lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

elief systems(% of population)if Myanmar (Burma)were 100 people291894BuddhistMuslim4 3Christian Animist & Other68 would be Bamar 3 would be Chinese9 would be Shan 2 would be Indian7 would be Kayin (Karen) 2 would be Mon4 would be Rakhaing 5 would be otherUSDP triumph, amid numerous reports of serious interference with thevoting process. The UN called the election ‘deeply flawed’ and many otherrespected commentators (among them US President Barack Obamaand British Ambassador to Burma, Andrew Heyn) expressed concernsthat it was neither free nor fair.However, most of the new political parties and civil capacity buildingorganisations (civic value educational bodies), such as Myanmar Egress(www.myanmaregress.org) fervently believe that participating in theelection was worthwhile – however flawed the result may have been. Intheir view, a ‘political space’ had opened up for them for the first timein two decades. These groups are now looking towards the next election,scheduled for 2015, as a chance to expand that space. One hopeful developmentwas the government’s initiation of talks with NLD leader AungSan Suu Kyi in August 2011.A New Government?Under the 2008 constitution Myanmar is divided into seven regions(where the Bamar are in the majority) and seven states (minority regions,namely Chin, Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Mon, Rakhaing and ShanStates). In addition there are six ethnic enclaves (Danu, Kokang, Naga,Palaung, Pa-O and Wa) with a degree of self-governance.A quarter of the seats both at the national and state level are reservedfor unelected military candidates; this gives the military a casting voteon any constitutional change because these require a parliamentary majorityof more than 75%. One outcome of the election is that in four of theseven state legislatures (Chin, Kayin, Rakhaing and Shan) ethnic partieshold over 25% of the seats, theoretically allowing them to call special sessionsor initiate impeachment proceedings against local public officials.The graphicsabove are basedon data from theCIA World FactBook, which differsfrom the dataof the Myanmargovernment; seep 316 for more onMyanmarSTATISTICSTop Downloads Top FictionIrrawaddy (www.irrawaddy.org)Focuses on politics and culture.Mizzima (www.mizzima.com)A nonprofit news service run byMyanmar journalists in exile.Transnational Institute (www.tinyurl.com/4y2vphq) Politicsand social issues.Burmese Days George Orwelldepicts small-town Burma ofthe 1920s, damning colonialismalong the way.The Glass Palace AmitavGhosh’s novel is a fictionalised,but accurate, account ofBurma’s history.The Piano Tuner Daniel Mason’selegant adventure story isabout a London piano tuner whoheads off into Burma’s junglesin the 1880s to repair a famousinstrument.