The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
The Forum - On Line Opinion's article discussion area



Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Main Articles General

Sign In      Register

The Forum > Article Comments > Burma and its Orwellian junta > Comments

Burma and its Orwellian junta : Comments

By Tom Clifford, published 2/10/2007

In return for its largesse in Burma, China gets crude oil, natural gas and access to the Indian Ocean. Burma gets air cover against any flak from the West.

  1. Pages:
  2. Page 1
  3. 2
  4. All
Part of the problem with Burma is the poor standard of reportage about this poor country, of which this article is an example.
It's just a cut and paste mish-mash of previously published material, some vaguely accurate but most of it erroneous.
Like all such articles it just reinforces a sort of voodoo horribleness of the Burma regime which really serves no valid purpose.
we all know the regime is bad but to progress we really need to start engaging with the military and to get learned insight on what is really happening, who the players really are and so on.
The world needs to educate itself about this country and why it is in its current mess. Ignorant articles like this simply exacerbate the problems.
Just one correction: Orwell academics have consistently grounded the theories that there is any connection between Orwell's first book, Burmese days and Animal farm and 1984.
Burmese Days, for those who have read it, isn't actually about an Orewellian nightmare regarding the Burmese totalitarianism which didn't exist in Orwell's day : it is an indictment of the savagery, cruelty and insensitivity of British colonial rule in Burma.
Orwell was a colonial policeman there, and one of his jobs was to witness the countless executions perpetrated by the British. What he saw caused him to quit his career and become down and out in Paris.
In writing this I'm not an apologist for the Buemse regime ; quite the opposite. I'm saying that coverage of the situation needs to become more mature and learned and a world armed with understanding and knowledge might just be able to help disarm the military regime.
Posted by piotr, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 10:24:11 AM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
"we all know the regime is bad but to progress we really need to start engaging with the military and to get learned insight on what is really happening, who the players really are and so on."

Australia has been actively engaging with the Burmese Junta for a while now, extending beyond the diplomatic to training on Human Rights for Burmese officials (not that that seems to have done much good) as well as building links between the Burmese police and the AFP.

The problem lies in the fact that the Junta is bordering on the xenophobic. They barely listen to their biggest ally (China) and routinely tell the rest of the world to go jump.
Posted by James Purser, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 10:27:48 AM
Find out more about this user Visit this user's webpage Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Burma's Situation is NOT written in the stars.

The Monks for their NON VIOLENT ACTION is the most important moment in Civic vs Government vs Business relations in the history of modern time.

We the human race are at cross-road. The Monks of Burma who have done everything for everyone and with their LIFE, show us how ridiculous and out of BALANCE the world is.

I hear Norway, I hear the UN and wish we could DO more to support the UN. I do not hear Australian leaders or any expressions of real Western, ASEAN or APEC committment to resolving this crisis.

Like Darfur, we appear to be NUMB on the things that matter and have little to say unless it is about threats or santions, that could cause more unbalance to an already emotionally deprived and ethically desperate world.

Yes I believe Business groups must now step up to help and be heard... this mess cant go on.

The Burmese Black Market as with the other CRIME Cartels in the world are at the core of our problem. Western Nations need to scruntise their own countries involvement before TRUST in governments and their political and business associations can be transparently accepted.

Poverty Breeds Crime.

The powerbase is between boarders exbounds all the issues that under-mine democracy. They fester with the complexity of life that hangs on the margins of under-development.

Our long-term goal must to face this music at whatever cost. This is to clear the way for sustainable living (Alma Ata) by ridding the backage of dishonesty and crime indices that is tearing the worlds whole connectivity apart.

Leaders need to be Leaders and DO SOMETHING that counter-acts the violence and hostility we have become so used to in the world.

For me the Monks Give Us All Hope that we have capacity to change the way we inter-relate giving good reason why our mindfulness must become more ethically active.

ie: We stand and watch as the "legitimacy to the junta who have gutted the country for their own pockets"... has us fooled.

http://www.miacat.com/
.
Posted by miacat, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 11:18:10 AM
Find out more about this user Visit this user's webpage Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
piotr

I agree. The article is almost stream of consciousness stuff. Nothing really about the current Burmese crackdown.

Its literary angle is a rather pathetic waste of space when what we really expect is informed commentary on the CURRENT situation.

SBS coverage of the crackdown has been similarly unenlightening. Constant scenes beatings, blood and sandals on the pavement are tragic but lose their impact when there appears to be no incountry reporting. The SBS reporter talking from northern Thailand has no advantages of geography.

Without the British Ambassador's commentary we Australians would be even further in the dark.

Presumably Australia's Embassy have been gagged due to ASEAN regional and trade sensitivities. So we (Aussie public) have to rely on the Brits.

Pete
Posted by plantagenet, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 12:49:57 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Pete,

I assume you have considered the fact that the Junta doesn’t want any information getting out because it is all damaging. SBS’s footage and that of others is composed of what little a few brave and hardy souls are able to secret out of the country. Footage of the Japanese journalist being shot brings sharply into focus the junta’s attitude to the free press.

China has always been deliberately unhelpful because it knows when all of the other petty dictatorships have fallen the world will come calling for them.

The commitment and bravery of the protesters brings to mind the Chinese students at Tiananmen Square. Surely the western world must do something to help these people who should rightly be considered our allies in the fight for democracy and freedom.

Bushbred

This is where your realpolitik falls down since it is in no nations self interest to help the Burmese. On the contrary, retaining good relations with China is a concrete reason not to interfere.

So what do we do Pete?
Posted by Paul.L, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 2:42:54 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
There's your problem if the government is consulting astronomers. The doors are wide open for demon activity and for the fallen powers to gain control. The average christian observer will confirm this. What can be done about it goes down to intense prayer to break the military hold and to dispalce the powers manipulating the government. Thats the Bible process. Christians take aim at the Burma military and their evil spirit consultants. Third world countries are poor and in troubles because of the evil spirit activity in them. Down in central and sth America its the RC church and the powers behind it, that have their hands around the throats of the people. Wherever the Word has been rejected or altered (RC practices) the people suffer.
Posted by Gibo, Tuesday, 2 October 2007 3:20:38 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
  1. Pages:
  2. Page 1
  3. 2
  4. All

About Us :: Search :: Discuss :: Feedback :: Legals :: Privacy