[Buddha-l] Our correspondent on irreversible changes in Burma

[jkirk]

Sorry but I fail to see how shouting in the streets in the comfort of one's
country can help the Myanmanese. The truth is that there is little leverage
one has over the junta that doesn't even blink as they slaughter their own
people (or any foreigners who got in the way) live on TVs across the world.
Sanctions don't work. Case in point - Cuba and North Korea. Kim Jong Il
(according to reports) has no problem getting his high end wines and cognac
while his people starve to death and struggle under international sanctions.
More international "help" can be used by the junta to justify further clamp
down under the excuse of protecting the country against foreign
manipulation.

While I am all for keeping the clamp on the junta, I think the situation
probably will turn for the worse before it can get better. As illustrated by
the popular uprising against Marcos (Philipines) and Soeharto (Indonesia),
it will take internal strife in the junta plus the concerted effort of the
population within the country, for real change to happen.

W.F. Wong 
=============================================================

 
Not only internal strife within the junta as a means...also outside
pressure. 
China had no problem interfering in the internal affairs of Tibet and
killing thousands of monks while ruining ancient monasteries in the process,
so they have a lot of experience in such matters. 
Now, since they are trying to put a big fat face on themselves with the
forthcoming Olympics, and since they are the main sellers of arms to Burma,
they should wake up and smell the coffee: time to exert commercial leverage
on Burma if they really want to gain respect in the rest of the world that
is aghast at what has been happening in Burma-- massacring of monks and
laypeople. (Remember Tianmen Square?) That leverage would affect the
dictators, who then couldn't whine about foreign interference because they
have been asking for it all along by virtue of their commercial relations
with China.
But will China smell the coffee? No,  because all they care for is the smell
of money.

Joanna Kirkpatrick

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