Niigata, Japan — Mobile phones have gained in popularity in Cambodia due to their affordability and indispensability. In addition to making communications easier, mobile phones have had a great impact on mobilizations and collective actions, during election campaigns, for example.

Jakarta, Indonesia — In January, the Indonesian president appointed as deputy defense minister Lt. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, an army officer with a record of human rights violations. Victims of violations have filed a court case to challenge this appointment as unlawful and detrimental to the country’s democratic process.

Niigata, Japan — The problem of forced evictions and land grabs is growing worse in Cambodia, leading to violence due to deep dissatisfaction over existing resettlement schemes. Some 133,000 residents of Phnom Penh, or 11 percent of the city’s population of 1.2 million, have been evicted since 1990.

Jakarta, Indonesia — Indonesia has long been proud of being the world’s third-largest democracy, with the world’s largest Muslim population, in which democracy, pluralism and Islam coexist. Yet recent events reveal that diversity so threatens fundamentalist Muslims that they feel it must be met with violence.

Washington, DC, United States — No stone has been left unturned by writers in Cambodia and abroad in exposing the Hun Sen regime’s violations of human rights and lack of good governance. Endless appeals for change have been made by national and international organizations. But this is merely water off a duck’s back to the regime.

Jakarta, Indonesia — The Indonesian police force’s success in fighting terrorism was the highlight of public interest last year, until a case exposing police corruption caused a loss of public confidence in the police. The real issues that shame the police, however, are the practice of violence and the abuse of authority.

Hong Kong, China — During the past week three women in Sri Lanka have tried to speak to the nation about the tragedies they face. The women, including the wife of former army commander and opposition presidential candidate General Sarath Fonseka, are all seeking justice for their disappeared or unlawfully detained husbands.

Hong Kong, China — U.S. President Barack Obama is scheduled to visit Indonesia, the place of his childhood, in March. It is important that Obama does not waste the opportunity and uses his good relations with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to raise the issue of religious tolerance in Indonesia.

Hong Kong, China — When the U.N. Human Rights Council meets in Geneva from March 1 to 26 member states, including India, will use this international platform for intense lobbying, often to claim false achievements in protecting, promoting and fulfilling human rights. Civil society must stand up to counter such falsehoods.

Hong Kong, China — The disappearance of Sri Lankan political analyst Pregeeth Ekanaliyagoda, along with the arrest and assassination of other government critics, shows the sad suppression of voices that try to develop a discourse on politics in the country. Violence continues to be used against the voices of reason.