Good points Neptunian, and there is consensus that upon leaving BN, most politicians lose their clout (because you are out of the system).
But I think Mahathir is different (the examples above not withstanding). He refined the patronage system and has enmeshed himself into the workings of Malaysia so much that it would be difficult to dislodge him.
A close parallel would be Thaksin – who always thought highly of Mahathir – despite being out of power de jure, is still very influential, de facto.
Thanks. I do agree that criticism is easy. Not so sure about the killing though.
It appears yours is the commonest retort for any negative airing on this current magnificent historic great leap forward for the country Burma. Every one seems to start the retort with who do you think you are?, what have you done? how much you know, etc,etc. whereas those idols have proven themselves with such and such sacrifice or such and such acclamation by such and such body, etc.
I do plead not guilty.
Mine technically was not criticism but denunciation. The event in Burma since that fateful 18th August 2011 were not technical mistakes or tactical errors but well conceived, planned and well coordinated efforts by old and now new ruling class with collusion of international business communities for their own agenda with any benefit falling toward the public simply unintended side effect while synchronously howling otherwise.
If you would forgive me for digressing, I would like to give ta an example one aspect of “Stolen Generations” of Australia the effects of which are current. The aspect I would like to point out is, if one accepts that that was wrong action (was it?), it was brought out by thinking that people who had the power knew better than those poor little “Bonnies” so that their little brats must be rescued. Same goes with the reasoning of our man Adolf Hitler himself. Conviction that what he took was ideal world for the Aryan races must be imposed on others at any cost.
So suppose there are around 40 odd million people of Burma with no internet access and are currently not in position to enjoy KFC in various countries around the world. And how do people know want they want? There is sure evidence a lot of people know what they SHOULD want. You said jobs. Exact words spoken by that Amay Suu.
Did you see around Kachin Land the returnees from “jobs” elsewhere? Most with dyed hair and drug habit spending time in drink houses. If one were to physically move those factories (after getting that electricity courtesy of dammed rivers) inland, do you believe that the future is going to be so bright losing those dyed hair and drug habits or worse? Jobs!
It is wrong to appeal to Lawba (Greed) and Mawba (Pride). Shining cars, big, big buildings and 4G internet better than that in the United States, etc, etc. Catching up with those uppity neighbors!!! And for that greed and misplaced pride all one needs is to sell your land, waters, manual labor and most of all your souls.
I do see such drumming up of Lawba and Mawha as criminal acts. Not criticism but denunciation.
What to do, you asked. A positive. It is indeed too simple. Our friend U Moe Aung has written these three words ad nauseum.
Peace, Land and Food!
Before 18th August 2011, the need of the country was well defined. People off the yoke of military grip. Then minding their own business in freedom.
Now it appears people are not really wanting to be free of the military at all. They simply want be like Singapore! And for that “Paradise” , people are not only prepared to cheer their own enslaver and torturer, military fronted by Thein Sein but also condemn their own numbers like those of the people of Latpadaung. ( In story, Hinthar Koe thaung were destroyed when they started to cannibalize.)
So coming back to what to do, people have to realize which are really important things in life and which are simple mirage dragging them down to the applause of the opportunists.
There must be real peace. With arms reduction and troop demobilization. And then concerted effort for food production of own variety of grains as opposed to Monsanto dictated ones which are illegal even to plant again next year.
These might sound pipe dream. As the current state goes they are. Currently because of immense Lawba and Mawha glowing out of the country and of course for the last year or so Dawtha (rage), Burma appeals to the money changers, opportunists and shady deal makers. And they are jam packed in Rangoon and that Horridly named Nay Pyi Daw.
But once the house is in order and the people of Burma can demonstrated their good intention and efforts, that will appeal to different sets of people. People who are genuinely interested to help others. In agriculture. In fisheries, in small scale manufacturing, in transport, in trade. And food will always be available in the bountiful land of Burma.
But with trying to catch up or overtake those inferior Asians and the others by any means available and selling out anything coming to hand including manual labor, there will never be social justice let alone equanimity.
In short, as it is, nothing can help your unemployed wannabe pop-stars as the whole country seems to be rejoicing rushing along, along with their own torturers, in totally opposite direction to where it should be heading.
To stand on you own feet, first the country must stop and think and turn in different direction for the current direction sure leads to hell. Hell with 4G and Ferrari Police cars.
Sorry you have to witness that. But that is what happens to a person when there is constant lying, cheating, treachery (last one wasn’t that long ago) and threat to life or property. Hard to know it is caused by previous experience or current fear though but there is palpable fear around. Check Matt Schissler’s post.
Incidentally traditional Burmese good or bad spirits are either black with red eyes or white. Not green and there is no alien concept thanks goodness. In fact that celebrated book of Pascal Khew Thway caled “From the Land of Green Ghost” is somewhat literal translation of Burmese saying “A-sane-the-ye” which is not really meant to be green color anything but the manner of death meaning violent death which is particularly feared by Burmese folks and are currently having a plenty all over the country in a Nobel Prize worthy climate. (Please tell me those deaths are my own sick delusional psychedelic trips and in fact people of Meikhtila are so overjoyed as are in Lashio, Okkan, etc, etc.
I do apologize for the word “Jew” if it is offensive. Again Burmese have no sense of either antisemitism as there have virtually no contact with them at all or Nazism beyond sporting a funny symbol thinking it is cool. But there surely is this recurring “coincidence” of Michael Aris, Albright, MItchell and Soros.
The one I do mention is indeed Soros who put in money and seemingly unlimited resources for O’Brien fronted small company for absolute control of the communications lines in the country for sure. Promise 4G within 6 months (in a country people are starving), Digicel hats everywhere, Digicel promotion one cannot miss, constant mention in one journal or other almost every day, etc,etc.
And also please reassure me that those control of communication is nothing at all. That Rothschilds guy was rightly or wrongly attributed to have said if one got control of the monetary system in a country, he did not care who was in the government or what was the political system or something in those lines. And that bad man from MIT Chomsky said money was now used 99% for speculation (trillion dollars changing hands in a day) and one percent for real trade and all were done electronically so much so that that old man Sheik Nazar Hosein thought one day you might find you bank account simply disappeared or you cannot buy KFC right at the window with that smiling girl or something scary like that.
Please do tell me that that good and benevolent and altruistic Soros is simply keen to give the very latest technology tot he poor little Burmese with no intention of having access to communication or study the pattern of electronic financial transaction which will come soon courtesy of IMF or use the control in any way un-kosher even at a time crisis, etc. Funny enough current paper money people lug around in large sacks is Soros or any financial control proof to a degree.
I did write before that with the great progress and advent of electronic money someone getting bored during Shakshukacan can tap a few keys to wipe off you bank account and therefore your life out. Somehow that fear sticks with me. And that guy/ guyess is not likely to be even green colored!
Somehow it is hard to believe that all these people coming to Burma all of a sudden are so, so keen for the betterment of those little Burmese.
Fortunately for them that is the current prevailing opinion of all the academics and most vocal “advocates” associated with the country. They surely are welcome like lost relatives by the power holders in whatever hip uniform they are wearing.
Yet question remains whether the majority public, the true owners of the lands and waters and trade routes if they truly are aware of the fate that awaits them like those little Bolivians dying of thirst, would be so obligingly die quietly for them. People of Latpadaung do not seem so keen.
So why is there no reaction by the international press and NGO’s , when the Singapore government touts Singapore a s clean green and ecological city.
Make sure the rest of the world knows what Singapore really is and how its government reacts
Moody’s (international credit rating agency) is warning that “. . . accumulated and potential losses from the rice buying scheme, if it is not modified, will make it harder for the government to reach its goal of a balanced budget by 2017 and are a negative factor in Thailand’s sovereign credit rating …”
Now that is really a jarring dire warning. There is a patently reckless streak in the manner the Yingluck regime goes about with government finances that has drawn the attention of Moody’s. That is no small matter btw. Thailand is currently rated Baaa1 but could be upgraded to A with more ‘financial circumspection’ by the Yingluck administration. The rating difference could mean approximately 50 basis points in interest costs to Thailand. Thailand’s total government debts at Baht 5,550 billion means Baht 28 billion more in interest costs … and borrowing costs of Thai corporates also would go up for any downgrade on Thailand’s sovereign credit rating.
That should give serious pause to all the pink-Bentley-Lamborghini-driving-Peau-Thai-ministers … maybe prod them a little that paying properly assessed taxes on their flashy cars could improve Thailand’s sovereign credit rating, no?
“The Wife of a Victim of Enforced Disappearance
Makes an Appeal at a Public Seminar in Japan; The Need for the Japanese Government to Cooperate on Human Rights Issues in Thailand and Laos”
… Ms. Yuka Kiguchi, the Director of Mekong Watch, reviewing the discussions of the seminar, stated that, “the Government of Japan should encourage the Government of Laos to investigate Mr. Sombath’s case, prevent further occurrences of enforced disappearance, and also not limit civil society activities. In addition, when considering ODA policies for Laos, the Government of Japan should give more weight to the human rights perspective.”
I’m confused. In your scenario, just where do the shape-shifting alien Reptilians from Alpha Draconis fit in? Or are they whom you mean when you referenced “the Jews” and you were just being coy due to the 24-hour electronic surveillance you experience by the shadowy agents of CIA/Freemason/Zionist/Lizard People axis?
In 1968 I was a foreign exchange student in Laos and lived with the renowned Bong Souvannavong family. I am researching the history of Bong Souvannavong with the idea of writing a book about him, my time in Laos, and his fate in the Lao re-education prison camps. I would also like to translate his book, Doctrine Lao, into English. I would appreciate any information that people coming to this site might have about the Souvannavong family and their experiences between 1968 and 1975. I would also like to find out about Bong’s youth and young adulthood, where he was educated and how he entered his political career. Thank you.
It is as easy to criticize as it is to kill, unfortunately.
Of course every concerned world citizen should eye multinational corporations with mistrust, geared as they are towards maximizing profits and compelled to do so by the very law that guarantees and governs their existence.
However, not all business is bad for the people. Anyone who has actually spent any amount of time in the Kachin borderlands knows that what people desperately need is work and that the KIO stands absolutely no chance in its present international stranglehold without introducing investment and industry into its economy. Raw resource extraction and taxation belong to an old world order and can hardly be said to provide sustainable livelihoods for either states or people.
Rather than spitting fire at the ghost that very few (if any) of the readers of this blog worship or believe in, I would kindly ask you to give positive real-life examples from the world order that you are fighting for. In other words, not simply stating what is wrong everywhere but what has been done right and succeeded. What the Kachin in particular, and Burma in general, need today are usable ways to prevail between the economic and political interests of China, India and the US. Mere spite will get them nowhere.
Like that blooming elephant, for the devotees of the neo-liberalism (a dirty word) damming all the rivers for that precious electricity for the (what else?) various factories of slave labor with NO RULES or LAWS or subject to any TAX, crisscrossing the land with all manners of transports and dumping of the consumer products and via electronic implements to make people feel inadequate and insecure for promotion of consumer products is the “economy of modern kind. Funny thing is these all play right into the game of the multinationals but the ground work is weirdly spear-headed by academic who occasionally gets pathetic charity if at all in each instance be it in any of those developed countries or central and south America, Africa or Asia. Any chance of making trade routes or mines or dredging the seabed or slave labor factories of burger chain or cosmetic companies (after making sure all women-and nowadays men- to feel hideous by themselves) will always and always be welcome by those disciples of “Advanced Economy” as one can easily see right at this blog. There is this curious capacity to block out literal HELL just besides it. For example none of the Thai economy is so wonderful writings and increased living standard crown has ability to see the underworld of around 5 million of un-counted and un-human filthy immigrants fed to leeches or sharks or sex- and-all-manners-of-slaved or simply killed for fun happening in the land of whizzing limousines or the loss of traditional values or social cohesion. Indonesia, Malaysia, everywhere.
Burma currently has unprecedented onslaught of all agents of multinational companies in various shapes and forms. Palatable Asian looking executives of multinational loan agencies (controlled by US and NATO countries), various NGO’s of dubious funding and intention, various well known current and previous government figures- some more appealing to the Burmese public than other like Clinton family or Albright woman, Jewish financial interests who will have total control of communication lines soon (whoever controls the communication lines and money controls the country regardless of any political pretension or whoever is the office holder), most right wing fraternity of Japanese establishment and those baby faced interlopers for the international business men all the way from Scandinavia.
It now appears that US (its Pacific Protégé in tow for sure) and NATO would guarantee the very survival and longevity of Than Shwe led military of Burma against the outside as well as more important -traditional arch-enemy of Bamar Sit-tut masses of people of Burma- in return for free hand of US and European multinationals for the resource extraction, dumping any waste product that incurred and consumer product dumping ( where Burmese Ex-pats will be most reliable and staunch allies for them) and that all important access for military and trade routes to China.
Again most horrible burning alive human right in the middle of town right in the daylight would be blithely ignored. (One would be rude to mention those in Nobel Prize acceptance speech.)
Already real owners of the land in Latpadaung (recipient of War Crime atrocities – that very American and Jewish White Phosphorus- continuing to be incarcerated, beaten and tortured) are forgotten to celebrate the Economic Forum which will multiply so many Latpadaung’s one would lose count.
Unfortunately by drumming up the most evil and ruthless government via their agent Aung San Suu Kyi, the “developed” war is watering a poison plant which will spread like genuine pandemic flu (not that fake one where Roche made tens of billions of dollars from Tamiflu alone).
We will now see very polished production of how benevolent and obliging Thein Sein government is and how the people around the world admire his leadership (him being simply oracle for his handlers and has no clue what he can or cannot say at any given time is beside the point) and how much those little Burmese are LOOOOVED by the people of the developed world and are all putting all the effort and money in for their benefit. In short usual formula BS until the people has no breathing space left with gradual strangulation.
Curiously, you know the Burmese. Very unorthodox. It will be very interesting experiment how much they are fooled and how well they are intimidated and how ruthless they would be once the masks come off.
Peace indeed.
(By the way if US and NATO would guarantee the current military guys for full help and protection against the Chinese and mainly the public of Burma that particular arrangement would be exactly like that of the House of Saud. Curious, eh.)
Cynicism I agree is born of historical evidence and more importantly personal experience for the Burmese people. We ask ourselves, do they have a record of social responsibility, altruism, selflessness and a genuine desire for peace? Or have they always looked out for number one?
A dichotomy between rhetoric and practice, PR including going through the motions and the real agenda is something the elites, domestic and international, share and display. So all’s gonna be just hunky-dory for some. They’ll be laughing all the way to the bank, and the rest of us get suckered. Bliss.
I don’t feel this Betelspitter is saying that country-wide peace would not be praiseworthy (correct me if I’m off on this Betelspitter).
I think she/he’s simply pointing out his/her small (or nil) faith in the present government pressing forward with ‘true’ peace (let’s say by “true peace”, something that goes beyond a cessation of hostilities and an outcome better than that we’ve seen in, say, Sri Lanka post the Sinhalese defeat of the Tamil Tigers).
I for one concur with betelspitter’s lack of optimism, which does not detract at all from the fact that I would give my strongest praise to any such settlement (the sort of effort that would actually please all, from IDP and refugee camps in the highlands, to the poor lowland peasants land workers, to affluent and middle classes of Yangon/Mandalay and ethnic state capitals).
That’s simply not on the pages as far as I’m concerned, and as I note below, a bit more of what I call hard nosed analysis would do more good than harm in bringing about such a settlement.
All I seem to hear from Nicholas since the 2011 ‘change’ in Myanmar politics is cautious optimism, optimism, or euphemistic examinations of largely apolitical issues.
Let’s bring back into this discussion a bit more hard-nosed analysis, a bit more pessimism, a bit more blunt criticism. This is not the UN or some other diplomatic fora where walking of egg shells has a value in of itself– this is an academic/public discussions site and I think there is ample reason to start easing on down on the cautious optimism (this all the more so an academic’s role, seeing as Canberra, DC, and London are offering bounties of sugar coating).
Readers and constituents (both West and East, North and South) will benefit from a bit more salt amongst these mountains of sugar.
“Ambiga had come for a meeting with Immigration Department director-general Datuk Alias Ahmad to get an explanation on his recent reported statement that the passports of over 6,000 Malaysians will be cancelled for tarnishing the country’s image overseas.”
Above not related to Mahathir, but I think readers of NM should know. The immigration dept is also acting like the political wing of the BN Govt. To make matters worse, it is totally abusing its power.
I do wish you are right and I do wish I simply am a irrational cynic and doomsayer with no foundation.
But events on the ground would say otherwise. It is easy for bystanders to act as circus promoters as there has been non-stop circus in town ever since that fateful 18th of August 2011 before which every one now doing non-stop “Mostest Wonderfullest Thamada Gyi” were still vilifying all military and ex-military personnel of indisputably called Burma then and disparaging the truly odious junta and fake constitution which by the way is now as sacred as the bible and no one can touch it except for a round of fake “revision” Circus which will be staged soon.
Peace for ordinary mortals means less killing and threat with LESS killers and arsenals.
But it is not so, alas! It appears now peace means some one (as it happens one with no credibility whatsoever) saying whatever comes to the mind (whatever the audience is so desperate to hear) and then blithely continuing to build up number of killers – Sit-thers or if so inclined to genuflection, Tatmadaw-thars- (which is already more than UK and Germany forces combined) and build up more arsenals and GRAB more and more land for the purpose. It is now done with acknowledged help from the world’s best killing nation the United States who will also teach them how to “control” those future swarms of masses driven from their ancestral land (as in Latpadaung) or those not willing to take sub-sustenance wage for manual labor as seen in Thai factories and a lot of Burmese ones in the “Industrial Zones”.
Please do say that that good and kind and Nobel Prize winning “Thamada Gyi” is not going to kill more of the Burmese citizens ( Are Kalars, regardless of religion, human in this wonderful Nobel Prize winning scheme?) and accordingly is going to dismantle the Sit-tut and is not wasting the public money on guns which is the very cause of the economic failure of the country in the first place.
There is though is nothing whatsoever wrong with the Nobel Peace Prize itself. Most of the previous recipients of this made up prize fittingly were War Criminals anyway just un-indictable as “Rule of Law” is owned by them.
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Why Thailand needs its kings
Hey nich. How much you get from taksin
The pharaoh returns?
Good points Neptunian, and there is consensus that upon leaving BN, most politicians lose their clout (because you are out of the system).
But I think Mahathir is different (the examples above not withstanding). He refined the patronage system and has enmeshed himself into the workings of Malaysia so much that it would be difficult to dislodge him.
A close parallel would be Thaksin – who always thought highly of Mahathir – despite being out of power de jure, is still very influential, de facto.
The Myanmar-Kachin truce
Hi Marip,
Thanks. I do agree that criticism is easy. Not so sure about the killing though.
It appears yours is the commonest retort for any negative airing on this current magnificent historic great leap forward for the country Burma. Every one seems to start the retort with who do you think you are?, what have you done? how much you know, etc,etc. whereas those idols have proven themselves with such and such sacrifice or such and such acclamation by such and such body, etc.
I do plead not guilty.
Mine technically was not criticism but denunciation. The event in Burma since that fateful 18th August 2011 were not technical mistakes or tactical errors but well conceived, planned and well coordinated efforts by old and now new ruling class with collusion of international business communities for their own agenda with any benefit falling toward the public simply unintended side effect while synchronously howling otherwise.
If you would forgive me for digressing, I would like to give ta an example one aspect of “Stolen Generations” of Australia the effects of which are current. The aspect I would like to point out is, if one accepts that that was wrong action (was it?), it was brought out by thinking that people who had the power knew better than those poor little “Bonnies” so that their little brats must be rescued. Same goes with the reasoning of our man Adolf Hitler himself. Conviction that what he took was ideal world for the Aryan races must be imposed on others at any cost.
So suppose there are around 40 odd million people of Burma with no internet access and are currently not in position to enjoy KFC in various countries around the world. And how do people know want they want? There is sure evidence a lot of people know what they SHOULD want. You said jobs. Exact words spoken by that Amay Suu.
Did you see around Kachin Land the returnees from “jobs” elsewhere? Most with dyed hair and drug habit spending time in drink houses. If one were to physically move those factories (after getting that electricity courtesy of dammed rivers) inland, do you believe that the future is going to be so bright losing those dyed hair and drug habits or worse? Jobs!
It is wrong to appeal to Lawba (Greed) and Mawba (Pride). Shining cars, big, big buildings and 4G internet better than that in the United States, etc, etc. Catching up with those uppity neighbors!!! And for that greed and misplaced pride all one needs is to sell your land, waters, manual labor and most of all your souls.
I do see such drumming up of Lawba and Mawha as criminal acts. Not criticism but denunciation.
What to do, you asked. A positive. It is indeed too simple. Our friend U Moe Aung has written these three words ad nauseum.
Peace, Land and Food!
Before 18th August 2011, the need of the country was well defined. People off the yoke of military grip. Then minding their own business in freedom.
Now it appears people are not really wanting to be free of the military at all. They simply want be like Singapore! And for that “Paradise” , people are not only prepared to cheer their own enslaver and torturer, military fronted by Thein Sein but also condemn their own numbers like those of the people of Latpadaung. ( In story, Hinthar Koe thaung were destroyed when they started to cannibalize.)
So coming back to what to do, people have to realize which are really important things in life and which are simple mirage dragging them down to the applause of the opportunists.
There must be real peace. With arms reduction and troop demobilization. And then concerted effort for food production of own variety of grains as opposed to Monsanto dictated ones which are illegal even to plant again next year.
These might sound pipe dream. As the current state goes they are. Currently because of immense Lawba and Mawha glowing out of the country and of course for the last year or so Dawtha (rage), Burma appeals to the money changers, opportunists and shady deal makers. And they are jam packed in Rangoon and that Horridly named Nay Pyi Daw.
But once the house is in order and the people of Burma can demonstrated their good intention and efforts, that will appeal to different sets of people. People who are genuinely interested to help others. In agriculture. In fisheries, in small scale manufacturing, in transport, in trade. And food will always be available in the bountiful land of Burma.
But with trying to catch up or overtake those inferior Asians and the others by any means available and selling out anything coming to hand including manual labor, there will never be social justice let alone equanimity.
In short, as it is, nothing can help your unemployed wannabe pop-stars as the whole country seems to be rejoicing rushing along, along with their own torturers, in totally opposite direction to where it should be heading.
To stand on you own feet, first the country must stop and think and turn in different direction for the current direction sure leads to hell. Hell with 4G and Ferrari Police cars.
Open letter on Sombath Somphone
I hope the letter elicits a substantial response, although I wouldn’t expect much from either the current or future Australian government.
The Myanmar-Kachin truce
Thanks for the post Lleij.
Sorry you have to witness that. But that is what happens to a person when there is constant lying, cheating, treachery (last one wasn’t that long ago) and threat to life or property. Hard to know it is caused by previous experience or current fear though but there is palpable fear around. Check Matt Schissler’s post.
Incidentally traditional Burmese good or bad spirits are either black with red eyes or white. Not green and there is no alien concept thanks goodness. In fact that celebrated book of Pascal Khew Thway caled “From the Land of Green Ghost” is somewhat literal translation of Burmese saying “A-sane-the-ye” which is not really meant to be green color anything but the manner of death meaning violent death which is particularly feared by Burmese folks and are currently having a plenty all over the country in a Nobel Prize worthy climate. (Please tell me those deaths are my own sick delusional psychedelic trips and in fact people of Meikhtila are so overjoyed as are in Lashio, Okkan, etc, etc.
I do apologize for the word “Jew” if it is offensive. Again Burmese have no sense of either antisemitism as there have virtually no contact with them at all or Nazism beyond sporting a funny symbol thinking it is cool. But there surely is this recurring “coincidence” of Michael Aris, Albright, MItchell and Soros.
The one I do mention is indeed Soros who put in money and seemingly unlimited resources for O’Brien fronted small company for absolute control of the communications lines in the country for sure. Promise 4G within 6 months (in a country people are starving), Digicel hats everywhere, Digicel promotion one cannot miss, constant mention in one journal or other almost every day, etc,etc.
And also please reassure me that those control of communication is nothing at all. That Rothschilds guy was rightly or wrongly attributed to have said if one got control of the monetary system in a country, he did not care who was in the government or what was the political system or something in those lines. And that bad man from MIT Chomsky said money was now used 99% for speculation (trillion dollars changing hands in a day) and one percent for real trade and all were done electronically so much so that that old man Sheik Nazar Hosein thought one day you might find you bank account simply disappeared or you cannot buy KFC right at the window with that smiling girl or something scary like that.
Please do tell me that that good and benevolent and altruistic Soros is simply keen to give the very latest technology tot he poor little Burmese with no intention of having access to communication or study the pattern of electronic financial transaction which will come soon courtesy of IMF or use the control in any way un-kosher even at a time crisis, etc. Funny enough current paper money people lug around in large sacks is Soros or any financial control proof to a degree.
I did write before that with the great progress and advent of electronic money someone getting bored during Shakshukacan can tap a few keys to wipe off you bank account and therefore your life out. Somehow that fear sticks with me. And that guy/ guyess is not likely to be even green colored!
Somehow it is hard to believe that all these people coming to Burma all of a sudden are so, so keen for the betterment of those little Burmese.
Fortunately for them that is the current prevailing opinion of all the academics and most vocal “advocates” associated with the country. They surely are welcome like lost relatives by the power holders in whatever hip uniform they are wearing.
Yet question remains whether the majority public, the true owners of the lands and waters and trade routes if they truly are aware of the fate that awaits them like those little Bolivians dying of thirst, would be so obligingly die quietly for them. People of Latpadaung do not seem so keen.
What’s brewing in Thailand?
Fitch Ratings raised Thailand’s credit rating just three months ago as reported by Bloomberg.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-10/thailand-raised-by-fitch-on-yingluck-stability-southeast-asia.html
In contrast to Moody’s potential downgrade, this received very little coverage by Thai media.
Singapore’s insatiable hunger for sand
So why is there no reaction by the international press and NGO’s , when the Singapore government touts Singapore a s clean green and ecological city.
Make sure the rest of the world knows what Singapore really is and how its government reacts
What’s brewing in Thailand?
Moody’s (international credit rating agency) is warning that “. . . accumulated and potential losses from the rice buying scheme, if it is not modified, will make it harder for the government to reach its goal of a balanced budget by 2017 and are a negative factor in Thailand’s sovereign credit rating …”
Now that is really a jarring dire warning. There is a patently reckless streak in the manner the Yingluck regime goes about with government finances that has drawn the attention of Moody’s. That is no small matter btw. Thailand is currently rated Baaa1 but could be upgraded to A with more ‘financial circumspection’ by the Yingluck administration. The rating difference could mean approximately 50 basis points in interest costs to Thailand. Thailand’s total government debts at Baht 5,550 billion means Baht 28 billion more in interest costs … and borrowing costs of Thai corporates also would go up for any downgrade on Thailand’s sovereign credit rating.
That should give serious pause to all the pink-Bentley-Lamborghini-driving-Peau-Thai-ministers … maybe prod them a little that paying properly assessed taxes on their flashy cars could improve Thailand’s sovereign credit rating, no?
Open letter on Sombath Somphone
https://www.facebook.com/mekongwatch/posts/611055462246595
“The Wife of a Victim of Enforced Disappearance
Makes an Appeal at a Public Seminar in Japan; The Need for the Japanese Government to Cooperate on Human Rights Issues in Thailand and Laos”
… Ms. Yuka Kiguchi, the Director of Mekong Watch, reviewing the discussions of the seminar, stated that, “the Government of Japan should encourage the Government of Laos to investigate Mr. Sombath’s case, prevent further occurrences of enforced disappearance, and also not limit civil society activities. In addition, when considering ODA policies for Laos, the Government of Japan should give more weight to the human rights perspective.”
The Myanmar-Kachin truce
Dear Ohn,
I’m confused. In your scenario, just where do the shape-shifting alien Reptilians from Alpha Draconis fit in? Or are they whom you mean when you referenced “the Jews” and you were just being coy due to the 24-hour electronic surveillance you experience by the shadowy agents of CIA/Freemason/Zionist/Lizard People axis?
Wheels within wheels, Ohn, wheels within wheels.
Forced disappearance in Southeast Asia
In 1968 I was a foreign exchange student in Laos and lived with the renowned Bong Souvannavong family. I am researching the history of Bong Souvannavong with the idea of writing a book about him, my time in Laos, and his fate in the Lao re-education prison camps. I would also like to translate his book, Doctrine Lao, into English. I would appreciate any information that people coming to this site might have about the Souvannavong family and their experiences between 1968 and 1975. I would also like to find out about Bong’s youth and young adulthood, where he was educated and how he entered his political career. Thank you.
The Myanmar-Kachin truce
Dear Ohn,
It is as easy to criticize as it is to kill, unfortunately.
Of course every concerned world citizen should eye multinational corporations with mistrust, geared as they are towards maximizing profits and compelled to do so by the very law that guarantees and governs their existence.
However, not all business is bad for the people. Anyone who has actually spent any amount of time in the Kachin borderlands knows that what people desperately need is work and that the KIO stands absolutely no chance in its present international stranglehold without introducing investment and industry into its economy. Raw resource extraction and taxation belong to an old world order and can hardly be said to provide sustainable livelihoods for either states or people.
Rather than spitting fire at the ghost that very few (if any) of the readers of this blog worship or believe in, I would kindly ask you to give positive real-life examples from the world order that you are fighting for. In other words, not simply stating what is wrong everywhere but what has been done right and succeeded. What the Kachin in particular, and Burma in general, need today are usable ways to prevail between the economic and political interests of China, India and the US. Mere spite will get them nowhere.
The Myanmar-Kachin truce
#7.1.1.1.1
Like that blooming elephant, for the devotees of the neo-liberalism (a dirty word) damming all the rivers for that precious electricity for the (what else?) various factories of slave labor with NO RULES or LAWS or subject to any TAX, crisscrossing the land with all manners of transports and dumping of the consumer products and via electronic implements to make people feel inadequate and insecure for promotion of consumer products is the “economy of modern kind. Funny thing is these all play right into the game of the multinationals but the ground work is weirdly spear-headed by academic who occasionally gets pathetic charity if at all in each instance be it in any of those developed countries or central and south America, Africa or Asia. Any chance of making trade routes or mines or dredging the seabed or slave labor factories of burger chain or cosmetic companies (after making sure all women-and nowadays men- to feel hideous by themselves) will always and always be welcome by those disciples of “Advanced Economy” as one can easily see right at this blog. There is this curious capacity to block out literal HELL just besides it. For example none of the Thai economy is so wonderful writings and increased living standard crown has ability to see the underworld of around 5 million of un-counted and un-human filthy immigrants fed to leeches or sharks or sex- and-all-manners-of-slaved or simply killed for fun happening in the land of whizzing limousines or the loss of traditional values or social cohesion. Indonesia, Malaysia, everywhere.
Burma currently has unprecedented onslaught of all agents of multinational companies in various shapes and forms. Palatable Asian looking executives of multinational loan agencies (controlled by US and NATO countries), various NGO’s of dubious funding and intention, various well known current and previous government figures- some more appealing to the Burmese public than other like Clinton family or Albright woman, Jewish financial interests who will have total control of communication lines soon (whoever controls the communication lines and money controls the country regardless of any political pretension or whoever is the office holder), most right wing fraternity of Japanese establishment and those baby faced interlopers for the international business men all the way from Scandinavia.
It now appears that US (its Pacific Protégé in tow for sure) and NATO would guarantee the very survival and longevity of Than Shwe led military of Burma against the outside as well as more important -traditional arch-enemy of Bamar Sit-tut masses of people of Burma- in return for free hand of US and European multinationals for the resource extraction, dumping any waste product that incurred and consumer product dumping ( where Burmese Ex-pats will be most reliable and staunch allies for them) and that all important access for military and trade routes to China.
Again most horrible burning alive human right in the middle of town right in the daylight would be blithely ignored. (One would be rude to mention those in Nobel Prize acceptance speech.)
Already real owners of the land in Latpadaung (recipient of War Crime atrocities – that very American and Jewish White Phosphorus- continuing to be incarcerated, beaten and tortured) are forgotten to celebrate the Economic Forum which will multiply so many Latpadaung’s one would lose count.
Unfortunately by drumming up the most evil and ruthless government via their agent Aung San Suu Kyi, the “developed” war is watering a poison plant which will spread like genuine pandemic flu (not that fake one where Roche made tens of billions of dollars from Tamiflu alone).
We will now see very polished production of how benevolent and obliging Thein Sein government is and how the people around the world admire his leadership (him being simply oracle for his handlers and has no clue what he can or cannot say at any given time is beside the point) and how much those little Burmese are LOOOOVED by the people of the developed world and are all putting all the effort and money in for their benefit. In short usual formula BS until the people has no breathing space left with gradual strangulation.
Curiously, you know the Burmese. Very unorthodox. It will be very interesting experiment how much they are fooled and how well they are intimidated and how ruthless they would be once the masks come off.
Peace indeed.
(By the way if US and NATO would guarantee the current military guys for full help and protection against the Chinese and mainly the public of Burma that particular arrangement would be exactly like that of the House of Saud. Curious, eh.)
The Myanmar-Kachin truce
Cynicism I agree is born of historical evidence and more importantly personal experience for the Burmese people. We ask ourselves, do they have a record of social responsibility, altruism, selflessness and a genuine desire for peace? Or have they always looked out for number one?
A dichotomy between rhetoric and practice, PR including going through the motions and the real agenda is something the elites, domestic and international, share and display. So all’s gonna be just hunky-dory for some. They’ll be laughing all the way to the bank, and the rest of us get suckered. Bliss.
The Myanmar-Kachin truce
make that salt and pepper…
The Myanmar-Kachin truce
I don’t feel this Betelspitter is saying that country-wide peace would not be praiseworthy (correct me if I’m off on this Betelspitter).
I think she/he’s simply pointing out his/her small (or nil) faith in the present government pressing forward with ‘true’ peace (let’s say by “true peace”, something that goes beyond a cessation of hostilities and an outcome better than that we’ve seen in, say, Sri Lanka post the Sinhalese defeat of the Tamil Tigers).
I for one concur with betelspitter’s lack of optimism, which does not detract at all from the fact that I would give my strongest praise to any such settlement (the sort of effort that would actually please all, from IDP and refugee camps in the highlands, to the poor lowland peasants land workers, to affluent and middle classes of Yangon/Mandalay and ethnic state capitals).
That’s simply not on the pages as far as I’m concerned, and as I note below, a bit more of what I call hard nosed analysis would do more good than harm in bringing about such a settlement.
Thanks,
Albert
The Myanmar-Kachin truce
All I seem to hear from Nicholas since the 2011 ‘change’ in Myanmar politics is cautious optimism, optimism, or euphemistic examinations of largely apolitical issues.
Let’s bring back into this discussion a bit more hard-nosed analysis, a bit more pessimism, a bit more blunt criticism. This is not the UN or some other diplomatic fora where walking of egg shells has a value in of itself– this is an academic/public discussions site and I think there is ample reason to start easing on down on the cautious optimism (this all the more so an academic’s role, seeing as Canberra, DC, and London are offering bounties of sugar coating).
Readers and constituents (both West and East, North and South) will benefit from a bit more salt amongst these mountains of sugar.
Thanks,
Albert
The pharaoh returns?
“Ambiga had come for a meeting with Immigration Department director-general Datuk Alias Ahmad to get an explanation on his recent reported statement that the passports of over 6,000 Malaysians will be cancelled for tarnishing the country’s image overseas.”
Above not related to Mahathir, but I think readers of NM should know. The immigration dept is also acting like the political wing of the BN Govt. To make matters worse, it is totally abusing its power.
Why Thailand needs its king
[…] this article on “Why Thailand needs it King“, which helps one to see how the King represents balance and […]
The Myanmar-Kachin truce
I do wish you are right and I do wish I simply am a irrational cynic and doomsayer with no foundation.
But events on the ground would say otherwise. It is easy for bystanders to act as circus promoters as there has been non-stop circus in town ever since that fateful 18th of August 2011 before which every one now doing non-stop “Mostest Wonderfullest Thamada Gyi” were still vilifying all military and ex-military personnel of indisputably called Burma then and disparaging the truly odious junta and fake constitution which by the way is now as sacred as the bible and no one can touch it except for a round of fake “revision” Circus which will be staged soon.
Peace for ordinary mortals means less killing and threat with LESS killers and arsenals.
But it is not so, alas! It appears now peace means some one (as it happens one with no credibility whatsoever) saying whatever comes to the mind (whatever the audience is so desperate to hear) and then blithely continuing to build up number of killers – Sit-thers or if so inclined to genuflection, Tatmadaw-thars- (which is already more than UK and Germany forces combined) and build up more arsenals and GRAB more and more land for the purpose. It is now done with acknowledged help from the world’s best killing nation the United States who will also teach them how to “control” those future swarms of masses driven from their ancestral land (as in Latpadaung) or those not willing to take sub-sustenance wage for manual labor as seen in Thai factories and a lot of Burmese ones in the “Industrial Zones”.
Please do say that that good and kind and Nobel Prize winning “Thamada Gyi” is not going to kill more of the Burmese citizens ( Are Kalars, regardless of religion, human in this wonderful Nobel Prize winning scheme?) and accordingly is going to dismantle the Sit-tut and is not wasting the public money on guns which is the very cause of the economic failure of the country in the first place.
There is though is nothing whatsoever wrong with the Nobel Peace Prize itself. Most of the previous recipients of this made up prize fittingly were War Criminals anyway just un-indictable as “Rule of Law” is owned by them.