GOVERNMENT
The Union
of Burma (or Myanmar as it is called by the ruling junta) consists
of 14 states and divisions. Administrative control is exercised
from the central government at Rangoon through a system of subordinate
executive bodies.
Power
is centered on the ruling junta--the State Peace and Development
Council, or SPDC--which maintains strict authoritarian rule over
the people of Burma. The Prime Minister is appointed directly
by the SPDC. Control is maintained through the strict censuring
of information, repression of individual rights, and suppression
of ethnic minority groups.
The SPDC continues its harsh rule and systematic human rights abuses today, and insists that any future political transition be negotiated on its terms. It proclaimed a seven-step roadmap to democracy beginning with a National Convention process, purportedly to develop a new constitution and pave the way for national elections. However the regime restricts public input and debate and handpicks the delegates, effectively excluding pro-democracy supporters.
Although
the SPDC changed the name of the country to "Myanmar,"
the democratically elected but not convened Parliament of 1990
does not recognize the name change, and the democratic opposition
maintains use of the name "Burma." Due to consistent,
unyielding support for the democratically elected leaders, the
U.S. Government likewise uses "Burma."
Principal
Government Officials
Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council--Senior General
Than Shwe
Prime Minister--Lt. Gen. Soe Win
Minister of Foreign Affairs--Major General Nyan Win
Ambassador to the United States--U Linn Myaing
Ambassador to the United Nations--U Kyaw Tint Swe
Burma
maintains an embassy to the United States at 2300 S Street NW,
Washington, DC 20008, tel.: (202) 332-9044; fax: (202) 332-9046.
Type: Military junta.
Constitution: January 3, 1974 (suspended since September 18, 1988, when the current junta took power). A national convention started on January 9, 1993 to draft a new constitution, but collapsed in 1996 without an agreement. The junta reconvened the convention in May 2004 without the participation of the National League for Democracy (NLD) and other pro-democracy ethnic groups. The national convention convened intermittently and in September 2007, the regime concluded the process of “drafting” principles for the new constitution without allowing delegates to the convention to debate or openly discuss them. In October 2007, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) appointed 54 persons to sit on the constitution drafting committee, but included no members from the NLD or the pro-democracy opposition. The constitutional drafting committee began its task on December 3, 2007.
Branches: Executive--Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Senior General Than Shwe is the head of state. Prime Minister Lt.Gen. Thein Sein is the head of government. Legislative--The suspended constitution provides for a unicameral People's Assembly (Pyithu Hluttaw) with 485 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve 4-year terms. The last elections were in 1990, but the military prevented the Assembly from ever convening. Judicial--The legal system is based on a British-era system, but with the constitution suspended, the military regime now rules by decree and there is no guarantee of a fair public trial; the judiciary is not independent.
Political parties: National League for Democracy (NLD) is the primary opposition party; National Unity Party (NUP) is the primary pro-regime party; the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) is a pro-regime socio-political organization; there are also many smaller ethnic parties.
Administrative subdivisions: The country is divided into seven primarily Burman ethnic divisions (tain) of Ayeyarwady (Irrawaddy), Bago (Pegu), Magway, Mandalay, Yangon (Rangoon), Sagaing, and Tanintharyi (Tenassarim) and seven ethnic states (pyi nay): Chin State, Kachin State, Kayin (Karen) State, Kayah (Karenni) State, Mon State, Rakhine (Arakan) State, and Shan State.
Suffrage: Universal suffrage at 18 years of age (but there have been no elections since 1990).
