By Phuong Nguyen Myanmar’s upcoming national elections, expected in early November, will be an important test for its reform process. Many in Washington, in particular U.S. lawmakers and human rights activists, will be looking at the outcome of the voting…
By Jonathan Bogais — As the November 2015 elections approach, Myanmar’s politics have reached a critical juncture. It is a moment in the nation’s complex history during which patterns of interaction between individuals, groups, organizations, and authorities are set to…
By Phuong Nguyen President Thein Sein witnessed the signing of a draft ceasefire on March 31 between the Myanmar government and representatives of the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT), an alliance of 16 ethnic armed groups. Though the United Nations…
By Phuong Nguyen Large groups of students began their second week of protests outside Yangon on March 9 to urge Myanmar’s government to amend a draft education law. In the days before, police and plainclothes thugs arrested five students on…
Who is he? Peng Jiasheng, also called Phone Kyar Shin, is the leader of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), a Kokang insurgent group in northern Shan State, Myanmar. The Kokang are ethnically Han Chinese. Peng began serving as…
By Phuong Nguyen The fighting between government troops and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance, or Kokang, in northern Myanmar has caused as much intrigue as confusion. Following an offensive started by Kokang rebels on February 9, the military on February…
By Dylan Kean Myanmar, now that it has concluded its term as ASEAN chair, faces the task of getting its economy in shape to prepare for the planned ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), which will be implemented at the end of…
By Phuong Nguyen The National Defense Authorization Act for 2015 recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives includes a few provisions allowing slightly expanded U.S. military engagement with Myanmar. In addition to supporting the Department of Defense’s continued consultations…
By Dylan Kean President Barack Obama traveled to Myanmar’s capital of Naypyitaw November 12-14 for his first ASEAN and East Asia Summits in two years, as budget battles in Washington had kept the President from making the trip last year.…
By Ernie Bower Asia generally, and Southeast Asia particularly, is undergoing a fundamental shift in governance as incumbent regimes struggle to respond to a newly empowered, massive group of voters (in some cases) or constituents who have access to information via…
