Obama "urges Suu Kyi release"

[David Votoupal]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8361081.stm

Why hasn't the international community as a whole taken a harder line on Burma? The Burmese people have been held hostage by military rule continuously since 1962, resulting in a desperately impoverished and isolated country. What could be one of SE Asia's richest countries is one of the world's poorest, what used to be a major exporter of rice... struggles to feed its people. They in fact enjoy less freedom under military rule than they did under the 60-odd year period of British rule.

There's also the question of the very legitimacy and indeed legality of this junta. In 1990, Aung San Suu Kyi and her NLD won an overwhelming majority in elections, but the military refused to hand over power and the assembly could not convene. This means they are illegally squatting on the reins of government that should rightfully have been turned over to the NLD. A similar scenario, dare I say, to the Soviet takeover of central/eastern Europe.

 

[FFC Mariner]

Obama resprospectively trying to justify his Nobel Peace prize is he?

 

[dibo]

DV: The international community (reputable parts of it anyway) have been universal in condemnation of Burma since 1990. Australia in particular has been very vocal under governments of both stripes. Trade sanctions against Burma and travel sanctions against its officials and families have been in operation for ages.

What do you want, an invasion?

 

[marinermick]

What do you want, an invasion?

Why would there be an invasion! There is no oil in Burma

 

[David Votoupal]

Of course, not an invasion. But surely there should be recognition of the fact that this junta is in fact an illegal regime?

The lessons of what happened in Europe after WWII surely have been learned by now.

 

[dibo]

Of course, not an invasion. But surely there should be recognition of the fact that this junta is in fact an illegal regime?

Er... that's why we have travel and trade sanctions.

http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/burma/burma_brief.html

 

[FFC Mariner]

Typical Obama, nice easy free kick against a regime that has no friends and cant hurt the USA.

 

[David Votoupal]

Burma came under British rule by 1886 and was made part of India. The frontier regions inhabited by the Shans, Karens, Karennis, Chins, Kachins and other "minority groups" were ruled separately and generally left alone to govern themselves.

The nationalist movement developed in response to a perceived lack of adequate reforms, and an uprising followed in the early 1930s. However, Burma was separated from India in 1937 and received self-government. Burma would be occupied by the Japanese in WWII.

After the War ended, negotiations took place towards Burma's independence, but Aung San was assassinated before this would take place. The frontier regions would also be federated with Burma but in theory would have self-government. So Burma became an independent republic in 1948 with U Nu as its first PM and a Shan prince as its first President. Burma remained a parliamentary state until 1962.

Ethnic tension and insurgency undermined Burma. The Shan and Karenni states were given a stipulation in the constitution that they had a right to secede after 10 years (that passed in 1958).

Ne Win seized power in a military coup in 1962. He created a bizarre socialist military dictatorship that was isolationist, racist and xenophobic, and also imposed his strange obsession with numerology onto the currency. The frontier peoples were and continue to be intensely persecuted. The results were utterly ruinous for Burma. By 1988, people had enough, and though Ne Win quit an uprising still followed. This also catapulted Aung San Suu Kyi, daughter of Aung San, to prominence. Initially moderates in the ruling elite looked to have the upper hand, but hardliners re-emerged, and Suu Kyi would be placed under house arrest. She had been living in London before returning to Burma to care for her sick mother, only to emerge as the main opposition leader.

Even under house arrest, she was able to lead her party into elections scheduled for 1990.

 

[Part_Timer]

ty wiki

 

[marinermick]

ty wiki

;D

 

[serious14]

Would love to see a Thailand/Burma football match....

 

[David Votoupal]

Sometimes I wonder why I bother with a bunch of ignorant and brainless bogans on here.

In reality people live too cozy a life here, and are allowed to have egos out of proportion to their real standing in things.

 

[marinermick]

Sometimes I wonder why I bother with a bunch of ignorant and brainless bogans on here.

No one is making you post here.

You have been here long enough to know that there is the occasional pisstake, especially if you come on here with a superior and arrogant attitude. Even more so when you lower yourself to insults as the post above.

I happen to know most of the people on this forum personally and they are far from ignorant and brainless. They will, however, take the piss when you take the attitude you do, and rightly so.

Loosen up, laugh it off, grow some skin and you will be fine.

 

[serious14]

Sometimes I wonder why I bother with a bunch of ignorant and brainless bogans on here.

In reality people live too cozy a life here, and are allowed to have egos out of proportion to their real standing in things.

Mate, barring one or two everyone on here can hold a good conversation and is smart and intelligent in their own way. Slagging us off by labelling us all "brain dead bogans" isn't really the smartest or nicest thing to do.

Btw - cutting and pasting from elsewhere, claiming it asyour own and trying to appear intelligent and knowledgable in the ensuing discussion is, quite frankly, lame. Have you even been to half of these places, stadiums, and countries you "write" about?? Virtualtourist.com doesn't count.

*edit* What Mick said.

 

[Part_Timer]

Sometimes I wonder why I bother with a bunch of ignorant and brainless bogans on here.

In reality people live too cozy a life here, and are allowed to have egos out of proportion to their real standing in things.

 

[dru]

Would love to see a Thailand/Burma football match....

You just want to catch up with the Thai ladyboys

 

[serious14]

Would love to see a Thailand/Burma football match....

You just want to catch up with the Thai ladyboys

They provide a quality service at ludicrously excellent prices.

Or so I'm told. ;D

 

[FFC Mariner]

Picturing Dibo as a brain dead bogan.

lololol

David, this is a football board. Not somewhere traditionally used for serious debates on political or the pressing social issues of the day.

I visit this board for footballing reasons, expect to get your leg pulled or people being ironic if you try to be too serious.

 

[dibo]

Sometimes I wonder why I bother with a bunch of ignorant and brainless bogans on here.

In reality people live too cozy a life here, and are allowed to have egos out of proportion to their real standing in things.

Taking your ball with you?

 

[FFC Mariner]

Needs to stop and pick up his dummy 1st