Burma/Myanmar: What Everyone Needs to Know (31 page)

   Burma army development and,
37
–38

   Burmese administration and,
20
,
28
–31

   Burmese nationalism and,
16
,
26
,
30
,
34
–35,
37
,
39
,
74

   current view of,
38
–39

   economic development and,
31
–32

   ethnic problems and,
29

   independence and,
5
,
37
,
40
–43,
54
,
56

   legal system of,
39
,
53

   opium production and,
28
–29,
46
,
104

   women’s high status and,
38
–39,
109

   World War II and,
36
–38,
76

British Commonwealth,
44
–45

British Council,
48

Brookings Institution,
167

Buddhism,
xxx
,
16
,
17
–18,
23
–25,
36

   British colonial downplaying of,
27
,
32
–33,
34
–35,
38

   communism and,
50

   constitution of 1947 and,
53
,
57

   current role of,
135
–137

   elections of 1960 and,
58
–59

   
ethnic minorities and,
106
,
107
,
156

   head of state linked to,
150

   individual vs. state responsibility and,
98

   military government and,
24
–25,
64
,
66
,
71
–72,
74
,
98
,
109
,
135
–137,
145
,
147
,
150

   Muslim riots and,
107
–108

   nationalism and,
35
,
135
–136

   Nu and,
58
–59,
71
,
72
,
84
,
135
–136,
181

   pilgrimage sites and,
6
,
29

   precolonial period and,
16
,
17
–18,
23
–24

   as principal social value,
23
,
32
,
135

   socialism and,
51
,
64
,
65
,
71

   special status of,
32
–34,
145

   as state religion,
43
,
59
,
136

   teachings of,
98
,
148
,
150
–151

   women’s status and,
110
See also
monkhood

bureaucracy,
9
,
29
,
73
,
107

   inertia of,
13

   military purge of,
65
,
66

   minority religion quotas and,
156

   women’s status in,
110

Burma army.
See
military

   military government

Burma Civil Service,
29
,
66

Burma Communist Party (BCP),
43
,
44
,
50
,
51
,
54

   Chinese support for,
49
–50

   collapse of,
77

   opium sale funding of,
104

Burma Defense Army,
37

Burma Forest Service,
31

Burmah Oil Corporation,
31

Burma Independence Army,
37

Burma/Myanmar

   Buddhism’s importance in,
32
–34,
145

   Chinese invasions of,
20
–21,
46

   citizenship and,
72
–73

   Cold War neutrality of,
48
,
50
,
67

   colonial era of,
26
–39

   current internal problems of,
10
–14

   economic potential of,
168
–169

   endemic corruption in,
100

   enigmas to foreigners of,
8
,
9
–10

   as “failed” state,
8

   future issues facing,
149
,
158
–179

   independence of,
5
,
40
–43,
54
,
56

   “least developed nation” status of,
77
,
97

   limited access to,
8
–9

   name change to Myanmar of,
8
,
10

   Naypyidaw as new capital city of,
15
,
16
,
18
,
132
–135,
149
–150

   political culture of,
148
–157

   postcolonial period of (
see
civilian government; military government)

   precolonial period of,
15
–25

   as socialist republic,
69
,
70

   strategic position of,
3
–4,
159
–162

   uniqueness of,
6
–7

   as “unstable” state,
167

   women’s status in,
109
–110

   World War II impact on,
36
–37,
52

Burman (ethnic group),
xxiv
,
32
,
38

   British Ministerial Burma and,
20
,
28
,
29
,
32
–34,
37
,
38

   Buddhist values of,
23
,
32
–33,
137

   business and,
52
,
101

   citizenship of,
72
–73

   constitution of 1947 and,
53

   economic control by,
71
,
73

   ethnic minority relations with,
44
,
112
(
see also
ethnic rebellions)

   fears of foreign cultural attack on,
156

   internal imperialism of,
20

   isolation of,
70

   
as majority,
57
–59,
70

   Mandalay and,
121

   Muslim harassment by,
107
,
108

   National League for Democracy and,
89
,
91

   precolonial hegemony of,
17

   World War II Japanese alliance with,
36
,
41

Burma National Army,
37
–38.
See also
military

Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP),
62
–77,
110

   chairmanship of,
78

   citizenship system of,
72

   ethnic minorities and,
112
,
113

   expansion of,
82

   failed economy and,
75
–77,
81
,
87

   foreign relations and,
67
–68

   formal founding of,
63

   military officer training and,
84
–85

   as National Unity Party,
91
,
92

   operation of,
65
–66

   social unrest and,
78

   unitary state under,
69
–77,
114

   waning of,
85
,
98
,
99

   weaknesses of,
124
,
126
,
127
,
128

Burma Translation Society,
52

Burmese Days
(Orwell),
39

Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003 (U.S.),
118

Burmese language,
10
,
57

“Burmese Way to Socialism” (military 1962 pamphlet),
51
,
63
,
64
–65,
85

Bush, George W.,
119
–120

Bush, Laura,
119

business.
See
private sector

Calcutta,
22

Cambodia,
28

capital,
101
,
154
,
155
,
157
,
169

capitalism.
See
market economy

Caretaker Government (1958–1960),
46
,
47
,
50
,
74
,
103
,
109

   background and achievements of,
54
–56

   core members of,
82

   elections following,
58
–59,
93
,
155
–156

   Japanese relations and,
124

   opium illegality and,
104

cease-fires,
94
,
110
–113,
122
,
130
,
170
,
188

censorship,
7
,
9
,
13
,
24
–25,
65
,
67
,
81
,
128
,
167
,
188

Central Intelligence Agency (U.S.),
45

Chamber of Deputies,
53

Chamber of Nationalities,
53

Chavalit Yangchaiyut,
86

Chettyars (Indian subcaste),
30

child health,
3
,
11
,
97
,
169

child soldiers,
129

Chin (ethnic group),
xxiv
,
23
,
53
,
57

   autonomy and,
165

   in Burma colonial army,
29

   Christian conversion of,
57
,
106
–107

   cross-border contacts and,
70
,
85

   war with,
34

China,
2
,
3
,
4
,
28
,
31
,
35
,
95
,
97
,
99
,
102

   Burma/Myanmar relations with,
48
–50,
67
,
79
,
84
,
94
,
120
–122,
123
,
126
,
130
,
161

   communist takeover in,
45
–46,
47

   economic assistance from,
121
,
175

   government earthquake relief in,
141

   historical invasions of Burma by,
20
–21,
46