The other protégé of ChinaBurma's foul regime depends on Beijing.
By Christopher Hitchens
Monday, Oct. 1, 2007
Slate (USA)
Joining the young and passionate demonstrators outside the office of a certain Washington military attaché last week (and there was I, having thought that my "demo" days were over) helped me to settle one trivial question. The crowd was united in chanting "Free, Free, Free Burma." This may seem like a detail, but I think it's right to object to the grotesque renaming of Myanmar and Yangon, and I am glad that the Washington Post, at least, continues to say Burma and Rangoon. (You can tell a lot from this sort of emphasis. Lanka is the Sinhala word for Ceylon, and Sri means "holy," so the name Sri Lanka expresses the concept that the island is both Sinhala and Buddhist, an idea that is alienating to many Tamils on the island. As a result, some Tamils still call it Ceylon or demonstrate their own nationalism by calling it Eelam. Lives are lost on the proposition.)
Some people write to me to say that I must be mistaken about religion, because the opposition to the gruesome dictatorship in Burma is led by Buddhist monks. This seems to be wrong twice because a) the photographs of the demonstrations also show large crowds of Burmese wearing ordinary civilian garb; and b) the dictatorship is itself Buddhist and has expended huge sums on building temples to witness to the fact. It's fine by me if monks join the opposition, but Buddhism has a lot to answer for in, say, Sri Lanka and Cambodia, and if its fatalistic adherents want to claim credit in one case, they have also to accept responsibility in the others.
In any case, one is not hoping for a future Buddhist republic in Burma but for a country that is emancipated from totalitarianism in all its forms. This has been an unusually long struggle. According to Emma Larkin's book Finding George Orwell in Burma, the Burmese have a national joke to the effect that Orwell wrote a trilogy about the country: Burmese Days, followed by Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four. There were some persuasive stories last week to the effect that in certain towns the army was not prepared to fire on the crowds (the conventional definition of a revolutionary situation), so it might be permissible to hope that this time the Burmese people will have a chance to throw off the especially foul despotism that has enchained them almost from the moment that the post-colonial era began.
Some people write to me to say that I must be mistaken about religion, because the opposition to the gruesome dictatorship in Burma is led by Buddhist monks. This seems to be wrong twice because a) the photographs of the demonstrations also show large crowds of Burmese wearing ordinary civilian garb; and b) the dictatorship is itself Buddhist and has expended huge sums on building temples to witness to the fact. It's fine by me if monks join the opposition, but Buddhism has a lot to answer for in, say, Sri Lanka and Cambodia, and if its fatalistic adherents want to claim credit in one case, they have also to accept responsibility in the others.
In any case, one is not hoping for a future Buddhist republic in Burma but for a country that is emancipated from totalitarianism in all its forms. This has been an unusually long struggle. According to Emma Larkin's book Finding George Orwell in Burma, the Burmese have a national joke to the effect that Orwell wrote a trilogy about the country: Burmese Days, followed by Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four. There were some persuasive stories last week to the effect that in certain towns the army was not prepared to fire on the crowds (the conventional definition of a revolutionary situation), so it might be permissible to hope that this time the Burmese people will have a chance to throw off the especially foul despotism that has enchained them almost from the moment that the post-colonial era began.
17 comments:
huh? Am i missing something? Someone translate...
Westerners cannot seem to accept the possibility that Asian states may choose a form of government that does not pay homage to their colonialist ambitions. This may not be a popular view, but people have to really understand democracy to form a truly democratic state. I don't think Burmese people, like Cambodians, are quite ready for a democracy, yet. The best course for Burma and Cambodia is a gradual and peaceful transition into a democratic government that respects human rights, the rule of law, and transparency, but one that rests on nationalism rather than manipulations from outsiders.
www.oudam.com
Stick together, Mekongers, and you will get true independent from the West before you know it.
The Paramount leader Deng Xiao Ping has taken a radical risk to change China from powerful dictatorship of communism into a real reform of both chinese social and economic into a modern China in front of hardline leadership of Chen Yun and marshal Yang Kun, Li Peng and thousand others. Without taking this risk, China won't be today of great economic power and today social harmony. All hardliners are always staying in obstruction to enjoy their own personal benefit and their personal power without considering other people freedom to economic benefit and freedom to good livestyle.
Until today, there are still many ignorance people are still thinking that China is still in the hand of those hardliners and blamed china for all the time without thinking of helping to make a change in Cambodia.
For those who still think that Cambodia needs to change gradually, they are a bunch of hardliners. It is now only one option to ask for Cambodia wheather we need to reform it or leave it to the hands of hardliners. Areak Prey
"It is now only one option to ask for Cambodia wheather we need to reform it or leave it to the hands of hardliners." Areak Prey
Good question, but it would help if you can show us what the added benefits are for the reform, and what's in your plan or what is responsible for the claimed achievements. We want to see some number of jobs, dollars amounts, time line, ... . Otherwise, take your idea and shove it up your arse.
Hello Poster 12.21PM
It is a job ;
-for all members of Parliament who have represented people of the whole nation.
-The King who guarantee the integrity of the Constitution.
1-First, the army and the police force should have reformed. All armies should be in the barracks. All army promotions should be done through their accademic and not by degree of the King nor from the Prime Minister. All politicians shouldn't from army background. They can stay as army or leave it for joining the politician.
The Police should not too many grade or rankings. Police and office directors. All police should be at the same level and assigned their job by head office staffs not by their police head.
-All local governments should be independent from central government. Each level of National government and local government should be selected by an election.
-THe government ministers should stay out from alll business communities decisions.
-THe country should have two completed sectors. Public sector and privated sector.
12:51, I don't see anything on your list that will help people who's about to commit suicide due to the lack of jobs. Don't you have any regard for human life?
There is no complaint about lack of people representation. Maybe you and your people feel that way, but no one had commit suicide over that.
No one care about the constitution, the army, police, dependent/independent gov., ...
12:51, are you working for the people or for the UN? No one care about the UN shit down here. They only ask for jobs, jobs, jobs, get it? they want to know how many jobs your reform program will bring to them.
12:51, if you think people care about democracy, you are wrong. There are thousands khmers who left Cambodia and went to Communist Vietnam to find job. That is how much they love your stupid democracy.
Hello 2:07PM and 2:43PM,
If Cambodian want to stay that way that is up to Cambodian in Cambodian and all Cambodian in foreign countries.
For me, we need to make all our efforts as much as we can from all our means for a change or a completed reform.
In the last few days most of us have rallied with other nationalities to protest against Military Junta of Burma. At the same time we also have talked to all our friends about Cambodia present Government who is a completed Vietnamese elements to invade Cambodia through illegal immigrants, Vietnamese spies in Cambodian army and in Cambodian police. The lack of independent and integrity of Cambodian justice system. Prime Minister corruption through local government appointment and selligs of government posts by Prime Minister. Extorttion of government officials, Ministers onto investors like Chhin Long resorts, Kingwoods. Failure of implementation of the agreement for the land concessions etc.. and etc....
As a foreign Cambodians, we need to anticipate all political parties in foreign countries to gain full access to foreign countries political cloud to put pressure to UN and to Cambodian government for a reform. At the asme, time, we must networking with foreign diplomates to explain to them the present political environment of Cambodia. Sure, to do this people involved in this kind of excercise need to face some pains and some hardship. But it is only one way to help Cambodia through this kind of path. Areak Prey
4:01 Cambodian is no difference from the rest of the world. We all seek a better standard of living. What this mean is we will evolved from time to time as we have been from century to century since our beginning. The change we will make must effective benefit a large number of our people, not a few or any westerner organization.
Also I like to thank for your thoughtful proposal, but I really don't see anything that will relief anyone from their hardship. If I misunderstand your proposal, please point it out to me.
And as I said before, our current problem is the high unemploment in the country, and I would like to invite all to post any idea on how we can expedite its solution. Moreover, the root to most issue in cambodia is directly linked to job. Thus, if we can solve this problem, the other problem should fade away effortlessly: I mean the corruption, drug, education, HIV/AIDS, Crime, ... . Isn't this obvious?
Okay, let me express my points in a different way. What I am saying is job will reduced corruption, job will reduce drug abuse, job will allow people to get their children a better education, job will reduce prostitution (which will reduce HIV/AIDS), and job will reduce crimes... . I hope that help.
As for perfecting democracy in order to succeed, there is no proof for that. Taiwan has succeeded without any transparency, check and balance craps, independent justice system, corruption, ... . Am I wrong?
Hello 9:15PM,
Please if you don't mind to give me your e-mail, I will write my proposal to you when I come back from my country capital tomorrow.
Or, visite our website www.Cambodian.org.nz we will debate over there.Areak Prey
9:15, what's wrong with putting your proposal here? There are large number of audiences who would like to see your idea. But if you insist, my email is "voodoospro@yahoo.com", and please don't let this be a burden in anyway. We have plenty times.
Thanks in advance for caring about Cambodia!
Hello 2:32AM
Thank you very much for your positif response. IN this forum, there are so many new information in each day so it is hard to go back to the same place. I am on my way out now so see you tomorrow night.
Okay, have a good trip.
And don't worry about where to post your idea. You may place your idea anywhere on the front page anytime, and readers of all levels will see it.
Hello my friend 12:30PM.
To increase employment in Cambodia, the Government should open the economy by restricting all government officials from engaging all kind of business actvities. The country should group into two sectors.
-Privated sector
-Public Sector.
All business should be ran and be controled by business community to pay their income tax and their duty to the government. The Government should concentrate on their efforts to look after public security ( legal security and physical security), public health ( hospital, safe foods, good driking water, safe medecines etc..) , roadings ( for all transport facilities ), schools and universities ( The unversity should response to the need for human resources requirement, City development (good drainages and good sewage systems ),
If the Government has a good governance, there will be a lot of increase in employment for both Publiv service and private service.
example
-In public service, there will an increase in employment for the service of hospital for all the country, tax collector for all the country, public security for all the country, higienne officials in all the country. In each city, there will be a lot of employemnt for city staffs fot collecting land rates, water rates etc..enrolment of ownership of properties, permit approval department. License department etc.. and etc...
-In private sector. Without handling into business affairs by Ministers or the Prime Minister ( example Chhin Long resort) many investors will be pouing into Cambodia to set up their business to create more employment like Banking staffs, lawyer to settle business actvities, accounting staffs for each company, management in each company, maketing staffs, drivers of all kind of vehicules, consultants business, big retails business like department stores, supermakets etc.. and etc.. Land agent, brokerage business etc.. and etc..
these are all activities which will increase in employemnt.
If the Government is only concentrating in their own duty to develop their services to all parts of the country, private sector will also develop hand to hand with public sector as well.
Example.
If the government is concentrating in their public service by building hospital, school, tax collector, other government service providers like post office, passport office , marriage celebrants in one small village, there will be private sector there too to provide petrol stations, Phamacist, shoppings, builders, electricians, plumber, restaurants, Cloth makers, bankers etc.. and etc..
This is how we develop a country which we call social development and economic development should go hand in hand. The Government should initiate the opening of all opportnuties. Areak Prey
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