Myanmar may hope to relieve international pressure over the Rohingya refugees, but a new arrangement with the UN could also lead to greater transparency in northern Rakhine State.
The most overcrowded refugee camp on the planet has more than twice the population of Canberra crammed into an area the size of beachside Victorian town Sorrento.
Sanctions would likely increase support for the Tatmadaw, gifting it the us-versus-them mentality it tried and failed to instill in the citizenry for years.
Helping to address the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar is pivotal to maintaining the credibility of India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ and ‘Act East’ policies.
As the Chinese state and its emanations extends its reach beyond its traditional powerbases in the Sino-Myanmar hills, it pays to be aware of the motif of strategic Chinese infiltration.
The fetters on Myanmar’s democracy are many, but while most are in the hands of the military, Aung San Suu Kyi's party could reform Article 66(d) tomorrow.
Myanmar's first year of (disciplined) democracy should not be written off. For all its faults, Suu Kyi's NLD government has made modest progress in some areas.