History of Burma

The people of the Southeast Asian country of Burma are locked in one of the world's greatest freedom struggles. The country's military rulers, the State Peace and Development Council, have run the country with an iron fist for the past 15 years, after they assumed power from a 26-year socialist dictatorship. In 1988, students, professionals, and others launched a nationwide uprising aimed at bringing an end to authoritarian rule during which millions of people courageously marched on the streets, calling for freedom and democracy.

Burma's current military rulers responded by gunning down thousands of demonstrators and imprisoning thousands more in one of Southeast Asia's bloodiest episodes in recent history. The leader of the demonstrations, Min Ko Naing (pronounced Min Ko Nine), has been held behind bars ever since, where approximately 1,400 political prisoners remain. The most recognizable face of Burma , 1991 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi (pronounced Daw Aung Saw Sue Chee), has remained under house arrest for 12 of the past 18 years, and has recently been moved to Insein prison where countless stories of horrifying prisoner brutality are often reported.

Worried that they could not hold on to power in 1988, the ruling generals announced they would hold a democratic election. Aung San Suu Kyi and many allies formed a political party, which they named the National League for Democracy (NLD). The party went on to win the election in a landslide victory in 1990, garnering an astounding 82% of the seats in parliament, even though many pro-democracy leaders were already imprisoned. Tragically, instead of permitting the electoral winners to assume office, the regime has maintained its grip on power ever since.

In 1996, students again organized major protests on the streets of Rangoon, with thousands conducting sit-down demonstrations at key traffic intersections. The regime responded again by force, brutally beating them with batons and water canons, and arresting hundreds. This time, a videographer managed to capture some of the events on camera, which were then shown on CNN and other news stations.

In May 2003, Burma again made international headlines when Aung San Suu Kyi, just released from house arrest a year earlier, was traveling on a speaking tour near Mandalay, Burma's second largest city. During her tour, approximately 600 members of her caravan were brutally attacked by the political arm of the regime, the Union Solidarity and Development Association. Up to 100 supporters were brutally beaten to death with blunt clubs, bamboo sticks, and spears, while Aung San Suu Kyi narrowly escaped assassination. She was held in prison and is now under total house arrest.

At the same time, many of Burma 's ethnic groups, including the Karen, Shan, and others, have been waging armed freedom struggles against the regime, some for nearly 60 years. The regime’s, intent on ethnic cleansing has been implemented with unthinkable force through rape, torture, forced displacement, and more. Reports of some of the world's most horrific human rights abuses have been documented by government and credible organizations in Burma's ethnic regions, yet the ethnic minorities led by the Karen, never give up their fight for freedom and peace.

Recently inside Burma ’s capital, a monk-led revolution of peaceful protests has made headline news. The Burmese people of all ethnic groups have taken to the streets demanding for Democracy! Democracy! Democracy! They cried! And yet again, the Military Junta has reacted with brutal force and killing. So far, over a dozen deaths have been reported, but this is just the beginning. Due to the difficulty of journalists and reporters getting inside Burma , it is very likely these numbers are grossly understated.

It has been estimated that the Burmese Military Junta has been responsible for somewhere in the realm of 10 million deaths. 10 million! No one will ever know the true number since so many of Burma ’s ethnic minorities don’t have birth certificates, and thus no death certificates. However, the number of people is irrelevant, the fact is, these are PEOPLE. People like you and me who are fighting to stay alive, and hoping for a free tomorrow.