COMMENTS (4)

RECOMMEND (539)

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

MORE

E-MAIL

PRINT

TEXT SIZE

The Burmese generals even attended North Korean diplomatic functions and Burma’s state-run newspapers published articles praising Kim Jong Il on his birthday.

That same year, the Burmese regime brutally cracked-down on the monk-led protest known as the Saffron Revolution, which Havel joined world leaders in condemning.

Only one year later, Burmese Gen Thura Shwe Mann made a clandestine visit to North Korea and signed a memorandum of understanding under which North Korea agreed to build or supervise the construction of special Burmese military facilities, including tunnels and caves in which missiles, aircraft and even naval ships could be hidden.

Security experts agree that North Korea has provided Burma with Scud-type missiles, missile parts, rocket launchers, other conventional weapons and underground warfare technology. On some occasions, US naval ships followed and turned away North Korean ships believed heading to Burma.

There are concerns that Burma’s clandestine purchases of military hardware and technology from North Korea are still ongoing, as reflected by the fact that during her recent visit to Burma, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the Burmese leadership must stop any illicit military, nuclear and ballistic missile cooperation with North Korea that may violate UN sanctions on Pyongyang.

Indeed, Havel and Kim come from two different worlds and two different mindsets.

Havel was a man of peace who wanted to lift up his people and supported those in other countries that wanted to do the same. He gave the Burmese people the gifts of hope and inspiration through his ability to empower the powerless and his unwavering stance on the side of the ordinary people versus their oppressors.

Kim Jong Il was a man of perpetual war who oppressed his own people and helped other dictators do the same. He gave Burma’s rulers the gifts of military hardware and technology.

 I would recommend that the Burmese leaders take the time to peruse the online commentaries on the deaths of Vaclav Havel and Kim Jong Il. Then they should think seriously about which way they want to be remembered.

Related stories:  Havel, the Transcendent Man
                                   "Without inner freedom you can achieve nothing"