Thiri Myat-Howard, of Needless Alley, Birmingham, writes:

I am writing with reference to the article on Felicity Goodall.

While I am delighted that Kingsbridge's Harbour Bookshop will be donating books for poor children in Yangon through Goodall's teaching English initiative, I was left feeling angered and frustrated at the tone of the interview.

I understand that it was a short interview, that Goodall is doing a great deed in her endeavour to teach English to the street children of Yangon, and that in turn Kingsbridge and Salcombe Gazette published the story with the best of intentions to highlight this pleasing story. However, I think it is also important to give another viewpoint.

I have just a few days ago returned from my travels in Burma myself.

Firstly, I found it rude that Goodall thought the children's pronounciation was so bad; we, on the other hand, were quite impressed at how good the street children's English was, considering they learn English through 'parrot' fashion.

Secondly, there is NO child prostitution in Burma. If there was, the locals would be the first to deal with the paedophiles, and then they would be handed over to the Government, who would have no mercy on such individuals, one good thing about the Burmese military Government.

I strongly felt that Goodall was sensationalising the whole matter.

The Burmese are very proud people. They have at one time been the richest country in Asia in the 1950s, and within a couple of generations became one of the poorest after the military coup by Ne Win. But never have the people sought to turn to prostitution.

Buddhism is not only a religion, but it is the culture of Burma, it has been the welfare system and the moral compass of this country for centuries.

Thirdly, to say only the 'elite,' are taught English, again, is one dimensional and just not true. The majority of ordinary students learn English through extra tuition and by watching BBC on Sky TV. These are normal children from working class, middle class back grounds; they are not the children of the 'elite.

Fourthly, when Goodall makes reference to these street childen working on repairing holes on the roads, what she fails to say is that one of the many crippling sanctions that the West, (the UK included), have imposed on Burma, and therefore its people, is that Burma is not allowed to import heavy duty German construction diggers, so many of these public services, e.g roads, have been done by hand.

Stories of forced labour often really means local people get conscripted to maintaining and building roads in their location only; however, in the 15 years I have been exploring Burma, I have never seen children working on these projects.

Burma is currently reforming fast; the old military regime is paving the way for a new democratic constitution. Burma is blessed with huge natural resources, oil, gas, gems, yet with a population of only 50 million. It is an old civilization, with a rich history, it is the last old Asian tiger to reawaken.

I hope Goodall's book on Burma that she is writing will not be negative, predictable, simplified, and judgemental in its views, as there is enough Burma bashing in the media time and time again.

Burma is about being positive, and hopeful, kind, respectful and generous; I hope her book is well researched and unbiased.