Goldie’s Thinking Corner

Ever since I read about the military security officer Aung Aung Oo, in the DVB report, I couldn’t stop thinking about the case.

Aung Aung Oo is an official from military security forces, which is based in Bago. Why does Bago, a medium sized town, needs military forces residing there? In case of the unexpected attack from foreign troops ? Or is it handily placed there so that the armed forces will be ready in case of any uprising in Bago?

The same officer visited a brothel where he amused himself. The amazing fact is that the brothel he visited was situated, very closely to the residence of the local police chief. Has the police chief no knowledge of the brothel in his neighbourhood ? Are the brothel businesses so common in Bago that the police just decided to ignore them all ? What does the Bago Peace and Development Council think of the future of the young girls in the area? If they are not too worried about other people’s kids, then how about their own daughters?

Aung Aung Oo is not only a powerful military man, he seems to have fairly good income, judging by the way he was raking around town on the motorbike and also the way he immediately offered the compensation money to the guy he abused, so as to avoid prosecution. You can’t help but wonder why an officer like him needs to visit a brothel as such. Aren’t there many eligible ladies who would like to marry a military officer with such a good income?

The other possibility is that Aung Aung Oo did marry a suitable lady from a respectable family and lived happily until the lady got struck by a terrible disease which prevented her from having physical contact with her husband. So the kind and understanding lady allowed her beloved husband to enjoy himself at the brothels.

As he felt miserable with his marital situation, Aung Aung Oo got drunk at the brothel and ran over a 13 year old boy with his motorbike on his way home. The accident was witnessed by a 23 year old man and it was all too much for the military officer as he finally snapped and started kicking and punching the unfortunate man who had witnessed the accident. Did Aung Aung Oo forget all the behaviour lessons that his gentle and respectable mother taught him ? Did he have no knowledge that it is the universally acknowledged fact that ‘gentlemen never bully weaker or unarmed ones’?

As he left the scene, Aung Aung Oo proudly shouted out loud that he was a military man. So what’s going to happen to Aung Aung Oo ? What actions will the military authorities take, when they hear of his case ? Arrest him, prosecute him for behaviour which defames the military, then throw him into long-term imprisonment?

Or will the reporters, eye-witness, etc. get long-term imprisonment instead for dishonouring the state?

Or perhaps the media who reported this case will get another hacking?

However, it is most likely that the authorities will just ignore such trivial citizens’ problems as all eyes and ears are on the top dog Than Shwe, who lays dying with intestinal cancer. Even more eyes and ears are on the lookout for the next top dog who will snatch that throne, to continue to hold on to absolute power. And if you are not in that top dog’s group, you and your family’s lives could be in trouble, even if you are a member of the junta!

Goldie Shwe