The government in Burma, where a massive cyclone swept across the country last weekend, have said that they will not allow UN Aid workers to distribute supplies within its borders until the outside world starts using its proper name - Myanmar.
Burma used to be known as Burma, but has undergone several name changes since it was incorporated into the British Raj in 1886. In 1948, it achieved independence from the UK, and became the "Union of Burma" until it changed once more in 1974 to the "Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma". Both of these last two name changes happened on the 4th January, which is eerie.
In September 1988, the government again had a change of heart, and the country reverted to its former "Union of Burma". This lasted 9 months until June 1989, when, for reasons best known to themselves, the James Bond-inspired SLORC came up with the "Union of Myanmar", and changed the name of the capital city, Rangoon, to Yangon for a laugh.
Myanmar's ruling military junta has issued a statement - or staymong - saying that, "until foreign powers recognise and learn to respect these linguistic changes, no foreign aid workers will be allowed into" (the strange kingdom).
