I don't know ... I'm not sure, David Scott Mathieson claims, that international attention has been re-focused on Burma following the earthquake. Gleaning the world's media, most people -- readers' especially -- seemed to be tuned in to the destruction the earthquake has wrought. And, sure, international aid has been coming in but nowhere near on the scale of other natural disasters, such as the 2004 Sumatra tsunami (what are, in the words of Charles Tilly, are "huge comparisons"). In so far as the military dictatorship's systematic carnage to lives and property, moves to bring down that regime appears to stem only from within Burma, spearheaded by various armed domestic groups. The historically and predictably lame ASEAN, filled with pure hot air, has categorically failed to rein in its member in Rangoon, while China keeps backing the cowardly junta with money and arms, mostly to ensure its invested economic interests are protected. The so-called promised pause in fighting came to nought: the junta cowardly struck at the warring parties on the other side as the world's eyes were gazed on largely the physical destruction of property from the quake. It seems to me there isn't a single state east, west, south or north of Burma -- not even the great big loud-mouth oaf Donald Trump -- is willing to cast its eyes beyond its nose to bring the civil war in Burma to an amicable conclusion quickly. The last thing you'd expect ASEAN members to do in the case of Burma is lift a useful finger. That's because it -- as a collective -- has zero power and influence over a corrupt, murderous military regime certain ASEAN member -- principally Singapore and Malaysia -- like China continue to invest in Burma -- investments that in real terms do not and have not lifted the plight of ordinary Burmese from their long-suffering wretchedness.
I don't know ... I'm not sure, David Scott Mathieson claims, that international attention has been re-focused on Burma following the earthquake. Gleaning the world's media, most people -- readers' especially -- seemed to be tuned in to the destruction the earthquake has wrought. And, sure, international aid has been coming in but nowhere near on the scale of other natural disasters, such as the 2004 Sumatra tsunami (what are, in the words of Charles Tilly, are "huge comparisons"). In so far as the military dictatorship's systematic carnage to lives and property, moves to bring down that regime appears to stem only from within Burma, spearheaded by various armed domestic groups. The historically and predictably lame ASEAN, filled with pure hot air, has categorically failed to rein in its member in Rangoon, while China keeps backing the cowardly junta with money and arms, mostly to ensure its invested economic interests are protected. The so-called promised pause in fighting came to nought: the junta cowardly struck at the warring parties on the other side as the world's eyes were gazed on largely the physical destruction of property from the quake. It seems to me there isn't a single state east, west, south or north of Burma -- not even the great big loud-mouth oaf Donald Trump -- is willing to cast its eyes beyond its nose to bring the civil war in Burma to an amicable conclusion quickly. The last thing you'd expect ASEAN members to do in the case of Burma is lift a useful finger. That's because it -- as a collective -- has zero power and influence over a corrupt, murderous military regime certain ASEAN member -- principally Singapore and Malaysia -- like China continue to invest in Burma -- investments that in real terms do not and have not lifted the plight of ordinary Burmese from their long-suffering wretchedness.