Southeast Asia: Table of Contents
Organizer and Chair: Maureen Aung-Thwin, Soros Foundation
Discussants: David I. Steinberg, Asia Foundation; Mark Mason, Yale University; Asda Jayanama, Mission of Thailand to the U.N.; Ronald Finley, Independent Scholar; Maureen Aung-Thwin, Soros Foundation
Burma has shed its shell forever. Almost a decade after nationwide demonstrations rocked the country, the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) has temporarily quelled the ethnic insurgencies, declared the economy open, invited tourism and foreign investment, and in the summer of 1996, joined the prestigious regional grouping, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Whether the changes are structural or cosmetic, whether the SLORC will endure for another ten years or civilian rule returns, Burma can no longer live in isolation. Since 1988 Burma has been scrutinized as never before in her recent history, as a growing number of academics, journalists, activists, and special interest groups around the globe debate how best to bring about an enduring peace and lasting economic and political reform.
This roundtable will not dwell on what was or should have been, but rather what is and might be. A diverse group of veteran and newer Burma watchers reflecting a range of disciplines and views will offer insights and we hope, instigate a lively discussion with an audience that will undoubtedly include representatives from the United States government, international financial institutions and possibly even the Embassy of Myanmar.