Are Funcinpec a Chance?

Published on Jul 17, 2023 by Luke Hunt

Can Funcinpec win any seats at the Cambodian election this Sunday. Luke Hunt write for the Diplomat that just maybe the party of the royalists might win "two or thee seats" and end this country's status as a one-party-state. Click and read more here..

Prepped for the Inevitable

Published on Jul 17, 2023 by Luke Hunt

About 9.7 million Cambodians go to the polls on July 23 for a one-sided election, which will secure Prime Minister Hun Sen’s absolute authority and an endorsement for a widely-anticipated transfer of power to his eldest son Hun Manet.Only his Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) — which has ruled since a Vietnamese invasion ousted the Khmer Rouge from power in 1979 — is capable of winning a contest bereft of competition since the disqualification of the main opposition party in May, amid a six-year crackdown on dissent.Click here to read more from UCA News..

Cambodians Braced for Poll

Published on Jul 17, 2023 by Luke Hunt

Cambodians head to the polls this month in an election that has been widely criticized by Western countries, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and pro-democracy activists, but authorities in Phnom Penh insist the ballot on July 23 will be free and fair. Read more about this election from VOA..

Tatmadaw, Why Negotiate?

Published on Mar 20, 2023 by Luke Hunt

This story was originally written by Luke Hunt for The Diplomat. It focuses on why ASEAN or anyone else should consider negotiations with the military junta, also known as Tatmadaw, in Myanmar.Ever since Myanmar’s military seized power and ousted an elected government, international efforts to negotiate a clear way out have focused on dealing with a military that month by month becomes more belligerent, more violent, and less capable.The assumption was that “the military now controls Myanmar and has all the guns” and that talks – however unpalatable – must proceed. To a large extent, the opposition National Unity Government (NUG) was simply relegated and has struggled to get a hearing on the diplomatic front.But a briefing paper by the....

Myanmar's Civil War

Published on Mar 20, 2023 by Luke Hunt

Three podcasts focussed on the conflict in Myanmar, which erupted after the military seized power from an elected government in February 2021. Since then National Unity Government (NUG) and its armed wing the People's Defence Force (PDF ) have formed the backbone of the resistance..Security-risk consultant Ross Milosevic has worked across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East for almost three decades but his focus has often remained on Myanmar. He backs international support for the forces arraigning against the generals and notes the similarities between Myanmar and Syria, and the realities of China.Listen on PodbeanListen through The DiplomatThe United States-based organization Unbound Now has spent the last decade focused on the prevention of human trafficking, professional training, and survivor advocacy.....