WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s landmark visit to Burma, known by the US as
Burma, brings up an unusual problem of protocol: What does he call it?
If recent practice by visiting US
officials is any guide, Obama will sidestep the issue by using neither name
Monday when he becomes the first sitting American president to visit the
country.
The former ruling junta summarily
changed the name 23 years ago without consulting the people — a typically
high-handed act by an unpopular regime that had gunned down hundreds of
anti-government protesters the year before. The change was opposed by democracy
advocates, who stuck with “Burma.”
As the country has opened up
politically, shifting from five decades of direct military rule, the linguistic
battle lines have blurred some.
The US, Britain, Canada and New
Zealand still officially refer it to it as Burma. But as the relations with the
reformist government of President Thein Sein have blossomed in past year and
dignitaries have beaten a path to his door, they have become less dogmatic
about using the old name.
Last December, when Secretary of
State Hillary Rodham Clinton became the highest-ranking US visitor to Burma in
56 years, she mostly referred to it as “this country” and did the same this
September when she met Thein Sein in New York and announced easing of
sanctions. Visiting US senators have used both names. Even at congressional
hearings in Washington, there’s an occasional mention of “Myanmar.”
“Burma” is something Burmese
officials can get sore about.
“You might think this is a small
matter, but the use of “Myanmar” is a matter of national integrity,” Foreign
Minister Wanna Maung Lwin told visiting U.S. envoy Joseph Yun in May 2011,
according to the Myanmar Times newspaper. “Using the correct name of the
country shows equality and mutual respect.”
This summer, Burmese authorities
also warned opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi after she used “Burma” during
high-profile trips abroad, saying “Republic of the Union of Myanmar” is
enshrined in the constitution. She asserted her right to say what she wants but
has also said she’s open to either name.
“It’s for each individual to make
his or her own choice as to which he or she uses,” the Nobel laureate said in a
Washington speech in September that many interpreted as a green light for the
US to change its policy.
The truth is that for most
Burmese, the name debate doesn’t matter.
Burma, comprising a vast array of
ethnic groups, did not exist as a single entity until it was colonized by the
British in the 19th century. The country achieved independence in 1948 and took
the English language name used by its former rulers, Burma.
But it was formally known in
Burmese, the national language, as “myanma naing ngan” or more colloquially as
“bama pyi” or “country of Burma.” Both those usages persist, and the national
anthem still refers to “bama pyi.”
When the name was changed in
1989, it applied only to the English language title.
“When the name was changed it was
a political statement,” said San San Hnin Tun, a lecturer in Burmese language
and visiting scholar at Cornell University. “It did not change how people refer
to the country in Burmese.”
The junta justified it as
shedding a legacy of colonial rule and better reflecting the country’s ethnic
mix. In reality, both “myanma” and “bama” denote the dominant Burman ethnic
majority. There are 135 ethnic groups, and minorities have long fought for more
autonomy.
The junta actually entrenched
Burman cultural control. It Burmanized many place names, angering minority
groups.
There’s plenty of precedent for a
nation changing its title or place names, particularly during decolonization or
regime changes. Western nations have sometimes been slow to catch on. It took
decades for China’s preferred English spelling of Beijing to become the norm in
the West, instead of Peking, and years for India’s commercial center to become
known as Mumbai instead of Bombay.
The politically charged case of
“Myanmar” has been particularly tricky, and usage has widely varied among
governments and international organizations.
Australia and the European Union
use “Myanmar,” although they’ve otherwise been in lockstep on policy with the
U.S. and Britain, which use “Burma.” Among rights groups, Amnesty International
uses “Myanmar,” but Human Rights Watch says “Burma.” Among news media, The New
York Times has used “Myanmar” since 1989; the main international news agencies
including The Associated Press followed suit in 1998, but the BBC still sticks
with “Burma.” The Financial Times switched to “Myanmar” this January.
Even US diplomats say they
sometimes use “Myanmar” in private with government officials as a matter of
courtesy. Ernie Bower, Southeast Asia program director at the Center for
Strategic and International Studies in Washington, said he believes the U.S.
government is on the brink of switching its policy.
Not quite yet though. The White
House said Thursday it is sticking with “Burma.”
Business & Investment Opportunities
YourVietnamExpert is a division of Saigon Business Corporation Pte Ltd (SBC), Incorporated in Singapore since 1994. As Your Business Companion, we propose a range of services in Strategy, Investment and Management, focusing Healthcare and Life Science with expertise in ASEAN. Since we are currently changing the platform of www.yourvietnamexpert.com, if any request, please, contact directly Dr Christian SIODMAK, business strategist, owner and CEO of SBC at christian.siodmak@gmail.com. Many thanks.
No comments:
Post a Comment