Saving Fish from Drowning - Heal Burma

AMY TAN
likely—it would be explained in an acceptable way, that it was mis­
adventure, for example, that it was the tourists’ own fault, but the
good people of Myanmar did not blame them.
The officials with the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism decided to
bring in an international public relations expert—not, however, the firm
that helped them devise the failed “Visit Myanmar” campaign in 1996,
or the one that helped give them their new, friendly name. The min­
istry found a consulting firm based in Washington with an impressive
list of clients: Samuel Doe of Liberia, Saddam Hussein of Iraq, and
Rwandan president Juvénal Habyarimana. The consultant would help
create a multipoint plan to saturate the news with positive images.
The consultant arrived, and at first, the ministers were skeptical.
He was a fairly young man, who smiled all the time, so who could
take him seriously? He also made some insulting remarks about their
standing in the world. And then he came up with an astonishing sug­
gestion: Plant the words “the new Burma” and associate the phrase
with “Myanmar.”
“The situation, as we now know,” the young man said, “that is,
from discussions with high-level tour operators in other countries, is
one of inadequate understanding of your country and its tourism
potential.” He cited research figures showing that upward of ninety-
five percent of people polled outside Asia had no idea where Myan­
mar was. They did not recognize the new name of the capital,
Yangon, whereas they still recalled Rangoon.
He went on to point out that such people were, of course, un­
informed and behind the times, and thus did not associate Myanmar
with the famous glories and beauties of its past, all worthy of many
visits and the spending of discretionary income. They did, however,
remember the old name, Burma. To Western tourists, “Burma”
sounded fun, friendly, and romantic.
One of the ministry staff added, “In that terrible way associated
with British colonialism.” They had already spent vast sums to
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