Burma’s Growing Dilemma

Burma has endured harsh military rule since 1962, which has devastated the economy, making the nation, since re-named by its rulers as Myanmar, an embarrassment among the fast-growing economies throughout Southeast Asia. Over the years, pro-democracy activists participated in various protests, only to face brutal crackdowns from the authoritarian government, with protestors facing long prison sentences or death. The most recent protest began with a sharp rise in fuel prices in August and then evolved into massive demands for economic reform on September 18, an anniversary date for the current rulers. Unlike protests of previous years, Buddhist monks have led the protests rather than typical pro-democracy supporters. The military rulers may censure information, but in a week’s time, up to 100,000 people have joined the highly-organized protest, all passing news from overseas, arranging meeting points, sending directions or warnings by word of mouth, using cell-phone text messages and instant messages over the internet. China, seeking stability, in the region, has undermined sanctions imposed by Western nations, but also has urged the government to enact some reforms. Neighboring countries urge national reconciliation, and the world watches as thousands courageously march against a government that has utterly mismanaged a nation so rich in resources. – YaleGlobal