Letters to the Editor (r)

[tsoe@xxxxxxxxxxx]

BurmaNet Group:
BurmaNet Editor:
OSI Burma Project:

BurmaNet is still stubbornly and continiously comitting the revolutionary
political crime of rejecting the freedom of expression with non-sense
censorship. 

Your recent e-mail clearly reveals that BurmaNet is still holding
censorship threat toward the Burmese community and the grassroot oversea
pro-democracy activists. Many activists are expressing their points of
views against BurmaNet policy of censorship, but you ignore. It is
politically very low mentality of you.

We have no hate or love feeling to you. we are just doing what we have to
do as the members of Burmese community and activists. A censorship threat
imposed on the BurmaNet by a handful of people (with revolutionary funds) 
is an insult to the grassroot activists. Do you guys know that point? As
far as I remember, there are at least three times already Burmanet has
come up with censorship policy against the activists while they are trying
to raise the corruptions and ineffectivenesses in the movement and leading
organizations and so-called permanent leaders. Since I left frome Thailand
to USA for study, I kept my voice quiet. But for this time, I can not keep
my quiet attitudes. I am strongly against your (BurmaNet policy of) 
censorship. I ,as a memember of Burmese community, promise you that I will
not let this issue go away without notice and impact. 

Mr.Soros contributes some portions of his wealth as fundings to our
revolution for the sake of our fellow Burmese people in order to establish
peace, liberty and justice in our motherland. But, some people think those
fundings as their own fortunes. Shameful and sinful! 

Our movement has already passed ten years mark, but what is our movement
condition nowadays? It is shameful and sadful for all of us that our
acheivements are so little in those ten years period, although our
movement has got so much fundings and supprots;
(Lots of beer, travel expenses, luxurys, beautiful words, beautiful
statements after statements, policy-less seminars and conferences, bhla,
bhla are not the fundamentals of a revolution).
Why are those happening in our movement? The answer is because the lack of
check-and-balance system in our movement in the past; Our experiences in
the jungle and Thailand (and else) are the examples. Now, we get an open
forum that is funded by OSI Burma Project with Mr.Soros's money. Mr.Soros
contributes fundings toward our movement, so BurmaNet is owned by the
entire Burmese community and activists, not by NCGUB and OSI alone. That
is why I am strongly debating against censorship threat imposted by a
handful of you guys. 

When there is a free and open forum, people can check(cheer, support,
debate, denounce, inform, arrange, express) the activities of the public
servants, activists and leaders through it. Our movement needs the free
forum in order to check the corruptions, ineffectiveness and
im-moralities, so our movement can march forward with cleanliness and
effectiveness. But, you guys, BurmaNet group, are trying to destroy the
movement with Burmanet censorship (in favour of some so-called leaders). 
So, your censorship policy is totally unacceptable.

My arguments become unexpectably long. Before I stop my hands from this
writting, I want to say you something. I give you sometime (a few days,
3-4-5days) to think and cancel censorship policy. We will wait and see
your attitudes. When the time is due and you try not to change your
policy, we will try to let the world(many people, including OSI
personnels, politicians and ACLU --we have all their e-mails) know all the
e-mails records and your policy. 

We do not want to do above action, but it will solely depend on your
attitudes (when we decide to do as a revolutionary task). We have no
choice for now.

As a conclusion, please read the following quote before you go to bed.
A quote from Sayar U Myint Hlaing's posting in MAYKHA against BurmaNet
(your) censorship policy;
  	Let me quote the words of the revered Supreme Court 
	Justice Louis Brandeis, "the remedy for free speech is 
	more speech, not enforced silence."  Remember the sound 
	of all those voices out there clamoring to be heard is 
	the sound of freedom.

Regards,

Than Soe
IU-Indiana


----------------
BurmaNet Editor wrote:
> As for the logistics of how messages will be monitored:  I will review the
> messages and choose whether to approve them or not, then send the approved
> messages out to the list.  A review board (consisting of males and females,
> Burmese and non-Burmese) will consider questionable messages and through
> consensus make a decision about whether or not to allow distribution.

Sounds like a censorship committee of SLORC/SPDC!
My questions:
     o	Who are the names of the people in the so-called review board? 
     o	How do you choose the review board --based on revolutionary
	experiences or just someone you know?
     o	You need to let the answers of above questions known to the
	Burmese community and activists. 	


BurmaNet Editor wrote:
> Finally, regarding BurmaNet's affiliation:  BurmaNet is a project of the
> Open Society Institute (OSI) and has no other organizational affiliation,
> despite Than Soe's suggestion that we are affiliated with NCGUB.

I see,
In the bottom of BurmaNet's welcome message, it said that
	BurmaNet can be contacted   
	at: burmanet@xxxxxxxxxxx                      
	By mail/phone/fax:                                      
 		Attention to BurmaNet      
 		c/o The National Coalition 
 		Government of the Union    
 		of Burma, Information Office.                    
[The NCGUB is the government-in-exile, made up of the people who
won the election in 1990. ..................]


BurmaNet Editor wrote:
> In addition, those subscribers still dissatisfied
> with this decision are, of course, free to set up their own list.

Don't insult to the grassroot activists and Burmese community.
	o  Do you think BurmaNet as your own?
	o  Do you think BurmaNet is running with your own money? Funny!
	o  Even, yourself and each of your group and so-called NCGUB
	   ministers are self paid employees with revolutionary funds.
	   You owe Burmese people!	   
	   (We have no jealousy toward you guys, but don't insult us).
	o  When we think it is the right time, we will come up with a new
 	   open forum list-server. Please don't worry about that issue.
	   We have the way because we have the will.