Toto, We’re Not in Kansas Anymore
About the author: Elena Crespo ’20 is currently an FSI Global Policy Intern at the Yangon School of Political Science, Myanmar. She is currently a political science major at Stanford University.
I held my breath the first time we crossed into Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)-held territory. The KNLA is one of eight ethnic armed organizations that signed a cease-fire agreement with the government of Myanmar/Burma in 2011, after being at war since 1949. As our taxi hurdled up to a checkpoint manned by camo-clad militants, I reflexively fumbled for my passport — the one I had forgotten to bring on this weekend getaway to Hpa-An, Kayin State. Rather than demanding our passports, visas, and purposes, the soldiers stretched out their hands for a toll and then waved us on our way. Just as easy as crossing the San Francisco-Oakland Bridge. The experience left me stunned. For the remainder of our trip, I pondered how an organization like the KNLA can co-exist peacefully alongside the Myanmar military in disbelief. As we popped into Buddha-filled caves, hiked past golden Stupas, and swam in thermal water, I mused about the prospects for federalism in Myanmar/Burma.
This trip to Hpa-An marked the halfway point of my time here. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that Myanmar/Burma is a place for the restless-minded. Every day, I am challenged on my pre-existing beliefs. For example, I’m a firm advocate for investing in the education systems of developing nations to build the capacity of the citizenry and grow the economy. But last week I slid into a taxi and along the way my driver told me he held a graduate degree in data science but couldn’t get a job — there are too few opportunities available for someone with his skills. Through this conversation, I’ve realized that it’s not as simple as investing in education if the economy is not ready to absorb a wave of highly skilled workers. Similarly, I’ve been forced to debate whether liberal democracy really is the preeminent form of government — an idea that we often take as a given in the classroom — over countless Myanmar teas.
At times, it’s felt overwhelming to constantly contend with high level issues. Originally, I thought travel would provide an escape, but I’ve realized that it magnifies these issues by bringing them to life in front of me.
Two weeks after my trip to Hpa-An, I took a quick jaunt to Taunggyi, Shan State — a state with ongoing hostilities between the Myanmar military and seven different militias. On my return night bus, I found myself dragged from my dreams by Myanmar security forces. Our luggage was searched, and we were patted down in the dead of night. As I was trudging to the other side of the checkpoint through a narrow corridor between two soaring chain link fences, I realized nothing would stop an officer from arbitrarily detaining me. The political rights and civil liberties that I wear as a shield in the United States mean little here in Myanmar/Burma. As I boarded my bus again and blinked the sleep from my eyes, I couldn’t help but realize that there is no escape from the complex security, economic, and political issues that plague Myanmar/Burma — not for me and not for the people of this nation.
