bust Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Helping Hands By SHWE YOE The barber has a foreign customer today, a European member of an international nongovernmental agency working in Rangoon. Johnny is his name, and he falls into conversation with another, local customer, Htun Htun. Htun Htun recently returned from the US to join in the relief effort for survivors of Cyclone Nargis, so the two have much in common. â??Iâ??ve just returned from the Irrawaddy delta, where I saw a German NGO delivering food to villages without getting the approval of the authorities,â? he said. â??They claimed their relief effort was a big success.â? â??The delta has been flooded with NGOs and foreign aid workers, all with their own agendas,â? said Johnny. â??I find it quite scaryâ??itâ??s no wonder the generals are so concerned.â? The barber joined the conversation, drawing the attention of his two customers to a report on remarks by Burmaâ??s home affairs minister. â??He doesnâ??t trust any of you,â? he smiled. â??Youâ??re all CIA lackeys and puppets of the US. He knows everything you were up to in the delta.â? â??We Europeans, as well?â? said Johnny. â??Even we donâ??t trust America. We have more faith in Than Shwe than in the Americans.â? The barber warmed to the subject and stepped in, with his usual note of irony: â??Sure, theyâ??re aware that you were working for exile-based groups before and that youâ??ve moved here because funds are drying up abroad and are flowing in here. Youâ??re just moving where the grass is greener.â? Htun Htun protested: â??I came back from exile to help my people and I see foreigners who claim they also want to help the Burmese. â??Thereâ??s certainly space for us. If we can expand this space and work from within maybe we will be able to push for change.â? Johnny nodded his agreement. â??Yes, thatâ??s the reason I moved in here as a consultantâ?? to access the situation in the delta and elsewhere. People are dying and hungry and we are going to help them. We have to work on poverty alleviation, to tackle HIV/Aids, TB and malaria. The whole nation is in need.â? Barber smiled at them. â??You guys are funny. The Burmese donâ??t expect a lot from their government because they know it is hopeless to expect anything at all from Than Shwe. And the people in the delta arenâ??t expecting anything, either, from donors and INGOs, whom they donâ??t even know exist outside. Yet I found NGOs and UN agencies begging for money. You all seem to be looking to make money from crisis and related projects.â? â??But do you think Than Shwe doesnâ??t know you are here?â? intervened the barber. â??He has been watching you all along.â? The exchange was interrupted by the entry of another foreigner, an American by his appearance and accent. He sat and listened as the barber and his two other customers resumed their conversation, and when the talk turned to projects and proposals he broke in: â??I sent a proposal of my own to Washington and itâ??s just been approved.â? â??And whatâ??s the proposal?â? asked the barber, as Johnny and Htun Htun looked on. The muscular American replied: â??To assassinate Than Shwe. It will cost one million dollars but the moneyâ??s on its way.â? Johnny and Htun Htun looked alarmed and made for the door. â??Hey, wait a minute, donâ??t forget to pay, my friends,â? said the barber. â??How much?â? Johnny asked. â??Ten dollars each,â? the barber answered. The duo looked shocked. â??Dollars?â? protested Johnny. â??Youâ??re both on a dollar economy,â? said the barber. â??I live in Burma, on the local economy. Iâ??m poor and need your healing hands.â? â??God bless you,â? added the American, and with that the conversation was over. http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=14387 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Sounds about right. These NGOs are always begging for $$$ but their management are highly paid! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bust Posted October 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Yes highly paid and you will always find them haggling with the local traders with local currency at local rates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Why shouldn't they haggle with the merchants? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bust Posted October 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Maybe you missed the point.....wasn't about haggling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted October 28, 2008 Report Share Posted October 28, 2008 Then why bring up haggling, which is part of the culture, tradition of the region? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bust Posted October 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 Did you actually read the article? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 The word "haggling" does not appear in the article. What is your point? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bust Posted October 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 The story was not about haggling correct. I just used the refenece to demostrate what the article was about or did you miss the point that was being made? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shygye Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 So you are saying it is wrong for citizens of "Western" countries to bargain for goods and services in developing countries? I just saw the article as ragging on NGOs for feeding people that have lost all their crops and food stores. As the Burmese Generals would say, "Let them eat cake." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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