President Barack Obama passes on a visit with the Dalai Lama outraging many human rights supporters around the world. Interestingly enough in the *Dalai Lama Camp they are not as miffed, in fact they welcome the warming of U.S. China relations. Top aid and negotiator for the Dalai Lama, Lodi Gyari defended Obama’s “snub” and embraced this action noting that the Dali Lama was always supportive of U.S. engagement with China.

According to Gyari the Tibetan people took a “broader long-term perspective” on this turn of events. In a statement Gyari said;

“Our hope is that the cooperative US-Chinese relationship that President Obama’s administration seeks will create conditions that support the resolution of the legitimate grievances of the Tibetan people,”

With all that said it would behoove others not to second guess the Dalai Lama since it is clear President Obama has his blessings. It would appear the Dalai Lama is looking at the bigger picture in establishing a qualitative and productive dialogue with China. Open discussing rather than pointed barbs does yield better results where showing face is an equal part of any negotiations in Asia. Does President Obama get a “pass” on this issue? No, on the contrary this places Obama under the microscope of worldwide public opinion since now there are billions of witnesses.

Outrage, disappointment and anger prevail throughout the globe by this “snub” and have placed the US president on the same level as pond scum with many ardent human rights activists and Dalai Lama supporters. The ramifications of this action have rippled throughout the diplomatic communities around the world as well, especially nations who’ve already engaged his holiness the Dalai Lama. More hinges on what transpires on Obama’s visit to China then he may realize for his credibility is at stake. And if Obama can pull off a positive Tibetan solution he will stop the downward spiral of his popularity. If this visit is all about money the downward plunge will continue with a vengeance as he alienates more of his core supporters.

Like they say, “the opera ain’t over till the fat lady sings”. Whether I agree with this latest presidential action or not is of no consequence since it is still the Dalai Lama’s call. His camp has embraced this engagement with China with promise and great hopes for the future. I look at this turn of events with great skepticism but I will follow the Dalai Lama’s lead and bite a hole in my tongue. I will not hold my breath though. And I pray that my gut feeling on this turn of events is nothing more than gas.

Your Devil’s Advocate

Buffalohair

* http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=25656#

http://buffalohair.wordpress.com/

Jim Webb’s Garage Sale

As the western press goes hog wild with “new” news about Burma it is clear this is all a façade. Making a mountain out of a mole hill or simply stretching the truth about Aung San Suu Kyi’s position on sanctions, Than Shwe should thank Senator Jim “Garage Sale” Webb for promoting lies and misinformation. We might as well thank the corporate world for their manipulation of the press as well.

At this juncture it must be stated that there are no negotiations about lifting sanctions without Daw Aung Suu Kyi present. How could anyone other than a moron even consider discussing Burma’s fate without the duly elected leader of that nation anyway? Since Jim Webb opened the flood gates of miss-information the media has gone wild with speculation and bold faced lies about Burma. Why hasn’t the media given equal coverage about the continued brutality, rape and murder that has increased since Jim Webb’s first lie?

Without Aung San Suu Kyi at the table these actions by senators, presidents and the spineless United Nations are meaningless at best. The only thing accomplished; another attempt to sugar coat the presents of a myriad of international corporations already invested in Burma. Sanctions? Give me a break; through the art of triangulation international corporations have managed to side step sanctions. *Lee Seung Woo, of The Korea Federation of Textile Industries (KOFOTI), revealed that Korea already had approximately 30 textile factories operating in Burma. Further Woo boasted that labor was cheap, about $35 a month average wage and the KOFOTI had plans for more. Small wonder Ban Ki-moon has been so impotent in dealing with Burma. It would be a conflict of interest if Ban Ki-moon were invested in these firms or firms who are directly benefiting from Burma’s repression. So I wonder what Ban’s excuse would be why Korea does not have to comply with international sanctions. Dare we mention the totality of investments by Daewoo in Burma? Take a long hard look at the electronics section of your local store. Daewoo is lining the shelves across America.

The list goes on and on. **Tata Motors, the parent company of Land Rover and Jaguar, is investing throughout the UK making British subjects inadvertent violators of sanctions. Why? Don’t forget the truck building facility being built in Burma to build trucks for the junta under India’s “Look East Policy”. The frosting on the cake is U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s involvement in this game of charades. This sends chills down my spine since it was her husband Bill Clinton who sold America and the free world to China making her a favored nation. Clinton’s position on economics over humanity must not be forgotten for it will weigh heavily on the final “diplomatic” outcome in Burma. Aung San Suu Kyi MUST be at the table of negotiations for any dialogue to be legitimate. Anything less is a sham and a fraud. Sadly the U.S. State Department has been in negotiations for months already proving there is more at stake than the needs of the Burmese people. Without Aung San Suu Kyi at these critical meetings they are meaningless at the very best.

Daw Aung Suu Kyi had always promoted “engagement” with the junta so this is not a news flash as inept politicians boast of this achievement. I only see greedy politicians backed by corporations who want to join China and other Asian nations in the grab for Burma’s natural resources. Sanctions were nothing more than a feel good word since they were never enforced as the corporate world lined the pockets of murderers and rapists. Money laundering has become an art form as billions in profits were hidden for both the junta’s sake and the international corporate world. Now the World is “concerned” about the fate of Burma only after China scored the mother load in the oil and gas fields of this impoverished land. Torture, rape and genocide have no place in this equation, just the corporate bottom line.

As for Burma’s 2010 Election, you have to be drop dead stupid to even consider that it was legitimate in the first place. Only those who want to white wash Burma’s corrupt regime would by into this line of malarkey. Maybe Senator Jim “I lie” Webb got a million dollar ruby and his pick of Burmese starlets like Ibrahim Gambari for a favorable opinion of Burma. The bottom line is the fact that it’s all about the money Paisan, it’s all about the money.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi sent a letter to Than Shwe expressing her willingness to take part in the negotiations process to lift sanctions. If Than Shwe agrees to her request there is a glimmer of hope that true change will occur. If Than Shwe refuses to include her in the process the whole thing will be a sham and all the participants in this process will be nothing more than accomplices to a crime, plain and simple.

People Power is the only hope for Burma at this juncture. If “We the People of the World” unite and impose People Power Sanctions of our own we will alter the course of Burma’s destiny. If we don’t buy, corporations will die. It is time to arm ourselves with knowledge and seek out all corporate and government interests who are doing business with the junta either directly or indirectly. If it’s all about the money then we must fight fire with fire. We must make it known to all corporate and political interest that dealing with Than Shwe, or any other dictators, will not be tolerated by the “consumers” of the world. Money is the Achilles tendon of both the political and corporate world. Only after hitting them in the pocket book will true change evolve.

People Power!

Your Devil’s Advocate

Buffalohair

Burma’s New Sham Democratic Party

Posted in Asia with tags 2010 Elections, Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma, Burma’s New Democratic Party, National League for Democracy, Than Shwe on September 15, 2009 by buffalohair