Australian Military Training the Burmese Military Why?
Australia has entered the arms trade and this is very concerning for world peace. My wish was that Australia become a peacemaker or international mediator as former Foreign Minister Gareth Evans had attempted in Cambodia many years ago. Instead it appears the government is focused on GDP or following allies into an industry that creates devastation in the lives of innocent people. It diverts resources away from social welfare and peace building towards profiting from misery. Amnesty and others have discouraged any involvement with this regime.
I have met Australian military officers in Rotary actually, and I’ve had some good conversations with them as they shared about professionalism of Australian soldiers and their concerns about military campaigns in other countries. I was surprised to meet with soldiers that were refuseniks who opposed illegal wars, who had concerns about business interests in warfare and the changing international playing field. Australians in WWI, WWII were regarded as brave and they were often used as cannon fodder by the British, putting them in the front. It said a lot about how this countries soldiers were valued. I think hard questions need to be asked in Australia about the changing face of the miltiary, the military industrial complex, large arms manufacturers doing deals here and how this impacts this country in respect of its safety and the incitement to violence through demonsing specific groups in Hawkish rhetoric rather than true peace keepers, which in truth is in the interests of the community.
There are mindsets that believe that one has to be tough to be safe, to be hard and uncompromising. Of course this the world according to men, for more than half the population in the world what brings real security are the basics – food, shelter, love, family, education, health care that sustains a community and ensures all are looked after. When these basics break down violence comes to the surface as a call for help. Boys and men are taught to hold in their emotions as it is a weakness, this is one of the most fallacious teachings of man kind. What boys and men will be learning in the future is that violence doesn’t work and it is not a business to profit from. It works against the values of not only individual people but humanity. It is a working against our own instincts as human beings to murder, maim and abuse each other. It is the sign of immaturity pretending power. It is a projection of a negative mind that has never questioned for its own truth. It goes out in impunity making violence gradiose then coming home and arguing that abuse and bullying is wrong in the school ground. They are no different. There is no respect for the other, there is not attempt to resolve the problem and really look at themselves for their negativity, error in judgement and attempts to take power over others. It is a recipe that does not serve humanity, it arose out of primitive approaches to conflict. Surely if we are sophisticated or professional then attention will turn to seriously looking at peace not as appeasement but as a genuine focus to resolve the discord between people based on beliefs such as – economic, military power, resource access, security and so on. Do professional military’s sit down together and work out warfare on paper? Byron Katie a genuine peacemaker awakened to The Work (http://thework.com/en) which is basic inquiry into the problem that is causing stress, worry, concern or insecurity. It is to question our thinking for truth. But what happens if militaries seriously question if what they do brings peace and security? They may discover it perpetuates the opposite. You cannot teach peace by war. Peace is an energy, it is a feeling it comes from inner virtues we are born with, every person on the planet as a child felt empathy for others pain, they all sought to help each other, they laughed and included others. This is the true nature of humanity. It get’s distorted when placed in the interests of those who are not interested in unity but self interest, business interests, power interests and on it goes. Yet even these interests are superfulous if we destroy the support systems, if we create refugee flows that collapse countries, if we use munitions that create cancer if we detonate nuclear weapons because that will ‘teach them a lesson’ rather than looking into our own need for power, our own insecurity in search of profiting from weapons, our own belief in allies as we feel secure even when we witness their atrocities, we still call them friend out of fear. We see the oil industry having a portfolio in the US Defense department for example and we think this is synergistic. It is clearly an infiltration of a government department by a economic industry that is not even US based. It is this business/government infiltration given business mantras that promulgate greed (taking rather than giving) that is the real problem to be solved. We are not living to give, we are driven by self interest not shared responsibility.
What of the drug trade and its infiltration? Is it any mistake that the opium and heroin trade flourishes in the ashes of warfare. This lack of emotional connection to other human beings just sees money as the motivator, they care nothing of the consequences, only power and influence means anything. They use force to get what they want, intimidation and stand over tactics like bullies in the play ground to keep their rackets going. Why is this allowed? Others compromise their ethics, money talks, people get bribed. It all comes down to no ethics or sense of integrity. They think money makes them bigger, masking the deep insecurity of those running these trades. Whether it be drugs, government, business or whomever, they share this belief that only power matters, without it they are nothing. That is why when people fall from grace you see them physically become ill and they become a shadow of themselves. What we saw was a fake image created on the basis of external power not inner power that is fulfilling, expanding, exciting and filled with love and peace. The real power all are seeking rests in the powerful words ‘to thine own self be true’. This is the portal that leads to a real life. Yet children around the world are still taught they have to be rich to be free, they have to be better than others to have status, they have to have wealth to have worth, they have to be powerful to be respected. These are all facades. The people disappear when you lose power. Therefore, none of these beliefs are true. Yet these beliefs drive the corruption of the rich and powerful. The Burmese military believe this and are terrified to loosen their grip on power. They have to terrorise to maintain power. They too have other masters they appease, they do deals with in order to have the power and prestige. Without it they collapse. That is their real fear under the mask of brutality. The fear of their mortality. Power corrupts, total power corrupts totally. Beware of this form of lust as it leads one down a destructive path, there are implications in lives to come.
So soldiers go to war in whose interests becomes the real question? Governments undertaking business contracts or training brutal regimes is in whose interests? People lose their lives in whose interests? Every citizen has a responsibility to speak up and be truthful in the interests of a future that serves us all.
We are losing our democracy to dictatorial preferences that are only in the interests of a few who care nothing of the people. The majority are manipulated into serving these interests.
I am coming to deeply understand this mentality as I feel it in the persona of the bully who enjoys inflicting pain, the pathological type with no feeling for anothers suffering given their own unquestioned abuse and will fight ruthlessly to maintain power and reputation. If this is given tacit consent by silence what world will we co-create for children?
This is an excerpt from the article below reported by the Guardian in the UK:
A briefing note produced by the defence department says: “Defence has a modest program of engagement with Myanmar in non-combat areas, with a focus on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, peacekeeping training and English language training. This engagement is designed to expose the Tatmadaw to the ways of a modern, professional defence force and highlight the importance of adhering to international humanitarian law.”
The briefing note, anticipating a challenge on why the UK and the US have acted differently, says: “Each country needs to make its own decision on engagement with the Tatmadaw.”
My response to this is that why is it necessary to have modest engagement to the amount of $400,000. What is the cost/benefit of this amount on what is stated as English language training, there is no real tangible statement around what humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, peacekeeping training – how? The justification is to expose the Tatmadaw to the ways of modern, professional defence force and similar to the UK speaks of humanitarian law. What is a modern professional defence force? Does this mean weapons? What is professional? Knowing the law? These days the Geneva Conventions are ignored, 90% of civilians are killed in modern warfare. In respect to humanitarian law our own country excised boundaries to render refugees as illegal, held in sub human conditions without any rights. It is concerning when in our own country we are witnessing the disregard of human rights, refer to Amnesty’s statements on refugees and indigenous people in this country.
If we step out of the word law and look at humanitarian, how is killing civilians on any level acceptable and how are military’s able to make these statements when they are in the business of killing? Do they know how to resolve conflict or is there an interest in keeping conflicts going? These are key questions. The public has to try and wade through the propaganda, the sanitising of involvement but what in reality is going on behind closed doors that is in the public interest? The dehumanisation that takes place in military training must be in the open for the public to discuss. Does murder change behaviour? Do standing armies create peace? What is peace? What is order? What is humanitarian? All these questions must be answered in order to understand the truth of matters given public money is used to justify interventions. It seems to me the problem is not being resolved and that is a key issue. The question is why?
There is a statement each country needs to make its own decision. I disagree with that, we need to come together as countries if we believe in humanity, equality and destiny (Commonwealth games mantra) and work together for fairness, for rights, for an international order that is stable and peaceful.
This is an issue of International Justice.
Why is the Burmese military not brought to Justice? They are a group of men with guns that have taken power against the will of the people and then brutalised and suppressed millions of innocent people. They enslaved people to work on chain gangs with no payment. They have gone into the jungles and murdered innocent people fleeing the violence. Where is the international community when this is happening?
Why is the Australian Defence Department teaching English when they are in the military? Surely this would come from another ministry like Foreign Affairs or AusAid if this was seen as essential for peace? Although there are other English speaking countries involved, why not them if it is so important? The Burmese military have Aung Sun Suu Kyi who speaks perfect English and educated people with high level contacts. Surely they can afford their own English lessons, why is the military involved? What is the truth? In my other blog the British military are saying they are there to teach Humanitarian law, they are not lawyers. The Burmese military have the money to access this information through the UN if they wish. It is interesting how the Burmese military are using laws to control the people. The Association for Political Prisoners on the border of Burma highlight how law is used http://aappb.org/ This is not humanitarian by any means. It is used to suppress and control. Is this democracy? The fact this regime is engaged in ethnic cleansing does not warrant English lessons it requires collect universal intervention by the United Nations or an aligned group of nations to create a cease fire. Secondly put in place a form of governance that is transitory until elections are held. Establish a war crimes tribunal in an external country like Norway or The Hague. It requires humanitarian interventions – food, shelter, medicines, international mediators and peacemaker assistance to restore trust, safety, conflict resolution and peace (healing) between groups. English is the least important issue here given translators. Again, I see masks and sleight of hand.
How can we assist our world when story after story is told to obscure what is really happening? Misinformation disseminated where real crimes are allowed at the international level. When does Justice become not only a word but a lived sense of who we really are. I am deeply exploring Justice of the Peace. I am seeing it seriously amiss replaced by slick communicators who appear to be honest and open. The illusion of disclosure is the mask of diplomacy without conscience. It is the truth that sets humanity free. Definitely. This is not a distorted truth but the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me god. As stated in in court rooms. The international arena must be given the power to arrest and charge war criminals without political interference, kangaroo courts or money passing between people or governments to keep crimes quiet. The problem is the business of government.
Why is this necessary?
So we can solve the climate issues on this planet to ensure survival of the next generation, evolve our species to a level of sophistication where we resolve problems without violence and be worthy of the planet we live and treating it with respect. Otherwise we will be fighting and killing citing rhetoric and denial to avoid looking at ourselves and the hypocracy of an international order that is losing its democracy, dignity and trust of all the peoples on this planet.
Governments are in power to represent the people, if they engage in activities that murder innocent people, no matter if it is in other countries, they are not representing the people and participating in war crimes. Citizens do not want to see civilians in other countries murdered and hunted down on the basis of discrimination or other dividers. It is like a part of ourselves dying (a soldier told me this when he murdered a child). Humanity wants peace in this world. Rather than invest in training the military I ask the Australian Government why don’t you send in peace makers to undertake an assessment of the conflict and how we as a peaceful nation can provide assistance that really serves the people of Myanmar/Burma. This is what the Australian people would want. How do we become part of the solution rather than part of the problem?
If the Australian Government is serving or protecting other interests than this needs to be on the public record so the public know how and why their money is spent.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/mar/06/australia-to-train-myanmar-military-despite-ethnic-cleansing-accusations
Australia to train Myanmar military despite ethnic cleansing accusations
Defence department spend continues despite claims treatment of Rohingya bears ‘hallmarks of a genocide’
Elise Thomas
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The Australian defence department plans to spend almost $400,000 on English lessons, event attendances and training courses for members of the Myanmar military in 2017-18, documents released under freedom of information laws show.
Myanmar’s armed forces, also known as the Tatmadaw, has faced international condemnation and accusations of ethnic cleansing in recent months for perpetrating a fresh wave of attacks against the country’s minority Rohingyapopulation. About 688,000 Rohingya refugees have fled over the border to Bangladesh since August 2017. Yanghee Lee, a UN human rights investigator, has said the situation bears “the hallmarks of a genocide”.
In 2017-18 the defence department will spend $398,000 (a $126,000 increase on last year’s spending) on English lessons and on funding Myanmar’s participation in the Pirap Jabiru multilateral military exercises in the region that Australia cohosts with Thailand.
Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s leader, is due to visit Sydney this month for the Asean-Australia special summit. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said on Thursday the Myanmar government’s treatment of the Rohingya people is expected to be discussed.
Australian allies including the US, UK, Canada, France and the EU have cut ties with Myanmar’s military over the violence. The US and Canada have imposed targeted sanctions against Myanmar military leaders. In recent months the Myanmar military has also courted controversy through purchases of fighter jets from Russia and ballistic missiles from North Korea.
A briefing note produced by the defence department says: “Defence has a modest program of engagement with Myanmar in non-combat areas, with a focus on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, peacekeeping training and English language training. This engagement is designed to expose the Tatmadaw to the ways of a modern, professional defence force and highlight the importance of adhering to international humanitarian law.”
The briefing note, anticipating a challenge on why the UK and the US have acted differently, says: “Each country needs to make its own decision on engagement with the Tatmadaw.”
While an arms embargo, introduced in 1991, remains in place, Australia has so far diverged from its allies and resisted calls from groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch to suspend military cooperation with Myanmar. Australia held its first bilateral defence cooperation talks with Myanmar in 2017, and plans to hold further talks this year.
“Australia’s bilateral defence engagement with Myanmar is limited to humanitarian and non-combat areas such as disaster relief, peacekeeping, aviation safety and English-language training,” a defence department spokesperson said.
“Maintaining this engagement has enabled senior Australian military officials to directly raise concerns on Rakhine with their Myanmar counterparts.”
Last year the defence department offered Tatmadaw officers English lessons and study places in Australia for courses on aviation safety, maritime security, operational law, joint warfare and peacekeeping. One Tatmadaw officer received a scholarship from the defence department to study for a master of peace and conflict at the University of Sydney.
In June 2017 Australia gave Myanmar advice on how to carry out an air accident investigation following the deaths of 122 people when a Y-8 military plane crashed.
The spokesperson gave the example of Lieut Gen Angus Campbell’s meeting with Min Aung Hlaing, commander-in-chief of the Tatmadaw army, at the Pacific armies chiefs conference in Seoul in September 2017.
Diana Sayed, Amnesty International’s crisis campaigns coordinator, said the Australian government’s strategy of continued engagement and careful diplomacy cannot be justified given the extent and extremity of the crisis.
“This business as usual approach is unacceptable, and is only going to further damage Australia’s international reputation, especially as Australia takes up its seat on the UN human rights council,” Sayed says. “The decisions of the US, the UK and the EU to cut military ties, and the recent sanctions imposed by Canada all show that Australia is out of touch with the rest of the world when it comes to this crisis.”
It is not known if members of the Tatmadaw who are directly implicated in the violence against the Rohingyacould benefit from Australian-funded training. The defence spokesperson said subject to course requirements and visa processes, “the Tatmadaw nominates personnel to fill Australia-based training positions”.
The department did not provide a response to questions about what steps the department is taking to identify individuals implicated in perpetrating the violence.
Talking points written for the Australian defence minister Marise Payne’s meeting with her Myanmar counterpart Lieut Gen Sein Win in October 2017 advise her to acknowledge the Myanmar government’s narrative that “the current violence was sparked by attacks on government forces”.
The minister is advised that Australia “strongly condemns” the attacks on security outposts by Rohingya militants, in which 11 police officers were killed, but stops short of condemning the government’s own violence against the Rohingya people in which an estimated 6,700 civilians were killed in only the first month.
Instead the talking points express Australia’s “deep concern” over the displacement of Rohingya refugees into Bangladesh, saying that “these reports divert attention away from the legitimate security threat posed by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army [and] harm the Myanmar military’s international reputation”.