Not Just a Pretty Picture

The Los Angeles Times(11.11.01)

Carl Duncan paints a lovely picture of Myanmar as a tourist destination ("Natural Wonderland," Special Travel Issue,Oct. 14). I would like to remind him, however, that the country's military dictatorship still holds [pro-democracy leader] Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest.

No doubt most Burmese are friendly people who are glad to see overseas visitors and welcome the income from tourist dollars, pounds, yen, etc.

According to the Lonely Planet guide to Myanmar, "Dissent of any sort is suppressed, and political prisoners are jailed for expressing their opinions publicly. Crimes have ranged from telling jokes to owning unregistered fax machines."

I will not dispute that tourism money helps the Burmese, but the glowing pictures of happy people must be balanced by the acknowledgment that their political will continues to be thwarted.

Susan Silberstein
Long Beach