🍏 <Dunia Letter> - No. 5


Hello!

This is Dunia, an independent investigative journalism network connecting Asia.

In this edition of the Dunia Letter, we trace a series of journeys — from the overseas political involvement of a religious organization, to the ways Asian women’s stories are told and recorded, and to the long diplomatic path of a nation entering a regional order.

We introduce an investigative report tracking the flow of Unification Church funds into Nepali politics, a literary review that asks who gets to speak for Asian women through Ghosts’ Land, and an interview that brings us inside the diplomatic process behind Timor-Leste’s accession to ASEAN.

Though these stories may appear distinct, they are all connected by questions of power, memory, and choice that cross borders. We hope this letter offers an opportunity to hold onto the questions necessary for understanding Asia today.

🔎 Latest Report | ‘Moonie Money’ in Nepal’s Politics

Dunia analyzed leaked internal documents from the Unification Church — known as the “True Mother (TM) Report” — confirming extensive involvement in Nepali politics.

The documents detail financial transactions with key political figures, including former prime ministers, as well as election funding and negotiations over proportional representation.

This investigation reveals how a religious organization’s overseas political engagement seeped into institutional politics, and exposes the paradoxical structure in which the fiercely anti-communist Unification Church attempted to reach North Korea via leaders of Nepal’s Communist Party. It traces how money, ideology, and power move across borders to reshape local political landscapes.

🌏 Beyond DUNIA ④ | Review of Chen Sihong’s Ghost Town: Who Gets to Tell the Stories of Asian Women

Beyond DUNIA Episode 4 examines how the lives of Asian women are spoken about and recorded through Taiwanese writer Chen Sihong’s novel Ghosts’ Land. Told through the perspective of a gay male narrator, the piece follows women’s lives shaped under patriarchy and anti-communist ideology, reviving a long-standing question: Must only those directly affected tell their own stories?

While forms of discrimination may differ, solidarity becomes possible only when their shared roots are recognized. This review shows how Asian women’s stories can be rendered not as isolated voices, but as layered narratives formed through relationships with other marginalized communities. It invites readers to move beyond who speaks, toward how we remember together.

🎤 Duterview ② | "Half a Century of Waiting, But Worth Every Penny": Timor-Leste’s Historic Trek to ASEAN

In Duterview Episode 2, we speak with former Timor-Leste Foreign Minister Adalgisa Magno about the diplomatic and political process that led to Timor-Leste’s accession to ASEAN.

From decades of waiting to becoming the bloc’s 11th member, she reflects on the intense negotiations, the concerns raised by member states, and the foreign policy choices Timor-Leste ultimately made.

The interview sheds light on how ASEAN opens and closes its doors — revealing the role of democracy, human rights, economic conditions, and diplomatic balance amid U.S.–China rivalry. It also explores Timor-Leste’s vision for its future within ASEAN, including its aspiration to serve as a mediator in the region.

📚 Dunia Book Club | Recruiting Participants for the First Half of 2026 〈I Am Curious About Asia〉

It is easy to say we know Asia — but how much do we really understand?
Beyond what news coverage can capture lie deeper contexts, lived histories, and unanswered questions. The Dunia Book Club is an offline reading group where we slowly read books about Asia and discuss them together.

Although grouped under the single name “Asia,” the region contains vastly different histories, societies, and voices. Rather than searching for correct answers, this book club encourages participants to pose questions beyond familiar frames and engage in discussion from their own perspectives. No expertise is required—curiosity is enough.

The theme for the first half of 2026 is <I Am Curious About Asia>. Focusing on Southeast and South Asia, we take a closer look at regions often oversimplified or misunderstood.

We look forward to meeting those who wish to share their curiosity about Asia with others.

📋 Apply for Dunia Book Club
https://forms.gle/zX6rcage4QePdajX7

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아시아 탐사보도 <두니아> 채널
아시아지역 현장 취재와 탐사보도를 전문으로 하는 비영리 독립언론 <두니아> 채널입니다. 두니아의 최신 기사와 분석글, 인터뷰를 가장 먼저 전해드립니다. 100% 여러분의 후원으로 운영됩니다. thedunia.org
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두니아, 아시아를 탐사하다
아시아 현장취재와 탐사보도를 전문으로 하는 비영리 독립언론 <두니아>입니다.
카카오톡채널 - 두니아, 아시아를 탐사하다

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    Get behind-the-scenes insights from the field and updates on upcoming investigations.
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💬 Closing Message

This edition of the Dunia Letter has been a journey through the ways power operates across Asia, and through the stories shaped — or erased — by that power.

Money and ideology cross borders; literature calls forth lives long held in silence; diplomacy slowly reshapes a nation’s place in the world.

Dunia will continue to document questions about Asia in the language of the field, and to build steady points of connection where reflections from different places can meet.

Sincerely,

Dunia

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