Myanmar: A ray of hope

Evelina Rioukhina, UNECE

“No man, no nation can exist without sublime ideas”
Fyodor Dostoyevsky

It is not easy to write about Myanmar invoking the sublime. Myanmar is one of the most interesting and enigmatic countries, it is not very well known, understood, explored, and unfortunately, there were reasons for that. Myanmar is a fascinating country and so rich in cultural, architectural, historical, and natural heritage. Myanmar preserves the richness of the most magnificent pagodas and temples. Myanmar is also a country with very controversial history, affected by many painful events of the past and the present.

Many of us have read that the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and head of the National League for Democracy (NLD) Aung San Suu Kyi advocates boycotting all forms of travel to the country as a means of isolating the military government and compelling reform. Inside Myanmar, there are a number of people who support her stance. This pro-boycott group argues that much of the money from tourism goes directly and indirectly into the pockets of the very generals who continue to deny Burmese citizens the most-basic civil rights. However, others involved with Burmese politics, including many current or former members of the NLD, feel that a travel boycott of Myanmar is counterproductive. They maintain that tourism is not only economically helpful, but vital to the pro-democracy movement for the two-way flow of information it provides. Both perspectives have their defenders (for more details please read: www.amnesty.org and its links to Myanmar).

From “The World Factbook 2002”: Country name: Union of Myanmar. Area: 671,000 sq km. Population: 45 million (growth rate 2.1%). Capital: Yangon (pop 4 million). Government: Military council. GDP per capita: US$1,500. Inflation: 30%. Population below poverty line – 25%. Transnational issues: world’s largest producer of illicit opium. Other facts: Radio stations: 3, TV broadcast stations: 2, TV users: 320,000, Internet Service Providers: 1. Note: as of September 2000, Internet connections were legal only for the government, tourist offices, and a few large businesses. Internet users: 500 (see: www.odci.gov/cia/ All figures as for the beginning of 2002).

Extracts from recent press conferences held in Myanmar (over the last 3 months)
26.11.2002: Myanmar’s continuous efforts to eradicate narcotic drug explained. Regular press conference held…
31.10.2002: Failed attempts to commit acts of terrorism by dispatching letter bombs to Myanmar embassies in Tokyo, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur
25.09.2002: Government plans and programmes for prevention of human trafficking distribution and supply of electrical power…
03.09.2002: News Bulletin issued by the UN on the reduction of opium production in Myanmar. News reports that Myanmar dissidents living in Yodaya had been seized and sent back to Myanmar. Chairman of the Yodaya Senate Foreign Relations Committee makes false claims that the news of the rape of Shan women by members of the Myanmar Armed Forces, is true…

The official website of the Permanent Mission of Myanmar in Geneva includes the headlines: – to Cooperate with International Community to Fight Narcotics Production and Trafficking (Information Sheet No. C- 2437-I/L 25th Nov., 2002) (international and Myanmar versions) – Government Repudiates Reports of Systematic Rape and Torture Levelled by Groups Allied with Drug Trade (INFORMATION SHEET NO. C- 2302 (I / L) 31st July, 2002 The site also contains the following Statements:
– Statement by H.E. U Win Aung, Minister for Foreign Affairs at 57th Session of UN General Assembly and Mya Than, Permanent Representative of the Union of Myanmar to the UN, Geneva, in the General Debate of the First Committee, 57th Session of the UNGA, New York, 10th October 2002.

The purpose of this article, however, is not to analyse these facts, nor of the political situation in the country. The purpose is to show the contradictory reality and to say that despite all that is happening in this country, despite the difficult conditions in which people live, despite the fact that 25 per cent live below the poverty line, and despite much else this nation preserves its cultural and historical heritage. Cultural and historical heritage belongs to the notion of the sublime. That is why I quote Dostoyevsky at the head of this article. They express Dostoyevsky’s vision that if the individual or the nation would care about, understand and cherish their sublime heritage (beauty of art, architecture, etc.) there is a hope that the individual or nation can overcome the worst difficulties. History – even the very recent history of two years ago – records the facts of a country destroying its cultural and historical heritage (e.g. the destruction of statues in Afghanistan by Taliban leaders in March 2001, see also UNS 695). Many of us were shocked watching the scenes on TV. From what I know about Myanmar, and according to burmanologues who live in this country and who have paid visits there both long time ago and recently, the people have always been concerned about their cultural and historical monuments, which are everywhere in excellent condition. I am deeply convinced that if a nation takes care of its historical and cultural relics it can face and resolve other internal problems including democratic reform and the well-being of its population. I would dare at least to express this hope. Already the fact that during recent months more and more information appears in the media issued by this country (see the subjects of press-conferences above, or look through the official web site of the Permanent Mission of Myanmar to the United Office at Geneva) brings a ray of hope.

Mystical Golden Rock Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda

Myanmar it the land of more than 4 million pagodas, all in perfect state. One of the pagodas which is unique of its kind and the picture of which is published on the cover page of the UNSpecial (the photo was graciously offered by a free- lance photographer) deserves special attention.

Kyaikhtiyo Pagoda, also known as the Golden Rock Pagoda, is located on top of Kyaikhtiyo Hill at about 3,600 feet (1,100 meters) above sea level in Mon State. The distance from the capital Yangon is approximately 130 miles. The Pagoda was built over a hair relic. Legend has it that the hair was given to a hermit by Buddha himself. The hermit treasured the sacred hair in his hair knot until he found a boulder resembling his own head on which he could build a Pagoda to enshrine it. Although small in size (the height of the Pagoda is 22’-8 or 6.9 meters, and that of the boulder on which the Pagoda was built is 22’ or 6.7 meters) it is one of the most celebrated Pagodas in Myanmar. It could be qualified as one of the wonders of the world by virtue of the fact that it sits uniquely at the apex of a huge, almost egg shape granite boulder. This boulder is precariously perched on a projecting tabular rock. To reach the top of the mountain, one should climb up the 13km, which will take around 7 or more hours. There is also a popular belief that a person gains in wealth every time he climbs the Hill.

The Golden Rock of Kyaikhtiyo is one of the most revered pilgrimage sites for Myanmar Buddhists. The pilgrimage season is from October to May. The goldplated boulder is said to maintain its balance thanks to a single hair of the pagoda. Be this true or not, it is indeed an overwhelming sight (even the photo gives this image), and how the boulder keeps its balance is beyond comprehension. But this mystical Pagoda has been there for more than 2500 years!