[Myanmar] What Our Readers Say

[News_Editor]

Suu Kyi Faces Tough Questions at Yale, Harvard

A ship in harbor is safe— but that is not what ships are for.

—The Burmese Freedom Fighter

Suu Kyi Faces Tough Questions at Yale, Harvard

“She went a step further in suggesting that there were “people trying to make political capital†by fueling an international outcry about the plight of minorities.”
What makes you different? You are also making political capital by staying silent on gross human rights abuses in your own country. You oppose those human rights abuses but your actions are supporting them at the same time. Are you even aware what you’re doing? What are you really trying to achieve here, Ms. Suu Kyi? You don’t play politics with the lives of innocent civilians, do you? I can’t fathom why you have courage to stay silent on these abuses with the world renowned peace prize in your hand. Right now, you look like an insanely naive politician to me.

—Tsadoila

Suu Kyi Faces Tough Questions at Yale, Harvard

The obvious problem we non-Bamar ethnic nationals, the co-founders of the Union, are facing is political hegemony. Most ethnic Burmans, the majority race, even educated ones, have no empathy for the situation of other ethnic nationalities. The question is what to do about it real fast?One recommendation will be to engage the armed groups in political dialogues—declaring the natural resources and land management and sharing of the resources; explaining clearly to the public all the risks they bear in the national projects in their states. This is DASSK’s moment to stop talking about “freedoms” and “democracy” but use her pedestal to educate people about equality and federalism.

—Vivat

Suu Kyi Faces Tough Questions at Yale, Harvard

The racial conflict in Myanmar has been going on for many centuries, and throughout British colonial rule. How can anyone expect one person such as Aung San Suu Kyi to resolve it in the blink of any eye? She is just an opposition leader, not the President of Myanmar.

—Teaky

Former Dictator is in Good Health, Says Daughter

“Despite his retirement, Than Shwe has a dozen aides, including a chief of staff and an officer who acts as his liaison with the current government, some of whose leaders occasionally visit him to “pay their respects.â€
Than Shwe has sold his soul and Burma to the communists in Beijing for 30 billion yuan since 2009 giving the green light for myitsone dam project and other Chinese interests in Burma. And Thein Sein, his clerk, is doing his best to lift the sanctions—in fact he has succeeded well in that matter—for his boss and the cronies to launder their black money and ill-gotten wealth and of course fatten their wallets while covering the dictator’s ass in the UN/ UNSC and ICC in The Hague. Hence, Thein Sein’s a dud president.
Of course, Daw Suu’s rule of law could/would not cover Than Shwe, his family, cronies and min Aung Hlaing’s Chinese mercenary outfit—the Burmese army—as well. Trust me.
Burma’s democracy, freedom and human rights are out of the question as long as Thein Sein runs the outfit—parliament—and Than Shwe has his liaison office at Naypyidaw. Any bets?

—George Than Setkyar Heine

Former Dictator is in Good Health, Says Daughter

This is good news that he is in a good health, waiting for justice. He can’t die without justice being brought to him or him being brought to justice. It is never too late to accept right from wrong; the time is still there to confess about the whole thing. The leniency and forgiveness for him can only be possible when he chooses to open the door of reconciliation before it is too late.

—The Burmese Freedom Fighter

Thein Sein Receives Hero’s Welcome in Rangoon

It makes me remember when we were forced to show up to welcome Khin Nyunt. I believe many people from USDP showed up wearing costumes from various ethnic groups. Except lip service, what have we seen from Thein Sein’s reforms? He is still far from being a hero.

—Tainamkawng

Demonstrators Protest Against Thein Sein in New York

The leader who has been chosen to fight for justice is now supporting genocide in her own country. Why should we support her silence on human rights abuses here? Just because she is the leader for the Burmese doesn’t mean that she is the leader for the Kachins. We don’t have time to wait for her to take action on this, because many people are starving and dying every second while we’re waiting. Try to put yourself in that position.

—Tempac

Rohingya Accused of Sparking Bangladesh Riots

The danger of blind faith is real and the worst of the worst in all forms of self destruction of our humankind. What is the best way of defusing it without losing freedom of speech? Rule of Law is exactly the way to go to protect our human rights. Feel glad that Burma is seeing the light of the right direction at the end of the tunnel! The separation of state and religion should be included in our human rights declaration. Down with all the faith-based violence!

—The Burmese Freedom Fighter

Rohingya Accused of Sparking Bangladesh Riots

Where’s the Human Rights organizations and International Criminal Judiciary organizations when Buddhist indigenous peoples of Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs) were attacked by Rohingyas? The Bangladeshi government and its Bengali Muslim peoples are committing war crimes and human rights abuses against native peoples of Chittagong Hill Tracts. These Buddhist Jumma people need help.

—Chopchop2012

Two Killed as Police Fire on Crowd in Pathein

Is this the Wild West or what? Like railroad/cattle barons employing strong-arm tactics on those who resist, with the collusion of the local law enforcers. Rule of law, what rule of law?
Shall we just let the parliamentary committee take its own sweet time, and meanwhile let them carry on with the land-grabbing (we are not talking about the Rohingya here), environmental ruin, dislodging farmers and fishermen from their land/lakes and driving them to the SEZs to become ‘willing’ wage slaves?
So let’s just focus on the big juicy carrot of 2015, enticing like a mirage, and behave like good children, stay away from farmers’ protests and workers’ strikes as duly warned, shall we?
Some of us obviously believe it’s a price worth paying so long as they themselves are not the ones paying it. So know what’s good for you, and let’s not rock the ‘reform’ boat, eh?

—Moe Aung

Source: Irrawaddy.org