 The onset of independence reinforced the central role of clothing in Burmese national identity.While other Southeast Asian nations sought to "modernize" preferred clothing choices for their citizens (e.g., Siam with the cultural mandates, or Indonesia, with encouraging trousers over "sarong" for men), the successive Burmese government have encouraged the continued use of "longyi" by both men and women as daily wear.In a 1951 speech at the all-Burma Indian Cultural Conference, Burmese prime minister U Nu identified dress as one of the main distinctive markers of a nation, noting that national costume "carries with it that distinctive mark of culture of the rice or national which is its very backbone."