In Rakhine State, with its sinewy spine dunked in the warmth of the Bay of Bengal, staples naturally come from the water. In Sittwe’s sprawling riverside markets enormous quantities of marine life end up in sacks like the ones in the picture. Dried, and bundled up. Ready to go.
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While I was in that part of the world last month people were still talking about plots to poison the local food supply. Such rumours were dismissed by the local authorities but, at a time of greatly heightened sectarian emotion, many people believe the worst. Threats to food strike fear into shoppers and sellers alike. Even monks, who rely on the populace for their daily nourishment, were not immune to the panic.
And even where there is no poison, the notion becomes a powerful proxy for resentments that are hiding just below the surface.
This micro-post is part of a series based on time in Myanmar, January-February 2013.
“a powerful proxy for resentments that are hiding just below the surface.”
Nich
A good summation that will tragically suffice for along time to come.
Ever since the advent of civilization the economic and poverty related factors, have the most bearing on the co existence of different races and religion within a geographic area. Among the poor whom are usually less educated paranoia and hysteria can easily be induced that other else where find ridiculous.
Maulamyain as an example where there is enough for all again prove the evil of deprivation that affect the Muslim and Buddhists in Yakhine.
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Poverty must be a strange fruit that grows on a tree, yes? And to think that even a tree needs the soil to grow on.
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Poverty could be a strange Myanmar fruit, but in Thailand poverty is farmed, watered and harvested. Those Thai peasant farmers just keep getting into more and more debts, it seems, the more they farm.
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Chance would be a fine thing for the Burmese farmers if they still have any land left to farm. Welcome to the Burmese Way to the New World Order.
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Any “generic causes of poverty” entail a set of deprivations due to circumstances human made or otherwise.
Despite the obvious dogma of Moe and Ohn that the present government “land grabbing” policy is to blame again show the depth of the understanding of poverty in Myanmar.
Ever consider the human made factors that iduce the most include Uncle Crusoe’s ‘useless careless/deprivation policy’?
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Amazing how this particular mutt keeps barking up the wrong tree. Creation of poverty is not Uncle Sam’s only now coming in to widen the gap into a yawning chasm. So watch this space and behold how careful useful market snatching resource grabbing West will wreak havoc in this new hitherto untapped market. Boom and bust,at the very least to look forward to. Happy days.
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You be the Judge
Uncle Crusoe’s “useless careless”policy period: (1962)1988-2013
According to Moe Aung 1.1.2.2
Uncle Sam’s present policy period: 2013-?
A commie masquerading as greenie?
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Sweet. Didn’t have to wait long before the name calling started, did we? Rather like Godwin’s Law, the Red Menace is a clincher, isn’t it? Not so much a bark as a witch hunt now, eh? Desperate or what.
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