An ageless image of Pagan (or Bagan), the ancient capital of Burma.
I have never lived in Burma, but I’ve visited more times than I can remember since I first started working for The Irrawaddy in 1998. My latest trip was in May 2008, just a few days after Cyclone Nargis, the most devastating natural disaster in the country’s long history, killed as many as 140,000 people.
It is hard to say how Burma became a focal point in my life. Over the years, my attention has drifted away from this country many times, but keeps coming back. This may be due to the fact that my interest in Burma has always been primarily political. Grinding repression can be enervating, even if witnessed from a distance, but it also creates a feeling of stubborn resistance. Knowing that nothing would please the generals more than for the rest of the world to lose interest in Burma, I keep watching and waiting for signs of real change. Perhaps part of the reason I sincerely hope the Burmese people can finally find the freedom they want is so that I can also be released from my inexplicable involvement in their affairs.
