There shall be few amongst our readers who haven’t been touched by the seismic existential challenges of the final 12 months, and we hope that you’ve been in a position to stay secure, wholesome and powerful within the wake of those rolling, and sometimes interconnected, well being, political and climactic crises. It has been our privilege to deliver you evaluation, opinion and information of how these challenges have been met throughout Southeast Asia. From right now we’ll be taking a break for just a few weeks and be again in early January 2021.
Earlier than we take our depart, I’d first like to supply my honest gratitude to those that’ve supported me over the course of this yr. I started my job as editor in January, working from the highway and studying on the job. I used to be supported unstintingly by my predecessor Becky Gidley, whose consideration to element and generosity along with her facilitated a easy and inspiring handover. You possibly can learn and handover put up from Becky to me right here. I’m additionally massively indebted—as are New Mandala readers—to assistant editor Cat Yen, whose deep understanding of New Mandala’s previous and current function and attain was invaluable to me over the previous few months. Specifically, Cat’s editorial management in protection of the return of the coed motion in Thailand ensured New Mandala readers had been on the leading edge. New Mandala’s ANU interns Serena, Andre and Natalie additionally deserve our thanks for his or her dedication to the trigger. The members of the New Mandala Advisory Board and its chair Marcus Mietzner have supplied glorious assist and recommendation throughout the yr, permitting us to maintain issues working easily for you all, our valued readers.
We’re excited to give you another put up for this yr, penned by the stellar Indonesian human rights and freedom of the press activist, Andreas Harsono. As a sort of Christmas present, Andreas has shared his experiences of spending time with Sunda Wiwitan Catholics in West Java, the place they, like different trustworthy from minority religions in Indonesia and world wide, have confronted persecution from the state and society.
And so as to add to your studying record for the break, we’ve compiled our most learn posts for 2020. As ever, the variability and high quality of those posts displays the erudite and broad-ranging pursuits of our readership in addition to the tumultuous nature of the yr, and milennia, that was in Southeast Asia. We’re wanting ahead to bringing you extra in 2021.
10 Most Learn Posts for 2020
https://www.newmandala.org/was-majapahit-really-an-empire/: A crucial reflection on the emergence, dominance and legacy of Java’s historic ‘empire’ by Jarrah Sastrawan.
https://www.newmandala.org/the-royalists-marketplace-the-supply-and-demand-for-dissent-in-thailand/: The Fb group “Royalists Market”, a platform for dialogue on all issues monarchy, is a microcosm of burgeoning criticism in opposition to Thailand’s new king, writes Pavin Chachavalpongpun.
https://www.newmandala.org/thailands-king-vajiralongkorn-turning-back-time/: The king is reviving the lifetime of his absolutist forebears whereas attempting to deliver the navy below management.
https://www.newmandala.org/the-thai-navys-no-response-response-to-the-proposed-re-establishment-of-the-us-first-fleet/: The re-establishment of the First Fleet holds important implications for Thailand’s small navy, writes Hadrien Saperstein.
https://www.newmandala.org/have-reports-of-balis-death-been-greatly-exaggerated/: With tourism making up a comparatively small portion of Indonesia’s GDP, funding and family consumption do the heavy lifting on this trillion-dollar financial system, says James Guild.
https://www.newmandala.org/age-of-empires-ii-rise-of-the-rajas-playing-the-past-in-southeast-asia/: For higher or worse, gamers and sport designers are a part of the mission of creating Southeast Asian historical past, Nien Cheng explains.
https://www.newmandala.org/the-changing-leadership-of-thailands-military-in-2020/: The palace is working to fill main military positions with its personal faction—the Purple Rim Group, exhibits Paul Chambers.
https://www.newmandala.org/indonesian-protests-point-to-old-patterns/: The return of pupil protests and the federal government’s response have are harking back to the period of authoritarian rule, as Ed Aspinall observes.
https://www.newmandala.org/the-ten-demands-that-shook-thailand/: Behind the coed protests for reforms to the monarchy which can be shaking the century-old foundations of Thailand’s political system, write David Streckfuss and Hathairat Phaholtap.
https://www.newmandala.org/indonesias-omnibus-law-is-a-bust-for-human-rights/: Commerce unions and human rights teams imagine the regulation is in actual fact not more than an try by the nation’s oligarchs to roll again political reform, say main human rights defenders Usman Hamid Ary Hermawan.