The Lacquered Curtain of Burma

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About the Book The Lacquered Curtain of Burma depicts the shaping of the historical, social, cultural, religious, and political canvas of Burma (now Myanmar) by two powerful events: the British colonial conquest and the Japanese occupation of the country during World War II. The book tries to show how these influenced the dynamics of the Burmese and the ethnic communities primarily the Karens.

Traversing through historical Burma, the book recounts the country's strife for independence from colonial Britain and imperial Japan, the post-independence conflicts in the country between the majority Burmese and the ethnic minorities, such as the Karens exploding in insurrection, the military coup of 1962, the stranglehold of successive military juntas, and Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's courageous, yet inconclusive, efforts to bring about a decisive change.

Touching on individual lives, the novel creates cameos of Indians who migrated to Burma from then British India, and the Indians who arrived in the country with the Japanese Army and the Indian National Army. Capturing the upheaval of communities, the uprooting of families, and hard sacrifices made by those who could not emigrate, the book portrays the deprivation of peaceful livelihoods to generations of citizens and immigrants alike, forcing many to take up arms in the fight to preserve a heritage and others to restart their lives in new environments.

About the Author Born in 1951 in Rangoon (now Yangon), Burma, Eugene Lawrence's father was an Indian who had arrived in Burma with the Indian National Army during World War II and married his mother, a Karen. The family repatriated to India at the end of 1966. sailing on one of the last ships to Madras sent by India to receive Indian refugees.

Concluding his higher studies in Bangalore, India, with BA (Hons.) in English Literature, Lawrence relinquished his desire to teach and embraced a more lucrative career in order to support his large family. He devoted 16 years to rural development, advocacy, and resource development, notably with Pipal Tree, producing three consecutive e-publications on climate change issues on his return to India.

Lawrence kept alive his passion for literature, philosophy, history, religion, and music, and has published short stories and articles in the Deccan Herald. This is his first full-length book.

Preface The circumstances and events described in this work have been based on a combination of fact and fiction, and some, close to facts. There has been no attempt to malign personalities or policies of any individual or institution in the portrayal of these events and circumstances. The facts could be easily gleaned by the discerning reader from numerous press reports that have appeared over the past 40 years. While the identities of some personalities could not be altered in the context of the published truth, the identities of some characters have been suppressed, and some are purely fictional. Also, while I have attempted to adhere to facts in the writing of this book, I have taken the liberty to detract from some in order to suit the story.

Having stated that, I wish the people of Myanmar good fortune in resolving the ever-present conflict, and usher in the birth of a democracy free of the oppressed and the oppressor wherein painful memories can be forgotten, and an era of mutually beneficial coexistence can begin. I certainly include the ethnic people of the land in this environment and wish them an era of ease-long overdue-when they can discard their arms in pursuit f their cultural heritage without fear.

**Contents and Sample Pages**