TRUTH AND FALSEHOOD OF MYANMAR DEMO (r)

[mikio@xxxxxxxxx]

Dear Mr. Ken and Ms. Visakha Kawasaki,

Thank you for posting an English translation of Mr. Kohei Hashimoto's
article. While reading the piece, it struck me  that there is an
unbridgeable gap of perception (like that of heaven and hell) on the Burma
issue between the pro-democracy camp and the business interests that the
article clearly represents. I feel it is impossible for us to change the
perception of those with vested interests, as they are firmly entrenched in
their position and would distort any evidence which would refute their
propositions. But it is still important, as you suggest, to stop such
disinformation from circulating in Japan. 

I am not very sure about the means to achieve this task. But one way may be
to translate DASSK's latest book _The Voice of Hope_ (Penguin Books) into
Japanese. (This book is actually the record of dialogue of DASSK and an
American monk, together with the monk's conversation with U Kyi Maung and
with U Tin U, as you may know). I have been deeply touched with the book.
Mr. Hashimoto's thesis utterly pales in comparison with the noble
dedication and "metta" of the people in the forefront of the democracy
struggle, as expressed in the book. (By the way, I strongly feel that those
"Patriotic Old Comrades" will play a decisive role in the political change
in Burma in the near future ?these true patriots are prepared to sacrifice
their lives to the "second struggle for national independence".) Anyway,
this book should be translated as soon as possible and be circulated as
widely in Japan. If there has yet to be any plan to translate, how about
forming a team of translators so that this task may be done quickly. I am
quite happy to join such a team.

With metta and solidarity,

Mikio Oishi