Burma must avoid the neoliberal trap | Gabriele Köhler

http://www.guardian.co.uk

Burma must avoid the neoliberal trap | Gabriele Köhler

As the west warms to Burma, the country should be wary of being hijacked by a drive to introduce neoliberal capitalism or to prise it open to foreign investorsOver the past few weeks, Burma has received a series of high-profile visitors: the US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, the UK foreign secretary, William Hague, and UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, have visited or are planning to visit the nation. After decades in which the west isolated Burma, the recent visits represent a warming of relations, as the country’s government has introduced democratic reforms, allowed the formation of trade unions, released political prisoners, and eased restrictions on access to information.