In theory, Islam could be a very beneficial contributor to Myanmar’s society. In Islamic history there have been periods of great cultural exchange and advanced civilisation. In the present day there is an updated and educated version of Islam which is capable of friendly co-existence with any religion or culture.
Unfortunately, this is not the Islam of the mobs of uneducated Bangladeshis who take up machetes in response to anything unfamiliar or different. It is also not the Islam of innumerable ‘princes’ in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf who infect the world with their aberrant, medieval and totally intolerant beliefs.
Apart from erroneous versions of Islam, Myanmar faces two far greater external threats; a sinister dystopian China and an unhinged corporatist America.
Ordinarily, I am strongly opposed to ‘Thaification’ in Thailand, because it has suppressed the distinctive cultures of Isaan and Lanna. However, in the light of external threats and an increasingly unstable world, it may be that forced assimilation and extreme Burmese nationalism are the only practical way forward for Myanmar.
If necessary, long live King Edward Taw Phaya!
The piece doesn’t mention intravenous drug use as a cause for spreading HIV, which is the case in many parts of the world. Drugs, like prostitution, is a social taboo in Indonesia that is still prevalent. Time for both of them to come out of the shadows.
The thicket of conflicting and mutually inconsistent regulations between different levels of government is an enormous headache for businesses, both big and small. Unfortunately it seems that many of the inconsistencies are not merely the result of inadvertent error, but are deliberate attempts by people at different levels of government to position themselves to receive corrupt payments. If the will was there to remove the inconsistencies it would probably happen, but there’s a lot of resistance from people who benefit from the confusion.
Excellent article, with some lessons for Thailand if it ever gets serious about Anand-style de-centralisation, which I would suggest as best solution for Thai problems.
As an aside: is it not reasonable that The Prophet recommended not eating during daytime during Ramadan ? My experience of these incredibly hot countries is that most people simply want to sleep- I.e a siesta – during daytime. Even eating is an effort.
Hello my friend Australia,, how many million dollar you have already took before East Timor Independent and until now??? Every people know that you are development country in the world but people from East Timor don’t want to see your stupid politics
The oil and gas companies would rather have their huge investments guaranteed directly by Australia, than by Australia indirectly via that basket-case, Timor-Leste. With a bit of luck for the planet, the oil and gas fields won’t be developed anyhow.
I find it amazingly strategically short sighted- if not downright stupid – that Australia has been SO intransigent, selfish, and purely greedy over this issue. We are one of the richest countries on the world, yet our diplomacy is SO driven by resource companies, that we haven’t had the magnanimity to MAXIMISE Timor-Leste as a viable, Australia-friendly State.
and yet again the lack of education displays the social costs .
it may be a pipe dream , however should mankind wake up to themselves and spend the military budget on education the world we would live in would be so much better
Siam continuously sponsored rebellion in its neighbours. Whenever possible they sneakily stole their neighbour’s territory. Ayutthaya was the only serious payback they suffered and they still haven’t got over it two centuries later.
The British horribly punished anyone who stood up to them, whether at home in Ireland and Scotland or elsewhere. The Japanese did not require any provocation to behave with horrible cruelty. The question should really be whether the proud Burmese should have anything to do with the shallow, back-stabbing Thais, who eagerly joined the Japanese in WWII?
(Thai monks shave their eyebrows because of an historic misinterpretation of the Vinaya.)
Prachatai journalist, 4 activists refuse to plead guilty
A Prachatai journalist and four pro-democracy activists who were indicted for distributing leaflets against the junta-backed draft charter, have insisted on fighting their case for the cause of freedom of expression.
The court suggested that the five defendants plead guilty, but they refused.
From Kerry Collison’s geopolitical perspective, “East Timor should have remained part of Indonesia.” Few in Timor-Leste would agree — 24 years of invasion, torture, killing, displacement and occupation was 24 too many, and the territory was actually never part of Indonesia except in Jakarta’s and Canberra’s imaginations. That’s a major reason so many Timorese place a high value on their national sovereignty, including over the maritime territory which current international legal practice would assign to them. Treaties signed by illegal occupiers have no validity once the occupation has ended.
From an ethical point of view, and noting Bec’s point that UNCLOS provides little guidance about the eastern boundary, it would be nice to see royalties shared between East Timor and Indonesia’s Maluku province (one of the poorest provinces in Indonesia).
Of course big fish usually trump ethical arguments, which Australia and our neighbours are all likely to see in the South China Sea debate.
East Timor should have remained as part of Indonesia. Habibie erred seriously when he created this moment. Negotiations would then have continued between Indonesia and Australia, the weight of the much more powerful neighbour then causing Australia to shift its dominating position.
Kerry B. Collison
S.E. Asia Foreign Correspondent Washington Defense & Foreign Strategic Policy and Author ‘The Timor Man’ and seven other titles relating to Indonesia
Sid Harta Publishers
Melbourne Australia
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Myanmar’s Rohingya need tomorrow’s fairer world today
In theory, Islam could be a very beneficial contributor to Myanmar’s society. In Islamic history there have been periods of great cultural exchange and advanced civilisation. In the present day there is an updated and educated version of Islam which is capable of friendly co-existence with any religion or culture.
Unfortunately, this is not the Islam of the mobs of uneducated Bangladeshis who take up machetes in response to anything unfamiliar or different. It is also not the Islam of innumerable ‘princes’ in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf who infect the world with their aberrant, medieval and totally intolerant beliefs.
Apart from erroneous versions of Islam, Myanmar faces two far greater external threats; a sinister dystopian China and an unhinged corporatist America.
Ordinarily, I am strongly opposed to ‘Thaification’ in Thailand, because it has suppressed the distinctive cultures of Isaan and Lanna. However, in the light of external threats and an increasingly unstable world, it may be that forced assimilation and extreme Burmese nationalism are the only practical way forward for Myanmar.
If necessary, long live King Edward Taw Phaya!
Sondhi Limthongkul going to gaol?
Asian Sentinel has a succinct reveal here :
http://www.asiasentinel.com/politics/thailand-media-magnate-back-wrong-royalist-faction/
obviously it will not see the light of day inside Thailand .
Crisis and confidence in Najib’s Malaysia
Malaysian PM Najib Razak is being considered for a Nobel Prize.
Headline: Unesco holds back award for Malaysia PM’s wife amid 1MDB fallout (https://www.ft.com/content/8b607c9e-7f23-11e6-8e50-8ec15fb462f4)
Oops. Just kidding … The 1MDB scandal will keep hanging like a dagger over the heads of Najib Razak and his wife and his entire family . . .
Stopping the spread
The piece doesn’t mention intravenous drug use as a cause for spreading HIV, which is the case in many parts of the world. Drugs, like prostitution, is a social taboo in Indonesia that is still prevalent. Time for both of them to come out of the shadows.
A recipe for disaster?
The thicket of conflicting and mutually inconsistent regulations between different levels of government is an enormous headache for businesses, both big and small. Unfortunately it seems that many of the inconsistencies are not merely the result of inadvertent error, but are deliberate attempts by people at different levels of government to position themselves to receive corrupt payments. If the will was there to remove the inconsistencies it would probably happen, but there’s a lot of resistance from people who benefit from the confusion.
A recipe for disaster?
Excellent article, with some lessons for Thailand if it ever gets serious about Anand-style de-centralisation, which I would suggest as best solution for Thai problems.
As an aside: is it not reasonable that The Prophet recommended not eating during daytime during Ramadan ? My experience of these incredibly hot countries is that most people simply want to sleep- I.e a siesta – during daytime. Even eating is an effort.
Time to draw the line
Well said Luis.
Time to draw the line
Hello my friend Australia,, how many million dollar you have already took before East Timor Independent and until now??? Every people know that you are development country in the world but people from East Timor don’t want to see your stupid politics
The trouble with Thailand’s new democracy
Now it is former-Democrat-former-PADleader-formermonk-Suthep Thaugsuban’s son being implicated/indicted for illegal land grab at Samui.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1092601/sutheps-son-faces-fresh-land-plot-loss
If only General Prayut could start going after past and PRESENT corrupt generals (a lot of them) . . . . if only …..
Time to draw the line
The oil and gas companies would rather have their huge investments guaranteed directly by Australia, than by Australia indirectly via that basket-case, Timor-Leste. With a bit of luck for the planet, the oil and gas fields won’t be developed anyhow.
Keeping friends close, Thailand closer
Well said John Smith. And Lao Isaarn? Simply struggling to be free. And to have justice.
A new breed of terror in Thailand
Indeed Suthep has to worry about close family now ending up in jail. My God – what could happen to them, given Sondhi’s fate ?
Time to draw the line
I find it amazingly strategically short sighted- if not downright stupid – that Australia has been SO intransigent, selfish, and purely greedy over this issue. We are one of the richest countries on the world, yet our diplomacy is SO driven by resource companies, that we haven’t had the magnanimity to MAXIMISE Timor-Leste as a viable, Australia-friendly State.
Stopping the spread
and yet again the lack of education displays the social costs .
it may be a pipe dream , however should mankind wake up to themselves and spend the military budget on education the world we would live in would be so much better
Keeping friends close, Thailand closer
Siam continuously sponsored rebellion in its neighbours. Whenever possible they sneakily stole their neighbour’s territory. Ayutthaya was the only serious payback they suffered and they still haven’t got over it two centuries later.
The British horribly punished anyone who stood up to them, whether at home in Ireland and Scotland or elsewhere. The Japanese did not require any provocation to behave with horrible cruelty. The question should really be whether the proud Burmese should have anything to do with the shallow, back-stabbing Thais, who eagerly joined the Japanese in WWII?
(Thai monks shave their eyebrows because of an historic misinterpretation of the Vinaya.)
Prachatai journalist charged by junta
Prachatai journalist, 4 activists refuse to plead guilty
A Prachatai journalist and four pro-democracy activists who were indicted for distributing leaflets against the junta-backed draft charter, have insisted on fighting their case for the cause of freedom of expression.
The court suggested that the five defendants plead guilty, but they refused.
http://www.prachatai.com/english/node/6583
Time running out for Timor-Leste
From Kerry Collison’s geopolitical perspective, “East Timor should have remained part of Indonesia.” Few in Timor-Leste would agree — 24 years of invasion, torture, killing, displacement and occupation was 24 too many, and the territory was actually never part of Indonesia except in Jakarta’s and Canberra’s imaginations. That’s a major reason so many Timorese place a high value on their national sovereignty, including over the maritime territory which current international legal practice would assign to them. Treaties signed by illegal occupiers have no validity once the occupation has ended.
Time running out for Timor-Leste
From an ethical point of view, and noting Bec’s point that UNCLOS provides little guidance about the eastern boundary, it would be nice to see royalties shared between East Timor and Indonesia’s Maluku province (one of the poorest provinces in Indonesia).
Of course big fish usually trump ethical arguments, which Australia and our neighbours are all likely to see in the South China Sea debate.
Ending labour abuse at sea
British rights activist sentenced for defamation after revealing labour abuses in Thailand
‘I am fighting for the rights of migrant workers. This ruling will send shockwaves in the international community’
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/activist-thailand-defamation-sentence-natural-fruit-company-labour-abuses-andy-hall-a7318991.html
Time running out for Timor-Leste
East Timor should have remained as part of Indonesia. Habibie erred seriously when he created this moment. Negotiations would then have continued between Indonesia and Australia, the weight of the much more powerful neighbour then causing Australia to shift its dominating position.
Kerry B. Collison
S.E. Asia Foreign Correspondent Washington Defense & Foreign Strategic Policy and Author ‘The Timor Man’ and seven other titles relating to Indonesia
Sid Harta Publishers
Melbourne Australia