The Beast and the Beauty

The general perception of Burma / Myanmar is shaped by the compelling motif of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ that defines the confrontation between the country’s military junta and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. The conflict started with a public uprising in 1988. This was crushed by a military coup and simultaneously the daughter of Burma’s national hero made her sudden appearance on the political scene of her native country.This study is the first detailed chronology of the events between 1988 and 2011, from the coup until the military junta’s handover of power to a nominally civilian government. The events are contextualised through an analysis of some pivotal themes of Burma’s history, such as civilian-military relations, the legal system and the role of Aung San. The communication patterns of the conflicting parties, and the impact of the global assessment of the conflict are analysed, highlighting the role of the media in portrayal of the conflict partners, the failure of foreign mediators to resolve the conflict and the iconography of Aung San Suu Kyi.The book presents a comprehensive and differentiated picture of Myanmar’s recent history over fifteen chapters (enhanced by an extensive index) and draws some cautious conclusions on how the fairy tale motif may influence the country’s future.