ASEAN welcomes US engagement with Myanmar
U Myint Lwin
Asia-Pacific News
Oct 25, 2009, 10:44 GMT
Cha-am, Thailand - The Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN)
on Sunday welcomed a new US policy of engagement with Myanmar, saying
it was the right approach to dealing with a member of its club
considered a pariah by many Western nations.
'The one thing we are completely agreed upon is that we welcome signs
of further engagement on the part of various regions in response to
some of the developments in Myanmar,' Thai Prime Minister Abhisit
Vejjajiva said after the conclusion of the three-days ASEAN summit and
related events in Cha-am, 130 kilometres south-west of Bangkok.
US President Barack Obama has encouraged a policy of engagement with
Myanmar since coming to power, although the US has not dropped
economic sanctions on the pariah state.
ASEAN has long advocated engagement with Myanmar, a member of the
regional grouping since 1997, as the best tactic for encouraging the
military-run country to implement political reforms.
To date, ASEAN engagement has failed to pressure Myanmar to free
opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who has spent 14 of the past 20
years under house arrest. She was recently sentenced to another 18
months of detention.
There are another 2,300 other political prisoners in Myanmar, some of
them serving 100-year-long sentences.
Myanmar's Prime Minister Thein Sein reiterated his regime's intention
to hold a general election next year, for which the junta will
promulgate a new election law soon. The election is part of its seven-
step road map to democracy.
'ASEAN has always argued that engagement is the right approach and we
feel that if everyone takes this engagement approach we would be
encouraging Myanmar in the successful implementation of her road map,'
Abhisit said.
Myanmar's junta recently allowed Suu Kyi to hold talks with foreign
diplomats in Yangon about raising economic sanctions on the country,
raising hopes that she and other political prisoners will be freed
before the election is held.
'They recognize full well that the rest of the world expects to see an
election that is as inclusive as possible,' Abhisit said of the
junta.
mogyothwar
2301 POLITICAL PRISONERS Vs 57 MILLIONS.
HERE IS THE NEWS.
ASEAN welcomes US engagement with Myanmar
Asia-Pacific News
Oct 25, 2009, 10:44 GMT
Cha-am, Thailand - The Association of South-East Asian Nations
(ASEAN)
on Sunday welcomed a new US policy of engagement with Myanmar, saying
it was the right approach to dealing with a member of its club
considered a pariah by many Western nations.
================================================================
Dear Myanmar Myo Chits, Patriots,
The wise man said “ the biggest problem in the world is nobody helps
each other ”. The wise man did not say what we should do. He did not
finish his sentence. He left his words for us to translate or
interpret in our own way . Everyone will agree that the nearest and
the best translation or interpretation will be, “ we should help one
another”, at least.
What is “ help ” some people might like to know. Well , I don’t know
what word ,
“ help” in theory or in definition in the books means. Other wise men
said , “not to expect anything in return.”
My own translation is , rightly or wrongly , “ help “ means helping
others without exploitation, no undermining, no manipulation, no
profit making. It is with sincere love, it has to be with loving
kindness.
Who would do that, especially at this time , when we called ourselves
civilised? It is out of the question. If you do that , that will be
sheer madness, stupidity, you will be branded as an “ idiot ”.
Was Buddha mad, was Jesus a loony when they talked about love and
kindness ? Were they out of their mind? They were at the time of
over 2000 and 2600 years ago, when they said it, according to the
records.
One can only say, they were the wisest, they foresaw the future, so,
it was for their time and as well as our time , for the future. They
talked about love and loving kindness, to help one another , to share
through love and kindness.
A Policy of engagement mean anything. He is engaging in Iraq, he is
engaging in Afghanistan . He has not discourage of disconnect the
previous US engagements with anybody , or on anything. 40, 000 more US
troops for Afghanistan . He did noit say how many for Iraq. Britain on
its own or as part of NATO or any other NATO countries did not say
openly , how many more they will be sending.
Missile shield, Rader Stations planned to be in Poland , which is not
the liking of Rusasia Fed., is not scrap, but moved out to the sea on
war ships, that’s all.
But Russia, China, and the concerned world, including Myanmars and
its leaders are watching without blinking their eyes.
All they are talking about is about just one person, and so called
some political prisoners, 2300 they said , from where they get the
numbers , nobody knows, . All the family members of common criminals
may be writing to Amnesty or Human Watch as these common criminals are
nothing but political prisoners. I am not sure how many years they
have to serve according to the law of the land, BUT I am sure , nobody
was or is executed by hanging, in gas chamber like holocaust,
electrocuted , chopped head and limbs , shot dead especially women,
babies, children old and sick as terrorists, or as family members of
the terrorists, or their supporters.
Myanmar never utter a word , what the west is doing. Or to free
political prisoners, in Gitmo , Abu Garab and other US military
prisons around the world. ASEAN, and Myanmar doing what they need to
do, concentration on their jobs, minding their own business and the
peoples‘ affairs, in their own ways..
All the West care about is 2301 people , they don’t even know the
numbers were correct , they don’t even know who they really are. They
don’t care about all other Myanmars 57 million minus 2301 , as if all
other Myanmars do not exist, as if these Myanmars are no human being
at all, who are being denied their human rights, through economic
sanctions, embargos this and that. Etc., etc. but only care for the
2301.
The rest of the 57 million people of Myamar are put inside Myanmar as
prison the West and Mrs Aris holding them as hostage for ransom,
therough economic sanctions and embargos. Don’t forget that.
Myanmar has never been rewarded , praised for all the necessary steps
it has successfully taken, to this day out of these Seven Steps Road
Map.
It cannot be denied, that without the understanding of the ASEAN,
without the help of ASEAN Myammar on it own could not have achieved ,
in materialising it steps of its road map. ASEAN did not fail in
anything.
“ Engagement is the right approach ” . To do the right thing always
recommended.
This engagement and this right thing should be none bias.
Myanmar does not want to be like Afghanistan, it does not want to be
like Iraq. Neither like Koreas nor like Vietnam, nor Cambodias , nor
like Laos.
The trust between the West and Myanmar is long gone. It could be said
that Trust never existed in the living memory. Since 14 century, when
foreigners started coming into Myanmar. They have had abused the trust
of Myanmar. They have had taking Myanmars as weak people.
I don’t need to say anything in my own words . If anybody cares to
read the history ( not written by Myanmars) they will find out about
the attitude and behaviours of the foreigners towards Myanmars.
Myanmar junta has recently or previously done everything what could be
done . What cannot be done cannot be done.
What had the West or Mrs Aris had done for Myanmar?
What about , Russia Fed., and P.R China policies towards Myanmar? Why
should Myanmar be left to the West? Why should the West call the
shots ? Russia Fed, and P.R China should also get involved.
That is the best way, and that is the right way, Myanmar does not
belong to 2301 people only, that the west wants to be released,
Myanmar belongs to 57 million people of Myanmars. How much troubles
can these 2301 people have caused Myanmar already?
Russia , P.R China and others also have their interest in Myanmar.
They have the right to get involved.
The leaders of the SPDC recognise full well, the world expects to see
the world in action, not only the West, the west is only a certain
part of the world. Thai PM Abhist should also know that.
Regards,
Mogyothwar .
