<p><em>Group says more than a thousand stranded without food, water or shelter; getting calls for urgent aid</em></p> <p>At least 1,500 migrant workers, mostly from Burma, are still trapped in the flood-hit provinces of Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi and lack adequate food, water and live in fear, said Ko Naing, legal coordinator for the Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma (TACDB).</p>

<p>On 10 October and 15 October 2011 respectively, human rights defenders and labour activists Messrs Petrus W. Ajamiseba and Leo Wandegau died from gunshot wounds inflicted by police during a demonstration in Papua Province on 10 October. Petrus W. Ajamiseba and Leo Wandegau were labour activists and members of the All Indonesia Labour Federation (SPSI). SPSI is a national labour union which has branches in 33 provinces of the country, and works to increase the labour standards and improve the rights of all workers in Indonesia.</p>

<p>We, the undersigned 107 organizations, groups and networks are disturbed that the Malaysian government has proceeded to table, and get it passed speedily on 6/10/2011 at the Dewan Rakyat (House of Representative) the Employment (Amendment) Bill 2011 despite protests from workers, trade unions and civil society. The proposed changes to the Employment Act would be most detrimental to worker rights, trade unions and the existing just direct 2-party employment relationship between worker and end-user (the principal). Malaysia&rsquo;s action goes contrary to justice.</p>

<p>Reporters Without Borders is launching a new awareness campaign, one aimed at drawing the attention of holidaymakers to free speech and freedom of information problems in Thailand, Vietnam and Mexico.</p>

<p>The Songkhla Administrative Court fixed 26 October 2011 at 11.00 am at Courtroom No. 2 for the first hearing on the Black Case no. 187,188/2552 in which Mr. Isma-ae Tay, the first plaintiff and Mr. Amizi Manak, the second plaintiff, sue the Royal Thai Army and Ministry of Defence for unlawful detention invoking the Martial Law Act. It is alleged that during the detention, the two plaintiffs and other persons being held in custody were subject to physical abuse and torture. They were forced to give information and confession.</p>

<p>The 2011 GALAS International Prize for Gay Rights Activist of the year, organised by the National Lesbian and Gay Federation of Ireland (NLGF) was presented to Thai gay rights human rights defender to Paisarn Likhitpreechakul who accepted the award on behalf of the Foundation for Human Rights on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity,</p>

<p>NEW YORK (21 October 2011) &ndash; The United Nations Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, Frank La Rue, urged Governments to guarantee the free flow of information on the Internet, and to ensure that the Internet is made widely available, accessible and affordable to all.</p>

<p>The authorities should learn from their failure in protecting industrial estates like Nava Nakorn and Bang Kadi and dispatch a team of experts and soldiers to save industrial parks like Lat Krabang from getting submerged in the days to come.</p>

<p>People should not believe in conspiracy theories and rumours that the Army is sabotaging flood-protection efforts to unseat the Yingluck Shinawatra government, or other counter conspiracy theories, academics say.</p>

<p>Last Thursday, judging by how disorganised things were at Don Mueang Airport where the Flood Relief Operations Centre (FROC) is based, I realised that the Yingluck Shinawatra government was far too incompetent to handle the country's worst floods in decades.</p>

<p>Reporters Without Borders is posting a video interview with the comedian and blogger <strong>Zarganar</strong>, who <a target="_blank" href="http://en.rsf.org/birmanie-zarganar-freed-but-dvb-video-12-10-2011,41178.html">was freed from Myitkyina prison</a> on 12 October under a government amnesty.</p>

<p>Arakan Human Rights and Development Organisation (AHRDO) welcomes the release on 12 October 2011 of 6,359 prisoners. As of October 13 according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners-Burma (AAPP-Burma) approximately 220 political prisoners including 7 Arakanese monks and activists, viz. U Einthariya, U Kawvida, Ko San Lwin, Ko Naing Soe, Ko Min Aung, Ko Kyaw Win Chay and U Myat Tun, were released.</p>