A Focus on the Burma-China Border – With Patrick Boehler of The Irrawaddy

In a matter of decades, the primarily agrarian ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) has rapidly morphed into economic powerhouses. Now there are shiny skyscrapers in Bangkok, new ports along Vietnam’s shores, and a business boom in Jakarta. The high growth rates enjoyed by these emerging economies also signify an impressive rebound from the financial crisis of more than a decade ago. In many ways, there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic here.

Similar optimism is now moving to Burma, a country once isolated by the West but now heading into transition at such a rapid pace that some critics lament the speed of reform. The nation’s most famous dissident, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, recently registered to run in the upcoming parliamentary by-election. Press censorship is also on the decline. But is it still too soon to tell what will happen next?

For more information on the changes taking place in Burma, AsianTalks He spoke with Patrick Boehler, a Hong Kong-based contributor to The Irrawaddy, founded in 1993 by dissidents with an exclusive focus on Burma. Boehler maintained cautious optimism for Burma’s future, provided insight into Sino-Burmese relations and expressed understandable admiration for his fellow Burmese journalists-in-exile, who have played an important role in bringing about change. “I feel very privileged to contribute to a Burmese-run newspaper,” said the soft-spoken Boehler. “Launching a journalism career isn’t easy anywhere right now, but it’s probably even easier in East and Southeast Asia. So a lot of people try to work here.” Here are some additional excerpts from our interview:

A: Burma by any measure is a fascinating country. What interests you about Burma?

Patrick: I have been involved in NGOs, dealing with human rights in Burma and in Austria. When he lived in Beijing, he worked as a civil servant for the Austrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I was fascinated by the people in the border areas, between China, Burma and the trade that is going on. If you go, it’s fascinating to see what a vibrant place Yunnan is. You have a pipeline project, the highway and the railway project. Free trade zones are being established, but largely ignored by the Western media.

A: Could you tell us about The Irrawaddy and the type of reporting you do for the media?

Patrick: The Irrawaddy used to be a magazine for exiles. It was published in Chiang Mai and founded in 1992 by Burmese dissidents. It recently stopped publishing in print and is becoming an online news service.

There are three major exile media organizations for Burma. The Irrawaddy has most of the traffic. The other two are Mizzima and the Democratic Voice of Burma. I write articles on Sino-Burmese relations for The Irrawaddy, so I cover everything from car exports to cross-border crime to drug trafficking. I also try to cover as much as possible, because as we said, a lot is happening in the border area.

A: You’ve already mentioned the China-Burma border area a couple of times. How would you characterize the region and why are there such strong cultural and commercial ties between the two countries?

Patrick: To put it in perspective, Burma has 60 million people, Yunnan has between 45 and 50 million people. The border areas are in north-east Burma and most of Burma’s cross-border trade passes through Yunnan.

There are many infrastructure projects that are taking root. In World War II, the Allies built the so-called Stilwell Road to supply the Chinese war effort against the Japanese. That root is being dwarfed by new Chinese efforts to build a highway. There is also a MOU signed for a railway.

But Yunnan is a special case. It has a very complex history. It is difficult to say when Yunnan became part of China due to its ethnic diversity. You have a Muslim population, ethnic minorities like the Naxi, the Dai who have their own identity. But it’s really hard to say when Yunnan became a part of China.

A: And would you say that at least some Burmese can probably trace their ancestry back to Yunnan?

Patrick: Oh yes, absolutely. That’s right. If you look at the Kokang (‘Guogan’) region, there are many who speak Chinese. The Wa ethnic minority, their television station broadcasts in Chinese. And they copied a CCTV (China Central Television) format, which probably wouldn’t appeal to a Western audience. But there is a great cultural, if not ethnic, connection to China.

A: Given recent changes, do you think there are more reasons to be optimistic about Burma than there were ever two or three years ago?

Patrick: Absolutely. I think the hardliners have underestimated President Thein Sein. I hope they have underestimated the momentum these reforms have created. And I’m optimistic, but cautiously optimistic.

A: What would be the best way to capture the experience of working with Burmese dissident journalists at The Irrawaddy?

Patrick: I feel very privileged to contribute articles to The Irrawaddy. Because The Irrawaddy is a Burmese-run media-in-exile. It is not run by foreigners imposing Western values ​​on Burma. It’s Burmese civil society, basically. Most of the people in the Irrawaddy are Burmese and have been in exile for several years, but have a strong feeling for their country. I come from Austria, so I come from a position of relative comfort. I have never lived in a military dictatorship nor have I been in prison. In some ways, they have a different approach to the military junta than I do.

But I really admire them for the work they do. I hope you can contribute in the future. And I’d be delighted if it’s safe for them to come back and do the reporting they’ve done in Chiang Mai and do it in Rangoon. Because the media right now in Burma is undergoing big changes. Not many media outlets in Burma have the authority of the exile media, and especially the kind of authority that The Irrawaddy has.

A: Finally, a translation problem. When you write your stories, do you need translators?

Patrick: Most of the people I meet speak Chinese. And Burmese businessmen actually speak excellent Chinese, better than me! So Chinese and English have worked well. But I have to start learning Burmese. It is a beautiful language.