Crisis In Burma’s (Myanmar) Struggle for Freedom

By: Christina Ladd

In 2015 Mayanmar Aung San Suu Kyi led the NLD in an elected civilian government to break free of oppression and dictatorship into social, economic, and political growth under democracy. She received a Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, and had been a political prisoner from 1989 to 2010 for fighting dictatorial rule in Burma and leading their wave of democracy.

The militia has frequently seized control and exploited its power over the people. In 1989 the military exploit took control of Burma and renamed the nation Myanmar. In 2020 a fair election put the NLD National League for Democracy candidate in office with overwhelming majority. Currently, as of February 2021, violent bloodshed in the streets and the slaughtering of families, inclusive of women and children, has marked military leader Min Aung Hlaing’s show of militant domination and force.¹ Mayanmar has a mineral and natural resource economy. Exploitation of these resources has been a frequent problem. Copper, Jade, oil, and gas are among the resources Myanmar holds. They hold one of the largest copper mines in Asia.

MOGE Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise expected 2,018 kyat or 1.5 billion dollars revenue for the projected 2019/2020 year while their cost of production was 2,218 kyat or 1.7 billion dollars.² Due to a slowing global economy under the pandemic conditions, their previous growth trend has slowed considerably to a loss reflecting the same global crisis we see in other markets. Since the country opening to global markets, their growth has been approximately 7 percent per year. Projections post-pandemic are now a staggering half percent growth for the year.³Myanmar is in the top ten (tenth place) on the World Bank’s list of indebtedness at 900 billion dollars. Recovery from the global pandemic and the battle for freedom are critical to their success.

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