While exploring the markets and tea-shops of various cities in Myanmar I have had some interesting discussions with people from all over the country. As we all know, Aung San Su Kyi, Myanmar’s elected President who has been under house arrest for more than a decade, requested that tourists not come to Myanmar in order to boycott the military regime. I have done a lot of low-budget traveling around Myanmar, and I have worked in the tourist industry for extended periods of time. In light of the recent events in Myanmar I am compelled to put forth my perspective, and to pass on what many Burmese citizens from all over Myanmar have discussed with me.
The first time I visited Myanmar was in 1996, the last time I was there was the end of 2006. Please excuse me if the writing is sometimes disjointed as the images I have seen on YouTube of the thousands of Monks marching in the street, brings up strong emotions in me of terror, amazement and vast respect for what they are doing.
Tourism in Myanmar
What I have seen in regards to the tourist industry in Myanmar is that there are basically two categories. The major one being package tour groups. These are generally older people, and they mostly come from Europe—from Italy and Germany. These package tours visit Myanmar for ten days. They go from Inle Lake to Bagan to Ngapali, they stay at the same hotels, eat at the same restaurants and shop at the same tourist shops. They are guided around by the same tour guides and their money does indeed support the military and their cronies. As a result I have seen some incredibly decadent hotels built in these areas of the country in the last five years. This type of tourist never sees the real Myanmar or interacts on the local level with Burmese people. I wouldn’t be surprised if these tour groups had never heard of Aung San Su Kyi or her request not to support the military regime.
The other group of tourist is the backpacker, or as they are called in Myanmar, the FIT (Free Independent Tourist-or some such thing). This type of tourist seeks out local tea-shops, restaurants, guest houses and markets. A large percentage of their money goes directly into the pockets of local Burmese business people. (Guesthouses and restaurants that largely serve foreigners are taxed a foreigner tax, so a small amount does go to the bureaucracy, but from what I have seen, it isn’t enough to reach the military regime’s pockets). These tourists often go on treks in the mountains, giving a few dollars here and there to the monasteries and villages they stay in. Most of the backpackers coming through Myanmar are from France. Unfortunately, it is this level of tourist that is affected by Aung San Su Kyi’s request. Backpackers tend to be more aware and conscious of the world and the issues than the people involved in the large package tour groups. These are the type of tourists that Myanmar does need, and that the Burmese people extend their hospitality to.
I know many Burmese who are supported by these FIT/backpacker tourists. Whenever they find out that I am American they are so thrilled they practically jump out of their skin. Their dreams begin to spill forth and they say “American! Freedom! Free speech!” I generally shake my head and try to calm them down. I tell them “No, America is not like that, there is no freedom of speech anymore. Here in Myanmar, at least you know that your newspapers are 99% lies and your TV programs are propaganda.” But they don’t listen, they laugh at me and say “Tell your friends, tell everyone you know to please come and visit my country.” Then they usually sit me down and buy me a cup of the wonderful, sweet, potent, lapaye-Myanmar tea that I can never resist, and they tell me of their lives under the oppression of the Junta.
Burmese Hospitality Extended to the World
Burmese people request we visit their country: There was a very famous vegetarian monk who lived in Mon state not far from the famous Golden Rock Pagoda-the mystical boulder that magically perches on the edge of a cliff. This monk, who died a couple years ago, offered his hospitality to the whole world. He invited everyone to come and eat vegetarian food with him and promised that the food would always be served hot. He was very highly respected by all Burmese, I knew many people who made a pilgrimage to his monastery once a year. The offer of hospitality that he extended to the world has been repeated to me by many of his countrymen, in their actions and in their speech. I have been a world traveler all my life and have been to many countries. I guarantee that there is no place like Myanmar for gracious hospitality, especially in the poorest areas.
When I look at Myanmar and what has taken place there in the past 50 years I can say without a doubt that we have a lot to learn from those events. At this point in our history we better learn it quick. Before World War II when Burma was a British colony, Burma was a model for Singapore. Students traveled from Singapore to study at the Universities in Rangoon (currently Yangon) which provided some of the best education in Southeast Asia. Tiger Balm, that potent muscle medicine is originally a Burmese product—every traditional Burmese medicine practitioner has their own recipe for this salve. Today, the older Burmese people still speak better English than I do.
I have read a series of articles, saying that George Orwell was a prophet, predicting the fascist regime that now rules Myanmar. I mention this as a reminder that British rule of Burma was not pleasant, there were many vicious riots and in the end the Burmese desperately resorted to befriending the Japanese to in order to oust the British. The Burmese people have been exploited by those in power for centuries-before the British, it was their own kings. Any rule that is about controlling the masses and accumulating wealth for a few elite individuals is unacceptable, no matter where these greedy people come from. George Orwell’s books continue to apply just as well to the United States of America and England as they do to Myanmar.
To be continued.....