Aung San Suu Kyi and Burmese Democracy

3 river valleys: IRRAWADDY, SALWEEN, SITTAUG

HENGDUAN MOUNTAINS (to 19,000 feet) border China. Other mountain ranges run north to south and separate the fertile river valleys.

Burmese – all citizens of Burma (or Myanmar)Burmans – the largest ethnic group

About 61 million BurmeseBurmans mostly occupy the river valleys. Minority tribes are in hills and coastal regions.

89 percent Buddhist:4 percent Christian

4 percent Muslim

1.5 percent Hindu

1 percent animist

A small number of Jews

Sule Paya pagoda, downtown Yangon

PAGAN EMPIRE - 11TH

TO 13TH

CENTURIES

Pagan with its thousands of stupas

Various kingdoms with centers at Ava, Toungoo and other centers vied for supremacy from the 13th to 18th century..

The KonbaungDynasty (1752-1885) was Burma’s last before the British conquest.

British took Lower Burma, 1824-26 –15,000 British died, cost £5 million

British officers in 3rd Burmese War. By 1886, Burma was part of British India

THE BRITISH EMPIRE SWALLOWED BURMA IN THREE GULPS, 1825-86

Thebaw, 1878-85: Burma’s last king

Under British rule, 1826-1947

• Expanded rice cultivation and exports• Burmese borrowed to finance expansion and

lost lands to Indian moneylenders• Indians opened businesses, took many jobs• Christian missionaries were encouraged• Many Burmese were impoverished

British brought law and order, peace, better health care, western education

You’ll find a British legacy in Yangon

It’s easy to find a “fixer-upper,” but with the improved economy . . .

BURMA HAS A VARIETY OF PEOPLE, LANGUAGES, CULTURES . . .

AND FACES

Thanakha is wood powder applied as a makeup and sun block

140,000 Karen refugees are living in camps in Thailand

Extensive use of child labor – about 33% of kids ages 6 to 16

Guys in skirts?

They’re called LONGYIs and are a native dress of Burma

LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH

MEN – 64.6WOMEN- 68.7

Burma’s average per capita income in 2012 was $1400

Rakhinepeople

Not Burmese citizensStateless – no passportsTreated as illegalsMuslims – from Bangladesh and Bengal

Kachin separatists battle for their own nation – or at least autonomy

Buddhism influences the lives of the people

Siddhartha Gautama, 563-486 BCEBirth leads to illness and death.

Happiness is temporary and ultimately unsatisfactory.

The highest aim is Nirvana – a sort of cosmic oblivion.

Many young men become novitiates and some join monasteries

500,000 monks & nuns in Burma

World’s largest reclining Buddha– at Mawlamyine near Mudon

In addition to Buddhism . . . nats

World War II

Japan conquered British Burma.

Some Burmese fought for Japan to gain independence for Burma. Others –particularly minority people – sided with the British.

British, Americans and Burmese fought on during the Japanese occupation

Aung San –father of AungSan Suu Kyi AND father of Burma’s independence.

He negotiated independence with the Attlee government in London

July 19, 1947 – six months before independence

A political rival assassinated Prime Minister Aung San and five cabinet members

In 1971 Suu Kyi married Oxford Professor Michael Aris (1948-99)

January 4, 1948: A nation is born

Burmese U Thant, UN Secretary General, 1961-71

U Nu, p.m. 1947-56

This elected prime minister proclaimed that Burma would be a socialist nation. He nationalized land.Civil wars were ongoing.None of this helped the economy.

Mining for rubies – among Burma’s rich natural resources

Myanmar produces 50 million tons of rice per annum

Logging teak is a major industry

A great wealth of natural resources

• Called the “Rice Bowl” of Southeast Asia• Wood – especially teak • Coal, gas, oil• Tin, wolfram, lead, zinc, silver, copper, nickel• Rubies, sapphires, diamonds

So, how did Myanmar/Burma become an economic basket case?

Military Dictatorship

1962-2010

Ne Win, pm 1958-81

March 2, `1962 – He overthrew the elected government and began a long military dictatorship. Chinese and Indians were expelled. Protests were suppressed violently.

The economy tanked.

Running the economy into the ground

• Lack of skilled labor• Foreign investment discouraged• Infrastructure decrepit – 19th century railroads• Government printed money – high inflation• Military owned and ran all forestry, mining,

industry• Foreign governments applied sanctions due to

lack of human rights

State Law and Order Revolutionary Council – known as SLORC

1987 – new 45 & 90 kyat notes

All currency not divisible by or which can add up to nine was invalidated.

Millions were impoverished.

Insiders were forewarned to change their currency.

Why: Nine is lucky; others numbers may not be.

8-8-88 Riots, Rangoon. Students and others protested the currency. 3000

died, but Ne Win resigned

1990 elections – Suu Kyi campaigning

In 1990 Suu Kyi’s League for Democracy won 80%. So the military junta arrested her.

1991: Aung San Suu Kyi won the Nobel Peace Prize while under house arrest

Gen. Saw MaungProclaimed the ‘Law and Order Restoration Council. He ruled 1988-92..

He promised elections in 1990. Aung San SuuKyi won, but was arrested. Saw Maungwas replaced by real hardliners in 1992.

Suu Kyi encouraged the Burmese people in their struggle for democracy

“Saffron” Revolution, 2007

The junta removed fuel subsidies. The cost of natural gas rose 500%. Food, transportation rose in price.

Thousands marched, demanding justice.100s were maimed and many killed.

Cyclone Nargis, May 2-3 2008

Estimates of number dead vary from 156,000 to a million.

The junta refused foreign contributions of food, water, medical attention.

A month later visas were issued for some foreign aid workers.

General Than Schwe

He ruled as chair of the military junta and commander in chief from 1992-2011. Finally he authorized elections, which ushered in liberalization.

March 2011: Transition to ‘Disciplined Democracy’ -- quasi-military rule

Gen. Thein Sein, pm 2007-11; president since 2012

‘Disciplined Democracy,’ March 2011

• Military junta dissolved itself• Censorship eased• Political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi

were released• Labor unions and strikes were permitted• Tourism encouraged• Foreign investment accepted• Multi-party elections

2012 Campaign winner

2012: National League for Democracy won 43 of 45 available seats

2011-12: Return to democracy had a big payoff for Myanmar• The US and the EU lifted sanctions• Hillary Clinton visited Myanmar• Suu Kyi visited the White House• President Obama came to Rangoon

Naypyidaw new capital, opened 2005, 200 miles north of Yangon

Schwedagon Pagoda

A couple of really good novels about the British period

2011

Comes fairly close to what really happened.

The lead actress is so good, some people think Suu Kyi is playing herself.

IN SPITE OF POVERTY, PEOPLE OF BURMA ARE SUPRISINGLY HAPPY

Thank goodness, time for a break!