A Drive to Restore Liberties in Myanmar May Soon Add Another Attractive Destination to Our Travel Choices

For nearly three decades, sensitive western tourists have boycotted visits to the nation of Myanmar (the former Burma), heeding the request of that nation's Nobel-prize-winning dissident, Aung Suu Kyi, that they avoid helping the military dictators of that suffering country. Other, less sensitive westerners have continued to bestow their tourist dollars on Myanmar, and the matter is one of intense controversy. Myanmar, with its Buddhist traditions, fertile countryside, and natural wonders, is an unusually attractive destination that many travelers have wanted to enjoy.

[image error] Photo Caption: Vendors in Myanmar. ijfisher/Frommers.com Community

Recently, matters there have improved. The first decent steps by Myanmar's military junta have been tentative ones (200 of 2,000 imprisoned dissidents have been freed), and the country is still far from being an open society. But its world-renowned opposition leader, Aung Suu Kyi, has been released from house arrest, she is conducting open political meetings, the media have been freed up a bit to report objectively on political issues, a national Burmese newsweekly recently featured Suu Kyi's photograph on its cover, and military representatives have begun meeting with the leaders of other countries -- especially India -- to express their desire to re-enter the world of democratic nations (and thus avoid the heavy economic sanctions that other nations have imposed on it).

Much of this movement is ascribed to a new military leader, President U Thein Sein, himself a former general, who has apparently replaced the despotic General Then Shwe at the head of a government still dominated by the Army. Thein Sein is described by a number of (perhaps overly optimistic) commentators as a sort of Mikhail Gorbachev, a reformer, and a modern leader.

It is obviously too early to reach any firm conclusions. But by carefully following the developments in Myanmar, it may soon be apparent that this nation can be visited without violating one's conscience. Let's hope that this will be the case. But those American tour operators who have jumped the gun in the past and operated trips to Myanmar, thus bringing income and support to military thugs, should surely wait until the present situation is clarified. That may not take as long as some of us had earlier feared.