Reports and publications
Deciphering Myanmar’s Peace Process: A Reference Guide 2014 [Burma News International – March 2014]
Myanmar’s peace process in 2013 experienced twists and turns as conflict persists alongside developments in peace talks. The commitment to peace from both sides and willingness to make compromises by softening demands, has ensured negotiations have not only stayed on track but made a major breakthrough with the near completion of a single text nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA). After two years of peace talks that began under the newly reformed government, the negotiation strategy of both sides have matured. (Read full report English HERE Burmese HERE)
Myanmar’s moment: Unique opportunities, major challenges [McKinsey Global Institute report on Burma-June 2013]
Myanmar is a highly unusual but promising prospect for businesses and investors—an underdeveloped economy with many advantages, in the heart of the world’s fastest-growing region. Home to 60 million inhabitants (46 million of working age), this Asian nation has abundant natural resources and is close to a market of half a billion people. And the country’s early stage of economic development gives it a “greenfield” advantage: an opportunity to build a “fit for purpose” economy to suit the modern world. (Read full report here)
Too Much. Too Soon? The Dilemma of Foreign Aid to Myanmar
Listen to discussion about the report
“All You Can Do is Pray” (Human Right Watch Report: April 2013)
This 153-page report describes the role of the Burmese government and local authorities in the forcible displacement of more than 125,000 Rohingya and other Muslims and the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Burmese officials, community leaders, and Buddhist monks organized and encouraged ethnic Arakanese backed by state security forces to conduct coordinated attacks on Muslim neighborhoods and villages in October 2012 to terrorize and forcibly relocate the population. The tens of thousands of displaced have been denied access to humanitarian aid and been unable to return home. (Download full report here)
Myanmar: Storm Clouds on the Horizon (International Crisi Group report : Nov 2012)
Myanmar’s leaders continue to demonstrate that they have the political will and the vision to move the country decisively away from its authoritarian past, but the road to democracy is proving hard. President Thein Sein has declared the changes irreversible and worked to build a durable partnership with the opposition. While the process remains incomplete, political prisoners have been released, blacklists trimmed, freedom of assembly laws implemented, and media censorship abolished. But widespread ethnic violence in Rakhine State, targeting principally the Rohingya Muslim minority, has cast a dark cloud over the reform process and any further rupturing of intercommunal relations could threaten national stability. Elsewhere, social tensions are rising as more freedom allows local conflicts to resurface. A ceasefire in Kachin State remains elusive. Political leaders have conflicting views about how power should be shared under the constitution as well as after the 2015 election. Moral leadership is required now to calm tensions and new compromises will be needed if divisive confrontation is to be avoided.
Myanmar: The Politics of Economic Reform (International Crisis Groups: July 2012)
Myanmar has embarked on an ambitious program of sweeping reforms to end its isolation and integrate its economy with the global system. Closely entwined with its dramatic political transition, the end of longstanding Western sanctions is supporting this reconfiguration. If the reforms are done well, many across the country stand to benefit, but those who profited most from the old regime’s restrictions and privileges will lose access to windfall profits and guaranteed monopolies. The crony businessmen, military and party elite will still do well but will need to play by new rules, meet domestic and foreign competition and even pay taxes. Perhaps recognising the opportunities a more vibrant economy in a fast-growing region will bring for all, there is no major pushback to these changes, rather attempts to adapt to the new economy. The challenges and risks are numerous for a government with little experience juggling the many changes required, but it cannot resist the pent-up political pressure for change it has already unleashed.
All reports on Myanmar by International Crisis Group (ICG)– you can also read the report in Burmese.
- MYANMAR: THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY ( International Crisis Group report: 2001)
- Burma in the Balance: The Role of Foreign Assistance in Supporting Burma’s Democratic Transition (Project2049 report: 2012)
- Myanmar in Transition Opportunities and Challenges [August 2012, Asian Developement Bank]
- Burma: Time for Change, Report of an Independent Task Force Sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations [ 2003, Mathea Falco, Chair]
Ethnic issues
The Burma Centre for Ethnics Studies (BCES) [ is an independent think tank and study centre founded in 2012 to generate ideas on democracy, human rights and federalism as an effective vehicle for “Peace and Reconciliation” in the Union of Burma.]
Elections mean nothing to Myanmar’s ethnic armies [Washington Post – 10 February 2010]
Burma at the Crossroads [Dr Lian H Sakhong-Chinland Guardian- 04 March 2010]
Rejecting Panglong Agreement could reignite extreme type of self-determination [Shan Herald – 29 August 2011]
Ethnic Politics in Burma: The time for Solutions [Transnational Institute Burma Policy Briefing No. 5 – February 2011]
Chin State – A Mountain of Trouble [IRIN Asia – 7 December 2009]
Manifesto of the Chin National Party [Chinland Guardian – 29 August 2010]
KNU in serious crisis: A frank analysis [The Irrawaddy 24 March 2009]
Neither War nor Peace: The Future of the Cease-Fire Agreements in Burma [A Report by the Transnational Institute based in Amsterdam, released in July 2009]
Burma’s ethnic minorities play waiting game [Financial Times – 24 September 2009]
Confronting the demons within, our nationalist selves – 16 October 2009 [Dr Zarni – Research Fellow on Burma at the LSE Centre for Global Governance]
Panglong Agreement 1947 [Text of the Agreement signed at Panglong on the 12th February, 1947 by Shan, Kachin and Chin leaders, and by representatives of the Executive Council of the Governor of Burma]
Current issues
Political Database (Network Myanmar website)
Unofficial translation of Burmese gov’t notification No. 1/2011 (Mizzima News website)
Aung San Suu Kyi’s letter to Than Shwe [Wednesday, 18 November 2009 11:38 Mizzima News]
1990 election [Network Myanmar website]
In Their Own Voice “Democracy” as Perceived in Burma/Myanmar 1921 – 2010 [Working Paper No. 14]
Political datdabase [ Network Myanmar Website]
The 1990 Elections in Myanmar: Broken Promises or a Failure of Communication? [Derek Tonkin, Chairman Network Myanmar]
Burma and US
Hillary Clinton pledges to work with Suu Kyi for democracy [Agence France-Presse – 19 January 2011]
“Time to think anew and act anew on Myanmar” [Asia Pacific Bulletin – 14 December 2010]
US says ASEAN has role to play in Myanmar [The Jakarta Post – 26 January 2011]
US talks with Myanmar’s Suu Kyi about aid [Associated Press – 23 February 2011]
President Obama nominates Derek Mitchell as Special Representative [White House – 14 April 2011]
US to keep Myanmar sanctions [Agence France-Presse – 6 April 2011]
Myanmar urged to engage with the US [Fox News – 25 April 2011]
Will the new Burma envoy make a difference? [Foreign Policy – 26 April 2011]
Annual renewal of the national emergency with respect to Burma [The White Hiuse – 16 May 2011]
Clinton pushes India to promote democracy in Myanmar [IANS – 20 July 2011]
David Steinberg on: “The Folly of more Burma Sanctions” [The Diplomat Blog – 2 August 2011]
Burma and China
The Burma-China Pipelines: Human Rights Violations, Applicable Law, and Revenue Secrecy [Earth Right International Website]
CHINA IN BURMA: The increasing investment of Chinese Multinational Cooperations in Burma’s Hydropower, Oil and Natural Gas, And Mining Sectors (Online Myanmar Library)
China-Burma Relations (Arakan River Network website)
BURMA-CHINA CHRONOLOGY to 1999 (The Public’s Library and Digital Archive Website)
Fear of China pushes Burma (Myanmar) out of isolation (Online article: The Christian Science Monitor Website)
China’s Burma Challenge (Online article: China Power, A New World Order Website)
Burma to Compensate China for Dam Suspension (Myanma Thadin website)
China eager to see Burma sanctions gone (Global post news website)
EU and Myanmar
- Resolution on Burma/Myanmar of 25 November 2010 (68-0-1)
- Resolution on the Situation in Burma/Myanmar of 20 May 2010 (65-0-0)
- Resolution on Burma/Myanmar of 11 February 2010 (61-0-0)
- Resolution on Burmese Refugees in Thailand of 5 February 2009 (acclamation)
- Resolution on Burma/Myanmar of 23 October 2008 (68-0-0)
- Resolution on Burma/Myanmar of 19 June 2008 (not found)
- Resolution on the Tragic Situation in Burma/Myanmar of 22 May 2008 (524-3-13)
- Resolution on the Situation in Burma/Myanmar of 24 April 2008 (551-7-8)
- Resolution on Burma/Myanmar of 27 September 2007 (563-3-4)
- Resolution on Burma/Myanmar of 6 September 2007 (66-0-0)
- Resolution on Burma/Myanmar of 21 June 2007 (73-1-2)
Economy
Dr. Myint’s paper on economic development in Burma
U Myint – Pattern of household consumption expenditure
U Myint – Corruption: Causes, Consequences and Cures
U Myint – IMF, US Dollar and Global Financial Crisis – Powerpoint presentation
Myanmar at the Crossroads: Rapid Industrial Development or De-industrialization [Presentation dated 1 January 2012 By Stuart Larkin]
IMF visits Myanmar on Article VIII misssion [By Aye Thidar Kyaw and Stuart Deed October 31 – November 6, 2011]
Statement by the Hon. U Hla Tun, Governor of the Bank for Myanmar (IMF website)
National Workshop on Reforms for Economic Development of Myanmar [Myanmar International Convention Centre (MICC)
Naypyitaw, 19-21 August, 2011 Myanmar Kyat Exchange Rate Issue]
REFUGEE ISSUES:
Without refuge: Chin refugees in India and Malaysia [By Amy Alexander ]
Burmese Refugees Remain in Limbo by Thai Border Despite Political Reforms [By Charlie Campbell ]
Refugees from Burma – Background and Experience [ By Sandy Barron, John Okell, Saw Myat Yin, Kenneth VanBik, Arthur Swain, Emma Larkin, Anna J. Allott, and Kirsten Ewers, Editors: Donald A. Ranard and Sandy Barron , at http://www.culturalorientation.net/ ]
Burmese refugees sold on by Thai officials [By Jonah Fisher, BBC ]
Myanmar’s refugees still on the run [http://www.irinnews.org ]
Karen Refugees in Thailand Wary of return to Burma [ By Steve Herman , September 26, 2013]