Burma | Burma Center Prague

Come Rain or Shine. A personal account of Burma, the 2007 uprising and Cyclone Nargis

"It is not an easy task to compile a comprehensive account of last year's protests in Burma, which came to be known as the "Saffron Revolution". However, looking at Burma's disappearance from the news and considering the regime's straightforward attempt to let the dust settle on those memorable days and promote a democracy of false facades, it is, no doubt, highly desirable to present such an account. Issued just before the first anniversary of the crackdown, Joseph Ball has managed to compile a stirring set of eyewitness accounts, interspersed with thoughtful analyses and significant photographs, often taken clandestinely. It proved to be an excellent choice for him to partner with the Mizzima News Agency, which provided material and the experience of a decade of publishing in exile under difficult conditions.
In addition to the story of a people's inflamed hope, squashed in a matter of days, the reader learns firsthand about the circumstances of cyclone "Nargis", which turned from a natural disaster into a paradigm of failed governance. The book's effort to cover both the cyclone and the dubious referendum seems even more remarkable considering the short time span between these events and its publication. The authors were also not afraid to critically examine opposing viewpoints on these issues, without lapsing into familiar patterns of apology for the regime." (BCP)

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