Editing Politics of Myanmar (section)

=== SPDC era ===
The former [[head of state]] was [[Than Shwe|Senior General Than Shwe]] who held the title of "Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council". His appointed [[prime minister]] was [[Khin Nyunt]] until 19 October 2004, when he was forcibly deposed in favour of [[Soe Win (prime minister)|Gen. Soe Win]]. Almost all [[Cabinet (government)|cabinet]] offices are held by military officers.

US and European government sanctions against the military government, combined with consumer boycotts and shareholder pressure organised by Free Burma activists, have succeeded in forcing most western corporations to withdraw from Burma. However, some western oil companies remain due to loopholes in the sanctions. For example, the French oil company [[TotalEnergies]] and the American oil company [[Chevron Corporation|Chevron]] continue to operate the [[Yadana Project|Yadana natural gas pipeline]] from Burma to Thailand. TotalEnergies (formerly TotalFinaElf) is the subject of a lawsuit in French and Belgian courts for alleged complicity in human rights abuses along the gas pipeline. Before it was acquired by Chevron, [[Unocal]] settled a similar lawsuit for a reported multimillion-dollar amount.<ref>{{cite news |last=Horsley |first=William |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3761022.stm |title=Dilemma of dealing with Burma |work=BBC News |date=20 October 2004 |access-date=2 November 2004 |archive-date=11 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210211073843/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/3761022.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> Asian businesses, such as [[Daewoo]], continue to invest in Burma, particularly in natural resource extraction.

The United States and European clothing and shoe industry became the target of Free Burma activists for buying from factories in Burma that were wholly or partly owned by the government or the military. Many stopped sourcing from Burma after protests, starting with [[Levi Strauss]] in 1992. From 1992 to 2003, Free Burma advocates successfully forced dozens of clothing and shoe companies to stop sourcing from [[Burma]]. These companies included [[Eddie Bauer]], [[Liz Claiborne]], [[Macy's]], [[J. Crew]], [[JoS. A. Bank Clothiers|JoS. A. Banks]], [[Children's Place]], [[Burlington Coat Factory]], [[Wal-Mart]], and [[Target Corporation|Target]]. The US government banned all imports from Burma as part of the "Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act" of 2003. Sanctions have been criticised for their adverse effects on the civilian population. However, Burmese democracy movement leader [[Aung San Suu Kyi]] has repeatedly credited sanctions for putting pressure on the ruling military regime.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hiatt |first=Fred |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&contentId=A21505-2003Jun22 |title=How Best to Rid the World of Monsters |newspaper=Washington Post |date=23 June 2003 |access-date=24 May 2006 |archive-date=19 July 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050719233013/http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ibiblio.org/obl/reg.burma/archives/199905/msg00184.html |title=Reuters Belgian group seeks Total boycott over Myanmar |work=Ibiblio |publisher=Reuters |date=10 May 1999 |access-date=24 June 2006 |archive-date=14 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191114123541/http://www.ibiblio.org/obl/reg.burma/archives/199905/msg00184.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Human Rights Watch]] and [[Amnesty International]] have documented egregious [[human rights]] abuses by the military government.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.boell.de/index.html?http://www.boell.de/en/05_world/4756.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071030225711/http://www.boell.de/index.html?http%3A%2F%2Fwww.boell.de%2Fen%2F05_world%2F4756.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 October 2007 |title=Active Citizens under Political Wraps: Experiences from Burma and Vietnam |publisher=Heinrich Böll Foundation |access-date=27 June 2020 }}</ref> Civil liberties were severely restricted. [[Human Rights Defenders and Promoters]], formed in 2002 to raise awareness among the people of Burma about their human rights, claims that on 18 April 2007, several of its members were met by approximately a hundred people led by a local [[Union Solidarity and Development Association|USDA]] Secretary U Nyunt Oo and beaten up. The HRDP believes that this attack was condoned by the authorities.

There is no independent [[judiciary]] in Burma<ref name="courts">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/libertycentral/2012/mar/20/burma-judicial-system|title=Burma's push for freedom is held back by its institutionally corrupt courts|last=Ross|first=James|date=20 March 2012|work=The Guardian|access-date=22 March 2012|archive-date=28 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328081128/http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/libertycentral/2012/mar/20/burma-judicial-system|url-status=live}}</ref> and the military government suppresses political activity. The government uses software-based filtering from US company [[Fortinet]] to limit the materials citizens can access on-line, including free email services, free web hosting and most political opposition and pro-democracy pages.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.opennetinitiative.net/studies/burma/ |title=Internet Filtering in Burma in 2005: A Country Study |publisher=OpenNet Initiative |access-date=31 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081119090055/http://www.opennetinitiative.net/studies/burma/ |archive-date=19 November 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2001, the government permitted NLD office branches to re-open throughout Burma. However, they were shut down or heavily restricted beginning 2004, as part of a government campaign to prohibit such activities. In 2006, many members resigned from NLD, citing harassment and pressure from the [[Tatmadaw]] (Armed Forces) and the [[Union Solidarity and Development Association]].

The military government placed [[Aung San Suu Kyi]] under house arrest again on 31 May 2003, following an attack on her convoy in northern Burma by a mob reported to be in league with the military. The regime extended her house arrest for yet another year in late November 2005. Despite a direct appeal by [[Kofi Annan]] to [[Than Shwe]] and pressure from [[ASEAN]], the Burmese government extended Aung San Suu Kyi's house arrest another year on 27 May 2006.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=The Irrawaddy |url=http://www.irrawaddy.org/aviewer.asp?a=5797&z=154 |title=Suu Kyi's Detention Extended, Supporters likely to Protest |magazine=The Irrawaddy |date=27 May 2006 |access-date=27 May 2006}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> She was released in 2010.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.irrawaddy.org/highlight.php?art_id=20068 |title=Suu Kyi Freed at Last |author=Ba Kaung |date=13 November 2010 |work=The Irrawaddy |access-date=14 November 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101119175541/http://www.irrawaddy.org/highlight.php?art_id=20068 |archive-date=19 November 2010 }}</ref>

The United Nations urged the country to move towards inclusive national reconciliation, the restoration of democracy, and full respect for human rights.<ref>[http://www.narinjara.com/details.asp?id=1282 UN Secretary Repeats Call for Release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120504231023/http://www.narinjara.com/details.asp?id=1282 |date=4 May 2012 }} 27 May 2007.</ref> In December 2008, the [[United Nations General Assembly]] passed a resolution condemning the [[Human rights in Burma|human rights situation in Burma]] and calling for Aung San Suu Kyi's release—80 countries voting for the resolution, 25 against and 45 abstentions.<ref>[http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2008/12/26/2003432089 UN General Assembly condemns Myanmar] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430013412/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2008/12/26/2003432089 |date=30 April 2011 }}. ''Taipei Times''. 26 December 2008</ref> Other nations, such as China and Russia, have been less critical of the regime and prefer to co-operate on economic matters.<ref>[http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\03\25\story_25-3-2009_pg20_5 Myanmar breaks own law holding Suu Kyi: UN panel] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130416065530/http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009%5C03%5C25%5Cstory_25-3-2009_pg20_5 |date=16 April 2013 }}. ''Daily Times of Pakistan''. 25 March 2009</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/china-myanmar-idUSL3E8F50CR20120405|title=China calls for all Myanmar sanctions to go after poll|date=5 April 2012|work=Reuters|access-date=6 April 2012|archive-date=8 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508164006/http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/05/china-myanmar-idUSL3E8F50CR20120405|url-status=live}}</ref>

Facing increasing [[international isolation]], Burma's military government agreed to embark upon a [[Reforms in Burma|programme of reform]], including permitting multiple political parties to contest elections in 2010 and 2012 and the release of [[political prisoners]]. However, organizations such as [[Human Rights Watch]] allege continued human rights abuses in ongoing conflicts in border regions such as [[Kachin State]]<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2109481,00.html|title=Abuses in Burma Despite Reforms|last=Pittman|first=Todd|date=20 March 2012|agency=Associated Press|magazine=TIME|access-date=22 March 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321015126/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2109481,00.html|archive-date=21 March 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> and [[Rakhine State]].