Eat, Drink, and Be Married
Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, is a troubled country in South-East Asia, bordered by China and Thailand, and governed under a military regime. It is a large country of ethnic minorities, and because of its military dictatorial rule, there is understandably, little tolerance for political opposition. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International declare the regime to be a human-rights violator.
There is no independent judiciary in Nyanmar and political opposition to the military regime isn't allowed. Forced labour, human trafficking and child labour are common. A world-renowned dissident to the current regime, Aung San Suu Kyi, won over 60% of the popular vote and over 80% of parliamentary seats for her party, the National League for Democracy, in a 1990 election, but the regime invalidated the election and imprisoned Aung San Suu Kyi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 in recognition of her indomitable spirit.
The military junta faces increasing international isolation, but it remains defiant and continues governing the country as it sees fit, brooking no opposition to its rule from within or without the country. In September 2006, ten of the United Nation's Security Council's fifteen members voted to place Burma on the council's formal agenda.
ASEAN has also asserted frustration with Myanmar's government, forming an Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar caucus to address the lack of democratization there. But because of regional support, mostly from its neighbour China, the political situation in the country is unlikely to change in a hurry, despite world-wide condemnation.
All is not lost, however; it is still possible to eat, drink and be merry in this repressed country where most Burmese live in dire poverty. Myanmar is one of Asia's poorest countries after four decades of economic mismanagement by a succession of military rulers, the current one being Than Shwe, a 73-year-old "Senior General" who presents himself through the official media as a man of modest means.
If you happen to be the daughter of General Than Shwe, life can be good. It can be better than good. It can be deliriously out of this world. Junta supreme leader, Than Shwe just laid on a lavish wedding for his beloved daughter, Thandar Shwe. Wedding dress? Jewellery? Pomp and Ceremony? Gifts for the fortunate bride and groom? You bet!
Isn't it every young woman's dream to be decked out in a gorgeous gown set off with pearls and diamonds? We mean diamonds, big rocks, huge diamonds, lots of them; enough so that they could be set in large strands over her beautiful glossy black hair. Newly-releashed videos unveil the details of this wedding set in July and stories abound now of gifts which include luxury cars and houses worth fifty million.
Um, fifty million dollars, said to be three times the entire 2005 health budget for the Burmese population totalling 53 million souls. Well, let's see now, the population barely manages to get by, but one dollar representing each man, woman and child in the country has been gifted to the lucky couple. They must surely be beloved of the entire country to have been lavished with so generous a gift.
We all know, from vast past experience that, having the good fortune to be among the exalted few, the many can starve for that is their station in life, and celebrating the signal moments of the fortunate few at the expense of the many is simply the way of the world.
posted by Pieface @ Saturday, November 04, 2006
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