TWO DECADES OF FRUSTRATION

The current demonstrations in Burma follow nearly 20 years of frustration for pro-democracy campaigners in the south east Asian state.

Despite winning a landslide victory in the country’s last election, the National League for Democracy (NLD) continues to be denied power, while its leader, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, languishes under house arrest.

The ruling junta keeping them out of government has been described as one of the most brutal and corrupt regimes in the world.

A resource rich country, Burma gained independence from Britain in 1947.

But democracy lasted only 15 years.

Since then, the country has been subjected to rule by a number of strong-arm military leaders.

A coup d’etat in 1962 brought General Ne Win into power, a position he would hold for more than 25 years.

Under Ne Win, the army violently suppressed anti-government feeling, arresting peaceful demonstrators.

It also presided over a crackdown on some of Burma’s ethnic minorities.

In 1978 an operation against Rohingya Muslims in the western region of Arakan resulted in up to 250,000 refugees fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh, it is estimated.

In recent years, persecution of Karen, Karenni and Mon peoples in the east of the country has seen thousands flee to Thailand.

With the economy stuttering throughout the 1980s, opposition to military rule grew, culminating in widespread protests in March and June 1988.

The year marked a dramatic moment in Burma’s recent history.

Ne Win, who by this time had retired as president but remained in power as Chairman of the Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP), stepped down.

Democracy campaigners began to take to the streets in increasing numbers.

The military responded by firing into the crowds killing an estimated 3,000 demonstrators during the protests.

With the country on verge of an large-scale uprising, a military coup saw martial law introduced under the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC).

The new military government changed the name of the country from the Anglicised Burma to Myanmar.

Multiparty elections were held in May 1990 in which Aung San Suu Kyi, the daughter of Burmese Second World War hero Aung San, led an umbrella democracy movement to a landslide victory.

But despite winning just under two-thirds of the popular vote and 82% of the parliamentary seats, the ruling junta refused to stand aside.

Instead they placed Aung San Suu Kyi, who had returned to Burma from her home in England to lead the democracy movement, under house arrest.

She was subsequently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 but has spent more than 10 years in confinement over the last 17 years.

During that time she has been released twice in 1993 and 2002 but was subsequently re-arrested.

Since 2003 she has rarely been seen in public and nearly all communications to her have been cut.

But on Saturday, under huge pressure, protesting monks were allowed to pray near her home from where she emerged to join them.

The country has been ruled under General Than Shwe since the early 1990s, over which time little progress towards democracy has been made.

Campaigners claim that there is around 1,100 political prisoners in jail, many of whom are routinely tortured.ends