Comments

  1. Zaw Win says:

    Agree with Tocharian comments. So many people were killed just one murder , then what about ten brutal murders by Rakine. Nobody is interested to bring those responsible for killing. Ten muslim pilgrims were killed by Rakine. Bangali … Bangali.. as if Bangali are inferior than Burmese. Rohingya will accept Bangali nationality if they are truely Bangali. But they are not Bangali.

    Rohingyas are living in Rakine state like sub- human. Lot of discriminations on them. Restriction on movement, marriage and education etc. Not a single man is working in Police force and arm force. All are Rakine and Buddhist. NGO, UNHCR are not biased. Why should they? Can Rohingya bribe them to be baised for them?. They stand on human right and have chance to see the true life of Rohingya.

  2. miss says:

    who is that to write such an shameful article to describe Rohingya as Bangarli. Digest the authentic history of Rohingya to know that Rohingya is the native of Rakhine state. And why NGO help Rohingya is they are most percecuted ethnic minority in the world as they have been torturing by extremist buddhist rakhine and authority.

  3. WLH says:

    The question of whether Pim was compelled to hold up the king’s image can be answered thus: Thailand has won 24 medals since 1976. Did all of them hold up images of the king? Or just all of them since 1996? If even one failed to do so (especially since 1996) then there is no “policy.”

    What I would have loved to see: a Thai medalist holding up a picture of the Crown Prince. “To wish him a happy 60th birthday. He is beloved by all Thais.”

  4. Such naivety.

    Not so long back John McCain and the equally awful Diane Feinstein were in Myanmar. A few months later there is division and killing that a certain alphabet agency in the US has a 6 million plus track record for around the world.

    OK, one more time because the hand wringers just don’t quite get it. Not so long back things weren’t so bad. Then the State Dept and head honcho Americans started to visit Myanmar while snarling at China…now their is killing and division. Anybody notice that China isn’t playing ball on NATO support of Al Qaeda in Syria….just an aside…..

    It’s not rocket surgery as we say….

  5. sadharon nagorick says:

    Again Chan M. Khine has proven her either despicable ignorance about the Rohingyas of Burma or as a closet racist working to support the marauding activities of the hateful regime and her racist Buddhists within the Rakhine community. Shame on her and the website for posting such a stupid article in the web to distort history and whitewash crimes of the Myanmar regime, aided by racists and bigots within Burma and Rakhine state.

  6. tocharian says:

    The author said:
    “the brutal rape and murder of a Rakhine woman by 3 Muslims, 2 of whom were Rohingya according to eyewitnesses”
    First of all, I find it a bit strange that there were “eyewitnesses’ while a rape and murder was committed. Were they just “casually” watching while this brutal crime was happening? Why didn’t they try to intervene and prevent the crime?
    Secondly, how can these witnesses say that exactly two of the three were Rohingya? Were the witnesses that close to the crime scene? Anyway, how do you actually tell if someone is a Rohingya?
    One has to be careful about “physical” descriptions of alleged criminals. Under the “rule of law” the conviction of criminals has to be decided carefully at a fair trial in a proper court of law (I actually didn’t hear too much in the news about the trial of these criminals).
    Since this was the “triggering event” to what happened afterwards, I do blame the authorities for not handling this criminal act with due diligence. The authorities definitely knew that there is tension between the Rakhaings and the Rohingyas and if this brutal rape and murder of a Rakhaing girl has been handled correctly, they might have been able to prevent the subsequent “rule of the mob” (the bus incident) where I believe, innocent Muslims were killed. This in turn led to the savage riots for which both the Rohingyas and the Rakhaings should bear the blame. I don’t care about the exact proportions of how to split the blame. The Burmese government seemingly publicised exact numbers (of the dead and the burnt houses) in a press conference, but how come they know such things so precisely? Were the police and the army people just watching and counting the dead (and the burnt houses) instead of preventing these things from happening. Well, I don’t know for sure.
    I agree with the author that a lot of militant Islamic groups are spreading fabricated photos on the Internet, but still this “Rohingya incident” does look like a “tribal warfare”, which doesn’t help Burma’s image internationally, especially in the Muslim countries.
    Besides, people from Burma should be very careful about criticising human rights groups (NGO’s, INGO’s, UNHCR etc.) since when it comes to other “oppressed” ethnic groups in Burma that became refugees such as the Karen (mainly in Thailand), the Kachin, the Chin, etc. etc., no one was really complaining about the humanitarian help of the international community People needed them for food, funding and even to get political asylum in some Western country. One cannot turn human rights “on and off” at will or use it just for personal gain! Human Rights is universal (and doesn’t even have to do with citizenship).
    I know (and I find it very hypocritical to say the least) that many Burmese, even the other “oppressed ethnic minorities” look down upon Rohingyas as “illegal immigrants from Bangladesh” with no rights. Even if people believe in that, why don’t they blame the porous Burmese borders and the rampant corruption of the Burmese authorities. Besides, no one in Burma is complaining about (not yet at least) about the equally illegal Chinese immigrants (and there are hundreds of thousands of them as well). Isn’t that applying double-standards (both legally and morally speaking).
    Unfortunately, Burma has to pay a price for the mistakes and the sins of the military junta over the last 50 years.

  7. Shah Araklni says:

    In deed it was a shame to read an educated guy’s ugly sight blind folded by racism. Yes, this is called racism and you, Chan Myae Khine, are a RACIST, although you are an educated. Once you’re cured, you will find the truth, the rightful name of your so called Bangalees are in fact “Rohingyas”, a true native of Arakan, and you’d find their glorious history and everything else. For educated, it is a shame to conceal the truth; the truth I’m talking about is the fact and real history of Rohingya. I can write whole alot on this, but this much is enough for an educated racist.

  8. Mohiuddin@Maung Sein says:

    HiChan Myae Khine.
    I read your “The conundrum in western Myanmar”
    repeatedly.but,I feel shy to read your comclusion that
    there is no ethnic cleansing, no genocide inBurma.
    You should better study again what means ethnic cleansing and genocide before you issue this kind of verdict.The Arakan origin Rohingyas of Burma are victims of ethnic cleansing and genocide
    as defined the meaning and definations of those two words.

    Still you are telling the Rohingyas are Bangalee worthy of getting citizenship rights.Study the glorious history of Mrauk-Oo and the Muslim Defenders of Arakan ,the ROHINGYAS, then you may reach to the point of re-correctionof your false claims.

    Mohiuddin @ Maung Sein
    President
    Rohingya Concern International(RCI)
    New York , USA

  9. T F Rhoden says:

    Just came upon this post. Quite a lot of comments so far. Very interesting.

    I just read another report that a footballer from South Korea (not North) will lose his medal because of displaying a political sign: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-19234407

    I guess it all comes down to if whether the Thai monarch is to be considered part of politics or somehow “above” them in Thailand. I’m assuming that the whole “above” thing will be a harder sell for those not ingrained in the culture from childhood.

    Please continue to post updates. Thanks.

  10. Aung Tin says:

    Yes, it is not ethnic cleansing but they are killed because they are belonged to different ethnic. Yes, it is not religious conflict but there are hardly any hate propagandas without insulting Islam. No wonder they have been particularly assisted group in the past because they are the only victims in Arakan for two genarations. Now both Rohingya and Rakhines became victims however. Both need care.

  11. Ron Torrence says:

    Funny thing about hard work. I have never in my life been accused of “working hard”, for planning something, and then occasionally showing up for a brief photo op, and making an occasional brief speech .

  12. tom hoy says:

    “Andrew MacGreggor Marshall had waded into the ridiculous and the absurd to suggest that there is something ‘solemn and sublime’ about ‘hoisting a Thaksin (a Thai figure of unaldurated derision) photo’ in an Olympic medals award ceremony. ”

    Like beauty, Vichai, solemnity and sublimity are in the eye of the beholder.

    You have your views but you should try and take other views into account. Whatever you might think about him, it is patently clear that many Thais do not think of Thaksin as a figure of “undadulterated derision”.

    You mention that Esan people hoist photos of Thaksin at every opportunity. I’m sure some do. Are these Esan people people? If they are, it’s clear that the derision of Thaksin is at least a little bit adulterated.

  13. John Grima says:

    Carlos and Smith are both interviewed in BBC pieces in recent weeks. Worth a listen.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-18795649

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18134003

  14. xkookai says:

    Thailand is democracy but do the same as autocracy country, North Korea!

  15. Maratjp says:

    Anne thropic @43,

    Have you heard about the CIA and those imperialist Americans and their secret installations they are setting up on Mars? Thailand isn’t the only place. They were also behind the bird flu epidemic here. And they also perverted Thais with their sex madness. Thai people were pure before they came here.

  16. Ralph Kramden says:

    Pete: No claim was made that the connection was secret.

  17. Tarrin says:

    Nitt – 49

    The shoe criticizing example in oxymoron, almost the same thing can be said on the other side of the fence. Now, the point of the whole thing is not about doing homework before criticise but the ability to criticise without risking a jail term or harassment. Ajarn Somsak probably has done way more research into the matter than the most hardcore royalist themselves and yet he is being threaten of 112 and other abuse.

  18. Winyu says:

    Andrew #39

    It is true and absurd that it is politically correct to proclaim love and respect to the King in nearly every formal occassion in Thailand. But in terms of social exclusion or funding, I think there is a big difference between saying publicly that you hate the monarchy and you say nothing at all. Pimsiri can choose only to affiliate herself with the term ‘chat’ (nation), kiss the Thai flag and that’s it. Sadly, it has long been a custom to particularly associate the King, so I personally think that she did it because of the ‘moment’; it was the first medal in the event. If she is still happy to do it, that should be alright. Yes, it could be considered meaningless when we try to think whether the act is pressured or voluntary.

    I agree that I couldn’t imagine a Brit hold the Queen’s photo on the podium but to compare royalists of two different societies is not so right. It is maybe awkward for international community but if there were no political conflicts in Thailand where the monarchy is thought to be related (and actually only those who are interested in Thailand would know this), the custom of holding a king’s photo by an athlete on an international podium from a developing nation would be understandable isn’t it? It would be like seeing Keaw (the silver medalist) strangely bowed and prayed for so long near the boxing ring.

    But as you suggested above, the act of holding the King’s portrait on stages cannot be interpreted from one view anymore.

  19. Roy Anderson says:

    Nitt,
    Although I previously stated that I had my last word on this subject, I am compelled to reply to your comment about “doing your homework on his majesties projects”. I am not allowed to read books or study your king in detail. The books have been banned for LM content and I cannot speak the truth for fear of crossing the line and spending many years in prison.

  20. Nitt says:

    Well, I do appreciate all of foreigners who are so interested in Thai affairs, Olympic Games, Politics or our King. And for some Thais who hate the King while you yourself have never ever beat him on what he has done for his whole life for Thais . There is one thing I would like to remind you of, you may criticize a pair of shoes without wearing them for the whole of your life. But can you really convince yourself that you really feel that shoes?

    Want to know the King, come to Thailand. Do your homework on His Majesty Projects. Then criticize as you want. But please don’t do it without a real hard work. It is easier said than done.