Half of Myanmar’s population is under the age of 30, and many of these young people have benefited from their country’s fragile, imperfect democratic transition over the past decade. They know the military’s return to power could reverse hard-won gains in human development and fundamental freedoms. Their future is at stake.

The United States (US) on Friday demanded swift action from the United Nations (UN) Security Council on Myanmar amid a push for a resolution to pressure the military junta to restore democracy."The military needs to feel the cost associated with its horrific actions.

"This is not a coup," said Major General Zaw Min Tun from a gilded hall in Myanmar's purpose-built capital Naypyidaw, the city where his comrades recently ousted an elected government, detained the country's leadership, and installed a military junta.During an hour-long conversation with CNN, the military spokesperson was steadfast in upholding the junta's official narrative: that the generals are merely "safeguarding" the country while they investigate a &q

Lately there has been some good news on advancing the social dimension of ASEAN, and Brunei, the current chair of the bloc, deserves praise for this. The joint statement that the 25th ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Council (ASCC) released at the end of its meeting on 31 March contains some interesting and encouraging outcomes that focus on youth empowerment and a stronger sense of regional belonging. Among the decisions, of which the details have yet to be shared, are the pr

At first glance, one can see similar motives for the 2006 and 2014 coups in Thailand as well as the 2021 Myanmar coup.In all three cases, coup-plotters faced popular civilian governments seeking more control over the military.In 2006, General Sonthi Boonyaratglin confronted Thailand’s populist Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

China on Wednesday (31 March) said it wanted a "democratic transition" in military-ruled Myanmar, but ruled out sanctions at a United Nations (UN) Security Council meeting."China hopes that Myanmar will restore peace, stability and constitutional order as early as possible and continue to steadily advance democratic transition," Ambassador Zhang Jun told the closed-door meeting, according to a statement."Maintaining peace and stability in Myanmar is in the co

China finalised a sweeping overhaul of Hong Kong’s electoral system on Tuesday, drastically curbing democratic representation in the city as authorities seek to ensure “patriots” rule the global financial hub.The measures are part of Beijing’s efforts to consolidate its increasingly authoritarian grip over its freest city following the imposition of a national security law in June, which critics see as a tool to crush dissent.The changes would see the number of directly elected repre

United States (US) President Joe Biden on Sunday decried the bloodshed unleashed against anti-coup protesters in Myanmar as "absolutely outrageous," after security forces killed more than 100 people including at least seven children.Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military ousted and detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi on 1 February, triggering mass protests demanding a return to democracy.On Saturday, at least 107 people were killed across Myanmar as security forces ope

Myanmar's security forces killed nearly 90 people in the bloodiest day since the military seized power, a monitoring group said Saturday, as the junta staged a major show of might for its annual Armed Forces Day. The nation has been in turmoil since the generals ousted and detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in February, triggering a major uprising demanding a return to democracy.The country's capital Naypyidaw saw a grand parade of troops and military vehicles in the

United States (US) President Joe Biden on Thursday said he would prevent China from passing the US to become the most powerful country in the world, vowing to invest heavily to ensure America prevails in the race between the world’s two largest economies.Biden said he had spent “hours upon hours” with Xi Jinping when he served as vice president under former President Barack Obama, and was convinced the Chinese president believed autocracy – not democracy – held the key to the future.The Democ