Saving Fish from Drowning - Heal Burma

Gutman also acknowledged that the journalist has participated
in rallies in support of Burma’s opposition leader, Aung San Suu
Kyi, “the Lady,” whose party’s landslide victory in the 1990 elections
was illegally overturned by the junta. Aung San Suu Kyi, who has
been under house arrest since 1989, was awarded the Nobel Peace
Prize for 1991. She has repeatedly called upon other governments to
apply pressure on the junta by ceasing commerce with Burma. The
U.S. imposed sanctions on new business development in 1997.
But that has not prevented tourists from flocking to an exotic des­
tination at a bargain price. Tourism has steadily increased, that is,
until now.
“We sincerely respect the Lady,” confided one Burmese tour oper­
ator, under condition of anonymity. “But to be honest, the govern­
ment treats the people better when the tourists are coming. When
the tourists are not coming, the gentle people are punished, not the
government.”
Today, military police in gasoline-belching motorboats began
another day searching along the shores of Inle Lake. Meanwhile,
white-gloved staff at the Golden Pagoda Hotel in Mandalay are
busy carrying out luggage. “Sure, it makes us nervous,” says depart­
ing guest Jackie Clifford, 41, a biotech investment consultant from
Palo Alto, California. “We were going to fly to Bagan tomorrow to
see all those incredible temple ruins. Now we’re seeing if we can
book a flight to a Thai resort instead.”
She will have to stand on line. Many other guests have left for the
airport to make similar arrangements.