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[burmanet2-l] Re: The Times - Bribe (r)



Subject: Re: [burmanet2-l] Re: The Times - Bribery is key to life in Burma's death jail

hey man -- why you say only ONE freedom fighter in jail, whattabout rachel?

she just a "little girl?"

don't forget about aung san suu kyi, sometime i think women are best freedom 
fighters - yah!

susu

>From: "Stuart Albright" <stuart_albright@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>To: dawnstar@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, stuart_albright@xxxxxxxxxxx
>CC: tinkyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, burmanet2-l@xxxxxxxx, burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx
>Subject: Re: [burmanet2-l] Re: The Times - Bribery is key to life in 
>Burma's death jail
>Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 14:38:12 GMT
>
>Dawn Star -- Sure, there's room for "discussion" -- let's keep talking and
>talking and talking, as long as there's no action.
>
>OK. Why did they cancel their plans? Obvious: Rachel got a long sentence.
>And nobody wanted to follow her lead. I don't blame them, jail is scary. 
>But
>still the answer is there for everybody to see in clear daylight. They were
>scared off by SPDC. So they all retreated from the battle so they could 
>have
>more "discussion." Right. Let's stop pretending.
>
>SPDC clearly wanted to scare the activist community into calling off more
>direct challenges, like James and Rachel. Guess what, they did. They won.
>
>We can pretend that we're more "resourceful" in our easy lives outside,
>writing letters and staging protests. But that stuff is soft work, for
>clerks and little girls. Where are the real fighters?  Not the daydreamers,
>but the really committed people? I only see one, and he's in Kengtung jail,
>by himself. Abandoned, basically, by his so-called comrades. Who are busy
>having "discussions."
>
>It's been almost ten years since the election. Ten years of talking.  Let's
>change the name of Burma Action Group to Burma Talk Group. Might as well be
>honest.
>
>Regards, Stu
>
>>From: Dawn Star <dawnstar@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>>Reply-To: dawnstar@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>To: Stuart Albright <stuart_albright@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>>CC: tinkyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx, burmanet2-l@xxxxxxxx, burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx
>>Subject: Re: [burmanet2-l] Re: The Times - Bribery is key to life in
>>Burma's death jail
>>Date: Wed, 22 Sep 1999 14:40:49 +0200
>>
>>There is a lot of room for agreement and discussion here. If they had
>>decided to go, and were committed to do so, then why did they turn away.
>>Who told them not to do it. Was there a vote? Did they abandon the
>>effort, and with it James and Rachel. It is a question for all. Who and
>>when should people test the will of the junta, and the flexibility of
>>the borders and the government. This obviously isnt good for tourism or
>>investment and not at all good for the image of the junta. And the
>>diplomats have their work cut out for them anyway, these people in jail
>>are more human rights abuses on their agenda. Important and timely.
>>Perhaps there is a question of who should go, under what conditions, and
>>with secrecy and background fully checked and covered. And the people
>>who decide to go should be aware that they will be tested and put under
>>stress, perhaps tortured, as James says he was. Prison in Burma is not
>>for the weak-hearted nor do for those who may be uncovered and then lost
>>to the movement.
>>
>>No this is not a game. It is a test of will, time and committment.
>>Perhaps it will take some of the heat off Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who is
>>obviously not to be incriminated here. This is for the world at large,
>>the free world concerned about freedom in Burma. As she has said all
>>along, eloquently, it is a struggle for us all.
>>
>>Yet some of us, if we were to choose to go and be imprisoned would be
>>taking unnecessary risk and at great risk of loss of life. It would be
>>more resourceful not to be imprisoned. But in any prisoner of war
>>situation, these are very delicate and uneasy problems to tackle. And
>>life is at risk. That is the nature of the game. That is the cost of
>>sticking your neck out when others prefer to go to the shopping malls
>>and watch soap operas or show off their latest car or whatever.
>>Committment is not a second nature; it is the priority.
>>
>>If these people were called off, then perhaps it was for a reason, and
>>perhaps they are only waiting in the wings. The junta border guards and
>>visa donors are on the watch, so of course, every one will have to be
>>exceedingly careful.
>>
>>And very quiet.
>>
>>ds
>>
>>
>>Stuart Albright wrote:
>> >
>> > The last paragraph of this story is important. Why did the thirty
>>activists
>> > who planned to be arrested suddenly change their minds? If  they're
>>afraid
>> > of going to jail, then the movement is in real trouble.
>> >
>> > Nobody wants to go to jail - but it means we only stand up to SPDC if 
>>we
>> > know there won't be any consequences. I don't think Daw Suu would be
>>very
>> > impressed. Looks like either we're all just playing games, or we're all
>> > cowards. Committed to democracy in Burma, as long as we can sleep in 
>>our
>>own
>> > beds at night.
>> >
>> > The arrest of James and Rachel is a challenge. SPDC has thrown down the
>> > gauntlet. If everybody backs down in fear, if no one else goes in to be
>> > arrested, then SPDC has won, and what Rachel and James have done will 
>>be
>>in
>> > vain.
>> >
>> > Protesting in front of Tony Blair's house is a pretty lame response.
>> > Anyone who calls themselves a "freedom fighter" should be willing to
>>earn
>> > that title. No fair just blaming Blair or the Foreign Office. This is
>> > supposed to be a people's movement.
>> >
>>
>>
>
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