Marie-Antoinette
- This post is inspired by Eyes Wide Open. The content is copied and pasted from there. I find this amusing but at the same time sympathised the minority group in Sarawak.
- "Let them eat cake!"----"qu'ils mangent de la brioche."
- The quote, as attributed to Marie Antoinette, was claimed to have been uttered during one of the famines that occurred in France during the reign of her husband Louis XVI. Upon being alerted that the people were suffering due to widespread bread shortages, she is said to have replied, "Then let them eat brioche." This type of callousness on the part of the monarchy has often been referred to in writings about the possible factors that led to the French Revolution.
- In Sarawak, Malaysia:
- (Bernama) - Sarawak Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan was shocked over news reports about 3,000 Penans in the remote settlements in upper Belaga in the Kapit Division facing starvation due to shortage of food.
- "I'm very shocked...it is impossible. If nobody helps them, the Penans can still survive in the jungle easily as they can hunt for animals and forage for edible plants," he told reporters here today.
- Meanwhile, Ulu Rejang MP Datuk Billy Abit Joo also expressed shock over the news reports, but also amusement, saying that "shortage of food does not mean the Penans are starving".
- "There are about 1,000 Penans in the six settlements and they are not starving. "The Penans have always faced food shortage due to the destruction of their food source, but this year they had poor rice harvest because the crop had been destroyed by insects and monkeys," he said.
- "The Penans will share their harvest, hunt for animals and look for wild sago as their staple food. They will not starve," he said.
Don't you feel sad and pathetic, reading this :(
No... I don't. But it doesn't means that Im callous. Because the very first at all, the Penan themself refuse to take changing and improvement. Second, there is alway something unexpected happen even in civilization... apa lagi orang ulu.
ReplyDeleteI had stop experience sympathetic for about a year when I break up with my best friend. Since then, I see thing in big picture.
Unlike Chinese which consist of one quarter of world population, the questions arise here are about the survival of the indigenous people, and the ability of the state to look after the welfare of minority group that falls within a state's territory.
ReplyDeleteOrang Ulu refers to Kayan, Kelabit, Kayak, and others. Penan is different from them because of culture and language. Not all Penan refuse to be civilised. Should have heard about the news they walk out of the jungle (to be civilised)and fighting for their people's right.
And also, what do you mean by something unexpected happen in civilisation? This is not unexpected to the policy-makers and politicians, this is their ignorance to the issue of preserving indigenous people and culture. Human security does not exist in government's policy planning, not even able to attract any attention and reaction for that matter (because preserving means more money for welfare sector, which does not generate profit!).
Part of their famine problem, as to why the jungle resources is depleting, is because of state-initiated deforestation and development project, which could be done in a more sustainable way.
Sadly, Malaysia has yet to achieve sustainable development. Although the government claims we have achieved it, it is simply a lie or a sugar-coated report. What we need to see is the real implementation of the right policy to achieve the real goal.
Very sorry to say as well, we are far from behind Brazil's effort in this area (of preserving indigenous culture and also the conservation of virgin forest which is their source of survival).
By international human rights standard, Penan has the right to remain being "uncivilised" and living in the most traditional way they can most possibly be, provided that the government does not do anything to jeopardise their survival. In this case, their very basic needs to be alive, the food, is experiencing shortage. The forest will never run out of resources. The moderate way of life lead by the Penan would never have a smallest possibility of over-harvesting the natural food the forest can provide, not until the civilised people out there (which are us) robs off the forest to acquire more lands for the sake of modernization, in the name of civilization.
This is not the matter of being cold-hearted because you're betrayed by your best friend, this is about humanity.
I wish there is justice for the people, based on real facts and sound reason. Not merely a "oh kesiannya mereka" or "padan muka mereka" kind of sentiment. Mind you I did something on the connection between government, NGO, international agencies and their effects on forest conservation and indigenous people's survival. So pardon my intolerable stand on this issue :)
You are right, I'm mute as everything I wanted to say has been count in your consideration. I'm not the one who starving, and my humanity sensitivity was low... I'm not going to fight for orang hulu, but in case you need any hand to raise up the flags, you'll have mine . ^_^
ReplyDelete\(≧▽≦)/
ReplyDeleteping, that was why marie-antoinette was executed kan? perhaps some mental 'executions' must also be conducted on our politicians, huh? huhu.
ReplyDeleteyeah, she was one of the reasons of French Revolution, the second "people's power" event in the world's history. So she's not famous for nothing (≧▽≦)y
ReplyDeleteperhaps they need to be re-educated, or install a new brain, faster XD