The author of Singapore, a friend indeed to Burma clearly has a bit of an axe to grind (or a lousy editor — “he likes to stay at the tacky Meritus Mandarin hotel on Orchard Road…”), but if any of the article is true (and we know Singapore is heavily invested in Burma), it is indeed quite embarrassing that Singapore likes to bleat on about ‘Asian values’ when all they mean is money is their god. Why not come out and say the Singapore government / elite is pragmatic, those are our values. Human rights and all these soft things like democracy are only good if they keep a country economically productive and politically stable.
Less strident: Myanmar’s neighbours have little influence: Singapore FM
It is a terrible situation. China has the most leverage, but as with Darfur, it is hard for them to see the benefit of shaking things up when their own Human Rights record is not so great.
Comment by Terry — 4 October 2007 @ 1:52 am
Yeah, their main aim is for the place to stay stable, just like Singapore’s aim.
Comment by Andrea — 4 October 2007 @ 9:06 am