Burma's Suu Kyi 'to be charged'

While neighbouring countries such as Singapore provide a safe haven for the Junta with regard to first rate medical care for ailing generals and countries such as China provide industrial dollars nothing will change. Neither which have a particularly good record for democracy themselves.
North Korea is far worse in regard to personal freedom and that little porker is still running the show.
Confrontation was with Robin Cook the then Foreign secratery regarding British industry involvment in Myanmar.

OK, I did find this:
http://www.markthomasinfo.com/section_info/series4.asp

I think the realistically effective potential actions have already been discussed here, and none seem very feasible:
--military assault
--terminate the massive financial support provided by its neighbor countries through their wholesale purchase of Myanmar's unprocessed natural resources, support that is keeping their economy from collapsing altogether
--engagement

The latter seems to me the only one with a current glimmer of hope, but the regime is so backed-into-a-corner paranoid now, it doesn't seem likely. ASEAN's attempts have been feeble.

As noted on the JWY thread, it's being reported that 4 EU diplomats (ambassadors?) (Britain, Germany, France, Italy) together and earlier an Australian diplomat were turned away from attending assk's trial at Insein today.

I just wonder how hard each of you fight for things that are wrong in your own countries!

Quote Kananga #54: ~~~But what I don't understand is the hostility and even contempt directed at petition signers.~~~ (K quoting me)

Neither do I, and as far as I can see there hasn't been hostility or contempt on this thread. Just the voice of a different opinion. Isn't that what you are 'petitioning' for in Myanmar after all? The right to have a voice and a different opinion?
_____

You're right, I misspoke - things have been stated strongly, but "hostility (or) contempt" overstates the case. I'm not petitioning, though I respect those who do.

Still waiting on what will work or is doing nothing (except having opinions + criticizing those who are doing something) still your best answer.

And I'm still saying that nobody here has a clue if the pressure (soon possibly to increase from even the EU) has held the goverment at bay to some extent. I think it probably has, but who knows.

Held them at bay? As in, things could be worse if we didn't have them? How so? Some detail is called for.

Time has shown they're quite immune from the west's sanctions.

3-EU considers toughening Myanmar sanctions
However some ministers and EU officials said only Asian nations could exert a stronger influence on Myanmar.

'Our problem with sanctions on Burma (Myanmar) is that we have sanctions on virtually everything,' said Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt. ' Our relationship with Burma is nearly non-existent and that makes it somewhat complicated.'

bun_cha--that quote that kananga was responding to is actually my comments. He wasn't responding to your words even though we share the same sentiments.

zeke7--Yes, things in Myanmar could be worse if there had not been pressure from anti-government forces. Of course no one cannot prove what 'might have been'. That's always speculation.
Yet, again, I still don't understand criticizing others actions when we all agree that we want the government to reform and the immediate release of ASSK. It's what divides progressives all the time: the belief system that it has to be this strategy otherwise it's ineffective. So why criticize without making constructive recommendations for action?

Hanu, those 3 options outlined in #62, which have been offered here by several posters, are constructive, imo; they're just not very feasible. It's really hard for the all-powerful west to recognize its powerlessness in this case.

, the west is powerless indeed,
china rules, and china says it's ok in burma
therefore it is ok in burma

no one can / will go against China because China owns the world, if china pulls out their investment in any country, those country will be bankrupt,

so as i said b4, gather up one thousand or more tourists in burma and have them surround the palace, or the jail and protest till change is done, no one comes or goes...

they could not arrest a very large number of foreigners from all over, all at once

Calling for detail? This seems fairly clear to me: "And I'm still saying that nobody here has a clue if the pressure (soon possibly to increase from even the EU) has held the goverment at bay to some extent. I think it probably has, but who knows. That is to say, I think the sanctions, New York Times articles, and other efforts have probably helped, "but who knows."

And I still would like to hear the better ideas from those who decry the efforts of "armchair activists," "punters," the "self-serving," and others who work in whatever way they can to help the people of Burma. Do you guys also think it's a waste of time to pray for peace, address world hunger, fight crime, work for human rights? Because, clearly we don't have peace, hunger is a huge problem, crime is ever-present, and human rights - well, you know.

But you can ignore that last question and if you would, let us know what you think we should all be doing - or is the answer still, nuthin.

Have another cerveza, there JB.

Edited by: I just got a Beartooths topo in the mail and I think I'll work on my route for the trip into the high mountains this August