Stories from 26 January 2009
Kazakhstan: Students Expelled from Universities
KZBlog reports on the claims that 7 000 – 20 000 students were expelled for being unable to pay tuition or fees at Kazakhstan universities and colleges.
Kazakhstan: Disability Rights Group Urges Legalization of Prostitution
Ekspeditsiya reports that a disability rights group in Karaganda has called on the government to legalize prostitution and issue sex ration cards giving a minimum of five sessions a month to the disabled.
Kyrgyzstan: Black Friday for the Officials
Elena writes about mass resignations and reshiffling of the Kyrgyzstan officials.
Mongolia: Tsagaan Sar
Bilguun writes about the national Mongolian holiday called Tsagaan sar (New Year), which is celebrated on different days every year, and this year's Tsagaan sar – as usually – provoked the same old debate amongst the astrologers and the lamas as to when it should be celebrated.
Bolivia: Final Unofficial Results of Constitutional Referendum
Miguel Centellas of Pronto* has unofficial final results of the Bolivian Constitutional Referendum.
Thailand: Media investigates Rohingya refugees
Bangkok Pundit summarises some of the foreign media's investigations of the cases of the Rohingya refugees. Thailand Crisis says the incident represents the failure of the Abhisit government.
Myanmar: Kachin Conflict
Writing for The Pulitzer Center, Tim Patterson and Ryan Libre explain the backround of the Kachin Conflict in Myanmar. The struggle in Kachin is separate from the campaign of the political opposition of the ethnic Burmese majority.
Cambodia: Demolition of Dey Krahorm Community
A community in Phnom Penh was demolished last Saturday. Aside from the violence, the demolition attracted attention because it was “one of the biggest urban redevelopment stories in the capital over the last decade.” But city officials denied the action was an eviction.
Indonesia: Chinese New Year Celebration
For more than three decades, the Indonesian Chinese have been forbidden to express their culture. Thanks to President Wahid in 2000 who annulled the discrimination against the Chinese and all the minority in general, the Indonesian Chinese now can express their culture openly.
Fiji: Bloggers debate ‘harsh’ newspaper penalty
Bloggers throughout the Pacific have been reacting to a recent Fiji High Court verdict against a local newspaper for printing a letter to the editor in October critical of a ruling validating the December 2006 military coup that brought the current government to power.
