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Published on September 28, 2007

And that is that regime change is in the interest of the world." No, Mr Bush, regime change was in your economic interests at the time, not that of the world; and today, it's not even in your economic interests.

Now we are witnessing Burmese forces launching raids on monasteries, arresting scores of monks and murdering some of them, as they try to stem the rising tide of protests across the country.

Although Bush has announced a tightening of US economic sanctions and called for UN Security Council action, it has no real mandate for action against Burma's junta and has uselessly "called for restraint". But worse, China and Russia are arguing that the situation in Burma is purely an internal matter. China's UN ambassador, Wang Guangya, reaffirmed its predictable position that this crisis was not a threat to international peace and that sanctions "would not be helpful". Read: not be economically helpful to China.

It is Burma's oil and offshore gas fields that make it such an attractive partner for Chinese, Russian, Indian and South Korean firms. Russia even has plans to sell it a nuclear research reactor. And this scramble for Burma's energy resources is making it almost impossible to isolate the regime. In the short-term, sanctions will probably have little impact on Burma's rulers and it is hard to see what practical impact these steps will make.

But it is Beijing that has the most crucial role in stabilising Burma. But while the government attempts to balance its energy and strategic interests - access to the Indian Ocean - with its concern for its own reputation abroad, especially with the Beijing Olympics approaching, the situation in Burma can only get worse.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon is to dispatch his special envoy Ibrahim Gambari to the country, but he has no visa so has been asked to "hang around in the region" until he gets the green light from the generals. Some chance. No, it's to China the world must look to bring this regime down. Surely, in the interests of economic prosperity at the very least, China would see a brighter future ahead if the monsters of Pyinmana were scythed down at the knees and Burma started to prosper economically. It is Asean's job to persuade them to do far more than merely pronouncing its role as "promoting peace and national reconciliation".

James Groveway

Bangkok

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Democracy in Burma can only be good for Thailand

The Thai military regime must send a strong message Burma to pursue democracy. A democratic Burma can only be good for Thailand.

The Burmese people have been a big part of the human effort in rebuilding after the tsunami, and have received little or no recognition. These people work hard and live very difficult lives in Thailand, but they prefer this tough life than a return to Burma and the rule of the junta.

A democratic Burma would allow these people to return to their homeland.

Let's have democracy

Bangkok

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The time for talking is over; we need action now

Re: "Cut all support to evil regime", Editorial, September 27.

May I congratulate you on an editorial that displays all that is good about a free press. You support where warranted and give withering criticism where necessary.

In your editorial you rightly pour scorn on the policy of inaction cloaked in euphemisms and specifically the non-interference in other country's domestic affairs.

Indeed, it is time to put this lie to the sword. Is it good neighbourliness to say nothing if you know your neighbour beats his wife and children? Is that an internal matter solely for your neighbour? No it is not, and a higher law forbids it. It is time that there is a higher law to prevent wicked regimes such as those in Burma, Zimbabwe and other countries abusing and murdering their citizens, and hold them to account.

However, China continues to suggest that this is a matter for the generals. Hardly surprising from a one-party state that charges the family of those condemned to death the cost of the bullet that kills them, and then routinely harvests their organs for transplant.

What is interesting, however, is that India, the world's largest democracy, has now changed its position in the face of Burmese state violence to align itself with the Western nations by saying that "interference" in this matter is now acceptable.

It is time that levels of human rights become absolute throughout the world and not just the privilege of the First World, and that leaders who are nothing more than thugs are brought to book by the world community. 

Hopefully the suffering of the Burmese people will cause soul-searching to bring changes that will make the world in the 21st century a fit place to live.

Let us hope that the words of new British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, when he says "the age of impunity in neglecting and overriding human rights is over", become a reality.

John De Laurent

Bangkok

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Burmese Buddhist leaders bear a heavy responsibility

Re: "To the generals in Rangoon: the world is watching you", Letters, September 26.

It is clear from SP's letter that he is a very devout Buddhist with a belief in the power of prayer - a sentiment I wholly understand and support. However, use of the words "gruesome" and "Machiavellian" suggests he finds my suggestion of the spilling of blood objectionable and the fact that I made the suggestion objectionable also, which is understandable. 

It was not my intention to have my words interpreted as expressing the wish to see violence in any form. I merely observed that I believed, sadly, that violence would be the only way the evil junta could be overthrown - not by violence against them but by the inevitable use of violence by them against their own people. Their level of moral bankruptcy is so absolute that this would be the only way of countering a threat to their illegitimate status.

Whilst it is entirely laudable that those of a similar faith in another country should support their brothers and sisters by praying, the fact that monks now feel it necessary to indulge in mass civil disobedience in resistance of tyranny shows where the feelings of the country's citizens are now.

For me, it is bravery of the highest order that men who have rejected the material world in favour of a simple, devout religious life should be in the vanguard to help alleviate the suffering of those who still inhabit the material world they left.

However, the generals (presumably Buddhist) are now using soldiers (presumably Buddhist) to savagely suppress these monks. What actions from Buddhist leaders should this evoke? What is being reported is that senior monks are telling their juniors simply to cease their activities. I must admit to being at a loss in understanding this. A country in utter tumult, and those in religious authority, who have reportedly benefited indirectly by material donations and assistance from the junta, wish a return to the status quo.

In the West, for such contempt and violence against the church and its members, ex-communication of the perpetrators would be the punishment.

This sad situation still has much further to run, and how the key players behave will be how the world and its people judge these protagonists.

Andrew Hamilton

Bangkok

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A wasted opportunity to help the needy

Re: "Bt40 million Ferrari destroyed by Customs", News, September 27.

In a country with many orphans from Aids and the tsunami, how can a Bt40-million car be crushed to make a point? Auction the car and help people who need the help.

Many groups and individuals spend their hard-earned money to assist people in need, and the Thai authorities should be ashamed of themselves for destroying this car that could have been sold to help those in need.

Stuart Cullen

Darwin

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Where are the moral values of Thai parents?

There's something terribly disturbing about a society that raises its children to be heartless, merciless teenagers that would, without guilt or remorse, rape and viciously murder someone. Just last week six teenage boys gang-raped a 14-year-old girl and then beat her to death. Then on Tuesday we read about two perverted teenage boys who viciously stabbed to death another boy after he gave oral sex to one but refused the other.

These kinds of degenerate, evil acts occur more and more frequently in Thailand, which suggests that there are great flaws in the moral and ethical child-rearing capabilities of Thai parents and this society.

These noxious teenagers have no place, no right to exist in this world. They are like rabid dogs that must be killed to save the rest of us from their crazed and vicious presence.

KJ Rosser

Bangkok

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