Civil Society in Burma

Civil Society in Burma
Author :
Publisher : Institute of Southeast Asian Studies
Total Pages : 91
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9789812309044
ISBN-13 : 9812309047
Rating : 4/5 (047 Downloads)

Book Synopsis Civil Society in Burma by : Ashley South

Download or read book Civil Society in Burma written by Ashley South and published by Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. This book was released on 2008 with total page 91 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Burma faces a complex of interlinked humanitarian, social, and political crises. The situation is especially grave in areas populated by ethnic minorities, many of which have been affected by decades of armed conflict, and in the Irrawaddy Delta, where in May 2008 some 130,000 people were killed and over two million made homeless by Cyclone Nargis. The military government is deeply unpopular, and further episodes of mass protest similar to those that occurred in August and September 2007 cannot be ruled out. However, strategic options for elite-level regime change in the country remain limited. Therefore, local and international actors should focus on incremental approaches to democratization, and in particular on the roles of local communities and NGOs. The past decade has seen an expansion of previously dormant civil society networks, especially within and between ethnic nationality communities. This development has been particularly significant in areas affected by ceasefires between armed ethnic groups and the military government. The capacities and strategic importance of local NGOs were demonstrated by the impressive civil society responses to the cyclone. At the local level, models of community participation and the promotion of democracy from below can help to transform state-society relations and patterns of governance, including in ceasefire areas. At the national/elite level, the development of civil society is a prerequisite for sustainable democratic change. Although the promotion of civil society is necessary, it is not sufficient to achieve social and political transition in Burma. Furthermore, community networks are vulnerable to suppression by the militarized state and by armed nonstate actors. Such tendencies were demonstrated during the national referendum of May 2008, when the government engineered the endorsement of a new constitution designed to consolidate and perpetuate military rule. The challenge for the international community is to work within the constricted environment of military-ruled Burma in ways that promote positive change - but without exposing local partners to unacceptable risks.


Civil Society in Burma Related Books

Civil Society in Burma
Language: en
Pages: 91
Authors: Ashley South
Categories: Political Science
Type: BOOK - Published: 2008 - Publisher: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies

GET EBOOK

Burma faces a complex of interlinked humanitarian, social, and political crises. The situation is especially grave in areas populated by ethnic minorities, many
Governance and Civil Society in Myanmar
Language: en
Pages: 236
Authors: Helen James
Categories: History
Type: BOOK - Published: 2005-03-21 - Publisher: Routledge

GET EBOOK

Most international attention on Myanmar has focused on the political situation, where the military, in power since 1962, continues to refuse to acknowledge the
Modern Buddhist Conjunctures in Myanmar
Language: en
Pages: 232
Authors: Juliane Schober
Categories: History
Type: BOOK - Published: 2011 - Publisher:

GET EBOOK

For centuries, Burmese have looked to the authority of their religious tradition, Theravada Buddhism, to negotiate social and political hierarchies. Modern Budd
Myanmar
Language: en
Pages: 323
Authors: N Ganesan
Categories: Social Science
Type: BOOK - Published: 2007 - Publisher: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies

GET EBOOK

Covers issues of historical influence and political considerations that have shaped the dominant thinking within the state and the military. Examines the three
Civil Society in Southeast Asia
Language: en
Pages: 296
Authors: Lee Hock Guan
Categories: Social Science
Type: BOOK - Published: 2004 - Publisher: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies

GET EBOOK

What is the relevance of civil society to people empowerment, effective governance, and deepening democracy? This book addresses this question by examining the