Recent Events in Myanmar

[siam]

I agree that "utopia" offers a simple solution to Modern discontent---but the basis of this discontent is 1) breakdown of the identity of (westphalian system of) nation-state because of globalization 2) and Economic crisis (Capitalism which creates disproportionate inequalities)

Dr Arjun Appdurai (Anthropologist) calls this "democracy fatigue"---that is, the nation-state can no longer deliver its part of the contract---that of well-being and security, which raises discontent and that creates uncertainty which leads to an "identity crises".

[firstfloor]

[demi-conservative]

Where to start??

Aung San Suu Kyi, beloved of libs, was given nobel prize for fighting military leaders of Myanmar!! Then now she sides with military leaders, libs want to forget they liked her, try to paint her right-wing!

Sad!!!

[firstfloor]

I know this is a little off topic and we are not finished yet, but after Tannhauser, if you have the time to relax, I recommend you listen to this.

[firstfloor]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-41263073

[Rushing Jaws]

Myanmar isn't doing anything out of the ordinary. They've simply decided to respond to Muslim violence with violence of their own and they don't play around. It's the west's position of bringing in various third world savages, including Muslim rapists and murderers to harm and humiliate their citizens that's abnormal.

With not a word said about the history of Muslim savagery toward the Buddhists :( - which has now come back to bite aforesaid Muslims.

[siam]

In this view of the world, the brutal crackdown which has sent more than 370,000 Rohingya fleeing to Bangladesh is part of a long struggle against Islamic invasion of Buddhist land

One of the most telling encounters I had was with the security spokesman of Ms Suu Kyi's party in Mandalay. Myint Aung Mo believes Buddhists in Rakhine are the true victims.

"What I want to say is our Myanmar Rakhine have been attacked by terrorists in Rakhine state. I want to emphasise our ethnic group. I don't know about Muslims. I am only concerned about our ethnic Buddhists. This is what I want to say."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-41263073

This is not quite a historically accurate narrative---
It was the Burmese that invaded an independent Arakan Kingdom (presently Rakhine state) not the other way around.
from wiki:-
"The Arakanese kingdom was conquered on 31 December 1784 by the Burmese Konbaung Dynasty. In 1826, Arakan was ceded to the British as war reparation after the First Anglo-Burmese War"
It became part of "British Burma" during the colonial period and then part of the Union of Burma after 1948.

The religious landscape-
Many Rakhine peoples are Indo-Arayans from the subcontinent and were originally Hindus and Mayahana Buddhists. (Burmese prefer Theravada Buddhism) They were already trading with (pre-Islamic) Arabs, and when Islam emerged and Muslim traders came to these parts, some converted to Islam. Later, the Arakan Kings adopted "Islamic" titles of kingship and used Muslim ministers in their courts. A hybrid Islamo-Buddhist culture emerged.
http://www.rohingya.org/portal/index...of-arakan.html

this video shows an Independent Arakan kingdom in the corner...