Myanmar a brief history

On Monday Feb 1 we woke up to hear the news that the military had overthrown the elected government of Nobel Laurette Aung San Suu Kyi (See pic below)  The situation in Myanmar has further worsened with custodial deaths of two prominent politicians opposing the coup and 100s of civilians either killed or injured. Sitting in the thought bar this week it’s about history of Myanmar and why did the coup take place.

Myanmar was part of India

Myanmar is the Burmese name of old Burma as we know was a kingdom as any other kingdom in India. The kingdom was so powerful that in 1824 it attacked Assam and took control over it until the British fought back regained the territory and later merged Burma with India in 1886. Indians were brought in to fill civil-service jobs and the business interests of Indians in Burma were encouraged, which bred resentment in many Burmese people. Here, as elsewhere, divide-and-rule was characteristic of British governance, with certain ethnic groups being favoured over others, creating clashes of loyalties.

Aung San father of Suu Kyi

As soon as the Second World War commenced governance of Myanmar from Calcutta became a problem hence Britishers   separated India and Burma. Protests by Rangoon university students were the first sign of freedom movement which slowly gathers pace and Aung San the student leader negotiated independence deal in January 1947. There was an election held immediately after that and Aung San party won with a thumping majority, but Aung San  (considered father of the nation ) and some of his colleagues were gunned down by a opposition party men in July of 1947.Aung Sans daughter was the current prime minister Suu Kyi who was removed from power on Feb 2021.

First Military take over

With over 100 ethnic groups governance became a problem the then army General Ne Win saw this as an opportunity and staged a coup in 1962, and the country’s decline under military dictatorship began. By the 1960s Indians living in Burma were thriving as business men and influential people which General Ne Win disliked and in the process nationalized many large business and scraped the constitution.

Delhi, Oxford, Rangoon

In September 1987 a ‘demonetization’ robbed most Burmese people of their savings In July 1988 Ne Win suddenly announced that he would be stepping down. Driven by economic desperation and seeing a chance for change, demonstrations broke out in the country in the ‘democracy summer’ of 1988.It is at this time Aung San Suu Kyi who studied at Delhi University and later at Oxford worked at the UN returned to Myanmar to look after her ailing mother was approached to join a burgeoning democracy movement. Elections were held in a democratic way in 1990 and Suu Kyis party won with a thumping majority but the Military did not hand over power to Suu Kyi instead put her in house arrest.

Seeds of Military power sown early

The army generals bargained 25% of the parliamentary seats for themselves as they negotiated the return of democracy, in 2015 Suu Kyi won again and served as their head of state till January 31. In March 2020 the parliament   introduced a bill to reduce the seats for Military which was quickly squashed and in a tit for tat a new bill was introduced by the military on denying any one who has a foreign blood relative to become head of state obviously targeting Suu Kyi.

Why is the Military so powerful

Myanmar a country of 54 Million people, 76Billion US$ GDP spends about 3% of their GDP on the half a million Armed Forces which makes them rich and powerful. This is something similar to Pakistan a country of 216 Million population , GDP of 284 Billion US$ spends 18% of GDP on its Armed forces which is why Pakistan also has Military Coups and if a democratically elected leader comes to power will quickly toe the line of the Army Generals.

Burmese King in Ratnagiri India.

Thibaw Min was the last king of Dynasty of Myanmar who exiled himself to Ratnagiri India (see below pic of his palace in Ratnagiri) after losing to British Forces in 1885. December 16, 2016 marked his 100th death anniversary and to commemorate the occasion some descendants, monks, and dignitaries came from Myanmar to Ratnagiri, where his mortal remains still lie.

Burma Bazaar & Fun facts

The Tamil Chola empire had trade relationships with various Burmese kingdoms. Later the large Tamil migration to Myanmar began during the British colonial era, the Chettiars too saw business opportunities and migrated to Burma , but when the world war 2 started they had to flee leaving all their property estimated to be more than 12 Billion US$ .The Burma Bazaar in Chennai and Trichy was set up in 1969 by Myanmar Tamil refugees.