PAST EVENT
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
1:30 PM to 4:30 PM
Washington, DC
The Obama administration has adopted a policy of rebalancing toward Asia, with the president personally affirming that the U.S. will play a leadership role in Asia for many years to come. On January 31, the John L. Thornton China Center and the Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies at Brookings hosted a discussion examining the announced military, economic and trade, human rights and diplomatic initiatives and their likely impact, especially on U.S.-China relations. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Yun Sun, November 03, 2011, Asia Times Online
Yun Sun gives an analysis of the possible reasons behind Myanmar President Thein Sein's decision to suspend construction of the China-backed Myitsone dam project in Myanmar and what this means for China-Myanmar relations. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Lex Rieffel, April 05, 2011, The Brookings Institution
Today Myanmar, still referred to by many as Burma, remains one of the poorest, unhealthiest, defectively governed countries in the world. Although a new government was recently sworn in, many insist that nothing has changed. Lex Rieffel explains Myanmar/Burma's political struggles and why the United States should take vested interest in helping the country toward prosperity and democracy. Read More
PAST EVENT
Thursday, October 28, 2010
9:00 AM to 1:45 PM
Washington, DC
In the second in a series of three seminars on the protection of civilians, the participants focused on the ways in which communities protect themselves. Casey Barrs of the Cuny Center began the program with introductory remarks on the conceptual framework, which was followed by presentations of case studies on the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burma/Myanmar, and Colombia by Mike Jobbins, Nils Carstensen, and Gimena Sánchez, respectively. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Lex Rieffel, October 05, 2010, The Brookings Institution
On November 7, Burma—renamed Myanmar in 1988 by the military junta—will hold its first national election since 1990. The country ranks at the bottom of most socio-economic indicators and continues to battle long-standing ethnic conflict. Lex Rieffel analyzes how the United States has responded to the upcoming Burma election, and states that the election can be viewed as Burma’s first step toward greater respect for human rights, economic freedom and growth. Read More
BOOK
Lex Rieffel, October 04, 2010
This thoughtful volume examines Burma today primarily through the eyes of its ASEAN partners, its superpower neighbors China and India, and its own people. It provides insights into the overarching problem of national reconciliation, the strategic competition between China and India, the role of ASEAN, and the underperforming, resource-cursed economy. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Lex Rieffel and David Steinberg, September 10, 2010, GlobalPost
With Myanmar holding its first elections in 20 years on November 7, Lex Rieffel and David Steinberg discuss the reasons behind why the military junta are holding elections now and explain why western pressure after the elections in Myanmar could be counterproductive. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Matthew Frankel, May 26, 2010, Los Angeles Times
The Burmese opposition party has announced a boycott of Myanmar's first national election in 20 years. Matthew Frankel says that while the move is laudable, the best course is for the opposition to participate. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Lex Rieffel, March 12, 2010, The Brookings Institution
Long a concern to the ASEAN community and Western countries over its military junta and human rights issues, Burma has been making steps toward a more democratic government. Lex Rieffel explores the critical issues leading up to elections later this year, and discusses the potential of these elections for Burma and its Asian neighbors. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
July 01, 2009, Brookings-Bern Project on Internal Displacement
South Asia is a "theater for disaster." In the past decade alone floods, cyclones, earthquakes, droughts, and a devastating tsunami destroyed hundreds of thousands of lives and livelihoods and left millions more homeless. In each disaster, humanitarian responders rushed to the scene to preserve human life and reduce immediate suffering. However, many times, human rights protection has been a secondary concern. This new report, based on a regional meeting in Chennai, India, discusses the challenges in incorporating human rights into disaster response in South Asia. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Lex Rieffel and David I. Steinberg, August 03, 2008, The Washington Times
As the aftermath of cyclone Nargis becomes clearer, Lex Rieffel and David I. Steinberg argue that the best hope for tangible improvements in the daily lives of Myanmar's people is the newly adopted charter of the 10 ASEAN member countries. The charter has a weak human-rights provision, but it will provide a stronger basis for dialogue with the Myanmar government. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Roberta Cohen, July 21, 2008, Congressional Briefing on Security for a New Century
In 2005, the international community adopted a new concept, the responsibility to protect (R2P) but its meaning and application are still unclear. The United Nations ruled out applying it to Burma, but Roberta Cohen argues that the denial of access to cyclone survivors could well have been an R2P case. Much work needs to be done to clarify the concept and mobilize international support around its implementation. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Roberta Cohen, June 2008, The Brookings Institution
In this Brookings Northeast Asia Commentary, Nonresident Senior Fellow Roberta Cohen calls for the development of performance standards for addressing natural disasters including the cyclone in Burma, earthquake in China, and famine in North Korea. Without such standards, states and the international community may be hampered in saving lives and reconstruction efforts. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Elizabeth Ferris and Lex Rieffel, May 16, 2008, The Brookings Institution
As the scope of tropical cyclone Nargis becomes clearer, Elizabeth Ferris and Lex Rieffel recall that the 2004 tsunami, which struck Aceh provice in Indonesia among other places, was both a human tragedy and a political blessing. They argue that this experience is not likely to be replicated in Myanmar because the regime will continue to refuse much of the assistance offered by foreign governments and international NGOs. Read More
RESEARCH AND COMMENTARY
Elizabeth Ferris, May 15, 2008, The Brookings Institution
Images from the cyclone in Myanmar and the earthquake in China have dominated the news for the past week. But, as Beth Ferris observes, these victims of natural disasters are just a small portion of the over 200 million people each year who are affected by natural disasters. Although most of these disasters never make it onto the nightly news in America, their effects are felt by victims long after the TV cameras have moved on. Read More