Comments on: The Secretary-General and the generals

By: aiontay

aiontay — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 01:32:04 +0000

So did he meet Mahtu Naw? That’s a meeting I’d haved loved to have attended.

By: sam-deedes

sam-deedes — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 06:05:42 +0000

OK Lonely Wolf, point taken. Having said that I am here to learn, I am no expert and I certainly don’t have my own website like the OP.

I am aware of differences over sanctions, for instance. But what I come to New Mandala for is reasoned debate in temperate language.

Burma Campaign UK is not perfect by any means and I accept I may have been a little over sensitive. But we are all in the same boat in wanting to see an end to the military dictatorship and I see no benefit in the use of such dismissive terms as:

“…the inevitable criticism from the Burma watchers…” and “If they don’t get to see The Lady proselytizing in the streets and democracy flourishing overnight…”

Language is important, and so is respect for all those trying to solve the same problem, even if they don’t necessarily share the same viewpoint as you.

By: Lonely Wolf

Lonely Wolf — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 13:41:23 +0000

sam deedes,

Surely you can have an issue with any narrative. If you knew his issues with Burma Campaign UK, would you really want those issues to interfere with your own narrative?

reader,

What makes you say Dylan Grey is General friendly?

ozzie,

The Generals can’t out maneuver their paranoia. If Ban Ki Moon is a fool for hoping, then he represents a good proportion of the world’s population. Who are you to say they are all fools? One man and the sceptre of truth? Ah. Please find your way back to the hilltop so I can eat you.

*howls*

By: Ozzie

Ozzie — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 09:57:09 +0000

what is Ban doing there in the first place ?

the predictable results have been achieved and once again the generals have out maneuvered the so called diplomats .

man was nort but a fool for traveling there in the first place

By: Reader

Reader — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 08:17:18 +0000

Of course, Ban Ki-moon trip is getting a lot of important achievements, as widely expected!

http://irrawaddy.org/highlight.php?art_id=16267

Were there no other avaliable “experts” on Burma for New Mandala than Mr. “Generals Friendly” Dylan Grey ?

Regards.

Reader

By: kyaw kyaw

kyaw kyaw — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 03:39:43 +0000

According to today’s (July 4) New Light of Myanmar, the trial of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi (and John Yettaw, Daw Khin Khin Win and Ma Win Ma Ma for that matter) was postponed to July 10 because the “case file on Criminal Case No 47/2009 has not been returned yet” following the rejected appeal in the Supreme Court.

Now, I’m sure conspiracy theorists will love this tidbit but, as Andrew Selth has pointed out, if you’ve got the option between a conspiracy and a cock-up, the latter is more likely in Myanmar.

However…. it does seem a little unlikely.

By: sam-deedes

sam-deedes — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 01:41:39 +0000

It might be instructive for us all if Dylan Grey were to enumerate some of these strategies and opinions that he takes issue with.

By: Dylan Grey

Dylan Grey — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:35:23 +0000

This was meant to be a short opinion piece and not an article about Ms. Zoya Phan. I used a quote from her as she is a spokesperson for the Burma Campaign UK. I take issue with a lot of the Burma Campaign UK’s strategies and opinions and admittedly I was using them as representative of the isolationist strategy that is a central feature of most foreign-based Burmese organizations.

And yes – a major breakthrough in 24 hours will not happen – part of my article was meant to manage/lower people’s expectations…

By: kyaw kyaw

kyaw kyaw — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 06:28:05 +0000

I agree… Nothing’s going to happen with that attitude. If you want the country to move forward, you have to give up a little, to potentially gain a lot.
Good work getting hold of the itinerary too. It will be interesting to see if the do let Ban Ki-moon meet The Lady… and what her response is.
Her trial has just been postponed to July 10 (next Friday), by the way.

By: Colum Graham

Colum Graham — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 05:13:57 +0000

Good post. In relation to the quote regarding ‘20 years and nothing to show for it’, this represents an equally under siege mentality that the Junta demonstrates and would be totally unlikely to achieve any sort of conciliatory result. Indeed, if anything, this might be Ban Ki Moon’s chance to proselytize the Junta at least a little bit.