Country Profile
Burma,officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar is a country in South Asia and Southeast Asia.Both "Burma" and "Myanmar" are derived from the name of the majority Burmese Bamar Ethnic Group. "Myanmar" is considered to be the literary form of the name of the ethnic group, while "Burma" is derived from Bamar, the colloquial form of the name of the group.
Burma is divided inot 7 States and 7 Regions formerly called divisions which are further divided ino Districts
Burma is divided inot 7 States and 7 Regions formerly called divisions which are further divided ino Districts
Capital Naypyidaw
Currency Kyat
Population 60 Million (2010 Estimate)
Ethnic Groups 68% Burman;3% Chinese;2%Indian and 27% Others
Official Language Burmese
Religion 89% Buddhism;4%Christians;4%Islam and 3% Others
History
Historically, Burma was a Monarchy ruled by various dynasties prior to the 19th century. The British colonized Burma in the late 19th century, in April 1937 Burma became a separately administered colony of Great Britain and Ba Maw the 1st Prime Minister and Premier of Burma. Ba Maw was an outspoken advocate for Burmese self-rule and he opposed the participation of Great Britain, and by extension Burma, in World War II. He resigned from the Legislative Assembly and was arrested for sedition.
In 1940, before Japan formally entered the Second World War, Aung San formed theBurma Independence Army in Japan.
Burma was devastated during the Second World War. By March 1942, within months after they entered the war, Japanese troops had advanced on Rangoon and the British administration had collapsed. A Burmese Executive Administration headed by Baw Maw was established by the Japanese in August 1942.
Beginning in late 1944, allied troops launched a series of offensives that led to the end of Japanese rule in July 1945.
Aung San negotiated the Panglong Agreement with ethnic leaders that guaranteed the independence of Burma as a unified state. In 1947, Aung San became Deputy Chairman of the Executive Council of Burma, a transitional government. But in July 1947, political rivals backed by the British assassinated Aung San and several cabinet members.
On Jan 4, 1948, Burma became an Independent Republic, Named the Union of Burma, with Sao Shwe Thaik as its first President
and U Nu as its first Prime Minister.
On March 2,1962, the Military led by General Ne Win took control of Burma through a coup d'état and the government has been under direct or indirect control by the military
Between 1962 and 1974, Burma was ruled by a Revolutionary Council Headed by the General.A new Constitution of the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma was adopted in 1974, until 1988, the country was ruled as a one-party system, with the General and other military officers resigning and ruling through the Burma Socialist Programme Party(BSPP)
In 1988, unrest over economic mismanagement and political oppression by the government led to widespread pro-democracy demonstrations throughout the country known as the 8888 Uprising . Security forces killed thousands of demonstrators, and General Saw Maung staged a coup d'état and formed theState Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC)
In 1989, SLORC declared Martial Law after widespread protests. The military government finalised plans for People's Assembly elections on 31 May 1989. SLORC changed the country's official English name from the "Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma" to the "Union of Myanmar" in 1989.
In May 1990, the government held Free Elections for the first time in almost 30 years and the National League for Democracy (NLD), the Party of Aung San Suu Kyi(1991Nobel PeacePrize Winner) won 392 seats out of a total of 489 seats (i.e., 80% of the seats)
However, the military junta refused to cede power and continued to rule the nation as SLORC until 1997, and then as the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) until its dissolution in March 2011.
Government
Burma is governed as a Presidential Republic \ with a Bicameral Legislature, with a portion of legislatures appointed by the military and others elected in general elections. The current head of state, inaugurated as President on March 30,2011 is Thein Sein
.
Burma is governed as a Presidential Republic \ with a Bicameral Legislature, with a portion of legislatures appointed by the military and others elected in general elections. The current head of state, inaugurated as President on March 30,2011 is Thein Sein
.President of Burma
The President of Burma is the Head of State and Head of Govt. and heads the Cabinet.The president is elected by Members of Parliament,not by the general population. The Presidential Electoral College, a three committee body, elects the Presidentfor a 5 year term..Each of the three committees, made up of Amyotha Hluttaw, Pyithu Hluttaw members of parliament, or military-appointed lawmakers, nominates a candidate for presidency.The candidate with the highest number of votes from the Electoral College is elected president, while the two other candidates become vice-presidents.
Parliament of Burma
The legislature, called the Pyidaunsu Hluttaw is Bicameral -
Upper House Amyotha Hluttaw (House of Nationalities)has 224-seats of which 168 are directly elected and 56 are appointed by the Burmese Armed Forces
Lower House Pyithu Hluttaw (House of Representatives) has 440 seats of which 330 are directly elected and 110 are appointed by the Burmese Armed Forces.
2010 Burmese General Election - Nov 7,2010
A general election was held in accordance with the new constitution which was approved in a Referendum held in May 2008.The general election forms the fifth step of the seven-step''road-map to democracy'' proposed by the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) in 2003, the sixth and seventh steps being the convening of elected representatives and the building of a modern, democratic nation, respectively.
Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy(NLD) Party boycotted the election because many of its most prominent members were barred from standing.
3)National Democratic Force(NDF)
was formed by former members of the National League for Democracy(NLD), who chose to contest the 2010 General Election.NDFwon 12 seats for Pyithu Hluttaw, 4 seats for Amyotha Hluttaw
4)Shan Nationalities Democratic Party(SNDP)
is a political party representing the interests of the Shan Minority.In the 2010 General Election SNDP won 18 seats for Pyithu Hluttaw, 3 seats for Amyotha Hluttaw.
She also called for a freer media and a stronger judiciary.
Ms Suu Kyi's landmark message was the first time she was allowed to use state media to promote her political message.
2010 Burmese General Election - Nov 7,2010
A general election was held in accordance with the new constitution which was approved in a Referendum held in May 2008.The general election forms the fifth step of the seven-step''road-map to democracy'' proposed by the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) in 2003, the sixth and seventh steps being the convening of elected representatives and the building of a modern, democratic nation, respectively.
Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy(NLD) Party boycotted the election because many of its most prominent members were barred from standing.
New Election Laws
The first of five election laws was announced in March 2010, concerning the creation of an election commission.The Union Election Commission Law states that the military government will appoint all members of the commission and have the final say over the election results.
The second law bans anyone currently serving a prison term from belonging to a political party , possibly including Aung San Suu Kyi (depending on whether her house arrest is deemed to fall under the definition of "serving a prison term")
The Political Parties Registration Law also bars members of religious orders, members of insurgent groups 'as defined by the state' and foreigners from joining political parties.
The other laws stipulate that anyone currently serving a prison term is barred from running or voting in the elections for the upper and lower houses.A 224-member House of Nationalities will have 168 elected candidates and 56 nominated by the military chief, while the 440-member House of Representatives will have 330 elected civilians and 110 military representatives.The constituencies available for contesting are 330 civilian seats in thePyithu Hluttaw -House of Representatives (out of 440) and 168 civilian seats in the House of Nationalities (out of 224).The remaining seats are designated for military officials and to be selected by the military chief.
Political Parties
Parties are required to have at least 1,000 members to participate in the election and had to register by 6 June. 40 parties have been approved by the Electoral Commission to contest the elections.Some of the major political parties are -
1)Union Solidarity and Development Party(USDP)
is the successor to the Burmese Govt's mass organization, the Union Solidarity and Development Association headed by Burmese President Thein Sein
In the 2010 general election, the USDP won 883 seats out of 1154 total seats, 259 seats of 325 seats from Pyithu Hluttaw,129 seats of 168 seats from Amyotha Hluttaw and 495 seats of 661 seats from Region and State Hluttaw (holding the majority in all, except the Rakhine State Hluttaw)
2)National Unity Party(NUP)
was formed by the military junta as well as members of theBurma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP) to take part in the 1990 General Election in which the party was defeated by the National League for Democracy(NLD).NUP contested the 2010 General Elections as the main challenger of the Union Solidarity and Development Party(USDP), the de facto pro-regime party.In the 2010 general election,NUP won 12 seats for Pyithu Hluttaw, 5 seats for Amyotha Hluttaw and 46 seats for State and Region Hluttaws.
3)National Democratic Force(NDF)
was formed by former members of the National League for Democracy(NLD), who chose to contest the 2010 General Election.NDFwon 12 seats for Pyithu Hluttaw, 4 seats for Amyotha Hluttaw
4)Shan Nationalities Democratic Party(SNDP)
Aung San Suu Kyi makes landmark campaign speech
Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi(National League for Democracy (NLD) Party )has called for further political and judicial reforms in a landmark address on state-controlled media.
She called for "repressive laws" to be revoked, and constitutional reform and the "democratic rights of the people" to be better protected.She also called for a freer media and a stronger judiciary.
Ms Suu Kyi's landmark message was the first time she was allowed to use state media to promote her political message.
Aung San Suu Kyi was able to make the address under a government provision that allows parties contesting by-elections on 1 April to be given 15-minute slots on TV and Radio.
Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy Party Wins
45 constituencies of Myanmar went for polls on April 1, 2012.
The National League for Democracy (NLD) claimed victories in at least 19 of the 45 available seats and announced to loud cheers that the Nobel Peace Prize(in 1991) laureate had won in Kawhmu, southwest of the commercial capital Yangon, raising the prospect of a sizable political role following a two-decade struggle against military dictatorship. By winning a parliamentary seat, Myanmar’s pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi will hold public office for the first time, marking a new dawn in Myanmar's turbulent politics.
Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate ,who has spent a total of 15 years in detention since 1989, was contesting an election for the first time following her party's decision to end its boycott of a political system dominated by serving or retired military.
The by-elections - only the country's third in half a century - are a crucial test of reforms that could convince the West to end sanctions and its pariah image.
Aung San Suu Kyi who was freed from house arrest in November 2010, six days after a widely criticised general election that paved the way for the end of 49 years of direct army rule and the opening of a parliament stacked with retired and serving military.
The last election, in November 2010, was widely seen as rigged to favour the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), the biggest in parliament. The NLD boycotted the vote.
NLD sources said they had won all 11 seats where counting had been completed last night, including one in President Thein Sein's new capital Naypyidaw.
Early results indicated the NLD would win at least 75 per cent of the 45 by-elections in a "landslide victory". If confirmed, the results would give the NLD a block of 31 seats to create a vocal opposition in the parliament and put it in pole position to win the next general election in 2015.
Aung San Suu Kyi calls victory a “beginning of new era”
Aung San Suu Kyi claimed victory on Monday April 02,2012 in Myanmar’s historic by-election, saying she hoped it would mark the beginning of a new era for the long-repressed country.
Suu Kyi takes oath of office in Myanmar’s Parliament
Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was sworn in Wednesday May 02,2012 as a lawmaker for the first time, a key step in the country's recent shift toward democracy after decades of repressive military rule
Aung San Suu Kyi and 33 other newly elected members of her party, the National League for Democracy, took an oath of office for the lower house of parliament that they had initially refused to accept because of its wording, which called for protection of the country's constitution.
The NLD considers the constitution undemocratic and has said it wants to change it.
The party had asked the Myanmar authorities to adjust the wording of the oath to say that lawmakers would "abide by" the constitution rather than "protect" it.
On Monday, Suu Kyi and the NLD backed down from the demand to have the wording changed, ending the impasse
Suu Kyi given first passport in 24 years
Myanmar Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi received her first passport in 24 years ahead of a planned trip to Norway and Britain.(Suu Kyi has not had a passport since she returned to Myanmar in 1988 to take care of her ailing mother)
An official from her National League for Democracy party said the passport was received on Tuesday May 08,2012 from the Home Ministry.PM Manmohan Singh Visits Myanmar
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh(1st Indian PM to visit Myanmar in 25 years)and Myanmar President Thein Sein Monday May 28,2012held talks at the 100-room presidential palace.
Manmohan Singh's visit will be a signal to India Inc to do business with and in Myanmar, a country rich in natural resources.India-Myanmar trade is currently pegged at just $1.2 billion. New Delhi is looking at doubling it by 2015.
The last Indian PM to have visited Myanmar was the late Rajiv Gandhi in 1987.Suu Kyi in Thailand
Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday May 30,2012 began her first trip abroad in 24 years by telling an ecstatic crowd of Myanmar migrants in Thailand she would do all she could to help them.Aung San Suu Kyi who spent 15 of the past 22 years under house arrest, refused to travel abroad in the past — even to see her dying husband — because of fears she would never be allowed to return.
Suu Kyi makes her parliamentary debut
Aung San Suu Kyi is attending Myanmar’s parliament as a lawmaker for the first time on Monday July 09,2012.The latest parliament session is expected to see the appointment of a new vice president. Lawmakers are also expected to take up legislation on topics ranging from press freedom to new foreign investment laws.
Suu Kyi Speaks at Parliament
Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi used her first speech in Parliament on Wednesday July 25,2012 to call for laws protecting the rights of the country’s impoverished ethnic minorities.
“Based on the spirit of equality, mutual respect and understanding,” she said, “I would like to urge all lawmakers to enact necessary laws or amend laws to protect the rights of ethnic nationalities.”
Suu Kyi's landmark US visit
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