Suu Kyi defiant in 'Burma' row

[Khun Don]

Suu Kyi defiant in 'Burma' row
Published: 3/07/2012 at 10:31 PMOnline news:


Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Tuesday brushed off orders from Myanmar's government to stop calling the country "Burma", a name widely used by democracy campaigners to defy the former junta.

The old regime changed the country's official name some two decades ago to Myanmar, saying "Burma" was a relic from British colonial rule and implied the diverse land belonged only to the Burman ethnic majority.

The country's election commission castigated Suu Kyi last week for repeatedly using the term during recent overseas trips, accusing her and the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) of flouting the constitution.

But a defiant Suu Kyi told reporters in Rangoon that she would call the country whatever she liked.

"In a democratic nation, things should be done after viewing the desire of the people," she said, adding the army had renamed the country without consultation.

"Freedom of speech... and the right to speak one's mind freely doesn't insult anyone. This is also about democratic principles and policy.

"So I assume that I can use whatever I want to use as I believe in democracy."

Suu Kyi and the NLD fiercely opposed the name change, denouncing it as a symbolic step by the generals towards creating a new country.

Global leaders have also struggled with what to call the country, which is emerging from decades of army rule under the guidance of reform-minded Prime Minister Thein Sein.

Britain's David Cameron calls the country "Burma" while recent speeches by US President Barack Obama have also referred to its colonial name.

But his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton chose a more diplomatic path on a trip to the nation in December, employing the term Burma but saying it sparingly, generally preferring to dodge controversy by saying "this country".

BANGKOK POST

[Betti]

the weird thing is that people keep referring to the language as "myanmar" as well, at least officially, when very clearly it is plain old Burmese.
and of course nobody knows where the hell Myanmar is (including Thais of course, with all their long history), but if I say Burma, people are more likely to have a clue.

[Khun Don]

When posting the first postcard I went to the main post office and asked for a stamp to Myanmar-person behind the counter was totally confused. Explained it was also known as Burma. Then wanted to write Burma on the postcard-which I refused ! Looked it up for the stamp cost on the computer and showed me the screen :- "MYANMAR (BURMA)"
Ho hum.

[Susana]

I had a similar problem. I told our post mistress that I wanted to send the cards to Burma, 'which is most likely listed as Myanmar'. She couldn't find either one, so she charged the same postage as for Thailand. I hope they get there without postage being due.

Hmmm . . . a quick google search which led to Wikipedia, gives the official name as "Republic of the Union of Myanmar". I'm not sure that would even fit on the post card.

[Betti]

haha, sounds like postal service clerks worldwide are being educated at the moment :-) so that one thought the country's name was Myanmar (Burma), as opposed to a clarification for people like her? :-)
btw, I was charged the same for all postcards (600 kyat, though the stamps say 500), no matter where they go. the same happens in Thailand, 15 baht or 18 baht, dep. on card size, to anywhere in the world.
our secretary brought one of our recent cards today, saying the postal clerks insisted there is no such country as Belarus. not quite sure what to do about that one. should I print a map for them or something? the secretary was quite clueless :-)

[Khun Don]

Out of curiosity just did a search for what the word "Myanmar" meant-quite interesting result as it seems "Burma" derives from the same word!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_Burma

[Khun Don]

our secretary brought one of our recent cards today, saying the postal clerks insisted there is no such country as Belarus. not quite sure what to do about that one. should I print a map for them or something? the secretary was quite clueless :-)

Talking of Belarus, came across this while browsing through the UK papers tonight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFYMi...layer_embedded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krqpE...ayer_embedded#!

[Betti]

internet is way too slow for youtube, what's in them?

[Khun Don]

highly choreographed military drill that makes any stage production look pedestrian is the best explanation I can give! A bit like-and it is almost described as such-watching the patterns dominoes make when being toppled.