Comments

That’s exactly what I was concerned about: that these personalized accounts are accepted as eye openers and objective history.

There are so many books in Burmese that are full of details about this period and beyond. And none provides a systematic analysis – just self-serving anecdotes, obscure contexts, accusations, and innuendos that always imply particular persons singled out as culprits, –and- always many unconnected dots. They are descriptions of events that never looks beyond individuals. “Burma in Limbo” follows this literary tradition.

I also want to ask Hla Oo, what makes you think that “Burmese” know more than “non Burmese” and “outsiders” about Burma’s history?
I also always liked to think that others have no clue about our country. But actually most Burmese have no clue what non-Burmese know about Burma because they do not even care to read their academic books! Ignorance is no bliss!
Hla Oo wrote, “what I am trying to do with this Burma in Limbo series is to fill that huge information or knowledge gap.” There are many documents and books written by non-Burmese and some Burmese that are discussing the period with different perspectives and interpretations. They do not focus on anecdotes or persons because there are many factors that influenced Burma’s political history. They use theories and look for patterns to explain what was going on.
Actually, I blame the lack of liberal education and critical thinking in our country (thanks to dictatorship) for this obsession to see politics and history only through individuals.

That’s why I think to string together personal anecdotes peppered with assumptions may make “ the story smooth and comprehensively readable” and “an interesting story” (Hlo Oo) but is not conscientious history writing and does certainly not explain our difficult history.

Kevin, in the late 1990s you could see poppy production shifting to more of an “agribusiness” model in the Shan State. In many cases the locals simply rented out their fields rather than grew poppies themselves.

Thanks for your comments so far.

The crop substitution projects are carried out in valleys or nearby low-lying hillsides that are relatively easily accessible (at least by northern Burma standards!) and near roads. None of the crops being planted can be grown at the same altitude (and the edaphic conditions at such altitudes) as poppy. Thus why poppy is such an ideal crop for farmers! Nor is China’s program meant to be replacing the exact areas that poppy was/is growing. The idea, at least in theory, is to integrate (ex-) poppy farmers into the regional (that is, Chinese) market economy. That, of course, is highly debated in practice, and thus the string of stirring articles and commentaries.

I would like to add that while the area of poppy cultivation was certainly much higher in the 80s and 90s, every year in the past few years the amount of acres under poppy cultivation in Kachin and Shan States has been slowly increasing (even according to UNODC). This is due to multiple factors – and difficult to point to exact causality. But the areas that are witnessing an increase in poppy cultivation in general, according to research, overlap with territories now under government – or pro-government militia – control.

And based on many interviews, the financing from these small-scale poppy farms is often from a surprising source: Chinese businessmen appear to engage in contract farming with rather desperate local upland swidden cultivators to grow the poppy, after which the opium is sold back to the investor. A lack of clear evidence precludes me from asserting whether or not Chinese opium investors are actually receiving subsidies from China’s opium crop substitution policy.

When I first landed accidentally on the pages of New mandala almost 4 years ago I was amazed by how little most non-Burmese knew about our Burma.

What I could figure out was even though there are many books written by Burmese who were the main players in the critical events of our past their books have never been translated into English.

So what little the outsiders know about Burma is mainly from the books and articles written in English by so called self-proclaimed Burma experts as Thar Gyaw has accused in his comment. And also from the regular reports filed by the foreign media outlets like BBC, CNN etc.

It had basically created a huge gap in the understanding about what has been really going on in post-war Burma.

To prove that point please allow me to quote one of the comments from Burma in Limbo -Part 4.

This is all fascinating. I’d had little idea of this aspect of Burmese modern history. The way the history tends to have been presented to outsiders, the bulk of the sufferings of the peoples of Burma, taken as a whole, has been due to ethnic conflicts (government vs. Kachin, Karen, Shan etc). Is that basically a valid perspective … or to what extent should one reconsider?

What I am trying to do with this Burma in Limbo series is to fill that huge information or knowledge gap by telling an interesting story of Burma by linking the chains of translated excerpts from the personal descriptions of the main characters in particular events.

I’ve tried to avoid my personal opinions as much as possible but to make the story smooth and comprehensively readable I cannot avoid some conclusions and remarks.

I just hope that for most readers of New Mandala I’d done a reasonably satisfactory job I’ve voluntarily taken on myself.

This installment had me gripped all the way through. Such calamitous acts were committed in this period, by individuals several of whom I remember from childhood – U Nu, U Kyaw Nyein, Bogyoke Ne Win.

I write as a daughter of Khin Thida who is quoted in this series, and as grand-daughter of U Tun Hla Oung (by the way, I haven’t understood why his name is consistently misspelt in Limbo! His father was Arakanese, and I am told that this is the way it is spelt by the Arakenese, ‘Tun’ instead of ‘Htun’, and ‘Oung’ rather than ‘Aung’).

U Tin Htut’s (Tin Tut’s) assasination was tragic, that a man of such high calibre immensely equipped to help the country at this critical time was callously removed. My grandfather Tun Hla Oung was able to live out his last years back in Burma, promoting religious studies, and I imagine he made his peace, glad to be able to serve his country as a layman. I believe he never had any taste for politics. On my last visit, I took refuge at his pagoda near the Shwedagon. I remember going to see him there with my mother shortly before he died; he lived on the grounds, with his printing press for Buddhist publications. I found the simple stupa had been jazzed up a garish blue; it has been taken over by the army.

I applaud the Limbo effort, for digging up the bones of the past! Limbo 5 is especially important for understanding how we got to this impasse.

Khin Thitsa

The country is experiencing a dramatic change in its history. Yet the Thai monarchy, military, and government are unable to positively accommodating change. Instead of pulling the country forward into the future, they attempting to maintain the backward status quo.

By targeting, Chiranuch, the editor of the best intellectual website in Thailand with lese majesty charge, reinforced a sense that authorities unaccountable to the people have become an impediment to Thailand’s survival. That the nation’s system of governance has exhausted itself is eminently clear today.

The Thai political elite understands that the Thai system is worn out, yet is unable to offer ways to reform it. Copying Western liberal democracy only in its form while remaining anti-democracy in essence could produce great political volatility in coming years as witnessed in Egypt.

Similar to Da Torpedo, Chiranuch represents women’s empowerment, a role model for Thai women pursuing an intellectual career. In the country famous with prostitution, this is a significant step.

Also, as the editor of the media affiliates with the Allied Forces in Thailand, targeting Chiranuch with the lese majesty charge demands the clarification of the motive if it involves international politics.

Here’s an interesting interview with Mr. Sulak:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/katherine-marshall/buddhism-is-more-than-med_b_781003.html

He makes some interesting statements. However, to anyone who has ever worked in government school in rural Thailand, his comment about his time spent at Catholic school would be particularly ironic:

“They used to treat me very badly, and they used to beat me because I didn’t want to learn by rote.”

Kevin, great article. I’m just curious, how much of an overlap is there between lands suitable for poppy cultivation and rubber trees. My impression is that poppies can be grown at higher elevations than rubber trees.