Goodbye from burmanet-l (r)

[celsus@xxxxxxxxxxx]

> From: Aung Soe <aungsoe@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: support@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx; burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: Goodbye from burmanet-l
> Date: December 29, 1999 9:19 AM
> 
> Is it a joke or real thing?  Answer.
> 
------------------------------

Yes, you could call it a joke and it would appear that the final laugh in
this comedy of errors lies with the BurmaNet editor and the mysterious
'powers that be' in Washington and New York that have chosen to shut off
the taps of access to this freedom exchange.  

Remarkable that yours is the first faint voice of protest to be heard. 
Even more remarkable that this new form of censorship comes in a week when
the 'powers that be in Rangoon' have squashed the tiny ray of cyber
connectedness that was opening up in Burma and hauled off one of their own
for questioning on suspicion of having passed along messages that were
shared on the very Net that now itself enters the sacred circle of the
CENSORSHIP of SILENCE.  Ah, well, we who raise our voices in these circles
must be thankful for small mercies, I suppose.  At least, no prison term
stares us in the face for our gentle words of protest.

And what 'mess of pottage' will we, who have given away our 'birthright' of
free expression, receive in return.  Take heart, good friend, a 'free'
subscription to the BurmaNet News, perhaps even with pictures and maps and
all other kinds of goodies are offered to make up for the fact that the
editor and the 'mysterious powers that be' are rid, once and for all, of
these troublesome, querulous, often uncouth, often uninformed, but
nevertheless passionately committed voices of protest and of hope that have
made the burmanet-l a lively forum of ideas.   

Admittedly the BurmaNet News has taken a turn for the better in this past
month -- beginning to fulfil its important mission of giving priority to
news from 'inside' Burma -- dare we hope it will continue?  I could imagine
the BurmaNet News with a string of underground correspondents in every city
in the country.  Impossible you say?  What about the correspondents
throughout the Shan states whose news is regularly reported in the Shan
Herald?   There are good sources, DVB has some, ABFSU and others are doing
a great job.  Will they multiply?  We and the people of Burma who are
hungry for news better hope so.

But does this good news justify the bad, bad news that the nameless Editor
of the BurmaNet News should cut him/herself off from communication with
mere mortals like ourselves who may have our own two cents worth of news or
comment to share with others?   

Alas, this noble experiment, this BurmaNet freedom exchange, ends not with
a bang, not even with a whimper, but with the sweet voice of Natasha at
Topica's customer support --  You have been removed -- Find another list. 
Sic transit gloria.

celsus



 



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> 
> 
> 
> 
> ----Original Message Follows----
> From: Topica Support <support@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Reply-To: support@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> To: aungsoe@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Goodbye from burmanet-l
> Date: Tue, 28 Dec 1999 09:13:54 -0800
> 
> Hi,
> 
> You have been removed from the mailing list 'burmanet-l'.
> Thank you for participating.
> 
> Please visit Topica at http://www.igc.topica.com/ and browse
> our Directory to find another list that may be of interest
> to you.
> 
> If you have any questions, please visit our help system at
> http://www.igc.topica.com/ (click on "help" on the bottom of the
> screen) or email our Customer Support Department at
> support@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> 
> Thank you,
> 
> Natasha
> Topica Customer Support
> 
> 
>