Free Burma Coalition

Worlds Apart: The Burmese Government and the Opposition

2005-10-06T21:24:00.000-07:00

WORLDS APART: The GOVERNMENT and The OPPOSITION "... the report is yet another attempt to discredit the government of Myanmar. It is based on misinformation by a few remaining insurgents and foreign fundedexpatriates who are now fearful that they will soon be irrevalent when Myanmarcrosses the threshold to a new era. They are after all expatriates who arefunded by some western countries with a

A View from Rangoon, by a young Burmese journalist

2005-06-25T01:45:00.000-07:00

Quote of the day:"i do not hope any single positive movement from the US to burma."- a young Burmese journalist from RangoonA View from Rangoon, by A Young Burmese Journalistsome people in burma think that the western economic sanction to burma is the only one way to make change to the junta. they have impression to the US blindly. their example is iraq. they were so happy for the US invasion

Common Mission of "Burma Change", Different Approaches

2005-06-18T03:55:00.000-07:00

Quote of the Day:"Western supporters of Daw Suu have not failed her; but their policies have failed the people of my country."- Zarni, In "Isolating Burma will not help Aung San Suu Kyi", The Independent, UK, Sat, June 18, 2005http://comment.independent.co.uk/leading_articles/story.jsp?story=647658This FBC Posting contains:1). Desmond Tutu: Together, we can join forces to make Burma the new South

Sampling "Democratic Intolerance": A Sordid Tale for Burma/Myanmar

2005-06-11T14:33:00.001-07:00

Compiler's Remark:I don't mean to sound as if all Burmese exiles who genuinely push for democratic reforms in my country are vicious and mindless or viciously mindless when I write Burmese 'democrats' can't deal with differences, without getting vicious and nasty to one another. But the system they say they are fighting for is to be based on a foundation of differences and a process of sorting

Savvy Salt of the Earth, not Cowed

2005-06-10T11:14:00.000-07:00

Quotations of the Day:"In the eyes of the West, the politics in contemporary Burma (Myanmar) have become an epic struggle between the forces of good and evil. "- From - Savvy salt of the earth, not cowed, The Times Higher Education Supplement, June 10, 2005, p. 29"Unlike Burma's urban-based opposition, the politics for the farmers are immediate and local, material and concrete. As long as they

Burma as South Africa: A wrong comparison

2005-06-03T14:01:00.000-07:00

Quote of the Day:No nation gets their freedom through telegrammed statements of moral support, pro-democracy newspaper op-eds or editorials, or early parliamentary motions. -from Compiler's Remark, Apartheid South Africa and Burma Under Military: A Wrong ComparisonApartheid South Africa and Burma Under Military Rule:A Wrong ComparisonZarniFree Burma CoalitionFor those of us who helped draw the

Pushing for Reforms in Burma/Myanmar: Lessons from Our Own Past

2005-06-03T13:30:00.000-07:00

Quote of the Day:... it is much easier to make a revolution than it is to transform a failed state into awell-performing democracy.- Mikheil Saakashvili, President of Georgia, In 'Five core principles for the world's reformers', May 26, 2005A Short Essay for Fellow Dissidents Pushing for Reforms in Burma/MyanmarZarniFree Burma CoalitionMay 26, 2005: Today marks the independence of Georgia, the

Freedom of Speech, Press and Publication and the Closing of "the Burmese Mind"

2005-06-03T13:09:00.000-07:00

Quote of the Day:Closed-mindedness of the generals in powr, perceived or real, cannot be fought and won by equally closed minds.- from Freedom of Speech, Press and Publication and the Closing of "the Burmese Mind"Freedom of Speech, Press, and Publication and the Closing of "the Burmese Mind"ZarniFree Burma CoalitionFreedom of speech or publication, while admittedly non-existent among our fellow

Want to change Burma?: Study Her Neighbors

2005-05-10T13:06:00.000-07:00

Quote of the Day:"There has never been anything like the Chinese industrial revolution, thegreat transformation from basic needs centrally-controlled Communism into aso-called socialist market economy. But it's a patchy revolution: huge parts of this vast country have yet toexperience fully the gale of modernisation blowing through Shanghai, Beijingand the south."- Peter Day, BBC Radio 4 and BBC

Terrorism and Propaganda in and about Burma/Myanmar

2005-05-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

This FBC Posting contains:1). Terrorism and Propaganda in and about Burma/Myanmar2). The Latest Rumbling in the Blogosphere: Questions About EthicsCompiler's Remark Terrorism and Propaganda in and about Burma/Myanmar Zarni, Free Burma Coalition In the age of terrorism and increased violence conflicts, our country has arrived, finally.Terrorism is, in the words of a renown scholar of violent

Home Alone in Burma/Myanmar: Trade as a Lever for Change

2005-05-03T03:23:00.000-07:00

Quotes of the Day:"If you are Home Alone, even kids get creative, although we prefer being inla-la land to dealing with realities."- From Home Alone in Burma/Myanmar"Notwithstanding the condemnation by the UN Human Rights Commission, there is little chance of China allowing change to emerge through the United Nations. The quickest way to restore democracy in Myanmar would be for the United States

Milk Powder Revolutionaries and Burma's Pro-democracy Struggle

2005-05-01T09:13:00.000-07:00

Quote of the Day:"Our trade with Myanmar is overwhelmingly exports of dairy products. At a timewhen New Zealand is working with other countries to alleviate malnutrition in Myanmar, withholding products needed by families for basic nutrition makes absolutely no sense."- Foreign Minister Phil Goff, New Zealand This FBC Posting contains:1). Compiler's remark, Milk Powder Revolutionaries in

Confronting Burma's Ghosts: The Minority/Secession Question

2005-05-01T08:55:00.000-07:00

Quotes of the Day: “(A)lthough it is true that sovereignty stands in the way of nationalself-determination, such self-determination is not the unequivocal moral goodit first appears. In a world where there are some two hundred states but manythousands of often overlapping entities that might eventually make a claim to nationhood, blind promotion of self-determination would have highly

What would the late Aung San do today? To Deal or Not To Deal With Burma's Realities

2005-05-01T04:51:00.000-07:00

Quotes of the Day:Quotes of the Day:"Elections are the roof of a democracy - not its foundation."- Timothy Garton Ash, Dir. of European Studies Centre and Prof. in Contemporary History, St. Anthony's College, Oxford, 28 April 2005"It goes without saying that the "siege or bunker mentality" that characterizesall camps in Burma, specifically the NLD-led opposition and the de factogovernment of the

"Free Tibet Movement": Lessons for The Burmese?

2005-04-11T14:17:00.000-07:00

Quotes of the Day:"As you stand for your own liberty, America stands with you." - US President George W. Bush, Jan. 2005"Western politicians, who in the 1990s were supporting the Tibetan cause in thename of combating China, are focused increasingly on economic opportunities inChina as well as security issues [in the wake of 9/11]."- Dibyesh Anand, Tibet expert, Bath University, UK"Certainly,

Democracy and the Need for Self-Education (of the Burmese)

2005-03-31T14:14:00.000-08:00

Democracy and the Need for Self-Education (of the Burmese)Zarni, Free Burma CoalitionNo Burmese in his or her right mind would oppose 'democracy' because it is something necessary and desirable if our country's deep-rooted problems are to be addressed contsructively.Even the SPDC generals are talking the talk, if not walking the walk (of democracy). They are never tired of telling the Asian '

A comparative study of countries with rights abuses

2005-03-23T09:13:00.000-08:00

Quotes of the Day:"...the same universal human values that recognise the Holocaust as thegreatest racist crime of the 20th century require condemnation of the policiesof successive Israeli governments - not on the absurd grounds that they areNazi or equivalent to the Holocaust, but because ethnic cleansing,discrimination and terror are immoral."- Ken Livingstone, Mayor of LondonThis FBC Posting

The Impact of International Trends on Burma's Change Process

2005-03-19T13:08:00.000-08:00

Quotes of the Day:"The shrinking financial commitment to Ukrainian democracy highlights a broader gap between rhetoric and resources among budget writers in the Bush administration and on Capitol Hill as the president vows to devote his second term to 'ending tyranny in our world,' according to budget documents, congressional critics and democracy advocates."- Funding Scarce for Export of

The World Around Us: Burma and Wolfowitz's Nomination for the World Bank's Presidency

2005-03-18T10:27:00.000-08:00

This FBC Posting contains:1). Bush selects Iraq war architect to be new head of World Bank, The Times2). "The Ugly American Bank": A reaction from the mainstream US media3). Reactions from the Global Civil Society to Wolfowitz' Nomination4). Why democracy stirs in Mideast, Christian Science MonitorThe World Around Us: Burma and Wolfowitz's Nomination for the World Bank's PresidencyZarni, Free

Jose Ramos Horta and Xanana Gusmao on Burma

2005-03-11T08:01:00.000-08:00

Quotes of the Day:“The best way for Myanmar is to drop the sanctions, open up the country. Let tourists flock to Myanmar. Let foreign investments pour into Myanmar."- Jose Ramos-Horta, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and East Timorese Foreign Minister"The United States does not have any strategy to democratize Burma. It's Burma policy is based merely - and simplistically - on the regime's rights

Political Thoughts (1) from The Burma Monitor

2005-03-11T07:47:00.000-08:00

This FBC Posting contains:1). Political Thoughts (1), from The Burma MonitorCompiler's Disclaimer:Posting an item doesn't necessarily mean the compiler endorses or otherwisesupport the views expressed in it. This essay has some critically reflectiveobservations. Not sure who the author is. Regardless it is worthreading.From: "Min Min" To: lakeyalekid@cs.comSubject:

How likely is a popular uprising in Burma: A Hard Look

2005-03-06T15:40:00.000-08:00

Quote of the Day:``Burma is a social volcano about to erupt."- Quoted in Larry Jagan's Military mass trials increase tensionThis FBC Posting contains:1). Military mass trials increase tension2). How likely is a successful popular uprising in Burma?: Compiler's RemarkBangkok Post: LARRY JAGAN :Military mass trials increase tensionFOCUS / BURMA JUNTA TURNS ON ITSELF http://www.bangkokpost.com/

Trials of Total, and pro-Boycott Burma Activism

2005-02-26T11:53:00.000-08:00

Quotes of the Day:"It is not simply Total Oil that is on trial; but the pro-sanctions, pro-isolation Burma activism itself is being tried in the court of empiricism." "It is only fair to ask - To whom are we, Burmese dissidents - and our outside supporters - answerable when we make consequential mistakes? And who pays the price for our mistakes and failures, especially when we are obviously not

Burma's Ethnic Question - The Unfinished Business of Guns and Histories

2005-02-25T04:49:00.000-08:00

Quote of the Day:"One needs to have a (big) stick handy before joing the debate about the history (of Pagan)."- A Burmese sayingThis FBC Posting contains:1). 'Democracy' vs 'ethnic rights' ?: The Unfinished Debate2). 58th Mon National Day - General Statement3). 57th Chin National Day Message by Pu ValthangBurma's Ethnic Question - The Unfinished Business of Guns and HistoriesZarni, Free Burma

Burma/Myanmar as a Brothel (of Natural Resources)

2005-02-22T11:01:00.000-08:00

Burma/Myanmar as a Brothel (of Natural Resources)This FBC Posting contains:1). Compiler's Remark: Burma as a Brothel2). Thailand scouts for energy3). China builds Myanmar's largest hydropower plant4). Campaign launched to pressure Total into leaving MyanmarBurma/Myanmar as a Brothel (of Natural Resources): Politics of Economic Development Zarni, Free Burma Coalition"Development economics" as a

Burn the barn down if you can't catch the mice

2005-02-19T08:30:00.000-08:00

This FBC Posting contains:1). Tourist boycott benefits no one but China: The Bangkok Post2). Travel helps areas hit by tsunamis: San Francico ChronicleBurn the barn down if you can't catch the mice!Zarni, Free Burma CoalitionThis posting contains various pro-travel-to-Burma or Myanmar pieces. I am not bothering even to juxtapose these pieces with anti-travel and -tourism pieces precisely because

From Opposition-led to Opposition-less Change Process in Burma

2005-02-18T04:59:00.000-08:00

From Opposition-led to Opposition-less Change Process in BurmaZarni, Free Burma CoalitionNot unlike the official state media in Burma, the opposition media by and large appears to operate as a propaganda machine albeit within the opposition's established or favored paradigm of how change in Burma is going to come out. Any analysis that doesn't fit this mainstream reasoning or perspective is

First Rooster Joke, then Ethnic Politics in Burma/Myanmar

2005-02-12T12:04:00.000-08:00

Burma's Politics of EthnicityZarni, Free Burma CoalitionI am sharing with you first some traditional Year of the Rooster jokes on:Why DID the chicken cross the road???!!!Saeed Al Sahaf (former head of information under Sadaam Hussein) - The chicken did not cross the road. This is a complete fabrication. We do not even have achicken!George W Bush - We don't care why the chicken crossed the road.

National Convention and the State of the Opposion

2005-02-11T05:23:00.000-08:00

On National Convention and the State of the OppositionZarni, Free Burma CoalitionBurma's opposition is dominated by a mob ofzealots, especially those in exile whose politics is driven by hatred of the defacto government than the desire for change in the country, that embrace thepathologically self-destructive attitude of "my-leader-right-or-wrong".A handful of thoughtful Burmese have been

Change in Burma and the Emerging Game of Great Powers

2005-01-29T14:50:00.000-08:00

Change in Burma and the Emerging Game of Great Powers Zarni, Free Burma Coalition This FBC Posting contains: 1). Bush signals a revolution in foreign policy , from Jan. 29 International Herald Tribune 2). Regional Reverberations from Regime Shake-up in Rangoon, from Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, Jan. 2005 Change in Burma and the Emerging Game of Great Power, Compiler's Remark:

Freedom will be air-borne: Burmese and their Outpost of Tyranny

2005-01-27T10:59:00.000-08:00

This FBC Posting contains: 1). Burma: Lead, Follow or Get Out of The Way 2). Researchers Who Rushed Into Print a Study of Iraqi Civilian Deaths NowWonder Why It Was Ignored Compiler's Remark: The newly-minted Secretary of State Condi Rice's catchy polemics labellinganti-US, truly authoritarian states or left-leaning governments "outposts oftyranny," which preceded her boss's "Freedom

To Trade or Not To Trade with Burma or Myanmar

2005-01-26T09:47:00.000-08:00

Compiler's remark: To Trade or Not To Trade with Burma or Myanmar by zarni 1). Burma and multinational companies: who profits and how it works 2). John Pilger denounces EU appeasement of Burma Compiler's Remark: I am posting two pieces on Burma - a press release by the InternationalConfederation of Trade Unions on the release of its 28-page report on why tradewith Burma - or Burmese

Ethnic Conflict in Burma: Politics of Historical Memories

2005-01-14T21:17:00.000-08:00

1). Burma's Ethno-Nationalisms From: "Common Problems, Shared Responsibilities: Citizens' Quest for National Reconciliation in Burma/Myanmar" Free Burma Coalition Report, pp. 80-84. , by Zarni and May Oo, Free Burma Coalition For full references and citations, see the full report at http://www.freeburmacoalition.org. Ethnic Conflict in Burma: Politics of Historical Memories We have just

Winds of Change in Burma?

2005-01-14T21:06:00.000-08:00

Winds of Change in Burma? Zarni, Free Burma Coalition Recent events, including the extension of the house arrest of the NLD leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Thai PM accepting - and conveying - the SPDC's reasoning for her continued house arrest, and the SPDC's reduction of her personal doctor's visit from three per week to one, indicate that political polarization has deepened and the prospects

Burmese Political Exiles, Their Thoughts and Actions: A Reflection

2005-01-14T20:50:00.000-08:00

Burmese Political Exiles, Their Thoughts and Actions: A Reflection Zarni, Free Burma Coalition Quotes of the Day: “We only ask that the international community stay away from the military junta. Then, when the military junta recognizes that they have no friends … they will come to the dialogue table.” - Aung Din, Policy Director, U.S. Campaign for Burma" (W)e like to see things in black and

Re-thinking Social Change in Burma

2005-01-14T20:42:00.000-08:00

Re-thinking Social Change in Burma: A Commentary Zarni, Free Burma Coalition Below, please find a thoughtful paper written by Ashley South, a British researcher specializing in Mon history and politics. Generally, most Burma political analyses on the subject of change suffer from two major weaknesses: 1) insufficient attention has been paid to the social power of economic development - read,

Generals' Fear: The Urkrain Scenario in Burma?

2005-01-14T20:22:00.000-08:00

The Urkrain Scenario in Burma? Zarni, Free Burma Coalition Several days ago I wrote a "Compiler's Remark" on what the generals in Rangoon would most definitely see as Washington's finger prints re: the hotly contested and controversial election outcome in Ukraine. Obviously, Moscow considers Ukraine a component of the former USSR, which continues to serve as a stratgic building block in its

Boycotting the World's Buddhist Summit in Rangoon

2005-01-14T20:11:00.000-08:00

On the World's Buddhist Summit in Rangoon - by Zarni, Free Burma Coalition Seeking legitimacy and acceptance trhough the eyes of the international Buddhist community, persuing personal merit for afterlife according to Buddhist faith, putting on display Buddhism as an ideological foundation, and appealing to the Buddhist Order and 'masses,' and last not least, in keeping with the political

Mis-guided Tourism Boycott and Delusions of Moral Superiorty

2005-01-03T13:38:00.000-08:00

Quote of the Day: "If you start thinking about not coming here because of the government, youwill have to start thinking about whether to go to China, Laos, Tibet, or eventhe United States.”- Swiss backpacker Marcel Schonenberger. “Many Burmese are happy to see foreigners, especially those concerned abouttheir plight, but they also feel unhappy that the money they spend is going tothe regime."

Washington’s Push for Change and Reconciliation in Burma, Asia Resists

2004-12-19T20:17:00.000-08:00

Washington’s Push for Change and Reconciliation in Burma, Asia Resists Zarni, Free Burma Coalition Almost exactly 16 years after the Tatmadaw leadership reasserted its control in the country plagued by near total anarchy, the United States Senate passed unanimously a resolution on September 22, 2004 calling on the United Nations Security Council to take appropriate actions on Burma. The