Oxford Fellow Slams Suu Kyi

[sabaijai]

Oxford Fellow slams Suu Kyi

The Oxford Student Online

By Charles Dennis

An Oxford conference on South East Asia has given voice to criticism of the Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The second Southeast Asian Studies Symposium was dominated by discussions centred on Myanmar after its recent re-engagement with the international world.

Dr Peter Carey said that despite the positive press attention given to the country’s reforms, the developments in Myanmar should be viewed with scepticism. According to the Fellow Emeritus in Southeast Asian History: “an opportunity for real change has been missed”.

Criticism focused on Aung San Suu Kyi in particular, with concern being raised over her continuing silence on the government’s campaign against the Kachin rebels. It was also said that she had lost moral authority by failing to be more vocal on human rights abuses, with Carey adding: “Hopes are very much in shadow and Daw Suu needs to say what needs to be said”.

Other attendees also questioned whether the reforms were truly progressive in nature, with the Executive Director of Burma Campaign UK Anna Roberts claiming: “the intentions are not all democratically driven.”

This comes in the light of a delegation of Oxford students being selected for a two week visit to Burma later this month following an invitation from the former St Hugh’s student herself.

Some disagreed with this harsh analysis, however, with former British ambassador to Myanmar Vicky Bowman expressing genuine surprise about how much the country has changed since her last visit in 2006.

2013 was the second year of the South East Asian Studies symposium after its initiation in March 2012.

The symposium is an annual initiative of Project Southeast Asia, which describes its objective as ensuring that the area is “brought up on the agenda in Europe”. It also hopes to ultimately establish a Centre of Southeast Asian Studies within the University.

[billd766]

What has Dr Peter Carey ACTUALLY done for Myanmar except to bleat from his ivory tower?

Does he live there, has he ever lived for YEARS under house arrest?

Aung San Suu Kyi's husband died and if she had gone to his funeral she would never have been allowed to return to her country.

What would Dr Carey do in those circumstances?

Dr Carey, please walk a mile in Aung San Suu Kyi's shoes before you comment again.

[onthemoon]

She appears to be not without criticism in Myanmar. She is Burmese and hence belongs to the major ethnic groups in Myanmar, and insists on calling the country "Burma" instead of "Union of Myanmar". This alienates all the other ethnic group in the multi-ethnic country.

I learned this on several recent trips to Myanmar.

That said, I believe she would be a great Minister of Foreign Affairs, as she is loved so much around the world.

[SeaVisionBurma]

I see Vicky Bowman waded in to the discussion.

Her opinion should carry a lot of weight - a great ambassador during her time. Trevor Wilson is another sadly missed ambo..

[bigbamboo]

What has Dr Peter Carey ACTUALLY done for Myanmar except to bleat from his ivory tower?

Does he live there, has he ever lived for YEARS under house arrest?

Aung San Suu Kyi's husband died and if she had gone to his funeral she would never have been allowed to return to her country.

What would Dr Carey do in those circumstances?

Dr Carey, please walk a mile in Aung San Suu Kyi's shoes before you comment again.

I agree with all of what you say, hence the 'like' but she does seem to have become worryingly muted on one or two issues, perhaps understandably given her circumstances.

What is needed is an heir aparent who can take some some of the weight off her. Not an easy task I grant you.

[HeavyDrinker]

What has Dr Peter Carey ACTUALLY done for Myanmar except to bleat from his ivory tower?

A lot more than you have pal.

Please don't get too obsessed by the ASSK personality cult.

There are reasons why she isn't too poplar, even in her own party, and the simple reply to simple minds is that there is no 'magic wand' she can wave to make Burma better again.

To quote my old Professor:

'Burma is too far gone to be healed by one ceramics student, no matter of her parentage and is a potential Yugoslavia in South East Asia..."

[billd766]

What has Dr Peter Carey ACTUALLY done for Myanmar except to bleat from his ivory tower?

A lot more than you have pal.

Please don't get too obsessed by the ASSK personality cult.

There are reasons why she isn't too poplar, even in her own party, and the simple reply to simple minds is that there is no 'magic wand' she can wave to make Burma better again.

To quote my old Professor:

'Burma is too far gone to be healed by one ceramics student, no matter of her parentage and is a potential Yugoslavia in South East Asia..."

You are absolutely correct about me, but then again I am responding to the OP not to you.

I respect that you have an opinion just the same as me but different.

Out of curiousity what have YOU actually dome for Burma, Myanmar or whatever the PC name is nowadays.

And to ask my question once again, what HAS Dr Carey done except bleat from his ivory tower?

Has he lived in Burma, spent any time there in the last 20 years, badgered the UK governments to help ASSK or is he just another acedemic warrior?

[HeavyDrinker]

What has Dr Peter Carey ACTUALLY done for Myanmar except to bleat from his ivory tower?

A lot more than you have pal.

Please don't get too obsessed by the ASSK personality cult.

There are reasons why she isn't too poplar, even in her own party, and the simple reply to simple minds is that there is no 'magic wand' she can wave to make Burma better again.

To quote my old Professor:

'Burma is too far gone to be healed by one ceramics student, no matter of her parentage and is a potential Yugoslavia in South East Asia..."

You are absolutely correct about me, but then again I am responding to the OP not to you.

I respect that you have an opinion just the same as me but different.

Out of curiousity what have YOU actually dome for Burma, Myanmar or whatever the PC name is nowadays.

And to ask my question once again, what HAS Dr Carey done except bleat from his ivory tower?

Has he lived in Burma, spent any time there in the last 20 years, badgered the UK governments to help ASSK or is he just another acedemic warrior?

Google him....

[ExpatJ]

I have heard increasing grumblings about ASSK in Myanmar from Burmese who view her as being too much of a cult like personality and unwilling to nurture new leaders who can take her place.

[HeavyDrinker]

I have heard increasing grumblings about ASSK in Myanmar from Burmese who view her as being too much of a cult like personality and unwilling to nurture new leaders who can take her place.

The 'grumblings', may be borne from envy but there were frankly several better candidates to take up the reigns but none as fit as ASSK nor as good looking on all of those photo shoots every Western leader queued up for.

The truth is though that as a figurehead she'll get the support from the West and the well to do non-military aligned (old money) Burmese. In the bigger scheme of things she's going to struggle because she is not a politician and who her father was holds now sway with the ethnic leaders whatsoever.

It's such a mire there but if you have no morals and want to make a packet, get to Burma NOW!

[cardholder]

What has Dr Peter Carey ACTUALLY done for Myanmar except to bleat from his ivory tower?

A lot more than you have pal.

Please don't get too obsessed by the ASSK personality cult.

There are reasons why she isn't too poplar, even in her own party, and the simple reply to simple minds is that there is no 'magic wand' she can wave to make Burma better again.

To quote my old Professor:

'Burma is too far gone to be healed by one ceramics student, no matter of her parentage and is a potential Yugoslavia in South East Asia..."

You are absolutely correct about me, but then again I am responding to the OP not to you.

I respect that you have an opinion just the same as me but different.

Out of curiousity what have YOU actually dome for Burma, Myanmar or whatever the PC name is nowadays.

And to ask my question once again, what HAS Dr Carey done except bleat from his ivory tower?

Has he lived in Burma, spent any time there in the last 20 years, badgered the UK governments to help ASSK or is he just another acedemic warrior?

Google him....

According to Wiki... not a lot apart from this publication:-

1997 Burma: The Challenge of Change in a Divided Society (Basingstoke: MacMillan)

[SeaVisionBurma]

Peter Carey - Project Southeast Asia

[candypants]

most unfortunate headline, sounds like a plot summary for a bad porn film

[billd766]

It seems tha he was born in Burma in 1948 and left at the age of 7.

He did his schooling in the K went on to Uni, won a Fellowship, became a tutor, founded the Cambodia Trust in 1989.

He seems mostly to be an acedemic and has recent publications

Recent Publications:

• The British in Java, 1811-1815. A Javanese account, Oxford: Oxford University Press 1992
• East Timor at the crossroads: the forging of a nation London: Cassell 1995
• Burma: the challenge of change in a divided society, Basingstoke: Macmillan 1997

though nothing since 1997.

Position:

Laithwaite Fellow and Tutor in Modern History

Courses Taught:

• Europe and the wider world, 1818-1914 (in the Modern History Faculty)
• Imperialism and nationalism, southeast Asia 1830-1998

As I said in an earlier post he is an acedemic and I would assume a good tutor and lecturer.

Those who can, do. Those who cannot, teach.

He talks about, ASSK has been there, lived there and is doing her best to change things from the inside.

I admire her and support her all the way.

Edited March 18, 2013 by billd766

[SeaVisionBurma]

Flame removed.

Keep your contributions civil and profanity-free thanks. Forum rules are there for a reason.

[doggie888888]

...Those who can, do. Those who cannot, teach.

By all means, debate the issues that the academic has raised. But reducing academia to the cute little quote really reflects more on you than on them.

I think your adulation of The Lady needs some balance and just maybe a respected academic may provide the balance?

She is not a Nelson Mandela, you know.

PS. No, I am not in academia.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Agreed about the "those who can do..." comment. Complete nonsense in this context and adds nothing to the thread.

[HeavyDrinker]

Apologies for the flame. It's just that that quote gets my goat!!

[SeaVisionBurma]

Apologies for the flame. It's just that that quote gets my goat!!

No worries - I think we're all agreed on that point!