More than a year after taking power and ousting Aung San Suu Kyi, the Myanmar army has announced plans to reopen to tourism and resume international flights on April 17. “I would not recommend anyone to travel there,” said Michael Isherwood, chairman of Burma Humanitarian Mission and program director of the Backpack Medics charity. “If Burma reopens to tourists, it is primarily for the benefit of the junta,” which oppresses the population. When murmurs were heard about the reopening late last year, Tin Tun Naing, Minister of Planning, Finance and Investment of the ousted Myanmar National Unity Government, told the Straits Times that it was not time for sightseeing and urged people not to visit. . Myanmar, like many countries, closed its borders to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in early 2020. At that time, an elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi ruled the country, but a military coup in February 2021 ceded power. Resistance groups have emerged and the country in Southeast Asia has since been battered by violence, protests and economic collapse. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Michel Bachelet said last month that the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar continues to escalate amid systemic barbarism by security forces. “The economy is on the brink of collapse. “More than 14.4 million people are now estimated to be in need of humanitarian assistance,” he said, predicting that “food shortages will increase sharply in the coming months.” The UK government is currently “advising them not to travel to Myanmar except what is necessary”, stating the risk of arbitrary detention or arrest. An opening to tourism could signal a return to normalcy when “Burma is anything but normal these days,” Isherwood said, citing accidental arrests, village arson, rape and extrajudicial killings in ethnic and border areas. Commander-in-Chief General Min Aung Hlaing attends a military parade to mark the 77th Armed Forces Day. Photo: Xinhua / Rex / Shutterstock According to the United Nations Human Rights Council, more than 1,600 people have lost their lives at the hands of security forces, 12,500 have been detained, 44,000 have been displaced and 14 million are in need of humanitarian assistance. Hundreds of children are also being held for ransom in unknown locations. Last year, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) sought to mediate a peace plan with the junta government, although little progress has been made in promoting it. The opening to tourism was “an attempt to promote a narrative of control and globalization; an attempt to establish that the de facto authorities are in control of the country, they are legitimate,” said a Myanmar-based humanitarian worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity. for security reasons . Tourists are signaling stability, said Bertie Alexander Lawson, chief executive of Myanmar-based travel agency Sampan Travel, and a picture of stability they may want the authorities to project, he added. The safety risk is higher now than it was a few years ago, Lawson said, but safe travel was possible “if you go with an operator who takes the risk seriously.” However, visitors should be informed about the context in which they enter and consider whether they will have a positive impact on Myanmar communities, he said. Jochen Meissner, founder and CEO of Yangon-based Uncharted Horizons Myanmar travel agency, advised you not to travel. “Even here [in Yangon]bombings or killings take place every day, [and] a lot of army in the streets “. While the junta government is likely to ensure that major tourist attractions are safe, Meisner said he would not encourage anyone to visit on holiday. Only those vaccinated against Covid-19 will be able to enter the country before having to undergo a week-long quarantine with two PCR tests. Other challenges that tourists will face include lack of access to cash, after the banking system has collapsed and power outages. “There are large parts of Yangon that are in complete darkness overnight, so I’m not sure it will be very conducive to tourist travel,” said the aid worker. Some areas of the country, including Kayah and Chin, which used to be popular with tourists, will also be off limits, Lawson said. In such areas, there are reports of deteriorating living conditions with limited water, electricity and internet access. “Not everything is fine here,” Meisner said.
