Defying the despots - Aung San Suu Kyi

[Serendipity]

For 13 years and 294 days, she has been on house arrest. This charismatic and internationally respected lady's husband (Michael Aris and Oxford scholar) died of cancer in 1999 at age 53 and she was unable to see him, he was refused entry by the junta and she would not be allowed to return, if she went. Her two sons, now in their 30s, have not seen her for a decade.
On Tuesday, she was sentenced to at least another 18 months of house arrest (originally 3 years of hard labour) because an eccentric American well wisher swam a lake to the home where she was being detained visited her. This American is now sentenced to 7 years' hard labour. For the time she was being detained and is still being detained, as far as visitors go, she is lucky if she receives a monthly visit from her doctor.
To me, she is a model of dignity and composure. When given this new sentence, her reaction was remarkably stoical. She is a true daughter of Burma's post-war independence leader Aung San - her father's daughter.

[Naka]

Looking at the bigger picture, this is my understanding of the importance of Burma to The West and also to China.

The West has a very strong influence in the strategic sea route in S.E.A. with the Governments in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand & Indonesia.

Whereas China may not have that influences with these countries and so she is worried that one day if there is a conflict with The West, they may impose a naval blockage of this sea route. So China's fuels & trades with countries in The Middle East would be severely affected.

China cannot afford to loose Burma because Burma can serve as an alternative sea & land route to the southern part of China & to other parts of the country.

I read somewhere that huge pipe lines may have been constructed by China in Burma to carry the fuels from the Middle East to the southern part of China which is so much cheaper than going through the Strait of Malacca & the South China sea.

So to China, Burma is a very important strategic country for her survival.

For years, the West wanted to control Burma ( who is not keen to open up the country to foreigners) but to no avail for Burma and China are in good terms.

Naturally China is also wary of Ms Aung san suu Kyi who is strongly Pro-Western.

Right now, the only thing The West can do is create as much issues as possible with the house arrest of Ms Aung San Suu Kyi in the international media.

That's my thought.

[Serendipity]

Anyone using the term "Myanmar" for Burma should be corrected. It is a name imposed by the gangsters in Rangoon. Only a democratically elected government of Burma, or the people in a referendum, have the authority to change the country's name to "Myanmar".
Guilt or innocence of Aung San Suu Kyi is not up to the junta to determine. Burma is her country and her detention has always been illegal as has every measure taken to enforce it. The only lawful government of Burma is that which was elected by the people on May 27, 1990, and overthrown by armed criminals whose party was crushed in the election. The lawful Prime Minister is Sein Win. For information on the current legitimate government of Burma see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Coalition_Government_of_the_Union_of_Burm a . There is also information on the legitimate government of Burma at http://www.ncgub.net/ .