Adopt a Village

 There shall be a system to help the cyclone victims instead of dropping food haphazardly at the road sides where the people line up to beg.

The groups of NGOs can adopt a village and help them systematically.

The monasteries and churches in Yangon cannot open camps for victims. They shall go out and reach the victims at their places.

Burmese do not have long term plans , they never think about tomorrow.

It is time they learn about long term plans and systems.

Myanmar farmers

Myanmar06 - 58, originally uploaded by FireflyMissionSG.

farmers work in paddy fields at this time.

monastery

Myanmar06 - 51, originally uploaded by FireflyMissionSG.

government schools in Myanmar

Myanmar06 - 21, originally uploaded by FireflyMissionSG.

bad karma for Dior

The world is full of funny things going on. Sharon Stone meant well when saying that the earth quake in China is retribution for Tibet policy and Dior had to come out to rescue their products sold in China. As Chinese become affluent, the luxury brands are making growth in the new markets. As Hong Kong reduced restrictions in wine imports, all European wineries are rushing in to market their high priced wines.  The new Russians are building palace like mansions and they wear expensive European watches. 

As a Burmese I always feel sad and angry when I buy something made in China which is unavoidable.  I am glad I am contributing some to a poor chinese family but why can't I do the same for a Burmese as well?

When I see the stories of China in National Geographic magazines as the Chinese leaving their farms to become construction workers in the cities , it makes me wonder why their communism and agricultural revolution had failed. Why can't Chinese farmers prosper in their own villages?The impressive Shanghai skyline with skyscrapers built during this past two decades when we Burmese were left to struggle alone without any outside investments and aid, made me so sick of international politics.

As poor people in US can afford cheap goods imported from China, the rich people of China who exploit cheap labor can afford luxury goods imported from US and Europe. I can never buy a mink coat or an expensive watch thinking of what that amount can feed families in my country. But I have seen rich people from Yangon crazy about brand names. It is their freedom to do whatever they want with their wealth if they get it from fair and clean business. I will understand that they will need it if they are in a society where they are expected to dress up in brand name dresses and watches. We still do not have that kind of society yet, I hope. We do have a society where we wear diamonds and precious stones since old days. The same people usually do charity at monasteries and pagodas so they are always admired by the public. Rich people in Burma are usually not despised by poor people as long as they are good Buddhists.

My friends from India are so proud that they now have on Indian man as the world's richest list. Yet we all know that there are millions of Indians living in poverty.

Everyday people in US this week find gas prices 4 $ which I thought was impossible a few years back. Many Americans have cut back their costs today staying home cheap and there is no problem about that they said. May be their good days are over and it is time to go back to old fashioned thrifty days. Yet, things are still awfully cheap whatever you need if you do not go for brand names. ( You just need to shop in Walmart and Dollar General.) The fact is, socialism is in the West and capitalism now starting in the East -- the world is making the balancing act.

So where will my country fits in today to join without blessing from the West, and find our own path in this world? Go back to socialism? NO! Communism? NO Way ! go forward with capitalism? or as usual our Burmese way , our own unique way? Buddhism plus capitalism? There we go again, lets follow a path the world has not known yet. We always have to be strange though we are the most simple, honest , conservative , liberal and capitalist country as we always are. There must be a veil to be lifted out of our face for the world to know our real nature. Who will do that? How to do that ? 

Happiness

What kind of dream you are chasing for ?  What kind of luxury you are chasing for ?

What kind of happiness you want?

If it is of never ending ever suffering nature it is called Wayda-thukha.

If it if of eternal peace and calming satisfaction, it is called Thandi- thukha.

Wayda is associated with your senses, smelling nice, tasting , touching, feelings, seeing hearing good music etc. As the stimulants disappear after you have enjoyed them, you want to have them again and work hard, suffer to get them. Your senses become numb to small stimulants and you crave for more , bigger, stronger ones which will make you work more, suffer more. 

Along the way, you cheat, you lie, you do whatever you need to get your goals and your desires. The pay back is bigger than the prizes you get by doing bad evil things to people thus following the trail to hell.

On the other hand, the wealth and happiness of Thandi - thukha is not associated with senses. It is peaceful and you do not suffer since you do not need to work hard to achieve them. You do not need to enjoy and feel those senses. You see the luxury goods as suffering. Big cars, big houses, pretty things, brand name expensive goods are all suffering which will get you more into debt , which will make you lie and cheat and you have to pay back higher than you get.

So watch out your senses and look out for your goals of happiness!

Wayda or Thandi?

which will give you peace!

present and future forever in peace!

go to heaven and not hell in your next life!

Go for Thandi!

Myanmar-5-28-08

Myanmar-5-28-08, originally uploaded by Peta-de-Aztlan.

I feel so much looking at these people

caught between two cyclones

Nargis and western politics

Food and Shelter basic needs

Livelihood and future

education and training 

financial assistance and technology

These will have to be given to them before any ideology

These people are peaceful passive, cultured in Buddhism

Do not teach them to be angry

like the rights of your minorities in the West

drinking booze and taking benefits

They blame upon themselves for the disaster

they will struggle themselves

they will beg if you pay

they will dance if you give them chance

Give a chance for them to work

instead to become beggars forever

Please know the country

Please understand our culture

Please look at the immediate risks and needs

I beg you all UN and Western

Go beyond your rigid rules

and reach them!

Mayburma.

7.24 am May 29 '08

Ban Ki-moon

Ban Ki-moon, originally uploaded by Yaiza Gómez.

THANK YOU Mr Ban Ki Moon

Please Help Myanmar!

orphanages

Thinking non stop in my mind about orphans of Myanmar,

as Unicef suggested about ways 

and social ministries have orphanages.

I never like orphanages nor adoption by Burmese families

Unless they can be sent to boarding school joining other kids of rich parents.

Summer time they can go back to delta region to their relatives or friends of their late families

boarding schools are not expensive in Myanmar by western standards

about 100 dollars per month will be more than enough!

that will be nice if NGOs and local societies can raise funds and plan this for the orphans.

I really do not want them to be raised at orphanages rather wish they can be among other normal kids at boarding schools.

So What?

so what! another year under house arrest? 

we just have to forget about democracy for a long while

listen and trust Mr Ban Ki Moon's Asian wisdom

people need help , democracy? 

Sorry, no one is interested right now

Why must they suffer, starve and die for your Western Ideals

Do not forget to Analyze your Own Self!

Whether your heart is Sincere or Pure

Acting as if you are a Savior

Look down upon your Path 

Where you are heading with your Words and Acts

to Heaven or to HELL??

.

Trust needed for cyclone aids

Military or civil

Burmese are fine citizens

you can trust them 

they will do their best to reach the victims

Unicef of UN is the most experienced in Burma

Staffed with many local experts

have long relationships with the ministries

I do not know about NGOs

some are very new

some have some experiences

Most of them at border areas

Some of them bible preachers

Many specialize in AIDs and condom promotions

Immediate need is food and shelter

later agricultural

To make sure they can redevelop their farms

I trust the government ministries

education, health and social

to rebuild their schools and hospitals

I trust the resilient Burmese

can over pass the difficulties

rebuild their societies with monasteries

where they can be there after rainy season

doing their goodwill and sharing 

listen to dhamma lessons

giving merits for the departed souls lost in storm

regaining posture

regaining peace

regaining their purpose in life

May all free from blaming each other

having doubts

making goodwill turned into unpleasant poisonous thoughts

Mayburma

1.48 PM May 27th, USA.

orphans of nargis

where will the orphans go?

usually they are sent to the monasteries

especially the boys

but now the monasteries are destroyed

where will the orphans go?

may be to the monasteries in bigger cities

the households take the kids 

especially the girls

but usually grow up like servants

as a worker of the household 

they have to earn their keep

not like their own family

emergency shelters shall be at government schools and hospitals

at monasteries and churches

orphanages can be at monasteries

or social ministries

till they can be adopted from a kind family

Save the farmers

some farmers are dead

their lands can be confiscated

army can sell it to companies

the farmers with no money

no land , no help , lost families

can become beggars, refugees

farm workers for rich companies

save the farmers

let them retain their land

owner of their small land

help them please!

.

Opportunities for Myanmar youth

tourist industry in Myanmar was hard hit by september riots this year

the tourist guides in Myanmar enjoy good pay during the season and usually they are out of work in rainy season ( they used to work at my agency during rainy season but moved back to tourism which is more lucrative )

they speak good english as well as other European languages 

now they can be employed at NGOs in cyclone relief operations

the computer youth can help in the projects in many ways.

I am happy for them at least for this season till everything is normal for our country again for them to have proper future and hope in their country.

..

Hints!

The following pictures on flicker are quite refreshing seeing a relief aid reaching a village.

This is the first time I see an agency's car going to a village. The roads are not paved for cars.

Villagers usually travel by bullock cart or on foot for a few hours to reach the main road.

- It is good to see the team here going beyond Rangoon and beyond the main road to reach the village.

- They do not give any goods on the main road. ( People line up to beg goods on these roads afraid that no one would come to their villages. This act will disturb their reconstruction phase of their homes and can make the kids begging a habit.)

- They go to the monastery where usually the chief monk is the authority of the village.

The villagers shall be encouraged to make a list of things they need. 

The monasteries usually have free boarding and food for any travelers. We do not have hotels or motels in Burma. Villagers always stay at the monasteries. Recently there are small motels in small cities but quite dirty and ugly and I will not recommend these places for visitors. Would rather put up a tent in a pagoda or monastery compound for free. The government might not like it but if they allow, this is the nearest place to the victims.

The government can force foreigners to stay in hotels and ask to pay in dollars but they are far from the villages where real help is needed.

UN and NGOs can set up one center ( for all aid agencies )  in each city for victims to get aid and education.  They can get the list of families from local offices if they need for registration purposes and research purposes.

Micro credit, free medical care, education leaflets, agricultural aid will be useful for the victims.

You will need PA systems to address crowds, need local scout and authority to control the crowd. You need to tell people to queue. You need to talk them about hygiene, rebuilding, help etc.

Usually Burma is very safe where ever you go but it is advisable to be on guard and you are safer in a monastery. Do not start distributing things without plan.

( Our company had done the first and only rural van operation in Myanmar from 1995 to 2001 and I am saying from my experiences.)

roads

P1080600, originally uploaded by Beyond Rangoon Project.

reaching the village

P1070078, originally uploaded by Beyond Rangoon Project.

our family

mother is put away

father is beating the kids

brothers are bickering

sisters are eloping 

young ones are rapping

fences are broken

neighbors are grabbing 

no one is praying at the shrine

made the heavenly God distressed and angry

send Nargis to punish their crime

May

25th May sun 5.45 pm NY,USA

They are farmers not beggars!

Congratulations Ban Ki Moon

many Western ministers attended his meeting for Myanmar

Finally General Thein Sein in his longyi 

He will look more like a person than a green monster

Mr Moon return the greetings of victims the same like Thai greetings

Gen Than Shwe shall learn the same fashion

People are to be served and care and respected

And do not forget that you are not the King!

You do not want to be the King of beggars or thieves!

Burmese will never be beggars nor thieves

What they need is assistance in their farms

You cannot feed people forever

Help them trade to prosper

Rice seeds and fertilizers

Need experts and translators

They will be wasted without guidance

Tractors from china tawlarkyi are the cheapest

If you provide machines for agri 

they shall be non energy consuming simple machines

since gasoline price is unaffordable

The agricultural department since socialist days

Have not done much for improvement of farmers

There is a agri center by JICA in Hlegu

Was not used effectively at all for decades

Free gifts can all gone for waste

If private entrepreneurs are not encouraged

Save , worship, vision, ribbons

These words are green to Burmese

Do not bring a new culture

to people already loosing their own

Let them rebuild their villages

and their own monasteries and schools

Make them stand up again

Help them in this disaster

Prepare them for emergencies

They shall be better equipped farmers tomorrow

not beggars , but farmers

May Burma

25th May 2008 sun 7.26 am NY USA.

My vision for Yangon ( Rangoon ) my city!

Rangoon the pearl of South East Asia in British days

Rangoon a multicultural city with mosques, churches pagodas and monastries

Rangoon a vice city since British days with clubs, bars, race tract and sports arena

Lets rebuild Rangoon ( Yangon ) today

The colonial buildings shall be privatized to have some owners with care and love of its glory

Now that the government offices inside had moved to Nay Pyi Daw ( thank you! )

Gone their sullen people and tons of papers ( I do not miss them )

Hotels, Casinos, Stores, nightclubs and Restaurants shall sprung up

For tourists to enjoy the colonial elegance and history

Revitalize the race tract

Let Aung San stadium has soccer clubs

Let men play and watch the real game

Instead of watching TV games and gambling on Euro football

River side shall have shops and bars

The real river unlike the small Singapore river ( Ha Ha)

Singapore and Vietnam are building casinos

to lure the prosperous Chinese 

We are not too late to compete

Give back our city its Vibe

and go for Vice!

We have our Shwedagon to balance the act

and plenty monasteries as education centers plus our computer tech

Yangon still surpass Bangkok

in its beautiful layout and its lakes

Yangon shall prepare to Welcome aid workers this week

Singaporeans shall be happy for their Hotels!

To be able to afford the high price energy bills!

they will survive as their worst times will be over!

So lets revitalize Yangon today 

Have a vision and positiveness

take this opportunity to change the nation!

Starting with its famous city!

with love for my city where I was born and raised!

Mayburma

sat 6.11 am

Street in Yangon, Burma

Street in Yangon, Burma, originally uploaded by mandalaybus.

Colonial Architecture in Burma

Colonial Architecture in Burma, originally uploaded by mandalaybus.

Excuse us of the ugly green color and the ugly billboards. 

Multicultural city YANGON

, originally uploaded by alidarbac.

With the hundreds of Muslims, Chinese, and Burmese hanging around picturesquely dilapidated buildings (not to mention the north-south roads with tall buildings on either side providing shade from the unrelenting sun until the very late morning), street photography in downtown Yangon is awesome.

Uploaded by alidarbac on 18 Apr 07, 5.29AM PDT.

Yangon

Yangon, originally uploaded by (migirl).

Hooray!

Myanmar will allow aid workers , this news makes me so happy , I feel like the two years of my compulsive internet discussions and blogging has paid off.

Long Live Ban Ki Moon! , Long Live SG Than Shwe!

Long Live all the leaders of the world who care for the world and Myanmar !

This is a Mingalar Blessing Day for us!

Freedom in America: Weather forecast for today

Freedom in America: Weather forecast for today

Let the world Help their people!

My dear generals and ministers

I believe you are all good people

Burmese are trustful and worldly

Resilient and Proud

Show the world that we are civil

descendants of Buddha's disciples

Ban Ki Moon is cajoling

Lady Bush promises no politics

To respect the world's desire to help 

Open the door for humanitarian aid

After all,  the people in Irrawaddy delta 

are people of ALL!   people of the World

We are Not the Sole responsibility

Also Have No rights to obstruct goodness in this time when Despair is at its Height!

It is time for Healing

It is time the world knows that we are noble

our real intentions

To keep the country in one piece

To lead them to democracy in peaceful way

We have the infrastructure

We have the power and will 

They have the technology 

They have the experts

US is the best in agricultural tech

Can help develop the delta area as agricultural power house

To decrease food shortage of the World

If we do alone to develop

This will Never be realized

The farmers are still ploughing with the Cows

the same like thousand years ago

Lets forget about democracy today

lets forget about Su Kyi

lets think about the growth potential for the region

saving the victims

giving them, nurturing the kids

using the best use to a dollar and a cent of the donors

These farmers need guidance and help

not the liberal ideas

not democracy

not to revolt

not to demand

they are beggars today

they shall be rich, prosperous and productive tomorrow

Help them

Guide them

develop them

Work together 

the military and government ministries, UN , US and Europe

make that Happen today!

 Mayburma.