News

HRW warns of deepening democratic decline across Asia

Published

1 month ago

2026/02/8

World report highlights China’s drive to Sinicize religion, widening authoritarianism, rights abuses and repression

Backsliding on democracy, increased transnational repression and Chinese efforts to Sinicize religion were among the list of injustices that plagued the past year, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) World Report 2026, released Feb. 5, has found.

In Asia, the 529-page report detailed intensifying repression and abuses in Hong Kong, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, and North Korea, worsening transnational repression by China and across the region, and humanitarian and human rights crises in Myanmar and Afghanistan.

It also said that India, Pakistan, and Indonesia had suffered from a weakening of democratic institutions and the rule of law, in a world where a rules-based international order is being crushed, threatening to take with it the architecture human rights defenders had come to rely on.

“Democracy is now back to 1985 levels according to some metrics, with 72 percent of the world’s population now living under autocracy. Russia and China are less free today than 20 years ago. And so is the United States,” HRW Executive Director Philippe Bolopion said.

“The democratic wave that began over 50 years ago has given way to what scholars term a ‘democratic recession’,” he said, adding that breaking the “authoritarian wave sweeping the world” is now the challenge of a generation.

“To defy this trend, governments that still value human rights, alongside social movements, civil society, and international institutions, need to form a strategic alliance to push back.”

The severest of criticisms were aimed at US President Donald Trump with his administration marked by blatant disregard for human rights, egregious violations and significant steps backward on immigration, environment, criminal justice, and freedom of speech, among others.

In Asia, the report highlighted a campaign by the Chinese government to Sinicize religion, to propagate Chinese Communist Party (CCP) ideology. This had led to an intensified crackdown on “house churches” or Protestant congregations that resist joining the official church.

In April last year, a court in Shanxi province reportedly sentenced more than a dozen people affiliated with the Linfen Golden Lampstand Church for fraud, and in October, authorities also arrested nearly 30 affiliates of Zion Church, including its pastor, it said.

“The Chinese government under Xi Jinping has amassed an increasingly disastrous human rights record, expanding and deepening its crackdown on fundamental freedoms,” said Maya Wong, HRW’s deputy Asia director.

“Foreign governments have largely been unwilling to push back against the threats the Chinese government poses to the international human rights system, let alone within China.”

It said Xi had mobilized the government to impose strict ideological conformity and loyalty to him and the CCP. Tibetans, Uyghurs, and other communities with distinct identities, including members of unofficial churches, faced “the most severe suppression” of rights.

Government repression escalated in Hong Kong, where the League of Social Democrats — its last active democracy party — was disbanded as draconian national security laws were used to prosecute critics abroad and their families, like pro-democracy leader Anna Kwok.

“Numerous pro-democracy leaders remain in jail, including Jimmy Lai, founder of the shuttered Apple Daily newspaper,” it said while noting the arrest of France-based student activist Tara Zhang Yadi and the threatening of filmmakers to shut down the IndieChina film festival in New York.

It said Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had taken little action to address persistent harassment, threats, and killings of critics of the government by security forces.

“Killings and other abuses by security forces will persist unless the government thoroughly investigates and prosecutes those responsible, regardless of their rank or position.”

But the administration’s transfer of former president, Rodrigo Duterte, to the International Criminal Court for his alleged role in “war on drugs” killings was a historic step for accountability.

The report noted that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto adopted policies that benefited military officers and lawmakers, generating widespread opposition and public protests.

“Security forces responded by detaining thousands demonstrating nationwide against rising economic inequality, while the military, combating a separatist insurgency, cracked down on Indigenous Papuans and secured plantations and mining operations in the six Papua provinces.

“The Prabowo administration has increasingly deployed military officers in civilian affairs and offered benefits to lawmakers when many Indonesians are suffering economically,” it said, adding baseless criminal charges had targeted Indigenous people, religious minorities, and journalists.

It said India’s slide to authoritarianism under the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party-led government continued, with increased vilification of Muslims and government critics, while activists languished in jail without charge under India’s “abusive” counter-terrorism law.

“Authorities illegally expelled hundreds of Bengali-speaking Muslims and Rohingya refugees to Bangladesh, some Indian citizens among them, claiming they were ‘illegal immigrants’.”

In Bangladesh, it found the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, established after the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina, struggled to maintain law and order or deliver on promised human rights reforms.

But in what is perhaps a rare bright spot, it said some of the fear and repression that marked Hasina’s 15-year rule, including widespread enforced disappearances, appeared to have ended

In Sri Lanka, there were “some efforts to stabilize the economy and address inequality in access to public services, but made little progress in implementing human rights commitments.”

The report covers all Asian countries in great detail but singled out Cambodia for its regular attempts to silence and intimidate exiled critics and dissidents through transnational repression, including in Thailand, Malaysia, and Japan.

This included the January killing of former opposition lawmaker and dual French-Cambodian national Lim Kimya, shot dead in Bangkok in what was widely viewed as a political assassination.

It found efforts in Thailand to strengthen democratic governance after military rule were disrupted by political instability, while Malaysia continued to wield repressive laws to criminalize dissent.

“Vietnamese authorities severely restrict the rights to freedom of expression, association, peaceful assembly, movement, and religion, and prohibit human rights organizations and independent labor unions, media, and political parties,” it said.

Singapore was criticized for its continued use of the death penalty, particularly for drug-related offenses as authorities also continued their crackdown on dissent, leveraging censorship laws to target international media outlets, social media platforms, and foreign comedians.

“More recently, authoritarian leaders have exploited public mistrust and anger to win elections and then dismantled the very institutions that brought them to power,” Bolopion added.

“Democratic institutions are crucial to represent the will of the people and keep power in check. It’s no surprise that whenever democracy is undermined, rights are too,” he said.

All News Advertisement

News

Government’s objective is to ensure the continuous functioning of the country’s economic activities and essential services through effective energy management – President

Published

9 hours ago

2026/03/17

Priyan

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that, in light of the challenges that have arisen due to the prevailing conflict situation in the Middle East, plans are being implemented to manage energy resources effectively while ensuring the uninterrupted continuation of the country’s economic activities and essential services.

The President made these remarks while participating in a discussion held on Monday (16) afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat to review the immediate measures required to ensure the country’s energy conservation and maintain the uninterrupted functioning of economic activities and essential services, in view of the current disruptions affecting energy supply.

During the discussion, which was attended by the relevant Ministers and Ministry Secretaries, special attention was focused on the measures required to ensure the uninterrupted continuation of public services in light of the prevailing situation.

Extensive discussions were also held on alternative methods that could be adopted in maintaining the operations of government offices. In this context, attention was drawn to the possibility of limiting energy consumption while continuing essential services by granting a one-day holiday for the public service.

Particular attention was also given to examining alternative measures that could be adopted to ensure the continued provision of services with minimal energy consumption, taking into account the specific nature and practical requirements of sectors such as education, health, tourism, fisheries, industry, agriculture, ports and shipping, airport services and digital services.

The President instructed a committee, comprising Ministry Secretaries and sectoral experts, to submit a report by the end of today to determine the fuel allocation required to maintain services in the key sectors.

In addition, the discussion highlighted the importance of making ministerial-level decisions regarding the practical feasibility of performing official duties from home under such circumstances. It was proposed that decisions on summoning officers to their workplaces be delegated to the heads of institutions and that appropriate methods be adopted to ensure the uninterrupted continuation of services.

In view of the prevailing situation, the President paid special attention to the challenges faced by farmers in the agricultural sector and by small and medium-sized industrialists in the industrial sector.

The President further emphasised that, in the current circumstances, the contribution and commitment of all are essential to minimise the potential impact on the country’s economy, while noting that certain groups may be provided with assistance through relief measures.

It was noted that the introduction of the QR system is intended to manage daily fuel consumption in response to the ongoing challenges. This system will allow for the daily analysis of fuel allocations, emphasising the importance of releasing fuel in a manner that safeguards the country’s energy conservation while supporting economic and service activities.

The discussion also highlighted the importance of using the QR system in an orderly manner during fuel distribution and the need for each Ministry to promptly provide all necessary data to the Ministry of Digital Economy. Accordingly, it was proposed that the relevant Ministries, together with the legally recognised petroleum institutions, work to further streamline the QR system.

In addition, it was proposed to temporarily suspend state celebrations in light of the prevailing situation and to establish a procedure for informing the private sector of any further measures the Government intends to take in this regard.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath, Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe, Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Professor A.H.M.H. Abeyratne, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr. Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunnetti, Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Ratnayake, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Governor of the Central Bank Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Senior Advisor to the President on the Digital Economy Hans Wijesuriya, Senior Economic Advisor to the President Duminda Hulangamuwa and a group of officials, including the Secretaries of the relevant Ministries, participated in the discussion.

News

UN resolution on Iran ‘unbalanced’: FM Herath

Published

9 hours ago

2026/03/17

Sahan Weerasooriya

Vijitha / Zuhair

Zuhair castigates sponsors who failed to condemn aggressors

Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said that the recently adopted United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution that strongly condemned Iran for, what it called, “egregious attacks” on its regional neighbours, was not fair as it did not make reference to Israeli-US initiating the latest conflict.

Herath said so in response to The Island query. He said that the government wouldn’t support country specific resolutions. Minister Herath described the resolution, adopted by a vote of 13 in favour, none against, and two abstentions (China, Russian Federation), as unbalanced. Sri Lanka refrained from co-sponsoring the resolution that had the backing of nearly 140 countries. Both India and Pakistan co-sponsored the resolution.

The JVPer reiterated that both sides should cease attacks and deal with the developing situation in terms of the UN Charter.

The Council condemned, “in the strongest terms,” Iran’s attacks against Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan and reiterated its strong support for those countries’ sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence.

Former Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Iran, M.M. Zuhair, PC, said that those who co-sponsored the controversial resolution, and the UNSC that adopted it, conveniently failed to take into account unprovoked Israeli-US attack on Iran and the killing of over 1,400 civilians, including nearly 160 children and staff at a girls’ school. The former lawmaker said that the UN Security Council had failed in its fundamental duty to prevent or end the Israeli-US joint aggression on Iran or, at least, to condemn the unprovoked military action.

By Shamindra Ferdinando

News

Japan provides grant for reinforcement of Cyclone Ditwah damaged bridge

Published

9 hours ago

2026/03/17

Sahan Weerasooriya

Ambassador Isomata and Ven. Nagolle Nandaratana, Chairman of DIMUTHU Community Development Society signed the agreement (pic courtesy Japanese embassy)

Japanese ambassador in Colombo Akio Isomata on 16 March signed a grant contract for reinforcing a bridge in Buttala under the scheme of “Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP)”. The contract was signed with Ven. Nagolle Nandaratana, Chairman of DIMUTHU Community Development Society.

The text of the Japanese embassy press release: “The Government of Japan has provided USD 25,432 (approx. LKR 7.8 million) for a project implemented by the DIMUTHU Community Development Society. This grant will fund urgent reinforcement of the bridge abutments which were damaged by Cyclone Ditwah, and construction of retaining walls to safeguard the bridge, which ensures safe access of 3,200 residents to education and healthcare services.

Emphasising Japan’s focus on strengthening institutional frameworks to address natural disasters in Sri Lanka, Ambassador ISOMATA remarked: “As Sri Lanka moves on to the phase of recovery and reconstruction, Japan remains steadfast in its resolve to stand by the people of Sri Lanka”. Ambassador also said: “The project for which we signed today will not only contribute to the recovery and reconstruction of areas affected by Cyclone Ditwah and socio-economic development of the country, but will also stand as an enduring symbol of the unwavering friendship between the peoples of Japan and Sri Lanka.”

Commenting on the receiving of this grant assistance, Ven. Nagolle Nandaratana, Chairman of DIMUTHU community Development Society, stated, “Japan and Sri Lanka share a beautiful, long-standing friendship. Beyond just development, we’ve always admired the Japanese way of doing things—with precision, discipline, and kindness. This approach has truly been our guide in making our past collaborations, like our water projects and community buildings, such a lasting success.

Special thanks to the Ambassador, the hardworking Embassy team, and our coordinator for making this happen. “

Since 1989, Japan has been providing a total of USD 62 million in assistance for Sri Lanka through the GGP (Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects) scheme.”