Audrey's Missiles

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AUDREY'S MISSILES
A newsletter dedicated to the peaceful 
reform of the United States government.

TERRORIST OR HERO?

    One man's terrorist can be another man's hero.  A surprising reminder of 
this fact took place recently in Rangoon.  There was a s siege at the Burmese 
embassy during which hostages were taken.  Then, the unexpected happened;  
the hostages CHEEERED their former captors as they escaped by helicopter!   
Those who were being cheered were five well-armed gunmen who took 26 (another 
report says 89) hostages and held them in a stand- off at the Burmese embassy 
in Rangoon.  The gunmen were demanding that the military junta transfer power 
to a democratic government.  Labeled terrorists by the ruling Burmese junta, 
the Thai Interior Minister said that they were not terrorists, but students 
who were fighting for democracy.  Thailand provided safe passage for the 
gunmen along the two countries' mutual border, and no one was injured.  
Burma's response to this incident was to close their borders with Thailand.

    There are other heroes and terrorists.  Osama Bin Laden, hero to the poor 
Arabs of the Middle East, has been branded a terrorist by the U.S. government 
and blamed for the embassy bombings in Africa last year.  Less publicized, 
but more relevant to the current situation in the United States is the 
guerilla movement in Colombia.  Since most of the people in that country are 
living in abject poverty, the revolutionary message of more equitable 
distribution of wealth is magnetic, even though it is well-known that the  
movement is being financed by the illegal drug trade.  The poor people of 
Colombia may believe that they have nothing to lose, but this may not be 
true.  A comparison should be made to conditions in Burma where the country 
is  ruled by a drug- dominated junta which is treating the people with such 
brutality that many world organizations call what is happening genocide, and 
that is why at the Rangoon siege of the embassy the hostages were cheering 
the gunmen!   Looking at the horrible record of murder, rape, and forced 
labor in Burma (check out the Amnesty International website, but not at 
bedtime),  conditions among the poor in Colombia seem to be somewhat better.  
No doubt the Colombian guerillas are heroes to many people living there, but 
if the movement is successful and becomes dominated by the drug traffickers 
(as happened in Burma)  it may be that the common people will discover to 
their horror that they are being ruled by criminals, and, much too late,  the 
illusion of heroism will vanish.  



 http://www.wsws.org/articles/1999/jan1999/col-j29.shtml
http://www.witness.org/textonly/features/interviews/suukyitx.htm
Amnesty International website, then click on Myanmar (Union of)
Reuters dispatches on Burma
http://www.hiphopmusic.com/laden.html
READ THIS NEWSLETTER AND THEN GIVE IT TO A FRIEND.
No copyright on the content of AUDREY'S MISSILES is claimed since it is our 
hope that the information in this newsletter will be copied and distributed 
widely.  Topics covered are those which are not adequately treated on TV or 
in the press.   If you live in the 209 calling area end a request to 209 
847-7588 for a free fax subscription. E-mail is free anywhere.  Paid 
subscriptions are not accepted.  Comments may be sent to 
audreymlj@xxxxxxxx(10/99) Burma and Colombia



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