Burma

UPDATED For more than 50 years Burma has been ruled by a succession of military regimes which rank among the most oppressive dictatorships in the world. Accused of crimes against humanity they have brutally mistreated their people. Yet in the last few years the pace of change has been breathtaking. Much is now hoped for. However Burma is one of the most ethnically diverse nations in Southeast Asia: there are roughly seven major ethnic groups living along its borders. They have a long history of conflict with the government and have been cruelly treated by the current regime. Their future affects the country as a whole as Benedict Rogers explains. Drawing heavily on his many fact-finding visits both inside Burma and along its frontiers he gives a unique appraisal of the current ethnic situation and its implications for the nation as a whole. Wide-ranging expertly researched and full of brand new accounts of the courage and determination of the Burmese people Burma: A Nation at the Crossroads explains the country's conflicted history as well as its contemporary struggle for justice. Burma stands poised for freedom or for further repression. No one can be sure. This fascinating and accessible book describes what is really happening inside this beautiful secretive and potentially prosperous country.