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Spoilt regime can damage whole country: Burmese monk living outside Burma
Made Popular Jan 28 2008
We Burmese celebrated January 4 as the 60th anniversary of country’s independence from United Kingdom. However, the question is haunting our minds that are we really free citizens? The military rule has brought the country to violence, poverty and huge displacement of its own people. The military rule is still holding the control governance since last 46 years.
In Burma, military controls the economy, political process, social mobility or life of common people as well. Military is a state within the state. More than one million Burmese have had no other option but to leave their own country to save their lives from poverty and persecution. Several small Burmese town located near the border areas have no water and electricity. They cross the Moei River almost daily to get foods from other side of the river.
However, Burmese, who are living in other countries, are still uncertain about their future. They live under the constant threat to be sent back to Burma at any point of time. The area falling in western border of Burma and Thailand are home to more than 140,000 Burmese refugees and several of them are living here since past 20 years. We monks are scared that if they returned to their own country they would be sent to the prison and disrobed.
I was taking care of Rangoon monastery and one day I decided to join the pro-democracy protests going on against the military rule in the country. When the military junta started the crackdown, I had no option but to flee from my own country to a neighboring country. Our pro-democratic movements were short-lived. The military ruler sent the troops to restrict the demonstration at any cost and the troops killed more than 100 people in traumatic repression.
“We monks are pillar of the beliefs in Burmese society but the rulers spread the trauma and shock among us. It will take a long time to heal.”
In earlier days, Burma was said to be the rice basket of Asia. The country has great natural resources but the military rulers exploited the resources and did nothing for the development of the country. Democracy was always in danger even just after independence and the military finally took control over the country in 1962.
Military junta unofficially declared world media as their enemy No. one. The rulers are trying to restrict even the use of Internet. The government has drafted draconian rules and regulations and switched off Internet and cable connections in several parts of the country. It also hiked the license fees of satellite dishes to stop people watching international news channels.
The 400,000-strong army is terrorizing its own citizens and thoughtlessly spoiling and damaging its own natural resources. As a Burmese citizen living outside of the country, I want to say one thing that the spoilt child may break toys and dolls and hurt family members for a certain time period but a spoilt regime may damage the whole country and its future generations.
RSS 
Pratyush
indiadaily.org
Jan 28 2008
New Delhi,
India
A true story of pain suffering by common people of Burma under the military regime. International community should create pressure on military junta in Burma to leave the seat for democratically-elected leaders.
Comment Link
(Global Perspectives)
The saga of desperation is grave in Burma and it’s the time for the ants to unite against the suppression, because it’s Burmese who can help themselves, but the collective effort will be fruitful and merely monks protesting will never ever be successful in bringing the democracy to Burma.
(Global Perspectives)
It's true that the Oil and gas Companies (both offshore and onshore) that are investing in Burma are making job easy for the Burmese Military junta to survive even after the economic sanctions and with all these going on there are little chances that Burmese will see the sunrise in democracy. If oil and gas interests would have not been there, this misery would have ended long ago. At present, keeping in view the plights of the people, there is a need to shed the profit mongering and to work for the suffering humanity and after watching the wretched dance in the streets of Rangoon, there is the firm need for the world to rein in the military rulers of Burma.
(Global Perspectives)
After all the chaos in the streets of Burma I want to ask where protectorates of democracy and humanity are doing, the UN and US I mean. What after all the Chinese, who have blessing hand on military rulers, are doing to avert the conflict? Miseries mean nothing in the present time mechanic, self-centered world wherein China and Russia have firm reasons to block moves in the UN Security Council intended to curb military junta. For them the bloodstained streets in Burma mean nothing for these emotionally bankrupt regimes. So no end in sight, only endless reprisal, perhaps that’s what the Burmese could do at the moment.
(Global Perspectives)
Until the world will be divided into two groups always looking to downgrade each other, this will happen. One will try to mediate, not to solve the conflict, but to explore its influence and the other group will oppose it and the result is what we see in Burma or Kosovo… and this will go on and on… Is there any positive outcome that you can imagine with this???
(Global Perspectives)
hey!!! You all are crazy to expect anything from china. How a regime that is dictatorial itself can support the free and democratic society in Burma. India remains mum as usual, china won’t do anything, Russia will use veto to avert any strong move against the military ruler, and the chaos will continue… and again the blame will be on US and UN… this will even continue and again what else will continue is the misery for the innocents in Myanmar…united we stand and divided we fall and this is necessary for the world to unite against the wicked regimes to take it off the world for ever.
(Global Perspectives)
Thanks a lot for covering story on Burma here. The monk living outside Burma has tried to show the world a tiny showcase of what is going on in the country. Only God can save us.
(Local Perspectives)
World is the arena to flex the muscle for those who are emerging as the powers and those who already occupy the slot. Hence, the will to out do the concerns of each other is the game that goes on. Secondly, the games move around the oil and the gas reserves, which are the determining factors for any economy to grow. Therefore, these two had always and will always rule the world and Burma has vast resources of oil and gas and therefore, the conflict as well. I wish that the oil and gas reserves end soon and half of problems in world will end. But I never mean by that Burmese need to wait till then, but little longer than expected due to this. Because if these interests would end perhaps the military rule will also end but don’t wait till then just go get it…by hock or crock.
(Global Perspectives)
shut up you all advocating sanctions on the dictators. Do you have little sense that sanctions do nothing to the military rulers or to the dictators but hurt ppl more and add to their miseries. It’s easy, too easy indeed, to ask or argue in favor of the sanctions but its implications are too hurting for the common masses and expose them to more hardships under military dictatorship. There can be only one solution to this: put the sanctions off and help the ppl prosperous by trade, travel, educating... By doing so, a well-informed people will rise up and that will be the end of the dictatorship whereas Isolating Burma means only worsening the situation.
(Global Perspectives)
Well, I think men have bigger brains than women do. Had there been a male leader to lead the rebellion in Burma, situation would’ve been different but they have incompetent Aung San Suu Kyi to lead them and she hardly leads. Burma needs a leader at the time and rest will follow. Had Napoleon not been there with army, other leaders had not been able to boost up the morale of the army to lead it to scores of victories. Because what a sword is without stain army is without a competent leader. I think I am clear with the meaning.
(Global Perspectives)
Burma is going downwards on all the fronts and the military junta is not accepting any positive steps suggested by international community. Killing own people is the biggest crime and the military rulers are doing the same.
(Global Perspectives)
you have got a good idea and a nice thought that sanctions will only heart common masses, very right! But you didn’t tell the world how to enter in a nation without the permission of dictators who will never allow any threat to their regimes. There are so many problems before your solution comes in vogue. So don’t come with a foolish idea without taking the crises into consideration.
(Global Perspectives)
Military rule will never end in Burma. I may sound in favor of dictators or out of mind for that matter, but this is the fact that all including Burmese should accept. Yea there are reasons as military junta have little to fear from being toppled by an out side force, for they have no nuclear weapons, they don’t support terrorism and the problem they have is just with their people and none with the international community. And international community that is concerned with its profits, hardly bothers whether Burmese are slaves to their military masters and that’s why the international apathy with the people. But is there is a worlds like “Humanity and Compassion” exist, then there is a need for the world community to take the action against the repression.
(Global Perspectives)
you all above said that the oil and gas resources are making the things difficult for the world community to take any action as Russia and china are blocking any such move. May be, but the reason, which I find more vigorous for west’s reluctance, is lack of interests like the less oil and gas reserves and not much economic interests in Burma. So, the people in Burma can only expect the psychological and the moral support from outside and how long these supports, I wonder, will take to avert the powerful military regime in Burma. God and courage be with you people.
(Global Perspectives)
I truly feel the world should raise its voice against what's happening in Burma or in Fiji or in Pakistan. all the military dictators should be dethroned and we should form a world govt. to avoid it in any part of the world for putting of the brutalities. The Burmese government shouldnt be encouraged by anyone... Everyone has a Right to democracy... I pray for this to come true as soon as possible
(Global Perspectives)
Myanmar is a state that is yet to be a cohesive country. The so-called nation was created through three wars happened in 19th century. The Burmese people were ruled by the potential roles of foreign observers, analysts, and potential donors. Economic disparities were the result of ethnic diversity and a rigid hierarchical structure of class or caste in the country. On the front of socio-economic, the state has been failed and this is the responsibility of international community to help the people of Burma in establishing democratic structure of governance in the country.
(Global Perspectives)
Because of its economic and political instability, Myanmar has become an instruments in the hands of countries like Japan, China, and India. For several years Myanmar has been victim of political stalemate, the result of ongoing deadlock between the military junta and the supporters of democratic movements. The country has also been the victim of differences between countries like China and the US, China and japan and China and India.
(Global Perspectives)
Hey Farzad, think positive and correct man. how can you say that men have bigger brains than women do. Are you talking about the scientific proof? I am giving you here the economic data. Traditionally the status of Burmese women in theory and practice has been high in comparison with women in several developed countries. European observers noted that in the nineteenth century the position of Burmese women was higher than women in Europe. What do you say? Does the size of brain matter? Get some smaller brain with higher thinking dude.
(Local Perspectives)
Can you imagine how the military dictators misusing the power in curbing people's rights. It has absolute control over all media and publishing houses and evidently involved in the suppression and elimination of essential components of civil society. the civil servants, professors and even school teachers live their lives on the mercy of military rulers. They have no freedom to import the ideas of governance from other countries. A censor board controls all the publications, literature, and the foreign books and journals imported in the country. The military is hitting hard the brains of young generation to control the country even in future.
(Global Perspectives)
Military is everything in Myanmar or one can say it is like a state within a state. Military rulers have absolute control over all the components of state institutions and it has established some other assisting components which has divided the country into two blocks - military society and civilian society. This is not the end of story, the military rulers work hard to attract the younger generation to become the part of military just to weaken the pillars of civilian society and their democratic movements in the country. It has opened its own schools, colleges and health services, housing societies. It forces the civilian people to be isolated in their own country. The civilians are poor and have fewer academic opportunities and health facilities from the military dictators. Rewata said it correct that spoilt regime can damage the whole country. This is all happening in Myanmar
(Global Perspectives)
One percent of the population of Myanmar has either left the country or living in refugee camps near bordering areas. The worst thing is that these people are Myanmar has also lost about one percent of its total population is educated but aren't able to contribute in the growth and development of the country because of political repression, ethnic discrimination, almost no economic opportunity in the country.
(Local Perspectives)
The military is not so what described here. After all, the military regime is the sole present and future institution that is capable of keeping Myanmar as a single country. Pluralism at its highest level may be resulted in destruction of national unity.
(Global Perspectives)
who is expecting that China would ever do anything good for any country in the world? Outside China, they need nothing and keep an eye on Myanmar only because of its rich natural resources reserve.
(Global Perspectives)
Monks are the most revered people in Myanmar. Without their blessings nothing happens here. When they are being jailed, tortured and humiliated, it is very easy to understand what lies in store for the evil government and the country in future. The country will survive and be prosperous and a happy nation again, but the regime leaders will have a horrific end.
(Local Perspectives)
stable and democratic burma is good for near by countries. this militry dictaters are threatening. some years back they tried to attack Bangladesh during the Cox's bazar Rohingya Muslims crisis. very dangrous.
(Global Perspectives)
It's a tragedy that the world can't help the Burmese because India needs the support of the Burmese junta to fight terrorists in its eastern states and China needs it as a strategic dept in South Asia.
There couldn't have been more world pressure on Burma than we have all witnessed over the years continuing till today. Without China and India doing their bit, nothing is going to happen.
An Iraqi-style regime change is simply out of the question there.
There couldn't have been more world pressure on Burma than we have all witnessed over the years continuing till today. Without China and India doing their bit, nothing is going to happen.
An Iraqi-style regime change is simply out of the question there.
(Global Perspectives)
I am sorry for the Burmese people and their leader Aung San Suu Kyi. I guess she will die in house arrest. What will happen after her? The people would be left with no leader for them.
I guess the Burmese military is waiting for her death. It's because of her the Burmese plight gets continuous international attention. Once she is gone, the world may lose focus and the Burmese people will be left finding a common popular leader.
I guess the Burmese military is waiting for her death. It's because of her the Burmese plight gets continuous international attention. Once she is gone, the world may lose focus and the Burmese people will be left finding a common popular leader.
(Global Perspectives)
burma is a completely ruined country. THe monks were teh last hope to change the goverment thinking because of there social status. as a sri lankan i can say buddhist monks have high place in soceity. may there be change in burma which is one of teh poorest countries in world.
(Global Perspectives)
What is India doing? I do not understand why it is so soft on Burma government. If it needs to fight terrorists in east it can do it by itself even if it means entering Burma. How can it be so afraid of Burmese army when it wants to become superpower? Burmese common people will always support India.
(Global Perspectives)
We Burmese expect much from India than any other neighboring country because India is the largest democracy in the world. This is the duty of Indian leader to help pro-democratic people in establishing democratic institutions in Burma
(Local Perspectives)
For Indian leaders, Burma was always the buffer zone between India and China. later, India allowed China to play a dominant role in Burma. Now, China is playing the same role in Pakistan, Tibet, Nepal and Burma, the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman islands. This is good time for India to turn the clock back to China and to help Burmese people to form a democratic government in country.
(Global Perspectives)
India can do what Europe, US, Africa can’t do for Burma. Indians can't avoid doing its duty as a great power in the region.
(Global Perspectives)
India should take advantage of the demand to play a crucial role in Myanmar. The European Union and the United States want India to repeat its role it completed in Nepal. The situation is different It would boost India's position in the whole region.
(Global Perspectives)
Indian media hasn't even play its role in showing the real picture of Myanmar. No doubt, media is pro-democracy in India but it opted to take extra cautious not to affect India’s strategic relations with Myanmar's generals.