The following is from Seelan Palay’s blog.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) notified Burmese Overseas Patriots (OBP) after their immigration passes expired to leave the island without giving them reasons. The OBP members revealed their concerns of Burma’s overall political crisis and reconciliation, obviously the distress expressed by Burmese in Singapore is basis of anxiety to the PAP who are protecting their Asean “wicked family member” being the Than Shwe regime.
Since July 2008 Burmese Overseas Patriots had been departing Singapore in batches. Many studied in Singapore and chose to build their lives in the island which they consider their second home. They made a choice to live in harmony within a multi-racial society evidently Singapore was a misstop as the Burmese emotional side does not match the PAP’s extravagant vision.
For the full write-up, please visit Singapore Indian Voice blog.
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49) ThisPlace on December 29th, 2008 9.57 am
“Like everyone here I may not agree with our govt on some of the local policies. But when it comes to issues of foreign affairs, i wear the singapore flag in my heart stoutly. Foreigners are, afterall foreign where we are concerned, why any patriotric singaporean should give two hoots about this issue and goes as far as to criticise OUR own govt is beyond me. ”
ThisPlace, I think you may have to widen your concept of patriotism. Patriotism doesn’t mean just siding with our country and support it in ANY foreign policy. And I think you are threading on dangerous grounds when you implicitly imply people who question SG’s stance in foreign affairs as being unpatriotic. Don’t forget that many of us here have served our NS and if there comes a point where we will have to take up arms to defend our homes, we would.
Xenophobia can be easily wrapped in the national flag and paraded around as patriotism. Think Pauline Henson.
Secondly, if you take the analogy of being a child in a family. Yes, you may be very protective of your family, but what happens when your dad does things that most other families disapprove of? Do you blindly defend him? Or do you tell him what he did made the whole family lose face? Is blind loyalty and devotion really love?
“If you dislike singapore so much, perhaps you should reconsider staying on. Becos one’s heart must be in the right place.”
The opposite of love is not hate. It is apathy. It is the people who don’t speak up, who don’t bother to think and just follow lor… that are the ones whose hearts are not in the right place. But I will not tell them to f-off either because they have every right to stay in this country as I do. Notice while I believe that it is people like you who hinder the growth and progress of our nation, i do not tell you to go somewhere? Because I find arguments like that rather mean-spirited and does not respect the other person’s rights to hold another opinion. You may wanna consider exercising a universal form of respect for everyone on Earth, and not just Singaporeans, and then maybe you will realize why there are some people who actually took issues with the repartration of the Burmese.
Secondly, nearly 50% of Americans disagreed with the direction Bush was taking USA. Now if every one of them acted on your advice, where do you think they should go? And would we now have an Obama if they had not chosen and stayed on?
Please see that there is a difference between loving the country, and disagreeing with the direction its leaders are taking the country. The Catholics in general disagreed with the idea of IRs. But I didn’t see you telling them to all migrate to the Vactican.
“Immigration and foreign affairs are complex issues in any country. If a country is in a crisis or goes to war with another country, the duty of a responsible citizen is to obey. When one hesitates, starts singing praises about the opposing side, question the technicalities and decision making processes or shout back at his own side, then something is obviously not right.”
I think you haven’t really learnt the lessons from the Iraq War. You would probably think that those Americans who opposed to the invasion are unpatriotic. In the first place, why are you so concerned with patriotism? Do you get brownie points or special upgrading to your flat when you do that? Do you see there that bigger things than just our little arbituary national boundaries? There is a very important article about us all sharing the same common destiny beyond our racial and national identities. I urge you to go read it. It’s not a very long article. It is called ‘We Are The World’. It is written by a very reknowned humanitarian called Michael Jackson.
Blind obedience is not patriotism. Unquestioning devotion and flag waving is not patriotism. Using your brains, using your conscience, doing the things that need to be done no matter how unpopular, is.
Shalom.
Hugs.
Foreigners are, afterall foreign where we are concerned, why any patriotric singaporean should give two hoots about this issue and goes as far as to criticise OUR own govt is beyond me.
Our government’s foreign policies reflect on Singapore’s values. If we should hold the view that “Foreigners are, afterall foreign where we are concerned”, then why is our government sending troops to Iraq, donating to other countries, giving scholarship to foreign students?
When criticising OUR own government on such issues, we are asking whether it is acting in just, fair and rational manner, we are concerned where is our government’s moral compass is pointing, we are concerned our international reputation.
who is Dr Huang ?
Thank you both for your concerns and counsels. My pitch on the Burmese episode was short and comprehensive, you are either with the country or not. There is no need to dissect them any more than necessary. Have a good day.
55) ThisPlace :”you are either with the country or not.”
George W Bush – “You are either with us, or against us”
Benito Mussolini – “O con noi o contro di noi”–You’re either with us or against us.
Anakin Skywalker “If you’re not with me, you’re my enemy.”
Obi Wan Kenobi “Only a Sith deals with absolutes”
Me – “Hugs”
Hi,
“You are either for us or against us” ( and all the other variations of this) are false dichotomies.
There are more choices than these.
I can love Singapore ( I do) but yet disagree with some aspects of the govt’s policies.
Only in a dire national emergency ( eg state of war), must everyone put all differences aside and think as one.
In Singapore, it is considered a crime to support democracy. Everything else is allowed if it goes against human morale?
Those who are with the country judge the government of the day and agree or disagree with its deed with their eyes open for the sake of the country.
I don’t believe these Burmese nationals are stirring up problems here. I have friends from Burma (the new Myanmar just sounds so fake) who studied and proceed to work here and their wholly good and really stand up for the Singaporean ideals and way of life. They believed in our govt as fair and providing them with a great chance to overcome their hardships in Burma.
Our govt allowed so many foreign nationals to come to Singapore to help our workforce and build our economy. Lets face it, we need their help.. With that, comes along their emotional baggage and thinking since its so nice to work and live here, maybe the govt here can help them.
To be sent back would be suicide as anti-govt patriots could be locked up or mysteriously disappear as many of them have.
Our govt have to juggle between pleasing the Burmese nationals here and the junta back there and also Sporean.
[i]If a country is in a crisis or goes to war with another country, the duty of a responsible citizen is to obey. When one hesitates, starts singing praises about the opposing side, question the technicalities and decision making processes or shout back at his own side, then something is obviously not right.[/i]
yeap this one i also agreed with you 100%
make it 101%
durin the SAR crisis
where were you?
when in the bus somebody coughed?
where were you
when somebody in your block cough?
where were you
when somebody in the footcourt s coughed
i was around in every cornors i mentioned
including in an enclose room when my client 2 sons coughed liked s h i t
when their mom have the cheek to ask me
did i coughed before i go over to her house
for adhoc job
now do you know
why am i askin you this silly questions above?
was the sar crisis an emergency
how many of our peasants die?
includin the doctors/nurses who stayed behind?
now the MAIN story is
the most important story
remember this
remember it WELL
did you even bothered to ask
or check
WHERE WAS THE OLE GREAT MENTAL1
his wife
AND HIS SON OUR PRINCE
the prime minister?
they weren’t even in SINGAPORE!!!
now if a war is created/started
WHO ELSE HERE CAN DECLARE an act of war?
you still wants to bear
ARMS
and DIE for YOUR country?
i wouldn’t
[i]If a country is in a crisis or goes to war with another country, the duty of a responsible citizen is to obey. When one hesitates, starts singing praises about the opposing side, question the technicalities and decision making processes or shout back at his own side, then something is obviously not right.[/i]
http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r19/theonlinecitizen/Pictures%20Posted%20on%20TOC/Speakers%20Corner/dbs580292.jpg
ole yes
why don’t your also asked whether she would volunteer to be a nurse in the same situation as well
afterall
our mental1 did says she bought with her eyes closed
if she cloased an eye
why can’t i closed my eyes in time of invasion
54) ThisPlace,
The world is not black and white, and our governance is always pragmatic, hence in shades of grey.
It does not bode well if people are not allowed to express legitimate concerns about their home nation. Secondly, it makes us look bad as though we’re fearful of the Burmese junta.
However, it is clear that there will be many diverse viewpoints on this issue, and hey, there’s no room for Bushisms.
Loyola,
ThisPlace has already left this place liao, and won’t be coming back anytime. Truth hurts, see.
No i have not…just got better things to do.
Dang.
I mean.. hugs
But on a serious note. I just read over at SDP website another two are not having their permits renewed despite their employers putting a good word. One says he might have to spend time in prison if he goes back.
Are there anyway any other countries can take them in… as long as they don’t get past Burma customs?
Seelan? Any opinions? What can we do to help?
This just happens to the ‘little people’.
Singapore has an orchid named after a burmese warlord and…
Singapore is now Burma’s biggest trading partner and investor with more than half of this investment ($1.3+ billion) in partnership with warlord Lo Hsing-Han. And the burmese warlord that owns the singapore hotel.
Incidentally, my paternal great-grandmother was Burmese.
No money, no talk.
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