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Foreign Affairs = more than trade

Posted by Maryan Street on October 21st, 2011

You could be forgiven for thinking that our only interest in other countries under this government, is how much money we can make out of them.

Yesterday, at an NZIIA seminar at Victoria University, I released our Foreign Affairs policy. MurrayMcCully had given the opening speech and every country or region he mentioned was couched in terms of our Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with them, an emerging FTA with them, the desirability of an FTA or other bilateral economic agreement with them and how well we were doing because of them.

Don’t get me wrong – I am a great supporter of FTAs as long as we don’t concede our sovereignty and they can be negotiated in a more open way which engages the non-government sector as well. But for Labour, Foreign Affairs is also about peace, security, conflict resolution, disarmament, multilateralism, human rights, climate change, environmental protection and restoration, disaster relief, good governance and democratic representation, and most importantly, people to people exchanges and relationships.

Without a viable and secure planet, all the global supply chains you can think of count for nothing.

Our independent foreign policy is a source of great pride for us. It has been most enhanced in our history by great Labour Prime Ministers: Peter Fraser, Norman Kirk, David Lange and Helen Clark. We will build on that tradition.

We will bring human rights and a commitment to multilateral international decision-making back to the fore again. They have been languishing on the back burner under the National government.

Have a look at the policy – comments are welcomed.

Oh – and for those who wonder why there is no mention of Afghanistan – that is simply because our position on that is well known, has been well reported and has been the same since late 2005. In case you have missed it (!) : Labour would not have sent the fourth rotation of SAS troops back to Afghanistan. The SAS should no longer be deployed there. A Labour government will bring them home. We will progressively withdraw our Provincial Reconstruction Team as well, in an exit strategy worked out in consultation with other forces with whom we are working in Bamyan. The fight can only be won in Afghanistan if the government there wins the hearts and minds of the people. That hasn’t happened. Time to come home.

Filed under: Foreign Affairs, climate change, democracy, disarmament, environment, human rights, international, overseas aid, trade, war
5 Comments

Release of Foreign Affairs policy pending

Posted by Maryan Street on October 20th, 2011

I will be releasing Labour’s Foreign Affairs policy this afternoon at 2pm. It will include our role in the world and particularly in the Pacific, as well as our views on disarmament, human rights, the United Nations and MFAT reform. I released our Overseas Development Assistance policy separately two weeks ago – www.ownourfuture.co.nz/overseas-development-assistance.

I will post a more expansive blog later today.

Filed under: #ownourfuture, Foreign Affairs, Pacific issues, disarmament, human rights, overseas aid
2 Comments

Restoring the Refugee Study Grant

Posted by Grant Robertson on October 15th, 2011

In Labour’s tertiary education policy announced by David Shearer earlier this week was a small, but very important commitment from Labour. If elected to government we will restore the Refugee Study Grant. This grant was canned by the National Government in the 2009 Budget with effect from this year. When I was Tertiary Education Spokesperson for a while I met several people who had greatly benefited from the grant, and I am so pleased that we have committed to restoring it.

What the grant has provided is support for refugees mainly for bridging courses or other courses to meet pre-requisites. While as permanent residents refugees can access student loans, many need support to get to the level to be able to undertake tertiary study. Not having the support can mean that opportunities are missed and refugees dont get the kick start that can allow them to achieve their potential.

Mohammed Amri is one example. He was one of the Tampa boat boys. A bright guy, but with little experience of English or learning in a New Zealand environment, who took language, reading and writing skill courses that got him his start on the way to a degree. Another example is a young woman I met, who’s story is included in the publication by Changemakers Refugee Forum as part of their campaign to see refugees recognised as an equity group. She was 19 and still at school here trying to catch up with her peers. She did well, but was not ready to do tertiary study. She was losing motivation for school, doing long hours working at a supermarket, acting as an interpreter for her family, and wanted to get on with her life. She accessed the refugee study grant, got the support to lift her literacy skills, understand the pecularities of New Zealand langauge, and gain entry to a degree at Victoria University. She’s doing really well.

All of this came from a fund that used about $1.3 million a year. In the grand scheme of the Budget, not that much. But it was a lower priority for National in that particular Budget than extra funding for private schools. I am really proud that Labour is saying we will give some extra support to people who have had to flee their homes, who have endured hardship, so that they may achieve their potential, have a fair go at owning their future, and fully contribute to our society. Its the right thing to do.

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Filed under: Tertiary education, education, human rights, students
2 Comments

Release of Overseas Aid policy

Posted by Maryan Street on October 11th, 2011

Today I released our Overseas Development Assistance policy. This is one point of distinct difference we have from the Nats in the Foreign Affairs basket of interests and issues. The points are simple:

1. Restore poverty elimination as the primary focus of overseas aid, as opposed to economic development, as the Nats have prioritised. Get back on board with achieving the Millennium Development Goals, especially here in the Pacific, and that includes education to improve literacy, access to health services like maternal and child health, HIV/AIDS prevention programmes, sexual and reproductive health programmes.  Stop handing aid dollars out to business friends without tender, so they can line their own pockets AND feel good about themselves at the same time.

2. Redevelop a strategic partnership with the NGO sector and develop best practice again, as we were known for previously. If there are inefficiencies in aid delivery through NGOs, let’s sort that out, but let’s not alienate some of our experts by adopting McCully’s “4 legs good, 2 legs bad” approach to the sector. In other words, if it comes out of the private sector, it must be good. If it comes out of the not for profit or, god forbid, the public sector, it must be bad.

3. We will set up NZAID with semi-autonomous status, taken back out of MFAT and based on sound principles of development analysis and research. Stop the blurring of the boundaries between aid and foreign policy objectives where it is too easy to slip into chequebook diplomacy.

4. We will build on our experience in reconstruction and peace-making to develop a specialist capability in mediation and conflict resolution.

Those are the main points. You can see the whole thing here. Comments welcome.

Filed under: #ownourfuture, Foreign Affairs, Pacific issues, human rights, international, overseas aid, peace
10 Comments

Aid to Libya – what about the Horn of Africa?

Posted by Maryan Street on August 26th, 2011

A few days ago, John Key announced that NZ would be giving “millions” to the National Transitional Council representing the rebels in Libya, ahead of UN recognition of the NTC and any request from them for such aid.

What the hell is this about? Libya is an oil-rich country. The UN is right now moving to lift the freeze on Libyan assets to the tune of $US1.5 billion, so why does the NTC need money from NZ? Who is pulling Key’s strings here? And did he tell his Foreign Affairs Minister? Where is the money coming from? Are we going to cut even more of the aid programmes in the Pacific to divert money to a country which doesn’t need it? These questions need answering.

Don’t get me wrong – I think we should assist Libya as it moves towards democracy, even if it is not as we know it. They will need assistance by way of training people in the maintenance of the rule of law, the establishment of accountable public structures which are transparent to the people, governance matters, etc. That’s where we can help.

And while John Key is distributing unnecessary largesse to an organisation which has yet to get full international recognition, Murray McCully has been dragging his heels in disbursing aid promised 6 weeks ago to the relief effort in the Horn of Africa. Children are dying by the thousands from the worst drought in 20 years and a call on our aid budget in this respect is legitimate and compelled by any humanitarian impulse.

But McCully has dicked about with disbursing this money – only just an hour or two ago, putting out a release that says he has made the decision on which NGOs will get the $1million promised 6 weeks ago. Provoked by bad press. How principled. What about the $1million promised to the World Food Programme? When did that get paid, if it has been?

Not good enough, Murray.

Filed under: Foreign Affairs, democracy, human rights, international, overseas aid
26 Comments

Morality tale #2

Posted by Clare Curran on August 14th, 2011

Social order, corporate dominance vs free speech and the taming of the internet. How important is this?

Can and should governments be able to shut down social media and disable citizens access to the internet during times of social unrest? And if they can do that, what else can they do? Have a read of this:

One of the anti-riot measures recently suggested by British PM David Cameron is to prevent rioters from using Twitter and other social networking websites. Such a tactic, which was slammed as a trick resorted to only by authoritarian governments in the past, has had a great impact on world media.

The bold measure indicates that Britain is at its wit’s end on how to stop the country’s worst riots in decades.

Cameron’s suggestion to block social networking websites smashes basic concepts of freedom of speech in the West, which always takes the moral high ground in criticizing the reluctant development of Internet freedom in developing countries.

The violence has brought a comprehensive and diverse influence on the whole of the West. Created by globalization and the development of the Internet, the headache of governance suffered by developing countries has now spread to their developed peers.

Democracy and freedom of speech should have their pragmatic connotations and denotations. The Chinese edition website of the Financial Times carried an article on Friday titled “What is the bottom line of freedom of speech?” Fanned by the rapid development of the Internet, the requirement for freedom of speech is trespassing the boundaries of the current political system in the West, it warned.

I wrote a post in January about this after the riots in Egypt when the government attempted to shut down the internet. Back then it seemed unthinkable that a western democracy would contemplate such a thing. But in the UK that’s what’s now being discussed.

There is a much wider context to this debate. It’s called net neutrality. And yes, it’s about power and vested interests. So watch out.

Net neutrality is the guiding principle that preserves the free and open Internet. Net Neutrality means that Internet service providers may not discriminate between different kinds of content and applications online. It guarantees a level playing field for all Web sites and Internet technologies. But all that could change.

I believe any government should be very very careful before it rushes out in the heat of the moment promising to shut down communication channel in order to preserve social order.  Doing that affects all of us. And some fundamental principles upon which our society and our political system is built.

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Filed under: #OpenLabourNZ, #ownourfuture, Social media, censorship, comms & IT, democracy, human rights, internet
24 Comments

8.8.88

Posted by Maryan Street on August 9th, 2011

Yesterday was the 23rd anniversary of the massacre of 3000 protesters who wanted democracy in Burma. They were Buddhist monks, students, activists and workers. They were gunned down by the military regime for daring to want freedom, peace and democracy. 2200 political prisoners still languish in Burmese prisons. In Norway or Burma, democracy is a threat to some people.

I went to my fifth commemoration of this event in Nelson yesterday. It gets bigger every time. We have more ethnic groups arriving from Burma and they bring new horror stories of murder, rape and persecution.

One woman who knows about perpetual struggle in a way to which I will never have to become accustomed, is Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Here is a message from Aung San Suu Kyi – yes, to us in NZ – about the Burmese struggle. Enough said.

Filed under: Burma, Foreign Affairs, civil liberties, democracy, disarmament, human rights, international
1 Comment

Fiji – our neighbourhood – our concern

Posted by Darien Fenton on August 7th, 2011

Sometimes I wonder if New Zealanders who continue to visit Fiji for its sun and resorts really understand how serious the situation is, especially when it comes to human and workers’ rights. Perhaps if they did, they might not be so keen to visit.

In the past months, the regime has turned its guns on free trade unions and it’s going from bad to worse. This week the President of Fiji’s Trades Union Congress, Daniel Urai was arrested for holding an “unauthorised” union meeting and a new decree placing further restrictions on workers’ rights was introduced. This comes after the recent arrest of the internationally respected Secretary of the Fiji Trades Union Congress, Felix Anthony, who recently visited New Zealand to talk with unions about the situation in Fiji. There are mounting concerns he will be arrested again shortly.

The decree adopted this week is called “Essential National Industries Employment Decree” which appears to:

  • Ban all strikes, slowdowns, sick actions or any action that may negatively impact on the employer
  • Ban unions from representing workers in negotiating collective bargaining outcomes
  • Void all current collective agreements within 60 days
  • Provide that after 60 days period any strike or lockout may take place only with the written authority of the Minister
  • Prohibit overtime payments, including for weekend work, work on days off, and work on public holidays unless agreed to by the employer
  • Cancel all current Wages Council Orders regarding minimum terms and conditions of work in designated industries
  • Require that all members, office bearers, officers and executives of the union be employees of the designated company.

The decree applies to all Government owned industries and any other that the Minister may designate.  Individuals who break the decree can be fined $50,000 and five years imprisonment. Unions can be fined $100,000.

This is another attempt by the military regime to suppress dissenting views, using intimidation tactics designed to instill fear in workers and unions.

And in a bizarre twist, KFC has closed its three stores in Fiji, claiming Commodore Frank Bainimarama’s regime has blocked imports of ingredients until the secret recipe was revealed.

I think the tourists will survive the demise of KFC in Fiji, but the attack on workers’ and human rights in our own Pacific neighbourhood is something we should all be very worried about.

I hope our government will see it that way and let the regime know that this is unacceptable to New Zealand.

And if you are planning to visit Fiji, I don’t begrudge you a nice holiday, but you do need to go with your eyes wide open.

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Filed under: Workers, human rights, international, workers rights
20 Comments

Couldn’t have put it better….

Posted by Maryan Street on July 19th, 2011

How’s this for speaking a thousand words from the clever pen of Moreu, usually in the Nelson Mail, but sometimes distributed more widely through Fairfax.

Courtesy of the Nelson Mail.

Courtesy of the Nelson Mail

Filed under: ACC, Foreign Affairs, human rights, humour
7 Comments

It was 25 years ago today

Posted by Grant Robertson on July 9th, 2011

When Trevor Mallard holds up his fingers in the House, it might not always be a friendly gesture, but on the night of July the 9th 1986, his gesture of holding up 5 fingers confirmed to supporters in the Gallery that the Homosexual Law Reform Bill had a majority of five and would pass into law. Trevor was the numbers person for Fran Wilde, the Bill’s sponsor. Their work in Parliament, supported by the likes of Ruth Dyson who was working for Fran, and other Parliamentarians was one element of the success of the campaign.

The other was the grassroots movement from right around New Zealand that kept the pressure up for law reform. In Wellington people like Bill Logan, Alison Laurie and David Hindley were the leaders. The marchers were not just gays and lesbians but their families and supporters who withstood awful hate and prejudice to demand the basic right of consenting adults to live their lives free from potential criminal prosecution.

I wasn’t in Parliament that night or in Wellington. I was a 14 year old living in Dunedin. I do remember the campaign on the Bill. My family was active in the Presbyterian Church, and the anti law reform petition did the rounds at a number of church events. I was interested in the outcome of the debate and years later when I was moving out of home I found I had clipped from the newspaper who had voted for and against the Bill, though I have no memory of doing so.

But the real impact for me of the Bill is that it has allowed me to grow up and live my life freely. That is not to say that there is not still discrimination and stigma for gay people, because it is still very real for some people. But for me, sitting here as an MP, I have been able to pursue my dreams and goals, and live my life as I choose in part because of those people in Parliament and outside, who campaigned so hard 25 years ago. It is a curious twist that the fact that I can be an MP and not focus on my sexuality, but on the whole of my beliefs, values and policy is a result of all those who stood up for what was right. I, and many others, owe them all a huge debt of gratitude.

In any case some interesting articles on the anniversary today, including arch opponent of the legislation Geoff Braybrooke even conceding that his “fears” have not materialised. Its true folks, the world did not end and the sky did not fall in!

UPDATE; Some footage from the time in this clip courtesy of NZ On Screen.

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Filed under: human rights
7 Comments

It’s a cracker

Posted by Clare Curran on June 25th, 2011

Come home John Clarke. If I say it often enough will he hear me?

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Filed under: Immigration, human rights, humour
6 Comments

Ugandan Parliament closes without passing anti-homosexual bill

Posted by Maryan Street on May 18th, 2011

Last week the Ugandan Parliament closed without debating the much feared anti-homosexual law being promoted by a single MP. People around the world rose up in protest. I went online to register my objection and lots of you did as well, I know. I have also raised this issue directly with the Deputy Speaker of the Ugandan Parliament, when I met her last year.

All the effort has worked. Have a look at this video and be inspired!

Filed under: Foreign Affairs, human rights, international
16 Comments

On torture

Posted by Maryan Street on May 15th, 2011

Last week the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade select committee considered a resolution from Keith Locke (Greens) calling for an inquiry by the committee into the allegations raised in the recent Metro article, that NZ Defence Forces in Afghanistan had handed detainees over to other forces (US and Afghani) who were known to torture prisoners for information. This would be in breach of the Geneva Convention, the UN Convention Against Torture, human rights in general and make a mockery of our current participation at an international level on the UN Subcommittee for the Prevention of Torture.

The Nats on the committee decided to block this inquiry. Labour and the Greens voted in favour of it and the Nats rolled us with their majority.

At the end of last year, I asked for the NZ Defence Force to come to the FADT committee and explain how the “rules of engagement” in war worked and how we maintained our commitment to our well known anti-torture position, especially in Afghanistan. This was long before there was a whiff of a story from Jon Stephenson (Metro).  Kevin Riordan (NZDF’s head legal man) came and gave us a full briefing in public session (although noone from the public was there!), explaining that when detainees are held by NZDF soldiers, the decision on who to hand them over to, particularly if we knew they were likely to be tortured, went right back to the head of our NZDF. This isn’t a decision made by anybody in the field – it goes right to the top – in this case, GG-designate, Gerry Mataparae.

Why wouldn’t we have an inquiry into this? Our international reputation is being impugned by this journo. Are there any grounds for that? Even if it happened on Labour’s watch, wouldn’t we want to know so that it didn’t happen again? Labour is happy for an inquiry to occur. Why did the Nats vote it down?

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Filed under: Foreign Affairs, human rights, select committee
12 Comments

Take a Stand Against Bullying

Posted by Grant Robertson on April 14th, 2011

I can remember my experience of bullying. I have struggled with my weight since I was a kid. Being overweight is a really easy thing for bullies to pick on. Its visual, its obvious, and its something that the person is normally very sensitive about. At intermediate school I was taunted for a short period by a guy who’s name I hardly remember. I was scared, but I didn’t want to tell anyone. I don’t think I ever even told my parents. After a while I had had enough and I stood up to the guy concerned. He disappeared from my life, though I am pretty sure I would not have been the last person he picked on.

Bullying has been around forever, but that does not mean we should give up on stamping it out. There has been some sickening images of bullying on our televisions of late. And we need to work together to say that there is no room for bullies.

Today is Pink Shirt Day. This began in Canada in 2007 when two classmates saw someone being bullied and decided to do something about it. Its not just about wearing a pink shirt, there is now a whole campaign attached to stopping bullying. This year has received a boost with the involvement of New Zealand Olympian Blake Skjellerup. Have a watch of Blake’s video, and look at the website that is linked up above, and do your bit.

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Filed under: education, human rights
3 Comments

What about taking a leaf out of Hague’s book, Key?

Posted by Maryan Street on January 21st, 2011

William Hague has been here for 2 days and leaves this evening. He is the UK Foreign Affairs Secretary and he has been paying NZ the first bilateral visit of a Foreign Affairs Secretary for perhaps 30 years. He’s a clever bloke. I remember him as the incoming Leader of the Opposition in 1997 when I was in Britain and Tony Blair romped in. He got a terrible pasting from the media (as Leaders of the Opposition do….) but has turned out to be a very significant political presence in the Tory front bench in Opposition and now in the UK Cabinet.

I can’t fault his principled approach to Foreign Affairs. He has been forthright about human rights, calling it the conscience of Foreign Affairs. He has spoken out about the threatened stoning of Sakineh Ashtiani in Iran, for alleged adultery. Our government said nothing. He was quick to call the Burmese elections a charade and prompt to support Aung San Suu Kyi’s release - our government was virtually mute on these events, until pressed.

He has maintained overseas aid commitments, despite the biting impact of the recession in Britain, pledging concretely to save the lives of 50,000 mothers and a quarter of a million babies around the neediest parts of the world by 2015, in pursuit of the Millenium Development Goals.  Our government turns overseas aid into private sector gains because in their view, getting the private sector to provide economic growth is the beginning and end of development assistance. Millenium Development Goals are ignored.

Hague has also committed to getting to .7% of GDP in aid by 2013 – an extraordinary commitment in these times of government cuts. We only got half way to that in the good times at .35%. I can’t see this government prioritising it any higher.

He promotes the participation of women in peacebuilding  negotiations and reconciliation teams in regions of conflict, in line with UN resolution 1325. Our government couldn’t give a toss.

Hague sees an effective global response to climate change as the thing to underpin security and prosperity. Our government promotes an Emissions Trading Scheme which is a laughing stock.

I hope William Hague and Murray McCully had a good talk or two. They are both conservatives after all. We haven’t done what the UK tells us to for years and nor should we. But there is no harm in learning from the efforts of people with whom we have a great deal in common.

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Filed under: Foreign Affairs, human rights, overseas aid
6 Comments

Don’t dump on the do-gooders

Posted by Darien Fenton on January 9th, 2011

Paul Thomas had a good article in the NZ Herald yesterday, where he describes the work Jimmy Carter has been doing since he lost the US Presidency in 1980.

Apparently, he’s on the verge of eradicating the guinea worm – a parasite that is ingested from drinking water and grows to around a metre in length, then erupts from blisters (eewww I know!)

The Carter Foundation’s campaign of education and distribution of water purification strainers has reduced the number of cases from three million reported cases in 1980  to 1700 last year, mostly in Sudan.

Yet, as Paul Thomas says :

(Jimmy Carter)… remains the benchmark of liberal ineffectuality and a prime target of that curious pejorative, habitually delivered with a curl of the lip, do-gooder.Carter is routinely described as a peanut farmer, which is true as far as it goes. He was also a naval officer involved in America’s nuclear submarine programme and a modernising governor of Georgia, but those parts of his CV don’t conform to the narrative.

Sarah Palin, who during the 2008 presidential campaign sneered at Barack Obama’s background as a community organiser, recently joined the dots. Asked to summarise Obama’s presidency, she offered, “Two words: Jimmy Carter.”

This is the same Sarah Palin who, since she resigned her Alaska governship, has made $16 million through books, speaking engagements and appearances on Fox News.

It says something about today’s society that we (some) hang on Palin’s every tweet and treat her as a serious political figure when all she seems to be good at, or interested in, is self-promotion, while continuing to deprecate Carter despite his measurable contribution to mankind.

I agree. And don’t we see it here?  The denigration of those whose work involves helping others, rather than themselves and whose causes are about more than building personal wealth.

We need to value and respect those who are dedicated through their work or community involvement or activism, to doing good and to fighting for important causes.

Because if they don’t, who will?

Filed under: Foreign Affairs, community, health, human rights, inequality, poverty
42 Comments

Human Rights Day

Posted by Maryan Street on December 11th, 2010

10 December is recognised as World Human Rights Day. This message is late going up because I had to wait for the UN to post some material. Have a look at any of the stuff this link gives you access to. It will remind you of what the struggle for human rights means in a range of places around the world.

You might also want to read (or at least have a browse through) the NZ Human Rights Commission’s report on Human Rights in NZ. We have some work to do here as well.

Filed under: Foreign Affairs, civil liberties, democracy, human rights, international
10 Comments

Australians to debate gay marriage

Posted by Clare Curran on November 18th, 2010

Breaking News:

Well done to the Australian Greens for pushing this issue and to Australian Labor for agreeing to support. Shows maturity. And also to those independents.

Australian Parliament proving to be quite different this term.

Hope it lasts.

A Greens motion urging MPs to gauge community support for gay marriage has been passed by the House of Representatives.

The motion, which has ignited debate over the issue this week, was passed by 73 votes to 72 with the support of Labor and crossbench MPs Tony Windsor, Rob Oakeshott and Andrew Wilkie.

The Coalition refused to support the motion as did independent MP Bob Katter.

Earlier this week Labor agreed to back the motion, put forward by Greens MP Adam Bandt, as tensions erupted internally over the party’s refusal to allow gay marriage.

Filed under: civil liberties, consultation, human rights
15 Comments

What Aung San Suu Kyi’s release means

Posted by Maryan Street on November 14th, 2010

This is what the release of Aung San Suu Kyi means to people who live in Nelson. These people are all refugees who are working hard at establishing themselves in a new country with a new language and culture. They are very politically aware and are already planning the next steps for their work in exile at bringing democracy to Burma.

 

Kyi Win Thain with family and friends at home in Nelson

Kyi Win Htain with family and friends at home in Nelson

 I had to flag a school gala today to go and visit Kyi Win and his family and friends – somehow that was the right place to be on this special day. Kyi Win Htain is a respected elder in the Burmese communities in Nelson (there is more than one Burmese community).  He is the one on the right in the front. His son is beside him and immediately behind him are his wife and daughter. Others are close friends and political comrades. They were more than happy for me to take their photo and post it. Look at those smiles!

This is the personal, deeply felt impact of Aung San Suu Kyi’s release.

And if you want to know what the Washington Post said so eloquently today in its editorial, as they do, read this.

Filed under: Burma, Foreign Affairs, civil liberties, democracy, human rights
3 Comments

Aung San Suu Kyi – Burma’s future

Posted by Maryan Street on November 14th, 2010

A few hours ago, Aung San Suu Kyi was released from house arrest – for the third time. Grant’s blog refers but here is the BBC feed  fyi. You can also read Release_of_Aung_San_Suu_Kyi_-_Street_-_14_Nov_2010[1] which I put out a few hours ago.

This is a moment for celebration, a rare moment for Burmese people as they struggle for survival under the repressive and harsh military junta. The military seized power 22 years ago and after an election in 1990, which Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) won overwhelmingly, they refused to hand over that power to her and the NLD.

Aung San Suu Kyi is an extraordinary person who took on the mantle of her assassinated father all those years ago. There is no doubt that she has become an international symbol of democracy and freedom, in the same way as Nelson Mandela was and remains.  She is much loved by her people.

She is the one to lead any reconciliation and movement towards democracy in Burma. Here is a really good example of the need to have a woman at the peace negotiation table (you might recall I blogged on this the other week in the wake of Hillary Clinton’s visit).  The question will be whether the junta will tolerate the increased pressure that her release is bound to elicit from the international community, or revert to its usual method of re-imprisoning her to defuse public gatherings and political association in Burma.

Today is one moment for celebration however. At least the world is now more attuned to some of what is happening in Burma. Whatever happens next, Burma’s future is inextricably linked to this remarkable woman.

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Filed under: Foreign Affairs, civil liberties, democracy, human rights
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