The League of Nations was founded on the aftermath of World War I while The United Nations was founded on the aftermath of World War II. Both organizations were founded as a means to prevent another world war, the League of Nations failed in this aspect. Neither the League or the UN do not have their own armed forces, instead they have to depend on the military of the member states and the sternest punishment they could give to a member which has violated international laws and treaties was economic sanctions which member states are often reluctant to do. Not to mention the fact that even if economic sanctions were placed, member states who did not support the sanctions could still deal with the punished nation.
Though both organizations were created with the intention of protecting the interests of the world as a whole, more often than not, member nations prioritized their national interests above the interests of the world. Many times both organizations have closed their eyes to transgressions of powerful member states or member states backed by powerful ones in the name of ‘world peace’ leading to many failures to act in accordance with their charters.
With the recent devastation in Burma after cyclone Nargis tore through an important part of the country the UN is failing to act efficiently and effectively, similar to the way the League of Nations failed to act against Nazi Germany and fascist Italy and Japan.
*article in edit*
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Disaster Profiteering?
War Profiteering by selling weapons to those who are fighting is understandable, but how about Disaster Profiteering? What kind of cruel government in this modern day dares to profit from the suffering of hundreds of thousands?
Obviously the military junta of Burma.
After the May 2nd landfall of Cyclone Nargis in Burma this year, not only have the junta failed to provide rapid relief to the victims but now is trying to profiteer from the suffering of hundreds of thousands.
Hording the donated aid supplies by the international community for the victims and replace them with low quality local produce, selling aid items on the black market for profits, and now charging US$1500 per communication set needed by aid agencies in their relief efforts and limiting each agency to only have a maximum 10 sets. Not only that but also restricting the agencies from importing the much needed communications gear which would greatly help coordinate the relief effort.
It has been 15 days since Nargis swept its way through Burma and the death toll has reached over 70,000 with a further 50,000+ missing. INGOs and journalists who are risking their lives to tell the world about the disaster are reporting that there are still many thousands who have not received aid and there are thousands of children who are facing starvation. And with all this suffering the junta is still delaying the arrival of aid and focusing on the referendum vote.
The US, UK and French have naval vessels just a few nautical miles away from Burmese territorial waters waiting with much needed supplies and experienced personnel to help and the junta would rather let hundreds of thousands die just to protect it's own illegitimate government.
In Europe, in Africa, such governments are disposed of quickly. Then UN and NATO/US used military force to stop the atrocities which happened in Kosovo, Serbia, Sudan, but when it comes to Burma, China and India, which are members of the UNSC, are afraid that if the junta is disposed by NATO/US and UN Forces they will lose the monopoly of the vast natural resources in Burma.
Obviously the military junta of Burma.
After the May 2nd landfall of Cyclone Nargis in Burma this year, not only have the junta failed to provide rapid relief to the victims but now is trying to profiteer from the suffering of hundreds of thousands.
Hording the donated aid supplies by the international community for the victims and replace them with low quality local produce, selling aid items on the black market for profits, and now charging US$1500 per communication set needed by aid agencies in their relief efforts and limiting each agency to only have a maximum 10 sets. Not only that but also restricting the agencies from importing the much needed communications gear which would greatly help coordinate the relief effort.
It has been 15 days since Nargis swept its way through Burma and the death toll has reached over 70,000 with a further 50,000+ missing. INGOs and journalists who are risking their lives to tell the world about the disaster are reporting that there are still many thousands who have not received aid and there are thousands of children who are facing starvation. And with all this suffering the junta is still delaying the arrival of aid and focusing on the referendum vote.
The US, UK and French have naval vessels just a few nautical miles away from Burmese territorial waters waiting with much needed supplies and experienced personnel to help and the junta would rather let hundreds of thousands die just to protect it's own illegitimate government.
In Europe, in Africa, such governments are disposed of quickly. Then UN and NATO/US used military force to stop the atrocities which happened in Kosovo, Serbia, Sudan, but when it comes to Burma, China and India, which are members of the UNSC, are afraid that if the junta is disposed by NATO/US and UN Forces they will lose the monopoly of the vast natural resources in Burma.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Fighting Terror with Terror
For decades now, the military junta of Burma has used force, terror and violence to oppress the people and keep their iron grip on the country. However with the recent disaster of Cyclone Nargis and last year's crackdown on monks and peaceful protesters the world has seen how cruel and inhuman the junta is.
Peaceful diplomatic means, economical sanctions, etc have been tried and the junta still isn't budging.
So is it time to use force, terror and violence (the same tools that the junta has been using for the past few decades) against them?
The junta kills civilians so should we go after their children, relatives, cronies who are living overseas. For example many Burmese ambassadors (for example the Ambassador in Geneva, Switzerland) posted in the junta's various embassies are from the military and not the civil staff that it once was. So should we take these people from the military out, similar to the way the Israeli government punished those responsible for the murder of several Jewish athletes during the Olympic Games in Munich, 1972?
Should the international community call for a Jihad against these inhuman mass murderers?
Friday, May 16, 2008
The tortures of Hell
Is killing Than Shwe and his cronies enough? The people Burma, of all age, gender and ethnic group, have suffered under the harsh junta for a long time that many of them do not remember what freedom and liberty means. All they can do is work under the hot sun and struggle to feed their families.
So is just capturing Than Shwe and his cronies and executing enough? Should we show them the tortures of Hell?
So is just capturing Than Shwe and his cronies and executing enough? Should we show them the tortures of Hell?
The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants
Thomas Jefferson once said "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."
Well 78,000 dead and another 56,000 missing due to Cyclone Nargis alone; and many more unaccounted for over the years under the rule of this harsh junta. The tree of liberty has more than enough blood of patriots and not enough blood of tyrants.
In light of the upcoming Olympics in Beijing, China doesn't want to get involved with the junta and its affairs. ASEAN seems to have washed its hands off the junta by declaring sometime ago that in any International Forum, the junta must defend itself, it wont defend the junta. The EU and US with the recent setbacks in the middle east they don't want to initiate something new. And the UN under this new SG called Ban Ki-moon is weak, no surprise here.
All these parties want the situation in Burma to go away, they don't want to deal with it, but no amount of wishing or pretending it isn't happening will ever hide the fact that thousands are dying and suffering in Burma for various reasons (recently due to Nargis) and all due to the callous attitude, ignorance and selfishness of the junta under a man (though he doesn't even rate the level of a dog or amoeba) who fancies himself all powerful god (more like god of dung though). The international community is being fooled and led around by it's nose by this barbarian, no pride or respect at all.
Well as stated earlier, the tree of liberty has more than enough blood of patriots, its time to feed it the blood of tyrants.
Well 78,000 dead and another 56,000 missing due to Cyclone Nargis alone; and many more unaccounted for over the years under the rule of this harsh junta. The tree of liberty has more than enough blood of patriots and not enough blood of tyrants.
In light of the upcoming Olympics in Beijing, China doesn't want to get involved with the junta and its affairs. ASEAN seems to have washed its hands off the junta by declaring sometime ago that in any International Forum, the junta must defend itself, it wont defend the junta. The EU and US with the recent setbacks in the middle east they don't want to initiate something new. And the UN under this new SG called Ban Ki-moon is weak, no surprise here.
All these parties want the situation in Burma to go away, they don't want to deal with it, but no amount of wishing or pretending it isn't happening will ever hide the fact that thousands are dying and suffering in Burma for various reasons (recently due to Nargis) and all due to the callous attitude, ignorance and selfishness of the junta under a man (though he doesn't even rate the level of a dog or amoeba) who fancies himself all powerful god (more like god of dung though). The international community is being fooled and led around by it's nose by this barbarian, no pride or respect at all.
Well as stated earlier, the tree of liberty has more than enough blood of patriots, its time to feed it the blood of tyrants.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
The First Law of Humanity: The world should not harm innocents or through inaction allow innocents to be harmed.
When Isaac Asimove first specified the Three Laws of Robotics back in 1942 during the height of World War II which states as follows:
1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
At that time he was probably trying to write a science fiction story which would attract the readers but sometimes you have to wonder whether he was trying to tell the world that humans also need a set of laws for humanity in relation to the world as nations fought against people like Hitler.
Now, once again the world faces a modern day Hitler, in the guise of an Asian despot called Than Shwe (nicknamed Golden Flea, a pun on his name). After the devastation left by cyclone Nargis nearly two weeks ago, the world is still deadlocked on how to deal with the military junta in Burma which is denying access to aid relief workers who can efficiently coordinate and help the victims of the cyclone. Several nations have asked the UN to implement the Resolution Responsibility to Protect while other nations oppose it stating that it is a violation of the sovereignty of a nation. And still very little aid is reaching the victims, while the world argues, who are dying from disease and hunger after being weakened drastically by Nargis.
The world should take an example from Asimov's three laws and create their own three laws which apply to humanity as a whole. And the first of all the laws should be:
1. The World should not harm innocents or, through inaction, allow innocents to be harmed.
1. A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.
2. A robot must obey orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.
3. A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Law.
At that time he was probably trying to write a science fiction story which would attract the readers but sometimes you have to wonder whether he was trying to tell the world that humans also need a set of laws for humanity in relation to the world as nations fought against people like Hitler.
Now, once again the world faces a modern day Hitler, in the guise of an Asian despot called Than Shwe (nicknamed Golden Flea, a pun on his name). After the devastation left by cyclone Nargis nearly two weeks ago, the world is still deadlocked on how to deal with the military junta in Burma which is denying access to aid relief workers who can efficiently coordinate and help the victims of the cyclone. Several nations have asked the UN to implement the Resolution Responsibility to Protect while other nations oppose it stating that it is a violation of the sovereignty of a nation. And still very little aid is reaching the victims, while the world argues, who are dying from disease and hunger after being weakened drastically by Nargis.
The world should take an example from Asimov's three laws and create their own three laws which apply to humanity as a whole. And the first of all the laws should be:
1. The World should not harm innocents or, through inaction, allow innocents to be harmed.
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