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Truth and Ethics
Truth and Ethics
******************
(by Mya Thinn)
I heard President Clinton?s voice over the radio about
a fortnight ago. Being up against the wall bout white water
and the sexual harassment affairs, he was making a pathetic
plea to the " press ; urging that they should base their
reports on true facts and publish only the truth; that they
should uphold " Journalistic Ethics" at all time. I trust that
Mr. Clinton will now understand how utterly disgusted we
feel with the irresponsible attitude and behavior of the
international media. It appears that the truth is no longer
important in ultra free societies; rather it is now much
sensation one can stir up is what matters. Mrs. Hilary
Clinton summed it up be very aptly on the ?Larry King
Show?. Quote- " Now adays anything can be twisted- People
are no longer given the benefit of the doubt"- unquote.
On 25 February 1997, so- called Drs. Mary Clark and
Mark Levy of Trinity College, Cambridge arrived at tile
gate of the Ministry of Forestry in Yangon. Although they
did not have a prior appointment, they were ushered in and
met by Advisor U Ye Myint, who believing them to be
genuine environmental scientists, explained matters
concerning environmental and Forestry policies, issues,
concerns and efforts being undertaken to concerns What we
have now, for posterity.
On 23 March 1997, the article ?Burma?s Junta goes
green?, save the rhino, Kill the people" appeared in the
London Observer. It was written by Adrian Levy, Cathy
Scott-Clark and David Harrison. Quote "Nature groups work
with Junta in Burma's ethnic killing fields. World renowned
wildlife groups are working with Bun military regime on
huge conservation projects on sites being cleared by
systematic slaughter of the Karen ethnic Minority. Human
rights groups condemned the conservation groups'
collaboration and demanded their immediate withdrawal"-
unquote Their main focus was to discredit our plans to
establish the Myinmoletkat Nature Reserve, and deprive us
of all international assistance.
They openly admitted to having entered Myanmar
illegally across the border from Thailand and flirting with
illegal insurgent groups. They came to the Ministry of
Forestry in Yangon, under false pretenses. Then went back
and wrote a whole bag full of lies. The Ministry of Forestry
is not at the end of a long tree lined road, but just off the
main road down a short lane. There is only one main gate
and no road blocks. The security personnel are the police not
the military. Their uniforms are Khaki not blue. They don't
carry their weapons with bayonets fixed. There are no
sinister military intelligence officers with reflector sunglasses
around.
Yes, the Myinmoletkat Nature Reserve is large,
comprising almost 1.2 million hectares and represents a large
expanse of tropical rain forest ecosystems remaining in
pristine conditions which is home to rare flora and fauna as
they have rightly observed. It is however not a political face
saving exercise, but committed endeavour to save what is
left of the natural environment it is not in the?? Karen area "
as claimed, but in the Tanintharyi Division much farther
south, that is mostly inhabited by the Tavoy and Myeik
people who are basically Burmese. There are cluster, of
Karens, Mons, Shans, Malays, Chinese, Indians widely
dispersed along the narrow strip. The K.N.U insurgents are
a later addition as they extended their territory Southwards
after the army had squashed the former occupants, the Burma
Communist Party. Pockets of K.N.U groups are merely
economic bandits, who are hindering development of the
border areas, and do not in any way represent the Karen
interest.
We have not sought assistance from any international
conservation organization; and none of them have been
involved in the Myinmoletkat project till now. Organizations
such as the Smithsonian Institution and the Wildlife Conservation
Society are here because they have travelled
extensively inside Myanmar and know at first hand our true
situation. W.C.S is not involved in establishing a
management plan for Lampi National Marine Park, but
merely assisted us in acquiring of expertise in assessing our
coral reefs. We have never claimed close relations with the
World Wildlife Fund; though we have made some overtures
to invite them over so that they could see things for
themselves. But we have been working closely with
subsidiaries of W.W.F such as the Asian Elephant Specialist
Group. These renowned organizations dedicated to
conservation have been helping us with what little resources
they can muster, mainly in capacity building at the grass
roots level. It is beyond comprehension how degenerate,
unprincipled and unethical people can become; to the extent
of compromising environmental conservation for political and
personal interests.
The news that gullible politicians in Washington had
reacted swiftly to this insidious article, was stunning.
Immediately a thought occurred to me, that perhaps this was
a deliberate pre-meditated and carefully coordinated move
to discredit the international recognition we have received
for having conserved our natural environment. Honourable,
dignified and dedicated scientists were summoned before a
congressional panel, put to the grind and ordered to stop all
activities in Myanmar. It is a blatant display of dictatorial,
undemocratic practises. We grieve at the thought of our
honourable colleagues in conservation being made to cower
under the misguided dictates of politicians of dubious
calibre and intentions, who neither understand nor care about
the environment and its relation to the susceptibility of the
human race.
Myanmar is one of the highest biodiversity countries in
Asia, all the more reason why it should be accorded the
utmost assistance. The programme for the expansion of the
protected areas is being undertaken in conformity will the
Forest Policy which advocates increasing our protected gas
coverage to 50% in the short term and 10% in the long term.
The inclusion of this reserve will raise the coverage to 3.5%
We have identified other worthy areas too, and will plod
along, regardless of support or no support; and the likes of
Levy, Scott-clark and Harrison trying to upset our plans.
It is against the ideals and principles of the U.N charter
to victimize a sovereign state that is a full fledged member
of the international previleges. Myanmar having signed the
Biodiversity Convention and ratified it, has undeniable
rights to financial resources technological and other inputs
from the U.N and its related organizations; including the
conservation NGOs who are obligated to assist nations with
their conservation endeavors. No government has the right
to coerce those organizations to turn their backs on any
country; and reputable organizations should not allow
themselves to be intimidated; instead, they should make a
moral stand for what is right.
President Clinton in his address delivered in London
recently, with Prime Minister Mr. Blair, stated that
preventing environmental degradation was one of the
priority commitments of his government . If it is so, I would
like to urge the President to have the US government ratify
the Biodiversity Convention immediately, as they have not
done so yet; and stop ill informed, self centred politicians
and journalists from undermining noble environmental conservation
efforts being undertaken the interest of the
future of mankind.
*********