Myanmar

Union of Myanmar

The national flag of Myanmar

Map of Myanmar.

My 1'st visit to Myanmar was in 1996, at a time when western countries, including my own, had many opinions about Myanmar, in terms of what Myanmar should & should not do.

As all of these countries most likely would not appreciate to have a country on the other side of the earth to tell them what to do and in which way, perhaps it would be best to let the people of Myanmar figure out what is best from them.

To my pleasant surprise I was very warmly welcomed, at all times inclusive of the emigration in Rangoon. My stay there was with some of my old friends from Singapore, who have been in Myanmar close to 2 years now.

Rangoon is a very well designed city, with a infrastructure highly impressive, just like New York. You have 5 avenues & 76 streets in Down town Rangoon, so you can find your way around instantly, fantastic.!!!

I have know Burma for a different reason for many years, because of my profession with furniture. In my time as cabinetmaker student we used Burmese TEAK wood to make Danish Design furniture.

Actually TEAK wood have gained world fame due to Danish furniture, starting in the mid 50'ties until today, that is when you exclude its fame for shipbuilding, especially yachts.

Historic brief,

The first mentioning of Burma are from the 3-2 century BC, in relation to the people of Mon.

The Burmese people came actually later on, and in the 8'th century AC they created a Kingdom which defeated the Mon people in a war 1044-1077 AC to create the kingdom of Burma, roughly with the shape it has today.

This kingdom was destroyed by the Mogols in 1287, and was only re-created in 1605. A period of the Mon people rose but again the where ousted by the Burmese in 1757.

The Burmese then tried to concur part of the Kingdom of Thailand, but unsuccessful. Also a assault was made on Assam which was related to India, and in this way the Burmese annoyed the British ruling India at the time.

A war from 1824-26 Burma lost all concurred areas of Assam, and in 1852 the British invaded the entire coastal area of Burma. A new war in 1885-1886 the Burmese lost the remaining part of Burma to the British, and the entire Burma was now a administrative zone of British India.

In 1937 Burma became a British colony, no longer under administration of British India.

Under the 2'nd world war the Burmese supported the Japanese to get rid of the British, only to find out shortly the Japanese was even worse than the British.

After the 2'nd world war the British returned, but only for a short period.

On 4'th January 1948 Burma gained independence and became a republic, which it still is.

After the period of the Chinese revolution, there was parts of Chiang Kai Sehks troops in Northern Burma, their fate been unknown today.

As for the current situation in Myanmar, I will be no judge of what is right or wrong.

I will instead take a perspective out of history, as it gives very good guidance to governments of all countries. Thinking of the Romans, Napoleon, The Zar of Russia & The Soviet Union, The Chinese Emperors & Mao, who all have disappeared from the face of this planet by them selves, and their philosophy with them. Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, Fascist Imperial Japan, who vanished because they launched war against their peaceful neighbors.

All these countries & empires failed because they were not sustained by the people, who was supposed to live in them or their neighbors, who where supposed to live with them.

Thus a lesson for all present & future governments can be drawn from this, in order to secure there own future existence. Those who fail to be sustained by their own population, to learn & evolve are doomed for self destruction.

Some facts on Myanmar, see here