South East Asia

A report by the International Labour Organisation reveals that 20 per cent of migrant fishermen work in exploitative conditions. The fishing industry, which is worth billions of dollars, relies heavily on foreign labour. Shifts of up to 20 hours a day, ID papers withheld, and debt to pay for recruitment costs are commonplace.

Today the country celebrates the anniversary of the Rosary Revolution. A nun speaks about what went on in the streets against the Marcos dictatorship in February 1986 and the passing of the torch to Generation Z. For the president of the Bishop’s Conference, Cardinal Garcera, “People can still change society if they choose honesty”.

The junta’s leader is getting ready to formally step down from his military command to assume the presidency in the new government that will take office in April. The creation of a powerful consultative council could allow him to maintain control over the regime. Meanwhile, his deputy, General Soe Win, is emerging as a key figure in relations with China.

Building a place of worship on Pag-asa (Spratly Islands) is expected to begin in late March. The vicar of Puerto Princesa and a Philippine official met yesterday to discuss the matter. The island’s small Catholic community includes civilians, members of the armed forces, coast guard personnel, navy personnel, and police. The area has long been in China's sights.

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.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) is due to rule on the charges of crimes against humanity involving the former Philippine president over killings he allegedly ordered during the war on drugs. Now in his eighties, Duterte has been under arrest in the Netherlands for almost a year, but his figure continues to be a source of division back home. Meanwhile, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Türk has called on the Philippines to rejoin the Rome Statute.

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.

In a pastoral letter, the bishops invite the faithful to “renew their hearts through prayer, fasting, and works of mercy." Today, fasting also means “detaching from whatever distracts our hearts from God.” For the bishops, “In stepping back from digital excess, we reclaim interior silence, deepen relationships, and rediscover God's presence in daily life”.