Audio Overview of East Asia Pacific Issues, Thursday, 14 February 2019

APAC Assistance Operations Assistant Bhargav Reddy discusses Main Issues in East Asia Pacific

Main Issues in East Asia Pacific

Firstly in INDONESIA

  • A dengue fever outbreak has claimed eight lives in the East Sumba district of the southern East Nusa Tenggara province. Eighteen people have been killed in 2019 in the East Nusa Tenggara province.
  • More than 15,000 dengue cases and 145 deaths have been reported in Indonesia in 2018-19. The regional authorities have intensified efforts to prevent the disease from spreading.
  • Clients are advised to take necessary precautions while traveling in the East Nusa Tenggara province.

The PHILIPPINES

  • Threats against human rights activists, teachers, and missionary workers have reportedly increased in the southern Mindanao province. The Rural Missionaries of the Philippines in the Northern Mindanao sub-region said that their missionary workers have received threats through a series of text messages from an unidentified sender.
  • More than 225 cases of attacks against Lumad schools were reported last year. Such threats have led to protests by several missionary organizations in the Mindanao region.
  • Clients are advised to employ extreme caution in the Mindanao province and avoid deserted places on the island. The region is plagued by sectarian violence and separatist insurgency by the Islamist groups.

THAILAND

  • Army Chief Apirat Kongsompong has dismissed the reports of a coup and asserted that the armed forces will maintain political neutrality. He said that the armed forces need to be very careful about every step they make to prevent them from being targeted.
  • Speculative reports of a coup have been rising after Princess Ubolratana was registered as a prime ministerial candidate by the Thai Raksa Chart party. The reports started circulating after army tanks rolled through streets in Sa Kaeo, Prachin Buri, and Chon Buri provinces. Apirat clarified that those vehicles were heading to take part in an exercise.
  • Clients are advised to monitor the political developments in Thailand before the elections.

TAIWAN

  • Thirty-six flights by China Airlines have been canceled until Friday this week as the pilot strike continues. The US, Europe, and Japan routes are the most affected.
  • More than 600 pilots of China Airlines have continued their strike after talks with the management failed. The strike has affected more than 20,000 passengers.
  • Clients are advised to consider other airlines while traveling to Taiwan until the strike is called off.

 

Main Issues in South Asia

Firstly in INDIA

  • Indigo Airlines will reportedly cancel 30 flights per day until March 31 this year. Indigo canceled 50 flights yesterday due to an acute shortage of pilots.
  • Indigo is in the process of recruiting foreign pilots which requires approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. The flights canceled constitute 2% of Indigo’s daily operations.
  • Clients are advised to avoid Indigo until the situation stabilizes and consider other airlines.

BANGLADESH

  • Over 50 people including police personnel were injured during a protest by Islamist organizations yesterday. The protest was against a planned convention of the Ahmadi Muslim community in Ahmednagar in the northern district of Panchagarh.
  • Protestors attacked and destroyed many shops and houses belonging to the Ahmadi Additional forces have been deployed by the police.
  • Tensions between the Islamist organizations and the Ahmadi community can potentially cause more protests and clashes in other districts. Clients are advised to avoid the Panchagarh district and employ extreme caution while traveling to smaller towns in Bangladesh.

 

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