Burma | Burma Center Prague

"The brutal crackdown on the protests in 2007 has brought Burma/Myanmar for some weeks on the front pages of the world press. To understand what makes the ruling junta act and react the way it does, it is necessary to consider the crucial role of the neighbouring countries in Southeast Asia, namely the members of ASEAN.
The author mainly regards the specific impact of the “ASEAN Way”, a policy of non-interference among the members (which, however, is not strictly observed when it comes to business relations). By letting the rulers of Myanmar save their faces, he argues, ASEAN is likely to have lost its credibility as effective tool to solve regional conflicts, facilitate business, prevent humanitarian crises and limit the influence of China in Southeast Asia. Myanmar as the hardest touchstone in the late history of ASEAN leaves no doubt that you cannot change inhuman regimes by appealing to their philanthropy.
This book was written for a academic readership, but also the general public will find it informative and worth reading. The publication is particularly warmly recommended to journalists writing on the issues of Myanmar to gain a deeper insight into the background." (BCP)

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