Southeast Asia

Mindanao: new fighting threatens truce with MILF

Philippine Sen. Rodolfo Biazon called for suspension of peace talks with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), claiming the group helped fight the military during last week’s clash on Basilan Island.

Southeast Asia

Jakarta: terror targets business confab

Nine people were killed in explosions at the Ritz-Carlton and Marriott hotels in South Jakarta. Some of the victims were attending an Indonesian business forum held at the Marriott.

Southeast Asia

CIA chief in Philippines to discuss Mindanao crisis

CIA director Leon Panetta met Philippine President Gloria Arroyo for a security meeting—days after the UN World Food Program suspended aid work in Mindanao in response to a wave of deadly bombings.

Southeast Asia

Philippines: more terror in Mindanao

A wave of terror attacks again left several dead in the southern Philippines region of Mindanao, including a blast at the Cotabato cathedral blamed on the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Southeast Asia

Indonesia: violence, repression in West Papua

An ambush on a convoy of Indonesia’s elite Mobile Brigade (Brimob) left one officer dead in restive West Papua following a wave of Brimob sweeps in which several villagers were killed.

Southeast Asia

Thailand: gunmen kill 11 in mosque attack

At least 11 were killed and 18 others wounded when gunmen opened fire on a mosque in Joh-i-Rong district of southern Thailand’s Narathiwat province during evening prayers.

Southeast Asia

Burmese junta again closes Suu Kyi trial

Authorities in Burma closed the trial of pro-democracy advocate and Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi after briefly opening it to 30 foreign diplomats earlier this week.

Southeast Asia

Thailand’s Thaksin to take refuge in Nicaragua?

Nicaragua has issued a passport for Thailand’s former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra—who is wanted on charges of inciting the recent riots. Thai diplomats say they will request extradition.

Southeast Asia

Muslim militant marijuana in Mindanao?

Security forces raided a huge marijuana plantation in the southern Philippine island province of Sulu, Mindanao region. A military statement linked the militant Abu Sayyaf group to the plantation.

Southeast Asia

Thailand: protesters shut down ASEAN summit

The ASEAN summit at the Thai resort town of Pattaya was abruptly canceled after hundreds of protesters forced their way past police and army troops into the convention center.