Economic Growth (r)

[relief@xxxxxxxxxxx]

The right to "develop" is not a human right, if we are to 
assume that by "human rights" are meant "natural rights"
-- that is, those rights that naturally accrue to anyone and 
anything simply because they exist.

"Development", as used by most, seems to mean capitalism,
wealth, access to materials and amenities, comforts and 
conveniences. Not "natural" at all. In fact, "development" as
seen by modern societies, is directly ANTITHETICAL to all that
is "natural".

Development seems to mean these day, the ability to
extract wealth from the Earth and turn it into individual
wealth. Whether that wealth is equally distributed (or
"more equally", as some leaders, such as Suu Kyi believe) 
doesn't change the fact that it is "creating" wealth from what 
does not belong to us, and putting it in the hands of the few 
(even if it is equally distributed to those now living, considering
all the generations to come, those living now are few).

Is this the "human right" we fight for in Burma. I have seen
now two or three more citations regarding economic
growth, wealth, etc., and one stating that Burma has
gold and gems that could make a decent living for its
people. Well, I hate to say it, but I will fight against anyone
mining anything with equal vigor, be they Burmese or
Guyanese or American.

Distributing the wealth from a gold mine equally to those in
a particular area does not make gold mining alright. Nor
clearcutting, nor drilling for oil. All are a sign of a sickness
in the heart, and the inability to live sustainably with the Earth
and our other non-human relations.

Tim Keating