Ending 50 Years of Military Rule? Prospects for Peace, Democracy and Development in Burma

The thaw in the repressive climate of Burma was epitomised by by-elections held in April 2012 in which the opposition National League for Democracy, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, scored a resounding victory. President Thein Sein’s government has also reached initial peace agreements with most armed groups. But the challenges faced by a reformed Burmese state remain vast, while serious doubts remain as to the real commitment of military and business leaders to a thoroughgoing process of democratisation and accountability […]