LONGS: Watch Timor-Leste celebrate pride

Standing up for 'bobo' voters in the Philippines

May 29, 2019

Hello friends!

Lots of long reads here for May, from all over the place and covering all sorts of genres.

If you’d like to sign up to the premium twice a week subscription to stay across these issues and loads of others, do so here for $6 a month/$60 a year:

Also I’m super excited about this week’s episode of our podcast Indonesia dan Lain-Lain. We were joined in the studio by Andreas Harsono from HRW. He talked to us about last week’s riots (which you can read about more here!) and the history of political violence in post-Suharto Indonesia. You can listen on Spotify or whichever podcast app you love.

See you next month!Erin Cook

Mirriam, who works way too many hours a week, can’t afford a formal divorce from her husband and therefore does not qualify for subsidised public housing for herself and her children. Thinking long-term about her family means a tough decision — working more and seeing the kids less. Housing is ruthless in land-hungry Singapore and even more so for single mothers.

May 1 marked labour day across the world. This photo essay from Malaysiakini shows the story of migrant workers across Malaysia. Most of the country’s 1.7 million migrant workers hail from Indonesia, Bangladesh, Nepal and Myanmar and they, as Malaysiakini puts it, keep the country moving forward.

And a look back from Saigoneer. This photo essay compiles the 1989 works of photographer David Alan Harvey. It’s everyday life at its most stunning!

In the wake of the Philippines’ midterm, the country had the same conversation as everyone. Those who voted a different are dummies. Or, as the great Filipino portmanteau of ‘bobo’ meaning stupid and ‘botante’ meaning voter puts it, they’re bobotante. This from CNN Philippines is a berating call to arms to better understand the motivations behind voting for dynasties and celebrities.

On April 22 this year one of Myanmar’s notorious jade mines collapsed. Not one of the 55 miners covered in mud and sludge survived, bodies cannot even be recovered. Government promises to clean up the industry have not come to fruition and large companies operate with little oversight. And for as long as jobs remain scarce in the regions, men will still flock to the mines to feed their families.

Don’t even try it with Andrew Lumban Gaol. The Yogyakarta-based, Indonesia, artist established the Anti-Tank collective of like-minded artists to speak truth to power and keep the progressive-ish city’s walls colourful. “People are very receptive to comedy. “We all know that the government is not working effectively. So I turn this collective disgust into parody.”

Here’s some brilliant trivia from Laos: the kingdom that was in what is now modern-day Laos was called Lan Xang — or Land of Million Elephants. A million no more. With 400 elephants left in the wild and another 400 in captivity, those numbers are dwindling still. Deforestation for the lumber trade in Vietnam and China is to blame. But elephant lovers aren’t going down without a fight.

Kamonwich Suwanthat, 24-years-old, was gunned down in front of his mother. He was a student of Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-ok, Uthenthawai Campus. His killers came from neighbouring Pathumwan Institute of Technology. Why was he killed? “He was chosen simply because he can be killed in the same way his schoolmates killed our senior.”

I have been loving VICE Asia’s coverage of the region’s LGBT communities. This one looks at Jessica Ca, a transwoman living in Ho Chi Minh City. She made her way to the city from the sticks where her family disapproved of her identity. Now she’s the queen of HCMC’s trans scene, acting as a mentor for those who follow her steps.

This one comes via our friends at Travelfish. The 46 kilometre Circular Railway takes three hours to loop Yangon, but what a ride! It’s a bit Southeast Asia 101 (I love an earnest explanation of betel nut) but dang if it didn’t get me keen to buy a ticket.

For sex workers in Thailand, criminalisation continues to have a bad impact on working conditions. Enter Empower. The NGO has established Can Do Bar in Chiang Mai. Here, women are all owners and therefore are entitled to things like leave and health insurance. "This is what we choose to do, and we feel a sense of pride and satisfaction that we are just like other workers," says Mai Chanta, a 30-year-old sex worker.

I went to the Muzium Negara once in Kuala Lumpur. It’s a stunning building and I learnt so much. Not so much about the May 13, 1969 riots though. It’s there, but not like this. The rioting just days after the 1960 election has left a scar on Malaysia. Malaysiakini commemorated the 50 year anniversary more than most and the reaction to their coverage shows just how raw the moment remains. The publication also published an op-ed on why it felt so strongly in favour of covering the events.

Is it ethical to travel to Myanmar for fun? Sure, everyone wants to see Bagan. In fact, 3.5 million wanted to last year. This essay argues that not only is it ethical, it’s beneficial to the cause — “Travel often serves as its own sort of intervention, one not sponsored by other states or humanitarian groups but by ordinary people whose very presence can rebut the untruths that fester in isolation.” I’m not sure, given all we know, that I agree. This is a controversial pick for me! It’s worth reading, but please don’t take its inclusion as an endorsement.

Timor-Leste stands almost alone in the region standing up for LGBT rights. But that doesn’t make easy on the individual level. Trans youth report being abused and alienated from their families and communities. For some of the freedom fighters, this is the next fight. Holy heck, this is a watch! (Don’t read the comments)

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