Only words
August 25th 2010 01:15
Did anybody follow that hostage crisis in the Philippines? The whole thing was pretty bizarre, and the exact thing that nation did not need, given its history with things like this.
I couldn’t help but notice, though, that after the shootout that ensued as police stormed the bus, Hong Kong’s chief executive Donald Tsang issued travel advice suggesting that his citizens avoid visiting the Philippines. You could argue about whether he overreacted, given that the incident was isolated and the gunman was motivated by personal reasons rather than political ones.
I prefer, though, to ask why he acted; specifically, why he felt free to act. I doubt that Tsang holds any greater regard for individual citizens’ lives than any leader of any country. But I wonder whether he (and, by extension, the Chinese government as a whole) simply thinks that, for whatever reason, he has no need to avoid offending the Philippines.
After all, the contrast with the way Australia and the United States whitewashed the situation in Indonesia after the last Marriott bombing is too great. In their cases, any hypothetical concern with their citizens’ safety seems to have been overridden by their desire to preserve business interests and keep the government favorable to them, by making sure it has a relatively positive image in the domestic media.
I hear you rolling your eyes out there, at the terribly flawed assumption that governments like Indonesia’s are acting on anything other than a cynical desire for profit and/or power. Alternatively, if you have a more positive view of Indonesia and similar countries than I do, you might easily conclude that coddling them is offensive and condescending. France had to take it when the House of Representatives (mainstream politicians, not an outlawed religious terrorist group!) changed the names of items on its cafeteria menu to slap them in the metaphorical face. The United States had to take it when Australian MPs turned their backs on President Bush during his address to Parliament. Maybe it’s time for the Philippines and Indonesia to take it when Donald Tsang or anyone else calls them unstable, irresponsible, incompetent banana republics.
I couldn’t help but notice, though, that after the shootout that ensued as police stormed the bus, Hong Kong’s chief executive Donald Tsang issued travel advice suggesting that his citizens avoid visiting the Philippines. You could argue about whether he overreacted, given that the incident was isolated and the gunman was motivated by personal reasons rather than political ones.
I prefer, though, to ask why he acted; specifically, why he felt free to act. I doubt that Tsang holds any greater regard for individual citizens’ lives than any leader of any country. But I wonder whether he (and, by extension, the Chinese government as a whole) simply thinks that, for whatever reason, he has no need to avoid offending the Philippines.
After all, the contrast with the way Australia and the United States whitewashed the situation in Indonesia after the last Marriott bombing is too great. In their cases, any hypothetical concern with their citizens’ safety seems to have been overridden by their desire to preserve business interests and keep the government favorable to them, by making sure it has a relatively positive image in the domestic media.
I hear you rolling your eyes out there, at the terribly flawed assumption that governments like Indonesia’s are acting on anything other than a cynical desire for profit and/or power. Alternatively, if you have a more positive view of Indonesia and similar countries than I do, you might easily conclude that coddling them is offensive and condescending. France had to take it when the House of Representatives (mainstream politicians, not an outlawed religious terrorist group!) changed the names of items on its cafeteria menu to slap them in the metaphorical face. The United States had to take it when Australian MPs turned their backs on President Bush during his address to Parliament. Maybe it’s time for the Philippines and Indonesia to take it when Donald Tsang or anyone else calls them unstable, irresponsible, incompetent banana republics.
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