The changes in Myanmar over recent years have been bewildering. In late 2007, its military junta was widely condemned for a violent crackdown on protests led by Buddhist monks. Then came Cyclone Nargis. After those traumatic events, the country saw the release of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest and the victory of her pro-democracy party in a largely free election. Alas, such promising developments have now stalled due to the ethnic cleansing of the Muslim Rohingya people in the Rakhine State and the international opprobrium it has aroused. Today, Myanmar faces steep challenges, and it remains to be seen if this beautiful country will resume a democratic path and if human rights can be restored.