Burma

Past to Present

History

• 1044 AD was the Pagan Dynasty– Buddhism – kings built a massive city – thousands of pagodas and monasteries were built– In 1287, the Mongol invaded and destroyed the

city

Ancient Pagoda

A soldier carried a table past the rubble of the 2,300-year-old Danok pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar, which collapsed in May 2009

History

• 1486-1752 was the Taugoo Dynasty– Little cultural legacy was left– The Shans was conquered through wars and

battles

A village in northern Shan State.

History

• 1752-1885 was the Konbaung Dynasty– The focus was on warfare and conquest– Wars were fought with the Mons and

Arakanese and Siamese– However, the Chinese and British invaded

and the British gained control in 1885 annexing it to British India

King Thibaw was the 11th generation of the Konbaung Dynasty.

World War II

• Burmese nationalists joined forces with the Japanese army, driving out the British

• But ... the Burmese switched sides in 1945 and aided the British and American armies to battle against the Japanese

• At the end of the war, the Burmese demanded complete political and economic independence from Britain and the Constitution was signed in 1948

After the War

• 1948 – 1962 ~ Burma had a democratic political government. However, internal conflict and struggle ensued

Xenophobic Military Control

• Military coup lead to the abolishment of the constitution and an xenophobic military government with socialist economic policies

• The result had a devastating effect on the country’s economy and business climate

Burma ~ August 8, 1988

• Students led demonstrations broke out in Rangoon in response to the worsening economic situation and evolved into a call for regime change.

Burma 8888Demonstrations increased in size and the students were joined by the general public.August 8, 1988, military forcesKilled more than 1,000 demonstrators

Aung San Suu Kyi, daughter of the General Aung San madeHer first speech and assumed The role of opposition leader

IDPs hiding after Burma Army attacks

Saw Mya kaw htoo, killed and burned by the Burma Army

Villagers rebuilding their homes

Aung San Suu Kyi

• Has spent 14 of the last 20 years under house arrest. Prevented from seeing her late husband when he was terminally ill. Has not seen her two sons for well over a decade.

• Charismatic with the ability to make people feel they are being listened to intently. Features in Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s book “Courage.” She has asked: “Please use your liberty to promote our’s.” (Global Issues 2010)

• Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. General-Secretary of the NLD.

• Won a landslide victory (87% of votes) in 1990 elections in Burma and should have been Burma’s Prime Minister. Result dishonoured by the military.

Ant Bwe Kyaw

• Leader of the 88 Generation Students movement sentenced to 65 years in 2008.

• Currently imprisoned in Katha prison, northern Burma following his role in the Saffron Revolution.

• Not even allowed to accept fresh clothes sent to him, his mother fears the worst. “The regime never talks about releasing political prisoners…I don’t have much hope for my son.” (Global Issues 2010)

After 8888

• On September, 1988, a military coup deposed the Socialist Program Party, suspended the constitution and established a new ruling junta called the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC)

• The army was sent into the streets to suppress the public demonstrations– 3,000 more were killed and more than 10,000

students fled to the hills and border areas, many fled the country

May 1990

• An election was held where the SLORC believed they would continue to rule but the democratic party led by Aung San Suu Kyi was voted into power even though she was under house arrest.

• The SLORC refused to honour the results or call the parliament into session. They imprisoned many political activists ~ maintaining their power to lead the country

1997 in Burma• The ruling junta changed its

name to State Peace and Development Council (SPDC)

• Control and repression of the democratic opposition did not change

• Aung San Suu Kyi was still restricted of power and even movements within the country

A 'New Town' built on the outskirts of Rangoon where people have been forcibly relocated from central Rangoon. (1997)

The 2000s in Burma• Talks between the Peace and

Development Council and the Democratic Party began, prisoners were released in the early 2000s

• In 2002, Aung San Suu Kyi was allowed to leave her home and was greated warmly throughout the country

• A year later, she and her convoy of supporters were attacked

Aung San Suu Kyi• Many of her party were

killed or injured or disappeared

• Aung San Suu Kyi was once again under house arrest

• In 2004, key people were released from the 1988 uprising. Some reorganized

Burma in the later 2000s

• In 2007, oil prices rose, prodemocracy groups organized peaceful marches and demonstrations protesting the economic situation in Burma.

• They were jailed.

Buddhist Monks Protests

• The Monks lead peaceful marches but again, violence erupted in 2007

Monks and Protestors• The monks were joined by ordinary citizens

and again the regime renewed its violent crackdown ~ shooting, beating and detaining thousands of monks, prodemocracy activists and onlookers

• Depending on who is telling the story, there were anywhere from 10 to 30 deaths in 2007

2008 in Burma

• A new constitution was drafted• A multi party election is planned for 2010• However ...

Referendum in 2008• The referendum was carried out in an

atmosphere of fear and intimidation• Cyclone Nargis also added to the stress as it

caused disaster for the oppressed• The constitution was passed with a 92.48%

voter approval and with a 98% voter turnout• Observers do not consider those figures

credible

Cylone Nargis Hits in 2008

International Aid

• Support for the cyclone was turned away by government officials

• It is estimated that entire villages were wiped out leaving 138,000 dead or missing

• Approximately 2.4 million were affected by the storm

• Information on the historical events is from U.S. Department of State, 2010

Oppression of the People

• Burma has one of the worst human rights records in the world

• Countries refuse to trade with Burma even though it is rich in natural resources (teak, oil, natural gas, jade, pearls, rubies, sapphires)

• The French cooperate with the junta to exploit gas

Tourism

• Tourism has not been developed ~ those who do travel to Burma to see the beautiful pagodas do not benefit the economy of the people

• Rules and laws do not exist ~ people live in fear every day

Laws and Media

• Rules and laws are at the mercy of the junta• Burmese media has strict control of what will

be reported and it rules everything from poetry to films to newspapers and television

• Only a few Burmese have access to international television and publications

• Internet is tightly controlled by the government, poor telephone infrastructure and unreliable electricity (BBC News, 2010)

Other facts about the Junta

• For many of Burma`s indigenous people, contact with the military is the only form of contact with outsiders

• The goal of the Burmese military is for complete assimilation – same culture, same language and same religion – thus ethnic cleansing

Ethnic Cleansing

• Destroy villages• Burn food stocks• Execution of those

suspected of supporting the opposition

• Arbitrary taxation• Rape and torture (Cultural

Survival, 2000)

Indigenous People in Burma

• There are 135 indigenous cultures and languages in Burma

• Some believe they are the key to the countries future. The young Karen boy stands beside a burned church

Areas of Ethnic Groups

• Kachin – live in the northern Himalayan area and are in constant fight for their lands

• Chin – live in the northwest area bordering India and are warrior-like and more tribal

• Shan – live in the very northeast area next to Thailand – known for growing opium and producing amphetamines

• Karen – occupy a long strip of land along the Thailand border and are strong willed but peaceful

Akha

• The Akha people live in the highland areas in Burma, Thailand and Laos

• Historically, they survived by growing crops, eating native plants and animals, growing cotton and dying it naturally into bright colours. They celebrated the changing seasons with festivities

Swing Festival

Akha Today

• With development came the destruction of the jungle as trees were cut down in vast numbers

• Opium armies disrupted villages by taking over the land, giving jobs in the poppy fields, robbing girls of their childhood through trafficking and robbing boys of their childhood by making them into child soldiers

• With little internal or external aid, ethnic groups like the Akha are faced with little access to medical aid or food relief.

• Rice prices have shot up leading to theft, kidnapping, poaching of wild animals and production of the opium crop as people become desperate

Arakanese

• TheArakanese lost their independence in 1784, when the Burmese invaded their lands

• Their livelihood is centred around the Kaladan River – fishing in the past but now they are forced into labour in the fishing industry, working long hours in the intense sun and wet

• They are denied adequate education and have little knowledge of the world outside their sphere. They work to survive – to buy rice

Shwe Gas Project

• Unfortunately for the Arakanese, they live along the Kaladar River which just happens to host the world`s tenth largest gas reserve.

• The military government will exploit the Arakanese to make money for themselves and buy military equipment to improve control

• India and China are planning how they can transport the gas to their countries – over the land or through the river – it matters little to them about environmental catastrophes

China wins deal

Arakan people

lose, 2009

Karen History

• The Karen arrived in Burma about 739 BC. • They were simple, quiet and peace loving• The Karen were forced to the mountainous,

thick jungle area when the Mons and Burmese were feuding – the Karen chose to retreat rather than fight

• The remote area meant they would live an isolated life of hard labour

After the British Invasion• Life for the Karen improved with the British

invasion – they were treated with respect and were able to earn an education which infuriated the Burmese. The Japanese turned that around for them –attempting to wipe them out in a genocidal killing.

• Life has never been restored to the same state they experienced under British rule

• However, they have learned to revolt against the militant leaders of Burma -- 8888

Dams as Ethnic Cleansing in Burma

• The Hat Gyi Dam on the Salween River will mean another attempt at ethnic cleansing

• The Karen will be unarmed and will be forced to comply to militarization – forced labour, torture, execution, rape, looting and extortion

• Once again the Karen will be forced to flee into the jungle and mountainous areas of Burma (IPS, 2009)

Kachin`s History• The Kachin entered Burma in the 15th and 16th

centuries (relative newcomers) and settled in the north eastern area. They speak at least 9 different languages. They mostly believe in animism but there are Christians and Buddhists found in their culture.

• They are known for their independent nature and disciplined fighting skills

Kachin Today• Today, every ethnic group in Burma is fighting

against the military government to keep their land – the Kachin have fought the Japanese during WWII, they have bonded with the rest of ethnic groups and Burmese people during the August 8,1988 protest and have continued to stand up to the junta. In September 2009, they called an emergency meeting to call for peace talks. Today, they are calling for support of Kachin worldwide to help them. They are ready for war. (Announcement to all Kachin People, 2009)

Kachin use intellectual power to try and beat the Military

Chin

• Arriving in Burma in the 9th or 10th century, they settled in the western area near India

• They are mostly Christian but some maintain their tribal beliefs -- animism

• Today, the Chin people are attempting to flee the junta by escaping into India

• Internally displace refugees

Burmese People

• Most Burmese live along the Irrawaddy River in the lowland areas

• The majority of the people speak Tibeto- Burman languages

• After independence in 1948, serious divisions between Burmese and non Burmese political leaders emerged resulting in armed conflict between the groups – IDP, unfair taxation

Burmese Population

• There is a miniscule number of elite, a few middle class and a huge majority of poor

• The drug trade is the most economic form of income for Burmese – benefiting few ethnic Burmese people

• The Burmese are 90% Buddhist – education and spiritualism takes place in the temple

• Higher education is available in urban areas• However, 80% live in rural areas (Everyculture.com)

Video Clips

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeiZV_BMOyM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-hnzIGns-g

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EV3b4UnN6fw&feature=fvsr

Burma`s Secret War part 1

A Secret Genocide

Burma 8888 In Memory 20 years On

Dealing With The Devil -- Burma

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LxlsDssjoc

Video from Burma – Shoot on Sight

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2EEJkyntV4