Chief of Defense Min Aung Hlaing adheres to the letter of the Constitution. He does not take orders from any state adviser, only from the president. The constitution also gives him the right to oppose the president’s order if he believes the country’s national security is threatened. Suu Kyi does not want to lead the… Read More »
In 2012, Rakhine activists launched violent attacks on Muslim neighborhoods in Rakhine’s capital, Sittwe. About 120,000 Rohingya were then imprisoned in camps just outside the city, where they still live. In a 2014 census, everyone in Myanmar was asked about their ethnicity, but Rohingya were not allowed to answer. As a result, the census could… Read More »
Since August 2017, the army in Myanmar has forced around 600,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee across the border into Bangladesh. An unknown number have been killed. Aung San Suu Kyi, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 and now heads the civilian part of Myanmar’s government, has failed to criticize the army’s conduct.… Read More »
People and oxen wade around in mud up to their knees on the green rice fields. Thick bamboo trunks flow quietly down the Pegu River. Dressed elephants drag heavy tree trunks from teak and rubber plantations, and Buddhist monks in burgundy-red robes walk the streets with empty food bowls that the people reverently fill with… Read More »
Burma is a resource-rich country with around 55 million people. However, due to years of mismanagement, most people live in poverty and deprivation. In the last couple of years, however, reforms have been implemented that offer hope for democracy , more freedom and better welfare. Why is Burma back on the international agenda? What are… Read More »
6: Big challenges The authorities in Burma face even more major challenges: The population consists of many ethnic minorities who for several years have been in armed conflicts with the central authorities. Ceasefire agreements have been signed with most of these. But in the state of Kachin , fighting continues. Other ethnic groups have said… Read More »