Monks On The Move

[chuckwoww]

India/China connection...

 

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/10/18/opinion/opinion_30052835.php

[chelseafan]

Yep once again, the Junta will do what they will....there will be the international condemnation of course, but other than that zilch.

The santions imposed by the EU are worthless (90% of trade is negociated with Burmas neighbours) and unfortunately theres little oil there.

I am not in favour of military strikes, i.e. Afghanistan and Iraq, but if Bush & co ever wanted to get some popularity points then I doubt there would be anybody who would object....oh except the Chinese of course and there lies the problem

 

Incidentally, I want it noted that I do not recongnise the name Mynamar. Its Burma plain and simple, the people call it Burma, it was the Junta who decided to change the name. Surely the EU and others should not recognise the name, at least this would be a start!!!

 

[chuckwoww]

if Bush & co ever wanted to get some popularity points then I doubt there would be anybody who would object....oh except the Chinese of course and there lies the problem

 

I don't think the Thais would be crazy about that idea either. They would probably get the refugee fallout.

 

[chelseafan]

SO more cute women coming to LOS....cool

 

Seriously, they have a high fall out already, a lot of the towns on the Thai/Burma border consist mainly of Karens.

But surely this is a small price to pay and we're only talking temporarily whilst the Junta are taken out of action.

The Burmese people will certainly rise against their oppressors.

 

[chuckwoww]

OK so let's think this through. The UN passes a resolution authorizing the use of force against Burma. India and China raise no objection so Dubya orders a carrier group into the Bay of Bengal. The cruise 'missuls' start flying. Grainy pictures on CNN of buffalos exploding. Yeeha! Nothing. The generals hunker down. Bring on the JDams baby. Burma is turned into mud and rubble.

 

Or maybe Dubya goes the unilateral route. Hell with the UN. Perhaps the Thai generals get their arms twisted a bit and allow bombing runs out of Thailand. US marines are dropped into Rangoon in conjunction with an amphibious landing up the Irawaddy by Royal Marines and French Paras. Huge influx of Burmese refugees into Thailand and Bangladesh. Refugee camps are built under the protection of Thai troops. Burmese Generals flee to China and Aung Sang Sukyi takes over. Shan States declare independence. The border is redrawn so the Karen become Thai citizens and Burma asks for billions in reconstruction aid. But the chaos is only temporary. Soon luxury resorts and casinos spring up along the Andaman Coast and the Burmese get the menial jobs. Or maybe I'm being a bit negative here.

[chelseafan]

In 2 paragraphs you've solved the Burmese problem

 

Seriously though, the Burmese people are going to suffer for many more years maybe even indefintely yet all the while other countries do nothing about it.

There are many many injustices in the world, surely this has to near the top of the list and its about time more pressure was made to end what is a totally unelected government.....oh hang on thats Thailand too....

 

 

[chuckwoww]

More pressure? From where and by who? Bush has no moral authority after what he did to Iraq. He is pretending to care about Burma for US domestic consumption. The Indians and the Chinese won't do anything. Nor will the Thais. The BBC tries to keep the focus on Burma but it's last week's news already. Now it's Pakistan making the headlines. Next week something else. To be honest I'm not sure how many Burmese care.

 

I think any change will probably come from inside Burma. The army holds all the cards there but the older generals are dying out. Maybe the new generation will worry about world opinion.

[bust]

Among the Asean countries, Singapore is critical for the Burmese regime. Singapore can be considered a lifeline for Burmese generals as many generals' families and cronies own businesses and properties in Singapore. On top of that, most of their ill-gotten money is in Singapore banks and it's also the place where they go for medical treatment and shopping. If the Singapore government sincerely wants to help Burma, they should instruct all Singapore owned banks to stop corresponding with the Burmese Foreign Trade Banks. Singapore-owned banks should stop illegal US dollar transactions between the two countries. Currently, Singapore Banks are helping US dollars transactions by bypassing the Bank of New York. This is illegal. The monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has the authority to stop this.

 

If someone was to take firm action on the money laundering of generals, their family members and their cronies through illegal money changers, most of them operating at Peninsula Plaza under the cover of retail businesses. Freeze the generals' money in Singapore banks and properties of the generalsâ?? families and cronies. All the money and assets they own are ill-gotten money/assets which rightfully belong to the Burmese people. Place travel bans on the generals, their family members and cronies.

 

The Traders Hotel, was built by Asia World, a construction company owned by the Lo family. Lo Hsien Han is widely recognised as one of the most powerful drug lords in Burma and was a frequent visitor to Singapore until recently. His son Steven Law, who has been barred from entering the US on suspicion of involvement in drug trafficking, has an office in Singapore.

 

The Singapore Government's joint venture with the drug lord came through the Myanmar Fund, set up to channel investment into Burma, which has since been shut down. Singapore's involvement was through its billion-dollar Government Investment Corporation.

 

[chuckwoww]

The US is certainly in a position to put pressure on Singapore...

 

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2798.htm

 

"Singapore continues to attract investment funds on a large scale despite its relatively high-cost operating environment. The United States leads in foreign investment, accounting for 24% of new commitments to the manufacturing sector in 2005. As of 2005, the stock of investment by U.S. companies in the manufacturing and services sectors in Singapore reached about $48.1 billion (total assets). The bulk of U.S. investment is in electronics manufacturing, oil refining and storage, and the chemical industry. About 1,500 U.S. firms operate in Singapore."

 

"Singapore has consistently supported a strong U.S. military presence in the Asia-Pacific region. In 1990, the United States and Singapore signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which allows United States access to Singapore facilities at Paya Lebar Airbase and the Sembawang wharves. Under the MOU, a U.S. Navy logistics unit was established in Singapore in 1992; U.S. fighter aircraft deploy periodically to Singapore for exercises, and a number of U.S. military vessels visit Singapore. The MOU was amended in 1999 to permit U.S. naval vessels to berth at the Changi Naval Base, which was completed in early 2001. In July 2005, the United States and Singapore signed a Strategic Framework Agreement to expand cooperation in defense and security."

[Mentors]

Aung San Suu Kyi holds surprise talks with Burma junta

 

Burma's detained democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is to hold surprise talks with a minister from the ruling junta today, according to sources in Burma.

Residents in Rangoon, where Aung San Suu Kyi is being held under house arrest, told the Associated Press that she had left her home to meet officials

http://www.guardian.co.uk/burma/story/0,,2198729,00.html