I recently spent four weeks in Myanmar. Most nights I
stayed at MTT approved hotels and I took MTT approved
tours. I had a hassle free and most informative time in
Myanmar. On a couple of occasions I dined out with members
of the military and f the Government who were staying in
the same hotels as myself. I found them to be quite human
and quite unlike the pictures painted in the media in our
countries. I would request anybody, before castigating
these people to maybe take some time out of your self
indulgent 'right on' travels to meet these people who are
quite accessible to anyone who wishes to meet them and they
will gladly answer your questions. Try and see both sides
of the story. Aung Sang Suu Kyi has no magic wand. If she
comes to power Myanmar's problems won't automatically
disappear.
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You definitely made a good point
Congratulations! You get the vote of approval from Kyaw(which incidentally, means "Anus Tonguer" in Burmese). It's great you can have such a fine time with the military, eating expensive meals in comfy hotels while children perform road-work outside (just insert some cotton so the noise won't keep you awake). Ignore the facts! Just have a good time! You are a true CREEP and Karma's gonna get your ass!
When I was in Burma a few years ago, I was fortunate enough
to meet the retired Quartermaster-General of the Army, a
lovely man spending his waning years at the Shwedagon with a
pair of caring chelas. His serenity, humor, and inner peace
were an inspiration, and we cherished the sunset hours we
spent with him in that transcendent place.
-
However, when he praised the work of Ne Win, we smiled
non-commitally, and when he offered to write us letters of
introduction to the military zone commanders, "all my former
sub-alterns", we declined. The reason was that we had dealt
with official corruption and obvious oppression for our
entire black-market, stamp-dodging stay, and had talked to
too many people who said, "Please, let the world know what
is happening to us here."
-
Aung San Suu Kyi has legitimacy because an overwhelming
majority of Burmese said so in an election where they were
encouraged, at least, to say the opposite. The current
government is evil because they rule in opposition to the
will of those they rule, beyond any atrocities they may have
commited. It's remotely possible that all the anti-SLORC
allegations are propaganda, but that election is the only
reality required to make their continued strangle hold on
power abominable.
-
Despots aren't always ugly. Hitler and Mussolini charmed
their nations. Hitler made a lot of his "country's problems
disappear", before he got it obliterated. It's despotism
itself that's ugly. Nobody thinks Suu Kyi is a magician who
can wave a wand and reverse the fifty years of mismanagement
the current ruling elite has foisted on a helpless nation.
But her people believe that she deserves the chance, and
foreign apologists who let themselves be paid in blood money
for their approval of continued dictatorship are no friends
to Burma or its people.
Very intelligently put!!
it's one of the enduring mysteries of life for me that
burmese army people are so shitty to their own kind. i have
met many captains and majors who run the cities, utilities
and ministries and they are intelligent, charming, genuinely
interested in improving the areas they are responsible for
(and a little cash in the side pocket, please - but this
is asia), effective, and all sorts of other positives. i met
the old minister of tourism (kyaw bah - rumoured to be
currently under house arrest) who was a right bastard when
he quelled the kachin state. he was a really nice and
interesting guy to talk to. his deputy who really ran the
show was as professional as anyone you could come across
anywhere - bit of shit though, very western! you meet many
ex-officers either retired or resigned and they are first
rate busisness men well switched on to the modern world. i
just don't understand where the jekyll and hyde act comes
from. in a country where the people are achingly, genuinely
nice you can't just have a section of the population who are
professional bastards but that seems to be what happens.
maybe they are all professional bastards and they are good
at acting nice - no i don't believe it either.
Since no-one talks to you any more,Kyaw, you've become a
verbal onanist.
So, I'll take pity on you ... "Fuck off,Kyaw".
Good post Karlo.
I'm even warming to you diogenes. I previously classified
you as a propagandist. Now I'm beginning to admire your
honesty and realism.