I think the both Myanmar military junta
and Indoneisan chinese are two seperate issues totally. The
relationship with the military junta probably overshadow the Indo
chinese issued. Outsiders will not fully comprehend the nature of
the latter.
I personnally think they are both different issues, but in the
eye of the Law it does not discriminate.
Although there are Geo political interest in Myanmar as a
region, But SG govt had not explain itself clearly its
moral position with the Junta and continuing
direct contact. Even after the buddish monk crack down. And it is
seemed soly on the Economics interest with Myanmar military junta
at all cost.
Unfornately at the end of the day it is still
Singaporean greed that held it up. I supposed they
said Sheep coats grow from sheep. Our judicial systems
are not independent enough to monitor violation of UN
sanction. Thanks to the patriarch politics in SG.
I dont think it would be fair to label our fellow citizens over
the Myanmar issue as greed, nor cast aspersion upon our judiciary.
Patriarchial politics or not, whatever one labels it, it had given
us peace and prosperity for 3 generations, something not many other
nations can even mouth about.
Burma is a sorry state, ruled by an illegal govt whom seize
power when lost in an election. Its people repressed and
subjugated, even murdered and yet, what did the citizens do, a
majority, held in thrall and poverty by just a handful?
The french welded only pitchforks and sticks, yet they managed
to overcome the better armed and organised french troops on Bastile
Day.
Even as many of us condemn the Junta and shared the sufferings
of our fellow humans in Burma, how much can we offer by
way of assitance, when democracy cannot be bestowed by others,
but only by Burmese themselves?
Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, and a whole lot of failed states had
shown us what a quagmire is when others try to give democracy
to a people. Same for Burma today, only to condemn them
in our strongest terms possible, pray and hope that there will be a
leadership that is strong enough to give liberty, as only the
Burmese people of centuries old history, can determined and not the
democracy style determined by others.
Singapore had tried engagement with the Junta, in the hope
that the authoritarians may be enlightened to a prosperous
and peaceful rule, and award full democracy in time, by
offering employment opportunities and building a strong middle
class for them thru our investments together with Asean states.
But we failed miserably, and was even cheated by them. Our
investments portfolios had greatly wound down. What's left
is only financial banking assistance, of which we offer to
everyone in the world, and discriminates against no one.
Illegal and odious as the Junta and their minions are, they
too are human and have medical needs, thus their appearances on our
shores. They are not declared fugitives by the UN, only by another
country -US. We are a soveriegn state and determine our own actions
as bound by the UN charter, and most certainly not bound
to the US constitution.
Our policy had been positive engagement, not isolation, or
the Junta will become another N.Korea.Those bastards will
still listen to Asean, though not everything, better than
nothing at least.
Patience is needed for change to happen, and at a pace everyone
can accept, otherwise, some will be left behind. This is
something all youths must understand, something even for our own
shores. A clear example is the rise of internet and home
computers which resulted many of our older generation being
left out in the market place back in the 90s. Egalitarianism is our
only hope, not utilitarianism. Our society's aim is to leave
no one behind.
So too will change come to Burma, at a pace all of them can be
comfortable with. The least we fellow human beings In
Singapore can do is open our banking doors to them, and a
secondary purpose would be to keep track of such transactions and
deposits, so that should the day come when a final accounting
happens in Burma, one way or another, the Burmese people can rest
assured that we keep full set of accounts, for the legal entities
to collect.