*This article first appeared in The Interpreter, 15 March 2019, and is available here. On my recent visit to Myanmar, I attended the commemoration ceremony of U Ko Ni, the former lawyer and legal advisor to the National League for Democracy. He was among the most vocal advocate for constitutional change in Myanmar. His death and the court case againstContinue reading “The Death Penalty Paradox in Buddhist Myanmar”
Category Archives: DEMOCRACY
Democracy and Peace Frustrated in Myanmar: Remembering U Ko Ni
Acknowledgement: This article first appeared in The Interpreter, The Lowy Institute, 29 January 2018– Today marks one year since U Ko Ni, a prominent lawyer and advocate for constitutional reform, was assassinated in Myanmar. This was just one of many incidents in 2017 that indicated a sharp decline in freedoms not only in Myanmar but across SoutheastContinue reading “Democracy and Peace Frustrated in Myanmar: Remembering U Ko Ni”
Islamist rule by law in Indonesia
This article first appeared in Policy Forum, 3 December 2016. The great paradox of Indonesian democracy is on display for all the world to see. On one hand, there is greater freedom of expression and association for all. But on the other, this has given fuel to Islamists to espouse lawlessness and violence in the absenceContinue reading “Islamist rule by law in Indonesia”
Building a Constitutional Culture in Myanmar
From 22 to 23 November, the Australia Myanmar Constitutional Democracy Project led by UNSW Law held a workshop on Building a Constitutional Culture in Myanmar. Over 60 participants attended including lawyers, civil society organisations, former judges, academics and students. This represented the fourth year of this program, that has now included 9 major workshops andContinue reading “Building a Constitutional Culture in Myanmar”
Engaging with Policy in Southeast Asia
Sydney’s Southeast Asia Centre are holding two workshops in July that may be of interest to scholars of Southeast Asia: Engaging with Policy in Southeast Asia: Postgraduate Research Workshop28 July 2016 The University of Sydney will bring together research students from around Australia to explore how activists interface with the governments of countries in SoutheastContinue reading “Engaging with Policy in Southeast Asia”
Myanmar under the NLD
Wednesday 30 March, 12.30-2pmBrindabella Theatre, JG Crawford Building (132), Lennox Crossing, ANU Overview On 31 March 2016, a democratically elected government will take power in Myanmar for the first time in over half a century. But even as Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy assumes the presidency and takes most Cabinet positions, theContinue reading “Myanmar under the NLD”
Australia Myanmar Constitutional Democracy Workshops
Myanmar is currently at a pivotal moment in its political and legal history. The Australia-Myanmar Constitutional Democracy Project (AMCDP), a consortium of law schools devoted to generating understanding and support for constitutional democracy in Myanmar, have just returned from a series of two workshops. The workshops commenced in Mandalay for two days from 13-14 July, followed by aContinue reading “Australia Myanmar Constitutional Democracy Workshops”
Workshop on the Indonesian Constitutional Court
For those in Sydney, a workshop on the Indonesian Constitutional Court will be held today and tomorrow. Details below:Workshop on “The Constitutional Court & Democracy in Indonesia: Judging the First Decade” 11-12 December 2014SydneyPresented by the Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law, UNSW Law Faculty and Centre for Asian and Pacific Law, Sydney law SchoolContinue reading “Workshop on the Indonesian Constitutional Court”
Constitutional amendment key to 2015 Myanmar elections
The coming month is a time of mixed feelings for all those involved in Burma’s democracy movement. 8 August marks the 25th anniversary of the democracy uprising in Burma that was brutally crushed by the military regime. The sweeping electoral victory of the National League for Democracy (NLD) that followed in 1990 was blatantly denied byContinue reading “Constitutional amendment key to 2015 Myanmar elections”
Melissa Crouch 