Lord help us! Not another crazy anthropologist taking what people think seriously! How will we ever understand human action if we start focussing on what they believe?
Ralph – The President has come a long way from his initially disastrous suggestion to UNHCR Antonio Guterres that the ‘Rohingya’ population should be resettled overseas. He has since said that attitudes must change and that they should be given education. Now he has gone so far as make a commitment to observe international standards in a joint statement with the Norwegian Prime Minister.
Whether you or I believe him is not important. It is however up to the international community to use their influence to see that he lives up to his commitment as best he can. But you and I know that attitudes on the ground will not change overnight, as Zarganar has found, to his immense frustration.
Meanwhile the good news is that I have at long last found documentary evidence that U Nu almost used the word “Rohingya” in his radio broadcast on 25 September 1954. I was sent a printed text of 28 newspaper columns, and in column 5 I indeed came across a word which is spelt ‘Ruhingya’ (in Burmese). The type-setter had clearly never seen or heard the word before (or since) and did his best. Indeed, it was probably the only time in his life that he had ever been required to set the word in type. Selected text at:
I do not somehow feel that a lecture by U Nu on religion some 57 years ago has any great relevance to the very serious situation in Rakhine State today.
Remarkably, the author argues that, “by naming the potential for accident and death as a spirit with which they can communicate, informal-economy workers attempt to change the potential for misfortune into its opposite.”
“(More than 5,000 Burmese and Kayin soldiers were killed in the one-week-long battle of Kormoora alone in 1989)”
One little know fact among dozens of similar other that have and will justify any future killings among brothers.
Fascinating, unimaginable barbarous in the age of neat precise drone strike.
Western academics tendency to oversimplify matter can indeed help by encouraging the sure win win SIMPLEST solution of helping the whole citizenry through normal commerce, in a sustain way without anymore divisiveness, and see Myanmar transform in a period much shorter than 3 decades.
History is full of examples/reminders of ‘the common enemy’ that has forged unity among different ethnic groups that subsequently gone on to ethnic strife such as within Myanmar.
Myanmar has at least 8 major significant ethnic groups with the Bamar as the largest one since the time of Anawretha 1040 AD.
The common enemy being the British then and the subsequent resulting Kayin Bamar and other strives, some that are political in nature.
The political strife of Burma Communist Party vs then U Nu/Ne Win subsequently ended due to NO support, from the west for the BCP and Ne Win’s 4 cut strategy.
This present continual Kayin vs Bamar is the result of the West periodic perfunctory interferences.
These interferences varied from offer of misguided sympathy to false outcry of religious persecution, from the threat of Hague to out right arming both sides when ever expedient to the west geo-political flavor dujour. Not surprising to see ingrained intransigence in ALL parties.
The just ended useless careless sanction exemplify all the above quality that fueled the ongoing strives.
It is surprising under all these onerous condition that only a few significant strives remain in Myanmar that has at least 100 ethic groups.
The West know well about Myanmar history
ALWAYS exemplify unity/PROSPERITY under the benevolence of the stronger Bamar over all other smaller ethnic groups.
THIS IS THE COMMON DESTINY.
After decades long conflicts that has produced litany of wrongdoing, moving on everyone need to promote ‘a common destiny’ instead of ‘a common enemy’ to again make Myanmar a nation of ethnic brothers.
The 1st step to promote this aspect now is relentlessly promoting common prosperity.
Common prosperity?
Begin with Education, Healthcare and Economic well being.
An optimistic and (I think) realistic analysis.
Myanmar’s conflicts are similar to, but less resolved than those in Thailand and many places. Small, isolated cultures of the hills are increasingly mixing with the bigger cultures of the plains where the infrastructure of trade and governance is better developed. The spread of this infrastructure into hitherto less accessible regions, and the resulting cultural mixing is inevitable. If there is to be a successful national culture, it has to be a greatly enriched one that incorporates all the useful and delightful aspects of the small and large cultures, and extinguishes their petty xenophobia, chauvinism, cruelties, and destructive follies.
Are you serious? Surely the prospect of return to war in eastern Burma, or elsewhere, is still real and needs to be discussed. All sorts of things can go wrong.
Returning to war is a horrendous prospect. But that’s why we need to discuss it without resorting to these personal put-downs. There is simply too much at stake.
Further on the notion of “growth” in the Asian context (taken from the TLC mailing list):
Call for Abstracts
5th International Conference
Growth: Critical perspectives from Asia
13-14 June 2013 – Asian Dynamics Initiative – University of Copenhagen
Over the past fifty years we have witnessed phenomenal economic growth in Asia, lifting millions of people out of poverty, and propelling many Asian nations to premier ranks in the global order, but as the social and ecological costs become more apparent, economic and demographic growth looms as both promise and peril.
The concept of growth has not only been central to economic theory and ecological critique, but also to social and cultural theories of societal and civilizational trans-formation that increasingly challenges universalizing Western notions of modernity. This conference critically examines the notion of growth and the ways in which it is shaping social-political landscapes in Asia. We define and question growth in this very broad sense, implying that quantitative changes are inevitably accompanied by qualitative transformations, and paying equal attention to the intricate interconnectedness of naturally occurring growth and human interference as well as to its limitations, stagnation, decline and renewal. Understood in this extended sense, the term and related concepts can be fruitfully used to explore social, economic and cultural processes across time and space within the macro-region of Asia (and beyond) from cross-disciplinary perspectives.
Based on this notion of growth not as an autonomous, self-determined entity but as the outcome of close and constant interaction between nature and purposeful human action, at this conference we propose to rethink and scrutinize this concept from an Asian perspective and from multi-disciplinary vantage points – cultural, economic and social.
Alex Bookbinder no doubt meant well for the Kayin knowing his research is on APMs within Myanmar.
Involvement in a few field amputations of innocent villagers will forever imprint anyone on this senseless brutality from present quagmire.
The problem has evolved over so many decades of justifiable hatred, mistrust and pathos that are fueled by, believe it or not, the West.
Misguided sympathy such as this one motivated by APMs neither provide solution nor hasten towards the bitter end, as seen in how it has always been and always will be through out the History of Myanmar. Thus continuation of this ‘longest civil war’.
WA a minor ethnic group by any measure might be a poor example yet pertinent because essentially labeled as Chinese/Drug lords (without resource!), are astute enough to maintain an ironclad symbiotic relation.
Heavily armed yet vested themselves fully in $$ and politics making them a model that must be copied.
Recognizing the Bamar dominance yet having autonomy in every ways.
Anyone who wish to end this quagmire must remind ALL within Myanmar of the common destiny instead of another misguided sympathetic article that will certainly fuel the continuation of present quagmire.
Unless you are either a Burmese or Kayin you wouldn’t have a clue about the unspeakable brutality of war among brothers.
(More than 5,000 Burmese and Kayin soldiers were killed in the one-week-long battle of Kormoora alone in 1989)
No one Burmese or Kayin will ever say lightly about returning to war as we have been unbelievably suffering too long for more than 60 years.
Only a westerner with in-built negative view about Burma will dare come out and write of the possibility of us Burmese and Kayins killing each other again, I believe.
Some Asians living in Australia “have a negative impression” perhaps as a result of dealing with Australia’s great institutions such as the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, the Australian Passport Office or their agents Australia Post.
Don’t suppose they don’t go home and tell their relatives.
Aung Moe, thanks for sharing the video. While friendly face time between the two sides is obviously very positive, I’m tempted to agree that one friendly soccer match doth not a durable peace make.
I only touched on this slightly, but it’s also important to remember that different brigade commanders within the KNU are/were more open to the ceasefire than others. What might be a true positive development in Brigade 1 isn’t necessarily going to hold throughout all Karen regions. And I’d argue that given the commercial interests at stake, friendly soccer matches are the exception, not the rule. The Tatmadaw is stockpiling and fortifying, not demobilising. How can this just be explained away? Unless the KNU complies to the letter with the government’s exploitative agenda for Karen State (which it won’t, and shouldn’t, unless real evidence of cooperation and good faith are evident) I fail to see how lasting peace is a sure thing.
Plan B mentioned the fact that the government has left the Wa alone thus far as evidence that they’re not likely to attack the Karen. But there are big differences. First off, the UWSA controls little in the way of resources prized by Naypyidaw, unlike the KIA, so dealing with them is lower down the priority totem pole. Second of all, there are crony links between the UWSA and Naypyidaw which simply isn’t the case with the KNU or KIA (the UWSA’s ownership of Yangon Airways is the most obvious example). Plus, the sheer strength of the UWSA’s military machine makes it the one non-state armed group in Burma that might have a real chance at inflicting serious battlefield losses on the Tatmadaw if push were to come to shove.
I intentionally oversimplified and lumped together the armed groups operating in and around Karen State because they can, by and large, be grouped into two overarching categories (KNU and their allies, such as DKBA Brigade 5, and the Tatmadaw with the BGF and the KNU/KNLA Peace Council. Even that’s way oversimplified). This is a short piece and if you want detailed information on what groups are aligned with whom in Karen State, it’s out there.
I’m always astounded by people who seem to think that so-called “western academics” are part of some nefarious neocolonial plot to destabilise Burma. Why attack me personally? If I’m wrong, tell me how.
Don’t put the cheese knife away Derek for you seem to believe Thein Sein in his claim of “Myanmar’s long history as a tolerant society…”. If that is believed, then you’d better give just a little more credence to Nay San Lwin.
[…] of “Baan Tian,” he condemns entirely Thailand’s self-sufficiency economy in his article “Royal misrepresentation of rural livelihoods.” He suggests that “the sufficiency economy prescriptions for rural development are […]
The White Paper was written for Australians living in Australia and contradict many of the policies of the current government as Greg Sheridan has pointed out. There seems to have been negligible input from the many Australians who actually live in the region (some for many years ( not counting the Australian diplomats who live behind high walls for a couple of years). The only way to get students interested in the region is to take them to Asia for 3-6 months to study-work etc. Also re-introduce the Columbo plan in a more sophisticated way. This plan was axed by Gough Whitlam in a lamentable display of ignorance of Asia. Fortunately the mostly retired people on the Columbo Plan still have influence in Asia – to our advantage and to their countries as well.
Clear vision and insightful analysis. Minor points. Deputy Sheriff was John Howard’s own words. John Howard of “Truth Overboard” affair.
The Asian grudging togetherness is not going to happen until at least most Australians learn to say “Darwin” without sniffing.
But all is not lost as in the article. Today’s world is not about people to people connection. It is the decision making elites one has to capture. with money , politely called “development”, as a unting call, and Asia firmly under oligarchy and washed and painted dictators as in Burma for example, any thing can happen yet.
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The power of spirits
Well, the discussion is centered around pii-worship as a system of signification.
The power of spirits
Lord help us! Not another crazy anthropologist taking what people think seriously! How will we ever understand human action if we start focussing on what they believe?
Making Rohingya statelessness
Ralph – The President has come a long way from his initially disastrous suggestion to UNHCR Antonio Guterres that the ‘Rohingya’ population should be resettled overseas. He has since said that attitudes must change and that they should be given education. Now he has gone so far as make a commitment to observe international standards in a joint statement with the Norwegian Prime Minister.
Whether you or I believe him is not important. It is however up to the international community to use their influence to see that he lives up to his commitment as best he can. But you and I know that attitudes on the ground will not change overnight, as Zarganar has found, to his immense frustration.
Meanwhile the good news is that I have at long last found documentary evidence that U Nu almost used the word “Rohingya” in his radio broadcast on 25 September 1954. I was sent a printed text of 28 newspaper columns, and in column 5 I indeed came across a word which is spelt ‘Ruhingya’ (in Burmese). The type-setter had clearly never seen or heard the word before (or since) and did his best. Indeed, it was probably the only time in his life that he had ever been required to set the word in type. Selected text at:
http://www.networkmyanmar.org/images/stories/PDF13/U-Nu-250954.pdf
I do not somehow feel that a lecture by U Nu on religion some 57 years ago has any great relevance to the very serious situation in Rakhine State today.
The power of spirits
Further on spirits, see (from the TLC mailing list),
Andrew Alan Johnson, Naming chaos: Accident, precariousness, and the spirits of wildness in urban Thai spirit cults http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1548-1425.2012.01394.x/abstract.
Remarkably, the author argues that, “by naming the potential for accident and death as a spirit with which they can communicate, informal-economy workers attempt to change the potential for misfortune into its opposite.”
Will Karen State go to war again?
“(More than 5,000 Burmese and Kayin soldiers were killed in the one-week-long battle of Kormoora alone in 1989)”
One little know fact among dozens of similar other that have and will justify any future killings among brothers.
Fascinating, unimaginable barbarous in the age of neat precise drone strike.
Western academics tendency to oversimplify matter can indeed help by encouraging the sure win win SIMPLEST solution of helping the whole citizenry through normal commerce, in a sustain way without anymore divisiveness, and see Myanmar transform in a period much shorter than 3 decades.
Civil war and Naypyidaw
History is full of examples/reminders of ‘the common enemy’ that has forged unity among different ethnic groups that subsequently gone on to ethnic strife such as within Myanmar.
Myanmar has at least 8 major significant ethnic groups with the Bamar as the largest one since the time of Anawretha 1040 AD.
The common enemy being the British then and the subsequent resulting Kayin Bamar and other strives, some that are political in nature.
The political strife of Burma Communist Party vs then U Nu/Ne Win subsequently ended due to NO support, from the west for the BCP and Ne Win’s 4 cut strategy.
This present continual Kayin vs Bamar is the result of the West periodic perfunctory interferences.
These interferences varied from offer of misguided sympathy to false outcry of religious persecution, from the threat of Hague to out right arming both sides when ever expedient to the west geo-political flavor dujour. Not surprising to see ingrained intransigence in ALL parties.
The just ended useless careless sanction exemplify all the above quality that fueled the ongoing strives.
It is surprising under all these onerous condition that only a few significant strives remain in Myanmar that has at least 100 ethic groups.
The West know well about Myanmar history
ALWAYS exemplify unity/PROSPERITY under the benevolence of the stronger Bamar over all other smaller ethnic groups.
THIS IS THE COMMON DESTINY.
After decades long conflicts that has produced litany of wrongdoing, moving on everyone need to promote ‘a common destiny’ instead of ‘a common enemy’ to again make Myanmar a nation of ethnic brothers.
The 1st step to promote this aspect now is relentlessly promoting common prosperity.
Common prosperity?
Begin with Education, Healthcare and Economic well being.
Civil war and Naypyidaw
An optimistic and (I think) realistic analysis.
Myanmar’s conflicts are similar to, but less resolved than those in Thailand and many places. Small, isolated cultures of the hills are increasingly mixing with the bigger cultures of the plains where the infrastructure of trade and governance is better developed. The spread of this infrastructure into hitherto less accessible regions, and the resulting cultural mixing is inevitable. If there is to be a successful national culture, it has to be a greatly enriched one that incorporates all the useful and delightful aspects of the small and large cultures, and extinguishes their petty xenophobia, chauvinism, cruelties, and destructive follies.
Will Karen State go to war again?
Aung Moe,
Are you serious? Surely the prospect of return to war in eastern Burma, or elsewhere, is still real and needs to be discussed. All sorts of things can go wrong.
Returning to war is a horrendous prospect. But that’s why we need to discuss it without resorting to these personal put-downs. There is simply too much at stake.
Just ask the Kachin…
Best wishes to all,
Nich
The challenge of innovation in ASEAN
Further on the notion of “growth” in the Asian context (taken from the TLC mailing list):
Call for Abstracts
5th International Conference
Growth: Critical perspectives from Asia
13-14 June 2013 – Asian Dynamics Initiative – University of Copenhagen
Over the past fifty years we have witnessed phenomenal economic growth in Asia, lifting millions of people out of poverty, and propelling many Asian nations to premier ranks in the global order, but as the social and ecological costs become more apparent, economic and demographic growth looms as both promise and peril.
The concept of growth has not only been central to economic theory and ecological critique, but also to social and cultural theories of societal and civilizational trans-formation that increasingly challenges universalizing Western notions of modernity. This conference critically examines the notion of growth and the ways in which it is shaping social-political landscapes in Asia. We define and question growth in this very broad sense, implying that quantitative changes are inevitably accompanied by qualitative transformations, and paying equal attention to the intricate interconnectedness of naturally occurring growth and human interference as well as to its limitations, stagnation, decline and renewal. Understood in this extended sense, the term and related concepts can be fruitfully used to explore social, economic and cultural processes across time and space within the macro-region of Asia (and beyond) from cross-disciplinary perspectives.
Based on this notion of growth not as an autonomous, self-determined entity but as the outcome of close and constant interaction between nature and purposeful human action, at this conference we propose to rethink and scrutinize this concept from an Asian perspective and from multi-disciplinary vantage points – cultural, economic and social.
Dates
15 January 2013 Deadline for submitting abstracts
15 February 2013 Notification of acceptance
27 May 2013 Deadline for submitting paper
Please visit the conference website to read the full call for abstracts http://asiandynamics.ku.dk/english/growth/.
Abstracts including title, name and affiliation should be sent to [email protected].
Will Karen State go to war again?
Alex Bookbinder no doubt meant well for the Kayin knowing his research is on APMs within Myanmar.
Involvement in a few field amputations of innocent villagers will forever imprint anyone on this senseless brutality from present quagmire.
The problem has evolved over so many decades of justifiable hatred, mistrust and pathos that are fueled by, believe it or not, the West.
Misguided sympathy such as this one motivated by APMs neither provide solution nor hasten towards the bitter end, as seen in how it has always been and always will be through out the History of Myanmar. Thus continuation of this ‘longest civil war’.
WA a minor ethnic group by any measure might be a poor example yet pertinent because essentially labeled as Chinese/Drug lords (without resource!), are astute enough to maintain an ironclad symbiotic relation.
Heavily armed yet vested themselves fully in $$ and politics making them a model that must be copied.
Recognizing the Bamar dominance yet having autonomy in every ways.
Anyone who wish to end this quagmire must remind ALL within Myanmar of the common destiny instead of another misguided sympathetic article that will certainly fuel the continuation of present quagmire.
Will Karen State go to war again?
Unless you are either a Burmese or Kayin you wouldn’t have a clue about the unspeakable brutality of war among brothers.
(More than 5,000 Burmese and Kayin soldiers were killed in the one-week-long battle of Kormoora alone in 1989)
No one Burmese or Kayin will ever say lightly about returning to war as we have been unbelievably suffering too long for more than 60 years.
Only a westerner with in-built negative view about Burma will dare come out and write of the possibility of us Burmese and Kayins killing each other again, I believe.
Lost in Asia?
Remedy starts by recognition of the disease. Continued denial makes it festers.
Yes, there will be more Asians knocking on the doors.
No, Australia as a country today cannot function without the Asians already there.
Protect Siam: What’s new?
Those CPT uniforms look very crisp and starched – not the least bit jungle-worn. Must be new-issue !
Lost in Asia?
Some Asians living in Australia “have a negative impression” perhaps as a result of dealing with Australia’s great institutions such as the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, the Australian Passport Office or their agents Australia Post.
Don’t suppose they don’t go home and tell their relatives.
Will Karen State go to war again?
Aung Moe, thanks for sharing the video. While friendly face time between the two sides is obviously very positive, I’m tempted to agree that one friendly soccer match doth not a durable peace make.
I only touched on this slightly, but it’s also important to remember that different brigade commanders within the KNU are/were more open to the ceasefire than others. What might be a true positive development in Brigade 1 isn’t necessarily going to hold throughout all Karen regions. And I’d argue that given the commercial interests at stake, friendly soccer matches are the exception, not the rule. The Tatmadaw is stockpiling and fortifying, not demobilising. How can this just be explained away? Unless the KNU complies to the letter with the government’s exploitative agenda for Karen State (which it won’t, and shouldn’t, unless real evidence of cooperation and good faith are evident) I fail to see how lasting peace is a sure thing.
Plan B mentioned the fact that the government has left the Wa alone thus far as evidence that they’re not likely to attack the Karen. But there are big differences. First off, the UWSA controls little in the way of resources prized by Naypyidaw, unlike the KIA, so dealing with them is lower down the priority totem pole. Second of all, there are crony links between the UWSA and Naypyidaw which simply isn’t the case with the KNU or KIA (the UWSA’s ownership of Yangon Airways is the most obvious example). Plus, the sheer strength of the UWSA’s military machine makes it the one non-state armed group in Burma that might have a real chance at inflicting serious battlefield losses on the Tatmadaw if push were to come to shove.
I intentionally oversimplified and lumped together the armed groups operating in and around Karen State because they can, by and large, be grouped into two overarching categories (KNU and their allies, such as DKBA Brigade 5, and the Tatmadaw with the BGF and the KNU/KNLA Peace Council. Even that’s way oversimplified). This is a short piece and if you want detailed information on what groups are aligned with whom in Karen State, it’s out there.
I’m always astounded by people who seem to think that so-called “western academics” are part of some nefarious neocolonial plot to destabilise Burma. Why attack me personally? If I’m wrong, tell me how.
Making Rohingya statelessness
Don’t put the cheese knife away Derek for you seem to believe Thein Sein in his claim of “Myanmar’s long history as a tolerant society…”. If that is believed, then you’d better give just a little more credence to Nay San Lwin.
Royal misrepresentation of rural livelihoods
[…] of “Baan Tian,” he condemns entirely Thailand’s self-sufficiency economy in his article “Royal misrepresentation of rural livelihoods.” He suggests that “the sufficiency economy prescriptions for rural development are […]
Lost in Asia?
The White Paper was written for Australians living in Australia and contradict many of the policies of the current government as Greg Sheridan has pointed out. There seems to have been negligible input from the many Australians who actually live in the region (some for many years ( not counting the Australian diplomats who live behind high walls for a couple of years). The only way to get students interested in the region is to take them to Asia for 3-6 months to study-work etc. Also re-introduce the Columbo plan in a more sophisticated way. This plan was axed by Gough Whitlam in a lamentable display of ignorance of Asia. Fortunately the mostly retired people on the Columbo Plan still have influence in Asia – to our advantage and to their countries as well.
Lost in Asia?
The White Paper fails to address how business people should handle, and how students are to be educated about, Asia’s endemic corruption.
Lost in Asia?
Clear vision and insightful analysis. Minor points. Deputy Sheriff was John Howard’s own words. John Howard of “Truth Overboard” affair.
The Asian grudging togetherness is not going to happen until at least most Australians learn to say “Darwin” without sniffing.
But all is not lost as in the article. Today’s world is not about people to people connection. It is the decision making elites one has to capture. with money , politely called “development”, as a unting call, and Asia firmly under oligarchy and washed and painted dictators as in Burma for example, any thing can happen yet.
Please don’t say “Human Rights” is a real word.