Leaving Mandalay

Mandalay has really cemented for me how important it is to pay attention to what is going on internationally. Burma, in general, is very rough. I was here 25 years ago, and things have changed very little in terms of infrastructure. It is dusty and dirty, services such as health care and education costing the average Burmese a lot of money. But the people? Kind, helpful, curious, to a person.

We took a boat from Bagan to Mandalay on the Ayerwaddy River. The 11- hour trip took 14, the final 2.5 hours being in the densest of darkness on the river. Our boat's spotlight passed from side to side as we weaved from shore to shore following the deeper trenches as scouted by our two polesters who sat at the bow testing the water with 3-meter long poles, calling the ever-varying depths like a chant.

Scene along the Ayerwaddy River

We arrived in Mandalay about 9:00 p.m., and waded into the sea of taxis, motorbikes, and trucks, choosing a duo of tri-shaws that peddled us through the still wildly bustling streets, to our hotel, Emerald Land.

We spent one of our nights at a show by The Moustache Brothers, actually two brothers and a cousin. The eldest, Par Par Lay, was imprisoned for about 6 years for saying negative things about the government at a show attended by Aung San Suu Kyi in 2002. Their whole family has been in show business of one kind or another for several generations, and the show included sisters, in-laws, and other friends. Profits from the show go to supporting the 300 political prisoners that remain in Burma. They spoke effusively of the Karen people, who, they said, have been very brave in their fight against the government here. Many of those same Karen are our families and students in St. Paul. I felt very proud. Below is a picture of the troupe wearing some traditional Karen garb as they did a Karen dance.

Finally, we stumbled upon a tri-shaw driver, Myindt Oo who is also very active in the NLD - Aung San Suu Kyi's political party, the National League for Democracy (one of the offices, above). As you probably know, Daw Suu Kyi was under house arrest here in Rangon for almost 20 years, and she received the Nobel Peace Prize several years ago for her work on behalf of the people of Burma. Our tri-shaw driver took us to a NLD free clinic open on Sundays, that provides health, dental and eye care. Otherwise, health care is prohibitively expensive for many of the poor here. In a country with many natural resources, including oil, gas, precious metals and gems, etc., it is astounding how little trickles down to the people on any level.

Below, a doctor at work in the free dental clinic.

Below, our tri-shaw friend, Myindt Oo, middle.

While better than it used to be for those who are willing to speak out, it still carries some risk. I met a woman who works for the American Embassy (and who, coincidentally, is originally from Minnesota!), and asked her what we could do when we got home to further the work of the NLD. She said that right now, funding for educational exchanges is important, and not a big priority for the state department, so writing letters and encouraging support in that way is good.

Hope you all are well!

 

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