Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
The country has a serious shortage of electricity . In
Mandalay , power is rationed. Many homes have electric-
ity on alternate days, and factories can only operate part
time. However, government-supported tourist hotels
always have power.
The government relies on forced labor for public
works and eco-tourism development. In 1996, when
people protested, at least 300 villages were destroyed and
many people were killed. There are numerous accounts
of people “worked to death.” Many eco-tourism projects
are in minority regions, as are other developments such
as new roads and oil pipeline construction. These proj-
ects are controlled by the SPDC military , whose forces
have doubled since 1988. Recruitment of 13- to 15-year-
olds has boosted numbers to 400,000.
UNOCAL constructed the 256 mile (412 km)
pipeline. Most of the pipeline lies under the ocean, but
the final 40 miles cross southern Burma through a region
inhabited by the Karen, a minority ethnic group hostile
to the Myanmar government. Land clearing began in
1993 and the pipeline was completed in 1998. Green-
peace, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International
reported that the Myanmar army had used forced labor
and brutalized the Karen “in order to provide security”
for UNOCAL workers and their equipment. A UNOCAL
investigation team concluded that “egregious human
rights violations” had occurred.
Work on the project continued, and commercial gas
production from Yadana ensued in 2000. UNOCAL has
taken steps to improve the lives of the Karen. New med-
ical programs have reduced infant mortality and new
schools have raised educational levels. By 2004, the proj-
ect was delivering gas to Thailand, enabling it to deliver
clean-burning natural gas to fuel its electric plants in-
stead of dirtier fuel oil. Revenues from sales yield several
hundred million dollars a year to Myanmar' s military
government.
In 1996, 15 Karen filed a class-action suit against
UNOCAL in a U.S. federal court. They claimed that
they and their families had been subjected to forced re-
location and labor, torture, murder, and rape on the
Yadana project. The right of foreigners to seek compen-
sation in U.S. courts was upheld by the Supreme Court
in 2004. The suit was settled in 2005, with UNOCAL
agreeing to pay compensation and ensure the safety of
the Karen. The exact terms of the settlement remain
undisclosed.
Cyclone Nargis
In May 2008, Burma was hit by the worst natural
disaster in its history: Cyclone Nargis. With winds
of more than 135 mph (215 km/h) the southern part
of the country was devastated. A 12-foot (3.6 m)
storm surge worsened the situation, which affected
2.4 million people. The death toll was at least
78,000 and a million people were rendered home-
less. The government was condemned around the
world for its unprecedented action of preventing as-
sistance by international agencies including the
United Nations. By the time aid got into the region,
it was too late for many who drowned, starved to
death, or died from injuries or disease.
THE CHINA CONNECTION
The Mekong River and the Burma Road from Kunming,
Y unnan in China, to Mandalay now function as major
arteries for the influx of Chinese into Burma and else-
where in Southeast Asia. Thousands of Y unnanese have
poured into Mandalay , where they now dominate com-
mercial life.
China refers to the region as the “Great Golden
Peninsula.” T Trade between Y unnan and Burma increased
from US$15 million to well over US$800 million annu-
ally between 1984 and 1994. T Trade has been growing at a
rate of 10 percent a year since then. Manufactured goods
that once came from Thailand now come from China. In
addition, the Burma Road has become the main route for
timber into China and arms shipments from China. It is
also a major conduit for drugs.
THE YADANA GAS FIELDS
In 1992, Burma signed a contract with the French com-
pany T Total S.A. to develop the Yadana gas reserves in the
Andaman Sea and build a pipeline to Thailand where the
gas would be sold. T Total invited other companies to par-
ticipate in the project. The American company UNOCAL
was attracted to Burma because of its cheap labor and by
the fact that it was an entry point into Southeast Asian
markets. While UNOCAL was concerned about Burma' s
human rights violations, it regarded the government as
stable. Despite the risks, UNOCAL decided to invest in
the project. In the face of criticism from abroad, it argued
that “engagement” rather than “isolation” was the way to
engender social and political change in Burma.
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