Politics of Myanmar
Myanmar (formerly Burma) (Burmese: မြန်မာ) operates de jure as a unitary assembly-independent presidential republic under its 2008 constitution.
In the time period between 1510 and 1752, the area was united as Burma by the Toungoo dynasty, which was the largest Southeast Asian empire in the 16th century.
During World War II, a coalition of mostly members of the Bamar ethnic group volunteered to fight alongside the Japanese in hope of overthrowing the occupying British forces.
This conflict would come to be very significant in the aftermath of World War II when Burma was granted its independence from Great Britain in 1948.
Prior to the end of their colonization, the British government had created a novel map of the country with new borders that included some previously sovereign ethnicities.
Aung San, who led the fight for independence, was able to convince the leaders of the other ethnic groups that fought alongside the Burmese to remain as one country.
The formation of the new Burmese constitution in 1948 was cemented by the Pin-Lone agreement, which was signed by every ethnic leader in support of the newfound union.
Aung San's unprecedented assassination prior to the absolute fulfillment of the Pin-Lone agreement undid the unification he led.
His death marked the end of the short lived period of peace within the new nation, unleashing a power vacuum that has not been filled properly since.
Beginning in the late 1950s, and continuing through at least 2024, Myanmar's military has played a major role in shaping or directing the country's politics.
From 1962 to 1988, the country was ruled by the Burma Socialist Programme Party as a one-party state guided by the Burmese Way to Socialism.
The newfound Burmese nationalism put the Bamar majority at the forefront, undoing the unification initiated through the Pin-Lone agreement.
The movement of people across the border caused by the colonization added a large group of Hindu followers to the mix.
The strenuous conversion campaigns by the Catholic Christians and their competition with the Methodist colonialists additionally divided minority groups such as the Karen and Kachin within themselves.
The SPDC junta which took power in 1988 had been responsible for the displacement of several hundred thousand citizens, both inside and outside of Burma.
The Karen, Karenni, and Mon ethnic groups have sought asylum in neighbouring Thailand, where they are also abused by an unfriendly and unsympathetic government.
[citation needed] This situation was followed by the military performing coup d'état on 1 February 2021, taking the presidential powers from the NLD government by brute force.
On 4 January 1948, the nation 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.
In 1962, General Ne Win led a coup d'état and established a socialist military government that sought to create a "Burmese Way to Socialism".
TotalEnergies (formerly TotalFinaElf) is the subject of a lawsuit in French and Belgian courts for alleged complicity in human rights abuses along the gas pipeline.
However, Burmese democracy movement leader Aung San Suu Kyi has repeatedly credited sanctions for putting pressure on the ruling military regime.
In 2006, many members resigned from NLD, citing harassment and pressure from the Tatmadaw (Armed Forces) and the Union Solidarity and Development Association.
Despite a direct appeal by Kofi Annan to Than Shwe and pressure from ASEAN, the Burmese government extended Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest another year on 27 May 2006.
[26] The National League for Democracy, which overwhelmingly won the previous 1990 elections but were never allowed to take power, decided not to participate.
[31] The Union Solidarity and Development Party said it would lodge official complaints to the Union Election Commission on poll irregularities, voter intimidation, and purported campaign incidents that involved National League for Democracy members and supporters,[32] while the National League for Democracy also sent an official complaint to the commission, regarding ballots that had been tampered with.
[33] However, President Thein Sein remarked that the by-elections were conducted "in a very successful manner",[34] and many foreign countries have indicated willingness to lift or loosen sanctions on Burma and its military leaders.
[38] The resounding victory of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy in 2015 general elections raised hopes for a successful political transition from a closely held military rule to a free democratic system.
The collection was made at Wareru’s command, by monks from the writings of earlier Mon scholars preserved in the monasteries of his kingdom.
(Wareru seized Martaban in 1281 and obtained the recognition of China as the ruler of Lower Burma and founded a kingdom which lasted until 1539.
[59] Burma is divided into seven regions (previously called divisions-taing) and seven states (pyi-nè), classified by ethnic composition.
