Myanmar

The travesty in Myanmar has deeply confirmed my prognostication that the world is bounded for a future that is sombre, bleak and devoid of the capacity to love and care for each other as human beings.

Universal denouncement of the Myanmar pernicious crackdown on Monks and her citizens has been unequivocal, but where art the actions? The tangible, concrete, credible actions that can actively put an end, or at least stall the situation from getting worst through intervention. But this form of initiated intervention has not seen the light yet, and it is no thanks to the cringeworthily selfish behaviour of Aseans, China. India and any other countries which could have done beyond adminstering reproach and censure statements.

It is naive to think that collectively countries have no leverage over Myanmar. What the heck! Myanmar is an appendage of Asean, of China, of India, and yes, an hopelessly dependant, reliant one at that too. If after years of "Asean engagement" all they could offer to the table in light of such atrocities are "statements" that "urge" Myanmar to "desist from the use of force" and to exercise "restraint" then I feel sorry for us all. These statements are shamefully blunt and hidely pack a punch, and hence these "collective efforts" have left nothing more than a whimper of the Generals' ears, and a lingering, thumping sense of choler and ire in our hearts. I believe that Aseans has been fettered and restrained to a fault, and this cop-out method of cheap talks and no actions reeks of ineptness and patronage! Ah yes, as if these little buzz would actually tilt the opinions of the despotic generals in the other a single bit.

Franky speaking, it is appalling no less to witness such inanity and incompetence from the neighbouring countres. What is presented to us is unmitigated raw violence - and leaving Myanmar with possibly nothing to redeem itself out of the savagery and atrocities it has intisgated against the innocent populace. What we witness are cold blooded murders on scores of innocent, what we see are goodwill of the population being returned in kind with oppressive, punitive measures such as imprisonment and even murder. What we see is the impunity and the absence of proper remorse in the course of persecution. And the monks - oh yes the symbols of reverence and sacredness in the Land of Burma - are not spared either. With such a flagrant indiscriminate massacre, it is hard pressed to justify the lack of international intervention from the world community.

What is Asean doing? Singapore continues to provide medical attention to leaders from such a hegemonic state. A state whereby leaders worship astrology and geomancy and whereby the state of economy has been so misfitfully managed by such an corrupt incompetent goverment. The economy remains one the poorest in the world, with most of the population made to shoulder the burden of a trudging, decrepit economy saddled with debts and aggravated by such a inept goverment. The malaise that permeates through the country is staggering - with many who are illiterate, poor, hungry and often subjected to unlawful abuse by a despotic and tyrannic goverment. If such foul gruesome evidences still cannot warrant a collective intervention by the international community, then i am really at lost as to what can. Are we truly going to enscounce ourselves on our rocking chairs, hide in our ivory towers and watch the events unfold and sail past wihout a iota of guilt or indignation? Are we doing justice to mankind when we see fellow humans beings who are subjected to such atrocities? Sadly and most regrettably, Asean has been cowardly in this episode. Yes, in every sense of the word.

China and India have the authority and the bargaining power to pull the reins in Myanmar , but they have yet to do so. Because apparently trade and economic growth supercedes and surpasses all objectives when it comes to policy making. It doesnt matter when people are killed - as long as we continue to get the supplements to keep us going, to nourish us and our economy. This deference to Myanmar from India is unsightly, to the extent of even revolting. India has been the squeakiest of all, muttering little to nothing in face of such a tragedy, a bloody miscarriage of human justice. It is this seflishness, this deep gripping selfishness that has transcended all forms of perversity. What do we get when countries become adamantly clingy to their personal gains, become miserly calculative and contrived and overtly defensive and protective of their own self? It becomes a passive affair of finger pointing and nothing beyond. Shake this potent mix of sanctimony, of cavalier-ness, of superliciousness and pharisiasm and you get the end result of a ugly indifference and considerable self restrain from countries which knew they had much more to offer.

Somewhat I have gotten tired of their never ending denouciations, their back and forth enunciation of the atrocity and heinousness of such acts wihout actually translating words into credible actions. This sort of insincerity and platitude astounds, and saddens me. If anything, the bottom of my heart wishes that the world of the future would be a much better picture than the world as we know of today. Perhaps I am just too optimistic