Title: Disaster Diplomacy: A Case Study of the Tripartite Core Group's Post-Nargis Humanitarian Assistance in Myanmar

Author: Dalina Prasertsri

Year: 2009

Keywords: NARGIS/SANCTIONS/CONSTRUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT/ASEAN/BURMA/MYANMAR/TRIPARTITE CORE GROUP/TCG/UN/ HUMANITARIAN INTERVENTION/DISASTER DIPLOMACY

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Abstract:

On 2 May 2008 the devastating Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar, causing over 140,000 deaths and affecting about 2.4 million people in the country. Despite the desperate situation, the Government of Myanmar refused the humanitarian assistance offered by international development organizations and Western governments. This act caused the international community to formulate unconventional ways in order to bring relief into Myanmar. They attempted to apply the Responsibility to Protect principle but failed, and later on used disaster diplomacy tactics by utilizing ASEAN as a mediating agent to build dialogue between Myanmar and the humanitarian community. This ASEAN-led mechanism was operated under the establishment of the coordinating body called the Tripartite Core Group (TCG) aiming to bring aid into Myanmar.

This thesis uses the disaster diplomacy framework to address the impact of Cyclone Nargis on the two-decades-long tension between the Government of Myanmar and the international community. The TCG, with the mediating support by the ASEAN, was seen by many observers as an opportunity to revitalize and improve this relationship. Apart from facilitating aid, the TCG was expected to help breaking down Myanmar's suspicion about the West's agenda and help the Government of Myanmar realize that the humanitarian community had no hidden political objective on its aid agenda. Beyond evaluating the work of the TCG in the above light, the thesis also aims to examine the achievements of the ASEAN and the UN as to whether they were able to efficiently meet the TCG's objectives regarding humanitarian aid and their ability to change the perception, behavior, approach and objectives of Myanmar. The study also identifies the gaps, challenges and the opportunities faced by the group to provide efficient and meaningful emergency response to Myanmar.

Contact MAIDS-Chula for more information and full thesis at maidschula@gmail.com

Tag Cloud

BIOPOWER CIVIL SOCIETY COASTAL GOVERNANCE COMMUNITY CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY COUNTRY RECONSTRUCTURE CURRENT EDUCATION IN THE CAMP DEMOCRACY IN BURMA DEMOCRATIZATION DEVELOPMENT DISCOURSE EDUCATION EUROPEAN UNION GOOD GOVERNANCE GOVERNANCE FACTORS HIGHER EDUCATION HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE ICM INDONESIA INSTITUTIONS INTEGRATED COASTAL MANAGEMENT KAREN REFUGEES KHMER ROUGE LIVELIHOOD MIGRATION MYANMAR NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT NGO OTOP PARTICIPATORY MANGROVE FORESTRY REINTEGRATION RESISTANCE SHADOW STATE POLITICS SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SOCIAL MOVEMENT SUSTAINABLE COASTAL DEVELOPMENT SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TAK PROVINCE THAI-BURMA BORDER THAI-KAREN PEOPLE THAI FEMALE THAILAND THAKSIN SHINAWATRA WORK OPPORTUNITIES WORLD SOCIAL FORUM

Title: Pro Poor Tourism in Kerala, South India: Policy Implementation and Impacts

Author: Thibault Michot

Year: 2009

Keywords: PRO-POOR, TOURISM, RESPONSIBILITY, KERALA, POLICY, IMPLEMENTATION

Download PDF of Abstract: English Thai

Abstract:

Nowadays the world is coming through a worldwide economic crisis. Meanwhile the tourism industry is still expected to keep booming at an impressive rate of almost 10%, and the figure of 1 billion international travelers will probably be hit in 2010. Therefore, this sector has consequent impacts on people's lives, especially in developing countries where tourism is seen as a great opportunity to generate income. However, because of the way the industry is ruled, tourism did not bring economic benefit that much to local communities. In many ways, tourism has been harmful not only to the environment, but also to social structures. It is clear that the authorities must redesign their tourism policies toward a more sustainable and responsible direction. The state of Kerala in India is aware of the issues generated by tourism and claims to be a pioneer in designing tourism policies that benefit the poor. Therefore, this study has the objectives to: (a) conduct an evaluation to see what is actually pro-poor in the policy recently implemented by the Kerala Department of Tourism; (b) assess what impacts these policies have on the peoples' lives; and (c) explore the possibility to replicate the model of Kerala to other destinations. The results showed that Kerala's new tourism policies are truly innovative. Under what is called "Responsible Tourism Initiative", there are definitely measures designed to achieve poverty alleviation through tourism activities. Kerala is paying attention to respect the Pro-Poor Tourism principles; and although it takes time to see the efficiency of policies on the field, the pilot project of Kumarakom already showed positive outcomes on economic and social empowerment of the local community. On the other hand, the possibility to replicate what is ongoing in Kerala seems more questionable regarding the state apparently benefited from a set of very favorable initial conditions that may not be possible to find anywhere else.

Contact MAIDS-Chula for more information and full thesis at maidschula@gmail.com