Ongoing imprisonment of journalists and a ban on media inside Burma’s new parliament has prompted opposition politicians to resubmit a bill demanding a relaxing of press laws. (more…)

Bangkok – A court hearing in Burma has heard a request for bail on behalf of detained newspaper editor Ross Dunkley. (more…)

Chiang Mai – Over the past three years, the German government has regularly invited Burmese diplomats to take part in an annual month-long training programme conducted by the German Foreign Office’s Foreign Service Academy in Berlin, according to documents available on the government’s website. (more…)

An investigation in the Maldives has implicated the Burmese military and a number of private companies in an $US800 million money-laundering scam involving the sale of Maldivian cut-price oil. (more…)

Washington — US President Barack Obama has determined that Myanmar, Bolivia and Venezuela “failed demonstrably” last year to fight the drugs trade, a new US government report said Thursday. (more…)

2011 has begun with a series of pro-democracy uprisings in North Africa and the Middle East quickly nicknamed by the world’s media the “Jasmine Revolution.” But the sweet scent of freedom drifting across the Maghreb got lost along the way in Libya. (more…)

(This paper is based on the presentation made at an interaction session on 26.02.2011 at the Observer Research Foundation, Chennai)

Introduction

Though engaging with Myanmar may be part of China’s overall economic offensive as a “soft power” in the South East Asian region, its relationship with Myanmar is on a special footing because of strategic and geo-political reasons, particularly the access to the Indian Ocean. China is also known to protect the rogue states of the world which includes Myanmar along with the likes of Sudan, Iran and North Korea. Energy Security is another important factor for China to cultivate Myanmar with its abundance of natural gas. China is involved in over 62, hydro, oil, gas and mining projects in Myanmar. (more…)

Burma’s dictatorship has not met key EU demands for reform, and so sanctions must remain in place, according to the findings of a new policy briefing paper published by Burma Campaign UK. (more…)