Q. In what way is the military junta in Myanmar (Burma) different from the military junta in Pakistan?
A. The military junta in Pakistan is 'our' junta, the one in Myanmar is China's.
Q. But then, what about Pakistan and China?
A. Good Question. All the more reason why we need to keep Myanmar in line. We had 'Pro Democracy' in Tiananmen Square, we had 'Pro Democracy' in Nepal and we now have 'Pro Democracy' in Myanmar. Actually, we have 'Pro Democracy' in Iraq, Venezuela, Bolivia, and Haiti as well.

"..Myanmar's military government leased the Coco Islands to the Chinese in 1994. China has a maritime reconnaissance and electronic intelligence station on the Great Coco Island and is building a base on Small Coco Island. The significance of these facilities for China stems from the fact that the Coco Islands are located at a crucial point in traffic routes between the Bay of Bengal and the Malacca Strait.." China in Myanmar

"...எங்களுக்குள் என்ன பலம் இருக்கின்றது என்பதைத் தெரிந்து கொள்ளாமல், பலத்தைத் தேடி எங்கெங்கெல்லாமோ ஓடிக் கொண்டிருப்பதுதான் எமது வேலையாக இப்போது உள்ளது. ஆனால் எங்களுக்கு உள்ளேதான் எல்லாப் பலமும் உள்ளது. எங்களுக்கு உள்ளேதான் எல்லா ஆற்றலும் உள்ளது. எங்களால் இந்த உலகத்தைத் திருப்பவும் (திருத்தவும்) முடியும்!.." more

Tamil National Forum -

1. Sachi Sri Kantha writes from Japan Prelude to the Indo-LTTE War (1987-90) - Part 3 The Annoyance and Anger of the Sinhalese

2. Sanmugam Sabesan writes from Australia - 'சொல்'லாதே யாரும் கே(கெ)ட்டால்..!�

launched in Sydney, Australia

and on Prelude to the Indo-LTTE War (1987-90) : Part 2 Broiling and Near-toppling of Rajiv Gandhi

1. Chavez Warns that Bolivia is Being Destabilized by U.S. - Just as Venezuela �The oligarchy that today is conspiring against Evo in Bolivia is the same oligarchy that conspired here against Venezuela, against our people, it is the same that here made a coup, driven forward and financed by the government of the United States, the same is occurring in Bolivia� more

2. Pipeline Politics: India and Myanmar - PINR "Recent developments in the gas field projects of Myanmar have served to highlight the intense resource diplomacy that is ongoing in the region. The government of Myanmar withdrew India's (under the Gas Authority of India Limited or GAIL) status of "preferential buyer" on the A1 and A3 blocks of its offshore natural gas fields and instead declared their intent to sell the gas to PetroChina..." more

"...When we started there were perhaps 6 or 8 of us. Today there are thousands. Of the original number, 3 or 4 remain. I do not know how long I myself will be alive. But that does not matter. We are building a road. Others will arise to take the road further..." Sathasivam Krishnakumar, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in conversation with Nadesan Satyendra, 1991

"...In modern times there is no lack of understanding of the fact man is a social being and that 'No man is an Iland, intire of it selfe' (John Dunne, 1571-1631). Hence there is no lack of exhortation that he should love his neighbour - or at least not to be nasty to him - and should treat him with tolerance, compassion and understanding. At the same time, however, the cultivation of self knowledge has fallen into virtually total neglect, except, that is, where it is the object of active suppression... Anyone who goes openly on a journey into the interior, who withdraws from the ceaseless agitation of everyday life and pursues the kind of training - satipatthana, yoga, Jesus Prayer, or something similar - without which genuine self knowledge cannot be obtained, is accused of selfishness and of turning his back on social duties. Meanwhile, world crisis multiply and everybody deplores the shortage, or even total lack, of 'wise' men or women, unselfish leaders, trustworthy counselors etc. It is hardly rational to expect such high qualities from people who have never done any inner work and would not even understand what was meant by the words..." (from E.F.Schumacher, A Guide for the Perplexed - Harper & Row Publishers)

1. Jonathan Livingston Seagull "...Most gulls don't bother to learn more than the simplest facts of flight - how to get from shore to food and back again. For most gulls it is not flying that matters, but eating. For this gull, though, it was not eating that mattered, but flight...Ultimately, he learns the meaning of love and kindness..." more

2. 'With Love Man is God' by Samuel H. Sandweiss, M.D. "...Over the course of time, I became aware that man's limited consciousness could expand to the level of divinity, that With Love, Man Is God! This book describes a continuation of my search for the meaning of life.." more

5. Sri Lanka's Undeclared War on Eelam Tamils - in the Shadow of a Ceasefire A Letter from a Tamil expatriate on life in Colombo and Batticoloa after a visit in July 2007 "....When I landed in Colombo in July 2007, a lot of changes were noticeable..." more