View: Dr Zarni

Dear Friends,

The climatic moment was put off, and it took the 'Court' 2 minutes to
announce that it was adjourning until 11 August.

About 100 people, including foreign embassies and diplomats who flew
in from as far as Bangkok, left the mad house, surprised.

Today was billed as the climax for the farcical trial at the Kangaroo
Court inside Insane Prison (correct spelling is Insein, but to reflect
the true nature of the state of prisons, I have unilaterally changed
the name into 'Insane", a total institution, in Foucault's sense, run
by mad men).

The international media was fully focused on the verdict today. But
true to form, Senior General Than Shwe pulled off a surprise psych-war
move. Emotions and interests have been bult up, and the man attempted
to deflate them.

The excuse given was the need for time to interpret the 1974
Constitution. Even taken at face value, the depraved men reigns in
Burma. For it's not the Seventh Day Advenists who believe in
resurrection of the dead Than Shwe and gang too must believe in the
notion of resurrection.

But the 21st anniversary of 8.8.88 - Burma's people power uprising
which topped Ne Win's corrupt, incompetent dictatorial rule but failed
to seize power and install a new government - is right around the
corner. Generally anniversaries make these men shit in their pants -
or at least sleep in their bunkers and war rooms.

Since when military generals and coup leaders try to resurrect
Constitutions which they themselves abolished when they usurped
power?? When mad about holding onto power and running mad houses
madly being seen as mad is a small price to pay, they must feel.

Even 1974 Constitution adopted under one party dictatorship of
General Ne Win with "91% popular votes" wasnot worth the paper on
which it was written. (The 2008 Constitution adopted on the piles of
140,000 Cyclone deads last year has not come into force yet. Than
Shwe wanted to get greater approval rating - so his cronies proclaimed
it received 92.4% - round it up if you want to 93%!)

So, you see Burma is a CLASSIC dictatorship run by a man who has
ABSOLUTIST royal pretensions using all State organs as his personal
instruments of power, control and influence.

The only thing that that needs to be interpreted in Burma is Than
Shwe's words and whims. That astrologers, occultists and foretune
tellers do that, for handsome fees and access to power.

Madness all around. If you believe in rational choice astrology - not
political science - suits you best. Just departed British Ambassador
Mark Canning predicted that the farce inside Insane was going to be
fast. Boy, rational speculation and reason got people really off the
mark, especially when predicting the fear-filled behavior of the
leadership that is scared even 64-year old, harmless widow! They have
guns, but they are cowards, no balls to face either the world or the
public in whose name they justify their madness.

That's post-colonial Burma for you! Burma is just a fiefdom for Than
Shwe and his courtiers in uniform. The road from serfdom is going to
be a long, painful, and unpeaceful one.

Come change will, for better or worse. But certain not through
seduction of investment - as Washington and ASEAN were trying to do -
or cajoling as the UN attempts to do.

Ban Ki-Moon must have looked straight into the eyes of the Evil - as
Bush Jr did with Putin. What did he see? Probably Kimchi, in place of
a soul!


Best,

zarni