Moe Aung, Mitch McConnell’s support for the Kachins is so last year; you really need to keep up with the times, although I’ll admit that is a tall order these days. Look at the picture and see who he was shaking hands with in January of this year: http://www2.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=22872. The amazing thing was I saw virtually no coverage of this visit in the US press, even though it was taking place during yet another congressional Republican faux existential struggle with the president. You’d think the Senate Minority Leader skipping town during a conflict with the President to shake hands with some foreigner would warrant some coverage, but I guess joint worship of unrighteous Mammon by his loyal minions is so commonplace it isn’t worth mentioning these days.
Plan B, as I pointed out before, Laiza isn’t getting its electricity from Lawpita or the Hoover Dam. But while China has a history of playing both ways, I would also point out that if they really thought their consummate lackey the SPDC could, you know, actually govern the country they wouldn’t be so flagrantly supporting both sides. They won’t even completely close the border, cut off the electricity and shut down cell phone service even though their dam and oil pipeline projects are on hold because of the fighting. The glorious Tatmawdaw can’t even accomplish its main self -appointed task, preventing the disintegration of the Union. So I guess you’re backing Aung San Suu Kyi for president in 2015, right?
When it’s used to keep a nation down in all its diversity and untapped potential, violence is not simply dumb, but repressive and devastatingly stunting to the development and growth of a country.
The South Africa parallel has always been spurious since –
a. the ANC had a military wing,
b. isolation of the apartheid regime was complete,
c. the issue was B&W literally and metaphorically, and last but not least, after regime change (relevant to the future in store for us too),
d. it simply shifted from white rule to class rule over a divided society between the haves and the have-nots as erstwhile freedom fighters like Messrs. Tokyo Sexwale & Cyril Ramaphosa became the ruling class. So here Ohn’s extrapolating question at the end becomes prescient.
The moral is it pays either way eventually whether you choose to ‘fight’ with both arms tied or not; it’s the people who lose on account of the corrupting nature of power that changes the behaviour of the leadership.
[…] got an itty bitty mention in his write-up, ‘Political enjoyment in Malaysia: From RPK to Bersih‘. Do pop over to the New Mandala website to have a […]
Sarit, Banharn, Newin — building roads, schools, hospital facilities, airports, football stadiums. Filling them with skilled drivers, teachers, doctors, aeroplanes, quality teams (Buriram, five for five on the first count; one out of five, the second.) Important review of an important work! Gotta go get my copy.
Also, just to note, I’ve seen plaques and photos of Bogyoke Aung San in a number of government offices in regional areas now… probably an optional sort of thing…
I doubt many of the signs will come down until there is a directive to do so from above.
I think, in the progression of things, we’re not going to see protectorate rhetoric be one of the first things to be reformed… there are much more immediate needs to be discussed first, mostly surrounding poverty and economic matters.
You still see the “three causes” billboards in schools and other government compounds occasionally, although they are looking rather old and forlorn. Certainly, I wouldn’t expect to see any new ones going up at the moment.
That may well be the case. Once upon a time there were (Burmese language) billboards (“three causes”, etc) around those neighbourhoods. But my sense is that many of those were dismantled earlier.
Would be great to get some further ground-truthing — both from Yangon and points further afield. What is most helpful are instances where we can see that specific billboards have been removed….
While people are fixated on the conflict with the Kachins, the Chinese are quietly going about their own business – like providing arms to the United Wa State Army.
I’ve just come home after a two week trip to Yangon and didn’t see a single example of these billboards. I was relatively confined to the old British quarter, Sule Paya and up to Shwedagon and its surrounds, but throughout these areas I did a lot of walking with my camera specifically to photograph some of this stuff before it disappeared. In regard to these areas at least I was obviously too late.
“….violence as a means to achieve political goals…”
Violence is simply dumb.
It is bankruptcy of intelligence as is the harsh words being bankruptcy to a degree itself.
Main example is the another much celebrated Nelson Mandala.
ANC never denounced, and does not do now , violence and it is the direct cause of slow progress in South Africa as a nation beset with civil violence driving away large number of essential professionals to UK, Australia and New Zealand with enormous benefit to these countries from the loss of the South African public.
Even with the nonviolence principles, Burma does have the real danger of greed and moral erosion as well as drug and drinking issues which are likely increase violence in the street in the near future, unless this imminent consumer goods craze can be nipped in the bud by moral authorities which we have aplenty but not necessarily engaged. Observing Five Precepts which people have forgotten will do wonders to Burma compared to each having iPAD’s.
Coming back to something people might not like but vital, even though Aung San Suu Kyi does not approve violence, her resolute public silence on the currently escalating largest and the most aggressive use of military troops on their own citizens in the history of Burma with demonstrable loss of lives and properties to ordinary people is regrettable.
Or in New Burma, is objecting the killing also “hard line” now?
Or picking up the same sentence, is “…violence as a means to achieve commercial goals..” acceptable?
Pay attention, Aung. Understandable if a non-Burmese person gets Moe Aung and Aung Moe mixed up but not you.
Doubt it if the fortunes of a retired military govt minister/former divisional commander and his family can bear any similarity to those of a rank and file army veteran even if old age is not kind on anyone.
Why would the KIA make an attempt on ASSK’s life just because she’s been coopted? It’s their American friends they should have some real beef with for letting them down. They still have friends like Sen. Mitch McConnell batting for them.
And why should people need her permission to use her image? It’s in the public domain. But whether we agree with her or not, she has never approved of violence as a means to achieve political goals, Bamar or ethnic.
Don’t be fool by Burmese run media, unless you’re so naive. The truth is The New Light of Myanmar was trying to cover the lost control of Burma Army in Pang Wa and other locations along the Chinese border by manipulating the reports, saying 29 rebles deaths. Actually most of them are civilians who were killed by Burma Army helicopter attack. KIA claimed 8 of its troops died during the raid of Pang Wa town and shot down a Burma Army helicopter. The news is KIA controls major border passes along the Chinese Border in Kachin State; Loije, Laiza, Kampaiti, Pang Wa. Sadly, some Burmese exile medias report the news by sourcing NLM. What kind of media ethic is that?
On the other hand, Why New Light of Myanmar tight lip on the casualties of Burmese soldiers during the 11 months war with KIA. The so called Burmese civilian government not even dare to informed the families of Burmese deceased soldiers. What kind of Burmese government and Burmese society is????Keep lying until end of the world?????????
Enjoy the victory parade of KIA who raided a Myanmar army outpost in this youtube clip, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hy-MWSM1bpA. Readers please note the video contains graphic content. Hopefully the poor guys will be treated according to the Geneva Conventions.
Well U Moe Aung, ‘..one big heavy sigh….’, I have to say he is not the one you mentioned and I am sorry if I have wasted your precious little time. There are 3 commands in the eastern part of Burma according to wikipedia under ‘Myanmar army’. Someone has to be in charge of South Western Command in order to lead an operation in the Irrawaddy Delta, don’t you think? Then again, I might be wrong as Wikipedia is not 100% reliable unlike your sources. I cannot tell you whether my great uncle committed similar atrocities. I would not have a clue even if he did because these matters were never discussed at the family table. I know it sounds very convenient but it is the truth. I had been their favourite boy until one day I refused to be a groomsman at one of my uncles wedding because I did not want to wear the uniform. But I can tell you this, that I believe he did exactly what his senior officers order him to do because of the fact that he was trained to follow orders and carry them out accordingly as any other military officers whether he or she graduated from West Point, Sandhurst or Duntroon. I was told my great uncle passed away peacefully in his home a couple of years ago. Unlike him, the final chapter of my great aunt who brought untold atrocities on KIA children; children of of service men and women killed during the ongoing conflicts who were involuntarily put to work as domestic servants by their families due to financial hardships mainly from loss of income, wasn’t all smooth. She suffered a stroke, was unable to speak or feed herself for a number of years before her pass, two years before my great uncle.
I have to say I have huge respect for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi since I’ve seen her at Shwedagon Pagoda site, when I was a member of RITSU Rangoon Institute of Technology Student Union. While I see her as the living treasure of Myanmar, I find it frustrating to see the actions and behaviours of a number of oversea Myanmar groups who indefinitely use her image to advance their personal and political gains without asking her prior permission. I hardly doubt that she will refuse any if requested. It will be nice if she can have prior knowledge of them.
My main concern right now however is the safety of her well-being as the extremist wing of KIA might attempt on her life as the last resort if their military objectives fail. Please see http://www2.irrawaddy.org/print_article.php?art_id=19396.
Then it will be a real ‘2012 apocalypse’ for Myanmar and all the poor souls it bore.
Pretty obvious that’s what the govt wants us to believe , and an awful lot of us have swallowed it hook, line and sinker.
Surely ASSK will become the president in 2015. Who actually made such a momentous (we must have missed the moment) remark about handing over, ASSK? Thein Sein? A joint communique? Or just rumour and speculation as usual? If Thein Sein is going to be 70 in 2015 so is ASSK, and they are both likely to outlive Than Shwe but not Shwe Mann or Shit Lone.
IF free and fair elections take place in 2015. IF they honour the results. IF the army stays away from politics. Well, the army has promised unequivocally to the contrary, from Than Shwe to Min Aung Hlaing. They lost their way home to the barracks a long time ago.
The one honest truth Ko Ko Hlaing uttered was, “The future is unpredictable”. The rest is spin and hogwash. More of the same to come for the benefit of both domestic and international audiences. The show must go on.
Hi i have been to Cambodia for 7 years.I have seen improvements.I just read a book saying how sombre and sad the people where.I have been to villages and the people where nice and kind people would share anything with you.One day they will get over the cast system they have.Then corruption will stop.Please do not stop helping a lovely people
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Kachin media war continues
Moe Aung, Mitch McConnell’s support for the Kachins is so last year; you really need to keep up with the times, although I’ll admit that is a tall order these days. Look at the picture and see who he was shaking hands with in January of this year: http://www2.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=22872. The amazing thing was I saw virtually no coverage of this visit in the US press, even though it was taking place during yet another congressional Republican faux existential struggle with the president. You’d think the Senate Minority Leader skipping town during a conflict with the President to shake hands with some foreigner would warrant some coverage, but I guess joint worship of unrighteous Mammon by his loyal minions is so commonplace it isn’t worth mentioning these days.
Plan B, as I pointed out before, Laiza isn’t getting its electricity from Lawpita or the Hoover Dam. But while China has a history of playing both ways, I would also point out that if they really thought their consummate lackey the SPDC could, you know, actually govern the country they wouldn’t be so flagrantly supporting both sides. They won’t even completely close the border, cut off the electricity and shut down cell phone service even though their dam and oil pipeline projects are on hold because of the fighting. The glorious Tatmawdaw can’t even accomplish its main self -appointed task, preventing the disintegration of the Union. So I guess you’re backing Aung San Suu Kyi for president in 2015, right?
Kachin media war continues
Tamadaw and WA has supply of inexhaustible supply of arms.
How has KIA maintained the supply without assist from Guns & Ammos┬о enthusiasts like yourself?
Charles F. #14
Good call, no great call!
Chinese has a solid history of playing both ways in the history of Myanmar.
Consummate protector of SPDC has more to loose with present dawn of re engagement.
There are ALWAYS more than TWO parties involved in any conflicts.
When are these others protagonists be recognized by the West media and bu UN?
Rama VII and Hitler
@ Somchai # 21
Please tell me this is satire. With Thais, it is very hard to know.
If so, you are brilliant. If not, words fail me.
On second thoughts, your English is perfect, a very rare thing amongst Thais, so you are probably a farang satirist.
Kachin media war continues
When it’s used to keep a nation down in all its diversity and untapped potential, violence is not simply dumb, but repressive and devastatingly stunting to the development and growth of a country.
The South Africa parallel has always been spurious since –
a. the ANC had a military wing,
b. isolation of the apartheid regime was complete,
c. the issue was B&W literally and metaphorically, and last but not least, after regime change (relevant to the future in store for us too),
d. it simply shifted from white rule to class rule over a divided society between the haves and the have-nots as erstwhile freedom fighters like Messrs. Tokyo Sexwale & Cyril Ramaphosa became the ruling class. So here Ohn’s extrapolating question at the end becomes prescient.
The moral is it pays either way eventually whether you choose to ‘fight’ with both arms tied or not; it’s the people who lose on account of the corrupting nature of power that changes the behaviour of the leadership.
Political enjoyment in Malaysia: From RPK to BERSIH
[…] got an itty bitty mention in his write-up, ‘Political enjoyment in Malaysia: From RPK to Bersih‘. Do pop over to the New Mandala website to have a […]
Review of Political Authority and Provincial Identity in Thailand
Sarit, Banharn, Newin — building roads, schools, hospital facilities, airports, football stadiums. Filling them with skilled drivers, teachers, doctors, aeroplanes, quality teams (Buriram, five for five on the first count; one out of five, the second.) Important review of an important work! Gotta go get my copy.
The end of Tatmadaw rhetoric?
Also, just to note, I’ve seen plaques and photos of Bogyoke Aung San in a number of government offices in regional areas now… probably an optional sort of thing…
I doubt many of the signs will come down until there is a directive to do so from above.
I think, in the progression of things, we’re not going to see protectorate rhetoric be one of the first things to be reformed… there are much more immediate needs to be discussed first, mostly surrounding poverty and economic matters.
The end of Tatmadaw rhetoric?
You still see the “three causes” billboards in schools and other government compounds occasionally, although they are looking rather old and forlorn. Certainly, I wouldn’t expect to see any new ones going up at the moment.
The end of Tatmadaw rhetoric?
Thanks Nontok,
That may well be the case. Once upon a time there were (Burmese language) billboards (“three causes”, etc) around those neighbourhoods. But my sense is that many of those were dismantled earlier.
Would be great to get some further ground-truthing — both from Yangon and points further afield. What is most helpful are instances where we can see that specific billboards have been removed….
Best wishes to all,
Nich
Kachin media war continues
While people are fixated on the conflict with the Kachins, the Chinese are quietly going about their own business – like providing arms to the United Wa State Army.
http://networkedblogs.com/xk1LA
The end of Tatmadaw rhetoric?
I’ve just come home after a two week trip to Yangon and didn’t see a single example of these billboards. I was relatively confined to the old British quarter, Sule Paya and up to Shwedagon and its surrounds, but throughout these areas I did a lot of walking with my camera specifically to photograph some of this stuff before it disappeared. In regard to these areas at least I was obviously too late.
Chut Wutty: Tragic casualty of Cambodia’s dirty war to save forests
[…] Chut Wutty: Tragic casualty of Cambodia’s dirty war to save forests […]
Kachin media war continues
“….violence as a means to achieve political goals…”
Violence is simply dumb.
It is bankruptcy of intelligence as is the harsh words being bankruptcy to a degree itself.
Main example is the another much celebrated Nelson Mandala.
ANC never denounced, and does not do now , violence and it is the direct cause of slow progress in South Africa as a nation beset with civil violence driving away large number of essential professionals to UK, Australia and New Zealand with enormous benefit to these countries from the loss of the South African public.
Even with the nonviolence principles, Burma does have the real danger of greed and moral erosion as well as drug and drinking issues which are likely increase violence in the street in the near future, unless this imminent consumer goods craze can be nipped in the bud by moral authorities which we have aplenty but not necessarily engaged. Observing Five Precepts which people have forgotten will do wonders to Burma compared to each having iPAD’s.
Coming back to something people might not like but vital, even though Aung San Suu Kyi does not approve violence, her resolute public silence on the currently escalating largest and the most aggressive use of military troops on their own citizens in the history of Burma with demonstrable loss of lives and properties to ordinary people is regrettable.
Or in New Burma, is objecting the killing also “hard line” now?
Or picking up the same sentence, is “…violence as a means to achieve commercial goals..” acceptable?
Kachin media war continues
Pay attention, Aung. Understandable if a non-Burmese person gets Moe Aung and Aung Moe mixed up but not you.
Doubt it if the fortunes of a retired military govt minister/former divisional commander and his family can bear any similarity to those of a rank and file army veteran even if old age is not kind on anyone.
And BTW the “only obeying orders” defense has a long and infamous history. So you might want to reconsider before you recycle it in future.
Why would the KIA make an attempt on ASSK’s life just because she’s been coopted? It’s their American friends they should have some real beef with for letting them down. They still have friends like Sen. Mitch McConnell batting for them.
And why should people need her permission to use her image? It’s in the public domain. But whether we agree with her or not, she has never approved of violence as a means to achieve political goals, Bamar or ethnic.
Kachin media war continues
Don’t be fool by Burmese run media, unless you’re so naive. The truth is The New Light of Myanmar was trying to cover the lost control of Burma Army in Pang Wa and other locations along the Chinese border by manipulating the reports, saying 29 rebles deaths. Actually most of them are civilians who were killed by Burma Army helicopter attack. KIA claimed 8 of its troops died during the raid of Pang Wa town and shot down a Burma Army helicopter. The news is KIA controls major border passes along the Chinese Border in Kachin State; Loije, Laiza, Kampaiti, Pang Wa. Sadly, some Burmese exile medias report the news by sourcing NLM. What kind of media ethic is that?
On the other hand, Why New Light of Myanmar tight lip on the casualties of Burmese soldiers during the 11 months war with KIA. The so called Burmese civilian government not even dare to informed the families of Burmese deceased soldiers. What kind of Burmese government and Burmese society is????Keep lying until end of the world?????????
Malaysia’s struggle for reform is on the streets, and in the news
[…] Malaysia’s struggle for reform is on the streets, and in the news (asiapacific.anu.edu.au) […]
Kachin media war continues
Enjoy the victory parade of KIA who raided a Myanmar army outpost in this youtube clip, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hy-MWSM1bpA. Readers please note the video contains graphic content. Hopefully the poor guys will be treated according to the Geneva Conventions.
Kachin media war continues
Well U Moe Aung, ‘..one big heavy sigh….’, I have to say he is not the one you mentioned and I am sorry if I have wasted your precious little time. There are 3 commands in the eastern part of Burma according to wikipedia under ‘Myanmar army’. Someone has to be in charge of South Western Command in order to lead an operation in the Irrawaddy Delta, don’t you think? Then again, I might be wrong as Wikipedia is not 100% reliable unlike your sources. I cannot tell you whether my great uncle committed similar atrocities. I would not have a clue even if he did because these matters were never discussed at the family table. I know it sounds very convenient but it is the truth. I had been their favourite boy until one day I refused to be a groomsman at one of my uncles wedding because I did not want to wear the uniform. But I can tell you this, that I believe he did exactly what his senior officers order him to do because of the fact that he was trained to follow orders and carry them out accordingly as any other military officers whether he or she graduated from West Point, Sandhurst or Duntroon. I was told my great uncle passed away peacefully in his home a couple of years ago. Unlike him, the final chapter of my great aunt who brought untold atrocities on KIA children; children of of service men and women killed during the ongoing conflicts who were involuntarily put to work as domestic servants by their families due to financial hardships mainly from loss of income, wasn’t all smooth. She suffered a stroke, was unable to speak or feed herself for a number of years before her pass, two years before my great uncle.
I have to say I have huge respect for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi since I’ve seen her at Shwedagon Pagoda site, when I was a member of RITSU Rangoon Institute of Technology Student Union. While I see her as the living treasure of Myanmar, I find it frustrating to see the actions and behaviours of a number of oversea Myanmar groups who indefinitely use her image to advance their personal and political gains without asking her prior permission. I hardly doubt that she will refuse any if requested. It will be nice if she can have prior knowledge of them.
My main concern right now however is the safety of her well-being as the extremist wing of KIA might attempt on her life as the last resort if their military objectives fail. Please see http://www2.irrawaddy.org/print_article.php?art_id=19396.
Then it will be a real ‘2012 apocalypse’ for Myanmar and all the poor souls it bore.
Analysis of Myanmar’s NLD landslide
Aung Moe,
Pretty obvious that’s what the govt wants us to believe , and an awful lot of us have swallowed it hook, line and sinker.
Surely ASSK will become the president in 2015. Who actually made such a momentous (we must have missed the moment) remark about handing over, ASSK? Thein Sein? A joint communique? Or just rumour and speculation as usual? If Thein Sein is going to be 70 in 2015 so is ASSK, and they are both likely to outlive Than Shwe but not Shwe Mann or Shit Lone.
IF free and fair elections take place in 2015. IF they honour the results. IF the army stays away from politics. Well, the army has promised unequivocally to the contrary, from Than Shwe to Min Aung Hlaing. They lost their way home to the barracks a long time ago.
The one honest truth Ko Ko Hlaing uttered was, “The future is unpredictable”. The rest is spin and hogwash. More of the same to come for the benefit of both domestic and international audiences. The show must go on.
Interview with Cambodian writer Tararith Kho
Hi i have been to Cambodia for 7 years.I have seen improvements.I just read a book saying how sombre and sad the people where.I have been to villages and the people where nice and kind people would share anything with you.One day they will get over the cast system they have.Then corruption will stop.Please do not stop helping a lovely people