1999 Burmese Embassy Siege
Encyclopedia
The 1999 Burmese Embassy Siege of October 7, 1999 was the seizure of the embassy of the Union of Myanmar in Bangkok
, Thailand
. A group of Burmese dissidents from the Vigorous Burmese Student Warriors
(VBSW) and God's Army
stormed the Burmese embassy and held 89 people, including embassy staff, Burmese nationals, foreigners and Thai citizens. All hostages were released unharmed and the hostage takers were allowed to escape to the Burmese-Thai border by the Thai authorities.
staged a coup against the democratically elected government of U Nu
. He implemented the Burmese Way to Socialism
system which greatly impoverished the country. In addition, the Karens
had been fighting a civil war for an independent homeland since 1949. This had antagonized a lot of Karen people against the majority Burman dominated government.
In 1988, various pro-democracy demonstrations
nearly succeeded to topple the authoritarian power structure, only to be replaced by the Army after a brutal crackdown. At that time, many university students from Yangon's universities fled to the Burmese-Thai border where many took up arms to restore democracy, forming the All Burma Students' Democratic Front
.
Democratic elections were held in 1990 where Aung San Suu Kyi
's National League for Democracy
won an overwhelming majority. The junta refused to honour the results and proceeded to root out the pro-democratic forces.
In 1997, led by Johnny and Luther Htoo
, a group of 200 Karen Christian families left the Karen National Union
and formed the God's Army (revolutionary group)
.
Hundreds of democracy and human rights activists, including exiled students claim refuge in Thailand and they regularly lobby for greater democracy in Myanmar.
At one point the gunmen threatened to start shooting their captives - one every half hour - if their demands were not met.The gunmen also mentioned they were willing to die in action. Shortly before the gunmen left the embassy a series of gunshots were heard from within the compound but there are no reports of any casualties.
The Thai government eventually allowed the hostage takers to flee by helicopter to the border with Myanmar. After being freed, correspondents say a number of the hostages expressed some sympathy with the aims of the gunmen. Some of those released unfurled pro-democracy banners near the embassy and chanted "Free Burma".
The group were understood to be armed with AK-47s, hand grenades and grenade launchers.
However correspondents say the Thai Government has been keen to avoid labelling the gunmen as terrorists and says the gunmen were just student activists asking for democracy in their homeland.
The All Burma Students Democratic Front - which represents Burmese students in exile - says it has no connection with the hostage takers and does not support violence in the pursuit of bringing democracy to Burma.
, where they then took over the provincial hospital. Several hundred people, including patients and hospital staff, were held captive for about 22 hours. The rebels made several demands, one being that the Thai doctors and nurses would be sent to treat their sick and wounded. The group claimed it had been under sustained attacks by Burmese troops for a week at their mountain base near the Thai border. They also wanted Thai authorities to open the border and allow about 200 God's Army soldiers to seek refugee in Thailand. After an aborted negotiation to determine terms for surrender, Thai commandos stormed the hospital and killed all 10 hostage-takers.
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. A group of Burmese dissidents from the Vigorous Burmese Student Warriors
Vigorous Burmese Student Warriors
The Vigorous Burmese Student Warriors is an organization opposed to the ruling military junta in Burma. Considered by some a terrorist organization, in October 1999 they gained notoriety by raiding and holding hostages at the consulate of Burma in Bangkok, Thailand.Since the thwarted 1990...
(VBSW) and God's Army
God's Army (revolutionary group)
God's Army is an armed, revolutionary Christian force that opposed the military government of Burma. The group was an offshoot of the Karen National Union...
stormed the Burmese embassy and held 89 people, including embassy staff, Burmese nationals, foreigners and Thai citizens. All hostages were released unharmed and the hostage takers were allowed to escape to the Burmese-Thai border by the Thai authorities.
Context and Motivation
Myanmar (Burma) had been under military rule since 1962 when General Ne WinNe Win
Ne Win was Burmese a politician and military commander. He was Prime Minister of Burma from 1958 to 1960 and 1962 to 1974 and also head of state from 1962 to 1981...
staged a coup against the democratically elected government of U Nu
U Nu
For other people with the Burmese name Nu, see Nu .U Nu was a leading Burmese nationalist and political figure of the 20th century...
. He implemented the Burmese Way to Socialism
Burmese Way to Socialism
The Burmese Way to Socialism refers to the ideology of the Socialist regime in Burma, from 1962 to 1988, when the 1962 coup d'état was led by Ne Win and the military to remove U Nu from power...
system which greatly impoverished the country. In addition, the Karens
Karen people
The Karen or Kayin people , are a Sino-Tibetan language speaking ethnic group which resides primarily in southern and southeastern Burma . The Karen make up approximately 7 percent of the total Burmese population of approximately 50 million people...
had been fighting a civil war for an independent homeland since 1949. This had antagonized a lot of Karen people against the majority Burman dominated government.
In 1988, various pro-democracy demonstrations
8888 Uprising
The 8888 Nationwide Popular Pro-Democracy Protests was a series of marches, demonstrations, protests, and riots in the Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma...
nearly succeeded to topple the authoritarian power structure, only to be replaced by the Army after a brutal crackdown. At that time, many university students from Yangon's universities fled to the Burmese-Thai border where many took up arms to restore democracy, forming the All Burma Students' Democratic Front
All Burma Students' Democratic Front
The All Burma Students' Democratic Front is a resistance group against the military regime in Myanmar, the former Burma. It was created after unrest in the year 1988, in November 1988 in Yangon. It is a group of Burmese students living in the exile...
.
Democratic elections were held in 1990 where Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi, AC is a Burmese opposition politician and the General Secretary of the National League for Democracy. In the 1990 general election, her National League for Democracy party won 59% of the national votes and 81% of the seats in Parliament. She had, however, already been detained...
's National League for Democracy
National League for Democracy
The National League for Democracy is a Burmese political party founded on 27 September 1988. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi serves as its General Secretary. The party won a substantial parliamentary majority in the 1990 Burmese general election. However, the ruling military junta...
won an overwhelming majority. The junta refused to honour the results and proceeded to root out the pro-democratic forces.
In 1997, led by Johnny and Luther Htoo
Johnny and Luther Htoo
Johnny Htoo and Luther Htoo are twin brothers who jointly led the God's Army guerrilla group – a splinter group of Karen National Union – in Myanmar during the late 1990s...
, a group of 200 Karen Christian families left the Karen National Union
Karen National Union
The Karen National Union is a political organisation with an armed wing, the Karen National Liberation Army that represents the Karen people of Burma. It operates in Eastern Burma, and has underground networks in other areas of Burma where Karen people live. In Karen, this Karen area is called...
and formed the God's Army (revolutionary group)
God's Army (revolutionary group)
God's Army is an armed, revolutionary Christian force that opposed the military government of Burma. The group was an offshoot of the Karen National Union...
.
Hundreds of democracy and human rights activists, including exiled students claim refuge in Thailand and they regularly lobby for greater democracy in Myanmar.
Attack
At about 11am local time (0400GMT) on Friday, 1 October 1999, a group of five members raided the Burmese consulate in Bangkok and took 89 people hostage. The group demanded that negotiations be opened between the National League for Democracy and the Burmese government, and that a Parliament be convened based on the results of the 1990 election. However, they soon relaxed their demands and began to release the hostages.At one point the gunmen threatened to start shooting their captives - one every half hour - if their demands were not met.The gunmen also mentioned they were willing to die in action. Shortly before the gunmen left the embassy a series of gunshots were heard from within the compound but there are no reports of any casualties.
The Thai government eventually allowed the hostage takers to flee by helicopter to the border with Myanmar. After being freed, correspondents say a number of the hostages expressed some sympathy with the aims of the gunmen. Some of those released unfurled pro-democracy banners near the embassy and chanted "Free Burma".
The group were understood to be armed with AK-47s, hand grenades and grenade launchers.
Aftermath and international response
The Burmese Government called the attack "a pure act of terrorism" and in Washington the State Department, which has been critical of the Burmese military regime, also condemned what it called "a terrorist attack".However correspondents say the Thai Government has been keen to avoid labelling the gunmen as terrorists and says the gunmen were just student activists asking for democracy in their homeland.
The All Burma Students Democratic Front - which represents Burmese students in exile - says it has no connection with the hostage takers and does not support violence in the pursuit of bringing democracy to Burma.
Later developments
On January 24, 2000, 7 God's Army and 3 VBSW members later hijacked a bus near the Burmese-Thai border and forced the driver to take them to RatchaburiRatchaburi
Ratchaburi ) is a town in western Thailand, capital of the Ratchaburi Province. It covers the whole tambon Nai Mueang of Mueang Ratchaburi district. As of 2006 it has a population of 38,208.-External links:*...
, where they then took over the provincial hospital. Several hundred people, including patients and hospital staff, were held captive for about 22 hours. The rebels made several demands, one being that the Thai doctors and nurses would be sent to treat their sick and wounded. The group claimed it had been under sustained attacks by Burmese troops for a week at their mountain base near the Thai border. They also wanted Thai authorities to open the border and allow about 200 God's Army soldiers to seek refugee in Thailand. After an aborted negotiation to determine terms for surrender, Thai commandos stormed the hospital and killed all 10 hostage-takers.
See also
- God's ArmyGod's Army (revolutionary group)God's Army is an armed, revolutionary Christian force that opposed the military government of Burma. The group was an offshoot of the Karen National Union...
- Vigorous Burmese Student WarriorsVigorous Burmese Student WarriorsThe Vigorous Burmese Student Warriors is an organization opposed to the ruling military junta in Burma. Considered by some a terrorist organization, in October 1999 they gained notoriety by raiding and holding hostages at the consulate of Burma in Bangkok, Thailand.Since the thwarted 1990...