Myanmar pardoned prominent dissidents, journalists and a former premier Friday under a major prisoner amnesty, intensifying a surprising series of reforms by the army-backed regime.Duration: 01:10
Tags :WEB, MYANMAR, POLITICS

thefilmarchive.org Buddhism in Burma (also known as Myanmar) is predominantly of the Theravada tradition, practised by 89% of the country's population It is the most religious Buddhist country in terms of the proportion of monks in the population and proportion of income spent on religion. Adherents are most likely found among the dominant ethnic Bamar (or Burmans), Shan, Rakhine (Arakanese), Mon, Karen, and Chinese who are well integrated into Burmese society. Monks, collectively known as the Sangha, are venerated members of Burmese society. Among many ethnic groups in Myanmar, including the Bamar and Shan, Theravada Buddhism is practiced in conjunction with nat worship, which involves the placation of spirits who can intercede in worldly affairs. With regard to "salvation" in the Buddhist sense, there are three primary paths in Burmese Buddhism: merit-making, vipassana (insight meditation), and the weizza path (an esoteric form of Buddhism that involves the occult). Merit-making is the most common path undertaken by Burmese Buddhists. This path involves the observance of the Five Precepts and accumulation of good merit through charity and good deeds (dana) in order to obtain a favorable rebirth. The vipassana path, which has gained ground since the early 1900s, is a form of insight meditation believed to lead to enlightenment. The third and least common route, the weizza path, is an esoteric system of occult practices (such as recitation of spells, samatha meditation ...
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The Burma election was not entirely free and fair, but observers are nonetheless calling it an important step toward democracy. Markus Löning, the German government's commissioner for human rights, is in Burma to observe events. His assessment will play an important role in determining whether Burma regains international support. For more go to: www.dw.de
Tags :burma, election, democracy, markus löning, german, government's commissioner, human rights, people politics, dw, deutsche welle

The country formerly known as Burma is undergoing its most significant political change since military rule began in 1962. 101 East travels to the Southeast Asian country to find out the reasons behind the country's dramatic turn.
Tags :politics, election, media censorship, myanmar, reforms, youtube, military rule, 101east, Aung San Suu Kyi, southeast asia, aljazeera, Thein Sein, democracy

Censored, heavily-reliant on 'borrowed' foreign tunes and even hamstrung by sanctions, Myanmar's musicians have struggled for years under dictatorship. With sweeping reforms from a new regime, change is in the air in the formerly reclusive country. Duration: 02:29
Tags :WEB, MYANMAR, POLITICS, LIFESTYLE, MUSIC

Today, the US announced it will begin to restore diplomatic relations with Myanmar, the Southeast Asian country also known as Burma. The move comes after the country's military led civilian government released more than 600 political prisoners. In a statement released today, President Barack Obama, called it "a substantial step forward for democratic reform." Activists welcomed the release of prisoners, but they continue to call for further reforms. From Bangkok, FSRN's Ron Corben reports. More at fsrn.org
Tags :FSRN, Free Speech, Free Speech Radio News, Burmese Politics, Burma, Myanmar, Burma's Military Junta, Burmese Political Prisoners, Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmese Political Reforms, Sanctions Against Burma, President Thien Sein, Burma's 1988 Uprising, Political Prisoner Release

Myanmar's youth, no strangers to the country's long struggle for democracy, are increasingly daring to emerge from the political shadows as the regime promises a new era of openness. Duration: 02:22
Tags :WEB, MYANMAR, POLITICS, YOUTH

Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is sworn in as a member of parliament, opening a new chapter in the Nobel laureate's near quarter-century struggle against authoritarian rule. Duration: 00:38
Tags :WEB, MYANMAR, POLITICS, DIPLOMACY

A number of Myanmar dissidents, who fled a brutal crackdown on student protests over two decades ago, return to their estranged country for the first time. Duration: 02:23
Tags :WEB, MYANMAR, POLITICS, ECONOMY, MIGRATION

Anger is growing in villages earmarked to be flattened for a huge industrial area in southern Myanmar. The planned multi-billion dollar deep sea port and factory development led by a Thai industrial giant could see over 20000 people relocated and change this sleepy rural area forever.Duration: 02:06
Tags :WEB, MYANMAR, POLITICS, ECONOMY, ENVIRONMENT

Voters in Myanmar flock to the polls on Sunday for elections expected to sweep opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi into parliament for the first time as part of dramatic political reforms.Duration:00:32
Tags :WEB, MYANMAR, POLITICS, VOTE

The NLD has taken a 'wrong move' by refusing to take the party's newly-won seats in Myanmar's parliament, according to one Myanmar observer. Suu Kyi's party has refused to swear to "safeguard" an army-created constitution in the first sign of tension with the government since a landmark by-election this month saw the democracy icon win a parliamentary seat. The spat comes as European Union suspend most sanctions against the impoverished nation for one year to reward a series of dramatic reforms since direct army rule ended last year. Duration: 01:28
Tags :WEB, MYANMAR, POLITICS

Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi insisted she was back to health on Sunday as she pressed on with her election campaign in Mandalay despite falling ill during a huge rally a day earlier. Duration: 00:53.
Tags :RAW, MYANMAR, POLITICS

Huge crowds hailed Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi as she hit the campaign trail on Sunday ahead of by-elections seen as a key test of the regime's commitment to reform.Duration: 00:48
Tags :WEB, MYANMAR, POLITICS

Ethnic rebels from the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) have battled the Myanmar army for a year in a conflict that has displaced around 50000 civilians and cast a shadow over government reforms. Fighting appears to have worsened in recent weeks -- despite a revamped peace talk team -- and the insurgents say they are ready to defend their remote northern stronghold of Laiza. Duration: 01:16
Tags :WEB, MYANMAR, POLITICS, UNREST, KACHIN

The United States on Friday praised the release of hundreds of political prisoners in Myanmar and said it would move to open an embassy in the country as a reward for reforms undertaken by the military-backed government. Duration: 01:07
Tags :WEB, MYANMAR, POLITICS, US, DIPLOMACY, REAX

Five years after a brutal crackdown in Myanmar, CNN's Paula Hancocks asks monks if they trust the current changes. 30 March 2012.
Tags :Myanmar, Burma, Monk, Myanmar Politics

There are reports Burma will set a new currency exchange rate in an effort to court foreign investment.
Tags :burma, myanmar, politics, news, exchange rate, currency, reform, ANNEWS

Myanmar (Burma) has released the most prominent political dissidents of the country from jail. One of the dissidents released is Mya Aye who had been serving a 65-year jail sentence for speaking out against the Burmese government. His 23-year-old daughter is Wai Hnin Pwint Thon. She left Myanmar in 2006, because her father's activism made it impossible for her to continue her studies there. She lives in London now where she's a pro-democracy activist herself. Marco Werman talked with her about release of her father and other Burmese dissidents. VIDEO: Rahul Joglekar
Tags :Burma, Myanmar

Myanmar's main opposition party led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has decided to rejoin politics and legally register to take part in future elections. Friday's decision signals its confidence in recent political reforms by the government that took power after the country's military rulers upheld their promise to hold elections in November 2010 and relinquish power. Al Jazeera's Wayne Hays reports from Bangkok, Thailand.
Tags :Jazeera;, Thailand;, NLD;, Wayne, Hay;, Aung, San, Suu, Kyi, Asianews