Is Myanmar a failing state?
On Tuesday, October 26 at 19:30 GMT:
Myanmar
Nine months after the military junta overthrew a democratically-elected government in Myanmar, tensions are reaching a boiling point as a low-level rebellion and a brutal crackdown on civilian opponents continues. Almost 1,200 civilians have been killed and more than 9,000 arrested since the February coup, according to local activist groups, and the military is now reported to be massing forces in the north of the country to tackle insurgents. Rights groups fear more atrocities will take place in the north and the regime faces growing international isolation. So where does Myanmar go from here? We discuss in this segment.
Singapore
Singapore’s parliament in October passed the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Bill, or Fica, which allows authorities to compel internet service providers and social media platforms to provide user information, block content and remove apps used to spread content they deem hostile. The legislation will also target foreign funding of groups deemed “politically significant.” The government says the aim of Fica is to protect its sovereignty, while rights groups call it an attack on freedom of expression and association. In this segment, we look at the law in detail.
The Koreas
North Korea last week fired at least one underwater ballistic missile, according to South Korea, the latest in a series of recent missile tests. The submarine launch came just hours after the US reaffirmed an offer to resume talks on North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme. Pyongyang has rejected such offers from the South and the US, accusing both countries of talking diplomacy while engaging in their own provocative military acts. In this segment. we’ll take a look at tensions on the Korean peninsula and take the temperature of sentiment in the South.
In this episode of The Stream, we are joined by:
Wai Hnin Pwint Thon, @MissWHPT
Human rights activist and Senior Advocacy Officer, Burma Campaign UK
Kokila Annamalai, @kokilaparvathi
Community organiser
Soo Kim, @mllesookim
Policy Analyst, RAND