Japan 'seriously concerned' about Myanmar's treatment of Suu Kyi

Friday 15th May, 03:59 PM JST

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15 Comments

nandakandamanda at 04:27 PM JST - 15th May

Japan is usually super circumspect with regard to relations with Myanmar. To see the Japanese Government come out and say the above is a healthy sign of independent courage. Bravo.

From the Myanmar government point of view, Aung San Suu Kyi will be dead by 2010, with just a bit more underhand pressure and a smidgen of luck. Even so you can hear them mutter: "Dang, why does she have to be the daughter of the founder of the modern nation? Grrrr.... "

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AungSanSuu_Kyi
shanabelle at 09:17 PM JST - 15th May

'Ｓeriously concerned' gee、 them's fightin' words!
smithinjapan at 09:52 PM JST - 15th May

It's all fine and dandy that they're voicing concern, and very admirable, but if it's accompanied by nothing than it's just the equivalent of wishful thinking. It's kind of like all the countries voicing 'sympathy' with Japan over the abductee issue but not saying they'll do anything about it otherwise.

Nothing wrong with it, but does the Junta care? Threaten to eliminate any and all assistance as well as voicing concern and I'll be truly impressed.
buggerlugs at 10:17 PM JST - 15th May

Japan, concerned? By what? The human rights violations? The false imprisonment? can they also say "we the hypocrite"?
nigelboy at 10:27 PM JST - 15th May

Threaten to eliminate any and all assistance as well as voicing concern and I'll be truly impressed.

But when it comes to NK....

Japan, concerned? By what? The human rights violations? The false imprisonment? can they also say "we the hypocrite"?

According to your logic, then no nation has the right to voice their concerns.
saimoe at 12:30 AM JST - 16th May

**please help all japanenese media and citizen for sake of who live in myanmar.now we are in helpless and hopeless. now i comment on your site also very dangerous for me. junta know who i'm they will catch me straight away .

please help us ! **
smithinjapan at 12:31 AM JST - 16th May

nigelboy: "But when it comes to NK...."

Show me the nukes Myanmar has and I'll perhaps say it's not wise to threaten cutting off assistance. Better yet, since you want to throw in completely unrelated issues, is Suu Kyi an abductee and hence Japan's concern (turn on sarcasm meter now!)?

Hahaha... and yet again the uber-nationalism of nigelboy comes into play. You even say 'good job' to Japan the the guy is so insecure he has to question it. But hey, if you really want to talk about NK go to one of the threads where I say Canada/US 'moral support' for Japan and the NK abduction issue is not enough and whine about how my dissing Canada/US for it is somehow Japan-bashing.

Or better yet, just whine to the mods again.

"According to your logic, then no nation has the right to voice their concerns"

I realize you are addressing buggerlugs, but what I said about you above holds true in your statement here as well. Buggerlugs was referring to dark points in Japan's history, and you chose, instead of addressing it, to simply deny it by pretending that all other countries have committed equivalent atrocities. I don't think this is the place for arguing points like what buggerlugs makes, and that includes your denial of history as well and pretending everyone else has done equally wrong.

Every nation has a right to voice concern, regardless of what they've done. Might be hypocritical, might not. As I said, though, if it's backed with nothing else I don't know what good it's going to do to a Junta who doesn't really care about world opinion or its own law.

But hey... go on and once again try to relate this to the nuclear threat of NK.
smithinjapan at 01:01 AM JST - 16th May

NYC: "Whether its the J-abduction issue, NK nukes, or the treatment of Suu Kyi, talk without action means nothing."

Not true in every case, and of course it also depends on the type of action taken in each. In this case, as I said above (and before nigelboy's uyoku rant), it is nice of Japan to voice concern, but what exactly can they do in this case in terms of action? I'd like them to do more in terms of action, but what can they do? That's not, again, unlike nigelboy would have you believe, a question of Japan's inability, it's a general question of how much sentiment means when you can't back it up with anything else (by ANY country... and by "can't" I don't mean unwillingness).
ca1ic0cat at 01:34 AM JST - 16th May

the scum rulers of Burma are taking lessons from the Ill regime. Too bad ASEAN and China continue to prop them up. It would seem that China is willing to cozy up to any repugnant government that is willing to kiss their butts. Sort of like the USA in the not so recent past (and some would argue, jpresent). Look where that got the US. Like it or not situational ethics will always come back to haunt you. There are some social norms that can not be violated without consequences.
nigelboy at 02:14 AM JST - 16th May

Show me the nukes Myanmar has and I'll perhaps say

In other words, ONE deserves AID in NK because they are considered a nuclear threat while the other one should be completely cutoff because they are not considered a nuclear threat yet.

Myanmar wants to develop nuclear technology. Since they are signatory to NPT they'll state to the world that they have no desire to develop nuclear weapons, but have the right to develop nuclear facilities for "peaceful purposes.” Hmm. Sounds familiar, doesn't it.

I don't think this is the place for arguing points like what buggerlugs makes

I agree. But you're trying.

I'll say it again. According to bugger's logic, no nation has the right to voice their concerns about Myanmar.
elbudamexicano at 07:48 AM JST - 16th May

Another slow news day, Japan "seriously concerned about Myanmar?? Yeah right, we should be more concerned to get more business going with that country! They are full of natural resources, the Chinese know this and that is why they have great relations with Myanmar and are making money hand over fist.
nigelboy at 11:30 AM JST - 17th May

What should have been clear from the get-go is that Myanmar never was, isn't, and won't be North Korea.

This is where you back it up with evidence. By doing so, we are able to discuss Myanmar while at the same time, touch a little bit about NK.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/JJ04Ae01.html

"A recent flurry of high-level contacts between North Korea and Myanmar raises new nuclear proliferation concerns between the two pariah states, one of which already possesses nuclear-weapon capabilities and the other possibly aspiring.

At least three delegations led by flag-level officers from Myanmar's army have traveled to Pyongyang in the past three months, hot on the heels of the two sides' re-establishment last year of formal diplomatic relations. According to a source familiar with the travel itineraries of Myanmar officials, Brigadier General Aung Thein Lin visited North Korea in mid-September. "
smithinjapan at 12:34 PM JST - 17th May

nigelboy: "this is where you back it up with evidence."

People with a brain take note. Evidently accordingy to nigelboy if you are against what is happening you are somehow siding with NKorea on a completely unlrelated issue. Thank God he's not a movie director.... just imagine: "North Korea: Go Against Me, But Please Say Please!", or, "We say Giblets, you say gravy.... either way I'm on my knees!"

Sorry... the 'on my knees' part was just how nigelboy begs his Chinese ancestors for forgiveneness, when he realizes how utterly weak he is as a human beinging.
nigelboy at 12:46 PM JST - 17th May

Evidently accordingy to nigelboy if you are against what is happening you are somehow siding with NKorea on a completely unlrelated issue

No smith. You are siding AGAINST Japan on EVERY issue.

Now, please answer my question.

You think ONE nation deserves AID in NK because they are considered a nuclear threat while the other one (MYANMAR) should be completely cutoff because they are not considered a nuclear threat yet?

Moderator: North Korea is not relevant to this discussion. Posts that refer to it will be removed.
smithinjapan at 07:43 PM JST - 17th May

nigelboy: you need to understand that Japan is a wee little country on the globe, with a certain amount of economic clout, and a whole lot of style and tradition. I think it's awesome that they are voicing concern about Suu Kyi, but I don't think it's going to have any effect on the powers that be in that country if there is nothing that hurts them.

Good on Japan for voicing displeasure, but I would like to see more (not only from Japan, but from everyone -- deal with it, nigelboy).