Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Battle of Crete Award at Washington Oxi Day on October 27th 2011. US President, Joe Biden, Congresswoman Ilena Ros Lehtinen and Congressman Joseph Crowley honor her with the award. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had a message of gratitude as well.
On October 18th 2011, Voice of America in collaboration with the Combined Federal Campaign held a fashion show to promote philanthropy in the work place and to raise money for charity. VOA language services showed off their country’s best attire with the message of “giving” in mind.
Burma known for its heavy censorship and repressive rule, may be opening its doors to reform. With its latest action on releasing 6,000 prisoners, many are hopeful of Burma’s willingness to reform, however critics of the country convey caution and doubts on change in the country. Are you hopeful that the country may be changing? What do you think of the analysts’ concerns of cautious optimism on Burma?
Watch the latest video of Burma’s current situation here:
English Version:
Burmese Version:
Bagan, an ancient city in Burma is known for its religious architecture with stupas that age back to the 11th century. Renovation by the government is causing controversy in the cultural preservation, beauty and value of the land.
English Version:
Burmese Version:
Thant Myint U’s latest book, Where China Meets India: Burma and the New Crossroads of Asia gives insight into the portrait of Burma and its two superpower neighbors. In an interview with Ronnie Nyein, Thant Myint U talks about his latest best seller (which is currently the Number One best seller in India) and the human rights situation in Burma.
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VOA -Ronnie Nyein:
In your latest book, you suggest that we, the international community, have an obsession with human rights, while doing little to change the situation internally, pushing the junta inexorably into the arms of Peking ( China). Why do you state this?
Thant Myint U:
I think it’s extremely important to emphasize human rights. I don’t think it’s wrong for the international community, the United Nations and the United States to talk about and support human rights. What I am very critical about is the use of economic sanction to do that because I think the trade embargo, the aid cutoff and the economic sanctions have helped to increase Chinese influence in the country perhaps, is not such a good way and have other negative effects as well. I’m not against pushing human rights and am not against supporting human rights, but I am against using economic trade sanctions and embargo in order to do that and I think it may have had for the last twenty years been a big part of increasing the Chinese influence in the country for better or for worse.
Ronnie Nyein:
Does it mean Burma needs to abandon the human rights issue?
Thant Myint U:
No, not at all. I think, even now it’s more important than ever that the country moves in a democratic direction because I think a better government and a more democratic government would be the government that would be best in time to manage the relations between China and Burma. I think the problem is, for the challenges we have to find a clever way, in which to do that, and I think sanctions is not the right way. That doesn’t mean the issue of democracy is not important.
Ronnie Nyein:
In your book, you say, “A peaceful, prosperous and democratic Burma would be a game-changer for all of Asia.” Is it just a hope or do you really believe in it, and when do you think Burma will be a game-changer for all of Asia?
Thant Myint U:
I think we can all be hopeful and I think that there be a good step taking recently but I think we shouldn’t underestimate the huge challenges that our country faces ahead economically and in so many other ways. So I think we have (maybe) the beginning that starts and (maybe) we should all be hopeful in some way but I think the challenges are enormous, like if we are going to become a peaceful, prosperous and democracy, it is still going to take long time. But (maybe) we made a start.
Ronnie Nyein:
What do you want to say about your latest published book, Where China Meets India?
Thant Myint U:
Well, I think a lot of people in Myanmar would be interested in it because it’s not just about the politics and it’s not just about the crisis situations. But it’s a lot of history book, history of a country and history of two places that everyone in Myanmar (Burma) should know about which is North-East India and Yunnan. And these are our two neighbors, India and China, North-East India and Yunnan and very few people in the country know about this. I hope that in reading my book, fellows can learn a lot about who their closest neighbors are.
Ronnie Nyein:
So do you mean the main theme of this book is two foxes are fighting for the fish.
Thant Myint U:
No, not really. It’s not just about the China-India competition. It’s about these two areas, Yunnan and North-East India which has very deep historical connections to Myanmar (Burma), Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram and their connections with old parts of Yunnan and the previous kingdom in Myanmar (Burma) as well. I think we have to rediscover these things at the time when India and China are much closer to Myanmar (Burma) than before. So we have to rediscover our own history and our own connections with these places as well.
Ronnie Nyein:
Thank you very much, indeed.
Thant Myint U:
It’s my pleasure.
VOA Burmese Blog 