OH POBRE MYANMAR/BIRMANIA... TAN LEJOS DE BUDDHA Y TAN CIRCA DE CHINA

 The month had begun with convulsions in Myanmar/Burma, where the Military seeing their popularity and power slip, overthrew the popularly elected government of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

During a period of 15 years, I had travelled a lot to Myanmar and within Myanmar and absolutely felt one with the people, regardless of their ethnicity. I enjoyed the Buddhism as practised in every day life in Burma .. Many many memories

A good bye at the Rangoon Airport , Ko Ko the driver had taken us all the way down to Mawlemayne on a memorable trip. My Burmese niece Eithwe Aung and her friend Yin Yin Mar. 

On my first visit to Yangon, I had discovered this store where Aung Kyaw Kyaw would hang out and on each of my subsequent visits I would stop by occasionally sharing a Le Paye (Burmese tea)

The Malaysians are very proud of their Durians, so are the Burmese..It was nice to see Durians in season during one visit

the Doctor and the novice Monks

I took a few Burmese language lessons and I could walk to her house from my hotel. She was a rakhine.

I would walk one km from my hotel to this open air tea shop where this boy who was from the provinces lived and worked. On one such visit, the owner informed me that he had gone back to his village. He was, I think, a Karin.

Religious and cultural syncretism at its best. On my second visit I met this family who has a corner store on the pavement along the Anwharata Road and over the year we became friends. U Tun Tun, the father is as Burmese as they come but his grandfather had migrated from Tamil Nadu, Doraisamy was his name. U Tun Tun married a Bamar Muslim and now the children are all Muslim. They have both Burmese and Muslim names. The son inherited the fathers sewing machine on the pavement and the little girl attends university now.

I could palpably feel the air of happiness and joy in Rangoon when The Lady was released from Insein maximum security prison. A mixture of modern and the past, began to be combined. The change in people, in their dress, their confidence was very obvious when Aung San Suu Kyi became the leader of the country.

She remains immensely popular. So many many memories..

I have a wonderful story about this group of about 12 people from the village of Chaungtha decided to take a bus ride of 6 hours to the largest city of Yangon none of them knew, just hoping that I would be spending that week there.

I wrote about them in With Love from Myanmar, an article: The Hat sellers of Chaungtha

Chauntha Beach and Kala Island nearby. 

Thank you PaPa Win, E To, Tin Tin Aye..

You can read their adventure and my joy of seeing them :

https://medicoanthropologist.blogspot.com/2009/05/to-myanmar-with-love-indeed.html

I think and pray for all my friends in Myanmar/Birmanie. I had been there when General Tan Shwe held sway and I remember clearly the atmosphere of the country and the joy and jubilation under Aung San Suu Kyi..

As soon as it is safe to travel, I plan to go to Yangon, to show solidarity with my Burmese friends ...and try my best to go to Chaungtha..

This was the group that I was part of. Once I wanted to surprise them. I told only Eithwe and Yin Yin that I would be in Yangon on such and such day. They invited the rest of them for dinner at a restaurant and while they were gathering for dinner, came to pick me up at the airport . They had a Burmese Longyi (traditional wear of men) for me, and I entered the restaurant wearing my longyi much to the delight of every one.