Corrections: Joe returned to Bangkok, read the blog, and pointed out a few errors. There are 8,000 golden Buddha statues in the Pindaya caves, not 80,000. The legendary princesses rescued from the caves by an archer were held captive not by a large spider but by a malevolent nat (spirit being) disguised as a large spider.
Abby Pratt, fellow Burma lover, wrote to tell us that she and her husband Larry once met U Winaya, the renowned sayadow whose body was stolen. She points out that he was the number one monastic advisor to Aung San Suu Kyi.
Abby also mentioned an insane feature of Burma I have not reported on. Passers-by may not assist victims of road accidents until the police arrive and take measurements, conduct interviews, etc. Joe says he also heard that the police sometimes shake down accident victims.
Joe had a good trek in Chin state, but he said the region is even poorer and grimmer than in past years. An infestation of rats has depleted food supplies and seed corn. French and other NGOs are trying to get seeds to people, but the government keeps throwing up bureaucratic obstacles. One Burmese told Joe that this is calculated; hungry people are less likely to be rebellious. True? In Burma, it's far from implausible.
He'll get some pictures up soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment