Myanmar's Junta Not Deterred by Steam

Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life,alt.sufi,alt.surrealism,soc.culture.burma (More info?)

Myanmar's Junta Not Deterred by Steam

Neither Dissent at Home Nor Pressure From Outside Seem to Dent Myanmar's
Boilers

By Dorian GREY Associated Press Writer

YANGON, Myanmar Apr 9, 2005 - Every year, Myanmar's ruling generals throw a
grand party in verdant People's Park, marching their troops around in
celebration of what they claim are their many achievements. But it's an
in-house affair.
The general public isn't invited to the Armed Forces Day event, and is kept
well away by tight security.

To many, it's a symbol of the gulf between people and rulers in Asia's last
military dictatorship, and underlines the grip of a regime which internal
dissent and international pressure seem powerless to loosen.

Rarely in the 17 years since the present junta seized power has the mood in
the capital of the impoverished country seemed bleaker.

In fact, the generals are looking more secure than ever. They have
continental Asia's two biggest powers, India and China, on their side, and
unless foreign objections prevail, Myanmar will next year assume the
prestigious rotating chairmanship of ASEAN, the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations.

The junta is widely hated, says one knowledgeable Yangon man, but adds that
short of a U.S. invasion, no one can see a way of dislodging it. "People
know they would get gunned down if they protested in the streets," he said,
requesting anonymity for fear of official retaliation.

Thus dissent is merely expressed in sarcastic jokes rather than anti-regime
plotting when the disaffected of Yangon meet in the teashops that officials
regard as hotbeds of opposition.

A new U.S. State Department report says: "Prospects for meaningful political
change and reform continued to decline over the past six months."

Headed by hard-liner Gen. Than Shwe, who consolidated his power with the
ousting of a powerful rival last year, the junta shows no signs of releasing
Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate who symbolizes Myanmar's
pro-democracy movement. Approaching her 60th birthday, she has been under
house arrest for a year and barred from contact with independent observers.

Except in Yangon, the offices of her National League for Democracy across
the country remain padlocked. Some of its members are among Myanmar's
estimated 1,300 political prisoners. The few remaining opposition leaders
are in their 80s while the movement's rank-and-file is considered to be
infiltrated by government agents.

"It's a terrible situation. When I talk to the opposition people they want
me to give them some hope, but I can't," says David Steinberg, a Georgetown
University professor who has contacts among both regime and opposition
figures.

The junta insists it's following a seven-point road map to democracy and a
constitution has been in the works for 12 years. But critics are
unimpressed.

Asda, who has had extensive dealings with the Myanmar government, says the
military has already signaled that 25 percent of legislative seats will go
to its members and the head of state is to be someone of military
background. The generals, he says, will simply switch from uniforms to
civilian clothes.

External pressure has recently intensified over the ASEAN chairmanship.

Some within the 10-nation bloc say the regime must first take steps toward
democracy, and the United States, which imposed economic sanctions in 2003,
has indicated it would boycott any ASEAN meetings chaired by Myanmar. Recent
United Nations statements have abandoned diplomatic language to flatly
lambaste the country's human rights record.

But ASEAN rarely interferes in the domestic affairs of its members, and
Myanmar, under the military's control since 1962, has a record of retreating
into a shell rather than give in to outside pressure.

"It's dicey. Than Shwe could easily say, `I don't give a damn about
foreigners. We'll go back to our isolation,'" Steinberg says.

Not total isolation, though. China provides Myanmar's more than
400,000-strong armed forces with arms, and last month an Indian foreign
minister visited for the first time in 18 years. India, initially hostile to
the junta when it seized power in 1988, apparently wants to offset China's
influence here, and says it now considers Myanmar a "valuable neighbor and
strategic partner."

"Real change can only come from within, people staging a coup d'etat or
whatever," says Asda. Steinberg says a new order could only emerge if a
serious rift split the military or a popular uprising broke out.

People did rise up in 1988, and thousands died. The military's brutal
response still haunts the nation.

Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life,alt.sufi,alt.surrealism,soc.culture.burma (More info?)

Read the subject. Myanmar's Junta isn't deterred by Steam. Evidently they're
undeterred by the content delivery system and are enjoying their games of
Half-Life to the full. I bet they even love the auto-update feature as it
means they have more time for crushing dissidents.

"AcCeSsDeNiEd" <dillon@SpamMinuSaccessdenied.darktech.org> wrote in message
news:rfuf51l5a0g5afgqe6hfen1bgan5f8h57e@4ax.com...
> WTF has this to do with half-life/steam?
>
> FO!
>
>
> On Sat, 09 Apr 2005 09:43:30 GMT, "jirjis" <jirjis@email2me.net> wrote:
>
>>Myanmar's Junta Not Deterred by Steam
>>
>>Neither Dissent at Home Nor Pressure From Outside Seem to Dent Myanmar's
>>Boilers
>>
>>By Dorian GREY Associated Press Writer
>>
>>YANGON, Myanmar Apr 9, 2005 - Every year, Myanmar's ruling generals throw
>>a
>>grand party in verdant People's Park, marching their troops around in
>>celebration of what they claim are their many achievements. But it's an
>>in-house affair.
>>The general public isn't invited to the Armed Forces Day event, and is
>>kept
>>well away by tight security.
>>
>>To many, it's a symbol of the gulf between people and rulers in Asia's
>>last
>>military dictatorship, and underlines the grip of a regime which internal
>>dissent and international pressure seem powerless to loosen.
>>
>>Rarely in the 17 years since the present junta seized power has the mood
>>in
>>the capital of the impoverished country seemed bleaker.
>>
>>In fact, the generals are looking more secure than ever. They have
>>continental Asia's two biggest powers, India and China, on their side, and
>>unless foreign objections prevail, Myanmar will next year assume the
>>prestigious rotating chairmanship of ASEAN, the Association of Southeast
>>Asian Nations.
>>
>>The junta is widely hated, says one knowledgeable Yangon man, but adds
>>that
>>short of a U.S. invasion, no one can see a way of dislodging it. "People
>>know they would get gunned down if they protested in the streets," he
>>said,
>>requesting anonymity for fear of official retaliation.
>>
>>Thus dissent is merely expressed in sarcastic jokes rather than
>>anti-regime
>>plotting when the disaffected of Yangon meet in the teashops that
>>officials
>>regard as hotbeds of opposition.
>>
>>A new U.S. State Department report says: "Prospects for meaningful
>>political
>>change and reform continued to decline over the past six months."
>>
>>Headed by hard-liner Gen. Than Shwe, who consolidated his power with the
>>ousting of a powerful rival last year, the junta shows no signs of
>>releasing
>>Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate who symbolizes Myanmar's
>>pro-democracy movement. Approaching her 60th birthday, she has been under
>>house arrest for a year and barred from contact with independent
>>observers.
>>
>>Except in Yangon, the offices of her National League for Democracy across
>>the country remain padlocked. Some of its members are among Myanmar's
>>estimated 1,300 political prisoners. The few remaining opposition leaders
>>are in their 80s while the movement's rank-and-file is considered to be
>>infiltrated by government agents.
>>
>>"It's a terrible situation. When I talk to the opposition people they want
>>me to give them some hope, but I can't," says David Steinberg, a
>>Georgetown
>>University professor who has contacts among both regime and opposition
>>figures.
>>
>>The junta insists it's following a seven-point road map to democracy and a
>>constitution has been in the works for 12 years. But critics are
>>unimpressed.
>>
>>Asda, who has had extensive dealings with the Myanmar government, says the
>>military has already signaled that 25 percent of legislative seats will go
>>to its members and the head of state is to be someone of military
>>background. The generals, he says, will simply switch from uniforms to
>>civilian clothes.
>>
>>External pressure has recently intensified over the ASEAN chairmanship.
>>
>>Some within the 10-nation bloc say the regime must first take steps toward
>>democracy, and the United States, which imposed economic sanctions in
>>2003,
>>has indicated it would boycott any ASEAN meetings chaired by Myanmar.
>>Recent
>>United Nations statements have abandoned diplomatic language to flatly
>>lambaste the country's human rights record.
>>
>>But ASEAN rarely interferes in the domestic affairs of its members, and
>>Myanmar, under the military's control since 1962, has a record of
>>retreating
>>into a shell rather than give in to outside pressure.
>>
>>"It's dicey. Than Shwe could easily say, `I don't give a damn about
>>foreigners. We'll go back to our isolation,'" Steinberg says.
>>
>>Not total isolation, though. China provides Myanmar's more than
>>400,000-strong armed forces with arms, and last month an Indian foreign
>>minister visited for the first time in 18 years. India, initially hostile
>>to
>>the junta when it seized power in 1988, apparently wants to offset China's
>>influence here, and says it now considers Myanmar a "valuable neighbor and
>>strategic partner."
>>
>>"Real change can only come from within, people staging a coup d'etat or
>>whatever," says Asda. Steinberg says a new order could only emerge if a
>>serious rift split the military or a popular uprising broke out.
>>
>>People did rise up in 1988, and thousands died. The military's brutal
>>response still haunts the nation.
>>
>
>
> To e-mail, remove the obvious

Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life,alt.sufi,alt.surrealism,soc.culture.burma (More info?)

I'll do what I like thank you very much.

"Nick" <nick@yourstuff.com> wrote in message
news:1113212371.2692.0@ersa.uk.clara.net...
> Do yourselves and everyone else a favour and kill filter this jisjis
> arsehole.
>
> "James Whyley" <unleash@the.trout> wrote in message
> news:teT5e.8896$Uc7.3768@newsfe2-win.ntli.net...
>> Read the subject. Myanmar's Junta isn't deterred by Steam. Evidently
>> they're undeterred by the content delivery system and are enjoying their
>> games of Half-Life to the full. I bet they even love the auto-update
>> feature as it means they have more time for crushing dissidents.
>>
>> "AcCeSsDeNiEd" <dillon@SpamMinuSaccessdenied.darktech.org> wrote in
>> message news:rfuf51l5a0g5afgqe6hfen1bgan5f8h57e@4ax.com...
>>> WTF has this to do with half-life/steam?
>>>
>>> FO!
>
>

Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life,alt.sufi,alt.surrealism,soc.culture.burma (More info?)

Not really. Well, not unless you count a statement of fact as being touchy.
However, I shall post again so that all may see and understand my lack of
irritation.

I'll do what I like thank you very much.

If only there were some way of conveying intonation without smilies.

"Nick" <nick@yourstuff.com> wrote in message
news:1113254156.50908.0@doris.uk.clara.net...
> Ooooh, handbags at dawn - a little touchy, aren't we?
>
> "James Whyley" <unleash@the.trout> wrote in message
> news:Hcz6e.6856$C2.1918@newsfe3-win.ntli.net...
>> I'll do what I like thank you very much.
>>
>> "Nick" <nick@yourstuff.com> wrote in message
>> news:1113212371.2692.0@ersa.uk.clara.net...
>>> Do yourselves and everyone else a favour and kill filter this jisjis
>>> arsehole.
>>>
>>> "James Whyley" <unleash@the.trout> wrote in message
>>> news:teT5e.8896$Uc7.3768@newsfe2-win.ntli.net...
>>>> Read the subject. Myanmar's Junta isn't deterred by Steam. Evidently
>>>> they're undeterred by the content delivery system and are enjoying
>>>> their games of Half-Life to the full. I bet they even love the
>>>> auto-update feature as it means they have more time for crushing
>>>> dissidents.
>>>>
>>>> "AcCeSsDeNiEd" <dillon@SpamMinuSaccessdenied.darktech.org> wrote in
>>>> message news:rfuf51l5a0g5afgqe6hfen1bgan5f8h57e@4ax.com...
>>>>> WTF has this to do with half-life/steam?
>>>>>
>>>>> FO!
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life,alt.sufi,alt.surrealism,soc.culture.burma (More info?)

Ah well, my mother never told me not to talk to strangers you see.

"Nick" <nick@yourstuff.com> wrote in message
news:1113317792.4542.0@sabbath.news.uk.clara.net...
> Ah well then, that changes everything ;o)
>
> I wasn't telling you what to do though - just suggesting... this guy
> jisjis is an utter nutter and very tiresome.
>
> "James Whyley" <unleash@the.trout> wrote in message
> newsCC6e.13361$Uc7.9115@newsfe2-win.ntli.net...
>> Not really. Well, not unless you count a statement of fact as being
>> touchy. However, I shall post again so that all may see and understand my
>> lack of irritation.
>>
>> I'll do what I like thank you very much.
>>
>> If only there were some way of conveying intonation without smilies.
>>
>> "Nick" <nick@yourstuff.com> wrote in message
>> news:1113254156.50908.0@doris.uk.clara.net...
>>> Ooooh, handbags at dawn - a little touchy, aren't we?
>>>
>>> "James Whyley" <unleash@the.trout> wrote in message
>>> news:Hcz6e.6856$C2.1918@newsfe3-win.ntli.net...
>>>> I'll do what I like thank you very much.
>>>>
>>>> "Nick" <nick@yourstuff.com> wrote in message
>>>> news:1113212371.2692.0@ersa.uk.clara.net...
>>>>> Do yourselves and everyone else a favour and kill filter this jisjis
>>>>> arsehole.
>>>>>
>>>>> "James Whyley" <unleash@the.trout> wrote in message
>>>>> news:teT5e.8896$Uc7.3768@newsfe2-win.ntli.net...
>>>>>> Read the subject. Myanmar's Junta isn't deterred by Steam. Evidently
>>>>>> they're undeterred by the content delivery system and are enjoying
>>>>>> their games of Half-Life to the full. I bet they even love the
>>>>>> auto-update feature as it means they have more time for crushing
>>>>>> dissidents.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> "AcCeSsDeNiEd" <dillon@SpamMinuSaccessdenied.darktech.org> wrote in
>>>>>> message news:rfuf51l5a0g5afgqe6hfen1bgan5f8h57e@4ax.com...
>>>>>>> WTF has this to do with half-life/steam?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> FO!
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>