Money Speaks Louder than Words

The Irrawaddy News Magazine Online Edition: "Investment speaks louder than people. While the Burmese are struggling to loosen the stranglehold the military dictatorship has on Burma, recent foreign investment in the country has been massive, and it is these funds that keep the regime in power.

Asean, the EU and a host of other countries have used diplomatic channels to ‘voice’ their ‘disapproval’ of the regime. Their collective tone has been soft. Meaningless statements like ‘distance ourselves,’ ‘meaningful engagement,’ ‘demonstrated progress’ and a ‘soft-approach’ hardening to ‘firmer’ have been nothing more than a smokescreen, while investment in Burma surged. Diplomatic posturing has achieved nothing in the 17 years since Aung San Suu Kyi was first arrested a year before winning the 1990 election. She is still under house arrest and tens of thousands of ethnic people are still being forced from their burning homes.

Most of the foreign investment is from corporations and countries eager to get their hands on Burma’s natural resources. China and India have signed deals and an energy alliance worth millions of dollars to siphon Burma’s oil and gas resources. "

(Via Irrepressible.info.)