Burmese Language
Suu Kyi dismisses order to use ‘Myanmar’
Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday brushed off orders from the Burmese’s government to stop calling the country “Burma”, a name widely used by democracy campaigners to defy the former junta.
The old regime changed the country’s official name some two decades ago to Myanmar, saying “Burma” was a relic from British colonial rule and implied the diverse land belonged only to the Burman ethnic majority.
The country’s election commission castigated Suu Kyi last week for repeatedly using the term during recent overseas trips, accusing her and the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) of flouting the constitution.
But a defiant Suu Kyi told reporters in Rangoon that she would call the country whatever she liked.
“In a democratic nation, things should be done after viewing the desire of the people,” she said, adding the army had renamed the country without consultation.
“Freedom of speech… and the right to speak one’s mind freely doesn’t insult anyone. This is also about democratic principles and policy.
“So I assume that I can use whatever I want to use as I believe in democracy.”
Suu Kyi and the NLD fiercely opposed the name change, denouncing it as a symbolic step by the generals towards creating a new country.
Global leaders have also struggled with what to call the country, which is emerging from decades of army rule under the guidance of reform-minded Prime Minister Thein Sein.
Britain’s David Cameron calls the country “Burma” while recent speeches by US President Barack Obama have also referred to its colonial name.
But his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton chose a more diplomatic path on a trip to the nation in December, employing the term Burma but saying it sparingly, generally preferring to dodge controversy by saying “this country”.
Tags: aung san suu kyi, burma, myanmar, NLD
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Absolutely agree and support her. The army though they can change whatever they want as if it is their own piece of land. Crazy general.
The US and the UK use both ‘Myanmar’ and ‘Burma’ regularly – ‘Myanmar’ in all written and printed diplomatic and UN communications and documents, ‘Burma’ in other contexts. But this constant switching between ‘Myanmar’ and ‘Burma’ is uncomfortable, tends to put the US and UK on the defensive and must be rather wearing, which is no doubt why Australia gave up the struggle recently and opted for ‘Myanmar’. Life is complicated enough as it is.
What Daw Suu uses is her concern, and hers alone. The US and UK choose to follow what she says, but like the Australians (and Germans, Italians, Belgians etc.) they don’t always have to. I can safely say that they will change their policy as soon as those buried Spitfires are recovered.
A far as I am concerned, Burma is Burma, and I will always refer to my country as Burma.
Nobody has the right to force me to call Burma in any other name.
electioin commission duty was finished after election.Besides, It is the time to propergate the development of the country not to argue the Burma or Myanmar.Show your sincerity , love of peace and transforming of dictatorship to friendship view.Stand tall for peace and respect of human rights.
shwe
don’t know why people like to create and keep the tention rather than finding the solution. These two names create a lot of confusion in the home land and outside. The old name and the new one are used at the same time. People need to do some compromise if they want to move forward. If not, they get stuck. Not good for them and the surrounding. In a democratic country, students do not pay any respect to the teachers. The children don’t respect their parents. There is no respect among the people. Every body has a right to do whatever they want without thinking the wellbeing of the others. Even though their action is ubearable for the surrounding, they keep on doing it by using the famous words ‘Democracy and Human Rights’.
I hope very much that this kind of wild democracy won’t be adopted in my country. In a family, in a school, in a country, each member should respect each other. If not, both parents and childrens, students and teachers, population and government cannot live in peace.
If you use the name ‘Burma’ because you like this name very much, it is ok. But you call ‘Burma’ all the time in order to protest against the government,then it is very clear that you just want to continue to fight against rather than moving forward to the peace and development of the country. This is for all the people who call my country ‘Burma.’ Peace does not come on its own. you need to invite it. Without peace, there will be no developement.
This is not a time to keep the old ill-feeling. This is a time to turn the page in order to start the start the new fruitful era fo the whole population.
This is not a time to keep the anger and hatred. We should be more open if we genuinely want the development and well-being of the population. If we call ‘Burma’ because we like this name very much, it is acceptable. But we continue to use ‘Burma’ only because it was given the military government, then it is clear that we don’t have any plan to create peace and welcome the fruitful new era at all. Please don’t use the famous words ‘Democracy and Human Rights’to be able to do whatever we want. In every society, in a family, in a school, in a company, in a country there are always laws and regulations to be respected.
Where are the much more important news and information? In stead of this unproductive, problem-cooking, self-dividing, and single person promotion article shall we spend our precious time on more important issues for that impoverished country?
There are billions of billions of important things and news to report. Both peoples inside and out of Myanmar need to be given important news on what is going on in diverse context. We want to know not only about one single people but about more peoples and what they are saying. We do not want to help create a society with another even more dangerous (because invisible in your cloud-covered minds) dictator. We do not want to see a new society emerging under the control of world’s super power. We do not want to see another slave country.
We do not want to see the human society where flow of love, respect, trust, opportunities, etc. flow dangerously unbalanced. In fact the flow is already hugely unbalanced among the peoples of the world. Our duty right now is to reduce the unbalance (of course equality is not our goal and it is impossible) and let the flow reciprocal, distributive, and away from the danger points.
Burma is Burma.We fighted to get freedom with the name of BURMA.It,s an indepandent name.Myanmar is a Chinese name.Chinesepeople called Burma Mynatin ,so it,s like Chinese.Army love China and like to glad Chinese communist party.I always call freedom Burma not Chinese dominated Myantin.
She is still grandstanding for her Western audience and the NLD hardliners, giving the hardliners in the government/military with ammunition against democratic reform with no gain from this arrogant words. She should spend more time reading the words of Lord Buddha about skillful speech and action – knowing what and what not to say/do at that moment to achieve meaningful results. It is time for a new leader of the democratic opposition, like Zarganar, who listens to the people and not lectures them, who does things, not talks, and who is focused upon the real needs of the people and not the Western audience. ASSK has achieved her purpose in the beginning stages of democratic reform, it is time for her to just be a moral leader and allow someone who knows how to get things done to assume the key leadership role. Leadership is about meaningful results, not grandstanding. The regime has strengthened and persisted because of the lack of true leadership and results by the NLD. When will the people clear the dust from their eyes, see this, and do something about it.
Because it was democratcally adopted by the “people”, I am always proud to call my country “Burma”, to hold my original national flag (five stars surrounding the union star); and to sing proudly of the original national anthem. Current name, flag, songs of Burma are established without people’s consent but were forced to be used by Burmese military which is composed of murderers, rapists, theives and bullies. All Burmese nationals have no respect for the so-called ex- and present military leaders who are soon to become ‘war criminals’ at the Hague. We, the people of Burma, have considered the Burmese military illegally stole the real name and flag of Burma. (In Burmese language, it is pronounced as ‘bama-sit-tat-a-lan-cho-de’.
Well done,Ms Suu Kyi,you carried the mandate of the entire population.Who are in Election Commission,anyway?they are known only internationally for organising the very funny 2010 National Elections,although they did redeem themselves somewhat due mainly to President Thein Sein personal efforts,show them that time has changed,it is not possible to bully you and the people anymore.
Burma should always be Burma.
Junta changed the name according to astrologer’s advice rather than other good or sound raesons.If we love our country we all should use Burma whenever we mentioned our country.
The idiot green suit peoples need to educate about language, culture and democracy.
Did our Burmese language News Paper ever print France for France?
Burmese language News Paper use “Pyin-Thit”as referring to France.
France is Pyin-Thit in Burmese language.
Burma is Myanmar in English language. “Ingalate or Byiteesha” is British in Myanmar.
Burma will be left behind our neighbor as long as these idiot peoples are in power.
Their stupid ideology make Burma the world poorest and least develop country in the world. If these officials were in Communist China and then 100% sure they will be sending off to re-education camp.
I’m not sure how much the Election Commission has power in Burma. However the Election Commission duty is assisting peoples enable to vote in Local, State and Federal Election, given education about Election rule, regulating on political party or individual candidate fund raising activity and other election related matter but the Election Commissioner do not have power in other area in democratic country like in Australia.
Why not call it “The Golden Land”
My cat is not a Myanman cat and he meows in Burrrmese.
Can’t wait to visit his spititual homeland again
Very beautiful name ‘the golden land’. I love it. The problem if we change the name again, the whole world will go crazy. It will be a big problem each time we go through the passport control in foreign countries. Already the name ‘Myanmar’ is unknown to so many countries. Each time I travel, my passport take a rest for long time at passport control counter.