"...few hostage-taking incidents can match the present situation in Burma in terms of the sheer number of people involved and the long-term damage it is likely to inflict on virtually every aspect of their lives..." The sight of gunmen jeopardizing the lives of innocent hostages is shocking to people everywhere, regardless of their social, political or religious sympathies. Recent incidents such as the ones in Fiji and Mindanao in the Philippines also have deeper implications, as they show how the selfish actions of a handful of men can threaten not only the lives of a few people, but also the futures of entire communities and nations.