Hostage taking, even aimed at the most vile regime like the Burmese military junta, cannot be condoned.
However, the recent siege of the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok by a few dissidents brings into sharp focus several points.
The Burmese military thugs should wake up and listen to the widespread dissatisfaction people feel regarding the status quo and start a meaningful dialogue with the opposition political parties, the most prominent being the National League for Democracy led by Aung San Suu Kyi.
Violence begets violence and the next incident might not have a happy ending and might be a lot closer to home. With institutes of higher learning having remained closed for most of the last 10 years, since the dictators shot their way to power, there is no shortage of disgruntled hotheads.
The Thai Government has shown great tolerance, maturity and confidence in pulling off a smooth ending to the siege. Its refusal to brand the hostage takers terrorists and its decision to call them instead, 'people seeking democracy', indicates clearly how low the military junta has sunk in the eyes of the international community.
The jubilant picture of the released hostages wearing the red headbands of Burmese dissident students and waving them proudly, shows where the sympathies of the international community lie. In contrast, the response of the dictators is chilling to say the least.