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Manila fails FDI test
The Philippines is the new leader for economic growth among the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, yet unlike its neighbors it struggles to attract foreign investment. The reasons: low competitiveness, a poor investing environment, and corruption. - Dan Steinbock
(Oct 4, '13)
Mindanao examines rebel siege scars
Using "human shields" for their rebel siege was never going to endear the Moro National Liberation Front to the people of Mindanao. But as the badly scarred Zamboanga City, with over 100,000 displaced people, regroups after last month's sustained attacks, reflection is due on the chain of events that lead to urban warfare in the southern Philippines, beginning with a 1996 peace deal. - Sergio de la Tura
(Oct 2, '13)
People pressure puts patronage on trial
Filipino protesters are piling pressure on President Benigno Aquino to clamp down on corruption after "the mother of all scams", a US$220 million scandal in which legislators allegedly created ghost public works to line their own pockets. While Aquino has vowed to prosecute officials, some say he should seize the chance to upend the entire political-patronage system in the Philippines. - Richard Heydarian
(Oct 2, '13)
Thai army: new line-up, same fault-lines
Today's reshuffle of the Thai military top ranks, the first directly overseen by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, points to her party's bid to assert more civilian control over commanders responsible for the 2006 coup that ousted her brother, former premier and current ruling party de facto leader Thaksin Shinawatra. A rise in factionalism, with implications for political stability, appears the order of the day. for political stability - appears the order of the day. - John Cole and Steve Sciacchitano
(Oct 1, '13)
A whiff of reform in Cambodia
The ease with which Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has brushed aside claims of electoral fraud and an opposition boycott of parliament following contested elections in July suggests a huge vote swing against him had little impact. Yet evidence of how the poll rattled him can be seen in uncharacteristic demands for reforms and accountability. - Peter Tan Keo
(Sep 30, '13)
Twin crises test Aquino's mettle
Revelations of vast official corruption during infrastructure projects hit Philippine President Benigno Aquino last week just days before rebels besieged a city on the conflict-ridden island of Mindanao. While Aquino has struck back by redirecting outrage over graft towards implicated opposition figures and by firmly crushing the rebellion, the double whammy illustrates the limits of his ambitious good governance agenda. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(Sep 27, '13)
Laos looks for more workers
Laos says it needs to triple the number of foreign workers in the country to counter a shortage of skilled labor, even as locals suffer from a lack of job opportunities in projects such as hydropower dams and mines.
(Sep 25, '13)
Philippines struggles with Muslim rebels
The Muslim rebel siege in the Christian-majority Zamboanga City has exposed the fragility of security in the southern Philippines and dealt powerful blows both to the government's peace initiatives and to genuine expectations of a new era of stability and economic prosperity in the region. - Richard Heydarian
(Sep 24, '13)
Myanmar admits $7bn in overseas stash
The Central Bank of Myanmar says the country's lenders have parked more than US$7 billion worth of foreign reserves in overseas bank accounts, while rejecting reports that the figure was much larger and had led to the World Bank refusing to cancel its debt. - Myint Oo, Win Naung Toe and Kyaw Htun Naing
(Sep 23, '13)
BOOK REVIEW
Military matters in Myanmar
Soldiers and Diplomacy in Burma by Renaud Egreteau and Larry Jagan. Strong Soldiers, Failed Revolution by Yoshihiro Nakanishi
Outside focus on Myanmar's new civilian authorities and recent economic changes has helped the military, still the country's most powerful institution, to retreat into the shadows and to evade similar scrutiny. These two books help to shed light on that space, though both fall short of their objectives. - Bertil Lintner
(Sep 20, '13)
Post-election doldrums hit Malaysia
Malaysia's long-ruling Barisan Nasional coalition is flexing its dominance over state institutions and plans to increase ethnic Malays' stake in the economy rather than tackle divisions that nearly saw it ousted. While half of those who voted against the BN in May elections bemoan an electoral loss, troubling economic signs worsened by Prime Minister Najib Razak's pre-election handouts face the whole country. - Anil Netto
(Sep 19, '13)
Siege exposes holes in Aquino peace plan
Philippine government forces are regaining control of areas captured by rebels who laid siege to southern Zamboanga City, but the daring action by hundreds of Moro National Liberation Front fighter exposes deep flaws in President Benigno Aquino's once highly touted peace process for the region. The risk of a return to full-blown civil war is also rising. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(Sep 17, '13)
New role for India in Myanmar
A history of volatile relations, an ongoing border dispute and the mighty shadow of China - these loom large as India pursues a policy of full engagement with Myanmar. But as New Delhi pushes to expand its interests by putting private businesses at the forefront, India is uniquely positioned to benefit and help Myanmar overcome challenges amid the political transition now underway. - Sonu Trivedi
(Sep 16, '13)
Cambodian deadlock at crucial juncture
Protests are to be staged in Phnom Penh following the official declaration that Prime Minister Hun Sen and his party are indeed winners of the July 28 general election, throwing out strong claims to the contrary by opposition leader Sam Rainsy's party. King Norodom Sihamoni's ''intervention" may result in a compromise before tensions reach a violent breaking point. - Sebastian Strangio
(Sep 13, '13)
SPEAKING FREELY
Philippines under the neo-colonial boot
The Philippines "national security state" has effectively criminalized activism against the neo-colonial order at a time Manila and Washington plan to significantly boost their strategic ties, including through more US military boots on Philippine soil. As in the past, state-sponsored violations hide behind US-promoted false concepts of free markets, democracy and justice. - E San Juan Jr
(Sep 13, '13)
New nadir for China-Philippine ties
As the Philippines prepares for a new defense agreement to enable an expanded US "rotational" military presence on its soil, bilateral relations with China have taken a turn for the worse, with an angry response to Beijing's rescinding of an invitation to President Benigno Aquino to visit China. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(Sep 12, '13)
Australia's Abbott faces Asia challenges
The Liberal-National Party government being formed in Australia by Tony Abbott will likely be proactive on a "Look West" element in foreign policy, especially in building bilateral ties with India. On Asian asylum seekers, however, the conservatives have a harsher outlook, as illustrated by a military solution adopted in June designed to "stop the boats" and "turn them back". - Sam Bateman
(Sep 12, '13)
Myanmar facing stock market riddle
A viable stock market in Myanmar would offer wider opportunities for local companies and local and international investors, but a premature opening could result merely in legalized gambling and risks to the wider economy. - Dennis C McCornac
(Sep 12, '13)
Tale of two casino countries
The Philippines and Vietnam are vying to enter Asia's top tier of casino destinations with palatial new resorts and other multi-billion dollar investment plans. With so much money involved, nothing is straightforward in either country. - Muhammad Cohen
(Sep 11, '13)
China still has it wrong in Myanmar
China's efforts to convince Myanmar's government and population that it is committed to negating the social and environmental impacts of resource-related projects have achieved the opposite, resulting in the widespread belief that Beijing is focused on protecting its commercial interests above all. - Bernt Berger
(Sep 10, '13)
More US boots on Philippine soil
A proposed United States-Philippines deal that will allow Washington to use bases on Philippine soil for up to 20 years will boost Manila's ability to hedge against further Chinese territorial assertiveness, while seemingly calming the latter's concerns over the US's regional military commitments. However, it presents a challenge to the Philippines' post-Cold War constitution, and Beijing is already preparing a diplomatic response. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(Sep 9, '13)
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
Myanmar's Shan see long path to peace
Yawd Serk, commander of the rebel Shan State Army in Myanmar, was quick to respond positively to peace overtures when President Thein Sein took power in 2011. In an exclusive interview, he predicts a long process lies ahead, with an end to fighting up to three years distant - assuming that along the way the still-powerful central army gives peace a chance. - Larry Jagan
(Sep 6, '13)
Myanmar, Korea stay brothers in arms
US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's recent demand that Myanmar ''sever its ties with North Korea'' raises questions about Washington's budding military relations with its newest friend in Asia while it proves resistant to US pressure to end past alliances. Myanmar's generals must also consider China's response if they bend to Washington's will. - Bertil Lintner
(Sep 5, '13)
Military roots of racism in Myanmar
Defenders of Islamaphobia unleashed by "Buddhists" in Myanmar, which has manifested in mob violence, say its roots lie in the pace with which new freedoms have taken hold, or in the size of the wealth gaps in the country. The ethno-nationalism of military leaders over the past 50 years is a more likely culprit - as by stoking the flames of race and faith hatred, the regime kept its grasp on power. - Maung Zarni
(Sep 3, '13)
Manila, Beijing, and UNCLOS: a test case?
Manila's request for international arbitration over competing territorial claims with Beijing in the South China Sea prompts the question of whether right or might will determine their fate. China's refusal to cooperate also makes it a compelling and deeply Asian test of whether the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or diplomacy will play the lead role in securing a peaceful settlement. - Alex Calvo
(Sep 3, '13)
UN envoy in first visit to Kachin HQ
The United Nations special envoy to Myanmar, Vijay Nambiar, has visited the headquarters of Kachin ethnic rebels for the first time, meeting with officials from the group's political wing and touring camps for people who remain displaced by fighting which ended under a peace agreement signed in May. - Tin Aung Khine and Kyaw Myo Min
(Aug 29, '13)
Censorship rears its head in Myanmar
The repeal last year of draconian censorship laws in Myanmar appears to be undermined by proposed legislation to allow a Ministry of Information-appointed registrar to issue or deny publication licenses. Critics of the bill, which comes two months after a Western magazine was banned over a provocative article, say it proves that 50 years of brutal media control can't be rolled back in just one year. - Roger Hamilton-Martin
(Aug 29, '13)
Visions of a democratic Vietnam
Intensifying calls for pro-democratic reform in Vietnam, which have been masked as anti-China protests, are behind piecemeal constitutional changes being proposed by the Communist Party. However, activists rightly fear that even a dismantling of the one-party system would simply see the current elite replaced by another exploitative ruling class. - Khanh Vu Duc
(Aug 29, '13)
US sparks Indonesia arms sale concern
US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel has used a visit to Indonesia to announce the largest military deal between the two countries. The sale of eight Apache attack helicopters raises concerns that the gunships could be turned on insurgents in areas such as West Papua. - Carey L Biron
(Aug 27, '13)
Meaningless ceasefire in south Thailand
A reported statistical fall in ''violent incidents'' in south Thailand over Ramadan masks that the attacks were greater in intensity, with rebel Malay Muslims launching increasingly sophisticated improvised explosive attacks and ambushes in parallel with increased propaganda. While an early calm suggested the insurgents were upholding a government-sponsored ceasefire, it is likely they were just exploiting loosened controls at check points to move personnel and IEDs. - Anthony Davis
(Aug 27, '13)
Violence and responsibility in Myanmar
Selective interpretation of Buddhist teachings by religious organizations in Myanmar has seen them deny responsibility for the violence and rhetoric their followers and leaders have targeted at Muslim Royingha. Such bigotry presents an image to the world that undermines the tolerance of the many Burmese who have sought an end to the pogroms. - Matthew J Walton
(Aug 23, '13)
Myanmar's farmers demand law
changes to fight land grabs
Farmers in Myanmar have drawn up 17 demands they want incorporated in changes to the country's 2012 Land Law as part of their battle against widespread forced evictions and corporate land grabs. - Sai Tun Aung Lwin and Khin Khin Ei
(Aug 21, '13)
Dual track trouble in the South China Sea
Multilateral efforts to resolve territorial disputes in the South China Sea are hitting the rocks in the absence of constructive engagement between China and the Philippines. While Southeast Asian nations agree speak with "one voice" to achieve enactment of a code of conduct, marked divergence of their individual strategies is muddying the waters. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(Aug 20, '13)
New Vietnamese party to challenge rulers
A longtime member of Vietnam's ruling Communist Party is spearheading efforts to form a new party to challenge the government by attracting support from members disgruntled by a slowing economy and concerned over Chinese territorial encroachment. - Mac Lam and An Nguyen
(Aug 20, '13)
Hanoi fears Laos loss
Vietnam "feels threatened" by increasing Chinese and Thai investment in neighboring Laos and is concerned that the two countries will dethrone it as the top investor there, according to a senior Lao communist party official.
(Aug 16, '13)
New look, old reputation for Golden Triangle
A Chinatown newly opened near the Golden Triangle in Laos aims to attract legitimate trade and tourists, particularly Chinese visitors, to a once infamous drugs-business crossroads. However, the virtual autonomy of the businesses involved is doing little to dispel the region's notoriety.
(Aug 16, '13)
Manila, Tokyo brothers in arms
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Philippine President Benigno Aquino last month agreed to comprehensively enhance the two countries' strategic partnership. While the two sides have plenty of economic reasons for closer ties, a mutual desire to counterbalance China has widened the scope of bilateral relations. - Julius Cesar I Trajano
(Aug 15, '13)
Guatemalan path for Indonesian justice
By holding former president Rios Montt accountable for atrocities in Guatemala, if only temporarily, the country became the first to convict a former president for genocide in its own territory. It was a legal victory for human rights everywhere and ideally will serve as precedent for holding other leaders accountable. Who is to say something similar cannot happen in the courts of Jakarta or Timor-Leste? - Andrew de Sousa
(Aug 14, '13)
Thaksin as peacemaker in south Thailand
Efforts by Thailand's Yingluck Shinawatra government to initiate formal, high-profile dialogue with southern rebels have been criticized as a crude effort by her brother, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, to bolster his image. The Shinawatras' support for future decentralization suggests however that they alone are in a position to recognize the unique identity of Malay Muslims and offer them something similar to autonomy. - Jason Johnson
(Aug 14, '13)
China, India slow to act
against palm oil damage
Palm oil - cheap, high-yielding and used in a vast array of products - is a boon to producers in Indonesia and Malaysia and the cause of widespread environmental blight, including smog. China and India are proving slow in signing up to more conscientious sourcing. - Sudeshna Sarkar
(Aug 13, '13)
Amnesty and loyalty in Thailand
An audio clip of what purports to be a secretly recorded telephone conversation between former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the present deputy defense minister concerned a possible amnesty for self-exiled Thaksin and means of ensuring a lack of military opposition to his return. Exposure of the alleged plan more than likely will kill its prospects of success, without removing the pressure for it to go ahead. - Steve Sciacchitano and John Cole
(Aug 9, '13)
INTERVIEW
Skeletons in Indonesia's closet
Through convincing former executioners to re-enact killings from Indonesia's 1965-1966 anti-communist purge, Joshua Oppenheimer's film The Act of Killing has held up a mirror to individuals - and ruling elites - who for decades openly boasted about atrocities. Neither they, nor modern Indonesian society, particularly liked what they saw, resulting in the first outpouring of emotion over the genocide. - Hannah Green
(Aug 9, '13)
COMMENT
Thein Sein faces nuclear challenge
President Thein Sein has revamped Myanmar's stance on nuclear policy since he took office in 2011 on the heels of sweeping reforms. He needs to honor his nonproliferation promises - and to do so sooner than later - while deeper international engagement is required to make that happen. - David Santoro
(Aug 8, '13)
Myanmar marks painful anniversary
As student leaders gather in Yangon to commemorate the brutal army crackdown on protests that saw hundreds killed on August 8, 1988, questions are being asked over why the military plays such a powerful political role in what's a nominally civilian government. However, activists also say that 8.8.88 played a vital role in shaping today's generation, as by imprisoning all Myanmar's best minds, the junta unwittingly united them. - Mark Fenn
(Aug 8, '13)
SPEAKING FREELY
Cambodia: Social media fuels new politics
Young voters were quick to reach for their smartphones and computers to record and report election-day irregularities in Cambodia's July 28 national poll. As the number of social media-savvy electors grows, sites such as Facebook are becoming the place for wide-ranging debates that will change the country's political culture. - Marta Kasztelan
(Aug 6, '13)
SPEAKING FREELY
India-China make a tryst
From energy to trade and counter-insurgency, India and China's converging interests in Myanmar are too deep to be easily undermined by economic competition and strategic power politics. By bridging their trust deficit and recognizing the potential for joint development, Beijing and Delhi could make the country a prototype for future Sino-Indian cooperation. - Sonu Trivedi
(Aug 5, '13)
Capital insecurity in Myanmar
A convergence of interests in Myanmar has seen generals seeking funds and legitimacy find agreement with Western countries hoping to extract optimal spoils from one of the last untapped frontier markets. Nineteenth-century rhetoric of the "white man's burden" has evolved into terms like "top-down democracy", but the model remains - prop up market-friendly proxies and prevent truly representative government. - Maung Zarni
(Aug 5, '13)
Locals left without as Myanmar gas flows
Gas started flowing at the weekend from Myanmar's southwest Rakhine State north into China, with the prospect of bringing US$1.5 billion to Myanmar each year, even as Rakhine villagers are being snubbed in their demands for basics such as schools, clinics, roads and running water. - Min Thein Aung
(Aug 5, '13)
Post-poll deadlock tests Cambodian stability
With Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and opposition leader Sam Rainsy both claiming to have won the July 28 general election, the country is in political deadlock. Compromise is still possible, along with potentially far-reaching consequences in Cambodia's two-party political dance. - Sebastian Strangio
(Aug 2, '13)
Philippines, Vietnam take China hedges
The Vietnamese president goes to Washington; the Philppines welcomes the Japanese prime minister to Manila. Both visits last month were pitches by the Southeast Asian countries to court support in their territorial disputes with China. Both underline that the multi-sided South China Sea dispute is intensifying even as Beijing has agreed to negotiate a peaceful resolution. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(Aug 2, '13)
Australia sends first refugees to PNG
The first asylum-seekers sent to Papua New Guinea under Australia's tough new refugee policy have arrived at the Pacific nation's Australian-run processing center. Their arrival brings to effect the so-called PNG Solution to resettle boat people, even as the UN's refugee is "troubled" by the decision.
(Aug 2, '13)
Laos residents lose capital land battle
Authorities in Laos have told hold-out residents of an area in the capital, Vientiane, slated for a US$1.6 billion development project that they are not to sell their land as it now belongs to the site's developers from China.
(Aug 2, '13)
Trampled rights restrict US-Vietnam ties
The recent meeting between the Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang and Barack Obama served as a pointer to the possibility of a continuing improvement in relations and cooperation across political, economic, and technological fields. But Vietnam's poor treatment of political dissidents and apparent unwillingness to enact serious political reforms has held back opportunities for closer ties. - Khanh Vu Duc
(Aug 1, '13)
Cambodia's Sam Rainsy disputes poll result
Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy is threatening to hold mass protests against the election victory claims of Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling party. The Cambodia National Rescue Party chief says his party won enough seats to form a government and demonstrations will go ahead if Hun Sen refuses to investigate irregularities in Sunday's ballot.
(Jul 30, '13)
A frontrunner emerges in Indonesia
Joko Widodo, the governor of Jakarta since October, is taking the spotlight as a frontrunner in Indonesia's next presidential election thanks to his refreshingly different approach to governance and the bankruptcy of the country's major political parties. Despite his surging popularity, he first has to win some Javanese-style shadow puppetry with other presidential hopefuls. - Gary LaMoshi
(Jul 30, '13)
Asia laps up lax Israeli weapons rules
Israel's limited political, economic and diplomatic leverage make its arms trade a vital facet in spreading influence and achieving foreign policy objectives. For customers such as South Korea, Vietnam, India and China, the offer of cutting-edge weaponry with lax technology transfer rules is simply too good to refuse. - Alvite Singh Ningthoujam
(Jul 30, '13)
Poll loosens Hun Sen's grip on Cambodia
Sweeping gains in Cambodia's general election gave opposition leader Sam Rainsy cause to celebrate his recent return from exile even though barred from running as a candidate. Rainsy insists irregularities still denied a vote to much of the electorate, but the results attest to a weakened hold on the country by long-time strongman premier, Hun Sen (pictured below). - Sebastian Strangio
(Jul 29, '13)
BOOK REVIEW
A life in opposition
We Didn't Start the Fire: My Struggle for Democracy in Cambodia by Sam Rainsy and David Whitehouse
Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy has survived to play an influential role in the country's politics, even as he is barred from running for office. As told in his memoir, he had very little choice, stepping into politics when no one else would and filling in the role of reformer when others in public life cowered in fear. It is a pity the book quickly morphs into a wish list of a politician on the hustings. - Joe Freeman
(Jul 26, '13)
COMMENT
Cambodia on the road to civil war
The totally antagonistic standpoints of the ruling Cambodia People's Party and the opposition National Rescue Party in the run-up to the weekend elections were evident on the campaign trail. That poles-apart reality on the ground means that as voters to cast their ballots, it is not inconceivable that the democratic process will lead to a new civil war. - Savath Pou
(Jul 26, '13)
Myanmar: bottom-up, not top-down
Continuing armed clashes in Myanmar and tensions between Buddhists and Muslims underscore the fragility of President Thein Sein's attempts to bring democracy to the country. For the international community to effect positive developments it must leverage the knowledge and talent of Myanmar's established network of local nongovernmental organizations. - Stephen Hindes
(Jul 25, '13)
Thailand opens Asia's gay marriage debate
Thailand could become the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize gay marriage if a draft law to give same-sex couples the same legal rights as heterosexual couples makes it to the statute books. While Thailand is one of the most progressive countries on gay rights, anti-discrimination laws are non-existent among its neighboring countries. - Simba Shani Kamaria Russeau
(Jul 25, '13)
Fish the real hazard in South China Seas
The hydrocarbon potential of the South China Sea has become a source of tension between the littoral states of the region and, to a certain extent, a number of outside actors. However, it is the region's fisheries rather than fossil fuels that have the potential to ignite a regional conflict. - Lucio Blanco Pitlo III
(Jul 25, '13)
COMMENT
A brewing storm in the Western Pacific
China's aggressive territorial claims, Washington's "pivot" to Asia, and Japan's hawkish bluster are stirring a volatile brew in the Asia-Pacific. While the Philippines is quickly a frontline state in the US bid to contain China, many observers are drawing parallels with the military-political situation in Europe before the outbreak of World War I. - Walden Bello
(Jul 24, '13)
Lao capital in water crisis
Residents of the Lao capital Vientiane are facing the possibility of extended chronic water shortages following an admission by the state-owned supplying company that it cannot address the crisis immediately due to a lack of funds and production capacity.
(Jul 24, '13)
Narrowed political gap in Cambodia
A politically charged return by opposition leader Sam Rainsy and unprecedented youth participation - notably through social media - have energized the campaigning for Cambodia's July 28 elections. While Rainsy's path to power has now been blocked, and superior financial resources and media manipulation are expected to ensure the Cambodian People's Party retains its lead, the opposition has a clear chance to sow the seeds of long-term change. - Vannarith Chheang
(Jul 24, '13)
Illicit trades imperil
Myanmar reforms
One key issue facing Myanmar as it moves toward democracy is the lack of institutions and qualified personnel to adequately address day-to-day affairs. Entrenched illegal trade, in anything from drugs to jade to timber, further undermines reform efforts. - Billy Tea
(Jul 23, '13)
US sincerity questioned in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asian countries that rely on US military backing to counter Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea have watched with concern as Washington deepens bilateral ties with Beijing. As US-China economic interdependence and diplomatic synergy come to the fore, allies like the Philippines likely question the US sincerity towards mutual defense commitments. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(Jul 23, '13)
Vietnam pushes data demands
on foreign Internet companies
A new decree governing foreign Internet companies such as Facebook and Google operating in Vietnam omits an earlier clause compelling them to open offices inside the country, but still requires them to turn over personal information about users who violate Vietnamese law.
(Jul 22, '13)
British aid for Myanmar ethnic cleansing
British financial support for a coming census in Myanmar will reinforce the Thein Sein government's policy of forcing the Rohingya people to register as "Bengali", continuing a decades-old policy of stripping the Rohingya of both their citizenship and ethnic identity. Alongside the backing for ethnic-cleansing, a resumption of British arms sales to the genocidal regime sends an ominous signal to minorities. - Maung Zarni
(Jul 19, '13)
China's maritime stance shifts with tides
China's successes in using coercion and intimidation against Southeast Asian claimants to South China Sea territories and in challenging Japan's control of disputed islands explain why its assertiveness on maritime territorial disputes has intensified since its power transition. Historic foreign policy trends suggest rising regional acquiescence could see a shift to a moderate approach. - Robert Sutter and Chin-Hao Huang
(Jul 19, '13)
New reef rift hits China-Philippines ties
A fraught naval stand-off between a modern Chinese flotilla and a rusty Philippine hospital ship over a South China Sea shoal is undermining supposed regional progress towards a binding code of conduct over the waters. With Beijing's military focused on fortifying its positions and Manila loathe to lose its gateway to untapped energy reserves, neither side is likely to back down. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(Jul 18, '13)
Tour of shame for Thein Sein
Myanmar's President Thein Sein meets British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande on a European tour this week, with trade and investment expected to dominate the agenda. The recent spate of deadly attacks on Muslims in Myanmar, with all appearances of state support, should also be addressed by Western leaders. - Matthew Smith
(Jul 16, '13)
Veneer of democracy in Cambodia
Cambodian opposition leader Sam Rainsy will shortly return to his homeland after nearly four years on the political margins to contest national elections at the end of this month. He is backed by US Congressional pressure for the polls to be "credible and competitive". Rainsy's presence certainly adds a veneer of credibility, but Prime Minister Hun Sen has no intention of losing his grip on power. - Sebastian Strangio
(Jul 15, '13)
No peace tomorrow for South Thailand
Four months after the opening of peace talks between the Thai government and Malay separatist insurgents, the conflict in Thailand's southern border provinces has become, if anything, more violent. Rumors of the imminent demise of the talks are probably premature, but bridging the gulf between the two sides will likely take years. A key obstacle is a high-profile process that encourages grand-standing and inflated expectations of peace tomorrow. - Anthony Davis
(Jul 12, '13)
COMMENT
A monopoly of powers in Myanmar
New legislation restricting the media in Myanmar was approved despite official promises to make a country a regional paragon of press freedoms. That contradiction and others underline how the country is using cosmetic reforms to exploit the self-interest of international non-governmental organizations, and more importantly, the strategic and economic desires of Western governments. - Maung Zarni
(Jul 12, '13)
Fears grow for Lao activist
Diplomats in Laos are saying anonymously what human-rights groups are claiming openly: civil society leader Sombath Somphone is unlikely to return from an "enforced disappearance" believed to have been carried out by government-linked security groups. While Sombath's work to improve the rural population's lot challenged Vientiane, his activism on the environment - specifically big-money dams - was perhaps more controversial.
(Jul 11, '13)
Indonesia fails to tackle forest fires
An Indonesian apology for the haze from forest fires that is choking Malaysia and Singapore means little unless the government in Jakarta backs words with action to strengthen forest protection, say environmental groups. Yet that is unlikely as long as political and financial interests come first. International diplomacy also stands in the way. - Kitty Stapp
(Jul 11, '13)
Conflicting currents in the South China Sea
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has secured internal consensus and apparent Chinese agreement on working towards a maritime code of conduct. However, amid raising tensions, Beijing's ability to fulfill any such pledges rests on whether its civilian leadership can rein in a military that has scented glory in recent South China Sea confrontations. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(Jul 10, '13)
In crisis, Malaysia plays the royal card
Malaysia's constitutional monarchy, now led by King Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah, has been cast in the role of rival and ally to the United Malays Nasional Organization at various times during the party's near-six decades of political dominance. With its popularity on the wane, UMNO has thrown down the royal card, using sedition laws to attack dissenters to its rule amid mass protests over its recent return to power. - Chin Huat Wong
(Jul 3, '13)
Clean bills or bust in Myanmar
Instability in Asian currencies has led to some populations viewing the US dollar less as an alternative form of exchange and more as a possesion of intrinsic value such as gold or precious metals. In Myanmar, more than anywhere, this means that notes deemed too new, old or crumpled are summarily rejected. - David Logan
(Jul 3, '13)
State complicity in Myanmar pogroms
The government of Myanmar's President Thein Sein, keen to tell Western governments and investors that his country will never return to the dark days of the previous ruling military junta, has wholly failed to prevent the spread of brutal attacks on Muslim communities carried out by Buddhist gangs. The winners from this destructive process will be none other than the military.
(Jul 1, '13)
Telenor, Qatar firm win
Myanmar phone deal
Myanmar has awarded licenses to Norway's Telenor and Qatar's Ooredoo to set up the country's first foreign mobile-phone networks after the government overruled objections by parliament to delay a decision until passage of a new telecoms law, expected next month.
(Jun 28, '13)
Rain for Myanmar's peace parade
A grand ceremony scheduled for next month in Myanmar supposedly will mark a nationwide ceasefire with ethnic resistance armies. Behind the hype lie fundamental unaddressed problems, ranging from a deeply flawed constitution, an absence of real political dialogue with ethnic groups, and no indication of federalism, leaving a peace process that is basically a protection racket for vested interests, financed by the international community. - Bertil Lintner
(Jun 25, '13)
Cambodian opposition calls foul on election
Opposition coalition the Cambodia National Rescue Party says it will reject the result of next month's national election unless the ruling party ends the disruption of its campaign. The stand reflects a culture of harassment amid claims that local authorities and village chiefs have threatened opposition supporters and routinely prevent them from joining rallies.
(Jun 19, '13)
Genocide as pre-poll politics in Cambodia
A strong showing by the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party in the country's forthcoming national election will bring "chaos", and its proposed policies indicate a yearning to return to the days of the Khmer Rouge, warns President Hun Sen. Legislation that will allow prosecution of anyone who challenges the existence of crimes that took place during the Khmer Rouge era fits nicely into the government's anti-CNRP message. - Joe Freeman
(Jun 18, '13)
US 'pivot' must go beyond defense
Whether in Washington or in the capitals of the Asia-Pacific region, it is important that US engagement in the Asia-Pacific region be seen as much more than just about defense. It is time to rebalance the "rebalance" and for the US to follow come up with substantive policy and investments that also encourage greater US business, educational and cultural ventures in the region. - Curtis S Chin
(Jun 13, '13)
Thai shrimp workers battle low pay, abuse
Reports of abuse of migrant workers, mostly from Myanmar, earning low pay amid poor working conditions have recently cast an unflattering shadow over the seafood factory industry in Thailand, which is the world's leading exporter of seafood. - Simba Shani Kamaria Russeau
(Jun 12, '13)
Next generation radicals in Indonesia
Indonesia's crushing of the notorious al-Qaeda-linked Jemaah Islamiyah militant group has merely led to the rise of localized radicals to take their place. Regular attacks on government targets by emerging extremists like the Mujahidin Indonesia Timor underline that religious violence still has the potential to derail the country's democratic and economic success story. - Jacob Zenn
(Jun 12, '13)
South China Sea row risks wider clashes
Polarizing positions in South China Sea disputes are becoming evident this year as talks on a code of conduct make painfully slow progress, Beijing resolutely sticks to choosing a bilateral path and the process is derailed by maritime incidents. Even if pressure does ease on conflicts involving Southeast Asian nations, this will sees focus retrained on equally fiery East Asian disputes. - Ian Storey
(Jun 10, '13)
Laos targets rail-link start date
Laos aims formally to start construction of a high-speed railway linking its western border with Thailand to Vietnam in August, although project design by the Malaysian company building the link is yet to be completed and authorities have yet to see the mandatory environmental impact assessment.
(Jun 7, '13)
COMMENT
Stillbirth persecution of Myanmar's Rohingya
The Myanmar government is standing idly by as attacks on the Muslim Rohingya minority persist. Recommendations from a presidential inquiry into the persecution are as disturbing as the violence itself, with the imposition of a two-child limit for Rohingya families in two townships even compelling opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to break her silence. Yet still, the international community lauds Myanmar as a reform success story. - Ramzy Baroud
(Jun 6, '13)
A diamond in the South China Sea's rough
Security options for the Philippines and Vietnam, stuck between uncertain US commitment and an expansionist China, have lacked any sparkle. Yet as Japan looks to make its presence felt, deeper ties with Tokyo bring an emerging "security diamond" alliance to light that could change the region's big-versus-small country dynamic, including in the contested South China Sea. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(Jun 4, '13)
BOOK REVIEW
Orphan of the collective
The Elimination by Rithy Panh
Cambodian-born filmmaker Rithy Panh's brave account of life stripped bare by the Khmer Rouge is helped by the inclusion of interview exchanges with Duch, the death-camp warden sentenced to life in prison by a UN-backed tribunal. Yet Panh is at his best writing about his own survival as a teenaged orphan among an adopted collective of killers. - Joe Freeman
(May 31, '13)
Two paths for US-Vietnam ties
Vietnam's mounting strategic concerns over China give the US a golden opportunity to bolster its position in Southeast Asia. In courting Hanoi, Washington can play either a short game, compromising core values like human rights to attain China-balancing partnership, or invest in the long-term future of the Vietnamese people to one day reclaim democratic control of their country. - Khanh Vu Duc
(May 30, '13)
Philippines muddles
on amid power shortages
As the Philippines grapples with power outages and a growing demand for energy, government agencies and private groups say the answer to the country's power needs may lie in alternative sources. The government meanwhile presses ahead with coal-fired power stations. - Kara Santos
(May 30, '13)
Defiant light in post-election darkness
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak's reaction to protests over the election is reminiscent of the autocratic days of Mahathir Mohamad, even as the ruling coalition talks of reform and restructuring. It will take more than rebranding to convince young urban voters who crave more tangible progress towards democracy and an end to rampant corruption. - Anil Netto
(May 29, '13)
Fears grow for a Malaysian Spring
Post-election protests in Malaysia, amid claims that fraud tainted the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition's victory, are spreading across various states and attracting crowds of up to 120,000. While the opposition insists ousting Najib Razak's government is not the intention, the ruling party's paranoia and repression of activists may make Arab Spring-like revolt a self-fulfilling prophecy. - Chin Huat Wong
(May 29, '13)
Neo-Nazi denial in Myanmar
Myanmar has a newly registered Nazi party, the Rakhine National Development Party, created in the wake of anti-Muslim violence in Rakhine State. Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has dined publicly with its leaders, confirming the strength of race-based politics in the country, where fawning by Western interests has helped to create a sense of invincibility regarding such fascist attitudes. - Maung Zarni
(May 23, '13)
Miles to go for Thein Sein
Myanmar President Thein Sein's welcome in the White House this week is due in large part to his government pushing through important reforms and the growth of civil society. Yet he will need all the outside support he can get for the next tough phase of more thorough democratic reforms, as the country has a long way to go before it can honestly claim to be a functioning and durable democracy. - Aung Tun
(May 22, '13)
New spark in the South China Sea
Sanctions Taiwan has imposed following the fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman by the Philippine Coast Guard, including a hiring freeze on Filipino workers and banning tourism to the Philippines, are shows of sovereignty aimed at bolstering the administration's sagging approval ratings. Manila has no such problems, but economically and diplomatically it can't afford another front opening in the South China Sea. - Julius Cesar I Trajano
(May 22, '13)
Philippine 'pivot' in the South China Sea
As Manila views Chinese naval occupation of disputed territory in the South China Sea as a "when" not an "if", it is under no illusion that US support can be counted upon, hence a change in tack to diplomacy through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The group may be more amenable now Cambodia no longer holds the chair, but it so far lacks the heft to shift Beijing's robust stand. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(May 21, '13)
Thein Sein heads to the White House
Myanmar President Thein Sein is poised to receive red carpet treatment today at the White House in Washington even as his army wages war against Kachin inside his country and religious violence scars the Southeast Asian nation. Of more importance to Washington is progress in its ties with Myanmar's military, starting with the navy, and issues of regional security. - Bertil Lintner
(May 20, '13)
SPEAKING FREELY
The decline of Malaysian apartheid
Scapegoating of Chinese in the wake of its disappointing recent polls reflects the degree to which the United Malay National Organization, leader of Malaysia's ruling Barisan Nasional coalition, remains invested in perpetuating race-based politics. However, there are clear signs of the demise of that model as desires grow for an inclusive modern nation free of corruption. - Sunil Kukreja
(May 20, '13)
Myanmar needs a new nationalism
The development of violent outbursts against Mynamar's Muslim population has brought Burmese Buddhists to a crossroads in which they need to initiate conversations about the ways in which the Buddhist community should adapt to the reality of multiculturalism without abandoning its distinctive core values. - Matthew J Walton
(May 20, '13)
Aquino secures second-wind mandate
Philippine voters have granted approval to President Benigno Aquino's three-year-old reform agenda. Their by-elections mandate gives his administration enough popular steam to push through measures aimed at sustaining economic growth, deepening good governance, and setting the stage for his favored candidate in the 2016 presidential poll. - Richard Javad Heydarian
(May 17, '13)
A lame duck line-up for Malaysia
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak has established an enlarged cabinet, though with reduced representation of the ethnic-Chinese vote, to bolster his position and chances of survival following an election that saw him win less than half the popular vote. His appointments may not be sufficient reward for allies, with rumors rife that the knives are already aimed at Najib's back. - Chin Huat Wong
(May 16, '13)
Legitimacy crisis in post-election Malaysia
Protests across peninsular Malaysia after a general election marked by allegations of irregularities and vote-buying and the erosion of popular support for the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition threaten the legitimacy of the new government. While it's unlikely more planned opposition rallies will morph into an Arab Spring-like movement that overturns the result, these are tough times for Prime Minister Najib Razak. - Anil Netto
(May 15, '13)
Vietnam squeezed by rival trade deals
Vietnam faces tough choices over two putative region-wide trade pacts - one US driven and excluding China, the other including the Asian giant but absent the US. The country's communist leaders must cede some control to ease US concerns, or risk their economy coming further under the influence of Beijing. - Khanh Vu Duc
(May 15, '13)
Rallies replace riots in Malaysia
Deadly riots that officially claimed around 200 lives and ethnic clashes followed the 1969 elections in Malaysia, paving the way for two years of emergency rule. The country is much changed since then, and while the result of this month's election, which keeps Prime Minister Najib Razak in charge, has led to protest rallies attracting tens of thousands angry citizens, participants have been multi-ethnic and youthful. A repeat of 1969 is unlikely. - Chin Huat Wong
(May 13, '13)
BOOK REVIEW
Portraits of an identity crisis
Lens and the Guerrilla: Insurgency in India's Northeast by Rajeev Bhattacharyya
Che in Paona Bazaar: Tales of Exiles and Belonging from India's Northeast by Kishalay Bhattacharjee
Scores of local rebel groups are active in the seven states east of the narrow "Siliguri Neck" connecting the northeast with the rest of India, but the motivations and people behind these movements are understudied. By taking entirely different approaches to the problems of identity in the volatile region, two new books shine complementary light. - Bertil Lintner
(May 10, '13)
Hate thy neighbor in Myanmar
Violence against Muslims in Myanmar has been accompanied by their widespread identification as in some way being a "threat" to the country. Though such claims defy reality, they do strengthen the hand and public backing of the military. After all, it is not shared bread but a common enemy that brings people together. - David Hopkins
(May 9, '13)
Glass half empty in Myanmar
Myanmar's transition can be seen as being well along the way towards a genuine democratic transformation, or as a flawed process marked by continued violence against ethnic minorities and with the quasi-civilian government's true intentions still in doubt. So long as Myanmar's people continue to die because of their religion or ethnicity, such deep differences in perspective are likely to remain. - Sina Schuessler
(May 8, '13)
Political gap narrows in Malaysia
Malaysia's opposition Pakatan Rakyat coalition narrowed the gap on the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition in the general election on Sunday and has
refused to concede defeat until investigations are conducted into numerous voting irregularities. As weeks of political instability loom, Najib Razak's second term as prime minister with a weakened mandate looks far from secure. - Anil Netto
(May 7, '13)
Swing states to decide Malaysian polls
Malaysia voters head to the polls on Sunday after a hotly contested general election campaign, with Borneo possibly holding the key victory. Conditions in the two potential swing states on the island, Sabah and Sarawak, are ripe to help the Anwar Ibrahim-led opposition win enough seats to end the ruling coalition's long-held grip on power. - Anil Netto
(May 3, '13)
China's border rows mirror grim history
Two Chinese territorial disputes - one high in the Himalayas with India, the other with Japan involving similarly uninhabitable islands - indicate two different paths concerning Asia's future security. The clash with Japan is the more unsettling, not least as the government in Tokyo faces a political and economic environment uncomfortably parallel to that of Germany in the 1930s. - Peter Lee
(May 3, '13)
Medan murders most foul, and with relish
Domestic large-scale murder is invariably the work of the state, which is usually reticent about its role in massacres. "Amateur" killers in the 1965 slaughter of Indonesian communists were not so shy when talking to filmmaker Joshua Oppenheimer, happily boasting about their killings and relishing their immunity from punishment. - Benedict R Anderson
(May 3, '13)
Myanmar morphs to US-China battlefield
The much-hyped democratization of Myanmar has come with a drift away from a tight relationship with China creating a new confrontation point between Beijing and the West. The United States is boosting its intelligence base in the country while China builds northern Myanmar's United Wa State Army to be Asia's most powerful non-state militia, armored vehicles, missile-carrying helicopters and all. - Bertil Lintner
(May 2, '13)
RAKHINE VIOLENCE: REPORT
Myanmar whitewashes ethnic cleansing
Myanmar's official report into last year's violence in Rakhine State is intellectually, ideologically, empirically and analytically flawed, underscoring President Thein Sein's bid to whitewash the recent ethnic cleansing there of Muslim Rohingya. And while delicate in their choice of words, the inquiry commissioners seemed very much at ease when advocating "voluntary" population control of the minority group. - Maung Zarni
(May 1, '13)
Rights groups slam skewed findings
Human rights and advocacy groups say the Myanmar government's findings ran counter to those of the UN and on-the-ground independent studies of last year's events, and skewed its recommendations toward security while ignoring the basic issue of minority discrimination. - Carey L Biron
(May 1, '13)
Post-conflict trauma haunts Solomons
As a final truth and reconciliation report on atrocities committed during the Solomon Islands 1998-2003 civil conflict is still waiting to be released to the public, the violence remains vivid in the minds of those still awaiting help to overcome the trauma of their experiences over a decade ago. - Catherine Wilson
(May 1, '13)
ASEAN reboots on South China Sea
The fact that energy-rich Brunei has limited claims in the South China Sea gives the sultanate a real chance to heal divisions in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations during its chairmanship of the grouping this year. However, unless emerging power Indonesia offers greater support - and unless hotheaded claimants resist the temptation to turn to alternative forums - Chinese divide-and-rule politics will win out. - Vignesh Ram
(Apr 30, '13)
Ambiguity afloat in South China Sea
The United States' indecisive ''pivot'' to the Asia-Pacific has created a situation of strategic ambiguity in the South China Sea, at least so far as Washington's approach is concerned. China, by deploying more naval patrols in contested areas, has reinforced its claims and strengthened its advantage, so for its part, Beijing's strategy seems increasingly clear. - Roberto Tofani
(Apr 24, '13)
EU calls end to Myanmar sanctions
The European Union has lifted all economic sanctions on Myanmar, with the exception of an arms embargo, in spite of a new Human Rights Watch report accusing authorities in the former pariah state of complicity in a ''campaign of ethnic cleansing'' against the minority Rohingya Muslim community. - Win Naing
(Apr 24, '13)
Suu Kyi's Muslim moral dilemma
Ongoing violence in Myanmar against the minority Rohingya and other Muslims is a slur on the majority Buddhist nation. Despite having moral authority and international fame, the one voice of promise and hope for these people, that of democracy and human rights heroine Aung San Suu Kyi, remains curiously silent. - Akbar Ahmed and Harrison Akins
(Apr 23, '13)
Conflicted peace prize for Thein Sein
Big businesses that paid as much as US$75,000 for their executives to dine with Thein Sein will have to make do with perusing his controversial resume after Myanmar's president canceled a trip to New York to receive the "Pursuit of Peace" award. The awarding body, the International Crisis Group, is left with more than just egg on its face at the no-show. - William Corliss
(Apr 22, '13)
Rakhine project stirs anger
Hundreds of residents have protested against a China-backed petroleum pipeline project in Myanmar's Rakhine State over inadequate compensation and amid demands that the project developer provide better transportation infrastructure and higher salaries for local workers - Min Thein Aung and Zin Mar Win
(Apr 19, '13)
SPEAKING FREELY
Fleeing the peace in Vietnam
April 30 marks the 38th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon to communist forces. Without that day there wouldn't be as many Vietnamese restaurants in your neighborhood, though social and political systems in Vietnam remain unchanged. With hundreds of dissidents in jail for challenging one-party rule and state harassment embedded, there is still reason to flee. - Hoi Trinh
c
Nowhere to hide for Myanmar's Muslims
Myanmar Muslims who've washed up in Thailand's Phuket after a fraught sea voyage fleeing communal riots say Thai authorities have sold them to people smugglers, leading to ordeals that shame the lifestyles of Western tourists lounging on the island's sandy beaches. That many aren't even part of the Rohingya minority targeted in pogroms underlines how senseless the violence has become. - Himaya Quasem
(Apr 19, '13)
Najib rebrands for Malaysia's polls
Prime Minister Najib Razak is waving a "1Malaysia" logo, draped in the colors of the national flag, in his bid to win next month's general election. The goal is to revive voter enthusiasm for his Barisan Nasional coalition, whose previous success has been based largely on race-based concerns. Unity is now the name of the game for a modern electorate concerned with electoral reform, environmental protection and the repeal of oppressive laws. - Anil Netto
(Apr 18, '13)
Fiscal risks to Malaysia's polls
A viable solution to Malaysia's deep-seated fiscal mismanagement is sorely needed if the country is to avoid plunging further into the financial malaise. Yet its electoral politics fails to reward long-term prudence, so neither of the leading contenders in the hotly contested campaign has come up with anything but short-sighted measures. - Liam Hanlon
(Apr 15, '13)
Japan agrees to rice
deal with Myanmar
Japan, whose rice industry is among the world's most protected, is making its first purchase of the grain from Myanmar in more than four decades and investing in rice processing plants there, as the Southeast Asian country seeks to regain its former top exporter status.- Win Naing
(Apr 15, '13)
A dam too far in Laos
The Nam Theun 2 hydropower dam in Laos was once hailed as a "kinder, gentler" alternative to megaprojects blotting the developmental landscape such as the proposed Xayaboury dam within the same borders. It comes, however, replete with emerging failures, including a contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, that have escaped widespread scrutiny. - Melinda Boh
(Apr 12, '13)
Psycho ops in the South China Sea
Rather than dialogue, China and Vietnam seem to be increasingly mounting a game of psychological warfare to undermine the other's ability to conduct potential combat operations in disputed areas of the South China Sea. Beijing clearly dominates this arena, and under new leadership the next phase of its campaign could be to wear down Hanoi with trade bans. - Roberto Tofani
(Apr 10, '13)
Myanmar neo-Nazi Buddhists get free rein
The racially motivated 969 movement has been central in recent pogroms against minority Muslims in Myanmar that have left at least 40 dead and 12,000 displaced. The rise of the group, led by Buddhist monk Wirathu, can be best understood through the prism of the government's use for its message and its preying on historical and popular anti-Muslim sentiment among majority Buddhists. - Maung Zarni
(Apr 9, '13)
Najib sets up Malaysian poll thriller
Malaysians are gearing up for what are expected to be the most closely contested general elections in the country's history, with incumbent Prime Minister Najib Razak and the Barisan Nasional coalition facing a strengthening challenge from parties supporting Anwar Ibrahim. Even if he scrapes a win, Najib's days may be numbered. - Anil Netto
(Apr 8, '13)
Racial hatred as policy
Ethnic and religious tension in Myanmar perpetuated by the former military regime still rages as another risk to political and economic reforms. After an orgy of violence last month in Meiktila in the first large-scale anti-Muslim riots outside of Rakhine State since 2001, Myanmar's deteriorating race relations mean wider reform hopes hang in the balance as the government misses an opportunity to end a long history of xenophobia.- Brian McCartan
(Apr 5, '13)
Politics of corruption in Myanmar
A corruption probe involving Myanmar's telecoms ministry has signaled wider government mismanagement and graft. Whether President Thein Sein is willing to push through top-level prosecutions could make or break the country's transition from military to democratic rule. His main goal may be to clip the wings of parliamentary speaker Shwe Mann, a contender to represent the ruling USDP as its presidential candidate in 2015. - Larry Jagan
(Apr 5, '13)
Buddhism turns violent in Myanmar
Recent violence in Myanmar between Buddhists and Muslims, which has left a reported 43 people dead and more than 1,000 homes and building destroyed, has caused concern over the stability of the country's current democratic transition and raised the specter of a return to direct military rule. - Matthew J Walton
(Apr 2, '13) |
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