Author: Morten B. Pedersen, UNSW@ADFA
After 22 years under direct military rule, Burma will soon have a new, hybrid government headed by former general and prime minister, now civilian president, U Thein Sein. This follows multi-party elections in November last year and the inauguration of a new constitution, which purports to establish a ‘discipline-flourishing democracy.’
The new system is neither democratic nor really civilian. Read more…
Author: Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Chulalongkorn University
In one short week over two long decades, Burma (officially known as Myanmar) has returned to a window of potential political transition not seen since its last elections in 1990 were hijacked by the military. This time, the orchestrated polls on 7 November have overwhelmingly sent military-backed representatives of the Union Solidarity and Development Party to parliament.
On polling day, renewed fighting between the Burmese army and the ethnic minority groups flared up along the Thai-Burmese border. Read more…
Author: Lex Rieffel, Brookings Institution
For most Americans and Europeans, the November 7 election in Burma is all about Aung San Suu Kyi. Or more precisely, why Aung San Suu Kyi and the party she led to victory in the 1990 elections have been stopped from participating in this one.
But for people in Burma’s ASEAN partner countries and in the other major Asian powers (China, India, Japan, South Korea), the election is about overcoming more than 50 years of lousy governance. Read more…
Author: Thomas Kean, The Myanmar Times
There’s a saying in Myanmar that, roughly translated, says you go to Mawlamyine for food, Mandalay for conversation and Yangon to show off. Poor Yangon.
Since the military shifted the seat of government to newly constructed Naypyidaw in late 2005, the city cannot even be described as the top place to display ill-gotten wealth anymore. Many of its crumbling colonial and towering Chinese-style mansions now lie vacant, their owners summoned to the new capital, and the long government motorcades that were once an everyday annoyance are now a rare sight. Read more…
Author: Roger Huang, Lingnan University
Myanmar (Burma) is at an important juncture this year as its first election in twenty years approaches.
Well known for its charismatic opposition leader Aung Sang Suu Kyi and the ruling, military-dominated State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), it comes as no real surprise that a series of recently announced electoral laws would effectively prevent Suu Kyi and other political dissidents from participating in the upcoming election. Read more…
Author: Trevor Wilson, ANU
There is widespread speculation that Burma’s National League for Democracy (NLD) will shortly decide against registering for Burma’s 2010 elections under the heavily unbalanced election law promulgated by Burma’s military regime in early March. NLD members are reportedly divided on whether the party should participate in the elections, presumably fearing that the party stands little chance with its leader Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest (as she was during Burma’s previous elections, which the NLD ‘won’).
Most observers acknowledge the disadvantageous environment in which these elections will be held rather than examining the consequences of the NLD non-participation, which are potentially very serious. Read more…
