lonely-planet-myanmar-burma-11-edition

292MYANMAR (BURMA) TODAYMyanmar’s nationalparliamentis made up of the440-seat People’sAssembly (PyithuHluttaw) and the224-seat UpperHouse (AmythaHluttaw). Thereare also sevenstate legislatures.At the time of writing, much of the daily mechanics of government,including how the national and state legislatures will interact and therole of the military, remained unclear. Seasoned observers, such as MacquarieUniversity academic Sean Turnell, are sceptical of the notion thatThan Shwe has relinquished power, believing that behind the scenes hecontinues to be the government’s puppet master.A Land of RumoursWhoever is in charge, it’s pretty clear they’ve got quite a job on their handsto revive the country’s fortunes. Yangon may have a few flashy shoppingmalls and wi-fi-enabled cafe-bars where fashionably attired youths sipcappuccinos and jabber into mobile phones, but the vast majority ofpeople in Myanmar remain the poorest in Southeast Asia. According toSean Turnell from Macquarie University in Sydney, the economy ‘is unbalanced,unstable and devoid of the institutions and attributes necessaryto achieve transformational growth.’ Transparency International (www.transparency.org) places Myanmar behind only Somalia as the most corruptcountry in the world, and along many of the country’s borders thelongest running civil war in modern history continues to spark and flare.Reporters Without Borders (http://en.rsf.org) nails Myanmar as a ‘censor’sparadise’, but also notes that the local media did a professional andcreative job covering the 2010 election and Aung San Suu Kyi’s release. Still,most locals glean what they can about the machinations of power in theircountry from the tried and trusted channels of gossip and rumour. While inBagan on research in February 2011, we heard it whispered that billionaireTay Za (see p 26 ) had been involved in a helicopter accident hundreds ofmiles north in the Himalaya Mountains near Putao. A few days later the rumourwas confirmed on the internet. That’s how news travels in Myanmar.Dos & Don’ts Greetings» Do remove shoes on enteringa Buddhist site or home. Dressrespectfully: no shorts, shortskirts or exposed shoulders.» Don’t touch somebody on thehead (including a child).» Don’t pose with or sit onbuddha images.» Don’t point your feet at anyoneor anything – apologise if youaccidentally brush someone withyour foot.» Don’t speak politics with localsunless they raise the subject first.» Do ask before yourphotograph anyone.» Greet someone by sayingmingala-ba, meaning‘auspiciousness be upon you’.» Use a person’s full name –locals don’t have surnames» Shake hands or pass moneywith your right hand, with lefthand ‘holding up’ your right arm.