1 / 18

Pro-democracy movement in Burma, 1988-90

Pro-democracy movement in Burma, 1988-90. ( Schwedagon Pagoda in background). Discussion questions. In Burma, what were the main strategies of protest deployed against the regime in 1988? What was the role of Buddhist monks in Burma?  

vicky
Download Presentation

Pro-democracy movement in Burma, 1988-90

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Pro-democracy movement in Burma, 1988-90 (Schwedagon Pagoda in background)

  2. Discussion questions • In Burma, what were the main strategies of protest deployed against the regime in 1988? • What was the role of Buddhist monks in Burma?   • Why was the military junta in Burma able to ignore the adverse election results of 1990 with impunity? • To what extent was the fact that both of these movements were student-led a weakness? • Does the examples of Burma reveal certain limits to theorizations by Gene Sharp and others about the efficacy of nonviolent resistance?

  3. Background British Burma, 1824-1948 General Aung San, 1947 General Ne Win, ruled from 1962-88 in charge under various titles

  4. Events • Demonetisation of currency , 5th September 1987 • Annoyed students and farmers • Designated as LEDC by UN in 1987 • July 1987, AungGyi’s Letter to Ne Win • Student protests in Rangoon, Universities closed. • Student killed in bar by BSPP administrators son, who was later acquitted, 12th March 1988 • Protests,. Signs of dissent in the army. • 15th March 1988 ‘White Bridge’ Massacre • July 23 1988, Ne Win resigns • July 26 1988, General SeinLwin in power • 08/08/88 General strike and mass demonstrations • Protests increased until his resignation, August 26 1988 • Dr MaungMaung was leader inbetween • September 8th General strike • Army staged coup in September 18 1988, SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) • 27 May 1990, free and fair elections, won by NLD • Said it must first write a new constitution, which may take up to two years,. Elections never consummated

  5. Aung San SuuKyi • Daughter of General Aung San • Wore the ethnic dress of wherever she visited • Inspiration to many • Married to a British man (xenophobia) • Military tired to claim she would break up the army • Called of demonstrations fearing that people would get hurt • Arrested for being a communist

  6. Monks • Key in creating dissent within the army • Refused alms • (Led) Marches • Presence seen as crucial in stopping the crowd reacting violently • Revered, Thus shocking when they were beaten • Junta’s moral authority rested on the support and propagation of Buddhism • Close since the sanghaconference of 1980

  7. Students Traditionally been at the head of political consciousness in Burma (Union demolished in July 1962) Aung San himself was a student leader Was the general strike which threatened the government, not the student movement

  8. Army • Signs of dissent within the army (difficult to verify) • Publication of document written by Brigadier General AungGyi • Some soldiers refused to shoot at the protestors • Low levels of education amongst soldiers • NLD won seats in areas where the military dominated • Middle ranked (literate) soldiers tended to support the movement. (They didn’t get the Tatmadaw’s goodies) • 22nd light infantry were always keen to repress, not like the rest of the army. This caused ruptures, others would not speak to them. • About 1,000 active servicemen actively joined the movement in 1988 • One officer told the BBC 60% of the armed forces supported the NLD

  9. Repression • Free fire zones in Rangoon • Released agents and criminals to deliberately sow unrest and create violence, 21st June 1988 • Ne Win said “when the army shoots, it kills” in resignation speech, SeinLwin implemented this fully • Minimal manpower, maximum firepower as a deterrent

  10. International context • Japan refused to join an international boycott. • Foreign pressure would have limited impact as little economic influence there • But the economic crisis had forced Burma to trade on international markets. • International support for the movement only began once the movement had been suppressed • International groups did exist but they tended to have weak links with the NLD • Regime was helped out by states such as Thailand • Foreigners (often) didn’t believe the atrocities were happening until movement had been crushed • Repeated xenophobic propaganda had probably left a mark on the Burmese • Americans gave Burmese aid to fight their ‘war on drugs’ • BBC announced the demonstration for 8.8.88 • Also interviewed soldiers from periphery about shortages on radio

  11. Economics • People drifted back to the countryside during protests, (issues of food supply) • Transport strikes made food supply scarce • Urban rice shortages not repeated in 1990

  12. Strategies

  13. Periphery • 10,000 students left for the periphery • Power is extremely centralised in Burma, periphery of little importance • Student’s relative advantage rests in urban areas, esp. Rangoon.

  14. http://www.channel4.com/programmes/burma-vj • http://www.myanmar.com/ • “Myanmar citizen must be for his own country and must not be sycophant and stooge of any alien nation in disguise of Myanmar Government working for smooth transportation in Katha-Bhamo region”

More Related