Dateline: Oct 8

Dateline has a special edition this week, looking at the new Myanmar, emerging from years pf military rule as an independent nation.

After half a century of brutal military rule, Myanmar is emerging into democracy and finding its feet in the 21st century – independent newspapers are thriving, comedians can satirise the government and all-girl pop groups like the ‘Me N Ma Girls’ are appealing to the huge young generation.

At the midway point between the country’s leap to freedom and the landmark 2015 elections, Anjali Rao hosts a special edition of Dateline looking at the rapidly changing face of the once-pariah nation.

She finds much of what we take for granted being enjoyed for the first time. But elsewhere protests continue on the streets and past injustice is more difficult to forget.

Also in this special program, Evan Williams looks at graphic footage of Muslims being attacked and their neighbourhoods torched. Recent violent clashes between Muslims and Buddhists in Myanmar saw 60 Muslims killed, and Williams asks if the anti-Islamic teachings of a quietly spoken Buddhist monk, who has described himself as ‘the Buddhist Bin Laden’, could be behind the increasing tension.

Meanwhile, Aela Callan explores the grand colonial buildings of Myanmar’s former capital Yangon, which were left untouched during Myanmar’s military rule, but now face being swept away by the fast pace of modern development.

Tuesday at 9.30pm on SBS ONE.