69,000 tons of illegal logs seized in Myanmar; Indonesia to work on Haze pact; Vietnam protest Chinese provocations; Security tightened in Malaysia as terrorists flee neighbouring Indonesia; Cambodian opposition leader denied candidature in elections
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  • (JULY 15-21)

    According to reports, Myanmar's authorities have seized over 69,600 tons of illegal logs from April 2011 to June 2013. The government has promised that it will totally stop timber exports in logs by April 1, 2014 and cut timber production by 48% coming years. 1
    Indonesia’s House of Representatives said on July 18, 2013 that it welcomed the government’s second attempt to ratify the 2002 regional haze treaty in the wake of the massive forest fires in Sumatra, the smog from which choked local residents and people living in neighboring states. The government has said that it will bring the treaty back for discussion at the House. 2
    Vietnam has protested the act of a Chinese ship which harried two Vietnamese fishing vessels in the waters of the Paracel Islands on July 7. Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Luong Thanh Nghi made a statement on July 18, 2013 saying that the act violated Vietnam's sovereignty over the islands and jurisdiction in the East Sea. 3
    Malaysian security and police forces are reportedly on high alert for four Indonesian Islamist terrorists who escaped during a prison riot in Indonesia's Medan city last week.

    The four men - Fadli Sadama, Agus Sunyoto, Nibras and Abdul Gani Siregar - were among 218 escapees in the Tanjung Gusta Prison riot, which caused the death of three prisoners and two prison personnel. Police and other agencies patrolling the borders had been alerted following the escape of the four men. 4
    In other developments, Cambodia's electoral body has rejected an application from opposition leader Sam Rainsy to compete in a parliamentary election scheduled for July 21, 2013.In a letter to Sam Rainsy, the Cambodian National Election Committee said he made the request too late after returning from self-imposed exile. 5

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