What? and How? in Myanmar
August 15th 2010 05:05
In my recent travels I made several unique discoveries in a less explored part of the world, Myanmar (also known as Burma). Our reasons for not crossing the borders of this country are numerous. However, the decrease in foreign visitors over recent years has made it more difficult for locals to create wealth outside government influence. Our main concern is usually the politics of travelling there, is it safe to travel through a country controlled by an oppressive military regime? How can one avoid financing such a government if we do decide to travel there? I admit that all these reservations played on my mind prior to my early morning flight from Bangkok to Yangon, capital to capital, representing two very different versions of Southeast Asia.
On arrival to Yangon one is surprised by the calm and ease of processing through customs. Yet it is not long after you reach the streets till the public talks, in their own, often obscure manner. Travel recommendations are always given to catch a particular airline that you find is privately owned or why not catch the buses notorious for their long journey times (and lack of government ownership)? The full reason is almost never given for such advice, until you realise that all signs point away from the government, away from the oppressor.
At the stunning Golden Pagoda of Shwedagon Paya a friend and I were two of only 6 foreigners. To place this into perspective, the sight would be considered the most important tourist attraction in Yangon, a city of over five million inhabitants. A man who offered to show us around approached, in the manner they always do, where payment is mentioned later and you’re often left guessing throughout your conversations whether he is a tour guide or simply a welcoming local. He had a warn face, yet youthful for his age, as most Burmese appear, and with bright red shot eyes of a cause we did not ascertain. The eyes combined with his red beetle stained teeth to create an intensity that conflicted with his placid nature. With each silent moment away from prying ears he would mention his personal plight, travelling two hours each day to work. His work was a precarious business, showing up at the Paya waiting for foreigners with no certainty of pay for his four hour return journey. He dreamed of a life in another country, Thailand, America, Australia. What would await him he did not know but was certain that for his family it would be better outside of Myanmar. Ultimately he was adamant that the government’s aversion towards foreigners was responsible for his position.
The Burmese are well informed about the outside world, unlike others living in hermetic structured states such as North Korea. Internet is easily accessible, although surely monitored and censored for the purposes of national security. We could visit Facebook at Internet Cafes and guesthouses while Hotmail or Gmail were restricted.
It was the prevalence of satellite television that most surprised me. In Bagan, home to an amazing ancient city comprising of almost 4000 temples spread across the horizon, we found another guide who had studied History at University. Like many in the country he received news from such international channels as CNN or BBC World. It was he who informed us that Julia Gillard had become Australia’s first female Prime Minister, long before we saw the news with our own eyes. “You have a female Prime Minister in Australia,” he proclaimed. We replied adamantly that this was not the case, assuming we were more informed on the subject. This manner of uncensored media was something I had not anticipated in a nation renowned for political oppression. If they can observe and decipher the political situation in other countries it is certain they are aware of their own.
In Bagan there are two villages known as New and Old Bagan. Our guide related the story of how New Bagan came to be. For several centuries the area now called Old Bagan consisted of locals rather than the current accumulation of high-end hotels and resorts. In the early 1990s the military used force to relocate the population to New Bagan after they refused to give up their homes willingly. It is unknown to what extent compensation was granted but it is obvious that the outcome represents the political and military power of the government over its people.
In October Myanmar will hold ‘democratic’ elections, whether these events will provide a fair choice for the Burmese people is highly questionable. According to the International community and the locals in Myanmar, the government’s dismissal of opposition may have already created a result devoid of any change in the political climate. Without the change in political structures, the warm hearted people of Myanmar will continue to dream of better days. How are we to solve such a blatant disregard for human rights and freedom when everyone is aware of it and nothing ever changes?
The world waits…
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