The Irrawaddy Magazine | Archive

Premature Praise for Burma’s Press Reforms

By SHAWN W. CRISPIN

President Barack Obama’s praise for President Thein Sein this week overlooked a significant backtracking on promised media-related reforms in Burma.

Burma’s Ex-Dictator and His Invisible Line

By KYAW ZWA MOE / THE IRRAWADDY

President Thein Sein gets all the praise, but he’s carrying out Than Shwe’s carefully planned transition.

Thein Sein Goes to Washington, China Goes to the Burmese Opposition

By AUNG ZAW / THE IRRAWADDY

Before Burma’s president makes his landmark visit to the United States, Beijing makes a bid to woo Burma’s opposition leaders.

Signs of Coming Genocide in Burma?

By SAI LATT / THE IRRAWADDY

Sai Latt argues the groundwork has been laid for organized killing in Burma on a large scale, comparing the current situation to Rwanda in 1994.

Lessons from Cambodia

By MU SOCHUA

Two decades into its difficult transition to democracy, Cambodia is well-placed to warn Myanmar of the pitfalls that lie ahead on the road to reform.

Burma’s Shame: Why the ICG’s Peace Award for Thein Sein Is Unconscionable

By Guy Horton

The International Crisis Group’s peace award for President Thein Sein has endorsed a military-controlled government which is allegedly responsible for crimes against humanity and genocide.

The Lifting of EU Sanctions and Burma’s Struggle for Democracy

By IGOR BLAZEVIC

Now that the European Union has removed its sanctions on Burma, domestic forces will need to redouble their efforts to push for genuine democratic reforms.

Fascism is Back in Fashion in Burma

By KYAW ZWA MOE / THE IRRAWADDY

Nazi symbolism is trendy in parts of Burma today, at a time when real-life fascists are becoming a disturbing part of the political landscape.

Xi Jinping’s First Great Test

By STANLEY A. WEISS

China needs to start taking its responsibilities as a world power seriously and put North Korea in its place.

In Burma, a Neglected Battleground for China and Japan

By FANGYUE DIANA BAO

While the Senkaku/Diaoyu island dispute has made a splash in international media, a quieter but increasingly important story in Sino-Japanese tension plays out in Burma.

The Great Game Over Burma

By AUNG ZAW / THE IRRAWADDY

As the former pariah state shakes off pawn status, the playing field transforms—and world powers like China and the United States make moves for influence.

The Road Past Mangshi

By DAVID I. STEINBERG

With more leverage in the West, Burma looks at China in a new light.

The Dangers of Decency

By MAUNG ZARNI

Foreign journalists often misread Burma precisely because they are too decent to understand the deviousness of the country’s rulers and certain other elements in society.

China’s Tug of War

By YUN SUN

Beijing’s grip slips as Burma changes course, but the Asian superpower isn’t stepping aside yet.

The Folly of Sanctions

By STANLEY A. WEISS

In Burma and around the world, America’s greatest tool to force change is not sanctions, but economic engagement.

The Vicious Cycle of Extreme Nationalism

By IGOR BLAZEVIC

The experience of the former Yugoslavia offers valuable lessons for Burma as it witnesses the emergence of a virulent strain of nationalism.

Burma’s Buddhists and Muslims Divided by Fire

By KYAW ZWA MOE / THE IRRAWADDY

The tragic death of 13 children at a Muslim school on Tuesday has highlighted the deepening mistrust between Burma’s Buddhist and Muslim communities.

Root Out the Source of Meikhtila Unrest

By KYAW ZWA MOE / THE IRRAWADDY

At least 40 people have been killed and many more houses, buildings and mosques destroyed; the government needs to identify and act against the instigators.

A Turning Point for Burma’s Fighting Forces

By HTET AUNG KYAW

Burma’s armed forces—and all of the country’s armed groups—need to think ahead to the day when war is no longer the norm.

‘Buddhist’ Thugs Make Their Comeback

By AUNG ZAW / THE IRRAWADDY

Last week’s murderous rampage in Meikhtila bears all the marks of the twisted chauvinistic “Buddhism” that the country’s rulers have promoted for decades.

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