The postings that have been made by some of your readers in shall I say a in a highly negative way, bordering on personal defamation really doesn’t deserve a responce by me, however I will state to all those who have followed my efforts to assist the Karen People in their struggle to be free, that since my first meeting with Colonel Nerdah Mya, I have performed in a creditable way, and have rendered honest and faithfull service to his country and to his struggle.
I have NEVER consumed any alcoholic beverages while in his base camps nor during any of my subsequent trips into the Republic of Kawthoolei.
Those of you who I met during the trips I made to Mae Sot know of my personal and unbridled devotion to the Karen cause.
I have NOT been told by anyone within the leadership of the Karen National Liberation Army (which includes Colonel Nerdah Mya, Colonel Tu Lu Gay Mya, Colonel Nay Soe Mya, as well as all the officers and men who I served with in 6th Bde. Battallion #201, that I was not to ever return to Kawthoolei.
Furthermore I stand by what I wrote in my book “War in Karen Country”, where I wrote that I was given the post as Consul General of the Republic of Kawthoolei by Colonel Nerdah Mya, as well as made an official member of the KNLA.
With regards to my private meeting with the leadership of the KNU, NONE of you were present , as it was a closed session, so NONE of you can surmise what was said by them to me or vise-versa.
When I left Colonel Nerdah Mya on the afternoon of April 18th,2008 ,( two days before I left Mae Sot to head back to Bangkok for the flight to the United States on April 23rd 2008 ), I informed him that I had done all that I could for him and I was entrusting my efforts into the hands of Mr. Jack Slade,whom I had met in Bangkok
(along with other American volunteers),when they had arrived on the evening of March 26th from Los Angeles, Caliofornia.
I explained to Colonel Nerdah that I was NOT leaving him nor was I backing away from the committment that I made to pass onto him the proceeds from my book “War in Karen Country” but that I felt that a younger more professional individual could offer the cause of Karen freedom a way to garner a wide range of support in terms of men,equipment as well as political recognition.
After reviewing Mr. Slades credentials and seeing first hand the way he carried himself in Burma (when we were in camp as well as on patrol or visiting the various Karen villages under the control of the KNLA), I then consulted with Colonel Nerdah Mya who agreed that Mr. Slade would not only be welcomed in the Karen State but that he (Slade), be offered the position of Commanding Officer of the newly formed Karen Foreign Legion, (which Mr. Slade and I officially formed a few days after he was in-country).
With regards to my meeting with the Karen National Union (on the evening of March 9th ), in Mae Sot, I was summonded to present myself before them to give testimony with regards to what I might had known about the assassination of their late secretary general Prado Manh Sha as I had information that was to shed new light into this matter. Due to the fact that an on-going criminal (murder) investigation is being conducted within the KNU I am not at liberty to say anything else on this matter.
I believe that I have said enough on this whole matter.
Thomas Bleming
Consul General
Republic of Kawthoolei
Karen Information Office
Lusk, Wyoming 82225-0914
[…] previous milestones by commenting on some of the highlights of New Mandala’s short life (our 500th post; our first year). This time we would like to hear what our readers have to say. Feel free to join […]
“…would compile video clips to back up the allegations that the PAD had insulted the monarchy.”
These allegations will probably be based on their tasteless and clueless hodgepodge combination of Communist songs, some even written by Jit the Phumisak himself, and other more Royalist songs that actually are in line with the their objectives.
PAD needs singing and DJ lessons, and someone needs to do an expose on their complete lack of taste. (I heard this analysis from a very respected and revered Thai historian too, it’s not my idea, but I think they should be spared lese majeste charges, just given free music lessons)
“Win Min, a Burmese political observer in Chiang Mai, Thailand, said he disagreed with Prof Aung-Thwin’s unsupported charges that the mass demonstrations were created by the US.”
Win Min is right in that you cannot posit direct causality, but:
1. The Soros Foundation does not give money for anything but political activism, so by their own mission statement, the donation to the monks had to be for political activism.
2. Exactly what multiple factors paved the way for demonstrations among the monks is a completely legitimate objective historical question to ask. And the answer most likely goes beyond the immediate precipitating causes of the demonstration.
3. No rational discussion of this issue is possible given the circumstances, as Gustaaf Houtman, essentially points out with the phrase “legitimate moral ground” which means that you will be attacked or threatened in some way, if you don’t follow the opposition party line.
4. Over in New Mandala’s fruitcake mercenary thread, some angry guy with a gun is asking NGO types what did they ever did for the Burmese people. Teaching people would be one contribution that I know several people have made without shooting people, but I’m afraid to say this, because he might get angry and shoot me.
America’s longstanding ( since 1988) policy of disengagement and economic sanctions with Burma means the answer to this question is probably nothing much for most people, since there is very little if any foreign aid or NGOs there, and economic sanctions bar all investment and probably trade too.
5. The American policy of isolation for the last 20 years certainly set up the long-term conditions that made the recent cyclone disaster possible. (But perhaps I have just committed a thought crime in positing this.)
6. The underlying force behind the whole stalemate is probably the fundamental unimportance of Burma strategically for the US., and the absolute importance of China.
When was the last time you heard the US talking about Tianamen Square? It’s actually a taboo subject in China, just like the Franco years in Spain.
Do you hear the US still talking about the 1991 elections in Burma? (Yes) Are there vital shared interests between the US and China that go beyond the Dalai Lhama? (Of course) Are there vital shared interests in Burma that go beyond the NLD and the 1991 election? (No)
Best prediction for the future here is a repetition of the past, unless some freak accident happens.
Called “pa-yit” in Burmese, they come out in winter and are crunchy and delicious fried in peanut oil with a bit of seasoning, crushed ginger and garlic – wonderful aroma!
The female, identified by a black spike at the bottom end, has an abdomen full of eggs, much preferred to the male.
They do need to be cleaned properly, winged, gutted and extremeties trimmed. I would most certainly not try “cow chit”.
To-day they started to demolish a part of my house I want to renovate.
I asked the boss to be careful with the roof-plates and demount them in one piece because I am suspicious that they contain asbestos.
I was shocked when I saw afterwards that they destroyed almost all with hammers!
As I know that in several countries the authorities has to be warned, that handling the asbestos has to be done by special qualified companies, that in case of a fire the fire-brigade officers wear special and completely sealed suits with oxygen and that they start hosing the surroundings immediately to prevent particles blown away I can only feel very sorry for all those, mainly very poor people, has to work with asbestos.
When I read than that a Thai Minister once said: “Asbestos can cause cancer but ‘it’s cheap” I am getting speechless.
Thanks Roy for the additional information,and Josh for the detailed mini-article.
I ,also ,believe that Andrew has over-simplified the issue but then I’m not a forest hydrologist or forest meteorologist.
Is Andrew’s cautionary tale out of concern in part for the abuse directed at the highland agriculturalists by the lowland agriculturalist?
Shouldn’t one major concern be the efficient use of water during the dry season ?How efficient is dry season water use in Thailand?
There is no doubt that the supply of freshwater for agriculture is going to diminish over time ,something that geographers have been warning the world at large for at least 15 years or more.
Agricultural planners should by now be thinking of crop species and varieties that require less water .Are they?
Is IRRI investigating ways and means of reducing the water consumption of rice,which of course is one of the world’s thirstiest
crops?
Here is the one thing I would like to know…. How many of the people who post on this site actually do anything to help the people of Burma? I do NOT mean just running your mouths. I mean actually getting out there and making sacrifices for the people of Burma. Is anyone doing fund raising? Is anyone sending supplies? Is anyone handing out fliers? Putting up posters? Are any of you very critical people, who spend hours thinking up ways to tear into Thomas Bleming’s efforts, actually doing anything with those brains in your heads?
If you would stop spending so much time acting like squableing school girls and actually spend that time being constructive and making an effort to do all the things you think Tom should be doing, this war would be on its last legs.
I am not sorry if I sound a little pissed right now, because I am. I have spent the last several weeks thinking up ways to help and putting those plans into action and I am not hearing that other people are doing the same. I hear all the intellectuals on this site wasting their time clucking like angry hens about what Thomas Bleming has said or done, or hasn’t said and done, when these GREAT MINDS should be getting money for the KNLA/KNU and other groups to put a boot up the SPDC’s rear end.
For the last three days I have stood out in traffic passing out fliers in over 100 degree weather and collecting funds to send to the people I feel are actually getting things done.
After three days of 4 to 5 hours per day standing in the traffic in a major city I started to notice some things. It was interesting to me what types of people passed me the most amounts of money and which types of people just passed me bye.
#1)I noticed that White mothers that were alone or with children and families gave me the most.
#2) The next group was single white male and men with military backgrounds.
#3) After them, Black women traveling in groups or families gave me money for Burma.
#4)Mexican people passed me all the small change they could find with smiles even if they didn’t speak english.
#5) People from India came in next to last, but in all fairness there was not very many of them on the roads where I was
#6) Asian people… now I know some of you may get offended when I say this, but it is the truth… Asian people gave the least amount of money.In three days of playing in traffic There was only three people of any asian race that handed me any money. One on the first day was Burmese and thanked me for caring for his people. Then on day 2 no asian people would dare roll down the windows of their BMW sports cars to pass me the loose change sitting in their ashtrays and cup holders. Then today two passed me money. One was a wealthy 40 ish man who only donated after his girlfrien added a little presure, he did not want one of the fliers I was handing out. The other today was a Burmese guy who was only slightly interested in the flier and what I was telling him.
So what’s the deal? Do Asian people just feel that my white face isn’t trustworthy enough?
The fliers I hand out have several websites where people can donate as well as learn. The fliers also have the address for a local Buddhist Monestary that is a donation point that I have helped a little now and then. Also Is a Canadian charity groups address that I am working with as well.
The money collected will be put to good use. Do not ask me who I am giving it to. If you know me then you know where it is going if you have been to my website then you know where it is going. Every sunday or Monday I will be making a donation to one of the charities I am in communication with. DO NOT ASK ME FOR MONEY. I have been assaulted by people asking for donations but not one could tell me a way that they could come up with the money they wanted on their own.
I have not even one person offer to give me a dime from any other charity or group to buy and ship the needed supplies to thailand to groups I know that can get things into Burma, So I have found a way to get money for Burma on my own.
Here is my point and my CHALLENGE… I challenge you chatter boxes to get off of your butts and get out there and put Burma in the news, in magazines, on the minds of the people all around the world.
Raise money, push a few buttons, grab some attention from the politcal elections…. at least Tom is keeping Burma in the mainstream media, magazines, and local news in Wyoming. He may not be the best mouth peice but….
Further to Jeplang’s question. The link that Andrew calls report is a short VoA news blurb that does not more than mention a report from the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry that states the intentions of covering an area of 25,000 hectare with trees. The news clipping further states that this is part of Lao government ambitions to increase forest cover up to 53% in Laos and to restore an area of 2,5 million hectare affected by heavy deforestations.
As Jeplang pointed out, this of course leaves lots of questions unaddressed. So, some information about the content of the actual report would be helpful indeed.
A Vientiane Times article (28th March 2008) entitled ‘Govt orders more trees to fight climate change’ adds the following. It explains that following the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Assembly meeting in KL (August 2007) Asean members countries declared (not binding) to start planting trees in urban areas as a means to ‘fight climate change and to assist the environment’.
In the Lao case this means according to the Vientiane Times that one million ornamental trees will be planted in urban areas, starting with 500,000 in Vientiane this year. The trees include the ‘champa’ (frangipani), the Lao national flower, and will be planted along main roads, public places and at the new national stadium where the 2009 SEA Games will be held. The Vientiane Times article further states that the 1 million ornamental trees are separate from the 25,000 hectare to be planted on Arbor day.
Although this Vientiane Times article does not present any new information about large scale reforestation ambitions it illustrates that the planting of trees is about much more than plain environmental concerns.
P.s. I am trying to refine my debating skills and using the blog-o-sphere as a virtual firing range to practice with. Please don’t be offended by the tone. I do however genuinely disagree with you on some of the finer points laid out on your blog. They are my targets, not you. I found you through google alerts. Thanks for playing.
I am taking issue to your position that reforestation is a hydrological hazard. I feel it isn’t an accurate statement. I don’t feel I’ve oversimplified anything. To the contrary, I take issue to your statement because I think you’ve oversimplified forest water use. I’ll grant that I’ve only studied hydrometeorology for a few years, but I’m at my third university now and I do have something to say on the matter.
The thing you’re oversimplifying relates to the source of forest evaporation and why forest canopies loose more water than crops do over the course of a year. Forests don’t loose more on balance because they transpire greater amounts of water (in fact crops generally transpire more), they loose more because they intercept precipitation and evaporate it. Forest canopies effectively trap precipitated rain. Sometimes this can amount to a large proportion of local precipitation, depending on the characteristics of the canopy and intensity of the precipitation event (Arnell, 2002). The surfaces of crops and grasslands are not able to effectively intercept as much precipitation as forest canopies simply because they don’t have comparable amounts of foliage. This fact coupled with the fact that the aerodynamic conductance of a forest is at least an order of magnitude greater than that of crops (Arnell, 2002) or grasslands (Kelliher, 1993), make forests evaporate greater amounts of interception and evaporate it more efficiently as well. This makes it essential for any assessment of land use change effects on water resources, to incorporate knowledge of the proportion of time that the evaporating surfaces are wet. Without a forest canopy the local precipitation regime has control over water availability and deforestation is a real threat to precipitation regimes. In fact it has been shown that significant changes to cloud cover in the Amazon basin occurred when a threshold value of 20% deforestation in the region was reached due to a significant reduction in evapotranspiration (Nosetto et al., 2005). Without forests what little rain falls in a drought stricken area will leave the system at a much greater rate. I guess this may not be considered hazardous to someone concerned with the operation of a hydroelectric dam, but it certainly is a hazard. Too little water downstream to turn turbines is less of a hazard in my eyes.
Since transpiration is either halted or significantly reduced when leaf surfaces are wet, the partitioning of ecosystem evaporation between transpiration and interception is greatly simplified. Though forests have the ability to evaporate much larger amounts of water on a seasonal or annual basis than areas where forest trees have been removed and replaced with grasses or crops due to their greater rates of interception evaporation, this doesn’t mean that forests transpire more water. Typically forests have lower canopy conductances and higher aerodynamic conductances than do crops (Oke, 1987). One reason for the difference between forests and crops is energy related. The transpiration rates of crops have been shown to be closely tied to variations in net radiation, where as rates in forests are generally tied to variations in vapour pressure deficit, VPD (Oke, 1987). The lower surface roughness of crops is thought to reduce turbulence within crop canopies allowing canopy temperatures to rise above air temperatures and thus allowing greater vapour pressure gradients to develop between short, even height crop species and the atmosphere (Oke, 1987). This reduces resistance to water vapour flow and consequently, the transpiration of agricultural land is usually higher than forested landscapes (Oke, 1987). This explains why there is a tendency for the transpiration from crops to be closely tied to variations in Rn rather than VPD, and also explains the reverse for forests. In general, it can be said that forests are therefore more closely ‘coupled’ with the state of the atmosphere than are crops during dry periods. Here’s a summarization from Tim Oke’s Boundary Layer Climates (ISBN 0-415-04319-0), a modern classic used in Universities all over the world: Et crop > Et forest but Ei crop < Ei forest (p156 where E is evaporation, i is interception and t is transpiration). The water that isn’t intercepted is runoff and this is a real hydrological hazard. Flooding is a genuine hazard in my mind. Forests reduce the occurrence of flash flooding.
Crops categorically do loose much greater amounts of water to runoff than forests and do have significantly lower infiltration rates over any time span. As for the soil moisture of a crop compared to a forest, it depends more on soil texture than on land cover and I have never read a review article that quantifies agricultural landscapes as generally having higher soil moistures than forests. I think you’re completely mistaken about that fact in particular.
Arnell N (2002) Hydrology and Global Environmental Change. Pearson Education Ltd., Edinburgh Gate, Harlow, Essex, UK, 346 pp.
Barbour MM, Hunt JE, Walcroft AS, Rogers GND, McSeveny TM, Whitehead D (2005) Components of ecosystem evaporation in a temperate coniferous rainforest, with canopy transpiration scaled using sapwood density. New Phytologist, 165, 549-558.
Calder IR (1998) Water use by forests, limits and controls. Tree physiology, 18, 625-631.
Farley KA, Jobbagy EG, Jackson RB (2005) Effects of afforestation on water yield: a global synthesis with implications for policy. Global Change Biology, 11, 1565-1576.
Kelliher FM, Leuning R, Raupach MR, Schulze ED (1995) Maximum conductances for evaporation from global vegetation types. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 73, 1-16.
Kelliher FM, Leuning R, Schulze ED (1993) Evaporation and Canopy Characteristics of Coniferous Forests and Grasslands. Oecologia, 95, 153-163.
Kurpius MR, Panek JA, Nikolov NT, McKay M, Goldstein AH (2003) Partitioning of water flux in a Sierra Nevada ponderosa pine plantation. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 117, 173-192.
Nosetto MD, Jobbagy EG, Paruelo JM (2005) Land-use change and water losses: the case of grassland afforestation across a soil textural gradient in central Argentina. Global Change Biology, 11, 1101-1117.
Roberts J (2000) The influence of physical and physiological characteristics of vegetation on their hydrological response. Hydrological Processes, 14, 2885-2901.
Roberts J (1983) Forest Transpiration – a Conservative Hydrological Process. Journal of Hydrology, 66, 133-141.
Thanks for your comment Josh. In our book, Tim Forsyth and I deal with the impact of forest cover on the seasonal distribution of flow in some detail (108-113). I don’t think the situation is as simple as you suggest. Reforestation may increase infiltration (but improvements in infiltration may take a very long time and be quite modest). This is the “sponge” effect. But reforestation, as you know, also increases evapotranspiration – taking a lot more water out of the soil than most other land covers. This is the “pump” effect. The effect on base flow of reforestation will depend on the trade-off between the “sponge” effect and the “pump” effect. This is the trade-off we were referring to when we wrote, as quoted above:
There is also a good chance that extensive tree planting will reduce dry-season flow, because the medium- to long-term benefit in terms of enhanced infiltration on reforested soil may well be limited and strongly outweighed by short- to medium-term increases in the level of water “lost” due to the increased evapotranspiration.”
We can’t assume that sub-surface soil under forest cover will contain more moisture than under other land covers. Here is another quote from our book:
The work of Takahashi and colleagues (1983) provides one illustration of this trade-off between infiltration and evapotranspiration. … [T]his study found that infiltration on cultivated upland fields was significantly lower than infiltration in forest. However, when researchers examined the soil itself they found that the cultivated areas had higher levels of soil moisture, which is the basis of dry-season flow. In the forested area, “the soil was drier in deeper horizons and always in the condition of low soil moisture, compared to the other plots” (Takahashi et al. 1983:97). The lower soil moisture under forest resulted from the trees using more water than the crops cultivated on the cleared land.
I would be very interested to hear about other studies from the region that compare soil moisture under forest and other land covers.
This is a fair comment. Yes, Burmese media like activists and groups may be described as soccer players (I have this thought not just because of Euro 2008, but I have had this long ag0). They all are after one ball, which usually is kicked by the junta. If we look at te entire 15-20 years history of pro-democracy movement, we hear everybody taking about one particular issue.
For example, depayin incident (attempt to assasinate Aung San Suu Kyi). Also, when the junta announced its 7-piont road map for the first time, the entire oppositioni communities started talking about this. SOme of them came up with their own road map. The question is what were they doing before the junta’s roadmap? After awhile, the focus became national convention because the junta announed it would reconvene the NC. It’s not only one/two times. It’s been always like this. Opposition groups rarely move ahead of the junta, but keep following the ball kicked by the junta.
Now, prior to cyclone Nagris, the focus was on referendum. Everytime i turned on radio or log on to websites, it was all about this. Yes, referendum was important, but it was not about the whole world.
Now again, the focus is on fundraising for cyclone victims. We see many organizations and self-elected/self-reproduced “leaders” , now as humanitarian experts, talking over and over about emergency relief work (I don’t think they are ‘experts’ of relief work either). Some of them sound like becoming humanitarian aid workers from political activists.
I think Burmese pro-democracy groups need to rethink their strategies and the culture of doing things. They need to start looking at many different issues from different angles. Most importantly, they need to start thinking about material issues.
yea,we called ‘a-tsa’ or ‘ chyaru’ for those alcoholic beverage but not ‘tsapi’.
My pop detests ‘chyaru’ and ‘hka yawm'(cigarette),so there’s no chances to see these stuff around his house even in special ocassions.
The funny thing is that my grandma (my pop’s mom) likes to drink a lot especially kachin rice wine.She always need to play hide and seek with my pop whenever she gotta drink that stuff till now i guess.
Matter of fact she’s in her 95 years of age now. Thanks to the Lord that she’s still as healty as ever.Seems like she doesn’t feel any age yet.That’s the good one yah.
Talking about my grandma, remind me of Kachin rice wine..OOooo that rice wine is just so great.My grandma,my mom and i used to have these rice wine and beef dishes w/o my pop.hahhaha..Have you ever tasted kachin rice wine before?I mean a genuine kachin rice wine tho’. 😛
Reforestation will increase annual evapotranspiration and decrease annual surface runoff when compared to most crops or bare soil (as you say), but it will serve to stabilize base streamflows during dry periods, not significantly reducing them as you have stated. Here’s an analogy. A crop, urban area or cut over site will act like a plate, with water from a tap (i.e. rain) running off its surface quickly. A forest will act like a sponge that’s dry at the top and saturated on the inside, with water from a tap running from it’s volume at a slow steady pace, while at the same time allowing more water to evaporate. Reforestation will increase infiltration, as you have said, but this increases base flows and decreases high flows following precipitation events (like flash floods for example). The distinction, in terms of runoff response, between a crop or bare soil and a forest is especially stark during drought, because of the large decrease in infiltration rates as soils dry (like baking a clay pot, soils also bake during drought and harden). So when looking long term you must ask yourself whether it is better to have more stable streamflows in a narrower range (i.e. a forested landscape), or more erratic streamflows with more frequent extreme events ranging from no-flow to flood stage (i.e. a crop or urban area). As an added bonus the evaporation from forests also reduce local temperatures by consuming heat and storing it in the form of latent heat rather than converting it to sensible heat. The fact is that adding biomass to a watershed stabilizes its hydrology, moderates temperatures, and moderates local atmospheric water vapour contents. I don’t consider this a hydrological hazard.
jf: “Yes, it paradoxical how Jakrapob gives a 5th grade Thai history lesson to highly paid and intelligent foreign journalists, during happy hour,…”: I say again – you miss the point. And, the FCCT events are not happy hours.
In remember the last “national environment day” in spring 2007 in Laos… Everybody was supposed to plant a tree, and a lot did. But some planted rubber tree, considering it as reforestation…supported by authorities and chinese companies… See new landscapes in northern provinces, and you will see what this beautiful new forest looks like.
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A glossy feature on Thomas Bleming
The postings that have been made by some of your readers in shall I say a in a highly negative way, bordering on personal defamation really doesn’t deserve a responce by me, however I will state to all those who have followed my efforts to assist the Karen People in their struggle to be free, that since my first meeting with Colonel Nerdah Mya, I have performed in a creditable way, and have rendered honest and faithfull service to his country and to his struggle.
I have NEVER consumed any alcoholic beverages while in his base camps nor during any of my subsequent trips into the Republic of Kawthoolei.
Those of you who I met during the trips I made to Mae Sot know of my personal and unbridled devotion to the Karen cause.
I have NOT been told by anyone within the leadership of the Karen National Liberation Army (which includes Colonel Nerdah Mya, Colonel Tu Lu Gay Mya, Colonel Nay Soe Mya, as well as all the officers and men who I served with in 6th Bde. Battallion #201, that I was not to ever return to Kawthoolei.
Furthermore I stand by what I wrote in my book “War in Karen Country”, where I wrote that I was given the post as Consul General of the Republic of Kawthoolei by Colonel Nerdah Mya, as well as made an official member of the KNLA.
With regards to my private meeting with the leadership of the KNU, NONE of you were present , as it was a closed session, so NONE of you can surmise what was said by them to me or vise-versa.
When I left Colonel Nerdah Mya on the afternoon of April 18th,2008 ,( two days before I left Mae Sot to head back to Bangkok for the flight to the United States on April 23rd 2008 ), I informed him that I had done all that I could for him and I was entrusting my efforts into the hands of Mr. Jack Slade,whom I had met in Bangkok
(along with other American volunteers),when they had arrived on the evening of March 26th from Los Angeles, Caliofornia.
I explained to Colonel Nerdah that I was NOT leaving him nor was I backing away from the committment that I made to pass onto him the proceeds from my book “War in Karen Country” but that I felt that a younger more professional individual could offer the cause of Karen freedom a way to garner a wide range of support in terms of men,equipment as well as political recognition.
After reviewing Mr. Slades credentials and seeing first hand the way he carried himself in Burma (when we were in camp as well as on patrol or visiting the various Karen villages under the control of the KNLA), I then consulted with Colonel Nerdah Mya who agreed that Mr. Slade would not only be welcomed in the Karen State but that he (Slade), be offered the position of Commanding Officer of the newly formed Karen Foreign Legion, (which Mr. Slade and I officially formed a few days after he was in-country).
With regards to my meeting with the Karen National Union (on the evening of March 9th ), in Mae Sot, I was summonded to present myself before them to give testimony with regards to what I might had known about the assassination of their late secretary general Prado Manh Sha as I had information that was to shed new light into this matter. Due to the fact that an on-going criminal (murder) investigation is being conducted within the KNU I am not at liberty to say anything else on this matter.
I believe that I have said enough on this whole matter.
Thomas Bleming
Consul General
Republic of Kawthoolei
Karen Information Office
Lusk, Wyoming 82225-0914
The 500th post
[…] previous milestones by commenting on some of the highlights of New Mandala’s short life (our 500th post; our first year). This time we would like to hear what our readers have to say. Feel free to join […]
Some thoughts on the political crisis in Thailand
[…] it is two years since our very first New Mandala post. Since then we’ve had 1,254 posts. In June 2006 we had five comments – two […]
The lèse majesté plot thickens
“…would compile video clips to back up the allegations that the PAD had insulted the monarchy.”
These allegations will probably be based on their tasteless and clueless hodgepodge combination of Communist songs, some even written by Jit the Phumisak himself, and other more Royalist songs that actually are in line with the their objectives.
PAD needs singing and DJ lessons, and someone needs to do an expose on their complete lack of taste. (I heard this analysis from a very respected and revered Thai historian too, it’s not my idea, but I think they should be spared lese majeste charges, just given free music lessons)
JSEAS special issue on Burma is out now
“Win Min, a Burmese political observer in Chiang Mai, Thailand, said he disagreed with Prof Aung-Thwin’s unsupported charges that the mass demonstrations were created by the US.”
Win Min is right in that you cannot posit direct causality, but:
1. The Soros Foundation does not give money for anything but political activism, so by their own mission statement, the donation to the monks had to be for political activism.
2. Exactly what multiple factors paved the way for demonstrations among the monks is a completely legitimate objective historical question to ask. And the answer most likely goes beyond the immediate precipitating causes of the demonstration.
3. No rational discussion of this issue is possible given the circumstances, as Gustaaf Houtman, essentially points out with the phrase “legitimate moral ground” which means that you will be attacked or threatened in some way, if you don’t follow the opposition party line.
4. Over in New Mandala’s fruitcake mercenary thread, some angry guy with a gun is asking NGO types what did they ever did for the Burmese people. Teaching people would be one contribution that I know several people have made without shooting people, but I’m afraid to say this, because he might get angry and shoot me.
America’s longstanding ( since 1988) policy of disengagement and economic sanctions with Burma means the answer to this question is probably nothing much for most people, since there is very little if any foreign aid or NGOs there, and economic sanctions bar all investment and probably trade too.
5. The American policy of isolation for the last 20 years certainly set up the long-term conditions that made the recent cyclone disaster possible. (But perhaps I have just committed a thought crime in positing this.)
6. The underlying force behind the whole stalemate is probably the fundamental unimportance of Burma strategically for the US., and the absolute importance of China.
When was the last time you heard the US talking about Tianamen Square? It’s actually a taboo subject in China, just like the Franco years in Spain.
Do you hear the US still talking about the 1991 elections in Burma? (Yes) Are there vital shared interests between the US and China that go beyond the Dalai Lhama? (Of course) Are there vital shared interests in Burma that go beyond the NLD and the 1991 election? (No)
Best prediction for the future here is a repetition of the past, unless some freak accident happens.
Beer snacks
Called “pa-yit” in Burmese, they come out in winter and are crunchy and delicious fried in peanut oil with a bit of seasoning, crushed ginger and garlic – wonderful aroma!
The female, identified by a black spike at the bottom end, has an abdomen full of eggs, much preferred to the male.
They do need to be cleaned properly, winged, gutted and extremeties trimmed. I would most certainly not try “cow chit”.
Asbestos in Thailand
To-day they started to demolish a part of my house I want to renovate.
I asked the boss to be careful with the roof-plates and demount them in one piece because I am suspicious that they contain asbestos.
I was shocked when I saw afterwards that they destroyed almost all with hammers!
As I know that in several countries the authorities has to be warned, that handling the asbestos has to be done by special qualified companies, that in case of a fire the fire-brigade officers wear special and completely sealed suits with oxygen and that they start hosing the surroundings immediately to prevent particles blown away I can only feel very sorry for all those, mainly very poor people, has to work with asbestos.
When I read than that a Thai Minister once said: “Asbestos can cause cancer but ‘it’s cheap” I am getting speechless.
The hydrological hazards of tree planting
Thanks Roy for the additional information,and Josh for the detailed mini-article.
I ,also ,believe that Andrew has over-simplified the issue but then I’m not a forest hydrologist or forest meteorologist.
Is Andrew’s cautionary tale out of concern in part for the abuse directed at the highland agriculturalists by the lowland agriculturalist?
Shouldn’t one major concern be the efficient use of water during the dry season ?How efficient is dry season water use in Thailand?
There is no doubt that the supply of freshwater for agriculture is going to diminish over time ,something that geographers have been warning the world at large for at least 15 years or more.
Agricultural planners should by now be thinking of crop species and varieties that require less water .Are they?
Is IRRI investigating ways and means of reducing the water consumption of rice,which of course is one of the world’s thirstiest
crops?
Kuominthai after almost 40 years
No point in being too copyright correct with the Bangkok Post. Copy the whole article before they delete it is best.
A glossy feature on Thomas Bleming
Here is the one thing I would like to know…. How many of the people who post on this site actually do anything to help the people of Burma? I do NOT mean just running your mouths. I mean actually getting out there and making sacrifices for the people of Burma. Is anyone doing fund raising? Is anyone sending supplies? Is anyone handing out fliers? Putting up posters? Are any of you very critical people, who spend hours thinking up ways to tear into Thomas Bleming’s efforts, actually doing anything with those brains in your heads?
If you would stop spending so much time acting like squableing school girls and actually spend that time being constructive and making an effort to do all the things you think Tom should be doing, this war would be on its last legs.
I am not sorry if I sound a little pissed right now, because I am. I have spent the last several weeks thinking up ways to help and putting those plans into action and I am not hearing that other people are doing the same. I hear all the intellectuals on this site wasting their time clucking like angry hens about what Thomas Bleming has said or done, or hasn’t said and done, when these GREAT MINDS should be getting money for the KNLA/KNU and other groups to put a boot up the SPDC’s rear end.
For the last three days I have stood out in traffic passing out fliers in over 100 degree weather and collecting funds to send to the people I feel are actually getting things done.
After three days of 4 to 5 hours per day standing in the traffic in a major city I started to notice some things. It was interesting to me what types of people passed me the most amounts of money and which types of people just passed me bye.
#1)I noticed that White mothers that were alone or with children and families gave me the most.
#2) The next group was single white male and men with military backgrounds.
#3) After them, Black women traveling in groups or families gave me money for Burma.
#4)Mexican people passed me all the small change they could find with smiles even if they didn’t speak english.
#5) People from India came in next to last, but in all fairness there was not very many of them on the roads where I was
#6) Asian people… now I know some of you may get offended when I say this, but it is the truth… Asian people gave the least amount of money.In three days of playing in traffic There was only three people of any asian race that handed me any money. One on the first day was Burmese and thanked me for caring for his people. Then on day 2 no asian people would dare roll down the windows of their BMW sports cars to pass me the loose change sitting in their ashtrays and cup holders. Then today two passed me money. One was a wealthy 40 ish man who only donated after his girlfrien added a little presure, he did not want one of the fliers I was handing out. The other today was a Burmese guy who was only slightly interested in the flier and what I was telling him.
So what’s the deal? Do Asian people just feel that my white face isn’t trustworthy enough?
The fliers I hand out have several websites where people can donate as well as learn. The fliers also have the address for a local Buddhist Monestary that is a donation point that I have helped a little now and then. Also Is a Canadian charity groups address that I am working with as well.
The money collected will be put to good use. Do not ask me who I am giving it to. If you know me then you know where it is going if you have been to my website then you know where it is going. Every sunday or Monday I will be making a donation to one of the charities I am in communication with. DO NOT ASK ME FOR MONEY. I have been assaulted by people asking for donations but not one could tell me a way that they could come up with the money they wanted on their own.
I have not even one person offer to give me a dime from any other charity or group to buy and ship the needed supplies to thailand to groups I know that can get things into Burma, So I have found a way to get money for Burma on my own.
Here is my point and my CHALLENGE… I challenge you chatter boxes to get off of your butts and get out there and put Burma in the news, in magazines, on the minds of the people all around the world.
Raise money, push a few buttons, grab some attention from the politcal elections…. at least Tom is keeping Burma in the mainstream media, magazines, and local news in Wyoming. He may not be the best mouth peice but….
What have YOU done lately?
The hydrological hazards of tree planting
Further to Jeplang’s question. The link that Andrew calls report is a short VoA news blurb that does not more than mention a report from the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry that states the intentions of covering an area of 25,000 hectare with trees. The news clipping further states that this is part of Lao government ambitions to increase forest cover up to 53% in Laos and to restore an area of 2,5 million hectare affected by heavy deforestations.
As Jeplang pointed out, this of course leaves lots of questions unaddressed. So, some information about the content of the actual report would be helpful indeed.
A Vientiane Times article (28th March 2008) entitled ‘Govt orders more trees to fight climate change’ adds the following. It explains that following the Asean Inter-Parliamentary Assembly meeting in KL (August 2007) Asean members countries declared (not binding) to start planting trees in urban areas as a means to ‘fight climate change and to assist the environment’.
In the Lao case this means according to the Vientiane Times that one million ornamental trees will be planted in urban areas, starting with 500,000 in Vientiane this year. The trees include the ‘champa’ (frangipani), the Lao national flower, and will be planted along main roads, public places and at the new national stadium where the 2009 SEA Games will be held. The Vientiane Times article further states that the 1 million ornamental trees are separate from the 25,000 hectare to be planted on Arbor day.
Although this Vientiane Times article does not present any new information about large scale reforestation ambitions it illustrates that the planting of trees is about much more than plain environmental concerns.
The hydrological hazards of tree planting
P.s. I am trying to refine my debating skills and using the blog-o-sphere as a virtual firing range to practice with. Please don’t be offended by the tone. I do however genuinely disagree with you on some of the finer points laid out on your blog. They are my targets, not you. I found you through google alerts. Thanks for playing.
The hydrological hazards of tree planting
I am taking issue to your position that reforestation is a hydrological hazard. I feel it isn’t an accurate statement. I don’t feel I’ve oversimplified anything. To the contrary, I take issue to your statement because I think you’ve oversimplified forest water use. I’ll grant that I’ve only studied hydrometeorology for a few years, but I’m at my third university now and I do have something to say on the matter.
The thing you’re oversimplifying relates to the source of forest evaporation and why forest canopies loose more water than crops do over the course of a year. Forests don’t loose more on balance because they transpire greater amounts of water (in fact crops generally transpire more), they loose more because they intercept precipitation and evaporate it. Forest canopies effectively trap precipitated rain. Sometimes this can amount to a large proportion of local precipitation, depending on the characteristics of the canopy and intensity of the precipitation event (Arnell, 2002). The surfaces of crops and grasslands are not able to effectively intercept as much precipitation as forest canopies simply because they don’t have comparable amounts of foliage. This fact coupled with the fact that the aerodynamic conductance of a forest is at least an order of magnitude greater than that of crops (Arnell, 2002) or grasslands (Kelliher, 1993), make forests evaporate greater amounts of interception and evaporate it more efficiently as well. This makes it essential for any assessment of land use change effects on water resources, to incorporate knowledge of the proportion of time that the evaporating surfaces are wet. Without a forest canopy the local precipitation regime has control over water availability and deforestation is a real threat to precipitation regimes. In fact it has been shown that significant changes to cloud cover in the Amazon basin occurred when a threshold value of 20% deforestation in the region was reached due to a significant reduction in evapotranspiration (Nosetto et al., 2005). Without forests what little rain falls in a drought stricken area will leave the system at a much greater rate. I guess this may not be considered hazardous to someone concerned with the operation of a hydroelectric dam, but it certainly is a hazard. Too little water downstream to turn turbines is less of a hazard in my eyes.
Since transpiration is either halted or significantly reduced when leaf surfaces are wet, the partitioning of ecosystem evaporation between transpiration and interception is greatly simplified. Though forests have the ability to evaporate much larger amounts of water on a seasonal or annual basis than areas where forest trees have been removed and replaced with grasses or crops due to their greater rates of interception evaporation, this doesn’t mean that forests transpire more water. Typically forests have lower canopy conductances and higher aerodynamic conductances than do crops (Oke, 1987). One reason for the difference between forests and crops is energy related. The transpiration rates of crops have been shown to be closely tied to variations in net radiation, where as rates in forests are generally tied to variations in vapour pressure deficit, VPD (Oke, 1987). The lower surface roughness of crops is thought to reduce turbulence within crop canopies allowing canopy temperatures to rise above air temperatures and thus allowing greater vapour pressure gradients to develop between short, even height crop species and the atmosphere (Oke, 1987). This reduces resistance to water vapour flow and consequently, the transpiration of agricultural land is usually higher than forested landscapes (Oke, 1987). This explains why there is a tendency for the transpiration from crops to be closely tied to variations in Rn rather than VPD, and also explains the reverse for forests. In general, it can be said that forests are therefore more closely ‘coupled’ with the state of the atmosphere than are crops during dry periods. Here’s a summarization from Tim Oke’s Boundary Layer Climates (ISBN 0-415-04319-0), a modern classic used in Universities all over the world: Et crop > Et forest but Ei crop < Ei forest (p156 where E is evaporation, i is interception and t is transpiration). The water that isn’t intercepted is runoff and this is a real hydrological hazard. Flooding is a genuine hazard in my mind. Forests reduce the occurrence of flash flooding.
Crops categorically do loose much greater amounts of water to runoff than forests and do have significantly lower infiltration rates over any time span. As for the soil moisture of a crop compared to a forest, it depends more on soil texture than on land cover and I have never read a review article that quantifies agricultural landscapes as generally having higher soil moistures than forests. I think you’re completely mistaken about that fact in particular.
Arnell N (2002) Hydrology and Global Environmental Change. Pearson Education Ltd., Edinburgh Gate, Harlow, Essex, UK, 346 pp.
Barbour MM, Hunt JE, Walcroft AS, Rogers GND, McSeveny TM, Whitehead D (2005) Components of ecosystem evaporation in a temperate coniferous rainforest, with canopy transpiration scaled using sapwood density. New Phytologist, 165, 549-558.
Calder IR (1998) Water use by forests, limits and controls. Tree physiology, 18, 625-631.
Farley KA, Jobbagy EG, Jackson RB (2005) Effects of afforestation on water yield: a global synthesis with implications for policy. Global Change Biology, 11, 1565-1576.
Kelliher FM, Leuning R, Raupach MR, Schulze ED (1995) Maximum conductances for evaporation from global vegetation types. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 73, 1-16.
Kelliher FM, Leuning R, Schulze ED (1993) Evaporation and Canopy Characteristics of Coniferous Forests and Grasslands. Oecologia, 95, 153-163.
Kurpius MR, Panek JA, Nikolov NT, McKay M, Goldstein AH (2003) Partitioning of water flux in a Sierra Nevada ponderosa pine plantation. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 117, 173-192.
Nosetto MD, Jobbagy EG, Paruelo JM (2005) Land-use change and water losses: the case of grassland afforestation across a soil textural gradient in central Argentina. Global Change Biology, 11, 1101-1117.
Roberts J (2000) The influence of physical and physiological characteristics of vegetation on their hydrological response. Hydrological Processes, 14, 2885-2901.
Roberts J (1983) Forest Transpiration – a Conservative Hydrological Process. Journal of Hydrology, 66, 133-141.
The hydrological hazards of tree planting
Thanks for your comment Josh. In our book, Tim Forsyth and I deal with the impact of forest cover on the seasonal distribution of flow in some detail (108-113). I don’t think the situation is as simple as you suggest. Reforestation may increase infiltration (but improvements in infiltration may take a very long time and be quite modest). This is the “sponge” effect. But reforestation, as you know, also increases evapotranspiration – taking a lot more water out of the soil than most other land covers. This is the “pump” effect. The effect on base flow of reforestation will depend on the trade-off between the “sponge” effect and the “pump” effect. This is the trade-off we were referring to when we wrote, as quoted above:
We can’t assume that sub-surface soil under forest cover will contain more moisture than under other land covers. Here is another quote from our book:
I would be very interested to hear about other studies from the region that compare soil moisture under forest and other land covers.
Storm warnings, Cyclone Nargis and the media
This is a fair comment. Yes, Burmese media like activists and groups may be described as soccer players (I have this thought not just because of Euro 2008, but I have had this long ag0). They all are after one ball, which usually is kicked by the junta. If we look at te entire 15-20 years history of pro-democracy movement, we hear everybody taking about one particular issue.
For example, depayin incident (attempt to assasinate Aung San Suu Kyi). Also, when the junta announced its 7-piont road map for the first time, the entire oppositioni communities started talking about this. SOme of them came up with their own road map. The question is what were they doing before the junta’s roadmap? After awhile, the focus became national convention because the junta announed it would reconvene the NC. It’s not only one/two times. It’s been always like this. Opposition groups rarely move ahead of the junta, but keep following the ball kicked by the junta.
Now, prior to cyclone Nagris, the focus was on referendum. Everytime i turned on radio or log on to websites, it was all about this. Yes, referendum was important, but it was not about the whole world.
Now again, the focus is on fundraising for cyclone victims. We see many organizations and self-elected/self-reproduced “leaders” , now as humanitarian experts, talking over and over about emergency relief work (I don’t think they are ‘experts’ of relief work either). Some of them sound like becoming humanitarian aid workers from political activists.
I think Burmese pro-democracy groups need to rethink their strategies and the culture of doing things. They need to start looking at many different issues from different angles. Most importantly, they need to start thinking about material issues.
Would you like Tsa Pi with that?
yea,we called ‘a-tsa’ or ‘ chyaru’ for those alcoholic beverage but not ‘tsapi’.
My pop detests ‘chyaru’ and ‘hka yawm'(cigarette),so there’s no chances to see these stuff around his house even in special ocassions.
The funny thing is that my grandma (my pop’s mom) likes to drink a lot especially kachin rice wine.She always need to play hide and seek with my pop whenever she gotta drink that stuff till now i guess.
Matter of fact she’s in her 95 years of age now. Thanks to the Lord that she’s still as healty as ever.Seems like she doesn’t feel any age yet.That’s the good one yah.
Talking about my grandma, remind me of Kachin rice wine..OOooo that rice wine is just so great.My grandma,my mom and i used to have these rice wine and beef dishes w/o my pop.hahhaha..Have you ever tasted kachin rice wine before?I mean a genuine kachin rice wine tho’. 😛
Thomas Bleming on Wyoming TV
[…] will, to get up to speed, find these previous posts helpful (30 January 2007, 5 February 2008, 2 March 2008, 6 April […]
The hydrological hazards of tree planting
Reforestation will increase annual evapotranspiration and decrease annual surface runoff when compared to most crops or bare soil (as you say), but it will serve to stabilize base streamflows during dry periods, not significantly reducing them as you have stated. Here’s an analogy. A crop, urban area or cut over site will act like a plate, with water from a tap (i.e. rain) running off its surface quickly. A forest will act like a sponge that’s dry at the top and saturated on the inside, with water from a tap running from it’s volume at a slow steady pace, while at the same time allowing more water to evaporate. Reforestation will increase infiltration, as you have said, but this increases base flows and decreases high flows following precipitation events (like flash floods for example). The distinction, in terms of runoff response, between a crop or bare soil and a forest is especially stark during drought, because of the large decrease in infiltration rates as soils dry (like baking a clay pot, soils also bake during drought and harden). So when looking long term you must ask yourself whether it is better to have more stable streamflows in a narrower range (i.e. a forested landscape), or more erratic streamflows with more frequent extreme events ranging from no-flow to flood stage (i.e. a crop or urban area). As an added bonus the evaporation from forests also reduce local temperatures by consuming heat and storing it in the form of latent heat rather than converting it to sensible heat. The fact is that adding biomass to a watershed stabilizes its hydrology, moderates temperatures, and moderates local atmospheric water vapour contents. I don’t consider this a hydrological hazard.
Bangkok Post’s brave attack on the patronage system!
jf: “Yes, it paradoxical how Jakrapob gives a 5th grade Thai history lesson to highly paid and intelligent foreign journalists, during happy hour,…”: I say again – you miss the point. And, the FCCT events are not happy hours.
The hydrological hazards of tree planting
In remember the last “national environment day” in spring 2007 in Laos… Everybody was supposed to plant a tree, and a lot did. But some planted rubber tree, considering it as reforestation…supported by authorities and chinese companies… See new landscapes in northern provinces, and you will see what this beautiful new forest looks like.