“A correspondent in Rangoon” has penned a lengthy article on the fate of Ross Dunkley, the Australian Editor-in-Chief of The Myanmar Times who is currently detained at Insein Prison. It includes many important details on the case that have not been reported elsewhere and is a must-read for anybody who follows the prospects of foreign investment in the country.
The correspondent concludes that:
For businesses considering entering the Burmese market, the predicament Myanmar Consolidated Media’s backers find themselves in should serve as a prescient warning: Burma is not a country for faint-hearted foreigners. Despite the regime’s appalling human rights record, most countries, including Australia, do not ban investment. Sanctions are unnecessary because the risks associated with investing are so great.
This strikes me as a particularly notable observation, and one that has been given too little considered attention. It is tremendous to see such thoughtful analysis finding its way beyond Burma’s borders.