Raise Our Concerns, Groups Urge Obama

[Lite Beer]

Raise our concerns, groups urge Obama

The Nation on Sunday

BANGKOK: -- Advocates release a blizzard of requests and suggestions ahead of presidential visit to resolve problems in region

Like gift-seekers before Santa Claus comes to town, various pressure groups are issuing open letters to US President Barack Obama prior to his visit to Thailand and the region starting today. Issues include the environment, human rights in Myanmar and the lese majeste law here at home.

The Asean Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) stated yesterday that it hopes improved human rights and the strengthening of democracy will be the key objectives of Obama's visit to Thailand and the region, which will not only be seen as adding legitimacy to the government of Myanmar President Thein Sein, but also encouraging it in its efforts to enact key reform measures.

"There are concerns that pushing the Thein Sein government to move too quickly with reform measures could provoke a backlash from military hardliners; and it is commendable that President Obama has embarked on this trip in an effort to ensure the reform process does not backslide, but it is also important fundamental ideals are not surrendered in the drive for economic and political gains," AIPMC president and Indonesian MP Eva Kusuma Sundari said.

"We should all expect concrete commitments and deliverable achievements from President Obama's visit."

The caucus stated that as of yesterday it appeared there were no political detainees among the 452 included in an amnesty announced by the government last week. AIPMC encouraged Obama to work towards securing a commitment from Nay Pyi Taw to enter into political dialogue with non-state armed groups and to allow further humanitarian access to Rakhine and Kachin states, as well as an agreement to allow the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to establish a presence in Myanmar.

The caucus said transparency was still sorely lacking and ordinary people don't have access to redress through the legal system in countries like Cambodia.

Another group urged Obama to pressure Asean to protect environmental rights within a strong human rights framework.

In Phnom Penh on Friday, the Asean youth group stated that regional integration should not come at the price of environmental ruin and human rights abuses.

The group urged Asean leaders to protect the rights of the people and the environment as the region pursues a single economic community in an era of runaway climate change.

"We want our leaders to remember that environmental rights - the right to clean water, air and a healthy environment - are human rights too," said Yong Kim Eng, president of the People Centre for Development and Peace.

"With the attendance of newly elected US President Barack Obama at the [East Asian] Summit, Asean leaders must use this opportunity to call on the US to join the EU in raising ambition for climate action and deliver adequate and predictable climate finance for vulnerable countries such as most Asean states," said Zelda Soriano, political adviser of Greenpeace Southeast Asia.

"Unless urgently addressed, climate change will inflict further suffering on the region's poor and hinder Asean's grand plans to become an integrated economic community."

-- The Nation 2012-11-18

[asiawatcher]

I get so sick of reading about climatic change. Science clearly shows otherwise.

Main issues with Burma is the human rights and the military junta behind the scenes abuses. The incarceration, torture and murder of political opponents and the raping of the landscape in wholesale theft of resources belonging to the country such as jade, by China, lining the pockets of the powerful generals, is no different to Thaksin raping Thailand lining his pockets. They are as bad as each other. But will a US president bring that out openly in diplomatic 'discussion'? I doubt it.

[Nisa]

He is the President of the USA ... not The Messiah or Santa Claus.

[LuckyLew]

I get so sick of reading about climatic change. Science clearly shows otherwise.

Stupid comment

It is a real as it gets

Has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt

[Songhua]

He is the President of the USA ... not The Messiah or Santa Claus.

Sure gonna be a busy eighteen hour visit. He doesn't even answer this many questions during his own press conferences at home.

[WhizBang]

I get so sick of reading about climatic change. Science clearly shows otherwise.

What a moronically stupid statement. Science clearly shows that climate change is happening and that human activity is one of the major causes.

[Pimay1]

I get so sick of reading about climatic change. Science clearly shows otherwise.

What a moronically stupid statement. Science clearly shows that climate change is happening and that human activity is one of the major causes.

You need to start doing a little research and reading for yourself rather than believing what the global warming (PC climate change) alarmists are spuing out. As asiawatcher stated science clearly shows otherwise.

A report quietly published by the UK meteorological department has revealed that global warming stopped 16 years ago with no discernible rise in aggregate global temperature, Daily Mail reported on Sunday.

Edited November 18, 2012 by Pimay1

[whybother]

He is the President of the USA ... not The Messiah or Santa Claus.

He's not the Messiah. He's just a very naughty boy.

Edited November 18, 2012 by whybother

[tb86]

I get so sick of reading about climatic change. Science clearly shows otherwise.

What a moronically stupid statement. Science clearly shows that climate change is happening and that human activity is one of the major causes.

You need to start doing a little research and reading for yourself rather than believing what the global warming (PC climate change) alarmists are spuing out. As asiawatcher stated science clearly shows otherwise.

A report quietly published by the UK meteorological department has revealed that global warming stopped 16 years ago with no discernible rise in aggregate global temperature, Daily Mail reported on Sunday.

"So let’s be clear. Yes: global warming is real, and some of it at least has been caused by the CO2 emitted by fossil fuels. But the evidence is beginning to suggest that it may be happening much slower than the catastrophists have claimed – a conclusion with enormous policy implications."

Read again...

[unanimosity]

I get so sick of reading about climatic change. Science clearly shows otherwise.

Stupid comment

It is a real as it gets

Has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt

Junk science and fraud, lad.

[unanimosity]

I get so sick of reading about climatic change. Science clearly shows otherwise.

What a moronically stupid statement. Science clearly shows that climate change is happening and that human activity is one of the major causes.

You know, it is better to remain quiet and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.

[Pimay1]

I get so sick of reading about climatic change. Science clearly shows otherwise.

What a moronically stupid statement. Science clearly shows that climate change is happening and that human activity is one of the major causes.

You need to start doing a little research and reading for yourself rather than believing what the global warming (PC climate change) alarmists are spuing out. As asiawatcher stated science clearly shows otherwise.

A report quietly published by the UK meteorological department has revealed that global warming stopped 16 years ago with no discernible rise in aggregate global temperature, Daily Mail reported on Sunday.

"So let’s be clear. Yes: global warming is real, and some of it at least has been caused by the CO2 emitted by fossil fuels. But the evidence is beginning to suggest that it may be happening much slower than the catastrophists have claimed – a conclusion with enormous policy implications."

Read again...

Yes now we are all clear. The global temperature has not risen in sixteen years. And to quote you if I may "a conclusion with enormous policy implications. Thank you. As I said read and learn.

[pacharaphet]

I get so sick of reading about climatic change. Science clearly shows otherwise.

What a moronically stupid statement. Science clearly shows that climate change is happening and that human activity is one of the major causes.

I don't disagree about the seriousness of climate change. However, I do think humans should be weary of the fact that considerably asking the question: how are humans causing this? considerably adds to the thinking that we are at the heart of this change. Some sources do suggest otherwise, but this is a counterproductive argument for environmentalists and for those who are anti-climate change as a whole, as it decenters human responsibility for the former and proves the extant quality of climate change for the latter. Not enough thought is given by the media to the processes involved in creating the figures that are presented to the different pockets of mass viewership.

[unanimosity]

I get so sick of reading about climatic change. Science clearly shows otherwise.

What a moronically stupid statement. Science clearly shows that climate change is happening and that human activity is one of the major causes.

You need to start doing a little research and reading for yourself rather than believing what the global warming (PC climate change) alarmists are spuing out. As asiawatcher stated science clearly shows otherwise.

A report quietly published by the UK meteorological department has revealed that global warming stopped 16 years ago with no discernible rise in aggregate global temperature, Daily Mail reported on Sunday.

"So let’s be clear. Yes: global warming is real, and some of it at least has been caused by the CO2 emitted by fossil fuels. But the evidence is beginning to suggest that it may be happening much slower than the catastrophists have claimed – a conclusion with enormous policy implications."

Read again...

Holy crap, CO2 is not a pollutant lad. It is a key component of the biosphere and supports plant life. Read. If you cannot read, ask.

Have you not heard of "Climategate?"

In this annotated edition of the Climategate emails, John Costella shows us how a

very small cabal of climate scientists, based at the University of East Anglia and at

Penn State University, were able to control the temperature record fed into the IPCC

reports and which comprised the foundation on which the whole global warming

structure was based. The only data base which they could not influence was the

satellite measured temperature data which John Christy and Roy Spencer, from the

University of Alabama, had established from 1979 on.

That this was a real conspiracy is beyond argument. The word "conspiracy" is used

by the players themselves. In any conspiracy there is a tight inner core and then successive

rings of collaborators, who accept the leadership of the central core.

You are the one that needs to ask or read:

This - Forbes Magazine

This - Wall Street Journal

Heck, just Google this and read reputable sources for yourself.

Edited November 18, 2012 by unanimosity

[Morgo]

Maybe this might help.

[angel9999]

ok does of you who deny climate change, i live in chiang mai, when there is no rain here the air becomes hazy, gritty, tough to breath, mostly from auto/scooter emissions, then you add charcoal burnings then during land burning season it really sucks.....so it may not change the climate but it sure makes breathing unacceptable.....

this is directly caused by human actions, not natural environmental reasons....this is not theoretical but what we are currently living with.

So if we act now to reduce any amounts of pollutants it will make life better now and in the future.....

[tomross46]

He is the President of the USA ... not The Messiah or Santa Claus.

You must not know about the United Socialist State of American, which thinks he is both the Messish and Santa Clause. Over 1 trillion in spending a year, with most of that money being borrowed.

[tomross46]

If I had an entertainment bar, I would have a big sign outside " US Secret Service Welacome, We Will Provide You With A Service And it Will Be Secret "

[Thai at Heart]

ok does of you who deny climate change, i live in chiang mai, when there is no rain here the air becomes hazy, gritty, tough to breath, mostly from auto/scooter emissions, then you add charcoal burnings then during land burning season it really sucks.....so it may not change the climate but it sure makes breathing unacceptable.....

this is directly caused by human actions, not natural environmental reasons....this is not theoretical but what we are currently living with.

So if we act now to reduce any amounts of pollutants it will make life better now and in the future.....

Which whilst completely valid has different value to governments deciding to subsidize covering the world in windmills and sonar panels. The issue is should governments subsidize such investments?

Just read the problems thus causes for electrical grids in Germany.