The Iron Road: A Stand for Truth and Democracy in Burma

by James Mawdsley

A startling account of an evil regime and one young man's efforts to defy it.

Twenty-eight-year-old James Mawdsley spent much of the past four years in grim Burmese prisons. The Iron Road is his story, and the story of the regime that jailed him, the way it jails, tortures, and kills hundreds of Burmese each day.

Mawdsley was working in New Zealand when he learned about the struggle of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese Nobel laureate who is under house arrest. Outraged, he went to Burma, staged a one-man protest, and was jailed.

There his own amazing story begins. He is tortured, interrogated, released, jailed again. He turns his incarceration into a contest of wits -- going on a hunger strike, toasting the year 2000 with a cigar and "prison champagne," and requesting "1 packet of freedom, 1 bunch human rights, and 2 bottles of democracy." At the same time, he asks What leads those of us in peaceful democracies to ignore others' suffering, just because it is happening "over there," to "them"?

James Mawdsley is a hero in a generation said to lack heroism. The Iron Road -- named for a torture in which skin is scraped from bone with a piece of iron -- is an urgent call for an end to human rights abuses in Burma and is a keen analysis of the totalitarian mind-set. And it is the story, at once moving and terrifying, of how one person can further the cause of justice through sheer will and determination.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir

416 pages, Paperback

First published August 14, 2002

Reviews

[Jeff · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow, the struggle for human dignity in an exotic land CAN be boring! Burma's cruel military junta wasn't the only force that wanted to persecute the author: halfway through this snooze, so did I.

Tediously self-righteous, the author treats us to such details as what math problems he pondered for entertainment while being locked up by Rangoon thugs.

A rare bright spot was found in a loving depiction of the Karen ethnic minority -- the one part of the book where the author's sanctimonious drivel fails to impede the image of an exhausted but hopeful people struggling on the fringe.

[David S · Rating 3 out of 5]

James Mawdsley's The Iron Road offers an autobiographical account of his one man protest against the illegal military junta currently in control of Myanmar. Traveling through the jungle with freedom fighters, making public protests in Myanmar, getting arrested and encarcerated twice, tortured, Mawdsley's story not only follows his personal struggle but gives some good background information on current events in Myanmar. Both informative and entertaining.

[Frank Cardenas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly entertaining! and it kind of cheered me on specially when thinking about my country, we're not that bad, are we? The paperwork, meetings, orders and so on of Burma are quite something, and James was so clever at reading through all of them. There were some times when I had to put it down as I couldn't stop laughing which after the first event, it made the story very predictable and yet interesting. Well done, James and sorry for all you had to endure to come up with this masterpiece.

[Mink Gough · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not only thought-provoking but also powerful to move people into action. I shed too many tears for this book. But James' honesty, humility and humor put me in the front with him. I will never be able to do what he did; but I know exactly what I can do for the people of Burma. It is encouraging to know that a God-lover like James is speaking up; and the world is watching.

[Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book gives a unique "insider" view to the life of Burmese IDPs and the struggles for democracy that still rage on today.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing piece of work. Great story. 5 stars!

[Kirsten Mattingly · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mr. Mawdsley is terribly religious and self-righteous. I stopped reading halfway through and have no desire to go back and find out what happens.