Burma, Changing Places

Myanmar, located between Bangladesh, India, China, Laos and Thailand, is a country with immense cultural riches, notable for its large number of languages, religions and ethnicities. However since the dictatorship in 1962 Myanmar has remained internationally isolated and relatively unknown. In the last two decades Burma has begun to experience some changes of democratic openness, especially since 2010 when the first elections were held, and the party of Aung San Suu Kyi, (National League for Democracy) gained a clear victory. Nevertheless, there is still a long way to complete the democratic process. Demonstrations for civil rights are frequent, with violent repression by the government; the conflicts between ethnic groups and the army are also common and some minorities like the muslim Rohingya are still not officially recognized. On 8 November 2015 were new elections, and the NLD won the absolute majority with 255 seats, against the 30 seats by Thein Sein (USDP), but the Constitution forbids Aung San Suu Kyi to preside the government, and Thein Sein is still in the power. Its course of democratic opening is certainly positive, but this should be done in a careful way, taking into consideration new social challenges and risks. International financial groups are keenly watching the political changes with a view to invest in the country, and this could precipitate new dramas such as land speculation, rising social inequality or environmental destruction. Myanmar still feels a world far away from the modern, competitive and individualistic world. The time will tell what the future holds for them. Burma, Changing Places. 2014 © Jorge Albella