Two images from different sides of Myanmar’s political divide have had one thing in common in recent days: fruit.
Mangoes, to be specific.
Photos of students who received mangoes from opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and a shot of Myanmar’s President Thein Sein tending to a mango tree were shared and circulated widely on Facebook, with many musing over the coincidence.
Student groups visited Suu Kyi on July 7 and wrote on Facebook afterwards that the fruit, ubiquitous in Myanmar, was a gift. The post was accompanied by photos of them posing with their newly acquired mangoes at Suu Kyi’s house and outside it.
As for the president, Minister of Information Ye Htut uploaded photos of Thein Sein checking out mango trees at an undisclosed location. Given that he’s wearing a baseball cap and light blue shirt, dressing in what might be deemed ‘presidential casual’ (or prez caz for short), he’s probably at his farm in Naypyidaw.
Ye Htut waxed elegiac about his boss in the post, ending with a weird metaphor about harvesting.
“He simply passing his life by serving for people and country as much as he can. He taught his children not to make business by using powers. And he never asked ministries or authorities or public to buy stuff that his children imported. His children didn’t use his power and pass their lives simply and he is not too proud that his children are smart in business and he is rich. If he has to harvest whatever he planted, every fruit that he planted will be sweet.”
Both photos were popular on social media, with several commenting on the contrast. One user named Peter Aung summed it all up in the context of fruit.
“Mango Government, Mango opponents, Mango politics and Mango state. Who will win between Mangoes?”
Photos via Facebook pages of student groups and Information Minister Ye Htut
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