New Mandala

The Myanmar government’s attempts to restrict reporting, by both local and international media, have shown no signs of abating in the lead-up to the 2010 election.
Last month, it continued with the arrest of more journalists. It seems the arrests were not directly related to their line of work — they were members of a civil [...]

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This post is part of New Mandala’s series of interviews with academics, activists and writers who contribute to major debates in mainland Southeast Asian Studies.  These interviews are designed to probe the experiences, arguments and ideas that have helped shape the field.  Justin Wintle is the author of Perfect Hostage: A Life of Aung San Suu Kyi, and [...]

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The Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s excellent Rear Vision radio program – a weekly look at the histories behind major events and issues – has followed its recent coverage of the Thai monarchy with an overview of Burma’s recent past.  This current offering is titled “Tragedy in the Golden Land“.  The segment, which features Gary Woodard, Monique Skidmore and Thant Myint-U, [...]

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Today’s The Times has a good article that pits Thant Myint-U against Mark Farmaner, the acting director of the Burma Campaign UK, on the question of tourism to Burma.
In the past, tourism to Burma has been a regular topic of discussion here on New Mandala.  How would you adjudicate today’s installment of this long-running debate?  Does Thant Myint-U [...]

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Thant Myint-U will be giving a seminar at SOAS’ Centre of Southeast Asian Studies later this week.  New Mandala readers in London (or nearby) may be keen to go along and listen to one of the most stimulating Burmese intellectuals.
The details are -
Date: Thursday, 8 March 2007
Time: 17.00-19.00
Title: The Failure of International Policy towards Burma
Speaker: Thant [...]

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The Centre of South East Asian Studies at the School of Oriental and African Studies has just released its seminar program for the new term.  The list of offerings for early 2007 is broad and interesting.  Burma topics feature prominently.
The seminar on 1 February will be of particular interest to many UK-based New Mandala readers.  The [...]

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Author Thant Myint-U is a former senior UN official and also the only grandson of former UN Secretary-General, U Thant.  His noteworthy personal background provides the context for his latest book, The River of Lost Footsteps: Histories of Burma.
It has been getting some good reviews – from both the New York Times and the New Yorker.�
I am yet to [...]

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