[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

Ethics of tourism in Burma (r)



/* Written 12:36 am  Mar 18, 1994 by strider@xxxxxxxxxxx in igc:reg.burma */
/* ---------- "Ethics of tourism in Burma" ---------- */


*****************************BurmaNet*****************************
  "Appropriate Information Technologies--Practical Strategies"
******************************************************************

RESPONSE TO QUESTION ABOUT THE ETHICS OF TOURISM IN BURMA

/* Written  3:54 pm  Mar 14, 1994 by iiec@xxxxxxxxxxx in igc:reg.burma */
/* ---------- "Tourism in Burma" ---------- */
>Hello.  I'm not sure if this is relevant to this group, but I wonder what
>you all think about visiting Burma as a tourist.  While I'm aware of the
>government's repression, I don't know if that should preempt my visit or
>not.  Surely it was contact with Westerners, Americans in particular, that
>fueled the democracy movement in China.  On the other hand, the money that
>tourists spend in Burma contribute to the economy that is ruled by the
>undemocractic regime.  So what do you think?  I have the Lonely Planet
>guidebook to Myanmar, and was thinking of visiting Rangoon, Mandalay,
>Bagan, and perhaps some other places.  As of today, tourist visas are
>available for 4 weeks, up from the previous 2 week limit.
>
>Mike at IIEC

Mike,

Yes, your question is very much of interest although you will get different
answers depending on who you ask.  The sentiment of many people involved with
pro-democracy groups or human rights NGOs is that tourists shouldn't go. 
Income from tourism only makes it possible for the government to buy the guns
and bullets it uses against its own people.  You accurately summarize another
argument that says tourists should go visit because somehow Western pro-
democracy ideals will somehow rub off on the Burmese people.

My own advice is in short, don't go.  The people already detest their
government and don't need to learn that from outsiders.  You also will not be
able to make any meaningful contacts with individual Burmese because the
climate of fear makes the Burmese people censor themselves.  If you do go,
try to engage anyone in a conversation longer than 15 minutes and see how
nervous they start to become.  If you do find someone who will talk to you
for longer than a "Hello, nice weather we're having" conversation, that
person will probably be interrogated by the authorities.  That does no one
any favors.

If you've gone so far as to buy a tourist guide to the place, you will
probably go whatever I or anyone else advises.  Fair enough, but if you must
go, try this.  Take a few lessons from eco-tourism, which teaches that if you
must go into an ecologically threatened area, do no harm and if possible, do
some good.

In practice, this kind of tourism (wanna call it Demo-tourism?) might look
loke this:

First, don't get any Burmese in trouble.  Don't bother trying to teach them
how wonderful American democracy is.  They already know how bad the Burmese
regime is and they probably know a lot more about your country than you do
about theirs.

Second, if possible, spend your money in small shops, guest houses etc.,
rather than in fancy hotels and shops that try to cater to tourists.  Most
places that have permission to take foreign guests are probably connected to 
or paying off someone in the military, so it may be hard to spend your
dollars "cleanly" there.

Third, learn something about the recent history of Burma before you go. 
Bertil Lintner's book "Outrage" is a good, easy to digest source, but there
are others.  If you go to Burma to see pretty temples and peaceful people,
you've missed most of what is happening in that country.

Finally, consider doing something a little less passive.  Bring a copy of
foreign newspapers or news magazines and leave them in a tea-shop or
someplace.  Since it is a safe estimate that 90% of the people hate their
government, the odds are it will be found by someone who is anxious for
uncensored news.  They can get BBC and VOA on short-wave radios but good
printed news from outside is a different story.  English language proficiency
is also very common.

You might also consider bringing along a copy of Aung San Suu Kyi's book,
"Freedom from Fear" and leaving it behind.  I can get you an order form for
a Burmese-language copy that would probably be very welcome in Rangoon, but
English would be OK too.

Instead of only going to Shwe Dagon Pagoda or any other pretty-as-a-postcard
places, condider seeking out some other interesting places.  Try to find the
Sanda Win Tea-shop on Insein Road where the 1988 uprising began.  Look for
White Bridge on Peo Road where several hundred students, children really,
were shot and bayoneted in the first of a series of massacres that year. 
Visit the Kyandaw Crematorium where the regime burned the bodies so people
couldn't count them.  Drop by Ne Win's house on Inya Lake (don't expect to be
invited in for tea) or walk by the Main Campus of Rangoon University.  You
won't be able to get past the guards with the machine guns (what does it say
about a country that must operate its universities and schools like they were
concentration camps?)

Remember, don't give "subversive material" directly to anyone.  You only risk
getting them in trouble.  Just leave it behind and trust whatever gods there
may be to get it into the right hands.

If you are a little more bold, consider wearing a "Free Aung San Suu Kyi"
tee-shirt.  I can get you the address of someone who will, for $15 or $20, 
send you a tee-shirt with a Burmese pro-democracy slogan. A word of caution
on this.  If you were Burmese and did this, you would certainly be jailed,
possibly worse.  As a foreign tourist, you are in a unique position to get
away with dissent that could get other people killed.  That's not to say its
safe, just less risky.  The first reaction you would get from the authorities
would be shock that someone would do such a thing.  They might not even say
anything to you.  Eventually, they might get round to telling you to take it
off.  It's probably a good idea to obey.

As long as you don't get too ignorant on them, the worst thing that is likely
to happen to you is that you get deported.  That could mean a free ticket
back to the states and while you couldn't visit Burma again anytime soon, at
least you would have had one hell of an adventure.

If you don't mind causing trouble and have a bit more flair, find Aung San
Suu Kyi's house (54 University Road).  Visit a local market, pick up some
flowers and leave them on Suu Kyi's doorstep (anyone know what she's partial
to?).  Yes it's illegal, but you can get close to the house now and there's
not TOO much risk to this.

If you go there as a tourist and behave politely, but also publicly display
opposition to the regime, you put SLORC on the horns of a nasty dilemma. 
They are trying to cultivate a kinder, gentler image and they desperately
want tourists to come.  They also want to prevent any hint of their
illegitimacy from being conveyed to the people.  If they punish tourists for
walking around with an Aung San Suu Kyi tee-shirt, they risk poisoning their
nascent tourist industry.  If they do nothing, they look soft in the eyes of
their people (who will be watching closely).  If they kill off their own
tourist industry, that is probably no great loss (as long as they don't kill
any tourists in the process).  If they relax enough to allow foreigners to
dissent, you may have accomplished something.

To bring this to a close--if I haven't persuaded you to risk pissing off
SLORC because you think the risk of wearing a tee-shirt or bringing a book
along is too great, what are you going to Burma for anyway?  There are enough
problems and fear in that country as it is.  They don't need one more, rich
and timid foreigner coming over to get thrills from seeing how people suffer
under a dictatorship.  Save your money and spend it at Disney World.

Regards,

  Strider