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Hacktivism: A Short History

Hacktivism:AShortHistory
How self-absorbed computer nerds became a powerful force for freedom.
BY TY MCCORMICK

APRIL 29, 2013

TY.MCCORMICK

@TYMCCORMICK

Computerhackersarentanespeciallyearnestbunch.Afterall,lulz(acorruptionofthephraselaughout
loudandareferencetohackerspenchantfortomfoolery)wastheprimaryobjectiveofthehacker
collectiveAnonymousbeforeitgraduatedtomoreseriouscyberoperationsinthelatterhalfofthe2000s.
Butifthehackingcommunitylikestoflauntitsglibside,italsohasarichhistoryofpoliticalactivismor
hacktivismthathascometodefineitintheeraofWikiLeaks.Iftheresonethingthatunites
hacktivistsacrossmultiplegenerations,itsdedicationtotheideathatinformationontheInternetshould
befreeafirstprinciplethathasnotinfrequentlyputthematoddswithcorporationsandgovernments
theworldover.

1950s-1980s
AcultureofhackingspringsupattheMassachusettsInstituteofTechnology,wherethetermiscoined
bymembersoftheTechModelRailroadClubastheyplayaroundwithtrackcircuitry.Theoriginal
hacksaremostlyharmlesspranksandpracticaljokesperpetratedbystudentsinearlyartificial
intelligencelabs.Hackerssoondiscoverthattoywhistlesproducetherightfrequencyforthemto
phreakMaBellstelephonesystem,allowingthemtoplacelong-distancecallsforfree.Amongthose
whomakenamesforthemselvesasphonephreaksareSteveWozniakandSteveJobs,thefuture
foundersofApple.

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October1989
ComputersatNASAandtheU.S.EnergyDepartmentarepenetratedbyananti-nuclearWANKworm,
whichalterscomputerslog-inscreenstoWORMSAGAINSTNUCLEARKILLERSYourSystemHas
BeenOfficiallyWANKed.Themalware,believedtohaveoriginatedinAustralia,isthesecondmajor
wormdeployedinhistory,butthefirstwithanexplicitlypoliticalaim.(Thegenesiswormwasreleaseda
yearearlierbyRobertMorris,a23-year-oldCornellUniversitygraduatestudent,whosaidhewantedto
approximatethesizeoftheInternetbutendeduprunningafouloftheU.S.ComputerFraudandAbuse
Act.)
November1994
AmostlyBritishactivistgroupknownastheZippieslaunchesanemailbombanddistributeddenial-ofservice(DDoS)attackagainstBritishgovernmentwebsitestoprotestPrimeMinisterJohnMajorsCriminal
JusticeandPublicOrderAct,whichoutlawedoutdoorravesfeaturingmusicwithasuccessionof
repetitivebeats.Theattack,knownastheIntervasionoftheUK,knocksoutanumberofgovernment
websitesformorethanaweek.ItisthefirstknownuseofDDoSwhichtakesdownatargetedwebsiteby
overwhelmingitwithcommunicationrequestsforpoliticalpurposes.
1996
Omega,amemberoftheTexas-basedcomputer-hackinggroupCultoftheDeadCow(cDc),coinsthe
wordhacktivisminanemailtothecDclistserv.Althoughsomewhattongue-in-cheek,thetermaptly
characterizesthegroupsincreasinglypoliticalethos.Foundedin1984forthewhimsicalgoalofglobal
dominationthroughmediasaturation,cDcisbythemid-1990sanexplicitlypoliticalorganization,one
thatleveragestechnologytoadvancehumanrightsandprotectthefreeflowofinformation.Insubsequent
years,cDcmembersteamupwithagroupofdissidentscallingthemselvestheHongKongBlondestohack
thecomputernetworksofChinesegovernmentagenciesandcompanieswithpoorhumanrightsrecords
inChina.

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July2001
Hacktivismo,anoffshootofcDc,issuesacodeofconductforonlinecivildisobediencethatdrawsonthe
UnitedNationsUniversalDeclarationofHumanRightsanditsInternationalCovenantonCiviland
PoliticalRights.ThisHacktivismoDeclarationaffirmstherighttofreedomofopinionandexpression
anddeclaresthehackercommunitysintenttodeveloptechnologiestochallengestate-sponsored
censorshipoftheInternet.Thedeclaration,whichcanbereadasadisavowalofhackingtechniqueslike
DDoSingthatinterferewithfreespeech,largelyfallsbythewaysideasthenextgenerationofhacktivists
increasinglyseekstotakegovernmentandcorporatewebsitesoffline.
2003
ChristopherPoole,15,setsupthewebsite4chan.orgfromhissuburbanNewYorkbedroom.Thesite
garnersattentionprimarilyforitsproliferationofhumorousfelinememes(LolCats)andgaghyperlinks
(Rickrolls)toRickAstleysinsufferable1987hitNeverGonnaGiveYouUp,butovertimeitattractsa
globalarmyofanonymoushackers,manyofthempoliticallyminded,whoexchangecodingtipsand
eventuallyplotcyberops.Whatbeginsasaseriesofprankscarriedoutforidleamusementgradually
evolvesintosystematizedcyberwarfareor,asoneAnonymousmemberputsit,ultra-coordinated
motherfuckery.Anonymousisbornhere.
April2007
EstoniaremovesaSovietwarmemorialfromitscapital,provokingaseriesofcyberhitsmostlyDDoS
attacksoriginatingonRussianservers.Detailsaboutwhoisresponsiblefortheattacks,whichdisable
variousEstoniangovernmentwebsitesandsubstantiallydisruptcommerceforseveralhours,remain
murky,butthepro-Kre
mlinyouthgroupNashieventuallyclaimsresponsibility,thoughitdenieshavingcarriedoutdirectorders
fromtheRussiangovernment.Whetherstate-sponsoredoranespeciallyvirulentexampleofnationalist
hacktivism,thecyberassaultagainstEstoniaamountstooneofthelargestDDoSattacksinhistory.

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January2008
AnonymousreleasesaYouTubevideoannouncingProjectChanology,adeliberatecampaigntodestroy
theChurchofScientologyduetoitscampaignsofmisinformationandsuppressionofdissent.Weare
Anonymous.Wearelegion.Wedonotforgive.Wedonotforget.Expectus,thegroupdeclaresinan
ominous,automatedvoice.Lessthanamonthlater,Anonsholdtheirfirstphysicalprotest(alsoagainst
Scientology)simultaneouslyatvariouslocationsaroundtheworld,withmanydemonstratorswearingthe
signatureGuyFawkesmasksthatwilllaterbecomeiconicsymbolsofthemovement.
November2010
TunisiandictatorZineel-AbidineBenAliblocksaccesstoWikiLeakedU.S.StateDepartmentcablesnoting
massivecorruptioninhisgovernment.Inresponse,Anonymoushackerslaunch#OpTunisia,attacking
TunisiangovernmentwebsitesandatonepointbringingdowntheTunisianstockexchange.Asprotests
rageacrosstheregioninthefollowingmonths,thegrouplaunchesaseriesofFreedomOpstoassistprodemocracyactivistsAnonymoussbiggestforayyetintoworldpolitics.
December2010
AnonymouslaunchesOperationAvengeAssangeafterMasterCardandVisablockpaymentstothe
whistle-blowingwebsiteWikiLeaks.Anonsknockoutthewebsitesofthecreditcardgiantsandbriefly
slowwebtraffictoPayPalusinganapplicationcalledLowOrbitIonCannon,whichdirectsmassive
amountsoftraffictospecifiedwebsites.
December2011
AntiSec,anoffshootofAnonymousthattakesparticularissuewiththecybersecurityindustry,hacksthe
Texas-basedprivateintelligencefirmStratfor,knockingitswebsiteofflineandlifting200GBofdata,
mostlyemails,whichithandsovertoWikiLeaks.Itisthelargestpublicd0xingthepostingofprivate
informationonlineattackthatAnonymoushascarriedouttodate.

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January2012
Agroupofpro-PalestinianhacktivistscallingthemselvesNightmareknocksoutthewebsitesoftheTel
AvivStockExchangeandElAlairlines.Inanonlineposttakingcreditfortheattacks,thegroupsaysitis
joiningSaudihacker0xOmar,whopreviouslyreleasedtensofthousandsofIsraeliscreditcardnumbers
ontheInternet,inamovementofIslamichackersagainstIsrael.Thenextday,Israelihackersgoingby
thenameIDF-TeamretaliatebyknockingtheSaudiStockExchangeandtheAbuDhabiSecurities
Exchangeoffline.
February14,2012
Ontheone-yearanniversaryofBahrainiarmedforcesviolentdispersalofralliesinthecapital,Manama,
duringtheArabuprisings,AnonscarryoutaseriesofhacksagainsttheBahrainigovernmentandits
backers,notablythePennsylvania-basedteargasmanufacturerCombinedSystems.Thekingdomis
eventuallymoved,inFebruary2013,tobantheimportofGuyFawkesmaskstoitsstill-roilingterritory.
February29,2012
Interpolarrests25suspectedAnonymoushackersfromaroundtheworldfollowinganFBIstingoperation
thatflippedanAnonymousringleader,HectorMonsegur,knownonlineasSabu.Theinformationhe
providesleadstoawaveofhacktivistarrestsfortakingpartineverythingfromtheStratforhackto
illegaleavesdroppingonanFBIconferencecalldealingAnonymousamajorblow.
March2012
FrustratedwiththewayWikiLeakshandledtheStratfordatadumpitwasanunqualifiedmediaflop
AnonymouslaunchesitsownWikiLeaksclone:Par:Anoia(PotentiallyAlarmingResearch:Anonymous
IntelligenceAgency).ThewebsitereliesonpurloinedsubmissionsprovidedbytheAnonymous
communityandpublisheseverythingfromhackedemailsfromtheSyrianForeignMinistrytoNewYork
CityPoliceDepartmentvideofootageofthe2011evictionofOccupyprotestersfromZuccottiPark.

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April2012
AnonymousturnsitsgunsonChina,knockingoutanumberofcorporateandlocalgovernmentwebsites
andtaggingthemwiththemessage:DearChinesegovernment,youarenotinfallible,todaywebsitesare
hacked,tomorrowitwillbeyourvileregimethatwillfall.
October2012
WikiLeaksputsmillionsofitsdocumentsbehindapaywall,promptingaviciousrebukefromthe
freedom-obsessedwebunderground.ThemainAnonymousTwitteraccounttweets@wikileaks:dieina
fire.TheAnonymous-WikiLeaksbreakupiscomplete.
January2013
Computerwhizkidand
InternetactivistAaronSwartzhangshimselfinhisNewYorkCityapartmentafterfederalprosecutors
indicthimforhackingintoJSTORsdigitallibrary,presumablytofreemillionsofacademicarticlesfrom
behinditspaywall.Hisdeathinmanywayssymbolizesthebatteredstateofthehacktivistmovementand
thefutilityofitsutopianvisionafterall,Swartzstolemostlyobscurejournalarticlesbuthardly
soundsitsdeathknell.WithinweeksofSwartzsdeath,sympatheticAnonshackintothewebsiteofthe
governmentagencyresponsibleforthesentencingpoliciesoffederalcourts,atonepointturningitshome
pageintoaversionofthecomputergameAsteroids.

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TheDoctorWithoutBorders
What MSF founder Jacques Brs takes with him to the field.
BY ERIC PAPE

APRIL 29, 2013

JacquesBrsco-foundedMdecinsSansFrontiresin1971,butthesedaysthewhite-bearded71-year-old
oftenactslikeaone-mandoctorwithoutborders.Theborderhehasbeencrossingrecentlyistheone
intowar-tornSyria,wherehehasheadedintorebelterritoryoverandoveragain,enteringillegallyfrom
Turkeyandoftenduringpeaksofhorrificviolence.Sometimes,Brspracticeswarsurgeryinactual,if
rudimentary,hospitals;othertimeshesetsupshopwhereverhecanreceivepeopleinneed.Theworkis
relentless:Withbombsexplodingnearby,sleepcanbenearlyimpossible,anddeathisneverfar.Syria,
hesays,shakinghishead,isamess.Arealmess.

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ForeignPolicyvisitedBrsinhisParisapartmentweeksbeforeatripwithsomefriendstotheKivu
regionoftheDemocraticRepublicoftheCongo.TheFrenchdoctorssuitcase,amuddiedbutsturdyold
SamsonitewithanEthiopianAirlinesstickerontheside,waspackedwithhisgearreadytogoata
momentsnotice.Ineedtobepreparedtoleaveforanywherewithin10minutes,hesays.

PhotographsbySbastienDeslandes.

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Hacktivism: A Short History

YouCantGoHomeAgain
An exiled journalist returns to a changed Burma.
BY MIN ZIN

APRIL 29, 2013

RANGOONSixteenyearsago,onarainy,moonlessMaynight,IleftBurma.MyfriendThetWinAung
andIhadbeeninhiding,workinginthepro-democracyunderground,fornearlynineyearsbythatpoint
writing,organizing,andpushingforanewpolitics,ledbyourheroandconfidante,AungSanSuuKyi.
Butearlythatyear,wesawthejuntasnetofmilitaryintelligencefinallyclosinginaroundus,andwe
madethedecisiontoflee.

Thatfinalnight,westayedatThetWinAungsRangoonhome,packingourbelongingsandcontacting
whatfriendsandfamilywecould.At3a.m.,wesaidgoodbyetohisparentsasthemonsoonrainpoured
down.ThenwegotinacarandheadedfortheBurma-Thailandborder,pastcheckpointsandguards,out
ofthelowRangoonfloodplainandupintothejunglehillstotheeast.LittledidIknowhowlongitwould
beandhowmuchwastohappenbeforeIwouldbeabletoreturntomyhomeland.
Ayearlater,myfrienddecidedtoslipbackintoBurmatoorganizeamovementcallingfornational
nonviolentreconciliation.Hewasarrestedandsentencedto59yearsinprison.WeheardlittleaboutThet
WinAungoverthenexteightyears.IworkedasareporterontheborderandinBangkok,asavisiting
scholarinBerkeley,California,andasajournalistinWashington.ThetWinAungsatinhiscell.Hedied,
reportedlybrokenandbeaten,likesomanyhundredsbeforehim,indetentioninOctober2006.

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Today,Burmaisadifferentplace.Afterdecadesasaviolentmilitarydictatorshipandpariahstatea
NorthKoreaontheIrrawaddyitisfinallyseemingtoembraceanewdemocraticpoliticalexperiment.
Overthelasttwoyears,themilitaryjuntahasreleaseditsthrottleholdonpower,freeinghundredsof
politicalprisoners,relaxingrestrictionsonthemedia,andfinallyallowingoppositionleaderAungSan
SuuKyitorunforoffice.U.S.PresidentBarackObamaandSecretaryofStateHillaryClintontraveledthere
lastyearinahistoricgestureofabuddingnewrelationshipbetweenWashingtonandNaypyidaw.So,in
thatspirit,Ifinallywenthometoo,toseemyoldfriendsandtotrytounderstandifandhowBurmahad
reallychanged.
OneofthefirstplacesIvisitedafterarrivinglastDecemberwasThetWinAungshouse.Hisparentsare
oldnow,butgraciousandcourageous.HeandIhadbeenchildhoodfriendsgrowingupinRangoon,and
wespentourteenageyearstogether,playingguitarandsoccer.WhenBurmasdemocraticstruggleburst
intothestreetsin1988,wewerehighschoolstudents,andwebecameactivehelpingtoorganizethe
student-leddemocraticuprisingsthatsummer.Forourefforts,weweresummarilykickedoutofschool.
Foryearsafterthat,welivedunderground,movingfromhousetohouse,disguisingouridentities,always
lookingoverourshoulders.Hisparentshadbeensupportive,andwhenIreturnedfrommylongexilethey
greetedmewarmlyandwesatforhourstryingtoassemblethemissingpiecesofhisstory.
In1998,hismotherhadnoideathathehadreturnedtothecountry,shetoldme,andwascaught
completelyoffguardwhenshesawhersonsfaceonstate-runTVnexttoofficialsannouncinghisarrest.
ThenewscameasherhusbandwasheadingbackhomefromavisittoThetWinAungsbrother,another
well-knownactivistthenlanguishinginaremoteprison.Theyhadbeenconsoled,upuntilthen,bythe
thoughtthatatleasttheirothersonwaslivingbeyondtheharmoftheregimeinaThaibordertown.They
toldmethathislifecouldhavebeensavedifprisonofficialshadrespondedinatimelyfashionwhenhe
collapsedinhiscell.Ifeltsearingguilt.IkneltdownandpaidmyrespectsintheBuddhistfashion,said
goodbye,andleft.Butmymindwasheavy,weigheddownbyasenseofunfinishedbusiness.

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Notallmyencountersweresosad.Mywifeandmyfamilyinvitedourrelatives,neighborhoodfriends,
andteacherstojoinusforareunionataRangoonmonastery.Thereweregreetings,cheers,hugs,and
tears.Oldmemoriesresurfaced.Our9-month-olddaughter,borninAmerica,wastherealcenterof
attention.Mycellphonerangagainandagain.Doyouknowwhothisis?thecallerskeptsaying.Oh,
youdontevenrecognizemyvoice!Again,Ifeltpangsofguilt:Itshardrememberingpeoplesfacesand
voicesafternearlytwodecadesofforcedseparation,buttheyrefusedtoacceptthatwehadeverreally
beenapart.Wealwayslistenedtoyourprogramsontheshortwaveradio.WesawyouonTV.Wejust
readyourarticle.Itwasatranscendentexperience.Buttheywerewrong:Timepassesandweforget;
thingsdochange.
THEPHYSICALLANDSCAPEofRangoonmyoldneighborhood,evenmyhighschoolhadbeen
transformedtosuchanextentthatIhardlyrecognizedit.Myfamilysoldhouseturnedouttobebadlyin
needofrepairs.WhenIwasgrowingupinthe1980s,itwasoneofafewconcretetwo-storybuildingsina
neighborhoodoflow,traditionalwoodhouses.Inexile,Ioftenrecalledlyingonthebalcony,enjoyingthe
sunandbreeze.Today,seven-storyapartmentbuildingscastlongshadowsoverourhouse,andthe
populationonmysmallstreethasincreasedbyafactorof10.Thecityfeelscrowdedinawayitdidnt
before.Peoplevisiblysufferfrompovertyanddisease.Therearebeggarsandthehomeless,refugeesfrom
theethnicareastotheeastandfromupnorth.Overthepasttwodecades,Burmahasseenanintense
polarization:Therearetherichandthepoor,butfewinbetween.Therearethesoldiersandtheprodemocracyactivists,butnooneinthemiddle.
YetitsnowaplacewhereIcanfeelfree.Icantexplainhowoddthiswas.Backintheearly1990s,I
couldntmakeaturnatanintersectionwithoutreflexivelylookingbehindtoseewhethersomeonefrom
militaryintelligencewastrailingme.ItwasahabitthatstuckwithmeevenafterIarrivedinThailand.AsI
walkedthroughthestreetsofRangoongatheringsuppliesforahomecomingparty,Ifeltthesamereflex
and,insomeway,almostafunnynostalgiaforthosedays.

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Myhousewasonceacenterfortheoppositionmovement.Oneofmyoldcolleagues,thefounderofa
political-prisonersupportgroupforexiles,suggestedthatweallactasifitwereahideoutagain,justas
weddonesome20yearsago.Thereweremorewrinklesandachingjointsthistime,butitturnedouttobe
awonderfulevening.Myoldfriendsandcolleagues,allformerpoliticalprisoners,keptdroppingin.
Around9p.m.,MinKoNaing,onceachairmanofourclandestinestudentunionandnowaleaderofthe
pro-democracy88GenerationStudentsGroup,walkedin.Hewasdressedjustthewayhewouldhavebeen
twodecadesago:abluedenimjacketandabroad-brimmedhatpulledlowoverhisface,asifhewerestill
dodgingsurveillance.Everyonelaughed.Buttherewereholesinourgroup,ThetWinAungamongthem,
andwecouldnthelpmissingthosetakenfromus.
Still,nostalgiaisnotapoliticalprogram.AndthemoreIspokewithBurmasintellectuals,withthe
dissidentswhohadstr
uggledalongsidemesomanyyearsago,whatIheardwasnotsimplyjoyaboutacountryfinallyopeningto
theworldafterhavingbeendubbedoneoftheoutpostsoftyrannybytheU.S.governmentbutalso
thestrikingdisappointment,inparticularwithourbelovedAungSanSuuKyi.Peoplewhooncewentto
jailwithhernameontheirlips,readytodieforthecausesherepresented,nowexpressfrustrationabout
thelackofpoliticalinstitutionsandviablealternativeswithintheoppositionmovement.AllAungSan
SuuKyihasdonesince2011ispersonalizepolitics,onefamousmagazineeditortoldmeinateashopin
Rangoon.Inarangeofcrucialpolicyissues,fromhersupportfortheremovalofsanctionstohercozy
relationswithbusinesscronieswhobenefitedfromthejunta,sheneverconsultsotherstakeholdersinthe
democracymovement.Sheplaysaone-womanshow.Ifeltapersonalsadnessinthis.

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Asahighschoolactivist,IhadfrequentlyvisitedtheLady,asAungSanSuuKyiisreverentlyknown,ather
houseatNo.54UniversityAvenue,andhadworkedcloselywithherinthewakeofthe1988student
uprising.ShewasthefirstpersonImetinourhierarchicallystructuredsocietywhotreatedyounger
peoplewithgenuinerespect.Ihadmetseveralveteranpoliticianswhosawmemoreasaneagergrandson;
ourmeetingsendedwithteas,cakes,andothersnacks,butsubstantivepoliticalissueswereoffthetable.
AungSanSuuKyiwastotallydifferent.ShecalledmeKoMinZin(Koisarespectfulprefixforayoung
maleadult),andshelistenedto,arguedagainst,andlaughedwithmeabright-eyed15-year-old,the
sameageasherson.
Today,however,evenamongthosewholoveandrespectAungSanSuuKyi,hersainthoodappears
tarnishedbyanincreasingaloofnessanddistancefromtherestofthepoliticalopposition.Herleadership
stylemakesherunapproachable.InthepartycongressofherNationalLeagueforDemocracy,heldin
Marchthefirstinmorethan20yearsshealonehandpickedhercentralexecutivecommittee.But
evenworsethanthisworryingauthoritarianstreak,sheseemswilling,eveneager,topleasetheformer
generalsattheexpenseofmoralandpoliticalprinciples.Oneofthemoststrikingexamplesishersilence
ontheracistdiscriminationandviolenceagainsttheRohingyaMuslimminorityinwesternBurma.She
hasalsoavoidedcriticizingtheBurmesearmysbrutalwarinKachinstateagainstKachinethnicrebels
fightingforadegreeofautonomyfromagovernmentthathaslongtriedtoassimilatethembyforce.Her
positionhasoutragedmanyethnicminoritygroupsthatoncelenttheirsupporttotheLadyinherfight
againstthemilitaryjunta.Againandagain,Iheardtherefrainfromtheactivistsofmyyouth:Wecannot
giveuptheprinciplesforwhichwehavefoughtforsolong.Otherwise,whatdoweevenstandfor
anymore?

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Butthoughherstatureamongpoliticalelitesandintellectualsisdwindling,AungSanSuuKyiisstill
highlypopularamongthegeneralpublic.Inteahousesandonthestreet,Iwasstruckbyhowmanypeople
withwhomIspokestillseemtoexpectthesolutionstoourpoliticalproblemstocomefromgreatheroes
likeAungSanSuuKyiorcurrentPresidentTheinSeinnotfrominstitutions.AndIrealizedthatits
somethinguniquelyrootedinBurmesehistoryandourBuddhisttradition.Wearelookingtothegood
kingasthepanaceaforallthecountryschronicills.Butthereisnogoodking.
AFTERAWEEKorsoinRangoon,myfamilyandItravelednorthtoBagan,oneofthecentersofancient
Burmesecivilization.Foundedinthe11thcenturybyKingAnawrahta,thisiswhereTheravadaBuddhism,
thenationalreligion,tookrootincentralBurma.Itsavastplainofredearth,lowtrees,andscrubbrush,
dottedwithupwardsof2,200gracefullydecayingpagodasandtemples.Modern-dayBurmaisstillvery
muchunderthespellofBagan,bothintermsofpoliticalcultureandreligiouspractice.Perhapsitshere,
inthislandscaperuledbyoutsizedkingsandlegendarywarriors,thatyoucanunderstandwhythecultof
thegreatleaderstillshapesBurmatoday.
Asthesunbegantoset,wewanderedintothe11th-centuryManuhaTemple,builtbyakingdefeatedin
warbyAnawrahta.Withthepermissionofthevictor,whohadtakenhimprisoner,KingManuhabuilta
templefilledwithfourmassivegoldBuddhasenclosedinspacesmuchtoosmallforthem.Theyfillthe
crampedinteriors,leavingbarelyenoughroomforvisitorstositandpray.Theyaresaidtorepresentthe
feelingofbeingunderdetention,andwhenyouenter,itstrue:Theclaustrophobiaofcaptivitywas
palpable.Ithoughtaboutmyfriend,ThetWinAung,andhislong,cruelyearsinacramped,barrencell.
AndIlookedupattheshimmeringgoldBuddhaandwonderedaboutournewpoliticalgods:Dotheystill
imprisonmypeople,notinjails,butbycrowdingouteverythingelse?
Atthetemplesdedicationalmost1,000yearsago,thevanquishedKingManuhaprayed,WhereverI
travelinthecycleofrebirth,mayIneveragainbetheprisonerofanother.Isaidaprayerofmyown:that
we,theBurmesepeople,mayneveragainbetheprisonersoftyrantsdemocratsorotherwise.

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