA turned its sights on Hsipaw. It captured most of the town on Aug. 12 but the junta held on to an infantry camp. On Sunday, the Infantry Battalion 23 base finally fell to the TNLA, spokesperson Lway Yay Oo said.  “We managed to completely control Hsipaw,” she told RFA. “According to our list, there must be over 50 captured soldiers and over 100 members of military families. We will release the family members.” Neither side has reported any casualties and RFA’s calls to Shan state’s junta spokesperson Khun Thein Maung went unanswered. RELATED STORIES: Myanmar junta charges hundreds for scamming on Chinese border Traders in Myanmar struggle as borders with China remain closed in rebel-held areas Rebels seize junta base near Chinese rare-earth mine in northern Myanmar By taking full control of Hsipaw the TNLA is in a stronger position to attack nearby junta camps. After capturing most of the town in mid-August it started targeting light infantry battalions 503 and 504 about a kilometer away. The junta has been hitting back with daily airstrikes. A Y-12 airplane dropped more than 80 bombs on TNLA positions on Friday, the group said in a statement published the following day.  In over two months of fighting in Hsipaw, junta airstrikes and artillery fire have killed 32 people, including young children and injured 100 more residents, according to local civil society groups.  Lashio under fire Another Three Brotherhood Alliance member has also been taking territory off junta forces in Shan state. Since the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, or MNDAA, captured the junta’s military headquarters in Lashio in July, and took full control of the town in August, civilians have borne the brunt of junta retaliation through frequent airstrikes and shelling. Junta bombs killed three villagers on Monday morning in the township’s Ei Naing village, residents said.  Three men in their 40s died and two other people were injured, including a child, according to a resident who didn’t want to be named for fear of reprisals. “The men who were attacked died on the spot. They didn’t have time to dodge because the bomb fell straight on their house,” he said.  The injured were moved to a safe location to receive medical treatment, he added. The bombs destroyed a church and five houses, according to an MNDAA-associated aid group. Residents stand outside a house bombed by junta planes in Ei Naing village, Lashio Township, Shan state on Oct. 14, 2024. (Facebook: Lashio Reconstruction) Frequent battles near Ei Naing village prompted heavy shelling by the junta, causing most of the 1,000 people living in the area to flee, residents said. Many returned to Lashio after the MNDAA took control of the township, but fled again following Monday’s attack.  In September, the MNDAA said it had cut ties with Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government. It said it would work with China to bring peace and announced it had no plans to capture large towns in Shan state.  Days later the junta bombed Lashio and peace talks never took place. Since June, over 20 junta airstrikes on Lashio have killed three people and injured over 100, according to an MNDAA statement on Oct. 4. Translated by Kiana Duncan. Edited by Mike Firn.  We are : Investigative Journalism Reportika Investigative Reports Daily Reports Interviews Surveys Reportika

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Cambodians conjure up US bogeyman behind Vietnam canal concerns

Editor012 mins

I was recently offered documents purporting to show that U.S. intelligence agencies have “been guiding Vietnam to sabotage” the Funan Techo Canal, Cambodia’s controversial megaproject that critics say poses a serious ecological threat to Vietnam’s southern rice-growing heartland. The Vietnamese-language documents offered by an official in Phnom Penh reveal nothing about alleged secret meetings or misinformation campaigns, merely restating Vietnam’s concerns about what its neighbor was doing based on publicly available reports.   It isn’t entirely surprising if Phnom Penh is now pushing the line that complaints about the canal are mostly American propaganda that Washington is helping direct Vietnam to regurgitate.    A Cambodian national flag is displayed during a groundbreaking ceremony of China-funded Funan Techo canal in Prek Takeo village, Cambodia, Aug. 5, 2024. (Heng Sinith/AP) It may make some psychological sense for Phnom Penh to pretend all the noise is a result of U.S.-China geopolitics and to think that Vietnam, its closest neighbor and increasingly important economic partner, isn’t actually angry at all about Funan Techo.  And Phnom Penh, somewhat justifiably, feels hemmed in by the uproar that followed Prime Minister Hun Manet’s announcement in May that construction of the canal will go ahead.  Although China has been funding almost every other megaproject in Cambodia, it refused to pony up most of the money for this one, leaving the Cambodian state to cover the costs that will likely end up being much higher than the $1.7 billion estimate.  Vietnam has made it known in private conversations with Cambodia’s leaders that it is unhappy about how Phnom Penh went about its assessments of the canal’s impact on the Mekong Delta. Reticent Vietnam The people of Southeast Asia would “benefit from transparency on any major undertaking with potential implications for regional water management, agricultural sustainability, and security,” a U.S. embassy spokesperson in Phnom Penh said recently. Yet it’s fanciful for Phnom Penh to think Vietnam doesn’t have concerns of its own about a neighbor’s construction of a 180-km (110-mile) canal near their shared border, or to think that Vietnam needs prodding from America to express these concerns to Cambodia’s government.  More often than not, in fact, it has been Washington that does the ventriloquizing for Hanoi.  One struggles to remember any Vietnamese minister giving a press conference or an official going on the record about Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base. Washington has alleged for years that Phnom Penh will allow China direct access to the base, which Phnom Penh denies.    Workers use excavators during the construction of the Funan Techo canal in Kandal province, July 9, 2024. (Tang Chhin Sothy/AFP) A Chinese naval presence in Cambodia wouldn’t be ideal for America’s security interests in the region, but the biggest threat would be to Vietnam, which lies just 30 km (18 miles) from the site. A Chinese naval base to its southwest would leave Vietnam pretty much encircled by Chinese forces at sea.  Yet most of what we know of Vietnam’s concerns comes from what the U.S. government has said about the matter.  Likewise, what we know about Vietnam’s concerns over the Funan Techo Canal comes either from its officials speaking anonymously to Vietnam’s state-run media, from the Cambodian government responding publicly to Vietnam’s concerns, or what one can infer from U.S. government statements.  Blaming foreigners The fact that American statements about the canal focus on the potential ecological and economic impact on Vietnam — hardly a top-line U.S. national security concern — suggests these fears originated in Hanoi.  It’s illogical to maintain that Hanoi would need U.S. intelligence services to warn it of the potential economic and ecological impacts of the canal.  Perhaps this has been discussed between Vietnamese and U.S. officials, but to imagine it’s all an American conspiracy to hammer Cambodia is rather desperate. But it has worked for Cambodia before.  In 2017, the Cambodian government instructed the Supreme Court to forcibly dissolve the country’s largest opposition party, the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), which might have given the ruling party a tough run at a general election the following year.    A supporter of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party wears a poster of party leader Kem Sokha as she stands outside the Supreme Court in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Oct. 31, 2017. (Heng Sinith/AP) The false narrative Phnom Penh constructed was that the CNRP was plotting a “color revolution” with U.S. support. The party’s dissolution came months after Phnom Penh shut down newspapers and civil society groups it has accused of being part of a U.S. plot.  Not a shred of evidence was offered to prove any of this, yet it jibed with the ruling Cambodian People’s Party’s parochial and paternalistic view of Cambodian society: Everyone is peaceful until foreigners start whipping up our locals; its foreigners who convince Cambodians to demand their rights and liberty.  The claim that America is now dripping poisonous misinformation into Hanoi’s ears over the Funan Techo Canal has a similar ring to it. As it implies, Asia would be entirely peaceful if it wasn’t for a captious U.S. pressuring countries in the region to do its bidding.   RELATED STORIES Cambodia’s Funan Techo canal exposes cracks in Vietnam ties Will Cambodia’s Funan Techo canal be a success? Cambodian anti-Vietnamese sentiment will stalk Hun Manet beyond trade zone spat Cambodia launches ambitious Funan Techo canal project Chinese whispers Read between the lines, and what one can also infer is an argument that the region would be entirely happy with China’s behavior if it weren’t for U.S. interference.  Indeed, the Cambodian official who contacted me claimed that “the U.S., in collaboration with Vietnam, is obstructing the Canal Project…to eliminate Chinese influence in Southeast Asia.” These claims echo Chinese propaganda that asserts that it’s not really Vietnam or the Philippines who wants to assert their sovereignty in the South China Sea in the face of Chinese aggression, but the Americans who are forcing them to challenge China.  Beijing’s line that Vietnam is a proxy of U.S. geopolitical interests now appears to have seeped into…

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In new film, Dalai Lama says inner peace is key to happiness

Editor010 mins

Read RFA coverage of this story in Tibetan. “Eight billion human beings. Everybody, including our enemy, wants peace,” says the Dalai Lama in a documentary that opens in Swiss cinemas on Dec. 5 and in other movie theaters around the world. “Wisdom of Happiness” offers an intimate, meditative cinema experience where the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader speaks directly to the camera about what he says is the source of happiness — inner peace. Directed by Barbara Miller and Philip Delaquis and listing Richard Gere, the American actor and Tibet advocate, as an executive producer, the 90-minute film premiered on Oct. 7 to a sold-out audience at the Zurich Film Festival.  Gere, a long-time follower of the Dalai Lama, expressed excitement at the event about the potential impact the film could have on global audiences.  “There are around 750 people here tonight with different energy, but after this film, they have the possibility to carry it back to their families, communities and the world,” Gere said at the film’s screening. “This is how we change the world.”  Taglined “A heart-to-heart with the Dalai Lama,” the film provides a personal glimpse into the Dalai Lama’s reflections on peace, happiness and the potential for a peaceful 21st century, while featuring never-before-seen, newly restored archival footage of the Tibetan spiritual leader. “We began working on this film in 2018, and it took six years to complete,” Miller told Radio Free Asia. “The result is an intimate and unique documentary that captures the Dalai Lama speaking directly to viewers, creating the feeling of a personal audience.” “His Holiness advocates for greater compassion in humanity during the 21st century,” she said. “It’s a true blessing that we were able to create this documentary, which reflects everything His Holiness stands for.”  ‘Not an easy century’ In the film, the 89-year-old Buddhist leader talks about balancing age-old Tibetan Buddhist traditions with contemporary values of a globalized society that is struggling with war, violence and environmental concerns.  “Our 21st century will not be an easy century,” the Dalai Lama says in the film. “Lot of difficulties come. Destructive actions come from destructive emotions. So, now our world needs knowledge about our mind, about our emotions, and how to tackle these emotions.”   Executive producer Richard Gere (4th from R); Jetsun Pema, the younger sister of the Dalai Lama (C); Penpa Tsering, president of the Central Tibetan Administration (2nd from R); and writers and directors Philip Delaquis (5th from L) and Barbara Miller (R) attend the premiere of ‘Wisdom of Happiness’ at the Zurich Film Festival in Zurich, Switzerland, Oct. 8, 2024. (Nyishon via Tibet.net)   Also present at the premiere in Zurich were Jetsun Pema, the Dalai Lama’s younger sister, Sikyong Penpa Tsering, president of the Central Tibetan Administration – the Tibetan government-in-exile – the film’s co-executive producer Oren Moverman and director of photography Manuel Bauer. Speaking to RFA, Pema said, “It’s a truly wonderful film in which His Holiness shares practical wisdom for navigating the challenges of this century.”  “This is my second time watching it, yet every time I hear His Holiness speak, I feel both joy and sadness, and tears flow out without any control,” she said. “Everyone who has seen the film has loved it, and everyone is moved by it.” Sikyong Penpa Tsering underscored the significance of the film and the relevance of the Dalai Lama’s teachings amid current war and conflict around the world.  “While this film centers on His Holiness’ wisdom regarding the universal pursuit of inner peace and compassion, the cause of Tibet is inherently tied to the Dalai Lama,” he said. “As a result, Tibet’s struggle naturally becomes part of the film, and that is why I am here at this premiere.”    Filmmakers and Jetsun Pema (2nd from R), the younger sister of the Dalai Lama, celebrate the premiere of ‘Wisdom of Happiness’ at the Zurich Film Festival in Zurich, Switzerland, Oct. 8, 2024. (Nyishon via Tibet.net) Though there are visible conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, it is important to remember that there are also about 55 other wars and acts of violence occurring in the world, many of which go unnoticed, Tsering said.  “In times like these, the teachings of His Holiness the Dalai Lama on love and compassion, as presented through this film, hold immense relevance and significance,” he said. “The premiere at this festival couldn’t be more timely.”  Archive footage The documentary also delves into the story of the Dalai Lama’s early life, including rare archival material that chronicles his journey as Tenzin Gyatso, who was chosen as the spiritual leader of Tibet at the age of 4 in 1940. At the screening, Gere emphasized the unique presence of the Tibetan spiritual leader, saying, “He has a childlike quality, is completely unpretentious, and you feel a bubble of joy around him.” The Dalai Lama lifts a dove into the air in the trailer of ‘Wisdom of Happiness,’ a documentary that features rare archival material of the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader’s early life. (Image from ‘Wisdom of Happiness’ trailer via YouTube) “At the same time, he is probably the greatest scholar of his generation,” he said. “It’s an incredible mix of purity, joy and profound wisdom.” Pema also addressed the audience at the premiere, reflecting on the special connection between Tibet and Switzerland. “Switzerland was the first country to open its doors to Tibetan refugees after China occupied our homeland,” she said. “Like Tibet, Switzerland is a mountainous country, and it’s always a pleasure to be here.” Additional reporting by Rigdhen Dolma, Lhuboom and Tashi Wangchuk for RFA Tibetan. Edited by Tenzin Pema, Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster. We are : Investigative Journalism Reportika Investigative Reports Daily Reports Interviews Surveys Reportika

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Rights groups blast Skechers over new store in Xinjiang

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Rights groups are condemning U.S. footwear and apparel company Skechers as it used the star power of martial arts actor Donnie Yen to open a new store in Xinjiang despite allegations that ethnic Uyghurs in China’s far west are used for forced labor. In a video Yen posted to Instagram, crowds inside a glitzy shopping mall in the regional capital of Urumqi clamored to catch a glimpse of the Hong Kong actor, who is a Skechers brand ambassador — and is known to have pro-China sympathies. The company promoted its Sept. 28 Urumqi store opening heavily on Chinese social media, and Yen encouraged his nearly 130 million followers on Weibo to visit the outlet and explore its “comfortable treasures,” Voice of America reported. The brand is big in China: Of Skechers 5,200 retail stores worldwide, China has the most with more than 940. But the big promotional event — and opening a story in Urumqi — showed that Skechers was “completely tone deaf” to concerns about the use of Uyghur forced labor in Xinjiang, said Jewher Ilham, the forced labor project coordinator at the Worker Rights Consortium. “Skechers isn’t yet taking seriously the need to extricate its business from the Uyghur region, even after it was previously linked to forced labor by U.S. Customs and other institutions,” Ilham said. The United States has taken a strict stance on the issue. Under the 2021 Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, imports from Xinjiang are banned from entering the United States unless they are certified as not made with forced labor. In June 2022, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security added Skechers supplier Dongguan Oasis Shoes Co., Ltd., to a list of companies suspected of using Uyghur slave labor. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute issued a 2020 report titled “Uyghurs For Sale which found that 83 global companies and brands, including Skechers, were directly or indirectly benefiting from the use of Uyghur forced labor in 27 factories in China from which they sourced products. ‘Distasteful’ Skechers has been identified as a company within that risk, said Henryk Szadziewski, research director at the Uyghur Human Rights Project in Washington. “For me, even if the question of forced labor is in dispute, the very fact that you’re opening a shop [and] profiteering in a region where there’s ongoing crimes against humanity, I’d have to question the decision of Skechers here and ask them what kind of ethical guidelines and clearance were made to make this decision,” he told Radio Free Asia.  “So, it’s not just the forced labor,” he said. “[In] this region are ongoing crimes against humanity, and [Skechers’] decision is to open a shop and make money. That’s very distasteful.” When we contacted Jennifer Clay, vice president of corporate communications at Skechers, for comment, her assistant said Clay was traveling and “too busy to deal with that right now.” Yen, whose breakout film in the West was “Ip Man” in 2008, is a controversial figure because of his pro-China comments. He most recently appeared in  “John Wick 4” in which he had a prominent role along with American actor Keanu Reeves. His appearance at the Oscars in Hollywood in March 2023 prompted protesters to gather outside the venue, criticizing him for his lack of support for Hong Kong’s 2019 pro-democracy movement, which he had called “a riot.” Some critics even called on event organizers to disinvite Yen. Many Hong Kongers have boycotted Yen’s movies over his pro-Beijing stance during the 2019 protests against the erosion of Hong Kong’s promised freedoms and judicial independence that saw pitched battles between protesters armed with bricks, Molotov cocktails and other makeshift weapons against fully equipped riot police who fired rubber bullets and tear gas. We are : Investigative Journalism Reportika Investigative Reports Daily Reports Interviews Surveys Reportika

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Investigative Journalism Reportika © March 2022 by Ij-Reportika is licensed under CC BY 4.0