Burma's Horoscope

[shway-ba@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Dear Netters:

Michael O'Reilly of the Mountain Astrologer has prepared this article, which
is scheduled for November 1999 issue of American Astrology, and will be on
news stands by late September.

Comments are welcome.


Win Naing (Shway Ba)




Horoscope data:

1. Burma: Jan 4, 1948; 4:20 am; Rangoon (16N47 96E10;
-6:30 from GMT) gives 10º41 Sagittarius Rising, with
Moon at 17º56 Libra

2. Aung San Suu Kyi: June 19, 1945; Noon, Rangoon

3. Coup d'etat: Sept 18, 1988; 4 pm; Rangoon  gives 19º06
AQ Rising, Moon16º38 Sag

4. General Khin Nyunt was born on October 11, 1939,
Noon, Burma

5. Coup d'etat: Mar 2, 1962; 6 pm, gives 9º19 Virgo
Rising, Moon 16º40 Cap


The Astrology of Burma

Professional astrologers are often asked to select a
promising birth time for a new company, marriage, or in
the case of political astrology, a new country. Burma, a
region with a long, rich history favoring astrologers,
declared its independence on January 4, 1948. According
to researcher Nicholas Campion, "the hour having been
chosen by astrologers as auspicious."
The horoscope for Burma features Jupiter dignified
in Sagittarius and made prominent by its proximity to the
Sagittarius Ascendant. Any astrologer looking to promote
national prosperity is justified in having Jupiter Rising.
Jupiter here is favorably trine Saturn and Pluto in the ninth
house, and sextile Venus on the one hand, and the Moon
and Neptune on the other. Jupiter also squares the
Midheaven, which likewise favors business prospects. So
far so good....
The problem with this chart is that the planet
governing Generals, Mars, is in Virgo, the sign of military
service. This Virgo Mars is the most elevated planet in the
horoscope, indicating what would eventually rise to
power. Mars squares the Ascendant, which puts the
military at odds with the national identity, and a constant
source of internal conflict. However, Mars trines the Sun,
showing that military power and national government are
natural allies. Pluto, the natural ruler of dictators, arrived
on Burma's Mars in 1962 when the first military coup
d'etat was staged. Burma has been under military
dictatorship ever since, although periodically democracy
movements challenge the Generals' rule only to be
brutally and ruthlessly put down.
Why should the United States care about the
goings-on in this far-flung region of southeast Asia?
Besides nominally supporting democracy movements
around the globe, Americans are in an escalating battle
against widespread drug addiction. Burma supplies about
90 percent of the world's heroin production, and since the
latest military government took over in September 1988,
heroin trafficking has quadrupled. The BBC, the PBS
documentary Frontline, and other respected news media
report that Burma's military leaders protect and profit
from global heroin trafficking. And the natal horoscope
selected by Burmese astrologers in 1948 clearly shows this
tendency.
Neptune in this horoscope is located near the
Moon in Libra, and closely aspecting nearly every planet
in the chart. Neptune is in a helpful sextile to the
dictatorial Pluto in the ninth house of foreign trade.

Neptune is exactly squaring the second house Sun,
reflecting the large, illegal profits derived from heroin
trafficking, and implicating the government leaders.
Neptune has a more spiritual side, of course, but until the
national government espouses Buddhism or other
transcendental approach to running the country, we can
assume that heroin is the Neptunian outlet.

The Challenge of Democracy

What prospects are there for change in government
in Burma? This month Saturn and Uranus make their
second of three squares at 13º Taurus and Aquarius. This
degree is very near Burma's Pluto, located at 14º Leo.
Throughout 1999 Burma's Pluto has been under siege
from the outer planets Saturn and Uranus, showing the
urgent demand for radical change in the status quo. In a
fascinating manifestation of Burma's natal potential, the
challenge to the junta comes in the form of a woman.
Pluto is opposed in this horoscope by Venus in the
equal-rights sign of Aquarius. Aquarius more than any
othe4 sign promotes democracy movements, and transiting
Uranus on Burma's Venus is the activation of this
impulse.
Since 1988 the leader of the pro-democracy
movement has been Aung San Suu Kyi, herself the
daughter of a General who was assassinated on July 19,
1947. Ms Suu Kyi was born on June 19, 1945 in Rangoon,
Burma (time unknown, set for 12 Noon). With her Sun in
Gemini, she is a natural writer and communicator, and
since she has Uranus at 14º Gemini, opposite the Burma
Ascendant and Jupiter, her speeches and writings have
naturally focused on democracy and human rights. Suu
Kyi's chart shows her intensely ambitious drive for power,
undoubtedly inherited from her father's military
background: she has Mars square Pluto in fixed signs
giving her tremendous perseverance and willpower.
Mars-Pluto aspects aren't inherently ruthless or
mean-spirited, but they do bring tremendous
resourcefulness and drive to win, no matter what the costs.
Nelson Mandela has a Mars-Pluto square, and Mohandas
Gandhi had Mars opposite Pluto. Mars-Pluto people are
the doers, the shakers, and the indomitable troublemakers.
As we shall see, Burma's de facto chieftain, General Khin
Nyunt, has Mars opposite Pluto, so these two Burmese
leaders are deeply committed foes.
Suu Kyi's Venus at 12º Taurus resonates strongly
with Burma's Venus at 12º Aquarius. In other words,
when Burma's Venus archetype awakens, Suu Kyi is there
to fill the bill as a national woman leader opposing the
dictatorship. Burma's Venus opposes Pluto; Suu Kyi's
Venus squares Pluto. Suu Kyi's personal authority and
earthly power is symbolized by her Saturn in Cancer. This
Saturn is exactly opposite Burma's Sun in Capricorn, so
again she naturally opposes the standing regime.
Burma's national politics took a sudden turn on
July 23, 1988 when the acting dictator General Ne Win
stepped down, triggering a widespread pro-democracy
movement. At the time Saturn and Uranus were conjunct
at 27º Sagittarius, exactly opposing Suu Kyi's Sun. The
Saturn-Uranus conjunction triggered revolutionary
democracy movements around the globe, most notably in
apartheid South Africa, the Eastern European communist

bloc, Beijing's Tiananmen Square, and the Soviet Union.
In Burma tremendous rallies were held on August
8, 1988 (selected for the numerologically favorable
combination of 8-8-88). Suu Kyi reached national
prominence on August 26, 1988 when she addressed half a
million people during a mass rally for democracy. On
September 18, 1988 the military cracked down,
re-establishing itself as the sole authority. The National
League for Democracy was founded six days later
(September 24, 1988) with Aung Sang See Kyi as the
General Secretary.

The Current Regime

The current regime's horoscope is set for
September 18, 1988 at 4 pm in Rangoon when the army
made its radio announcement of the new government
(time is from personal correspondence). Although Mars is
retrograde, it is otherwise strong by its abundance of
aspects: inconjunct Pluto, sextile Jupiter, dignified in
Aries, square Neptune, square Chiron, and trine Venus.
The retrograde motion and the square to Neptune points to
a military who's purpose is turned inward for purposes
other than guarding national law and order, namely
personal power and the narcotics trade. This junta was
first to make peace treaties with the armed ethnic
population growing the poppy fields, from which heroin is
produced.
The aspect relevant to our discussion here is the
repetition of a theme: Pluto squares Venus, the junta
challenged by the strong woman. In this case Venus is in
Leo, and by the time Burma's leading woman leader takes
center stage, she is on the verge of international stardom.
Speaking openly and critically of the military leadership in
late 1988 and the first half of 1989, Suu Kyi was finally
placed under house arrest on July 20, 1989. At the time
her progressed Sun and Pluto were conjunct, transiting
Pluto was at 12º Scorpio (squaring the junta's Venus in
Leo, squaring Burma's natal Venus, and opposing her own
Venus). Also, transiting Saturn was conjunct Burma's Sun
and opposing her own Saturn. The acceleration of events
occurred as the outer planets activated the 12º of fixed
signs, which once again is the case now in 1999.
With Suu Kyi a martyred figure under house arrest,
the National League for Democracy won a landslide
victory (88%) during the election of May 27, 1990. The
military, which at first promoted the election, reneged on
its support, and threw out Parliament, arresting and
torturing many of the newly elected members in the
process. Over the next few years, Aung San Suu Kyi
achieved international recognition for her plight. She was
given several European awards recognizing her for her
human rights stand in her writings and speeches. Then on
October 14, 1991 she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize
while still detained. After many protests by global leaders
everywhere, the military finally released her on July 10,
1995, although her speech and movements are still (as of
this writing) severely restricted.

The Dictator

Burma's current powerbroker is General Ne Win
who has remained the top military commander since the
coup of Mar 2, 1962 (6 pm, according to sources). The
horoscope for this coup parallels the developments seen in

Burma's national horoscope as well as the September 18,
1988 chart. Pluto is conjunct the Ascendant, and transiting
Pluto is now squaring this powerful point. In addition, the
ruler of the chart is Mercury (squaring Neptune, ruler of
heroin) and placed at 14º Aquarius, right where transiting
Uranus and Saturn are hitting this month.
General Ne Win is 87 years old now, and has
severe medical problems. Observers say he hasn't much
longer to live. His passing will mark a major change in
Burma's political climate. His likely successor will be
General Khin Nyunt who was born on October 11, 1939
(in Kyauktan, Burma, time unknown, set for Noon). Gen.
Nyunt has been one of Burma's top leaders since the
September 18, 1988 takeover, and was responsible for
arresting and later releasing Aung San Suu Kyi in his
official role as Head of Military Intelligence.
With his Sun in diplomatic Libra, General Nyunt
has worked hard to present an acceptable front. In October
1998 he created a political committee to look into forming
a government-approved political party which he would
head. The launching of this political campaign awaits
approval of a new constitution, and what the military calls
"a return to stable conditions." The timing is likely in
1999 with all the simultaneous cross-currents to the three
national horoscopes presented here (two coups, and the
astrology-assisted foundation chart).
Gen. Nyunt's horoscope features a Grand Cross in
fixed signs: Mars in Aquarius opposes Pluto, and these
two square a secretive Mercury in Scorpio opposite
Saturn. The General's authority, represented by Saturn in
militant Aries, is challenged or opposed by Venus, once
again reflecting his personal battle against Aung San Suu
Kyi. Her Mars squares his Mars, so there is little
likelihood that these two will ever agree.
Gen. Nyunt's Mercury in Scorpio squaring Pluto is
a double message reflecting his capacity as Military
Intelligence. This combination is often deeply paranoid,
constantly fearful of conspiracy, and seeing enemies
lurking everywhere. His Mars opposite Pluto also sees
everyone as either an enemy or an ally; there's nothing
between these two extremes. The General's
Moon-Neptune conjunction in Virgo speaks of his links to
the heroin trade, made prosperous through a favorable
trine to Uranus in Taurus.
Without knowing his exact birth time, we can't
know the position of his progressed Moon. However, he is
less than a year from experiencing his progressed New
Moon, a closure phase. He will either be forced out of
power through a democratic process, or he will push
himself to the top through extra legal means. Either way,
he and Burma as a whole are on the verge of major
change, the ending of one cycle, and the beginning of a
new one.
In addition, his progressed Venus is now at 11º
Capricorn, within a year of being conjunct Burma's Sun,
and opposite Aung San Suu Kyi's Saturn. Her progressed
Mars at 13º Gemini is nearly conjunct her Uranus, a call to
action no one can ignore. Since Uranus represents her
drive for free elections, we can expect conditions in
Burma to heat up dramatically now and over the next few

months.