Myanmar - Change or Stagnation

Recalling my recent visit to Myanmar and relishing in the release of Aung San Suu Kyi from confinement, I for one remain disillusioned in the void between Myanmar’s Generals and the bulk of the country’s population who are likely to remain impoverished. It’s a damn shame that the countries leaders can’t introduce the benefits of distributing Myanmar’s wealth down into the hands and families representing the true Myanmar.

The quiet response in the election build up and post election suggest to me the military took a more determined response to monks entering the streets of Yangon and Mandalay during 2008. Monks are too subdued or silent suggesting the crackdown on them was harsh and brutal and the numbers silenced far greater than those made public.

The newly formed Government of November 2010 increasingly confident the release of Aung San Suu Kyi won’t destabilise their control over the country. The mechanics of government so strong no willingness is prepared to emerge fostering the promotion of democracy and push for change other than through negotiation and appeasement with Government.

Wandering around the streets of Yangon and thinking to myself, we in the West don’t know the true meaning of suffering yet the people of Yangon continue to do their own thing and seem content and happy, survival at the foremost of their minds and distancing themselves completely from Government and military. I for one feel they’ll persevere and remain happy.

Democracy as we know it would be an extremely long and bitter sweet process for the Myanmar people to endure. I for one feel change in Myanmar will rely on the changing attitudes and direction from the top and allowing them to filter downwards. Myanmar’s Government and leaders could do no better than to observe and copy processes adopted by other regimes to broaden education, health and employment opportunities e.g. Vietnam. Democracy will come to Myanmar through modernisation and Incrementalism and filter its benefits through its people. 

Oh, I forgot there’s such a thing as human rights and they being recognised in Myanmar would do justice to its people.