Myanmar's military regime has made elaborate preparations for a constitutional convention beginning today, establishing a mini-town outside the capital to host some 1,000 delegates.
Excited commentaries in the state media have boasted that the representatives will be able to take in a movie, work out at a gym, have a makeover at a beauty salon or go for medical treatment at an on-site clinic.
But despite the propaganda, visitors to the revamped complex, which was originally a meeting center for a state-run social organization, describe it as grim and isolated.
"The convention venue must be seen to be believed," one witness said, adding that a solitary access road leads to the site where delegates will be confined for the duration of the convention, which could take months.
"It's totally isolated and smack in the middle of nowhere surrounded by treeless paddy fields, making it impossible for anyone to approach it undetected ... and to top it all it's a military cantonment area."
The delegates will be charged with thrashing out a constitution for Myanmar, but without the involvement of the main opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), and other ethnic groups which have declared a boycott.
Myanmar's junta insisted Saturday that the forum would go ahead. It also said that the NLD's demands for their leader Aung San Suu Kyi to be freed and reforms made to the convention format were "unreasonable."
Foreign journalists have been barred from the event, but Yangon-based correspondents for foreign news organizations are expected to be transported to the venue to attend the opening ceremony.
The location of the convention center, chosen to deter any unwelcome outside scrutiny, is about 40km north of the capital Yangon, on a site bordered by military bases.
Apart from a large hall and segregated hostels the complex boasts, among other things, a photo studio, optician, post office, general store, sports facilities and fax and e-mail services, according to the state press.
As many of the delegates are elderly, a hospital and dental clinic will provide everything from surgery to traditional medicine.
Journalists attempting to inspect the venue have been blocked by guards, and an official "do and don't" list released Friday sets out firm restrictions on their activities from today, including a ban on recording equipment.
RSS