Comments

  1. Min says:

    Not only Burma, but India also struggling with ‘continued
    illegal immigration of Bangladeshi nationals into India’.

    INDO-BANGLADESH STANDOFF
    by B. Raman
    ‘Since the last week of January, 2003, tension has been building up
    on the Indo-Bangladesh border over the question of continued illegal immigration of Bangladeshi nationals into India. The attempt of India’s Border Security Force (BSF) to push back into Bangladesh a recent group of 213 illegal migrants has been resisted by the Bangladeshi security forces resulting in a confrontational situation. Instead of appreciating the need for effective action against illegal immigrants, the so-called secular parties, with the Marxists in the lead, have criticised the action of the BSF. As in the past, the action of the Central Government has been projected as anti-Muslim. ….’

    http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/%5Cpapers6%5Cpaper597.html

  2. PuffPastries says:
  3. Benny says:

    Yes, there was definitely a project by the King undertaken to build a reservoir at Pak Panang in Nakhon Si Thammarat. The lack of enthusiasm in finishing a nearby mini king’s palace might indicate the lack of success of this project. Whilst living in the area, I never heard praise for the endeavour – of course I never heard criticism.

  4. Rahmat says:

    Why Rakhines live in Bangladesh part of Arakan ? Are they different people from Rakhines of Myanmar ?

    A lot of Rakhine terror Network were arrested by Bangladesh Army also Burma was scared to death when they hear Rakhine Exteremist from Hill track were going to Burma secretly to join their Buddihist Monk Revolution in 2007 or 2008

    Is this true or not?

    Maug or Rahine are living In Bangladesh’s part of Arakan and Burma’s part of Arakan .

    So how we can justify this ? Are those Rahines illegaly entered Bangladesh as well? or what ??

  5. Arthurson says:

    It is a remarkably stressful experience to have your home surrounded by stinking, fetid flood waters for more than a week, combined with the uncertainty that the waters may continue to rise, and that this condition may go on for weeks to come. There is a widespread belief, shared by me, that those of us living in the surrounding suburbs of Bangkok have been sacrificed to save downtown Bangkok from the worst effects. This has led to some civil disorder with more than a few reports of angry residents breaching dikes and tearing down sandbags in order to speed up the drainage of the often chest high water from their neighborhoods.

    We are looking around for someone to blame, and I don’t think that people will soon forgive and forget what has happened to them. The Minister of Agriculture for one has received unwanted attention for hoarding donations at Don Muang airport for possible private gain. In post-tsunami Japan we saw a number of resignations of ministers who took the blame for their agencies shortcomings, and one can only hope (but not expect) that the same would occur in Thailand.

  6. Jack Roth says:

    Hello Folks:

    I took a trip to Thailand last summer and travelled around the northeast and north of the country with my wife and kids. I enjoy studying language and have learned Thai to the point where I can have rather involved, if slow, conversations with people of diverse backgrounds throughout the country.

    I was quite amazed that if I ever asked anybody any question at all about the monarchy they generally replied in a manner suggesting that they truly love their king. Further, some would go on and on relating stories about the king regarding events which either they themselves had experienced or related experiences of close friends and acquaintances. These were always favorable and many were to the point of being worshipful.

    Some behaviors of these people were so generous that I had difficulty in believing that a people could be so generous. When queried about this kind of behavior they would often respond that good behavior brings honor upon their much loved king and that bad behavior brings dishonor upon their king.

    I found these attitudes in BKK to a milder degree, but in other cities and the countryside more the people were proud to display love and honor for their king.

    I did not go there intending to conduct a survey of general Thai attitudes about their royal family, but these opinions were freely given with no prompting whatsoever. The topic would just come up of their own volition, not mine. I came away from that vacation trip with my family with a new found respect for the Thai monarchy.

    I just thought that someone out there might like to know this.

  7. Arthurson says:

    This sounds like a risky, large scale application of a pretty much untested method. The law of unintended consequences virtually guarantees some nasty surprises. If the Chula Engineering Faculty statement can be believed, and it sounds like they have done some experimentation with EM balls in wastewater, I would guess that one of the early consequences will be fish kills resulting from oxygen depletion. During the previous week I observed a large number of Thais and Burmese workers supplementing their diet with fish netted from the flood waters around Phutthamonthon Sai 4. If the EM balls kill the fish, there will be some angry and disappointed fishermen.

  8. Tint says:

    Thinking of author’s intention. We never hate them as they are human beings but there are many reasons for denying their citizenship. We demand BBC for apology as they published wrong info and map. It doesn’t mean we are following military junta’s slogans against foreign media. We are not racist as author mentioned above and we never support genocide activities against those people as well. But this is our position to protect our land and Rakhine brothers from illegal migrants . Likewise, we never mislead China’s activities in Myanmar. This doesn’t mean we are against native chinese inside Myanmar. We believe we have rights to protect the State and our people.

  9. plan B says:

    Shah Arakni #8

    Citizenship legitimized dwelling in a country.

    A population of same ethnicity of citizens who live in an area for a period of time demonstrate the viability of that group.

    The kalar people in Myanmar enjoy such equal privilege as all other citizens Chinese, Anglos or otherwise.

    Ne Win persecution of none Burmese especially the Chinese and the Kalar is historical and usually for “the expediency of absolute control”. Did the world make any fuss during those atrocity against various ethnic groups?

    The periodic conflict, among the different ethnic group within Myanmar historically, have been during economic hard times.

    The expulsion of the Kalar in Yakhine state follow such period.

    What the SPDC chose to do is 2┬║ to:

    1) Respond to the fear of “post 9/11 American Paranoia” , who see expulsion of Rohingyas, the Kalar in Yakhine state, mostly Muslim, as proof of not being pro-Islamism. During that short period the American fleet were off the coast as well as extremely anti Muslim within the USA.
    Thus this expulsion proof Myanmar ‘as not a ground for Al Queda’ especially the call for armed intervention against SPDC were so loud with the like of R2P.

    2) Injecting nationalism ( faux) thus claiming, or rather presenting the majority of Yakhine i.e. none Muslim Citizens as protector of it cultures, faith etc. Another proof of SPDC knavery.

    3) Overkill, sabre rattling approach to Bengal of potential consequences of violating Myanmar territorial integrity during those period of uncertainty within Myanmar.

    Like any race Myanmar has its share of genocidal, ethnic cleansing events in it history that is almost unlikely to repeat itself presently.

    The issue of Rhohigyas vs other Yakhine citizens has clearly been brought on by the evils of sanction/deprivations.

    This schism among the citizenry is use by both the SPDC as well as anti SPDC west to its own twisted advantages, clearly documented here at New Mandala.

    Let us not succumb to the most bestial form of responding, calling each other racists without looking at the whole picture.

    A picture painted by the useless careless approach of the west, the true racist, to be ‘against the welfare of all Myanmar citizenry’, including the Kalar in Yakhine, the Rohingyas and the subsequent SPDC knavery to counter the consequences of the west’s reasons to intervene.

    The excerpts in this articles are not reflective of the true nature of Myanmar Citizenry. But common shameful, vile snipes usually available in this era.

  10. johninbkk says:

    Sunai D17 – Did you say the Culture Ministry was responsible for this ridiculous censorship attempt? They were pretty noisy a few months ago about planking and topless Songkran girls . . . now if only their ability to censor movies was removed . . .

    phktresident D18 – Thanks for the good news =)

  11. plan B says:

    “Did it ever occur to you that popular struggle is a natural reaction to injustice and unfairness? That it might even involve armed resistance?”

    Yes x 2.

    What has that got do with turning a blind eyes to allow inducing, promoting and continuing to effect an unconscionable 20% child mortality?

    Your Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has become exactly what she has before she came back from Britain, “a common house wife”. All the lies of Myanmar people loving her has finally caught up with her.

    As for Aung Gyi letter, that was ‘pre sanction, pre ASSK ‘ therefore a matter nonplus.

    “A matter of political will” that you often claim. Then look at Vietnam and tell us at New Mandala does the Vietnamese children suffer similar fate after the normalization of relation b/t USA and the government in Vietnam, equally if not more atrocious?

  12. Mandalaythar says:

    All I can say about this issue is that these bigots and racists are nothing but brain washed hypocrites.

    I am 100% sure that these are the same people also claim to be so patriotic, so anti regime, willing to die for “democracy” in Burma.

    Yet, with their low morals, small mindedness and perhaps low education, they have allowed to be brain washed by the very people they hold responsible for the downfall of the country.

    I no longer live in our great motherland of Myanmar and this has allowed me to open up my mind and see things from the outside objectively rather than being fed with propaganda after another.

    It was heart warming to witness Myanmars in and around the world unite as one in 2007 during the “Saffron Revolution” against our common enemy.

    Ironically, in late 2008 and 2009, many united once again when the “Rohingya issue” first gained world attention, condemning them, labeling them with racist terms, questioning their right to citizenship, etc, sounding just like the very people they tried so hard to overthrow just a year or so ago. Against fellow victims of junta’s oppression, against country men (whether you accept it or not).

    If we hold on to all these immature sentiments and false sense of superiority and right over other ethnic groups, I can only wait in apprehension for the day when our country becomes truly democratic when everyone will be fighting for their own selfish rights instead of working towards a greater good.

  13. Passerby says:
  14. GeeGee says:

    Leeyiankun # 3, having had more than a week of knee deep water in our house and waist deep water in our Don Muang soi , I feel for you. I hope when you say “Bangkokians”, you are not referring to us who live in flooded districts like Don Muang – we are also part of Bangkok and the frustrations are similar, to people such as you, who live in adjoining provinces such as Nonthaburi and Pathum Thani? Amazingly, we have good friends living on the west side of Muang Thong Thani, which is also in your province and their street is dry as a bone !
    Is it selective to flood us – or is it, that water chooses where it will spread?
    I have no idea, nor does it seem the the Thai Government, the BMA and FROC. There is no excuse for such gross incompetence and mismanagement. This is not the time to blame however – that should come later. Will it?

  15. leeyiankun says:

    My House in BangYai was flooded nearly 15 days ago. The levels hasn’t gone down since. If the Bangkokians think that a little water (30-50cm) is hurting them, wait till they get a load of 1.2-1.8m that we’ve got down here in Nonthaburi.

    It’s funny how those with the loudest complaints are those least effected.
    Says a lot, doesn’t it?

  16. Tun says:

    Without trying to know the in-depth condition of Myanmar political condition and its ethnicity, this author shouldn’t rush to conclude MyR ppl as savage who are so blindly-racists. The whole article is heavily one-sided. There are many logically argued articles on facebook why those Rohinga are rejected. Why don’t you quote such arguments? And why do you turn blind eye to the sufferings of native Arakhan ppl, only focusing on those bangali’s side?

    Plz at least read Bertil Lintner’s the Bangladesh: Breeding ground for Muslim terror before writing on this issue.

    http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/DI21Df06.html

    We’d like to read the independent reports, not one sided one.

    Thank you.

    Tun

  17. Anonymous Thai says:

    A group of Chulalongkorn Engineering Faculty have penned a piece that concludes:

    “р╕Бр╕ер╣Ир╕▓р╕зр╣Др╕Фр╣Йр╕зр╣Ир╕▓р╕Бр╕▓р╕гр╣Ар╕Хр╕┤р╕б EM р╕Щр╕нр╕Бр╕Ир╕▓р╕Бр╕Ир╕░р╣Др╕бр╣Ир╕Кр╣Ир╕зр╕вр╕кр╕гр╣Йр╕▓р╕Зр╕нр╕нр╕Бр╕Лр╕┤р╣Ар╕Ир╕Щр╣Бр╕ер╣Йр╕з р╕вр╕▒р╕Зр╕кр╣Ир╕Зр╕Ьр╕ер╕Чр╕│р╣Гр╕лр╣Йр╣Ар╕Бр╕┤р╕Фр╕Ыр╕▒р╕Нр╕лр╕▓р╕Щр╣Йр╕│р╣Ар╕Щр╣Ир╕▓р╣Ар╕кр╕╡р╕вр╕Чр╕╡р╣Ир╕гр╕╕р╕Щр╣Бр╕гр╕Зр╕Вр╕╢р╣Йр╕Щр╕Бр╕зр╣Ир╕▓р╣Ар╕Фр╕┤р╕бр╕Ир╕▓р╕Бр╕Бр╕▓р╕гр╕ер╕Фр╕ер╕Зр╕Вр╕нр╕Зр╕Ыр╕гр╕┤р╕бр╕▓р╕Ур╕нр╕нр╕Бр╕Лр╕┤р╣Ар╕Ир╕Щр╣Гр╕Щр╕Щр╣Йр╕│ р╕гр╕зр╕бр╕Цр╕╢р╕Зр╣Ар╕Юр╕┤р╣Ир╕бр╕кр╕╣р╕Зр╕Вр╕╢р╣Йр╕Щр╕Вр╕нр╕Зр╕Ыр╕гр╕┤р╕бр╕▓р╕Ур╕кр╕▓р╕гр╕нр╕┤р╕Щр╕Чр╕гр╕╡р╕вр╣М

    It can be said that not only does EM not increase [water] oxygen levels, but worsens water pollution by reducing water oxygen levels and increasing water micro-organism levels.”

    http://www.eng.chula.ac.th/index.php?q=th%2Fnode%2F3915

  18. Min says:

    See below, Bangladeshi illegal immigrants are in Assam, and
    West Bengal and they have been moving into Burma in tens
    or hundreds of thousands every year. See below about them
    moving into India.

    Illegal Bangla immigrants can now become citizens’
    Ashok Pradhan,
    ‘Bangladeshi settlers can pass off as bonafide residents as the census officials will rely solely on replies of the persons concerned for their places of birth without verifying the truth. A TOI report’
    http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-02-06/bhubaneswar/28355786_1_census-officials-census-operations-bangladeshi-nationals

  19. Olivier says:

    The banks of the Mekong in the so-called “Golden Triangle” have for long been an area of fluvial piracy. European explorers and colonialists in the second half of the 19th century were already complaining about the attacks of “Ngiu pirats” -a subgroup of Shan- against foreign traders and local villagers.

    In the following decades, the context and motives for such actions have changed, but the low degree of political control as well as the “borderland effect” added to the high volume of commercial flux (legal and illegal) explain why piracy still remains an option for some of the local peoples…as well as for State officials…

  20. Rahmat says:

    Rohingya faced genocide before independence of Burma Union in 1942 around 100, 000 Rohingyas killed and it is recorded in History Books .

    The First Democratic Government in Burma under leadership of U Nu recognized Rohingya as Burma’s Citizen.

    Rohingya Citizenship Rights denied only since the Year 1982 by General and war Criminaland well know Burmese dictatorship General Ne Win .

    General Ne Win Killed and raped Many Chinese Race in Rangoon . Even today Chinese people’s Graved have been Confiscated by Myanmar Govenment and turned to housing and shopping complex , some hypocrite may intend they don’t know about this as well. Lots of Indian race Business looted and killed in Burma During Facsits rule .

    Some of the major armed operations conducted against the Rohingyas thatresulted in their expulsion and massive destruction of their homes and settlements:1.

    Military Operation (5
    th
    Burma Regiment) November 1948.2.

    Burma Territorial Force (BTF) Operation 1948 -503.

    Military Operation (2
    nd
    Emergency Chin Regiment) March 19524.

    May Yu Operation, October 1952-535.

    Mone Thone Operation October 19546.

    Combined Immigration and Army Operation January 19557.

    Union Military Police (UMP) Operation 1955-598.

    Captain Htin Kyaw Operation, 19599.

    Shwe Kyi Operation, October, 196610.

    Kyi Gan Operation, October-December 198611.

    Ngazinka Operation 1967-196912.

    Myat Mon Operation, February 1969-7113.

    Major Aung Than Operation, 197314.

    Sabe Operation, February 1974-7815.

    Naga Min (King Dragon) Operation, February 1978-7916.

    Shwe Hin Tha Operation, August 1978-8017.

    Galon Operation, July 1979 to 1991-9218.

    Pyi Thaya Operation, July 1991-9219.

    Ongoing Na-Sa-Ka Operation from 1992