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FBC-SA |
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Free Burma Campaign, South Africa |
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Burma (South East Asia) |
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About Burma |
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It’s Burma, Not Myanmar!
Our country's name is Burma.
But in 1989, the military junta changed the English version of its name from Burma to Myanmar, along with changes to the English versions of many place names in the country, such as its former capital city from Rangoon to Yangon.
We, Burmese democratic groups continue to use the name "Burma" since we do not recognize the legitimacy of the ruling military government nor its authority to rename the country.
Burma
Burma in the 1950s was one of the wealthiest countries in Southeast Asia, holding great promise for the future. Newly independent from Britain, and blessed with an outstanding educational system, hardworking peoples, and a resource-rich countryside, many expected the country to be the economic powerhouse of Southeast Asia.
Tragically, the exact opposite has happened within forty-four years of oppressive military rule.
Burma, renamed Myanmar by the current Military regime, has for years been criticised as a brutal military dictatorship, a succession of whom have held power since 1962.
On 8th Aug 1988 there was a spontaneous but un-coordinated national uprising led by students. This became known as the 8-8-88 movement. The army came down and shot brutally on the demonstrators, killing more than 3,000 in the capital Rangoon alone in one day. At least 10,000 demonstrators were killed across the country. Thousands of students and others fled to the 'Liberated Areas' and forged alliances with ethnic resistance movements.
In September 1989 the army staged a coup and promised to hold elections. Due to internal and international pressure, and thinking that they had the populace cowed the Junta held a national election in 1990. The National League for democracy led by Aung San Suu Kyi won a landslide 82% victory, the military backed party polled 2%. Ethnic groupings took the rest.
Realizing it had badly miscalculated, the military refused to recognize the election results and instead jailed many of the members of parliament-elect. Of the 392 NLD members elected to Parliament in 1990, only 87 are still alive in politics; 105 have been jailed, 79 have been forced into silence, 73 have died and 54 have gone into exile. Aung San Suu Kyi – NLD leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient - remains under house arrest for over 11 years.
The Role of UN in Burma
UN Security Council: The UN General Assembly and UN Commission on Human Rights have passed a total of 28 consecutive non-binding resolutions on Burma, all of which have been ignored by Burma's military junta.
On September 20th 2005 Vaclav Havel and Desmond Tutu publish a report called “Threat to the Peace: A Call for the UN Security Council to Act in Burma.” It calls on UNSC members to pass a resolution requiring the regime to work with the United Nations in restoring democracy to Burma, and to release Aung San Suu Kyi and all prisoners of conscience.
On 16 December 2005 the first ever debate on Burma was held at the UN Security Council. On 31 May 2006, the UN Security Council held a second briefing on Burma following a visit to Burma by UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Ibrahim Gambari, in late May 2006 when he met regime head Than Shwe and Aung San Suu Kyi.
On 30 September 2006 the UN Security Council held its first formal discussion on Burma. On 12 January 2007 South Africa, China and Russia vetoed a resolution requiring the restoration of democracy to Burma.
A LUTA CONTINUA |
