Factsheet: Myanmar (Burma)

Population 46,000,000
Area 676,550 Sq. Miles
Capital: Rangoon
Religions: Buddhist

Conflicts in History
Myanmar borders India, Bangladesh, China, Laos and Thailand. Although it’s a rough neighbourhood for
human rights, it’s ideal for drug trafficking and Myanmar’s military regime sits atop the seedy pyramid of
crime and human rights abuse. The country could aptly be characterized as the Columbia of Southeast
Asia...maybe worse.

In World war II, the Burmese had the unique distinction of fighting first with the Japanese to defeat the
British, then allying with the British to defeat the Japanese and being granted independence by both Japan
and Britain. Since independence Burma, now called Myanmar, has endured a series of ethnic insurgencies,
a blood civil war and even a brief taste of democracy.

During the 19th Century, Burma fought three wars against Britain before being annexed to the British
viceroyalty of India. An anti-colonial movement and popular rebellions were underway immediately prior
to World War II and the militant Burmese Independence Army (BIA) aided the Japanese invaders and
capturing the capital in 1942. Japan granted independence to Burma in 1943. As Japan’s influence
weakened the Burmese Independence Army declared war on Japan in 1945, earning British support. Burma
was granted independence from Great Britain in 1948.

As was often the case with British colonial devolution, the Burmese were ill prepared for self-rule,
especially faced with ethnic rebellion, Chinese Kuomintang insurgents, drug lords, communists and internal
power struggles. In 1962 General Ne Win overthrew the elected government, seized power and instituted
"Burmese Socialism" that over the next 26 years impoverished what had once been a thriving economy.

NE Win was removed in 1987 by the ruling Burmese Socialist Program Party (BSPP) congress. During pro-
democracy demonstrations, government forces killed as many as 3000 demonstrators. Burma adopted the
name Myanmar and the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) was established to rule the
country until multi-party elections could be held. In 1990 elections were held and when the opposition
National League for Democracy (NLD) won a convincing victory the elections were nullified and
opposition parties banned and party members arrested. In 1991, Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the NLD
was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize after being imprisoned, though she was not released until 1995. The
SLORC military junta has retained power since 1990.

SLORC has ruled with an iron hand quashing all forms of dissent and trampling on human rights, while
allegedly cooperating with drug traffickers. To fend off numerous ethnic minority movements, the military
has co-opted opponents, allowing them to retain their weapons and share in the lucrative heroin trade. In
1997, SLORC became the State Peace and Development Council and has institutes cosmetic changes
hoping to gain support for the removal of international sanctions but has continued its policies of
repression, arrest, torture and disappearances.

Human rights organizations have reported gross violations by the government of human rights, including
modern forms of slavery, prostitution and imprisonment of journalists. The Karen National Union, the
largest of the remaining rebel groups, but is hopelessly out-matched and lacks adequate external support.
Despite Myanmar’s rampant horrors and the imposition of economic sanctions, the international community
has not list of terrorist states or programs to deal with such inhuman situations.
Thailand-Myanmar Border Conflict (2001)
BEGAN: February, 2001

ENDED: Late 2001

Type: Inter-State Border Conflict

Causes and Description:

As a result of the continuing civil war in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), combat between the
government and the various ethnic and political rebel guerrilla armies occasionally spills over the
border into Thailand. In February, 2001, the Thai military responded to one such spillover with
artillery. The Myanmar army responded in kind, and both sides suffered casualties.

In May, 2001, fighting between the Myanmar army and the Shan State Army rebels also resulted in
incursions into Thailand. Again, the Thais responded with mortar fire.

Both nations accuse the other of suporting rival ethnic rebel groups involved in a lucrative cross-border
drug trade and of waging a proxy war against each other.

The 2007 Pro-Democracy Uprising in Burma/Myanmar

The nation of Myanmar has been in a state of civil war since shortly after independence from Britain in
1948. Most of the historical fighting has involved ethnic rebellions and communist uprisings in the
countryside, but in 1988, a pro-democracy movement challenged the military dictatorship and was
crushed violently by the army. This is now called the "Four Eights" or 8888 Uprising. In late 2007, a
new, so-far peaceful anti-government uprising led by Buddhist monks has been met with violence from
government security forces. The military junta which rules Myanmar/Burma calls itself the State Peace
and Development Council (SPDC). The commanders of the service branches and of the regional
military commands make up the Council.

It should be noted that the current involvement of the Buddhist monks in the 2007 protests harkens
back to the long-running resistance to the British conquest and occupation of Burma in the 19th and
20th Centuries. Many of the protests against British rule were led by Buddhist monks, so the current
monk-led protests are part of a tradition of Burmese/Myanmar popular action to unpopular and
repressive regimes.

The current protests have their immediate genesis in a government-mandated rise in gasoline prices,
which hit the average citizen hard. The price increases made daily life for the population more difficult,
with the cost of public transportation increasing, and a subsequent rise in the prices of necessities such
as rice and cooking oil. It should also be noted that these price increases came a few months after a
video of the opulent wedding ceremony for the daughter of one of the military dictators became public.
Most Burmese are very poor, and the extravagance of the leader's family wedding grated on many
people.

On August 19, 2007, about 400 people marched in protest. The police arrested dozens, but protests
continued in several cities. The last major public protests in 1988 resulted in the military crushing the
protests, with nearly 3,000 dead and thousands more arrested or driven into exile.

Buddhist monks, respected and honoured in this Buddhist country, became involved in the protests
after police injured several people while breaking up a rally in the city of Pakokku on September 5.

More protests broke out, with thousands marching in Rangoon on September 24.
Protests on September 28 were broken up by the authorities, with soldiers shooting into crowds, killing
at least nine, and perhaps more, according to witnesses.

The government also cut off the country's internet connections, making it difficult, though not
impossible, for citizens to send pictures and video of the violence to the world.

Chronology:

Aug. 15--Government raises fuel prices

Aug. 19--Several hundred protesters rally in Yangon (Rangoon)

Aug. 21--Thirteen members of a pro-democracy group, the "88 Generation Students," are arrested

Sept. 5--Shots fired at monk's protest in Pakokku. Several people injured

Sept. 6--Buddhist monks hold 20 government officials hostage and demand an apology for the incident
on Sept. 5

Sept. 22--10,000 monks protest in the city of Mandalay, and opposition leader (and Nobel Peace Prize
winner), Aung San Suu Kyi meets and greets the monks in Yangon (Rangoon)

Sept. 24--Huge rally led by the monks draws 100,000 people to protest the government

Sept. 25--The military junta imposes a curfew and bans public gatherings

Sept. 26--Police and troops use tear gas, fire shots, beat and arrest several monks. Several Buddhist
monasteries are raided by government forces.

Sept. 27--Troops shoot into crowds of protesters, killing at least nine.

Sept. 28--Troops beat more protesters, swiftly broke up street gatherings, occupied influential Buddhist
monasteries and cut public Internet access
Parties in Myanmar

1. Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA)

2. Karen National Union-Karen National Liberation Army Peace Council

3. Kachin Independence Army (KIA)

4. Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)

5. Karenni Army (KA)

6. Karenni National People's Liberation Front (KNPLF)

7. Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army

8. Shan State Army-South (SSA-S)

9. Tatmadaw Kyi

This party has also been responsible for the killing and maiming and denial of humanitarian access to children in
the reporting period.

10. United Wa State Army (UWSA)

* Information based on the 2007 report of the Secretary General to the Security Council (A/62/609-S/2007/757)
issued on 21 December 2007

Timeline of Myanmar’s History

Date Events
1945 Japanese withdraw from Burma, British resume
control

1947 Negotiations begin for Burma’s independence;

Aung San assassinated

1948 Burma becomes independent under president Nu;

CPB leads rebellion

1949 Government discrimination against non-Burmese

increases

1955 Opposition unifies under National United Front

(NUF)

1969 Relations with China sour; Nu creates

government in exile in Thailand
Government declares amnesty, 2,000 rebels
1980 surrender; peace negotiations fail

US lends Burma helicopters, herbicide to fight

1986 drug production in guerilla areas
Ne Win changes currency denomination; students
1987 riot, military responds violently

CPB disintegrates; SLORC renames Burma as

1989 Myanmar; NLD leaders arrested

Aung San Suu Kyi released after 6 years of house

1995 arrest

Thailand and Myanmar clash openly; SLORC

2001 releases some NLD leaders, puts Aung San Suu
Kyi under house arrest

Aung San Suu Kyi put under house arrest

2003

2004 Government and Karen National Union (largest

ethnic army) agree to end fighting

2005 Terrorists bombings on Yangon

A rights group said Myanmar's military rulers

2006 have launched an offensive against separatist
guerrillas, attacking villages and forcing
thousands to flee in an attempt to quash a five-
decade insurgency by Karen ethnic rebels.

Burmese anti-government protests by monks

2007
Major cyclone hits Myanmar
2008