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? • 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?

British Burma, 1824-1948

General Ne Win, ruled from 1962-88 in charge under various titles

General Aung San, 1947

Events• Demonetisation of currency , 5th September 1987

– Annoyed students and farmers• Designated as LEDC by UN in 1987• July 1987, Aung Gyi’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 Sein Lwin in power• 08/08/88 General strike and mass demonstrations• Protests increased until his resignation, August 26 1988• Dr Maung Maung 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

Aung San Suu Kyi• 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

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 sangha conference of 1980

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

Army• Signs of dissent within the army (difficult to

verify)• Publication of document written by Brigadier

General Aung Gyi • 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

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, Sein Lwin implemented this fully

• Minimal manpower, maximum firepower as a deterrent

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

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

Strategies

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.

• 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”