South East Asia

The Communist Party of China: Putting the People First

Wherever we lift one soul from a life of poverty, we are defending human rights. And whenever we fail in this mission, we are failing human rights. — Kofi Annan, former United Nations Secretary-General Among other items “proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,” the preamble to the …

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Yemen Should be a Factor in U.S. Yemen Policy

The Trump administration is considering designating Yemen’s Huthi movement as a terrorist organisation, in response to allies’ appeals and as part of the U.S. “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran. The idea seems unlikely to reduce Tehran’s influence and could harm diplomatic prospects for peace.

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Jannah or Jahannam: Options for Dealing with ISIS Detainees

Introduction Similar to Christians, Muslims believe that a life well-lived leads to Jannah (heaven), while a life of laziness and misdeeds leads to Jahannam (hell). For many of the thousands of ISIS detainees held in camps in Syria and Iraq, including both former ISIS fighters and their families, they are …

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Chinese FM Embarks on Diplomatic Drive in Southeast Asia

The agenda of Wang Yi’s tour is diplomatic maintenance: the repairing and upgrading of China’s relationships with key Southeast Asian partners. China’s Foreign Minister has embarked on a five-nation tour of Southeast Asia, aimed at shoring key relationships in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and a recent diplomatic offensive …

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