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THE FORGOTTEN WAR in BURMA Introduction Imagine If THE FORGOTTEN WAR IN BURMA Introduction Imagine if . sources and the organization of its Focus Imagine if the prime minister of Canada economy, many believed that Burma For half a century, decided to move the nation’s capital could become a major player on the the military regime from Ottawa to Sioux Lookout, Ontario. world stage. By 1945, several groups governing Burma (known today as Imagine if the reason for doing this was within Burma had positioned themselves Myanmar) has been based on the need to relocate the govern- to lead an independent nation as the waging war on its ment to a more remote area for fear of a British began to relinquish control of the minority groups. coup d’état by dissident factions within colony. However, in 1947, the infighting This News in Re- the nation. Then imagine that the fear of began as Aung San, the founder of the view module a coup is warranted since many people in independence movement, was assassi- examines the plight Canada live in abject poverty and the nated by rivals. Once the British granted of the people of Burma, particularly Canadian military routinely wages war full independence to Burma, the wheels the nation’s ethnic on the nation’s ethnic minority groups. for ethnic conflict were set in motion. minority groups In this imaginary scenario, the Canadian Civil war between the dominant Bur- who have long government is the epitome of xenopho- mese and several other ethnic minority been the target of bia—possessing a powerful fear of groups erupted. While Burma strove to the ruling military potential enemies—seeing bogeymen contain the conflict with modest demo- junta. around every corner, fearing invasion cratic reforms, hard-liners in the military from foreign powers, and, most of all, began to position themselves as dictators Definitions being terrified of what its own citizenry of the nation. In 1962 Ne Win, a com- A coup d’état is the might do to them given the opportunity. mander in the army, took the reigns of overthrow of a Such a scenario is dystopian in the power via a coup. While the civil war government by a eyes of most Canadians. Canada has a raged on, Ne Win and his military group seeking to record of honouring human rights, government put a stranglehold on the grab power, usually promoting democratic values, and defending ethnic groups. Minority groups were by force; xenopho- kept in line by use of terror: the torching bia means fear and the interests of minority groups. How- hatred of strangers ever, many Canadian immigrants come of villages, the rape and murder of or the unfamiliar; to our nation having left scenarios like citizens, mass arrests, executions, and the word dystopian the imaginary one posed above. Such is forced emigration. Meanwhile the gov- refers to the oppo- the case for the Karens of Burma, 2 000 of ernment did whatever it wanted. site of utopia—if whom have been granted refugee status It wasn’t until 1988 that any serious utopia is the per- by the Canadian government. They have threat was posed to Ne Win. When the fect world, dystopia is a nightmarish left a nation where the government has dictator decided to devalue the nation’s world of chaos and turned its back on its citizens, resorted to currency, many people lost their life terror. brutality to maintain power, and waged savings. Protests ensued, Ne Win was war on its ethnic and cultural minorities forced out of office, and the army came down hard on the people. As many as YV Sections A Nation of Promise 3 000 were killed in skirmishes between marked with this the military and progressive, pro-democ- symbol indicate While its colonial ties with Britain did content suitable for prove problematic at times for Burma, it racy groups. Aung San Suu Kyi, the younger viewers. was the ability to broker a deal with the daughter of the independence leader British at the end of the Second World killed in 1947, took the lead of the War that made Burma the potential National League for Democracy (NLD) bright light of South Asia. Envied by and rallied the people behind democratic many for its abundance of natural re- reform. In 1990, the NLD won a shock- CBC News in Review • March 2007 • Page 31 ing, landslide victory in the nation’s that shares a border with Thailand. Since Further Research parliamentary elections despite the fact the civil war began many of the Karen To stay informed that the military government had de- people have been murdered by the about events in Burma, consider a clared martial law and had prevented Burmese army. Thousands have fled visit to the follow- Aung San Suu Kyi from campaigning by their homes and crossed the border into ing Web sites: placing her under house arrest. For her Thailand. Some have been living in Thai www.myanmar.com efforts, Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel refugee camps for as long as 30 years. and Peace Prize in 1991. Despite efforts to organize guerilla www.myanmar- armies to combat the national army, the information.net. situation at present can only be described These are govern- Xenophobia and the Karens ment-directed. For Instead of accepting the will of its people as dire. The government has the power, more information after the election results were announced, and the people have seen their fighting about the plight the military junta strengthened its grip on efforts overwhelmed by a much better and point of view the nation. The election results were equipped and trained military force. of the Karen peo- ignored. The government changed the ple visit country’s name from Burma to Myanmar Conclusion www.womenof burma.org and to more effectively reflect the Burmese In a surprising move in fall 2005, the www.karenpeople.org. language of the ruling class. Defence regime decided to move the capital from For more on Karen spending went up as the government Yangon (Rangoon) over 300 kilometres human rights, go to tripled the size of its army. Today, north to the city of Pyinmana. While the www.khrg.org. Burma has the second largest army in military rulers claimed that the move Southeast Asia, almost 500 000 strong. It was designed to make the government spends five times more on its military more accessible because Pyinmana is than it does on health care and education more centrally located, many believe that combined. Meanwhile, the people of the move was designed to protect the Burma live in poverty, while the ruling government from a potential coup. The class lives like kings. The average income shift deep into the jungles of Burma is $10 to $20 per month. The private allows the government of Burma to banking system is in disrepair, and the isolate itself even further from the reality nation’s currency is virtually worthless. of the people it governs. Meanwhile, the The people feeling the brunt of the nation becomes poorer, the people regime’s xenophobic policies are the become more destitute, and the military nation’s ethnic minorities. No group has junta continues to do whatever it wants. been hit harder than the Karens. Most of The dystopian nightmare—the one that the Karen community lives in the state of Canadians find unimaginable—is a reality Karen on the southeast side of Burma for the people of Burma. Questions 1. Why does the author use the “Imagine if . .” scenario at the beginning of the article? 2. How did Burma change from a nation of great promise to a nation caught in the grips of civil war? 3. Who is Aung San Suu Kyi? 4. Describe three things that demonstrate the difficulties of being a citizen of Burma today. 5. Why did the government decide to move the capital from Yangon to Pyinmana? 6. Should anything that happens in Burma be of interest to Canadians? Explain. CBC News in Review • March 2007 • Page 32 THE FORGOTTEN WAR IN BURMA YV Video Review 1. How long has Delia Si lived without a home or a country? _______________ View the documen- tary and complete 2. In what country is the refugee camp where Delia Si has been living? the questions in the spaces provided. 3. Who are the Karens? 4. How many Karens are there in Burma? _________________________________ 5. Why is the work of the Burma issues video team so dangerous? 6. Why does Phillip Thornton believe Burma should be treated as an interna- tional problem? 7. How many refugees does Thornton think are living in refugee camps? 8. How many refugees does Thornton say are in jungle hideouts in Burma? 9. Describe the mission and work of the 300 backpack medics who sneak into Burma whenever they get a chance. 10. How will the orientation class prepare Delia Si for life in Canada? 11. How difficult do you think it will be for Delia Si to settle in Canada? 12. How many Karen people will be heading to Canada in 2007?_____________ CBC News in Review • March 2007 • Page 33 THE FORGOTTEN WAR IN BURMA Country Profile Major languages: Burmese and many other indigenous ethnic languages Major religions*: Buddhism (89%), Christianity (4%), Islam (4%) Area: 676 552 square kilometers Main exports: Teak, pulses (edible seeds) and beans, prawns, fish, rice and opiates Type of government: Military dictator- ship known as the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). The SPDC was formerly known as the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). Head of state: Than Shwe, Chairman of Why might Burma be a nation where the State Peace and Development military security is a central issue? Council (SPDC); Than Shwe is also the defence minister.
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