N 41 Continuation of Books I translated 2

Another issue the writers presented is about rape , where girls and women are victims. Rape is a crime against women that is happening all over the world, but where there is protection of the law, actions will be taken on behalf of the victims. But in countries where there is restlessness raping is used as a tool of war , to humiliate , to discredit the ruler of that country. The writers did research in African countries , where there have been civil wars namely East Congo, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Darfur, Liberia and Rwanda etc. In Liberia they said 90% of girls over age 3 were raped during civil war and all were done by militias. It is not surprising because even in our country we have seen or heard these actions and some had been taken to the UN.

There also are chapters concerning womens’ health, about women suffering from fistula and not enough Doctors and hospitals to help them. And also that maternal health care is needing, for every minute one woman is dying in childbirth.

Judging from the book and from my own knowledge the most abused women in the world are muslim women. They don’t have equal rights with men. Some muslim countries like Afghanistan do not let their girls go to school, women have to cover themselves from head to toe, and when men can take as many wives as they want a woman cannot have a wrong love affair. Otherwise there are some places where they will be stoned to death, or killed by their own family which they called honour killing, because the daughter had shamed them. Some are tortured , beaten or doured with acid.

There is a chapter in the book with the title Is Islam Mysogenistic ( women hating ) I dare not translate it the direct way because they (sensor board ) will not like  the word. So I said “ Are Women Hateful only.” So you can guess what are written in that chapter which will be about those I have written earlier.

But apart from all these unpleasant things women have to face there are some chapters that gives hope for the future of women.  About how microcredit financing can help family lives become better by giving them to the women to handle the money . About how investing in girls and womens’ education can help a region’s economy become better and developed.

 Then also  there are some cases where women challenged the ready to kill rulers, rapers, pimps. For example Usha Narayan who was  not afraid of the thug who ruled the slum and  lived like a king. He and his mobsters robbed, raped, murdered and tortured . But Usha headed  a group of slum dwellers and fought and killed him in the end with one stab each. Then they confessed “We all kill him . Arrest us all . “ So no action cannot be taken on them.

See about  Sunitha Krishnan a small Indian girl, she is  also a legendary among those who are fighting human trafficking. Mukta Mai of Pakistan who used the compensation money for her being raped to build schools because she believes in education.

Edna who lives in Somalia comes from an elite family. She attended good schools and became nurse-midwife , then became Somalia’s 1^st lady. Later divorced and was recruited by W H O. She had a good life of a UN official and was posted around the world. When she retired in 1997 she sold her Mercedes and with her pensions, her savings she built a maternity hospital.

One thing that cannot be left out about the book is that it gives you information about all organizations that are helping girls and womens’ lives become better. They included the UN organizations, and many NGOs. A list is also given at the end of the book . It will be useful if someone wants to help or donate  or join in some activities.

The last thing I want to say is  that it is a good book . It  is not to enjoy but to feel. The full title of the book is Half the Sky…. How to Change the World. So after someone has read it and wants to do something to help change the world , our world will become a better place and the theme the authors had targeted will be achieved.

N40   Books I translated    2

Until now I had translated some 8 books. ( 5 published ) The 1^st book is  Quiet Skies on Salween “ as I have written. My 2^nd book is “ The Silk Road “ and I have written about it in my blog No 1. So I will not write about it again . I chose to translate “ Half the Sky “ as my 3^rd book.

This book was one of the few books I brought with me from Melbourne Australia, when I was there in 2010. I went into a bookstore to buy some but it is very hard to choose from among so many books. After looking around I finally picked up 2 books from non fictions counter. One was  “Half the Sky “  and the other “  Confessions of an Economic Hit Man “. I read them while I was still there and found out all two are good books that should be translated.

But for some reasons I started doing Half the Sky a little late, and to obtain the permit to produce it took 4 months. I even thought that it will never be permitted. The publishing process did not take much time and it went into circulation at the end of year 2011, while I was in Australia for the 2^nd time.

Half the Sky represented  women of the world, because women contributed half the population of the world. It is about some women in the world who are under previledged and does not get the same opportunity as men, women who are abused sexually and mentally, women who are treated unequally because of customs and traditions.

 When we say about abused women those who are working in the sex trade will be the most significant.  This business has flourished in some South East Asian countries where the victimized women and  girls are from underdeveloped countries such as Nepal ,Cambodia and our Myanmar. They are lured to work in brothels of Thailand , Malaysia , India etc by promise of good jobs as maids, or factory workers or some other kinds of jobs. But when they reached the cities they are forced to work as prostitutes against their will without hygienic environment or any health care. So the girls lose  their future and many lose their lives by getting AIDS.

When a girl ended in a brothel her life is as good as death. So people who knows about this thing oppose to this business and some try to help to eradicate it through music, through writings , through speeches and organizational works.  Nicholas kristof and Sheryl Wudunn’s book Half the Sky is a good example in letting people know and would like  to come to help.This has been a hot issue for many years and it is still now. Many people including celebrities are trying to help to end this modern day slavery.

Not very long ago there was a music concert held in the ground of people’s square ( Pyithu Yinbyin ) Many local singers such as R Zarni, Sai Sai Kham Hlaing, Hpyu Hpyu Kyaw Thein, Chan Chan  sang along together with foreign famous singers Jason Mraz and Slot Machine of Thailand who came with their own band . The theme of the concert is to “ Stop Human Trafficking “ including men and women  alike.

Our world is a mix place of good and bad. But there is always hope. So let us not lose hope for the world to become better.

 to be continued......

Continuation of   Books I Translated  1

Her son and daughter had seen it with their eyes only this year. While visiting Taunggyi this summer they came to know that I had translated their mother’s book and came to visit me at my house. I think they are pleased because their mother’s book has become alive again for it’s being translated into Burmese and    not forgotten at all. But they are much surprised to hear that the number published was only 1000 as the condition here  really is. The  number of book readers has dwindled and there are not many people who read books now. It is a disadvantage. However  there are much interest between Taunggyi people on the book.

I had said earlier that I translated that book  12 years  earlier. After I done it I apply to the Government to get permission to produce it . I think one staff ( a woman ) was assigned to read and give permission. After 2 or 3 months ( that is the average time it usually takes ) I got the answer that it cannot be permitted as there are Sawbwas  and so and so. I remember only about the Sawbwas. I took it that as I am not a famous author that I was denied to produce it . Even Lords of the Sunset which is all about Sawbwas  and translated by Kyaw Aung  can be done so.So even if I do some translations it is not easy to see them in printed words.

So I stay idle without doing anything. But in 2009 I want to do again and start doing The Silk Road. I produced it myself because I know it will be hard to find a producer for a not famous pen name like me.

In 2011   I produced this Quiet Skies on Salween after applying for permission the 2^nd time and also  Half the Sky. In 2012 Dolphin Sunrise.  Ban Ki Moon will be produced shortly. I don’t expect profits and it is fortunate if I get back the money I invest on them . It is only for my satisfaction and happiness and they will be left as a landmark of my life. It is like achieving something that will benefit people  and  better than doing nothing and not leaving anything behind you.

It is a regret for me  that my 1^st book was barred from printing . Otherwise how many books would I have done until now. Whether good or bad they may have exceed ten books by now.

N 38   Books I Translated     1

Let me tell you first why I come to translate  books. I don’t want to use translater because I don’t consider myself a true professional translater, but only an amateur. I started to read books from my middle school years. English and Burmese alike. So I come to like them and admire the writers who can inspire people with their writings and I also  want to be able to write like them. But to be a writer one needs to  try hard , to be zealous, to be creative,  gifted etc. I don’t have those abilities . So after retiring I try to do translating.

The first book I translated was “Quiet Skies on Salween “ I think it was about twelve years ago. It is about old Taunggyi , round about the beginning of 20^th century. The author is Ellen Thorp. She came to Taunggyi in 1906 with her father and family to live there for 16 years. Her father had come to work as a principle of the Shan Chiefs school in  Taunggyi . This school was meant to educate the sons and relatives of the Sawbwas (Chiefs ) of Shan State. So there are some parts related to the Sawbwas of that time . But not politically and only as parents and principle relationship.

The author also described her childhood days in Taunggyi, about the town , about  the school, the picnics they went and about their extensive travelling ( by bullock carts ) to Merng Kaing , to Mogok, to Inle, Loikaw etc.

So when we read this book we come to know much about Taunggyi and the lives of people  of those days and gain much regional knowledge concerning some parts of the Shan State. There  are also some remarkable things to note too but I will not relate them now.

The name “Quiet Skies on Salween” is meant for Taunggyi of that time. Because in the 1930s motor cars had started to arrive and with the coming of the 2^nd World  War the sound of trucks and tanks and artilleries will also be penetrating into the once calm and tranquil skies of the Shan State.

The author  forsee it and she was worried and wrote about what is going to happen in the future. But what will she say if she is to see Taunggyi as it is now.

to be continued.....