direct political action, rebels win

[bagan1040@xxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: direct political action, rebels win, workers lose

>
>
>
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> >From: "moezaw aung" <bagan1040@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> >To: burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx
> >Subject: A direct political action ,Rebels win, Workers lose
> >Date: Thu, 07 Oct 1999 11:46:18 PDT
> >
> >None of these worthy writers would argue that violence and revolution are
> >unwarranted or indefensible when all other paths for political change 
>have
> >been exhausted.
> >Wat cha nal ma call it!
> >you like it or not,I would call it, it is a " direct political action"
> >mza
> >
> >>From: "Soe Than" <c04061998@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> >>To: burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx
> >>Subject: Re: Rebels win, Workers lose
> >>Date: Thu, 07 Oct 1999 07:04:19 PDT
> >>
> >>We are not only talking about just illegal immigrants from Burma but 
>also
> >>other many activists as well as NGO's, etc.
> >>
> >>How the Military Junta is behaving inside Burma, I am sure you will 
>agree
> >>that the prodemocracy force in Thailand are a little more freer.  Now
> >>their
> >>action might have undermined or compromised them with Thai officials
> >>looking
> >>down on them with the same attitude that all of us are gun waving, 
>hostage
> >>taking rebels!!
> >>
> >>Well, many of us are NOT.
> >>
> >>
> >>----Original Message Follows----
> >>From: "Htun A. Gyaw" <hag2@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> >>To: "Sue Huang" <susuhuang@xxxxxxxxxxx>, bina@xxxxxxxxxxxxx,
> >>burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx, burmanet2-l@xxxxxxxx
> >>Subject: Re: Rebels win, Workers lose
> >>Date: Thu, 07 Oct 1999 09:07:06 -0400
> >>
> >>Do you think the seizure of Embassy only produce ten minutes media
> >>attention? Do you think the illegal Burmese workers in BKK are far more
> >>important than the people inside Burma? Do you have an ability to made
> >>this
> >>ten minutes deal? if not, do not insult the people who have guts.
> >>
> >>Htun Aung Gyaw
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>At 02:00 AM 10/07/1999 +0000, Sue Huang wrote:
> >> >hello??? EVERYBODY lose from this stupid embassy attack, indiana.
> >>innocent
> >> >workers hurt, as you say. crackdown on ABSDF and other groups in BKK 
>has
> >> >been announced by thai government. vigorous students made nld look 
>like
> >> >terror-sponsoring group. any hope for early release of rachel goldwyn
> >> >probably gone. bangkok embassy security now upgraded, meaning any
> >>SERIOUS
> >> >long-term occupation, seizure of files etc may no longer be possible.
> >>border
> >> >closed making prices go up in rangoon. whole movement now looks
> >> >disorganized, no leadership. credibility has been lost.
> >> >
> >> >name one positive accomplishment. answer: ten minutes of media
> >>attention.
> >> >big deal.
> >> >
> >> >so, hooray for vigorous students. have guns instead of brains.
> >> >
> >> >susu
> >> >
> >> >>From: Indiana <bina@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >> >>To: burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx, burmanet2-l@xxxxxxxx
> >> >>Subject: Rebels win, Workers lose
> >> >>Date: Thu, 07 Oct 1999 07:24:08 +0700
> >> >>
> >> >>Just a note of reality, here amid all the euphoria about getting the
> >> >>world's attention on Burma by a show of physical force in our host's
> >> >>capital city.
> >> >>
> >> >>By some estimates, there are one million undocumented Burmese workers
> >>in
> >> >>Thailand, about half of whom work in Bangkok.  For those of you who
> >>dont
> >> >>know, these undocumented workers are habitually ripped off by their
> >>company
> >> >>owners, abused by their foremen, and harassed by the Thai police.
> >>Without
> >> >>state papers, they have no legal rights at all.  Their children are
> >>often
> >> >>born on the construction work sites, and later they play in the dirt
> >>and
> >> >>the junk piles while their parents mix cement, bend re-bar, and carry
> >> >>bricks, for half the wages of a Thai laborer.  The only reason these
> >>people
> >> >>are in Bangkok, far from their towns and villages in Burma, is simply
> >> >>because it is even worse for them at home.
> >> >>
> >> >>I had spent about six months working with a group of Burmese students
> >>to
> >> >>set up a primary school for these kids at a construction site in
> >>Bangkok.
> >> >>We researched the situation, wrote a project proposal and prepared a
> >>budget
> >> >>which included books, paper, and lunch for the kids.  We sent it out 
>to
> >> >>friends and organizations who we thought might be interested in 
>funding
> >>the
> >> >>school.  We finally heard that it was going to be approved last week,
> >>just
> >> >>before the embassy story hit the headlines.
> >> >>
> >> >>The students who were going to run this school all live at the 
>Maneeloy
> >> >>"safe camp".  But now it looks like easy movement to and from the 
>camp
> >>is
> >> >>over (see story that follows).  If they cannot leave the camp for
> >>Bangkok,
> >> >>there will be no school for the workers' children.  And from the 
>sounds
> >>the
> >> >>Thai government is making, life is going to get even harder for the
> >>workers
> >> >>themselves.
> >> >>
> >> >>I know that everyone wants to go back to Burma.  I know that the
> >>continued
> >> >>presence of the junta there is a disgrace to human society.  I know 
>how
> >> >>frustrated everyone is with the lack of movement in the international
> >> >>community.  I was also glad to see something "real" happen, although 
>I
> >>know
> >> >>that violence is never elegant, nor can it be a solid foundation on
> >>which
> >> >>to build anything long-lasting.
> >> >>
> >> >>But with no collective planning, no coordinated follow-up, no
> >>long-range
> >> >>strategy to use this "aberration" to press our demands home to the
> >> >>international community, it is the weakest people, as usual, who will
> >>bear
> >> >>the brunt of the hostile fall-out that violence always breeds.  I 
>know
> >>in
> >>a
> >> >>very personal way what a loss of this school means to the children,
> >>their
> >> >>parents, and to the entire illegal worker population of Bangkok.
> >> >>
> >> >>If the embassy attack gets them all back home to a peaceful Burma
> >>tomorrow,
> >> >>I will be cheering along with the rest.  But if it only makes
> >>conditions
> >> >>worse for them here in Bangkok, then it is they who will be paying 
>the
> >> >>long-term cost for the Vigorous Burmese Student Warriors moment of
> >>glory.
> >> >>
>

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