By Kyaw Myint Htoon (Paris)
IN June, this author wrote a column titled “Empty Chambers, Empty Words”.
It seems it’s in the DNA of the mighty powers that sit atop the Ivory Tower in New York.
The great envoy was not the only one who spoke to the empty chamber when the speech was given in New York. Her supremo recently attended a conference in Saville, Spain, that some Western outlets have described as “empty chairs, missing leaders”!
It was a once-in-a-decade finance conference in Seville. A nice junket for the Supremo and cronies!!!
If there were any sign of relevance to the Supremo, the conference should be at capacity, considering it is held once every ten years.
An article in one highly reputable news outlet said it all. It said in a blistering heat, empty chairs mar the flagship development event. The article also said “empty chairs, missing leaders”. Only one G7 leader attended. Even some usual suspects from the Global South, for whom event such as this is a “must-attend”, skipped. Both the Supremo and Deputy attended. Some insiders said no. 1 and 2 are not supposed to travel together. All that doesn’t matter anymore. A year and a chain left in the term, and who cares! It would be good to see how these Self-Absorbed People (SAPs) in the Ivory Tower spin it to claim victory. But, aren’t they supposed to be facing an unprecedented financial crisis? Nothing has changed after all! Let’s hope the big Uncle is taking note.
These people are in deep denial and oblivious to the reality of the current-day politics. There is a recent article that laid out extensive perks these officials receive amid the budget crisis. People around the world are suffering. The clock is ever closer to midnight. These SAPs live large and live well!
Let’s call them out for their failures. In Haiti, criminal gangs have exerted “near-total control” over the capital. Wait! Not long ago, didn’t these SAPs just come up with such a brilliant idea to deploy military forces from another faraway country? Note also that these SAPs have been on the ground in Haiti for decades.
They will be speaking to an empty Chamber in late September. The great Envoy is busy preparing for a day talkfest related to Myanmar. Doesn’t matter the empty chamber! Usually in New York, the third week of September is when who’s who from the whole world is in town. But end of September? No one’s there! Financial crisis or not, let’s plough ahead with the conference on Myanmar anyway! Events like this are an opportunity for nice junkets. Justification for the contract. The minor league University down South doesn’t have the budget to cover fancy travels and accommodations. While travelling on official dime, let’s mix up with private business.
To resolve any conflict, all sides need to be at the table, especially the most important player. If there is any intelligence with these SAPs, this is how the end-of-September talkfest would be organized. But in this case, the main actor is ignored - neither invited nor views solicited!
They continue to organize empty conferences. Make speeches to empty chambers.
There is an expression in Myanmar for the people who do not have much up there in their heads. They are called ... brain! No shortage of these types in the Ivory Towers in New York and Geneva!
(The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.)
