Business, unusual, Pg6

Key Highlights:

• Myanmar's military junta, led by Min Aung Hlaing, continues its war against its own people following the 2021 coup and a recent sham election.
• Over 100,000 people are estimated to have died since the 2021 coup due to fighting between the junta and anti-coup forces.
• International indifference, exacerbated by other global conflicts, has allowed the junta to act with impunity.
• Russia and China are identified as principal arms suppliers to the junta, with China also engaging with ethnic armed organizations.
• ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus for peace in Myanmar is largely disregarded by its member states, who continue to conduct business with the regime.
• India, China, and the U.S. are pursuing strategic and economic interests in Myanmar, including access to rare earths and trade routes.

Myanmar Crisis.jpg

Detailed Insights:

• The ongoing conflict involves the junta, People's Defence Forces, and various ethnic armed organisations battling for territorial control.
• The junta employs airstrikes on villages in rebel-held areas to terrorize communities and suppress resistance.
• China has intervened to pressure some ethnic armed organizations into ceasefires and returning seized territory following their late 2023 offensive.
• The U.S. reportedly held secret talks with the junta in Tokyo and Naypyidaw, while Japan advocates for Myanmar's removal from the Financial Action Task Force blacklist.
• China seeks an outlet to the Indian Ocean and security for its oil and gas pipelines, engaging with both the junta and groups like the Kachin Independence Organisation.
• India aims to revive its Act East Policy and the Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project to enhance connectivity with Southeast Asia.
• The U.S. is interested in accessing vital heavy rare earths such as dysprosium and terbium, crucial for electric vehicles and weapons systems.
• Critics argue that these international engagements overlook the ongoing violence and the junta's inability to establish lasting peace.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Junta: A military or political group that rules a country after taking power by force.
• Five-Point Consensus: ASEAN's diplomatic initiative for Myanmar, calling for an immediate cessation of violence and constructive dialogue.
• Act East Policy: India's foreign policy to strengthen economic, strategic, and cultural relations with the Asia-Pacific region.
• Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project: A project connecting India's eastern seaport of Kolkata with Sittwe port in Myanmar, and then via river and road to Mizoram.
• Financial Action Task Force (FATF): An intergovernmental organization that sets international standards to combat money laundering and terrorist financing.