The sun is shinning more and Australia and the wind is blowing more in Australia, and Australia has forty times more GDP per capita compared to Myanmar. But Australia produces 86% of electricity from fossil fuels. So, before you try to force your idealism down the throat, please live without electricity for a month–which would mean doing your own dishes, washing your own clothes, sleeping at 6:00PM etc.
Electricity means live and death in least developed countries. Perhaps, you’ll know when you have been in a traffic accident in Myanmar, being rushed to the hospital, only to find out that the hospital was under routine power cut to operate you on time. Just so you know, many have died just because of no electricity to operate them as described. That is not to mention lack of development due to lack of electricity.
Yet another case of where our leaders need reminding they have a constituency that want Australia to act with fairness and generosity.
Our parish social justice group is organising a public screening of the film, Time To Draw The Line, in support of the Timorese. It will be at the Hoyts Cinema at Wetherill Park at 7.00pm on Monday 20th February. Google the title and you’ll find the booking page easily. Please support this effort to raise awareness by spreading the word.
Your point that Thompson, according to the author, maybe idealized that society ivy leaguers in SE Asia in those days in key places might have resulted in a different outcome…would make Thompson very naive. It was full of those such people in the US government, up to the Bundy brothers…. and the CIA at that time. I knew Thompson in Bangkok; had attended his prep school. He could not be so naive.
This thoroughly excellent article illustrates EXACTLY Indonesia has taken the right road, going down democracy’s path to greater – though not enough – public accountability. Exact opposite of Thailand.
I want to meet you. I live to KL since more ten years. I’m french, retired, and i have with my friend, a problem because he is Oran Asli. Sorry for my English..
According to the police the killer Kyi Linn confessed that he was hired by Myint Swe to kill Ko Ni. Several men named Myint Swe (at least four) were rumoured to be arrested and interrogated by police.
One of them was exposed as a former Burmese Army Captain who was once in a Burmese prison together with killer Kyi Linn and his mate Aung Soe for the crime of smuggling ancient Buddha statues out of Burma to Thailand.
According to ex-convict Aung Soe, Myint Swe once tried to recruit him for a similar hit but he refused. Aung Soe also claimed that Myint Swe has clandestine connections to DKBA (Democratic Karen Buddhist Army) which basically is turning into the Buddhist militia of Shin Wirathu the well-known nationalist Buddhist monk and a leader of Ma-Ba-Tha (The extremist nationalist Buddhist monks group).
The civil war between Buddhists and Muslims in Burma has just started on last Sunday 29 January 2017.
Since the fate of humanity depends upon it, I choose to believe that all the nations of the world can convert to alternative energy production, including Myanmar (My personal preference would be for ADS Thorium reactors).
It seems likely that your lack of progress in Cambodia is actually due to your own defeatist attitude. You cannot claim that success is ‘hare-brained’ and then whinge about failing on account of ‘headwinds’.
My heartfelt sorrow and condolences for the untimely death of U Ko Ni and thanks for publishing a personal tribute.
As reported in The Irrawaddy, it is interesting to note “A crowd gathered on 34th Street with some shouting to “storm the apartment” and others urging burning down the houses of Chinese residents, although the suspect’s ethnicity is unconfirmed.”
However, since all life matters, it is at best dubious that New Mandala failed to publish any news or show any sympathy for the death of a dozen Myanmar security forces in Maungdaw, Rakhine state, at the hands of islamic terrorists.
The fact that U Ko Ni is a muslim has been highlighted several times. However, when muslim leaders / educators were assassinated by islamic terrorists in Maungdaw for not participating in jihadi terror, practically no body shed a tear. The muslims killed or abducted in Maungdaw are highlighted below.
December 22 – A Bengali muslim librarian was killed after he gave interview to the media.
December 24 – A muslim Bengali office clerk from Maungdaw Township, Yaydwinkyun village administrator’s office was killed
December 26 – A Bengali muslim man called Sirazuhut was similarly killed
December 29 – A Bengali muslim man and head of 100 family village was abducted by six islamic terrorists
Thus, the above selective and discriminatory publications by New Mandala raises the question – Is it for real human rights and peace or it is mouth piece for sinister overlords and paymasters.
Ralph Kramden – your comments are ahistorical, and prejudiced – especially prejudiced against Vajiralongkorn, who was on a State visit to South Korea at the time of the May ’92 uprising. He was in an even less position to know to what was happening, than his sister Siridhorn – who came out with earth-moving complaint that she was “finding it difficult to contact” her father. Vajiralongkorn IMMEDIATELY backed her. The result was both Vajiralongkorn and Siridhorn backed Anand’s turning Thailand back to democracy. To deny this, is to deny the truth.
If you are now using bicycle only commute, don’t carry on about RE & sustainability only. Your ability to post or even read NM is a result of “conventional” energy generation.
Secondly, if you can arrange funding to tap all the wind, sun& biomass in Myanmar, I m sure they will welcome you with open arms.
To even imagine that a 4th world economy can afford RE on the grid is simply “small l-liberal, greenie harebrain” concept.
I m advising the Cambodian govt on RE & trying to get commercial investors to BOO RE plants without subsidies. The headwind would put Katrina to shame!
Greatly appreciated your tribute to U Ko Ni. I am an Australian formerly Burmese who practicing Islam now domicile in Melbourne. Both of my grandfather were Bengali from British – India and grandmother were Burmese alike U Ko Ni. We became half caste due to history and not our fault at all. But they did not recognize full citizen as you know. U Ko Ni is Burmese constitutional expert of 1947, 1974 and 2008 who reveled military’s conspiracies in 2008 constitute that they drew.
U Ko Ni is the only one competent to advised to Aung Sun Su Kyi (NLD) about the constitution that barred her to be President. U Ko Ni is the one who sought the loophole and advised to Su Kyi to amend the constitution that she became a “State Councilor” on top of the president legally now. Despite you and other foreigners writing personal tribute for him, I didn’t see or heard any of Su Kyi’s personal tribute to U Ko Ni is extremely shameful and absolute sad over this assassinate tragic.
A constitutional law expert, Ko Ni said in late 2016: If the military still focuses on protecting its interests, it will be impossible to change any part of the (current) constitution within parliament. That’s why writing a new one is the best way to pursue a democratic constitution.
Rogue elements are desperate and fear that Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party will again sweep the 2017 by-elections, scheduled for 1 April, to fill 18 vacant parliamentary seats. The growing number of seats could lead to a new push for a more democratic constitution, much like the liberal charter of 1947.
There’s another conspiracy to link the cowardly murder to the *simmering religious conflict*. Ko Ni was a Burmese first. He was an advocate for religious tolerance. Above all, he was passionate about fighting for a more democratic constitution for the people of Burma.
Ko Ni was a vocal critic of the controversial *military-dominated* 2008 constitution. He was riding the tiger’s back.
Earlier reports of death threats against him by *nationalist monks* are just a con. This was not a hate crime. It was the work of powers-that-be now running scared of by upcoming bye-elections in April.
Dark forces are using *fake* monks as an *Opposition* against Suu, *the Muslim lover*.
The Muslim card is a useful tool to keep Suu Kyi off-balance and muzzled. If she out for justice the *paid* monks will unleash violent mobs against the current government with massive street protests. A good military ploy.
The thugs are now attacking *Kala/foreigner* Ko Ni on social media. Burmese Muslims are convenient scapegoats caught in the power struggle.
How intriguing the gunman knew of Ko Ni’s schedule? To top that a photographer was present to document the crime that went viral. There’s no sign of the only witness to the execution.
The alleged killer was caught with two handguns – in a country where air rifle was hard to get.
The people of Burma demand justice. The world is watching.
You can kill the dreamer but not the dream.
Only a handful of the world’s 57000 large dams are viable, the rest are just uneconomic vanity projects that destroy ecosystems and communities. The whole idea of ‘taming’ nature is the product of an extremely ignorant totalitarian mindset. As for alternatives, Myanmar has no shortage of sunshine, wind and waves.
Last but not least, the Irrawaddy is widely perceived as a sacred river, just like the Mekong. I’m fairly sure that the curses of river gods and nagas were not part of the calculations of China Power Investment Corporation.
The dam was to send electricity to China, so where is the benefit for Myanmar? Besides, domestic pressure and violent conflict in the area do not seem to me to be ‘administrative’ reasons for suspending the dam. My Kachin friends complained about the dam many years back. So do not pretend that the decision was less significant than it actually was. It did indicate a decisive policy change in Myanmar’s attitude to China (read Enze Han on the topic).
Thank you Ms Couch. A lasting tribute to U Ko Ni as a political moderate who believe entirely in ROL.
I am very much afraid that from now on the radical arm of Muslim Kala within Myanmar will be manifesting “freedom is nothing left to loose” using this senseless act as example.
This incident will hopefully led to sympathy with U Ko Ni sentiment of ROL instead of more acts against.
The truth is, Myanmar needs the dam more than China. There is no power shortage in Yunnan. But look at Burmese cities, not to mention the countryside, chronic power shortages are common. Despite this, decades-long sedation effort by the US embassy in the name of “democracy, human rights, and saving the environment” essentially halted power project of any kind. So thanks Uncle Sam, Burmese can now live in the dark.
Today, the Burmese government cannot do anything. Coal? Protest! Carbon-capture? Protest! Hydropower? Protest! Dams? Protest! Only some blessings from Thagyarmin will generate electricity out of thin air.
Sayar U Ko Ni, Supreme Court lawyer and legal advisor to Nation League for Democracy was fatally shot in the head at point-blank range by a lone gun man at Yangon International Airport on Sunday at 4.55 pm local time. To me U Ko Ni was a senior colleague who I consulted for legal matters, with who I worked side by side for religious freedom and minority rights and who I respected for his intellect, fearlessness, humility, wisdom and integrity. U Ko Ni was spearheading the amendment of the current Constitution of Myanmar which was designed by the military dictatorship and was a strong voice advocating for religious minority rights. U Ko Ni was also a Muslim himself. Surely, he had many foes who despised him for his work and the values he stood for. The motivation behind the murder is still unclear, yet it isn’t too hard to guess why he was targeted.
But whatever the goals those responsible for Saya’s untimely departure was trying to achieve, one thing is for certain. If there is anything you could learn from history of political movements, you can’t kill a movement by killing one of the active individuals taking a leadership role in that movement. This would only make the movement stronger, more united and more formidable. And this is exactly will what happen in the immediate aftermath of our loss of Saya U Ko Ni. The gun shot that took Saya’s life has provoked the country, for what he fearlessly stood for when he was alive were the same goals he shared with the majority of the citizens: amendment of the Constitution, full democratic reform, equal rights and justice. His opponents have provoked the public. They will face an opposition which is larger in number, tougher, fearless, more effective and unstoppable. Our loss of Saya U Ko Ni has not set us back from amendment of the Constitution, our struggle for democracy, our fight for justice and equality but they have awaken thousands of “Ko Ni”s among us with their minds set on bringing full democracy, justice and equal rights for all regardless of creed and ethnicity. Those responsible for Saya’s murder have made a strategic mistake. Tough times are ahead of them. Not us.
Commonsense dictates that to remove “the dark clouds of misunderstanding” Yangon and Beijing should focus the relationship on harvesting the low hanging fruit – Xi Jinping wants to deliver public goods through the AIIB and Myanmar desperately needs to develop its infrastructure project pipeline – of which there are many. The most controversial projects should be tackled last, if at all. Why make a hard job harder?
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Of Whigs and dams
The sun is shinning more and Australia and the wind is blowing more in Australia, and Australia has forty times more GDP per capita compared to Myanmar. But Australia produces 86% of electricity from fossil fuels. So, before you try to force your idealism down the throat, please live without electricity for a month–which would mean doing your own dishes, washing your own clothes, sleeping at 6:00PM etc.
Electricity means live and death in least developed countries. Perhaps, you’ll know when you have been in a traffic accident in Myanmar, being rushed to the hospital, only to find out that the hospital was under routine power cut to operate you on time. Just so you know, many have died just because of no electricity to operate them as described. That is not to mention lack of development due to lack of electricity.
Time to draw the line
Yet another case of where our leaders need reminding they have a constituency that want Australia to act with fairness and generosity.
Our parish social justice group is organising a public screening of the film, Time To Draw The Line, in support of the Timorese. It will be at the Hoyts Cinema at Wetherill Park at 7.00pm on Monday 20th February. Google the title and you’ll find the booking page easily. Please support this effort to raise awareness by spreading the word.
Review of Ideal Man
Your point that Thompson, according to the author, maybe idealized that society ivy leaguers in SE Asia in those days in key places might have resulted in a different outcome…would make Thompson very naive. It was full of those such people in the US government, up to the Bundy brothers…. and the CIA at that time. I knew Thompson in Bangkok; had attended his prep school. He could not be so naive.
Technology and transformed governance in Indonesia
This thoroughly excellent article illustrates EXACTLY Indonesia has taken the right road, going down democracy’s path to greater – though not enough – public accountability. Exact opposite of Thailand.
Of Whigs and dams
How many thorium reactors have you built?
Talk is cheap…
An education in captivity
I want to meet you. I live to KL since more ten years. I’m french, retired, and i have with my friend, a problem because he is Oran Asli. Sorry for my English..
A personal tribute to U Ko Ni
According to the police the killer Kyi Linn confessed that he was hired by Myint Swe to kill Ko Ni. Several men named Myint Swe (at least four) were rumoured to be arrested and interrogated by police.
One of them was exposed as a former Burmese Army Captain who was once in a Burmese prison together with killer Kyi Linn and his mate Aung Soe for the crime of smuggling ancient Buddha statues out of Burma to Thailand.
According to ex-convict Aung Soe, Myint Swe once tried to recruit him for a similar hit but he refused. Aung Soe also claimed that Myint Swe has clandestine connections to DKBA (Democratic Karen Buddhist Army) which basically is turning into the Buddhist militia of Shin Wirathu the well-known nationalist Buddhist monk and a leader of Ma-Ba-Tha (The extremist nationalist Buddhist monks group).
The civil war between Buddhists and Muslims in Burma has just started on last Sunday 29 January 2017.
Of Whigs and dams
Since the fate of humanity depends upon it, I choose to believe that all the nations of the world can convert to alternative energy production, including Myanmar (My personal preference would be for ADS Thorium reactors).
It seems likely that your lack of progress in Cambodia is actually due to your own defeatist attitude. You cannot claim that success is ‘hare-brained’ and then whinge about failing on account of ‘headwinds’.
A personal tribute to U Ko Ni
My heartfelt sorrow and condolences for the untimely death of U Ko Ni and thanks for publishing a personal tribute.
As reported in The Irrawaddy, it is interesting to note “A crowd gathered on 34th Street with some shouting to “storm the apartment” and others urging burning down the houses of Chinese residents, although the suspect’s ethnicity is unconfirmed.”
However, since all life matters, it is at best dubious that New Mandala failed to publish any news or show any sympathy for the death of a dozen Myanmar security forces in Maungdaw, Rakhine state, at the hands of islamic terrorists.
The fact that U Ko Ni is a muslim has been highlighted several times. However, when muslim leaders / educators were assassinated by islamic terrorists in Maungdaw for not participating in jihadi terror, practically no body shed a tear. The muslims killed or abducted in Maungdaw are highlighted below.
December 22 – A Bengali muslim librarian was killed after he gave interview to the media.
December 24 – A muslim Bengali office clerk from Maungdaw Township, Yaydwinkyun village administrator’s office was killed
December 26 – A Bengali muslim man called Sirazuhut was similarly killed
December 29 – A Bengali muslim man and head of 100 family village was abducted by six islamic terrorists
Thus, the above selective and discriminatory publications by New Mandala raises the question – Is it for real human rights and peace or it is mouth piece for sinister overlords and paymasters.
State of denial
Ralph Kramden – your comments are ahistorical, and prejudiced – especially prejudiced against Vajiralongkorn, who was on a State visit to South Korea at the time of the May ’92 uprising. He was in an even less position to know to what was happening, than his sister Siridhorn – who came out with earth-moving complaint that she was “finding it difficult to contact” her father. Vajiralongkorn IMMEDIATELY backed her. The result was both Vajiralongkorn and Siridhorn backed Anand’s turning Thailand back to democracy. To deny this, is to deny the truth.
Of Whigs and dams
If you are now using bicycle only commute, don’t carry on about RE & sustainability only. Your ability to post or even read NM is a result of “conventional” energy generation.
Secondly, if you can arrange funding to tap all the wind, sun& biomass in Myanmar, I m sure they will welcome you with open arms.
To even imagine that a 4th world economy can afford RE on the grid is simply “small l-liberal, greenie harebrain” concept.
I m advising the Cambodian govt on RE & trying to get commercial investors to BOO RE plants without subsidies. The headwind would put Katrina to shame!
A personal tribute to U Ko Ni
Greatly appreciated your tribute to U Ko Ni. I am an Australian formerly Burmese who practicing Islam now domicile in Melbourne. Both of my grandfather were Bengali from British – India and grandmother were Burmese alike U Ko Ni. We became half caste due to history and not our fault at all. But they did not recognize full citizen as you know. U Ko Ni is Burmese constitutional expert of 1947, 1974 and 2008 who reveled military’s conspiracies in 2008 constitute that they drew.
U Ko Ni is the only one competent to advised to Aung Sun Su Kyi (NLD) about the constitution that barred her to be President. U Ko Ni is the one who sought the loophole and advised to Su Kyi to amend the constitution that she became a “State Councilor” on top of the president legally now. Despite you and other foreigners writing personal tribute for him, I didn’t see or heard any of Su Kyi’s personal tribute to U Ko Ni is extremely shameful and absolute sad over this assassinate tragic.
A personal tribute to U Ko Ni
Indeed a great loss for Myanmar’s democratization process.
A personal tribute to U Ko Ni
DID KO NI SIGN HIS OWN DEATH WARRANT?
A constitutional law expert, Ko Ni said in late 2016: If the military still focuses on protecting its interests, it will be impossible to change any part of the (current) constitution within parliament. That’s why writing a new one is the best way to pursue a democratic constitution.
Rogue elements are desperate and fear that Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party will again sweep the 2017 by-elections, scheduled for 1 April, to fill 18 vacant parliamentary seats. The growing number of seats could lead to a new push for a more democratic constitution, much like the liberal charter of 1947.
There’s another conspiracy to link the cowardly murder to the *simmering religious conflict*. Ko Ni was a Burmese first. He was an advocate for religious tolerance. Above all, he was passionate about fighting for a more democratic constitution for the people of Burma.
Ko Ni was a vocal critic of the controversial *military-dominated* 2008 constitution. He was riding the tiger’s back.
Earlier reports of death threats against him by *nationalist monks* are just a con. This was not a hate crime. It was the work of powers-that-be now running scared of by upcoming bye-elections in April.
Dark forces are using *fake* monks as an *Opposition* against Suu, *the Muslim lover*.
The Muslim card is a useful tool to keep Suu Kyi off-balance and muzzled. If she out for justice the *paid* monks will unleash violent mobs against the current government with massive street protests. A good military ploy.
The thugs are now attacking *Kala/foreigner* Ko Ni on social media. Burmese Muslims are convenient scapegoats caught in the power struggle.
How intriguing the gunman knew of Ko Ni’s schedule? To top that a photographer was present to document the crime that went viral. There’s no sign of the only witness to the execution.
The alleged killer was caught with two handguns – in a country where air rifle was hard to get.
The people of Burma demand justice. The world is watching.
You can kill the dreamer but not the dream.
Of Whigs and dams
Only a handful of the world’s 57000 large dams are viable, the rest are just uneconomic vanity projects that destroy ecosystems and communities. The whole idea of ‘taming’ nature is the product of an extremely ignorant totalitarian mindset. As for alternatives, Myanmar has no shortage of sunshine, wind and waves.
Last but not least, the Irrawaddy is widely perceived as a sacred river, just like the Mekong. I’m fairly sure that the curses of river gods and nagas were not part of the calculations of China Power Investment Corporation.
Of Whigs and dams
The dam was to send electricity to China, so where is the benefit for Myanmar? Besides, domestic pressure and violent conflict in the area do not seem to me to be ‘administrative’ reasons for suspending the dam. My Kachin friends complained about the dam many years back. So do not pretend that the decision was less significant than it actually was. It did indicate a decisive policy change in Myanmar’s attitude to China (read Enze Han on the topic).
A personal tribute to U Ko Ni
Thank you Ms Couch. A lasting tribute to U Ko Ni as a political moderate who believe entirely in ROL.
I am very much afraid that from now on the radical arm of Muslim Kala within Myanmar will be manifesting “freedom is nothing left to loose” using this senseless act as example.
This incident will hopefully led to sympathy with U Ko Ni sentiment of ROL instead of more acts against.
Of Whigs and dams
The truth is, Myanmar needs the dam more than China. There is no power shortage in Yunnan. But look at Burmese cities, not to mention the countryside, chronic power shortages are common. Despite this, decades-long sedation effort by the US embassy in the name of “democracy, human rights, and saving the environment” essentially halted power project of any kind. So thanks Uncle Sam, Burmese can now live in the dark.
Today, the Burmese government cannot do anything. Coal? Protest! Carbon-capture? Protest! Hydropower? Protest! Dams? Protest! Only some blessings from Thagyarmin will generate electricity out of thin air.
A personal tribute to U Ko Ni
Htuu Lou Rae Den, A pupil of Him on Facebook;
Sayar U Ko Ni, Supreme Court lawyer and legal advisor to Nation League for Democracy was fatally shot in the head at point-blank range by a lone gun man at Yangon International Airport on Sunday at 4.55 pm local time. To me U Ko Ni was a senior colleague who I consulted for legal matters, with who I worked side by side for religious freedom and minority rights and who I respected for his intellect, fearlessness, humility, wisdom and integrity. U Ko Ni was spearheading the amendment of the current Constitution of Myanmar which was designed by the military dictatorship and was a strong voice advocating for religious minority rights. U Ko Ni was also a Muslim himself. Surely, he had many foes who despised him for his work and the values he stood for. The motivation behind the murder is still unclear, yet it isn’t too hard to guess why he was targeted.
But whatever the goals those responsible for Saya’s untimely departure was trying to achieve, one thing is for certain. If there is anything you could learn from history of political movements, you can’t kill a movement by killing one of the active individuals taking a leadership role in that movement. This would only make the movement stronger, more united and more formidable. And this is exactly will what happen in the immediate aftermath of our loss of Saya U Ko Ni. The gun shot that took Saya’s life has provoked the country, for what he fearlessly stood for when he was alive were the same goals he shared with the majority of the citizens: amendment of the Constitution, full democratic reform, equal rights and justice. His opponents have provoked the public. They will face an opposition which is larger in number, tougher, fearless, more effective and unstoppable. Our loss of Saya U Ko Ni has not set us back from amendment of the Constitution, our struggle for democracy, our fight for justice and equality but they have awaken thousands of “Ko Ni”s among us with their minds set on bringing full democracy, justice and equal rights for all regardless of creed and ethnicity. Those responsible for Saya’s murder have made a strategic mistake. Tough times are ahead of them. Not us.
Of Whigs and dams
Commonsense dictates that to remove “the dark clouds of misunderstanding” Yangon and Beijing should focus the relationship on harvesting the low hanging fruit – Xi Jinping wants to deliver public goods through the AIIB and Myanmar desperately needs to develop its infrastructure project pipeline – of which there are many. The most controversial projects should be tackled last, if at all. Why make a hard job harder?