Excerpts from Yawning Bread:
The best thing Asean can do right now is to suspend Burma from the grouping. Sure, such action won’t help anyone in the Irrawaddy delta, but there is not a chance in hell that this meeting will produce help anyway. If we can’t save anybody, Asean has at least to save itself from international ignominy.
We can make it clear that Burma‘s suspension will be lifted when a democratically-elected government is in place to represent the country, though more likely, the Burmese junta will simply quit Asean altogether than accept this slap in the face. So be it. It will be a huge relief to many of us not to be associated with those ogres anymore.
Read the full article on Yawning Bread.
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Instead of suspension, I’m more in favor of a tougher, interventionist stance.
You push Burma out of the ASEAN sphere, she’s only going to move closer to the Chinese sphere of influence.
Suspending Burma will only show the world that ASEAN’s ability to achieve any form of cohesive action is seriously weak and non-existent.
I think we should establish the truth in the field and do some research to verify information to what extent the regime has responded and deal with the aftermath of this terrible cyclone.
The western media and whatever you find on the internet from which we are getting our information are very critical, many with their own agenda and politicising this event to put pressure on the regime. (see UN Chief Ban remark 16 May to focus on saving lives – this is not the time for politics which I so far has not seen reported by the Western Press, they were quick to interprete some of his earlier statements to match their tone)
It is easy for some of us here to follow this Western line of thinking and add to this crying out for blood like Yawning Bread has done. Almost a mob mentality? Afterall, who can be against this polular wish to go in to save the Myanmarese people and hopefully bring down the regime one and the same time.
What if the trurth is different. I am sure we do not want to be gullible pawns in this big game played at the expense of the Myanmar people.
I could sense a change of tone, just like the tibet/olyumpic torch issues – the shrill voices and politicising in both cases has not quite match up with the truth but still the bashing goes on, and posturing goes on. I venture to suggest what if the situation in the delta is not as grim and out of control as it was make out to be? What if it was found that the regime has in fact make a great effort to help their own nationals to the extent of their available local resources? what if they have not in fact been keeping back the aids materials for their soldiers or selling it to profit themselves as alleged? What if it was found that there was no widespread diseases as I think is the situation now? No matter, our mind in fact is already closed and we will come up with more things to say against the regime we all love to hate.
I am surprised that the many allegations (some of which are obviously outrageous) against the regime are simply lapped up without thinking whether credible or not? The fact that almost no one report anything good about the regime should alert us to think more critically.
Some take the cues and information from the Myanmar people and organisations outside, almost to the man, they condemn the regime, probably for good reasons but the reasons they mostly espouse especially concerning the regime response or lack of response to helping the cyclone victims has not been subjected to critical evaluation by some of us out here.
I thought online citizen would want to be a credible alternative to the MSM? May be an idea for TOC to use this opportunity to find someone of stature who can provide some balance to this articles from Yawning Bread?
This is not a matter of whether we are pro or anti regime, it is a matter of being credible which can only make us more stronger if we should want to join the West and vigourously opposed the regime. In any case, we are in the region, we should have a better understanding of the our neighbours and how to help them. We should form our own way to response like what our governments are doing in Myanmar instead of justing acting like an agent of the west.
Why are we not thinking for example the alternative approach for example how China is responding and helping Myanmar? We almost by kneejerk brush it off as one bad and clumsy regime helping another regime, about Chinese interest which is keeping Myanmar in such poor condition and that the West is only wanting to help the cyclone victim and Myanmar people. That is the extent how close our mind has become for some of us?
And if the truth lie somewhere in between, our opinion, especially harsh judgement and response may perhaps be correspondingly moderated otherwise it may come back and bite us.
I believe this is the responsibility of everyone in civil society, not least to maintain moral highground, otherwise we are just a mob.
At the very least someone should played the devil’s advocate (pun unintended).
Wishing everyone a happy, peaceful Vesak day ( from a free thinker).
Dear Monsoon,
You said: “I thought online citizen would want to be a credible alternative to the MSM?”
I don’t believe anyone from TOC has said anything of that sort. We are just a bunch of part-time bloggers sharing our views.
We are nowhere near the capability of the MSM nor do we have the resources like the MSM does.
Just to clear the misconception. :)
Regards,
Andrew Loh
By the way, Dr Huang has written a letter to the Straits Times on George Yeo’s comments:
http://nofearsingapore.blogspot.com/
Dear Andrew – As far I am concerned, you are far better than the MSM in providing non partisan but attracting high quality intellectual, insightful, practical and diverse spectrum of issues and thoughts from so many interesting personalities in Singapore, both main stream and on the internet, such as Yawning Bread and also my favourite TKL.
In my view you have more credibility than the MSM – western media and their local associates – even if your capability and resources are no where matching these powerful agents.
I think it be good to attract views more outside of perhaps just a collection of westernised intellectuals that perhaps define the TOC outlook so far?
Just a thought, no offence meant.
Sir – I also tak boleh tahan.
George Yeo also comment favourably on North Korea after his visit – so what? we close our eyes and closed our mind to what may be the truth on the ground, that in fact a regime hated by the west may not be as bad as they are presented to you. I say may, so the only reasonable thing to do is to be intrigued and find out more.
Instead, people like Dr Huang start bashing those who bring us an alternative view instead of thanking him and checking it out if true or not?
I just wish for more high and low profile people brave enough to make statement contrary to what the MSM feed us, far too few of us dare to think beyond what the MSM dish out in terms of “fact and opinion” – Thats is why they are powerful – I salute the Thai PM and our own George Yeo for being brave enough to speak out even if mildly for Myanmar against popular belief..
Is it not for TOC to more promote alternative and more thinking?
when i was in france i saw a video of the starvation north koreans faced. Rotting corpse on the streets and children and old folks in hunger. While the regiment celebrate the national day with much fanfare. No camera video tv are allowed in nkorea. I saw the 2hr cnn video and my heart breaks. Such video u never can see on our tv. We do have cnn but with many a cut down version. Anyway nkorea gov show tyranny to their ppl. The peasant lifes are so cheap they just leave them die of starvation.
The escapee filmed it with a smuggled camera phone and left the border at night during winter to sKorea. It was a valuable film about how bad was the starvation in Nkorea. Their bloody gov never wanted help but keep threatening with NUCLEAR WEAPONS. Their people lives are at stake yet most rescources are spend on military and weapons research. How good are dictatorship? Only people suffers from such a government.
Yet our own gahmen have $86 million dollars trade with them. Selling what? Weapons, IT and commuincations? To better catch the people who are against the tyranny gov of NKorea? I hope our gahmen have decent trade that doesn’t have the koreans blood in their hands.
Dear Monsoon,
Don’t worry, no offence taken. In fact, what you said and suggested is what we’re trying to do – that is, to have more people come forward and share their knowledge and experience. Indeed, we are very fortunate to have Kin Lian and Sze Hian writing for TOC, along with the rest of the team such as Zheng Xi, Gerald, Benjamin, Selene and everyone.
We are always looking for people who aren’t afraid of speaking up, especially if their views are different or unorthodox or not “popular”. We will endeavour to be a credible enough platform for such people to make use of.
If you do know anyone who may want to contribute to TOC, please do let us know.
Thank you for the compliment about TOC. We are encouraged by such support – which, incidentally, we have been receiving lately. It just means one thing: There’s more work to be done! :)
Regards,
Andrew Loh
Hi Monsoon,
Regarding your comments,
“I am surprised that the many allegations (some of which are obviously outrageous) against the regime are simply lapped up without thinking whether credible or not? The fact that almost no one report anything good about the regime should alert us to think more critically.”
I’m a Burmese and have been following all developments related to Burma really closely- costing me sleepless nights, mournings and tears through out Saffron revolution and now the Nargis impact. All those bad things you heard or read or seen about Junta are not only true but you can safely take it for granted to be even understated. Forget about thinking, Yangon is only 2 and 1/2 hours away from Singapore. Take a tourist visa, fly there and spend less than a thousand singapore dollars, you will be heartbroken of the mishaps of oppressed Burmese citizens.
I’d be more than obliged to help you in your quest for truth if you’re willing.
I wouldn’t say Western countries has no hidden Agenda in everything they do about Burma. But all they’re reporting, all they’re asking and all they’re trying to do for Burma right now is 100 times more truthful, better for Burmese people than what China or ASEAN has been doing and that is a FACT.
” In any case, we are in the region, we should have a better understanding of the our neighbours and how to help them. We should form our own way to response like what our governments are doing in Myanmar instead of justing acting like an agent of the west. ”
We can clearly see that it’s not a matter of ASEAN not understanding Burmese issues. ASEAN is not dumb not to see the obvious- Junta killing people, commiting crime against humanity. It is simply a matter of conflict of interest. ASEAN won’t do anything that would backfire to them in terms of their business interests, political influence. China, Thailand, Singapore would be the top countries in the list.
“Why are we not thinking for example the alternative approach for example how China is responding and helping Myanmar?”
China (Government) is no help to Burma at all. Junta is what they are simply because of China(Government) standing strong for them. When it comes to China (Government), you don’t even have to think twice why they are doing what they’re doing. The obvious political influence and economical advantage they are enjoying right now from Burma tells you all.
On the other hand the way they’re handling the Quake and helping the victims/ survivours is exceptional and for that I’m happy for Chinese citizens. I just wish the Chinese Government has a stronger morality to look and care beyond their own country’s good/benefit and symphatize with the sufferings of Burmese people.
Last of all, for all those comments I’m putting in I sort of think that putting more pressure on Junta should be the first step of measure ASEAN should be taking to redeem themselves.
Hi nlt,
Best wishes for your countrymen.
Thank you for answering Monsoon’s criticism on my behalf.
It is not easy to believe that there is so much evil in this world and sometmes we prefer to look the other way and hope that it is not true.
In view of ASEAN’s apparent breakthrough, Gerald Giam asked me if ASEAN’s reputation had been salvaged , this is my reply,
“Hi Gerald,
It is a welcome development. I would rather be proven wrong and the Burmese people get much needed help and freedoms than be proven right and the status quo.
Forgive me for being sceptical about the junta’s actions.
I still hope that my letter gets printed as Burma needs much more opening up than letting in ASEAN’s medical teams.
Burma needs genuine opening up starting with the freedom of AASK!”
Dear Andrew – Best wishes to you and your TOC team – we need more people like you in Singapore – dare to think – dare to act and dare to take responsibility for their action.
The prospect looks good for the impasse over cyclone Nargis to be overcome and a chance for Asean, Myanmar’s friendly neighbours like India and China and of course the UN to take more responsibility with Myanmar, work with the authorities there in a non confrontational way, at least for this important task of helping the millions of victims in the delta area. Unless of course like what is being said on BBC and CNN is true, that the government and armed forces are not accepting aids, or worse, whatever little aids they allowed in, they are keeping for themselves, that these guys are relaxing in their new capital, busy with referendum and not out helping in the delta except sending all their seven helicopters for hunting down the few brave western journalists who manage to sneak in illegally and were proudly playing hide and seek in the delta area, taunting the regime, hoping to provoke them into some silly action etc. I wonder if this is the model journalism practice that we seek to emulate?
The jury is still out, lets see who is really sincere in helping, who is just playing politics. We should support the right groups when we can reasonably ascertain the truth out there.
In my view the Western countries, NGOs and media is too overly agressive in pushing their agenda and have really twisted the facts so much so that I felt it is important for us to be careful, and be sure of their purported “facts” before we continue to cheers them on, if this is what we want to do.
A better alternative is to think of more original Asian way of dealing with the situation like what China has done. We should know the local culture here better and should be able to find a more creative solution not only to the cyclone but perhaps even beyond that to help Myanmar rejoin the modern world sooner than later.
Those who claim they want to help the Myanmar people and shouting out those unproven allegations as fact to the world at large, they may have other agendas – - I can understand why the regime is suspicious of them.
Hi MonSoon,
“Unless of course like what is being said on BBC and CNN is true, that the government and armed forces are not accepting aids, or worse, whatever little aids they allowed in, they are keeping for themselves, that these guys are relaxing in their new capital, busy with referendum and not out helping in the delta except sending all their seven helicopters for hunting down the few brave western journalists who manage to sneak in illegally and were proudly playing hide and seek in the delta area, taunting the regime, hoping to provoke them into some silly action etc. I wonder if this is the model journalism practice that we seek to emulate?”
Again, I have to stress that all those are true. I’m glad that you care about Burmese people and really wishing good for Burma and its people. For that I feel that it is my responsibility as a Burmese citizen to help you as much as I could in understanding the real situation and deciding what’s true and what’s smoke, as I underdstand in dealing with a multitude of information out there, it’s hard to differentiate for an outsider.
All Burmese communities around the world right now are trying their best (really hard) to go into Burma and make sure that the donations, kinds get to the hands of the victims AND NOT THROUGH government. An example website would be http://blog.moegyo.org/. In Singapore, (if visiting the Burma itself is too taxing for you) you could visit Peninsula Plaza which pretty much represents the Burmese community in singapore, or ToaPaYoh Burmese Monastry and such where they’re accepting donations. And you could do your citizen journalism there by randomly picking a few Burmese the reason for such a personal NGO type donation collections. Probably you could ask how they’re going to distributing the donations. They would be able to confirm you that whichever channel they go through, they’d make sure that it is not through JUNTA’s. We are doing it because we know it for a FACT that the donations going through Government is a lost cause.
You may ask how it could be true- like selling aids to markets, or keeping high-energy biscuits for ARMY use and replacing them with low quality biscuits. Simple. Burmese army is a poor and hungry bunch except for higher ranking officers in a good places. They themselves are struggling for their daily survival (which is ironic considering they’re the tools being used in oppressing the people). The army ration rice is of lowest quality while the donated international aid rice is of decent quality. That makes it aids from US/Thailand luxury food or expensive tools to them. And corruption, abusing state property is commonplace in country like Burma. You add those all up and you’ll begin to understand how these could happen.
Referendum? Should I explain more how power is the Top priority for the Burmese Generals?
Hunting down the Journalist? Sure. They are even rejecting Doctors to help cyclone victims in this time of need just because they’re white, they’d go to extreme measures to make sure that no news leak out of the country without them knowing it- but lucky enough for us, this time they’re not doing it well and news are flowing out.
Dear NTT,
I have many Myanmar friends. Like I say, almost to a man everyone is opposed the regime and probably for many good reasons which I fully respect – what I want to point out is not to opposed or fight for the wrong reasons – it is important to not just lap up everything the western press tell us about the regime as true because I know personally it is not after checking for myself.
I give one small example – the clearing of fallen trees in Yangon, the press and even my Myanmar friends in Yangon itself tells me that the tress are all cleared by monks and local people and the soldiers are no where in sight. This is what I and many of us here who sympathised with Myanmar people like to believe but is it the true, really? I checked myself and I can definitely tell you it is ridiculous and I told my Yangon friends so too.
Besides the road, air and rail services, water, electricity, phone services were restored in good time after the storm by the authorities. Surely this you cannot deny?
Another fallacy is that the soldiers and their leaders does not go to the delta area to help and co-ordinate but just to maintain roadblock and turn back those who send supplies to the delta area? – you can see it in the New Light of Myanmar – all the statistics and the Myanmar TV too, could all these be fake like what they say of the moon landing in 1968?
I just spoke to my friend who just return a few minutes ago from Dedaye after sending in supply of rice and clothings etc under heavy rain and difficult condition. Instead of hiding from the authorities, he was given help by the Police authorities, before you think it – he is same concerned guy like you and me – not one of your government business stooges.
Be careful the West may cause the breakup of your country and use it as a proxy against China. At the end, you become a pawn, like Pakistan? In my view China is a more long term friend , Asean and India too, more dependable.
The question is how to bring Myanmar to rejoin the modern world, the regime may not be capable and running the country to a ground, it is better to find a way out with them and bring in better leadership for the country. I am not sure having the West backing is the best course for you. It may or may not be, but we should verify the fact and weigh our option instead of just writing off China, or Asean by just ascribing to them the conflict of interest as what the Western people want you to believe. The reasons are probably more complicated.
For Dr Huang, I just want to say that the regime both in Myanmar and N Korea does not have a monopoly on evilness – the perspective of evil depend on which side you are on. George Yeo went to North Korea and come back with a different perspective but of course he did not say the regime there are angels, but they are not evil – they are just human beings like us. Once you turn then into devils, its is easy to believe what you want to believe and then cheers when the yankees come marching in to save Myanmar and N Korea, remember Vietnam?
Finally, to be fair, NTT – I must tell you I have been to Myanmar many times, runs a small business but never have any official dealings with the generals so I am not pro or anti regime. I am very pro Myanmar. Pro Asian and proud to be Singaporean.
Monsoon,
And you speak of opening our minds while advocating a particular stance too. Isn’t that a fallacy?
The absence of a particular angle of news from a source does not automatically mean the speciousness of what is currently available.
Sometimes, we can’t just sit around and moralise about the grey areas. The world does not solely operate in grey areas, sometimes the world possesses areas of distinct shades of black or white.
“In my view China is a more long term friend , Asean and India too, more dependable.” – There are no friends in this world, only interests. Where Burma is concerned, the Chinese only want stability in their southern arc of influence.
Will they be charitable out of their own kindness? Hardly. Humanitarian intervention and the responsibility to protect are hardly ingrained in contemporary Chinese political or strategic thought.
This is the real world, a world where evil walks the ground in many forms and sometimes, compromises do not work as well as we might think they are.
ASEAN and the Burmese people has been disgraced by the actions of the junta time and time again, and it is a luxury to engage Burma when all it does is enlarge the breathing space of these idiots who pretend to call themselves soldiers and leaders of this ravaged nation.
Hi MonSoon,
“I give one small example – the clearing of fallen trees in Yangon, the press and even my Myanmar friends in Yangon itself tells me that the tress are all cleared by monks and local people and the soldiers are no where in sight. This is what I and many of us here who sympathised with Myanmar people like to believe but is it the true, really? I checked myself and I can definitely tell you it is ridiculous and I told my Yangon friends so too. ”
Clearing the trees. The clearing efforts by the JUNTA started late. I wouldn’t say they don’t want to clear. I’d simply say they don’t have the capacity or infrastructure to do it. So far the only modern technology they employed in clearing the mess (the whole city as big as SINGAPORE filled with felled trees) was a picture from NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR showing a worker using ONE chainsaw and about a dozen of soldiers standing by. And I STAND FIRM that majority of the cleaning up effort is required to be done by the citizens themselves be it monks or just the normal citizen. Again the reason, the JUNTA just DON’T have the infrastructure to deal with the devastation of such scale. If they are on top of it just like they mentioned, we would be seeing tons of images of THEM doing it which I haven’t seen so far. The point here is that JUNTA is not the “government for people”. They’re not built for that. And when it comes to handling disaster like this, it’s the people that suffers due to insufficient help from THEM.
Simple reality check. Consider the impact- more than a million people (just halfing what UN has put up 2.5 million) become homeless and are starving(meaning totally relying on aids as they have their daily meal earning mechanism lost). You go and look at what MRTV is showing. How many victims do you see there. Next- how much aid workers do you think would be required to serve them? Can you do the check again on the number of Junta backed aid workders or soldiers MRTV is showing? Probably you would want to compare it to the China earthquake impact and the multitude of soldiers they’re deploying, aid workers working.
And that is not considering the rehablitation. Irrawady delta is the rice bowl of Burma. Now the whole rice growing mechanism of those millions of people gone. With expected 100,000 or more FARMERS/families died. And make your mental estimation of how to restore it or how much national effort would be required to work on it. And look at your New Light of Myanmar or MRTV that you somehow seems to have a good faith in. Does any of the it seems to be reliably showing anything of that measure?
“I just spoke to my friend who just return a few minutes ago from Dedaye after sending in supply of rice and clothings etc under heavy rain and difficult condition. Instead of hiding from the authorities, he was given help by the Police authorities, before you think it – he is same concerned guy like you and me – not one of your government business stooges.”
I appreciate for your friends efforts. Kudos to him/her. Yes. I have more than one friends who just went back there and now visiting those areas. Yes now I’m hearing similar news there- getting a chance to donate in some areas. Mind you, still that is not the case for all areas. Still not everybody can organize a relief effort freely there and do the donations. And I don’t want you to miss the major point here. Letting some guys going there personally and having to hand over the aids is the LEAST a government could do. You have to bear in mind that the problem is that plight of the victims is far from being part of their priorities.
And what happened last weeks were also true. Especially before May 10th the Referendum. Eg. in MyaungMya, the soldiers even locked up all survivors coming from the nearby villages in a compound because they are so worried that the referendum would be interrupted. It’s the issue of the chain of command down there. The top officials issues a priority and that was followed and how it was followed doesn’t matter for them. And so far as following the orders is concerned, human life is not part of the equation.
“In my view China is a more long term friend , Asean and India too, more dependable. ”
I beg to differ here. Ours is more like heading to become a DARFUR because UN ever-failing to reach any agreement at Security council. Consider the prosperity of Burma 60 years ago. Try to understand how fast country has deteriotated under this military JUNTA for the past two decades. You said you have been to Burma for more than once. Have you ever counted a number of beggers increasing every day? Please look back at your statistics to see how much CHINA is involved in Burma’s economics exploitations.
Check how India is sucking up to Generals to secure offshore gas production- U-turning from their previous pro-democracy stance because they realized if you don’t suck up to the Generals then all will go to China and Thailand.
Hi Celluloid reality – good to join in, I am still trying to define firmly my stance as you can see from my various comments, I would be happy if you can disproof the few examples of what I said about the Western press that they may in fact betelling lies or twisting the fact and slanting the news intentionally to mislead you, to promote their interests (not to help the Myanmar) but are you prepare to reconsider or moderate your stance if what I state are in fact correct? Alternatively, Once you are already decided to be anti regime and pro west, or in your interest – you will come up with more and other reasons to strengthen your stance.
Again – Some of us are completely closed to China being a benign power as I think they are. WE are so much more comfortable with the West in Singapore, even our neighbours notice it and sometime dislike us for it too. I can understand why we are pro west, it is in our national interest to be but I can also understand why our neighbours are upset about it when it goes against their interests.
Of course for those of us pro west, we have reasons to be embarrassed by the junta – if we are confident to find an alternative solutions instead of just taking what the West dictate should be, thats when we are really acting in our own interests and help our neighbours too as what China and India does.
There is something colonial mentality or complex in us that does not allow us to set our thinking to be more align with our own region. It is easier, we are seen as more cool and progressive to be pro west. ( I am not antiWest, by the way, I have a lot of respects for their great institutions.)
So far, I have never seen anyone on the internet or anywhere on the MSM who speak out against the slant and twisted facts dished out by the Western press and their associates – is it not abnormal? Everyone accept the western news and opinion as largely their own? or we justify it because it is coming from big brother we all admire. If so, why do we rail against our local press when they are seen to be so pro government, similarly slanted?
NLT – I fully appreciate how Myanmar suffers. I see so many capable Myanmar people in Singapore when they could have been building up their country if given a chance. I hope for progress soon and still say it is better to find a way out with the regime – I still think it is better for the Myanmar people first to find a solutions for themselves and get China, India and the Asean countries who will be more than willing to help and who understand the situation better than what the West is promoting. Whichever way you guys choose, I wish the best for your country and its beautiful but suffering people. Do not just brush off China etc as what the West like you to do in their interests – mind what I say about the danger of splitting the country and becoming like Pakistan.
Still, my stand is not to fight with twisted facts which cannot add to our credibility because if it become a habit, if you guys are in power, whats there to say you will be better and not go the way that you guys so despised? Integrity with the fact starts with us so those examples I quoted are just a sample but important issue to address as you are fighting for a bigger just cause.
Those of us who know and loves Myanmar and its people, I for one will not like you to be like Iraq or Pakistan.
There are so much more need to be done out in the delta – there are many people out there I know one or two in Phyapon and Bogale beside what my friend is doing in Kungyangone and Dedaye… Good luck in your work out there.
Take care my friend and work the best for your country. All the Singaporeans here even if we have different views, even if I disagree with some of your views, we care for you guys too. I hope I have not cause offend with my sincere view some of which I am prepared to change accordingly if present with new evidence to the contrary.
HI NLT – just before I sign off, just to mentioned something which you or your friends may already aware – do check out reliefweb for the latest update and situation reports and very informative maps which will be useful in your work in the delta.
Also see HIC Myanmar http://myanmar.humanitarianinfo.org/Pages/home.aspx.
I saw Moegoe last night also have price of rices etc – sharing such information will help independent groups out in the delta while the big boys such as Red Cross UNICEF WFP etc are doing to big job – but I must say the independent groups were among the first to get in there anyhow they can by pajero, rickety trucks and small cars or small boats – now the distribution along the road and driving in rain also dangerous – take care. If you know of any websites in Singapore that helps co-ordinates such efforts, please let me know.
Hi NLT – before I sign off, do check out reliefweb in case you not already doing for latest situation report and informative maps etc from a non partisan source.
Check out also HIC Myanmar http://myanmar.humanitarianinfo.org/Pages/home.aspx
If you know of other useful websites, pls do share with us.
Hi Monsoon,
Truly appreciate your good intentions and I’m again really glad that you care for Burma. And I thank you for your well intended warnings though I think that I would need to do much more explantions to you to have us see eye to eye.
But I’d just end this discussion with a clarification on one of your last comments .
“Still, my stand is not to fight with twisted facts which cannot add to our credibility because if it become a habit, if you guys are in power, whats there to say you will be better and not go the way that you guys so despised? ”
There’s not even a piece of twisted fact in what I’ve said here. Please carefully point it out to me if you’re trying to say that there are so-called “twisted” fact in what I said rather than just blanketing like this. All I’m trying to do here is to present you with the facts so that you could (hopefully) understand more of Burmese situation.
Dear NLT – I am glad for the good discussion, hopefully we bring away some good ideas from each other and also open mind to examine our believe based on fact and alternative way of thinking.
Both you and me can go through our comments and find which fact or statement is more or less correct after careful research, or based on what people, some of whom will tell us what we like to hear while we completely ignore what we does not like to hear. I am trying to find out how best I can avoid being baised and subjective.
Even in Singaporean, some of us are very critical of our government whom compare to the regime, are like day and night, but still some of us are only pointing out all the bad and negative things they have done or not done which again in my mind is not fair and does not make them credible. So they lose out as far I concern because they do their anti government cause a misfavour by being completely negative.