Becoming More Authoritarian? Myanmar Ahead of the November 2020 Eelections , Online event, Berlin
Organisers: German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA)
Richard Roewer (Panelist), Ishrat Hossain (Panelist), Dr. Jasmin Lorch (Moderator), Achim Munz (Discussant)
The second national elections since the end of military rule in 2010 are sparking new debates about Myanmar’s political future. Once heralded as a champion of democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD), which came to power in 2015, has become increasingly authoritarian. The military continues to block reforms by acting as a veto player in Parliament. Peace with the armed ethnic groups remains elusive, as highlighted by ongoing fighting between the military and the Arakan Army. Meanwhile, the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya has once again alienated Myanmar from the United States and Europe.
Is the NLD still capable of pushing for meaningful democratic reforms? How do relations between Bangladesh and Myanmar affect the prospects of solving the Rohingya crisis? How much leverage does the international community still have over Myanmar? We will discuss these questions with experts with ample on-site experience.
