Myanmar
Myanmar’s intelligence war: the battle of wits and wiles against the junta
In one of the British army’s first primers on “small wars”, Charles Callwell wrote in 1896 that “in no class of warfare is a well organised and well served intelligence department…
Chinese spy bases on Myanmar’s Great Coco Island? Here we go again
On 31 March, Chatham House published a report titled “Is Myanmar building a spy base on Great Coco Island?”.The tone of the report was measured and its conclusions sensible but,…
What of the Rohingya? The ICC, Ukraine, and limits of “international” justice
The International Criminal Court has sent a strong message to Russia’s government and beyond that war crimes should – and sometimes can – be prosecuted by issuing two arrest…
Can ASEAN forge a political solution in Myanmar?
Since the military coup in February 2022, the people of Myanmar have been subjected to unrelenting violence including indiscriminate airstrikes, mass burning of villages,…
Australia’s Myanmar sanctions: now for the real decisions
It took Australia two years after Myanmar’s coup to impose new sanctions. On 1 February, Foreign Minister Penny Wong announced autonomous sanctions on the 16 members of the State…
Australia could lead the way on Rohingya crisis
The Rohingya people need a new deal. With Australia’s decision on 10 November to prioritise Myanmar nationals for humanitarian visas, now is the time for the government to step up…
Refugees may become victims of Malaysia’s electoral politics
Campaigning is well underway for Malaysia’s general election, set to be held on 19 November. In the leadup to the high-stakes poll, Malaysia’s government has made the…
How China, India and Bangladesh could be drawn into Myanmar’s conflict
The 2021 military coup in Myanmar sparked renewed civil conflict between Myanmar government forces, the Tatmadaw, and perhaps a dozen insurgent groups seeking their own ethnic…
Myanmar: a desperate junta trying, and failing, to shore up its legitimacy
On Thursday, after almost 20 months in detention, a military court in Myanmar sentenced Australian academic and economist Sean Turnell to three years in jail for violating the…
The Rohingya issue requires a regional solution
The Myanmar–Bangladesh border is again the scene of trouble. The Bangladesh Army is on high alert after several cross-border incursions by the Myanmar military and is considering…