New Mandala

Should war resume in parts of Burma’s borderlands, the country will simply return to its pre-1989 situation, and the challenges of national reconciliation and local sustainable development will begin again.
- Extracted from David Scott Mathieson, “Peace in name only”, The Irrawaddy, October 2009.

[Read more →]

A New Mandala reader sends the following note on the background of a senior Burmese government official who represents his government at the United Nations:
I just came across some information regarding the permanent representative of Myanmar to the United Nations, U Than Swe (sometimes written Than Shwe — not, of course, Generalissimo Than Shwe) who [...]

[Read more →]

But investigations by the media and concerned agencies in the next few weeks will find whether the ideal goal of forming a grand alliance against the hated military regime is too late or can still be a dream come true.
- Extracted from “The fall of Kokang raises questions”, Shan Herald Agency for News, 31 August [...]

[Read more →]

Yesterday was Mother’s Day in Australia.
In my efforts to catch up on the Southeast Asia-related news from the weekend I stumbled upon this short article in the Geelong Advertiser.  It highlights a group of refugees from Burma who were treated to Mother’s Day at an Australian Rules Football match.  By the looks of it, they [...]

[Read more →]