Burma
Burma, also known as Myanmar, is ruled by a military junta which suppresses almost all dissent and wields absolute power in the face of international condemnation and sanctions (the country is seen as a pariah state by the West; China is its main ally). The junta and the military are accused of gross human rights abuses, including the forcible relocation of civilians and the widespread use of forced labor, including children. The armed forces - and former rebels co-opted by the government - have been accused of large-scale trafficking in heroin, of which Burma is a major exporter. Prostitution and HIV/Aids are major problems.
The country has many economic advantages, but none of these benefit the larger populace. A largely rural, densely forested country, Burma is the world's largest exporter of teak and is a principal source of jade, pearls, rubies and sapphires. It has very fertile soil and has important offshore oil and gas deposits. The tourism industry is gaining ground, given thousands of pagodas and other symbols of Buddhism. Military-run enterprises control key industries, and corruption and severe mismanagement are the hallmarks of a black-market-riven economy.
Prominent pro-democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Aung San Suu Kyi, has had many restrictions (including long-term house arrest) placed on her activities since the late 1980s, and her supporters are routinely harassed or jailed. In 1990 her party, the National League for Democracy, won a landslide victory in Burma's first multi-party elections for 30 years, but has never been allowed to govern.
The largest ethnic group is the Burman people, related to the Tibetans and the Chinese. Burman dominance over the Karen, Shan, Rakhine, Mon, Chin, Kachin and other minorities has been the source of considerable ethnic tension and has fuelled intermittent separatist rebellions. Military offensives against insurgents have uprooted many thousands of civilians.
Senior General Than Shwe is the country's top military leader and heads the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), the body of 12 senior generals that oversees the running of the country and makes the key decisions. He has steadfastly ruled out a transfer of power to Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD).
Power struggles have plagued Burma's military leadership. Prime Minister Khin Nyunt was sacked and arrested in 2004. The former premier, who said he supported Aung San Suu Kyi's involvement in the National Convention, was seen as a moderate who was at odds with the junta's hardliners.
Stringent economic sanctions and limited diplomatic representation by most western countries pose challenges for visitors. Burmese authorities have, in the recent past, arrested several Westerners for staging protests against the current military government in Yangon (Rangoon). Others have been arrested or harassed for distributing pro-democracy literature. In January 2005, incoming U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice named Burma along with Belarus, Cuba and Zimbabwe as "outposts of tyranny."
Burmese authorities require that hotels and guesthouses furnish information about the identities and activities of their foreign guests. Burmese who interact with foreigners may be compelled to report on those interactions to the government. The military government also restricts access to outside information. Newspapers are censored for articles unfavorable to the military government, and Internet access is illegal. Tourists' laptop computers with modems have been confiscated and held at the airport until their departure. Some journalists have been briefly detained, searched, had film and notes confiscated, and have been deported. Travelers have reported that their luggage is closely searched upon arrival and departure by immigration authorities.
