Thomas Bell from The Telegraph has an informative report updating us on what motivated John Yettaw to swim across Inya Lake to Aung San Suu Kyi’s compound. If you haven’t been following the news you might not know that as a consequence she is now on trial for breaching the terms of her house arrest. According to Aung San Suu Kyi’s lawyer, during Yettaw’s three-hour testimony he claimed to have been “sent by God”.
Many religions sign up to the notion that God works in mysterious ways. Has Yettaw answered Than Shwe’s prayers? Or is a higher power now preparing to intervene?
It is an intriguing puzzle whether the junta discovered the madman Yettaw and deliberately let him swim over the lake or even gave him the idea, or whether their security is so incompetent that he really slipped through.
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That John Yettaw was able to swim across the lake and enter the home of Aung San Suu Kyi isn’t the result of some grand conspiracy by the SPDC.
If they wanted to continue her house arrest, they would have just done it, no excuses needed.
All John Yettaw did was provide them a legitimate reason (in their eyes only).
American society is full of John Yettaw’s. Little men who are seeking fame and fortune. They stand in Times Square, holding placards stating that the end is near. They stand in the well of the senate, proclaiming one grand thing or another. They write letters to the editor about one thing or another, then clap themselves on the back for their supposed quick wit, and that they have achieved some measure of notoriety.
When the trial of Aung San Suu Kyi reaches its conclusion, John Yettaw will sink back into obscurity. But the damage he has done will be with us for quite some time.
Another person, looking for fame, who has caused more problems than he could ever hope to solve.
I would wager that when / if he ever returns home, he will be welcomed back as a hero by people who have only the remotest understanding of what he did.
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i’ve been to myanmar, a couple of times in recent years.
just for new mandala entertainment
1) http://www.asianewsnet.net/news.php?id=5751
it’s nirmal ghosh. publication date is may15th. if you’ve time to follow up you might find in re-distribution a part is missing:
“The realities of Burma are not as black and white as they may seem in faraway Western capitals and to the woolly activists the country is prone to attract.
The army is the only functional institution left and views everything through a national security lens. It is a contradiction to expect the regime to divest power when it sees itself as the only institution capable of preventing the country from collapsing and ending up as a failed state.”
*…
2) http://www.lowyinterpreter.org./post/2009/05/26/Conspiracies.aspx
imho, it’s one of the better farang report on events. i like:
“In looking for explanations of developments in Burma, and given the choice between conspiracy and cock-up, it is usually safer to opt for the cock-up. In this case, it appears that there were two. A rather foolish and naive man simply failed to think through the dire consequences of his actions. The regime’s mistake was in not being more vigilant in their patrols around Aung San Suu Kyi’s compound. The result of these cock-ups has been a major international incident.”
*…
3) actually, imho, all that doesn’t matter at all. maybe for your inspiration you might read this:
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/KE28Ae01.html
“On April 28, simultaneous meetings were held between Myanmar military commanders and representatives of every major ethnic ceasefire army in the north and northeast of the country.
In Myitkyina, Brigadier General Soe Win, the Northern Command commander met with leaders of the Kachin Independence Organization/Army (KIO/A), and the National Democratic Army-Kachin (NDA-K). The Shan State Army (North) (SSA-N) met with Major General Aung Than Htut, Northeastern Command commander, in Lashio, the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) met with Brigadier General Win Maung and meetings were held with the National Democratic Alliance Army (Eastern Shan State) (NDAA-ESS). Most importantly, Lieutenant-General Ye Myint met with the United Wa State Army (UWSA) in Tangyan, eastern Shan State. ”
thx 4 ur time dear new mandala
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