Clearing the bases

Things look pretty bad right now for the people of Burma.

In my visit to Burma, I found the people of a peaceful nature, but governed by military men who at the time stayed in the background.

Since that time, there was a peaceful transfer of power to an elected government. That didn’t last long. Power grabs people and doesn’t let go.

We have seen the evidence of this here in our own country.

While there, I observed uniformed men carrying rifles on most street corners. They weren’t threatening, but their presence was unsettling.

While everything on the surface seemed okay, I was told by a person in our legation that the country was ruled by a 15-member council, and most people wouldn’t know these rulers if they met them on the street.

I was in country on a 72-hour visa, the maximum time allowed. It was something relatively new, since visas to enter the country were rare indeed.

I had met with Congressman Lloyd Meeds, then congressman from Washington’s 2nd District, who having learned of my trip to Burma, asked me to look up a friend of his who was a professor in Rangoon’s university.

When settled in the Strand Hotel, I made the call to the university. I was questioned quite a lot about how I knew the person and why I wanted to meet with him. I answered truthfully and was surprised when two very serious individuals knocked on my hotel room door and wanted to talk with me.

I answered their questions and, apparently satisfied, they left. They were not the joking type, and a little too serious for comfort.

Meeds told me that he had made friends with the professor while he was in D.C. getting an advanced degree.

I learned later that the country had been in the process of removing anyone who was tainted by or under western influence. Later it was explained to me that the reason I couldn’t meet the professor was because he was probably no longer around.

While there, there was no limit on my moving around. I had hoped to go up to Mandalay, but three days would not give me time.

I wanted to do some shopping, so I hired a pedal cab and started looking around. Stores were few and far between, but I found a lacquer tray, bade from a piece of plywood, with an interesting stencil.

Late in the day I asked about a place for dinner and again hired a pedal cab to take me to it. I was the lone person there. I was taken to a room and waited a considerable time before a waiter came in to discuss what was available. The waiter was the only one I saw during the visit. The food was good even though the circumstances were strange.

The next day I was advised that they planned to show a movie in the dining room, and I was invited. It was a Clint Eastwood western, and they got the reels mixed up. Well, no matter, I had seen the film a number of times. But the staff was thrilled. It seemed strange that Western influence was frowned on, but the Eastwood movie was okay. Just another of the mixed messages during my visit.

I was pleased when President Obama visited the country. My hope is that this sad chapter in the nation’s history will play out and the kind and friendly people will again be in control of their destiny.

The missing Sani-cans

The three blue Sani-cans that have decorated the yard of the infamous Bureau of Reclamation new fire station are missing.

Such planning. When the work was down, someone continued to pay rental on the three relief stations. Now they report the project might start up again, but the Sani-cans are gone; it makes you wonder where workers will relieve themselves.

Maybe the sagebrush behind the structure is taller than I thought.

It would be interesting to know how much money was wasted on having the Sani-cans there when nothing was going on.