ADVERTISE | DONATION
Irrawaddy CONTACT US|FAQ
BURMESE VERSION | VIDEO





COMMENTARY
Than Shwe Juggles the Numbers in Choosing Election Date
By YENI Wednesday, August 18, 2010


COMMENTS (6)
RECOMMEND (431)
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
 
MORE
E-MAIL
PRINT

Burmese junta chief Snr-Gen Than Shwe has finally chosen a date for his election—November 7. It seems as if the Burmese dictator is almost ready to drive through his plan to produce a contrived outcome. The operation, however, could not be completed without a tradition he usually relies on— astrologers’ advice.

Yeni is news editor of the Irrawaddy magazine. He can be reached at [email protected].

It is nothing new. Burma is known as a devoutly Buddhist nation, but believers in astrology, occultism, numerology, black magic and the spirit world are found within the entire spectrum of Burmese society, from simple villagers to influential business people and members of the military. They consult astrologers in the hope of becoming wealthy, successful and to ward off ill fortune.

In Burma's modern history, all rulers have also sought advice from soothsayers to determine auspicious dates, times, names and even units of currency. 

The formal declaration of Burma's independence from Britain—4:20 am on January 4, 1948—was exactly timed with the help of astrologers. In 1987, the late dictator Gen Ne Win introduced 45 kyat and 90 kyat currency notes, as the face values added up to nine, the most powerful number according to numerological calculation.

Like his predecessors, Than Shwe has utilized the astrologers’ advice to confirm and approve of his deeds. The relocation of the country's administrative capital from Rangoon to Naypyidaw (the “Seat of Kings”) in 2005 was worked out with the counsel of his astrologers. 

Than Shwe’s latest favorite number is eleven. Astrologers have reportedly advised him to prevent his regime suffering the “eleven fires”—greed, hatred, delusion, birth, aging, death, grief, lamentation, pain, sorrow and despair, which, in a spiritual context, are fueled by sentient attachment. 

It is believed that the prison sentences of 65 years handed out to prominent pro-democracy activists in 2008 were calculated to reflect the number 11—six plus five.

November—when the election will be held—is the eleventh month of the year.

It is easy, therefore, to understand why Than Shwe rejected the date of October 10, 2010 (10-10-10), which had been predicted by US Senator Jim Webb and the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun.

Than Shwe’s decision seems to be based on merging his own lucky number 11 with another auspicious digit, 7. Seven is the number of days in a week, on one of which Than Shwe and the generals will have been born.

By defeating the “11 fires,” Than Shwe and his generals can achieve the number 9 by combining 11 and 7, which add up to 18, and then dividing 18 into 1 plus 8. Hey presto, the result is 9!

Exiled Burmese activists are interpreting the numbers in their own satirical way by comparing them to the digits of the 7-Eleven 24-hour convenience stores.

One political joke says Burmese voters are being forced to buy Naypyidaw's own products on November 7—the candidates of the government-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP). “That's a 24 hours oppression service,” said one activist. “You will be very inconvenienced.”

Than Shwe doesn't need his astrologers to predict the result of the November election, however. He's hoping that ballot box tricks, manipulation and the dominance of the USDP will guarantee him a 99 percent victory—just as he concocted in the 2008 constitutional referendum.



COMMENTS (6)
 
Please read our policy before you post comments. Click here
Name:
E-mail:   (Your e-mail will not be published.)
Comment:
You have characters left.
Word Verification: captcha Type the characters you see in the picture.
 

Tide Wrote:
26/08/2010
Hey Hyunt Han!

No country is the same. Perhaps you have never been out of Myanmar. You should give it a try and visit a neighbouring country. If impossible, then visit your neighbours, see if there is any one family that has the same family culture that your family has.

Don't get brainwashed just because you worship democracy. Learn how democratisation processes took place in old democracies.
Take care!

Marcie, NYC, USA Wrote:
23/08/2010
How interesting! In Russia, November 7 marks the anniversary -- in the so-called "New Style" calendar -- of Lenin's Bolshevik (Communist) Revolution.

Coincidence or calculation?!

Nyunt Han Wrote:
21/08/2010
To Tide ... you have missed the headings. Yeni's article is posted under OPINION and COMMENTARY. You will find opinions and commentaries in any news posting from democratic countries but none from the likes of Burma or North Korea.

PB Publico Wrote:
20/08/2010
7+11 is 18. 18 in numerical combination is 9.
It means nothing but a number to be avoided in his native town and surrounds as it is an unlucky number. It irritates the local "nats".
Than Shwe's name stands for 6+4 equal 10, a "BOO" in the jargon of a local card game, meaning "NAUGHT" or nothing. He is only getting the whole population of Burma "NAUGHT", nothing worth a penny the way he is.
Come on Myanma Tatmadaw, get this abominable beast of a man stripped of his power, so that the honour of the Tatmadaw is restored, and the love of the people for you regained.

Tide Wrote:
20/08/2010
Hey Ye Ni!

How do you know Than Shwe juggles the dates? Do you work for him? How close are you with him?

Get a life man..... don't claim yourself as a newsperson while you speculate gossip. Learn from the Voice news team!

Kerry Wrote:
19/08/2010
It sounds like desperation!

Do Than Shwe and wife and cronies not understand what the whole world can see clearly now: their time is definitely up! HOW the transfer of power happens is the next priority discussion.

Best not to kill more people, kidnap children, or rape women in the meantime...

All of this sadly belongs to another brutal century, another gross era. All those responsible are fully accountable. Such is life.

More Articles in This Section

bullet Sizing Up an Icon

bullet Fighting Corruption Begins at Home

bullet Future of Exiled Burmese Media

bullet How Much Freedom Does Burmese Media Enjoy?

bullet Five Days in Burma

bullet Turning Burma into Next Asian Tiger No Simple Task

bullet With Suu Kyi On Board, Is Burma Finally Moving Toward Real Change?

bullet The ‘Rule of Law’ in Burma

bullet New Doors are Opening in Burma

bullet A Good Beginning to the New Year






Thailand Hotels
Bangkok Hotels
China Hotels
India Hotels

Donations

Home |News |Regional |Business |Opinion |Multimedia |Special Feature |Interview |Magazine |Burmese Elections 2010 |Archives |Research
Copyright © 2008 Irrawaddy Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.