How should we help?

As I waited for the lights to change, I sat in my car I was once again faced with the same dilemma, as the small boy approached.

I often had to take the express way when I have to pick up my sister, or meet my friends in the city on my way back from the university, and I would usually visit at the usual Rama 4 exit. The traffic lights are always slow to change, and radio reception in that area is usually pritty bad, so I would usually have to turn it off. I would have to sit still, and quietly with only the low hum of the car engine and aircon in the background waited, and waited for the lights to change maybe 3-4 times before I make it out of the area.

There are usually a small boy or girl, and perhaps a woman who would come around selling "punag malai" hanging over their pvc poles. I usually pretend to not notice them, as if it would help (but sometimes it does), so that they wouldn't approach me to sell one of their "malai". I would be pritty cold, and pretend to not notice, staring blankly streight ahead, or give a slight shake of my head as a sign of refusing their offer.

It's the right thing to do, I sure of it, or at least have been. Though I would really want to help them, I "knew" it was better that I didn't buy it, or at least in the long run. After all, if I supported them by buying one of the "malai" I would be supporting a wrong cause right? If everyone bough their "malai" then more and more kids will be forced by their parents to sell "malai" and other things on the street, as they are making good business. But if they are not selling well, maybe they will take some other jobs which is not so dangerous. They could really get hurt by cars that suddenly took off as the lights changed, or motorcycles that nevigated between the cars. Yes, I'm sure of it, I must be doing a good thing by not buying a "malai", I thought to myself.

But is that really the case? Recently I've been doubting my past resolutions. Things don't seem to be changing that much. I mean, yes, the number of kids selling "malai" has probably decreased in the maybe last 10 years or so, or at least I remembered that there were more. So overall things are getting better... But there are still enough of them around for me to know that they will be around for some time to come. The fact that I'm not helping them by buying their "malai" might mean that they might get scolded or mis treated by their parents, or not have enough money to eat tonight. And how many nights will it take for them to give up this business? Or would they ever give it up for something better? Or do they actually know any other alternatives? Maybe it would be better if I help by giving the kid some many water I got from the petrol station, or some kind of food to eat instead of buying the malai?

It's really strange, when I think about this concept of "helping by not supporting", which often means "helping by not interacting". It was on that particular day that I realized how hypocritical I was. I realized this when I think about my stance on the Myanmar issue. It just so happens that at the time the ASEM (Asean-EU meeting) was having some problems concerning the Burma issue. EU does not want Myanmar to join the ASEM meeting, ASEAN (south east asian) countries do. Now the argument goes like this. EU, knowing Myanmar's record of military juntra having opposed and locked up Aung San Su Kee, and their interaction with drug trafficing and minority ethnic clensing by rape, wants to help the country of Myanmar by not supporting the military juntra. What it basically means, is that it does not interact with the country of Mynamar, do business, trade, etc. ASEAN sees it as Myanmar's internal issue, and want Myanmar in. This is only normal when you think about it, it's much easier for someone living a street block away to not interact with your neighbour than you are with your neighbour. Especially if the problems of your neighbour is spilling over to your house.

Now, when we think about this, how does this affect the people of Myanmar? Ofcause, it would be more difficult for them without trade, or outside exposure. It would be harder to make a living without the trade, and many necessicities such as medecine, food or every day goods will be more difficult to come by. Staring to see the connection with the boy selling "malai" now? As a methaphore, the boy selling "malai" is the people of Myanmar. His parents is the military juntra, and passing motorists are the country that choose to interact with Myanmar, EU, Thailand, etc, or not. Well, as I'm a little lazy to write more, I think you can carry the thought on from here as how they are related.

What's different, here is my stance on the Myanmar issue. Well, ofcause I don't support the military juntra either, but is the best way of the helping the people of Myanmar the act of "not interacting with Myanmar"? Yes we get all those secret pictures from foreigners who's hidden camers to prove the bad situation there. But isn't the fact that we do not interact with Mynmar, itself also hurting the people of Myanmar? Something to think about.

Well, I'll leave it to that for now, I'll continue with another blog later expressing my opinion on this issue, and what I think we should do.