BurmaNet News, August 17, 2004

[Editor]

August 17, 2004, Issue # 2540


INSIDE BURMA
AFP: Legal bid to free Myanmar democracy leader fails: party
Irrawaddy: Burmese literary pioneer dies

ON THE BORDER
Irrawaddy: Migrants working overtime since registration
Thai News Service: Border province sets quota for immigrant workers

BUSINESS
Myanmar Times: Dollar loses its edge, euro gains currency in Myanmar

REGIONAL
New Light of Myanmar: Burma hosts ASEAN, China drug control meeting
Xinhua: China, ASEAN continue to step up law enforcement cooperation
Nation: Veteran diplomat Asada slams Thaksin’s foreign policy in new book

INTERNATIONAL
AP: Female Myanmar lifter kicked out of games

OPINION/OTHER
New Light of Myanmar: Radio Free Asia - an objective observation

______________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

August 17, Agence France Presse
Legal bid to free Myanmar democracy leader fails: party

Yangon: The first legal bid to free Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu
Kyi from more than a year of house arrest has failed, her party said
Tuesday.

Papers lodged with a court in Yangon attempting to force the military
regime to free the leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), her
deputy Tin Oo and open party offices across the country were rejected
because of a legal technicality, said spokesman U Lwin.

"The Yangon divisional court refused to accept the NLD's submission on the
grounds that no affidavits had been attached to it," he said.

Aung San Suu Kyi was detained after a violent clash between her supporters
and a pro-junta mob in May 2003 and was later put under house arrest for a
third time.

The arrests, accompanied by the closure of NLD offices across the country,
sparked international fury and tightened sanctions on the junta that has
ruled Myanmar since 1962.

The NLD won elections by a landslide in 1990 that the international
community considered free and fair but the party was never allowed to
rule.

A Myanmar legal expert told AFP the legal bid failed because officials at
the court refused to sign it for fear of reprisals by the regime. Without
their signatures, other officials would not consider the petition, the
expert said.

However the NLD, which last month launched a nationwide petition to seek
the release of its leadership, said it would fight on.

"We will exhaust all other legal avenues to get Aung San Suu Kyi and Tin
Oo released," said U Lwin.

The failed legal move came after the regime on Sunday faced down US
demands to release Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel laureate in 1991, and reform
its political process as the price for normalising relations between the
two countries.

Myanmar dismissed US criticisms claiming a seven-step programme of reform
it announced last August would eventually lead to elections and avoid
"bloodshed, hardship and chaos".

The US and the European Union, Myanmar's sternest critics, have dismissed
the reform process as a sham hastily introduced in response to sanctions
that have hit Myanmar hard.

The so-called "democracy roadmap" was immediately discredited when it was
boycotted by the NLD over disagreements about how the process should be
run and when the junta refused to free Aung San Suu Kyi.

Last month, US President George W. Bush renewed for one year sweeping
trade and economic sanctions imposed in 2003 to punish Myanmar for its
failure to engage in a genuine dialogue with the opposition and agree to
democratic reforms.

______________________________________

August 16, Irrawaddy
Burmese literary pioneer dies - Aung Lwin Oo

The well known Burmese poet and scholar Min Thu Wun, also known as U Wun,
died at his home in Rangoon on Sunday, aged 96.

The ethnic Mon-Burmese writer was a legend in Burma’s literary circles for
his output of poems, reference books and pedagogical texts. Even the blind
have been touched by his work: he created the Burmese Braille writing
system.

Min Thu Wun also gained prominence as a Member of Parliament for the main
opposition party, the National League for Democracy, or NLD. His passing
yesterday was marked quietly by family and friends in the Burmese capital.

He was born in 1909 in Mon State. At the age of 20 he began composing
poems for the school magazine at Rangoon College, now Rangoon University.

He then began writing children’s poems and pursuing a master’s degree in
Burmese, which he received in 1935. While at university he was editor of
the school magazine and Ganhta Lawka (“World of Books”) magazine, then one
of the most widely read journals in Burma. In 1939, he received his
bachelor’s degree in literature from Oxford University.

In the following years, Min Thu Wun cemented his legacy with a prolific
output of children’s poems, and for helping to modernize Burmese
literature, through a movement called Khitsan (“New Writing”).

He also helped write Mon-Burmese and Pali-Burmese dictionaries. His unique
teaching methods have helped countless Burmese learn to read.

He was elected to Burma’s parliament in 1990 as an NLD member. He resigned
from the party in 1998, under heavy pressure from military authorities.
The junta has barred Min Thu Wun’s writings from appearing in local
magazines and periodicals. It has also banned other writers who mention
his name or refer to his works.

“We no longer hear about him in any newspapers or radio in Burma,” said
the well known author Ludu Daw Amar. “I wonder even if his obituary notice
will appear [in the press].”

Min Thu Wun is the 81st Member of Parliament who has died since being
voted into office during the 1990 election, which the NLD won by a massive
margin. The results have never been honored by the regime.

______________________________________
BUSINESS

August 16-22, Myanmar Times
Dollar loses its edge, euro gains currency in Myanmar - Su Myat Hla

European tourists bringing the euro into Myanmar are doing a favour for
themselves and the country, say tourism experts.

The euro is now widely accepted by Myanmar hotels and travel agents, and
money once wasted on expensive currency conversions to the US dollar can
be better spent on all the trappings of a good trip.

The assistant operation manager of Asian Trails Tour, Ltd., U Aung Kyaw,
said the currency used by 12 European countries – 300 million people – is
stable and strong.

He said it is best for Europeans to pay for their hotel rooms and package
tours with euros so they do not have to bear the expense of exchange rate
fluctuations.

Using the euro is a win-win situation for both parties, said Ma Sabei
Aung, the managing director of Nature Dream Travels and Tours Co., Ltd.
Sixty per cent of Ma Sabei Aung’s clients are European.

“Our clients do not have to go through the extra work of exchanging the
euro into US dollars. And our country accumulates euros, which are
stronger than the US dollar,” she said.

She said travel agents who deal only in US dollars lose out in
transactions between European travel agents and Myanmar travel agents. The
stronger euro makes conversion to the dollar unfavourable.

Members of Myanmar’s tourism industry also said hotels are starting to
accept a wider range of currencies, such as the Thai baht and Singapore
dollar.

The Grand Plaza Park Royal in Yangon accepts seven different currencies,
including the euro, Swiss franc and Japanese yen. The Hotel Nikko Royal
Lake Yangon accepts a whopping 15 types of currency, including the
Norwegian kroner and Canadian dollar.

Some say accepting a range of currencies encourages customers to splurge.

Ms Supriya Boonyaoate, the managing director of Two By Four Travel in
Thailand, said people are more likely to spend currency they are
comfortable with. She said Thai people spend baht freely, but are more
careful with US dollars.

While most Myanmar businesses, such as the majority of airlines, still
deal only in US dollars, experts say they’ll need to become more flexible
to be competitive in the future.

Mr Oliver E Soe Thet, the general manager of Bagan Hotel in Old Bagan,
said this ‘flexible marketing tool’ is used in other countries to spur
tourism, and Myanmar needs to jump on the bandwagon.

“We all should start working on it,” he said.

______________________________________
ON THE BORDER

August 17, Irrawaddy
Migrants working overtime since registration - Shah Paung

Migrant workers in Thailand are working more overtime hours but getting
less pay, despite the government’s recent efforts to grant them legal
status, says a Burmese worker in the Thai town of Mae Sot.

Moe Swe, head of the Yaung Chi Oo Burmese Workers Association based in Mae
Sot, said that in addition to the regular 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. workday, many
workers regularly worked a three-hour overtime shift, beginning at 6 p.m.
Several factory owners, however, have extended the overtime hours until
midnight but with a sharp reduction in wages, he added.

The official hourly overtime wage in Mae Sot is 25 baht (US $0.62), but
most workers are only getting paid between four and 10 baht per hour, said
the head of the Migrant Assistance Program’s Mae Sot office.

In July, Thailand opened the doors for alien laborers to register to work
legally in the kingdom. Moe Swe said that in Tak Province more than
120,000 workers registered before the July 31 deadline, and that 8,400
were from Mae Sot. Each worker was required to pay 3,800 baht for a
one-year work permit.

According to local workers, factory owners have told their employees that
the money is deducted from their wages to pay the registration fees before
the official November deadline. Workers who fail to pay their registration
fee will lose their jobs.

Moe Swe says that to prevent alien workers from changing jobs, factory
owners in Mae Sot have agreed that workers who wish to seek a new job must
present a letter from their former employer.

He added that factories which manufacture woolen clothing are ramping up
production to meet the demand for winter clothing in the West.

August 17, Thai News Service
Border province sets quota for immigrant workers

Mr. Amnart Nanthahan said that companies were using legal loopholes to
transport immigrant workers across the country and sell them to production
plants requiring cheap labour.

But the province's job protection measures were questioned by the
president of the provincial chapter of the Federation of Thai Industries
(FTI), who warned that the use of a quota scheme could lead to the
trafficking of foreign workers.

Last month 120,658 immigrant workers registered under the government's
scheme in Tak province, of whom all but a handful were from Myanmar.

Companies which found themselves unable to meet this quota would be told
to bus in workers from other provinces, he said.

Speaking only weeks after the expiry of the government's registration
period for workers from Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia, Tak Governor Sawat
Sriswun nadee said that local companies employing upwards of 50 workers
had to ensure that at least 20 percent of their workforce was Thai.

Section: General News - The western border province of Tak today sought to
lay down measures to protect Thai jobs from immigrant workers, telling
local companies that that at least 20 percent of their workers must be
Thai nationals.

______________________________________
REGIONAL

August  17, The New Light of Myanmar
Burma hosts ASEAN, China drug control meeting

Yangon [Rangoon], 16 August: The third meeting of substitution development
working group of ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] and China
Cooperative Operations in Response to Dangerous Drugs (ACCORD) was held at
Grand Plaza Park Royal Hotel here this morning.

Substitution development tasks implemented by each country and future
plans were discussed at the meeting. The meeting was attended by
representatives of ASEAN member countries, China and UNODC [United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime] (Bangkok/ Yangon), guests from foreign missions
and departments, officials and observers.

______________________________________

August 17, Xinhua News Agency
China, ASEAN continue to step up law enforcement cooperation

Beijing: China is stepping up cooperation with the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) by holding a series of international
workshops on each other's law enforcement systems and cooperative ways of
fighting international crime.

The China-ASEAN Workshop on Understanding Chinese Criminal Justice System
and Law Enforcement Structure was opened here on August 16, marking
another step forward in cooperation.

During the workshop, police officers from the Ministry of Public Security
introduced China's efforts in fighting organized crimes, illegal
migration, drug trafficking and its participation in international
cooperation in these fields.

The workshop has attracted 30 foreign participants, including police
delegates from ASEAN's 10 member countries and officials from its
secretariat, who will also exchange ideas on next year's plan, said Meng
Hongwei, Chinese vice- minister of Public Security.

Meng also announced that the ministry would hold a China-ASEAN
anti-terrorism seminar in September.

China has made rapid progress in cooperating with ASEAN in the law
enforcement field since the beginning of this year.

In January, the two sides signed a memorandum of understanding for joint
endeavor in certain security issues, including deepening cooperation in
combating drug trafficking, human trafficking, sea-piracy, terrorism,
weaponry smuggling, money laundering, international economic crimes and
cyber crimes.

"These crimes are currently the key common targets of China and ASEAN
members," Meng said.

To fulfill the goal of the memorandum, the Ministry of Public Security
also mapped out a five-year cooperation plan with ASEAN, which the
ministry proposed to carry out in three phases.

The first phase, covering the whole year of 2004, aims to enhance mutual
understanding of criminal justice systems and law enforcement structures
of different signatory countries.

The second phase, scheduled from 2005 to 2006, will explore more efficient
ways of exchanging intelligence information, investigation and evidence
collection, arrest and repatriation of criminal suspects, as well as
retrieval of illicit property and money. A regional law enforcement
cooperation mode will also be set up in this period through typical cases.

The third phase, from 2007 to 2008, aims to map out a frame to guide and
standardize law enforcement cooperation. More bilateral and multilateral
cooperation agreements may be signed in this period.

Meanwhile, China also hosted a China-ASEAN workshop on entry-and-exit
management in June in Kunming, China's southwestern Yunnan province.

In addition, China has offered free training for police from Cambodia,
Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. Ten delegates have joined from each country.

"The implementation of the cooperation plan will help deepen mutual
understanding, trust and friendship among law enforcement departments of
these countries, as well as establish an effective and smooth contact
channel, which will lay a solid foundation for further cooperation," said
Meng Hongwei.

The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) comprises
Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

______________________________________

August 17, The Nation
Veteran diplomat Asada slams Thaksin’s foreign policy in new book - Don
Pathan & Rungrawee C Pinyorat

‘Unrealistic, unprofessional and dull-witted’ was how retired veteran
diplomat Asada Jayanama described Thailand’s foreign policy under the
government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Asada pulled no punches in his new book, ‘Ru Than Thaksin II’ (‘Keep Up
with Thaksin II’), which claims foreign affairs have been marred by a
series of public-relations stunts aimed at boosting the profiles of
individual political figures in the government, including Thaksin himself
and Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai.

Asada also poked fun at the government’s quest to field Surakiart as the
next UN secretary-general, saying the ‘greenhorn’ minister risks becoming
an ‘international joke’.

Asada also criticised the government’s ‘forward engagement’, a slogan used
to describe the country’s foreign policy, saying all governments in
general ‘engage in a forward manner anyway’.

‘And they do so skilfully, not hastily,’ said Asada.

The government has successfully painted a rosy picture of foreign affairs
and continues to mislead the public over its stated achievements.

Almost immediately upon his retirement, the sharp-tongued former diplomat
found himself in the public spotlight as one of the few national figures
willing to criticise Surakiart’s handling of the ministry under which he
had served, among other posts, as Thai ambassador to the UN for more than
five years.

He called the government’s foreign policy ‘the blind leading the blind’.

Asada pointed out that it was underthe Thaksin government that foreign
trade was allowed an unprecedented role in shaping foreign policy. He
pointed to Thailand’s decision to dispatch 447 troops to Iraq in the hope
of securing lucrative contracts in that country’s reconstruction, as well
as place itself in a favourable position in free-trade negotiations.

He accused the government of not coming clean with the public by citing
humanitarian considerations to justify dispatching troops, instead of
explaining the decision in terms of Thai-US relations.

In fact, UN Resolution 1483, which Surakiart cited, called for
humanitarian assistance; it did not specifically ask for troops or
consider their dispatch a humanitarian effort, Asada said.

Economic relations between Thailand and military-ruled Burma, noted Asada,
has moved remarkably closer under this government through the use of
‘personal diplomacy’, in spite of growing pressure from the international
community to push for political change in Burma.

Asada said the so-called ‘CEO government’ of Thailand is not sincere about
domestic problems in Burma, in spite of the fact that these problems ‘
drugs and insurgencies ‘ have a direct impact on Thailand’s internal
security.

Multilateral talks on Burma, dubbed the ‘Bangkok Process’, was part of
Thailand’s ‘opportunist diplomacy’ resulting from ‘a misunderstanding of
self-importance’ on Thailand’s part, said Asada.

And he said that in the end, Thailand failed to make any differences or
impress anyone, not even fellow Asean (Association of Southeast Asian
Nations) members.

Asada said Thaksin’s brainchild, the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), was
an ambitious plan to fast-track Thailand’s international standing by
turning the forum into a power broker for powerful countries like the US
and China. Like other schemes, the ACD failed to achieve what it set out
to.

‘Why should the US pay attention [to the ACD] when they can make direct
contact with anybody in the world’’ asked Asada.

Thailand’s foreign policy under Surakiart has failed miserably in
people-to-people relations.

Not one baht was donated to the Asean People’s Assembly, an idea initiated
by the Anand Panyarachun government.

On the contrary, the government attempted to suppress civic groups by
forcing foreign donors to stop providing financial aid to non-government
organisations critical of the government.

The ‘loose lips’ PM also lashed out at UN Special Representative on Human
Rights Defenders Hina Jilani following her criticism of the government’s
violation of human rights and the questionable deaths of some 2,500 people
during its three-month drug war, Asada said.

At the Foreign Ministry, Asada accused the government of using ‘divide and
rule’ tactics to control and manipulate officials. There is also a lack of
transparency and fairness in the placement of diplomats under Surakiart’s
leadership.

Morale among the country’s foreign-service workers, said Asada, is
extremely low at present.

______________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

August 16, Associated Press
Female Myanmar lifter kicked out of games

Athens: A female weightlifter from Myanmar was kicked out of the Athens
Olympics on Monday after a positive drug test.

Nan Aye Khine, 27, was stripped of her fourth-place finish in Saturday's
106-pound (48kg) class.

The International Olympic Committee executive board said she tested
positive for a banned steroid in a pre-competition test Thursday. Test
results were confirmed after she competed.

She is the second doping case of the games, but the first who competed.
Kenyan bantamweight boxer David Munyasia was barred last week after
testing positive for the banned stimulant cathine in an out-of-competition
test.

Myanmar formerly was known as Burma.

______________________________________
OPINION / OTHER

August 16, The New Light of Myanmar
Radio Free Asia - an objective observation - Bala Min Htin

"Radio Free Asia" (RFA) may be construed as an independent radio station,
news broadcaster or voice in the Asia region. Far from it, for, from the
linguistics point of view, including morphology and other related
sciences, the word "free" also has other meanings "uncontrolled" or
"unbridled". For example, in the verse "I don't like him. He is too free
in his behaviour and language" the word "free" means "uncontrolled
manner". It may also be taken to mean "I don't like him. His words and
actions are unbridled. He goes off the rock".

RFA, in fact, is not a free radio in Asia. It has been observed to be
unfree, dancing to the tune of a group of persons controlling it from
behind the scene. For long, it has been a place for minions producing much
foul air, and living and working under orders and in pay of their masters.
Willingly or not, the minions of RFA have to broadcast nothing but
nonsense, underpaid, provided grudgingly by the superpower (hegemonist)
which enjoys a clear advantage over others in the field of IT and is
dominating the media world. The country has been dealing others with
domineeringly, with much discrimination and the attitude that it is beyond
compare. Those in the dole of that power work willingly or unwillingly to
justify their having been employed as hirelings, their voice coming out
from the hole that excretes the remains of food. Just this much will
convey an objective assessment of RFA. Patriotic persons and those imbued
with the spirit of safeguarding the race and religion will understand
better.

In Myanmar [Burmese] language, there are sayings, which go, "Hate finds
faults, while love brings benefits": "Thief shouting 'Stop thief!':
"Helping the enemy like handing the sword to the thief": "Staying idle and
criticizing others": "Burning the granary to spite the rat": "Setting up
citizens against each other". These reflect the great conspiracies of the
traitors, betraying the national patriotic forces in all sectors, and
aiding and abetting the alien forces. Trying to interfere in Myanmar's
affairs by using the traitors as their stooges, acting hand in glove to
undermine and destroy the race and religion, these traitors and those in
whose employ they have to subsist are known to have schemed and worked for
destruction of this nation throughout history, in great conspiracy with
their ilk.

An instance may be drawn from the Burma Communist Party [BCP] which put up
a last-ditch fight at Mongyang, like the last flicker of a candle about to
sputter out, or the antics in 1988 of a power-crazy old politician with a
rosary dangling from his neck but still had an intense desire to grab
power, and the real lives of persons shining without any political
quality, yet taking the shine from others. These are but a few snippets
from history. It has been over half a century since the Union of Myanmar,
together with the far-sighted leaders of other nations, had prescribed and
practised the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence. Enshrined in these
principles is the policy of noninterference or in other words a policy
that caters for global peace and development. All the five principles are
interactive for peace, prosperity of mankind, helping to lead the world
towards flourishing of the Four Cardinal Virtues and the Deterrent
Principles of Shame and Fear which guard the world from falling into
chaos. Generally, the current global trend is towards peace, progress and
prosperity.

We subscribe to what Westerners say: "Sticks and stones don't hurt my
bones, words do not hurt me either." The slanders of RFA which are a
skyful of lies are not effective. The continuous barking of a dog may
disturb your sleep, but if you hit it with a stick, you would be like the
person foolish enough to fight a dog. Therefore, we have remained silent.
We go by the maxim "No matter how much others demean, preserve your
dignity." We will continue to preserve our good political reputation with
noble mind, no matter how dirty others may get. Although our nation is
small, its political dignity is at the highest among the world nations.
But what must be retorted must be retorted. We are free from political
prejudices and have trust only in objective conditions, write this
rebuttle as I am tired of hearing the slanders, and I rebut as a
colourless objectivist citizen.

There is a strategy called the protracted war of psychological
propagandizing and agitation based on the concept - wrong may be construed
as right if it is repeatedly heard. A foundation will become weak if it is
levered again and again. This strategy has been used as an effective
weapon not only at the current era of psychological warfare, but also
during the Cold War. The strategy was used by the BCP during the unrest in
1967. And during the 1988 turmoil, anarchists tried to attack the then
government, misusing the concept of democracy repeatedly to suit their
purpose like the Devil quoting Gospel to suit its purpose. At present
also, those who bode us ill are trying to maintain the momentum of their
verbal attacks, while still using the old weapon, targeting the Tatmadaw
[defence service] government which they unjustly dubbed the Myanmar
military junta".

Because of the unrest, the Tatmadaw government took over all the duties of
the state in accord with its bounden duty to save the nation. It assumed
the duties of state not because it hankered for power, but because of the
unavoidable circumstances, and as a prerequisites for restoration of
peace, development and the rule of law for the nation had dire need for
this kind of action at the time. After assuming the duties, it has been
making tireless efforts in the economic, political and social areas for
the rule of law, internal peace and socioeconomic development of the
people. As it can discharge its duty amicably and skilfully and with
goodwill in solving problems, appreciation for its success in restoring
national consolidation has spread all over the world. The Tatmadaw
government was able to improve the economic growth rate which was under
the zero mark then, and later it has been able to gradually raise the
gross domestic product. No person or group can transform from the
socialist system centralized system) overnight to democracy, which permits
people to steer towards their own destiny, without passing through an
interim period. And even if they try to make the transition towards
democracy without an interim period, their efforts will fail shortly.

Politics is the highest phenomenon of social science. It also has a
profound, delicate and wide interpretation. Politics being human affairs,
any consideration of either of the aphorisms "the human abode is a mess of
doings" and "the life of every individual is filled with tens of billions
of grief will convince how enormous the responsibility of the persons who
take charge of all matters in a country [single quotation mark as
received]. For critics, what they need is only their mouths. However, true
to the sayings "the interference is minor but not negligible" and "he will
throw sand over meat which he cannot eat", there is a group of people who
are hatching a scheme that they would make a hole in the main drum if they
were not allowed to play the role of actor. The external elements
approached such a group to hold sway over them in the sphere of political
influence, and invented scurrilous rumours about the Tatmadaw government
of Myanmar. They were so consumed by pessimism, that they failed to think
realistically.

With their power-craze, superciliousness and self-opinionated manner and
boasting that "only when they are in office will this country be
prosperous", they distanced themselves bit by bit from the reasoning
public and the world of Myanmar politics, without being able to consider
that craving, pride and selfishness are three causes capable of locking
them up in hell. Myanmar is a country where Theravada Buddhism flourishes.
The nature of religion and politics is different from each other because
the former is the secular world and the latter, mundane existence. When it
comes to the law of social development, appropriate ideology and
superstructure which are in consistence with infrastructure (economic
base) come into being according to nature of dialectics. Accordingly,
sound philosophies of religion have a reasonable effect on politics one
way or another. To be explicit, it will be fatally wrong if the leadership
of the Myanmar Tatmadaw who are in uniform is mistaken for militarists.
Professing Buddhism, they are in fact polite people. They are discharging
the duties of State for unavoidable reason. They are in fact
pro-socio-development practitioners holding the white dove in their hands.
The RFA as well as the BBC and the VOA [Voice of America] are critics
trying to reverse the current authentic condition of politics in Myanmar.
This being the case, it is advised out of love that we, Myanmar Buddhists,
should beware of them, judging them by the five ethical standards worth
practising as enunciated below:

In the Anguttara Nikaya, the Pincaka Nipata, the Aghata Vagga and the
Codana Sutta, the Venerable Sariputtra said, "My Friends, he who wants to
put the blame on the other should do so only after he first lets these
five self-imposed elements appear in him and then blames himself. The five
elements are:

1. speak only when the time is right; 2. speak what is right; 3. speak
politely; 4. speak when it profits the other; and 5. speak in earnest.

(Note: Codana implies stimulation, blaming the others, and criticism.)

There is no question of the leadership of our Tatmadaw [defence service]
government showing understanding, patience and forgiveness towards
national brethren. They do not, however, harbour any immoral thoughts in
relations with foreign countries. The national people of Myanmar would
have far less sentiments. These are the examples the Tatmadaw government
has set in a way to enhance amity and diminish enmity.

However, contrary to the divine nature of the five self-imposed elements,
the RFA, the VOA and the BBC involved in concoction of lies are those who
go by the saying "politics is the refuge of scoundrels". They have no
dignity and scruple whatsoever, not even as small as the tiniest drop of
mist.

The reason is that they always speak demeaningly of the nation-building
endeavours made by the Myanmar Tatmadaw government. They turn a blind eye
to reality. As the saying goes "As you sow, so shall you reap", they must
no doubt pay the price for their gross misconduct which will boomerang on
them some day. This article is written with deep sympathy for the puppets
who crave for dollars and play whatever tune called by those in whose pay
they are.