I have recently found myself with a copy of Thomas Bleming’s book War in Karen Country. In light of the renewed New Mandala discussion of a Burma tourism boycott I thought I would throw this extract from Bleming’s effort into the mix. Reporting a conversation with the Karen National Liberation Army’s Colonel Nerdah Mya, Bleming writes (on page 104):
I brought up the idea of putting ads in newspapers offering those with steel nerves and guts to come to the Republic of Kawthoolei and visit the war zone as tourists. This idea, he thought, might bear fruit in such a way as there were those in the States who, perhaps were wanting excitement in their lives and maybe some would want to come to the Karen break away region of Kawthoolei to, you might say, put some “spice” in their life; a high risk, dangerous adventure that would certainly be something to talk of, once those individuals returned to his or her town. Of course they would be required to sign waivers; otherwise, it was a good idea.
2 responses so far ↓
1 jonfernquest // Feb 27, 2008 at 9:57 pm
The Rhodesian army used to place ads in Soldier of Fortune magazine right next to the wife killer for hire ads. Maybe that’ll target the right market segment.
Seriously, helping Karens out with their economic livelihood as Sub Moei Arts has been doing in the jungle near Kawthoolei since 1977 may be a better model for tourism than toting a gun around in the jungle killing people.
http://www.sopmoeiarts.com/html/historyofsma.html
Father Joseph with his Catholic mission at a village in the jungle is another good model, helping people without participating in the eternally futile tit-for-tat killing of warfare. Is the malaria incidence rate 90% or 95% in Kawthoolei? Does that really make it a viable state?
2 x // Feb 28, 2008 at 3:22 am
Yep, I’m sure those waivers would do the trick. Watch the Thais crack down on the activities of westerners along the border area if this civil war tourism notion is pursued. Bleming is just one in a long line of western misfits who has become enamoured with the Karen and is pondering how he can make a buck out of their plight.
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