Ryan Mark

Government-

The government of Myanmar is a military junta that has been in power for the last 48 years and

counting. The government, known as the State Peace and Development council, has committed

many atrocities against its own citizens. The list includes fear tactics, abductions, false

imprisonments, rape and torture, suspending the constitution, no freedom of press, beatings, and

killings. With complete disregard for their citizens, they continue these acts and seek to

legitimize their power through false elections.

From 1990 to 2002, the government went to great lengths to change how people viewed

them. These actions included proceeding to try and draft a new constitution that gave the

military absolute control, creating new organizations to further its power, doubling its troop

strength over 12 years, changing its name from State Law and Restoration Council (SLORC) to

the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) and most importantly, arranged cease-fire

agreements with most of the ethnic insurgent groups. [ CITATION Mya11 \l 1033 ] These actions

served as the government’s testament that they would never give up power easily.

Opposition to the Government-

The main group in opposition to the government is known as the National League for

Democracy. Aung San Suu Kyi is the leader of the organization, but has been under house arrest

numerous times in the last 20 years. During the 1990 elections, the NLD completely swept the

government by winning 4/5ths of the parliament seats. [ CITATION Bac10 \l 1033 ] They were

never allowed to take power and many of them were jailed. Aung San Suu Kyi has continued to

be an inspirational leader to the insurgent groups within Myanmar. Because of this, the

government cannot “pacify” her without creating a martyr.

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Other groups such as the United Nations, the European Union, United States of America,

and other countries have stated their opposition to Myanmar’s government and have invoked

economic sanctions, which restrict trade and aid to the country.

Events most important to demonstrating the conflict

1. During the summer of 1988, student led demonstrations erupted in Rangoon. Another

military coup occurred under the direction of General Saw Maung.[ CITATION Mya11 \l

1033 ] More than 1,000 demonstrators were killed during the military coup, and during

which, Aung San Suu Kyi “assumed the role of opposition leader”. [ CITATION Bac10 \l

1033 ] During the same month, the new military junta, called the State Law and Order

Restoration Council (SLORC) suspended the constitution, and killed an additional 3,000

students to end the protests, and declared martial law. [ CITATION Bac10 \l 1033 ]

2. After the protests were subdued, SLORC never lifted the martial law initiative, but used it

to set up free elections in 1990. During these elections, Aung San Suu Kyi’s National

League for Democracy part, won 392 of the 485 seats in parliament, even though she was

under house arrest and unable to campaign. The military refused to give up control, call

parliament into session, and imprisoned many opponents in an effort to stay in power.

[ CITATION Bac10 \l 1033 ]

3. The government became known during late 2007 when peaceful protests were started by

monks. Soon, they gathered more people until the government went to the streets and

began shooting into crowds, disrobing monks, ransacking monasteries, arresting

protestors, beating people, and detaining thousands of people. The confirmed kills by the

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government are stated as 10, yet numbers reported to the UN state that over 30 fatalities

were because of the protests [ CITATION Mya11 \l 1033 ]

4. During 2008, a new constitution was drawn up, and was voted on May 10th, and 24th. The

problem was that on May 3rd, a tornado hit Myanmar and affected 2.4 million people.

The vote was unjust, and the government stated that 92.48% of voters approved the

constitution, and 98% of voters showed up to vote. [ CITATION Mya11 \l 1033 ] This was a

bold lie that caused an international outcry.

5. Since 1990, Aung San Suu Kyi was under house arrest most of the time, yet she still was

a major player in the Myanmar conflict. This did not matter because while the

government was setting up new elections for November of 2010, it stated that anyone

married to a foreigner or convicted of a crime against the state was not eligible to be a

candidate. This small percentage included Aung San Suu Kyi, who was married to a

British citizen. [ CITATION Mya11 \l 1033 ] Under this, the NLD was forced to disband in

May 2010. Under these elections, the two biggest political parties were the USDP and

the NUP, both of which are pro-military junta. They won by a landslide, and almost the

entire international community claim that the elections were just a means for the military

junta to legitimize its power.

Works Cited

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Burma. (2010, July 28). Retrieved January 24, 2011, from US Department of State:
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35910.htm

Myanmar. (n.d.). Retrieved January 24, 2011, from Britannica World Data:
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/400119/Myanmar