Burma
BURMA AT A GLANCE
Continent: Asia
Geographic Coordinates: 22 00 N, 98 00 E
Borders: China, India, Laos, Thailand, Andaman Sea, Bay of Bengal
Population: 55,746,253 (July 2014 est.)
Ethnic Groups: Burman 68%, Shan 9%, Karen 7%, Rakhine 4%, Chinese 3%, Indian 2%, Mon 2%, other 5%
WHY PEOPLE WERE FORCED TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES:
Burma was administered as a province of British-controlled India until 1937 when it became a separate self-governing colony. Civil war broke out when Burma became independent of Britain in 1948. Since 1988 the country has been controlled by a repressive military government, which crushed student protests and imprisoned political dissidents. Political violence and widespread human rights abuses have forced Burmese people of all ethnicities to flee their homes. The first Burmese refugees were resettled in Vermont in 2008.
BURMESE IN VERMONT
Seven Days Article: Speaking in Tongues, Burmese Staff Interpreter at Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program
The Atlantic Article: From Burma to Burlington: The Story of 'Brings Luck'
GENERAL BACKGROUND RESOURCES ON BURMA
Cultural Orientation Resource Center: Refugees from Burma, June, 2007, Refugee Backgrounder": Information about the diverse histories, cultures, refugee backgrounds, and resettlement experiences of refugees from Burma, with a focus on Burmans, Karen, Karenni, and Chin.