Journal of Academics Stand Against Poverty

Addressing the Causal Factors of Poverty in Muslim Mindanao: Perspectives from Thomas Pogge and Iris Marion Young

Christopher Ryan B. Maboloc — 2025-05-09

This paper intends to discuss the nature and consequences of the institutional causal factors of deprivation in Muslim Mindanao. Poverty can be attributed to clannish rivalries, failures in peace agreements, a shadow economy controlled by local bosses, and a patronage system of government dominated by the elites. Historical as well as structural injustice are the direct causes of poverty in the region. Exclusion is anchored in centralised rule, which denies Muslim Filipinos their basic rights to human well-being. The existing approaches to improving the standard of living in Muslim Mindanao do not address the control of political dynasties, enabled by political power brokers who want to perpetuate their vested interests. Following the ethical frameworks of Thomas Pogge and Iris Marion Young, I argue that overturning the problem of poverty in the Bangsamoro requires the levelling of the playing field by introducing grassroots-based political parties who in turn, once in power, can dismantle the dominance of influential clans and families by introducing inclusive and competitive economic policies that can promote equitable wealth distribution within the region.

Logging in: Dismantling the Dark Web of Africa’s Timber Industry

Maunga Mulomba — 2025-05-09

Timber is one of Africa’s most valuable natural resources and has long played a vital role in shaping local economies. In recent decades, however, the continent’s forests have become deeply entangled in the global illegal timber trade, which is estimated to be worth up to $157 billion annually. As international demand for tropical timber has grown, so too has the scale of unlawful harvesting and export across Africa. This paper explores how Africa has become a key supplier of unprocessed timber to global markets. Despite efforts to promote legal and sustainable logging, enforcement has been inconsistent and easily undermined. Corruption, regulatory gaps, and a general lack of political resolve have allowed illegal operators to move timber with minimal resistance. These conditions have weakened conservation efforts and facilitated illicit financial flows. The paper analyses the actors involved in the illegal trade and the reasons behind its persistence. It concludes by outlining practical reforms aimed at improving transparency and reducing harm to both people and forests.

Cybercrimes and the illicit financial flows in Myanmar

Thant Thura Zan — 2025-05-19

The rapid expansion of online gambling in Southeast Asia has created an alluring yet deceptive environment, promising financial gain while fostering fraudulent activities and illicit financial flows. This study explores the intersection of online fraudulent gambling and transnational organized crime in Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on Myanmar. Criminal syndicates exploit regulatory loopholes and weak enforcement to orchestrate scams, including rigged games, catfishing schemes, and human trafficking. The anonymity of digital platforms enables large-scale fraud, such as the "pig-butchering" scam, which inflicts severe financial and psychological harm on victims. Beyond individual losses, online scams fuel money laundering, economic destabilization, and corruption, while exacerbating social problems like addiction, debt, and family breakdown. Vulnerable groups, including the young, elderly, and low-income populations, are disproportionately affected, but even wealthy individuals from the West are targeted. Myanmar’s ongoing political instability has further enabled these illicit operations, allowing criminal networks to exploit weakened regulatory structures and facilitate money laundering linked to arms and resource smuggling. This research underscores the urgent need for national, regional, and global cooperation to strengthen regulatory frameworks, enhance enforcement mechanisms, and mitigate the growing threat of online gambling-related crime in Myanmar and Southeast Asia.