Burma's generals attempt to prevent revolution by cross-dressing
Posted By Joshua Keating Tuesday, March 1, 2011 - 11:02 AM
http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/03/01/burmas_generals_attempt_to_prevent_revolution_by_cross_dressingWith revolutions sweeping the Arab world, autocratic leaders from China to Vietnam to Zimbabwe are leaving nothing to chance, cracking down hard on potential troublemakers. Burma's eccentric military ruler Than Shwe, on the other hand, had a different idea for hanging on to power:
And so many Burmese were baffled earlier this month when Than Shwe and other top generals, appearing at a nationally televised ceremony, shed their dress uniforms for the Burmese equivalent of women's dresses. "I don't understand why the generals were wearing women's [sarongs] but they looked very weird," said a Rangoon mechanic, Myint Oo. Others put a more sinister spin on the generals' sartorial selection. "It's yadaya," said a Rangoon-based astrologer who asked not to be named, referring to Burma's particular brand of black magic. [...]
