Aung San Suu Kyi sentence and, 106
cabinet members, selecting, 214
changes under, 69–70
cyclone Nagris and, 91, 95, 96
fracturing power, 133, 135
Ibrahim Gambari meeting, 74
Jim Webb meeting, 120
Kofi Annan meeting, 73–74
Peng militia attack and, 112–13
Rahinda Rajapaksa meeting, 112
retirement scheme of, 110–11, 133
transition concerns, 129
youth and military career, 44
Thant, U
as author’s grandfather, 32
Barack Obama on, 161
commemorating, 102–3
death and burial of, 33
protests following death of, 33
Thant Myint-U
advising Aung Min and Soe Thane, 138–41
advisory council appointment, 154
advocacy campaign, organizing, 39
advocating for change, 101–2
Aung San Suu Kyi and, 142–43, 161–62
Beyond Ceasefires Initiative and, 175–76
conservation and urban planning efforts of, 218
disappointment and frustrations of, 218
economic reforms, advocating for, 119, 124, 230–31
in foreign advisor role, 167–68
on government transition, 118–19
grandfather U Thant’s death, 32, 33–34, 79
Livelihoods and Food Security Trust Fund, 125
The Making of Modern Burma, 78
meeting with Burmese officials, 80–81
meeting with foreign officials, 79–80
Nargis diplomatic efforts, 94–95
National Economic and Social Advisory Council, 154, 218
outside intervention, questioning, 79
on politics (see politics, author analysis of)
on poverty and isolationism, 79
Rangoon housing experience, 189–91
reform processes, meeting to discuss, 140–41
revolutionary efforts of, 39
United Nations work, 78, 79
US Senator Jim Webb and, 119–20
Western governments, working with, 80–81, 148–49
writings and thoughts on Burma, 78
Yangon Heritage Trust and, 191–95, 204, 218
Thant Myint-U, recollections of
Bangkok impressions, 34, 80
grandfather’s death and burial, 32, 33, 34
Rangoon impressions, 34
Thein Sein
appointing outside advisors, 136–37
Aung San Suu Kyi encounter, 142
background and election of, 134–35, 143–44
Barack Obama meetings, 160
education and military roles, 144
foreign investment, promoting, 195
government reorganization by, 153–54
heritage protection meeting, 192–93
inaugural address of, 136
leaving presidency, 224
Muslim-Burmese conflict and, 181–82
Muslim citizenship and, 182
Myitsone dam issue and, 145–47
Nargis disaster and, 88, 93, 144
as National Defense and Security Council chair, 236
Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement and, 217–18
party registration law and, 147–48
peace negotiations and, 167
as president, 144–45
“race and religion protection” bills and, 216–17
rapid changes by, 141–42, 147
Theravada Buddhism, 4
Thibaw, King, 15
Thida Htwe, 180
Thorning-Schmidt, Helle, 159
Thura Aung
background and family, 82–83
cyclone Nagris impacting, 83–87, 102
Tibeto-Burman languages, 9, 22
timber trade, 49, 51
Tin Hlaing, 127–28, 180–81
Tin Maung Thann, 121–22, 167
Tin Maung Win, 37–38
Tin Myo Win, 104, 158, 226
Tomés Quintana, 141
trade
illicit and illegal, 50–52, 198–99
in natural resources, 17–18, 51
Tula Toli, 239
Tun, Chris, 207
Tutu, Bishop Desmond, 75, 240
Twan Mrat Naing, 244
UNICEF, 61, 90, 190
UNIFEM, 100
Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), 109, 126, 135, 216
United Kingdom (UK)
aiding Aung San Suu Kyi, 64, 223–24
image of Burma in, 47
imposing sanctions, 3
supporting Aung San Suu Kyi release, 105
UN statement backed by, 81
United Nations
author work with, 78–79
Burma as democracy project, 4
See also Annan, Kofi; Nambiar, Vijay; Petrie, Charles; Thant, U
United Nations Conference on Women, 46–47
United Nations Department of Political Affairs, 78
United Nations General Assembly, 73, 77
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 182
United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Mayanmar, 241
United Nations Population Fund, 209
United Nations Secretary General. See Thant, U
United Nations Security Council, 2, 74, 81, 92, 246
United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, 141
United Nations World Food Programme, 95
United States
boycotts and aid cuts by, 46, 65
Burma Freedom and Democracy Act, 65–66
investment bans by, 48
sanctions against Zhao Wei, 201–2
United Wa State Army, 111, 179, 201, 202
urban planning efforts and conservation, 218
See also Yangon Heritage Trust
US Agency for International Development (USAID), 97
Velayati, Ali Akbar, 44
Victoria, Queen, 15
Villarosa, Shari, 93
violence
anti-Muslim, 184–87
in army-ARSA conflicts, 237–40
erupting, in Muslim-Buddhist conflict, 180–82
Facebook role in stoking, 241
International Criminal Court responding to, 246
UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanar report on, 245–46
See also riots
Vithuddha, U, 187
Vreeland, Frederick, 46
Waiyan Moethone Thann, 154
Wa Lone, 243
Wang Yi (China), 228
Wang Yifan (China), 171
Wa people, 111–12
war crimes, against Rohingya people, 245
See also crimes against humanity
wars. See Anglo-Burmese Wars; Bosnian War; Burmese army-Kachin Independence Organization war; civil war; Indo-Pakistani War
Wa Wa Khaing, 83, 102
wealth. See money and wealth
Webb, Jim, 106, 119–20
Weibo (social media site), 178
Wells, H. G., 18
WhatsApp, 232, 238
Where China Meets India (Thant Myint-U), 94
wildlife trafficking, 201
Win Myint, 252
Win Shein, 195
Win Tin, 126
Wirathu, U, 209
Women’s Special Marriage and Succession Act (1939), Buddhist, 29
World Bank
Burma Freedom and Democracy Act and, 65
economic reform conference and, 124
Rangoon housing allowances and, 190
Win Shein normalizing ties with, 195
World Food Programme, United Nations, 95, 97
World Health Organization, 71, 190
Yangon Heritage Trust
challenges of, 194, 204
overview of, 191–92
Ye Htut, 153, 174
Ye Kyaw Thu, 37–38
Ye Myint Aung, 128
Yeo, George, 96
Yettaw, John, 105, 106
Yucheng Group, 202
Yucheng Southeast Asia Free Trade Zone, 202
Zaw Htay, 207
Zaw Myint Maung, 252
Zerbadi people, 26
Zhao Wei, 201–2
Zipporah Sein, 166
Zuckerberg, Mark, 245
See also Facebook
ALSO BY
THANT MYINT-U
Where China Meets India:
Burma and the New Crossroads of Asia
The River of Lost Footsteps: Histories of Burma
The Making of Modern Burma
Copyright © 2020 by Thant Myint-U
All rights reserved
First Edition
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Jacket design by Jaya Miceli
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Production manager: Anna Oler
The Library of Congress has cataloged the printed edition as follows:
Names: Thant Myint-U, author.
Title: The hidden history of Burma : race, capitalism, and the crisis of democracy in the 21st century / Thant Myint-U.
Description: New York : W. W. Norton & Company, Inc., [2020] | Includes
bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019026007 | ISBN 9781324003298 (hardcover) |
ISBN 9781324003304 (epub)
Subjects: LCSH: Burma—History—1988–
Classification: LCC DS530.65 .T46 2020 | DDC 959.105/3—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019026007
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