Between Two Journeys

Dear English-speaking readers, this page is an automatic translation of an article originally written in French. I apologise for any strange sentences and funny mistakes that may have resulted. If you read French, click on the French flag below to access the original, correct text: 


After the demonstrations of Buddhist monks against the Burmese military dictatorship, in September and October 2007, the West is again interested in Burma, because of a dreadful natural disaster. The passage of the Cyclone Nargislast weekend could have claimed more than 60,000 lives.

Cyclone Nargis

The provisional official record shows more than 22,000 dead and 42,000 missing. We are talking about millions of people affected.

© Reuters -

Reuters photo: While waiting for international aid, Burmese people are trying to survive in a country devastated by Cyclone Nargis.

I have visited many countries in Southeast Asia, but I have never been to Burma, renamed Myanmar by the ruling military. The country borders Thailand, but you can only enter by air, landing in Rangoon, the capital. The regime has closed the borders.

Burma and Aung San Suu Kyi

About twelve years ago, I was an intern at Stock. I worked on a book of interviews, conducted by an American Buddhist, Alan Clements, with Aung San Suu Kyi. The book was published in 1996 (it has been reissued under the title My Burma last March, published by Hachette, in the Pluriel collection). The Burmese opponent had received the Nobel Peace Prize five years earlier.

At that time, I discovered the struggle of this courageous woman and the tragedy of the Burmese people. Unfortunately, the situation has not changed much since then.

Below, some interesting links, to better understand what is happening in Burma:
" The Irrawaddy - the Burmese magazine in exile
" Burma, my heart bleeds - a blog rich in links and infos
" Burma, dreams under surveillance - a project and a book published by Autrement
" Info-Burma - French association
" Actions Burma - Belgian association

  Between Two Journeys

Share
Tweet
Share