Around and about on the Burmese border

Thanks
This is very interesting. Thank you!

Burma/Myanmar
You're quite right that many Burmese people refer to their country as Burma (when speaking English) or Bama (in the Burmese language), and your critic above is not correct in insisting on the name 'Myanmar'. Myanma (with no –r) is the country's official name in the Burmese language, but Bama is the colloquial name widely used in conversation. Burma and Myanmar (with an –r) are both English names for the country. Burma was universally used until 1989, when Burma's military junta decreed that the English name should be 'Myanmar'. This military junta suppresses almost all dissent and wields absolute power in the face of international condemnation and sanctions. Therefore, Burmese people who are pro-democracy do not recognise its right to change the name, so they still use the old name, Burma, when speaking English. The Muslims you spoke to would use this name too because of the junta's persecution of ethnic and religious minorities. Also many governments, including the UK, the US, Canada and Australia, do not recognise the name 'Myanmar', according to Wikipedia. I believe the BBC continues to use 'Burma' as well.