Events in Burma – New or Recycled?

Burma Briefing No. 15

This briefing analyses recent events in Burma, many of which have been hailed as ‘new’, ‘unprecedented’ and ‘progress’. It finds that most of what has taken place in recent months is not new at all, and that Thein Sein is borrowing ideas from his predecessors, Than Shwe and Ne Win.

Given the track record of the dictatorship, the international community should be extremely sceptical about current events.

• The dictatorship has repeatedly lied to the international community before, and repeatedly broken promises that it has made that it will reform.
• The dictatorship is repeating initiatives already taken, and they did not lead to change on those occasions.
• Concrete steps, such as the release of all political prisoners, ending military attacks against civilians, and repealing repressive laws, have not taken place. In fact, human rights abuses are increasing.

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