Spot Light On Burma!

Gentle Reader, 

It's impossible for me to write anything at all original about the 'Gala Charity Dinner and Dance - Spotlight on Burma'  My friend Garret Kostin, the director of the Chiang Mai branch of the Best Friend Burmese Library, has done a sterling job of posting information.   I'll just hit a few highlights, post a few photo's and ask you to check out the face book pages which are at Peace in Burma and The Best Friend Library 

Depending on who you talk to the event was about many things.  For me it started out about helping to raise money to keep the library open in the future.  However, it turned out to be much more.  It was an evening of awareness, compassion and good old fashioned fun!   The event's silent auction raised 65,550 baht ($2,260 US).  My congratulations to the contributing artists and my gratitude to the generous attendees who made this possible! 

Maliwan watches over a silent auction table
while I was taking pictures and networking.

One of the post event items posted on face book is more than worth quoting:  He wrote:  "If you had to pick just one, what would you say was your very favorite part of "Burma in the Spotlight" last night??

This could possibly be mine: the amazing DIVERSITY -- men and women; old and young; Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Jews, atheists; Thais, Burmese, Shan, Kachin, Karen, Americans, Malaysians, Indonesians, Japanese, Australians, Germans, Brits, and on and on... All coming together for a night of fun together to support Burma, migrants and refugees, and the projects of The Best Friend in Chiang Mai and Shan State!"

My personal favorite experience was having the honor to meet Tin Tin Nyo, the Secretary General of the Women's league of Burma.  Short, to the point and very powerful is how I would describe her key note address.  She emphasized the need for women to be involved in Burma's political future and noted that while  changes are being proclaimed by the Burmese government any real change must be implemented on the ground.

Tin Tin Nyo and her party

Often I find myself frustrated, saddened and angry because horrific things happen to human beings and the people who influence the world just don't give a damn.  They seem only interested in lining their own pockets.  However, on the night of 1 June 2013 more than 450 people (guests, volunteers, staff and dignitaries) came together to support the Burmese people in their struggle for true freedom.   The event would not have been possible without all of them. However I'd like to mention:  Garrett Kostin, whose tireless work has made the library a reality!

Garrett Kostin
Director Best Friend Library Chiang Mai

The amazing food we enjoyed is a credit to the head Chef of the Imperial Mae Ping Hotel which provided a marvelous venue.   The event organizers Ram and Bazil made the event truly spectacular.   Several of my friends have commented on the quality and attention to detail that went into this special evening.

The Chef, The Organizers and someone. 

I posted images from the event at  Spotlight_on_Burma  They are also on my Facebook page Enjoy.  If you want to make a print of one any of these images please contact me and I will provide you with a print size file.  Please DO NOT download and print the images from my photobucket account or from my Facebook page.  First they are to small to get make a good print and 2nd it's a copyright violation.  A few more of my favorites are below.  Enjoy! 

Lovely Young Performers Ready for their big night!

We Women, one of many organizations represented

The Dance of the White Dear, a marvelous performace

Dang Fantastic, and he is! 

Grace and Beauty! 

Three English Students just after they made their first public speech!

They Told Us So, But Did We Listen?

Not long ago I discussed a documentary called "Nothing About Us Without Us"  If you care to watch it, or watch it again I've included the link just below.  What is really aggravating is governments and large NGO's have been treating these people with no, absolutely no, respect!   They have been lying to them about repatriation plans which were being carried on behind there back.  

When I mentioned this video to people, I received some surprisingly defensive comments.  It seemed at the time that the Karen had shined a light on the pile of dung in the living room and the 'important' people were not to pleased.  The best they could do was ridicule the makers of the video.  Well, what do ya think they have to say now? 

 

What triggered this diatribe?  Well the answer, gentle reader, is:

Plans Under Way to Repatriate Burma’s Refugees

by Saw Yieng Naing / The Irrawaddy

A female refugee makes a sheet of leaves for the roof of her house in Ei Htu Hta refugee camp on the Thai-Burma border. (Photo: Saw Yan Naing / The Irrawaddy)

More than 140,000 Burmese refugees in Thailand are facing mounting pressure to leave their camps on the border and return to their homeland, with many refugees saying they are not ready or willing to return.

Refugees in camps in northwest Thailand say they have been given three options: move elsewhere in Thailand, return to Burma or resettle in a third country. They say they have been asked to select a choice on a form delivered by Mae Fah Luang Foundation, a Thai organization under royal patronage that is based in Chiang Mai Province.

Most of the refugees on the Thai-Burma border are ethnic Karen who fled their homes in southeast Burma due to civil wars between the government and ethnic armed groups. Many are economic migrants who crossed the border in search of employment.

Several refugees in the Mae La refugee camp, which houses more than 40,000 people in Tak Province, said the Mae Fah Luang Foundation created the survey earlier this month and asked adults and teenagers in the camp to fill out their responses.

“On the form, refugees have three options,” said Ah Mu, who lives in the camp. “They [refugees] were asked to choose their top priority. For example, if they want to go to a third country, they have to mark that option…and also specify which country they have in mind.”

“They were also asked to mark their second and third priorities, in case if they weren’t matched with their first choice,” he added.

Ah Mu said other questions focused on the refugees’ skills and education levels, as well as where in Burma they would return and what kind of jobs they would pursue there.

The Thai foundation also distributed forms last month to community leaders who administrate another refugee camp known as Umpiem Mai, according to Tun Tun, the general-secretary of that camp.

He said he and other community leaders were consulting with refugees to consider their options as they completed the forms, which he said would be collected by the Mae Fah Luang Foundation in November.

Some refugees said that although they technically had three options, the criteria for traveling to a third country or staying in Thailand was so strict that many people were forced to opt to “voluntarily return” to Burma, even though they did not wish to do so.

Some others, however, said that those who complained were mostly newcomers and economic migrants from urban areas in Burma.

According to regulations from the UN refugee agency’s resettlement program, refugees without registration cards do not meet the criteria for resettlement.

So far, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) estimates that 81,700 refugees from Burma have been moved to other countries from Thailand since the UN resettlement program started in 2005.

Vivian Tan, spokesperson for the UNHCR in Asia, said it was not yet time to promote the repatriation of refugees to Burma. However, she confirmed that UNHCR and partners continued to consult with refugee communities and community-based organizations regarding their options and needs.

“We are also collecting information on the situation in the southeast [of Burma] that we will share with the refugees to enable them to make an informed choice when voluntary repatriation eventually becomes feasible,” she said.

Tan added that a profiling exercise began earlier this month to collect more information about the refugees, including their hometowns, education levels, skills and future plans.

She said all concerned ethnic armed groups and the Burmese government needed to agree on safeguards for returnees, including amnesties and respect for basic rights relating to freedom of movement, as well as the issuance of identity documents upon return. She also called for preparations in areas of potential return to ensure that returnees had a place to live and access to basic facilities, services and work opportunities.

There has been no public or official announcement about refugee repatriation or the expected closure of nine refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border. Some NGO sources, however, say Thai and Burmese authorities intend to shut the camps by 2015.

NGOs including UNHCR, The Border Consortium (TBC) and community-based organizations are conducting repatriation training and workshops for the refugees.

Representatives from refugee support agencies and international NGOs have been meeting with Burmese government officials in Naypyidaw since last year and engaging in efforts to facilitate the eventual repatriation of refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Burma.

   

You can make a real difference for less than $30 USD!

A little background:  My mother used to say that what goes around comes around.  She also reminded me that it gains both girth and speed on the back stretch. The 4th Universal law - The law of receiving reminds us that in order to receive you must give, else you close off the channel.  

  

850 Thai baht is worth approximately 28.35 U.S. Dollars,  21.90 Euros, 18.73 British Pounds or 29.35 Australian Dollars.  It’s not a huge amount of money, though it’s not, at least to me, trivial.  I’m asking you to spend or donate that amount of money and here are my suggestions:

•         If you happen to be in Chiang Mai on Saturday June First,For only 850 baht you can attend a Gala Charity Event ‘Eyes on Burma’ at the Imperial Mae Ping Hotel. Time: 5:30 exhibition and silent auction / 7 p.m. - 11 p.m. dinner, dancing, entertainment.  There are some details at:  The Best Friend  There are several great reasons to attend:

1.    My personal favorite:  It supports an organization that is needed in this uncertain time along the Thailand/Burma border

2.    The Key Note Speaker is Tin Tin Nyo, General Secretary of Women's League of Burma) and there will be representatives from several well known organizations all doing good work to help the people along the Thai/Burma border including some of my personal hero’s like the Free Burma Rangers and Partners Relief & Development.

3.    The dinner will be an exquisite Burmese buffet

4.    The entertainment will be provided by several Burmese organizations and

5.    The dance band will be Thailand’s famous Dang Fantastic!

 The Best Friend

• If you can’t make the event, please make a donation at The Best Friend Library Indiegogo campaign.     Please give the amount that you are comfortable with, plus just $5.00 more!   The campaign goal is reachable and that allows the library to be sustainable.  

Indiegogo campaign

The Best Friend Library in Chaing Mai is probably responsible for saving the life of Chaa Nay Choo, the 14 year old who suffered horrific burns trying to save others in the fire at Mae Surin refugee camp near Mae Hong Song on 22 March. 

Chaa Nay Choo

Although the Chaa Nay Choo is still receiving support from the library, the managed to conduct a successful campaing to finance new arms for Khong Naitun, the migrant worker from Burma who lost both of his arms in an electrical accident at his worksite. 

Khong Naitun

Just one final thought.  The Best Friend Library in Chiang Mai is worth keeping open and you deserve all the prosperity and happiness that you will allow through your generous donations!  

Abundant Blessings, 

Jerry

  

'Burma in the Spotlight' Gala Charity Dinner & Dance in support of The Best Friend Library – Chiang Mai!

Gentle Reader, 

As you know I'm volunteering some of my time to support The Best Friend Library.  Please take a moment and look at their website and you will see that it's much more than a library.

A couple of hours ago Best Friend Library posted an article announcing a successful campaign to provide Khong Naitun, a Burmese migrant worker who suffered horrific injuries from a construction accident, with two new prosthetic arms!  

  This is an organization that deserves our support!

Thank you in advance for your interest in the 'Burma in the Spotlight' Gala Charity Dinner & Dance in support of The Best Friend Library – Chiang Mai! The event will be held on Saturday, June 1, at The Imperial Mae Ping Hotel. There are several ways you can support this event:

• ATTEND:   We hope you will attend the event with your friends. Tickets are only ฿850 each, and for that you receive a lot of value: an expansive Burmese buffet dinner, live entertainment by Dang Fantastic, one of Thailand's best-loved musicians, performances by talented artists from Burma, free library membership, and a chance to win some amazing prizes. Best of all, every baht raised supports education and social welfare projects for people from Burma!

Tickets are on sale at The Best Friend Library (302/2 Nimmanhaemin Road, Soi 13), The Imperial Mae Ping Hotel's reception desk, and customer service desks at every Rimping Supermarket in Chiang Mai.  I also have tickets for sale; you may call me directly. Let me know if you are interested in booking a full table for 10 at a special price!

• DONATE:  Our business friends are encouraged to donate prizes for the event's lucky draw. This is a great opportunity to have your business featured at the event to a targeted, compassionate, and active audience. as well as a great opportunity for people to try your product or service. Hopefully, each lucky draw winner will receive a prize worth at least 1,000 baht. 

• ADVERTISE:  A 20-page full-color program will be produced and distributed to each attendee, in addition to special supporters who are unable to attend the event in person. We are able to offer a select number of full-page ad spaces in the program. Advertisements will be A5 (vertical)-sized, and are offered for only ฿1,500 each. This opportunity won't last long. If you are interested, please contact me or The Best Friend Library as soon as possible.

• PROMOTE: Please forward this email to all your friends and colleagues to help spread the word. We have A4 and A3-size event posters. Perhaps you would display one at your place of business. Just let us know if you are willing, and we will deliver to you!

You can see more details at the following links:

http://www.thebestfriend.org/  This is the organization we are primarily supporting with this event, although many other local Burma-related organizations will also be benefitting.

https://sites.google.com/a/chiangmaiheritage.com/burma/home  (Event Details)
https://sites.google.com/a/chiangmaiheritage.com/weekend/home  (Weekend in Chiang Mai' Package Deal)
https://sites.google.com/a/chiangmaiheritage.com/weekend/hotel (Overview of The Imperial Mae Ping Hotel)

https://www.facebook.com/events/461705917242598/ (Facebook Event page)

I look forward to discussing the event and your participation further! You can contact me at jerry@jerrynelsonphoto.com or 089-556-4293. You can also email chiangmai@thebestfriend.org.

Abundant Blessings,

Jerry Nelson

089-556-4293

Everything Is Broken!

The title was stolen from 'Everything is Broken : A Tale of Catastrophe in Burma' by Emma Larkin.  This excellent book was published by THE PENGUIN PRESS - New York - 2010.  ISBN:  978-1-59420-257-5.  While this article is not intended to be a book review.  I do however; want to make the suggestion that Ms. Larkin's critical work has not been read, or at least not understood by many in political power. This assumes that those in political power operate with good motives; alas this is doubtless a bad assumption. Nevertheless. The book is organized 3 major parts.

I   'A Sky Full of Lies' discusses the Burmese government's efforts to keep the truth about the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis when it made landfall in the Irrawaddy Delta on 2 May 2008.  The scope of damage is unfathomable.  According to official figures, 84,500 people were killed and 53,800 went missing.  Many sources who were on the ground in the weeks following claim that the actual casualty figures were two to three times higher!  More incredible was the reactions of the Burmese government.  U.S. Secretary of Defense, Robert M. Gates accused them of criminal neglect.  He was only one of many who made similar statements.   Larkin suggests that paranoia may be one explanation for their bizarre refusal to accept aid followed by their conniving attempts to make the relief workers tasks as difficult as possible. Perhaps they were afraid the United States and other western powers would see the post Nagris period as an opportunity to invade and topple their regime.  One thing is certain:  In an environment where information is blocked rumors are ramped, take on a life of their own and often serve as the only news available.  Certainly this was true after Cyclone Nargis.

II  'No Bad News for the King' points out that bad news NEVER goes up the chain of command in Burma.  The lengths they go to keep any negative news from reaching the highest echelons of government are truly flabbergasting.  One has to ask just how informed can Senior General Than Shwe really be when subordinates are terrified of presenting anything other than good news for his consumption.

III 'Everything is Broken' presents a summary of the facts, the denials, the corruption and the horrible results of the government's reaction.  Cyclone Nargis killed and injured so many people and created so much psychological , economic and physical damage that relief under the best of circumstances would have been extremely difficult.  The Burmese government displayed a behavior that under no circumstance could be classified as acceptable.  To prevent relief from reaching the victims of Cyclone Nargis was proof of just how inhumane and self serving the Burmese generals can be.

This book is highly recommended for anyone who is interested in a well written book on Burmese politics, events or recent history.  There are many other well written accounts of the on goings in Burma. My assumption is that if I can find them so can the United States Central Intelligence Agency, the British Intelligence Agencies and any other government with a modicum of interest in international affairs.

Know This!  Senior General Than Shwa rules Burma.  He commands the Burmese Army and the Burmese Army Generals are extremely loyal to him.  Those who have demonstrated possible opposition, real or imagined are dead! The current constitution  requires that the Army hold enough seats that it is impossible for any law to pass without the blessing of the senior general. President Thein Sein has limited power and is paraded out for ceremonial purposes as evidenced in the last link below. Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's long time political prisoner and hope for democracy, is now a member of parliament.  However, her opposition party can do little without the support of the international community.   Almost all of their political clout was stripped from them by the United States and the European Union when the sanctions were lifted.

The international community KNOWS the truth about the Burmese junta.  So why do they cow tow to the corrupt generals? The simple answer is that we have lost our moral compass, or to quote Emma Larkin "Everything is Broken". Is it really as simple as greed and corruption?   I think not.  While it is true that there will be massive fortunes made from the rape and plunder of Burma's resources it's more complicated than that.  

Forbes magazine published an Article entitled 'Myanmar - The Last Frontier?'  November 9, 2012.  Being a business journal it discusses business opportunities. Not one word was written about human rights violations, not one!  Frankly it's not worth reading but in fairness I've provided the link. 

Posted at Small WarsJournal is an article entitled ' Sharing the Wealth:  Burma's Post-Military Rule and Natural Resource Governance'   The article is interesting though I doubt the veracity of any writing that talks of post-military rule in the present tense.  Further, I find it noteworthy that in the bio's provided for the three authors there is NO MENTION of Kirk Talbott, John Waugh or Douglas Batson having ever actually been to Burma.

North Korean Involvement - Perhaps a year ago, I was on the outskirts of a conversation that I mostly regarded as empty bravado.  A man who claimed to be a journalist was telling a story about being refused a visa to Burma because he had let it slip to a Burmese embassy official that he knew about Burma's nuclear dealings with North Korea.  He is full of it, I thought. A simple trip to google would have proven me wrong. A quick search for Uranium in Burma reveals some very scary information including photographs.

Areal Photo of possible nuclear plant under construction near Mandalay

Japan confiscated contraband cargo of North Korean metal pipes and specialized aluminum alloy bars that were bound for Myanmar in breach of international sanctions.  These are essential components for building nuclear reactors.  The BBC reported that 'Burma may be building missile and nuclear sites in remote locations with support from North Korea, according to secret US cables released by Wikileaks".

. 

Burma Democratic Concern wrote "Wikileaks cables have also made evident that the U.S. regularly lies in its public statements about international issues. The government isn t even close to being open with American citizens and the people of the world. For Burma, the Obama Administration is obliged under the Tom Lantos JADE Act to disclose publicly what it knows about the SPDC s nuclear program. The State Department has refused to publish the Act s Report on Military and Intelligence Aid, even in the face of our Freedom of Information filing..."  They went on to point out several specific cables including:

• China revealing that Burma s North Korea relationship includes a nuclear component and that the North is providing hardware and Russia software and training - 09Rangoon502 

• China promoting the idea that Burma-North Korea cooperation is acceptable - 09Rangoon732 

• An offer to sell uranium to the Embassy in Rangoon - 08Rangoon749

• Burma named as a WMD proliferation risk - 09State80163 (This alone might have made the Burmese generals paranoid).

The China Factor - It's a safe bet that as incompetent as the current United States administration is, they must be concerned about China.   Projects include a major copper mine near Monywa, oil pipelines from Burma's coast to Kunming, the capital of Yunnan.  There is also the huge Myitsone Dam project worth some $3.6 billion; it has been suspended until the end of Thein Sein's term as president.    I recommend the article 'China Didn't See This Coming' which appeared in the Atlantic on March 15th, 2013.   The United States, the European Union and others are fearful of China taking all the cherries from the Burma bowl; so afraid that they have lifted sanctions pretending that all is well in Burma.  Is keeping the truth on the table so difficult? Will denial continue to be the order of the day?  Will they say that there are no human rights violations to report?!   The United States is now offering military aid to the junta.  With more weapon technology they can kill more Karen, Rohingya, Kachin, Shan and any other ethnic group they choose to annihilate!   Of course the United States will play innocent, denying any knowledge of the carnage. How stupid do they think we are? They might even give the junta a wink and a 'solemn warning' to behave.  I'm ragging on the United States simply because that's where I come from and the behavior of my government is a source of great shame and frustration to all who care about human rights.  I'm pretty sure the European Union is no more pure.

Human Rights Violations As I said earlier, as incompetent as they are, these governments should be able to find unclassified documents.  Certainly they would argue that they are smarter than me and I have found many, far too many include in this article. Perhaps I should define them as inhumane rather than incompetent.  Herer is a small sampling of what I have found:

• Crimes Against Humanity and Ethnic Cleansing ofRohingyaMuslims in Burma’s Arakan State 

• Burma: SatelliteImages Detail Destruction in Meiktila

• Kachin Refugees fromBurma in China’s Yunnan Province

• License to rape: How Burma’s military employs systematicsexualized violence  The author of this article points out that the "The 2008 Burmese Constitution places the military outside the purview of the civilian courts and includes an amnesty provision which precludes the prosecution of military perpetrators of crimes, including sexualized violence; raising global concern, including from the special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar..."

• Burma Army accused of atrocities in Shan Stateoffensive  The article's first paragragh reads: "Burma's military accused of mass human rights abuses in Shan State as President Thein Sien is awarded peace price and the EU [lifts] economic sanctions.  

• UN accuses Myanmar army of torture

Barack Obama, against the advice of top advisors, and human rights organazations around the globe, went calling on the president of Burma sending a clear message that anything he said about human rights was nothing more than political white wash.  This short video is well worth seeing:  Obama in Burma:  AMilestone for Reform or Groundwork for Oil-Friendly Junta Rule?

Two of a kind

President Thein Sien was given, given not earned, the ICG'S Peace Award.  Why?  I personally think it all has to do with greasing the slide through which the coffers of the west will be filled at the expense of the Burmese people.  While he does't  directly address the possible motives behind the award, Guy Horton definitely articulates the valid arguments such praise.  Please read:  Burma's Shame: Why the ICG's Peace Award froThein Sein is Unconsionable.  To me, it's more evidence that everything is broken when it comes to the grab for the resources of Burma. 

There will be presidential elections in 2015 and Thein Sien will be replaced, at the pleasure of Senior General Than Shwa.  His replacement will be toothless unless there is a revision of the Burmese constitution. Such a revision cannot happen without Than Shwa's blessing.  Not likely!

In the United States there will be another presidential election on Tuesday November 8, 2016.  This of course assumes that the current president and his cronies don't succeed in totally destroying the United States of America, where almost Everything is Broken!

If Everything is Broken, why do I bother?   If enough people know what is actually happening, then perhaps it will be possible to repair many of the wrongs that are now being committed.  My Quote Action for today reads:  "Truth, like surgery, may hurt but it cures" writer Han Suyin - Your action for today is to see if you are avoiding telling someone the truth.  What do you think it's costing them and you?  Please share this article with everyone !

When your only goal is to die by Oddny Gumar

Gentle Reader,

One of the brave people I've had the honor of meeting through my association with The Best Friend Library is Oddny Gumaer.  Oddny and her husband, Steve, are the founders of 'Partners Relief & Development', an organization that is made up of brave people who go and actually make a huge  difference in the lives of the oppressed people in Burma. As many of you know, I am always suspect of organizations who want contributions but are less than forthcoming with their financial information. Partners Relief & Development has an extremely refreshing philosophy.  If you want to see their financial statements down load them from their website.  They have become one of my favorite organizations!

Oddny is the author of two excellent books about the people in Burma.  Displace Reflections and Picking Flowers on Dusty Roads.

This morning I received a blog article posted by Oddny on 23 April.  I thought you might want to read this extremely moving article and she commented that passing it along would be appropriate, so here you go.

When your only goal is to die.

by oddnygumaer on April 23, 201

Mosuda

When your only goal is to die.

by oddnygumaer on April 23, 2013

I have been putting it off long enough. As I am sitting in my living room, contemplating what to make for dinner, and how to get the house clean, the media is full of stories of politicians sexually assaulting minors, of lone rangers making bombs that they intended to use for killing many, of financial crisis and of other stuff that I really wonder if many are interested in reading. But people surprise.

Nobody talks of Mosuda. Her story has not been shared world-wide. It is upsetting, but not surprising. The world wants Justin Bieber and glamour. They don’t want to hear stories of women who sob. Especially not Muslim women who sob. Especially not Muslim women who sob that belong to a despised people group.

My blog is not an arena that gets visits from thousands. But perhaps you who read the story can share it. Perhaps Mosuda’s story can challenge the world to think about different matters.

Mosuda was wealthy. Not wealthy in money, but wealthy because she was the mother of many children. She had eight daughters and sons. And she was blessed with 18 grandchildren. All of them full of life and energy. The voices of her family members could be heard all over her village. Her life was full.

On October 24, 2012 her life ended.

There had been rumors of attacks for a while. They had heard of other villages being attacked, of other Rohingyas being killed, brutally and violently. She knew that her Buddhist neighbors did not appreciate hers, or her people’s, presence. But what could they do? Could they change their skin color? Could they change the fact that they were born into a country that wanted them gone? Where were they supposed to go to? And, besides, her village was the only place she had ever called home.

Her neighbors in her village walked anxiously around, not sure what to do to protect themselves if an attack happened. Mosuda talked to her sons and daughters, and together they decided to get away while there was still time. Better to escape before it was too late.

Their village was by the water. There were many boats, and they got four middle-sized boats to take them up the river, to a safer place. One hundred of them crowded into the four boats, and at 11.00 a.m. they were off with a few of their belongings. Mosuda thought that the most important thing was that she had her whole family close to her. It would be sad to lose all their belongings in the village, but at least they had each other.

At 1.30 p.m. they spotted a boat approaching them. It was a lot bigger than their four boats. Mosuda’s heart sunk. She had a bad feeling about the people on the boat. She recognized one man on the boat. He was the owner of the biggest hotel in town, the Noble Hotel. He shouted to them to go to a village near by. “Go to the Rakhine village,” he urged them. But why would they go to a Buddhist village, when it was the Buddhists who wanted to kill them? They did not do as they were told. Instead they tried to make the boats move faster. Instead they tried to get away from the hostile people on the big boat.

But it didn’t work. When they did not obey the commands, the big boat rammed into Masuda’s family’s boats, causing all of them to capsize. As the people fell into the water, it was like they were considered fish to be killed. With spears and swords the Buddhist rebels started killing them one by one. To make sure nobody would get away, they called their friends over to come and help finish them off. Soon more boats arrived, all of them full of people intent on killing the desperate people who were trying to save their lives. Some of them managed to swim to shore, hoping they would be safe there. But they were not. On the shore were others waiting with swords, spears and knives. All the villagers were all hacked down.

Mosuda held on to a plastic container that had ended up in the water. It worked as a floating device. Her daughter and daughter in law held on with her. They waited for the final blow. It came. Mosuda was stabbed in her neck and in her side. Right before she passed out she saw her daughter and daughter in law getting dragged onto the enemy’s boat.

She woke up many hours later and did not know where she was. Desperately she hoped she had just had a terrible dream. But then she felt the pain, and she noticed the blood. As by a miracle she made it to shore where friendly Rohingya cared for her. But there was no joy in her survival. She soon found out that all her family members, her children, her grandchildren and her sons and daughters in law had been killed. 29 of them were gone. Of the 100 people on the boats, only three survived. She was one of them.

There was nothing else she could do. In a haze she let her neighbors from her village take care of her. They put her on a new boat. This time all the villagers, 70 boats all together, had decided to leave the village to escape attacks and more death. They went the same way Mosuda had gone the day before. As they got closer to the place of the massacre Mosuda, to her horror, saw that the bodies of the dead were still floating in the river. It was like the most terrible nightmare. Her neighbors wanted to take the corpses out of the river and give them a proper funeral. This was the least they could do for their fallen friends and neighbors. But even this was denied them. As soon as they tried to pull a body up, the navy officials told them they were not allowed to. In fact, they were told that they were not allowed to move further. They would have to stay in their boats, at the exact same spot until they got permission to leave.

So surrounded by corpses and hostile government officials they started their long wait. They were all so afraid that they could hardly contain their fear. What if they were waiting for a new massacre? The children cried. The adults tried to act brave, but it was not easy.

Some of the village leaders took up their mobile phones and called some of their Muslim friends in the capital and begged for help. “Whatever you can do to help us!”

The next day they were allowed to leave. But they heard that their Muslim friends had given a considerable bribe for their release.

When Mosuda was done telling her story she just looked blankly into the air. “I cannot sit down. I cannot do anything anymore. I cannot sleep. I just want to go to my children,” she said. “Sometimes I walk down to the river and there I hear the voices of my grandchildren calling me.” “Why did I not die with them? What is the point of me being alive any more? There is no point in my being here.”

Then she broke down and sobbed.

The Best Friend Burmese Library - Just my Opinion

As you probably know I’ve shifted my focus from elephants to the displaced people, especially children, along the Thai / Burma border.   At the present my efforts are directed toward two very different organizations, The Mae Tao Clinic and The Best Friend Burmese Library, specifically especially the Chiang Mai branch.   In fact, one of the ongoing projects is helping to raise funds for the Best Friend Library.   Why these two, I’ve been asked.   Understanding that what is written below is just my opinion let me try to answer in brief:

• The Mae Tao Clinic sees 300 to 400 people a day.  They are underfunded, primarily because big donors have rushed prematurely to put their donations on the Burmese side of the border.  The people seen by the Mae Tao Clinic are from Burma.  Some are migrant workers and some come from Burma for the day to seek medical treatment.  In Burma they would have to pay for any medical services, and then the quality and quantity would be lacking.

• The Best Friend Burmese Library is much more than a library that contains the best collection of books and videos about Burma in Thailand; a favorite location for researchers to congregate and study.  The Best Friend Burmese library is much more than a friendly place that offers free English language classes; a place where many Burmese come to improve their chances for a better life through language training.  In my opinion, The Best Friend Burmese Library is an organization dedicated to informing and educating people about the situation in Burma.

Big governments and big business are lining up, walking over each other and with amazing regularity ignoring their own statements about the importance of human rights so they can slop from the trough of resources that Burma has become!    One recent example, some 7 hours ago, is the posting of conclusions on Myanmar / Burma  by the Council of European Union.  Mark Farmaner commented on Twitter that “EU Conclusions on Burma reads like it could have been written by Thein Sein's office: “. I toally agree with him.  Please Judge for yourself, the document is linked here:
EU Conclusion on Burma

One thing that I am trying to do with this blog is provide as many relative links as possible.  I invite to spend some time at the various sites in my link lists to the right of this page.