More than 4.7 million people were eligible to vote in yesterday’s election to the Lao National Assembly, dominated by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party to. On the same day, the death of activist Bao Mo Khaen, known for his outspoken denunciations of corruption and restrictions on freedom of expression, was confirmed. Before the vote, one of the few non-party lawmakers dropped out.
Sister Fransiska Imakulata was contacted by a woman held captive in a nightclub in Maumere. She and Sikka police freed the victims, who were found without papers. After their release, the women were taken to a safe house run by TRUK-F, an NGO of which the woman religious is president, before they were returned to their families in West Java.
A 65-year-old man claimed to have met Adam and Muhammad several times. He ‘taught’ that prayer and fasting are not mandatory if one ‘is tired’. The man was arrested during a raid in Rawang along with three followers. Experts say claims of prophetic authority or alternative spiritual insights emerge in times of social uncertainty.
Naypyidaw's measure against the chargé d'affaires in Dili follows the opening of legal proceedings for alleged war crimes committed by the Burmese army. It is the first time that a court in a country belonging to the regional bloc has taken legal action against another member state. The affair highlights the deep divisions within the organization, split between those calling for greater pressure and those who want a rapprochement after the controversial elections.
In a pastoral letter, the prelates mark the 40th anniversary of the EDSA Revolution, with a reference to today’s unresolved problems. In it they mention “three sacred duties: to remember, to repent, to respond” welcoming “the spirit of that miracle” that “bring us to a better future”. To this end, “Let us support honest and competent leaders, mindful of the common good. Let us continue the education for good citizenship”.
In the past weeks, Myanmar’s junta continued its campaign against villages, markets, and monasteries, through digital surveillance as well. While the military claims that it is using “precision” weapons, medical staff and eyewitnesses report an increase in lethality. General Min Aung Hlaing visited the conflict zones in Sagaing, a sign that things might escalate soon.
