Revealing the unknown

What is that, Myanmar? Many people asked me this question since little is known about this country. Myanmar (formerly Burma) is a bit bigger than France and its land borders with Bangladesh, India, Tibet, China, Laos and Thailand.


Myanmar has more than 50 million inhabitants and 7 in 10 people are involved in agriculture. Myanmar is in a position of isolation. A military junta rules the country. There is a lack of freedom in many ways. Examples are the use of forced labor and the oppression of minorities. Consequently, the West boycotts Myanmar. Despite sanctions with the West, Myanmar’s trade with Singapore, China, Thailand and India remains unaffected.


The effectiveness of boycotts and sanctions can be highly questioned here. Will it really punish the rich elite and benefit the ‘poor’? I believe not. Like in Cuba, the government continues oppressing and exploiting its people and seeks for alternative ways to generate income. It is exactly (nonetheless partly) the isolation which keep them strongly positioned in their fortress.

By now, Myanmar has around 200.000 tourists (mostly Asian) a year and the economy is largely controlled by the Chinese. Although change is very difficult to achieve on the short-term, opening the country more by increasing numbers tourists and more & diverse businesses could certainly help. Tourists can easily spend most of their expenditures in the private sector and they could bring and take information back home about this unknown country. The ‘poor’ could benefit from an increasing level of international business (Western included) in terms of raising income, improved education and strengthen themselves in their wished demand for positive change.


For now, Myanmar has proven to be an ‘island’, which is mostly bypassed by the strong forces of globalization. Believe me, despite the black side of the regime, this has its charms.