tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34133856.post6211560763781252016..comments2023-12-24T06:13:49.857-05:00Comments on Confessions of a Closet Republican: Living In Fear in Myanmar fka Burma- and the Buddhist protestsIncognitohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09692949516037191969noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34133856.post-89258399758208124122007-10-09T01:21:00.000-04:002007-10-09T01:21:00.000-04:00I don't mind at all. As far as the answer to the ...I don't mind at all. As far as the answer to the possible motive for the killing of minorities in Burma I may have a partial answer. The ethnic makeup of what became the country of Burma is quite diverse. The largest group would be the Tai Yai (Big Tai), now the most dominant group in Burma. The others, such as the Karens, Shans, Kachins and other smaller groups are anthropologically distinct from the dominant group as also from each other. They all asserted their identity from the time before the formation of the Burmese kingdom. War between the groups were common, in the end, the group with the most power, the Tai Yai, won. The other groups lived under the rule of various Burmese kings as peacefully as any subjects can. The struggle for independence by the other groups continued. The main flash point came during the beginning of WWII. The Karen aligned themselves with the British, who had years earlier forced the Burmese king to agree to a treaty with them, thus destroyed the illusion of the divine kingship of the Burmese royalty. This pretty much gave others the idea of breaking away from Burma. <BR/><BR/>As far as what I believe to be a particularly vicious way that the Burmese had gone after the Karen may be attributed to the Karen's adoption of the British system of governance. They also adopted the Christian religion as their own. The last paragraph here relied more on what I got from talking to many of the Karen refugees that we met. Other than that, I think that it may have more to do with a rabid streak of extreme ethnocentricism that seems to infect the present junta.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34133856.post-79471596948313201242007-10-07T10:50:00.000-04:002007-10-07T10:50:00.000-04:00Thank you for this Blademonkey!! I'm sorry you hav...Thank you for this Blademonkey!! I'm sorry you have nowhere to be contacted, because I would love to know why the Junta are so intent on murdering all the non-Burmese in the country. <BR/><BR/>I hope you don't mind, but I think I will post your comment, so more people can see this.Incognitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09692949516037191969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34133856.post-42312791078671103472007-10-06T23:07:00.000-04:002007-10-06T23:07:00.000-04:00During my early formative years I lived in Thailan...During my early formative years I lived in Thailand, Chiang Mai to be specific. It was, and still is, the place where the Karen, Kachin and other ethnic non Burmese would escape to after any brutal fighting between the Burmese army and those who are non Burmese. The Christians in the Chiang Mai area sometimes would be the ones trying to help many of these refugees with food, shelter or a visit to the refugee camps at the border. Many of the refugees were treated badly by the Burmese and the Thai Border Police, but many professed to prefer living in the margins of Thai society than to live in Burma. My father was working for some of the Christian missionaries at the time, through him we had befriended many of these refugees, some of those were lucky enough to relocate to America. We kept in touch with some of those, they still have family in Burma. The situation with the Karens, the Shans, and Kachins will stop only when all of them are killed by the Burmese military or mass exodus of these and other ethnic groups out of Burma proper. <BR/><BR/>As a side note, the Buddhist priesthood in Burma was and will continue to be the perpetual thorn in the side of the Burmese ruling class. The Buddhist priesthood may be the only class not infiltrated by the ruling junta. In this predominantly Buddhist country, they are also one of the main sources of education. In order to become a man in full in the tradition of Theravada Buddhism, one must become a man of letter. By this one must be educated in the practical and spiritual matters. The various Buddhist temples in Burma provided such education to males who are aspiring to such. This also included a period spent as a monk in the temples. The temples are also where most of the people are getting their dose of anti-junta messages. This is the main source of all the political agitators/protesters for the overthrow of the government. In effect, they are the reflection of the country's majority.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34133856.post-26713135880506238482007-10-06T20:04:00.000-04:002007-10-06T20:04:00.000-04:00AICS: well, I took myself from not knowing, but t...AICS: well, I took myself from not knowing, but thank you! <BR/>It's interesting how much we take for granted in this country. I, for one, am so appreciative, probably because I lived abroad so many years and know what it's like to not have the freedoms we have.<BR/><BR/>DEE: Thanks so much Dee. And thanks for the link. It really is interesting, Dee.. although British colonialism (or any, for that matter) was problematic, I would think it wasn't as terrible as it is now. <BR/>Me too.. but not sure that will happen with China in the background, pulling the strings.<BR/><BR/>JIM: Yes, that's true, they did have elections and obviously did not like the results. She was under house-arrest at the time, which was also interesting. Shows how much the people want their freedom. Very sad.Incognitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09692949516037191969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34133856.post-78791566787412305322007-10-05T03:20:00.000-04:002007-10-05T03:20:00.000-04:00I saw somewhere that the elections were held in th...I saw somewhere that the elections were held in the belief that the opposition was fragmented and as such the rulers would win easily, then surprise,surprise Suu Kyi romped in. <BR/><BR/>There are probably other explanations out there but this sounds the most plausible.<BR/><BR/>Great work, excellent post.Jim Fryarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15780237902858889143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34133856.post-59768476066307660692007-10-05T01:24:00.000-04:002007-10-05T01:24:00.000-04:00Wow!! You did an incredible job on this post. I ...Wow!! You did an incredible job on this post. I have been following this story a little but like you didn't know much until seeing the recent demonstrations. I have been planning on doing some research and doing a post but I think I will just link to yours.<BR/><BR/>It has been interesting in homeschooling my kids I had noticed that a lot of countries were very prosperous until getting their freedom from Britain only to be taken over by dictators or socialist/communist leaders. It is all very sad.<BR/><BR/>I pray and hope that the people in Burma can be free!!Dionnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05013166054883351020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34133856.post-12410247100681560042007-09-30T20:16:00.000-04:002007-09-30T20:16:00.000-04:00Excellent post. Takes somebody from knowing nothi...Excellent post. Takes somebody from knowing nothing about the country to probably knowing everything important in just a few well written paragraphs.<BR/><BR/>Makes it crystal clear how much the people of the United States take their freedoms for granted. If every citizen lived under such a regime for one month, they would come back here committed to doing what it takes to keep the freedoms we enjoy intact.All_I_Can_Standshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13706352699628789787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34133856.post-74290476414547570862007-09-29T18:42:00.000-04:002007-09-29T18:42:00.000-04:00PAT: That's how they stay in power. KAREN: Thank...PAT: That's how they stay in power. <BR/><BR/>KAREN: Thank you. Sad that it takes major demonstrations to call attention to their plight.<BR/><BR/>and thank you, JON! I'll be very intersted to hear what your friends have to say. Yes, no doubt, they will find some positive in the situation, as tey are apt to do.Incognitohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09692949516037191969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34133856.post-43394965461219316942007-09-27T14:32:00.000-04:002007-09-27T14:32:00.000-04:00Fantastic post. Very informative and I can't wait ...Fantastic post. Very informative and I can't wait to hear what my socialist friend has to say about Burma, they recently returned from there and I will be interested in their take on the socio-political situation. I'm sure it will divert, greatly, from reality.jonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00594817524748598741noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34133856.post-27626858896325442722007-09-27T13:40:00.000-04:002007-09-27T13:40:00.000-04:00Excellent post, Incog! I've been following this m...Excellent post, Incog! I've been following this myself and will post later. Like you I knew very little about Burma but when President Bush and Laura Bush started speaking about it to the press this week it caught my attention. I wanted to know what all the fuss was about. Now we know, don't we. It is a really horrible story.Karen Townsendhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12692791436106987353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34133856.post-79064835559884666392007-09-27T12:26:00.000-04:002007-09-27T12:26:00.000-04:00there has been no greater threat to mankind throug...there has been no greater threat to mankind through history than individuals desire to oppress another individual. another hideous example here.Pat Jenkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18142174423986806144noreply@blogger.com