http://www.straitstimes.com/Video+News/Singapore/STIVodcast_2720.html?playid=2720&type=Singapore
I have watched this video from The Straits Times Singapore's main newspaper) about 5 times now. Here is the gist of the video:
The video footage shows a Myanmar citizen welcoming his family's arrival in Singapore and proclaiming their happiness at being in a stable Singapore and then shows another Myanmar national exclaiming that even though there are curfews set, they were doing ok and that things weren't that bad.
"Overall quite ok lah," claimed one man. "Oh, yeah, everything is fine... The airport, the security and erm, things are functioning fine.. all normal," said one man who appears to be an airline pilot (not a Myanmar national).
After the above comments, you can see the Straits Times reporter saying "talking to some people who were just in Yangon a few hours ago, it seems like the situation is not as bad as what we see on media reports. Other than a curfew, people were free to move around and it was business as usual at the airport."
Then the Myanmar nationals leaving for Yangon are interviewed. Both woman interviewed seems to think that things are not so serious and that they were going to be in safe areas. "Situation is not quite too bad lah." said one young Myanmar woman.
The reporter than asks: "What are you expecting to see when you get out of the airport?" The young woman then replies: "I think everything is going to be ok".
Here are my thoughts on this:
1. You see how happy the person saying "I've been working in Singapore for a year....my family is now here... very happy... because things are not stable back home..." ---> he was probably the most honest. Can you see how happy his family is to be here? It's because they are no longer afraid - of persecution - of being wrongfully accused, of being beaten, etc.
2. Those who were interviewed waiting to go back to Yangon - why would the Straits Times think that these people going back to live under a cruel Military Regime would give them answers that doesn't sound good to the Military Regime? I mean they don't want to go to jail, arrested or be prevented form leaving the country again, most of all, they don't want to see their loved ones hurt - so of course they are going to say "things are alright lah."
I mean did you really expect that young woman to say "oh there will be truckloads of soldiers everywhere, people will not be able to gather on the streets; I've been told they are just beating anyone who are in downtown Yangon so I'm afraid to go there" ----> Those would be the truth. But how can she say that knowingly since this is on Singapore TV, she would be identified.
3. As for the pilot who said everything was fine and the Singaporean men saying things are not bad - Hello?!?!?! They have to do business in Yangon - which most likely involve getting in the good books of the Military Regime (who have been known to negate on business contracts on a whim - no businesses are ran without the approval from the military).
4. The non-Myanmar Nationals are also probably not part of the protests and are not reporters - They probably also have not been seeing all the protests going on in different parts of the country.
5. This video is not a correct representation of what is going on in Burma at all. In fact, it is a representation of how afraid people are of speaking badly of the Military Regime. Also, Straits Times, please note that many families of Myanmar military members live in Singapore and all they would have to do is report back to Myanmar what is going on here and once that person who is against the Junta goes home, they would be in trouble and their family members too. I think the Straits Times should have known better and they would have gotten honest answers if they had not shown the interviewees' faces and names on Singapore naitonal tv.
6. By the way, Business is not as usual. Many big markets are closed, main roads in Yangon and Mandalay are closed. Schools are closed. Restaurants are closed. Please tell me how this is business as usual? And about the airport running smoothly - again - they want to look good to foreigners - the military regime wants you to think Myanmar people are protesting for nothing - so of course they will go all out to make sure that the air port and everything related to foreigners are secure.
7. Straits Times - please do more research on the mentality of the Burmese military regime, their tactics and how deep the fear in Burmese people go of the Junta, before you make reports of "everything seems not that bad". Thank you.
Posted by Yangon Thu at September 30, 2007 12:41 PMHi,
ST is known to be the party's newsletter. Its job is mainly "nation building". They do not write about the real truths, they like to write and report their versions of news, cleared of any negative impact to Singapore.
Let's just say that ST is like Myanmar's national TV. So, do not expect too much from Straits Times and ChannelNewsAsia (CNA).
Posted by: Anon at September 30, 2007 01:46 PMsigh.
Posted by: Yangon Thu at September 30, 2007 01:49 PMYou are very right, propaganda there, propaganda here. This is a BIG part of the problem, all the regimes are supporting each other so simple people will not be able to topple anything.
They were saying that European people (like me) do not understand Asian values (paternalistic, protecting etc...). But I maintain that it is not paternal to slap in the face the people and hiding them in jail.
Well it is not as if democracy in Eerope is perfect, it is far from perfect. We all need to work everyday to change our world. Remember the first thing that hit them is economic habits. Do not buy things you do not agree with. Thanks you to bear with us.
Posted by: netzen at September 30, 2007 07:16 PMYeah, this is what I am saying. Nobody should be trying to downplay the seriousness that is going on in Burma right now. nothing I can stand more than news editors who have been told to carve out a story, out of nowhere.
whatever. sigh.
If you did not see it then simply say "I did not see it but there may be in other places". If you cannot participate it or if you dont have guts to do so, then say it "I dont want it to happen, the government should resolve it in peaceful ways".
But not their words!!
Yeah - well they might have said more - it could have been edited out.. and again - these ppl might have been too scared to say how they really feel.
Posted by: Yangon Thu at October 1, 2007 04:11 PMI read the Straits Times for its gossip column. It's really good for that only.
Posted by: Nyan at October 2, 2007 02:05 PMUtterly shameful and downright ignorant. Like singapore's ASEAN Minister stated, I speak for my people in expressing my "Revulsion" in Singapore's Strait's Times.
Posted by: Mg Moe at October 2, 2007 02:52 PMNyan - that is funny. You are right. :)
Mg Moe - you took the words straight out of my mouth.
You guys, please read the post titled "Did I or DId I not tell you - Singapore: a friend to Burma indeed"
thanks
Posted by: Yangon Thu at October 2, 2007 03:11 PM