Comments on: Burma watching and the internet http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2009/05/28/burma-watching-and-the-internet/ New perspectives on mainland Southeast Asia Mon, 23 Nov 2009 03:46:18 +1100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: sam-deedes http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2009/05/28/burma-watching-and-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-653562 sam-deedes Sat, 30 May 2009 03:28:33 +0000 http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/?p=5613#comment-653562 Bangkok Pundit has a relevant post on this issue: http://bangkokpundit.blogspot.com/2009/05/atiya-on-burma-part-ii.html#comments Bangkok Pundit has a relevant post on this issue:

http://bangkokpundit.blogspot.com/2009/05/atiya-on-burma-part-ii.html#comments

]]> By: Stephen http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2009/05/28/burma-watching-and-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-653500 Stephen Fri, 29 May 2009 10:25:44 +0000 http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/?p=5613#comment-653500 This goes beyond online petitions and blogging. That the internationalisation of Burma's politics, "international awareness" and international "pressure" will lead to positive State-level change in Burma is little supported by the evidence of the last twenty years. However, it remains a central tenet of most mainstream Burma activists that such an approach not only works but is the most plausible (for some, only) way that the human rights situation in Burma will improve. There was (and remains) a debate about whether the reason the the SPDC opened up some humanitarian space in the Irrawaddy Delta after Cyclone Nargis was because of international censure or because it realised for itself that to do so was in its best (domestic) interest. Likewise, to what extent can the SPDC's allowance of former UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma Sergio Pinheiro into the country following the September/October 2007 crackdown (after having been barred from entering for four years) be seen as "evidence" that international condemnation and pressure can lead to positive reform? Interestingly, Jonathan Head wrote in a BBC <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8071849.stm" rel="nofollow">article</a> yesterday that <blockquote> Faced with a barrage of criticism over their prosecution of the country's most popular politician, the Burmese authorities have made small concessions - for example allowing journalists and diplomats to observe two days of the mainly closed trial. </blockquote> How can we know that these "small concessions" were a result of "a barrage of [international] criticism" and not done for domestic reasons? This goes beyond online petitions and blogging. That the internationalisation of Burma’s politics, “international awareness” and international “pressure” will lead to positive State-level change in Burma is little supported by the evidence of the last twenty years. However, it remains a central tenet of most mainstream Burma activists that such an approach not only works but is the most plausible (for some, only) way that the human rights situation in Burma will improve.

There was (and remains) a debate about whether the reason the the SPDC opened up some humanitarian space in the Irrawaddy Delta after Cyclone Nargis was because of international censure or because it realised for itself that to do so was in its best (domestic) interest.

Likewise, to what extent can the SPDC’s allowance of former UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma Sergio Pinheiro into the country following the September/October 2007 crackdown (after having been barred from entering for four years) be seen as “evidence” that international condemnation and pressure can lead to positive reform?

Interestingly, Jonathan Head wrote in a BBC article yesterday that

Faced with a barrage of criticism over their prosecution of the country’s most popular politician, the Burmese authorities have made small concessions – for example allowing journalists and diplomats to observe two days of the mainly closed trial.

How can we know that these “small concessions” were a result of “a barrage of [international] criticism” and not done for domestic reasons?

]]> By: blogskeptik http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2009/05/28/burma-watching-and-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-653475 blogskeptik Fri, 29 May 2009 04:15:23 +0000 http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/?p=5613#comment-653475 To take Charles F's post (and others) a step further - much the same thing could be said about New Mandala and Bangkok Pundit (amongst others). The earnest discussions that take place on these sites are almost completely irrelevant (perhaps even a waste of space) - since the vast majority of the people who contribute have absolutely no input in the region's governance. About the only thing that the 'concerned' contribute to this region is paying the salaries of the local staff of civil society organizations. To local powermongers, such organizations are little more than a joke or a minor irritation as they suck their respective countries dry. (The sort of) Blogging (we see here) will change nothing, since you can't fight violently-enforced injustice with a dialogue that never touches those who hold all the levers of power. It is, also, highly unlikely that the Junta would ever want to engage in any dialogue that wouldn't automatically lead to a quick buck. To take Charles F’s post (and others) a step further – much the same thing could be said about New Mandala and Bangkok Pundit (amongst others). The earnest discussions that take place on these sites are almost completely irrelevant (perhaps even a waste of space) – since the vast majority of the people who contribute have absolutely no input in the region’s governance. About the only thing that the ‘concerned’ contribute to this region is paying the salaries of the local staff of civil society organizations. To local powermongers, such organizations are little more than a joke or a minor irritation as they suck their respective countries dry. (The sort of) Blogging (we see here) will change nothing, since you can’t fight violently-enforced injustice with a dialogue that never touches those who hold all the levers of power. It is, also, highly unlikely that the Junta would ever want to engage in any dialogue that wouldn’t automatically lead to a quick buck.

]]> By: Charles F. http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2009/05/28/burma-watching-and-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-653471 Charles F. Fri, 29 May 2009 03:24:02 +0000 http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/?p=5613#comment-653471 I'm not an idealist or a cynic. I'm a realist. As such, I don't think that this online petition will have any effect one way or the other with the SPDC. In the past they haven't cared one whit what anyone thinks; why would they care now? I have bad news for George Clooney. Other than his family, a few close friends, and women who think he's sexy, no one cares what he thinks about anything, on any subject. I’m not an idealist or a cynic. I’m a realist. As such, I don’t think that this online petition will have any effect one way or the other with the SPDC. In the past they haven’t cared one whit what anyone thinks; why would they care now?

I have bad news for George Clooney. Other than his family, a few close friends, and women who think he’s sexy, no one cares what he thinks about anything, on any subject.

]]> By: flashman http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2009/05/28/burma-watching-and-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-653344 flashman Thu, 28 May 2009 13:57:28 +0000 http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/?p=5613#comment-653344 Nang Gor makes a good point, and one that should be oft pointed out to the self-crowned e-crusaders of social or political change. And particularly in regards to Burma where 50yrs of brutal military rule is hardly going to be influenced by anything. Lets face it, Cyclone Nargis made no difference, so I daresay a petition signed by thousands of chest-(or is that mouse) beaters promising to throw them in jail if the Generals ever give up power isn't really going to make a difference or send the right signals now is it? Nang Gor makes a good point, and one that should be oft pointed out to the self-crowned e-crusaders of social or political change.

And particularly in regards to Burma where 50yrs of brutal military rule is hardly going to be influenced by anything.

Lets face it, Cyclone Nargis made no difference, so I daresay a petition signed by thousands of chest-(or is that mouse) beaters promising to throw them in jail if the Generals ever give up power isn’t really going to make a difference or send the right signals now is it?

]]> By: jud http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/2009/05/28/burma-watching-and-the-internet/comment-page-1/#comment-653330 jud Thu, 28 May 2009 13:12:56 +0000 http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/?p=5613#comment-653330 you,r rite, please support our worldwide protest on 30.may in front of every Burmese embassy.LONDON;BERLIN,NEW YORK ect... http://picasaweb.google.com/lunswe/27509#5340843552674242818 you,r rite, please support our worldwide protest on 30.may in front of every Burmese embassy.LONDON;BERLIN,NEW YORK ect…

http://picasaweb.google.com/lunswe/27509#5340843552674242818

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