Myanmar or Burma?

Valentine Anthony

Long ago, as a History teacher, I used to refer to the present Myanmar as ‘Burma,’ to my students. But not after 1989 when Burma became the Union of Myanmar.

Today whenever the ruling Myanmar military junta takes the opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to task, unfairly though, or crackdown on dissent, western journalists, media, commentators and scholars, except the diplomatic ASEAN, are quick to turn Myanmar into the old British ‘Burma’ leaving the new capital of Myanmar Yangoon, formerly Rangoon, intact.

I do not wish to ‘make a mountain out of a mole hill’ but I guess, knowingly or otherwise, ‘Burma watchers’ and Myanmar exiles abroad (rightfully)have an axe to grind against the incumbent military regime. If we wished to reverse given names of states, then, in all fairness, we should revert Iraq to Mesopotamia, Iran to Persia, Thailand to Siam, Sri Lanka to Ceylon, Cambodia to Kampuchea, Democratic Republic of Congo to Belgian Congo, Zimbawe to Rhodesia, and the Indian cities of Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkota as Bombay, Madras and Calcutta respectively. If not, we must leave Myanmar as ‘Myanmar’ as accepted in the UN whose 191 members make up the international community.

Deliberate name calling of Myanmar, and others, namely North Korea, as “paranoid, insular and inept,” “no plan B” and “saffron revolution,” is fine as adjectives, in journalism and, perhaps, in the academe but less helpful in diplomatic relations. If anything, it adds ‘fuel to fire’ to the hardened 47 years of military rule, let alone the current General Than Shwe’s military junta that remains aloof in mufti. Paradoxically, many countries and their NGOs, which can be named, if not for sensitivities, aid and abet the said junta’s longevity on a win-win situation, a classic example of economics superseding politics especially “sanctions.” It is a money game!

In reality, this is the state of international relations finely defined as “relations between and among states.” Is there any other better definition of international relations? If so, please contribute!

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