Popov Fedor

Controversial Issues of the Civil War in Burma-Myanmar (Part 1.)

ЮГО-ВОСТОЧНАЯ АЗИЯ: АКТУАЛЬНЫЕ ПРОБЛЕМЫ РАЗВИТИЯ, 2023, №2(59), 249-268

 
Annotation: The civil war in Myanmar (until 1989 - Burma) is one of the longest armed conflicts in world history, which has not yet ended. The reasons for the conflict include a long break in Burmese statehood due to British occupation, complex interethnic relations, and extremism of the local communist party. The article raises the problem of periodization of the civil war, lists significant events that can be taken as the formal beginning of the conflict. The thesis about the impossibility of building a consistent periodization of the conflict is defended. Along with the struggle of the armies in Burma-Myanmar, there was a sharp struggle of ideas: democratic socialism, associated with the intellectual heritage of Aung San and the country's prime minister, U Nu; the authoritarian «Burmese socialism» of General Ne Win; communism, personified by the Communist Party of Burma. In 1988, the collapse of socialist experiments and the revival of Buddhist fundamentalism, with the support of the new military government, were marked, in turn, the ideas of democratic socialism were transformed into Burmese left-wing liberalism. Throughout the civil war, Great Britain, China, the United States and a number of other states were drawn into it to varying degrees. The author points to possible ways of studying Myanmar history by Russian researchers.

Keywords: Myanmar, Burma, civil war, Tatmadaw, Anti-Fascist People's Freedom League, Burmese Road to Socialism, Burmese studies, Aung San, Burmese nationalism, Communist Party of Burma, Buddhism, ethnic minorities