As I stood at the customs counter ready to be probed about my father's name and purpose of visit, with my teeth clenched as I uncontrollably tensed up my muscles, hands placed on the counter before my chest in an succumbing and compromising manner, reciting the answers in my head and making sure I stand right in front of the ball camera mounted on a thin wire-like stand, ready for photo-taking.
None of these preparations came to any use, the officer passed me with a one chop on my passport, to my surprise. Even the number of chops and sizes they are using are less intimidating, considering the sheer number of times they have to stamp on papers and passport to make you a legal visitor in the past.
Progress, I thought.
The "System" and The Changes
To a person that is so used to the bureaucratic procedures, I was acute to even the slightest signs of progress. I would not ever forget having to painstakingly waste my time at the immigration centre to change my local identity card two years ago. Watching disinterested officials digging out old rotting files and flipping through physical paper records to fish out my information, while cracking jokes with colleagues or combing their hair.
That was a hell lots of information considering the laborious and highly unreliable manner they are archiving it: they have at least three generations worth of details, know the job of my grandfather and those who are immediately related. I wasn't surprised they have those. To a person that grew up in the "system", I cannot find a more representative example on the typical way things are being done in Myanmar. Or were done, perhaps, in light of the new changes.
Everything I observed yesterday was nothing like the system. It was funny how homecoming turned out to be a bit of a cultural shock and expectation fell short of reality.
Along the way home, I witnessed more to confirm the analogy. Roads are being built. But it wasn't just that: "They build it tonight and by tomorrow they are already done. It's that fast." Commented my brother. Reasonable, I thought, pointing out the safety helmets and boots the construction workers were wearing- people are better equipped with both physical facilities and a high spirit corresponding to the country's changes embraced and celebrate by the people, the most notable of which is the freeing of The Lady from house arrest. As the lady mesmerized the world as an iconic representative of her people, the people have more confidence and faith in their country and the people running it. Buildings are being erected, cinemas and shopping malls are tauting customers with mega sign boards displaying their latest instalments. Imported cars-mainly China-made Cherry QQ in bright colors, the baby of a series of changes in import policies, are now replacing dilapidated assembly of iron as taxis, roaming the streets of Yangon.
At home, I enjoy faster and greater access to the Internet. Even the ban on Youtube that I so believed would stay forever, at least for my lifetime, is being lifted. Gmail and Facebook are no longer operating in the grey areas of inconspicuous Internet cafes, they have become boisterous in a way social media has always been in other countries.
Obviously, the country is transforming itself with an apparent air of determination, compromising on its old, customary way of doing things that allowed anyone working in the system to rake in huge profits. It is also clear that investors are buying in: Brands such as Samsung and P&G are the pioneers of a deluge of products and commodities, prices of which have hit its lowest in history. At the harbour located less than one kilometre from my apartment, cargo ships are piping away early in the morning amidst the hussle and bussle. Stacks of cargoes were occupying the once-deserted river bed, stretching for at least two kilometres. Smaller ships are moving in and out of harbour very minute, and two brand new weight-lifting towers have been built to facilitate disembarkation of cargoes. Any signs of economic stagnation that had plagued every sector of the economy back in 2008 has been shed.All these a result of conscious efforts by the government to open up and loosen its grip on the economy.
However, increased efficiency in the workforce cannot be dismissed as yet another change in policy, because policy can go just that far. I see it as a result of the fusion of both hardware improvement and a more hopeful mentality. Indeed, with the benefits trickling down to the lowest of all classes, the Burmese people have more reasons to be optimistic in light of more and better job opportunities. However, as The Lady has pointed out during the meeting in Geneva, the country is still in a dire need of international help, in the form of a steady stream of investment. However, she warned, investors must be careful in where and how they invest. This country needs investment, but more specifically, investment in areas that directly benefit the people, that doesn't just serve to fatten government official's sinful purses.
Are the Changes Irreversible?
I was asked this question during an interview in the context of The Lady's first visit to the outside world in almost 20 years, and all the "positive changes" taking place within the country. Taking the progress for granted, I had not questioned that aspect of it till the question was raised. I had to admit like any native,non-idealistic Burmese person will, that these changes are indeed reversible. Remnants of yesterday's unhappiness of the people are still very much real and lingering, as shown by the graffiti I saw on the trip home from Yangon's International Airport. It says "F**k the system." along with "Working class"-a self-confession of the painter's social identity.
These words could be the out-of-place remnants of yesterday's woes, but if progress is not continued in more ways than what is already being done, and the interest of the people is not given priority admist the changes, they could well be an accurate caption for Myanmar's tomorrow.
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