088

http://www.wnd.sg

W

ith the world’s two most populous

countries on either side, Myanmar

has been hidden from world view

for a while. Unlike nearby Bhutan,

which too thankfully remains

unspoilt, it hasn’t been overlooked. Rather, the world

decided to look the other way and pass it by. Or that’s

what happened until recently.

HISTORICAL SNAPSHOT

An ancient nation, Myanmar traces its history at least

a thousand years back. Earliest civilisations in the

region included the Pyu-city states in the north and

Mon kingdom in the south. From the 7th century, until

the 10th, Bamar people (originally from Yunnan, China)

started settling along the Irrawaddy Valley, an area now

known as Bagan.

It was a time of great prosperity and spiritual

growth with the spread of Buddhism. Unfortunately,

the Pagan (Bagan) Kingdom fell to the Mongols after

250 years and a few centuries of shifting power ensued.

It was only in the 19th century, that Burma was unified

under the British Empire and it became a British

colony.

20 TH CENTURY BURMA

Soon after India’s independence in 1947, Myanmar also

gained independence in 1948 as a democratic nation. It

was not to last though, and a coup in 1962 brought the

country under military dictatorship. For four decades,

civil war ensued. It was a dark period, one where the

world watched aghast as human rights were blatantly

ignored. World-favourite Aung San Suu Kyi, daughter

of Myanmar’s ‘Father of the Nation’, General Aung San,

was placed under house arrest, even while her party

won the 1990 elections. They were not allowed to form a

government and she was held as a political prisoner.

This was also the time when the world took a

unified decision to pass Burma by. The country was not

receptive to outside intervention and did not follow

human rights guidelines. From her lakeside house

in Yangon, Suu Kyi urged an international tourism

boycott. In her opinion, and that of many great thinkers

of the time, tourism money would only land in military

pockets and would support the dictatorship.

MYANMAR OR BURMA?

For people in Asia, the country was popularly known

as Burma. The origins of the name could come from

the Bamar people who built the glory of the nation or

even from ‘Lord Brahma’, the Hindu god known as the

creator. However, it was a name that was associated

with the British rule as was Rangoon, the capital of the

country during their time, now called Yangon.

In 1989, the military government decided to change

the name to Myanmar and shake off its colonial

hangover. This was a move contested by many and till

date, Burma and Myanmar are used interchangeably

across the world. Within the country though, Myanmar

is the more acceptable name for the country, with

‘Burmese’ referring to food, people and language.

A NEW START

With the release of Suu Kyi in 2010, things started

looking up for Myanmar from a tourism perspective.

The favoured-child of the world, likened to Gandhi

himself, made a public statement that they “would

welcome visitors who are keen to promote the welfare

of the common people and the conservation of the

environment and to acquire an insight into the cultural,

political and social life of the country.”

The doors opened a crack and it took a few years to

gain momentum. But by 2015, Myanmar was hosting

close to 5 million tourists each year. The unfortunate

Rohingya humanitarian crisis halted this growth graph

and in 2016, the number plummeted to 2.9 million.

The new government realised the benefits

of tourism and has instituted many policies to

encourage the industry, naming it a priority sector.

It does recognise, however, the ills of sudden

commercialisation and hopes to encourage ‘responsible

tourism’ in the region, employing local communities

and giving tax benefits for eco-tourism. Visa laws are

also being reviewed with a visa-waiver policy piloted

last year for visitors from Japan and Korea for a trial

period of one year and visa-on-arrival for China. With

these measures, they hope to increase Asian tourists, as

the West has turned away post the Rohingya crisis.

SAFE FOR TOURISM

Though the doors to Myanmar have now opened, the

world is still wary to set foot inside. Tourists cannot

be blamed. The country has been in political turmoil

for far too long. But with a stable government and an

open-ear towards UN and other international bodies,

Myanmar is ripe for exploring.

However, it is important to remain cautious, and

stick to the four major tourist destinations in the

country—Yangon, Bagan, Lake Inle and Mandalay.

These are well organised and safe, with air connectivity

and easy transit.

If you do take a deep breath and decide to venture

in, Myanmar will astound you with its forgotten-world

feel and abundance of architectural beauty.