NEWS - Start of millennium marks en

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Subject: Re: NEWS - Start of millennium marks end of colonialism in  Asia and the begenning of repression

<bold><underline>The Truth=20

</underline></bold>

Start of millennium marks end of colonialism in Asia and the begenning of
repression


Yes, sometimes the end of colonialism means less freedom and lack of
basic human rights.  For example, when Hong kong was freed from the
colonial yoke, Hongkongnese lost their freedom of speech and publication
that they enjoyed for decades.  Now Macao will follow the same suite
soon.  When foreigners ruled Asia, they know that they have to be nice
and persuasive, if not they would faced the strong resentment from the
natives.  They tried to be nice and exploited the natural resources.=20
Colonial rulers bacame richer and richer also they build roads, bridges
and created workable situatuions.  They rule the country by laws and they
respect the rule of law.  Also they introduced the democratic ideas and
freedom of press.  They allowed the independence newspapers and political
parties.  The native people had the rights to criticize the colonial
rulers and sometimes they (nationalists) were captured because of their
anti colonial activities.  But they were recognized as political
prisoners.  Also if they had to face the trial, they could hired the
lawyers for their protection without problem.


When Asia was freed and ruled by its own so called (quote)
"nationalists", it was so shock to see the out come. In China, Burma,
Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and North Korea a lot of people against
its own government and they were put in jail as criminals.  There is no
political prisoners in those countries.  Its means progressive or
backwardness?  If the rulers are brave enough to debate with the
oppositions and willing to accept the judgement from the people, or they
can tolerate the existance and the rights of the opposition, Asia will be
freed from both foreign and the native rulers.  Other wise, there will be
no real freedom for the ordinary people.  Only ruling elite will get
freedom and prosperity.


Regards


Htun Aung Gyaw


At 04:05 PM 12/22/99 -0500, Rangoon Post Co-Editor wrote:

>Start of millennium marks end of colonialism in Asia

>By SUMIT GANGULY

>=A9 Earth Times News Service=20

>

>

>As the world approaches the end of the millennium, it is

>altogether fitting and proper that one of the last vestiges

>of European colonialism in Asia also came to a close. On

>December 19, the Portuguese formally handed over Macao to

>authorities from the People's Republic of China. Few other

>colonial remnants will now remain in Asia and the Pacific. As

>the departure of the Portuguese proceeds apace it is worth

>taking stock of the sources, impact and ultimate demise of the

>European colonial enterprise in Asia.

>

> Most students with an even passing knowledge of European

>imperial expansion would know that it was Vasco da Gama's

> discovery of the sea route to India in 1498 that opened up

>new vistas for European trade, and eventually, imperialism.

>Europeans had been initially drawn to Asia through the lure of

>trade and the fascination for the exploration of worlds

>unknown.

>

>Trade eventually gave way to the quest for political power

>and economic dominance. This process, obviously, did not

>take place overnight.

>

>Instead it transpired over four centuries as virtually every

>significant European country sought to establish a

>bridgehead in Asia. The British, the French, the Dutch and

>the Portuguese proved to be the most successful in their

>imperial ventures. The British came dominate all of South Asia

>along with Burma (Myanmar) and Malaysia. The French

>came to control Indochina, the Dutch exercised power over

> the Indonesian archipelago and the Portuguese carved out

>enclaves in India and China.

>

>The Europeans justified colonial rule on various grounds.

>Most frequently they contended that they were on a civilizing

> mission. In doing this they invoked notions of inherent racial

>superiority over their subject indigenous populations. Other

>apologists for colonialism argued that the European presence

>in Asia was designed to bring better and more enlightened

>governance and save the benighted populations from the

> yoke of "Oriental despotism". Of course, these contentions

>were merely self-serving rationalizations at best and

>loathsome and reprehensible ideas at worst. It would take the

>better part of a century, and then some, for anti colonial

>nationalists across Asia to refute these arguments and

>challenge the basis of colonial rule.

>

> They met their greatest success after the end of World War

> Two. The two great wars had effectively punctured the turgid

> myth of European moral and cultural superiority. Nations that

> had precipitated the killing fields of Verdun, and the gas

> chambers of Auschwitz ,could hardly claim any particular

> moral superiority over other cultures. On a more material

> plane, the Europeans also lacked the physical stamina to

>stem the tides of opposition to their presence on the Asian

>land mass. The waves of anti-colonial nationalism were

>sweeping across Asia and would brook little resistance.

>

>  Reluctantly, fitfully, but surely the European powers started to

>leave their colonial possessions.

>

> What are their legacies in Asia? A handful are neutral. A few

>are positive. However, the vast majority are tragic and

> pernicious. One important legacy of European rule was the

>universalization of the concept of Westphjalian sovereignty.

>This conception of sovereignty holds that a given state is the

>supreme arbiter of all matters within its territorial domain.

>

>   Today, more than ever, Asian states jealously guard this view

>of sovereignty just as the vast majority of the states of the

>European Union prepare to loosen jurisdictions and dispense

>with travel and employment restrictions.

>

> Did European colonialism have any beneficial impact on its

>subject populations in Asia? The benefits, frankly were

>incidental. Contrary to nationalist European scholarship, the

>European colonizers did little to bequeath better forms of

>governance in Asia. More to the point, contrary to colonial

>conceit, they did nothing to promote liberal democracy in

>Asia. The only working democracy in Asia, with the exception

>of Japan, remains India.

>

>  Any competent student of Indian history would be loath to

> attribute the continuing success of Indian democracy to the

> British colonial heritage.

>

> Instead they would emphasize the singular role of the Indian

>nationalist movement in appropriating certain liberal ideas

>and then rooting them in the Indian soil.

>

>What about the more corrosive legacies of colonialism?

>European colonizers cannot be held solely responsible for the

> various forms of racial and ethnic enmity that wracks so many

>  parts of Asia. However, they do bear some responsibility.

> European notions of racial classifications, best expressed in

>the use of the census, led to the sharpening of existing

> cleavages in polyethnic societies. Sadly, long after the

>departure of the European colonizers, these pseudo-racial

> classifications continue to animate political discourse and

> policy choices from Islamabad to Djakarta with many points in

>between. These constructions of ethnic identity, have

> become, to quote William Blake, "mind-forged manacles", on

>the populations of various parts of Asia. This tragic legacy will

> not be easily overcome.

>

>                       It would be remiss, however, to suggest that

>Asians do not

>                       bear any responsibility for their current

>financial, political and

>                       social problems.

>

>                       Nor should the colonial legacies detract from

>their

>                       achievements in various areas. As a new era

>begins, it may

>                       be useful for the various states of Asia and

>their leaders to

>                       take stock of their achievements and failures=20
in

>the

>                       post-colonial era. Only then can they meet the

>challenges of

>                       constructing a peaceful, democratic and

>prosperous future for

>                       Asia in the century ahead.

>

>                       Sumit Ganguly is a visiting fellow at the=20
Center

>for

>                       International Security and Cooperation,=20
Stanford

>University.

>