Following Burma's democratic opening, with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy (NLD) to take seats in parliament, India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is set to visit the country—the first visit by an Indian leader in 25 years. But India and Burma have been quietly cooperating on the Tamanthi and Shwezaye power projects on Burma's Chindwin River. The projects have been thrown into question following last year's cancellation of the Myitsone hydro project on Burma's Irrawaddy River, which was similarly backed by China, and would have mostly supplied electricity to the Chinese grid. The cancellation came after an activist struggle by local tribal peoples that would have been impacted by the project. (Indrus, April 23) The Tamanthi project is emerging as an obstacle to winning peace with the Naga, a people whose homeland is bisected by the India-Burma border, and have for decades waged an insurgency for independence from both countries.

Some 5,000 Malaysians staged a protest against a refinery for rare earth elements being built by the Australian mining company Lynas in Kuantan, Pahang state, Feb. 26. The protest—dubbed Green Gathering 2.0—featured green-clad activists beating drums as well as opposition MPs. Many protesters wore green T-shirts with the words "Stop Lynas," and some shouted "Destroy Lynas!" Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim said his alliance will seek an emergency motion in parliament to urge the government to cancel the project, and pledged that the opposition would scrap the plant if it won elections expected by June. "We don't want [this project] to sacrifice our culture and the safety of the children," he told the crowd. The Lynas website was also hacked, with a Malaysian flag and the slogan "Stop Lynas, Save Malaysia" replacing the corporate logo.

Some 50 black-clad gunmen armed with grenades and bombs stormed the city jail at Kidapawan, North Cotabato province, in the southern Philippine island of Mindanao Feb. 20. They were repulsed by police in a chaotic night battle that killed three—two civilian by-standers and an ambulance driver. Of the 15 wounded, most were civilians caught in the crossfire. As the armed men withdrew, they fired rocket propelled grenades at a nearby Karaoke bar. Military and police officials blamed former members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), attempting to free leader Datukan Sama, AKA Kumander Lastikman, who is charged with kidnapping. A spokesman for the MILF denied the claim. (AP, Xinhua, Feb. 20)

The first trial of alleged Indonesia bomber Umar Patek began Feb. 13 in the West Jakarta District Court over his role in several terrorist plots including the Jakarta church bombings in 2000 and the 2002 Bali nightclub bombing. Patek was arrested in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in 2011, just a few weeks before US special forces killed Osama bin Laden in the same town. If convicted Patek could face life imprisonment or a death sentence. Patek is not facing "terrorism" charges under Indonesia law, since the terrorism law came into effect in 2003 after both bombings and cannot be applied retrospectively. Patek is believed to be a member of the alleged al-Qaeda-linked organization Jemaah Islamiyah, which claimed responsibility for the Bali nightclub bombings. His trial is expected to last months.

Burmese authorities reportedly detained a Buddhist monk who was just recently freed from prison. Shin Gambira was taken early Feb. 10 from a monastery in Rangoon, apparently for "questioning." Shin Gambira, a leader of the 2007 "Saffron Revolution" protests, was sentenced to 68 years in prison after the movement was crushed, including 12 years of hard labor. He was among 651 political prisoners released from detention last month by Burma's new, military-backed civilian government. Western powers have imposed the freeing of political dissidents as a condition for the lifting of economic sanctions. (VOA, AFP, Feb. 10)

Indonesia opened the trial of five pro-independence activists on makar (treason) charges in the West Papua capital of Jayapura Jan. 31—amid protests from international human rights groups. The charges stem from the Oct. 19 incident in which security forces violently broke up a three-day Papuan People's Congress gathering in Jayapura, killing three and injuring some 90 more. Following the incident, eight police officers, including the Jayapura police chief, were given written warnings for committing a disciplinary infraction by not giving priority to the protection of civilians. No other action was taken against police or military personnel for possible misuse of force. But five of the activists—Forkorus Yaboisembut, Edison Waromi, August Makbrowen Senay, Dominikus Sorabut, and Selpius Bobii—were charged with treason under article 106 of the Indonesian Criminal Code and have been held in police detention since the October incident. Another Papuan, Gat Wenda, a member of the Penjaga Tanah Papua, or Pepta (Papua Land Guard), which provided security at the Congress, will be tried separately on charges of possessing a sharp weapon.

Israel's Counter-Terrorism Bureau issued a warning to Israelis to stay away from Bangkok, citing intelligence indicating that Hezbollah militants could be preparing an attack in Thailand ahead of the Feb. 12 fourth anniversary of the assassination of the Shi'ite movement's senior commander Imad Mughniyeh. Israel reportedly informed Thai authorities on Dec. 22 that three Hezbollah operatives had entered Thailand in order to launch an attack on Israeli tourists. On Jan. 13, Thai authorities arrested Idris Hussein (also rendered Hussein Atris), a dual Lebanese-Swiss citizen, at Bangkok airport a few minutes before he was due to board a flight out of the country. Hussein was charged with possession of ammonium nitrate and other controlled chemical substances after a search of a building he had rented in Samut Songkhram, southwest of Bangkok. A manhunt is said to be underway for at least one other suspect. Following Hussein's arrest, Israel, the US and nine other countries issued travel advisories warning against visiting Bangkok. US ambassador Kristie Kenney said on Twitter the threat is "Bangkok specific" and "credible." (Bloomberg, Bangkok Post, Jan. 17; JTA, Ha'aretz, Jan. 15)

The government of Burma signed a ceasefire agreement Jan. 12 with ethnic Karen rebels who have been fighting for regional autonomy since independence from Britain in 1948. Representatives from the two sides met in the Karen town of Hpa-an (Kayin state). Negotiations on a formal peace deal are to follow, although Karen National Union leaders were cautious—especially on their principal demand of a federative government for Burma. The KNU's vice-chairman, David Thakabaw, noted that talks have broken down over this demand before, telling the Democratic Voice of Burma opposition news service: "Our past experience dealing with the government has always been tricky. They’re not very honest—they say good words but today is just like before." But the KNU's Brig-Gen. "Johnny" expressed some optimism: ''This time they didn't ask us to give up our arms, they just want to work for equal rights for ethnic groups This time we trust them.''