Abstract
Burma got its independence from Great Britain in 1948 and became a democratic republic for only fourteen years. Since 1962, a military junta rules over Burma. That is to say, the democratic republic ended with the military coup d'Etat of General Ne Win. He founded the Burma Socialist Program Party - BSPP - which was the only political party allowed until 1988. His mandate was characterized by military rule and repression against opponents and minorities requesting independence. He also nationalized the economy and pursued a policy of autarky. A national revolution demanding democracy tried to seize power on the eighth of August 1988 called the 8888 Uprising. The 8888 Uprising ended on the 18th September, when General Saw Maung, who was the defense minister, led a bloody military coup. The State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), which was the official name of the military regime since 1988, also had repressive policies with human right violations and brutal persecutions of opponents and minority groups. General Saw Maung was the head of SLORC since its creation. In this repressive context, the Burmese can choose between staying in Burma at the mercy of the military junta (internal displaced people in Burma are around 500,000 since 1962), or leaving their home country for nearby countries such as Thailand, India, and Bangladesh. By leaving, Burmese migrants hope for a better future. Nevertheless, for some of them a second nightmare begins. This is the case of those who leave to Malaysia, where their life is very different from what they had hoped. Around 30,000 Burmese migrants are in Malaysia, but unofficial figures point out a number as high as 500 000.
