Pot, met kettle

From the administration that gave us "heckuva job Brownie" comes this compelling proof that Americans do not in fact have any sense of irony. The following is a quote from US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Scot Marciel about the response to the cyclone in Burma:

"Every day that goes by and more people suffer, increasingly the blame falls on the government."

He is of course correct; both in the case of Burma and the American gulf coast where there are still families living in toxic trailers nearly three years after Hurricane Katrina. Our thanks to Mr. Marciel, a suspiciously French sounding name, for confessing the administration's failings!

1,000 reasons John McCain shouldn't be President

Number 20: He clearly has the endorsement of the evil men who make up the junta running Burma/Myanmar. Why does John McCain hate the Burmese people?

'Tis neither the time nor the place madam!

Maybe Mrs. Codpiece is thinking about a run for the Senate or something. After seven years in the shadow as a loyal, cloth-coated Republican wife she seizes the opportunity to lecture the Burmese junta on their failures. She does this as perhaps 80,000 lie dead and more dying, or at least suffering. Just how a good Christian would be expected to behave.

Did they die for our prawns?

Who knows how high the death toll in Burma will go? It is however clear that the destruction of mangrove forests, largely to prawn and fish farms, exacerbated the disaster. Burma is not alone in this however and other low lying countries, most especially Bangladesh, are also at risk for the same reasons.

On stand by for the Rt. Reverend Pat Robertson (or possibly John Hagee)

I can't wait to hear the explanations from those esteemed radical clerics as to why God hates the people of Burma. Clearly She does hate them a great deal what with the death toll from Cyclone Nargis heading for 80,000.

Today's celebrity freedom fighter spotlight

Philly's own Sylvester Stallone, or at least his avatar John Rambo, has the Burmese junta running scared. And who wouldn't be? The current edition of the franchise, Rambo IV features 236 killings in its 85 minute running (or just under 3 a minute). The proponent of human growth hormone use and John McCain endorser has expressed a desire to go to Burma and face up to the members of the junta personally; a desire that must have Burmese acting coaches quaking in their boots!

Whatever happened to Myanmar?

Turns out nothing. We, or at least our fabulous "free" press, just seem to have lost interest.

What can we say now?

Today's Guardian front page carries a story about the aftermath of the democracy demonstrations in Burma/Myanmar and their brutal suppression by the military junta. The following is a description by one of the the demonstrators of his treatment at the hands of the police during his detention.

"I was sitting on the floor of the interrogation room," said the man, an art shop owner in his 20s. "There were five of them asking questions. The first day I was beaten very hard and they asked: who organised the monks? I told them we were following the monks, respecting the Buddha, they weren't following us."
"I was interrogated all night for three nights. They kicked and punched me on the side of my head with their fists. They asked me the same question over and over. I told them: you can ask anything, my answer will always be the same. I don't know who organised the monks. They didn't like that answer."

So the interrogators forced the young man to half-crouch as though he were sitting on a motorbike, made him put his arms out as if gripping the handlebars and demanded he imitate an engine, loudly.

The initial humiliation gave way to intense pains in his legs, arms and throat after several hours. When he fell over he was beaten again. He was held for a month and is still not sure why he was detained. He suspects the police identified him from photographs of civilians who marched with the monks. But he was not alone in the cells of police station No 14.

Isn't this a clear enough demonstration of the total loss of any moral authority that the United States might have once had? What indeed can we as a nation say in disapproval of these methods of torture intensive interrogation against an innocent man held illegally when our own government does the same things to innocent men held illegally and claims to do so in the name of freedom?

What indeed.

Business comes first

Meanwhile, in that beacon of freedom in South East Asia that is Singapore, protests against the vile and abusive military junta in Myanmar/Burma are forbidden during the ASEAN summit that is being held there. But at least the country's Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, is keeping an open mind on the subject. He is quoted as saying that nobody in Asia wants sanctions against Burma's government.

And this time they're angry!

Buddhist monks have returned to the streets of Myanmar/Burma to protest the military regime. We need to put pressure on our governments to ensure that the maxim diplomatic effort is made to force this brutal junta to step down and allow for a transition to a democratic government. (Note to Captain Codpiece: there is oil in Burma!)

But are they twisted?

Female activists across the globe are protesting the inhuman oppression being meted out by the Burmese junta by sending their knickers to the country's embassies as, and I swear this is true, the generals in charge believe that any contact with female underwear, used or not, will "sap them of their power".

So if any you, ladies only please, have any panties you wish to donate to a good cause I can be reached at their website is here.

A step in the right direction

Yesterday the United Nations Security Council censured the military regime in Myanmar for its shameful, abusive and illegal treatment of its citizenry. China stepped back from its support of the regime and allowed the resolution to proceed.

Much more needs to be done however and a total arms embargo and a western economic boycott, including the suspension of oil purchases, exploration and extraction by western firms, should be next on the list but don't hold your breath as there is money to be made and the market is never wrong.

Death in Myanmar

Win Shwe, a Burmese democracy activist who was arrested at the end of last month, has died in custody, allegedly after being tortured.

There has been no acknowledgement of this from the ruling junta but it is believed that they have got their hands on a copy of the secret White House torture enhanced interrogation techniques user guide and claim that they "followed the rules to the letter".

Dead guy* bans Player

South African golfer Gary Player has been dropped from his position as co-host of the Nelson Mandela Invitational golf tournament over his business links to Burma.

*The late lamented (as per GW Bush anyway) Nelson Mandela.

But will he be missed?

The Prime Minister of Burma/Myanmar, Lt. Gen. Soe Win, has died. General Win, also known as the "Butcher of Depayin", died in hospital yesterday of undisclosed causes but it is possible his selection of a Buddhist monk costume for an early Halloween party could have been untimely.

The first (and only) commandment

Thou shalt not ignore shareholder value no matter what the cost.

Human rights go missing at Chevron (really!)

Despite all of their bullshit about the Chevron Way, integrity, and partnership an attempt to get to their Statement on Human Rights returns:

Sorry, The page you tried was not found.

It's just as well. It would only get in the way of them making a few (million) bob and that would violate their sacred commitment to shareholder value! Can't have that, can we?

Inside Burma/Myanmar

Have a look for yourself.

You have been warned!

John Sawers, the British ambassador to the United Nations, said yesterday that "the age of impunity is dead and people will be held accountable for their actions they take". So I reckon this means that Captain Codpiece can expect prosecution for his war crimes.

Uh oh. Wait a minute. He was talking about Myanmar. Nevermind.