About Burma

The population of almost 50 million people within the country includes a rich variety of ethnic groups, of which the Burmans form a large majority.  The Shan, the Karen, the Rakhine, and the Mon form significant minorities.  Historically, these groups have been politically organized and culturally distinct from the Burmans.  Some of these groups share Burman Buddhist religious practice, while others are Christian or Animist.  Beyond the clearly identified ethnic groups, there are numerous small tribes which reside in the hills of the north and the islands in the south of the country.

Devotion to Buddhism is evident. Temples dot the landscape and the lay population supports monks with alms on a daily basis. Monasteries serve as community centers, host schools, “orphanages,” and provide limited health care.

Burma’s Economy

A resource rich land, Burma was once a relatively rich nation and a major exporter of food to neighbors; it is now one of the poorest countries in the world.  Burma’s most profitable export is illegal opium: the U.N. estimates that Burma was the world’s second largest producer of opium in 2007.  Other exports include natural gas, oil, and teak, all of which are classically “extractive” industries which threaten the environment and provide little ongoing benefit to the people in terms of long-term development.

Though agriculture comprises 70% of the economy, food security is now a major issue.  Inflation has spiraled into the high double digits.  The currency, the kyat, is not exchangeable on world markets and has lost value so rapidly in recent years that bundles of cash are required for even a bag of rice.

Burma’s Politics

Since the military coup in 1962, a single democratic election has been held (in 1990).  The results of that election—which overwhelmingly favored the National League for Democracy (the party of Aung San Suu Kyi)—were ignored by the junta.  Numerous political exiles and political prisoners were created in the bloody demonstrations of 1988 and again after demonstrations in 2007, as was a parallel government in exile. Ethnic armies remain active inside the country in opposition to the government. The list of “Failed States” published by Foreign Policy magazine regularly includes Burma.

International Relations with Burma
Although the U.S. and the European Union have implemented economic sanctions against Burma, this has not interrupted trade flows between Burma and its major trading partners, China, Thailand and India.

Civil Society

The most highly-functioning institutions within the country are the army and the Buddhist monastic community.  Both are estimated to number over 400,000 men.
Media is strictly controlled by the government and limited to state television and newspapers.  Internet connections are generally unreliable and have been completely shut down in periods of unrest such as September 2007.

Education at the elementary and high school levels is crude at best. Universities have been closed for years at a time to silence student activism.

Humanitarian Issues

Health care infrastructure is among the most limited in the world.  Neither acute nor chronic care is reliably available; access to medication is spotty.  HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other infectious disease is prevalent but no statistics are maintained.  Food security continues to be a major concern.

In May 2008, Cyclone Nargis struck the delta areas of the country.  Its aftermath plunged Burma even deeper into humanitarian crisis.  One month after the storm, the number of deaths was still being calculated, but is poised to reach—and potentially surpass—150,000.

Human Rights

As is the case with many impoverished nations, children are hard-hit by the country’s crises and have been forced into sex work, joining the military, and conducting physical labor.  Dissent of any kind is strictly—and often violently—repressed.  Since the junta took control of the country, an estimated 1-2 million people have fled.  The International Red Cross continues to document a large population of political prisoners.  The most famous of these is Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Laureate and democratically elected leader of Burma (1990).  She remains under house arrest indefinitely.  After the devastating cyclone of May 2008, her well-being remains unclear.

International Humanitarian Support

The government controls the activities of foreign aid organizations and limits access to the poorest areas of the country.  The government notably rejected the massive amounts of foreign aid attempted to be delivered after Cyclone Nargis hit the country in May 2008.  Ships from many nations were turned away and the small amount of aid workers who were allowed in were restricted largely to the capital.

Community-based local organizations, including monasteries and churches, are often the sole source of humanitarian support for the population.  For this reason, the Foundation for the People of Burma has developed its programs in close partnership with these local organizations.

Tourism

Though the government encourages tourism, many parts of the country are sealed off from foreign access and the tourist infrastructure serves only a few, picturesque areas in Rangoon, Mandalay and Pagan.

Burma is the largest country in Southeast Asia, yet it has been virtually hidden from world view since a military coup in 1962. Even its name has become a mystery.  The junta changed “Burma” to “Myanmar” in 1989; most English speaking nations and opponents of the military regime rejected the name change.