Freelance Diplomat

Saturday night in downtown Yangon. Union Bar on the Strand is heaving with a mixed collection of expats. With an extensive cocktail menu, DJ's on the decks and industrial chic exposed light bulbs hanging over the square bar, the scene would not be out of place in a swanky New York Midtown bar. The atmosphere is electric. Groups of people talk excitedly of being part of something unique, a hint of the Wild West in the air. Everyone wants a piece of the action.

It is very easy to get carried away with the prospect of progress in Burma and the feeling of being part of something new and exciting; but getting under the skin of this place is a little more tricky. News reports of the Government delivering electricity, water and sanitation projects to rural areas, introducing quotas on the proportion of Burmese nationals working in foreign-owned companies and hosting the 27th SEA Games are offset by long-standing and well-documented discrimination against Rohingya and other minority populations. Whilst in Yangon I passed a displaced persons camp outside the High Court Building demanding recognition of their fundamental human rights – a visceral demonstration that rapid economic progress does not always mean rapid social progress.

The question of what type of development Burma wants for itself is vital. Anecdote revealed that Yangon aims to position itself as a luxury destination, to avoid the fate of becoming another Bangkok. But for the average traveler, Burma is an expensive destination that lacks the levels of service or quality you would expect to find in other SE Asian countries. Despite an expanding airline industry, travel remains challenging and variable in quality. Significant environmental and heritage degradation was already more than apparent. Despite some attempts to create conservation zones, particularly around Inle Lake and Old Bagan, air pollution, discarded plastic bags and botched restoration jobs were common in all areas.

On the other hand the burgeoning telecoms industry is creating change. I was continually surprised to see Buddhist monks whipping out their Huawei smartphones to take photos of passing tourists. However, the increase in access to 3G and social media will also inevitably have an impact on civic action and popular engagement with politics. All eyes are on the elections in late-2015 and the role of Aang San Suu Kyi. Whatever the outcome it will be important for the trajectory of the country’s nascent growth and development.