Trump will turn on Canada, warns former Mexican congressman

Former Mexican congressman Barrios Gomez says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau must take a 'principled stand' against Donald Trump. Photo from CP/Getty Images

A former Mexican congressman and founding member of the Mexico based think tank; the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations, is warning Canada that while Trump may look on Canada favourably now, it won't last. 

"It's just a matter of time before this administration turns its eyes towards Canada. [Trump] will find some excuse to turn on Canada," Agustin Barrios Gomez said Wednesday in an interview on CBC News Network's Power & Politics.

Barrios Gomez made his comments the same day President Donald Trump moved on his campaign promise to build a wall along the U.S., Mexico border. Trump signed executive orders to jump-start construction of a border wall and block federal grants to immigrant-protecting "sanctuary cities."

Sanctuary cities are jurisdictions in the U.S. that refuse to use municipal funds to enforce federal immigration laws, essentially allowing illegal immigrants to remain there even though they are not supposed to be in the country. 

"As a Mexican, I think this is a horrible symbol of ignorance," Barrios Gomez told host Rosemary Barton, adding that it was "zero likely" that Mexico would pay for the wall or that it would factor into NAFTA renegotiations.

When it comes to those talks on reworking NAFTA, Barrios Gomez said Canada should not cut Mexico loose to strike its own trade deal, but rather both nations must present a united front to the Trump administration. 

"I don't think appeasement is the way to go [for Canada]," he said, calling it "the Neville Chamberlain approach" in reference to the British prime minister's appeasement policy towards Hitler's Germany.

"I think it would be a grave mistake if Canada did not act on principle, because when you sacrifice your principles for short-term gain, you end up losing both," said Barrios Gomez. 

"Now is the time for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to take a principled stand," he added. "I do not think he needs to be confrontational, but he needs to be very clear about what Canadian values are, and how they align with Mexican values.

"This is a threat to peace and prosperity in North America, just so we understand."

Mexico's president Enrique Peña Nieto is currently still scheduled to meet with Trump next week in Washington. Some media reports have suggested that visit may be cancelled by Peña Nieto now that Trump has made his wall announcement.

Barrios Gomez said his group has been one of the voices calling for the Mexican president to cancel the meeting.

"We've been saying to President Peña Nieto that under these circumstances, Mexico cannot negotiate under threat," he said. 

"Our relationship [with the United States] has been based on the idea that we're friends and allies, so if we're no longer going to be friends, we can no longer be allies."

Australia Awards Scholarship

Poe Phyu ThantFollow

November 28, 2016 ·

Scholarship ေလွ်ာက္တိုင္း ဦးစားေပးေလွ်ာက္သင့္တာက အာဆီယံႏိုင္ငံေတြအတြက္ သီးသန္႔ေပးတဲ့၊ ဖြံ႔ၿဖိဳးမႈနည္းေသးတဲ့ ႏိုင္ငံေတြအတြက္ ေပးတဲ့ ပညာသင္ဆုေတြက အေလွ်ာက္သင့္ဆံုးပါပဲ..

အဲ့ဒါေတြက တစ္ကမၻာလံုးအတိုင္းအတာနဲ႔ ႏိုင္ငံတိုင္းက လူေတြကို ေပးတာမဟုတ္ေတာ့ ယွဥ္ၿပိဳင္ရတာ ပိုနည္းၿပီး ပညာသင္ဆုရႏိုင္ေျခ ရာခိိုင္ႏႈန္း ပိုမ်ားလို႔ပါပဲ.. အထူးသျဖင့္ ျမန္မာႏိုင္ငံအတြက္ သီးသန္႔ေပးတဲ့ပညာသင္ဆုေတြဆို လက္မလြတ္တမ္းကို ေလွ်ာက္သင့္ပါတယ္..
ခု ေျပာျပမွာက Australia Awards Scholarship ပါ.. ဒီႏွစ္မွာ ျမန္မာေက်ာင္းသား စုစုေပါင္း (၅၅)ေယာက္ ဒီပညာသင္ဆုကို ရတယ္လို႔ သိရပါတယ္.. အေရအတြက္ မ်ားမ်ားေပးတာမို႔ ပိုကို ေလွ်ာက္သင့္ပါတယ္..
"ဘယ္နယ္ပယ္ရပ္ေတြအတြက္ ပညာသင္ဆုေပးလဲ"
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အဓိကသတ္မွတ္ထားတာကေတာ့ ပညာေရး၊ ေဘာဂေဗဒ (economics)၊ စီးပြားေရး (business) နဲ႔ အစိုးရပိုင္းဆိုင္ရာ စီမံခန္႔ခြဲမႈ (Governance) တို႔ကို ဦးစားေပး ေခၚမွာပါ..
Development Studies, Law, Public Policy, International relations, Gender equity, disability, humanitarian support, disaster management လို ဘာသာရပ္ေတြကိုလည္း ထည့္သြင္းစဥ္းစားပါလိမ့္မယ္..
ေက်းလက္က်န္းမာေရးေစာင့္ေရွာက္မႈလိုမ်ိဳး Development fields of healh and rural development ေတြကိုလည္း ေပးႏိုင္ဖြယ္ရာ ရိွပါတယ္..
"ဘာေတြ ဘယ္မွာ သင္ခြင့္ရမွာလဲ"
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ျမန္မာႏိုင္ငံသား ျဖစ္ၿပီး ျမန္မာအစိုးရတကၠသိုလ္ေတြမွာ ဘြဲ႔ရထားတဲ့သူေတြ ေလွ်ာက္ခြင့္ရိွပါတယ္.. ၾသစေတးလ်ႏိုင္ငံထဲက တကၠသိုလ္ေတြမွာ တက္ခြင့္ရိွမွာပါ..
Master ဘြဲ႕ တက္ဖို႔ရာ အဓိကအေထာက္အပံ့ေပးမွာျဖစ္ၿပီး ေရရွည္မွာ တိုးတက္မယ့္သူ၊ အက်ိဳးျပဳမယ့္သူ ျဖစ္ႏိုင္စြမ္းအမ်ားၾကီးရိွေၾကာင္း အေထာက္အထား ခိုင္ခိုင္မာမာ ျပႏိုင္တဲ့သူအနည္းငယ္ကိုလည္း Ph.D တက္ခြင့္ ထည့္သြင္းစဥ္းစားမွာပါ..
"ပညာသင္ဆုမွာ ဘာေတြပါလဲ"
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အသြားအျပန္ ေလယာဥ္လက္မွတ္၊ ေရာက္ေရာက္ခ်င္းမွာ လိုအပ္တာေတြ ဝယ္ဖို႔ လံုးခနဲ ေပးမယ့္ ေထာက္ပံ့ေငြပမာဏ၊ ေက်ာင္းလခ ၁၀၀%၊ ေနထိုင္မႈ ကုန္က်စရိတ္၊ ေဆးကုသမႈစရိတ္၊ ေက်ာင္းႏွင့္သက္ဆိုင္တဲ့ စာရြက္စာတမ္းေၾကး ေထာက္ပံ့မႈေတြ ပါပါ့မယ္.. Research လုပ္မယ့္ ေက်ာင္းသားေတြအတြက္က သုေတသနအတြက္ ကုန္က်ေငြေတြပါ ေထာက္ပံ့မွာပါ..
ျခံဳေျပာရရင္ တစ္ျပားမွ မကုန္ပါဘူး.. ပညာသင္ယူႏိုင္မယ့္ ဦးေႏွာက္နဲ႔ ျပန္လည္မွ်ေဝေပမယ့္ ႏွလံုးသားပဲ လိုပါတယ္.. ေနစရိတ္၊ စားစရိတ္ကေတာ့ ကုန္သမွ် ေပးမယ္ဆိုတာမ်ိဳး မဟုတ္ဘဲ သူတို႔သက္မွတ္တဲ့ ပမာဏအတိုင္း ရမွာပါ.. မ်ားေသာအားျဖင့္ ျခိဳးျခံေခၽြတာတတ္သူေတြဆို ေလာက္ငရံုမက ပိုပါတယ္..
"ဘယ္လိုလူေတြ ေလွ်ာက္ခြင့္ရိွမွာလဲ"
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•ျမန္မာျပည္တြင္ လက္ရိွေနထိုင္ေသာ ျမန္မာႏိုင္ငံသားျဖစ္ရန္
•အသက္(၁၈)ႏွစ္ ျပည့္ထားၿပီးရန္
IELTS တို႔လို ဘာသာစကားတတ္ေျမာက္မႈ စာေမးပြဲေတြ ေျဖမထားရေသးရင္လည္း သံရံုးကေန APTIS စာေမးပြဲ က်င္းပေပးပါ့လိမ့္မယ္.. အဲ့ဒီကုန္က်စရိတ္ကို သံရံုးက အကုန္ခံပါလိမ့္မယ္..
"ဘယ္ေတာ့လွ်ာက္ရမွာလဲ"
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1 February 2017 ကေန 30 April 2017 ၾကား ေလွ်ာက္ရပါ့မယ္.. သတ္မွတ္ရက္ထက္ ေနာက္မက်ဖို႔ကိုေတာ့ အထူးဂရုစိုက္ဖို႔ လိုပါတယ္.. Shortlist ထဲမွာ ပါရင္ေတာ့ အင္တာဗ်ဴးေတြ ဘာေတြ ဆက္လာမယ္ ထင္ပါတယ္..
"ဘာစာရြက္စာတမ္းေတြ လိုလဲ"
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•ျမန္မာႏိုင္ငံသားျဖစ္ေၾကာင္း သက္ေသ (ေမြးစာရင္း၊ ပတ္စပို႔)
•Bachelors သို႔မဟုတ္ Master ဘြဲ႔လက္မွတ္ (ျမန္မာႏိုင္ငံအစိုးရတကၠသိုလ္မ်ားမွ ျဖစ္ရန္)
•တကၠသိုလ္အမွတ္စာရင္း (ေက်ာင္းတက္ခဲ့သမွ် ႏွစ္မ်ားအတြက္)
•IELTS, TOFEL, PTE (ရိွလွ်င္၊ မရိွလည္း ဘာမွမျဖစ္၊ သံရံုးက ထပ္စစ္ေပးပါ့လိမ့္မယ္)
•ပညာရပ္ဆိုင္ရာ ေထာက္ခံခ်က္ (Research လုပ္မယ့္သူဆိုလွ်င္ ႏွစ္ေစာင္၊ Coursework ဆိုလွ်င္ တစ္ေစာင္) ေထာက္ခံခ်က္ကို သက္ဆိုင္ရာတကၠသိုလ္က ပါေမာကၡေတြဆီမွာ အကူညီေတာင္းပါ.. သူတို႔ေပးထားတဲ့ template ကို သံုးရပါ့မယ္
•အလုပ္မွ ေထာက္ခံစာ တစ္ေစာင္
အေပၚက ေထာက္ခံစာေတြ၊ အမွတ္စာရင္းေတြ၊ ေမြးစာရင္းေတြ ျမန္မာလို မဟုတ္လွ်င္ ႏိုၾတီျပန္ရပါ့မယ္..
Online ကေနတဆင့္ ေလွ်ာက္ရမယ့္ပညာသင္ဆု ျဖစ္ပါတယ္.. ဒါက ပိုးဖတ္မိသေလာက္ ျပန္ေရးေပးထားတာပါ.. အေသးစိတ္သိခ်င္ရင္ေတာ့ http://dfat.gov.au/…/P…/myanmar-information-for-intake.aspx… မွာ သြားေရာက္ၾကည့္ႏိုင္ပါတယ္..

December 12, 2013

Burma Synagogue Preserved as Symbol of Multi-Religious Past

by VOA News

Burma's political changes are rapidly transforming Rangoon's historic district, where colonial-era buildings are being replaced by modern highrises. But business groups, historians and one of the country's last Jewish families are teaming up to preserve a 100-year-old synagogue in an effort to keep a historic reminder of the multi-religious past of Burma, also known as Myanmar.

The Mesmuah Yeshua synagogue is in a neighborhood typical of colonial Rangoon. Mosques, Hindu temples, churches, and Buddhist pagodas dot busy streets of markets, hawkers, and hardware shops.

The protected heritage building dates back to 1896, and has been under the care of a member of the Samuels family for generations. Moses Samuels, who has been the trustee of the synagogue for the past 35 years, inherited the role from his father, who inherited the role from his grandfather.

Moses Samuels says he looks forward to when his son will take over his role, and is optimistic for the future of the community.

Sammy Samuels, Moses’s son who recently returned to Burma after studying at a Jewish university in New York, has commemorated all his major life milestones in the synagogue.

“It is the main reason we stick here. We could have closed, we could have moved to other countries," he said. "I used to play around here, I had my bar mitzvah here, I had my Shabbat dinner here, I had, most importantly, my wedding here, and that was the first Chuppah [canopy used in Jewish wedding ceremonies] in 27 years.”

For years, the building fell into disrepair, and even lost its roof during cyclone Nargis in 2008. The U.S. ASEAN Business Council donated funds to keep the synagogue standing, but now the Samuels family is taking it over. Samuels says that as tourism has increased in Burma, the family's travel business, Myanmar Shalom, has benefited, allowing them to afford the cost of repairs.

A dwindling community

In the 1930s there were more than 2,500 Jews in Rangoon, including its mayor, businessman David Sophaer. The vast majority of the community was of Iraqi descent, and began to arrive in Rangoon via India in the mid 19th century as the British empire expanded. Today there are an estimated fewer than 20 local members of the community.

Author and historian Thant Myint-U heads the Yangon Heritage Trust, an organization dedicated to saving Rangoon’s heritage buildings.

He says the synagogue's preservation effort is about more than just the building: it's about recovering Burma's past, to help people understand the city's rich multiethnic history.

“But it’s also about revitalizing old Rangoon and old Yangon and revitalizing this in a way that helps all the people in this city, poor people, working class people, as well as middle class and other people, and help them both appreciate the multiculturalism here, but also help to engender and enable a new cosmopolitan Yangon to emerge in the 21st century,” explains Thant Myint-U.

Integrating religious communities

Moses Samuels agrees that integration of diverse religious communities is important, and says he makes a point of cultivating close personal relationships with other religious leaders in the city.

At a recent ceremony marking Myanmar Shalom's new role as the financial backer of the synagogue, Muslim community leader Aye Lwin pointed out that at a time when some Muslim communities across the country are stricken with sectarian communal violence, religious leaders of all kinds must support one another.

“As a Muslim, Jews are our cousins as we regard them as our member of family, and especially in Myanmar as my brother has just mentioned, there is unity and diversity and we should show our friendship and unity. Religion being abused by politicians that is the main thing. I don’t think there is an all out religious conflict in Myanmar,” said Aye Lwin.

As a gesture of support from Burma's government, the chief peace negotiator for the cease-fires with armed groups in border areas, Aung Min, attended this month's handover ceremony.

“This is part of my intention to celebrate the culture and heritage of the Jewish community in Myanmar. We have longstanding Jewish culture and heritage here but we have less and less which is a sad thing to see so I came here in effort to celebrate that heritage,“ said Aung Min.

As part of the synagogue's preservation plan, authorities are planning to relocate the nearby Jewish cemetery, which houses 700 graves. Since Rangoon's last rabbi left in the 1960s there have been no regular religious services at the synagogue, but it remains open to the public.

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http://www.voanews.com/content/burma-synagogue-preserved-as-symbol-of-multireligious-past/1808760.html

NLD leader repeats call constitutional reform

16 Dec

NLD leader repeats call constitutional reform

Written by Min Min Published in Politics

http://www.mizzima.com/mizzima-news/politics/item/10741-nld-leader-repeats-call-constitutional-reform

 Candidates possessed of “moral rectitude” should not participate in the 2015 general election unless there has been major reform of the constitution, opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said at a public rally at Tharyawaddy in Bago Region on December 15.

“Any candidate who values his dignity should not take part in the election without major reform of the 2008 Constitution,” the National League for Democracy leader told the rally, which was organized by the party to publicize its support for amending the charter.

“One should not take part in a competition which was pre-arranged to give one side an unfair advantage,” she told a crowd estimated by the NLD to number about 35,000.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said that if the constitution was not amended before 2015, the election would not be fair and just.

“Our country is not yet on the road to democracy, it is only at the entrance,” she said.

“We need the support of the Tatmadaw to move from the entrance to the road to democracy,” Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said, referring to the 25 percent of the seats in parliament held by members of the military appointed by the Commander-in-Chief.

 The constitution stipulates that a vote of more than 75 percent of the members of parliament is needed to approve an amendment as well as a more than 50 percent support in a referendum.

 Daw Aung San Suu Kyi urged members of the crowd to send proposals in support of amendments to the parliamentary committee appointed by the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw to consider changes to the constitution.

 “There’s no need to write a long letter; just ask for the speedy reform of the constitution,” she said. “That will be enough.”

  

The 109-member committee was appointed in July and has called for public submissions on proposals to amend the constitution by the end of the month. The committee will submit a report on the proposals to the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw at the end of January.

 The rally was the third to be addressed by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on the constitutional reform issue.

The first was held in Nay Pyi Taw on November 18 and the second on December 14 was held at a village in Kawhmu Township, the Yangon Region constituency she represents.

Suu Kyi Warns Against Taking Part in 2015 Vote Without Charter Reform

 By LAWI WENG / THE IRRAWADDY On Monday, December 16, 2013 @ 6:06 pm

 RANGOON — Burma’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has spoken against participation in the country’s eagerly anticipated 2015 elections unless the military-drafted Constitution is first amended.

 In front of thousands of people at a National League for Democracy (NLD) party rally in Tharyarwaddy Township, Pegu Division, on Sunday, Suu Kyi, the party’s chairperson, appeared to adopt a harder line on Constitutional reform and for the first time raised the possibility of a boycott of the vote.

Detail at: http://www.irrawaddy.org/burma/suu-kyi-warns-taking-part-2015-vote-without-charter-reform.html

Amending the constitution is key for national reconciliation - Suu Kyi

Published on Monday, 16 December 2013 19:25

The opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) has continued its countryside campaign to rally public opinion behind amending the 2008 Constitution.

It recently held a series of public gatherings in Tharyawady, in Bago Region on December 15 where it discussed the pros and cons of amending the military-drafted charter.

"If the charter is not amended, it will ensure a great barrier to national reconciliation between Tatmadaw [the national armed forces] and the people," opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi told the mass meeting.

Detail at: http://www.elevenmyanmar.com/politics/4460-amending-the-constitution-is-key-for-national-reconciliation-suu-kyi

True democracy impossible without constitution change

By Peter Soe-Wynn   |   Monday, 30 September 2013

13

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy, is a graduate of Oxford University in the United Kingdom. She is intelligent, well read – a bestselling author, no less – and well travelled.
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi attends the Forum 2000 Conference in Prague on September 17. Photo: AFP
Since childhood she has been no stranger to the world of statesmen and world leaders. She is articulate and speaks French, Japanese and English, the latter as fluently as her Burmese, and her speeches, both in Myanmar or on the international stage in either Burmese or English, are impeccable. She can deal with local and foreign media clearly and concisely.

She is a woman of integrity who resolutely stood by the people of Myanmar when they needed her in their struggle for a better life, and she has doggedly maintained her principles in the face of psychological and physical attacks on her, her loved ones and her fellow citizens.

Very few people of such calibre have appeared in Myanmar. Yet, in drawing up the nation’s constitution – aside from assuring that power lies in the hands of the military for perpetuity – the junta which ruled over the past five decades prescribed thinly veiled clauses which, while falling just short of naming her specifically, are aimed at barring Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in particular from holding office as president.
The first excuse imposed was that, though she herself maintains her Myanmar citizenship, she was married to an Englishman.
Her husband, Michael Aris, was an Oxford don, a very highly respected man of intellect and a supportive partner in the sacrifices they both made for the sake of the Myanmar people. Unfortunately, Dr Aris passed away in 1999, long before his wife’s release from house arrest and election to the Myanmar parliament. When his sickness became known he was prevented by the military from visiting his wife. While they offered to allow her to visit him instead, both knew she would not be allowed back into Myanmar, and so refused.
It is widely stated that Dr Aris’s passing – tragic as it was – lifted a bar in his wife’s bid to be president. Yet the wording of the constitution itself does not actually stipulate that the prohibition no longer applies if the spouse dies.
In fact, the question is one of many on which the constitution is vague, meaning those holding the balance of power – namely, the military – will be the ones left making the final decisions.
Daw Suu aside, barring any presidential candidate from marriage to a foreigner is unjustified.
Looking around the world to see whether being married to a foreign partner has a detrimental effect on the holding of a high office, we see that it does not. Nor, as a quick survey shows, do voters seem to mind.
Rajiv Ghandi, prime minister of India 1984-89, was the grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister who established parliamentary government in India. Rajiv’s mother, Indira Ghandi, is Jawaharlal Nehru’s daughter; she herself was Indian prime minister for three consecutive terms in 1966-77, then again 1984-89. Rajiv Ghandi married Edvige Antonia Albina Maino, better known as Sonia, whom he met while studying at the University of Cambridge. Sonia was an Italian, born in Lusiana, Italy. When Rajiv Ghandi later became the prime minister of India, the fact that he was married to an Italian was never an issue. After he was assassinated, Sonia became the current president and leader of the Indian Congress Party. She is believed to be the most powerful woman in India today.
Nicolas Sarkozy, president of France from 2007 to 2012, divorced his first wife Cecilia, who was French, and married Italian Carla Bruni, who was born in Turin, while in office.
The leader of the UK’s Liberal Democratic Party, Nick Clegg, is married to Miriam Durantez, who is Spanish. He currently serves as the country’s deputy prime minister.
Prince Philip of Great Britain, husband of Queen Elizabeth II, was first Prince Philip of Greece. Queen Elizabeth is not only queen of Great Britain but also head of state of members of the Commonwealth of Nations, with unrivalled popularity at home and abroad.
Prince Albert of Monaco married Charlene Woodstock of South Africa; his father and predecessor, Prince Rainier, married Grace Kelly of the United States.
In the examples above, the respective countries and principalities have not suffered due to a head of state or senior member of government marrying a foreigner; nor have the countries or principalities been undermined. Daw Suu’s enormous, decades-long popularity shows it does not hold her back here either.
There is another impediment restricting her from being eligible for the presidency: Her two sons hold British citizenship. It is important to point out, however, that this is not by choice. Both were Myanmar citizens until 1989, when the military junta stripped them of their status out of spite toward Daw Suu. The UK government granted them British status only to prevent them from becoming stateless. For the current government to continue to punish Daw Suu as a result of the junta’s past treatment of her family is absurd.
But the most wide-ranging clause written into the constitution that could be used to bar her – and for that matter, the vast majority of the people of the country – from holding the presidency is that candidates must be “well acquainted” with military affairs.
Without clear guidance on what this means, this could be used to disqualify candidates without a military background at will. This requirement, together with the retention of 25 percent of seats in parliament for serving military personnel, is a travesty of democracy. It is tantamount to trying to deceive not only the people of Myanmar but also the international community as a whole with a thinly veiled attempt to perpetuate military dictatorship.
In democracies elsewhere in the world, presidents, prime ministers and heads of state have been lawyers, doctors, professors, writers, businesspeople, trade unionists and so on – and, yes, even former military officers, if the people decide they are the best for the job.
The primary requirement for a presidential candidate must be that he or she is a citizen of the country. Beyond this, the people should decide based on the integrity, probity and loyalty of the candidate. In its present form, however, the constitution is a laughing stock among the family of nations.
The basic principle of democracy is that people vote to elect the best person for the job: the person with the right kind of political principles, convictions and calibre to represent them. Then, according to the constitution, the people’s elected representatives choose from among themselves the person best suited for the post of the president. Naturally, the political party which wins the greater proportion of the seats in parliament would propose its own leader. But if that party, in 2015, is not allowed to do this freely, the elections will have been for naught.
How we constitute the governance of the country will determine whether or not we achieve the kind of society we want. The constitution needs to be redrafted with the welfare of the country in mind, for now and for the future. It must be rewritten by the elected representatives of all ethnic groups of the country, free from the coercive influences of any one section of society. Until the people can choose their president freely, without limitations based on marriage, children with foreign citizenship, or military experience, this democracy can never be truly democratic.
Peter Soe-Wynn served as a paediatrician with the National Health Service in the UK from 1979 and is now retired. He is a supporter of democratic and social change in Myanmar.

Myanmar government condemns TIME magazine's July issue

Published on Monday, 24 June 2013 02:15

5

Myanmar's President Office issued a press release on Sunday's night, lashing out at the TIME magazine for featuring a Buddhist monk as "Buddhist Terror" on the cover of its July issue.

The press release says the government of Myanmar opposes the TIME magazine's cover story titled "THE FACE OF BUDDHIST TERROR", as it can be detrimental to the trust building between religions in Myanmar, and as it can damage the image of Buddhism which has been the main religion of Myanmar for thousands of years.

It says the Buddhist monk U Wirathu, portrayed as "Buddhist Terror" on the cover of TIME magazine's Vol 182, No. 1, is "a Sangha or a Buddha's son". Buddhist monks, also known as Sanghas, are the noble persons who keep 277 precepts or moral rules, and strive peacefully for the prosperity of Buddhism, said the release.

Myanmar government says it does not discriminate the religions and grants freedom of religions. Although the majority of Myanmar people are Buddhists, the government has recognized in the Constitutional Section 362 that Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Animism as are the existing religions in the country, it is said in the release.

Buddhism is also explained as a peaceful religion that is based on knowledge and that preaches Kamma or 'cause and effect', and self-reliance to attain enlightenment.

Regarding the use of 969 labels, it explains the symbol 969 stands for the 9 virtues of Buddha, 6 of Dhamma (Buddha's teachings), and 9 of Sangha (Buddhist monks). It is a peaceful symbol and Buddhist monks' associations have been requested not to misuse it in places that can tarnish Buddhism, the release said.

It also calls for mutual trust building among the religions to avoid undesirable conflicts in the fledgling democratic society of Myanmar. It says the government, religious leaders, political parties, media and the people must co-operate each others to achieve the purpose.

Myanmar New Year Statement by the Hon. Jim Karygiannis

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Le Français Suit L’Anglais

Myanmar New Year Statement by the Hon. Jim Karygiannis, Member of Parliament for Scarborough-Agincourt and Liberal Critic for Multiculturalism

It is with great pleasure that I wish the members of the Burmese Canadian community a Happy Myanmar New Year.

Every April, the water festival of Maha Thingyan is celebrated in Burma/Myanmar and by Burmese communities around the world.  It is a celebration of change and renewal, with the water being used to wash away the previous year and begin a successful new one.

It is a source of great pride for Canada that its communities continue to celebrate their religious and cultural traditions so far from their homeland.  The Burmese community adds to the cultural mosaic of our country and helps uphold our embrace of multicultural values.

Canada has stood by, and continues to stand by, Burma/Myanmar as it charts a course towards full democracy.  It is working to help ensure a better future for the Burmese people so that human rights are respected.  In April 2012, following the by-elections, Canada eased its economic sanctions against Burma/Myanmar.

Canada also recognizes the immense efforts and sacrifices made by the Burmese people in this struggle.  This recognition was seen most notably through the naming of Aung San Suu Kyi, Leader of the National League for Democracy, as a Honourary Canadian Citizen in October 2007.  Aung San Suu Kyi is one of only five people to be given this distinction.

As the Chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Burma, I extend my wishes for a very happy Thingyan. 

Canada is a proud multicultural nation that embraces a wide variety of cultures and heritages.  Canadians of Burmese heritage help to foster this identity and strengthen the fabric of our society.  Members of the Burmese Diaspora in Canada have made, and continue to make, significant contributions in a number of areas including sports, business, the arts, medicine and public service.

Canada has attracted, and continues to attract, people from all over the world.  We will continue to work together to build our nation and enhance our international reputation.  As the Liberal Critic for Multiculturalism, I look forward to our ongoing work in building a stronger Canada.

On behalf of the Liberal Party of Canada, please accept our wishes on the occasion of Myanmar New Year.

 Nouvel An birman Déclaration de l’honorable Jim Karygiannis, député de Scarborough-Agincourt et porte-parole libéral en matière de multiculturalisme

Je suis heureux de souhaiter aux membres de la communauté birmane-canadienne un joyeux Nouvel An birman.

Chaque avril, le peuple du Myanmar et la communauté birmane partout dans le monde célèbrent la fête de l’eau, Maha Thingyan. Pour marquer le changement et le renouveau, on utilise de l’eau pour faire disparaître l’année précédente et commencer une nouvelle année prospère.

Le Canada se réjouit que ses collectivités continuent de célébrer leurs traditions religieuses et culturelles, si loin de leur pays d’origine. La communauté birmane est un autre morceau de la grande mosaïque culturelle de notre pays et elle contribue au maintien de nos valeurs multiculturelles.

Le Canada continue de soutenir le Myanmar sur la voie de la démocratie. Le Canada s’efforce d’aider le peuple birman à planifier un avenir meilleur et à faire respecter ses droits. En avril 2012, après des élections complémentaires au Myanmar, le Canada a assoupli ses sanctions économiques contre ce pays.

Le Canada reconnaît les immenses efforts et sacrifices consentis par le peuple birman dans sa lutte pour la démocratie. Cette reconnaissance s’est concrétisée, en octobre 2007, par l’octroi, à titre honorifique, de la citoyenneté canadienne à Aung San Suu Kyi, chef de la Ligue nationale pour la démocratie. Aung San Suu Kyi est l’une de cinq personnes à recevoir un tel honneur.

En ma qualité de président des Parlementaires amis de la Birmanie, je souhaite à tous un très joyeux Maha Thingyan.

Le Canada est fier de son multiculturalisme qui fait place à une grande variété de cultures et de patrimoines. Les Canadiens d’origine birmane contribuent à la promotion de cette identité et au renforcement du tissu de notre société. Les membres de la diaspora birmane au Canada ont apporté et continuent d’apporter une contribution importante dans de nombreux domaines, notamment les sports, les affaires, les arts, la médecine et la fonction publique.

Le Canada a attiré et continue d’attirer des gens des quatre coins du monde. Nous continuerons de travailler ensemble à l’édification de notre pays et à l’amélioration de notre réputation internationale. En tant que porte-parole du Parti libéral en matière de multiculturalisme, je me réjouis à la perspective de travailler ensemble en vue de bâtir un Canada plus fort.

Au nom du Parti libéral du Canada, veuillez accepter nos meilleurs vœux à l’occasion du à l’occasion du Nouvel An birman.

Hon. Jim Karygiannis P.C., M.P.
3850 Finch Ave E #206
Toronto Ontario M1T 3T6
Canada

Suu Kyi rebuff of Canadian invite caused diplomatic scramble Schedule for 2012 U.S. trip 'too tight' to manage Ottawa visit

ကေနဒါအစိုးရကဖိတ္ေခၚမွဳေတြကို အလုပ့္ေတြမအားတာေၾကာင့္ လက္မခံႏိုင္ေသးတဲ့ ျမန္မာ့ဒီမိုကေရစီေခါင္းေဆာင္
 

By James Fitz-Morris, CBC News
Posted: Apr 11, 2013 5:16 AM ET

Canadian diplomats seemed caught off-guard late last summer when Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung Sang Suu Kyi turned down an invitation to visit Canada.

Newly released documents under access to information show diplomats scrambling in late August 2012 after the office of the opposition leader in Burma, also known as Myanmar, stopped responding to telephone calls and emails from Canadian officials before apologizing, saying Suu Kyi's schedule was "too tight" and they were "unable to plan for this September trip to Canada."

Canadian officials were hoping Suu Kyi — whose campaign for democracy under the previous dictatorship led to years of house arrest that prevented her leaving the country — would add a side-trip to her two-week visit to the United States <http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/09/19/burma-suu-kyi-us.html>  to address Parliament and meet with Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

"We're prepared to facilitate a very brief trip or any other schedule changes that might make things easier," reads one email to Suu Kyi's chief of staff from a senior diplomat. "The flight from DC to Ottawa is only 90 minutes and it's even possible to do a day trip only. We're very keen to see what we might be able to work out."

In the end, she stayed 17 days in the United States and, despite the offer of an "executive jet" at her disposal by the Canadian government, did not make the trek north.

Talking points provided to Canadian diplomats contacting Su Kyi's office state: "As a Special Guest of the Government of Canada and an Honourary Citizen, a government aircraft would meet Daw Aung Suu Kyi in the American city of her choice and return her to her next American destination."

However, it would seem the opposition leader's mind was made up.

'Positive exchanges'
The chargé d'affaires to Canada's soon-to-be-opened embassy in Burma, Ping Kitnikone, told a deputy director at the Foreign Affairs Department that "despite our previous positive exchanges with her and our persistent persuasion, [Suu Kyi's Chief of Staff] declined to have ASSK take the Minister's call.

CoS explained that ASSK is very busy visiting neighbouring constituencies over the week-end and sitting in parliament during the week so she is only taking calls on emergency matters now."

He went on to recommend that the issue be raised in person when International Trade Minister Ed Fast had a scheduled meeting with Suu Kyi. After that meeting, Kitnikone reported via email to his superiors in Ottawa.

Most of the email is blocked out, except to say: "As honourary citizen, she wanted to be sure to properly convey her appreciation of Canada's friendship, etc."

Last March, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird made a landmark visit to Burma <http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2012/03/08/baird-burma.html> , the first official visit to that country by a Canadian foreign minister. During his visit, he delivered a certificate recognizing Suu Kyi’s honorary Canadian citizenship, which was conferred upon her by the Parliament of Canada in 2007. He also announced Canada would open an embassy in the Southeast Asian country.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2013/04/10/pol-aung-sang-suu-kyi-canada.html

Burma's Suu Kyi receives U.S. medal, to meet Obama

Democracy leader presented with Congress' highest award

CBC News

Posted: Sep 19, 2012 10:55 AM ET

Last Updated: Sep 19, 2012 8:58 PM ET

Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, third from left, is presented with the Congressional Gold Medal at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Wednesday. Present at the ceremony are former first lady Laura Bush (from left), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell. (Jason Reed/Reuters)

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Aung San Suu Kyi's struggle for democracy in Burma

Is it time to start easing sanctions on Burma?

Burma's democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been honoured with U.S. Congress' highest award, is expected to meet Wednesday with President Barack Obama — both signs of Washington's deep admiration for one of the world's most famous political dissidents.
The Nobel laureate is on a 17-day trip to the U.S. She spent 15 years under house arrest for opposing military rule in her country, also known as Myanmar.
The ceremonial highlight of Suu Kyi's visit was Wednesday's presentation in the Capitol Rotunda of the Congressional Gold Medal that she was awarded in absentia in 2008 when she was still under house arrest.
"The great honour that you have conferred on me is a lasting memento of the steadfast support in the U.S. Congress for the democratic aspiration of my people," said Suu Kyi, accepting the medal. "From the depths of my heart, I thank you ... for keeping us in your hearts and minds during the dark years when freedom and justice seemed far beyond our reach."
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said she was "deeply moved" by Suu Kyi, and commended her on not simply remaining an icon of democracy, but also becoming a politician as well.
"It's almost too delicious to believe, my friend, that you are here in the rotunda of our great capital, the centrepiece of our democracy, as an elected member of your parliament," Clinton said.
Politicians from both the Democratic and Republican parties spoke at the ceremony honouring Suu Kyi, including former first lady Laura Bush, and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell.
"It's impossible not to be moved by her quiet resolve ... she reminds us that the freedoms we enjoy are not just our birthright as Americans," said McConnell. "They are the inspiration for all men and women, and defending them will always require the courage she has shown in her long and difficult struggle for the people of Burma."

Burmese leader to meet privately with U.S. president

Suu Kyi's cause is one that Democrats and Republicans in an increasingly divided Washington have united in championing over the years, and several lawmakers who have advocated sanctions have visited Burma over the past year to consult with her on the shift in U.S. policy.
Despite bitter political divisions, both parties in Congress have broadly supported the administration's steps to reward Burma for its shift from military rule. Congress in August renewed the import ban, but Obama could seek to waive its provisions.
Obama did not attend the ceremony, but was expected to meet privately with Suu Kyi at the White House, a senior administration official said.
The official, who requested anonymity in order to discuss the meeting before it was announced publicly, said there would be no press coverage because Suu Kyi is not a head of state. That also likely reflects concerns that her Washington visit could overshadow the country's reformist President Thein Sein, who attends the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week.
Thein Sein is a member of Burma's former ruling junta who has led the political opening over the past two years that was heralded by Suu Kyi's release in late 2010. Suu Kyi has since been elected to parliament and co-operates with Thein Sein.
As a result, the U.S. normalized diplomatic relations with Burma and in July allowed U.S. companies to start investing there again. The administration is now considering easing the main plank of its remaining sanctions, a ban on imports.
Suu Kyi voiced support for that step after she met Clinton on Tuesday, saying Burma should not depend on the U.S. to keep up its momentum for democracy. Some of her supporters, however, oppose it, saying reforms have not taken root and Washington will lose leverage with Burma which still faces serious human rights issues. Clinton also expressed concern Tuesday that Burma retains some military contacts with North Korea.

• Burma's Suu Kyi supports easing of U.S. sanctions

Don't Count Burma's Lady out... Yet

The last couple of weeks have been extremely rough ones for Aung San Suu Kyi and her country, but the former Nobel Peace Prize winner is still the chess player to watch in Burma.
Known to millions in her country simply as "The Lady," Suu Kyi remains the equivalent of the Queen on the game board, maneuvering for power with generals as knights and monks as bishops. She is playing a very calculated, hard-nosed game with an endgame in mind. Winning would take three daring moves:

• Getting the military-rigged Parliament to approve a more democratic constitution
• Winning more seats in the 2015 general election for her party
• Gaining the presidency for herself

The degree of difficulty is high. But those who are focusing solely on the day-to-day problems -- which are considerable -- may not realize how shrewdly Suu Kyi is expanding her base to include the all-powerful Army, known as the Tatmadaw. The recent photos of her on the Army Day reviewing stand, sitting sit-by-side with generals who once kept her under house arrest, were electrifying. She and the generals were sending a very public signal that they can work together.
Based on my interviews in Burma in recent weeks, Suu Kyi is taking a page from Hillary Clinton's playbook when she became a U.S. Senator. That is, do your committee chores conscientiously and don't get out front of those who outrank you. Suu Kyi has been dutifully building bridges with members in Parliament to get the votes she ultimately will need to loosen military control. She also has reached out to the ultra-rich business cronies of the ruling generals, giving them the opportunity to help the democracy movement rather than thwart it.
Not everyone has applauded those overtures. Suu Kyi has been accused of selling out and trickery. Even worse, she has been accused of becoming a politician. Lyndon Johnson would be amused.
Part of the increased criticism can be chalked up to the fact that Aung San Suu Kyi is no longer under house arrest. It was easier to seem saintly in seclusion. At the same time, journalists in the country are being unshackled. Independent daily newspapers recently were allowed to operate in the country for the first time since 1964 - including one published by Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party. The Associated Press also got permission to open a bureau in Rangoon for the first time in years. More reporters mean more scrutiny and more negative reports.
Case in point: A few weeks ago, Suu Kyi was mobbed and heckled by villagers whose land had been taken by a mining company. Suu Kyi had been asked to resolve the dispute, but under the law, could not get the villagers' homes back for them. She was hammered for days in the media as a failure and all but written off.
Her current test is dealing with the highly combustible tensions between Buddhists and Muslims. Violent disputes have left thousands Muslims trapped in squalid refugee camps in the western part of the country. In the center of the country, at least 40 Muslims were killed in sectarian riots; some were hacked to pieces and set on fire. In the north, fighting also has continued in Christian ethnic areas, where thousands more are in refugee camps.
Suu Kyi has been under mounting pressure to speak out louder against the violence and for better treatment of the ethnic minorities. President Thein Sein has taken the unprecedented step of going on TV to call for peace and calm, but Suu Kyi's voice and moral authority would help.
The situation is complicated by reports that elements of the military-backed government -- "the big invisible hand" -- may have orchestrated some of the violence. Is it possible the King on the other side of the game board is hiding some pieces behind his back? All the more reason to hope Aung San Suu Kyi finds her footing as a Parliamentarian and her voice as a peacemaker. Burma is in the bulls-eye of Asia, between China and India, which makes this version of the Great Game all the more critical.
During my recent visit, a range of people working for democracy expressed a mix of concerns:
Zin Mar Aung was imprisoned for 11 years for distributing poetry with a political message as a college student. She is now organizing women around the country to speak up, using her cell phone to coordinate conferences. She posts photos of flowers on Facebook and has flowers on the dash of her car because she didn't get to enjoy any for 11 years. "This is a fragile transition period," she says, "But we are building a new civil society." She and other volunteers are campaigning against hate crimes and have traveled to console victims of the unrest.

• U Win Tin, considered the country's senior journalist, recently celebrated his 83rd birthday by going to the hospital for problems related to his many prison stays. He wears blue shirts that are the same color as his prison shirts to remind that the country is not totally free while the military controls Parliament. He believes Aung San Suu Kyi is the only one who can hold the party together going into the 2015 elections: "She is the unifying force. She is influential. She is charismatic. She is essential."

• Nay Phone Latt, the country's leading blogger, has fashionable spiked-up hair and has studied at the Iowa Writer's Workshop. He was jailed for providing news to western journalists during the 2007 "Saffron Revolution" by monks. Now 33, he is training the next generation of bloggers in all-day classes. "Everyone wants to be a blogger, but they don't know anything about journalism," he explains. "Some things are changing. But we have so many things to change. We need help to build capacity."

• Hkun Htun Oo, who has spoken out boldly for the rights of the large Shan ethnic group, was released from prison last year. He said, "If there's no peace with the ethnic nationalities, how can Burma go forward? The President says the fighting will stop, but the Burmese army keeps attacking. They are still in the habit of not honoring their words. Peace with them is impossible. But we must keep trying." Not long after our interview, Burmese troops attacked the Shan areas again.

• U Tin Oo, a former general who helped found the NLD in 1988 along with Aung San Suu Kyi, remains one of her closest advisers. He is impressively spry at the age of 86 despite several lengthy prison stays. Tin Oo believes it will be possible to change the constitution before the crucial 2015 elections. "If we compare to previous situations, we have some light now," he said. He estimates that Suu Kyi, at 67, has another 10 years to continue trying to move the country forward. By then a new generation will be ready to lead. In the meantime, most of the burden falls on Suu Kyi. "She is a smart lady," he said, "She understands the needs of the country."

Western diplomats express concern that Aung San Suu Kyi has become more isolated in recent months as she intensifies her focus on Parliamentary and the 2015 elections. She will be visiting Japan next week to meet with the Japanese prime minister, but has been turning down most interviews in Rangoon and narrowed her circle of access. A new wall around her house protects her from the busloads of tourists that pose for photos by her gate every day, like visitors to Graceland.
Yet Aung San Suu Kyi remains the most admired figure in the country, despite any blunders and blemishes. If voters get the chance to choose between her and any of the former generals, there will be no contest. Better a Queen with a slightly slipped halo than those who used to run the jails.

Chinese fear burnt hands in Myanmar

Global Times | Song Qingrun
Published on April 08, 2013 21:13

  Chinese President Xi Jinping on April 5 held talks with Myanmar President U Thein Sein, who was attending the Boao Forum for Asia annual conference 2013 in Hainan Province. China is the biggest investor of Myanmar with a total investment of over $20 billion, however, major cooperative projects of symbolic significance between China and Myanmar have suffered successive frustrations in recent years.

The multibillion-dollar Myitsone Dam was suspended in September 2011 and so far, there has been little hope for restoring construction. The Letpadaung copper mine project, in which a Chinese State-owned enterprise invested about $1.065 billion, was forced to stop construction by local protestors. Although an investigation report in March showed the project should continue after some adjustments, some opposition organizations and activists are still mobilizing protests.

Another target of some anti-Chinese activists is the China-Myanmar oil and gas pipeline that is due to be completed at the end of May. Extreme voices are calling for ending all the deals reached between China and the former junta.

Under such conditions, Chinese enterprises are deeply worried about their investments' security in Myanmar and reluctant to make new investments. Meanwhile, Western enterprises are ambitious to compete with their Chinese counterparts over the Myanmar resources and markets. Some Western public opinion even criticizes Chinese enterprises for allegedly damaging the environment and grabbing resources in Myanmar, instigating anti-Chinese sentiments among the public.

Economic cooperation between China and Myanmar may be bogged down. But as neighbors, the destiny of China and Myanmar is closely tied. The problems need to be tackled rationally by people on both sides, aiming at the long-term welfare of the public, upgrading economic cooperation and building a community of mutual benefit and common prosperity.

Both countries should have confidence in the huge potential for economic development, given complementary economies and broad prospects for cooperation. China has vowed to double its GDP and per capita income by 2020 from 2010 levels. The rapid economic development of China will be the engine for global economic growth for a long time.

Myanmar's democratic reforms are in full flight, with the aim of building the country into a developed democratic country by 2030. The Asian Development Bank sees Myanmar as a new economic rising star.

Currently, the Western enterprises are strongly probing Myanmar while investing little. They are not willing to invest in infrastructure due to low profits. In contrast, China is experienced in reform and opening-up and Chinese enterprises are willing to invest in Myanmar's infrastructure and help the country to improve economic development conditions.

Myanmese politicians, including the president, have called many times for more investments from Chinese enterprises. The government didn't suspend the Letpadaung copper mine project despite strong protests. The investigation committee led by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi came up with a scientific and just conclusion over the project and tried to give it a push.

In the future, the two governments and enterprises on both sides should negotiate to establish a mechanism of risk prevention and crisis solving to ensure interests of joint ventures and sustainable cooperation.

Chinese enterprises should learn the situation of reform in Myanmar. They should study the relevant laws, regulations and notices issued by the Myanmar government, new standards of environmental protection and corporate social responsibilities and Myanmar's evolving civil society.

Chinese investments should focus more on industries like agriculture, textile, processing and manufacturing, communications, new energy development, finance, tourism and port construction, which could help produce more job opportunities, improve local personal income and benefit the public directly.

Besides, Chinese enterprises should respect local customs and actively carry out corporate social responsibilities. They should build good relationship with local officials, businessmen, and scholars as well as the media. Chinese enterprises should shape a positive image among the Myanmese public and seek their support.

Only when China and Myanmar can overcome difficulties and improve cooperation can the two countries realize mutual development and prosperity and achieve their goals of building powerful nations and making the people rich.


The author is a research fellow on Myanmar studies in the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn

Testing Time for Myanmar (အစမ္းသပ့္ခံကာလကိုေက်ာ္ျဖတ္ျခင္း)

Monday, 01 April 2013 17:25 Soe Myint (Editor-in-Chief, Mizzima)

Recent riots in Meiktila and other parts of central Myanmar once again show that the country is passing through a testing time. The stakeholders—be it the armed forces, the opposition democracy activists or government officials—are each facing challenges in handling the recent communal and/or religious conflict.

If one wants to understand why such communal and religious riots broke out in Myanmar so soon after the country opened up, there are certain underlying factors that need to be looked at.

Firstly is the fact that the majority of people in Myanmar are Buddhists and very religious (in a good sense) and they want to practice their faith publicly. However, there are, as in every society, both national extremists and religious extremists who want to exploit the transition of the country to their advantage and create space for themselves in this transitional period. This is equally true for opposition parties, businesspeople, armed ethnic groups, the military, and even the private media.

After decades of repressive military rule and living in a closed society, cut off from the rest of the world, people want to exercise their new-found freedom. This is the first time that they can target the establishment after harboring grievances for so long. The public has high expectations from the democratic changes underway in Myanmar.

In many ways, the anti-Muslim sentiment being exploited and led by certain factions of Buddhist monks is a way of expressing anti-establishment feelings. Many monks are still angry from the way the military brutally cracked down on their peaceful protests in 2007 and the recent mis-handling (another violent crackdown) of the Latpadaung copper mine protest by the police.

Another factor is a lack of education among some people, combined with the economic challenges, means people are more easily provoked.

The government is not sure (or at least it was not sure) of how to handle this kind of riot in a civilian way. The government is learning and it needs the support from its political alliances and its own citizens.

Yes, there are certain rogue elements within the establishment who are extreme nationalists or want to use it for their own benefit or specific political purposes, but the government in general and security forces are wary of how to handle such riots. In the past, riots like this were met with violent crackdowns and armed responses. The reaction was the same in Rakhine State last year. But the government realized that this was not the right way to deal with that kind of situation.

They are also aware that the international community and media are watching events in Myanmar closely. But it is not the role of the media to create what they call “fundamentalists”.

Condemnation of certain factions is not the answer or solution. One should not lose sight of the fact that the country is in transition under the framework of national reconciliation. Whatever we do, we should try to focus on not derailing the country and its stakeholders from the path of national reconciliation.

It is easy to condemn an event or a particular section of society, but it is difficult to bring everyone together on a path that moves forward. If we lose sight of the path of national reconciliation, it will likely take many years for Myanmar to reach the current level of changes or reforms.

In every transition, there are challenges and risks as well as opportunities. We should try to minimize the risks and challenges while taking maximum possible opportunities for the betterment of the society and country. This is easier said than done.

Of course, we should say outright that Myanmar should not provide a space for religious and racial fundamentalists. We should say that security forces should not be biased and should be professional in handling any riots in the country. We should say that there should not be a space for any sort of discrimination in Myanmar. The people of Myanmar accept that the country is not monolithic but it is a multi-linguistic, multi-ethnic and multi-religious society. The majority have to respect the minority.

But it is incomplete if we do not try to understand the root of the problems. It will not be complete if we are not consistent and focused to move along the path the stakeholders have agreed to follow: national reconciliation. These problems have existed in the country for a long time and will likely continue to do so for some time. They should be addressed over time and consistently with continuity.

Contrary to many people’s criticism for her “inaction”, I believe Daw Aung San Suu Kyi knows clearly that the country should be moving forward within the frame of this national reconciliation. This is what she is doing and this is the example that she is attempting to set for the people of Myanmar.

One should also recognize certain realities in the country. The present government is a quasi-civilian government that came to power not by a free and fair election but by keeping a strong opposition in jail with a one-sided election. Many of the leaders of the present government were former soldiers. The present constitution, that was adopted forcibly by the previous military regime just a few days after the country was hit by Cyclone Nargis in 2008, empowers the military with certain privileged rights such as a reserved quota of 25 percent of seats in parliament, appointments in certain important ministries, such as Home and Defense, as well as a right to return to military rule in certain situations.

The present constitution bars Daw Aung San Suu Kyi (having been married to a British man and having sons who are foreign citizens) to become Myanmar's President even if her party wins the majority of seats in any given election. The opposition political parties including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy are still very much in need of building as political institutions after years of clamp-down by the previous military regimes. Issues like capacity building and professionalism are in urgent need across almost every sector and on every level.

There are definitely many individuals within and outside the government who are trying hard to deal with such challenges and making efforts so that the country’s democratic reforms continue steadfastly and steadily. We should encourage such efforts. We should not forget that Myanmar was under a very tightly-controlled system and under repressive military regimes for decades. It takes time to evolve from that for everyone, every stakeholder—the administrators, the armed forces, the political parties, civil society groups, the media, etc.

But there are clear signs and visible actions that many stakeholders are making efforts to come out of those Dark Ages.

Here, we should be very careful of how the international community reacts or intervenes in the internal affairs of Myanmar, especially during this trying transitional period. They should offer a helping hand to deal with such challenges rather than setting “universal standards” for Myanmar and asking the country and its people to follow such “standards”.

It is also a testing time for the international community to understand and learn how to support Myanmar and its people in this transition to democracy. Myanmar should be given space to manage the transition with the assistance and support from well-wishers.

Myanmar has seen many positive changes in a very short period. It is important to ensure that they are sustainable and successful in the long term.