Capital: Rangoon
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Introduction Burma (also known as Myanmar) is one of the poorest countries in the world. Under military control many of the nation's key industries have been all but destroyed. Once a leading exporter of rice Burma now produces barely enough of the staple to meet domestic demand. Burma's most famous political activist, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been put under house arrest by the military. Ethnic rivalry is a major source of tension.
Issues
History From the 11th century AD onwards the territory of Burma went through periods of unity followed by chaos, as different racial groups laid claim to the land. By the 19th century, Britain had established firm rule of India, and turned its attentions to neighbouring Burma. After three Anglo-Burmese wars, Burma came under British control as a province of India in 1886. However, a nationalist movement soon emerged and Burma was separated from India in 1937, becoming a self-governing protectorate. Japan invaded the Burmese capital, Rangoon, in 1942 with the help of a group of anti-colonialists called the Burma Independence Army (BIA). The Japanese granted Burma independence in August, 1943. However, tension soon developed between the Japanese and Burmese and the BIA captured Rangoon, setting up transitional rule under leader Aung San. Independence was declared in January 1948, despite the assassination six months earlier of Aung San and six other members of the transitional government. Almost immediately, communists and various ethnic insurgencies threatened the stability of the new nation. In 1962, the military staged a coup claiming calls for independence from ethnic groups presented a threat to political stability. For the next decade, Burma's parliament and constitution were suspended and the country's one political party, the military-dominated Burmese Socialist Party, ruled. In 1987, student-led demonstrations triggered a 12-month period of turmoil. In September 1988, the military killed an estimated 3,000 pro-democracy demonstrators and then formed the State Law and Order Restoration Council, promising it would hold an election. In the interim, it declared a state of emergency and changed the name of the country to Myanmar. The opposition quickly formed a party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) with Aung San's daughter, Aung San Suu Kyi, as its leader. She was soon placed under house arrest. The military allowed for elections in 1990, which delivered an overwhelming victory to the NLD. The junta made a vague promise that it would hand over power once a new constitution was drawn, but stated the following year it would not hand over power in the near future. Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, and in July 1995 she was finally released, much to the delight of the Burmese people. However, she was banned from leaving the capital, and was re-arrested in September 2000 after attempting to leave the city. The pro-democracy leader was released again in 2002, with both sides pledging to hold talks on democratic reform. However, Ms Suu Kyi was arrested again in May 2003 following an attack on her convoy in the country's north. Despite considerable international pressure, she remains under house arrest. In March 2004 the ruling junta announced the convening of a National Convention, aimed at drafting a new constitution. It went ahead in May of that year despite boycotts by several groups, including the main opposition, whose leader Aung San Suu Kyi remained under house arrest. The talks were adjourned in July 2004, resuming at different times in 2005 and 2006 with no outcome. Government Burma is run by a military dictatorship. The country's cabinet is made up almost entirely of members of the armed forces. The military came into power after staging a coup in 1988. It then established the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) to rule the country until elections could be held. In 1997, the SLORC changed its name to the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). Multi-party elections were held in 1990, which were won in a landslide by the National League for Democracy (NLD). However, the military junta refused to cede power to the NLD, and still rules the country. Economy Burma is one of the world's poorest nations. Its economy is based primarily on agriculture, which employs more than 60 per cent of the workforce. Before World War II, Burma was the world's major exporter of rice, but a growing population and government trade restrictions have recently kept most of Burma's rice supplies within the country. Only about 15 per cent of Burma's land area is cultivated. Other crops include maize, pulses, beans, sugar cane and peanuts. Opium and cannabis are also grown for the international illegal drug trade. The country is rich in minerals but production is at a low level. Burma's main industries include textiles and footwear, wood products, paper, petroleum refining, fertilisers, pharmaceuticals and mining of copper, tin and tungsten. Between 1962 and 1988, the Burmese government began nationalising most industries in an attempt to develop the economy. But this ended in failure and in the 1990s the economy was opened up to competition. Foreign investment is encouraged. Despite some reform, Burma's economy is in near ruin. Government-owned businesses are losing money, while the black market is flourishing. The Burmese government spends heavily on the military. Sanctions imposed by the US on Burma during the 1990s and tightened in 2003 following the re-arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi have worsened the nation's economic outlook. |
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