| Volume 6, Number 1, January 2009 |
Turbulent Times and
China’s Strategic Needs
by 时殷弘 Shi Yinhong |
Burma’s Displaced People
by Inge Brees & Kavita Shukla
恩治·布里斯、卡维特·舒克拉 |
2008 is a turbulent time for the world’s governments. Of all the world events occurring in these turbulent times, the one which as attracted the most attention and controversy is the American Democratic Primaries—the most dramatic, hard-fought and prolonged contest there has ever been in modern American politics—and the Presidential election itself, which is still undecided at time of writing. Although Hilary Clinton has already lost, she has attracted people’s attention and even their awe by what you might call her tenacity and fighting spirit. Their was also the fact that she failed to win the approval of the Democratic Party super-candidates and that she was a formal First Lady making a bid for the throne. But what has made an even deeper impression is the slogans and style of the black politician Barack Obama. His charm builds on an important precedent—it latches on to a yearning held by many democrats, especially the super-delegates. With the economy at a low ebb, public opinion divided...
[ Read more ] |
Forced Displacement of Burmese People
WITH the “Saffron Revolution” of September 2007, Burma was catapulted into the centre of international attention. It was briefly headline news as people monitored the regime’s response and watched for hints of progress towards democracy and the restoration of rights. With little action on either front (and no visible resurgence of violence or protest), interest has since waned.
The September protests, led by Buddhist monks, were sparked by a sudden increase in oil prices which had a serious impact on the already impoverished population. After a few days, the government violently ended what it called the “disruption of stability”. Governments around the world condemned the crackdown and the UN Secretary-General sent Special Representative Ibrahim Gambari to negotiate with the Burmese rulers. At the same time, however, China and Russia used their right of veto in the UN Security Council...
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| Issue 6.1 |
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The Sorcerer’s
Apprentices
—A Global Tale
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