The new edition of The Irrawaddy delivers Clive Parker’s very informative and critical account from the dust of Burma’s new capital, Naypyidaw. This is one of the first, and certainly the most extensive, eye-witness reports of this incredible development. It is accompanied by Aung Zaw’s articles that put the new capital in broader historical and political context. Both their efforts are superb - they are very much worth a look.
Naypyidaw reports from The Irrawaddy team
October 10th, 2006 by Nicholas Farrelly · 6 Comments
Tags: Burma
6 responses so far ↓
1 A Nonymous // Oct 10, 2006 at 12:42 pm
I can find no firm evidence in the article that “Clive Parker” actually visited Naypyidaw ….
2 Nicholas Farrelly // Oct 10, 2006 at 6:21 pm
An interesting point, A Nonymous. Perhaps it was just an afternoon…or perhaps not. It’s hard to know. This is a special circumstance: “Clive Parker” working under a pseudonym, with nobody to check “his” movements, covertly gathering information and data inside Burma.
There is journalistic license and then there is…
If anybody directly knows how the few journalists who have been to Naypyidaw have done it then we could start a discussion on the topic. It’s an issue, it definitely is.
NSF
3 Nathan Craven // Oct 11, 2006 at 2:53 am
People around the world. Do not stay silent now. Have your word now at http://www.nationmultimedia.com/specials/thefall/compare.php
4 Clive Parker // Oct 12, 2006 at 8:51 pm
Good to see some healthy questioning in this regard – I agree that in theory it is possible I didn’t go given that there is no first person used in the piece. However, if you look at the photos, you will see my name. I believe that the photos of the city hall and the brick factories have never been seen before in the media.
Without making it too easy for those people that would prefer I don’t visit Burma again, I can tell you that I arrived there by private vehicle and left by overnight train to Rangoon. I stayed in the capital one night at the Royal Kumudra Hotel, the only accomodation currently available to “tourists.” I visited all of the places described in the piece, the new City Hall, the brick factories, the hotel zone, the ministries area, etc.
Having not expected to be able to get inside the new city before I arrived, I was surprised at how relatively straightforward it actually was.
Clive
5 Nicholas Farrelly // Oct 13, 2006 at 2:50 am
Thanks Clive,
Great clarification. With what we can all read in your article (and see in its remarkable pictures) this all makes a lot of sense.
Keep in touch.
NSF
6 A Nonymous // Oct 14, 2006 at 5:28 pm
Thanks for the clarification, ‘Clive’. Good to see that the honesty and integrity of the Irrawaddy are being defended. This newsmagazine must continue to be a model of ethical journalism for the future …
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