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Myanmar's prehistory
begins with the migration of three groups into the country: the first
were Mons from what is now Cambodia, then came Mongol Burmans from the
eastern Himalayas and later came Thai tribes from northern Thailand.
The 11th-century Burman kingdom of Bagan was the first to gain control
of the territory that is present-day Myanmar, but it failed to unify
the disparate racial groups and collapsed before a Tartar invasion in
1287. For the next 250 years, Burma remained in chaos, and the
territory was not reunified until the mid-16th century when a series
of Taungoo kings extended their domain and convincingly defeated the
Siamese. In the 18th century, the country fractured again as Mons and
hill tribes established their own kingdoms. In 1767, the Burmans
invaded Siam and sacked Ayuthaya, forcing the Siamese to move their
capital to Bangkok.
Occasional border clashes and British imperialist ambitions caused the
British to invade in 1824, and then again in 1852 and 1883. Burma
became a part of British India and the British built the usual
colonial infrastructure, and developed the country into a major rice
exporter. Indians and Chinese arrived with the British to complicate
the racial mix. In 1937, Burma was separated from British India and
there was nascent murmuring for self-rule. The Japanese drove the
British from Burma in WW II and attempted to enlist Burman support
politically. The Burmans were briefly tempted by an opportunity for
independence, but a resistance movement soon sprang up. In 1948, Burma
became independent and almost immediately began to disintegrate as
hill tribes, communists, Muslims and Mons all revolted.
In 1962 a left-wing army revolt led by General Ne Win deposed the
troubled democratic government and set the country on the path of
socialism. The Burman economy crumbled over the next 25 years until,
in 1987 and 1988, the Burman people decided they had had enough. Huge
demonstrations called for Ne Win's resignation and massive
confrontations between pro-democracy demonstrators and the military
resulted in 3000 deaths in a six-week period. Several puppets were
appointed by Ne Win and then a military coup (believed to be
instigated by Ne Win) saw General Saw Maung and his State Law & Order
Council (SLORC) take control. The new leader promised elections in
1989.
The opposition quickly formed a coalition party called the National
League for Democracy (NLD), under the leadership of Aung San Suu Kyi,
the daughter of independence hero Bogyoke Aung San. In 1989, the
government placed Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest, but despite her
imprisonment, the National League for Democracy scored an overwhelming
victory at the polls.
The junta prevented the elected party leaders, including Aung San Suu
Kyi, from taking office and then went about the brutal business of
quashing Karen rebels and engaging the private army of drug baron Khun
Sa. Reports of Khun Sa's 'house arrest' at a cushy villa in Rangoon
with personal aides, luxury cars, a military escort and a hotel and
real estate empire has given rise to the suspicion of a smacked-out
peace deal between Rangoon and Khun Sa's Heroin Inc.
During Aung San Suu Kyi's imprisonment, she won several international
peace prizes, including the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. Much to the joy
of the Burmese people and her supporters abroad, the government
released her in July of 1995. However, she was prevented from
traveling outside of Rangoon, and was arrested again in September 2000
after trying to leave the city.
Hopes seemed dim for reform at that point, but by October 2000, Aung
San Suu Kyi was holding secret talks with the government through a
United Nations negotiator. The talks seem to have finally paid off -
Myanmar's military government released her in May 2002. She is now 'at
liberty to carry out all activities,' according to the government,
without the restrictions that marred her previous release. Both sides
pledge to continue discussions, and Aung San Suu Kyi intends to bring
democracy to her country, even if it takes years. 'It's a new dawn for
the country,' she said, 'we only hope the dawn will move very
quickly.' Whether the junta is willing to make good on promises of
reform remains to be seen, but Myanmar's future looks brighter than it
has in more than a decade. |
