Yangon Cardinal Charles Bo said it was time to "reverse the trend" of a 60-year decline in Myanmar, designated the "least-developed country" by the World Bank. At the opening of a national conference on Nov. 15 aimed at creating a more equitable distribution of wealth in the impoverished country, Cardinal Bo demanded justice from "the three Cs: cronies, companies and countries nearby. Myanmar resource wealth belongs to Myanmar people," said Cardinal Bo. "It does not belong to looters who save money in Singapore and Geneva. We have gathered here to bring the thieves and robbers to accountability." The cardinal spoke at a conference called Myanmar's Resource Wealth: Toward People-Centered National Savings, Benefit Sharing and Social Protection. Among its organizers was a locally based transparency group that has pushed for greater openness in following revenue streams, particularly in the extractive industry, which international agencies have called "infamously opaque."

This article appears in December 5-12 2016.