Irrawaddy Magazine interviews Nobel Laureate Jody Williams (and Mia Farrow) on Burma.

http://www.irrawaddy.org/print_article.php?art_id=13597

Rangoon Creeper Buds -- Photo copyright Kyi May Kaung

I agree with Ms. Williams completely.

Kyi May Kaung

Cambodians vote amid military standoff over Preah Vihear temple --

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080726.wcambodia0726/BNStory/International/home

Daughter of the Killing Fields -- by Theary Seng --

http://ki-media.blogspot.com/2006/03/book-review-daughter-of-killing-fields.html

UN/Burmese people losing 20% of UN aid money due to junta's unrealistic exchange rate --

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=129058

It's going into the junta's back pocket, of course, Mr Holmes.

Article by Wu-er Kaixi of Tiananmen fame --

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118090739337123027.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Preah Vihar Temple dispute on Thai-Cambodian Border --

http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=13452

I was not able to go to this spectacular temple.

http://www.galenfrysinger.com/preah_vihear_cambodia.htm

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=2304292

The present border is right at the bottom of the temple steps and access is easier from Thailand.

Kyi May Kaung

"Boston art punk legend" Mission of Burma -- sings --

The sky is falling down --

UN to stop aid flights to Burma -- while junta forcibly relocates storm victims--

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia-pacific/2008/07/20087199389821772.html

New generation of activists inside (and outside) Burma --

Min Gun- Revolutionary -- painting and photo of painting Copyright Kyi May Kaung --

Believe it or not, I generated this anonymous portrait from a photograph of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Halfway in the process,the painting changed gender and became a young man -- with no arms, I later found out. Kyi May Kaung

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/19/AR2008071901609_2.html?hpid=topnews

I am glad to know that civil society has been strengthened by the Cyclone, as I mentioned in an interview with RFA in June and at the E-W Center.

This is not to say that everything is hunky dory --

The Friends of Burma policy of depoliticizing the cyclone debate and demands has failed, the junta took all the cyclone aid and Daw Suu and the other political prisoners are still under arrest.

However, there is an infusion of new energy.

Kyi May Kaung

Excellent article on American way of life and debt --

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/business/20debt.html?pagewanted=4&_r=1&th&emc=th&adxnnlx=1216559182-YueAelcnRCLzpAvcGHWQkg

Gretchen Morgenstern was on Charlie Rose -- and spoke very well.

Kyi May Kaung

Asean and Burma -- aid effort turned into cash cow for the regime --

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/220098,asean-not-shedding-kid-gloves-in-treatment-of-myanmar--feature.html

"Depoliticizing the Nargis Cyclone Debate" has failed dismally.

Kyi May Kaung

Review (by Ko Ko Thett ) of The Fly -- by performance artist Htein Lin

Burmese performance artist/artist Htein Lin performing The Fly -- Helsinki, June 10, 2008. Photo copyright Kyi May Kaung.

Dear Aunty KM,
>
> FYI:
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> http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=13346
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> KKt

Thank you, Ko Ko Thett. This is very well written and does justice to Htein Lin's work -- here is comment I have left on Irrawaddy site:


I was at this Helsinki Conference, in fact the first of its kind incorporating artists and writers and poets as well as academics and dissidents. We know only too well that some Burma conferences like to pooh pooh dissidents, or anyone who takes a slightly different approach. In my view everyone has a right to express himself or herself, in whatever way he or she chooses, so long as other's freedom is not hurt.
Artists and writers typically use their own lives and traumas and real life as their raw material.
This is an excellent and sensitive review of art that is really at the cutting edge.

I want to add that The Fly -- did not have an overtly sexual aspect -- it was more about control and oppression. And also, since the red photograph depicting an abstract collage of what looked like beef bones and teeth, was lowered during the performance, the performer did not "appear nude" but more as if he had red tattoos on his body.

We also need to think -- if a woman -- a Burmese woman did this, would she be stoned to death literally and figuratively? I am thinking of a piece where a woman keeps putting on more and more clothes, more and more layers, until she can't move at all, can't walk at all.

Congratulations Ko Htein Lin and Ko Ko Thett, and Irrawaddy for publishing this.

Midway in The Fly, Htein Lin said to the interrogator, "I have no materials and so I am using my body."

Kyi May Kaung -- Artist

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Aung San of Burma and Clement Atlee in 1947 --

from BBC archives --

http://myanmar.video-sponge.com/view/83658-general-aung-san.html

On 19th July of the same year, Aung San and his entire cabinet were assassinated in Rangoon in a plot instigated by a (minor) political rival, U Saw.

General Aung San was the father of Burma's Independence from Great Britain and the father of present Democracy Leader and Nobel Peace Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

It is clear where she gets her courage, style and substance, good looks and intelligence.

Kyi May Kaung

New buildings in Beijing --

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/13/arts/design/13build.html?pagewanted=3&_r=1&th&emc=th

To my eyes they look big and forbidding, all about money, power and control --

Kyi May Kaung

Excellent play about Cuban missile crisis --

The Titans by Robert McElwaine --

http://www.americancentury.org/show_titans.html

I went to a discussion at Footlights by the director of the play, Jack Marshal, yesterday.

It's wonderful how all the dialogue is from official transcripts and tapes (some from the White House).

Kyi May Kaung

Burma's Irrawaddy Delta at high risk from (natural) arsenic contamination --

http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=13289

Poisonous Burmese snake -- The Banded Krait --

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/12/books/chapters/chapter-snake-charmer.html

During Nargis Cyclone -- many died of snake bite during the floods.

Why free thinkers should not go to Burma -- veteran journalist U Win Tin has been in jail 19 years!

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=akbNGg2sOYQ8&refer=home

China's new museums --

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/04/arts/design/04museums.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

Neighborly rape of Burma's natural resources continues --

http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=13135

with help from the junta.

NGO work in Burma not safe -- even for foreigners --

might be suspected of being a journalist (read "spy" in junta-talk)

Foreigners get deported but Burmese get arrested -- Burmese in exile especially should not go.

The two Burmese mentioned in this article are seen as junta connected, if not pro-junta.

kmk

Activist in Finland -- Ko Ko Thett's life story --

http://www.rauhanfoorumi.fi/