Comment: 2019 will not go down in history as a good one for the advancement of human rights and democracy in south-east Asia. And too often the Australian government sat quietly on the sidelines | jamesmassola auspol
in September, Australia seems to have lost its diplomatic "spirit of adventure" and "energetic activism"; a strong emphasis on human rights is now absent from our foreign policy.Thailand and Indonesia went to the polls in 2019.
The relative strength of Thailand's democratic institutions might seem unimportant to Australians, many of whom might think of the country as just a pleasant tourism destination, but Thailand is an important strategic, trade and defence partner for Australia in the region.that leads to the Thai government more closely resembling illiberal regimes in the region – think Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and of course China further afield – should be of concern.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo won a second and final five-year term as president, to much acclaim, in April. But the official declaration of the poll results a month later were marred by deadly riots on the streets of Jakarta and Joko's defeated opponent, Prabowo Subianto, launched an unsuccessful court challenge.a few months later as his defence minister, to the dismay of many government supporters.
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