Real reform in Burma an uphill task, activists say

Despite the dramatic changes in Burma, many obstacles are in the way of true reforms that benefit ordinary people, Burmese academics and activists said yesterday.

Speaking at a seminar hosted by Chiang Mai University’s Regional Centre for Social Science and Sustainable Development, they said President Thein Sein’s government in Burma faced many challenges […]

Humanitarian Cost of Economic Development

A development spree in Myanmar following recent political reforms may have hidden costs for rural dwellers, especially ethnic minorities, say analysts.

Speaking at a recent conference in Yangon on inclusive growth, former World Bank president and Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz warned that Myanmar risked becoming “a rich country with poor people” […]

Fire Razes 500 Huts in Karen Refugee Camp

A fire destroyed more than 500 bamboo huts in a Karen refugee camp in Thailand near the border with Burma but no one died, Karen sources said Friday.

The fire in Umpiem Refugeee Camp in Phop Phra district of Tak, 300 kilometres north-west of Bangkok, started about midday Thursday and was attributed to an accident, Karen officials said […]

Burma in the Throes of Change – Part II

As ‘positive’ news flows out of Burma – release of political prisoners, ceasefire talks in ethnic areas, increased freedom, formation of labour unions – people inside the country and exiles have been in heated discussion. What does ‘reform’ entail and are the changes going to be fully implemented? […]

Burma in the Throes of Change – Part 1

Moves by the Burmese government to settle ethnic conflicts in the country, notably with the Karen in the mountainous eastern part of the country, have caught most observers by surprise.

When the government and the Karen National Union (KNU) held ceasefire talks on Jan. 12 aimed at ending the 62-year-old Karen insurgency – the world’s oldest running ethnic conflict – there was scepticism as to whether the powerful Burmese military would honour conditions laid down by the rebels […]

Political Prisoners Freed – Conditionally

The release of 651 prisoners, a process which started this month, is being seen as a victory for activists and families who have had to contend with Burma’s notorious prison system.

But, while state media reported, ahead of the first releases on Jan. 13, that the prisoners were being freed to allow them to participate in ‘nation building’, there was no word on conditions set for their release […]

Aung San Suu Kyi Files Papers to Run for Burmese Parliament

Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is formally a candidate to run for a parliamentary seat in an upcoming by-election.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner registered her candidacy Wednesday to represent a district just outside the main city of Rangoon […]

Will politics sully Aung San Suu Kyi?

To US President Barack Obama, she’s a “a hero of mine.” To Burma’s military hardliners, she’s a “traitor” best confined to her decaying family mansion.

Now, US diplomats have a new name for Aung San Suu Kyi: Burma’s “powerful and principal interlocutor.”

After years of wilting under house arrest, the 66-year-old democracy icon is again ascendent, this time as a broker between the West and a new wave of army-backed leaders trumpeting reforms […]

The Burmans’ Big Brother Complex

By Khin Ohmar

As U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Burma’s leaders this week, she was undoubtedly told that the government was negotiating with armed ethnic groups in the country’s conflict areas as the latest step in Burma’s political transformation. Leaders will try to construe these preliminary discussions as significant steps toward peace agreements.

While such negotiations are welcome, it is important to realize that the issues relating to ethnic minorities in Burma are very complex and cannot be solved overnight, even if new ceasefire agreements are eventually reached. Because of decades of conflict, time and effort will be required to build trust […]

In a Premature Nod to Burma, ASEAN Misses a Chance to Drive Real Change

Last weekend, the Arab League voted to suspend Syria from its meetings and impose sanctions on the Damascus regime. The vote came after Syria ignored the regional institution’s calls for the release of prisoners, an immediate end to killings and violence and talks with opposition forces.

While the Arab League took such a strong decision, another regional group, ASEAN, has shied away from its responsibility to protect civilians and promote peace, security and justice in one of its member states […]