Beyond Rangoon Page #2

I didn't think there were any tours right now.

There are no official tours.

Hm. I see, so you're an unofficial guide.

You could call me that.

Isn't that illegal?

In Burma everything is illegal.

Okay.

Do you think you could take me somewhere in the country,

somewhere off the tourist track?

Yes.

But at the moment it would be wiser

to remain within Rangoon.

Why?

There are military checkpoints

going out of the city.

Hm.

Maybe the soldiers could be persuaded to let us through

if we offered them a little money.

Okay.

Let's go.

Shall we go to your hotel

and pick up your husband?

No.

Then we shall go now.

I'm Laura Bowman.

My name is Aung Ko.

And this is my motorcar.

So. There I was in a beat-up Chevy,

in the middle of nowhere...

...but there was something comforting about traveling

with someone who knew nothing about me.

Oh. Checkpoint.

-Oh. Is it time to do some persuading?

-Yes. 50 kyats would be very persuasive now.

Here.

Thank you.

Burma is a land of monks... and soldiers...

...as you may have noticed.

We all spend a little time as a monk.

But once a soldier, always a soldier.

Excuse me.

They gave you a hard time.

They need to remind us that

they are strong and we are weak.

It is the way Burmese soldiers are.

And, if all men were monks at one time,

then you must have been one, too?

Oh yes, I lived as a monk not far from here

when I was a boy.

Can we go there?

That would be difficult.

Why is that?

Are women not allowed in the monasteries?

No, no. That's no problem. In Burma,

women are completely equal with men.

But I'm concerned about getting you

back to Rangoon by nightfall.

Let's risk it.

We will need to make an offering.

What kind of offering?

That would depend on how much

good karma you want for your next life.

Hm. Well, I can't plan that far ahead.

Then some fresh fruit from the market will do.

Did you say completely equal?

Oh yes. A woman can

even become a buddha.

But for that she must first

come back as a man.

Ah, there's always a catch.

I was here as a boy,

such a long time ago.

It seems... very small.

Here. You do it.

Please?

At the time, what they were doing

seemed like what I was doing:

Shutting life out.

Was that it?

Don't fall in love.

Don't have kids.

That way you can't get hurt.

Well, if there's no god in Buddhism,

then who are they praying to?

They were not praying.

They were meditating.

They meditate to settle the mind.

And when the mind is calm,

only then can it receive wisdom.

Is your mind calm?

At present, my mind is most agitated!

I'm afraid it's the water pump.

It's been giving me trouble for some days now.

So, what are you telling me, that we're stuck

out here in the middle of nowhere, is that it?

Well, all is not necessarily lost.

Please come to the car.

I have some friends who might be able to help,

and they live not very far from here.

And, fortunately, it is downhill most of the way.

What about the parts that aren't downhill?

Perhaps we will gather sufficient speed going down

to help us up those parts which are up.

Aren't you going to stop?

If we stop,

we stop for good!

I think we can make it now.

Mm-hm, it's okay.

These are the friends we were trying to reach!

Miss, get in the car with the professor.

Like so. Burmese dress becomes you very much!

I will show you how to tie it.

It's necessary to be born here

to tie it so it stay tight!

Buddha said, spiritual life is noble friendship,

and never let a meal go by without sharing it.

So, let us drink to the professor in English style!

Three cheers for the professor!

Hip-hip! Hurray! Hip-hip! Hurray! Hip-hip! Hurray!

And may he live a long life!

We were all his students at Rangoon University.

-He was best professor.

-Yes, he was.

Why don't you teach anymore?

It's because of me.

I was organizing the student

democracy movement of 1974.

The army smashed it.

They arrested me.

He was only 16 years old.

They tortured him,

made him slave for army.

But after five months, I escaped.

I was sick.

I came to professor for help.

He take me in.

For helping me, the professor

was sent to prison for two years...

...and was forbidden from teaching ever again.

How can they do that?

They can do whatever they want!

Because we Burmese are too polite to resist.

That's why General Ne Win can

rule this country for 35 years!

We accept murder and torture...

We suffer in silence or live like this -- in hiding.

Now is different!

Now we have Aung San Suu Kyi!

Do you know Aung San Suu Kyi?

Yes! I saw her speak last night!

She was so brave!

But did you know her before last night?

Of course not. Because no television camera is

allowed in Burma. No foreign journalists.

Burma will not be saved by America.

Burma will be saved when every student, every professor,

and every mother faces the guns like Aung San Suu Kyi.

So, let us make a toast to Aung San Suu Kyi!

Everybody, please!

Looking around that table, I realized

that they'd all been injured by fate...

...But they could still laugh.

They seemed so strong!

Perhaps because they were able to share their grief...

...while mine was locked inside me.

That night with them

was the first time I could let go.

I'm sorry. I didn't know any of this.

You don't need to apologize.

You're occupied with other things.

Your heart is wounded.

Excuse me.

The front door was wide open

My house was a total wreck.

I walked in and I saw...

...Danny's legs sticking out of the door to the den, and...

...then, my husband.

They stole his wedding ring.

I was brought up to believe that...

...if I were good... ...if I worked hard...

...then I had a right to happiness.

I was a fool, wasn't I?

We are taught that suffering is

the one promise life always keeps,...

...so that if happiness comes...

...we know it is a precious gift,...

...which is ours only for a brief time.

It's beautiful here.

That night, I had a dream that they were still alive.

It was so vivid...

...that I thought I was awake...

...and that their being dead

was the dream.

In the dream, Nick and Danny

had been climbing up to a Buddha...

...and there was one up there.

I felt a deep sense of peace.

It was as though they were with me.

I could feel them...

...all around me.

And it gave me strength.

I must take you back to Rangoon immediately!

You cannot go with her to Rangoon.

They will kill you!

His name is on their list.

She is my responsibility.

I brought her here.

I must bring her back.

Aung Ko, what happened?

There's been a massacre in Rangoon!

The army opened fire on the demonstrators.

They were unarmed!

It was just a peaceful march!

Someone has informed about this house.

The troops are coming!

There is a railway station at Prome.

Take her there, Professor.

I can't just leave her at the train station!

We have no choice.

The train station is fine.

Go on! Go on!

I'll help the professor!

The refugee camp at Mae Nam Mee!

You know the trail!

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