home > by publication type > daily analysis > Violence Continues in Myanmar
Email
| Author: |
|---|
Buddhist monks led recent protests against Myanmar's government. (AP Images)
The UN Security Council has expressed (AP) its concern about the current political situation in Myanmar and has decided to send a special envoy to the country, but efforts at imposing sanctions were blocked by China and Russia with China calling such measures “not helpful” (Reuters). Earlier this year, they vetoed a draft resolution pushed by the United States to put pressure on Myanmar’s government saying the situation did not warrant council action. In a recent report, the Security Council explored options for resolving the situation in Myanmar, even as it conceded “that clear divisions that still exist over the issue will probably prevent any formal action.”
In the meantime, protests have continued despite reports (AFP) of the ruling military junta intensifying its crackdown on dissidents. Violence comes in the wake of new sanctions from Washington. U.S. President George Bush, in his speech at the UN general assembly, announced fresh visa restrictions and financial sanctions against the regime he accused of imposing a “nineteen-year reign of fear.” UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also urged the junta to exercise restraint (PDF).
Protests that began last month to address the issue of economic hardship (PINR) have now taken the form of a wider movement, being led by a determined alliance of Buddhist monks, calling for an overthrow (FT) of the junta. Until now, the ruling junta had shown uncharacteristic restraint (IHT) in its actions against the protesters. Such behavior was rare when compared to the bloody crackdown in 1988 that eventually led to the suppression of budding pro-democracy movements.
Some experts attributed the military’s restraint to the influence of its chief ally (The Australian) and economic partner, China. Others think that the junta had also been holding back because monks are highly revered in the country and any violence against them may spark a public outcry. The protests come at a time when the military regime is trying to alter its image. It recently wrapped up a fourteen-year constitutional convention, which the government cites as proof of its sincerity (Myanmar Times) in pursuing reforms. The Economist disputes this conclusion, however, saying the convention only further entrenched the regime’s rule.
Myanmar has long been cited by human rights groups for severe abuses. A 2003 Council Task Force report deemed the country “one of the most tightly controlled dictatorships in the world.” The latest disturbances highlight a less-discussed problem—the plummeting of the country’s economy under a succession of military regimes since 1962. A UN index of human development standards in 2006 ranked Myanmar 130 of 177 countries.
Despite U.S. and EU sanctions, Myanmar’s junta has been bolstered by ties to India and China. Beijing and New Delhi compete for access to Myanmar’s natural resources. A recent report says China’s diplomatic support of Myanmar appears to have played a role in winning a gas contract for PetroChina. India, not to be left behind, pledged $150 million (AFP) in gas exploration in Myanmar despite protests from pro-democracy activists. Beyond energy, India also seeks strengthened ties with Myanmar’s regime on counterterrorism and defense as part of its “Look East” policy (WorldPress.org). Given these circumstances, a new media release by the International Crisis Group notes that only China, India, and, to a lesser degree, the Association of South East Asian Nations have any influence on the military regime.
Weigh in on this issue by emailing CFR.org.
In Termites in the Trading System, Jagdish Bhagwati reveals how the rapid spread of preferential trade agreements endangers the world trading system.
America Between the Wars explores how the decisions and debates of the years between the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Twin Towers shaped the events, arguments, and politics of the world we live in today.
In The Fall and Rise of the Islamic State, Noah Feldman tells the story behind the increasingly popular call for the establishment of the sharia—the law of the traditional Islamic state—in the modern Muslim world.
Complete list of CFR Books.
This report argues that the United States must lead with domestic action on climate change and proposes a U.S. negotiating strategy for a global UN climate agreement that includes commitments from all major economies, while also promoting a less formal Partnership for Climate Cooperation that would focus the world's largest emitters on implementing aggressive emissions reductions.
This Task Force report examines changes in Latin America and in U.S. influence there, while taking account of the region's enduring importance to the United States. The Task Force offers an agenda for U.S. policy toward Latin America and identifies four critical areas that should provide the basis of a new U.S. approach.
About Independent Task Forces at CFR.
This report outlines the nature of the challenges in Pakistan's tribal areas, formulates strategies for addressing those challenges, and distills the strategies into realistic policy proposals worthy of consideration by the incoming administration.
This report analyzes the debate over U.S. use of assurances against torture, explaining the contexts in which they are used, how they can be conveyed, and what they can contain, and recommends a number of ways to respond to criticism so that the United States can continue using assurances.
Complete list of Council Special Reports.
“The Right Way to Engage China:” Henry M. Paulson argues that the prosperity of the United States and China depends on helping China to further integrate into the global economic system.
To order Task Force reports, Council Special Reports, and Critical Policy Choices, please call, fax, or order online from our distributor, the Brookings Institution Press: phone +1.800.537.5487, fax +1.410.516.6998.
For information on other reports that are not for sale, or for general publications information, please call +1-212-434-9516 or email publications@cfr.org.
To request permission to reuse Council materials, please email publications@cfr.org or fax +1.212.434.9859.
Please include the complete information of the requested work—author, title, sections/pages to be copied or reprinted, and number of copies to be made—along with a brief description of where and how you would like to reuse the work.
You may also request permission for Council material through Copyright Clearance Center. For more information, please click on the link below.
Copyright 2008 by the Council on Foreign Relations. All Rights Reserved.
