[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

Earning respect.. (my reply) (r)



Perhaps Thailand might get a little more tough with the Rangoon junta,
instead of lambasting the rebels for fighting a just cause. If closing a
border is all Khin Nyunt can do, he and the junta will lose badly needed
trade, and will be forced to open them, very soon, showing once again,
that slamming your door in anger and retreat is not the way of a great
leader which he certainly will never be. Khin Nyunt once again shows the
world that he is coward and villain in this saga, and not the
"Warriors".

> Regarding the debate below, followed by a story on Thai's minister Sunan
> saying its time to get vigilant about Burmese exiles, ah, it seems there
> is a war on their borders, it appears there is a military dictatorship
> causing the whole problem with whom Thai ministers often do business
> with, illegally, and it seems to me that Thailand was once used as a
> military base for American attack missions and resupplying the American
> war effort in Vietnam, apart from giving GIs comfort relief. Just for
> perspective, it is worthwhile to remember recent history. And the
> Vietnam war was a unjust conflict against an unjustly divided nation,
> whereas the opposition, though not fighting an undeclared war, is
> justified in its effort to oust the generals from power in Rangoon. And
> it doesnt appear likely that they have the intention to give up that
> power in the near future. ds
> 
> Soe Than wrote:
> >
> > Let's hope that we learn from each other.
> >
> > ----Original Message Follows----
> > From: "Soe Than" <c04061998@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> > To: burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx
> > Subject: Re: Earning respect..
> > Date: Sat, 02 Oct 1999 21:38:52 PDT
> >
> > Thank you for your permission to post this in public.
> >
> > You have some good points and your points are well taken z!
> >
> > Perhaps the following new article will summarize for all.
> >
> > Please see my comments down below.
> >
> > Yours,
> > Mr. "Soe Than"
> >
> > ----Original Message Follows----
> > From: Indiana <bina@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > To: "Soe Than" <c04061998@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Subject: Re: Earning respect..
> > Date: Sun, 03 Oct 1999 10:17:06 +0700
> >
> > At 06:56 PM 10/2/99 -0700, you wrote:
> >
> > I dont mind conducting this argument in public.  That is one of the
> > blessings of democracy and free speech.
> >
> > -- Which we all love!
> >
> > So you condone violence, as long as it is against someone of a different
> > culture, or different color?  But in the case of a civil dispute, only one
> > side can use violence, the other side must humbly beg for justice, no matter
> > what abuses he suffers?  This is strange.  Why would anyone make this
> > argument?
> >
> > -- Nope.  I rather not see a civil war divided into North Burma and South
> > Burma.  Killing one's life is not the answer.  Lord Budda said so.  Two
> > wrongs do not make it right.
> >
> > If you are a reader of this list, you know that there is a daily shedding of
> > innocent blood throughout Burma, approved of and conducted by your SPDC
> > dictatorship.
> >
> > -- Yes, sadly.  But not my SPDC.  :-)  Honest!!
> >
> > The world community perhaps can ignore this reality, because it is happening
> > far away from them.  It will be harder to do that now, as the crisis is
> > brought closer to home for them.
> >
> > So you claim.  As I said earlier, this is the dictator's tactic of using
> > (usurped) authority in place of logic and reason.
> >
> > As General Secretary of the NLD, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has the responsibility
> > to uphold internationally accepted norms of conduct.  Also, I believe that,
> > personally, she would always avoid violence to the greatest extent possible.
> >
> > -- I really do not see her as advocating violence whatsoever.  I think you
> > may have overstated that she is only preaching non-violence way of means for
> > her own agenda - that she has to live up to the international standard.
> > That is not really her.  I met her in person!  (in 95-96)
> >
> > Everyone knows, however, that there may appear a situation in life in which
> > following one's principles are more important than maintaining social norms
> > or even preserving life.  One example is Bogyoke Aung San's decision to take
> > up arms against the British and Japanese occupations of Burma.
> >
> > -- Yes, it makes sense.
> >
> > I do not believe he did this because the British and Japanese were
> > "foreigners".  He did it because, out of love for his suffering countrymen,
> > he could no longer personally tolerate the injustice and violence of the
> > British and Japanese rule.
> >
> > -- Hmmm I may be much younger than you are but I thought he fought because
> > "foreingers" were occupying Burma.  No?  Do not forget, his grandfather also
> > fought against foreingers!  GO-BURMA-GO!
> >
> > What do you think were the motives of those who took your embassy?
> >
> > -- Their motives - as self described by them were clear.  They were ready to
> > "die" for whatever they believed in.  Is this really a wise of them to storm
> > a building taking up hostages in the friendly neighbor Thailand?  They were
> > clearly mIsGuIdEd..  Hello????  Anyone there??
> >
> > There is no civilized society in Burma today, in the common understanding of
> > the word.  And, to the extent that the international community aids and
> > abets the criminal SPDC regime, the rest of the world has yet to achieve a
> > fully civilized society.
> >
> > -- Yes, this makes sense.
> >
> > Violence is, unfortunately, sometimes the only path to justice.  Otherwise,
> > why do states keep armies?
> >
> > -- Duh!  For the obvious reason - mostly to defend themselves.  Of course
> > unless you are Sadam Husein or Laurent Kabila.  You do not see half of the
> > countries on earth invading each other territory to make a point, do you?
> >
> > Your pious talk of non-violence cannot hide your sympathy for the most
> > violent and unprincipled regime in Asia today, Mr "Soe Than".
> >
> > -- Why, thank you!  Do you people often accuse everyone whom you have a
> > disagreement with "sympathizer of the most violent and unprincipled regime"
> > and kick them out of your circle?  Or is this one of your tatics of saying
> > "Ahh I cannot win this kid in this, it is just easier to put him down and
> > label him something else..!"  This is how you aliante some good hearted men
> > and women.
> >
> > No wonder why some groups have frictions because of "Tway kwey".
> >
> > ______________________________________________________
> >
> > Thailand to be more vigilant on Myanmar
> > exiles
> > 06:52 a.m. Oct 02, 1999 Eastern
> >
> > By Anchalee Koetsawang
> >
> > BANGKOK, Oct 2 (Reuters) - The siege by five
> > heavily-armed dissidents of the Myanmar embassy in
> > Bangkok which ended after 25 hours on Saturday was a
> > rude shock that will force Thailand to be more vigilant,
> > government officials said.
> >
> > Interior Minister Sanan Kachornprasart told a news
> > conference that Thailand will no longer use kid gloves in
> > dealing with Myanmar dissident exiles.
> >
> > ``We have not been vigilant or strict with them so far. What
> > happened on October 1-2 was the biggest price we paid
> > and the most valuable lesson we learn from being kind to
> > these people,'' Sanan told reporters after the dissidents
> > escaped to safety on the Thai-Myanmar border by
> > helicopter.
> >
> > ``Thailand is a Buddhist country and we are open and kind
> > to people who turn to us for shelter. That attitude makes us
> > vulnerable, and we let our guard slip sometimes. From now
> > on we will be more strict and careful,'' Sanan said.
> >
> > He did not explain how Thailand's policy would be different.
> >
> > Thailand has been a magnet for exiled Myanmar dissidents
> > over the last few decades and saw a huge influx of radical
> > students in the wake of the country's last pro-democracy
> > uprising in 1988.
> >
> > The Thai capital Bangkok is the bases for several exiled
> > Myanmar groups and there are hundreds of thousands of
> > refugees and illegal workers across the country, most of
> > whom are concentrated in the border areas.
> >
> > Thailand also provides official shelter for Myanmar students
> > under the aegis of the United Nations High Commissioner
> > for Refugees (UNHCR) and there are around 900 of them
> > at Maneeloy Centre in Thailand's western Ratchaburi
> > province.
> >
> > Officials said they believed all of those involved in the
> > embassy siege had been staying in Thailand for several
> > years.
> >
> > Five dissidents toting assault rifles and grenades stormed
> > Myanmar's embassy on Friday and took 89 people,
> > including foreigners hostage.
> >
> > They demanded the release of all Myanmar political
> > prisoners, a dialogue between the Myanmar military
> > government and the pro-democracy opposition -- led by
> > Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi -- and the convening of a
> > democratic parliament.
> >
> > The drama ended after 25 hours of negotiations led to an
> > deal in which the government provided a helicopter to take
> > them to the Thai-Myanmar border, with Deputy Foreign
> > Minister Sukhumbhand Paribatra on the same flight as a
> > guarantee of safety.
> >
> > All the hostages were released unharmed.
> >
> > The attackers, calling themselves the ``Vigorous Burmese
> > Student Warriors'' were transported to a destination they
> > requested near on the border near western Ratchaburi
> > province.
> >
> > Sanan said that if the dissidents left Thailand for Myanmar, it
> > would be up to Yangon to decide what to do with them.
> >
> > He said the dissidents were given safe passage out of
> > Bangkok because they were not considered ``terrorists'' but
> > people fighting for democracy in their own country.
> >
> > ``But after this incident, we will be much more careful,''
> > Sanan said.
> >
> > ``I would like to tell other foreigners coming to Thailand that
> > we will do our best to make sure this is a safe place for
> > them,'' he said.
> >
> > ______________________________________________________
> > Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com