ASIA SUMMARY
October 9, 2023
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Papua-New-Guinea, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand
WEEK-END
- BURMA (politics). On Friday, Oct. 6, the Supreme Court rejected appeals against 6 corruption convictions handed down against Aung San Suu Kyi (NLD), who has been imprisoned since the military coup of Feb. 2021.
- SINGAPORE (health). On Saturday, Oct. 7, air pollution readings in the central and eastern parts of the island were at health-threatening levels, before falling back the following day. Singapore and Malaysia are urging neighboring Indonesia to curb the fires that are causing the air pollution.
- AFGHANISTAN (natural hazard). On Saturday, Oct. 7, more than 2,400 people died in violent earthquakes (up to magnitude 6.3; among the strongest observed this year) in the Herat region (west).
- THAILAND (public order). On Saturday, Oct. 7, police in Bangkok banned rallies in front of government headquarters until Oct. 11, as the People's Movement for a Just Society enters its 2nd week of mobilization.
- INDIA (natural hazard). On Saturday, Oct. 7, disturbances due to flooding and landslides were reported in Sikkim and West Bengal States. 3 days earlier, heavy precipitation triggered an avalanche, which in turn caused a glacial lake to flood and overflow, claiming dozens of lives.
- CHINA ((bad weather). On Sunday, Oct. 8, typhoon Koinu, after hitting Taiwan, was heading towards Hainan Island.
TO BE MONITORED (in the next few days)
- HONG KONG (bad weather). On Monday, Oct. 9, the authorities ordered the population to remain indoors, as typhoon Koinu and its rainfall caused further flooding, a month after the previous historic floods.
- MALAYSIA (health). On Monday, Oct. 9, several localities in Johor (Tangkak, Segamat, Batu Pahat, Larkin, Pasir Gudang) have high levels of air pollution due to haze. The authorities urge the population to wear protective masks.
- JAPAN (natural hazard). On Monday, Oct. 9, the authorities issued - before lifting it shortly afterwards - a tsunami warning for the Izu and Ogasawara island regions, following a magnitude 4.9 earthquake near the island of Torishima.
- PAPUA-NG (natural hazard). On Monday, Oct. 9, an earthquake of magnitude 5.9 occurred in the Bismarck Sea, 180 km southeast of Lorengau. As far as is known, no major casualties or material damage have been reported.
- BANGLADESH (public order). Upcoming pro-government (AL) and anti-government (BNP) mobilizations in the coming days: On Monday,Oct. 9, BNP rallies demanding the release of former Prime Minister K. Zia. Oct. 10: AL rally for the opening of the Padma railway bridge. Oct. 14: nationwide hunger strike by BNP supporters.
- TAIWAN (public order). On Tuesday, Oct.10, Taiwan's 24 million people will celebrate their national holiday (Double10). In Taipei, a large military parade will be held in front of the presidential building, as well as various other events.
- INDONESIA (public order). On Tuesday, Oct.10, workers affiliated to the Confederation of Indonesian Trade Unions (KSPI) will begin unlimited demonstrations in several cities to demand an increase in the minimum wage.
- INDIA (transport; public order). On Wednesday Oct. 11, activists will block a highway in Bengaluru (Karnataka state) to protest against the conditions under which the Cauvery River is shared with the neighboring state of Tamil Nadu.
OUTLOOK & RECOMMENDATIONS
- Natural hazards: people present in East Asia (CHINA, HONG KONG, JAPAN), Southeast Asia (MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE, INDONESIA), South Asia (AFGHANISTAN, INDIA) and Oceania (PAPUA-NG) should be alert to local weather conditions (cf. rainfall; floods; high winds; air pollution levels), natural hazards (cf. earthquake, landslides) that may impact safety and travel, and will comply with the instructions of local authorities.
- Public order: as public gatherings may impact in the next few days travel or even degenerate into clashes, people present in AFGHANISTAN, INDIA, CHINA, SRI LANKA, PAKISTAN, SOUTH KOREA, THAILAND, MALAYSIA or INDONESIA will stay away from these various types of events.
- With the security threat (terrorism, civil war, kidnapping) remaining at its highest, and Western governments suggesting to their citizens that they should not travel to these countries except for imperative reasons, travel to AFGHANISTAN, PAKISTAN, BANGLADESH, BURMA, NORTH KOREA and PAPUA-NG remains inadvisable.
- Finally, in view of the tense relations between Beijing and Taipei, the volatility in the South China Sea (Beijing/Manila) and the recurrent defiance of North Korea, we cannot rule out the occurrence of events in the Asia-Pacific region over the next few days that could have consequences for regional stability and the smooth running/relevance of travel
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