Myanmar?
Burma?
Hannah Spielberg, Ryan Lutz,
Allie Chierici, Stephen Neely,
and Katie Stutz
Where is It?
Indian Ocean- primary source
of trade and travel
China- supports Myanmar’s
oppressive military government
because it wants access to
Indian Ocean
Valuables-mineral resourcesone of world’s biggest
suppliers of gemstones
Drug trade- major exporter of
methamphetamine, world’s 2nd
biggest producer of heroin and
opium
Borderlessbikers.com
Glossary of Terms
junta – the repressive military regime currently
leading Myanmar; received power after 1988
coup
coup d'état – when a small group of people
(often previously in power) overthrow the
government
The Association of Southeast Nations/ASEAN –
ASEAN now mainly focuses on economic
concerns and international stability for the
regional economy. Myanmar originally helped
form ASEAN in 1967 to support the U.S. war in
Vietnam. Myanmar joined ASEAN in 1997.
Buddhism – major world religion especially
prevalent in Asian nations; based on idea of
striving to escape worldly suffering until one
achieves ultimate enlightenment of wisdom and
compassion, or “nirvana”; Buddhists believe that
all creatures “reincarnate,” or are born
repeatedly, until they attain nirvana. *Buddhist
monks have moral authority in Myanmar, which is why their
protests have led to so much unrest.
Burma – another name for Myanmar; people who
do not support the current regime in Myanmar
choose to call the country Burma as a political
protest against the junta, who changed the
country’s name when they came into power
Religions.iloveindia.com
Background
Current population- 47,373,958
Listverse.com
About the size of Texas, but is the largest mainland area located in Southeast Asia
Tropical climate- rainy and hot days throughout the summer and mild temperatures in the winter
Known to have very large earthquakes
Major diseases that affect the country are water-borne diseases such as typhoid fever
Nationality of Burma- Burmese
Legal system- based on English legal system.
Ruled by army generals since 1962
Bordered by China on its North side, Laos on its East, Thailand on its South East, Bangladesh on its West
and India on the North West
Political system- under control by the State Peace and Development Council
More Background
The total area of land-678,500
square kilometers.
The first president of
Independent Burma was Sao
Shwe Thaik.
The first prime minister of
Independent Burma was U Nu.
The democratic rule ended in
1962 when military rule took
over
U Nu
Sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins
Timeline
1948-Jan. 4th: Achieve independence
from United Kingdom
1950: Burma forms “Emergency
Provision Act”- 20 year jail terms for
inciting unrest and disturbing the peace
1962(-1988): Army commander Ne Win
takes over control of Burma – stages
coup; throughout rule, banishes powerful
opponents
1967: Myanmar helps form the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN)
1974-Jan. 4th: becomes the Socialist
Republic of the Union of Burma
1988-Mar.: Students protest against
oppressive regime and rally for
democracy; Burmese riot police shoot
200 protesters
1988-Jul. 27th-Aug.12th: Sein Lwein
becomes country’s president and
chairman of Burma’s ruling party; prodemocracy protests grow. Lwein
attempts to end protests by violent force.
Resigns two months later.
1988-Sep. 18th: General Saw Maung
chairs military junta, called The State
Law and Order Restoration Council
(SLORC)
General Saw Maung
answers.com
Timeline Continued
Viewimages.com
1989: Junta changes country name
from Burma to Myanmar, and capital
city from Rangoon to Yangon
1990s: Other nations try to undermine
oppressive Myanmar regime by
withdrawing financial support
2007-Feb. 12th: A human rights group
report accuses Myanmar government
of killing, raping, and torturing ethnic
Karen women as part of its fight with
the group in the last 25 years
2007-Aug. 15th: Myanmar
government boosts fuel prices, raising
public transportation costs and causing
staple crops to devalue
2007-Sept.: Civilians protest raised
fuel prices in streets. Monks join daily
protests. After junta use force to
suppress protests (injuring three monk
protesters), thousands of monks begin
to join daily rallies.
Current Problem
Increasing fuel prices

staple crop values plummet

caused riots

Very poor- can not even afford
higher bus fares

Turned into protest against gov.

Unstable Government

National League Democracy is
fighting the current regime for
political control
Money going to:

Projects that do not benefit the
Burmese people

Building lavish cities

A nuclear testing facility
…As people continue to
starve.
worldhistory.abc-clio.com
Current Riot
Nytimes.com
graphics8.nytimes
graphics8.nytimes
Itn.co.uk/news
The World View
– United States
Democracy advocate
In 2007, US tried to pass a
Security Council resolution
within the UN, but was
vetoed by Russia and
China.
– UN & other organizations
Tai-nation.org
Tries to help Burmese
people through health and
education programs along
with the Red Cross and
International Labor
Organization
After Khin Nyunt’s fall,
regime has been much
more uncooperative
Violence
“Forced labor, rape,
burning of villages,
destroying farm
implements and
destroying animals-many
of these issues have
been subject of previous
reports.”
~Guy Horton (British
human rights researcher)
Irrawaddy.org
Violence
Telegraph.co.uk
“But the cumulative effect
is that people cannot
ultimately survive in these
conditions. People are
not fleeing mass killings,
as in Rwanda. They are
fleeing a situation that is
deliberately depriving
them of the resources
indispensable for
survival.”
~Guy Horton (British
human rights researcher)
Violence
Boston.com
'"They are not Buddhists,"
cried one student, who
clutched half a brick in his
hand, running from the smoke.
‘They are not humans. We
were praying peacefully and
they beat us. They beat the
monks, even the old ones.’ An
80-year-old monk stood with
the student, bleeding from a
baton gash on his shaven
head. ”
~Time.com
Nytimes.com
“You need to look very carefully at the
underlying political and economic
hardships,” he said he told the official.
“The government must also understand
what this is about — not fuel prices, but
decades of dissatisfaction.”
~Mark Canning, British ambassador
Bibliography
Worldhistory.abc-clio.com
Edition.cnn.com
Timelines.ws/countries/BURMA.html
Telegraph.co.uk
Nytimes.com
usinfo.state.gov