Burma / Myanmar: Small Country, Big Trouble

Burma, or Myanmar, as the junta that runs the place likes to call it, has been in the news recently.

Burma is a mostly Buddhist (89%) country, with 4% each of Christians and Muslims. Aside from the possibility that the Taliban or Al Qaeda might become offended by the country's export of men, women, and children "for sexual exploitation, domestic service, and forced commercial labor," Burma doesn't seem obviously involved in the war on terror.

On the other hand: seventy years ago, who would have thought that a regime in Germany which believed in racial purity and the supremacy of what they called the Aryan race would join forces with Italy and Japan?

A biased view of Burma and its recent history is offered by "National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma" - in Washington D.C. They're hoping that the regime in Burma will eventually fall, allowing restoration of human rights and democracy. As I said, they're biased: if favor of people being allowed to have a say in what their government does.

I became much more aware of the mess Burma is in last week, as part of a "Blog against Abuse" campaign. Burma / Myanmar posts on another blog:

• "Myanmar / Burma: a Burmese Perspective"
  Apathetic Lemming of the North (September 28, 2007)
• "Myanmar / Burma: a Buddhist Perspective"
  Apathetic Lemming of the North (September 28, 2007)
• "Myanmar / Burma: Offline"
  Apathetic Lemming of the North (September 28, 2007)
• "Burma or Myanmar, the Place Needs Help"
  Apathetic Lemming of the North (September 27, 2007)
• "There's Trouble All Over, but Darfur and Burma/Myanmar Stand out"
  Apathetic Lemming of the North (September 27, 2007)