· July, 2012

Stories about Myanmar (Burma) from July, 2012

Myanmar's Unique Naming System

  20 July 2012

Most Myanmar citizens do not have a family name. Ever wonder how they fill out forms which ask for both first name and last name or wonder what is the meaning of 'Daw' in Daw Aung San Suu Kyi? Here's a look into Myanmar's unique naming practices.

United States Eases Sanctions on Myanmar

  14 July 2012

The United States Treasury and State Department have issued a joint fact sheet about the government's decision to ease financial and investment sanctions on Myanmar in response to the recent political and economic reforms implemented by the Myanmar government

Myanmar : Jackie Chan Visits Orphanage

  10 July 2012

Myanmar netizens discussed[my] Jackie Chan's visit to an orphanage in Myanmar in his capacity as a UNICEF Ambassador. Some are wondering why he didn't take off his shoes in Dhamma Hall in front of a Buddha statue.

Myanmar: Students Detained for Commemorating Historical Event

  8 July 2012

Leaders of the All Burma Federation of Student Unions were detained by the government for planning an event to commemorate the 50th anniversary of a military crackdown on student protesters. The arrest sparked online discussion about the historical event and Myanmar's transition towards democracy. The government said students were not detained but merely invited for 'discussion'

Koumintang Army in Thailand

  6 July 2012

Ian Manley interviews a veteran of Kuomintang’s 93rd Division which left China in 1950 to settle in Burma and then finally in Thailand. The interview sheds light to the history of China's ‘forgotten army’ which continued to fight in other countries for several decades.

China: How Myanmar's Opening Up Differs

  5 July 2012

Just back from the Myanmar Investment Summit in Yangon, as the country continues rapid opening to foreign capital, China Law Blog‘s Steve Dickinson contrasts Myanmar's economic globalization efforts with China's own process of opening up.

Chinese Investment: Boon or Bane for Southeast Asia?

  3 July 2012

The emergence of China as a global economic powerhouse is bringing tremendous benefits to its cash-strapped neighbors in Southeast Asia. But some of its investments have been mired in various controversies involving land disputes, village displacements, environment destruction, and corruption.

Southeast Asia: Home to the World's Longest Ongoing Civil Wars

  2 July 2012

Southeast Asia is more than just white sand beaches, temples and resorts: it’s not often mentioned that the region is actually home to the world's longest ongoing civil wars, the most heavily bombed countries in the world, and the world’s longest communist insurgency.