Burma's new capital city unveiled

BBC ^ | Tuesday, March 27, 2007 | Jonathan Head

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Journalists caught a rare glimpse of Burma's military leader Than Shwe

Burma's military rulers have been showing off their new capital for the first time to the outside world.

The new city, called Naypyidaw, or Abode of Kings, is being built about 460km (300 miles) north of the old capital, Rangoon.

Until now few outsiders were allowed to go there, but the foreign media has been invited to the capital to watch the huge Armed Forces Day parade.

However, it is still not clear why the generals have moved here.

The rutted and overcrowded roads of Burma suddenly give way to smooth eight-lane motorways as you approach the new capital.

In pictures: Capital move Capital confusion

Naypyidaw is being built on a vast and extravagant scale in hundreds of square kilometres of tropical scrubland.

All government employees were forced to uproot from Rangoon and move here a year-and-a-half ago.

New pastel-coloured apartment blocks are being developed for them. There is reliable electricity and water.

But they complain that the city lacks shops and restaurants. Many have refused to bring their families.

The military has built itself a fortress-like complex to the east. This is where Burma's reclusive leader, General Than Shwe, now lives.

This morning we had a rare glimpse of him reviewing thousands of parading troops on Armed Forces Day.

He appeared frail but delivered a familiar, hardline message warning the soldiers to be ever vigilant against foreign powers he said were bent on weakening the country - a reference to US and European pressure for democratic reform.

Secure in its remote new capital, the military still shows no signs of loosening its grip on Burma.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Asia pinglist.

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[muir_redwoods]

Gosh, what a surprise, another tin cup dictator of a postage stamp sized country with delusions of grandeur has built himself a palatial city on the backs of the people.

His successors will probably fail to appreciate his vision once weeds start growing through the 8-lane highway.

[Zhang Fei]

I am guessing (from the map) that they're looking to avoid being overrun practically immediately by any naval invasion force. The problem is that the new capital is closer to China, meaning that if China chooses to annex its former tributary state in the future, Burma's government will become that much more easily accessible to the PLA.

[Cheburashka]

"Easily accessible" is a very, very relative term. The terrain between Burma and China in no way resembles, say, Belgium or Ukraine.

[Cronos]

a postage stamp sized country

?? Myanmar, which has a total area of 678,500 square kilometres (261,970 sq mi), is the largest country in mainland Southeast Asia, and the 40th-largest in the world (after Zambia). It is somewhat smaller than the US state of Texas

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

I am guessing (from the map) that they're looking to avoid being overrun practically immediately by any naval invasion force.

Or, it could be another way for the current government to declare the country's independence from its colonial past.

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

Kinda interesting that the Brits aren't acknowledging the new name the country's rulers have given the former colony.

[MinuteGal]

Roses grow red
Violets grow blue
On graves of tyrants
Who e'er overdo

- BURMA SHAVE

Leni

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Others (people the BBC referenced) agree that the capital being moved to the interior of the country was probably to defend against an American invasion.

Though apparently Burma has a tradition of changing capitals frequently.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

The United States also recognizes "Burma" as the name of the country.

Myanmar was declared the title of the country by the military junta, which the United States (and probably the UK) considers an illegitimate government.

[Bob Loblaw]

I don't know about this.

Somehow, Crab Naypyidaw doesn't have quite the same ring as Crab Rangoon.

[muir_redwoods]

okay, it's as big as a state. plenty of room to dump this general's body once the rioters are done with it.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Crab Naypyidaw.

Sheesh. Sounds like some kind of rapper.

East Coast school 'n stuff.

[Zhang Fei]

Kinda interesting that the Brits aren't acknowledging the new name the country's rulers have given the former colony.

Not at all. Chinese call the US "meiguo". We call "zhongguo" (the Central State) China. It's kind of like Firenze=Florence and Mumbai=Bombay. They use their name for themselves, and we'll use ours.

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

Not at all. Chinese call the US "meiguo". We call "zhongguo" (the Central State) China. It's kind of like Firenze=Florence and Mumbai=Bombay. They use their name for themselves, and we'll use ours.

True (re: "local" name v. "international" name), but in the U.S. media I see the country referred to as Myanmar more often than as Burma, so at least in this case it doesn't seem to be a simple matter of "We call ourselves this, and the rest of the world calls us that."

Most of the west doesn't accept Burma/Myanmar's government as legitimate, so it appears that in many cases calling the country Burma is a political statement, not simply adherence to tradition. That's what's interesting to me.

[dfwgator]

"My childhood was typical. Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons...."

[Zhang Fei]

Most of the west doesn't accept Burma/Myanmar's government as legitimate, so it appears that in many cases calling the country Burma is a political statement, not simply adherence to tradition. That's what's interesting to me.

I think this is a case of the US media bending over backwards to be "culturally-sensitive". The BBC's attitude towards dictatorships isn't particularly negative, unless they happen to be Western-leaning dictatorships. Burma definitely doesn't lean West, so the Beeb's use of the traditional English name for that country isn't a sign of disapproval.

[Zhang Fei]

Most of the west doesn't accept Burma/Myanmar's government as legitimate, so it appears that in many cases calling the country Burma is a political statement, not simply adherence to tradition. That's what's interesting to me.

I think this is a case of the US media bending over backwards to be "culturally-sensitive". The BBC's attitude towards dictatorships isn't particularly negative, unless they happen to be Western-leaning dictatorships. Burma definitely doesn't lean West, so the Beeb's use of the traditional English name for that country isn't a sign of disapproval.