After watching as Burma released a mere handful of political prisoners—between 11 and 30, according to various reports, all of whom had very little time left on their sentences—Burmese comedian and former political prisoner Zarganar wrote, “I once likened the situation of my friends in jail as being in the hands of Somali pirates. I now withdraw this comment. The Somali pirates keep their promise.” Indeed, his comments are laden with disappointment, reflecting the sentiments of Burma watchers worldwide. In years past, few would blink at such news, but since …
According to press reports, the foreign ministers of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) bloc have approved Burma’s request for the 2014 chairmanship. The approval comes after a series of reforms from the quasi-civilian government in Naypyidaw, such as the release of Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest, the amnesty of some political prisoners, and modest reforms to the political system. The steps that the Burmese government has taken are certainly very welcome. It could be that these reforms are real and not …
Last week, The Heritage Foundation hosted a discussion entitled “Burma Policy: Hope and Reality,” which revolved around breaking developments in Burma and appropriate responses to them. The panel for this event included Tom Malinowski, Washington director for Human Rights Watch; Aung Din, executive director of the U.S. Campaign for Burma; Jared Genser, founder and president of Freedom Now; and Walter Lohman, director of Heritage’s Asian Studies Center. Recent events in Burma heighten this discussion’s relevance. Indeed, the 20-year debate of engagement versus sanctions has resurfaced and has been energized by a …
Tomorrow, The Heritage Foundation will host a panel of experts for a very timely discussion on recent events in Burma and the proper responses to them. The distinguished panel will include Tom Malinowski, Washington director for Human Rights Watch; Aung Din, executive director of the U.S. Campaign for Burma; Jared Genser, founder and president of Freedom Now; and Walter Lohman, director of the Asian Studies Center at The Heritage Foundation. For more information and details on how to RSVP, please click here. A flurry of activity has surrounded the reclusive …
Imagine a world where you constantly fear for your family’s survival. Yesterday, your 14-year-old son was kidnapped and forced into the army. Your 17-year-old daughter vanished last month, and you know she’s been raped, sold, and possibly killed. A knock hammers the front door, and you cringe as officers call out for your spouse, who’s guilty of criticizing the ruling regime. Welcome to Burma. Stories like these are not isolated incidents. Burma’s oppressive military regime systematically prevents democratic reform, commits “severe human rights abuses,” and was again designated one of …
As chaos grips the Arab world and the international community’s focus, the United States and other world leaders should not forget about the ruthless military junta in Burma. The Heritage Foundation recently hosted British filmmaker Rex Bloomstein and his latest documentary, The Prison Where I Live. The film contrasts the lives of two famed comedians: Michael Mittermeier of Germany and Maung Thura of Burma, better known as Zarganar. It reveals the cruel barbarism of the military dictatorship in Burma and how it victimizes those who dare to speak out against …
Three weeks ago the BBC World Service Trust, a charity for the British network, was angling for a share of State Department funding to promote Internet freedom. But after Americans revolted at the idea, the organization has pulled out entirely, failing to even submit a grant proposal. The BBC charity has developed a lucrative relationship with the U.S. government during the Obama administration. U.S. tax dollars are supporting at least two BBC World Service Trust projects: The State Department gave the organization $300,000 for work in Burma and USAID gave …
Was it wise for the Obama administration to reverse the Bush administration’s policy of distancing the U.S. from the United Nations Human Rights Council? With the Council’s 15th session underway, it’s a question worth asking. The Council has been receiving more attention than unusual lately because the administration recently submitted a report on the U.S. human rights record for the Council’s Universal Periodic Review process. The report has led many to question what America gets out of membership on that body. In response, the U.S. ambassador to the Council, Eileen …
North Korea’s status as an international pariah is richly deserved. The country is a proliferator of nuclear technology having helped build a Syrian nuclear site that was destroyed by Israel and is believed to be assisting Burma in its own clandestine nuclear program. North Korea successfully detonated two nuclear devices on October 9, 2006, and May 25, 2009 and the U.S. believes North Korea has enough plutonium for at least half a dozen nuclear weapons. The regime has been striving to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering these …
A recent story by Fox News provides yet another example of the United Nations Development Program’s refusal to accede to an unfortunate reality: that the organization’s efforts to work with, and through, the world’s most despotic regimes are regularly twisted to serve the goals of the regime rather than the people suffering under their rule. According to the story: An independent assessment of a $100 million United Nations Development Program aid effort in Burma calls it ‘disappointing,’ and ‘unsatisfactory,’ and suggests that major portions of the program be discontinued next …
