As a student concerned with the ongoing developments in Burma, who visited the country last July and saw firsthand the fear and intimidation instilled by the military junta, I was pleased to see coverage of the Harvard protests in The Daily Free Press (“Harvard protest lends voice to silenced Burmese nation,” Oct. 1, p. 1).
However, I was upset to see the Free Press refer to the country as Myanmar. The United States, as well as Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and many other countries, does not officially recognize the name change of the country from Burma to Myanmar. To recognize the name change would give the junta the legitimacy it so desperately seeks.
In June when first lady Laura Bush penned a Wall Street Journal editorial calling for the release of Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, she referred to the country as Burma. Over the past week President Bush has continually denounced the violence and referred to the country as Burma. Let’s please keep the Burmese people in mind and not take any inadvertent steps that would provide any semblance of legitimacy to the ruthless military regime currently in power.
Joel Schmidt
LAW ’10
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