Of Monarchs and Military Men: The Political Pathologies that Undermine Democracy in Burma and Thailand

By: Kelley Currie |

Since a 2012 outbreak of communal violence targeting Rohingyas in Burma, the trafficking business had been booming. Subsequent official persecution intended to make Burma as inhospitable to the Rohingya as possible was working as planned: more than 120,000 Rohingyas have fled Burma since December 2012. For years, migration and human rights NGOs have warned regional and donor governments of the deteriorating situation facing the growing flood of Rohingya refugees. This humanitarian and political disaster also again laid bare the pathologies currently impeding Burma and Thailand on their paths toward stability and democracy.