[Fwd: Under the Dragon ( 1 )]

[khin_s_w@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
--------------F997244D7F76C531C3F20324
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit



--------------F997244D7F76C531C3F20324
Content-Type: message/rfc822
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Disposition: inline

Message-ID: <368FD0C2.373D6165@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sun, 03 Jan 1999 13:19:15 -0700
X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.05 [en] (Win95; I)
MIME-Version: 1.0
To: "Conference reg.burma" <burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Under the Dragon ( 1 )
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Excerpts from the book " Under the Dragon " written by Rory MacLean
******************************************************

Published by HarperCollins Publishers 1998

About the author
-----------------

For 10 years the memory of a chance to visit to Burma has haunted Rory
MacLean. Ten years ago its people rose up against their military
dictatorship. The unarmed demonstrators were cut down, leaving more than
five thousand people dead.

In " Under the Dragon " , MacLean returns to the betrayed land,
travelling from a decaying Rangoon to the heart of the golden triangle,
meeting the victims and perpetrators of the uprising. He rides with a
hill tribe warlord, shares tea with a government censor and is trapped
into a karaoke evening with a group of singing businessmen. He learns
about the economics of the heroin trade and the tragedy of child
prostitution. He meets the most courageous and principled woman of our
age " Aung San Suu Kyi ", imprisoned leader of the democratic party. And
on his journey , he unravels a paradox of selfless generosity and
sinister greed in a country stitched together by love and fear.

Under the Dragon ( 1 )
******************

The author was in Mandalay.
When the stomach cramps abated, I volunteered to venture out to find
food. ' The hotel had advised us that it could provide us with our petty
requirements on the ground floor ', but when I stumbled downstairs there
was no one at reception.
I stepped out into the scorching sunlight to hail a taxi but only
succeeded in attracting the attention of a passing bicycle trishaw.


" Where you go ? asked the driver, spouting the usual patter. ' Mandalay
Hill ? Good restaurant ? You want girl ?

' Food,' I groaned, still scanning the street for a cab. ' My wife is
sick."
' No problem ,Sir,' the driver smiled, his black eyes sparkling with a
child's optimism. ' Sesame and soup. I help you.'
I collapsed onto the seat and shield myself from the sun's glare. The
Indian strain to push the trishaw into the traffic.
You have children ? I asked.
' Yes sir, four good girls and two better boys. I am proud father."
'Children here seems to be well behaved. I suppose because of Buddhism,'
I heard myself added. ' I mean ,teaching children to obey their elders.'

' Buddhism?' laughed the Indian. ' Its a luxury, sir. If you are wealthy
enough you give money to a pagoda, then it is very comfortable. But
every ordinary man must live hand-in-mouth.'
' Hand-to-mouth? I suggested.
'Yes,sir.Day-to-day we survive with bribery and black market
' In times before there were three kinds of people in Burma: poor,
middle and rich class. Today there is only poor and rich class,' He
turned into 26th street and swung his trishaw away from the other
traffic out into the middle of the road.
' Chinese and Singapore men come to Mandalay, build new enterprise, we
must move to " new pastures".' His black eyes flashed with anger as he
gestures at the New Great Wall Hotel.

This is a brutal repressive regime,' he hissed.
' The lady understands,' he whispered.
I almost said " Aung San Suu Kyi " name out loud, but the Indian put his
finger to his lips.
' Walls have ears, trees have eyes,' he warned.
In next few days we have water festival, sir.' The people become
excited, and then you must be careful.
The police turned blind eyes to many things and it becomes outlet for
people's grievances. The government encourages this bad behaviour.' The
military leaders are very arrogant; they wish us ill.
They are like another another people, like men from Mars.' His mouth
tightened into a red razor-cut of rage.

' To change this we will have to sacrifice ourselves for the country,'
he hissed,' or the country will be damned.'



To be continued.....


                        *******************************************


--------------F997244D7F76C531C3F20324--