Currently, many international aid agencies seek to contritbute to development and peacebuilding in Southern Thailand, yet recent investigation suggests that there are still many shortcomings in the realization of meaningful contributions to peacebuilding. Although development agencies and organizations through their work have the potential to contribute to and support peace work, the reality is that developmental contributions to situations of conflict are not always nor are necessarily positive ones. In considering the developmental contributions to peacebuilding in Southern Thailand, a range of development actors and outcomes are noted, highlighting the political nature of development.
Read MoreIn an ongoing conflict area, the contribution of partnership between International Funding Agencies (IFAs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on the entire peace building process is asserted. This study argues that IFAs' funding scheme which encourages strategic cooperation and networking between local peace actors at the vertical and horizontal levels will contribute to the development of peace constituencies. The strengthened network is to constitute a meaningful political space for grass root and middle-range leadership in multi-track peace building.
Read MoreThis research is intended to find out the challenges of education for people with disabilities (PWDs) in Myanmar and the factors that undermine the education development opportunity for them in Myanmar. The objectives of this research are to analyze the concept of inclusive education (IE) and its policy framework and implementation in Myanmar, to assess the government's and stakeholders' perceptions on inclusive education, to identify problems of accessibility to education faced by PWDs, and to identify an appropriate design of IE for children with disabilities (CWDs).
Read MoreOn 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.
Read MoreThis study focuses on the Yalannanbaru program run by the Thai army in the southern border provinces of Thailand in order to examine whether the project contributes to obtain trust from the local people. In so doing, this thesis introduces theories on trust and distrust to the conflict situation and development initiatives run by the Thai army. The study utilizes an in-depth single-case study on the Yalannanbaru program; a drugs re-education camp for youth in the southern border provinces. In the course of analysis, the notion of separate dimensions of trust and distrust is applied, acknowledging the multifaceted character of many relations and the possible coexistence of trust and distrust in a relationship.
Read MoreThis study aims to identify and assess existing efforts of the local people in managing natural disaster at the community level. It also explores the necessary conditions for the promotion of community-based disaster management focusing on three communities of Bogale Township, Ayeyarwady delta, including Ma Gu Ywar Ma, Pay Chain Lay and Thar Yar Gone villages. Exploratory and qualitative methods are used in the study. Analysis is based on empirical field observations guided by disaster management framework of the UN agencies, international non-governmental organizations and local non-governmental organizations concerned. The study evaluates the government policies and framework on disaster management, and the role of local communities in disaster relief activities. Local household members were interviewed.
Read MoreThis research investigates the impacts of the community environmental education program implemented by the Pan Kachin Development Society Environmental project in Mai Ja Yang, Kachin State, Myanmar. The study aims to ascertain the role of international aid agencies in this post-political conflict region. A participatory approach was employed in field research, and an outcome-based evaluation comprising the planning-process-product model was applied for measuring the impacts of the program. Measurements were derived from the qualitative data collected based on the activities of two key villages, namely: Prang Ngwan and Seng Mai Pa.
Read MoreThe 1996 Khmer Rouge (KR) defections were a precursor for the ultimate termination of Cambodia's protracted civil. During the Royal Government of Cambodia's (RGC) first mandate, KR factions broke from the hard-line KR elites and negotiated with the government. The Win-Win policy encouraged these defections. This policy was based on economic goals, a power sharing agreement and promises of development for marginalized areas.
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