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Burmese cops in UN hard drive snatch kerfuffle

Reports suggest that the Burmese military government has attempted to seize computer hard drives from UN offices in an attempt to root out pro-democracy activists. According to the Times, Burmese police and diplomats entered UN agency premises at the Traders Hotel in Rangoon on Friday and demanded the hard drives from computers …

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Anonymous John

they spent much of the weekend deleting files.

Just deleting? Not permanently erasing?

Anonymous Coward
IT Angle

Just... switch the drives...

Order a new set via diplomatic pouch, swap out, ship the 'incriminating' ones back out via the same route. When they ask for the drives, give them the 'virgin' ones.

Graham Marsden
Coat

And we don't know any monks either...?

(Waves hand)

These aren't the Monks you're looking for...

Rick Brasche
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grow a pair, already

this is why the UN is such a waste. It can't even stand up for what's right under a weak threat, much less have the b@lls to put everything on the line to protect the oppressed.

They should have spent the weekend flying in armed security forces, and teaching these spineless guys how to say "NO!" in the face of oppression and evil. If the Burmese press the issue with force, be prepared to answer in kind.

But to play the passive fool, shows how weak the UN really is, once again. How much are UN folks getting paid by Burmese officials this time?

Anonymous Coward
Gates Horns

@ Rick

With that opinion of the UN ...you're not an American by any chance?

Alex King
Dead Vulture

Better yet...

Swap the drives for one giving details of lots of high-up collaborators within the Junta who've apparently been leaking all the pictures and reports out, and watch the whole thing implode from within. Espionage! That's the way to do it.

Or hey, just send in GI Joe and co, they never feck things up completely at all...

John A Blackley

@Rick

"They should have spent the weekend flying in armed security forces, and teaching these spineless guys how to say "NO!""

I presume that, by "teaching these spineless guys to say "NO"" you mean using force. I hope you realise that the Burmese government has, at its disposal, a well armed military and police force. So what you'd be talking about is using the UN to wage war on the government of a country.

Okay, let's say - and it's by no means a foregone conclusion - that the UN prevailed. Now let's turn to all of the other countries in which the UN is trying to bring relief to the population. Those countries' governments, fearing that Burma is setting a precedent, mount a quick strike on UN forces and wipe them out. In future, fearing a repeat of 'the Burma affair', governments refuse to allow the UN to enter - thereby denying aid to populations in need.

Happy now?

Dan Paul

@ Anonymous Coward & John Blackley

Maybe some of us here are Americans, it is the .com site we are visiting after all.

But to the point, the UN is (for the most part) a graft ridden bunch of greedy, nepotistic cronies that TRULY don't use the power they have been given to help the world in a positive manner (Not unlike our current "President" and his cronies) and when a "Damned Yankee" gets frustrated at the UN's impotence and waffling and makes a comment here, almost immediately some knucklehead reads more into the guy's comments and assumes the worst. Notice he did not say "Send in the Marines or anything about US Armed Forces".

I believe that the UN should immediately send "armed peacekeepers" (You know, the blue helmeted, International Peacekeeping Force the UN has?) and start an economic embargo against Burma, the Sudan, etc. Do ANYTHING besides keep silent and play with themselves like usual. But they never do, because in many cases UN officials ARE paid off to "roll over and play dead" or they are so passive agressive that they avoid any conflict in favor of their own careers.

You mention "relief to the population"; HAH! 90% of ANY food aid ends up on the black market bazaar for sale at retail prices shortly after being handed to the "population". The local UN guy is living like a king on his kickbacks while the people starve. What government official do you think is also enjoying his ill gotten gains?

Please prove to me that's not painting a reasonably true picture of reality!

And as far as an American's view of the so called U.N.; I live in New York State and we ALL know what "upstanding citizens" make up the UN because they frequent (anonymously of course) our local newspapers police beat section for whoremongering, kiddie fiddling, hit & run accidents, parking ticket scofflaws, etc.

Here's a real rant for you. Diplomatic immunity my left testicle, the next time NYC's Finest catch one of them En Flagrante Delicto, I say "Let them sleep with the fishes" in the East River. Let France have the "UN", Donald Trump needs the property. At least he'll pay the property taxes.

lglethal
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The UN is weak because ALL of our countries are weak!

Everyone here seems to forget that the UN is not about the UN staffers per se but is governed by the leaders of EVERY country on earth (or at least the vast majority of ones that have joined the UN). The fact that the UN hasnt cracked down on Burma is not the UN people's fault but the fault of China, Russia and India who are all refusing to crackdown on the Burmese government. Why? Money obviously. All 3 nations have shit human rights records and so dont want the UN to be able to do anything about what is in effect an internal Burmese problem. I mean if China did another Tianemen square they dont want the UN having the precedent to make a move do they?

But there are plenty of other cases where the UN should be able to make a difference - big one at the moment - Sudan. The reason nothing is happening in Sudan is because no one wants to commit troops and put themselves in the firing line. It was the same with Liberia, Sierra Leone and god knows how many other countries.

So next time your calling the UN weak and useless just remember its your country thats contributing to that - its ALL of our nations that have made the UN the toothless tiger that it is!

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