Long regarded as one of the world’s worst dictatorships, the military junta of Myanmar finally stepped down from power in 2011. However three years on, its people continue to fight for freedom.

The military remains in charge and shares its profits with the ruby lords of the world’s largest deposits of these gems. We explore the country’s ruby mines, and how the Burmese miners dream of one day finding fortunes among these stones.

We also meet the Palaung rebels, many of whom have never held a rifle before, fighting the Myanmarese army to achieve greater autonomy for themselves and destroy poppy fields providing the heroin that is destroying their community.

The country is rife with religious extremism, violence and islamophobia. Known as the ’Myanmarese Bin Laden’, extremist Buddhist monk Wira Thu has plenty to say about the small Muslim minority he is determined to chase out of Myanmar.

This documentary was first released in 2014.

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