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Published on December 18, 2007

Dean Barrett has tried to defame Iran by using emotionally coloured words. He has diverted the debate on the nuclear issue to human rights. The reality is that Iran cannot be governed by imported laws because Iran is an autonomous country and has its own comprehensive judicial system. This judicial system is in harmony with the religion and sociocultural practices and reflects the aspirations of the people of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Therefore it rejects all criticism that is based on personal opinion or judgmental prejudice. The question of human-rights violations arises only when something happens outside of the legal system or without a legal trial, which, in Iran's case, is out of the question.

Members of the international community press Iran on human rights, but they themselves have not only been violating human rights in Iraq and Afghanistan, but they also been violating international pacts and treaties applicable to citizens and prisoners of war - the incidents at Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib prisons are examples of this. Here there have been brutal torture methods including electric shocks, humiliation by forcing them to be nude, mental torture etc.

The world has seen the champions of global human rights laughing at helpless prisoners being humiliated in Abu Ghraib jail in Iraq. These are only a few examples of the appalling violations of basic human rights by those who are giving lessons on human rights to others.

The international community ignores human-rights violations in Kashmir and Palestine, which human-rights organisations around the world try to bring into the public consciousness, and instead focuses on a stable and sovereign country being run in accordance with its constitution and judicial system, just like other countries of the world.

These issues need an immediate and sustainable solution rather than to have new issues raised that lead to an environment of antagonism. If the international community were to divert its energies from Iran to real human-rights violations occurring around the world, these issues could be solved within some months, if not days.

I hope Dean Barrett is aware of these real human violations. We must carefully evaluate whether or not people are deliberately trying to conceal the thousands of human-rights violations in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere around the globe by blaming Iran for human-rights violations.

If the answer is yes, then it is unjust to waste time and resources in this way instead of investing more in these burning issues.

In conclusion, I must refer to an article "Time for the US to try 'smart power'" by Richard Armitage and Joseph S Nye, published on The Nation's Opinion page last Wednesday, which envisions global peace through the US shifting from "hard power" to "smart power".

The article states: "More broadly, when our words do not match our actions, we demean our character and moral standing. We cannot lecture about democracy while we back dictators. We cannot denounce torture in other countries and condone it at home. We cannot allow Guantanamo Bay or Abu Ghraib to become the symbols of American power." I am extremely thankful to The Nation for publishing this article with its vision for global peace.

Muhammad Atif Ali

Bangkok

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Than Shwe's days in top spot are numbered

Killing Buddhist monks is not the same thing as killing students in Burma. When Than Shwe mass-murdered Buddhist monks, he activated a religious "poison pill" that will destroy him. We do not expect Than Shwe to survive for more than another six months.

But the problem in Burma goes beyond dictator Than Shwe.

A retired Burmese ambassador told me that the Burmese army never learned how to govern the country. He cited the example of Zaw Tun, the former deputy economics minister. Zaw Tun graduated from the prestigious St Paul's High School and was Than Shwe's aide-de-camp.

Zaw Tun publicly complained that regional commanders were providing inflated economic statistics to impress Than Shwe. For this honesty, Zaw Tun, despite his former close ties to Than Shwe, was asked to resign.

This is why last year I sent a feature article in The Wall Street Journal to a senior general about the Communist Party of China sending their future leaders to the US to learn how to govern. Some were trained at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and others at graduate schools of public administration at America's leading universities.

The next military leader of Burma has a clear choice. He can negotiate in good faith at a neutral site in Singapore, or face an armed national uprising.

Myint Thein

Senior Adviser to the Burmese Resistance

dallas, Texas

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Developing world not the source of spam email

Re: "Anti-virus package offers local protection," Byteline, December 11.

Developing countries do not, as your article suggests, produce more spam email than other countries. The major source of spam is the US. Spam may be relayed via other countries because of poorly configured servers or personal computers, but those sending spam are largely from the US. The idea that Thailand could be a major source of spam gives the country a bad reputation and is the kind of idea that encourages some people to block all Asian senders from their email, thinking they would reduce spam by doing so, while those aware of the spam problem know that banning Asian countries may only result in losing emails from friends.

Many users in Thailand use illegal versions of anti-virus software, but new commercial anti-virus products will not help this problem. Users are instead encouraged to use free solutions in place of commercially available software. Spam evades anti-virus software because spam emails are not viruses. Fighting viruses and fighting spam are two very distinct tasks. The way to proceed in each case is different and you should not expect one solution to fit for both problems.

Olivier Nicole

Senior System and Network Administrator

Asian Institute of Technology

Bangkok

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In praise of a lady who values the finer things

Re: "A spot of bother over something called 'PTT'", Letters, December 17.

My heart is gladdened and gratified whenever I encounter the terribly civil and genteel letters of the lady Catherine Chobley-Dickson, a gentlewoman I have admired from afar for all so many years.

During this season when a melange of joy to the world and the rather coarse dealings of the election occupy our moments, the reasoned, level-headed approach of a lady of urbane cordiality gladdens my day. Oh, how I do pray that more of us could indulge in the cordial cultured manners of Catherine Chobley-Dickson. Would not our world shimmer more in the morning sun?

Thomas Finn

Bangkok

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