Di. 16. April | 19 Uhr
Fieldwork Reportage: Myanmar's Choice (I)
At the Crossing of Chaos and Glory
Speaker: Qin Liwen, Journalist & Political analyst
Venue: WiE am WASSER | Invalidenstraße 50/51, D-10557 Berlin
While the world is applauding for the opening and democratization of Myanmar, a long-isolated country as big as Britain and France combined, crisis seems to quickly build up from various corners. A recent violence outbreak between its Buddhists and Muslim minorities in March is greatly challenging the nation’s strenuous effort to revive itself. This riot, a continuation of earlier violence between the Rohingya Muslims and Buddhists and the long heritage of the tribes on northern border fighting for autonomy, are only some of the landmines lying on Myanmar’s road to prosperity and stability. Decades’ long isolation and dictatorship have crippled the country in every possible way.
Meanwhile, the military struggles to play the balancing act between economic and political reform and keeping a firm grip on the power. Its strongest former enemy, Aung Sang Suu Kyi, the deeply loved and respected Nobel Peace Prize winner, has joined the new game after helping to shape it with her concession. As the line between dictators and freedom fighters starts to blur on issues like protecting investors’ interests, observers remain curious on how Myanmar’s quickly divided society will find its way through the jungle of nascent democracy.
As a country as big as Britain and France combined, what choices does it have at the crossing of chaos and glory, fear and hope? What path could it choose? A closer look into the mosaic of today’s Myanmar might help us to see part of the possible answers.
About the speaker:
Qin Liwen has been a journalist working for major Chinese national media, including print media and online media, since 1998. Over a decade, she has written numerous reports and columns on international politics and cultural/social issues in China. She was sent to US, Europe, Middle East and Asian countries for independent, in-depth reports that few other journalists achieved in China then. She later became the News Director of news.sohu.com, a major Chinese news portal website visited by more than 500,000 readers everyday. During that time, she led 12 online reporters to Sichuan immediately after the 2008 earthquake and covered the story from the whole affected region.
From 2011 to 2012, she worked with the International Crisis Group as Senior Analyst in Beijing office, and contributed to two major reports on the regional disputes and crisis over the South China Sea. She moved to Germany in October, 2012. She is now co-authoring a book on China-Myanmar relations in the latter half of the 20th Century. She has published two books, The Cruelty of Journalism and The Adventure of Ideas.
About the Photographer:
As a photographer focusing on features and portraits for 20 years, Qian Dongsheng worked with several renowned national media like the Youth Daily and Xinmin Weekly. He is now the Photography Director of the biggest fashion and art media group in China, Modern Media Group. His book Portrait Photography is used by many Chinese universities as textbook.
