John Moe
I refer to the article published by The Online Citizen (TOC) on Sunday, 2 August 2009, reported by Ravi Philemon under the title, “George Yeo’s Meet the People Session at McDonald’s”.
According to the TOC report, Mr Yeo made some controversial comments about Burma’s pro-democracy icon, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, her husband and her family, including the much-loved father of Aung San Suu Kyi- Burma’s independence leader, General Aung San.
According to Ravi Philemon’s report :
“The focus then shifted to ASEAN and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Mr. George Yeo said, “It is very sad that she has been imprisoned for so many years.” But he was quick to add that we must not oversimplify the problems in Burma. He felt that as the country was very complex in its make up with the Burmese making up only about 50% of the total population of the entire population of Burma, only the military could hold the entire country together. He added that it was the military that had ruled Burma from independence and that it was Aung San Suu Kyi’s father, General Aung San, that was the original military man that had ruled the country since independence.”
General Aung San, the leader of Burma’s independence movement, was assassinated on 19 July 1947. Burma’s first constitution was established in 1948. Therefore Mr Yeo’s incoherent comments were completely incorrect. The Burmese military did not rule the country “since independence”, as Mr Yeo said.
Chronologically, Burma was a fully democratic republic from 1948 to 1962. On 4 January 1948, the nation became an independent republic, named the Union of Burma, with Sao Shwe Thaik as its first President and U Nu as its first Prime Minister.
Why does Mr Yeo owe an apology to Aung San Suu Kyi? Mr Yeo said “that it was also General Aung San who created the rule that a Burmese who married a foreigner cannot rule the country and that now Aung San Suu Kyi is married to a foreigner.”
Mr Yeo is thoroughly mistaken.
The 1948 Constitution stated: “No person shall be eligible for election to the office of President unless he is a citizen of the Union who was, or both of whose parents were, born in any of the territories included within the Union.” Aung San Suu Kyi’s parents were both Burmese. She was born in Burma and she is still a Burmese citizen. Therefore she can be President of Burma, as stated in the Consitution.
Mr Yeo’s comment is thus a great insult to Aung San Suu Kyi and her family. Also, Mr Yeo, who is Singapore’s Foreign Minister, has insulted over 52 million Burmese who hold the highest respect for General Aung San.
As Burma’s first constitution was established only in 1948, after General Aung San had been murdered, it is impossible for General Aung San to create a rule to ban any Burmese who married a foreigner from ruling the country . The military junta only introduced the rule in 2008, deliberately aimed at preventing Aung San Suu Kyi’s participation in the 2010 elections.
Mr Yeo would have Burmese adhere to the Constitution which was first suspended when General Ne Win came to power through a coup, and which was later amended by the junta for political purposes. Equally, should not Mr Yeo be demanding that the Burmese junta adhere to the results of the 1990 elections which Aung San Suu Kyi’s NLD won overwhelmingly?
Mr Yeo’s comments, which shows his ignorance of Burmese history, has added fuel to the fire, especially at a time when Aung San Suu Kyi is in a politically-motivated mock trial for breaking the conditions of her house arrest. The charges were laid after an American man paid an uninvited visit to her home. It is widely expected she will end up in jail. The verdict of her trial is expected to be delivered on Friday.
Mr Yeo said: “It was because her husband is a foreigner and from the ‘western world’ that the ‘western world’ has come to support Aung San Suu Kyi and have failed to recognise the rule of the military”.
In 1972, Aung San Suu Kyi married Dr Michael Aris, a scholar of Tibetan culture, in Bhutan. The following year she gave birth to their first son, Alexander Aris, in London; their second son, Kim, was born in 1977. Following this, she earned a Ph.D. at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London in 1985.
Mr Yeo denigrated not only Aung San Suu Kyi’s personal life , his comments also cast aspersions on her family and her supporters. Mr Yeo’s labeling of Dr Aris as someone from the ‘western world” shows his lack of sympathy for Aung San Suu Kyi, her husband and their children.
Dr Aris died of cancer on his 53 birthday on March 27 1999. He had requested to see his wife one last time in Burma but his request was denied by the military junta.
The fact that the ‘western world’ supports Aung San Suu Kyi has nothing to do with her husband being a foreigner . The support for the Burmese cause and for Aung San Suu Kyi comes from all parts of the world, including Asean countries.
Mr Yeo added that “the problem in Burma is actually a very deep family dispute and the road to democracy for Burma is long and that the elections next year is but a small step towards that goal.”
Burma’s political imbroglio is created by neither Aung San Suu Kyi nor her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) . The NLD had won a landslide victory in the 1990 elections organised by the military junta which, till today, has refused to hand power over to the NLD. Burma’s problems are created by the military regime itself such as forcing millions of ethnic minorities to flee to neighboring countries, ignoring humanitarian aid to cyclone Nargis’ victims and killing monks and protesters. The military regime imprisons thousands of political prisoners. News are now emerging that the regime is also seeking to build nuclear reactors with help from North Korea.
Mr Yeo said that “ASEAN has worked well in keeping the peace in this region, in subjecting the member nations to peer pressure and in trying to forge economic integration.”
Ironically, Mr Yeo’s statement is contradicted by Singapore’s Senior Minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong, who had said that “Singapore investors will likely wait until after Myanmar’s elections next year before pouring any more money into the country”. His comment came at the end of a four-day trip to Burma in June where he met with Burma’s top generals, including Senior Gen Than Shwe.
To conclude, Singapore’s Foreign Minister insulted Aung San Suu Kyi, her husband Dr Michael Aris and Burma’s independence leader, General Aung San.
Given the fact that Mr Yeo has gotten his facts wrong, Does he not owe Aung San Suu Kyi – and the Burmese people – an apology?
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John Moe is a Burmese pro-democracy activist who had lived and worked in Singapore for eleven years. He was expelled from Singapore for his involvement in a protest in Singapore in 2007. John can be reached at jmoekt@gmail.com
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LOLLL And this gaffe come from our million$$$ FOREIGN AFFAIRS minister?!?!?!
John Moe – you are spot on yet again. As a Singaporean I am concerned that Mr Yeo considers a military dictatorship appropriate if the circumstances, in the view of those in power, call for it. I always thought that George Yeo would have more sense.
This article is a great shock to me. I always thought that George Yeo is a well read gentlemen and familiar with world history especially history of neighbouring countries. I had also thought he’s a bit more intellectual and familiar with political scenarios, as should be the case for a person with the responsibility of a Foreign Minister.
If Mr George Yeo doesn’t respond to this blog post in TOC, then it will be completely unforgiveable and i would rate him as I would rate the rest of Chiak Liau Bees in the cabinet. I can’t believe he make such stupid mistakes, assuming this article is true. MR GEORGE YEO SIR WHERE ARE YOU. Speak your piece and see if you can be redeemable. There is nothing wrong to come down from the ivory towers and put a post here, just like you came down from your ivory towers and went to McDonald’s. Keep up the good work and we may still be able to love you.
Zero
So much for being an elite. Vote him out.
Well read but a $$ man perhaps? Beholdened?
that we have a cabinet full of Comical Alis…..
I agree with most of your article and I’m sorry to nitpick, but I think you meant ‘chronologically’ and not ‘chronically’? There is a huge difference between both words.
as the old saying go.. nv trust politicians. they say anything to hang on to power.
Common sense indicates the noble idea of working from within the PAP is doomed from the start………………..eventually you become one of them.
In the event the PAP is voted out and the biggest Chimp sends in the army, we can expect George Yeo and Kishore to say only the military rule of the PAP can hold the country together……what a freaking laugh !
Perhaps Mr George Yeo is better off reading http://www.altsean.org to check the facts on Burma instead of regurgitating malicious propaganda spread by the SPDC and their apologists :)
Alternatively he can always read the Irrawaddy Magazine while being driven to these public engagements.
Well, look at it from another point of view…by having such a twisted view, think of what the other world leaders will think of GY….I think it will be with the eyes of contempt…
In response to this article, Mr. George Yeo made the following comments on his Facebook page.
“I am surprised and saddened that my comments about Myanmar have been made to seem as if I’m against the people of Myanmar. Ravi Phiilemon’s report did not fully capture what I said. I went back to Burma under the British Raj when Rangoon was dominated by Indians, subsequently engendering in Ne Win and others a xenophobic reaction against Indians and Chinese. That left the army as the only institution holding the country together in the face of armed insurrection by ethnic groups in various parts of the country. Aung San is a leader revered by both the army and pro-democracy activists. As for the disqualification of a Myanmar citizen marrying a foreigner from becoming leader, this is a matter for each country to decide. I wasn’t passing judgement. I stand corrected whether the inspiration for that provision originally came from Aung San; that was certainly suggested to me by Myanmar ministers I met.”
“The Singapore Govt’s positions on Myanmar’s road to democracy, the need for economic engagement, release of ASSK, national reconciliation are well known. When the authorities cracked down brutally on peaceful demonstrators in Sep 07, we made clear our stand and, as Chair of ASEAN, expressed our revulsion. After Cyclone Nargis, we bridged the gap between the Myanmar govt and international agencies which helped to prevent a second wave of deaths from disease and famine. We are opposed to sanctions because they don’t work and only cause more suffering to the people. ASEAN may not have teeth, but ASEAN has a tongue.
Just to clarify, John Moe was not expelled from Singapore because of his views but for breaking the law in Singapore.”
in the event the biggest Chimp sends in the army after a freak elections result,
we can expect George Yeo to say only the PAP’s military rule can hold the country together.
well money talks, so obviously if Burmese Generals pump $$$ into Singapore then definitely Spore Govt will back them, ditto MNCs who exploit workers, ditto FTs who deprive Singaporeans of jobs. Money talks in Singapore and obviously BS walks
In the event the biggest Chimp sends in the army after a freak elections result, we can expect George Yeo to claim only the PAP’s military rule can hold the country together………ain’t that right georgie ?
Every man has a price.
TOC, please cheack your system as it breakdown quite often. we just cannot log in or take very long to download and it cut off in the end.
As for this article, I think Mr Yeo will need to explain to us what is going on. Asean nowadays is useless, just for show sake.
This is the George Yeo who replied “not substantial” when asked how much arms did Singapore sell to Burma.
Not substantial? what kind of response is that from a govt that keeps statistics on everything.
what a hypocrite.
“Just to clarify, John Moe was not expelled from Singapore because of his views but for breaking the law in Singapore.”
I am surprised the minister made this statement of admission that John Moe was expelled. The authorities, from my collection in interviewing John earlier this year, was that they did not tell him why his work permit was not being renewed.
In any case, John Moe was not the only one who took part in the Orchard Road protest. Many Burmese took part – but not all were expelled from S’pore.
Thus, I don’t understand the rationale for expelling John Moe and not the other Burmese.
12) LCC on
John Moe broke which law in Singapore?
I am equally sueprised that the highly respected George Yeo could be so gullible. Or is he? Why did he choose to believe the Burmese Ministers (who obviously are military men) against his better judgement and his wide knowledge of history? He is a well read man. How did he get it so very wrong? Something seems to tell us that there is something he is not telling us.
Agreed, ASEAN may not have teeth. But surely Singaporeans do not expect their highly respected Foreigh Minister to have a fork tongue. Still no apology Mr. Yeo?
“Just to clarify, John Moe was not expelled from Singapore because of his views but for breaking the law in Singapore.” — george yeo
What a stupid statement. That law shouldn’t be there in the first place. Shame on George Yeo.
TOC commentators here also got tongue too……..but we have brains to think as well.
If these were GY’s words and Burmese history distorted ….I am truly sorry to the Burmese people….George Yeo has added insult to injury.
I hope he responds because the world is watching volatile Burma….and a comment such as this one by Singapore’s FM is very strange.
People are calling for ASEAN to expel Burma….and news is coming about Burma’s nuclear ambitions and George Yeo’s comments seems to lean towards the junta.
I hope our FM don’t make us Singaporeans look like a pariah in the world stage.
And I am eargly waiting for his response.
How embarrassing. How can our FM make such a mistake?
Which joker voted for him? Own up!
“Just to clarify, John Moe was not expelled from Singapore because of his views but for breaking the law in Singapore.”
So what is the difference between view and action ? John Moe merely translate his view into action which result in breaking the law ? No wonder the government love NMP and NCMP scheme because these people only offer nothing but view which is NATO (No Action Talk Only). So ant people who translate political view into action that out of OB marker is perceived as breaking the law ?
Dear Zero
What do you base your presumption that GY is a well-read man?
Let’s see if he rebuts the articles about his comments on Burma.
As Minister of Foreign Affairs, I don’t think he can publicly refute the Junta’s account of history.
I think Thiologist is right.
ASEAN has a tongue, use it better with a louder voice backing it up.
As the world watches this drag on, it makes that tongue less potent
because the Junta shows more disregard and disinterest in what ASEAN
is about.
If because it is Singapore making money off Burma, that is sad.
Apparently George has responded to this article through his facebook comments. LCC has helpfully copied and pasted it on this page.
Hey Georgie boy, you do not know your history well! You probably read a few quick fixes on some commentaries and muttered away. You represent “US” so don’t embarrassed us.!
This man almost lost his Aljunied GRC in 2006. Singaporeans cannot get it more wrong at the next election. We want democracy for all of Asean. Do not defend the aggressors for any reasons. Or you will be like Austria, Switzerland and Italy during WW2. Millions suffered because of the silence of these powers.
I am definitely not familiar with the history of Burma/Myanmar. But so far, we have only seen two versions. If history is written by victors, then there should be at least one more or even several more versions of the story, it cannot be just one monolithic truth.
Besides Mr. George Yeo and Mr. John Moe’s version, is anyone else familiar with the history of the region and its political context? I am not siding with any party, but I believe for us to have an informed and intelligent debate, we must understand more before we be so quick to condemn one, or to applaud the other.
Mr. Yeo’s point that 50% of their national population is not Burmese is quite glaring and open to verification. Any take on this? How does he define the ethnicity? Pardon my ignorance, is there such an ethnic group as “Burmese” in the first place, given the context of the region, i.e., considering Cambodia, Laos and perhaps even Vietnam and Thailand.
Also, he used “Burma” instead of “Myanmar.” Politically, how a foreign minister, or any official for the matter, addresses another country is very significant. I am not sure how to make sense of this. Any one care to comment?
Eric
Hi folks,
I don’t think Mr. Yeo did not use the term “Burmese.” Mr. Moe’s article cites Ravi Philemon’s article, but not a direct quote from Mr. Yeo. In fact it’s not possible to tell from the article whether Mr. Yeo used Burma or Myanmar during the session. I won’t be surprised if he had used the latter.
Sorry, my bad.
FYI, those who use “Burma” typically reject the legitimacy of the incumbent, the military junta, who changed the name of the country in 1989.
Eric
What do you all expect? Between S’pore and Burma, it is a case of one dictator regime rubbing the other’s back. If PAP loses the next elections, maybe they will also refuse to hand over power and hang on and ask the military to back them up! Like begets like. Or the PAP is more sympathetic to the Burmese junta because it is politically alike.
It’s the Burmese (only the generals and its friends use Myanmar) variant of the “Singapore was a backwater till LKY came along” fiction. Yes, living conditions were not as good as today’s but Singapore was a thriving commercial hub when Raffles landed. Whay do you think all our forefathers rushed here?
Don’t forget, Georgie Yeo was a SAF General himself before. His military training, I am sure, has embedded into his psyche a tendency to favour military regimes to be in power, e.g. the Suharto Era, the Marcos Era, the Jiang Kai Sek Era, and now the Burmese Juntas.
For your info John moe “broke the law” can be seen in these videos on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0t3RYT6Xwds&feature=PlayList&p=E6ECAACEDC232B72&index=6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcMLrKoIskI&feature=channel_page
as to further andrew loh statement…. i do not understand why in the context of a foreigner breaking the law as in John Moe, he is not charged in court for illegal assembly… and why only him and some others (to my knowledge so far 6 burmese do not have their permit renewed and thus they have to leave Singapore, this include a NUS graduate and some burmese who have worked in Singapore for over 11 years)
if he breaks the law, fine, i will expect the court to jail him and fine him, but unfortunately they were never charged in court for illegal assembly (for your info, Singaporeans like the Tak Boleh 18 people were either given the option to pay a fine or if they do not wish to pay, they serve jail for a few weeks ranging from 1 week to 3 weeks or more for repeated offenders)
Under Singapore Law, this is penalty for illegal assembly… but I am really shock that for foreigners, instead the penalty is having their work permit not granted which deprive them of their livelihood… this i think is really unfair… this punishment really does not suit to the crime… it is like an analogy of a foreigner working here perhaps he got into car accident, and the punishment is a life sentence while for a singapore the punishment is a big fine and his license revoked… arent the law equal to foreigners or singaporeans alike be it big time “rebel” like Dr Chee. The “crime” really does not suit the punishment… for a humanitarian record… these burmese are now refugees and when they worked in Singapore, the income they earned was remitted to their poor family back home
Sure perhaps these burmese really break the law by conducting an illegal assembly… then what about the monks and burmese in Burma protesting then… they also broke the law and I am sure Burma Junta will have invent alot of unfair laws to curb them… so why is the world and Singapore making noise about it? Arent we be hypocritical then when we issue statements that the junta is being brutal to those “lawbreakers”
this is my personal opinion and Mahatma Gandhi have long again express this thot: that some laws are unfair and those lawbreakers are not “criminals” in challenging a unfair law
I hope Singapore Govt can have the wisdom to see that these “lawbreakers” have a big heart…
if Singapore govt believes in the rule of the law, then Nelson Mandela, Gandhi are criminals isnt it… so why are we giving red carpet treatment to some of these world leaders who used to be law breakers too?
and I understand that Singapore govt did issue warnings or “chances” to the Burmese activists not to engage such activities, but cant the govt think out of the box and see the context why these people are doing such things… dont they know the whole world when saffron revolution happens, everywhere burmese and the world communiity are going out on the street in peaceful protest against the junta’s crackdown
lastly if the excuse is that Singapore govt have already given chances to the burmese activists, then what about the Junta… arents these hooligans generals more unrepentant… why are we still being so cordial to these bunch of murderers, like giving them red carpet treatment, having an orchid named after the general, allowing them to come here for medical treatment… how many chances have we given to these unrepentant junta… shouldnt the Singapore govt
be more firm in dealing with the junta then dealing with these bunch of small flies like the burmese activists?
My response to GY: http://singaporesocialactivist.blogspot.com/2009/08/george-yeos-response-to-my-article-on.html
Hello guys, GY got no choice to ‘saka’ the Burmese gov because s’pore is so small. All of us are afraid offend other big big countries. Black said colour, wrong sais right. No choice la, must pity him. He is stuck in the middle.
this is not surprising – people often say what they would like you to believe, regardless of the truth. check out mr wang’s blog. there is a great article about this.
all said, this is truly yet another dent in their credibility.
As one Patrician to another, spare a thought for those in need George, whether they are here in Singapore or over there in Burma.
Spare a thought for the 25% of Singaporeans who earn less than $1,000 a month and the 284,000 who earn an income but who have no money going into their CPF accounts AT ALL, when the CPF is supposed to be compulsory.
Spare a thought for the destitute Burmese, especially the orphans, in the cyclone-devastated parts of the country.
Go back to our Patrician roots George, the Catechism sessions before the start of formal lessons each week-day and the sermons in the lovely stain-glassed chapel.
Do your fellow Patricians proud George!
It was the junta who held the GE in the first place.They should accept the defeat graciously.Is Mr. Yeo saying that anarchy will reign if the NLD rules,given the demography of that country?That is dealing in hypotheticals.
This is the so-called socio-political pragmatism of a member of the PAP.Democracy and human rights are mere blood sacrifices to be offered on the altar of this pragmatism if the situation warrants it.Hemce the witless Burmese people must thank those enlightened generals for keeping the peace.What rationalsations will our FM come up next if Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is jailed?
Will such “blood sacrifices” be carried out here too by the ruling party?We are having more MPs appointed,not elected by the masses.God knows what tweaks will the PAP come up with next…..
No wonder he and his team almost lost PAP Aljunied GRC. George Yeo’s view as foreign ministers is tantamount to pap’s view, this alone, is quite scary because there is tendency of twisting facts into fiction in order to buy votes. I think it has happened and GY’s statements are good example why pap cannot be trusted to rule this country like junta.
Perhaps George Yeo …..who visited Burma under the British Raj, did not understand then….
The Burmese are made up of many ethnic groups, but the economics was handled by Indians and Chinese.
They, the Burmese were trying to get independence from the British and their economic masters as well, which I think was their just cause at the point in time, since they were treated like 2nd class ciitizens in their own country.
I stress this point.
Many Indians from Malaysia & Singapore died during their journey to India to fight the British. They were recruited by Subhas Chanra Bose.Given up to the British by the Indians in Burma.
His family was just recently credited by Japan for it’s contribution during the war.(WW2)
The times were so different then…..and I hope George Yeo comes to live amongst us now, for sighting history which was far complicated then.
It is simple as ABC to recognoze the rule of the vote from the people. Burmese military refused it, then and still is.(The reason for the golden triangle). I wonder who was making money, eventually that must be the reason.
People like you are perpectuating a sysytem…unstable and with unreliable facts.
STOP IT.
Please remember, FM George Yeo, you made a big mistake. Trying to tell people that it’s a family fued (if you had said that)…..
.it is not….it is a country….filled with people….who walk in silence to protest….
who join the monastries to be monks…refusing to carry guns…
to achieve peace through God’s grace..
both for themsleves and their beloved country…
who in turn get beaten up…. ruthlessly…losing thier lives…with some
body bruised…and feeling they have done their duty to God and Country..
their country…BURMA…
The least we should do is to feel the pain for them and think of ways to help…
Creating new histories to distort facts will eventually fall on us…with great vengence.
This is the standard of our minister after years in Government.
Wonder why Cambridge invited him to talk.
Maybe to raise money?!
Dear Mr George Yeo,
I would like to justify on your comment which you said “Just to clarify, John Moe was not expelled from Singapore because of his views but for breaking the law in Singapore.” http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=551572184&ref=name#/georgeyeopage?ref=ts
1) I had never denied my participation in protests. I was involved in a peaceful staged demonstration in Singapore together with over 40 Burmese national on 20th November 2007 at Orchard Road, I prepared banners such as “Listen to Burma’s desires”, “Do not follow junta’s Order” it called for ASEAN to stop while military soldiers brutal crackdown on the peaceful monk-lead Saffron Revolution. Here is video link for your ref; Burmese staged peaceful demonstration in Singapore http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0t3RYT6Xwds
2) I was also interviewed by Channel News Asia, Today Newspaper, The Straits Times newspaper and several Burmese news agencies where I highlighted that violating human rights during the referendum process arrangement was organised by the Burma Embassy in Singapore. Besides, I highlighted to the media that the constitution is not for the Burmese people and that is only for the military to prolong power all along. Here is video Link for your ref; BURMESE SAYS NO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcMLrKoIskI
3) Does it Mr Yeo clarify on it taking part in the protest is breached the Singapore law? If it is, why don’t take egalitarian action accordance with the law of Singapore rather than given impunity. That is not fare treatment if compare to ordinary Singapore citizens’ those who are still facing various trials for similar protests.
4) What about other Burmese still living in Singapore they took part in the same protests too? Why Singapore government given impunity? Why Singapore government acted selectively and told Burmese prodemocracy activists to leave the country instead of charge them like what Singapore government exercising on Singapore opposition such as Singapore Democratic Party (SDP).
5) Given the fact that Singapore authorities have not given any specific reason for Expulsion of Burmese activists despite two Singaporeans protested outside the MOM building. Here is video clip for your ref; “Singaporeans arrested for protest in support of Burmese” http://vimeo.com/2808270?pg=transcoded_embed&sec=2808270
With warm regards,
John Moe
Heard of the term: Legal Corruption ?
One junta general learning history from another?
The fundamental thing the world is not happy with regarding the situation is –a democratically elected leader is prevented from her rightful ruling post.
George please justify that.