In The News

The Diplomat: It’s Good to Be the Tatmadaw

Ben Dunant May 24, 2017
The 2015 general election in Myanmar marked a critical transition to democracy from military rule, when the people elected Aung San Suu Kyi in the first openly-contested election in a quarter-century. However, the military, known as the Tatmadaw in Burmese, still controls much of the country’s economy and political discourse. The Tatmadaw’s commander-in-chief helms three key security ministries,...

Foreign Policy: How Not to Lose Asia to China

Michael H. Fuchs and Nina Hachigian May 5, 2017
An “America First” policy has prompted concern from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations about whether the United States is a dependable partner for countering Chinese influence. The foreign ministers of ASEAN’s 10 member states will meet for dialogue in Washington, DC. Recommendations from Michael H. Fuchs and Nina Hachigian would require the Trump administration to back away from some of...

Yonhap News: South Korea Mulls Projects to Help North Koreans Access Outside Information

March 2, 2017
South Korea is ranked the world’s 11th largest economy while its neighbor to the north, isolated and poor, does not rank among the top 100. The free flow of information and news contributes to economic growth and development, and South Korea is making plans for a foundation to improve human rights in North Korea and push projects that help North Koreans access outside information. But activists...

The Guardian: Teacher, Children’s Author and Citizen Stopped at US Border

February 28, 2017
The Trump administration promised extreme vetting to prevent terrorism. A first step was an attempt to ban travelers from seven Muslim nations, quickly blocked by courts. Still, travelers describe intrusive questions, delays and rude behavior from border agents, the Guardian reports. A British Muslim schoolteacher, traveling to New York for a school trip was in his words, “treated like a criminal...

Confusion of the Trump Travel Ban: CNN

Evan Perez, Pamela Brown and Kevin Liptak January 30, 2017
The Trump administration, eager to demonstrate he will follow through on his most extreme campaign promises, issued an executive order abruptly banning travel from seven Muslim-majority countries and also blocking admission of refugees. Authorities in the seven countries and US agencies were caught off guard, with the order released before processes were put in place. “The result was widespread...

Historic Chance for Myanmar Peace Probably Scuttled

Michele Penna January 9, 2017
Hope is dwindling for an end to Myanmar’s ethnic conflict underway since 1947. An outbreak of violence in Rakhine State has been linked to Harakah al-Yaqin, reports Michele Penna, adding that the International Crisis Group has linked the trouble with hardships and discrimination suffered by the Rohingya. “Conflict is also dragging on in Kachin and Shan States, where the army is staging...

A New Tool to Fight Genocide

John Prendergast and Brad Brooks-Rubin December 29, 2016
Traditional methods for combatting crimes against community include United Nations peacekeeping efforts, the International Criminal Court and humanitarian aid. Ongoing prevalence of civil war and genocide in central and eastern Africa, however, indicates that the world must seek new and more effective solutions. Restrictions on money laundering may be the best way to “address the root causes of...