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More Letters to the Editor



Dear BurmaNet Editor and All,
Censorship means restriction  of flow of news.Censorship means closure of
eyes and ears of the people.If censored, there's no freedom of
information.If there's no freedom of information and freedom of expression
allowed, there will be no more debates.If no more debates, there will be
no more progress.Why is Burma having no progress today?Because it's been
closing its doors to the world.No freedom of expression and no freedom of
information in Burma!Is BurmaNet being launched from Burma or under the
guidance of the Burmese military dictatorship?If the answer is yes, go
ahead and censor it.If not, allow freedom of expression and free debates
on morales, principles and norms on future leaders of Burma.

Sincerely,
Julien

*********************************************

Date: Sat, 31 Oct 1998 11:31:21 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Re: your mail

Dear Burmanet Editor,
	There is Burmanet-News list for those who enjoy reading only news
and statements from all sides, isn't i.  There is no debate and no
arguments in the Burmanet News and those people can enjoy it when they
feel overwhelmed with the debate on the Burmanet List.  When people can
enjoy it, why do you need to censor this Burmanet list and for which
readers?  Then, what is the difference between the Burmanet News List and
Burmanet List?  It doesn't make sense at all .  Soc.Culture .Burma isn't
the Burmanet List.  
	Speaking of anonymity, it make sense for NGO workers but for those
who are from the Burmese organizations mostly hold Thai intelligence
documents or live in houses taken cared of security (mostly) by some Thai
authorities.  Everybody knows that.  If for security reason reason, you
can't tell people who is in the censorship board, which security you
means?  Threat by SPDC or Thais (but Thais are informed anyway)?  Does it
make good reason?  HMM. So you sure can't guarantee the fairness for
censorship.   It occurs to me that those organizations can censor what
they don't want people to know.  Then what is the objectives of informing
all people real situation and conditions?  
	Is Burmanet List for propaganda purpose only for those
organizations and SPDC or Ko Okkar?  Doesn't Burmanet aim to promote
democratic practise among the Burmese?  How will you promote democratic
practices among the Burmese under the censorship?  Does Mr. Soros
contribute his to do whatever you or some of those who are in the position
to manipulate, want OR DOES HE CONTRIBUTE FOR PROMOTING DEMOCRACY AND
HELPING BURMA?  Some of you are promoting my way system where it doesn't
care whether or not other want or not.  This kind of system is really like
BSPP and SPDC system.  It generally saying you people must follow what we
do because we are doing damn good for your betterment.  Is this the kind
of attitude you and those who made that decision have in mind?  How will
you explain the reason for censorship which you can't even define?  For
those who suggested for censorship, what kind of democracy they are
talking about?  Are they really fighting for democracy or their power?  
	Please explain us what kind of democratic practice you and those
who suggested the decision, are talking about?  It will be very wonderful
or amusing to know.    
Yours sincerely,
Kyaw Zay Ya

*********************************************

To: burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Suggestion to Burmanet-sponsors:

Dear Burmanet-moderator,

Refer to my last email to you and Ma Maureen Aung Thwin.
Your prompt reply is crucial to some of us, who have a common attitude 
in preserving and protecting our freedom of expression.

I made that inquiry because I have no desire to see any political 
damages to happen among individuals and institutions, who advocate the 
same cause: restoration of democratic and human rights in Burma.

My understanding about censoring of the fellow democrats' views and 
ideas is more than a moral issue.  In the process, their political views 
may intentionally or unintentionally be suppressed in the name of 
civilizing the language-usages.  If this happens so, political mistrust 
and misunderstand will automatically occur among these groups. (Now it 
has already happened.) Though every group is assumed to be of 
open-minded individuals, it will be extremely difficult to remove this 
kind of misunderstanding once it comes to exist.

Being an owner of this means of media and communication and also a 
well-wisher for freedom and rights of citizens of Burma, Burmanet 
sponsors must reverse any short-sighted decisions that undermine the 
integrity and political maturity of the Burmese scholars and writers who 
share their political views.

This conflict should end as soon as possible.
We must have courage to correct any action that contradicts with our 
ideological belief, here i.e freedom of expression.
Any inadvertent delay can cause serious injuries to our mutual respect 
and relationship.

Therefore, I urge you to give a proper and serious thought to those who 
speak against your decision, which I regard as an undemocratic and 
unwise action.

Better late than never.

With sincere concern and attitude,

Kyaw Kyaw Htut
Indiana


**************************************
Doing what you like is freedom.
Liking what you do is happiness.
***********Read Somewhere  in India***********

***********************************************

Dear all:

pliz refer to my last posting, in which i mentioned about yellow 
journalism.

since  OSI, NCG, and their White Masters are obviously trying to "tame" 
us, the wild and rude race of unruly Burma, through burmanet, i 
remembered the following poem that i came accross some years ago.  

"White Man's burden" was written by an imperialist and white-supremacist 
Brit and printed in many newspapers in late 19th century.
ur heart will pound as u read and feel every verse of Kipling.  

Master Strider and his bosses are possibly descendants of Kipling.  u 
may detect their hidden "pride" (of being racially and intellectually 
superior to Burmans) in their instructional notes, which were posted at 
regular intervals.  The rermanents of yellow journalism.

as the time goes by, i began to realize that the imperialism and racism 
never die.  They just take rest for a while, and show their bigotory 
attitudes towards, you and me, authentic Asians and non-imperialist 
simple White brothers, whenever they have an opportunity to do so.

Now... we are experiencing this particular moment of their showing of 
racial, moral and intellectual superiority.

Hey... this is not a hate-mail.  I don't hate any white men or women. 
This is to do with our reasoning of discriminatory actions committed by 
some seemingly human beings against other human beings from a historical 
point of view.

And i want them know we have a distinct civilization process and 
sustaining cultural and traditional ways and means of life to manage our 
own lives on our own soil.  

Now we are in Internet enviornment.  Who did it first?  Who misused 
first?  What is the purpose of this means of communication?  Who will 
control this?  What qualities and wisdom do these controllers have?

Explain.  Don't go away.  I will come back, every day, every time I feel 
like coming back.

Remembering our forefathers' days of great humiliation between 1885 and 
1948,
And with Thakhin's spirit,

Aung Soe.


 




Kipling Advise the Americans: The Responsibility of Empire

The White Man's Burden 1899
(The United States and the Philippine Islands)

Take up the White Man's burden â??
   Send fourth the best ye breed â??
Go bind your sons to exile
   To serve your captives' need;
To wait in heavy harness
   On fluttered folk and wild â??
Your new-caught, sullen poeples,
  Half devil and half child.


Take up the White Man's burden â??
  The savage wars of peaceâ??
Fill full the mouth of Famine
  And bid the sickness cease;
And when your goal is nearest
  The end for others sought,
Watch Sloth and heathen Folly
  Bring all your hope to nought.

Take up the White Man's burden â??
  And reap his old rewards:
The blame of those ye better,
  The hate of those ye guardâ??
The cry of hosts ye humour
  (Ah, slowly!) toward the light:--
"Why brought ye us from bondage,
  "Our loved Egyptian night?"

Take up the White Man's burden â??
  In patience to abid,
To veil the threat of terror
  And check the show of pride;
By open speech and simple,
  A hundred times made plain,
To seek another's profit
  And work another's grain.

Take up the White Man's burden â??
  No tawdry rule of kings,
But toil of serf and sweeperâ??
  The tale of common things.
The Ports ye shall not enter,
  The roads ye shall not tread,
Go make them with your living,
  And mark them with your dead!

Take up the White Man's burden â??
 Ye dare not stoop lessâ??
Nor call too loud on Freedom
  To cloak your weariness;
By all ye cry or whisper,
  By all ye leave or do,
The silent, sullen peoples
  Shall weigh your Gods and you.

Take up the White Man's burden â??
  Have done with childish daysâ??
The lightly proffered laurel,
  The easy, ungrudged praise.
Comes now, to search your manhood
  Through all the thankless years,
Cold-edged with dear-bough wisdom,
  The judgement of your peers!

"The White Man's Burden (1899)." From Rudyard Kipling's Verse: 
Definitive Edition (New York: Doubleday, 1940) pp. 321-323